headcanon that the batfam go rlly hard for halloween but not in the way you might guess. no, they don't wear their costumes around and act like cosplayers. no, they don't buy costumes at the store, or even dress up as the league, or any of that. no, they beg alfred for the wardrobe key and they Go Fucking Wild in bruce's wardrobe
they're pulling batman outfits bruce couldn't even remember designing out of there.
they turn it into a competition. damian, the only one refusing to participate, is the judge
jason: *holding up Rainbow Batman* BOW BEFORE MY SUPERIORITY
cass: lol you thought *holds up batman with?? hot pink???? instead of yellow????*
tim: admit defeat *is dressed in skintight batman with painted-on abs* *dramatically whips around to reveal the word "BATABS" on the butt*
dick: *dying laughing* no guys im totally winning this *dressed in some unholy combination between discowing and batman*
steph: amatuers *wearing one of those inflatable dinosaur costumes that is dressed as batman*
damian:
damian: i can't choose they're all too good *tosses candy in the air* you all win. more importantly, father, you should stop designing suits while high on pain medication
Summary: You and Jason were dating at the time he died, now he’s been back for several years. At the great planning and constant supervision of Bruce, your paths had yet to cross again. That was until there was no one left to call in for backup one night except you. Now you must learn to live alongside the ghost of the man you spent years trying to get over.
Content warnings: angst, hurt no comfort, best friend Dick Grayson, antihero reader, you have a code name (I’m sorry if you hate it😭), frenemies w/ Artemis (not for the reason you think)
All characters in their 20’s. Inspired by The Love You Want by Sleep Token
3.5k words
MASTERLIST DCU MASTERLIST
might fuck around and make a Pt2. idk (I did)
Location: Tricorner Yard Docks, South Gotham
The rain refused to let up. A simple recon mission had gone sideways per usual. Nothing Jason couldn’t handle. Artemis seemed irritated with him now, as if it were somehow his fault they were in this situation. It was. He knew she would yell at him about being too impulsive and trigger happy, even if they were rubber bullets. Now, they sat behind heavy crates waiting for backup.
“Backup's on the way, but Jason-“ Barbara was interrupted by the sound of Nightwing’s bike revving through the streets and alleyways. Rapid-fire gunshots echoed. The black bike came to a halt as a masked figure behind Dick reloaded to continue their assaults: two guns, one in each hand.
Artemis scoffed in disgust, mumbling something about live ammo for a recon was a bit dramatic and reckless. Jason’s own ammo had been confiscated before they left. He watched as the person cleared the area, Dick not far behind. While his adopted brother beat the non-injured criminals and arrested them for interrogation, the armed assailant drew closer. Artemis grabbed him as he tried to step out from behind the crates. It was too late; the gunman had spotted them. Gun raised, pointed straight at Jason’s head, they finished off the remaining; never breaking eye contact.
Thunder pounded the sky above them, sending the rain down harder. This person acted as if they knew him, given their guarded body language. The gun was in his face, never wavering. Artemis moved instinctually to protect Jason, axe raised in adherance to her strict moral code.
“Was the entrance really necessary, Nyx?” She hissed. Nyx? Jason had heard the name in passing before, no just from Artemis but also in hushed conversations from Dick and Bruce behind closed doors, even from Cass, Barbara, and the other Robins, regarding missions and patrol shifts. Pretty much everyone had never gotten to see who the infamous menace was. Nyx had become one of the most notorious antiheroes in Gotham in the past three years. Apparently, Artemis and the antihero didn’t get along well, differences in morals, she said. What were those morals? She just told him to drop it when asked. The two had a long-standing feud dating back to the time Nyx stepped onto the scene.
“Fuck off, Artemis, I’m not here for your shit today.” That voice, Jason’s head tilted in canine fashion. He knew that voice. “So, you’re really back?”
The question ricocheted around in Jason’s head like a pinball. You had gotten taller from the time you were fifteen, not by a whole lot, but still a difference from now to the last time he saw you. You finger twitched on the trigger, not of fear or anger, from a pull you hadn't felt in years. Here, as the world shrank around you, his heart-beat a foot from your face.
“Wow! What’s going on?” Dick spoke your name lightly as he tried to lower your arm. “We talked about this. Can’t have you shooting my little brother. Kinda attached to him, ya know?” He did his best to de-escalate the situation with his humor. After being given explicit permission from Bruce, Dick risked his life to tell you the entire story. By risking his life, you did beat him with his own batons for a good ten minutes. You understood he meant well, only following the orders he’d been given. That didn’t mean it hurt any less.
After a pregnant pause, you lowered your gun. A sigh of relief came from Dick as he smiled, stepping back to give you and Jason space.
Crack!
Artemis was on you instantly, pinning you to the ground—axe kissing your throat. Jason felt around his helmet, a fresh jagged crack etched in the middle where your fist made contact. Dick pinched the bridge of his nose, before pulling Artemis off you. Once on your feet again, you pulled your own mask off—staring daggers at the man known as Red Hood. If looks could kill, Jason would be back in his grave. He stared back in a mix of confusion and awe. The small cut from the axe leaked blood down your black compression top.
You really had just hit him, and rightfully so. Dick dragged you away by your shoulders, shouting something to the other two about cleaning up and returning to headquarters for a report. Jason called your name only to be told to fuck off as you returned your weapons to the thigh holsters on your pants. You refused to look back as you covered your face again, holding tight to Dick’s waist as he sped off in the storm.
Jason just stared, unable to move. His brother and his ex, if he could even call you an ex, had arrived and left together. His brother and you were partners paired together by Bruce himself. His day couldn’t get any worse. Or so he thought.
“Jason!” Artemis’ voice pulled him out of the trance-like state. “Clean-up is on the way, let’s go.” He could tell there was more she wanted to say. The tension between them made his stomach whirl; he could puke any minute as if you were the one who came back from the dead and not him. “We’ll talk about this later.”
Suddenly, the Lazarus Pit didn’t seem so bad.
Jason didn’t spend much time at Wayne Manor except on the occasion he was called to the Batcave for patrol routes, missions, or, in this case, to give a report. Damian’s laughter echoed through the room, only to be cut off by a sharp smack to the back of his head.
“What the f-“
“Language, Dami,” Barbara lightly scolded him. Jason saw what had brought his younger brother to hysterics as he entered the comm room. On the screens was a CCTV replay of you punching Red Hood’s mask, courtesy of Tim and Babs.
Cass did her best to hide her giggles behind a gloved hand. “Babs, it’s funny, leave him alone.” On the floor beside her, Steph was in tears, clutching her stomach with silent laughter.
Jason took a seat around the table, arm crossed, staring into the void. The CCTV footage paused as Bruce walked in. “Let’s get this over with.” His voice echoed in the silence that seemed to arrive wherever he did.
Tim sat across from Jason; it would only be the eight of them tonight. Jason gave a full report on what had occurred at the docks earlier that evening. All up until the part where you arrived.
Damian couldn’t contain his laughter as Bruce scolded the youngest of his sons. Though Tim and the others had gotten a good chuckle out of watching him get hit, the others seemed to understand the situation fully. Damian was too young to know what happened.
Barbara switched the screens to show live CCTV of Duke on his patrol. After checking in, he offered to pick up some snacks on the way back. Then Nightwing and you filled the screen. Sitting on the edge of the building, your legs dangled in the silence. Dick seemed not to have heard Barbara patch in over the comm systems, something they all knew wasn't out of character for him on patrol.
“I’m really sorry,” Dick’s voice was sincere in its softness. “I know being under direct orders to stay quiet won’t make it better.”
“Hey, Richard,” You spoke too calmly. He shuddered at the sound of his name instead of the nickname. “Shut up before I push you over the edge of this building.” The atmosphere shifted in the comms room as if they were all sitting on that rooftop.
“Let’s not do that, you already beat me with my batons earlier. I think that’s enough.” Dick laughed awkwardly as you continued to stare into nothing.
“Is it?” You asked. “How long?”
“About as long as Damian’s been alive, give or take.” Jason watched his older brother swallow hard. He had never seen him this …. Scared. Batman’s contingency plan was scared, and of you no less.
You forced out a noise that choked between a sigh and a laugh. You stared straight up at the stars, tears welling in your eyes under the mask. “I finish my time and training, and then he joins as soon as I leave.”
A lump caught in your throat. Dicks’ face softened as he watched you. You were up high enough that removing your mask posed no risk. Dick attempted to comfort you with his own breakup.
“Breakup?” You spoke incredulously. That expression, the way you looked at Dick with that face. The way Dick seemed to understand where he fucked up. Beside Jason, a sharp hiss came from Cass, followed by an “oof” from Tim. “You cheated on Kori and got left; that’s a breakup. I didn’t get dumped at fifteen, Richard. My Jas—boyfriend was violently tortured and murdered, he was taken from me!”
Jason felt his throat closing in, too consumed in the scene playing out on the screen to notice how intrigued even Damian had become. Then your words hit like a bullet. “I spent years grieving him, crying to you about him, only to find out an hour ago that YOU knew this entire time, but that he also never came to look for me. Is that selfish?” Dick just listened as he sat next to you, for once in his life, unsure of what to do. “Maybe it is, but I bathed myself in blood for a man I wasn’t even worth a phone call to.”
Oh god, how Jason felt like shit watching Dick pull you into his embrace. As if it wasn’t excruciating enough to see you sob over him to his brother, you hammered the final nail into the coffin. “Seeing him with someone else really feels like losing him all over again.”
“Damn, you really fucked up.” Damian hissed as Barbara scolded him again, another light smack to the back of his head.
“Barbara, cut the feed. Now. Please.” Bruce pinched his nose. The others took the tension as a hint to leave. Jason wondered if his avoidance was guilt or pity, somehow pity felt worse. “Listen- “
“To what?” Jason snapped back. He had never been more confused by his own emotions in his life. “What more could you possibly say?” He spat through gritted teeth.
Bruce used a small black remote to pull your file up on the screen. Basic information on age, weight, height, eye color, etc. all listed on the screen. Jason scanned the information until he reached affiliations. “She’s on a contracted lease to us by the League of Assassins. She has been for the past three years.”
That explained why Jason had never been able to find footage of you. A trained assassin from the age of sixteen, who moved like a ghost across borders and state lines.
“If she’s been here that long, why haven’t I seen her?” The screen went black; it would’ve sent them into complete darkness if it weren’t for several overhead lights still being on. He’d caught a glimpse of a tab on your file that said Recruitment— scratched through, erased.
“It took some work, Dick and I-“
“And Tim.” Jason felt the betrayal, rage, and the longing for the time he missed.
“We worked to ensure that your paths never crossed. I also thought you would not be returning to Wayne Manor or the team. That was a failure on my part.” The antihero would never admit to how those words stung. “Missions and patrols tonight happened to be the inevitable fluke. Her contract was signed before you returned.”
Jason’s fist came down hard on the table. It’s Bruce’s fault. It’s Grayson’s fault. They all knew! It was all their fault. It was his fault. He didn’t look for you; he woke up consumed with finding Bruce and the Joker. He had completely forgotten about you.
“So, your moral compass on the no-kill policies changed. What made that change, Bruce?” The older man understood exactly what Jason was trying to get at. Jason watched the man’s jaw clench, and his fist tighten.
“You may assume whatever you want about me. Do not tarnish her integrity like that; she has been through enough.” Jason’s heart dropped in disbelief. His adopted father was not only defending someone but also your methods. The same methods that he’d been ostracized for. That only confirmed what he wrongfully assumed.
Jason returned to his apartment over one of the safe houses that night. After an explosive episode that increased Damian’s eavesdropping vocabulary, several unfortunate small-time criminals were turned into punching bags.
He may have been hopeless when it came to dating; flirting and touches flew right over his head. But that didn’t mean he was dumb; where he was in a sea of confusion in one area, he excelled in another. First was the most obvious: Bruce keeps the no-kill policy while contracting an assassin. The second was you stating that you bathed yourself in blood for him. Third, was how carefully curated and strategic your roles had been managed. Lastly, the way your recruitment tab had been scratched through as if your history was meant to be forgotten. It all screamed to him that something more was happening behind a door he was forbidden to open. As if you, Dick, and Bruce were all in on some secret about him and he was the odd one out.
His memories before his resurrection were foggy, almost completely nonexistent outside his torture and death. The general recollection of dating you, your existence, and a few images of your first were there, but it was only surface information. He was so frustrated at himself for not being able to remember—for failing to recall memories of the life taken from him.
Now, he stood staring at the shower floor as something wet and warm built pressure in his eyes. Your sobs replayed like a record that refused to skip. He imagined he looked a lot like you right now.
Location: Wayne Manor. 16 hours later.
Music and chatter filled the air of Wayne Manor. Another benefit gala for whatever cause Bruce puts his attention on. Normally, this type of event would have been mildly beneath you, but tonight you were no longer on the Waynes’ payroll. Tonight, you were on the league schedule.
The long strapless gown fitted your curves perfectly, its deep red color competing with the wine in your glass. Your heels were tall and slightly uncomfortable, but nothing you couldn’t handle. On your arm, one of Gotham’s most prominent politicians. You truly were a honey trap to die for. He was rich and handsome, sure, but God knows you were demanding extra financial compensation and a three-month vacation. He could not have been more boring.
You’d been a honey trap for approximately a year. Your only responsibility was to be arm candy while keeping tabs and gathering information on him and his dealings. An easy yet boring task. You were just grateful he was still young enough not to need Viagra.
Small talk came easily as wives and other members of Gotham’s powerful and wealthy approached the two of you. It seemed the diamond pendant around your neck caught everyone’s attention. Your hair pulled into a curly updo gave a full view of the anniversary gift displayed on your throat and collar bones. The matching tennis bracelet on your wrist had your hand held for the evening since you arrived.
At a corner table across the room, you caught a glimpse of Tim and Dick laughing with Duke as Jason pouted in his chair. His expression changed to one you didn’t quite understand as Duke and Tim laughed harder, throwing glances in your direction. You picked up on it quickly; they were laughing at your situation. Dick made his way over to greet you and your partner. Nothing about how he ever looked surprised you when people stared at him. Best Ass in Gotham, allegedly. It was even more prominent in his tux.
“It’s great to see you, glad you could make it.” Dick shook your partner’s hand, firm and confident, before turning his attention to you. “Look at you,” he said, taking your hand, spinning you in a circle as if to show you off more. “Stunning as always.”
Though a part of you still felt anger towards him, you were still grateful in that moment to see a friendly face. At the table behind him, you could see a small flash of hurt cross Jason’s face as he watched you with his brother. Tim and Duke are dying at their own jokes.
“Actually, my younger brother is home for school. He’s a big fan of your work. Would you mind if I introduced you?” Dick always had a way to charm all around him. He glanced between you and the politician. You’d nearly forgotten your cover as an award-winning journalist. You quirked an eyebrow as if to say ‘Really?’
Your date’s laughter underwhelmed your ears as he jokingly asked if Dick was trying to steal you for himself. "I won't be long, promise." You left a lipstick stain on his cheek before allowing Dick to lead you away.
Jason was fuming, unsure as to why, as you kissed that man’s cheek—images flashed in his mind, laughter, and the sensation of a hand in his. The memory played through his eyes as if he were a third party watching a film in the theaters. It felt so foreign to him, the way you looked at him back then. He pulled back to reality at the sound of Dick clearing his throat. Jason moved fast enough to nearly trip over himself, pulling out a chair near him for you to sit—graciously, with a forced smile that your eyes could not hide, you declined. Dick sat beside you, arm around the back of your chair, looking over his shoulder to see your date mingling with some heiress. Not that you'd be upset, as a matter of fact, you glanced over to have a chuckle with Dick.
Jason watched in his perplexity. Envy nipped at him as anxiety swallowed him whole. The way you giggled enough for it to almost reach your eyes when his brother whispered something in your ear. How do you catch the attention of a waiter so easily just to receive an entire bottle of champagne instead of the flutes? An elbow nudged his side. Duke asked him something.
"Isn't that your girlfriend over there?"
Jason, entranced by you like a moth to funeral pyres, answered with an airy yes. Duke's hands landed on each side of the other man's head, turning him to the direction of the ballroom entrance. Artemis had arrived, stunning in blue that made her resemble a goddess. The words came from your lips first.
"She's stunning." Compliment or not, there was longing in the way you spoke. Jason forced his legs to move, up and across the room towards his date. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of hurt across your face. He blinked, and you were smiling and laughing at the table at something Tim had said. To everyone's surprise, you and Artemis remained cordial towards each other, even if it was tense. You even handed her a champagne glass.
Your date had seemingly been convinced to dance with the heiress from earlier. Duke, Tim, and Dick are poking fun at you as if they were children. You almost snorted, the alcohol flushing your cheeks, at the banter. Even Artemis laughed, and Jason suddenly felt as though he were left out of an inside joke once again. Why would you have been laughing at that? Why are you all laughing at that?
"There's a bee around your hive!" Dick joked lightly. You sipped your glass, playfully rolling your eyes at your best friend.
Out of nowhere, Steph popped up at the table. "Someone call the exterminator!" She plopped down next to Duke in her black gown.
"I'll call Damian." You managed to get the napkin to your mouth before spitting up your drink. Tim stood looking around with his phone to his ear as if he was serious. Tears came from your eyes, and Jason's eyes lingered too long. A feeling he couldn't describe made his stomach turn to cement. The ache of recognition and forgotten loss was eating him alive; the itching desire to return to someplace you no longer fit, and he couldn't navigate. If you would just open that door, even a crack.
Suddenly, you moved to stand, and Jason followed. All eyes were on him before he made some pathetic excuse about the bathroom. You watched him fumbling as he rushed off, Dick tried lightening the mood—Jason can't handle his alcohol, he'll be fine.
You found your date, politely cutting into his dance with the nameless heiress. You kept your poise as you took her place in his arms. He smiled lovingly at you, speaking softly about the donation he obtained and how tomorrow you should both celebrate. His promises were aimlessly orbiting you as your sutured soul ached for another—a soul your body recognized, remembered in ways your mind refused to acknowledge, one you would've given everything to bring back, now the same one you wished had stayed dead.
Jason's eyes followed, half-sunk in the entryway shadows, as you danced. He downed another glass of wine, trying to ignore the gravity of your existence, and the way every fiber remembered what his mind could not.
————————————————————————— @delavegaaaaa Do NOT REPOST, FEED TO AI OR PLAGIARIZE MY WORK. This is my only blog.
Danny was very happy to be dragged around by Damian being introduced to all of his pets, first outside to the barn to meet Bat Cow and his ducks, and the giant weird dragon creature which was so cute!! It was all over Danny too, obviously liked him. Danny had a feeling if he woke up from nightmares or couldn’t sleep he would end up finding his way back to the barn to cuddle up with these animals. At this time of year it would probably be a bit cold and night but the cold never really bothered him and Goliath was warm.
Then back into the house to meet all of the pets, the dogs, and snakes, and Alfred the cat, and finally a second cat and her kittens.
“This one is just a foster,” Damian said, sitting on the bed with his legs crossed in a half lotus as Danny sat on the floor next to the box the mama cat was in with her four little ones. Danny felt like he might cry, it was so cute! The mama was a little wary of him but he was easing her way into her trust and good graces.
“Mhm?” Danny sounded, he was listening but he was scared to move since the mama cat was sniffling his fingers.
“I found her while she was heavily pregnant, feral cats usually have kittens in spring, at this time of year they would have been too vulnerable outside. I’ll rehome them when they’re old enough,” Damian explained. “I was glad I got her to trust me enough that I could be present and make sure nothing went wrong while she had the babies.”
Danny held his breath as he tried to pet the cat. The quiet stretching between them until he felt ready to talk without scaring the cat. “Am I your next pregnant stray,” Danny joked.
Damian gave him a guarded look over. “... I have been told humans don’t like being compared to animals,” He said bluntly, and Danny laughed.
“Ya most don’t. But you take very good care of your animals, when you’re making this comparison, I’m guessing what you’re trying to say is that you’ll do what you can do be here for me and make sure I have what I need for me and the babies to be healthy and safe?” Danny said, giving Damian a fond smile.
“Yes,” Damian said stiffly. This was why he usually preferred animals, they could read his intentions and didn’t require him to say such embarrassingly vulnerable things. At least Danny was saying them for him so he just had to agree.
Danny finished petting the cat and moved to sit next to Damian on the bed. “It’s okay Damian, I really appreciate that. I know handling these emotions can be hard, they feel too big for our bodies and they’re hard to express. I’ll let you in on a secret though, they’re more easy to express physically, and I’m not made of glass just because I’m pregnant. We should spar later.”
“Are you formally trained?” Damian asked stiffly.
“My mother was an expert martial artist and she taught me, but I’m very strong too. I promise you won’t hurt me Damian,” He promised, bumping his shoulder against the kid’s and giving him a smile.
“Alright, I will go easy on you.” Damian promised, just as stiffly.
“Until I prove you can’t afford to,” Danny joked and Damian scoffed and shoved Danny’s shoulder. “But really, thank you Damian. It means a lot that you and your family are willing to stick your necks out for me like this.” He sighed, if he didn’t know better he might have wished his parents had been the ones to protect and support him like this, but wishes were dangerous things.
“This family is made entirely of strays, tragedy is a prerequisite. You’ll fit right in,” Damian promised before getting up from the bed, apparently that was enough emotion. “Do you want to train now?” he asked looking back at Danny.
“Sure, I assume this being the home of the bats and birds there’s some sort of training space?” Danny asked getting up from the bed.
“Yes. This way,” Damian agreed and trotted out of the room with Danny on his heels, making sure to close the door behind him so none of the kittens could wander out.
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Jason took off his helmet and dropped it on the couch with a sigh of relief before wandering back into the kitchen to grab a drink. So what if he was technically still too young for it? He’d done a lot worse just in the last 24 hours then half a glass of scotch. He had been off grid for a couple of days on a mission and had just gotten home. He was exhausted and half of him wanted to have his drink and go to bed, leaving his phone off for another day so he could get a proper rest.
But he had responsibilities, both to his gang, his turf, and more recently even to his family, so he turned it back on and grimaced when more than a dozen notifications popped up in a row. Damn, something big must have happened while he was gone. Why could there never be just a quiet day around here?!
He opened the most recent message from Bruce that just said; ‘can you call me when you have the chance?’ which made him sigh. But at the same time, it wasn’t urgent, it was ‘when he had a chance’ not immediately or anger about him not answering sooner. So knowing that he scrolled back down to the oldest message so he could get a feel of what was going on.
Cas, 28 hours ago: New brother! 🤗
Oh, well that was a very good start to the context, it seemed that Bruce was in the process of adopting some other poor schmuck. Well, hopefully they’d do better by it then Jason had. And explained why Bruce wanted him to call, he always worried now how Jason would react to new siblings, as if he wasn’t well over that. He’d only been mad about Tim at first but he wasn’t even Really mad at Tim anymore! Ya he felt the urge to attack him regularly, but only the same way Jason did with everyone else in the family now.
Tim 22 hours ago: I’ve got a favour to ask, or maybe a tip for you depending on how much you want to kill someone right now. Vlad Masters brought a pregnant 16 year old to the gala last night. Apparently he’s the baby daddy.
Oh that had Jason seeing green, his lips pulling back in a silent snarl. That man was good as dead, especially when Jason paused to google him and saw someone who must have been old enough to be the kids Father, if not even grandfather judging by the gray hair!
Tim 19 hours ago: Don’t rush in! Turns out he’s got superpowers of the magical variety. You’re going to have to prepare for this one, and talk to Danny.
Danny must be the new kid then, the pregnant 16 year old Bruce was no doubt making quick steps to at least foster. Where were the kid’s parents in this?
Tana 16 hours ago: Please make sure your wards are set up and you have that anti-possession charm we gave you. There is a situation still developing.
Huh, well, good to know both that she was involved and what sort of powers they might be dealing with.
Tim 8 hours ago: We have the parents in custody but didn’t have the resources to hold Masters. Danny and his sister are staying at the manor for now. You’ll like her, tough-as-nails red head.
Jason rolled his eyes, he dated one amazon and now everyone thinks the only people he’s into are tough ladies! He likes tough boys too god damn it! Why doesn’t no one get after Dickie about this?! (He knows they do.)
The last text from the family before Bruce’s was one from Damian, which was rare.
Damian: Hello Todd, you should know before you meet him that Danny has also previously died and come back. I believe you and he are quite similar and I do not know if that will mean you get along well or if you will repel one another. You should know that if you hurt him there will be consequences.
Well wasn’t that just the cutest! Demon brat didn’t usually get attached to new people so soon.
He texted Bruce back: No I will Not call you. But I can be bribed to come for dinner tomorrow if Alfred makes lasagna.
He checked the messages he had from his lieutenants about business and replied to the ones that needed it. Then the ones from his friends. He was just about to turn his phone off again when he got a text back from Bruce.
Bruce: Done, we’ll see you tomorrow. I’m sorry Jay.
Well that was ominous. Jason sighed and turned off his phone, setting it down on the coffee table and heading to bed. He needed to fucking sleep. Whatever the hell Bruce was sorry for could wait until tomorrow.
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Bruce had asked Jasmine for a copy of her slideshow, and Tim for a copy of his notes and updated the files on Danny, Jasmin, Damian, and Jason. He always felt a bit odd about the files he had on his own children, but they were important! Both because his memory wasn’t infallible and he needed to remember all this, and because if he needed to tell someone about his children quickly it was good to have all that already typed out and ready.
Not he was just sitting at the Bat-Computer, staring at the cover picture of the slide show. All of them were so young, and all dead or irrevocably changed by the actions of adults around them. His goal, all their goals, had always been to make a safer world for children, and everyone but especially children. And every time he was confronted with the abject failure to protect a child it tore at his heart. If he found who had blocked them from contacting the JL he was going to have very strong words with them.
“You can’t save every child Master Bruce,” Alfred said making Bruce jump. He must have been staring at the computer for longer then he realized, to not notice the butler’s approach. “There are billions of people on the planet, you cannot catch every single one, especially the clever ones who hide it well. They’re responsible for the harm they cause, not you for not being able to stop it.”
They’d had this conversation before when Bruce got too hanged up on the people he’d failed. He knew that wallowing didn’t do any good, and depression got in the way of action, but he couldn’t always help it. As hyper-logical as he tried to be to compensate, he was still human, and seeing these things would always hurt.
“It’s not just Danny and Jazz,” Bruce said, rubbing his face. “It’s Jason too, I’m trying to figure out how… how what Jazz said about liminals and ghost changes how I feel about him. She says they can look like their immoral but it’s always amoral, following their obsession. I feel like I failed him that this is how he came back. And I blamed him so much, and put him down so much. She said their obsessions have to be supported, if they don’t indulge in their obsessions they die.
“No wonder he’s reacted so negatively every time I talked to him about this revenge quest, this thing that he’s doing. Now that I know I wonder if we can compromise, if we can’t then what? I don’t know if I can blame him at all for what he’s doing, but I know what he’s doing is wrong. I don’t know what to do Alfred.” Bruce said, rubbing his face hard.
“Well, it sounds to me you’re putting the cart before the horse Master Bruce. You haven’t even spoken to him about it yet, and you haven’t slept in more than 24 hours. Sleep, then talk to him, then you’ll know how worried to actually be,” Alfred advised.
“You’re right, as usual,” Bruce chuckled and got up, shutting down the bat computer. “What would I do without you,” He chuckled, patting Alfred’s shoulder affectionately.
“I’m sure you’d be just fine,” Alfred said, in a tone that made it clear he was just being polite and a playful twinkle in his eyes that made Bruce laugh.
I was thinking how each of his children (while they all have a little bit or a lot a bit of all of these things) sort of represent key aspects of Batman.
Dick is his passion, he literally just cares so much about his family, about Gotham etc. I think he could also represent Bruces leadership skills.
Jason has a household name that strikes fear in the hearts of criminals and makes the innocent feel safe.
Tim, and i know this is such a boring take but, is his genius level intellect and unmatched detective skills.
Damien is a skilled warrior and martial artist with extensive training and a random assortments of skills (i.e. voice mimicking)
Cass, a god damn creature of the shadows, observant and calculating. His resourcefulness and adaptability.
Duke, saw what was missing from Gotham and decided it was his duty to become it.
I know this is boiling down tiny aspects of their characters i just think it’s interesting how they could represent these aspects that make up Batman.
