#Dick Grayson did not ‘kill’ the movies

[not-a-matopoeia]

He just had to many overdue movies, it’s not his fault

I was toying around with how to do this composition, originally I was going to do two different pieces as a diptych but after visiting my local art museum and seeing the work of the (late) surrealist artist, Philip C. Curtis, I realized I could just squish them all into to one composition and have have the back panel show what Dick is looking at whereas the front the audience gets to see his reaction too it.

Picasso was right, stealing is awesome!

[fanfic-writer-and-rambler]

Stephanie: I’m getting bored.

Stephane yawns.

*What a good prank to do to the guys?* (* - thoughts)

She snaps her fingers with a devious idea. She dials Barbara’s number.

Stephanie, singing: Big sis, want to play a prank on the guys?

Barbara: Finally! I mean… sure why not.

Stephanie: Awesome, I’m going to call Cass so she can hear this.

Cass, sitting silently next to Stephanie: I’m already on board.

Stephanie yelps: Jesus, forgot you did that.

Cass: Thank you. Now, what’s the plan?

Stephanie: I’m going to need some sedatives, rope and handcuffs just in case and… the single worse movie you can think of.

Cass: I’ll get the tools from my room, you two pick out the devious film.

Cass flips off the couch and rushes to her room.

Barbara: I figured she’d have the kidnapping supplies. What about we show them the Star Wars Prequels?

Stephanie: Nah, Dick and Tim actually like those… and Jason, he says it has good parts.

Barbara: I forgot about that, had to block it out.

Stephanie: Hm… Disaster movie?

Barbara: Damien shouldn’t be subjected to that. Nobody should, but especially a kid.

Stephanie: True. Hmm… what’s a movie so bad that it would drive even the toughest man insane?

Barbara, snapping her fingers: I got it! Round up boys and meet at my place at 10.

Stephanie: Perfect. Let the prank commence.

Hours later after getting supplies, Cass and Stephanie shoot Jason, Damian, Tim and Duke with tranquilizer darts.

Each boy toppling to the ground and being dragged or carried off.

Cass tracks Dick Grayson to the Wayne Manor and hits him with a dart in the neck as he’s talking to Bruce. The man falls forward, Bruce stepping aside to let him hit the ground.

Cass: Ignore this, father. It’s a prank.

Bruce: Nothing dangerous?

Cass: Not entirely, just bad movie night. The usual capture and force to watch.

Bruce: You picked out a good one?

Cass: Barbara did.

Bruce: Okay, have fun.

Cass nods dragging Dick Grayson by the leg while humming the Batman theme.

An hour later and the boys are tied to chairs watching a movie so bad but they can’t look away:

Dick: Why is the animation so bad?!

Tim: What is the plot?

Stephanie: There is no plot, at least not a good plot.

Tim: It’s just a bunch of food references and puns, it’s not even funny!

Damian: These jokes are beneath me!

Jason: Kill me again! I don’t want to watch this!

Duke: Eh, I’ve seen worse. Garbage Pail Kids is way worse.

Stephanie, devious smile on her face : Oh really?

Duke notices the batbros glaring at him.

Duke: I shouldn’t have said anything.

[urfavslytherclawgirl]

I cared...

Pairing: Bruce Wayne x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2.5k

Warning: Angst, swearing, crying, guilt, verbal fight, more than one POV, happy ending.

Summary: Bruce decides he will start dating you just to get information about your family, which is part of the Gotham Mafia, but what happens when he catches feelings for you? Or when you find out about all this?

"We need information on the Falcone family," Dick told Bruce while they were in the car heading to the annual Gotham party, it was amazing for people like Bruce and Dick, vigilantes.

The Falcone family needed to get what they deserved, to be put in jail for all the crimes they committed.

"And how do you want to do that?'' Bruce asked genuinely confused, Wayne Enterprises could get involved with Falcone and his wild business, they were friends after all, but it would be risky and obvious.

"We'll see. I'll take care of it Bruce, don't worry." Dick said as they stopped in front of the hotel where the party was happening.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Grayson." The host acknowledged the two as they got in with smiles. The party was full of people, with warm lighting and soft music playing, waiters walking from one end to the other giving out beverages and chatting everywhere.

"There's Falcone," Dick whispered as he got a glass of champagne, "and one of his daughters. Oh--maybe we can see if she lets out something. She is your age, or maybe two years younger but still. Give it a try" Dick suggested while looking toward the girl wearing an expensive dress.

"I can't just go there and ask her if her father kills people or not." Bruce ironically remarked while looking around smiling as people greeted him.

"Not like that, charm her...you can try to ask her out on a date. You're Bruce Wayne, who would deny it?" Dick ended the conversation by going away leaving Bruce alone with his thoughts.

He could at least try. If he noticed it wasn't working he'd just end things with her, simple

But it did work, it worked too well for him to even remember what the hell he was doing, he talked to you at the party smoothly asking you out on a date, and that date was perfect, different from any other date he had ever had, while other women would ask him about his 'extraordinary' life you asked him what his favorite book was, or when he'd say that something didn't work out for him instead of receiving a ''How! You're Bruce Wayne!'', he'd get advice or you'd help him through it.

You were...the most caring person he had ever met, and it hurt him every day to do what he was doing to you, but he was too engrossed to even try to stop it and when he did he'd just end up admiring you even more.

But he was going to do it now, he'd end whatever the two of you were having today, he was sure of it.

He had invited you to watch a movie in the screen room at his house and he'd find a way to end it.

"I'm going to get more popcorn for us. Not too much salt and definitely no butter, I know you, Bruce." You smiled and left the room with the empty popcorn bucket. This weird feeling formed in his stomach, maybe it was the anxiety of it all. All of a sudden warm arms hugged him from behind putting the popcorn on the seat next to him, he automatically kissed your cheek making you smile

You sat back down as Bruce looked at you with drunken eyes, he took your hand that was in your lap and kissed the back of it.

He was going to do it.

"You make me really happy."

He was going to do it.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

He--

The two of you were now kissing passionately.

-

You were looking for Bruce in the middle of another party Gotham was hosting, with yet again many people making it even harder for you to find Bruce.

"Bruce!" You called out as you noticed he was walking towards an exit with a dark-haired young man, you walked through the crowd of people and finally made it to the exit.

"Bru--"

"Did you really not get anything, Bruce, we needed that information. Come on, you've been dating that girl for at least a month and she hasn't told you anything we can use against Carmine?"

Information? Use against my dad?

"What?" You whispered making the two look at you as Bruce's eyes widened, you scoffed and started walking away.

"Wait! Please, wait!" Bruce called out walking towards you, you stopped and turned around in anger.

"Where you using me, Bruce? I thought you cared and were genuinely interested in me! Was this shit all a lie?!" Tears threatened to fall from your eyes but you tried to resist the urge.

"Please let me explain--" But you didn't even let him finish, "Explain what, huh? How I was dumb enough to believe all the things that came out of your mouth? Or how I was stupid for even thinking you cared? Because I did! I cared about you and us, so much..." He looked at you with guilt in his eyes, he stepped forward then took a few more steps when he noticed you didn't step away.

"Please believe me now, I do care about you, and it was all true, all my emotions and all the things I said, all true. I made shitty decisions but none of it was fake." Bruce put his hand on your cheek , you looked at him for fe seconds, thinking.

You slowly put your hand on top of his hand that was resting on your cheek and pulled it away, toward his chest, pressing it there.

"Find someone else." You said turning around and walking away.

My dear

Please forgive me. I never meant to hurt you the way I did. I was a child and an idiot, but you have to know that I meant everything and you were one of the only people who treated me like a human, and I'll always be extremely thankful for that.

I care so much about you and I will never forgive myself for how much I hurt you, you might not even read this letter but I'm still giving it a try, for you, I'd always try.

You were right, I did lie, but only for the first minutes after that every emotion I felt was real, you are the most beautiful person I've ever met and I do care about you, in fact I love you.

Just know that you will always have a place in my heart and that I'll always be here in case you need me.

Bruce Wayne

You read the letter that was sent to your office, and after reading it front to back you left work immediately, got into your car and raced through Gotham.

As you stopped in front of Wayne Manor you didn't know what to do, so you started with the basic going to the door and ringing the door bell.

"Nice seeing you again, I wasn't aware Master Bruce was getting a visit, please come in." Alfred said after opening the front door.

"Master Bruce is in his studies." He whispered before leaving you alone, you sighed and started walking.

"Alfred I'm busy, for the last time I don't want tea." Bruce said as you opened the door, he was writing another letter with his hands between his head thinking in what to write.

"I'm not here for tea." You answered closing the door and walking towards his desk, he immediately looked at you with maybe hope or something else in his eyes.

"I got your letter," You said walking towards a bookshelf full of old books.

"What you did, was hurtful, but I get it, my father isn't the best man in the world. I love you too." Your voice was almost like a whisper as you turned your head towards him.

"I don't know if you meant it or not when you wrote it in your letter but it's fair for you to know." As your body fully turned towards Bruce you gasped bumping into Bruce, who had swiftly gotten up from his chair.

"I love you, and I promise you I won't ever lie to you again. Never." He said hugging your body while kissing you.

"Okay, I got it, no need for these many emotions. Keep up with your emotionless reputation." The two of you laughed.

[nilolemillion]

Let’s get one thing straight (very unlike me): Batman loves his kids. All of them. He’d die for each one in a heartbeat (of course not kill for them, cough cough Jason). But if you think for one second that Bruce Wayne, the guy who regularly dresses as a bat and fights crime at 3 AM (cough cough insomniac furry.), has a favorite BatKid, then clearly, you’ve never met his children. He doesn’t have a favorite, not because he loves them equally, but because none of these potatoe pie pumpkin cutie-headed chaos gremlins deserve to be his favorite.

Let me explain.

Dick Grayson (WOOP WOOP that’s the sound of that police. Yes Karen, I know he’s no longer an officer, NO KAREN I DON’T GIVE A FUCK.):

The first pancake. The golden boy. Everyone assumes that Dick has a special place in Bruce’s heart because he was the first Robin. He’s charming, he’s capable, and he smiles like he’s got a fucking sponsorship deal with Colgate. But let’s be real, this guy left the nest the second he could, started his own superhero gig in Blüdhaven, and still occasionally shows up to remind Bruce that he doesn’t need him (yes king, show your independence, love that for you.) And you know Dick is the type to throw that ‘you’re getting old, B’ line out there just to twist the knife. Bruce loves him, but how can he be the favorite when he’s busy playing Batman-lite with better hair?

Jason Todd (My personality favorite zombie, resuscitated character in the whole world, I love him so much and all the Outlaws.):

Oh, Jason. The problem child. The one Bruce failed, died, and came back with a vengeance (literally). You’d think after all that tragedy, Bruce might go a little easier on him. But Jason? This kid shows up at family dinners with guns blazing, ready to debate the morality of lethal force like it’s Thanksgiving dinner conversation (and it is, I did it and it was quite fun.) Sure, Bruce would die for him (again), but Jason pushes every button Bruce has like it’s his job. One minute he’s trying to be the better vigilante, the next, he’s making Gotham’s criminals wonder if Batman has gone completely off the rails. If Jason’s Bruce’s favorite, it’s in the ‘how are you still alive and not in jail?’ kind of way.

Tim Drake (DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF TIM BEING A CUTE LIL STALKER AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Tim’s the brainiac of the family, the kid who deduced Bruce’s secret identity with zero help. Naturally, you’d think this would earn him some serious brownie points. But here’s the thing, Tim works way too hard. He’s got all the signs of a caffeine addiction (which is completely and absolutely understandable, he’s just a little silly and caffeine addicts are hot, yes I am too), zero concept of work-life balance, and is always trying to out-detective Bruce. Yeah, Bruce admires his dedication, but let’s be honest: Tim’s the kid you have to physically shove into bed because he thinks sleep is a myth. Bruce is just trying to prevent this kid from burning out before he’s 30. How can Tim be the favorite when Bruce spends most of his time making sure he doesn’t turn into an insomniac vigilante-zombie?

Damian Wayne (I’m literally making my birthday party theme of him, that should explain enough.):

Ah, Damian. His literal blood son. You’d think that alone would give him a shot at favorite-child status, right? Wrong. Damian is an adorable, pint-sized murder machine with a superiority complex the size of Wayne Manor. Bruce loves him fiercely, of course, but Damian’s idea of father-son bonding is training in deadly combat and arguing about why his assassination techniques are totally valid. Plus, he’s got that whole ‘I’m the heir to the world’s deadliest league of assassins’ thing going on. Sure, he’s Bruce’s kid, but you know he’s never going to let Bruce forget it. Not exactly favorite material when he’s constantly plotting world domination during family movie night. (Dw, he won’t act on it, Alfred made very clear that the batkid who dares dominate the world will be banned from his pastries. Besides, he’s too busy scratching Titus’ belly, he doesn’t have time to dominate the world. PRIORITIES BITCH.)

Cassandra Cain (I stan her more than I stand my own life. Help. I literally crocheted a plushy of her.):

Cassandra is probably the least rebellious out of the bunch, which should give her an edge, right? Wrong again. Cass may be quiet and respectful most of the time, but when she does go rogue, it’s on her terms, and it’s not just a small rebellion. No, Cass will disappear for weeks on end, take down a crime syndicate by herself, and then show up like it’s no big deal. Bruce can’t even stay mad because she’s so good at what she does. But Cass’s habit of ghosting the entire family and dealing with things solo? Yeah, it keeps her out of the running for favorite. Plus, she’s secretly the most dangerous one, and Bruce can’t play favorites with someone who could take him out without even blinking.

Duke Thomas (He’s was the sunshine I was midnight rain. DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF ISABELLA WITH DUKE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Duke the daylight protector of Gotham, which is cute and all, except that Bruce has no idea how to parent in the daylight. Duke brings this bright, positive energy to the BatFamily, which sounds great in theory, but this is Bruce we’re talking about. The guy who lives for darkness and brooding. Bruce loves Duke’s optimism, but it’s like trying to teach a vampire to enjoy the sun. Plus, Duke has a habit of questioning everything, and sure, Bruce appreciates his independent streak, but do you really want a favorite who keeps making you reconsider your life choices?

Stephanie Brown (My sweet dear and beloved purple queen, I love her so much.):

Not an adopted batkid, her mom is alive I think… But I don’t give a duck KAREN. Stephanie is the wildcard, the one who does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and somehow gets away with it. She’s staged fake deaths, gotten fired from being Robin, and still keeps coming back for more. Stephanie’s whole existence is an exercise in chaos theory. Bruce loves her resilience and her ‘never-say-die’ attitude (literally), but how can she be his favorite when her middle name might as well be ‘Loose Cannon’? She’s the kind of kid who’ll fight crime while live-tweeting it. Yeah, Bruce loves her, but he’s not rewarding that kind of energy with a favorite child title. (I’m still confused about her age thingy.)

So no, Bruce doesn’t have a favorite. Because how could he? His kids are walking, talking disasters, each one a different flavor of chaos. Bruce loves them all more than anything in the world, but picking a favorite would be like trying to choose between different natural disasters. Earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, they’re all beautiful in their own destructive way, but you wouldn’t want to pick one to live through. In the end it’s about Bruce somehow surviving all of them.

[theamityelf]

Okay, I'm trying to familiarize myself with Batfam stuff, because I lowkey think they'd be fun to write for. (Never seen any of the animated series or read any Batman comic with Robin in it.)

What I have so far:

Bruce Wayne. Obviously. That's a Batman. Parents killed in an alley outside a theater, he maybe trained with some assassins (and Talia al Ghul is a character who's related to that somehow I think; she might be an assassin), and he's Batman. I know who Batman is. He doesn't kill; that's his rule.

Alfred. Butler. Secretly really good at weapons? Just generally hypercompetent and would probably be killing people if not for Bruce.

There's a bunch of Robins, which I will list. It seems like a lot of them have straight black hair and blue eyes; if true, it's wild that they didn't vary that more. I hope the fandom does something else, lol.

Dick Grayson first. He's the circus one who got adopted when his parents died. He's good at flips and stuff because circus. Not sure the specifics of his parents' death, but I suppose it triggered Bruce? And so Bruce was like, "I gotta adopt this kid." And he later became Robin. And then he did Teen Titans (which I haven't seen, but one of my college roommates watched Teen Titans Go a lot) and dated Starfire. I think he's the one whose costume is sometimes blue? But I'm not sure. Personality-wise, I think maybe he's generally positive and responsible. This is the first Robin, so he's probably got standard Robin characteristics and grew up with the standard amount of superhero angst. Not too much, not too little. I feel like I'd like Dick Grayson if I knew the character well. Oh! He's also called Nightwing, right?

Jason Todd next. He's, like...a street orphan? And I think he's the one with the white in his hair. He got killed by Joker with a crowbar and then came back angry because Batman didn't kill Joker. And I feel like things remained tense with him after that in canon but fan works have them resolve things, but like I said, I have not consumed any of his canon. I'm just going on vibes. Personality-wise, I'm thinking rougher-edged than Dick. Um, Red Hood, right?

Tim Drake is next. I genuinely don't know if and when he was adopted, because I'm pretty sure everything I've consumed about him was just like, "No, he has parents. But he figured out that Bruce Wayne is Batman, so he gets to be Robin." But I also think he lives with them? I think he's more upbeat than Jason; he fully opted into all of this.

Wait, Barbara Gordon is somewhere in there, right? Probably before Tim. I don't know what she's really doing, but she's Jim Gordon's daughter and I think she becomes Batgirl. Does she get killed by Joker? Jim Gordon is like, Batman's favorite police guy. He's the one who's always lighting the bat signal.

Full disclosure, I know Stephanie Brown is someone, but I have no idea who she is or what she's doing or when she comes into play, and iirc I think I saw a Tiktok that implied she straight up lives somewhere else. I guess Barbara probably does, too. And I guess Dick probably moved out to do Teen Titans, although it would be very funny if he didn't. I'm sure a lot of fan works just have them all live together; if the Marvel fandom could put everyone in Stark Tower, the DC fandom can move everyone into Wayne Manor.

I know that Cassandra Cain is deaf, and I think she's a street orphan, too? And I feel like there was some connection between her and the kid from the Birds of Prey movie. Maybe same character; I feel like I remember reading criticism about her not being deaf in the movie. I also don't know when she comes into play, but I'm pretty sure she's one of the straightforwardly adopted ones. But I'm just guessing that because I'm not aware of any reason for her not to be.

Duke Thomas is the black one, and I think he was kind of on the Tim Drake track of figuring out the Batman stuff. I don't know how he came into play either. I think he's called Signal? Does he have an electricity thing, or am I mistaking him for a different character? There are a lot of black superheroes with electricity powers. Personality-wise, I think he's just generally cool and good-natured, but I'm not sure whether that's an actual canon thing, or if I've just consumed content that misrepresents his whole deal. Whatever the case, I'd probably love him if I knew more about him. I feel like I'll like all of these characters.

Damian Wayne, biological son of Bruce and Talia. (Though, if I'm mistaken about that, then that's really funny.) He's, like, an analyst type, which means we've got a lot of characters who are specifically characterized as analytical. (I hope knowing more about them will make it easier to vary the kind of intelligence. I want them to have different specific strengths and weaknesses. They probably do.) And I think he might have also been trained by the assassins, but I'm not sure. Personality-wise, I'm pretty sure he's distinctly creepy. Like, I think he's the creepy genius child trope, and all serious and formal. I like that trope.

[celaenaeiln]

do you ever think about how canonically in the batman v superman movie/universe, dick grayson is the dead robin and bruce never picked up another kid which eventually led to him killing superman?

YES?! YES! YESS!!!!

If Dick were to die, Bruce would completely break. He wouldn't just stop at killing villains - hell no - he would start killing heroes too.

All that's going through his head is that no one deserves to exist if Dick is gone.

And knowing me, I will always gladly provide the evidence.

In the comics when Dick got shot, Bruce's world imploded.

He felt such a strong rage, he kinda lost it. He flew to another country, defeated assassins, and trucked through the freezing blizzard in Russia to get to KG Beast.

Batman (2016) Issue #56

The utter, undiluted rage on his face.

Batman (2016) Issue #56

He lost communication with Alfred. He's completely on his own but nothing will stop him in his crusade to avenge Dick.

He finds the assassin and they have a massive fight. KG Beast is actually one of the highest paid killers in the world. Him, Lady Shiva, Deathstroke, Deadshot, and someone else are the top 5 of the villain world and Batman almost loses until-

Batman (2016) Issue #57

He shoots a grapple gun into KG Beast's face! He breaks him. He leaves him paralyzed.

His horror at what the Joker has done to Barbara is gone in the face of his hatred for what happened to Dick.

Batman (2016) Issue #57

Batman willingly and knowingly paralyzed someone despite knowing the cost. That's how much he hated him. But you think it stops here? This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Batman (2016) Issue #57

And this is where it all goes to hell.

Batman, the vigilante who beat his own son for killing criminals, leaves this criminal for the dead.

The Gotham commissioners talk about it

Batman (2016) Issue #60

Forget Batman. JTTF stands for Joint Terrorism Task Force. They actually considered a hit on Nightwing an act of terrorism.

That's how much the world loves Nightwing.

The moment KG Beast shot Nightwing, he became the Nation's Public Enemy Number One.

Commissioner Grogan hates KG Beast so much for what he did, he can't even bring himself to say the man's name, too revolted by his existence. Gotham hates the guy more than they hate the Joker.

Batman (2016) Issue #60

Commissioner Gordon offers some hope that maybe Batman knew but Commissioner Grogan - he just says maybe. I don't know, it's possible but - to which Gordon just stays silent. They both know what happened and what Batman did but confirming it out loud? Batman's not supposed to kill.

So Batman left KG Beast to die but Bane? The one who ordered the hit? He-

Batman (2016) Issue #59

And when Gordon tries to stop him-

Batman (2016) Issue #59

He. Punches. Gordon.

He hurts his friend and ally. The man who helped him the night his parents were murdered. He punched for his pain over Dick.

This is where it all connects to the Superman vs Batman movie. If Dick were to die, Bruce would kill his own allies in the end. He would raze the world to the ground.

In the comics, Dick's death is the turning point for Batman (2016). After this he enters a series of nightmares where his brain turns a nightmare of Selina dying to be exactly reminiscent of what happened to Dick, and even though Dick lived, Bruce can't let that go. Then the fight with Bane who targeted Dick solely because of his importance to Dick, and then the Joker War where the Joker tried to use Dick because of his importance to Bruce, and the Gotham War where Dick thrashing him was Bruce's breaking point from his toxic self and finally self-realization.

Damian once said Dick leaving to become Nightwing caused Bruce to lose his moral compass, and that's even more true now. He's breaking enemies and allies left and right just because Dick almost died.

Imagine what would happen if Dick really did.

[florisa6s]

A idea- Damian

I feel like Damian would do movie reviews on his free time being brutal he enjoys criticizing things and he also brings Jason every few times where Jason's main points are how the movie is different than the movie and how the books are always better he also enjoys criticizing movies.

-----

Damian: Bambi sucked

Dick: what? Why?

Damian: they killed the deer what else do you need?!, Unless you support that mindless killing Grayson?!

Dick: wha- no! That's not what I meant!

Damian: stop trying to save yourself you know what you did! You monster!

---

Jason: The Romeo and Juliet movie sucks

Damian: they did a movie? I thought there was only plays and books of them.

Jason: the books are good and the plays are half decent but trust me do not search up Romeo and Juliet movies it will be very disappointing and overall incorrect in every way, if you find a good Romeo and Juliet movie I will wear the discowing that's how certain I am.

-----

Damian: this is so fake when you cut someone open the blood doesn't splattered like that

Bats:.......

Jason: I know right? Finally someone sees the mistakes you don't know how annoyed I keep getting at their gun scenes heads don't explode at that far away range!

(Jason and Damian bonding over unrealistic killing in horror movies)

[starlightshadowsworld]

"Bruce didn't mean to hurt Jason's neck, it was an accident."

Motherfucker threw a batarang which is basically a knife boomerang.

Threw it at the wall directly behind Jason at his shoulder neck.

... The fuck did he think it was going to do? Get stuck into a wall? Than why would he throw it?

It was going to bounce off and cut through Jason's neck.

The Joker, the fucker Joker congratulations him for his trick shot.

He knew what he was doing.

And it's fucked.

Which is probably why the Under the Red Hood movie changed it to Bruce throwing the knife into Jason's gun.

So it hurt his hand and not his neck.

This is why he's pissed at you man, you didn't just choose the Joker.

You decided your son deserves death more than his murderer does.

No wonder Jason has issues.

And incase anyone thinks thats just a one time note... Nope.

Bruce's said to Jason, multiple times he should've stayed dead.

Hell in the current run, Batman 137 Bruce says to Jason, while attacking him and all of his children.

"If you think one death is fine if it stops more death. Then shouldn't I kill you?!"

It's one thing to say this is completely out of character for him to do.

Because it is and I very much agree with you there.

This is the same Bruce who was on a war path to kill the Joker but because at the time he had immunity.

From being the UN govenor of Iran... I... Don't ask.

The UN had to send Superman to talk Bruce down lest a war broke out.

And even than Bruce crashed the hellicopter the Joker was on hoping it would kill him.

That Bruce would never have done that to Jason, especially knowing how lethal if could have been.

This is the Bruce who when KGBeast shot Dick Grayson in the head.

And we got... Ric...

Bruce tracked down KGBeast, beat him the fuck out of him.

Broke his neck just enough to paralyse him.

And left him in the middle of nowhere.

In the snow.

And when KGBeast is like hey if you help me.. I'll tell you who hired me to kill your boy.

Bruce says "I've got a bullet in my arm and a body of hurt. There's a 3000 click walk ahead of me. Through nothing but snow and ice."

Dramatically spits blood on the white snow.

"I'm the World's Greatest Detective. I'll find out who hired you and I will break them too. You can get your own damn help."

Also not the first time Bruce has tried to "not kill" KGBeast.

But that's beside the point.

He did that for Dick who while turned into the worst thing imaginable, was alive.

And you're telling me he wouldn't do the same for Jason?

Bullshit.

Man I miss when the thing was don't fuck with Batman's kids cos he'll fuck you up.

Instead of oh dear god Bruce stop hurting your damn kids.

If your version of Batman doesn't love his kids. Wouldn't do anything and everything for them.

Than he's not Batman.

[strong-with-the-sarcasm]

Part 21: all the ashes in my way

"But my peace has always depended on all the ashes in my way." -Arsonist's Lullabye by Hozier

Regent Masterlist Part 20 A03 Mundane Macabre (Main) TW: mention of infertility

September finally came to a close without much fanfare. The month had seen the very world rocked and many people were still left reeling from the implication that they had very nearly had a war with the Infinite Realms to contend with. Gothamites were eager to get October over with, thanks to the Rogues deciding Halloween was the perfect time to launch an assault against the city. 

However, with the new found peace established between the aforementioned Realms and the mortal world, with the encouragement of the Phantom vigilante (a self-proclaimed ghost who haunts the Ridge), Gothamites cautiously prepared for Samhain celebrations instead. 

It was a big deal to Phantom. 

Outside of his vigilantism, Danny Nightingale was doing well in school, test scores and grades soaring through the roof. An almost visible weight had been lifted from his shoulders with the abolishment of the Anti-Ecto Acts. He even began to hang out with the youngest Wayne, Damian, outside of school to the surprise of many. 

The Waynes and Nightingales were becoming closer by the day with Jasmine and Jason’s relationship status revealed and all the cards laid out on the table between all involved. 

Jasmine and Dick Grayson bonded over their shared Eldest Daughter Syndrome, while Jazz and Steph bonded over villainous parents. Add Cass to the mix, the three women got along like a house on fire.

(The three enjoyed their girl time, bonding over clothes, movies and the occasional beat down.) 

(The two loved to tease Jazz about Jason.) 

With the two lovebirds (a Nightingale and a Robin), their relationship had changed dramatically…though only a few knew why.

There was something wrong with her body and for the life of her, Jazz could not figure out what it was. 

She’d been nauseous lately, especially when she was a good distance from the ground. Typically, one might chalk it up to a fear of heights, but Jazz had never ever suffered from acrophobia. Perhaps the altitude adjustment? That didn’t make sense either because she’d been a vigilante for months and had no physical reactions to sudden elevation change. She’d even thrown up a couple times on patrol. 

It also didn’t explain why her breasts were tender and aching. Her armor was lightweight enough that it wasn’t causing undue pressure, but the preternatural metal remained uncomfortable no matter what she tried. 

And her head was killing her. 

She’d refused to take patrol of regardless of her ailment, whatever it was. Her little brother could tell she wasn’t feeling well and had tried his best to get her to go home early even though Jazz refused. 

Her gut instincts were trying to warn her, to be hyper vigilant in her defense of the Ridge. There was something coming and Jazz did not want to be caught unprepared. 

However, it was during a semi-weekly girls night with Cass and Steph that Jazz’s life was sent careening off course into the wide blue yonder. 

The three women were hanging out in Jazz’s new apartment, a cozy place with three bedrooms that she shared with Jason and Danny, and we’re settling in to watch a movie that’d just been released on dvd (Eat Pray Love). Steph had spared Jazz a confused look at her odd mixture of popcorn and ice cream, but didn’t say anything. 

They’d barely started the movie, the warnings of anti-piracy ignored (gothamites) when Steph exclaimed, “oh!” 

Cass was quick to pause the movie while Jazz choked on a mouthful of sweet and salty goodness. 

(Sweet Cass merely patted her on the back.) 

“You’re pregnant aren’t you?” 

(Jazz had just gotten her airway cleared too.) 

Naturally, they had to wait for Jazz to recover from her choking fit and inhale almost an entire bottle of water before she was deemed fit enough to answer Stephanie’s question. 

“No, I’m not pregnant!” Jazz retorted, though the thought of-

baby?

 -Kept ping-ponging around in her head like a cracked jar of marbles. 

She couldn’t be pregnant.

“You and Jason have slept together right?” Steph questioned, a particular gleam in her eye that Cass copied almost immediately. 

“Baby?” The ballerina added in her blunt way of speaking. There was almost a palpable sense of excitement in the air now. 

And yes, Jazz and Jason did have sex, almost nightly if she was honest… but she couldn’t have children thanks to her ecto-contamination. 

(That day had been one of the most heartbreaking times of her life, being told she had no chance of being a mother.) 

(She had dreamed of a little boy and girl to raise, to love indefinitely.) 

(She had told Jason and could see he was a bit heartbroken too.) 

(Nonetheless, they had talked about adoption and fostering.) 

(Already planning the life they wanted together.) 

Jazz didn’t realize she was crying until Cass launched into her arms for a hug, spilling popcorn everywhere.

A/N: Here's the beginning of what I'm calling the "Angst arc". Its actually a pretty long chapter I had to split up. This will be combined with either parts 19 & 20 or 22 when its later posted. content warning because I know infertility can be triggering to people. Its part of the story for a reason, I promise.

The regent masterlist is updated with new parts and the unoffical playlist for the regent series.

Thanks for reading!

PS: Yes, black mask has no idea what he's in for.

PS 2: did you know Eat Pray Love came out August 13th, 2010? 2010 is when the social media AU is set for regent. Thought it would be cool to include a movie that would have just released around that time.

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

Batman/Batfam Masterlist

Batman

Jason Todd

Dick Grayson

Batfamily

The Batman

🌟= new post

🤕= Whump 😥 = Angst 😘= Fluff/ Relationship

✍= reader insert ✉️ = ask/ request

Main Masterlist

Fics:

One Bad Day…. (Ongoing Batman x Batmom Series) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

The Joker killed your son Jason, but your husband Bruce refuses to break his code in order to get revenge. Too bad no one told the Joker but you don't share that code. And how will you deal with the consequences of your actions?

In the Dark of the Night (Bruce Wayne x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

When your children ask you to tell them a bedtime story, you tell them of the creatures who come out at night.

Leaving on a Jet Plane (Bruce Wayne x Reader) 😘 😥 ✍ ✉️

When you are offered your dream job overseas, it is the perfect chance to escape the violence and crime of Gotham City. But it also means leaving behind the man you love…. Will you really be able to say goodbye?

Drabbles:

“Are you trying to make me angry?” and “Why would you even care?” = Bruce Wayne

Fics:

Questions (Ongoing Jason Todd x Reader Series of one-shots) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

A collection of interconnected one-shots set in the same universe that documents the reader's relationship with Jason Todd, otherwise known as the vigilante the Red Hood.

I'm So Sorry (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

4-Part Series: When the Joker captures you and Jason on the night of your engagement celebration, reveals some truths about your past that may threaten your relationship with Jason.

Anyone You Want (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

Your next-door neighbor Jason is one of the best people you know. Too bad he would never give you a second glance. And why would he when he could have anyone he wants?

Wrong Bat (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 🤕 ✍

Someone discovers your boyfriend is part of the Batfamily so you are abducted and tortured for their identities. Too bad they didn't realize which Bat you were dating.

Not So Invincible After All 😘 🤕 😥 ✍ ✉️

Tired of living in your father’s shadow, you move to Gotham where you meet Jason Todd. As the two of you become an unstoppable team (in love and crime fighting), everything seems perfect. Until something goes wrong…

🌟 It's Not Funny 😘 🤕 😥 ✍ ✉️

When you are kidnapped by the Joker, Jason is frantic to get you back. But once he finds you, things might be worse than they first appear....

Drabbles:

“How did you get in here?” = Jason Todd

Perfect = Jason Todd

Fics:

Don't Make Me Choose (Dick Grayson x Reader) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

When your twin brother Jason goes against the family (again), your boyfriend is hurt by your choices. But will a secret from your past help him understand your decision?

Happy Meals (Dick Grayson x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

For months, you and Dick have been searching for that one specific Happy Meal toy. However, is there something more nefarious behind the reason you can't find it?

Drabbles:

“It was a joke.” and “You do have a stupid face.” = Dick Grayson

“Honey, I’m home!” = Dick Grayson x Pregnant!Reader

“Looks good on you.” = Dick Grayson x Male!Reader

I’m Not Sick = Dick Grayson

Fics:

That's What Family is For (Damian Wayne & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

What happens when you and your adopted brother, Damian, are kidnapped and held for ransom? Nothing good.

Seeing Red (Batfam & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍ (First Part Before Seeing Green) (Seeing Red (Alt POV))

When Superman becomes infected with Red Kryptonite, it is up to you and the rest of the Batfam to stop him. If you can.

Seeing Green (Batfam & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍ (Sequel to Seeing Red)

After your encounter with Superman, your family tries everything in their power to save you.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

You just left the movies with Dick and Jason when you realize you left something behind. When you go back, things go terribly, terribly wrong.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Aftermath (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

After the events of Part One, Dick and Jason must break the news to the rest of the Batfamily.

It Was an Accident…. (Batfam & Third Person Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

Damian and his twin sister were sparring when a distraction leads to a painful accident.

The Masks We Wear (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

Your father is one of the most beloved men in all of Gotham, but that's because they don't know the truth…..

Time Slows Down (Batfam & Reader) 😥 ✍

When a patrol goes wrong and you are flung off the side of a building, you reflect about the people in your life.

Tonight's Entertainment (Batman & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

When you are taken prisoner and drugged by the Joker around Christmas, he has some interesting plans in store. Tonight's entertainment: You.

I Have Missed You (Damian Wayne & al Ghul!Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

When you finished your latest mission for the League of Assassins, all you want is to go home and see your brother Damian. But what happens when your mother informs you he is now in Gotham with his father?

Countdown (Batfam x Batsis!Reader) 😥 ✍

You find yourself in a very similar situation to the one that took Jason's life years ago. But will the outcome be the same for you?

Drabbles:

“Bake me a cake and we’ll talk.” = Dick Grayson x al Ghul Reader

“Don’t worry I got this!” = Duke Thomas x al Ghul Reader

Fics:

Some Wounds Leave Scars (Part One, Part Two, Part Three) (The Batman x Reader) 😘 😥 ✍

Being Alfred Pennyworth's daughter, you have known Bruce Wayne your entire life. But when you return to Gotham after being gone for three years, you realize that neither of you are the people you used to be.

[gangrenados]

Shit, damn tumblr!!!! Sorry, I wanna said (please and thank you very much!)... killing the valentine mood and ask for Jay and/or Dick and a reader who doesn't like the festivity (or christmas)

Ohhhh I can relate to that lol

Dick Grayson:

•Dick might be a busy man, but he loves to take some time out of work/vigilantism to enjoy some time with you and spoil you.

•He takes any opportunity he can get, therefore Valentine's day is the perfect occasion.

•He plans, he buys, he does everything. Sure it might not be a over the top thing, but he did tried his best.

•But what about you not liking the holiday? Well, Dick doesn't care much about it either. He just wants to be with you and enjoy whatever he has planned for the day even if it's a some cheap pizza and a movie.

•You don't have to go and do some "official Valentine's day stuff", you can just be together.

Jason Todd:

•Jason is caring and he would chop his right leg just for you, but he's glad you're not into Valentine's.

•Don't take this the wrong way, Jason does goes out of his way to spoil you in other occasions, he wants to make you happy.

•If you were into it then Jason would try his best to give you a nice gifts like some chocolate and a teddy bear. But this holiday it's just stupid to him.

•Yeah he's one of those "Valentine's day is not about love, but capitalism". He's fun like that.

•Jason would be down to hang out with you and have fun together doing whatever, it doesn't matter to him.

[atlas-likes-writing]

Death in the Family

Characters: Jason Todd/Red Hood, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Bruce Wayne/Batman

Summary: The world is falling. Dick and Jason are trapped under the rubble of a now-destroyed building. It takes everything to escape.

Word Count: 2325

Tags: Angst, whump, gore, graphic depictions of injuries, death/deaths in the past, swearing (but nobody actually gives a shit about that), mentions of explosions, angst with a sad ending.

Authors Note: Is the pacing goofy? Yes. Do I care? No. I will be paying in advance for everyone's therapy bills regardless. This fic was inspired by the movie "Fall" on Netflix! Let me know if you want me to tag you in my fics!

Masterlist | AO3

@qcomicsy

It’s as if the world is falling. Everything feels so heavy. An uncomfortable weight lies on his chest. Moving doesn’t help. It instead makes it worse. A disgusting feeling of wetness coats the side of his face. Is it sweat? Tears? He can’t tell. His body is heavy. His eyelids are heavy. Maybe he should just stay there. Slip into sleep again. Maybe then that weighted feeling will leave him. 

“-Bird!” 

A tiny voice sounds out in the dim. That’s peculiar. What’s the importance of a bird right now? He’ll figure that out when he wakes up. He’s too tired to care right now. 

“Jaybird!” 

The voice is clearer now. Louder, but not to the point of deafness. Loud in the way your parents are loud when they yell at you from downstairs to tell you that dinner is ready. It’s distant. Muffled. Like someone has put earmuffs over his ears. 

“For goodness' sake, Jason! Wake up!” 

That’s what got his eyes to snap open. When he does, he’s met with almost pitch black. His arms are pinned to the ground beneath him by sharp stones. No, not stones. Boulders. His left arm has clearly snapped at the force of them falling on top of him. The dull throb that emanates from the now useless limb is soon to crescendo, but for now that’s all it is; a dull throb. It’s now Jason realises that the uncomfortable weight isn’t just the feeling of impending doom as he originally thought. It’s a slab of concrete. Thick and jagged and it’s digging into his torso, surely leaving bruises in its wake. 

He begins to panic when the dust begins to settle on his eyelids. How long had he been down there? He shifts around, attempting to move any of the debris that fell on him. Immediate regret shoots through him; as does a sharp, blinding pain in his leg. He cries out. The sound of it is gravelly and clogged as if something is stuck in his esophagus. The dust around him coats everything. His skin, his helmet (which he now realises is broken), his tattered costume; everything. It sticks to the interior of his throat and makes speech scratchy. 

“Nightwing?” he calls out to the darkness, “What happened? Dick? Are you there?” 

“I’m here, Jason. Had me worried for a second there,” the voice of his brother breaks through the cracks between the rock. Relief floods through the younger man. 

“Oh, thank the gods,” he responds. “Where are you? Are you injured?” 

“I’m fine, Jaybird. Only a couple scratches. You’re the priority right now. Keep talking to me, okay? Do you remember what happened?” 

What did happen? The vigilante ignores the pounding in his head in an attempt to recall the happenings of the past thirty minutes. His mind is filled with the images of a battle with the Joker. Jason broke down at the sight of him, and his distraction resulted in the C4 at the base of the high-rise building to explode, falling directly on top of them as a result. The two men are lucky to be alive. It’s a miracle Dick scraped away with only a few bruises and scratches. 

Yeah, Dick is apparently far luckier than Jason right now. 

“The fucking Joker,” Jason spits. “I’m going to kill him.” 

“Let’s focus on getting out of here first, eh? We don’t know if the rest of the family are trapped under here as well.” 

Dick’s defusal works. Jason breathes in deeply to calm his nerves. His eyesight begins to adjust to the darkness, and he can make out his surroundings more clearly. 

“Right. Yeah. You’re right. Where are you? I can’t see you anywhere.” 

“I’m next to you, Jason. Through this gap in the rock,” Dick replies. At his words, Jason tilts his head as far as his predicament will allow him (which, predictably, is not very far), and the eyes of his brother shine out in the dim between two large rocks that separate them. They’re bright and unmoving and make Jason relax a little. They always seem to have that effect. The constancy of them always ooze safety and competence no matter the situation. He’s Nightwing. His gaze can make even Batman feel safe. All it takes is a meaningful look and Jason feels calmer almost immediately. 

The younger man moves his head back to its original position, looking up at the debris instead of to the side. He closes his eyes, before throwing his head back onto the ground in frustration. 

“Fuck! This is my fault,” he exclaims. 

“We both know that’s bullshit,” Dick replies. Jason fights the urge to tut at him mockingly for his colourful language. “That man beat you to half-to-death and then caused the building you were in to explode. Nobody is blaming you for acting the way you did. This is not your fault. Stop blaming yoursel-" 

“People could be dead, Dick.” 

That shuts him up. 

The two brothers lie there in silence for a while before Jason speaks up again. 

“We should be dead, Dick.” 

“How come?” 

“What are the chances of us making it this far? You’ve been a vigilante since you were what, eight? You’ve been in the game almost as long as Bruce, and yet here you are.” 

Dick remains quiet. Jason continues. 

“Me? I did die. Quite horrifically, might I add. Yet here I am.” Jason opens his eyes and turns back to his brother. “Why am I not dead?” 

“Because it wasn’t your time.” 

“Then when is my time?” 

“Not right now, if you’re wondering.” 

Now it’s Jason’s turn to be silent. 

“You have your whole life ahead of you,” Dick states, “Now is not the time for you to talk like you want to give up.” 

“I’m legally classified as dead, Dick. There is a gravestone in the gardens of the Manor with my name on it. I’m already halfway there.” 

“And? You’re alive right now, right? Is that not excuse to keep on living?” 

Jason sighs, a heavy exhaustion settling like bricks on his body. 

“Fuck you, man.” 

“What for?” 

“For being right.” 

Dick’s eyes remain trained him, steady and still. It’s almost unsettling. The older of the two speaks up, this time with humour in his voice. 

“I’m always right,” he says, a smile evident in his voice despite the fact that Jason can’t see the lower portion of his face. The younger brother chuckles, the sound scratchy and harsh. 

“Now that’s bullshit.” 

The silence that follows is comfortable despite their surroundings. Jason closes his eyes, a faint smile on his face. He could fall asleep here and be perfectly content with it. A heaviness presses on his eyes as he begins to drift off.  

“Jason! Don’t close your eyes.” For the second time in the span of about five minutes, his eyes snap open in shock. They flutter for a moment, and he lets out a disgruntled groan. 

“I’m tired, Dick. I want to sleep.” 

“I know you want to, kiddo, but I need you to stay awake for me, okay? Bruce will never forgive himself if you end up dead.”  

Jason scoffs. “Fuck that. He’d get over it as soon as the funeral’s over.” 

“Yeah right,” Dick replies. “You didn’t see how he treated himself after the first time. He nearly destroyed himself.” 

“Let’s put the emphasis on nearly, hm?” he spits into the darkness. “If I was in his position, I would have torn the world apart if he had-” 

“Bruce isn’t you, Jason!” 

“What. And you are, Golden Boy?” 

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” 

“What did you mean then?” 

An audible sigh is heard from the other side of the boulder but the older of the two brothers otherwise stays silent. Jason closes his eyes again, this time out of regret. 

“Shit. Look, Dick. I’m sorry. We shouldn’t waste oxygen arguing.” 

“You’re right. We shouldn’t. I’m sorry.” 

It’s at this point when an audible drip of something falls onto the rocks behind Jason’s head. His eyebrows knit into a frown at the sound. What was that? Is there water above them? If so, maybe they could use it to find which way is up so they can escape. 

Another drip, this time closer to his head. He can’t see the droplet of whatever it is falling from the ceiling of debris. Is it coming from the side? He turns his head away from Dick to look for the source. In the dim, he can make out a puddle of something next to his head. He squints his eyes, and he sees that it’s red. 

Oh.

Red. Crimson. It’s blood. 

His blood. 

He’s bleeding. 

The thing coating the side of his face isn’t sweat or tears. It’s his own blood. 

Oh God. 

Was the space he was trapped in always this claustrophobic? 

Was this smell of death always present? 

His chest is tight. His throat is closing. The pounding in his head heightens. 

A short way above him, he can hear his family. They’re shouting for him. They’re shifting rubble and debris. They’re trying to reach him. They’re shouting for Dick. Dick is shouting back. 

They can’t hear him. 

“Jason! Shout! Let them hear you!” 

He does so. He shouts. He screams. He yells. He yells for Bruce. He yells for Tim. He yells for Steph. He yells for anyone who might be there to save him. 

“Red Hood? Is that you?” He hears his father’s voice. 

“Bruce!” Jason replies. “It’s me! Help me!” 

“Keep shouting, Jaylad. We’ll find you!” 

He continues to yell for his father. His voice quickly growing hoarse from the dust that sticks to his windpipe. Beside him, Dick urges him to keep going. 

“Keep shouting, Jason! Keep it up! Don’t stop!” 

It’s only when light spears through the rubble and debris is pulled away that he stops. Tears stream down his face as the now unsettled dust falls on top of him all at once. He squints as his eyes try to adjust to the newfound light. The boulders pinning his broken arms are lifted and the slab of concrete is removed from his ribs. Strong arms lift him up and out of the pit he was in moments before. Bruce was always able to lift him as if he weighed nothing. Now is apparently no different. He’s picked up and cradled by his father like a child as he’s taken away from the hell that trapped him. He hunts for his family amongst the destroyed remains of the building that fell on top of them. He sees Tim. Damian. Steph. Duke. Cass. Carrie. Harper. Kate. Everyone. They’re all there. They’re all safe. 

But they’re missing someone. 

“Dick! You left Dick!” Jason’s voice cracks. Bruce gazes at Jason, the eyes behind the cowl seem sad. Defeated. It’s an unnatural look on the man. The Dark Knight shouldn’t look defeated. 

“I’m sorry Jason,” Bruce soothes. He sounds broken. Why does he sound broken? 

“What? No. Can you not find him? He’s there! He was right next to me!” he exclaims. Jason looks over Bruce’s shoulder to see his family gathered around the hole he was pulled out of. Steph is crying into Tim’s shoulder, his hand rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her. Damian is on one knee; the blade of his katana is stuck into the ground in front of him with his head lowered as if in prayer. Kate puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. What are they doing? Can they not find him? Jason feels like a child. Helpless and ignored. 

As he continues watching, he sees a flash of black and red fly into the pit. There’s silence for a moment before he sees Connor Kent bring the limp body of Dick Grayson out of the rubble. From where Jason is, he can see the teary eyes of the Kryptonian and his heart sinks to the ground.  

He doesn’t want to look down from Connor’s face. He doesn’t want to see the truth of it. He saw Dick in the rubble moments ago. He was alive! He was well! He only had a few scratches. He said it himself! He- 

“-was dead on impact.” 

His eyes are open, but the usual shine is gone. They’re glassy and dead. 

What? 

No. 

That- 

That doesn’t make sense. 

“But he was talking to me! I heard him speak!” Jason exclaims. Bruce shakes his head. 

“No, you didn’t,” he states, voice uncharacteristically quiet. 

“You’re gaslighting me? Really?” 

“He didn’t talk to you, Jason. I promise you that.” 

Jason looks down from his brother’s eyes, unbelieving. He knows what he heard. Dick was speaking to him as clearly as his father does now. He was speaking right into his ear, for heaven’s sake! He looks at Dick’s mouth as if to disprove his father’s words. 

Or rather, where Dick’s mouth should be. 

His jaw is gone. Probably smashed by a rock on impact. The hinge hangs uselessly on Connor’s arm. It’s grim and ugly. Jason can’t look away despite himself. 

“They say that,” Bruce begins, “sometimes, when someone is in a life-or-death scenario, their brain hallucinates a loved one as an act of self-preservation.” 

The puzzle pieces are locking into place. The fact that Dick’s voice is what woke him up in the first place is making sense now. The fact that Jason never saw the lower portion of his face is making sense now. The smell of death wasn't coming from him. The unblinking, still eyes wasn’t a knowing gaze, he was fucking dead and Jason didn’t realise. He was stuck in a hole with the corpse of his older brother, and he didn't fucking know. But Dick saved Bruce from having two dead sons that day. 

Even in death, Dick Grayson is always there to keep you safe. I suppose he is luckier in that respect.

--

Should I do a part 2 to this?

Reblogs appreciated!

Masterlist

[fanfic-writer-and-rambler]

Harley Quinn, former bad guy, anti-hero and unemployed therapist chases after Nightwing (Dick Grayson) as he tries to get away from her while on patrol.

Nightwing: Stop chasing me!

Harley: Then have a chat with me!

Nightwing: How did you find me!

Harley: Babs told me.

Nightwing stops running causing Harley to halt her running as well. He puts his index finger up and presses his communication device.

Nightwing: Babs, what the heck?

Oracle: She begged me and I can't say no when she pinpoints my mental health issues! Just let her spend some time with you.

Nightwing looks down at Harley who has a big smile on her face. He runs the other direction as Poison Ivy walks over to the group while watching 'Little Shop of Horrors' on her phone.

Ivy: He caved yet?

Harley: Not now, babes. Follow me.

Harley chasses after Nightwing. Her girlfriend casually walked behind her.

Harley: Stop running! Why are you running?!

Nightwing: Because I don't want you touching me! I am not a piece of meat!

Harley: I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you were uncomfortable with the butt smacks!

Nightwing: I was very vocal about it!

Harley: Do you think that stems with some trauma in your past?

Nightwing: Stop therapizing me!

Ivy (pausing her movie): This is the smartest approach, Harley.

Harley: Ivy, not now!

Nightwing runs around Ivy and uses her as shield, then shoves her on Harley.

Nightwing: You chasing me doesn't prove your point.

Harley (pushing Ivy off of her): Let me make amends.

Nightwing(whining): NOOOO!

Harley: I made a full bill of health at Arkham. And I may not have the diploma, but I can be your-

Nightwing (in angry romani): Me sem bahtalo tumare progresosa, numaj te aven dur mandar!

Harley: What?

Nightwing stops at a fence and turns to Harley.

Nightwing: I said, "I am happy with your progress, but stay away from me for now!" It... It will take some time. Okay?

Nightwing jumps a fence and keeps running.

Nightwing (over his shoulder): Bye!

Ivy: See ya, kid.

Harley: But... Shit!

Harley tries to climb the fence, but Ivy, best friend and girlfriend uses a vine on her hip before she jumps the fence.

Ivy: Harley, don’t do that impulsive thought.

Harley: But they need a therapist. All of them, Jacey ran from me, now Nightwing? Why can’t I catch a break?

Ivy: If I may, it has something to do with working with the joker, who killed one of them, tortures the batfamily on an annual basis... oh and you won’t take a hint to give them space.

Harley glares at her girlfriend.

Harley: It was a rhetorical question!

Ivy (chuckling dryly): Aww, Harls, you know I don’t care about that. He did say it takes time, he's saying you have a chance, but at this moment of time, no. Remember I’m not dumb either. I worked more in science for botany over what you do, but I can see when someone doesn’t want to talk or want your therapy services.

Harley groans, bending back: You’re right, I’ll give 'em space. Plus you didn't say I slept with my professor.

Ivy: Please, you wouldn't degrade yourself like that... Get with a homicidal lunatic who thinks clown makeup is scary, but you are not the type who tries to get easy A’s in school.

Harley: Damn straight!

[makethatelevenrings]

First Failure // D. Grayson x gn!reader

Requested? Yes!

Warnings: blood, gun violence, canon typical violence, reader has thoughts that could be viewed as suicidal, self hatred, ANGST

Summary: The prequel to First Christmas, or, how Dick saved you.

This is part of the Assassin!verse that you can read here

The roof was solid under your feet, but it still felt like the world was shifting and sliding out from under you. Nightwing stood in front of you, his brow furrowed at your words.

“I failed the mission,” you repeated. One month out of the cages and your handlers were getting twitchy. They were recalling you for reprogramming and extra training and sending a new agent to take over your case. This would be your last chance. To do what, exactly, you weren’t sure.

You realized you were slipping four days earlier when your neighbor, a friendly guy named Dick Grayson, invited you over to join him and his little sister, Stephanie, for dinner and to watch a movie. The plot seemed so contrived and random, but you found yourself seated on the couch with your knees pulled up to your chest and your eyes fixed on the screen. The Princess Bride, they told you it was titled. By the end of the movie, Steph was fast asleep in between you and Dick, and you were horribly confused.

“Why would he go through all that trouble to save her? I mean, he practically died. She can’t be worth it that much.”

You could see him staring at you out of the corner of your eye so you rested your chin on your forearms and tilted your head towards him. The light of the TV flickered over his handsome face, those kind eyes and smile that seemed to be glued onto his face. He studied you and in that second, you felt for a brief moment that this was the life you were supposed to always have. 

In all of the movies Dick had shown you, the main character always seemed to win in the end. Did your life feel like winning? Spending your days pacing the length of your cage until they let you out to train or study targets or sharpen your skills before being placed back into that cage with a measly bowl of watery soup? That was winning?

“What do you mean you failed the mission?” Nightwing asked. He stepped closer to you, his escrima sticks hanging loosely in his hands. You took an involuntary step back and he raised his hands to signal peace before he slid his weapons back into their holsters.

“You. You were my mission. I thought that was obvious.”

He huffed out a low laugh. “Yeah, I figured from the amount of times you tried to kill me. But you’re still here. Aren’t you going to keep trying?”

The black fabric of your balaclava and hood hid most of your face from view, but your eyes still peeked out from behind your mask. Tightening your hands into fists, you suddenly relaxed them and shook your head.

“I…I’ve been compromised,” you admitted. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to me, but I wanted you to know so you could be prepared.”

“Why?” The question was bordered with anger and maybe a tinge of sadness. “You’ve been trying to kill me for a month. Why tell me this?”

“Because they told me you were my target. That meant you did something to deserve death. But I have seen the way you take care of this city, these people, and I cannot conceive of a single reason as to why you should die by my hand.”

He faltered, his lips pursing, and you wished for just a moment that you could see underneath his mask and know the man that hid behind it. Was he as kind out of the suit as much as he was inside of it?

“Let me help you,” he finally said. “I know people. I can get you to safety, get you away from whoever is giving you orders, and I can get you your life back.”

A miserable moan escaped you. “There’s nothing for me to go back to, don’t you understand? This is all I know, this is all I’ll ever know.”

“You won’t survive.” His words reminded you of a quote from that movie Dick showed you. A small smile lifted your mask slightly and you shrugged.

“Nonsense. You only say that because no one ever has.”

“Please. Let me help you.” He said it so softly, with such desperation, that you wished you could take his outstretched hand and let him whisk you off into a new world. But that could never work.

“I can’t be saved, Nightwing. I can’t be redeemed.”

A glint of metal reflecting off of the numerous lights of Bludhaven caught your eye. Shit. They must have sent someone already to eliminate the threat.

Nightwing hadn’t appeared to notice the sniper rifle which meant he didn’t react when you hurtled yourself towards him and twisted your body to stand in between man and machine. A startled gasp escaped you as the bullet entered the fleshy part of your abdomen and you immediately fell to your knees as your body absorbed the shock. Fuck, you had been shot before but it hurt like a bitch everytime. Fucking hell, fucking damnit. You needed to move. Needed to get out of the line of fire.

Lying flat on the ground, you tried to shake off the ringing in your ears, but it seemed like your body was just intent on betraying you. Something grabbed your arm and you whirled around, aiming a knife for whoever touched you, but they quickly pulled away. You stumbled to your feet and clamped a hand down over your stomach before stumbling towards the edge of the roof. Inhaling deeply, you turned to look back at Nightwing one last time before you let yourself tip over the edge into the safety of your zip cord.

You practically fell into your apartment once you crawled to your fire escape. Briefly, you wondered what Dick was doing, but you brushed that thought away. By dawn, you would be dead or in a truck being transported to be tortured into submission by your handlers. There wasn’t time to think about the people you would leave behind.

Russet streaks and fingerprints marked the walls as you stumbled towards the bathroom. Your head was fuzzy from blood loss and black spots crowded in on the edges of your vision. Everything smelled and tasted vaguely of iron and your hand was soaked with your own blood.

Your knees gave out mere feet from the bathroom and you crawled on all fours to the cabinet that held your first aid kit. The sopping viscous liquid that coated your hand made it damn near impossible to open the wooden door and you nearly cried out in success when you were able to nudge it open.

“Pliers, pliers, pliers,” you chanted as you threw the massive bag down and began to sift through it. The adrenaline had worn off about now and fiery hot pain licked up through your side and into your lungs. Every breath felt like an elephant was sitting on your chest and your temples pounded with each thready heartbeat. You needed to get this damn bullet out and then you could pack the wound and apply pressure.

Was this all even worth it? What would happen if you succeeded in patching yourself up? You would just be sent back to kill again. The blood on your hands now was freshly painted by the same people who had sent you to do the same thing to others time and time again. If Nightwing was innocent, who’s to say your other victims weren’t unjustly murdered?

That’s who you were. An assassin. A machine. You were a gun loaded and pointed by your handlers. You were simply a weapon.

They wouldn’t cry if you bled out on this bathroom floor. They would simply toss your body into an unmarked grave and drive off to find some other child to snatch in the night and train into their perfect little soldier.

“Damnit,” you hissed under your breath as you fumbled with the zipper on the bag holding gauze patches. In a fit of rage, you threw the kit into the bedroom and watched as the various bags and first aid supplies scattered across your room before falling to the ground with a muted thud. Your chest heaved with wild, strained breaths and then you were sobbing. Shit, you were weeping.

The cries wracked your already weak body and you let yourself slip down until your cheek was pressed against the pool of blood that had gathered underneath you on the shoddily tiled floor. You pulled your knees up to your chest as best as you could, the fetal position they called it, and waited for the reaper to claim you.

A banging noise faintly registered in your mind, but you were too tired to consider who it was they sent after you. Perhaps they would be kind enough to toss a dandelion on your grave. You wondered for a moment what your headstone would read if you were graced with one.

Agent 2327. Failure. Killer.

“Hey, hey.” Someone was speaking. A hand slapped your cheek and you tried to open your eyes, but heavy weights were pulling you under. First things first, to the death, you recalled the quote from the movie. No. To the pain.

Everything was a fuzzy, blissful feeling. It was like waking up from the best dream, but then you realized with a start that you shouldn’t be waking up at all. You let your eyes adjust to the dim lighting in whatever room you were in and tried to take in your surroundings. A popcorn ceiling, a Black Canary poster on the wall…where the hell were you?

“You’re awake.”

You let your head fall to the side and met kind blue eyes. Dick Grayson sat beside you in a chair that didn’t look terribly comfortable, but he didn’t appear to be in any discomfort as he leaned in closer to you. It was then that you noticed the familiar black and blue uniform that you had been tailing for a month clinging to his body.

“You…” The words failed you and he offered you a small smile.

“Yeah, me.”

Why did he save you? You had been hunting him down and trying to kill him for the past month. Was this some kind of sick ploy for him to extract information from you? You knew he worked with Batman occasionally in Gotham. Was he going to turn you over to him?

But that wasn’t Nightwing. That wasn’t the hero you had watched over the past month. That wasn’t the man who snagged kittens out of trees, took down trafficking rings, and faced enhanced threats that tried to destroy his city. That wasn’t the Dick Grayson you had met either. Dick was kind, welcoming, and always made an effort to be…well, neighborly.

You had a choice to make here, but it looked fairly obvious what path you should take.

“Please help me,” you whispered. He leaned closer, his arm stretching out over your head and his thumb stroking along your temple. His eyes were hard and you missed the warmth that usually effused from them. Shutting your eyes, you waited to hear him reject you. To inform you of what he would do with you now that you were defenseless and broken before him. Would he send you to Arkham?

“You’re safe now,” Dick assured you. “I’m going to help you, I promise. You’re safe. You’ll never have to go back there.”

And for the first time in a long time, you truly believed that you were safe.

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[murderbirds]

So, I had a funny dream last night and I'm convinced I accessed an alternative universe where Gotham got a sequel series. I think this series followed Barbara Gordon as the protagonist as a pre teen with Jim still being a main character along with Penguin, Riddler and Batman, but Barbara kean got another L and was diminished as a side roll akin to Lucius Fox.

So in my dream/episode Barbara and her little gang (something akin to stranger things, I think they were all supposed to be named character, Dick Grayson was definitely one of them, but I cannot remember who else) were researching the recent attacks towards tourists around Gotham bay which were claimed to have been done to a shark which should have been impossible. Jim tells Barbara to stay in safety, which appears to happen often as does she disobeying him. It is revealed that kingshark is behind this because bullsharks actually use these rivers, but the waters are so dirty these bullsharks only come to die, so Barbara and her gang work with Batman to try and clean the river in Gotham.

Meanwhile, Oswald is furious because apparently someone decided to make a movie based on the people of Gotham and both didn't ask his permission, and are treating his character in a very unwelcoming light, so Oswald starts threatening the people behind it, only to have the actor playing mr. Freeze who is actually Arnold shwarzsenegger to confront him which only pisses him off more. So Oswald keeps trying to sabotage the movie with his goons, and it keeps on failing, but as he does he starts talking to Arnold and growing close to him to the point where he actually becomes supportive of the movie, only for a bomb to explode in the studio, Arnold gets injured and Oswald starts crying as his very dramatic self while cradling Arnold's body in his arms who keeps on trying to tell him he is fine. He was bleeding quite a lot though so I don't know if he was actually fine. Oswald promises to get revenge on whoever did this, only for Victor Zsasz, who is his bodyguard, to tell him that it was probably one of his own goons carrying out his order to end that stupid movie no matter who you had to kill or blow up. Oswald yells out in frustrations. It is then revealed that it was, in fact, not one of Oswald's goons, but rather Riddler who blew up the studio because he was getting jealous of how close Oswald and Arnold are getting. In this version, both Penguin and Riddler have a crush on each other, but Penguin refuses to speak up because of their past and Riddler is afraid Oswald doesn't love him anymore/ is too upset about what happened in their past to date him, so he wishes to defeat and kill the Batman specifically so that he can give Oswald his head and he will finally forgive him for his actions in the past.

[kikithecoconut]

Men Can Be Killed

Dick Grayson || Bruce Wayne || Jason Todd

Word count: 985

A/N: um. yeah so this happened. i am very tired i am unsure that it all makes sense but i had a very good time writing it!! so enjoy,

The beating of drums were rhythmical. The way he fought with his escrima sticks was rhythmical, but the way his fists beat against the face of the Clown Prince of Crime was anything but. It was messy, it was uncoordinated and it was dangerous. 

He’d knocked out several of his teeth, and now the facepaint that was so  prominent on the clown’s face was flaky and cracked. His usually vibrant red lipstick was now a dark, thick red where teeth had been pushed down his throat and the skin of his lips tore, and his usually white face was now flesh.

It made him realise that the Joker was just a man, and men could be killed.

Jason had just been a boy, and boys could be slaughtered.

Lying to his father wasn’t something he’d like to make a habit of, but Dick could not justify killing the Joker to him when it tore down everything the Batman stood for. Until the day his brother died, Richard Grayson did not kill, but morals became unstable, he found, when you’re standing in front of your little brother’s killer. It had been an immediate reaction, the clown hadn’t even been allowed to laugh before Dick pushed off towards him.

 “The asylum was too kind to you,” he said softly, but rage dripped from every single word, “my father was too kind to you.” 

“He should have killed you- he should have fucking killed you-” Dick raised his arm up, prepared to swing again.

It would have hit, if that black, gloved hand hadn’t closed around his wrist and held it there, in the air. The air was his domain; he was the Robin, a Flying Grayson, once upon a time. But here, he was out of control. 

“Enough.”

Batman’s voice had been a constant in his life since he had been twelve years old. It had been the voice of the man who took him in, the man who soothed him on nights where it had been too much. The right voice, the voice of justice in a city of chaos. He’d followed it blindly. He was the beacon in the night, in the dark, and he’d stumbled towards it like a blind man. To him, Batman could do no wrong. He was a saint.

Dick did not lower his arm, and so Batman flipped him onto his front, his knee on his back. He held him there, like a cop arresting a crook, arm held back, his head turned to the side so he could still breathe. He wasn’t a crook, though. He was a brother, a son; drowning in a sea of grief. It held him down, suffocated him.

“I’m doing him justice, I’m doing what you couldn’t-'' He spat, struggling against his fathers grip. His mask was slipping down his nose. It never did sit right after Jason broke his nose during training once. Bruce’s free hand moved to tenderly push it back up. Dick thrashed against the movement. Tenderness was unwelcome in this situation.

He couldn’t see the Joker anymore, but he could hear the wheezing from the man. His ragged breathing, his coughs and splutters. He should’ve killed him faster. Why did he draw it out?

Because the clown had tortured his brother like a bad movie. It had dragged out for longer than it should have, then ended abruptly. A bomb, tearing apart the warehouse and his brother along with it. He often wondered what Jason’s last thoughts had been, if he’d been conscious enough to have any.

“This isn’t justice,” his father snapped, “this is revenge. We enact justice, this is not what we do, Di- Nightwing.” Bruce had called for backup - Jim Gordon - on his way to the scene of the crime. He could hear the sirens now, he just had to talk Dick down, keep him down until the car arrived. “Do you have no shame? Do you not feel- You let Jason die, and now you’re letting his killer walk free again.” Dick’s words struck true in the heart of Bruce Wayne. Did his code truly preside above all else? “If either of us killed him, we’d be just as bad.” “Jason was a kid, he was just- he should’ve been doing homework, reading those fucking books he loved- he should still be doing that now. If we killed the fucking clown, we would not be just as bad.” Jim Gordon’s car pulled up at the scene, and the commissioner stepped out.

“Cuffs,” was all the Bat said to him, and, because arguing with a grieving man who could easily snap his bones was not a good idea, Gordon handed them over. He assumed they were for the clown, they were always for the clown. From whatever street back to Arkham.

But he watched Batman put the handcuffs on the wrists of Nightwing, and watched as he removed the kid’s weapons and laid them out on the ground, and then as he hauled him up.

“Take him to the station, put him in a cell. Just keep him in there, Jim.” He instructed, taking Dick to the car and pushing him in the back. “This was not the way.” He said to his son, before closing the door and walking to the Joker.

He cuffed the clown, and practically dragged him to the batmobile. The back of the car opened up, the seats presented themselves. Bruce put the now unconscious Joker into the seat and closed up the back. It was the quietest he’d ever seen the clown. It gave him a moment to really wonder what a Gotham without the Joker would be like.

Something settled deep in his gut at the thought, something unpleasant.

What was a hero who couldn’t bring down his biggest enemy permanently?

A coward, he supposed. That’s what Dick would scream at him.

Tomorrow.

Arkham came first, Dick could scream tomorrow.