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animebookworm16 · 3 years

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Who Are You? - Angst

For @j3ssisam3ss

This is my angst piece for @maribat-angst-fluff-april, prompt 25 Childhood Friends

It was the middle of winter in Gotham when she showed up. A tiny girl everyone guessed to be about three. She never spoke or made a sound, but she often smiled, even on the coldest nights. The little girl would just curl up to whoever had taken her that day and smile. At first the other homeless believed she'd never make it to spring. But the little girl was full of surprises. Not only did she survive the worst of the winter, she thrived once spring arrived.

Everyone knew she had a name, no one knew what it was, but they knew she had one. They also knew she was old enough to know it. Surprisingly, no one ever tried to give her a new name. Sure she got nicknames. More nicknames than a toddler could ever hope to keep track of, but somehow she did.

The little girl grew. As all children must. And the older children and adults always made sure to enunciate whenever she was in the area, hoping to teach her how to speak. They all banded together, like they always do for the especially young kids, and kept her away from the worst of the drugs, gangs, rogues, and the overall darkest parts of Gotham. She grew, and most people started calling her Pixie. Their little fairy caused laughter and mischief wherever she went. Even still she rarely spoke, her words as few and far between as they were, were always impactful to whoever she spoke to.

When Jason Todd started living on the street, everything changed. Pixie stuck to his side like glue. She laughed, she started talking, Pixie acted like the entire five years she had been living around Gotham she had been solely waiting for Jason to show up. The ones who raised her would have felt jilted if it hadn't been for how happy the little girl looked. Two years passed and the two ten-year-olds rarely left each other's sides.

Then Jason stole the hubcaps off the Batmobile and Pixie was finally picked up by CPS.

Pixie had to be strapped down by CPS so that she wouldn't hurt anyone. Luckily for her, a young French couple had been passing by when they saw what they were doing, and demanded to adopt the young girl. CPS didn't want to deal with the girl for much longer and agreed. When Tom and Sabine found out she didn't have a name, they quickly named her Marinette Dupain-Cheng and decided her birthday would be the same day they adopted her.

The newly named Marinette was quickly taken out of Gotham and out of the country as the couple returned to Paris.

She never knew that Jason had been adopted by Bruce Wayne.

Jason was picked up by Batman and quickly adopted by Bruce Wayne. Before long he had taken up the mantle of Robin and was fighting crime. He looked everywhere for his friend but no matter who or where he asked, no one had any idea. As the months passed, Jason lost hope for ever finding Pixie again.

He would never know that she had been picked up by CPS and adopted by a Parisian couple and taken back to Paris.

In Paris, Marinette always appeared happy, and her new parents were always busy but tried to make time for her. Marinette had taken to wandering Paris. She wanted to be familiar with her new city, even if Tom and Sabine didn't always agree with her new habit.

When she started school, Marinette stayed quiet. Friendly, but quiet. This made her a prime target for the mayor's spoiled daughter Chloe. Marinette allowed it to happen and did nothing to change the status quo. three years passed in this way until suddenly Marinette was seated next to an extremely outspoken girl named Alya, who would absolutely not stand for the status quo, so Marinette filled that space, doing what she'd always done since she'd come to Paris molded herself into what everyone around her wanted. The same day she met her new deskmate, and self-proclaimed bestie, Marinette also became one of the two heroes of Paris, fighting an emotional terrorist who thrived on negative emotions (and just being from Gotham made her a prime target). Marinette became Dame Nuit, with her partner Mister Bug.

She listened to everything Plagg told her, especially the warnings and consequences of using the Black Cat Miraculous.

For the next four years, Marinette would fill every mold she was placed in. The hero, the Guardian, the class president, the perfect baker's daughter, everything.

Then the consequences started showing up. Marinette knew she had to wrap up Hawk Moth and Mayura quickly. She started pushing it so much that Mister Bug called her out one night and in a single moment of weakness she told him what was happening. What her Miraculous was doing to her.

Mister Bug immediately wanted her to stop and let him give the Miraculous to someone else, but Dame Nuit shut it down saying that even if she stopped now, the damage was done and nothing would change that. In fact, using the Miraculous, while it had started the process, was actually slowing it down. Mister Bug cried when she told him that.

Together they redoubled their efforts to bring Hawk Moth and Mayura down. Of course, Mister Bug insisted on bringing in more permanent heroes, under the guise of keeping one of the two things Hawk Moth was after out of the fight. Dame Nuit then argued that it should be the Ladybug because it's the one that can fix everything which just left them going in circles. But even still she conceded to his request for more backup.

Within six months, Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancoeur had been stripped of their Miraculous and Paris was free to feel their emotions once more. All the Miraculous were returned and Marinette and Adrien revealed their identities to each other.

Adrien stuck to Marinette's side and became an unofficial brother. He helped her as the build-up of chaos in her soul took a physical manifestation, and began to destroy her

A year after Hawk Moth's defeat Marinette's entire class was granted a trip to Gotham City.

Marinette would have laughed at the irony if she didn't know it would probably be the last place she saw. It was strangely comforting to know that the city that held her most precious memories would also be the place that would hold her last.

In Gotham, Jason grew into a young man. He discovered the woman he thought was his mother wasn't. He tracked down his real mother, then got beaten half to death by the Joker only to be blown up by one of Joker's bombs.

Jason died.

Then Jason was revived by the Lazarus Pits and trained by the League of Shadows. He grew to hate Batman and wanted nothing more than to see the end of the Joker.

Years later, Jason would return to Gotham only to find he had been replaced and that the Joker was still running free, and alive. Jason tried to kill the new Robin, a kid named Tim Drake, Batman, and the Joker. He managed to end none of them.

Bruce convinced Jason to stick around and one thing led to another and Redhood became part of the Batfamily patrol rotation. He doesn't stay in the manor but he does drop in at least once a month for family dinners at Alfred's request. On the weekends, Jason would take Tim out and teach him how to spot a sniper, an assassin, what different guns look like when someone is trying to hide them, and most importantly, how to defuse a bomb. It becomes a bonding time for the two, but Jason still calls Tim 'Replacement' but now as a term of endearment.

He never forgets Pixie and she is one of the few things that kept him sane during the worst of the Pit Madness.

Then Damian shows up and Jason has no idea how to deal with the tiny Demon Spawn. It's rough going for a while but they all found their ways of bonding and before long they are one large dysfunctional family.

When Jason turned eighteen, he, Dick, Tim, and Damian welcomed a French class to Wayne Industries for a week-long tour. And that is where he thought he saw someone he would never see again.

Without his permission, Jason called out to her, "Pixie?" It was barely a whisper, but she heard it.

Her head whipped around and she stared at him, "Jason?"

He wanted to say it was a happy reunion. And it kind of was. They hugged. Her class and his brothers stared. Then the tears started. Pixie was smiling but tears were streaming down her face.

One of the other students came over and asked her in French if she was okay. Pixie shook her head and the blond boy asked if there was somewhere she could rest. Jason offered to show them a room. The three of them sat in a quiet room as Pixie cried. She kept leaning into Jason and he wasn't about to stop her. After who knows how long, Pixie dried her eyes and haltingly told Jason what was going on. She told him, how she'd been adopted and went by Marinette now. How she was dying and no one besides Adrien, the blond, knew. How she probably wouldn't make it out of Gotham.

Jason's first reaction was to want to hurt something. His second was to hold Pixie as close as he could and never let her go. Jason cried.

For the rest of the week everywhere that Pixie went, Jason was close behind. The other Waynes noticed and on the fourth day of their stay, invited Pixie and Adrien to join them for dinner.

There, a not-so-subtle interrogation went down, asking Pixie how she knew Jason. At which point, even Pixie's failing health allowed her to spill so many childhood stories about Jason that even they couldn't resist her knowledge. In return, Jason told Adrien stories he had collected about her as a toddler and little kid. It was the brightest smile Adrien had ever seen on Marinette, and the first real smile Pixie had given Jason all week. He could almost pretend that she wasn't dying.

After dinner Pixie said, "Jason, did I ever tell you about the dream I've had ever since I was a little girl?"

"What dream Pix?"

"I've always wanted to stand at the very top of the Wayne Industries building at dawn, and feel the wind at the top of the world."

"Really?"

Pixie smiled a soft sad smile, "Yeah. Do you think we could do that tomorrow?"

Jason suddenly realized what Pixie was talking about, and had to fight a lump in his throat to answer, "Yeah. Pix. Yeah, we can do that."

Adrien and Pixie stayed the night that night. That morning at about three, Jason woke them up and took them to the top of Wayne Industries. Pixie stood as high up as she possibly could. Adrien and Jason watched her with tears in their eyes. Before long, they were joined by Batman, Nightwing, Red Robin, and Robin, who all wanted to make sure she wouldn't fall. Jason didn't have the heart to tell them they couldn't stop what was about to happen.

As dawn started to creep up on them, Adrien broke down sobbing, begging Marinette to fight a little longer. When the light hit her head, Marinette closed her eyes and smiled. They all saw her start to fade.

Her hands went first. Like dust. As the light increased so did her fading. Before she faded completely, Pixie walked towards them a peaceful smile on her face. Jason was crying now too. His Pixie looked like a ghost.

And as she faded completely, everyone on that roof heard her say, "My name is Jeanette. It's so nice to meet you!"

#Maribat #Maribat Fluff and Angst April #Platonic jasonette #Angst

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peppersonironi · 4 years

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How I Picture a Batfam Age Reversal

I’m going to write this as a fic (And I want to go on into a young justice world where dick forms the team and his siblings are protective) but here is the outline in bullet points in case anyone is interested. Please note this is VERY first draft.

Ages (At end) & Order:

Damian- 24

Duke- 21

Stephanie- 20

Tim- 21

Cassandra- 19

Jason- 19

Barbara- 15

Dick- 13

Damian is Ten when he is sent to live w/ his father. Bruce is 30.

They don’t really work well together at first. But Selina, Alfred, and Clark somehow get it through Bruce’s thick skull that he has to care for this child.

Damian keeps sneaking out on patrol, against B’s wishes. Eventually, he let’s Damian join and tells him to choose a name (Not what we meant, Bruce!)

Damian wants to go for something like Shadow, or Demon, but Bruce puts his foot down. He says that Damian shouldn’t try to be darkness.

Damian is pouting in the gardens when he finds a wounded robin. It’s wing is broken. He demands that the animal should be taken to a shelter, and carries it in his hand the whole way there.

The bird makes it, and Damian demands to be called Robin. He designs his suit, going slightly more colorful. “I might be called Robin, but I am NOT wearing brown, Pennyworth.”

Bruce introduces him to Superboy (Jon, note: less age dif) and the pair are close friends.

He is Robin for a little over seven years before he begins to fight with Bruce about being allowed to patrol alone, and being his own hero. (basically what happened w/ Dick).

Damian leaves Gotham, opting to claim Bludhaven. Jon joins him. He suggests they call each other Nightwing and Flamebird. Damian thinks it’s a bit childish, but he can’t say no to Jon. They’re costumes are here. (done by @hyperactive-lectiophile! Fantastic job!)

They eventually realize they’re in love w/ each other, all while trying to figure their lives out. Damian briefly tries to join the police. He hates it. Eventually, he enrolls in BH college for a major in Art and a minor in business.

Later in Gotham, the We Are Robin/Robin War stuff happens. Long story short, Duke is adopted.

Damian is angry to find out he has a new brother, goes to Gotham to yell at Bruce, but then meets Duke. They bond, and are close siblings. Damian makes his father promise to not adopt any more strays.

Stephanie Brown wants to stop her Father, so she sews up a costume and goes out as Batgirl. Bruce is apprehensive at first, but his family basically yells at him to train the poor girl before she gets hurt.

He does, and after Steph meets Damian, who she absolutely adores (He loves her too. The way she pisses his father off is legendary), Stephanie decides she wants to be Robin. Batgirl was good for dealing with her father, but she wants to belong to this new family, and, w/ Damian’s blessing, she makes a new costume.

Unfortunately, after a while, Stephanie is killed by Black Mask (her death is faked, like in the comics, but the Fam doesn’t know)

Enter Tim Drake. Batman has been going crazy over grief, and not even Nightwing, Catwoman (this is SOOOO batcat, btw) or The Signal can calm him down. Tim steps right up, and demands to be robin.

Damian and Bruce fight over this. Surprisingly, Damian is the one who thinks Tim should be given a chance. He sees how his father has been acting. Damian knows that Tim must be brilliant to figure out their identities, and thinks that should count for something. Duke takes his side, knowing that it takes guts to talk to batman, and be willing to join him. Bruce, meanwhile, is a constant chant of “no more dead robins”. After a while, and lots of arguing, Tim takes his place as Robin. They redesign the suit, and he takes his place as robin.

It’s little while after this that Stephanie comes back. Tim offers Robin back, but Stephanie declines. They talk and grow closer. At one point they talk about Stephanie’s new moniker. She says she doesn’t want to be Batgirl either. She wants something new. Tim suggests Spoiler (Bad pun turned brilliant idea?).

Cassandra Cain arrives on the scene next. She saves the commissioner’s life (like No Man’s Land, minus No Man’s Land), and Stephanie immediately imprints on this tiny assassin child (So do the rest of the family, but Steph claims the fourteen-year old first. She and Bruce fight over custody.). She offers Cass Batgirl. Gotham gained a new vigilante, and Bruce Wayne adopted a new child. (Faster than the comics, I KNOW. But Cass deserves happiness)

Everyone loves their new sister, and everyone spoils her. Duke is the one to take her to a ballet the first time. She immediately begs to be put into lessons.

Somewhere in here Tim’s mom dies and his dad is in a coma. Bruce takes him in.

Eventually, Bruce decides to offer Tim Red Robin, hoping to avoid the strife he had with Damian. (Like in the comics, Bruce was going to give Jason Red Robin)

Tim is unsure of this, and puts off deciding. Then little Jason Peter Todd decides to jack the tires of the batmobile and is immediately taken in.

Everyone is captivated by the tiniest addition to their family, but it's also at this time that Jack Drake finds out about Robin and forces Tim to quit. Tim gives Jason his blessing to become Robin.

Everyone pitches in on helping train the newest Robin. Damian teaches the kid things he learned from the league (non-lethal things, since Damian loves this kid), Duke teaches him escrima fighting, Stephanie (Much to Bruce’s dismay) has a full seminar of the delicacies of glitter bomb making. Tim teaches the kid hacking, when he can get away from his dad.

Unfortunately, when Jason has been Robin for almost a year, he is killed by the Joker.

The family is torn apart by greif. But this time around, Bruce has a much larger support system. All of them lean on each other.

The only time that Damian ever broke his no-kill rule while living with his father was to kill the Joker. He hunted and murdered the clown, sparing Harley. He had been friends with Quinzel since he was Robin, and knew how the Joker treated her. Harley became the batfam’s honorary aunt after this.

Bruce was too emotionally tired to fight with Damian over his actions, so no one said anything. Eventually, Bruce and Damian did argue. Damian refused to apologize,, though he did promise his father to never kill again. Their relationship was strained for a while, but they worked through it.

Less than a year later, Jack Drake dies, and Tim comes back onto the vigilante scene. He refuses to become Robin, however, choosing to take Bruce up on his offer and become Red Robin. He designs his own suit, and the world seems to slowly become normal. Or some semblance of it.

One night, the circus is in town and the whole family (except Alfred) is home. Duke, Tim, and Steph drag Bruce, Cass, and Damian to go see it.

It is on this night that Dick Grayson’s parents fall to their death. Dick is sent to live in juvi, meanwhile Bruce tries to adopt Dick. He succeeds, and the manor once again has a bright young child running through it’s halls.

Dick figures out the secret identities of his family and instantly demands to be allowed out. He wants to take down Zucko, and won’t settle for every single member hunting for him. Dick wants to take down his parent’s murdered himself. He tries to sneak out multiple times, but is always stopped.

Damian talks to Dick (They are extremely close) and explains the origins of Robin. He says that the mantle was born out of a want to distance himself from the revenge and violence of the league. Dick cries when he learns this and says that his own parents used to call him Robin. He suggests that the mantle is more than a personal need. Robin is Family.

Damian almost immediately demands that Dick be trained and help catch Zucko. Bruce is confused, as before, Damian was strongly against letting a nine-year-old fight crime. Damian explains (after much cajoling. He might be more emotionally open and healthy than when he first arrived in the manor, but the kid is still constipated) what Dick had said, and that Damian understands the kid’s need for direction. “When I first came here, I needed Robin. I might not have known it, but I did. Richard needs Robin now, as well.”

The family took sides on the issue, but eventually Dick (with the aid of his puppy-dog-eyes™) won everyone over. He got his own Robin costume, and they caught Zucko.

Dick refused to stop being Robin, and so Gotham gained a new bird.

Dick was Robin for almost two years when The Red Hood made his appearance in Gotham. No one knew what he wanted, as he didn’t seem to do much beyond killing criminals. They thought he was a vigilante at first, but then he began to take over the criminal underbelly of Gotham, regulating crime. On top of that, Red Hood targeted Robin. Attacking the boy wonder when no one else was around. After the red helmeted rogue let loose a few hints about the league of shadows, Damian interrogated his mother, who explained the identity of The Red Hood, and how she had set him on Gotham.

As soon as the family figured out the newcomer’s identity, and the reason he was alive Damian tracked him down. He knew how to deal with pit rage from his childhood, and brought the lost bird back to the nest.

The family was whole for the first time in years. Jason was still angry and resentful, but he had his family back. Jason was grateful for Damian taking revenge for him, and they were once again close.

Slowly, Jason let everyone back in, including Bruce. Dick is wary at first of this new older brother, but the little chicken nugget quickly warms up to Jason, and even convinces him to teach him how to shoot a gun (In secret, of course, Dami and Bruce would blow a gasket). Jason couldn’t resist the kid. It was physically impossible.

A year later, Cass decides to pursue dance as her career. She gets a job with the Hong Kong Ballet company. She moves there, and decides to take a new moniker: Black Bat. Her family is so proud of her, but they miss her dearly. Duke visits often, bringing new back to the family.

The absence of Batgirl is filled after a while by Barbara Gordan. She makes her own costume and starts going out. Once again, Stephanie Brown adopts a smol bean (Well, not legally. The commissioner is still alive) and outfits her with a more Gotham-friendly suit and weaponry (I.e. heavy kevlar and leather)

Babs is taken whole-heartedly into the fold, and is made an honorary sister.

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thelittleredrobinhood · 3 years

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Oblivion

Hey everyone, sorry I haven’t posted in a while but I’m hoping to be more active now! This is a song fic I’ve been working on for a while. Warning it’s pretty much all angst.

Length: 2,156 words

Song: Oblivion by Bastille

Fandom: Batman

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne

Ratings: Teen and Up

Trigger Warnings: Major Character Death (Canonical), Blood Mention, Kidnapping, Police Mention. If you would like me to add any please let me know!

Summary: Damian lay peacefully sleeping in his fathers arms, Bruce only hopes his peace could last forever. But nothing lasts forever, especially in a life lived on the edge of oblivion.

Damian’s breathing began to even out halfway through some movie Bruce couldn’t name. He was too busy watching Damian, enjoying a moment where his son truly looked like a child, with no walls, no glare, just peace.

Patrol had been rougher than usual, had been for a while now. Slowly but surely Gotham was losing to the darkness within her, no matter how hard they tried. It was as if Gotham had given up, that she knew the war was already lost.

As the voices on the screen grew louder Damian shifted in his sleep. The man knew he should shut it off and carry Damian up to bed, but he didn’t dare move, didn’t dare risk ending the moment of peace his son had found, wherever he had gone behind his eyes.

When you fall asleep with your head upon my shoulder.

When you're in my arms but you've gone somewhere deeper.

As the end credits rolled Bruce finally shut off the TV, picked Damian up and carried him to his room. It always shocked him how light Damian was, that even with all he was capable of, he was still just a kid.

Gently he placed Damian under the covers and tucked him in, just as Alfred used to do for him. Though instead of leaving he found himself sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing the hair from his sons closed eyes. He never showed this affection when the boy was awake, he couldn’t. As much as he loved him, he knew his child needed a mentor, not a father. And he couldn’t possibly be both.

So, he found himself in times like these crossing that invisible line. Letting himself care and love, but also worry. His son had been forced to grow up far too quickly and yet had so much growing still to do. And in these small moments, no matter how hard he tried not to, he always wondered if it was worth it.

This was a path that had taken so much from both of them, and one miss-step could cost them what little they had left. But hadn’t they given enough? Hadn’t his son given enough? Because as proud as Damian acted Bruce knew deep down the boy still felt like he needed to give more to make up for his past, to prove himself. That no matter what Damian said, he never felt good enough.

Bruce only wished Damian would know that he was proud.

Are you going to age with grace?

Are you going to age without mistakes?

Slowly Bruce stood from the bed and made his way out of the room. Pausing only for a moment, he took one last glance at his son, then he closed the door behind him.

He stopped in the hall and drew in a long tired breath, slowly raking his hands down his face. It had been a long day, the exhaustion ached in his limbs. He should sleep, but that never seemed to help anymore.

Bruce released his breath with a sigh and began the short walk to the Batcave. An action he had done so many times he barely noticed when he came to a stop in front of the large computer, and began pulling up today’s files.

Though as many reports as he finished, there seemed to be an ever-growing number behind them. He wondered idly if it would ever end; he hoped so. If only for his children’s sake.

He turned for a moment to the glass case behind him. Inside his suit stood proud, the symbol on its chest unmistakable, even when surrounded by the darkness of Gotham. The symbol that kept some awake at night and yet let others sleep soundly.

At first, he had loved the thrill, the freedom of no identity, of no one knowing who he was. No one judging his every move, measuring him up against a man he barely even knew. He was finally free of Bruce Wayne, but then Batman became an identity of its own.

Sometimes he wondered if he was better off without the mask, but the good they do can’t be done in the light. At least not yet.

Are you going to age with grace,

Only to wake and hide your face?

The daylight came and went as if it had never been there at all and Batman once again found himself jumping into the fray, Robin by his side. As the Bat finished off his last thug, he turned to watch his partner. There were still two men left standing, but it was nothing Robin couldn’t handle. Though as Batman watched he couldn’t help but see the boys that came before him.

Dicks energetic grace, Jason’s ruthless accuracy, Tim’s calculating stare. All of them willing to die for this cause, his cause. And in the end, they all will. One way or another this fight will take them all. Whether it’s their bodies in the field or their minds once they leave it, the people they were when this started won’t make it out alive. Unlike himself who doesn’t have a choice.

No matter what happens to him neither Batman nor Bruce can ever change. Both a symbol, one of justice and one of hope, and both far too needed in these dark times. Neither can ever falter. Neither can ever die.

When oblivion is calling out your name,

You always take it further than I ever can.

The night air was cold in his lungs as Batman watched the fight unfold around him. A small group of thugs had kidnapped a little boy from his bedroom window, hoping to make some money.

They were in an old abandoned warehouse, near the port. If you listened you could almost hear the waves, but Bruce had other things on his mind. There weren’t many kidnappers left standing, there had only been six to begin with, but a few tried to make a run for it.

“Robin, fall back and make sure they don’t escape,” he ordered over his shoulder as he threw a punch, knocking the man he had been fighting out cold.

“The police can handle them,” Robin replied, finishing his last opponent and going to help the child.

“Now, Robin.” The tone of Batman’s command left no room for arguments.

His partner sighed but followed orders, turning his attention to the two fleeing criminals. They had barely made it twenty feet, stumbling around in the chaos, their weapons lost in the fight. Robin went for his batarang when he caught movement in the corner of his eye.

The kidnapper Robin had just fought had gotten back up and was heading for the child. Disobeying Batman’s order Robin abandoned the escaping men and ran for the young boy.

The thug made it to the child first and pulled out a knife. Thinking quickly Robin tackled the man, taking his knife and lodging it in his shoulder. A non-fatal wound but a painful one. The man quickly dropped to the ground screaming in pain, blood pouring out of his arm.

Robin ignored him and turned to the small boy, who jerked back in fear. Slowly, he undid the small child’s bindings and helped him stand. Batman had finished with the other kidnappers and the police were quickly making their way inside.

After handing the kid over to the cops, Batman and Robin left the scene. Their job finished for the night, though the ride home was made in silence.

The Batmobile came to a slow stop and Damian was quick to leave, ready to put the night behind him when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Robin, you disobeyed my order,” Batman stated, his voice echoing off the cave walls.

“I saved the boy, doesn’t that matter?” Robin aske, turning on his heel.

“Of course it matters, but you also stabbed a man in front of him, Damian.” Removing his cowl Bruce looked into the eyes of his son.

“I had to take him down!” He replied, the anger and frustration clear in his voice.

“Not like that. We can’t do that; we can’t be like them,” Bruce responded, the frustration growing in his voice as well.

“I’m not one of them, stop acting like I am! I don’t need you or anyone else controlling me,” Damian shouted.

After a moment’s hesitation his son turned back around and marched up the stairs, ending their conversation for the night. This isn’t the first fight they had like this and Bruce knows it won’t be the last.

When you play it hard, and I try to follow you there.

It's not about control but I turn back when I see where you go.

With a frustrated sigh Bruce turned to the computer and started on the night’s files. In the corner of the screen, he pulled up the news coverage on what happened. He paused for a moment when he saw the boy reunited with his parents. He truly is proud of Damian, but there’s more to it than that.

The boy is crying, held in his parent’s arms. Robin may have kept him safe but there are more types of pain then physical. The kid had to watch it all up close; that affects people. They are supposed to be heroes, the ones good people aren’t afraid of, but what happens when you’re scared of the good guys, too? What road will that lead him down?

When Bruce says Robin can’t be like the criminals they fight, it’s not that he thinks Damian is evil, it’s that he doesn’t want people to think he is. His son has a chance to be something new, not just the weapon his mother wanted him to be.

He can make his own future now.

Are you going to age with grace?

Are you going to leave a path to trace?

A hand on his shoulder snaps Bruce out of his thoughts, though more than anything he wishes he could go back. Wishes he didn’t have to face reality quite yet. That everything was just as it was then.

Damian lay in his arms again, just as he had the night Bruce carried him to bed, but he wasn’t sleeping. Or maybe he was, that’s how some people choose to rationalize it. But it isn’t rational, it isn’t fair, though what in their lives ever were.

He looked so relaxed. More relaxed than Bruce had ever seen him with his eyes open. He should close them, but he feels frozen in place. Those eyes had been so full of life only a moment ago, now they might as well have been made of glass. But while lifeless they also held no pain. Bruce chocked back a sob; his son was finally free.

A voice spoke behind him, though he didn’t hear the words. The syllables and tones sounded meaningless and foreign, but he knew what they meant. It was time to go, but he couldn’t. The hand on his shoulder grew firmer, the words louder, but he didn’t dare move. His eyes locked on his son, his child. Now forever, just a child.

But oblivion is calling out your name,

You always take it further than I ever can.

The wind blows through the trees, but the sky is clear. No storms or rain, hail or snow. Just the bright light of a new day. A day his boy will never see.

It’s almost ironic, that the one day the sun shines through Gotham’s clouds is the one day no one wants it to. The one day it won’t be cherished. The one day it won’t be remembered, because no one is looking up. Their eyes cast to the ground, to the new stone among the old, to the name engraved upon it. Damian Wayne.

A meaningless name for a meaningless boy. A lie for the people, an act for the world. This name was only a burden to him, an unbearable weight. A brand on his life that forever marked him for greatness. Forced him to surrender himself so that he may be molded into what others wanted. The heir to Bruce Wayne. The heir to Talia Al Gul. The heir to a future of anyone but himself.

No, his son’s true grave lies deeper, under rocks and dirt. A simple glass case, with a small scrap of fabric, a costume covered in blood. A monument to the boy he really was, to Robin. To his hardened eyes and tattered edges. He may not have been free in life, but it was the closest he ever got.

He can only hope the real Damian is remembered, that after everything he’d done, that after everything he fought for, his redemption came. And that the rest will fade into oblivion.

When oblivion is calling out your name,

You always take it further than I ever can.

#bruce wayne #damian wayne #batman #dc comics #tw: major character death #tw: blood #tw: kidnapping #tw: police mention #angst #bastille #sad

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stxleslyds · 4 years

Text

Part 2 of my Under the Red Hood Review

Hello! Here I am again with part two of this review, if you want to read the first part I will link it here!

Let’s continue!

Chapter eight gives us a look into the past, to when Jason was stealing the batmobile’s tires, to one of the first times Jason went out as Robin with Batman and everything was wonderful…then one of the scenes from the past show a Jason that may come off as a bit more aggressive on the job, it’s also shown that he does agree that the level of aggression was unnecessary but that the criminal deserved it anyway.

I know that sometimes people get the impression that Jason was an angry and extremely aggressive Robin, which is not correct, he was a sweetheart (and I am referring to Post-Crisis Jason because that’s what is in continuity in this story) just like Dick (he had forty years of being a sweetheart too, Marv Wolfman misses me with that angsty and angry shit) but I think what’s important here is the fact that Jason saw things differently from Bruce and that does not make him a bad Robin, it makes him a Robin with different experiences and as a human being he is allowed to change his views, also let’s be honest, hormones are a bitch so emotions are at an all-time high so he is bound to change. This does not mean that his death was his fault, Jason felt lost and wanted a mother and he made some decisions but Bruce was the adult and he should have paid more attention to him and his behavior so in this house the only ones to blame for Jason’s death will always be the Joker and Batman.

Rant over.

Back to the issue we see Bruce, who has been doing tests and analyzing the coffin that Jason was supposedly buried in for hours, he is a whole ass mess but at some point in time he reaches a verdict…There was never a body in the coffin.

In chapter nine we meet Davis McCullen and Alfie Tisner who have a sort of meth lab in Black Mask or Red Hood’s territory, they don’t really know, and they also have a friend that is selling drugs to kids so yeah…they are in big trouble.

As I read I expect Hood to kind of appear out of thin air and kill them but that doesn’t happen, Batman is the one that comes crashing through a window and tells them that if they don’t pack their things and move they are dead because there is a wall full of C4 (that Jason implanted), Batman wastes no time and gets to work on disarming the bomb as he does that Jason makes himself known (trough a microphone) and tells the Bat that there is no way he can do it and that he better run too. Bruce says that the building is empty and there is no reason for him to blow it up which Jason is aware of and then suggests that Batman knows how much good it does to put a little fear into people and…boom.

Look at this little shit.

We soon find out that the building belonged to Black Mask, and that is not the only thing that Hood wants off the map, he is shown blowing up one of Masks trucks that is full of weapons. Here we also learn a bit more about his modus operandi, he never steals drugs or weapons for himself, he just destroys them and while they were expecting that behavior in what Hood deemed his territory, he is now doing it everywhere. We also find out that before he was trying to get Mask’s people to work for him but now he just kills them.

He is, however, taking his cut from wherever he can, so maybe he is building his own empire and his move as of now is eliminating the competition. This theory is proven true when Jason in all his glory and with a bazooka shoots Mask’s office floor.

Mask is pissed off and as he is screaming into the wind an angel answers his call…Deathstroke is here and he wants to play. This is not pleasing for Hood or Batman.

Slade is working with the Society and Mask wants Hood “Serious dead. Head on a pike, guts on the pavement, me wearing a sweater vest made of his skin kind of dead.” So, Slade sends people to take care of the job.

Mask isn’t pleased though, apparently Captain Nazi (???), Hyena and an unknown third party aren’t enough for him but Slade assures him that they will get the job done, no worries.

The attack on Hood comes when some men are trying to send a “message” to him and here is where weirdo one and two bamboozle our boy.

The fight that ensues is good but is overshadowed by what Alfred says behind the scene, he talks about how Jason as Robin told him that Batman and the legend of what he could do didn’t necessarily scare the “dress ups” the way that it scared the street thugs, so as a consequence they were more dangerous, Alfred true to himself tried to explain that the dress ups probably believe different things about Batman but Jason told him something that shocked him, he said “They all know he won’t kill them.” Which is true, you, me and Alfred know it.

As Alfred continues “talking” the fight welcomes a new player, Batman. He narrates the fight and realizes that they need to team up which comes naturally to them both, in a second they are in synch just like they used to back in the cave all those years ago. As the fight is coming to an end the third party arrives…yep Count Vertigo is here, the fight doesn’t last long though, because there is adrenaline and hyenas and scents the fight is over in no time (I am not explaining that fight, it’s so weird). Captain Nazi is the only casualty and Batman isn’t happy but just like Jason I am okay with it, if he had to kill one of them let it be the Nazi.

Jason obviously leaves and taunts the Bat once more.

Alfred ends the monologue by saying that Jason never understood that it wasn’t Batman’s strength or stealth that scared his adversaries but his resolve.

So, Batman makes a dramatic promise, “Time for this to end.” dun dun duuuuun

Chapter eleven part one opens with Alfred telling us about one of his and Bruce’s hobbies, they used to collect first editions of books and it soon became a tradition that Alfred then shared with both Dick and Jason…so when he finds a package for him and B that says “Just two to add to the pile. Cheers – Jason” Alfred immediately contacts Bruce.

Back to Black Mask, he apparently decided to set up a meeting with his right-hand men, they think that they are there to evaluate the idea of making a deal with Red Hood so he stops messing up their business and they are right! It’s just that the deal was made between Mask and Hood and it consisted in them being killed off.

“Are you happy?” Roman asks.

“Getting there” Hood answers.

Back with Alfred we are able to see what is in the package. In it there is a lock of green hair with tissue included so yeah, now they know that Jason has the Joker, and he was nice enough to give them an address.

Once again with Mask and Hood well, let me tell you if Hood is just “getting there” then Mask is just not happy. They get into an argument, a big one, Mask says that killing all his right-hand men should be sufficient but Hood says it isn’t. It goes on for a while and Mask loses his marbles completely, apparently he put everything on the line for the deal but Hood really doesn’t give a fuck. A fist connects with Hood’s face and a fight ensues, while they do that they also yell at each other about the proper way of running the underworld, the fear factor, who is prettier, who is the best gangster and who looks better in biker clothing…you know, the important stuff.

I am not undermining the fight, believe me but it’s just that they talk, punch and throw each other across the room a lot. Sacrifice and what they are willing to do for Gotham or better said what they are willing to do TO Gotham are the last things they discuss.

Just as the end of the fight comes, we once again have Alfred talking in the background about the time Jason died and the time Bruce’s parents died and how different the two instances are, Bruce was a little boy and defenseless when his parents died but when Jason died he had everything, the training, gadgets and abilities the only thing that he lacked was time.

And as it turns out that’s about to happen once more…Batman is going to arrive to the place where Jason and Mask are going at it just in time to see Jason drop dead on the floor.

Don’t worry friends Jason isn’t dead (again) it’s just a random dude with a mustache and Mask is pissed about it, what’s new?

Jason is actually with the Joker, and by “with the Joker” I mean being annoyed by the Joker…he is ranting on and on about how he killed him, how good things come in threes like Batman, Robin and himself. At some point Joker decides that the sensible thing to do next is compare Jason still letting him live with Batman’s no killing rule and then to make matters worse compare Jason’s actions as Red Hood with his own.

I absolutely LOVE Jason in this moment, I swear seeing Joker’s smile fade away brings me joy, he tells him exactly what he doesn’t want to hear. Jason isn’t like the Bat he won’t stay and play his game; this man right here just scared the Joker and nobody can’t tell me otherwise.

Back to Batman, he is trying his best to shake Mask off but the man keeps questioning if he knows who the Red Hood is and why did he let him operate in such a brutal way for so long (and affecting his business, poor thing so sad). Batman basically tells him to stop playing victim, he thinks that Mask crossed a line that someone really didn’t want crossed and that at the end of the day he is just another gagster…which is exactly what Hood had said moments ago trough the helmet to Black Mask, in a moment of great intelligence Mask deduces that maybe Batman actually knows exactly who Hood is.

Batman of course doesn’t answer because he thinks he is slick but the cat is out of the bag. Among the ruble of the helmet that just exploded (yeah the helmet had a built in bomb, that detonated after Mask unmasked the mustache man) Batman finds a message from Hood, a place and “you know where”.

The east end, Crime Alley. That’s where Jason takes him because it’s “fitting”, after all it’s the place where they first met.

Jason tells Batman that the Joker is in the building next to them and that he has it wired to blow it up, so Batman being his stupid self says that he won’t let him kill the Joker (come on Jason why do you want to kill the nice clown man, he is such a sweetheart).

The fight between those two is about to start when the scene changes. An attack, a living bomb called Chemo is being dropped (by the Society) in Bludhaven, Nightwing’s city. And Batman has a front row seat to see the show.

Yep, it’s not a good time to make snarky comments Jason; as far as both of them know Dick Grayson is dead. And the emotion in Batman’s face is heartbreaking, we as the readers have seen impossible situations, characters surviving shit that they wouldn’t in real life but characters within comics don’t know that… so, Bruce just saw another one of his sons die. (Dick is alive though, don’t worry)

Now, Jason has been a little shit during the whole story, but do not think for a moment that the situation somehow brings any form of positive emotion within him, what happens is that he sees an emotionally compromised Batman and well, will there ever be a better chance to manipulate him into feeling even worse?

…If Batman leaves, the Joker dies. So, first choice for the Bat, either he goes to what’s left of Bludhaven and searches for Dick or he stays and doesn’t let Jason kill the Joker.

Batman chooses to fight, and once again they start the same dance but this time B has upgraded his gadgets (you will never catch him wearing the same thing twice! Shame on you!) Jason teases him a little bit about the cape and B burns his jacket…

Batman has a whole speech about how Jason won’t be able to save Gotham or be better than him…that he knows that he failed him and is trying not to do it again. But Jason says that the failure he talks about isn’t really were his problem lies.

There we have it. And I would like to ask the same thing, why is the Joker still alive? Would it actually be so bad if he were beaten to death by someone’s bare hands? (Check out Joker: Last Laugh #6 (January, 2002) for a surprise)

But that’s not the point, Jason is mad because he doesn’t understand and he feels betrayed, if the mad man kills a fifteen-year-old and then continues to kill and you as Batman aren’t willing to break the cycle of: 1) Joker escapes Arkham 2) Joker does something evil 3) Batman fights and captures him 4) Batman sends the Joker to Arkham 4) Arkham is already corrupt and lets him out after a while or he corrupts/kills a few people into letting him out, then what kind of man are you?

Batman obviously has an answer as to why he hasn’t killed Joker yet. He doesn’t do it because it will be too easy and not only that but he has thought about it…not just killing him but torturing him BUT! he won’t. He can’t really, you see, If he does it once maybe he will never stop (there he goes, the man with a resolve of steel) if he walks the dark path once he will walk it forever. Basically, Batman has zero willpower and zero control…my dude no one believes you!!!! Jason doesn’t either but he does have something to say.

Heartbreaking, that’s the only thing I have to say about these panels, these are panels that have always stuck with me. If you want this conversation to reach a whole new level of emotion I suggest you watch Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) it’s an animated movie and Jason Todd is voiced by Jensen Ackles (who plays Dean Winchester in Supernatural) which is probably the best casting ever, Jensen is excellent at showing emotion with his voice. I totally know that probably all of you have seen the movie but it’s so good that I really think it’s worth watching again.

It doesn’t matter how emotional it’s for us, Batman can’t and won’t kill him, not even when Jason slides him a gun…so here comes the second time Batman has to make a choice

And he does, well, he uses a batarang to slice Jason’s throat making him let go off the Joker. Jason falls to the floor, a pool of blood around him. As that happens Joker grabs the gun and aims for the dynamite left there (remember that the building was set to go off) and shoots. BOOM!

And that’s the end. All three of them survive although Batman didn’t know that Jason was going to survive, I mean can he actually tell the future or…maybe I am missing something.

And yes, that was the end, I understand that to some it’s just a shitty ending and I don’t blame you…but to me it’s genius.

It ends with Batman betraying Jason. They don’t make up, Batman doesn’t try to come to an understanding with him, he just makes a choice, he would rather save the Joker before killing or letting Jason kill him, which is bullshit my friends because Jason has been killing this whole story and B has been aware of it.

Jason appears later in Nightwing issue #118 (May, 2006) to #122 (September, 2006) as Nightwing and with tentacles. Don’t worry, you don’t have to read that. After that he appears here and there but personally, I really didn’t catch up with him up until Batman: Battle for the Cowl.

Anyway, I am going to end it here, I hope whoever takes the time to read this enjoys it, see you around!

#red hood #jason todd #batman #under the red hood #comics #comic review #dick grayson #nightwing #gotham #bludhaven

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hasegawasosise · 4 years

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In Numbers We Trust

Summary:

Prompt master: @outoftheframework

I like the concept of each of the kids having a number or having a thing where they count off. Not in a demeaning or dehumanizing way at all, just more so to use in dangerous situations. For example, a bomb goes off on patrol, and to quickly see if everyone is okay, the kids (including Steph and Babs) automatically start counting one at a time. Bruce can breathe again once the count reaches eight. This tradition begins to carry over to civilian life when the kids yell numbers across a crowded gala after the power goes out.

Beta Agenthandler

Bruce never planned on starting a family. He made a vow to live for justice. He would be the force Gotham needed. He would be the forever bachelor. Justice was his Lady Love.

But 90% of life’s plan was just that—a plan. Bruce would never have guessed he'd end up taking in a boy who called himself Dick Grayson. Technically his ward, but Bruce suffered a mid-life crisis every day from thereon, wondering whether it was the right choice for him to adopt a kid—or why anyone sane would let Bruce Wayne adopt any kid in the first place. It was a testament to Dick’s own awesomeness that he grew up to be a mostly functional adult—Bruce definitely wasn’t.

After Dick, he recruited an amazing girl named Barbara Gordon as another sidekick. She was not officially his adopted daughter, but by day two of working together Bruce registered her in his little hind brain as “my kid.”

Then another. Jason Todd not only stole the Batmobile’s tires but also Batman’s heart. The little boy taught Bruce more about street-smarts and how to be a better person right until his death. His realized depth of parental love made him wonder why he ever adopted anyone in the first place—and ended up losing them that way.

After what he thought was the last, another one came into his life without invitation. Timothy Drake was a genius detective. Out of his first four—yes, Bruce could still count—Tim was the most similar to Bruce. They had the same kind of upbringing amidst the Gotham Elite, they were both highly focused and detail oriented individuals. Tim was even smarter than Bruce, and he was the sole reason Bruce could continue functioning after Jason’s death. Tim was also the only one to believe he was still alive and brought Bruce back from when he was lost in time.

After Time was Stephanie Brown. A cheerful ray of sunshine that had her own worries, but could function the best out of all his children. She had the kind of light sarcastic humor to brighten up Bruce’s darker days. He gained a third daughter, Cassandra Cain, the most accomplished amongst his children in terms of stealth and combat, also his one darling princess.

Then Bruce was introduced to his—one and only—blood son, a little baby assassin who had the unfortunate tendency to stab first ask later. By this time, Bruce had a better handle on raising children highly susceptible to raising hell and violence (read: still an incompetent parent, but he knew how to tune out their nagging) and had no choice but to assign Dick with Damian’s education on humanities and socialization.

He also had Helena, Terry, Matt, Duke, and Harper.

Bruce lost count.

It was the ultimate testament to Bruce’s parenting skill. He sometimes couldn’t remember how many kids he had. He could lose them in a Walmart and forget he was missing one. But thankfully, he had a secret weapon.

Since Jason, he assigned them all numbers. Dick was one, Barbara was two, Jason three, Timothy four, Stephanie five, Cass six, Damian seven—although he always said he was the first—Duke was eight, Harper nine, Terry ten, Matt eleven, and little Helena was twelve.

Imagine that. Bruce had twelve kids. What was his vow again? Lady Love Justice? Don’t know her.

It became sort of a tradition. When the kids entered the Wayne manor, each of them wrote their number on the info board down in the changing room. They were also listed on a desktop note of the BatComputer. It became a ritual in which the last child would add their newest sibling into the list, so they knew who the next number was supposed to be, and that next child would be who they were responsible for. Well, except Dick who accepted all of them as his baby chicks. The number also became a little part of their identity—each of them would put their numbers on everything they owned from their doors to their batarangs to the containers in the fridge.

Bruce, most importantly, used the numbering system to check in on them. It started when Penguin detonated a bank and his robins were scattered fighting all the hundred thugs Penguin hired to keep Batman busy. The blast stopped the fight and Bruce’s heart dropped when he realized his coms were damaged and he immediately couldn’t keep sight of them. He immediately tried to think what he could do, and when he did, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

“KID COUNT!”

“One!” Nightwing shouted from the top of the next building. Apparently he flew off the bank’s roof when he realised it was going to burst.

Oracle was two but he knew she was safe in the clock tower.

“Three,” Red Hood drawled. Bruce wondered why he joined in, but was thankful nonetheless.

“Four,” Red Robin shouted from the opposite direction, because he was the sensible one who directed the civilians and police to safety.

“Five!” Spoiler laughed and flew to his side. “That was a doozy!”

“Six,” Black Bat said as she appeared beside Spoiler where they shared a hi-five.

“Seven,” Robin pulled out his swords from a thug’s leg. “Father, I need to clean my sword immediately.”

“No stabbing, please.” “Too late.” Bruce groaned.

“...Eight?” Signal. He was still new to the numbering system.

Batman let go a deep relieved sigh.

The police and civilians who were fortunate to witness the scene, collectively said ‘Oh’. It became a trending twitter before Tim deleted the topic as much as he could.

********

The counting continued though. Citizens who have lots of children (such as parents, teachers, sometimes even the Police teams), realised it was a quick method to ensure update of their progeny/students/teams condition. So they The counting became sort of a Gotham Trend and eventually enlisted into Gotham’s Emergency SOP. Imagine that, having too many kids to count gave birth to a crucial disaster first-aid first responder procedure.

In all actually, maybe that was one of the top major contributions Batman has given to his city.

********

The kids themselves slowly embraced the importance and fun of the numbers. It created a sort of camaraderie-- even when the numbers didn’t correlate with their height. It used to be a nice isoquant curve when they stood side by side. But after Jason’s growth spurt and Tim naught growth spurt, Steph finding high heels and Cass love for Anti-flood Boots, the nice isoquant curve just became a jagged line not unlike a heartbeat rate.

That aside, the numbering also slowly bled into their civilian lives:

All of them counted before they entered the GothMart -- Alfred was there too, and suddenly Bruce became number 0. He was there to help Alfred because herding the kids was a massive job.

Dick was back for the weekend to spend time with his “babies” and refused to stay at home, because he wanted to sneak in his grocery list (gummy bears and cereals) into Bruce’s list so he could bring it back to Bludhaven and not spend a dime on it.

Jason was there because Alfred asked him for help--he was the only one out of the brood with cooking talent and generally all responsible in the kitchen, i.e. Alfred could trust Jason to use his kitchen without blowing it up (shoutout to Tim and Duke who blew the kitchen for the fifth time this year).

Barbara stayed at home, watching over their base, but she was ready with her surveillance just in case they lost one of the broods.

Tim was half dragged, because he had spent the last 30 hours awake doing Bruce-knew-what, and only agreed to be dragged with the promise of sweet, abominable GothMart coffee with pink glitter (a cheap imitation of Starbucks, really) because Tim was fabulous especially after thirty hours of no sleep. And the surprisingly awesome coffee was a dollar--what kind of frugal millionaire didn’t appreciate a dollar of drinkable coffee?

Steph was the one who dragged Tim, with the help of Cass who just returned from Hong Kong for the weekend. Steph wanted to buy some new bras for Cass, something cool and sexy she could enjoy immensely. Bruce was not privy in this knowledge.

Damian was there to ensure his embarrassment of siblings didn’t kill themselves or humiliate the family. Wayne was his legacy afterall, and all of them reflected on his legacy, whether he liked it or not. Duke, the only one whom he could tolerate outside Cassandra (Grayson was mother) just poked his cheek and grinned. Duke might be tolerable, but it didn’t mean Damian didn’t want to stab him sometimes (Drake, on the other hand, looked like a nice pincushion to stab his sword into).

They counted 0 to 8 before they entered, orchestrated by Alfred.

When they were ready for the checkout, 4, 5, and 6 were missing. Bruce finally found them at the children section, where Tim was busy defending his virginity from a Superboy Plushie, while Steph convulsed with laughter on the floor and Cass video-ed the entire thing.

Bruce refused to buy the cereals (Dick) / sexy lingerie (nope, nope, nope) / kitchen knife collection in black (Damian, as they didn’t need another stabby collection). But Bruce ended up buying the superboy plushie because it had been tainted (the store manager glared at him the whole check out time). At least Tim looked ashamed enough when he was handed the superboy plushie.

The gala was in full swing, full of important people and not-so important moochies. Bruce was entertaining a group of usual donors (important and fun people!) while he saw Tim seriously discussing the stock exchange trends with several old, serious men. Dick was charming the usual group of ladies and young men, while Cass seemed to be hiding behind the potted plan.

Then, just like usual in Gotham, the lights went off. The room suddenly became dark and people started to scream.

“KID COUNT!” Bruce shouted. “Zero,” he added because of habit.

“One!” “Three!” “Four!” “Five and Six!” “Seven.” “Eight” “Nine.”

Wait, did he bring Harper with him? Harper was allergic to this kind of gala--and that was why he never fully adopted her into his Wayne name.

Oh well. The more number he got, the better.

Justice Lady love who?

#bat family #batman #bruce being a good dad #bruce is a bad dad #bruce is a bat dad #bruce wayne #dick grayson #jason todd #timothy drake #damian wayne #cass Wayne #harper #barbara gordon #prompt by @outoftheframework #prompt fill #numbering system #Alfred is the leader #bruce is one of the kids too

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the-uninformed-zennial · 3 years

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Series: Dick’s Apartment

Chapter 1: Jason

Warnings: Mild swearing (because, you know, it’s Jason Todd)

Preface/introduction:

The first family member to stay the night at Dick’s apartment was Jason Todd, the new Robin. The new Dick. Or so the former protege had felt upon discovering that Batman’s sidekick was still active on the streets of Gotham and Bruce Wayne had gained a new ward. He didn’t speak to Bruce for about six months after that, and even after they finally had a conversation about what happened, it took him a while to be able to show his face around the manor. But once he got over himself, he found that Jason was actually a pretty cool kid. So, when Bruce found himself called off world for some league business while Alfred was sick, Dick didn’t entirely mind watching the little punk for the weekend...

Now the actual story...

Bruce dropped him off on the sidewalk in the late afternoon, barely giving the kid enough time to grab his backpack and cell phone before speeding off towards the nearest Zeta tube. Typical. Why bother waiting for your babysitter when the world was at stake? Whatever. Jason could take care of himself just fine, better than fine. I mean, he was fucking Robin. He took care of Batman when the situation called for it. Screw Bruce for even thinking he needed to be watched. Screw Dick for agreeing. He unzipped his backpack just enough to reach inside and touch the hem of his Robin suit. He was going on patrol, and he would just love to see Nightwing try and stop him. He slung his worn red backpack onto his shoulder and turned his phone’s location off, but just as he was about to bolt, he felt a warm hand grab his shoulder.

“Hey man, I was just on my way out.” Dick’s knowing smile just made Jason want to punch him in the face, “Looks like you were too. Wanna grab some pizza before you get both of us in trouble?”

“Fuck you man.” Jason spat.

Dick tightened his grip on Jason’s shoulder and pulled him into the doorway of the apartment building, away from the street and prying ears.

“Look, I get the whole tough guy act and needing to prove yourself to Bruce thing, okay? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. But if you take to the streets before I’ve even had the chance to put some food in you I have a feeling Batman’s no-kill rule will be temporarily suspended. So, we can either do this the easy way, or we can break out in a brawl in the middle of the street, which do you prefer?”

As much as Jason would love to see if he could beat Dick in combat, he did have a point. Bruce would be pissed if Jason ran off before even giving Dick a chance, and pizza before patrol didn’t sound like the worst thing he could think of.

“Fine.”

“Great,” Dick’s smile returned to his face almost as quickly as it had disappeared, “just let me get my coat and we'll be on our way.”

Jason slumped up against the side of the building and whipped out his phone in response. By the time Dick came back downstairs he had already beat a new level in the stupid numbers game Bruce made him download to “build his deductive reasoning skills” or whatever. Dick was such a priss, sauntering down the staircase in a leather jacket that looked like it had just come off the manufacturers belt, while still having the audacity to refute Jason’s whispered taunt of “spoiled brat” with a, “then what does that make you?” in reply.

The pair decided to use a shortcut Dick had recently discovered that supposedly made the trip take half as long as usual. It cut through a couple of alleys, but what was the harm, I mean, they were Nightwing and Robin, afterall. Just as the thought crossed Jason's mind, he heard the click of a gun hammer pulled back.

“Stop.” came the growl from a voice behind them.

Dick quickly gave Jason a look that said to just play along. They reluctantly stopped.

“Turn around.” Man this guy was cocky. “Empty your pockets.” Jason almost felt bad for him.

But just as he was about to show this punk who was boss, Dick grabbed his arm, and he noticed that he had all his valuables laying out in front of him. Was he serious? Dick could take this guy down in his sleep, and yet he was just gonna roll over and give him whatever he wanted. No way. Then he caught a look at the guy. He wasn’t so much of a guy as a kid, a kid who didn’t look much older than Jason was when Batman found him trying to lift the tires off the batmobile. Not much older than Jason was when… no, he wouldn’t go there. Suffice it to say, life on the streets was hard enough. This kid didn’t need to be ruffed up by two literal superheroes, he needed a sandwich. Maybe two. So, reluctantly, Jason unbuckled his watch and took his phone out of his back pocket. There really wasn’t anything else of value he had brought with him.

The kid peered around the barrel of his gun, inspecting the pile, then motioned at Jason, “Backpack too.”

Shit. The backpack, the backpack with his Robin suit inside. Which, if found, would totally ruin the whole secret identity thing. Did Dick know? He glanced up at him, and yeah, he knew. Fuck, mental note, find a better way to sneak the Robin suit in and out of the cave. Jason subconsciously gripped the backpack more tensely.

“Uh,” Dick spoke up, thank god, “I don’t think you actually want that. See, my brother here was going to spend the night at my house so it’s just filled with an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush. Nothing valuable there.”

Jason could have facepalmed, right then and there. Dick obviously knew nothing about what was and was not valuable to a kid on the streets, because honestly, two years ago Jason would’ve killed to find a backpack filled with an extra pair of clothes and a toothbrush. Those things were hard to come by. And also, did he seriously just call him his brother?

Sure enough the kid motioned with his free hand, “Hand it over.”

Jason tried to hide the panic that was slowly spreading across his face, but Dick was too perceptive and he knew it. Fuck him. He was not handing the bag over, no matter what the little punk threatened. Somehow, Dick seemed to know that because before Jason could make a move, Dick had already done some crazy ass acrobatic flip that simultaneously knocked the kid out and disarmed him.

“How the hell--?” The words just kinda slipped out before Jason even realized what he was saying, “...Bruce is seriously holding out on me.”

Dick just smiled while he picked the gun up off the ground and put a twenty in the kid’s half opened hand.

As they began to pick up their valuables, he leaned over and whispered, “You know I was in the circus right?”

“Yeah?”

“And I was Robin for about a decade”

“Where are you going with this?”

The smile somehow glinted in his eyes, “Batman didn’t teach me that one. I created it myself.”

It took all Jason’s willpower to not drop his mouth wide open. How was that even possible? I mean, the mechanics of the move, how Dick had to launch his body upward just the right amount so that he could come down on the attacker’s hands and face with just enough force to cause them to release the weapon before firing, it was insane! Jason had to learn it. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, Dick raised his hand in silence.

“After pizza.”

So that’s what they did. They must’ve spent a good three hours at the local park just trying to get Jason to launch himself high enough in the air. As much as he hated to admit it, Dick was a lot more agile and Jason was quickly tiring out. After about the 500th failure, Jason lost it. He didn’t know what came over him, but the next thing he knew he was picking up the pieces of his broken phone off the sidewalk. Shit. Shit, Bruce was gonna be so pissed.

“Hey man,” Dick started.

God his cheerful attitude was starting to get really fucking old. Dick Grayson. The first Robin. The prodigal son. The dude who started beating up bad guys before he had even shaved for the first time. Dick Grayson who could fling himself in the air all day long and barely break a sweat. Dick Grayson, the guy he was just subbing in for.

Before Jason even realized what was happening, he felt his curled fist impact the side of Dick face. Dick stepped back a few paces, and instinctively hunched into his fighting stance while inspecting his face for blood. Jason was proud to say there were a few drops, thanks to a ring on his middle finger.

“What the fuck?” He asked, clearly confused.

“Just stay the hell away from me, okay?” Jason said quite a bit louder than he had intended, “I don’t need your help. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“I never said that you weren’t.” Dick dropped his stance. “Look, maybe we should take a break.”

A break. Yeah, right. Jason Todd, the kid who couldn’t even make it through an afternoon of training without having a complete meltdown. No way was Bruce not going to hear about this. With the way things were going, he’d probably be taken off patrol for at least a week. No. He wouldn’t let that happen. All he had to do was convince Dick that he was fine, he was better than fine, he was the real Robin.

Jason took another swing, and this time, Dick was expecting it. He grabbed Jason’s outstretched arm and twisted it behind his back. But before he could get the hold fully secured, Jason took his free arm and elbowed him right in the stomach, the diaphragm, if Dick’s sudden fit of coughing was any indication. This gave Jason enough time to yank his hand free of Dick’s grasp and try to land another blow. He decided to go for a kick to the right knee, a weak spot of Batman’s former protege he had learned about while reviewing old video tapes for training. But Dick saw it coming. Before Jason even had time to think, Dick had already grabbed his outstretched leg and knocked him off balance, causing him to fall into the soft dirt around them. Jason kicked and flailed, trying to get his leg free, but it didn’t work, and soon Dick was on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

Jason knew if he tried he could get free eventually, but after a while he just stopped. What was the point anyway? Surely Dick was going to call Batman as soon as he was back on world and tell him everything. He’d recommend Jason give back the Robin suit and retire from the vigilante business because he couldn’t handle the stress of learning a new trick. Then he’d be back on the streets, because what use would Bruce Wayne have for him if he couldn’t fight crime? At least this time he’d know how to defend himself.

Jason didn’t even realize he had started to cry until he was being held in Dick’s arms. It was strange and incredibly uncomfortable to be held by someone that was nearly his own size, but Dick was soft and warm and would not let go. So Jason just sat there frozen, tears silently running down his face as he tried desperately to hide the fact that he was terrified of what was going to happen to him now.

The two boys stayed there like that for a few minutes, until Jason had softened enough to meld into Dick’s arms a little, and the latest wave of tears had come and gone. When Dick finally did let go, Jason scrambled back up onto his feet, and wiped away any trace that he had cried in the first place. Then turned a stony gaze at Dick.

“Don’t tell Bruce.” He glared.

“Tell him what?” Dick asked innocently.

There he was, being a prick again. Jason glanced around the park that was now well covered in darkness looking for a space to stare at that wasn’t Dick. Anywhere but Dick.

“That I failed.”

“Excuse me?” Dick’s tone was sarcastic and somewhat offended. “Did you just say you failed?”

Jason nodded ever so slightly.

“Okay, no.” He sighed in a manner eerily similar to Bruce. “Jace, it takes time to master a move like this, like an insane amount of time, like years. You had three hours in a playground and you’ve already got the basic motor functions of the move down. I don’t know about you, but I call that impressive.”

Jason looked cautiously into Dick’s eyes, could he really mean what he was saying? “But then why did you say I should take a break?”

“Because I could see you were getting to the end of your rope. I mean, you threw your phone on the ground and punched me in the face. If that’s not a clear indication someone needs a break, then I don’t know what is.” He smiled reassuringly.

“So you aren’t going to tell Bruce what happened?”

“I mean, I don’t really think there’s anything he needs to know about, do you?”

Jason allowed the phantom of a smile to creep up on his face, “Not unless you can’t handle being punched in the face by your little brother.”

“Brother, huh?”

“Your words, not mine.”

Dick laughed, “Okay then, brother, what do you say we go get a movie and eat some popcorn? I’ve had enough training tonight.”

Jason narrowed his eyes, “Fine. But only if it’s horror.”

Dick just smiled and put his arm around his little brother’s shoulder as they walked out of the park and back to the apartment.

The boys stayed up well into the night, mostly mocking the movie they chose for it’s subpar acting and special effects quality. It was one of those “classic” horror movies that everyone has to see at least once in their lives, so of course it sucked. Still, Jason could honestly say it was the most fun he’d had in years. Dick was definitely an asshole, but despite his better judgement, he couldn’t help thinking that maybe, just maybe, Dick wasn’t as big a dick as he thought.

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itzagothamcitysiren · 4 years

Text

Welcome to the Family

so has everyone seen the new Justice League animated movie yet cause like-

No spoilers here just in cause but like I enjoyed it but Holy ‘R’ Rated Avengers Endgame Batman it was brutal lol.

Anyways, thanks again to everyone showing their support with this story :) I do have a special mother’s day special coming out this weekend set in this story. It’ll be set more towards the future were all the robin’s are in the family. I’m really excited to post it. It was the first thing I wrote for this series and I think it’s adorable :)

But anywho on with chapter four! Things will defiantly start picking up in this one.

Never Wanted to be Here Now pt. 4

Jason Todd didn’t know how long he could listen to the lies everyday on his car ride home from school and then again at dinner as they were repeated again but for another set of ears. He knew the truth, he wasn’t stupid, and they did have three classes together after all. Sure he skipped a lot but when he did start showing up to his first period English class, he saw the look on her face; Halley looked absolutely miserable.

It was almost comically, as the girl told Dick over the phone about the nice girl who showed her around on her first day, and how she thought they were becoming friends. Sam had no interested in becoming friends with Halley in the slightest once she realized how awkward and dorky the girl was. But for the new ward of Bruce Wayne’s first week she was forced to be a student shadow because she was constantly in trouble for being on her phone and that was the guidance counselor’s way of trying to get her to want to become a better student. Like that would ever happen, Sam Bennet was just another stuck up twit.

Jason couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the girl as she continued to lie through her teeth. Why was she pretending she was making all these new friends? Jason never felt the need to lie. Kids his age didn’t tend to like him. He had a couple of kids he’d talk to in passing or in between classes but he wouldn’t consider them friends; he couldn’t see him going home and telling Bruce that they were.

And it wasn’t like the girl was completely friendless. She had started talking to this one kid in their journalism class, a class Jason hated that he got slammed into by the way. Due to his low attendance and lack thereof grades, he was unable to pick the elective of his choosing and was thrown into the class. Halley was thrown in as well since it was the only class with a spot open for whatever reason the school’s paper and journalism classes weren’t popular. I have no idea why, he rolled his eyes sarcastically.

But all jokes aside, Jason couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t know why he cared so much about it. He had problems of his own that were on his mind. Maybe it was a good distraction? You know, worrying about someone else’s problems and temporarily forgetting about your own? His face scrunched up, thinking about how Bruce benched him for a week; he was grounded. He felt his chest burn up in anger thinking about the fight they had a couple of nights ago. The school finally caught on about him skipping class and called Bruce, who was less than enthused. Dick never skipped, he said to Jason. When was Bruce going to learn that he was like his perfect boy wonder?

Slamming his tray down onto the lunch table, he took a seat roughly, letting his backpack fall to the ground next to the chair. His face was blank as he came face to face with the girl who’d been on his mind all morning. Wide eyed and confused as to why she was suddenly joined by someone, especially him, Halley stopped mid chew to stare at him.

“You’re a shit liar, you know?” Jason said before digging into his lunch. He didn’t care that he came off as aggressive, this girl was pissing him off.

“Excuse me?” Halley gaped, muffled due to her mouth being full.

Dork, he thought to himself. Smirking at her he continued, “You going to tell Bruce again that you had lunch with Bennet again?”

Halley frowned, sighing as she placed her slice of pizza down. She’d grown to love the bread covered with cheese over the years, having never really eaten it before. It wasn’t part of the healthy diet Slade made her follow. She just gave him a look of annoyance, not bothering to answer him. She was already depressed and wasn’t in the mood for him. They had shared merely a moment of decency on her first day but that had already been two weeks ago and since then he’d been nothing but a brat to her.

“I’ve also noticed how you’ve been skipping free period.” He added, taking another bite of food. Free periods were meant to be held in the library so students could study and work on projects. And since Jason now had to sign in and out with each and every teacher for each and every class, he finally had to sit down in the boring-ass library for the full period. He noticed her in the period for the first couple of days of him having to attend but the last few he noticed her nowhere in sight. “Wouldn’t want Bruce to find out; he might send you back to Grayson.”

“Look if you’re going to be an ass, can you pick a place to be one? I can’t deal with you being one at home and here.” She grunted, rubbing her temples after dropping her pizza slice down onto her plate.

Before he could say anything else she moved to get up, not trusting herself in not decking him across the face, even here. She didn’t bother picking up her tray, just her backpack and made her way away from the table. She heard shuffling but elected to ignore it as she knew Jason was following her. He called after her multiple times. Having enough and not caring who heard she whipped around, her hair flowing around her.

“Just leave me the fuck alone, Todd. Seriously, just don’t talk to me.”

Jason watched her storm off, trying to play it cool as passerby’s watched the scene play out. He pulled on his collar, suddenly feeling hot. Her eyes had been the fiercest eyes he’d ever seen and he felt a lump in his throat. He felt like she would’ve killed him if people weren’t watching him make an ass out of himself. He couldn’t tell you why he acted the way he did. He just liked to project how he felt on others to make himself feel better. Except, it really didn’t make him feel any better at all. Right now he felt like shit.

He wasn’t one to apologize, maybe only ever apologizing once or twice his entire life. He didn’t even apologize to Bruce when he tried stealing the wheels of the Batmobile. But unlike Bruce, Halley never really gave him any reason to be an ass to her. He had to at least try to apologize or say he was just joking? Making sure to walk a good distance away and using his Robin skills, he managed to follow her down the hallways undetected and wondering where she was going. He saw her look around, pushing herself closer to the walls as they neared one of the back entrances of the school. She looked around, making sure the coast was clear before darting for the doors. The alarm went off but that didn’t stop her; she took off into the parking lot. He should follow her, right? Groaning, he knew he’d get in trouble for this but maybe Bruce would understand, right?

In a mad dash, hearing a teacher’s footsteps approaching from up the hall, Jason jetted after her, pushing the doors open. He was outside and in the back lot where the teachers parked their cars. He could see Halley had some distance away from him, jumping up into the air off of a car to get up and over the tall fence. Groaning again, Jason braced himself to follow, vaulting over the fence with a harder force than she had; he managed to set off the car’s alarm.

Halley knew he was following her from the start and hissed that he actually followed her this far. She just wanted to be alone and knew she had to lose him. She didn’t know where to go where she could lose him. This was Gotham; this was his city. She just raced across the street, sliding over car’s hoods as they desperately tried stopping in order to not hit the random teen. It was easy for her and she found herself across the busy street in a matter of seconds. The path was now clear for Jason, as the cars were stopped, windows down and the drivers yelling at her. The people on the sidewalk stared at her oddly, some in concern but kept walking. But this was Gotham, weird things happened every day.

Halley took off into a run as Jason kept running towards her before the cars started driving again. Swearing, she took a deep breath, turning to a nearby alley and running in. She ran a few blocks using the alley ways as passage ways until she knew she needed the high ground. Jason wasn’t behind her, finally losing him a couple of turns back. Using all the strength in her legs she hoped on top of a dumpster that sat near a fire escape. Climbing up, she began her ascent up.

“Nice underwear!” Jason’s smug voice met her ears moments later.

“Hmm,” She growled, gripping the railing of the steps until her knuckles turned white. She curtly looked down, eyes turning into slits as she quickly pushed her tights together.

Looking down, she saw Jason now jumping onto the fire escape. How did he catch up to her so quick? She swore she lost him a little while back. Pissed off, she opened her backpack and took out her math textbook, throwing the heavy and thick book down at him. It narrowly missed him, and he cried out in outrage. “That would’ve hurt!”

She started at the stairs again as he cried out at her, now sounding as if he was begging her to stop. She wouldn’t though. Once she reached the top she jumped onto the roof of the building, looking around for her next move. There was a building close by that was just a little shorter than the one she was on. She could totally make that jump. As she heard another set of footsteps thumb onto the roof; she had to jump now.

As she sprinted to get momentum, she lost her breath as a force stopped her. It felt like it happened in slow motion as Jason moved quicker than he ever had, reaching his hand out, grasping the backpack tightly. Jerking his arm backward he forcefully pulled the girl backwards, prevented her from jumping. He crudely slammed her to the ground with a tug of his wrist. He was pissed and out of breath.

He stared down as the girl tried catching her breath. The impact of her back onto the surface and her book filled backpack knock the wind out of her. Having not zipped it back up, her books and papers and pens looked like they exploded out of her bag from the force of her landing on her back. She was positive she’d have a nice big solid bruise after this. Blinking and trying to breathe in, she looked up at him, dazed at what he just did.

“Are you out of your mind?” He shouted at her, the sound of the city below in the background. “If you jumped that you would’ve broken your legs or at least sprained them in those shoes.” He shouted again. Sure he could’ve made that jump with his suit on but that was because of all his padding that enforced his body, she was in stupid saddle shoes and a mini skirt.

“I told you to leave me alone.” Was all she huffed out.

Jason rolled his eyes at her, running a hand through his now sweaty black hair. “You’re crazy, you know? That was ridiculous, I can’t believe you just had me chase after you like that.”

“I didn’t ask you to follow me through the streets of Gotham.” Halley retorted, pushing herself up to sit, shrugging her backpack of to try and relieve the pain in her back. “That really fuckin’ hurt, you know.” She mimicked him.

Jason glared at her lost for words. He was going to be in so much trouble when Bruce found out what happened. Fuck, he’d never let him put the suit on again. His days as Robin were over. He rubbed his face with his hands in frustration. If he went back to school, they’d both get in trouble and if they just stood here they’d still both get in trouble. He should’ve just let her take the heat for running off. Why did he have to go and make this his problem?

Halley, rubbed her lower back as she watched the boy openly show his inner turmoil. She found it almost laughable, but she knew it was better not to laugh. They were on a roof together in the middle of Gotham, and would surely get in trouble soon after leaving said roof. Closing her eyes for a second, she let out a deep sigh, finally feeling able to breathe. Opening her eyes again though, it felt like the air was sucked out of her again. Her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

Hovering over Jason’s chest was a little red dot. It was shaky, but Halley knew what it was. It was all too familiar. Crying out his name, Halley jumped up and pushed Jason down to the ground, just as hard as he had once the red dot settled. Jason swore at her as they landed with him on his back and her on top of him. He glared up at her, for a second before nearly jumped out of his skin. A loud bang rang out and a bullet whizzed past them, imbedding itself into the cement of the roof a few inches away.

He was now the one with wide eyes and Halley quickly got up off of him, turning around towards the direction the shot came from. She felt her heart stop when she saw him. He laid there, from a good vantage point, one building away from them. She didn’t even notice the red dot that now rest on her chest as she was frozen in her place.

Another bullet missed as Jason ripped her away, grasping her hand tightly as he led her in a sprint towards the edge of the roof. He yelled at her to jump but he knew she was in shock and his warming did no good. They fell down towards the building Halley had tried jumping to moments before. Jason dive rolled onto the roof, the shock being absorbed for the most part. He landed into a crouching position, trying to ignore the pain surging into his shoulder and neck now. He looked up and saw Halley wincing as she tried to stand.

She could feel the tingling feeling begin in her legs the moment she came to a halt and shouldn’t have tried standing but her father would be quick to follow them. He was probably already shooting a zip line towards them. They had to get out of here quick.

“We need to get out of here.” She said, gritting through her obvious pain.

“Where’s your phone?” Jason nodded in agreement, rushing over to help her stand. He looked around, trying to see if he could get a look at Deathstroke. They had to call Bruce.

“In my backpack.” She winced, as he slung her arm over his shoulder and began to walk them towards the edge of the building, trying to find a fire escape or something. She frowned, she’d taken her bag off and it was currently left on the other building. “Where’s yours?”

“I had to turn it in to the principal to keep during school hours.” He growled, cursing this entire day. “Fuck, this is bad. Okay, think.” Jason muttered, racking his brain for any clue as to what to do, seeing as there was no fire escape in sight. “How good are you at scaling buildings? Rock climbing? You ever rock climb?”

Halley eyed him before looking between them. Did he not see her needing his help to stand? She couldn’t help the attitude that escaped her lips but she was a little stressed at the moment, “Oh I don’t know Todd, I’m pretty good.”

“Okay jeesh,” He muttered, moving them towards the edge, looking down. It wasn’t a terribly long way down. Only five or so stories. He could easily climb it. Shaking his head, he looked at her, realizing how close their faces were, “Don’t take this the wrong way but how much do you weight?”

Halley glared at him for the questioned but soon found herself holding onto him tightly, as he carried her on his back, piggyback style as he shimmied them down the side of the building, using a drain pipe and windowsills. He grunted with each movement. This was a terrible idea but he had no other options. A hundred and thirty five pounds my ass, he hissed to himself as he felt her weight working with gravity and waiting for any slip up to send them down flying into the alleyway below. They wouldn’t die from a fall at this height but they most definitely wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon if they did.

Halley tried to hold on as tight as she could without choking the boy in the process, but her legs where hurting and couldn’t keep them wrapped around his waist for much longer. She was pretty sure she fractured something down there for it was starting to go numb. Wincing, she held on tighter, only to cringe when she felt Jason’s body shake. The strain of trying to carefully climb down was quickly wearing him out. They still had a little ways to go.

Eventually Jason was at a distance where he could hop down, only tumbling down a little bit before finding his footing. He didn’t hesitate, running them out into the streets, hoping that Deathstroke wouldn’t risk exposing himself in the open like this. He still had Halley resting on his back, ignoring his shoulder’s screaming at him to drop her. She was useless on her feet anyways. He moved through the street and crowds, trying to find anywhere that had a phone he could use, also ignoring the strange looks people gave the pair. He let his hand shift backwards to hold the brunette’s thighs feeling her legs start to slip.

Huffing, he decided it’d be better to just call a cab. There were plenty of them on the street and he could just take one back to the manor. Standing close to the street, he released one hand so he could wave one down. After a few minutes Jason got a cab to stop, immediately dropping Halley smoothly to her feet, and ripping the car door open. Just as he was helping her into the backseat he felt someone standing next to him, the shadow of a tall figure overcasting him.

Looking up, Halley and Jason saw who they were trying to avoid. Slade Wilson stood next to them, hand on the front passenger side door. He wasn’t in his costume, instead in a casual leather jacket and slacks, a duffel bag resting at his side. His eyepatch covered one eye as his one good eye gazed down at them. He opened the door, seeing how Jason started to back away. Slade could sense the taxi driver beginning to get frustrated at how long they were taking to get in, snapping at them to hurry up. Slade chuckled, eyeing his daughter up and down.

“I would get into the taxi if I were you.” He nodded at them, motioning to his pocket. The clear outline of gun inside. “You wouldn’t want to cause a scene out here like this would you? I don’t think that Bruce Wayne would want that kind of media attention brought on him because of his two kids, yeah?”

Halley gulped, getting into the car without another hesitation. Slade eyed the boy, the new Robin he’d yet to meet until today, urging the boy with a look to test his patience. Jason glared up at him one last time before getting into the car silently, only slamming the door. Slade joined them, sitting in the front seat.

“Took you long enough, come on I don��t get paid until the meter starts running,” the taxi driver complained, “Now where are we going?”

Slade smirked at the driver, pulling out his gun while using the other hand to lock the doors. The cab driver gasped, raising his hands up in surrender, keeping his mouth shut. Halley looked at Jason, seeing his stern face, hoping that he wouldn’t try anything rash. Their eyes met and he saw her silently begging him to not do anything. Growling, he sat back, listening as Slade gave the driver an address, keeping his gun pointed at him as he hastily drove off into the busy streets of Gotham. He definitely shouldn’t have followed her.

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renaroo · 4 years

Text

Telescopes and Ladders

Disclaimer: Batman and associated characters are the creative property of DC Comics Warnings: lighthearted nonsense Rating: K+ Synopsis: Alfred leaves for England on business and leaves the Manor to Bruce and a young Dick for a week. Bruce realizes he doesn’t know how to Adult for a child on his own.

A/N: I’m honestly fascinated by the time between Bruce taking Dick in/solving the Grayson family murder and when Dick became Robin. I always tend to lean on the B:TAS tradition of there being a gap of years between the two (8 for Dick’s adoption/guardianship and 12 when he became Robin officially), but that leaves a lot of very important years of development. Not just for Dick but for Bruce and Alfred, too. That really doesn’t have that much to do with this story because I also am a pushover for family fluff and there’s not enough of accidental!parent Bruce fluff ever.

Few things could strike fear into the heart of a man who had faced some of the world’s greatest evils and come out to the other side. Few things could make a shudder break through the rigid back of a man who had already lived through losing absolutely everything.

But the prospect which faced Bruce Wayne was too horrible, too frightful to fully comprehend.

By the time Bruce realized the full gravity of what he was about to face, it was too late to make any changes.

He stood, helpless, in the doorway as Alfred finished packing up his things. The number of clothes was a staggering reminder that this was a two-week-long trip.

Losing Alfred for any amount of time was hard enough for Bruce, even as a man in the prime of his life. But losing Alfred after the last six months of drastic changes was an inconceivable terror.

“Master Richard prefers his sandwiches cut into triangles,” Alfred reminded Bruce as he folded his fourth identical suit. “The crust remains, but the triangles are essential.”

Bruce squinted at Alfred and then looked down to his notepad, jotting down the detail. “He never mentioned that to me before.”

“I don’t imagine he ever saw you in a kitchen, Sir,” Alfred said dryly.

Unable to repress it, Bruce felt a frown tug at the corners of his mouth. One day he would have a witty retort that Alfred would not be prepared to immediately smackdown. Not in the foreseeable future, but one day.

“His school uniforms are pressed and hung up for the coming school week, but there is not a rotation for two weeks in a row,” Alfred continued. “I would recommend laundering them over the weekend.”

“I am fairly certain I could have figured that one out, Alfred,” Bruce replied, writing it down all the same. He slowed his pencil toward the end, thinking. “By launder—“

“I have put the name, address, and phone number of my preferred local dry cleaners on a note on the fridge, along with other contact information,” Alfred answered.

Crinkling his nose, Bruce looked at Alfred. “Alfred, it couldn’t possibly be that difficult to just… leave instructions for the machine, could it? It’ll look ridiculous to take all of our clothes to a dry cleaner for two weeks. I think I should be capable of at least doing that much.”

Never once in all the time that Bruce had known Alfred — which had been his entire life — had the man rolled his eyes while still within Bruce’s line of sight. However, the careful and methodical way that Alfred slowed his packing to a crawl and slowly looked into Bruce’s direction was about as humanly close as one could get to a full-body eye roll.

“I had once thought, in all the time it took for one to travel the world, train in a hundred forms of combat, perfect studies of chemistry, art, and history… that in-between moments of developing an engineer’s penchant for invention and a detective’s mind for compulsory criminal actions, that penciling a laundering cycle into the schedule could have happened,” Alfred mused out loud. “The fact that it hadn’t should be evidence enough of why, should you touch the washing machine before my return, I will take it upon myself to never touch your unclean wears again.” His mustache twitched almost testily. “Including a particular rancid suit. I should like to see that taken to the dry cleaners with a proper explanation.”

Bruce’s eyebrows could not have reached further for his hairline. Nodding slowly, he then looked down and dutifully wrote in his notepad as he said out loud, “Don’t… touch… Alfred’s… washing machine.”

Alfred’s gaze did not drop until Bruce had finished punctuating the machine, then he snapped shut the final suitcase. He seemed satisfied.

There was not much left on the particulars. Even if Alfred hadn’t left detailed notes on how to run the washing machine, it was one of the few parts of the Manor’s livable space that didn’t have precisely written notes on it. Alfred’s were taped to the relevant surfaces. Bruce’s were in his notepad, carefully inscribed and yet still leaving him woefully underprepared for whatever came next.

The air was stiff, and they were seemingly out of stalling tactics.

“Dick is going to miss you,” Bruce said, filling the silence.

“I imagine nearly as much as he does you during your travels, Sir,” Alfred said.

Bruce furrowed his brows. “That isn’t fair.”

“It seems our lives never are,” Alfred admitted.

They weren’t that far apart from each other. Perhaps arm's length for Bruce.

But Alfred didn’t come forward and neither did Bruce.

Instead, he hoped Alfred understood what was there. That Bruce would be missing him too.

Dick was a good kid. And saying even that really seemed to sell him short.

There was hardly anything Bruce had to say to him during the time Alfred was gone and Dick knew his times and appointments for everything, and even how many times to remind Bruce. Which, given, was more than it should have been. On instinct, Bruce’s responses tended to be rather unhelpful.

“There’s a school thing in thirty minutes,” Dick called from the top banister, standing on his hands without care.

Bruce, who had been walking through the foyer on his way to the kitchen for a snack paused and looked up at his young ward. It had been six months and his heart would still seize when he saw Dick using the Manor as a jungle gym. Dependent on the stunt it was either for Dick’s safety or for the Manor’s.

“Is that necessary?” Bruce asked.

Dick blinked owlishly and tilted his head, albeit upside down. “The school thing?”

“No,” Bruce said before gesturing unhelpfully, “the…”

Without really emoting, Dick shifted to a one-handed headstand and Bruce thought of all the bones that could break from a fall at that height depending on the angle of landing.

“So it’s in thirty minutes,” Dick reminded him again.

“Okay,” Bruce answered, not following because his ward — his responsibility — was dangerously close to paralyzation. If Bruce closed his eyes he could practically see it unfolding before them.

After another agonizing moment, Dick lowered his free hand and then somersaulted easily backward onto the third floor’s top stair. He didn’t even take a moment to pause as he looked over Bruce with severe skepticism and judgment.

“Do you want me to take a cab?” he asked seriously.

Smacking his own forehead, Bruce cursed under his breath and shook his head. “You need me to take you.”

Rolling his head to one side, Dick shrugged. “Not really. I can take a cab.”

“You’re eight,” Bruce reminded him like he needed to.

“I used to ride in the back of a truck with a petting zoo,” Dick argued back.

Bruce squinted at him, considering the option. “Is it normal for eight-year-olds to take cabs to school?”

“I don’t know,” Dick answered honestly. “Should you call Alfred and ask?”

It didn’t take more than one iteration of that phone call playing out in Bruce’s head for him to realize that it was a poor idea. And that Alfred would be very disappointed in the world’s greatest detective for his deductive reasoning skills.

He preferred keeping the phone calls short and reduced to good reports. On both sides.

“I think I should drive you,” Bruce said far more decisively than the precluding conversation should have allowed.

Dick casually walked down the long staircase of the foyer. He was walking down them upright, but Bruce had the terrifying feeling that even a blink would allow Dick to slip into another acrobatic feat that could endanger lives and fancy artisanship that Bruce pretended to pay homage to.

“I’m okay with that,” Dick reported as if it was up to him to provide permission for it. “Do you have time for it?”

Bruce Wayne had all the time in the world, but Batman was in between important and pressing cases that the commissioner had given him to look over the night before. There was also a new APB out for Poison Ivy the was concerning. A stack of forensic science publications had been delivered that morning which covered technology and theories that Bruce was hoping to pilfer through to keep up to date on his own methodologies and equipment. Not to mention the tune-up that the Batmobile desperately needed he had put off in favor of working on the training facility he was putting together for Dick.

Dick’s school was a fifteen-minute drive one way, which meant at least thirty minutes lost to taking him, dropping off, and coming back to the manor. And that was only if Bruce threw Dick out of the window while looping past the school.

“What is this thing?” Bruce finally asked, realizing it was something the start of their conversation properly required.

“Stargazing,” Dick answered, beaming. “I joined the astronomy club! Remember?”

A faint recollection rested on the horizon of Bruce’s memory. “Yes,” he answered instead.

“Tonight’s the first night. Jimmy’s dad is making hotdogs while we watch, and Mrs. Gupta is giving extra credit to everyone who comes!”

“They give extra credit in third grade now?” Bruce asked, genuinely surprised.

Dick raised an eyebrow at him. “Your third grade didn’t?”

Despite his best efforts, Bruce couldn’t help the automatic withdrawal he felt. He bit back on his molars and glanced away from Dick’s earnest gaze. He couldn’t remember much about the third grade at the end of the day. He didn’t finish it in regular school with other children, he was homeschooled. By Alfred.

Alfred who left him with another little boy that had his time as an eight-year-old changed forever. One that Bruce, admittedly, took in himself without any clue what he was doing for the boy other than “more.”

It was six months, and Dick was going to a school thing. Perhaps it was working.

“Okay,” Bruce said again. “How long are we going to be at this school thing?”

Genuinely surprised, Dick shook his head. “You don’t have to go. You’ve got the stuff.” He glanced around cautiously before bringing up his index fingers to poke out by the sides of his head. His fingers wiggled. “You know. Your stuff.”

“I’m aware,” Bruce said. “I’ve got some folders I’ll be taking with us but… We’ll be fine.”

Dick’s entire face lit up. “Oh! Okay!”

Alfred would have thought to bring blankets, like many of the other parents had. But Dick liked laying in the grass, and Bruce didn’t mind it, too.

After a long, wet night on patrol, Bruce collapsed into his bed for what he felt was a much-deserved sleep. He had positively no intention of waking up.

Until an alarm went off on the other side of his bedroom, of course.

At first, Bruce only vaguely recognized the noise. It was a dull throbbing that was interfering with the only thing he could think to desire — sleeping in. But as it persisted, his disbelief gave way to anger. He threw his pillow at it. Then another pillow. Then another.

It wasn’t long before the noise was continuing and there were no more pillows within Bruce’s reach.

Throwing his sheets off, Bruce leaped to his feet and stormed over to the alarm clock, ripping it out of the wall with the same force he had used just hours ago to punch out one of the Riddler’s neon green question marks. That, at least, had been enjoyable and profound in its moment. The alarm clock’s cord nearly jerked the socket out of the wall.

Having never been one for alarms before, Bruce tried to fight through the fog of early morning to figure out why he had set the damn thing to begin with.

Then he noticed, on the dresser beside the alarm’s former place, was the notepad full of Alfred’s instructions.

He was supposed to take Dick to school. The school started in fifteen minutes and was a fifteen-minute drive from the manor.

A string of Not-Dick-Friendly words escaped Bruce as he grabbed sweat pants lying on the floor and rushed out the door.

Bruce had one leg into the sweats and was struggling with the second as he slid down the hall. “DICK!” he called out loudly, facing down the dark hall. He should have set it earlier — should have known he needed to wake Dick up and get him ready. Did he dry clean Dick’s uniform? Did they have extras?

He should have picked up the notepad while he was at it, too.

“I think I’m going to be late,” Dick yawned from the opposite end of the hallway.

Skidding to a halt, Bruce turned with relief to see that Dick was standing, backpack already over his shoulders, rubbing his eyes wearily.

“We’ll be fine,” Bruce declared, finishing putting on his sweatpants. Without even a thought of getting more than that for his attire, Bruce raced down the hall, scooped up the third-grader, and was headed down the stairs and through the foyer. They would use the Maserati still parked in the circle just outside the main entrance. That would be quick — and the drive quicker given Bruce’s lead foot.

“I can walk,” Dick grunted, unhappily squirming in Bruce’s arms. “I’m not a baby!”

“I’m faster and we’re getting you to school,” Bruce snapped a little harsher than he meant to come off, pushing the entry door open with a broad shoulder. “Good,” he muttered as he began down the stairs, “it’s not raining—“

Perhaps it was Dick’s squirming, perhaps it was the distracting way the sunlight was peaking out from the approaching dawn.

Maybe Bruce was off his game from no sleep.

Regardless, his shoeless heel hit the edge of the stone step’s puddle at an angle just so. The water, pouring over the gutters just above the eaves of the entrance, was running over the steps and Bruce’s entire body went running with them before hitting hard on the cement that he and Dick tumbled down together. Bruce more than Dick after the barrel roll he maneuvered them into.

They landed at the base of the stairs, Bruce flat on his back and Dick on his chest, feet from the wheels of the Maserati.

“Dick,” Bruce said, shirtless and cold.

“Um, yeah, Bruce?”

“You’re not going to school today,” Bruce informed him. “We’ll come up with something.”

By noon, the water had stopped pooling around the grounds of the manor. Instead, they stayed collected around the bushes and shrubbery that Alfred had kept expertly in line like a moat.

The moats were not a part of Alfred’s design. Or, if they were, it had been a request made when Bruce was distracted and noncommittally responding to requests from the butler. Both were likely, despite Bruce’s discomfort with the latter upon some self-evaluation.

Going on the leap of faith that his mind had not been so distracted in the last few weeks that he wouldn’t completely forget a request like building moats in the garden, Bruce began examining how the morning’s incident came to be.

It took nearly an hour to finally realize that in some areas of manor’s roofing, water was still pouring over the concrete gutters.

That was not how they were designed. Bruce was certain of it.

Going out to the uninhabited stables, Bruce found a fifty-foot ladder collapsed together. He folded it under his arm and carried it out promptly to the sites of the manor where water had escaped the gutters the most and set to work. He unfolded the ladder, secured its every latch, leaned it carefully against the manor walls, and began to ascend the great height between himself and the eaves of his home.

Halfway up the ladder, he wondered, idly, why he hadn’t just used a grappling hook. It seemed far more practical.

Reaching the gutter, Bruce glanced down both ways. There was not much of an inspection needed to see it was backed up with debris from the storm.

Curious, Bruce looked around for where the branches and leaves could have come from nearby, but the largest trees within twenty feet were spruces. That didn’t match his culprit in the gutters at all.

For a brief, irrational moment, Bruce thought of Poison Ivy and wondered if she had a reason to be near the manor during the storm. It wasn’t nearly as logical as the winds carrying tree limbs from the further trees in the rather large and sprawling Wayne estates, but it at the very least made it more of a Batman problem than a Bruce problem.

Bruce was really wishing, the longer he went without Alfred, that there were some less Bruce problems in the world.

“What’re you doing?”

Bruce startled with surprise. Then, as he glanced down below the eaves and toward the third-floor window nearest him. He could see it was opened with a curious eight-year-old hanging out of it.

More Bruce problems.

“Dick, get down from the windowsill!” Bruce snapped.

Dick blinked at him, almost surprised at the tone. “Are you still mad about falling?”

“I was never mad about falling,” Bruce lied through his teeth.

“I won’t ever tell anybody,” Dick offered, a genuine smile on his face. “Even though it was really funny.”

Bruce felt a strange and worrying tightness in his chest as Dick leaned out further and craned his neck to look up and down the ladder. The eight-year old’s feet dangled on the inside of the window as Dick’s center of balance migrated toward his hips. He was teetering back and forth — closer to forth and the perilous drop to the shrubs and impromptu moat with each moment.

“I don’t care!” Bruce yelled, thinking of cervical vertebrae and swelling brains. “Get back in the house — feet on the floor.”

Dick gave him a look. “That’s the least interesting place for feet to be.”

If Dick wasn’t so precariously close to getting himself killed, Bruce could have sworn that the boy was trying to get Bruce killed of a heart attack.

“It is the only place your feet are going to be in the next ten seconds or I’ll ground you from everything,” Bruce strained to get out. Then, thinking the threat wasn’t making much of an impact, added, “For life.”

It must have sounded as lame as it felt for Bruce to say because Dick looked at him, rather unimpressed. All the same, he dipped back into the manor and out of Bruce’s line of sight.

Exhaling strongly through his nostrils, Bruce forced himself to calm down. His heart really had felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest for a moment there. It was arguably more exhilaration than he had received from even his grandest case.

Unlike cracking a case, he hated every moment of that particular moment.

Shaking his head, Bruce tried to think of his task at hand again. The gutters.

Even though his gloves were thick, the cool splash of murky stagnant water felt uncomfortable for Bruce. He hadn’t realized that rainwater was capable of collecting so much soot and rust in its travels. There was positively nothing clear with the gutters’ collection.

Bruce could only assume that was normal for gutters. He honestly had no idea.

He was elbow deep in dragging his gloved hands through the gutters, clearing out leaves and branches with a splash before he was interrupted again.

“You never said what you were doing,” Dick’s voice came like an accusation.

“Clearing the gutters,” Bruce grunted in reply, less taken by surprise that time around.

At least, there was less surprise until it registered where the voice was coming from. Then Bruce looked not down to the window, but up over the gutters and toward the rooftop itself. Dick was sitting on his haunches, balanced in the middle of the roof itself.

For a moment, Bruce’s mind short-circuited as he stared at Dick. He couldn’t register when Dick got there, how Dick got there, why Dick got there. His mind was entirely consumed with vivid images of the sweet little boy tumbling out of reach, falling to certain doom. Forget cervical vertebrae, there were punctures and broken things and cracked skulls and subcranial hemorrhage—

No words came out of Bruce’s mouth but a wide range of noises ripped their way from his throat.

In return, Dick tilted his head to the side with the innocence of a labradoodle. “You okay, Bruce?”

There were many things Bruce could have said to inform Dick that he needed to get down, that he was in a dangerous position, that he was doing something bad and unspeakable, or that Bruce was back on the brink of a heart attack. But they involved words and Bruce was short on them.

Instead, without a second’s reflection, Bruce flailed out his free arm and brought it down on Dick’s knee.

The boy jerked in surprise, looking at Bruce’s hand, but was unprepared for Bruce to use his vice grip to drag him down the roof and tuck him under his armpit. Instead of a physical escape, Dick hung like a sack and called out a muffled, “Bruce!” that his elder hardly detected with the blood pumping in his ears.

With all the swaying and lunging and panic-inducing, the ladder began to sway uncomfortably beneath Bruce’s feet.

“What’re you doing?” Dick demanded angrily.

Bruce didn’t answer, his attention shifted to holding onto the ladder with his free hand while looking down to the ground where the feet of the ladder were. The ladder continued swaying further and further to one side, aided by its rapid sinking into the muddy moat below.

“You didn’t close the window?” Bruce demanded sharply, already in motion hoping for the best answer.

“Huh?” Dick answered unhelpfully.

Leaping from the ladder, Bruce aimed for the third-floor window which was still open. It was at least one less window to replace.

The momentum that carried them into the window forced Bruce to tuck into another roll with Dick — his second for that day — and it took them across the entire stretch of the guest room Bruce was fairly sure he’d never been in before.

By the time they came to a stop, hitting the opposing door, they could hear the timely crash of the ladder outside.

Bruce was panting, still keeping Dick coiled up against his side.

Dick was quiet for a long time before finally uttering, “You sure have a lot of accidents, Bruce.”

Alfred had said he would be back in the morning, and Bruce had honestly never felt such relief in his life.

There was no mention of the previous day’s watery catastrophes. There was a hint of detecting something based on Alfred’s line of questions, but he was never specific enough that Bruce had to outright lie. And, therefore, Bruce didn’t have to offer up any stories either.

Dick had not said anything either. Perhaps he had meant it when he said he wouldn’t tell anyone.

Bruce squinted at the bottom of the takeout box and poked at it with his chopsticks. The Thai food had been satisfactory, the portions had not after a rough week.

Perhaps he was simply missing Alfred’s food.

Dick was staring at him. Then, slowly, Dick lifted up his own box and began poking at it with his own, much messier, chopsticks. Of course, without the finesse of an experienced takeout consumer, Dick did poke rather hard, ripping a hole through the bottom of his takeout container.

If the eight-year-old noticed he didn’t say anything before setting the box down.

Feeling a small smirk twitching at the corners of his mouth, Bruce set his box down as well. “Are you happy Alfred is coming home?”

Dick’s eyes shown brightly for a moment. “Yeah!” He then glanced away, pressing his mouth closed.

Curious, Bruce raised an eyebrow. “What?” he asked.

“I kind of liked it being us,” Dick sighed.

Bruce took a moment and then furrowed his brow. Everything that had happened in the past week had felt like a fairly unmitigated disaster in his book. He had only assumed how much worse it had been from the place of a lonely, fearful child.

“Really?” he asked.

Looking mortified for a brief moment, Dick straightened up in his seat. “I miss Alfred a whole lot,” he assured Bruce. “But you’re lots of fun, Bruce.”

That only served to confound Bruce even more.

“No one called me fun. Ever,” he told Dick. “Not even in kindergarten.”

That seemed to take Dick by surprise. “Huh,” he said. “I guess they didn’t get you like I do.”

“No,” Bruce said slowly, “I suppose not.”

When Bruce glanced over again, Dick was searching his face carefully, eyes shining with some gentle curiosity. “Did you have fun this week?” He asked timidly.

It was a remarkable question because of the timidness. Timidness was not something Bruce saw in Dick often.

The boy had climbed up to the roof of a three-story manor without blinking.

“Fun in what sense?” Bruce caught himself asking.

Immediately, there was some deflation of Dick’s esteem as he settled back into his seat. And Bruce knew he had made a mistake that needed to corrected immediately.

“Obviously it has been fun in every important sense but one,” Bruce made up on the spot.

Dick’s disappointment gave way almost immediately to bright curiosity again as he sat up in his seat, wide-eyed and attentive toward Bruce. “What way?”

“The Alfred kind of way,” Bruce answered. “Hard to do that without Alfred around.”

A warm smile spread across Dick’s features. “But he’ll be back tomorrow,” Dick took his turn to comfort Bruce. “But I do hope we get to do more Bruce and Dick stuff in the future. Just us two.”

“You know, Dick,” Bruce chuckled, “I have the feeling we will.”

The rain returned on the same day that Alfred had.

Trips back from England were not abnormal for Alfred to take, which meant he and Bruce had worked out a rhythm even in their care. Namely, Alfred took a cab back to the manor and Bruce met him there. The butler positively protested any other arrangement.

Which meant, with rain pouring, Bruce and Dick sat in the manor. Waiting.

Dick’s eyes followed the hands of the grandfather clock in Bruce’s den. He was laying on his stomach with his chubby cheeks propped up by tiny fists. His interlocked ankles swayed to and fro to the rhythm of the clock.

Bruce was thumbing through his forensic magazines at long last, pretending to be buried in their knowledge and development. It took a great effort to not simply join Dick in staring at the grandfather clock expectantly.

“I think we should get a dog,” Dick announced without prodding.

“No,” Bruce answered easily enough, flipping the page.

“Well, what if we want to have Bruce and Dick adventures while Alfred’s still here? Wouldn’t that be lonely for him?” Dick whined keenly. He looked away from the clock just long enough to make pleading blue eyes in Bruce’s direction.

In what could only be considered a mistake, Bruce made eye contact. It was too late, even as he immediately ripped his eyes away from Dick’s gaze.

“Maybe,” Bruce answered.

“What’re we gonna name the dog?” Dick asked, satisfied.

“Dick,” Bruce said, a smirk on his lips. “He’ll be your replacement.”

“You can’t replace me,” Dick snorted.

“Maybe,” Bruce conceded. “But Dick the dog wouldn’t get on the roof.” He thought for a moment, then flipped another page. “Probably.”

“He would if I taught him to before I left,” Dick said eagerly. “I’m gonna teach him how to cut his sandwiches like Alfred, too. Help him out.”

“Alfred would like that, a dog touching all his food,” Bruce mused. He glanced over to Dick. “Remember—“

“Don’t tell Alfred about forgetting school,” Dick listed off on his fingers, “or falling, or the gutters, or the roof, or the broken ladder.”

“Or the takeout boxes,” Bruce added. He had taken the pains of driving their trash bags to the dumpster at the far end of the estate himself to prevent any unfortunate discoveries. Surely if they were at the dumpster already, Alfred would have no reason to inspect them.

Though, Bruce supposed that had never stopped him as Batman from digging through the trash before.

A slight panic traveled through him.

“Are we forgetting anything?” Bruce asked, more rhetorically than anything else.

All the same, Dick gave him an honest shrug. “Did you brush your teeth?”

Bruce began to respond to that when there was a buzzing sound from his desk. Both he and Dick glanced at it, though it was not necessary to confirm what the two of them already knew.

The buzzer was to the main gate for the estate, which meant that Alfred had buzzed himself in.

“He’s here!” Dick exclaimed.

“Don’t get too excited, he hates that,” Bruce warned, as though he wasn’t already on his feet.

He and Dick were neck and neck out of the doorway to the den, though Bruce regained his composure and remembered himself once through it. He had a demeanor and expectation to fulfill, after all, no matter his excitement.

With the bliss of youth, Dick exploded out of the den, ran through the hall, and was flipping onto the banister before even a word could be uttered. “Alfred!” He yelled out.

Bruce’s heart warmed as he heard the main entrance open then close to the howling winds and rain. Alfred, in his trench coat and bowler hat, stepped through, tipping slightly as he closed his umbrella under his arm and looked confidently into the manor.

The old man’s smile could not be hidden by his tidy mustache as it reached up into his soft eyes, looking up from the foyer floor to the stairs where Bruce slowly descended.

He looked good and cheerful. Bruce wanted to run over to him and wrap him in a hug then and there.

Dick, sliding down the banister and leaping at Alfred, had the pleasure of acting on Bruce’s hidden impulse. “Alfred! Welcome home! We missed you! But everything was great!” Dick’s words were hurried and calculated to cover all the bases he and Bruce had discussed.

Had Alfred not been known for his keen eye, Bruce would have offered the eight-year-old a thumbs up in approval.

“My, my, Master Richard, I do believe you have grown a hair since I left you,” Alfred chuckled, patting the boy wrapped around his waist.

“I hope it’s on the top of my head so I can get taller,” Dick joked back.

By the end of Dick’s hug, Bruce’s careful approach finally brought him to Alfred and he was able to regard the man who raised him. He took a deep breath and then, carefully, hugged around Alfred’s shoulders.

“You were missed, old friend,” Bruce got out, his voice strained beyond exception.

“As were the both of you,” Alfred said, hugging Bruce back. “Now,” he broke the hug and held Bruce’s shoulders at arm’s length. His mustache twitched as a twinkle grew sharp in his eyes. “I noticed my ladder was broken in the yard.”

Bruce tightened his smile into a small frown and glanced toward Dick whose eyes were approximately the size of their takeout boxes from the previous night.

“I am sure it’s an entertaining story,” Alfred tutted, releasing Bruce and beginning to take off his hat and coat. “I expect you both will share it with me eventually.”

Dick didn’t break his eye contact with Bruce and neither did Bruce back, but the energy shifted and both were able to breathe.

“I don’t know, Alfred,” Bruce said somewhat jovially. “Some adventures are just… between Bruce and Dick.”

Immediately, Dick’s grin spread from ear to ear and he leaped back to his feet with a flip.

“Oh! But Alfred! I can tell you about the astronomy club!” Dick crooned, taking off after the butler.

Bruce released a breath and felt a calm in the manor that had been gone for a long time.

It was good having the entire family home.

#writing #batfic #Bruce Wayne #Dick Grayson #Alfred Pennyworth

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randomdcfangirl · 5 years

Text

Rescue Mission

Request by @rosewood-1302 : Hi! May I request Damian x twin!reader? Where the boys don't know about her, until Talia shows up on a mission, and Damian wants to take his sister away from his mother? Because he knows that his mother is training his sister worse that him? All fluff or angst in the end please? Happy ending, please!??

(A/N): This is the very first request I've ever got and it's so late. I've never done anything like this so I hope you like it and Thank you for being the first request 💕

Warning: slight symptoms of depression, mention of child sex trafficking, cursing,

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

"God you're worse then Damian, pull it together." Talia said to bring you down. In reality you way put through way harder stuff then Damian was.

God you missed him, it had been four years since you last saw him. You're both 14 now, Talia took him away from you at 10. But you couldn't say you missed him because of how the league worked. Emotions are seen as weak and invalid, the punishments for them were inhumane.

You always did the best you could but it was never good enough for her. "Try harder (Y/N). You know that's not good enough." She'd tell you a lot.

You were one of the youngest and most advanced assassin's in the league but nothing was ever good enough. Eventually everything became numb and days became a blur. Not really seeing them as separate anymore. The only thing that made feel a little bit was hearing you and mother would be going to Gotham.

You silently hoped you'd get a chance to see him again.

∆∆∆

"We are investigating a sex trafficking ring. It's suspected of selling young girls under the age of 10. We are investigating and hopefully shutting it down tonight." Bruce explained to the 4 males in front of him.

They nodded and got ready to head out. Jason making sure he had extra bullets and clips, Dick making sure all his birdarang's were sharp, Tim double checking his bo staff was working properly since it was just repaired and Damian making sure his sword is extra sharp for those bastards trafficking kids.

They headed out of the cave to the city. Getting to the warehouse they were using didn't take long, but what was surprising was that all the guys were dead. They searched the place and found the women and children in a back room. Some completely naked others in barely anything. It was truly disgusting.

Once they got that under control, all the girls covered in blankets and the police there they settled on a rooftop trying to forget what they saw. Then they all felt a presence of someone other than themselves.

"Who's there?" Batman asked in his Batman voice.

"Beloved." Talia said walking out of the shadows of the rooftop.

"Mother." Damian said with venom in his voice. He saw a figure in the shadows and knew it was you.

His brothers got defensive while Bruce and Talia started talking. They were to busy paying attention to those 2 they didn't realize Damian was making his was over to the figure. Making his way in the shadows he looked over his twin sister.

She had grown taller from being a short little 10 year old, so had Damian. They were both looking each other over to busy to realize everyone had stopped talking. They were watching them.

"You're supposed to stay hidden (Y/N)." Talia told her.

"Sorry, Mother." You said with you head bowed and stepping out of the shadows.

"What happened to you?" Damian asked quietly, you used to be so strong willed and wouldn't let anyone put you down. You looked so broken and fragile to him.

"Things changed when you left." You mumbled back.

Everyone was confused except Talia and Damian. Damian was angry at their so called mother, he knew she always trained you harder but it was different now. She had completely broken you. Destroyed your self-esteem and the confidence you had.

"Let's go, our job here is done." Talia said.

"No, you're not taking her." Damian said. "She's staying with me."

"Who even is the kid?" Jason asked confused.

"She's my sister, you're not taking her and destroying her anymore." Damian almost yelled.

He grabbed your arm to keep you from leaving or being taken.

"Wait so, is Bruce her dad too?" Tim asked. You nodded. "Great another demon spawn."

"Shut it, Drake." Damian responded.

"No, I'm sure she's not as bad as Damian." Dick said.

"Come on, (Y/N). We're wasting time." Talia urged.

With Damian there you got a burst of courage and strength you had lost a long time ago. Picking your head up, since you still had a bowed, you looked right at your mother.

"I'm staying here." You said frighteningly quiet.

"No, you're coming with me." Talia responded firmly.

"No, I'm staying with, brother and father." You responded louder this time.

"That's not an option. Come with me now." Talia told you.

"I'm not going back, mother." You replied.

"You don't even know if your father will take you." Talia said.

You turned to your father.

"Father, will you take me?" You asked. It took a minute while he was thinking but we all know Bruce can't pass up a kid.

"Yes, I'll take you." Was the reply that you never dreamed of hearing.

"See, he'll take her now come on, sister." Damian said walking her across the roof to his brothers and father.

"You stupid and dishonorable child. You are no longer an Al Ghul, you have dishonored this family just like your brother had." Talia seethed. "This isn't over."

With that she was gone leaving 3 very confused ex Robin's.

"Did Talia just give up? That's a first." Jason said.

"So, we have a new sister now? I assume your name is (Y/N)?" Dick asked.

"Yes, you must be, Grayson?" You asked back. Dick nodded. "So that one is Drake and this one is Todd."

"Talia teach you about us?" Tim said to which you nodded. "Right, so we are going to make sure this isn't fake, right?"

"Yes, last go back to the cave, it's going to be a long night." Bruce announced, everyone nodded.

Before they started leaving you gave Damian a unexpected hug. When Damian realized he hugged back and his family was surprised.

"Looks like we need to keep her around to soften up baby birds hard exterior." Dick joked.

"Yeah, maybe he'll stop trying to kill me and Tim now?" Jason said.

They shrugged and you pulled away from the hug and climbed on Damian's back since you didn't have a grappling gun. Making sure you were secure he grappled to the batmobile they had parked close to here.

"Can I drive?" You asked.

"No." Came Bruce's deep voice.

"I know how." You told him.

"No."

"She's just like, Damian." Tim sighed.

This was going to be a long night.

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

I don't know how I feel about this one, I think it could be better. My phone breaking really threw my off my shit but I'm back.

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fallenqueen2 · 4 years

Text

BatFamily Week 2020 Day 7: Time Travel

Day 7: Nightmares | Time-Travel | Mythology AU

Ao3 Link

Batfamweek2020 Tag

Tags: batfamweek2020, Time Travel, Alfred and Dick visits the past, Dick Grayson as Batman, Damian as Robin, Dick Grayson as Robin, Bruce Wayne as Batman

Created for @official-batfam-week

Alfred blinked as the yellow light faded away, revealing the cave. Normally this wouldn’t be cause alarm, but as Alfred had been out visiting Dick in the penthouse, it was unnerving.

What was more unnerving was the display case that was void of the usual uniforms he had grown accustomed to. Alfred stepped up to the bat computer that looked a few models behind the one he was used to and checked the date.

“Oh bollocks,” Alfred muttered as he took in the date, many years in the past.

“Agent A, status report.” Bruce’s voice crackled from the speakers around Alfred.

“Oh… Master Bruce,” Alfred sank into the chair, hand resting up over his heart as he felt a surge of emotion at the gruff tone.

“I’m afraid something unusual has occurred Master Batman,” Alfred did his best to keep his voice monotone and calm, sitting up straight in the familiar chair with practiced ease.

“You’re here too! I thought the blast had just hit me!” Richard’s adult voice rang through the speakers next and something inside of Alfred’s chest unwound at hearing Dick’s voice.

“We’re heading back so I can get some answers,” Bruce cut in, Alfred had expected nothing less.

“I’m driving B!” Dick cackled and Alfred smiled, he had not heard that laugh in a long time and it warmed his soul.

“I don’t think so,” Bruce retorted, sounding like it was a knee-jerk reply.

“Come on B! I’ve been driving this thing since I was 13!” Dick whined causing Alfred to smile at the old, familiar banter.

“That makes it worse, get in,” Bruce grumbled as the radio cut out, leaving Alfred in silence.

Alfred wandered the cave with his hands clasped behind his back as he took note of what had changed and what had remained the same after all the years.

Alfred must have gotten lost in a mixture of the past and his present as the Batmobile (numerous versions in the past) roared into the platform. Dick gracefully leapt from the passenger seat still clad in his sweatpants and a faded Bludhaven PD sweatshirt. He had a large, if not pained smile on his face as Bruce rose from the driver’s seat. The cape and cowl casting a looming shadow around him, but neither men flinched as they had come to know that shadow meant safety and home.

“Tests, then explanations, right B?” Dick chirped as he gave Alfred a tighter than necessary hug, the butler pleased to return it as he felt relief he had someone to share this experience with.

“My best bet would be time travel that involves some sort of time displacement.” Dick tuned into his detective side as he and Alfred allowed Bruce to run his tests in silence and little to no eye contact. Bruce looked unnerved each time he looked too closely at Dick in particular. Alfred could relate, but he refused to look away from the man he raised, from his son.

“You’ve had experience with this sort of thing then?” Bruce grunted, leaning back going a shade paler when the DNA matches turned up positive for both of them, confirming who they were.

“A couple of times, time travel is more of a Speedster thing. The multi-verse seems to be universal. You haven’t told the League about me, uh little me yet right? All my magical contacts will be of no help in this time period. It looks like we only have two options, one we wait for the spell to run its course and pray we get swapped back. Or we hope someone in our time figures the spell out and reverses it. Both options include waiting it out.” Dick ticked off two fingers as he spoke, swinging his legs like a child from where he was sitting up on an exam table.

Alfred smiled fondly at the sight; glad there was still some light in his eldest Grandson. Bruce meanwhile blinked slowly as he tried to take in not only the words but the actions that no doubt caused him to see the child, Dick Grayson, he knew almost superimposed over this adult version.

“You have that much faith in your allies then?” Bruce shook his head slightly.

“I trust them to stop it nothing to bring us home, they know I’d do the same for them, have done it for them in a heartbeat.” Dick turned serious before he was smiling easily again. Alfred had grown used to Dick’s Batman’s moments, but he could see that the seriousness had thrown Bruce off for a moment.

“In the meantime, I doubt past me will have any qualms about me cooking dinner for us in his kitchen,” Alfred spoke up, knowing Bruce was a minute away from questioning Dick again and not being so passive about it.

“Sounds great Alfie!” Dick launched himself from the table and started up the stairs up towards the manor.

“Remember Master Bruce, no capes in the manor.” Alfred chided gently before following Dick up the steps.

“Hey B, do you think we can watch some Grey Ghost while Alfie makes dinner?” Dick asked quietly, toying with the hem of his shirt when Bruce finally joined them in the kitchen in his pair of sweatpants and hoodie.

“You want to watch that?” Bruce was shocked, he would have thought that Dick would have outgrown wanting to watch old detective shows with him.

“It’s been a while… That’s all right isn’t it B? I mean I get that I’m not really Dick Grayson, will the one you know at least…” Dick trailed off; shedding the cock-sure version of himself he had shown down in the cave. Alfred paid attention to their conversation as he cooked on autopilot; he understood why Dick was acting like a lost child now. Down in the cave that had been business, he had to report to Batman as he had for most of his life. However up in the manor, in their home and Bruce bare-face and relaxed in normal clothes, memories must have bowled Dick over causing him to lose his balance. Alfred could relate and he was never gladder for the routine, ease of cooking.

“Come on chum, I think we can watch a few before Alfred is done with dinner,” Bruce said softly, settling his hand on Dick’s shoulder and Dick’s face lit up and he let out a happy laugh as he and Bruce left the kitchen to head into the living room.

Alfred had never felt so at peace as the sounds of Grey Ghost started up in the background and the soft voices of Bruce and Dick mingled with the sounds. Alfred only wished the other members of their family were there to have this extra time with Bruce, but he hoped that both he and Dick would get some sort of closure when this was all said and done.

Alfred found that cooking was in many ways not only a dance but a battle and he gladly lost himself in that battle as he did his best to prepare his son and grandson’s favourites as this may be the last time he and Dick had a family dinner with Bruce. Finally, the food was prepared and plated, Alfred wiped his hands down as he looked at the food with satisfaction and left the kitchen to tell Bruce and Dick that dinner was ready.

Alfred’s words dried up in his mouth at the sight that greeted him and all he could do was smile fondly and picked up a blanket from the empty chair. Grey Ghost was still playing on the television but no one was awake to watch it at the moment. Bruce had one of his arms laid out over the back of the couch, his other hand tangled in Dick’s hair as if he fell asleep while he had been stroking Dick’s hair. Dick was curled up against Bruce’s side, face peaceful and ear pressed firmly to the older man’s chest as if he fell asleep listening to Bruce’s heartbeat.

They both looked so peaceful that Alfred didn’t have the heart to wake them up for a meal, he carefully draped the blanket around the two and sat on the chair to watch the two sleep, both their slumber peaceful for once and Alfred found himself grateful to whoever hit them with that blast, they had allowed them both this chance to see Bruce again.

Alfred found himself following the other two to the land of unconsciousness and while Alfred knew in his heart that he would wake back up in his present he couldn’t find it in himself to stay awake, he was content and his heart healed in a way he hadn't ever hoped for so he allowed the darkness to drag him under.

#batfamweek2020 #Time Travel #Alfred and Dick visit the past #Dick Grayson as Batman #Damian Wayne as Robin #Dick Grayson as Robin #Bruce Wayne as batman #angst #hurt/comfort #fallenqueen2

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sassycassie-s-series · 4 years

Text

All My Fault 33

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): DC, BatFam - Damian Wayne/Batman

Rating: PG-11/T- (for violence)

Notes: (Masterlist) This one jumps around a bit. Hopefully it’s not too difficult to follow.

Tag List (Open): @batboys-and-other-messes @welovegroot @probsjosh @spooder-moon @lostredrobin @haylo4ever @na-n-na @rachelmorganroth @reclusive-chicken-nugget

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6, Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26, Ch 27, Ch 28, Ch 29, Ch 30, Ch 31, Ch 32

^^^^^

“So, what do we do, Damian?” I asked quietly as Damian and I sat in my room on the floor across from each other. Jon had left to go home to Metropolis so we were alone to have our private discussion.

Damian reached across the distance between us and took one of my hands in both of his. “I want to be with you more than I’ve ever wanted to be with anyone else. However I don’t believe we should go public with any sort of romantic relationship immediately. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you’ve been back nearly two weeks less than you have actually been in this future, which would make it seem as though you haven’t been back long enough to be in a romantic relationship—perhaps.”

“What about Bruce?”

Damian’s eyes dropped to our hands. “He returns from Metropolis tomorrow,” Damian said. “As I said earlier, he could look between the two of us and make an accurate estimate of what we’ve done while he was gone if he believed we had something to hide. I can tell him that we’ve fallen in love and intend to pursue a relationship—”

“No,” I interrupted. “Let… let me tell him.”

“Nora?” Damian asked, using my name instead of why?

I sighed. “If I tell him he might… freak out less. You know what I mean? Like, if I say I don’t want to go back to the past and explain why… I doubt he’d drop his coffee.”

I set my other hand on top of Damian’s hand holding my other one. I looked up and met his eyes.

“I love you, Damian Wayne. Strange as our situation is, it’s true.”

He gave me the widest and most genuine smile I’d ever seen from him—or either blood Wayne for that matter. “I love you as well, Nora McCloud.” He leaned forward. I closed the distance and pressed our lips together.

It was a far less heated kiss than the night before. Instead it was simple and tender, full of softer emotions than passion.

Damian pulled away first. “I believe you’re correct. You informing Father would be far safer.” He squeezed my hand. “And in a few weeks—perhaps even a month—we will announce that Nora McCloud and Damian Wayne are officially together.”

I snorted. “Press can finally have their field day about us,” I said.

Damian bounced an eyebrow. “S’pose so,” he agreed.

I smirked. “Let them,” I said.

Damian tutted. “Tt. Alright then.”

“But in private, are we officially together now?”

“Only if you agree to be.”

“I do. Heartily.”

We both snickered.

^^^^^

WHAM! My foot connected to the mugger’s chest—and I was fairly certain I heard a rib separate from his sternum. Yowch.

“Batman’s smitten,” Jason said in the open channel. Tonight it was all of us out on patrol except Tim, who volunteered to be on monitor duty. Dick and Jason had told Cass and Tim that Damian and I were in love and semi-officially a couple while we were in private.

I glanced around to see Damian standing on top of a building that made up one of the walls of the alley I was in, looking down at me. Even from my distance below I could see him grinning. I smiled back at him, whacked the mugger again and effectively knocked him out, and nodded to the man he’d been trying to steal from. “Are you alright, sir?” I asked.

He nodded.

“GCPD is on its way,” Damian supplied to me.

“The cops will be here soon,” I said to the man. “They’ll take your statement.” As I spoke I tied up the mugger. “He’ll be out for at least an hour.”

“Are you leaving?” the man asked me, looking a bit spooked by the mugger.

I gave him a smile. “Not if you don’t want me to,” I said, rocking back and forth on my heels. I realized how that could sound if taken the wrong way and quickly amended, “Not if you feel unsafe alone here with this man.” I didn’t need this guy hitting on me or trying any funny business when Damian was literally only a few stories above me. That being said, most of the creeps and misogynists in this city knew that trying anything rude with a girl in a mask and body armor—Batgirl, the Spoiler, Orphan, Batwoman, Cloudburst, and any visiting female heroes—was a recipe for getting several bones broken and sometimes a verbal smack-down.

Didn’t always discourage them from trying, but I’d dislocated eight shoulders and paralyzed three sets vocal chords in the first two years of being Cloudburst and had since lost track of injuries I’d dealt to creeps who grabbed my backside or hands or other places or made disgusting comments.

As it was, this guy didn’t say anything rude or try to touch me.

I touched my comm-link. “By the way, Hood?” I said.

“Yes Cloudy?” Jason asked.

“Shut up,” I said.

I heard lots of snickering from the rest of the Bat-family.

After a few minutes of waiting, the cops came. Once they turned up, the mugging victim thanked me. I nodded and shot a grappling hook to the roof, whizzing out of sight. Once I swung onto the same rooftop as Damian, I felt his arm ensnare my waist and pull me closer to him. He tapped his comms to mute his microphone and smirked at me. “That was attractive,” he whispered.

I snickered and muted my mic too.

He leaned closer.

I put my hand between our lips before he could kiss me. “Batman and Cloudburst can’t be together, Damian,” I said quietly.

He closed his eyes and sighed with complaint. “Why not?”

“Because as far as civilians are concerned, Cloudburst is still between five and ten years older than Batman. That would be weird. And the coincidence of Nora McCloud returning only a week-and-a-half after Cloudburst can be ignored and forgotten. But Cloudburst and Batman getting caught kissing on a rooftop a month before Damian Wayne and Nora McCloud announce that they’re together is downright suspicious,” I said. “Especially coupled with Cloudburst and Nora’s reappearances.”

Damian pursed his lips and stared at me, his green eyes glinting through the eye holes of his cowl. “Alright,” he relented. “Batman and Cloudburst have a professional relationship.”

“You can kiss me in uniform when we get back to the Batcave,” I said quietly.

^^^^^

“Their mics are muted,” Jason remarked to Dick, Tim, and Cass on a private channel. “I can see them talking through my scope but I can’t hear them.”

“What do you mean, ‘scope’?” Dick asked. “Hood, you don’t have a sniper rifle, do you?”

Jason hesitated. “… No?”

“Hood!” Dick protested.

“Hey, wingding! Now is not the time! They’re being lovey-dovey and you’re complaining about me?!” Jason snapped.

“Okay. So their mics are muted so we can’t hear them. What do you mean, lovey-dovey?” Tim asked, interrupting the argument.

“Well Damian’s got his arm around her waist and she just stopped him from kissing her. She’s got this goofy type of lovestruck grin on her face and Damian is grinning. Grinning,” Jason told the others.

Tim and Dick both “Wow”ed Jason’s description.

“Who wants to bet twenty bucks on how long they date before Damian proposes?” Jason asked.

“Me!” Dick and Tim said at the same time.

“I will too,” Cass added.

“I bet six months and under,” Dick said.

“Whoa. Cutting that one fine, eh?” Tim wondered.

“Well it’s not entirely unheard of—especially if both parties know each other well before becoming a couple,” Dick said, a shrug in his voice.

“Which they don’t,” Jason deadpanned.

“Shut up,” Dick retorted. “Sure they do. Cloudy probably knows Damian better than anyone except B, Alfred, and maybe me. Heaven knows she put forth the effort to do so.”

“Mm,” Jason grunted, unconvinced.

“I will bet six months to a year,” Cass said.

“Hmm. A year to two years,” Tim put in.

“Then I guess I bet two years or any amount longer,” Jason said.

Dick scoffed. “Oh please. I know them. Marriage is an important concept to Cloudy and Damian was raised with the League of Assassins where I'm relatively positive arranged marriages for political reasons aren’t uncommon. I doubt they’ll date that long before getting married.”

“Well twenty bucks says we’ll see, then, hmm?” Jason challenged.

“Guess so,” Dick agreed.

“Yup,” Tim said.

“Yes,” Cass added.

^^^^^

“By the way, we should probably sleep in separate rooms when we get back tonight,” I said. “Because Bruce will be back in the morning and I don’t want to have to edit more security camera footage.” I’d already told Damian that Jason and Dick had taken care of the night before’s recordings. “Plus I don’t know when he’ll be back and I don’t want him to come check on you and find us, y’know, in bed together.”

Damian thought for a moment, still holding me close. “You are… correct. We should probably stay in our own rooms anyway, for as much as we can help it. As though we’re a couple who does not live together yet,” he said.

I nodded. “I agree,” I said.

Damian let me go with a little smirk and jerked his head toward the highest buildings in Gotham. “Let’s go finish this patrol,” he said.

I smiled. “Sounds good,” I agreed. He squeezed my hand before letting go. We took off running over the rooftop and leapt off the side at the same time, unmuting our comms as we went. My hair streamed behind me in the wind as we swung off toward the deeper parts of Gotham. I whooped. I’d never get tired of this.

^^^^^

Damian and I climbed out the Batmobile, beating everyone else back to the Batcave. Except Tim. Who was no longer sitting at the bat-computer and probably up in the shower. Damian and I met at the front hood of the car. Damian rested his hands on my waist, tugging me gently closer. My hands found his shoulders. ��May I give you a kiss goodnight, my darling?” Damian asked.

I smiled. “You absolutely may,” I replied.

Damian bent down and pressed his lips to mine. I felt a small grin in his lips. “Everything will be alright,” he breathed when our lips parted but our foreheads rested together. “No matter how Father reacts. Everything will be alright.”

“I know,” I said. “I trust this. I trust you.” My hands slid up from his shoulders and around the back of his neck, my fingers sliding over the short hair on the back of his head.

“I would wait forever to be with you.”

“I would too. But let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” I tilted my head forward and kissed his cheek.

—

#All My Fault #Damian Wayne #Robin #Batman #damian wayne imagine #damian wayne fanfiction #robin imagine #robin fanfiction #batman imagine #batman fanfiction #DC #BatFam #dc imagine #dc fanfiction #batfam fanfiction #batfam imagine #All My Fault Chapter 33 #Chapter 33

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norahjakobs · 5 years

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Earth 33: Outlaws - Jason Todd

Earth 33 is my attempt at rewriting the dc universe. I’m doing this entirely for my own entertainment and as such will be writing what appeals to me. I’m starting this au off with the members of the outlaws, almost all of whom never canonly have been members.

So without farther ado, here’s Jason (This is a long one)

(TW: Death, Drugs, Overdosing, Crime, Vague Allusions to Rape)

Jason Peter Todd was born to Willis and Catherine Todd in a backstreet in Crime Alley. His father a small time crook and his mother drug addicted and unable to take care of him, he was basically left alone emotionally other than the few times Willis made time for his little prince of Gotham. Such as when he pickpocketed two tickets for a flying grayson show.

Willis got arrested on charges of drug use, theft, and grand theft auto. Reportedly he died in a prison riot started by some of Harvey Dents goons. Jason was 8 when this happened and it affected him greatly, he locked himself in his room in the Todd familys beat up tiny apartment for three days till he realized his mother hadn’t gone shopping or even begun to try and hustle any money for bills. He knew then that he’d be taking care of his mother till the day she overdosed like how the neighbors kept saying she would. Pick pocketing and theft became his new way of life but it was beyond stressful for a child of his age, and he was beat up several times by both gang members and police officers who caught him stealing.

He was 10 when his mother died from an overdose, it had been a long day and he was just happy to be able to bring some noodles and dollar store tomato paste home. But as he entered his home of ten years it smelled like how the alleys he always rushed through instead of walking smelled. He set the bags down at the door and rushed to the source of the scent. He got into the cramped kitchen and found his mother, dead. He went into his room and with a vacant expression on his face packed anything he had of value, he knew he couldn’t call 911, the phone service to the house had been cut three months ago, and besides there was no money to give his poor mother a proper burial.

He lived on the streets for the next two years and those two years taught him the way of the street, the distrust, the scrappy fighting that came when you hadn’t ate in three days, the value of a warm meal. Late one night he saw a chance that didn’t come by everyday, the batmobile, unguarded in an alleyway. He could only imagine how much the tires on it would fetch, so yeah he tried to jack the tires off the batmoblie. He was caught by Batman, who took him to get some food and talked with him. He was dropped off at a Wayne funded shelter.

And the next morning something bizarre happened, the people at the shelter let Jason know that there was someone interested in taking him in. He was hesitant at first but agreed to meet this person. A little later Bruce Wayne came in and chatted with Jason who was at first dismissive of the man but warmed up during the conversation, especially when Bruce shared about how he lost his parents when he was around 10. Jason agreed to try out living with him.

He liked it alot to say the least. He ran around the manor stuffing his face full of junk food almost constantly when he first got there till Alfred stepped in, just for his healths stake as a tumble down the long stairs or getting stick off of eating too much wouldn’t be all that fun for the kid. Jason wanted to stay and so stay he would.

Bruce put graves for Jason’s parents in the Wayne family graveyard next to Dick’s parents. Jason was put at ease by finally being able to put them to rest, including his mom’s body that was tracked down in GCP’s system as a yet to be identified body, his father’s body however had not yet been found.

Something that Bruce hadn't accounted for was the fact that Jason was a troubled sleeper, everything else he was doing perfectly with adjusting too, he was doing amazing at school, his checkup only indicated that they might want to give him some multivitamin gummies. But he just couldn’t get to sleep, he was too nervous too, and when he wasn’t too nervous he was too full of energy and trying to use it up doing something. So it was inevitable that he noticed how often Bruce was out at night and how at times he couldn’t find Alfred anywhere.

So when Bruce and Alfred were busy at some glala that didn’t let children in (Side note to myself, write younger Jason at one of these glalas) Jason poked his nose around the house looking for anything hidden. And while pulling books off the shelf in the study he tripped on the carpet and knocked a bust on the desk over, revealing a button. He did what you do when you find a button and he pressed it revealing a firemen pole, which he went down.

He ran around the cave unattended for an hour and when Bruce and Alfred has finally managed to get back home he had managed to put on one of Dick’s old robin costumes and was trying to figure out how to turn on the batmobile. Bruce sat him down and explained everything, and once he was done Jason asked if he could be Robin, and pointed out all his selling points like that his grades were good, he was good at running, he could throw a punch.

Bruce agreed to let him become Robin after a few months of training. Jason would remember his first night as Robin as one of the best of his life, only second to being adopted. His first night they dealt with a few purse snatchers, a mugging, and the crown of the night was a heist being pulled off by The Riddler at an art museum.

He met his brother Dick he and Bruce went to Bludhaven for a weekend due to Wayne Enterprises related business. The three of them met up for lunch on the Saturday and Jason and Dick got along greatly and poked fun at Bruce throughout the whole meal. On Sunday it turned out a mob had made the billanet plan to kidnap Bruce Wayne and hold him for ransom. Nightwing and Robin teamed up to save him and by the end of the adventure Dick gave Jason his phone number and told him to call whenever he’d like.

He was pretty friendless though, at school he was focused on the work and there wasn’t any sidekicks around his age running around Gotham. So Bruce organized the sidekick equivalent of a playdate with Blue Devils on again off again sidekick Kid Devil, also known as Eddie Bloomberg. The two were only supposed to taking down Polka-Dot Man who was planning a robbery. But when they returned to where Batman and Blue Devil were supposed to be figuring out a case with Zatanna at her hotel all they found were scorch marks and a very confused Zachary Zatara who had been in the hotel dining room before hearing a bunch of yelling and coming to investigate.

The events that followed were both chaotic and too long to list here. But for more details you can read here!

A couple years later he had hit the age of 15 and was overall, happy. He had a brother who loved him and checked in on him, he had a penpal who understood the stress of being a sidekick. But he also had lingering problems, anger over the treatment he got as a child and the treatment he saw others get, an empty feeling left by his parents. And what really brought out these feelings was a man by the name of Felipe Garzonas, someone that represented everything he hated. A person who abused his privilege to take advantage of those less fortunate, and then got off thanks to that privilege. Batman and Robin got him arrested but he got out the same day thanks to diplomatic immunity. And the man’s victim, overcome with terror took her own life. So when Jason was left alone with the man on a balcony it didn’t come as a surprise that he didn’t help when Felipe was falling to his death. Though the question of if he was pushed or slipped would never be answered.

Jason’s mental health took a dip due to what had happened and the fact that Bruce was avoiding him, and he called Dick who was having problems of his own at the time. But agreed to take Jason on a teen titan mission or two while his mind lingered on what had happened in Gotham and wandered to his family. But his mind got taken off that by meeting the titans and helping with one of the many smaller problems they had.

But when he got back he couldn’t get his mind off his past, so in an attempt to bring himself more closure on the topic he started looking for his father’s body. But meanwhile The Joker pieced together that one of his goons, was Robin’s father and so a plan was formed. Jason figured out that his father wasn’t dead but had gotten away the day of the riot and was working for The Joker who was planning something off in the alps. And due to the avoidance Bruce was showing to Jason, Jason decided to go out on his own. And we all know how that goes. His body, alongside his father’s was found in the wreckage of the blown up building.

He was laid to rest next to the graves for his parents and finally for the first time in years they were all together. But nothing lasts and Taila Al Ghul, in a bid to have something to use against Bruce in case he found out about Damian prematurely. So she sent one of her other pet projects, Twilight, or better known is Slade Wilson’s missing son Grant Wilson.

When he came out of the Lazarus Pit he was confused and tried to flee and there was some trouble stopping him till Taila tranquilized him. It turned out he had no memory of his life than his own name and the fact he died. He was respective to The League Of Shadows training, he still had the muscle memory from being Robin and was in a mental state that was easy to manipulate. He took to hanging around Grant as he reminded Jason of someone in a couple ways and Grant’s inner big brother came out around Jason.

By years end, Jason had fully integrated with The League and was sent on his first mission. When he had came back from it he had been sobbing but the deed was done. Taila talked with him about what had happened and tried to help him desensitize to the issue, she had grown to care about him and it hurt her to see him like this. After this incident his memories started to return, sparked by the familiar feeling caused by what he had done and the subconscious fear of being ignored again because of it.

He shared what he was remembering with Grant and that only helped to fuel the flame of rage in him. He wasn’t mad that Bruce couldn’t save him, he was angry that Bruce let there be chance the same would happen to another kid by letting The Joker live. He made a plan to try and make Bruce understand and set out on his way. Taila feared for him but did offer the original funds he needed for the plan.

He had his 17th birthday right as he was taking over Gotham’s underground as The Red Hood. It was a quick and hostile take over where he intimidated those he could, and killed those he couldn’t. News of The Red Hood found it’s way to Bruce quickly who was working alone at the time due to Tim being with Young Justice at the time. The drug lords were scared and one even agreed to meet with Batman but before they could give out much information they were shoot sparking a chase through the city where Batman failed to catch Red Hood.

He tracked down The Joker and kidnapped him and while waiting for Batman to arrive did all the things that Joker did to Jason in that warehouse so long ago. When Batman did arrive it became a tense confrontation where Jason revealed himself and demanded to know why the clown still breathed. Bruce answered the way he always did, saying they could not be the judge, jury, and executioner. He ended up forcing Bruce to make a choice, either kill The Joker himself or Jason would do it. Bruce instead threw a batarang at Jason, cutting the side of his neck and then The Joker detonated explosives that had been in the building.

He survived and fled Gotham. He decided to go meet his replacement Tim, he broke into the Young Justice base and kidnapped Robin not wanting to also take on a half kryptonian, speedster, and a demigod. The two fought and Jason mocked his replacement but he wasn’t trying to kill Tim. And when things were looking dicey for Tim, Jason nerve pinched him and left.

He then went off to Bludhaven to bother Dick. Who at the time was dealing with the Court Of Owls and the fact they were stalking him and trying to kidnap him. So when Jason was following him and saw some other shady character was following his brother he started a fight with them. Nightwing very quickly joined the fray between Red Hood and Talon and the two scared them off. Their chat afterwards was awkward to say the least, but weirdly friendly since Jason had just helped Dick and Dick caught on to the fact that Jason had been trained by The League of Shadows.

Dick made an effort to help Jason who he had figured out had been brainwashed during his time with The League of Shadows. And some progress was made. But when they went to Gotham so Jason could try to have a normal-ish conversation with Bruce, it blew up in his face when they had gotten talking about Taila and Jason let it slip that Taila had a son that she said was Bruce’s. Bruce, with no where to direct his feelings on the matter, got cross with Jason for not telling him sooner and the two started arguing. It ended when Jason pulled a gun on Bruce and Dick knocked him out with some sleeping gas.

Jason spent a month in Arkham and was beyond angry, he was angry at Bruce for taking out his complicated emotions on him and he was mad at Dick fortaking Bruces side. He had been admitted under an assumed name as a non criminal resident so he was being kept away from where the violent offenders were. Which was for the best, if he had been anywhere near The Joker it wouldn’t have been pretty. He got out when Tim bribed Arkham to let him out. Jason thanked his younger brother and asked about why he did that and Tim explained that the reason Jason was in there wasn’t fair, and besides he was mad at Bruce as Damian just showed up and stole the Robin name. Jason offered to get Tim a drink but he rejected pointing out the were both underage.

It wasn’t long after that he turned 18. He was headed out of a gas station with the first legal box cigarettes he had ever bought that he got a call from Dick asking him to come to the cave, it was important. So he did, everyone did. And it was a grim affair as Bruce had died. Jason didn’t handle his grief well and left the cave before he could hear the message that was left for him. He left Gotham city as well, both because he needed some space from the situation and because he knew that there was about to be a fight over who would wear the cowl.

He went to LA and met up with an old friend, Eddie Bloomberg who was acting as part time tech support for the Teen Titans. The two had a happy, tearful reunion. Jason, who was crashing on Eddie’s couch for the moment continued his work as Red Hood but it was mellowed out. There was a combination of reasons for this, Dick’s support (even though it had been withdrawn), not wanting Bruce’s ghost judging him, and trying to get in a better mental space and not throw away the chance he had.

After Bruce had came back Jason went back to Gotham, and they hashed things out, by no means were they on the same page, they probably never would be again. But Bruce was willing to offer Jason a place in the batfamily as long as he agreed not to kill anyone, and Jason was willing to agree.

Jason and Stephanie got to know each other pretty well since they were given the chance finally. And they got along greatly. It was a nightmare for Bruce however as he had snark coming left and right. Jason also got to know Cass better and they had a couple things to relate on. And for the first time in three years he was finding happiness in his family life.

But again, nothing lasts for forever. Jason late one night while on patrol noticed someone had broken into the penthouse of a well respected lawyer. And he found Twilight was the intruder and it was no mistake that he caught him. The League wanted him back and weren’t willing to take no for an answer, and Grant felt it was personal. So the ensuing argument was intense and by the end the fight had found it’s way onto the top of Wayne tower where Grant misstepped and fell to his seeming death, and worse batman had seen the end of the fight and given prior events including falling to death and Jason Bruce didn’t trust that it was an accident and banished Jason from the city till things were more clear.

Out on his own yet again he decided to form a team and work on the move, no superhero wants the murdery batfamily member in their city for long. So he got on his bike and he went back to LA.

#jason todd #batfamily #batfam #dick grayson #tim drake #bruce wayne #taila al ghul #dc #eddie bloomberg #my writing #earth 33

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occultbat · 4 years

Photo

BRUCE WAYNE/BATMAN is here! HE has found themselves wandering about new gotham attempting to find their place in this challenging world. they were once a HERO who used to be associated with THE JUSTICE LEAGUE/BATFAM/SOLO. hope they make it in this world.

the basics;

NAME: BRUCE THOMAS WAYNE

ALIAS(ES): BATMAN

AGE: FIFTY (50)

BIRTHDAY & ZODIAC: MAY 27th, GEMINI

MBTI: INTJ

PREFERRED PRONOUNS: HE/HIM

FACECLAIM: BEN AFFLECK

a deeper look;

FAMILY: THOMAS WAYNE ( FATHER, DECEASED ), MARTHA WAYNE ( MOTHER, DECEASED ), ALFRED PENNYWORTH ( SURROGATE FATHER / FAMILY BUTLER ), DICK GRAYSON ( ADOPTED SON ), JASON TODD ( ADOPTED SON ), TIM DRAKE ( ADOPTED SON ), DAMIAN WAYNE ( SON ), CASSANDRA CAIN ( ADOPTED DAUGHTER ), KATE KANE ( COUSIN )

AFFILIATION: JUSTICE LEAGUE, BATFAMILY, GCPD, SOLO ( and a lot more, lbr )

THREE FAVORITE THINGS: TEA MADE BY ALFRED, HIS FAMILY, RIGHTING THE WRONGS DONE TO THOSE WHO DON’T DESERVE IT.

THREE HATED THINGS: INJUSTICE, CHILDREN BEING HARMED/TARGETED, PHONE CONVERSATIONS ** bonus: SOCIAL SITUATIONS

EDUCATION: MASTERS IN BUSINESS AND LINGUISTICS, TRAINED ALL OVER THE WORLD IN FIGHTING SKILLS, WORLDLY EDUCATION

SKILLS: MULTILINGUAL, QUICK ON HIS FEET, WITTY, ABLE TO LIE SMOOTHLY, KEEN DETECTIVE SKILLS, ( see more under ‘abilities’ )

WEAPONS: BATSUIT, UTILITY BELT ( Batman keeps most of his personal field equipment in a signature piece of apparel, a yellow utility belt. The utility belt has a button to call the Batmobile, and a command for teleportation. Over the years it has contained items such as plastic explosives, nerve toxins, batarangs, smoke bombs, a fingerprint kit, a cutting tool, a grappling hook gun, torches, and a “re-breather” breathing device. Superman entrusted Batman with a ring made of kryptonite, to be used should the Man of Steel ever need to be reined in (due to being mind-controlled by a villain, etc.). The kryptonite ring is contained in a lead pocket, in order to shield Batman from its radiations. The belt also has its own automatic security systems. ) , BATBOAT, BATCYCLE, BATMOBILE, BATPLANE, BATWING

ABILITIES: ACROBATICS, ARCHERY, AVIATION, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, DISGUISE, COMPUTER HACKING, DRIVING, EQUESTRIANISM, FIREARMS, GADGETRY, GENIUS-LEVEL INTELLECT, INDOMITABLE WILL, INTERROGATION, INTIMIDATION, INVESTIGATION, LOCK PICKING, MARTIAL ARTS, BOXING, MULTILINGUALISM, PEAK HUMAN CONDITION, PRESTIDIGITATION, STEALTH, SWIMMING, SEAMANSHIP, TACTICAL ANALYSIS, THROWING, TRACKING, WEAPONRY, STICK FIGHTING, SWORDSMANSHIP. ( none are of the super powered variety but lbr he’s powerful in his own way )

the questionnaire;

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOUR CHARACTER LIKES ABOUT NEW GOTHAM? SOMETHING THEY DISLIKE? DO THEY MISS THE WAY THINGS WERE - OR DO THE LIKE HOW THE WORLD IS NOW? he likes the familiarity of the places and things that carried over from gotham, finds new york isn’t so different but he had to adjust a little before he could really do anything about it. he doesn’t like that so many people are trapped within one area and could practically see the issues arising every second. bruce absolutely misses the way things were; he’s a creature of habit and now he’s going to have to protect new people while continuing to protect those he’s already familiar with.

WHERE WAS YOUR CHARACTER WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED? ARE THEY SUSPICIOUS OF EVERYONE OR ARE THEY TRYING TO REMAIN UNDER THE RADAR? HAVE THEY REUNITED WITH THEIR FRIENDS OR ARE THEY LOST? bruce was patrolling gotham city’s streets - keeping a sharp eye on things when everything changed and it seemed like once he blinked, things were different. new buildings that weren’t a part of gotham arose - and further, he couldn’t see anything else beyond the point of ocean, trees, and swamp. it was alarming to him and he immediately tried to make his way back to the manor to find alfred when he realized the manor was missing. now he’s taken up residence in a flat near the clocktower where he can keep an eye on things and to ensure that if barbara needed aid, he’d be there. he’s found a few of his family, but he does severely miss the other’s and will not rest until he finds them.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: since my bruce is a little bit older, i lean into some ‘old man bruce wayne’ stuff, and largely have him work solo - but honestly, i love his dynamic with his kiddos and i’m happy to have him go off patrolling with them as well. he’s also none too keen about this new world, especially since his rogue gallery will now be unleashed with a plethora of other rogue galleries, but hey - he’s open to working with a very select few to keep them all in check.

#synergy:charintro #“ ━━ ◤ it’s not who i am underneath but what i do that defines me ; bruce wayne. ◢

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bat-losers-inc · 5 years

Text

Raise the Dead

Rating: (Teen & Up)

Summary: He was whispering to himself again, like if he apologized enough to the open air it would bring him back. Or, Bruce goes through periods of time where he thinks Jason is still dead. Jason has to come to the manor and reassure him that he came back from the grave.

Author’s Note: Try reading this with Keaton Henson’s “Elevator Song” on loop. You’re gonna tear up. I know I did while writing it with this going in the background.

Damian comes to get him when it happens again, still in his Robin get-up standing in Jason’s kitchen rattling off some hastily-formed hypothesis courtesy of Tim— a hypothesis about a reaction that has no clearly understood cause as of yet. It’s the same guesses every time… could be a side effect of Scarecrow’s fear gas… could be a past head injury… could be any number of things including trauma and old age. Jason doesn't stop to add his own theory to the pool. He is too busy grabbing his jacket and keys off the back of the chair and thinking to himself,

You’re too old for this shit, old man. Put a stop to this. Please? Don’t you know this kills me just as much as it kills you?

Damian is a strangely anxious presence in his doorway. Jason stands in front of him with his apartment keys clutched in a white knuckled grip. “What is it?”

Damian’s eyes jump around to anything but his face. “I’m sorry. If I had known—”

Jason’s hand is quick to squeeze Damian’s shoulder and even quicker to push him over the threshold and out into the hallway. They don’t have time for this right now, but Jason still forces the words out of his mouth, “It wasn’t your fault. Bruce made his decision.”

You just followed. The words go unspoken but he can see that Damian is hitting up against them anyway like every one of them that wore the Robin mantel before him. But it wasn’t Robin’s place to question the actions of Batman. Jason wondered how long it would be before Damian went solo. They had all tested the limits before they found the Robin uniform as confining as a children’s shirt they’d outgrown.

Don’t you see how much this is killing your son to see you like this?

Damian had taken the Batmobile to his apartment, so they made record time getting back to the manor, though if Jason was being honest, he wished the trip had taken longer.

Bruce is on the floor of the batcave when Jason enters with Damian and Jason still takes in the sight before him like a punch to the gut.

Bruce on his knees, one hand streaking the glass case where Jason’s tattered Robin uniform rested. Dick is next to him, now older— so much older than Bruce would have remembered him being when Jason had died— whispering reassurances that Bruce can’t begin to wrap his head around because Jason had died and Bruce had carried his body out of that rubble, buried him in the family plot, and locked the Joker away without any revenge taken, so how could he be saying that Jason was alive and well?

Jason looks to the shadowy parts of the cave and finds Tim lurking there, looking suddenly out of place and unwanted as Bruce is dropped back into a period where Tim is nothing more than the boy who admires Robin from afar in the dark alleyways of Gotham City. Jason can see the unease in the lines of Tim’s face, but Tim knows better than to offer a hand after how Bruce reacted to his presence the last time… like a stranger had broken through the cave’s defenses.

Jason goes to him first.

“You okay?” It’s a stupid question but someone has to ask it otherwise Tim is likely to turn those dark feelings inward and eat himself alive.

Tim’s answer is distracted, “I think I should head out—”

He’s already trying to slip away when Jason reaches out and snatches at his elbow, anchoring him in place. “Like hell you should.”

“Jason,” Tim’s face twists into a pleading mask. Jason can see the way he struggles to pull his eyes away from Bruce and Dick on the floor like he’s watching a car crash or a building burn down. “I’m no good to anyone right now—”

“Stay for me? I need someone else here who isn’t currently losing it, emotionally or otherwise,” Jason eyed him up and down, “Looks like right now that’s you.”

Tim didn’t say anything in response to that, but when Jason let go of his arm he stayed put. That was all Jason could ask of him at the moment. Jason left Tim with Damian.

From where Jason is standing he can’t hear the words that Bruce is whispering to himself, but he knows what they are all the same. I’m sorry. Please, please, I’m so sorry… like he thought that if he apologized enough to the open air it would bring Jason back to him.

In this case it did, though the Jason that crouches down next to Bruce is older… all muscles, chipped teeth, and 5 o'clock shadow… not the younger version that Bruce remembers. Still, maybe it’s Jason’s eyes or something about his lopsided smile that gives it away.

“Jason.” Bruce’s hands clutch at him.

“Hey, old man. Dick tells me you have this crazy notion that I’m dead.”

Bruce’s eyes scan his face like he’s going to find the truth in the rough lines of Jason’s face. “I buried you… hung your uniform up to remind me of my mistakes—”

“What can I say? It didn’t stick.”

Jason smiles even though he can still remember the sensation of thick dark earth choking him, sticking in the gaps between his teeth and pressing heavy against his eyelids as he shoved up towards the surface. He pulls Bruce into an embrace because he’s working on moving past that long standing anger that screams at him to tell Bruce it is his fault and this moment is karmic justice.

With his chin tucked over Bruce’s shoulder he takes a moment to compose himself.

He hates what has to happen next, the rehashing of their bitter history with all of their mistakes and fights and separations. It starts with Dick and Jason and as it all slowly comes back to Bruce piece by agonizing piece, Jason motions Tim to step out of the shadows. Tim’s expression is full of labored calm that is at risk of cracking when he’s made to explain the Red Robin uniform he still wears. Then it’s Damian’s turn to join their little impromptu circle on the floor of the cave as he fills in Batman and Robin’s most recent history together.

“Do you remember now? Do you remember it all?” asked Dick.

“Yeah.” Bruce’s voice has lost its frantic edge and smoothed out into a dull tone. Jason sits at Bruce’s side, watching his face flicker through a series of emotions as he takes all of his sons in and the damage he’s caused to all of them in one way or another. Jason thinks to himself again the same tormenting thoughts as the last time this happened. Together they had brought him back from the dead, resurrected him in Bruce’s memory, but was that outcome worth making Bruce remember all of his past regrets in one single night?

It’s slowly killing us all, old man. Don’t you think that some things should stay dead?

#jason todd & bruce wayne #Jason Todd #bruce wayne #batman #batman fic #hurt/comfort #angst #memory loss #red hood #dick grayson #Tim Drake #Damian Wayne #Red Robin #robin #batfamily #BatFam #bat-losers-inc #LittleDarlingXOX

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