#tim is confused as to what Lazarus pit this guy has been using to look like that and be alfreds dad

[voidlesscreator]

Alfred has a relative???

Recently, Alfred had received a letter from a 'relative' of his for reasons unknown to the batfam. Alfred seemed happy about it so none of them minded too much, even when the butler said that said relative would be visiting since they hadn't been able to see each other in many years.

A few days later there is a knock on the manor's door and one of the batkids opens it to see this young adult dressed in modern yet formal attire asking if Alfred lives there.

They assume that the man is a cousin or something similar of Alfred's, until the man all but squeals like a banshee at the sight of the butler and beelines for him before doting on him.

None of them were prepared for the young adult- if he even is one at this point- to call Alfred "his boy" and for Alfred to refer to him as "father/papa".

-----

*knock on the door*

Tim: *opens door* hello?

Danny: Hi, does Alfred Pennyworth live/work here?

Tim: Yes??? Why do you ask?

Danny: Well you see-

Alfred: Young master Tim, who might be at the door?

Danny: *Squeals* My little Alfie!!

Tim, watching Danny rush over to Alfred and start pinching his cheeks: what the-

[bet-on-me-13]

So, you know how there are a bunch of Fics where one of the Robins comes back as a ghost when they die? Most of the time it’s Jason, sometimes Tim, and Dick and Damian once in a blue moon

But has there ever been a Ghost Cass AU?

Cass dies while on Patrol, maybe is was a villainous plot, maybe it was a random goon getting a lucky shot, maybe she was killed by somebody she trusted...maybe...

Whatever way she died, Cass ends up as a Ghost.

I can see 2 different paths this could take, depending on where she reforms:

PATH 1: Cass Reforms where she died

Cass is reformed where she died, probably very soon afterwards or a few hours later. The Batfamily have not had time to get over their Grief, they only just retrieved her Body an hour ago and need to go back to the crime scene to investigate.

And once they get there, they see what looks like Cass’s Orphan costume but colored differently, just sitting there in a daze. She just became a ghost, only a few hours after her death due to her exposure to the Lazarus Pits, and it was Jarring. Not to mention the Pure Ectoplasm she is made of is reacting weirdly to the corrupted Ectoplasm that is in Jason, making her anxious.

Meanwhile [Insert Batfam member] and Jason are confused, scared, and paranoid. [Batfam member] remembers reading a few articles in passing while researching Lazarus Pits. They were about the Ectoplasmic Entities made from Lazarus Water called Ghosts, how they are imprints of a human consciousness after an emotional death. They are also completely malevolent and non-sentient.

[Batfam Member] doesn’t hope to believe that this is Cass, all the research says that this is a pile of goop pretending to be her. Of course this makes them mad, not only is this thing wearing their sisters face, it will also probably hurt people when it gets strong enough using said face. It feels like an insult. And Cass can’t even defend herself to them, since she lost whatever was left of her ability to speak when she became a Ghost, and she is too dazed and weak to do Sign Language.

[Batfam Member] explains what they know about Ghosts to Jason, how this isn’t Cass at all, just an imprint of her memories. They say this right in front of her, which scares her since they don’t seem to consider her a person anymore, just a thing using Cass’s face

Back when they first read up on Ectoplasmic Entities, he made sure to get a small Ecto-Infused Knife for everyone in the Family in case they ever encountered one.

They bring it out, but before they can do anything, the Ghost of Cass recognizes it and runs away. 

Jason is mad that [Batfam Member] instantly went for the knife, or didn’t think to look for any second opinions.

Cass runs to the Batcave, but she gets there as [Batfam Member] is explaining what Ghosts are on the big screen to everybody else. She also sees her own body, laying on a table in the center of the room. She starts to believe that [Batfam Member] is right, that she can’t be the real Cass, just a reflection. And she can’t stay here, the others are bound the believe [Batfam Member] over her now

She runs away, not even revealing herself to her family.

She runs and runs and runs for hours upon hours, non stop, across state lines, until she reaches a place where her instincts were telling her to go. It feels like the air is clear, like she has more energy. She has made it to Amity Park.

From there you can go in any direction you want.

PATH 2: Cass Reforms in the Zone

Cass reforms in a random place in the Zone, in a color swapped version of her Orphan costume. She wakes up to see a sky of green and ground of purple, completely alone, no one around her.

She wanders for a bit, but a run-in with a Monster forces her to run. As it chases her, she finds that she can fly, but so can it.

As she is running, a blast comes from above her and blasts the monster away. She looks up to see a guy with Green-Blue Skin, pointy ears, and white hair, in a Black Hazmat Suit, floating above her.

He introduces himself as Phantom, and explains that she must be a Ghost. She can’t respond because she lost the last of her ability to speak, but thankfully he knows Sign Language

She can’t remember how she died, but she remembers most of the rest of her life. She takes off her mask, and you can see that she looks like normal Cass with Green Skin, white Hair, and the pointy ears. Also small fangs cause I think those are cool.

Danny helps her around, teaches her about the Zone, introduces his living friends, all that. She even meets a cute clone named Ellie, but that’s besides the point. Eventually, after a few weeks of traveling the Zone and learning about her new abilities, she asks if she can go see her family. Danny agrees, but says that first he should teach her how to shapeshift so she can look human enough to go to the living world.

Which is how Danny and Cass learn that Cass is a Halfa (due to her exposure to the Lazarus Pits). While she is thinking of her human form, a ring of gold energy surrounds her and she suddenly has a heartbeat again. She’s also extremely hungry cause Ghosts don’t need to eat, but Halfa’s do (even if it is significantly less)

By the time she goes to see her Family, they are not as high strung or paranoid as they would have been directly after her death, so they are more willing to listen to reason. Also with Danny there (and maybe ellie), he can explain what she can’t.

But now they don’t know what to do, they still haven't figured out who killed Cass, all they know is that she was definitely killed, it wasn’t an accident.

What comes Next? I also don’t know, I need suggestions!

[phantom-dc]

Dad Hood - part 11

Bruce knew something was up. He didn’t need the title of World’s Greatest detective to figure that out. And it had something to with his sons.

‘Tim, why are you in my classified files?’

He had caught Tim looking through his personal files on the Bat-computer. There were strict rules not to go into each other’s personal files, yet Tim had broken that rule. Then again, Bruce was certain Tim did this often, which was the only reason he didn’t get angry.

‘I was just… wondering if your contingency files were still up to date!’

At the time Bruce though Tim had been curious if there was a plan for him. But then the week had continued to become stranger.

‘Dick, what are you doing with our Lazarus Pit? You know I don’t want anyone near it unless necessary.’

Dick had been by the Batcave’s Lazarus Pit, with a ruler of all things! Everyone was forbidden of going near it. If that thing wasn’t so fundamental to have Bruce would have gotten rid of it ages ago.

‘I was just… making sure it wasn’t leaking?’

That had been even stranger. Why would Dick think that Lazarus Water was missing? Both Dick and Tim had been walking on eggshells around him, and Bruce didn’t know why. Part of him wanted to be a good father and let them come to him when they were ready, but the other part needed to make sure that they weren’t in any trouble. Why was being a father so hard? And then dinner had been strange and downright awkward.

‘Yeah, remember when Wally faked his own death and went to that sanctuary? I was so upset! I just missed him sooooo much!’

Dick had brought up his friend. It had been unnatural for the conversation. Bruce was concerned. What was Dick fishing for?

‘Oh yes, I remember. That must’ve been horrible. I remember how I felt when Connor died. I missed him so much, I tried to clone him! It didn’t work, but still! Thank goodness he’s back now’

Bruce was getting more uncomfortable, as were his other kids. He wasn’t sure if Duke, Steph and Cass even knew about that. This sounded scripted, what was this about?

‘Ha-ha yeah! Oh well. Who hasn’t tried that? Raise your hand if you tried to bring a loved one back through cloning!’

Dick was looking at the table. Bruce was confused. Did… Did they think he cloned someone? Why would Bruce do that? They have a Lazarus Pit in the basement, and cloning doesn’t work with memories. It would never work. But that is beside the point. Why did his sons think he cloned someone, and why were they shaken enough to be in a state that they couldn’t even be subtle about it?

‘Guys, can you lighten up a bit? I’d rather not eat and discuss dead friends at the same time.’ Duke was very uncomfortable.

‘Yeah, knock it off. Let’s talk about something else. Damian, didn’t you visit Sgt. Byrd at the zoo today?’ Stephanie tried to switch topics.

As the conversation shifted, Bruce knew he couldn’t just let them come to him anymore. This was a case for Batman.

Tim and Dick were arguing. After dinner they had left to Tim’s room, to discuss things.

‘Really? ‘Raise your hand if you tried to bring a loved one back through cloning’? What was that?’

‘Look, we haven’t found anything else. What was I supposed to do? The week is almost up and we have no clue’s. Zero, nada, nothing! What are we supposed to tell Jason?’

Tim put his face in his hands. This investigation was going nowhere.

‘Ok, arguing isn’t getting us anywhere. We need to work together on this.’

After a week of trying to find more information they had come up empty. Tim had scoured every file in the Bat-computer but there wasn’t a trace of any cloning plans. They had gone over every paper file in the Cave itself, but there wasn’t even an anecdote about it. Dick had gone so far as to measure the Lazarus Pit to see if any water was missing! With how infused with the stuff Danny was, it had seemed reasonable. But there wasn’t anything. There was nothing to be found. But both boys knew that wasn’t the end of it. Bruce could’ve destroyed his work. He could’ve kept it in a different location. Jason would know that too.

‘We need to find out for certain if Bruce cloned him. If we don’t, Jason is going to murder someone, or at least try.’

As both boys left to investigate other Bat-hide outs in Gotham, Damian decided he’d heard enough. Dropping down from the ceiling, he went to his father to report this.

‘…So in short Father, Grayson and Drake believe you might have cloned Jason. Most likely after his death as a coping mechanism.’

Bruce sighed. He had no clue where they would get that idea from. However, he needed to talk to them. But if he knew his sons even a little, he knew that neither Dick nor Tim would believe a word he said until their investigation was over. Which means he had only one son he could reason with, as hard as that was even on a good day.

Leaving to figure out which safehouse he was currently living in, Bruce thought about what he was going to say to Jason.

‘Alright, kiddo. You ready for bed? You had your water? You got everything? Your Blankie and Mr. Bun-Bun?’

Jason tucked Danny into bed. Snuggling further into his blankets, Danny gave him a big smile.

‘Yep! Goodnight daddy!’

Jason turned off the lights and closed the door. Hopefully Danny would be able to sleep through the night. He had been doing better lately, but he still woke up a lot. Jason stretched his muscles a bit. He felt like he was finally getting a handle on this parenting thing. As long as Danny didn’t get any new powers…

‘Jason.’

Bruce was standing in Jason’s living room. Jason instantly felt rage, his eyes going fully green just as fast. This shocked Bruce. What had happened? Did this have anything to do with the cloning theory?

‘What do you want, old man? You have a lot of nerve coming here!’

Jason was feeling strange. This was the first time he’d gotten so mad he almost attacked someone on sight since his dip, and it felt odd. He didn’t want to alert Danny to this, but it took almost everything he had not to snap. But if Bruce didn’t own up to this…

‘Jason, I need to talk to you. Dick and Tim seem to be under the impression that I have cloned-’

‘OH, JUST ADMIT IT, BRUCE! I KNOW EVERYTHING! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?’

Jason broke. Knowing that Bruce had not only known that Jason had a son, but keeping it from him just to try and clone the child was too much. He flung himself at Bruce, and attacked him.

‘AWNSER ME DAMMIT! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME!’ Jason threw a punch at Bruce, which was blocked. In his rage, Jason was fighting sloppy. Bruce flipped Jason over his head, dropping him onto the couch.

‘Jason, I don’t understand. What are you talking about?’ Bruce was trying to understand. Even if someone had tried to clone Jason, that didn’t explain this anger. He was missing a piece of the puzzle and he needed to figure out what was happening. Did Jason think he wasn’t the original Jason for some reason?

Jason threw a pillow to block Bruce’s vison and got off the couch. Throwing another punch, this one connected and slammed Bruce into the wall.

‘HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM ME! DO YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH?’

Jason picked Bruce up and pushed him against the wall. Bruce was surprised Jason was able to do that while Bruce was wearing the heavy bat-suit.

‘YOU KNEW I HAD A KID, AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME SHIT! YOU EVEN TRIED TO CLONE HIM! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME-’

‘Daddy, who is that?’

Jason stopped. Danny had woken up and found them fighting.

‘Danny, what do you mean? Isn’t he the frootloop that cloned you?’

Danny shook his head. He’d never seen that man before!

‘Jaylad, I-’

Before Bruce could say anything else, Jason fell slack. He had fainted from the stress.

First - Previous - Next - AO3

[batpham-discord-highlights]

Maddie is Tim's Bio Mom

Source: #ghosts-and-bats

A

GUYS

GUYS

SK

What what

L

?

A

WHAT IS TIM IS BIOLOGICALLY MADDIE'S SON????

SK

Omg

A

He's older than Jazz and Danny, having been born before she married Jack

Because Jack and Janet totally seem like the kind of parents who would adopt for appearance's sake and then be horrible parents and pay off CPS

This is a Good Parents Jack and Maddie Fenton only story

L

Yeah, wouldn’t that suck to find out as Tim tho

A

Right?

Maddie only knows who adopted him, so she knows he's Tim Drake, but she's not allowed to make contact and has no clue anything is wrong

He finds out when going through some of his parents’ old papers

He's rattled, but curious

So, he reaches out to them, something about touring their lab and a potential business partnership

And so, they meet

SK

And he finds out he has younger siblings who could definitely use his help?

L

I have so many ideas but brain no translation

EP

Danny: This guy looks like me, but has posh manners and is talking about becoming business partners with my parents, despite everyon thinking they're crazy...Oh no, did the Frootloop make a stable clone?

Danny: Look, he may say he cares about you and he's a good man, but he's not. He's a rich basket case who can't let go of the past

Tim: I know, but he's trying his best

Danny: He really isn't

(neither realizing the other is talking about a completely different one percenter)

A

Tim is a little confused as to why his little brother is trying to sabotage his relationship with Bruce

Like

What could he hope to gain by this?

another thought

Maddie totally tracked down a Lazarus pit to study for her thesis

She met Talia

For that single summer they started a fierce rivalry

L

I like where this is going

A

Tim has to call in his Mom due to a ghost problem in Gotham (this is post reveal, she's better with ghosts now)

And the Wayne's sit there and watch her kick butt

Damien is unexpectedly quiet and wary around her

"That's my Mom," Tim brags with a smirk after she finished and starts clean up

And Damien hisses

"you're related to MADDISON???"

He steps back and gives Tim a long, considering look

Then nods

"Acceptable, Fenton"

Then he leaves

He refuses to call Tim a Drake again

SK

Lol yes I love this so much!

A

This is especially good because I'm pretty sure it's canon that Maddie is a black belt in at least one martial art

She is fully combat capable

She's a genius inventor

She is every inch Talia's equal

What she lacks in lethality, she more than makes up for in ingenuity

SK

I love Talia and Maddie being enemies, but please also consider:

What I'd they're exes?

A

how did you read my mind????

What if Talia still misses her???

What if Damian has to call him brother now?

SK

Perfection✨✨

A

Talia joins the "let's kill Jack" club with Vlad

Danny was excited to fight ninjas at first but now they're boring and such a bother

Why does everyone want his dad dead?

Jason is impressed and deeply intimidated by Tim's Mom

He's heard stories about her at the cradle

She put the fear of God into Ra's

SK

This keeps getting better

A

And when she finds out about what happened during Brucequest...

She might need to go visit the old man and see how he's doing 😁

Pru calls Tim after it's over and absolutely gushes about his Mom

She has a new goal in life

Be Maddie Fenton

Ra's is so upset he let Tim get away in the end

What do you think is Maddie's maiden name? Or did Jack take her name?

SK

I kinda like the idea that Jack took her name

A

Right?

Damian is very wary of her and looks like a cat whose fur got rubbed the wrong way when she's around

He finds her very unsettling

Dick is in awe

This woman can get Damian to do things with minimal fuss

“Teach me your WAYS!” He cries.

Cass likes her a lot and is very curious about her homemade equipment

Jazz isn't sure what to think about this whole thing

She sure did get a big brother out of it

It's very disorienting for her tbh

She's not quite sure how to process the whole thing and it keeps taking longer because stuff just won't stop happening

Poor Danny is being worn thin and just wants a nap

Then he realizes that neither Vlad or Talia have blackmail on him

So, he tattles

And Maddie is very upset that there are people trying to kill her husband

SK

She protecc

S

Talia gets a very angry phone call

A

Vlad is flat out cut out of her life

She gets a restraining order on him for her entire family

She pulls obscure League lore knowledge out of her back pocket and declares a personal war on Talia in a way that makes Damian pale and Talia shocked

Ra's has already "stepped down due to health reasons"

So, she's essentially challenging Talia for control of the league over the crime of trying to kill her husband

[helloblobbyblobfish]

A snake in the nest

I think most people would have no idea of who Danny Temple is (he was in like, one arc of the Robin comic and was then gone), so resume: In Robin #82, while Robin is having difficulties in his relationship with Spoiler because he refuses to give her his secret identity, he meets a guy named Danny he strike somewhat of a friendship with, but the guy has a barcode tattoo on a foot and a massive scar over his body, so Tim is suspicious. 

The plotline really gets picked up again in Robin #88, when Tim and Danny go on vacation (after Bruce landed on the “Dick moves” side of the spin coin and revealed Tim’s identity to Spoiler so that she go check on him because Bruce doesn’t want to be confronted by Alfred) and Danny gets kidnapped by robots of the Kobra cult (Who has a whole thing for conjoined twins, in comics lore. That’s the origin of the scar, separated twins) because he was one of the most likely candidates to become the new leader after the previous one had too many failures.

Unfortunately, Robin’s at-the-time nemesis King Snake wanted access to the Lazarus Pit the himalaya base of Kobra had (only accessible with the barcode on Danny’s feet) because he had lost his eyesight previously. And the previous leader wasn’t ready to back down from his position, even after the cult tried to murder him. The story ended in Robin #92 with King Snake blind again, the previous Naja-Naja possibly dead, and Danny leader uncontested.

AND NEXT TIME Kobra is back, EVE, the original Kobra leader AND King Snake’s lover and assistant, last seen crushed by a pillar on the lower half and shot by the previous leader, has taken over, and there is ZERO mention of Danniel/Danny! (Due to the fact Danny wanted to make Kobra neutral, and that wouldn’t have been interesting for the writers, I guess.) Oh, also. The paging in #92 is confusing, but I think it implies Daniel knows who Tim is? (Because more people know who tim is than people know who Steph, Kon, Cassandra, maybe even Damian and Jason are

Also, Tim. TimtimTim! You were supposed to be the “normal one”. Why do your male friends include: A half-kryptonian clone, a speedster from the future, Conner Hawke, a prince who used a magical artifact to send a demon hired to kill him after the summoner, the possible leader of a cult raised by who were implied to be robots, Buzz, who was implied to have a mystery involving HIS family that went nowhere, the daughter of a mafia boss who was resurrected as a crazy magician… BERNARD is the most normal person he ever met, no wonder he got a crush on him! Probably means Tim can look at Waller, say “Kneel, Peasant!” and get away with it, though, so that’s nice! 

-

It starts on a day like any other. Bernard is watching the latest edition of the Daily Planet news in his boyfriend’s apartment. He scoffs at the fact that they believe the new Superman is the previou’s son all grown up and not obviously a clone like the two previous ones. Lois Lane still knows nothing about Superman after all those years. Distressful.

He looks at the sleeping form of his boyfriend on his knees. Don’t get him wrong, Bernard will always find sleeping!Tim is adorable, but it seems Tim has decided that his dates with Bernard are the only moments of the day where he would sleep. And that is hurting the relationship a lot more than the millionaire seems to think it does.

What’s the point of dating someone if they are never conscious enough to listen to you when you actually get to meet, which is not enough, in Bernard’s opinion. Even if he understands being the likely prince of a mafia group means Tim doesn’t have much sleep at night. Bernard is hurt that Tim doesn’t want to admit that part of his life. He tries to throw hints at his boyfriend that he knows, but Tim is completely oblivious.

Or is much better at acting than he is given credit for, but Bernard has seen him trying to lie. Would be hilarious if he wasn't trying to hide such important things. Suddenly, Tim’s phone rings. Tim, ever the light sleeper, which Bernard finds sad because that means he can’t touch his boyfriend’s hair while he sleeps, is on his two feet in an instant.

“Danny? I haven’t heard from him in years!” And he goes into the bathroom to have a private discussion. Of course, like any good boyfriend, Bernard tries to listen through the door. It’s a Gotham thing, you wouldn’t understand. The sound of Tim running towards the door makes Bern run towards the couch. Thankfully, Tim is never a very observant man, so he completely misses the fact that Bernard accidentally fell into the couch in a very undignified way.

A few instant laters, or minutes, but who cares about that, Tim is entering with a dark-haired guy with a pointed chin and a look that screams “I'm handsome and smart, and I know it”. Bernard has to refrain himself from gripping Tim and growling at the intruder. Tim makes the introductions. “So, Bernard, this is Danny Temple. We were at Brentwood Academy together for a time. Danny,” and Tim beams with pride, which reassures the conspiracy theorist after the odd wording, “this is my boyfriend Bernard Dowd. I met him at the Louis E. Grieve Memorial High School after I transferred from Brentwood.” Danny looks impressed.

“And you have stayed together since then? Impressive! Congrats, Tim! That does explain why you didn’t care about the girls when we were at the beach!” That does reassure Bernard. Apparently, it was only his fears that led him to see a rival. Tim blushes. “Oh. N-No! We didn’t date back then, but we met again, we started dating!” Daniel opens his mouth like a fish in comprehension. “Ohhhhhh! okay. Now, maybe I didn’t come at the right time? I wanted to ask for your help, but you might want to finish the date first, or?” “Tim’s help with what?” Bernard is genuinely confused.

Danny gives Tim the stink-eyes. “You told him. Right?” Tim isn’t looking at either of them. “Told him what? I have no… Is this money.” “No. Tim, come on, you two are dating, you should-” Tim shows a surprising amount of strength; not so surprising, thinks Bernard, he might hide it, but Tim has some seriously ripped muscles; grabbing the man, holding him over his head, and running into the bedroom. Bernard scoffs. That bedroom has sound-proof everything. He never was certain why, but at least, it won’t be used to hide sex noises given the fact Daniel seemed fine with the relationship.

Still, he is wondering, “What are they talking about?”

-

I throw Daniel on the bed. I realize he is wearing his- “Daniel, you’re walking around with your Naja-Naja armor underneath your clothes???” I only receive a look in response. I unbutton my shirt to show him. “See, no robin suit.” My old friend isn’t looking impressed. “Yeah, because it would be hard to explain if you take off your clothes in front of your boyfriend why you have a robin suit.” 

He is right, but I am not going to give him that.

Anyway,” I decide to distract him, “why do you need Robin for? Kobra was back to being evil in no time, with no news of you.” Suddenly, I panic. “Oh my god, you’re a clone of the now dead Danny, aren’t you.” He looks part-offended, part-horrified that I reach this conclusion. “What, no! Tim, I had to regain strength and rebuild my power slowly on my own. Also, Eve didn’t get back the entirety of Kobra, thank you very much. No, the problem is that we are in a full-blown war, currently, and my spies reported to me that this bitch is planning something against batman, to show off how cool and powerful she is.” he is putting air quotes when saying “cool” and “powerful”, and seems to respect her as much as Tim respect Crazy Quilt.

“So, we need to stop Lady Eve. Okay. Something else? Having the support of part of the Kobra cult will help a lot. Thanks, Dan.” Danny moth’s twitches. “Actually…” Now, it is I who gives him a dead-pan expression. “Given how much Batman and others have stopped the plans of the Kobra group, even my spies aren’t angry at Eve for trying to kill your mentor. Actually, my counselors are recommending that I take her by surprise with a plan to take out Batman first.”

I facepalm and think of everything possible. After an instant, Danny asks: “You’re thinking about..?” “Should I give you coordinates of rogues to make a very impressive display, do I give you weaknesses to use so that we almost loses against your agents in exchange for infos regarding lady eve’s schemes, should I pretend you brainwashed me to join, because i am NOT even pretending to join Kobra willingly, friendship be damned!” He looks a bit hurt at it, but I think he understands why. Even if my support could help. Or maybe it would convince members of his side of the cult to leave.

I sigh. “Can… you give me a day to get a working plan. Also, I would like to get the most you can give me about Lady Eve’s plan. Please?” He rises up off the bed. “Of course. Thank you, Tim.”

-

Bernard is surprised that the conversation didn’t last longer when he sees the door unlock. He grabs his phone and takes a picture as soon as that Danny guy shows up in the crack of the door, before hiding said phone. Maybe that will help him identify who Tim is hanging with.

Danny closes the door with “Once again, thank you. Tim. It reassures me that you are ready to help.” Tim seems to have mixed feelings. Bernard gets really worried about what his boyfriend got involved in.

Afterwards, it’s very awkward as the both of them are trying to come up with a credible lie to shorten their date, all plans forgotten. Bernard can’t even remember what he said to Tim as he closes the door, besides a “See you soon, Timmy!”

He puts his head in his hands to muffle his screams in the corridor as he waits for the elevator.

And Danny Temple doesn’t seem to exist. True, Bernard can find his name in the records of Brentwood Academy, but he apparently never finished his studies. And he has no online presence on any social media. rather weird for a handsome guy like that. Also, Brentwood is a private academy located near Gotham. That means money. Lots of money. So how the hell does Bernard come back empty-handed? The fact that there are many people named Danny Temple doesn’t help him either.

It’s not until much later, when Bernard is going through lists for international terrorists, expecting nothing, that he finds him. And he let his mug of coffee drop on his bed, spilling its content everywhere.

DANNY TEMPLE: One of the leaders of the Kobra Cult. Searched in 42 countries for terrorism, thiefs, blackmailing of US official, hijacking of a sattelite… 

Well, lots of it seems to have been done by a guy named Kobra, AKA Jeffrey Franklin Burr. Danny Temple is considered to have agreed with those opinions and the attempts to destroy the US, but Bernard couldn’t find anything the Kobra cult had done recently in terrorism that weren’t connected to a woman nicknamed “Lady Eve”. And there were rumors of on-going power plays and tensions inside the cult.

Still, even if Temple was “only” a random cult leader, that he tried to get close to a mafia leader like Tim was worrisome. Even if it was simply an alliance for guns, Bernard wasn’t super keen on his bf dealing with a cult. Nevermind all that! Giving GUNS to Terrorists???? He had to go see Tim immediately!

-

And here is what I am reduced to.

“Please, Jason! You’re the only one I can trust to not hold my friendship with a member of Kobra against me! Please help me!”

“Timothy, I am NOT helping Kobra, even if it’s a nicer Kobra. I may be a gang leader, I have standards. And I am not screwing my already tenuous relationship with Bruce” 

When you spit his name like that, no wonder he doesn’t like you, Jay.

“To make you happy!” “We can work together on it! Say it was my idea but I want the plan to stay between you and I! It’s true, and Bruce will leave you alone!” I feel humiliated, begging Jason on his knees. The fact he came in his full armor and I’m in my sweater is not helping. I look like a dumb member of Gotham’s elite who, like most, over-though his importance.

It's in this especially awkward situation that Bernard slams the door open. 

“Tim, I- red HOOOOOD?????!!!! OMG! No, please, don’t hurt my boyfriend! I know he did bad things, well, actually, I know he did bad things but not  sure why, I was ready to let his mafia stuff unaddressed-”

My boyfriend thinks I’m part of the mafia. What. Jason gives me a look. He might have his helmet on, but I can tell his body image is a “WTF, Timothy.”. I sweat even harder. Jason, thanks whatever deity he believes in, doesn’t take advantage of the situation to spread slander. I would have, in his position.

“What? Mister whatever, I’m not planning on killing him. Jeez. There are so many people who deserve it more. No, your… fffrriend, here.” He called me his boyfriend, Jason, you can call me that, damnit. Oh  God, is Jason? “Decided to call for my help, and I’m not feeling generous today.”

Bernard rushes to grab him protectively. "Don't worry, Tim. It’s about that kobra guy who showed up earlier on. Does he have blackmail material on you? you know I used to be in a pain cult before, tight? You can talk to me about things like that.” I’m uncertain about how to respond to his scared face, and then, The Red hood just leaves like that. Me and Bernard are so shocked that I don't realize at first he is calling Dick. Fuck.

It’s then that Tim realizes he is running on adrenaline and crashes to the floor out of unwelcome relief.

-

Bernard tucks Tim in his bed, but doesn’t join him. He is too excited to join him, even if he needs the sleep too. Holy shit! Tim was able to contact Red Hood! HOW? An ex-robin, one of those who survived and became their own heroes! Albeit, given the changes in behavior Red Hood manifested throughout the years, Bernard wouldn’t be surprised if they were at least three people who occupied the costume. maybe five. And then, he is reminded of his suspicions there were multiple Batmen and he looks back at his notes on his phone.

Suddenly, he realizes the Red Hood left the window open. Would be bad if the current Batman showed up. But when Bernard enters the living room, he is shocked to encounter two of the Bagirls, the signal, Nightwing, the newest Robin, didn’t he leave, Batwoman and Red Hood. Bernard would call this a reunion of Gotham vigilantes, but. How many people are missing? Batman, Red Robin, Spitfire, Batgirl #3, Ghostmaker, Nightwing, Clownhunter, Catwoman, The Question… He is so occupied counting them that he doesn’t hear the first time Nightwing coughs.

“Hum, excuse me… Civilian, but could we talk with Tim Drake? Privately, if possible?” Even if it’s said in the nicest way possible, and they all look awkward meeting him, Bernard isn’t exactly feeling safe. “Well, uh. He fainted, so maybe later?” Oh dear Lord, did he just say “Later” to a superhero that isn’t even located in this city?

They all seem shocked he dared say that too. The current Robin even says: “Well, he at least chose a man who stands his ground. Kind of needed.” Bernard is taken aback. “Tim is known for being  pushy? Since when?” New waves of glances exchanged between the Gotham Knights. Bernard is getting annoyed.

“Well, Tim isn’t disponible, try again tomorrow.” And Bernard turns his head and walks out on them. On the inside, he is panicking more than that time their school was attacked and he saw Darla die in front of him. He notices the spoiler look-alike Batgirl runs towards the bedroom. He is not quick enough to stop her. She sounds surprised when she opens the door. “Seriously?!?” “Shhh!!!! You’re going to wake him up, and he is never sleeping at a decent hour!”

Bafflingly enough, she seems to actually be ashamed. Who would have thought a superhero could feel bad. The group discreetly escaped while he was looking at her, and she gave him the slip by the entrance door when he noticed that. Bernard double-lock the window and sits on the couch to keep watch.

Sadly, even with all that, he ends up sleeping too.

-

I woke up in a panic. And get confused. I'm in my bed. Jason wouldn’t have done that, and he already left anyway. But why isn’t Bernard with me in bed? I think of what we could do in bed together and I blush hard. I frown when I open up my phone, expecting him to have left a message. Instead, Barbara sent me a text telling me to come. that’s in the intervention. Jason! I quickly put my costumes on and leave by the window. Bernard probably went back home.

I arrive at the cave thinking of excuses. “Well, excuse me. I have this friend who’s part of Kobra and I know it’s bad news, and I promise I don’t agree with his idea of keeping it running.”

“You WHAT, Drake!!!!!?!” Damian shrieks. I notice everyone besides Bruce and Luke are here. Jason is covering his head in shame, and everyone looks horrified. Cassandra is first to get her senses back. “We here… Talk.. you boyfriend.” Oh. OH. OH NO.

“Why do we need to talk about it? It’s not like you guys always tell your civilian dates!” Dick is the one who talks back. “Timmy. He thinks you’re in the mafia.” Touché. Stephanie goes on the offensive, oh shit! “Tim. If you don’t tell him this week, I WILL.” She lets her threat hang in the open. And I know her. We dated for several years. She will put it into practice.

I shake my hands. “No need, Steph. I was planning on telling him.”

When? You never told Ariana, Zoanne or Tamara. Cassie knew already when you started dating and Bruce is the one who told Staph.

Shut up, guilt. And she seems to have the same train of thought as I did, because her face becomes notably harsher. Cassandra states what everyone knows. “Liar.” Suddenly, I feel Kate’s hands on my shoulders and I tense. “And now, what is this about a friend of yours being part of Kobra, Robin…”

-

Bernards wakes up and is shocked to see Tim is gone, his window opened. A quick search shows the window was opened from the inside. Suddenly, a knock is heard at the door. Bernard is shocked to see that terrorist dude. “You live with Tim… Bernie?” “Bernard.”

The blond grabs his boyfriends’ blackmailer and brings him inside, before shoving his finger in the other man's muscular torso repetitively. “And Tim’s not there. I’m not sure where he is. But. I. Think. It. Has. Some. Thing. To. Do. With. Red. Hood. Showing. Up. Last. Night.” Wow, he needs to take some breaths. Bernard is so focused on his panting he doesn’t notice the look of fear on Danny’s face. “I hope your boyfriend is okay.” That surprises Bernard. “You say that only because you need him for whatever Kobra has planned”, he spits with a harsh expression. The dark-haired cult leader is shocked and actually steps back a little, before shouting. “HOW DARE-”

“Hello you two! Now, can we get you separated? Mister Temple, we want to talk to you about what we can do to stop Lady Eve. And… Bernard Dowd? I think Tim Drake has something to tell you.”

Huntress and the silent Batgirl escort Bernard to Tim’s room. He is sitting on his chair, which he dragged in the middle of the room. Then, the two are left almost alone, with only Spoiler-Batgirl staying to look over them. Bernard opens his mouth. “So… This is the moment where you tell me you’re going to jail, isn’t it.” The Batgirl slaps her face and groans.

Tim seems to hesitate. He starts many phrases, then whispers something in a language Bernard doesn’t even know. Tired, Bernard turns towards the girl. “You know what he means?” She looks uncomfortable. “Well, yes, but…” “WAIT!” Shouts Tim. “I’mrobubyudon’guyed…” Bernard exchanges a quick glance with the woman, before they both turn towards Tim. “Yeah. Hum? Sweetheart? You’re going to need to talk louder for me to try to understand what you mean.” Tim gets a lot redder than Bernard ever saw him and gives a pleading look to Batgirl. SHe sighs and goes to the closet.

Bernard looks, intrigued, and is shocked when she clicks on an invisible button, which opens to reveal: “A Robin costume? Why does Tim have THAT! I thought the Waynes were like criminals?”

His boyfriend makes a sputtering sound and hides his face in his hands while Batgirl rolls on the floor laughing.

"WHAT???" Shouts Bernard. She rips her mask and takes off her hood. "Stephanie Brown!" Bernard is shocked to see Tim's ex, now sister, is Red Robin's ex. A light bulb burst into his mind. "Tim, you're an ex-Robin? But I thought you guys were adopted BEFORE becoming Robin!" Steph looks like she is dying of laughter and Tim is trying to disappear, with how small he is making himself.

Then, the reveal truly sets in, and Bernard has to sit on the bed. After some thinking, he only says: "Tim, you're a… superhero?" He sounds hurt. Tim runs towards him and kneels by his side to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I never told anyone, you know? Besides some teammates. Even Stephanie didn't know who Robin was when he started dating Spoiler."

Tears spill from Bern's eyes. "So, you keep secrets from everyone you know? Tim, how am I supposed to trust you when I won't be able to take anything you say as face value. I-" He hugs Robin… Tim.

As they whisper things to one another and Stephanie goes to the door to give them space, Damian enters. "Drake, I think you had enough time to talk. Now, come on, we have plans to… Oh."

Stephanie drags the young Wayne by the ears. "Come on, Damien. They need some time to deal with it."

-

Bernard is clutching his sofa so much he wonders if he is going to break it. He can see the images on the screen repeat in his head.

A massive attack from Lady Eve in a bank, trying to bring out Batman. Suddenly being attacked by Black Mask's gang, who was planning a robbery. Nightwing, wearing a snake-theme mind control helmet, sent by the Naja-Naja, whoever that was. Batman being caught by a rival faction of Kobra who wanted to get to him before Eve. 

The massive brawls that resulted, in which Sionni almost killed Nightwing- Dick, Tim would have been devastated, by slashing his throat. Tim arrived late, because traffic is terrible in Gotham for a motorbike rider like him. The batmobile can fly at least. Or is the batcopter truly a different thing?

His phone distracts him. It's Tim sending a pic in costume. "Don't worry, Bernie, nobody was massively hurt."

"Don't call me that to distract me from the fact Dick almost died, asshole!"

Tim doesn't answer for a moment, but Bernard can see he is typing a lot.

"Yeah, sorry babe. I'm coming over?"

Bernard hesitates. His fingers stay above his phone for what feels like hours. 

"Yes. We need to talk about security. I love you too much to stomach seeing you so much of you throwing yourself like that."

And that's true. Tim was fighting like he didn't care that he got hurt. Red Robin/this Robin often did, and Bernard was always worried. But now that he knows it's Tim…

He hears the flutter of his boyfriend's cape in the wind and smiles at the man opening his window.

-

"So, a conspiracy theorist who thought we were criminals and was part of a cult? You could have picked better." Damian complains.

I pretend to look at my phone. "Oh, gosh, robin! Never thought about it! Maybe the Rhafi of Dhabar would be better suited indeed! I haven't talk to him in some time, but-"

"What?"

"Or, I know! Do you think Bruce would accept a speedster as my boyfriend if I told him the other options are an amazon or a half-kryptonian?"

"Drake, I. You."

"Maybe I should see how the third Lynx is doing, but she might remind dad of Selina too much."

"Who?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I should seek Darla out. What do you think of me dating a mafia leader's daughter with magical power? Don't worry, she's good now."

"Drake, why are you like this?"

"Trauma, my dear Damian. Trauma."

[j3ssisam3ss]

This idea won’t leave me alone...

In short: A Dickinette/BioDad!Bruce/Enemies to Lovers fic featuring:

Marinette “If God gave me strength you’d all be dead” Dupain-Cheng

Dick “Don’t make me use my Batman voice” Grayson

Tim “Give me coffee or give me death” Drake-Wayne

Damian “I’ll gladly give you death” Al Ghul-Wayne

Jason “It’s not trauma it’s humor, quit looking at me like that” Todd.

I can’t write a Dickinette fic at the same time that I’m writing a BioDad!Dick fic. I just can’t. But this idea won’t get out of my brain, so here I am writing it down and hoping it’ll leave me alone after this.

Marinette finds out she’s Bruce Wayne’s biological daughter when she’s summoned to Gotham for the reading of his will.

Because apparently the universe can’t give her even a single month to deal with the fact that her boss was a secret supervillain. Or the fact that the partner that had betrayed her, attacked her, sexually assaulted her, repeatedly, was the same guy she’d spent years crushing on.

It’s fine though. She’s fine. She’s not fine. No trauma or trust issues here.

She’s expecting money from her absentee father, maybe a cool car or something. Instead, she’s made co-CEO of a multi-billion dollar company and co-guardian of two kids.

Because apparently her biological father was something of a serial adopter. Apparently, he had no interest in reaching out to her, but adopted four boys and served as a mentor or guardian to countless other kids. She’s not bitter about that. Really, she’s not. She is.

Nevertheless, dealing with things she didn’t sign up for is practically Marinette’s calling card by now, so she takes to running Wayne Enterprises and raising her siblings like a duck to the water. Half the WE employees jumped ship after Bruce’s death? Not a problem, she’ll bring in new hires and inspire cult-like loyalty with her professionalism and efficiency. Her kids charges (and the rest of the Wayne family) moonlight as Gotham’s vigilantes? We’ve all been there. She starts immediately on new suits - ones that will have some magical extra protection and won’t make her barf every time she looks at them. The dead sibling is actually alive and just as salty with Bruce and his family as she is? She’ll make friends with him and force a reconciliation sweeter than the macaroons she used to bribe him.

The only issue she can’t solve is one Richard John Grayson. As Bruce Wayne’s far too attractive eldest ward - not son, apparently that’s a sore spot - the executors of Bruce’s will have named him her partner in this whole kid-raising, business-running mess. Which would be fine, except for the fact that he seems to have made it his life’s mission to oppose anything and everything she suggests or does. Marinette is running a fashion empire, trying to teach centuries-old monks what the internet is, raising two kids, and leading a multinational corporation. She doesn’t have time for this nonsense. And yet it’s her problem.

And then Gotham decides that she and Dick are in love and everything gets so much worse. Is it too late to take the Miracle Box and fake her own death?

Dick, on the other hand, has spent the last six years trying to break out of the shadow of Batman and Bruce Wayne alike.

With Bruce’s death, it feels like he’s taken three steps forward and fifty backwards. He’s twenty-four. He’s a police officer, with hopes of becoming a detective. He’s not prepared to run a multi-billion dollar company. Not prepared to raise his siblings. Not prepared to abandon his identity as Nightwing to become the Caped Crusader.

And yet, he has to. Because Tim and Damian need him. Because family comes first. Because it would destroy his siblings to become Batman. It will destroy him too.

When the court introduces Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Bruce’s biological daughter and his partner in sibling-raising and company-wrangling, his immediate reaction is relief. Maybe now he can get a little sleep. Maybe Damian will actually listen to her and will have a semi-normal childhood. Maybe she’ll be able to convince Tim to ingest something other than coffee. Maybe he won’t have to completely give up being Nightwing. Maybe between him, Tim, and Marinette they’ll be able to convince the world that yes, two young adults and a kid can run a successful business. Maybe one day she’ll grace him with a date.

These dreams are brought to a screeching halt when Dick realizes: Marinette Dupain-Cheng has no understanding of what a partnership entails.

She speaks for both of them to the board, to the media, to the kids, without so much as asking his opinion. She makes decisions and changes and informs him when it’s too late to protest. When he tries to bring it up, she gives him an innocent look of confusion and changes the subject. It’s infuriating maddening frustrating. Somehow, he’s doing more work trying to keep up with her than when he was running WE by himself.

And that’s not even getting started on the secrets she’s keeping. Her personality is all sunshine in public, but at home she’s as cynical and distrustful as Bruce himself. He hears voices coming from her room when she claims to be asleep. She has too many skills that don’t match with her background or age. Skills like disarming a gunman before the security guards even realize he’s there. Like successfully running a multinational corporation with no prior experience. Like knowing exactly how to deal with the media, despite being raised as a baker’s daughter.

Dick is taking on the mantle of Batman, raising his siblings, trying to learn how to run a multi-billion dollar company, and making regular appearances as Nightwing. He doesn’t have time to deal with this drama. And yet it’s his problem.

And then Gotham decides that he and Marinette are in love and everything gets so much worse. Is it too late to dump Bruce’s body in the Lazarus Pits and force him to deal with this mess?

@maribatmarch-2k21

Maribat March - Day 23 - Enemies to Lovers

[sohotthateveryonedied]

Hiii!! I really love your tumblr posts and I'm pretty new to the Batfam (meaning I have only read fics and textposts about them, no comics) and I wanted to ask about the year Bruce/Batman gets "lost in time". I know general things of what the kids have been doing–Dick became batman and fired Tim from robin, giving it to Damian, everyone thinking Tim was crazy for believing Bruce was alive, (don't really know what Jason was up to though, was he still murderous towards Tim? Does the pit still affect him? Also I have no idea about Cass and Duke, were they introduced at this point??) Anyways, my real question was why was Bruce lost in time, what villain put him there? And how did he get out? And how long was he "dead"? Was Bruce in another reality or like just asleep the whole time? Oh! And how soon did this happen after Damian got introduced to the family–a couple months?

I'm so sorry this is so long, but I hope you answer and thank you!!

(I’m going to try and cover all my bases here by going into how exactly Bruce “died,” what went down during the Battle For the Cowl, what the Batkids did while Bruce was gone, and how Bruce came back. Hopefully it all makes sense?? We’ll see how it goes lmao.)

Part 1 - What Happened to Bruce:

So there was this event called Final Crisis (which I won’t go completely into since it would make this post a million times longer than it already is), but the bottom line is that Darkseid wants to overthrow reality and release his Anti-Life Equation, which would overthrow the whole planet and turn everyone into slaves. (If you’re interested in knowing more about the storyline, here’s a Reddit thread that explains it WAY better than I could.) 

What I CAN tell you is that during his final confrontation with Darkseid, Bruce is hit by an Omega Beam and turned into a burnt chicken nugget killed. Poor guy.

Final Crisis #6

Clark and Diana bring the body back to the Batcave and break the news to the Batfamily. Batman #687 covers a good portion of the aftermath such as Bruce’s funeral, the Batfamily grieving, and Dick coming to terms with his new responsibility of becoming Batman.

Batman #687

Part 2 - Battle For the Cowl: 

Musical chairs time, fellas! After word gets out that Batman is gone, Gotham erupts into chaos. Dick doesn’t want to take over the mantle, Tim needs Dick to take over the mantle, and Jason says “fuck it” and takes over the mantle himself because somebody around here has to. He becomes this murderous psychopathic Batman and starts taking out criminals with deadly force because someone’s gotta do the job, so it might as well be him.

Batman: Battle For the Cowl #1

(Okay honestly, this series had some pretty bad characterization overall, which sucks since it’s such an important storyline. Jason is portrayed as this violent psychopath, which...okay, he was kind of insane after the Pit and all, but not to this degree. Personally, I choose to owe the bad characterization to Bruce’s death because as much as Jason resents Bruce for all he’s done, he does still love him and losing him would be devastating, which would exacerbate his already fragile mental health. As for Damian, this happens roughly three years after his first appearance, so we can assume it’s been a few months since he first joined the family. He’s still relatively new at this point, so nobody knows how to write him yet. He ends up being depicted as if his main two personality traits are Bratty and Assassin-Child and that’s it. It’s all just a mess.)

Anyway, Tim tells Dick to become Batman and stop Jason’s reign of terror. Dick says no, so Tim follows Jason’s lead by saying “fuck it” and putting on the cowl himself. He goes to confront Jason, which ends in Jason beating the crap out of him (again) and leaving him for dead after Tim declines his offer to become Jason’s Robin. Dick goes to save Tim and ends up fighting Jason. 

Battle For the Cowl #3

Dick wins, Jason disappears, Tim is fine, and Dick finally gets his head out of his ass and becomes Batman. 

Part 3 - What Happens to Each Batkid While Bruce is “Dead”?:

Dick: 

As I said, Dick becomes the new Batman a month after Bruce’s death. He’s got big shoes to fill, and it takes some time for him to get used to his new role. He and Damian end up flipping around the classic Batman and Robin dynamic, with Batman now as the fun counterpart to Robin’s edginess. Dick, Damian, and Alfred relocate to the penthouse above the Wayne Foundation building, operating out of a secret Bat-Bunker in the basement.

Batman #688

Jason: 

After Battle For the Cowl, Jason is still batshit insane and determined to make Dick’s already stressful life even harder by becoming a supervillain with an ugly costume and an even uglier hairstyle. (I know it’s just because the artist sucked, but still. Jason is horrifying to look at during this time.) He mostly just gets on Dick’s nerves by running around Gotham with his new sidekick Scarlet and killing criminals as Batman and Robin wannabes. Eventually, Dick has Jason committed to Arkham Asylum and he hangs out there until Bruce returns.

Batman and Robin (2009) #5

Tim: 

Tim...doesn’t do great after Bruce’s death, mentally. Dick makes Damian Robin, his reasoning being that Robin is more of a sidekick and he sees Tim as his equal. By making Damian Robin, Dick hopes that it will give him the stability he needs to keep him from straying back toward the “bad” side. (It’s the right move ultimately, although his execution was pretty messed up since he didn’t discuss it with Tim beforehand, but he’s allowed to make mistakes. Dick’s father just died and now he’s in charge of picking up the pieces of their broken family. It’s a lot to handle.) 

Long story short, Tim has a breakdown, realizes that Bruce is alive, dons the Red Robin identity, and cuts ties with his family to travel the world in search of proof. It’s a rough time. 

Red Robin #1

Damian: 

Our little guy becomes Robin! So proud of him! As I explained earlier, Dick makes Damian his Robin with the assumption that it will keep him out of trouble, and he’s right on that account. He mentors Damian, teaching him how to channel his violent instincts into something productive, and it works! Slowly but surely, Damian makes the transition from bratty assassin to actual hero!

Batman and Robin (2009) #22

Cass:

Duke sadly was not introduced at this point in time, so he missed out on all the pandemonium. Cass, however, has been Batgirl for years by now, but she got kind of pushed aside by the writers after Bruce’s death. Bruce disappears shortly after adopting Cass, but once he was “dead,” the writers sort of moved Cass around for a while, not quite knowing what to do with her. First she was with the Outsiders. Then they got disbanded and Cass tried forming a new network of heroes to take over for Batman if needed. Then she helped out in said network during Battle for the Cowl, taking care of a newly ravaged Gotham. Then Cass gave the Batgirl mantle to Stephanie Brown after she became disillusioned with the role, thanks to the loss of her father and mentor. Then Cass picked up and moved to Hong Kong to “follow Bruce’s plans” by continuing whatever work he had set up for her there. It was all very vague and confusing, and Cass more or less got swept under the rug during this time. Thanks, writers.

Batgirl (2009) #1

Part 4 - How Bruce Came Back: 

When the Blackest Night storyline happens, the Justice League realizes that the corpse buried under Bruce’s grave is apparently not the real one and that he’s actually alive out there somewhere! How wild is that! This is further proven by Dick after he places Bruce’s body in a Lazarus Pit to revive, which has the same result because it’s very clearly Not Bruce and they should have listened to Tim from the start.

Batman and Robin (2009) #9

Anyway, what actually happened is that the Omega Beams that Darkseid shot at Bruce didn’t kill him, but rather blasted him back through time to the prehistoric era with his memories wiped. The Omega Energy inside of Bruce ends up catapulting him through various time periods, which is all part of Darkseid’s plan. With each time-hop, Bruce builds up more Omega Energy in his body which, when he gets back to his original time period, will be unleashed and destroy everything.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #5

It’s been a little under two years since Final Crisis, though in-universe it’s uncertain exactly how long Bruce has been “dead.” We can assume it’s been a year, give or take. The way he comes back is too scientific and complicated for me to understand, so uhhhh the bottom line is that Tim and a few Leaguers save Bruce at the Vanishing Point and the day is saved! Hooray! 

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6

(If you want to read about how it actually goes down, then I seriously recommend reading Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. It’s only six issues, so it’s a quick read and it explains the situation far better than I ever could.)

Bruce eventually reunites with his family after spying on them for a period of time as Insider to see what has changed in his absence:

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home

After that, things quickly settle back into their new normal. Dick and Damian stay on as Batman and Robin. Bruce goes back to being Batman as well, with him handling Batman Incorporated business and Dick continuing as Gotham’s defender. Tim keeps the Red Robin outfit, Steph stays on as Batgirl, and Cass becomes Black Bat. Jason stays in Arkham for a while before filing an appeal to be moved to a regular prison. He kills 82 inmates in less than a week and gets transferred back to Arkham, which he promptly escapes from. It’s a ride, I tell ya.

Aaaaand that’s about it! I hope this answered all of your questions!

[night-fallz]

It's getting better . . . right?

A (very) brief look into how Damian’s life with the League was.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ao3 // Wattpad

previous II next

I'm confused (Part 3)

Damian wanted to spend the whole afternoon in the shower. He wanted to forget everything.

He needed a break.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions for him. Everything was so confusing.

It was too much.

Although his brothers were becoming more tolerant towards him. It still felt forced.

And to make it worse, things were only getting worse at school.

Today was a good example of that.

His peers usually ridiculed him in private. Somewhere they couldn’t get caught.

They’ve never mocked him in such a public space before. Especially not a public space where adults could return at any time.

It was different.

Damian hates how he allows his mind to wonder how the outcome might’ve been different. If the librarian walked in on what they were doing to Damian, would she have tried to stop it?

Or would she just turn a blind eye?

He hoped that it wasn’t the latter. The librarian was one of the only adults in the facility that Damian could somewhat tolerate.

Out of nowhere, he felt the water become hotter and cursed.

It felt like he was back in the League and they were throwing lava at him again. He was supposed to learn two lessons during that exercise.

One: Learn how to withstand the heat.

If Damian could survive being pelted with lava, he could survive or at least tolerate any high temperature.

And if he got gravely injured or didn’t survive during the lesson? Well, there’s a reason that they had the Lazarus pit.

Any burns or scars that Damian had would dissolve. As if they never existed. It was the one thing he liked about the pit.

Without it, Damian’s whole body would be littered with scars. From the intense training sessions, he’s gone through to the punishments that he has suffered from. Scars were something that he was accustomed to.

Two: Learn how to dodge

If he didn’t want his skin to burnt because of the lava, then he better evade the numerous attacks. It didn’t matter if Damian got hit: there was a sequence on how they launched it. And they wouldn’t stop until all the gallons of lava were empty.

All the injuries that Damian received during that training session might’ve brought him a lot of pain, but it worked.

In the end, Damian believes that the torment that he had gone through was worth it because he had acquired something from it.

He could only hope that it would be the same here.

—————————————————————

Getting out of the shower was harder than Damian thought it would be. He had quickly gotten used to the boiling drops that crashed onto his skin and instantly accepted the pain.

He deserved it after all.

After a few minutes of staring at his sunken reflection, he forced himself to go back to his room.

He didn’t expect to see his siblings lounging around like they owned the place.

Damian hesitated, not knowing what to do.

“Do you guys require my assistance?”

All three heads immediately turned towards him and Grayson’s smile brightened.

“Hey baby-bat.” he greeted, “Any plans today?”

Why do they keep asking that? What do they want from me?

Damian slowly nodded, “Actually,” he lied. “I do.”

The dark-headed trio glanced at each other and Todd raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure?”

No

“Yes.”

He wants to stay home.

“So you aren’t lying?”

He is.

Damian forced a scowl on his face, “No, I’m not.”

The older bat kept pushing, “Are you positive?”

Damian kept a straight face, trying not to let his annoyance show. “Definitely,” he walked forward avoiding the spots where his brothers resided, and crossed his arms. “You guys can leave now.”

Drake walked towards him and Damian had to force himself not to flinch.

Please don’t punish me. I didn’t do anything wrong.

“So you wouldn’t mind telling us what your plans are?”

Damian raised an eyebrow, “I don’t need to tell you anything. It’s none of your business.”

Why can’t they just leave me alone?

“We just want to get to know you better, baby-bat.” Grayson gently assured. “You’ve been here for around a year and we barely know you.”

Damian tutted, “And who’s fault is that exactly?”

His. It was his fault.

Damian knew that it was his fault that no one wanted to get to know him. He was the unwanted one. The one no one expected.

He was an Al Ghul.

A murderer.

He has so much blood in between his fingers and he hasn’t even reached the age of eighteen.

Drake scoffed, “You didn’t exactly make it easy for us to get to know you.”

Of course, he’s right. Drake is always right.

“And am I supposed to care about that?” Damian retorted, “I don’t need plebeians like you to understand me. People like you aren’t-”

“Damian.” Grayson’s stern voice cut through the room like a whip. “Enough.”

“But he was- I didn’t-“ Damian’s voice sounded pitiful in his ears. “Drake was the one who started it.”

The teen scowled at him, narrowing his eyes at Damian. “Why am I not surprised that you’re shifting the blame to me?”

“I’m not shifting the blame towards anyone!” Damian screamed in frustration, trying to get his brothers to understand. “I'm telling the truth!”

The emotions that trashed inside of him for weeks have finally begun to still. As if even they’ve grown tired of trying to figure everything out.

Nothing made sense anymore.

One moment, his brother would act like how his mother would describe a family. Caring, loyal, and loving.

Then the next, they would remind Damian of how the League treated him. Cold, worthless, and unworthy.

Weren’t they supposed to be the good guys?

“What’s going on here?”

Damian turned and saw his father’s muscular frame towering over the door. The tone of his voice was calm, but Damian could see how his blue eyes seemed to rage, demanding for answers.

Damian forced his face to become neutral as he tried to explain the situation. “Father, I was ju-”

“You know, the usual.” Drake interrupted him, “The demon child acting like a brat, throwing his weight around like he owns the place.”

“I was not-”

“Damian.” his father’s voice was coated in the familiar intonation that Damian could never recognize. Was it disgust? Annoyance? Anger? A mix of all? “We’ve talked about this.”

No, they haven’t.

His father barely acknowledged Damian unless he was reporting a mission, or if he did something wrong. Sadly, it was mostly the latter.

If it wasn’t for all the training that Damian’s received, he would’ve flinched from the way his father looked at him. His gaze was filled with disgust. As if Damian was nothing but a piece of gum stuck in his shoe that he couldn’t remove.

As if he was a burden.

But isn’t that what he was?

His father gave him a final glance, “I’m benching you from being Robin until we get this attitude of yours under control.”

He heard someone mutter an “If that’s even possible.”

When Damian heard his father’s footsteps become inaudible, he forced his head up.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Grayson dragging Drake out of Damian’s room. When their eyes met, the oldest Wayne only sighed before shaking his head at Damian.

He knew Grayson well enough to know what his I-am-very-disappointed-in-you looked like.

“You should apologize.”

“What?”

“Apologize,” Todd slowly repeated, as if he was talking to a child. “You should apologize to Tim.”

“Why would I need to apologize for something that wasn’t my fault.”

Todd shut his eyes and clenched his fists before walking past Damian, muttering to himself.

“I knew we shouldn’t-”

“-bothered to try.”

“-deserved everything that happened-”

That was the last thing Damian heard before he heard his door slam shut.

Suddenly, the events of the night have finally plummeted itself towards Damian’s head.

No more Robin.

Damian felt his chest tighten and his heart seemed to race at speeds that could rival the Flash. Everything around began to spin and he couldn’t help but let out a small, frightened breath.

What was wrong with him?

His feet seemed to tremble and he fell on the floor. The room began to heat up.

The sun was against him. It was like all it wanted to do was burn Damian’s skin until there was nothing left.

Was he sweating?

Damian was definitely sweating. Why was he sweating? It’s the middle of Winter.

He couldn’t breathe.

Is he going to die?

He didn’t even get a chance to prove himself to his father.

Though, his mind couldn’t help but contemplate the possible scenarios of when they find him in the middle of his room, dead.

Would his father cry? Or would he just be relieved? Relieved at the fact that he didn’t have to watch over Damian anymore. Would they be happy that the Wayne family was finally back to being normal? Now that the smudge of brown was gone from their picture-perfect portrait.

“Calm down.” He heard a calming voice mutter, “Deep breaths.”

“Ummi?” Damian’s voice sounded muffled as his vision began to fade into the darkness, “Are you taking me home?”

A silhouette bent down to give Damian an embrace.

He didn’t feel anything but he still heard his ummi’s voice. “Deep breaths,” she repeated.

Damian forced himself to focus on the light as he followed the instructions. He couldn’t fail his ummi. She was the only one who ever loved him for him.

In

Out

His head began to ease up. The pain was slowly going away.

In

Out

He could feel his legs, it no longer felt like a mountain was on top of them.

In

Out

His vision slowly cleared up. He could see shapes begin to form as the light steadily took over the darkness.

He was going to be okay.

“Ummi?” his voice cracked.

There wasn’t anyone there.

He felt tears form on the corner of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

If he cried, it meant that Damian was weak. That he was useless. And he wasn’t.

Right?

His brothers probably hate him again because of his stupid little outburst. He was so stupid.

His father banned him from being Robin, so he probably won’t be able to see his teammates for the time being.

Why couldn’t he just keep his mouth shut?

He was all alone again.

He didn’t have enough energy to move to his bed, so he hugged his knees closer to his chest as he tried his hardest to keep his tears at bay.

Everything was back to normal.

Note:

(Damian’s emotions have been building up for quite a while now. He’s confused and frustrated. A dangerous combination for someone who wasn’t allowed to express how he felt throughout the beginning of his life.

And from my experience, it’s the smallest things that just make a person break. So when Damian was blamed for something that wasn’t his fault, he just lashed out.

Sorry for the lack of updates from the past two weeks. School sucks. It’s like my teachers barely give me any work throughout the school year just so they could dump everything in May.

Hopefully, this chapter didn’t disappoint you guys too badly. And if it did, give me some nice constructive criticism in the comments. I love reading them, no matter how harsh.)

[moongoddesskiana]

I'm just thinking about AU where you keep elements from different canons for maximum angst as well as maximum 'you done fucked up my fave' because the writers really don't understand my fave's origin story

So Jason recently left the Titans (have I ever watched more than the first 3 eps no but I've seen enough clips and fanvids) and is back to working with Bruce. They are working on a case where the criminal has diplomatic immunity, Jason goes to confront the dude who proceeds to fall off the balcony (also for kicks the dude said that no one was going to believe that Jason had nothing to do with it when Jason tried to save him and he shoved Jason off) and dies.

After this Jason is forced to go to therapy where Leslie (whom he already knows and trusts) helps him a bit though he is still very much struggling. Jason then over hears Bruce say that Jason is being too rough and is going to be taken off active duty, Jason then runs out of the manor and into Crime Alley. Bruce tracks him down and they have a conversation like the one in Titans and Jason asks Bruce not to give up on him and that he had nothing to do with the dude's death.

Not sure if I'm gonna have Bruce believe him or not, but Bruce thinks this is for the best and doesn't realize how much this fucks up Jason and worsens his feelings of being rejected. As Jason leaves the alley but is still in the neighborhood an old neighbor flags him down saying they have some of his family's old things. Jason sneaks back into his room and goes over everything in the box hoping to find some of his mom's old things, what Jason actually finds is his birth certificate. The mother's name starting with an S but otherwise unreadable. Jason doesn't feel like he has anyone to go to and tries to track down his bio mom.

Cross referencing Willis addressbook he finds 3 possibilities, I'm gonna be lazy and say that Sheila was in town for like enough time for Jason to find her in Gotham. Meanwhile Joker broke out of Arkham and Batman's on the case and thinks that Sheila's job's local warehouse known to not usually be in use is Joker's next move. Sheila tells Jason she has to go to a meeting but to meet up later when Bruce runs into Jason.

Bruce asks Jason where he's been and what is he doing on a Joker case (it's been like a week since Jason left the manor only leaving a note saying that basically reads I know when I'm not wanted don't do a obligatory search.). Jason for a second thought Bruce had been looking for him and that he actually cared until he asked what Jason was doing on a case, Jason's sense of rejection escalates.

Bruce says that Sheila workplace might be in trouble but that he was also checking out another lead. Jason tracks down Sheila to warn her that the Joker might be up to something using her work's warehouse, she's like sure kid uh huh until he shows he the Robin suit. Then Sheila says to help her search the warehouse before her meeting which was to happen at the warehouse so that they would know if anything bad was inside.

Jason says that he should call in Batman just in case when they round a corner in the warehouse and the Joker is there. Jason (in Robin suit) turns to Shelia to yell at her to run when she pulls out a gun and points it at Jason telling him "sorry kid looks like you trusted the wrong person this time."

Jason is then tied up and beaten with a crowbar, whilst Sheila sits back and smokes on a nearby crate. Jason goes unconscious and Sheila is tied to the warehouse while the Joker says there can be no witnesses. Jason tries to get them both out of there while he struggles to move, they make it to the door when he hears a timer seconds away from zero while Sheila tries to open the door. Jason covers her body with his own while resigning himself to death. The warehouse explodes.

First responders are already on the scene when Bruce gets there. Sheila is alive long enough to tell Batman that Jason was a good kid, a better kid than one she thought she would make. The first responders found Jason before Bruce did, Robin was pronounced dead on arrival.

Everything is happening in between season 2 and 3 btw, well at least until Red Hood arrives.

Dick hears about the explosion over the news and rushes to Gotham, team in hand. They miss the funeral. Dick finds out that Jason had been missing for a week before that and is pissed Bruce didn't tell him. A month later Tim forces his way into Robin and gets assistance from the Titans who welcome him with open arms.

3 months after his death Jason crawls out of his grave, Scarecrow and the League of Assassins are working together (don't ask why idk either) and Jason stumbles across a meeting. Someone notices Jason isn't responding properly and they began experimenting on him eventually realizing that one of Scarecrow's toxins makes him less fearful and respond to orders more. Talia grows to give a shit and puts him in a Lazarus Pit before she is sent away but still partly in charge. Ra's says to drug him before he wakes up and to make Jason reliant on the drugs and on the League of Assassins.

Jason is trained up for a year before they put him on the scene as a figurehead but not really in charge of anything Red Hood. Jason tries to keep civilian casualties as low as he can, tries to keep things centered on ending Gotham's crime and criminals. He makes his number one rule no drugs to kids, no harm to children, no exceptions.

Two lackeys who drugged Robin were made as examples. Jason himself was still force fed Scarecrow's toxin every day.

The code name Red Hood was one of the few things that he had been given control over a nice little Fuck you to the Joker (still alive and kicking) which he had a do not engage order for so he couldn't kill the guy himself (not that he thought he would be able to even with the toxin). Jason tries to use it as a force of change, a force of good for Gotham. Sometimes when the drugs were wearing off he wondered how much harm he was doing compared to good, and how easily he killed criminals.

The league of assassin's pulls out of Gotham for reasons Jason doesn't know about, Jason tries to get clean while an imposter with meta abilities impersonated Red Hood in order to get to Hank and does Gotham harm. The titans have been in town for most of the time btw. The meta, a telepathic shapeshifter, bumped into Jason read his mind and figured Jason Todd would be a good cover for them while they did this and they could implant memories into Jason later and no evidence would lead back to them especially because of Jason laying low and trying to detox alone.

So yeah Jason still murders people but the stuff in the show making someone snap their neck, civilian casualties that shouldn't have happened and killing Hank, that was a meta in this because I can't see even a very fucked up Jason doing those things.

Everyday the meta tracks Jason down reads his mind and implants new memories. Jason tries to get help but that keeps getting stopped or people refuse to help him for the things they think he did.

The meta is taken into custody when someone realizes that that isn't Jason because either he called one of them or one of them saw him one the street collapsing. This leads to so much confusion epically since Jason has two sets of memories the stuff he did do (duffle bag of heads) and things he didn't do (kill Hank). In the process of sorting his memories the Titans realize how much they fucked up with Jason especially when they hear him say 'Arkham is to good for me, I need to be put down, I'm poison.' After hearing him whimper in his sleep begging Bruce not to put him in Arkham, to not leave him with the Joker.

Jason and Tim mostly get along and become siblings, but Gar is the only Titan who didn't really hurt my fave from what I know. The rest didn't really treat Jason as one of them and didn't try to understand him or empathize. I heard that Kori was also okay with him but then I saw a clip from 3x08 and I was like :/

Don't have anything else currently for this idea

[ectonurites]

for the character headcannons ask game, jason and cass?

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT im putting this one under a cut because it got SUPER long bc i cant shut up ever

lets start w jason

A (realistic headcanon): 

ok using the ‘realistic’ category here loosely but GOD i love the idea of Damian & Jason having interacted while Jason was staying with the League before getting dunked in the Lazarus Pit. like. this obviously would need to be set more in preboot and following the Lost Days & Batman Annual 25 version of Jason’s resurrection, but god the idea of it just makes me scream in a good way. Like... these are things Jason likely doesn’t remember very clearly once he’s brought back to life more fully by the pit because he was uh pretty catatonic, but Damian being a little kid and knowing about the boy that his mother keeps around the base, that she’s trying to help bring back to health. Damian not even knowing that’s his big brother, just that he’s a presence that shares his mother’s attention. Jason again being unresponsive but like, ok god you know that part of lost days where Talia shows the others observing him that he only fights back at those he perceives as genuine threats trying to hurt him, 

Because Jason can perceive that she’s safe, she’s not actually trying to hurt him, he trusts her because she saved him? thinking about lil child Damian who is ya know already being trained in fighting stuff and like the idea of him trying to provoke Jason just to see what happens but Jason not fighting back because on some level be it his connection to Talia or even little baby Damian visually reminding him of Bruce, he knows that Damian is safe too 🥺 

and then when Jason and Damian meet again in Gotham as Red Hood & Robin respectively, Jason not really remembering because there was so much going on back then for him, but Damian realizing that oh... that was Him

B (hilarious): 

alright so if we are looking at comics currently, in modern stuff jason is what, like 22? hes old enough to drink in the US but still definitely early 20s so around my around my age, thats what im using as a basis here. if we adjust timeline and still consider his death having happened when he was 15, that puts it around 2013. and then coming back to like interacting with people about three years later if we still kinda base things off of the preboot timeframe (since we never got a super solid retelling of the timeline of death -> resurrection -> training -> tries to get revenge aside from knowing he went to the all-caste instead of the lost days version of the story) making him reenter the regular world and stuff around age 18 in 2016. meaning a solid three years of pop culture that he was entirely missing, and like im sorry but he really doesn’t strike me as the type to bother looking into what he missed, he’s kinda busy focusing on other stuff. lets take a quick look at some major things from those years. 2013 gave us ‘what does the fox say’ and ‘the harlem shake’ . 2014 had that time U2 just put a fuckin album on everyone’s phones, The Fault In Our Stars movie came out. 2015 introduced the phrase ‘Netflix and Chill’ and the whole blue & black vs gold & white dress debate happened. imagine any of the other batkids (or even arguably roy during rhato stuff) bringing these things up and jason’s ensuing confusion. thank you for your time

C (heart-crushing): 

so. there are two specific instances from rebirth era Jason i want to bring up here and much like a lot of these it’s less a headcanon and more of an inference based on observations, but i wanna take a sec to discuss Jason’s relationship with other people’s death. early in rebirth, Tim ‘dies’ from that whole thing in detective comics. he didn’t actually die, we as readers know, but in-universe they all very much so thought he was dead. frustratingly a lot of the batfam wasn’t really shown mourning him aside from in the Detective Comics Rebirth title itself (which just. when a major character dies even if its temporary- that should have a ripple effect) BUT an exception to that is in RHATO 2016, where we get this offhanded comment in Jason’s internal monologuing

similarly later when Roy, who like, had an incredibly close relationship w Jason that had just gotten mended before Heroes in Crisis, gets fuckin murdered in that whole thing... Jason doesn’t go to his funeral either. He leaves a dramatic voice mail and then visits the grave on his own later, choosing to instead keep working on the mission they’d started rather than going and taking the time to mourn properly.

Jason’s relationship with death is incredibly complicated, obviously. He has died, he has come back, and he now is willing to cross the line most other bats won’t and will kill people when he deems it necessary. I think thats something important though- he doesn’t just like... go around killing for fun (usually, some writers preboot made him a little murder happy but even then usually this still was vaguely followed) he kills people he thinks deserved it. Like, even looking back at the mess of Morrison’s Jason during Batman & Robin 2009, Jason was still trying to bring a sense of justice with who he was killing (”punishment that fits the crime”), it wasn’t killing for the sake of killing. He sees things in this kind of almost black and white ‘people who deserve it’ and ‘people who don’t’ way, and he has no problem dealing with death when it’s with the people he thinks deserve it. 

but when someone who doesn’t in his mind ‘deserve it’ gets killed? i think he just goes into total avoidance mode. throws himself into other things he’s doing, tries not to dwell on it too much no matter how much he still thinks about it (this is especially evident in him consistently telling people “i’m fine!” after what happened to Roy, despite bringing Roy up literally like every few issues for a WHILE after he died and very clearly still struggling with it, Artemis is the only one who gets through to him on it a little bit) 

but yeah, I just think that from Jason’s relatively unique situation of having been murdered, he knows what it’s like and he is perfectly fine wishing that on people he thinks are bad and deserve it, but it crushes him to imagine the people he loves and cares about having to experience something as painful as what he went through. not to mention the whole “I came back, why do I get a second chance at all this when they, who are a much better person than I am, probably won’t” mindset we get some implications of him having 

D (canon is a coward and won’t) 

hello DC i am once again insisting a batfam member is bisexual

CASS TIME

A (realistic headcanon): 

ok so we know cass likes ballet. thats canon. however i think we also should in general explore cass experiencing other types of dance/performance as well, be it herself as a performer or even just watching. like... god imagine her & like my brain just automatically for group activities puts her with tim steph and duke but also for this in particular I feel would be a Jason embraced activity, but like them going to see a broadway show or some other professional theatre or something, and her just being enthralled by the reading of body language of the performers! like again by any point in current stuff cass does have like, the ability to speak fine (reading still hard tho) but even so I think like. okay im a theatre kid if that’s not obvious from the Everything About Me but one thing I always do after seeing a show is ya know spend dinner afterwards discussing it with whoever i saw it with.

I just think that like, bringing those people i just mentioned to the table to discuss seeing a show after would be so FASCINATING because cass would bring this whole perspective of critiquing their acting on a whole different level- not based on how well they delivered lines out loud, but by what their body language was saying as they moved on stage. like im very amused by the idea of cass getting a totally different picture in her mind about what a character’s motivations were because she was paying way more attention to what their physicality was saying vs the words that were written and how they were delivered. i think the debates her and the others would have would be EPIC there. jason defending the text as it was written adamantly and cass being like ‘ok yeah sure but thats not what they did’

B (hilarious): 

cass having no concept of money because why would she bother? is SO funny to me. like it’s not that she couldn’t be reasonable if she wanted to, but like, she knows that the Waynes are well off so it’s not something she actually needs to be concerned about, so she just goes hog wild. takes steph out to fancy dinners and makes steph order for them since cass ya know doesn’t really read the menus, and steph’s like ‘jesus christ this costs-” “don’t worry about it” “but cass-” and she just holds up one of bruce’s credit cards and steph’s still like “but you don’t even know the range-” “it is fine”

bruce does not have the heart to tell her to stop

C (heart-crushing): 

i mean this is pretty much canon but especially now after death metal where she’s remembering, not just being told by a guy using weird alternate timeline technology, that she used to be an adopted member of the Wayne family... like that hurts so bad. To look at these people who have ya know been kind to her, Bruce has still been a father-like figure to her (i mean literally from the moment they met in New 52 canon during the flashback in Batman & Robin Eternal, where he’s telling her that she’s not a monster just because of what people forced her to do.... that she’s a hero... that hug.... dad behavior), and they do to some extent treat her as family... But to then really know, to feel and remember that she was actually adopted! She was a part of their family. To look at how she’s been calling herself Orphan while working with them this whole time... that’s so heartbreaking! I have cried about this idea so much! I want so badly a conversation between her and Bruce now where he offers to officially adopt her again, I need it so bad and if it doesn’t happen at some point in the next year or two I will be so distraught.

D (canon is a coward and won’t) 

i want an in-depth exploration of cass’ relationship to her own gender. being raised without language and you know with so much of her life being independent (remember: CASS RAN AWAY AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING ANY SPOKEN LANGUAGE) and outside of an organized society impressing too much of gender expectations on her, i feel like the way she experiences it would be very unique! like sure she’s so far been fine with being assigned ‘girl’ (ya know that comes with batgirl, and how people just automatically treated her based on how she looks) but in terms of gender expression and like her actual relationship with ‘traditional femininity’ etc like... because of how she was raised I just think she’d have a really different perspective on it that could be cool to explore, and I think she’d fall outside of the binary after she really thinks about how she identifies.

tldr on that: she/they nb cass is what i’m getting at here

[octalove]

V: Letting Lie

(Batgirl/Red Hood)

Description: There’s a breakthrough in the case, and Reader takes things into her own hands. Part one, two, three, and four.

The hospital was white. All white. Like a dream. White walls, white floors, white curtains, white stretchers, white papers fluttering around on clipboards, doctors in white coats. Mr. Wayne’s suit was black, so I focused on him. Black suit, blue tie. Black hair, blue eyes. He was filling out whatever paper the nurse had given him. Something about seeing it all play out, despite the face he had put on for me, made my eyes well up with tears. He was afraid, so I was afraid.

“Mr. Wayne?” His eyes shot up as he looked desperately at the nurse. He was so helplessly at the mercy of whatever news they brought us. We both were. “Will you come with us? We’ll have a nurse stay with the girl.” The nurse looked down at me with a warm smile. White teeth.

“We need to borrow Mr. Wayne for just a second. That okay, baby?” I just nodded, not really considering it something I could say no to. No, please, I want him to stay. I’m scared and I want him to stay. A male nurse came and sat by me. He talked to me about school, my favorite subjects- science, math. He asked me what I wanted to be, and I shrugged.

“People who like science and math make good doctors.” He said. I shrugged again, but then considered it more.

“Is it hard?” I asked.

“It’s very hard. Not a lot of people can do it.”

“…”

“But it’s worth it. You help people, you know?”

Mr. Wayne appeared from around the corridor. The look on his face made all the papers stop fluttering. Made all the doctors stop rushing. Made the world stop where it was. Somewhere, maybe, in retrospect, I knew before he said it. I kept my eyes trained on his face, even though I wanted to look away.

“Y/N…” He said, taking a seat beside me. “Listen to me, sweetpea. Your parents-” His voice was cautious, considerate as he tried again. “Your moms got hurt really badly tonight… They- they’re both…“ A tear landed on my hand as the memory grew into a reality, which was bigger than I was. White sheets, red blood. He took my hand, and wiped it away.

“They’re gone now.”

*

They didn’t talk about Jason Todd.

And since they were the only people in his life at the time he died, nobody talked about Jason Todd. We met a couple of times, before Bruce took me in. I hated my expensive gowns, and he hated his expensive obligations, and we hid together at parties, all the while Dick insisted we’d get married. He lived, albeit briefly, as a smart, capable boy, and died as a smart, capable Robin. I had trouble looking at his face- pictures and old year books. When I did, I was looking into the face of a boy who died an untimely, tragic death. That was it. That was his story. Jason Todd died alone, afraid, and probably in a lot of pain. I went to his funeral.

If at all he came up (I could only think of one or two occasions), Bruce would tense, his eyes falling away, and Alfred’s gaze would cloud with memory. Dick, at least, could share a story or two, coveting the fondness and pride he had for his brother without dismissing the whole subject. Tim and Damian didn’t ask. They just tried not to die with the uniform on.

So walking into the cave and seeing Jason Todd’s face plastered on the central monitor seemed like the single most unlikely thing to occur in the Wayne household. I would’ve placed Bruce adopting another child before digging up and displaying dead ones.

Tim, Dick, and Babs were huddled close, faces wound and tight, while Bruce looked distracted, fascinated with his W.E. ballpoint pen. I dragged my feet a little to alert them all of my entry, but only Babs looked up.

“Y/N.” She said.

“Hey. What’s going on?”

Everyone just sort of concluded that someone else would explain, or take the lead, but no one made any attempt to do so. Finally, Bruce sighed.

“Come here. Sit down.” Okay. If there was anything in the world that could make your intestines feel like they were getting turned to ramen noodles by a paper shredder, it was Bruce Wayne telling you to come here, sit down. I searched the others’ faces as I did so.

“What happened?” I asked quietly, trying to fill the chasmic silence.

“I’m going to go over everything. Do you remember…” He trailed off- just for a second. It wasn’t often I saw him battle with something like that. His face was tired, and his eyes revealed a struggle as he fought whatever emotion he was grappling with. “Do you remember Jason?”

I nodded. “Sort of.” An echoing memory passed. Lacy table cloth curtains and chocolate covered strawberries as we camped under gala snack tables, whispering and laughing. Bruce watching me when my parents went out of town, and Jason giving me a tour of the library. The red roses on his burial. Sure, sort of. His blurry picture was on the monitor, anyway.

“Okay. Very good.” Bruce began again, perhaps relieved he would have to go into detail to refresh my memory.

“We’ve been putting a lot of information together regarding the Red Hood. We’ve been able to deduce his origins were The Viper House, but before that, Arkham. He began working out of the Asylum, and contacts there had a lot of information about him.”

That, I didn’t know. I supposed I wasn’t the only one slinking around in shadows. He was addressing everyone now, going through visuals on the monitor.

“He began to placate what was left of Joker’s operations in Coventry before he started on general crime. Oracle was even able to get some information from Harley Quinn.” I looked at Babs with some surprise, and she just nodded along.

“The very first sighting of him- in Coventry- was April 27th, seven months ago. The fifth anniversary of…”

I nodded. I knew what April 27th was. A vapid, despairing day in the manor that Bruce spent in his office and Dick didn’t call. I didn’t follow, but if Bruce had linked Jason’s death to Red Hood, I knew he must have something big.

“All of the information we gathered, on top of his intimate knowledge of us, vigilante or otherwise, has lead us to a clear conclusion. The encounter in Crime Alley on the 21st was just another confirmation.”

I almost flinched as my eyes flew to Tim, but no one seemed particularly interested in me. I texted him quickly, careful to avoid Bruce’s eye.

You told him?

- I told him I was the one who saw it. It was important information.

Shit, Tim. Was he mad?

He didn’t answer, looking back up to the briefing. I slid my phone into my pocket, guilt weighing in my chest alongside the other myriad of emotions building.

“He’s been around longer than seven months. Much longer. And it began with Jason’s death.”

I furrowed my brow, putting together a puzzle with with bent, broken edges, like trying to fit a triangle into a square-shaped hole- just one angle missing.

“Are you saying… Joker didn’t kill Jason? That this guy did?” My body felt cold.

Bruce looked at Dick, who didn’t return his gaze. Then, he turned back to me.

“I’m saying... that Jason is Red Hood.”

I let confusion twist on my face. “What? How? That’s not possible. You think he lived? We- I mean, we had a funeral.”

Dick shook his head, answering on Bruce’s behalf. “He did die, but… are you familiar with the Lazarus Pit?”

I went over my tangling thoughts. The crime scenes. The anger. The vigilante justice packaged in a case of blood and bullets, shipped right to Gotham’s largest looming criminals. The warehouse, the alley. The button. The leather on his gloves as he ran his fingers along my face and pressed it, leaving me all alone.

Tell Batman,

It was all falling in line; bubbling up and searing together like hot, melding flesh pulled together in the burning waters of the Lazarus.

I’m getting impatient.

“So… what are you going to do?” I asked.

Dick’s face was pained. Solemn. “I… we want to try to talk to him. There’s a reason he’s doing all this, and there’s a reason he chose now. If we want to figure it out, we have to find him.”

I swallowed. “I can help.”

“No.” Bruce declared swiftly. “Absolutely not. The only thing we know about him is that he’s dangerous. Red Hood may have Jason’s DNA, but we need to work under the assumption that he isn’t the same person.”

I could answer that. He wasn’t.

“Do not look for him. Do not engage him. Is that clear?” He was talking to me, Tim, and Damian. We all nodded.

“Any unapproved interaction could jeopardize the case, and give him more insight into our movements. We want to try and remain one step ahead. That is all.” The explanation was for Damian, who operated on bargains, not orders. Again, we all nodded. After a moment, I sighed.

“Well… I have school in the morning. Will you tell me if you learn anything else?” I asked. The three of them nodded, and Dick muttered a ‘goodnight’. I turned, mind working against the grain of what I should do and what I wanted to do.

Just go to bed, I willed myself.

Just go.

*

Night fell, black and smoggy. The sea was hissing and writhing, unsettled with the gale of a promised storm. I wasn’t entirely certain what would catch Red Hood’s attention. It seemed that our history comprised of him finding us, and not the other way around. Gotham Docks seemed like a good place to start. Ever since Kuznetsov was found in his watery grave, his men belonged to Hood. They moved drug imports that came to Port Adams- actual drugs- pharmaceuticals, over-the-counters, hydrocodone, acetaminophen; all legal things. But Gotham City taxed the living hell out of medicine imports, so people like Kuznetsov (may he rest in peace) smuggled them in fishing vessels for cheap, and got them into the hands of big pharma and medicare companies for a lot of money.

I’d picked a cozy spot on the roof of a bait shop that made me feel safely invisible as my eyes swept over the docks. Batman didn’t typically prioritize crime of this caliber; over the counter meds weren’t going to blow anyone’s heads off the way crazy clowns and mafia bosses were. It made the busy henchmen on the boardwalks nice and blatant. It wasn’t hard to find tonight’s operation.

I needed to make a scene. Make some noise, throw out some names- one name in particular. Wherever he was, I hoped it’d be enough to make it worth dropping in. I was used to making quick, efficient work of criminals, not stalling. Making a scene meant no disappearing in shadows, or quieting the sound of my breath.

There were a couple of men dollying crates in and out of a packaging plant. Disguised as fishermen, naturally. As they approached the building, several feet from the propped-open door, I dropped. Embracing the momentum, my weight striking the old wood made a salient sound, and sent the startled men gasping and staggering backward.

“Holy shit!”

“B-Batma-

“B-B-Batgirl?” I clipped. “Were you gonna say Batgirl?” It didn’t really matter which bat they thought it was. The fear all worked to the necessary effect.

“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary,” The man muttered, scooting backward along the wood as I let my step fall heavy against it.

“Where is he?” I asked, drumming up my vicious, raspy voice, like smoke on the sea.

“Where-where’s who?” He stuttered. The other man was taking advantage of my focus and scrambling to his feet. Any second, he would bolt into the building. Perfect.

“Red. Hood.” I said, loud enough that the fleeing man would hear.

“I don’t know! Hand to god, I don’t know!” The man on the ground pleaded. I looked down at him, letting the fear and shadow distort my face.

“I don’t believe you.” I kicked him in the chest, sufficiently knocking the wind out of him, but left him there, turning my attention to the packaging plant.

Adrenaline was in my limbs, pushing and pulling with the running blood under my skin. When was the last time I had a good fight? Carjackings and bank robberies felt so small, and predictable. Everything was always stable. Batman always had it under control, watching dutifully from rooftops, appearing in split second if I needed help.

Tonight, Batman wasn’t here. I felt no eyes on my back, no voices in my ear. It was under control, but it was my control.

The men inside had already sufficiently scattered. I didn’t bother to hush my footsteps as I entered. The icy breeze from the open door made my cape flutter, despite its weight- and that was the only sound.

Suddenly, boots on concrete, and a man let out a defiant cry as he shot toward me, with a rusted tire iron raised above his head. I moved on practiced instinct, side stepping and leaving him stumbling, before delivering a hard, well-aimed kick that he wasn’t getting up from. Two other men concluded (incorrectly) if they went together, they could take me.

It was a blur of fists and make-shift weapons comprised of packaging tools, but they were easy to parry and subdue. I kicked the second one back with enough force to send him through a thin wooden partition, which cracked and splintered under his weight. I swung my eyes around the scene.

“Anyone else?” I knew they were there. Tucked behind conveyor belts and crouched low, using fish barrels for cover. No one answered the call of duty.

“I’ll ask again,” I called. “Where. Is. Red. Hood?”

Suddenly, a flash of color, and I went backward and downward, catching myself enough that my arm slid across the concrete instead of my face. I let out a sharp breath just in time to dodge another blow.

“All this,” The computerized tilt of his voice couldn’t smother the anger in it. “For little old me?”

I kept my eyes trained on his hands, because I could entertain close combat, but knew I’d need to bolt if he drew his guns. That didn’t appear to be his intention. I dipped away from one of his swings, but he swiped at the fabric of my cape, grip closing, and used it to heave me into a barrel. I gasped at the force of it as I reckoned with shattered wood. Barely recovering, I rolled out of the way as he swung low. I went for the door, figuring I could use a little more space, since he had a hundred pounds and a few feet on me.

Outside, a frigid wind was cascading across the docks, biting my skin and casting droplets of salt water all around. Red Hood moved imposingly slow-paced, attending the cuff of his jacket sleeve, while I put a hand on the railing and tried to find my footing again.

“There are easier ways to get my attention, sweet thing.” Drawing to a halt, he didn’t look like he was going to attack me again, so I wiped the blood from my lip and straightened.

“Sorry. You forgot..” I was still breathing heavily. “To give me.. your number… last time.”

He laughed; a terrible, beautiful thing. “I guess I did, didn’t I?”

I fought to remember why I was here, and consequently, tried to pull together Jason Todd with the faceless man before me. They seemed to foil one another- a triangle through a square-shaped hole.

“So what do you want?” He asked, more serious this time. Though a reasonable question, it almost sounded rhetorical for the sheer lack of curiosity in it. I swallowed.

“Show me your face.” I said. It was so quiet, so hushed by the jeering sea that I was surprised when he tilted his head in response.

“Liked our little game that much? Had to crack a few skulls just to play it again?” I was frustrated, wishing he would come close, like he had in the alley, and let me touch him. Let me push away the helmet and know.

I tried to convey my seriousness with a look, but he just rolled his shoulders.

“Is that all, little bird?” He seemed annoyed; like I’d dragged him here only to concern myself with the small matter of his secret identity. The secret identity of Gotham’s most prolific crimelord. I wanted to make him understand, but I didn’t know what to say. He didn’t say anything else, either. He didn’t say “no” or “whatever” or “goodbye”. He just started walking away.

Jason.

Suddenly, I stopped myself. What if he wasn’t? What if Bruce was wrong? I’d throw out a name- an accusation- at a monstrous stranger who had no connection to me or my family. He’d laugh his terrible laugh and know that the world’s greatest detectives weren’t so great after all. Nervousness consumed me, tightening around my throat, placating me while I watched his form get smaller as he walked away, the darkness threatening to swallow him up.

“Jason!”

He stopped. His boots dragged to a jarring halt on the wood. Slowly, then, he turned around. The shadows were long and cast over him, turning his helm the color of old blood.

“Come back.” I said. “Please.”

His body language was unreadable, a mix between relaxed and hesitant that left him standing there, looming, and left me unsure as to whether he was going to leave, or pull a glock on me. Then, he lifted his hands. His thumbs dragged beneath his jaw methodically, until there came a hiss from his helmet, and he pulled it off.

“Jason.” I repeated. My voice was tight. It shook. His gaze followed me in the dark before he approached, gate slow and heavy, and sat down on a fishing crate.

“What? Do I look different? Put on a little weight?” Maybe he was joking- I couldn’t tell. The soft rasping of his voice startlingly contrasted the voice scrambler, and blended with the bubbling waters below our feet. But something eerie laced it. It was still foreign to me. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

I had previously thought I might be able to do this; face him. After all- I should be happy to see him again, alive after five years of Bruce’s grief and wretched hollowness. Years of operating in the long, dark shadow cast by his headstone. But somehow, the man before me was instead a confirmation. A walking death certificate. Jason Todd- the other Jason Todd- was still gone. Bronze skin, of which small, light colored scars adorned. Midnight hair mussed from his helmet, leaving a couple strands to fall over his dark eyes; eyes that used to hold warmth, and now held a malefic coldness. When I drank in the features of his face, I found my chalice empty. He didn’t approach me this time- didn’t draw near enough to feel his heat. Just sat there, elbows resting on his thighs, leaning forward and looking at me. I had trouble holding his gaze, but I did. Then, he gave me a chilling grin.

“Did you miss me?”

His voice knocked something loose, as my mind placed him as a memory. Someone I’d actually known. I had a million burning questions. “How? What happened?”

He pulled out a cigarette, shrugging. “I’ve been busy. Dying’s a lotta work.”

“Why- why are doing this?” This being spending seven months as the most prolific crimelord in Gotham. There was a spark of his lighter. Using his hand to shield the flame from the winds and misting water, it nurtured an orange glow on his face, bathing his skin in auburn light for just a moment. I blinked, and it was extinguished, replaced, again, by the blue darkness. He took a deep drag.

“Know how I died, dollface?” He asked. I did, so I nodded.

“Remember what happened to the bastard who killed me? After.” I studied him, still reeling a bit from accepting the man before me as the boy he’d been. I remembered there was another attack after Jason’s death. Joker took forty pounds of C4 to a shopping center in Fashion district at the beginning of May. Amidst the rubble were Robin: Missing posters. Bruce didn’t make them. Joker kept up his streak thereafter. He didn’t stop until his death, last year.

“Nothin’.” Jason supplied the answer. A hard, bitter, sorrowful nothing. It burned cold, like an inverse flame.

“Batman doesn’t kill. He doesn’t kill, and killers do. So they walk, and keep killing, and he calls it justice.”

I let it all sink in. Batman was the only thing standing between Gotham and complete corruption. I saw, in my memory, all the people I’d helped. All the victims who’d ever clung to me or thanked me through tears. All the pride I’d ever felt carrying the mantle. Batman didn’t kill because you can’t go back from killing. If he did, it wouldn’t be vigilantes against criminals- it’d be dogs eating dogs. Domestic war. Jason had been Robin. Surely he understood the philosophy of it?

But, then, what did it get him? He took those philosophies to the grave. When he finally crawled back out, he did what anyone with a vendetta might do. He overcorrected.

“Tell me somethin’, little bird.” His eyes leveled steadily on mine as I looked back up. “You call that justice?” I swayed under the intensity of it. I was afraid to disagree with him, but I didn’t even know if I wanted to. There were a lot of times I watched Joker slip through Batman’s hands, free to blow up another shopping center, when he could’ve stopped him if he just-

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

He got up, cigarette hanging from his lips, gaunt eyes burning through the blue dark.

“I think you do.”

The sea hissed, and the wind writhed, and I watched as the night swallowed him up.

[black-streak]

Waiting for the Worms - Outside the Wall

Part 19

Hey guys, very short, laid back chapter. I finished up writing my timari spitefest work and then immediately had a 6 month old puppy brought into my life. She likes sleeping on my hand. If you guys want, I'll post a picture of her, but the point is that writing may slow down significantly due to training and cuddles. Sorry this is almost more of a filler.

Wonderfully patient CLOSED taglist: @northernbluetongue @thethirdwheelfriend @shizukiryuu @theatreandcomicfreak @michellemagic @karategirl119 @moonlightstar64 @my-name-is-michell @mystery-5-5 @zalladane @queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm @miraculousdisapointment @dorkus-minimus @jardimazul @allthebooksandcrannies @g-arya @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @persephonescat @mycupisbroken @luciferge @18-fandoms-unite-08 @dawnwave16 @alwaysreblogneverpost @kris-pines04 @emjrabbitwolf @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @weird-pale-blonde-person @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @kokotaru @naclychilli @slytherinhquinn @clumsy-owl-4178 @ladybug-182 @darkthunder1589 @evil-elf16 @dast218 @lysslovsanime @emilytopaz @naoryllis @iloontjeboontje @thepeacetea @danielslilangel @finallyaniguana @i-like-fairytail-and-stuff @vixen-uchiha @yuulxd @bleeding-heart-romantic @magic-inthe-stars @st0rmy-w1th1n

~---~

Walking through the portal, Jason took in the sight of his team dropping their transformations one at a time, taking no mind to the kid who walked in behind him. Guess it didn't really matter. What are the chances he would recognize them in any manner that mattered? Plus, they wanted the kid to feel comfortable here. That he could trust them.

Marinette walked over to him, barely glancing at the awkward Robin standing out of place.

"Alright, reprieve is over. You'll never adjust to your body this way," she said with an apologetic smile, lacing their fingers together and both loosening their crushing grip on their bond they'd been holding for the last two hours. As they both relaxed their minds, they slipped back into their own bodies, souls settling happily into their rightful place. 

Placed properly, Jason turned towards the Robin in the room, offering a lopsided smirk, "Welcome to the shitshow."

He shuffled his feet, "I don't plan…"

"On staying. Yes, we know Timothy. It's okay," Marinette helped him out, smile soft.

His shoulders tensed and narrowed eyes stared them down, staying quiet.

"Look, replacement, we're not trying to intimidate you or anything. We know Bruce's identity. Comes with being one of his charity cases, you know? It's not difficult to figure out which kid ended up in his care next," he intoned, trying to help Timothy see their lack of intentions towards revealing his identity.

"We only thought it fair you should be made aware of what exactly we know. I imagine it would be quite unsettling to think you had the upper hand on us only to find out later that we knew the whole time," Marinette chimed in next.

They watched as his face screwed up with an off put expression only to nod his assent, "That would bother me more, yeah."

"My name is Marinette," she put her hand out towards him, waiting patiently.

"Tim," he carefully shook her hand, staying almost formal despite the informal correction, "So the part about you getting stuck in the former Robin's body during his death. That's why you share the madness you mentioned before?"

"Lazarus Pit insanity. So fun. Definitely recommend," Jason decided to butt in, noticing the way Tim focused on Marinette the moment they switched bodies, "we were both dipped in a way, though she got the short end of the stick. My body, her soul."

"So some of it transferred due to it contaminating her soul then?" Tim asked, finally looking at him.

"Pretty much. Splitting it up this way makes it easier to handle," Marinette answered.

Tim seemed to consider this for a moment, "why are you answering me so willingly?"

"What purpose would hiding it serve?" He countered, receiving a surprised silence in response.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that out there. I'm sure that couldn't have been pleasant," Marinette slowly brought her hand to his shoulder, leaving plenty of time to move if the kid decided the contact was unwanted. When Tim allowed it, eyes still almost glaring, she smiled up at Jason and led the boy further into the room while he followed behind.

Zeroing in on where Marc stood on the phone, he gave a curious look only for Marc to end the call and curiously glance at the screen before turning back to the room at large, "That was Alfred. He can't make it here for a few days due to the giant man baby that's currently throwing a fit, but apparently someone else will be coming by tomorrow to speak to you two," This was partially directed towards Tim, but mostly to himself, "Said one would know her as a bat, the other as the eye in the sky."

"Barbara's coming? Oh great! It's been entirely too long since we've seen her!" Mari perked up, "did he say when to expect her?"

"Around eleven," they easily replied, picking their way over towards the trio, "sorry about holding you down by the way. Couldn't let you get caught up in that mess. My name is Marc," was directed at Robin.

"So… you were the mice?"

"They were the mice, yes. I'm Juleka. I was the one who brought you to the portal."

"The fox then, and you were likely the cat?" Tim directed towards Kagami.

"Kagami. In the next room over is Chloe."

"The one who opened the portal."

Jason felt a strange sense of appreciation for how quickly Tim placed the identities together. As well as a sense of dread. This kid was too bright, too sharp, based on what Mari told him, to be so easily fooled by Bruce. To not see how toxic that environment was. What happened to his replacement to make him so willing to overlook it all?

At this point a small hand slipped into his as Chloe introduced herself to the boy, having entered the room a moment before. Looking down, he took note of Damian huddling closer to him, watching the scene unfold.

"Another one?" The kid grumbled, tightening the grip on his hand and looking none too pleased, "I know you said I'd have to adjust to new people, but isn't this a bit much?"

"I don't know, kid, you seem pretty accepting of me," Jason tilted his head, watching the kid stiffen slightly, a blush overcoming his face.

"I hadn't realized you changed back yet," Damian replied, though he remained gripping his hand as they watched Tim interact with the others, "Will they all leave already?" The kid added, drawing his eyes back down to the uncomfortable shifting. Glancing at the clock, he figured he might as well indulge Damian every now and then.

"Chloe, lead the herd, would you?" He asked, maintaining eye contact to get his point across.

"Alright you lot, time to head out. Surely Robin won't be too comfortable around all of us for very long."

There was a touch of an argument over this, but eventually the team picked themselves up around the apartment and headed out, saying they might stay away for a few days. Jason caught the grateful smile on Marinette's face and took his small victory in how Damian pulled him back a little when he moved, as though afraid he might leave as well. 

When the apartment quieted down and everything went still, he took a deep breath and led the kid over towards the kitchen, feeling Marinette move behind him to follow. He set a pot onto the stove and filled it with milk to heat up, turning to look through the cabinets while it heated up, "Have you ever had Hot Chocolate, kid?"

"You mean melted? Once. I was given a piece to hide, but it melted a bit," Damian answered, sounding disappointed, though at only having it once or having to admit letting it melt, he wasn't sure, "Why?"

"Not quite what I meant. But I'll take it as a no. We're gonna have some tonight then," Jason responded, pulling down a bag of milk chocolate chips. They'd have to do. He pulled his hand up to ruffle the kid's hair, chuckling as he yanked back with a sneer, shuffling over to duck into Marinette's side, who'd been holding easy conversation with Tim all the while, carefully not commenting on the way the Robin pulled off his mask carefully and was beginning to calm down now that there weren't as many people. Jason chose this moment to eavesdrop, now that he no longer had to occupy Damian.

"Why's the new one still here?"

"Damian, this is Tim. He needed a place to stay."

"Why does it have to be here?"

"The same one who wronged Jason and I has wronged him as well. I imagine being around people who understand his position and won't judge him helps."

Jason chose to speak up now, "Marinette took you in when you had no one. When the two of you understood each other and felt connected for it. That's how you came to be family. He and I have a similar understanding."

"So he is family to you?"

"Nah, think more like when you first met her."

"You are… Wanting to protect him despite not personally knowing him. Instinct."

"Now you got it," he responded, pouring four mugs of the beverage, ignoring the calculating gaze between his shoulder blades. Then went about handing them out despite Tim's reassurance that he was fine, "drink it or don't, won't bother me either way, but I'm not going to leave you out."

Damian remained silent up until this point, observing the young teen curiously before passing his final judgement, "okay, as long as he sticks with you," the unspoken threat to keep away from Marinette did not go unheard.

"No one will take your place in my heart, little one. That place was created for you. If I become close to anyone else, they'll have to find their own place. Yours is occupied," she assured, as they both pretended not to hear his unbelieving grumbles. That lesson would be learned with time. 

Through it all, Tim kept to himself, sipping slowly and watching their interactions. Jason couldn't know what the boy thought, but if he had to wager a guess, he probably felt suspicious over how open and honest they were. Confused by their relation to Damian, but unsure if it was safe to ask. Likely, the teen just wasn't sure what to make of it all and wouldn't for quite a while. 

It'll take time and reassurance, probably even multiple visits from Alfred and Barbara to convince Tim that this was a safe place for him, but they had time to spend.

[rhub4rb]

Home is Where the Heart is

AO3

[First Chapter] - [Previous Chapter] - Next Chapter

-_-_-_-

The smell of freshly baked bread was the first thing Marinette noticed as she came to. Then she heard her mother calling her from downstairs, and warmth filled her, simply because of the familiarity of it all. It brought tears to her eyes, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why.

Running a hand through her hair (Marinette could have sworn it was short and not long anymore), letting out a tired sigh, before swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. Her body was sore, and as she stretched, she heard the satisfying cracks and pops from her back, sighing again, but this time in contentment.

Marinette looked around her pink bedroom, her eyes landing on the sleeping form of Tikki, bringing a fond smile on her lips. She would wake up the kwami later, Marinette thought as she checked her phone. It was Saturday, and as far as she could remember, she didn't have any plans. She could Tikki sleep in then.

"Marinette?" She hears her Maman call again.

"Coming!"

She looked at Tikki again, her smile warm and content, before opening the hatch to her room and going down.

Everything was right where it should be.

-

"How do you know about that?" Bruce's voice was sharp and cutting as he snapped at the kwami of destruction, an expression of rage and confusion overtaking his features.

"I can sense death, old man," Plagg huffed as if insulted. Then, he grinned, his cat-like appearance becoming more apparent, if possible. "and just so you know, so can Marinette."

A stillness entered the dining room which hadn't been there before, not even when Plagg or Wayzz had revealed themselves at first.

"Are you implying something, cat?" Bruce hissed, which seemed to annoy Plagg more than anything.

"Other than you guys being terrible at keeping secrets? No, nothing at all," Plagg said 

A growl could be heard from Bruce, but he seemed to bite it back, thinking better than to retort another time at an already upset pocket god.

Awkwardness filled in along with the silence, Plagg seemingly not caring about the news he shared with the family, as if it was obvious Marinette had known, and maybe it was. Not that the family knew that.

Jon looked worriedly from Plagg to the rest of the family, as if trying to find something to say that could diffuse the situation at all, but he stayed quiet, his brows furrowed in thought as he mulled everything over.

"So she's known our identities all this time?" Tim asked.

"Not all the time," Plagg said, in a tone that implied he thought of them all as idiots. "I think she figured it out after her first or second night here."

"Why didn't she tell us she knew?" Dick asked, his voice sounding much less accusing than the rest of the family.

"You didn't tell her and she has no use for the information anyway," Plagg shrugged. "She was waiting for you to feel comfortable to tell her yourselves if you were even going to."

The awkward stillness returned, but this time, everyone n the room thought of every interaction they previously had with Marinette. It made Tim pause.

"You can't take care of anything if you don't take care of yourself first."

Had she known then? Maybe that was what had given it all away. If she knew who they were, then she also knew that Tim was the one who she fought.

"When you say that she can sense death—" Jason started.

"You reek of Lazarus pit," Plagg said, giving Jason a look. "I think you gave her nausea that first dinner, and not just from your awful people skills."

Tim snorted, but he tried to stifle it as Jason glared his way.

"Marinette will probably want to help you with that, you too,"  Plagg said, looking at Damian. "You don't reek as bad as the Walking Dead over there, but your soul is not as clear as it could be."

Wayzz waved Plagg off, probably to get the cat to stop talking.

"This is a conversation to have when Marinette is awake," Wayzz said, interrupting them before they could continue. "and that may not be until this winter season is over."

Everyone, save for Plagg and Wayzz, froze. That was 3 months. Alfred looked at the two kwamis, panicked.

"The balance-"

"Is not as important as Marinette recovering," Plagg cut the butler off with a heated glare. "and there's nothing we can do about it without her, anyways. Even if we were to get a new Guardian, which we won't," he stressed, "Marinette would be the one to hand over the Guardian title, which she needs to be awake to do so. Not that it matters, because it won't happen."

If looks could kill, Alfred would have been dead where he stood. Considering it was the very embodiment of destruction that was glaring at him, maybe that wasn't so far off.

"Alfred brings up a fair point," Damian said suddenly, and the glare was quickly directed in his direction. "you're valuing the life of one person over that of the entire world."

"Someone has to," Plagg snipped. "and considering it won't be any of you guys, it might as well be us."

"The Order is supposed to be unbiased," Alfred said, regaining his bearings.

"Which is why Marinette is the Guardian," Wayzz said, not letting Plagg any closer to the family as he could see the kwami of destruction wanted to. "Marinette is more than willing to sacrifice her own life for that of the rest of the world."

That finally seemed to shut the family up. Jon looked heartbroken knowing this, even if it was something he started to realize deep down.

"But she will wake up, right?" Jon asked, and it was the first time he asked the kwamis anything directly, he realized.

Wayzz looked at him with a gentle smile on his face and flew up in front of Jon, landing on the hand Jon extended for him.

"Marinette is strong, she will return. Despite everything, she is not the type to give up."

It was weird, hearing how others, how tiny gods, saw Marinette, how her strengths were why they believed so strongly she would return.

"Have faith in her. She has come too far not to have it."

-

Marinette's parents had gone down to the bakery already, but that wasn't much of a surprise. The mornings were always the busiest.

Her maman must have made breakfast though, as a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice was placed on the table already. She would have to thank her maman later. Despite how quiet it was, the ever-familiar scent baked bread reached her nose from downstairs and tension eased from Marinette's shoulders.

There was a bone-deep feeling of rightness that left Marinette feeling content, that this was how everything was supposed to be. And yet, something felt off. She had been so cold when she was sleeping, and this warmth felt... manufactured.

The thought left before she had the chance to process it however, a whisper of worry from another life.

-

“Are we just going to leave her here?” Damian asked, and the sharp glares he received from- everyone simply made him glare back. “I’m not saying we need to leave her, I simply think she should be somewhere we can monitor how she’s doing more closely.”

That made every one pause. He had a point, even if they didn’t want to admit it.

“I thought you hated her,” Tim said, making Damian level his glare at him instead of everyone in general.

“I may not be fond of her, but even I know it would be stupid to leave her without proper supervision,” Damian said indignantly, lifting his nose up in the air. “Besides,” he mumbled. “It’s my fault she’s like this.”

A second passed in silence, then another.

“Well yeah, no shit,” Jason said, shaking his head like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You kicked her out during a storm.”

Jon looked at Damian wide-eyed.

“You did that?” There was clear disbelief in his voice. Damian hadn’t told him what happened, only that Marinette was missing during the storm and that they needed some help finding her. “You kicked her out?”

Jon’s voice became harsh as he glared at Damian.

“Why would you do that?”

“I wasn’t the only one distrustful of her, Todd avoided her like the plague!”

“Yeah, avoided her,” Jason said defensively. “I didn’t kick her out!”

The yelling continued, only growing louder and louder as Bruce lost control of the situation, if he ever did have control over the situation in the first place.

-_-_-_-

@constancetruggle @mojos-biggest-fan @lysslovesanime @heredmaquam @luciferge @scribblinggraveyard @thatfandomsgirl @eliza-bich @ki77h3dr4g0n @crazylittlemunchkin @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @skyel0ve @serenacross200 @valeks-princess @thebananathatwrites @aurordraws @nothernbluetongue @bluerosette23 @xxmadamjinxx @graduatedmelon @tritaledkitsune @tinybrie @shamefullove @screechingflapbiscuitpeach @danielslilangel @vivilakitty @kurogaya913 @elspethshadow @theatreandcomicfreak @naoryllis @lordsmeldingtonthethird @thanks-captain-obvious @iloontjeboontje @bamagirl513 @jessigurl-design @queenmj10 @marinettepotterandplagg @purplesundaze @chylou34 @sturchling 

[vgirl-10123]

Decorating (Damianette Fic)

    A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I missed the first 2 days but i wanted to add something to my #1 favorite ship atm. I appreciate any and all feedback! Also I know there's not a lot of dialogue, I really suck at it.

It was November 29th, and Marinette was just finishing packing up for her Christmas trip to Gotham. Her parents had allowed her to travel to Gotham for Christmas this year as they would be busy with the bakery this time of the season. She was sure that they just wanted her to spend some time with a certain green-eyed someone, but they would never admit it if she asked. After she came back from a class trip, they saw how she seemed to brighten up. She seemed to laugh more and they didn’t miss the noticeable blush when she got a call from him.

During her class trip to Gotham City, she had met someone, a boy. Damian Wayne to be more precise. She had been going on a tour of Wayne Enterprises and was eating lunch in the cafeteria with Alya , Adrien, and Nino, when a man with impossibly green eyes sat down in front of her and the rest was history. They ended up hanging out for the rest of the two weeks they were there. Joined at the hip, hanging off each other, holding hands, the list goes on and on. They managed to stay in contact since then and no one was surprised when the started dating 3 months later. He came to Paris for a vacation. At the end of it, he asked her to be his girlfriend on the Louvre.

Another thing, they know each other’s identities. It was by accident. She was hanging out with Damian In Gotham when she got an akuma alert. She managed to leave to Paris and when she came back with Adrien through a portal and about to detransform, Robin was watching the whole thing and saw the detransformation. He stepped out of hiding and with Marinette and Adrien freaking out about how he can’t tell anyone and about how they are so screwed, Robin started laughing. He wiped away tears and brought them to the batcave. Once there, he pulled off his mask and revealed that he was Damian. Adrien being Adrien was confused, but Marinette managed to figure out the identities of the other bats before even officially meeting them. To say she impressed the big bat was an understatement. Her and Tim bonded over their intelligence. Adrien and Dick had managed to form a quick bond over their sunshine sides. Surprisingly, Marinetter and Jason had actually became really close. All in all, Bruce mentally adopted 2 children that night.

So, Bruce had generously offered them to visit Gotham for the holidays. They would come from December 1st and stay until January 3rd. Both Adrien and Marinette were able to go. That leads us to now.

“So Marinette, are you excited to see Dami?” Adrien asked with a teasing tone in his voice.

“Adrien! If you must know, yes, yes I am,” Marinette said sticking her nose up in the air before giggling. “I’m actually super excited to see him. It’s been a few months now and even though we video chat, it’ll be nice to see him in person.”

“I get it. Plagg is so excited that he gets to see Jason again. Says he just radiates destruction and chaos.”

“Maybe from the Lazarus pit that brought him back to life? I don’t know. Either way, Tikki over here is so ready to see Alfred and his new cookie recipes he has.”

“That reminds me, Plagg is excited for all the cheese that is going to be there. Says that someone’s bound to set out camembert for him.”

Marinette laughs, then looks at the time. “Hey Adrien, I have to go. I promised Master Fu that I would grab Kaalki before it got too dark out. I’ll see you at patrol tonight yeah?”

“Okay. See you then, M’lady.”

“Goodnight Chaton.”

The morning, at 5 a.m., she and Adrien boarded the plane. Many hours later they arrived in Gotham. Alfred had picked them up and they had set off to their rooms for a much needed nap. Once they woke up, they went their separate ways. Marinette to Damian and Adrien to the kitchen for some food. They didn’t fully recover until 3 days later. Apparently, jet lag had hit much harder than intended.

December 3rd, Marinette woke up feeling refreshed for the first time in days. She went down to the kitchen and saw that Alfred was the only one up. She helped him make some muffins for breakfast and talked about recipes and kwamis.

Marinette spent the day with Damian and his brothers, playing some board games and card games. She absolutely bested them at poker by the way. The only bad part about the whole day was that it was the first akuma since they had arrived in Gotham. Her and Adrien had suited up and left in a portal to Paris.

The akuma was relatively easy, just a nightmare a little kid had, nothing they haven’t handled before. It had only lasted an hour and they made it back to Gotham in record time. It was so perfect that by the time they got back, Dick and Jason had just got a tree set up in the living room.

They both had immediately started helping. Getting the lights untangled, putting on ornaments, putting on the tree skirt, the works. They had finished the tree around an hour later. She was curled up with Damian, hot chocolate in hand, and sitting around the fireplace. Looking to her right, she saw Adrien sleeping with Plagg in his arm. Gazing around the room she also saw Dick sprawled on the couch, Jason with his feet on the coffee table, and Tim curled up in the corner of the couch with his cup of coffee. Bruce sat in the chair with a book in hand. She looked down and saw Tikki curled up in her hoodie that she had put on. Faintly, she heard alfred in the kitchen cleaning up. She glanced up at Damian and saw him smiling softly at her.

“What?”

“Nothing Angel. I love you habibti.”

“I love you too Damian.” And with that thought, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

[bigskydreaming]

In my ideal world where Dick and Jason have the strong brotherly bond I want them to have, the Ric Grayson thing happened like in canon, and Bruce and Babs came back to the rest of the family and reported Ric wants to be left alone and they should all respect his wishes. 

But two seconds later Jason’s halfway out the window and Bruce is like, “Jason, are you listening?” 

And Jason calls back over his shoulder: “Totally, it was a really neat story B, I just remembered I left the stove on, gotta go, bye!”

Then he drives straight to Titans Tower where he abducts/sorta-politely-requests-the-assistance-of Lilith. “I need your help with something, c’mon you owe me.” 

And Lilith’s like: “....you’ve never done done a damn thing for me in my life, why the fuck would I owe you anything?”

And Jason’s all: “Ugh, damn. I was sorta hoping if I just led with that and put enough conviction in it you’d just roll with it, I hate doing this next part if I can avoid it.” 

To which he adds, through gritted teeth, with actual beads of blood rolling down his forehead where normally there would merely be beads of sweat as proof of exertion, but everything’s just a Little Bit Extra when Jason does it: “I need your help with something, c’mon, I’ll owe you.”

And then Lilith’s eyes glow and in a thunderous voice that rattles the heavens in their windowpanes, Lilith says, "The bargain has been struck, so shall it be!”

And Jason’s like: ”...what the fuck was that.” 

Lil just shrugs and says, “I’m not really sure. I’m maybe a little bit of a demigoddess or something? Hard to say, nobody ever spends enough time on me as a character or actually finishes my plotlines enough for me to actually know what my whole deal even is. Its kinda like Donna, but my story arcs are more just ‘All the confusion, but none of the denoument’.”

“Huh. Hey are we breaking the fourth wall right now?”

“Oh, totally. But I’m pretty sure we’re allowed because gay rights.”

“Sweet.”

And then they go together to Bludhaven and break into Ric’s apartment and Ric’s like who the fuck are you, and Jason’s all: “I’m the brother of the guy who’s you but faster and this is Lilith, she’s maybe a demigoddess, we’re not sure.”

And Ric’s just: “I have no idea wtf any of that means, and the way just the sound of it makes my head hurt is why I’m pretty sure I told Desperately In Need Of Therapy Man and the redhead who made a point to tell me a hundred different times in under five minutes that she and I definitely never dated, when literally all I asked was if she knew where the bathroom was: I. Don’t. Want. None. Of. Your. Drama.”

Jason just smirks. “Oh no, I got your message loud and clear with the rest of the family. Its just that I’m better at loopholes than the rest of them. Also logic. And I mean, pretty much everything. Definitely the best at not staying dead, and having flair, like at least I actually know how to stage a comeback...”

Lilith interrupts him gently. “Jason? Think you’re getting off topic, maybe?”

“Oh. Right. Point is, so yeah, I heard what you wanted but then I thought to myself, Self, why should I give a fuck what THIS dude wants, when as he pointed out, he’s not even my brother? Like, he’s totally legit for not wanting shit to do with our hot mess of a family. I can kinda even respect him for that and for just spitting it out there rather than succumbing to the existence-sucking vortex that is our dad’s Eternal Depression Spiral and Ensuing Drama which then takes over our entire lives as well and creeps ever onward in its quest to eventually swallow the entire universe. I mean like Darkseid could never, he’s amateur hour compared to the endless Night of Brooding that B would darken the whole universe with if he didn’t have us to gut-check his ego and be all “get over yourself dude, you and your issues are not the most important thing in existence” every once in awhile...”

Ric: “I think your friend mentioned something about a point.”

Jason glares at him. “I was getting to it! I think. Eventually. Okay here’s the deal, Understudy That Nobody Asked For, you’re absolutely valid for saying you don’t owe us jack shit, but turn around is fair play and turns out, that just means I don’t owe you jack shit either. You’re not my brother, and so instead of giving a fuck what you want, I asked my self, Self, what would my actual brother want here? Would he want to just...not exist, while his family is currently in the midst of being the hottest of all hot messes to ever mess hotly? Or would he want somebody to go grab one of the most powerful psychics in existence, who also happens to be a close personal friend of his, and get her to just exorcise the Existential Crisis That Just Didn’t Know When To Quit so I could have my brother back and we could all just get back to normal? I mean, except for you, I guess that would probably suck from your perspective, its just - as established, I don’t have to give a fuck, soooooo.....I’ve decided not to....I know, awkward, huh....”

And Ric blinks. “Fuck. Your logic is sound. The parts of it I understood at least. Umm...I’m not thrilled, obviously, but it doesn’t sound like I could do anything to stop it and its not like I’m exactly living it up and having just an awesome, enviable existence or anything, so....what even happens now?”

Jason checks his watch. “Oh I think now we just wait another ten seconds for Lilith to finish what she’s been doing since we got here while I vamped like a motherfucker and kept you too distracted to try and keep her from messing with your head. Which the ironic thing is you probably coulda done a pretty decent job of if you’d known to try, since one of the many things you didn’t want to know about my brother is that he has freakishly obnoxious willpower he uses in all sorts of other ways besides just being a stubborn asshole, and since you’re basically him no matter what you pretend or want to believe, that probably applies to you too, and so....”

And then Dick blinks and stumbles before catching himself gracefully because he’s Dick Grayson (again) and that’s just what he does, be smooth and graceful like a stubborn asshole even when he’s drugged or sleep deprived or just awakening from several months locked inside his own subconscious because amnesia or whatthefuckever.

Ugh, Jason thinks to himself grumpily. His brother is just the absolute worst.

And Dick’s like: “Jason? Lil? What are you two doing here? Together? And wait, where is here? What the fuck happened?”

And Jason’s all: “So much, Dickiebird, but almost none of it is interesting or anything I care about. So catch the Cliff Notes later from somebody who was actually paying attention and just head back to Gotham with me so I can reclaim my apartment from the Turdlings who have started dropping by it whenever the fuck they feel like. Because apparently, they’ve decided in your absence all Oldest Brother Privileges and Responsibilities are automatically ceded to me, and I absolutely fucking object. Especially since it turns out the ‘privileges’ are misnamed at best and totally not fucking worth it. In fact, I object so fucking much, our next stop is Zatanna or some other big name magic wunderkind so they can whammy you with some kind of immortality ritual, I don’t care how hard it is, I will pay literally any price and take it out of Bruce’s bank accounts because I’ve decided you’re just not allowed to die now, ever, I fucking refuse to have to put up with any of this bullshit again, the next time you try and fuck off to the Great Trapeze in the Sky.”

And Dick blinks, like; “What?”

Jason just whines like the big baby he really is underneath all the bluster and bloodshed. “Look its been a very long year and I’m tired and stressed and can we just go home already, this place sucks and I hate it. Like damn, you really live like this? Amnesia You apparently decided to rebel against good taste along with everything else.”

Dick softens. “Sure Little Wing, lets go home and see if someone else can catch me up to speed. You do tend to leave out a lot of pertinent information on the basis of not caring about things other people consider relevant. Like....laws.”

“Fuck you, I can’t believe you’re coming for me and my amorality like this when I just saved your overrated ass from a lifetime of not existing but also making terrible life choices.”

“And I’m sure I’ll be very grateful once I understand what exactly it is you saved me from, I can’t properly appreciate you if I don’t know what the stakes were, can I?” Dick says. Before Jason can appear too mollified though, he continues. “Although from what I have put together so far, it sounds like Lilith probably did most of the heavy lifting, so isn’t it really her who saved me?”

“This is why I never do nice things for you!”

“I’m joking, jeez, lighten up, Little Wing. Just because your frame is load-bearing now doesn’t mean you gotta act like everything’s so heavy...”

“Hah! I knew you resented me for being bigger than you ever since I came back!”

“Well I’m sorry, its just not natural. I’m the oldest brother, I’m supposed to be bigger than you, that’s just the rule....”

“Oh, well excuuuuuuuuse me, Mr. I Make the Rules, I’m so sorry for getting murdered and then coming back from the dead and being thrown into a Lazarus Pit that just happened to have the side effect of making my remaining growth spurts get me all the way to my optimal size...”

“Aha! So you admit that your being bigger than me isn’t a natural phenomenon!”

“Oh please, I would have ended up bigger than you even without the Lazarus Pit. You’re a shrimp! You’re a shrimp that flies, its that whole acrobat/gymnast thing, you’re a tiny little man and you just need to get over the fact that everyone else who is over eighteen and not Tim is always going to be bigger than you and always was!”

“Aaaaand, they’re back,” Lilith sighs to herself, rolling her eyes fondly as she follows them and the dumbest argument ever out the door. Admittedly, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

[crackspines]

The Replacement was five seconds away from earning a bullet in-between his ears.

It was going to happen in the middle of the Warehouse District in an industrial building with nothing but dirt, dust, and one couch from the 70s in the middle of the floor. On the far end of the building, there was a short man with a grey beard, shoes with bells on them, and a nightcap. Jason, crouched behind the couch, had followed the strangely dressed man all the way from uptown where he blew up a red sedan.

With, apparently, nothing but his mind.

As if on cue, an explosion sounded with a bang and a puff of smoke just three feet from where Jason took cover. Red Hood could hear the villain giggling as soon as his ears cleared.

“Oh, my mind’s a dangerous thing,” he said. “Oh, yes, you’ll find that it can do just about anything.”

Jason debated telling him that it wasn’t rhyming if you used the same word when Tim landed next to him.

“Get the hell out of here, Red,” Jason snarled as he took a shot from behind the decrepit couch.

“I thought you might want my help,” Red Robin said, eyes not leaving their opponent. He was all business, no emotion today.

Today and every other day of his life, Jason thought.

And just like every other day of Jason’s life, the sight of Tim Drake sent waves of rage, confusion, and the ever-present regret shooting through his body. It started at the toes and went all the way up to his head, coloring his ears under the helmet.

“Now we’re talking,” the villain screeched, looking hungrily at Jason. “Your desire: my command.”

That’s when everything went a bit pear-shaped. The very fabric of the reality in front of the boys--warehouse, dirt, couch--starts to shift and bulge like the contents of a lava lamp. Before Jason could reach for Tim and make a hasty retreat, the warehouse, Tim, and everything was gone. Instead, he stood in the dead center of the Wayne Manor kitchen, the smell of cookies baking invading his nose.

“What did you do,” he snarled, diving towards the small man with the strange outfit, still standing in front of him.

To Red Hood’s surprise, he went right through the pyrotechnic like he was made of nothing more than a dense fog. The momentum sent Jason crashing into the oak cabinets Alfred spent countless hours upkeeping. Or, it would’ve, if Jason himself hadn’t passed right through them, a spector just like the other man.

It was enough to rattle the vigilante.

“What did you do to me?” Jason got slowly to his feet, trying to grab various objects off the counter with no success. “I’m not dead. I know dead, and this isn’t it.”

“Of course you aren’t dead, silly,” he said. “Cupio wouldn’t grant that wish. It entirely lacks originality.”

Jason got a name for this particular crazy out of that little snippet, but the rest made absolutely no sense. What did wishes and originality have to do with the two of them, standing in a less-than-corporeal form in Wayne kitchen?

Before the Red Hood could question Cupio further or beat it out of him, Jason Todd walked through the kitchen door and everything just stopped.

The breath froze in Jason’s lungs as he watched himself, looking about the age he had when the Joker blew him to smithereens. The younger Jason laughed about something, turning back to look at the door as Alfred, looking just as old as every, and Bruce walked through. The latter held a large cake in his hands, fingers brushing against the frosting. Two candles shaped like a one and a six sat on the cake.

“You guys realize this is ridiculous, right?” Young-Jason asked, propping himself against the counter. “Normal kids don’t get a two-week vacation and a gala-sized party for their birthday.”

“Turning sixteen is special, Master Jason. You’re on the cusp of adulthood,” Alfred said as he directed Bruce towards the proper spot to drop the multiple layered cake.

“Besides,” Bruce said, sucking the frosting off his fingers. “Dick can’t disappear from San Francisco for two weeks. This party is more for him than you.”

“Master Richard would feel neglectful in his duties as your big brother if he didn’t get to make a big fuss about your birthday,” Alfred agreed.

All three of them continued to talk about party arrangements and packing as they walked back through the oak door, voices fading down the hallway. The older Jason Todd looked on, eyes wide and feeling like his chest was on fire from heart-ache and holding his breath.

None of it made any sense. Jason died at fifteen. This wasn’t his past, so what was he looking at?

“Getting it now?” Cupio asked.

“No, you freak,” Jason growled. “Whatever this is...fix it.”

Wagging a finger at the enraged superhero, Cupio said, “But I just have! Don’t you recognize your own deepest, darkest desires when they’re looking you back in the face?”

“I….” That brought Jason up short.

“Guess I’ll have to spoon feed it to you, then.” And then Cupio snapped his fingers, and the kitchen fell away, leaving them standing on a rooftop, the night dark around them.

Sirens sounded in the distance, and Jason could smell a faint air of chemicals and city musk in the air. A drunk below them danced around in the street, singing merrily and only stopping to take a couple more swigs from a hidden flask.

If Jason needed any more verification that they were still in Gotham, Batman, Robin, and Nightwing chose that moment to swing by. Batman hung by as Young-Jason, now in uniform, whooped and raced his older brother.

“Not a bad way to say good-bye to fifteen, huh, Robin?” Nightwing said, the air stealing the world before anyone besides the superhero party and their invisible voyeurs could hear.

“Better than wearing a monkey suit and dancing around to Alfred’s classical music!” Robin shouted, cutting off Nightwing and landing on a rooftop just past where Jason was standing.

“Focus, you two,” Batman said, his voice as gruff as Jason remembered it. But underneath the coarseness, there was a spark of humor and affection. Hearing it made Jason want to hit something. Or maybe just sit down for a little while.

Turning back towards Cupio, Red Hood said, “This can’t be real.”

“Oh, but it is,” he said. “One snap of these fingers, and you never went to Ethiopia. You and Bruce were never separated. Your family is whole, and you get to be Robin again.”

“Sounds nice and simple,” Jason said mockingly. “If this really is my second chance, why am I floating around like Ebenezer Scrooge?”

“I’m a nice guy, Jason.” He shrugged. “I’m giving you a taste. Say the word, and I’ll shove your consciousness back into your 16-year-old body.”

Jason knew it wasn’t real, that it couldn’t last. The universe didn’t just give second chances like this--real second chances, not like the dip in the Lazarus pit Jason received. That was one gift he wished he could return to sender.

Still, he couldn’t help but watch the dynamic trio hungrily as they settled in for what looked like a surveillance job. Batman put a casual, fatherly hand on Robin’s shoulder, and a couple of roofs over, a shudder went through Jason’s body.

“Yep, almost everyone’s a lot better off without you dead. Batman never has to lose a son and cut himself off emotionally. Dick gets the chance to be a good big brother with you, his original little wing. Alfred, poor man, will probably live an additional ten years without the stress and grief of having to bury you.”  

Part of Jason took issue with Cupio’s condescending tone. The other-- “Almost everyone?”

An arched eyebrow. “There are always casualties in war. You should know; you’re one of them.”

A harsh, Gotham breeze blew past them, and Jason crossed his arms over his chest. Cupio rolled his eyes.

“Wanna read the fine print? Have it your way.”

Before Jason could stop him, the villain snapped those unholy fingers, and the world lurched again. This time, they only moved a few rooftops over, but the shift still sent Jason’s stomach into a fit. He reached out, resting against a rough, worn brick wall while panting and trying not to lose his cheeseburger dinner.

“Man, you’ve got to stop doing that,” Jason said, regaining his composure.

Cupio said nothing, just whistled cheerfully. This gave Jason enough time to inspect his surroundings. The rooftop was just like many others in Gotham. Cigarettes and other, less pleasant, trash, littered the corners. There was an entrance to the building below that was so rusted, Jason doubted it’d been used in this millennia.

It wasn’t until the vigilante saw all these things that he finally noticed the small boy crouched in the dark, watching Batman and Robin with a kind of rapture that was all too familiar.

“What the hell?” Jason muttered, walking closely to the edge of the roof where the boy was tucked.

Dark hair, fair skin, and blue eyes made the little boy very distinctive. And Jason did mean “little.” He couldn’t have been more than twelve-years-old. Much too young to be wandering around Gotham’s seething underbelly with nothing more than an expensive camera wrapped around his neck and a tiny notebook in his pocket.

The boy snapped a few pictures of the superheroes, and then studious scribbled on an unused page in his notebook. The writing was extremely detail-oriented, and it was a little creepy coming from a little kid. This was detective’s work, not just the ramblings of a fanboy turned stalker.

As soon as that thought faded out of his mind, the boy’s features finally became familiar, and Jason breathed in sharply through his nose.

“This can’t be--”

“Timothy Drake? Future robin? Your replacement?” Cupio said gleefully. He tapped a finger to his chin. “Though I guess he’s just Timothy Drake now.”

“Haha, very funny,” Jason said. “I get it. Little Timmy never gets to replace me as Robin. Very sad. I’m sure his parents can buy him a new dream.”

“I’m sure you’re right.”

But there was something in his voice that Jason didn’t like. It was a little too bland and a little too smug. “What else?”

That seemed to surprise Cupio. “I’m giving you an out here, kid. Take the plausible deniability.”  

“I want to see it all.”

Those words caused Jason to witness the most pathetic day he had ever seen. When little Timmy was done spying on his heroes, they followed him back to the Drake Estate, watching as he climbed up a moss-covered wall and into his bedroom window.

Jason scoffed. “Where are his parents?”

“Out of the country for the next month. They’ll be back for the next Drake charity ball.”

He didn’t know quite what to say to that, so he kept his mouth shut.

Settling into his role as a spectator, he watched Tim Drake wake up after a few hours and eat breakfast by himself at a table seated for twelve. The small boy then grabbed his book bag and walked to the nearest bus stop, head turned down and gazing at his notes from last night. Not even the sudden lurches of the bus and the patrons could drag the boy’s attention away.

Though the Tim Jason knew was quite the know-it-all, little Timmy didn’t raise his hand once during class, staring hard at one of the many books he had stashed in his bag. While in the halls, he didn’t stop to talk to any friends. When a couple of bigger boys shoved him out of their way and into a locker, he didn’t so much as make eye contact.

When Tim got home that afternoon, there was a message waiting for him on the answering machine. Letting his bag slide to the floor, he pushed a couple of buttons until his mother’s voice could be heard.

“Timothy, our trip has been extended a couple of weeks. Mrs. Mac will come by a couple of times during the week to clean and restock the pantry. Don’t forget to keep up with your studies.”

There was a click, and then silence in the room. Then, to Jason’s surprise, Tim plays the recording again. And again. And again. Just when Jason thinks his ears are about to bleed, Tim hit the save button and heads up the stairs to his room.

Before turning off his night-light, the boy shrugs into too-big pajamas and fishes something from underneath his pillow. For a moment, Jason thinks it’s a worn and torn piece of paper. Maybe his algebra notes, but when he gets closer, he realizes the kid is staring at a photograph. One of Batman and Robin.

Both heroes are sitting atop a building in downtown Gotham, legs hanging over the side. Jason remembers the moment. He’s animatedly telling Bruce about this project he’s been assigned in history class, and his adoptive father is smiling, hanging on his every word.

Tim smoothes a hand over the crinkled picture and then slides it back under his pillow.

“Ok,” Jason said to Cupio, anger threaded through his voice. “I’ve seen enough. This is just pathetic.”

To the vigilante’s great surprise, the kid on the bed jumps a mile, eyes going wide and darting around the room. “Is… is someone there?”

Jason whirled around on Cupio. His boots probably would have scuffed the hardwood, if he’d been corporeal. “I thought they couldn’t hear us?”

“Seemed like you wanted a more interactive experience.”

The next moment, Jason was a solid as he could ever remember being. Running a hand down his body, he could feel the stiffness of the leather under the pads of his fingers.

When he looked up from himself, little Timmy’s wide eyes were training on him. The kid looked like he was about to keel over. Raising his hands in the universal sign for “I come in peace,” Jason said, “Er, you probably don’t know who I am, but I swear I’m not here to hurt you.”

Before he had even finished his sentence, the little urchin was out of bed and standing right in front of him. “Of course I know who you are! You’re Robin!” A little shadow fell over his small features. “Oops.”

“Yeah, oops,” Jason said, but he was smiling despite himself.

The answering smile Tim gave him was timid. “You look different, though. Older. Are you from the future?”

Yeah, Jason was definitely starting to see how little Timmy would turn into the Red Robin he knew and resented.

“Kind of,” the older man said. “It’s kind of just...a glance...at a possible outcome.”

Little Timmy cocked his head, and Jason sighed. “I guess I’m getting to choose to be Robin or...not,” he said.

“But you have to be Robin,” Timmy cried, and the outburst startled his quasi older brother. “You’re a hero!” A blush rose in his cheeks. “You’re my hero.”

Maybe it was horrible of him, but at that moment, Jason had never hated Tim more.

“Okay, okay,” Jason said, herding the boy back into his bed. “That’s enough excitement for one night.”

He pulled the covers up over Timmy’s body, and the boy stared and him with unblinking eyes. “You’re not gonna give up Robin, right?”

Instead of answering, he looked back at where Cupio was standing, hidden from the child’s view. “A little help here.”

The other man snapped his fingers wordlessly. Instead of changing locals, Timmy’s head fell against his plush, expensive pillows, and his breathing evened out.

When Jason stood up from the bed, Cupio let out a low whistle. “That was rough. Told you to leave well enough alone.”

Barely feeling his head thunk back against the drywall in the bedroom, Jason let out a breath. He still wanted it. More than anything. He wanted to feel like he had a family again. He wanted all the mistakes of his past to be erased. More than anything, he wanted to go home to Bruce.

And that was fair, wasn’t it? One mistake and he has to pay for it for the rest of his life? Maybe he’s paid enough, given enough. He’s earned this one little chunk of happiness.

“How about this,” Cupio said, interrupting his thoughts. “I’ll shove you back in your sixteen-year-old body without any memories of this little exercise. You’ll never meet Tim Drake. The only timeline you’ll know is the one you’ll make after tonight.”

So easy. Like the universe was actually giving him a real second chance. All he had to do was take it.

Feeling like his heart was being put through a blender, he gave Cupio his answer. The other man smiled and snapped his fingers a final time and then everything around Jason disappeared.

<center>_____</center>

“Jason?” A familiar voice said, worry laced through every letter. “Jason, wake up.”

The Red Hood opened his eyes and stared up at Tim Drake. The teenager fluttered over him, checking vitals and trying to get a straight answer out of the other man. Both were caked in dirt and dust from the warehouse floor.

“You just disappeared for a moment,” Red Robin said. “The villain too. Did he teleport you somewhere? Are you hurt?”

“Teleport,” Jason croaked, his throat feeling like he’d gone a week without water. “He gone?”

Red Robin nodded, handing him a flask with electrolyte infused water inside. Jason took it gratefully.

“Where did he take you?”

Swallowing down the rest of the water, Jason shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m just glad to be back.” Then, to Tim Drake’s immense surprise, Jason Todd smiled at him, eye crinkling behind his domino mask. “This is where I belong.”

Read more of my stuff here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crackspines/pseuds/crackspines