Tag: tim drake

Fake Fic Summaries 10/?, the triple fusion edition (2015-11-07)

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A/N1: I didn’t want to have two missed posts in a row, even if this is just barely sufficient. So here are three sort of fusion/crossover fics from various fandoms that I’ve been pondering but wouldn’t want to or really know where to start.

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1) DCU x Assassin’s Creed

While training with Shiva, Tim Drake learns the truth behind a secret centuries-long conflict, the League of Assassins, and his own history. Five years later, the lost heir to Drake Industries and the Robin-that-wasn’t returns to Gotham.

In which Ra’s league is actually the Templars misappropriating the Assassin name and Tim’s legacy comes with a heavy set of responsibilities.

Visited my BFF and she was playing Assassin’s Creed III. Basically, while we were both having intense feelings over Conner and his doomed fate, I wondered a little about a possible fusion. At first, I considered Damian since he’s literally an assassin baby, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that there’s no way that Ra’s was an Assassin fighting for people’s right to freedom. No, he’s more like a Templar–fight for “peace” through order. But then… why is his organization called the League of Assassins?

Likely, the real Assassins are few in number and scattered, losing the war against the Templars. Shiva is one such true assassin and, having discovered Tim’s lineage, decided to teach him about his own heritage. And this was one of the few ways where I can picture Tim being derailed from his duties as Robin.

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2) Star vs The Forces of Evil x Elementary

When there are cases that stump other psychiatrists, they refer to Dr. Marco Diaz. For a such a bland seeming man, he has a talent with the more unusual patients.

Then he gets a call from a completely different dimension. He’s about to get a client who redefines the definition of unusual and an adventure for a lifetime.

This one, I admit, I was mostly influenced by me binge-watching Elementary and Star vs The Forces of Evil within the past month. Because the idea of a bewildered but competent adult psychiatrist Marco being drawn into the eccentric and conflicted Star’s evil/crime fighting paralleled Joan and Sherlock’s relationship very easily to me. Also, Tom and his demon horde as Irene/Moriarty? I dunno.

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3) Naruto x Avatar the Last Airbender

In which Sai can only express his heritage through art, Sakura rails against her role as a pink-haired novelty, Sasuke is still the last of his red-eyed fire-breathing clan, and Naruto will not let the Air Nomads be forgotten–even if he was a shameful abomination in their opinion.

Also includes Kakashi, the first moon-blessed baby to fire-bend, and Yamato/Tenzo, who can’t bend anything but plants.

Basically, expanded Team Seven in the Avatar universe! Because the elements match up pretty well with Sai being a water-bender, Sakura as earth, Sasuke as fire, and Naruto as air. As for Naruto being a “shameful abomination” I
was trying to figure out what would be a jinchuuriki equivalent but then I remembered that, as far as we know, air-benders can also be spirit-benders. So what if Minato, the pride of the Air Nomads, took a journey into the Spirit World, fell in love with Kushina a fox spirit, and had a half-spirit half-human baby Naruto.

Then considering Kakashi’s white hair but lightning affinity I figured well… maybe his father was Water Tribe, therefore, moon-blessed but his mother was Fire Nation. Which could take the place of Sakumo’s failed mission–like, if he was considered a traitor to the tribe and so he left to have his family. But then Kakashi’s mother died and so Sakumo had no tribe, no wife, and a baby who he tried his best with. But grief/depression being what it is… well.

As for Yamato/Tenzo… I’ll be honest, I don’t know that much about him? Like… he’s got some Senju DNA and he was in ROOT/ANBU but not anymore? I dunno. Maybe I can have some kind of Dai Li subplot with him but… mreh.

Anyway, I figure this kind of happens concurrently with the series. So they’re all roughly the same age as the characters of the show. Even Aang and Naruto–Aang having been frozen in an iceberg and Naruto having some strange sort of slowed aging/immortality and having lived the century out. Well… maybe he was asleep too. I dunno. I know that throws off the Kakashi and Minato mentor/student relationship but I’m kind of fond of the idea…

Ooh! What if the Uchiha clan had Naruto sealed, but then Itachi did his whole massacre the clan thing but this time it was because he was such a principled person. Like, he couldn’t stand the idea that his clan’s success/status in the Fire Nation was because they had essentially enslaved a sentient being. So he kills them all (except Sasuke), sets Naruto free, then gets imprisoned. I dunno.

I also don’t want Sakura’s story to parallel Toph’s too much. Er, I suppose in my head her story would shake out a little bit to something like the shoujo manga Akagami no Shirayuki-hime. Aka Red-haired Snow White. In which a red-haired “commoner” is chosen to be a prince’s concubine because of her rare red hair, instead of agreeing, Shirayuki basically cuts off her hair, leaves for the neighboring kingdom in order to become a pharmacist/doctor, and accidentally meets/falls in love with the neighboring kingdom’s prince. It’s great, go read it, it’s super cute.

Mastermind (The Mother Knows Best Remix), brainstorm (2015-10-14)

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rahndom:

jacksgreysays:

This really won’t make sense if you don’t read @rahndom‘s Mastermind.

So the last chapter has the Young Justice swoop in to save both of the Drakes’ lives–though they are hospitalized–and there is a Janet-Tim mother-son bonding moment. Very sweet and everything. And I always want to know more about Janet Drake and figure that the woman who told her toddler that he can be anything so long as he put his mind to it, would be very supportive of her son as the vigilante named Mastermind.

So I was thinking some more about this universe and had some world-building/brainstorm-y thoughts about what I would like to read in a Janet POV continuation/remix of the fic.

The main one being–why does Janet, immediately upon waking up post-Haiti, decide to divorce Jack? And in answer to that I figured, well, what if most of the time, his parents were gone separately?

Like, Janet goes off somewhere for business and would assume that Jack would stay at home. And she’d say, oh, I’ll be back in three weeks. Then, two and a half weeks later Jack is like, Tim can stay at home by himself for three days, there’s a dig I would like to go to, I’ll be back in a month. Except then Janet calls and is like–I have to extend my stay for another six weeks–not knowing that Jack has already left for his own trip. Etc. etc. I mean, neglect is neglect, but at least this way it kind of explains Janet’s complete 180 in that last chapter.

Because it wasn’t really a complete 180. I figure it was probably something like… Jack was the one who wanted a kid and Janet didn’t really, but of course when she had Tim she loved him–but she still wasn’t ready to be a mother. As opposed to Jack who, even after Tim was born, still liked the idea of a son more than actually having a son. So hence Janet wanting to divorce Jack and stay in Gotham. Because the entire time she thought Jack was staying at home with Tim and finding out that he wasn’t–to the point that Tim became a teenaged vigilante with all his spare time–made her realize that she cannot stay married to this man who is a terrible husband and father.

And then everything else was just in line with what Tim can do and the idea that a lot of what makes Tim Mastermind is actually stuff he got from Janet. Including annoying the crap out of Bruce Wayne.

So of course she’s going to stick up for Catwoman as her son’s godmother. Retroactively claiming friendship with Selina Kyle–why of course, Bruce, Selina and I have been friends forever. It’s shameful that you’ve forgotten. It must be that dreadful alcoholism of yours, it’s practically pickled your brain.

But then she figures maybe it’s not enough. And while she adores Selina, well, Catwoman is a thief, and thieves don’t fight. They run. As Mastermind, Tim may not have the luxury to run, so he’ll need a little extra… something. Thankfully, the Obeah Man thing happens way before Infinite Crisis (which, is the thereabouts of when Blue Beetle dies) so that means that Ted Kord is still alive. That last chapter also mentions Jaime as part of the team even though he doesn’t become Blue Beetle until after Ted Kord dies but… uh… maybe his timeline is a little sped up (like Damian’s).

Anyway. Janet is all for plausible deniability, so she just has Drake Industries begin dealing with KORD Industries… and if that means that Ted Kord interacts with her son, well, if Tim can appoint himself a godmother surely she can choose a godfather. And if Blue Beetle happens to train Mastermind in the ways of non-metahuman vigilante skills/gadgets, well, that has nothing to do with their companies, does it? And it certainly is no business of Wayne Enterprises, butt out, Bruce.

As a bonus, since anywhere Ted Kord goes, Michael Carter goes, she basically gets two godfathers for the price of one. Which is especially great since it’s canon that Batman is ridiculously irritated by Booster Gold’s existence. It makes Booster helping to train Mastermind just absolutely hilarious to Janet (and me).

And I have some other thoughts–like… if Janet had gone to school with Lex as a teenager/child, well of course she’s going to recognize Kon, and similarly annoy the crap out of Lex. Mostly by sort of adopting Kon–because she’s been meaning to get Tim a bodyguard, it might as well be someone he likes. And then whenever she interacts with Lex she’s just so ruthless–“The darling boy is so lucky to favor his other parent’s genes, goodness knows your shoddy business practices are better off not being passed down to the next generation.” and “Oh, I’m sorry Lex, I can’t hear you over the sound of Lex Corp stock prices plummeting.” Hehehe…

Like, I would want this to take over the actual fic, but be more like a… supplemental reading sort of thing.

Sorry, all of my Tim feelings spill over into Janet feelings so… :/

Although… I may actually write this? In a drabble-y choppy way. For now, though, here’s the brainstorm.

I would love to see what you can come up with in my humble AU, sweetie. While I am not well versed in the Ted/Michael dinamics I do have a headcanon in which Janet and Lex were schoolmates (academic rivals in Lex’s opinion, forced acquaintances in Janet’s) and of couse she’s gonna tease Alex (”Please Janet, we’ve gone over this for decades, call me Lex!”) the moment she takes one look at Kon and sees that stuborn chin on him. 

As for her divorce request, canon-wise, she and Jack were having troubles by the time Haiti happened, a part of me wants to believe  that she took one look at her son’s face (bruised, scratched and so terribly sad) and decided it was not worth it following her asshole of a husband around the globe to salvage a marriage that forced her away from her child. 

She loves Tim, he is hers and he needs to come first for once at least in her book, if Jack wants to move away and find himself, fuck him, she is staying. 

Also, she is going to troll Bruce so hard when she notices her baby boy has captured the heart of Brucie’s little monster, Damian is an adorable little cookie that knows perfection when he sees it – of course Tim is perfect, he is her son – and she will encourage their interactions as much as she can if only to see Bruce squirm. 

OMG! I meant  “I would NOT want this to take over the actual fic, but be more like a… supplemental reading sort of thing.” (ugh seriously of all the freaking typos I could inflict, I’m so sorry. Without the not it sounds so arrogant, I didn’t mean to sound like some kind of idea thief)

But, hi! Hello! I’m a big fan of your fic–I’m such a sucker for Tim Drake and his many heartbreaking adventures, and you’re probably the reason why I ship DamiTim.

I just super love the idea that Janet knows about everyone’s superhero/villain secret identity shenanigans but never outrightly says it. Probably because she grew up with those dweebs and is just like–”Alex, surely all this melodrama would be solved if you just propositioned the alien. It’s starting to get embarrassing–and I knew you in the 80s.” or “Bruce, running around in spandex doesn’t make you the bigger man. Far from it, in fact.”

Thankfully, her son knows better. If he’s going to be a vigilante, he’s at least going to be one that is both practically and fashionably dressed.

I actually don’t know that much about the Blue Beetle/Booster Gold storyline, either, but I figure that there aren’t too many non-metahuman vigilantes that aren’t also Bat-sanctioned/funded. So it was either BB+BG, who are independent of Batman and also have the added benefit of annoying the bejeezus out of Bruce, or… well… one of the assassins/mercenaries like Shiva or Deathstroke. Which… I mean, that would be pretty interesting, too.

Janet could easily hire Deathstroke to teach her son–unless Slade Wilson is also someone that Janet has had past experience with and she leverages some kind of blackmail against him so he will train Tim. (And, obligatory Janet trashtalk: “Orange and black scales, Slade? Need I say more?”)

As for Shiva, well, now I’m not saying Janet possibly did her a favor on the wrong side of the law a few years ago, but I do think that if such a thing did happen then it would definitely make sense for Shiva to repay her by training Tim. Just saying.

((I guess there’s also Green Arrow, but I figure that in Janet’s eyes Oliver Queen is even less tolerable than Bruce Wayne)).

Also, hell yeah Janet is going to encourage DamiTim. She believes in multi-tasking and not only will that give Bruce an aneurysm, but it will also neatly tie up the whole Wayne Enterprises vs Drake Industries thing, and confuse Ra’s al Ghul (who she considers a mild but persistent pest in her international business dealings).

Mastermind (The Mother Knows Best Remix), brainstorm (2015-10-14)

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This really won’t make sense if you don’t read @rahndom‘s Mastermind.

So the last chapter has the Young Justice swoop in to save both of the Drakes’ lives–though they are hospitalized–and there is a Janet-Tim mother-son bonding moment. Very sweet and everything. And I always want to know more about Janet Drake and figure that the woman who told her toddler that he can be anything so long as he put his mind to it, would be very supportive of her son as the vigilante named Mastermind.

So I was thinking some more about this universe and had some world-building/brainstorm-y thoughts about what I would like to read in a Janet POV continuation/remix of the fic.

The main one being–why does Janet, immediately upon waking up post-Haiti, decide to divorce Jack? And in answer to that I figured, well, what if most of the time, his parents were gone separately?

Like, Janet goes off somewhere for business and would assume that Jack would stay at home. And she’d say, oh, I’ll be back in three weeks. Then, two and a half weeks later Jack is like, Tim can stay at home by himself for three days, there’s a dig I would like to go to, I’ll be back in a month. Except then Janet calls and is like–I have to extend my stay for another six weeks–not knowing that Jack has already left for his own trip. Etc. etc. I mean, neglect is neglect, but at least this way it kind of explains Janet’s complete 180 in that last chapter.

Because it wasn’t really a complete 180. I figure it was probably something like… Jack was the one who wanted a kid and Janet didn’t really, but of course when she had Tim she loved him–but she still wasn’t ready to be a mother. As opposed to Jack who, even after Tim was born, still liked the idea of a son more than actually having a son. So hence Janet wanting to divorce Jack and stay in Gotham. Because the entire time she thought Jack was staying at home with Tim and finding out that he wasn’t–to the point that Tim became a teenaged vigilante with all his spare time–made her realize that she cannot stay married to this man who is a terrible husband and father.

And then everything else was just in line with what Tim can do and the idea that a lot of what makes Tim Mastermind is actually stuff he got from Janet. Including annoying the crap out of Bruce Wayne.

So of course she’s going to stick up for Catwoman as her son’s godmother. Retroactively claiming friendship with Selina Kyle–why of course, Bruce, Selina and I have been friends forever. It’s shameful that you’ve forgotten. It must be that dreadful alcoholism of yours, it’s practically pickled your brain.

But then she figures maybe it’s not enough. And while she adores Selina, well, Catwoman is a thief, and thieves don’t fight. They run. As Mastermind, Tim may not have the luxury to run, so he’ll need a little extra… something. Thankfully, the Obeah Man thing happens way before Infinite Crisis (which, is the thereabouts of when Blue Beetle dies) so that means that Ted Kord is still alive. That last chapter also mentions Jaime as part of the team even though he doesn’t become Blue Beetle until after Ted Kord dies but… uh… maybe his timeline is a little sped up (like Damian’s).

Anyway. Janet is all for plausible deniability, so she just has Drake Industries begin dealing with KORD Industries… and if that means that Ted Kord interacts with her son, well, if Tim can appoint himself a godmother surely she can choose a godfather. And if Blue Beetle happens to train Mastermind in the ways of non-metahuman vigilante skills/gadgets, well, that has nothing to do with their companies, does it? And it certainly is no business of Wayne Enterprises, butt out, Bruce.

As a bonus, since anywhere Ted Kord goes, Michael Carter goes, she basically gets two godfathers for the price of one. Which is especially great since it’s canon that Batman is ridiculously irritated by Booster Gold’s existence. It makes Booster helping to train Mastermind just absolutely hilarious to Janet (and me).

And I have some other thoughts–like… if Janet had gone to school with Lex as a teenager/child, well of course she’s going to recognize Kon, and similarly annoy the crap out of Lex. Mostly by sort of adopting Kon–because she’s been meaning to get Tim a bodyguard, it might as well be someone he likes. And then whenever she interacts with Lex she’s just so ruthless–“The darling boy is so lucky to favor his other parent’s genes, goodness knows your shoddy business practices are better off not being passed down to the next generation.” and “Oh, I’m sorry Lex, I can’t hear you over the sound of Lex Corp stock prices plummeting.” Hehehe…

Like, I would not want this to take over the actual fic, but be more like a… supplemental reading sort of thing.

Sorry, all of my Tim feelings spill over into Janet feelings so… :/

Although… I may actually write this? In a drabble-y choppy way. For now, though, here’s the brainstorm.

Cross-Post: Richie Todd Wayne Goes To Paris, Brainstorm (2015-10-06)

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A/N1: I guess I bit off more than I could chew for this story, it’s collapsed under it’s own weight. Rather, there’s too much set up for not enough plot in return. So below is the brainstorming/outlining/ranting of my thoughts regarding this fic. I dunno. Maybe I’ll come back to it, but probably not? I was a little overeager yesterday.

Again, Richie Todd Wayne is from @mgnemesi‘s babyfic verse.

Technically, this is a cross-post, only because when I thought I was going to write it I transcribed all of my thoughts onto an lj post for safekeeping.

So, original here. Dated 2015-10-06.

—

Because babyfic verse didn’t explicitly go the route of JayTim (though mgnemesi wanted to) and there was some consideration for JayKon, at least temporarily, my brain extrapolated and went–what if that’s because Tim leaves?

So it starts with the dysfunctional first impressions take two with baby– the fact that Jason trusts the baby with Damian of all people. And sure it’s actually because Jason and Damian have history, but to Tim it seems like “I would rather hand this baby over to a literal assassin than trust him with you.” And maybe Tim takes it as a remark on himself–I wasn’t really going to nerve strike him, but am I so suspicious/untrustworthy that you think I would do that to a baby?

And of course Alfred wants Richie to be raised in Wayne Manor, but Jason obviously has issues with the family. But this is even before Bruce has been brought back, so it’s only Dick and Damian in the Manor (because Tim has moved out–he’s not going to live with Damian)… so maybe it’s like. Jason is more comfortable in the Manor when Tim isn’t there–so Tim interprets it in a way that says, he is not trusted with the baby.

Since it is during the Red Robin arc, Tim is out of Gotham for the most part, anyway so it’s not a deliberate avoidance. During which, Jason and Richie are already pretty settled in the manor. Until he brings back Bruce.

Obviously it’s tense at first, but then it becomes clear that Jason’s not killing people because he’s got a baby! And, really, that’s all that Bruce wanted so it’s fine. So Bruce welcomes him back (never mind that it’s Bruce returning). Jason is also tense, but being a father has given him perspective–he’s not so angry or out of control–so they reconcile.

Meanwhile, Tim is like… they’re a happy family now. Without me. So he just jets. Since Bruce is back he doesn’t need to be Wayne Enterprise’s CEO/poster-boy. But he thrives when he’s necessary, so he tries to come up with more jobs he can fulfill.

So he starts with expansion of WE and Batman Inc into Canada, sees how everyone gets along without him. How quickly they are to take over/distribute his territory/patrols. How utterly unnecessary he is in Gotham.

Likewise he’s not needed with the Titans because they’re a Robin thing and he’s not Robin anymore. Sure they didn’t like him at first, but everyone collectively mellows out and begin to get along. Especially since they are JLA light. And while Tim never wants to be Batman, the others are still in line of succession and it just makes sense for Batman in training to be on a team with the other JLA in training.

So there’s really no need for him to go back (which he interprets as, he can’t go back).

While Tim interprets the family as not needing him, so he does other things elsewhere, the family interprets his actions as him being so swamped/busy. So they try to lessen his load. Like, Bruce took back the CEO position for WE because he thought Tim was being overworked–instead Tim saw it as, of course, I’m just a placeholder. Now I don’t have WE or Robin, I have to make a place for me. It’s a spiral. Everyone thinks he’s moved on from them, when in fact it’s Tim thinking I should leave before you kick me out.

And a lot of that mentality spills over. Once he establishes a team in Canada (as both Batman Inc. and JLA International, because he knows there are some metahumans and he does not discriminate, also, double the financing), he sees that they’re functioning well, that they can run without him. He’s unnecessary again [there’s definitely some influence from saccarines’ fic Correspondence].

He goes back to Gotham after establishing the Canadian team, sees how well they function without him, decides to go where he’s needed–i.e. establishing teams in Europe.

Europe does weird things to Tim–he broke a lot of laws there, it’s an older place, and the ways of world are different. Magic, not metahumans [Ladybug and Chat Noir?!]. The teams he assemble aren’t as wide-eyed innocent and stalwart as the North American teams. They’re darker, somehow–not that Gotham, world capital of the criminally insane isn’t dark as well, but the vigilante culture is so controlled by Bruce’s lofty standards that, in comparison, Tim’s European Batman Inc teams are more shades of gray and subtlety.

He’s pretty established as the voice/face of Batman Inc in Europe. London, Paris, Berlin, Athens (WE stimulates economy, Batman Inc protects the people). He’s not really the boss, but he has the most experience and he is the one who established them. He made them to function independently of him… mostly he floats between them, acting as an intermediary between HQs or them and mafia. He can’t get a foothold in Italy because the mafia are so established, but maybe he makes deals with them occasionally (more of that sketchy gray area). He probably does have some dealings with Ra’s al Ghul, but that’s really minimal to the story.

He very rarely goes back to Gotham–less and less frequently as time goes by–and definitely never the Manor when Jason and Richie are there. Because he doesn’t want Jason to feel like his home is unsafe, not realizing that the Manor should also be Tim’s home. He makes himself busy, makes himself necessary elsewhere. Avoids the entire family.

ANYWAY

Richie goes to Paris when he’s thirteen because he’s frustrated. When is he going to be Robin? Damian has officially become Batman and Richie was always going to be his Robin. He’s already had a lot of training because he literally was raised by all of the Batmen, Robins, Batgirls (Aunt Cass visits AT LEAST once a year, which is more than Tim does, because she’s not a neurotic mess of self esteem issues).

It’s been over a decade since Tim has come home/interacted with the family not in a professional capacity–either WE or BI [although, he did have Cass come over and help train his Europe teams].

Richie’s a little nervous around Tim because, with everyone else, his other “teachers” are just his family. He’s grown up with them–Aunt Stephanie was the one to buy him waffles before teaching him how to stitch a wound closed. His Dad taught him how to wire a bomb but still makes sure he doesn’t watch R-rated movies. But with Tim, it’s this stranger. And the thing is, they don’t really talk about him in the Manor. You don’t really talk about people unless they’re present in some way… maybe Richie grew up on stories of Red Robin/the third Robin (what, with Jay and Kon having had a thing a few years ago) but it’s not prevalent in his life. He’s a lingering ghost in the Manor, and even in the Titans Tower.

So Richie’s nervous, but Tim of course interprets that as “Oh, he hates me.” Because why wouldn’t he? As far as Tim knows, this is Richie, the son of Jason who hates his Replacement. The boy who’s in love with/going to be Robin of Damian, who hates his predecessor and literally tried to kill him.
But of course Jason doesn’t hate Tim, he’s just really fucking awkward around him. And… well, I don’t necessarily want it to also be DamiTim, but that is a possibility (and I’m always a sucker for DamiTim, or at least theoretically DamiTim–Tim is building Batman Inc, and Batman is now Damian. He’s building Damian’s empire).

But Richie has a crush on Damian… I want Richie to have a happy ending, but having your first love requited, especially when it’s for a man who will be your mentor/vigilante partner isn’t exactly going to lead to a happy ending for Richie… definitely one-sided Richie x Damian.

Richie is a good boy. He’s all of the hope of Robin within him. He is loved by his family and is all of their good traits. So when Tim is feeling low, saying that he can learn better from someone else, Richie replies with “They’re not you.”
Tim doesn’t think he’s part of the family, while Richie is the baby of the family. So there’s this gulf between them–the one who (thinks he) is unloved and the child who is most loved.

Richie is a lovable boy–and Tim doesn’t have any problem with training this boy. He’s going to be a Robin that Damian Wayne needs. That Damian Wayne wants. And Tim will do anything in his power to help make someone needed/wanted. Dick was also very lovable–loving and being loved, as was Jason whose love burned and was passionate and invited reciprocation, Stephanie loved easily, strongly, and it was easy to love her in turn, Damian of course would be loved. Tim thinks he wasn’t loveable–he loved but wasn’t loved in turn.

Training starts with undercover stuff, because it is the one thing that Tim is the best at amongst the family. It’s something that the European branches take pride in because they are more subtle, and it gives them a way to seem more than they are (each team is really three or four people, but each person has multiple identities so they seem larger), it’s their specialty. So at first Tim teaches Richie that, because he doesn’t know what else to do.
And after a week, Tim expects Richie to be bored and want to go home. Except, no Richie wants to stay, “I still have so much to learn from you.” And Tim’s just like… “Really? Like what? But… okay?” And he’s scrambling around trying to find what else to teach Richie–he doesn’t want to teach him the wrong thing, doesn’t want to ruin this Robin to be.

But he’s good at this. He basically raised Kon and Bart, he’s been training teams since he was a teenager himself, his self made job is to create and train teams to independence. He’s good at it. So long as Tim doesn’t get distracted by holding himself up to the ideal of Robin, he’s a really good teacher. He get’s more comfortable with Richie and vice versa, and then a month passes.

And Tim really doesn’t have anything else to teach him. But then they stumble upon this conflict. Because Tim thought he’d be gone after a week, and the family thought maybe a month but definitely after he’s done with training. Whereas Richie is like–I’m going to stay here forever, or at least until they let me be Robin.

At which point Tim is like… are you holding yourself hostage? And they discuss the philosophies of Robin. It’s something that Tim has been different about in regards to the role. With Dick it was “I want to help fight crime.” With Jason it was “I now have the power to do good.” With Stephanie, she was going to fight crime regardless, as Spoiler, but as Robin she’s Bat-sanctioned, Bat-trained, “I am getting the authority.” With Damian, Robin was a step to Batman–a Batman in training role.

But with Tim, he stepped up to be Robin because someone needed to step up to be Robin. Robin needs to exist as a complementary role to Batman–regardless of who fills the suit or what comes after.

It helps Richie understand Tim. Because it’s about being whatever Batman needs. And that’s why Tim is so messed up, because when he had Robin taken away from him he took that as a sign that he was not needed. Whereas Richie is raised with all these people, constantly reassuring him that he’s loved and that he doesn’t have to join the family business. And if he doesn’t he knows he will still be loved. His place is solid in the family, and that’s something that Tim doesn’t realize about family.

Tim tells him to go home. Don’t be so eager to be Robin right now. Or rather, be the Robin that they need. Right now Damian doesn’t need someone to fight beside him. He doesn’t need a Robin on the streets, he needs someone who will be there for him. It’s his first year as Batman and he needs to establish himself as a hero in his own right before he becomes a mentor, he needs time. So maybe what he needs from Richie is to give him that time… and Richie accepts that. He’s not as desperate to be Robin, he’s patient.

But Richie personally still needs to learn. Which Tim acknowledges as true. After all, Tim did a training trip with Shiva and so maybe Richie needs something similar. So Time is like… how much time do you have until school? Another month? Well for this month, you’ll be operating in Europe. It’ll be a taste of what it’s like to be an operative. Then the adventures of Richie Todd Wayne as Egg. And afterwards, Richie goes home, settled and stronger. Ready for Robin, but willing to wait.

… Except he bonded with Tim, and he knows how lonely Tim is, how unsure of his place in the family is. So he wants to bring him home (which is, basically what Alfred was trying to do from the start by sending Richie to Tim)… so Richie pulls a Parent Trap for Jason and Tim… or something like that.

—

A/N2: Uh… so yeah. I actually did all of brainstorming verbally in an hour long voice recording while I was stuck in traffic. There was a lot of cussing… and me yelling out OBLIGATORY TIM FEELS like… six times. Basically… I had a lot of feelings yesterday.

Richie Todd Wayne Goes To Paris, Prologue (2015-10-05)

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Summary:

Mr. Drake looks at him and sighs, before tossing over his phone. Richie’s going to be Robin one day, so it’s no problem to catch it.

“Call your family. Let them know where you are, and that you’re safe… And ask for permission. If they actually want me to train you, then I will,” the man says, all resigned exhalations, while Richie types in the number for the Manor. He would feel bad about being so clearly considered a nuisance, except he’s stuck on something and has to ask.

“Don’t you mean our family?”

Mr. Drake just smiles and shakes his head.

A/N1: So this is based on @mgnemesi‘s babyfic ‘verse, in which Jason Todd is suddenly in charge of a baby and goes to the only person in Gotham who can help–Alfred. There’s more but, seriously, just go to the master post and read it.

This is a future fic remix in which… well… hopefully it’ll be clear.

—

On Richie’s thirteenth birthday, when he blows out the candles on his cake, he makes the same wish he always makes.

At first he thinks it’s a waste of a birthday wish. He’s pretty sure he’ll be Robin this year, even without the wish; after all, Damian has taken over as Batman full time already. But as time passes and Damian continues to patrol without him, he begins to doubt.

“I don’t get it,” Richie says, perched on the gurney, helping Alfred take inventory of the Cave’s medical supplies.

Scarecrow and Poison Ivy are both out of Arkham, so they’ll likely need to have antidotes on hand. This, at least, Richie is allowed to help with.

“… doesn’t Batman need a Robin?”

Alfred’s hands still over the vials of antihistamines, “Perhaps, young Master Richard,” he says carefully, “You should consider a change in your summer holiday plans.”

—

Tim is en route from the London HQ to his main flat in Paris when Vivienne sends a message over the comms: the team caught an intruder trying to break into the Paris HQ.

Normally, Tim would consider this an opportunity for the team to exercise some independence. He knows they have the protocol memorized, and anyway he trusts their judgement. He wouldn’t have chosen them for Batman Inc, otherwise. But in this case…

“I’m sorry, what did you say his name was?” Tim repeats, though he knows he didn’t mishear the first time.

“Richard Todd Wayne. He says he’s here for you.”

—

It takes only six hours for Jason to realize that his son is missing, and only because he was unconscious for four of those.

“What do you mean, you don’t know where he is?” Jason seethes, hands clenched tightly into fists.

“It’s Friday. Doesn’t Richie usually hang out with his friends after school on Friday?” Dick shrugs, not yet aware of danger he’s in.

“Tt,” Damian’s voice snaps out, “School’s been out for two weeks already.”

Meaning Richie should be home, pestering one of them for more training. He certainly wouldn’t have passed up the chance to get some aerial practice with the first Robin.

Bruce sits silently, his mouth a flat worried line.

“WHERE IS MY SON?” Jason growls, about to fly off the handle completely, when Alfred steps into the room and clears his throat.

“Sirs. Master Jason has a call on the Manor line.”

All of them pounce for the phone on Bruce’s desk.

—

After a few minutes of rather explosive back and forth shouting, Richie sullenly holds out the phone and says, “They want to talk to you.”

Tim bites back the bitter automatic response–that would be a first–and instead dials it down to a skeptical, “Did they actually say that, or do you no longer want to get yelled at?”

Baby Richie–except he’s not a baby anymore, god, he’s a teenager has it really been so long?–blushes but continues to stubbornly hold out the phone, so Tim takes it and brings it to his ear.

“… and if you don’t get on a plane back right this second,” says someone’s voice. But it’s been a while–a decade–since Tim has heard any of the family’s voices, so he can’t tell who is speaking.

That’s a lie, of course he knows who it is.

“Hello, Jason.” Tim says, unflinching at the volume.

“… Pretender?”

At that, Tim does flinch. But only Richie is there to see, and he’s still busy sulking, so it’s alright.

“Yes, it’s Tim.”

—

Shit.

Shit. Fuck. Goddamnit. Shit.

The first word he’s said–the first word any of them say– to Tim in fucking years and of fucking course it’s Jason calling him Pretender.

God fucking damn it.

The others stare at him wide eyed, before Dickie reaches for the speaker button. For some reason, Jason slaps his hand away.

“Hey, Tim,” Jason tries not to croak in surprise, scrambles to come up with anything else to say and falls short.

Silence reigns for a few moments–shit, why is Richie there, how did he even find you, how have you been, there’s too much shit bouncing around in his head to think properly–before Tim picks up the slack and says calmly, as if this phone call is a common occurrence, “Richie’s with me. We’re in my Paris apartment. He’s safe and uninjured.”

At that, Jason shudders out of his fucking stupor, the heavy weight of concern dissipating with a few select words.

“He says he was sent here for training but…”

Jason snorts, “How quickly did you see through that lie?”

Another pause. Duh, they’re not that familiar with each other. Even before, they were never that close.

“Marinette was the one to catch it, actually,” Tim says and doesn’t clarify, “But I know there would have been an email or a memo, if it were true. Anyway, if he’s not meant to be here, I can bring him to the airport. Have him set up on the next flight back to Gotham.”

It’s on the edge of his tongue to say yes. To say, why don’t you come back with him? But Tim, thankfully, continues.

“But… if you’d like. I doubt he’s missing anything, but I can see if there’s anything I can train him in. Maybe some undercover work.”

It’s true that Tim was the best out of them at undercover work. But Jason can’t help but think that it’s a jab at the Pretender comment.

“Yeah, that’d be–” he says, before being cut off by a wave of sound from Richie.

“Oh please, Dad! Oh please, please, please!” his son’s voice shouts out, overwhelming Tim’s completely.

—

Tim quickly hands the phone back to Richie, in order to spare his eardrums, and mentally goes through his schedule for the next few days–he doubts Richie is going to want to stay for very long.

He was being honest when he said that the teen’s training was likely already complete. There’s not much Tim can teach Richie that someone else couldn’t do a better job. He’ll get bored and go home after a week.

Yeah, Tim can postpone some meetings to next week. And it’s not like Wayne Enterprises is going to fire him when it’s for the Wayne family’s youngest member.

“I will, promise. Thanks, Dad!” Richie says, bright and cheerful, and why wouldn’t he be? “I love you, too,” he finishes, before hanging up.

Tim pretends that the catch in his chest is relief at not having to talk to the family. He’s good at that. Pretending, that is.

~

A/N2: So, I’ve just recently re-read babyfic ‘verse and found myself swamped by baby Richie feels and, since I am always feeling things about Tim Drake and his terribly sad existence, it all just simmered in my brain until I came up with this idea while I was stuck in traffic.

Essentially, this is roughly twelve to thirteen years in the future–Richie is thirteen–and in a sort of fit of teenage rebellion he goes to Paris to find and be trained by Timothy Drake. Who has not been in Gotham for a decade.

Cue bright and sunny soon-to-be-Robin inching his way into the life and heart of the bitter, self-estranged ex-Robin and both of them realizing what family and the role of Robin really means. Or something like that. And some JayxTim. Because I’m predictable like that.

Preeeeetty sure I’ll be doing another few parts to this.

I’m not super keen on the title? But future installments will be under that tag, so…

Untitled drabbles (2015-10-03)

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(some weird JayxTim dialogue)

“Everyone I love dies.”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Starting with mommy dearest and running all the way through to Daddy Bats.”

“No.”

“No?”

“It didn’t start with my mother… it started with you.”

—

(a tiny drabble from my original sci-fi story, Triptych)

Westerly breathes and internally recites the ten principles of diplomacy in an attempt to stay calm.

It’s not working.

In two minutes, eight of hir clan members will be brought aboard the station and ze has been assigned to their party. Until they’re escorted to Huaqu. At which point Westerly will be expected to join them.

Ze hasn’t been to hir home-planet in six years.

But this is an honor, surely. To be trusted with such an important mission even though ze is only junior operative. Likely due to hir training in diplomacy… and the fact that ze is the only geshou in the station. In all of SPAN, actually.

There’s a reason why ze is the first geshou to join SPAN and it wasn’t to go back to Huaqu!

Westerly breathes and waits.

~

A/N: Sorry, at my sister’s place, couldn’t really focus on anything without a family member or a dog demanding my attention.

Untitled DCU drabble (2015-09-27)

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[A/N1: Okay, I’m getting tired of this series now, I doubt I’m going to continue it, but here’s one last little section and some pieces of dialogue that I might have used had I kept going]

~

There are two reasons why, when Tim tried to look for remaining family after his dad’s death, he found nothing.

One is that he really just doesn’t have that much family. Both of his parents had been only children, and their parents before them as well.

The second is that he wasn’t looking for the right people: Janet Drake never actually existed and so couldn’t be related to anyone.

Then again, even if he had been using the right name, doesn’t mean he would have found anyone either. Because the woman who wasn’t really Janet Drake had taught her daughter well.

—

“Mother believed in having back up plans for her back up plans. On the off chance she couldn’t tell me herself, she wanted me to be able to find the truth. Timothy Jackson, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Dorothea Janice.”

and

“Mine is a legacy of lies and madness. Why would I want that?”

and

“The Joker’s not a threat just because he’s amoral and crazy. He’s a genius, too. You think he’s not going to notice if someone starts looking into Jack Kerr’s past?”

and (specifically to Damian Wayne)

“I’m as much Gotham royalty as you are.”

and (specifically to Jason Todd)

“I’m pretty sure this is a test. But I’m not sure for who.”

~

A/N2: Okay, yup. That should be it in this little universe.

edit: nope, I lied. again. continued here

Untitled DCU drabble (2015-09-25)

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A/N1: Apparently I want to continue the story from this drabble? So you should probably check that out, first.

~

The problem is, they can’t find the woman after running the test. She has effectively disappeared and in a city like Gotham, even with all of the Oracle’s cameras, a single person isn’t going to be so easily found.

Especially when they don’t even have a real name to base their search on.

“Fiona Hill,” Tim murmurs, as he pulls up every single trace of his Caroline Hill identity. Her fake school and employment records, every time he used the alias for a mission, the lease under her name that serves as one of his Nests, “Why would she use that one?”

Why not Alvin Draper, Tim’s most frequently used alias? Why not Timothy Drake-Wayne, officially linked to the Wayne family and thus the Wayne manor?

Why not just Tim?

—

As it is, they don’t find her so much as she comes to them. Again.

It takes an embarrassingly long time for Tim to recognize one of the members of the Kord Industries team as the woman who might very well be his only living blood relative in the entire world. It’s doubly embarrassing because she’s not even wearing contacts or a wig–barring a change of clothes, she looks the exact same as when she came to the Manor.

Tim doesn’t quite stumble in his speech, but maybe the sentence he’s currently saying gets a little mangled on it’s way out, because the woman–his sister–gives a small, sideways smile. Amused, but fond.

Tim focuses on wrapping up his presentation as quickly as possible.

—

When the meeting is done–both sides having come to an agreement for their inter-company collaboration–the KI team begins to leave and Tim can’t just let her go without… He can’t.

“Mr. Kord,” he calls out, internally cringing at the volume of his voice.

The man turns around, bemused expression on his face, “You can call me Ted,” he says. Because… Tim’s been calling him Ted for years now. When he doesn’t call him Blue Beetle, of course.

“Right, yes, sorry about that,” and Tim does not blush. But it’s a very near thing.

“No harm done,” Ted waves off, before asking, “So what can I do for you, Tim?”

Tim wants to ask about her. He needs to know who she is. But when he opens his mouth, nothing comes out.

—

The problem is, it’s not just curiosity or a personal matter. She’s a security risk–she knows Batman and the Waynes are connected, she knows enough about Caroline Hill to make a not entirely phony claim–she knows something. Maybe not everything, but she knows enough.

And if Tim can’t resolve the situation, Bruce is going to take care of the perceived threat his way.

So, why can’t he just say anything?

“Sir,” and for the third time, the woman is the one to approach. She holds out a tablet for Ted’s perusal.

“Thank you, Esther,” he says absentmindedly, nearly completely lost to the screen before he remembers he was in the middle of a conversation. “Ah, Esther, you know Timothy Drake-Wayne. Tim, this is Esther Kelvin,”

“A pleasure to meet you,” she says, offering her hand out.

And Tim takes it, “Likewise.”

~

A/N2: Here’s a hint: Esther Kelvin is not her real name either.

Gotta be honest, I still have no idea wtf this is. I’m in a strange state of mind considering my sleep schedule is fucked to all hell, and I’ve been binge-reading DCU fic as well as the crossover!reincarnation ideas that have been cropping up in the Dreaming of Sunshine forum.

I’m not saying this is Shikako Nara reincarnated into the DC universe, but I got so many odd reluctantly fond sister vibes throughout each iteration of crossover!reincarnation that I guess it spilled over.

I should probably find a title for this series if I’m going to continue it, though…

Untitled DCU drabble (2015-08-29)

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“Hello,” says the woman standing outside of the front door. She is short and thin and perfectly normal. And yet, she has somehow slipped past all of the security around the manor, no alarms or sensors tripped, to ring the doorbell. It is only her sheer nonthreatening persona which prevents Alfred from pulling out his customary shotgun. As it is, the family is waiting in the wings to swoop down at the smallest hint of aggression.

“Hello, miss…” Alfred pauses, prompting for a name.

“Oh, yes, sorry. I’m Fiona Hill,” she says with a sheepish smile, “I need help finding my sister, Caroline.”

Behind him, Alfred can hear the confused murmurs from his charges. All but the one who knows Caroline Hill; the one who, in a way, was Caroline Hill. This is no doubt a matter which will prove quite interesting.

He opens the door of Wayne Manor more fully, “Please, come in, Miss Hill.”

—

The woman, Fiona Hill, sits in the drawing room, enjoys the tea set Alfred provides, and utterly fails to be remarkable. She is as bland as a person can be. Except for how she claims to be the sister of someone who doesn’t exist.

“Technically, we’re only half-sisters,” she says apologetically, as if that were the issue, “I’ve never even met her before, but my mother made sure to tell me her name and that she lives in Gotham. I was able to track down a paper trail, but it’s fairly sporadic and some of it is contradictory then it just disappears. I’m worried,” she sighs, before taking a careful sip from her teacup.

“Why is it that you came here for help?” Alfred asks, “Surely the police or even a private detective would be better.”

Skeptically, she responds, “Better than Batman?”

—

“I understand you may want to run some tests,” Fiona says, as Alfred escorts her calmly but sternly to the door, “So in addition to the fingerprints and DNA on the teacup, I’ve also prepared more comprehensive samples,” she reaches into her bag and brings out a small plastic box with several compartments. In each compartment is a small vial or a plastic bag, neatly labelled.

It is a forensic scientist’s dream.

It is also unnecessary.

The teacup is enough for them to run tests on. The DNA comes up with two in-system matches. The first is Tim, the actual person behind Caroline Hill. It makes sense, since it does match her claims, but it is still surprising.

The second is both surprising and unbelievable.

The second is the Joker.

~

A/N: Tbh, I have no idea wtf this is. Like… what? I dunno. I’ve just been reading some of heartslogos’ (absolutely fantastic) works on ao3 and I guess my brain is a little bit caught in the DCU. This set of scenes wouldn’t leave me alone the whole day so I figured I ought to write it down and get it out of my system.

Doing some routine maintenance of the plot bunnies, so probably the next couple of days are going to be bouncing around fandoms and unrelated.

Cross-Post: Little Bunny

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original here. dated 2013-09-04.

~

[[because when I saw the summary/snippet of mgnemesi’s Bunny – “Her,” Young Mr. Wayne blurts, pointing a finger at the girl. “I want her.” – I kind of pictured something different.]]

Jason is nine years old, not stupid. For all that Bruce Wayne says he doesn’t have to change, Jason knows that if he doesn’t want to go back to the orphanage (and the streets, because, let’s be honest the streets of Gotham are sadly a lot better than the orphanage Bruce Wayne found him in) he has to be perfect. It would help if high society behavior were less… convoluted, because Jason does not care for these plastic-face, plastic-personality people trying to pretty much sell their daughters to him.

For all that he’s only nine, being the newest Young Mr. Wayne makes him some sort of prize to be bought through marriage. Jason knows that these same people would have seen him as little more than the dirt under their feet when he was still a street rat. But he’s still confused why they’re trying to make him dance with their daughters–some of them are teenagers, closer to Dickie’s age than his, so he doesn’t know why they don’t bother him instead (except how Dick’s “secret” crush on the Commissioner’s daughter is obvious even to the air-heads)– when it’s a Halloween party. Sure, high society is different, but he’s pretty sure that dancing isn’t really a Halloween thing.

But they’re still pressuring him, and there’s only so many excuses he can make to get out of it without outrightly saying no, before he has to give in sometime. Alfred, all-knowing and all-seeing being that he is, though too busy supervising the wait staff to interfere himself, has thankfully alerted Brucie about his increasingly panicked ward.

Except Brucie is a moron.

“So tiger,” and Jason doesn’t understand these stupid nicknames. They make even less sense when it’s obvious that Jason is dressed as a pirate, “It’s getting pretty late, Alfy says you’ve only got time for one dance before you have to go back upstairs. Who are you going to choose?”

Like he said, Brucie is a moron.

But, well, okay. He only has to choose one girl. But does that mean it’s the equivalent of a proposal? He doesn’t want to accidentally get engaged because of a stupid Halloween dance. As Jason scans the hopeful debutantes and their even more desperate parents crowding around him, he spots a bunny. Well, obviously it’s a kid in a bunny costume, puffball tail and all, over near a small group of adults. She’s tugging on one of the talking men’s trouser legs, trying to get her father’s attention, but the man dismisses her with a brief pat on the head–between the pair of ears– and pushes her towards the candy buffet table. Which obviously Jason has been orbiting around, because it’s pretty much the only good thing about this party.

And the thing is, the girl in the bunny costume is pretty much the only one who hasn’t been thrown in his direction tonight. And she’s got the saddest expression on her face, even though she’s headed towards unlimited free candy (and him), because it’s obvious that she just wants her dad’s attention. And her ears (he knows they’re fake but still) are drooping a little. And seriously, it’s just one dance. They’ll probably never interact after this, right?

So it’s only a little bit of a surprise when he just – “Her,” Young Mr. Wayne blurts, pointing a finger at the girl. “I want her.” – and the crowd around him follows his finger and swivel their heads like a group of predators catching the hint of prey, and even Bruce (not Brucie, actual less-of-a-moron Bruce) looks surprised, and the girl freezes just like a real bunny would with all of this unexpected attention.

But luckily Alfred (seriously, Alfred is great) appears at her side and sort of shields her from their glares and kind of guides her to Jason and Bruce while making it seem like he’s doing nothing of the sort. When they get closer, Jason can see that her blue blue eyes are watery–like, she’s trying really hard not to cry–and wow, doesn’t he feel like a jerk?

Then Alfred does his throat clearing noise which means that he’s not actually clearing his throat, but that he’s going to say something important so you better pay attention. “Would you care for some sweets, Mister Drake?”

“No thank you, Mr. Pennyworth,” The, apparently, boy in a bunny costume answers, voice soft. “And… you can call me Tim.”

“Only if you call me Alfred, Mister Timothy. You are free to change your mind and take advantage of the candy buffet, Master Jason certainly has been. Now if you will pardon me, I wish you a Happy Halloween.”

Then Alfred disappears to wherever he goes, usually, but only after bunny-boy… Tim, replies with a still soft “You too, Mr Alfred.”

Then it’s just the three of them looking at each other, then away, then back. Except the society vultures are still watching, so does this mean he still has to dance?

And because Brucie is still a moron, he says “Well, sport, you going to dance with Timbo here? He’s a boy, you know.”

And then Tim flushes a bright bright red, and Brucie is a jerk as well as a moron for that. And Jason really can’t not make it up to the other boy, so he grabs Tim’s hand (because honestly he’s kind of concerned that the crowd is seriously considering eating him) and declares, “You didn’t say I had to dance with a girl. And what’s wrong with two boys dancing? Of course I’m going to dance with Tim… I mean, if he wants to,”

Because Jason is a jerk, too, and hasn’t asked Tim yet. But, even though Tim’s face is still red, Jason knows it’s the good kind of blush because he nods and says “I’d like that.” So they go to the dance floor (even though Jason still thinks ballroom dancing on Halloween is stupid) and he’s been taking lessons and Tim must be, too, because they don’t fall over themselves, and it’s not exactly terrible.

There is one thing that Jason’s been curious about, though, so he asks, “Why are you dressed as a bunny?”

And Tim smiles, wide enough to show the set of plastic fangs in his mouth, “I’m Bunnicula, legendary terror of the garden,”

And so maybe the candy buffet table isn’t the only good thing about this party.

[[Obviously this is an AU where Jason was adopted earlier, but beyond that I don’t know what else is different in this universe.]]