lettered | You guys you guys you guys!

You know what the world needs more of?

Batman/Gordon. Bruce Wayne/Jim Gordon, Bruce/Jim, Jim/Bruce, Jim Gordon/Bruce Wayne, Gordon/Batman. Do you see how I am like a tween dreaming of marriage to her chemistry class crush? Bruce Gordon. Jim Wayne. Bruce Wayne-Gordon. James "Jim" Wayne.

First of all, you guys, Commissioner Gordon. I read this quote about how in a place like Gotham City, it's easier to be Batman than Commissioner Gordon. It's melodramatic, but don't you think it's a little true? I mean, isn't the whole reason Wayne became Batman because he didn't see how else to do what needed to be done? And yeah, that's brave, and maybe cleverer, more productive, useful (in the short term. Who knows what it does for the underpinnings of society? I'm not even getting into the ideas of Gordon's actions being definitely more ethical, perhaps also more moral).

But Gordon's the one doing this thing he knows is impossible. And he's never going to stop, no matter how impossible it is. He's going to do it until it kills him, because someone needs to try.

I . . . don't know what's wrong with me.

I also don't know when RL is going to let up, but I'm hoping soon. I got a new job (still at the Science Center, different position), but I've finally done it a couple times now, and there's not extensive travel/visiting people for the next six weeks or so ... who knows. I miss you all. I do still read your journals, even if I don't comment. Looking forward to reading some fic eventually...!

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hahaha I realized I just meta dumped on U THAR. Sorry! I've been trying to work out why the fics where his lover doesn't know who Batman is read as so wrong to me (besides the whole mechanics of the suit thing, because admittedly Batman in nothing but his cowl is THE FUNNIEST THING EVAR). But anyway, that's obviously just my thinking on the matter! I'd be interested in your thoughts too.

It's nice to talk to you again!

<3

Meta dumps are always lovely. You should never apologize.

Now allow me to disagree.

I actually agree with what you said about Bruce wanting his loved ones to know his whole self. However, I don't think it's fully necessary for a relationship, or maybe it's more complex. In that scene from movie one with Racheal it's important to note that he didn't necessarily object to her not knowing the entirety of who he is merely to her believing that the public face he presents is all he is.

In order to explain I'm going to need to make a little key. From now on Batman = Batman, Mr. Wayne = the public image of Bruce Wayne, Bruce = the full human being behind both masks.

I think it's important to not the difference between Batman the mask and Mr. Wayne the mask. Mainly that the Mr. Wayne persona was devised to be shallow, to make people not want to look beneath the surface, to keep people out and at a distance. The Batman persona was designed to do just the opposite, to make people believe there is a deeper well beneath the mask, to wonder what it is, to want to know. In fact the fact that Batman wears a mask ensures that everyone KNOWS they are not seeing the full picture. That there is another person under the persona that they don't know.

Why is this important? Well, it allows someone who's trying to have a relationship with Batman a distinct advantage over someone trying to have a relationship with Mr. Wayne. The person trying to have a relationship with Batman is going to actively search for the man behind the mask the person Mr. Wayne is trying to have a relationship with is not.

I know you're now thinking "right so 'the man behind the mask' that would be Bruce. What's the disagreement?" Here's the thing I think someone could understand things about Bruce the person without necessarily connecting it to The Mr. Wayne Identity (Oh! The Wayne Identity. Like Bourne! Moving on...)Of course their not going to get the complete picture, but they can get some of it. They could get many of the important bits. The "meat" of Bruce, at least. Why he does what he does (Gotham needs it. He has personally suffered from criminal activity.) The sacrifices he has to make to do it (Keeping people at a distance. Putting people he cares about in danger.) Or even just what does he like to do in his free time (Race cars? Shakespeare? Watching Lassie on re-run?) And alot of these things Gordon can sympathize with, is in a unique position to do so actually. Mind the extent to which Batman can reveal things about Bruce to Gordon without tipping him off about The Wayne Identity is at the discretion of the author of course.

I think you're right that Bruce will never be fully emotionally satisfied with an arrangement like this, that he won't be until his loved ones know the complete truth, but that doesn't mean it has to be entirely empty, that he can't reap something from it. It might not be enough to give him what he wants but it could still be enough to give him what he needs.

So why CAN'T Gordon find out about The Wayne Identity? Well technically he could and they could have an honest emotionally fulfilling relationship and they could ride off into the sunset together except that that a) would be dead boring b)totally fucks up the narrative and c)isn't who they are. Gordon, as a character, is Batman's conduit to the rest of the world. That's his job, that's what Batman needs him to be, that's what Gotham needs him to be. And they both know it. I don't think that Gordon could go back to being Batman's telephone line if he ever got completely and fully emersed in the life of Bruce, if they established that kind of intimacy that involves unmasking Batman. And neither one of them would want to jepordize that professional relationship. What Gotham needs, remember?

So it's a balancing act. Getting close enough to feel, to support, without getting too close. You could even, I suppose, if you wanted to be daring have Gordon know or suspect, or suggest that he knows about The Wayne Idenentity without him saying aything to Batman, because he knows he needs to keep that boundary. It gets wishy washy.

In terms of sex around The Batsuit, I hadn't even thought about the mechanics of it really. And yeah the picture you painted is pretty hilarious. Of course I'm sure it can be done in the hands of a good author. However the only mechanics I see working easily involve Bruce, a voice synthesizer, and the words "don't turn around"/total darkness/a blindfold. You get the idea.

How's that for a meta dump? Oh and it's very wonderful talking to you again. I had missed it.

I just think Gordon not knowing puts Batman in a position of power Gordon wouldn't tolerate. Imo, Gordon feels like his whole purpose is to be there if ever Batman crosses the line--to be the one to put Batman away if Batman turns too far to the dark. I hesitate to say Gordon sees himself as Batman's equal--Batman's doing the things that Gordon cannot. But again, Gordon would hunt Batman down, never give up, and never stop, if Batman went too far. So I think Gordon sees their relationship as a sort of give-and-take, and in the end Gordon feels he's allowing the idea of Batman to exist (for as long as it is needed).

The power dynamics would just be so wrong to me if Gordon didn't know who Batman was. Bruce would have that knowledge over Gordon. Also, physically, he would have the advantage, because it'd have to be Gordon who was blindfolded or couldn't face Bruce. ...Though I suppose Bruce facing the wall the whole time might work...o_0

I don't need them to have an honest or emotionally fulfilling relationship, but I do need Gordon to hold his own. He's more than a telephone line, or even a conduit. And Batman is not his hero.

Lastly, I don't think Gordon knowing who Bruce Wayne was would prevent him from doing what's best for Gotham. Possibly that would be true if they did have the ride off into the sunset relationship, but I don't think Gordon knowing Batman's identity presupposes such a relationship exists. I think there are many ways for Gordon to know or find out, and still have a relationship with Batman/Bruce that is fucked up and complex, and involves Gordon taking the hardline with Batman more than ever.

You guys you guys you guys!

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