#she probably still would have sold him out as bruce wayne’s son

[ladytauria]

Would you consider writing 13 and/or 18 from the prompt list for jaytim?

i would!! <3

i wrote them both bc i thought they worked very well together, though. i did change the wording of the second prompt to make it fit. (it is still bolded tho.)

i went through… 3 or 4 different concepts for this fic before i finally settled on reverse robins, bc i have been thinking about another reverse robins au (i blame @bi-bats). this is not that au, but instead a different one which ran away with me as soon as i got into the flow of writing it <3

there is also a part in it that is inspired by something @deepwithintheabyss said in a chat once. (which i’ll clarify in the tags & end notes on ao3 lol).

ANYWAY. this is more in the gen/pre-slash vein as it technically covers tim & jason’s first time actually meeting / speaking to each other, &. as it ran away with me the way it did, probably kind of messy? ^^; but i hope you like it, nonny, & thank you very much for the prompt!

It isn’t very often that Tim comes across Robin. Both Batman and Nightwing do their best to keep them separate and—so far at least—the little Robin hasn’t made an attempt to circumvent their efforts. Except tonight, though he has a feeling that the little bird didn’t necessarily mean for their paths to cross.

He’s sitting in an alley; canary yellow cape wrapped around his body. Tim drops, silent, from the roof, landing six feet from him. This close, he can see the tremors wracking his frame.

“Robin,” he says.

Robin flinches, hard; nearly smacking his head back against the brick. Guilt rises in Tim’s throat. There are shiny tears trailing down his cheeks, though the white-outs of his domino are still down. Tim feels the moment Jason’s eyes lock on him.

He immediately shifts into a non-threatening stance. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he says, holding up his hands, fingers spread wide.

“Hood?” Robin’s voice wobbles.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he says; crouching down to Robin’s level. “Are you alright?” There’s a mild strain of fear toxin being sold right now. Tim’s been working on tracking down the source, but so far, all of his leads have led him to dead ends. Could Robin have been hit with a dose? That would explain his upset—maybe the lack of Batman, too.

Robin shivers. He draws his cape tighter around him. He shakes his head—though whether in answer or not Tim couldn’t say. He buries his face in his knees again, muffling a soft sob.

Tim’s chest twists. “Do you want me to call—”

Robin’s head jerks up again. “No!” he says, immediately, the desperation in his voice nearly knocking Tim back. “Please, please don’t—”

“Okay,” Tim says, gentling his voice. He doubts it does much with the voice modulator in the way. “Okay, I won’t call anyone.” He bites his lip. He can’t leave him here. Whatever’s happened, whether it’s fear toxin or not, it’s affected him deeply. “Do you feel safe enough to come with me?” He offers his hand.

Robin stares at it, biting his lip. Then he nods, taking Tim’s hand. His grip is tight—almost too much so.

They rise to their feet together.

“I’ll call my bike,” Tim says, still in that gentle tone. “Do you think you can hold on?” The hand not holding Tim’s is still clutching his cape, holding it around himself. He’s still shivering. Even the fingers in Tim’s hand are trembling.

Robin nods. “Y-yeah.”

He gives his hand a squeeze. He hopes it’s reassuring. Then he pulls out his keys and presses the button that will summon his bike to them. It takes less than ten minutes for it to roll up to the mouth of the alley. Robin finally lets go of his hand when he goes to climb on the bike. As soon as Tim is settled, he climbs on behind him; his arms snug around Tim’s waist, his front plastered against Tim’s back.

Tim drives. Not to his Nest, but to one of the well-equipped safehouses he has on this end of the Narrows. As soon as they’re off the bike, Robin drifts close to him again; so close their arms are almost brushing. He walks them around to the alley. He offers an arm to Robin automatically, and though Robin’s own grappling hook—and the spare—sits on his hip, he steps into Tim’s arm, against his chest.

Tim is not a tall man. Despite that, and the fact that there are only three years between them, Robin barely comes up to his shoulder. Tim secures his grip on him, holding him close, and grapples up the fire escape.

When they land, Robin doesn’t move; staying pressed against Tim’s side, his forehead pressed to his shoulder. Tim doesn’t make him move. It’s easy enough to wrap both arms around him, let him stand within the circle of them as he disengages the security on the window.

Then he nudges him. “C’mon, Robin. Let’s get inside.”

A beat passes before Robin moves. Tim follows right behind him, re-engaging his security after he shuts the window. He pulls off his helmet with a soft, mechanical hiss, letting it dangle from his fingers. Robin has pulled his cape around him again. He stands, something almost unsure in the stance of his body.

“C’mon,” Tim says, laying a gentle hand on Robin’s back. He leans into it, but doesn’t resist when he walks them forward, until they reach the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll get us something to drink.” Something warm, preferably, but even just water or a sports drink would suffice.

Then he’ll get to the bottom of whatever’s going on here.

He finds some tea; one of the few herbal blends he keeps. He brews two cups. While he waits, he takes off his domino, gloves, and the most prominent of his weapons. Then he takes the cups to the living room. Like Tim, Robin has removed his gloves and domino, alongside his boots and gloves, leaving Jason Wayne sitting on his couch. His cape is wrapped around him again, and he’s tucked all of his limbs into it, curling into a ball so small he takes up only one of the couch cushions.

Tim’s chest pangs.

“Here,” he says, offering Jason the cup.

Jason takes it, both hands curling around it and pulling it to his chest. His eyes are rimmed with red.

Tim hesitates a moment—and then sits right next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Jason melts into his side.

“Sorry,” he says softly.

“For what?” Tim asks, stroking Jason’s bicep with his thumb.

“Being difficult. I didn’t— I know you’d rather have called someone. I. I promise I won’t stay for long.”

Tim turns his head, tucking his nose into Jason’s curls. It’s not the most pleasant of smells—he smells like sweat, like Gotham night air. Under that, there’s a hint of soap. “You’re not being difficult, Jason,” he says gently, carefully. “And you can stay for as long as you need.”

Jason exhales slowly. “Thanks,” he says.

He doesn’t sound convinced. Tim tightens his arm. “I mean it. It’s not… I don’t mind having you here.” He doesn’t. He may not be on the best terms with the bats, but that animosity, that strain, doesn’t extend to Jason. He may not be happy that some other kid took on the cape he died in, but he could acknowledge that Bruce and Damian had learned from their mistakes. Jason patrolled far less than Tim ever had, and almost never on his own. He was kept away from the worst of the rogues, too. Most of his life was focused on the non-cape side of things; school and hobbies and friends, and, recently, working with the Martha Wayne Foundation.

Tim would have despised it.

Jason thrives.

And Tim admires what he’s accomplished. He’s a good Robin. A good person. The only reason he’s never reached out—

Well. Bruce and Damian barely tolerate his presence, reaching out only when there’s no other choice. Cass— He’s not sure she’ll ever forgive him for choosing this path. His relationships with Steph and Alfred may be fine, but the other three could easily make things difficult, and— Honestly. He has no idea what Jason has been told about him.

The way he’s curled against him suggests it may not be all bad.

There’s also his philosophy on vigilantism. He’s chosen a different path than the others; a path with far more blood and violence. It’s no secret that Jason has fought with Bruce about methodology before, and Tim— As tempting as it is, sometimes, to steal Batman’s partner right out from under him… Tim won’t make that worse. Spending time with him could very well fan those flames higher.

He’s not going to explain all of that right now. Or maybe ever. Instead he says, “My problems with Damian and Bruce have nothing to do with you. They would probably rather you avoid me—and that’s fine—but… you’re not unwelcome in my territory, or my safehouses,” he says. “If you need a place to go, back-up—you can call me.” He pauses. “And that goes for civilian life too. You need me, you call. I’ll answer.”

Jason twists. He presses his face against Tim’s shoulder. It can’t be comfortable—he’s still wearing his armor, a sturdy kevlar-weave. “Thanks,” he says, and his voice is watery again.

Tim moves his hand to cup the back of his head. He kisses Jason’s crown.

They stay like that until Jason pulls away.

By now the tea has cooled. When his cup is about half gone, he asks, “Do you want to talk about what happened tonight?”

Jason bites his lip and shrugs. “I dunno. A lot,” he says, quietly. “Bruce an’ I are fighting again. About my mom.”

Tim hums. Steph has complained to him about Sheila Haywood more than once. He’s never met the woman himself, but from everything he’s heard—and looked into—he’s… not impressed, to put it mildly. “Sounds stressful,” he says.

“Yeah. He thinks— He says she’s taking advantage.” Jason sounds disgusted. “But— He doesn’t get it. She’s had a hard life. The system fucked her over, and she didn’t have the money to fight it. She just needs a little help, that’s all, and—” He cuts himself off. “I just wanna help her. Like I couldn’t help my other mom, the one that raised me. An’ it’s just— Every time I bring her up now, Bruce gets this pinched look on his face. Damian’s no help. Steph’s no help. Even Cass isn’t any help! I just— It sucks. An’ we fought about it again today.

“So I— Tonight, I told him I wanted to patrol on my own. Clear my head. ‘Cause he said I could now. An’ it was fine, it went fine, until. There was this robbery, an’ I guess— I guess they had that new fear toxin— an’... I just…

“What if he gets tired of fighting? What if— What if he— What if he decides that he doesn’t— My mom can’t. She can’t afford a kid right now, an’ I— Damian— He’s in this too, and Steph, an’—” He’s working himself up now, voice cracked and wavering, little hitching sobs threatening to burst with every word.

Tim puts his mug down—takes Jason’s, too. Jason lets it go without a fight. Then he pulls him into a hug; tight and all-encompassing, like he can shield him from all the hurt he’s feeling. “Bruce will never kick you out,” he says, voice quiet and sure. “He gave you his name, he signed the papers. You're his now, permanently. He’s not going to go back on that. It’s the same with Damian. You’re family to him now, and Damian— If he’s nothing else, he’s loyal to his bones. Steph adores you. Cass does too. Fighting— It’s not going to change that.” He pauses. “But if I’m wrong. If they kick you out, or— If you just can’t stay there anymore—

“You have a place with me.”

Jason sobs, then.

Tim holds him.

He’ll keep holding him—as long as he needs.

#jaytim #timjay #tauriawritesfanfic #asks and answers #lovely anons #the part inspired by abyss is the sheila aspect #abyss pointed out that even if sheila hadn’t known jason was robin #she probably still would have sold him out as bruce wayne’s son #in THIS case im having her use that he’s BW’s son to ask for money #which might not be so bad if she were actually interested in a relationship with jason #but. she is not. #and jason doesn’t want to see that #or some of the other unethical behavior she has #bc HE is comparing her to catherine <3 #anyway #i dunno #that part snuck up on me #the entire second half after they reached the apartment snuck up on me #i had different plans lmao #anyway!!!! #i hope this is enjoyable <3 #i will put it on ao3 tomorrow

[anothertimdrakestan]

Light Of My Life Jason Todd x Reader

LINK TO PT 2

Words: 2.7k

Requested? Yes! From a lovely anon!

“Hello! May I have a Jason Todd x reader where the reader is a really powerful superhero from the avengers and is well known and she met Jason when she was hopping on rooftops in Gotham (for fun idk haha) and the reader feels lonely and they bond over that with Jason and they start dating and when Jason’s brothers find out they’re dating (a few months later) they freak out and say things like “YOURE DATING THEM?! How did this happen?!” Thank you!”

LINK TO PROMPTS  -> REQUESTS ARE STILL OPEN!

Ok so I took this as a new avenger I hope that’s okay :). It’s mostly selfish that I wanted to write my own badass hero for Jason to simp for... can you blame me? She’s basically a heroin Livewire for those of you that watched Supergirl. Also you really set me up for a long fic so strap in anon, you did this to yourself by giving me an amazing request! Hope you enjoy! xoxo

“You’re kidding right. Gotham? Mr. Seclusive Bat Brat’s turf? Not a chance in hell.” you groaned hearing your newest mission. “Sorry Y/H/N you’re headed to nut-case capital” your comm buzzed back and you rolled your eyes. At least it was a short trip right? Confirm with Dr. Strange exactly the newest magical item you needed to look for, find it, and get out. Maybe zap a couple villains for shits n giggles. Grabbing your motorcycle you headed out, praying for a short trip. 

Arriving at your hotel you began to set up, having powers meant no bulky suit which was nice but Strange had set you up with about a million photos, books, and what looked like scrolls about a stupid helmet. Apparently all the helmet did was let the wearer float and see in the damn dark, half of the avengers could do that shit already. But when THE Dr. Strange makes a request of the Avengers, they comply. 

You’d heard about a drug leader with an eye for shiny objects, and you decided to start there hoping you could really give him a show. Waiting for night to fall you headed out, appreciating the constantly terrible weather in Gotham, lightning cracked in the sky exhilarating you, taking it as a sign from your gods that they liked this mission you felt the electricity run through your veins as you sped towards the ring a friend of yours had tipped you off about. Propping your bike up on the side of the building you felt the electricity dancing through the wires of the building and you zapped into them, travelling in to the main room.

Jason just about pissed his pants. He watched this hot motorcycle chick park her (sexy ass) bike outside the drug ring he was busting that night and right when he was about to put on some Red Hood Charm™ he watched her turn into a giant spart and shoot into the building through the camera system. Realizing she was going to do his job for her he decided to watch from above, trying to figure out who the mystery meta was. As he sat perched on the top of the building he couldn’t help but hope it was Y/H/N, one of the most prominent new Avengers but what was she doing in Gotham? Regardless he sat, ready for the lightshow.

What you saw inside the building was horrific. Disgusting men were throwing cash around to take home young, terrified girls. Disregarding the mission at hand you flashed into the middle of the “show”. Immediately guns were out but that had never stopped you. Dissapaiting into one of the lights you enjoyed how some of the men shrieked at your powers. “Shit dog I think it’s Y/H/N but what’s she doin in Gotham?” never able to pass an opportunity to boast you appeared behind the group smirking “hey boys. Don’t there girls look a little young for you? That said, you should let them go or I’ll get angry. And you’d be shocked with how angry I can get - literally.” you held up a hand letting sparks dance in you palm. What you didn’t expect was to see a blundering idiot in a red mask crash through the ceiling. 

Before you could light him up he called “uh hey! It’s Y/H/N right? Big fan. Red Hood pleasure to meet you. See, this is usually my territory, drugs and all, but I’d be happy to share with a lovely lady like you so-” you scoffed. “Shut up BatBrat I don’t intend on swinging minor league with you tonight, I just want these girls out of here and to talk with you” you gestured to the drug lord, annoyed this Red Batman or whatever his name is was getting in your way. “Minor leagues huh? Princess if you think this is any type of game you’re wrong, we don’t play by the rules here.” and he pulled out two guns and began firing. This shocked you. You thought the bats held the same standards as the majority of the Avengers, no killing. This clearly went down the drain as you watched him blow the brains out of the majority of the drug dealers. 

Deciding this wasn’t the night for you to successfully capture the man you needed, especially because Stark would kill you if you got in a fight with another vigilante on an away mission. While Red Mask went hand to hand with the guards you helped the girls escape, shooing them towards the exit and making them promise to be safer. After securing the public’s safety you took a moment to watch Red Armour fight. He was trained you had to admit, he ducked and punched like he’d been doing in for years, he was refined in skill but reckless and practice, it was fascinating. “You gonna help or is that not in the Avenger’s handbook?” you smirked as he got pinned by a couple guards. As he was preoccupied you zapped to the drug lord, shocking him enough to put him down long enough to move him. Forming an electric rope around his limbs you began dragging him out. “Sorry RedBat I got what I came for, you make a good side kick though” with a wink you walked out, not before hearing him shout “ITS RED HOOD SPARKY” 

In one of the Avenger’s safe houses you’d tied up your captive. “This is super easy buddy, all I need to know is where to find the Helmet of Razadazar” what a stupid fucking name, it doesn’t even sound cool. Knowing he’d feign innocence you prepared yourself for light, pleasure for you, not so much for him...

“You’re. Lying. Todd.” Tim’s fingers flew across the BatComputer. “Y/H/N in Gotham? EPIC!” Jason rolled his eyes. “Drake she definitely wasn’t all that amazing, plus she gave the impression she wasn’t long for Gotham so it’s probably nothing. Newbie training for the A list.” Tim sighed, Jason was probably right, the Avengers left Gotham to Batman, no one wanted a piece of it. “Alright, but you gotta tell me everything, I think she shorted all the camera footage so you better use all the detail.” Jason agreed, secretly excited to recount his experience, maybe fangirl a little. All he knew was that he was going to find you, the only game he wanted to play was chasing you.

After taking a short lecture from Captain A about aggressive torture techniques and why they should be AVOIDED you had gotten your answer. Apparently an underground auction with other-worldly treasures was the place to be. At least Gotham’s wealthy were making everything easy for you tonight. 

Jason adjusted his bowtie as he waited to enter the auction. Attending as Bruce Wayne was easy, he did owe Damian a barn now, but it was a worthy pay off for Damian to endure some father-son time as a cover up while Jason played billionaire. Finding an excuse to go other than finding Y/H/N wasn’t hard either, and now here he was, hoping you’d stand out. Let’s just say fate helped a little.

Sitting at a table with your fake identity as Ms. Stark was equally as easy. Excited to be meeting Mr. Wayne the Gothamite who was seated next to you. As he sat down he looked younger than the paparazzi pictures showed. You stuck out a hand to shake and he took it gently, kissing it, to your surprise. He looked at your smirking, “looking lovely tonight Sparky” you’re jaw dropped. Mr. Wayne I had no idea Red Cap was your speed” you whispered, shocked, but slightly comforted to know you had your sidekick here.”It’s. Red. Hood. And just as you Ms. Stark, this identity is not my own.” it made sense, but it was still impressive. 

Having exchanged pleasantries with the table the auction began. Item after item went, you and Hood slid in low bets to seem interested, but you wondered why he had came. Then the helmet was up. You sucked in a breath knowing the plan was to win the bid then snatch the helmet. You bid politely against someone at table 37 until it was yours. “Going once” “Going twi-” the auctioneer stopped as Mr. Wayne raised his paddle, tripling your bet. The auctioneer looked shocked at the amount, not letting you bid again before he shouted “SOLD to the sir at table 14!” For the second time that night your jaw dropped. “I need that helmet!” you whisper yelled. “That old thing? Sure princess. You just have to get dinner with me tomorrow” you realized he just spent millions and millions of dollars just to win your time. “Deal” you hissed. 

Jason decided not to tell his brothers about his date. Feeling like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity he wasn’t ruining it. After hiding the helmet in the BatCave he was waiting for you at a candle lit table for two. When you walked in he knew it was love at first sight. Sitting down across from him you smirked. “You clean up nice..” he finished for you “Todd. Jason Todd.” taken aback you’d heard about him, the kid that lived, part of the Wayne family. “Well if we’re going real names Mr. Todd what do I have to lose, y/n l/n” you smiled, drinking in his appearance. He was dashing you had to admit, confident and laidback it was alluring. “Beautiful name to fit a gorgeous girl” he winked, to your shock, making you blush. 

The two of you spent the night throwing snide comments, compliments, and flirtation between you. Something about Jason just clicked, it felt right. After hours at the table you and Jason went for a walk around Gotham while he showed you his most memorable spots. Somehow the two of you wound up on the top of a skyscraper staring at the stars. Finally having a person who understood the burden of heroism but wasn’t judging you for being new was refreshing. Only knowing each other for hours it felt like it had been years, confiding in each other about some of your deepest secrets. Jason was amazed with your powers, but you explained that they were hard to control, bottling electricity up in anything was difficult, batteries rotted, lightbulbs broke, and sometimes it felt like you were no different. He watched as you showed him how sparks danced across you skin and though he didn’t tell you, they’d been sizzling around you since dinner, an aura vibrating around you as you laughed, cried, and smiled with him.

“So Lightning McQueen, what do the sparks do when you’re happy?” you grimaced at another of his nicknames and explained how they crackle and pop sometimes taking on certain weather-like patterns. “Huh, well let’s see some lightning then” Jason grabbed your hand pulling you into his chest, using the other hand to lift your eyes to meet his as he leaned in. You sped up the process, hands wrapping around his neck, crashing his lips on yours. He was right, lightning struck across the sky as sparks danced between the two of you. Pulling away he grinned as he breathlessly looked at you. “Beautiful” You pulled him in for more, deciding maybe Gotham wasn’t so bad if he was here. 

“Why does Y/H/N always get the Gotham missions?” Peter Parker groaned. “Well seeing as she practically lives there it’s easy” the rest of the gang retorted as you blushed. “I guess I just really like the weather” you grinned while everyone rolled their eyes knowing the reason Gotham was having more lightning than ever was no coincidence. 

“Honey I’m homeeeeee” you squealed as you zapped into your kitchen. Jason had learned not to be alarmed when you appeared out of thin air and he opened his arms as you fell into his embrace. “Hello to my favorite double A” he grinned when you gave him a zap, he knew you loved all his nicknames. He pulled you out of his embrace looking you dead in the eyes. “Sparky it’s time you meet my family, you know Tim is going to kill me for hiding you” You were so excited, timing never aligned or one of you was injured or not on Earth but finally, it was time to meet the family. 

You’d snuck into the manor before, but everytime it seemed to get bigger. Jason squeezed your hand warning you about how annoying his family was. As you entered you took in everything. The cutest little boy was chasing a grown man with a sword, a teenage boy sat on a kitchen cupboard shotgunning an energy drink, all while a nice elderly man chopped carrots calmly in the kitchen. Breaking the silence you began to name each boy “Uh hi guys! I’m y/n you probably know me as Y/H/N but I’m so excited to be here! I’m guessing Damian, Dick, Tim, and the wonderful Alfred!” all the boys froze. Alfred smiled and continued chopping.  “Oh my god oh my god oh my god” Tim jumped off the cupboard wide eyed staring at you. “Todd how do you know her?” Dick looked at you, shocked to see an Avenger not in costume next to his brother. 

“Actually guys I’ve known Y/N for a while, remember Tim that night? We’ve kept in touch since and I’m lucky enough to be her boyfriend!” Jason kissed you on the cheek and immediately Tim passed out. As Dick poured water on the teen Damian walked up to you and you bent down to look him eye to eye. “Prove you’re Y/H/N because I don’t believe Todd could pull a famous hero like Y/H/N” Jason started “No y/n it’s fine” but you wanted to make a good impression so you zapped into the light fixture, counted to 5, then appeared on the cupboard Tim had been on, only to zap back nex tot Jason. “TT I’m impressed Todd. Y/n let me say I’m impressed with your recent activity with the Avengers. I know what it is like to be surrounded by older, entitled idiots.” Damian stuck out a tiny hand and you shook it, making sure to give him a little shock. 

Having woken up Tim began rapid fire questions. “So Todd lied you’re here? And you like him? Can I just say you’re so cool. Would you let me run some tests on your powers? What’s the biggest lightshow you’ve done? What is spiderman like? I feel like I’m quicker than him but I don’t know. Do you love Jason?” you tried to take in all the questions. “Yes I’m here, yes, thank you, sure I guess, biggest was cracking a small moon in half - don’t asl I was mad, spidey is cool kind of a dweeb but, he’s pretty quick but I haven’t seen you, and yes I do love Jason” you took a deep breath. Jason smiled at you, glad you could keep up with Tim’s q & a. Suddenly Tim grabbed Dick’s arm and started running to the BatCave, “okay y/n I’m gonna go set up some tests come down in a minute. Todd you lucky asshole you bring her down in five okay?” before you could reply he was gone. 

Taking a deep breath Jason wrapped his arms around you. “I’m so glad you can deal with them, but if Drake gets really bad knock him out cold” you chuckled, knowing that dealing with the Wayne’s was more difficult for Jason than it was for you. “Anything for you babe” you grinned. “Always the light of my life y/n” you rolled your eyes knowing the jokes would never stop, one of the many reasons you loved Red Hood with all your heart. 

haha I never do A/N but do y’all get the pun in the title hehehehe wow I need to go to bed. Also check out the pun in my masterlist lolz. Now, dear reader, that you read this post we have an inside joke together hehe... love you! xoxo

#jason todd #jason todd x you #jason todd x reader #jason todd fluff #red hood #red hood x reader #tim drake #dick grayson #damian wayne #avengers #dc x marvel #batboys

[rory-for-short]

We are not our parents|Part Five

He couldn't see them

When Lucy had gotten the call from her, well, she didn't know what they were... her Richard Grayson, asking for her measurements, she was ever the skeptic.

"Is this about your dad's big fling?" She asked over the phone as she settled on her couch.

"Possibly," he answered from the other end, sitting at a desk in his room.

"Why don't I just pick what I wear," she questioned. The way she said where was like "whey-uh" . It was all Jersey, and made Dick laugh to himself.

"You definitely could, but I just wanted to give you a designer option," he explained.

"You think I can't afford a designer option?"

"I know you can't. You make 11 dollars an hour in Gotham city

"Fair. Okay. Fine we can try designer, but I have some specifications."

"Okay, shoot."

"No checker board, no pinstripes. Nothing that says criminal. I don't mind blazers or flowers. Nothing flashy I'm laying low," she rattled off.

"Don't worry. I know you are feeling a little weird about this-"

"-A little?-"

"But I know what I'm doing. Well, I guess the dress maker does. I don't have any say. I can pass on your message to them though," he explained. She gave a sigh of relief. She had been freaking out all week about this party. This stupid, ritzy, heart of Gotham party.

After she found out about her man being THE Richard Grayson Wayne, she wanted out. Even if her parents weren't terrorists, she still wouldn't be on his level. She missed when she thought he was just a gutter rat greecer wannabe punching muggers for fun. But he was educated. High Socioty. Fit as a fiddle, and hot as the Sahara. Yet he chased her. He wanted her. He was so infatuated.

It's not like she didn't see anything good about herself. On the contrary, she knew she was hardworking, pretty funny, nice to look at expessialy when she was trying, and all in all she was a cute, blonde girl next door. However, sometimes it felt like none of that mattered. She was surrounded by a dark legacy. She couldn't even consider having her own kids. What would she tell them, and mabey crazy skips a generation.

But this dumb, cute, himbo of a boy saw none of it. Or at least, he pretended not to notice it. Sometimes he'd give her a strange look and she wonder if he was thinking about the people who raised her. She started being a bit more subtle. No dark makeup, lest she look like her mother. No red lipstick, because that was her father's signature look. Hair up in pigtails? Off limits. The colors red or green, she avoided them before Dick Grayson anyway.

"Hello? Lucy are you still there," Dicks voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry I think a siren was going by," she said avoiding the truth.

"No worries, I was asking if you wanted me to get a hair and makeup person too?"

"Oh gawd no! I know what looks good on my face," she laughed.

"Even with you not knowing what the dress will look like?" He challenged.

"On second thought-" she trailed off. She could hear him laugh from the other side of the line.

"Gotcha, I'll get it all set up," he assured.

He got it all set up alright. The afternoon before the party a knock on her door sounded. She opened it to fing him grinning with a black dress bag slung over his shoulder.

"Heya-Hiya," he greeted fondly. She noticed he wasn't alone at the door. There was also a pale woman with raven hair longer than she'd ever seen and jagged bangs. She wore a mesh top, black shorts and a leather jacket. She was ethereal and beautiful. Lucy almost forgot to talk.

"Babe, this is Rachel. She's really good with makeup and she's a buddy of mine," he introduced.

"So you're Lucy? The way your Golden retriever of a boyfriend described you I was expecting Shera, or Captian Marvel," his friend mused. Dick was turning bright red from the tips of his ears to his neck.

"Yeah, yeah, that's really funny Rachel," he awkwardly laughed. Lucy welcomed them inside and Dick layed the dress bag on the couch while Rachel carried in a big metal mackup case.

"I haven't seen the dress yet," Dick admitted, "I told her all that stuff you told me. Hopefully they listened." He said getting ready to unveil it.

Rachel was now standing beside them as Dick revealed the dress. As they stood there taking it in, she realized that there was a color she forgot to say was off limits. It was a beautiful dress. The top of it like a Corsett with spaghetti straps. The tooling elegant and down to the knees. There were several star details on it. They lay on a sky of deep purple. Lucy bit her lip nervously. Richard noticed immediately.

"Well, that was an oversight on our part," he sighed disappointedly. Rachel cocked her head confused.

"And I thought I was a Debby downer. It's a beautiful peice, plus it isn't too bright. Hell, I'd wear it," she concluded settling her hands on her hips. And she was right, it was beautiful. Mabey beautiful enough to distrct from the rest of her. If the only people talked about was her dress, she'd be okay with that.

"I love it," she said smiling.

"Yeah, Dick doesn't know what he's talking about. He has zero taste unless it's in women," she joked. She met eyes with her boyfriend and smiled.

Bruce was stewing in indecision. His son had come to him and told him that he and Lucy discussed the risks involved with a public appearance, that he could protect her, and that she had been through enough in her life so she should be able to just have fun for one night. He agreed. Deep down he agreed. However, he knew the kinds of people that attended these parties.

Not all of them were in it for the charity. Big names who wanted investors, ass kissing new moneies wanting to climb ranks. People with dirty money. It was an open charity event, and gossip from the criminal higher ups couldn't be discounted. All his parties had this risk, but this time it felt more pressing. On top of that he now knew the Jokers name. His full name. All he had to do was bluff with the first name an Harley had spilled all her info. She had told him all about Joker, her daughter, and how no matter how brutal the man was she wanted to stay with him.

"Yah know, I could handle our fights. The way we went round and round. I never considered leaving him until he suggested we get Lucy in on the family business," she sighed taking a drag of her cigarette. "I knew then I had to get the hell outta dodge. You and I both know a battlefield is no place for a child. She was only 15-" she stopped herself as she realized just who she was talking to.

"Nevermind. I guess you wouldn't get it. I wanted her to be normal. Arthur wanted her to be us. You always gotta want better for your kids. I might be a criminal psychopath, but why drag her into it. Why make her fight my battles? Or his? Or anyone's? I started a money stash. I was gonna run away with her," she looked down at the ash falling from her cigarette, and stamped it with her foot.

Bruce knew the rest of the story or at least from the perspective of his and police. Jason was his Robin at the time. They got an anonymous tip on the Joker's hideout. Harley had sold him out. When they arrived on the scene there was almost no reason to interfere. The way the two clowns were going at it, they would probably just end up killing eachother.

Harley's neck was cut. Only deep enough to make a red necklace that was surface level but he could guess what Joker was trying to accomplish. The Joker had two knives in him. He was still on his feet sporting a death grip on a hatchet with Harley's name on it.

There was also a hostage. Looking on, holding a gun, and not knowing who to shoot at. She was about 15.

They didn't even stop to look their way. They knew he and Robin were there, but this was deeply personal and toxically volatile.

Bruce remembered how easy they were to take down. Gotham police had them unarmed, sedated and in medical vehicles in practically no time; they had already done so much damage to eachother they hardly needed a push. Jason got the gun from the hostage. While Batman delt with the authorities and offered to gaurd the hospitals, not to keep anyone out, but keep the two clowns in, he left Jason in charge of the hostage.

He found out later that night, or he guessed, the next morning, that she was their kid. He learned when he read the police report. He forgot about her after that, but it did cross his mind that she was out there, somewhere, from time to time.

Dick and Lucy headed to the mannor before the party. He explained how his dad was a tightass and his butler was a total bro, so they'd be going through the garden and climbing the wall.

"You want me to climb in this dress and heels? In your dreams puddin," she scoffed rolling her eyes and playfully hitting him on the shoulder.

"I'll lift you over you won't have to break a sweat," he coerced. She lifted her eyebrow, amused.

"I'm 5'9 and 173 pounds of pure woman. If you think you can get me over that wall you are psyco!" She laughed exgerattingly gesturing as she spoke. When they had first got together, he would have had one of those danger reactions to this. To her eyes going wide with disbelief, and throwing her head back in a cackle. But those happened less and less. He realized something

He couldn't see them in her anymore.

Without another word he placed his hands on her waist and practically ballerina tossed her. She managed to catch halfway up on the flat part Making the wall a ledge. It almost knocked the breath out of her. But she managed to steady herself and hoist her body the rest of the way up. She was a bit of a ballerina after all. When they had both sets of feet in the garden, he flashed an "I told you so" smile. She rolled he eyes and gestured for him to lead the way.

When he began sliding open the kitchen door, he heard Tim's voice carry from the foyer.

"Well, well, well, how the turn tables!" He cackled. He heard a frustrated groan.

"Forget it, I don't see why I ask you for anything," he heard another male voice carry. The two pairs of couples entered the kitchen at the same time. Tim with his 'friend' Connor, and Dick with Lucy.

There was a beat of silence.

"So, you went the kitchen route huh?" Drake noted.

"Yeah, we went the kitchen route," Dick sighed.

"You look like a ruffian," Conner stated.

"I'm getting into my suit. It's wool and everything, I just didn't before picking up Lucy," he srugged.

"The matching ties are cute. You guys look adorable together," Lucy chimed in.

"We're not together," they defended in unison.

Another beat of silence.

"Well, okay. We are going upstairs. You guys have fun," Dick announced as he practically dragged Lucy behind them. Once they hit the back staircase they went from stone cold silence to giggling.

"They were wearing pride pocket squares and matching ties, how was I supposed' ta know," she defended with a hushed alarm.

"Oh they are. They just don't know it yet," he lead her to his room and opened the door for her.

#bat famfanfic #batfam #batman #bruce wayne #lucy x dick #lucy quinzel #lucy flek #dick grayson #Nightwing #harleenqueenzel #harley quinn #fanfiction #fanfic #tim drake #connor #tim x connor

[krispydefendorpolice]

Once Upon A Miraculous - Part 2

Ok before we even get into the story here’s yet another warning to think twice before you continue. Jason dies. He dies in a gruesome, traumatizing event and even though I think I went over it very lightly I still think it’s pretty fucking graphic. I’m the writer and I. Had. To. Fucking. Stop. And take a break before I could continue with the story.

Violence and the results it can have on the body ahead. Madness from the pit and angst from hurt feeling of being replaced ahead. For the last time. You’ve all been warned so read at your own risk.

I’m going to trust that you all know your headspace well enough and for those that choose to read anyways? Thank you for going on this journey with me. I hope the falls between here and the end are worth the river journey and the lake we reach at the end (yes those are f*ing metaphors. I’m feeling philosophical at the moment)

Previous Masterpost list

————————————

“It’s me Nettie. I’m alive”

****************************

Jason was 14 years old when he met the Batman. He came across an unwatched batmobile. The tires on it could be sold for more than the average car and he had the tools on him.

One last check and he got to work. He was already thinking about the things he could buy for himself and his street siblings that he forgot the number one rule. Always keep a lookout.

The Batman caught him red handed with three wheels off and the fourth half done. After being forced to return the wheels to the car Jason was taken to the underground batcave. He met Alfred and the unmasked Batman. Bruce “fucking billionaire” Wayne.

Less than a month later he’s living in the manor and has been “adopted”. He doesn’t trust it. Rich men don’t want son’s and there are too many kids with stories about the horrors that “nice family’s” hide behind closed doors. But he’s got a roof over his head and food in his stomach. If Wayne thinks that will be enough to buy him he’s going to find out how wrong he was.

Jason starts small at first. If he can just get the man angry enough to throw him out he won’t have to worry about being brought back. Setting all the alarms in the house and making them unfixable was a bit of a challenge. Seeing Bruce’s face when he changed the passwords was brilliant.

It continued that way for a few months until Bruce finally decided if Jason was gonna be a little shit he could learn to fight better instead. Jason decided that if he was going to learn to fight he would take over the abandoned Robin role too.

Dick was not happy. The first time Jason got to meet the man was after he was seen as Robin. He came to the manor and yelled at Bruce, saying he had no right to give his costume and name to someone else. Jason listened from the second story.

As angry as the two men got neither came to blows over it. Dick ended the fight by storming out and he put the older hero on radio silence for months after but neither had any injuries from their disagreement. If Jason had ever even looked at his old man funny as a kid he would have a black eye and welts on his back to show for it.

Maybe Bruce could be trusted after all?

****************************

At 15 years old Bruce is engaged to Selina Kyle. Their on again off again thing as hero and thief where they danced around each other had been driving Jason and Alfred batty. It was nice to see them actually settle into their thing as each challenged the other and kept them on their toes.

When Selina said she was going to be spending the summer with the daughter of an old schoolmate of hers Jason didn’t think much of it. He knew she had a legit degree she used to assess the potential spoils of her criminal activities.

He arrived at Wayne Enterprises a little early for their lunch meeting. Bruce had told him they’d meet in the lobby so after greeting the receptionists he looked for a place to sit. In one of the chairs facing the doors a small girl looked up at the windows before going back to her book and writing something. No she was probably drawing with long pencil strokes like that.

Curious he walked over to see if he could look at her drawing. He could see what looked like an image of the stained glass windows on the page but the lines through them gave it a softer, almost flowing shape. Which was weird cause glass wouldn’t follow those lines.

“What are you drawing?” He found himself asking her.

She jumped so he’d obviously surprised her. His thoughts were captured by her bright blue eyes. In the light coming from those stained glass windows she’d been admiring they almost seemed to glow.

She said she was designing a dress while she waited for her guardian and the fiancé to return. This must be Selina’s friends daughter.

Lunch was a fun affair where the girl shared she would be designing costumes for Jagged stone to wear during his concert tour this summer. She would stay with Selina in Gotham from Monday to Thursday while she designed and created clothes she would fly to whatever city Jagged was playing in from Thursday to Sunday to be on hand during the concerts for any costume repairs that would be needed.

Bruce volunteered Jason to show Marinette around the city since it wouldn’t be safe for her to be alone. Jason agrees because it’s summer break and he likes the Marinette he talked stained glass windows with and wonders what other beauty she will see in his dark city.

**

He is breathless by the beauty she sees all around her. The joy and happiness she shines as easily as she breathes. Everyone she meets becomes a new friend. Even the tamer of the Rogues and the Siren’s who meet her are enthralled by her smile and her charm.

Kissing her was a completely spontaneous action. He had thought about it for weeks by then but she had said there was a guy back home she sort of still had a crush on though she wasn’t happy with how they wanted to deal with the liar situation. So he was resigned to keeping his budding feelings to himself so that he could see her happy.

It had been the night of the last concert. Jagged had Marinette come on stage where he officially introduced her as his designer and the creator of all the tour costumes to the world. She had beamed with a smile so wide that when she threw herself into Jason’s arms after walking off stage he had just pulled back and placed a kiss on her lips.

He froze when he realized what he did. Marinette had stood on her tiptoe to start their second kiss.

For a week they were blissfully happy and free with their affection. Multiple paparazzi got pictures of them holding hands, kissing each other or just cuddling when they were waiting. Jasonette and the Sunshine of Gotham blew up on social media.

Saying goodbye to her was a really hard thing to do. So Jason went shopping for something he could give her to remember him by. They had decided they would try a long distance thing but he was afraid it wouldn’t be enough. If they did fall apart from distance he wanted something she could use to always fondly remember the summer fling they had.

It was perfect. He knew it might be impractical but he was convinced that it would be the perfect gift for her someday.

************************

They made it work. They had talked everyday and he spent every chance he could in France with her. He met her parents and they met Bruce as well. Marinette had her school situation resolved following her return.

He was proud of her for sticking up for herself when all her classmates seemed ready to abandon the liar just because Marinette had a connection they could use again. Nathaniel, Rose and Juleka were all artsy like Marinette and he could see how their creative energies inspired each other and themselves.

He was a week away from his departure to spend the summer in France with Marinette and her family when it happened. A false lead led to his capture by the Joker.

(Begin Angst)

The first break hurt but it was bearable. He had broken bones before. His bio dad had broken them frequently when he was still alive. The fifth hurt as bad. He also had a concussion and several burns at that time as well.

What felt like days, weeks, years... minutes?, passed in a haze as he jerked with every new hit. He was a mess from vomit, blood, piss and shit when his body couldn’t follow his commands any longer.

He held to the belief that Batman would come for him. That his father could still save him.

When the Joker left, Jason was lying on the concrete floor looking at the bomb countdown. He knew he had to get out of there, he pushed his battered body past the point he could feel pain and struggled to the door. He pulled on it but it wouldn’t open. The rattle of chains on the other side told him why.

He collapsed to the floor, tears streaming as he watched the numbers countdown.

10, 9, 8...

I’m sorry Alfred.

7, 6, 5,...

I’m sorry Bruce.

4, 3,...

I’m sorry Nettie.

2, 1,

I love...

(End Angst)

He was only 16. He would never see 17.

***************************

It was dark. It was small. It was hard to breathe. He was in some kind of box. He screamed and hit the walls around him trying to get out, trying to find some air.

It surprised him when cold pieces fell from above him. It had a new smell. He focused his determination on that spot. More of the new thing came down into his cage. He pushed it away from him and continued. There. Briefly a breath of clean, fresh air.

With new determination he pushed harder towards the life giving air. He was able to pull his head and shoulders out of the box. He rested for a moment swallowing greedy gulps of air into his starved lungs. When he was able to continue he pulled himself from the ground and looked around. As far as his eye could see were stones standing from the ground around him and beyond those trees and underbrush fading into shadows.

He picked a direction at random and began to walk.

**

It was familiar. Grab an item, run. The actions came without conscious memory. The streets were cold but he was big enough to scare off the worst of the predators. There were a few small people, kids, that came to him for protection from the bigger people. He did what he could but it never seemed to be enough he thought, as he stood over another small, broken body.

“I can give you a way to protect them.”

He looked up. She was beautiful but her eyes were cold. Empty and unfeeling. But she had promised to give him a way to protect the little ones. He was willing to try anything for that power.

What was his name? How old was he? He didn’t know.

****************************************

Jason.

He remembered his name as he lunged from the sickly green waters that Talia had led him to. He remembered Bruce, his father, but he didn’t save him from the Joker. He remembered the Jokers laughter ringing in his ears as he stood over another broken child on the streets. And the new shadow following the shape of the Batman when he was an amnesiac wandering the streets of Gotham.

He had been REPLACED!! He fumed. The anger and resentment over Bruces inability to save him, to avenge him and his replacing him as if Jason meant nothing, festered and boiled in his mind.

When he left the League of Shadows his only plan was to go back to Gotham and get revenge for his own death and to hurt his so called father as badly as he could. If Jason meant so little to him then he would show how little Bruce meant to him.

**

(Mild violence ahead)

Their first reunion was in a fight over drug dealers selling heroin to kids. Jason looked directly at the bat, pulled his gun and shot the dealers in the forehead.

(Violence over)

“These are my streets now. I won’t tolerate kids getting hurt on my watch.”

He disappeared before Batman could restrain him.

For weeks they danced around. Batman trying to catch him and Jason using every trick he learned from the Bat himself to avoid him.

Blood flowed freely from the wicked and the corrupt. He was a villain in his own right bringing judgement and execution down upon the criminals of Gotham.

Batman always appealed to the better side of him, to stop his madness. Didn’t he understand that part died? The child that trusted in heroes to protect the innocent died at the hands of a monster. A monster that his father couldn’t chase away.

The RedHood was risen from the pits and unleashed upon the evil of Gotham.

He was 18 years old.

******************************

Months of their back and forth dynamic between RedHood and Batman passed. The Batman couldn’t arrest the RedHood but the RedHood couldn’t stop tweaking his cape to get a reaction.

Didn’t he care? Wasn’t he going to stop him? He was doing everything wrong so why wouldn’t Bruce do the same for him that he did for all the other criminals in Gotham?

It was when Jason had the Joker at the business end of a gun that he got his answers.

“Don’t do it Hood,” Bruce pleaded. “It will change you beyond what you can come back from if you do.”

“I’ve already killed, B,” his words caught as he gasped, fighting back tears of rage. “My hands are dripping in blood.

He laughed madly then, “‘Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?’ Who knew that bitch knew what she was talking about.”

“It’s the madness that’s done it Hood. You’ve barely held control before. But you’re fighting the killing urge and directing it to those that do deserve it.”

“And yes,” he interrupted before Jason could argue, “no one deserves it more than Joker for what he’s done to you. But if you do it then the madness will win. Please I can’t lose my son again,” he begged.

“WHY DOES THAT MATTER NOW?!” Jason screamed. “He killed me. I was dead in the ground and you let him walk. WHY COULDN’T YOU KILL HIM?! AM I THAT MEANINGLESS TO YOU!?!!”

“I COULDN’T!” Bruce yelled back. “If I killed him I wouldn’t be able to stop killing. It wouldn’t just be the Joker that died, it would be every criminal in Gotham who dared step out of line. I wanted to. I still want to. He took my son from me but I know that once I start I won’t be able to stop. I’m sorry that I’m so weak, but I couldn’t.”

The Batman, no Bruce Wayne, stood before him, head bowed in defeat as he admitted to his greatest shame.

Jason looked away before dropping the gun and walking away. He knew Bruce would take the Joker back to Arkham so he just needed to get away and think.

**

They worked to build their relationships anew. He couldn’t be the son Bruce remembered anymore, too much had changed, but he could be the son he was today. He could do what he could for the Replacement and make sure the kid didn’t get himself killed on the streets. The girl that joined them got the same measure of protection though she was better able to defend herself.

When he finally let go of thoughts of revenge he could think about a time when a stray spark of living Sunshine found its way to cold, grey Gotham. He finally looked up news of Marinette to see how she was doing. He broke down and cried when her wedding announcement to the son of a Parisian fashion house was the first thing to pop up.

Selina, Bruce and Alfred all encouraged him to take a trip to France anyways to get some closure, to say goodbye. But he refused, the smile in her eyes as she looked at her new husband in the picture convinced him that she was happy. And that was all he ever wanted for her, even if it couldn’t be him giving the her the world.

He was 19 years old when he made peace with his past.

****************************

He was 20 years old when news of the villain Hawkmoth and his defeat hit the international press. He was livid to realize that his beloved Nettie had been in so much danger just living in a city that should have been safe. That the Justice League had done nothing when the citizens pleaded for help.

It felt like the period after his revival in the pit as he stormed the halls of the WatchTower. His vision was in various shades of red and his thoughts just kept turning back to how Marinette might have been killed in one of the villain’s monster attacks. Hell, she probably did die once or twice only to be revived by the hero’s magic.

If he ever got to meet LadyBug he would shower her in appreciation for defending the city his Nettie lived in.

The door crashed and nearly fell off the hinges when he threw it open and stormed through into the Leagues council room.

“RedHood,” Batman said calmly as he stalked up to the table.

Slamming his hands down and leaning over the collected heroes he asked what he’d wanted to since the news broke.

“Who. Screwed. Up?”

“When footage of the attacks first reached the League, investigations were done. No lasting damage was left from the attacks so it was written off as a publicity stunt and subsequent messages were ignored,” Batman explained. “It was a phone operator that fielded these calls. They went based off the assessment done by the League and deleted them.”

“She could have died B. I was dead and couldn’t do anything but you should have been keeping an eye on her. You know what she means to me.”

Batman nodded, “I should have. The messages never reached me but I should have been keeping a watch on her regardless of that.”

“You’re going to make amends to those heroes for ignoring them,” Jason stated. “All of you are,” he added, including the other heroes in the room in his statement.

“Yes,” Batman agreed.

Jason jerked his head in a nod and left the room. Going back to the cave where he can do his own check and make sure Marinette was safe.

********************************

It wasn’t just the League that failed Marinette. Jason knew he was as much to blame. If he had gone to Paris? If he had seen her? If he had told her he was alive? Would she have suffered under Hawkmoth? If, if, if.

News of the divorce of up and coming fashion designer MDC and the son of the fashion mogul and former villain Adrian Agreste hit airwaves like lightning. In the beginning people claimed it was Marinette who left because of Hawkmoth’s identity. Adrian was fast to shut that down and own that he was the one to ask for the divorce for personal reasons. With what seemed to be an amicable break up the world turned its attention to the next sound bite.

He’d failed her again. Jason just sat by his empty grave as he cried when he learns about it. He argues with Alfred and Selina when they bring up him visiting Paris afterwards. This time Bruce supports his decision. He doesn’t approve and lets Jason know it, but he supports him.

Returning to the cave after patrol, Jason was the last to arrive. He didn’t know why everyone was gathered by the computer so he went to take a look. He didn’t hear what Alfred said as he walked over. Momentarily blinded by the helmet as he removed it, he froze when he finally saw what, no who, had his family’s attention.

She had grown since their first meeting, not in height but in maturity. She had traded the fun pigtails for an elegant braid, and jeans for a sundress obviously of her own design.

“Hi, Monsieur Alfred introduced the others but I haven’t gotten your name yet. I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” she introduces herself as if she were meeting a stranger for the first time.

It hurt his heart that she would do that with him, though he realizes why she did. She didn’t know. She couldn’t know that it was him under the mask.

The words wouldn’t come though when he tried to find them and tell her. He finally settled for showing her, hoping she would believe her eyes.

After she gasped in reaction to his reveal he thought maybe his approach was a bit boneheaded after all. Nothing to do but go forward from there though.

“It’s me Nettie. I’m alive.”

Marinette teared up but instead of breaking down and crying she ran to him and jumped into his arms. Burying her face in his neck she just murmured “You’re alive” over and over.

“Yeah,” he admitted. He held her as tightly as he dared. A little worried he might hurt her by accident.

When she pulled away he reluctantly let her go but it was worth it.

She gave him the biggest smile and he saw it again.

He was 21 years old and the sun was shining in cold, grey Gotham once more.

————————————

So I really got into the structure I used for the first chapter and exuded to use the same for this one. They end at different ages because Jason’s a few months older and this happened in that in between time (the real reason is sections were getting too busy so I add another year to his story. How do I rationalize it? Well birthdays are a thing so there you go).

I hope everyone enjoyed this wild ride. I do plan to do an epilogue chapter but that will have to wait until next weekend. Anyone have any ideas you can send it to me.

@pepelachanel @mellownieice @kris-pines04 @zebrabaker @two-faced-biatch @vixen-uchiha @mandy984 @shamefullove @mycupisbroken @dawnwave16 @abrx2002 @mochinek0 @tbehartoo @fertileleaf @thanks-captain-obvious @ravennightingaleandavatempus @hinata3487 @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @zalladane @dast218 @miraculous786 @18-fandoms-unite-08 @moonlightstar64 @mooshoon @ladybug182 @iggy-of-fans @legendaryneckjudgestudent @megawhitleycalderonpaganus @finallyaniguana @tog84 @mystery-5-5 @evil-elf16

#jasonette #marinette x jason #violence and angst #extreme violence #torture aftermath #angst #madness #DLDR #dead dove don’t eat #I’ve warned you multiple times so don’t come at me #violence

[currentfandomkick]

Bio! Dad Strange Part 10, Mr. J finds Robin

Realized it might be easier to add titles so people know whats going on in these

Marinette was glad she had red hoodie, er, Jay back. He helped her escape her overprotective rouges, and aas the only one she could rant to about JL members without worrying about secret identities.

They may also be plotting to get their Hero Stalker out of the batfam—apparently Dick was a dick to Jason and chances of him changing with Tim were slim.

Speaking of, he didnt pick up lastnight and there havent been Robin sightings lately. Though, she is a but distracted trying to manage Jay’s murder rampages. Zsasz was helping with those and the Sirens pointed him to targets that deserved it, mostly traffickers and cartels.

The Council said that at this rate, he’d be her bodyguard or a new member. She didnt know what that meant for him besides staying beside her, when she worked as ‘Harley’s Niece’ (thank you puzzles for that) but otherwise she was kept away as Pixie Pop (too easy to id her) and Jill was just her father’s daughter taking to his patients and keeping certain Rogues from plotting mass murder (Uncle Jerome, Penguin, Riddler) or terrorist attacks (mostly Scarecrow but sometimes Ivy, Dent and Mr. Freeze)

But it bugged her, Robin being missing. She mentioned it to Rose, who said her flowers hadn’t seen him at all. As Tim or Robin.

She sent out a rouge and RKC search city-wide. Jay helps, as Red Hood (helmet was better but no, hood. Even though he isnt wearing one and is still in the awful outfit they met in).

Red Hood has managed to get a following on the streets and made a no kids rule for everything. All kids found were given to Uncle Oswald or his ‘son’ Marteen (late twenties) for recovery phsycially. Mentall Harley had her own picks for help on therapy, social and psychological sides.

The RKC was thriving since that system was installed.

But Robin was missing two days in. Mr. J was still back and too quiet and damnit!

Marinette skipped her treatments. Gotham is loud and she knows it but she has to do something. Jay is in his gear and she puts on her knock-Harley outfit and stocks up on knives, stungun, bolas and rubber bullet guns on her hips or legs.

She doesnt think about the fact that the red and black makes it look like her and Red Hood are trying to match with the the different red and black he’s wearing. Her makeup covers her face again—done up like a mime with a few contour tricks now.

She sneaks out and patrols on the rooftop, one of Robin’s usual routes. Maybe they just need to talk in person.

Then she catches something that sounds like her Hero Stalker when he was frustrated and tired and oh god that was screaming in there.

She moved. hit Rose’s tracker flower hard enough to leave a distress trail as she ran.

Jay ran after her, following her twists and turns.

She wished she skipped her treatments sooner. Could fly off to help but she hadnt and she cursed herself for this.

At 10 she found Mr. J torturing her friend in a warehouse.

“Stalker,” she whispered. Becuase that’s who he was first, the hero stalker that loved Batman and Robin (Robin-Jay, a small voice corrected her) for helping his city and were kind and caring and nice when his home was cold.

Robin and Mr. J didn’t hear. She knew that words were being said but she couldnt process them. Shock, Harley talked about that a lot after last summer.

A camera was recording. The sick fuck, he wanted to show this to someone.

She grabbed her bolas and threw them at Mr. J’s head.

He went down, hard. Jay handled him, but Marinette only cared about getting her friend off that table.

There was an oversized ray gun lointed at them while she fiddled witht he restraints, picking the locks.

She heard the whirling in it and kicked it in another direction.

It threw lightning. What the hell. What the hell—where was Batman. Why wasnt he keeping her friend safe. Why did he fail to keep Jay safe. Why—why does he get to put kids in danger?

Marinette felt sick. She got an exhausted Tim out and carried him.

She felt Harley run a hand through her hair as she refused to let her friend go.

She didnt know when the others got there, but they were.

Never alone, never go in alone. Always call the family and they will show. Never fight alone—the Council drilled this into her for years. Why was Hero Stalker-Robin alone? Did Batman forget how dangerous Gotham can be?

Zsasz was there with Jay, something Jay being “too nice” about needing to kill him painfully and permanently this time—“properly put him down this time.”

Her mind was a mess. She went to her Father on autopilot, carrying Tim over the rooftops. He clung to her. She’s ten and he’s twelve clinging to her as support. Where’s his team, his backup. Where’s Batman or Batgirl or Nightwing or the newb—Spoiler?

Why was Tim clinging to her and her team when his should be there. When his fights hers. Why were his enemies there and Batman—no, Bruce, his dad. Why wasn’t his Dad there for him. Why?

Father’s assisant helped fix Tim, their ability is to augment healing after Father puts them back together. Any attempt to move his mask was met by her breaking their wrist.

He had enough to worry about. No identity reveals on top of this nightmare, not on her watch.

She didn’t leave him that night. Refused to sleep too.

When he came to the next day, Jay was with a despondent Marinette.

“Going Kronos route,” Jay. Jay was tlaking about that monster. “He said I didnt have to see that.” Jayw as looking at her weird.

Marinette nodded, hoping it was the last time for real Jerimah would die. She lost track of how many times he’d been killed.

“Dad, he’s gotta be worried...” Tim, why the hell aren’t you thinking for yourself? Marinette wants to shake him, to keep him there and never let Bruce see him again.

Jay is debating it too, she can feel it. “I don’t know, he replaced me pretty quick.”

She wants to hit her brother. Becuase she knows he’s hurting but Jay can you chill for a but—he knew Hero Stalker befor ehe became Robin. He kenw what Tim’s life was like before Bruce. And Tim has been through enough, especially for now, hasn’t he?

“I, Ja—” so his first name started with a J. He was Jason Todd Wayne. Red Hoodie was Jason Todd Wayne and Robin and now James Smith. A lot of o’s until now, she noted (distract to aviod processing an overwhelming situation.)

“Its Red Hood. That kid died.”

“Hoodie...” she wanted to hug him or hit him or something. She doesn’t know. It hurts and doesnt at once.

Jay put an hand on her shoulder.

She knew he meant it. That Robin was killed by negilence from what he’d told her and she could peice together. The batfam picked Dick who left over him—a new Robin with no idea what was going on and how to Wayne and was being bullied by the rich kids and teachers in the ways that Jason couldn’t fight against. And when he finally lashed out—started being abit more violent—they put distance and then he went to find someone that might want him, his birth mother. That person sold him out to Mr. J. He died trying to protect his birth mom who wanted him dead.

She wanted cry but her eyes weren’t working. Still in shock then.

“I’m taking you back home if you want, but you have to stop being Robin like this. You can still do detective stuff but you need backup when you patrol or do a bust ir anything. You’re thirteen, not twenty.”

Tim didn’t make eyecontact. “I, he needs me.”

Marinette wanted to throttle Bruce. Badly.

“I get that.”

Harley only got better when Ivy stepped in. Jerome only recovers as long as Marinette keeps talking to him, the Sirens are slowly adopting him so she has more free time. Zsasz does what she says, and when she said no more taking hits unless they broke an RKC rule—attacking kids, abuse (any kind), murder that isn’t justifiable (see Dent for clarification), and active enablers of systematic abuse (dirty cops and their ‘albi’ partner, the false alibi givers too—Rose and Ivy’s plants were happy to testify the truth of anyone’s lcoation at any time).

Hell, if it wasnt for Frost and Ghoul and Puzzles, she doubted their fathers would even be considering backing off of crime. As it stands, Riddler is now running a youtube let’s play and working on game design as her and puzzles constant request. The other two were slowly moving off of crime and more into science again.

Her father would still be.. she didnt want to know how he’d escalate. But there were rumors of an alter around... she’d handle that tomorrow. Today was making sure Tim understood boundaries.

“But that doesnt mean you die for him. Do you hear me?”

Tim wasn’t looking at her then, looking at Jay instead.

“How are you even...”

“I dont talk about it.”

Tim nodded, slowly turning back to Marinette. “I, uh...”

Jay shook his head. “He wont get it pixie.”

“I,” Marinette sighed. Everything in her hurt and she didn’t know why. She wasnt injured. “He can try. Just, please Jay?”

Jay ruffled her hair. “Talk to him then you’re getting some z’s got it?”

Marinette nodded, feeling Jay leave. Probably to talk to Father about this. Maybe the Council.

“T—Robin.” He turned to her then. “Please, don’t die. If its life or death situation, please dont be the one to die. Don’t pull an idiot move and martyr yourself fighting a war. Focus on the causes, find the root issue and kick its butt. If anyone can, its you.”

Tim blinked slowly at her.

Marinette sighed. “Get some rest. Everyone knows if the touch your mask Jay’s got free reign.”

She went home and let Harley gove her Ivy’s knockout tea.

“Hun, how...”

“He doesn’t even realize how screwed up it is. I, he can’t becuase he came from such shit parents and...”

Harley raised an eyebrow at her word choice, and decided certain people would get a talk. Lter, when her neice didnt look like she couls blow up at any minute.

Marinette wanted to scream and kick and fight but thst won’t help her friend.

“...how bad.”

“His birth parents left him alone enough for him to stalk vilgantes and rogues and get pics. They didnt even notice.”

Harley took a deep breath. “I’m giving him a burner. If he’s in deep, he can message us. I can talk to him but we both know that not how Waynes work.”

Marinette rubbed her temples. She suspected Harley knew but... “Do they know?”

“Only me, Selina and Jerome for now. Ivy suspects. Want it to stay our secret?”

Marinette nodded.

Harley patted her head. “Get some sleep. You have a Bat to chew out tonight.”

—

Marinette walked Tim to Batman, escorted by Jerome and Harley.

Jerome was pissed, she noted.

“Batsy, care to explain why my neice and us were the ones to find your bird?”

Batman didn’t look good. His skin was tired. Hopefully from searching for his son, right?

Batman was silent.

Tim ran into his arms, crying.

Marinette could feel Jerome ready to punch Batman. She held him back.

“Give him a minute, please.”

Jerome narrowed his eyes, but nodded.

Batman idly noted the interaction. Apparently this girl... clown-mime? She had sway over Joker and Harley. And found his son.

He didnt know how to thank them, or what to do with that.

“Er, Mr. Batman?” The girl sounded different then. More than a tonal shift.

“I, you need to fix your team. This is the second time this happened to one of your sons.”

Batman tensed at that.

“It was Mr. J again. I, one of my uncles and my brother are handling him. This is the third summer he’s tried killing a kid.”

That had both looking at her. “He,” Marinette was smaller then, almost... scared.

Batman seemed to catch what she was trying to say.

“He kidnapped my girl here with hatter, killed Hatter infront kf her, and held her for a week while deciding how to kill her until she escaped and called us.”

Batman stared at Marinette then, something clicking enough to make him pale.

“He targets kids. The, the RKC are claiming jurisdiction on him and claiming his body to prevent future revivals,” Marinette got out, shaking slightly. She hated thinking about that week. It took day with the green crystals and week after to recover phsyically.

Batman didnt say anything, waiting for her to talk. Not the adults—he put together she’s incharge.

It was unnerving.

Tim was looking ar her too. They both knew she knew a lot. He wanted to see what she’d do with that knowledge.

She hated to dissapoint him, but Oswald and Marteen and Fish told her to make sure negotations go her way by any means necessary.

“I, Robin is either to be supervised or partnered during all patrols, put on a team somewhere else where he gets that support or be removed from fieldwork and he needs a new alias for his safety.”

Robin, not Tim, stiffened. “You’re not the boss of me!”

“If these conditions aren’t met, then i...”

Harley stepped forward then. “Then me or Jokes will blab about who’s under the mask. If its bad enough, then my mini-me will let out four other leaguer’s identities and their sidekicks. She’s pretty smart, even panicked when she found out i knew how much she knew.”

Marinette was paler under the makeup. She knew

This was the best plan for sucess but it made her feel sick.

Batman put Tim behind him.

“How does she—”

Marinette winced at the tone.

Batman froze at her reaction. He didnt like it when kids were scared of him.

She was shaking when she spoke. “Paterns and friends with their obsessions and me with mine and a few photoshop jokes and it just...” she trailed off, curling in in herself and eyes on the ground.

Bad move but she, she cant look at people right now. Maybe Jay but not the man who pushed her brother into a palce where he was vulenerable, not one who failed to get two of his sons away from Mr. J.

“You, you should have a meeting or something on secret identities becuase i have to keep a lot of them now. Becuase, becuase you guys are bad at them and blocking JL news did nothing to stop figuring out Arrow with his archery style and Superman’s only works with general disbelief and acting and Wonderwoman should vary how she carries herself or something and uh, yeah, Flash was more a senses thing and uh, i just...”

She was fiddling. With her ropes. When did she start doing that?

“I’ll talk to the league.” Batman was watching her carefully. Too carefully.

“Just, just think things through, okay? Tag team patrols if he stays and new costume—i made him by knowing him before... maybe a different role on the team? I, i don’t know just...”

Marientte squeezed the rope. Oh, those were tears starting up. “please keep him safe.”

She didnt see their reactions. She heard Jay coming over, in his helmet.

“Pixie, time to go.” It was Jay that lifted her up. She was lighter then? Did her worry screw with her treatment processing again? She didnt know. Or maybe she was just light to him?

She let him take her the long way, to the RKC.

She cried with Rose’s plants growing over her and Jay into him. Rose kept Ghoul from going to kill someone by getting him to help her make crepes for Marinette.

It was an absymal attempt. But it got her to laugh.

Frost gave her an ice sculpture and told them he’d be taking her to his summer classes in Central for a few.

—

The JL have a meeting. No one likes what Batman tells them.

“You’re telling us Harley Quinn—who took you down on her own twice—she has a neice that knows not only your team’s identities, but mine, Supes, Wonder Woman and Flash’s?” Arrow summized.

Batman sighed. “Yes.”

The League was silent for a moment.

Flash was the one to break it. “You wouldnt happen to have any pictures of Harley in casual clothing would you?”

Everyone turned to him, various looks of confusion, rage and disgust.

Batman put a picture of Harley with the Sirens up, one where she forgot her make-up during a ‘shopping spree’ in the Sirens early days.

“Yeah, i think she’s this girl, Jill i think, her aunt. The kid was wicked smart when i met her at the Flash muesum last year, and knew more than she should about acfive police cases. I think she’s our mystery girl, Pixie.”

“That’s what Red Hood was calling her before taking her away.”

The league burst into chaos then.

“We need to find her”

“Get the security feeds from the Flash muesum last summer.”

“Theyre deleted already.”

“Databases for american girls named variations of Jill born between XXXX and XXXX”

“Wait, alias, maybe?”

“Damnit!”

—

The Flash was patroling his city when she spotted her. Pixie. At central city university.

“Hey there kiddo.”

The girl jumped a bit, turning to see him. Earplugs. sensory issues?

“Uh, hello?” Th girl looked around, like she was expecting someone else. “Are you looking for someone?”

“Kind of. Maybe you can help?”

That got the girl’s attention, sitting up straighter and her eyes sharper. Definately the girl Batman said she was. He put his league comm on, hoping the others would hear.

“There’s this case I’m working on, but the lead scientist is stuck on. I heard from a certain reporter you’re pretty good at forensic science, think you can help with a bit of bio?”

Marinette blinked a few times, but nodded. “Kind of. Im not allowed in labs yet so i mostly just look at data and figure out what patterns fit it best. My father doesnt want me to get too involved with biology or medicine since mom has a science ban.”

Red flag. Restrictive learning is a red flag. Possible abusive or toxic home. Procede with caution.

“Well that’s good. Give me one sec, the lead on this isnt getting it done.”

flash came back in less than a second, holding a file. “Can you look this over and tell me what happened?”

“The kid was moved through multiple locations while injured. He, he couldnt fight back since there’s no defensive wounds, but restraint bruising, looks like metal since its uniform... i, mr. flash, they have a lot of injuries, but some are old and defensive so in bad fighting situations a lot too.”

Marinette handed him back the file.

“Thank you. The forensic guy is taking forever.”

That had the girl, Jill? Looking at him again, this time curious. He hoped the league turned on his camera to see her reactions. Get her into their database.

“Who is it?”

“Barry Allen.”

Marinette couldnt help it, Barry (not flash, Barry who is hiding being a meta and still speaking out) is her personal hero. Him and Harley, but still. “He’s really cool!”

Okay, she can’t hide her fangirl side.

Flash raised an eyebrow. “Not really. Always late, sloppy attire, testimonies are eh.”

Marinette was mad then—why cant Flash let his alter be amazing!

“He’s late becuase he’s known to stay up late working on other cases when he isnt paid to and doesnt have to. And appearances and organizational skills arent what matters—his expertise is and he’s one of best with getting everyone what they need in time for case-building. So what if his reports are hard to read sometimes? He explains it in personso everyone gets what happened, which is very important and a lot of people are super bad at. And—and he advocates for meta rights and for their ability and circumstances taken into consideration during sentencing—none of the others even try to remind people of that and that a lot of metas dont chose their powers and it gets overwhelming and scary and then one instictive reaction later and people get hurt when you didnt want to react at all.”

Flash felt something kick him in the chest then. The girl is meta. Ear plugs. Possibly hurt somone by accident.

“If its okay, can i ask what your ability is?”

Marinette froze. “I. If anyone finds out, I lose Maman and Papa and Father and everyone.”

Flash froze at that. “What do you mean you lose everyone.”

“I, I’m visiting family for the summer. I live in France.” She didnt want to say more than that for location. “Being meta there is bad. Automatic life sentence with no trial bad.”

Flash sat down, putting an arm around her. This, this was not what he was expecting.

“My powers get worse in the summer. If I slip here, most of my family can handle it. Nothing bad happens. If i slip at home with Maman and Papa, i... if anyone knew then i’d be taken away whether they wanted it or not.”

“Where would you end up?” He had to know how bad it was.

“Living zombie in correction centers. Then jail-jail when you’re 18 until you die... no trial. Being meta is a crime there. And, and mr. Allen doesnt think that way at all. He keep saying you need to contextualize power and abilities and intents and if you defend yourself and you’re meta you go jail...”

Flash stayed silent, letting her continue.

“Maman screamed a lot when i hit this stalker in france. He was following me and other kids from school with a bat, saying he’d teach us all lessons. We got away but he kept trying to get us. I snapped one time and he was mostly fine, nothing permanent but Maman was so angry at me for almost getting caught becuase it was on tape and i was a little kid and little kids run, they dont fight.

“My powers didnt show though—Father made a treatment to keep them from that. No one suspects stickers... but she’s still scared its enough for a rep to come and check me for meta abilities and that she’ll lose me again.

“Again?”

Marinette twisted at that. “I, uh, probably would be dead if Father didnt find a treatment for me as a baby. Its how i got my abilities, but if theyre ever neutralized completely, i’d be dead. So we have to curb them... Maman forgets i need them and almost threw out my supply once. She forgets that i’m not normal until things like a student stalker happen and i hit the guy with his bat and then she remembers and gets scared i’ll be taken and its just...”

Flash decided he was adopting her, somehow. Smart and powered and in need of help.

There would be an intervention in France soon.

“Sounds like a lot of pressure, especially for someone your age.”

Marinette didnt make eye contact. “I have to. If i dont then there’s a dot in the open and thats a possible pattern and someone might connect it to the ones i couldnt stop. And Father and me are good at connecting dots and finding possibilities.”

Flash wanted to scream at the League then, he ahd a feeling they only added to her stress.

“He, he says we’re hardwired to find patterns and possibilities. But i shouldnt catch as many as i do. My teachers keep saying i need to slow down and dial it back and stop catching on so fast and blurting things out but i just...”

Marinette was fiddling with her hair then, it was down enough to.

“Sounds like you’re a real smart kid.”

“Smart kids don’t get caught.” She needed to be smarter, untraceable.

Flash thought she meant the Justice League wasn’t smart. And if the girl was reluctant to let him bring them in just yet...

“Do you at least have someone you can talk to about this?”

“My Auntie Quinn and Rose. Rose doesnt like you though.”

“Oh? Who made her mad at us? Was is Arrow?” He already knew but he wanted to know why.

“Batman. He, uh gave her to someone who, and i quote, ‘should never be allowed to have a sentiment child that is not a plant’ when she was found by him. She’s younger than me but she looks older, and isnt allowed outside of her house.”

Flash heard a low thump from his comm. oh, Batman knew who it was alright.

“I, uh, do you need help with another case?”

Flash smiled at her. She needed a distraction from what she just said.

“Back in a flash!” Once he was back in starr labs he turned on his audio. “Who was it?”

“Poison Ivy’s daughter. Cadmus, not Ivy, created her apparently.”

Flash swore as he grabbed a differnt file. Potential speedster case he hadn’t gotten around to.

“Here ya go kiddo,” Flash grinned at her.

Marinette nodded her head and looked over the file.

“Something doesn’t add up... there!” She pointed at one of the photographs. “See?”

Flash leaned in to get a better look.

“It looks like the speedster marks but that would only work if the speedster was messing with spacetime continum! But there’s no evidence of that so Occam’s razor, its a lightning meta!”

Flash looked over the picture and it did add up. Especially the lack of certain streaking patterns.

“They were probably teleporting since theres no drag or streaks, just one epicenter,” Marinette continued.

Flash decided that the League would be visiting Paris, and he’d be personally fixing the meta policies. And that the girl, Jill, she’d be in the League. She lectured Batman and Robin on safety and seemed to be focused on helping them in their weaker spots as heroes... mainly identity maintenance. And she likes science and is good at it—perfect to add a science-centric member to the League as she grows up.

—

That’s the end of this summer. Next time we do marinette meeting Tikki and becoming Ladybug. That should take a few posts until we get back to gotham.

Let me know if you want a JL handling looking for Marinette as Princess (the kiddie kyptonian) and Jill (who Flash found and is presumed to be Harley’s neice). Im happy to if there’s interest.

Reminder, there will be many a miraculous swap and the Ladybug parts will diverge from cannon as 1) i changed a lot of characters, 2) charater dynamics are altered too and 3) i’m changing when students came in and how Adiren ended up in school.

Also, see my kwami posts for how the kwami are in this AU as they are not the same as cannon and it will be a bit obvious.

@dast218 @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @weird-pale-blonde-person @emeraldpuffguide @mystery-5-5

#maribat #maribat au #ml au #my au #bio!dad strange #bio! dad au #bio!dad au #marinette strange dupain cheng #marientte strange dupain cheng part 10 #tim survives mr j #marinette is under too much pressure #and blackmailing the justice league #marinette needs a hug #all the hugs really

[mydeardeath]

Ineluctable (4/4)

This was written almost two years after chaper 3 so it’s not quite the end I had first thought of. Not beta read, so sorry for the mistakes 

                                           ___________

Their search for Damian didn't last long. The following morning his name was all over the newspapers along with the word "Omega" written in capital letter. The title was simple but it was sure to sell. Tim had been stuck in traffic on his way to work when he had seen it. He had stopped in the middle of the road and gotten out, ignoring the cries and the honking to take one of the papers. The fact that Damian's true cast had been discovered was concerning enough on itself but that not what drew Tim's attention. There was more horrifying that Damian's secret being exposed to the whole world.

Ra's had Damian.

The paper showed a picture of Ra's Al Ghul, a "protective" arm slung around his grandson's shoulders. He had presented himself to the Hong Kong's authorities as a concerned grandfather looking out for his omega grandson who was traveling alone with an unmated alpha. Once he had been confirmed that Damian was indeed an Omega he had been put into Ra's care. Cassandra Cain, the unmated alpha that had been traveling with him had been put under arrest to be investigated as well as the whole Wayne family for not only lying about one's cast but also for failing to provide the "protection and education that all Omegas shall receive". Thus, until the investigation was completed, Damian Wayne would remain under his grandfather's care, who had been granted temporary guardianship. 

Ra's told himself appalled by Bruce Wayne's actions and swore he would bring proper care for the Omega. That would cause such a scandal. Bruce and Tim would have to step down from their position in WE. Their funds would probably be blocked during the investigation. But they would need a really good lawyer to win the trial. They were sure they would be one. Ra's had played it smart by making it public. They couldn't just go and retrieve Damian now. Tim felt stupid for not seeing it coming. Of course, Ra's would get involved. This was a golden opportunity.

Tim's hands were clenching hard on the papers and he was brought back to reality by the news-seller yelling at him about reading the papers without buying it. He tossed him a bill and got back into his car. There was no need to go to work today. He needed to get back at the manor before the police came looking for them. It was surprising they hadn't woke then up in the middle of the night. But relations weren't that good between the US and China. Small mercies.

***

Alfred was already opening the door as Tim's car pulled up in front of the Manor. His face was somber. He already knew, had probably heard the news when he was preparing breakfast for the rest of the family. So the others probably knew too.

Alfred led him to the living room. Bruce was standing in a corner of the room while Jason and Dick were sitting on a sofa, close but not quite touching. Dick had come back as soon as he had heard that Damian had disappeared and Jason was soon to follow. As an omega himself, he understood why Damian had kept secret about his cast. People coming from the dead weren't that weird nowadays with all the metas and aliens. Jason could have easily got his identity back. But he would be trapped again, never really free because of his caste. He was far better off with being officially dead.

None of them could hide their worry, not even Bruce. It was his younger son that was concerned after all. And this wasn't anything mission's related. He didn't want to admit it out loud before his sons, but he had doubts. He wasn't sure he could win this. Not his usual way of thinking, but he had no emergency plans for one of his sons being an Omega. He had never thought Damian was one. He was surprised Talia had lied about it. At first, it made sense. She wanted Damian to inherit her father's empire. So she couldn't have him be an Omega. But she could have easily sold him out once he had turned his back on her to stay with her father. She had disowned him. Yet, she remained silent about his true caste. No matter all she had done, she had protected their son from that. So despite all that had happened between them, he felt afraid of what Ra's might do to her for lying to him all of this time. She was not a good person but she didn't deserve to pay for protecting Damian. So Bruce would not only have to make sure that he got Damian back quickly but that Talia was safe as well.

Bruce remained silent for a few minutes after Tim had joined them. He didn't know where to start. He had no plans forming up in his mind. He was unable to come up with anything. He loved Gotham and his country but he knew its flaws. He knew how Omegas were regarded. There had been some progress in people's minds but laws were slow to follow. Omegas still needed a guardian even after hitting 18. They were always under someone's authority, may it be a parent or a mate. And regarding the law, Bruce had failed as a parent.

"So what's the plan, B?" Jason put him out of his thoughts.

Bruce had now the attention of his sons. They all had tried to think of something and were as lost as he was. They looked at him with various ranges of despair, waiting for him to spell out a plan of action. Anything to reassure. To show them that Damian wasn't lost to them, that they would get him back.

"I..." Bruce started, not knowing what to say to them.

At the same moment, Alfred came into the room followed by Jim Gordon.

"Commissioner," Bruce greeted him, straightening suddenly to face the newcomer.

"Misters Wayne," he replied, trying to smile at them but they could see he was tense.

"What bring you here, commissioner ?" Tim asked.

"Damian Wayne," Jim said simply to no one's surprise. "The state has chosen to press charges against your family for housing an undeclared Omega as well as registering said Omega as a Beta in front of the law."

It was clear in his tone that the man didn't like that more than they did. But he did not have any other choice than to enforce the law no matter how bad it was.

"We understand Commissioner, but I would like to point out that as Damian's father that the sole responsibility of..."

"There is no need for that, Bruce. Lying to a representative of the law would bring no good in our current situation."

"Tim..." Bruce tried to interject, no understanding what Tim was getting at.

"Truth is, Commissioner, that Damian is my mate, but as he was ten when he arrived in the family I couldn't bring myself to declare it. I ask them to say nothing until Damian was of age as I did not wish to be tied in this way to a child.”

They all froze at Tim's declaration. They had not expected him to declare Damian as his own. But they all could guess why he had done so. They had all come to the same conclusion: they would lose a trial. Bruce may be Damian's father but Ra's was also family. And he had law and public opinion on his side. Well, maybe that last wasn't entirely true. Omega's right defenders would side with Bruce, but the judges of Gotham were old and conservative folks. That wouldn't win them a trial. The only thing stronger than Ra's claim of guardianship over Damian was a mate claim. Tim claiming Damian as his Omega was the only way of getting him away from Ra's.  So, while they were all trying to think of some kind of plan, Tim had resigned himself to that. He knew it was for the best but he still felt bad for putting Damian in a situation he wouldn't like.

They all still had to follow the commissioner back to the station to give their statements. Well, with the exceptions of Jason, of course. He was still official dead so no charges were pressed against him. He watched them all walk out of the manor, including Alfred. He went straight to the job as the door closed. They all had some knowledge of laws but it wouldn't hurt to get back to the laws about Omega and pack's rights. And it made him felt at least a bit useful and kept him from going crazy while waiting for the others.

***

Damian stared blankly at the wall while Ra's servants busied themself preparing him. He had had no other choice but to follow his grandfather. He had waited until they were out of Hong Kong's authorities' view to try to escape. He was still pretty weak, his heat not quite over even if the worst had passed. But despite his weakened strength, he had put up quite the fight. That's it until his grandfather had pressed his teeth to his neck. Damian had gone slack, trying to put some distance between himself and the teeth.

"Keep fighting and I'll bite. You little Omega slut will be bond to me and you will never be able to be with anyone else." His grandfather had said. Damian had tried to relax his whole body and put his head down to show submission. The idea of being claimed his own grandfather completely disgusted him. He knew that the old man was capable of it. "If you try to escape again, I'll sell you off to the more offering." He had added while finally letting go of Damian.

After that Damian had made no other attempt at escaping. He wouldn't take the risk of being mated. Once you were bitten, your body would accept the person claiming. He had heard many stories of Omega getting claimed and then being stuck with their aggressor. But being claimed didn't force love so the bond often remained one-sided. Sometimes Alpha remained unclaimed but took several Omegas.

Truth is the bond could be broken with time and your body could accept somebody else. But few Omegas managed to get away long enough for that. And even when they managed it, if the claim had been made official then you were fucked. Officially, you would still belong to your first mate and the state would recognize no others (except if said mate was dead since an Omega 'needed' an Alpha to take care of them). Few Alphas would accept an Omega that had been bonded anyway. They would be regarded as outcasts. Most would end up selling their body on the street, the only place that accepted them.

That was not a fate Damian wished to share. So the boy laid still while the servants cleaned him. He didn't even move when they started waxing him. He showed absolutely no reaction when they pampered him to make him look like a "good omega". It went every instinct he had. But he couldn't risk angering his grandfather. He had no doubt that the man was preparing something for him but whatever it was, he was safe for now. Well, as safe as he could be in this place. The only thing he could do now was hope that his father would come to rescue him. He hated having to rely entirely on someone else, to have no control whatsoever over the situation. That's what he had tried to avoid most of his life.

But he could still have some sort of control. Once they had been done taking care of his skin, they had dressed him in traditional, covering most of his body. Unmated Omega shouldn't show too much to preserve their virtue. One of the servants had forgotten a needle, that Damian had discreetly hidden in his sleeve. It wasn't a knife but he could do the job in Damian's hand. Not to attack them and escape. No, there were far too many people and his clothing didn't allow much movement. But if it came to that, he'd rather take his own life than live as someone's bitch. Death would be better than be forever the slave of some Alpha Ra's had chosen for him.

***

Tim was released from the station three hours after they had been brought in. He hadn't seen the others since then. They had all been escorted to different interrogation rooms and the man that had questioned him had refused to tell him anything. The police officer had made a few snide comments about his failure as an Alpha for not mating his Omega. He had not seemed to understand what was the problem of Damian being 10 when they had met. Which was frankly disgusting. He would need to watch that one, Tim imagined he could be involved in some unsavory dealings.

He was escorted to his apartment by another officer, a Beta this time, that didn't utter a word to Tim until they reach their destination and informed him that he was not to leave the state while the investigation was still ongoing and to remain available for further questioning. Tim nodded and left the car under the watchful eyes of the officer. He walked calmly to the front door. Once it had shut behind him, he went straight to his own "cave". He turned on his computer and sent a message to the others, including Steph and Barbara. Less than a minute later, he received a response from the later. She added him to their discussion channel. They were already here. He must have been the last to be released.

"How did your interrogation went, Tim?" Bruce asked

"As well as you can imagine." Tim grimaced. I hadn't gone bad per se. He had said nothing that could compromise them much than they already were. He basically only had to bear their sexist remarks. "They wouldn't tell me what happened to Cass though."

"Cass is well. They're sending her back to America as we speak. Gotham won the right to have the trial even though she was arrested in Hong Kong. She will be authorized to remain with me at the Manor since she doesn't have an apartment of her own ('officially', it went unsaid)," Bruce informed him.

"What about Damian? They didn't tell me more either."

Bruce sighed, "Jim promised he would try to make sure he would be present to the trial. But we don't know if Ra's will aggry to it."

"He will" Tim was sure of it. "He wants his victory to be public. He's enjoying making us watch while we can do nothing."

"We are doing something" Jason spoke up for the first time since Tim had joined in.

"Are we? I don't remember coming up with a plan this morning. And since we all admitted that we lied, the trial will happen shortly from here. We won't have much time to prepare."

"We don't need to prepare. The only thing that will win us the fight is you. You claiming to be Damian's Alpha this morning is the best shot we have."

Tim was about to reply but Jason interrupted him.

"I know. I don't like it either. I'm an Omega, remember? I would never wish to be in Damian's position. But as much as I hate it, it's better than having Damian trap with Ra's." Jason paused. "You can't be much worse than the Alphas Ra's had in mind, Replacement." He joked half-heartedly. Tim gave him a small smile. But it didn't reach his eyes. He was feeling sick. He had still hoped that one of them would come with a better idea but they all remained silent after Jason had said his part.

As there was nothing else they could while they waited, Tim bid them goodbye and turned off his computer. He stared for a while after he had turned black. He was lost with what to do. He couldn't go to WE to distract himself with loads of paperwork and it was far too soon to go patrol. Which they wouldn't probably do for the next days anyway. They couldn't risk getting injured when they were supposed to stay at home and wait for the trial. Jason and Steph would have to do without him until it was over.

Tim was pulled out of his thoughts by his phone. He tried to ignore it but he kept ringing for five minutes straight. As it didn't seem it would stop soon, Tim resolved to take the call. He grimaced when he saw the name but still pressed the button.

"Hey Tam," he greeted her weakly.

"I heard about Damian," she went straight to the point.

"Yeah, it's..." complicated, fucked up? She had met Ra's so she already knew how bad the situation was.

"How are you feeling, Tim?" She asked, unexpectedly. He had thought she would talk about WE. It was her job after all.

"I might throw up soon," he answered honestly. "He's..."

"I'm sure he will be alright, Tim. You've beaten Ra's in the past. You'll do it once more" she tried to encourage him. And he could tell that she really believe it. It was sweet but she was wrong. He wouldn't be able to save Damian this time. But he didn't tell her that. He needed someone optimistic right now. It was refreshing when he felt like his entire world was falling apart. It's not just Damian that would be trapped if he had to claim him. He was the one who had said it, but it meant that he too would need to abandon the idea of finding someone. He wouldn't force a one-sided bond on Damian to go find someone else for himself as other Alphas did. They would be both condemned to never truly mate with anyone. So he kept talking to Tam and let her hopeful words wash over him.

***

Flashes assaulted him as soon as he got at out of the car. Journalists were yelling to try to get his attention, their words unintelligible. He hadn't spoken to anyone in over a week. The servants were not authorized to talk to him and Ra's had not come to see him since the first day. So he had spent the last days locked in a golden cage. He was treated like a prince. He had expected to be locked away in a cell. But the servants and the place they were staying at didn't look like it belonged to the league. Ra's probably wanted people to testify of how good he was treating the Omega and why he should keep taking care of him. Being suddenly crowded by so many people made him feel dizzy. But he took it upon himself to show no sign of distress. He wouldn't give his grandfather the pleasure of seeing him weak.

Ra's escorted him to the courtroom, a hand in his back as if to make sure he wouldn't try to run away. Which would be incredibly stupid in front of the journalists and police officers that had their eyes on him. Stupid and completely useless. Even if he managed to escape, he would be hunted down. He could hide, he didn't doubt that. They would maybe even forget about him in a decade or so. Damian could go live anywhere under a new identity. But Damian wasn't ready to give up his actual life. He was past wanting everyone to know he was the true son of Bruce Wayne. He had actually come to care about the family. Not just his father and Dick. But all of them. He couldn't imagine having to live without them all. Having to live all alone. That's why he had tried to antagonize them. Getting attached was a weakness. And here he was, unable to live them all behind. Ready to be treated like all known Omegas were treated, just to stay with them. He hated himself for that.

Once they entered the room, his eyes fell on his family. Bruce was seated beside Tim and Alfred while Dick was in the next row with Barbara and Cassandra. Steph was not officially part of the family and Jason was still supposed to be dead so they couldn't be there since the trial would happen in closed doors. Damian was thankful that reporters were not allowed inside. It was enough that his secret was now exposed to the whole world, no need to have them present while his fate was decided. They all turned to him when he entered and he could see that his father wanted to cross the room to meet him but they couldn't do that. He tried to smile at them, try to reassure them but he was pretty sure he failed to be convincing. But they were no better. The situation was hard for everyone. Damian wanted nothing more than for it to be over but dreaded what would come to the end at the same time.

Ra's led him to the opposite side of the room where Ra's lawyer was waiting for them. They started speaking to each other in low voices and Damian didn't bother trying to understand what they were saying. The trial would soon begin so whatever they had prepared didn't matter. He just had to hope that his father had thought of something.

Ten minutes after Damian had sitten down, the judge came in and the room fell silent. Ra's side started as they were the accusation. They repeated what they had already told the press about Damian being an Omega and being hidden by his father for years. They showed that Bruce Wayne had declared him to be a Beta and deliberately lied to the state. Ra's brought up evidence of the proper care he could provide for his grandson. None of what was said was a surprise. The only thing that was uncertain was the defense his father would come up with. But instead of his father standing up to talk, it was Tim that came forward. Damian's eyes opened wide. No. That couldn't be it. That wasn't happening. He tensed as soon as the other man started speaking. He could barely hear anything with all the blood rushing to his ear. He fell as if he could not breathe anymore. He knew very well what Tim must be saying. There was only one reason for him to speak up instead of his father. Had Damian been a bit less terrified of Tim claiming him, he could have enjoyed the look on Ra's face. The man had not seen that coming in the slightest. How could he have? Damian knew about Tim but still hadn't expected it to be brought up. He guessed he should have. They didn't have much to go with to win in court.

Damian finally calmed down when he noticed that Tim had stopped speaking. In fact, nobody else was saying anything. Tim was still standing but his eyes were fixed to the door, a look surprise on his face. Damian was as shocked when he turned to see what was happening. He couldn't believe she was here. He had thought she would remain in hiding in fear of Ra's wrath. But no, Talia Al Ghul was standing in the room, her head held high and her eyes unwavering. Damian felt like crying. He had barely spoken to his mother in years and yet she had come for him.

"Sorry to interrupt you like that but I was informed very belatedly of what was happening. Which I find shocking as Damian's mother." Talia spoke strongly, even daring to look right at her father. "I raised Damian in my father's home until he was 10. He presented under my care. I have the document that proved that I was the one to declare his caste. He was my choice and not his father's to do so. In fact, I never informed him of the truth."

"When you are saying your father's home, who are you talking about exactly, Mrs ?"

"I am Talia Al Ghul, daughter of Ra's Al Ghul."

She was convincing. How could she not be when she only said the truth. She had been living at her father's home. He just happened to no really be alive when he had presented. Not that Ra's could tell that to the judge. Plus, her presenting a document that showed she had been the one to declare Damian as a Beta brought up the question of the origin of the document Ra's had shown to the judge to incriminate Bruce. He didn't put him in a good position to have forced said document and lied in court. If the man hadn't intended to track Talia down before, he sure would now. Damian couldn't fathom why she would do such a thing.

The judge asked his mother a few more questions before the jury left the room to deliberate. He saw his father briefly take his mother's hand at the corner of his eyes, showing her his gratitude for going against Ra's to protect Damian. Ra's was throwing them murderous looks, failing to remain cool and hide his reactions.

After only 20 minutes of debate, the jury came back "After deliberation we came to the conclusion that Damian Wayne could not remain in his grandfather's care as we can not be sure of his honesty." Damian felt relieved at that but it was short-lived. "But we cannot either put him back in his mother or father's care as they both failed to bring him the education an Omega needs. We all agreed that he would be better with Timothy Drake, his mate. Once they have claimed each other, Damian Wayne his free to go home." Damian's eyes fell to the floor. He couldn't hold back his tears anymore but didn't want anyone to see. He tensed when hands grabbed him.

"It's me, Damian. Let's go take a little walk while arrangements are made," his mother muttered in his ears.

He let him guide him out of the room. They didn't go far and guards remain not too far from them to make sure they wouldn't flee. They sat down on a bench, his mother's hand still of him. For long they didn't say anything, his mother waiting for him to calm down.

"That's what I had been trying to avoid since you presented. I knew how my father would react. I know how he regards the like of us." She sighed.

"What? What do you mean, the "like of us"?" Damian was looking at his mother as if he was seeing for the first time. Could she be?

"Draw up your own conclusions Damian. I won't confirm anything." His mother had been really great at hiding that part of her. He guessed nobody had ever known (or lived after knowing) that she was an Omega.

"What will do now ?" He asked curious and worried.

"That not for you to worry, you will have enough of your own."

"Why ?" He finally asked what he truly wanted to know.

She looked straight at him "I resented you for choosing your father over me for a long time. But I spent my life fearing what Ra's would do to me if he knew. I have imagined so many things. And imagining you going through that. No, I couldn't do nothing. I guess we both failed to not get attached. But now if you don't mind, I would like to get a headstart on Ra's." He nodded while she got up.

"Mother," he called when she was leaving, "Thank you." And with that, she was gone.

He stayed alone on the bench until Dick came up to him with Barbara. His brother gave him a big hug and for once Damian didn't try to pull him off him but loosened in his arms. His mother's comforting hand had been nice but he had needed more. Dick didn't ask how he felt. He did not need to do that. He knew Damian and he wasn't stupid. He just tried to show Damian that he would be here for him. They were interrupted by the guards. It was time.

***

The ceremony was very formal. They mostly just signed paper. Then comes the bite. It feels weird touching Tim. He had avoided physical contact with Tim as much as possible over the year. The few times they had touched had not been intimate in any way, mostly to tend to injuries. And it's the first time they touch with Damian not wearing sent blockers. He doesn't count the time that brought them here considering he was completely out of it and doesn't remember it clearly. Damian had started trembling when Tim had lowered his head to bring his teeth to his neck and the man had stopped moving. Tim couldn't bring himself to do it when Damian was this distressed. So Damian had brought himself to do it first so it would be over quickly. He had put his hands on Tim's shoulders and the man had tipped his head to bare his neck. Damian didn't let himself time to think and just sank his teeth into the flesh. It barely lasted a second but Damian felt overwhelmed. His body was starting to respond to the Alpha in front of him. He bared his own neck, unable to control it. Tim's bite was just as brief as his own. And yet this act had sealed their union. They had claimed each other. Damian closed his eyes and let the Alpha pheromones washed over him to keep him calm. He didn't want to have a panic attack in front of everyone. Plus he better get used to it. It was his life now.

#Tim Drake #Damian Wayne #timdami #damitim

[thecomicsnexus]

BATMAN: NOËL NOVEMBER 2011 BY LEE BERMEJO, BARBARA CIARDO AND TODD KLEIN

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

In Gotham City, Batman tracks down a man named Bob Cratchit that he knows to be working for the Joker. Bob has a young son, and out of desperation, he took a job doing a delivery for the Clown Prince of Crime. Batman catches up with him, though, causing him to drop his package. The package is full of the Joker's money, and Batman grabs him, interrogating him about his enemy's whereabouts. Bob knows nothing, and knowing that the Joker will want his money back, he uses Bob as bait, and lets him go free - with a tracker placed on his scarf.

Bob returns home to find his son Tim fashioning a makeshift Christmas tree out of a dead plant and some garbage. The boy is excited to show his creation to his father, but the stressful encounter with Batman has left Bob rather harrowed. Tim wanted to add something to represent Batman to his tree, because Batman is a good guy. Thinking of himself, Bob mutters that sometimes good people have to do bad things.

In the Batcave, Alfred notes that Bruce seems to have a rather severe cough, and should probably not be out in the cold so much. He notices that Bruce is performing surveillance on the Cratchit household, and expresses some disgust at his master's invasion of privacy - and in particular his placing a child in danger by using a parent as bait. Bruce believes that if left to his own devices, Bob Cratchit will raise his son to be a criminal like him. Alfred coldly warns that there was once another boy whose future was risked on his watch.

That boy was Robin. As Batman's sidekick, the boy had brought out a side of his mentor that has not been seen in some time. But Robin is dead, and has been for years. And with him went that happier side. Still sick, Bruce has a vision of Robin, and that apparition warns that he will be visited by three more people who will help him to see what he's lost.

Batman responds to the Bat-Signal and meets with his confidante Commissioner Gordon. Gordon tips Batman off to a report that Catwoman plans to knock over an auction house and may have some information about the Joker's whereabouts. Batman thinks it would be a waste of time to check into it, given the games Selina plays, but decides to stop her anyway.

Near Sprang's Auction House, Catwoman jokes that she could hear Batman's laboured breathing from far away, and dares him to chase her. Angrily, he grabs her and demands to know where the Joker is. Coyly, she responds that she made the story up just to get him to come for her. As he leaves in anger, she calls after him that he has changed. He used to be more determined to pursue her, more willing to play. Annoyed, he gives in and chases her, and something about that action reminds him of the man he used to be, the man he was with Robin. However, in his condition, he is not able to do all he should, and when she makes a desperate leap across a gap between buildings, he misses his mark and falls into the alley below.

Down there, he has vivid memories of his parents' murder. His reverie is interrupted by the appearance of Superman. He comments that he heard Bruce coughing all the way from Metropolis, and using his X-Ray vision, he determines that Batman has the beginnings of pneumonia. Bruce shrugs him off, and sighing, Superman takes his friend's hand and offers to give him a lift to his car. Batman agrees on the condition that they stop by the Cratchit house. Superman comments that it is bad for a hunter to use parents or children as bait. Despite the fact that it is clear that there is plenty of love between Bob and his son, Batman is blind to it and treats the family only as a means to capturing his foe.

Superman is disappointed with Bruce's approach, and decides to show him something. Lifting the Dark Knight high above his city, Superman urges him to see the good within Gotham's citizens in their every day life. Gotham's present is full of acts of good will and kindness above and beyond its crime and dirt.

Superman takes Bruce to the home of Commissioner Gordon, where he has invited one of his officers to share some 'cheer' with he and his wife. The officer comments that there were some Batman sightings across the city, but things seem otherwise quiet. Gordon admits that his relationship with the vigilante isn't easy to keep, and his guest suggests that Batman is a necessary evil. Gordon responds that Batman is by no means evil, but that he walks a fine line and occasionally blurs that line too much. He likes to think that he can temper that instability in Batman.

Afterwards, Superman drops Batman off at the Batmobile, warning his friend to take steps to improve his health. As Bruce makes his way to the car, though, it suddenly explodes, knocking him back. Nearly unconscious, Bruce only has enough time to see a figure approaching before he blacks out. The Joker drags Batman from the alley into a cemetery. He kicks the unconscious Dark Knight into an open grave, and begins shovelling dirt on top.

In his unconsciousness, Batman dreams of a future without him. The city is full of riots, and it has been overrun by rival gangs inspired by his example - only more willing to cross the line. These gangs are at war with another gang inspired by the Joker. James Gordon is tried for aiding and abetting a known criminal, obstructing justice, harbouring a known fugitive, malfeasance in office, and accessory. He is found guilty and sentenced to 30 years without parole. Wayne Manor and its contents are sold at auction and Alfred watches his life taken away from him. Everyone who had cared for Batman is worse off - and why should they care if he died when it seemed to them that he didn't care for them at all? Realizing that he has a chance to make this all right, Batman returns to consciousness, and thrusts his fist up through the dirt which had covered him.

That night, Tim answers a knock on his door, and is horrified to find the Joker standing there. He begins laying out tools of torture on the table and demands to know where Bob is. When he threatens Tim's life, Bob gets up the nerve to come out with a baseball bat and threaten his one-time employer. Unfortunately, the Joker dodges the blow quickly and places the muzzle of a revolver in his face. He demands his money, and makes it clear that he will kill to get it.

Suddenly, Batman smashes through the window and knocks Joker to the floor. Before the clown can retrieve his gun, Bob Cratchit grabs it and turns the tables. He cries out that if the Joker wants to play games with his son's life, he will show him how to play, cocking the revolver. Joker dares him to fire, but Batman urges Bob to show his son that he is not a criminal; to show him what a hero is. Reluctantly, Bob lets the weapon drop, and Batman delivers the Joker to the police.

Tim and Bob are brought closer together by their experience, and Commissioner Gordon's faith in his mysterious friend is restored. Batman returns to the cave, and goes to sleep.

The next day, Batman furnishes the Cratchit household with a real Christmas tree, presents, and even a job for Bob courtesy of Bruce Wayne. Later, Bob would tell the story to his son, borrowing motifs from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", hoping to teach Tim that a man can change for the better.

REVIEW

I am not a Christmas person (I may be dead inside) and I am definitely not a fan of “A Christmas Carol”, perhaps because the story has been adapted too many times, with mixed results. It’s just best to create a new story.

In any case, this novel focuses in the idea of people being able to change (which is the right approach to the original material), and puts Batman in the role of Scrooge. I could debate about how accurate this could be, but the story was non-canon and it happened on the same month as the New 52 debut, if you needed more reasons to believe this was an elseworld. So let’s just accept that this Batman is always on “Mike W. Barr” mode.

I felt like the Catwoman part of this novel is perhaps the less interesting one (but it also feels like that in the original to me).

The creative twist in this novel is the way it’s told. While we can accept a narrator telling the story in a book without thinking too much about it, here, it comes as a surprise. When I started reading the novel, I thought someone was telling this story, but no. I differ with the DC Database interpretation, Bob is not telling this story with elements of “A Christmas Carol”, I think he is telling the Christmas Carol story as he remembers it. And we just happen to see a different version than the one he is narrating. It’s a bit complicated, but let’s just agree on the fact that Bob couldn’t know about Superman, Catwoman and Gordon. So we are reading two stories in parallel that have the same elements.

The art, well, do I even need to say something? It’s just mesmerizing, and the colors give his pages an “Alex Ross” feel.

I give this novel a score of 9

#lee bermejo #dc comics #comics #review #2011 #modern age #batman80 #batman noel #superman #catwoman #joker #robin #dick grayson #a christmas carol

[redjaybathood]

wedding happens!au pt 5

Fandom: Batman, RHATO

Characters: Selina Kyle, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Ric Grayson, Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Isabel Ardila

Pairings: BatCat, implied BruJay*, Jason/Isabel

Gen

So: Catwoman doesn’t marry Batman - instead Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne have their (very public) wedding. Before that, though, Selina visits some of Bruce’s kids.

*from here on out there is mentions/references of underage (jaytalia in this case), nothing explicit, nothing even in the frame, so to speak, but if it squicks you out - skip this one because it’s the whole reason I’m writing this fic

Damian

It was telling, that Selina got a question about their plans about kids from two of Bruce’s sons, now, and they were yet to discuss it between themselves. What exactly it was saying about them - or about her, really, because she was the one with the pregnancy test in her bag earlier that afternoon she took Damian to the tailor - she didn’t really want to ponder.

She answered Damian as honestly as she could muster.

Bruce’s opinion didn’t matter.

The only thing she had left to decide is if she wanted to tell him about the appointment. The wedding would be in a few days. She was expected at the clinic a week after that.

Bruce’s opinion didn’t matter. But he had an uncanny ability to know about everyone’s business. And, as Tim said, a tendency to make everything about him. So it was a good chance that he would treat it as his failure, that Selina didn’t think he would be a good father.

Also, she didn’t want to put to test Bruce’s belief in women’s body autonomy vs Batman’s feelings about the sanctity of all life.

She tried to shake these thoughts off. She had nine days to figure it out. It was better to focus on the present.

“What are you thinking about?” she murmured to Damian.

He stopped smiling a little after they shook their hands. God, she hoped she didn’t fuck things up with him. Maybe she should have allowed him to call her mom. With Talia, it wouldn’t be surprising if he wanted another one. Wasn’t that why all the kids took to Bruce so much? Not Dick, probably. He loved his parents. But Tim, yes, and Jason, obviously. That’s how they described - or, rather, alluded to, because never someone raised by Alfred Pennyworth would utter something so crass. Daddy issues.

Selina hoped as hell Damian would grow up without mommy issues. She feared his teenage years. Oh god, but what if Damian got a crush on her then?

“Todd,” Damian replied, and for a second, Selina felt relief. 

Maybe she wouldn’t need to worry about his crush on her. 

“I do not understand why someone so untrustworthy would be allowed to attend the event as important as it is.”

“I thought you found the snitch who sold your team out to Other? And it wasn’t Todd?”

“I did.” Damian said. 

Selina looked at him, prompting, so after a while he turned his head so he would face straight ahead, and continued. Selina couldn’t see his expression, now. But he was talking in that even, calm tone he used when topics he broached were too morbid or distasteful even for him. 

“I was not wrong to suspect Todd though. I was not. He is not loyal to anyone or anything. He was with my father. Then, he was with my mother, for a time. She took him in. Cared for him. Taught him. They were lovers, even. I think. The rumors said, before she managed to strangle them.”

“Rumors,” Selina thought to herself, “or the people who had loose tongues?”.

“I believe it. It was the most selfless thing I ever knew her do. And he still left.”

“If they were together, like that, kid, I wouldn’t say it was totally selfless from her side.” Selina said, half-regretting it as soon as it came out of her mouth because Damian, with all his complex relationships with Talia, did not need to hear this shit about his mother. 

Yet, what he needed to understand, that it wasn’t okay. 

“He was how old? Seventeen? And totally under her influence. I don’t think - Damian, okay, just. You know what the definition of consent is?”

Damian scoffed. 

“He was old enough to fight crime, old enough to kill, old enough to die. You, with your misplaced pity, you are doing him a disservice, robbing him off agency. He was capable of making his own choices. He wasn’t a child.”

It was hard to say, after Damian’s “old enough to fight” part of the speech, if he was defending his mother’s honor against accusation of statutory rape, or was he having entirely different conversation about another boy who grew up too fast and despised being treated as a kid, when it was convenient to people.It was hard to care for Selina. Because this issue was too important to her. And it seemed like Bruce never got around to have a talk with Damian. Not “your body is changing talk”, Damian was probably too smart and educated to need that, but a “yes means yes” talk. Did it mean she needed to do that, catch the ball where Bruce dropped it? Or would it be overstepping? Did she give a damn about overstepping, when the alternative would mean a boy growing up to be an adult with some really messed up views on sex and relationships and sexual abuse and the difference between all that? If she didn’t, how can she just change his mind with one conversation?

“People die at any age,” Selina said evenly. “At sixteen, at eleven, at six. In the cradle. It does not make you a grown-up. And people could kill at any age, too.”

Damian lowered his head. That was something she suspected about his life before he came to Gotham.

Selina rubbed her forehead. Well, she wanted a distraction.

#fic #batcat #brujay #jaysabel #selina kyle #damian wayne #jason todd #talia al ghul #bruce wayne #fruit of discord #the shortest part of the fic because that's where the topic i want to talk about comes in #kinda #and oh boy is it actually harder to talk about with words when i thought #like i knew it would be hard #and yet #istg even writing joker is actually easier #and i hate and don't get joker

[chibinightowl]

10. “Poppycock! No fool could ever be that daft to actually go through with it!”, Bruce/Clark but its Bruce who says poppycock.

I swear, I have started and failed this prompt about half a dozen times. I even built an entire Holmesian AU in my head around it. And yet, what do I end up with? This. I hope you enjoy! (also, love your icon! Asmo is amazing!)

(also, for the anon who asked for #10 with Alfred and Bruce, this is also your response too!)

~*~*~

There was nothing quite like the glitz and glamor of a charity auction hosted by the Wayne Foundation, Clark decided. These sort of puff pieces were beneath a reporter of his caliber, but he appreciated covering events hosted by Bruce because he knew that not only were the funds being raised going to the right places, but that the majority of the costs associated with hosting this were covered by Bruce himself.

Whether they were tax deductible, he’d yet to discover.

Lingering near the canapé table, Clark dutifully took notes for the article that was already mostly written in his head. All he needed were a few quotes from the people who really mattered rather than the attention seekers attracted by his visible press pass. His hearing told him that Tim wasn’t too far and that Bruce was perhaps a few meters beyond his son.

Tim was always good for an honest statement at an event like this, touching on the meaningful points of what his adopted father’s foundation was currently doing. With the right questions, Clark was sure he could learn more about Tim’s own Neon Knights program and how that was progressing.

But, meaningful as that was, it didn’t sell papers or keep people renewing their online subscriptions.

No, what sold papers were the antics of Brucie Wayne, billionaire playboy and philanthropist.

And just like Bruce’s children, Clark really disliked dealing with the Brucie persona that was always in full effect when the public was watching. Nearly two decades hadn’t lessened it in the slightest.

Deciding it was best to get it over with, he made his way through the crowd with his own act of mild mannered reporter who was a tad bit clumsy on display.

As he moved into the periphery of Bruce’s circle of sycophants, Clark noticed that Brucie seemed to be in rare form tonight. To the outside world, there was absolutely nothing going on behind those pale blue eyes. Wide and vapid, they matched his laugh, his smile, his everything.

Brucie was in the middle of a story and gesturing with great enthusiasm. “…And then Alfred said Poppycock! No fool could ever be that daft to actually go through with it! Well, I’m no fool and Dickie had already done it, so I figured I could too.”

Clark zoned out as he tried to maneuver closer, already familiar with the real story about how Dick took it upon himself to try walking a tightrope strung up between two large Las Vegas hotels. Bruce’s public version though explains how he ended up with that broken leg a couple months ago.

The crowd was too tight around Bruce, so he decided hitting up Tim would be the better option. If he was lucky, Brucie would pull some ridiculous stunt before he left that could be added into his article.

No sooner had he turned his sights on Tim, a large hand thumped solidly on the back of his shoulder. “Well, well, well, would you look who’s here?”

It was Bruce.

“Hello there, Nebraska.”

Clark tossed a prayer into the ether for patience. “It’s Kansas.”

“Right, right. I’ll remember next time, Iowa.” Brucie grinned vapidly but Clark didn’t miss the gleam of amusement in his eyes.

Someone wanted to play. Damn, and here he’d been hoping that if he did speak with Bruce, he’d take pity on him and make it easy. No such luck tonight.

“Mr. Wayne, congratulations on the turnout tonight. How much are you and the Wayne Foundation anticipating this auction will raise for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Gotham City area?”

“Ugh, numbers.” Bruce pulled a disgusted face as he looped an arm over Clark’s shoulders and started leading him away. “I hate numbers. They’re so…numbery. Who even invented them anyway?”

“The current number system we use originally evolved from the Hindus by way of the Arabs —“ Clark was cut off with a broad wave of Bruce’s hand that almost hit him in the face.

“If I wanted a history lesson, Smallville, I’d have asked for one.”

Well, at least he was using the right town now. It was better than farm boy, which was probably coming up as Bruce cycled through all his nicknames. The list was long and Clark swore that Lois and Bruce must have a master list that they shared because some of them were just too crazy for them to have come up with on their own.

Clark sighed and pushed his glasses firmly onto his nose. “Mr. Wayne, if you could just give me a brief statement about the auction, I can get out of your hair.”

“Hmm, and go bother Timothy instead?” A brief flash of Bruce’s usual wry humor appeared in his eyes. “No, I think that —”

This time, Bruce was cut off as a well-dressed socialite appeared out of nowhere and tossed champagne right in his face.

“How could you, Brucie?” the brunette wailed, eyes welling with tears so big her makeup was already starting to run. “I thought you said I was special.”

Only with his super hearing could Clark hear the low Fuck that escaped from his friend.

“Anita!” Bruce said smoothly, completely ignoring the liquid streaming down his face. Already, there was a circle forming around them as people stopped to stare.

The woman wailed even more loudly. “That’s not my name!”

“Annie? Annabelle? Something that starts with an A?“

Clark stepped to the side to watch the drama unfold. And what a show it was, right out of a daytime soap opera. A jilted lover seeking public vindication that she’d been wronged in some hope of winning back the love of the one who wronged them. The backdrop of the hotel ballroom was the perfect touch too if by some chance this woman did manage to convince Bruce to speak with her in private. Perhaps in a hotel room upstairs. Like that was going to happen though. At this point in time, the playboy reputation was just that, a reputation, and had been for some time. Whoever this person was, they were trying to take advantage of that for their own gain.

Bruce and the woman were going around in circles, the woman getting more and more hysterical by the minute. The whole thing ended when she threw her empty glass and then herself at Bruce. A security guard caught hold of her before she could though. It took two of them to drag her away, still wailing and screaming.

“Well, that was entertaining.” Bruce smiled disarmingly at Clark. “I think you got your story now, Iowa.”

“I got something, that’s for sure. Have a good night, Mr. Wayne.”

It was past time to seek out Tim, get his quote, and get out of here.

~*~

Less than an hour later, Clark sat in his hotel room and typed up the story. A shower had gone a long way toward improving his mood, as had the comfortable pillows supporting his back as he wrote. The bed was surprisingly comfortable, which, considering the price tag for the room, it had better be. This kind of place was out of his budget, but wasn’t even a drop in the bucket for the man who was taking a shower of his own in the bathroom.

Bruce.

This was one of those rare nights where their schedules happened to coincide, that there wasn’t some disaster calling him away. The kids were all on patrol tonight, so unless there was an Arkham emergency, here they would stay until morning and life tore them apart once again.

Clark shook off his maudlin thoughts and kept writing. Work first. This was how his bills got paid. Fingers flew over the keyboard of his laptop and he’d proofread the article twice by the time Bruce exited the bathroom, dressed in a bathrobe and his hair still damp.

“Almost done?” he asked as he took a seat on the other side of the large bed, swinging his legs up so that he could lay down.

“Just about.” Clark clicked on send and the article was off to Perry. “Tim was a huge help.”

“He always is.”

Setting the laptop aside, he took off his glasses and turned his attention on Bruce. The man looked exhausted, even more so than usual. “Rough week?”

Bruce rolled onto his side to face Clark. “Rough month. Don’t tell Alfred, but I probably shouldn’t have taken the cast off when I did.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” He laid down and pointedly did not switch over to his x-ray vision to scan Bruce’s leg. It wouldn’t do any good for either of them. “Ready for bed?” he asked instead.

“We haven’t seen each other in person for three months. Do you really think I want to sleep?”

Clark sighed and traced one dark smudge under Bruce’s eye, then the other. They’d been hidden by concealer earlier. “These say otherwise.”

Bruce grabbed his hand and drew it to his mouth, lips ghosting over the large knuckles. “Those are never going away, Clark. Deal with it.”

“You’re probably right.”

“I’m always right. Now get over here and keep me awake.”

“And what if I want you to fall asleep on me?” Clark shifted around until he was pressed flush against the other man. 

It constantly amazed him that he and the oh so proud Batman were at a point in their lives where this was even possible. Twenty years ago, he’d have asked if the person suggesting it was feeling all right and done a quick scan of their brain to check for damage. Ten years ago, he would have wordlessly shrugged it off. Five years… well, time made for all the difference in the world. This was about as close to domestic as the two of them got. It hurt that it couldn’t be more, but with the lives they led, these quiet moments were more precious than gold.

“Shut up and kiss me, Clark.”

Laughing, he did just that.

#chibinightowl writes #Clark Kent #Bruce Wayne #SuperBat

[v01d-ch1ld]

Diary of a Psycho Clown Girl pt. 2

It was different the first time I went to stately Wayne Manor but I endured. Alfred greeted me and I thought that Mr. Wayne’s father answered the door so I embarrassed myself there when he gave a look like “poor confused thing” and Dick was laughing like a psycho. I made it inside and took off my shoes because I immediately did not want to put footprints on tile that expensive looking. This was just the mudroom and I was embarrassed about breaking anything. We got into the living room and it was enormous. A full mantle, fireplace, several black leather couches, paintings, hung swords, guns, hunter’s trophies decorated the room lavishly and I thought I had just stepped into a fairy tale palace. Dick showed me to the Entertainment Room where there was a pool table, poker table, fuse ball, ping pong, darts, chess, and about every board game known to exist. Dick said that if we went out to one of the garages there was air hockey but I was content with teaching Dick how to play pool. Well, I thought I was going to be teaching him but he made it clear that he had skill and that we were in competition. It was a tough game but I won because he missed his called pocket on the eight ball. Shame. Well, that means that I get the last cookie the next time Alfred brings us some! We were playing music on the speaker and eating pizza and playing video games on the flat-screen when something red and black barreled into Dick knocking him over the sofa and onto the floor and knocking down the curtains. They fought in the mass of fabric while I laughed and laughed. Alfred came running because he heard the crash and so did a black-haired man in his late thirties. Mr. Wayne himself! I hid behind the couch.

               “Jason! Dick! Get out from underneath those drapes now! You know better than to roughhouse when we have guests over!” Alfred chides the boys. Every so often a hand can be seen grabbing at something, the only thing giving away whose hands it was being size. Bruce was looking on mildly amused. Alfred had no way of separating and Bruce is too much of a moron at parenting to stop them so looks like I have to fight. Shit, this is not how good first impressions are made.

               I jumped over the back of the couch past Bruce and Alfred and grabbed hold of one of their torsos and dragged them out of the curtain. This was a 12-year-old. Jeez, I stopped being that hot-headed when I was 9.  I shoved him over to Alfred and reached under the curtain where Dick was hiding from me. I grabbed his ear and he wailed. I take him out from under the drapes. I dig my fingernail into the center of his lobe.

               “Richard Grayson! How old are you?” I scold. I’ve had to do this to kids on the street that were fighting like kids before.

               “Sixteen! Ow!” He squeals.

               “And how old is your brother?” I ask again in the same tone. You know it. The one your mom uses on you when you have been being an immature pain in the ass and its before 5 PM so she can’t have her Chardonnay yet. That one. The one that promises punishment.

               “Thirteen!” He screams a little when I pinch harder. I smile.

               “And as his elder brother he looks up to you to set an example. You are also older and expected to act like an adult sometimes. He is smaller than you and that makes it easier for you to hurt him when you fight like that. Besides you are brothers! Do you have any idea how much that should mean to you? That’s family. More family than I’ve got anyway. SO, TAKE CARE OF IT AND DON’T FIGHT YOUR BROTHER!” I yell at him. He looks guilty. Good, he should be, picking on his brother like an asshole. I release Dick’s earlobe and then look at Jason who is smiling at me from behind Alfred’s legs. I wink at him.

               “Well that was interesting.” Bruce says after a while. “And you are?”

               “Rebecca Napier, sir, Dick invited me over for the afternoon he said you were okay with it.” I say nervously. He could have me charged with assault for what I just did.

               “I am. Now that that’s over I am going to have my video meeting with Lucius I will be back down for dinner. Oh, and Dick you have good taste in friends.” Bruce smirks before he walks out. Alfred leaves soon after but Jason stays.

               “Why’d you tackle me like that!” Dick asked harshly.

               “Because you invited your special friend over and I asked to meet her and you said no!” Jason said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He continued, “But, I didn’t think that when I did meet her I would know her. Hi Becca!” Jason greeted me like an old friend and then it all came back. I was helping him scam people on this one street but there was a gang member who found out that we were doing business on his gang’s turf so we had to escape and I distracted them so he could go. I secretly gave him the money because I knew that I was going to end up killed or taken back with them and forced to work for them so I wanted Jason to be okay for a while.

               “What’s up Jaybird?” I smile and we high five. It was good to see him again even if our relationship was a brief one. We lived together for 3 days and then I had to work off a debt to the family. Which actually wasn’t that bad. They didn’t make me do anything that was illegal really, they just kind of made me into a maid/bartender and sometimes I would help them sell marijuana. That was the only really bad part. It got me into a bad habit. I only smoke that good good on the weekend though. And sometimes I still do the family favors and they pay pretty well once they know you and respect you.

               “Happy to see someone that I recognize.” Jason says looking at me intently.

               “Bruce is filing the papers to adopt him. He isn’t enrolled in school yet but he will. He will be in 7th grade.” Dick says.

               “Dude when I knew you on the streets I thought you were way older than you are.” I say confused.

               “Good that’s probably why I survived so long.” Jason said. “How is it over there?”

               “Same old, same old. My roommate got arrested so I now don’t have enough money for rent. I have to pick up some extra work and maybe pull some slight strings.” Jason immediately knows what I mean and Dick, bless him, his completely in the dark.

               “No! Don’t do that! It’s too dangerous. I’ll ask dad if he can help you.” Oh no. That’s Jason’s commander voice. The one that used to get other kids his age to follow him as he took them through raids in convenience stores, selling to the black market, even when he first started scamming. He was stubborn and refused to take no as an answer.

               “NO! I am no accepting charity from Bruce Wayne! I am fine by myself you don’t need to get involved, Jason. I’m the older one here let me take care of myself.” I plead.

               “Wait just what are you talking about?” Dick interjects. I give Jason a look and he glares back.

               “Drug dealing. We are talking about drug dealing. If she can’t get money legally she deals drugs for a local gang. She has been doing it since she was 12 and I was 9.” Jason says monotone. I scowl. Dick looks like he’s in catatonia.

               “How did you know that I’ve even done it that long?” I’m irate at this point.

               “I would see you when I was in the alleys squatting and I would see you selling. You gave me a twenty once. I bought food for myself this other kid I was squatting with.” Jason said.  Well fuck. Dick finally unfreezes.

               “DRUG DEALING? You’ve sold drugs! But why? I know you have a job?” Dick.exe has stopped working.

               “Sometimes it isn’t enough. Especially when they up my rent.” I shrug. A dark look washes across Dick’s face.

               “I’m telling Bruce.” He stalks off. Shit.

 Five hours later and a very stern “You’re staying here” from Bruce along with a two-hour argument over why he “cannot condone a minor living orphaned with another minor in an apartment in that part of town, nor her dealings with the local gangs or the crimes she commits to support herself.”  Bruce was less than happy that his son brought a low-level drug dealer to his house but he understood why I was doing it, now at least he is happy that I never have to do it again and that he could still do some of his night job while the sun’s still up.  Even if that meant he essentially unofficially adopted another kid.

 I have a family again. Home. I have a home.

Note: When Becca says Jaybird its a play on the word jailbird and Jason’s name when Dick says it it’s because Jason is Robin

#bruce wayne #Jason todd #dick grayson #robin #nightwing #batman #alfred #wayne manor #oc #iwsbtw series

[ronanastor]

♕ 𝓡𝓮𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓗𝓸𝓶𝓮: 𝓐𝓷 𝓐𝓤 𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓫𝓫𝓵𝓮

Ronan was dreading the moment she would walk through the doors of her family home. She had written home to her mother a few days before leaving back for New York. The girl had informed her mother that she had in fact managed an engagement before leaving London and that she would prefer to leave it as a surprise until she returned home. Her mother would be so disappointed. She had asked two very simple things of her and Ronan somehow failed to comply. All she had to do was find a man with a title and get him to marry her. Instead she had found a boy with money that she knew she would be safe with and agreed to marry him for both of their benefits. As the second son of Bru.ce Way.ne, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that he may inherit his father’s estates it wasn’t very likely he would get much. Since Bruce had a real heir now, it would be expected for his biological son to receive the most from his father’s will whenever he should pass. And, of course, no one in the family had any titles. Mother would be furious.

The young woman sighs as the car slows to a stop in front of the Astor Manor. The sight of it alone started a sick feeling in her stomach. While her family tried to keep up appearances, the blonde knew the inside of the home would be more empty than it was before she had left. No doubt her parents had sold what little remained of her belongings to make ends meet while they waited on their daughter to return from the season. She wondered if there was even any furniture left in her room. If she had come home as a failure, would she have even had a bed to sleep in? Clothes to wear? The thoughts only made Ronan more grateful for her childhood friend for saving her from what would have been the Astors eventual downfall. Headlines everywhere would have exposed the Astor scandal. Everyone in the world would have known her family were frauds and had been surviving on luck and excellent acting alone.

She steps out of the car and makes her way along the walkway and up the worn brick stairs to the large, and once glamorous, wooden doors. As a little girl, she always thought they were doors that belonged to giants. Now they just felt like doors that belonged to a sad, broken doll house that no little girl could possibly want to play with. Ronan steels herself and lets out one more breath before pushing open one of the heavy doors. They had long since let the door man go. Someone opening doors at the Astor home was not a luxury they could afford, but soon they might be able to again. Not that it would matter to Ronan very much. She would likely never live in this house again and she was glad dreams of endless, empty hallways and haunted ballrooms could finally leave her sleeping head. No more nightmares about this empty void of a home.

“Mother, father! I’m home!” She calls into the dark abyss after she has shut the door behind her. She lights one of the oil lamps and her heart sinks a little. The room around her was still furnished, but it was more sparse than it had been months before. She wonders how many more family heirlooms will never been seen again or if the desert princess who owned her tiara might now own more of her belongings. “Father? Mother?” After a moment, she hears her mother calling her from upstairs. That was the last thing she had hoped for. She had been hoping her father would be home to greet her so that she would have some sort of support when she had to tell her mother. The blonde slowly makes her way up the old staircase, the fond memories she had felt before leaving for London no longer weighing on her heart.  

She climbs the stairs and finally reaches her mother’s room, respectfully tapping her knuckles against the door. Once she has been granted permission to enter, she pushes the door open. “I have returned, mother.” Ronan says, forcing a smile onto her lips as if she weren’t scared about how the conversation that was to follow would go. Her mother stands and moves over to her, wrapping her arms around her daughter. She looks to see their reflections in her mother’s mirror, but it’s gone. Her heart sinks into her stomach. Her mother was going to be so disappointed. She had failed her. All she had asked was one simple request of her and instead her daughter was marrying a title-less man who was known for sleeping around with most of New York. Once the embrace has ended, her mother wastes absolutely no time with her interrogation.

“You have kept me waiting this long Ronan Elizabeth,” Her mother grabs her left hand to examine the ring on her finger as if it might give her some sort of hint as to who had given it to her, “are you going to tell me who my future son is?”

There’s a smile on her mother’s face, clearly waiting for the name of a duke or a prince of some sort. The girl only wishes this moment would last and her mother could just be happy that she was getting married at all.

“Shouldn’t we wait until father is here?” The girl asks, hoping it may buy her a little time. Instead her mother simply waves her off with a scoff.

“He is a man, dear, he doesn’t care about such trivial matters.” Ronan knew that wasn’t true. Her father would care very much and he was probably still disappointed she had to marry to save them at all.

She might as well just get it over with. Just come clean now and take the heat for it and then it would be over and she could leave this hellish place once and for all.

“Do you recall Jason?”

“The Wayne boy?” Her mother asks with a raised and suspicious brow. “Did he introduce you to someone?”

Ronan bites her lip, suddenly wishing she could lie and just never have to own up to the truth in front of her mother.

“No… he is to be my husband.”

Slowly, the smile on her mother’s lips fades away. It’s silent for a few moments and for one magical second Ronan believes her mother will just give a disappointed sigh and let it go. Then Elizabeth Astor is roughly grabbing her daughters arm and shaking her by it.

“What were you thinking, Ronan?” Her mother sounds absolutely livid and it’s scary, just as scary as it always was when Bits didn’t get her way. “Not only could you not managed to get a title for yourself, but you are marrying into scandal! You’re going to bring shame to us! You realize that right?”

“Mother... please, you’re hurting me.” The daughter winces, trying to pull out of her mother’s grip and failing to do so.

“Hurting you? You are hurting us! We gave up what little we had left to send you to London and how do you repay us?” Elizabeth angrily shoves the girl away from her. “I am ashamed of you, Ronan. Your father and I have given you everything we possibly could and this is the best you can do.” She shakes her head, her expression similar to one you might wear if you found out someone had spit in your food.

“I… I’m sorry, Mother.” Ronan replies shakily, knowing the only way to please the woman was to grovel at her feet. “I should have done better. I have failed you… I know I cannot right my wrong, but I do hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive your only daughter.”

She is met with silence for several moments before her mother sighs and turns to her once again, looking much calmer than she had a few moments ago. She moves over to her daughter, brushing at the sleeves of her dress as if that could brush the soon to be bruises away.

“All is not lost, not yet. Once you are married to him, it is your duty to make sure that he tries to gain some sort of title. His family is rich enough that he can buy one, not to mention his older brother is now a prince and could easily help him gain one. You will fix this and you will fix him and you will make your family proud.”

“Yes, mother.”

It stung that her mother couldn’t even apologize for her actions, for losing her temper over something so foolish. Sure, she had failed to do exactly what she asked, but she had still managed to get into a situation that could save them. She had the feeling that anything less than the prince of Prussia himself would have disappointed her mother. Her mother had told her before leaving for London that her beauty was her fortune and she was right, it was. The beauty her mother gave her was worth endless amounts of estates and castles, but she had also taken on a burden of her father’s. Apparently, she too did not know how to wisely spend her fortune and now she had lost it all for her own pleasures and desires.

“I will do everything that I can to do justice to the Astor name.”

#asparkofmagick #♕ drabble #♕ do not reblog #i'll hopefully write some more canon related things later but i write in a lot of aus with my friend and i had inspo so

[chibinightowl]

Bakery AU Jaytim if you’re still doing prompts? 💕

I am! But I think I’ll save the rest of the ones I received for this next weekend. It was a fun way to spend my downtime at work. 

After the last prompt I filled, I decided I need to end my day on a fluffy note. Have some sweetness! ~*~

Tim bites his tongue as he concentrates on carefully icing the delicate cupcake in front of him. It’s a special order for a wedding and he wants each one to be perfect. Stephanie teases him for being too intent on his decorating but it’s the meticulous nature of it that appeals to him in the first place. That and the creative freedom. He still can’t believe he runs a small business — and a bakery to boot. How far the Drake name has fallen. Whatever, Tim’s happy and that’s all that matters. He took what little inheritance he got after his parent’s death (that survived the conservatorship while he was in the foster system) and promptly invested it. Baking always served as an escape for him, and his foster grandma encouraged it and taught him all kinds of things, so after he graduated high school, he went to culinary school to become a pastry chef. The intense pace of restaurant life didn’t suit him, so he sold all his stocks and bought a food truck where he started selling cupcakes and other easy to make (but no less delicious) baked goods. Thanks to his tech savvy, Tim maintained a strong presence on social media and soon his business grew. After six months, he hired Stephanie as his baking assistant and they hit it off fabulously, with her bright energy contrasting nicely against his somewhat intense personality. And now, here he is with his own storefront. Stephanie still takes the truck out during peak hours but now Tim stays behind for the most part to hide in his kitchen and simply create. Customers occasionally interrupt but most of his work now comes from special orders. Like the six dozen black forest cake cupcakes with a dark cherry filling and a blood red buttercream frosting dusted with edible gold glitter. They’re for a gothic inspired wedding, which Tim finds awesome. If there’s one thing he’s learned over the last few years, it’s the eclectic crowd that inspires his creativity the most. “Tim!” Steph all but shouts as she comes bursting into the kitchen. He’s used to it so he barely startles and keeps working. “Oh. My. God. You won’t believe who just walked in and asked for you.” “Let me guess. Mickey Mouse?”That earns him a smack upside the back of his head. “No! It’s Jason Wayne.” It takes a moment for the name to sink in. When it does, Tim drops his piping tube. “You’re shitting me.” Jason Wayne. Second son (adopted) of Bruce Wayne. Formerly Robin and now Redwing. Tim is a fan. A massive fan. He’s been a fan of Robin since he first figured out Dick Grayson was Batman’s sidekick at the tender age of 9. But Jason…Tim always kind of considered him his Robin, especially after the night he rescued a younger Tim from some gang on his way home from the library late one night. His foster family didn’t live in the best part of town but it wasn’t the worst either. “I know!!” Steph all but squeals as she shoves him toward the door. “He says he has a special order he wants to run by you. Now get out there!” She picks up the piping bag to take over. The cupcakes have to be done in a couple hours. Tim stumbles through the door but he still takes a moment to glare back over his shoulder at his friend and assistant. “Just be careful with those!”“Since when am I not? You taught me how to do it, Mr. Picky-Pants.” His ears burn as Tim turns around to greet his famous customer. Of course he heard that. Jason leans casually against the counter and grins at him. “She’s feisty, huh?”“You have no idea.” Tim rubs his hands on his icing smeared apron and grimaces when they’re still red. “Uhh, excuse me if I don’t shake your hand.”“Don’t worry about it. A little icing never hurt anyone.” Jason holds out his hand. “I’m Jason Wayne.”“I know,” Tim replies and then blinks. “Umm. Sorry. Tim Drake.” He shakes Jason’s hand. It’s big and warm and wow, there’s a lot of scars on his knuckles. Jason must notice where Tim’s eyes land. “I box and do some MMA,” he offers. “Oh. Yeah.” Tim reluctantly lets go and tries to put his business face on, much to the dismay of his inner fanboy who is screaming and bouncing in glee at meeting one of his heroes. “So! Steph says you want me to make something for you?” The taller man chuckles easily. He must be used to this. “I am. Normally we have Alfred make cakes, but he just broke his foot and he’s getting up there in age, so I thought maybe we’d contract out this year.” “Oh? What’s the occasion?” “Damian’s 15th birthday.” Jason doesn’t sound enthused. Even Tim’s heard and seen stories about how challenging the youngest Wayne (and current Robin) is. “Gotcha. So, teenager then.” His wheels are already turning. He grabs a pad of paper and a pencil and then heads over to a small table in the front of the shop. “Come into my office,” Tim jokes. Jason takes a seat, his long legs sticking out from either side of the table. The denim of his jeans strains over his incredibly muscular thighs and Tim does his best not to whimper. But it’s hard because the man just hits every single one of his buttons. It’s not fair.“What does Damian like?”The question garners an eye roll from Jason. “Sharp pointy objects. Art. Dogs. Any music that involves a symphony orchestra.”Tim’s done dog cakes before and even one that resembled Monet’s garden, which had been a bitch and a half. “So, a violin perhaps? Oh! Maybe a throwing star! Does he like ninja?” He gets all excited and starts sketching, completely missing the sharp look Jason gives him. “He hates ninja, but loves throwing stars. He’s got a few,” the man replies cautiously. But Tim’s in the zone, drawing a design for a modified star-shaped cake and sharpening the edges, tightening some lines and widening others. “I haven’t seen one since I stopped watching Naruto, but I think it’s something like this.” He shows Jason the drawing. He stares at it a moment before grinning broadly. “That looks fucking awesome. You think you can pull it off?” Tim scoffs. “I don’t see why not. It’s laying flat after all. Unless I can get it to stand…” the wheels start to turn again but Jason brings him back to the present by actually waving his hand in Tim’s face. “Slow your roll there, Timmers. Flat is fine.” “Oh. Okay.” He can’t help the slightly disappointed feeling that he won’t get a chance to really show off for his favorite Robin. Tim forces himself to focus. “So what kind of flavors does Damian like?”Jason rattles off a list of some definitely uncommon tastes, but by the end, Tim only has one idea and he can’t wait to give it a try. “I wonder if I can make a spiced chai cake.” “That…that would be awesome if you can pull it off.” Jason sounds impressed. Tim is already making a shopping list as star anise and cardamom aren’t spices he keeps on hand. “I’ll have to make some samples to see how it turns out. Are you available at all for a tasting?” Another really important question comes to mind and Tim brushes his bangs away from his face. “When do you need this by?” Jason’s staring at him in bemusement. “Two weeks. I know it’s short notice with what I saw online but I was kinda hoping maybe you’d make an exception.” Tim laughs at him. “I’m making Damian Wayne’s birthday cake. Even if it’s just for a small party, that kind of exposure is huge for a little business like mine. I’d be a fool not to.”“In that case, I can stop by next week for a tasting,” Jason says and stands. This meeting is apparently over, at least for now. “That should be plenty of time. This is going to be fun.” Tim knows he sounds eager and doesn’t care.

Jason smiles again, and Tim wants to just melt because it’s so unlike the playboy smile he sees on TV or his Instagram feed (because of course he follows Jason Wayne). “You really like a challenge, don’t you?” he asks.

“I love a good challenge,” Tim agrees, grinning back at his hero.

“So do I.” Jason hesitates, then reaches out and runs his thumb over Tim’s cheek. It comes back red, which Tim swears could probably be from the amount of blood rushing to his face because Jason just touched him. “You always covered in frosting?”

For once, Tim’s brain lines up with his mouth and he says something that sounds clever. “Only on special occasions.”

Or not.

But Jason smirks and raises his thumb to his mouth, the tip of his tongue darting out to taste the red frosting that has apparently been on Tim’s face the entire time they were speaking. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He takes the pencil and pad of paper from Tim and writes something on it before handing it back. “See you soon.”

Tim stands there petrified as Jason walks out and drives away in an absolutely sick red car that screams money and horsepower. Once he’s out of sight, he looks down at the pad of paper.

There’s a phone number written next to his picture. More importantly, there’s a little note in a bold print.

I wonder if you taste as good as your frosting?

#chibinightowl writes #Tim Drake #Jason Todd #Stephanie Brown #BakeryAU #JayTim