fieldsofred

[fieldsofred]

This is such a non issue but there’s a tiny thing that bothers me in batfam fics, especially the fanon!tim centric ones

And it’s that there’s occasionally this moment where Tim will walk into the room and tells/ ask Bruce this super important piece of information during a moment where Bruce isn’t centred enough to acknowledge it appropriately (i.e he’s stressed about a case, he’s distracted, he’s agitated by something, etc etc) & as a result he usually ends up lashing out at Tim or just reacting inappropriately and as a result it caused more aggravation in the plot, which is fine—

But the part that bothers me is that, 9 times out of 10 Tim would not have revealed said information in that moment if we’re following what we know about Tim’s character (at least in a fanon sense) because Tim ABSOLUTELY would walk in & throughly read the room’s mood before revealing anything, especially personal, emotion based information

Tim grew up with abusive/temperamental absent parents (whatever fanon choice you want to go with) but he grew up knowing that he needed to be able to read his parents moods, and respond & act accordingly to ensure no ripples are created in the social ecosystem he’s living within, he ensures that he keeps things peaceful and non-eventful so he can blend back into the background if he needs to go avoid being the object of ire

And so I don’t believe for a second Tim wouldn’t instantly clock the type of mood that Bruce would be in and HIGHTAIL out of the emotional conversation asap like, this is the boy that regulated Bruce at his most emotionally inconsistent and volatile, there’s noooo way that he wouldn’t be able to read Bruce like an open book and adhere his behaviour accordingly, this is Tim ‘walking example of childhood parentification’ Drake were talking about come on now—

[fieldsofred]

Older sibling Canon event

[fieldsofred]

The most important writing lesson I ever learned was not in a screenwriting class, but a fiction class.

This was senior year of college.  Most of us had already been accepted into grad school of some sort. We felt powerful, we felt talented, and most of all, we felt artistic.

It was the advanced fiction workshop, and we did an entire round of workshops with everyone’s best stories, their most advanced work, their most polished pieces. It was very technical and, most of all, very artistic.

IE: They were boring pieces of pretentious crap.

Now the teacher was either a genius OR was tired of our shit, and decided to give us a challenge.  Flash fiction, he said. Write something as quickly as possible.  Make it stupid.  Make it not mean a thing, just be a quick little blast of words. 

And, of course, we all got stupid.  Little one and two pages of prose without the barriers that it must be good. Little flashes of characters, little bits of scenarios.

And they were electric.  All of them. So interesting, so vivid, not held back by the need to write important things or artistic things. 

One sticks in my mind even today.  The guys original piece was a thinky, thoughtful piece relating the breaking up of threesomes to volcanoes and uncontrolled eruptions that was just annoying to read. But his flash fiction was this three page bit about a homeless man who stole a truck full of coca cola and had to bribe people to drink the soda so he could return the cans to recycling so he could afford one night with the prostitute he loved.

It was funny, it was heartfelt, and it was so, so, so well written.

And just that one little bit of advice, the write something short and stupid, changed a ton of people’s writing styles for the better.

It was amazing. So go.  Go write something small.  Go write something that’s not artistic.  Go write something stupid. Go have fun.

[fieldsofred]

teenie babie spoiler

we are on ch 23 and they're like, just now figuring out that they like each other

this is from outline #1 (i'm currently on version #7) and is what chapter 20 was supposed to be:

lol

current outline goes into the 50s sorry (not sorry)

[fieldsofred]

I hope you know that your work and time and effort is really, truly appreciated. And it goes without saying, but as long as you're enjoying writing and posting (and WOW that's a lot of words that's fantastic wow wow congrats) and gaining something from that experience, that's what really matters. Didn't know if any words of affirmation would be helpful, but yeah! Take your time! Have fun! New updates when new updates (or even no updates) and its important you're having a good time and taking care of yourself first and foremost. You're very kind, and a delight to share an internet space with and I hope you're taking care of yourself as much as you need. (That was a lot, no pressure to respond, just felt like letting you know you're appreciated.)

Hey, do you know I could say the exact same thing to you? I have sat down and tried to articulate a response to your comments several times and have yet to be able to so. I'm working on it. Your time and effort mean worlds to me. (never any pressure to comment though, really) but I adore getting to hear your thoughts and read them over and over <3

I am enjoying it! (thanks! this fic got me out of a writing rut so now im getting all my words out) and I am absolutely gaining something from this experience. Its been insane to suddenly be part of such a wonderful community of people <333

Not to just copy you but you are a delight to share internet space with <333 I actually just got the rudest comment earlier and it made me appreciate you (and the rest of stunning individuals I'm honored to interact with) even more.

I hope that you are taking care of yourself as needed and I hope you enjoy itaot even half as much as I enjoy you <333

[fieldsofred]

Hey! Addicted ITAOT reader here! Just wanna say, don't push yourself too much, although we (all your loving readers) are all super excited to see what comes next, Im sure none of us want u to overwork yourself or anything!!! I personally would be equally as excited about the new chapter even if you made us wait 5 years (though please don't hahah)! Sending internet cookies, hope you get plenty of time to rest and write 🫶

Hey! Thank you <3 thats very very sweet <333 I am not pushing myself very hard but I really do enjoy writing and I want to stick to a schedule for yall

I will try my best not to make you ever wait more than a few weeks <3

Do you know that the words 'addicted itaot reader here' will live in my brain forever? Do you know that you're going to die with me? Theres nothing i can do about that sorry

eating your internet cookies and also sending you a good nights sleep <333

[fieldsofred]

lovely, sweet, wonderful author...

i read through the 3 chapters in about 20 minutes and am waiting until i have a bit more energy to go in and write out my comments. apparently the (supposedly) non-drowsy antihistamine i've been taking HAS in fact been causing drowsiness (yay) so i will hopefully have boatloads of energy and also allergies as of tomorrow. expect many comments!

anyway i saw the ask that mentioned tim's sa/rape in red robin, and i just wanted to give you a quick heads up that a lot of fandom sentiment surrounding the al ghul's is steeped in quite a bit of racism. this obviously isn't to say that people are being racist on purpose, or that you would do so, but given that you haven't read the comics it can be difficult to differentiate between what's canon and what's fallen into and been amplified by the fanon echo chamber.

you've probably seen the whole "ra's wanted to marry tim/stole his spleen/was generally really weird and creepy about him", which is honestly extremely random and doesn't have much basis in reality. they worked together in red robin and ra's was a bit odd, but that can be attributed to just general villainy and maybe repeated lazarus pit dunkings, not paedophilia (which there is no canonical evidence for, as far as i know). it just strikes me as a bit odd that the old arab guy is automatically viewed as preying on the sweet, innocent white twink.

the same rhetoric is sometimes applied to talia, where the predatory arab woman rapes not one, but two members of the batfamily. it was retconned for a reason, guys! i just thought i'd let you know because the whole "ra's is attracted to tim" thing is so annoyingly prevalent that it's almost impossible to avoid if you aren't actively engaging with the canon, and i totally get why you might not want to do that.

you don't need to answer this btw! there's not much to answer, really, it's just something to possibly keep in mind if you end up bringing the whole "granddaughter of ra's al ghul" storyline into itaot

Hey I hope your allergies clear up! never any demand to comment, I like them <3 but I like you getting enough sleep more <333

i take a little spoonful of local honey every morning for my allergies and I think it helps (or at least I like doing it lol)

Thank you! I am as not familiar with the source material as I would like and I have absolutely seen the 'Ra's was weird to Tim' and 'Talia was weird to Jason/Bruce' so I know of the stuff you're talking about.

I will keep a critical eye on the way I characterize the al Ghuls :) and continue to welcome asks like this. Thank you, really <3

feel better!!!

[fieldsofred]

hey i hope u know how much fun im having reading itaot... any time theres an update, or when you post a snippet, or when im just feeling like it and casually reread the whole thing, im like rolling around in bed (or kicking my feet, if at the office) having the time of my life. i visited my family for the holidays and forced my mom to listen to a whole ass retelling lmao. my boss thinks ive started seeing someone because shes been seeing me giggle secretively at my phone more than usual. all in all, 100/10, having the time of my life here.

also out of curiosity, can you share with us the inspiration behind the title? or is it something of a future plot spoiler?

Hey i hope you know that im giggling and kicking my feet and screaming

It took me forever to answer this because I have no words (which is rare for me, i usually have too many words).

I also have a secret relationship (the comments on itaot) that has me hiding my phone screen and smiling uncontrollably at work

1000/10. i adore you. i hope your mom liked your retelling <3

But genuinely, thank you for telling me this. I cannot explain how much light this brings to my day. This made my entire week. This makes me want to keep writing for the rest for the rest of my life. You have no idea the power you hold over me.

I hope you keep enjoying it as much as I am <3333

The title! I cannot explain how much i've been dreading that question. lol. okay,

short answer: its a lyric from harder to breathe by maroon 5. no deep meaning. no connection to the story.

long answer: Is There Anyone Out There? was never supposed to matter to me.

I've been writing fanfic and original stuff for an audience of one (me) for about a decade (im 23). I've never had the courage to post anything before but Ive always had the desire.

I started reading dc fanfic about six months ago and really fell in love with the fandom and the characters. I was a lurker. And then I read a jaytim fanfic with the most atrocious characterizations I have ever seen (in my personal opinion). I said 'jesus christ, i can do better than that' and started writing my own in like, idk, december i think. and then it started to occupy a little more brain space and writing time.

I remember genuinely thinking 'fuck it' when i decided to post the first several chapters at once. I didn't proof read them the way I should have and i didn't have a good solid story outline in place. I was just like, whatever. i'll give it a shot. I didn't think anyone was going to like it. Honestly, I didn't think anyone was going to even see it. I genuinely put itaot on the internet with the expectation of literally nothing happening.

ao3 said: your work must have a title.

I have a whole playlist called mom rock that was the music my mom would play in the car on the way to school or what have you. she loved maroon 5, specifically the songs about jane album. I don't love maroon 5, but I was listening to my mom rock playlist. and Harder To Breathe was playing.

Is there anyone out there,

Cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe

The rest of the song makes no sense and I hold no love for it. It means literally nothing to me. Just a song off of a cd my mom used to play in the truck.

But Tim, you might have noticed, feels his anxiety in his chest. Those feelings are my feelings. That sudden tightness, the weight, the suffocating in the middle of a hallway for no reason? That's all me babe

I was like, yeah, sure, that'll do. And named it is there anyone out there?

With hindsight, I might have named it something different. If I knew how much I would grow to love the story, how much it would matter to me, maybe I would have thought about the title a little bit longer.

I have miles and miles of google docs full of stories that matter to me. I have an original work that ive been working on since like 2018 that is my heart and soul in written form.

itaot wasn't supposed to matter. It was a chance to dip my toes into posting without any consequences because, who cares?

Me. I care. I care so deeply. I cannot emphasis the value that this fic holds in my life. The people that it's allowed me to interact with have been a blessing. The community that i've stumbled into is an honor to be apart of. Specifically, this ask is going to live with me for the rest of my life.

There's a phrase thats used in Ted Lasso: It's the hope that kills you

I have dreamt of being a real author my entire life. The whole time, its been a tiny thought in the back of my head, always paired with silly girl, that'll never happen!

And then I put a little fanfic that I wasn't emotionally attached to on the internet. And then I got emotionally attached to it. and then you said i'm having the time of my life and I know what that feels like to read something that makes me giggle and smile and roll around like that. that makes me feel

So now I have to live with the knowledge that the thing I accidently got so, so deeply attached to is named after a fucking maroon 5 song. and also has the power to kill me.

And now you get to know, too <3

[fieldsofred]

The Batfam doing normal things, because they should

Damian being forced to join boy scouts, for the childhood experience. (And because Dick NEEDED to see him in that adorable little uniform and jason needed to hold it above his head for the rest of his life.) He earns almost every merit badge in a week. Except the cooking one, because he refused to cook beef. (I headcannon that he's a vegetarian.)

Dick goes to the same, local owned coffee shop, every morning. Always leaves too big of a tip, and always tells the barista a compliment.

Jason likes bowling. Jason, is in a bowling league. Dorky shirts and all. Most of the other guys on the team are like, bruces age, but he has a good time anyway, he's their Ace.

Bruce's leg was injured badly once, and he was out for about a month. He took up pottery. He made a decent mug with little bat ears. He was going to call it the Bug but he got embarrassed, now it's tucked away in his office.

[fieldsofred]

you are So valid and Correct that writing, especially fanfic, is supposed to be fun!!!!!! you have nothing to be sorry for take ur time!!!!!!

<3333

It's supposed to be fun!!!! I do take it seriously, and I know a lot of other people do as well, but at its core its supposed to be fun!!! I hope that you have fun in your day to day and I hope you have extra fun today <333

[fieldsofred]

hey!! loved these 3 new chapters they were SO good and i loved jasons POV

SPOILERS FOR RED ROBIN COMICS -- feel free to ignore but this chapter got me wondering if u were going to incorporate/were familiar with the red robin comics arc where tim was nearly SA'd/raped by ra's al ghul's half sister?

(if u weren't familiar there is this part where tim is about to be killed and is chained up by ra's half sister, "a daughter of archeron," and she says he is about to give her a child, she gets fully naked and then is about to undress him but then cass saves him)

Hey, thanks!! I'm glad you liked them!!! It was good for me to flesh out Jason's pov but I'm glad to be going back to Tim :)

Speaking of Tim, HUH???

No I did not know that. I've never opened a comic in my life (sorry!) but that is fucking crazy. I will have to sit on that and think about working it in and how to do so

thank you for the info! I appreciate it when you guys give me tid bits like that, it helps :)

[fieldsofred]

A trope that gets to me: 'guard dog' character and their partner who are both fully aware of it and honestly don't care/kind of like it. Someone says "call your guard dog off" and their partner does call them off. That person, their 'guard dog', is someone who is unreservedly, irrefutably loyal to them. Someone undoubtedly dangerous who is willing to kill, to maim, to obey, simply because of their love for one another. There's no manipulation involved— it is loyalty, brutal, dogged loyalty. And it goes both ways.

[fieldsofred]

jay sketch

[fieldsofred]

hi gorgeous

[fieldsofred]

Jk it got posted today hope you like it

I am a liar

I lied. I said that Boys Night (pt 2) (worse) would be out today midday. It is currently Today, Midday.

Here's the deal. Chapter 21: Tim and Duke (3k) is done. Chapter 22: Jason POV is at 10k words and still needs probably another 3 or 4k to feel complete. It's gotten away from me, to say the least, but I'm committed.

They are getting posted together because I said the next thing that will get posted is Boys Night pt 2 and I'm sticking to that.

I am going to give myself the allowance because I am very busy this week but still working on it, and try to post it on Sunday (4/27). I might just wait until Tuesday and post both of the chapters together.

I apologize because I prefer to stick to my word, but also I'm not sorry and I hope that this is going to be worth it.

It will be out as soon as it's done!

(extra info about me that doesn't matter at all below)

I keep track of my daily word count! I've been doing it since about September 2024, and I just want to give yall an idea of how much fun i've had chipping away at ITAOT?

In December, I could not find the energy to do anything. (maybe a minor depression) Then I started tapping away at some ideas about Jason!

You can see that I was hoping around different WIPs and then eventually just stopped noting the WIP i was working on and just starting tracking word count, because its been exclusively itaot?

This fic has made me like writing again. Its brings me lots and lots of joy.

I am going to choose not to push that joy to it's limit and acknowledge that this fanfic is supposed to be fun. I am going to keep having fun, and worry a little less about rushing to get chapters out.

I am going to keep writing as much as I can and keep posting, no worries :)

I appreciate anyone who is reading it <3 Thanks for hanging out with me <333

[fieldsofred]

i feel like a lot of Jason and Bruce's relationship can only be explained if you understand the depth of Jason's isolation while living with Bruce and the depths of codependency the dynamic fostered.

Unlike Jason's predecessor and his successors, Jason never had a superhero team. He wasn't deeply connected to the superhero community. He didn't really even have friends. His world was school, the manor, and Batman and Robin. Robin, being a piece of his identity and his first sense of belonging. Batman and Robin as a dynamic requires synchronicity and a lack of questioning. It's about doing what Batman says. Jason, who lived in constant fear of being abandoned again, or kicked out, did his damnedest to not step a toe out of line. Jason was looking for safety and a parent who loved him, and Bruce stepped into that role in a way Jason had never experienced before. (mind you, Bruce himself was dealing with the conflicts regarding his relationship with Dick and no longer have Dick's presence.)

When Bruce and Jason started to have tensions themselves over 'excessive force' and the Garzona's situation, that read to Jason like rejection. And rejection, in a codependent relationship is cause for severe alienation and isolation. Jason had zero people to turn to; and the single person he loved most in the world didn't trust him anymore. Bruce had ripped the little bit of emotional safety that Jason felt away. So Jason went to find a mother who might want him.

point is: Jason Todd can never leave Bruce Wayne. Not in the way his other siblings can. Bruce Wayne is the center of his universe, and the only person Jason ever fully trusted. Jason wrapped his identity into being loved by Bruce, into being the son of Bruce. Into being Batman's Robin. Which is why being replaced felt like confirmation of all of his worst fears. It's why nobody else seems to understand the depths of this betrayal the way Jason does. Jason thinks his relationship with Bruce is normal. He thinks that Tim has replaced Jason in this codependent bond. That Tim has somehow played the part better than Jason did.

It's why Red Hood can't ever move on without Bruce proving to him that he is worth killing the Joker for. It's why Jason keeps crawling back to the batfamily despite the constant cycle of abuse and conflict. Bruce is gravity, Bruce is the sun, and Jason's world revolves around him and what Bruce says about him. If Bruce says Jason isn't worth it, then he's not. If Bruce says Jason is, then he is. They're soOOoO "Love me like a god and I'll betray you like a man" "I bet on losing dogs" "i'm going to die in the universe you loved me in (before you decided you didn't)" "I was fifteen when you left and I have been fifteen ever since" "losing your faith in your parents feels like losing faith in your religion"

@prlssprfctn <- bless you for this panel <3

[fieldsofred]

April 27, JASON PETER TODD

fan art