#Tim Drake has better mental health than me | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dairy-farmer · 1 year

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Hi, this might be kind of a dumb question, but would you ever write about sasuke as tim drake again? Ever since I read "heroes come back," I've been pondering what Sasuke's relationship with the batfam would be, especially after dropping the "I've learnt my lesson about following strange men who offer me things in exchange for my body" line. And how your Sasuke!Tim lines up with the Tim you write about and in what ways that changes his relationships, and in what ways it doesn't.

not a dumb question at all!!!!! i have a fondness for all my fics including this one which i consider to be one of the most 'out there' concepts simply because of the whole crossover mashup haha!!

unfortunately i don't have any real or concrete plans about a continuation but there is a big door open for lots of possibilities that i never put down!!! simply because i couldn't find a way to incorporate them.

i do feel like sasuke's relationship is a lot like canon tim's- in that it's very unique in the nature of it.

by the time that sasuke aka "tim" comes into their lives he's had about a decade to really grind down and process A LOT of the trauma he carried over from his last life. (tim's therapists know that tim is traumatized from the events he witnessed as a child and they know that healing is slow but tim also presents with a lot of neuroses- anxiety, antisocial tendencies, paranoia, ptsd. sasuke's issues run deep and i think they pick up on it). sasuke, for the most part, died untreated from a lot of what he suffered and endured. in fact, it's the reason for his death because he never truly allowed himself to open up and let others in. when he's reborn and realizes he's on his own it's sort of the kick in the ass he's always needed to begin the journey to get better (along with the fact that the world he's in now has the facilities to help treat someone like him, i imagine that bruce has been petitioning for better mental health safety nets (especially ones for children) for a long time and sasuke is one of the many people to now benefit from it). sasuke in this verse truly does want to heal and get better and his relationships reflect that.

his relationship with the bats isn't quite strained, there's no coldness between them. but it took a while to get to the familiarity level of comfort. sasuke first respects them and their work and comes to genuinely love and care for them second. but it's his decade of work that ultimately helps him let them in and bond with them as a family through that also takes a while it's what allows him to be 'friendly' enough to befriend young justice. sasuke isn't good at things like socializing or interpersonal things but that's okay because batman isn't either and dick is more than willing to bare the burden of carrying on a conversation with his new little brother. but i feel like their road definitely is a long one because sasuke comes to them incredibly independent.

sasuke has still maintained his internalized maturity as an adult even though he has the mental processing and reactions of a teenager. sasuke is someone who was only ever responsible for himself and when in a team he was always the commander or the one directly under the commander. he definitely is set in his ways like an old man (read: like bruce lol). and while he admired the work bruce did he also had a...bit of a hard time adapting to it. ninja, i believe, kind of have an honor code when it comes to civilians. like only the worst kind of ninja throw their weight around with civilians and sasuke, who is still recovering from poor self-image and self-hatred, wouldn't really feel comfortable doing it. hence him adapting 'civilian' styles of fighting when dealing with most people, fighting like how he'd see farmers in disputes or bar owners would with drunks. the bats see that as him not really wanting to hurt people- until the opponent is someone clearly trained or a threat well then the gloves come off.

sasuke is definitely not fighting at the level he did before though. mainly because of differences in his body's muscle-skeletal structure but also there's no chakra present in the world. sasuke could be thrown through a wall as a genin and yeah it would hurt but he'd live. if that happened to him as robin he'd just die. his bones would break, organs would rupture- chakra provided a kind of padding to protect from hits but also help him hit harder. sasuke also notes how his perception is slower. the closest that a 'normal' person has to ninja perception is deadshot- like that's the level that the lowest ranking genin was at. so sasuke is definitely experiencing a big power descale. as a result he'd rely really heavily on techniques he's mastered, espionage, trap laying, etc. like tim, he's definitely not the strongest or fastest on the team- he has to plan ahead and outsmart many of his opponents, pulling trump cards and tricks. i had this idea that never ended up in the fic about the family catching tim constantly working at a kind of 'signature move' where he'd throw batarangs and then try to change their trajectory while they were still in the air- a trick notably developed by itachi that i believe sasuke had once asked him to teach him (?) but he never did. so sasuke is reverse engineering it as a kind of homage to his brother, eventually, he's successful and it becomes sort of quirk about his fighting style that's recognizable along with his bostaff.

among the bats sasuke is a very quiet and patient person, that anger that he'd had all his past life has more or less simmered down (which is why his 'rivalry' with damian isn't met with mutual aggression and more annoyance from his end when damian gets mouthy). which is different from tim who you can see on occasion has bouts of anger. he's also remarkably forgiving because he's developed more empathy for people- something that tim also had.

sasuke also has a policy of never referring to wanted people by their 'monikers' slash villain names. on one hand, because one of his therapists had told them that it just reinforces then delusions of grandeur many villains have but also i imagine it's mostly a cultural reason. as a ninja only specific people got monikers and it was never for a good reason (usually it meant they had killed a lot of people or because of some bad notable trait about them ). ex. the white fang, sharingan kakashi, friend killer kakashi, the legendary sucker, the yellow flash. using someone's moniker means you know them solely by reputation and are lending them a degree of respect by acknowledging that the other person is well known. sasuke does not want to offer that kind of respect, inadvertent or not. i imagine it really annoys some of the rogues. especially joker and deathstroke (i had a funny scene where sasuke was going to refer to harley and poison ivy as dr. quinzel and dr. isley and then joker as just 'jack' but i never managed to find a way to work it in).

for deathstroke it just irritates him because he feels like he's fighting one of joey's little league friends because sasuke keeps referring to him as mr. wilson. for other rogues they all kind of pause the first time it happens a few of them even freak out because they realize that sasuke knows their secret identity. sasuke's family all just accept that it's a weird little quirk of his

ultimatly i think that sasuke has a pretty good relationship with his family, not really any better or worse than canon tim's but it's one that sasuke never really managed to have before which is the biggest change for him.

but that doesn't mean he shares every part of himself with his family. sasuke at first thought that maybe one of the many magical, psychic, or telepathic people would be able to sense he doesn't belong, that he's not "from" their universe. it was a quiet sort of fear he had because he'd grown to love this life. but he gets reassured that he belongs because no one detects anything off about him. once while he was alone with martian manhunter he'd asked him to read his mind and tell him what he was thinking of. sasuke tried showing him his old life, his old home, his family but martian manhunter had just told him that he wasn't thinking of anything. it's like the tradeoff of being in this new life was that his old one was no longer congruent with reality.

i definitely feel like sasuke struggles with that for awhile. that he's the only one that can continue to remember or mourn that world. so he tries his best to bring in and incorporate parts of that past to his new life. using recipes kakashi taught him to soothe his summons, using moves rock lee taught him, tracking techniques he'd seen kiba use, herbal medicines that sakura had developed, etc.

but despite all the healing that sasuke experienced i feel like there's a few things that cause him real distress. one of those is orochimaru. i don't fully agree with how naruto ended with regard to orochimaru, out of all characters i don't believe he deserved a redemption arc. sasuke's time with him in this verse was a lot darker than it was in naruto. his line of "i've learnt my lesson about following strange men who offer me things in exchange for my body" was definitely a thinly veiled admission of what he'd endured under orochimaru. that is that sasuke endured an unspoken sexual abuse or coercion under orochimaru. maybe orochimaru rewarded sasuke the same way he did many other officers by letting him (read: making him) engage in sexual relations because orochimaru views people the same way he does lab rats (the viewing people as lab rats is also why sasuke despises scarecrow because he reminds him too much of orochimaru's experimental nature) and that meant that his rewards for performing well were limited to food and copulation opportunities. there's this really great sasuke time travel fic that i highly recommmend that goes more into the sexual abuse trauma sasuke endured under orochimaru because it's a take that i've only ever seen one other time and it was that fic.

jason definitely does worry and deliberate over telling someone but sasuke had told him he was getting better. ultimately he decides to tell bruce about it and sasuke i think would hit a bit of a rough patch because this wasn't something he'd ever brought up in therapy or truly processed- hence his big reaction over the fear gas when "orochimaru" appeared. it's this that catalyzes sasuke confessing what occurred over the year he went looking for bruce and also about what had happened to him with orochimaru though sasuke refuses to acknowledge his name because sasuke doesn't want orochimaru to have the dignity of also existing in this new world.

ultimately i think sasuke settles in more. he has the realization about his sexuality he never had in his old life and basically just lives a fulfilling with his family that he finally let in. beyond this i'm afraid i don't really have much more inspiration but thank you so much for your interest!! i'm happy you enjoyed my weird little fic about sasuke being reborn as tim!!!

#anonymous #asks #answered asks

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arobinwithoutbatman · 6 months

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[let me remind you: you asked for this]

What am I gonna tell Jack…?

That had been the question he'd wrestled with most, once the shock had worn off. Well. It hadn't worn off at all, yet; he'd just forced his brain back into some semblance of functionality.

What am I gonna tell Jack…?

They have protocols in place, of course; contingency plans that Bruce had tortured himself come up with in order to make sure their identities remain secret. No one outside the family knows that Tim Drake was Robin, and it's going to stay that way. But that means finding a way to explain the loss of a sixteen year old boy who should be looking at early college enrollment instead of lying in a coffin. And that means having to lie to the boy's father about just how he died.

Dick already knows Jack doesn't like him. Doesn't approve of him. Knows it would just get worse if Jack had the first idea just what Tim actually got up to, the kind of life Bruce - and then Dick - had allowed his son to get into. It's terrible, because Tim is - was - is a hero, someone Jack should be proud of for all the good he's done, and Dick can't tell him any of it. Hell, he's not even sure Jack would believe him.

He's certainly not sure Tim would even want the man to know.

So he's kept his mouth shut, spun some believably tragic yet mundane story, and earned himself a sold punch to the jaw from an angry, grieving father who feels he's been proven right that flighty, airheaded Dickie Grayson had no business looking after his son. And hell, maybe he is right; if Dick had been better, had been faster, had paid more attention, then Tim would still be here. And he's not.

Jack's demanded all of Tim's things, too, and Dick has no room to refuse. No legal recourse. On paper, Jack is still the boy's father, while Dick is just a friend. The ward of the man who'd been Tim's de facto guardian, nothing more. Bad enough Dick has to box up his brother's possessions, but to give them to a man who's barely ever been there for Tim aches in the worst of ways.

At least Jack doesn't know about the photo albums. Or the secure laptop with its digital copies. And there's Robin's suit and weapons, but those...those hurt too much to look at. There are a few other bits and pieces, too, that Dick manages to keep back. Little things, keepsakes, for the family. For himself, for Alfred, for Jason and Babs...keeping a few things back won't hurt, right? After all, a part of him argues, how many of Tim's effects would Jack even recognize?

Is Jack even going to realize Dick's kept Tim's camera?

He's not even sure he's allowed at the funeral, but he goes anyway. Keeps to the back out of respect. Hates the fact that Tim's grave isn't up with Bruce's, where it belongs, but that hadn't been his call to make. Hates the fact that he now has to tell Bruce about it. About why Tim is gone. About how Dick failed both of them. Failed all of them. Tim and Bruce, Jack, the rest of the family…it's his job to keep them safe, keep them together, and he failed.

They'll have a memorial for him themselves, of course; Dick also has to tell Tim's teammates in San Francisco, and they'll want a chance to pay their respects too. And he still has to go out on patrol, keep working, keep trying, even as shattered as he is right now. It takes effort, far more effort than Dick wants to admit, just to put his mask on these days, but he does it. He has to. He can't just stop, no matter how much a part of him might want to; Tim would never forgive him if he does.

And Tim's left too many unfinished projects. Arkham's reformation, the new planned mental hospital, outreach and awareness programs for mental health and neurodivergence…who's going to make them happen now, if not Dick? He's failed his little brother once already, in the worst of ways; he can't fail him again.

((...I did what now? -Checks blog for what the queue spat out- OH... OH NO

Kei. My friend. Surrogate older brother. You are a menace, meet me on discord for an ass kicking, my heart hurts in the good way but I'm still gonna kick your ass!

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭))

#dramatisperscnae #ooc #Tweet Tweet!#this is my friend and i adore him

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iriswords · 1 year

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Febuwhump Day 17 - Silent tears

You can also read this on ao3 and find the rest of my febuwhump fics here

tw: light mentions of past child abuse, overall really bad mental health

Fandom: Batman

Words: 2036

Tim was taught not to be an inconvenience. Good children are to be seen, not heard. For years, he's cried silently and unseen and as time passed, he got better at repressing his tears altogether. But as a rough week leaves him emotionally vulnerable, Tim struggles to keep his mask on around his family.

Tim has always been a quiet, compliant child. He learns from a very young age that good children are to be seen, not heard. That good children do not talk unless talked to. And, most importantly, that good children do not cry, because crying is making a scene, and good children do not make scenes.

He makes the mistake of complaining because his parents drag him to a gala that stretches out late into the night only once. His cheek burns with the fire of a vicious slap as soon as the Drakes are in the secrecy of their mausoleum of a manor. He cries himself to sleep that night, his tiny body curled onto itself, fists tightened in the sheets. When he wakes up the next morning, his parents are long gone, their bed cold and neatly made. They do not come back for another six months.

During that time, it does not matter, how loud Tim is or isn’t. There isn’t anyone around to hear or be bothered by his noise. But silence is ingrained in him, as some kind of survival instinct. He swallows his tears and sobs and clasps a firm hand over his mouth when they come out despite his efforts. He cries silently, painfully, too scared of being an inconvenience even when there is no one around to inconvenience.

He sobs loudly once, in a strange idea of rebellion no one is there to witness. His cries echo in the empty house and come back to him tenfold. He decides it is worse than feeling like he is imploding, and he reverts to crying silently, his body straining with the effort of keeping it all in.

It becomes a useful skill after that, to be able to cry silently. But as he grows and perfects his mask, as he masters the art of repressing his emotions so far down he can barely feel them, he uses that skill less and less.

Tim nearly falls asleep against the door of the Batmobile on their way back to the Cave. This last month has taken a toll on him. No, this last year has taken a toll on him, what with the whole Bruce-died-but-he-was-actually-stuck-in-time thing. In the meantime, Tim has lost a spleen, what little mental health he had left, a brother, and a home. All of that to bring back a dad Tim has done his best to avoid ever since the whole ordeal came to an end two months ago when Bruce finally came back to Gotham.

Tim’s body feels full of lead as he drags it out of the Batmobile and toward the debrief table. Beside him, Jason and Damian are half bantering, half trying to dismember each other. Dick sends Tim a tentative smile as they settle opposite each other around the table, and Tim pretends not to see him. He cannot deal with this tonight.

“What are the updates on the drug ring, Tim?” asks Bruce to start the debriefing.

Tim winces. “They got away. They were far more numerous and prepared than I had anticipated. I think they allied with one of Gotham’s bigger villains, but I haven’t figured out which yet.”

Damian tuts. “Of course, the Pretender failed. You should have let me take this mission, Father, I would have done better.”

“It’s not about doing better, Damian. Clearly, we didn’t have all the information we needed. That’s alright, Tim couldn’t have known.” But Damian’s words hurt nonetheless. Tim single-handedly found Bruce and survived Ra’s evil schemes and his weird obsession with Tim, yet it isn’t enough to prove himself to the brat. Dick says Damian just needs time, that he needs to realize Tim isn’t threatening his position. But Tim is tired of giving everyone time and second chances, especially to the brat who took his mantle and tried to kill him multiple times before that.

“Did they all get away?” asks Bruce. His face is impassible, betraying no emotion, but Tim can easily imagine the disappointment and reproaches he doubtlessly wishes to throw at Tim. ‘Did they all get away, or are you somewhat useful?’

“No,” answers Tim. “I handed about fifteen goons to the police, but those I interrogated didn’t know much. Gordon will send me any information he manages to get.” Bruce nods, and Tim swallows around the growing lump in his throat.

Debriefing continues, a litany of off-handed comments directed at Tim. He doesn’t know if it’s just him, if he’s overthinking it, if he’s reading between lines when there is actually nothing vicious about his family’s words. Anyhow, Tim’s chest grows tighter and tighter with suppressed sobs fighting to get out. He keeps blinking back tears as discreetly as he can. No one notices anything.

Finally, the debrief comes to an end, and Tim hastily heads toward the showers. He nearly bursts into tears under the spray of the shower but clasps a hand against his mouth at the last second when he remembers the rest of his family are in the stalls next to him. He isn’t sure they would hear him over their loud bickering, but he would rather not take the risk. He stifles the pain inside him as well as he can and hurries through the rest of his shower.

His fingers shake as he grabs his clothes, and he barely manages to put them on. His entire chest quivers from suppressed sobs, the ache so deep it seems physical rather than emotional. He wishes it were only physical pain. This way, he could hope to heal, he could just go to Alfred and explain his predicament. But it is an all-too-emotional pain, and nothing will solve it.

Tim makes his way to his room a hand pressed against his mouth and his eyes brimming with tears. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot put his mask back on. He keeps his feet silent and quick and checks there is no one before rounding corners. He can’t risk being caught, can’t risk having to explain himself. It would make matters worse, that much he is certain of. He sees enough of Dick’s sad face already, hears enough of Damian’s derisive snorts.

The door of his bedroom slams shut behind him, and Tim collapses. He crumples to the floor, curled in on himself, his mouth distorted in the horrible grimace of sobs. Tears run from his eyes onto his cheeks, a dam opened and never to be closed again. They pool at his chin and soak the hem of his shirt. Painful sobs claw their way out of his chest, his muscles trembling under the effort of keeping them quiet. Crying out loud terrifies him, but silent sobs are so very painful. They feel like being torn apart, like he is imploding on himself. Like he is letting out his pain without truly letting it out. Like voicing it is the only way to free himself from it, and by keeping it silent, he only makes it harder on himself.

Someone knocks on Tim’s door. He freezes, eyes wide, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He wills himself not to make a sound as he clumsily tries to dry his tears and stop his sobs.

“Tim?” comes Dick’s voice through the wooden door. “We’re gonna have a movie night, buddy. It would be great if you could come.”

Tim doesn’t answer immediately. The last thing he wants right now is to have a movie night with his family. To repress his emotions again and act like everything is fine when it really isn’t the case. But what excuse can he give? If he says he has work, Dick will forcibly drag him to the movie room. If he says he is tired, everyone will know something is up with him because he rarely goes to sleep willingly.

“Tim?” asks Dick again, worry tainting his voice.

“Sure,” answers Tim, trying his best to hide the quivers in his voice. “I’ll be down in five.”

The answer must satisfy Dick because his steps fade down the corridor. Tim gets up on shaky legs and walks to his bathroom. His face is red, and his eyes slightly bloodshot, but he can easily blame it on exhaustion. He splatters his face with cold water, inhales deeply a few times, and pushes down his pain as far down as he can. His composure comes back, distressingly flawless. Nobody will know. Tim doesn’t know if he is glad or not.

Everyone is already in the movie room by the time he arrives, piled up on the couch. Somehow, Dick managed to drag both Jason and Damian on the cuddle pile without getting himself stabbed. Bruce looks fondly at all three of them and motions to Tim to join him on the end of the couch. Tim’s step falters for a split second, but he corrects it and pasts a fake smile on his face before Bruce can notice his reluctance.

Tim sits down in between Bruce and Damian and braces for any mean comments directed at him. None come. Instead, everyone’s attention turns to the screen as the movie starts. The Lady and the Tramp. It must have been one of Damian’s picks. Or one of Dick’s picks, made on Damian’s behalf since the brat would never admit to liking Disney movies, even if they are centered around animals.

Tim tries to settle and relax, to forget his episode from earlier. But his brothers bicker good-heartedly with one another, their quips easy and light, and the pressure in Tim’s chest comes back. His composure proves to not be as flawless as he thought, and cracks run through his mask. Tim hugs his knees to himself, focusing on the movie instead of his brothers or his hurt but his attention inevitably comes back to these two and their relation to one another, the movie completely forgotten.

A solitary tear rolls down his cheek. Tim ignores it. No one has noticed yet, but if he wipes it away, he is certain he will draw all the attention to it. But that solitary tear is soon not solitary anymore, and the dam reopens. He is entirely silent, his tears thankfully unaccompanied by sobs. He dreads the moment the movie will come to an end and everyone will see him, or the moment someone’s attention will turn to him. He knows he cannot avoid it. The outcome is unavoidable. He should just have gone back to his apartment for the night, should have braved his exhaustion, and made the trip all the way there. It would have been worth the effort, if only to avoid the utter disaster this night is becoming.

It is Damian who notices. Damian, of all people. Tim thinks the universe does not like him very much. Damian’s tiny head turns toward Tim, and Tim knows he has seen the second his eyebrows pull together in a frown.

“Why are you crying, Drake?” he asks, voice snippy and dripping with disdain. Underneath it all, Tim imagines the tiniest note of worry. “This is hardly a movie to cry about.”

Tim’s family turns to him all at once, and a sob breaks past the barrier of Tim’s throat. His hand flies to his mouth to seal it shut, but it is already too late. He presses himself against the couch, willing it to swallow him whole and never spit him back out. His wish is not granted.

“Tim,” says Bruce gently, “what’s wrong?” Tim sobs harder in response. He hasn’t cried so badly in years. He hasn’t been unable to stop in an equally long time.

Bruce’s hand cards tentatively through his hair. In the background, someone stops the movie, and Damian does not complain.

“I’m sorry,” Tim chokes out.

“I’m certain you’ve got nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart,” replies Bruce. “What is wrong?”

Tim shakes his head and lets himself be pulled into the comfort of his dad’s arms. The cuddle pile rearranges itself around the two of them and later, when Tim finally explains with trembling words what made him cry, his brothers and father hug him tighter. Unlike what he had feared, his family is nothing but understanding.

@febuwhump

#my writing #creative writing #fanfic #fanfiction #whump #febuwhump2023 #febuwhumpday17 #dc #batman #batfamily #tim drake #hurt tim drake #tim drake whump

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ao3feed-brucewayne · 2 years

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Effect

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/24cABaz

by Cant_Smoke_Eggs

Tim doesn't want to keep going. Doesn't want to keep being a Vigilante, keep going when his friends are dead, Bruce is gone, half of his so called 'family' want him dead and Dick thinks grief has turned him crazy enough for Arkham....

Still, he's survived being stabbed (even if he's down a Spleen now) but what is he fighting for? Gotham is fine, Dick is a good Batman and Damian is a great Robin and sure Bruce doesn't deserve to be abandoned but what if Dick's right? What if he's just going mad with grief.

AKA Tim isn't have a good time and makes some impulse decisions when he thinks he's got nothing to lose.

//Day 193 of One Word Prompt Fics and we're already past halfway through the year? Wild.

//Hero Hardships Bingo Fill: Investing too much in the Job to give up now.

Words: 1182, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 187 of 365 Days of One Word Prompts (and my Suffering)

Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Gen

Characters: Tim Drake, Prudence Wood (mentioned), Dick Grayson (mentioned), Jason Todd (Mentioned), Damian Wayne (Mentioned), Stephanie Brown (mentioned), Zeddmore Washington (Mentioned), Owens (Mentioned), Bruce Wayne (Mentioned)

Relationships: Tim Drake & Owens & Zeddmore Washington & Prudence Wood, Tim Drake & Prudence Wood, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Tim Drake/Ra's al Ghul

Additional Tags: Tim Drake-centric, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tim Drake Angst, Tim Drake's Missing Spleen, Tim Drake Has Issues, Tim Drake is Not Okay, Tim Drake is So Done, Tim Drake Needs a Break, Tim Drake Whump, Tim Drake Has Mental Health Issues, Hurt Tim Drake, ARE ALL MY TAGS TIM TAGS. YES YES THEY ARE., Suicidal Thoughts, Suicidal Tim Drake, this boy has zero care for his own wellbeing anymore, Self-Esteem Issues, Estrangement, Running Away, Near Death Experiences, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon Compliant, to an extent but not overly, more a character study than a fic but not?, idk how to explain this weird one..., 365 Days of Suffering: The Series, Tim Drake Has A Death Wish, Tim Drake has the survival instincts of a wet paper bag, idk how to tag but theres warnings here yk?, like tim kinda thinks he'd be better off dead at some point, and some mental health issues, and uhhhh what else, questionable relationships with big age gaps and potential consent issues, this somehow became rastim, Batfamily Is Bad At Feelings (DCU), They all need to communicate better, Grief/Mourning, Suicide Idealization, Tim isn't okay, Minor Tim Drake/Ra's al Ghul, Good Person Ra's al Ghul, ish?, pls help me learn to tag properly

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/24cABaz

#IFTTT #bruce wayne #batman #the dark knight #the cape crusader #gotham #dc universe #ao3 #ao3feed

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elowenp · 3 years

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“What do you want?” Barbara asks, voice crackling with static.

It’s a silly question. Tim wants crime rates to go down. Tim wants Gotham to be a safer city. Tim wants to be a part of making that happen.

“A code name that isn’t stupid.” he says instead.

Barbara sighs. It doesn’t sound like a sigh though. It just sounds like the static’s getting louder.

“Bernard Dowd, scholar of the ages.” Tim laughs, arm slung round Bernard's shoulder. “I thought you were meant to be the fun one?”

“I am.” Bernard groans, “as soon as these exams are done I’ll be back to the usual student life. Getting drunk, going on dates, Gotham won’t know what’s hit it.”

“Going on dates?” Tim asks jokingly, even as a well hidden part of him turns slightly panicked. “Any successes an old friend should be hearing about?”

“Not really.” Bernard shrugs, jostling Tim’s arm. “Just a couple of girls I was better off friends with.” He pauses, thinking, before continuing with his voice involuntarily going a little higher. “Couple of guys too.”

“Huh.” Tim suddenly becomes very aware of all the places where his arm is touching Bernard. He doesn’t move it. “Better luck next time.”

Huh.

Tim’s been avoiding Dick. He’s been awkward around him lately, Tim thinks that Barbara must have said something. He’s not stupid enough to have done something to send Dick spiralling without noticing it.

“What do you want?” Dick asks, curious, without warning.

Tim wants to ask if Barbara put him up to this but he knows it’s a genuine question. Dick isn’t manipulative like that, not with family.

What does Tim want? Isn’t it a little late for Dick go be asking that question? All the things that happened after Bruce’s death put a canyon of distance between them. It’s slowly been growing smaller but it hasn’t disappeared. Neither of them have had time enough to spend together for that to happen.

An awful, bitter part of Tim that hasn’t stopped screaming since Robin wasn’t his any more wonders if Dick would even be asking if Damian wasn’t out of town right now.

“For us to go train surfing.” Tim says. Petty. Just so Dick will say no and his anger can feel righteous instead of ill-deserved.

“Okay.” Dick says instead. Easy and confident. Himself.

“Oh.” Tim’s anger fizzles into non-existence. “Okay.”

The canyon grows a little smaller.

“We should go to a skatepark.” Bernard says, a little giggly from the beer in his hand.

There’s a matching beer in Tim’s hand although it’s still practically full. If there’s an emergency he’ll be of no use drunk. “What? Why?”

“Why not? You were so good in high school! And you had fun doing it.” Bernard’s tone turns a little less giggly. “You should do more things you find fun.”

Tim is surprised enough that the “Okay.” slips out of his lips unbidden.

So maybe the beer bottle is a little less full than he’d like to admit.

They borrow a board from one of Bernard's flatmates and catch a bus to a skate park Tim remembers using when he was younger. As they go Tim tries to remember why he stopped. He tries to remember when he stopped. He can’t recall the answer to either question and annoyance rises in his chest over it.

Then Bernard is saying something and it has Tim snorting with laughter and he forgets his irritation.

Once they arrive Bernard settles himself at the top of one of the ramps like it’s a throne. “Entertain me!” he calls, “Impress me with your wheel-board magic.

Tim manages a kick-flip on his first attempt and Bernard makes a loud noise of approval.

A lot of stuff comes back to Tim fairly quickly. Most of skateboarding had been muscle memory for him and that’s something that being a vigilante hadn’t exactly hindered. As things return to him he regains some faint memories of why he’d stopped. Nothing specific, just that feeling of not having enough time. Of thinking that going to the skatepark wasn’t a particularly useful way to spend his hours while there was still real work to be done.

Tim’s always been a vigilante first, but he thinks there must have been a point when that wasn’t the only thing he was. Well, when it wasn’t the only thing he was that mattered.

“Come on!” Bernard shouts, teeth flashing white against Gotham’s grey-black sky. “I was promised entertainment!”

Tim laughs. He seems to do that a lot around Bernard these days.

He starts moving on the skateboard, deciding to leave the existentialism for another day.

First Dick and now Bruce. Tim’s family has really been making a habit of being weird around him lately.

He would normally think that the Bruce was worried about him, that Dick had passed along some bullshit about his mental health and Bruce was practicing some silent vigil. The problem with that theory is that Tim’s been getting better recently, so there wouldn’t be much point. At least he thinks he’s been getting better. It’s difficult to tell sometimes.

Bruce has definitely been acting weird around him though, so maybe he isn’t getting better. Maybe Bruce spotted something Tim didn’t and he’s on the road to insanity.

“What do you want?” Bruce asks one day as they’re both working in the cave. Not Batman. Bruce.

It’s a far stupider question than it was when Barbara or Dick asked it. Bruce is the person who made Tim’s desires what they are. He’s the one who took Tim’s obsession and carved it into a goal.

“What?” Tim asks, loud and confused and maybe a little angry. “What do you mean ‘what do I want’? I want the mission! What else am I supposed to want?”

Bruce stays silent for a moment and Tim imagines him turning the words over in his head. “Nothing else?” Bruce asks. He sounds sad and it makes the anger drain from Tim’s body. “Just the mission?”

“I don’t need anything else.” Tim says hollowly.

Bruce just nods, thinking. It makes Tim want to scream even as satisfaction rises in his chest.

It’s always been a point of pride that he can to lie to Batman. He’s hardly going to change his mind about that now.

“People keep asking me what I want.” Tim says, sat on Bernard's bed. “I don’t like it.”

Bernard's turns away from the laptop on his desk so he can look at Tim. “You ever tell them the truth?”

Tim shrugs. He isn’t sure what else to do. “Ish?”

Bernard smiles. “Anyone ever tell you you’re impossible, Tim Drake?”

“Only everyone I’ve ever met.”

Bernard barks out a laugh before sobering up and looking at Tim with ill-disguised curiosity. “Do you want to tell me the truth about it? Or did you just want to say the thing out loud?”

“I’m not sure.” Tim admits, and he has to stop himself from acting taken aback by the fact he actually said that. Tim never says when he’s uncertain. There isn’t room for it. Bernard must know that too because he looks at Tim in surprise, then scoots his chair closer to the bed so that he and Tim are almost touching.

Bernard looks very cautious. “You know that’s okay, right?”

“I-“ Tim starts, because is it? Is uncertainty the kind of luxury he can afford? “I want to want things. But it feels like I’ve forgotten how.”

“You’ve had a rough couple of years.”

“How do you-“

Bernard smiles knowingly. “You’re not as hard to read as you think, Tim. Well you are. But it’s not difficult to tell that some bad things must have happened since I last saw you.”

“Yeah.” Tim says hoarsely, thinking back to the burn of his muscles as he dug up Kon’s grave, the stinging of desert sand in his eyes, the moment of confusion when he woke up in a league of assassins base unsure if he’d had to die to get there. “Yeah. Bad things happened.” He shakes himself a little, because those aren’t the thoughts he wants lingering. He focuses back on Bernard who’s closer than Tim had realised, worry creased between his eyes. “What about you?” Tim asks, trying to exert some measure of control over the conversation. “What do you want?”

“Thought we were talking about you?” Tim might have let it go with that if not for the note of nervousness in Bernard's voice and the red creeping up the back of his neck.

“We can talk about both of us.”

“It’s not important right now.”

Tim reaches out then. He takes Bernard's hand in his because Bernard makes him laugh and he looks so nervous and Tim wants to. Bernard looks down at their hands in surprise and Tim doesn’t actually feel worried. Just expectant that Bernard is going to squeeze their fingers together more securely. He does. “You sure?” Tim asks.

Bernard just looks at him. Mouth parted with shock. He seems to come back to himself though and his expression of surprise turns into something more confident. More familiar. “What if I wanted you?” he asks, hesitancy and confidence rolled into one voice.

“Give me some time to remember how to want things, and I think I’ll want that too.” Tim replies, just as unsure and utterly certain.

Bernard tangles their fingers together a little more firmly in response and Tim feels more hopeful than he has in a long time.

#SO URBAN LEGENDS HUH??#if dc say sike rn I am going to take that as a hate crime against me PERSONALLY #dc #dc fandom #batman #writing #fic rec #batman fic rec #tim drake #bernard dowd #red robin #timber #urban legends #batman urban legends #ngl i might clean this up and expand on it a bit and put it on ao3 #all the sections were meant to be as short as barbara's lmao #i'm so bad at writing romance i couldn't even get them to kiss #i quite liked how the other parts turned out though?? idk

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bad4amficideas · 3 years

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Earth 1T8 random HC's

(long post)

Note: English is not my language, so I hope you will be understanding of any flaws you find.

🦇 Y/N Wayne has been training since their new parents died. Alfred is a platonic yandere. So no, they don't disappear for 9 years, much less without giving any signs!!!! although the Al Ghul held them for a season where, of course, they continued training.

🦇 Alfred is papa you MUST love him because I said so, also his influence shows. In this home, because is not a house neither a mansion, is a hOMe, there is a point where killing is okay (especially if the other option is to make someone paraplegic or comatose or torture them for a lifetime, says Reader, inadvertently giving all their yanderes ideas). Self-demonstrated with the death of the Joker.

🦇 Reader literally throws that taunt at Batman from the original reality when he tries to censure them for killing Joker.

🦇 This led Harley Quinn to become their best friend... After the first one will go through a Mourning Time and improve her mental health realizing that the Bat had done her and the world a favor. Plus Reader got a free therapist and actual nice friend.

🦇 In fact, the cowl had all of that on tape and both Harley and Jason see those and the warehouse cameras from time to time, which doesn't speak highly of their mental health. Jason focuses more on Reader's suffering "they loves me, they loves me, they loves me".

🦇 And then somehow Ivy ended up in the mix of HarBat/ BatHar. And sometimes Selina. Well, at least that way they don't get into trouble (I lied they do, but without killing anyone which is better than nothing). Pamela works for Waynes Enterprises (and not as a biologist but dismantling organizations that harm the environment so that Wayne attorneys have work) and although Harley is no longer practicing she sometimes writes articles under another name and is happy with her daughter and girlfriend/s. They all keep destroying things and Selina keeps stealing so Reader goes after them paying damage and telling themselves that human lives are priceless.

🦇 Ra's Al Ghul and Tim Wayne are friends and enemies in the purest Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr style but none good; yes including chess, although they also play shogi, go, chaturanga, janggi, xiangqi, markuk and senet via Ra's knowledge. It isn't uncommon for they play several at the same time.

🦇 Reader is ready to yell "mea culpa" if Tim Wayne rises one day as King of the World. Part of themselves would not be surprised at all but they will still look ugly at Ra's.

🦇 I hope I not surprise anyone, I already said that Tim had to do with Jason's resurrection, how do you think that happened? Here our Drake can take a player or two more to his dungeon game easyly.

🦇 Ric, aka Dick has tainted eyes with hot shiny gold details that seem to grow or not with his emotions from the crap the Court do to the Talons.

🦇 Something similar happens to Jason but in green 'cause Lazarus Pit. And his green doesn't vary and shine that creepyly.

🦇 Right now Ric is just a Talon (nº1 but Talon noneless) and has no pretense of anything else, like, why? but only as long as none stick their noses in his business (just tell him, SERIOUSLY, that he can't keep toying as now with his mousie, rat, little rodent Y/N), he might become Owlman and the new leader of the Court of the Owls and fuck them all.

🦇 I haven't invented the Powers family, they are canon characters, members of the Court of Owls. I only chose the non-dying ones that an IsekaiReader might have missed.

🦇 Every Wayne except Reader and Billy has thought about gouging out Ric eyes at some point. Including Alfred. Billy is more about cutting hands (not better anyway...)

🦇 There's a bet on how long Reader will take (or will) accept Ric on a date among the rich in Gotham. It's disproportionately large, whoever wins could get placed behind the Wayne family in wealth.

🦇 Writer here is sad to have made Tim and Dick super hot (from their POV) and not Jason's too. They promises to work on him.

🦇 I compare Yan!Batman to chessmaster and Yan!Tim Wayne to dungeon master because Tim still tries to make Reader have "fun" with him and his twisted schemes, which is why so many suggestions to adopt kids. And why, if Gotham runs out of villains, he is capable and becomes a new Joker.

🦇 SuperboyBat adoption was something Tim didn't count on, though. But since the batcave and his own place have lead and are soundproof... and hey, another yandere to protect Bat!

🦇 Speaking of SuperBat, I can see all the kids agreeing to join the various groups that Bat doesn't want to belong to keep an eye on them. Something like: Shazam and Hood in JL, RRobin and SuperBat in YJ, then RRobin goes to Titans and takes care of the League of Assassins in his spare time, Spoiler and BlackBat/Orphan are the youngest (minus Billy and tecnically Conner) training with Batwoman and usually cover Gotham when their lovely Reader wants a vacations and BatGirl/Oracle coordinates everything alongs Alfred and will support in terrain the team which needs it in due course because she's so badass she can be wherever she wants whenever she wants. Oracle is too the link with GCPD (here, we BatmanBeyond and she could become Police Commissioner)

🦇 Dark twist but Wayne and their "fetishes" for black-haired children was a media scandal for a really long time that had everyone at the Mansion with their teeth and claws pulled out. Cass hit someone in front of the cameras Although the bets on the house were that Conner or Jason would be the firsts ones in put a hit (btw Billy won the bet)

🦇 Also a very hurt Stephanie who actually dyed her hair for a long time, feeling less loved. This is when Reader joined what the hell are you saying? And put an end to all rumors.

🦇 The kids order of "age" by physical appearance ('cause Conner) here are: Dick (actually tiny age swap in comparison), Jason, Tim & Conner, Cass & Steph, then Billy. Better sibling relationships? Jason-Conner, Cass-Billy, Tim-Steph. First three in university or working, last three about to enter it.

🦇 At least one of the kids learned to play an instrument because they heard that Bat liked it.

🦇 Tim would have studied whatever is studied to be CEO for appearances and then more things for his own interest but not at public ears. Jason ofc literature and actually can legally teach and be both a journalist and editor of any kind. Conner has a remix of subjects that nobody knows where he's going (but it will not be journalism). The rest beg not to have to think about it.

🦇 In each Gala, everyone, each one of the kids regardless of gender, must dance the same number of times with Reader as Ric dance (to decontaminate them) Everyone knows that dancing with Y/N Wayne is a privilege.

🦇 And Cass and Y/N dancing is always worth leaving space and enjoying, like a professional show, apparently Cass is the best dancer.

🦇 And each one of Ric and Reader dances makes the viewers think someone needs a shower (and maybe are the viewers and not the dancers).

🦇 Reader can wear like only black/grey/white in the galas. Why? Because red (Jason, Tim, Billy), orange (Tim), yellow (Cass, Tim too, is greedy our fiery drake), purple (Steph) or indigo (Conner) and they will pout. Then with their relationship with the Al Ghul is, 99% best neither wear green... That leaves blues, but once Ric mentioned that he loved seeing Reader in blue. So, imagine, blues is a NONO, all children agreed in that. If they dresses in color they has to keep a calendar and make sure to go to a gala with each one of their colors on their suit, shirt, tie, jacket or dress at least once in the same year. KIDS!!!

🦇 So local our Bat might at times also looks at the local goth rich of Gotham City like, what a remedy!

🦇 Tim Wayne as his counterpart uses a bo (but his with hidden blades in both extremes) and also his suit has retractable claws (in both hands and foot), in that it resembles Talon's (whom has an infinite belt of kunais/knives and two sica -short- swords). Even if Tim hits you without taking them out, it's going to hurt.

🦇 Jason's suit in his protections looks very "knighty", in social networks they sometimes call him that, Gotham Knight, Hooded Knight, Red Knight. It also doesn't help that this Jason prefers knives and swords This Jason is still Wonder Woman fan, after all (and of course the hidden pistol so that no one sees the bullets coming, thinking that he's the knight who always goes with the swordfighting).

🦇They call him that because as I said in the previous post, the Bat is the Ruler/King/Queen of the Night/Gotham much to the Court dismay

🦇 Batwoman doesn't have that shit, guns are and don't hide it. I lowkey ship this version of her with Selina and Huntress XD (...Selina would be then in both relationships with Harley+Ivy one side and Batwoman+Huntress in the other???? ^-^)

🦇 Cass always tends to melee and at times uses a kubotan in a fighting style kinda Ty Lee in AtLA. Reader thinks she looks more like a deadly assassin squirrel than a bat, and that she would be more comfortable without the cape, but there is no way.

🦇 Stephanie main weapon is the Bat's Utility Belt which makes Reader adore her (somebody listen to me!!!) Sound, light, smoke, paralyzing gases and sleeping bombs, small explosives, everyone see her take a tiny ball out of her belt and everyone cover their face and run. I'm very proud of Stephanie. She also fights with sticks similar but no to Nightwing ones.

🦇 Superbat and Shazam have powers so they don't count, but 1T8 Shazam's cape is black because of his family (because black is bad is a bad cliche). Superbat's clothing looks like the Red Hood from the Main Universe but with other colors (and without helmet), which always brings Reader a smile.

The first time I wrote Earth 1T8, I was considering various ideas for the "facade" of our Reader of course some inspired by many of the hcs that run on tumblr. I share them, you can choose to your venom.

🦇 I confess it was my first idea: Almost canon but wilder and at the same time more "you can't get close to me because I'm not really here, hehehe" Rich but easyly addicted to anything and easy to hate person, the typical one who appears one day paragliding at the other end of the world, then disappears a month for being in a drug addiction center, then they are at a party in Gotham flirting, they say they were bitten by a bear! then they say that they went diving with sharks... In this case Reader would add being a daddy's pampered child, adrenaline junkie, and Alfred would direct WE until Tim's appearance. And the children would be Afred's attempt to make them settle down.

🦇 Totally stick with canon. Reader man or woman or both or neither, I don't care. Partying and going out and having sex with whoever it moved I wanted. Psychologists say that Reader is trying to fill the emotional void of their parents' death with physical pleasure. It's unfortunate, but does it seem like they're trying to get better, getting involved with WE and adopting children?

🦇 You are a stereotypical rich. You do enough at work not to look like someone who is in home every day although most think that you are in your work, as decoration. And if you put on finery and make donations it's obviously to reduce taxes, it's clear that you imitate your parents. And heaven knows what adopted children thing come to.

🦇 The kid's trauma was too much. Kinda, If I give enough money and show and DO my good intentions, and I think 90% of Gotham has my name on its back by now btw, everything will work out. Kittens and rainbows and flowers and so on, on instagram. I heart Gotham. Sucks!

🦇 Tired, tired, tired parent who returns from work and thanks their own father for keeping the house being on fire. Because even having their own apartments, most of their kids are more in the mansion than in their own homes. Also, who are the responsibles do I have 5 missed calls from BOTH Gotham Academy and College/University AGAIN?

#earth 1t8 #yandere dc #yandere x reader #yandere batman x reader #yandere batboys x reader #yandere nightwing #yandere nightwing x reader #yandere red hood x reader #yandere red robin x reader #yandere robin x reader #yandere damian wayne x reader #yandere tim drake x reader #yandere jason todd x reader #👾.txt

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sbd-laytall · 3 years

Text

You know, sometimes I just feel like making a Shameless (US) AU with the Batkids and like, some of the characters fit so well.

Fiona Gallagher = Dick Grayson

This one fits the best in my opinion! They would be best friends and you can quote me on that. Also, I love the Batfamily, but Dick needs to do a Fiona and leave Gotham because they are simply not helping his mental health.

Have eldest daughter syndrome.

Take care of their siblings because their fathers aren’t going to do it.

Like to self sabotage themselves.

Caring and kind, but also know how to stand up for themselves.

Will leave the family, but almost always goes back.

Lip Gallagher = Tim Drake

Now, I know what you’re all thinking. “What the fuck?” Hear me out, okay. Everyone else seems to fit and I didn’t know where to put Tim, cause he shares lot of qualities with Ian as well. Anyway, just picture Tim as a more dorky Lip.

Can be assholes, but are lovable assholes.

Are smart, but also dumbasses.

Kind of have anger issues, sometimes.

Are the “ladies man” (Tim has just about as many love interests as Dick, so).

Sort of fuck up their lives.

Ian Gallagher = Duke Thomas

Duke and Ian just give me the same vibes, okay. Also, out of all the Batkids, I feel like Duke has the best relationship with Bruce. Maybe not the closest, but Bruce treats him better than the others, in my opinion. I think this is similar to how in the later seasons, Ian is the only one to actually be really affected by Monica dying because he seemed to have the best relationship with her.

Are funny, smart, and compassionate.

Have perpetual middle children syndrome.

Known as the “sane one” in their respective families, until they show that they’re just as chaotic and messy as the others.

Debbie Gallagher = Nobody

I have nobody as Debbie because (A) nobody seems to fit her and (B) we do not support rapists in this household.

Carl Gallagher = Cassandra Cain

Ahhh, my underrated babies. I feel like they fit each other really well, actually.

Are chaotic gremlins.

Really compassionate deep down.

Have smol badass energy.

Considers a day to be good when they beat someone up.

Are more complex than people think.

Distract people from their respective traumas by being a tough motherfucker.

Liam Gallagher = Damian Wayne

Ooh, the babies of the families. Hmm, while they do feel pretty different, I still think that they’re pretty similar.

Thinks their siblings are utter morons.

Are the babies of the family.

Their eldest siblings take on a more parental approach, after their respective fathers fuck off.

Bonus

Vee and Kev = Babs and Dinah

Ethel = Steph

Why? Cause I like the idea of Dinah being a bartender. Also, in this AU, Babs and Dinah take in a foster kid (Steph) like Vee and Kev. Okay, these characters don’t fit as well, but it’s how it all works out in my mind.

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olivia-anderson-fanfic · 3 years

Text

Stalker X Stalker, Part 7

First

Perma tag: @nathleigh @peachmuses

Stalker x Stalker taglist: @aespades @jayjayspixiepop @blueslushgueen @fan-written @seraphichana @nerd-nowandforever

No I didn't get carried away with writing domestic fluff and forget to do the one thing I was supposed to with this chapter I'm a professional and would never do that

It took a long time for Tim and Cass to convince Marinette that, no, it wasn’t a trap, it was just a normal Halloween Party. It took even longer to explain what a Halloween Party really was, because apparently it wasn’t a huge deal in France.

But, eventually, she got it:

“Okay, so every Rogue and vigilante has to go to his Halloween Party in stupid costumes… or else?”

Tim nodded. “Rogues have to go because he’ll be insufferable, we have to go because otherwise we’re leaving a bunch of Rogues alone together without supervision.”

“And it really is just a Halloween Party?”

Cass flashed two thumbs up.

Marinette still looked a little confused. “And we… we want to babysit the Rogues?”

“They mostly behave themselves. Again, Crane can be insufferable when he wants to be and they have to spend a lot of time with him in Arkham.”

“I guess that’s cool then…” Then, a thought seemed to occur to her because she brightened up. “Is Nightwing coming?”

Tim nodded, suddenly a lot more wary. “Yeah, both he and Flamebird drop by for most holidays, anyway, so they might as well… why?”

She blushed a little. “I kind of wanted to see if I could get him to train me. I think his fighting style is pretty cool.”

Tim was not jealous or annoyed that Marinette might like two of his brothers more than him. He was fine if she liked Cass more, because Cass was, well, Cass. But Dick? Damian? Come on!

At least he had a month before the party to prepare himself.

For now, he glared at Cass, because she was laughing at him behind her hand.

Then he remembered that Marinette was still there and was watching the two of them interact with a vaguely confused expression and he pulled himself together: “I don’t know if he can teach you much since he’s usually in Bludhaven, but I used to be obsessed with the guy and I know all his moves by heart.”

She tipped her head to the side, considering, then smiled at him. “Sure. Thanks, Red, I owe you one.”

He tried to hide his relief behind a smile. She smiled and blushed, so he was pretty sure it worked.

Marinette smiled as she scrolled through the Batinternet on her phone (they’d finally given her the password! She no longer had to waste data!). The batkids were all working on the computer, trying to hack into their father’s files to see their Christmas presents.

She didn’t get why they were doing it then, it wasn’t even Halloween yet. Still, they insisted that Batman was always prepared well before the holidays hit. She was curious about what they’d find, if anything, so she waited as Red Robin hacked their dad’s files.

Loud cheers erupted from the others, which meant they must have found something.

“... right, Ladybug, yours is easiest to get into… he probably didn’t expect you to try… he’s getting you an Xbox and a bunch of games to go with it.”

Her gaze shot up and she surged to the front of the group to see. “Really?”

Red Robin pointed at the screen and she blinked a few times. Yep, that was a customized Xbox. Wild.

Then her shoulders slumped. “Damn, I was only kidding. If I knew he was actually going to get it I would’ve asked for a Playstation.”

She continued looking at all the ‘random’ games Batman had bought her (he was suspiciously good at guessing what she liked), completely oblivious to the fact that she had accidentally started World War III right behind herself at the casual mention of a thing she wanted.

She glanced back at them once during their fight and they straightened instantly, innocent smiles in place. The hand Red Robin had in Robin’s hair turned into a hair ruffle. Black Bat had turned the way she gripped the collar of Spoiler’s shirt into pulling her down for a hug. Signal’s eyes stopped glowing under his domino. She smiled a little and turned back to the screen to look at the rest of the games. Fighting resumed.

Or, at least, it did until Marinette saw the file name.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“I knew you fuckers took my blood,” she hissed irritably.

She wasn’t exactly scared, the bats seemed generally well-intentioned, just paranoid, but that didn’t mean she liked it. They stole her blood to figure out her identity without asking.

They all tensed up behind her and looked at each other awkwardly.

Robin was first to snap out of it. He swatted Red Robin over the back of the head. “Look what you’ve done, Drake.”

Marinette blinked and then pulled her gaze back to Red Robin. “Drake?”

The batkids looked at each other awkwardly. Except for Red Robin, who was glaring at his youngest brother.

Spoiler was the first one to come up with an excuse: “It’s an older codename. We told him to come up with something original since everything else he’s used has belonged to someone else first… and that’s what he came up with.”

She considered whether Drake really confirmed that Red Robin was Tim Drake-Wayne. On one hand, yeah… but, on the other hand, was he really that stupid? Would he really use his own last name for a codename?

She supposed that, in all her time knowing Tim and Red Robin, he had never shown himself to be original. Smart, sure, but a little unoriginal.

So, yeah, Tim was almost definitely Red Robin.

But she was prepared to ignore it for now. Every bat seemed tense at the idea of her learning their identities, so she played dumb:

“It’s not that bad of a codename. Dragons are pretty cool.”

She could feel Black Bat still staring at her, but everyone else relaxed almost imperceptibly.

“He didn’t base himself off of dragons, he chose male ducks,” Robin informed her.

She blinked. “Why the hell would he choose ducks?”

Signal snapped his fingers and started pulling out his phone. “Oh, Mari -- can I call you Mari? -- you should see his outfit.”

Red Robin realized he was about to get murdered for his younger self’s outfit choices and tried to snatch the phone away.

Unfortunately for him, while he was concentrating on Signal, Black Bat had sidled over to Marinette. She tugged her arm to pull her attention from the two fighting boys and then showed her the picture.

Marinette stared at the ugly cockroach outfit for a long time before taking a deep breath: “Alright, first of all...”

Tim… he was fine.

Okay, no, he wasn’t.

The tracker was better, he would admit. She had even started wearing more red and black so she could wear the necklace more (something that made him feel all fuzzy inside), but she wasn’t wearing it every day and he couldn’t exactly tell if the necklace was there because she was home or if it was there because she’d worn a different outfit.

So, he only had one solution: randomly dropping by to do chores with her.

It started off with the ‘might as well’ principle. They were already out for photography and getting ideas for outfits, why not pick up some groceries while they were on their way back? She could even carry more since there were two of them.

He quickly dropped pretenses, though. The one time every few days that they hung out wasn’t enough to keep her in the house, and even if it was she clearly wasn’t fond of staying inside for long periods of time. He started dropping by every day to just go out with her.

He could tell his family was getting a little suspicious about what he was doing, Steph and Cass both narrowed their eyes at him whenever they saw him leaving the office at a normal time and once he had caught Duke following him to see where he was going… but it was fine. They weren’t going to complain about him actually getting some sort of down time.

And, he had to admit, it was nice. Not only did resting his brain for an hour or two a day do wonders for his mental health, he just… enjoyed doing chores with her? He didn’t think he would. He’d expected to like it the first few times, the novelty of going on his first grocery shopping trip or figuring out how a laundromat was always going to make it interesting and new for a bit, but it didn’t seem to be wearing off.

He was pretty sure that was because of the person he was doing it with, though.

He smiled as he watched Marinette half-climb the supermarket shelves for a bag of Takis.

“Need help?” He called.

“Nope!”

He watched her jump a few times on the lowest shelf before, eventually, climbing up another shelf.

Tim winced and surged forward to support her weight a little.

She huffed and grabbed the Takis. He set her down.

She crossed her arms. “I said I could get it.”

“I trust you. The shelves? Not so much. Do you want to die crushed under a bunch of chips?”

Her halfhearted glare morphed into a grin. “If I die any other way you have to promise to resurrect me so I can do it again.”

He rolled his eyes. “How about I resurrect you and you try not to die again for a while?”

“Hm… I guess that’d be alright.”

Then, at the laundromat, Tim saw a bunch of Two Face’s henchmen. How did he know that they were henchmen? The black and white suits kind of gave them away.

He was just wondering whether it was worth it to try and call Duke over so they didn’t risk something happening when he realized that Marinette had slipped over to them.

But she wasn’t concerned as she offered some of her detergent. “Hey, if you need to wash lights and darks together like that… you’re going to need a different detergent. I know those are cheap but there’s a reason for that.”

“Isn’t that just an old detergent problem?”

“No, separating every single color into a different load is. But, if you want to do pure black and white like that… you don’t want to risk it.”

Then she turned and glared at another goon, who was pulling their luckily still okay clothes out of the washer.

“You’d better not be putting that in the dryer.”

The sheepish look on the henchman’s face was answer enough.

She huffed. “That is airdry only why would you do that --?!”

And that’s how they ended up friends with -- and possibly under the protection of? -- a bunch of henchmen. Tim had to admit, they were really nice when he and Marinette weren’t trying to get them thrown in jail. He almost found himself slipping and hoping that Frank managed to achieve his mob boss dreams. He actually did offer to babysit Sam’s kids while she had a shift because she seemed very stressed.

“Tim, darling, do you even know how to take care of kids?”

Tim didn’t know whether to blush because she had called him darling oh my god or due to embarrassment at that massive oversight.

“Uh… would you be willing to help?”

Marinette gave him an exhausted look. “I’ve only ever babysat one kid at a time without their older sibling being there to help.”

He quickly changed the offer to paying for a babysitter. Sam was thankful regardless.

When everyone had finished laundering their clothes to Marinette’s satisfaction, the two of them headed back towards her apartment.

Tim changed the position of the laundry basket on his hip so it didn’t dig into him as much. “You know, you didn’t have to help them.”

She snickered. “First of all, you’re absolutely wrong. I couldn’t just sit by and watch them ruin their clothes right in front of me!”

He rolled his eyes, trying to hide the fond smile on his face. “And second of all?”

“Secondly…” She let him into the house and closed the door behind him. A cheeky smile formed on her face. “Well, they’re henchmen. Don’t you think it would be a good idea to have them on our side in case things go wrong rather than indifferent to what happens to us?”

It was here, with her smiling in front of him, intelligence sparkling in her eyes and the necklace he gave her hanging from her neck, that he realized that he was going to fall in love. He might not be there yet but, if they continued doing things like this, he was sure he would.

He wouldn’t mind that, he thought, as she leaned forward to take the basket from him, pressing a kiss to his cheek on the way over. He watched her disappear to her room, no doubt to fix whatever damage he had done while carrying it that would be invisible to anyone but her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and went to start up the coffee machine.

There are no botanical gardens more beautiful than the ones in Gotham. Whether that was because Poison Ivy herself tended to them or because they were kept in tip-top shape to appease her, Marinette didn’t know. Whatever the reason, it was gorgeous and Marinette had gotten quite a few different ideas. She pretty much had an entire spring collection planned out…

It was unfortunate that she’d gotten ideas for a spring collection in the middle of autumn, but she was ignoring that.

Now, they were sitting on her couch. They needed to relax after all that walking around on top of a rather exhausting night the night before (Scarecrow had broken out of Arkham to start preparing for his Halloween Party). She was completely in his space in an attempt to mess with him. It, unfortunately, didn’t seem to annoy him as he lazily rested his head on top of hers.

She huffed a little but allowed it.

He fiddled with the settings on his camera, biting his lip.

She looked down at the camera and asked: “How’d you get into photography?”

“... it’s a kind of personal story,” he said carefully. “A little sad, too, I guess.”

She tried to pull back, an apology on her lips, but he just rested an arm around her shoulders and held her close.

“It’s fine.”

She nodded as much as she could with the head resting on top of hers.

They were silent for a long time. She tried to relax herself. There were no akumas in Gotham, it was okay to accidentally upset someone and it was okay to ask them if they wanted to elaborate. They were people, people are supposed to feel sad sometimes. It’s healthy.

She took a deep breath before curling more into his side. “Would you like to talk about it?”

The arm around her tightened almost imperceptibly. “I… I guess I can, sure.”

“You don’t have to,” she said quickly. In fact, she might be a little more comfortable with that. Emotional conversations weren’t a Parisian’s forte.

But he sighed and shook his head. “It’s fine. Our relationship can’t progress all that healthily if we never tell each other anything.”

Yikes. Way to accidentally call her out on the fact that she hadn’t formed a healthy relationship in years, Tim.

“Not that I’m all that great at healthy relationships,” he said after a minute.

At least she wasn’t alone, she supposed.

“No easy way to say this, I guess… my parents weren’t the best. They’d go on trips -- they were archaeologists -- and I’d be left home alone, usually for months at a time.”

She cringed internally and took his hand in hers, rubbing comforting circles into his palm.

He sighed lightly. “So… I was lonely, obviously. I started by taking pictures of my parents. Sometimes it was all I’d have of them for months. They could leave, but the pictures weren’t able to.”

She felt him bury his face in her hair.

“I started following the bats after a while. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t sated by pictures of just the two of them and decided to expand, if it was because they had a happy family despite a distant father and I wanted that for myself, or if it was because I wanted my parents to find out and be worried about me, or a mix of all of that… but…”

She slowly moved the camera off of his lap and pulled him into a hug. “But?”

He was silent for a bit, thinking over his answer. He shrugged and wrapped his arms around her. “It was an old coping mechanism. A way of feeling connected to people when I couldn’t actually be.”

“‘Was?’ What changed?”

He laid back on the couch and she allowed him to pull her down beside him. “People around me… started ‘leaving permanently’.”

She winced. Oh.

“It hurt a lot more to look at the pictures after that. It just felt like a reminder that I was alone.”

She frowned. “But… you’re taking pictures of me, now.” Her eyes widened. “Shit, did I accidentally trigger --.”

He shook his head quickly. “No, no. Well, kind of, but it’s okay! Every time they’ve died, it was because of some sort of shortcoming on my part. I think I’ve learned from all my mistakes. You… I won’t let you get hurt, okay?”

Marinette didn’t know how to respond. On one hand, she was pretty sure that she should be assuring him that, even if she did end up dying, that he shouldn’t blame himself… on the other hand, she had no intentions of dying and she was pretty sure it was nearly impossible for her, so maybe it was a good thing that he had chosen to protect her of all people? Maybe the problem would solve itself?

She didn’t know.

She carefully took his face in her hands, pulling him to look her in the eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, okay, darling?”

He gave her a tentative smile. “I sure hope you’re right.”

He had been asked to stay the night. Her excuse was that she was almost done with an outfit for him and she wanted to give it to him the second it was done and, by the time it would be, it would be too dark to go out safely.

Tim kind of felt bad that he had worried her but he wasn’t going to turn down the offer of staying over and watching her finish the outfit.

But, first, food. They dropped a million takeout menus on the desk. A long silence stretched between them as they looked at all the options.

“... what do you want?” Asked Marinette.

“I’m not in the mood for anything in particular, you?”

She sighed. “I don’t know, do you want anything?”

“I don’t want anything, what about you --?”

This continued on for about three minutes before Tim got a brilliant idea. He dialled Damian’s number and put it on speaker.

“Drake. Why are you calling? Have you been hurt?”

“No, Dami, I’m getting takeout and I was just wondering if you had any ideas.”

Marinette gave him an affronted look, but he clapped his hand over her mouth before she could warn Damian that, no, he wasn’t buying food for him he was just going to be an asshole.

“... I suppose I wouldn’t be averse to Chinese.”

“Thanks, Dami! Hope you can get Alfie to make that for you.”

“What do -- ?”

Tim hung up on his very confused younger brother.

Marinette frowned as he removed his hand from her mouth. “That wasn’t nice of you, that’s a kid.”

Tim was not about to get beaten by his brother in both identities, thank you very much.

“Alfred can cook better than anyone in the world, he’s not going to suffer.”

She snorted. “I doubt he can make food better than…” She picked through the takeout papers for a few moments before holding up a menu. “... this place!”

He squinted at the menu. “... I really hope you can speak Mandarin.”

“You’d be hard pressed to find a language I can’t speak, Timmy,” she said, absently dialling the number.

Well, he supposed that explained how a person from France knew ASL and could speak English like a native. Damn. Now he kinda wanted magical god-earrings so he could speak every language in existence.

She spoke cheerfully to the person on the other side of the line for a moment before turning to Tim. “What do you want?”

“Uh… shrimp fried rice?”

She rolled her eyes and flicked his nose. “Alright, fine, white boy.”

“It’s a safe option okay --!”

She wasn’t listening to him explain why fried rice was the best choice for him because she was relaying the order to the person on the other side of the line. She hung up with a smile.

“Food will be here in about three minutes. Do you rich people have small bills or do you just use them for tissues or something?”

He raised his eyebrows. “They go down to a hundred, right?”

She pressed her lips together thinly, clearly unsure whether or not he was joking.

He snickered and shook his head. “Nah, I think I have twenties and fifties…”

“Yeah, that won’t do. We’re going to get robbed,” she said, reaching into her purse.

“We? Didn’t know I lived here, too,” he joked.

She barely even glanced up from where she was counting money. “Honestly, with how often you’re here, you might as well move in.”

He choked. He wanted to say something smart or funny or smooth, instead all that came out was: “You --? I --? Uh --!”

She snickered behind her hand. “Love, relax, I’m just kidding. You don’t have to leave your fancy mansion with all your siblings --.”

“Wait, don’t make living here sound even better. I will do it purely to get away from them, don’t test me.”

She rolled her eyes with a grin. “Maybe that's the plan, you’ll never know.”

Tim had exactly zero idea whether they were joking or not anymore. The tone and reactions made him pretty sure they were kidding, but… what if they weren’t?

He was just gathering the courage to ask when the doorbell rang, pulling their attention to the food. She continued counting for a second before running to the door and swinging it open.

He walked up beside her awkwardly as she chatted politely to the guy to take the food inside. He knew, logically, that Marinette was actually way stronger than he was… but his stupid brain saw a thin, short woman in need of someone to help her carry things. So, he took it from the guy with a smile.

The delivery guy glanced Tim up and down before asking Marinette something. She laughed and gave a shrug. Tim did not know what was going on but he felt vaguely insulted.

He was definitely learning Mandarin after this.

The moment the door closed he whined about being insulted. She looked amused.

“You know what he said?”

“... no,” he admitted.

Her lips twitched.

“... you’re not going to tell me, are you?”

She snickered and leaned over the two bags of food in his hands. “So, you got the fried rice, right?”

“Mariiiiiiii.”

“Your food is going to get cold.”

“Beeeaaaan,” he complained.

She raised an eyebrow at him, a blush spreading across her face. “Bean?”

He grinned, feeling heat creep to his own cheeks. “I don’t know, I couldn’t think of anything for a nickname. First thing I thought of was coffee beans, so: Bean.”

“Wow, you’re such an addict,” she teased.

He continued pouting at her until she gave in.

She leaned forward to press a kiss to his nose. “He asked if you could use chopsticks or not so he could get you a fork if you couldn’t.”

He felt the blush on his face deepen. “Oh… I can’t.”

“That’s fine.” She grabbed a tote bag from the floor of her pantry and pulled out a set of plasticware.

He blinked. “... you keep plastic forks?”

She shrugged and tossed the bag back in her pantry. “Plastic forks, grocery bags, napkins, a few sets of chopsticks…”

“... why?”

“Some of us are minorities, darling.”

“What --?”

She hummed tunelessly as she worked.

Tim had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Had most of this been an elaborate plot to make him finally get some sleep? Possibly.

She didn’t feel all that bad, though. With how much he overworked himself both as Red Robin and as Tim Drake-Wayne… honestly, she was beginning to doubt that he slept at all. And, really, if a vigilante coffee addict with a magically enhanced physique is worried about your sleep schedule, you’ve got problems. Intervention was needed.

Don’t get her wrong, though, she was going to make up for lying to him. She’d move him to her bed and leave a cup of coffee for him on the bedside table. Maybe she’d even make him breakfast, it depended on how tired she was in the morning.

But that was for when she was done. For now, she was working on the last part of the outfit: she needed to lace up the corset. His posture needed a little work and she didn’t have the heart to tell him that to his face.

… besides, corset vests are cute. She wished more guys would wear them.

She smiled to herself as she pulled the last bit of lace through and tied a loose knot. Done.

She looked down at Tim. Loose strands fell in his face as he slept. The tiny wrinkles in his forehead disappeared, making him look much younger. His lips curled into a slight smile at whatever he was dreaming about.

He looked so genuinely at peace. She hated that that was abnormal for him.

She couldn’t help but worry a little about what he’d said earlier. He’d claimed that the reason he had gone up to the top of that building the day they’d met (as Tim and Marinette) was to scout out a location for photography, but now that was seeming like a lie because he apparently preferred taking pictures of people over locations… so, why was he up so high? He’d known it was illegal to be there, so she doubted he thought anyone else would be…

She swallowed thickly.

She didn’t think his mental state was that bad… but, just in case it was, she waved Tikki over for a bug and sewed it into one of his sleeves.

Tikki was looking at her disapprovingly. Marinette ignored her.

It was Ladybug’s job to make sure everyone was doing okay mentally, and she wasn’t going to fail a person she cared about of all people.

His head slipped from her shoulder onto her stomach and she sighed, trying to lightly push him off without disturbing his sleep. It didn’t work. He made a quiet sound in the back of his throat and buried his face in her stomach, his arms wrapping around her tightly.

Well, this is her life now.

… she supposed it wasn’t so bad, though.

#stalker x stalker #shutterbug #timari #maribat #timmari #timinette #marinette dupain cheng #ladybug #red robin #tim drake #yes it's all just maladaptive coping strategies #it's ME what'd you guys expect

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envysparkler · 3 years

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I have a friend who doesn’t know anything about DC or the batfam, but loves fanfic and is willing to get into the fandom. What fanfics do you recommend (yours or someone else’s) to help them get into it?

I didn't touch a single DC comic before I dove headfirst into this fandom, so you're in the right place. Or the wrong place, depending on whether you're looking for canon characterizations or not. 😂

I dropped this question into the whump server and they had a lot of opinions, but making a rec list really depends on preferences.

For example, I love enemy-to-caretaker, it's my life and soul, and I will read near almost everything that has it, regardless of fandom or character. So if you drop some of their favorite tropes/character types, I can find more specific recs, assuming that they're into whump or h/c, because I don't really read fluff.

However, I do have some blanket recs--some of these were definitely my first introduction to the batfam fandom!

Minimum Height Requirement by Drag0nstorm

Somewhere in the multiverse, there's a universe where letting his children dress up in capes and follow him into vigilantism seems like a good idea.

Bruce is determined that it isn't going to be this one . . . Despite his children's repeated attempts to convince him otherwise.

(Or: "When you're eighteen, you can do what you want. Until then, no capes.")

Good dad Bruce and a beautiful alternate take. A few morsels of whump, but this is more for batfamily feels than whump feels.

Latchkey by goldkirk

or, How Tim Drake Found A Family, Became A Photojournalist, Learned To Love Coffee, and Grew Up, not necessarily in that order.

Tim Drake is thirteen, runs the famous BatWatch blog that has spiraled hilariously out of control, has absentee parents that suit his purposes just fine, is training himself to run the streets at night, and is doing absolutely peachy, thank you.

Alfred and Jason disagree, and get Dick and Bruce involved in figuring out their weird nextdoor neighbor kid’s life. Everything goes uphill from there.

Tim-centric, and a world that feels amazingly real, where mental health is actually addressed. Again, not whump-focused, but a fantastic series.

Bury Your Sons by Romiress

Slade Wilson doesn't have a conscience. If he ever had one, he got rid of it years ago. But watching a man half his age cry every night from his nightmares is starting to get to him, waking up feelings he long ago put aside.

---

A Canon Divergence AU: What if Slade looked into the Arkham Knight's history? What if, bothered by his own family issues, he decided to help the Arkham Knight in his own way, rather than helping him continue his revenge against Batman?

Okay, this one's a little different, and it's based on Arkham!verse and not the main canon, and yes, Slade plays a major role in the story, but if you have the time to read a 1.4M word saga, this series is glorious. It's got amazing bits of whump, a great storyline, beautiful characterizations, people making mistakes but getting better, and overall, the world moving towards a brighter future. This is a world where vigilantes make an actual impact, where the Justice League helps each other out, and no matter what problems they tackle, they always move forward.

ghost story by envysparkler

Jason Todd dies in Ethiopia. Well. Kind of.

Jason Todd-centric, and a ghost story. This is one of those 'made me cry while writing it' stories, but it's one of my favorites, and it does have comfort at the end.

touch starved by envysparkler

Dick has a whole family who would rather stab him or themselves before embracing him, and he respects their boundaries, but sometimes he just wants a hug he doesn’t have to beg for.

Dick-centric, and an exploration of being someone who enjoys physical affection in a family of people that don't. I've gotten a lot of comments on how the pandemic has made this one hit particularly hard, and it's one of my favorites.

Aside from these, my bookmarks or my collections are other places to pick up good batfam fic. If you're looking for specific tropes/shorter stories/specific characters, let me know, I can give you more tailored recs! I hope these help! 💖

#envy answers #batfam recs #my recs

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downtonabbeyrevisited · 3 years

Text

Season Two Episode Two

Following a typically chaotic opener, Episode Two of Season Two strikes a far more sombre tone. The arrival of Henry Lang as Robert’s valet brings the first of this episode’s three plot points that address the impact of WW1 on the mental health of its soldiers. There is nothing funny to say about either shell-shock or suicidal ideation both of which are vast, complex issues that, for my money, Downton Abbey isn’t the vehicle explore in (because they require more time and depth than the pace of the plot in Season Two affords) and it certainly isn’t my place to make light of them in this rather irreverent corner of the internet. So I’m going to have a go at treading a fine line here. Forgive me if I stumble.

Lang is clearly in the grips of something awful and yet in an attempt to avoid the indignity of having maids in the dining room, he is bumped up to footman duty. He struggles throughout, culminating in him depositing his cargo on Edith’s dress. Mrs O’Brein has firmly taken Lang under her wing, recognising that he is struggling and offers him assurance and comfort that she has never gifted to Thomas.

Across the Village, Lieutenant Edward Courtenay is in the hospital having been blinded by gas. The use of gas (both chlorine and mustard) had a devastating impact on soldiers in WW1 but was also the root of the development of Zyklon B. Frtiz Haber, a German Jewish chemist, enabled chlorine gas to be used a weapon in WW1 and his research was later developed into the Zyklon process which was used by the Nazis to murder millions, including his own family. This is only one of a dizzying number of appalling ironies to be found in the World Wars but as I said last episode, I’m not a military historian so I’m going to leave it there. Edward had plans to return to the country after his graduation from Oxford to pursue the simple life (although one gets the feeling that his idea of the pursuit of a simple life will still be one that is very well upholstered). Thomas has taken it upon himself to read Edward’s letters to him and together with Sybil is helping him to adjust to living life with a different set of parameters. But growing pressure on the hospital’s limited capacity means that he is to be transferred elsewhere. All three voice their dissent at varying volumes to Major Clarkson who falls back on the very real backlog of wounded men. After Edward has died, Major Clarkson, Isobel and Sybil talk about a renewed need for the Abbey to become a convalescent home, an idea that has been bubbling under the surface for a while now. Meanwhile, Thomas has been left on his own to process both Edward’s death and the implications of witnessing a lack of support given by his own physician to those with depression.

The usually reliably jovial Mrs Patmore also has a more somber episode with her pursuit for the truth about the death of her nephew Archie. Robert finds that he has been shot for cowardice. Not only does this mean that her family is in mourning but they will now have to navigate the stigma and undue shame that came with having a relative die in this way. So entrenched in British life was the derision levelled at those who were shot for cowardice or desertion that it was only in 2006 that pardons were offered by Britain for 309 of those that were executed by firing squad during WW1. I know I said I’d leave it there with the military history, but that felt like an important bit of context.

We are now in 1917 and Matthew is still in the same trench that he was in 1916 (a detail I hadn’t actually noticed until I got the screen cap for this) so it looks like his strategy of downing tools mid-fight and continuously popping back to Blighty for important plot developments isn’t really paying dividends. Perhaps the addition of William to the ranks will help him? William certainly seems to think so and if the speed at which he moves through the various stages of his ‘relationship’ with Daisy is any indication of his tactical prowess, the British Front will not only be well within Germany’s borders but will be breathing down Russia’s neck in a fortnight. In any other episode, this would certainly get the award for oddest relationship dynamic but Sir Richard Carlisle exists.

Sir Richard makes his debut at Downton, having been introduced in name only in the previous episode. He and Mary met at Cliveden which is a regular haunt of mine, giving me hope that one day I too will from a strategic alliance with a newspaper magnate. He may know how to talk his way around a boardroom but he is lacking in the sartorial department. Whilst Sir Richard manages to avoid catching fire in his tweed, Lavinia is not free from the heat as he threatens her with his connection to her uncle. He may not know much about navigating the niceties of Downton, but at least he has cottoned on to the fact that any major disagreement should occur under a specific tree. Whilst Mary’s signature move is weeping into her gloves, Sir Richard’s is grabbing women by the forearm. A female friend of mine told me that one of her favourite things about the pandemic and the compulsion to keep 2m away from anyone (and not just emotionally) is that she has not been ’steered’ by a male hand on her lower back since 2019. It turns out that she can enter and exit rooms just fine on her own and I get the impression that Lavinia could get the gist of Sir Richard’s rage without the vice like grip of a man probably about twice her age.

Twinned with the ’tree of emotional conflict’, the ‘platform of romantic uncertainty’ provides the backdrop for Sir Richard’s proposal of marriage to Mary which is a declaration that really feels like it should come with a series of well-formatted charts. Mary’s heart, however, is still very much with Cousin Matthew. After being counselled by Carson in a type of conversation I cannot imagine her ever having with her father, she is on the verge of coming clean with Matthew. But in the second round of Lavinia vs. Mary, Lavinia declares that she ‘could not go on living’ without Matthew and Mary winds her neck in.

Also having a romantic entanglement this episode is Edith. Drake, previously of dropsy fame, has lost his farm hands and Edith turns up to offer her help in a wildly unsuitable trouser and heeled boot combo. But she soon gets down to it by pulling up a tree stump and flirting in a barn whilst a rather lovely border collie looks on (I’m currently trying to talk myself out of getting a border collie and this incident has done nothing to help things). After showing Drake that she can drink from a bottle like literally every single other human on the planet, the two share a kiss and some highly awkward dialogue that only slightly resembles ‘Carry on Downton’.

Whilst Edith is more than happy to crack on in a barn, Mr Molesley is much more backwards about coming forwards. Apparently having predicted the creation of ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’, he figures that a book is the perfect kindling for romance when you exist in a glossy depiction of the past. Sadly neither Elizabeth nor her German garden can lure Anna from Bates who is fast shaping up to be schrodinger’s boyfriend. Anna proceeds to make some odd analogy where she compares Mr Bates to her moon-based child, revealing a rather unhealthy amount of codependency in that particular relationship.

Romantic declaration of the moment

Again, it feels like anyone but Sybil and Branson should get this but I am an agent of chaos and here we are. Branson defends Sybil’s will to work and has ample opportunity to see her shine in her chosen field. The admission that she will not be returning to her old life is a little chink of light that Branson basks in.

Expressive eyebrow of the week

I nominate Carson’s entire face when he realises that he has taken on too much and goes an impressive shade of red. As Carson frets about spoons, sauce, and something I can’t quite fathom, he starts to resemble a man who is re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Carson’s battle to get a cork out of a bottle and knocking into chairs is a warm up to his rather dramatic collapse which is accompanied by a pretty disturbing groan. Sybil springs to action and he is soon efficiently ensconced in his own quarters.

Wait, what?

“I got a lot done on the train” Clearly Richard was on a train that was unencumbered with the wifi issues that plague the Pendolino.

“It takes a good deal more than that to shock me.” Mary’s shock-o-meter is a pretty odd instrument. It is unresponsive to corpses of diplomats but goes into absolute meltdown at the notion that she might have to live in a cottage.

“Let's hope my reputation will survive it.” I’ve not checked (and I categorically never will) but I would put money on the fact that someone has created a rarepair out of this.

“How can Matthew have chosen that little blonde piece?” Is Lavinia blonde? Women’s hair is not really my forte but I would have thought she was more akin to Tim Minchin than 1998 Justin Timberlake.

“I believe in this war. I believe in what we are fighting for.” William seems to have a better grip on what all of this is about than I ever did in high school history. The ‘A’ that eluded me is heading his way.

“I thought he might've died for love of you.” How I love snipey Thomas. It’s good to have him back. To borrow a quote from Bottas (another man who is currently living a life in which his destiny is his own demise) ‘traditions’.

“Fold it in, don’t slap it” The more season two goes on, the more I think that Moira is just an amalgamation of some choice elements of Julian’s kingdom.

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shhhhsh · 3 years

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About Tim’s New Story….

I just really hope they address Tim’s mental health. Like, DC just been ditching really good plot lines in favor of being “woke” or pandering. Just look at all the live action shows.

Now I’m not saying they can’t make Tim queer/bi/gay, but (as someone pointed out to me) Tim’s previous story writer was bi and he still chose to write Tim as straight & in a healthy romantic relationship with Stephanie Brown. I’ve seen several people who identify as queer/bi say that to have Tim go “ ooooh I’ve fooled myself into thinking I was straight, but now I’m freeeee” sends the message that Tim’s previous relationship failed b/c he was with a woman and not because of Tim’s poor mental and emotional health.

To go back to my previous statement; by him not writing Tim as bi tells me that he didn’t want or care for Tim to be bi, but instead saw Tim as, or preferred him to be, straight. The writer had free control to write Tim how ever he wanted and yet he chose to keep Tim straight. And he actually liked & wanted Tim/Steph. Again, I’m not saying Tim can’t be queer/bi, I’m just saying I find the motivations for this possible change very fishy. Almost as if the new writer is trying to get brownie points for pandering to a portion of the fans.

I think this way b/c in every other media where a character is revealed to be LGBTQ they just did it. They didn’t beat around the bush or do any queer coding/baiting. They either announced it, just made the character that way right out the gate, or just dropped the bomb w/out warning (as seen in Netflix’s Voltron, Amazon Prime’s Invincible, and Nickelodeon’s Legend of Korra respectfully).

DC currently has a bad habit changing things to be “woke” and bragging about it or shoving it in our faces. DC is becoming the “pick me girl” of superhero media. If you want to do it, just do it. Again I just get the “look at me, look at me” & “carrot on the stick” vibes from them now. If you truly feel in your heart to do something you would just do it without the need for recognition or to be so dramatic about it.

Now what I much rather see & think it’s a natural progression for Tim:

I personally believe that if Jason, Dick, & Damian can get a story that attempts to give them character development beyond romantic relationships (romance was more of a B-plot to the character driven A-plot anyway) I think they can give it to Tim as well.

I know that the Bat-Family all struggle with some form of mental health problems (most commonly paranoia and PTSD). However, I would like to point out that trauma is was what brought the others into the vigilante lifestyle, while Tim & Barbara became traumatized because of the vigilante lifestyle. Yet, Barbara was shown overcoming her trauma and using it as motivation to get better. Tim is yet to have this moment.

We all know that Tim struggles with depression, self-esteem, and suicidal tendencies. I mean heck, him becoming Red Robin only happens because of Tim’s degrading mental health. I hate to say it, but Tim is very psychologically broken and has been show to get so depressed that he can’t even get out of bed some times. To my knowledge, Tim is the only one in the Bat-Fam that struggles in his head with the idea of not being needed, useful, or forgotten when in reality that is furthest from the truth (Steph, Jason, & Damian also feel like the black sheep periodically, but that is because they have been presented with real evidence that would lead them to logically believe this. I.e being actually forgotten or dismissed for past mistakes despite great efforts to better themselves).

While yes, Dick did Tim dirty by replacing him without having a proper conversation first, the motivation was because he saw Tim as his equal and not Damian. He thought highly of Tim, but Tim couldn’t see that over his offense. Tim is so beat down by life that he see’s everything with negative lenses. Everyone came to check on Tim’s mental health but Tim took it as an insult instead.

And even though now Tim has reached some form of “peace” in his life, that only happens because the people he lost came back (Bruce, Conner, Bart, Cassie, etc). Tim never fully learned to handle grief, to handle his emotions, instead he represses them. Again in the Red Robin run, the main reason he doesn’t believe in any form of God is because he can’t logically justify the pain he has gone through. He is hurting and doesn’t know how to deal with that. In his original Robin run, when he tried talking someone out of committing suicide……the words and comfort he gave….that wasn’t something that was just inside Tim, this is something that was told to Tim. This is followed by him calling Dick to get the same pep-talk he just regurgitated to someone else.

In short: Tim is hurting. Deeply. And having been someone who’s emotional & mental sanity was pushed to the brink and attempted to jump off several times, I think it’s really sad that DC just ignores it. Now as someone who’s gotten the help they needed & now helps other people who struggle with the same issues as myself & Tim, I think that they’re going to say a lot of Tim’s problems come from him not being “aware” of his own sexuality, which is just sad.

In the story in question, Barbara talks about Tim not having a solid identity. People are more than their sexuality. People are capable of making future decisions for themselves without it hindering on their sexuality. If Tim was real, I would brake down his struggle as so:

Tim refuses to go to college and do something more with his life because he cannot see anything beyond his current circumstance. And the only reason why Tim cannot see anything beyond his circumstance is because he has no internal sense of purpose, identity, and acceptance beyond the cape & cowl. And when Tim finally found that in being Robin, Tim held onto it as a lifeline. There’s a reason why everyone says Tim is basically Bruce 2.0: it’s because he is Robin/Red Robin/Drake & Tim is the mask. At a young age, he did not grow up having these things instilled into him due to his parents neglecting him at a very important age in his development. Tim raised himself, and for a lack of better terms; an idiot cannot teach themselves to be smarter, an idiot becomes smarter by learning from the intelligent. A child can’t teach themselves to be an adult, they have to learn from others to grow & better themselves.

Now a parent doesn’t necessarily have to sit down and give a lesson about how to be an individual, but children learn how to live life by watching their parents. A good example of this is the rest of the Bat-Fam; they all grew up with some form of parental figures that taught them how to behave (for better or worse). Of course children have their own personalities, which is why two kids can go through the same type of trauma but come out differently, but it is a battle of nature vs nurture. Steph, Jason, Cass, & Damian grew up in abusive/unstable homes, while Dick, Barbara, & Bruce grew up in loving homes, but their personalities & character dictated how they responded to trauma. They took what life gave them and decided what to leave or take.

Tim had nothing to work with & is basically playing catch-up with the rest of his peers.

In a weird sense, Tim is like Zuko from The Last Airbender: only living to serve their father’s purpose. Anything outside of that they don’t know what to do. They’ve been trained to be something externally without been given a chance to figure out who they are internally.

Again you are not your sexuality, your sexuality does not determine who you are as a person. When a person struggles through life, it is due to the conditions of thier soul. Everything starts internally and shows it’s self externally.

I want to make that very clear because I am truly scared that in DC’s attempt to claim “clout” they are missing the bigger picture. Tim doesn’t have identity problems simply because he “doesn’t know” he likes boys, but because DC never gave him is own identity to begin with. Robin was never his own identity, Red Robin was never his, & Drake was his first attempt to make his own but he quickly gave it up so that he can be Robin once again. What is Tim going to do once Damian gets back? Is Damian going to get his own identity before Tim? Or is Tim just going to go back to one of his old identities?

I would like for Tim to personally move on from being a vigilante and rejoin civilian society for a while. Go to college, do something for himself and only for himself. Give Tim the self-discovery story, let him heal, and grown to be his own person. Besides you can never have a functional romantic relationship if you are not a functional individual. Self love > romantic love.

#red robin #batman #dc comics #tim drake #batman and robin #bruce wayne #dick grayson #jason todd #damian al ghul #damian wayne #stephanie brown #batgirl #cassandra cain #batfam #robin #I just want a good and meaningful story that doesn’t have some secret agenda #just do right by Tim #beware the pandering #not everything has to be about romance

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whetstonefires · 3 years

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tim drake for the character ask thing?

How I feel about this character

I'm attached as fuck to him. He's so annoying. All his fans are annoying especially me.

He's really great and has been Wronged by DC, not so much in being dropped from prominence as in having everything he brought to redefining Robin carved up and redistributed by retcon so now you get people saying he 'has nothing distinctive about him.'

YEAH BECAUSE HE WAS SO GOOD DC MADE ALL HIS DISTINCTIVE TRAITS GENERIC. SHUT UP.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Huh. No one, kinda, he has such a habit of getting into romances and then just--having no idea what the next step is, emotionally speaking.

I don't know if we should call this an orientation thing or a mental health thing or a work/life balance thing or even just a maturity thing, but all available evidence suggests that Tim either lacks basic capability or subconsciously self-sabotages, when it comes to his love life.

Like even by comic book lead standards he stands out here because he hasn't lost many of his relationships to supervillainy or drama, he just kind of...drifts apart. He and Steph weren't a thing at the point of her 'death,' and that's the closest he's come to the usual fridge shenanigans re: girlfriend.

I've slowly gone off him and Steph, actually, since it started appearing in canon again. They were designed to character-foil one another; she has every Robin trait that was dialed down in Tim to pacify the Jason-haters, turned up to eleven. If you (writer) aren't willing to harness that collision energy and its spark to drive the relationship, you're going to get something that's either tepid and impersonal or their contrasts actively driving them apart and creating conflict.

Which they always did, of course, because you gotta sell comics and Steph in Tim's title was technically a weapon in the writers' hands, but I thought they had more potential to get their shit sorted and be something meaningful to each other back then than I do now.

Tim/Kon is fine? It's fine. I like them together in general so they're a fine romance, abstractly. 80%+ of shipfic in general is grossly mischaracterized in ways that cause me varying anxiety depending on the character so I've developed aversions to certain narrative frameworks for that ship, but I think it's the cutest and most natural canon-grounded one he has.

Honestly though I feel that Tim would have to change enough as a person before he would actually benefit from trying to hold up one end of a romance, that when I try to picture him in a stable romantic situation I always kinda feel he'd need it to be with a new person he doesn't have history with, to hold him answerable to who he's been all this time. So Tim/OC????

That said, the recent issue giving us Overtones Of Timber has me on the ground. Like hell yeah, sure, why not Bernard.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Kon I guess? Honestly I like him best with his Young Justice squad, in its various forms. Tim Kon and Bart are reliably great, I still think their Young Justice reboot lost a lot by fucking all of them up right out the gate.

My unpopular opinion about this character

In a fun reversal from the previous two asks for this meme, I do know which opinions are unpopular about Tim, but in fact it's basically all of them. There are no positions on the subject of Tim Drake that won't piss someone off.

I am not gonna go seeking out the most inflammatory and/or bizarre thing I could say about this character egad.

I guess the one that's gotten me into the most conflict is that it is not and was not Tim's responsibility to make the relationship with Damian 'work.' And that the startlingly common attitude in both the comics and the fandom that Damian's behavior toward him those first years somehow couldn't be considered abusive and that Tim should have been able to either take it like a man or single-handedly deescalate it, simply because of their age difference, is fucked up.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

ONE.

...some unpacking of how he's internalized a really twisted definition of 'responsibility' and of how his parents and in particular his dad genuinely wronged him over an extended period, and he's allowed to have been harmed by it.

Like Tim has a whole thing about how he's not allowed to be traumatized by shit because worse things have always happened to other people (even though 'how objectively bad a thing was' isn't the primary factor controlling how bad the psychological damage is) and in Red Robin part of how his character was going so weird was he was finally giving himself permission to be damaged, and that could have developed in either a bad way (continuing that pattern of trauma validation through passive self-harm) or a good one (getting better at giving himself space to hurt and thus to heal).

But we never got to see the eventual outcome because Barry Allen destroyed the universe. Which, hey, DC sucks, it probably would have been a bad outcome anyway. But. Let the man grow up, huh?

#i actually almost went off in the shipping question about like #'maybe he could handle himself better in a triad relationship?'#'not exactly because the other two could do all the heavy emotional lifting because tim is perfectly willing to do that kind of work'#'just not on his own behalf so if there was a way for his own romance to consist of meddling with other people's--'#and then i realized i had intersected homestuck and did not write that paragraph #tim drake #ask meme #ask #character breakdown #hoc est meum #a nonny mouse

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phis-corner · 4 years

Text

demon’s daughter

I decided to re-open the taglist for this fic because I am sometimes a pushover, so now you can either ask or comment to be on the fic’s taglist or the permanent taglist!

Additionally, I have no consistent update schedule. My first draft is written by hand- I always like to stay two chapters ahead, so I posted this chapter when I finished copying chapter 5 into a Google Doc and proofreading.

Also, fun fact: I hate chocolate. My senses just do not like it at all. I also have a very sensitive tongue and can taste the barest hint of spiciness in foods, which also means I have zero spice tolerance whatsoever. As a Chinese-American with family in Sichuan, this means I get force-fed a lot of extremely spicy foods anyway.

Masterlist Chapter 1 Chapter 2 [Chapter 3] Chapter 4

“Why are you letting them stay? He tried to kill Dick!” Timothy points at Damian, who glowers at him from across the cave as Alfred stitches Richard’s cuts.

Marinette sighs. “Akhi was not trying to murder Richard. If you paid more attention, you would notice that all of Richard’s wounds are carefully placed in non-lethal areas meant to slow him down instead of severely injuring him.”

Batman does not say a word. He hasn’t spoken since Richard called him to verify their claims.

“They were raised as assassins, Timmy. It’s normal that they’d feel threatened a lot, and act accordingly. They’re family now. Give them a chance.” Richard replies, and Marinette blinks. She did not expect to have Richard defend them so easily.

“Pardon me,” She pipes up. “But ‘they’ are currently present.”

“Right. Sorry.” Richard has the sense to look guilty. Timothy just glares.

Damian squeezes her hand three times, their signal for I would like to leave. Marinette sighs as she exits the Batcave. Being accepted into the family is… a work in progress.

.o0o.

Slade is put into Blackgate not long after with the information Ubu gave after being interrogated by the Bats. Damian and Marinette were not allowed to go.

Too young, Richard had said. They had interpreted that as You cannot be trusted to keep him alive. He did make the right call though. Damian would have tried extremely hard had he gotten the chance.

Of course, the League did dispose of him not long after anyway, but it was the thought that counted.

Damian and Marinette spent their days in the Manor sparring, reading, or practicing their instruments. Richard, who seemed determined to bond with them, bought them both new sketchbooks, for Damian’s drawings and Marinette’s designs. She had discovered an affinity for clothing design while undercover on a mission, and had been designing ever since.

Cass (she insisted that they call her that instead of Cassandra,) was always happy to spar when asked, and although nobody ever defeated her, it was a welcomed challenge to fight someone who knew your every move, sometimes even before you did. Damian grudgingly admits she is a worthy sister, which makes Marinette smile and Cass beam.

Jason had his own home and only visited every once in a while, and Timothy was rarely seen. It didn’t help that Damian continued to make snarky comments whenever they did see him, but if Timothy was scarce, Father was practically nonexistent.

Since they came to the Manor, their father has said a total of two words to the both of them, and that was just their names when he exited his study as they passed by.

Marinette is determined to make her new family work, and so when she finds Timothy completely by accident, typing away on a laptop in one of the less-used rooms in the Manor, she takes a chance.

“You do know we are not trying to replace you, right?” She asks softly, sitting down in an armchair and deliberately not making eye contact with him.

Timothy snorts. “But is that not what you’re doing? Bruce chose to take in everyone else. I had to blackmail him into letting me be Robin. And then the biological kids show up, born and raised like fucking royalty, so who would care about Tim Drake? The little kid whose parents didn’t even want him and his neighbor only adopted him because he knew his most well-kept secret.”

“We have more in common than you think.” Marinette says quietly.

“Yeah, right.” Timothy laughs bitterly. “The Princess of the League-”

“I wasn’t.” Marinette interrupts.

“Huh? But-”

“I wasn’t the Princess.” Marinette keeps her voice calm with considerable effort. “As soon as I was born, Ra’s gave me over to Lady Shiva. He declared me unworthy because I was a girl, and I was raised as the lowest-ranked assassin. I may have been Shiva’s protege, but that just meant she went even harder on me. I did not know even my last name until after my first death when I was five. I did not properly meet my brother until last year. Ra’s decided that I could be acknowledged, but maintained his stance on feminine inferiority.”

She chuckles hollowly. “You fear being replaced by your father figure’s biological children, Timothy. But your fear is unwarranted. Bruce Wayne chose to adopt you, because he is a good man with copious amounts of generosity. However, it evidently does not extend to his biological children. Talia dumped us at Batman’s feet and left without another word, without looking back. And Father? We may have been a complete surprise, but he has said two words in total to us since that first night- our names. You need not worry, Timothy. You shall not be replaced.”

Marinette stands, her message conveyed, and pauses in the doorway of the room.

“Have a good afternoon, Timothy.”

The next day, Marinette and Damian watch on live television as their father is killed by Darkseid.

.o0o.

The funeral for Batman is somber. Everyone cries except for Marinette and Damian.

She thinks they should be crying, but Marinette simply didn’t know her father well enough to really mourn him. Damian squeezes her hand, and she squeezes back. The twins stand, faces carefully blank, shoulders straight and unmoving, like rocks in an ocean of tears.

Crime in Gotham runs rampant when they think Batman is gone, and so Richard becomes Batman out of necessity- and chooses her twin brother as his Robin.

Nobody else sees how it crushes Timothy, because Cass has left for Hong Kong, abandoning Batgirl and making her own identity as Black Bat. Jason is holed up in a safehouse somewhere, Richard and Damian are in their own little world as they prepare for their first patrol together, and Alfred needs time to mourn too.

So she finds herself knocking on the door to Timothy’s room, one hand holding a plate of sandwiches and a freshly brewed coffee because he hasn’t left his room since the funeral. Marinette quietly enters upon his muffled “Come in” and sets the plate down next to Timothy, whose eyes are red-rimmed and have even larger bags than normal, and yet he continues to work.

“I… noticed you have not come out to eat, so I brought some food and fresh coffee. Black.” She adds, after a moment of hesitation.

“Thanks.” Timothy mumbles, immediately going for the coffee. “Why are you doing this?”

Marinette shrugs. “Everyone else was caught up in their own situation and had issues to work through too. I am relatively unaffected by the circumstances and therefore my observation skills have not declined.” She says simply. “You should also eat. I will not stop you from drinking the coffee, but you cannot work on an empty stomach, either.”

He begrudgingly eats a sandwich, still typing away at his laptop all the while. Marinette notes the tension in his frame.

“Would you like to talk about it? I have read that venting is significantly better for one’s mental health than keeping it bottled up.” She offers.

Timothy suddenly slams the laptop shut, hard, but Marinette doesn’t flinch. The reaction was trained out of her a long time ago.

“It’s not- it’s- my entire life, I’ve been trying to prove myself. Robin was- Robin was special. I wasn’t the first Robin, but it was a reminder that I was worth something to someone, that I could do good and be useful. And then Bruce dies, Dick becomes Batman, and he just names Damian as his Robin like my opinion on the matter meant nothing, booting me out of the position, without any semblance of an explanation and-” He breaks off into sobs.

The sight of somebody crying makes Marinette more than a little awkward, because what is she doing? She doesn’t know how to comfort a crying person, but she does know that Timothy was touch-starved as a child. However, she isn’t the most touchy-feely person on the planet either, so she just settles for rubbing his back as he lets it all out.

Once he’s run out of tears, she silently hands him the tissue box she plucked from his desk.

“Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne, you are not worthless.” Marinette says sternly. “Nobody is worthless, and you are far from being anywhere near so. You are the cleverest and most intelligent of us all, a capable, quick-thinking strategist, and you have detective skills that rivaled Father’s. I believe Richard chose Damian as Robin because Robin is always supposed to be Batman’s sidekick. He is always taken under Batman’s wing because there are things he hasn’t learned, that Batman can teach him. Richard sees you as an equal, and therefore cannot keep you as his Robin because you have graduated the mantle. It is time you created a new identity and moved on. Do you have anything in mind?”

Timothy sniffs once. “Thank you. I really needed that. And as for the ideas,” He reaches over and pulls out a sketchbook, a smile spreading across his face. “I’ve got a few.”

.o0o.

They brainstorm ideas for almost three hours before Timothy falls asleep. Marinette easily carries his light frame to his bed and drapes a blanket over his shoulders before quietly exiting his room.

Thankfully, she managed to convince Timothy that the cowl was a terrible idea. Marinette returns to her own room for her sketchbook. Batman and Robin will have each other’s backs. But Red Hood works alone, leaving Red Robin with nobody to watch his back.

Timothy is Marinette’s brother too, and everyone else is headed into the field anyway. She, like Damian, also had the phrase ‘justice, not vengeance’ drilled into her head, and Richard had made sure to remind them daily to aim for non-lethal spots. Not that she planned on taking a life ever again anyway.

Marinette flips open her sketchbook to a bookmarked page and smiles. It seems that Starling would be making an appearance very soon.

.o0o.

It is almost time for Richard and Damian’s first patrol as Batman and Robin. Marinette heads downstairs to wish them well, but freezes at the sight of her twin in Timothy’s old suit.

“This is unacceptable!” She screeches, hurrying forward and looking pleadingly at Richard. “You cannot let akhi out into Gotham looking like a traffic light!”

Richard frowns, as does Damian. “But you never had a problem with Tim wearing it.”

“Tt. Timothy had little to no prior experience in combat before being trained as Robin. Damian has been trained to utilize the shadows in combat since birth. Wearing those bright colors will make him stand out and put him at a disadvantage.” Marinette tuts, already scribbling out a new design in her sketchbook.

“Then what do you suggest, ukhti?” Damian asks.

“I have a design in mind. The colors will stay, but the yellow and green will have to be significantly darker, and the red should be dulled as well. Sadly, you will have to wear that monstrosity tonight, but I can have the suit finished in time for patrol tomorrow, as will mine and Timothy’s new suits.” She replies, not glancing up from her book.

“What do you mean, Marinette?” Richard questions, and Marinette feels a tiny twinge of annoyance at how he handled telling Timothy about Robin.

“I mean that Timothy and I have crafted new identities as well. You did not expect him to just stop fighting crime, or for me to just sit at home while everyone else carried out Father’s mission, did you?”

Damian nods, a small smile pulling at his lips. “It will be nice to see you in the field too, ukhti.”

“What will your names be?” Richard prods curiously.

“I will not tell you just yet.” Marinette smirks. She shows her twin the finished design. “Does this look alright, akhi?”

“It looks wonderful, ukhti.” Damian replies. “Thank you.”

She sniffs. “Well, somebody had to fix the lack of fashion sense in this household eventually.”

.o0o.

Everyone else in the family may use capes, but Marinette decided that Richard’s Nightwing suit was by far the best because of its lack of one. Capes were long, heavy, a waste of fabric, and overall useless.

The Starling suit was primarily black, with a dark emerald mask covering the lower half of her face (because why carry a gas mask and rebreather when it can be built in?) with gloves and boots in the same color. A single silver star with curved sides was splayed on her chest, and a dark green utility belt rested on her waist. Her steel war fans had holsters strapped to her thighs.

All in all, the suit was built for the shadows. Marinette had learned to master slipping through the dark, unseen, and Gotham was the perfect place to utilize that. Starling would be nothing more than a ghost, a legend, if she had her way. After all, the less citizens knew, the less likely the information would hit the underworld, and that way, the vigilantes wouldn’t have all their cards out in the open.

Damian looks much better in his new suit as well, and Timothy is also grinning when he steps out of the male’s changing room. (A/N: the new 52 suit. I’m not letting him out of the Cave with that ugly cowl, or the traffic light costume with an extra R. Don’t even get me started on the Drake one.)

Richard, cowl still down, smiles as bright as the sun itself. “Good to see you, Robin. Tim, Marinette, can I ask your names?”

Timothy fastens his domino. “Red Robin.”

Marinette pulls her face mask up and curtsies with perfect posture. “Starling. I wish to work in the shadows, if that is alright.”

Richard puts on the cowl and becomes Batman. “You guys all look amazing.” He grins, and it is unsettling to see Batman smile. Oracle logs into the comms from the Clocktower.

“You all ready?”

They split the city in half. Red Robin and Starling take the North while Batman & Robin will cover the South.

Starling trails Red Robin from afar, leaping from building to building and only using her grappling hook when the distance is too great to close by foot. They stop four muggings and two attempted assaults, all without Starling being spotted. The criminals think they hit their head on the alley walls or each other instead of her fist from behind.

It’s almost three in the morning when Batman calls it quits and they return to the Cave, changing out of their suits and showering. They are somehow all unharmed, so Alfred sends them up to bed.

Damian and Marinette brush their teeth before climbing into bed and flipping off the lights.

“Tonight was actually quite enjoyable.” Marinette remarks. “It is a nice feeling, to know that you are helping people.”

Damian hums sleepily. “It is good to know that we are continuing Father’s legacy.”

Marinette smiles. “Yes, I suppose so.” She burrows deeper into her blankets. “Sleep well, akhi.”

“The same goes for you, ukhti.”

For once, Marinette doesn’t have a nightmare.

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#maribat #mlb x dc #demon's daughter au #my writing

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