Dead on MAYn week is a week-long event to encourage creating content for the DP x DC crossover ship of Danny Fenton/Jason Todd or, as it’s known in the fandom, Dead on Main.
From fics to fanart to moodboards and playlists– any type of Dead on Main focused content you want to create, we’d love to see!
Hashtag: #deadonmayn25
Ao3 collection
Schedule 2026:
Event week: Sun May 24th- Sat May 30th
Rules & Guidelines:
Be respectful. Don’t like, don’t engage! You’re responsible for the work that you create and consume.
NSFW content must use the community label of ‘sexual themes’ or be SFW in the preview post.
Extremely graphic content must use the community label of ‘violence’ or be SFW in the preview post.
Tag work appropriately both on Tumblr and Ao3
Ao3 Collection work must be rated and be marked with relevant major warnings, that no warnings apply, or that you choose not to warn.
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Mods:
Mokulule
@mokulule
I was on/off in the Danny Phantom fandom for some years, it was a thing I enjoyed going back to in between hyperfixations. I had come across some DP x DC stuff on tumblr, even had an idea for a single fic, then one day Clock knocked on my door like Dead on Main, huh? And the rest is history.
Clockways
@clockwayswrites and @clockwaysarts
I stumbled into dp x dc and then head first into Dead on Main! And then I dragged Moku down with me. I love these two together and all of the different ways that they can be written! I’m best known for the fic ‘Like Betta Fish Do’.
Previous years:
2024: The prompts | tumblr fills | Ao3 collection
2025: The prompts | tumblr fills | Ao3 collection
2025 Day 1: Ghost Culture is Weird | Bones | Jason meets Danny as a ghost | "Wait, you can see me?"
In which after Jason dies, he meets a Danny who was fully killed by the GIW. Following his resurrection, Jason sets out to recover Danny's dumped body rather than taunt Batman in Gotham.
Done for @deadonmayn 2026 catch up edition. If anyone wants to take this AU and run with it feel free! I don't think I will be doing much else for it but I would love to see it flourish under someone else's care.
Dead on mayn 2025 prompt: Word - Bones, Situation - Jason meets Danny as a ghost, Dialogue - "Wait you can see me?"
Danny sighed in relief as he walked into the graveyard. His parents dragged him to Gotham to join a Ghost Hunting symposium. Good thing they let him explore so he wouldn't have to listen to all that.
The graveyard was a peaceful quiet… or it should have been. He could see a young ghost being crowded by a bunch of angry shades.
That was strange, usually ghosts and shades hung around graveyards to rest or relax. Not cause any trouble.
Danny looked around, the graveyard was empty. The ghost was looking overwhelmed by the shade, he should help out.
As he got closer the ghost looked more and more familiar… Holy smokes, Batman! Was that Robin?! Robin died?! When did that happen? He didn't hear anything about that.
Danny walked faster to the group. They were in front of a fancy gravestone. …Jason Peter Todd, was that Robin? He forced himself to look away, even if Robin was a ghost now Danny knew how important it was to keep your secret identity safe.
He coughed to get their attention, "uh… need some help?"
Robin blinked owlishly at Danny, then suddenly pointed at him, "Wait, you can see me?!"
"Y-yeah. What's got them all upset?" Danny gestured to the crowd of shades.
Robin huffed, clearly upset on their behalf as well, "someone's been digging in old graves, stealing their bones to sell. Fucking horrible."
It really was, Danny agreed. Messing with graves was a fast way to make an enemy of a ghost. Even shades that were losing their sense of self could feel if their graves were tampered with.
Robin continued, "I've seen him but he covers himself up really well so I can't tell you who he is. I tried tackling him but I just go through him. I know I'm…d— a ghost but he doesn't even flinch or shiver, which rude.
You could… hmm." Robin stopped his train of thought, muttering about a civilian and too dangerous or something.
Robin must think that it'll dangerous for Danny. Well jokes on him he's already dead or more like half-dead.
"I can catch him for you." He's fought and caught ghosts, he could catch a human.
"A twig like you?" Even with the mask Danny could feel his doubtful stare.
"Hey!" Danny felt like the twig of a ghost Robin didn't have room to talk either.
They were interrupted when a small shade came bounding up to them making little urgent-sounding whispers.
Danny could feel warning and anger from the shade.
"The perp's coming back for another dig. Let's hide, I know a place with a good view that's out of the way."
Danny followed Robin, meanwhile the shades somewhat dispersed but they all still glared at the person as he set up his tools near a very old grave in a remote part of the graveyard.
The anger was palpable in the air nearly blanketing Danny's core. He barely registered getting up and quietly walking to the guy in his blind spot. He barely heard Robins hiss for him to come back.
Danny realized he was at the back of the guy but he was too busy digging to notice. Welp he was right here so he might as well…
Danny reared his arm back and swung his fist, trying not to punch as hard as he would for a ghost. The guy fell over like a bag of rocks. Thankfully still alive.
"Wha— who— How?" Robin stuttered as he flew up to Danny.
"There, I helped now who's this Gordon guy I need to tell?"
Robin puffed up, like a bird Danny thought amusedly, and huffily instructed Danny to alert the Gotham P.D.
They went back to Jason's grave after tipping the Gotham P.D. with Robin eyeing him critically all the while.
Danny rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "I'm uh, stronger than I look?"
"That a question?"
"Maybe an explanation?"
Robin sighed. "Fine keep you're secrets, I get it. Still, thanks for helping catch the guy."
"No prob, happy to help."
"Hmm, you have experience working with ghosts? You didn't seem afraid of me or the shades."
"Uh, you could say that."
Robin's core radiated curiosity. There was also a mix of want, hesitant, threat? He seemed like he wanted to ask something but was afraid to?
Danny hummed. "I didn't help to, err, help you pass on or anything like that. I know ghosts that just want to exist, fulfilling their obsessions or checking out the living realm. So again if you want something I'll be happy to lend a hand."
Robin blinked at him, stunned. "R—really? Hmm… can you give me time to think about it?"
Danny nodded. "I'm visiting Gotham with my parents for the week so I got some time. I can come visit tomorrow if you want? No rush, we can just hang out." It'll be infinitely more interesting than listening to parents talk about new ways to hunt ghosts.
He smiled as he saw Robin relax with a small grin, "I'd like that."
They really are good detectives, Danny thought as he was running away rooftop to rooftop from Red Robin and Nightwing.
Currently he was using a new ghost power to shift into Red Hood's likeness.
…Which might look bad but he had a good reason for it!
A ghost led him to an abandoned building where hostages were being kept. They were friends with one of the hostages.
Danny didn't want reveal Phantom in Gotham so what better disguise than one of the Bats. Especially, when this new gang wanted to taunt Hood in particular. They thought they could gain an advantage over him in a gunfight while using the hostages as meat shields.
Danny liked Red Hood, he was his favorite of Gotham's Bats and Birds. The way he looks after his territory felt similar to his own days of protecting Amity Park.
He hid close by to keep an eye on the situation, Hood was certainly taking his time. Danny looked at the hostages, they seemed okay, taking things well with that Gotham grit.
Except one unconscious guy that was beaten up and tied up with extra rope. He was built like a tank and had black hair with a striking white patch in the front. There were some kids that had shuffled behind him. Was he injured trying to protect those kids?
Wait a minute! That was his kind, hot neighbor, Jason! He helped him carry his stuff to his new apartment.
Danny was getting nervous. Hood wasn't appearing and the gang leader was getting impatient, twirling his gun dangerously at the hostages.
So he made a decision. He shifted to look like Red Hood. He used his invisibility to quietly take out some goons.
Then when there was only the main cluster left he flew to a sky window and let his invisibility fall so it'll look like he came in threw the window. He let gravity take hold and stomped on the leader. While the goons were stunned he knocked them out with quick solid punches.
Danny turned to the hostages and oh, Jason was awake. He hurried to free them cause if they start asking he had no idea how Red Hood would answer and Danny "I'm not a ghost!" Fenton was a horrible actor. Better not to push his already terrible Fenton luck.
The ceiling windows shattered and Robin, Red Robin and Nightwing dropped in. It was silent for long tense moment, Danny could feel their intense stares.
"Who are you?" Nightwing growled and yup that was his que to leave.
He booked it. Nightwing and Red Robin gave chase leaving Robin to handle the hostages.
That led to his current situation, Red Robin and Nightwing had caught up to him and the next rooftop was too far for a normal human to realistically jump.
Danny had no choice but to jump and use his powers to escape. He smiled to himself, he couldn't help but tease some of Gotham's best.
He winked at the vigilantes and jumped of the roof instantly going invisible and shifting back to normal and flew away from the rooftop.
Jason sighed as he headed up to his apartment. What a awful day.
While walking to the grocery store saw bold fledgling gang trying to kidnap some alley kids. Woke up to see Red Hood beat up said gang and free the hostages. Nightwing and Red Robin chased him off and lost the copy cat. Dickwing wouldn't shut up about naming the copy cat Hoodwink. Demon brat called him a disappointment for getting ambushed. Got lectured by B.
Bruce tried to make a case to investigate this imitator which he absolutely shot down. He was going to investigate his own imitator fuck you very much. He didn't need other bats or birds stomping all over his turf and scaring off the imitator.
Jason had a gut feeling the copy cat wasn't out to drag his name into the mud.
When he reached his floor he saw his neighbor, Danny, trying to grabbing his keys to enter his apartment with grocery bags hanging off his arms.
Damn it, Jason thought, forgot to get groceries too.
Danny noticed him and waved happily at Jason. He really wasn't a local. But he seemed so earnest, that actually lightened his mood a little.
Danny's eyes widened as Jason got closer, noticing his bruises. "Oh! What happened? Do you need a first aid kit? An ice pack? I bought some frozen veggies like you suggested even though I'm fine with just eating burgers."
"It's called having a balanced diet, Danny."
"Never heard of her."
Concerning.
"…Anyway, thanks but I'm fine."
Danny seemed like he wanted to protest, must be the mid western hospitality but decided not to. He nodded and lifted a grocery bag with a smile. "Ok, but if you need anything I'm here. Even if its ice cream!"
Jason huffed a laugh, "thanks, I appreciate it." He's grateful he backed off, some of his family could learn a thing or two from Danny. He waved as he passed him and entered his own apartment.
The imitator could wait for tomorrow but for now bed sweet bed.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Danny Phantom, Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Characters: Jason Todd, Danny Fenton, Dick Grayson, Batfamily Members (DCU), Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake (DCU)
Additional Tags: Prompt Fill, Love at First Sight, Meet-Cute, Lifeguard!Danny Fenton, Drowning, technically near death experiences, Crack Treated Seriously, Attempt at Humor, Humor, Angst, Jason Todd-centric, Jason Todd Has PTSD, of Lazarus Pit, Eventual Romance, Oblivious Danny Fenton, Jason Todd is a simp, Jason has complicated feelings with the Batfam, Medical Inaccuracies, Jason Todd Whump, POV Jason Todd, Innuendo, Not Beta Read, Canon-Typical Violence, Trauma, Hurt/Comfort, Aquaphobia, Romantic Comedy, Awkward Flirting, Dick Grayson Tries to Be a Good Older Sibling, Bad Flirting, Dead on MAYn Week (Danny Phantom and DCU), 5+1 Things, injuries
Summary:
“I think you’ve been out in the sun for too long,” the twink frowned at him. “Do you know your name?”
Jason blinked dreamily.
“…Jason,” he giggled. All hearts in his eyes.
“Okay, that’s good,” The cute lifeguard nodded approvingly. “Do you know where you are?”
“Heaven.” It has to be. This was too good for him.
Dick choked.
Meanwhile, the man of his dreams looked alarmed for a second.
OR
[A “5 times Jason was saved by this cute twink of a lifeguard and 1 time Jason tries to return the favor” one-shot]
Dead on MAYn week has started and we’ll be checking the tag (#deadonmayn2026) the coming couple of weeks to reblog entries here. Though feel free to tag us as well.
Link to prompts
Being a catch-up edition it’s not as structured as the other years, but we still hope people has taken the opportunity to create something new or take a second look at unfinished stuff.
What is Dead on MAYn?
A week-long event to encourage creating content for the DP x DC crossover ship of Danny Fenton/Jason Todd or, as it’s known in the fandom, Dead on Main. FAQ link
This years tag is #deadonmayn2026 and the collection on Ao3 can be found here
The event week runs from May 24th to May 30th
This year is the chance to finish those projects that were started but didn't finish in time or if you missed joining in before. And so the first two years prompts go again:
Prompt list 2024
Prompt list 2025
And to add just a little extra, under the cut is the honorable mention list of prompts, composed of the prompts that were close to making it the other years. Mix, match and combine them with the other prompts to your heart's content.
Situation:
- Danny stays up all night Reading out lod to Jason after Jason had a nightmare
- Meeting for the first time at a worl-ending catastrophe
- They end up hiding in the same closet
- Danny fixes Red Hood’s gear.
- Jason takes Danny to a gala.
- Jason gets lost in the Ghost Zone and meets Danny.Red Hood rescues Danny from a fire(s) caused by Danny’s cooking.
Tropes:
- “Book-toked”
- GIW take Jason
- Summonings
- Blob ghosts and Jason
- Stray/homeless Danny
- Ghost Fange
- Publicly “revived” Jason
Dialogue:
- “I need to stop this hotdog revolution before it’s too late”
- “Can’t patrol tonight, I have a date.”
- “See, he was dead!”
- “Bold of you to assume I plan anything.”
- “I charge extra for that.”
- “I should have stayed dead.”
- “I know this looks super bad, but I am not a criminal.”
A small reminder at the end that all sort of fanworks are admissable, not just fanart and fic, for example: moodboards, playlists, fic rec lists, metas, really whatever you can think of.
What is Dead on MAYn?
A week-long event to encourage creating content for the DP x DC crossover ship of Danny Fenton/Jason Todd or, as it’s known in the fandom, Dead on Main. FAQ link
This years tag is #deadonmayn2026 and the collection on Ao3 can be found here
The event week runs from May 24th to May 30th
This year is the chance to finish those projects that were started but didn't finish in time or if you missed joining in before. And so the first two years prompts go again:
Prompt list 2024
Prompt list 2025
And to add just a little extra, under the cut is the honorable mention list of prompts, composed of the prompts that were close to making it the other years. Mix, match and combine them with the other prompts to your heart's content.
Situation:
- Danny stays up all night Reading out lod to Jason after Jason had a nightmare
- Meeting for the first time at a worl-ending catastrophe
- They end up hiding in the same closet
- Danny fixes Red Hood’s gear.
- Jason takes Danny to a gala.
- Jason gets lost in the Ghost Zone and meets Danny.Red Hood rescues Danny from a fire(s) caused by Danny’s cooking.
Tropes:
- “Book-toked”
- GIW take Jason
- Summonings
- Blob ghosts and Jason
- Stray/homeless Danny
- Ghost Fange
- Publicly “revived” Jason
Dialogue:
- “I need to stop this hotdog revolution before it’s too late”
- “Can’t patrol tonight, I have a date.”
- “See, he was dead!”
- “Bold of you to assume I plan anything.”
- “I charge extra for that.”
- “I should have stayed dead.”
- “I know this looks super bad, but I am not a criminal.”
A small reminder at the end that all sort of fanworks are admissable, not just fanart and fic, for example: moodboards, playlists, fic rec lists, metas, really whatever you can think of.
Hi thanks for asking, it will be a bit more lowkey this year. We’re doing a catch up edition, so to speak. The last two years prompts will be reblogged again along with a list of honorable mentions that didn’t make the prompt lists so there will be some new prompts :) We’ll get it up as soon as we can.
Dead on MAYn 2025 Bonus Prompts - Situation: Telling friend about a vigilante crush not knowing your friend is said vigilante
My last entry for Dead on Mayn week (@deadonmayn), which ironically was the first I finished for this year :D Vague context I was thinking for this one was a college AU where they meet as civilians. At least Jason knows he has a shot now!
Trope | Enemies at First Sight/Scar Soulmates
Word | Gunpowder
Situation | Jason helps Danny learn to fight humans.
Dialogue | "I would believe that you're fine, but that's a knife sticking out of your goddamn leg, so…"
Danny gripped his box tightly as he dodged through the absolute chaos of the big move-in day in the dormitories. It felt like every person in Gotham was moving into Danny’s dorm in particular, which was of course an exaggeration, but the sheer multitude of people of various ages carrying boxes and bags were very overwhelming.
It felt like there was something to look at everywhere. Tearful farewells. Happy reunions. Someone knocked over and someone yelling. The sheer intensity of emotion in the air coupled with the general Gotham miasma itself was making him dizzy. He dodged out of the way of someone deciding to throw a football down the crowded hallway. Someone, a parent judging by the tone, though not necessarily a parent of the offender, started chewing them out.
He was starting to regret not taking Vlad’s offer of paying for an apartment, but that came with strings Danny would not give Vlad control over.
Finally he reached the door with the right number. Juggling the box so he could balance it on one arm as he fished out the key he was glad of his ghostly strength or he would have surely toppled over with his two bags and the backpack slung over his shoulders and the way he kept being jostled. He inserted the key and the door reluctantly allowed him entry - he would have to oil it. He wondered when that had last happened, which immediately led into the thought whether his parents would remember to change the echo filter without him to do so.
Danny expected that when he went into the room and closed the door he could finally relax in what was to be his home for the foreseeable future, but that was not what happened. Danny froze in the doorway. Someone was already in the room.
Danny’s instincts screamed intruder. He tightened his fists, then consciously relaxed them. He was just high strung after the utter goat market outside, that was all. It was just his roommate.
His roommate, who was six feet tall and buff, turned around with a scowl. Danny grit his teeth at the thought of rooming with an unfriendly jock, he was not spending his college time getting pushed around, he’d had enough of that in high school.
He plastered on a fake smile that probably looked more like a sneer. “Hi, I’m Danny, you must be my roommate.” He held out a hand, he’d learned manners, but nothing could get him to say ‘nice to meet you’ right now.
It looked like it took his roommate just as much effort to school his features into neutrality as it took Danny and the way he looked at Danny with disdain twitching across his features made Danny want to bite him. He had to remind himself to breathe, because that was not a human response.
Finally his roommate took his hand with a simple “Jason” and predictably squeezed too hard. Danny matched him bit by bit, until finally they let each other go.
“I took the right side. Don’t touch my stuff,” Jason grumbled.
-
And they were roommates...
I have plans for more of this, them being the roommates from Hell to each other, but this is what I managed for now.
Dialogue | "I would believe that you're fine, but that's a knife sticking out of your goddamn leg, so…"
cw: blood, medical care, scars
“Hey, um, are… you okay? Can I call someone? Or, like, help you get somewhere?”
“I’m fine,” Red Hood growled back at the voice from the bright edge of the alley.
“Yeah, I would believe that you're fine, but that's a knife sticking out of your goddamn leg, so…”
Hood snorted, the sound ugly through the mask. “Yeah. Hurts like a mother too.”
“I’m sure.” The figure was a broad one—broader than Hood was maybe. It seemed like they filled up the entrance to alley. It wasn’t threatening though. In fact, they seemed almost hunched in on themselves. “I’ve got my bike close. I can give you a ride to wherever you need and completely forget where I’ve been after.”
“Yeah? Good at forgetting, are you?” Hood rasped.
“I’m a college student in the middle of finals, chances are I won’t remember this at all,” they said dryly.
“If you try anything, I can still kill you,” Hood pointed out.
“No doubt of that at all!” they said, way too cheerfully. “I’ll grab my bike and be right back.”
Hood let his head thump back against the wall. He gave it an eighty:twenty that guy would come back himself. Forty:sixty that they would try something on the way. Seventy:thirty that this would come back to bite him in the ass later. But his leg fucking hurt.
He could save himself some trouble now and later if he got dropped of at Leslie’s instead of a safe house. The clinic being somewhere Red Hood would shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. It would mean a lecture, though. And possibly some heat for Leslie.
He was pretty sure the knife didn’t hit anything vital.
Hood was just pulling out the last of the bandages he’d need with the person came back. The roar of a beast of a bike was the first hint, and then their shadow blocked the alleyway for a moment before they approached.
They were pretty nondescript. Unruly Black hair, slightly scruffy beard like they jut hadn’t had time to trip it up lately. They had on a hoodie under a worn leather jacket and jeans. It was only the bright turquoise eyes that really caught Hood’s attention.
“Time for the knife to come out? Let me help with the bandages while you do the pulling,” they said, still annoyingly cheerful.
“I could kill you with the knife,” Hood pointed out, just to be ornery.
The guy just snorted. “Sure, you could, but you wouldn’t. You’re the Red Hood and I’ve not fucked with anything on your nope list. Hell, the worst thing I’ve done this month is glared at a little old abuela because she was talking so loudly on her phone on the subway. Like, okay, you’re old, you’re look one sneeze away from scattering into dust, I’m sure there’s hearing loss, but spare the rest of us, you know?”
As they chattered, they took the bandages from Hood and then squatted down. And Jesus their thighs rivaled Hood’s. They made quite a sight down there at Hood’s feet like that.
Fuck, get a hold of yourself, Hood. So it’s been a long time, but this wasn’t the time.
Hood yanked the knife out with a bit back noise. The guy’s hands were there instantly, pressing the gauze down tightly for a little bit before wrapping it under the bandage. It was crude, but Hood just needed it to last to the safe house where he could clean it up properly.
He tossed the guy a wet wipe to clean up with and then took the trash and stowed it away to burn later. Then Hood pushed himself up off the wall, ignoring the offered hand, and limped towards the entrance of the alleyway.
The bike was impressive, even Hood had to admit it. His fingers itched a little to poke and prod at the beast. It was an old school hog, or a least that’s where most of it’s bit came from, but it was clearly a custom work in progress. It actually looked like it could support both of them too.
“He’s a looker, isn’t he?” the guy asked with a proud smile. “Not done yet, of course, but I’m working on it! Oh, I’m Danny.”
“Danny,” Hood repeated with a little nod. “He/him fine?”
Danny blinked in surprise at the consideration. “Yeah, good with me. Um, right, I know you know how to ride, just signal where you want me to turn and things.”
Hood gave a little nod, waited for Danny to climb on to his bike and put his helmet on, and then carefully settled behind him. The engine roared to life with a lovely purr and then they were of.
Danny didn’t try anything.
“I knew you were going to be a fucking problem,” Hood growled as he stalked across the roof to where Danny stood bashfully, as if he hadn’t just basically put up a bat signal to summon Hood.
Two out of three wasn’t bad.
-
“I mean, I didn’t show up at your house or anything!” Danny defended. “I just—look, we just need to talk.”
Hood crossed his arms. “Talk?”
“Or I’ll talk, and you can just listen! That’s fine too!” Danny said. “Look, so after I took you where you needed to go a few weeks ago I went home, showered, and crashed hard. But then I woke up and—look, I’m sorry for this, but you’re the one who got stabbed there!”
And then Danny started undoing his pants.
Which, what? Hood was pretty sure that he wasn’t dreaming this time. He focused on imagining a red ball to check if he was lucid dreaming.
Nope, nothing.
Danny was still pulling down his jeans over his very well toned thighs. And Jesus if Jason hadn’t been having dreams before—
“See?” Danny said. “I have a fresh scar right where you’ve been stabbed! And I haven’t done anything that could have given me it.”
There was indeed a pink, freshly healing scar on Danny’s legs, right where Hood had been stabbed. But Danny couldn’t be implying that.
“That’s one scar, it doesn’t prove anything,” Jason snapped even as he stepped closer.
Scar soulmates were one of the rarer types. Jason had never even considered having one. He had always thought empathy was mostly likely for him, with his moods. No one should have the scars that he had. No one should share his marks, not even a soulmate.
“It’s just one little scar, I know.” Danny yanked his jeans back up but didn’t bother fastening them before he pulled his shirt and hoodie up instead. An ugly, surgical Y crossed his chest. “But this one’s a little more distinctive.”
Jason stumbled back from Danny, hand pressed to his own chest.
Danny just stepped forward. “You had to have wondered where that came from. People don’t just get a scar like that.”
“What?”
“It’s—I was—”
Jason shook his head. “No, that’s my scar. I died.”
Danny paused. “What?”
“I died. And then I woke up in my coffin. I had that scar. I always assumed it was an autopsy scar…” but that didn’t make any sense, did it? Why would Bruce have let an autopsy happen? It was clear how Jason had died. And that how was revealing, too revealing. Why had Jason never thought of that before? Why had he assumed? “But… it’s not, is it. It’s yours?”
Danny nodded.
Anger surged through Jason, bubbled up like the growl in the back of his throat. He stalked forward. This time, Danny took a step back.
“Who did that to you?” Jason growled. He yanked Danny’s shirt back up and pressed his gloved fingers over the scar. “Who hurt you?”
“Well, you know, the usual. Shadowy government organization intent on studying me like a lab rat,” Danny said with an awkward chuckle.
Jason was going to get more information than that. He was going to find them and end them for what they had done to Danny. He was going to—
“Hood, breathe,” Danny said. “I’m okay now. I’m right here, aren’t I?”
Jason ran his fingers over Danny’s side and the round scar there. A bullet from his Robin days. Batman had been pissed after that one. Or was it worried?
“Can we—is there somewhere we can go to talk this over? I’m not… I’m not expecting anything from you,” Danny said in a way that already sounded heartbroken, “but I feel like we should at least talk about it, right?”
“Yeah.” Jason swallowed back his nerves and every part of him that wanted to wrap Danny up in his arms and never let go. “Yeah. Come on, I have a safe house close. We can talk there. We can talk about everything.”
---
Danny, who always knew cause wow Jason has a lot of scars, patting Jason's back and very amused and flattered that Red Hood wants to go destroy the GIW for him. Maybe Danny will let him.
AN:
Jason, who thought he didn't have a soulmate and that meant something because he didn't have the normal types and he didn't get (noticeable) scars because all of Danny's big ones were as Phantom, clinging desperately to Danny like ;-;
Gotham was a hard city. Filled with struggle. Lined with suffering. Chinked with deeds done in the dark, out of view of any who may come to the rescue of the unfortunate.
But the people of Gotham? They were committed (a great many of them were also committed, but that’s a different story). The citizens believed that the struggle made them stronger. The suffering made them more resilient. The harsh misdeeds gave them a realistic view of the world. They didn’t believe in sugar coating things. They didn’t believe in coddling. They believed in strength and will and grit. They believed in GOTHAM. And that belief made them strong. It made for a cohesive city. Out of towners stuck out and often left as soon as they could, usually wondering why anyone would ever stay.
But those who did stay? They understood. They felt the connection deep in their bones. They felt the lifeblood of the city flow through their own veins. They spirit of Gotham became their own. She gave to them, and in turn they gave back to her. Their hopes. Their passions. Their blood, sweat, and tears. Their very lives. They understood. Sometimes she took it all.
She nearly took it all from Bruce. But he understood. Not as a young boy. No. Surely not the day she took everything. But as he grieved. As he grew. And as he poured back into her. First his time. Then his passion. Then everything he had. He understood. She took from him and in turn he gave to her. She took it all and he, in turn, gave it all willingly.
For his sacrifice, the first without his consent and the second with his whole heart and soul, she gave her blessing. It was in small ways at first. Deeper shadows to hide him. An unerring knowledge of the city’s treacherous alleys. Timing that could not be mere coincidence. Their relationship continued to turn in a generous exchange. It continued to grow as well. His dedication grew. He brought in young Robin. She granted additional blessings. Only as much as Bruce himself could believe. Carried him across gaps that he should not have spanned. But only just. She lent strength to his blows, But only so long as he trained for it. She could have granted more but her knight would only believe so much. And she was bound by that belief.
She was also freed by it.
The citizens of Gotham, though they believed in their city, SAW the Batman. They believed in the harsh justice he handed out. They believed he served the city and that belief powered him through her.
Their exchange continued to churn and grow.
Finally, she gave Bruce one of her sons. A boy from her very womb. His blood flowed with her filth and smog and hope and passion. His heart beat with the rhythm of her streets. His drive matched her own. His ambition put her son in the path of her knight. And her Dark Knight rose to the task of being her son’s guiding light.
And Jason? He believed in Gotham. Believed in Batman. Believed that Robin made him magic. And Gotham loved him for it. Jason was her everything. He was unbeatable. Unflappable. Unstoppable.
Until he left.
This was the worst part of being a City Spirit. She had all the power of the people who believed in her. She was as omnipotent as they knew she was. They were hers. And she was theirs. She was always theirs. But she could only be….there. She was trapped. Powered beyond reason by people of her city, but bound within its bounds. Within the city limits. Her people could drive so easily across the bridges but they may a well be chasms.
She could not cross onto the main land. And she could not reach Ethiopia.
When her son returned she held him. Cradled him in her dirt. Refused to let him move on. She had relied for so long on the power of her peoples’ belief in her that she dared bend that power to her own hopes and dreams for once. When tremors rocked the universe, she rode the waves and poured every scrap of that power into her son. She let the shock waves travel through her and into him to break the chains of death. Break the laws that bound mere mortals. She was Gotham, and death could not have her boy.
When Jason returned to her, mind restored, she arranged the city around his will. The boons she had once granted Batman paled in comparison to what she did for Red Hood. People were moved like chess pieces on a board. Carefully plotted and planned until her son stood face to face with her Knight. It was an easy thing to arrange. To allow her Knight to redeem himself for losing their son. Bruce need to step up and prove that he would do anything for Jason. And Jason just needed to know that Batman would avenge him. But Bruce…
Didn’t
He not only did not avenge his son, but attacked him!
Gotham was furious!
Stopping here because this idea blossomed in my head without any DoM relationship bits and I have to figure out how to work that into this framework. But I love what I've got so far.
