#batdad: who is the other parent?
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"Hello there, little comet."
Robin wirled around with his sword pointed, standing still just before the skin of the others throat.
"Always so tense." The person teases and Robin tuts, pulling his sword back.
"Still obnoxious as always, Wraith."
The man chuckles lightly, stepping out of the shadows with a wave. "Have you learned any slang now that you live with your father? Fitting in is one of the most important skills for an assassin."
Robin scowls. "I'm not an assassin anymore."
The man is undeniable smiling beneath the mask, green eyes crinkling. It has Damian feeling all soft and squishy, he turns around with a huff, kicking the ridiculousness of those feelings away.
"You have grown."
"I have."
"I'm glad."
Robin averts his eyes as his comm comes to life, crackling in his ear. "Robin, mugging happening around the corner from your position."
He gives his acknowledgement, turning back to the man—
Only for him to be gone.
Damian sighs. "Until then, brother."
He leaps across the buildings, stepping in as the mugging happens.
—
(Usually, I would put this in the tags, but I'll put it here now for some background!)
Wraith, also formally known as Danyal al Ghul, son of Talia al Ghul and Lady Shiva.
He is younger than his sister, Cass, but older than Damian. During his league days, his loyalty stayed towards Talia, always has until he met Damian as a baby.
He became his guard, much like Cass was supposed for the Demon Head, one of the few teachers Jason had after and went on missions with.
Does he reappear later again? Who knows! He is still with the League, under Talia's command while sticking close to Ra's. A spy if you will.
#dcxdp#dpxdc#dp x dc crossover#fic prompt#writing prompt#dc x dp prompt#Damian and Danny are siblings#damian and danny are ride or die#damian would like his older brother back pleass#dannu is sending him gifts later to the manor#batdad: who are these from#dami: my elder brother#batdad: .............#dami: rest assured father Danyal is much like Repsawn and I#batdad: who is the other parent?#dami: lady shiva i believe#cue to cass snappung her head to them with wide eyss#shes mouthing “brother?” all over with confusion and brows furrowed with concentration
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Mama Bat pt3 progress Post
Part 3 Progress
Batcount: Stephanie, Dick
“Danny Fenton, parents declared him dead and claimed they buried him,” Dick said, spinning around in the batcomputer batchair. Anxious, unhappy, too much energy because there's nothing to fight here. “He has an older sister, I think she knows he's in Gotham and she's covering for him. She'll be coming to Gotham University next semester, despite having accepted a better offer from Harvard last year.”
Steph let out a low, long whistle. “Whatever's going on at home must be bad,” she commented. “No other contacts?”
Dick pulled up a grainy class photo. “He's part of a small friend group, but neither of them have made any unusual moves. If Sam Manson or Tucker Foley get a plane ticket we'll know, but for now?” He shrugged, eyes distant. “Seems like he ran off alone. But probably for really good reasons.” He switched tabs back to the unhinged Fenton works website. He all but vibrated: wanna go, want to run, look, see.
Steph squinted for a few moments, reading. “...We’re going to go see what crimes against nature they're committing, aren't we?” She sounded resigned to it.
Dick shrugged. “It's not ideal,” he said unhappily. “The town is too small for how we normally do our night work. But face out is a big risk.”
“Maybe we should lean on a friend?” Stephanie suggested. “Someone who has a public role that wouldn't be a problem?”
“We’ll have to ask Mama Bat.”
They both turned to look at Cass, who was sitting on a desk. She arched an eyebrow at them. “We ask Danny,” she said pointedly. “He knows best.”
Stephanie made a face that said she disagreed.
Cass huffed. “He knows,” she reiterated. He had lived there. He knew the people. “We could make a mess.” She mimed sweeping the stack of Bruce papers off the desk surface and then an expression of exaggerated batdad horror.
Stephanie untensed enough to laugh.
Cass considered that good enough. She jumped down and patted Dick as she passed. He let out an exaggerated sigh but he powered down the computer and followed her up. “I'm excited to get to meet the little guy,” he said. The lights turned off. All three of them hit the stairs and jogged up. Dick chattered away, tweet tweet tweet. “It's so sweet that Dami latched onto him like this. When I asked what Danny would like as a welcome home gift, he told me that I was a cretin and should not corrupt the baby.” He laughed, high and joyous. It was contagious. Cass found herself laughing with him.
Stephanie squinted at the back of Dick's head as the oldest brother bounded up the stairs. “Damian… likes him?” She confirmed.
Cass beamed. Of course he did. Danny was a good baby. He and Damian were out now walking dogs at the animal shelter while Alfie did the big weekly shop.
Dick shrugged. “He gets to be the mentor,” he pointed out. “He’s not the Babiest Bat anymore.”
“Danny is older than Damian,” Stephanie protested. Cass glared at her.
“He's baby,” she said firmly. End of conversation.
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Request for batfam x estranged daughter who looks like Batdad's mom Martha💔 she's more independent and has been raised by her mother's family who she is extremely close with, but when it comes to Bruce’s side of her fam she gets awkward and shy cuz she never really interacted with them and doesn't know how to approach them which leads to misunderstandings and angsty setbacks in bonding time. But for whatever reason, she gets along great with Damian and Stephanie as if they've been friends for years. Which causes everyone else to feel left out and a bit jealous when they see the trio hanging out having a good time.
𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡
pairing. Batfamily x batsis!reader, slight Dick Grayson x reader
summary. Reader looks startling alike to Bruce’s deceased mother, Martha Wayne.
warnings. swearing, platonic jealousy, mentions of death, horrible parenting (its Bruce), reader is like crazy rich, reader is also 22 and dick is 26. NOT PROOFREAD
authors notes. hope this is what you envisioned. no part 2 so don’t ask
wc. 1.4k
It was Alfred who made the mistake first. Accidently calling you Martha first. He couldn’t help it, you just look so much like her.
Of course he apologised right after and then nearly had a heart attack when you smiled reassuringly, “its fine Alfred.”
A kind heart to match the face of a woman long gone. The elderly man just nodded in response, deciding too keep his mouth shut from then on.
Then it was Bruce. He completely froze the day he met you, froze and stared like a creep. “Holy shit—“ He was immediately cut off by your mother’s glare at him swearing in front of you. “Sorry.”
That day went on with you being shy and awkward around him and Dick —his newly adopted son— who didn’t seem to have any interest in you at all.
“Bruce Wayne,” the man kneels in the get to eye level with a twelve year old you.
“Uh—“ you found yourself string at your mother nervously, only deciding to utter your name after she nods.
Bruce tries to smile —could you see the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes?— at you, “pretty name.”
That was the first time he had seen you, and the last — unless you count the little run ins you’ve had over the years— until ten years later. You were twenty-two, and looked even more like his deceased mother than before.
Bruce found himself watching as you gave Damian tips on the perfect brush stroke to get a texture that would look more like a cloud on canvas.
You nod and smile —one of those encouraging smiles his mother (Martha) used to give him when he got something right— “that’s it. Just try to get lighter towards the end, gives it that fluffy feeling.”
When you had decided to contact Bruce yourself ten years later it had caught him off guard but he agreed. He watched as Damian took to you immediately, the ten year old boy milking you for that motherly affection he never got from his own mother.
The validation when you pat his head and smile at him proudly at his minor achievements, something was child's play to him and yet you were so proud because of it.
The warmth you gave when you smiled in encouragement, or when you’d chuckle softly at his annoyance about one of his brothers. His brothers, not yours as well. You didn’t Bruce’s other wards as siblings, they hadn’t tried to reach out to you so you decided not to bother them with trying as well.
You were nice not stupid.
Stephanie walked into the art room you and Damian had filled with art pieces. You chuckled when the younger girl groaned and draped her arms around you, whining about some inconvenience she had been victim to earlier in the day.
You patted her head and chuckled when Damian scowled at the blonde girl, “get off her you mongrel.”
“Damian,” you say sternly and the young boy huffs before going back to painting clouds. You dragged both yourself and Stephanie towards the couch in the corner of the art filled room and listened as she whined about her day. How Bruce had scolded her about a mistake she made on the field, a minor mistake that even who would make from time to time.
You saw the tears of frustration brimming in the girls eyes and you sigh. “It’s alright Steph,” you hum softly as the girl presses her face into your shoulder.
If Damian hears the blondes sniffles he ignores it, leaving the comforting to you.
None of you speak of Stephanie’s breakdown after it happened. Opting to ignore it afterwards and move on.
Dinner later is chattier than usual, both Damian and Stephanie sitting on either side of you, giving the other member of the family zero chance to gain your attention.
Across from you sat Dick Grayson, who tried to gain your attention but continuously failed so decided to annoy his other brothers. You’re attention is finally somewhere else when Jason growls in annoyance at something Bruce had said.
“It’s for kids Bruce,” Jason seems to be seething. “Children who don’t have the luxury of getting a meal everyday.”
“I can’t trust that the money will actually go into that cause Jason,” Bruce simply sighs. You frown at that, for the first time you speak up.
“Sorry to intrude, but what are you arguing about?” Your voice isn’t timid or soft, it’s stern and had an authority quality that has Jason looking at you in shock before replying.
“Charity thing I’m tryna do,” he begins to explain. “Wanted some money to buy an empty warehouse and build a place that serves food on a daily basis to homeless people.”
You hum in response, “it’s a good idea.”
Jason beams at the praise, “thank you.” And you smile in response, “how much do you need?”
The question catches everyone off guard, “sorry?”
“How much, it’s a good idea and I’d like to help.” You ask and Jason nods.
“Well i wanted it in a good area in Gotham, might help relocate people and stuff.” You nod taking in his words. “$300,000. I need that much.”
Jason shrugs nervously as you think it through, “done.” You smile slightly, “call me if you need anymore though. I’d be happy to help.”
Jason stares at you like you’re some kind of saint, “where are you going to even get that kind of money?” He asks nervously, surely this was too good to be true. You barely knew him, why would you give up that much money so easily.
You chuckle in response, “my dad’s rich.” You pause before adding, “the man my Ma married I mean.”
“So is my Ma,” you shrug. “I inherited it all when they retired.” Jason blinks a few times, as if trying to determine if you’re actually real.
“So would you say you’re richer than Bruce?” Tim asks and you glance over at him before shrugging. “Maybe? I dunno.”
Bruce watches from the head of the table, “she is.”
You raise a brow at that, “stalking my bank account or something?”
Bruce chuckles and shakes his head, “no. But I know your father and he’s been years ahead of me for a long time.” You snort in response, “sounds like him alright.”
The rest of dinner passes and you go back to talking to Damian and Stephanie. Jason watches you three from his seat beside Dick. “Why does she only talk to them?”
Dick pauses to look at Jason and puts his fork back down onto the plate, before glancing over at you who seemed to be nodding along to whatever Damian was saying.
“Dunno,” he shrugged. “To be fair we haven’t tried to exactly reach out to her as much either.”
Jason hummed in response, “demon brats a bit attached to her though.. don’t you think?”
“Guess so, pretty sure he looks up to her.” Dick says to Jason before moving his fork towards his mouth. “Like a motherly figure or something.”
Jason snorts and Tim looks over at them, “funny. He’s got two of his siblings substituting as parental figures.”
Tim chokes on his food before laughing, “now that you’ve said it.”
Dick rolls his eyes and chuckles, “leave the kid alone. He got a shitty deal of parents.” Jason snickers but he doesn’t deny it.
Dinner finishes quickly after that, and they watch as you let Damian drag you away, Stephanie following closely behind. “You must meet batcow.” Damian says before leaning in closer to you, to whisper in your ear, “Don’t tell father but there are ducks in my room.”
You wink at him and nod, “our secret then.”
The rest of the night passes and Damian is asleep by the end of it. You find yourself back at the front door, slipping your coat on deciding to go home. “Leaving?”
You turn around quickly to see Dick Grayson, an amused look on his face and a small smile playing on his lips. “I am too,” he shrugs approaching you and reaching for his jacket. “I’ll walk you,” he offers and when you nod he grins outstretching his hand.
Nervously you take his hand in yours and let him pull you along towards the front door, “I know a great view.. I could take you?”
You smile and shrug, leaving the decision to him, “guess we’re going then. I’ll warn you though it high up and its Gotham so don’t expect it to be too pretty.”
You chuckle and he keens at the sound, he finds himself wanting to hear it again, and again, and again.
“I won’t get my hopes up then,” you smile up at him.
He grins and leads you out of the manor and onto the streets of Gotham, that coincidently happened to quite peaceful that night. He silently thanked Bruce for fucking up again, he wouldn’t get this chance if he hadn’t.
© hells-escapees. do no copy/steal/translate. do it and I’ll bite your toes off
#batsis x batfam#dick grayson x reader#bruce wayne x daughter!reader#Platonic batfam#I’m writing again#yay#batsis reader#batsis
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Ok this one is mainly for Alfred but u could add batbros and batdad if u want, anyways i was wondering what would alfred (or any of the fam) do to stop BatToddler reader tantrum? Like i imagine the setting would be grocery shopping and Alfred's only getting healthy food including boring plain cereal and BatToddler is not having it and only wants sugar loaded cereal and starts whining and tearing up right there in the middle of the store, would alfred give in to those tears or find an alternative? I imagine batdad would give in and the brothers might even encourage it giving that they probably eat the same junk food
Oh my God yes! Anon, thank you for sending me this, this sounds so fun. Alfred needs love so this is Alfred centered, but I will put this in batfam since I'm to lazy to create a new page for the masterlist. It's a bit short, but my arm hurts.
Summary: Alfred has to make a deal with his grandson
Warnings: nothing really, (Y/N) crying, but it's short...
Alfred Pennyworth is a man of many talents. He may look like an ordinary butler to the public, but without him, the Wayne family wouldn't even function. He is the person who makes sure everyone eats, sleeps and somehow functions like a human being. Somewhat.
Some may find it tiring, but Alfred wouldn't have it any other way. He really wouldn't have it any other way at all. Of course, his grandkids so to speak were independent and didn't need anyone looking over them 24/7. That was until (Y/N) came as a baby.
Alfred nearly passed out when they got the call. (Y/N)'s mom abandoned him and just signed off her parental rights and Bruce had realized he had a kid. A baby, defenseless little creature who is untouched by the world. Untouched.
That's something that scared him.
But he knew that Bruce and him had to step up when it came to this little child. They really had to step up as caregivers. Of course, another problem was the press, pushing and prodding. Bruce hated it and told them that there were going to be consequences if they think about photographing his son.
If they did go out, (Y/N)'s face was covered by Bruce and or one of the boys who went with Bruce that day. Gotham citizens, the ones not included in the press, loved the little baby and were happy to him in public. Of course, that may sound weird, but the Wayne family is loved in Gotham and everyone just loves every single member.
In fact, the news of a new member, a baby member, broke the internet and Gotham in general.
Even Metropolis wrote about it.
And there was one thing that Bruce promised to himself. He would be present and he would try to balance everything. Batman, Bruce and the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Alfred and the rest of the boys were more than happy to babysit and (Y/N) was never going to be at fault for love or affection. Never.
And Alfred made sure he is well fed. And also, Alfred made sure it was healthy. His grandson needed to be healthy. Of course, there could some sugar here and there, but not all the time. Sugar from fruits is more than welcome, but sugar like in cereal? Alfred had put a restriction on it.
At least for now. (Y/N) didn't need a sugar boost just yet. Only natural sugars while he is so young. Bruce agreed. They would introduce him to the sugars gradually. Bruce relayed that to his sons and every son agreed.
No processed sugar while he is so young.
3 years have passed since (Y/N) came to live them and life was going great. (Y/N) has started kindergarten and was happy. He loved his brothers a lot and his father, but he loved his grandpa the most. Bruce's working theory was the fact that Alfred cooked the most and often made tasty foods for (Y/N).
None the less, (Y/N) loved the others very much and that was undeniable.
One thing that Alfred loved doing was taking (Y/N) to the store whenever he could. (Y/N) was just in love with the activity. It was fun seeing new things and bright colors. Alfred enjoyed since (Y/N) held the list while shopping and he didn't have to worry about it.
Although there is one single issue. (Y/N) has a sweet tooth. A really big one, especially for a child his age. So Alfred often had to bypass the cereal aisle and aisles that contained candy.
It would not be a pleasant sight. But Jason and the others want cereal and they will lose their minds if they don't get it. So what does Alfred do?
He goes to the aisle, preparing himself mentally.
This could turn into a battle.
Alfred took a right and started looking through the cereal. He looked at some healthy cereal and (Y/N) was reaching for Coco Puffs. Alfred saw it and moved (Y/N) away.
(Y/N) didn't like that.
" Alfred. " (Y/N) whined and Alfred raised his brow.
" Yes, master (Y/N)? " Alfred asked as he put the healthy version inside the cart.
" Coco Puffs. " (Y/N) said pointing at the cereal. Alfred smiled and shook his head.
" I'm afraid that I can't get you that master (Y/N). " Alfred said and he sighed when he saw tears in (Y/N)'s eyes.
He picked his grandson up into his arms from the cart. " Master (Y/N), don't cry. " Alfred said as he rocked him.
" But I want Coco Puffs. " (Y/N) whined and some tears fell down his cheeks.
" Oh darling... " Alfred whispered and kissed his cheek, trying to comfort him.
" How about we make a deal? " Alfred suggested and (Y/N) calmed down a little bit and looked at him in curiosity.
" You will have to eat the vegetables I give you. "
(Y/N) opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself. Did he like vegetables? No. But he did like his Coco Puffs.
" All of them? " (Y/N) asked quietly.
" Yes. I know you are not a fan of vegetables, but I need you to be healthy. " Alfred said as he kissed his cheek once again.
" And then I'll get my cereal? " (Y/N) asked and Alfred nodded.
" We got a deal. " (Y/N) said and Alfred smile, kissing his cheek again.
" Good. " Alfred says and puts the box into the cart. " You can have one bowl a day. " Alfred said as he put (Y/N) down in the cart's seat for children.
" Cross off cereal master (Y/N) please. " Alfred said and pointed at the word. (Y/N) crossed it off and smiled happily.
" Now, let me see what else I have. " Alfred said and saw what else is on the list.
" We have one more thing left and then we can go home. " Alfred said and patted (Y/N)'s head.
(Y/N) just nodded and kicked his little legs happily. Alfred saw that (Y/N) often glanced at the Coco Puffs and made sure that they were in the cart.
" They won't be going anywhere master (Y/N). "
(Y/N) let out a little humph and smiled none the less.
" I have to make sure. "
Alfred laughed at the response he got as he moved the cart through the aisles. " The box won't walk away anywhere. " Alfred explained as he put the last thing in the cart.
" Cross off this word please. " Alfred said as he pointed at the last word on the list.
(Y/N) nodded and crossed it out. " Good job. " Alfred praised his grandson and made his way to the cash register. This was not so bad like Alfred thought it would be.
And the deal was nice.
#dc comics#dc x male reader#x male reader#batfamily#alfred pennyworth x male reader#alfred pennyworth
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thoughts on battinson with his like seven kids and they have to suffer through everyone wanting to fuck him cause have you seen him??
Alright so this response kinda works in a competely separate realm of canon than what I usually post. I’m gonna preface that right now, but BOY do I have thoughts :D
So when I think of Battinson and his (non)accidental orphan acquisition, I see Battinson as being on a much more even playing field emotionally than most other iterations. He’s not really as stoic and put-together, so having kids (especially multiple) would cause a LOT more chaos and drama. So in this case, I like to think that it happens at a very rapid rate. (Again, I’m saying this because this require straying from the film’s canon to a much larger degree than I usually do.) SO by the time he’s 32, he has an 11yo Dick, a 9yo Jason, and an 8yo Tim. And they probably grow with him much like teen parents do with their kids. He’s not as authoritative as most parents. Instead, he starts out as like half older brother, half dad, then graduates to the roll of batdad after his whole vengeance era.
THAT ALL BEING SAID!! BECAUSE THEY’RE SO MUCH OLDER AND BRUCE IS YOUNGER, THEY DEAL WITH A LOOOOTTTTTT OF CREEPY LADIES TRYING GO GET WITH THEIR DAD. (AND THEY ARE VERY. SMART. FOR THEIR AGE)
Dick, older brother and the leader of the “Save Dad and Our Childhood Innocence” brigade teaches the three everything there is to know. He is the most experienced with these awful public events like galas and charity auctions, so he is in control.
And it is SO much easier to get the creepy suitors to back off when they work as a team
Dick talks everyone’s ears off. He’s the golden boy (getting perfect grades and gold medals in his school’s gymnastics team) so he EASILY gets away with distracting people
Dick will insert himself into adult conversations all the time, and Bruce always lets him, which allows Jason and Tim to wreak havoc on whatever target they chose.
Whenever it isn’t too obvious or it’s late enough in the night, Jason will fake a cold or a headache sometimes (he’s prone to falling sick) and Bruce will insist that he take his kid home and tuck him into bed himself, very fatherly
Tim uses his Youngest Child points to woo the nicer ones and direct them away from Bruce, but it doesn’t usually works on the gold diggers (and thank god because Tim HATES acting cute) so he’ll use it on Bruce instead
When those three plans don’t work, the three gremlins start getting Creative TM
Jason, taking a swig from some wine glass and proceeding to spray it all over Vicky Vale’s white dress: “This isn’t grape juice!”
Tim, resident iPad kid and (despite popular belief) The Most Evil of the Three, sees some lady touching his batdad so he finds her phone number on an online directory and prank calls her every time she gets too close
Suitor: “Your father is very handsome.” Dick: “My father’s dead :(” “…” “Oh wait, you mean Bruce! Yeah, he’s nice.”
One lady starts hanging off of Bruce, but he needs to run off to say hello to an investor. Jason appears from nowhere in his dapper little tux and the lady just says, “So uhh, you like the Wiggles, right?” Jason: “Nope! Have you ever read Crime and Punishment? :)”
Dick “accidentally” slaps some obnoxious guests with his wild hand gestures “Oh no! I’m so sorry :(( Let me get you an ice pack” and pulls them away while the other two hide their laughter
One of the ladies who is WAY too comfortable and forward when flirting with Bruce is forced to sit down with Tim and he goes in head first “what are you doing with my dad?” “oh you know what adults do, honey. Messing around, having fun” and he’s like “well My dad doesn’t look interested” “of course he is! who knows? Maybe we’ll hit it off and make another one of you one day” which gives Tim intense psychic damage, but he’s a horrible little brat so he doesn’t give up. He hits her with the innocent doe eyes and asks in the cutest fucking voice “Where do babies come from?” she BOOKS IT (they never see her again)
Anyway, to answer your question: they are little terrors. and Bruce knows they’re little terrors, but he doesn’t care because he hates the creepy attention even more than they do, but this way it comes with a show :D
#battinson#bruce wayne#batman#the batman 2022#the batman#batman 2022#batdad#batfamily#dick grayson#jason todd#tim drake#dc universe#you get ‘em kids
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I keep imagine Bruce being the kind of person that just emotional in general, Like the man is sensitive yes but he sometimes become so overwhelmed that he can't keep bottling up and is like stress relive (I have done it before it really helps) or just he's happy (usually around his family) that he can't help it, this man has a such a bleeding heart full of love is a domino reaction situation
But do you have a HC how would the bakids would react if anyone make Bruce cry on purpose? Like trying to provoke him or making sharp remarks about his parents or his person in general ??
I really love protective batdad but I always in for some crazy protective batchildren who are the only ones allowed to poke or mess up with him (in a carrying way)
Aw, how'd you know I needed crybaby Bruce first thing in the morning?
But seriously. Alfred should've given a warning shot before Bruce went into his first WE meeting.
Perhaps there's a ceremonial aspect in the way men try to break eachother, -- like a family tradition. They see soft and they go for the kill
Thomas took it because he could give it; And, more times than less, gave it worse just to make a point. But the father is gone, and it's the son's duty to wait in line for the chopping block.
Bruce takes it because he's got no other choice, but when he comes home, a perfect mirror of the 9 year old with nothing to show for family day but a broken heart, Alfred knows this won't pass lightly
Tim is petty; Oh but who could've leaked those photos with the Wayne stocksharers arms in arms with corner girls to their wives?
Jason isn't as trigger happy as people think, but he'd take a knife to their neck for sure.
Dick just has a sit down with them like a tired principal.
Damian offers to call Talia and the collective exclaims, " Dami that's taking it too far"
Meanwhile Bruce isn't even aware because he and Harley are cuddling under the blanket fort she was called to build specifically
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things that make me go hrmmmmmm
batman #606
batman #607
detective comics #618
shadow of the bat #23
because i think of fanon batdad (who i don't hate) swooping in to save the batkids from terrible, terrible parents who will never love them and are irredeemably bad (usually tim, lbr)--aside from what fanonization does to tim i think that a lot of that also directly contradicts how bruce feels about parents in general. like even when they suck, bruce would never give up on a parent because he lost his own at so young of an age. one of the most important thing to bruce is that despite the many faults of the parents, they be given a chance to have a relationship with their children and that the children have a chance to have their own complicated relationship with their parents. so idk. even if the drakes were as bad as fanon claims they were, bruce wayne would be fighting tooth and nail for a chance at their redemption--and he'd be doing that because it's important for tim. you know, like all his other rogues. idk i'm probably not wording my thoughts on this well, i just think that bruce's very complex feelings towards/almost veneration of parents is a super interesting character trait of his that gets taken away when he's just batdad. like it's not always a good thing! it's a major blind spot of his!
#i guess to me seeing batdad swoop in and be like 'your parents are terrible people and are going to jail and i'm your dad now'#is just a fundamental misunderstanding of his values#like yes he will save a child from terrible parents#but he would rather those parents redeem themselves than anything i guess#like a bruce who is derisive and dismissive of them who thinks they're irredeemable monsters#is not bruce/batman#bruce who's like 'you are terrible and you don't deserve this'#directly contradicts bruce in actuality who's like 'you suck but because your kid loves you i'm going to everything i can to redeem you'
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Consider the Bat
It seems I'm on a Bat kick lately.
Anyway, it's been established that there is or was a timeline where Thomas Wayne becomes Batman after the murder of Bruce while Martha goes nuts and becomes the Joker. Ignoring the Martha being the Joker bit, concentrate on Batdad and consider that Thomas ending up in a world where his son is Batman. I have seen this done and done well but there was a missing element in my opinion.
So then consider this.
If there is a world where Thomas became Batman, then I must insist there is a world where Martha became Batwoman or even straight up called herself Batman. Thomas, to reflect the other one where he's Batman, would thus suffer being the Joker unfortunately. That too will be ignored thank you.
This Martha iteration of Batman also ends up in the world where Bruce is Batman and where this Thomas who is Batman has fallen, making it three Batmen in one world and they were family in their respective universes.
And Alfred in the background feeling relieved because his charge becoming Batman was not entirely his fault after all, it was genetic. Yes he may have influenced Bruce's drama a little but it was not all his fault that Bruce ran off to get trained by all these martial arts masters and have the educational equivalent of a dozen PhDs without the documentation to show for it in order to fight crime! Just look at his parents!
And now the Robins, which I use as a collective term for ALL of Bruce's children whether biological, legal or emotional, now have Batdad, Batgrandpa, Batgrandma, as well as Agent A aka Agent grandpa.
Thomas Wayne vs Ra's Al Ghul because those are HIS grandchildren you creep! Hands off! While Martha comes up from behind with a sword and an equal desire to protect her grandbabies. And they bond over being able to deal with a Joker who isn't and has never been a significant other to anyone in their family. Then bask in having grandbabies, grandbabies they can spar with and who are such good vigilantes and they're so proud! Their grandbabies are all so smart and so strong and they love them so much! I really want doting bat grandparents.
Possibly some awkward drama between Thomas and Martha as they try to determine if they want to make a relationship work with the other since that is Thomas/Martha but not their Thomas/Martha and they don't want anyone to feel like they're being used as a stand in. Similar awkwardness between them and Bruce because he's their baby but also not and they're his parents but also not. Also some glee for Martha and Thomas because they don't have to deal with gala drama since Thomas and Martha Wayne being publicly back from the dead after 20+ years would be a little much to believe even for Gotham. But it has been long enough and they've changed enough that they can go out in public as John and Jane Draper, grandparents of Alvin Draper (Tim made them fake identities before Bruce could finish) and no one looks at them twice. Thomas might assist Leslie in her clinic. Martha helps Tim and Bruce out with business things.
And Gotham criminals cry out in despair as more Bats pop out of the brickwork and this time without even a Robin stage to warn them!
#batfamily#bruce wayne#tim drake#dick grayson#jason todd#stephanie brown#damian wayne#duke thomas#cassandra cain#batfam#martha wayne#thomas wayne#alfred pennyworth#dcu#gotham#story prompt
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Dick Grayson Angst
I'm in a mood and I just really needed to write some angst. I have found a depressing shortage of Dick angst. There is so much angst for Jason, Tim and even Damian but I feel a deep lack of Dick angst. As the oldest child in a large family with a dead brother, I feel it is my duty to provide (he just like me fr)
I can't spell very well bc of my dyslexia, I do have Grammarly on but it misses some things so I can't promise that everything in this post will be legible, I just really needed to get this down.
TW: oldest child/good child syndrome, mentioned noncon, death, canon typical violence, (I'm sorry to all my can-do-no-wrong Batdad fans but I’m sticking to canon Batman here) child abuse, emotional/physical abuse.
• Dick is the oldest, that much is a given. But as the oldest he was the “guinea pig” or the “experiment” child of the family. He's seen it all. Bruce had no idea how to raise a child so any parenting skills, good and bad (mostly bad) were tested out on Dick.
• It's no secret that Jason was the favorite Robin out of the two of them. Dick knew it. But come on! Jason came from the shittiest of situations, he was a street rat, and his mom was an addict. Of course, he was happy when Bruce took him in. Bruce was probably a Saint compared to the things Jason had lived through. Dick on the other hand came from a loving family. Two parents who would do anything for him, showering him with love and praise. So when he was suddenly taken in, taught to be a vigilante by a man that would hit him, yell at him, was cold, showed no emotion except rage, pretended to love him unconditionally in front of the Press, show him little to no love behind closed doors. Do you really think Dick was going to just be happy-go-lucky?
• Dick sees each one of his younger siblings as his charge. When he gets a new one, (whether he likes it or not) he takes over as big bro immediately, feeling like it's his responsibility to raise them in areas bats never could. I feel like he wants to be a shield between his sibling and their father. Most of the newer kids will never know about the man Bruce was when it was just one Robin. Cold, mean, unforgiving. But he would show them lobe in places where Bruse was still lacking.
•He probably resents Bruce in some way for it. He can’t show it though. The man took him in when he had nothing. But if Bruce is capable of loving the family he has now. Why couldn’t he love Dick then back when he needed him the most? Of course that doesn’t change the fact that he will *always* come back to Bruce. It doesn’t matter how much shit Bruce puts him through, he would never leave Bruce forever. He loves him more than anything and would always but Bruce first, right along with his siblings.
• Dick has a problem with putting his sibling needs first. You will rarely catch him being sad or vulnerable in front of his family members. This is funny because he’s always the one encouraging his family to feel their emotions and let things out when they need to. He's always there when they need to vent, ready to listen and to be a shoulder to cry on.
• He can’t be sad though. He the happiest person, he has to be happy to help navigate the angst. He’s the glue. The strong hold of the family. When there’s a fight (mostly between a sibling and their emotionally stunted father) Dick will play the mediator every time.
• I feel like Tim reminded Dick of Bruce a little too much. So, yes, Dick loves Tim. Of course he does. But Tim is also pretty emotionally stunted. Meanwhile Damien is a ball of rage. Damien is so obviously autistic (I have much reasoning for this one but I can get into another day) and needs so much patience and love. Dick threw himself wholeheartedly into his youngest brother. Their dad was “dead” and he had nothing left so he used raising the boy as a way to cope, even if it meant leaving Tim in the shadows.
• He regrets leaving Tim the way he did. But he just couldn't handle it at the time. He would later believe himself to be turning into Bruce. The thought alone causes Dick to break down. He hates hurting his sibling more than anything, he would die for anyone of them and it hurts him to know they hurt.
• Dick has a problem with wanting to fix everything and everyone. Even his own friends and team members. He probably doesn’t even recognize it, but whenever he is forced to come to grips with the fact that he can’t help a certain person it eats at him.
• He uses sex as a coping mechanism. It’s no secret to anyone that he has slept with *a lot* of people. He thinks sex is the only way to get people to love him because he doesn’t really understand what a healthy relationship looks like. It gets him into situations that he doesn’t want to be in. But he believes he deserves it when those things happen because it means he’s loved. He's only ever had Playboy Bruce to truly base a relationship off of, not remembering his parents relationship well enough.
• Leading off of the last point, he doesn’t know how to say no. He will agree to even the worst of things because he craves the validation that comes from doing things for people, no matter the cost to himself. He will end up piling favors on top of favors until it becomes so overwhelming he breaks.
• He probably breaks in manic sort of way. Like, he will go out of his way to deny that anything is wrong and let everything build for weeks to months until it bubbles over and he just goes nuts. It’s mostly a self destructive sort of nuts though. He might panic and clean his apartment until his fingers are raw from cleaning chemicals, maybe he will throw himself into a fight he knows he can’t handle just to get beat up. He might throw out everything he owns before panicking at what he’s done and go back in search of the things he just tossed. But all the while he would go out of his way to make sure no one knew what was happening.
• Being Robin, being the “oldest”, being the one to raise his younger siblings, to create a path for them to follow while also guiding to follow their own paths. He lost who he was. Who is Dick Grayson if not a vigilante? Who is the person behind the mask? He doesn't know. It's why he left. It's why Bruce was so angry. Dick was supposed to be his protege, but that isn't the life Dick wanted. And when Jason died, the only piece that Dick had of himself, that part that was a brother, the last that finally had a *close* friend, died right along with him. Even after Jason came back, Dick never really found that piece of himself again. Dick left to Bludhaven to finally find himself. But the cowl would forever remain a piece of him that he could not shake.
• Bruce is probably trying to be a better parent/person. Dick is proud of him, but he still doesn't fully trust it and Bruce knows that. But Bruce won't do anything, especially not apologize for the things he’s done to his eldest. But Bruce will tell him he’s proud of the person Dick has become. That probably tears Dick to pieces for reasons he doesn’t understand. He probably has been waiting for the praise his whole life and now that he has it it makes him sick in a way he can't comprehend.
• There are days that he is almost %100 sure that the only reason he keeps going is because of his family. Not his precinct, not whatever one sided relationship he’s found himself in (until Barbara that is, but even she counts as family) not his job, not his friends, not even himself. He’s living for his family. Even when his family is falling apart at the seems, he is still living for them. It’s tiring, sure. But he does it because it’s all he’s ever known. Living for Bruce for years, living for Jason and Alfred and Barbara then for Tim and Damien, then Steph and Cass and Duke. It’s what he does. It’s what he knows.
I can keep going but this is getting kind of long and it's late and I have to be up early in the morning. Let me know if you want more or, anything specific! I want to write more so ask me anything!
🌼🐛
He's bringing you a flower 🥹
#dc comics#batman#batfam#angst#dick grayson#dick grayson angst#bruce wayne#eldest child#it's not easy being the oldest of large dysfunctional family#jason todd#tim drake#Damien wayne
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Round 3: Chara Dreemurr (Undertale) vs. Jason Todd (DC)
Propaganda below the cut
Chara Dreemurr (?):
They were constantly blamed for killing all of monster kind in the no mercy route, despite players choosing to go that route. People ignored that they sacrificed themselves to attempt to free the monsters from the underground.
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everyone wants to blame their own actions (genocide route) on chara, who is a literal child. i don’t know how to tell you this but you are the one playing the game. it’s about YOUR CHOICES. chara is there is punish you for that, you killed the only family that ever loved them! how could they not be upset at that! also if you don’t mind, here’s a good video essay on the subject
youtube
Jason Todd (~12):
Most of the Tumblr fandom likes this guy but if you step outside this website then wham so many people say he got what he deserved as a kid and Batman can't be cool if he's a dad so it's important for Batman to trash-talk his dead child constantly so we can all agree what a bad idea it was. Also wanna highlight that a lot of the records we have from fans at the time were clear they disliked Robin for BEING a child. Like a lot of the little dude characters in this tournament are treated too harshly for making an ugly choice and the fans aren't being understanding or sympathetic that the choice is made by a child character who is immature and not developed and strong enough to make a good choice and stuff. But THIS little dude was specifically hated FOR being a child. People wanted tough loner guy Batman not Batdad and his little buddy. The first Robin would drive back from college and guest star sometimes and be advertised as the Teen Wonder and people were like yeah okay but then Batman actually starts being a single parent for a child with needs and people were like UGH not the BOY Wonder. Today pretty much everywhere you see Batman fans saying Batman is better solo, no kid, it's not realistic to have a kid, a kid shouldn't be in the movies blah. Even if the comics they always find a way to send away the new kid so that Batman never has to parent. So all the Robins are being excluded from the narrative but I think this one is THE symbol of Batman fans hating a child character just for being a child.
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Robin, Jason Todd, THE hated child character. In the 1980s, Batman comics had become increasingly dark and gritty. According to editor O'Neil himself, the courted audience wasn't kids but 19-40 year old men with disposable income. Batman's child sidekick, Robin, was offensively campy and childish. Fans called him wimpy, annoying, dumb, bratty, etc. Also people complained that Batman acting like an affectionate dad was unmanly and gay. Robin acts violent and emotional and people are like "ew he's so childish and emotional"—and then Batman literally acts just as murderously and emotionally within literally the same exact story and people are like "wow he's so dark and tortured". So in 1988 (after brutalizing Batgirl to get rid of her for being too bright and nice and kid-friendly), DC held a paid poll for fans to vote for Robin to live or die. O'Neil claims he heard a fan (a grown man with a dayjob as a lawyer) programmed a phone to spam kill votes. One fanguy claimed that he sold his Mercedes to buy kill votes (probably an exaggeration but still). By less than 1% margin, the vote decided to kill Robin in a spectacularly violent way. Anyway the 1989 Batman movie brought in a huge wave of new child comicbook fans who liked the new Robin (a very cool teenage high school Robin with a driver's license and a girlfriend), and DC started a separate Robin-less Batman series called Legends of the Dark Knight to make the anti-Robin writers and fans happy. But to this day, many fans agree it was a good idea to kill off the other Robin so that his foolish death reminds other characters to never be childish and stupid again. Bonus: the current Robin (usually a traumatized 10-year-old) has also been facing some pretty loud hatred for over 15 years.
#yall hate kids tourney#round 3#undertale#undertale spoilers#chara undertale#chara dreemurr#chara#dc#dc comics#batman#batfamily#dc robin#batman comics#batman and robin#jason todd#cw suicide#cw self sacrifice#cw child death#Youtube
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Writing for the Al Ghul Family is so difficult. For Example I want to write Damian as a character who struggles with right and wrong. Like he does frequently in canon. Then I also want to write Talia as someone who is morally grey and compassionate. But it's difficult to write a kid who is so angry and entitled but then deny how a large part of that is because of how the Al Ghul's raised him. How can I write a caring, compassionate mother Talia al Ghul when her kid is struggling with so much, let's be honest, abuse.
But then I fall into the trap of making it sound like Batdad is a great parent when in a lot of cases he isn't. Like I'm making Talia Al Ghul to be an evil parent just to make Bruce sound like a good parent. I despise the whole Batfamily is good and the Al Ghul Family is evil, black and white nonsense. Especially when the Batfamily has also fucked up with their own quite frequently.
Not to mention if you make the argument that raising your kids as assassins is bad then how can someone make the argument that Bruce training kids to fight crime around the ages of 10-12 years old as any better?
I just want to write morally grey Al Ghul family but I keep on falling into the trap that is called canon and it is really hard to get out of it. At this point it's difficult to write the Al Ghul's as anything but evil.
Anyways thank you for listening to me vent my internal struggles.
My condolences to any other writers out there who are suffering the same fate.
#batfamily#al ghul family#demon family#talia al ghul#bruce wayne#ra's al ghul#robin damian#dc#dc comics#batman#writing struggles#canon vs fanon#Damian wayne#batfam#batdad#batkids#athanasia al ghul#athanasia wayne#thank you for coming to my TED talk
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Thoughts of total angst writing to the parents Bruce Wayne/Batman x MaleReader who is her husband assail my mind.
They both lose their first son MaleReader!, the one who created Robin for Batman, I visualize him completely innocent exclaiming "We are always together and Daddy goes out alone to patrol, being alone is ugly and I want to be there" and from there the whole family, including Alfred make a suitable suit for Robin but rougher, less stylized and according to the child's tastes. Batman and Robin are a perfect duo, Robin complements Batman masterfully on patrol and grounds him. Alfred and Batdad monitor everything from the cave, but they could never monitor what was happening to their son, it was gradual and slow, he began to suffer attacks from random people, almost as if they were attracted to his son, it is painful not knowing how to deal with it. In the middle of a difficult patrol with many dead, the original/first Robin before Dick begins to feel bad, as if he is burning alive and everyone goes against him (like the death of Wei Wuxian), for the first time Batman does not hesitate to kill but those people are already dead, they seem to be possessed and he can't get there in time.
Alfred and Batdad listen to their son's cries of pain, anguish and suffering, unable to do anything.
The family witnessed how he was killed by the closest thing to zombies and there are no culprits, they never know what happened. That breaks them and they almost fall into divorce, if not for finding that gift that MaleReader! he could never deliver his parents; a book that compiles in drawings the memories that most marked him with them when they adopted him, when they ate at a street food stall at a fair, at a school ceremony, cooking with Alfred, on mundane days and being a family, ending with "If I were to live again, I would like to be their son and love them again, be a family. I love them"
No one says anything about their first child to their other children (Dick, Jason, Tim or Damian), no one has the soul to say something and in one way or another they discover it, they discover the cruel and unprecedented death of who would be their older brother. at the age of 14, it's something Bruce and Batdad or Alfred will never share, and everyone from Dick to Damian respects him.
But someone arrives in Gotham, a renowned couple that stands out for its mystery made up of two men; one completely serious and without visible expressions and another that is all smiles and kindness, both arrive directly to work as mercenaries.
Bruce and Batdad just stare in silence at the one who always wears a smile, wondering why his mind tortures them by formulating what their child would look like if he had grown up.
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My recs for Robin!Dick comics
Recommending comics is fun so here's a list of Robin!Dick-comics I personally enjoyed. This will be quite subjective and leave out some obvious picks that fans may have but hey, it's my list:
Robin: Year One (2000-2001)
Recommendable? Yes! Absolutely perfect for newcomers to the character.
What is it?
The name is pretty self-explanatory. It's our boy's first year as Robin. He fights Mad Hatter and (unsurprisingly) has some trouble with Bruce. These two love each other but their relationship is always complex.
What do I like about it?
It highlights many core aspects of Dick's character. His need to be independent, his ingenuity, his complex relationship with Bruce. It gives you a great primer on his character. The definitive Robin-origin for many.
2. Batgirl: Year One (2002-2003)
Recommendable? Yes! Great intro for Barbara and her relationship with Dick. Dick's Robin also has many fun moments.
What is it?
Definitely a Barbara Gordon-story. It's her story to becoming Batgirl. I can recommend it for that alone because Barbara is awesome. It does feature her first meeting with Dick though and anyone who likes these two together will have a good time.
What do I like about it?
The origin for Barbara! I can only reiterate that it's awesome. She does have a lot of chemistry with Dick though as they learn to respect each other. Dick is a little shit in the beginning but he soon supports Barbara and it's adorable.
(Just let me cry in a corner really quickly for the Batgirl-movie that was supposed to be based on this and was axed shortly before release. I'll never forget nor forgive this travesty.)
3. Teen Titans: Year One
Recommendable? Yes. A great modernization for the original Teen Titans aka Dick, Donna, Garth, Wally & Roy.
What is it?
The forming of the Teen Titans and Dick first stepping into a leadership role.
What do I like about it?
The art is adorable. Dick is also written very well. He is still very young and insecure. Here he's at a stage where he tries to be somewhat independent but is still struggling with being under Bruce's wing. Such a theme for his character.
My only gripe is that Donna is written quite badly. My girl was done dirty in this because most she does is cry. Still, this is the first comic I got myself when I seriously got into comics. A big reason of why I'm here today.
4. Robin & Batman (2021-2022)
Recommendable? Yes, if you like stories where Bruce is a terrible dad. Stay away if you like wholesome Batdad. You won't get this here.
What is it?
Dick's beginnings as Robin but with a darker twist. Bruce is a terrible parent here who views Robin more as a soldier and the first two issues are super-angsty. I see it very much as an AU-take on Dick's time as Robin.
What do I like about it?
This pick is quite controversial because many people despise the take on Bruce - which is valid. I found this take very interesting. Probably because I've written multiple fics where Bruce is a terrible dad. If you like those kind of fics, you'll probably like this. If you don't, this won't be for you.
The art is top-tier though. I love the melancholic watercolor aesthetic.
5. New Teen Titans (1980-1984)
Recommendable? YEEEES. My continued mission is to shove this down everyone's throats. Beware of the density and the 80s style though. This may make it harder for newcomers but if you're hyper-fixated enough (like I was), you'll manage.
What is it?
Only the most iconic stories for the Teen Titans, a masterpiece of storytelling and one of the best comics I've ever read. I collected it in volumes. Just start with Vol. 1 and continue from there. I got addicted.
What do I like about it?
The character relationships are masterful. Also their development. It really shows Dick stepping into his own as a leader. He also develops quite the romance with Starfire. These two were serious for a long time (over a decade of love!).
This also introduces Deathstroke's rivalry with the Titans. Slade is a petty bastard who feuds with literal teenagers here.
Especially for the 80s, it also has great development for the female characters. Starfire, Raven & Donna are some of my favorite DC-characters and they are very well fleshed-out and get storylines of their own. Finally, if you like the Teen Titans cartoon, many storylines were adapted from here. Trigon, Deathstroke, the Brotherhood of Evil, Backfire... It introduces so much fundamental Titans-lore.
Important comics that don't quite make my list:
Batman: Dark Victory
Recommendable? Depends. You should read it if you are interested in classic Batman-stories.
What is it?
The sequel to the classic Batman-story "The Long Halloween". In Long Halloween, Batman solves a mystery about a killer who only kills on holidays.
Dark Victory takes place after and introduces Dick as Robin. This is the definitive Robin-origin for many fans. Dick is not the main focus in Dark Victory though, Bruce is. Dick took longer to show up than I expected.
What do I think?
I cannot quite recommend Dark Victory - which is probably blasphemous for many comic-fans. If you want to read this, you should read Long Halloween first.
I found Long Halloween okay. Dick doesn't appear in it and the mystery is stretched out far too long. Basically, I love it less than many comic-fans.
Dick appears in the sequel Dark Victory and has some great moments but he appears less than I would like. I liked Dark Victory more than Long Halloween though (probably because of Dick Lol).
Overall, both these books fell a bit flat for me which is an unpopular opinion. Still, if these sound interesting to you, pick them up and don't let me deter you!
This is it. All my Robin!Dick-recommendations. I wanted to upload all my Dick Grayson-recs at once but it got too long. So, I'll post separate lists for Nightwing and Dick!Batman. Keep an eye out if this interests you!
#dick grayson#comic recommendations#teen titans#dc robin#dc comics#dick grayson robin#new teen titans
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Gotham Knights 1.03 *chef's kiss*
There it is. Harvey stepping into the vacuum Batman's death created in that he offers a public heroic figure who protects the people of Gotham. While juggling secretly helping fugitives, because of actual justice, and then decides to run for Mayor, which I know we all could see that coming, even if you didn't know any previous dc stories (Harvey Dent is running for Mayor in BTAS for example). He's standing very much in the light right now and Gotham needs him.
Gotham also needs Carrie Kelley who is operating under the radar on purpose. Batman used the legend to make criminals afraid. Shadow of the bat. I am the night. This version of Robin is Gotham's secret weapon, and was Bruce's too. Robin's also filling the hole left by the loss of Batman. Which, in turn, Carrie is trying to fill the hole grief for Bruce left in her, by carrying on as Robin. Living up to what Bruce taught her and his legacy. Because Gotham needed Batman, it also needs its Robin.
While Turner offers backup to Carrie, while Steph and Harper defuse the gas bomb, and Cullen infiltrates the GCPD to get the cold case file they need, and even Duela, in her own semi-self-interested chaotic way, also helps the people of Gotham. She's being pulled towards the light side, while she wants to be the free spirited criminal. But she keeps getting pulled towards the light. Towards her growing friendships, people more altruistic than she is.
So the hole in Gotham left by Batman's death--it's filled by Carrie, it's filled by Harvey, and it's filled by our whole gang of fugutives. Batman also didn't do what he did alone. Harvey was one of the only people he trusted (there's no Jim Gordon, Harvey's in the Jim Gordon role), Bruce also had Carrie.
It takes a village.
That conversation between Turner and Carrie cuts right to the heart of it for me. Carrie kept asking and Bruce kept saying no, which is how he does in other dc stories. He wants to protect his kids. He's cautious, slow, and reluctant to let Robins join his crusade, and there's been a high cost to him letting them, no matter how much he tries to protect them. He didn't just protect Turner, he protected Carrie. And he saw something in her that she needed to do this.
Turner and Carrie being so jealous of each other. Because Turner got Bruce as Dad, because Carrie was part of his Batman secret and was his right hand. But Carrie lost her own father and it hurts that some other kid got dad!Bruce while she got batdad -- and it's not actually her finding batdad lacking, it's because she lost her own father so she's mourning losing out a dad doing typical dad things with her. While she loves and respects and appreciates the batdad mentoring style parenting she got with Bruce. And he was teaching her and watching over her as much as he was with Turner. Turner didn't know, so Turner didn't beg to be allowed to join his fight. If he had, Bruce would have inevitably given in.
Bruce was preparing Turner. I'm not so sure any more it was just in case, for self defense. In part it's about the Wayne family and the Court of Owls, but Bruce also wanted successors. For Gotham. He's teaching Carrie, and he was more quietly teaching Turner.
Either of them could become the next Bat, or one of them could become the next Bat and the other one decide they want their own identity.
It takes a village.
#Gotham Knights#Gotham Knights CW#GK spoilers#GK meta#LOTS OF TALK ABOUT ROBINS AND BATDAD IN THIS ONE#Carrie Kelley appreciation blog#AND OH YEAH MISHA IN A TUX
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Whumptober Day 24 - Lilia
A much younger Lilia has had enough of war, and becomes guardian to baby Malleus. BatDad Origins.
No. 24 FIGHT, FLIGHT OR FREEZE
Blood Covered Hands | Catatonic | “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
Read on AO3!
Fic beneath the cut!
The smell of a battlefield churned Lilia’s gut more than anything else in the world. The copper scent of blood mixed with the iron tang of fear, and with it all was the sharp, acrid reek of sweat, fear, death, and filth.
The battle was long over. Lilia stood like a statue, arms folded over his chest, on a ridge that overlooked the wide field and watched his soldiers pick through the wreckage and the dead. Every now and then, someone would shout that they’d found a survivor. A small commotion would follow, and either medics would rush to treat an ally, or soldiers would hurry to restrain and imprison an enemy. Unless the enemy fought back, of course. Then more blood would stain the field.
There was a time when Lilia would have preferred to be down among his troops, laughing and celebrating their victory. But he was no longer young and foolish. When he looked at the battlefield below, he no longer saw the marks of victory, his enemies slain before him. Instead, all he saw was pain. This had been peaceful farmland before their war tilled the soil with blood. A field like this was meant to sow seeds and bring life, not death. What happened to the farmers who worked this land? Did they flee before the oncoming war? Were they conscripted into the battle and now lay dead among the other soldiers, to be burned with the rest of the corpses in their own field? What side of the battle did they fight on?
Did it matter?
Lilia didn’t even know if they were on Human or Fae land anymore. The lines in the sand had become so muddled and blurred in this war that only their leaders knew what was going on anymore.
A stab of pain struck his heart and Lilia closed his eyes.
Their leaders. His army had won the battle this day. Hell, with this final fight, they may have even won the war. But the cost had been steep. In the chaos of battle, Lilia had failed to protect the archmage princess and her knight-consort husband, and both had been slain. All that remained of the royal family was the queen and the egg back at the castle that held her grandchild. The babe would hatch without ever knowing their parents.
A lump rose in Lilia’s throat. What a terrible loss of life. What a waste. How may lay dead before him? How many friends had he lost? How many families had he shattered by bringing his army here? Human, Fae, it didn’t matter, and anyone who thought otherwise was a fool.
His hands shook and he clenched his fists to stop them. How many lives had he ended today? Who died at the end of his sword? In the flames of his magic? And not just today, but how many people had he killed over the course of his long life? Years, decades, centuries of war blurred together. He heard the screams of the dying, felt their blood hot and slick on his hands.
“I can’t do this any longer,” he whispered, soft enough that only the blood soaked field heard him.
“General Vanrouge.” One of his captains approached him and Lilia turned to face him. “The mages have received word that you are to report immediately to the Queen.”
Of course.
“Then I shan’t keep Her Majesty waiting,” Lilia said. He looked once more at the death below him, then vanished into motes of light.
* * * * *
“So,” the Thorn Queen said from her throne, “my daughter and son-in-law are dead.”
With his advanced teleportation, Lilia could move fast, but news traveled faster.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lilia said, head bowed and on one knee before his queen.
“How did this come to be?” She asked in a voice as cold and dangerous as frozen thorns.
“A new weapon,” Lilia explained. “A device the size of an apple made of cold iron. When the apple’s stem is plucked and it is thrown toward an enemy, it releases a cloud of iron dust. Nothing more than an irritant to a human, but lethal to a Fae. The first of these devices was thrown at the feet of the Princess, and she fell before we learned how to counter them.”
The queen fixed him with a calculating look, weighing his words.
“You swore an oath to defend my daughter with your life, and yet you dare stand before me while she lays cold in the ground.”
“...Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Is there any reason then,” her voice rose like a storm until it thundered through the throne room, “why I should not send you to join her?!”
For a moment, fear clutched at Lilia’s heart, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. If he was to be executed for his failure, he would accept his fate. At least the only blood left on his hands would be his own. He would get what he desired. Lilia would never take another life.
“No, my Queen,” he said softly.
The Thorn Queen rose to her feet, and Lilia expected her to strike him down right then and there. She stood before him and Lilia closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to fall.
A moment passed.
“You are fortunate,” the queen finally said, “that King Phillip has surrendered. The war is won, in part due to your leadership.”
Lilia froze, uncertain. The war was over. But he’d seen dozens of wars come and go. What was she going to do with him?
“And yet, I cannot let your failures go unpunished.”
A raven flew in through an open window, cawing to announce its entrance. The Thorn Queen raised an elegant hand for it to perch on, then pulled the raven close. It whispered into her ear, then took to the air and vanished through the window once more.
“Come,” The Queen said, and strode toward the great doors of the throne room. “The Hatching has begun.”
Lilia rose to his feet and followed her. The Hatching? She wanted him present for the hatching of the new Heir? Was she to show him the child he had a hand in orphaning before sending him to the dungeons?
They reached the Incubation Chamber, a stone room set above the kitchens, heated by the ovens below and brazers of fire all around them. A team of nursemaids stood around the nest of wool and cotton, where the egg sat on a large pillow. It rocked, and a crack appeared on the shell, only a few inches long. They stood in silence and listened to the sound of quiet tapping coming from the egg. Finally, the tip of a black horn broke through the shell, and the nursemaids gave a murmur of approval.
The hatching took hours. They watched as the babe slowly chipped a line down shell with black horns, often stopping to rest. Though the task seemed arduous for a baby, none of them moved to help. If the child was to be strong enough to endure the trial of life, they must first succeed in escaping their own shell. The only intervention any of them gave was from the Thorn Queen. While the babe rested between chipping, she caressed the shell or tapped on it with sharp nails, crooning to the child to let them know they weren’t alone.
At long last, the egg rocked violently. A sharp crack split the air and the egg split in half. A flurry of magic whipped around them, and the tiny body amid the shell shifted between black scales and pale skin, revealing glimpses of purple wings and a whipping tail, before settling into the form of a humanoid baby with dark hair and stubby black horns. He took a deep breath and cried.
The nursemaids moved forward to clean the child, but the Queen raised her hand to stop them.
“No,” she said, then locked eyes with Lilia. “Vanrouge. Come. Take the child.”
Surprised, but certainly not about to disobey his queen, Lilia stepped forward. He took a cloth from a nursemaid and securely swaddled the babe before lifting him into his arms.
“Your failure to save those under your protection has led to the loss of my grandson’s parents,” the Queen said over the child’s cries. “You are no longer fit for battle. To atone for your failure, you will be stripped of your rank as General and shall become guardian to my grandson.”
Lilia looked up at her with wide, crimson eyes. The acid green gaze that met him was cold and furious. She… she truly thought this was a punishment. She thought he would be horrified to be retired like this, to end his long and bloody career. To no longer live to fight, no more drills, no more teaching soldiers how to kill. No more lives lost at the point of his blade, no more screams in the dead of night, no more blood on his hands.
Instead, he would be granted charge of the future Thorn King during his most vulnerable, formative years. He could teach him the value of life, whether it be Fae or Human. He could teach him patience and forgiveness, so he wouldn’t call for the drums of war at the most minor of perceived slights. Under his guidance, he could teach this child honor, nobility, kindness, joy, compassion, and love. It would not be easy with the Queen breathing down his neck, but Lilia could raise a King who would, at long last, bring an end to the senseless wars that plagued their history.
And Lilia would never have to kill again.
His queen was a fool. She had unwittingly given him everything his heart desired.
He looked down at the young prince. His wails had faded to sniffles, exhausted from the effort of hatching. A piece of shell still clung to one chubby cheek, and Lilia brushed it away.
“I understand, Your Majesty,” Lilia said reverently. “What shall be his name?”
“Malleus,” she said. “Malleus Draconia, Crown Prince of Briar Valley. And if you fail him the way you failed my daughter, I shall slit your throat with my own two hands.”
With that, she stormed from the room.
Lilia gratefully accepted help from the nursemaids, cleaning the last of the egg shell and membrane away from the prince. They guided him to the prince’s nursery, and soon Lilia sat in a rocking chair with a bottle of warm milk, feeding the prince his first meal.
“Malleus,” Lilia murmured once they were alone. He placed a gentle kiss to the babe’s forehead. “My dear Malleus. I swear on my life, I will not fail you.”
#whumptober2022#No.24#Blood Covered Hands#Twisted Wonderland#Fic#Lilia Vanrouge#Malleus Dracona#The Origins of BatDad Vanrouge#I just really like Dad Lilia
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So. Merry Little Batman is out. Here's my unsolicited opinions.
As an animated Christmas special, I really like this? The jokes are funny, the soundtrack is really nice, the animation is fantastic (there's an amazing black-and-white section), and I like how it fuses Batman mythos with recognizable Christmas stories to created something new. The riff on "Home Alone is objectively very deadly" discourse is fun and Batman as a helicopter parent who ENDED CRIME in order to child-proof his city before the birth of his son is some solid absurd comedy. It's definitely a streamlined, simplified depiction of the family dynamic (if you don't like stuff like WFA then you will probably really not like this), but it is wholesome and kid-friendly and that's really what it had to be.
As a backdoor pilot for a show called Bat-Family though? I'm a lot more mixed, to be honest...
I don't expect my Batfamily adaptations to always be comic accurate. I get changes are required and I get that the Batfamily is overwhelming in size for casual viewers. We have four main Robins, three main Batgirls, a Batman, a Batwoman, and several other characters - plus people like Alysia Yeoh who are more "Batgirlfamily" but probably qualify under the Batfamily umbrella nonetheless? But also I am just so tired of Batman adaptations that just leave out the women specifically. The movie made passing acknowledgement of the Superfamily, Nightwing, and (funnily enough) the Wonder Twins, but there isn't any evidence that the likes of Batwoman, Oracle, or the Batgirls exist in this universe and that just makes me sad and tired... There's clearly a lot of passion and love for multimedia Batman lore on display here, but it is feeling a little bit silly to me how the Giant Penny, Giant Joker Card, and the Mechanical T-Rex seem to have a more consistent presence in multimedia adaptations of Batman lore then most of the female Batfamily members do.
I'm down for a Batman Christmas special that focuses specifically on Batdad and Damian, but I am hoping that the series expands the scope! Also maybe show us Talia on-screen as well... That'd be nice too!
(PS: Why is the cat named Selina instead of Alfred? That was odd.)
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