An annual event in December focusing on father & child platonic relationships. Thank you to @zelyres for the banner! It was a 2022 entry. Run by @addrianastarflower
Thank you all for being patient with me these last few weeks while I’ve compiled the completion data.
Before we get into the completion stats and list this year, I’d like to share some exciting statistics from this year.
As a community everyone participating in DadDec2025 wrote and published 124 fics on AO3 alone across 48 different fandoms! That’s really exciting and I’m so happy to have you all here, thank you for participating this year.
Now, without further adieu, our completionists:
Our first three ever FULL completionists with 31 prompts completed:
@Babblecat300 on AO3
@mothcryptid1998 here on Tumblr and on AO3
@Kishiqo on AO3
Our partial completionists (sorted by number completed):
24: @hickorydaisy here on Tumblr and on AO3
23: @xobelladonna on Tumblr and on Ao3
18: @commanderstarry on AO3 and Tumblr
14: @TheCelestialCollective on AO3
12: @Sweetheart__Nightingale
10: @akinasky on Tumblr and AO3
8: @quail-with-a-nail on Tumblr // @Oh_fiddlesticks_I_did_it_again on AO3
7: @shifter-says-ow on Tumblr
5: @Lumilyshourglass on AO3
5: @Nataliegoodman on AO3
5: @Nicky_Gabriel on AO3
4: @newwwwusername on AO3 and Tumblr
3: @LethalWallflower on AO3
2 @TheRegularWriter on Ao3 // @irondad-defensesquad on Tumblr
1: @Dogwaterdish on AO3
1: @eviecooper on AO3 and Tumblr
1: @Glutennacht on AO3
1: @livesoulsecrets on AO3
1: @Nikiclix on AO3
1: @NostalgicFic on AO3
1: @undercoversconsequences on AO3
1: @yoshistack on Tumblr and AO3
1: @badassbutterfly1987 on Tumblr
And… that’s a wrap for the 2025 season. Thank you all once again and I hope to see you all participating again for the 2026 one.
And with that... the 2025 Dad Decemeber season has come to an end.
Thank you all once again for participating in the event this year and make sure to check out the (pinned) feedback form and completion form to get credit if you participated in the event.
DadDecember 2025 Feedback and Completion Forms are Now Open!
As a brief aside before we get into that, though, I (Mod Addri) on behalf of the mod team would like to thank everyone for participating in and showing interest in Dad December this year. It's been a wild ride with more works and artists/writers coming together than I thought would ever come out of this event. Nearly 150 works were posted this year across a huge variety of authors and fandoms, a massive record high for the event.
So just thank you all for being here. I can't wait to see you all again next year for Dad Decemeber 2026!
COMPLETION FORM
If you would like credit for your works, including WIP/unposted works, you will need to fill out the Google form below. This is the primary method through which we recognize completion. Mod Addri will also be going through both the #daddecember2025 tag on Tumblr and the 2025 ao3 collection in order to mark down completion anyone who doesn't have Tumblr/is unable to fill out the form.
Even if you posted on AO3/Tumblr/Discord, please still use the google form. It helps us know if you if you had any WIP/unposted works to be counted and makes the lives of the mod team this year significantly easier.
This form does not collect identifying information other than the username(s) you choose to provide. LINK <- The link is here and also below.
DadDecember completion is based on an honor system, as nothing needs to be posted (or finished!) to count. There are 33 questions on this fo
FEEDBACK FORM
If you would like to provide the mod team with helpful information regarding your thoughts on the event this year, please fill out this anonymous form. Every opinion counts and the mod team is very appreciative of every piece of feedback we get regarding the event.
The form includes some multiple choice and some open ended response questions. You do not need to fill out all questions.
LINK <- The link is here and also below.
This form is 100% optional and in no way related to receiving credit for participating in the event.
Every question in this form is optiona
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I was yapping about jason & paul awhile ago I think, and I started a new wip about that stuff!
basically jason 'dies' in the burning maze, but comes back to life (or avoids dying ? not sure what actually happens but it doesnt matter really). however, when he manages to get back to the camps, he realizes that it's been a minute since his death. so, instead of rejoining his friends, he goes out on his own and becomes a wanderer. then, he meets paul on accident one night, and gets taken in by him. paul and jason know of each other, but they've never met, and they don't realize who each other are.
Fandom: Deathstroke - All Media Types, Batman - All Media Types
Characters: Slade Wilson, Tim Drake (DCU), Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Damian Wayne (plus the other batkids)
Word Count: 400
Rated: Teen and Up
Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Good Parent Slade Wilson, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, Hurt Batfamily (DCU), more like the kids/siblings are hiding injuries, Minor Injuries, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Embarrassed Tim Drake (DCU), Slade Wilson is Tim Drake's Parent
@daddecember
Prompt - Day 19: Embarrassment
Summary: Deathstroke checks Red Robin for injuries, while giving Batman a tip on dealing with stubborn birds.
Posted on Ao3 | Dividers 1 & 2 by @cursed-carmine
Deathstroke landed on the roof top loudly, silencing all the vigilantes resting there.
The Bat Family had been debriefing the takedowns they had that night, with the Arkham brake out ruining their plans to bust Black Mask's deal with the gang from Blüdhaven.
"What do you want?" Batman growled at the mercenary.
Deathstroke ignored him, and went right for Red Robin.
He held the teen's face in his hands, turning it side to side. Red Robin yelped at the manhandling, trying to push away, and being very loud with his complaints.
He was pacified for his efforts by a pat on his head before Deathstroke moved on to checking his arms.
"What are you doing?" Batman asked.
Red Robin's checks turned bright red, as he finally realized what was happening.
"Manually checking for injuries," said the mercenary as if he was commenting on the weather.
"Hn."
The two toned mask turned his way; the veteran was feeling generous, so he explained to the detective: "Your birdies have a tendency to down play their injuries or out-right not share them. I learned early on to check for myself how they're doing."
Batman looked to the rest of his kids; they each looked away from him. The detective could see some red ears and faces as they ignored him in favor of the smoggy sky.
"It's not that bad!" Red Robin tried to defined himself, but Deathstroke stopped him with two dates.
"August 15th, and May 11th."
Red Robin clamped his mouth shut; his face resembled that of a tomato.
"To make this go quick, check the others." Deathstroke moved checking Red's back. "I can smell blood coming from three different sources, but I don't know if it's their own or a thugs."
All the vigilantes made shouts of protest, yet didn't really move from the roof. Batman immediately set his sights on Red Hood, yet the young man pulled his gun out from its holster.
"Don't worry about him; he's next on my list."
Batman nodded and turned his attention to his oldest and youngest.
Nightwing gave a nervous laugh. "B? I'm good, promise."
"Don't trust it; his heart rate is spiking, and I don't know what he's hiding."
"Thank you," Batman told the mercenary.
The two fathers worked well together, wrangling each kid for an injury check, not surprised that each one had hid some wound or other from them.
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a marvelous day/night, and stay hydrated gorgeous 🤎🩶🤎🩶
Fandom: Batman - All Media Types, Deathstroke - All Media Types
Characters: Tim Drake (DCU), Dick Grayson, Slade Wilson
Word Count: 200
Rated: General Audiences
Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Truth Serum, Identity Reveal, more like Father Reveal, Slade Wilson is Tim Drake's Parent, Good Parent Slade Wilson, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Tim just wants his dad, Bad Parent Jack Drake, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, THAT NEEDS TO BE KNOWN
@daddecember
Alt Prompt: Truth serum
Summary: Robin is given a truth serum and reveals to Nightwing something he never wanted to.
Posted on Ao3 | Dividers 1 & 2 by @cursed-carmine
"I want my dad," was the first thing Robin said as the truth serum set into his system.
"B will be here soon. Don't worry," Nightwing comforted the boy verbally since he was tied to a poll opposite Robin.
"Not my dad." Robin sniffled, pulling at the restraints.
Nightwing gave a hum of empathy, "I'm sorry, you can call him when in the Batmobile?"
"Not him." Robin bit his lip to try and keep quite.
Nightwing stilled in his attempt to break free.
"Who's your dad?" Robin shook his head, doing his best to stay silent.
"Robin," The older vigilante said with authority. "Who is your dad?"
Robin's nose began to bleed, all he could do was say a mantra of apologizes to the older boy.
At the tail end of it, he said his father's name, but was cut by a sob. "-ilson."
"What?"
"Slade Wilson," Robin finally got out enough for Nightwing to hear him.
The color drained for the older vigilante's face. He was still as a statue.
Robin kept apologizing to him.
Heavy footsteps echoed off the walls of the basement.
"Dad," Robin cried out.
"I got you, Kiwi," a deep voice reassured from the darkness.
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a marvelous day/night, and stay hydrated gorgeous 🤎🩶🤎🩶
desc: augustine finds out why vox gave her up at birth
other: trans vox
@daddecember
Alastor hadn’t wanted Augustine to meet her other father, Vox. He said it wouldn’t do her any good, and that Vox was all “bells and whistles”, whatever that meant.
But Augustine believed she deserved closure, and she felt like Vox could give her the closure she wanted.
“You can still back out,” Alastor proposes as Augustine gets ready to leave.
Augustine glances at her father. “I’m not going to do that.”
It’s clear that Alastor isn’t pleased by Augustine continuing to go through with this. His ears are folded back against his head, and his eyes narrow. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed, Augustine. I know how Vox is,” Alastor murmurs.
Augustine shuts her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. “I know you don’t want me to do this. But I have so many questions that I won’t get any accurate answers from anyone besides him,”
There’s a quiet wave of frustrated radio static from Alastor. “Just…be careful. Vox is very good at wordplay, and I don’t want you to be tricked or hurt.”
Augustine looks at him for a few moments. “...I’ll be back.” she murmurs simply, not wanting to overthink herself and back out.
“You’ve always been persistent.” Alastor remarks. “I won’t be able to talk you out of this. I only ask you keep your wits about you and don’t let him talk you into anything,”
Augustine’s eyes soften. “I will. I love you, Papa.” She murmurs, before leaving, shutting the door behind her.
-
Augustine’s heart races anxiously as she steps into the V tower. She had thought she was ready to do this, but now she isn’t sure.
She isn’t backing out of it now, but regardless she can’t help but be anxious.
It’s still strange to think of Vox as her father- of course, she has known he was her other father for as long as she can remember, but even with that in mind, he hadn’t been in her life past the first few days of her life. How could she view someone who gave up parental rights almost immediately as her father after only reuniting with him now?
It takes her a few minutes to figure out how to make her way to Vox’s office, and then a few more minutes to actually get there.
She knocks on the door once, and she startles as they almost immediately open.
“You don’t need to stand there like a deer in headlights..though, I suppose that is rather fitting, considering your father..” Vox’s voice comes from his desk. There’s a pause. “...just come in.”
Augustine walks into the office, walking over to stand in front of his desk.
Vox is wearing something much more casual than he usually does, a simple white dress shirt tucked into dark blue trousers.
“...hi,” Augustine says nervously, fidgeting with her hands.
Vox sighs, clearly having been dreading this conversation. “Hey, kid.” He murmurs.
“I…didn’t think you’d ever want to meet me. Well, meet me again, I guess.” Augustine murmurs.
Vox hums noncommittedly at that. “Your name is Augustine now?” He asks, though Augustine has a feeling he already knows that. She’s been seeing hidden cameras everywhere since she was a very small child.
She nods, and Vox makes a face.
“...that was what Alastor wanted to name you. I told him no. I guess he figured out a way to do that in the end.” Vox says.
Augustine’s eyes widened. She had no idea that Vox had chosen her birth name. And while she in no way identified with her deadname, the new information that Vox had chosen that name felt important to her.
“You…chose my old name?” Augustine questions.
“Of course I did. I carried you and then pushed you out of my body, I deserved that one thing.” Vox says bluntly.
…Augustine really doesn’t like thinking about what her birth was like. “...okay.” She says slowly, not quite sure what else to say in response to that.
Vox sighs. “What did you actually want to ask me?” Vox asks.
“...why did you leave?” Augustine says, her voice beginning to tremble.
Vox’s eyes widen, and his fists tighten, clearly not expecting that. “...there’s multiple different reasons.” Vox says shakily.
“And what are those reasons?” Augustine asks.
Vox takes in a shaky breath. Clearly this is a hard subject for him to talk about, and Augustine can’t really blame him for it.
“I have never had the best luck in parenting.” Vox murmurs tiredly. “My first child died while I had trusted her in the care of her father, so I had sworn never to have another child. Then you came along.”
Augustine fidgets with the fabric of her blouse, letting him get his thoughts together and continue.
“But I was attached to you from the moment I first saw you.” Vox murmurs. “You were so little then. It’s crazy to me how much you’ve grown, when the last time I saw you was a few days after I had you.”
“You..loved me?” Augustine asks.
“Of course I did.” Vox snips. “I just knew I wouldn’t be able to raise you. And I knew Alastor would keep you safe.”
Augustine didn’t know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that.
“I had wished so badly that I had been able to raise you. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle that, and I didn’t want my child hurt because I wasn’t adequate to raise them, so I signed away parental rights.” Vox explains further.
There’s a few moments of silence, before Augustine hugs him tightly.
Vox lets out a surprised noise at that, but eventually he awkwardly pats her back, entirely unsure on how to interact with his daughter after not seeing her in person for multiple years.
“There, there..” Vox says hesitantly- he has no idea how to comfort or reassure somebody.
It was clear Augustine wasn’t going to let him leave her life again.
For Dad December (@daddecember), prompts "Do you still love me?" (alt. 10) and "You're not a disappointment" (day 12). I wrote this on a whim, so I apologize if it's messy and incomplete.
DO NOT SHIP PETER AND TONY. P/ROSHIP DNI.
--
Sneaking in here, this skyscraper, is far from the first time. Except it’s pouring rain outside and Peter isn’t supposed to be here.
He drops his backpack onto the floor (thankfully, it’s mostly waterproof) and takes off his suit with a mere press to the spider symbol on his chest. Other than that, he does not move an inch. Not when he hears footsteps coming to the room, and soon the lights are on.
“Peter? What are you doing here?”
Peter flinches at the way Mr. Stark says it. Like he doesn’t want Peter here. While he has good reasons for that, it still stings.
“Does your aunt know you’re here?”
The teenager won’t say anything or turn around.
“… You break in here and you won’t even look at me?”
Peter can only lower his head in shame, unable to tell if the raindrops are really from the rain or if they’re coming from him.
“Come on, kid, are you hurt? What do you need?”
Mr. Stark sounds tired. Well, it is the middle of the night.
Peter shivers.
“… Tony?”
It’s so, so rare of him to address Mr. Stark by his first name. It always felt unattainable, undeserved of Peter to be so close to his childhood hero.
“Do you still lo…” love me? Should Peter say it? Is he allowed to? Instead, he sobs, “Do you h-hate me?”
Mr. Stark is speechless, for a moment.
“Peter…”
“I know I- I screwed up again, Tony. I’m sorry, I was stupid and I was wrong to just say those- those awful things to you.” Things like not needing Tony or that he hates him. Yes. Peter said the H word to him and stormed off. It’s been weeks since. “I-I couldn’t stop thinking about it since, thinking I screwed up for good, and that I wouldn’t see you again, and—”
“Peter—”
“I’m sorry!” The teen cries, “I’m sorry, Tony. I know y-you didn’t want to see me, but I… I would never forgive myself if—” if something bad happened, if I lost you—
“Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me, kid.”
He’s too afraid to do so, but Peter turns around, at least. He’s still too scared to look Tony in the eye.
“Peter, I don’t hate you. I would and I will never, ever hate you, okay?” Tony softens. “I’ve been thinking about you, too, this whole time. I didn’t reach out before because I thought you might need some time off, but I kept replaying our last fight in my head… And I’m sorry, too. I’m really sorry, kiddo. I’m supposed to look out for you, and all I did was yell—”
“No, I-I get it, I’m a disappointment—”
“No, you’re not. You are not a disappointment, Peter. Do you hear me?” Tony says firmly. Then, he sighs, “Oh, kiddo, you’re trembling.”
He rushes somewhere and, apparently, grabs one or two towels and wraps them around Peter. With that, Tony gently lifts Peter’s chin with his finger. It breaks the latter’s expectations: the former’s look is filled with worry, fondness, and sorrow. Not a hint of rage or disappointment.
“… I missed you,” Peter whispers.
“I missed you, too, bud.” Tony pats his shoulder. “Let’s get you warm first, okay?”
“Okay.”
Before they actually do anything, Peter impulsively hugs Tony. Even for a short moment, even if they might not be there yet, Peter doesn’t want to lose him. Tony means a lot to him, more than just fanboyish feelings and memories. He hopes it means something to his mentor as well.
Rather than pushing him away, Tony hugs him back, not caring about Peter’s soaked hair and clothes. If anything, the man is squeezing him a little, as if silently apologizing to Peter, and perhaps – if Peter isn’t imagining things – Tony might as well be saying: “I still love you.”
Even if neither of them bring that up tonight, Peter is finally able to feel some peace, and some certainty that Tony will always be part of his life, no matter what.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Adaine Abernant & Jawbone O'Shaughnessey
Characters: Adaine Abernant, Jawbone O'Shaughnessey
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Thunderstorms, Astraphobia, Late Night Conversations, Good Parent Jawbone O'Shaughnessey, Daddecember 2025, Discord: DadDecember, Day 9: Thunderstorms, Post-Campaign 01 Season 01: Fantasy High Freshman Year (Dimension 20), pre sophomore year
Summary:
Adaine has never liked storms—has always found their sounds discomforting ever since she was little. It’s a fact that’s only gotten worse since becoming the Oracle. Jawbone can’t fix it, but he might be able to help.
Written for DadDecember 2025!
-
I found the prompts for @daddecember and something called to me about this one. So I had to
Hope you enjoy me projecting old childhood fears onto Adaine!
daddecember day 16 (not me posting this ten minutes before december 17th LMAO)
prompt: reassurance
desc: valentino has doubts about being a dad.
ship(s): vox/valentino
other:trans vox
tws: hospitals, premature births
@daddecember
Valentino wakes up in the middle of the night, struggling for a moment to remember where he was and why he was there. As he takes in his surroundings, he can now recognize where he was- in the hospital after Vox had given birth to their daughter, Cassandra, prematurely.
Valentino had a sore neck from how he had been sleeping in the armchair by Vox’s bed, Vox fast asleep in his hospital bed. Valentino winces as he stretches, the armchair not made for sleeping much less made for someone as tall as himself. Though it wasn’t like he had any other choice, so he had just accepted it.
Laying in an incubator a few feet away was their daughter, sleeping peacefully now. Her heartrate was steady now, though it hadn’t been when she was first delivered. She was still underdeveloped- her lungs being the worst of it.
Vox had been in labor with her for about 6 hours, and those hours felt all too fast and yet simultaneously all too slow. It had been about five hours since Cassandra was born, and Valentino still couldn’t believe their daughter was already here- she wasn’t due for another three weeks. Cassandra had other plans, clearly.
Standing up slowly, doing his best not to wake Vox as he got up to go see their daughter. Vox needed as much rest as he could get after the ordeal he had gone through, and Valentino would feel awful if he accidentally woke him up.
Valentino does his best to be quiet as he walks over to the incubator, pulling a plastic chair over and sitting in front of his daughter.
Of course he had been nervous about being a parent. But he was especially anxious now that it felt real, and now that he had a little thing depending on him and Vox for everything. It felt like a lot, especially because she was so small right now- he couldn’t help but wonder what she’d grow into. He just hoped he wouldn’t make the same mistakes his parents did.
Valentino gently reaches his finger into the incubator to gently stroke the newborn’s cheek- the doctor had said it was alright to touch her as long as their hands were clean, and you better believe Valentino had been using hand sanitizer frequently since their daughter was born.
Cassandra begins to stir, and Valentino swears his heart skips a bit- he hadn’t meant to wake her up, and he just hoped she wouldn’t start crying, if not just for Vox’s sake.
Cassandra’s eyes open and she looks right at him. She’s got his eyes, so she doesn’t exactly have pupils- but he can just tell. One of her antennae twitches as she seems to take in her surroundings- she’s practically his clone despite all the trouble Vox went through to bring her into the world. She’s a little paler, although Valentino isn’t sure if that’ll change once she’s older- her skin has a bit of a yellow tint from jaundice, so Valentino isn’t really sure.
She makes a little noise, one of her tiny hands finding its way to her mouth.
…Oh, she absolutely already has Valentino wrapped around her tiny fingers.
Cassandra doesn’t stay awake for very long, tuckered out from the event that was her birth. Her eyes flutter shut again, and Valentino is left alone with the beeps and his worries being his only company.
Really, sitting alone with no other noise than the exceedingly irritating monitors doesn’t help with his worrying, especially since it’s late at night.
What if he fucked his daughter up the way his mother fucked him up? Or what if he was worse than his mother was? He didn’t really know how he could be, given that he vowed that he’d be nothing like her, but he couldn’t help but let his worries get ahead of himself.
“Val?...” Vox’s voice comes groggily from the hospital bed, interrupting Valentino’s train of thought.
Valentino startles, standing up and walking back over to Vox’s bedside. “Amor.” He greets softly, taking Vox’s hand- the one that didn’t have an IV needle in it- and pressing a gentle kiss to it. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” Vox says almost immediately, though Valentino doubts that it’s true.
Valentino raises an eyebrow at that, disbelieving. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you,” Valentino murmurs, cupping Vox’s face in one hand, Vox leaning into his touch. “Tell me the truth, please?”
Vox sighs, looking up at his partner with half-lidded eyes. “Honestly? I feel like shit.” Vox admits. “But all things considered, I could feel worse, so..” Vox trails off with a shrug.
Valentino hums in acknowledgement, moving the hand cupping Vox’s face and entangling his hand with Vox’s.
Vox’s eyes meet his own. “You look like you’re thinking too hard about something.” Vox murmurs. “What’re you worrying about?”
Valentino looks to the side, his good antenna flicking. “...it’s nothing,” he lies, not smooth at all.
It’s Vox’s turn to raise an eyebrow now, sitting up. “It’s not nothing. Just tell me,”
Valentino heaves a sigh. “You drive me nuts.” He mutters, not entirely serious, the corners of his mouth going up a little. Then it falls again and he turns serious. “I just…what if I’m not a good dad?”
Vox blinks owlishly at him.
“Don’t look at me like that. I know it’s stupid, I just..” Valentino cuts himself off with a huff, not really sure where he was planning to go with that sentence.
“Val. Look at me,” Vox murmurs gently.
Valentino meets Vox's eyes again, reminding Vox of a kicked puppy.
“You’re already a good dad. Hell, you cried the first time you heard her heartbeat.” Vox murmurs. “She’s already got you wrapped around her tiny finger.”
Valentino sighs shakily. “I’m sure you have a point, but I can’t help but worry…”
Vox sighs as well. “I know, Val. It happens. Hell, everyone worries about how they’re going to raise their child. It’s normal, especially when it’s your first time.”
Valentino smiles tiredly. “You’re right, amorcito. I should listen to you more often,” Valentino says, half joking.
Vox grins. “I always am,” he murmurs jokingly, pulling Valentino in for a kiss.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Harley Keener & Stephen Strange, Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Characters: Harley Keener, Stephen Strange
Additional Tags: Mentioned Tony Stark, Step-parents, Post-Movie: Captain America: Civil War (2016), Protective Harley Keener, Stephen Strange is Good With Children, Teen Harley Keener, Harley Keener Vapes, Underage Drug Use, Vaping, Stephen Strange Loves Tony Stark, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Harley Keener is Tony Stark’s Adopted Child, Tony Stark Has Issues, Not Beta Read
Summary:
“See that cluster?” Stephen asked, lifting a finger just enough to indicate a patch of stars. “That’s the Big Dipper. Or, well, it’s supposed to be. The pollution kind of washes it out.“
Harley followed his gaze despite himself. Squinted. Shrugged.
Fandom: Batman - All Media Types, Deathstroke - All Media Types
Characters: Dick Grayson, Slade Wilson, Harley Gibbes (OC), Nicole "Lavender" McCarthy (OC), Sterling Davis (OC)
Word Count: 1,976
Rated: Teen And Up
Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slade Wilson is Dick Grayson's Parent, Morally Gray Slade Wilson, Good Parent Slade Wilson, Pre-Adoption, Small Towns, Dick Grayson Has Civilian Friends, Dick Grayson Has Issues, Protective Dick Grayson, Teen Dick Grayson, Soft Slade Wilson, Fluff Angst Comfort in that order
@daddecember
Prompt - Day 6: Mistaken for related / “Of all the days you could’ve showed up?”
Summary: Slade checks on Dick as he's hanging out with some civilian friends a few states over.
Notes: Dick is 16, and this is still set before Jason joining the picture, and Dick quits being Robin to become Nightwing.
Also "Blackrock Edge, North Carolina" does not exist, it is a costal town I came up with. It's kinda close to the Virginia border/Virginia Beach, but not next too it.
Posted on Ao3 | Dividers 1 & 2 by @cursed-carmine
- Blackrock Edge, North Carolina -
He could hear the laughter of the teens getting louder as Slade walked in to the 'ma & pop' shop.
Part of him wanted to smile, knowing Dick didn't let the hero gig drain him from being the child he should have been.
The place was empty —minus the teens— for a Friday afternoon since most locals were on vacation with break school for the winter, and tourist season for Blackrock Edge was only in the summer, maybe a bit in the fall.
Slade quietly leaned against the wall to watch the four teens goof off. Dick had a light in his blue eyes finally, and was genuinely smiling, unlike the smiles he wore in suit and gave to his hero friends.
"And then Dad like– caught the beer bottle without looking! Uncle Fin was so surprised, he sulked for the rest of the night. The whole thing was hilarious!" Harley kicked her feet as she laughed, sat atop the counter.
"To bad it wasn't caught on camera," Nicole lamented.
"I know!" Harley cried out in dramatic despair.
Sterling and Dick rolled their eyes at her antics.
Dick was about to make a comment when he looked over to Slade leaning on the wall. His happy smile turned promptly into a scowl.
"Of all the days you could’ve showed up? Why now?" Dick questioned, the old bite he used with Slade had long since disappeared.
"Hello to you too, birdie," Slade sarcastically replied.
Nicole's eyes let up at seeing the man in question.
"Oh! You must be Dick's dad; it's so nice to finally meet you," her bubbly greeting contrasted with her dark gothic appearance.
Slade smiled at her. He wasn't sure if he should correct her or let Dick do it. When he looked at Dick to see what he wanted to do, Dick wouldn't look him in the eye. His heart rate was spiked, but not in fear or anger. The way he held himself told the veteran he was embarrassed.
'Well, if he won't correct them outright, I won't either,' Slade thought to himself.
"Hadn't adopted him yet," he explained. "Timing hasn't been great with too many things going on both ends. Still, you can say I'm his dad."
Dick's heartbeat picked up, but his body relaxed.
Sterling had silently been watching the veteran during the interaction. He'd been defensive when Dick's mood shifted, but upon hearing the explanation, he nodded his head in solidarity.
"Courts a bitch, and don't get me started on the case workers," Sterling spat with venom, but still held a comforting tone of understanding.
Slade nodded his head to the boy.
It was odd, but knowing Dick had good friends by his side —and outside of hero work— calmed something in Slade. He pushed the feeling back for now.
"So, are we doin' introductions or y'all to good for that kind of things?" Slade prompted, shifting the attention away from the lie of adoption.
Harley giggled at Slade's sarcastic remark. "I'm Harley Gibbs; and I may be blonde, but I'm not related to the crazy bitch from Gotham. My dad's a biker, so he named me after one of his favorite companies, Harley Davidson."
Slade chuckled at the over-explanation; it sounded rehearsed, like she'd had to say it a lot when visiting New Jersey.
"Oh, yeah! Sorry about that, I'm Nicole McCarthy. It's very nice to meet you, sir." She curtsied with her layered ruffle skirt. "These three call me Lavender."
"For your hair or clothes?" Slade asked sarcastically.
Nicole giggled at the comment. "For my hair, kinda? It's my favorite color! I do love the flower, but it's not my favorite."
Slade slight smiled at her and nodded his head.
Harley elbowed Sterling. "Ugh, fine. The name's Sterling, that's all your gettin'."
"Understood," Slade agreed.
Sterling looked shocked at him before schooling his expression as he looked away.
"Nice to meet you kids, I'm Slade, but you can call me Joe."
Dick sulked as he leaned on the counter. His arms crossed and tension riddled through his body. Slade walked over to Dick and warped his arm around his shoulders. The tension bled out his body like a deflating balloon; the teen let his head lull into his father figure's shoulder.
The other teens smiled to varying degrees at the action, happy for their friend.
"Now, I'm not here to disrupt y'all's fun; whenever y'all wrap up, come find me."
Nicole looked concerned. "Are you sure? When we get together, we can get up to a lot of mischief for hours, and chat for hours."
Slade chuckled. "I'm sure I can find things to do in this town. Y'all don't need to worry about taking my time; enjoy yours together."
"Thank you for understanding, sir!" Harley thanked him.
Slade waved her off heading for the door.
"Your dad is so nice!" Nicole commented to Dick.
From a mirror at the front of the store, Slade could see Dick blush and hear his heart speed up. He didn't take back the interaction Slade had with his friends.
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It was well past midnight when the teens found him in the diner.
"I'm sorry we took so long," Nicole apologized; her hazel eyes were misty with tears.
Slade wiped his mouth of biscuit crumbs. "I said take however long y'all need. Do you see me complaining about anything?"
The teens shock their heads.
"I'm fine waiting if y'all want to continue, but I assume not everyone can stay out." His eyes darted to Nicole and Sterling.
She blushed in embarrassment; but Sterling barely kept a pout back, as he crossed his arms in silent defiance.
"I know Gotham is a long drive. Harley is already planning to stay with us. We can certainly make room for you two." Nicole offered the fake father and son.
"No need, the drive isn't close to the longest I've done," Slade reassured the girl. "I'm sure Birdie can sleep the whole way, too."
Slade put a few hundred dollars on the table, he could feel the wide eyes of the teens watch his movement.
"Delicious food you have here, Mrs. Carter. I'll certainly being back here," Slade turned to the waitress —the one who'd taken his order— stared down at the small pile of bills. "That extra is yours to take, Savannah."
Slade didn't make another comment, ignoring the calls for him to come back and the thank yous spilling from the young lady's mouth. The teens had to run after him to keep up.
"You didn't have to do that," Sterling said.
Nicole tackled Slade into a hug from behind. "Thank you so much, sir. Her family's been strugglin' and the towns helped all we could, but the treatment is so much—"
Slade cut her off. "I could tell."
Sterling glared at the man.
Slade turned to look the boy in the eye. "I've been there before."
Harley punched Sterling in the arm, only for him to put her in a head lock. Dick signed a their antics, and easily separated them before the two got hurt. He hit a nerve in Sterling's side to get him to release Harley before pulling Harley away.
Slade chuckled at their dynamic. It was interesting to see Dick act as an older sibling with them, even if they were all the same age. He also ignored the wet spot forming on his back as Nicole continued to hold on. He wasn't going to move until she felt comfortable enough to face the others.
After some more tomfoolery for the trio, and Nicole calmed down.
The fake father and son said their goodbyes to the teens.
Slade led Dick to his truck; the walk there was silent. Dick was becoming more and more tense; his shoulders where raised to his ears, his heart racing out of control, by the time they made it to the truck.
Once in, Slade wasted no time starting the truck and heading out of town back for home.
"Gotham or Titan Tower?" Slade asked, unsure where Dick might be staying for the night.
Dick startled at the question. "What?"
Slade raised his eyebrow, and kept his eye on the road.
"I'm fine with whatever." Dick curled into a tight ball in his seat.
Slade shrugged; it made no difference to him, and if Dick changed his mind, Slade would take him wherever he wanted to go.
"Okay."
It was quiet for a few miles; Slade tried to figure out what could have happened that was making Dick so tense. He was relaxed with his friends, yet his tension was bleeding into the air, and made the car ride feel like there was a bomb about to go off.
Slade somehow had to figure out the best way to defuse the situation, yet he didn't even know what to defuse it of.
"Your friends–"
Slade was cut off; it seemed he tripped the bomb.
"I know! I know, and I don't care!" Dick shouted; he was curled defensively in the corner of the passenger side door. "I don't give a shit if being friends puts their lives in danger just because they're friends with Dick Grayson, they don't know shit about Robin, or– or the new identity I'm planning– They know nothing of my night life, so why can't I have friends outside the mask?"
"Dick–" Slade tried to interject in a steady voice.
"–I know the risk it is to have them as friends, and– and I can keep them safe myself. I'm not going to make some shallow or non-existent relationship for the looks of it, I– I want genuine care, and they give that to me!–"
"Dick–" Slade raised his voice to get the boy's attention. It didn't work.
"They don't even know me as Richard Grayson the Ward of Bruce Wayne or the circus freak who joined high society. I'm— I'm myself with them."
Slade pulled the truck over. Dick's heart rate was peaking in a way Slade didn't like, the boy also wasn't taking enough breaths between the rant.
Slade turned his blue eye to the teen —who was trying to make himself as small as possible— and grabbed his jaw to make him look Slade in the eye.
"Richard Grayson," Slade called out with authority.
Dick snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in, his watery blue eyes stared the veteran down with too many emotions running through him.
"I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not him. I am happy you have a life outside the mask, that you have friends outside a workforce you should never have been part of. It's healthy for you to. If you think all I am is Deathstroke, you are sorely mistaken. Now, take a minute to breath; I'm not moving until you've calmed down."
A few tears rolled down Dick's face; he shakily tried to breath normally. Slade let go of his face, as tension slowly bled out from his body.
Slade turned back to face the road. "I'll ask you again, where do you want to go?"
"I want to go home."
"Home is?" Slade prompted for more information.
"Haly's"
Slade nodded his head. That can happen, just might take a bit more time since he doesn't know off the top of his head where the circus could be this time of year.
"Alright, might take a few hours, but we'll get there."
Slade focused on driving, while the sound of sniffles and choked sobs came from beside him.
"Thank you," Dick whispered.
"Nothing to thank me for."
The drive would be a long one, luckily Slade was in no rush. It also gave time for a certain little bird to rest.
Slade turned on the radio to a jazz station, as staggered sobs turned steady deep breaths.
"You're doing good, son."
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a marvelous day/night, and stay hydrated gorgeous 🤎🩶🤎🩶
I am not what you need (but why am I what you want)
Fandom: Deathstroke - All Media Types, Batman - All Media Types
Characters: Rose Wilson, Slade Wilson, Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 889
Rated: Teen and Up
Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Soft Slade Wilson, Slade Wilson is Bad at Feelings, Hurt Rose Wilson, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne is Rose Wilson's Parent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bittersweet Ending, Time Skips, Kinda, Due to it being voicemails over the course of years, Voicemail
@daddecember
Prompt - Day 13: “I miss you.”
Summary: Since the day Slade left Rose at Wayne Manor, she had left him voicemails. After years Slade finally listens to them.
Posted on Ao3 | Dividers 1 & 2 by @cursed-carmine
Slade settled into his chair, tired from the long contracts he took back to back.
He stared at his phone, the one for personal use. He had given Wayne —and his family— the number for it should something happen to Rose.
He never suspected they'd give the number to her, and she tried to call him.
Slade never answered the phone when her number came up, letting it go to voicemail.
The reason he told Pennyworth was he didn't want to give her more trauma. In reality, he didn't know what to say to her.
He failed as a father again and again; he was no better than his own father, something he swore he'd never become.
He looked through the backlog of voicemails left to him, the oldest dating back to the night he left her at Wayne Manor.
"Um, hi? I uh was given a room, and um —Alfred?— made me eggs and bacon for dinner. Dick told me he never does that." Slade could hear the sound of Rose sniffling. "Why did you— I don't understand, I don't understand—" The voicemail cut off.
Slade took a breath before moving to the next voicemail. This one was dated three weeks after the first.
"I've been sparing with Dick and Tim; it's been nice. Bruce won't spar with me though, and it's pissing me off. I'm not– I'm not weak."
Slade couldn't help chuckling. "You aren't. You never were," he still answered to the empty room.
"Anyway, I… still don't get why you did it, but it's oddly nice here."
Slade couldn't breathe. It felt like a needle to the heart; a small but sharp pain.
He moved without thought to the next one, dated four months into her stay.
"Hey! Umm, I've been helping with some of their cases —like getting intel on Mask, or giving insight into how some corps work on the shady side— I uh hope that doesn't disappoint you…"
Slade chocked up. "Never," he said breathlessly as he listened to her ramble on.
"… I might have fallen asleep at the Batcomputer a few nights ago and—" Rose paused. Slade could imagine how she'd cock her head and bite at her nail in thought.
"And Bruce carried me to my room, tucked me in even." Slade could hear her mumbling. "I thought it was you."
Slade moved on to picking the next one, so he wouldn't dwell on something he shouldn't have heard. This dated seven months into her stay.
"I finally got to spar with B," Rose's tone was flat, meaning she was keeping her anger in check. "I beat him."
There was silence for a while; Slade knew the call hadn't ended because he could hear her labored breathing.
"He held back." She voice shook with emotion and venom."He said he wouldn't, but it was so bloody obvious! He held back in the spar! At least when I sparred with you, I knew you'd give me your all."
"Never did," Slade whispered.
"Why can't B—" Rose cut herself off; her voice became small at her realization. "You never did, you played me as well. I… Why would you do that? I'm not weak! I could have taken you! I—!"
Rose was crying at the point. Blue eyes filled with tears, Slade never wanted to be the cause of.
"I'd never break my little girl." Slade wished he could tell her.
He wished he could hold her through the high of emotion, being the rock, the anchor he was meant to be for her.
"Sweetheart?" Slade could hear Bruce's voice call out in the background.
The voicemail ended.
Slade put on the message left from her he'd been dreading the most. It was dated ten hours after Bruce called him in for help to rescue Rose.
"You bloody prat!" Rose spat with venom. "The first time I see you since— since leaving me here, and it's to bloody save me?! You just couldn't stay five more hours, or even a minute in my presences?"
"Didn't want to ruin what you have going for there."
Slade had to remind himself to breathe as he moved to the next one set three weeks after her kidnapping.
Rose's cries echoed over the phone before she could speak. "Help." She pleaded to the man who'd never answered her. "I– make them stop. Make the nightmares stop, daddy, please. I can't take it. Help me, daddy, please."
Hearing her cries felt worse than any torture he'd ever experienced. He knew what happened; he gave her what he could, still believing —even now— that Bruce was the better parent for her.
The next day's voicemail; her voice was hoarse, but had an airy tone of disbelief. "I swear you were in my room, the best sleep I've had in weeks, and I swear you were there in person. I could smell your cologne when I woke up. For some reason, Bruce decided to change his cologne, but it's yours he's wearing. I don't want to believe it, I don't want to believe it was Bruce."
Slade remembered that night vividly, and he wished he didn't.
He couldn't handle anymore of the self-imposed torture and moved to the newest one that was 8 months old.
"I miss you, daddy. Please come back to me."
"I miss you too, Rosebud."
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a marvelous day/night, and stay hydrated gorgeous 🤎🩶🤎🩶
characters: valentino, two ocs (isabel, 17, and theresa, 8)
tws: loss of a parent, grief
@daddecember
Isabel always knew her father to be someone who got himself into trouble he would barely get out of by the skin of his teeth. However, despite her being aware of that, since he was her father after all, she couldn’t help but view him as invulnerable.
Because of that, it had especially been a shock to her when the police told her that her father had been found dead. Of course they were no help in telling her how he died or what she was supposed to do from there.
Isabel had no idea about funerals or whether her father would want to be buried or cremated- and it wasn’t like he would’ve written any will, though she tries to look anyway, just in case.
And then there’s Theresa.
Isabel had no idea how she was going to tell the younger girl- they had quite an age gap between the sisters, Isabel being 17 and Theresa just barely being 8. Theresa had always been closer to their father, and while it had hurt a little bit while he was alive, it was difficult for Isabel now- her little sister would no doubt handle the loss the hardest, due to her age and relationship to their father.
Besides all that, how was she supposed to support Theresa on her own? Theresa hardly listened to her, and Isabel hadn't even finished high school yet, yet alone got hired for a proper job that would pay enough to support the two of them.
She holds her father’s broken glasses tightly in her hands- the only thing she has left from him- at least, the only thing that really counts. Sure, their house- but he also left behind a lot of debt that came with it, so she didn’t really count that as a positive thing.
It hadn’t been the first time she'd seen a pair of her father’s glasses broken- but it stung, realizing that it would be the last. He’d always been careless with his possessions, and especially so with his glasses.
Some part of her thinks that maybe she should give them to Theresa, for something to remember him by. But another- perhaps selfish- part of her wants to keep it for herself. After all, he’s been her father the longest. She deserves it just as much as Theresa would, if not more.
The sound of Theresa’s bedroom door opening startles her- having their own bedrooms was still foreign to Isabel, having grown used to sharing a single bedroom with her father and sister until the last year- it was long past Theresa’s bedtime, and most nights Theresa would be fast asleep. But not tonight, apparently.
Isabel is quick to slip the broken pair of glasses into her pocket before Theresa can see them, not ready to tell her their father had died just yet. Isabel rubs her eyes, quick to wipe away any possible tears. “What are you doing up, kid?...” She murmurs.
“I heard a knock at the door…” Theresa murmurs sleepily. The mint colored night gown she was wearing was far too large for her- it had apparently been a hand me down, but Isabel couldn’t help but feel like it was something a thrift store couldn’t sell and he got for free- he used to say that Theresa would grow into it, though Isabel isn’t sure how true that is.
“I’m sure you were just dreaming. I didn’t hear anything,” Isabel lies after a moment's hesitation.
Theresa doesn’t really seem to believe her, worrying her lip a bit. “...Is Papa home?”
God, Isabel hates lying to Theresa. But she isn’t ready to tell her little sister the truth either, so she has to lie to her yet again. “...No. I’ll tell you when he’s home. Just go back to bed.” Isabel murmurs after a few more moments, guilt filling her chest as she knows he’s never coming home.
Theresa looks at her for a few more moments, before turning around and going back to her bedroom.
Isabel finally lets a silent sob free then, finding herself staring at herself in the mirror. She can’t help but see parts of her father in every expression she makes, and it hurts.
“I don’t understand why you had to do this to me. I don’t want to be on my own yet,” Isabel says, some bitterness joining her tone.
And then her eyes welled up with fresh tears, and she thought that she had finished crying.
“I hate that I miss you now. I wasn’t supposed to do that this young.” She murmurs shakily, taking the broken glasses out of her pocket and running a finger gingerly across them. “...guess I have to be the adult now, huh? Never thought I’d see that day coming,”
She heaves a sigh, and then turns to her father’s bedroom- she’s always hated the smell of his cigarettes, but they’ve always been his signature scent- and maybe right now she just needs something that would remind her of her dad.
