#and he came first and tim wouldn't exist without him

[hood-ex]

How does the story of Tim meeting Dick really young in the circus works if some comics have him (Dick) being 8 years old when the tragedy happens? That doesn't make sense right? Or maybe it does and i'm just confised but i do think it's the better for the proguess and even relationship with Bruce that Dick is eight when his parents die. Just scratches my brain that the picture of Tim with the Graysons is so cute and memorable...i wouldn't wan't to get rid of the meeting

You're right, it doesn't make sense age-wise. I'm a firm believer in Dick going to Bruce when he was 8, and because Dick came before Tim, I give priority to the details of his backstory instead of Tim's. So logically does it make sense for Tim to have seen 8-year-old Dick perform? No. But I just magically wave my hand, ignore the ages, and say Tim saw The Flying Graysons perform, and that's that.

[autisticrosewilson]

"Oh Steph wouldn't like Jason just because they have similar backgrounds because he kills people/is a criminal/fights the bats!!"

This is in the 90's BEFORE he even tortured her. She doesn't go through with it, but she sees the evil he's capable of and its enough for her to justify it. She only doesn't because it "goes against what Batman taught her" but well.

That's the same man who would let her dad's friends infest her house for MONTHS until BLACK CANARY came to Gotham and handled it

A grown man who would go on to verbally degrade her, withhold the tools he gave everyone else, keep her intentionally isolated and then use her lack of resources against her.

So yeah. I'm sure Steph's faith in Batman and his teachings have wavered plenty. Just because DC casually discarded the way she was treated so she could play happy family with the boys, but she has NO REASON TO. Before she was aged down there was definite tension between her and Tim, and while Babs worked to get that relationship back, Bruce did no such thing. "Oh I'm just as proud of you as I was with the boys" when he thought she was dying doesn't fucking change how he treated her.

And of course, there's her own forray into betraying the family and being a criminal in The Next Batman series.

That's without getting into how she was compared to Jason, the way she watched a murdered east end kid be toted as another violent, reckless, idiot who didn't think and got himself killed.

"Oh but he tried to kill Tim!" First of all, you didn't read that comic. Jason was TESTING him, they were 2 years apart MAXIMUM, and Tim FOUGHT BACK. Jason gave him a little cut and a nose bleed that he slapped a bandage on and was fine. Damian also started his first meeting with Tim antagonistically and even though he was actively hostile to her, Steph still formed a close sibling bond. Her first meeting with Tim she threw a brick at him. He spent a not significant amount of time belittling her and telling her she wasn't cut out for hero work when she came back. This is the same guy who hallucinated Jason just so Jason could be like "Oh I got myself killed don't be like me!" Can we be real she doesn't give a shit. I guess you could count Hush but. I know they retconned it so that was Jason but when the fuck would he have had the time to do that between death, catanoia, the All-caste, and his murder tour.

Stephanie understands better than anyone that desperate circumstances lead to desperate people who do bad things. Stephanie understands being belittled and compared to a rich white boy who never had to fight to survive like you did. She understands being isolated from the hero community. She understands the evil that exists and the ways the system is corrupt, and that the bad guy never STAYS caught. And it's not like she has any big problem with people who kill, Babs said in 90's she would fucking LOVE Joker to drop dead and Dinah has killed multiple times. She literally switched places with Lady Shiva? These are both women Steph looks up to. You don't think Steph would feel any admiration at all for someone who gave Bruce a taste of what it feels like to be shown up? Someone who made Roman's life hell? Someone who made Tim put action behind his shit talking? An alley kid who came back and refused to be another statistic, who showed everyone who spent the last decade calling him stupid and reckless EXACTLY how cunning he can be? None? At all?

I just find it a little hard to believe.

[dcxdpdabbles]

#Holiday Requests your blogs are the sole reason i visit tumblr in the first place. Thank you for feeding my dcxdp brain rot the appreciation is very much reciprocated and i’d like to humbly request a continuation for Jason’s Doll or Mr. Flavor!

After the smear campaign had been dealt with, Tim took time to carefully convince his employees that Scarecrow had somehow dosed the whole building in Fear Gas; that way, they would return to work once he gave everyone a month off with pay to "clean out the vents".

He did not want people to walk away thinking Danny the doll was by any means haunted. It would undo every last attempt to fix Jason's image, which he had carefully constructed.

In a city like Gotham, being dosed with gas was so common that no one batted an eye when Tim called them back. Many of the employees were overjoyed by the paid vacation.

The young CEO had even gone as far as to spread rumors that no one really saw the alleged doll, causing people to assume there was mass hysteria. Everyone was happier this way.

He felt like he could finally relax after weeks of meticulous planning. He went into work assuming the only stress he would experience would be the typical CEO kind.

Then Jason, needing a favor, marched into his office within the first hour.

Tim stares at the doll sitting on his office desk, feeling the blood drain from his face as his brother happily chatters.

"He usually likes to sit by windows. Don't forget to clean him with a damp, warm cloth; his clothes are machine washable." Jason said, laying out some of Danny's tea cup sets. Apparently, his brother had been shopping. "Danny usually has his tea daily at one, but if you're working, I'm sure he'll understand. He can wait."

"Jay..."Tim started feeling Danny staring into his soul. He knew a soul existed, but that didn't stop the thing from being unnerving. Was Danny made entirely of Fear Gas? "Are you sure you can't take Danny with you?"

"I want to." Jason sighed, tracing the fabric of Danny's hair. "But we aren't sure if space travel will worsen Danny's chances of recovery. Normally, I wouldn't take any jobs outside Gotham, but Roy needs help."

Danny's head jerked as if the porcelain neck of the doll had broken, the little head falling to the side, facing Jason. Familiar whispers of hell fill the air, making Tim's stomach drop.

He leans further into the plush of his office chair, wanting to get as far away from Danny as possible while Jason smiles.

"Thank you for understanding, " he tells Danny with a fondness usually reserved for lovers. Tim might have found it sweet if it had not been that he was terrified of Jason's undead boyfriend.

"Please don't leave," He whispers, uncaring how pathetic his voice sounded.

"You're going to find Tim." Jason laughs, shaking his head. "Danny says he likes you!"

Tim's eyes slid over to the doll, feeling himself jump a little when he realized he had turned in his direction. Without a sound. Without Tim, for all his training, even noticing the movement.

There was a moment when he felt like something with sharp teeth grinning at him. The sensation came from behind his left shoulder, and he jerked around, hand flying to his hidden expandable staff in his left pocket. Nothing but the cream color of his wall stares back at him.

He slowly turns back to his guest, Danny, quite suddenly right in front of him, sitting on his laptop. Its slightly watery eyes- painted with the effect- were mere inches from Tim's nose.

The sensation of being watched by a predatory grows. A whimper leaves Tim's lips against his will just as Jason checks his phone and shoulders his travel bag. "Alright, I have to head out. Artemis is on the way here to pick me up. Thanks again, Tim."

"No." He whispers, unable to look away from his own reflection in Danny's eyes. He looks petrified. "Don't leave me here with him."

"Bye, Danny. See you in two weeks." Jason grabs the doll's head in a quick one-arm hug.

A scratching wail from down the hall makes Tim nearly fall over, but Jason only blushes as he leans closer. "I love you too."

Before Tim can find the courage to throw Danny back at him, his brother is up and out the door. Soon, his office is left in utter silence as the duo observe one another.

Tim only dared move an inch once Tam knocked on his door. "Morning, Tim. You're nine o'clock is here; I sent you the required documents for the meeting, and is that a doll?"

Her voice trails off from her typical professional pitch to the one he is used to hearing when the pair reminisce about the time they ran from assassins together. It's far more casual, with just the hints of judgment that Tim can appreciate because it means she's not above calling his bullshit out.

"This...is Danny," He hears himself introduce. "Danny, this is Tam."

His PA cooks one hip, raises a brow, and gestures at the desk where the doll sits. "I thought the rumors about the haunted doll resulted from the night job misunderstanding?"

"No. I worked to cover them up."

Tam rolls the information around in her head before looking at her tablet with a wide smile. "You do not pay me enough to handle haunted dolls. I have to be in conference room 103 in five minutes. I have to check on our coffee orders."

"But Tam-"

"No." She slams the door close. The click-clack of her heels echoes as she struts away, and Tim is left staring longingly at the blurred windows of his glass doors. He looks back at Danny, who has moved again.

This time, the cold porcelain is pressing into his left cheek because Danny is suddenly there. Standing on the arm of his office chair and leaning on Tim's face.

The scream that ripped out of his throat had the security running to his office and Tam dialing the Bats in ten seconds. It didn't help that the scream had traveled through the vents, echoing into the building as every employee looked up from their cubicle with a jump.

"What was that?"

"A little girl go hurt on level seventy-four."

"Isn't that the CEO's floor?"

"Must be one of the thousands of kids the Waynes bring to those charity events."

[lazycats-stuff]

What about Batfam x male reader where the reader was actually the first child Bruce adopted and he was the practice child. He hated growing io because Bruce had really no idea what to do and then the other kids came along and now Bruce kinda understood what to do. He hates family time because he never felt like family, he was just some doll the others could practice on so later they wouldn't make mistakes. And i imagine at some point they snap. I feel like what if Damian brought over Jon for dinner and Jon was like "oh I thought Dick's the oldest, you never told me about (reader)" and reader just slams down their fist and goes to their room. At this point the rest of the family try to comfort them but the reader only screams about how they never were a son or bother, they were only a practice doll for them to use and then throw away

This has angst written all over it... Ah. Angst train it seems... Also, I think I changed the end a bit, but that's fine...

Summary: (Y/N) was nothing but a test child for Bruce. He finally lets them have it

Warnings: angst, resentment, author sucks at angst, but hey, I tried, yelling, mentions of anxiety, the fam is trying, (Y/N) is mad beyond belief, implications of child neglect... If you can call it child neglect.

(Y/N) (L/N) was the oldest member of the Wayne family and the first child that Bruce had adopted. (Y/N) didn't have a good life at all before he met Bruce. (Y/N) could also argue that Bruce didn't treat him well as well, since being emotionally unavailable is not a good trait to have when you have children.

As the years went by, he hated growing up in the manor and with Bruce. He had food, a roof over his head and some sort of education. But that wasn't enough. The feeling of resentment that (Y/N) had has only grown as the years went by.

The feeling of being a test to Bruce, to see what he need to improve made his blood boil. He was a test pancake for Bruce and some sort of feedback to Bruce. It made (Y/N) mad beyond. Bruce could have gotten his shit straight when he started to have him as his legal child.

(Y/N) wished that he could forget everything about Bruce. About the family too. Even before Dick came, resentment building up in him nearly exploded. Looking back, he should have exploded on Bruce and Dick... Maybe even punch them. Maybe he should have done it.

When Dick came, (Y/N) saw signs that Bruce was improving, but he didn't show that to (Y/N). Years went by and Damian came. To say that Damian pretended that (Y/N) didn't exist is an understatement. (Y/N) tried to get closer to Damian, but Damian always pushed him away. (Y/N) took the signs and gave up, sadness and anger boiling inside of him. But he did observe Damian and Dick. In matter of a few days, they were close.

Dick did it without even trying.

So, (Y/N) has decided to alienate himself from the family, at least until he gets enough money to leave. Thankfully, the resentment towards Bruce and the rest of the family made him even put everything he had in school, even though no one cared about it. He had straight As and he was on his way to go to college that was far away from here. He knows that he can do it.

Even as Tim and Jason came, (Y/N) tried to be close to them, but none of them cared. None. (Y/N)'s solace became his own room and would avoid the family at all costs until it was time to eat where he had to step out. That only solidified the fact that he was going to leave as soon as possible.

Either way, he just had to alienate himself and move out. Then, everyone in the house would be happy.

However, everything would turn on its head when Damian would bring his boyfriend Jon over to meet the family and by default (Y/N). If only (Y/N) knew what would happen.

Dinner rolled around and came down to eat. He didn't expect to see Jon, but was nice to introduce himself to Jon, trying to be nice and just get this stupid dinner over with. He put some food on his plate and just ate in silence while everyone else talked.

He listened to bits and pieces and just stayed silent. He finished his plate quickly and pushed it away and sipped at his water, just being polite and getting ready to leave back at his room.

" Damian, you didn't tell me anything about (Y/N)... I thought that Dick was oldest of the brothers. " Jon said and (Y/N) froze.

Damian didn't tell Jon about him...

(Y/N)'s anger boiled over and he slammed his fist into the table before standing up quickly, knocking the chair over. Everyone got startled at the actions and watched in silence as (Y/N) left the dining room.

After a few seconds they all jumped into action, trying to stop (Y/N) to comfort him. (Y/N) slammed the door of his room shut, locking to make sure no one could enter, before he broke down on his bed. He hugged his pillow and sobbed into it.

It shouldn't hurt like this. He should have been stronger than this. Not cry over them.

" (Y/N), please open the door. " Bruce said through the door.

" Please, we just want to talk. " Dick added and (Y/N) snapped at that, anger boiling over once again.

" Talk?! TALK?! Stop acting like you care! " (Y/N) yelled at the top of his lungs.

" We do care. " Jason started.

" You don't give a single flying damn about me! I was never a son or a brother to anyone! I was only a test toy to Bruce so he could see what he could fucking improve! I was never a fucking brother either! Damian fucking proved it! " (Y/N) yelled at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down his face.

Everyone stayed silent and (Y/N) sobbed his heart out. Damian swallowed hardly, realizing what he did and how that hurt (Y/N) deeply. Maybe he shouldn't have...

Everyone glanced at each other. They stayed silent as they listened to (Y/N)'s sobs. Just how much pain did they brought up onto him?

" (Y/N), look- " Bruce started and (Y/N) screamed again.

" Don't you dare care right now! I'm moving out in a few days anyway and I don't need your pity or apology! " (Y/N) yelled, trying to wipe the never ending stream of tears.

" Moving out?! " Bruce yelled, eyes wide in shock. He know he has no right to tell (Y/N) what to do, but something flared up in Bruce. " No, you're not moving out! You are going to stay put because we have to solve this problem! "

" Are you shitting me Bruce?! Work things out?! "

" I'm not shitting you! I have to make things right with you! You are my son too! " Bruce yelled through the door.

" I don't give a single damn about any of you! "

Bruce took a deep breath, trying not to explode. He knows he has no right to be angry, but (Y/N) was still his son. " (Y/N), I am your dad and we will solve this problem. "

" We won't solves shit Bruce! "

" (Y/N), please, " Tim started, but (Y/N) cut him off. " Shut up Tim! "

Tim bit the inside of his cheek and stepped back.

" (Y/N), " Jason started, " You need to calm down, you'll give yourself a heart attack. "

(Y/N) wanted to scream even more, but he felt like he was going to die from this situation.

" Shut up, all of you! "

Now Dick started. " (Y/N), we may have been bad brothers- "

" May have?! You were- No, you are the worst brothers! " (Y/N) yelled and clenched his fists as he started facing around the room.

Dick sighed and stepped back. At the moment, everyone knew that (Y/N) talking to them without yelling at them and more importantly, he needed to calm down first.

But with how much anger and resentment there is, it is going to take a while.

" Lets leave (Y/N) alone for a while. He needs to be alone for now. " Bruce said and gently moved everyone away from (Y/N)'s doors, who was inside, trying to breathe more normally. He felt like he was going to jump out of his skin in the next few moments. He calmed down after a while, but he was still anxious beyond belief.

Unfortunately, the threat of moving out is just a threat and not a promise. (Y/N) sighed as he sat down on his bed. It was a stupid move to say that while he didn't have everything secure yet. Stupid.

(Y/N) went to the bathroom and washed his face and drank some water, to soothe his soon to be sore throat. It won't be nice to talk in a few hours.

Either way, it's better than leaving this room in order to face his siblings and dad. No, they are just roommates here, until (Y/N) can move out and just finally cut them out of his life.

[ladyrosemone]

The Other Side Of Paradise

Using Google Translate here! 🗣‼️‼️ This is an intermediate of part one, as the Batfamily's point of view just like you had yours, official part two coming soon! Also my question box is open (I think) and without further ado, enjoy the read! (Thanks for enjoying the read 😭🫶🏼)

Tw!: Profanity (use of prostitute as a derogatory insult), murder, murder scene described, negligence.

Tag List: @tsuniio, @simpingpandas, @dakotali, @softycheol.

Dick is always first.

The first child acrobat of the circus, the first son of Bruce Wayne, the first Robin, the first brother, the first everything.

And he was proud of that, from being an orphan to the pride of Gotham it was not an easy path and much less a happy one, but amidst so much pain and loss he is grateful for having a constant; his family.

Dysfunctional and somewhat shaky, where violence and beatings are the language of love, they find comfort in knowing that they have each other.

He has Alfred as his honorary grandfather, who is the wisest person he will ever meet again.

Bruce, who even with his flaws is his father, who gave him a chance and never abandoned him, making him the man he is today.

Jason, the most distant but beloved of his brothers, knows that he can always count on him and his strength at all times.

Tim, his chair boy, his best confidant, and the best detective in the world, trusts him with his life over anything he can't find.

And Damian, his little brother, his favorite boy in the whole world, the Robin to his Batman, what he wouldn't do for his sharp-tongued brother; even when he came to the mansion threatening and stabbing everything, never gave up on him and the result was completely worth it.

His sisters are also dear to him; Stephenie and Cassandra are strong and independent, but also loyal and loving. Barbara may not be a sister -she still has her father- but she has earned a place in the family and is considered sister as much as Steph and Cass.

Of course he will never leave Duke behind, the newest, the ray of sunshine among them all, he expects great things from him.

Dick is always first.

Dick is the last one to remember you.

Jason hates remembering his life before the well.

He doesn't want to forget, there are memories that still keep him sane; his mother, when Bruce adopted him, his first patrol as Robin. You.

But if it were up to him, he would never talk about them again or even acknowledge their existence. They are chains that bind him, quicksand that make him sink whenever he tries to move forward and personally he is fed up.

Because no matter how many villains he catch and how many more kill, how many people save, nothing will take away the guilt of not having saved that person. Don't save you.

Of not finding the strength in himself to look for you now, because for you, there is nothing but shame and shame for himself. The first friend he had, the first brother he had, his first great loss, his only great regret.

Jason hates remembering his life before the well.

Jason hates being the first to discover your new identity.

Tim is a genius.

Genius falls short, his brain works like a computer within a computer within another; Wires instead of neural conduits and electricity instead of energy is what happens in that brilliant brain of yours.

He was never an ordinary person, he is ambitious and resourceful, intelligent and determined to get what he wants.

That started with the mantle of Robin.

When Jason was still in the portrait, he wanted to be part of the duo; He trained and prepared, ready to help from the Batcave until the Joker thing happened. And even when it felt bad to carry the title of the bat's henchman, he felt proud that his perseverance took him to the top.

And it was the beginning of his destiny.

Robin, Red Robin, the robin's mantle is and will be a part of him that he will never let go, but he is also the one who remembers every detail of every case of every villain of every attack in Gotham, is the one they turn to when they need to confirm exact information. Nothing escapes him, ever.

Tim is a genius.

Tim passed you by and lost.

Damian is the perfect heir.

His father is the most powerful man in Gotham and Batman himself, his mother is a skilled and lethal assassin, daughter of a dynasty of the world's fiercest assassins, and he is the result of the cross between the two.

He is perfect.

That is why he will never deign to look down on the unworthy; Richard is fine, Jason is worthy because served his mother and grandfather, Tim still doubts it, women are strong allies and that new boy has potential. Alfred and his father, of course, are worthy of his obedience.

And you? You are worse than a disappointment.

A stain, a mistake, someone who should never have existed, rotting his perfect legacy, you should be thankful he didn't kill you when he had the chance.

It's not that you deserve it, you don't deserve anything from it.

You are so insignificant to him that not even in his dreams did he worry about your whereabouts, of course he knew that you were no longer there, he had to watch you in case you stole something when you left like the thieving prostitute who was probably your mother, but when you did not return, he felt triumphant for having taken care of -without killing- the family problem.

Damian is the perfect heir.

Damian feels like his throne means nothing in front of you.

Bruce is a father.

He never considered himself one, maybe he wanted it once, when his own father was alive to learn from him, but that dream died when his people did it in the alley.

Despite everything, he tried to be a father to Dick, and his efforts, although questionable, worked. Then Jason with his bright eyes and bubbly personality, taken away too soon, let go too soon.

Even now, so near and so far, it is his greatest loss as Batman, as Bruce Wayne.

Tim was...complicated; arrived when he had not overcome his grief and treated him in the most atrocious way he had ever imagined treating his children. Still, he proved to him time and time again that was more than expected.

Damian was unexpected of an unexpected union; son of Talia Al'Ghul and grandson of Ra's Al'Ghul, he awaited a bloodthirsty and indomitable child. Which started badly ended well, his youngest son is on his way to writing his destiny far from his ancestry, and in his heart knows that did the best he could.

Barbara, although not their daughter, is part of their family, Stephenie and Cassandra are their beloved daughters, and Duke is officially their new son.

Bruce is a father.

Bruce is not your father.

Do others really have a voice in this narrative? You barely remember them, you barely knew them, much less you care about them. Yes, even Alfred.

"I don't understand, there's nothing more" Tim murmurs, looking at the images on the Batcomputer, reading the documents at the same time, his eyes bloodshot and his fingers trembling from the coffee laced with an energy drink that just drank "There must be more"

"You searched enough, you should get some sleep" Barbara intervenes, in her wheelchair "I'll cover you"

"No, there's something I'm overlooking" he insists "I know, I just have to look carefully"

"Tell me it's not that thing again" Jason complains, arriving at the Batcave with his Red Hood suit on, barely removing his helmet.

Dick nods, his usual smile not drawing his face, just a grimace "We're close to finding it, just...something's missing"

The image is clear; a party room, with people dancing and laughing, as precise as a painting but recent that appeared in the newspaper. All of these people are families of dangerous underworld groups.

Lords of drugs, weapons and human trafficking, ex-convicts and people who work for villains are...enjoying the party.

It wouldn't be relevant if it weren't the photo before the tragedy.

⚠️ Description of crime scene, bodies and blood under the cut ⚠️

All of them, women and men, young and old, nothing more than a combined mass of blood and bones, guts scattered on the walls and decorations of the room.

The floor, the stairs, everything contaminated, women's bodies -which were getting smaller, then only limbs such as arms, hands and finally, fingers- arranged on the main staircase. They all point to something;

⚠️End of scene⚠️

A painting.

In the two photos, the painting of a house is what steals the attention; nothing special, nothing grand, just a painting of a gray wooden cave house, with the background of a distant city and without a signature, almost overlooked as another photo if it weren't for the canvases and the paint under his fingers when he touched it.

In both photos the painting is at the top of the stairs, in both the light was shining on them and in both it draws attention before anything else.

Why? What does it mean? What does it tell them?

"There must be something more than that, hidden among the corpses" says Damian, the most obsessed -besides Tim- in discovering the identity of the one who, for months, has left them clues after helping them anonymously, only a pseudonym in your name; The Savior.

Or that is how those who bring your messages to them have referred to you, speaking of you as a Saint, a savior among men, God himself who came down to protect them.

And they can't let that continue.

They must know if you are dangerous, if you are a potential threat or potential ally. They must discover you.

Alfred arrives with more coffee, because he knows his words won't be heard at that point; When the family becomes obsessed with something, they hardly let it go until they get their fill of it.

His eyes pursue that house; small and misaligned, painted in a very specific way, too specific.

Jason doesn't like to remember the past.

"Wasn't there a phantom surcharge on the accounts months ago?" He says in a low voice, almost lost if the echo of the cave had not returned the word to him.

"There are many like that" Tim murmurs without thinking about the matter "Hey-!"

Jason pushes him aside, typing furiously and searching through files, searching and searching remembering remembering until...A contract, simple and almost empty, with a late date and an unknown signature, the name blank but with an address and a photo; the photo of the painting.

The house.

"How did you...?" Tim was surprised, looking at that contract as if he had never looked at it before, reading carefully, sleep and fatigue fleeing his body.

Bruce looks on without speaking, but those who know him know that a war of insecurities is raging inside him; How did it happen? Who was it? When did do it? Has access to all he private accounts? Do has know their identities?

The clue has been revealed, the answer discovered, and the game is just beginning.

"I think it's time to arrange the pawns on the chess board" you say in your luxury suit, the highest in the tallest building in Gotham, looking at the flashing lights that fill the streets, looking at the outskirts of Gotham, looking at your next move, looking at the wide-screen camera that's embedded in the painting's window.

[mintedwitcher]

I was a multishipper and honestly open to bucktommy because YES finally someone who puts him first, who's in his corner. But I'm just so disappointed where they then took the story. Making it seem like they still don't know each other at 6 months or that tommy is gone as soon as it goes past casual, feeling threatened by eddie... why did they sell it to us as a romcom then? I agree with the other anon and the reviews saying they keep intentionally misleading us. But not in a good way where I'm like oh! What a twist! They just start stuff and then it goes nowhere? And somehow buck ends up being the one who suffers. Oliver said it himself, maybe they want that because people see themselves in buck and that "romantic gaping wound" but it's so unfair they only keep giving him crumbs

I'm gonna just... gently disagree with the "Tommy's out as soon as it goes past casual" part, because it's very clearly not the case - Buck came on way too strong with the idol worship (talking about everything Tommy "went through" and how he's so cool for that etc) and then topped that with "move in with me" out of nowhere at six months in. I'd run too, that's way too fast. If Tommy only wanted casual, he wouldn't have gotten Buck "six month anniversary" presents.

but yeah some of it was just... weird. Buck not knowing what the Kinsey scale is, six months into his first queer relationship? as if Evan Buckley didn't do a fucking deep dive into queerness and queer history IMMEDIATELY. Please, Evan Buckley would know the scale, where it came from, why it exists, when it started, who created it, and exactly where he falls on that scale, within a DAY of his queer awakening.

however, miscommunication is - unfortunately - a very popular romcom trope. being so close and then missing their shot is also a romcom trope. (I hope they get to the com part of romcom soon though, I'm bored.) so like, in that sense, the breakup and the continual returning, "will they/won't they" theme is very in line with the romcom angle they're trying to sell, I think they're just leaning a little too heavily on the "drama" side of it. I'm hoping that season 9 will change up the focus, but honestly, who fucking knows at this point? Tim might just decide to have them reconcile off screen over the hiatus, or he might decide to scrap bucktommy altogether and give Buck some bland, lampshade of a woman to be his new LI. given the political climate in the US right now, that is unfortunately still a possibility. we won't know until the season airs.

but yeah I agree about the twists. it feels less like it's planned and more like it's a giant fuck you to the audience. like, the audience is supposed to engage with media, we're encouraged - or at least we used to be - to theorise and predict what might come next. and that's not just fandom, that's all audiences. the entire point of storytelling is sharing stories, and if you're just changing the outcomes on a whim because someone in the audience guessed where you were going next, I'm sorry, but you're just a bad storyteller.

911 has had some amazing stories. and it's had some absolute dogshit ones. but the constant "ha got you!" theme is getting boring, and worse, it's showing that the writers don't care about the stories they're telling, they just want the opportunity to "shock" audiences.

and as you said, it always seems to be Buck getting the short end of these sticks they keep throwing at us. he's the only one in season 8 who ends the season without a concrete resolution. he has no home, his job is uncertain, his family is untethered, and he doesn't even have a solid relationship to fall back on, unlike every other character this season. at a certain point, that just gets boring. we were promised an end to the "hamster wheel" but oh look, here it is, still spinning.

[askdoppelgangerandjeff]

Facts about.....the other residents of Cabin 7?! What?! No Orson?! Crazy!!!!

-Jeff and Toby bring out the dumbassery in each other. By themselves, their typical guys, better survival instincts than most actually (Well....mainly Jeff. Toby is still a fucking maniac with or without him). With each other? Their howling with laughter something stupid like the stove light flickering.

-In general, the main 4 get into SO much ridiculous shit(with Jack trying to be the voice of reason through it). Illegal fireworks, attempts at keeping the supernatural creatures in slendys forest as pets, mock waterboardings, cliff accidents, you name it! Now with the baby in the house, they've unfortunately had to tone it down, for her safety, but believe me it gets wild in that house. They try their best to leave the children far away from anything actually dangerous to them, but never with each other -Jeff is very open about the fact he is trans (seeing as he was the center of gossip for about 5 months after the news of his daughter came out and a even bigger center for the first month of her life. Stella would only be the second baby to exist in the territory, the first being Hayden 14 years ago). Ben is very closeted, with Jeff being the only person still alive to know of it. Thankfully, he's never needed to tell anyone about it.....yet. This fact is one of the many reasons they are as close as they are -After a few months of Chris having to sleep on a makeshift mattress on Jeff's floor, Jack and Jeff had a week long fight on who needed to move into who's room so Chris could have his own space. Eventually because his room was smaller, Jack moved into Jeff's room. The compromise was a LOT of deep cleaning and rearranging of things. Jack is a very neat person, Jeff is not. -Speaking of that, Chris came into their lives around a full year before Stella was even convinced when he was 7, almost 8. (No, they did not plan for either kid. Chris was an impulsive sparring and Stella was years of unprotected fornication thinking Jack couldn't impregnate a human. News alert, they were DEAD wrong!) -Ben has a Kazoo he treasures deeply. It was weird at first breathing for the first time after passing away and y'know....not breathing for a long time as a ghost, but now he is moderately okay at playing it :3 -Big list of Jack stuff here. He has nearly full vision, though he can't see very far away. His bones hurt BAD, he literally grew from 5'8 or whatever I said to 6'11. He's probably too prideful for a cane or something....I might give him one anyways idk. His spine hurts the WORST, especially because of the long ass tail he received. He also has a lot of stomach issues, considering he switched from being an omnivore to carnivorous within like 10 minutes or however long the possession took. His tummy hurts ALWAYS!

It was at its worst for the first 6 months and pretty bad for the first 2 years, but now well over a decade post-possession, its...kinda manageable. He still has his bad days where he's bedridden and trying not to retch up his guts on the rare occasion, doesn't happen often. On that note, he absolutely CANNOT return to eating normal human food. Not only does it taste awful, it will make him violently sick. To be more specific, starches and cellulose are what will make him ill. If he can find a people food without that, great! snack time! probably still would taste bad to him, but wouldn't make his tummy start melting and dissolving or whatever he said -Jeff was the first. He arrived in Slenders care at 14 after living on his own for a full year. Tim and Brian were assigned to watch over him and lived with him in cabin 7 for some time. Hayden showed up shortly after him, after Slenderman found him in the forest half dead and soaked in blood. Tim and Brian were roped into helping out with Hayden, and as a consequence Jeff got roped into the role of older brother a second time, which he DESPISED. He got over himself at 18 though. Hayden moved out to Cabin 5 with Brian around when he was 17. At the same time, Ben showed up!! Jack showed up shortly after, but him and Jeff didn't get along. Tim moved out after Jacks arrival to live with Brian and Hayden. Finally, when Jeff was 22, Jack 23, and Ben 18, Toby showed up !!!! So Toby's the new guy..................(I'm going off memory on their age differences I'm hoping to god I'm not wrong) -Not specific to Cabin 7, but in Slenders territory, social situations are....treated different than in the real world. There are 13 cabins spread out over hundreds of acres of forest, with the lonely mansion right in the middle where Slenderman lives. The cabins are spread out VERY far apart, to my memory around 7-12 miles? not sure. So, the people you'd only know closely are the people your rooming with in your assigned cabin. You don't see the others outside of mass meetings (ex: parties, emergency meetings, etc). When you encounter another pasta from another Cabin you don't know well, which is likely, its courtesy to refer to them as just the number of their home(ex: Jeff would be 7, Tim would be 5, Rouge would be 12, so on). If referring to multiple people from the same cabin, you'd still just refer to them as the number, same as a singular person. Which is why Orson is such an anomaly...they do not have a Cabin assigned. They stay drifting. They never met with Slender for their assignment, for whatever reason... -Toby has a small mattress in the corner of his room for when Orson stays. They decorated the corner together to be Orson's own space...kinda. He gets sad when it's empty. He really embraces the brotherly relationship they've managed to form so quickly, even if...there's a feeling of separation Orson can't bring themselves to cross. There's always going to be that wall there, preventing Orson from letting Toby in fully. They don't even understand the full extent of this distrust, yet they keep it there, and it's not coming down. -Jack seems to always be worrying over Toby when he's not busy with his other things, making sure he's being careful, being checked for injuries, other such things. Because of his CIPA, it's a miracle he made it this far with the only major incidents being:

his mouth gash, his chewed up fingers, a arm that he seems to keep breaking no matter how many lectures he gets, an almost ruptured appendix (ABSOLUTE MIRACLE THEY CAUGHT THAT. Jack still doesn't know how they saved him..), many nearly unnoticed slashes, a concussion, some burns from the fire, and old wounds from his father. The nurse side of him is frazzled trying to keep Toby from imploding in on himself. It seems NONE of his lectures matter. -While most of the pastas listen to country music or angry playlists, Jack listens to the most white girl tik tok music you've ever heard. Hand him the AUX cord and he's fucking playing devil's don't fly with a straight face. Everyone hates his music taste. -Ben loves shooter games! He's always pirating every new game, bad or good, big or small. He never did lose his love for games, even in death! -Chris and Jeff play Roblox together. Jeff doesn't get it, but Chris LOVES it so he sticks it out for him, even if Chris's off brand ipad is lagging so hard he can't properly play the obby their trying to do :) (how do they have wifi in the middle of the woods? They don't ask, they only thank Ben) -So. Many. Fights. About. Chores. Even after years of living together, they still can't figure it out. Right as they figured something out, Chris ruined the whole system with Jeff and Jack adjusting. then the SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED AGAIN and Ben and Toby (mainly Toby) were PISSED. Now with Stella starting to have a more regular sleep schedule its starting to return to normal....can't wait for the next big event that disrupts it a third time! (What will that be? Who knows. Could be a nuke, zalgoid, Ben gets a girlfriend finally, Toby dies, who knows!) -Idk if it's obvious but Jack is the main doctor as per usual in all the creepypasta fanfictions. He was actually studying to be a nurse, but all that broad medical knowledge made him a very good medic for the injuries suffered by the Pastas. He's often out of the house a lot treating wounds either at the mansion or at a safehouse near the border of the territory. He hates being away from his family so often, but it is his job.... -Toby has a truck(idk what kind, he just has one okay! thanks for giving me that tarot sorry for stealing that), Jeff has a white prius because i thought it would be funny even though he doesn't drive often, Ben doesn't drive at ALL. And Jack usually uses Toby or Jeff's car. -theres two rooms on the upstairs (Ben and Jeff/Jack's) and two on the ground floor (Chris and Toby's). The kitchen is near the backdoor, living room directly across from that. I need to draw the cabin sometime. alright I can't think of anything else, I'll make a part 2 if I do

[gnashingwailing]

@fireflywritesgt LOVINGLY WRITING MY UNHINGED CH23 THOUGHTS AND THEN BURYING THEM UNDER A READMORE. I felt such overwhelming hype when I saw we got 2 chapters in 1 day I truly was ready to throw my phone out the fucking window. TOO MUCH JOY FOR ONE LITTLE GNASH... I hadn't even finished processing ch21......

first off pov Joe when he goes to Calloway's to pick up his cute new tailored fit in 3 days

soooo right from the jump. hey.

"“…’cause he’s way better off than I am, it’ll make it harder for me to leave him or something. That he’s luring me in. I mean—” Joe laughed nervously as he steeled himself in preparation for how the captain would react to his next statement “—if it were a giant treating me the way he treats me, everyone would call me a pet.”

“Well of course they would, Joe. That’s because giants are evil.” The captain said matter-of-factly.

He may as well have poked Joe squarely in the eye. Nonetheless, the bartender continued."

hey. UM. Joe you beautiful idiot who canonically has bad luck and, presumably from reading this very chapter, a terrible poker face. Maybe you should have said. Any Other Thing? GODDD in my heart he's definitely sooo overconfident and drunk like wow I am so smooth :) nobody suspects a thing :) while Calloway is having a conversation with him like uh... just saying, but you know, none of us could stop you from. for example. idk. becoming a giant's pet. we wouldn't like that but it's just a random thing that came to mind just now, unrelated to the really tall really wealthy really powerful guy who is afraid of taking advantage of you by luring you in and giving you things like a giant would and maybe isn't treating you like a person. And you're afraid you shouldn't want it. Like BRO IT IS SO OVER FOR YOU even without Harry literally calling Joe's name 3+ times in the dead silence 😭😭😭😭 And presumably Harry having been waiting around there for a while to see Joe! Loitering in a way we know tinies are on guard about since they all noticed that snatcher back in Ch13!

They're idiots ur honor, so true, but it's all worth it to see Joe get rescued and swoon like a damsel ... I definitely wonder if Calloway observed any of that, and what he might think about it if so. >:) May or may not have been daydreaming and writing bits about how horrifying it would be to give your surrogate kid all this well-meaning advice, see him nearly slip to his death, and while you're hurrying down to try and help him, watching him call out to a walking nightmare for help and then get whisked away by it

I have a pet theory that everything we've seen from Calloway so far has been pretty heavily colored by it being from Joe's perspective when he's having a bad day, and maybe he will be more understanding than we think? Objectively, I didn't think he was being very rude or anything back in Ch 13, when he was speculating on Joe's love life. It rankled Joe, which is understandable, but he 1) he's happy that Joe looks good, 2) he doesn't let Gutters or O'Grady rag on Joe too hard and 3) he just generally seems like an interested father figure would about his kid's love life:

"“Oh, lay off him, Tim. It’s a good borrowing year!” Captain Calloway cut in. “We all have ‘em, we all enjoy ‘em, we all cry ourselves to sleep when they’re over.”

Relief washed over Joe like the warm water in Harry’s sink.

“Though I gotta say…” The captain gave a wry smile as he continued. “…it could just as easily be someone else’s good borrowing year if ya’ catch my drift. Could be he’s got a little sweetheart looking after him. A brick of pure chocolate? That’s practically a dowry."”

Although I may be wrong here, since Ch 21's incident at Tiny Town with the Italian mob that saved him gives us the insight that "[for] the first time in Joe’s entire existence at that, Joe understood what it was like to have a real father." So maybe Calloway is not that nurturing to Joe and not much of a caring dad -- as @remordsposthume's tags so wisely point out:

WTF WAS HE DOING LETTING HIM LEAVE THE BAR LMAO. Calloway's Den of Drunkards confirmed for an "everybody drive home drunk. it's not my problem" bar??? Everyone is processing TAoLaW thru their own cultural lens and. in that spirit. lmfao. I must say. Calloway reminds me of the libertarian redneck dads I've known who just let their kids do whatever. If he was a giant I think he'd let his kids ride ATVs thru the woods drunk. Most probably he would also be ridin around drunk with them. "If you die it's your own damn fault" being his motto is too on the nose LOL. Huge farm dad "I LOVE MY SONS. ONLY HALF OF THEM WILL SURVIVE TO ADULTHOOD BUT I DO LOVE THEM" energy. To Me.

(Btw Harry & Joe processing their parental issues together WHEN <3)

BUT ANYWAY YEAH EVEN IF CALLOWAY WAS THE MOST UNOBSERVANT GUY IN THE WORLD RE: THAT SUSPICIOUS CONVERSATION? YOU WERE LITERALLY BOTH SCREAMING EACH OTHERS' NAMES LIKE LOVESICK ROMANCE PROTAGONISTS RIGHT UNDER THE DREDGE THAT'S STILL PROBABLY GOT AT LEAST SOME NIGHT MARKET CUSTOMERS? HELLO?? @94444 we are on the same wavelength rn

AND MORE ABOUT CALLOWAY... I am very heartened by how you mentioned once, Warren, that you planned to give each character real depth and treat them with sincerity. I feel very interested about when that time will be for Calloway! We know that he takes in kids (or at least O'Grady and Joe scratch that. tag lore be upon me) and teaches them how to sell trinkets. We know that he hates giants. We know he's been horribly injured in a way that led to him losing a hand, an eye, and possibly teeth. Knowing what we do about the risks of being a borrower, and how casually cruel giants are to them, it's not unlikely those last 2 things are related. I'M TAKING YOUR TAGS AND RUNNING AWAY WITH THEM LIKE A DOG W SOMETHING IN ITS MOUTH.

So Calloway knew them for several years as vulnerable kids... then lost them for a year or so... then got them back after they escaped the watchmaker's? I will be interested to see if that trauma means he's more protective of them, or uh, still more drunk libertarian dad about them. Lmao. He seemed like he cared about Joe getting into Tiny Town way back in Ch3 tho at least! (as an aside... interested in who Gutters is, too. He SEEMS to be older than Joe/Tim, but he could also still be a Calloway Kid himself... he seems to defer to Calloway... and/or he could just be some guy embittered about giant/tiny relations. which. fair, brother.)

If the broader Tiny Town culture (such as it is... would word get around about this incident with Joe and Harry, or does news just not travel that well amongst lots of secluded borrower communities? much to consider. it makes sense in a dark way why you would physically mark somebody who's transgressed against society's cardinal rule, in a culture where you cannot generally spread information effectively) would reject Joe for his proclivities... will Calloway, too? Or is it Joe's anxiety making him think that? I'm afraid we already know how Tim would feel. Other than him, Calloway is the person who Joe seems most connected to in miniature society... Although Harry's worry about Joe not spending enough time around his fellow miniatures in Ch22 is at least partially motivated by his own guilt-trip, I think he has a bit of a point! I hope Joe doesn't lose touch with everyone -- or if he does, I hope there will be new friends out there for him, too, who are more understanding.

(LORRAINE WHEN)

Now Calloway aside, OBVIOUSLY THE ENDING OF THIS CHAPTER HAD ME HOOTIN AND HOLLERIN.

“Joe… can we go back to the big, sexy giant part for a second?” <- LIT'RALLY me rereading this chapter 800 times

A snapping turtle is a fantastic little horror for poor Joe to face, woof. Those fuckers are scary enough when ur height is measured in feet. The quick way they snap is no joke. Just want to 👏👏👏👏 about how good this passage is: The turtle’s maw emerged from the waters of the lake like the gaping mouth of some ancient monster that fed on the souls of sailors. The grimy lakewater rushed over its beady little eyes as its beak, sharp as a dagger, flew towards Joe faster than a gunshot. YEAH.

It just!! makes my little heart sooooo happy to see that Joe does have someone who will unconditionally look out for him...!!! Harry has his issues, and they're still learning how to open up about themselves, but he consistently shows up!! :') the thought of him waiting for his man all night ... hoping the dredge would be the place Joe meant ... and then acting sooo fast when he saw a tiny guy fall off of it... what a faithful hound of a [future] boyfriend. Calloway is so right. Joe deserves somebody to look after him. And Joe has done the (forgive me for the loaded meme) girl math on this. One big man is the best possible outcome for him. ONLY THE BIGGEST MAN WILL DO to keep him off of his bullshit as much as possible 👍👍

And OF COURSE god their conversation is just so so so fucking funny. "Thank you" "fuck no I'm not" -> "FUCK YOU" is INCREDIBLE i CANNOT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT lmaooooo and Harry still being so gentle about receiving this insult and trying to parse what Joe means ... he does listen to Joe, they're definitely not back to square one as drunk!Joe feared, his own issues are just getting in the way! (And Joe's are getting in the way of him seeing thru Harry's facade into what the real issue is! We love to see it!)

"“I meant that. You don’t get to call me handsome until you start listening to me.” He slurred. “You gotta—you gotta want it.”

Joe crossed his arms and scowled up at the beautiful man and his beautiful face as Harry tried to parse what Joe was saying.

“Want it…?” Harry echoed.

“Yeah. You gotta want to be my friend. And screw what anyone else thinks!”"

And did anyone else cackle at how Joe telephone-gamed Calloway's advice to still be in plausible-deniability-land. "You gotta want to be my friend" ok. not what he fuckin said. run that back real quick -> "Not if you’re being open about what you want and everything. That’s how love works, Joe. You gotta want it."

I just adored the moments of insight between them, too. "... Joe knew his real answer was yes – he was just too afraid to say it overtly. He argued and fought and begrudgingly accepted it instead. / What was that saying to Harry?" vs. Ch22 Harry's revelation: "How much of his relationship with Joe was genuine, he wondered, and how much of it was Joe going along with Harry’s suggestions in the name of diplomacy?"

Joe IS acting like somebody who's being coerced! Harry IS being a trustworthy guy by noticing it and checking in once their relationship is definitely turning intimate! It's so fascinating to think in hindsight that every time Joe turned red and embarrassed, Harry was having a thought at the back of his mind like "he doesn't want this. I'm scaring him. He doesn't want me, and he doesn't even know the real me yet. And worse, he can't tell me, because he's afraid of what I might do to him." But he can't SAY all that because it would hurt too much if he said it and Joe confirmed he was actually correct, so Ch22 comes out as a trainwreck where he's accidentally insulting Joe's ability to survive without him. (Side note I KNEW Harry wasn't REALLY considering Joe his landlord. Sad!!! That fucked up scrawny starving guy has squatter's rights and he was doing pretty good all things considered maybe !!!)

The respective issues ~Society~ has given both of them just make it impossible to talk about the root of their problems without baring your guts in a really terrifying way. OOF.

HOWEVER this chapter confirming that homophobia isn't such a problem in tiny society is going to make this eventual conversation betwen them real interesting... Harry like "You don't understand Joe :( there's something really wrong with me... ... I like ... men..." and Joe being like "omg :) :) :) :) :) wait what's wrong with you tho" and then Joe "No you don't understand Harry :( I know this is sick but... I like.. giants... I'm sure you could never see someone smaller than you as anything other than a pet ..." and Harry just ":) :) :) :) oh what no :) Georgie was shorter than me" I hope they can have a good, baffled laugh at how long they could've been snuggling guilt-free. At the end of the angst. <3

[ekat-fandom-blog]

Dr Wayne AU

Idea from this post.

Bruce graduated from medical school. He went out and trained to become a vigilante. He came back and things mostly turned out like the original universe does. Until Dick. The stress was getting to him. Gnawing away at his morals and last shred of patients. Mysteriously, the building Tony Zuko was in blew up and Batman wasn't seen again.

Years go by, and more mysterious explosions kill more mob bosses and super villains. No one connects Bruce to the explosions except for a malnourished street kid who caught him in the act. Smart little street rat that is Jason Todd uses this knowledge to get some food. Bruce quickly takes a liking to him and brings him home. Jason starts helping Bruce rig these explosions after a while. While setting up a bomb meant for their slipperiest evil doer, Joker, it goes off while Jason's in the building. Bruce goes a little crazy (or maybe crazier. who's to say) after Jason's death.

He meets Tim Drake at a function being held by Mr and Mrs Drake and notices some things. The first thing he notices is how similar Tim looks to Jason when they met in that dark alley. The second thing he notices is that the Drakes are almost always out of Gotham. The third thing he notices is that Tim seems to light up when Bruce mentions Dick. He'd love to just snatch the kid up and bring him home, but he couldn't. Not without a reason to keep the kid. It was just luck that one of the many villains still populating Gotham decided to target the plane the Drakes were on a week later. In his gratitude for the opportunity to take in the sweet child he'd found, he made sure the explosion he set for them would only maim them instead of kill them.

Getting Jason was amazing and horrible. The sweet precious boy nearly killed Bruce and Tim with the minor explosive he'd put in Bruce's favorite car. But that didn't matter all that much. By the end of the entire debacle, no one was hurt and they'd even managed to clear up some misunderstandings. Bruce had all of his children under one roof again.

He thought he had all of his children under one roof until he learned about Damian. There weren't any words he could use to describe how upset it made him to learn that another of his children were being kept from him. He did have to thank Talia, however. Without Talia slipping up to Jason about Damian's existence he wouldn't have known until one of the Al Ghul's revealed it to him. Tim overheard Jason and Bruce planning to retrieve Damian and revealed that he'd known since he came to the manor what Jason and Bruce did. Told the two that he knew how to help gather intel on the League long term as long as they could slip a microchip into one of the League's mainframe computers. The Plan went well, all things considered. Jason and Bruce came out of it with a few scars and a broken rib, which was less damage than expected. They sadly weren't able to catch many of the assassins in any of their micro explosions, but they overall won the battle.

After everything was said and done, Damian fit in well with their chaotically violent family. Even if he did prefer swords to explosives. It was much less strange than Dick's proclivities to only do harm when he felt it was strictly necessary. He gets it from Alfred, Bruce supposed.

[cfr749]

What’s your opinion on the Valentine’s Day storyline? specifically Tim being upset with Lucy and just how it was written in general?

Hi anon!

Thanks for the ask! I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you!

So I will admit my feelings have evolved a bit on this particular storyline especially in context of season 6 (which I am enjoying so far).

I'll start with my thoughts on the whole five-player-trade thing since those storylines were so intermingled (and apparently that whole thing is going to be the gift that keeps on giving 😂).

Side note: I still wish they would have just dealt with the repercussions of the whole TO/Rookie superior/subordinate thing directly instead of inventing all this sorcery when they could have just acknowledged the inherent misogyny and sexism they've already admitted exists.

We still could have had the cuteness of the group scene and all the plotting to find an opening for Tim without making Lucy out to be a manipulator.

But for whatever reason, they really didn't seem comfortable dealing with the power dynamic issues and repercussions head on, so now I guess we get to see Aaron try to date his therapist instead 😂😬

But at least it seems like they are trying to fix their framing this season by making it clear to the audience that Lucy is the one being wronged, so that's a good thing in my book even though it's hard to see her struggle.

So, after all that, you will be shocked to hear that I wasn't a huge fan of Lucy's choice to do the five-player-trade thing 😂.

I do understand why Tim was upset with her. I think doing what she did behind his back was a problem. Don't get me wrong, though -- they both failed majorly at adult communication 101 here.

Tim should have talked to her before he made the decision to switch positions. Had they discussed it, I don't think Lucy would have felt the same level of responsibility and pressure that she did to make sure Tim wouldn't be stuck in a role he hated. Mostly because she never would have agreed to him taking a desk position and they would have had to work together to come up with another solution. From there, the story could have unfolded very differently.

Tim made a choice behind her back that impacted their relationship, but only his career. Lucy went behind Tim's back and made a choice that ultimately impacted both of their careers.

But, at the end of the day, Tim 100% came out of the situation a winner. And Lucy is continuing to pay the price. As happy as I am that Tim finally acknowledged Primm's role in the outcome of Lucy's detective exam, I am actually pretty disappointed that we haven't seen any actual acknowledgement from him that Lucy is in the position she's in now specifically because she didn't want him to be unhappy.

Lucy's choices were her own, and now she's gotta live with that, but there's no question that she did what she did out of love. And it sucks that we haven't seen any direct appreciation for what she was willing to risk for him, even if he wasn't a fan of the execution.

I had to go back and watch some clips from this episode in order to respond to this, and I have to say it actually gutted me to see how genuinely happy and proud and excited Lucy was for Tim when he got the promotion. Especially juxtaposed against Lucy learning that as much as Tim loves her and wants to support her, he really isn't able to fully get behind her on her dream, which is, of course, understandable, given his past, but still just really heartbreaking for Lucy.

When I initially watched the five-player-trade episode, I was just waiting for Tim to pop up at Smitty's trailer in his own hazmat suit to help Lucy. I thought he would be a little irritated about Lucy going behind his back, but ultimately I though we'd see him acknowledging and appreciating just how much she was willing to do to make sure he was happy (forget torpedoing her career -- she cleaned Smitty's trailer for god's sake!).

Moving into the V-day episode...

First off, boo on Tim for bailing on V-day breakfast (even is she was up late catching up with Noah 😂).

Even though I understood why Tim was upset, I don't love avoidant Tim (looking at you, beginning of 6x02 Tim 😂). Lucy of course deals with it because she does genuinely love him and understands how he operates, but this is something I do think he needs to work on and I'd like to see change over the course of the relationship. As much as I loved their Rookie-T.O. dynamic, there are definitely aspects of it that don't belong in a healthy relationship.

Back to the point, I do think what Lucy did was misguided and short-sighted (and unbelievably sweet). I do think she should have actually apologized (sorry not sorry doesn't count 😂).

But, while we're at it, Tim can apologize for making a major life decision without talking to her first also... 😂

The scene at the end was cute; I like it better now than I did when it originally aired. Some actual heat over "fuel for later" would have been great but it is, of course, The Rookie. And I do wish they would have made the gift somehow meaningful for them to give the scene a little bit more weight (think when Jackson gave Lucy the St. Michael pendant), but hey, at least we got the trophy this season 🥰.

Ultimately, it didn't make me feel a whole lot, and it's not a scene that makes the list when I think of my favorite moments for them.

And watching it back did highlight (IMO) the contrast between what we've seen so far in season 6 vs. the bulk of what we saw in season 5. And while angst is part of it, for me, I think it's more about giving us a story that (at least occasionally) goes beyond the surface level (Tim was mildly irritated! Lucy was sassy and silly!) and explores the character's emotions in a way that makes them more human and relatable.

What were your thoughts on this storyline??

[lover-of-mine]

https://www.tumblr.com/lover-of-mine/754928814774157312/the-funniest-part-to-me-is-even-if-tim-had-planned

I think that Tim knows the entity of buddie fandom, he knows that if we go in bt as a permanent direction or if Eddie isn’t going to get out of the closet people will stop watching the show or they will watch it but illegally and they will stop talking about it on social media and stay in the buddie lane. It’s 2024, every shows and movies has queer representation. It isn’t 2000 anymore when people needed to settle for crumbs and baiting because networks were cowards. if Tim and ABC aren’t going to get us buddie, people will leave and take with them their “noise” to anothet fandom because the others are capitalizing their ship.

So Tim knows and if he decides to drop buddie then it’s because he thinks that the shows will survive without the buddie fandom. Maybe, maybe not, but the numbers will drop. People don’t like racist characters.

This reminds me of Teen Wolf. I will never forget how Jeff Davies used Derek, Styles and the Sterek fandom to gain audience then dropped them when the show was super famous to make canon is fave ship and getting sterek fandom to stop watching and in the end he had to us the sterek queerbaiting to make the people watch the last season.

It’s up to him.

I mean, I was getting teen wolf cons war flashbacks, ngl, and I did ship stydia, so I never felt the full effect of the sterek baiting, but I do remember the point of keeping Dylan and Tyler answering shit ambiguously, using both of them for promotion all around, just to get Stiles with Lydia. Then they failed to deliver stydia as canon as well and made people watch 6b by promising Tyler was gonna be in the end, that was a DIASTER, I know A LOT of people dropped the show after Tyler left because season 4 was ridiculous. The actual queerbaiting aspect of buddie can't really be called anymore, because Buck is queer, shit not going the way we want doesn't really count. BUT, to use Ryan and Oliver the way they were just to go just kidding, have this very bland queer relationship and we will make Eddie die alone, would have a lot of pushback. And again, a show is a business, and ABC clearly isn't opposed to queer relationships, and they like they glaad nominations, you should see the amount of queer people they are throwing at the wall in grey's anatomy. And Buck and Eddie could be a relationship that does not exist in media. A queer slowburn where neither of them was introduced as queer in a major network show doesn't exist. They can change the game when it comes to representation, and they have to know what will do to their numbers to be the ONE thing that had that one duo that everyone was insane about and get them together for real. Suck it up to the mcu, supernatural, teen wolf, and every other media that had that one ship that was heavily talked about but nothing came of it. I'm not kidding when I say they would be studied in media classes, because Buck and Eddie have the classic will they/won't they slowburn format, if they actually deliver, and make them The queer slowburn, that are going down in television history. Because they would be the first to pull it off. With major support. It would be so beyond stupid not to go there now. Especially since Buck is bi. They are one good push from leaving a mark on how television is made. And abc in particular because we have Oliver on record saying that Fox was blocking that, so they can just go "oh no we made sure they knew they have our full support from the start" and milk the shit out of it. Why wouldn't they go there? It would be dumb.

[bhagwanrr]

The Long Rickshaw Ride

Auto-rickshaws have always been my lifesaver in dire moments. I don't recall myself being a late person but more of minute counter whose calculations always fail apart. One such morning was accompanied by a rush hour, making things worse I was on my toes to get the right metro so I hopped into the first rickshaw I saw. 

     The very moment I comfort myself to the spaces of that automobile, my ears delight themselves with noise cancelling earbuds. Generally, my journeys are often undisturbed from my home to the metro yet the monotony of this event is something I appreciate in my life for existing.

    But that day the driver interrupted me and said, " Do you know about the fair I'm about to charge ?" To this question, my answer would be totally positive as it was my daily travel. He continued, " Listen to me carefully, next time you sit then re-confirm the fair and the mode of travel if it's special or sharing." I was well aware of those facts but why would he want to start a conversation with me when I'm being nonchalant about it. Can it be his loneliness or he being chatterbox or the worst case, he's some drunkard driving for quick income. All of these reasons filled my mind but keeping all of these things aside I initiated to listen and carry the conversation.

     My minimal contribution was not even making a flow but atleast he knew that he have someone on the other side. Here came another passenger but a lady in burkha who was not willing to entertain the words of the old man. Not likely too old but he might be in his early 50s or so, something was off about him the way he sat at the seat made me feel if he was drunk but his eyes were not much of a alcoholic but more of a pained soul. His clothes weren't fancy or too dull but not I can assure that those things have seen a wash in a while. After being mildly scolded by the lady passenger he stopped at a blank silence and I didn't like it. I'm not a good listener but that day the words had something hidden, some feelings that we never know about.

     An old uncle and aunty, a pretty beautiful couple with shaking bodies in the cold asked for a ride and the driver was more than happy to have me on his side at front. In India, drivers often share their seats with the passengers and he started to talk again. I was eveready to have him on the air again but then two police inspectors interrupted us with ride. 

     His rickshaw was taken aside by a young man with eyes of a devil that's ready to devour a soul. The driver knew what's coming and he asked me to get off so that he can reach out for the stick. My doubts came true, he was handicapped. Limping and cursing his way to the authorities present at the spot, he made his mind that he wouldn't sign the papers if the elderly couple were not a part of the crowd.

     The auto-rickshaw might have been taken as a collateral for the payment by the police. We might be looking for a new ride but our driver avoided all of it and signed the papers. Coming back with the words, " Who knows what papers I've signed, I don't know Gujarati so I sign without obligations and I get fines everytime. I wouldn't have done so this time but this elderly couple would face problems because of me. Take care, Beta. These vultures won't leave a person like me and look at you all young and shiny, they'll devour you completely alive so work hard and be strong enough to sustain." Those words were like honey to my heart but not for the elderly couple.

     The ride continued with him showering all the things he had for all of us. The elderly couple made it to their stand and as expected the driver didn't charge them for the ride. The couple went off happily but my mind was filled with void. Is this the last shred of humanity ? The last piece that only feels grateful if they get benefitted. The couple weren't happy when the driver gave them his words but the waived off fair made them happy. Lastly, my stop came around. For the first time in my life, I was not at all ready to leave the ride but it was the time I get on to my metro. I offered him the fair price and made a farewell with the words, " Take care and make sure you ask to the next driver about the fair." I smiled at those words and went off. 

     I was almost 30 min late for my journey but all of it didn't even matter at that moment. Sitting in the metro, I realised most of this account was my overthinking, we all face such things daily but never think about them. At the end, we all are thinkers, only the times are different.

- A narration by Bhagwan RR

[flashfuture]

I haven't done a character analysis in a hot minute. But I want to do one now because I woke up really early this morning with the thought I should catch up on comics. And I regret reading the Robin comic for the early art alone. Anyways it brought to my attention Bernard and Tim and I have thoughts.

I was actively keeping up when Urban Legends was dropping and was like holy shit is this a date are we doing this?? And we were.

Bernard Dowd first came into the comics in the early 2000s in the Vol 2 Robin run. At a pinnacle point in Tim's life one of lots of upheaval and change. He was starting his junior year of high school. His dad was awake. He has a new step mother. And to top it all off he's about to get forcibly pulled off the after school club of Robinhood by Jack Drake. So Bernard existed in this limbo of Tim trying to find his identity without Robin and to figure out what it meant to be a regular highschooler.

Bernard was there during the a breakup of Tim and Steph not that he really knew the situation. He knew Jack and Dana. His connection to Tim was purely about Tim Drake. Bernard was also a funny character in a pure absurdist way. He decided Tim didn't fit into the stereotypes of high schooler highlighting and could roll with him highlighting how Tim doesn't have an 'identity' beyond being Robin. And then Bernard's silly conspiracy theories about the Batman and Robin situation were really showing how ridiculous a life Tim was living. And was the backdrop to say Tim finding out Steph replaced him as Robin.

Bernard was originally present for an identity crisis of Tim's and faded out of the story when that was done with. It makes a lot of sense why he would be the first boyfriend that Tim would have. During the arc about Tim discovering himself outside of Robin and rethinking who Robin is... Again. The first date I think also missed the opportunity to adjust canonically the ages and call them both 21 and have them drinking but whatever.

What I do think is that Bernard was an absurd character and should be presented that way. For example, introducing him as being in a cult is perfect absurdity. Trying to drag him into painfully boring being gay is hard but also good is scrapping off his character. There is a real legit history to be referenced and built upon. Bernard only showed up for six issues I really think it should not be hard for writers to reference that and give us something more correct.

Even down to the way Bernard dresses idk like he wore baggy clothes and graphic tees. He wore his hair long and sunglasses on his head. Then his parents put him in private school which he didn't like. So why the preppy stuff Now wouldn't it make more sense when he even in modern comics has major altercations with his parents to rebel in that visual way again? Maybe some piercings? That tattoo that was really a cult thing could have been a permanent reminder of why not to join cults.

Biology and physics to be a chef I have no idea what to say about that my cousin just went to culinary school... but with the whole chaos demon thing they could have had Bernard studying metamorphoses and that's why he was wanted. And then they could have people be like Tim is your boyfriend an evil scientist? But that's really neither here nor there just a random plot complaint.

Anyways the point is, I understand using a previously transitional character again as the subject of self discovery. I just think that he should be the same character is all

[thatforgottenbasilisk]

the simple horror of being alive

Word Count: 2074 (AO3) (My Fic Masterpost)

Originally Posted on 6/25/2024

Rating: T

Summary:

Tim's relationship with razorblades is a turbulent one.

For Whumptober 2023 Day 27, Prompt #2: Scars

Tim knows that he has a lot of scars.

He remembers getting all of them; or, well, most of them. He doesn't remember the exact moment one particular worm shoved its way into his arm versus any other given worm, but he remembers the fucking occasion. There are no scars without stories.

Some of those stories are ones he can tell- the worms are public knowledge, so he can give an overview, minus all the psychotic bullshit he'd never believe if he wasn't living it; he's not opposed to talking about the permanent crosshatching pattern on his right knee, which happened when he'd fallen off a rope swing as a child straight onto raw wood planks; or, perhaps, the dark line on the back of his hand that came from a burn in the kitchen of his first job during high school.

Others, not so much. Those aren't the usually-visible ones, thankfully, so there aren't as many questions, and if there are any (which, rude), he's fully entitled to react anywhere between a simple "I'm not talking about it," to kicking the offending party out entirely. Depending on the audacity, of course. Most people don't, though, and presumably draw their own conclusions. Their origin is rather obvious, because not many things can accidentally cause neat, evenly spaced lines to be carved into a man's upper legs.

Those particular scars are all years old. They'd scabbed and faded while Danny was still alive, and only reopened just after he'd died- and even then, not for long. He's had enough pain for a lifetime, he doesn't need to be inflicting more on himself. That's what he told himself, among other things- Danny wouldn't want this, mostly.

Now he's staring down at his left leg, razorblade in hand, because he doesn't know what the hell Sasha would want and clearly, clearly there is more pain to be had. Maybe if he takes it out on himself now, it won't hit anyone else he cares about? That seems logical, really, to whatever degree logic even exists anymore. Last time he stopped, Sasha was unmade. The time before, it was Danny. If he doesn't stop, then nobody else will be taken away like that, right?

There's no real, actual logic to it, he knows. Nothing more than coincidence and superstition. Except the pattern could break if he keeps going back on old habits, and then none of this would be his fault. It wouldn't be his fault that Danny and Sasha are both dead, because it would be proven to just be coincidence if someone else is unmade while he's still cutting; if nobody else dies, well, that means he's keeping them alive.

With that in mind, he gets to work.

Each cut is neat, precise, almost as easy as it always used to be. Falling into a rhythm is almost habitual, like he never even stopped in the first place. The sting is the only thing that's fresh, the only thing that reminds him of how long it's been since the last time he did this. It's hypnotic in its routine, the way that even the pain bleeds together- instead of just one cut at a time, it's a whole bleeding spot, all sending soft waves of sharp-and-dull-and-sharp-and-dull pain.

It's not long before he's done. The cuts aren't deep, just barely enough for each of them to bleed, and most of them stopped on their own soon after he cut them open; only a few should be bandaged, but none of them need it. He wipes the whole area down with alcohol and bandages the slightly-deeper ones anyway, because there's no need to go risking an infection, and definitely no need to risk them opening up and bleeding through his jeans tomorrow.

It's easy to fall back into his old routine. Easy to spend an hour out of his evenings in the bathroom, sitting on the floor while leaned against the cabinet below the sink, cutting and watching and feeling almost nothing but the pinpricks from the blade. Easy to hide, easy to keep close like every other kind of hurt. Easy, easy, easy.

-----

Turns out Jon didn't go crazy and murder a random old man in the tunnels. At the very least, there's that, but it of course begs the question of who the hell did. He could be working in a building with a murderer, in fact he probably is, and he doesn't know who and he doesn't want to find out. He's never been more done with anything- if he could just get the damned words out, he'd have left the Institute a long time ago. Fuck the archives, fuck Jon, and fuck investigation of the Circus. He'd rather not get unmade like everybody else he ever cared about.

Turns out it's Elias, he learns not long later. Turns out he's working for some kind of eldritch nightmare god. Turns out he can't quit. Turns out he can't even leave all that long without feeling like he's being drained of everything, which isn't the greatest of revelations to have while trying desperately to forget the situation for just a moment.

There's nothing he can do about it. About any of it, about- about Jon, about leaving and the lack thereof, about the gnawing hope in the back of his head that someone or something's just going to kill him already so he can finally be done with it all. There's nothing he can do except take matters into his own hands, but he won't even do that- too much chance he could be passing up an opportunity to hurt the Circus, after all. It's the one thing he can think of to hang on for.

But "hanging on" doesn't mean he's making an active effort to be anything more than barely alive. "Hanging on" doesn't mean he's obligated to stay clean- not that he stopped cutting at all lately, not since Sasha, hardly even for a day- nor does it mean he's obligated to stay sober. Usually, he drowns the world in bottom-shelf liquor after he's already drowned it in blood, but sometimes he gets the order wrong. There's no real harm in it, no more than usual, and there's not much more risk than there was before. The routine is so simple, so easy, that he could likely do it while asleep and still not kill himself about it.

Tonight is one such night. The misery of everything slides a little further away than usual as the razorblade slides a little too clumsily across the flesh of his thigh. It doesn't hurt- well, it hurts, obviously, but no more than usual- and it's not particularly deep. It's fine. He continues.

The thing about his little habit is that, ostensibly, it can be concluded as a series of unsuccessful suicide attempts. The thing about his little habit is that he could actually, honestly die if he fucks it up too badly. The thing about his little habit is that no matter how easy it is to watch the blood bubble up and harmlessly scab over, it's even easier to nick something that won't stop so easily.

The realization that he might have fucked up comes slower than the puddle of blood that's forming below him. Standing up probably isn't a great idea, not if he doesn't want to bleed out faster, and it could be nothing, he'd thought dying would hurt more, wouldn't it? It just feels the same, doesn't even cut through the numbness that's blanketed his consciousness so completely ever since things started happening again.

He works through a haze he only partially blames on his earlier indulgences in just enough cheap liquor to make things just a little more bearable, slowly piecing together that he should probably call 999, probably let them know he's bleeding out on his bathroom floor. The razorblade is long gone by now, something he could find by looking at the pool of blood and trying to see what's shinier than everything around it, but he doesn't care about that right now. He thinks his phone is on the counter, he hopes it is, because he's not particularly fond of the idea of dying right now and it's becoming less desirable by the second.

Is it repulsive enough to go out of his way to prevent it, though? Would it truly be that bad to fall asleep and never wake up again? Does he want to be alone in a hospital, surrounded by concerned doctors and nurses convinced that this was on purpose, that he's a problem that needs to be fixed? Does he want to keep doing this day in, day out, where his only hope of possibly doing anything, anything productive with his life is probably going to kill him anyway?

He'll be dying soon enough, he thinks. May as well do something with it. He searches blindly for his phone on the counter with one hand, and clumsily tries to stop the blood flow with the other.

The call itself is... hazy. He half-forgets what he says as soon as he says it. There's an address in there, he's sure, and something about bleeding out. The pertinent information is there, but he thinks he might be rambling a bit too much. He can't for the life of him remember what the hell he's saying even as he says it.

He doesn't remember the paramedics getting to him at all.

-----

Tim wakes up in a hospital bed what feels like days later. There's an IV stuck in the crook of his elbow, his head and thigh both hurt like nothing else, and he's got an admittance wristband that seems like it's brightly colored on purpose. He wouldn't be surprised if he was on some kind of suicide watch, despite the fact that he's not particularly suicidal. It's not like they can read his mind or know he isn't lying.

His thoughts are interrupted by the familiar sound of a throat being cleared near him, and he instinctively glances over to see Jon, of all people, sitting in a chair next to him and looking uncomfortable. Why is he here? Who told him? Did he just find out himself?Sasha. She had been his last emergency contact, after Danny died. He'd forgotten to change it to someone else, after everything, but it's not like he even knows who anymore. Martin would be his best bet, as much as he hates to admit that Jon's right, except that he's not entirely sure that Martin wouldn't fall apart after the phone call that they probably gave Jon. He doesn't want to be another burden to bear for someone who's in the same situation as he is, who's lost just as much, if not more, to all the same things in this fucking job.

"No. You can stay. Fuck knows it's the only thing that'll get you out of those damned archives." He tries for a stupid half-joke, and he expects it to fall completely flat, so he's a little surprised when it elicits a quiet snort from Jon. He feels proud of it, despite himself, just like he used to whenever he got Jon's stupid professional facade to crack.

There's silence for a moment, maybe more, where Tim's just adjusting to being awake and Jon looks like he's chewing on a lemon, when he seems to decide to spit out whatever it is he's thinking about.

"Tim... if I- if this is because- " Jon starts stuttering again, painfully so, and Tim finally decides to have mercy on the poor man.

"This predates you, Jon. It predates the Institute. Don't martyr yourself over it." It's true- it was only ever a matter of time an accident like this happened, it was only a coincidence that it was now. Risky behavior like this was never going to result in anything but awful consequences.

Jon, for his part, sighs quietly and barrels on. "Still, if there's anything I can do to help- "

"If you want to help, get a damned nurse. I'm thirsty as hell." Tim interrupts again, partly to make the conversation stop and partly to get the water that he actually needs. The whole thing is awkward and awful, and he'd rather Jon shut up about it and never try to talk about it again.

This is his problem to deal with, just like the Circus. It always has been.

[thesummerstorms]

Like, the idea for the Annabeth Wayne AU is that the era around Jason's death and her relationships with Bruce, Dick, and Jason specifically are absolutely crucial to who she ended up becoming as a person.

Bruce Wayne attracted Athena during his training world tour days, and she came to him again after he had taken Dick in and eventually Annabeth was born.

Dick ended up bonding with Anna(beth) especially after being the one to find her, and she grew up knowing he was Robin and with a decent amount of older sibling worship given the age difference.

Jason was the brother Annabeth got when she was old enough to talk and actually somewhat remember things, and I like to think they squabbled but he was also protective

Jason's death is the major turning point in her relationship with Bruce and a factor for running away alongside spiders and seeing monsters

So that means finding:

At least a timeline of Bruce's training days and maybe reading some of the LOA bits specifically, but if I'm honest I don't care much to read about him on his own

Early Dick!Robin days for what the environment would have been like when Annabeth was very small (I have the new Mark Waid stuff already on my Kindle, but I refuse to go back to the 40s. I draw a line somewhere lmao. I'm sure there's other more modern stuff but I don't know what's out there.)

Dick leaving for the Titans around the time Annabeth is old enough to actually remember things (Using NTT for this. Don't care about retcons tbqh. I like the middle of the series characterization.)

Early days Jason as Robin (???? I know this exists but again do not know what titles to pull.)

Jason's actual death (Death in the Family...and whatever significant retcon has happened that people actually accept I guess?)

Fallout of Jason's Death (I've read the NTT stuff and A Lonely Place of Dying, but she would be gone before Tim gets there or even before Dick finds out what happened in NTT so I might actually have to pull the relevant Batman issues from that era...sigh.)

And then you have how many years where she's at Camp Half Blood and all of the DC stuff is mainly off screen. I need to know just enough to know the modern day status of the family, but since it's already a crossover AU I feel like I can leave out some of the events I don't like or want to read.

The focus would be more on her relationships with Dick, Jason, and Damian than the other kids or even Bruce I think.

Annabeth's daily life for the past decade would have revolved around her siblings. Dick and Jason were important Before and Damian is a younger sibling still living at home who she can draw uncomfortable parallels with. I think Bruce is way more of an uncertainty in her mind, especially after everything with Athena, so she'd be holding back there in a way she wouldn't with her brothers.

I do have to know the bare minimum of how Cass, Steph, Duke got brought in which I currently don't. (??? Titles???)

I do know how Tim was introduced but again, need to read just enough to know where he should be in the present day without commiting to a whole run (? Titles??)

I have read the stuff with Batman Dick and Damian! But it was like one of my first DC comics and I don't fucking remember it. So probably some rereading there especially because Dick's role as a significantly older brother is also important for Annabeth so that's a good source. (So Batman and Robin 2009)

If Damian is going to be a focus character because she connects to him more like a sibling at CHB due to his age and background, can I still just read B&R or do I have to pull more sources???

I have no idea how Jason *actually* is post resurrection because no two posts seem to agree and all I've read is RHATO. (Don't look at me like that, I didn't know!) So.... Yeah. *Sighs* (at the very least Under the Red Hood and then I have to figure out what non Lobell source would be best for modern characterization.)

[wonderlandsakura]

The Robins

Dick is the first, the original, the one that made Robin what it is, that put it out into the world and made it the light in the darkness.

Without him, Robin wouldn't exist.

But all the other Robins have each given something to the name.

Jason gave Robin fans, made Robin an idol, a hero, for the children it protects. He made Robin a legacy, and linked it to the children that needed it's light, being of them and working for them.

Without him, Robin would not truly be the hope of the street children of Gotham.

Tim made Robin necessary, an integral part of Batman, an equal, the safety to the gun that Batman could be. He made Robin someone Batman needed and relied on and could look to for help.

Without him, Robin would not be as integral to Batman's legacy.

Steph made Robin attainable, an option, a goal, something a child could one day achieve, no matter who they were and where they came from. She made Robin a girl, who came villiany, but still wanted to protect and save, and so did.

Without her, Robin would not be the hero of girls and the children of pain alike, without her, Robin would not be symbol of leaving pain behind and taking your future into your own hands.

And Damian.

Damian made Robin flawed, gave Robin likes and dislikes and flaws and emotions and grounded the mischievous smiling figure of a child.

Without him, Robin wouldn't be human.