Unfit for Society Recs

Batfamily

Author's Note by Trekkele
Jason may have been trying to take over the criminal underworld while avoiding Batman until his big dramatic reveal, but he still had time for hobbies. Hobbies like finally finishing the Pride and Prejudice AU he had started before his death, and posting the finished chapters for the 3 people who were still interested.

Maybe he should have double checked the subscribers list first. Oh heart.

go and find yourself by konan_konan
Dick's soul is separated from his body and everyone tries to figure out how to fix it. Oh Dick.

midnight sun by merils
Tim gets kidnapped. Kon rescues him quite handily. <3

The Obliterated Place by waterunderthebridge12
Bruce is dead.

Dick takes Damian to the museum. Set early in their partnership, Dick and Damian try to understand each other. Oh my heart. #we were the best, richard

Petty Theft by OliOcelot
Five times Jason stole the Batmobile’s tires, and one time it was absolutely, completely not his fault. Exactly what it says on the tin. Oh heart.

The Robin Declaration by waterunderthebridge12
Investigating a mysterious uptick in criminal knowledge of the Bats, Duke discovers the source of their information: fanfiction from Gothamites on AO3. Recruiting seasoned fanfic author Tim Drake and world's best hate commenter Damian Wayne, the three youngest Bats set out to spread misinformation, cause chaos, and snag a high hits-to-kudos ratio along the way. Sequel to the Robin Generation. Duke strategically uses fanfic to spread misinformation about the Bats. hilarious.

Rules were made because of Dick Grayson by KitsuneThorn
Dick Grayson woke up tied to a chair in a warehouse, injured, drugged, and unable to remember exactly how he ended up there. It was probably fine.

There were protocols, rules in place, on how to behave when kidnapped as a civilian. Every Robin and Batgirl knew the rules. But most of them didn't know just how many of those rules existed because of Dick Grayson. Oh Dickie.

Tip for a Successful Interview: Lie (Down) by Batbirdies & coyote_nebula
Clark discovers Bruce in the middle of an “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” dilemma.

Getting him on his feet is complicated. Clark is such a good friend! <3

To My Brother by a_silly_gander
Jason's in a small town somewhere in the Russian wasteland the first time he sends a postcard to Dick. Lost Days AU where Jason sends postcards to Dick while on his journey. Oh my heart.

turncoat by hellsreluctantheir
Spyral sends Dick to Gotham on a mission. It doesn't go as planned (or does it?). Oh boys.

✭

Batfamily

Corners by librarylexicon
After Bruce's return from the timestream, his kids work on sorting themselves out.

Don't Let Each Other Wander The Dark Alone by WinterSky101
Luthor captures Dick. Secrets come out. Dick tells his brothers what happened to him before he left to join Spyral. Oh my heart.

freaky friday by envysparkler
Jason doesn't know how he got here or who that red-helmeted asshole is, but he's not going to stand by and watch him kill people. Oh Jason...

The morning and what came after by lurkinglurkerwholurks
Bruce deals with the aftermath of Alfred's death (in the future, not in current canon). GROSS SOBBING. Have the tissues handy.

Nothing's Gonna Change My World by waterunderthebridge12
Dick gets his hands on a dimensional transporter, which means there's only one thing to do: save as many versions of his little brother as possible. Oh Dick. Oh Jason. I enjoyed this a lot.

robin radio by wesslan
Tim Drake, aged 11, finds an abandoned walkie-talkie and decides to start his own little personal radioshow to combat his loneliness. Jason Todd, Robin, happens to have the other walkie, and soon Tim doesn't feel as lonely anymore.

Tim Drake, aged 16, is lonely once again. But now he's Robin. He keeps talking into the walkie, and his one-man audience happens to still be the same... if a bit more murderous. Aw Tim. Aw boys.

School of Rock by Vamillepudding
Jason Todd has been dead for almost three years now. Everybody knows this. Tim definitely knows this.

And yet here he is now, looking very much alive, three years older and approximately 200 pounds heavier, in the middle of lecturing a bunch of sophomores about poetry and having just introduced himself as their new English teacher.

Bullshit, Tim thinks. Hilarious!

straight on 'til morning by merils
It starts simply, as do most things. Jon turns sixteen.

Jon turns sixteen, and Kon suddenly realizes that if anyone were to treat him the way he was treated at sixteen, he'd tear the world apart.

The revelations, unfortunately, don't stop there. Long, thoughtful, and lovely. Oh Kon. <333

We Saved All That We Could by MrMich
In the first story, Duke travels to another dimension 5 years earlier in the timeline, to a Bruce who is still dealing with his grief over Jason's death and a Tim who is training to be Robin. Oh Duke. <3 And in the sequel alternate dimension Bruce investigates whether Jason is alive, based on what Duke told him. Oh Bruce.

*

Leverage

Somethin' I'm Good At by WerewolfSmile
Really fun Hardison-centric vid! #age of the geek, baby!

✭

DCU

City State by EmilyArmadillo
Gotham likes Batman, but she loves Jason. That's why she brought him back to life. Jason becomes one of Gotham's agents on his return. I enjoyed this.

dead man walking by butchspiderman
When Jason wakes up from the nightmare that was his death, there's not a burning inferno in his chest, a rage potent enough to destroy everything in his path in a fiery immolation. Instead, Jason wakes up wishing more than anything that he was still asleep- there's a bone deep fatigue that's settled in his body, an exhaustion that becomes a second skin. So when Talia drops Jason back to Gotham, assuming he's going to enact a forty-step revenge plan--she couldn't be farther from the truth.

Jason's going to leave Gotham, no matter how deep Gotham tries to sink its claws into him. Compelling AU of Jason's return to Gotham.

everything happens for a reason. sometimes that reason is that you are stupid and make bad decisions. by suzukiblu
Unfortunately, Lex takes one look at Cadmus’s progress report on the newly-crafted Experiment Thirteen and realizes he has paternal instincts.

Well, that’s inconvenient. And a little disgusting, honestly. Certainly a disappointment.

He supposes it could be worse. He could be Lionel about this. Adorable!

house of storm by atlasky
When Bruce died, he left behind two sons and a legacy.

Dick Grayson is familiar with legacies. Sequel to Defiant Until the Sun Rises (previously recced), the AU where Bruce dies in Ethiopia and comes back as the Red Hood, centering on the aftermath of his return.

Lemon Lime by motleyfam
Duke rarely gets sick, so it's a surprise when he does. Aw Duke.

Rebound by waterunderthebridge12
Family always comes around.

Or, Dick and Jason learn that if you push people away, they come right back. Being family is hard, but they are trying. Oh boys. <3

the rules of playing make believe by hoebiwan
Homeless!Reverse Robins squat in Wayne Manor. Exactly what it says on the tin. This didn't go exactly the way I thought it would, but I enjoyed it.

take a break (and maybe commit some arson) by GalaxyOwl13
Tim is really, really busy. Way too busy to take a break. But he's got a date with Bernard, his family keeps trying to prevent him from working, and his boyfriend may have just made an accidental breakthrough in Tim's case. This is super cute!

Wayne Heir Did What?! by AlexaAffect
Jason agrees to let the press know he's alive. The resulting headlines make him regret it. This is a lot of fun!

✭

Batfamily

Family Photos by MermaidMarie
As long as he got to be a part of it, he didn't need anything else. He didn't need anyone to see his photos, know how close he'd gotten, know the lengths to which he'd gone.

It was enough, he thought, that he knew. Oh Tim. Oh heart.

How Sharp The Pieces Were (You Crumbled Into) by WinterSky101
Sequel to "The Shape Of You (Was Jagged And Weak)" (previously recced), the one where everyone thinks Dick is dead but he's been brainwashed into being Renegade. This one picks up after his return to the family and covers his slow healing process.

how to divide the conquest of thy sight by streetlight_skeletons
There's something wrong with Bruce. Dick is in his crosshairs. tense, compelling read.

January rain, never really goes away by amberlo133
Dick knew he was going to have to get a handle on this somehow; get someone to pin him until he could work through the panic. Someone who he couldn't damage.

Well...he didn't have any big brothers but he did have someone brother adjacent who was bigger than him… Oh heart.

leave as though fire burns under your feet by perissologist
On a dewy Sunday morning in April, Dick Grayson, trust fund baby and local celebrity, is found dead at the tender age of 25. His abrupt passing sends his hometown, the sleepy beach town of Gotham, into a tizzy--and his former guardian, old money stalwart Bruce Wayne, reeling. But as Bruce struggles to come to terms with his ward's death, it rapidly becomes clearer and clearer to him that there's something off with this tragedy--no, this "town"--no, this entire reality... Mournful murder mystery - a sad but good read.

The Letter of Recommendation by Nokomis
After being recognized by the Riddler, Stephanie Brown gets pulled into a memorable girl’s night with him, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Hee! This is super fun!

Like a Bird of Paradise by Nokomis
To Steph’s utter delight, Jason asks her to be his backup on an undercover investigation at a strip club. Jason undercover as a stripper!!! This is adorable!

Penelophon by Telperien
Catwoman is a creature of the night, teasing and taunting Batman until he gives in. Selina Kyle is an ex-con trying to go straight, sticking with Bruce Wayne until her meal ticket becomes her boyfriend.

Then she finds out that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one in the same. Then he proposes. Really wonderful Bat/Cat. Oh heart.

Steph!Robin Verse by procrastinationfairy
After Jason Todd dies, Stephanie Brown becomes Robin. Oh Steph. <333

temporal fraternity by envysparkler
Damian is stuck in a time loop and eventually makes his way to Tim for help. Oh boys.

We're All Alone In The Dark by Whalen
Pennyworth extracted the knife from his fathers hands and placed it gently in Damian’s much smaller ones and in that moment Damian understood why Jason insisted on showing Pennyworth the utmost respect, how despite the bitterness with which he often spoke on his previous life he had always saved a smile for the butler. Lovely, melancholy look at Damian when he arrives in Gotham.

*

Peanuts

Peppermint Patrick by Tabby_Shieldmaiden
He was a man. When he first realised it, the fact hit him like a train. But it made a lot of sense. Very sweet, gentle story in which Peppermint Patty realizes he's a man.

*

Ted Lasso

dolly in, zoom out by jedusaur
Nonlinear, Jamie thinks. Trent explained that to him once, and it stuck with him, the idea that not everything just keeps on moving forward all the time. Sometimes people fall back into old patterns, sometimes things don't happen in the right order. Sometimes you think a story is going to tell you what happens next, and instead it turns around to look the other way. But the story isn't really moving backwards when it does that, Trent said. It's just using the backwards look to build a stronger foundation for moving ahead. Time loop! Oh Jamie. <3

*

Star Wars

The Adventure Begins by Shadaras
Luke follows R2-D2 into the desert.

Ben, upon finding them, realises they need to return to the Lars' farm as quickly as possible before something terrible happens. Oh heart! Luke and Ben are in time to save Owen and Beru from the stormtroopers.

In Memoriam by saiditallbefore
One of Amidala's handmaidens writes a memoir. I enjoyed this.

✭

Earthsea

The White Ladies of the Ring by Luzula
There was a sorcerer imprisoned in the Labyrinth, and Arha had told Kossil that she would kill him—but she did not want to. Perhaps she needed to ask someone for help... This is a really sweet AU where Penthe leaves the Place with Ged and Tenar, and Tenar's life takes a slightly different (better) path.

✭

Earthsea/Piranesi

The Place of Birds by Vaznetti
In the wreckage of the Tombs, Penthe finds her way to the House, and to her own power. Really lovely crossover.

✭

The Good Place

In Which Jason and Chidi Rob a Bank by Rockinlibrarian
Chidi ponders the greater goods and lesser evils and may even come to (*gasp*) a decision about them. This is fun!

The Real Actual Human Life of Michael Realman by 1001paperboxes
Michael was a living, breathing, blood-pumping, organ-having human.

Goodbye fire squid, hello silver fox. Nice look at what Michael's life as a human might be like.

Things Janet Knows by AngstBlanket
♥JANET♥

✭

The Queen's Thief

Fist Fights and Fan Fiction: The Complicated Legacy of Eugenides & Irene by eponymiad
Scholarly article about Gen and Irene's "historical" relationship. This is a lot of fun!

verisimilitude by jediseagull
A message, a fight, a question, an answer; or, a year after the war, Costis navigates court politics and the secrets that aren't. I love it when Costis figures stuff out! <3

Why are the countries of Sounis and Eddis called by masculine names, but the country of Attolia by a feminine one? by sigaloenta
Three ways of looking at Attolian history, three moments in Irene's life. This is a really lovely look at Irene.

✭

Speed

Target by florahart
All Annie wants is to get her license back. Ugh. This is adorable!

✭

Sports Night

First Chill of Fall by out_there
Sweet post-s2 Dan/Casey.

✭

The Thin Man

before the thin man by rib14
A first meeting, at a murder investigation in San Francisco. A Nick and Nora origin story! <3

✭

Batfamily

Additions and Exchanges by smilebackwards
Damian's arrival in the AU where Tim apprentices to Alfred after Bruce won't make him Robin. <3

coconut and aloe by merils
After an encounter with Condiment King, Tim asks Kon to wash his hair for him. They both enjoy it a lot. Oh heart.

dead boy walking by hellsreluctantheir
Jason gets de-aged during a confrontation with Batman and Nightwing during UtRH. This complicates everything. Oh boys.

En Masse by TheSilencer
Nightwing needed backup.

So all of Bludhaven came. GROSS SOBBING!!! This is one of my favorite tropes, tbh.

Felicitations, Felix! by whaleofatime
Bruce Wayne goes to a wedding and is Extremely Regular about it.

Dick's just here to have a good time. Hilarious!

IRIS Log #1548 by deadchannelradio
Comms transcript of Jason getting into a car accident and everyone's ridiculous responses. Hilarious.

The Isolation Place by acuteneurosis
It's only a magic spell, and Tim has a plan. To get help. Immediately!

It's not his fault Damian happens. Tim gets turned into a cat. His plan to get help derails almost immediately and things spiral out of control from there. Oh Tim. This is both hilarious and a little heartbreaking, which is how any story about Tim should be.

a light and diplomatic bird by lux_et_astra
AU series where Tim and Jason become friends before Ethiopia, and that changes things. I enjoyed this.

Most Girls Never Win If They're Polite by Sohotthateveryonedied
7yo Steph has a brief encounter with Batman. Oh heart.

necessary reminders by Quillium
Duke, as Signal becomes known and as Duke becomes part of the Wayne family. ♥DUKE♥

Of House and Home by SonoSvegliato
Tim eats his feelings and all the food in Dick's apartment and all Dick can do is watch. Hee! Aw boys.

red tags by mikkal
A series of snapshots about Jason's interactions with his community. <3

Satisfaction by lurkinglurkerwholurks
Selina had not been a little girl who dreamed of white dresses.

The marriage of Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne, from Selina's POV. Lovely!

The Time Before by Cdelphiki
19yo Jason gets thrown back in time into his 9yo body, and despite some severe misgivings, goes to Bruce for help. Oh heart.

though some cast again by Icestorm238
5th part of the "what's past is prologue" AU (series previously recced), wherein Dick is fine! with his return to Gotham and the family. (Spoiler: Dick is not fine.)

to get to this moment by queersoverbeers
Dick struggles to enjoy the first Christmas with his family all under one roof. Bruce and Jason help guide him through it. Oh my heart... *sobs*

Twelve Magpies by 061828
Tim manages to wrestle with life enough to tug Bernard into place beside him. Tim, figuring out how to be in a relationship with Bernard. Oh Tim.

✭

Batfamily

beep beep!! by CreamofTomatoSoup
Bernard learned to drive from his henchman uncle. The last place he expects to use this skill is at a dinner with his boyfriend's family. This is so fun!

dead men tell no tales 'verse by mikkal
Jason doesn't stay dead, but nothing lasts forever. Oh Jay.

A Family History Rewritten by MysticMalady & TheBestTinyDragon
Tim gets sent back in time to an alternate Gotham and has to make his own way without support. It's a good thing he's resourceful. Aw, Tim.

The Long Way Home by itsnatalie
Tim and Jason go on an involuntary life-changing field trip together and learn how to be brothers. I enjoyed this a lot.

Pluto by orpheusaki
Jason meets a version of Bruce who has manifested his fears very differently. Jason gets sent to a dimension where Batman kills. It's not quite what he was expecting. Oh Jason. Oh Bruce.

Satisfactory Bonding Activities by raven_of_hydecastle
Tim and Damian bond by taking over the world. This is hilarious. <3

a very many hoods by hellsreluctantheir
Universes where Jason was not the batkid who got killed by the Joker and dug himself out of the grave. Exactly what it says on the tin - 5 AUs where someone else dies and comes back as the Red Hood. I enjoyed these a lot.

✭

Batfamily

bad news, this place is magic as fuck by mikkal
Jason's on the trail of a killer who's targeting kids in Crime Alley for an unknown magical ritual. Between that and his family who insists on butting in, he's got his work cut out for him. But, as they say, nothing is as it seems. Compelling casefic. Oh Jason.

Memory Foam by orpheusaki
Even after he comes to live with Bruce, Jason continues to wear his ratty old sneakers. Bruce tries to understand. Oh heart.

right place, wrong time by Valkirin
12-year-old Tim and 16-year-old Tim switch places and 16-year-old Tim takes the opportunity to fix things for his younger self and his family. Oh Tim.

Staying for Tea by frozenpotions
Martha Kent invites Bruce Wayne in for tea. Bruce is unused to being mothered. Oh heart!

They fuck you up, your mum and dad. (—They may not mean to, but they do. ) by llamallamaduck
Batman snaps and kills the Joker and gets sent to prison. Talia sends Jason to rescue him.

This Must Be The Place by cabezas_de_vaca
I enjoyed 10 story AU where Lois and Bruce are BFF from their teens - 1 story about Babs is still in progress but the rest are complete. Could use a good line edit but it works really well emotionally, especially with Steph, Damian, and Bruce.

a world in repair by Batbirdies
In which Damian gets a perilous case of the hiccups and Jason deals with the strange experience of seeing himself in his younger brother. Aw boys. I think this works even if you haven't read the rest of the series, but I do like this series and have previously recommended it. *g*

✭

Batfamily

and voices are in the wind's singing by mikkal
Bruce goes back for Jason after the showdown between him and the Red Hood (and the Joker), and finds out exactly what his batarang hit. *sobs* (goes along with "dear listeners, here is a list of things")

dear listeners, here is a list of things by mikkal
In the past, it's a standard gala until men with guns interrupt.

In the present, it's a charity event. With only one man and only one gun.

Jason saves the day both times. (The second time is a little worse, though.) Oh Jason! <333

bringing everyone home by quandaries_and_contradictions
Jason has been many things: Bruce Wayne's son, Robin, living, dead, living again, pit mad, only pit mad-ish. He's not quite sure what he is anymore.

But he is sure of one thing, after meeting eight-year-old Damian al Ghul in the League of Assassins. He is going to steal Ra's al Ghul's grandson. And when he does that, the only place the two of them will be safe is in Gotham. <333

Don't You Cry, Dry Your Eyes. by orpheusaki
Steph calls Bruce when she needs help but she never expects him to actually show up. This is really lovely.

Holy Time Travel Fuckery, Batmen by That_One_Curly_Haired_Fangirl
Batman is dead, and Dick has reluctantly taken up the mantle.

So then why are there four Batmen, all clearly Bruce, standing in front of him on this rooftop? Oh heart.

Plus C'est by Ginevra_Benci
It's cold out, and Jason steals the Batmobile's tires.

...twice. Aw, Jason. <3

Prince and Pauper by Vamillepudding
In the wake of Jack and Janet Drake's untimely death, Bruce sets out to search for their missing son, determined to adopt him. After a long, arduous search, he finally brings home a new addition to his family.

He fails to realise that the new kid living in Wayne Manor is not Tim Drake. I enjoyed this!

put away childish things by monroesherlock
"I was sent here as a punishment, surely," Damian deadpans.

"Are you feeling punished?" Martha sounds like she's laughing at him. Unacceptable.

"Absolutely." Damian spends his first Halloween in Smallville instead of Gotham. Oh heart.

So...Rock, Paper, Scissors? by Miss_Lazy_Tuesday
His smile widens. "You will pick one to kill. I shall give you ten minutes to decide and say your goodbyes. If you have not killed one of your brothers when the time is up, I will kill all three."

Jason feels the bottom drop out of his stomach. This was supposed to buy him time, not give him a literal deadline.

"You see, little blade? I have made it so easy for you. You aren't even really killing one. You are saving two. Your time starts now." Oh boys... #i'm not crying you're crying

A Stitch in Spacetime by frozenpotions
Bruce finds a suspicious man lurking in his office late at night. For whatever reason, he's wearing a cape. oh heart.

this kind of weather by r_astra
Jason's at school when his mom dies, and that's the only reason any of it happens. If he'd been home, if he'd been with her, he would've been in the wind before anyone else even knew. Even if they looked, no one ever would've found him. He'd have taken to the sewers if that's what it took, man-eating crocodile guy and all. AU where Bruce is Jason's bio-dad and things go a little differently. <3

Two Sides by a_silly_gander
Damian meets Jason while Talia is taking care of him, post-resurrection but pre-Lazarus pit. I enjoyed this AU of how Jason comes home and brings Damian with him.

where did you go? (i should know) by gcldvving
Contrary to popular belief, Damian Wayne was keenly aware of all of his flaws. His entire life had been about improving, about becoming the best version of himself possible, and how could he possibly do that without meticulously recording, indexing, and attempting to correct every single one of his weaknesses?

Not all flaws, however, were so easy to fix. Frankly, he wasn't even sure if they could be fixed. Have the tissues handy and mind the tags – Damian's having a rough time but he does eventually get the help he needs. This is really good.

*