#the league isn't a good place to raise a child

[marauderundercover]

Hawk in the Night (Madds Buckley)

If I could draw, I'd make this song into an animatic with this general set up for the lyrics. Tim would always be on one half of the screen, and Damian on the other. Anyway, enjoy this blurb thingy

****

"Oh baby bird, I'm glad you don't cry anymore. Be brave; one day you’ll fly, you'll soar. But dont forget where you come from, the vultures that watch your back"

Tim's parents standing eerily behind him, making sure he's perfect and Tim is just trying so hard

Damian, tiny, having the entire League watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake

"Oh baby bird, I'm glad that you quit your chirping, that songbird shit was worthless. And no one would've heard you hacking up a tune"

Tim, left alone in Drake Manor, not making noise anymore when he's hurt or sad. Learning to cry quietly because no one is coming for him.

Damian, being taught that crying is weakness and he can't have a weakness. There are too many enemies looking for just that.

"Sharpen your talons and fight. Claw at the world as it claws out your eyes. We raised you right, hawk in the night"

Tim's parents accepting Tim's good grades (something he has only because he's worked to achieve greatness, lost sleep over it. Because he has to make them proud)

Damian becoming a skilled fighter much too young (because he's lost sleep over it, stayed awake for hours perfecting a sword move in the hopes of making someone proud)

"Oh baby bird, I'm glad you don't smile anymore. It means you're strong, the weak never have their wings unfurled. You know your place. At least you're not fighting for scraps"

Tim, a practiced gala smile on his face when the situation calls for it. Because Janet was upset when he actually smiled. Too expressive. Too easy to exploit. A Drake is unmovable.

Damian, scowls quickly replacing toothy grins. Toothy grins were only for undercover missions, not real life. They are unbecoming of an Al Ghul. Of the son of "The Bat".

"Oh baby bird, I'm glad that you quit your laughing; it's too loud. That awful bubbly sound that would happen when you were a child"

'Too loud, Timothy. Children should be seen and never heard.' A phrase ingrained into his head; quiet voice, quiet hands, quiet life.

'Silence, Damian. Weapons of the League move swiftly and silently.' Silent, swift, secluded.

"Oh baby bird, the nightingale can't soar like an eagle; its wings are much too fragile. It's weak like its ego, but us child, you and I, we've got pride on our side"

Tim, chasing the Bats around Gotham. Just watching, but hoping, in the back of his mind, that he'll be caught. But he's not. And he wakes up in Drake Manor the next morning. Alone. A Drake.

Damian, hoping he'll do well enough to earn something about his Father. Anything. But he doesn't. And he can't. He goes to bed with an empty feeling in his chest. "The Bat".

"Oh baby bird, the hunting birds can live their lives alone. Who needs friends? A dead weight's all that other birds are made off. So fight the world, screech like a hawk in the sky"

Tim, alone in a too big manor, no longer waiting for the phone call that he knows won't come. Trying, desperately, to convince himself that he doesn't need anyone else. That he's fine alone. (Janet Drake's speech about his 'school chums' being beneath him weighs heavily on his mind. He doesn't need friends either)

Damian, outwardly unflinching at the blood on the floor. Inwardly, screaming the loss of his first (and, he swears, only) friend. There's not time for friends in the League.

"Sharpen your talons and fight"

Do as we say, Timothy

Again, Damian

"Claw at the world as it claws out your eyes"

Tim, trying to get someone to hear him

Damian, trying to get someone to see him

"We raised you right"

Tim, alone

Damian, alone

"Hawk in the night"

Robins

[ririblogsss]

I have found inspiration to write :).

The flash for the fist time in forever stop moving. No twitching. NO moving his leg up and down. No running back and forward to the cafeteria for snacks. He was completely still with his jaw open looking past Batman who at the moment was giving the league members an overview of the missions that have been happening within the past month. Immediately everyone locked in, Flash not moving major red flag. Batman caught it first and proceeded to turn around in a split of a second and froze (caught of guard) this caused the other league members to slowly turn their heads and eyes away from starring at the Flash. And they couldn't believe their eyes.

Superman had his jaw dropped.

Flash was pointing and unable to form words the only sound escaping his mouth was vocals "aa" "ee" he was over all gobsmacked.

Not like the other leagues were fairing any better. It's just that their eyes could not make their brain correctly process what they were seeing. And what they were currently seeing was a teenager with white hair with a box of donuts and drinking something out of a coffee cup. Now this is the watchtower everyone has seen teenagers from various backgrounds to say the least enjoy their coffee and snacks. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the teen wasn't one of theirs. Not that it really matters Batman.

What actually matters is that the kids outside. IN SPACE. How is he surviving. How isn't he dead? Is he an alien? Then why is the box of donuts from earth?

And the kid has the gull to smile sheepishly?????

---

Danny only wanted help. HE SWEARSS. And the Justice League wasn't helping after they had been spammed with calls for help against the Ghosts. Amity parkers think that the JL has banned them from making calls. So Danny decided if they won't come. He will go to them, but his parents did not raise a disrespectful child the Fentons maybe break tax laws and driving laws and overall all OSHA regulations. BUT THEY NEVER DISRESPECT (unless warranted) ANYBODY. And Danny wasn't about to misrepresent them. So he brought a box of donuts and his fathers homemade fudge in hopes to make some sort of slightly good impression.

So taking a breath in (as a force of habit) he knocked on the watchtowers window and didn't become intangible and go in until Wonder Woman nodded with her head yes.

Batman was side-eying WW, but Danny decided that Wonder Woman had more decision power in this instance.

So with the approval that he may come in Danny made himself (and everything else) intangible so he could enter. Once inside he realize that Jazz had been correct in telling him to at least know how he was going to approach the subject.

He placed the treats on the table and made a gesture that they could eat. He took a sip of his hot ecto and then he opened his mouth.

"Why are you guys hunting us down for sport? w-we are people too"

Danny said it in such a broken voice with teary eyes. He really should have practiced first.

The JL choked.

[wolfiesmoon]

Eyes on me

floyd x gn!reader

Its rlly hard writing this w one hand because i had a bit of a medical emergency last night (in fact i'm in the hospital as i'm typing this) but we survive

so imagine my surprise when i got my baby boy floyd in all his basketball glory (as a consolation from the sevens i assume)

long story short this calls for a floyd fic

(also i use the word stadium a lot here, by that i mean a more small, local stadium and not one of those big NBA league ones)

"I told you, I'm not playing." Floyd crossed his arms and pouted like a little toddler. "Floyd. This is an important match. We have no time for one of your tantrums." Jamil tried reasoning with him, but it was all for naught. It seems like Floyd is inconsolable right now.

The coach was very close to losing it at this point. The match was drawing closer and closer and Floyd's mood was getting worse and worse.

The team could already hear the people coming into the stadium.

"What are you even so sad about?" Ace questioned, getting a bit annoyed with Floyd.

"Little Shrimpy promised to come see me but isn't here yet... " Floyd glanced at the people sitting on the bleachers, searching for your face in the crowd. When he didn't see you, his pout increased.

"... That's why you're refusing to play?" Jamil couldn't believe his ears. Neither could anyone else in the club right now. Is this dude really 17 years old? He seems like a bit of an overgrown 5 year old right now.

Well, the coach knew he was taking a risk when placing Floyd on the team seeing as things like this are very likely to happen. All he can do now is hope you actually show up so he won't have one potentially amazing player less.

.

"Oh crap, Floyd's match! I almost forgot!" You quickly got up, startling your classmates. You had to stay with some of them to work on a group project professor Crewel gave you. "Anyone wanna come watch basketball with me?"

A few of your classmates agreed to go while others said they had plans to get to.

And so you went.

"Can't believe you forgot it, idiot." Grim scolded you. "Oh yeah? and who was the one sleeping away in my lap while we had to do all the work?" you shot back and he grumbled something under his breath as a response.

The two classmates going with you huffed in amusement at your reply.

By now, you were already at the entrance to the stadium. You saw Floyd play before at practice and you know how good he can get when he's fired up. But you also know how he can be when the opposite is true.

You just hope he's in a good mood right now. If he isn't, you'll just cheer for him until he is.

You sat down on the bleachers, chatting with your classmates about the project as you waited for the match to start.

.

"Hey, isn't that the Prefect right the-ack!" Ace got pushed away by Floyd who's eyes immediately scanned the bleachers again. When he saw you, his eyes lit up and a wide smile spread across his face.

"Shrimpy is here!~" the sudden change in mood surprised even the coach. Well, he supposes the issue is solved now.

His eyes darkened, however, when he saw you laughing with your classmates. You're here for him, not some rando dudes from your class.

Suddenly, he feels determined to play so well you won't take your eyes off him for even a second. He'll make sure of it.

"Hey. We're going to beat the other team so hard they cry. Got it?" he suggested with a horrifying expression on his face. The entire team felt too afraid to do anything but nod in agreement.

That's the second mood change he had in a matter of 30 seconds. Now the entire team is just generally concerned for him.

As the NRC team walked out, you smiled at Floyd and waved to him, Grim raising his little paw to wave too. He smiled back at you widely, flailing his arms around like an excited child at you. When he looked away, however, his expression darkened once more.

Better keep your eyes on him the whole time or someone from the other team might not make it out unscathed.

[dairy-farmer]

Bruce comes back from being dead to Dick estranged from the family and Jason and Tim being Dami’s parents

such a twist on the usual 'bruce is lost in time trope' where jason and tim end up being damian's primary caretaker!!!!

honestly dick is a character that is often forced to shoulder and bear the burden of a lot of things. bruce dying and leaving the mantle of batman could have the potential to have pushed him over the edge and just been too much. so rather than trying to keep the family together, telling his brothers they only had each other for support- he left. it's just the final nail on the coffin for him, the straw that breaks, the request of him that is just too much.

tim and damian wake up one morning to dick's room empty and his stuff gone. all that's left is a note about how he can't do it anymore and that he's sorry but that this was never what he signed up for. this wasn't how he'd wanted his life to go, that he'd never wanted to be the person who would raise two kids when he barely had his life together. dick writes about how he knows that with bruce gone not only would gotham fall on his shoulders but damian and tim, his adopted brothers, would now be his responsibility as well and....he can't do it. he taps out because this isn't what he wants, having the bats and the "mission" be what his life revolves around isn't what he wants. he's sorry but anyone else in his shoes would do the same.

of course damian and tim's relationship is tense and not good but...now a big heaping responsibility has suddenly fallen on tim's shoulders. dick is gone and alfred has already mentally checked out because bruce is gone which makes tim the eldest person and the only person available to take care of damian. if damian gets in trouble, if he kills, if he goes back to the league- that's on him.

and that's what tim is concerned about at first. but then other things start popping up. like damian being hungry. so tim has to figure out what to feed him, how to feed him. damian needs clean clothes for school, damian needs to be registered for school, damian needs supplies for school, the school needs a number they can contact in case damian acts out and tim has no choice but to offer his own and he gets called in practically every week for one problem or another. tim has to try, he has to do a LOT now that he's the person taking care of damian.

so by forced proximity and the fact that tim genuinely has to try, their relationship smooths out. they have some bumps, some resistance from damian who was harboring some deeply hurt feelings over dick essentially abandoning them. but eventually the two of them are able to come together because they're stuck and there's no point in making things more difficult for the other.

when jason goes around killing, as the eldest and now the next prime candidate in gotham to be batman- tim has to stop him. of course jason gets a laugh out of tim and damian teaming up, makes jabs about when "goldie" is going to arrive only to go quiet when he sees the looks on their faces.

of course the three of them don't get along immediately. but jason does his own legwork and realizes dick has essentially fled the coop leaving the two youngest on their own and with tim now shouldering the responsibility of raising a child (because alfred is certainly not in the right place to do it- in fact alfred has taken his vacation time and tim is the ONLY one caring for damian) and being batman. for jason its reluctant help initially. he's not bringing over casseroles and bottles of milk- he's just occasionally checking up on them because he remembers being 17 and there's no way he would've been able to raise a kid like tim is supposed to be doing. and he's right. it's too much. tim is clearly at his wits end getting called to damian's school every other day for behavioral problems and working at WE because he's appointed himself ceo to protect bruce's legacy.

jason wonders what exactly dick had been thinking abandoning them like this it's so...uncharacteristically cruel of him. if anyone would throw themselves on a sword for their brothers jason would've thought it would be dick...

and so... jason steps in a few times much to tim's great relief. he starts spending more and more time with them because tim helps him out with information sometimes and before long jason is doing grocery runs and helping damian with his homework while tim cooks dinner and talks about how jason's best idea was telling tim to request to work from home and only going into WE once every few weeks.

by the time bruce returns they're a well oiled machine and his inquiries about where dick is only brings up some bitterness and resentment from tim and damian. and when dick DOES return after having had his mental breakdown all across europe it's to...a very distant relationship with tim and damian. things are tough and they never quite get back to the way they were, the way they could've been if he'd never left....but if dick had never left then jason would've never come into tim and damian's lives the way he did.

so if tim never sheds the habit of pressing a soft, thankful kiss to jason's cheek every morning, and if damian never quite gets into the habit of darting to bruce for help with his schoolwork or to fill out a permission slip then...no one really musters the ability to say anything about.

[phoenixgrl1412]

Jazz is Damian's bio sibling, not Danny

I see tons of Demon Twin AUs, and I love them, but I started to wonder about what the universe would look like if Jazz was Damian's sister.

Not sure what her birth name in this AU would be (Yasmin? Yasmina? Something else) so I'm going to just refer to her as Jazz.

I'm thinking that Jazz was attempt #1 at getting the perfect heir, and for whatever reason, she was deemed to be inferior. Is there something actually wrong with her? No, but Ra's is an asshole. If you'd like to go a more sexist route, Jazz could be unworthy because she's female (in this AU, Ra's keeps Talia around to make an heir, not to be the heir).

Despite not being the perfect child they wanted, Talia and Ra's train Jazz until they are able to try again. She's taught as if she was the heir, even though everyone knows she isn't, because there isn't a better choice at the moment.

When Jazz is three, Damian is born. Damian is her little brother and she loves him as best she can, but Damian is raised to treat her as inferior, and it shows. Everyone looks down on her, especially Ra's, and that attitude is the example Damian follows.

Jazz is still trained, because if nothing else she could still be an assassin, but no one holds out much hope for her. She isn't as talented as Damian, even though she's older. She's not as strong or as stealthy or as cutthroat. She is more clever, but she is older than him, so it's brushed off. Besides, good assassin soldiers don't need to be clever, they just need to obey.

But where Damian excels in the physical arts, Jazz excels at the mind arts. Solving puzzles, recognizing patterns, psychoanalyzing her opponents to predict their moves - that's what she's good at. It's clearly inherited from Batman (no one can explain her red hair, though).

When Jazz is eight and Damien is five, Jazz flees the League. Why and how is your choice. Maybe Damian is supposed to kill her in a show of superiority. Maybe Talia helps her fake her death and escape as a final act of motherly love. Maybe Jazz flees on her own, wanting to be something else even if she doesn't know what.

Jazz makes it to America, and then to a little podunk town in the middle of nowhere, Illinois, called Amity Park. She meets the Fenton parents and their almost six-year-old son, Danny. And somehow, they take her in. And for a while, it's the family she wished she had, with loving parents and a little brother who didn't want to stab her.

Danny isn't Damian. He isn't a replacement. She knows that they aren't the same. They are radically different, even if they both make her want to cuddle and love them (at least Danny doesn't try to stab her for doing it). She can miss Damian and what could have been while embracing what she has found.

And for a while, she's happy.

Sure, she didn't expect her little brother (Danny is her Little Brother, Damian is her Baby Brother, there has been and will always be a difference to her) to die and come back, but she's seen weirder stuff when she was in the League.

She also didn't expect Danny to use his newfound powers to become a hero, but it's his choice, and she's going to support him. At least she has her League training to fall back on, even if she's a bit rusty.

And yeah, she was hoping that her adoptive parents would take Danny's halfa status a lot better than they did, but she'd always known it wasn't going to end well. She's always been good at recognizing behavioral patterns, and theirs said nothing good. But she'd hoped, for Danny's sake, that she would be wrong.

She never thought she would flee for her life for a second time, but here she is, driving a stolen car with her unconscious and bleeding brother in the backseat, heading towards the one place she swore she would never set foot in: Gotham.

[darthlordcommie]

Batman's Relationships with the "Batfam"

Alfred: Technically Alfred is his father-figure, but because Alfred actively chose to remain being Bruce's butler, and repressed his own issues, that just kneecapped Bruce's ability to heal, and enabled his worst impulses. Yes, they love each other, dearly. No, they will not communicate this unless they are on the brink of death.

Dick: I know, there's this whole thing with "eldest son". But first, Bruce was only in his early 20s when he took in Dick. And second, Bruce would have been actively avoiding trying to replace Dick's father, similar to Alfred. Their relationship is of close friends, and it isn't until they're both adults, well over a decade later, that either would even consider using familial terms to acknowledge each other. But that friendship is always the first level of their connection.

Barbara: There was hero worship that quickly died once Barbara got to see more of what Bruce is actually like. But there's still mutual respect and friendship, and Barbara is one of the few people Bruce actively listens to the input of.

Jason: Jason was the second Robin, but he was the first child who could accurately be called Bruce's son. When he meets Jason, Bruce is in a more balanced place in his life, he's on the path of healing, and he's willing to take in Jason not because he recognizes someone who's suffered the same way he has, like with Dick, but because he can help him. There's outright familial affection between Bruce and Jason, in ways we don't see with almost any other Batfam character. And then Jason dies, and Bruce's heart is shattered. Every single relationship Bruce has going forward is informed more by Jason's death than his parents'.

Tim: Tim and Bruce are a student and teacher. In many ways, Tim is Bruce's favorite student, but they aren't seeking family in each other, but that doesn't make their relationship any less deep or important to each other.

Cass: While a lot of comics tend to ignore or forget that Bruce outright adopted Cassandra to prove she would always have a home and family, the greatest truth is that Cass is Bruce's successor. Of all the batfam, she is the one who actively says she wants to take Bruce's place one day, and she believes in the cause of Batman stronger than anyone else. She was given a choice between cruelty and compassion, and like Bruce before her, she chose compassion. She's growing and improving, learning both from her own mistakes and from Bruce's, and ultimately, will be a greater hero than Batman before her.

Stephanie: A Mess. Not familial, but definitely a mess. Mostly because Steph's a victim of Batman writing at the time, and it never really got addressed to offer any improvement to her relationship with Bruce.

Damien: Damien is Bruce's son, but their relationship is fraught to say the least. Between being raised by the League, then Bruce being "dead" and Damien being raised/guided by Dick for a good amount of time, there's a lot of love there, but Damien is a victim of Bruce's decades of emotional repression and trauma in ways none of the other Batfam are, and both struggle to communicate, despite trying their best.

Duke, Luke, and Harper: All of these are colleagues at various levels of connection to Bruce. Duke is a younger vigilante just starting out, and Bruce is a grizzled veteran taking him under his wing, but not outright mentoring him the way he did the Robins. There's respect and teaching there, but not in the same way.

Kate Kane: They're cousins. They argue a lot.

[thepixelelf]

Oh Baby, You • Profiles I: Orion's Prettyboy(gn) Posse

masterlist » next

The birth of your son three years ago was what caused your breakup with Wonwoo, your longtime (and at that point, long distance) partner. Now, you're getting concerned that Orion is starting to look a lot like his dad, but that's not your only problem. Wonwoo is back… and he's living across the hall.

You (aka MT) @/callmemt: proud parent of the most adorable kid to ever grace this planet and proud friend of the wonderful sunshine people you're so lucky to have in your life. Even though you've only known most of this group for a couple years, you love them lots! They've helped you so much as you've simultaneously worked to become a lawyer and raise a child on your own as a single parent.

+ @/dontcallmemt: your private vent account

Soonyoung @/horanghae: a friend from back in your university days, and the only one in the Posse that knew you before Orion was born. Soonyoung may act silly a lot (mostly in front of Orion) and is a hilarious drunk, but he's one of the most passionate people you know, and he's been there for you during some really tough times.

Chan @/eeechan, Vernon @/chwenotchew, & Seungkwan @/booyourheartout: around the time Orion was one-turning-two years old, you got blindsided by an unfortunate family emergency, and you needed someone to watch Orion while you dealt with it during the day. Though hesitantly, you decided to hire a part-time nanny — and found Vernon. You're almost certain that some deity sent down Vernon to help you out when you needed it most. It didn't take long for you to fall into complete trust with Vernon, enough so that when his apartment flooded, you let him and his two roommates stay at your place for three nights. In that short time, you became good friends with Vernon and his roommates, and you've been close with all three ever since.

Lục @/queenluc & Seokmin @/seokshine: probably the cutest couple you've ever met in your entire life. Seokmin is always talking about how Lục is way out of his league and Lục always looks at him like he's the literal stars in the sky. Yet, their love for each other isn't cringy at all. Weird. You met Lục through work, and later found out that her partner was already friends with Seungkwan, Vernon, and Chan. It was like fate! Or movie magic....? Either way, you love both these softies with your whole heart.

[moistmailman]

Skyrim AU part 2

*In village*

Cardin, boastfully: Think about it. A child from the Winchester bloodline and the dragonborn would make a fierce warrior one day. Please accept my Amulet of Mara so we can wed.

Pyrrha, trying to be polite: That seems lovely and all, but unfortunately I'm already married at the moment.

Cardin, wide eyed: What? who in the gods managed to steal your heart?

Pyrrha, scratching the back of her head: It's kinda a long story actually, but it was actually my healer, Jaune. Of the Arc family.

Cardin, scoffing: Jaune? He's not a warrior! He's a shame to his entire bloodline! Choosing restoration magic over a sword and shield. He's only an arc by name, and nothing else! You can do so much better than him!

Pyrrha, frowning angrily: I'm pretty sure the arc family would heavily disagree with that. A man's worth isn't tied to his fighting prowess either.

Cardin: That's the problem with Skyrim nowadays. Raising men into cowardly sissies.

Pyrrha, frowning deeper: I wouldn't label a man who travels with a woman who slays dragon as a 'coward'.

Cardin, frowning: I would. He doesn't even help you fight them. Only a coward would allow a lady such as herself to fight a beats as frightening as a dragon.

Pyrrha, gritting her teeth:......please stop insulting my husband. I don't take kind to it.

Cardin, boastfully: You may not like it, but it's the truth. You deserved a man who will fight your battles for you and not hide behind your back like a bitch.

Pyrrha:...........

*meanwhile at the Arc Manor in the village*

Mama Arc, smiling happily: I cant believe my little boy managed to get married to such a beautiful woman!

Jaune, blushing: Don't embarrass me in front of her when you meet her! She's already out of my league in the first place!

Mama Arc, frowning: None sense! There's not a woman in Skyrim that's too good for an Arc!

Jaune: Even the dragonborn?

Mama Arc:.....s-still not good too good for-

*suddenly a loud and violent 'FUS ROH DUH' is heard in the distance, shaking the entire village*

Mama Arc: The hell was that?

Jaune, nearly falling over: Is Pyrrha fighting a dragon or something? What the hell-

*Suddenly Cardin crashes from the roof of the house completely unconscious*

Mama Arc:.......did your wife just attack a winchester?

Jaune. awkwardly:....appears so.

Mama Arc:......I like her.

[darthvashtique93]

A Cosmos In The Sand

Chapter 18

Maya cowered before Slaede, Graent, and Mara. "You know where Themyscira is?" Slaede stared at her skeptically while circling her. "And how, may I ask, were you able to do this when Raven, who is way better than you, could not?"

"I-I-I," Maya stuttered.

"Isn't obvious?" Graent sneered. "If Maya was able to find Themyscira so easily, this just proves Raven has been manipulating us. She's known where Themyscira has been all along."

"N-N-No," Maya tried to speak.

"Should have carved her face when you had the chance," Mara said.

Slaede folded his arms, his mouth in a straight line. Had Raven been playing him all along? The thought churned Slaede's stomach. I gave everything to her, and this is how she betrays me? "Gather the troops," Slaede said to his son. "Feed them. We ride at dawn."

Maya stood silently in Raven's room, biting her nails. After their initial conversation, Raven had told Maya to tell Slaede where Themyscira was. She was then supposed to tell Slaede that Raven had escaped her captors and was on her way. She'd told Slaede where Themyscira was, but Graent interrupted her before she could say tell them that Raven was on her way. She placed a hand on her bruised cheek. She had frozen in fear when Graent sneered at her. With a sigh, Maya looked out the window. The sun had just finished rising. I just hope I haven't ruined everything by keeping my mouth shut. Maya prayed Raven got here soon.

It wasn't exactly a feast, but it was not not a feast. Slaede knew the way to his soldiers' heart was their belly. Thus, the lavish meal. Looking around the open courtyard, Slaede took note of the League of Shadows members standing quietly in the shadows. He looked to his right, where Maya sat dutifully, stiffly, and quietly. Her face didn't show a single emotion. Turning to his left, he scowled at what he saw. Graent was all but forcing himself on one of the serving girls. Slaede rolled his eyes. He didn't mind what his son did or who he did it with, but "Have some decorum," Slaede muttered to himself. He turned his attention back to the fancy dinner, raising an eyebrow when one of his captains boldly strolled up the aisle, stopping a few meters from Slaede. He bowed on one knee respectfully. "Rise," Slaede commanded. The captain obeyed. "Speak," Slaede ordered.

"Sire," the captain spoke loud enough for the men to hear. Slaede tilted his head curiously, and even Graent ceased his groping. "The men and I were wondering – will the sorceress be joining us tonight?"

"The sorceress is right here," Slaede gestured to Maya.

The captain smirked. "She is not the sorceress of which I speak. She is merely a child. No, I speak of Raven."

Slaede frowned. It was an unspoken rule that Slaede was the only one allowed to call Raven by her name. He glared at the captain. "She is resting," he said through clenched teeth.

"Of course," the captain smirked, "or is it that she's no longer here?"

"Excuse me," Slaede glared.

"The sorceress hasn't been seen or heard from for days. Yet, we are supposed to blindly believe your words promising us victory? We are supposed to march on Themyscira on the word of this child," he looked at Maya in disgust. "We would like to hear directly from Raven herself."

Slaede slowly stood from his golden chair, his furor growing. "Is my word not enough?" he glowered at the captain.

The captain didn't back down. "It is not that we don't believe you, Your Majesty. It's that the sorceress, Raven, is a sort of…symbol…for good fortune."

"And?"

"Symbols are only useful when they are seen."

"This is so uncomfortable," Jhon whispered as he adjusted the top part of his bedlah.

"Stop fidgeting," Damyan whispered back, laying as a still as a statue.

"The things I do for family," Jason muttered, "do girls really wear these things? It's so uncomfortable," he adjusted his top too.

"Guys!" Viktor shouted from outside the carriage, "I can hear you! This will only work if you're quiet!"

"Easy for you to say," Jason whispered loudly, "you're not wearing a tiny shirt and skirt."

"Will you shut up!" Damyan whispered loudly.

"All of you be quiet! I'm crossing the bridge," Vicktor said.

"Here goes nothing." A few minutes later, Damyan heard Viktor say to a guard at the gate, "I have the women for King Slaede."

"The king didn't call for any women," a guard replied. Damyan watched the silhouette of another guard approach the covered wagon. The guard grabbed the curtain with his free hand.

Raven quickly adjusted her top as she dashed down the stairs, the task made more challenging by her unfamiliarity with the castle's layout. Sneaking in had proven difficult, never having been allowed to roam freely within its walls. After finding a hidden entrance and winding up in the kitchen, a place she'd never before visited, Raven had to acclimate to the iolite decorating the palace walls and the slightly toxic atmosphere, a stark contrast to the clean air she was accustomed to.

Despite the confusion of the kitchen staff upon her arrival, Raven pressed on, spending nearly an hour navigating the castle's corridors, avoiding guards, before finally stumbling upon a familiar hallway. Getting dressed without assistance had been a struggle, the intricate ties of her top proving a challenge for her limited powers, nearly causing her to ruin the garment. Now, standing before the giant doors leading to the courtyard where Slaede's soldiers were feasting, Raven whispered to herself, "Here goes nothing," before flinging the doors open.

[ghoulangerlee]

Ohhhhh my god I feel you on this whole bc shot thing. I've been on it for a little over two years because I'm trans and getting my period was so bad for my emotional wellbeing I had to do something. I didn't wand an IUD, and I forget to take my medication a lot so the pill wasn't ideal. I was told by two different obgyns that they wouldn't consider removing the uterus becsuse at the time I was only 21 and ""What if you chsnge your mind!!!"" 🙄🙄🙄🙄 so I really dint have a whole lot of options.

On one hand I like not having to worry about the whole thing for 10/11 weeks at a time but on the other hand I also really like not having feeble bones! I've been taking calcium supplements but the pills are huge and I worry it isn't covering the issue entirely. I don't get enough calcium to begin with becsuse I can't drink milk and stuff, so I worry that it's a bandage on a knife wound so to speak.

Last time I was at the clinic for my shot I raised the issue again and the doctor there was like "wait you're literally trans and have no plans for children why the hell don't we just get rid of it????" And I'm just sitting there like why the fuck did the last two people I see not give me this option!?

Anyways I need to discuss the idea more with her but oh oh to get this fucking thing out of me....oh to dream....

Sorry rambling in your asks but this sucks and I sure hope we both get the cool fun and fresh resolution :)

oh my god anon, i feel you. i've been on it for...almost 5 years now? I think around August 2019 is when I started it finally. It was unfortunately the only option we could find for me. I actually can't have any bc that has actual estrogen in it because of my high blood pressure and the family history of blood clots. And like, at first it was fine and dandy! I was okay with it because after 7 weeks of a heavy cycle I was so exhausted and just ready for it to be over. And it's been gone! pretty regularly for the last several years.

Sometimes if I'm incredibly stressed it will sneak up on me but it's like, leagues better than it was. Max 3 days and barely anything at all. So, very manageable for someone who y'know. had it much worse (to the point it would cause my iron to drop significantly all the time).

I hate obgyns who refuse to do things because "you might regret it later on" like, no actually I think I'll regret having this thing inside my body I don't intend to use and having to stay on the shot for the rest of my life. I'm in a same-sex relationship, I don't ever intend to physically carry a child, I just want the thing gone lmao. I've told obgyns that in the past and yet they still insisted on telling me that I might "regret" it.

So, my surgeon did mention that viactiv is a good supplement, which is apparently a chocolate calcium chew haha. My biggest concern is that I have osteoarthritis and being over 30 now, my bone density doesn't come back as fast as it does for someone in their 20s. My doctor is also concerned about it too. I mean like also the weight gain is terrible too, like holy shit it's been the worst (strong ass bc, strong ass side effects I GUESS)

THOUGH APPARENTLY there is a bone density therapy that they can do which will help with keeping your bones strong. I didn't know about it and no one ever thought to mention it to me when they started talking about my bone density lmao. Normal Calcium supplements make me extremely nauseous and I can't take them, so I just stopped lmao.

And I think from there, that's when I sort of decided I wanted to look into getting rid of my uterus for good. Like, I don't plan to have kids, I don't need it. Why should I continue this shot, why should I keep putting myself through this.

Also, idk if you've experienced it, or if its just because I been on it for so long or if it's something else entirely, but in place of the period I just get cramps :) really bad ones :) it's great and what I've always wanted from bc haha.

honestly that's a good doctor, why haven't they suggested it sooner? Literally the surgeon I'm seeing is, ironically, the first obgyn I saw when I switched insurances and go to where I go now, and from the beginning she was like "you're in a monogamous same-sex relationship whenever you want the surgery we can just take care of that" and idk I wasn't in the right place then, I think, to consider it.

yeah it's a long process from my understanding, we're building a case right now, as my surgeon called it, gonna have some imaging stuff done, a few more tests and then we'll set the date and just. remove it. thankfully, no early menopause for me (ironically the One Thing i was most worried about?? I don't know, I've got so much going on, I didn't want to even consider dealing with menopause bc guess what the treatment for that is-- the same damn shot I'm trying to escape lmao) ANON!!! I wish the best for both of us!!! Let me know how things go!! (if you're comfortable!!)

[oblooga]

Dance the night away

sypnosis: (genshin royalty au) the birthday of the crown prince is not an inconsequential affair. it is one that must be celebrated with the shiniest of palaces, the grandest of food, presents that pile up a path to the sky, ladies and gentlemen in outfits sparkling with red rubies and pink daisies.

warnings: none.

characters: diluc, childe

note: this ended up wayyy longer than intended, so there's only two characters. if anyone's interested in a part 2 let me know!

Diluc Ragnvindr --- the crown prince

you don't want to be here.

you really, really don't want to be here. the alcohol isn't even enough to keep you here, you think to yourself, as you swirl the sparkling liquor in your glass boredly. yes, this celebration is a very important one, but being stuck listening to nobles describe the multiple ways they'll lick your shoes to gain the favour of your family is starting to get boring after a few hours.

you stifle a yawn, eyes wandering around the room, roving over men in fitted suits and ladies sprawled in gaudy colours. they eventually land on him. ruby-red hair decorated with black ribbons, a simple white-and-gold mask donning his face. he didn't even try to hide his appearance, you scoff internally, red hair blazing like that is enough to tell everyone in a 3-mile radius that they are in the presence of royalty.

Diluc Ragnvindr, the crown prince of Mondstadt. a man with dashing good looks, impeccable manners, stoic, firm-minded, one who carries himself with the grace of a future king.

how your father managed to secure you a betrothal with him of all people is completely beyond your understanding.

yes, your family is influential in the circle of nobles in Mondstadt, you come from a lengthy history of well-renowned merchants, dating back decades of years, well respected in the high circles of society.

But Diluc is a whole other league.

He is literally the most eligible bachelor in all of Mondstadt, days do not pass until a lady of high-standing has swooned over his name at least twice, his relationship status is the most talked about topic in all of Mondstadt. you suppose the news of your engagement hasn't reached the ears of the public yet, considering the lack of death threats and crying maidens at your door, although you suspect this was the diligent work of your knight Xiao more than anything else.

anyways, you let go of your musings and return to the present. you spot the musicians picking up their bows and readying their scores, finally it's time for the first dance.

it becomes quite a comical scene, almost a bloodbath, as ladies trip over themselves to place their hands (in marriage) in specific openings calculated hours prior to the ball. openings that Diluc would have the slightest chance of slipping into. you see friendships being broken, families go almost berserk, all to fight for a chance to dance with the prince.

you laugh quietly to yourself, turning your back on all the tomfoolery, deciding to sample more snacks instead of participate in the barbaric war happening.

you are on your 4th lemon tart of the evening when you hear it. not the music starting, but a quietness, no, a hush that spreads over the crowd. filled with anxious and confused tittering, whispers and murmurs that drive up the tension the room.

you pay no attention of course, still munching happily on your tart. it is when you hear the sounds of a fine, sharp gait heading your direction do you pause to think otherwise.

those steps reach closer, and closer, eventually head to a stop right behind you. you do not dare to turn; thus you do not notice the parting of the crowd as they make way for the crown prince.

as the crown prince makes his way to you.

it seems as if the whole room is holding its breath, waiting for the dregs of romance to blossom in the air.

you turn slowly to face him, nervousness in your throat, heart beating wildly.

"May I have this dance?"

the timbre of his voice is smooth and deep, as he raises his eyes to yours briefly, darting away when he lowers his head.

he sweeps into a formal bow, a grand gesture that has the ladies around you swooning into their fans.

your hands find their way to your mouth, which hangs open as you cannot believe that this is happening. you have never had any prior personal interaction with the prince, no, other than to secure your marriage. so why is he now placing such attention on you?

Diluc reaches out his hand, and you gingerly place yours in his. you cannot refuse the future king, after all. he seems to sense your hesitation, and seeks to replace it with reassurance.

for he brings your hand to his lips, eyes never leaving yours, looking up at you from beneath his dark lashes as he presses a chaste kiss to your knuckles.

"don't do that, or my heart will belong to you," you mumble faintly, as you allow him to sweep you off your feet and onto the dance floor.

2. Childe --- the foreign prince

the strings dance beautifully along the trained musician’s fingers; drawing out delicate notes that charm and seduce, trapping between them melodies worn with lies and the sweetest deception.

you sigh. you suppose you've dilly-dallied about for too long, the crown prince has finished the first dance, couples are moving to the floor. it's time for you to move.

you daintily pick up the lavish folds of your dress and stalk to the center of the room, shedding with every step the false layers of shyness and bashfulness you have disguised yourself in. the crowd parts way, something in your revealed confidence and assured smirk commanding the room.

commanding him to reveal himself to you, to step up to your oh so innocent invitation; to join you in say, a tango, an elegant battle between the sharpest of swords and cleverest of wits.

a tango of two very dangerous individuals; one a spy master, the other a prince from a frozen land.

who was he to ignore such an alluring request?

Childe pushes himself off the wall he was leaning on with an air of begrudence, a casualty to it that carefully hides the fire and hate lying underneath. makes his way through the crowd, with calculated steps and winks that draw out charmed giggles from young ladies hiding behind fans, the epitome of a perfect gentleman.

but you knew otherwise, and so did he. 

he arrives in front of you, carelessly brushing aside untamed locks that frame the smouldering sparks in his eyes as he stares at you from behind his mask, looks down at you just a little, still reminding you of the game you are playing, still holding above you this tiny victory. 

you scowl.

with a flourish of his hands he drops into a bow, and you, a curtsy, allowing each other the most basic of courtesy, even as you point a gun to his head and he a dagger to your heart.

"it is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady."

"likewise."

the song begins.

it is a gentle thing at first: testing the waters, assessing the surroundings, teasing the other with a foot stuck out here or a step on the toe there. to your chagrin, he smoothly sidesteps your efforts to thwart him, often answering with a squeeze of your waist or a wink on that stupid, rakish face.

the music whirls merrily on; and so does your dance, both of you entangled in a world of half truths and half lies, of false face and falser hearts.

"scope out that Snezhnayan prince," Captain Kaeya had ordered you, warning you of the potential enemy in the ballroom.

and so you had accepted, to protect your land of freedom.

soon, you find the fraudulent smile on your face morph into something just a bit more genuine, as he spins you around the room, catching your hand right as the song slows to a halt. you can allow yourself to have some fun after 3 hours stuck in this stuffy dress, you justify.

so far, Childe doesn't seem too dangerous. you've been observing his movements, taking note of the nobles he's conversed with. he doesn't seem to be dealing in shady businesses, appearing really to be there to congratulate Prince Diluc on behalf of his country.

you've watched as he made his way around the ballroom, picking up fluttering maidens like daisies, drawing them to him with his natural charm and physical attractiveness.

you can agree begrudgingly that objectively, completely aesthetically, he is rather handsome in a boyish sort of way.

the song picks up again soon after; the saccharine violin joined by playful percussion, and you think, ah, this is where the fun begins. something changes; he senses it too, for your dance is now but a duel, the sparks in his eyes festering a fire that catches and burns.

vaguely you recognize the audience clapping along, delighted with this performance you are putting on, but you both know it is much more than that.

there is a game to play, and he seems to have decided to put forth his all; for he dips you in the most ridiculous way that has you gasping in surprise and clutching dearly at his arms.

you whisper viciously at him, reprimanding him his unbefitting stunt, and yet he only smiles, and continues, to indulge you in this little endeavor of yours.

this failing endeavor of yours.

"why don't you take me to an empty room so we can have a more private conversation, hm?" his lips brush your ear as he says, winking at you with the promise of debauchery.

with all your experience though, you see past him. past his facade as a charming noble, past his sweet words, you see the coldness in his eyes that resonate in yours.

the coldness of a killer waiting for a chance.

"that can be arranged," you reply smoothly, raising your eyebrows at him, even as a red flush descends on your cheeks and consumes the tips of your ears.

never let it be said you are a quitter, for you do not leave until the mission is done, until the target has been disposed of. right as he lets his guard down, you step up, tighten the reins and greet him with a smile so sickly sweet it hides excellently the gleaming silver daggers pointed at his heart.

"tell me what you are really here for," you continue, eyes promising a night of pain otherwise.

Childe is amused, but you don’t give him time to contemplate this new development, for the floor is now yours and you intend to take it. you grab his hand and spin him around, the tides turning in your favour as you spot the little fumble he quickly tries to hide.

"do try to keep up," you smirk, leading him across the room, delirious with success and lost in the music. he follows your every step without defiance, submitting to your demands without question. it was so easy!

and yet, it seemed a little too easy.

unease creeps up your spine as you look closely at the expression on his face: it was one of relaxation, of confidence, not the desperation and despair you had been hoping for.

he snaps his gaze to yours, his smirk growing wilder, as if to finally congratulate you on your discovery. your discovery that he had been in control all along, that he was only playing your little game because he was bored.

"ah-ah, and I thought you spies were smart, especially those trained by Kaeya. seems that I was deeply misinformed," he says to you, wild grin curling around white teeth. you flush, trying to hide your surprise at the mention of your superior's name.

you prepare yourself mentally for defeat, but he doesn’t pick up the baton again, allowing you to finish conducting your crumbling symphony, saving you from the disgrace of a failed performance.

and yet, you almost wish he had.

"if you want the secrets of Snezhnaya, you're going to have to try a little harder than that." he laughs at you, patting your head like one would with an insolent child.

the song ends on a triumphant note: the audience applauses accordingly, and he presses a kiss to your cheek, before slipping away into the crowd once more.

“c’est la vie,” he had whispered, but you both know who the true victor was.

you scowl. what a mess of a report you have for Kaeya.

thank you for reading! if you have any ideas for future characters, let me know!

[hecatemoon87]

Bane and the Child of the Bat

Summary: This is a mix between TDKR Bane and Comic Book Bane. I'm fascinated with the idea of Bane 'baby sitting' Talia al Ghul's and Batman's son, Damian. This isn't a fluff piece, FYI. It's about a mentorship between Bane and Damian. Bane is passing on his wisdom and skill to The Son of Batman. And Damian is about to be baptized in the fires of Santa Prisca.

Chapter 4: Blood Ruins

Thirteen years ago, The Shadow Temple, Ra’s al Ghul’s Headquarters

Somewhere deep in the Himalayas, Talia al Ghul stood by her father, Ra’s al Ghul, as he spoke to a man known as Eduardo. She found this man utterly fascinating and as the months went by, she became infatuated by him. However, she had been too young at the time to draw his eye, and it would be five years before he’d even give her a second glance. 

But now she was a full grown woman, and she had become a distraction. Ra’s al Ghul had made it clear to all his followers that Talia was not to be touched. Therefore, it had been a challenge to seduce Eduardo. However, one night, she was able to trick him in coming to visit her in her bed chambers. 

Once he arrived, she wasted no time in removing the red silk robe that concealed her womanly figure. Eduardo, at that time, did not wear the mask. His injuries would come later. She had the pleasure of kissing his plump lips and tasting his wet tongue as he buried it into her hungry mouth.

She was a virgin, and she specifically chose Eduardo to deflower her. He would visit her almost every night, but each time spilling his seed onto her sheets instead of her womb. 

One night, close to his climax, Talia grabbed hold of Eduardo’s muscular buttocks and locked her legs around him. He was forced to cum inside her as he was at his peak. Afterwards, he was furious. 

“What are you doing?!” he demanded. 

“I want a child, a warrior’s child,” Talia said, confused by Eduardo’s anger. 

“No, absolutely not! I will not be responsible for a child,” Eduardo said, climbing out from her bed and starting to get dressed. “We risk both of our lives with this love affair. And you want to become pregnant?” 

“I can handle my father…” Talia began, but Eduardo interrupted her.

“No, Talia. Not even you can handle Ra’s al Ghul’s wrath. He is beginning to suspect something. I’ll be finished if he knows that I’ve been fucking his daughter.”

“Is that what we’ve been doing? Just fucking?” she seethed. 

Eduardo sighed heavily and sat by her side. “No, you mean more to me than that, you know this.” 

“I wish for a child,” she said, edging closer to him. 

“Then we cannot go further, you and I,” Eduardo said. 

“No, you don’t mean this!” Talia said, her green eyes growing wide with surprise. 

“I do. Good bye, my wildflower,” Eduardo said, standing and leaving her alone in bed to weep silently. 

Talia was devastated by his rejection, but soon her sadness turned to rage. She would have what she wanted, and Eduardo would be punished for humiliating her.

She went to Ra’s al Ghul and told him everything. Not long after, Eduardo was banished from the League of Shadows. He left the compound with emotional and physical wounds. And that is when he donned the infamous mask and started a new life as Bane. 

Present day, Santa Prisca

Damian had awoken at five in the morning and was waiting for Bane on the beach outside of the compound. It was closer to five thirty when Bane came lumbering out, his giant combat boots kicking up sand as he walked. 

“Good Morning, it is time to see what you’re really made of,” Bane said, as he sauntered over.

“I’m ready for anything,” Damian said. 

“Indeed, then follow me little Bat,” Bane said, turning to walk the distance to the edge of the jungle. 

Damian followed Bane curiously and once they arrived at the line of green that led into the jungle Bane turned to him. Raising a muscular arm, Bane pointed into the jungle.

“In there, boy, I’ve placed a flash drive in a box. It is filled with files concerning your Dark father,” Bane said.

“That’s easy, I’ll find it in no time,” Damian said, grinning. 

“Will you? Do you know the rigorous terrain of the Santa Prisca jungle? The wild animals, the poisonous plants?”

“Uh, well, maybe I should do some research first…” Damian said, hesitating. 

“Good, finally you are using your head. If you go in now, you’ll die. I assure you. Now is the time for preparing. The box is located in an ancient ruin called Ruina de sangre,” Bane said, moving away from the jungle. 

“Blood Ruins?” Damian said, jumping over a large, mossy covered rock. 

“Yes, you’ll do well to understand why it is called that. You have one week to find the flash drive,” Bane said, turning briefly. “If you don’t find it, I’ll destroy it and then you’ll have to wait for your darling mother to tell you about the Batman.”

@buttercup32sstuff

[cats-inthe-cradle]

The batfam has bewitched me body and soul

I love Steph and Damian's dynamic/relationship so much. (Yes my knowledge of them stems from fandom, what of it?)

I just—idk I feel like Steph would be the one person to really see and understand Damian for some reason? She's so compassionate and kind hearted, despite the hardship she's experienced. She knows that life isn't always fair and that the world can be a cruel place but is such a beacon of energy and perseverance despite it. And I think that's something Damian can learn from - that you can choose to be good despite a crappy upbringing, despite being a trained as an assassin his entire life he can still choose for himself the kind of person he wants to be.

Steph also understands what it's like to have a bad and cruel parent (or grandfather), maybe not to the same extent as Damian, but still. I think she, better than most, would be able to see Damian for the child that he is but also understand and recognize the maturity he's gained due to the nature of his upbringing.

I think it's easy for someone to just look at Damian and his upbringing and how he acts and forget that he's just a child, in a new world, who had a very unhealthy upbringing and doesn't know how to act properly and of course he's gonna keep making mistakes and bad decisions because he doesn't know better. And that he's gonna need things explained because his morals were shot after being raised by the league of assassins and he just doesn't have a great grasp on what's right or wrong.

But then at the same time because he is a kid, and he makes mistakes, and doesn't understand how he should and shouldn't act, and because he can be arrogant and prideful—they can easily mistake him as immature. And don't get me wrong, he is immature, that comes with being a kid. But he's also very mature for his age and more than that he's incredibly smart and knowledgeable and it's easy to forget that when you just see a bratty kid most of the time.

So I just think Steph would understand that he's just a kid while also recognizing how incredibly brilliant he is. She's so cheerful and determined that she'd be good at getting past Damian's prickly exterior. And I think she'd be good at pulling him into activities that he might at first see as 'childish'. But that he ultimately accepts to participate in not only because she seems enjoy and find no shame in it too, but also because Steph knows to choose activities that are meaningful in one way or another.

And she doesn't care if Damian complains the entire time, she knows how to tell if he's secretly enjoying himself and as long as he is it's a win in her book. I think she'd also be incredibly good at keeping it completely casual and normal as if it's not a big deal, which makes Damian all the more willing.

Steph is the one to reach out first and refuses to give up when Damian responds none to kindly. And over time Damian comes to realize just how awesome and skilled she is and they form a bond/partnership that the others don't always understand but that they learn to fear.

Basically Steph learns early on that Damian is deserving of her respect in spite of his shot comings (which is true for almost everyone honestly) and she willing gives it to him, in turn earning his respect back. And the rest of the family can learn from her example.

[novelistash]

Vendors hock wares for tourists along the crowded cliffs of Mossdeep. Three things brings people to the island city, Space, the League, and Legends. A blurry picture of Rayquaza before a mass of stellar activity is just as common as a picture of a stellar ring showing off the first official images of a black hole. Youngsters, lasses, poke freaks and cool trainers are plentiful enough for the "No Battle" signs to be warranted. They add an intensity that isn't welcomed and they make me avoid the gaze of anyone that might be from Kalos.

No one bothers me. They never did. Battle Chateau was a local hot spot, but it was more or less a guarded secret where serious trainers could discuss the nuances of strategy. Our funds never came from the league and as such League Aficionados knew nothing about us. I liked the obscurity. I liked the people. I liked a lot of other things that I don't want to dwell on, but I do.

Past the market the crowd thins, and a solid line of locals draws my eye to a bakery. They're selling cakes designed to look like Pokemon, or maybe it's a pokemon that looks like a cake. Ever since the league opened in Galar people can't get enough of their local Pokemon.

I find it hard to keep up. There's supposed to be another acquisition soon, somewhere around Kalos. It's the fastest acquisition in the League's history. I don't understand where all of this money and public support is coming from, but there seems to be no end in sight for the League's growth. Kanto used to have three rival divisions, Hoenn seven, and now it's just the League.

There's a clump of Zigzagoons gathered around a dumpster. A collared Aipom is breaking the latch. The dumpster flings open and the Zigzagoons shoot themselves into the bin. They rip apart plastic and gorge themselves on human waste.

There's a nearby park. Unattended children play League Deck on the tables. A girl too young to have a license is training a very distracted Popplio. It's as good a place as any to begin my journey.

Connie the Swanna emerges from her Quickball. The flash of light and crackle of sound draws the eyes of the children, but even in Hoenn the Water/Flying Pokemon is a common enough sight for them to return to their training. Tactics or taming, those skills will be needed on their road ahead.

Connie coalesces into a majestic pose. She stretches out her wings and turns deliberately away from me. The aging pen is trying to get out of a flight. She brings the left wing low and twitches it, and in the most telling of maneuvers she eyes me and brings her feathers flat against her neck. I arch a brow and she gives her wings a serious flap. I approach and the pen raises her back and let's out an annoyed woop.

"Do you wanna battle?"

It's an older kid asking me the question, he's old enough for his voice to drop an octave but young enough for the acne to out number the whisps of hair on his face. The teen knows I'll say "no" but there's someone in the crowd he's trying to prove himself to.

"Sorry, I've only got the one," I tell him.

"We can do one on one. I have a Tranquill." He adds that last part sly as a Seviper.

"Are you going to use that Tranquill?" I ask with too much spunk and his friends laugh.

He nods. "No tricks. Your Swanna versus my Tranquill."

As far as I know, no one has discovered an electric wing attack, so I have every reason to believe him. If anything, I'm at an advantage.

I look to my Swanna. "How about it, Connie, you up for a fight?"

She ruffles up her feathers and preens her chest. She's not exactly hyped but nothing about her looks hesitant.

I tell the kid, "lemme see the Tranquill."

The not quite a youngster obliges, and throws out a painted premier ball. This pokemon was likely a gift, the kind of Pokemon that stays with a child who doesn't have a lot of chances to battle. The bird is a beautiful specimen. He's strong and healthy and ready to push any rivals. Connie takes an interest now, and it's not friendly.

I take out my league card and the kids surround us.

"Stakes?" I ask with enough fire to roast a Grumpig.

"1,000 pen."

It's way too much for a one on one, but there's a desperation in his voice I don't miss. Besides, the kid's knees are already shaking.

"What's your name?"

"J. C. Raggly," he squeaks.

"Alright, J. C Raggly, let's have a pokemon battle."

[thyandrawrites]

Do you think "People live to laugh" confirms any preexisting information about Dabi and his mentality, or is it a completely new addition to the canon?

I think it both confirms something we knew, and adds depth to his character. The "People live to laugh" part seems to be a statement about how heroes—but also society—doesn't really care about how much pain the individuals are in so long as everyone else can keep smiling. Which isn't something new to me because it reminded me a lot of this scene:

Here, everyone was too distracted bantering about Bakugou's hero name to notice what was going on right under their nose. An innocent child was burning alive, but the heroes were having a good time, unaware of his agony. This scene served as a reference to Touya's death, of course. But it's also a callout of how little sympathy Touya has received growing up, in general.

This is a pretty big hang up of his. During the reveal, he told his father how much he had been suffering as a child without Endvr ever noticing. Or any other hero, for that matter.

Fundamentally, Dabi resents that indifference. It allowed their society to ignore the mishandling of power carried out by heroes for decades. It made it so Endvr never bothered showing up at Sekoto Hill, too busy feeling happy with himself for the successful "creation" he was now training in Touya's place.

Basically, Dabi's saying "I suffered so much because of what you put me through, but my agony has never meant anything to you. It wasn't enough to stop you. Even my death changed nothing. The sun rose and set again and again, and you went on with your life, training your new heir like that training hadn't killed the previous one."

But this is not just a jab at Endvr; it's a jab at society as a whole, too.

The Dabi who talks to Toga here is a Dabi who has seen how little his broadcast has accomplished. He's tried raising awareness on the two-facedness of some pros at the top, those that the masses blindly put their faith in. He was hoping something would change, but nothing did. People went back to putting faith in heroes again because, again, the world only cares about smiling. Nobody wants to think about who's suffering. All they want is stability, even if it comes at the expense of "bad" victims like Dabi and Toga.

As for the added depth I mentioned, it's the compassion he shows Toga. He doesn't just say "the world is shit. Sucks for us," he says "the world is shit. This is how I coped with it. You seem ready to cope with it the same way. Will you?"

He acknowledges that the world will never stop seeing them as monsters, that they'll never make room to accommodate the League's needs. But he also tells her that the only way for them to stay alive is to learn not to care about their oppressors in turn. After all, if they have the privilege of smiling in the face of someone else's suffering, why shouldn't the League do the same?

It's a flawed logic, to be sure. But it's the logic of a survivor trying to earn his right to exist when society would rather they all died for the greater good

[withthekeyisking-writer]

I love your fics, but your last post seems a bit in bad faith - Bruce was Dick's father figure and raised him. People being uncomfortable with their relationship being turned romantic is definitely valid and isn't homophobic?

Like, any Robin/Bruce relationship makes me want to call Child Protective Services, but I'd be all for Bruce dating a guy from the Justice League (anyone but Catwoman actually) or basically anyone he didn't raise from the age of 8/9?

People can like or dislike whatever they want. Unlike antis, it really doesn’t matter to me what ships or kinks or subjects people want to avoid—that’s their prerogative and I’m certainly not gonna judge them for it. I genuinely do not care.

My issue is people sending me asks about it, because I am openly a shipper of a lot of ships that a lot of people don’t like (in this case, Brudick). I don’t understand the point of someone sending me an ask complaining about how icky a romantic relationship between Dick and Bruce would be. It certainly didn’t feel like that last ask came from a warm and fuzzy place, and yours might be more positive but you’re still coming to me and telling me why you find a ship that I openly like gross.

(Also, separately, my response to the last ask was perfectly correct. The person only put forth the complaint that Dick is a child, when he’s not. I addressed the sole point made in the ask, that’s it.)

But anyway, it just makes no sense to me lol. You can dislike it if you want! I completely understand people wanting to stick to it being a father-son relationship, and hell I’ve certainly written a good amount of fics where Bruce is Dick’s dad. If it makes you want to call CPS, then cool for you, don’t like don’t read. It’s that easy. I in general don’t like genderbends unless I’m in the right mood for it, so I simply don’t read it. And I don’t sends asks to authors who do write/read it complaining about how it makes me uncomfortable.

I hope you continue to enjoy the Justice League ships you have fun reading. Sounds like a good time! I will continue to read BruDick and BruJay and BruTim and even BruDami if I want to, because it’s all fictional and calling CPS isn’t needed.

And for the love of god please don’t send me any more asks about this 😂 I have exhausted my patience for the subject, and will delete any more asks about it.