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#and tim being confused because he DID NOT live next to the waynes growing up
nerdpoe · 7 months
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It's the End.
A huge mission, the world at stake, and in the end only Red Robin, Impulse, Wonder Girl, and Superboy made it to the center to place the bomb that would the alien mothership.
Superboy is injured.
Red Robin is injured.
Impulse is injured.
Wonder Girl is injured.
They know they won't be able to outrun this.
They die in sacrifice to something Greater, clinging to each other for comfort.
They wake up.
And oh shit look at that they've been reborn.
But there's been changes.
Bart is reborn as Tim's fraternal twin. Instead of loving but distant, Jack and Janet are criminal in their neglect. Not even Tim can defend them; they forget to leave food for their toddlers, for fucks sake.
Bart takes control and ends up speeding to Central City as soon as he can toddle to go on food runs. He knows what it's like to go hungry, in the future that wasn't, and he isn't going to let that happen to Tim.
Kon is reborn as Clark's actual, legitimate firstborn with Lois, who Clark had gotten together with far sooner in this new world. They love him so much and he...doesn't believe it. Can't. He isn't who they think he is, he doesn't deserve this, and when they find out it'll only hurt him more if he falls for it.
Cassie is reborn as Wonder Woman's only daughter, and spends her summers with her father, Steve Trevor, before he passes away and all other times in Themyscira.
Now they have to grow up in a world so very different but so very similar.
Cassie still looks in on her other mom, her first one, but has nothing she can say to explain it to Diana.
Bart still has super speed, but Tim is still a non-meta.
Kon struggles with the Clark he's seeing growing up and how much it clashes with the Clark he knew in his past life.
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notwonderlandsworld · 2 years
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Becoming (Batkid!Reader)
I actually felt like this week was pretty slow for some reason. How are you guys? I’d appreciate it if some of yall actually commented, feels like I'm not really writing for no one. Regardless if you do, I still have a love for writing so…Comment, ask me questions if you want? And please reblog! It helps me a lot! Enjoy!
*(Y/N) is gender neutral; race neutral.
SPECIAL NOTE: all of my child fics/daughter/son/sibling fics will be with an adopted reader and not a biological one. Biological would mean that half of these parents/couples would be mixed, so no I won’t be doing biological. Especially when it comes to predominantly white characters.
pairing(s): Bruce Wayne/Batman x Child!Reader
warning(s): mentions of suicide, details of adolescent murder, disposal of bodies, dark themes and disturbing situations, cursing; read at your own risk!!!
word count: 4.4k
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Four months had passed since Damian asked if you wanted to be trained. Since then, your limbs seemed to be more flexible and more smooth with your movements.
You even managed to grow some muscle and tone out your arms some. Then again, Damian ensured when you guys first started that he wouldn’t go easy on you.
Sure enough, the family began to notice the changes as well. Damian would have to hide his smirk of approval whenever someone complimented. It was dinner night with the whole family—which means Dick and Jason came over since they didn’t live at the manor.
Tim sat down next to you and squeezed your arm. You stilled, putting the fork down. Jason looked over and raised a brow. “So…is no one gonna say anything?” Giggling, you stared at Tim who let go.
Impressed, he asked you, “Have you been working out or something? I don’t think I've ever seen a 10 year old have such toned arms.”
You looked over at Damian, who poked at his potatoes. The rest of the family waited for you to speak, even Bruce was interested. He noticed the change in your physique as well, but figured it had been because you had a functioning diet compared to the orphanage.
You scratched at your cheek, “Well…I have been taking an exercise class at school. Guess it’s paid off.” You saw Damian roll his eyes. You looked over at Bruce. “R-Remember when I told you I’d be joining a club.”
Bruce smiled, “That’s right, the weightlifting club was it? What kind of exercise are they making you do? They aren’t too straining I hope?”
“No they aren’t too bad! I promise!”
Dick was about to respond when Alfred came back, an envelope in hand. He walked up to the table, “I do hate to bother, but Mx. (Y/N) there is a letter addressed to you.” Alfred placed it on the kitchen counter.
You were just as confused as everyone else right now. Shrugging, you looked at the butler. “I’ll look at it later. Thanks Alfred.” Dinner continued on.
Long after, you were now sitting on one of the sofas in the main living rooms. Ripping the envelope, you heard Jason ask, “What’s it say, Runt?” You stifled a laugh. It was a nickname he’d given you after sizing you up.
One day, while you finished training with Damian, Jason scooped you up and held you out in front of him.
You blinked at the feeling of hands grabbing underneath your armpits and lifting you up. Going stiff, you had no idea what to do. You don’t recall ever being carried like this (besides Batman, who did a better job than whoever the culprit was).
Turning around, Jason was looking you up and down like people do at the grocery stores with fruit.
“Man,” he mumbled, “You’re so small. Almost like a runt…” Wiggling, Jason saw the lack of comfort and let you go. He placed a straight hand on your head and traced it over to his navel.
You looked at him before walking towards him until you were squished to him.
“You’re just tall.” you muffled out. Jason laughed, pulling you away by the shoulders. He raised a brow at you. “Like I said. Runt.”
Ever since that incident, the name stuck. Jason stopped calling you (Y/N) and settled for ‘Runt’. Hey, it was better than Demon Spawn. Cue Damian’s eye roll—
Throwing the envelope to the side, inside was a taped letter. You faced Bruce, who eventually came into the scene. He rested his arms behind the sofa. He peered down at the paper and looked surprised.
“The orphanage?” This caught the boy's attention. They all settled down on different spots, waiting. You began reading silently. With each word, you felt your heart stop and shook.
Tears welling up—you didn't notice until you saw droplets fall onto the paper—and feeling Bruce rest his hand onto your shoulder, you looked up at him with a blank stare.
“Cassie...”
Bruce grew fearful as you shrugged him off harshly and ran to the door. What was going on? He snapped himself out of it and yelled for you. “(Y/N)!” Luckily, Dick was near the door and managed to catch up to you.
The oldest son felt his knees scrape against the cobblestone of the manor as his arms wrapped around your body. He held you against him as your sobs grew louder and stronger.
Meanwhile everyone followed outside, worried over what caused the child to react in such a way. Bruce felt unsettled at the sight before him.
Dick was trying to ask (Y/N) whereas they seemed to not hear them. Their sobs overpowering any other noise and voice. The brothers followed suit in an attempt to comfort their newest sibling.
Damian was the only one standing next to Bruce now. All-be-it concerned as well, he held out the paper to his father, having read it already. He looked pitiful.
“Read its contents, Father.” He took the paper from his son’s hand and began to examine it:
Dear (Y/N),
With deep sadness we want to inform you that one of our children, Cassandra Vazquez, passed away on XX/XX/XXXX. A funeral will be held to commemorate her life and cherished memories. May her soul rest in peace.
As we know, you seemed to be close friends with her, thus we would like to invite you to remember her and say a final goodbye.
Funeral will be held at Gotham’s Main Memoriam on Oak Nut Road at 1:00PM
Our Main Number: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Sincerely,
G.C. Homes for Children.
Oh no. Looking up at his child who was still sobbing into Dick’s shoulder, he saw the tears continuing to stream down (Y/N)’s face. Looking hopelessly, they blinked up towards their adoptive father.
Bruce clenched his jaw as he tried his hardest not to rip the paper in his grip. He had the phone number memorized, he’d call later for more details on the situation.
-
You sat next to Bruce and Tanika at the funeral. There were about 13 people in total.
Recognizing some familiar faces, you saw Andre, Markus, Erica, hell even Tonya was there.
The whole thing lasted about an hour. While everyone left, you remained with Bruce. Tanika guided you to the burial, squeezing your hand in comfort. She seemed to be taking Cassie’s death as equally bad as you, if not more.
Makes sense, she’d known the girl way longer than you.
Taking one more look over the grave, a hand landed on your shoulder. Looking up, it was Bruce. “How’re you feeling?” he asked softly. It’s not the first time he’s been in a situation like this.
Staying silent, you gave a measly shrug, “Numb.” There was no real way to describe everything you were feeling at the moment. Cassie died, and you haven’t been told why or how.
Not a single staff at the orphanage bothered to explain anything, they just expressed how sympathetic they felt. Someone had to know something. They had to.
Which is why Tanika was currently dragging you to the restroom, leaving a confused Bruce. You were about to question what was going on before she said aloud, “I was hoping you could come with me to the restroom, (Y/N).”
Bruce grabbed the woman before she could leave with you. His instincts kicked in as he looked at the woman suspiciously.
Tanika looked at Bruce and raised a brow. “I’m just taking her to the restroom.” But for some reason he still felt worried. Looking at your direction, Bruce asked if you were certain or ‘ok’.
You looked at him, surprised. He seemed to be…concerned? You weren’t complaining, but he’d never acted protective over you up until now.
Maybe he felt like it was his responsibility, after seeing what happened with Cassie. But why would he—
Then it clicked. Cassie had died in the hands of the orphanage.
Bruce had been informed instead of you. Someone knew something, and it was him. Why hadn’t he said anything? Was he waiting for you to figure it out?
Holding the rush of emotions about to leave your lips, you nodded and dragged Tamika towards the ceremony hall. Once you made it to the bathrooms, you heard her sigh in relief. Letting go of her hand, you crossed your arms.
Tanika had changed so much.
You remember her having blond, curly locks. Now it was all buzzed off and black. She used to wear clear-blue glasses.Now she had these contacts that changed her usual green eyes to a dark brown. She also seemed to have gotten a tan as her face had some evident freckles now.
She looked over at you before heading towards the sink. She gulped, “Looks like it’s a one-person bathroom. I’ll—”
“Tell me why you brought me here.”
“What do you mean? I need—”
“I know I'm only 10, but that doesn’t mean I'm stupid, Tanika. You brought me here for a reason. Please…” Walking close, you gave her a soft look, “You know something. What happened?”
Tanika looked at the bathroom before locking it. She sighed, she hoped no one saw the two of you go in.
“When Cassie died…” she choked back her sob with a gulp, “I found her body in the courtyard. She looked like she was sleeping, but when I went over to wake her up…she was already gone. I screamed and cried for the staff to help. Anyone, anything. The only one who seemed to hear me was Markus…”
You remember Markus.
He had been around a couple times at the orphanage when you were still there. He was a nice, young man in his mid 20s. Markus would come every weekend with his nail polish set and offer to paint any child who wanted their nails done.
He would always paint his red because he said it was his favorite color. You remember how he painted yours yellow one time.
He also had a crush on Tamika, who denied liking him back every time you asked.
Letting out a shaky breath, Tamika continued, “He came out of nowhere and called an ambulance while heading inside to bring help. While I was holding Cassie, I saw a water bottle at the end of her feet. It looked like a water bottle, she must’ve drank from it. But something was off…”
“Like what?” you asked quietly, fearing someone would hear.
She closed her eyes before answering, “Water bottles are supposed to be clear. Hers was a bit red, and there were hints of powder inside it.” Oh god, you covered your mouth in horror.
Could Cassie have possibly tried to…no. In those months you had gotten to know your friend, she would never let herself get to that point.
Looking up at the woman, you asked the question, “You don't think she…” but Tamika shook her head.
“Not even close…when I checked for a pulse on her neck, there were scratch marks and bruises. Almost as if someone was trying to…strangle her.” You tried to cover up your sob, but failed. Tamika brought you in for a hug.
She did her best to attempt to calm you before adding, “There were some red specks on her. I thought it was blood at first, but it had this weird consistency. I picked it up, and gathered several pieces for the police. But they had no idea what it could be. They figured it was pieces of her jacket that must’ve shed off…”
Your head was now resting on the woman’s shoulder. “Do you think it was that?” you asked, feeling her hair rub against your own. She shook her head ‘no’.
“It had this weird, gel-like, gooey texture. I don’t think fleece would feel like that. Especially on a jacket.”
You stiffened at the mention of the gooey-like feel. Eyes blank, you felt your hands clench into her jacket.
After a few minutes, the both of you headed out. Seeing Bruce not far away, you waved goodbye to Tanika and ran towards your adoptive father. He looked you over before guiding you outside. Tanika rubbed her face before walking away, looking abashed.
-
Heading back home, you ignored Bruce’s attempts to comfort you, only responding with a simple ‘yes’ and ‘no’. The man grew worried. He decided not to hover over you as he made way inside the house, you following not too far behind.
The boys were waiting in the living room. Dick was the first one to get up and wrap you into a hug. Jason sat up, crossing his arms and checking you over. Tim followed his oldest brother and kneeled beside you, a hand on your shoulder. Damian sat still.
“Oh (Y/N)…” Dick began as he felt your head fall onto his shoulder. He held you closer as you decided to snuggle further into him. Tim’s hand left your shoulder and looked back at the other two. “What should we do…” Of course he rolled his eyes when they both shrugged at him.
“You guys don’t have to do anything…” pulling away from Dick, you gave him a small smile. Although it didn’t look too convincing, you hoped it would at least give you a chance to escape. “I’m alright now. Feel a lot better than a week ago…”
You turned to Bruce, who seemed to be observing the scene before him, and gestured up the stairs. “I think I wanna be alone in my room. Just for a bit…is that ok?” you asked.
The man nodded, “Of course. Remember, this is your house too, (Y/N). You don’t have to ask me.” He gave a pat to your head, awaiting your next move.
Everyone was shocked when you turned to the youngest Robin. “Damian.” The boy stiffened at his name. He stood up from his spot and faced you.
“What?”
A small ‘ow’ escaped him as Tim hit his arm, glaring at the boy to not act so straight-forward. Damian was about to yell at him before you stopped any further altercation with a question. “Can you come upstairs with me, quickly? I just wanna talk to you a little bit.”
Jason raised a brow at you, now heading upstairs with Damian not far behind.
Once reaching your room, you pushed Damian inside. He was about to retort, but you threw a pamphlet—you received it during the funeral—at his chest. Damian looked it over. It highlighted Cassie’s achievements and life. Glaring at the floor, you looked at the boy with a stoic face.
“You need to train me…”
Huh? Damian was confused as you focused on nothing in particular, walking around your room. He had already been training you extensively.
You had already managed to bring him down in fights, were quick with your dodges—a little reckless with your punches—and overall ready to be considered a skilled fighter in his eyes.
“I don’t follow.” he answered. Stopping, you looked over at him, vendetta written across your features. “I need you to train me…specifically on how to kill someone.”
Ok now that caught his attention. “Why?” he asked. You decided to explain everything. Damian sat there and took in every word.
He might’ve left the League of Assassins long ago, but that didn’t mean the skills he acquired there did.
Once finished, he stood up and shrugged, “You sure it was him?” you glared.
“Who the fuck else would it be?”
Damian scoffed and rolled his eyes before scowling back at you, “So you’re not even sure if it was actually him? We’ve already covered that you’re not an imbecile, so don’t start acting like one now.”
“Well what am I supposed to do?! If you’re not gonna help me then I'll just do this thing myself.��
“I never said I didn’t want to help, but being impatient will help no one. Trust me when I say you need to learn how to control yourself, emotions and actions.”
He looked earnestly, “You’ll never find a solution if you don't see the problem.”
“What problem?”
Damian groaned, rubbing a hand over his face before scorning. “Don’t you see? You wanna assassinate someone before even knowing it was actually him!”
“I know it was him!”
“How?”
“Because Tanika told me what she found! She saw Markus being alone with Cassie when she found her dead!”
Damian sighed, rubbing at his chin before grabbing the pamphlet. Looking it over, he showed you the pamphlet while pointing at one of the pictures, “Who’s this?” You observed and gave a sad look.
It was a picture of Cassie at the park with you and Tamika; you had gotten in trouble earlier and they both wanted to cheer you up. Tamika took the picture with her phone.
“That’s me with Cassie. The older woman was one of the staff working at the orphanage.” You chuckled, grabbing the pamphlet from him. “You know what’s funny, she doesn’t even look like this anymore.”
“She got a new look?” Damian asked.
“Completely. I almost didn’t recognize her when I saw her again. Don’t know why she changed completely.”
It was silent for a few seconds before you apologized to Damian. He waited for you to continue.
“Look, I know I'm sounding impatient…but I really do think it’s Markus who killed Cassie. Everything Tamika told me is leading to him. Why would he randomly appear out of nowhere the exact moment Tamika found Cassie’s body.”
“...you do have a point, but we still need to make sure. You know where they live.”
You shook your head, “No, but I do know he still works at the orphanage.”
Damian nodded before stepping aside, “Alright…we’ll head out tomorrow and check it out. I have patrol with Father today.” He headed towards the door.
Looking back at you, he warned, “I could get in serious trouble for this. I mean really deep trouble; so you better hope you're right about your instincts.”
Before he headed out he also told you, “I’m not wearing my Robin suit for it either, we’ll have to wear some disguises.”
“Wait, why?” you asked. Damian rolled his eyes, scoffing. Imbecile.
“Do you want to get caught trespassing on residential property?”
Oh. You shook your head. Damian didn’t say anything further as he closed the door behind him.
-
The next day came by fast and soon it was already nighttime. Twelve to be exact.
Bruce and Tim had already left while Dick and Jason decided to stay the night, hoping you’d feel better with the extra company. Poor things were fast asleep on the couch, a movie playing in the background.
Meanwhile you and Damian were upstairs already changing. Combining an all black outfit, you settled for a black beanie on your head when Damian ordered you to cover completely.
Facing the mirror, you scowled. Damian was in your room putting on some black shoes.
“I look like a robber.”
“Tch, that’s the point, idiot.”
Soon the two of you headed out the window, successfully avoiding the cameras in the yard and headed towards the garage. Damian slowly headed inside after opening it and told you to stay put. He later came out with a motorcycle.
“Who’s bike is that—”
“Todds,” Damian answered before getting on it, “Get on, before he wakes up and sees us.”
“If you don’t want him to catch us then why did you grab his?!”
“Because the other one’s are in the Batcave and this moron decided to leave it here instead! Now if you don’t want to get caught then get on the bike and stop talking!”
Groaning, you sat behind him and wrapped your arms around his midsection. Damian turned on the motor-vehicle as quiet as he could and sped out of the driveway.
Arriving at the orphanage, you saw it was closed. All the lights were off. The coast seemed clear. Turning to Damian, you pulled out a crooked, bent wire. He didn’t seem to understand your insinuation until you gestured to the main doors.
“I used to have my fair-share of sneaking out during my time here.”
“Why?”
“It got boring sometimes.” you said with a shrug. Damian groaned in annoyance before throwing you a scowl. “Well?”
“What?” you asked.
“Open the door!”
You jammed the wire inside the locks and wiggled it a few times. After three minutes, you managed to hear a beautiful ‘click’ noise and the door opened up. You went inside, Damian following behind.
Everyone seemed to be asleep, except for the door unhinged with the bright light blasting through. Upon closer inspection you heard wet noises followed by lips smacking and moans. Someone was making out; gross.
Slowly hiding in a corner, you peeked around. Your jaw hit the floor.
Markus and Tanika were fucking swapping spit.
You were about to leave when you heard them pull away from each other. Markus cupped the woman's face; she looked remorseful. At the mention of Cassie, you felt your heart stop.
“I got rid of the girl for ya. Now we can be together like you said; you can give me what I want.” Markus told her. Tanika looked unsure and scared. She shoved the man off her.
“You really think I’m gonna be with you after what you did?! I-I didn’t think you’d actually do it. Cassie was just a child and you—” she choked when Markus grabbed her by the throat.
Squeezing harder he said, “You fuckin’ asked me too. You said you wanted to get rid of her so you can leave with the money her parents donated to the foundation. I get 40 percent, remember?”
“But I didn't mean to k-kill her! Just have her disappear, you monster! Cassie’s gone and it’s all your fault!! What good does this money even mean now?!” she shouted as she pulled an envelope out.
It was loaded with cash. Tears fell down Tanika’s face as she dropped to her knees and covered her face.
Markus was not entertained, “You fuckin’ asked me. I made a plan for you and me to run away. Now you're feeling upset? If they figure out it was me, I'm a goner and I'm taking you down with me, bitch!”
She screamed as they began to fight one another. You didn’t notice when you pulled a knife out and ran at both of them.
There was no other way to describe how you felt about Tanika other than betrayal. You felt the same way you felt at Cassie’s funeral.
Numb.
-
You didn’t even notice Damian had pulled you away from the bloody mess you created.
The boy grunted as he managed to hall you off the two obvious corpses, struggling to rip the knife from your arms. He needed to get rid of as much evidence as possible.
Turning you around, he grabbed your cheeks at an attempt to snap you out of your haze.
“(Y/N) come on!” Shaking you, he finally managed to bring you back. You looked blankly disappointed at Damian. You looked sick, “She lied…she was a part of it all along. She lied…Because of her, Cassie is dead…”
“Yeah…yeah I heard everything…Let’s get you cleaned up,” He pulled out a rag and cleaned you up as best as he could. The blood stains on your clothes were soon dry while Damian managed to dispose of the bodies in a bag.
He’d have to burn them along with your clothes. For now all that was left was to clean the floor. Finding a closet, he was able to find some mops.
Handing you one, he sprayed the floor with a cleaning material before beginning to wipe. “Let’s clean this mess up before someone finds us.”
Thank god the orphanage didn’t settle on cameras.
It took roughly one hour to leave the place spotless. Damian drove you back home, the trash bags in the back. You wanted to ask him how he managed to fit both the bodies in a single bag.
He didn’t answer, except by saying he was going to destroy any possible evidence. Once you arrived at the manor, he dropped you off.
“Clean your face off first and then shower. Got it? Make sure you throw those clothes away too.”
So now here you are, taking a shower after sneaking back inside through your window. Scrubbing hard, you let the red come off your body, but it did nothing to help how you were still feeling right now. You were clean, so why did you feel so dirty still?
Maybe because the one person you believed loved Cassie ended up actually having her killed.
And now you got your vengeance. Cassie was justified, but now what? She was still dead, and she wasn’t coming back. Did she even know her life ended at the hands of Tamika’s orders?
You groaned, rubbing your face of any extra debris. You felt frustrated. The fact you managed to murder not one, but two people didn’t cross your mind.
Or maybe it did, but you just didn’t care at this point.
Looking down at your feet, you wondered. What now? Can you feel peace? How could you, knowing that your situation probably happened to more than just you. Was Gotham this bad?
Of course it was, when you were on the streets, you had seen your fair share of horrors on the streets. Some of them you didn’t wanna think about again, but maybe it was unnoticed to you.
Or maybe you were ignorant to just how bad it could get in this city. Had to be…you chilled at the thought of the civilians being able to live on like this.
Do these people just live on in fear? Do they go on with their lives knowing there's a killer out here every week? Or that villains like The Joker are out tormenting.
What about the villains who aren’t even known? Do they just get away with stealing and committing even worse knowing there will never be any real justice?
...Is this why Batman existed?
You stayed in the shower a couple more hours. Dick and Jason were still fast asleep in the living room, unsuspecting. Damian had come back to check on you. He was surprised you were still awake. He sat on the bed, you had a question.
“Yes?” he waited.
“I wanna help protect Gotham…”
The boy stayed silent for a few moments. Calming himself, he held back before he could oppose, asking you, “Why?”
You explained how you had an epiphany in the shower. Damian took in every word and rubbed at his temples, trying to figure out what to do. A few minutes passed before he nodded. “Alright.”
And so began your journey.
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Prologue is FINALLY over! I'm even screaming because I wanted to rush this so bad but it’s all flowing pretty nicely if you ask me.
Next chapter; Bat sibling is actually going to become the Batkid and we’ll see if they end up telling Bruce or keeping their identity a secret from their own family. Please reblog! They’re helpful and appreciated.
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Graveyard Siblings (4)
I am sorry for not posting in a while. School is a total bitch. Here is part 4 of a fic that is not a fic.
[Masterlist]
(Part 1)(Part 2)(Part 3)
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Tall Marinette.(I admit I might be projecting a little here.)
One day, she took out something from someplace high and the whole family realized that ‘holy shit when did you get so tall?’
Bonus if Jason comes back from a long mission and had a wtf moment because she was wearing 6-inch-heels and met his eyes with them on.
“Pixie?!”
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You know how Bruce has the identity of Matches Malone to infiltrate the Gotham Underground.
While Jason does the drug deals more street crime stuff, Maria uses an excuse of being the representative for Red Hood excuse to mingle with the rich people who does crime on the side (Penguin), she uses it to go to black market auctions and buy some of the lost miraculouses which got into the hands of black market dealers.
Jason knows about it and acts as her ‘bodyguard’ anytime he can or sends one of his henchmen to be one with a death threat if she gets a single scratch on her.
Bruce is unaware of this. Or is he?
------
Mari helps with running WE since she is a little less busy with the vigilante side of things.
It started with Tim panicking about deadlines and Mari offering to help, to Bruce and Tim bullying the board to have her as co-CEO.
She has to be that and head of Afterlife. So she is very busy. Doesn’t know about what comes next….
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Somehow the class comes to Gotham for a trip. It has been 3 years since her death.
Mari has changed her appearance since the day she left Paris. She has highlights in her hair after a ‘sibling bonding day’ with Jason. Her hair is kept short for convenience and not in pigtails. Along with her tall height and more confident aura, she is almost unrecognizable.
She rides a motorcycle too.
The class waits in the lobby for the tour and in walks this badass woman with aviator sunglasses, leather jacket and designer clothes which was all MT brand, making a lot of people swoon.
She takes off her glasses and walks past the class. Checking stuff on her phone and sipping coffee in her other hand.
She seems familiar but they couldn’t figure out why. (All except Chloe, Alix and Felix who are snickering in the background.)
Lila sees her and comments on how she must be a criminal with the way she dresses. (Lila internally freaks out because were her eyes messing with her? Because she looked a little like Marinette. Also jealous of the new arrival for stealing all the attention.) Alya takes the bait and calls security to ‘arrest’ her.
They just laugh. The class doesn’t understand, speaking in confused French.
-------------
“I am Maria Todd-Wayne, also known as designer MT. CEO of Afterlife and co-CEO of the very company you are in. I am allowed in here. Don’t judge a book by its cover.” she said in perfect French.
“But Lila told us you can’t speak French.”
“Who?”
“Lila Rossi, your friend. She told us that you and MT were dating.”
“Me dating myself. Okay I love myself because self-love is a thing but that is a whole other level. MT are my initials. Anyone who has a brain could have figured that out or at the very least do a Google search. I am not sure where your friend got that notion.”
“Hey, Bean, come on. We have a long day ahead of us.” Tim reminded her.
“Goodbye but cease the rumours or you would be escorted off the premises.”
As they rode up the elevator, “Tim, why are they here?”
“They are the lucky winners of the Wayne Enterprise Young Prodigies Contest. Why, Maria?”
“Lucky, huh.” She muttered under her breath. She might as well tell him. They are the Bats and they will find out anyway. “They are from my old class, the one you know…”
“Oh. Want me to send them back? I can do that if they are making you uncomfortable.”
“Nah. Too much to deal with. And it is unfair to send them back over a petty grudge. Besides, I could have some fun.”
“Anything that Bruce and I should be worried about?”
“I swear no killing. Just because Jason came back from the dead, hell-bent on killing. Doesn’t mean I am too.”
“Cool, just don’t do any property damage or traumatize our employees.”
“I might need you to erase some footage later and tell Bruce about this.”
“Some brownies, my favourite coffee cake, the ‘special’ brew and you have yourself a deal.”
-----
So basically she just showed up around where the class was ‘by coincidence’.
Talk to a few people and take them out of earshot of the rest of the class.
End the conversation by saying a few things only they and her would know. Insides jokes and secrets. (I pick her old childhood friends like, Nino, Kim and maybe Sabrina)
Uses Trixx to turn into a walking dead version of her 15-year old self and disappears as they freak out about how she knew that secret/story.
Freaks them out further by appearing again in front of the whole class and pretending not to know their previous conversation.
Mari manages to get Lila alone.
I should also say that Lila thought that her curse was making her see MT as Marinette.
It terrifies Lila when she finds out that MT is actually Marinette, not dead but alive after all this time and apparently living the high life she wanted. This fact made the Italian swell up with jealousy.
“I hope you are not lying about me again, Lila Rossi. Like you always do.”
“What do you want with me? I swear I didn’t say anything else about you.”
“Aw, Lila. Don’t recognize me?”
Maria flickers and Ladybug is in her place and later, the Marinette that appeared in her bedroom and back to normal.
“You! How? Why are you here? Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“Why not? I mean you did take away nearly all my friends, my parents and made my life a living hell. If you think about it, I am just repaying you the same favor. How are the others? Treating you well?”
“What did you do to me, you bitch?”
“I just put a curse on you. The ghosts of your past will haunt you until you stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Stop Lying, Liar. They all feed and grow in power from your lies. I wonder what would happen in a few years if you kept this up.”
“You think you can get away with this. This is war and I have already beaten you once.”
“Oh Rossi. This isn’t a war. It’s a death sentence.” With that she disappears.
Lila tries to tell her class that MT is actually Marinette. She is met with crazy looks. Some of them look like they want to believe her but don't because they don’t want to look crazy too.
Oh. Adrien wasn’t on the trip because his mother didn’t want him to go to the crime capital of America although the crime rate has gone down a little due to Hellbat curing some of the city’s bad energy..
Right after Lila told the class about MT, Scarecrow came to steal some Wayne tech and the class got caught in the crossfire. So later, it was brushed off as Lila seeing things due to the fear toxins.
-----
Joker made the mistake of kidnapping her. Once was enough to never try that again.
(It involved the use of nearly all of the Miraculouses, old and new. He was thoroughly humiliated at the end of it and his picture by the time Hellbat was done with him was on the Batfam’s Christmas Card. Like I said she doesn’t kill but making them beg for death was okay.)
It coincided with Jason’s Birthday and the video of the incident was ‘the best birthday present ever.’ The uncensored version was watched at the next undead siblings bonding day. Damian included.
After hearing a few rumours about what happened, most criminals were glad for Hellbat’s rare appearances. (which happens once a month and during really busy time of the year)
There was a time where Penguin was carrying out one of their plans and when Hellbat showed up, all of their thugs surrendered instantly. (No Batman did not pout at the fact that this French girl was more imitating than him.)
Scarecrow used his newest batch of fear toxin on her during the first year after she died.
He was astounded to see her still standing and she later proceeded to beat the crap out of him while being under the toxin’s influences.
He has tried to stay out of her way since then.
She saw Scarecrow as Hawkmoth and said a lot of things in French which scared everyone because she said it with so much hate, anger and in a very menacing tone that everyone is like ‘I am not touching this.’
It took Red Hood and Nightwing to restrain her from further beating Scarecrow up.
He was one of the people who sympathised with the Joker after the Incident.
The next was Riddler being so arrogant in his plans and managed to get Hellbat and Spoiler into a death trap.
“You know I have a few regrets in life. And my final one is that I got captured and am now going to get killed by a walking fashion disaster.”
“Hey! I made this myself. I will have, you know.”
“You have a brilliant mind but no sense of fashion at all. When I get out of here, I am going to burn that thing with you in it, for your crimes against fashion.”
“What is wrong with it?”
Cue a lot of roasting of Riddler’s costume and Spoiler adding more fuel to the fire.
They manage to escape while Riddler is crying on the floor, having an existential crisis.
The thing was no one knows why Riddler was silent the entire week after encountering Hellbat and crying when anyone mentions it.
They now think Hellbat is the scariest one in the Batfamily, second to Batman and tied with Black Bat/Orphan.
The few who find out what really happened in the warehouse that night. Blackmail material on the Riddler.
Three ( four if you count Penguin) of Gotham’s biggest villains of the Rogues Gallery scared of Bats’ newest addition. Hellbat was not someone they wanted to mess with.
---------
Magic crisis stuff. Like a world ending event thing. Dr. Fate says they need the Miraculous jewels but the last mention of them had been in Paris a few years ago and had vanished since then.
Costantine looked at Batman. “You know who you have to call.”
Batman calls Hellbat. Who hasn’t been introduced yet to the JL.
“Ah. Bats. Not that I question your authority or anything but how can your newest ‘ward’ help us?”
She takes off her helmet and reveals her face and more importantly, her earrings.
Tikki comes out of her hiding place.
“I am the current Guardian of the Miracle Box and wielder of the Ladybug miraculous during Hawkmoth’s reign in Paris a few years ago. Any other Questions?”
“Oh great Guardian. Tikki. It is an honour to meet you.”-Wonder Woman, who else.
“You too, Princess Diana. Pass on my regards to your mother.”-Tikki
A huge face-off and the big evil is defeated.
WW asks abt HM and gives a horrified face at the end of her story. Nearly everyone who eavesdropped on the conversation was.
"Forgive me, Guardian for not aiding you in your hour of need.”
“It’s okay. I understand that there are other crises, world-ending ones that JL have to take care of. I am better now. Mostly.”
“I doubt it with those revenge schemes I found lying around. But she is getting there with her therapist.”-Batman
“I hate you, Dad.”
“Did you just call him Dad?”
“No….”
“Do you see me as a father figure?”
“I see you as a nuisance with how nosy you are with my personal business. So you are more of a bother figure.”
“I see you as part of the family too, Daughter.” (Got that reference anyone?)
“Jason was the one who adopted me.”
“Legally you are adopted by me.”
Maria with Pikachu surprised face because nobody told her that. “My life is a lie.”
-------
(Part 5)
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themaribatpit · 3 years
Text
Saturday Challenge: And They Were Roommates
Written by: The Maribat Pit  @jasonette-july-event
Prompt: And They Were Roommates
Rated: T
Tim was surprised to learn that MDC Designs had set up shop in Gotham City of all places.  He was in dire need of a new suit for the Wayne Gala after the last one was sliced to ribbons. The mysterious designer had worked with Jagged Stone when she was just a teenager. Now he was on his way to her home studio across town.  
Tim got out of the car and knocked on the front door of the apartment.  "Just a minute!" A young woman's voice called from the other side of the door.  She rushed over and opened the door to greet him, on the other side of the door was a petite young woman with dark hair and blue eyes.  "Hi, you must be Tim, right?" She asked cheerfully.
"Yeah, are you MDC?" Tim asked, maybe she was their assistant or something.  
To his surprise she nodded, "yes, I am. Those are my initials." she explained.
"I was hoping to commission you for a suit," Tim held up the order confirmation.
"Yes, by all means, come in" she said as she opened the door a little wider to let him in.  Tim looked around the studio as he let himself in, and he found it hard to believe he was still in Gotham.  
There were pink fairy lights hanging on the walls, the furniture was either pastel pink, lilac, and maybe a soft jade green on occasion.  There was a small kitchen in the corner of the studio and a few separate rooms off to the side.  She gestured to the small podium in the middle of the studio.  She had asked Tim to wear simple, basic clothes so that she could take his measurements accurately. Tim took off his shoes and made his way over.
"So, why Gotham?" Tim asked, trying to make some conversation with the young designer taking his measurements.  "Not that I'm complaining just that..." he assured her.
"It's fine," she said, "I came here because I thought," Marinette tried to choose her next words carefully.  "I thought maybe I could bring some light into Gotham City, it's just so different from what I'm used to growing up." She explained, "Sometimes it's so different that it inspires me... creatively, I mean."
"Braver men have tried to do just that." Tim thought.  "So uh, Miss..." Tim stumbled on the young woman's name.
"Just Marinette is fine," she said, smiling up at him.  He honestly wasn't expecting her to be so... friendly, especially someone who had been living in Gotham for any length of time.
"Can you finish the suit by the end of the month?" Tim asked.
"Won’t be a problem, I'd say it’ll be done maybe two weeks from now," Marinette told him.
He heard the door open behind him but couldn't turn around and see who it was. Not unless he wanted to annoy the person taking a tape measure to him. They were probably a roommate or someone, this was clearly a studio that someone lived in. Maybe they had a roommate or there was another artist who was living here. That was until Tim heard the other person speak.
"Hey Pixie, need anything while I'm out?" a voice asked, one that was too familiar to Tim.  He whipped his head around to find...
"Jason?!"
"Replacement?!"
"What's he doing here?!" The two of them asked in unison.
Marinette gave Jason a confused look, "Wait, he's 'Replacement'?"
"Dude, that's what MDC knows me as?" Tim seemed more annoyed at Jason than at Marinette.  "Also what are you doing here?" He asked, while Jason looked through the fridge for something that wasn't either sweet or an expensive wheel of cheese.
"I live here." Jason deadpanned, grabbing a soda can from the fridge.
As Jason was looking through the fridge, Tim whispered to Marinette. “I’d move out if I were you, Jason’s dangerous.”
Just as Tim finishes whispering to Marinette, Jason yells “I can hear you asshole!”
Marinette frowned at Tim’s advice, “I know he’s the Red Hood. We’ve been living together for a while.”
Tim’s eyes widen, he looks back at Jason to see him walking back towards the living room. “You told her?” he cries incredulously.
Jason takes a large gulp of soda before answering, “I kinda came back injured.”
Marinette interrupted. “You still owe me a bolt of silk.”
Jason continued, ignoring Marinette’s interruption. “I kinda bled all over her stuff.” Then taking another swig of his soda.
Tim tentatively asks “So, uh, how did you two become roommates?”
“Rent in Gotham is stupid expensive, it takes two people’s income to pay for rent and utilities.” Marinette huffed.
“Yeah Timmy, not everyone can afford to live the high life at Wayne Manor” Jason said.
“Jason, if I lose customers because of you, this tape measure is going to have a very tight fit around your neck” Marinette hissed, before giving Tim an apologetic smile.
Tim groans and rubs his own forehead, “Okay fine, but what about you Jason? I doubt money was the issue.” he asked.
Jason shrugs, “Do you honestly think anyone would go looking for the Red Hood in a bright pink fashion studio?”
“Point taken” agreed Tim. Marinette resumes measuring him, moving on to measure his waist.
“Whoa Replacement, have you gained weight? No wonder you need a new suit.” joked Jason.
Marinette shot a glare at Jason, “All right that’s enough, don’t you need to be somewhere?”
Jason tosses his empty soda can into the bin all while chuckling at himself, “All right fine, need anything while I’m out?”
Marinette ponders for a second, “Chicken and wine, I’ll make Coq au vin tonight.”
Jason smirks, “Sure I’ll head to the grocery store to and ask for cock and wine” laughing like a maniac before leaving.
Tim releases a breath that he has been holding, “finally some peace and quiet.”
“Sorry, he’s usually out or reading quietly in the corner when other customers are here.” Marinette assured him.
“We’re brothers, trust me this is us being friendly.” He told her.
“Brothers?” Marinette asked, she would have thought that meant they had the same surnames.
“Adopted brothers. ” Tim clarified, Marinette nodded her head as she gathered up her sewing supplies.  
“I see” Marinette replied, she looked over at Tim as he stepped down from the podium.  “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.  I’ll have your suit ready in time for the Wayne Gala.” she said as she stowed her supplies away.  
BONUS
Bonus 1:
The next time Red Hood and Red Robin run into each other.
Jason: You need to lay off Alfred's baking, or you might need a new Robin suit soon.
Tim: Why? Are you gonna bleed all over this one too?
Bonus 2:
Ladybug climbs in through the window late one night, Jason dramatically flicks on a lamp.
Red Hood: Well well well, it seems you have some explaining to do young lady.
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Text
Damian Wayne Dating HCs
Pairing :: older/adult!Damian Wayne x fem!Reader
Headcanon :: How Damian gets into and acts in a relationship
Word Count :: 1,676
Warnings :: N/A
A/N :: The image I’m using I created with Artbreeder. 
I didn’t call Damian “Robin” and referred to him as a vigilante because Dick stopped being Robin at 25, Jason 22, and Tim 18. The Damian I’m writing is 22. We don’t see much of Older!Damian, and when we do he’s either taken up the mantle of Batman or The Demon’s Head for The League Of Assassins
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Getting into a relationship (all of this is in roughly a year) :
Neither you nor Damian know when you started dating, it just sort of happened
He met you at a bookstore you worked at, and you noticed he always came in buying older books about history, warfare, and strategies.
You found the warfare and strategies odd at first but chose not to question it
You asked him out first.
“Why do you always buy these books?” “I like history.” “Oh cool, I do too... Wanna hang out and talk about the First Battle of Tarain?”
You were joking, he said yes to get out of doing a thing with Tim
You each thought it was going to be a small amount of time spent together at some local cafe. You two ended up staying until closing talking about history.
This becomes a bi-weekly thing, you meet up at the cafe, talk until it closes, or go out and talk in a nearby park until sunset.
Damian’s family notices, but choose not to question what he’s doing because it’s seemingly making him less annoyed with people
Dick starts getting curious when he sees Damian smile just a tad bit looking at a text from you
You text him random facts all the time, but they’re weird. “Did you know squirrels are behind most power outages in the US?”
Eventually, you two stop talking about just history and start talking about other things that interest each of you and your personal lives. 
You open up more than Damian
Damian pays close attention when he notices you’re talking about something you’re genuinely passionate about He pays attention to detail in general.
For your birthday he got you a leather swiss army medic bag from WWII. You cried tears of joy and jumped onto him for a big long hug.
That was the first time Damian’s heart skipped a beat. After seeing you overjoyed, he realized he likes seeing you happy. It gave him a warm feeling, but he doesn’t know yet he has feelings for you.
Yours and Damian’s first “official date” was to a fancy Wayne Ent. event. This time Damian asked you. He’s super stiff.
“Would you like to accompany me to the upcoming-” “Are you asking me out on a date??” “No, I’m asking you to accompany me-” “I’ll go.”
No one in his family knows your coming, except for Alfred because he was asked to pick you up and bring you to the manor the day of. Alfred is confused the entire car ride because you act super chill
When you show up, the other boys surround you. Dick realizes who you are instantly, Jason thinks you’re not human, Tim is afraid you’re like Damian.
Bruce is silent, and a bit thankful his son found a normal human
Damian picked out your outfit: A fancy dark Sacramento green dress with black heels, a pearl necklace, and pearl bracelets to match.
You panicked when you saw the jewelry and Damian instantly goes into “comfort mode” to reassure you it’s fine. The family is shook.
At the actual event, you feel SUPER AWKWARD. Your family had enough to get by in life, so you feel very out of place around all the rich people
Damian can tell you’re uncomfortable and so he tries to hold onto you at all times to help you feel comfortable
Ex: He holds your hand, puts a hand on your shoulder, stands directly next to you so your arms are touching.
You eventually feel comfortable, but, you’re both bored there, so you suggest hiding in the outside garden
Finally alone, you two start talking about the other batboys
“Does Dick always try to show off odd party tricks?” “Only when he sees a pretty lady.”
“Why was Jason just standing in the corner looking at everyone?” “He doesn’t like dressing up.”
“Come on, there’s no way Tim’s actually happy here.” “Did you see him on the dance floor?” He has awesome dance moves, he’s just very energetic.
You eventually start talking about something else.
You can hear the music from inside, so you two start slow dancing together.
He’s holding one of your hands and has a hand placed on the small of your back. You rest your head on his shoulder and have your free hand flat on his chest.
It’s in this instant you each realize you have feelings for one another.
You two swayed around slowly until the song eventually ended.
When you two pull away, you stare into his green eyes briefly before you place a hand on his cheek and pull him down for a kiss.
Once In A Relationship :
You and Damian are a good pair because he’s serious and you’re go-with-the-flow. If he starts over-analyzing something, you start relaxing him. 
You two spend at least one day a week together, and you constantly text each other basic messages like “How was your day?”, “Are you okay?”, “Good morning/night”, “Have a nice day”
If you take over an hour to reply to Damian he gets anxious something bad happened to you.
He legitimately gets ready to start searching EVERY PART of Gotham until he gets a text “Sorry, I was taking a nap. Long day at work.”
When you two are together, you’re usually out or at your apartment. He only takes you to the manor if none of the other guys are there.
He took you once with everyone there. Never again.
Dick: “Oh my god! Look! He has a little girlfriend! How cute, Damian’s growing up.” “I’m 22.”
Tim: “You… You look so nice. Why? How is she so nice and you’re so… you.” “I’ll murder you and make it look like an accident.”
Jason: “How? Did you threaten her? Is he threatening you?” “Dames is super sweet.”
When you call Damian “Dames”, your nickname for him, they all lose their shit.
“DAMES?” “YOU HAVE A NICKNAME FOR HIM?” “DA-ME-SSS?” “DO YOU HAVE MORE?” “D-A-M-E-S?”
Your nicknames for Damian: Dame, Love, and Mr. Serious
Damian’s nicknames for you: Beloved, Love, and Sunflower
He briskly drags you away before you can say anything else, and you just go with it. 
“??I thought we were going to talk more to your brothers??” “They’re not my brothers.” “Okay. I appreciate you.” “.....I appreciate you too.”
You two don’t say “I love you” very often. Instead, you say “I appreciate you”. You do say “I love you” in private/intimate moments, but in public/at random you say “I appreciate you”
Damian isn’t possessive, just protective. There’s a difference. 
He’s never been in a serious relationship before and he’s never loved someone romantically like with you before, so he wants to make sure you’re safe and comfortable 24/7
The first time a random guy catcalled you while you were with Damian, he instantly defended your honor.
“What did you say?” He grabs the guy and easily raises him a foot off the ground. He forces the guy to apologize and lets him fall on the ground after.
Quickly, you reassured Damian he doesn’t need to go to such lengths to “defend your honor”. You tell him to ignore people like that guy because they’re nobodies.
After a few months, you start to pick up on the fact you two rarely spend time together after sunset.
You questioned him once about it and he quickly told you it’s because he helps his father with Wayne Ent. You never questioned him again.
You didn’t 100% believe his answer, but trust he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you
One time you called him crying at night. He was about to go on patrol, then dropped everything to go to your apartment and make sure you were okay.
Damian got a key to your apart about a year into the relationship.
There are times you go to sleep alone and wake up with him asleep, arms wrapped around you. He doesn’t do this often, only after a rough night on a patrol or a particularly dark mission.
Damian’s usually a realist, but when he sees you smile and laugh, he becomes an optimist for a split second
He isn’t big on PDA, so depending on his mood sometimes you hold hands when walking, other times you just lock your pinkies together.
When one of you notices the other is upset though, then you get touchy to calm the other down
Sometimes, when you two are alone at your apartment or the mansion, you don’t speak. You just rest and enjoy the silence while laying on top of one another.
If you lay on Damian, you’re literally on top of him snuggling into his chest. He holds one of your hands and rubs your back.
If Damian lays on you, you’re usually sitting and he places his head on your lap. You love playing and messing around with his hair.
When you found out Damian’s a vigilante, it was a massive accident
You called him while he was on patrol, whispering in a shaking voice that two men had broken into your apartment.
He booked it to your apartment and busted through the window, in costume.
After taking care of the guys and handing them over to the authority, he starts questioning you to make sure you’re okay. When you don’t answer he realizes he’s still in costume talking to you now.
You’re in shock because now a lot of things make sense.
You’re upset for about an hour(because Damian knows how to make you happy when you’re angry) and then you’re utterly fascinated by Damian’s other life
Damian tells you he doesn’t want you to know a lot because it could put you in danger and you’re the one part of his life that’s normal
You accept his wishes and continue with your relationship as normal.
There are only two things that changed:
One: Damian moves you to a more secure apartment and makes sure you have plenty of bats or batons you could use to protect yourself “just in case”
Two: Damian spends almost every night at your apartment after patrol now
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remakethestars · 3 years
Text
Being Damian Wayne's Twin Sister Would Include:
Headcanons.
❝Exactly. I don't ask my dog to drive, and I don't ask the Justice League to solve my problems.❞
— Damian Wayne, Adventures of the Super Sons #9: Showdown on Hexworld
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TRIGGER WARNING: Cursing, (Damian’s) death. Mentions of toxic masculinity and internalized misogyny, nightmares, blood, knives.
Headcanon masterlist.
When people ask you, “So, which one of you is the evil twin?” Damian always glowers, and you always motion to him.
You look disturbingly alike when only your eyes are showing; Damian’s got long lashes. Talia taught you a good tactic for tag-teaming in combat as kids was to pull up your hinged balaclavas and make the enemy think there was only one of you, that they’re seeing double.
Or for one of you to hang back while the other attacks as a distraction before the other knocks them out from behind.
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Obviously, this won’t work when the two of you start filling out, but it works when you’re kids. It’s the reason why, even off the field, the two of you usually wear a matching outfits with hoods.
You utilize the same methods when she sends you to live with Bruce.
You don the Robin costume just like he does, much to the rest of the Batfam’s confusion (both because they weren’t expecting it and because they can’t tell you apart either), but sticking with the “red” theme, you go by Redstart.
There’s a rumor on the street that Robin V. is a meta that can teleport.
The two of you are freakishly good at mimicking the other’s voice and mannerisms, which makes it even harder for your family.
Jason tells you two about April Fools Day, and you make the most of it. Of course, Damian’s a pain in the a$$ and decides to go around pretending to be you and getting into trouble. You’re banned from the mall, and you still have no idea why. 
The two of you can communicate with just an impassive expression (Dick says it looks like a prime example of twin telepathy to anyone else), but anyone close to you knows sh¡t’s about to hit the fan when the two of you look at each other and smirk.
If it’s something you can’t communicate nonverbally, you use your cryptophasia. 
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Cryptophasia is a language developed by twins when they’re learning to talk. Most of them grow out of it, you and Damian decided to keep developing it so it became more of a conlang. No one else has been taught to speak it, and they never will be. It’s for emergencies only.
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War was your Bible growing up, and the two of you call out verses when you fight together and need the other to understand a tactic (you both inherited Bruce’s eidetic memory, so you’ve got it memorized).
When you get too big to pull off the which-is-which game, you make your own costume and become the true Redstart. 
It’s basically Damian’s Robin uniform (the Super Sons’s version is the only one I’ll accept), but the boots and gloves are black, the biceps have a white stripe, the lining of the cape is white (the lining of the hood is black), the gold accents become white, it has a zipper down the front instead of clasps, and the mask becomes black (including the eyes). The waterline of the eyes is white. Like a painted redstart.
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If Damian’s into animals, you’re into plants. The two of you find common ground on the fact that pollution sucks, so when you walk Titus, you take a trash bag and gloves with you to pick up litter as you go.
You did not want to go to Jon’s school. 
Not because you don’t like Jon (because you do), but because you know you could run intellectual circles around every one of those snot-nosed brats. 
School is stupid. Especially because the American education system is subpar; everything about it is.
You hardly pay attention in class. You do all of the homework a week ahead of time incase something comes up. Usually you’re doing next week’s homework in class. You’ve written entire papers on your phone in Google Docs in the middle of class to be printed out later.
If you’ve already done everything, Damian’s usually drawing and you’re daydreaming or you’re working on a case on your phone.
The teachers are always trying to catch you not paying attention, but you little sh¡ts can always answer their questions. 
Damian’s closest with Dick, but you’re closest with Tim. You admire his ability to plan ahead (see the entirety of the Red Robin comics), and you know that he’s better than both your father and your grandfather; you want to be as good as him when you grow up.
It takes a long time to wash the toxic masculinity and internalized misogyny our of your head, to learn that your grandfather’s ideas of “strength” were wrong, that it’s okay to lean on someone besides Damian, that you can be just as strong as your brother and still be feminine, that there are acceptable emotions besides anger.
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Actually, your father teaches you that anger is more likely to get you killed. He won’t let you go into the field when he knows your angry.
It’s harder to drill out of you than your instinct to kill.
There’s a Lebanese restaurant called Tarbooshes (Teen Titans Special #1) the two of you go to when you’re feeling homesick. They make ox blood soup the same way your mother did, and it’s the only non-vegetarian thing Damian will eat for that very reason.
It’s nice to have a place to go where they know you by name and know what you want when you tell them “the usual.” It’s nice to have a place where you’re not a Wayne or an Al Ghul, where you’re just [Y/N] and Damian.
You disappear for an hour on your birthday to eat there. Bruce has asked you were you go, but you kept that between the two of you. 
Speaking of birthdays, you’re eleven minutes older than him. He was six pounds and ten ounces (Batman & Robin #0?), and you were a solid seven.
After Damian died, you go to Tarbooshes to feel close to him.
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You were doing all right with the no-killing thing until the night Damian died.
Heretic never stood a chance.
He looked so much like Damian it gave you nightmares, though. Nightmares where you killed your twin brother and woke up sobbing.
Damian didn’t give you a speech in his last moments. He just looked over at you and said in your cryptophasia, “I’m sorry.” 
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Not “I love you.” Not “Take care of them for me.” You knew that; you’d do that. He didn’t have to tell you, and he didn’t have to ask.
Just “I’m sorry.” Sorry that you were the one that was left behind.
It’s one thing to lose a family member, to lose a friend, or to lose a lover. It’s another to lose half of your soul.
The two of you had always feared you would die apart. It had always been a possibility; you weren’t stupid enough to think, “It’ll never happen to me.” Because it definitely could. 
And it had.
You wanted to run away from everything. Even just for a while. Go to one of your safe houses in London or France or whatever and just — you didn’t know — stare at the wall until you felt better? But you’d made that unspoken promise to Damian — “I’ll take care of them for you; don’t worry.” — to take care of Titus and Catfred and Jerry and Batcow and Goliath, to take care of Alfred and Bruce and Dick and Jason and Cassandra and Tim, to take care of Jon and Colin and Maps.
You avoided the cave. And if you had to go down there for some reason, you refused to look at the Robin suits.
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Dick noticed. He asked if you wanted them taken down, even just for a while. You gave him a look like he was nuts and said, “No.”
Jon was a mess. More of a mess than you were, somehow. 
You’d shown up at the Kents’s. Jon was out doing Superboy things with Clark and Conner. Lois was the only one home.
You nearly scared her out of her skin when you materialized behind her and asked, “Is Jon home? It’s important.” 
He had to know first. He deserved to.
For all he put up with from you two, he deserved to be the first to know when one of you was f*cking dead.
Lois, of course, bless her heart, had the mom instincts to know that you were in no way, shape, or form okay even when you were trying so hard to hold yourself together. She asked you what’s wrong, and it’s what made you break. 
Your lip trembled. “He’s gone.”
“Who’s gone?”
“Damian,” your voice broke. “He’s dead.” 
Jon came home to find you in his living room in your Robin uniform, covered in Damian’s and Heretic’s blood, snot running down your lip, sobbing in his mothers arms and knew what happened without having to ask. He did anyway.
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When you and Jon both finally passed out, your Uncle Clark flew you back to the Batcave. No one was in any condition — not even Alfred — so he carried you up to your room; took your boots, mask, cape, and gloves off; and tucked you in. Then he went to find Bruce because there was no doubt he was losing it too.
Bruce doesn’t tell you anything about trying to find a way to bring him back without the Lazarus pit because he doesn’t want to get your hopes up. 
You walk into your room one day to find Damian sitting there reading the dissertation (the requirement was three pages, not 120, but your teacher would just have to deal with your coping mechanisms) you had been working on for your World History class and left up on your laptop while on patrol. 
He said with the utmost indifference, “You’ve made some good points, Sister,” and, of course, you pulled out a knife and attacked him because this was — was — was some shapeshifting alien or hologram tech or a cruel joke — your twin was dead, this wasn’t funny, whoever did this was going to pay.
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He met you blow-for-blow and flipped away from you before saying, “And here I was expecting a warm welcome,” in your cryptophasia. 
“Brother?” 
“Tt. Obviously.” 
Yeah, a college level thesis. You’re smart. You inherited Bruce’s eidetic memory and were raised by assassins.
You learned seven languages and wrote five doctoral theses by the time your teeth came in, wrote your first letter to a newspaper editor when you were two, could’ve had a geology doctorate when you were seven (Super Sons #1), and it only took you a week to learn the language on Takron-Galtos. You’re smart.
You’re also incredibly skilled. You learned to drive when you were five (Super Sons #1), your mother trained you to go for weeks without eating (Adventures of the Super Sons #6), you can micro-sleep for days and converse with half your brain asleep, can use a muscular contraction to move your liver out of the way of a blade (Nightwing #20), and can place yourself in a deep trance to heal damages caused by a hematoma (also #20).
(My dumba$$ didn’t note what Super Sons/Adventure of the Super Sons comic I was reading when I took notes, so I don’t have all of them noted in the two above bullet points. But that’s where they’re from. If I end up rereading them, I’ll edit this and add the comic numbers.)
The first time on patrol you thought Bruce was gonna die, you called him Baba. 
The next evening, when Dick came to visit the cave, he turned to you and Damian and asked, “So, which one of you called him Dad?” 
“How’d you know?” you asked. 
“He’s smiling the way he did the day I called him Tati.”
“He’s not smiling,” Damian pointed out.
“He is on the inside.”
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Can we talk about how royally the Arkham Knights game screwed up Tim Drake? (Though, everything seems to screw up Tim one way or another, I guess.) Why does he look like a quidditch player in the gif above the cut?
Visit my headcanon masterlist.
DISCLAIMER ━━━ I’m a dumb white American, and I don’t know much about Arab or Romani culture other than what I’ve learned online. I hope I got it right?? If I didn’t, please drop a comment or P.M. me or something to let me know!
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Text
Pokemon Teams for Fictional Characters pt. 2
Damian Wayne
(Also, I'm not including move sets because in my headcannon Pokemon do remember all their old moves. But humans choose to only use four)
For this AU I'm having the Wayne's own the Gotham City Gym, which specializes in Dark types. Most of the cannon events still happened. Just with a few tweaks here and there. (Dick's 20, Jason's 16, Cass is 15 Tim's 15 but younger than Cass and Damian's 13 because I love AUs where there closer in age).
Anyway here we go!
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First things first in the Pokemon Universe his alias wouldn't be Robin since they don't exist. Instead I think it would be Rookidee, since thats the closest Pokemon to a Robin.
His Partner Pokemon and ace would be a Gligar
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Name: Goliath
Gender: Male
Why: Gligar screams Goliath (his Batdragon) plus the coloring of his evolutions matches with Dami's Robin and Batman outfits
Story: He found Goliath while climbing a mountain for his training. At the time he was four and Goliath was a hatching. Damian ended up giving him some food, seeing that the hatching was hungry.
Grateful, the Gligar followed him hoping to return the favor.
When Damian's hand got broken on that same trip, Goliath was the one to help him finish his mission and get home safely.
Talia was impressed that Damian could tame a wild Pokemon without catching it, so she allowed him to keep him as his first Pokemon.
-----
Next he would have a Meowth
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Name: Alfred
Gender: Female
Why: This one has to do with its evolution. Persian are said to only be loyal to trainers it likes and that it takes a lot to get them to like you. Their also said to be prissy and uptight. This reminded me of Damian. How it took forever for him to trust his brothers and his own snobby attitude. Thus I think it fits.
Story: After coming to live with his father Damian didn't know how to act. He saw his "brothers" and father treating their Pokemon so different than how the League did. They all trained hard. But, there was something eles: warm praise for a job well done, asking for insight on a case (they had taught their bipedal pokemon sighn language) and comfort on a bad day. His father and brothers treated their Pokemon like... people
In the League Pokemon where the lowest soldier, lower than the slaves or concubines. They trained, ate then they had to and got in their ball.
He had been a little more lenient in his training with Goliath. When asked he said that he was still a baby and he had to take things slow in this stage or he might develop too much muscle mass and be unable to fly.
He had kept him out of his ball with the excuse of developing muscle mass at a proper pace.
He liked Goliath's company. The Gligar was a good companion. But on the same level as another person?
He had expressed these thoughts to Pennyworth, the only person in the house to give him a straight answer when he needed it.
Pennyworth had explained to him that some people love to hold power over others and that Pokemon where an easy target, since they couldn't communicate their emotions as clearly as people could.
"Think of Mistress Cain. She sometimes cannot communicate with words, but we know that she's intelligent. But some people see her as less than intelligent and treat her as such because of the power it gives them."
Two weeks later Damian would come across a group of teenagers attempting to shave a Meowth. The Pokemon was little more than skin and bone and crying out on pain. So, Damian broke their fingers and shaved part of their heads for good measure.
He kept the Meowth and named her after the man who taught him about the abuse of power.
---
Next, a Poochyena
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Name: Titus
Gender: Male
Why: These Pokemon and their evolution are ruthless with their pray, and only obey trainers with external skill.
Story: Raven gave Damian Titus as a gift. She said that she rescued him from an underground fighting ring (where the battles are to the death). He was still to young to battle so he didn't need much rehabilitation. The other Pokemon there though...
---
Now we have a Type Null
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Name: Heretic
Gender: ???
Why: This Pokemon was created in lab, and artificial designed for the purpose of fighting, just like Damian. True I could have given him Mewtwo, but that cat seems to fit Kon more.
Story: Damian's mother had spent years creating Type: Null with the purpose of being able to kill any target. As a last test she wanted to see which of her creations was suppirrior. So she sent the Type Null out to (try and) kill her son.
Damian, with the rest of his team, beat the Pokemon but couldn't kill it. He had long since vowed to wash the blood from his hands. Instead he offered his hand to it and asked it to join him.
---
Here we have the hardest to explain... Mimikyu
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Name: Habibi (I hope I spelled that right)
Gender: Female
Why: Damian is complex, he wants to be accepted and loved just like Mimikyu but dosent know how. Both try to mimic others in order to get that love, Damian his father and Mimikyu Pikachu. So I see this as Damian's spirit Pokemon in a way.
Story: He didn't know why it was so hard to fit in. Gods know he tried. But... little things confused him. Like how eveyone could understand each other without words or singhing. He had no problems with that on a battlefield, but in day to day life; it felt like he was on a separate server.
Like how Todd knew at breakfast with just a look that Drake was in a bad mood and how to help. Or how Grayson could audomadicly tell what kind of day at school the rest of them had withen a few minutes. Hell even Drake could tell what grunts ment what from father! Which ment good job, Which ment I'm glade your okay, or frustration either at them or at a case (Cass didn't surprise him, she had to learn how to communicate without words and watch body language and micro expressions).
School was no better; sometimes it was to load or bright othertimes, when everyone was doing a test, it felt to quiet. But, to much or to little, Damian was always aware of every movement, every sound. It was like the very instincts that saved his life every night where turned against him.
He turned to his nearly forgotten childhood habits to distract himself from everything around him. That only led to more whisper shouting and what even he could tell where displeased glares with a grunt of "fucking tapping" or a snap of "stop!" He knew it was disrupting but it was all be could do to drown out the noise or silence.
On one particularly bad day at school; apparently during one of their tests one of his classmates had had enough of Damian's tapping and decided to make a scene.
There was some yelling from the kid. A few cries in agreement. Before the teacher had gotten hem to settle down. He had demanded that Damian look him in the eye and when he finally did told him to stop with the tapping or else he would be sent to the office, Gym Leaders son or not.
He was the last to finish that test where he normally finished first. The silence had been to load!!
After that clusterfuck Damian finally headed home. He had texted Grayson saying that he was meeting a friend somewhere to work on a project and to not pick him up. In truth he didn't want his brother reading what kind of day he had had. He needed some time to himself.
That was how he found himself in a nearby park. It was filled with plenty of sounds that didn't suffocate him and the fall leaves where soothing to his eyes. Damian had Titus out of his ball as company, knowing that the pup loved park walks.
They had been walking for an hour when they came across a box set off just on the edge of the trail. "Free to Good Homes" was written on the side in black sharpie.
No sound was coming from inside, so he assumed that the had all been taken. Until Titus went closer sniffing at the seemingly empty box.
"Pooch Pooch"
"Hmmm... what is is it boy?" He asked as he walked closer to his Pokemon and the Box. Damian hoped he was wrong. It was cruel to leave a baby Pokemon all alone, especially since the weather was getting colder by the day.
Inside the box was in fact a lone Pokemon. At first glance it looked like a Pikachu. But something was off. It looked more like a doll than a living creature. If it wasn't for the small chirps it let out and slight way that it was shivering from the cold Damian would have written it off as a toy. No wonder it got left behind...
Damian reached down and picked up the mystery Pokemon as gently as he could.
"Come on beloved, lets go home."
He tucked the Pokemon in his jacket to warm it up before reaching for his phone to call Grayson for a ride home.
That night Damian locked himself away, even skipped patrol, and spent a sleepless night learning everything he could about his newest Pokemon.
---
That was inspired by this comic
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---
Finaly, for his last spot Eevee!!
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Name: Omni
Gender: Female
Why: I'm going to have all the Batfam members have an Eeveelution. This branch and the Batfam are both growing consistently. We all have our favorites but we love them all the same. So I think it fits.
Story: Everyone in the family had an Eevee or one of its evolutions. Damian's Father said that Eevee was the Wayne family symbol, it was potential, the ability to become whatever you wanted.
Though it surprised Damian that the Wayne symbol wasn't a Noibat or Noivern (Batman's ace) at first he eventually understood the logic in choosing such a Pokemon to represent the family name. That only made things harder for him being the only one not having one. Did they not truly see him as family?
On the one year anniversary of Damian arriving at The Mannor, his family through a small party. Pennyworth made his favorite foods, The Mannor was decorated in tacky streamers (Graysons' idea) and they watched some of Damian's favorite fims, their Pokemon curled up with them. His father had offered to take the day off from the gym. Until Todd suggested that Damian take on the challengers.
The Gotham gym was part of his heritage. Damian had been training for the day that he could finally help weed out the weak challengers just like his siblings sometimes did (think the battles you do before challenging a gym leader in the games).
On that day, if the challengers agreed to it, their final battle wasn't with Bruce Wayne the Dark Knight but instead his son. Most accepted thinking that it would be an easy win, that they had lucked out in not having to battle one of the stongest Gym Leaders in the League and could still get the Shadow Badge.
Those poor fools.
Damian was only allowed to use Alfred, Titus and Habibi since he used Goliath and Heretic primarily as Rookidee.
Damian fought seven trainers that day in 3v3 fights. Only two of them got the badge.
With the day overwith and the night rising, so did Gothams' protecters.
The night ended with exhausted body's and adrenaline crashes. Damian was ready to slip into a mini coma from the day he had but before he could head upstairs to The Mannor...
"Not so fast baby bat." Graysons' voice called out to him. "We got one more surprise for you."
Damian raised his eyebrow at that. What else could they do? His father came back from the locker rooms where he had been desuiting, it always took him the longest because of his "old man bones" as Todd said.
"Son," his father said "its Wayne tradition to get your first Pokemon when you turn ten years old. I missed that with you." He paused, eyes briefly shifting to the floor before they snapped back on Damian's face. "Luckily there's one tradition we didn't miss. When you've lived at The Mannor for a year or the adoption papers get finalized, I give my children this..."
He pulled a Poke'ball out of his poket and handed to Damian. "Go on son, let them out."
He did
Staring at him was his own Eevee.
---
AN: All of Damian's Pokemon (sans maybe Omni, I'm thinking of leaving her as an Eevee) will eventually evolve. Eventually.
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jwritesandrambles · 3 years
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“Supposed to Be”
Hi there! Yeah I still barely use tumblr but hey lookit I did the wrote thing down!!!!
I would like to give a bit thank you to @schweeeppess and @dragonsworn05 for editing my messy dyslexic rambles. @noroomforcream and @just-a-little-in-over-my-head  did some really cool art for this! 
(if I missed tagging someone, it’s not personal I appreciate you so much, I’m just posting in a rush mwauh)
Jason was back in Gotham. For the second time since he died, actually.
The last time hadn’t gone well. Technically, it had gone according to plan--for the most part--but Jason was still shambling together the broken pieces of his mind. Back then in December, all that was left of Jason were the shards of hurt and anger. He had been living for nothing but the idea of someone else’s death. Coming back to the real world, away from the sheltered and hidden places of the League of Shadows and the All-Caste, seemed to bring a bit of him back. Seeing Bruce, talking to him…everything that went down, and the reminder that he cared about him--loved him, even--it woke something up in Jason. Something that he thought had died along with him and never came back. 
He had spent a year by himself, taking any mercenary jobs he could get, trying to find something other than the all consuming anger that had fuelled him for the past few years, but his travels didn’t matter now, as he stood in a back alley of Gotham, the protective red helmet tucked under his arm. He wished his replacement, Tim Drake, hadn’t chosen this particular alley to meet up in. 
The balcony and rickety old fire escape were unforgettable to Jason. It was where he had met the Bat, after trying to jack the tires off one of those many damn expensive cars that Bruce had. Not only where it began, but where he once thought it would end. It was only a year ago he had stood, gun trained on Bruce, the man he had, for a time, called father. His voice shook and tears rolled down his cheeks, “it would be so easy to kill you.”
Jason was ripped from his reminiscing as a soft thud signaled that Red Robin had landed behind him. Jason flinched more than he’d like to admit, but fought the urge to draw his weapon. Quick reflexes was a nice way of saying jumpy. 
“Hood,” The teen greeted. 
“Replacement,” Jason said with a nod, echoing Tim’s tone back at him, relaxing. 
“Weren’t you a replacement too?” Tim pointed out, seeming to take no offence. 
Jason shrugged, “True. I’m not denying it. Just as long as you know that’s probably what B expects. Another Grayson,” he mumbled. 
Sure, he was less angry than before, but that didn’t mean Jason wasn’t a bitter son of a bitch. 
Tim bit the inside of his lip, an awkward and slightly uncomfortable look on the visible part of his face. It flickered away and was replaced with a more professional, neutral expression as he cleared his throat. 
“Yes... well... We’re here for a job so let’s focus. You got all the information B sent you?” He was honestly trying his best, but he was hesitant about this mission. Could anyone blame him? Jason Todd had proven himself to be... volatile. The memories of Jason’s violence were all too fresh in Tim’s mind. 
“Yeah, I got it. I read the file over,” he mumbled. He puffed out a weak breath, “Scarecrow set up a chemical mixing shop by the docks, at least one shipment has come in, but we can expect more, right? Anything I missed?” Jason asked, rummaging through his coat pockets. 
He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He had been trying to quit, but he didn’t want to be getting distracted with cravings while trying to focus on the mission. 
Tim watched him quietly as he lit off, smelling the tobacco from up on his perch. 
“Um... yes, that’s all,”  the teen dragged his teeth along the edge of his lip. The skin felt slightly raw and sore from his empty minded nibbling. 
Jason started walking off down the alley, leaving a slight trail of lingering smoke in damp air. Tim followed. 
“So,” Jason pulled the cigarette from his lips, careful not to let his helmet slip from under his arm. He held it between his first and second fingers, “Uh.. Why’d you have us meet here instead of anywhere closer to the docks?” He asked, trying to break the awkwardly growing silence.
“Scarecrow has patrols circulating around the docks. We’re less likely to be spotted if we’re not waiting around there to meet up,” Tim explains with a little shrug.
Jason hummed a brief note of understanding, “Oh yeah, that makes sense. I’m, uh, I haven’t worked with anyone in... years,” Jason paused, taking another drag from the smouldering cigarette, “Y’know, really nothing team oriented since working with B. Even then I was a shitty teammate,” he laughed hollowly.
Tim nodded, thinking about what Jason’d just said. Had it really been that long? Maybe… maybe the fact that Jason was even admitting to being a bad teammate didn’t bode well. It could mean trouble for them later. If it was so obvious that even Jason could admit it, perhaps Tim shouldn’t have done this team-up. 
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Tim ran to catch up to Jason quickly, “Wait... how old are you?” He asked upon reaching him. 
“I’m t- uh... hold on, well... how long was I gone?” He asked Tim in return. 
“You were thought to be dead for five years,” Tim told him, in a tone like he was reciting a Wikipedia page written about the formally deceased, wayward Wayne boy. Now that Jason thought of it, he was certain Bruce had a file written up on him now. Bruce had written up for every major criminal in Gotham city. 
Jason let out a low whistle and soft huff, “I must be… twenty one now? Weird.”
“So... you didn't know how old you were till now?” Tim raised a brow, causing the mask to shift.
“Yeaahh,” Jason drew the word out sarcastically, pretending to took him deep thought to reconcile. “Somethin’ about the severe head trauma, dying, comin’ back, and being isolated from the normal world for years, all while being a wreck the whole time seems to have made my memory a lil’ fuzzy,” Jason said with a wry, sarcastic smile.
Tim seethed silently, letting out a series of apologetic mumbles, eyes dropping to ground ahead of him- it was a tactless and rude thing to ask, and Tim should’ve known that! 
Jason laughed weakly, hand quickly coming up towards him and... ruffled Tim’s hair? The boy hadn’t even had a chance to recoil. He was just confused; that was the last thing he’d expect from Jason.
The man stubbed out his cigarette and lumbered on ahead of Tim, dropping it in the trash, “Don’t worry about it, kid. I was just being a bitch, you’re fine.”
Tim opened and closed his mouth, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. A man who tried to kill him only a year ago had just ruffled his hair?! He decided not to comment on it, because-- after all--what the hell could he even say?
Tim cleared his throat again, “We should get into position, we’re almost there. Maybe get your, uh, helmet-thingy on?” He suggested. 
Jason glanced at the helmet- he’d almost forgotten he had it tucked under his arm. 
“Yeah, of course,” Jason said, lifting his helmet and plunking it on his head, “good reminder, Timbers.” His voice became modulated the second the helmet covered his head. His low, gravely, smokers growl of a voice, was nowhere near and deep and gravely as Bruce’s--but sounded like it took a step closer with every box of cigarettes--became a pitch lower still. An odd robotic twang edged his words, giving him a metallic, cyber sound.
Tim adjusted his own mask, making sure it was firmly in place before nodding to Jason. The two silently started up again, approaching a warehouse that was supposed to be locked until the next morning’s shipment. “Supposed to be” being the operative words. Instead, there was muted huffing and shuffling as two of Scarecrow’s workers uncomfortably hauled a large crate into the building.
Both Jason and Tim seemed to shrink into the shadows at the same instant; each becoming one with the wall. Jason drew his weapon quietly, earning a disapproving frown from Tim. “I’m not gonna kill them. Chill,” Jason whispered in that odd robotic voice. 
Tim seemed satisfied enough to quit pouting at Jason. They crept closer, making little dashes between hiding spots when the coast was clear.
Jason let out a breath of curse as his eyes fell about the giant, glass, canister. It was filled with a bubbling, sickly, arsenic green substance.
“No way, that shit is all fear toxin? Fuck! He’s got enough to blast the entire downtown!” His voice came through in a synthesized hiss.
“Worse.” Tim whispered, spying the large pressurizer on top of the glass container. “That’s just the liquid form. When he releases it, it’ll be gaseous. If it’s released from the container from a high vantage point, a small breeze could cover the entire city in minutes.”
The severity of the situation washed over what little of Tim’s features were visible from beneath the mask. 
This wasn’t just a quick little in and out operation anymore. One wrong move and there could have a small, yet very messy, catastrophic outcome.
Tim had to plan this carefully, because there was no way they could afford to mess this up.
He turned to Jason...or, rather, where Jason had just been seconds before. 
Jason had evidently had a similar train of thought to Tim’s. He’d realized this was a serious situation, though, instead of drawing the conclusion to re-evaluate, re-plan, and carry on with caution, or something sensible-- he seemingly forgot any sense of subtlety he had. Oh, God forbid carefully thinking his actions out, like any sane rational person would do. Or calling for backup, like anyone with a vague semblance of self-preservation.  No no, instead, Jason had decided it was best to act now and not waste a second with plans or any ideas of safety. He jumped into action.
Jason was already leaping over the crate the two vigilantes had been hiding behind seconds ago, as Tim let out a quiet imploring hiss of “Wait--oh no-”“ but it was too late.
Jason already had his gun drawn. 
“Scarecrow!” he yelled, “this ends now!” He fired at the box the two workers were carrying, sending it out of their hands and clattering to the floor. A series of shattering followed the initial crash as the contents shattered. Whatever chemicals that had been inside hissed loudly, a faint smoke rising from between the boards of the wooden box.
“Hood!?” The Scarecrow rounded to face who he knew as the ex-criminal, ‘The Red Hood.’
“In the flesh.” Jason kept his gun trained on Scarecrow, while a third worker who had been off to the side started to shuffle his way towards him.
“Thought you moved your little operation away from Gotham when the Bats got the better of you,” Scarecrow commented, not seeming pleased about the interruption at all. 
Scarecrow’s worker lunged at Jason. Tim kicked himself mentally and left hiding, kicking the worker --physically, not mentally this time-- back away from Jason. The third worker scuttled back, apparently deciding this altercation was above his pay grade.
Jason felt something he hadn’t really felt in a long time; it was a feeling akin to camaraderie. He had someone watching his back for once. If the circumstances hadn’t been so dire, he might have even cracked a smile. Or, rather, he might have felt a slight tug at the corner of his lips, at least.
“Well, yeah, the bats did get the best of me. Now I’m tryna give them my best. And that involves bootin’ your sorry ass out of here.”
“Quick witted, aren’t you?” Scarecrow tensed slightly. His eyes darted away from behind his mask for a moment. He was glancing to the side. Tim followed his gaze over to the-
Shit! The canister! If the bullet missed Scarecrow it would-
Tim knew what scarecrow was thinking, but it was too late.
“NO!” Tim shouted, helplessly watching as Scarecrow dove.
As expected, Jason pulled the trigger reflexively, but the Scarecrow had already ducked. The bullet made a resounding bang as it fired, hitting the large gas canister. 
Tim seized up, every nerve buzzing, every muscle tensed, every fibre of his being filled with an awful sinking sensation. The room was deadly-still. It was like something written by the hand of a fool-hardy novelist, who was paid far too much for over-the-top paperbacks; The bullet had embedded itself in the glass, acting like a stopper. A sickening series of cracks emanated from the canisters, as a thin spidery web formed across the glass. All tendrils originating from where the bullet hit.
Jason let out a low whistle, “Well. That coulda been disastrous.”
Tim couldn’t help but feel relieved, a stressed laugh escaping his lips. 
Scarecrow was scampering away, his workers already having pulled a quick disappearing act themselves, because, this wasn’t what he’d planned. 
“Don’t even think about it, Crane,” Jason said as he turned, taking a heavy step.
Said heavy step was apparently too much. The glass gave a shuttering groan, followed by a small hiss as gas began to leak.
Tim made an involuntary distressed sound. Something akin to an exhausted sigh mixed with a whimper. 
The one word that ever so eloquently graced Jason’s lips was, “Fuck.”
And the canister...
Burst.
The pressure placed on the glass had built up and could no longer hold.
Jason’s final step had been the breaking point, the spider work of cracks along the glass giving way with a great shatter.
Shards of the canister flung themselves across the room. The liquid that had been held within instantly began vaporizing into a thick, sickening gas. To anyone that had the misfortune of inhaling it, it felt as though the gas was trying --with every atom of its existence-- to choke the life out of its victim. It reached into their lungs, clawed at their insides, grabbing at their desperately beating hearts, and squeezed. It forced their brain to fill their body with adrenaline and hallucinogens. Tim knew this. 
He’d studied the Scarecrow’s fear toxin many times. He’d been exposed to it before, too. Tim knew this fear and knew he was helpless to do anything about it.
Tim was helpless to stop this. He had failed. He’d failed Bruce. He’d failed this mission. Because he was weak. He was weak, helpless, hopeless, a failure, a burden, unwanted. He was nothing more than a replaceable replacement. No one would care if he was gone, God, it’s not like anyone would ever notice! He was a forgettable nothing. Tim coughed and wheezed. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe!
Tim staggered. He tripped over his feet trying to get away from the intense fear that gripped his throat. Tim realized something physical was gripping his neck. The thing dragged him back roughly, towards what he could only assume was something horrid. Tim clawed at the thing gripping his throat. As he gasped for shuddering breath, he couldn’t help but begin to sob. He was going to die. He would die and no one would care. No one would even try to find him when he didn’t come home, they wouldn’t even notice because he was worthless, replaceable, weak, failure, helpless!
A new level of fear washed over Tim as he felt something cover his face, it encased his head. Tim could feel it squeeze his skull, he swore the pressure felt tight enough to crush his cranium like a tin can. It was claustrophobic. He felt his own shallow breath bounce back against his lips, because it had nowhere else to go. He was trapped and suffocating.
He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t BREATHE! OH--oh, oh no... no? Wait a moment... he COULD breathe.
Tim took a moment to try to get his bearings. He needed to remember how his lungs worked. He awkwardly sucked in a breath of filtered, recycled air. It tasted tinny on his tongue. Tim blinked the tears from his eyes. They rolled down his cheeks, and he became aware of the taste of salt too. There was the faint scent of stale tobacco and smoke. His mind was reeling as he processed each detail. He dragged tongue over his lips nervously, and began to chew at his bottom lip. Tim’s heart was still pounding and his hands were shaking. He raised his hands to feel his head, glancing at his twitching fingers as they passed in front of his face, confusedly. Everything had a red tinge to it. He pressed his hands to his head, feeling a hard smooth surface.
Tim’s brain felt slow and groggy, taking a moment to clue into what was on his head. Was it Jason’s helmet? Yes, yes it was Jason’s helmet, that was certain, but where was Jason? 
The thick gas still hung in a green fog, but the helmet seemed to be filtering the worst of it out. Tim swept his arm though the air, watching the gas clear slightly, before swooping in to fill the gaps. Tim knew he needed to thin this stuff out if he wanted to have any hope in finding Jason before tripping over him. He rushed through the room, feeling his way over to the door. Scarecrow’s men had closed it, containing them --and more importantly the gas--  inside. Small mercy the fear toxin wasn’t being released on the city though. 
Tim dragged his fingers along the wall. His senses were so heightened that it was almost overstimulating. It was likely due to the toxin, Tim guessed. He could still feel the rough brick as he scraped along, even through the tips of his gloves. It was oddly reassuring. A steady constant he could focus on until -thunk-  His hand bumped into a smooth metallic protrusion from the wall. Exactly what Tim had been looking for. 
“Bingo.”
Tim swept his other arm through the air again, doing his best to fan the gass away for him to get a bit of a better view of what he was hoping to see. A metal switch box, old and slightly rusted around the edges. Tim had been counting on any wearhouse by the docks having a ventilation system to keep the products safe from humidity. Of course, he was right. With some difficulty, Tim wrenched the switch box open. After straining to read faded, dusty labels through the gas in the air, he flipped what he hoped was the right switch.
There was a small whine of aching metal that hadn’t moved in a long time and Tim cracked into a grin underneath the helmet. 
He’d done it!
The fans kicked into a regular pace. The smooth ‘whoomp whoomp whoomp’ of turning blades filled Tim with a sense of muted triumph. The foggy haze of fear gas began to thin as the building began to filter it out, mixing it with the humid air. Tim figured it would be condensed and drip out to puddle with the dirty water in the alley behind the warehouse. If Tim was right, which he usually was, it wouldn’t harm anyone unless they decided to drink from the puddle water. Which was unlikely, but not impossible. It was Gotham after all.
Tim looked around the room as the gas dissipated. His gaze found its way to a shaking heap on the floor next to the shattered remains of the canister he had been standing before. The proud grin faded from Tim’s lips. 
That... that wasn’t a good sign at all.
“Hey, um, hood? Red hood, status?” He asked, the words felt strange as they left his mouth. Hearing his own modulated voice echo slightly in the room felt vaguely surreal. 
The heap of muscle and leather known as Jason didn’t reply. 
Seeing Jason’s twitching body on the floor emptied a hollow pit in Tim’s stomach. Jason had never seemed like he was even capable of fear. Capable of rage, capable of hurt, and capable of pain, sure, but fear seemed like something Tim would’ve assumed Jason was beyond. Something so... innate, that the unnatural nature of Jason’s second life would’ve swept it away. 
Tim made his way over, hesitantly rolling the helmet forward off his head. The fear toxin seemed to be thin enough now that it wasn’t harming him.  
“Ja-er, Jason?” Tim’s soft voice seemed thunderously loud in the quiet room. The only other sounds around were the fans quietly whirring away and, far more disturbingly in his opinion, the even quieter shaking breaths and distressed whimpering tumbling from Jason’s lips. 
Jason was not in good shape. He was shaking violently, hands over his head. His whimpers were punctuated by violent spasms that racked his body every few seconds, accompanied with a louder more pronounced cry. 
Tim felt the colour drain from his face. He quickly kneeled down, setting the helmet on the concrete floor next to them both with a slight clink. Tim grabbed Jason’s arm, trying to turn him on to his back. Jason heftily flailed the arm Tim pulled, unintentionally hitting Tim in the face. Tim yelped in surprise as a sharp pain sprung from his nose, warm liquid leaking down his face. The blood pouring down his face didn’t deter Tim much, the blood coursing through him  seeming to do the opposite for pain as it did the rest of his senses. The pain was slightly numbed--or, rather, it had become easy to ignore. He fought to wrangle both of Jason’s arms, quickly scrambling to sit on Jason’s torso, struggling to pin Jason’s arms down with his legs. 
Tim took off his mask. He knew it was against protocol, but an un-obscured face was easier to recognize when the toxin took hold, in Tim’s experience. 
“Jason? Jason, look at me. Can you hear me?” he asked quickly, holding on to Jason’s shoulders. He desperately hoped Jason wouldn’t throw him off. Jason’s eyes were unfocused, spinning around wildly all over the room. 
Tim tried to process Jason’s words, “No, not again, ple--I can’t I--it hurts! Fuck! It hurts,” Jason’s words became incomprehensible for a moment, then his fists clenched tightly. “I don’t want to die! Not again. Not again not again not again! He’s gotta come save me, take me home, he’s gotta! Shit, not again!“ he choked and broke off with a shout and another full body jerk. 
Tim was jostled but didn’t fall off, by some miracle. “Jason!” he tried. “Listen to me!” Tim put his hands on either of Jason’s face. Jason flinched away from Tim’s touch with a sob of “It hurts, it hurts, I can hear all my bones snapping, I’m dying, it’s crushing me, I can’t--I can’t--”
“I know,” Tim cut him off gently, “I know it hurts and--and you’re scared, but you’re not alone, I’m right here. I’m going to help you,” Tim tried to catch Jason’s focus. 
Jason’s roaming eyes stopped dodging around the room, and turned towards Tim. He kept looking from Tim’s shoulders, Tim’s chest, back up to his face and then to his eyes and back to his chest again. Perhaps not the ideal image of calming down but it was a first step. 
“Good,” Tim praised softly in relief. He ran his thumbs over Jason’s cheeks gently. Now more so than ever did Tim take notice of the scars on either side of Jason’s face. On Jason’s left cheek, there was a jagged line that traced from his cheek bone down to his jaw. A similar yet smaller one was mirrored on Jason’s right. Tim could understand why Jason flinched from him. He shook the thought from his mind, “See? We’re okay. Just try to breathe, in and out. You can do that, right, Jason?”
“No! No! I c-can’t, I’m crushed, I can’t. My--my lungs, they’re all full of blood, and mud, and dirt, and fuckin’ I dunno what!” Another violent thrash went through Jason’s body, almost toppling Tim off this time. “I can’t breathe, it hurts! I want it to stop hurting! How do I make it stop!?” 
“Uah--yeah, I know it hurts, but I promise nothing is crushing you. It’s just me, I’m light, and I’m here and I--I know it hurts I’m going to try to make it stop but I need to--” Jason thrashed, but Tim didn’t relinquish his hold on him, “--but I NEED you to stay still!”
Jason’s eyes finally locked on to Tim’s, “M-make it s-stop?” he echoed back to the smaller vigilante.
“Yeah, yeah I’m going to try to make it stop.” Tim slowly pulled his hands away from Jason, sitting back slightly, starting to fish through the many pockets and pouches attached to the strap around his waist.  
He almost always had the antidote on hand. Bruce had trained him and prepared him meticulously, making certain that Tim would be ready with everything they had at all costs. The only issue was it was enough antidote for him; almost seventeen, about a head shorter and ninety pounds lighter--nowhere near enough antitoxin for the two hundred and forty pounds of murder that was the shaking mass of Jason Todd slumped before him.
Jason dropped his head back against the concrete floor, beginning to mutter once again. 
“My fault. All my fault. I can’t--all dead.”
“No one is dead, Jason, everyone is okay,” Tim said, soon after feeling a small surge of triumph as he located his field fear toxin antidote kit. He opened it, quickly pulling out a small vial, and a syringe.
Jason’s eyes snapped to the syringe in Tim’s hand as he filled with antidote. Jason grew quiet for a second before starting to try to fight Tim off of him, “No, no no no no no no! Don’t go! don’t go! Not again, I can’t be alone, can’t be asleep he’s gonna kill us. Dad said he’ll get rid’f his mistakes!” 
Tim knew Bruce wouldn’t have ever threatened Jason like that. He could only assume Jason meant his biological father. 
“Said he would--don’t, don’t! It’s crushing me I can’t be alone!” Jason couldn’t keep hold of his own fears. They ran together, all mixed in to become some dread filled nightmare he couldn’t wake up from. 
Tim was lucky Jason was so sloppy in this state. If he’d had a bit more of his wits about him, Tim figured Jason would’ve easily shaken him off already.
“You aren’t alone!” Tim reminded Jason, struggling to inject Jason without hurting him. “This is going to make it stop, I promise!” Well, that wasn’t fully true. But the dose would reduce it. 
When Jason wouldn’t hold still enough for him to properly gauge where the vein he needed was, Tim unceremoniously jabbed at where he hoped it was instead. 
Jason shouted, thrashing around like a heavy shark in a net being lifted out of water.
Tim pulled the empty syringe away quickly, letting Jason throw him off. He stumbled and crashed back down, landing on the concrete floor a few feet away. Tim only now realized how heavy his breath was as he watched Jason writhe freely on the floor before him. As Tim caught his breath, Jason’s movements gradually began to slow. The mutterings of fear faded into soft whimpers, then into deep breaths like Tim’s. Tim bit at his lip again. “Jason?” he asked, leaning forward slightly.
Jason groaned in response. He took a moment to collect himself as he grew conscious of reality again. Really, reality was a shit hole too, but it was a better shit hole. He shifted slightly, cussing under his breath. 
Tim felt an invisible weight lift from his shoulders; swearing like a sailor was promising in Jason’s case. 
He quickly scooted across the floor to him. 
“Hey,” Tim said in a hushed voice. “Jason? How you feeling?”
Jason--with what felt like the struggle of Sisyphus rolling his boulder for the millionth time--rolled over to face him. The white shock of hair stuck to Jason’s forehead with panic induced sweat. He puffed out a lungful of air in a feeble attempt to blow the hair from his face. Jason swiftly gave up on that and swallowed heavily.
 “I-I... yeah, yeah, I uh... I--okay. I’m feeling okay,” Jason rambled, looking dazed. He took up scanning the room again, hyper-vigilant to any danger.
Tim nodded slowly. He grabbed a water bottle that was shoved in one of his many pouches. He helped Jason sit up, just enough so he could sip at the water, and forced the bottle into Jason’s hands. 
“Drink,” Tim ordered, quietly. 
Jason’s hands still shook lightly, causing him to fumble with the cap in his hands. 
Now that the danger had passed, Tim finally had time to process what had happened; he often found himself acting and only having time to absorb the details afterwards. Details like that Jason had traded his safety and immunity for Tim’s. 
Why did Jason do that?
“Not... that I’m ungrateful,” Tim began hesitantly, “but that was a stupid thing to do, just… now- today,” he stumbled out awkwardly.
“I know,” gasped Jason after a long chug of water, a weak smile on his lips. 
“I mean--it’s like in those before flight messages on planes. Put your mask on before the baby’s or whatever,” Tim joked slightly. Tim’s nose wrinkled slightly, cringing just the tiniest bit as he realized he implied he was the baby in this situation, “Well, you know what I’m getting at…”
Jason seemed to only take even more amusement out of the teen’s regret. Tim never thought he’d see the day where he felt tension draining at the sigh of Jason Todd, a man that tried to kill him and about eighty other people, smiling. 
Jason laughed weakly, though it came out a little haltingly, as the shivering shakes hadn’t yet subsided. “Yeah, well, I d-did have my mask on. I just... gave it to the k-kid before the plane went down,” he mused. He didn’t really believe in his own point, and shook his head. 
“No, no you’re right. It was stupid and I know that.”
They fell into a slightly awkward silence for a second, the burning question still gnawing at Tim’s mind.
“Why?” Tim said, abruptly. “Er, why did you do that? If you knew it was stupid?”
Jason didn’t answer for a long moment. Instead stalling by taking another swig of water. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand before answering.
 “I don’t know,” Jason admitted, with a little smile. 
Jason was breathing heavily, but seemed more focused, “I didn’t... really think. Maybe I was just makin’ up for other stuff I f-fucked up or... dunno. I guess I j-just... I knew if one of us was gonna be safe, it had to be y-ou.”
Jason swore he could practically see the little loading sign twirl in Tim’s nerd-brain as the teen processed what he’d said. The mental loading bar filled, and Jason’s words seemed to click. Tim’s eyes dropped away, and he smiled a little shyly. Not an awkward or uncomfortable smile. Just complimented.
“Thanks,” Tim’s voice was just above a whisper, “ that was... really nice of you.” 
“It’s okay, don’t men-ention it. Like literally ever. It’ll ruin my rep,” Jason cracked a teasing smirk once again and Tim got to his feet laughing lightly.
“Annnnddd he’s back to normal,” Tim chuckled and offered Jason a hand. Tim yanked him, not without obvious difficulty, up to stand tall. Jason leaned on him for a moment before straightening, keeping a hand on Tim’s shoulder to steady himself. Tim quickly bent down and scooped up their masks from the floor where he’d set them down.
“Let’s get you home,” Tim hummed, putting Jason’s arm around his shoulders again when he stood.
“Hey, I’m fin-ne, you don’t have to take me back,” Jason argued, but Tim was already starting to lead him away.
“Too bad, I decided I am.”
“Rep-placement Robin number whatever you are--I am fine!”
“Sure you are, that’s why you can’t stand up right by yourself?”
“Shut up!”
“I speak only truth.”
The two bickered all the way back through away from the docks. All the way back through the city. All the way until they reached Jason’s apartment complex. Then they bickered some more. Though neither knew it yet, what had begun forming was the beginning of a close bond. One that nothing would be able to break.
26 notes · View notes
liquid-luck-00 · 4 years
Text
Little!Mari
Bio!Dad Bruce
Day 12: Little!Mari
@biodad-bruce-month
Ao3 ~~~ First ~~~ Previous ~~~ Next
Sorry this is late I’ll be late for a bit as I try and catch back up, hopefully.
~~~~~~~~~~
Marinette was back in Wayne Manor for the winter holidays. And just like every morning she was awake before almost everyone else. Granted she just came back from patrol and it was already too late to fall sleep.
She had noticed she was running low on transformation macaroons for Tikki, so she decided to make a batch. And she did but she may have fallen asleep after placing the Macarons in Tikki‘s designated cookie jar, accidentally leaving out a couple of the potions.
Jason was the one to find her and noticed that she was asleep so he moved her to her room. So that got the boys to talking. They wanted to make sure that this was the best Christmas break ever, as it was their first Christmas together, so what better way to make their youngest sibling smile like the little sunshine she is, than to surprised her with baked goods like she always does with them.
Surprisingly it was Bruce who stepped up to the plate. Granted everyone kind of just stared at him. Alfred’s expression was a mix of shock and horror. Shock because Bruce was in the kitchen and asking Alfred where a list of ingredients were. Horror because Bruce was in the kitchen and it seemed as if he was going to cook. By the time it seemed he had all his ingredients in front of him Bruce looked up and noticed them all staring.
“Is something wrong” Bruce asked with a completely straight face.
“Yes!!!” Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian all yelled..
Alfred, oh poor Alfred, seemed to be close to fainting as he was probably imagining the mess that was going to be occurring. “ Master Bruce what are you about to make.” Alfred asked.
“Brownies”
“Sir where did you learn of the recipe you are to be using?”
“From Mini”
Once they all knew that the recipe was from Mari, they begin to work, still eyeing him warily.
"Vanilla has anyone seen it?"
"There it is Little Bat must have left it out" Dick handed Bruce the vid that was labeled with the letter 'V' and had a violet cap from a line of vials.
They finished the batter and Alfred set it in the oven.
"That went better than the last time" Bruce sighed as they left the kitchen.
"Now I need to know" Jason stopped Bruce looking straight at him. "When the hell have you baked, and what happened the last time ?"
"same occasion, the same day I met Marinette, she took out the ingredients left and I started making the recipe." He looked at his boys and they were silent for once, giving him their undivided, attention. "And I ended up covered in flour." With that he left.
---
Mari woke up a couple of hours later and heard a knock on the door.
"Breakfast will be served soon Miss" Alfred called.
"Thank you Alfred" she returned rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She got dressed and went down. Everyone was already at the table and they all ate relatively peacefully.
"And finally the masters have made you brownies Miss Mari" Alfred stated setting a plate of brownies in front of her.
"You guys. Thank you." I took two from the plate and handed one to Tikki. "Yummy" that was when there were two flashes.
---
"Mari" several voices shouted looking where she was previously sitting.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no" they heard Tikki but could not see her.
"Tikki, what is going on?" Bruce finally asked.
"Humans aren't..." that was when she began to grow in front of them. "humans shouldn't have transformation potions" She looked around, and so did everyone else. That was when they saw the blue eyes and black hair peeking over the table at them.
"Mini are you okay" Bruce tried asking softly.
"Dad" she called out running over to him. At least she still remembers we are family.
"Mari what is the last thing you remember" he asked her, she was curled up in his lap.
She shook her head. "I don't know everything is fuzzy"
"Hey there Bluebell" she turned to face Jason, who sounded to be the calmest at the table. "Do you remember us?"
She seemed to study them all. "Jay or Red" she faced Jason.
"Bluebell" he responded with a smile.
"Dick or Blue" she faced Dick.
"Little Bat" he smiled and she giggled.
"Tim or Genius" she was now smiling at Tim.
"That's right Bean" he gave a nod and yawn but she laughed at his actions.
"Damian or Qamri" she was now looking at Damian.
"Correct mon Sol" His second youngest said giving her a rare smile.
She then turned towards Alfred "Grandpa Alfie" she was now smiling and bubbly, while Alfred seemed close to loosing his composure at being called Grandpa. He simply nodded his head and gave her a smile.
"Tikki how long do you think this will last?" Bruce asked.
"I'm not completely sure" she responded.
"Fairy!" Mari cried looking at Tikki smiling. Tikki giggled.
"Well there is only one thing to do then" Dick clapped his hands a large smile spread on his face.
Tim seemed to suddenly wake up completely, Damian was eyeing him suspiciously a scowl now on his lips, and Jason well "I'm out, I am not getting caught up in any of your insane plans." he started to rise out of his seat.
"Come on Jay let's have a family fun day. We didn't know Mari when she was, how old are you right now little bat."
She scrunched her nose and furrowed her brows "Um nine if think" she finally responded.
"See we need to be with her" Dick began to plead, giving him puppy eyes.
"Please Red" Marinette looked at him giving him her own puppy eyes.
"Ugh how can I say no to those puppy eyes"
"Works every time" Dick answered.
"Not yours" Jason responded, Dick appeared hurt. "so what's first?"
"Puppies" Mari cooed as Titus and Ace entered the room.
"let's go outside then" Damian stated reaching out for Mari's hand. She readily took it and they walked out, the rest of the family following soon after.
---
The majority of the morning was spent playing with Ace and Titus as well as a very difficult game of hide and seek within the manor.
By lunch she was in the kitchen alongside Alfred. After which, everyone had to deal with an Arkham breakout. So Mari wandered the cave while Alfred manned the comms. She ended up on Dick's gymnastic equipment. Once everyone was back they found out she was on the trapeze.
"Blue your back!" she yelled in mid flight. As she landed she turned and again yelled. "Come and fly with me Azur"
Dick began to move towards the ladder when Bruce grabbed his shoulder.
"I think it's best you come down" he called up to her.
"But"
"She's a natural B just a few minutes" Dick stated as he climbed the ladder.
A few minutes turned into two hours. After a bath she was curled up in the library next to Jason as he gave a dramatic reading of the Odyssey.
That was where they stayed all afternoon until Alfred called them for dinner. After which Mari dragged Tim to the living room to make a blanket fort to end all forts. Where she proceeded to tuck her brother under several blankets to get him to sleep.
All five of them ended up watching Disney Movies all night. Where they all fell asleep in the fort.
---
"Why are we in a blanket fort?" Marinette questioned the next morning.
"Mari go back to sleep" Jason grumbled next to her.
"Jay?" she asked out finally waking up. "Dick? Tim? Damian? What how?"
"Breakfast will be ready shortly" Alfred called from outside the fort.
A chorus of ‘Ok Alfred's’ were heard from inside the blankets.
Her and her brothers all got up and went to prepare for the day, and when they sat for breakfast she was still confuse Id.
"What happened yesterday?” she asked. Everyone shared a look and began to laugh.
"Would you prefer the photos or the videos?" Alfred asked and everyone seemed to laugh even harder.
Next
~~~~~~~~~~
Taglist:
@mochinek0 @justafanwarrior @abrx2002 @ranger-gothamite @fantasiame @moonystars14 @mochegato @bigbeautifulandfullofsugar @maribat-is-lifeblood @iglowinggemma28 @miraculous-ninja @talutah0 @vixen-uchiha @danielslilangel @witchsblackfox @pawsitivelymiraculous @lizziejay @marinettepotterandplagg @colorfulmongerpsychicranch @dast218 @sassakitty @miyla-lokidottir @lilkymilky @tazanna-blythe @tired-butterfly @lozzybowe @smolplantmum @queencommonsense @loopingtangent @chez-pezeater @paintedhope7 @technicallyburninggarden @meme991001 @wannajointhecrabcult @melicmusicmagic @trippingovermyfeet @greatcatblaze @fidget-eep @miraculouslydumb @iamablinkmarvelarmy @laurcad123 @hauntedwintersweets @fc-studios @fusser90 @madking-warqueen @buginetye @little-lady-bird @thebooki3h @iamabrownfox 
308 notes · View notes
heyitsani · 3 years
Text
Pretend You Know This Song
Word Count: 2265
Rating: Teen and Up
Warnings: General Batfam chaos, Reverse Robins (not really a warning but eh)
Pairing: Damian Wayne/Jon Kent and brief hints of one-sided-ish Jason Todd/Dick Grayson
Notes: As I told @mlim8, this comic has been living in my brain rent-free since she posted it and I couldn’t resist.  Go shower it with the most affection you possibly can because it’s adorable and I love it.  And Mel.
This is also kind of just a shit post because I needed to get it out of my head.  So I wrote and edited in less than two hours.  Don’t judge.
You can also read this on AO3 here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Damian and his father were already seated at the table in the small dining room the family used for regular meals when the others started filtering in.  It had been a particularly rough night on patrol, both Jason and Richard getting a little more roughed up than usual, so it was unsurprising that everyone was slow to wake.  Though, had it been a working day, he was certain his father would have managed to pull himself out of bed long before he actually did.
“Tim, I was unaware you stayed the night,” his father greeted his second eldest son as he entered the room.  Damian was unsurprised by the raised eyebrow and silence from his younger brother was he took the seat just to the left of the eldest of the Wayne kids.  It was as far away as he could get from the man he still struggled to be around.  Not that Damian blamed him.
There was a soft scuffing sound of socked feet being dragged on a Persian rug as Jason entered the room and slumped in the seat next to Tim.  Damian knew that if either of them had been more aware, they would be on opposite sides of the table as well.
“Good Morning, Master Jason,” Alfred greeted as he set a plate in front of the teenager before he set one down in front of Tim as well.  
“Morning, Alfie,” Jason intoned before diving headfirst into the plate of food without greeting any of the others around him.  It was all very mundane and ordinary for each of them.  After years of being a family, however mismatched they were, they had become terribly predictable.
More unsurprising than all of the other entrances to the dining room was Richard’s.  Despite having only been with them for a little over a year and still suffering the loss of his parents, Damian couldn’t help but compare the boy to a literal ray of sunshine.  He had no idea how the thirteen-year-old managed it, but he always managed to seem so cheerful.  Despite the various bandages and bruises that could be seen over what bits of skin were exposed, he still bounded into the room with a bright smile.  
Damian watched him greet each family member over the top of the newspaper he was reading, grudgingly accepting the hug he gave the eldest so freely, before the teen bounced over to his seat by Bruce.  
“Morning everyone,” the boy greeted with a warm smile before turning that smile upward to Alfred as the man set a plate in front of him.  “Thanks, Alfred.”  The older man smiled and patted his head before heading back to the kitchen.  “I have an announcement,” Richard’s voice sounded from his chair, and Damian glanced up to see him smiling that smile with his hands clasped in front of him.
He could see the others at the table look over at Richard and regard him carefully.  Rarely ever did Richard not command the attention of whatever room or crowd he was in.  The acrobatic nature of him wanted the attention.  In a small, family setting it was no different.
“So I’ve decided!  When I grow up, I’m going to marry Jon,” he offered up freely, and Damian felt his eyes roll immediately before dropping them back down to the paper in front of him.  He heard his father let out a chuckle, something only Richard could pull from the head of the household, and he noticed Tim regarding Jason, who was frozen looking at the youngest.  “He’s kind, and smart, and handsome,” he listed but Damian found himself more interested in the growing smirk on Tim’s face as he continued to watch Jason for some reason.
A quick glance at the teen showed he was still frozen watching the youngest.  
“And he can fly!” Richard finished his list off with a bright smile on his face, seemingly proud of the list of reasons he had made in Jon’s favor.  And though Damian couldn’t exactly fault the younger for seeing Jon’s better qualities, he was a little disturbed given the age difference between his best friend and his younger brother.
“WHAT?!”  Jason’s outburst seemed to catch everyone but Tim off guard and Damian made a mental note to ask the other man about that.  “EW!!  NO!!! You can’t marry Jon!  He’s already so old!”  Damian glanced over at Richard as Jason ranted, clenching the paper a little tighter at Jon being deemed “old” when Damian was two years his senior.  He decidedly ignored the smirk Tim sent his way despite seeing it out of the corner of his eye.  Bastard. “If you marry him when you’re older, he’ll be like 1,000!!”  Damian watched Richard’s face turn confused, brows pulling together as Jason spoke.
While Damian didn’t see the harm in Richard’s little crush, he was still young after all, Jason seemed to be completely outraged by the idea.  A glance at the other two adult at the table told him his father was simply exasperated and trying to ignore the situation but Tim looked almost…amused as he typed into his phone.  He really needed to get to the bottom of that.
“Besides, you can’t even date him!”  Damian grabbed his tea as Jason continued and tried to go back to reading the paper.  “He’s gonna marry Dami!”  The words caught him off guard enough to cause him to spit out the tea he had just taken a sip of.  
“Wh-what?!?”
“W-we are not, Todd!” Damian found himself exclaiming, eyes wide as he took in the determined look on Jason’s face and the tears welling in Richard’s eyes.  Damn it all to hell, he grumbled mentally.  The last thing he wanted was a crying Richard.  
“Liar!”  Jason turned an accusing finger on Damian.  “I saw you smile at him during patrol!”  Damian sat there for a moment, stunned, before he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over at Tim.  
“Drake!  Are you recoding?!”
That damn smirk slid back onto his face.  “No.”  
The sigh his father heaved from his end of the table was loud enough to draw Damian’s wide eyes.  He could see Richard with his face buried in his hands and buried in his father’s chest.  “You boys are lovely this morning,” the man said flatly, an arm wrapped around Richard’s shoulders.
“Father…!”  Damian gestured over to the other two, one who still hadn’t put down his phone and the other who was no glaring at the food in front of him. But his father simply raised an eyebrow and started to rub circles on Richard’s back.
“That is certainly enough of this conversation,” Alfred stepped into the room and immediately took Tim’s phone out of his hand.  Despite the protests from Tim, Damian knew Alfred would most likely delete the video.  “Can you boys please finish up your meal without another incident?  Master Richard, you have yet to touch your food.”  His tone went from hard to soft as he reached the youngest who was still clinging to his adoptive father.  “Why don’t we put this behind us for the time being and enjoy the rest of our meal?” There was a muffled sniffle before Damian saw Richard’s head nod and him slowly sit up.  But he kept his eyes downcast as he moved back to his chair and refused to look at anyone as he started to slowly eat.
Damian found himself clenching his fist to keep from getting up to comfort the boy.  He knew that after the year of practically being his father, he would always struggle not to be the one the teen turned to when he was upset.  But this time, it was Damian he was upset with.  So he pushed the instinct down and stood from his seat.
“Titus come,” he called for the dog who had been laying at his feet the entire debacle as he stepped away from the table.  “It is time for your walk.”  He didn’t bother to look at anyone other than Richard as he left the room, but not even a glance was sent his way.  It bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The evenings patrol had been quiet, and Damian found himself thankful for that given his mind kept going back to what had transpired at breakfast earlier in the day.  He could tell Richard was still upset about the events, but Damian had no idea how to make the situation better.  He didn’t want to encourage Richard’s crush given that yeah…maybe him and Jon were something to one another.  But he also didn’t want to stop him from behaving as a young teenager should.  The only thing he could think of to do was request that Robin join Nightwing on patrol instead of Batman.
And though the teen was a vigilant as ever, Damian knew him well enough to notice that he was always just on the edge of saying something.  It wasn’t until they took a moment to just observe the city below them that he seemed to have gained the courage.
“D…” he started, and Damian bit his tongue at the reprimand that wanted to surface at the nickname.  “I’m sorry I said I was gonna marry Jon,” the teen said quietly, latching onto Damian’s wrist.  The apology was definitely not what the elder had expected.  “I didn’t know you were dating.”  And though the almost heartbroken sound of Richard’s voice made his chest ache, Damian wasn’t sure what to say.
“N-No names in the field, Robin,” he chastised him carefully.  What was he supposed to say to Richard?  He didn’t want to lie but he also didn’t want to explain something he wasn’t even quite sure of himself.  The fact that Jason had picked up on it was enough to show that perhaps Damian wasn’t keeping his feelings as under wraps as he thought.  “Let’s head back.  I do not think there is any reason for us to remain out tonight.  We can have some hot chocolate before bed,” he offered as an acceptance of the apology.
And when Richard’s smile went from sad to it’s usual brilliance, Damian knew he had made the right call.  What the consequences of his lack of denial would be, he’d have to deal with them later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been a few days since the incident that shall not be named took place and Damian found himself letting Jon into his Bludhaven apartment after having just handed Richard over to Alfred to take home after he had stayed over for the weekend.  He hadn’t been expecting his best friend, but he didn’t find it an unpleasant surprise so he didn’t complain.
“Dick already gone?” Jon questioned, glancing around to see the chaos the teen had left behind but not the teen himself.  Damian only hummed with a nod as he picked up various items the teen had upended or left behind.  He made a pile of things to wash and things to return the next time he was in Gotham, which likely would be in the next day or so.  “So….”
Damian looked at Jon over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow, noticing he was rubbing the back of his neck.  The bashful act immediately put Damian on edge.  “What?”
“Why did Dick tell me that he approves of our relationship?”  Damian froze in mid reach for an item and instead stood up, arms crossed over his chest. He knew he looked as annoyed as he felt. Damnit Richard.  “Are we in a relationship?”  
Damian huffed a breath. “Ignore him.  It was Jason who put the thought in his head the other morning,” he waved a hand at the other man and went back to picking up the items strewn about his apartment.  
“But now I’m very curious as to what exactly happened,” Jon teased, and Damian sent him an annoyed look before entering his room and depositing the laundry into his dirty clothes hamper. He knew that Jon would follow him, but he still rolled his eyes when he turned and found the taller man leaning on the frame of the doorway.  “And maybe I don’t want to ignore what Dick said.”  That caused Damian freeze for the second time in a matter of minutes.
“What exactly are you implying here, Kent?”  He let the laundry basket drop the few inches he had picked it up back to the floor, turning to find the man standing just behind him.  “Jon?”
Jon’s blue eyes traced over Damian’s face and the older man found himself holding his breath as the man searched for whatever it was he was hoping to find.  “Maybe I’ve just been waiting for some kind of hint and Dick finally gave it to me…”  Whatever Jon had been looking for he must have found because his warm hands rose to cup Damian’s face as Jon stepped a bit closer.  
“A hint toward what?” Damian whispered, focusing all his strength at resisting the urge to look down to Jon’s lips that were moving closer with each passing moment.
“That this would be a welcomed gesture,” the man muttered, leaning forward and effectively closing the space between their mouths.  And though shock reverberated through his body, Damian allowed his eyes to slip shut so he could enjoy the moment for however long Jon allowed it to take place. If he was going to offer this side of him so freely to Damian, who was Damian to deny him something he himself had been yearning for for years?
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yellowocaballero · 3 years
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hi i know it's been the hottest of seconds but director's cut for the prophetic spring if you're still doing these? 👀
Sure! I’ve spoken a lot about the prophetic spring, but I’m fairly certain I could give some meta information about my intense life-long obsession with Tim Drake. Dude has been showing up in my fics since I was 14.
But actually, the ficlet I wrote ages ago might be more interesting? So here it is. Exploring a dynamic that was WAY underserved for how important it is: the Steph, Cass, Tim dynamic!
No CW that haven’t appeared in the prophetic spring, but specific mention for drug addiction and drug depiction, as well as references to molestation, abortion, torture, and suicide. Story under the cut. 
Tim stared down into the toilet bowl. It was a little yellowed. He needed to clean it. 
He stared at the small baggie of pills in his hand. 
He visualized dropping it into the bowl, flushing it. Possibly mutating an alligator, or giving the race of mole people that lived in the Gotham sewers a nice surprise. 
Tim sighed, and pocketed the drugs. Maybe tomorrow. 
**
A month after the incident with a runaway foster kid and a, in retrospect, kind of embarrassing fake fight with his older brother, Tim got a text from an unknown number. To make matters worse, it was at an insane hour of the day - noon. 
Texts from strangers were hardly uncommon. Tim had an extensive contact network, growing larger by the day, but he had set up a Google Voice on his computer so they were all routed through a program there. Being bothered at all hours of the day on his phone was hardly his idea of a good time. The only people who really had his real number were his bullshit ‘friends’ and his asshole ‘family’. He hadn’t even given his number to his ‘friends’ - he had given it to Kon under strict confidentiality, and then Kon had given it to all of Young Justice. Asshole. 
405-555-1998: dropping by in three hours so make sure ur presentable :)
As Tim had just woken up, most of his brain was occupied by a single whuh? 
Just as his mind swirled in sleepy confusion, his phone buzzed again.
405-555-1998: B1706XQE45
The code checked out. It was an ally, not an unknown or an enemy. 
Tim groaned, covering his eyes with an elbow. He needed coffee.
****
The coffee was a new thing - rather, it was something he had drunk plenty of growing up, because there had been nobody around to inform him that coffee was bad for developing brains. Growing up completely unsupervised was probably why Tim was a drug addict now. He could totally blame this on his parents never loving him. 
Not a drug addict, Tim thought to himself anxiously as the coffee sputtered into the extra large gallon pot. Just someone who...uses drugs...in an unhealthy way. Substance abu - substance user, who just used it maybe as a bad coping mechanism. Not that Tim had good coping mechanisms, but it was better than sawing off heads or becoming a drug lord. When you thought about it, it was either being a serial killer or doing drugs, so logically it means that he should do more drugs to decrease the amount of fun little murders he does -
Tim made toast.
The coffee was a new thing, because he was trying to use it to replace the drugs. He had cut back. The stupid little sorority that called themselves the Birds of Prey had been talking to him about it. He had agreed to try. It was best to set expectations low, so he couldn’t disappoint. Actually, Tim loved disappointing, maybe he should set them higher. Maybe he could make inspirational speeches about how he was a good guy now? Ha ha. 
The three hours had been a deft move. The texter knew noon was his average wake-up time at best, and the three hours gave him enough time to sober up if he had been high or drunk at the time. Tim didn’t like to start popping the minute he woke up, but - well, sometimes he did. Or sometimes he was awake at noon because he had been on an all-nighter drug binge. They hadn’t given their name, either, which meant that it was somebody who he wouldn’t want to see. 
He could bounce, escape to some corner of Gotham until they gave up. Except he had the sense that whoever had gone through the effort to get his number wasn’t the type to give up. Almost nobody Tim knew was the type to give up. His ‘friends’ and his ‘family’ never gave up. On anybody but him. 
A voice in his head, not quite yet suffocated, sounding altogether too much like the Replacement, echoed in endless attempts to get him to come back. Oh, whatever. Kid was a try-hard. He needed better taste in made up families. 
Over the next three hours, he debated his tactics. If he wasn’t escaping and the texter was playing the buddy card, then the situation probably wasn’t dangerous. He strapped in his armor under the baggy pyjamas that he never took off anyway, and spitefully made no effort to control his hair. He did put on make-up, an old hand from keeping CPS off Bruce’s trail - man, he should have pretended Bruce was molesting him, that would have been funny as fuck - to hide the bags under his eyes. No use looking pathetic. 
He hid a few more weapons around his apartment. He anxiously checked his phone, staring not at the new texts but at Harley’s offer sent a week ago. He still hadn’t replied. He didn’t know what to do with it. 
As if he could ever feel safe sleeping under the same roof as her?
As if he ever felt safe anywhere?
Maybe he had nothing to lose. That was the greatest part about this, the most wonderful aspect of what he had done to everybody in his life. When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. That’s freedom, or so Janis had always told him. She knew what she was about. Overdosing on heroin at 27 - that was understanding what it meant, to have nothing. To be free.  He was almost jealous. 
At two on the dot, a polite knock echoed through the apartment. Tim looked up from where he was relaxing on the couch, with all of the possible entry points in his line of sight. That wasn’t a knock he had memorized, and he had memorized everyone’s knocks. 
Nothing for it. He’d have to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Maybe he can pull the insane sociopath schtick again; that had always been effective in ditching his parents. Tim sighed, walked over to the door, swiped his thumb against the keypad, undid the three deadbolts, and opened door only to see - 
Stephanie Brown, hands propped on her hips and smiling widely. Cassandra Wayne, standing right behind her, serene as ever. 
Tim closed the door - or he tried. Steph had expected the move, and the minute he had opened the door her foot had jutted out and blocked him from closing the door. Effortlessly, she wrenched it back open and stepped into his apartment, forcing him to press against the wall and scowl as insane women infiltrated his space. 
“Wow,” Steph said loudly, “this place looks like a wreck!”
Tim groaned. 
***
The thing with Steph and Cass was this:
How to describe it?
The sister he had never expected, the best friend he had never thought he would have. Cass was his twin, Robin’s shadow, the other side of his mountain. Bruce had adopted Cass barely five months after he became Robin, and Tim had unabashedly resented her for stealing Bruce’s attention so quickly. He had always liked her more, but Bruce had liked everyone more than Tim, so maybe it was no surprise. She was sweet, kind, gentle, and no trouble. Tim wasn’t any trouble either, but he couldn’t be the rest of it if it bit him in his ass. 
Robin was the brain. Cass was the muscle. They were a team so closely linked, conjoined at the hip, that Tim couldn’t remember a patrol ever done without her. Bruce had let them start patrolling alone at fourteen (“You didn’t let me work alone until I was fifteen, and I was an assassin,” Damian had spat), and they had been an unbeatable team. Robin’s hand-to-hand was weak, but nobody ever got through Batgirl. Batgirl struggled with technical knowledge, reading and writing and investigating and chasing down leads, the only area where Tim had ever excelled. Together, they had almost been as good as Batman. Sometimes, Tim had let himself think that they might be better.
They had been so similar. Everyone had always said so. They’re both so quiet, the Justice League had said. Emotionless little freaks, the Rogues had said. Neither of them blink, their schoolmates had said. But there had been nothing to say, not between them: they could have a conversation without words, without even Sign. Cass had known every twitch of Tim’s body, had understood him down to his core. Nobody else ever had. Everybody had always called Tim inscrutable and impossible to understand - but to Cass, Tim had been an open book. She knew every inch of him. And she had loved him anyway. 
And Steph! When Steph had found them when they were fourteen veering on fifteen, and from then on it was as if she had always been there. She was so big, so smiling, so much, and she had never apologized for any of it. Nothing scared her. To Tim, that was the perfect vigilante - somebody who was scared of nothing, who never hesitated, who was good. 
Not even Bruce could intimidate her. When Tim was fourteen, he had thought that was the most amazing thing in the world. Bruce intimidated everyone, but Steph had just stuck out her tongue and kept badly backflipping off roofs anyway. Through twin convincing, Tim and Cass had convinced Bruce to give her a chance, and Spoiler had slot into their dynamic perfectly. She was their best friend, always. 
She wasn’t good at hand-to-hand at first, but Tim had improved by then, and they could cover her. She improved faster than he had, and judging from the reconnaissance footage Tim had frantically consumed after he came back to life, she was amazing now. She was wickedly smart, practical and down to Earth. If Tim was better at hacking into a computer, Steph was the one who found the post-it note with the password stuck under the desk. 
But more than any of that, she had brought the social skills. She had brought the calming presence, the sweet hand to victims and civilians, and her good humor was infectious. Steph was good with people. She was a born leader. Resilient. Brave. Everybody liked her. Everybody loved her. Tim had. She had loved him too. She could have done so much better than Tim and Cass, weird little societal rejects, but she had chosen them as her family. 
It had been the three of them. For as long as Tim’s life had meaning, for as long as he had been loved, they had loved him. Tim had grown up alone, in a world of one, and they had infiltrated it. They had expanded it, and they dragged his life into more than just Tim. Into Tim-and-Cass-and-Steph. Into Robin-Batgirl-Spoiler. Into meaning, and love. 
Tim hated them. And he wanted them to suffer. 
“That’s the Stephanie Brown I remember,” Tim sneered, closing the door behind him. Steph had quickly thrown herself onto Tim’s couch, clearly somewhat surprised at how comfortable it was, and Cass had  perched daintily on the arm. Cass had always refused to sit like a normal person - she would rather sit on the backs of sofas, or on the arm, or perched on chairs like a bird - “If I had known you were coming I would have jumped cities.”
“We would have chased you down and you know that,” Steph said cheerfully, like she said fucking everything. “Besides, if you had known we were coming you would have gone into witness protection. You’ve been avoiding the fuck outta us.”
“Wonder why,” Tim said, injecting as much mean-spirited sarcasm into his voice as possible. “I need more coffee, don’t go through my shit.”
The apartment was small, and the kitchen had a cut-away wall where he could see through into the living room. Stephanie hated nothing more than being ignored or looked down upon, and if he dismissed her and didn’t react then she’d grow infuriated with him and leave. He couldn’t fight with her, because if it came down to a battle of rhetoric or emotions she’d win single-handedly. She was so good with words. Cass...had no weaknesses. 
Which was inconvenient, because it was Cass he absolutely had to get rid of as soon as possible. She was very emotional, and more than a little sensitive. Especially to rejection. If he was cruel enough to her, she’d start crying and leave. There was only one problem with that. 
As he jammed more grounds into the machine he watched the girls out of the corner of his eye. They weren’t talking or whispering to each other, both fully aware of how well Tim could read lips. They weren’t even having one of those body language conversations they could only have with each other, aware that Tim could crack that too. Instead Stephanie was casually sprawled on his couch, looking for all the world like a middle aged dad watching the football game, looking around the room. Cass, as usual, was zoning out. Or, of course, looked like she was zoning out - Tim could tell that she was waiting for something to happen, and was preparing herself for it. 
Shit. Tim fought the urge to gnaw on his fingernail. Cass was going to be a problem. 
He risked another glance backwards. She could see him, so she knew. Fuck. He had never been on the other side of her mind reading. It was fucking inconvenient. Psychics should be shot on sight. 
The coffee sloshed into the biggest cup he could find in his kitchen, and Tim began draining it immediately as he leaned over the cutaway. He kept the cup held up to his face, obscuring it. Face covered, everything under the elbows covered - best he could do without preparation. 
“This little field trip sanctified by Sgt. Brother?” Tim asked, sipping the scalding hot coffee. Not hot enough. He needed - he needed - they’d see -
“We’re nineteen, we don’t need his permission for everything we do,” Steph said, amused. So she was going to speak for Cass - hardly unusual, as whenever they were all together Steph tended to be the only one who spoke - but seeing as Tim was Tim then it was definitely a strategy. 
“He lets his precious baby sisters knock on the door of drug lords for fun?” Tim sneered. 
“If they’re incompetent and retired, sure!”
Tim gritted his teeth. Don’t rise to her bait. Don’t. She was the best person in the family at getting a rise out of their enemies. He didn’t stand a chance. 
“What do you want?”
“We thought we’d take you roller skating at the rink,” Steph chirped. 
Tim stared at her. 
“Or the pool,” Steph said, faux-thoughtfully. “Or just the mall?”
Fuck this. Tim headed for the door, ready to walk out of the building barefoot in his pyjamas. He tugged at the doorknob, only to find that it wouldn’t open. 
Tim breathed in through his nose, then out through his mouth. There were other exits. He was not trapped. Had his apartment always been so small? He could have sworn that it was bigger. 
He turned around slowly. Stephanie was grinning at him, twirling what looked like a small plastic cylinder. Tim recognized it instantly - fancy League tech. Overrides all electronic locks and controls them. They all used it to trap perps and heighten their fear tactics. Tim jammed his thumb on the keypad. Nothing happened. 
Cass glanced at Steph, and made a small motion. Tim couldn’t interpret it. Why couldn’t he interpret it? Did they have a new code? It was Cass. When nobody else had understood her, Tim always had. Now they had their own language, one that Tim couldn’t interpret anymore. Tim was lost in translation, always drifting. 
“We aren’t bringing you in,” Steph said, just as light as ever. No trace of pity or caution or gentleness in her voice: just relentless cheer. “Literally all we want to do is talk. Play a board game, maybe?”
 Tim’s eyes flickered to the hidden panel in the wall next to him where he had stashed a gun and a sword. 
“Bro,” Steph said, “you really don’t want to escalate this.”
“Do you think you can take me?” Tim asked curiously, letting his hand drift to his arm. He shook his long pyjama sleeve down to cover his wrist. “That’s pretty cute. Last time I checked, you’re the shittiest at hand-to-hand in your team.”
But Steph just rolled her eyes. Shit, wasn’t he supposed to be ignoring her? He couldn’t, not so long as she kept pushing and pushing. Not so long as she was in his house. “Leave off. Just because Jay and I are the last people in the fam who weren’t trained in Mystical Ninja Arts doesn’t mean I’m incompetent. Hands in the air, by the way.”
Stephanie was overly sentimental. New tactic. He raised his hands slightly in the air, caught reaching for the weapon hidden in his armor. “Incompetent enough to let me die.”
There. Finally. Thank god, Tim thought he was losing his touch. The muscles clenched in Stephanie’s jaw, and just a twitch of her eye - banishing a bad memory. “Everybody’s been saying you’ve turned rude. I guess you’ve just been avoiding us because you don’t want to hurt our feelings, right?”
“I didn’t remember a lot when I was first resurrected,” Tim said casually, despite the fact that he had never told anybody about the first awful six months. Something about Steph and Cass just pried it out of him, like invasive surgery. Or an autopsy. “I remember everything about those six months, though. Homeless. Practically retarded. Brain damage does that to you, you know. I lived on the streets, did you know that? It was a miracle I lived through it.” He gasped, as if he was remembering something. “I slept on 34th street! You lived near there, didn’t you? Maybe you even walked by me.”
Steph went white. Cass’ expression froze. He was pushing hard, but these two wouldn’t react to anything less. Steph could trade barbs better than he could, even now. 
“It’s a good thing Talia found me,” Tim continued. “She was the only one who cared.”
That did it. Steph tensed, leaning forward, and even Cass stiffened. “Is that what she told you? How can you believe her?”
Tim just shrugged, walking back to the kitchen and hiding his body language again. He took an extra loud slurp of the coffee, just to be annoying. “Talia never lied to me. She said that nobody cared enough to save me. And guess what!”
Steph’s jaw clenched again. She was a hot head. A fierce temper, an impulsive girl who jumped in feet first and sanity second. Woman, now. When had that happened? “Cut that shit out. We all know what you’re doing. You’ve been doing it to everyone. Did you think Connor didn’t warn us?”
Snitch. Tim slurped his coffee again. “Connor’s been telling everyone to give me space.”
“Yeah, everyone but us.” She stood up now, ignoring the flicker of a frown on Cass’ face, and folded her arms. A challenge against the world. Against Tim. It didn’t matter. “You don’t believe half the shit you’re spewing. You’ve never believed your own bullshit, Tim. You’re just saying it to drive everybody away. It’s not going to work on us.”
“Why?” Tim asked innocently. “You’re too thick?”
“Because we love you!” Steph cried. Tim rolled his eyes. As if he hadn’t heard that one before. “Saving Richie proved it, you aren’t as insane as you keep pretending you are. You know what you’re doing is wrong, you just don’t care.”
“Wow, you caught me.” Tim took another long swig of his coffee. It was making his hands jittery. Good. “Local genius aware of his actions. Call the press. Call Uncle Clark, he needs a scoop.” He arched an eyebrow at Steph. She hated that expression of his - she had always found it so aristocratic and pretentious. Joke’s on her, he was pretentious. “Do you mind if I go do a line? I’m not high enough for this conversation.”
If she had told him who she was, he would have done a line anyway just to spite her, and she knew it. “You don’t want to try,” Steph said stubbornly, “but you’re trying. You don’t want to care, but you care. You don’t want to feel it, but it hurts so much you can’t bear it. You can’t get anything past us, Tim. It’s always just been us. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Doesn’t that mean -
“What that means,” Tim said, and he found the words scraping his throat. He found himself talking a little louder than he meant to. The coffee, you know. Made you jittery. “is that you should have saved me. If you loved me so fucking much, you would have been anything other than useless. You’ve always been the most useless girl in the world, Steph. You couldn’t save your crook of a dad or your junkie of a mom. You couldn’t save your baby and you couldn’t save me. You’re ghetto trash putting on airs, and everyone can smell it on you.”
As soon as he said it, he tensed. He shifted his stance, ready to throw the coffee and spill the scalding liquid on her. Obscure her vision. It would take a second for her to vault the cover, so he could duck down. From there he could get the gun, shoot the window, jump out the window. She couldn’t win. Tim had the most powerful weapon in the world in his disposal and that was his infinite, burning hate. His hate for Steph and Cass burned him to the ground, and his world with it, and he was going to burn them to cinders because he couldn’t do anything else. 
But Steph didn’t move. Cass got off the sofa. She walked up to Steph, and gently pressed a hand on her shoulder. She squeezed. Steph exhaled, long and shaking, and nodded at Cass. She walked into Tim’s bedroom - hey! - and shut the door. 
Then Cass stared at Tim, and there was no more need for words. Not between them. 
Tim vaulted the cut away wall, aiming for her feet first. Cass didn’t dodge - that would imply that she moved like an object moved. She moved like water moved - swift and supple, with such infinite grace and precision that it was like she wasn’t human at all. 
But he had gotten better. He didn’t spend two and half years trained by the League of Assassins in crochet. Tim lashed out with a foot, she dodged again. He threw a punch, she moved. He feinted, clearly leaving her an opening, and she didn’t take it. 
Bitch. 
Cass shoved away his coffee table, sending it skidding across the floor and opening the floor space. The rug became their arena, tight and intimate, no room for maneuverability. Tim acted and she reacted, Tim lashed out a sweep kick and she jumped over it, Tim tried to grapple and she broke his hold. She never threw him to the ground, never pinned him. She just moved. 
She was good, but not good enough to toy with him and win completely. The way to win against Cass was to leverage your height - Tim was taller than he once was, although that wasn’t saying much - weight, and strength against her. A couple good hits and she was down. 
The issue, of course, was hitting her. 
He got a hit in. It was much easier when she wasn’t even fighting back. She rolled with it effortlessly, taking the impact to gain a little space between them. She breathed deeply, sweat rolling down her neck. Tim used to take a cold compress and press it to that neck. She used to smile at him. Thank you. 
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Cass said. 
“Too bad,” Tim said. 
Fights weren’t like in television, long and choreographed extended scenes to entertain and thrill. When Ro - Tim was in a fight, a real fight, it was typically finished in less than a minute. The only way that a match can get long is if the other person was deliberately tiring you out - a risky strategy - or if you were of completely equal strengths with similar fighting styles. Or if it was a spar. 
As Tim tried to hit her again and again, he realized that it was a spar. 
No, not even that. It was a conversation. 
Tim grabbed her wrist, and said: I want you to hurt. Cass broke the hold, telling him that he can’t. Tim leveraged the motion and kneed her in the back, telling her that the only goal of this fight was pain. Cass let the impact take her down to the mat, an incredibly disadvantageous position, but rolled out of the way just as Tim tried to exploit the opportunity. I’m not scared of you. Tim hit again, and again, and again, failing every time. I want you gone, Tim said, and this is the only way I know how to do it. 
This is what Tim said: as much as I once loved you, I now hate you. The infinite depths of my love, my twin sister, how we moved in perfect sync. I hate it all. As much as I cared, I now hate. Feel this hate. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Cass said. 
They moved in perfect sync, even now. Cass couldn’t predict his movements before he made them, like she used to - his training was different now, developed and refined. But Cass knew the League of Assassins too, had been trained by them just as he had, and they were written into her bones when they were only carved into Tim’s. After his third patented Talia move, she adjusted to fit his style, and their fight metamorphosed into more of a dance. Like they used to. 
“Why not!” Tim screamed, the stupidest possible thing to do in a fight, but Cass didn’t take advantage of his exhale. He lashed out a fist to cover the opening, but it was lazy and over-extended, and she dodged easily. “I’m going to kill you!”
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
Tim desperately tried to call the green to his vision. It was so easy. All he had to do was tap into that rage. Talia had called it blood lust. Said it was normal, even good. But it wouldn’t come. Where was it? It was his only friend. 
Desperately, Tim went in for another punch to the face - Cass’ jaw was the weakest part of her body, an old injury - but he over-extended again, and this time Cass took the opportunity. She grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, dropping him to the mat. She didn’t try to twist him around, instead landing him on his back. Bad move for her. 
She kneed him in the chest, putting her full hundred and thirty pounds on him. She twisted his hands behind his back, pinning him, and Tim could do barely more than wheeze. 
He looked at her in the eyes for the first time. They were infuriatingly calm. Her hair was tangled and clumped with sweat, but she wasn’t breathing hard. Her expression was placid and serene, as if she was watching one of her stupid fucking nature documentaries instead of pinning her brother to a hard and scratchy rug in a shithole apartment, three years after he was tortured to insanity and shot himself in the head. 
So much time had passed. So much had happened, nasty and festering and putrid, and Tim had let it happen. He had made it happen. There was a rot in Tim, and it had eaten him up until there was nothing inside. If you cut him open, would it spill out? Would it infect her, infect Steph? Could he make them suffer?
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Cass repeated. “So don’t be scared.”
“Scared?! I’m not fucking -” Tim wheezed, cut off by the lack of air as Cass pressed down. 
“I’m sorry you’re scared. I didn’t mean to leave you alone. But I did. I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to kill -”
Cass pressed down on his chest again, cutting him off. She had finally done the one thing nobody in Tim’s life had ever figured out: how to make him shut up. “You can be as mean to me as you want. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll stay.”
Tim wheezed. In that, maybe, Cass heard something, because she continued as if he had spoken. Or maybe she just wanted the chance to talk. It had been stolen from her for thirteen years, and it was valuable to her. 
“You do not have to be kind. You do not have to hug me, even if I want you to. You do not have to be my brother. I know it hurts too much. But you are me. I am you. You do not even have to try for that. I do not have to give it to you. You have it.”
Tim couldn’t help it. He cried a little, and then he couldn’t stop. 
Cass got off him, but she kept her promise. She didn’t hug him. She just propped him up against the sofa, holding his hand, and didn’t speak. At some point the door creaked, and he felt Stephanie next to him. 
This is why, Tim thought hysterically, he had been avoiding them.
He knew this would happen. There was no hiding from Cass. There was no posturing, no pretending. She didn’t want anything from him. She never had. There was nothing he could say that would drive her away, because Cass did not listen to the words people spoke. She spoke only for clarity, when she could not afford for her words to be misconstrued, and for the comfort of others. 
Cass knew that he had been lying out of his ass. Cass knew that he wasn’t as insane as he pretended, as cruel as he wanted to be. 
He couldn’t make Cass hate him. Shit. 
None of them said anything. Nothing needed to be said, not between the three of them. Cass might be having a silent conversation in Sign with Steph, but he didn’t care enough to open his eyes and look. When they had first met, it used to make Steph so mad that Tim and Cass were having ‘secret conversations’. She had poured over her dictionaries, learning as quickly as physically possible so she could keep up. Everything Steph had, she had worked hard for. 
Steph was in college now. Premed. She wanted to be an ER doctor. Steph wasn’t a genius, she had to study hard. She wouldn’t be able to superhero in med school, so she was ready to hang up her cape for a few years until she achieved her dream. Steph said that she could do just as much good as a doctor as a superhero. She hadn’t always wanted it. When they were kids and Bruce used to ask her what she wanted to do when she grew up, in his awkward faux-dad way, she had always shrugged and said that she might be a nurse. 
“Why not med school?” Bruce had suggested, between sleepy spoonfuls of oatmeal. She used to spend more nights at their place than at her own. Her mom hadn’t noticed. 
Steph had just shrugged awkwardly, nibbling her whole-wheat organic toast that she would stare at suspiciously. Rich people, she would say, sighing. “I would never be able to afford it. And no way I’m smart enough.”
“You’re good enough,” Bruce said, which was the closest he ever came to praising somebody. “I’ll pay for it.”
Steph had gaped. Cass had eaten her Lucky Charms smugly. Tim had rolled his eyes. “An in-the-know doctor for the vigilante community would be invaluable,” he had informed her, pretentious and callous. “We could use you.”
“You deserve it,” Cass had signed. 
“You have a bright future, Stephanie,” Bruce said, buckling under the panic of being a responsible adult. “I would hate to see you waste it.”
He would hate to see any of them waste their future. He had hated to see what Tim had become. He knew that. The last time he had ever seen Bruce, it was just to disappoint him. Bruce was the only parent he had ever had, and his standards were so sky high it was impossible to do anything other than disappoint. 
The fact of the matter was this: he loved Cass and Steph more than he loved Bruce. He could hate Bruce. He could hate himself. But Cass and Steph…
Bruce had ear-marked a lot of money for Steph, both for whatever continuing education she chose and for her future. It had raised a lot of questions among the lawyer team, but ultimately she had been written off as another of his strays. Tim had left her a lot of money too. There probably wasn’t any point: when she married Cass she’d have equal access to the fortune. Rich people, Stephanie used to whisper in awe, looking at organic toast. 
Cass was majoring in dance. She wanted to be a ballerina. 
Tim’s future...Tim’s future…
“Or we can watch a nature documentary,” Steph said out loud. “If we all promise not to say a fucking word.”
Incredibly, unmistakably, irrevocably, Tim groaned. “Not the fucking bee one again.”
“I like the bees,” Cass said serenely. 
“If you aren’t going to get out of my house can I at least smoke up?” Tim asked miserably. 
“I brought gummy bears,” Steph said, chipper as ever, “which are way better.”
“I’m going to the fucking bathroom,” Tim grumbled, which everybody knew was as good as a yes. 
“If you take anything I’ll know,” Cass said serenely, and also threatened. 
“Fuck you, bitch.”
Steph and Cass high-fived, and Tim sulked angrily to the bathroom. He took a second to look at himself in the mirror - looking for Tim Drake, failing, as always - before opening it and grabbing his baggie of pills. 
He looked at it. He looked at the toilet. He looked at the baggie. 
He didn’t flush them. He put them back in the medicine cabinet. Tomorrow. He’ll do them tomorrow. Not today. He can hold out for 24 hours. It’ll be fine. 
For a wild, stupid, insane second, Tim wondered if he could say that tomorrow too. If tomorrow he would look at them and say: maybe tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that…
If there was a future, for a fuck-up like him. 
The faint strains of Cass’ stupid fucking bee documentary began playing through the thin walls of his shitty little apartment, and Tim turned out the lights of his bathroom and closed the door, locking it securely behind him. 
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anjuschiffer · 4 years
Text
The Wayne Twins
Just woke up from a 3 hour nap and decided to make some tea when another story concept came to me.
I’ve always been down for bio!dad bruce, hell, I’ve been writing content for it (and even holding an event for it), but!
What if... Bio!dad Bruce AND Bio!mom Talia, meaning... TWIN AU (although Talia isn’t exactly the best mom here either :D)
So basically, Marinette is brought up the same way as Damian, but instead of a sword, she’s an expert at using a rope dart
Her rope dart is black with a single red feather, a sliver dart at the end
However, while Damian is taken to Bruce, Marinette isn’t. Instead she remains with Talia
She’s taught about the miraculous, that she is to investigate the whereabouts of it and to retrieve it
Marinette accepts the mission and wanders the world to look for it
3 years pass, Talia yet to receive any news about Marinette, wondering if she also betrayed her like Damian had. It had been a year since her last report
Turns out, Marinette was still on her mission, but hadn’t been able to contact her mother about her progress on it. She had a lead that told her that the miraculouses were somewhere in France
Marinette had almost been caught by the French government when she tried to cross the border, but still managed to get by.
Now using a fake identity, Marinette got an apartment and school documents to ease her mission
Now it was a matter of time to find it
Now, at this time, Damian was more open towards Bruce, finally dropping the last piece of information Bruce needed to know
“Father, there’s something I need to tell you.” He hesitates when Bruce remained silent. “I have a sister.”
“As in-”
“No, not older.” Damian digs through his pocket, having a picture to show him. Single photo he has of the two of them. “My twin.”
Ensue Bruce losing his shit because why is he finding out about his other child through his own? Why didn’t Talia tell him about Marinette?
Ensue the hint for Mari, taking a year to track her down at Paris since Damian didn’t know of her whereabouts for 3 years and Talia wasn’t giving out any info about Mari
Once they do find Marinette, she’s managed to find and have the Ladybug miraculous in possession, despite Fu’s gut telling him it was a bad idea, but gave it to mari because Wayzz said she was the perfect candidate
However, Mari has been conflicted on whether to give it to her mother, her principles being tested.
Also, something like this happens
It had been a walk home, after fighting an akuma and once more giving Adri-Chat Noir the cold shoulder that she feels like she’s being followed
She quickly whips out her rope dart, tying up the stalker, only to find Damian before her
“Damian. What...what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your father?”
“He’s our father.” Damian emphasizes, not untying himself at all
At that Mari purses her lips, quickly setting Damian free, but doesn’t run up to him even though she wanted to. After all, Damian was the only person she considered family. She resented their mother and grandfather
“You still havent answered my question. What are you doing here?”
“I want you to meet father.”
“No.” Mari growls, her rope ready to attack if she hand to. “He’s not my father.”
“Whether you don’t consider him to be or not, he is by blood.”
“No he isn’t!” She attacks, leading to the two fighting, although Damian mainly dodges or has to free himself from multiple captures. “You’ve gone soft. Mother would be disappointed.”
“Like you’re one to talk.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Shouldn’t you have reported to her already?” Marinette loosens her grip on her dart, allowing Damian to take advantage and knock her out.
She wakes up at her apartment, where she’s face-to-face with Bruce
“Marinette, meet our Father.” “Father, meet Marinette, my sister... your daughter.”
Bruce remains still, observing the girl, wondering why Talia never told him about their little girl 
Bruce attempts to talk to her, but she breaks out of the apartment, once more fleeing from them
Bruce attempts to go after her, but Damian doesn’t let him
“She’ll keep doing that until she wants to face you. I may not know what she’s been doing for the past three years, but I did grow up by her side for 10.”
Marinette looks for a new apartment and tells her mother about the situation at hand, Talia reassuring her everything is going to be fine and to just focus at the mission at hand
Some time passes and the opportunity finally happens. She’s appointed guardian. 
“Mother, I finally know where the miraculous are.”
“Good. Once you have them in your possession, we’ll finally have the ability to complete the League’s goal.”
While Marinette is happy that her mission is almost over, she doesn’t want to hand them over to her mother, something beckoned her to not do it
If living in Paris taught her one thing, it was that she had the power to change
her classmates had shown her kindness despite her cold demeanor, the bakers around the block showed her love and warmth, treating her like family whenever she dropped by
Her coldness melted around these people, even around the Lila girl that got under her skin. While she didn’t like Lila for attempting to frame her for her mistakes, she certainly did like her for her story telling. She should consider being a director or writer.
She knew that she can change, that she didn’t have to suffer from Talia’s rules anymore if she didn’t return
For Talia never truly loved her... she was a mere tool to her...
“She can’t have you.” Marinette muttered to herself, looking at the kwamis with sadness “She’ll abuse you. She’ll hurt you...just like she did to me...and Damian.”
While away from Talia, Marinette had learned more about herself, learned that she liked to sew, that she loved parkour and acrobatics
She learned these, because she was away from Talia, from her controlling mother
A month passed, Marinette now in Gotham, realizing that if she wanted to escape Talia, she was going to need help.
As soon as she stepped into Gotham, she already found it.
She had carelessly let her guard down, surrounded by thugs when Nightwing had fended them off
“You shouldn’t be out here at this ti-”
“I need to speak to Batman.” 
“And why’s-”
“Let me speak to Bruce.”
“Hold on a sec, how-”
“He’s my father and Damian’s my brother.” Marinette cut to the chase. “I need their help.”
Dick nods and brings Marinette to the batcave, where Marinette rushes to hug Damian, which confuses the hell out of Tim and Jason
Upon seeing Bruce, Marinette awkwardly hugs him, apologizing for the mess their first encounter was
Bruce hugs her tighter, happy that Marinette finally acknowledged their relationship
“So why are you here?” Jason asks, Marinette telling them about her situation, explaining to them her plan (don’t know if I should make her show them the kwamis or not...)
They agree to help
Talia ends up dropping in the next day, much to the family’s surprise (although they already had everything in motion)
Talia ends up dodging the other bats, chasing Mari and cornering her in a room, Marinette telling them that she can handle it, much to Damian’s worry
“Marinette, come now. Hand them over.”
“I won’t.” Marinette defends, looking at the miracle box in hand. “I will never give them to you!” 
Talia rages, beginning to tell marinette how soft she had grown, that she was throwing her opportunity of a life time, that she was stupid for casting aside her right to the ‘throne’
“No I am not! While I’m not the prodigy like Damian, nor am I strong like my father, nor as cunning as you, I know one thing! I’m happier than I’ve ever been since I left the League and I want to continue to be that way!” Marinette yelled, slipping on the Cat Miraculous, shouting catacylsm, holding the miracle box with her other hand
“What do you think you are doing?”
“Something that all the previous guardians should’ve done.” With a shit-eating grin, Mari destroys the box, Talia screaming
Talia gets taken down by Bruce although she ends up escaping and retreating
Marinette finally feels a giant weight off of her, collapsing to the floor
Of course, the plan still isn’t dont
Marinette brings back the Miracle Box (gave Dick the earrings to hold...other rather wear. She changed the earrings to be magnetic) and vows to protect them with her life
“So that’s it, isn’t it?” Damian says, sitting next to her. “What’s next?”
“Dunno.”
“Why don’t you stay here?” Damian offers, Marinette taken aback. “I know you have nowhere else, so why not just...stay with us?”
Marinette looks at the rest of the family, looking at the bruises and cuts on their faces, smiling back at her. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Marinette begins to cry, Damian simply sitting there as she cries.
Her wish was finally granted. She can finally have a warm, kind place to call home.
Tags: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life
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salty-fang · 4 years
Text
Twisted Fate Sugar Edition
Part three (sorry for the long wait) thanks for being patient @loveswifi
Marinette had had a weird day. She had kept being pulled in the direction of people who could’ve been mistaken for male versions of herself. Jason, Tim and Dick.
She had met Jason first. She had taken a quick detour from her hour-long trip to the fabric store. It had been a week after her outing with Gina, Alfred and Bruce Wayne but a week before the whole Lila debacle. She hadn’t expected Lila to even be in Gotham so Marinette didn’t feel the need to worry. She should have.
----------------------------------------------------
Jason had loads of knowledge on malicious stalking. Growing up as a vigilante taught him some things. So, he was truly stunned when he saw two shady people watched that pregnant woman with wolfish glares that he actually felt the need to follow them. He dragged her out of there line of sight, which without an explanation was pretty stupid. She’d kicked him in the balls causing him to hiss.
“Let go of me.”
“I’m trying to help you. A woman and a man have been watching you for a fucking long time. I just wanted to make sure you knew them. By the way, I’m Jason Todd.”
“Marinette.”
“One of them literally has sausages for hair. I think I’m going to have nightmares for a while.”
“Ugh, you should meet Lila Rossi.”
“Agreste's new wife?”
“Yup. Her eyes are so cold and dead. And she wears so much orange. It’s so painful when you actually look at her that I’d rather stick pins in my eyes.”
“Yo, this chick is the same. You sure we aren’t talking about the same person?” she snuck a quick look around the corner, laughing at the confusion on both Lila and Kim’s faces. She’d laughed too loud as Lila’s head whipped in her direction.
“That’s definitely her. Still as annoying as ever.” Kim had whispered something in Lila's ear just as she rounded the corner. They had started sprinting towards her and were going to catch her if she didn’t move her ass.
‘I can’t run far in heels. I’m going to have to catch a bus. The doctor did tell me to take it easy. Can’t affect those triplets with too much movement.’
She had only made it outside the door when she felt herself be hoisted onto sturdy shoulders.
“Let go of me! Oh it’s you Jay. Give a girl some warning will ya!” she said sighing in exasperation.
“Sorry but you really thought I was going to watch them hurt my little sis.”
“Hey! I’m not little. And put me down. “
“That’s what your focused on? And I won’t put you down. You may think you don’t need help but you’re wrong. So let your good big bro do his job.
“Good my ass,” she muttered, ducking under a signpost. “More like arrogant goofball.” Kim and Lila had either disappeared or they just blended in with the crowd very well. They’d probably lost them. Thank God for that.
“Jay, you can put me down now.”
“Huh, are they gone?”
“Yup.” She said popping the ‘p'. “Thank you Jay. For everything.”
“No worries, pixie pop. You’re my sis. I’d kill a bitch for you.” Marinette had fallen in line with Jason. But with his long strides and her pregnancy she was always steps behind him. Sure he’d fall back to match her pace but Lila had waited until the perfect moment to capitalise. She’d tried to scream for help but she had lost the ability to. They dragged her round the corner to one of her favourite cafés. Her head ached where Lila had pulled tightly on her braid (think Lady Noire) as she felt several strands of her hair fall out. Had no one found her being dragged around slightly disturbing?
She supposed no one cared about business that didn’t affect them in Gotham. Wow. Great, just great. She’d submitted herself fully when another blue-eyed black-haired man had come to her rescue. Seriously, was everyone in Gotham like Jay Jay or had he just been a manifestation of her sleep deprivation. He’d seemed so real, so human but it wouldn’t be the first time her mind would make something so absurd up. It was probably her loneliness acting up again. There was no way any sane person would stay around her for so long.
---------------------------------------------------
Surprisingly it had been Tim who saved her, though she hadn’t known that. Unsurprisingly, Jay and him had two distinctly different personalities. He lived off coffee, looked twice his age with those bags but had such wit about him that he could manipulate the situation without the other party realising. He had been surrounded by so many coffee cups that she had thought he had been in his final year preparing for exams or perhaps working night shifts every day of the week. But nooooo, he was the co-CEO of a business. Starting at the age of 17. Marinette had felt some of the burden dropped on her and she wasn’t even in his position. No wonder he looked like he needed a pick me up. It was just as well that she’d come equipped with her special coffee. She’d make more for Gina later, he needed it more. Plus, Gigi wouldn’t be back in hours.
“I know you said it was alright to sit with you uhh...”
“Tim.”
“Right, Tim. I don’t want to bother you anymore but that coffee looks like it doesn’t do shit for you. I made some for my grandma but she won’t be back for ages so maybe... you would like it?” Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Of course he won’t want some he probably thinks you’re a weirdo who poisoned his drink. Maybe you can take it back from him? “ on second thought-"
“Sure. Why not?” Ok Tim needs sleep. My God, I could have spiked his drink and he accepted it. He’s so vulnerable like this.
“If I give you my drink it will probably take a minute to kick in but... but you have to promise me that you’ll drink my power down later. If you don’t I’ll find you and I’ll get you to sleep one way or another. Don’t test me.” He gulped, eyes wide as he frantically nodded. “Good. Now would you like some pastries to go with your Marinette’s Super Special?” Her shift in character made him freeze. He couldn’t find his voice quick enough and instead opted for a simple thumbs up. She dug two flasks out of her bag, placing one in front of him and sniffed her own. Then, she brought two plates out, setting out croissants so buttery they made him drool, raspberry macaroons and a dozen mini chocolate chip muffins.
“You look like you needed a sugar rush so I guessed what you might like. Sorry if they’re not your favourites. Now chop chop eat up child!” Tim took a tentative sip of his drink feeling it slip down his throat. It had been just how he liked it yet slightly stronger. And then he felt the kick. It had been so small that his brain glossed over it but it’d been there. He was starting to feel more human again. And it had shown. His face had become less pallid and gaunt, his eyes held a fire that had been previously extinguished and his movements became less robotic, almost lighter. Before Marinette could utter ‘I told you so' everything had vanished. Tim was never usually a messy eater but he definitely was right now. Chocolate was smeared all over his chin , flakes from the croissant had littered around his suit and coffee had spilt on his white polo shirt.
“Beanie,” he muttered, a wild look in his egyptian blue eyes. “Please tell me you’re real. Or I at least died and went to heaven. You’re too sweet not to be in my life. I don’t know how I lived without you before. Please, I need you as my dealer. Your coffee is the only one I’ll ever drink again. Please.”
----------------------------------------------------
It wasn’t every day you saw Tim Drake beg on his knees and whine. But when you did, you would probably laugh your ass off. Whoever that poor girl was had just attracted the attention of invasive photographers. Unlucky, but at least they would get a show out of it.
“If I give you my coffee you’re not going to sleep. You’re going to be a living zombie and I can’t live with that. I’d rather not have anyone connecting me with your death from excessive tiredness.” Tim knew he had to play dirty if he was going to win. Thankfully, Steph had taught him how to master the art of puppy dog eyes which he aimed at Marinette. He then wrapped his arms around her leg, consequently being dragged along the unsanitary sidewalk to where both their belongings were.
“Please please please please PLEASE.” He noticed Marinette’s will become fragile. He wobbled his bottom lip, sniffling softly. “I’ll stop begging if you say yes. Please beanie.”
“Fine.” She huffed whilst he fist pumped the air. “But we do things on my terms alright?”
“Yes ma’am!”
“Jeez. You’ve given me a headache.” She stated aiming a half-hearted glare at a sheepish Tim. “That’s an achievement, dude, not even Chloé could do that and her tantrums were super bratty.”
He had gone to apologise when shrill ringing rang in the air.
“Sorry,” he mouthed. “ I have to take this.”
“Jason what do you want? You just interrupted my deal with my dealer.”
“ I didn’t know you had it in you. But now isn’t the time. I need you to check security where you are. Pixie pop's gone missing.”
“Pixie pop?”
“I’ll explain later but right now she’s in danger. See you in 5 replacement.” With nothing left to say the line went dead and he decided to run some checks on Jason’s location whilst idly chatting with Marinette. She had asked for his unique insight on her latest design.
“What shade would you use on this? I’m only asking because of your peculiar style.”
“Definitely lavender but towards the bottom fade into a dark purple. And peculiar?”
“Who wears a suit on a hot summers day?” she asked eyebrow raised.
“Me. Batman. Business owners. Cosplayers. Bruce Wayne. The list could go on but I don’t have all day.” He said throwing an exaggerated wink at her.
“None of those people you mentioned are normal except maybe cosplayers so it doesn’t count. Better luck next time. I’m going to go pee.” Tim had opened his mouth to respond when he spotted Jason. He looked terrible. His hair was matted against his forehead with sweat, his eyes were bloodshot.
“I came as soon as I could. What did you find replacement? Spit it out. I don’t have all fucking day.”
“First, I want you to meet me dealer and then we can talk about what happened to ‘pixie' and who they even are.”
“Tim, as much as I’d love to meet your drug buddy, it’ll have to wait. She’s more important. I’m worried that the people who took her are going to seriously harm her.”
“Fine but you’re missing out on meeting the sweetest girl ever.”
“I’ll pass.” Jason snarled before turning back to the pixelated security feed. “That was where I last saw her. That’s weird. It’s like she disappeared from all footage. Do you have any other leads?”
“Jay-Jay?” Marinette barrelled into him locking him in a hug. “How do you know tater-tot?”
“Hey!”
“Sorry little lady but I’m looking for someone. Holy shit, is that you pixie pop?”
“Yup and who you calling little lady? I’m fun sized and could totally whoop your ass if I wasn’t pregnant. Just remember that Jason.” The way she had said his name sent shivers up his spine. She had delivered her sentence as a fact, not a threat.
“That’s why you’re my favourite, pixie pop.” Jason said, tearing up.
“Replacement, how did you even save Marinette?”
“They probably took a look at his half dead state and got scared off.” After an hour of re-introduction, they finally left. Jason drove her back on his motorcycle and dumped Tim’s limp body (from drinking Marinette’s calming chai tea) on his back.
With many hours to kill before Gina would be back from her night shift, she got changed into her gym clothes- a pink shirt with short sleeves and grey shorts- and headed to her local sports centre. Surprisingly, it was Dick who saved her this time
Marinette had been doing light exercise to keep in shape every day since she arrived in Gotham. She had a daily routine of squats, sit ups and weights, moving at her own pace. She had only attended the gym once before this and everyone had been friendly or had just gone about their days. Today was the first day anyone had actually approached her
“Hey sunshine, is it alright if I call you sunshine?” She nodded. “There’s a creepy guy watching you. He hasn’t actually done any workouts but he’s pointing his phone at you for a hell of a long time.”
“Thank you for telling me...”
“Richard but you can call me Dick.” She snickered. “If you want to that is.” Dick walked away to take a quick call from his brother when...
WARNING: YOU MIGHT NOT BE COMFORTABLE READING THIS PART. TW: sexual harassment. I'll put a brief summary at the bottom if you would rather skip
When she felt a firm hand squeeze her ass. She felt it trail down her shorts before she could even look at their face. She leapt away from his grasp, her breathing heavy as she looked around for any support. Unfortunately, the gym was empty, giving the predator an easy advantage.
“Hey baby did anyone tell you you’re damn sexy when you smile? Cuz you definitely are.” he aimed a snide smile at her. His yellow teeth glinted and his heady scent made her sick. “Princess, come back to mine tonight. We could have so much fun together and I’ll make you scream until you forget your own name. So, how about it?” He had approached he, pushing her boundaries, forcing her to back up against the wall.
‘No. Not ever. But especially not today.’
Marinette paled quickly. Gina wouldn’t be home for hours and he would most likely follow her home anyways. With no one to bear witness to this, he could do as he pleased. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He could seriously hurt her or worse... and there would be nothing she could do about it. She’d just fade into the background, just another statistic. No one would believe her because ‘she shouldn’t have dressed like that’ and ‘she definitely wanted it’. So, she would fight and if he won well so be it. At least she had done all she could.
“Has anyone told you it’s rude to hit on people’s girlfriends?” Dick said forcing himself between them. He knew she could handle it but something about that guy made him uneasy. Marinette had exuded confidence but she still trembled and he could see how tense her muscles had been.
“He’s your boyfriend? You could do so much better than him. Just tell him your coming home with me. Or better yet, I’ll pay you to do it in front of me.” Marinette could see the repulsion on Dick’s face, as she gagged. “Yes, that would be way better. I’ll seriously pay you. Got a couple hundred bucks if you want it.” He stated palming himself through his jeans.
“No thanks. Maybe after she’s given birth?”
“She’s pregnant? What a slut. I bet she poked holes in your condom so you wouldn’t be able to leave her. Anyways, got to get back home to the wife and kids. Hit me up when she’s good again.” Marinette flung her arms around Dick as soon as she was sure he was gone.
Tw over
“Thank you so much. He wouldn't have stopped if you hadn’t come Dick.”
“No problem, sunshine.”
“It’s Marinette.” She mumbled, scuffing her shoes against the gym floor.
“What?”
“The name's Marinette. I would have loved to meet you under different circumstances. Oh well. Nice to meet you anyways.”
“You too Mari. Are you driving back home?”
“I actually walked her. I’ll probably just call a taxi or walk back.”
“No way sunshine. That guy is a huge sleaze ball. I don’t doubt that he’ll try something funny. If no one’s coming to pick you up I’ll walk you back home. Ok?”
“Ok.”
Dick had been completely right. The dude had been waiting outside, most likely waiting for Mari to leave but when he saw them leave together, he raced to his car. Dick had memorized his license plate and got a brief description of the car but he would probably dump it somewhere. Still, no harm in trying. He watched constantly to see if he was following them and took some turns to shake him off. In the end, they had arrived and Dick hadn’t left until he saw her actually enter her apartment. He had to tell everyone about Marinette.
-------------------------------------------------
Marinette’s battery had been drained, both physically and socially after that week. Lila had pissed her off and she felt really bad for that guy she spewed on. Not like she would see him again. She’d spent all week working on the dress Tim helped her with to wear to her visit to the Wayne’s tomorrow. It had been her fastest completed project ever, though she had neglected eating and sleeping. Marinette had to agree with Tim. The fade into dark purple had been a nice addition and made it really stand out. Even Penny had thought so when she saw it on their chat about commissions. A hungover Jagged threw a ‘rock’n’roll’ over her shoulder and Marinette had felt a pang in her heart at the tenderness they treated each other with. Maybe, one day she could have that special bond with someone too. But she needed to focus on helping herself heal first. She could see the apologetic look written over Penny’s face to which she giggled at before declaring that she needed some rest.
Gina had forced her to rest before they visited the Wayne’s. Apparently today had been Thursday not Wednesday? The days had just blended into one. She had been intrigued to meet the rest of the family but she felt so weak.
‘Oh well,’ she thought. ‘Nothing a little tea can’t fix.’
Since she had found out she was pregnant, all her normal guilty pleasures had been off limits. No double espresso as bitter as her soul and no alcohol. She had to adapt to the restrictions because of her doctor. So, she whipped up a tea as strong as her go to coffee with way less caffeine. It had still her the kick she needed but it wasn’t as good as she would have liked. Still, she’d take what she could get. It still aggravated her when she would reach for a glass of white wine or coffee beans forgetting about the warnings. It aggravated her when she would call out to Tikki to transform forgetting she was no longer by her side. She would toy with her empty earlobes before letting her tears fall freely. Tikki had been the most loyal-kwami or human- and she still got taken. She wouldn’t pretend it hadn’t hurt but she had moved on. Some days she would remember she wasn’t with her and cry but on some she’d pretend everything was normal. Today was one of those days where she wore herself out from crying. Gina had caught her but even she knew Marinette needed space, assuming she was still upset about Adrien.
After a good half an hour of crying, she went to freshen up refusing to look like a puffer fish when she met everyone. Dabbling at her eyes, she applied light mascara and used concealer under her bags so she wouldn’t look as dead as Tim. She slipped into the dress, wearing it with pride. It had fit like a glove exemplifying her curves and showing her protruding baby bump. That had been the only downside as she wanted it to be a surprise. Though, nothing slipped past Alfred’s keen eyes. She’d been puzzled as to how she could style her hair before she settled on voluminous curls. It had required Gina’s help and a hell of a lot of hairspray but it had been worth it. She set her flower crown upon her head (delivered to her by Adrien) and placed one on Gina's. She’d been quite surprised when Gina told her she would have to go by herself but it wouldn’t be too bad. Alfred and Bruce were kind so she could just chat with them if the others were rude.
--------------------------------------------------
Damian was annoyed. Gina was late. Very late. And he’d been waiting for hours for her to arrive. A soft rap on the door sent him flying out of his seat as he scrambled to unlock the door. He’d expected Gina but on their doorstep was that angel from before.
“You,” he whispered. “Why are you here?” He didn’t like feeling confused so he schooled his features to be cold and cynical. Footsteps behind him caused him to instinctively slam the door shut.
“Sorry angel.” Not that she could hear him. Jason had stood behind him, watching him with curiosity.
“Demon spawn. Who was at the door?” Shit. He couldn’t exactly say how he knew her or his reputation would be tarnished. Everyone in his family knew Todd was the biggest gossiper and he would definitely spread the news. Like hell would he tell Todd. He’d take that secret to his grave.
"It was bArBarA. I mean Gordon. Yeah it was Gordon.” His voice may have cracked several times but it was a convincing lie, right?
“One, you almost never call people by their first names.” Jason said, eyes narrowing slightly. “Two your voice sounded awful. And you don’t stray from perfection. So, what’s your deal?
“Puberty?” He shrugged trying to conceal his panic.
“I’ll take your bullshit for now but you forgot Barbara’s already here. Let’s try this again. Who was at the door?”
“It was that harlot that Grayson suggested I try to court.
“Oh, that bitch. She’s all yours. Just keep her away from me. And Damian when dinner is over, I’ll find you and I’ll kill you. Make no mistake.” And with that, he threw a quick salute over his shoulder and strolled away. Damian had let out a sigh of relief, turning to walk away before he remembered who was still outside.
“Todd tell everyone I went to the bathroom.” He yelled shutting the front door before he could hear his reply. He descended down the stairs only to find her missing. He had begun mapping out all the locations of the manor when his eyes fell upon her. He felt the air forcibly be removed from his lungs and he remained unmoving. Awestruck. His heart squeezed as he watched her sniff his magnolias that he tended to. The way her dress pooled around her and the small but present baby bump had made him flush.
‘She truly was an angel.’ His eyes glanced at the flower crown entangled in her inky locks as the moonlit sky enhanced her celestial look. ‘She’s also much more than that though.’
“Take a picture. It’ll last longer.” She saw his mortified face. “You know getting a door slammed in your face isn’t the greatest first impression a family could give.”
“I’m sorry. But what are you doing here?”
“Expecting a warm welcome, not being left out in the cold, really anything but this. And I don’t even know you so...”
"You do."
"Excuse me?"
"You puked on me. I didn’t think you were going to ever see me again so you surprised me. I didn’t want to explain to anyone how we were acquainted.”
"I’m so sorry. It’s these stupid hormones. And that stupid Lila. Everything is just stupid."
"Lila Rossi? She is pretty stupid.” And then something changed. His face was softer and he hadn’t looked like he would bite her head off. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m waiting for my grandma but maybe tomorrow. I’m meeting a stuck-up client so I’m gonna need to vent. I’ll tell you the details later?”
“Fine with me.” She hobbled away. She had been patiently waiting by the doorstep, her soft rap probably inaudible due to all the chaos. He whipped out his spare key, unlocking the door. He hadn’t expected that soft click to prompt the attention of his whole family.
"Marinette-"
“Beanie?”
“Pixie pop?”
“Sunshine?”
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH DAMIAN?” they screamed, rushing forwards to envelop her in hugs.
“I let her in. You guys didn’t even hear her knocking. Wait, how do you all know Angel?”
His eyes nervously flitted to hers at the slip of his private nickname. He saw the flush on her cheeks as her mouth formed a small ‘o'. She couldn’t even look him in the eyes as the others taunted him for his cute pet name. He felt Dick ruffle his hair, which took a while to style, and Jason poke his sides. He felt Tim snicker and Barbara pinch his cheek. And he felt Marinette link their hands together in solidarity, enduring the teasing with him. They had been so embarrassed that they completely missed the arrival of Gina and the scheming look on Alfred’s face who dished her the gossip. They missed the dark but silent chuckle that left both Gina and Alfred as they decided to meddle in their kids failing love lives.
“What’d I miss, my little chicks? Because Mama’s home.”
NOTES (optional)
In the part labelled with tw here is what happens:
Creepy old 50 year old man hits on Marinette and feels her up. He asks her to come home with him but Dick helps her out and stops him. He tells them he would pay to watch them go at it and calls Marinette names. He eventually 'leaves' to his wife and kids.
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unmaskedagain · 4 years
Text
Five boys the Batfamily scared off (And the one boy who helped Marinette get revenge on them all)
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This is actually based off a prompt/ask I got by #vixen-Uchiha
Okay, believe it or not, I’ve in history of all my days writing fanfiction (I just turned 27 and have been writing since I was sixteen); I started when Twilight was still at the height of its popularity. (All that work has been deleted, burned, and doused with holy water; don’t ask questions) But even with almost a decade of writing fanfiction, I never even considered approaching this fanfiction classic.
Until now.
Wish me luck. And don’t judge me too harshly.
Note this was also inspired by a poem I loved called To the Boys Who May One Day Date My Daughter by Jesse Parent
 Marinette always knew Tom was her step-father. Sabine and he married when she was three after all. And while she considered the great cuddly bear to be her dad, she still had a great relationship with her actual father: Bruce Wayne. And all her brothers and Sister.  She spent every summer with them and every other Christmas in Gotham. She loved her family. She just wished they take a chill pill.
And stop scaring away her freaking boyfriends.
Lê Chiến Kim: The Boy who swears Marinette’s related to the Boogieman
           If anyone asked Marinette now if she would ever date Kim, she’d have died of laughter. Kim was like a goofy cousin. They were great friends. Their moms were best friends. She just didn’t see him like that.
           However, it wouldn’t have been so funny to six-year-old Marinette who ran from school with a Daisy in her hair and a big smile her face.
“Daddy, Daddy,” She’d squeal to her Papa later that day. She barely noticed he was still wearing bat uniform, except the mask. Or all her brothers were with him.
“Hey Sunshine,” Bruce smiled lovingly at his youngest daughter. “You have a good day at school.”
“Give ‘em hell, firecracker,” Jason called from the background.
           Tim and Dick laughed. Bruce just shook his head amused.
“I got a boyfriend!”    
           Silence.
           That day would forever be known as the day all the smiles died. Seven-year-old Damian just blinked in confusion. He didn’t know what had happened but he knew it was bad. And that it involved his sister. Was she in danger? Did she need help?
           Before Bruce could process or respond to his precious, baby girl, who was way too young to date (And what the hell was Sabine thinking?). Dick literally pushed him out of his chair like it was nothing. “What’s his name? Who are his parents? Where does he live? And where can I find him right now?”
           Marinette, being too young didn’t notice the threat in her eldest brother’s voice and the look of murder in his eyes, had no problem telling Dick all about her best friend Kim, who was super nice, and gave her a Daisy, and kissed her cheek.
           When the call ended, Bruce brought up the picture of the boy in question. A nice-enough looking boy to most, but he knew the truth. He knew the evil in his heart.
I have been waiting for you, Bruce thought, not just to Kim but to all the boys who would day date his daughter, since before she was even born. Before you took your first steps, I was preparing to make it so you’d never walk again.
           However, Kim was still just a child. He needed a kinder touch. He looked back at his children: Dick, Jason, Cassandra, Tim, and Damian, and made his choice.
           When Dick showed up to walk her to the school the next day, Marinette didn’t think to question how her brother got from Gotham to Paris so quick. (Cough, misuse of Zeta beam). Or why he was dressed in all black with a scary biker jacket on. She just shrugged and let him help her tie her shoes and carry her bright pink, hello kitty, and backpack.
           He held her hand the entire way to school, where Kim and his dad were waiting by the doors. Kim had another daisy in his hand that he gave to Marinette.
“This is Dick,” Marinette introduced her brother. “My biggest brother. This is Kim, my boyfriend,” Kim preened. “Look, Dick, Kim got me another daisy.”
           Dick beamed at his sweet little sister, “I see. Hey! Isn’t that you’re friend Rose? Why don’t you go show her?”
“Okay!” And she ran off.
           As soon as she was gone, Dick’s smile quickly disappeared and he glared at the little Casanova, and his father, who felt like someone had just walked over his grave.
“My sister is a little young for a serious boyfriend,” Dick hissed. “Don’t you think? Don’t want her to grow up too fast, right?” The two could only nod in fear. “Good. Don’t hurt her. Don’t make her cry. Because I’d hate to have to have another talk with you, Chiến. It might not go as… nicely.” And with that, he left to go find his sister, leaving two terrified people in in wake.
           That conversation would be the reason Kim broke up with Marinette over recess but to the girl’s dismay and why the boy wouldn’t allowed to date for another ten years.
           Looking back Kim would swear darkness and shadows started to fill the schoolyard. That Marinette’s older brother’s voice got deeper and his eyes turned completely black. He had been a living nightmare, one that would haunt his dreams for years.
Marinette wouldn’t get another boyfriend for years.
 Chat Noir aka Adrien Agreste; The Boy who just didn’t want to Get Neutered
           Marinette never considered Adrien or Chat Noir her boyfriend. He had been her best friend, her partner, and for a long time, her crush. However, before Marinette found out who was behind the mask, and he earned the title of her best friend in the whole world.
Chat Noir had the title of Guy who can’t take a hint.
           They had been just thirteen at the time. Chat had been spending for more and more time flirting with Ladybug and joking around then actually taking the fight seriously. And when he wouldn’t get the response he wanted from his Lady, he’d pout or throw a tantrum and storm off. It had been getting to be a real hassle. And as much as she liked Chat, she had been seriously considering Master Fu’s offer of getting her a permanent partner to replace him.
           Then one day if all change. All the silly behavior, most of it anyway, and the constant flirting all stopped and never started back up. It would take Marinette months to find out why.
           Unbeknownst to Marinette, her Papa, Bruce had been keeping a watchful eye on the deteriorating situation. The flirting, his daughter’s frustration, the lack of care. It had to be stopped. Chat Noir had a few lessons to learn.
           Bruce glared harshly at the image of the cat-themed Superhero. He was proving to be a useless partner for Ladybug. And a prime example for a sexual harassment claim. “You’re sure you can handle this,” He asked son.
           Damian scoffed, “I will teach that alley cat the true meaning of fear.”
“Go.”
           When his son was gone and Bruce was once again alone in the Batcave, he smirked darkly at Chat Noir and all other boys who would come and go. “When you were still playing war in the school yard, I was perfecting headshots. You can’t catch up at this point.”
           One night, after a particularly hazardous fight with an Akuma, Chat Noir had been running home when suddenly everything went dark.
           He woke up, tied upside down, and gagged. For a few moments he thought Hawkmoth had finally gotten, wondered if this was the end.
           When a sword pressed against his throat, and a chilling voice whispered in his ear, “Care to find out just how many lives you really have, fleabag?”
           At the moment, Chat Noir no longer wondered if it was the end. He knew it was.
           A boy, Robin, he realized glared fiercely at him.
“I should kill you,” Robin sneered. “I should rip you limb from limb and leave your head mounted on a spike to show the next fool who thought he was worthy of my sister’s hand. Ladybug is too good for the likes of scum like you.”
           Chat Noir gulped. Sister? Ladybug was Robin’s sister. Adrien’s eyes widened, that meant Ladybug was Batman daughter. He was going to die. He was just going to disappear and his father, or most likely Nathalie, wouldn’t even notice until he failed to show up for his next appointment.
Gorilla would notice though, Adrien thought, he’d miss me.
           Robin pressed the tip of the sword to Adrien’s face until blood was drawn. “You will cease your incessant flirting with my sister. You will train harder for your battles. And you never, ever, leave Ladybug to fight alone again. Am I clear?”
           Adrien nodded his head earnestly. He’d never flirt with anyone again, he swore. He wouldn’t even celebrate Valentine’s Day. Or anything.
“And if for some miracle,” Robin hissed, “My sister deems you suitable to date, you will treat her will respect. You will never touch her without permission. And if you hurt her, Consider my genes a mark of Cain; you will suffer seven times whatever you do to her.”
           Chat Noir whimpered.
           A smoke bomb later. Chat Noir’s bonds were released and Robin was gone.
           It took a long time for him to stop shaking.
           He never flirted with Ladybug again. He worked harder and became the partner she deserved.
           And when Adrien discovered Marinette was behind Ladybug’s mask, he only managed to stumble a little.
           However, when Marinette told him that her brothers was coming for a visit; she couldn’t understand why he paled and stuttered out excuses for photoshoot he never mentioned before in far, far away countries. That same day, Adrien had his father taken them to Australia for vacation under the threat of Adrien dying his hair pink. He wouldn’t return for a month.
Jon Kent: The Boy who, in retrospect, really should’ve known better.
           Marinette’s first real boyfriend was the son of her father’s best friend, Clark Kent, otherwise known as Superman.  She had been only fourteen and it had been a summer romance while she stayed in Gotham. She had thought Jon was perfect; handsome, kind, funny…
           Invulnerable to most weapons and had amazing healing factor.
           Plus it’s not like her papa would kill the son of his best friend, right?
           Right.
           It had all been going great… until it wasn’t.
“I welcome you in my home,” Bruce hissed at the picture of Jon Kent on the bat computer. “I trained you. I trusted you. And you betrayed me.”
“Let me speak with him, father,” Damian demanded. “He is my friend. He will listen to me.”
           Bruce shook his head, “That’s why I can’t send you. You’re too close to the situation. He snuck past all our defense. Now I have no choice but to do same. J?”
           The Asian girl smirked, “Little Superboy will know dread.”
           Jon had been visiting the fortress of Solitude when… it happened.
           Before that day he had never dreamed the place would be anything less than safe, anything other than secure.
           His dad had just flown off to help someone in Brazil. Jon waited patiently for him to come back while he dreamed of his beautiful new girlfriend. Marinette was amazing, perfect, and the nicest, sweetest girl ever.
           When suddenly he felt a tickle in his throat, and he tried his best to clear it but it just got worse and worse. Until Jonathan Samuel Kent, Superboy (now that Connor was going as Krypton), fell to his knees as he struggled to breath.
           No matter what he did, the more breaths he took, the worse he felt. It was like his lungs were on fire.
“Do not struggle,” A voice said. Jon looked up see Blackbat, Cassandra, standing above him. How did she get into the fortress? Not only could only a Kryptonian open the doors but only a member of El could be let in. It was impossible. “Struggling makes it worse.”
           Jon coughed, “What?”
“The air,” Cassandra waved her hand around. “It is filled with dust. Green dust of Kryptonite. It has disable you and your powers. It’s concentrated. You will not die. The alerts of the fortress were disabled. No one is coming to help you, villain.”
           Jon shook his head frantically. He wasn’t a villain. He wasn’t a bad guy. This had to be some mistake.
“No, not villain,” Cassandra corrected. “Not yet. A thief who thought he could earn my family’s trust and then steal away our most precious jewel; our princess. And do it without consequences. I am here to teach you better.”
           Superboy flinched at her words.
“You will not pressure my sister,” Cassandra hissed. “You will be the gentleman we believed you to be. If you cheat on her, I will ensure you never have children. If you strike her, I will know. She will not keep your secret. You can’t make fire feel afraid. And I will come for you. Do you understand?”
Jon nodded, fear in clear in his eyes.
“Good.” She leaned forward, right into the young superhero’s face. “Some say you and your father, your cousin Kara, and Connor, are invincible. That you can’t be stopped. That you are gods among us.” She scoffed. “Let me make this, if you break my sisters’ heart, you will learn, boy of steel, that even gods bleed.”
           And then she was gone, and with her all traces of kryptonite. It didn’t stop the chill that filled Jon to the core.
           It was to no one’s surprise when Superman showed up at the Batcave not long after. “Bruce,” Clark asked with his arms out. “What the fuck?”
           Marinette’s relationship soured when suddenly Jon was too scared to hold her hand, her be alone with her, or kiss her. She got the hint that he just wanted to be friends and broke it.
           She found out a year later what really happened.
Luka Couffaine: The Boy who decided he didn’t want to sing his tune yet.
           Luka had been Marinette’s first serious boyfriend. She was sixteen. They had been together for months and were getting to the ‘I love you’ stage.
           He was cool. He was funny. He was a budding Rock star. He had dyed green hair, tattoos and earrings. Luka went onto tour with his band every summer. He was older than Marinette by two years. He had quite a few previous girlfriends. And he hadn’t been scared off by the normal attempts by his other kids.
           In other words, he was Bruce Wayne’s worst nightmare.
           And the nightmare got worse, when for the first time ever, Marinette was bringing a boyfriend home for Christmas. It was all the confirmation he needed that the things were serious.
           It was why he knew he had to send the greatest soldier he had. Luka Couffaine would rue the day he decided it was good idea to ask his princess out. “Are you ready?”
           Tim nodded. “I’ve done my research,” he declared. “I know what makes him to tick. I. Will. Break. Him.”
“Excellent,” He drawled out the word like it he tasting fine wine. Not caring at all that he sounded like a superman.
“You really think he’s a threat, dad?” Tim asked. “Because I can take care of it. I can have him eliminated. Ra's al ghul owes me a favor. It’ll look like an accident,” He promised. “It’ll look like he just… disappeared.”
A sense of pride filled Bruce. Tim was his most capable and resourceful soldier. He would make a great batman. Any of his kids would.
Batman stared the picture of the boy on his phone as he fought the urge to crush it in his hands. “No,” he finally answered. “I’ve known plenty of rock stars and so called bad boys in my day.  Angel’s smart,” he said using Marinette’s codename. “I have been routing out indifference apathy from her life, her childhood was filled with love and affection. There are no daddy issue for his teenage talons to latch upon. Just… make sure he understands who he is dealing with.”
“Understood.” And then call ended.
           He looked up and saw all the other Justice League members staring at him with expressions of awe, fear, and confusion.
“…Marinette’s got a new boyfriend, huh?” Diana asked when the call disconnected. Amusement in her tone, she knew Bruce would never seriously hurt a kid.
“Poor guy,” Barry said with a shake of his head.
           Clark pinched his nose, “You can’t keep scaring guys away from her forever. Eventually, she’s going to find one who isn’t afraid of you.”
“And then she’ll marry him out of spite,” Dinah added.
           There were snorts from the other league members.
“Like that’ll ever happen,” Oliver said with a shake of his head. “That kid would have to be the biggest moron in the universe. I’ll pity his family.”
           Marinette had constantly warned Luka about how overprotective her family was. Luka hadn’t thought much of it. He dealt with overprotective fathers and brothers before. Eventually they grudging begin to like him. Or realize that if they actively hated him, it would just make the girl get attached.
           He was excited for Christmas, excited to prove himself to the girl of his dreams, and impress her by dealing with her entire family. Luka didn’t understand why Adrien looked so afraid when he told him. Or why he asked what type of flowers he liked.
“For the funeral,” Adrien shrugged. “I need to know what to buy.”
           Luka had laughed, thinking the blond was joking. He had already met a two of her brothers; Dick and Damian. They had been growls and threats but nothing he couldn’t handle. But Adrien didn’t laugh. He just shook his head and promised he’d be there for Juleka. Luka thought he was overreacting.
           However, nothing. NOTHING. Could have prepared Luka for the first time he met Tim.
           Luka had been walking home with Kagami, his long-time friend and one-time rival for Marinette’s affection. It was board daylight, there were tons of people around, and then they had made the apparent mistake of walking by an alley, when suddenly they were pulled into the back of a van, hoods thrown over their heads, and their hands bounds.
           He didn’t know how much time had passed. Or where they were being taken. All he saw was darkness. All he felt was fear. Was this how died?
           When the hoods were finally removed, the two teenagers found themselves in what looked to be a deserted warehouse, bound to their chairs, with a teenage boy not much older than they sitting across from them, looking absurdly comfortable given the situation.
My name is Timothy Drake-Wayne. I am Marinette’s older brother,” He said. “Let me make something clear before we begin. The last hour never happened. This conversation never happened. We never met. And if you say otherwise,” Tim’s eyes narrowed.  “No one will believe you. I was just by dozens of witnesses in Mexico with my boyfriend less than two hours ago. But if you do tell anyone, there will be consequences. Do you understand?”
           They nodded not daring to say a word.
“Luka, Luka, Luka.” Tim smiled an eerie grin that should look more at home on the monsters from Horror movies, and not on such a handsome face. “I hear you’ll be visiting us over the holidays. Must be so exciting for you, meeting your girlfriend’s family. Are you excited, Luka?”
           Luka swallowed hard. He never thought he’d hate the way his own name sounded. “I was- I mean I am. I am.”
“Good,” Tim said. “I just wanted to offer you a bit of advice. So you can know to expect. You see it call all be a bit… daunting to newcomers. Some people don’t understand the Wayne family’s unique tastes. Okay?”
           He nodded.
           Tim still smiled. In fact he never lost his smile the entire time. Yet his eyes were empty like there was no real life in them. “When you first come to my home, you will see the bone carving over the doorway. It will be hard, but try not to imagine your own femurs so expertly carved.”
           At this Kagami’s eyes widened. She had done her best to remain calm but somethings were too much.
           Tim smile widened, “There are one or two rooms you will not be allowed in. However, accidents happen and we understand. But we do ask that you pay no attention to our… ample crawl space. Or the smells that can sometime come from it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Luka stuttered. “Sure, no problem. Man.”
“Try not to go into Father’s playroom,” Tim continued on. “It will be easy to spot. It’s mostly empty, apart from a rubber mat and a drain. He gets so testy when stranger go in there. You’ll hear strange noise from time to time but just ignore them. That is just father… playing.”
           The green-haired boy just stared. Because what the fuck.
“Just follow that advice, and you should be fine,” Tim promised. “Though you are a pretty one.  You both are. And we like pretty ones. Oh the things we do to pretty ones”
Luka whimpered. Kagami felt tears build in her eyes.
           Tim laughed, “Now, now, none of that,” He said channeling his inner Brucie. “We’re not going to hurt. We’d never hurt Marinette’s friends.” He promised. “We would hurt people who hurt Marinette because people who hurt Marinette are not her friends.”
           Red Robin looked over the two, “What I’m trying to say is. Break my sister’s heart, and we will kill you. I will kill you. You won’t see if coming. You won’t know we’re there. And if you’re lucky, you might not even feel it. Clear?” They nodded. “Excellent. Now you’re going to leave the same way you came. Remember not a word.” He smiled got even bigger.
           They felt hands on their shoulders.
“Oh and Kagami,” Tim’s voice rang. “Should romantic feelings spring to life between you and Marinette again, just know our sister Cassandra is much scarier than I. And a much better shot.”
           Then the black hoods and complete darkness came gain.
           When they were finally let go, in the exact same place they had been taken, neither Luka nor Kagami spoke for what seemed like forever. Their minds still wrapping around what had just taken place. However, it was Kagami who finally broke the quiet.
“Well, it appears I dodge a bullet, huh,” She shrugged, her face not betraying the fear she still felt. “Sucks for you. I’m going to go propose to Chloe. I know can I take her mom in a fight. And that she’s not a serial killer.” Kagami then gave him a grave look. “Happy holiday, Luka. I’ll send best flowers to your funeral.” And the she was gone, literally fleeing down the crowded street, leaving Luka alone with his thoughts and sense of his impending doom.
           He broke up with Marinette an hour later.
           It would take weeks before he would willingly be in a room with her again.
Kaldur'ahm: The Boy who regretted ever walking on land.
           Marinette had met her next boyfriend through her brother Tim. Ironic, considering she had just found out what he did to Luka. She had gone in for some extra training with the Black Canary when she spotted him. Kaldur; aqualad. Marinette had never talked too much with him before but found he was a very calm person and level-headed. A good leader, no matter how much Tim complained.
           They had spared together one day. And another. And Another. Then he asked her out. It was sweet… While it lasted. And it didn’t last long.
           Batman had looked at Kaldur’s picture, scoffed, and said, “Jason?”
           The sound of a gun clocking was heard, “Little Mermaids going down.”
           Unlike his brothers, Redhood had no time for mind games. He went for the quickest route.
           Aquaman burst into room where the justice league meeting was, “He shot Kaldur,” He roared to Batman. “The Red Hood shot Aqualad!”
           Bruce didn’t bat an eye, “Is he alive?”
“Yes,” The King of the seas said quickly. “But that’s not point.”
“Seems like it is,” Bruce said and went on with the meeting leaving a stuttering, red-faced Aquaman still standing there.
It was to one’s surprise when Kaldur dumped Marinette and was gone. Disappeared to the safety of Atlantis. And when he came back, Marinette was barred from Young Justice Headquarters.
It was on that day, that Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Wayne decided enough was enough.
 Roy Harper-Queen: The Boy who should start making better life choices
           It was weird to say but Marinette met the boy who would turn out to be the love of her life when she was ten-years-old. And then sometime after her eighteenth birthday, she would team up with his clone to go rescue him. They became friends, went on missions together. It was a year later that he asked her out.
           Roy was pissed at the world, ready to die for anything if it meant he’d went fight, had a rude mouth, feared nothing and no one, and didn’t play by anyone’s rule but his own. In other words, he was perfect.
           Marinette just never meant to fall in love. She certainly didn’t expect to say yes when proposed.
           They had been keeping their relationship a secret from both their families for over two years. They were happy together. They loved each other.
           But more importantly, they could plot revenge together.
           And revenge was sweet.
           It all played out during a Justice League meeting. Roy, Red Arrow, and Ladybug had been full members for quite some time. The meeting was just about to close, when Roy stood up, “I have an announcement to make,” He said. “Red Arrow will be withdrawing from missions for the perceivable future. As will Ladybug,” He looked at Marinette who nodded firmly.
“What’s going on, Roy?” Oliver asked his once wayward son, with a frown.
           Batman eyed them suspiciously. As did the other members of the batfamily, all were present. Apart from Alfred because Marinette liked Alfred.
           Wonder Woman frowned, “Are you going solo again, I thought you were happy.”
“We’re fine. We’re very happy,” Roy said slowly before taking a deep breath and doing the bravest thing he ever would in his entire life. “Ladybug’s pregnant and I’m the father.”
           A few seconds passed before the words were processed in the Superheroes mind.
           Bruce’s eyes widened, his mind stopped working, and then a snarl ripped form his throat as he moved to attack. The batkids joining him.
“Alpha Code Angelbug” Flash shouted.
           That was all the other league need to go into defensive positions around Roy, against the batfamily. Marinette remained where she was with glee in her eyes. Superman stood in front of Roy, blocking him from view and potential danger.
           The Flash, Cyborg, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, and the Green Arrow stood in front of them. Oliver aimed at arrow at Batman, “Don’t move!” He yelled. “Don’t you dare move, Bruce. I’ll do it. Roy’s my son. And I won’t let you hurt him.”
           Batman growled, “He. I. My daughter!”
“Get Roy out of here, Superman,” Wonder Woman ordered. “We’ll hold him off but we can’t do it for long.” She stepped towards Bruce. “Marinette’s a grown woman. She makes her own choices.”
           Dick shook his head, anger clear on his face, “Dude, you were my friend.”
           Damian snarled, “Harper’s a sneak and a coward.”
“No honor,” Cassandra agreed.
           Jason just looked at his best friend, “I love you…. But you’re dead.”
           Tim just growled.
“No one’s dead or dying,” Marinette said as got up. “Because I’m not pregnant,” She said loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. She walked to her boyfriend and pulled him out from behind his shield. “But Roy and I have been dating for almost three years. And we’re getting married. You can be happy for us. Or I can never talk to you again.”
           Roy grinned, “Pops,” he said to Oliver, whose face was torn between relief and fury at it was prank. “We thought you and Bruce could be the main wedding planners. With the rest of the Queens and Waynes helping out; you know now that we’re going to be family. ”
           With that the two lovebird left the room, leaving the chaos they had created.
           Silence filled the room as Batman and Green Arrow stared at the other.
           Oliver gulped. He let out a breathy chuckle, “So I think a wedding in Star City would be great. Lots of Lilies. The Queen family loves lilies.”
           Batman’s eyes narrowed, “Gotham, roses.”
           Black Canary crossed her arms, “Star City would be safer.”
“Gotham is far more beautiful,” Tim snapped back.
           And just like that, battle lines were drawn. Justice League members’ face turned weary.
           Whether they knew it or not, that was Marinette and Roy’s last act of revenge.
           Forget Batman vs Superman.
           Try Bruce Wayne versus Oliver Queen: billionaire against billionaire, father against father. Elsewhere, thousands of journalist, photographers, florists, and caterers trembled and they didn’t know why.
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Bewitched | Damian Wayne
✦ pairing — older!Damian Wayne x Plus Size Reader
✦ word count — 2.8k
✦ request — can I request a older!Damian wayne×reader where they have feelings for each other but are really stubborn and then while they're on a mission the reader almost gets shot and then confess to one another
✦ warnings — light angst, reader and Damian are hostile towards each other until they’re not, poorly channeled feelings, everyone else is tired™︎, mentions of violence, fluff
❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎
Whoever decided you deserved to be punished with Damian Wayne’s presence must’ve hated you. Probably Tim, he had been the one who gave the leadership of the team to Damian. A sweet gesture between brothers that damned your existence.
You supposed he had been happy, Damian had looked pleased with himself, standing tall with an annoyingly smug look in his face as he spoke to his brother mere meters away from you and the team. Thankfully, he ignored you for the first week until he had to give you orders for a mission.
You had been miserable throughout it all, he made you feel so much disgust you felt you would throw up at any given moment. Not even Wally got the reaction you had, it was too visceral — surely no one hated Damian Wayne and his perfect hair more than you.
Your stomach flipped, just as you thought about it he ventured into the room. You glared at him, and he naturally glared back with an intensity that would’ve intimidated anyone who hadn’t heard him complain about petty things. At least he hated you too. With a scoff, Damian fixed his scarf —the green one that only made his eyes pop— and followed the path toward the elevator.
“Ten bucks you chicken out.” Wally’s voice snapped you out of your fixation on the spot Damian had been glaring at you from. Dragging your eyes to the side where the ginger was standing, you tilted your head in confusion.
Gar chortled, “Just ask Robin out and take us out of our misery.”
Unbelievable! They really thought you could ever grow to even tolerate the brat. “I’d rather shoot myself, thank you very much.”
Just because Rachel and Garfield’s relationship worked, it didn’t mean everyone in the team liked each other. And honestly, Gar was either blind or too optimistic to see Damian and you would kill each other if you were left alone in the same room. Wally would’ve probably liked that.
Wally and Gar shared a look. They did that a lot whenever you interacted with Damian — sometimes it wasn’t an interaction what triggered it, you could ask if Robin would stay at The Tower and they would do it; you could say something about how dumb his hood was and they would do it; you could avoid the gym when he was there and they would do it.
Ignoring them, you announced you would go take a walk to shake off the stress Robin gave you.
“You’re acting like a child,” Wally told you, shaking his head.
❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎
Damian was in a horrendous mood. He was being a brat, there was no doubt, but he couldn’t care less.
Titus tried to get his attention, whining and wagging his tail. Damian patted the hound’s head and went back to the book he had been reading. He couldn’t even focus properly, his mind was still reeling out of frustration.
He had come to tolerate Tim a long time ago, Damian now fully saw him as a brother. But Tim seemingly lived to torment him, there was no other explanation as to why he thought it would be a good idea to have him in the same team as you.
He had earned his place as leader, but he didn’t want you around. His gut failed him sparingly, and this time it said he should stay away from you.
Testing you would have been a good idea, perhaps you had mystical powers he wasn’t aware of. That would explain the way his chest tightened when he saw you, you were bewitching him to have a heart attack.
Dropping the book, he patted Titus’ head again before leaving his bedroom. He ran downstairs with an impetuosity he hadn’t felt in months.
Jason’s grunts and the tapping against a keyboard echoed around the Batcave. Damian double checked to make sure no one else was there. Walking directly towards the youngest of his older brothers, he leaned his back against the desk as he stared at Tim.
“Drake, do you have a moment?”
Tim didn’t take his eyes off the screen, “What’s up, Dami?”
He would’ve sneered at the nickname a year ago. Now he ignored it. “Have you tested (L/N)?”
Jason and Tim sighed loudly, tired of hearing him go on and on about you. Everyone in the house avoided Damian whenever he came back from Titan Tower just because of that, it seemed like he was the only one who hadn’t realized what was really going on.
Indulging him, Tim stopped typing and turned to look at his little brother. “Tested her for what?”
“Hidden powers. I believe she is manipulating everyone in the team.”
Tim pursed his lips, humming. It was getting harder and harder not to laugh at Damian’s theories and demeanor. God, if only Dick wasn’t busy! It would’ve been hilarious.
Jason couldn’t help himself, however. Standing from his planking position on the mat, he popped a water bottle open. Bringing it to his lips, he commented, “Maybe it’s time you ask her out.”
“That implies I don’t despise her which is a severely wrong misunderstanding of my character,” Damian stated pridefully.
Leaving the chair to stretch, Tim placed a hand on Damian’s shoulder. “You’ll learn to like her.”
“I’d rather stab myself and suffer an agonizing death.”
Jason caught the faltering tone in Damian’s voice but decided to keep it to himself. “You’re being childish, demon spawn.”
He opened his mouth to defend himself but was interrupted by Alfred who announced it was time for them to get ready for patrol.
❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎・・・・・❖︎
Rachel insisted that it wasn’t hatred what you were feeling. Listening to her might have been wise, but it would mean entertaining the idea that you found Damian attractive. You couldn’t, it didn’t sound real.
You had said “he’s just not ugly” and tried to move on, but no one believed you.
It didn’t matter because you believed it to be true. You had faith in what you were thinking and feeling. The only thing you felt towards him was repulsión and it was mutual, he had been clear the week prior.
The team had tried to prevent you two from fighting, keeping you out of his way. Aware of the reason behind their tiptoeing, you stormed out and confronted him.
His words had affected you a little bit, you couldn’t deny that, but that was only because you had been accused of doing things you weren’t capable of.
You said things you had never imagined uttering to another living being. You had never been a hateful person, but Damian made you react aggressively 100% of the time. He hadn’t been different, you had never heard him say such things — not even when he faced Deathstroke.
The yelling got to the point where Dick, Kory, and Tim were summoned by Victor who didn’t have time to put up with more fights. After complaining about how sloppy you were and how better the team would be without you, Damian had stormed out on the four of you.
Dick and Tim had been unfazed, clearly used to the bratty behavior. You excused yourself and went directly to your bedroom. You didn’t see him until the next mission.
He regretted every time he had complained of a narrator using a variation of witnessing something in slow motion. He now understood exactly what the narrators meant, and he was doing so in the worst way possible.
Damian had never regretted many things, not since he started living with his father at least, but now he could think of multiple comments and gestures.
He needed to calm down. You were okay, everything was fine — you were capable of taking care of yourself, he didn’t have to worry. You hadn’t even been harmed, but he couldn’t shake the image of that bullet missing you by millimeters.
What would have he done if you were shot? It would’ve been his fault for not giving you the proper orders, for thinking you would eventually quit being part of the team and free him of the oppression in his chest and the lightheadedness.
Turning the lights of his bedroom off, he closed the door. The other wooden doors were closed too, Garfield usually slept for an entire day after missions so Damian imagined everyone was trying to be as silent as possible.
Well, your bedroom door was ajar. You were finishing folding the laundry you had left undone before the mission. Damian knocked out of politeness. “Busy?”
“I’ll have the mission report ready in an hour,” you told him, not bothering to grant him your attention. The only reason you were giving him explanations was that he was your team leader. “I just need to make a phone call.”
“Boyfriend needs to know where you are?” His tone was harsher than he intended. Damian hated the way you couldn’t even grace him with a glare now.
You folded the pastel yellow t-shirt on your lap carefully. “Sister, actually.”
“Oh? I wasn’t aware that you had siblings.” You hummed. Damian blurted, “Does that mean you don’t have a boyfriend?”
The insistence made you lift your head to stare at him. He could’ve been mocking you and you wouldn’t have been aware. But he wasn’t, his eyes were dancing over your face in expectancy of an answer.
“I don’t.”
“That’s good.”
Planting a foot on the floor, you shrugged. As you split the stacks of clothes to carry them with more ease, you asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
God, there were many things; the fact that you had asked was a win on itself. Damian walked into the bedroom, curiously analyzing the bookshelf. He had only been there once, when he was given a tour of the tower — remembering the unnecessarily mean comment he made about the color of the walls, he winced.
The color was fine, but he had hated the way his heart raced when you opened the door and greeted Tim and him. You had been so polite he didn’t recognize you the first time you rolled your eyes at him. He couldn’t blame you for disliking him, he just wished it was different, that you were in the same position he was and with the same worries that had caused him many sleepless nights.
He opened your closet to then take a stack of clothes from the bed. He liked the way you arranged them, it reminded him of the way his mother used to.
“Leave that, I can do it.”
Shaking his head, Damian silently picked another stack of clothes and like he had done before, stored it in your closet. “You should rest.”
He was scaring you now. Since when did he care about your wellbeing? And since when weren’t you healthy enough to do chores?
“I’m not tired.”
“You were almost shot at.”
Oh, that. You had assumed no one had been paying attention, you didn’t even blame them for that when the battle had been so intense.
“Well, you were almost stabbed but I’m not saying anything.”
“You technically are.”
“Don’t be a smartass.”
Damian made a pause. “What if I had been stabbed?” You looked up at him, so innocently confused he had to fight the urge of cupping your full cheeks. “What would you have done?”
Such a great question. Rachel’s voice echoed in your mind — she had been right. She was always right, actually, and you didn’t like it in this instance.
“Does it matter?”
“Sadly.”
“I don’t know,” you confessed. “What I said last week… I didn’t mean it.”
“I know.”
“How come?”
“I didn’t mean anything of what I said either.” He sat on the edge of the bed. Avoiding your eyes, he continued, “I wish— no, that would be a lie too… this isn’t how these things are supposed to go.”
Unsure as to what to say, you decided to remain silent. Only he knew what he wanted to express.
“I don’t want you to leave, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
You were more baffled now. “Is there a but?”
“No. I’m afraid there are things I do actually want you to do, though.”
“The report?”
He giggled. Damian Wayne giggled because of something you said. You had never heard a sound that compared with it, there was no point in trying to find something as adorable as a brooding giant giggling because of your perplexed questions.
That was until he said, “I want you to like me. I want you to trust me like you trust West and to talk to me… I want you to tell me about your life, all the things you like and hate.” He let out a scoff, “I know it’s asking too much, but I want you to…”
It shouldn’t have taken him being about to watch you get hurt to realize it. Then again, he wasn’t an expert in emotions. Damian dominated languages, he could talk his way out of almost any situation, he was an expert in many sciences, but emotions had never been his forte.
Emotions were weaknesses where he came from. He wasn’t the child scared of his mother catching him crying out of pain due to a broken arm anymore, but that child still lived inside him. Said child had morphed into a young adult scared of his own self catching him falling in love with the person he least expected.
His fear had come true, and running away from it wouldn’t only be useless but stupid.
Playing with his fingers, he stated, “I want you. That’s it.”
“Me too.” You put your hand on top of both of his.
Damian stared down at your hand for a moment, then turned to look at you. He needed you to be sure of what you were saying, he wouldn’t hold it against you if you couldn’t see past his awful behavior toward you.
You squeezed his fingers. “I mean it.”
Twisting his hand, he pressed his palm on yours. Wiggling his fingers as he intertwined them with yours, thumb brushing the back of your hand, he asked, “Is that okay?”
“More than okay,” you assured, making him grin.
You felt your stomach twist at his gesture. This time you didn’t find the sensation uncomfortable — on the contrary, it was a relief to finally understand it had never meant disgust. Your pride hated it, your mental health was thankful.
Your head drifted closer to his shoulder. The soft material of his sweatshirt invited you to rest it there, and Damian was delighted when you finally did it. He stayed still for a lingering moment, questioning whether he should do it or not — eventually he caved in and kissed the top of your head.
Craning your neck to look at him, now with your cheek pressed on his shoulder, you smiled at him. His eyes lit up as he smiled back, green orbs deviating to your lips.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Kissing you,” he answered truthfully.
Breathing out a small laugh, you said, “do it, then.”
He slowly dropped his lips onto yours, brushing them tentatively at first. You slid your hand off his as you kissed him back, placing it on his other shoulder as you lifted your head without breaking the kiss.
Damian’s arm wrapped around your plump waist, holding your face with his free hand while deepening the kiss. Trailing your hand up to his neck, your thumb traced his jaw while your lips sucked on his bottom lip.
“I still have to call my sister,” you reminded him as he pulled you closer.
Humming, Damian tightened his arm around you to bring you flush against him so you would straddle his lap. “I’m not stopping you, angel. I’m sure you can multitask.”
And so you called home, with an arm around Damian’s neck as your fingers played with his hair and he buried his face in your neck.
The next morning the kitchen was almost empty when you were ready for the day, only Rachel was there already which was how it usually went.
Eventually, the kitchen and therefore the dining room filled. The only one missing was Garfield, but you were used to that after missions. The chatter progressed as it did on a daily basis — Rachel mostly kept to herself unless she had something to say, Victor told Wally to stop talking with his mouth full of food, and Wally disobeyed Victor.
“Good morning.” Damian greeted the team, walking toward the cupboard to retrieve a mug.
Your teammates mumbled greetings. The clattering of silverware against ceramic got louder as they hurried their meal in case Damian and you decided it was a good time to fight.
A warm hand was placed on your hip. You carefully turned around, placing a hot mug in his free hand. “Green with a teaspoon of brown sugar.”
He kissed your forehead, lips still caressing your temple as he spoke, “thank you, beloved.”
Wally’s shocked screech woke Garfield up from his deep slumber two floors up.
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starkatana · 4 years
Text
Everything Must Go
Jason Todd x Female Reader // Peter Parker x Female Reader
Yeah, it’s a Marvel cross-over in a DC universe! Because I can.
Summary:
After deciding to leave Gotham, you need to say one last good-bye.
Warning: Light swearing, death (nothing graphic – just mentions)
Before Reading Background:
You and Jason were dating for four years before Joker ‘killed’ him.
Now you are dating Peter Parker (Spider-Man)
Selina is your godmother. You are the child of Selina’s childhood friends. There is no family relationship between you and Jason even though you live in Wayne Manor
You are also a vigilante in the Batfam as Black Cat
Author’s Note:
So, here begins my various one-shots of Jason Todd/Red Hood x Reader//y/n AKA my current obsession. I may compile all of them into chronological order once everything is done. I just really wanted to write and post something. I just have too many WIP’s right now that I need to focus on.
Sorry I didn’t want to put the year of birth and the death year on Jason’s tombstone since I changed all their ages. I’ll deal with it on a different day.
They aren’t exact ages. This is just a world that I made using these characters because I can. In this story, Jason has ‘died’ at 21 and you and peter are visiting his grave a year later. The three of you are 22
This Peter Parker is more based off of the Playstation 4 Spiderman game.
Sorry if it's a little out of character, this is just based on my knowledge that Tumblr has given me.
Also! Thank you for all your likes and reblogs! It really helps my self-esteem in continuing to write and share this story! <3
Enjoy!
After you had decided to leave Gotham, you immediately made the preparations to go back home with your mom. You told Selina and Bruce and as much as they’d miss having you around they understood your choice.
“About your suit.” Bruce brought up.
You shake your head no. You hadn’t even thought about taking it with you. “I don’t need it where I’m going.”
He nods. “You will always have a place here,” Bruce reassured.
“I’m going to miss you, KitKat.” Selina hugged you.
Gotham was about three hours away from home by train. You just knew you didn’t want to come back for a long time.
As for the rest of your ‘family,' they had some choice words for you and refused to let you leave. Damian threw a tantrum and ignored you for a few hours before coming to terms and quietly hanging around you, as Damien does. Cass, Steph, and Babs forced a sleepover with you every night. You went out to eat at your must-have locations with Duke and Tim, rotating with the others. Dick went around with you from place to place, to not only keep an eye on you but so you wouldn’t be alone. Occasionally, trading places with Roy when Dick had to go to work. You knew they were babysitting, but enjoyed your time with each of them anyway. Eventually, everyone came to terms with you leaving and reluctantly supported your decision.
Today was your last day in Gotham. Peter came down from New York to help you pack the finishing touches and spend your last day in Gotham. He had the weekend off and was going to go to your hometown with you. You were going to show him around and introduce him to your mom. After packing your belongings and moving the boxes from your room to the main entrance hall, you went through your list to make sure you didn’t forget anything.
“There’s only one thing left.”
“What’s up?”
You pause and fidget with your fingers before you take a deep breath to respond.
“I want to visit Jason’s grave.”
Peter nods. “When do you want to go?”
You shrug. “Today’s the only day I have. I don’t know when I’ll be in Gotham again. I just know I have to go and I don’t think I can go alone…I haven’t been there since…” your voice trails off. “Is that weird? Asking you to go with me to my dead boyfriend’s grave? It’s a little weird. You can say no.”
Peter lets out a light chuckle and gently grabs your arms to stop you from rambling, “No, it’s not weird. I’m more than happy to go with you.”
You place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Peter.”
You two take a car to the flower shop, buying some of –your favorite flowers-, for Jason’s grave. Next was a train ride to the city suburb, finally following a short walk to the church graveyard. This was where Bruce’s parents are buried, along with Jason. It was all a very somber experience.
The day of Jason’s funeral was not the kind of weather you felt. It was a sunny day in Gotham. Light breeze, mid to lower 80’s, it was good weather. Abnormal for Gotham and abnormal for a funeral.
You hung your head low and cried the entire time at the funeral. Damien held your hand and Cass rested her head on your shoulder. You tried to be strong, but you were shaking. From sadness and anger. It wasn’t fair.
When the funeral ended, you went for a walk through the flower garden and Dick joined you.
When you two were far enough away from any people and crowds. You started bawling like a baby. Dick held you and you cried into his jacket.
“It’s okay.” He reassured.
“No!” you snapped up, “I hate the weather.”
Dick tilts his head slightly confused.
“It’s not fair! It rains any other godforsaken day in Gotham but when it’s Jason’s funeral and I’m sad! And I think the world should be sad! But it’s fucking sunny.” You try wiping away your tears that keep coming. “It’s stupid and it’s not fair!”
Dick nods giving you another hug. “You’re right, it’s not fair.”
“The sun is dumb and this is dumb and Jason should be alive.”
Dick caresses your head as he rocks you back and forth.
“And it’s all my fault!” you sob into Dick’s coat hugging him tightly.
“Y/n.” Dick grabs your shoulders to have you look at him. “It’s not your fault. What happened to Jay is not your fault.”
You hiccup between your sobs. “If I didn’t stop him from being on time, he would’ve been with you.”
Dick pulls you in for another hug. “Shhh.”
“Y/n?”
You came back from your thoughts at the sound of Peter’s voice. You two stood outside of the graveyard gates. You look at Peter, tears in your eyes.
“I’m sorry,” you apologize wiping your tears away. “I’m sad.”
He smiles and squeezes your hand, “That’s okay. You’re allowed to be sad.”
You sniffle, holding your tears back, return his hand squeeze, and take a deep breath.
“How long has it been?”
“Its been a little over a year,” You pause, “I still miss him.” You realize what you said. You look at Peter expecting to see some sort of reaction that you had told him you still miss your dead ex. He didn’t have one. He just watched you lovingly and listened contently. “I’m sorry, that was weird.” You hang your head trying to hide your face.
“Y/n.” He steps in front of you and tilts your face up to look at him. Gently he caresses your cheek. You stare into his brown eyes, the warmest brown that glowed like warm honey on a summer’s day. And with the sun shining in eyes, they glowed even more. So warm and kind it’s been a while since you felt like this and you felt a smile grow on your lips. He tucks a piece of your hair behind your ear.
“You don’t need to apologize. I’m here to support you. You can miss Jason all you want. I don’t it’s weird. I don’t expect you to just replace him with me either. This is normal. What you’re feeling is normal. You don’t need to apologize for missing someone you love.”
You two share a hug. “Thank you, Peter.”
He places a kiss on the top of your head. “Let's go in.”
You lead him towards the flower field in the graveyard. You stop a few feet away, being able to read his gravestone in the distance.
Jason Peter Todd
Son Brother
“You okay?” Peter asks.
“Yeah.” You two continue forward, stepping up to the gravestone. You crouch down in front of his tombstone wiping off the debris that was collecting on it from the year, but other than that it was in good shape.
“Hi Jaybird.” You greet the grave like an old friend. “Sorry, it’s been so long. This is Peter.” You put the flowers down next to the grave, “He’s the guy I’ve been telling you about. He came out with me because,” You pause to collect your thoughts and find your words. “Because I wasn’t sure I could come out here by myself. I still feel bad and I still feel like this is all my fault.”
Peter puts a hand on your shoulder giving you a small squeeze.
You touch Peter’s hang before continuing. “I’m working through it though. I’ve been seeing a counselor, keeping a journal, talking to family and friends.” You pause and smile at the grave. It felt therapeutic. “I wanted to say good-bye before I left Gotham. I….” You pause feeling Peter’s eyes on you and your mouth gets dry, “miss you.” You turn to face Peter. “This is weird isn’t it?”
“No.” Peter responds crouching next to you, “He was your best friend and first love. Of course, you’d miss him.”
You put on a smile. “I feel like you two would get along in another life. You guys have a lot of the same interests.” You stop again, “Oh, that felt weird.” You cringe.
Peter puts a hand on your knee to reassure you, “It’s not weird. I’m flattered. I heard great things about him.” You smile at him, no matter what you did, and said, Peter, is nothing but supportive of you. This is was what you loved about Peter, always so positive. That and so much more. This entire process was hard, but with Peter by your side supporting you, it made you feel less alone.
“I’d like to think that the night on the balcony, when we met, Jason guided you into my life.”
“Yeah?”
“Is this getting too weird for you yet? Me talking about my dead boyfriend who I’m clearly not over?”
Peter rolls his eyes at you and smiles at you. “Stop it, y/n. No, I don’t think it’s weird. I think it’s normal and I want you to know that I’m here for you through everything. I know you care about me and I know Jason will always have a place in your heart. I don’t want to take his place, I just want to make you happy.” He kisses your forehead. “We both just want you to be happy.”
You lean against Peter with a lighthearted smile.
“Now quit asking me if it’s weird. Cause I think you’re weird.” He playfully bumps into you causing you to lose your balance, but he catches you before you can fall over. “But that’s why I like you.”
You chuckle and lean into him, “I like you too.” You say while he puts his arm around you. “Thank you, Peter, for everything.”
He nods. “Thank you for introducing us.” He faces Jason’s grave, “I promise I’ll take care of her.”
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