House of El Fanfic, Clark and Dick (and Robin)
Whee!! LJ is a fun place to visit but it sure is hard to live here.
I know, I haven't updated in forever. I think my status shall always be "sporadic", much like my writing.
But I return to fanfiction land with House of El fanfic.
Title: Generations and Legacies
Fandom: DC comics
Series: House of El
Pairing/Characters: gen; Dick Grayson, Clark Kent
Rating: G
Continuity: Nightwing: YO
Summary: Dick and legacies are a touchy subject.
Disclaimer: DC owns them, I drastically alter their timelines for entertainment.
Word Count: 933
The boy’s new costume is--he can’t use the word "gaudy," it would make him the world’s finest hypocrite--flamboyant. Modern. Collar up past his head and neckline down to--Superman jerks his head up and desperately tries not to think about it. Of course, it fits right in with the boy’s team, and the boy’s girlfriend--she wears little enough to make Clark blush--but this is Dick. Robin.
No, Nightwing. As many times as he reminds himself, it always sends a thrill of pride through Clark to know that this wonderful child, who is growing into a wonderful man, valued his guidance enough to choose a hero of Krypton for his name.
Now that child who came to him for advice so many times has called his name on a rooftop in New York and is pacing back and forth, gesticulating wildly and yelling. Superman cringes. He’d been wondering when this was going to come up.
". . . that he took in this kid, this street punk, bad enough he trains him for the streets, bad enough he calls him his partner, but he gave away my name! Without even so much as a "by your leave!" And then has the gall to send the punk to work with me! Not even for me, with me, like he’s the equal of years on the street and acrobatics training since before I could walk! Who the hell does he think he is?"
Dick has been ranting on this vein for some time. Superman is willing to lend an ear, and is sympathetic, but there’s only so much of it that he can take. Pushing himself off the edge of the roof, Kal floats over to where Dick is making yet another point about his replacement’s probable heritage and unworthiness.
"Nightwing." Kal puts a hand on Dick’s shoulder and the young man whirls to face him. "B can be . . . callous, and hard-hearted, and you know I don’t appreciate his reasons for the . . . impasse between you."
"B is--don’t even get me--"
"I hadn’t intended to." Kal smiles to take the sting out of the interruption. "But . . . this new Robin . . . as arrogant a punk as he might be, B chose him, not the other way around. How much of your anger at--Rao take it--at Bruce are you will to take out on your successor?"
Dick startles back, wide-eyed. "I didn’t--I don’t--you didn’t meet him, Kal!"
Kal shakes his head. "I haven’t. B is being extremely tightlipped about his new partner, more so than he ever was with you. There are a variety of possible reasons for this, from Bruce’s own deranged sense of territory to protecting the boy from missions he isn’t ready for yet."
Kal sighs, and floats a little away from Dick. Dick follows.
"I never really told you this, because I think you knew, but you deserve to be told anyway. When--when Dinah and I found out about Roy, not just any sidekick but the partner to the hero she was dating, she said something that made me do a lot of things that I wouldn’t have done otherwise, that I’m sure I would’ve wished I’d done if I hadn’t. Keeping you and Roy in contact. Making sure I could be there for you. Dinah and I grew up among heroes, too, and we remember."
Kal turns to face Dick, whose anger has cooled enough that he is listening intently.
"This business is too dangerous to go it alone, Dick, and I’m not talking about a team or a partner. I don’t have either. I’m talking about friends and family within the community, official and unofficial mentors, people who will put aside hurt to do right by another hero. Dinah put aside more hurt than I care to imagine in order to be there for Roy.
"Are you so angry at Bruce that you’re going to punish the boy with your name, too?"
Dick shrugs Kal’s hand off his shoulder, and Kal tries to remember that he just said something harsh to the young man, that his rejection is fueled by anger.
"Kal, I can’t even--my life right now--the Titans--"
Kal nods, and softens. "I know, I know, craziness. I hear about it in Metropolis on a regular basis. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be angry at B--I won’t get into whatever is between you two--I’m just suggesting you give the kid a shot. At least see if he’s worthy of your name."
Dick finally nods, and Kal feels something in his chest relax. What he said about Roy, about his own actions, it all could have come out with Dick hating him. He’s gladder than he can say that it didn’t.
"I guess I can try. But if he’s just some punk kid in my suit, you can bet I’m calling your alien butt back here for another session of ranting, Kal-El of Krypton."
Kal smiles, and Superman lifts into the sky. "Deal."
*
Two years later, Dick finds Clark--no, finds Kal waiting for him in Titan’s headquarters when the team returns from a long mission, incommunicado in space. Dick runs from Kory to his unusually stoic friend, and when Kal gives him the news, Dick breaks. Kal holds him, and Superman sends Kory to fetch Roy.
Much later, with a bruise the shape of Bruce’s fist rising on his cheek, Dick swears to do better by Jason’s legacy than he did by his own.
I know, I haven't updated in forever. I think my status shall always be "sporadic", much like my writing.
But I return to fanfiction land with House of El fanfic.
Title: Generations and Legacies
Fandom: DC comics
Series: House of El
Pairing/Characters: gen; Dick Grayson, Clark Kent
Rating: G
Continuity: Nightwing: YO
Summary: Dick and legacies are a touchy subject.
Disclaimer: DC owns them, I drastically alter their timelines for entertainment.
Word Count: 933
The boy’s new costume is--he can’t use the word "gaudy," it would make him the world’s finest hypocrite--flamboyant. Modern. Collar up past his head and neckline down to--Superman jerks his head up and desperately tries not to think about it. Of course, it fits right in with the boy’s team, and the boy’s girlfriend--she wears little enough to make Clark blush--but this is Dick. Robin.
No, Nightwing. As many times as he reminds himself, it always sends a thrill of pride through Clark to know that this wonderful child, who is growing into a wonderful man, valued his guidance enough to choose a hero of Krypton for his name.
Now that child who came to him for advice so many times has called his name on a rooftop in New York and is pacing back and forth, gesticulating wildly and yelling. Superman cringes. He’d been wondering when this was going to come up.
". . . that he took in this kid, this street punk, bad enough he trains him for the streets, bad enough he calls him his partner, but he gave away my name! Without even so much as a "by your leave!" And then has the gall to send the punk to work with me! Not even for me, with me, like he’s the equal of years on the street and acrobatics training since before I could walk! Who the hell does he think he is?"
Dick has been ranting on this vein for some time. Superman is willing to lend an ear, and is sympathetic, but there’s only so much of it that he can take. Pushing himself off the edge of the roof, Kal floats over to where Dick is making yet another point about his replacement’s probable heritage and unworthiness.
"Nightwing." Kal puts a hand on Dick’s shoulder and the young man whirls to face him. "B can be . . . callous, and hard-hearted, and you know I don’t appreciate his reasons for the . . . impasse between you."
"B is--don’t even get me--"
"I hadn’t intended to." Kal smiles to take the sting out of the interruption. "But . . . this new Robin . . . as arrogant a punk as he might be, B chose him, not the other way around. How much of your anger at--Rao take it--at Bruce are you will to take out on your successor?"
Dick startles back, wide-eyed. "I didn’t--I don’t--you didn’t meet him, Kal!"
Kal shakes his head. "I haven’t. B is being extremely tightlipped about his new partner, more so than he ever was with you. There are a variety of possible reasons for this, from Bruce’s own deranged sense of territory to protecting the boy from missions he isn’t ready for yet."
Kal sighs, and floats a little away from Dick. Dick follows.
"I never really told you this, because I think you knew, but you deserve to be told anyway. When--when Dinah and I found out about Roy, not just any sidekick but the partner to the hero she was dating, she said something that made me do a lot of things that I wouldn’t have done otherwise, that I’m sure I would’ve wished I’d done if I hadn’t. Keeping you and Roy in contact. Making sure I could be there for you. Dinah and I grew up among heroes, too, and we remember."
Kal turns to face Dick, whose anger has cooled enough that he is listening intently.
"This business is too dangerous to go it alone, Dick, and I’m not talking about a team or a partner. I don’t have either. I’m talking about friends and family within the community, official and unofficial mentors, people who will put aside hurt to do right by another hero. Dinah put aside more hurt than I care to imagine in order to be there for Roy.
"Are you so angry at Bruce that you’re going to punish the boy with your name, too?"
Dick shrugs Kal’s hand off his shoulder, and Kal tries to remember that he just said something harsh to the young man, that his rejection is fueled by anger.
"Kal, I can’t even--my life right now--the Titans--"
Kal nods, and softens. "I know, I know, craziness. I hear about it in Metropolis on a regular basis. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be angry at B--I won’t get into whatever is between you two--I’m just suggesting you give the kid a shot. At least see if he’s worthy of your name."
Dick finally nods, and Kal feels something in his chest relax. What he said about Roy, about his own actions, it all could have come out with Dick hating him. He’s gladder than he can say that it didn’t.
"I guess I can try. But if he’s just some punk kid in my suit, you can bet I’m calling your alien butt back here for another session of ranting, Kal-El of Krypton."
Kal smiles, and Superman lifts into the sky. "Deal."
*
Two years later, Dick finds Clark--no, finds Kal waiting for him in Titan’s headquarters when the team returns from a long mission, incommunicado in space. Dick runs from Kory to his unusually stoic friend, and when Kal gives him the news, Dick breaks. Kal holds him, and Superman sends Kory to fetch Roy.
Much later, with a bruise the shape of Bruce’s fist rising on his cheek, Dick swears to do better by Jason’s legacy than he did by his own.