#Damian is out of his depth but that's not stopping him

[gay-dorito-dust]

How’d they react to you calling them bro or dude whilst in a pre-established relationship…(platonic/romantic)

Dick: he’s insulted.

Gutted.

He will try to give you the silent treatment for such a shameful thing but ultimately fails as he ends up being the one pawing at you for attention.

‘Do you still like me? Or did you just run out of cute nicknames to call me?’ He’d say one night as your both cuddling in bed together. ‘If it’s the later then I can help you find something, just please spare me and don’t call me dude or bro anymore.’

He’d rather you call him Richard-wait, no he hates that even more because to him you’re not meant to use his fully name, only cutesy nicknames that’d make a grown man sick to his stomach. Nothing else would suffice other than Dickie bird, handsome, babe, hunk, honeybun or anything that wasn’t his name.

He’s go mad or would act delusional and say that everything was fine when everyone could tell that it wasn’t. People who know him have personally came to you and begged you to stop calling him dude/bro because he kept talking their ears off about how his beloved partner is torturing him, which ends up torturing them even more upon hearing about his relationship issues.

Dick would even consult Hayley on what he did wrong, only for Hayley to look at him with those big, big eyes of hers. This was not her level of expertise unfortunately. (Head empty, no thoughts. She can’t do her abc’s guys it’s a real tragedy.)

Jason: ‘I just had my tongue down your throat just now and you had to go and ruin the mood by calling me bro. What the fuck.’ - Jason at some point.

It’s a whole mood killer for him to be honest.

He’s calling you things like chipmunk or sweetheart but here you were calling him dude and bro. He knows for a fact that he’s well and truly out of the friend zone because the shit you’ve done together isn’t platonic in any sort of way.

Thinks Roy had set you up to call him dude or bro behind his back. (He hasn’t)

Jason is petty and will get his own back by referring you as ‘just a really good friend’, ‘buddy o’ mine’ or even worse than both of those; ‘chum.’ 💀

When you go low, Jason was more then willing to go to the depths of fucking hell to the point it had become a game to see who’d call out just how stupid this all was, and at the both of you for ever thinking that this was an excellent idea in the first place.

You’ll probs get punished…I’m just going to leave it there and let your minds guess what that ‘punishment’ was exactly.

Damian:

As much as Damian hates it when you call him Dami, he hates it when you call him dude or bro even more, if that’s even possible.

Damian hates it when you call him dude or bro. He’s not your dude or bro, he’s your partner and he expects no less then darling, my heart or my beloved.

So you calling him dude or bro is more than enough reason for him to give you the silent treatment.

‘Until you learn that I am your partner, I won’t want to be anywhere near you if you’re going to keep calling me your bro or dude. It is a disservice to who I actually am to you.’ He says with a huff and beckons Titus to follow, only for the Great Dane to be left confused as to why his human parents were at a disagreement over something silly.

Also Titus, Ace, Jerry, Alfred the cat, Goliath and BatCow are children of divorce because I said so.

So it’s bests that you apologise while you still can because Damian can hold a grudge unlike any other. Even if you didn’t, you’d still crack first before Damian and quickly put an end to calling him dude/bro.

He just thinks being called a dude/bro when in a pre-established relationship is an insult.

He can take a joke but not when it’s aimed at his relationship. He’s well and truly devoted to his relationship -if we’re to completely ignore the whole being Robin thing- that it might as well be an insult towards him too at this point.

[thevoidstaredback]

Damian lost. Damian has never lost before. He never loses! Losing means you're weak, and Damian is not weak. He grew up fast and strong and is only ever getting stronger!

But he couldn't kill her.

Damian had been raised to think that love of any kind was a weakness. Grandfather did not love mother because he is not weak. Mother loved father and that made her weak. Damian could not love Danyal because that would make him weak. Grandfather expected great things from him. He could not afford to be weak.

Before they were set to leave Nanda Parbat to live and train with their father, Damian and Danyal had one final lesson with Grandfather. A fight, two versus one, on the edge of the Lazarus Pits.

Danyal did not survive. He did not resurface from the depths of the green water.

Grandfather called him weak. Mother said nothing. Damian was given no time to mourn before he was handed to his father with strict orders not to tell him about Danyal.

For all Grandfather and mother had done to him, Damian could not bring himself to kill either of them. His father had taught him to love, that it was a strength.

Damian loved his mother. He realized this as he stared into her eyes, his katana at her throat, his boot pinning her down. He could not kill her.

"You are foolish, habibi." she scolded, kneeing his back and sending him rolling forwards off of her and to the edge of the Pits. "You have discarded all I taught you."

"I have only added to those lessons," he faced her, "I remember everything you have taught me."

"You lie like your father. Obviously and bluntly."

"I have never lied to you."

"Then you have forgone my lessons!"

"Because you abandoned me!"

"I sent you away to learn. I came back for you. You abandoned me."

"A mother's role to teach her child just as the father's role is to protect." Damian leveled his weapon at her again. "You left me in the care of everyone but yourself, Talia Al Ghoul. You were only ever our mother in title, not name."

Talia lunged forward, meeting Damian's sword with her own. "You know not of what you speak, foolish child!"

"I know plenty!" He pushed back, forcing her back several feet. He followed if only to get away from the edge of the Pits. "No thanks to you."

"I gave you everything, Damian."

"No. You took everything from me. You held it all as a reward out of my reach."

"You wouldn't be where you are today if it wasn't for me and your Grandfather." she stated as though it were an undeniable truth, "Whether you acknowledge it or not, we raised you."

"I raised myself."

"We taught you everything you know."

"I taught myself!"

"We made you perfect!"

"You killed half of me!"

The silence overwhelmed the fighting in the tunnels, the shouting and running and bubbling of the Pits were all drowned out. Talia's sword lowered shakily. Damian's remained raised and steady.

"You allowed Grandfather to take Danyal from me. You forced me to forget him. You killed half of me."

"Habibi-"

"No!" He was shaking now. "He was my better half, just as I was his. And you took him from me."

"Damian-"

"You took my brother from me!" He charged madly at her, rage and grief overtaking him. "I will never forgive you for that!"

Talia matched him blow for blow. "Love is weakness, habibi. That is why he died. Danyal loved you and he paid his price for it."

With a scream, Damian doubled his efforts. His blows grew weak with rage as his mother pushed him back.

Damian knew he could not kill her. Some part of him still yearned for her approval. Some part of him still loved her.

Talia's sword impaled itself into the area below his sternum, piercing the armor and skin and muscle, stabbing through to the other side, the hilt stopping it from moving ant further.

Suddenly, the silence flooded over the cavern again. A shrill ringing filled Damian's ears as his grip weakened. His katana fell from his grasp, clattering to the floor so loudly, but so, so quietly. Blood spilled from Damian's mouth with a cough.

Talia drew her sword back, throwing it behind herself as she caught her son. Love is a weakness, but that had not stopped her before. Why hadn't it stopped her now?

"Damian? Habibi?" She cradled his body on her lap, her hand turning his face to her. "My darling?"

Damian's eyes were vacant, staring into a distance unseen. He heard nothing, felt nothing. He knows what was coming next. Sleep. Release. Soon, he'd be in his brother's arms again, just like when they were children. They'd have so long to catch up with each other.

Damian closed his eyes with a soft sigh.

Storyboard Part 2

[poofiewoofie]

[ In which Damian Wayne is dipped into the lazarus pits as a babe in order to ensure his perfection. During one such event, something comes out with him. ]

Cue overprotective ghost big bro wreaking havoc in the league of assassins and, eventually, the batfam. 

The relationship between Danny and Damian is simply:

Dami: He don't bite.

Literally anybody, getting mauled the moment they even look at Damian weird: YES HE DO

Some notes if I were to ever write this into anything:

This fic would take place in the "future". Danny, a borderline immortal being, has long since outlived his friends and family (with a few exceptions like Dani and a few people becoming ghosts). With this in mind, he doesn't really leave the ghost zone anymore unless he's incredibly bored. Aaaand since the ghost zone operates on a different scale of time and ghosts are weird, he's a bit out of his depth when he leaves. Thus: he embraces his ghost side almost full time.

Danny is of course the ghost king because you can't have a dpxdc fic without that trope.

Damian is 100% shipped to Bruce early, only because the league Can Not™️ with the kid's eldritch guard dog.

Danny "pranks" the league by being a creepy little shit. That, and doing the stupidest shit. Like slowly filling Ra's Al Ghul's private room with rubber ducks until it becomes unbearable. 

Let it be said that Ra's has definitely debated just murking his grandson to stop the rubber duck rebellion.

Danny doesn't like Bruce. Of all the batfam, he has it out especially for him. Probably something to do with being rich and having a creepy underground lair.

You know who Danny does like? Jason. Wow, what a shocker. 

Danny also definitely cheers Damian on when he tries to impale any of his adoptive siblings. It's a love language.

[breadandblankets]

how i hc duke's relationships with the other (main) bats

bruce: mentor/friend/weird HS teacher u bond with kinda thing, i think bruce on his end still feels simmering guilt for not being there for duke when he needed him, duke feel simmering resentment towards bruce for being another adult that left him, this will boil over at some point but then they'll get over it, they will never be that dumb nuclear found family thing, i think doug and elaine would like bruce tho so maybe one of those friend of the family situations where u call someone ur not related to aunt/uncle

cass: very very good friends, would probably consider her a sister from another mister if u will, i would hesitate to call her a best friend *gestures at all of war* but i think she's up there, i really love the headcanon that there is some tension on duke's end because cass has the ability to be more efficient but she actively chooses not to, i think for a long time duke is going to be holding some unhealthy and unrealistic standards both for himself and also people around him, like everything else this causes tension then erupts before it gets resolved, cass i think would know about said tension the whole time but have no idea how to bring up the issue or how to even think about resolving it so it drags on

dick: i think duke holds a grudge for the robin war thing, and i think he fucking should iykyk, (the way he just leaves duke on a roof??? with cops????, i was shouting at my fucking comic) idk i think dick would probably make light of it for a while but duke would be real fucking clear that he remembers and won't be forgiving and forgetting any time soon, i think they're acquaintances at best but realistically, coworkers

damian: like cass Extremely good friends, found family if you will, honestly i think they got a lot of their interpersonal issues out of the way before duke becomes signal, so really its a matter of time before they actually become friends and not just acquaintances, they're old man young to me, i think they do old man things like feed birds in the park and play Go together, i think damian is probably one of the only people duke doesn't hold to his standards, he thinks damian deserves to be a kid, making damian be a kid is probably some of the only time that duke is forced to relax by proxy, therefore duke and damian's friendship is strongly encouraged by bruce who is out of his depth for what to do with both of them and throwing them at each other seems to be working (👍 parenting)

tim: i honestly don't think they know each other well, like i think they may have talked once??? so i don't have shit to base their relationship off, generally i think they're amicable if distant, like a coworker you say hi to at the coffee machine

babs: i Need them to interact, honestly it would be really funny if duke meets babs for the first time as oracle and he's just like??? you're my favorite librarian? and babs is like !! we missed you when you stopped volunteering!!! and duke has to be like yeah that was the joker, i think they would have a good relationship, they don't work together all that much cause oracle doesn't run duke's ops and duke isn't usually on the night shift but they know they can call each other in if they need. one of duke's few trusted AdultsTM

jason: i think rocky at the start, duke would definitely have some Memories of the red hood, that would probably be a hill to overcome, but i generally think that jason will eventually move into a more positive position in the city even with the shadows of all that stuff following him ofc. they are absolute Assholes to each other in a way that is clearly affection, jason will let duke get away with anything up to and including murder, duke will never let jason get away with anything, its like a typo in the group chat

steph: re same as tim, and babs practically nothing to base the relationship on BUT i think they would get on like a house on fire, like cass: sister from another mister energy, steph is giving duke the "you just found out ur dad is a supervillain" support he needs, they are the only bats successfully going to college they probably go to events on campus together, idk they have so much potential as the forgotten robins and all that, i think they should bully bruce together that would be so fun.

[i-cant-sing]

I think its time i reach down into the depths of hell and bring superbat kid back to the surface

She is a little confused rn because papa Clark told her that Santa is gonna bring her gifts when she's asleep, but just a day ago, daddy Bruce had told her that Santa does not exist.

Right now, she's back at the Wayne Manor because Clark wanted to yell at Bruce for saying Santa isn't real. With her brothers around, she asks them if Santa is real or not.

Jason and Damian said "No" while Tim and Dick said "Yes" simultaneously. You looked back and forth between them as they began arguing.

Dick: Santa is real-

Damian: no, he's not-

Tim: it's called letting Y/n have a normal, healthy childhood.

Jason: what's healthy about a stranger breaking in to your house and watching you sleep and leaving materialistic things before eating your baked goods?

Damain,nodding: yeah, that's not a good figure to look up to. Santa is a bad guy-

And baby reader only hears "Santa is a bad guy who breaks into your house at night when everyone's sleep" part and is now afraid.

Later that night, after Bruce had tucked reader in, he heard something move. He went out to check the boys, thinking that maybe one of them got out of bed, but ti his surprise, they were all asleep with their doors wide open. He then went towards your room, only to stop when he heard a loud crash from downstairs. Everyone was awake now, and they all rushed downstairs to the living room, where you stayed afloat in the air with a baseball bat in your hand, as you swung and hit the stomach of-

Santa?

What the hell?

"Y/n!" Bruce called, startling you as you instantly floated towards him, hugging him as you said "I beat Santa! I beat Santa!"

The Santa, who was now being picked up by Dick and Jason, turned out to be actually Clark in disguise.

"What are you doing here Clar-"

"HO! HO! HO! SANTA JUST CAME TO DROP PRESENTS FOR YOUNG Y/N!" Clark exclaimed, cutting Bruce off.

You glared at the man in red suit, still not recognising your dear papa. "I don't want any presents from the bad man! You- you broke into our house without- ringing the bell!" You tried to float towards Santa to beat him again, but Bruce caught you and held you firmly against his chest. "I won't let you hurt daddy or my brothers or Alfie!"

It's like a lightswitch went off in the boys head and they all finally understood what you meant.

Bruce titled your chin towards him. "Y/n, sweetie, as nice it is for you to beat up Santa to protect me and your brothers and Alfred, and I'm very proud that you took my "stranger danger" lessons well, you must understand that you will never fight someone without getting my permission first. Its too dangerous, I don't want you to get hurt, princess." Your brothers agreed. "Do you understand, Y/n?"

You nodded, playing with your hands.

"Good. Now, let's go back to bed-" Bruce was interrupted by Clark clearing his throat loudly.

Ugh. Bruce rolled his eyes. "And Y/n, Santa is not a bad guy. He just wanted to leave us some presents. Small, cheap ones, unlike mine but hey, what can you do?" Clark glared at him whole your brothers snickered. "So, please don't beat up Santa next time, okay?"

"Okay. Sorry, Mr Santa."

"Its okay, Y/n! Ho! Ho-"

"Stop with the theatrics. You interrupted her bedtime. It's time for her to sleep. Try to be more quiet next time, Santa." Bruce growled, clearly unhappy at Clark for making you miss your beauty sleep.

[celaenaeiln]

Nothing in Batman comics is canon because it’s literally 90% fanfiction written after the actual creators stopped writing the characters.

anon it doesn't work that way.

By that logic, practically noone exists because the original writer of Batman, Bob Kane and Bill Finger, only created Bruce, Dick, Alfred, and the villains gallery. That's it.

No Barbara, no Jason, no Tim, no Damian, Steph, Cass, Duke, Lucius, Tim Fox, Kate, Talia - there's no one then.

But suppose we go back on that statement and say 'well actually, the creators of new characters', which still doesn't make sense but let's go with that. Then major plots wouldn't happen. Because Max Allan Collins and Chris Warner created Jason Todd but Judd Winick is the one who brought him back to life. Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick created Tim Drake but Alan Grant wrote a lot of the Robin comic and Batman comic characterization for him.

It's physically impossible to say that just because other people continued the series, the comics can't be taken seriously.

Comics are the source material. Of which fanfics are based on.

The Star Trek and Star Wars book series are written by multiple different authors but that doesn't mean that what's written doesn't happen or isn't true or is wrong. The 39 Clues and Doctor Who series are the same deal.

Batman comics are canon. Because if only the works of the original authors of Batman were to be considered canon, then practically everyone in the Batman universe doesn't exist/doesn't matter. Because they're just fanfic then.

But this idea doesn't just stop at the Batman fandom anymore because every comic was written this way. The people in Superfam? Gone. Flashfam? Gone. Arrowfam? Gone. Like this logic doesn't just apply to Batman, it applies to virutally every character in the existence of DC.

The beauty of comics is seeing how the next writer will continue the story. Sometimes they're right, sometimes they need tweaking, and sometimes they're wrong although that's usually very rare.

The problem with fandom's view on comic writing is the belief that whatever the authors create must match our perspective of the characters. That's wrong. Their characterization is what we should be adding on/building on to our perspective of the characters. Unless there is something so wrong, something so illogical, that it must be noted because that character has never acted that way before, then we must discard or critisize a comic.

Comics develop. Characters develop. Each writer brings something new and adds a layer of depth to each character they write about. That's how we get new interactions, new relationships, new sides that make each character interesting.

Take the original Dick Grayson comic and his intro to Robin

Detective Comics (1937) Issue #38

Dick originally wanted to go to the police. He had no intention of going after Tony Zucco but Bruce is the one who demands they go after him together by themselves!

I love this version created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, but I also love the version created by a completely different author where Dick decides to stake out Zucco on his own. Both versions show different sides of him and authors sometimes even choose which one they want to include. Some have gone with this version where Dick tries to go to the police before being interrupted by Bruce and others have gone with the second, more famous version. But neither of them are bad and you can't say that the one where Dick goes after Tony Zucco is fanfiction. It's canon. If it's written in comics, it happened unless there's some disastrous, glaring contradiction.

You have to understand, these comics - especially Dick and Bruce's - are nearly 100 years old. Dick, and it's wild to think about this, existed before even the Justice League did. Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Aquaman were all created after him. If the orginial writers stopped writing, and noone picked it up, there would be no Justice League and that's a problem because the Justice League is one of the foundations of the DC comics.

So much has changed in a century and new writers constantly come in to show that change. That's why comics after the original writers finish writing are still canon and important. The original characterizations of all these major players were all super peppy and cheerful before new writers added angst and drama to their backstories. Bruce and Dick used to laugh and grin when they went crime fighting with no sadness or anger or other emotions. It wasn't until a couple decades later where writers started writing that in which is how we get the grim avenger Batman today.

Here's the third point to why they're relevant even though they're written by new authors: the passage of time in real life, is included in canon comics characterizations.

One comic talks about Dick discussing the Joker and he says, "at the beginning, it was just all fun and games. He would cause problems but at the end of the day it was a game. But one day, things went too far. People got shot. That day, the Joker changed. He was darker and evil. It wasn't games anymore."

This comic panel talks about the Golden Age to now, the progression and development of characters.

The comics and reality are inseparable because reality is literally written in. The works of writers after the orignal ones aren't arbitrary or some whimsical thing.

It's very different from fanfiction because fanfiction has no need to stick to the truth or canon characterization but these comic writers do because they have an obligation to do so. The only problem they might have is accidentally focusing too much on one aspect of a character and neglecting the other parts but almost none of them are way off the mark.

So no, for the sake of characterization, personality development, plot events, and new interactions, all comics are extremely important and definitely canon. Us readers might have different opinions and thoughts on them but it's irrelevant in the face of the fact that the comics are the only truth to which we can base our interpretations on.

[mysterycitrus]

damian wayne headcanons. hand 'em over

Headcanon A:  realistic

like bruce, damian can't maintain eye contact. sometimes when people are talking to him, his gaze shifts to their ear, the corner of their nose, their brow, the wall behind them. that first time it happens, with dick in the manor, dick doesn't turn, doesn't ask what's wrong, doesn't question why damian cannot truly look at him. even so, damian has never feared dick's eye.

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

when steph tells him that jack drake was murdered by captain boomerang, he thinks she's joking. he checks the batcomputer. he checks again. then he has to stand outside for a while to stop himself from saying something very funny (that he'll regret)

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

maybe damian wayne never finds out what robin truly means, but when his father returns he finally understands what it means to be the robin for the first. he feels guilty, secretly and with great depth, of thinking it an unworthy title, of scoffing it in favour of the bat. he thinks about the downturned corner of dick's mouth as he'd worn his suit for the first time, expositing his destiny for something greater, something more important. truthfully, there has been no greater gift.

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

he loves anime. he loves miyazaki movies and satoshi kon and shinichiro watanabe. he goes through a lot of it in the background while he's drawing, but his favourites are the cerebral stuff with layers of meaning. late one night he cold-calls dick to explain the intricacies of revolutionary girl utena - he talks about the cycle of violence and authority and violent control for over an hour. dick half understands it but keeps nodding and saying uh huh, wow. sometimes tim and damian and steph watch naruto together on skype.

[cardinalcheerio]

I believe that while dick is a horrendous driver; so are the rest of the Batkids

I mean especially the ones who were robin/Batgirl wayyy before they could drive.

Examples:

Dicks driving and we all know he's trash. I mean. I haven't read many of the comics. But I can't imagine someone who grew up riding trains in the circus, then being chauffeured (thats hard to spell) around until hes old enough to move to a different city (I'm not from a city but most people walk right?) Then driving a police car which a guarantee nobody cares how he's driving in it. Ain't no way bro knows road rules/courtesy.

Jason was too poor for cars, then I suppose he knew how they work. But knowing how a car works and knowing how the road works especially in gotham are two very different things. He drives a motorcycle (badass) which has some different rules, and honestly there is no way he knows how to drive timeline wise. He died at 16, so no licence/learning (doubt he learned at 15 in gotham.) Came back as an adult after being in nanda par bat then traveled via motorcycle or roof. There is no time he would've learnt to drive a car.

Tim, honestly. I just think Tim would stare into the road and either cause 6 crashes or not even remember driving. He's very detail oriented, but also crazy busy so I'd see him speeding, thinking he could drift out of the way of a stopped car and realize, "oh shit. Not the batmobile this doesn't stop as well!". Also honestly, who would've taught Tim to drive? YouTube?

Steph, shed hit every curb in history. I have no reason to believe this, because steph is criminally underrepresented and i can't find any in depth stuff bout her. But i just think she'd be blasting music and some idiot would cut her off, she'd get pissed (as any gothamite would), cut him off and get hit. Bruce would be buying her a new car cause whats the point of having a billionaire be your pseudo father if he ain't gonna pay for shit?

Cass, i think she could drive if needed, but just a casual drive to get coffee or something? Road laws in America are confusing as shir cause rhey change everywhere you go. And it's gotham so nobody is gonna follow any, so pretty much anyone but Alfred is fucked. I think she'd be a good high speed driver tho

Damian, bros 12 (in my mind atleast), and has been chauffeured around his whole life. Ain't no way.

Duke, honestly. May be the only hope. Just cause he had a stable family for a bit that prob talked to him a bit about driving. Still wouldn't trust him driving me, though. Plus, Gotham is a city and most people prob walk cause of the traffic.

Could you imagine comming home from somewhere and turning on the radio to see why you're stuck, "we have reports that every road in gotham is shit again because of some second rate villian and batman. Those motherfuckers are the reason we have such high taxes. Just sell your car and move. Probably quicker to leave for metropolis than wait in this traffic.:

[distort-opia]

Could you maybe explain to me what exactly Jason's problem with Bruce was/is when he came back?

Maybe I'm being stupid but I don't know. Like, I know there's this space between Jason's resurrection and Talia finding him... and Jason returing for a sec to kill Bruce, then changing his mind, and went back to Talia to plan The Ultimatum and travel the world a bit.

I went off the assumption that Jason thought Bruce didn't care enough for him to kill the Joker and then the whole stupid thing with the batarang to the neck after everyone thought Dick died.

But, like, Jason kind of destroyed his relationship with the batfam himself with the whole coming out of nowhere and trying to hurt/traumatize/kill them. I don't mean to hate on Jason specifically, I just don't get him on a fundamental level.

Would really appreciate if somebody could clear that up, I'm kind of desperate. Like I have most of the facts but it seems like a jigzaw puzzle with too many pieces and I can't make sense of it.

To be honest, I don't understand your confusion fully? You pretty much explained it yourself, why Jason was angry at Bruce after he came back. Even Judd Winick, the writer of Under the Red Hood, says it very concisely (in this interview):

When it comes to Jason's relationships with the Batfam, I'll once again let Winick explain his vision (transcription of a podcast episode to be found here):

You say that Jason harmed his relationship with the Batfam himself as if Jason's intention had been to have good relationships with them. At the times he went after Tim or Dick or Damian, I don't think he cared much about that, hah. Most of his choices at the time could be boiled down to "What would piss off Bruce the most, either directly or by proxy?"... and also, "What would get Bruce's attention the most?". Because that's what made it complicated, right. Jason wouldn't have gone to these extremes if he didn't care about Bruce.

As to things not making sense... you're not being stupid, I'm sorry to say that at least to me, it's impossible to reconcile all of Jason's actions within a coherent character. Just because he was written by different people in different continuities with very different goals (though maybe more accurately, by some writers lacking a goal, as in not really knowing what to do with him). This is true for most comic book characters, not just Jason; true consistency is a pipe dream when the history of a character spans decades. Keeping that in mind, my personal approach is forming an idea of the original core traits of a character (which is why I gave examples of what Winick himself said), and then filtering their subsequent portrayals through that. Some comics will be horribly OOC despite them technically being canon and you simply have to go the "I recognize that the Council has made a decision, but given that it's a stupid-ass decision I've elected to ignore it" route. Then there's, of course, your personal preferences; you can choose what is canon to you because you like it, and form your idea of a character around those instances-- though here I'd always warn to never stop being aware that it's your idea of the character. There is no absolute truth, and we're all playing in a sandbox. Other people will choose other instances of canon, or try to reconcile all of them somehow, and your ideas might not jive. That's perfectly fine.

That being said, while I do like Jason a lot, he isn't my full-time blorbo, so I'm sure other Jason scholars could respond to this much better than I did! If anyone wants to add more in-depth answers, please do.

[starwrighter]

I am not a baby!! (Yes you are)

(Ao3) (Masterpost) (Previous) (Next)

(The eleventh chapter,)

The hatchling lay still, motionless inside his little building. His tiny body pressed against the see-through barrier wrapped in one of the creations he built. Did he strangle himself? Had Damian scared the hatchling into killing itself?  The Hatchling didn't seem scared when he'd attacked him earlier, but fear could show itself in various ways. Some tended to freeze up, some fled like cowards, and others fought for their lives with every fiber of their being..

Damian was gigantic compared to the hatchling.. The hatchling's entire body could fit in Damians palms. Something, admittedly, he'd foolishly thought wouldn't be distressing for the hatchling. 

Pressing his face against the transparent barrier, Damian listened to the chaos engulfing the bond. Not the usual idiotic rambling and tease that often clogged up the bond: grief, mourning, an overwhelming sadness from his entire family.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," That's all Damian could really say. If he'd stayed away, avoiding contact like father instructed, would the hatchling still be alive?

"Are you sure he's dead?" Dick questioned.

The hatchling skin was pale, lips tinged blue. Unmoving, chest stilled, no sign of the rise and fall of breathing .

"What else could he be, Grayson?!" He snapped, Dick went silent.

"Sleeping...?"

His gills flared, tail snapping, seething through clenched teeth.

"Do you think I'm an idio-" He started, rage cut out by a sudden movement.

The hatchling had rolled over, throwing his chubby arm over his face. A content yawn as he took a slow breath, color returning to the hatchling's lips.

"..."

"He's sleeping, isn't he?" His face grew hot,

"Shut up! His lips were blue, and he wasn't breathing! You would have freaked out too!" He snapped, watching intently at the slow rise and fall of the baby's chest.

"Absolutely, without a doubt, instant heart attack," Dick replied quickly, a tsunami of relief and concern clogging up the bond.

"Why did he stop breathing?"

"Babies do that sometimes Damian, It happened a lot with you whenever you slept," Father soothed. "Sent everyone into a panic no matter how many times it happened,"

"Karma," A barrage of his siblings coughed out.

"Are his lips still blue?"

"No," The hatchling's skin was still pale, but his lips were a light pink. Tiny hands clenched into fists, contrasting the peaceful expression settled on the child's face. A cold radiated through where the hatchling’s hand touched the barrier. Not corpse cold, more like poking your head above water during a raging storm. A closer comparison would be the barren wastelands of the void or the eerie depths of the lost river where he spent his early childhood.

The child seemed to be thriving just fine despite being out of his designated environment. From watching, they could tell the babies liked to spend their early days in shallow water, sometimes above water, before they migrated deeper and deeper. It was quite possible he’d move down to the lost river or the deeper side of the grand reef when he got too big for the shallows.

Father would be elated to have a baby swimming around in the reef. However, they’d have to guard the lost river entrances to prevent him from wandering. Although it was one of the coldest places in the crater, it was way too close to the lava zones, and even closer to the precursor settlements. 

“I think he might be a cold-dwelling species,” His family would find out regardless if he told them, and it was better for them to be aware of possible dangers before it was too late.

“Oh, do you think he’ll-“ 

“Not that cold,” The child was nowhere near the temperature of the Arctic. Temperatures far below zero and constant snow and hail storms would be too much for him, let alone traveling through the void to get there. Sure, the predators were smaller over there, but they were much more aggressive, and precursor artifacts and buildings were littered around the tundra no matter where you went.

The child slept for hours. Concern nagging at him the longer he remained unconscious. Father reassured him that he’d slept a lot as a baby too, but he’s doubtful any of them had ever been asleep this long. The sun had begun to rise again, shallows warming from the sun. It was under his impression that babies needed to eat every few hours or so. It had been much longer than that, and Damian feared he would begin to starve in his sleep if he remained unconscious much longer. 

Tap…Tap…Tap

Pitch-black claws scratched the barrier, the hatchling rolling away from the noise, arms guarding his little ears.

Tap…Tap…Tap

Blue eyes flew open, head whipping to face him.“AngeR,”

@ashoutinthedarkness @avelnfear @meira-3919 @thought-u-said-dragon-queen @hugsandchaos @blep-23 @zeldomnyo @bytheoldwillowtree @justwannabecat @shepherdsheart @starlightcat04 @stargazing-bookwyrm @pupstim @dragongoblet @noxcheshire

[meowmeowmeowmeow4x]

Dark Blue Moon and the Suffering Sun Chapter 27

MASTAPOST

His sister knew.

His sister knew, and she joined his parents on a hunt. She joined his parents to sabotage them, because she knew they’d catch up to him. She freed him.

His sister saved him. The tears that she helped stop broke through again. His sister knew, and she saved him. She still loved him, even if he was a monster.

Danny took one more look at the deck of his parents’ boat, and he jumped. He’d never been so happy to be in cold water in his entire life. Scales climbed over his skin. His legs snapped together, bones melding into tail vertebrae. The weapons systems on the SAV were down. Thank you Tuck. It had to be him.

Danny looked up at the hull of the boat, clean and free of barnacles. He turned to the vast depths in every direction. He should be running. He should be getting as much of a head start as humanly or inhumanly possible. There was no way he could come back. No way at all.

He didn’t do any of that. He just felt so… so tired. His body sank down to the bottom of the sea, which was admittedly not far down. His glowing scales and lines lit the way down. On the sea floor, he curled into a ball, clutching himself tightly.

What was he to do now?

His mission was complete. Damian Wayne was reunited with Bruce Wayne. Jazz knew about Danny’s true nature, so there was no way she’d not know that the spitfire of a green guppy was Damian. One quick explanation was all it would take for everything to end well. Bruce Wayne would bring his son home. And his parents-

He palmed the spot on his chest over his heart. His parents didn’t know. What if he just went home, pretended like he’d been rescued by someone.

Danny’s scales shivered like goosebumps.

The Amity Island sirens were probably long gone. Maybe they’d come back for more trouble next year, but maybe not. For all he knew, Danny Phantom was no longer needed in Amity. No longer welcome, if he was ever welcome in the first place.

His lateral line tinged. The light of his scales illuminated a small guppy swimming in front of him. Danny stared at Damian, the boy crossing his arms and looking over his body. How did he get out?!

“You are uninjured.” Damian said. It was the first he’d heard from him in over 24 hours. Danny would have cried in relief, if he wasn’t already trying to wipe the tears away from his earlier cry.

“D-Damian! Why aren’t you on the boat? Your dad’s right there!”

Damian sat down on the sand in front of him, fingering one of his fins. “This reunion is not amenable to me. You were right. My father is influenced by the Fentons. It would be safer to return to our original plan. I have more reasonable family members to go to in Gotham.”

Danny blinked. “But I thought you hated me.”

“I am still angry with you. And I have not decided whether I have forgiven you or not.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Regardless, nobody deserves to have done to them what the Fentons intended with you. I would have done away with them myself, but entrusted Jasmine Fenton to the job. You’re welcome.”

That was strangely heartwarming. Despite himself, Danny felt a small smile form. “Thank you.”

They sat in silence. Despite being in sonar range, the SAV did nothing. Probably Tucker blinding their systems. The idea that Damian would throw away this chance shook him, but-

Danny recalled the terror. The fear. The overwhelming dread underneath the shadow of a man who could snap his skinny body in two. Perhaps Damian had a point.

Damian scraped a bit of dirt on his arm fin. The two of them were looking worse for wear every day.  “If you are unable to continue, then I understand. I will go through the Panama Canal on my own. Thank you for bringing me this far.”

He grabbed the boy’s arm, stopping him from leaving. “What do you mean on your own?!”

“I will not blame you if you choose to abandon this quest.” Damian’s fins drooped.

Danny shook his head. “You’ve got no supplies, no food, no weapons. We’ve got nothing.”

��I will find more.”

“I can’t abandon you.”

“Even after I caused your capture?”

Danny hunched his shoulders. He filled with determination. “I made a promise, Damian.”

The boys stared into each other’s eyes, searching. Their fins flared, an unconscious fight for dominance. Damian loomed over Danny, defiant. Danny held firm.

“Very well. Are you ready to go now?”

Danny shrugged. “I don’t wanna linger around here much longer. Do you?”

Damian flipped himself so he was belly up. The boy glared at the ship above. “Not particularly. Let us go.”

It was morning when Jazz woke up. Her head lay on a towel and icepack. Warm sunlight streamed into her room. The back of her head numbly throbbed, a reminder of what had happened last night. Emotions simmered. Vestiges of adrenaline, anxiety and stress coursed through her system. Alongside them, relief. She had done it. Danny was safe.

A tear fell through her eye. Would it be the last time she ever saw him?

Jazz pulled herself out of bed sluggishly. The floor in her room and just outside still bore stains from Damian’s mucus. Honestly, boys.

She glimpsed the vast ocean outside her window. They were near the Panama Canal. That was probably where Danny and Damian were headed. It seemed the boys had a plan all along. Danny was strong. Not his superpowers, but his heart. Her little brother had persevered this far, and she hoped that knowing that at least one member of his family loved him for sure would allow him to make it.

For now, she had to face the music. What would her parents to do her?

“JAZZIE!”

Jazz jumped out of her skin. Her father’s feet stomped thunderously through the room. He scooped her up in one motion, crushing her ribs with a tight hug.

“D-dad!”

“Jazzie we were so worried!” Her father sobbed. “We’d just finished fighting off those abyssal abominations when we realised you and Brucie weren’t there! And then we looked in the lab and- and- and-”

Jazz patted her dad’s back. “There, there, dad. It’s alright. I barely even felt anything.”

“Jazzieeee!” Her father cried.

Her mother walked in soon after, a tray of food in hand.

“Honey, you’re smothering her.”

“Oh, sorry!”

Right as her dad let her down, her mother rushed up and engulfed her in another crushing hug. Lots of points in the ‘not smothering’ department there. “We were so worried. How are you feeling? Honey? Is your head alright?”

“Just a bit of a headache, that’s all. I’m fine, mom, honest!”

“Come here now.” Her mum pushed the tray on to her atop a wooden stand that had been lying in the room. “I’ve made you some chicken noodle soup, and I’ve got you some Tylenol for the headache. We’ve also screened you for any remaining siren influence.”

“I can’t believe it! That tiny green kid had it in him to mind control our dear Jazzie!” Her dad cried loudly, tears streaming down. “Are you sure you’re ok, sweetie? We can do some more tests.”

Jazz shook her head. “Dad, I promise I’m fine. I barely even registered anything happening. Just a blur in my head, then suddenly I’m awake in here. Where’s Mr Wayne?”

“We put him in the guest room. Your mind controlled self did a number on him! Guess we won’t have to worry about any human creeps getting the jump on you, eh?”

Jazz’s face twisted in (mostly performative) guilt. “I’m so sorry! Is he ok?”

Her mum shook her head. “Don’t worry about him, honey. He’s just got a bit of a bump on his head now. He’ll be fine.” Served him right for terrorising her little brother, be it intentionally or not.

Jazz rubbed the back of her head, still throbbing.

“It’s not your fault. It was the fault of those damn crafty fish.” Her mother’s face sank.

Jazz leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder. “What’s the damage then?”

Her dad sat down. “Well it ain’t pretty. The engines are gonna need recalibrating. Then the rudders fixed. Thankfully we’ve got all the spare parts we could need and more, but it’ll take a day and a half, maybe more, before we’re seaworthy again.”

“Can’t believe all that crying was just act.” Her mum muttered darkly. “Just buying time for his friends to show up.”

Jazz put her noodles down, and gulped a handful of pills. “What did Phantom do?”

“Mostly he tried to lie to our faces. Then put on a show of being scared and helpless. I can’t believe we fell for it.”

Jazz stared into her mother’s eyes. And what she saw shocked her. Instead of the conviction, the hatred and the determination that usually backed those words, Jazz found vulnerability. At first she thought it was because her mom thought she’d lost her chance to get Danny back. But none of that occurred in the days leading up to this event. Not once during this expedition had she seen such uncertainty.

“Mom? Are you ok?”

The uncertainty disappeared underneath a mask, underneath her red goggles. “I told you not to worry, sweetie. Get some more rest. Your father and I have a boat to fix.”

“That’s right! I don’t wanna see you running around trying to help us, got it?”

Her parents filed out of the room, leaving her to her thoughts.

Jazz went for her phone.

Tucker blinked himself away at the morning sun. Immediately he went for his laptop. He went into the Fentons’ systems, went into their cameras and detection equipment, breath baited.

The lab was empty. The sonars were clear. The radar was clear. He wanted to cry. They had done it!

“Yes!”

Sam groaned beside him. Right, he was in her room. “Please celebrate quietly, Tuck. You’re killing me.”

Tucker winced. Sam looked not much better than last night. She was swathed in bandages like some anime main character. “Sorry Sam.” He whispered.

“Did we do it at least?”

He lifted his laptop to show her. “Danny’s like 400 miles away. And with what Jazz did, he’ll be getting much farther.”

“Good. I’ll return to the land of the dead now.”

Tuck waved his hands in front of her. “Wait! What about changing your bandages?”

“Ugh.” Sam stayed lying down, but her eyes remained open.

Tucker got to work. His hands moved carefully around Sam’s tender spots. Her skin had regained most of its colour overnight, but was still sensitive. At some point, he put on the news on his laptop, like they had been since Danny left.

“Your grandma’s gonna kill me for letting you do this.”

“Not before she kills me first.” Sam muttered. “And not before I kill Danny for giving me this killer headache.”

Tucker snorted. “Be a waste of blood to kill the person you spent it all saving.”

“That’s why I’ll suck out all his tasty fish blood. Like a vampire.”

“Hah! I’m pretty sure Hamon and vampirism don’t mix Sam.”

Sam whacked him in the head with a pillow. “It’s the Focus, not Hamon.”

The news feed switched to a familiar image. Sam pulled herself to a sitting position. “Turn it up, Tuck!”

‘On to other news, it has been over 96 hours since Damian Wayne, heir to Wayne Industries, was viciously attacked by sirens. Only a day later, Bruce Wayne, father to the boy, set off with local siren hunters Jack and Maddie Fenton. They have not been heard from since. We interviewed government experts, Operatives K and O for their statements,

The presenter gestured to a large TV screen showing two of the smarmiest bastards Tucker had ever met (second only to, ugh, Vlad).

“We share our condolences to Bruce Wayne for his loss. The siren menace continues to plague this country and others.-‘

“Bullshit!” Sam shouted.

“As a result, we are calling for all citizens in coastal areas to be on high alert. These fish freaks are living among us, seeking out the weakest and most suggestible, and then luring them to the bottom of the sea to be eaten, or worse.’

“And what of Damian Wayne?”

Agent K lowered his head. He placed his hand on his heart. Tucker heckled at the terribly stilted and overwhelmingly dishonest display.

‘We regret to say that he was torn to pieces, and eaten. We will be pursuing his killer, a siren dubbed Phantom, to bring to justice.’

Sam clenched her first. “The only justice we need is for your entire organization to burn and every single one of you in The Hague!”

‘If any of you see or suspect Phantom, we implore you to contact our offices immediately. This specimen is no Little Mermaid, but a vicious predator who will take away everything you hold dear.’

The newscast cut away from the two men. The presenter continued with a constant cool composure, despite the grim subject matter.

‘Indeed, the attacks on Amity Island have gained national attention as a result of Damian Wayne’s death. However, there has nonetheless been pushback against the narrative presented by the GiW. In Baja California, Mexico, residents of a small fishing town were shocked to find an entourage of Atlantean soldiers escorting a group of illegal whale hunters. The poachers have since been deported to the United States, but not before they claimed to be attacked by a siren matching the mysterious Phantom’s description, in addition to another small green siren. Our correspondent in Mexico has the scoop.’

The newscast cut to a female Atlantean soldier and a young reporter.

“The boat was covered in ice, like it was the Arctic or something. So were the poachers. One guy was covered up completely except for his mouth. I’m sure we accidentally ripped off a layer of skin or two breaking it. Feel kinda bad, but they’re poachers so meh. Not to mention all the slime.” The soldier shuddered visibly.

“And what do you think provoked the sirens to attack the ship? Are the sirens just very conservationally-minded?”

She shrugged. “Hell if I know. My guess is the humans were creeping up on their territory.”

The news segment droned on to less interesting details. Tucker and Sam had heard enough.

“Damn, Sam! Looks like your ways are rubbin’ off on Danny.”

Sam chucked another pillow at him. Tucker dodged. “You mean he’s giving himself away. I hate poachers as much as the next guy, but he has invisibility for fuck’s sake. Why did he let himself get seen!?”

Tucker shrugged, mimicking the Atlantean woman on the video just then. “I’m sure he’s got a good reason somehow.”

“Or he forgot he could do that.”

“Or he forgot he could do that.”

Tucker shut his laptop closed. “Welp, if that’s all, I gotta run back before my mom doubles my grounding.” He winced.

The boy clambered out Sam’s window, and waved her goodbye.

“Thanks Tuck. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“We’re Team Phantom, baby! We’re riding high or dying, and there’s no in between!”

Samson Skulker stood over the edge of his yacht, a beautiful glass of red wine in hand. Below him, his trusty dolphin cohort surfaced, chittering information. The wound on his leg was healing nicely, and his suit was ready too. It was incredible. Simply incredible how much poor little Phantom could swim in a single day. Faster than any other sea creature in the world, except for his own species. It was an exhilarating hunt, even if he had to upgrade his engines over and over just to keep up.

“Panama Canal, you say? Well, well, well. This will be interesting.”

Skulker pulled out his phone and dialed the number he’d seen on TV.

“Hello? I’d like to report a Phantom sighting. I saw him heading towards Panama. I think he’s making Panama his next target.”

Let’s see how the little fishies squirm when there are a couple dozen more sharks in the water.

The water had been getting shallower, brighter. It tinged with the smell of wood and metal and oil. Seagulls cried from above. Damian knew where they were. Knew they were close.

To be continued…

[morgansunflower]

Broken Heart 2/2

Requested by anonymous

Male! Talia al Ghul X Wayne! Reader

Warnings:suggestive content, explicit language and angst

Words:1365

Arthur's notes! This version of male! Talia is set before Morrison wrote her. Everything is completely consensual. No drugging whatsoever. Good male! Talia. Bad Ra's al Ghul. Also I LOVE writing male! Talia if anyone is interested in more!

Talin rushes to Wayne Manor to see his son as he is, injured however unintentionally he finds his heart aching to be closer to his former lover.

Talin parks his motorcycle by the Manor. He rushed inside passing Alfred. He runs up the stairs to the hallway. Talin rushed to his son's room at the Manor.

The former assassin stops, with a pounding heart, seeing his little boy. Damian was laying completely still with secure bandages around his wounded abdomen, arms and a, small bandage on his cheek. He's breathing.. He's OK. Talin could hang into that.

He sees Grayson whom was at Damian's side. The young man looked at his uncle and rushed to him, in a desperate need of confessing what he did.

"Talin! It was my fault. We were taking down H.I.V.E.'s Henchmen together. He was by my side, until he wasn't. It was my job to check the gear before we left. I didn't.."

"Grayson" he cuts in but he would not listen

Dick continues letting his guilt out to Talin "it backfired. Badly... Damian... He means the world to me. So I understand how you feel, and I'm so sorry--"

"Grayson!" he said more stern "I don't harbor any blame to you but I must be with, my son"

"I understand" he simply said and leaves.

Talin shakes his head overcome with worry. He kisses Damian's sleeping head. His little boy didn't move unaware of his father's deeply distraught presence.

"hi son" tears fall down his face, Talin then softly speaks in Arabic ".. Baba is here.. I have missed you. I know you want us to be together as a, family. I hope you know how much we love you. Please be well.. Please"

Just as he sees his former lover.. He dried his tears. He leaves his son's room as his past love, entered the room. He stopped in his tracks with his heart leaping. The former assassin was unable to comprehend, he was feeling her hand take his own. He sighed heavily overwhelmed with his depth of emotions that shook his core. He leans over to kiss her forehead.

Talin leaves the room his broken heart turned to anger that was now manifesting. He made his way to the Bat-cave. Each punch against the punching bag, became more violent than the previous one. He did not notice nor seem to care of the redness beginning to form against his now swelling knuckles.

Talin was, overcome with his emotions that could not take in his surroundings. He hits another time but is stopped by a, hand onto his closed fist. He lowers his hand seeing it was not a foe but the only friend he had.

"Bruce" he heavily breathed in and then out from his adrenaline "is Damian OK?" he asked concerned, believing his son's uncle was not here to ease his mind.

"he's stable. You're going to break my punching bag" he accused him but in reality he knew exactly how his friend felt.

Talin scoffed "buy a new one" he sighed taking a deep breath, rubbing the soreness against his pained knuckles "is she ok?"

"of course you wouldn't know as you're hiding from her" Bruce accused

Talin rolled his eye's as much as he wanted to deny it, he couldn't.. It was nearly impossible to be around her and silence his heart that wished to confess everything.

"you must think I'm a terrible father.. A terrible lov-friend to your sister" Talin snarled

"I to have allowed my anger to manifest in me resulting in being absent from my family when they needed me.."

Y/N sits on the windowsill by her son's bed as a figure appeared before her. She turns her head seeing him. Y/N raised from were she was sitting, stepping to the former assassin. She reaches up to hold the side of his profoundly distraught face.

Talin kindly kisses the palm of her hand that brought him a glimmer of relief. Tears seep through his tightly closed eyelids. She calms him down by kissing the redness of his knuckles and reaches up to his neck to hug him. The two embrace with all of their worry, giving each other comfort in their agony.

Talin motions her to sit on the windowsill, she sits down. He sits beside her with one knee up and the other draped on the floor. He was genuinely trying to give her space she did not truly want.

"Talin, don't leave tonight. Okay?"

He gently nods "thank you.. I suppose you are wondering why I left earlier"

"honestly I assumed that you were worried about Damian and needed a, few minutes to blow off steam.." she sympathized

"partly yes but there is.. Another reason why I walked away" he admitted stammering as he did not give away the rest of the truth.

"I'm listening"

He kindly takes her hand missing having physical contact with her. His heart could not stay silent with her beautiful eyes looking at him. Whether it be because he was emotional given his son's current state, or he truly missed her. He wasn't exactly sure.

"being with you has been very good for me however I.. I.. I am--" he takes a deep breath trying to let his emotions flow "I leave you and Damian.. I go home and I feel incredibly empty without you both with me... I know it's not only Damian because even with my son.. I find my heart missing you and I.. I can't promise I won't ever hurt you but I promise you I will never break your heart again. I want to make you happy.. I want to be your all.. I want you as my wife not as my past lover"

Y/N takes her hand away to cover her face as she cried. Talin instantly felt as though he was stabbed fearing the worst outcome....

"oh Talin" she cried

"I now see I was being too forward" he apologized, trying to say in a, non upset manner

"no!" she shakes her head dramatically "no!" she leans over and kisses him. Talin then feels a crashing wave of relief. "I mean yes!" she began to sob and hugs him

Talin held her as his own eyes begin to cry. Again now did he hold her precious heart and he intended to be the best person he can be to her.

.....

"... Momma?.. Baba?.." Damian muttered.

Y/N and Talin both wake, quickly coming to his side. The young boy became emotional because not only did he have his mother at his side but also his father at his other side. They were both right here.

"hey sweetie. How are you feeling?" she asked her little boy kissing his forehead

"and try to be honest so we can help you" Talin encouraged now rubbing his forehead

"I'm ok" Damian said not entirely telling the truth. He sees his mother raise her eyebrow not believing him "a little thirsty"

Talin rubs his forehead before departing the room to get his son a drink. Y/N was emotional as she began to rub his forehead. She then began to cry covering her face. To have almost lost him again shook her to her core.

"my sweet little boy" she runs her fingers through his hair "I'm so glad to see you're awake.."

"I'm ok mommmm" he winces from speaking as it angered his wound on his abdomen

She nods drying tears "shhh, I know you are baby. I'm just emotional because I am happy you're here"

"me too" he softly smiled

One of Damian's earliest memories was his Baba showing him a, picture of his parents together. He still had it and it was currently in a picture frame on his nightstand.

Talin steps into the room with a cup of tea made with soothing herbs. The parents helps their son slowly sit upward. He let out a sharp wince that brought bitterness to them. Talin supports Damian's back. Damian sips the tea slowly savoring the comforting taste. As he finished Talin helped him lay back down as Y/N took the tea to place it on the nightstand.

"are you staying?" he mumbled looking to Talin

"I'm staying son" Talin answered smiling, and he holds Y/N's hand "we both are"

[lambsouvlaki]

Hiii

Your new AU with Jason,Sophie and Andy has me thinking. What was jasons family’s reaction to him coming back like? And what the first few months with the baby look like for Andy ?

Thanks for the ask!! I'm so sorry the answer is months late!

---

It was the middle of the night in Wayne Manor and a baby was crying. 

Andy swayed mindlessly in the sitting room nearest to the guest bedroom she was set up in. Slowly the tears stopped and baby Sophie drifted back to sleep on her mother’s shoulder. She was still so tiny. Who would have thought Jason’s baby would be so small?

Then again, she’d seen the pictures of him as a kid. Maybe she should have expected it. 

The bats had been hovering ever since they came home from the hospital. None of them knew what to do with a baby but they were all excited to try and help. She knew they meant well. It was kind of a relief that they were almost all out on patrol tonight. Only Alfred and Damian were at home.

She scrubbed a hand down her face. She had no idea what time it was. Her body was completely disconnected from the day/night cycle at this point. 

She shuffled down to the kitchen and slumped onto a stool at the island bench. Sophie would need to feed soon. Andy’s body had sluggishly started to produce milk, a month late and in quantities that wouldn’t impress even the smallest infant. They had both gotten used to the convenience of the bottle. Her breasts ached. 

The lights were too bright for the hour. She was too tired to turn them off. 

It was so quiet. 

She wished Jason was there. 

She kept thinking she had made her peace with it. Nine months and it hadn’t been true yet, but maybe tomorrow. 

She wanted him to hold her and tell her it would all be okay. To laugh and ask if she really thought he would just leave them like that? 

She sniffed. 

She swiped at her eyes and held on tighter to Sophie. She took deep breaths until she could blink without letting tears fall. It would be easier when she wasn’t so tired. The week after labour she was bursting into tears over practically anything. In the depths of exhausted delirium she kept expecting him to show up. 

Soft slippers tapped on the tiles behind her. 

That was nice of Damian to announce his presence, he didn’t normally stoop to such things. 

She turned her head. 

A woman with brown skin in a green and black qipao stood inside the kitchen doorway. She was looking over her and Sophie.

Andy clasped Sophie closer. 

Talia al Ghul didn’t look much like the way Andy had imagined from Jason’s descriptions, but it was obvious all the same. Damian, in the presence of a new mother and baby, had felt moved to tell her about his own mother. In his own oblique way. 

Nobody had actually said whether or not she was an enemy or not. Andy shifted Sophie to her other shoulder, making her slightly further away from the newcomer. 

There was something amused in Talia’s expression. It looked similar to Damian’s haughty expression. 

“I am no threat to you,” she said, and Andy realised the amusement played cover for hurt. Much like Damian’s haughtiness. 

That confused her. She still didn’t relax her hold on her baby. 

She cleared her throat. 

“How can I help you, Ms al Ghul?”

“You are too polite for this household.”

“So I’m told.”

“Natural, I suppose, for someone who cannot defend themselves to adopt an obsequious manner. It is not what I expected to find in Jason’s choice of partner.” 

“Would you feel better if I insulted you?” the gothamite inside her asked. 

The amusement was real this time. Talia moved silently across the kitchen to the bench and cupboards, giving Andy her back. She set the kettle boiling and opened some drawers.

Andy didn’t know what to do with that. 

“How is your daughter?” Talia asked. 

“Fine.” She patted the downy back of Sophie’s head. The kettle started to simmer and whistle. She was too tired for the absurdity of the situation to register. 

“She sleeps well,” Talia commented. 

“Tonight, at least.” 

Talia cast a questioning look at her. 

“She didn’t take to the bottle well. And she is not going to be made to do anything she doesn’t want to do.”

Talia laughed quietly. “Then she is her father’s daughter.”

Andy’s lips did something that was almost a smile. The ache was too sharp tonight for more. Talia’s amusement faded and the quiet returned. 

There should have been someone here, standing between the two of them. 

He should have been here. 

Talia brought her a fragrant cup of tea in one of Alfred’s good china tea cups. It was milky and smelled sweet and spiced. 

It occurred to her that the demon’s daughter did not typically serve people. Andy didn’t typically tell people she was bottle feeding. She was unsure what was happening or why. 

“Thank you,” she said quietly and took a sip. 

Tali sat opposite her and drank her own tea. Beautiful bangles clinked softly at her wrists. She gave Andy an assessing look that turned knowing. 

“Your daughter is healthy and well fed. Don’t admonish yourself over the means.”

She looked away. “It’s– the nurse said breastfeeding is better for–”

Talia tsked. “And a hot house is better for flowers, and yet the fields flower every year. If the milk comes, it comes. You have your own recovery to focus on, and the girl is accepting the bottle.” 

Andy let out a breath. “Yeah, she is.” She really just needed someone to say it.

“Rally your strength. This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

“And here I thought labour was the finish line,” she said, with a twist of her lips. 

Talia smiled indulgently and sipped her tea. “There is no finish line.”

Andy sighed. She was realising that.

She couldn’t talk about this with the others in the house. And not just because they all had such deep rooted issues around parents. For so long she had been Jason’s sweet little civilian girlfriend to them. The normal one. She settled into that reputation: she couldn’t solve crimes or defend herself, but she could hold a normal conversation and maintain a healthy reputation and go to the post office without getting into a shootout. 

She could hold down a job. Get a degree. She could give Jason a happy home life.

And here she was: unable to look after herself. Unable to finish her studies. Unemployed. She couldn’t give Jason a home worth returning to. She couldn’t look after her own daughter. She couldn’t do anything at all.

The idea of going to Babs with her little problems was a humiliation too far. 

She didn’t know why Talia cared enough to listen, let alone ask. 

“Bruce is looking after you?” Talia asked.

“Yes. Yes, he’s been very… obliging.” 

She raised an eyebrow. 

“He loves babies. He just doesn’t know what to do with them.”

Talia smiled fondly, and sadly, into her tea. “That does not surprise.”

“Your son also loves babies.”

“Does he?” She looked genuinely surprised.

Andy hoped she wasn’t betraying Damian here. That was a relationship as complicated as Jason’s with Bruce and she knew far fewer details. 

“He takes his duty as Uncle very seriously.”

“He would. He was fond of his brother.”

“Is fond,” Andy said sharply. 

“You have had news?”

“No. But I won’t bury him until I do.”

Talia’s eyes were pitying. “You may be waiting a long time.”

“I’m not waiting. Either he comes home or he doesn’t. I have a daughter to raise.”

She nodded. “Good girl.” The assassin rose gracefully from her seat. “May I hold her?”

“No.” 

She didn’t look especially surprised. “I should like to meet her all the same.”

Andy took a moment to consider it, then she slowly turned in her seat and brought the sleeping infant around to show her face. Talia rounded the bench. 

Sophie was still in the potato stage, squishy and far too young to see if she had taken after either parent. There were pouty lips and wispy black hair in little tufts. She had Jason’s complexion and soft blue eyes when they were open that she suspected had once lived in Jasons’ face before the introduction of green. Andy loved her so much her heart hurt.

“This is Sophia.” 

“Sophia,” Talia said softly. She cupped the back of her head and leaned in to get a closer look. “May you grow into your father’s strength, and your mother’s sense. Your grandfather’s resolve, and your… grandmother’s flexibility.”

Oh. 

Hmm.

She felt more than saw Talia’s amusement at her revelation. She decided to let it slide but she was going to be having a serious conversation with Jason about this one day. 

Talia leaned forward and kissed Sophie’s forehead. 

“Sleep well, little one, and know you will always have an ally in me.”

She gave the baby one last caress, then she left, as quietly as she came. 

[a-crystalclearsquid]

Always an angel, never a god.

Jon, on his brightest, could make Damian feel anything and everything like no other. He would simply smile and Damian would breathe easier. Jon could simply express his kindness as he always does and the latter would fall a little more in love. It would be that Jon would immediately stop whatever it was that he was doing in favor of comforting a homeless guy in the street. Jon, who would be patient with a child who refuses to listen to the mother out in public.

It was always the little things- the smallest gestures that caught Damian off guard on how easy it was to fall in love again when he thought that he was completely taken over.

But even on Jon’s darkest days, it would not deter Damian.

It would be that a bully would wear out Jon’s patience and throw the first hit or even when he would completely avoid talking or making contact with anyone else just because the day is not going his way. Or even being irritated at his friends’ tiniest movements because he has an assignment due and he could not concentrate.

All those things simply meant that Jon was also human (as he was) and had his flaws. It made Damian appreciate his partner more.

The fact that Jon has his own human struggles as the rest of them had Damian be comforted but also annoyed as he could not ease it away.

So what he does is to be a better partner more in the battlefield. That way, he knows he could prevent Jon from experiencing the harsher wounds.

It comes in many forms as it is displayed through thousands, millions even, ways: Love.

It’s so hard to put it into words.

Especially for Damian, who was taught that actions proved better evidence to one’s thoughts and feelings. While he simple does not disagree, there are times when one has to use words where one’s actions are not sufficient or is the most appropriate way to let somebody know just how much you care about them.

An example would be right now, where Damian is helpless besides Jon, who is recovering inside a kryptonian pod in the Fortress of Solitude.

Where, even to the best of Damian’s medicine and surgical knowledge, is unable to assist in any way to the recovery of a comatosed Jon Kent.

All that knowledge and practice and for what? To be told that the best he could do as of now is to converse one-sidedly to Jon in hopes they would get a reaction out of him.

So here he is, the grandson of the Demon, proclaimed assassin by the age of 8, Robin to two Batman by the age of 10, has died at least three times by the age of 14, and completely helpless to by the bedside of the love of his life at 21, struggling to form words to bring back his lover from the depths of his own subconscious.

“Jonathan,“ he says his name as how one might start a prayer. “Habibi,“

my love, my life,

He grips the wrist of Jon, to feel the faint pulse, assuring himself that Jon is still here.

“I miss your warmth,

and I miss your presence.

I miss you in every waking hour, knowing you’re barely within my reach.

And I’m tempted,

oh, so tempted to bring you to the waters where I was born.

Yet, I am not so desperate as to turn my back on everything that I have fought for -that we have fought for- just for you to be disappointed in me when you return.

I have yet to lose faith that you’d never wake.

And it was because you have made me promise to by your side and never lose hope.

So here I am,

Barely holding on to hope,

Always on the edge on doing the drastic measures.

The only thing stopping me?

That would be you,

My most and dearest beloved.

All these years, and all the doubts everyone in my life has given me, save for you.

You had never given up on me, you’ve always been by my side, and you’ve always rooted for me even in times I don’t deserve,

You have made me felt no safer than in your arms.

So please,”

Damian begged,

“Return to me and make me feel safe within your comfort again.

As you have been by my side, I am also here, Jonathan.

Return to me and I will show you my devotion.

My faith wavers not as I wait for you, no matter how impatient I might seem.

Please come back to me,“

With nothing to do but sit and wait by Jon’s bedside, barely sleeping in case of missing something, his brothers bring him his books and his sketchpad.

They also bring him Alfred the cat for company, who was now sleeping by Jon.

He appreciates the little distractions, though it does no good as he keeps on looking over Jon every few minutes.

So he inclines to bring out his sketchpad and starts imitating the sleeping form of his little feline friend, and when he’s done with that, he sketches everything else he could see within his sights.

And when he also exhausts those within his peripheral vision, his hand finally gets the courage to draw Jon.

It wasn’t like the other portraits of Jon sleeping he has done so far.

It’s different, but also the same.

The way that it’s so peaceful gives out a nice scene. The way that Jon’s bruises and cuts are now mostly gone relieves Damian. The way Alfred the cat is calmly rested on top of Jon’s chest, comforting both pet and owner of the repeated rise and fall movement.

He finishes the sketch and Damian wishes he had paint with him, so that he may properly bring the art to life.

He was tired now.

Though trained by the best to function for weeks with limited to no amount of sleep, Damian couldn’t help his tired eyes and his tired mind, grudingly succumbing to slumber, but not before taking in Jon’s hand in his.

He yearns for the hour Jonathan wakes again.

To be able to recieve and exchange smiles with his beloved again.

Damian rests his eyes, knowing he will easily wake at the slightest movement of his beloved.

Even for just a simple twitch of the finger, or on the skipped heartbeat of the monitor, Damian is most confident he will be able to detect it.

For now, he simply escapes to the plains of his dreams, hoping his subconscious grants his wish. Even though knowing that it would not be real, he would at least get to spend a second reliving on a far-away memory or to experience a new one.

For whatever can emphasize his hopes and faiths, Damian will always be waiting in the land amongst mortals.

[fenixfoxtrot510]

Kay, but like.... Brucie Wayne being protected by his children.

As Brucie he can't be anything but a well meaning idiot so his children occasionally step in when anyone tries to take advantage of him.

Not all the time. Not when it's funny to see how he'll find a way to get out of a situation without being suspicious. Or when he's looking like he's in the mood to troll people for fun.

But when he's got a nasty headache from a concussion they'll help. When people annoy them personally, they will be petty and step in. When it's objectively more funny for them to get involved they will for the lolz.

Cass will ask Brucie if the two of them can leave a function early if she sees Bruce isn't feeling up to dealing with high society parasites. Brucie could never ignore his precious princess if she claims to feel tired. He's the definition of a doting father. They always get an "Awwww!💖" when Brucie gives Cassie his coat while saying goodbye and asks her if she wants to stop for ice cream on the way home when walking away.

When gold diggers young enough to be one of Brucie's kids start eying him, Damian will cut them off from even reaching Bruce and snottily criticize them for being unfit to act as a romantic partner for his father. Then inform them to come back in 20 years if they ever learn the difference between a child and a chihuahua. Some walk away in a huff. Others will actually start an argument with a honest to god 13 year old child in the middle of a charity gala for a children's hospital. Soon as Brucie comes over to meet Dami's "new friends," Damian is in full Angel Mode aside from the mimed death threats from behind his Dad's back. The young women go as sour as expired milk when Brucie seems to mistake them for Damian's school friends.

Dick notices someone trying to spike Bruce's drink? Dickie is doing a backflip off a chandelier and stumbling the landing just enough to knock the glass and spill it over the person spiking it. Brucie is in full concerned Dad mode, making sure he isn't hurt. Dickie is apologizing for the spill. Slipping a tracker on the would be kidnapper while trying to dry off their suit jacket with a hankie. Both Brucie and Dick insist that they will pay for the dry cleaning. Then Dick offers to show off some magic tricks and accidentally makes their "aspirin" disappear.

Tim steams rolls into undercover reporters that crash galas and pins them into polite conversation about stocks, often dragging them to meet other people to get a more in depth perspective on some economic subject so they have zero opportunities to snoop. Sometimes he will do the same with reporters that were actually invited. Clark is never amused by Bruce sicking Tim on him when he's trying to discreetly apologize to him for messing up one of Bruce's undercover operations or lecture him about how dangerous it is to work undercover without backup or even just a heads up.

When business men approach Brucie to make a shady deal Jason will smile pleasantly and nod along side with Brucie. Shoot a text to one of the other kids. When Brucie steps away to take a call, Jason gives a short list of the most illegal shit the person was involved in; what exposing it could do to their business, their reputation, and to their livelihood. Goes over how he could go on all night about their other deals but Heaven Forbid the wrong person overhears and exposes everything, then wraps up with a vague threat about some friends he has underground if they get any ideas. When Brucie comes back after helping Damian fix his tie, they politely excuse themselves to leave the party. Brucie & Jason are concerned about how pale and clammy they seem to be all of a sudden and offer to find a doctor. Jason is in full Theater Kid Mode and thriving. It's dangerous to leave if they feel sick. What if someone tries to mug them in the parking lot? What if their driver was attacked and swapped out for someone looking to kidnap them? What if they are sick because the kidnappers already slipped them something in the fancy lil finger sandwiches! This is Gotham! They should stay a little longer until it either passes or they can get a hold of a safe driver that can escort them home! Brucie absolutely has to agree with his son! Almost all of his kids were kidnapped at one point or another and its always the worst, he was sick with worry everytime and terrified they'd get hurt! He couldn't bare the thought of any other family going through that!

Everyone knows that Brucie loves his children and will do anything to make sure they are happy and healthy. Everyone also knows that Brucie's kids love their dad just as much.

[jonathan-samuel-smith]

When I started rereading super sons w/ associated material added on, I was so excited for the Titans of Tomorrow arc!! Let me show y'all why!

First up we got a side hug! Very cute.

After Jon saves the Teen Titans, they go back to Titans Tower where Robin reveals that he told Superboy he'd let him come on a few missions with them despite not running it by the team, he claims it was a white lie because Jon wouldn't stop asking but due to later events I'm not so sure.

At the tower a version of Tim from the future of the original timeline tries to kill Superboy, he traps him in this goop we saw attack HK Superman a few arcs ago. Jon gets distressed and activates his solar flare ability.

I like their interaction, Jon specifically asking Damian to help him because he's scared, Damian immediately responding to try to reassure him.

Jon accidently blows up Titans Tower and Damian's first thought apon waking is to find and protect Jon.

"you're safe here Jon." People sometimes think Damian calls Jon "Kent" but he doesn't really, he calls him Jon or J or Jonathan.

Wall slam for reassurance purposes.

"I won't let that happen. I'm going to keep you safe and we'll figure this out."

"thanks, Damian."

"... friends help each other, right?"

!!! So sweet! Damian just steals away Jon and goes into hiding with him to protect him, not caring about the potential consequences because nothing matters as much as keeping his friend safe. I absolutely love this arc!!

Not to go into details, there's a confrontation at the fortress of solitude, Jon gets so upset he starts exploding. Superman and future!Conner go into the energy sphere they're trying to contain to try to help him. When Damian thinks they're dead he starts hitting Tim and his anger here really shows the depth of fear he has over losing Jon. Also Tim saves the day yippee.

I've reached my picture limit I'll have to make a second post!