MaxDark158

Call me Mace or Max - They/Them - Aromantic Asexual - I attempt to write but most of this blog is fandom stuff and politics, writing is posted rarely - Ao3 is MaxDark158

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[maxdark158]

Hey guys my commission prices have been updated!

[coolguymcdudebro]

one must imagine Jason Todd happy

[drax-the-vampire-king]

Just gonna save this as a future reaction imagine

[nexusofbirds]

Damian messing with the Bats because I think he would, ft. Jon as his occasional accomplice

—

Jason: Damian, come grocery shopping with me and Dick.

Damian: No.

Jason: That wasn’t a question. You’re coming.

Damian: You can’t tell me what to do. You aren’t Father.

Jason: But I’m taller than you, and the tallest person has authority.

Damian: Why in any world would that be how that works?

Jason: I don’t know, that’s just how we do things here. Ask Cass.

Cass, across the room: It’s true. Tallest has the most authority. Bruce made the rule when Dick was Robin, and it stuck.

Damian, angry because he respects Cass: Fine! I will accompany you to the grocery store.

Later, Damian, Jason, and Dick are at the store, and Damian is still angry about it

Dick, sighing: Damian, why did you come if you were going to be so grumpy the whole time?

Damian, glaring at Jason: Fee-fi-fo-fum used the tallest-has-authority rule.

Dick, gasping: He almost never uses that rule!

Jason: The fuck did you just call me?

Damian: Fee-fi-fo-fum. I thought it was fitting.

Dick, snorting: Why?

Damian: Well, it’s from a nursery rhyme about a big, violent, and stupid giant.

Jason: Oh, I see, you think you’re funny.

Damian: Yes, very.

Jason: Let’s see how funny you are when I start using the tallest-has-authority rule every day.

Damian, narrowing his eyes: You wouldn’t.

Jason: Wouldn’t I?

Damian: You brought this upon yourself.

Damian, yelling in horror, pointing at Jason: Somebody, help! He’s found me and is going to eat me! Help!

Jason, looking around at the people who are starting to look over at them in concern: Haha, no, that’s just my brother!

Damian: It’s a lie! Please, someone!

Jason, whispering: Will you shut up? This is Gotham for fuck’s sake; people are gonna think I’m actually going to kill and eat you.

Damian, ignoring him: Help!

Dick, seeing people walking over: Yeah, I’m not going down with you. Sorry Jay.

Jason: Wha—

Dick tackles Jason to the ground: I’ve got him! It’s okay, everyone, I’ve got him!

Jason: Dick! Get the fuck off of me!

Dick: I’ll take him to the police, no worries, guys!

A few people clap.

Damian, kneeling next to Jason, who’s still pinned to the ground: Remember this, Jason. Remember it.

—

Stephanie ratted Damian out for going on patrol alone when Bruce told him not to

Damian: …

Stephanie, sitting near him, nervous because she knows he knows it’s her fault he’s grounded: …

Damian: Isn’t your favorite color purple, Stephanie?

Stephanie, relieved: Aw, you remembered!

Damian: Interesting. I was just wondering because you’ve been wearing a lot of blue recently.

Stephanie: No I haven’t??

Damian: Come to think of it, I’ve rarely ever seen you in purple.

Stephanie: What about my Spoiler costume? You see me in that all the time.

Damian, widening his eyes: Oh dear.

Stephanie: What?

Damian: Have you ever taken a colorblind test, Stephanie?

Stephanie: No, because I’m not colorblind.

Damian: I don’t know. Do you really think the Spoiler costume is purple?

Steph: Yes? Because it is??

Damian: Hm. Jon!

Jon, appearing next to him: Hey!

Damian: You know Spoiler and the outfit she wears?

Jon: Yes.

Damian, while communicating silently to Jon with his eyes: What color is it?

Jon, squinting at Damian, trying to understand what he wants him to say: Uhm, blue, I think?

Damian, smiling: See, Stephanie?

Stephanie: This is ridiculous. It’s purple!

Jon, understanding now: Why would it be purple? I thought your favorite color was blue. That’s the color you always wear.

Stephanie, running a hand through her hair in stress: Are you guys stupid? Genuine question, because it’s purple. I barely even like most shades of blue!

Damian: That’s very sad.

Jon, nodding: Because you probably can’t even see purple.

Damian: A tragic occurrence considering it’s your so-called favorite color.

Stephanie: I can see purple!

Jason, walking in: We talking about Steph’s colorblindness?

Stephanie, whipping her head toward Jason: Are you in on this?

Jason: Naw, I was just eavesdropping.

Stephanie: I’m not colorblind.

Damian, sharing a sad look with Jon: Okay, Stephanie. If you insist.

Jon, whispering loud enough for Stephanie to hear: You may want to tell Bruce about her colorblindness in case it’s a problem on missions.

Stephanie: I’m actually so done with this. You’re not getting to me! I know what you’re doing!

Stephanie, walking away and taking out her phone to call Barbara: Hey, Babs, I wear purple a lot, right?

—

Damian and Cassandra just sparred, and Damian lost

Damian: I thought you were trained by Lady Shiva, Cassandra.

Cassandra: I was.

Damian: Hm.

Cassandra: What?

Damian: I just wouldn’t have guessed from that performance.

Cassandra: You lost, though.

Damian: Maybe.

Cassandra, irritated: You did because I’m an excellent fighter.

Damian: Did Lady Shiva ever tell you that?

Cassandra, wrapping her fists with new tape: We’re going again.

Damian: Have something to prove?

Cassandra: Quiet. Prepare to fight me.

Duke, watching off to the side: Does irritating Cassandra while sparring with her count as self-harm? Should we tell Bruce?

Tim, eating popcorn: Honestly? Maybe.

—

Tim and Damian are fighting

Tim: You’re being stupid!

Damian: Tt. I’m not the one who thinks I could take over all of Father’s cases while he’s out of town along with continuing to work on my personal projects.

Tim: I’ve done it before. I don’t even know why you care what I do!

Damian, tired of this conversation: Why are you mimicking Kon?

Tim, taken off guard: What?

Damian: Have you been spending a lot of time with him? You’re talking just like him.

Tim, a little horrified at the idea: I don’t know what you mean.

Damian: And your movements, too. They’re very Kon-like.

Tim, who would usually motion with his hands but is now overthinking things, so he crosses his arms instead: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Damian: There! It was your tone.

Tim: What tone?

Damian: Jon!

Jon, immediately flying into the room: What’s up?

Damian: Tim is acting a lot like Kon right now, isn’t he?

Tim: I’m not acting like anyone! I’m just being me.

Jon, nodding: Oh, wow. That was just like him! Your acting has gotten so much better, Tim, good job!

Tim, feeling like he’s going a bit insane: I’m not acting!

Damian: Whatever you say, Drake.

Later, when Tim is alone

Tim, calling Kon: Hey, Kon? I know we were meant to hang out this weekend, but I can’t.

Kon, disappointed: Why?

Tim: I think I’m starting to act like you. I need time alone, a few nights without sleep, and a lot of caffeine. That should fix it.

Kon doesn’t respond for a few seconds.

Tim: Hello? Kon?

Kon, climbing through the window into Tim’s room: Sorry, I needed to tell you to your face that this is hilarious. Do something! Act like me!

Tim, frowning: Telling you was a mistake.

[nexusofbirds]

More transgender Jason Todd headcanon stuff

—

Imagine if, for a while, only Bruce and Alfred knew Jason was trans because when Bruce found Jason, he was young enough that having short hair and wearing ‘boy’ clothes was enough for him to pass. Pretty quickly, Bruce got him on hormone blockers before later switching Jason to hormone therapy, so (at least while he was Robin) he didn’t go through female puberty. Dick and Barbara weren’t told all of this because Bruce wanted Jason to be able to tell people in his own time (if he ever chose to), so only he, Alfred, and Jason knew.

Unfortunately, when Jason was resurrected by the League, he didn’t have access to testosterone for a while and ended up going through female puberty. This would be one of the reasons he ended up leaving the League and returning to Gotham, since he wanted to start testosterone again and get top surgery. He did that before becoming Red Hood and revealing that he was alive.

So then the shit with Bruce goes down, and eventually, Jason rejoins the Batfamily. He still doesn’t tell anyone he’s trans, though, because he just doesn’t really see any point.

The first time he changes around them, Tim asks why he has mastectomy scars. Jason straight-up lies, saying, “Torture. Some asshole thought it would be funny.” Everyone accepts this answer without question, even Bruce, who knows Jason is trans but didn’t think about how not being on testosterone for a while would’ve affected him, and the surgery he subsequently would’ve needed to get.

Then Damian joins the family, and for a while, nothing’s different. Except one day, when he’s like 11 or 12, Damian randomly says, “I hope I don’t develop breasts during puberty,” and Dick and Tim are like the fuck?? Dick asks what he means, and Damian says, “You know, like Jason.” This just leaves them even more confused, so Damian explains, saying, “He developed breasts while at the League. He told me that when people go through puberty, there’s a fifty-percent chance they get them. He was unlucky. I wish not to be.”

Dick immediately reassures Damian that that’s not how puberty works, and then he and Tim go to confront Jason and are like, “Hey, so wtf did Damian mean by this?” Jason keeps his composure. Internally, he’s screaming at himself for forgetting Damian watched him go through puberty, but that’s fine, because he can work with this.

So Jason, using all his acting skills, tells them, “It was an unknown side-effect of the Lazarus Pit. For a while, my body did some weird shit. My hormones were all fucked up, and I used it as an opportunity to mess with Damian.”

Dick and Tim just nod along and are like, “Yes, yes, makes sense,” and even Jason is a little surprised by how easily they were convinced.

At one point, Dick catches Jason doing his weekly injection and asks if Jason got dosed with fear gas or something because he thinks Jason is giving himself an antidote. Jason briefly considers going along with that excuse before saying, “Naw, I’m all good. Just doing my Saturday drugs.”

Dick is horrified. Jason tells him to piss off and tell Bruce if he’s so worried. Dick does just that and immediately goes to Bruce and tells him, “B, I caught Jason doing drugs. I’m not sure what, but it was injectable, so I’m worried.”

At first, Bruce is equally as concerned. He asks Dick if he thinks this is the first time Jason has done this. Dick repeats what Jason told him: that he apparently does it every Saturday. Bruce is suddenly reminded that Jason is trans (something he had kind of forgotten atp) and remembers that Saturday was always his injection day. “The drugs are fine,” Bruce says, and Dick is so confused.

“You’re fine with Jason doing drugs? Every Saturday?”

Bruce just makes a sound of affirmation because he’s not about to out Jason, who clearly doesn’t want it known he’s transgender. Dick leaves, both confused and concerned. He returns to Jason and tells him that he knows a good rehab facility, and that he can get him help. Jason, not finding this as funny anymore, sits Dick down and tells him he was joking, and that it was just testosterone.

Naturally, Dick is relieved. He asks why Jason is on testosterone, and Jason just says that he’s got a deficiency in it, and he’s had to take it for years. And of course, Dick just believes him, once again not asking any follow-up questions.

Eventually, Jason does begin telling the rest of the Batfamily he’s trans, but he doesn’t do it in a serious conversation way. He just kinda sneaks a comment in here or there. For example, he goes on a rollercoaster with Dick, and the first thing he says when the ride ends is, “I swear to God, I could feel my uterus moving during some of those loops.”

Dick is like, “Your WHAT?”

Jason just shrugs and vaguely says, “Organ of misery and pain,” and doesn’t do anything else to confirm that he’s trans. Dick doesn’t ask about it, but he sure as hell thinks about it.

Or he’s with Stephanie, and they’re about to get in line to order food at the same time as a different man, and the man sees Steph is with Jason and says, “Ladies first.”

Steph teases Jason about it, but then Jason claps back with, “Nothing wrong with going back to being a woman for a few minutes to get my food faster.”

At first, Steph is like, “I hear that,” but then she processes what Jason actually said and is like, “Sorry, the hell did you just say?”

Jason responds with, “That I like to get my food fast,” and Steph just kinda stands there, wondering if she imagined the part about Jason having been a woman previously.

Tim is the first to crack, and he bravely says one day, “You don’t need to answer, but are you trans?”

Jason is just like, “Fucking finally. Been waiting for one of you to ask that for years. Detectives my ass, you’re all oblivious as fuck. I have mastectomy scars. Damian said I went through female puberty. I don’t have a dick, and I don’t bother packing. I’m on weekly testosterone injections. I go to Planned Parenthood for my bloodwork and testosterone prescription. And you know this. Are you stupid? Like actually?”

Tim is kind of offended, and is like, “Well, I suspected it for years! I just didn’t want to ask ‘cause it wasn’t my business! Anyway, I checked your records when I first learned you were Robin, and they said you were born female, so I’ve been pretty sure since before I met you.”

“The fuck happened to it not being your business?!”

Tim shrugs. “Recent development. But yeah, I’ve known for years.”

“And you never mentioned it to anyone?”

“No? I’m not an asshole?”

And Jason is actually really touched by that.

—

I kinda started yapping there, sorry y’all. As a trans man, I just really love trans Batfamily headcanons

[nexusofbirds]

Transgender Jason Todd headcanon, but it’s just the rest of the Batfamily pissing him off when he’s having bad dysphoria to distract him

—

Jason, having a mental breakdown over being born female, and covering his face with his hands: Fuck, I hate having a female body so much, they suck so bad.

Steph: Whoa, misogyny alert!

Jason, looking up at her in disbelief: The hell did you just say to me?

Steph: Just calling it as I see it, man.

Jason, annoyed: Oh, so I can’t say I hate my body now?

Steph: You can. You just also added that female bodies suck, and that was kinda misogynistic of you.

Jason, who will never allow himself to be a misogynist even on his worst days: Fine! I hate my body, but female bodies as a whole are beautiful. Happy?

Steph: Yes, much better. Wanna get me Batburger to make up for the original comment, though?

Jason, squinting at her: Seriously?

Steph: I mean, you don’t have to, but a real feminist would make up for their misogyny by supporting women in any way possible, and this woman is craving Batburger.

Jason, grabbing his wallet: Fucking fine. Come on.

—

Jason’s been staring at himself in the mirror for fifteen minutes

Tim, who sees him looking at his top surgery scars and can guess what’s up with him: You’re more obsessed with yourself than I thought. You’ve been checking yourself out for way too long.

Jason, finally looking away from the mirror: That’s not what I’m fucking doing, asshole!

Tim: I don’t know. Shirt off, muscles out, staring longingly at your body. I think you’re just really into yourself.

Jason: I’m not into myself. That’s Dick’s thing.

Tim: That’s a shame. At least then someone would be into you.

Jason: Oh, so you’re just being a dick for no reason now, huh?

Tim, shrugging: Am I wrong?

Jason: Yes!

Tim, grinning: Prove it. Let’s go to the club, and if someone hits on you, I’ll take it back.

Jason: You’re not 21.

Tim, sarcastically: And I’ve definitely never used a fake I.D. to go to the club before. So, are we going?

Jason, somewhat defeated: I’ll text Steph and Cass to see if they want to come.

—

Jason, sitting silently on the couch, clearly upset: …

Damian, walking by: Good job, Todd.

Jason, puzzled: With what?

Damian: Not crying. Just like a real man.

Jason: WHAT?

Damian: I need to be going now.

Jason, standing up and grabbing Damian’s shoulder before he can leave: No, we’re talking about that. First off, showing emotion isn’t feminine or weak. Secondly, don’t say I’m like a real man. I am a real man.

Damian: Yeah, and you prove it daily by not crying.

Jason, kind of irritated now: For fuck’s sake… You saw Bruce cry last week while watching Old Yeller. Is he less of a man now?

Damian: No. That movie was designed to break people. Anyway, I don’t see why you’re offended. You clearly try to avoid crying when you can. I once saw you run with a knife, trip, and accidentally stab yourself. When your eyes started watering, you swore and then bit your hand until you successfully blinked away the tears.

Jason, not wanting to examine why he did that: Don’t psychoanalyze me.

Damian: Then don’t be so easy to psychoanalyze.

Jason, defensive: I’m great at hiding my emotions!

Damian: And that’s why you don’t cry. And also because you think hiding your emotions makes you more masculine.

Jason: Let’s stop talking about me. You do know you’re allowed to show emotion, right?

Damian: So convincing coming from you.

Jason, frustrated: You just said you’re good at reading my emotions and psychoanalyzing me and shit! So clearly I do show emotion!

Damian: No, I just know you. But I could help you show emotion.

Jason, scoffing: You could help me?

Damian: Yes.

Damian punches Jason in the liver

Jason, doubling over, his eyes watering: Ow! What the fuck?

Damian: Are you going to stop yourself from crying, or are you going to show emotion?

Jason, who can’t remember how they even got to this point: Fine! I’m crying! Are you happy?

Damian: I don’t know. Are you?

Jason: No, because you just fucking punched me!

Damian: No other reason you’re unhappy?

Jason: What? I don’t know, not really?

Damian, smiling: Then yes, I’m happy.

[nexusofbirds]

Imagine if after being revived, everything is the same with Jason, except he can’t feel pain anymore. He realizes this pretty quickly while he’s training with the League because every time he gets punched or kicked, it’s just mildly uncomfortable. He decides not to tell anyone, and every time he gets hurt, he has to remember to act as if he can feel it.

—

Dick: Hey, Jay! Glad you could make—IS THAT A KNIFE IN YOUR SIDE?

Jason, looking down at his side: What do you—SHIT!

Jason, doubling over, trying to remember how much getting stabbed is supposed to hurt: Fuck, can you tell Alfred to get me… uh… Advil?

Dick: Advil?

Jason: …yes?

Dick: I think you’re gonna want more than that, Jay.

Jason: Damn… fentanyl?

Dick: …I’m gonna get Alfred.

Jason: Yeah, good idea.

—

Jason: Okay, Duke, so when using grappling hooks, you really want to just go for it. Like, just fucking jump, and believe you’ll figure it out as you’re falling.

Duke: That’s not what B said…

Jason: Yeah, and it’s not what Dick, Tim, Steph, or Cass will tell you either, but I’m right.

Duke: What about Damian? You didn’t mention him.

Jason: You really think I wasn’t the first person to teach him to use a grappling hook? He learned from me, like you are now.

Duke: Is that why he’s… the way he is?

Jason: Doesn’t matter! Anyway, watch this. I’ll show you what I mean.

Duke, shrugging: All right. Go for it.

Jason jumps off the roof, then shoots his grappling hook. It doesn’t hit anything, and he lands roughly on the ground.

Duke, looking over the edge: Dude! Are you okay?

Jason, standing up: I’m good!

Duke: Fuck, your leg! You shouldn’t be trying to stand—I think I’m gonna be sick.

Jason, looking down to see his leg is twisted at a very odd angle and a bone is sticking out of it: Oh, shit.

Duke, swinging down to stand next to Jason: Seriously, how are you not passing out from the pain?

Jason, remembering this should be excruciatingly painful: Uh… I’m in shock. *screams, falling to the ground*

Duke: There it is. Just hang tight, Jason. I’m calling for help on the comm line. Yes, B? We need the Batmobile.

—

Jason is in the Batcave, giving himself stitches in his side for a large laceration.

Stephanie, walking in: Oh, Jason, I didn’t realize you were here! Uhm, what’chu doin’?

Jason, stitching himself back together while drinking from a to-go cup: Drinking a smoothie.

Stephanie, frowning at the wound: I could help you with that.

Jason: Nah, I’m good.

Stephanie: How much numbing did you use? That looks like it hurts.

Jason, remembering getting stitches without local anesthetics would be painful: Numbing? Oh, the usual.

Stephanie: No, seriously, how much lidocaine did you inject?

Jason, trying to remember what percentage of lidocaine is normal: Not much. Only, like, fifteen percent.

Stephanie: …

Jason, sensing he’s made a mistake: …

Stephanie: We need to get you to a hospital immediately.

Jason: Would you believe me if I said I was joking?

Stephanie: Not really.

Jason: What if I give you the rest of my smoothie, and you don’t make me go to the hospital?

Stephanie: You could literally go into cardiac arrest any minute, Jason.

Jason: It’s strawberry banana.

Stephanie: …how much is left?

Jason, holding out the smoothie: At least half the cup.

Stephanie, taking the cup from him and taking a sip: You'd better live.

—

Jason’s on a cot in the medical area of the Cave

Bruce: Jason, I think we need to talk. You got shot three times, and you didn’t even flinch.

Jason: Yeah, uh, there’s definitely a reason for that. Just give me a minute to remember it.

Cassandra: Jason not flinching seems reasonable to me.

Bruce, pinching the bridge of his nose: Cassandra, for the last time, being so used to being shot that you don’t flinch isn’t normal.

Cassandra: Perhaps it is, and everyone else is worse than Jason and me.

Jason: That’s a good point. Ever consider that you’re just weak, Bruce? Oh no, a bullet hit me, I’m going to fall over and die. What even is that? It’s just a bullet. Barely does any damage if it doesn’t hit an organ.

Bruce: …

Cassandra: I would have put it differently, but yes, what Jason said.

Bruce, muttering: There’s nothing wrong with them; they’re just special. There’s nothing wrong with my children; they’re just different.

Jason, leaning over to Cass: That a new mantra of his?

Cassandra: Yes. He says it often.

—

Jason’s on patrol.

Barbara, over comms: Red Hood! I was looking over some camera feed and saw that you got hit by a car. It was going really fast, and I just wanted to know if you wanted me to call in some help to get you to Leslie or to the Cave.

Jason: What? It wasn’t going that fast. I’ve barely got a bruise; I’m fine.

Barbara: Okay. I wasn’t going to do this, but that car was going forty miles an hour, and when it hit you, you flew ten feet through the air, landed on the ground, and then pushed yourself to your feet and walked away. First and foremost, I’m worried about internal bleeding, so you need to get your ass to a doctor. But second, I’m getting really curious about why you don’t seem to be able to die.

Jason, snorting: Did we just forget the whole Joker incident?

Barbara: Red Hood.

Jason: Okay! I might not feel pain anymore.

Barbara: That’s what I thought. But also, are you sure that’s all that’s going on? I repeat, you got hit by a car going forty miles an hour.

Jason, shrugging: Pretty sure. Especially since my vision’s been kinda weird since the car thing.

Jason faints.

Barbara: Yep, okay. Definitely injured and not immortal.

—

Jason, walking up behind Tim: Tiiiim, Timbers, Timmy.

Tim, turning in his chair to face Jason: What?

Jason: I’m supposed to take Damian over to the Kents’ place for the weekend, and I was wondering if you could do it.

Tim: Why? What are you doing?

Jason, who really doesn’t want to do a long drive right now: Nothing, I just don’t feel good.

Tim, raising an eyebrow: You don’t feel good? You?

Jason: Yeah, it’s uh… my abdomen? It’s hurting.

Tim: I’ll take Damian, but you're going to a doctor.

Jason, groaning: I’m fine, though. It’s just a stomachache or something.

Tim: No, because I’ve watched you go through a lot of shit, and you’ve never once complained about pain or not feeling good, so you’re going to the doctor, or I’m not taking Damian.

Jason, figuring it’ll just be a quick visit: Yeah, okay, whatever.

Later, at Leslie’s clinic

Jason, pointing to a random spot on his abdomen: Yeah, it’s right here. It’s just been hurting.

Leslie: And are you nauseous at all? Does it hurt to press on it?

Jason, not really paying attention: Yeah, sure.

Leslie: I’m going to do an ultrasound since we don’t have access to a CT machine.

Leslie, doing the scan: As I suspected, it looks like you’ve got appendicitis. We need to get you into surgery.

Jason: WHAT?!

[robs-your-robins]

Bruce missing the "baby things" about the kids. Like yeah, he didn't raise them from babies so it's not like that new baby smell or the way they'd grab his finger. No, this is strictly things they once did that they've outgrown.

Dick used to climb up on Bruce's shoulder and sit like a parrot. He doesn't mutter a "Bat" prefix to common household items. He doesn't cuddle up under Bruce's ribs so tight on patrol that Bruce can feel him under the layers of armour.

Jason doesn't need Bruce's help to reach anything now. He doesn't ask for Bruce's help with a difficult word in his book. He doesn't do that excited, overwhelmed smile when Bruce gives him praise.

Barbara has grown into an exceptional woman who is unafraid of anything, the family's rock but that still doesn't mean he misses the kid who used to come to him for leadership. He's so proud of the woman she's become.

Tim doesn't talk Bruce's ear off on patrol, no, he's laser-focused now, he's locked in and there's no time for a run down of Tim's day. Tim doesn't take his battered old Nikon camera everywhere with him any more.

As for Steph? Steph hasn't really changed to most people, she's still daring and headstrong, she still has that zest for fun but Bruce sometimes misses how it was before, when she was more carefree and hopeful, when she could trust herself completely and didn't brood over every mistake.

Cass doesn't tug at Bruce's sleeve to get his attention any more or get as excited about things as much. She can speak for herself now, she's much more confident and while Bruce is proud of her, sometimes he misses being needed.

Damian no longer shows Bruce his sketches or grades, he just tells Bruce his drawings are private and his grades can be accessed through the app. Bruce tries not to feel hurt, Damian is independent and no longer feels to need to earn Bruce's love through achievement etc but Bruce misses that way that Damian would try hold his smile back and try not look so pleased.

Duke no longer gives Bruce those glances at the side of his eye like "the fuck are you getting me into here" or seems fazed by anything. He takes everything in his stride now. Weird shit happens and there's almost no surprise in his eyes. Bruce is proud of how much confidence Duke has but god he misses those expressions.

Bruce is bursting with pride on account of the men and women his little birds are becoming but he misses the kids they use to be and he feels so much guilt for it.

[partywithponies]

Strange racists and homophobes on the internet seem to have access to an alternate way cooler version of TV than me. "every white character on TV is in an interracial relationship" "every show has a gay couple in it" "main characters keep having to secretly be bisexual and nonbinary" "every show has gratuitous full frontal nudity" like damn promise?? What channel???

[urlocalpyshcopan]

as a black gay person real like where y'all be finding this stuff pass the name

[brainsforbabyjesus]

for real though, those DO NOT WATCH OR YOU'LL CORRUPT YOUR CHILDREN lists put out by conservative christian family groups is where I find all the stellar tv shows. Like, shit I didn't know half of those existed, thanks for finding them for me, gonna go watch 30 hours of gay tv now!

[infamousbrad]

I think I know how this works.

For personal context, before I went to the '98 Burning Man festival, one of the things I'd read from a couple different journalists was that "everybody" runs around naked. Which, fine by me, I'd already spent a lot of time in clothing-optional spaces, I'm not fanatic about it but it's nice.

So I got there early and set up a public shade structure on one of Black Rock City's main roads and spent most of each afternoon just watching the crowds go by. I don't remember seeing more than one actually naked person the whole week. I think a topless woman passed by my intersection maybe every half an hour, sometimes once an hour. So why in the hell were people, normally pretty smart and observant writers, coming away with the impression that everybody was naked?

Then I remembered an unrelated passage from Joel Garreau's great book about the history of the outer-ring suburbs, Edge City. Mall developers told him flat-out that they tried to keep the crowds in their malls less than 5% black. Not because they themselves were racist, but because they had determined, experimentally, that if more than 5% of the people in the mall are black, the median white shopper will wrongly describe the mall as at least half black, as mostly black. And not a few of them would describe it, at 6% black, as a mall where "only black people go." Why?

Because, emotionally, they were still upset over the last one when the next one came into view.

Same as the journalists describing Black Rock City as all naked. Same as the right-wing religious culture warriors describing television as entirely mixed-race and gender non-conforming. Not because it's even vaguely true, we know that, but because they haven't gotten over their discomfort over the last one by the time the next one comes along. The anger, not the stimulus, is the part that's continuous, so their mind lies to them that it's "all" the thing they can't get over.

[kagedtiger]

Similar effect for the presence/proportion of women in things, by the way: https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/how-17-equals-496-the-amazing-multiplying-women.htm

[teaboot]

My mom likes to tell me about how when I was a little kid riding public transport with her I'd always smile and giggle and chat with weird old ladies who smelled like cat pee and homeless folks and strangers dressed in bizarre outfits but any time a tidy and respectable businessman in a suit and tie waved at me I'd immediately clam up, and she takes a great deal of pride in my supposed inherentability to clock personalities but the truth is I do vaguely remember those bus rides, and it was never about the clothes or the hair or the smell, but more because everyone "strange" asked interesting questions and listened to what I had to say and seemed to think about what I said while the neat and tidy and rigid folks only ever acted like they were going through the motions, which was boring as hell and also pretty annoying

[partywithponies]

Strange racists and homophobes on the internet seem to have access to an alternate way cooler version of TV than me. "every white character on TV is in an interracial relationship" "every show has a gay couple in it" "main characters keep having to secretly be bisexual and nonbinary" "every show has gratuitous full frontal nudity" like damn promise?? What channel???

[urlocalpyshcopan]

as a black gay person real like where y'all be finding this stuff pass the name

[brainsforbabyjesus]

for real though, those DO NOT WATCH OR YOU'LL CORRUPT YOUR CHILDREN lists put out by conservative christian family groups is where I find all the stellar tv shows. Like, shit I didn't know half of those existed, thanks for finding them for me, gonna go watch 30 hours of gay tv now!

[infamousbrad]

I think I know how this works.

For personal context, before I went to the '98 Burning Man festival, one of the things I'd read from a couple different journalists was that "everybody" runs around naked. Which, fine by me, I'd already spent a lot of time in clothing-optional spaces, I'm not fanatic about it but it's nice.

So I got there early and set up a public shade structure on one of Black Rock City's main roads and spent most of each afternoon just watching the crowds go by. I don't remember seeing more than one actually naked person the whole week. I think a topless woman passed by my intersection maybe every half an hour, sometimes once an hour. So why in the hell were people, normally pretty smart and observant writers, coming away with the impression that everybody was naked?

Then I remembered an unrelated passage from Joel Garreau's great book about the history of the outer-ring suburbs, Edge City. Mall developers told him flat-out that they tried to keep the crowds in their malls less than 5% black. Not because they themselves were racist, but because they had determined, experimentally, that if more than 5% of the people in the mall are black, the median white shopper will wrongly describe the mall as at least half black, as mostly black. And not a few of them would describe it, at 6% black, as a mall where "only black people go." Why?

Because, emotionally, they were still upset over the last one when the next one came into view.

Same as the journalists describing Black Rock City as all naked. Same as the right-wing religious culture warriors describing television as entirely mixed-race and gender non-conforming. Not because it's even vaguely true, we know that, but because they haven't gotten over their discomfort over the last one by the time the next one comes along. The anger, not the stimulus, is the part that's continuous, so their mind lies to them that it's "all" the thing they can't get over.

[kagedtiger]

Similar effect for the presence/proportion of women in things, by the way: https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/how-17-equals-496-the-amazing-multiplying-women.htm

[missjoolee]

Guys, I think this might be more upsetting than chocolate guy.😭

[andmaybegayer]

[chaoticbatfam]

Jason: how ya likin’ that comic, kiddo? Damian: I do not understand. Jason: what? It’s just a spider-man comic. What’s not to understand? Damian: why is Parker pursuing this red-haired woman, who does not seem to enjoy his company further than any other, rather than his friend, Osborn? Osborn has given multiple hints that he would prefer their relationship to go beyond platonic Jason: Jason: *glances over at Jon, who is reading a Daredevil comic on the other bed* Damian: should he not pursue Osborn, considering he is already aware that their relationship can withstand hardship? Friendship is a sturdy baseline for which romance can be built soon. And besides, Mary Jane is an un-compelling idiot with mediocre looks. Jason: Jason: this explains so much

[lessmouse]

day 6 / ???

[bakurapika]

this is really interesting in how it frames disability/low spoons/etc as not being a series of internal symptoms, but specifically a situation in which daily tasks increase in complexity. for example i used to be able to wash the dishes normally. but now mental and physical issues combine to make that situation have a lot of prequalifications (do I have time, energy, how long can I do it without being sore the next day) that means many more steps are involved in getting that single physical act of washing a dish to be done.

[rockshitty]

I’m trying to remember the quote. “On a good day, doing laundry is three steps. On a bad day, the first step is getting out of bed.”

[footlongdingledong]

rarely do i repost things and especially from shittr but this video is shutting down core partsof my mental processing i think

[moringmark]

[dankmemeuniversity]