Aiden ☢

First of all: This is the scene that inspired this entire fic. I read it and went “Woah! Get a fucking room!” and so I gave them a room because I thought it’d be a little funny to make JPV moan a little after being beat up by Dick. Sue me. Don’t actually I’m broke.

(Detective Comics (1937) #677)

And the context for what occurs in the fic is that it’d be around maybe Prodigal, or just after. While Jean Paul is better off than he was in canon, he is still struggling with similar issues like his worth as a person post-Batman.

Alright. Line by line! (Read: Paragraph by paragraph. except if there’s nothing.)

“The Prodigal Son returns, standing solitary in the gym of the Batcave. It takes him five seconds to even bother to look up at Jean-Paul.”

Okay so in the fic, one of the names that Jean-Paul uses for Dick is The Prodigal Son.

Now my experience with the story of the prodigal son is entirely from Elizabeth Bishop’s poem, so take that into account here. This nickname for Jean-Paul sort of . Is this subconscious version of him not fully seeing Dick as a regular person, but more than that. When I wrote it, this pedestal was based on Showcase ‘94 #10. This comes up in the fic where Jean-Paul does not entirely see himself as a person, and so Dick becomes this person to look up towards as something Jean-Paul can never be (Liked by Bruce, capable, and sure of himself.)

The 5 seconds is really just Dick going “Ohhhh my fucking god” and giving himself a moment before he has to deal with Jean Paul. This entire fic is full of Dick hating on Jean Paul. Mean Dick Grayson was a tag for a REASON.

“(In these five seconds, he’s noted the man’s pants that grip his waist, his shirt- One that has a bright fish and sun below the words“SEATTLE. Washington.”. It’s not his. If it were, it’d cling to his arms.)”

This is me stating to the audience that Jpv is not stupid. He is not a bad detective. He might think he is! He may have struggled with it when Batman. But he is not a bad detective, he is very much capable of seeing details.He can tell this is not Dick’s shirt because despite everything fitting, the arms are loose. and it isn’t! See: Sword of Azrael (1992) #3 where he is able to guess where Lehah is going to go based on the past two murders he’s committed.

Also the shirt is Roy’s. Your welcome Warrior for the Seattle mention. But yeah that’s just for Dick’s homoerotic relationship with his close friend that he’s wearing while fighting the guy he fucking hates. setting the tone for the fic.

““They still let you in the cave?” He asks in lieu of a greeting, still tight around the eyes when he forces himself to talk to Jean-Paul. Still tenses in his muscles. He only bites his tongue as he notices these minute details in the Son.”

Again, Jean Paul is very detail oriented here. He also notices it because of the feeling it gives him to be able to create such a feeling in Dick so he looks for it in him. He also calls him The Son, because his relationship to Bruce is one of the things that Jean Paul is EXTREMELY jealous of. All of his titles relate to things that Jean Paul both looks up to and is jealous of in him.

Dick also is being an asshole! Again! Dick as a character is most interesting to me when he is allowed to be an asshole. He can be a very nice person and make silly insults yes but questioning Jean Paul’s place in the cave is the more scathing option here. While he is curious yes he just also knows it’s gonna hurt Jean Paul. Mean Dick Grayson ily

““Yes.” He states. Plainly and cleanly. He had driven here with his ‘94 Beetle and had even gone through the manor, if only because the last time he had gone through the cave Batman was clearly unsettled by it. It still strikes him if he thinks about that moment.”

The beetle comment is both to date the fic (it is set a few years after 1994) and also to make fun of his car. <3

Jean Paul’s first dialogue aka my excuse to discuss his characterisation a bit more. Jean Paul in this fic is a mix between him and Azrael. He’s got his own emotions of feeling joy of creating strong emotions in Dick, and deciding to leave a certain way because it made bruce (and then, by proxy him) uncomfortable. But there is a lot of Azrael in how he speaks. That’s because I had yet read any Azrael or Sword of Azrael. If I were to write him now he’d be a lot more sarcastic and blunt. In this fic though? Draw it up to him having been Batman for months meaning he needs a little readjustment time. His dialogue is mostly most awkwardness and not wanting to be taken wrong by Dick. And also talking to Dick who he sees as above him in so many ways. Fun fact if you compare this to Ludovic in Azrael Annual #1 it’s very similar! :)

also its another time he’s shown as detail orientated here. Bruce isn’t a very emotive person in the 90s and yet he still knows he is unsettled by Jean paul suddenly showing up. And so he changes this behaviour on his own. Bruce is also only called Batman. Like Dick, what he respects and is jealous of with Bruce and also seeing him as something other than just a regular person. Hey guys you should read Azrael issue 3 and then issue 7 and 8 . for me. because then youll love the seeing them as more than human almost “divine” even MORE.Actually just . Here’s the Issue 3 moment (not 7 or 8. you don’t get that yet!!!)

(Azrael (1995) #3)

““... Well.” A slight glare, the light bouncing off his dark eyes, letting the deep, golden brown appear from underneath. “What are you here for.” He never takes his eyes off of him. A sign of distrust. Intense hatred.”

on account of Brown Eyed Dickie G: You’re welcome Warrior

This isn’t really. anything new. Dicks an ass. Dick doesn’t trust him. Keep the intense hatred part in mind though ok. and also the fact that Jean Paul is focusing so much on those eyes.

“(If he were to fight Nightwing again, he’d have to do it in such a place that forces him to ground, that any acrobatic move would be dangerous for such an acrobatic man. That he has to use his upper body. Azrael knows his upper body is focused on more than his legs, compared to the acrobat, who’s baggy pants just barely hide the strength of his lower body. In his memory of their fight Nightwing dances in the fire.)”

Azrael. This is all Azrael pushing through. It’s also the biggest reference to Dick and Azrael’s fight in the fic, and that image of Dick in the fire? Important 2 ME. It’s like seeing Jean Paul and going Oh. An Angel. Dick in the fire is him in his element, surrounded by danger yet effortlessly moving. So pretty much Jean Paul wants that man carnally- /j

““Training.” Because the gym he went to for cheap prices had closed. A front, one he should’ve noticed. Things like this is why Bruce Wayne is Batman, and he is nothing in his shadow. “I was going to use the dumbbells.””

Yes Jean Paul can be a detective but also like.This part is less about his skills and more about how he focuses on the failures not realising he’s been using a keen eye the entire fic. Also the training part is an excuse but like. something something he’s got this standard and now he must adhere to it. Do i personally thing Jean Paul cares about training? not a lot. Does he in Knightfall? yes. There’s a horrible Jim Aparo panel covering it so . have at that if thou will.

“Nightwing looks him up, down, up. A clench of his jaw. “Let’s spar.” He looks shocked enough for him to continue, “Don’t feel special, I just want to beat your ass.”

Funnily enough, this exact reason is the reason he feels different from anyone of the street.”

NIGHTWING NIGHTWING. he loveeesss using the names of the vigilante instead. Jean Paul in all my work will make this differentiation for others that don’t think theres anything different. He sees the small changes between them and sees it through his view. which is a lot more split between civvie and vigilante.

Also “Any attention is good attention” is at play here because either way he is still able to create this hatred in dick that no one else has. mentioned more later in the fic :)

“He walks over, watching as muscles flex and The Son stretches, light groans from places he must have been injured. It feels private. He tries to copy, not too much as to get a stink eye from the other man, but enough to form some kind of warm up.”

Another reference to the comic except this is me projecting the “get a room” onto Jean Paul.

Also generally the fact that Jean Paul copying. To me now because i didnt have much thought when first writing it, it’s a showcase of how Jean Paul has very few people to look towards for guidance in what he does. All his training is subconscious and he does not know what it can do, so he copies those around him with the training. But also Dick would hate him for it so he tries to obfuscate it.

“Nightwing is an aerial creature by nature, his first move is to flip behind Azrael to stop his sightline, tries to kick him as Azrael twists and grabs his foot,Nightwing almost drops before stomping it into his stomach and jumping up, landing a punch before he blocks the second and drags his arm to try ground him again.”

I’m not discussing the entire paragraph, just pointing out the moment the fight starts Jean Paul is referred to by Azrael. The entire fight scene is mostly based on the fact I was actively thinking of a fight in my head between the two and thats about it. I do it often enough so. “He almost growls, wrapping an arm around Azrael’s neck as he twists out his grip, cutting off his oxygen supply in such a way it feels like weights against his chest.”

^ Reference to the family member Abattoir killed I’m still mad about that. Tim that was your fault.

““Bastard.” Nightwing whispers, before jumping back up as if he had not been winded a second ago. His hand is like fire, a violent caress as he slaps his cheek before delivering an uppercut that if it were a sliver away could’ve broken his nose.”

Im not doing all the fighting. Cope

Another fire reference!! Very important that Jean Paul sees him with fire so much actually. that fight stuck with him A LOT. like a lot a lot. and you can tell.

Also A little bit of nightwing praise “As if he had not been winded a second ago”.

“This is, however, the Bats crowning achievement, and that achievement could never cause an injury he does not want to.”

And another showcase of Dick being seen as above in such a way that denies his personhood.

““This is why it took you fucking ages to stop anyone.” Nightwing breathes into his ear, only pausing for a second. The opening is clear, and he pushes them both up, Nightwing rolling off to not be caught by Azrael.”

Ok get a room. ok.

A reference mostly to how I felt reading Knightquest, where he’d bounce around to fifty things and I was like hey 5 issues ago there were these guys. are we gonna fight these guys. And then of course dick would see this and 100% poke at it.A comparison to Bruce is going to hurt Jean Paul bad.

“The Son’s eyes glare at him.The light bouncing off of the deep brown and bringing a light of burning hatred to the forefront, like the same pit of hell that Abattoir had fallen into. His clenched jaw, his tense muscles.

It makes Jean-Paul feel so special, knowing that he alone draws out such hateful jealousy out of the Bat’s crowning achievement. That even a man who only just counts as a person, too, can bring such emotion from the pedestals of man.”

AND THIS PART IS IMPORTANT 2 ME

First of all. The Abattoir line. I love mentioning that stuff I love mentioning comics. Also. less an at the time thing more of a now thing: Shows how far Jean Paul needs to go before he gets out of the hole Knightfall left him in. He still thinks about Abattoir and the man who died because of Abattoir and the flames surrounding Dick in their fight.

Also Jean Paul is here again. Important thing that this is the only part in their fight where Jean Paul’s name is used.

“Nightwing crowds him, slowly, hits exchanged like a business deal gone wrong, gun-runners that do not deserve their lives, the programming he relies so heavily on takes the controls and dances along the acrobat as a screwed-up version of a ballet, where Nightwing bounces off of him less as a collaboration of talent and instead to push him to the ground.”

The business deal gone wrong + gun runners is a reference to the gun runners he was trying to take down I think? at the start of Knightsend. But for anyone else reading: warrior also has an interesting take ask her abt that I forgot and its 2:44 in the morning.

Ballet line was actually written with Cass in mind. I thought of her when I wrote it and was like yay :) im keeping that! Jean Paul’s friend #hisfriend

““I don’t know what Bruce sees in you.” He talks to Azrael, to Jean-Paul, slowly leaning down. The shirt is just shy of straining over his moving chest, he smells like sweat. It fills Jean-Paul’s nose. His lids strain to stay even half-open. “And I certainly don’t see what everyone else sees in you- Treat you as anything but a pathetic stray.” Their breaths mingle, Nightwing is so close. His eyes dance across his face. “You’re certainly a fucking brilliant actor, if they all fucking believe it.” He snaps backs to Jean-Paul’s eyes. Dull blue meeting dancing brown.”

GET A ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

Also the end of the fight, so. Jean Paul’s back baybe!!! Ready to do some weird shit that will disturb Dick no doubt. Most of this is just homoerotica. But the general stuff Dick says. He does see himself as one in a few that sees Jean Paul for what he is. But a lot of that is jealousy. Jealousy that he was the first pick for Bruce of course . Duh. He clearly hasn’t read Azrael 1995 though because honestly everything he says can at least be enjoyed with a degration kink. Azrael 1995’s Bruce makes me want to throw bricks at him. Hurl em.

“A noise almost inhuman leaves his mouth. It is nearly silent, something only someone as close to him as the Son would be able to hear. It’s pathetic. He knows the moment it clicks for Nightwing what has just occurred. He recognises it more than Jean-Paul ever could.”

He’s moaning its a moan. He is moaning. He just doesn’t recognise it because he’s been too busy playing solitaire to ever get off /j

But this is like one of the first scenes I thought of. Tbh. If I don’t lie. And also you can see another “Jean Paul is actually quite capable of noticing stuff” because he sees that small shift in Dicks face.

““Fucking- Whatever, you need to leave, Jesus Christ. Go back to whatever fucking hole you spawn from and bring your goddamn unresolved issues with you, freak.” The anger in his tone brings something deep within his chest and it shows on his face, it most definitely does as the Prodigal Son takes one last glance at his face, and spits out a single “Pathetic.” as he leaves.”

Ok all I’m saying for this one is here’s a quote from discord

“jpv tells her one day while theyre on the topic like idk... he kinda kisses like he wants me dead... i kinda like it. and shes nodding and writing in massive letters on a clipboard "DEGRATION KINK"”

Ok continue

“He lays there for a moment after, panting still. Before he slowly gets up, groaning at the pain in his back, his arms, and trying to mimic the same warm up stretches.

Then, he goes back to his car, plays the casette and stares into the distance, a slight danger to add to his sprees of reckless driving as he makes his way back to his apartment. If only so that he can toe his shoes off at the door, make his way to his bed.

Collapse to his knees and pray that the vision of that man so close to his face that he could taste that man’s breath will be purged from his mind. That St. Dumas will forgive him for being weak in more ways than one.

He will wake and find it does not work.Another failure for a man who should never fail.

A man who is nothing.”

Ok one sitting for all of this because its 2:52

Mimicking the stretches was purposeful, they aren’t even his cooldown stretches but no one is fucking training him anymore (also, he learnt a lot of that as Azrael seeing as Azrael fights with Batman’s moves in mind) so all he can do is copy what he knows. which is Dick’s warmup stretches.

He’s listening to the Beatles. Also uh he recklessly drives like. ALOT. here’s three examples

(Catwoman (1993) #12)

(Azrael (1995) #16)

(Azrael: Agent of the Bat (1998) #48)

Ok So I don’t really like overly religious Jean Paul a lot. BUT. BUT. BUT. here I’ll say it works because he’s just off of Knightfall. He just had like so many St Dumas hallucinations where he is holy and noble. So its a little bit desperation and a lot not his usual. Also I don’t think he’s able to be normal about romantic attraction.

And then the last lines. More Showcase 94!!! Great job team ok lets go

And thats it. Thats all the fic. Its 3:01 so I’m just gonna. add the pictures and fuck off onto Discord for the night. I hope you enjoyed my musings of my own fanfic. For sticking around this long you get: Butch JPV and Talia from Azrael 1995 #29