#bat-gran rambles
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All of the grief counseling sites say that writing is cathartic. Having spent so much of my life writing (and editing) it should be natural for me, so I thought I'd give it a shot. What the heck; this is my blog and if I want to be a little self-indulgent every now and then I can. Besides, I doubt anyone is actually going to read this.
It now been a little over a month since I buried my husband and the dirty little secret about grief is that it never ends. You just get better at living with it. I still wake up at night because our bed feels empty without him. A decade ago,I'd never have believed that I'd miss having to wrestle for the covers. Or the snoring.
There are things I kind of expected, such as the approximately two hundred brochures from gravestone companies (excuse me, a Memorial/Monuments Business). While it's an odd thing to see your beloved's life reduced to two dates (born and died) it's just... weird to see your own name next to his with date of death left blank. I mean I know I'm going to die eventually but that blank space gives me the impression that Death (who in my imagination looks surprisingly like Alfred Pennyworth) is standing next to the stone impatiently tapping their watch. Why do I feel as if it is impolite to keep Death waiting?
There are also things I never expected, such as all the solicitations to join senior dating sites. While I'm sure that there are old ladies who take joy in the idea that there even older men who want the opportunity to make a play for their wrinkled bodies, I am not one of them. The only one I intend to invite anywhere near my bedroom is the dog I'm going to be getting. If they get too pushy I can put then put them in a cage and no one will call the cops on me.
My auto insurance went up. I called AlState, told them my husband had died and after offering their condolences they raised my premium. Granted, it was only a few dollars but it's the principal of the thing. My driving record is exemplary, not so much as a speeding ticket in 30 years, but because I am now covering one instead of two it costs me more? That makes no sense whatsoever.
Thanks for listening. I feel a little better. Maybe there is something to cathartic writing after all.
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♡ BIG ANNOUNCEMENT ! back to school !
alright mis amores ! starting august 29th , i’ll be attending college twice a week & the rest of the week will likely be swamped with studying at least 20 - 22 hours a week ( & at least 4 hours of tutoring a month , so i can keep the scholarships that allow me to attend college ) & homework so that i can succeed in my nursing program ! i hope you can all understand that school / my career takes priority over my hobbies ( as much as i love rp & theater & art , those aren’t enough to pay my bills in the future ) !
tl;dr ! i’m going to just be shitposting for a while ! if you need to contact me , my studyblr is @karistudys , my dis.cord is fionahs#7555 , & my k!k is scarletwitchs ! i love you all ! ♡ ♡ ♡
#/ & my 'those aren't enough to pay my bills' i don't mean they aren't real careers lmao#/ tRUST ME my whole life i planned to study acting & pursue it as my full-time career but#/ last year i realized i??? can't be selfish u know. i need to study something with more opportunities. because i wanna take care of my fami#/ *family! u know?? my mom & gran (who is getting older & goes through chronic pains) have taken care of me forever#/ i wanna do the same for them. i know that's not the 'ideal' life for a lot of people & i know eventually i'll move out & make my own life#/ & i'll get married hopefully or smth bUT BUT until then i really wanna show them the same kind of love & care that they have shown me#/ & i know 'it's what they're supposed to do' but growing up not having a dad who gives a shit makes me realize how EASY it is#/ to not care for your child/grandchild etc & i'm grateful that my mom is a good mom u know despite our differences (& my gran too)#/ sO YEAH SDJKFKJS LIFE RAMBLE OVER I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH#002 . ̲̅ᵖ̲̅ˢ̲̅ᵃ̲̅ ⸍ ⸝ ♥ › pesky bat - signal ﹗
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Day 2: Jalec
Title: Herondale Treats
25 Days of Pairings: Day 2 Jalec
Rating: G
Wordcount: 1016
No Major Archive Warnings
SFW, Holiday Fluff, Jalec, This World Inverted (TWI).
Summary:
Alec visits his boyfriend at work for a break date.
Click here to read on Ao3
Story:
Alec sipped his coffee and stared at the people fleeting around him. He has been waiting here for Jace to stop by during his break for almost thirty minutes now.
Alec wasn’t upset about the long wait though. He understood that the holiday season didn't just bring in more revenue, but more stress as well.
The event planner had long ago set a policy claiming he would not take any December events, other than the annual Lightwood-Herondale Charity Dinner. Not just for the sake of his sanity, but also because he knew how his boyfriend would need him more during this time.
Jace ran a ‘cafe-truck’ branded Java Jace, that, as the name suggested, sold coffee, teas, specialty coffees, and a small variety of pastries.
Currently, the blonde had the truck parked outside the outlet mall, so of course, the cafe-truck was getting swarmed by caffeine fiends, AKA shoppers, needing a pick-me-up before they entered the next shopping hell.
Alec smiled as he observed his boyfriend moving around swiftly, keeping up with his many orders. He found it weird that Jace was working alone. He knew the blonde had just hired Bat to help out with the Holiday season.
Jace caught him staring and smiled at him before going back to his customers.
Alec pulled his scarf closer around himself and kept watching Jace work.
After a few more minutes, he turned his attention to the people and the stores’ employees buzzing around. Alec watched as shoppers flit from store to store, tugging along their children, who either looked bored and hated being here or were running around just as fast as their parents.
“Find someone prettier to ogle, Lightwood?” Jace’s voice snapped from behind him in a teasing manner.
“We both know there isn’t anyone prettier than you, Jace,” Alec shot back, hoping to appease Jace’s ego. He knew his boyfriend well.
“Damn right,” Jace smiled, seating himself triumphantly on Alec’s lap, holding a small paper bag up to him, “Good job, you earned your snickerdoodle cookie back babe.”
Alec buried his face in Jace’s hair as he wrapped his arms around the other. He loved how affectionate Jace had started to become in their relationship. He didn’t know if it was the holiday season or something else, but he wasn’t about to let a cuddly Jace go to waste.
“I’m glad I earned my reward, your majesty,” Alec teased into the other’s hair.
“Keep it up, and you'll lose it again, Alec,” Jace grumbled and buried himself into his boyfriend’s warmth. Alec has always run hotter than Jace. He swore Alec could wear a thin sweater as it was snowing, and still be running as hot as a heater.
“Here,” Jace held up the cookie to Alec’s mouth behind him, so his boyfriend wouldn’t have to release him from the welcome warmth of his arms.
Alec smiled, blushing before he leaned forward to take a bite from the offered treat.
“Gran Imogen made them for me again,” Jace provided as he reached for Alec’s coffee on the table, to wash the pastry down. “She delivered them early this morning.”
Alec accepted the coffee with an appreciative hum.
“Delicious,” he complimented and kissed Jace's hair again. “Careful, if she opens a separate bakery, she might give you a run for your money babe.”
“She wouldn’t do that to her only grandson,” Jace scoffed at Alec for even insinuating such a thing. “Plus, she likes when you and I go over to help her mass bake cookies sometimes.”
“About that. How did I get volunteered for it again?” Alec questioned. “You said your grandma wanted to spend time with us, and next thing I know, we're going over there every Sunday afternoon to bake.”
“Why are you complaining?” Jace smirked, holding up the cookie for Alec to take another bite. “I saw her give you a bunch of free boxes to take with you to work. Bet your whole office loves them.”
“It might’ve scored me some ‘Best Boss Ever’ points,” Alec admitted as he took a small bite. The cookie was still so soft.
Most people assumed Alec didn’t like sweets. They would be right, except when it came to anything that came out of a Herondale’s kitchen. He didn’t know what angel blessed their baking, but the event planner would forever praise their skill.
“I have to go back,” Jace groaned as he looked down at his wristwatch. “Bat bailed on me as well, so I’m alone.”
Alec swallowed the last of his cookie and quirked up his eyebrow. He didn’t know his boyfriend was going to be alone all day. He could see the way the stress was already settling on Jace’s mismatched eyes and slumped shoulders.
“I still have my food handling license,” Alec offered quickly. “For when the events have catering.”
“You would help me?” Jace asked, turning to face Alec. “Are you sure? It’s okay if you do-”
Alec kissed Jace softly to stop the blonde’s rambling.
“We have talked about this,” Alec started as he moved his hands to hold Jace’s face. “If I offer you something, love, it's because I mean it, and not because I feel forced or like I should be doing it.”
Jace leaned into Alec’s hold and smiled, nodding his head.
“Alright, I could really use the help then,”
“Then you got yourself an assistant,” Alec smiled as rubbed his nose against Jace’s before letting go. “Does my employment come with free coffee refills?”
“It might, if you do a good job,” Jace teased as he pulled back and stood up, holding his hand out. “Ready to man the cold brew station?”
“People still want cold brew in this cold?” Alec questioned, taking Jace’s hand and standing up to follow his man.
“You’d be surprised,” Jace answered as he led them back to open the cafe truck again “Last chance to back out.”
“After you,” Alec stepped forward and opened the staff entrance to the truck.
Jace blushed, but rolled his eyes as he entered the truck to set up for the rush again.
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Tunnels of Time - Re-Review #10
So... there’s a lot I want to say about re-watching this episode, and I have little time in which to type it so I will try not to miss anything out.
Firstly, we got a rescue straight of the bat - even if Gordon did nearly get knocked out by a rock!
This is definitely Parker’s ‘I’m not impressed face’.
I love how Gordon arrives on the flat bed lorry behind instead of a cool Thunderbird... that must have been an interesting drive for the lorry driver... Gordon probably talked his head off.
“Why are you here, Gordon?”
Yeah, it always starts well when the other person has no idea why you’re there, and suddenly you look like you could have been strangely stalking them or something... if Gordon already had his crush on Penelope at this point then that would have hurt. Personally though, I like to take the view that the real crush comes during this episode - it makes more sense story wise.
It’s strange seeing Penelope/Gordon dynamics emerging as well as in TOS they always angled her towards Scott. I think I like it though, and they’re kinda canon at the end. It was a well-developed relationship over the course of the episodes from what I remember too.
“You called me remember?”
“I didn’t send you any message.”
“Yes you did.”
Yeah, that’s just really awkward... let’s allow the tumbleweeds to blow through and just move swiftly on.
“Because you think I need someone to look after me?”
“hExactly!” “hI mean no, not at all, M’lady. You’re more than capable hof fending for yourself. See what you’ve done?”
“I thought you weren’t going in?”
“hExactly! Then you harrived. hI ‘ad a five hin six chance hof hit being hone hof the hothers.”
“There are only five of us.”
“I was including your Gran.”
I really would like to know why Parker desperately wanted it to be anyone but Gordon... I know implications were made in Ring Of Fire that Gordon thinks Lady P and Parker have the ‘easy job’, but I don’t think that would be enough to cause that... Interesting.
I love how Parker doesn’t offer to help with Gordon’s bags either.
“Why, exactly?”
Ur, because he can and he wants to and the power is going to his head? Honestly, do half the people in the world think they need better reasoning than that?
“Shame the way his blocked. Nothing’s getting through ‘ere.”
Well done, Parker. That’s jinx number 1.
“I’ll get some help. Stay there.”
“Where does ‘e think we’ll go?”
I really love the family dynamics in this episode and the relationship between Penelope and Gordon (which let’s be honest at this point was all about one upping each other), but I also really loved the comedic timing. Whilst Lady P and Gordon carried some of this from the above reason, I really loved how much of the humour Parker carried. He was always a great source of humour in TOS, but particularly in this episode, his timing, lines and actions were just amazing!
“hIf hI’m gonna die ‘ere, might has well get comfortable.”
And there’s jinx number 2.
I love how suspicious John was! You can’t fool these brothers, after all they’ve probably seen most tricks in the books on each other or other rescues.
Seriously this moment was golden. I love how the series (this one in particular) balanced out the worry, anger and individual issues of the boys.
“People are just for a lifetime; history is forever.”
“You rat-faced weasel!”
“Woah, Scott.”
Yeah... don’t go punching people... in uniform, at least.
And then Virgil appears once again with some calm and logic and a rescue plan! Sort of.
Because it was all going so well until the camera bit the dust.
“hIt could be some kind hof maze, meant to mess with hour brains.”
I love Parker’s little bit of poetry here - the timing was so point and the meter was - sorry, I won’t ramble too much about poetry at this point.
“He says it means... ah... point of no return.”
“hI reached that ha while hago.”
Best tag on ever.
I liked that though - my science teacher used to have ‘Point of no return’ written above his classroom door in Latin. It made me laugh that it took so many people ages to work out what it said when they could have just asked me as I used to Latin after school!
“We only have a few seconds left, so it’s now or never.”
But it’s actually okay Gordon, you’ve still got another two series.
Although, I doubt Virgil could have been certain that would work. I mean it gave them a way in, but there was no way to know exactly how Gordon would be able to respond to it. But, hey, have a bit of brotherly faith.
Rescue count: 14
It’s stacking up now! We’ve had more rescues than we have episodes at this point!
Right, well I will be back with the Re-Review series on Monday! My focus for the weekend is getting my next fic up!
P.S. Never leave your car keys inside an ancient tomb.
#thunderbirds are go#tunnels of time#Re-Review series#10#Darkestwolfx#tumblr#fanfiction.net#AO3#Scott tracy#john tracy#virgil tracy#Gordon Tracy#Alan Tracy#Jeff Tracy#Grandma Tracy#brains vs brawn#Max#kayo#tin-tin#the hood#Thunderbird One#Thunderbird Two#Thunderbird Three#Thunderbird Four#Thunderbird Five#Thunderbird Shadow#ir#tracy island#international rescue#lady penelope
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BNHA Rewatch: Episode 27 “Bizarre! Gran Torino Appears!”
mysterylover123
The Internship arc starts off with a bang! Let’s see that Full Cowl, Deku!
SORA NI UTAEBA! While the song in this intro is kinda meh to me, the visuals are amazing. I love the symbolism for all the events of the ep - tho not gonna lie, this core’s ED is better than the OP. Anyway tho, go punch that wall Deku!
We start with Gran Torino pretending to be crazy. I’ll admit, I’m kinda eh on this bit, though I love Gran. It’s probably because I found it annoying when Yoda did it, so I find it annoying here as well. (It’s really just my inner fangirl talking. Nobody makes Deku unhappy except Kacchan. Who can get away with it.)
But actually, this sets up an interesting difference between Deku and Luke, though admittedly situation isn’t the same because Deku knows Gran is Gran. But Deku’s response to this is to call All Might to tell him Gran’s gone senile. He’s so empathetic Deku why aren’t you real? (no shade at Luke there,e I love him too. Just not as much).
“I don’t have time to mess around.” Deku did not come to play.
New costume! It’s incredible how much better it is than the old one. Like, not even funny how much better. Day-um, Deku.
Pfh Gran knows exactly how to piss off Deku: Insult All Might. You clever little scoundrel.
So onto Deku’s character flaws: 1. He’s overly analytical. Deku doesn’t know how to act quickly, partially due to circumstance, but partially that’s just how he is. Hesitant. Over-cautious, over-thinks things. He needs to learn how to take action - and in this arc, he does indeed do so without hesitation, and saves Iida’s life by so-doing. Box 1 checked off.
2. Deku admires All Might too much. Like every MC in BNHA, his Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Tragedy (insert me telling you to read that essay again). It’s a problem because he doesn’t believe in himself. So he needs to learn not to imitate All Might and be his own hero. That one doesn’t really sink in until the PLE arc. But check.
3. Deku is insecure. He has a massive inferiority complex (which fits nicely into his foil’s inf-sup complex, ��wouldn’t-cha-know) and doesn’t believe in himself. So he needs to learn to be more confident. (Is it wrong that I want this to end with him breaking through Instrumentality to a chorus of his friends saying ‘Congratulations’?)
Gran is my favorite Teacher, as a teacher, in BNHA. I’m a teaching-major, and I kinda aspire to his techniques. What I love the most is helping students figure it out themselves. Just telling someone the answer doesn’t help them. It’s so satisfying seeing a student make that breakthrough thanks to your guidance.
Now we’re cutting away to Iida’s internship to remind you Iida Wants Revenge. This is a little exposition-y, let’s cut somewhere else.
OK good, the villains! Right off the bat, we’ve got some great Parallels with the Heroes, as Tomura decides to basically Intern with a Pro-Villain. He even calls Stain a pro. Tho Tomura really needs to work on his recruitment strategy. “Stain join us. Cause.” “Bakugou. Join us. Cause”.
I want Deku and Tomura to build a grand Hero-Villain rivalry. Tomura basically hates him for no real reason right now, and I want there to be a good reason. Other than “He’s All Might’s successor”. I want them to be the Joker and Batman of BNHA with a real complex hero-villain rivalry, where one reflects the other. They’re getting there but I want more.
“Bloodlust without conviction is meaningless.” Ooh I love me some Stain. He really elevated this series’ philosophical side with his ramblings on heroism and villainy.
OK am I creeped out by the fact that All for One just said the same thing I did about learning? A little.
Deku is so brilliant and such a fast learner tho. It doesn’t take him long to put it all together. And Gran actually really admires him for that - I enjoy their mentor dynamic a lot, since Gran has some real respect for Midoriya in a different way from All Might.
Bakugou with Best Jeanist! OMG the comedy gold of this. Though I just want to take a sec to gripe about a change from the manga to the anime: Manga! Bakugou does not charge at Best Jeanist and yell at him. He’s not dumb enough to try that on the #4 Pro Hero and his teacher. He sits still and listens to Jeanist’s lecture. The only Bakugo line here that’s from the manga is “Didn’t you make an offer for me?” This completely changes the way we perceive Bakugo in this scene, and in general. Bad change.
But in Good Storytelling-ville, I like the continuing parallels between the Wonder duo this creates: Izuku interns in a rundown neighborhood with an unlisted hero, Bakugo in Tokyo with a top pro. Izuku needs to learn to control his power and believe in himself. Katsuki needs to learn to be kinder and more humble. Izuku learns his lesson her, Katsuki doesn’t. Parallels!
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu again! 4th kind is ok. He’s probably the least memorable of the internship pros, since his gimmick is simple and his design kinda dull.
Uraraka and Gunhead! I love how well they get along. He’s kawaii and she’s a hardcore badass. Don’t you forget it!
Now for more of Momo’s arc. The Uwabami internship is usually dismissed by fans as Just Fanservice, but think about it in context, and it becomes really interesting. One, the Hero Killer arc is about Stain protesting the commercialization of heroism, so we do need to have a Pro-Hero demonstrate the problematic nature of that commercialism. Uwabami does just that. Two, we need to have Momo’s internship be unfulfilling to her, to complete her downward trajectory (before the Final Exam arc can bring her back up), so it’s useful for further embarrassing and developing her character. 3, it sets up Momo and Kendo’s future rivalry.
I’ll take more about it in future eps where it appears.
Izuku practicing and constantly hitting his face on the wall is one of those things that makes me wonder if either a) he has a secret endurance quirk or b) OFA just naturally ups your durability. How does he still have a face after that.
Here’s a hot take: Izuku with his face smashed up from spending a night with no sleep training in garbage all night is still prettier than any other guy in this series.
One of the reviewers I follow made the comparison between All Might vs Deku’s using of OFA and Korra vs Aang’s role as the Avatar. You know, All Might and Korra, both master the power pretty quickly so they get to be strong fast but lose out on the spiritual connection a bit, while Deku and Aang take their time learning ofa/the four elements, but get as a tradeoff more of the spirit-y side...(ATLA & BNHA. My 2 favorite shows, alongside FMA. I swear these are like, three sides of the same show).
While I’m watching in the Sub this time around, i wanted to note a dub-ism in this scene: it’s localized to ‘hot pastries’ instead of taiyaki. There’s a lot of bits like that, where they take Japanese food and translate it for us dumb Americans. But well, maybe that made sense in the 90s, when there maybe wasn’t as much cultural crossover, but...even I knew what mochi were before watching BNHA (Uraraka’s fave, and the dub always localizes it to ‘sweets’) and everyone has google if they’re confused so why not just say ‘Taiyaki?’ Ah well, it’s a stupid nitpick but still.
Gran’s metaphor here is so great. As a teacher I aspire to learn from this man. Teach me your teaching ways.
“THIS TAIYAKI IS ME!!!!!” Another dub-ism has him say “I’m not really a dessert” I saw a reactor once comment on this ‘Yeah, but you are a snacc, Deku.’ I wholeheartedly agree.
FULL COWLLLLLLL!!!!!!! FYEAH!!!!!
OK so there are a lot of reasons I love Full Cowl. it’s one of the series’ finest moments, emblematic of what makes it cool. And what makes Deku cool. He’s smart, and has to work his way around problems, and this solution was just...it was there, for us and Izuku the whole time, to finally sit up and take notice of. It���s about applying power in a different way. About taking what you can do and doing the best you can with what you’ve got. A big central theme for the series.
Also dayum that slow pan up Deku’s entire body as he activates it...he just looks good in this arc. Actually, post-cavalry battle Deku in the sports festival arc always looks weird and odd (because he’s beat up and in pain, duh) and prior to that he was mainly just adorable...this arc, however, is his official transition into Best Boy for Reals. He’s just...swoony. and also really cool, smart, and all sorts of great fangirl-y things.
We end on a confident Deku smile and Daiki’s adorable ‘hai.’ Basically, i really enjoy this episode. A little slow at the beginning, maybe. But that conclusion is amazing and so worth the payoff. It’s even got this amazing rhyme and rhythm to it, cutting back and forth between the different students and teachers and just having themes echo between each other like poetry. It love it.
To close off: ED4, AKA BEST ED EVER!!!! This is seriously, no sarcasm, best ED. So for those of you who don’t know, the story behind ED4 Datte Atashi no Hero is, 1: The Fantasy AU theme comes from the second popularity poll, which came out around Chapter 120/Episode 61 (yes, THAT one) and for which Horikoshi drew the top 10 in fantasy garb. 2: The Song was written by LiSa and was explicitly stated by her to be effectively about Izuku’s feelings towards Kacchan. I wrote a post analyzing it. It is, basically, the anthem for...
BKDK CORNER
“Loose…” Guess who the first person Deku thinks of to create Full Cowling is? If you sad Kacchan, ding-ding-ding!
On an analytical note, I think it’s very, very significant that the first real breakthrough Deku makes in handling his power comes by observing Kacchan and imitating him. This is one of my Top 20 Favorite BKDK moments, even though it’s completely indirect, because of how important that is in the long-run. But what about the Imitation theme? Why is it OK for Izuku to imitate Katsuki, but not All Might? Well, first of all, he does use Gran Torino’s moves as well, but mainly, I think the series is saying with this distinction that it’s OK to imitate someone if you see their flaws and acknowledge them, but if you hero-worship them and see them as perfect, you’re only going to screw yourself over. This is why Iida imitating Ingenium, Shoto imitating his mom, Deku and Kacchan imitating All Might, and yes, Uraraka imitating Deku, are all so bad for them. If you see someone as perfect, and want to imitate them, you’ll never achieve that in your mind, because you already view yourself as imperfect. So Deku can imitate Katsuki because he thinks he’s a jerk, but also an amazing fighter, and Gran because he thinks he’s weird, but tough.
Also Deku just automatically thinking of Kacchan first is so damn shippy.
BEST GIRL OF THE EPISODE: Uwabami!
RANKER: Ranking the Internship Pros, least helpful to most.
10. Uwabami
9. Mt. Lady
8. 4th Kind
7. Endeavor
6. Death Arms
5. Manual
4. Selkie and Sirius (anime only)
3. Gunhead
2. Best Jeanist
1. Gran Torino! (Deku lucked out)
#my hero academia#episode 27#season 2 episode 14#bizarre gran torino appears#midoriya izuku#gran torino#katsuki bakugou#momo yaoyorozu#katsudeku#bakudeku#be prepared for lots of gushing#my deku bias is strong with this one#everyone has their fave#i'm glad mine's the mc#sometimes anyway#come s5 he's gonna be like#barely around for a whole damn season#anyway so glad to be at the Hero Killer arc#let's go!
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TodoIiDeku Week 2018: Day 3, July 24
Prompt: Emotion. This isn’t as good as I had hoped it would be because while today is my day off from work, I had a stupid meeting and . . . everything’s gotten away from me and it’s already 3:30pm and I just want to have something accomplished today even if it’s not very good. This one is inspired by my new job.
~~~~
Izuku stepped out into the gated outside area of the assisted living facility, angrily stomping around the fish pond and taking a quick angry stroll or two along the stone path that weaved back to the back porch and the fish pond. Tenya stepped out with him, but instead of going after him, he just waited and watched him return.
Izuku didn’t look at him as he returned, choosing to cross his arms and glare at the fish pond instead.
“You know he has dementia,” Tenya said.
Izuku made a frustrated grunt. “I know I know that.”
“Why are you so upset he can’t remember, then?”
“Because we’ve already gone over it multiple times! And he just gets confused, and then he forgets and--!”
“Then maybe we shouldn’t explain? If it just upsets him and you--”
“But I want--I--”
Izuku ran his hands through his hair, making angry noises.
“It’s bad enough the media keeps erasing it and pretending it’s not real--he’s--!”
Tenya placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder.
“I know. But pretending the reality of someone who doesn’t have a firm grasp on it or what year it is is true doesn’t make anything about her or us any less real. Him thinking your mother is Nana Shimura doesn’t make Nana Shimura any less dead. So it doesn’t make the three of us any less in love.”
Izuku’s eyes were welling up with tears. Tenya moved his arm so that it was enveloping him in a hug.
“Shouto and I both love you so much,” Tenya said. “I know it’s hard. I know I would give anything to be able to make the whole world understand how much I love the both of you equally. I wish it was legal for me to be married to both of you, and I wish he could remember and keep his ability to understand for longer than a few minutes. I wish I could make the pain this gives you disappear.... But right now, I can’t. And I’m sorry I can’t.”
Izuku cried fairly silently, moving his head into Tenya’s chest, wiping at his eyes with one hand.
“I . . . I’m sorry . . .” That I said it was okay if you and Shouto got married to each other instead of one of you with me. That I wanted the Symbol of Peace to look attainable in all forms to give people motivation and hope. That I gave in to pressure from my PR agent.
Tenya gave Izuku a squeeze and kissed his forehead.
“We’re going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay,” Tenya said.
Izuku nodded.
After Izuku was able to pull himself back together better, they returned to inside the building, walking into the sitting area where Shouto had stayed by Gran Torino’s side.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing around here?” Gran Torino asked yet again.
“I’m here with Midoriya and Ingenium,” Shouto repeated from before, pushing their braid back over a shoulder.
“Ah! You must be Midoriya’s girlfriend!”
Shouto smiled.
“That’s right.”
Shouto looked over at Izuku and Tenya, their smile widening and waving over at them, a matching wedding ring on their finger to the one that was on Tenya’s hand.
“Toshinori?”
“Midoriya,” Izuku repeated, sighing a bit.
“Haha, I know it’s you, Midoriya. You’re lucky to have such a cute girlfriend! Ah, what’s your name again?”
“Shouto.”
“Funny name for a girl.”
“I suppose.”
Izuku blinked, remembering how frustrated he had gotten when he tried to get Gran Torino to remember that he already knew Shouto, from back when Shouto was still using he/him pronouns. And seeing how easily Shouto just didn’t bat an eye or even attempt to explain and how it just moved on to Gran Torino talking about the nursing assistants and care takers and the food server and the food and how he was convinced that someone was stealing his clean clothes and dentures (despite Izuku having seen said dentures in their container as Gran Torino had stuffed it into a pocket). And then Gran Torino would forget who Tenya and Shouto were again, and they’d just let Gran Torino fill in the gaps with whatever he wanted to infer from their answers, and things got rambly at times, and they were all still emotionally exhausted by the time that they left, but....
On the car ride back, Izuku rested his head on Shouto’s shoulder as Tenya drove.
“. . . You’re both so much better at this than me,” Izuku said, eyes watering again.
Shouto rested their head atop of Izuku’s.
“You also knew him a lot better than we do. It’s understandable you’d be more frustrated when he can’t remember.”
“. . . But it’s okay that he can’t. And you know he ultimately cares about you and wants you to be happy,” Tenya said from the driver’s seat. “Needing to make the journey to him actually say those words over and over doesn’t mean he didn’t mean it when he first said it when you first explained.”
Izuku remembered telling Gran Torino about his relationship with Tenya and Shouto, long before Gran Torino had reached a point where Izuku had thought it best that he live in a place where someone could take care of him. He remembered the old man having trouble with the concept and even getting offended that Izuku would even consider to ‘string along two people like that’ but . . . he did come to terms with it in the end.
Izuku sniffled, rubbing at his face again.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I was being stupid.”
Shouto moved a hand to hold Izuku’s and squeezed it.
“It’s okay. You just wanted things to be the way they were, before he really couldn’t remember. That’s normal, I think.”
“Still. I shouldn’t let that upset him like that.... Then he’s upset and can’t remember why he’s upset because he doesn’t remember us even talking about it....”
Shouto rubbed their thumb against the back of Izuku’s hand.
“. . . How does take-out sound to the two of you?” Tenya asked.
“Delicious,” Izuku said.
“Same,” Shouto said.
Tenya gave them a smile via the rearview mirror.
“Take-out for dinner it is.”
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Tim and Damian: A Tale of Two Robins
The latest issue of Batman (# 147) clearly underscores the differing ways Tim and Damian each approach the role of Robin. It's why DC has been able to get away with having two very different characters simultaneously wearing the mantle.
For Damian, Robin is fundementally a position of honor and a source of pride. It's an affirmation of his unique status as the biological child of Bruce Wayne. Damian wants to do good and he wants to be the best at it. There's nothing wrong with that per say. Many heroes are driven by the same inner need for validation. Being Robin is an honor to which Damian feels he has earned the right.
For Tim, Robin is foremost a calling or vocation. The Robin mantle is definitely an honor but it's not the primary driving force behind why he's in the cape. To him Robin is much more than just a kid who fights with Batman. Tim is heavily invested in in protecting the symbolism of what both Robin as well as Batman and Robin stand for. Please note that it's not Damian or Dick that tracks Bruce down in this issue even though they're both quite capable of doing that. It's Tim who goes after Bruce.
Tim being the one to step up to save Bruce from his own worst impulses is what he does. He's an Emotional Support Robin as much as he is a partner to Batman. From the very beginning Tim saw Robin as someone Batman needs to function properly.
To this day Tim still maintains that Robin's primary responsibility is not to be a sidekick but be someone who will save Batman from both external and internal threats when required. He's a vital balance, a counterweight to the shadows that Batman inhabits.
In many ways that idea is at the crux of the differences between Tim and Damian's approach to being Robin.
Damian initially saw the mantle of Robin as his birthright due to his being Bruce's biological son. Yes, it seems like a strange idea but let's cut the kid some slack. Damian was all of ten years old when he first met his father. He'd also been raised in a cult that all but worshipped the AL Ghul family. He was an arrogant little princeling because that's what he was raised to be.
Tim sees Robin as Batman's partner but not his subordinate. Sure, all the Robins started as "sidekicks" but Dick and Jason's Robins never had the kind of independence Tim's Robin enjoys. Remember that it was a lack of autonomy that drove Dick away from Bruce in the first place. Jason's Robin rarely, if ever, worked independently of Batman. Tim, on the other hand, started handling his own cases less than a year after debuting in the role. Tim doesn't see himself as an apprentice but as a full partner. What's more he throughly enjoys that aspect of being Robin.
People wonder why Tim hasn't created a new identity that's not linked to Batman. The short answer is that Tim feels that he's already doing that. Robin is an independent hero and has been for years. He's been more than capable of operating without a net since before Damian showed up. Tim isn't shy about that view point, either. When Bruce tries to push Tim's Robin in ways Tim doesn't like, the kid will tell Batman "no" then continue doing things on his own .
Damian, on the other hand, constantly chafes against how Bruce's Batman wants him to act as Robin. Just like his father Damian doesn't like to be wrong and that shared stubbornness causes the two of them endless arguments. Damian's earliest teachings within the League will forever be at odds with Bruce's demands of Robin. The clashing expectations cause an internal conflict that leaves him at war with both his father and himself. No wonder the poor kid has a short temper. Trying to be both Damian al Ghul and Damian Wayne has got to be exhausting.
It's a testament to Damian's strength of character that he's been able to overcome the indoctrination from the League as much as he has. It's never going to completely leave him, however, because the lessons engrained into Damian at such a young age formed the core of his personality. Working with Dick's Batman helped him to learn some empathy and the value of tempering his worst impulses. Unfortunately Damian is primarily working with Bruce not Dick.
Damian is also 13 years old who has been seeking his father's approval and respect since the day he met the man. Bruce, being the emotional disaster that he is, fails to recognize that most of the time. This is why Damian is so completely taken in by Zur pretending to be Bruce. For the first time Damian is getting both approval and positive attention for being more violent than is necessary. His dysfunctional childhood and his work as Robin are finally in harmony and Damian loves it. It's also why poor the poor kid is so crushed when he figures out what's going on.
Tim, meanwhile, has stepped into his role as Emotional Support Robin (whether that's a good or bad thing is a debate for another time). His ability to ground Batman is why he can have this conversation with Bruce:
Tim also has one other crucial advantage that Damian, Dick or Jason never had. Tim was Bruce's partner long before he became his son. He's able to slide back into that role at the drop of a hat.
Damian will always be the son of Batman first and Robin second. That father/son dynamic that Bruce isn't very good at will try and lock Damian into a subordinate position in a misguided attempt to keep his son safe. That kind of micromanaging is something Dami will only tolerate for so long. Leaving Robin to take up a mantle of his own creation is all but inevitable.
Tim and Damian may both be Robin to Bruce's Batman but their perceptions of who and what Robin should be is radically different. And as I said before, that's not a bad thing at all.
#tim drake#tim drake robin#bruce wayne#batman#damian wayne#damian wayne robin#batfam#meara rants#yet another long winded opinion piece by bat-gran#sorry to ramble but this is my first creative atempt since my husband died
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I have to confess when Chuck Dixon writes Nightwing...it just confuses me in the sense how come there comes good content (Dick's iconic Black-Blue finger-stripe suit, Bludhaven in general, the Juvenille Hall part of his Origin, most of his interactions with Tim especially) yet there's also the way he tries making his relationship with Batman apparently so fragile and teetering on the brink of an all out brawl (framing it as being Dick being emotionally out of hand or whatever when really it's Bruce being either too controlling or self centered, perfect example part of Part 1 Of Nightwing Year One...you know, 'Get Out of my Cave') you think its Dick the one that has Daddy issues up the whazoo whereas Jason and Tim are apparently angels? It's just me rambling here but it's possible I'm misremembering all of that so....
You're remembering correctly.
Let's jump into Bat-Gran's Way-Back Machine for a minute. Back in 1987, in Batman The New Adventures #408, when Jason was becoming Robin the explanation was that Dick left Robin for a very different reason than what Dixon wrote. Batman and Robin were taking down the Joker when Dick got shot.
Bruce didn't take this incident too well. He suddenly decided that Robin was a child and a child shouldn't be put in such danger. Dick disagreed with him, rather forcefully...
But in the end Dick was okay with taking on a more adult identity. What I find oddest about this is that after saying that a child shouldn't be fighting crime, tiny Jason ends up as Robin shortly afterwards.
Canonically, there was a little tension between Dick and Bruce but nothing like what we saw from Dixon's run in Nightwing. In issue #101, he ret-conned the reason why Dick stopped being the Boy Wonder. Dick was with the Titans more than Batman, a source of contention for Batman. The two were chaffing at each other because Dick was establishing an independent life away from Gotham and Bruce didn't like it. It all came to a head during a fight with Clayface.
Dixon had the two practically screaming at each other. This was when the Powers-That-Be at DC had unilaterally decided that Batman needed to be an edgy loner who was bad at relationships. I agree that it's not Dick's fault when Bruce reacts like a maniac in response to normal young adult behavior on Dick's part.
Think that's awful? It gets worse. You're quite right in that Bruce comes across as a controlling jack-ass. Batman is sending the very clear message that if Dick wasn't willing to play by his rules and be the Robin he wanted then he wasn't welcome in his life at all. This is full-on abuse, in my opinion.
Yes, Dick does have a temper but, unlike Bruce, he isn't allergic to emotions. He's certainly not fragile. Some may see him as more prone to outbursts than Bruce because he's willing to call the man out when he's being a jerk. A perfect example is during the Bruce Wayne - Murderer? storyline. Bruce is walking away from his family and Dick doesn't hesitate to get in face about it.
Dixon did some good things. Being part of the ret-conning of the end of Dick's time as Robin wasn't one of them. It's thing like this that are a big part of the reason why DC has continuity problems.
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Look, it's nice that you are old and nostalgic but stop idealising pre-flashpoint universe. Did it have small ball of darkness Damian Wayne? Small ray of sunshine Jon Kent? Did it have the Dark Trinity of Jason, Artemis and Bizzaro? Did it have Wally West II and his selfies? Did it have Emiko Queen? No! It had nothing but Tim Drake acting like a clown. That's a shit reason to want the pre-flashpoint verse back. Times change and there is no stopping that. Either stop reading or stop complaining.
Thank you for your gracious input. Yes, there some really nice things that DC has done with the New-52 and Re-birth. Damian is a better and more rounded character than he was in the old books (in Damian’s defense, initially he was quite purposely written to be unlikable). Jason Todd was used so poorly when he first came back as to boggle the mind. The Red Hood in the Rebirth universe is funny, unpredictable, marvelously relatable (which is remarkable for a character that died and was brought back to life) and wonderfully written.
That said, I don’t like what they’ve done with Tim Drake in either the New-52 or Rebirth. I also didn’t like that they killed off so many good characters aound him and made him a miserable, little ball of angst before the New-52/Rebirth, so saying I idolized it is a bit extreme. What does annoy me is that DC has written off Tim and Dick Grayson’s brotherly relationship as a casulty of a changed universe. It was fun to read most of the time.
It seems that what I do with my inconsequential blog bothers you more than a little bit. This place is a way for me to have a little fun and share it with others. You are welcome to enjoy it with me or, since you don’t seem to like my ramblings, equally as welcome to leave.
The important point I want to make here is that these are comic book characters. This is not “War and Peace” and isn’t meant to be. One of the things I like about comic books (and comic strips) is how you can watch the changes, the way a society evolves by reading several decades worth of them. It’s facinated me since High School (happily, I got several really good papers out of that theme in college). I’m sorry if my being older annoys you but I’m not about to appologize for not being dead yet. I’m also not going to appolgize for my point of view, either, or stop writing about it. Ruder people than you have tried and failed.
Have a nice day.
Meara the Bat-Gran
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