#duke deserved recognition!!

[heylosers06]

In an art block rn so some Duke and Damian art.

1. Duke taking Damian to get a sweet treat after an altercation at school

2. Talking shit at a Gala

3. Falling asleep on Brucie after shit talking (a sketch because the art block hit full force in that one. 😭)

Also they’re wearing matching earrings because I said so. I also think Dick would also have a matching set with them. I feel they all would share jewelry their mothers passed down to them.

[rocker-socks]

not to be insane but Stephanie Brown is so underrated and i really do hate to say its misogyny but. well. It is.

[inamindfarfaraway]

Concept: Duke’s pupils glow white when he uses his powers. White rather than gold matches his bat symbol and fits that he’s about light itself, not just sunlight. The pupil glowing represents how his retina, the part which the pupil opens to and actually responds to and absorbs light, would probably be the part affected by his metahuman power to absorb light in superhuman ways; is a somewhat more subtle power indicator than glowing irises; avoids giving yet another black character/PoC unnaturally non-brown eyes, even temporarily; and tell me circles of bright white inside dark brown irises isn’t an immensely cool image. Light in the darkness. Like the classic solid white eyes in Batman’s cowl in some art styles.

[fashion-blog123]

I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT!!!😌

[mads-weasley]

as a die-hard duke football fan, i will be out of commission tomorrow after staying up all night celebrating our season-opening 28-7 win over #6 ranked clemson

[poisonlove]

The Princess and the Huntress | Jenna Ortega

y/n, a 19-year-old impoverished hunter, works alongside her father for the royal court, delivering game supplies to the king's kitchen. One day, while carrying out their routine duties at the royal court, y/n witnesses someone she shouldn't have – Jenna, a princess from the Ortega dynasty. Due to her captivating beauty, the king and queen wish to shield her from prying eyes, as she is destined to marry the duke of the neighboring realm to end the ongoing war and ensure lasting peace.

Disclaimer: Story set in the 1600s.

I close one eye to aim carefully, pointing the bow towards a rabbit timidly passing through those parts of the woods. A thin ray of sunlight filters through the branches, illuminating its thick gray fur. I breathe deeply, seeking the necessary concentration, feeling the warmth of the bow's wood in my hands.

The arrow is released, cutting through the silent air as it follows its trajectory towards the rabbit. A moment of anxiety dissolves into my smile when I see that I've hit it dead-on. The small animal lowers itself, and the forest seems to whisper my success.

An instant of gratification unfolds in my heart, a connection with nature and the mastery of hunting that has set my spirit free. I am Y/N, the huntress, and the forest is my kingdom.

I approach the rabbit slowly, smiling contentedly as I take it by the ears and carefully remove the arrow from its small body. The soft fur slides between my fingers, while the forest around seems to celebrate my fortunate hunt.

My gaze meets that of my father, who had approached silently. His proud smile reveals the joy of seeing his daughter demonstrate skill in hunting.

"Well done, Y/N," my father says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You have incredible precision. The royal court will be grateful for this."

"I hope so, father," I reply humbly as we continue to prepare the prey. "This rabbit will be an excellent addition to the king's dinner."

Together, we look at the result of my hunt, a moment of connection between us and our mission at court. The forest guarding our secret and our skill.

"Y/N," my father says, handing me the rabbit to take it to the castle, "I'll head home and prepare our dinner. In the meantime, deliver the game to the royal court and make sure to ask for at least three gold coins as compensation. Our skill deserves proper recognition."

"I will, father," I respond with gratitude, accepting the load. "Thank you for teaching me the art of hunting and diplomacy."

My father smiles, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It's not just hunting you need to learn, Y/N. In the royal court, social skills are equally crucial. Go, and always remember who you are."

With a nod of agreement, I walk away, carrying not only the weight of the rabbit and the game but also my father's legacy. The forest has bestowed its blessing upon us, and now our task is to deliver the fruits of the hunt to the royal court.

I approached the majestic castle door. Turning to one of the guards, I asked if they knew where the game supplier was. "Have you happened to see William?" I inquired with a slight hint of curiosity.

The guard vaguely pointed down the hallway, but before providing a more precise answer, I followed my instincts and ventured into the heart of the castle. Walking through the silent corridors, tension grew in my chest.

While searching for William, I was drawn to a partially open door. Curious, I peered inside, and the scene that unfolded left me speechless: a girl seated by the window, immersed in reading a book. It was Jenna, the princess I had heard about but doubted her existence. However, I wasn't captivated by the legend of the king's daughter trapped in a golden prison but by the beauty she exuded.

Jenna was a vision of grace by the window, dark hair cascading softly over her shoulders. The room's soft light gently caressed her skin, highlighting her sparkling eyes, deep as wells of secrets. She wore a dress in delicate tones, snug to her form yet exuding an air of regal elegance.

The book in her hands seemed to be just an accessory for her, a portal to unknown worlds unfolding in the pages under the princess's attentive gaze. Slightly parted lips reflected an air of tranquility, as if she herself were a character stepping out of one of the stories she loved to read.

I accidentally kicked the door, catching her attention.

Our gazes locked, and a moment of intense connection unfolded between us. "Who are you?" Jenna asked, lifting her gaze from the book, while I, distracted,

"I'm Y/N, the huntress," I replied with a nervous smile.

Jenna raised an eyebrow slightly, a peculiar, dancing smile on her lips. "And what brings a huntress to my room?" she asked curiously, the book now closed in her hands.

I looked around, noting the richness of the furnishings, but my answer was genuine. "I was looking for William, the game supplier. I stumbled upon this room by chance."

Jenna chuckled slightly, the sound like a delicate melody in the air. "William isn't here, but I'm curious to know what would prompt a huntress to enter without knocking."

My gaze wandered, and I noticed the canopy bed in the center of the room, a masterpiece of dark wood and fine fabric. "It's a splendid room," I commented inadvertently, admiring the opulence of the place.

Jenna smiled, perhaps noticing my awe. "Thank you... it's a regular room," the brunette shrugged, and I looked at her with a smile on my lips. "Well... I wish mine were like this," I muttered, and Jenna smiled knowingly.

I noticed the book in Jenna's hands and, intrigued, asked, "What book is that?"

The princess lifted the volume with a mysterious smile. "It's 'The Prince' by Niccolò Machiavelli," she said, indicating the worn cover.

"Machiavelli," I repeated the name even though I wasn't quite sure who he was.

Jenna smiled and said, "Do you know Machiavelli?"

"Of course!" I responded with a smile, although I was actually lying.

"Oh, I'm surprised!" Jenna exclaimed amused. "What do you think of his work?"

Trying to maintain my charade, I replied with a thoughtful expression, "He's a profound author, undoubtedly with much wisdom to share."

Jenna laughed slightly, and the sound filled the room. "Interesting choice of words. Not many share this opinion on Machiavelli."

"It seems you're trying to hide something, Y/N. Do you really know who Machiavelli is?" I blush weakly, confessing my weakness. "Actually, no. I can't read." Jenna's smile widened, but there was no judgment in her eyes. "You don't need to hide anything here. Not everyone is a reader." Jenna smiled gently.

Noticing my embarrassment, Jenna asked kindly, "Do you want to learn to read, Y/N?"

I nodded timidly, feeling the warmth of the blush still on my cheeks. "Yes, I would like to."

The princess smiled warmly and pointed to a spot next to her. "Come here. We'll start with something simple."

I approached the window and sat next to Jenna, feeling nervous about her proximity. The room's soft light created an intimate atmosphere as I tried to focus on what Jenna was about to teach me.

The princess took a book, choosing one with clear and large letters. "First, the letters. This is A, this is B..."

While Jenna patiently taught the basics of reading, I tried to pay attention, aware of the accelerated beating of my heart. It was a moment where the desire to learn to read intertwined with the emotion of being close to Jenna, creating a precious and vulnerable moment between us.

William's voice in the distance made me abruptly stand, feeling that it was time to interrupt our impromptu lesson. Jenna looked up with confusion as I smiled with embarrassment.

"I have to go... the task," I said with a hint of embarrassment in my voice.

Jenna genuinely smiled, understanding the situation. "Another time, then. Thank you for your company, Y/N."

I stood up with a smile and a nod of farewell. "Thank you, princess. It will be a pleasure to continue this lesson."

In a sudden impulse, as I was about to leave the room, I approached and planted a quick kiss on Jenna's cheek. The surprise on her face was evident, a moment that made my heart race even faster.

"It was a pleasure, Jenna," I said with a shy smile.

I headed towards the door, feeling my heart still slightly accelerated from being close to Jenna. As I walked away, I reflected on how that day had brought unexpected changes to my life as a huntress.

[authorityproblems]

unpopular opinion, but I think a duke movie would be the perfect place to introduce the batfam to the dceu

introduce his story starting as a kid part of the we are robin movement, some interactions with the batfam during everything that happens, and eventually lead to him becoming the signal and maybe even include the outsiders

we get to see an intro to the rest of the batfam and duke’s story is the perfect one to include at least the batboys, and duke finally gets some of the damn recognition he deserves. I know we all want a nightwing movie or robin movie and don’t get me wrong I want that too, but I would love to see it after getting a duke movie to like bring everyone in and establish the characters with non dc fans

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have two "perfect" role models in the shape of two unlikely royals - who are themselves "spares to the spare."

The young royals, who could be considered the "spares" to future King, Prince George, the first born child of Prince Wiliam and Catherine, Princess of Wales, should look to Prince Edward, the new Duke of Edinburgh, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, for how to go about their life as working royals.

Edward and Sophie have been hailed as the perfect role models for Charlotte and Louis due to their successful roles within the Royal Family.

The couple recently carried out a historic ceremony on behalf of King Charles III, marking 120 years of friendly relations between Britain and France.

Their rise to prominence has been a long time coming, according to former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond.

Jennie told OK!: "They thoroughly deserve the recognition they are now getting."

She added that despite their work often being overshadowed by other royals, they have remained devoted to their causes.

As they take on more prominent roles, they are proving themselves up to the task and serving as excellent examples to their great nephews and niece.

xxx

It is a position which has notoriously come with question marks attached as the Royal struggles to carve out a life for themselves in the shadow of the crown.

Jennie added:

"They [Edward and Sophie] have always been quietly devoted to their various causes, but their work has been overshadowed by other royals.

I suppose every cloud has a silver lining... and as the King calls on them to take a more prominent role, Edward and Sophie are showing they are very much up to the task.

"They are also serving as excellent role models to their great nephews and niece - showing that you can be a 'spare' or even a 'spare to the spare' and make a real success of working as a valued member of the Royal Family."

But among the many benefits of the Prince and Princess of Wales ' preference for gentle parenting directed by what Catherine has learned from her studies of early years education, it is clear that the couple will be striving to normalise their younger children's lives with the hope that they never feel like working as royals is their only option.

"William and Catherine must be acutely aware of the problems for a royal spare," Jennie explains.

"They have already shown that they have a different and modern attitude to bringing up royal children.

I'm sure they will do everything to make Charlotte and Louis feel every bit as special, loved and valued as George.

I imagine they will encourage Louis to explore life outside the royal fold... it could be the military, but it could also be working in the charity world or whatever he finds appealing after his education is finished.

I'm sure they will encourage him to go to University, which they both enjoyed and where, of course, they found love.

"And from there they will want him to find a life that is meaningful to him as well as appropriate for the son of a future King.

They will try to ensure that he feels he is living a life of value, irrespective of his place in the line of succession.

And that will probably involve service of some kind as they have emphasised from the start that they want their children to understand that having empathy with others is not only a kindness but is rewarding as well."

Edward and Sophie have seen their popularity and recognition within the Royal Family soar over the past 13 months, since being given new titles.

The pair are increasingly front and centre at crucial events, stepping in for the King while he prioritises his health recovery.

Prince Edward is a trusted supporter of the arts sector, taking up his late father's Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme mantle.

Meanwhile, Sophie champions gender equality tirelessly, raising critical awareness around issues like female genital mutilation (FGM) and avoidable blindness prevention.

Away from participating in Royal duties or representational roles on behalf of the King, Edward and Sophie, along with their two children — Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, 20 and 16 respectively — reside at Bagshot Park close to the Windsor Estate, whenever they're not away studying at university or school.

NOTE: Edited (xxx)

[umichlvr]

throwback thursday | more than friends au | t. zegras x m. thompson

new au!!! hope u guys enjoy it! also i’m hopefully gonna be more active with my writing now that it’s summer. remember requests are open & so are anons! constructive criticism / positive feedback appreciated! 💗

au masterlist | full hockey masterlist

not my gif, creds to svechnikovvv

warnings: just cussing, all fluff!

a/n: i’ll hopefully be getting an au introduction out soon with like background information and all that

maevethompson

liked by trevorzegras, jamie.drysdale, and others

maevethompson since it’s thursday, how bout a little throwback??

tagged trevorzegras

trevorzegras why do i continue to put up with you

maevethompson because you love me, duhhh🤓🤓

jackhughes thank you maeve for this post, you never get the recognition you deserve

maevethompson wow jack, i’m impressed! i think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me🙌🏼

jackhughes i take it back i don’t like you

user1 wait omg are they dating???🫣

user2 i wish!!! they’ve literally been besties since like birth and they look at each other with so much love in their eyes🥹🥹

maevethompson hi!! me and trev are just besties, all love though! 😚💗

colecaufield i’m enjoying the z slander, keep it coming

maevethompson yes sir mr goal caufield🫡

trevorzegras

liked by maevethompson, jackhughes, and others

trevorzegras since maeve decided we were posting throwbacks (and horrible pictures) here’s my go at it (this was difficult because mae makes me delete all the good bad pics of her😒😒)

tagged maevethompson

maevethompson aw trev, i didn’t think you had it in you to post anything cute but this is adorb 🥹

trevorzegras yeah yeah, whatever, yeah yeah i know i’m awesome and you love me😉😏

maevethompson i am this 🤏🏼 close to blocking you. you’re so annoying please humble yourself or i’ll do it for you 👊🏼

jamie.drysdale please do it for him i’d pay good money to see him get punched

trevorzegras hey man, i thought we were friends??

maevethompson jaym likes me more HA HA

trevorzegras what the hell is “jaym”

maevethompson a nickname, duh🤓, it’s like jamie without the ee pronunciation

jackhughes how come you get to call her cool nicknames but we’re not allowed??

maevethompson hey i never said that!! you guys can call me tommy

jackhughes yeah i know he said it

maevethompson i hate him he’s such a gaslighter gaskeeper and non girlboss

trevorzegras i’m hurt.

maevethompson good.

user3 ARE YOU KIDDING ME🥹THEY WERE THE CUTEST KIDS EVER🥲

maevethompson hehe thank u 🤭🩷

maevethompson

liked by jackhughes, dylanduke25, and others

maevethompson officially an honorary hughes!!!! (i was invited to the lake house as a plus one) p.s. dylan duke i think i love you

tagged trevorzegras, jackhughes, _alexturcotte, _quinnhughes, lhughes_06, dylanduke25

jackhughes absolutely thrilled you could join the family (i am being forced to type this)

maevethompson aw i love you too jack 😇

dylanduke25 i think i love YOU maeve thompson

maevethompson oh STAHAP 🖐🏼 🫳🏼 ur too good to me dyl

lhughes_06 you guys are weird

maevethompson go fuck yourself lucas

lhughes_06 😔😔

_alexturcotte best damn wakeboarder in the nation 🫡 mad respect for my girl maeve 🤍

maevethompson ❤️❤️ love u turcs 🥹

trevorzegras you’re the best plus one a guy could ask for

maevethompson you’re the worst roommate ever. STOP SNORING. please😔 i need my beauty sleep

user4 i can’t decide if her and alex have a thing (cause he got a few pics plus HIS COMMENT??) or her and dylan have a thing cause what???

user1 okay but what about jack?? he got 3 different pictures on here plus they’re always in each others comments

trevorzegras no

user5 jack is taking DOWN that watermelon

maevethompson he’s a munch what can i say 🤷🏼‍♀️

trevorzegras

liked by _quinnhughes, _alexturcotte, and others

trevorzegras “don’t put some stupid ass caption on your post only ‘the boys’ will understand. i hate that shit because i AM one of the boys and i never get them.” - tommy 🌬🚙⏰

tagged jackhughes, _quinnhughes, maevethompson

maevethompson see now what the hell do those emojis mean??? i don’t like you guys you’re so secretive😒🖕🏼

trevorzegras oh but how you love me

jackhughes it’s the way of the world ⏰

maevethompson i’m genuinely convinced you morons spend time together in your rooms discussing these made up sayings like

trevorzegras tick tock🤫

jackhughes maevethompson we just know each other too well i guess

maevethompson are you guys secret lovers or what

user5 LMFAOOOO

colecaufield the way of the jungle🦁

maevethompson yeah cole i don’t know how much i can love you after this

_alexturcotte ET phone home

maevethompson i don’t wanna be ur fav girl anymore

dylanduke25 i would love to participate in the comments but i don’t want maevy trying to shove me off the boat tomorrow 🫡

maevethompson the love i have for you is unmatched dyl i think i’m going to marry you some day

dylanduke25 all love❤️❤️

user3 maeve and dylan are so adorable are you kidding🥹🥹🩷🩷

user2 RIGHT??? i don’t even care if they’re dating or just friends they treat each other so well🥹 i love them💖💖

that’s all for part one! thank u so much for reading <33 reblogs, comments, and follows always very appreciated! requests are open, feel free to lmk your thoughts on this au! huge huge thank you to makayla for all her help on this 💗💗

[bi-bats]

5, 6, 10, and 18 <3

Hiya bestie!! Thank you for the ask 💖

5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write?

Probably The Birth of a God, which is a very complicated greek mythology au where Jason is Icarus and he falls in love with Apollo (Tim) and builds the wax wings because he's trying to reach him. After his death he gets revived as Ares (I've assigned out greek gods to over half of the characters in this fic including Dick as Aphrodite, Bruce as Hades, Damian as Thanatos, Barbara as Hephaestus, Cass as Athena, Alfred as Hestia, Duke as Helios) and doesn't tell anyone, but Tim goes to Bruce to get Jason back, which Bruce refuses because he can't. He doesn't tell Tim that he can't because Jason isn't actually there, so of course Tim wages war on him, which drags Jason into it because he's the god of war even though Tim doesn't know that and adkljfdlkfjdlkfdlfjlkdj

Look I love this idea and I'd love to read it but. I'd have to WRITE it and the amount of research I would have to do to twist the plot around the way I want would be insane so it's probably going to die in my brain 😭😭😭

6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

Oh yeah absolutely. Lemme link a few (that aren't just smut lol):

sweet dreams (are made of thee) by @yasmindifference (jaytim dreamsharing 😭😭😭)

and a hand to bite by Sister (the jaytim exes to lovers of all time and also the fic that inspired Rooftops and Bookshops)

chaos is a color I wear well (and it looks mighty good on you) by @glaciya (jaytim angsty feels fic I love this one so much)

Like a Bat out of Hell by @allacesandeights (this fic. This fucking FIC. It's literally one of my go-to recs for when I'm trying to get people into JayTim and it deserves so so so much more recognition than it has holy shit this fic is so fucking good like. I very rarely read fics where I think the plot is perfect but this one is just so well done all around and akjdfajdfsdf read it)

I Didn't Say I Liked You by Generatorcat (I reread this one a LOT it's just delightful I love when they play chicken and you do it SO well, thank you for this one 💖)

Show Me the Meaning (Of Being Lonely) by @timmyjaybird (like. holy shit this whole series. I owe my life as an author to this series. This is the series that got me to consider shipping jaytim and also the first damitim fic that ever made my brain go brrrrrrr I've literally read this series like. 20 times at least and I never would have fallen deep enough into this fandom to start writing without it so thank you thank you thank you and everyone go read it)

10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

Definitely, and it's Now Kiss. I did not expect the response on that and if you know me, you've heard me talk about that. It just felt so rushed when I was writing it and I didn't get a chance to really edit it the way I wanted to and I've worked way harder on fics before and even if it was one of the ones that I was the most excited to share for JTW, there's just a part of me that's like: that's the one everyone loves so much?

That said, one thing about the response that has been lovely is that I've taken it as permission to trust myself a little more. There were a lot of things with that fic that I was uncertain about, but I liked them and decided to leave them alone even if I wasn't 100% sure because I was on a deadline and wanted it posted. They were probably the kinds of things that I would've fretted about incessantly and edited to death if I'd had more time, but people liked them, so it's been really nice to be able to let go of some of my self-doubt!

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic?

Damian has always hated that Tim can carve the meat from an action, pull the bone of it out clean.

grughauhgaruharhgau just. I love this line so much. It says so much about both of them. It was also a tight race between that and this:

Everyone believes Goldie, all of the time. He just flashes that gorgeous smile like a fucking master key, and Jason’s always been a tiny bit jealous that everyone else turned out so goddamn endearing. 

also this one 😭😭😭 I really like the way that it reads like Jason's voice and also this is one of those things that he would never ever say because he can barely admit that it's true, even though it is

[grandmaster-anne]

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh announced as new Patron of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award | Embargoed until 0001hrs on Tuesday 14 March 2023

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (the Award) is delighted to announce that HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will be the charity’s new Patron.

The Duke takes on the patronages previously held by his father, Prince Philip, who founded the Award in 1956. The Duke has been a passionate supporter of the International Award and DofE UK for decades, achieving his own Gold Award in 1986. The Duke has been a Trustee of the DofE since 1988 and of the International Award since 2006. He became Chairman of Trustees for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation in 2015.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh said:

“Some say The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is in my DNA; it’s certainly been a major part of my life for a very long time. Being asked to take on the role of Patron after my father is a particular honour and quite a responsibility. Sustaining and enhancing what is arguably his greatest legacy around the world matters a great deal to me, as does pursuing The Award’s long-term ambition of universal access so that every eligible young person has the opportunity to participate. Above all, I hope to ensure the Award to which my father gave his title, those that achieve it, and those who deliver it continue to enjoy the recognition they so richly deserve.”

Read more here 👇🏽

[heylosers06]

From the poll Duke and Damian hanging out…kinda but vroom vroom motorcycles

I tried a newish hairstyle for Duke but it’s literally just his locks not tied up. 😭

And a silly doodle

[thenonbinarydetective]

As I've said/supported before, Barbara shouldn't be Batgirl. And Gotham Knights shouldn't have had her be Batgirl, as it falls into the ableist trope.

However, I do understand why she is Batgirl in this game. She is the most recognizable Batgirl to the general audience. This is where we lose some people because this game is not actually meant for just batman/batfam fans like some people believe. It's meant for anyone remotely interested in buying video games, like every other video game in existence. I know some people might find that condescending, but I don't mean it that way. It's important to remember who buys video games, even specifically "Batman" ones.

Meaning they made the safe bet because money is the driving force. Barbara is a safe bet. But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she was a bet they didn't have much of choice in making. Either because it's not really made by an independent studio or evaluating the loss between a number of fans not purchasing a game because of Barbara no longer being a full-time wheelchair user and the number of potential buyers not wanting to buy a "Batman-oriented" game while not knowing who any of the characters are. Additionally, the potential strain of resources in adding more than the current cast of characters we have. They settled on the safest, known characters attached to Batman, probably for monetary reasons.

That being said, Cass and Steph could've been good additions to this game. I don't think Duke would have; he is still too new. The batgirls here have more of a footing and deserve to exist in more than just Scribblenauts and LEGO Batman games. However, I can see how introducing them with Batman might be a better bet for all three of them than Gotham Knights ever would have been. It creates an association for the general audience, which is more important to developers than specifically Batman fans (the general audience is larger and gives more money). Yes, they should be used more in games for more recognition, but for that idea to succeed, there needs to be a plan that actually promises audience growth.

People are allowed to have boundaries towards the reliance on an ableist trope and dislike the game for it.

People are also allowed to acknowledge that Barbara Gordon in Gotham Knights is still a disabled character and the fact that they worked with a charity focused on disabled representation in gaming (AbleGaming) to represent spinal disabilities in a respectful/realistic way that isn't relying upon on "magical/scientific cures."

Wheelchair users are valid for being upset that Barbara Gordon isn't one as well, the same way that people with other disabilities can still feel represented by this version.

None of these things are mutually exclusive and can exist at the same time.

Me being able to rationalize their actions doesn't mean that I agree with everything they do, as I have shown in the past. I just don't believe that a piece of media or a studio is unsalvageable or irredeemably evil for falling into a bad trope. Media is flawed. This constantly happens. If we view media that way, then we'd have to abandon literally every piece of media in existence.

Me acknowledging that the game made an effort to include aspects of disability doesn't mean that I don't believe there are no ableist aspects to this game. That's just a stupid assumption.

People are also flawed. Playing Gotham Knights, someone isn't a terrible evil person who is irredeemable and should die. That isn't a productive view. People can recognize how they interact with media and address how it exists in their lives and the lives of others.

This article has a pretty good explanation of how I feel and how some others feel. I've basically paraphrased it multiple times: https://halfglassgaming.com/2022/08/gotham-knights-lets-talk-about-barbara-gordons-spine/.

I won't say more because I don't have much more words than there are multiple ways to look at things other than everything is either fully correct/good or wrong/evil. It's fine to acknowledge that things can exist in a combination of multiple factors, and morality is something defined by each individual human.

[luxaofhesperides]

BATFAM FIC REC

some of my favorite fics focused on various members of the batfam!! this will mostly be fics i think deserve more recognition and love.

extant by arseniclatte ; a tim&jason focused fic in which janet comes back from the dead just to die in tim's apartment. also features a fucked up house and i do love my fucked up houses.

wither on the shore by Scarlet_Ribbons ; tim&jason&dick dealing with tim and his father. technically not a lesser known fic but i have to pair this with extant bc both fill a very specific niche of 'jason helps tim deal with his dead parents'. bruce is also there at the end but the focus is very much tim and jason and dick.

Gotta Roll With The Curveballs by Just_A_Poor_Boy ; duke&tim! i love duke so much, he is all times panicking in the most chill way. him and tim getting along is sooo good i love this fic so much.

The Spiciest Ghost by dandelioness666 ; a duke-centric fic!! mostly him trying to figure out dick, and his powers, which tim helps with. this is a birdflash fic but the main focus is very much duke and dick!

Author's Note by Trekkele ; jason&bruce fic in which bruce keeps an eye on the kind comments strangers leave on jason's fics and also notices when one of jason's fics suddenly updates years after his death. ao3 author jason my beloved.

only you will have stars that can laugh by silverwhittlingknife ; dick&tim fic taking place during christmas in which two lonely boys try to make some good memories during the holiday. if there is ever a dick&tim fic to read, it's this one.

not within this restless heart by Alienu ; if there is ever a tim&damian fic to read!!! its this one!!! taking place during quiet moments in the kitchen when no one else is awake, where they figure out how to be family.

mothman is real and he wants to kill me by wesslan ; dick&tim&jason. they are sooooo stupid. also look at that title you know you want to read it.

coming out of my cave (and i've been doing just fine) - Anonymous ; in which tim is trans AND a dragon. there are. misunderstandings. very good tim-centric fic that fully embraces the fun of dragon tim.

Family Photos by KelpieCodyne ; tim-centric but has all of batfam involved. a look at all the eras of gotham's vigilantes that tim has photographed while stalking them through the night, followed by their attempts to find any photos of tim as robin or red robin. one of my faves fr.

Satisfactory Bonding Activities by raven_of_hydecastle ; tim and damian take over the world. literally what more could you want.

Here's a Reminder (That You Haven't Fallen Through the Cracks) by popsunner ; everyone bothers tim while he's trying to work bc they want him to know they love him. also duke continues to be the best. this is factually true (<- said by the most bias girl in the world).

i will also be making a general dc fic rec later!! and possibly a fic rec on current wips im super into. who knows. anyways show these fics some love!!

[faejilly]

once upon a time I was doing a gift exchange for 7kpp and nothing I wrote work so I did a fanmix and made some TEA instead! (Did you like any of the tea, @awaylaughing? I don't recall) and then today, for no apparent reason, I was looping Hozier and feeling bad about how I keep wanting to write but then don't actually do it... and found a Sheltered Princess/Emmett thing from the POV's of the Chaperones in my WIP folder and finished it! Because Brains! Are Crazy-Cakes! (affectionate) Please Enjoy some observations re: Princess Wilhelmina Temperance of Arland and her Earl.

Emmett had known that he would see her.

Of course The Princess would be here. Even before Katyia herself, this is exactly what Arland Princesses always did. Who they always were.

He'd even known it would be difficult, was aware of his own weaknesses, his own flaws, but he hadn't realized it would hit him so hard, just seeing her walk into the Main Hall, seeing the Skalt Lady approach, watching other people see – her. See her, the way no one else in Arland ever had. The Princess was a wonderful young lady, of course everyone else would eventually see it too. It wasn't as if he didn't want her to succeed, didn't want people to know how amazing she was. He just –

It hurt, a little, to know that he would probably never have his friend by his side again, to know that there had never been a chance that he would, despite how fondly he remembered her, how much he'd looked forward to seeing her again, even if just at formal events at Court.

This was worse than Court.

This was going to be good-bye, and he hadn't even managed to say hello yet.

He was afraid that she'd see his worry and think he wasn't pleased to see her, wasn't always happy at the thought of her.

But then she came toward him, and he was glad enough at the sight of pleased recognition she didn't try to hide that he forgot about the future entirely and smiled at the present instead.

-

It was quite entertaining to realize that he’d been wrong about the Arland Princess. That didn’t happen to Woodly very often. But here she was, holding her own quite successfully through the formal introductions, alert and observant and with a smile almost as engaging as his own niece’s.

He’d dismissed her entirely at the Welcome Feast, convinced she was an even paler and quieter echo of her sister, the one who’d let herself be sold to Corval despite being smart enough to recognize how pleasant her soon-to-be-husband wasn’t.

To be fair, if Penelope had been of an age with Constance, the King and Queen might very well have tried to do the same with her, and Penelope would undoubtedly have agreed, despite also being smart enough to recognize a man who wouldn’t care a bit for her own preferences in the least. (Sometimes Woodly despaired of his sister’s sense, but that was neither here nor there.) Lisle would have fought it though, so it was well that hadn’t been an option.

But here young Princess Wilhelmina was, exquisitely formal with the one deeply unpirate-like Hisean, then listening to the Skalt Princess to call her Mina without looking the least bit upset by the informality. Penelope adored her, which required a bit of a gentle touch, and yet she was vibrant enough that neither the actual pirates nor the Corvali thought her dull. Even the Jiyel delegates were willing to converse with her, and Duke Lyon didn’t like anyone, and Lady Avalie only liked people she could play with.

She was singularly useless for any of the games Woodly himself liked to play, of course, but she was, nonetheless, a singular and effective delegate for Arland. Much more useful than that Earl, who refused to allow an unkind word about anyone, regardless of how much they might deserve it.

Would wonders never cease. An Arland Princess with a hint of a spine.

This Summit was certainly never boring.

-

Yvette thought her Princess deserved better. Such a bright young woman ought to be able to reach for more than her status as a gift Arland would bestow upon an ally who was willing to put up with her. (Perhaps they all deserved better than Summit machinations and noble politics, but that was a question for future generations to answer, not a single Duchess in her private thoughts.)

The Princess was quiet and polite, exactly as she had been trained to be. But she caught the eye, shone with her own inner light, a light that was already brighter than it had been at the Welcome Feast, and she’d handled that particular challenge with grace, deprecation, and a surprisingly charismatic and self-aware touch of humor, even when that young Zarad had dragged her into a highly inappropriate dance in front of everyone.

Constance would have been so proud of Mina if she’d seen it. Not that Yvette allowed herself to consider Princess Constance too often; that led to worrying about how she was doing, trapped at Prince Aamir’s side.

Yvette swallowed a sigh, and made sure her hands stayed loose in her lap, no tension visible anywhere in her body, even as she had to fight not to squint against the light of a rising sun. She’d managed to place herself outside the stable before anyone else, but the chaperones and servants and delegates would be here soon for the ride, and she could not let her worry show. Not for Arland or the Summit, past, present or future, not for the Princess as Princess or simply as a young lady in a difficult place.

Most especially not for her poor darling Earl, who she knew was painfully aware that half the Isle could tell that he was hopelessly in love with his Princess, by far the least eligible match for either of them to attempt here at this Summit.

Katyia would probably have insisted they be matched regardless; this time Yvette had to swallow a smile at the thought. Perhaps, somehow, even without Katyia, they’d manage a small bit of happiness, at least for awhile.

Yvette’s smile escaped her control, that thought too sweet to entirely dismiss.

Perhaps she had more hope left in her bones for this Summit than she’d thought.

-

Falon thought the boat race was the least painful activity of the Summit. It required actual effort and forethought and tactics from the delegates, and did not require he make small-talk about things he couldn’t possibly know anything about, and wouldn’t want to chatter about even if he did.

A Hisean team always won it, of course, but it was interesting to watch what the other delegates decided to do. Did they choose to forego it entirely and network among the spectators? Did they back Hise and their easy victory? Did they put on a show of their own boat, costumes or decorations or fancy tricks to draw the eye? Did they fight for that second place spot, did they try and make Hise work for their victory?

It was fascinating, and a good way to see how all the different delegations were starting to relate to each other, an idea of who could work with who, who might be able to reach a hand across a bargaining table by the end of the Summit and have someone grasp it back.

He had never expected two of the Hise delegates to agree to back an Arlish Captain though. One who had somehow managed to entice his damnable Duke out of the library to participate! And a Wellin Princess. It was the most cosmopolitan ship in the competition.

And then it won.

Hise lost.

Hise lost the boat race to Arland.

Falon didn’t know what to do with that. He couldn’t figure out what it meant, it was too improbable to have even considered it as a possible conclusion. Falon was so disconcerted, he didn’t even manage to catch Lyon before he retreated back inside after the race. Not that it would probably have worked, but Falon didn’t even manage to try.

He did manage to congratulate the rest of the team however, and he didn’t think he sounded nearly as bewildered as he felt.

On the one hand, it was good that there were delegates with the strength of will and character to actually make things happen.

On the other, he had a feeling he was going to spend the next five weeks wishing he’d been assigned as Chaperone for a less interesting Summit.

-

Jaslen loved the Matchmaker’s breakfast. The only real chance anyone had to see what of the Matchmaker’s opinions she was willing to let be seen in public, and so close to the one banquet at the Summit that still held so tightly to Katyia’s dreams rather than everyone else’s fears; there was always something to learn about how well the behind-the-scenes maneuvering was going.

Plus the delegates were always so delightfully chaotic, the stresses of the Summit and the anticipation of the remaining weeks only getting worse…

When Jaslen had flitted through the dining hall prior to any of the delegates arriving, she’d thought placing the poor Arland Princess in between the Revaire Prince and that idiot Blain was uncharacteristically cruel of the Matchmaker. She had no patience for incompetence, but she didn’t usually twist the knife after (metaphorically) stabbing some delegate who hadn’t impressed her.

But then breakfast actually happened, and Wilhelmina was fine! Calm and polite even while her seatmates bickered and everyone stared at her; she even smiled at that Earl of hers without appearing at all self-conscious when she escaped after Blain’s unsubtle attack.

It was such a nice surprise. Jaslen might have underestimated the Princess, but she wasn’t wrong about the Matchmaker, and that would have been disturbing, after all these years.

Watching Blain fumble his way through the Summit was excruciating enough for one year, she didn’t need to add an absolute failure in her usually impeccable people skills on top of that.

This really was the best morning. She wished she could be a chaperone for every Summit.

-

Jasper had been quite honored to realize he was assigned to Princess Wilhelmina of Arland herself. The Princesses were always such lovely guests, dutiful but seldom dull, young and hopeful and exactly the sort of people Katyia had most wanted to help.

He met his Princess and she was a joy to serve. Not just for the Summit or his duty or Arland, but for herself, complete and entire. He wished her well, and he saw her rise to every occasion, and for all he knew he could not take the credit, he was so proud.

But it was tinged with fear, not just for the Summit, or the Isle, and definitely not for Arland, but for her and her countryman, her childhood friend, Yvette's young assistant, Earl Emmett of Arland. He was as kind and dutiful as any Arlish Lord could have ever desired, and every time he smiled Jasper could see the Princess light up, and yet.

And yet.

They were both of Arland, and had been excessively well trained. Earl Emmet had traveled enough to be able to bring home a bride from anywhere and be kind to her in a way she'd understand, and the Princess. Well. The Princesses of Arland always left.

Always.

And then the night of the Matchmaker’s banquet he almost missed it, distracted by everything else that had happened (everything that shouldn’t have happened). He barely made himself settle before the Matchmaker stood, but he managed it just in time, standing quiet in his shadows as she began her announcement.

Which included the love match of Princess Wilhelmina of Arland to Earl Emmet of Arland.

There was an instant of total silence in the Hall, regardless of the number of people, regardless of servants and cutlery and food and conversation, regardless of high ceilings and the usual whispers of acoustics designed specifically to pick up everything so it would be almost impossible to overhear any one thing out of all the rest beyond one’s seatmate.

Arland to Arland.

Jasper’s eyes closed, and he didn’t know if it was joy or shock, horror or hope. He opened them to the much more familiar incoherence of a room full of whispering delegations, not a single person without an opinion on that match.

Arland to Arland.

He let himself smile, just a little, and let himself imagine it, a Summit that celebrated a match like that, Arland to Arland, for love and happiness rather than politics and duty.

-

Mina was sure she was blushing, but she’d noticed the shock after the Matchmaker’s announcement, heard the whispers a moment later, and she couldn’t quite contain it.

She also couldn’t hold in the lift of outright glee at hearing their names announced like that, one after the other. She had no idea how they were going to make this work, but oh, she didn’t regret a moment of choosing her best friend to be her partner, to be her future, no matter what anyone else thought of it. Not even her parents.

And she knew, every time she saw him, every time she thought of him, every time he smiled, or ducked his head, or pushed his sleeves up his arm as if this time they were going to stay, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that Emmett didn’t regret it either.

They only managed one quick moment before they were sent their separate ways, but she could live through a dozen more Summits, and she’d never forget the brilliance of his smile in that moment. Proof, if she’d needed it, that it was worth every effort over the next four weeks to keep him with her, to keep herself with him, to make it out the other side of this Summit

Together.

[pokemonpollarena]

POKEMON STARTERS TOURNAMENT

if this has already been done before i do not care because i haven't seen it. so i'm running one myself! and if this turns out to be fun i may do more in the future but i've never done this before so please be patient!!!

hisuian versions of starters will be considered different and have their own spot! and since the number is a bit weird, there will be a revival poll with the 10 closest matches to give one starter a second chance. this poll will also be judging the starter based on the entire line, rather than just the first or last evolutions. the awkward middle ones are just as important and deserving of recognition ok!!!

THE (TENTATIVE) SCHEDULE:

ROUND ONE:

2/7 EST Squirtle Line VS. Chespin Line Bulbasaur Line VS. Popplio Line Mudkip Line VS. Tepig Line Charmander Line VS. Sobble Line Hisuian Cyndaquil Line VS. Grookey Line Piplup Line VS. Chikorita Line Totodile Line VS. Scorbunny Line Treecko Line VS. Fennekin Line

2/8 EST Sprigatito Line VS. Froakie Line Rowlet Line VS. Chimchar Line Cyndaquil Line VS. Turtwig Line Torchic Line VS. Quaxly Line Fuecoco Line VS. Hisuian Oshawott Line Oshawott Line VS. Litten Line Snivy Line VS. Hisuian Rowlet Line

2/9 EST Revival Poll! Closest 10 match losers get to duke it out for a second chance

2/10 EST Break day! I'll have a little bonus poll up to fill the voting void

ROUND TWO:

2/11 EST Squirtle Line VS. Bulbasaur Line Mudkip Line VS. Charmander Line Hisuian Cyndaquil Line VS. Piplup Line Totodile Line VS. Treecko Line

2/12 EST Sprigatito Line VS. Rowlet Line Cyndaquil Line VS. Torchic Line Hisuian Oshawott Line VS. Unovan Oshawott Line Snivy Line VS. Turtwig Line VS. Popplio Line

2/13 EST Break day with bonus polls!

ROUND THREE:

2/14 EST Bulbasaur Line VS. Mudkip Line Hisuian Cyndaquil Line VS. Treecko Line Rowlet Line VS. Cyndaquil Line Hisuian Oshawott Line VS. Popplio Line VS. Turtwig Line

ROUND FOUR:

2/15 EST Bulbasaur Line VS. Hisuian Cyndaquil Cyndaquil Line VS. Turtwig Line