#alfred is just so done with his family's nonsense

[emo-batboy]

Battinson being a complete child magnet.

He is so done with being a CEO with Responsibilities and would rather just hang out with his neighbors' kids and play with legos or color or some shit, and kids are incredibly perceptive to this.

They can tell when an Adult isn’t an Adult Adult. And Battinson is barely an Adult in any right. At best, he’s an angsty teenager in a 28yo body. So when they see him on the street looking like he would rather be watching cartoons than go to work at nine in the morning, they just run up to him and say, “Wanna see the chalk art I made?!” or “What’s your favorite animal? Mine’s a porcupine :)” and their parents do not understand why.

They just can’t grasp how every single child has decided that Bruce is their best friend. They try to stop their little rascals from walking up to Bruce Wayne who probably has places to be at any time of day, but Bruce just goes with it because of course he wants to see their chalk art. It’s better than going to Stupid Meetings.

He is happy to follow some random toddler who grabbed his hand and won’t stop babbling on about nonsense. Some kid wants him to join their tea party? Bruce is honored. He will never turn down the opportunity to play hide and seek with the family across the street.

Bruce gradually becomes the parent/older sibling/friend type for like every single child in Gotham. He is the Go To Babysitter for like half his block (but if we’re being honest, it’s really Alfred. Bruce is just the playmate yk?) Every kid at school is soooo jealous of Dick because his dad is that cool rich guy that buys everyone ice cream at the park and braids their hair on Career Day and will sneak them candy from the top shelf when their parents aren’t looking.

He just has that EnergyTM with kids. Bruce is not a guardian figure. He’s one of them. He’s their imaginary friend come to life. He is an Adult Child, and he has money to spend, and he knows exactly how they feel, and he is completely down to making a castle out of marshmallows instead of Doing Work.

Then one day, some middle schooler meets Batman, gets the exact same vibe from him, and goes, “Wait a minute.”

[gotham-daydreams]

Hi im so sorry if this has been asked before but in your not series, which i absolutely adore by the way, Since Alfred getting the batfam to see the videos and investigate is what kicked the batfam off on their yandere domino effect, what would have happened if y/n kept in contact with Alfred and only Alfred? Maybe giving him little updates, nothing that could really be tracked but enough to tell them how everything is going maybe like through letters with no return address or something. would he still have done what he did? Or would we still have something else to kick the batfam off on their yandere mode, or would they just never realize that the y/n was gone?

Hello!

Considering what happens in the series and everything- I'd say that Alfred still would try to get the Batfam to look for Y/n. Since, well, I'll let you on a tiny little secret; Y/n did sort of do something like that, but its gotten to a point where there is less 'character', and it's more to the point. It's almost as if Y/n is trying to further distance themselves from the family altogether, and I wonder why they'd go and do something like that 🤔

Though- for the sake of the ask, let's say that all of that has yet to happen, and Y/n has been pretty good about sending letters and such. Alfred would be happier than he is in the series, I'll say that much, but ultimately I think he'd still eventually send out the Batfam to look for Y/n.

This is because Alfred wants to talk with Y/n, and I think I may have mentioned this in another ask- but he basically doesn't want to have to further deal with this "one sided nonsense" as I believe I put it. With no return address, or really anything to go off of location wise- even if he did write something back (and he has), then there would be no way he could send it to Y/n. Not to mention that over the months Y/n has been gone did he get more... greedy as he began to miss them.

Yes the letters are nice, and he does deeply appreciate and love how they're trying to keep in contact with him and only him by using such means, but that ultimately isn't enough for him. He wants to talk with them too, he wants to communicate, and most of all- he just wants to see them again. (Which, that in itself includes a bit more than just simply seeing Y/n, but that's for later.)

He wants to be in their presence again, and just... bond and talk with them without the pen and paper. He wants things to go 'back to normal' in that way, since he doesn't necessarily care if Y/n stays in the manor or not (he does, but he can look past it under certain conditions), he just wants to see them. A want which can develop into an obsessive need- kind of like how it does in the series.

Really, the way to have a happy Alfred that won't send the fam after your ass, is to honestly just visit him once in a while. Which, in itself may be a bit hard if you don't like the Batfam, and aren't willing to even risk them seeing you in the slightest, or just generally aren't comfortable in the Manor at this point. But even if it's just helping him out a bit in the garden, or generally with outside work, or sneaking in just to snag a snack he left out, then he'll be a significantly happier camper that won't manipulate and guilt trip the rest of the family to come and bring you back home. Not right away, anyways.

Just make sure he doesn't ever know if you get hurt or something. Especially if you got hurt at home or because of someone close to you. The intention will hardly matter to Alfred, believe me. The happier you keep him, and watch what you say, the less likely it is that he'll begin to start looking for little things that he'll use as reasoning for kick starting the family acknowledging/worrying about you.

Overall, just through letters and essentially one sided conversations, yeah- Alfred will still basically kick start everything.

The little updates and such will be appreciated, and he'll be fine at first, but at some point he's going to get more greedy, and will want to see Y/n. The letters and such won't be enough, and even if he'll still hang onto them, he's too selfish to be fully content with them for long.

So, yeah! Everything still sort of goes down about the same way as the series! :]

I hope this answered your question!

[mathiwrites]

the lighthouse, an au fanfic where orm is raised alongside arthur on the surface

baby bruce makes an appearance!

Chapter 6 - Little League

“These are my sons, Arthur and Orm, and that is my wife, Lana.”

A steady hand presses against Arthur’s back, supportive as Tom introduces his family to the Waynes—the freaking Wayne family. Half the things he owns have their logo on it, or a subsidiary of their Enterprises. Still, he insists on being the one to treat them to lunch, once everyone is settled and he feels comfortable enough to leave them if only for a moment.

Atlanna hadn’t wanted to interact. What she wanted was to take her boys and bring them back inside. She wanted to lock the doors and make sure that their little world can never be disrupted. It had taken some convincing, soft-spoken words of reassurance from Tom. Thomas and Alfred had helped their boys, and their children are alright because of them.

Her compromise was this: she would stay in the waters and keep watch. She trusts her husband to guard their sons on land. 

Tom glances at her as she wades into the water, waist deep, and her long blonde hair trails behind her. She’s beautiful, but a deep part of him understands that she is equally terrifying. He loves her, and he mourns the part of her that cannot remember what it is like to be free. 

Someone must have said something, because he tunes back into the sound of Alfred repeating a question.

“Does any of your family have food allergies? I will fetch us lunch.”

“No, no fetching. Lunch is on me. I was just going to give everyone a minute to get comfortable with one another.”

He’s not sure if he can stop Alfred from being too nice and too helpful. The lifestyle of the Wayne family is so far from anything he’s ever known; he doesn’t know how to act around a butler? Tom had fought with him (not really) when the man insisted on finding and unfolding more beach chairs for them. Alfred has done enough. God, it was so much yelling. He deserves a raise and extra vacation days, and Tom had told Thomas as much. 

“Please, lunch is on us,” Thomas counters, and that is how the both of them begin a loop of arguing about who is buying lunch.

***

Arthur stares. He holds both of Orm’s hands while his brother dances on wobbly little legs. He hasn’t started walking yet, but Arthur knows it’s gonna be soon, and he knows he’s definitely not gonna miss it.

He blinks at the other boy, watching as his mother lathers him up with lots and lots, and lots of lotion.

“Do you want some,” the nice lady asks. “It’s sunscreen.” The staring must have tipped her off on his confusion.

“Why?”

His dad has never put sunscreen on him before. Lotion, yes, and it always smells like cupcakes or something cool like cucumbers, but never that much. It makes the other boy look like a ghost and he was already pretty pale.

“So you don’t burn from being under the sun too long.”

Oh. Oh, no. 

Arthur has never burned, but his little brother comes from another place. He looks at the bouncing baby, frowning at him. Orm might need sunscreen. He doesn’t want his brother to burn!

“Dad!” He shouts, and he catches the way the sunscreen-ed boy jumps at the sudden noise.

“Yeah?”

With everyone staring at him, Arthur feels shy. It’s not like when Gramma and his cousins stare; they watch because they know he’s up to some kind of nonsense. These are strangers, and he thinks they’re looking at him weird? They all look so surprised.

“Does Ormie need sunscreen?” He points at the boy and his mother.

Tom looks at Orm, then at Atlanna in the distance who dives beneath the water. He’s never seen her burn. If she has, she would have healed before he could notice. He ponders the risk, and figures that for a baby, there are some chances he doesn’t want to take. (Oh, and shit, he never put sunscreen on Arthur. Woops.)

“Sure, but not too much.”

Arthur nods and the nice lady helps him get settled with Orm on their beach towel. She squirts a tiny bit into Arthur’s palm, and he meticulously spreads it across Orm’s skin. Orm giggles, clapping his hands, and makes a grabby motion to be picked up.

“After,” Arthur promises. 

In the time he’s spent with his baby brother, there is one thing in the world Orm loves more than anything. Whenever Arthur holds him, Orm presses his ear against his chest, mooshing his cheek, and listens to the vibrations of his voice. He noticed  it when Orm would cry, and he would stop as soon as Arthur picked him up and started talking. When he would go quiet, Orm began to fuss again.

He tickles his little brother, and the boy screeches with happiness. 

“Seems like you’ve got everything under control,” the lady smiles at them. She leaves the bottle, just in case. “Be good, you can do this,” she encourages her son before joining the other adults.

The children sit together in awkward silence, waiting for someone to speak first.

“Hi,” says the boy.

“Hi,” Arthur answers.

Silence slips in between them again as Arthur rubs his brother’s arms. He’s very focused on the task, but he’s also very distracted in squishing Orm. Orm is very squishable.

“I’m Arthur,” he finally says because the silence was… weird. “This is Orm. He’s a baby.”

“I can see that.”

Well, this boy isn’t a good conversation-maker. Arthur knows that much.

“I’m Bruce,” he finally says.

Arthur whips his head around, bug-eyed and grinning at Bruce. “Did you say Bruce? Like Bruce the shark? ” He turns to Orm and picks him up, turning him to face their new friend. “Lookit, Ormie! Fish are friends! Not food!”

Bruce has no idea what’s happening, and he makes a face at the child being shoved into his face. Is he… supposed to take it? He figures he’ll be told if he has to do anything, but the baby is covered in lotion, sand and drool. He makes a motion with his hands, as if to rid himself of imaginary dirt.

“It’s Nemo!”

Orm mimics the cadence of ‘ne-mo’, gurgling happily. Nemo is a staple at the curry household. They even have a clownfish onesie for Orm and a very cool turtle shirt for Arthur.

Bruce gives Arthur a blank expression.

“Just keep swimming!” 

(And Orm flails his arms to show that he can swim, too.)

None of the quotes stir anything in Bruce, he hasn’t actually seen Finding Nemo. He does make a note to watch it when he gets home. The talk of swimming does pique his curiosity. The… incident shook him. He’d worried that his father would get hurt or something would happen to Alfred. Yelling is harmless, but it is also the precursor to violence, he thinks.

“Were you really going to let your brother drown?”

That’s what the woman had intervened for, wasn’t it?

“Huuuuuuuh? ” Arthur says, confused and loud (but that’s par for the course). He giggles and lets Orm use him as a support to stand up. Orm bends his knees and bounces again, dancing to a silent rhythm in hopes of finding balance. “That could never happen!”

“His face was under water.”

“Yeah, that’s ‘posed to happen.”

“For a long time.”

“Yes.”

Bruce makes a frustrated sound. “You die if you can’t breathe.”

“Nuh, not us.”

“Not underwater.”

“We can!”

The Wayne boy glares at Arthur, slowly losing his nerve. “Why are you lying!”

“I’m not!”

The children argue between themselves and Orm tumbles against Arthur. He begins to cry. Apologies are exchanged between the parents, and though their first instincts are to intervene, they ultimately decide that it’s better for the boys to learn and work things out. Neither Bruce nor Arthur are used to new situations outside of their little bubbles; Bruce lives behind his family’s protection and Arthur only knows the abundance of his father’s family and community, nothing beyond it for his own safety.

“Okay, well, come and watch me swim, you knowitdall!”

Arthur hauls Orm into his arms, but Orm doesn’t want to be carried now. He wants to walk, so it’s a very slow, but determined toddle towards the water. Yeah, they’ll show Bruce. 

Orm takes one wobbly step at a time.

“Careful,” Bruce warns, brow furrowing as he walks alongside them, holding his hands out in case the baby falls. Orm misunderstands the extended hand and thinks it's an offer for more support. Innocent and determined, Orm wraps his little fingers around Bruce’s hand. 

“Oh.”

Arthur thinks to tell Bruce that he knows how to take care of his brother, but Bruce is experiencing the wonder that is baby Orm. It’s pretty cool, becoming a chosen one to the cutest baby on land and in the sea. He grins, forgetting why they were arguing in the first place.

Bruce is gentle with Orm, making sure not to squeeze his hand too tightly. As soon as they walk into the water, he’s the only one that flinches at the cold. The other two seem unbothered. Orm’s hand slips from his, and he tries to hold on, but the baby disappears underwater. He panics, trying to hold onto him, but he’s nimble and moves like no human he’s ever seen. Orm disappears under the water, and a moment later, he pops up out of the water into his mother’s arms, further down the beach.

“I told you.” Arthur smirks at him, a little too satisfied at his victory.

“That’s—That’s not possible!”

“It is,” he motions at his brother and his mother.

Bruce stumbles backwards, landing in the water. His gray eyes are wide with surprise; mermaids aren’t real and yet. He looks at Arthur, stunning. “Can you do that too?”

“Yup,” he grins, popping the ‘p’.

“Whoa, that’s awesome.”

“Yeah!” But Bruce hasn’t seen anything yet. Arthur gives into the water, too, and shows Bruce all the tricks he knows. What better way to make friends than to put on a water show?

Bruce is content to sit in the shallows, watching with fascination. His introverted nature makes him a perfect audience for Arthur’s shenanigans, and now that their misunderstanding has been cleared, their personalities complement one another greatly.

They end up playing in the sand together, building castles. Orm eventually comes back, crawling out of the water to see what his brother(s) are doing.

“This is pretty,” Bruce holds out a small shell.

“Pudit-back,” Arthur frowns. When Bruce looks at him confused, he sighs and explains. “Someone lives there.”

Right on cue, a little hermit crab pops up to say hello.

“That’s Shelldon.”

“Right, sorry.” Bruce sets it down with another muttered apology. 

He’s mostly silent in their playing, happy to let Arthur make all the sound effects. Orm joins in too, copying Arthur. When he speaks, it’s after a lot of thought. He makes sure that it’s purposeful, a belief that his parents have ingrained in him as a child. It’s important to understand his impact on people, whether it’s individuals or entire demographics. It’s also a lot for a child to think about, but he’s not any child. He is a Wayne. 

“Do you want to be pen pals?”

“What’sa penpal?” Arthur asks, pushing his longish hair out of his face.

“We would write to each other, since we live far from each other. It’s how we stay friends.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll send you sand.”

“Alright,” Bruce smiles. He’s looking forward to Arthur’s letters, and he hasn’t even left yet.

[sevicia]

2022 Batcat has very strong "I can fix him" vibes but I'm gonna be honest here I don't think he deserves her. Not rn at least cause Selina is 100% the most emotionally mature & responsible person in the entire movie with only like. Alfred & Ms. Reál behind her. & Bruce is literally a BRAT, he's insanely sheltered, ignorant and selfish through most of the movie and starts only becoming more aware of, like, everything? towards the end. There is a LOT of work 2 be done there & Selina's already dealing w/ enough shit on her own to be worrying about a grown man in a batsuit.

Also I do think it's interesting how the two main ships 2 come out of this movie (Riddlebat & Batcat) run in completely opposite directions. Selina could "fix" Bruce, but Bruce and Edward could only make each other worse.

Selina might've had her mom til she was 7 (iirc) & her piece of shit dad only dies after she's into her (mid?) 20s, but she DOES have a similar background to Edward's in that they both grew up without a stable, "normal" family, and had a very poor economic situation their whole lives. I do want to know more about her past REAL BAD cause we got the Year One comics for Edward that let us know he'd been bullied his whole life besides also growing up in the orphanage which was just... not ideal to say the least, but we still don't know much (or AS much) about Selina.

From what we see in the movie I think it's pretty obvious that Selina had to "toughen up" from a very young age: she knows how to handle herself, how to protect herself, and tries her best to do the same for those she cares about. The grudge she holds against Falcone is absolutely justified, and so is the fact that she all but jumps onto the one chance she had to kill him.

(Sidenote: I do like how Bruce's reasoning went from "You'll be just like him" (most sheltered statement ever) to "You've paid enough" (makes more sense and ACTUALLY shows some care for her as a person rather than for some broad, flimsy sense of justice.))

But on Edward's side, we have the fact that he never had someone in particular to direct all of his rage and despair to, leading him to hate and berate himself. Once he learned there WAS a reason that caused his life to be so horrible, rather than some divine, nonsensical punishment aimed towards him specifically, his hatred turned outwards into a far more broad direction than Selina's, causing him to all but lose his mind and start planning.

Selina is aware of the corruption in Gotham, but she doesn't have the detailed knowledge that Edward has (due to his job giving him the chance to find out), and still says at one point that she agrees with what Edward is doing (even if nothing is mentioned about the *way* he's doing it), which to me means that she's the kind of person who's just trying to survive and is just not able to fully dedicate herself to making a change and has become disillusioned with the city as a whole, which is evident during the talk she has with Bruce before they go their separate ways.

She HAS things to care about, and this sounds rude because I really don't know how else to put it, but she also has "a life" unlike Edward, who is always alone, chasing a purpose that only destroys him in the end. Him being ND plays a huge part in this; his already lacking social skills are only made worse by his environment, making his chronic loneliness straight up DEADLY.

I feel like I'm talking in circles BUT what I really mean is that I think the difference between Edward and Selina boils down to their ability to form relationships. Edward has been unable to do so his whole life, making him spiral, but Selina IS able to connect with others, and this "saves" her in a way. It gives her concrete goals and, more importantly, reasons to live, while also being the cause of her overall maturity and ability to go through tough times (because they WERE), and still not lose sight of herself.

Bruce and Edward both grew up lonely. Bruce because of his trauma*, and Edward because of his neurodivergency. Selina, on the other hand, shows MUCH better social skills and adjustment than both of them throughout the movie (I do think she had to grow up way too fast to survive, when she shouldn't have had to).

I just realized this post is long as fuuuck and borderline incomprehensible and I don't even know how 2 end it I'm sorry everyone.... I'm just spinning them around inside my head.

Also I just gotta say I think her and Edward could've been really good friends if they met as children, but that's another thing & also just a headcanon. But yeah. Let her catch a break. Basically.

*: I do think there's a strong argument you could make for Bruce being ND as well, but I'm also factoring in his economic status since it would've allowed him to receive help/therapy for improving his social skills while Edward never had that option.

[dairy-farmer]

i kinda think about what would happen if everyone saw tim in civilian!au. like, SAW him in all his fucked up, equally-possessive glory. Something puts bruce in danger, and the next day he's returned to the manor and all the perpetrators are oddly afraid of lace, kitchen knives, and barbed wire.

tim in the civilian au is in a really unique position because at the start of the relationship with bruce there's almost this kind of...condescending infantilization of him by bruce's family, friends, and the media? it's widely assumed that tim was taken advantage of and if he wasn't then that he was a gold digger (thought that interpretation isn't all too common). tim is viewed as just sort of this kid who has more or less been tricked or seduced by bruce in marrying him and everything. the fact that tim was bruce's secretary on top of it also adds to the perception that tim was someone subservient that was taken advantage of. but the thing is that in reality, tim is crazy- he's the perfect kind of crazy for bruce. the two of them mirror each other and reflect each other and click together like two pieces of a puzzle. the civilian au has bruce and tim both finding complete fulfillment and peace in the other. they're like that greek myth where everyone in the world were origionally two pieces of a whole until they were all split up and damned to search the world for their other half. that's bruce and tim. and they found each other.

the idea of someone seeking a peek of this hyperpossesiveness of tim's means that someone royally fucked up BAD because tim is happy and content being a sweetly knocked up little mommy and wife to bruce. his life is finally complete so you can bet that he would be horribly upset to know that some greaseball accountant made a deal with some low life mobsters to ransom bruce for money.

tim is pregnant, he has a nursing baby and several young children to worry about and the police know that. they rest of the bats know that as well. and so they do what they've done since the moment they heard about tim. they underestimate him.

no one's keeping an eye on the frightened wife who's caring for their gaggle of children and stress baking while police set up in the living room, bugging all the phones in case the ransom callers call again because they decided to be fucking amateurs and broadcast their call to reveal their plan.

tim has good children, his sweet babies all love making their mommy so when he tells them it's very important that they behave and not tell anyone mommy went out the back door they do it.

tim is not an intimidating figure. he's small, he's soft, his hands are like velvet and unbroken from a single day of hard work. he's a little chubby around the cheeks and now that he's a few months along, very slow.

but tim dresses in his nicest day dress, slips on a pair of white driving gloves with lace hemmings, and quietly hides one of alfred sharpest kitchen knives in the glove compartment.

tim is smart and he loves his family a lot. he knows that a bunch of thugs won't be intimidated by him so he has to be careful.

it's sort of mixed account from the various wannabe mobsters when they're found with various cuts and bruises balancing on barbed wire fences that keep giving them new wounds. they're trapped there by a pack of wild dogs that the gcpd needs to call in specialized groups in animal control to take care of.

some thugs argue that they'd been trapped there for hours, other insist it was days. the stress and lack of food or water has the gcpd dismissing outlandish claims that the dogs were lured by someone feeding them scraps of their chopped up family members from a bag. the thug insists it's true because the plastic bag the meat was in had the logo of his family's deli.

it's likely delirium because all family members are healthy and accounted for.

the thugs talk nonsense about the walls talking to them, about white lace gloves peeling off their skin and feeding it to the dogs, of the fence bending and warping and threatening to tip over and feed them toe the foaming mouthes of the monsters below.

the thugs are confused, near hysterical, they're ghost white and sweating buckets, they flinch at every movement and their eyes dart to corners like the're waiting for someone there.

when they're taken to the hospital it's found that they have very light fear gas poisoning though there's nothing in their lungs but a quick gastroscopy reveals that it was something ingested. too mushed up to be clear but mostl likely some kind of baked good.

the thugs have their stomachs pumped and are miserable for days before being booked and shipped off to cells until their trial which will be clear-cut given that bruce wayne walked home and reported about how he'd been able to walk straight out when the thugs had cleared the warehouse.

it's a happy family reunion.

no one ever suspects tim of anything and with bruce home no one presses the matter beyond a disbelieving headshake at the thought of fear gas cookies.

really what is gotham coming to that you can't trust the innocent tray of chocolate chip cookies left at your doorstep by a kind stranger. or that most delis won't even fully butcher your meat anymore forcing housewives and homemakers to bring out their own kitchen knives and cutting boards to do it in a back alley which may hold the consequence of attracting the local alley dog population which are so half starved they'll follow a kind stranger all the way across town like they're the pied piper.

no one ever suspects a thing.

except for bruce who recognized an orange blossom perfume at the entrance to the warehouse, sprayed around the door arch like a calling card.

but bruce doesn't say anything. he just tugs tim in for a kiss and caresses him with every bit of adoration he can.

[pocketramblr]

An au where for some reason or another ttim fakes his death after Robin or runs away cause to him his job to done he helped batman move past his grief from Jason and the batfam have to track him down

Lol I love fics that use Tim feeling more like a temporary employee in a family business more than an actual son.

1- no, Tim is not too smart to do this. Case in similar point, the fake uncle thing. Tim has been here to help keep Batman together, and now he sees Bruce lighter, working together better with his family. He's got Cass now, and Dick, and Babs and Alfred. He's used to really protecting Gotham on his own, when Robin is with YJ. He's even trying to figure out this whole Jason alive thing. So now Robin can quit.

2- Tim figures he doesn't need to put in two weeks notice because New Jersey is an at-will state. He is however strategic about how he goes about leaving, since a sudden Robin disappearance could be a bad shock to Gotham's system and he doesn't want to not say bye to his friends. He tells YJ that he'll be on a family trip for a while. He leaves his Robin suit behind, with all his tech, and his too-risky to carry as a civilian phone, and a note... While B was in space on a mission

3- he lives on his own, in a safer but not great part of Gotham. He skateboards to his new school where he joined the yearbook club to get practice taking pictures, he meets up with Ives and Bernard on the weekends, he gets a part time job at a 24 hr breakfast joint-

Where he sees Steph. Who is, in this AU, in her "Batman Faked My Death To Protect Me Era"

They have a lot to catch up with each other on.

4- the Batfam has been looking for him since B got back and found the note, and they're getting closer. Tim feels watched, and Steph feels the same. Worried it's someone after them because of their old connection to Wayne or Black Mask or something, they ditch their current location- and phones- and move again just to be safe.

Tim's phone on the table rings with a call from Bruce fourty seconds after he closes the apartment door for the last time. Twelve minutes later, Cass beats B inside to find no one there.

5- it is, because of course you must maximize drama in comic aus, Jason who finds Tim and Steph first.

He demands to know "Why Dickhead thought I kidnapped you a month ago and Oracle's been stalking me more than normal?" then immediately realizes he recognizes Steph, who gets a fist bump for messing with Black Mask. Then he asks "Wait, hold on, is this an elopement? Did you elope? Because I'll support it to mess with Bats, but Brown, really, you could do so much better."

After Steph agrees and assures that's not what this is, Tim explains that he quit being Robin because B was better, and he had no idea they were looking for him.

Jason "I did not die for this" Todd does not compute. Tim's further attempts to explain just frustrate him more, so he just tosses a phone he knows Babs has tapped and tells him to explain that himself, then walks out to go home and enjoy some beer and book and not deal with this family nonsense.

[koolkat9]

7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 41, 42

Hey babe, Hetalia ask game dropped!

7. Food-related headcanon? (im hungry)

Afonso has been giving lessons to Arthur on how to cook. Because Arthur is tired of relying on other's for proper food.

Alternatively, Arthur's significant other making meals for him that he can heat up over the week when they're apart so he doesn't starve.

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10. How long have you been in the fandom? What's your lore?

I've been in the fandom I think about six years? I got into it winter of 2016. Basically I watched a top 10 video regarding anime Christmas episodes and the concept sounded interesting so I added it to my watch list. I actually almost dropped the series 3 episodes in because I was watch the dub and certain jokes rubbed me the wrong way, but I'm glad I came back.

As problematic as the early content was its a series I deeply love and owe a lot to. And its a rare case where no one really cares about canon and the fandom has been able to make it something beyond just canon and I think that's beautiful.

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11. What book gets you daydreaming about Hetalia?

Hmm...Books don't really get me thinking about hetalia tbh.

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12. What film gets you daydreaming about Hetalia?

Hmm, I'd have to go with either Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or Treasure Planet.

Chitty Chitty Bang Band has GerEng written all over it. Arthur as Caractacus Potts, inventor and single father working hard to give his kid(s) the world. Ludwig as Truly Scrumptious, heir to a big candy company and a non-nonsense person who ends up running into the little Potts' family and coming along on an adventure in their flying car. I've literally casted the whole thing and picture the musical numbers casted as the hetalia characters.

Tresure Planet is perfect Atlantic bros au. Alfred as Jim Hawkins, a troubled kid who comes to possess the map to the elusive Treasure Planet. Arthur as Long John Silver, feared pirate captain who disguises himself and his crew to get onto the crew embarking to Treasure Planet. In the process however he grows close to Al/Jim and they develop something of a father-son relationship with Silver/Arthur being one of the first people to see Jim/Al's potential. Great for angst and sweet moments. Also pirate Arthur my beloved + steampunk like aesthetes.

---

13. What song gets you daydreaming about Hetalia?

Hmm...There are so many. But one of my favourites is "Doll on a Music Box" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Because I love imaging GerEng disguised as dolls and doing the duet at the end.

Also almost any Beatles songs, specifically from the Sgt. Pepper album makes me thinking of GerEng and just them being cute listening to records together and going to concerts. But "Maratha my Dear" gives me a particular images of Ludwig singing it but replacing 'Martha' with 'Arthur.' And Arthur is jus so smitten.

---

41. Something positive the Hetalia fandom has done for your life?

Finally made me realize just how much I love writing. If it weren't for fanfiction writing, I don't know if I would have gone down the route of Creative Writing for University.

---

42. Any Hetalia merch (og or fan-made) rave-worthy?

The Alice Merch standees I got. My most valued piece of merch because I love how you can so easily turn that au into GerEng.

I also have a sticker of pixel GerEng for my computer that I just got.

Lastly, my hetalia shirt from hottopic. I don't know it makes me feeling much more comfortable wearing it. Probably because Hetalia is a big comfort for me.

[ego-meliorem-esse]

Wow it's the fashion disaster man himself, Francis needs-therapy Bonnefoy

A few headcanons about my favourite fictional Frenchman.

Appearance, Fashion and Demeanor:

Clear blue almond shaped eyes. Long light-brown eyelashes. Well-kept eyebrows. Narrow, slightly roman-like nose. Not really thin, but definitely not full lips. Square jaw with high cheekbones. Most of the time has a stubble. Spotless face in general! Generally, just looks like a straight-up model. Though you can definitely see the age on his face. Francis definitely doesn't look younger than at least 40. And that's on a good day!

Truly beautiful man!

His looks are a big deal to him. (Though we knew that of course) Francis finds beauty in everything and everyone, regardless of their outward appearance. He is, however, very strict when it comes to himself. He has a strict skin care and hair care routine. Francis is one of those people who detest when people use the 'Head and Shoulders 5 in 1' shampoo. Being naturally lean, he doesn't work out regularly. Although he has a full on workout routine, he hates the feeling of sweating and often has to talk himself into actually working out.

You bet he plans his clothes ahead of time! Francis never just puts clothes on. He wears them. He is a slave to the latest trends. Very active on Instagram too. Takes too many selfies and full-body shots. Instagram fuels his narcissism.

Francis is half of the time surrounded by people, and the other half he spends alone with his existential crises. Loves people, but needs to spend some time alone before he can enter society again. The majority of his isolation is spent by painting, overthinking and general brooding.

Family and Friends:

Oh boy, don't let me start with friends and family…

Francis is a great friend. He will go out of his way to make someone happy. His best quality is that, while he sees beauty in everyone, he also sees their flaws but can reason through them and learn to love them just as much. That being said, he is a petty french bitch. A sappy, depressed and self-centered bastard. He truly can hold on to grudges. It's his specialty.

Francis today is on very good terms with Ludwig. Since Germany and France are allies today, Francis and Ludwig spend a lot of time in each others company. Ludwig is very easy to talk to. He is a great listener and Francis needs exactly that. Someone who will listen to his rants. To a certain degree Francis still wants to hate Ludwig for what his country has done during both world wars (he still holds a grudge, it's just that he forgets that sometimes), but he finds it exceedingly hard to do so these days. Whenever Francis has his 'i-isolate-myself-from-the-world-because-the-world-is-shit-and-we-all-die' phase where he sits in his bathtub with a glass of wine in his hand, Ludwig is the one pulling up a chair and listening to his philosophical bullshit.

Not surprisingly, Francis is not a family man. He tried to be during the time he had control over the North American colonies (Canada). He loved little Mathieu with all his heart. He truly did. But. The 17th and 18th century was a time when Francis was occupied with a lot more than just Canada. I believe that at that time he would be living in Versailles (at least 1/3 of the time) with all the other nobles. It's where he would have conducted his business, where he threw lavish parties, showed off his affluence... All of this to say that his paternal duties weren't his primary concern. Especially since Canada wasn't as profitable for the French throne as previously thought. Of course, he wasn't indifferent to having little Mathieu taken from him after the war, but he really wasn't sad to the point of crying like other fathers would for their child. I believe that regret came very late for Francis, when Matt grew up. But that is a story for another post lol

When it comes to Alfred and Francis' relationship, I don't see Francis as his new father at all. Alfred sent a big 'fuck you' to Arthur and definitely disowned himself from the Kirkland legacy, but he didn't think of Francis as family. Maybe a cool uncle (rich wine aunt more likely)…

If there is anyone Francis will ask for help with new tech, it's our golden retriever himbo boy Alfred.

Unlike his clear fondness for Alfred, his relationship with that rat man, Arthur, is on another level. I very much like those two old men. Pure unfiltered hatred on one hand and understanding and companionship on the other. I mean, Chefs kiss!

In conclusion, Francis is one of my favourite characters and I would simultaneously die for this man AND run this man over with my Honda Civic at any given opportunity.

(I have so much more to say about this character, but this post is getting too long, and I don't want to keep rambling nonsense that just randomly pops into my head...)

[stxleslyds]

Has Jason met the Flashpoint Universe's Thomas Wayne? Like, actually spoken with him or voiced an opinion on the guy? If not, how do you envision their interactions?

Hello friend! I really like your questions; they make me read new stuff!

To answer your first question, nope, Jason Todd from main continuity hasn’t met Thomas Wayne from flashpoint! The only issue in which they “appear together” is Batman (2016) #71, but Jason only appears there when Barbara calls him so he can team up with the “Batfamily” to help Bruce. And that’s where this iconic Jason panel comes from!

Now, as a little heads up, I haven’t read flashpoint but I have done my research on Thomas Wayne’s story in Flashpoint. What I have read, though, is Batman vol.3 issues, 21, 22, 50, 58, 60, 69, 71-77, 80-85. I read that to answer this question Batman is not necessarily a book that I follow, from those I think I had previously read four or five issues.

("City of Bane" was so boring, confusing and stretched out too long. It would have been an easier read if Tom King stopped writing everything in pauses, I really don’t know how to explain it, but between that and the “Bat” “Cat” stuff I was ready to cry).

But because I read all that and did my research on Thomas Wayne, I believe I can give a pretty solid answer to your other question, “If not, how do you envision their interactions?”

I think Jason’s first impression of Flashpoint Thomas Wayne would have been, “I now understand why Bruce is so scared of killing the Joker, he just won’t be capable to handle himself and go on a killing spree. Suppose being not strong-willed runs in their blood”

Then as time passes by and he gets a glimpse at Thomas’ actions in main continuity I think that Jason would have reached the conclusion that Thomas was pathetic, crazy and dangerous. I can really see Jason writing down Thomas’ name in his own “to kill” list.

I really don’t think they could have gotten along from the very start. Yes, they both kill criminals but Thomas is deranged compared to Jason as he is now. (I will be talking about Jason as if he were a solid mix between UtRH and RHatO Jason).

Jason kills criminals such as drug dealers that sell drugs to children, rapists, people who work for the wrong kind of people and monsters, or things like the Untitled. Thomas on the other hand kills every kind of criminal, and sometimes he thinks that killing innocents and children is a means to an end.

In the Batman run, Thomas wasn’t happy about Bane killing Alfred but those were the rules, basically, he stepped aside from protecting Alfred because Bane had set a rule that said that if any of the Bat-People stepped foot in Gotham Alfred would be killed, and Damian went to Gotham so Thomas was like “oh well, time for Alfred to die, I guess”. After Alfred was killed by Bane, Thomas took Damian hostage and decided to use him as leverage now that Alfred was dead.

Thomas was nasty. But, I kinda started explaining Thomas’ thinking process from a weird place, so let me give you a little context if you haven’t read this arc.

Thomas Wayne is the Batman from Flashpoint. Flashpoint isn’t another universe, it is like a re-written main continuity universe so that Thomas is main continuity Bruce’s real father. How are they both in main continuity? Flash and Reverse Flash nonsense, I am not a Flash person so that’s the best way I can explain it. Reverse Flash and Flash did something weird and Thomas ended up in main continuity after they deleted the Flashpoint “timeline”.

Thomas Wayne asked Bruce while they were both in Flashpoint that he stopped being Batman, he told Bruce to find happiness and leave Batman behind because it would only bring him pain and suffering. (Batman vol.3 #22)

When Thomas Wayne woke up in main continuity, he got to see Bruce proposing to Selina, and going on a double date with Selina, Lois and Clark. But he also got to see that Bruce and Selina didn’t get married. That was what made Thomas Wayne go to Bane so he could help him break Bruce’s mind so Bruce finally let Batman go.

Yeah, Thomas really thought that the best way he could make his son give up the vigilante life was by helping Bane take over Gotham and breaking Bruce’s mental stability (or whatever he has left of it).

By helping Bane take over Gotham, Thomas was actually working with people like Joker, Riddler, Scarecrow and other villains. So, from that alone Jason would have been like “Who the hell is this guy and how can I kill him before Gotham falls apart?”.

I have to be honest though, I am really happy that Tom King didn’t include Jason in this stupid story, it just wouldn’t have made sense because even though Gotham was falling apart and villains were roaming free and terrorizing Gotham’s people, King actually made the “Batfamily” fight only for Alfred (who was already dead) and then they all got beat by Thomas. Tom King never made anyone care for Gotham itself, and no, I am not counting Selina and Bruce because those two were fucking and having drinks while Gotham fell apart, they only showed up at the very last second.

But your question wasn’t about my thoughts on this dumb story, it was about Jason and Thomas interacting. Well, I think that if Tom King had invited Jason to this party, he would have shot Thomas without hesitation and then would have told the “Batfamily” to get their shit together because Gotham’s people were suffering while everyone was looking away.

Thomas was working with Bane and letting Gotham’s rouges do whatever they wanted, Jason would have killed Thomas instantly! There would have been no talking, no “What are your thoughts on the Joker being alive after he killed me that one time? Do you think Bruce was right?”, Jason would have wasted no time on that because he would have seen his city fall apart at the hands of Thomas and Bane AND Bruce’s negligence. Oh, yeah, I blame Bruce too, I can’t really help myself, I hate that guy.

So, that’s what I think Jason would have done if he got to interact with Flashpoint Thomas Wayne.

Now, there was one thing in Thomas’ whole speech and idea that I kinda thought UtRH Jason (mostly) would have agreed on.

“All of you. He made you. Children fighting for him. An addict spreading his poison. Trying to make himself seem normal”.

Alright, Thomas, I hear you, you are one crazy mf but I see your point! That’s what I think and what I think Jason would have thought if he heard him say that but he would have killed Thomas anyways. Thomas really fits among the type of people that both UtRH and RHatO Jason would kill, so even if he kinda agreed with that statement Thomas would have been done for, no hesitation.

I wish I could have come up with something else but really, I don’t see Jason ever agreeing with Thomas’ ideals as a whole. While Thomas’ initial motivation to kill was to avenge his son then he went on a path of pure destruction, killing just to kill, and that has never been Jason (Battle for the Cowl and Batman and Robin vol.2, I don’t know them), in UtRH he expressed his desire for Bruce to kill Joker but he also said that he didn’t want Bruce to go on a killing spree, that wasn’t going to solve anything! No matter what Zdarsky tried to tell us with his two interpretations of Bruce and Jason’s perfect worlds, Jason has never wanted Bruce to kill every one of his rouges so then they can become a happy family.

That’s just an obscene lie. Jason knows better than everyone else that Gotham is corrupt beyond salvation and that killing Batman’s rogue gallery won’t solve Gotham’s problems. If it were that easy Jason would have done that a long time ago.

Anyway, I hope this isn’t a lame answer, I just don’t think that Jason would want to see or hear more about Thomas in general.

Thank you for the ask! I hope you had a great day!

[xenolithium]

France & America, father/son HCs:

Francis visits Alfred's place whenever he damn well feels like it. He uses these surprise visits to check on Al's well-being. See if he's eating well, sleeping well, not overworking himself. The usual fatherly duties, amongst other things.

Like snooping through all his belongings and criticizing his sense of style, as he sneakily replaces some of Alfred's clothes with more acceptable options.

During these visits, they'll always go out and do things around Alfred's home together. Usually it ends up on social media somehow, as they post pictures of their valuable family time. (Arthur gets a bit envious of this. Since he desperately wants time like that with Alfred.)

Pictures ranging from goofy selfies, to heartfelt snuggles.

These two are very close despite what others might believe. Al has no problem with Francis coming over like he owns the place, unlike Matthew who very much prefers the comfort blanket that is his privacy. And Francis takes full advantage of that. It makes him incredibly happy to have this kind of close relationship with Al and to know that he trusts him enough to talk to him about his more sensitive issues.

Francis spoils the hell out of Al. Whether it's through gifts, kisses or time spent together. He is the kind of parent that has so much love to give and Al is the kind of child that absorbs that shit like a sponge.

Franny is an amazing cook. Al always has something good to stuff into his face hole whenever he's having a tough go. Francis makes the best comfort foods.

Those quiet moments between them, when Fran cuddles up next to Al and simply sits there without saying anything. Just sipping on his glass of wine and enjoying each other's company. Maybe even the soft trickling of rain outside.

"I remember when you were a little kid, you and Matthew-" Al cuts him off with a blush. No more embarrassing stories! Even if Francis finds them adorable.

They're both very extroverted, so chatting up a storm when they're around each other is as easy as breathing.

Francis is very in tune with his emotions and listening to others feelings, Al struggles with his own. It's nice to have a safe place to open up.

When Francis isn't visiting, he calls and texts Alfred multiple times a day (Matthew has given him a different ring tone just to avoid him sometimes.) Checking in on how he's doing, giving him the latest gossip, then talking his ear off about utter nonsense for a good hour or two. (Do you see why Matt is done with his shit?)

Father's Day is the best day for Franny. (And Arthur)

Francis legit cried the first time Al called him "papa." It's not something he uses all the time though, it's more something he calls Francis in private. It really cements it in Al's mind that they're family and it's a warm fuzzy feeling to know that.

Francis prides himself on being the first to wish Al a happy birthday. And also the one who gets him the best present. Suck it, Arthur.

Holidays are best spent at Francis' place. He plans so much for their get togethers. Even casual ones.

Fran greets Alfred at every world meeting with a kiss on the cheek. It's been a whole three days since he's last seen him afterall. That's way too long.

Francis has photos of his kids all over his house and no one can stop him. He just keeps adding to the collection.

[goggles-mcgee]

Can we have some head canons from Wish Me Away? Baby!Marinette sounds absolutely adorable!

Of course!

• The first person to find Marinette is Titus and at first Tikki and Plagg freak out but baby Marinette is all smiles and just happily rushes over to the "chiot (puppy)" as she keeps repeating

• Titus looks at this tiny human and just is like, ah yes she is tiny family. Must bring to Damian. Which he does by picking her up by the back of her onsie gently and taking her to down to the Batcave where he knows the family and Damian is.

• Tikki and Plagg of course go along after insuring that the Miracle Box is hidden somewhere safe and that Marinette is in no actual danger with the giant dog.

• Damian just hears Titus's footsteps and turns around to greet his dog but freezes when he sees the tiny infant in his dogs jaw. He literally doesn't know how to react other than to stare until finally he punches his father on the arm and angrily point at Marinette. "Father! Another? I thought I was the last one!"

• Bruce turns at that and is just as, if not more, confused as he take in the sight of the baby that is being put down by Titus. She stares at all of them just staring at her and starts to whine and tries to hide behind the large dog. "I'm fairly certain she's not mine. More importantly where did Titus get her from?"

• Dick is the one to swing into action and approach the small girl, he makes sure to sit down to reduce his height hoping it'll make him less intimidating before he introduces himself. "Hello, I'm Dick, who are you?"

Marinette gave him a big smile and waved, "Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi, Bonjour!"

Or well Dick thinks she said Bonjour, it was a little baby-fied, but he gave her a smile and waved in return.

• Jason is just staring at the small child, but he is trying to be as discreet as possible as he puts his gun back in it's holster.

• Tim is out of his seat as well and sitting on the ground too as he looks at her, "black hair, blue eyes, and a note attached to her shirt that translates to 'They wished me away, Here I am safe'. I don't know Bruce, seems right up your alley." He mumbles with a raised brow and small smirk.

• Now it was Damian's turn to come and sit, he took the note off the girl fast but he tried to be gentle about it. He read and just looks at his father like he is actually absolutely done with him. "Did you seduce some French woman we didn't know about? Father what about the Kyle woman? This child can't be more than a year old."

• At this point Jason can't hold it in anymore and just absolutely loses it and starts laughing, Marinette doesn't know what's going on but she hears laughing and she starts laughing to. Alfred hears commotion going on and goes down to the Batcave with sandwiches and sees this little girl laughing along with Jason and just sighs and looks over at Bruce and shakes his head. "Oh Master Bruce, not again."

• Jason loses it again, and Dick and Tim have joined him, which makes Marinette laugh even harder and Damian even gives a small smirk.

• Once they calm down Marinette gets up and walks over to Alfred who looks down and greets her. All she does is give him a smile and points to her heart then his and says "Paon." Everyone is confused as to why this small child just called Alfred a peacock and the the floating things came out and chaos erupted.

• the Kwami, as that's what they said they were explained everything that happened to the small child and what the were and who she was, there was another long discussion on what was to be done. It wasn't really hard for Bruce to decide he would adopt her but he was rather upset that she was supposedly the Guardian of these gods and the magical jewelry they were bound to and there was nothing he could do about that. Also the fact she did remember her past life so that may make things a bit difficult if not interesting.

• There was also the fact they would need to give her a new identity, Bruce explained it to everyone and everyone wanted to help pick a name for her. Marietta Martha Méh-fùnh Fu-Wayne. The boys had all wanted their picked names in there but Bruce vetoed that very fast as well as the last names because Marietta's name would have been 20 names long already.

• It was work but they were all getting used to having little Mari around along with the little gods that floated around with her. Alfred had quickly made up a room for her and he asked what color she liked and it was no surprise when she yelled out an excited "Pink!"

• It was also hard to adjust to having a baby around especially when they went out to do their vigilante business. It was especially a big surprise when a little bundle of red and black polka-dots knocked Batman out of the sky when he was using his grappling hook with a loud "Dad-dee!"

• There is now a swear jar in the manor after the F Word incident that occurred with Jason and Mari.

• Gotham is in LOVE with little Marietta when Bruce introduces her at a gala. She even meets Jagged again and she melts his heart when she gets excited to see him and goes "Uncle Jagged! Rock an Roll!" And Jagged is just like "Hell yeah I'm your uncle. Penny did you hear that? I'm her uncle!"

• The Justice League all make jokes and just genuinely laugh about the whole thing until they meet her and then Diana bows to the child and calls her Little Goddess and then confusion sets in.

• So many kwami shenanigans because Mari takes them out to play with them and they are DELIGHTED

• Damian is a little jealous of Mari in the beginning but then he catches her trying to copy him when he's training and he can't help but smile at her and help her, then he takes her to the library to draw and that's how they bond, that and with the animals.

• Dick likes to teach her gymnastics. He likes to hear her laugh when he straps her on to him so he can take her on the aerial silks that Bruce and Alfred got him for Christmas one year.

• Jason reads to her with her in his lap. Not just kid books but classical literature, he knows she's paying attention and that makes him laugh a little bit he loves it.

• Tim and her watch movies together, especially if she feels like he's doing too much work and is stressed.

• Alfred and her bake, well she "mixes" things for him, he even bought her a little stool and a matching apron with his. He may have also bought her mini kitchen utensils.

• Bruce doesn't really know what to do with her but he likes to watch her play with her toys that he bought her, but he notices that she likes to watch him while he works in the study so he set up a little desk for her to "work" on. Really she just scribbled nonsensically on papers and showed them off to him. Sometimes he would ask her something about his work and she would babble at him or nod her head solemnly.

• Sometimes Mari has nightmares and it's really sad to hear, the only one she seems to let help her besides the kwamis is Alfred, Cass when she's over, and Jason.

• It was take your child to work day and Bruce took Mari when he had a meeting he had forgotten about, at this point Mari has already turned 2, he takes her in the meeting with him when the other party agrees it's fine. He expects Mari to be her friendly excited self but when they get into the meeting he feels her freeze in his arms when he greets Mrs Emilie Agreste and her son Adrien. The whole meeting Mari is hiding her face in his chest and shaking, he's terribly worried and more so when he sees Tikki glaring at the woman and her son from Mari's backpack.

[mxtantrights]

past lives | 10

a/n: final part!! AHHHHHHH stay tuned for the epilogue!!! And thank you guys so much for coming on this journey with me. I really appreciate it and YOU! <3

You awoke to the smell of cement and dry wall. It smelled so bad you could feel it in your throat. Your eyes cleared up to the spectacle in front of you. It was Ra's and Nyssa with their arms crossed.

“Is this some sick parent teacher conference?” you joked.

“No games. You failed to deliver the package.” he said.

“You mean your grandson? The one who left of his own volition?”

“Nonsense he is the heir to everything I have. He can’t leave.”

You looked over more to your former friend, “Nice to see you too Nyssa.”

“Why didn’t you stick to the plan?” she asked.

You look at Ra’s and he’s already staring you down. You don’t think he’s told her. It would have been best not to. Withholding information is his favorite skill anyways.

You’re about to say something when Ra’s comes over and backhands you. It makes you curl in the chair they’ve put you in. You weren’t surprised, that didn’t make it any less worse however. 

He really doesn’t want her to know.

“All you had to do was seek him out. You couldn’t even do it.” 

His smack- you hate to say it- brought up a thought to the front of your mind. 

“When did you know about my father?” you asked.

It’s in words that Nyssa isn’t able to pick up on. You know. He knows. It’s clear he doesn’t want her to know. Another hint at telling her might earn you worse than a slap.

“After you came out of the pit. I looked into your identity some more and did some research.” he said.

“Tell me,” you move your arms bound to the back of the chair, “Did you spawn Damian afterwards because of me?”

“No, you’re not the reason. I had already been watching him for some time. You were just a happy coincidence.” he answered.

Ra's folds his hands behind his back and moves around Nyssa, and then around you. In a circle. The predator and the prey. What was Nyssa this time around?

“You never reached out.” you said directly to her.

“You left.” she shot back.

“He wanted me gone.” you nodded to her father.

“It was a test you imbecile!” she shouted.

It made you flinch. You realized that maybe Nyssa wasn’t going to let bygones be bygones. And from her stand point she didn’t have to. You hurt her. 

Ra’s circles around you once more. His eyes never left Nyssa though. It gave you a sickening feeling. How everyone was his pawns. Specifically Talia and Nyssa. The women in that family needed serious counseling after being brought up by a man like that.

“If it was a test then why did he let me live? The moment I stepped out the door I should have been dead!” you shouted back.

She stayed silent. So you continued.

“He’s lying to you Nyssa.” you said.

“She’s right I lied to you. It wasn’t part of some test.”

Nyssa turned to her father in shock. You were sat wondering why he would give himself up so easily. What did he have to play here?

Whatever it was could wait. He was far enough now to not strike you again. You needed to let her know.

“He wanted me as a back up for Damian. My half-brother.” you said.

Nyssa turned back to you and when she did Ra's smacked her too. You winced for her, his hand print would probably be on your face in a few minutes. Just like old times.

He turned to you.

“You ruined my plan to bring my grandson back. Now he knows I’m here.” he said.

“He ran away for good reason. I’m glad he did. I would've never handed him over to you anyways.” you spoke.

“You didn’t have to hand him to me, you were just going to serve him to me on a platter.”

“No. Because I know you were tracking me through my phone, both of them. You think I didn’t notice how heavy that flash drive is? I know a cloning device when I hold one. And the burner phone? That was cheap work.” 

He began to laugh. It made you sit further back in your seat. Him laughing was never a good sign. And it never sounded right. All those years in the pit must’ve done something to his laugh, along with the rest of his mind.

Ra's al Ghul came face to face with you. He wasn’t a pleasant man to look at. His breath even more telling on how close to death he is. But you looked him in the eye anyways.

“And that’s why you’re here. The bargaining chip. He’ll come for you, because just as you care for him he cares for you.”

He lets up and in the background you saw Nyssa shift her arm really quickly. You don’t know what it was for. 

-

The family had gotten a hit on your location. It had been four hours since you were taken. Everyone decided to suit up and hit the streets for the first two hours. Redhood and Red Robin took downtown, Nightwing enlisted the help of GCPD to search Midtown and Batman and Robin took Uptown. With the league they couldn’t be too careful.

In the middle of searching is when they got a comms message from Alfred. Your phone had pinged off a tower in Crime Alley. As Bruce and Damian were closest they began to head over to that neighborhood. The rest of the boys and some footmen from the GCPD were on their way over.

Batman and Robin got there and Alfred was able to narrow down the closest tower that your phone pinged off of. 

In the bat mobile Damian remained quiet. He had kept mum about the real reason you were there with him when Gotham Academy had caught on fire. Bruce could tell it was something he wanted to speak about alone.

“So what's the real reason?” 

Damian let out a sigh, “This isn’t our first meeting. We’ve had a relationship since I was born. Back on the island.”

“With the league?”

“Yes. It was sad when we could no longer see each other, grandfather had offered an out. I never thought we would see each other again.”

Bruce stayed quiet for a moment. All that could be heard was the engine of the batmobile. 

“Did you know you were related?”

“I found that out the same day as Gotham Academy. We had a conversation later that night.”

“You snuck out?” 

“I had to father. It was for good reason. We were able to put the pieces together. I said I would handle grandfather.” 

“Damian.”

“This has gone on for too long. It’s my fault. If something happens-”

“We’ll make it.”

Then he steps more on the gas.

- 

Your head lulled forward after the sixth blow he dealt you. It wasn’t like you earned it. He wanted to prove a point to Nyssa. That you were expendable to him. That in the grand scheme of things you didn’t matter.

“All that training, wasted! You can’t even get out of the restraints.” 

You swallowed the blood that was in your mouth, “What makes you think he’ll come for me?”

“We’re going to send a public ransom across all of Gotham. I figure a hundred thousand as the bounty will circulate enough to get to him. And then he’ll come and find you.”

“He’s just a child.”

“No he’s more than a child. He’s my grandson, the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul.”

“And what does she think about all this?” 

“Enough!” he shouted.

You were punched again. 

“I’ll get someone to send the ransom around.” Nyssa’s voice said.

You lifted your head up to look at her but her back was already turned to you. This however did earn you another punch, to the gut this time, by Ra’s. You let out a disgusting sound at the impact.

“Instead of a coincidence you’ve become an inconvenience. This time I won’t put you in the pit.” 

“Why would you ever put me in there in the first place, huh? I was a no one! You  didn’t know me or my mother. You just snatched my body and made me one of your foot soldiers.” you screamed through the incoming headache.

He did that mechanical laugh again and you wanted to spit at him. You never thought he was a good man. All the things he did. The things he told you to do. You can’t absolve all of the blame but he was an undeniable reason why you did those things.

Drop offs turned into stake outs. Stake outs into undercover. Undercover into sedation. With him the lines were blurred, because there was supposed to be nothing you wouldn’t do for him. But you chose Damian. Or, you chose Damian’s new life over his old one. And he didn't like that one bit.

The door bused open and in came Batman. You didn't think you'd live to see him up close. It’s true that while in Gotham you would probably see him once or twice. But this?

You watched as Ra's attacked him on sight. It was like the two were in sync. Batman hit, Ra’s dodged. A kick here, a swerve there. They seemed to be equals. You know you could never pull that off. Ra’s would have you flat out in under a minute.

When Batman should have swerved he didn’t. And Ra’s got the best of him with a punch. This gave way to a kick to the side and a head pull into the ground. You struggled to get out of your restraints. It wasn’t looking good for either of you.

Ra’s picked him up, and you watched in horror as he hurled him toward you. Batman collided with you so hard that he broke the chair you were in. It sent you back into one of the many crates in the room.

Batman groaned as you lifted him off of you. You slid over to the side on the floor. He was definitely not light. He knocked the only wind out of you that remained after Ra’s punishment.

No more chair meant your hands were free.

You pulled your arms around to the front. You could try to take him like this. Even though you could hear him laughing in the foreground. 

“Here.” 

You looked over at Batman. He was holding out one of his knives, shaped like a bat. You took it without passing a comment on it. You passed the blade over the restraints and made quick work of them.

On your feet, the laughter stops. You inched closer and closer to him.

“I didn’t snatch your body, your mother handed you over when she found out you were murdered. She asked me for this!” he said.

You stopped. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“When you died she went to a very dark place. With how dark she got it didn’t take long for her to find one of my associates and get in contact with me. She begged for you to be brought back. Her child!”

You ran into the attack. The words that came from his mouth just made you see red. He threw his fists but you ducked and weaved. After weaving you landed multiple blows on him. You grabbed him by the shoulders and brought your knee into him. 

He went down a bit, only for a few seconds, then got his bearings back. Ra’s spit out the blood from his mouth.

“You’ll leave here with no parents. And it’ll be at my behest.” 

In through the door comes Robin. A robin with a face too familiar to hide behind a mask. 

“Grandfather!” the little robin shouted.

That makes you look behind you. At Batman. Bruce Wayne.

Your father was Batman. Your father.

[emixion]

Miraculous Side Effects - Day 6 - Maribat March 2021

I’ve been waiting for this one! @maribatmarch-2k21 ao3 link - Damian had an itching in his hands. It started not too long after he had been given his miraculous, the cat miraculous, and it had slowly grown over time.

He found himself with sudden urges to knead his hands into fists when he was in either a particularly peaceful environment, or a particularly stressful environment. A strange combo that he couldn’t quite figure out the cause of. Still, it wasn’t a big deal and after a while Damian got used to it.

His family, however, noticed.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked one day. It was a lazy Saturday at the manor, a rarity for the Wayne family, and Damian had started kneading his hands.

“What?” Damian asked back, not aware of what he was doing. It was practically automatic at this point.

“That thing with your hands.” Jason answered, pointing to Damian’s kneading. The younger boy quickly stopped.

“I don’t know, I’m just-sitting.” he sputtered.

“You looked like a cat kneading its paws.” Dick piped in from across the room. Damian glared at him.

“I did not.” He protested, but Jason just laughed.

“You totally did!”

“Oh, I guess I should explain that.” Plagg, who had until then been nibbling on some cheese, spoke up.

“Explain what, exactly?” Damian asked his kwami, narrowing his eyes.

“The miraculous may come with some…side effects.”

“Side effects?” Jason parroted, clearly very interested.

“Behaviors that match the creature of the miraculous they wield. Some wielders won’t experience any at all, some only a little, some quite a lot. It just depends on the person.”

“So I’m acting like…a cat?” Damian asked, to which Plagg nodded.

“Yep, looks like you’ve got some side effects. Welcome to felinehood, kid.” Plagg snickers before going back to his cheese.

“Wait, wait. So you’re telling me that Damian was literally making muffins?” Jason cackled. “Oh, this is too good.” He wiped a mock tear from his eye. Damian shoved him. “Shut it, Todd.” he scowled.

_______

“Why didn’t you tell me about side effects?” Damian asked Marinette the next time he saw her. They were curled up together in his room and the familiar itch in his hand had returned.

Marinette perked up, surprised at the question. “Side effects? From the miraculous?”

Damian nodded.

“I didn’t think it was a big deal, you probably won’t even get-“ She cut herself off once her eyes landed on her boyfriend’s hands, which had lost the battle of control and started kneading. “Oh my god.”

Damian looked down, embarrassed. “Angel..” he groaned through gritted teeth. Marinette’s face was lit up like a Christmas tree.

“You’re making muffins!” She squealed, swooping in to kiss his cheek. “That’s so cute!”

“Angel.” Damian grumbled again.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I just don’t get to see the other miraculous holder’s animal behavior unless we’re fighting an akuma. It’s nice to not be alone.” She explained.

Damian’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “You have them too?”

Marinette nodded. “Why do you think I have such a hard time with the cold?”

“Because ladybugs hibernate.” He answered, putting two and two together. It would explain why

she was so fond of the garden. And why she would stare intently at aphids sometimes.

“Exactly. So there’s no need to be embarrassed. Just embrace it.” She smiled.

“Easier said than done, Angel.” Damian muttered.

_____

Knowing that his angel also experienced side effects had made him feel a bit better about it, but it did nothing to actually stop the behaviors.

He started growing sleepy in sunny spots and actually napping during the day, something the ever vigilant boy had never done beforehand. He also grew interested in Alfred the Cat’s toys, like the laser pointer and scratching posts. He’d nearly been caught scratching at one of them by Steph, but he played it off by saying that he was just cleaning it.

The biggest problem, though, was the noisy side effects. Those were easily the most odd and the most noticeable of his behaviors.

_____

“Damian!” Lila bounded over to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders with a nervous laugh. “It’s so good to see you~”

Damian immediately stepped away, face recoiling in disgust. So this must be the girl that was bullying Marinette. His eyes darkened.

“I don’t know you.” He said bluntly, turning away from her to go find his angel inside the school. He didn’t get very far before Lila grabbed his arm and tugged him back over.

“You’re so silly, Damian.” Lila let out another nervous laugh. “We don’t have to pretend anymore, all of my classmates know we’re good friends.” From his position next to her Damian could see a bead of sweat form on her temple.

He shrugged her off once more. “I said I don’t know you. Now let me be, I’m here for Marinette.”

Lila’s anxious smile fell into a momentary glare before morphing into a sad frown. With the biggest pout she could muster she latched onto Damian yet again, channeling her crocodile tears.

“Oh, Marinette’s been so cruel to me. Are you here to teach her a lesson? Please, Dami, don’t be too hard on her. Even though she’s a bully, she still-“

Damian had had enough.

Whirling around to face the liar, he promptly showed her his teeth and hissed harshly in her face.

“I’m not going to say it again, peasant. Let me go find my girlfriend or else.” With that he spun on his heel and made a beeline for the school entrance.

He could deal with her nonsensical attempts to use him for popularity, but bad talking his mate was crossing a line.

Wait, his mate?

“Did-Did Damian Wayne just hiss at Lila?” Alya whispered to Nino. He looked just as shocked as he was. “I think so?”

_______

This was a much more enjoyable part of visiting Paris.

Damian was cuddled up with his beloved girlfriend on one of her balcony chairs, a fluffy blanket tossed over their laps.

Marinette had her nose pressed to his cheek, smiling softly between kisses to his face. One of her hands drifted from his chest to comb through his hair.

The feeling was so heavenly that Damian closed his eyes in delight.

Her hand continued through his hair, seamstress fingers scratching at his scalp and it was so nice that he hummed and leaned into her touch. Had it always been this nice?

There was some sort of noise bubbling in his throat, he thought it was a hum, but upon letting it out Marinette’s hand abruptly stopped. Damian nearly whined at the loss.

“Did you just..” Marinette started, staring at him incredulously. “Did you just purr?”

Damian’s eyes shot open at that.

“What?!” He nearly shouted. “No!”

“You did!” Mari exclaimed, shoving his shoulder lightly. “You did purr! Oh my god!”

“Angel, please.” Damian almost begged. “Not this again.”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect it. Have you been having any other side effects at all?”

Boy, did he.

“…Yes.” Damian relents, looking away from her. “A lot actually.”

“Oh.” Was Marinette’s soft response. “…Did Plagg tell you what that means?”

Damian turned back to her. “He said that some users experience behavioral side effects and some don’t.” He answered, watching Marinette try to conceal a smile. “Why?”

“The wielders that experience the most intense side effects are usually the ones most suited for their miraculous.” She grinned. “It would seem you are a true black cat, mon cher.”

Damian processed this for a moment. “What about you? Are you a true ladybug?”

“I am.”

“And didn’t you tell me that ladybug wielders and black cat wielders are often soulmates?”

“I did.”

Damian matched her grin.

“Then on second thought, I guess I don’t mind.”

[iphoenixrising]

DickTimWeek2021 Day 2

** Day 2: Time Loop | Jealousy | Stray AU

Welp. Time to break some hearts.

They’re laughing like assholes as they climb through Timmy’s penthouse windows. 

“Did you see that thug punch himself in the face?”

“That’s the right way to get out of an ass beating by the Batman.”

Tim, still in Red Robin, doesn’t even bother, just lets his knees buckle so he can slide down to the floor and laugh until tears are rolling down the dominio still plastered on his face.

He’s riding the concussion train with 

(J)

Josephine and she’s not as bad as some of them are. 

Dick at least tosses the gloves and gauntlets before hauling Timmy’s bruised ass up off the floor, throwing the arm around his shoulders.

“C’mon, you butt. Really Timmy, just laying here in your suit? Alfred would be appalled.”

“S’why I don’t go to the Manor much anymore.”

“Ooh, I’m telling. You’re going to be in so much trouble,” as he gets Tim down the hallway to the bathroom.

“Y-You can’t! You’re the oldest! Dami’s supposed to be the tattle-tale!”

“Nu-uh. As the oldest, I can do whatever the hell I want.”

And does he tell on Timmy? You bet your ass he does.

It’s nice when Alfred can look at someone else in the family with extreme disappointment.

Tim comes by the Manor the day Alfred video chats him, shuffles down to the Cave behind the butler and absolutely sticks his tongue out at Dick’s smarmy grin.

**

His apartment is a literal mess and Dick can’t be bothered to do much more than flop on the overstuffed couch with a groan. 

Still in his uni from the day shift, he’s too bruised and battered and tired to even think of suiting up for the night. He’s been running himself ragged for two months, the day and night shifts blending together along with the usual bullshit of daily human life, and he desperately needs a night of terrible television, junk food, and snuggles.

Like he’d been reading the room, Timmy walks out of his bathroom, towel around his shoulder and hair just this side of damp.

“Hey, you made it home in one piece.” Tim’s long fingers in his hair literally pulls a noise out of Dick he can’t ever remember making.

“Yeah, I drove down because you looked like death warmed over when we talked last weekend. Luckily for you I went grocery shopping, did a few loads of your laundry, and cleaned up a little so you don’t have to worry about housework.”

“I love you. Have I told you that recently? Like, so, so much–” is muffled by the couch cushions, but he thinks Tim can probably still make it all out.

“Mmhm, I know,” and the gentle scratching against his scalp doesn’t stop, and Dick goes a little boneless with it. “I even brought my Roku so we can binge watch terrible television while you eat something more substantial than cereal. Alfred is going to be so proud of you.”

A pat to his head and Timmy is off, slinging his towel on the rack, turning on the shower again to make sure it’s nice and hot for all those bruises and contusions.

He’s no-nonsense about picking up his previous mentor and best friend, literally stripping him down and manhandling him in the shower after a low whistle at the span of blue/black across Dick’s chest and ribs, the scrapes across his back and shoulders. 

The first aid kit tackle box makes an appearance because Tim plans for literally everything ever, and Dick finds himself sitting on his sink wearily while his injuries are meticulously treated.

He knows he eats something super tasty with meat and vegetables, his belly full, before Tim pulls him down on the couch and lets Dick lay against his chest, between his legs to sleepily float while watching God-awful B-movies.

It’s the most relaxing weekend he’s had in a while.

**

Dami sneers at Tim, arms crossed over his chest, the expression on his face begging Tim to try to deny it.

The third Robin however, is looking over at Dick with horror that the big secret is finally out in the open.

“Th-that isn’t– it’s not–” Tim fumbles desperately, “he’s been my big brother forever, that’s it!”

“Tt. Grayson may be painfully oblivious, Drake, but the rest of us are detectives. Even Todd knows of your feelings and he rarely even comes to the Manor!”

Tim’s soul literally leaves his body.

Dick blinks, completely taken back, mouth open without anything coming out.

Damian raises his eyes skyward and prays for patients dealing with these two. “What I am saying,” he tries, he really is trying here, “is that you two must cease and desist this pointless–” vague hand wave– “pining for one another. It is getting to the point of absurdity. I demand you two either discuss your need for one another or take this ridiculous mooning elsewhere. The rooftops of Gotham is no place for this,” another hand wave, “utter nonsense.”

Tim’s mouth goes dry, subtly backing away to be closer to the Ducati’s waiting for tonight’s ride. He’s pretty sure he has enough energy left in his shaky knees to hop on one and be the fuck out of the Cave before his face literally bursts into flames.

But, well. Dick was Batman.

His strategic retreat is stomped into the ground by acrobatic leaps and a very well done joint lock to keep him from immediately taking off.

Dami scoffs at them on his way up the winding staircase. He stops Pennyworth on the way and turns the butler to return back into the Manor proper, citing those two needed time to figure themselves out.

**

After several weeks under deep cover, Nightwing wearily hacks into Titan’s Tower and makes his way through the maze of hallways until he hits a hidden panel. 

Tim is sleeping on his desk, only one empty coffee mug at his workstation. Even dead in his boots, Nightwing can take a second just to look, just to sigh, just to enjoy how much every inch of this boy is his.

He journeys down the hall, flips the bed covers up, carries his sleeping partner in and tucks the blankets around him, a quickly there kiss to the top of messy, too-long hair. A shower in Tim’s perch literally makes everything in life a little less awful and exhausting, not enough for him to do much more than crawl in bed against Tim’s warm body and snuggle up close.

He gets breakfast in bed and blue-violet eyes looking at him with fondness rather than awe, gets coffee flavored kisses and a slow-paced back rub that continues down to his thighs and calves and feet. Later, he gets a date night in a nice restaurant and a sweet San Fran club scene for dessert. He gets to let loose and hold Tim’s body against him, to play them both until the gazes are intense and the low key UST between them makes other people on the dance floor give them space.

**

Witty banter is a primary weapon against megalomaniacal bad guys of any flavor. For some former Robins, it’s an art form.

Over the years, they’ve cultivated their dip and distraction to bounce off one another like a well-oiled vigilante machine. 

It should have been a standard take-down because it’s not one of their more dangerous, deadly villains. It’s not one of the Rogue Gallery baddies. It’s not one of the mobster families, not one of the super powered groups come to call. It’s not someone with hordes of thugs and deadly science waiting to take them down.

It’s a simple B&E, just Nightwing talking it up to draw gunfire while Red Robin is creeping up from behind to get the last laugh.

It’s one of a thousand times they’ve done this. 

It’s a guaranteed win.

It’s the last hour of patrol before they get to go back to Red’s penthouse and snuggle together, eat and show, probably have some fantastic sex before passing out.

The .45 shell, however, cuts through the suit, between armored plates. 

Going after the running baddies is automatic, taking them down, zip ties, and viola. They’re ready for GCPD to pick-up, all kinds of gift-wrapped.

When N finally realizes Red isn’t with him, isn’t answering comms, isn’t waiting for him on the roof, he goes back inside. He hits up B for a ride in the big car in case he missed –

– anything.

The pool of blood around Red Robin is more than he can afford to lose, and Nightwing has been in the vigilante life for over twenty years, has been official with Red Robin for a little over two, has personal experience on how his Baby Bird can take a mostly-fatal beating and still keep moving. He’s seen Tim come close with the Clench, with horrifying injuries, with any of the many bad guys they fight holding him hostage.

Nightwing has seen him perform literal miracles.

And tells him so the entire time he’s got Red Robin up in his arms, carrying him through Gotham’s skyline to the waiting car, falling in with Red on his lap when the familiar hatch slides back, the tourniquet already applied before he even shot a grapple. The struggling pulse is enough of a concern to get it together.

And even if they all gather to strip off the suit, and now it’s on to get vitals back to an acceptable range. Even if the Bats cry overhead, even if the equipment is top notch in the Cave, even if Dick is still talking the whole time, and Alfred is keeping a cool head and Bruce is gripping a hand and Damian is standing at the ready to hand implements and Cass is biting her thumbnail while she hovers and Steph is moving from empty space to empty space around the gurney –

The consistent beep of the flatline cuts through it all.

**

The Titans make it for the service. 

Each of them make a point to hug Dick for as long as possible, holding on tightly.

Bruce is silent and stoic, a little boy again when he has to watch someone else he loves being lowered into the cold, unforgiving ground. Another Robin taking a piece of his heart to the afterlife. 

Steph is red-eyed, a ghost moving around to individual circles, listening to stories she might not have known. 

Cass grips the coffin with bruised knuckles, her whole body wound tight as a string ready to snap. She doesn’t move the entire service, is already convinced leaving him to his own devices caused this whole thing. She doesn’t blame the thugs or Dick or Bruce. She blames the boy that never understood how much it all means.

Duke Thomas is back in Gotham, taking leave from the Outsiders to be here for the family that took him in after the Joker drove his parents insane. He hovers in the doorway to welcome mourners, direct them toward the book to sign-in, talks about Tim Drake with regular humans and other metas in disguise, accepts condolences with his throat tight and his eyes watery. He makes sure Dick has a bottle of water after the first hour, pats Damian’s shoulder, grips Bruce’s arm, weaves an arm around Cassandra’s back to give her a squeeze, obediently looks at the old pictures of Tim on Steph’s photo roll when she’s overcome and has to see that smile again.

In the back, Jason Todd wears dark shades and a clean black suit. Roy Harper is beside him, a hand on the broad back to keep him grounded, to keep the Pit rage at bay. If anyone knows how far Tim and Jason had come over the years, it’s the former Red Arrow. If anyone knows how much agony Jason is in at this moment, at another fallen brother, another Robin gone, if anyone had held the Red Hood while he screamed and cried and broke the utter fuck down, it’s Roy Harper.

Damian Wayne hovers right by Grayson’s side, silently supporting his first Batman, his first brother. Whenever Dick’s eyes start going hazy, glazing over, Damian gently grips a wrist to bring him back, allows fingers to lace through his own and tolerates the tight squeeze that obviously assists in grounding the oldest Robin. 

(Later when the night is crowding grief-stricken Wayne Manor, Damian will be the one to open Grayson’s bedroom door, lift the covers to crawl in behind him, to wind both arms tightly. He will be the one to take the onslaught of grief, to be soaked in tears and snot, to listen to the broken, hoarse voice, to make soothing hums that ultimately mean nothing.)

Alfred Pennyworth quietly talks with the funeral director about the arrangements. Of course Master Timothy would want to be laid to rest with his parents, and the family appreciates all the support and ease of process as the deceased was an important part of the Wayne family. 

When he gets a phone call, he firmly verifies the name on the tombstone is Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne Grayson.

**

Exactly four days after the service, the Flash is staring at him helplessly, gripping Nightwing’s arm tight, “please, please, Dick, don’t do this. You can’t think this is the answer!”

He can barely hear Wally with the absolute destruction going on around them, the machine they’d inadvertently stumbled upon (which is a lie, Nightwing had been looking for it and the Flash basically caught him red handed). 

“You know you aren’t going to be able to stop me.” Standing between the glowing portal and Wally, debris from overhead crashing down on them at intervals, Nightwing is at his peak stubborn, “no matter how fast you are.”

“You don’t understand what’s going to happen,” Wally yells desperately as the vacuum starts pulling at Nightwing’s other arm, pulling him into–

–the Speed Force.

“You don’t have the lightning, Dick, you won’t be able to get yourself out, and I won’t have any way of tracking you!”

The small smirk as the machine’s panel starts going haywire, lights blinking and readings off the charts, makes Wally’s heart clench hard in his chest, makes him try to dig in his heels, makes his stomach tremble.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve already done this, Wally. And I’ll do it as many times as it takes until I change everything.”

The pellet Nightwing palmed before the Flash grabbed his hand goes off the same time the machine hits the highest ratings and a low boom is followed up with an intense swirling suction, pulling the heroes closer to the portal’s surface.

The light grenade goes off without a hitch and the Flash has no choice but to let Nightwing go.

**

They’re laughing like assholes as they climb through Timmy’s penthouse windows. 

[justcourttee]

Can you do one where all the Wayne’s meet marinette before knowing she’s dating Damian and something happened to her parents and Bruce already has the adoption papers and damiens like no father u can’t adopt my gf

This is so cute and was so much fun to write. Hope this is something like what you had in mind :) @leagrey

Family Dinner

“I would like to apologize in advance. Father and his feral mistakes are very lively people and I fear they will take too much of a liking to you. If it is at all uncomforting, just squeeze my hand and we will leave.”

Marinette glanced over as Damian stared menacingly at the oak doors in front of them. It had only been a year since she had met him, but he had never once mentioned the idea of her meeting his family. Maybe it was because he knew today was special and he knew that meeting them was her only request of him for the longest time.

“Do you feel uncomfortable Damian? If so, please don’t put yourself in this position because of me.”

“Tt, utter nonsense. Me? Uneasy? Now you are just babbling.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth at the sight of the red threatening to overtake his cheeks.

“Well then, I guess there is no point in standing outside all day huh?”

Before her fist even made contact with the door, it flung open. Several curious faces piled in the doorframe, all trying to get a good look at her in case Damian changed his mind in an instant.

“You idiots, back up now or I’m leaving with her.”

A mutter of apologies echoed through the door as Marinette bit back the chuckle. With a great sigh, Damian motioned for her to step through the entrance, his tense body signaling that he was already ready to throw in the towel.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you all, my name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Her half-wave seemed to send a shock wave through the room as all eyes narrowed in on her, watching her every movement. Cautiously, she lowered her hand. A moment of silence passed and then two. Everyone seemed locked onto her, unsure of what to say and if she was being honest, she had the slightest idea as well.

“Are you all crowding her? Shameful. I thought I told you to wait in the dining room.”

It was as if the heavens had parted and uttered a command. Several bodies darted in different directions and in seconds, the hallway had been cleared save for Marinette, Damian, and an older man with graying hair and a killer smile on his face.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, we are truly honored that Master Damian has allowed you to grace us with your presence for dinner this evening. I apologize for Master Bruce’s charges. They really are all excellent kids, but rare elements such as yourself tend to erase their minds of any manners I worked so hard to instill in them.”

He shook his head in mock disappointment as he offered her his hand.

“Oh please, don’t worry about it, Mr. Alfred. I’m sure they were just as excited as I was.”

Taking his hand, she did her best to give a strong shake. His warm smile seemed so inviting, but the thought that he could clear a room with just a sentence shook her to her core.

“Please, just Alfred is fine. May I escort you to the dining room?”

Marinette nodded as she blindly reached backward for Damian’s hand to drag him along. If the butler had noticed, he made no comment as he led them.

“And here we are, I will return shortly with the first course for tonight. I do hope you enjoy the meal. I have prepared special platers for you and Master Damian to commandeer for your dietary restrictions.”

Before she even had the chance to thank him, he whisked away, leaving her to stand by Damian’s side in front of the largest dining room table she had ever seen.

“Welcome.”

Her eyes darted to the head of the table where a dashing man stood, his eyes kind and welcoming as he motioned to the two empty seats beside him. It all felt so overwhelming, too many sets of eyes for her to count were plastered on her alone. Shuffling along, she managed a small curtsey to the man before allowing Damian to help her into her seat.

A small murmur erupted from the dining room table. Had she done something wrong? Perhaps she had set herself up at the table, but Damian just got so flustered about those sorts of things, insisting he wanted to be a proper gentleman.

“I’ve heard very little about you Ms. Dupain-Cheng, but the little I have been able to wrestle out of my son has been nothing short of blessings.”

Marinette was sure her face was burning as she muttered a small thanks.

“I apologize for the huge turnout. When I mentioned to my oldest that Damian was bringing a friend home for dinner, it seems word spread fast. They all wanted to meet the person who managed to break through to him that wasn’t Jon.”

His smile appeared jokingly as he glanced over the near full table.

“But please, where are my manners? My name is Bruce and please feel comfortable to refer to me like that. The three boys across from you are my oldest Dick, Jason, Tim, and Duke.”

Dick's smile was blinding as he reached over the table to shake her hand vigorously.

“I’m so glad my little boy has made a friend and such a beautiful and well-mannered one as well!”

“Yeah, I wonder how he did that?” Jason, at least that’s what she believed his name was, stroked his chin thoughtfully as he stared down the two. Duke began to stroke his chin as well before he leaned across the table, shielding his mouth from where Damian sat.

“Hey, Marinette, blink twice if he’s threatening you or your family’s lives in any way.”

There was a small thud from under the table as Duke flinched slightly in his seat.

Bruce shook his head as he motioned past the boys and to the girls that sat on the other side of Damian.

“On this side of the table are my daughters in all but paperwork. Barbara, Cassandra, and Stephanie.”

“Uhm, you forgot one pop.”

The girl at the end of the table kicked her feet up onto the table, her mischievous smile poking at Bruce’s patience.

“How could I ever forget you, Harper? I was just saving you for last.”

Harper sent a wink in Marinette’s direction earning a giggle from the girl.

“Miss Harper, I must ask you to refrain from placing your feet on the table as I serve out the first course.”

Instantly she straightened in her seat as Alfred seemingly materialized from behind. The smile on his face as dangerous as ever. Marinette could finally see what Damian was worried about, his family was absolutely wild. Her eyes drifted from each person as they absentmindedly chatted in small groups.

Damian’s hand found hers under the table, giving her a slight reassuring squeeze.

“Marinette, I must apologize for dinner being so late. I had to work over today and even if I got out earlier than usual, I must admit it is not early enough. Please apologize to your parents for my inconsiderate job.”

Marinette swallowed hard as she sat down her fork.

“Oh, uhm, I suppose Damian didn’t tell you. I-uh-live on my own in the city.”

All of the chatter in the room fell silent and once more, she could feel the heat of every stare in the room on her.

“Oh? Are they okay with that? Gotham isn’t exactly known to be the safest at night.” His chuckle was humorless as he watched her bright eyes dull.

“I actually came to Gotham on my own merits, a fresh start if you will. My parents died last year in a bakery fire. Papa tried to find me, thinking I was home, but even as Maman begged him to leave the building, he couldn’t leave believing I was still in there.”

She felt a single hot tear trail down her cheek, but she was quick to wipe it away before any more could follow.

“I apologize, I had no idea.”

Marinette shook her head vigorously as the apologies spewed out of her mouth.

“Please, forget I said anything at all. I one hundred percent overshared. Now dinner will be so awkwardly, please, it’s been a year, I’m okay.”

The conversation started back slowly, but once it did, Marinette couldn’t stop laughing. She shared with them her business and talked about how she and Damian first met. Tim couldn’t wrap his head around the thought that Damian would have actually stopped on the street to comfort her.

“I mean, what are you? A demon tamer? Teach me your ways sensei.”

As Alfred collected the final plates for the evening, Marinette felt better than she had in a long time. When it came time to leave, Bruce offered to escort them back to the front.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, may I ask how old you are?”

“16.”

Bruce’s stare was concerning as he reached out to pick up her hand.

“How do you live in an apartment then?”

“Oh, My grandmother signed the lease. She technically lives with me, but she’s such a free spirit, I couldn’t possibly expect her to stay in one spot. I mostly live there on my own. Honestly, I’m quite jealous of the large family Damian has, he is very lucky.”

Marinette thought she had to be hallucinating. Bruce Wayne almost seemed to be vibrating the more she talked.

“You know Marinette, this manor is quite spacious. If you ever need-”

“Absolutely not.”

In one quick movement, Damian was between them, his glare ready to cut through his own father.

“But Damian-”

“Father I cannot allow you to adopt my girlfriend!”

Bruce’s jaw dropped as he finally noticed the constant contact that the two had initiated all night. At first, he thought it could be just her way of keeping herself grounded, but the more he thought back on it, it did seem quite like how a couple would act.

“Dammit, now I owe Steph $20.”

Marinette peeked behind Bruce where all of Damian’s siblings stood exchanging money, Tim looking especially upset as he handed the blonde a crisp bill. For what felt like the billionth time tonight, Marinette felt her face flush.

“You are all utter buffoons. Father, we will complete this conversation later. As for now, I will escort Marinette back to her apartment and I will be taking the car.”

Damian’s hand intertwined with hers as she allowed herself to be dragged from the manor. A chorus of goodbyes echoed after her, even Alfred waved her goodbye as he graciously shut Bruce’s mouth for him. As she climbed into the car, Marinette leaned over to place a small kiss on Damian’s cheek.

“What was that for?” The stutter in his voice was something she adored, something that only ever appeared when she caught him off guard.

“Thank you for letting me meet your family today. It turned a bad day into a good one.”

“Yeah, whatever,” the red of his cheeks betrayed his indifferent attitude as he shifted the car into drive.

As the manor disappeared in the rearview mirror, only one thought remained on her mind. Just how would the conversation go with Bruce when Damian returned?

The thought alone made her smile.

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[storybookstalker]

A Helping Hand

 - Author’s Note -

➥ Sorry for my absence! I’ve been struggling with my mental illness and with school a lot so it’s been hard to really keep up with anything. Hopefully this somewhat makes up for some of that time! This is a smallish fic I made for my art trade with @yandere-starchild​ ! I really hope you love it as much as I loved your part of our trade! 

↳ Yandere - Platonic - Bruce Wayne : Batman 

↳ Yandere - Implied - Tim Drake : Red Robin

It’s insanely lucky that she’d managed to get into Gotham High to begin with, especially without having the whole support thing that seemed to come with having parents. Nor any other kind of support network. She didn’t exactly have friends at the school, regardless of how hard she used to try,— not that she had many, to begin with— but she’d like to think that grades were more important than friendship. She’d found somewhat of a friend in some kid named Tim a while back, but he’d gone and dropped out. Not that she blamed him, even if he was weird with how he just suddenly greeted her as if they knew each other one day. No, Ymir would have dropped out a long time ago if she had the choice. The classes were long, tiring, and too early; and forced her to stay up way too late in a cold effort to keep up with the curriculum. She’d zone out in forced attempts to jot down the teacher’s notes, it’d probably be more fun to watch paint dry than do this. The detention from falling asleep in class only led to more trouble with the dean and with her legal guardians, and more falling asleep on cold desks from sheer exhaustion. 

All of this funneling down into why Ymir found herself waiting outside the probably electric, kinda scary looking fence that surrounded the Wayne Manor. Looking back on it, this was most likely a horrible idea. 

The other week she had run into Tim again, quite literally bumping into him and pouring hot coffee onto his nice (and probably expensive—) looking sweater. He didn’t seem to mind all that much surprisingly— despite her embarrassment— and somehow the two ended up chatting like old friends in a booth, bonding over their shared frustration with Gotham High. 

“Y'know, I actually used to be pretty good with your classes! Just lost the motivation to do them.” 

“Haha, yeah I know what you mean,” Ymir agreed, “It’s just really hard to keep up and it doesn’t help that I’m falling behind a bit…” 

That’s when he offered to tutor her. It was a little shocking, considering she had just dumped hot coffee on his nice sweater. His logic was that he’d have to go back to the school eventually, so helping her study would benefit both of them. 

“Besides,” Tim continued, “we should try to get to know each other better.” 

And so, that’s how the very tired girl ended up spending a few days with Tim every week. 

Usually, they’d meet at a library or something but Tim asked to study at his house this week, which led full circle back to her standing in front of Wayne Manor. Ymir probably should have known that Tim was a Wayne long before this point, but apparently, it had never come up. Or, rather she probably just didn’t pick up on it, not that it mattered now. 

Ymir wondered if he had jokingly given her a fake address until the manor’s gate began opening up. Her nervousness only managed to increase the closer she got to the house, not that she could easily turn around with how the gate shut behind her, everything looked way too expensive for her to even be looking at. The front door was even more intimidating; was she supposed to use a different door? Ymir’s dizzying resolve just barely steadied when Tim appeared and greeted her, calling her inside. 

If Tim noticed her awkwardness, he didn’t mention it. He and the manor’s butler, Mr. Pennyworth, seemed to welcome Ymir. Pennyworth, though Tim tried to encourage her to call him Alfred, offered drinks and snacks throughout the study session. The older man would step in to help if either party seemed to have more questions than they could answer but it was mostly just the two teens for the majority of the time. Ymir’s nerves soothed themselves as time went on, by the end of the session she found herself talking to Tim normally. Ymir went home with a smile, maybe she’d found a friend, finally. 

Weeks passed, and while her grades did improve, Ymir’s parents seemed unhappy with the entire situation still. It was hard to enjoy her time with the Waynes when her parents would scold her for having “too much fun”, apparently too happy to be studying as she should be. She was sure Tim noticed it, but vocalizing anything happening would just ruin it more for her.

It wasn’t until Tim had to cancel a study session that all it tipped over. Her confusing relationship with Tim, her parents shoving their expectations down her throat, school— all bundled into a breakdown in front of the Wayne Manor. The constrictive lump in her throat dropped to her stomach when Bruce Wayne himself stepped out from the gate and invited her inside. 

Ymir tried to backtrack, Tim wasn’t there so why would she come in—? 

“Nonsense,” Bruce brushed off her stuttering, “Any friend of Tim’s is always welcome here.” 

He waited for her to follow before leading her into his Manor. In which he sat Ymir down and got water for the teary-eyed student. Bruce explained that Tim had mentioned that she seemed overly stressed, “Which is odd, from what Alfred and Tim tell me you’re doing much better grade-wise.” 

Ymir’s heart dropped to her stomach, she didn’t really want to shove her family issues onto the most wealthy man in Gotham. Especially not after all the help Tim gave her. What kind of a ‘thank you’ is crying and whining? 

Ymir steadied herself, “I am. I’m passing now, I’m grateful for everything Tim’s done for me, Mr. Wayne.”

“Bruce is fine, Ymir. With how often you’re over here you might as well be family.” Bruce smiled, almost in a reassuring way, as if he already knew how overwhelmed she was. “And since you’re basically family, I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. If you need anything, you can tell me.” 

The lack of care from her own parents and the warmth from the Waynes came crashing down on her, hot tears came rolling down her face as she attempted to explain herself. There was no rush from Bruce or Alfred, both of which comforting her in their own ways. 

She spent the next few hours venting out her emotions about her family and school, Bruce offering advice. Tim appeared later on in the evening, inviting her to watch a movie to help calm down after her comfort session with Bruce. 

Meanwhile, Bruce made a call home and ensured that she was allowed to stay over should she want to. The Waynes were more capable of taking care of Ymir, Bruce just had to make sure they could continue to protect her. Not that it would be difficult. With a family like Ymir’s? All he needed to do was pull some strings, her family should be proud to have their daughter be accepted as a ward of Bruce Wayne himself. For now, he was happy to wait until she was comfortable enough to call the Manor her home. 

↳ END ↲