The Blood Son

@cannotbetamed ✉️ Hey D ✉️ You busy? ✉️ I’ve got a killer migraine and I think I’m going to lose my ever-loving mind if I stay in the archives for much longer, you want to grab dinner or something? The GCPD was a good day job, something to keep her mind and fingers busy but also a good place for Barbara to get some work done as Oracle. It was usually quiet down in the archives, literally in the basement with little interaction or distractions so she was able to get cracking on her laptop when she needed to. But even then, she needed a break sometimes - her brain was always working, never stopping, and sometimes she needed to take a step back and take a goddamn break. ✉️ I’ve also got some tech I wanted to pass along, we could swing by my place.

Damian’s thumb tapped against the home screen of his phone. A content hum accompanied a small grin upon seeing the message from Barbara. Titus, on the other hand, kept his head tucked underneath the teenager’s armpit, encouraging him to scratch behind the dog’s ears as he typed a response. 

✉️ Busy? No. Bored? Yes. I’ll take any reason to find something else to do. Patrols haven’t been serving me any favors as of late. 

An unexpected visit from his son was common enough for Bruce’s only response to be mild interest, although when Damian entered the room with a familiar piece of dark fabric draped over his shoulder his curiosity leaped. It was a cape, his cape, and an old one at that. Bruce listened as Damian explained himself, eyebrows rising with each word.

“You’ve had it for quite a long time,” Bruce said after a pause, his eyes examining the cape held in his son’s hands before they lifted to find his face. Talia had taken the cape long ago and Damian had taken it from her, only to attempt to return it to Bruce years after. “I have no need for it. Why don’t you keep it?”

Because, at this point, was it even really his anymore? There were two owners separating him from the article and both of them likely held more emotional attachment to it than he ever had- Damian, especially.

Another pause and Bruce found himself smiling ever so slightly, nodding towards the cape. “I’m surprised you managed to take it from Talia. She’s a very capable woman- there are few who could would succeed as you did.”

As he held it in his hands, he recalled the faint memories of a little boy attempting to put the cowl over his head, leaving some weight, causing him to fall over once or twice. Still, the thought that his father wore this carried significance to him. Surely, that curious child would be in awe at the sight of the man in the present. 

“I know,” he mumbled. Damian brought the article towards his chest, thinning his lips, listening to his father’s mentions of Talia. A shaky sigh forced him to attempt to relax his shoulders while speaking. 

“I suspected she left it in a place where I could find it on purpose. It took me years to defeat her in combat in order to be permitted to find you. Otherwise, this was the only clue I had. Therefore, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to keep it. It’s served its use for me.”

@lbatman​

Damian’s fingers delicately smoothed the surface of the long black cape, grimacing at the distinct memory it began to conjure. Though it was faint, he recalled finding the piece, securing the heavy cowl over his head. Underneath the shroud of dark fabric, a man claimed it as his. His father, unaware of his identity at the time. 

Titus’s soft whines broke him out of the teenager’s brief trance. He turned his head towards his companion, scratching behind his ears with his free hand. A small grin softened his expression. Turning his attention back to the cape, he sucked in a breath. Just before he made his way down to his father’s room, he tapped the top of Titus’s head once, whispering for him to ‘stay.’ Titus made no objections the moment his owner stepped out of his room, draping the cape over his left shoulder.

By the time he reached the front of his father’s room, he knocked twice and waited for permission to stepped through the door. He carefully removed the cape from his shoulder, clearing his throat once in an effort to get his undivided attention.

“I know this is yours, so I might as well explain why I have it,” he said, presenting the article to his father with both hands, gaze wavering while he spoke. “Mother had it for a while until I took it when she wasn’t looking. I figured it was about time I gave it back when I should have done it years ago.”

Rose snorted as she laughed, wiping off her hands on the thighs of her jeans to rid herself of the crumbs from her makeshift lunch while her cigarette dangled between her lips. “Smell the dread. I like that, I’ve never heard that before.” Her right hand came up to find her cigarette again, grabbing it between her pointer and middle fingers to pull it away as she exhaled. It felt fitting, for certain: lately there felt like that was an eternal black rain cloud above her head that no amount of distractions (or work) would blow away. “I’m keeping it.” Catalogued away for use again later. “Though, to be fair, I am a lot more dreadful and a whole lot more angry when there is not cigarette smoke involved, so..” A shrug, and she tapped the ash off the edge of her cigarette. “Less dread for you to smell.”

The faint traces of smoke from the cigarette trickled in, but was eventually overtaken by the grill in the distance. A short intake of breath through his nostrils encouraged his focus on his task at hand. Though, he wouldn’t proceed while the woman continued her incessant (and perhaps, unnecessary rambling). A small hum followed, flickering his gaze towards the stack of menus on the corner of the nearby food truck.

The Bat’s Kid || Slade and Damian

@cannotbetamed​

He wasn’t often home in Gotham. Slade didn’t tend to shit where he ate, but when the money was good enough, he’d turn up. He had a situation where he was trying to finish a job, but he had to be aware of all the winged vermin Batman had introduced to the city. It was easier said than done, but he didn’t expect that it would be too much of a hassle.

That was, until he heard a familiar voice grating through his whole fucking body. Funny how he could like Talia Al Ghul as much as he did, but her son drove him fucking nuts by spouting off all of daddy’s ideals. Ideals that wasted Damian’s skills.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed, baby bird?”

The alleyways of Gotham carried utterings of typical negotiations and banter. Batman’s young protégé thinned his lips, humming dismissively to simmer his initial disappointment. He wasted no time making his way towards the next few blocks, kicking the bar downwards to park his motorcycle near an empty building. 

Underneath a calm and calculated demeanor, he couldn’t hold back the slight wrinkle between his nostrils at the mere sight of the man within his peripherals. He crossed his arms while he approached, rolling his eyes underneath his mask to hide his disdain. 

Overpopulated || Open starter

A jaunty whistle filled the air as the Joker brazenly walked through the streets of Gotham city. It used to be quite the little statement if he did so, but with Batsy Watsy so busy with the Big Gray Baddy, it was easy. But this Gotham tasted so different from his special city. From the place that had Made Him. So busy busy busy with people who didn’t belong. He was going to have to do some pruning soon. But with so much fun planned behind closed doors, how much was too much too quickly?

With a grin, Joker twirled a crowbar in hand, remembering a fond little moment he had shared with one one of the little birdbrains. His special boy. Without warning, he swung the bar and shattered a window, watching it go to pieces with a great big smile. And then the swell of the alarm followed after. Good good.

Someone come and play. 

The typical commotions of Gotham hardly drowned the aggressive hums of his motorcycle. Taking a sharp left, he perused through the grimy streets, dimming lights offering little direction. That’s when he started to slow his speed, reaching towards a corner to park his vehicle. He was a kilometers away from some nearby commotion: typical of his usual patrols. Batman trusted his young protégé to handle minor situations on his own, though he frequently erred caution. 

@cannotbetamed​ Rose finished off the last bite of the pastry she was eating, fishing in her pockets for a cigarette before she’d even finished chewing.  It would seem that not even Ravager was immune to the effects of jet lag, though to be honest, this was new. Rose didn’t ordinarily settle down anywhere long enough to get used to their timezone, but she’d evidently made that mistake in Thailand and now she was struggling. She was cranky at best, but the food truck she’d stumbled upon had helped a little. As she lit up, Rose didn’t bother to turn around before speaking: “I might be working with 20/0 vision over here, but I assure you, I can still feel you staring at the back of my skull just fine.” She inhaled deeply on the cigarette as she turned around, exhaling as she spoke. “Fifty bucks and I’ll even let you stare up close.”

He removed his hands from his jean pockets as he strolled along the sidewalk. In one free hand, he glanced up at the contents of his home screen. A few unread messages remained on his list, mostly from the few he had the distinct pleasure of calling his ‘friends.’ 

Even as the woman in front of him spoke, his gaze did not leave the screen. When she did mention ‘staring’ at her, that’s when he retracted his focus, quirking a brow at the sight of her silhouette. The smell of her cigarette smoke forced a slight grimace in his expression, clicking his tongue.

-

Teddy was happy enough to receive any kind of affection really (an issue he knew it wouldn’t be smart to look into, so he didn’t) and Titus was happy to give so he enjoyed petting the furry beast a little longer before Damian called him away; leaving Teddy chuckle, a little damp, and grabbing a wipe to clean his orange-tinted goggles.

“Your father’s always busy.” he said lightly, “Even when he’s sleeping I’m pretty sure he’s doing a ridiculous amount of thinking.” But that was likely what made him Batman. His brows shot up a the request though, and a big smile lit up his face, showing off a few laugh lines. “Ohhhhh, so this is a good visit!” he said.

“I may have fiddled with a little bat and bird tech in my day, I helped out your brother Tim a few times with things.” he explained, pushing his chair over to grab another one and pull it back, “Take a seat kiddo and let’s see what ya go that needs a-fixing.”      

Titus elicited a few elated barks, his long tail wagging heavily against thefloor below them. Damian couldn’t help the amused snort on his end and raised a hand over his mouth. There was rarely any ample time to find conversations with his father’s allies. 

“I know,” he mumbled, playfully rolling his eyes at the mention of Tim. “That’s only part of the reason why I’m here. I’m sure any of my brothers would have a field day, knowing I’m asking for help.”

Bruce noted the glow of the computer as soon as he took the last step down into the cave, the light shining bright in the dark of the space and combining with both the lighting along the railings to the right and the few overhead lights scattered around. A dark mass at the base of the chair indicated Titus which, in turn revealed the identity of the person sitting before the screens. Though, Bruce didn’t need the dog to recognize his own son.

“Looking for something?” He asked dryly once he’d approached, raising an eyebrow at Damian. He wasn’t surprised that he’d pried into the computer’s information once again, nor was he too particularly upset. Damian was curious, worried, and most likely bored. Plus, there wasn’t anything new added since the last time he’d broken in. “Or are you just snooping around for fun?”

His father was no fool. Even as he heard the distant steps, his gaze remained focused on the files. The grimace hardly left his expression by the time he finally heard his father speak. Titus, in spite of his tired state, wagged his tail upon recognizing the other.

@taskymasters

The usual and quiet streets dimmed with flickering lights. Upon turning at a corner, near an alleyway, he paused for a moment. Underneath his mask, he squinted his eyes in anticipation of potential movement in the aforementioned alleyway. Whether it was one of Batman’s foes or a petty criminal, he was taught to stay cautious.