The Best Things In The New Nightwing Run!!!! (In A Random Order)

YES YES YES THIS EXACTLY THIS!!!

Also people forget that when you fuck with Dick Grayson he doesn’t just take the hits and go well they’re family I love them.

He leaves

Not permanently, never permanently.

But if you lash out at him he’ll bow out of your story.

Quintessentially he’s a character who exists to fill in flaws or missed edges (Robin was literally invented to keep Batman talking so comic books would be more interesting) and Dick is also a performer at heart

He knows when he’s losing the audience and when to go for intermission.

And the people he works with know he’s always right there if they need him urgently but that subtle support he provides will be absent until his wounds are sufficiently licked.

And give me a story where the characters know deep in their bones he will always answer their calls even if they no longer speak but not wanting to use it outside of an urgent situation because they understand how he works and are trying to respect that he will always come when called even if he really really needs to be away from them.

Like a respect for his autonomy as a person as well as a hero.

And only the brutality aspect it always annoys me as a lover of both canon and fanon when in fanfictions people will have Dick bring out Red Hood as a way to scare criminals.

I feel like this did bleed into Tom Taylor’s canon story but now that Dan Watters is writing again… yeah no

Mr “I’m putting my foot down better hope it doesn’t land on your neck” Grayson doesn’t need his little brother to come in and scare his cities criminals.

I genuinely love how in batfam fanfics….

Dick is like: little D (Damian), Timmy Tim, little wing (Jason) I’m on my way my baby bros!!!

And then in canon….

Dick: *perpetually perturbed by his codependent siblings but knows he’ll never not answer cause who else is gonna pull their dumbassses out the gutter*

we do a little silly

I love being in psych bc I learn shit like

Men’s brains get less sexually aroused when they smell women’s tears compared to saline solution (based on BOLD signals from fMRI)

Which means rapist just do it for the game and the “oh what she was wearing” “he can’t control himself” “men have urges” thing is wrong scientifically as well as morally, logically, ethically and all the other ly’s

So if you say this I’ll take a guess and say if I were to fMRI ur brain there would be no activity.

Sometimes I feel like us as the bat family fandom forget how starry eyed people get about Nightwing canonically.

Because with the exception of early era Tim most of the Batkids are like. lol that’s my loser older brother or some variation of yeah…he’s some guy I guess? He helps me with homework?

And Nightwing is the canonically a center of multiversal light.

When Heroes meet Nightwing they do the vigorous handshake and the “it’s an honor to meet you sir, I have heard so much about you oh my god”

There are so many character where they are literally shown giggling and kicking their feet whenever Nightwing talks to them.

Even the people who don’t have the celebrity level worship of him respect the hell out of him and call him as soon as they need help.

From raven to Starfire to Superman to Superboy to all or the flashes there is so much respect and awe given to this one dude.

And it is deserved

But imagine you are Damian Wayne and you’ve been working with what 90% of the people you’ve met (all bats) have been calling an embarrassment to your father’s legacy.

Your mother hates him and your Grandfather doesn’t feel that strongly about him.

The red hood calls him an embarrassment and a coward and he couldn’t even keep Red Robin from running away.

Your father tells him that he never should have been Batman

And you’ve worked with him and you know what you think everyone is full of shit about him and you and him the new Batman and Robin are the best no matter what anyone says.

And fuck it the fact he keeps going in a suit that everyone tells him he’s not good enough for is scratching something in your brain that you’re refusing to acknowledge because why would you feel that way? You are the circus freak have nothing in common (shut up)

And then you meet the justice league and all the extended teams.

And people are falling over themselves to listen to a word out of your brothers, your Batman’s mouth. They wait for a nod or headshake and dictate decades worth of planning on it.

Both Drake and Todd’s hero teams ask him for advice with or without their designated bats presence.

The man of steel asks for child rearing advice and wonder woman cracks a joke about a spar

Newer heroes whisper about him in the halls

He’s literally your favorite hero’s favorite hero

And it’s breaking Damian’s Brain

Because well… he kinda gets slapped around in Gotham. He’s the butt of half the jokes the other Batkids make and Dick just smiles and takes it.

The rogues have a bounty on nightwings ass and he gets leered at by goons, rogues, civilians and anti-hero’s alike and he doesn’t say anything.

He lets oracle crack jokes about a pretty face and having to do everything herself

Let’s Jason run the alley despite the fact that apparently he knows how to take it back

Apparently he’s had 12 people tailing Drake since Paris and despite being the man Ra’s Al Ghul calls detective has yet to notice. (Because you can’t tell me Dick was just magically at the right place to catch Tim falling to his death on coincidence)

And necessary to peace talks because he’s the best they have at deescalation

Like imagine you are a child who was raised to believe power is this obvious, all consuming thing. That the ones who control the board are visibly larger than life figures who fought their way to the top and cling to power by even the thinnest hangnail if they had to.

People who ignore simpler morals or an overall greater goal or good

And then you’re taken in by the man who whispers the correct answers into the larger than life figures ear.

Like I feel like that would have such an impact because Dick didn’t take power from anyone to reach his goals, it’s why his siblings don’t really defer to him unless in crisis.

Dick didn’t take power, no people just looked at him and decided he was the best option to give it to.

Everyone basically looked at this kid and went, yeah you’re the future of all heroism.

And if that dude can’t even get Bruce Wayne’s respect what chance does Damian Wayne have

Everybody just picks him up, like a couple of grapes

Bats on Christmas (where are they?)

Dick: with the titans, has been pleasantly buzzed since 8 am. Phone has been off since midnight. Ate his weight in Christmas dinner and candy. Will meet each of his siblings one on one every day after (Jason and him get shitfaced on new years) but currently his head is on Donna’s lap and his legs are on Roy’s and he’s in a constant state of almost sleepy bliss (no one is dead shush)

Jason: binging Xmas movies him and mom used to watch at his apartment. Alfred sent him a full spread (listen in my country we do turkey and fix ins for Xmas idk what Americans do on Xmas) and he’s just been enjoying a quiet day in a nice apartment (bc I refuse to acknowledge or accept anyone being ok with Jay not having a nice warm apartment. If Dick Gave him a safe house he bought with mob money or he actually kept his drug lord money idc he has a very pretty apartment idcidc)

Tim: with Steph and Bernard, they’re shit talking him to bond, him and dick will meet and exchange presents the day after Xmas and he’s panicking bc he completely forgot to buy dick a gift so the three of them are at the mall while Tim gets increasingly worried

Damian: mad he’s not with Dick, at the Kent’s instead. Got the most presents bc all his siblings gave him stuff and both Dick and Bruce bought way too much stuff

Bruce: doesn’t do anything for Xmas and hasn’t since Jason died. His mom was Jewish so until the kids it just wasn’t a good time for him (for obvious reasons) and now his kids don’t really come home so he had a very peaceful night in and unlike literally any other time Christmas is surprisingly quiet in Gotham.

Steph: has collected a bunch of embarrassing Tim photos and is showing and telling Bernard info Tim wouldn’t let be known on his death bed while Tim is panicking over dicks gift. She spent Xmas eve with her mom so now she’s just chilling bc she already bought Dick, Cass, Damian and Tim gifts so she’s safe.

Cass: with babs since her dad has to work they’re having a very small and quaint Xmas together but it’s nice and them

Alfred: actually goes to mass

I like the fact that the main difference between Dick Grayson and Nightwing is just straight vibes

Dick Grayson is a good looking, fun, smart guy who can sometimes come off a lil goofy or awkward but he’s nice to talk too and is therapist shaped if you’re going through it. The kinda guy you can pull aside and ask for him to listen to a 9 hour mental breakdown and he’ll do it in exchange for a latte.

Nightwing is a consummate professional, he will lead your team, get you in, get ur info, get you out. No ifs ands or buts around it. He doesn’t gaf unless it’s gonna fuck up

1) his teammates

2) peoples chances of living

3) ur brain fundamentally

Otherwise bro is here to do his job, make 1-7 bad puns and gtfo

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23094079

idk if you like reverse robins but…red hood steph

PFFFFTTTTTTT

BRO I feel like so many times people de age my son and make him a saint or the devil.

No HE IS JUST CHAOS

Bro grew up weird and thinks the way he grew up was normal ofc he’s annoyed your worried for him

There are like 2 things bby Grayson doesn’t like

- insults to his parents

- insults to his showmanship/ skill

If you think a BRUISE is gonna knock him down obviously you’re insulting both and are obviously cringe fail losers lmao

Also I love how we all agree that in the deaged verse Damian is horrifically and cartoonishly protective of Dick Grayson

THANK YOU FOR THE FIC REC

Post hush 2/ Batman 159

Bruce:

Dick:…

Bruce:

Dick:

Bruce:

Dick:

Bruce:

Dick: I’m not mad

Bruce: you punched a hole through the concrete support beam Dick I think your ly-

Dick: SHUT UP FOR ONE SECOND

Bruce:

Dick: I’m not mad

Dick: but can you explain to me, your son -if that MEANS anything anymore- why the fuck

Dick: you thought it was okay to SHOOT MY BROTHER IN THE FACE

Bruce: it was necessary to discover his id-

Dick: STOP TALKING.

Bruce: you asked me to explai-

Dick: THATS BEFORE I REALIZED YOU WERE BEING FUCKING STUPID

Dick pinching the bridge of his nose: okay let me phrase it this way. Let’s say it wasn’t Jason behind the mask

Bruce: it was tho

Dick: let’s imagine an alternate reality where Jason doesn’t raise my blood pressure

Dick: and let’s say you shot this secret third person in the face, and it went through the helmet

Dick: and you ended up killing them

Bruce: I wouldn’t have I analyzed the makeup of the mask and extrapolated the amount of force required to shatter it vs go clean through it

Dick: yeah except that wasn’t your gun

Bruce: I knew the make

Dick: and I can count 60 rogues, mercs and assassins who match jays build and customize their weaponry in ways we can’t notice until they fire

Bruce: … I don’t see the issue here

Dick: you don’t see the issue in shooting my brother in the face with a fucking gun? To protect I don’t even know who?

Bruce: …

Dick: …… Bruce

Bruce: yes dick

Dick: don’t lowercase my name asshole, but you… wouldn’t right?

Bruce: wouldn’t what

Dick: no?… no that’s crazy? I’m being crazy (crazy I was crazy once) you wouldn’t help the joker in our damn cave. You wouldn’t BRING THE JOKER to our damn cave and get pissy that Jason was angry about that

Bruce:…

Dick: you’re the world’s greatest detective you couldn’t figure out somewhere else to take care of the PSYCHO?? Or better yet??? LET THE BASTARD DIE

Bruce: my job is to save people

Dick: unless it’s Jason apparently. No it’s fine if HE gets blown up.

Dick: also SINCE WHEN IS JOKER PEOPLE??? JASON IS BARELY A PERSON IN YOUR EYES?

Bruce: Nightwing you’re being emotional-

Dick: don’t try to switch personas with me asshole this is Bruce and Dick fighting over the fact that you seriously need to stop doing this shit to Jason before you drive him off a ledge

Bruce: Jason is fine

Dick: dude.. fine i defended you when you slit his throat bc my city was a pile of radioactive waste. Sure okay? Penguin dead? And you beating him into the ground I minded my damn business

Dick: the FUCKINF demon bat possession or whatever the fuck happened during Gotham war Tim pulled me off your ass and made sure I didn’t add your death to my conscience

Dick: don’t even play that THIS WAS A REASONABLE AND NORMAL PERSON THING BRUCE