Tumgik
#Bruce Didn't know it was the joker at first
bats-and-birds-24 · 2 days
Text
Chapter 5:
Several sparring matches later, Jason found himself exhausted. He learned quickly that despite her slight build, she was a force to be reckoned with.
A jolt of shame went through him. He wasn't nearly as good as he thought he was. He shook off the thought and signed to Cass that he was taking a break.
While rehydrating, he glances over at her to find that she was looking directly at him. Feeling that it would be rude to not acknowledge her, he signed to her in ASL if she knew sign language.
Cass shook her head no, but then placed her hand over her mouth and tapped her ear. Jason caught on and replied, "Are you saying that you're mute, but you can still hear?" She nodded yes.
Taking this as his cue to continue, he then asks, "So, how exactly did you end up in the league?" She paused for a moment then pointed to the ground and then back at herself. "Oh, so you were born here." This came as a surprise for him, as he didn't think that there were people born and raised in the league.
The question of her age began to gnaw at Jason, she looked young, but she said that she was born in the league, meaning that she has lived her entire life in Nanda Parbat. A child shouldn't be trained to be an assassin he thought.
"How old are you?" He asked, hoping that she just looked young. His hopes were dashed when she held her palms up before her and closed her thumb. 9 years old. She hadn't even reached double digits yet.
Jason could see the pits green tinge at the corner of his eyes. He needed to control himself. But it was so unfair that she was robbed of her childhood, to be this.
Jason thought back to his own childhood, he loved being Robin, but he definitely wasn't old enough to know the consequences of being a vigilante. He was protected by one of the biggest superheroes in the world and he still died.
He wasn't bitter anymore about losing his childhood, not after Talia explained his mark to him. But he was still furious at the fact that Bruce hadn't changed his ways. Joker should be dead, or at least in prison. He could take on a new Robin sure, but he couldn't at the very least put the Joker in prison?
He needed to calm himself, he knew that. The pits green creeping into his vision. He was shaking.
Jason felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, it was Cass. When he made eye contact with her, she pulled him into a hug. Once they pulled away from each other, Cass put her hand over his heart, she surprised him by speaking, "Hurt, big brother hurt."
This successfully pulled him away from his pit madness. Big brother, she had called him big brother. His face flushed in happiness when he heard that. He pulled her back into a hug, "yeah Cass, I'm your big brother now."
As they pulled apart once more, Cass waved goodbye and left to her own quarters. For the first time in a while, Jason grinned.
Tim, with bags under his eyes also grinned. His plan was brilliant, and complete, all that was left was to execute it.
The league won't ever see him coming.
30 notes · View notes
puppetmaster13u · 6 months
Text
so tempted to do a thing for @phoenixcatch7's possessed doll au Because I am just stuck with this image of B's puppet body being damaged, his gas mask off, and him going straight up Feral. Am I saying I want to draw him mauling the joker? Maybe. Maybe I do. He'd deserve it.
70 notes · View notes
rock-in-robins · 6 months
Text
so like reverse robins, if done right, i love em. anything reverse robins i ever write will never have Steph become Babs. it doesn't make sense to her character for her to become oracle, would she be great at it, absolutely, but it doesn't make sense.
there's always debate on whether it should be Steph or Tim to die and more or less become Jason. my answer is that Tim get's joker jr'd and kills himself (+ the joker if your so inclined (but joker would have to be revived somehow for plot reasons) (you can make it Bruce if you want more angst)) then Steph becomes robin because Tim always talked about how gotham needed a robin and she wanted to honor him in a way only she could. then the thing with black mask happens and she still fakes her death travels, heals, grieves, and comes back when she heard bruce picked up a new kid. (Jason wasn't robin yet, just living in the manor but Steph new it was only a matter of time)
so she comes back to gotham and decides she's gonna take care of crime alley her way, and revamps her old spoiler costume. (she may not have grown up there but she was a few streets away and she knew what a place like that did to kids) (she also has no ties to Bruce anymore so her no killing thing gets a whole lot more lax)(she kills her father - that's how bruce and the others found out shes back in town). and openly feuds with black mask over territory and brutally maims him but like just a bit.
Then Jason becomes robin and six months later Tim is back. he's different and definitely a bit more unhinged, but efficient as ever. he quickly takes over the drug trade and helps Steph get rid of the worst of the worst. But doesn't do the whole try to make Bruce kill the joker thing, instead he makes Bruce watch as Tim does and warns him that if he tries to revive the joker again (damian aka nightwing def killed the joker & Bruce brought him back) that they Will Have Problems. Tho he is going as Joker Jr. as a fuck you and a threat to pretty much everyone, after all they all knew what happened to the 2nd robin.
In summary Tim & Steph split up the Red Hood traits
Duffle bag of heads - tim, he's dramatic
Died (like burried in a grave and crawled out died) - tim
Guns - Steph
The joker - tim (but steph will shoot the fucker on sight so help her god)
Black mask war - steph (obvi)
Crime alley - steph mainly (but tim lurks around and every crime alley kid & sex worker knows that if they ever need something JJ will take care of it no questions asked)
Drug trade - tim
Scaring/pissing B off - both, they make it a game
Murder - both as a treat
426 notes · View notes
scorchedhearth · 2 years
Text
allowing myself a minute to be annoyed and talk about it: i dont think jason would be so amiable and reverent toward alfred. you'll see fanon takes where jason spits on everyone except alfred who can do no wrong and it bothers me because alfred is shown taking bruce's side offen, enabling him maybe too much, and jason who is going against bruce wouldn't appreciate it. i think it would be to a lesser extent because alfred isn't as involved in jason's grievances as bruce is, but still, he wouldn't be on his good side all the time. he wouldn't consider him his favorite person or be so quick to protect his feelings or make up with him and i can't see alfred who is rather stuck up too taking the first step either
57 notes · View notes
forevercloudnine · 2 years
Note
if Joker was a female character, do you think she would be one of Batman's love interests?
If Joker was a female character (in a continuity where Bruce is still a male character), she would be a lesbian who's married to the male mayor of Gotham City but at night gets her kicks fighting Batgirl. Eventually she would meet Harley Quinn and propose within three hours of knowing her.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
#joker#bianca steeplechase#barbara gordon#harley quinn#hayley fitzpatrick#batman: thrillkiller#although actually kate has debuted as a character since thrillkiller was published#so now she would probably be into kate instead of barbara#her options were more limited in 1997#but assuming this ask was more referring to 'what if joker had originally been invented as a female character'#'and thus would be a woman in regular continuity'#then presumably she'd be most comparable with poison ivy? as a female batman villain who's down with murder#(liam tells me that catwoman was interested in murder in the 60's show but i haven't seen that)#(in the early comics she didn't kill. which was part of how she had a 'will-they-or-won't-they' with bruce)#(i know i and others bring up talia as an example of a murdering bruce love interest but this isn't exactly accurate)#(when she debuted as a bruce love interest she was not a murderer. she has become a murderer in more recent takes on the character)#(so she basically got into the game as a non-murderer and then stuck around by default as a 'past love' in new iterations)#(and notably in the modern era where she's a murderer writers have NOT given her a real romance arc with bruce)#(though that might be turning around right now as we speak with shadow war? which would be extremely notable if it happens)#and poison ivy WAS originally written as in love with batman from her first appearance in the 60's well into the 2000's#but i don't think anyone would have ever described her as a batman love interest because it was clearly never mutual#like they never had a storyline where they actually dated#and now she's gay#so honestly i think a joker who debuted as a woman in her first appearance in 1940 would have the same trajectory#with the exception that we probably wouldn't have ever gotten harley as a character???#maybe lady joker and ivy would have gotten together. wouldn't that be hilarious#if bruce AND joker were both created as women then i assume they would be in a similar position to wonder woman and cheetah#where dc is willing to publish thinkpieces about how the original golden age cheetah was queercoded#and have diana and cheetah both be canonically interested in women while having an intense emotional relationship#but never actually have them date
117 notes · View notes
martyrbat · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media
red hood: the lost days #6
[ID: Jason Todd pinning the Joker down in a puddle of gasoline by sitting on his chest. Jason is without his helmet with it laying in the gasoline near them. He has red eyeshadow around his eyes in the shape of his Robin mask and is snarling through gritted teeth down at the Joker, who's smiling up at him. Jason's muscular arms are exposed by wearing a black tanktop and blue jeans while the Joker is in his pinkish purple suit. Jason is holding a lit torch and behind them is a barricade of flammable barrels and the bright, full moon. In front of the moon is Batman with his cape flared out to resemble wings, his only visible feature being his glowing eyes. END ID]
#i know his dramatics and revenge fantasy gets the best of him but for the joker it just. didn't make sense#'i want it to be long and painful like how he beat & killed me' can be something yea but?? to actually stop ?#have him fantasize and build up this idea of what itll be like to kill joker and then the toppling down as hes still just so traumatized#and hurt. have him realizing how it didnt magically fix everything while also being confident in his choice because that risk of another#kid being merciless beaten or killed is gone. that he killed a horrible person and the world is better because of it#just... he isnt the world.#he stopped potential harm for others he feels good in killing joker he believes it was the best thing to do and he did it#but? what do you do when that harm isnt potential? when it isnt a threat but instead a memory that you have to relive through with every#single breath that you aren't supposed to have in the first place?#you did what you surely must been brought back to life to do. but now youre alive and you're alone and you dont know what else to do.#then have his anger or betrayal feelings at bruce. have jason developing and discovering himself#not as robin. not as a vengeful ghost. not as anything. but as jason todd and how hes carving his own destiny and the universe doesnt know#how to handle that. let him go through grief and trauma and anger. let him be cunning and a bitch. let him have the biggest heart.#let him work his way through crime rings and solo work and be a drug lord and how he helps gotham directly and just have some growth that#isnt centered around the man that killed him and the man that failed him.#jason todd#the joker#red hood#c: red hood: the lost days | i: 6#crypt's panels#lost days#covers
24 notes · View notes
desos-records · 3 months
Text
suddenly struck with thoughts about the devastating concept of Jason Todd
because he was good. because he had a bleeding heart despite every reason not to. he loved school and was good at it. he was the first to be adopted, with little pretense of guardianship. he did everything he could to be a perfect Robin and live up to an impossible ideal. he only ever wanted Bruce and Dick to like him.
because he met Bruce in the same place and on the same day that Bruce's parents died--the single defining moment of Batman's existence. and he made Batman laugh. he hit the Dark Knight, Terror of Gotham, with a tire iron. he wasn't afraid of the man who turned fear into a weapon.
because he couldn't save his mother from herself, but he tried. because he was too good not to try and save the woman who gave him up. too good to play the Joker's game. the crowbar didn't kill him, the bomb did. he died knowing he wouldn't make it and tried anyway. he died a hero.
because other Robins have died, but none of them put an irrevocable tear in the mythos of Batman. because Jason Todd always dies, in every universe. he dies for the sins of his father. he was put to death by popular vote, sacrificed by the crowd. doomed by the narrative and doomed by the audience. the boy who only ever tried to prove he was good enough--wasn't good enough.
because he has every reason to be angry. because he didn't ask to be murdered, didn't ask to be brought back, and when he did everyone acted like he was better off dead. Bruce tried to kill him and nearly succeeded. he's blamed for his own death and blamed for his resurrection. he can never come home because the house is haunted by his own ghost.
because he's been the hero, the victim, and the villain. because his family and his writers and his universe don't know what to make of him. they don't know how to look his tragedy in the eye. and how can you?
it hurts to look at the hero who cannot be good enough, the victim who will only ever be angry, the villain who can sometimes be right. the audience hates to feel complicit and, in this exceptional case, they are.
6K notes · View notes
emacrow · 4 days
Text
Batfam tried to bribe the banshee child to get their stuff back.
Originally post here.
The one to figured it out was Tim who sacrifice his first camera that he still kept from back then when he stalked batman, the other two original robins and that it still have some film left in it. It was still a bit damaged and covered in tape on the camera and on the strap.
Alfred gave danny Bruce's father, Thomas's baby blanket in exchange for his favorite spoon.
Dick painstakingly gave his zitka elephant plushy for his mask, only to watch wide eyed when danny misty breath made a form of a miniature zitka the actual elephant doing one of her favorite tricks. And no he didn't cry after he left the room.
Damian offered secretly offered one of his most cherished drawing he had kept as a child, that remind him of Danyal..
Barb offered her old Batgirl costume, the one that still had a tear in it before she became the oracle..
Bruce offered one of his mother's pearls, the few that he had left.. from that night. When he gave it to danny in his tiny hand, all he felt was a sense of cold shiver that wrapped around him like a warm yet cold hug.
Duke gave him one of his first glasses that was a bit bented when his power came in, that were left discard in his draw as a reminder.
Leaving all but Jason todd who didn't know what to give Danny to have his red hood helmet back..
He tried one of his first gun, nothing..his black jacket, nothing.. it took Jason a long time (7 months tops) to figure out what to give danny.
It was 3am in the morning that he snucked in the Wayne Manor, peeking in the newest room for their youngest adoptee who was wide awake again.
Jason pulling out something from a pouch. It was old, torn and still had charred of ashes damaged but he kept it for his own selfish reasons..
He gave danny his Robin's cape, the original one that brought memories old, good and bad..
Danny held his Robin's cape and look at it, not saying anything with his eyes glow brightly before looking up at Jason with the most heartbreaking watery eyes.
He got up slowly, and hugs Jason close, chirping softly that made Jason's eyes glow a bit, before big drops of lararus pits liquid drips down from his eyes.
Just two broken core boys comforting one another, despite the puddle of lararus pits beneath them both that glow brighter and clearer then jason ever seen lararus pits have then it usuall musky growing green form... Jason close his eyes slowly as he gently hug the ghostly boy back.
Jason will never admit to anyone of what he gave that night or why he was asleep in Danny's nest the next morning after, but he suddenly felt some kind of unmoveable weight being lifted from his shoulders..
Until he saw on the news that The Joker was found dead with his ears, eyes and nose bleeding with a horrified look on his face.
1K notes · View notes
satoshy12 · 7 months
Text
Justice League vs. Danny's Rogue Gallery
After Vlad said something on his 20th death date party , Danny's villians finally connected 1 + 1 and got 2! Danny, their enemy, was not even a 1-year-old ghost!
So after a talk with Danny, they promised to not attack Amity Park anymore. At first, Danny didn't believe them. But after seeing them, not for a month! He accepted it and could talk with them. He loved to study again, and his schoolwork got better! He is now once again a normal boy with powers. +
What Danny doesn't know is that the Ghosts, with Vlad's help, found a new playtime: The Justice League. So while they left Danny alone, Danny's now-ex-rogues' gallery, including Skulker, Ember, Box Ghost, and Technus, began to cause havoc around the world. Danny didn't learn about it, as Amity Park news don't show anything with the Justice League and the ones who know about it find it funny. Let them destroy other cities.
Spectra had her joy with the Joker, Professor Pyg, Cornelius Stirk, and Mr. Zsasz. They really thought they could manipulate and corrupt her. Skulker hunted different kind of Meta's and was having joy. This Parasite is a joy to fight, like baby Phantom! Ember was with her Band in Gotham and flirting with Bruce Wayne the Prince of Gotham. Pro Johnny and Kitty were driving and destroying parts of places they were, and Technus wanted to steal the watch Tower. It would look much better in his zone.
A/N By Ghost Standarts Danny isn't even a baby more a infant
2K notes · View notes
qcomicsy · 1 year
Note
a list of funniest things jason todd could do:
slowly steal the parts of the batmobile and reassemble it elsewhere, then pull up next to bruce in his own second secret batmobile
become a lawyer and get joker setenced to the death penalty - bonus is that he completes college and gets a degree which bruce never did and alfred is proud beyond the gravethat one of his grandkids actually completed college
change bruces name to "free trires" in his phone contacts
call time the wrong name everyday, but it starts of sounding like a genuine mistake (tom, jim ect) and slowly gets further and further away from the original (jimothy, jeremy, dave, the dogs name)
dye his hair red, claim he was an original red head and then gaslight the family into believing bruce made him dye his hair black to look more like dick and be a replacement
come out as gay and claim to be the only gay member of the batfamily and when tim tries to say something to dispute it he just hits him with "who are you again? the computer guy or smthing?"
could also come out as poly and roll up to family dinners with more than one partner and if someone says something about it, he just says "mad cuz i got TWO more partners than you huh. lonesome bitch."
feel free to add on
LMAAAAOO THIS IS GREAT
Let's go.
Made a carbon copy of Batman and spread in strategic places on the Batcave, Tim's boat, Clock Tower, Duke's nest and Dick's house. (He almost killed them)
(One of Dick's colleagues saw it and he had to lie he was this die hard Batfanboy, his ego never recovered until today.)
Stole Tim's mug and placed on Damian's room, stole Damian's mug and placed on Tim's boat then proceeded to visit the Manor until he hard the scream of the fight he planted between them;
When he saw Bernard for the first time he said "Whoa Timmy you move on fast, this one is Terry right?";
Did a Tramp Stamp tattoo;
Slut shames Dick every chance he gets (this one is actually cannon);
Shot Dick's phone;
Every Christmas shows up with a different Outlaws member and affirms that's his partner
Dated an arrow to piss of his dad, when Bruce got over it proceeded to date a lantern instead;
Never told no one other than Dick he's actually in a stable relationship with Artemis because he refuses to swap Bruce's horrified reaction to a normal one;
Gave Bernard the shovel talk;
When he bumped with Selina after the (failed) marriage and she teased him on how he didn't gave her shit for it he just answered "No, no I get it"
Purposely brings Harley to bat reunions under the bullshit "She's my therapist" when the bats bother him, knowing his therapy with Harley only count when they're at her office;
Told every one he's Harley's adopted kid (actually Harley was the one to say that once when she was drunk and he just went along with it);
Exchanged Bernard's number to Kon's in Tim's cell phone and vice-versa;
Left his Mustache grow and showed up as Matches Malone in one of Wayne's Gala;
Lied he was actually a Titan but they kicked him out because Dick's is an asshole;
Stoled Signal's Patrol Lunch;
Stole's Spoiler's lunch;
Brought alcohol to manage going through their family gathering when he was caught he blamed on Tim;
(He thought about blaming on Dick but he knew Dick would just go along with it)
Everytime Dick, Barbara and Bruce call him he answers with "He's dead";
Introduced Tim to the Outlaws with "That's Robin they found him on the thrash"
Showed up to Barbara's job dropped a "Hi mom" as a greeting then proceeded to laugh his ass off while Barbara tried o explain to her coworkers that that tank of a man wasn't her child;
Told Dick Talia adopted him;
Told Talia Dick adopted him;
Told Damian that if Batman dies he's going to adopt him out of spite;
4K notes · View notes
astorianyxkings · 7 months
Text
The first time Selina saw tiny Dick Grayson as Robin her first initial thought was "Oh a new kitten," come to find out her new kitten can freaking fly and is actually Batman's batling.
She tries to corner him once or twice, just to make sure he's okay being Batman's sidekick and baby Dick is just like "???".
Bruce starts to realize what's up so whenever he needs to distract Catwoman, he just sends Robin to charm and disarm. Selina can't plan a heist if she's busy wondering about whether or not Batman's feeding him enough.
Dick eventually catches on and is just like "guess I have a mom now too." Does he sometime have to foil her plans? Yes but technically all kids do that. Does he mediate when Bat and Cat don't wanna talk to each other? Yes but so do children of divorce.
Selina's conflicted because she really likes the kid but she's got no idea who he is. Until, she's undercover at a Wayne Gala (gotta see what Brucie has that can go) and sees this tiny kid with a scruff of dark hair and a blinding smile running around followed by his exasperated father trying to reign him in and she has an "oh shit" moment.
Bruce isn't exactly sure she knows. Well obviously he knows that Selina Kyle is Catwoman and Dick knows because there's no keeping anything from his son. But "entrepreneur" Selina Kyle is suddenly not only interested in working with WE but also interest in his son's school play.
Dick is absolutely delighted. He begged Bruce to bring her to said play and when she shows up he's all smiles. Selina is thrilled, the teachers are confused because they didn't know he had a mother. It doesn't help that from afar he looks like the perfect combination of Selina and Bruce.
Selina babysat at the manor a few times and when Bruce returns to nothing stolen, he agrees to but her down as an emergency contact for Dick's school.
The only thing she worries about is keeping him away from his aunts. Mostly because one actively drugs his dad with flowers and the other's dating the Joker and if she's his aunt there's no way the clown would be his uncle. Dick understands but is confused because it seems to him that his aunts should just date each other. Selina feels vindicated.
1K notes · View notes
nelkcats · 9 months
Text
Empath
Jason Todd is an empath, something that probably no one would believe if they were told the story of Red Hood. It's not an ability he likes to brag about either, honestly, Jason hates it, as much as he hates being back from the dead, it makes him feel different, it makes him feel like he doesn't fit in.
It starts small, with a boy who feels his mother's pain and his father's rage. With a child who sees Batman and instead of a big scary bat feels layers and layers of sadness. It starts with Robin, feeling too much and wanting to change everything for the better.
He never tells Bruce, what good would it do? It's not a useful skill, sensing the Joker's madness didn't help to prevent his death. Feeling Bruce's despair wasn't enough to keep his eyes open.
It ends too quickly, too soon. Maybe for that reason he was given a second chance. One that Jason didn't want. Pit madness feels a thousand times stronger than it should, it pollutes his mind, it seeps into his heart and Jason hates it a little more every day.
Then, he meets Danny in a bar, full of smiles and biting comments but so so scared. He hears his silent pleas, his regrets, his desire to belong, to not be hated. And for the first time in a long time, Jason's heart breaks a little.
For the first time in a long time, the pits fall silent and give way to the confused feelings of the boy beside him.
Danny becomes part of the routine, Jason doesn't quite know how but the boy refuses to leave. He never asks about Red Hood, though the small flicker of doubt every time Jason leaves the apartment confirms that he knows. He never stops him, he just smiles and waits for him with a first aid kit under his arm, bandages his wounds and sleeps beside him.
Jason knows he is dangerous but can't help but love him as much as he can't help but feel the pain that accompanies the boy.
Then, his little home life is invaded by Bruce (worried, always worried, overly cautious), he warns him that Danny is a dangerous creature, warns him that he will hurt him. Jason can't help but snort.
Jason knows Danny isn't human, it's not something his ability tells him, it's just easy to deduce. But when Danny confesses it to him (scared, so so scared), he downplays it, tells him it's okay and he can go back to sleep. Danny doesn't fit into what's normal, but that's okay, he doesn't either.
2K notes · View notes
dcxdpdabbles · 4 months
Note
God, I love the Cave Boy series. Will the batfam manage to find him after he dips. Will they ever find out about his powers. So many questions
Danny stays underground for days.
He doesn't know the exact time frame because he only goes to the surface to grab supplies. He makes sure to only fully emerge when there is no light out.
It was a bigger risk to be caught by the Waynes, who only operated in the dark, but it ensured fewer eyewitnesses were around. Danny Kane was still a very hot celebrity for taking down the Joker- he would be surrounded by a mob of fans if he walked down the street.
He moved his ship into a deeper cave by phasing the large metal and all his equipment through solid rock, which was not easy. It was a miracle he found a little pocket to set up shop.
Danny thinks the little pocket- surrounded by stone with no opening at all, was formed after a cave-in at one point. It was large enough to work on his ship and had just enough space to set up a sleeping bag and a tent for rest.
He rarely uses that space nowadays.
Danny had stolen from a camping store- taking with him an entire box of lanterns that he placed strategically around his space. They threw light to the large four walls of stone- making him feel trapped inside a midevil dungeon, and somehow, it also made him think incredulity alone.
That was the worst part of this whole change of scenery. He doesn't want to admit it, but he got used to Wayne Manor and the colorful characters there.
He hadn't even done anything besides lay around but he missed the sound of people. Even before Bruce had found him, Danny would see people often as he wandered around gathering a sense of the city.
Now, he was genuinely suffocating alone. He didn't feel the loss often, but there were times when it felt like being hit by a truck.
It's when his own ice powers reach into his bones, causing his teeth to clatter and curl up into a smaller ball on the cave ground, that Danny misses the Manor the most. He stole food from the stores- but without any way to cook or heat it up, it's limited to the packed food.
Sometimes, while eating packs of dried fruit, he thinks longingly of Alfred's warm meals. Then he remembers how they looked at him when his lies got so out of hand that they believed Bruce's parents lived in his world and he could suppress the longing to return.
Danny has made leaps and bounds on building his ship since he no longer pretends to be Brucie. He no longer filled the hours with nonsense, only being awake to work or stealing what he needed to continue working.
Unlike before, Danny had developed a tunnel version of finishing his project. He no longer wanted to give himself time to ensure everything was fine.
He just wanted to go home.
He's gotten better at wielding using his own ghost laser, and now his ship had its full body. It was missing seats, a window, and even a steering program that actually turned when he wanted- but he was getting closer and closer every day.
All the small technology pieces he stole from the Waynes were on one side- ripped apart for the needed parts. He would spend hours carefully opening everything to check what he could use and what he could melt down to repurpose.
Danny carefully pulls out some small wires from the electric candle he took from the Wayne Dinner table when his vision blurs. He takes a moment to blink rapidly, trying to let the sudden burst of lightheadedness pass him.
Sadly, it was only a few seconds before he crumbled to the hard ground. He gasps, the cold coming back tenfold, and he can do nothing but lay there and pray the pain passes.
Danny hadn't felt this weak since his ice core first developed. Even the first Ghostly Wail hadn't made his limbs feel this heavy.
He knows he has been pushing himself too far lately- barely eating or sleeping- but Danny can't risk any wasted second. He saw the resources the Bats have.
It was only a matter of time before they found him- even if they would need to drill through the solid stone for hours to reach him- and he didn't want to face them after the guilt of lying to them was slowly eating him alive.
He had kept the Wayne at arm's length the entire time, living under the pretense of being Bruce Wayne's counterpart. He told himself he wanted nothing to do with their nightly battle against evil- and he didn't!- and that he could care less if they treated him as family.
He took everything they gave him without hesitation, telling himself they were fools for letting anyone in and stealing from them. Danny thought it would not matter as he would finish his ship and be flying home long before they realized he wasn't Bruce.
Until they stop treating him so warmly after killing the Joker. Danny wasn't sorry about it, but suddenly, he was a stranger in a crowd to them.
Danny had no right to be upset. He lied. He didn't want to be Brucie to them and had actively made Tim look bad by being as Unproactive as possible, going along with changed narratives of his world.
Danny had used the Waynes.
Yes, he did so, believing they were a cult or an evil madman, but he learned that wasn't the case early on. He could have ended the lie at any moment, but he didn't because he figured it would be harmless.
Then he realized that Bruce's parents were killed in front of him- the story wasn't hard to find when he actually bothered to look into the Waynes at a local high school library after hours.
Not only did he find the horrific story, but he found out that almost all the Waynes had a tragic story. Dick's parents were murdered in an accident that wasn't an accident at all.
Tim's parents were killed by a madman with boomerangs. Jason's father died in prison, and his mother overdosed before Bruce took him in. Duke's parents were patients with no working mind because of the Joker (Danny should have made his death last longer).
The only ones that didn't seem to be Cass and Damian, but he knew it was likely due to Bruce not wanting the public to learn that they came from abusive households- he figured that much out by their reactions.
Even Alfred had a history of PTSD from his time in the army. There was an article about a scandal when Bruce had actually been a child- apparently, someone had thought to release firecrackers under the servant's table, and Alfred had panicked. People had mocked him about it for months.
Everyone had a reason to be a villain, yet they all had opened their home to him and been nothing but kind. They were good, and they treated him like family.
Danny felt sick with himself, for being so self-centered he never bothered to really get to know them. And now he never could.
A few tears rolled down his face as his vision started to blur out more and more.
No use crying over it now, Fenton. Though the haze of exhaustion doesn't let him get up from the floor, he thinks bitterly.
He'll rest for a little bit, then get back to work. Only for a few minutes/
Danny doesn't notice his body has shifted in his Ghist side, slowly redirecting his energy to his core, so that his healing could help overcome the unknown days.
He is not aware his heartbeat stops at the same time.
_____________________________________________________________
"I can't hear him anymore!" A young boy screams, pressing his ear against a stone. Horror clouds his voice as he turns to stare at another boy. "His heartbeat....it's not...."
"We must make haste! Breakthrough now!" The other boy snaps.
"But that might cause the cave to fall on top of him." The other rubs his hands together nervously. "I think we may be too late to save-"
"Every second we waste is a second that Brucie gets closer to death!" His company growls savagely, though the tears in his eyes make him less scary. "We have to at least bring his body home- we-I can't- he needs to be buried properly."
Not even a second passed before the other boy threw his shoulders back, yanking out his phone and pressing a speed dial two.
His father picks up two rings. "Jon?"
"Dad! We found Brucie! He was stuck in a cave underneath the tunnels leading to Gotham Cemetry. Can you come help me get him out?"
"I'll be right there."
821 notes · View notes
snakeredbirdbatkatana · 5 months
Text
I will be your Blade Point Me
Loyalty was a trait Janet Drake respected above all others.
It can give you power, fame, money to have someone's loyalty was to have their life.
Tim has always given his all. His people whatever they need they have. May it be his mind, his skills, or even his weapons.
If Dick Grayson demanded the shirt off his back he would remain naked till the end of his days.
Very few times has anyone actually used it the first to test it was Jason.
"Hey Jay.. What's up you never call?"
Tim's phone is always ringing from Wayne Enterprises to his assorted friends he can't remember it being silent. Yet the shock when HighWay to Hell started blaring almost sent him into cardiac arrest.
"Need a favor. Think you could meet me at that safe house you keep pretending not to break into?"
"Yah no problem also it's not breaking in when you leave the window unlocked. Give me ten."
~
Jason doesn't do favors. He would rather die again than ever ask for shit.
When it comes to Tim though he's not an idiot. During his return to Gotham he researched, knew everything about him from his favorite color to when he fucking peed.
Part of his research specifically including who trained the third Robin. Nevermind that watching the kid fight for more than ten minutes gives it away.
Lady Shiva, Ra's just to name a few. He moves almost exactly the same as Cass. Hides in the shadows better than Damian. The whole creepy debacle with Mr. Old as Fuck just furthered Jason hypothesis.
Baby Bird, Bruce's prized protege isn't none lethal.
"I need you to kill someone."
~
Tim in the back of his mind expected it.
Jason for all he is exactly like Bruce doesn't respond the same. To him protection is blood soaked, a knife to the throat is a greeting. Kindess was shrouded and wasn't offered without losing a part of yourself.
"Joker I'm assuming?"
~
He expected a bit of a fight maybe a lecture at least for him to pretend, not whatever it is Replacement is doing.
"He hasn't broken out of Arkham in months haven't heard shit and I hear your in the same business as me nowadays. What you say about helping a brother out?"
~
He wonders if Jason is aware of how his voice cracked. The pleading that was heard the unspoken because I can't. Tim couldn't imagine looking Jason in the eye and saying no. Watching your son bend and demanding he break.
"Hate to burst your bubble, but I already did, I know you think the worst of me but I wasn't gonna let your murderer keep kicking his feet."
He tosses the drive he's been sitting on almost three months before heading back to the window.
"I know we got our shit Jay but your my brother. This is something you needed to be able to sleep at night. You shouldn't feel like you have to beg. I honestly thought you had known and didn't want to acknowledge it."
~
Jason can't breathe as he shuts his computer. Thirty hours of torture his baby brother broke the Joker in ways that turned his stomach.
He climbs into bed his eyes shutting sleeping without a nightmare for the first time in years.
He can't ever repay Tim nothing will ever be enough but he is gonna do everything to try.
He wonders if Ra's might need the same treatment?
502 notes · View notes
bluetooththereptile · 6 months
Text
Father in law (part two)
(Yandere Bruce wayne x reader)
Tumblr media
( English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes in the following text.)
This fic is continuation of this one.
Tw: mentions of death, and unsettling images
"Easy now, easy...just focus on taking another step..." Bruce's voice echoed in the silent room, you tried to hold onto the parallel bars, your knuckles hurting from the sheer pressure of gravity pulling on your body, your body trembled, the weak muscles hardly holding on, you didn't want to give in, no, you didn't want to give in and let his large hands grip onto your sides once more. "Easy kid..." you turned your head over your shoulder to look at him, giving him a side eye glare, his damn voice...that damned voice was the only thing that clouded your mind since you were pulled from the darkness you were in. His and Angel's presence didn't leave your side just once.
Speaking of Angel, "Love?" Their voice reached out to you, making you turn to look at them once more "Just a few steps more, see? You already have taken three more than yesterday!" You grimaced at their energetic tone, optimism oozing out of the words. God can't they just shut up? Your mind was irritated, but what was actually scaring you wasn't the fact that you were locked in this apartment complex that you didn't know its location, no, it was the way you were getting used to the parent and his child's presence.
Your legs gave out and your fragile body was once again, held still by Bruce's hands. "Take a deep breath..." he spoke gently, if you were your normal self you'd pull away from those hands, hating the way his thumbs rubbed your flesh to soothe the shaking, but now, you felt...sort of content, that scared you. You didn't know how many days had passed since the moment you pulled yourself out of that horrendous pool of green liquid and gasped for air, your lungs feeling strained, and burning as if you didn't have used them before. You didn't know why you were so putty in their hands, why your mind even though maintaining the memories of your life before your feast with that bottle of Xanax and your inevitable death, was so numb...it felt like you were experiencing things for the first time.
Each meal was a challenge, firstly, you had to convince Angel that you could hold the utensils even if your hand trembled violently, then you'd drop the said utensils and after that Angel would scold you gently for being stubborn and feed you, cooing as you ate your food. Your hunger had peaked, and you ate as if you were eating for the first time, experiencing different tastes like someone who hadn't tasted anything before. You didn't know, but your body's revival had made you very impressionable, every new sensation was new, and it etched into your subconscious as if it was a blank sheet of paper having something written on it for the first time. Hence Jason after his revival in the hands of Joker suffered greatly and its effects never left his soul, haunting him forever.
"Here, I'll let you go, try walking again, just a few steps more, alright, darling?" Why Bruce called you in that tone?! UGH! You put your feet onto the floor once more, your muscle mass was nearly gone and it felt like you hadn't walked before, even if you had the memories and experiences of walking. You didn't know it was because you were nearly decomposed in your casket before they had pulled it out of the dirt and your body was rebuilding itself. Letting out a sharp breath through your teeth, you tried to take another step, your leg gave out slightly making both of them gasp in worry but you surprisingly held yourself steady.
"Such a great learner you are..." Bruce chuckled softly, his chest vibrating behind you, his hands encouraging you to walk further into the open arms of Angel "Just two more steps my love...just a little more" Angel said, beaming. You avoided eye contact with them, those eyes held such a gravitation that you felt like if you looked long enough you'd lose your hold on yourself.
You were unaware of so many things, which was a huge blessing, you didn't know that outside the safe walls of the apartment was chaos unleashed in the media, Bruce had changed the document of your death so you'd be considered still alive, your family taken care of so they wouldn't say anything, and the media now were portraying you as someone that was victim of hackers and personal enemies, you were baptized and portrayed as a Saint, and the public was ashamed in accusing you of those things.
You were also unaware of the fact that Bruce was wrapping you in the bandages of his so-called love, sticking them to your body with the wax of his coaxing words and actions, and soon he'd mummify you in the casket of Angel's arms, gilding your union up with the name of the perfect couple. Bruce already could see the headlines of the paparazzi in his mind, oh it'd be marvelous!
Your death had made something in Bruce snap, the same feeling he had with Angel and the rest of his family, you were his family. Which already meant so much, you were already in the circle of his life, and when you entered that circle, you could never leave. At first, he had despised you for taking his Angel from him but he didn't know Angel's obsession had sipped into the waters of his mind and polluted them slowly. And well, with love, thorns would turn into flowers, wouldn't they?
You took in a sharp breath as you felt your legs getting tired with the weight of your body, and with a final step, you fell into the arms of Angel, letting out a sigh of relief as you escaped from the clutches of the pain as they held you with their surprisingly strong arms. "There there dear, you did well, you did so well..." Angel's perfume filled your nostrils as you buried your head in their shoulder, closing your eyes you were too tired to not melt into their arms, you knew you lied to yourself, you actually didn't want to leave their arms.
Angel helped you to sit down on a chair, and walked away to grab a glass of water for you, Bruce walked towards you and his hands gripped the back of your head firmly but gently, you ignored those hands on the back of your head as you looked towards Angel, humming happily as they walked around, how lucky you were to not see them three months ago, when they had heard the news of your death, how their eyes had lost their light and became lifeless, a dangerous shadow appearing in them as they stared into the oblivion, how they had nearly turned mad, and how hauntingly fast they had switched into normal the moment they held your fragile breathing form, fresh out of the Lazarus Pit.
Your eyes scanned the familiar room full of physiotherapy devices, only for them to settle on the large mirror on the wall, your hallucinations had subsided greatly with the help of the medicine you took but still, the images of what your subconscious perceived were the truth came to you here and there, death had sort of opened your eyes to the other side of creatures, but you only could see those images as the reflections of said creatures, a cat was a walking shadow with two golden eyes or a bird was a ghostly being with a red beak, you could see the familiar dark figure standing behind your chair, Bruce, looking at you in the mirror as his clawed hands affectionately caressed your face, why he looked so much like Batman? You had asked yourself so many times, you didn't know of Bruce's other occupation, and that was why you were so confused by the image of this Batman-like monster looming over you, no one but you saw him, and your mind couldn't comprehend the image of Bruce in his true form, why?
"I was thinking of having a spring wedding what do you say?" You stiffened as Angel spoke, looking at their reflection as they approached you, a fair creature with pale skin, yet their eyes were just like Bruce's, red, and their hand that soon reached out to you and caressed your cheeks had sharp black claws. "What do you say, darling?" Angel purred as you looked at them while they stared at your reflection in the mirror. You knew you had to be afraid yet...those monsters seemed...welcoming. "I'll choose the flowers" you spoke, closing your eyes to not see those sharp fangs in their mouth as they smiled affectionately, you knew you shouldn't give in but...most of you wanted to...and so your head rolled back in Bruce's hands as he chuckled, his deep voice echoing in your mind. With love thorns would turn into flowers...right?
658 notes · View notes
fractualized · 10 days
Text
Tumblr media
A while ago I got under someone's skin for referencing Joker's surprising delayed reaction to killing Jason Todd, and since then I've been thinking it's worth digging into as an interesting element of Joker's characterization.
Of course, first thing's first: Jason's murder in Batman (1940) #427, as originally presented in 1988.
Jason has just reconnected with his biological mother, Sheila Haywood, at a famine relief camp in Ethiopia— and he's discovered that Joker is blackmailing her with information about her criminal past. She gets him truckloads of medical supplies to sell on the black market, and Joker restocks the trucks with toxin. While Bruce races to stop a tampered truck, Jason decides to help his mother on his own. When he discloses he's Robin, however, Sheila betrays him to Joker, not only to stay on Joker's good side but because she's actually been embezzling money from the organization she works for this whole time. She's afraid an investigation prompted by Batman and Robin's appearance would expose this fact.
So Sheila stands by as Jason is felled by Joker and his goons, and then the crowbarring starts.
Tumblr media
It's bad! When we return later, Jason is presumably dead.
Tumblr media
While Joker isn't shocked that he's murdered a child, he does have an unexpected reaction to Sheila's point. He hadn't really been thinking about what he was doing, implying that he hadn't intended to kill Jason. He just got carried away, whoopsie! He didn't do this to get at Batman; he wasn't thinking about Batman at all. Now, however, he's concerned about how Batman will react.
Tumblr media
Joker thinks Jason is already dead. The purpose of the bomb is to get rid of the evidence of his involvement, including Sheila. Joker is not broken up about what he did, but he does have a sense that he's gone a step too far and he doesn't want Batman to know about it. At least for now!
In the end, while Jason wakes and he and his mother try to save each other, they're trapped in the warehouse when the bomb goes off. Bruce makes it back only in time to find a dying Sheila, who tells him it was Joker. When Bruce finds Jason, Jason gets no last words. He's already dead, and Bruce is devastated.
A clue from Joker leads Bruce to the United Nations in New York, and there, infamously, Bruce learns that Joker has been made the ambassador from Iran. Joker is now protected from prosecution, and Batman going after him risks an international incident. Bruce still very much wants to, but Superman stops him.
Well, mostly Superman. I recommend reading Batman #429 to see Bruce's full thought process on this. He is furious and constantly thinking about finally ending Joker— but he also questions his mental state. He still wonders if he can hold Joker responsible if he believes Joker is insane. He uses phrases like "what happened to Jason" like it was a natural disaster, not murder. He even confronts Joker to give him one last chance to turn himself in to Arkham Asylum. Bruce is in a kind of denial, still grabbing at how things usually go.
But back to Joker. Evidently, he's no longer worried that Batman will find out he killed Robin. Joker admits to it immediately.
Tumblr media
I assume Joker realized there was no point in denying it. Is Batman going to think it's a coincidence that Robin got blown up when Joker was around? Though Bruce does say it's Joker's taunts that 100% confirm for him that the clown was responsible, pointing again to Bruce still grasping for reasons to not break his rule in his grief.
By the end of the issue, Joker has naturally tried to kill the entire United Nations assembly, which instantly made him free game. So Bruce pursues him to a helicopter, and an in-air scuffle ensues in which Bruce explicitly prevents Joker from being killed by friendly fire, evidently so he can decide how Joker will die. Bruce jumps out of the helicopter, abandoning Joker to a fiery crash. However, despite Bruce's (supposed) intentions, Joker's body is nowhere to be found. The clown lives!
So that's it, right? Joker felt some unease about killing Jason initially, but in a short time, he was happy to gloat about it to Batman's face.
But when Joker reappears in Batman #450, in 1990, he is not triumphant. He's holed up in a dilapidated building, where he learns someone is impersonating him.
Tumblr media
How often do we see Joker upset by murders? When the story returns to him, we learn more about his mental state.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
With all of Joker's cackling glee at the things he's done, coming close to actual death in the helicopter crash has jarred him— and not just the crash, but the murder that led to it. He recoils from the memory of what he did to Jason. It's why he can't see the joke anymore. It's set apart from his previous crimes. It's too far.
Which is not at all to say that Joker is completely broken up about Jason. By the end of #450, he rallies and sets out to go after his copycat and restore his reputation to his liking.
Tumblr media
In Batman #451, though, Joker is still plagued by doubts along the way.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Even when he overcomes those doubts, claiming the mantle as the one and only Joker when his copycat dies by falling into acid, Joker challenges Gordon to finally kill him. It's reminiscent of The Killing Joke, the first time Joker went too far. But like TKJ, Gordon and Batman decide to get Joker back to Arkham against their more vengeful instincts.
Tumblr media
Joker's also decided Arkham is just what he needs. Outside, he's plagued by the reality of what he's done; in Arkham, he can settle back into his insanity and stop caring about it again.
So after that, Joker has no second thoughts about killing Jason, right? After all, he largely references the murder in callous terms. In-universe this makes sense as Joker revising history in his own head, particularly as more stories portray his effort to be more monster than man. Monsters don't have qualms about murder! But this is comics, so we can also presume that not all Joker writers know or remember #450/451, which I think is a shame. I find stories in which Joker expresses even just a degree of vulnerability to be more interesting than those where he's just mwahaha evil.
I have seen a few other bat stories bring some nuance into Joker's perception of Jason's death, though.
First up is the particularly nuanced "Fool's Errand" in Detective Comics (1937) #726, published in 1998. Bruce visits Joker in Arkham to get information on how to find a kidnapped girl who's running out of time. It just so happens Joker arranged this kidnapping for a particular day.
Tumblr media
I strongly recommend this issue for batjokes fans, as it revolves around Joker talking the case through with Batman in his cell to help him figure out more clues to a crime Joker himself planned. Even with Bruce beating Joker up, the conversational tone feels almost friendly. They're just doing their usual thing.
Well, sort of. Bruce has already said he's not in the mood, and he interrupts their conversation to say so again.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Joker could insist that Batman stay and keep playing the game, and needle him for being unwilling to merely talk to Joker to rescue this child. Instead, Joker gives up her location.
And Bruce does come back as predicted.
Tumblr media
So that was Joker's nefarious plan. He wanted to restore some hope to Bruce's cynical soul to be sure that his future failures would hurt even more. But it sure seems the middle didn't go the way Joker expected, when he recognized Batman just wasn't going to play the game as usual.
Tumblr media
Joker doesn't jump into taunting. He doesn't answer Bruce at first. He's withdrawn and reflective. He's got something else on his mind on this anniversary of the second Robin's death, and he knows that Bruce does, too. Perhaps not forcing Batman to play was a small gesture, acknowledging the difficulty of the day, remembering how things changed. And what does that gesture cost Joker when he still gets the outcome he wants?
Second example is actually also called "Fool's Errand," this one from Robin (1993) #85, published in 2001. This is a fun one in which Joker discusses his interactions and frustrations with the Robins.
Tumblr media
But while Joker indicates more than once that he wants to fight Batsy alone, after he talks about killing Jason, this is the next page:
Tumblr media
Joker does not then say he was relieved when another Robin showed up, but still. He's acknowledged again that when he murdered Jason, things were not right. As angry as the birdies make him, they're a key component in the game.
Then we come back to "Once More, With Feeling!" in Harley Quinn (2000) #25, from 2002. Harley's been playing double-agent against Batman with Joker, and she and Joker have this exchange.
Tumblr media
Joker typically makes light of murdering Robin, but it seems that when he's with just about his only confidante, he lets other feelings about it burst out.
There's also a flashback to DitF in Batman: Gotham Knights #44 in 2003. We get an exchange between Bruce and Joker before Bruce jumps out of the helicopter.
Tumblr media
Joker laughs as the helicopter dives, ready to die, but before that, he seems resigned. He doesn't throw in a real dig about murdering Jason, and he doesn't gloat that he's finally gotten Batman to kill him. He acknowledges he crossed a line.
Lastly, there's a 2006 exchange between, well, Joker and Jason himself in "All They Do is Watch Us Kill, Part 2" as part of Under the Red Hood in Batman (1940) #649. Jason has kidnapped Joker as batbait, and when Joker needles him, Jason needles him back.
Tumblr media
Joker regularly extolls his own crimes, but suddenly one of his victims mockingly accuses him of putting up a front, of not being as coldhearted and untouchable as he wants to seem. Maybe Joker does doubt what he's doing and retreats under the cover of madness so he doesn't have to think about it— just as he did in Batman #451.
I'm not sure if there are other examples of Joker expressing anything but mocking glee about Jason's death. I do know of times he's shown a sort of fondness for Jason (such as in The Man Who Stopped Laughing #4, Gotham War: Red Hood #2, Suicide Squad: Get Joker #3), but that's not really the same thing. Joker could've seen Red Hood as his and Batman's Frankenstein child without feeling any squeamishness about killing him in the first place.
But if anyone knows of any other moments where Joker does not act like killing Jason is absolutely his most favorite thing he ever did, do share!
276 notes · View notes