My hyperfixation for Dick Grayson has resurfaced once again (with bonus story)
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Nightwing's last transmission was during a solo bust of stolen museum artifacts by the docks. After hours of radio silence, which was highly unusual, his signal went dark and Batman himself came to investigate only discover a horrifying sight.
Scattered and abandoned artifacts, and bodies floating facedown on the Gotham Bay. Nightwing is nowhere to be seen.
After a month of fruitless searching by the Batfam, good news came in the form of Midnighter opening a door outside one of the cave entrance. However, the word good might be a tad subjective.
M first let his reluctance known, but because it is Grayson, he allowed Batman, Red Hood, Red Robin, Robin, and Black Bat a one-time ticket to the God Garden. He led them through numerous passageways and corridors full of different enclosures and creatures before entering a large room full of floor-to-ceiling water tanks.
Robin was the first to notice and ran towards one of the larger tanks, full of sea flora and an underwater landscape. Leisurely swimming is a creature resembling a merman, only looking more sinister than the usual ones in Cassandra's fairytale books. Long dark blue tail -- almost black -- with electric blue luminous scales, barnacles growing on parts of bare human skin, sharp nails, and fin-like portrusions starting from his collarbones up and down his shoulderblades, almost resembling wings.
The creature was no doubt otherwordly in its appearance, however, no one could mistake the handsome face of Dick Grayson. Suddenly, finding the answer felt like a treasure chest containing only another map inside.
The barrage of questions were inevitable, especially for a family of detectives.
M and Apollo found him by chance while in a mission for Stormwatch. It took quite a bit of investigating, consultations with the Gardener, and finally being able to talk to Grayson himself before they found out what happened.
A pearl necklace that housed an ancient water spirit, a spirit of pure aura closely resembling an Undine and a siren. A necklace, that under any circumstance, should not touch any large body of water.
it's mermay!! will mer!au get another installment??
HI BABE <3 <3 <3
Ah, I mean, I hadn’t really thought about the Mer-thing tbh and someone sent an ask about the last one being a little too dubcon-ish. Which, I mean, I can understand.
But between you and me, I feel like it would go something like this:
Once Dr. Drake broke the surface of the water, gasping in a deep breath of dirty Gotham Harbor air–
–his tail turns back into legs, and he’s frantically kicking to try and keep himself and his large belly afloat.
It’s only by sheer luck a few fishermen are coming in after a day out with the nets and see him starting to tire on the swim back to dry ground.
“M-My clothes are gone!”
They give him a spare set and let him use the phone to call Tam, and get a very nice pick-up.
The clothes are for someone probably twice his size and hide his belly, and she looks positively horrified and immensely relieved at the same time.
She’s kept up the rent on his apartment, been checking with GCPD’s missing person’s unit, kept the university abreast that yes, Dr. Drake is still missing. So she does take him home, make him hot tea, and listen to the most INCREDIBLE story of her life.
“Th-they’re real? That’s! And you’re!”
“Yes and yes,” his voice is hoarse, the shakes mostly subsided. “We’ve found evidence in bits and pieces over the last fifty years, Tam. It’s not as far fetched as you might believe. The fact I’m…pregnant is another thing entirely.”
“Well, I mean, I can’t exactly throw you a baby shower, Tim.”“I need to find a doctor that can be discreet.”
At this juncture, Dick and Jay have gone back to their clan to tell them what has happened to their poor mate. The head of their clan gives them each a bit of magic trapped in shells.
“These will help you. You will understand the language of the land-walkers.”“How will we get to him?”“Use the magic, my clansmen. It will direct you to what you seek.”
It would be something for the two to get close to the surface and whisper to the shells how much they want to find their little mate. They want to love and protect him, they want to be by his side.
And the magic throbs in hand, gives them the legs they need to walk on land for the first time.
If anyone had seen how they wobbled and fell all over the beach trying to get used to standing, it would probably be hilarious. But in reality, the two are one hundred percent invested on getting this walking thing down so they can keep following the scent trailing through the city before they lose it.
It takes a while, but they’re able to walk well enough to see land walker coverings behind some glass. Jay breaks it casually so they can get in and help themselves to some that fit quite nicely. They leave authentic gold doubloons on the counter as payment.
The foot coverings are odd, but it feels much nicer than when they step on the street without them.
The two walk and listen to land walkers, the magic shells allowing them to understand the language and many of the references to the world above the waves.
They’re probably suffering culture shock, wandering around Gotham to see everything and try to catch their mate’s scent again.
…while Tim has contacted the only expert he thinks could be discreet enough (and might believe everything) to help.
Dr. Ra’s al Ghul, Aquatic Mythos.
He goes in to his office at the University, has to explain to his research team where he’d been the last two months and hide the fact he’s pregnant.
It takes him a few days to get reintegrated with where they are in their work, and meeting deadlines for studies, etc. Business as usual.
(And does Tim angst about it after Tam leaves him alone finally and he has a night in his apartment to inhale everything, to rub his swollen belly and feel the little life kick inside. To love it without even really trying. To think about what could have happened if he’d stayed in the ocean, stayed with them–)
Tim gets used to his balance being off, to being hungry at odd times of the night, gets caught up on news and things during his spare time when he’s not catching up on work.
It’s only been a few days back, but he’s absolutely on his game (he’s going to have a child to look after), already setting up a request for a brief leave to go abroad and study on-site of a large research program.
He’ll come back with (Minnow at the moment, but that might change depending on what he finds out if he can access to an ultrasound machine) a child in nine months, telling everyone it’s the child of a family member or something.
By the time the baby comes, he’ll have a plan.
As it turns out, his request is approved. He can go out to the coast and hide away, study, and swim in open waters until Minnow is ready to come into the world. Trust that it’s Dr. al Ghul to personally deliver the approval letter.
In his office.With the usual intense interest.But Ra’s may be the only one that could think of some archaic legend that could at least give him an idea how he’s going to have this baby or if mermen impregnating human men was ever, you know, a thing?
“I’m disappointed you have yet to come see me, Timothy,” while casually touching his hand and arm, “I was hoping you would have the moment you returned. And here I find you are off again so soon?”
“I’m doing some very important research,” he tries for casual, “I’d like to write another book soon. I think this one might be more…interesting…than the last.”
“Mm, I see. Should you have need of my extensive knowledge, Doctor, I am readily available.”
“I was kind of hoping you’d say that–”
Jay and Dick meanwhile have gone through the whole city on foot, taking in everything.
They meet so many land walkers and sit for hours in various parks, people watching, waiting, hoping for a sign. Somewhere along the way, they traded a few shiny golds for much much greenery and someone on the street showed them what the paper meant.
They’ve eaten at different restaurants, gone to clubs and found the tradition of body writhing to loud sounds very fun.
But since Tim has gone against his instincts and told Ra’s al Ghul he might have proof of the existence of merfolk, the man is completely at attention.
(Proof? Then he would be welcomed back in the intellectual circles again, would regain his place and be out of Gotham for good.)
When Tim starts asking about mermen mating humans, and any myths on children from that union–
–Ra’s al Ghul realizes the opportunity he has here.
“Hm. I seem to remember a few legends, but those books are in my personal library at home. Come over this evening and I’ll pull out a few of them. Perhaps we can uncover the details?”
Babe.
Babe.
You know what happens next.
Ra’s drugs Tim’s soothing tea and unbuttons his shirt, finding out the truth.
Dick and Jay catch the scent of their mate from a creepy looking land walker carrying a bottle of sparkling cider and an evil grin.
When they see their mate pass out on the floor and the land walker starting to undress them, the fight is on.
The two are ruthless taking their mate from this man who dared touch his belly where their young lay.
And when Tim had admitted to Tam he was going to Ra’s tonight to do research about this little problem, she’d been worried enough to break into the records room of the university to get the address just in case.
Jay is carrying their unconscious mate when a car stops right in front of them and Tam throws open the door.
“What are you doing with him!!”
The female is utterly terrifying.
“He is our mate!” Dick defends, stepping between her and Jay, “you cannot have him!”
“What?! He’s my boss, and you! You’re supposed to have a fish tail!”
Sirens rent the air and she yells at them to get in the damn car before the police come. Make it snappy fish-face!
It comes down to Tim waking up from the sedative Ra’s drugged him with laying on Tam’s couch in the lap of the two mermen holding him tightly and nuzzling against his face, patting his squirmy belly.
