Scarecrow observed the third Robin crossing the fear toxin-laced streets without a mask, his expression vacant and distant. Yet, it was clear that Tim wasn't under the influence of the toxin; instead, he had mentally retreated within himself.
Scarecrow (British accent): Hey, kid you've been breathing in my fear toxin for a few minutes. I usually relish this, but you're not screaming or crying. Everything good?
Robin: My dad just died, called me to tell me he loved me... I found his bloody corpse. No time to save him. I have since accepted that life is meaningless. I have nothing to fear because what's to fear when the people you love are dead and gone... what's the point to keep going when you can give up on life?
Scarecrow (analyzing the Robin): Deep depression from the loss of a parent is typical. This sadness will pass with time. Yet, the toll it takes on his spirit may leave scars that last far longer than the grief itself.
Robin (blinking quickly): There's no passing except both of them being dead. I feel nothing. There's no joy in anything, being happy, the moments with your parents, all gone. I embrace my sadness like a long lost lover.
Scarecrow (concerned): Right, right, where's Batman? You should go with him and rest for the night.
Batman walked over to Robin and placed one of the masks on his face then turned him away to head to the car.
Batman: You can sit this one out, okay? You're going through a lot and I don't want you to go insane from the toxin.
Robin (monotone): There's toxin? I wasn't aware, my whole life is nightmare.
Robin walked away while whisper singing a jazz song his father played for him once.
Robin: My lovin' daddy left his baby again/ Said he'd come back but he forgot to say when...
Scarecrow (calling out): Hey, kid I may be clinically insane, but don't give up on life. It'll get easier.
Robin waved his hand faintly while walking through the toxin fog to find the car, but his mind would rather stay outside and inhale the toxin and if it wasn't for Batman, he'd sit on the ground and breath the fear toxin deeply into his body.
Scarecrow: You're going to give him the usual antidote, correct?
Batman (nodding): Yeah, sorry about that, he's usually... not acting like me on a bad day.
Scarecrow: Seems he lost his father in a truly horrific manner. I'm guessing, which makes it hilarious to me, but I imagine a normal sane minded person would be shell shocked after it all settled in. He masks in front of others as a defense mechanism?
Batman: Yes, he masks it well with his friends, but when he's with me... that happens and I can not handle it.
Scarecrow (crossing his arms): He's continuing to fight crime with you which is admirable. Working is better than laying around all day. Grief can hinder progress in life, so you just have to keep moving. Be there for him, in times of grief a good support team helps bring the person back to normal.
Batman: Tsk... I forget you were a professor of psychology before you went insane, uh thanks. Can I just take you down and arrest you early then?
Scarecrow: Yeah, sure mate. I saw a young man who is reeling from his father's death and while I wish him the best, that's satisfying enough for me.
Batman glared at the man and punched him unconscious.
Batman (aggravated): You had to keep being an asshole, huh? Couldn't be nice for the entire conversation? Figures.
Yeah... yeah this seems to check out
if you told vin diesel fast and the furious you were gay he'd be like "Some people like driving stick…some people like driving automatic…what matters is you cross the finish line.." and then he'd rev up a dodge challenger and drive through a building and kill 16 people
nightwing being hurt in the field, and over comms he can’t get out what was wrong, nearly in shock, and jason puts on his best batman™️ voice and says “robin, report.”
and it snaps dick out of it enough to say concussion, possible broken ribs, and a gash in his side.
no one talks about it, and then a year later, damian does the same thing to tim
Thinking about how Odysseus carved the wedding bed out of an olive tree, which means the bed is rooted in the ground.
Thinking about the line “You don’t think I know my own palace? I built it!”.
Thinking about the fact that Odysseus built his entire palace around that olive tree, his and Penelope’s wedding bed, a symbol of their love.
Odysseus’ world is literally built around his love for Penelope.
…..i’m not crying, i just have an odypen in my eye.
Batfamily Beauty and the Beast AU where Bruce is the beast and with every child he adopts he becomes slightly more and more human.
He finds Dick in the woods, sobbing over the loss of his parents. A year later, he looks in the mirror and wonders if he's only imagining that he's gotten shorter.
Jason sneaks into the castle and steals a loaf of bread, hungry and desperate. Bruce takes him in and offers him a proper meal. As he's putting his new son to bed one night, he notices that his claws have shrunk.
Tim marches into the castle and demands Bruce take him, knowing the stories of the monster who kidnaps children. Bruce's snout feels flatter than it used to when he presses a kiss to his forehead.
Cassandra lasts a full two weeks before anyone even notices she's there. The fur on Bruce's arms begins to thin as he holds her close, and she smiles up at him.
Tim brings home Stephanie, who loudly insists that she does not need nor want a new father. His skin grows less leathery, and the beginnings of crows feet appear on the corners of his eyes.
Damian is brought to them by Talia, rigid and wary of everything, convinced of his birthright as the Bat's heir. The fangs in Bruce's mouth seem to smooth over as he learns to gentle his speech.
The day Duke joins the family, still reeling from the plague that claimed his parents, something clicks. Bruce steps out, and before them stands a perfectly human man, finally made whole by his love for his children.
Batman (1940) #624
Don’t mind me, just thinking about a young, twenty-something Bruce Wayne guiding Dick’s hand as he learns to write his letters, teaching Jason how to ride a bike, putting Power Ranger stickers on Tim’s knees, leaving Tooth Fairy Money under Stephanie’s pillow, playing hide-and-seek with Cassandra, watching Damian play with dogs at the dog park, and helping Duke with his algebra homework on the kitchen counter. You know, dad stuff.
I think there should be more fics about Gothamites talking back to the bats - specifically Batman
“Get inside” “you’re not my dad”
“Stop trying to fight the joker, PLEASE” “fuck you, I do what I want”
“The streets aren’t safe tonight” “bro it’s Thursday, one of chillest days. Please shut the fuck up about telling me about gotham like I wasn’t born here thanks”
EVERYONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON UNTRAINABLE THE STAGE PLAY RN
remember when i said Bruce would forget his kids arre adopted?
imagine the same thing but opposite w damian for some reason.
Damian starts showing interest in medical stuff and Alfred lightly comments, "just like his grandfather," and Bruce hums with a finger on his chin, "Ra's?" and Alfred gives him a look and THEN Bruce realises, oh his father. his side of the family. because he's the dad. for real this time. ohhhhh.
Talia walked over to Damian, her expression a mix of playful reprimand and maternal affection. After a brief pause, a smile broke on her face as she scooped up her ten-year-old son, wrapping him in a warm embrace and showering him with kisses. Damian barely had time to react before he found himself trapped in his mother’s affectionate onslaught, overwhelmed by the scent of her strong perfume.
Damian (embarrassed): I’d rather be stuck in an elevator with Clayface than deal with this… this is my life now. Why is she so smothering?
Talia (ignoring her son's complaining): Shush, let me love you, my sweet tifl! I haven't seen you in three months and this is me being better then my awful, awful, awful father.
Ra's Al Ghul (smoking from a cigarette): I am the reason you stopped being insane after what Nyssa put you through, but sure put the blame all on me.
Damian thrashed his legs in a vain attempt to escape while reaching out to his grandfather for help.
Damian (begging): Grandpa, help!
Ra's Al Ghul: Nope. She once kicked me in the crotch with a heel when I tried to scold her parenting. Bruce, you wanna give it a shot?
Bruce simply walked away, not saying a word. Faced with the relentless affection of his mother, Damian groaned as Talia continued to shower him with kisses.
Talia: You should be happy to have such a strong, powerful, highly skilled, and sweet woman as your momma!
Damian let out a dramatic whine, but he resigned himself to her embrace, knowing this was just part of being her son. For now, he was at her mercy.