#talia's pov

[sillyromantic4ever]

Chapter I: "Ponderings" from Beneath the Armor, Vol. II

Excerpt: "[Din] smirks to himself beneath his helmet. When he had first met Talia on Cholganna over five months ago, he had kicked and punched against the intrusion of his privacy. But after time passed and after seeing that this perplexing woman was being kind, understanding, and simply herself, he had stopped. Even now, he does not quite remember when he did. And after a moment, he calmly realizes that he does not care.

"Not anymore."

Read here: Beneath the Armor, Vol. II - Chapter 1 - SillyRomantic4Ever - The Mandalorian (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

[dcxdpdabbles]

So I've seen a couple of Demon twin prompts that have Danny and Damien knowing and keeping in touch with each other over the years with the Batfam none the wiser (The funniest being that Damien had Danny go and replace him for a week then the two played it off like it had been happening since Damien was brought to the manor. Another good one had Danny quickly dropping off Ellie with Damien leaving him to introduce Bruce to his granddaughter). How would this play out for you? Would Danny have run with Damien faking killing him, would he have just disappeared from the compound (?) One day?

Their mother had given birth to identical twins. Damien was born three whole minutes before Danny, which shouldn't have mattered much but to the Ra's it meant the world of difference.

Ra's did not want to raise more than one hire. He did not believe in spares or succession struggles. He gave Talia the ultimatum,- pick one twin to raise in their ways and give the other up to a civilian family or lose them both and her status.

Talia will never claim to be an angel. She knew that her heart was cold and wrenched as needed to cleanse the world. She was far too selfish to even consider becoming a civilian away from the league.

It wasn't a bad life, in the end, to become a regular civilian but it was not for her. Ra's had many children who were never deemed worthy of being part of his greater plans. He never mistreated them, but ultimately he ignored them and they grew up not knowing the blood that ran through their veins.

Talia herself knew of six siblings- all different ages and races- that she had seen from a distance. Her father would take her sometimes to see them, to be reminded that unlike them, she was destined for greatness.

They were nicknamed as the Lost by one of Father's past heirs. He had died fifty years before Talia's time but he was known for his surprisingly humorous outlook on life. How Ra could stand it, she will never know.

Sometimes Talia pitted her Lost siblings. They would be outlived by their father- as all of his children thus far have been- but they would never know the waste their lives had become. They would never know the glory of battle, the rush of leading an army, or the satisfaction of successful missions.

They lived in a rose-colored world inside a small fish bowl. Her Lost siblings would never know the vast wonder of the world.

Sometimes Talia envied her Lost siblings. Even though they had no real impact on the world, no real importance, they lived peaceful lives. They grew, made friends, and fell in love without fear of being betrayed. A foolish belief but one that seemed almost blissful.

How light would their shoulders be to not have to carry the weight that Talia has known all her life? Weight to be the best, to be the killer her father required, to allow her son to head to a possible death day after day.

None of them had to worry about their children never returning from a mission like she did. That's why she trained Damian so harshly, why she pushed and pushed until he reached perfection. If she didn't, then Damian would be bested in the field and his death would shatter what little humanity she still held.

She had taken Danny- her sweet youngest boy- to America to entrust him to her Beloved. It was only as she arrived on American soil did she realized that Bruce would not be satisfied with only one twin.

He would do everything in his power to get them both. Despite the years he trained with them, after learning their ways and their mission, Bruce did not approve of the League.

He was powerful enough to succeed in taking Damian as well if she gave him the chance.

Talia chooses to not do so. She instead stopped at the closest city that was miles and miles away from Bruce Wayne. She found Amity Park, a small sleepy town that would never gather much attention let alone Bruce's, and located a couple struggling for a second child.

After her men screened them and after making sure that they were harmless despite their eccentric research into ghosts, she gave the Fentons her Danny in adoption.

When she signed the adoption forms, Danny offically became a Lost sibling. She flew home, and held Damian just a tad bit tighter and longer, allowing only a few tears to fall before shutting away her heart.

She visited him through the years, but never within sight. Danny was unaware of her presence, as he stumbled his way with his life. He was unpopular with his peers, uncoordinated in basically everything, and the idea of him harming anything was laughable.

He had too much of his Father's heart but none of his will.

Talia made the right choose in getting him out. He would not have survived long within her lifestyle.

When her sons turned six, Talia had chosen to take Damian to see his Lost brother. She had two motives for doing so. The first was to show Damian what became of those deemed unworthy. To let him see that he had been given the honor of being the twin to inherit all that the Al Ghuls could offer.

The second was so that Damian could see his brother still lived, even as worthless and meaningless as he did so, he was still alive. He would know nothing of their world but he would still be able to walk through a different one.

She hoped but never voiced that he would find comfort in this and maybe even affection for her foolish Lost brother.

_________________________________________________________

What she was not aware of, was that Damian Al Ghul was just as selfish as she was. Once he saw what he deemed as his there was little in this world that would stop him from owning it.

He believed he was entitled to having a connection with his blood brother so underneath Talia's and the League of Assassins' noses, Damian did just that. He officially introduced himself to Danny when he was eight and told him the truth about their heritage.

Danny welcomed him with open arms. Despite being polar opposites in personality the identical twins were the best of friends. Damian always looked forward to seeing his brother for a short visit whenever the opportunity arose.

Danny was always pleased to host him for a weekend and the Fentons were more than happy to have him over. They may not have been able to adopt Damian but he was just as much their son as Danny was.

Damian just wishes he could return the gesture but if he ever had the Fentons over at Nanda Parbat they would all be dead within the first thirty minutes.

It was best to go to Danny.

Then Damian went to live with Father. It was a rough adjustment and he is not proud of his less-than-optimal reaction to Father's adoptive siblings seeing as the Fentons had proved blood is not required to love a child. It took months of getting used to living there before he was comfortable enough to go visit Danny again.

They spoke every night on the phone, however, since he no longer had to worry about traitorous warriors reporting his contact with a Lost sibling. He told Danny everything about the Waynes, just as Danny told him everything about being Phantom.

They just forgot to tell any of the Waynes about him.

Damian offered to have him over now that he knew Father would never harm his brother, and that the other Wayne children wouldn't kill him either. Danny, ever the most mischievous of the two, had a better idea.

"We could prank the family instead." Danny chirps floating above his bed, headphones in his ear as tries to play videogames upside down. He grins at the screen where Damian stares back at him.

Facetiming Danny can be a bit difficult when his brother has a hard time sitting still.

Damian wasn't strong enough to say no to him.

____________________________________________________________

"Master Bruce" Alfred didn't shout exactly but it was a near darn thing that had everyone in the cave tensing up. They all turned to an older man who was nervously gesturing to a screen. "We seem to have a guest"

They gather around the older man, watching as a teenage boy wearing baggy oversized sleepwear rampages through the kitchen in an ill-fated attempt to make...a sandwitch?

"How did he get in?" Bruce demands at once watching the boy pour himself a large cup of milk. His face was turned away so they couldn't see him clearly but-

"What are you all babbling about? That's not a guest." Damian scoffs after pushing his way to the front of the computers. He waves a hand at the stranger and it is conveniently at that exact moment that he turns around gulping down his milk.

It's an exact replica of his youngest. What in the world?

"Demon Brat" Jason starts slowly, hand reaching for his gun. Bruce would be angry by that, except he's not exactly sure that his son is standing with them now "Who is that?

"Obviously it's Daniel."

"Who?" Dick asks

Here Damian actually pauses looking around at everyone in as close to alarm as Bruce has ever seen him. "Daniel. My brother. Do you all not remember him?"

"Master Damian, this is the first time I have heard of your brother," Alfred stressed, the tone just a tad bit off from being upset. Damian's eyes widen behind his mask suddenly looking rather small.

He stares at the butler like he has never seen him properly nodding his head to the Batcomputer. "Check for yourself."

"I'll do it." Tim offers strolling over. With Babs on vacation with her father, he is the best with computers. He will know if something has been altered. A few clicks on the keyboard was the only sound within the cave as everyone stood around in unease.

A quick hiss between his teeth has Tim announcing. "Demon Brat isn't lying."

There on the multiple screens is proof that for the past four years- since Damian came to live with them- there was Danny. The brother with a medical condition that made being a Bat impossible.

Tim even had a personal folder- one he made but couldn't remember making based on his wonderous expression- titled "Angel Brat". Apparently, he and Danny got on like a house on fire. At least according to the files.

"Are you all quite sure you have no recollection of Daniel?" Damian questioned. His stance is protective, tense in a way Bruce has come to know as his son being nervous.

None of this makes sense. The last time Damian was this nervous was the last large Justice Leauge mission when all hands were on deck to fix the timeline-

Oh No.

"Damian, on the last rank 10 mission of the league you were the only one on the Watchtower when Flash shifted us back. Even Alfred was commanding a tank that day." He states waiting until his son nods in agreement. Around him, everyone was equally tense likely realizing the same thing.

"I was not alone Father. Daniel was with me. I couldn't possibly control all those stations alone."

Of course.

"Damian, I'm afraid the last mission erased Daniel from our timeline. I do not remember him."

His son's eyes practically bug out of his head. He swings around in small circles looking towards the rest of the family. His jaw clenched at their blank expressions.

None of them remembered Daniel either.

"We must inform Daniel at once-"

"No!" Dick shouts, cutting him off. There was a slump in his shoulders as he spoke much less sharply now. "If we do that, there is a chance that Time will try to force his existence out. It could.... erase Daniel completely."

"So what? We just pretend to know the kid? Lie to him?" Steph scoffs,

"Yeah as much as it sucks. I've worked with Bart long enough to know that there is a real danger in telling Daniel the truth." Tim sighs running his hands over his face.

"That's fucking great." Jason sneers, kicking a chair. Duke's hands are curled into tight fists, while Cass is looking at Damian with a sad frown.

Damian sneers at them, fleeing into the showers. Cass is one step behind him. Likely for the best, his eldest daughter has always been the best one to confine into. If anyone can get Damian talking about his feelings without being too pushy, it's her.

Alfred remains silent but his posture is stiff and straight. He is equally as displeased as his more explosive children. Not that Bruce couldn't blame him.

His heart has already shattered a dozen times over once Daniel's files have been brought up. He has forgotten his son. Has lost him in a way as close to death.

He flickers through them with the family. Everyone wants to remember as much as possible. There is so much. Daniel has a heart condition that has him attached to a heart pump, his consistently cold and is rarely strong enough to wander too far away from the manor.

In fact, he seems to collapse a lot like his legs just become intangible. Talia isn't aware he is still alive- Damian broke the rules to get him out of the league before his plan execution due to his condition.

Despite all of this, Danny had the biggest heart out of them. He seemed to be the kind of person with an easy smile, and happy pun waiting. He is so gentle that Tim's nickname "Angel Brat" is not just a mirror of Damian's

And Bruce forgot him.

To make matters worse the cave's elevator dings on, and down it comes Daniel himself. He looks exhausted, likely not used to being up so late but he smiles at them all warmly anyway

"Hey guys! Welcome home!" He greets. He rushes forward, hugging everyone with ease that not even Dick has been able to do. His movements are done so naturally that this must be how he greets them every night.

Everyone lets him and he doesn't seem surprised by the fact they return the hugs.

Bruce feels like vomiting as his youngest- Damian is older- smiles up at him. "Welcome home Dad! Love you."

"I..." His words catch in his throat. Daniel tilts his head confused but Bruce pushes through wrapping his arms around him just as tightly. "I love you too son."

"Tell the others you love them too" Daniel whispers in his ear. "Don't forget that they need to be shown through words and gestures too Dad!"

Bruce stiffens, unsure if he should but he doesn't have enough information to deny Daniel anything. If he suspects something is wrong he may zap himself out of existence. He can't let that happen.

He pulls back from Daniel after a moment, and then without giving the others warning, he reaches for the child closest to him. Jason yelps as he is dragged into Bruce's warm embrace. "I love you, Jason."

"Ugh what?" Jason sounds confused from above him- when did his little boy get so tall?- but he wraps his arms around him too, giving the beaming Daniel a quick glance before he mutters. "Love you too old man."

Bruce turns to Dick who is practically bouncing on his heels, arms held out. He steps into them easily, grunting as Dick squeezes him with all his might. "I love you, Dick"

"I love you too!"

Tim is staring with wide longing eyes over Dick's shoulder and Bruce knows he will have to hug him next. Behind him, Daniel has moved to embrace both Jason and Steph, which triggered a group-wide personal hug.

Even Alfred is there affording hugs and I love yous.

It's.....nice.

_____________________________________________________________

None of the Bats are good enough to read the body launage as Cass is. She saw the mischievous glee her new brother was hiding as he went around hugging everyone.

Damian taps her wrist. "Will you keep quiet of Daniel's harmless jest?"

She smiles. "Funny. They think they can't say no to him. "

"Oh, Dad! Now that you're back can I paint your nails?" Daniel asks loudly. "I have the best black nail polish!"

"....I suppose that is fine."

Damian cracks a smile. "My brother is a menace."

[infinizero]

Demon Twin AU but Damian has been seeing ghostly visages of his twin slowly growing up with him

So, the Danny Damian Twin AUs! They're fun!

But what if, when Danny fakes his death/is killed, he actually dies and becomes a halfa as a kid? Danny because he is Danny, has the great idea to live a double life upon figuring out he can be both ghost and human!

As a human, he goes to America where he gets adopted by the Fentons and live as Danny Fenton

I headcanon that halfas are very adaptable and basically get powers according to their needs. So he figures out how to portal.

As a ghost, Danny stays around Damian and helps him out. Sometimes he slips up and Damian sees Phantom right next to him.

To Damian, this is the Pit Ghost of his brother who has come back to haunt him, made even worse when he realizes that Danny is also growing exactly at the rate he was despite being dead. He thinks that Dannys last wish was to grow up with Damian that's why he's doing that.

It gets even worse for Damian when he realizes the ghost of his dead twin brother has been helping him invisibly the entire time and it's possible that that's why Danny's staying around

Now, I need you to picture one of the Batfam seeing Danny

Imagine them asking him about it

Imagine Damian having to explain that the ghost of his dead brother sometimes accompanies him

Of course, on Danny's human side of things, the Fentons finally made that portal and he has to take up being a hero in Amity Park. Meaning he has less time to look over Damian.

What does this look like to Damian?

It looks like his brother is fading away slowly because Danny's decided Damian is now in a safe place

This all comes to a head when Danny disappears for a long time, long enough for Damian to think he's gone gone

And then Danny comes back and he's injured or maybe he has a baby Ellie and for the first time in years actually talks to Damian and asks for help

[bitterrobin]

rehashing the Damian-Tim-Dick dynamic (as it goes in canon) is soooo tiring but by god i'll do it. I NEED to explore all of those events from Damian's POV, because so many fics out here only portray Tim's side of things. And, not that Damian whump can't be well-written, but sometimes even Damian-centric fic delves too deep into helpless baby-child territory and doesn't explore the actuality of cult-indoctrinated child assassin with inherent issues around parents/legacy/family etc etc. Plus, the bonus of Taxonomy!verse being an AU with things a little tweaked means I can change things and include other characters that weren't in the canon proceedings.

Keeping Tim as Robin for a while longer and having him chafe under Batman!Dick provides just a little bit of leeway into Tim's deal with the mantle. He's growing up. Robin will always be his and always be important, but its not allowing him to do the things he feels he needs to do on his own (search for Bruce, intentionally isolate himself etc) And Tim's conflict with Damian doesn't change much anyway because it can pivot a little more into "I don't trust this kid with Robin and I don't think he can uphold the mantle the way it needs to be done" which blends easily into "Damian is not my family" and "I'm worried Dick is going to kill himself taking care of this bomb(child)/I'm terrified I'm not going to be enough this time save him and Bruce" and "screw it I have to save Bruce because only I can do it"

Including characters that aren't popular in wider fandom means fresh perspectives and interactions not previously explored. Bette provides a less grief-laden perspective among the many mourners and a detachment to wider Bat-lore provides an opportunity for her to connect to Damian in a way a character with prior opinions on Bruce/Talia/the League can't. Colin provides a similar-aged perspective on Damian in a sea of adults and teenagers, a view of life from another child just as wounded and yet still cared for in ways Damian wasn't, and a deeper connection to Gotham that Damian doesn't have. Calvin Rose willingly became a Talon, strived for greatness the way Damian once did but he ran and he kept on running - Damian can't leave. Rory Regan teeters on a razor's edge of forgiveness and death, the suit he wears is salvation and damnation, and he has a father's legacy he must uphold even when he questions it (the struggle of religion and the concept of sin). Chris Kent is...so much to explore there that I already made a post lol.

Damian is justified in being angry and bitter. (Not justified in violence towards others before you get me btw) But also Bruce really isn't his father. He didn't raise him. He flits in and out of his life and then he's dead. Theres no connection there besides Bruce yelling at him/ordering him/placing expectations. Talia didn't raise him either. They have a nervous connection that doesn't reach far enough to pull Talia out of her dazed and hurt state. They like (?) each other, but Talia can never look at him and not mourn the boy he isn't. Damian can't look at her and not scream "why did you leave me?" and "if I am so painful, you deserve a life where I don't exist." Bruce is the shadow that haunts Damian's world and Damian is Talia's open bleeding wound and Talia is the haloed mother he can never have.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lost Boys

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Superfam

Summary: After Jonathan Lane Kent wipes himself from existence by canceling his own timeline, he finds himself stuck in the afterlife where he meets Jason Todd. He still wonders about the life un-lived on Earth, and how his parents would've felt about him.

Jason Todd, who is making the most of being dead, struggles with the reality of what he's left behind. He has one wish and one wish only: to send his family one final message.

Chapters: 6/?

Characters: Jonathan Lane Kent (Laney), Jason Todd, Catherine Todd, Boston Brand, Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, John Constantine, Raven, Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake

Relationships: Platonic JayLaney

Additional Tags: Angst, Platonic Relationships, Magical Jason Todd, Resurrected Jason Todd, Queerplatonic Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, POV Multiple

Chapter Six: Happy Trails (Jason's POV)

After my resurrection, I started seeing things and hearing voices, but they weren't talking to me. They were talking about me. After my dip in the pit, I knew I was stuck with them. Sometimes in the daytime, I would lie awake and listen to them talk. The spooky one would come and go, but the one in the weird Superman costume never left my side. Sometimes I felt like I knew him from somewhere. Sometimes he would sing songs to me when we were alone or talk as if he didn't know I could hear him. I wanted to give in and speak to him most times, but I was afraid that I'd lose my mind completely if I did.

I didn't realize how much I would need him until I found out about Tim Drake. "You all right?" Talia asked. Her voice was clear, calm, and tinted with a hint of concern.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be all right?" I lied. Once she was gone, I could hear the faintest whisper from my imaginary friend. I started to cry as I continued to try to ignore him.

"Jason, I'm so sorry," he said loud enough for me to hear. I looked away from the wall and directly at him. "Jason? You can see me?"

"What do you want from me?" I asked in tears. I finally succumbed to it. It didn't matter to me anymore if I was losing it or not. I just wanted to talk to somebody.

"Jason, it's me. Have you been ignoring me this whole time?" he asked. I nodded.

"I don't know who you are or if you're real. I just—. Can you sit down?" I asked. He nodded and sat at the table. I pulled myself together and sat back down. "Who are you?"

"Jason, it's me," he pleaded with me, "It's Laney. We're best friends. Why don't you—? Jason, don't you remember me?"

I shook my head and laughed. "No... I don't know who you are because you aren't real. You're not. This is just my brain damage and emotional trauma manifesting itself," I rationalized. Laney frowned. I pushed a hand through my hair and took a few nauseated breaths.

"This isn't who you are, Jason. We used to talk about it all the time... You said you wanted to tell Bruce you loved him, that he was a father to you. I know you're hurt, but has that changed?" Laney asked. I didn't answer him. "You don't believe me, do you? How can I prove it to you?"

"Prove what to me? I don't even understand what you're—."

"I'm a ghost. We were friends in heaven or the afterlife or whatever it was... And you disappeared, but Boston and I—. We uh—. I don't exist anymore, but you can do everything that I can't. You have a second chance, and Catherine wanted that for you," Laney whispered, "Jason..."

I started feeling panicked when he mentioned Ma, but I pushed the feelings back and went to bed. He stayed with me even after our conversation. When I woke up, Laney was still there, and his friend was back. "I'm not leaving him... Boston, I promised myself I would never leave him. So you can give me the address of the nearest person who can see ghosts, or you can come with us and help me prove that we're not just hallucinations," Laney snapped. I lay still and listened.

"The closest person I know isn't the kind of guy you ask for help. He's more trouble than he's worth—."

"Who is he, and where is he? Boston," Laney pleaded angrily through his clenched teeth.

"If he can prove that you two are real, I'm game... Actually, matter-of-fact, if you two are real, I'll do whatever the hell you want me to," I replied. Laney floated above the ground in a seated position, biting his nails. "Scout's honor."

"Jason, you were never a scout," Laney replied, "If we can prove that we're real, I want you to do just as we planned. Talk to our families."

I nodded, and Boston shook his head. "Jason, kid, you don't wanna go on and learn the hard way. Why can't you just take our word for it?" Boston asked. "Jay..."

I looked at Laney, and he softened up. "Jason, if you can't remember me, then you can't believe what I mean when I say that I know you in ways that you don't even know yourself anymore... And you won't be able to see that I just want to help you."

I wondered if he loved me. The way he spoke to me was like nothing I'd ever heard. I sometimes thought my mind made him up for comfort. Maybe he was real, and he was trying to protect me. I knew one thing for sure, everything he said was what I wanted to hear. I think that's what scared me the most. If he wasn't real, all I was doing was second-guessing myself.

They continued to argue back and forth, and I took my shower and got dressed before cutting out. Laney followed closely behind me. "Two choices. San Francisco, but you run the risk of seeing your brother or Louisiana meet this Constantine guy, and I hear he's more trouble than he's worth," Laney offered. Both choices sounded terrible, but I think he knew I'd pick anything over the idea of running into Dick. "Jason, I know you don't wanna risk seeing Dick if he's in San Francisco, but—."

"But nothing. I'm not risking everything I have planned. What happens if you're just my mind's way of sabotaging me?" I asked. He looked over my shoulder and waited for me to make eye contact.

"I don't want to sabotage you... I'd never do that. Jason, I know you're scared of what he'll say or think or do... But, just try to think. If this Constantine guy is as unpredictable as Boston says, don't you think you'd be safer if—."

I stopped just as I realized how crazy I must've seemed, talking to thin air. "Listen, on the off chance that you're real. Cool, great, good. But, on the chances that you're just a pretty little kindhearted and nurturing hallucination, my mind made up to change me back into the sweet boy you're saying I used to be... I don't wanna take any chances on screwing this up," I mumbled.

"You weren't always sweet. You were just as stubborn dead as you are alive. Either way, I promised your mom I'd find you, and I did. You're alive. I can't take that away from you, but I can look out for you," Laney whispered, "You don't have to talk to me out here. I know what it looks like. Just know when you find out that I'm not a hallucination and that there is actually someone on this planet that would move heaven and hell for you... I won't rub it in."

Secretly, I kind of hoped he was telling the truth. I needed him. Like it or not, I didn't know how I'd be able to bear the loneliness without him. So that was it. I was on my way to Louisiana to see a man about a ghost.

[kindlingkeen]

Chapter 1: Talia

Talia looks at Jason, and she sees him for who he truly is.

Chapters: 1/4 Fandom: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days Rating: Teen And Up Audiences  Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings  Relationships: Talia al Ghul & Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul & Bruce Wayne  Characters: Talia al Ghul, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd (Mentioned), Damian Wayne (Mentioned), Tim Drake (mentioned)  Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Past Talia al Ghul/Bruce Wayne, Lost Days-Era Jason Todd, Angst, Introspection, Protective Talia al Ghul, POV Alternating  Series: Part 2 of Choices Summary: 

Talia and Bruce, and how they come together.

Brief snippets that tell the story behind the story of Chapter 6 of The People We Choose.

Image sources: Batman - Under the Hood, Red Hood - The Lost Days

[cephalog0d]

Batfic - "Building Up and Breaking Down"

Rating: General Audiences

Category: Gen

Characters/Relationships: Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Reverse Robins, Damian Wayne Needs A Hug, Damian Wayne Gets A Hug, he gets many hugs from many people, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, POV Multiple

Words: 882

Chapters: 1/12

Summary:

There were a lot of things expected of Damian when he was young, and he learned how to do many things very well. Having a family was not one of them. In which Damian figures out how to be a son, a friend, and a brother, and builds himself a family.

[martinkate]

my wife (talia) has been declared missing (gone to bed with no goodnight post) and i am wrecked beyond belief (sadblogging on tumblr) and all i can do is clean the house (blog and wash my face) until they find her (she wakes up)

[entiretorridaffair]

i'd love to see me from your point of view <3

[sillyromantic4ever]

Chapter XXVII: "Into the Shadowlands, Part II" from Beneath the Armor, Volume I

Excerpt: "They are now near the center of the Wookiees’ activities, and Talia is amused at the surprise in Din’s voice in his one-word question. Should she tell him that their bond has become so important to her that she can sometimes sense his emotions without even trying anymore? She can also feel them from a distance, just as she did earlier. But if she admits these things to him, would he believe her? Would it affect him and cause his heart to rattle beneath his armor? Or would he put up a Beskar wall, keeping her away from him?"

Read here: Beneath the Armor, Vol. I - Chapter 28 - SillyRomantic4Ever - The Mandalorian (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

[swordmaid]

do think that shri’iia needs someone who will commit to her vs thalia’s avoidant lifestyle and how she is more committed to her work (finding a cure from the wild sorc magic). and they are soulmates btw

[abyssal-ali]

Burned my wings close to the sun/But I'll keep on flying/I'm too young for dying

Pairing: None

Rating: M (blood, violence, death, thoughts that could be seen as suicidal)

WC: 1.6k exactly (yes I'm proud of that)

Tired of never knowing exactly where he stands with Bruce, Jason decides to force his hand.

A/N: This was heavily inspired and plotted by a friend on tumblr, so most of the credit goes to @skypalacearchitect.

A note for the tag "Immortal Jason". Technically he can die, but he will always come back. His power is resurrection, not total immortality.

The song for this fic is "Higher" by The Score.

It may seem a little confusing (though I hope not) but more will be revealed in the second chapter, which I hope to work on and have up this weekend/coming week.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: They try to keep me down, but I just get higher

Jason fumed all the way out of the Batcave.

He fumed on his ride back to his safehouse, he fumed as he passed all his security protocols, he fumed as he removed his gear and headed to shower and change. He fumed halfway through his shower, too, until his anger decreased from 'rolling boil' to 'gentle simmer' and his thoughts turned to vengeance.

Mr. 'I-am-Vengeance' himself would get a healthy taste of his own medicine. Jason smirked ominously to himself.

Back in the Batcave, a tired-and-irritated Batman felt a disturbance in the void.

~~~~~~~

After a lovely sleep dreaming and scheming, Jason awoke to the smell of food in the air. Hopping out of bed, he headed to the kitchen with a knife in hand as a precaution (not that he wasn’t a master in several hand-to-hand martial arts) that he put down when he saw who had invaded his kitchen.

“Talia? Why are you here? I thought you were with Damian?”

“I had a feeling my oldest son was plotting something and needed my help.” Talia left two steaming mugs of tea on the island and warmly embraced him. He left the knife on the counter and joined Talia in easy harmony as they danced around his kitchen making the meal.

Once they had begun eating Talia pinned Jason with her slightly unnerving green stare. “Jason. You are not one to hold back your thoughts, habibi. What is it?”

Jason sighed inwardly. Always straight to the point with Talia, and nothing was long hidden, either. He met her gaze. “I want to perform a little experiment on Bruce, and I'd like your help.”

She looked him over calculatingly. “Go on.”

“Bruce said some things last night...I almost shot him somewhere he'd have a hard time recovering from. But then I thought, he's still never recovered from the first time I died. That's what this is all about, anyways, so what if I do something to him he'll never recover from.”

Talia had stopped eating by now and had a wrinkle on her brow as she stared at him and analyzed his body language.

Jason continued, “I want you to kill me in front of Bruce.”

Talia stood up and her mouth was pressed into a firm line. “I did not save my son from that man's brutality just to kill him myself.”

“Look, T, I'm not sayin' this lightly. I know what death is like better than most. But I need to know exactly how he feels about me, if I can realistically continue to work in Gotham or not. You and I know I'll come back, but he doesn't. I- he seems like he wants me dead and gone, so he can still mourn Robin-me. I need to know for myself.”

Talia stood in front of him, carefully scrutinizing his body language and facial expressions. “...this is not a situation like the aftermath of your showdown?”

“No, T, I'm not askin' this 'cause I want to die. I'm askin' because I want to live. I don't feel like I'm really living around the Bats, always keeping an eye out for a potential problem and what I'll be blamed for next. But...I need to know just how big of a chance I have to live with them. And how much they'll look for me if I leave. I'm not asking this of you lightly, T. Feel free to say no; I'll understand.”

“I must think about this, Jason. But if you leave, I will always help you, whether they chase you or not.”

Jason smiled and hugged her. “I know. Thanks, Talia. Take your time, I have drama to plan anyways.”

~~~~~~~~~

Talia stayed with him longer than her usual day or two, instead living in his apartment for a whole week. They didn’t bring it up again, but Jason figured it was so Talia could keep an eye on him and assess his mental and emotional state before she did anything.

She mostly stayed inside so she wouldn’t alert Bruce to her presence, but Jason caught her watching him from the shadows the two nights he went out as Red Hood.

The next Saturday evening, while Jason washed the dishes and Talia dried them, she casually mentioned his request. “I’ll help you with your plan, habibi.”

Jason turned to her, dripping a few suds on the tile floor. “I’m mentally stable enough to handle you killing me?” he asked wryly.

Talia’s lips thinned subtly in displeasure, but she was long used to his ways of speech and his use of humour as a defence. “Something like that. Are the dramatics of your plan sufficiently plotted?”

“Almost. I was thinking I’d confront Bruce in the Batcave, if possible with his little sidekicks there so he can’t hide anything from them anymore, and then you come in and hug me and stab me in the back.”

Talia frowned.

Jason explained his reasoning and Talia finally acquiesced.

They set the date for Tuesday.

~~~~~~~~~

Jason rode into the Batcave just after the Batmobile pulled in, having followed the Bats through their patrol to figure out the best time to make his dramatic entrance.

The Batmobile had been the last to return, so they should all be gathered now for his…demonstration.

Nightwing, Batgirl, Spoiler, Red Robin, and Batman were all standing around in various mixtures of costumes and comfy clothing, and Babs was on the Batcomputer’s main screen, pointing some information out to Nightwing.

They turned to see him park his bike facing the entrance and approach them, though he stayed a carefully calculated distance away to give Talia more space to flee when they inevitably attempted to apprehend her after she stabbed him. He took off his plain motorbike helmet, having only dressed in civvies to appear more defenceless to appease the paranoid old man.

“Jason? Why are you here? You stormed out last Saturday and haven’t been very active lately.” Bruce almost sounded pleased to see him, but Jason could hear the underlying cold calculation as he wracked his brain to figure out why he had returned.

“I had something I wanted to say to you, Bruce.” He made sure his voice stayed neutral–after all, this was to confirm Bruce’s thoughts and feelings about him either way, though both Jason and Talia subconsciously knew which side Bruce would pick.

"Which is?” Bruce prompted, annoyed that there was an audience that would be suspicious if he sent them away to hear Jason out privately.

“I want to work with you. You were my first family, and you helped me live longer and better than I would’ve as a kid on the street. I’ve come to terms with the fact that we will always share opposing viewpoints on certain subjects, but I still respect that you have a code. I’ve even compromised on my own views when I could to make myself appear in a more palatable light.”

Bruce stood stiffly, body language as cold and closed-off as ever. His sidekicks were all huddled in a group, whispering amongst themselves. Jason was pretty sure they were betting on how this would turn out. He and Dick had used to do that–no, focus on the present, Jason. Don’t be a Bruce and live in the past.

“But why is it always me compromising? I’m more than willing to accept your unwillingness to kill, but why must you be so coldly against anyone killing? Even if I stopped killing permanently, you’d never see me accurately, would you? I’d always be viewed through a blood-red lens. I would never be your son.”

“Once a killer, always a killer. You enjoy these executions you perform, Jason. My son died when he was fifteen.”

Jason sucked in a breath, trying not to show how much those words hurt him. “Thank you for confirming my hypothesis.”

The watching circle of sidekicks looked incensed (Dick), concerned (Babs and Cass), and shocked (Tim and Steph). They didn’t have a chance to act, as the exit to the Batcave beeped.

Talia easily entered, using Jason’s passcode, striding determinedly up to Jason and Bruce, nodding reassuringly at Jason. “Habibi.”

Of course, Bruce took the address to mean him and not his son and angrily questioned her why she had broken in.

Talia laughed lightheartedly. Jason had to hand it to her, she was a good actress. You’d never know she was about to stab her son in the back.

“I just had one final thing to accomplish before I left Gotham for good.”

She turned to Jason.

“If this will hurt you after or you just can’t do it, I’ll understand,” Jason whispered in the League dialect.

“I appreciate your concern, habibi, but I will be alright. This is for you.” She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I love you, Ummi.”

“I love you, ya albi.”

She took a deep, steadying breath and raised the dagger in her hand, swiftly piercing him through the heart. He lurched a little in her arms but turned to face Bruce, who was staring at the scene in shock.

“This knife in my back hurts less than the figurative one you shredded me with time after time. Congratulations, Bruce, your son is dead.” He choked and spat scarlet blood at Bruce’s feet. “His blood is on your hands.”

Bruce stared at him, then the blood, still stunned at the spectacle.

Talia gently laid him on the floor, his head in her lap, combing her fingers through his hair.

“See you soon, T.”

Talia’s hand rested tenderly over his eyes, brushing his eyelids closed.

[justafoxhound]

Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Fallout 3, Fallout (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Female Lone Wanderer (Fallout), Jericho (Fallout), Mr. Burke (Fallout) Additional Tags: Tumblr: Falloutober, Atomic Smitten Series: Part 1 of Falloutober Summary:

Fresh out of Vault 101 with nothing but the vault suit on her back, a pistol with four rounds left, her rage and her wits, Talia forms a shaky alliance with two men out of Megaton: Mr. Burke and Jericho. One offered her the world, the other she paid to get her there.

A short tale based on three Falloutober 2023 prompts, featuring the Lone Wanderer, Jericho and Mr Burke from my long fic Atomic Smitten (if things had gone a bit differently).

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lost Boys

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Superfam

Summary: After Jonathan Lane Kent wipes himself from existence by canceling his own timeline, he finds himself stuck in the afterlife where he meets Jason Todd. He still wonders about the life un-lived on Earth, and how his parents would've felt about him.

Jason Todd, who is making the most of being dead, struggles with the reality of what he's left behind. He has one wish and one wish only: to send his family one final message.

Chapters: 5/?

Characters: Jonathan Lane Kent (Laney), Jason Todd, Catherine Todd, Boston Brand, Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, John Constantine, Raven, Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake

Relationships: Platonic JayLaney

Additional Tags: Angst, Platonic Relationships, Magical Jason Todd, Resurrected Jason Todd, Queerplatonic Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, POV Multiple

Chapter Five: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Laney's POV)

Do people in heaven get sick? I wished more and more with every passing day that there was Google or an encyclopedia of sorts for the afterlife. Jason started getting headaches a few weeks after the dance. He tried to hide it from Catherine and me, but we could see it in his eyes. Jason was fading.

After the dance, we sometimes flew over the ocean at the beach, and we'd do cannonballs into the water from the sky. Somedays, all we'd do was laugh and play like children. Other times, we'd sit in the meadow and tell each other all the things we'd say and do if we could live all over again. I told Jason about how I grew up, and he told me all about the things he swore he'd never speak of out loud. He told me about his birth father, about what happened to him after his parents died. He told me things no one knew.

By the time he'd gotten really sick, we were in the meadow watching the clouds. Jason didn't want us to see it, but he couldn't hide it anymore. All we could do was pretend not to see it. "I see a little dog where you saw your turtle," I whispered as I pointed to the sky.

"Now, how do you see a dog there?" Jason asked as he started giggling. "That's obviously a turtle. Lookit. See the shell?"

"Jason, no, he's like one of those short dogs with the wolf ears," I argued, "See, because those little wisps right there, those are his ears."

"We're pointing to two different—." He stopped speaking and sat up. I turned and looked at him, and he looked paler than usual. "Sorry, what was I—. We're pointing at two different clouds, Lane." He took a deep breath and came back to me.

I touched his cheek with the back of my hand, and he took my hand away. "You okay?" I asked. Jason nodded. "I still think it's a dog."

"A corgi? You see a corgi up there?" Jason asked. I nodded. "I guess I could see it... Think my ma's still out on her date?" Jason stood up and stretched out his arms.

I sat on the ground and looked up at him. "Yeah... Are you okay with her dating Boston?" I questioned. "I mean, he's really not that—."

"I know he's not that bad... I mean, I actually think I might like Boston for Ma. He makes her laugh, and he's good to her. He might be the first guy that was ever good to her," Jason replied as he pulled me to my feet. "If Ma's happy, I'm alright."

"Yeah, and you gotta admit he's kind of cool too... I mean, he gets to travel back and forth—."

"Laney, come on. Even if we could go back, I don't wanna leave my ma," Jason interrupted. I nodded.

"Jason?" I called as I walked on my hands just like he taught me. "Can I say that I love Catherine? Is that weird?"

Jason raised his brow and playfully tripped me up with his foot. "How do you mean it? Because if you mean it like that, we might have problems, Lane," Jason joked.

I stood up and pushed him with my shoulder. "No, not like that! I love her like—. I dunno, like how you love her... I think," I explained.

Jason offered to carry me home on his back. I rode on his back, and he let me rest my chin on top of his head. "Jason, were you this strong when you were alive?" I teased. Jason chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah. I may not be the biggest guy around, but I trained hard. I coulda carried you if I wanted to," Jason replied, "Besides, you're Superman's kid. Of course, you'd be taller than me."

We didn't make it all the way home. He stopped to rest, and he stumbled on the way to sit down. "What's wrong?" I asked. Jason shook his head. "Let me carry you the rest of the way," I offered, and he held up his hand.

"I'm fine, just—. I'll catch up with you," Jason whispered. I wouldn't leave him, so I picked him up and carried him home. By the time we got home, he was fast asleep. I set him down on the couch and waited for Catherine to come back. We never slept, so it was so strange to see him unconscious.

He came out of it for a moment, and he chewed me out for carrying him home, but I didn't care. I knew he didn't mean any harm. He stormed out of the cottage, and I let him have his space. I regret that I didn't follow him.

Catherine and Boston came back around sundown, and by then, I was hysterical. "Catherine, I don't know where he went, but he was sick, and I—."

"What do you mean he was sick?" Boston interrupted me. "He can't get sick anymore." Catherine rushed out of the cottage, and Boston nudged me. "He can't—."

"He is! He's sick, and he's fading in and out. It's like he's a—..." I trailed off, and Boston asked me to take him to the places where I hung out with Jason. He wasn't there, so we circled back around to the cottage. Catherine was inconsolable.

"He's nowhere to be f—." She swallowed hard. "I can't find him," she sobbed, and Boston touched her arm and waited for her to collect herself.

"I'll find him," Boston promised her, and I stopped him before he could go anywhere.

"I gotta go with you. If Jason's anywhere on Earth, I can find him. If he's there, I can find him. Please," I pleaded. Boston looked at Catherine, and she nodded. Boston sighed and nodded.

Boston placed a steady hand on my shoulder, and he told me to remain calm. He was going to take me back to the world of the living as a ghost, and I was going to find my best friend.

[luckytiggertalia]

I've only ever been pissed off at night shift once before.

Until today.

[silverwhittlingknife]

very important announcement: new @birdchildsnest fic!!!