If I owned DC at least one or two of the kids would have shown up in the cinematic universe by now. (Jason's Robin costume doesn't count.)

Prompts provided by the lovely and amazing Ferith12 on AO3.

Phobaphobia

n. The fear of developing a phobia

Finding the Replacement in his kitchen is not high on the list of things Jason Todd ever wants to wake up to. The kid is standing in front of Jason's state-of-the-art-it-is-100%-off-limits-Roy coffee maker, bloodshot eyes fixed on the pot. It's way too early to deal with this.

"What are you doing here, Pretender?" Jason asks as he contemplates his chances of survival if he tries for some of the coffee (Colombian) currently brewing. It doesn't look promising.

"Making coffee."

"I can see that." Jason says cautiously as he begins collecting what he needs to make them omlets and toast. "I meant more specifically."

"I'm not afraid of it."

Jason wonders if he should call Dick-face and tell him that Baby Bird has finally lost it and come get him because he is the only one allowed to have psychotic breaks in his safe houses.

"Pardon?"

"Dreams lie. I'm not afraid of it. I'm not!"

"Are you saying," Jason says slowly, whisking half-a-dozen eggs together with cheese and chives, "That you had a dream you were afraid of coffee?"

Tim doesn't look away from the percolating beverages, his knuckles white on the Wonder Woman mug he is clutching. "Yes."

"And you are in my kitchen at 6:30 AM to what? Prove it wrong?"

"My coffee maker is broken." Tim says mechanically. Jason assesses the bags under his eyes, makes a guess at how long it has been since the kid slept, and begins trying to figure the best way to slip him a sedative without getting caught.

Demagogue

n. a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

(in ancient Greece and Rome) a leader or orator who espoused the cause of the common people.

"I insist." Damian glares at them all. "Surely if such a mediocre person as the president of the United States of America can pardon a turkey than so can you, Father."

Fernweh

n. A German word literally meaning "farsickness".

Wanderlust, a desire to travel, a longing for far-off places

"He'll be back you know."

Damian didn't look up from his sketchbook. "What inanities are you spouting now, Gordon?"

Used to the youngest member of the Family's rather unique way of expressing himself by now, Barbara didn't take offense and instead wheeled herself into the sun room, coming to a halt beside the cushion Damian was sitting cross-legged upon. "Dick. He always comes back."

This time Damian did look up and Barbara could see the hurt shining in his blue-grey eyes and the stubborn set of his mouth. "Why would I care what Grayson does. It's no concern of mine." As if he was aware of the way his face betrayed the lie he resolutely turned back to whatever it was he was drawing.

Barbara hummed, arguing with Damian never accomplished anything. "It something that Bruce has never understood. It is part of why they fought so much back then. It isn't that Dick doesn't love us and want to be here with us, but sometimes he just needs to remind himself that the cage door is open and that he can leave. And he gets twitchy when he stays in one place for too long."

Damian had stilled, listening despite himself and Barbara resisted the temptation to ruffle his hair the way she would have with Dick, Jason, or Tim. "Haly's is touring Europe right now. He'll probably travel with them for a month or two and then one day he'll just show up for breakfast. He might even stay in the manor for awhile before he finds an apartment."

Something she'd said had been enough to ease the tension that had been pulling Damian's shoulders taut since Dick had stormed out of the manor that morning after his latest fight with Bruce, her work here is done. Alfred owes her one.

Brontide

n. A low muffled sound like distant thunder heard in certain seismic regions especially along seacoasts and over lakes and thought to be caused by feeble earth tremors.

"Call me paranoid," Dick murmured quietly to Barbara. "But I'm actually worried to see them all getting along."

"They're just your little brothers." Babs deadpanned, not looking away from the trace she was running for him. "What could possibly be worrying about that?"

Elegant

adj. Pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.

(of a scientific theory or solution to a problem) Pleasingly ingenious and simple.

"When I said I expected you to make it up to me, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind." Selina did her best to keep her smile from showing.

Bruce rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I had reservations at Gianna's but apparently someone leaked that information to the paparazzi and I wanted tonight to be just us."

Selina smirked. "Yes, Vicki Vale third-wheeling would be rather uncomfortable, wouldn't it?" She brushed off her skirt. "You are lucky I don't mind climbing onto the rooftop in a dress."

Bruce smirked back and Selina laughed. She was aware of how well the dress in question fit her. Bruce hadn't had her climb up first and followed so he could catch her if she fell. Who said you weren't allowed to age gracefully?

"I have been informed," Bruce said solemnly as he led her over to the picnic blanket, set with fine china and a small candelabra. "That the manor roof has one of the best views in Gotham."

"Your source wouldn't happen to be your eldest son now, would it?" Selina settled down against a gable.

He shrugged. "Guilty as charged. He also took Damian for the weekend so we won't be disturbed."

"Unless Tim or Cassandra come home."

"We'll hope for the best."

Stars

n. Plural of Star. A fixed luminous point in the night sky that is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.

v. 3rd person present of Star. (of a movie, play, or other show) have (someone) as a principal performer.

Al'Esliha commands her muscles not to shake as she stands before Father the gun barks, a searing pain fills her body, radiating from the new wound in her leg. She does not flinch.

Father nods in approval and stitches her wound himself. After, he takes her outside and they watch the stars for hours.

Cassandra hangs her Batgirl costume carefully in the cave. Bruce-Batman joins her as Alfred-Butler brings them sandwiches. Alfred-Butler makes very good sandwiches. Bruce-Batman is tired and sad so Cass hugs him tightly. He is surprised at first but soon he is hugging her back like he never wants to let go. They watch the stars until dawn chases them from the sky.

Imagine

v. form a mental image or concept

It's not that everyone getting along is a rare thing in Casa del Wayne but...well, its a rare thing. So Dick isn't quite sure if he should pinch himself or back away slowly. All four of his siblings in one room, plus Babs and Stephanie, and no bloodshed? He is either dreaming, or they are conspiring against a common enemy.

Given that Damian looks pleased, Jason amused, Babs smug, and Cass and Steph are giggling into each others' hair and giving him sideways looks, he'd bet that its the latter with a high probability the he is said common enemy.

Tim, who is giving hiding behind his tablet the best shot he can, squeaks as Steph pokes him in the side. Besides Tim, eyes firmly fixed on the screen in his hands, they are all watching Dick with varying combinations of amusement, hilarity, and anticipation. Escape seems unlikely so he bites the bullet and strides into the room with his best showman's saunter.

"Do I want to know?" He injects as much humor as possible into his tone and bends to kiss Babs on the cheek. She turns and playfully catches it with her lips and Dick takes a moment after she pulls back to admire how beautiful she is, her red hair clipped up in a messy bun and the reflection of her laptop screen on her glasses nearly hiding her eyes.

Jason burst into partially stifled laughter at his question and seems to be still standing only because he is leaning against the wall. Tim is bright red, the blush reaching down his neck and over his ears.

"Well you see," Stephanie says, her tone gleeful, "It all started because of these two." she flicks a hand at Babs who smiles serenely the way she does whenever there is an alien invasion with a monologuing leader she's about to destroy, and Tim who sinks deeper into his seat, muttering about how he didn't ask for this. "We're figuring out the structure of a society where they use their powers for evil instead of niceness and form a totalitarian dictatorship instead of just operating as a shadow government over a world that hasn't realized it's been conquered.

In this world, Babs and Tim-Tim are the totalitarian dictators, obviously. Baby Bat here is Public Enemy Number One just out of principle." Damian crosses his arms over his chest proudly and Tim mutters "spite" under his breath.

"Principle." Steph repeats firmly. "I'm the leader of The Resistance and Tim and I broke each others' hearts so its personal. He's obsessed with capturing me and I'm determined to bring an end to his cruel regime."

She flaps a hand in the air. "And while I am leading this rebellion, I am also having a torrid affair with Jason, who is an outlaw who claims to only be out for his own interests but is really my unofficial co-leader. Very Han Solo-esque."

Jason is sliding down the wall in his hilarity and Tim is practically horizontal at this point, his blush growing deeper and deeper as he sinks farther and farther into his seat. "Cass is Barbara's trusted and terrifying right hand, of course." Steph continues, ignoring the peanut gallery around her.

There is a significant pause in which everyone looks at Dick expectantly, even Tim peeking over the top of his tablet, and he surrenders to the inevitable. "And where am I in this hypothetical world order?"

Damian flushes red in his turn, looking peeved as Jason loses it altogether, lying helplessly in a heap on the carpet, gasping for breath through his howls of laughter. Tim loses the battle he has been fighting against embarrassment and gravity with friction as his ally and actually slips out of his armchair and disappears beneath the coffee table in a flail of limbs and an ominous crack that has Dick wincing and hoping that was the tablet and not his little brother's skull. A warm arm snakes around his hips from the side.

"How do you feel about being my love-slave?" Barbara smiles wickedly up at him. "According to Stephanie I keep you locked up in a decadent palace somewhere."

Dick blinks, not really sure what to say to that at first. He can hear Damian grumbling about the willful disregard of his (Dick's) ability to escape any prison they put him in.

Cass is chewing on her lip, watching him with the crinkles around her eyes she gets when she laughs. "Of course I am feeding intel to the rebellion." he gives his own sly smirk right back at Babs.

She tilts her head and the reflection in her glasses takes on a sinister tinge. "And of course I know all about it," she hums, leaning in closer. Jason is beginning to sound like he might actually pass out from lack of oxygen. "and have been feeding you false information."

Dick is practically sitting on the arm of her wheelchair at this point and Damian snorts.

"I have better things to do than tolerate this idiocy and watch Grayson and Gordon flirt." He stalks out of the room, Titus on his heels, and Stephanie joins Jason in rolling on the floor as Tim dares to emerge from beneath the coffee table.

Notes:

nothing expressed herein is representative of my political views and/or opinions. Just Damian's.

Al'Esliha = The Weapon

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