bl33dingm3mry

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lies of the Northern Vale || Chapter 1

Murder Mystery

Word Count: 1,726

Summary: 19-year-old Mathias Morrison should have been spending his summer hanging out with friends, but instead, his life has been dominated by solving the unsettling murder of his girlfriend, Amberly Douglas. Despite multiple warnings to cease his meddling, something just wasn't right in this town anymore. After all, he couldn't be the only one who wanted justice for this unsolved crime... Right?

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Angst, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Suicide, Abusive Language, Mentions of Illegal Activity, Mentions of discrimination and bias

A/N: I am not anti-police, nor do I condone stereotyping of people, authority figures or not. Anything said is for the context of the story and not my personal views.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Bad choices and even worse consequences. That pretty much summed up his life as of late. Most of the people he graduated with were off to college or already working some shitty nine-to-five job and bitching about their coworkers. Mathias however? He was sitting in the back of the police station, his knees pulled up to his chest as he waited for the remaining officers to leave. Why in Gods name was he hiding in a toilet stall in the police station? He had been asking himself that for the past ten-ish minutes as he flip-flopped on his plan of action.

Just last month he had been planning to go off to the local community college with his girlfriend, they were going to get an apartment and start planning the rest of their lives together. That was until the news broke out that she was found dead in her bed, supposedly overdosed on a bottle of sleeping pills. As if anyone would believe that happy horse shit. Amberly wasn’t suicidal and she sure as hell wasn’t depressed. Anyone dumb enough to suggest she was, clearly had never met her. She was as far from depressed as a person could get. Always smiling, laughing, encouraging people to look at the brighter sides of things, because nothing was ever hopeless. 

So here he was. Breaking into the police precinct to steal the coroner's report, because there was no way in hell Amberly Douglas killed herself. His knees ached from holding the precariously cramped position for so long, but he had come this far, he wasn’t about to slip up or back out now. He had to see that report, had to see what they were hiding from him, from everyone in this god-forsaken town.

Time seemed to tick by achingly slow as he waited, listening for the retreating footsteps, the fading sounds of gruff voices, and the occasional jingle of keys from the overnight guard starting his shift. The bathroom was getting more and more stifling, the pressure almost oppressive as he slowly uncurled his legs. His joints screamed in protest as he finally moved, his heart pounding so loud he could have sworn it was audible. His phone sat safely tucked into his back pocket, the ringer turned off and the brightness set as low as it could go. He couldn’t afford to have his cover blown by a stray notification.

Praying the door hinges wouldn’t give him away, Mathias slowly pulled it open, peeking out through the crack to check the hall beyond. The police precinct outside the bathroom was eerily quiet, setting his already frayed nerves on edge. The faint drone of the air vents provided little cover for his footsteps as he slipped out of the bathroom, pulling the hood of his sweatshirt tighter around his head. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting, making out the barren walls and cheap tiled floors as he started to make his way down the length of the hallway. He kept his steps slow and cautious as he approached the door to the main lobby, stopping every few steps to listen for outside movement.

“Here we go…”

Mathias thought to himself as he gripped the knob of the heavy door, the lump in his throat making it hard to swallow as he twisted the doorknob and pulled. What greeted him was the faint buzzing of the air conditioners and the almost painful light of the lobby desk. The officer tending to the desk was an older, heavy-set man who looked to be preoccupied with whatever sitcom was playing on the computer in front of him. An open, half-eaten box of donuts sat on the desk beside the keyboard, one of which was in the guard’s hand, missing a chunk or two. He seemed to be oblivious to the world around him, which gave Mathias hope that he may actually succeed in his infiltration.

Sticking to the wall, Mathias slowly inched his way across the space, feeling like he was moving at a snail’s pace. But he was not going to make any complaints, if it kept the dumbass from realizing he was there, then he would move as slowly as he needed to. He almost made it across the room before his first brush with danger, his sweatshirt had caught on the water dispenser’s spout. He immediately ducked beside it before a flashlight clicked on, the bumbling idiot staring into the silence before shrugging and returning to his program. Mathias sat there for a few minutes longer, calming his racing heart and working up the courage to get up and move again, making sure to avoid snagging his sweatshirt again.

Thanks to his extra caution, he made it the rest of the way across the room to the door marked ‘Employees only past this point’ his hand pushing on the glass just enough to slip past. He was greeted with another long stretching hallway, lined with doors and rooms on either side, signs hanging from the ceiling designated what each one was for. The first six seemed to be offices, lined with desks and name plaques, photos, and personal items. The dead house plants that were shoved into the corner next to filing cabinets seemed to be a standard design across all of them, making them almost as predictable as a fat cop eating donuts.

What the hell was he doing critiquing the office decor when he had a job to do? Mathias shook his head, refocusing on his task. He had to find the evidence archives, find that coroner's report, and confirm his suspicions. Not just for himself, but for Amberly. His eyes squinted in the dark, straining to read each of the overhanging signs as he moved down the hallway, frustration mounting with each one. Where the hell were the goddamn archives? He kept moving, pulling out his phone as he approached the split in the hallway. Jesus Christ, it was almost 10:30 already? He had to hurry this up before he got caught. Looking down each side of the branching hallway, Mathias chose to go down the left side, the stairwell sounding promising.

Well, it had sounded promising. Until he pushed on the metal bar that seemed to have taken out a personal vendetta on him and made the loudest, most awful grinding sound. He was hoping that the sitcom was loud enough and distracting enough to keep the pig shoveling pastries down his gullet busy. Not that he was going to wait around to find out, his feet swiftly carrying him down the stairs two at a time, his grip on the railing firm. Two flights of stairs later he was faced with yet another metal push-bar door that he would have loved to kick in the teeth had it had any.

The hallway beyond was cold, dark, and smelt musty, like a cross between an old abandoned home and a library after a flood. The far end of the hall had a bright, almost sterile feeling light that flooded the space, a check-in point most likely for interrogation rooms. Across from him, however, was a door marked ‘Evidence’ the handle stiff as he wiggled it. Of course, it would be locked. Why wouldn’t it be? Why would anything go smoothly for him tonight? With a soft shake of his head, Mathias reached down into his sock for the lockpicking tools he kept tucked away there, starting in on the lock. It wasn’t the hardest one he had done before, only taking a couple of minutes for the tumbler to click into place, the door swinging open as he turned the handle.

The sight that greeted him was rows upon rows of lockers, each marked with papers and labels for the person or case they were assigned to. Beyond those were dozens of shelves, hundreds of cream-colored boxes sat waiting, the word ‘archived’ stamped across each one. This was what he had been looking for, now he just had to find the box with her name on it, find the coroner’s report, and snap a picture of it for proof. Easy right? God, he hoped so. He still had to get back out of here when he was finished. Setting himself to work, Mathias moved down the shelves, scanning the box name tags row by row till he found the one he wanted, ‘Douglas, A.’ written in black sharpie. 

He pulled it off the shelf and onto the floor, his fingers hovering over the cover with a moment of hesitation. This was it. This was the moment of truth, the moment everything would change. He closed his eyes for a minute, taking a slow, deep breath to calm his nerves before grasping the edges of the lid and lifting it off. What surprised him the most was the lack of documents and papers in the box, mostly just official statements and signed reports from Amberly’s parents and the on-scene officers from that night. He carefully pulled out each one, giving them a brief look over before laying them down on the lid, scanning and searching until he came across the last two documents. Two coroners reports. 

The first one was the publicly accepted one that everyone was aware of, documenting the abnormally high levels of benzodiazepine in Amberly’s system. The second one, however… Mathias felt a mix of emotions, anger, betrayal, grief, satisfaction, and confusion. The secondary report stated that heavy amounts of Atropa Belladonna were found in her esophagus and stomach - Amberly had been poisoned with nightshade. And not just a small amount either. Mathias’s jaw clenched as he stared at the report, his anger overtaking the grief. Someone had murdered his girlfriend and paid the police to cover it up. Pulling out his phone, he snapped a photo of the two reports and uploaded it to a google drive before erasing the photo from his phone. 

He had to get out of there. Had to get home so he could look over the report more thoroughly without the danger of getting caught being so high. Mathias started packing away the papers in the order he had found them, nearly having all of them put back before the lights of the room lit up, the lights almost blindingly bright after having been squinting in the dark. 

“Don’t move Mr. Morrison.”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lies of the Northern Vale || Prologue

Murder Mystery

Word Count: 280

Summary: 19-year-old Mathias Morrison should have been spending his summer hanging out with friends, but instead, his life has been dominated by solving the unsettling murder of his girlfriend, Amberly Douglas. Despite multiple warnings to cease his meddling, something just wasn't right in this town anymore. After all, he couldn't be the only one who wanted justice for this unsolved crime... Right?

CHAPTER WARNINGS: Angst, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Suicide, Abusive Language

A/N: For those who are new, my prologues are like mini snippets of a chapter, something to get you interested.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

“You have to move on. Accept that she isn’t coming back. I know it is hard to hear Matty, but digging up the past like this, making false accusations… It isn’t helping you, or anyone else. I can get you in touch with a counselor, someone who can help you sort these emotions out, but you have to take that step. So, please. At least think it over, yeah?”

Lies. Excuses, bullshit, and fake sympathy. That’s all he ever got from people nowadays. They would pity him, and sympathize with him. If they didn’t outright avoid him that is. He was the walking cloud of doom that people stayed away from. Keeping him at a distance like the plague. Not that he cared. They were all involved in some way, shape or form. Be it directly or simply by being complacent.

“Matty, are you listening? Look, you can’t keep burying your feelings in some useless supposed murder. Go to therapy like everyone else. Pick up a new hobby, change your hair, get a tattoo of her name, or whatever else will help. Anything. Please. Before you land in a jail cell or a psych ward.”

And there it was — the sigh of annoyance, followed by the ‘wealth’ of concern for his sanity. His girlfriend was murdered, the coroner’s report was a fake, and all anyone could say was to leave it be. Get therapy, and be ‘normal’. Something didn’t add up, and yet, he was the only person who seemed to notice. The only one not blinded to the truth like the rest of this town. Sheep. That’s all they were. Mindless sheep oblivious to the wolves in their midst.

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lies of the Northern Vale Masterlist

Murder Mystery

Last Update: 12/19/24

Word Count: 2,006 {As of last update}

Summary: 19-year-old Mathias Morrison should have been spending his summer hanging out with friends, but instead, his life has been dominated by solving the unsettling murder of his girlfriend, Amberly Douglas. Despite multiple warnings to cease his meddling, something just wasn't right in this town anymore. After all, he couldn't be the only one who wanted justice for this unsolved crime... Right?

STORY WARNINGS: Angst, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Suicide, Abusive Language

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list, it will be updated every chapter!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Prologue

Chapter 1

[bl33dingm3mry]

First things first. THIS BLOG CONTAINS NSFW CONTENT. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 (You know who you are.) THEN STAY AWAY. If you are of age however, then have a look around, welcome to the personal hell that is my brain!

Hello there former, current and future readers! I’m E, a writer, gamer and just an overall nerd. Fanfics are the name of the game over here, and before you start mocking, shaming or any other standard of disgruntled hatred, this is Tumblr. Fanfic central. So deal with it or just keep scrolling!

With that out of the way, let’s get down to what we are here for… The fanfics!

~ Starting off strong with the Masked Edgelord of Angst himself: Jason Todd

Stolen Sound is an OC x Jason Todd fanfic set after Jason’s revival with Damien as the current Robin. No Stephanie is not in this story, as for 1. there are already plenty of characters to write for already and 2. I don’t think my type of writing style fits her character, nor would it do her justice. (Not that I can realistically write any of them properly.)

Stolen Sound Master List

~ Next up is a relatively newer one that cursed my mind after rewatching the more recent Fast & Furious movies: Deckard Shaw

Heist of the Heart is an OC x Deckard Shaw fanfic set after FoTF but before H&S. I have a lot of love for Jason Statham which resulted in this raging dumpster fire of a story.

Heist of the Heart Master List

~ This one I am unsure of whether or not to continue it, its a completely original story that spawned from a reoccurring dream/nightmare I’ve had. That being said it is a medieval fantasy based (romance?) story.

As with most of my other stories, there are trigger warnings, however, because of the time setting of this story, it may not be suited to those who have a hard time reading about racial and class-based inequality. BE WARNED.

Lord of The Marked Master List

~ This one is the newest of the batch, my first dip back into writing after a looooong two year hiatus. I had a murder mystery draft just sitting on my phone that I wanted to try getting into.

Potential for an unreliable narrator? Check. A suspicious town? Check. Death and detective work? Absolutely. Cliche? Maybe. But it's my story so I don't care. TRIGGER WARNINGS. OBVIOUSLY.

Lies of the Northern Vale Master List

So far that's what has been posted here, I do hope to add more whenever life decided to stop kicking my ass or tossing me off a cliff. Have fun, enjoy your stay and try not to get lost.

[bl33dingm3mry]

Heist of The Heart || Chapter 3

Deckard Shaw x OC

Word Count: 1636

Summary: Secrets never stay hidden for long but as old foes threaten to ruin all she holds dear, Sterling Jones seeks help from the most unlikely candidate. Ex-British Special Forces member Deckard Shaw.

CHAPTER WARNING: Swearing (English and Spanish), Panic Attacks, Mentions of Abuse and Death, Guns

A/N: Big ole trigger warning, this chapter covers some really intense themes. If you are uncomfortable with violence and abusive situations please skip or read at your own discretion. Much love!

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Sterling stepped into the shower letting the hot run over her shoulders and down her back, the heat easing her tensed muscles. She had needed some space away from the others, even if it was just twenty minutes for a shower and getting dressed. The ride back to her house had been awkwardly quiet like no one dared to break the silence. Sure Dom and Letty had seen her through a fair share of panic attacks, but Tej? The man's first introduction to Sterling Jones was her riding the hood of Dom’s charger to hijack a truck full of car parts.

She had spent most of her life crafting her personality to fit her double life. The sweet innocent little sister who worked a nine-to-five and volunteered at the local hospital in her spare time and the cold-blooded sharpshooter who had no fears and no hesitation. She did what needed to be done, and did it with precision. She was proud to be the dependable one the team could go to when they needed help, but her facade had cracked. Did Tej actually see her sobbing on the ground like a child? No. But he might as well have with the look of pity he gave her when the trio walked back to the shop where he had been left waiting.

She could only imagine how awful she had looked to him, her eyes red and swollen from crying, her face hot from embarrassment, tear streaks, and smudged makeup. Her clothes were dusty and disheveled, and no amount of dusting off was going to hide it. She avoided all eye contact for the ride and as soon as the car was put in park, she was walking to the front door, calling out behind her that she’d be in the shower, and there was beer in the fridge.

Having wasted enough water as it was, Sterling set about shampooing her hair and lathering a bar of soap. After letting the last of the suds glide down her body, she shut the water off, lightly wringing any extra water from her strands. Picking up after herself in case any of the others wanted to use it, she made her way back into her room, shutting the door behind her. Sweat pants and a red tank top were her choices of clothes, no need to be all dolled up in her own house. Her hair was messily pulled up into a bun, a wide clip holding it in place. Settling down on her bed, Sterling laid back, letting her body sink into the cloud-like mattress.

~~~~~

Opening her eyes, the room around her was dark, cramped, and had a musty smell, like old books and feet. Her knees ached from being scrunched up to her chest, and her throat ached for a sip of water or any liquid that wasn’t her own saliva. Cranking her neck towards the sound of heavy footsteps, thin lines of daylight filtered their way in through the slats of the closet doors. Her mother’s closet.

“WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!”

“She isn’t here! This is between you and me Nikolai, leave Camila out of this!”

“You can’t hide her from me bitch. Wherever she goes, I will find her, and when I do you can kiss any chance of seeing her again goodbye. Father will make sure of that. He will rip any chance of having a family from both of you and IF she is lucky she will become one of our best. Unlike you she won’t run away, won’t hesitate to kill. She will be perfect.”

A loud crash echoed from the end of the hall followed by multiple thuds and the hurried sounds of footsteps as her mother came running into the room, trying to push her dresser in front of the old wooden door. Angry stomps grew louder before the door to the bedroom shook, Nikolai's fist hammering down onto it.

BAM. BAM. BAM.

“OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!”

BAM. BAM. BAM.

“I SAID OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR YOU BITCH!”

Sterling shut her eyes tightly, her hands covering her mouth in hopes she wouldn’t be heard by the enraged man. She had promised her mother she would stay hidden no matter what happened, however, she wasn’t even supposed to be in the house. She was supposed to be miles away by now, running to the closest bus stop in town, with enough money in hand for a one-way ticket. Instead, she tucked herself into the farthest corner of her mother's closet, buried under old dresses and dusty textbooks.

Soon enough the man's barrage against the door was too much for her mother and the dresser to handle, sending her stumbling backward as the dresser toppled over. The next several minutes were a blur, her mother screamed, and several thuds and muffled noises echoed through the room as she tried to fight him off before everything went quiet. The man grunted as he pulled on the rope, hanging her mother's lifeless body from the ceiling fan.

Holding her breath, Sterling didn’t dare move a muscle as the footsteps drew closer, the first closet door opening with a stiff creek. Hangers screeched as they were shoved across the bar, each one drawing the man closer to finding her hiding spot. Just when she thought it was going to be all over, another voice sounded from the first floor. Hope surged through her at the familiar tone, Nikolai cursing in Russian before making his escape from the bedroom window in a rush.

“Maria? I heard a scream while I was in the garage, is everything alright?”

The older man’s footsteps were soft and cautious as he made his way to the second floor, checking each room on his way through. The footsteps stopped for a few seconds outside the bedroom door before he rushed in, the gun being placed back in his waistband as he cut her mother down from the fan above.

“Maria… Maria come on, you’ve got to wake up...”

One of the books that had been balanced on her foot started to slide off, panic rising in her chest as Sterling prayed she wouldn’t make any noise. She wasn’t supposed to be there, her mother told her not to stay. She would be so upset with her when she woke up. The closet was flooded with light however as the man pulled open the doors, moving the last few jackets and dresses out of the way, revealing her hiding spot. She bore up at him, her eyes wide with terror and shock, tears silently pooling before spilling down her cheeks.

“...Camila? Mija, what’s going on?”

And that's all it took for her to tumble out of the corner and bury herself into his arms, choking sobs muffled into his chest. Jack Toretto had always been a source of comfort when her mother got into arguments with the men that would stay with them but this was different somehow. They weren’t in his yard and Dominic wasn’t there to make a joke or use his special bandaids. The room was intensely quiet after the violent outburst from before and it terrified her.

“Hey…”

“Hey… Time to get up.”

Sterling bolted upright from where she had sprawled out on the bed, her leg swinging out, catching Dom in the stomach, knocking the air from his lungs for a brief moment. Enough for her to get a solid punch to the temple before he grabbed her arms, pinning her down as she writhed under him, kicking, twisting, struggling to get free.

“SJ wake up. Snap out of this.”

It took a few minutes for her brain to catch up with what was happening, the rush of adrenalin subsiding as her eyes darted around the room, taking in the space as well as Dominic who was still holding her down firmly on the bed. His eyes were focused, studying her face looking for some form of recognition.

“Hey over here. Recognize who I am?”

“...Dom…”

“Good. You remember where we are?”

“My house.”

Knowing she was awake and aware, he let go of her, sitting on the side of the bed, watching as she sat up beside him. Sterling stayed silent for a few moments as she tried to think over what had just happened. She must have fallen asleep pretty quickly after laying down however judging by the setting sun outside it hadn’t been for more than an hour. She then took in her adoptive brother's appearance, noticing the cut that had started to bleed by his eyebrow, most likely caused by her ring when she punched him.

“Coño… Dom, you’re bleeding.”

“Doesn’t matter. You gotta talk to me Ster. What's going on?”

“Dom, I… It was about mom. I’ve been so stressed lately and then the team for the op quit when they found out the details. Haven’t really been able to sleep either.”

Sterling let out a defeated sigh, curling her knees up, resting her chin on them as her gaze rested on the scuffed wood floors. The room was silent as he listened to her before chuckling, nudging her with his elbow.

“You still have a hell of a right hook.”

She smiled back at him, softly laughing at his attempt to cheer her up. And it sort of did. It lightened the mood at least and made everything feel a bit more normal. Like she hadn’t just punched him in a half-asleep self-defense attempt. Dom stood from the bed and grabbed her hands lightly tugging her up with him. Sterling’s eyes once again drifted to the blood that dribbled down from his eyebrow and wiped it away with her thumb, shaking her head.

“Let's get you patched up and then we can make dinner. And Tej gets to say grace.”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Heist of The Heart || Chapter 2

Deckard Shaw x OC

Word Count: 1468

Summary: Secrets never stay hidden for long but as old foes threaten to ruin all she holds dear, Sterling Jones seeks help from the most unlikely candidate. Ex-British Special Forces member Deckard Shaw.

CHAPTER WARNING: Swearing (English and Spanish), Panic Attacks, Mentions of Abuse and Death, Guns

A/N: So I wanted to spend this chapter delving into a softer side of the characters before we start getting into the usual heist, ass whooping, and nonsensical car badassery.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

“You wouldn’t be leaving without paying for that shitty sandwich would you?”

The raspy voice made her chuckle, a sense of relief hitting her knowing her message had been found. Turning around, Sterling smiled at the woman standing in the open doorway to the sandwich shop, the late afternoon light glinting off the PSM in her hands. Sterling took in the woman's appearance, hair pulled up into a ponytail, olive cargo pants, a black tank top, and a leather biker jacket.

“How typical of you Letty. Throwing all caution to the wind and charging in gun first. You should be more careful you know.”

“Careful is when you get hurt.”

All tension melted away as both women broke into laughter, Letty holstering her sidearm and disappearing out the door to presumably let Tej and Dom know it was safe, as well as whoever else they decided to bring with them. Shaking her head with a soft chuckle, Sterling turned around not quite looking where she was going, having thought she was alone. Instead, she bumped into a massive wall of muscle. Out of instinct, she rammed her fist forward, a firm, calloused hand stopping it with ease. His deep voice rumbled out with an amused rasp.

“That’s no way to greet your big brother.”

“Dominic Torreto, maldito cabron!!”

“I missed you too.”

“Where the hell did you even come from? The back door was locked.”

“Doors aren’t the only way in and out of here. How else do you think I stored parts away from the house?”

Rolling her eyes, Sterling hugged the man, unsure of wanting to let him in on her op. Sure he was a great driver and one hell of a muscle when things got physical, but he was also an overprotective alpha male. Who just happened to be her adoptive brother. Which complicated that matter further. If she let him in on her situation, he'd give her some sort of lecture on being better than this and reaching out sooner or knowing when to walk away. However, if she didn’t tell him and he found out later on… Well, it would be easy to say things would be worse. A lot worse.

“Im glad you got my message but you didn’t have to come you know? I was only expecting Tej.”

“When an unknown car shows up in your dooryard with a note and a phone but no driver you check into it. When a friend calls saying your baby sister was going to meet them but used a burner phone and a secret message you get a worried older brother and a death wish.”

Sterling let out a heavy sigh, stepping back to move around the hulking male, not meeting his gaze, knowing the disappointment she would find in his brown eyes. He grabbed her upper arm, a stern expression resting with his clenched jaw as she finally looked up at him, her eyes almost pleading for him to drop the subject. Just as he opened his mouth to say something the front door opened, and Letty and Tej walked inside. His hand disappeared from her arm, allowing her to return to her seat at the bar top.

“So what’s this all about Sterling?”

“Yeah, why’d you drag us all across L.A.? And don’t say for the tuna.”

Sterling snickered as she pulled out her personal phone from the inside of her boot, pulling up an image of a shady-looking group outside a garage that was engulfed in flames. The focus was primarily centered on the man in the front of the group, his back to the building, gun raised towards the camera. He had black hair that was pushed back on the top, the sides were shaved down. His slacks looked freshly pressed, and his buttoned shirt was unwrinkled. He had his jacket resting over his shoulders and seemed to be missing a tie. The man gave off a very arrogant mobster feel.

“Osian Ramirez. A contract killer and the head of a crime ring called Steel Vipers. They run a black market operation dealing in the buying and selling of top-secret items from every government under the sun. Russia, China, the U.S. You name it, they’ve bought it. There's been a lot of chatter lately about something called the Jackal. A bioengineered disease rumored to cause fatigue, vomiting, insomnia, delirium, and bleeding into your organs and skin. Sound familiar to anyone?”

“No way. You’re saying someone made the black plague and sold it off to this man?”

“No, this man made it himself and is looking to sell it off to the highest bidder at his next gala. As well as offering an antidote to those who wish to side with him in the ‘new world order’.”

“When is the next gala? Roughly how long do we have to plan for this?”

“I have roughly two weeks. Twelve days specifically.”

Dom had been extremely quiet as she had explained the situation, her eyes trained on him like he would come unglued at any minute. Truth is she wasn’t afraid of what he would say to her, it was what he would do when he found out the details she had been hiding from the group. The reason she knew so much about the Viper's head honcho himself, why she was so persistent in taking the op, why she didn’t want them involved in the first place and had asked for just Tej.

“Who put you up to this?”

“Dom…”

“WHO FUCKING PUT YOU UP TO THIS STERLING?!”

“...”

Dominic's booming voice made her jump, flinching backward as his fist connected with the wooden bar top. All eyes were on her as a stunned silence fell and tension settled heavily in the air. Sterling avoided all of their gazes as she tucked her phone back into her boot, slipped off the stool, and briskly walked towards the door, feeling like the walls were closing in around her. Dom shouted after her, his heavy footsteps following behind, echoing into her ears like thunder. Her throat burned as she broke into a run through the parking lot, hiding behind a broke down van towards the back.

Sterling pressed her back to the van as if to ground herself, sliding down till she was scrunched up on the cracked tar, her knees digging into her ribs as she buried her head down. Her hands tightly scrunched over her ears as if they would block out the sound of blood rushing in her ears or dull the ringing that kept getting louder. For what felt like an eternity she choked out sobs, the rage in Dom’s eyes replaying in her head no matter how much she wished it would stop.

“Ster- Dom She’s over here!”

Some part of her mind registered that Letty had spoken, but it was like she was locked inside her head, her body wouldn’t move and her voice wouldn’t work. All she could manage were unintelligible whimpers as her body trembled. Growing up with her mother's constantly changing abusive exes led to constant panic attacks and running over to the Toretto yard to hide away from it. Mia would usually be the one to find her back then, grabbing their father, Dominic trailing behind. After her mother passed they all but went away. However, with how pent-up and stressed she had been lately, combined with Dom's anger, it was all she could do to get out of the building before she broke down.

Dom’s calloused hands wrapped around Sterling, pulling her trembling form into his grasp and lifting her off the ground. Sitting her on the hood of the van, he wrapped his arms around her, his head resting on hers as she buried into his chest. His hand drew circles between her shoulder blades, attempting to calm her down.

“Remember that night you and Letty were supposed to race when we were teenagers? You backed out at the last second cause something felt wrong, and I took your place. Letty and I almost died that night. But the look on your face made me realize that I would do anything to make you feel safe.”

Dominic spoke softly, the rasp of his voice rumbled in his chest as he gently coaxed Sterling's hands away from her ears, letting her grab at the hem of his tank top. He returned to rubbing her back, his eyes studying her tear-streaked face.

“As your brother, I will do my best to protect you, but I can’t do that if you don’t let me in.”

“...Mr. Nobody.”

Taking a shaky breath, Sterling looked up at her brother's face, his normally stoic features were soft, his eyes studying her in concern and confusion after she had whispered her handler's name.

“He assigned the op…”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Heist of The Heart || Chapter 1

Deckard Shaw x OC

Word Count: 1002

Summary: Secrets never stay hidden for long but as old foes threaten to ruin all she holds dear, Sterling Jones seeks help from the most unlikely candidate. Ex-British Special Forces member Deckard Shaw.

CHAPTER WARNING: Swearing

A/N: If you have seen my stuff on other places (ao3 specifically), you'll know that I love to color code the characters. So starting here I will be color-coding them since it's an option! Now for context story-wise, this will be taking place after FoTF but before H&S. Because we love (Villain to Hero) character development. (And the distrustful enemies to lovers vibes....)

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Sterling sat at the desk towards the back of the empty office building, impatiently tapping her fingers on the laminated surface, her eyes glued to the blacked-out phone screen in front of her. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity as she waited for a call back from an old friend. Not like her entire existence depended on this phone call or anything. The voicemail she had left had been pretty clear, or as clear as she could make it without giving any information away to whoever happened to hear it. 

“Mr. Parker, this is about that silver jewelry set you left in our care, the items in question are too tarnished to distinguish the type of alloy used. If you could give us a call back whenever you are available, we hope you have a good day.”

Tej being the nerd he was would have no problem guessing who had left the message, he never was one for jewelry outside the occasional necklace or wristwatch. Maybe a ring if he was pushing it. On top of that, she doubted he would place them in someone else's care when he was such a meticulous person himself. He also owed her a favor for a job he had roped her into several years back, so the least he could do was hear her out. No harm in that right?

BZZZT. BZZZT.

The echoing buzz of her phone on the desk stopped her thoughts in their tracks, her fingers fumbling as she struggled to unlock the device and answer it. Seeing an unlisted number pop up could be cause for concern just as easily as it could be for hope. She took a breath, steeling herself as she answered, partially unsure who would be on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Nice try Sterling. It’s been a bit since you’ve left any sort of code call so why don’t we just jump into it? What’s so important that you can’t discuss it on my personal number?”

“Well I’ve got a job to do and I need your skills to pull it off.”

“SJ…”

“Tej, please. I wouldn’t be asking if I could handle this by myself. Besides, you owe me.”

The line stayed silent for several minutes as the other was thinking things over however the lack of response made her wonder if the man had hung up on her. Not that she could blame him. She waited, her stomach doing flips as she debated on calling out to him, however, she heard a sigh on the other end, relief washing over her like a tidal wave.

“You know I’ve got your back whenever you need me. Same place as always?”

“No. Not safe. Dom and Letty are moving out to the other place for the renovation, right? We’ll meet at the old house.”

“Is this something I should be worried about? Cause if you’re pulling me into some shit then you can-”

“Tej. I can tell you the details but it has to be at the house alright? I’m counting on you.”

Having said all she could, Sterling hung up the call, tucking the phone into her back pocket. She dug around the office space grabbing a pen as well as tearing off a scrap of paper from the notepad on the carpeted floor. She knew she needed a backup if they had been overheard on her end and she wasn’t going to actively put Tej in harm's way if she didn’t need to. At most all she needed was maybe thirty minutes alone with the man to pick his brain and lay out a plan. Possibly build a few devices to assist during the mission and if he chose to step away after that then she could handle it herself. She would have to.

Making her way down into the building's parking garage, she scribbled out a message on the scrap of paper “Destroy the phone. And by the way, no one likes the Tuna.” Satisfied with it, she made her way over to the tesla she was supposed to be driving. She put both the note and her phone in the driver's seat and set the auto pilot's coordinates to Dom’s house. After double-checking the ankle weights she attached to the steering wheel, she hit start and shut the door, watching the vehicle back out of the parking space and take off. 

“Here we go…”

Knowing everything was now out of her hands, Sterling left the parking garage, and headed towards the old sandwich shop where everything seems to have started. Even if Tej didn’t get the message she had left, Dom and Letty would know right off the bat, so she had no doubt that at least one of the three would show up to meet her. Most likely at gunpoint, but it was better than no one coming at all.

~~~~~ Sterling sat at the bar, roughly an hour or so after she had made the initial call, wondering what was taking so long. Presumably, Tej had arrived at Dom’s after her own car and discussed the off-the-wall phone call they had. Pair that with the note she had left them and boom, an instant recipe for concerned friends coming to pay a visit. Maybe Dom and Letty weren’t home? Even so, it would be hard to think Tej wouldn’t just call Dom and ask what it meant. Hell, it was Dom and Mia’s shop, their name was on the damn building. Not to mention Mia always went on to all the newbies about how the tuna wasn’t very good.

Getting up from her seat, she was about ready to give in and just walk back to her motel room. Fuck the others she could plan the heist herself. It wouldn’t be the greatest of ideas but at this point, it was all she had left and she was running out of what little time she had left.

“You wouldn’t be leaving without paying for that shitty sandwich would you?”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Heist of The Heart || Prologue

Deckard Shaw x OC

Word Count: 212 Summary: Secrets never stay hidden for long but as old foes threaten to ruin all she holds dear, Sterling Jones seeks help from the most unlikely candidate. Ex-British Special Forces member Deckard Shaw.

CHAPTER WARNING: Swearing

A/N: For those who are new, my prologues are like mini snippets of a chapter, something to get you interested, that being said, I recently rewatched all 10 of the F&F films. And boy did I forget just how much I enjoyed them. Like I didn't have to think or overanalyze anything, I could just watch. Well films 8, H&S, and 9 hit harder (totally not because of my love for Jason Statham....) and so this piece of hellfire was spawned.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Sterling grabbed a glass of champagne off the platter and thanked the man, running a hand beneath the hair piled over her shoulder as if tucking some behind her ear. She offered him one last flirtatious smile before walking towards the dance floor of the expansive room, taking a small sip from the glass. “Champagnes delicious Tej, a bit on the expensive side for me but you sold it well.”

“Do you always flirt this much with your undercover friends?” “Only if they’re as smart as they are good-looking.”

A smile pulled at the corner of her lips as her gaze wandered across the crowds of people, her eyes locking on Roman and Ramsey over by the buffet table covered in hors d’oeuvres. No shocker there, that man could have eaten his way through an entire grocery store and still been hungry afterward. She started to make her way over to the pair when she locked eyes with Ramsey, a subtle shake of her head before slapping Roman's hand, catching his attention as well. “We got a problem… Mr. Mafia seems to have his eyes locked on you SJ.” “Shit I can’t dump my bug…”

“Well, you’re going to need to figure something out quickly 'cause he is walking over here…”

“Fuck.”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Heist of The Heart Master List

Deckard Shaw x OC

Last Update: 1/26/23

Word Count: 4,309 {As of last update}

Summary: Secrets never stay hidden for long but as old foes threaten to ruin all she holds dear, Sterling Jones seeks help from the most unlikely candidate. Ex-British Special Forces member Deckard Shaw.

STORY WARNINGS: Angst, Slight Gore, Mentions of Death, Kidnapping, Abusive Language, Sexual Language, Violence

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list, it will be updated every chapter!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lord of The Marked Master List

Last Update: 4/23/22

Word Count: 3,788 {As of last update}

Summary: Struggling to survive in a small village, Esmeray dreams that one day things will change… until a vision from beyond shakes her to the core. Life had never been easy, but what will fate have in store for an ill-marked soul such as her own?

STORY WARNINGS: Verbal abuse, mentions of abuse, mentions of death, themes of discrimination and slavery.

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list, it will be updated every chapter!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

[bl33dingm3mry]

Stolen Sound || Chapter 8

Jason Todd x OC

Word Count: 1,747

Summary: A fateful night in Gotham City sends a young girl spiraling as she discovers a part of herself that could spell disaster for those around her.

CHAPTER WARNING: Angst, Gore, Violence, Mentions of Death

A/N: So not as uplifting as I may have promised, but the pieces are slowly coming together!

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Cold. Everything felt cold. The stiff cushion she seemed to be laying made her whole body ache, it was crying out for her to stop moving, but no matter how hard she tried, she had no control over her own limbs. Her ears filled with a loud screaming sound, a deep vibration and sharp movements that would jolt her around. Managing to open her heavy eyelids, Ayida took in what she could of the world around her. It was dark although there were some lights coming from some place ahead of her however faint, and there was an occasional bright yellow light that would temporarily blind her vision cluing her in to being in some sort of vehicle. Where was she? What was going on? 

Trying to remember what had happened, the first thing that came to her mind was the stinging of a needle in her neck and that slimy whisper “No running away this time.” Panic began to bubble in the bottom of her stomach, her chest tightening in fear. The man, the drugs he continued to subdue her with, the knife he dragged across her thigh in a fit of rage, the man crawling in through the broken window, the gun. Everything came back in quick flashes, tears beginning to well at the corners of her eyes. She shot him. She picked up the gun and shot him. She was a murderer. 

Another jolting turn sent pain spiking through her leg, overwhelming all of her thoughts. Her jaw clenched in response, but her mind faded, everything began to feel farther away, like she was being pulled away, drifting farther and farther. She wanted to scream, cry, hoping this wasn’t going to be the end, thinking of all the plans she had made for that week, how she had been wrongfully attacked and wouldn’t get to see Mr. Grumby or his cafe again. Her eyes drooping shut, bright white lights were the last thing Ayida saw before it all went black.

“Ayida. Come on darling, let’s grab lunch and take it to Daddy.”

“Okay Mommy I’m coming!”

Her mother smiled warmly, her callused hand outstretched as she knelt down towards her. She wore a beautiful pink dress that matched Ayida’s, her hair done in soft curls that rested at her neck. It was her birthday, and she had been promised that they got to do whatever she wanted, so when she asked if the two of them could visit her dad, her mother simply smiled and told her to pick out pretty dresses for them to wear. She had chosen the same dress from the past two years, but this time she picked out the pink dress her mother wore when her father got his job. It was missing a button in the back but her mom still put it on.

They settled into the car, although Ayida had to fidget around in the carseat for a bit to get comfortable. It was a hard blue plastic that would scrape against her legs despite the towel that had been laid down to protect her from it. The seatbelt was scratchy against her chest and she always ended up with a red mark from it, but today she could put up with it. She was going to finally see her dad before dinner time!

“Come on mommy lets go!”

Her mother laughed, shaking her head and put the key in, turning it over. Only it wasn’t the usual sound the car would make, it was making a weird clicking noise. This noise kept happening more and more whenever her parents had tried to start it, and it usually ended with her father saying a few bad words, or her mother in tears, a sad look on her face. Ayida looked down at her feet trying not to cry, she didn’t want to miss out on her birthday wish, but she didn’t know what she could do to help. 

“How about we walk? You can even say hi to Mr. Grumby when we pass his shop.”

Ayida perked up at her mothers words, hope sparking in her eyes once again. Her mother undid the seatbelt, and helped her out of the carseat, returning to their old brick apartment to grab their coats. The building had green vines climbing up the sides of it, the base of the building cracked by the dirt of their driveway. The porch was white but was missing a lot of paint, something she liked to pick at when she sat outside. There were some dandelions growing by the bottom steps, giving her an idea. She ran over to the flowers and plucked them with a wide grin, putting one in her hair.

“And what are you up to my little princess?”

“Flowers for Daddy! And this ones for you Mommy!”

“Aw thank you precious, do you want to put it in my hair for me?”

Ayida giggled as her mother knelt down for her, placing the yellow flower just behind her ear. After helping get her coat on, the two of them took off down the sidewalk, skipping towards the cafe that old Mr. Grumby owned. The entire way there, Ayida would stop and grab more flowers as they came across them, thinking that Mr. Grumby could have a few too. She had stopped before a crosswalk to grab more dandelions wanting more of their pretty yellow colors in her little bundle when she felt a tap on her shoulder. 

“Ayida look, who is that?”

Quickly looking up, her gaze started at her mothers face before wildly glancing around. At first she didn’t see anything, but as she followed where her mother was pointing, her father was standing in front of the door to the cafe, his smile growing wider as he waved. He started walking over towards his side of the crosswalk, suitcase in hand, making her want to run to him, jump in his arms and hug him. She glanced up at her mother who gave her a nod, before taking off across the street. He met her halfway there, dropping his case and scooping her up, spinning around as he did.

“There's my little princess! Did you think I was going to miss your birthday?”

“No Daddy! We were coming to get you lunch!”

“Really? I was coming to get you lunch!”“You're silly Daddy! I love y-”

“EMMETT LOOK OUT!”

Her mothers scream scared her, looking away from her father to see a bright red car racing towards them. Her mother was running towards them as her father pressed a kiss to Ayida’s check, shoving her away behind him. She landed on her butt, losing one of her sneakers as she tumbled backwards. Mr. Grumby grabbed her by the arm, yanking her up into his arms, backing away into his cafe and locking the door as she screamed and kicked, wanting to run back to her parents. What was happening? Where was her father, where did her mother go, who was in the red car?

“Cover your ears and close your eyes, little one. No one can hurt you here.”

Ayida did as she was told, sobbing behind the counter of the cafe with a couple of other people who had been in the shop. Another lady sat with her, holding her in a hug saying that everything would be over soon and they’d be okay. Outside she could vaguely hear her mother’s screams as well as another mans. Another voice joined them before a car door slammed and a loud bang sound echoed. Everything went really quiet as another bang echoed, then a high pitched squealing sound as the car drove off again.

The first thing she did after the room grew quiet was wiggle out of the women's grasp and run to the door. She wanted her fathers hug, her mothers warm smile, she needed them, any sort of reassurance that they were safe. Instead she saw their unmoving bodies in the middle of the street, a pool of red liquid spreading under them. She banged on the glass of the door screaming for them to get up but they wouldn’t move, like they couldn't hear her. The flowers she had picked were strewn by the sidewalk, yellow blossoms trampled and flattened.

BEEP.   BEEP.   BEEP.

The steady rhythm of the heart monitor grew louder in her ears as she came to consciousness. There was a whooshing noise, like an old vent fan, as well as other machinery sounds. She felt numb, yet everything hurt. Like she had been hit by a freight train but didn’t know it. Daring to open her eyes, she instantly regretted it, the bright white light of the room burning her eyes, tears threatening to pool. Her mouth was dry, her lips cracked as she tried to call out. The sound she did happen to make however was a low groan that cracked mid way out. 

A pair of quick footsteps made their way into her room as she tried opening her eyes again, looking to her left instead of straight above her. A nurse was standing beside her, reaching for what was most likely a call button of sorts. Something to alert others that she was awake. A hand turned her head to the right, a male doctor holding a small light was talking to her, something about her pupils and moving her toes. He flashed the light in her eyes a few times then had her move her toes and fingers. 

If she had been more awake in the moment she probably would have told him off, instead she pointed to her throat and let out another croak. He must have gotten the message, because he left and came back with a glass of water and another nurse as well as a police officer. The team helped move her into a sitting position, adjusting both the bed and her leg to a comfortable position so she could drink without spilling any down the front of her gown. The water was cold and tasted refreshing, easing the scratchy feeling at the back of her throat and the dryness of her mouth. The nurse that had been there when she first woke up, sat down beside her taking the empty cup when she had finished it.

“I know this must be confusing and terrifying for you, but you’re in Gotham General Hospital. Can you tell me your name?”

“It's Ayida. Ayida Rhodes.”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lord of the Marked || Chapter 2

x

Word Count: 1,831

Summary: Struggling to survive in a small village, Esmeray dreams that one day things will change... until a vision from beyond shakes her to the core. Life had never been easy, but what will fate have in store for an ill-marked soul such as her own?

CHAPTER WARNING: Verbal abuse, mentions of abuse, themes of discrimination and slavery.

A/N: Hit this chapter with a bit of suspense, not sure when this one will be updated, as I have more stories to be released not just here but on the other sites as well.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

By the time they arrived back at the tavern, Esmeray was exhausted and the donkey was close behind. They had managed not to break any barrels of ale, the bottles of wine were unshattered, and the only apple that got bruised would be given to the donkey as a treat. Everything was accounted for and they were on schedule as far as planning was concerned, not that it would matter to Archimedes. No matter what she did to help out it always seemed as if there was one thing done wrong. She fed the bruised apple to the donkey before grabbing the first round of supplies and walked them into the kitchen, Audrei coming out to help bring things in. Between the two of them, things were quickly put away and dinner preparations were listed, the longer items being started to save time. After finishing her own tasks, Esmeray stepped back outside hoping to be able to assist with the outdoor preparations. Instead, the sight that greeted her was Archimedes, his brow furrowed as he lumbered towards her, pushing his way past the tavern's staff. What would it be this time she wondered.

"You!"

His voice bellowed across the bustling yard, any prior conversations either stopped or quieted down, everyone glancing around nervously, questioning whether or not it was them he was singling out. After a few moments, many looked away, hiding their smirks or subtle snickers when it was clear that Esmeray was his intended target. Esmeray however, was mentally preparing herself for the verbal assault that Archimedes was about to deliver. She stood silently, not dating to move out of fear that it would anger the man even more. She trembled as he reached her, smelling of alcohol and sweat. Nothing that was particularly out of the ordinary, except it was tremendously strong, overwhelmingly so.

"There you are. Go get yourself cleaned up once the preparations have been finished. Then go see the whores upstairs. They are to make you look... presentable. The village head wants you to sing for tonight's visitors and we can't have your ranyon filth embarrassing them or ruining our village's reputation. Now get back to work before I tell him to reconsider."

Esmeray stood in absolute shock, watching as Archimedes lumbered off back in the direction he came, the yard growing completely silent until he completely was out of view. Dirty looks and side glances were being cast in Esmeray's direction, although a few of the older women congratulated her and wished her their best. It had been many moons since she had performed in front of anyone, let alone in a serious manner, and of all nights to have her sing, the village head chose the most important one. A heavy weight settled on her shoulders, and all she could think was how the village's fate rested in her hands. She would have continued to stand there looking to be on the verge of shattering into thousands of pieces had Audrei not stepped in and nudged Esmeray from her thoughts. She gave her a false smile and nervously grabbed a basket that sat just outside the doorway. She peered into it taking note that it was full of twine, glass jars and small candles, what would most likely serve as their "elegant" outdoor lighting.

Esmeray stepped back, a light smile gracing her features as she wiped the sweat from her brow. The jars had been strung up from both sides of the tavern to the surrounding trees weaved through the thicker branches, while their candles sat inside waiting to be lit once the guests had begun to arrive. The yard had been cleared of all carts and empty beer barrels, clusters of round wood tables now stood in their place, each set with a pair of glass jars, one for a bouquet of flowers, the other holding an unlit candle. Looking at the setup as a whole, it gave off a very elegant country feeling, similar to one of the village weddings she remembered watching from her younger years. Silky tablecloths were being ironed, other long stretches of light, fluttery fabric were strung up with the jar lights, giving the space a closed off feeling while still keeping it light and open.

By the time they had finished all their tasks with setting up the yard, the sun was high in the sky and there was not a single cloud in sight. It would be a clear evening which usually meant there would be nothing to worry about, however, Esmeray knew deep down something tonight would go wrong and as per usual, she would be blamed for it. A mug might get broken and someone could cut themselves, the food might be over cooked, things she had no actual control over, yet she would still be at fault for them. It would be even worse if she messed up her performance for tonight, a single wrong note would be worth a million punishments. Thinking about her performance sent a chilling shiver down her spine, pushing her other thoughts to the back of her mind, Archimedes' words echoing in her head.

"There you are. Go get yourself cleaned up once the preparations have been finished. Then go see the whores upstairs."

It was those words that reminded her that it was about time she got cleaned up and properly dressed, before the Village Head arrived to check on things, or before Archimedes decided to blame her for another mess up. Esmeray too one last look around at things and softly nodded, happy that at least it looked fitting of a Lord. As she turned to leave, Esmeray locked eyes with Audrei who had just come around the corner of the tavern by the servants entrance, carefully holding what seemed to be the last set of freshly ironed tablecloths. She set them down next to another stack and made her way over to Esmeray still holding a cream colored cloth.

"Here. Don't need you wearing those filthy rags after you've washed, it would ruin the entire point of letting you bathe earlier than the rest of us."

Esmeray nodded her head, slightly in shock at the gesture as she was passed the clean garments. Yes, Audrie was "polite" towards her, but it was usually because everyone else had a pure sense of hatred or dislike for Esmeray and would make it clear when they went out of their way to make things harder for her. The two were far from being considered friends but they both had a clear understanding of the importance of keeping an eye out for each other. Such as when Audrei would walk her to the edge of the forest in the early mornings. It was safer to leave the tavern together because no one wanted to be on Audrei's bad side.

"Thank you Audrei, I-"

"Don't. Dahlia was planning on burning them. I just did what was needed so the village isn't put at risk. Now go before something else happens. And don't forget. No side adventures or distractions."

With that said, Audrei gave Esmeray a light shove, urging her to get moving as they avoided the scornful gazes cast their way by other staff and servants. Once out of view from the tavern, it took her a few moments to get rid of the feeling that she was being watched, but once she did and was sure that she was completely alone, she began to relax. The trip to the spring took only a few moments, but they were peaceful and quiet, most likely the only peaceful moments she would get till the celebration was over and the Lord had moved on. The celebration itself would most likely carry on well into the morning and the Lord would be offered a room at the tavern, which means Esmeray would not be inhabiting her own "room" tonight. The storeroom would be her most likely sleeping option, if she would even be allowed to sleep in the tavern at all.

The spring was hidden a few feet off the main path to the market, the scent of wildflowers and freshwater made for a calming atmosphere. Esmeray brushed her fingertips across the water's surface, testing the temperature with a light smile. It was cool, not freezing, but enough to cool her off. Esmeray undressed, leaving her dirty garments out on the ground, tucking the fresh ones into a bush so they would stay hidden. She had a problem with Daliah stealing her work rags or destroying her new garments so she would get punished by Archimedes. She had since figured different hiding places to prevent those situations from happening again. Stepping into the spring, Esmeray let a soft sigh escape her lips, and her worries melted away with the ripples of the water. At its deepest the water just reached her hips, her long hair starting to pool behind her.

She spent extra care in cleaning her face and her hair, knowing that it was the part that really mattered when Archimedes said to look presentable. She waited for the water to still once more, catching her own reflection as it stilled. Her deep olive skin was clear of any mud or sweat, her dark blue eyes shimmered and her silver white hair looked like snow covering her scalp. Esmeray never usually thought much of her appearance, after all it had been the cause of most of her problems. Unnatural white hair, skin of a mixed breed and an unholy marking above her hip. It was shaped like the letter "h" with a dot and a few tails along the top, and whenever someone saw it they either branded her as evil or walked in the opposite direction. As she thought about it, Esmeray unconsciously traced her finger along the mark, losing herself as she did, her vision going black as blood curdling screech erupting through the quiet air.

"Crrrrrreeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiihhhhhhhk"

The ground was hard and cold, and there seemed to be a stone or branch jabbing into her back as Esmeray stirred. Her head pounded as she sat up dusting herself off. She was still lacking her clothing; her hair was still soaked, and she appeared to be laying outside of a cave entrance. She tried to remember even one small detail of what had happened, but everything came up blank. Last she knew, she had been bathing in the spring. She tried to call out for someone, anyone, hoping they would still be nearby, but her voice wouldn't work, she couldn't get the words out no matter how hard she tried. She stood up wobbly, looking around the caves entrance before heading inside, perhaps Dahlia had played another prank and they were hiding inside waiting to jump out. What did jump out at her was not Daliah. Fangs were barred, its eye glinting in the dull light, its claws scratched the stone while its scaly tail echoed as it slithered behind.

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lord of the Marked || Chapter 1

x

Word Count: 1,825

Summary: Struggling to survive in a small village, Esmeray dreams that one day things will change... until a vision from beyond shakes her to the core. Life had never been easy, but what will fate have in store for an ill-marked soul such as her own?

CHAPTER WARNING: Verbal abuse, mentions of abuse, mentions of death, themes of discrimination and slavery.

A/N: Bit of a slow burn story but I actually enjoy it with this one.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

His hands were rough and calloused, scarred from years of hard work, yet they held her with a peculiar softness. It was something she had not been accustomed to anywhere but here. A small cottage with a garden where the flowers were always in bloom, the sun always shone brightly, and the warmth was welcoming. And there he was, tall, gentle, and faceless, always waiting for her by the wood gate. He never spoke, but there was no need for words. She always knew what he was thinking by the way he held her.

"You seem very happy today... is it because of the new sunflowers I added to the garden? If so then I will add some more by the window so you may see them while you wait inside."

His grasp on her waist relaxed further and his head rested atop hers, his embrace warm and gentle, loving. Esmeray closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh, her world was one of peace and simplicity, and that was how she wanted it. There was no need for anything expensive or extravagant, after all it was just the two of them. Here she felt content, safe and... wet? Esmeray opened her eyes in confusion, it wasn't raining out, in fact it was the exact opposite. Sunny and clear blue skies. So then why was she soaked? Looking up, her faceless love was unfazed, which left Esmeray to continue to ponder this thought till a sharp low voice shook her from her thoughts.

"If you don't wake up now I'll have to use the cold water."

Those words were enough to shake her from her slumber and she slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the face of Audrei, a colored servant woman who was employed by the same tavern as Esmeray. She had full lips, golden chocolate eyes, high cheekbones and a clear complexion. Her short but wild hair was hidden under a light blue cloth, tied at the base of her neck. She stood with an old weaved wooden basket on one arm, and an empty water bucket grasped in the other hand. Her expression held that of annoyance as she turned to walk out of the closet.

"You are supposed to grab the order for tonight's gathering. Or did you forget that again already?"

Esmeray groaned softly but got out of her makeshift bed, and began to change from her night clothes and into her work rags. She tied her hair back with twine, tucking in the few loose strands that had managed to escape. As much as she longed to go back to that cottage and enjoy the sunflowers with her faceless love, she knew the amount of trouble she would be in was not worth the risk. A bucket of lukewarm water would be enjoyable in comparison to the wrath of the tavern's owner, Archimedes. He was an overweight, stocky man, barely able to reach the top self, but his fierce attitude made up for what he lacked in appearance. His thin lips were usually in a grimace, his eyes were dark with bags, but their deep green irises raged with energy. He was definitely someone you did not want to be on the bad side of.

After straightening out her space and attempting to look what she hoped was halfway presentable, Esmeray followed Audrei out into the hallway of the tavern's second floor. The building was silent aside from the occasional snoring of the prior nights patrons that still slept in their rooms. The pair made their way down the creaky stairs, grabbing the list that sat on the bar top waiting for them. The air of the tavern was considerably warmer than that which hit them as they stepped outside. The sky was still dark, the faintest hint of sun on the horizon was the only indication that dawn was approaching. A thick fog had settled over the ground and the grass had a coating of dew that dampened the edges of their rags as they made their way towards the woodland trail in silence. Audrei always made it a habit to accompany Esmeray to the edge of the woods, but never a step further. It may not have seemed like much to anyone else, but she was always grateful for the others' company.

"Get what is needed and come back. No side adventures or distractions. It's far too important of a day for any nonsense."

Esmeray nodded and took the basket from Audrei. The handle was smooth and soft from months of use, four worn down grooves had formed at the top. The basket itself was light, but sturdy enough to carry the items that were required for the tavern every week. Tonight however, was supposed to be busy, a Lord was visiting from the kingdom their small village sat on the outskirts of, and everyone would be in an uproar to prepare. Esmeray however, would most likely spend her time in her "room" hidden away. She was a disgrace, even by servant standards, even Audrei was valued more highly than Esmeray could ever hope to be. All because she was born on a cursed night with a marking that would continuously decide the fate of her meager, miserable life. Snapping out her thoughts, Esmeray nodded and thanked Audrei, turning to head down the path to the market murmuring under her breath.

"No distractions, no nonsense... No distractions, no nonsense..."

Esmeray made her way towards the market, the soft thud of her feet on the dirt path and the soft muttering were the only sounds she made. Her pace was cautious yet hurried, she dared not spend too much time in the woods without daylight as she could not tell what was lurking. She hated being alone in the woods, unable to see more than a horse's length ahead of herself. It brought back less than unpleasant memories she wished would stay buried. The villagers used to cast her out of their homes at night, leaving a young Esmeray to defend herself against the beasts and monsters that roamed through the forests in the dark. Their howls and calls haunted her less now as she had grown and studied the various ways to defend herself from their attacks, but there was always a chance to be caught unaware, and that was what truly frightened her.

Looking up through the masses of leaves that hid the sky from view, Esmeray strained her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the light that she knew was steadily taking over the horizon. That thought alone eased some of her tensions as she pushed on, hoping she hadn't lost any spare time while lost in her own thoughts. She had a job to do after all and dilly dallying around was not acceptable. She promised Audrei she would stay focused and grab only what Archimedes had listed down on the paper, and not a copper more. Looking down at the list in her hand, she read through it once more, as if chanting the items. Ale, Apples, Cabbage, Duck, Grapes, Lard, Pork, Potatoes, Sausage, Wine. The fruit, duck, and wine were new additions to the list however that may have been due in part to the celebration that had been planned.

"Watch where you are going, Ranyon!"

Glancing up from the list, Esmeray let out a soft panicked cry and jumped out of the way of the blacksmith. Kartikeya was a tall muscular man, his skin a deep bronzy color. His eyes were a greyish blue and his scalp usually held a shine from a mixture of sweat and sunlight. However today it seemed to be covered by a hat or cloth of sorts, as the man moved a cart of ores and other metal objects across the path. Esmeray stayed silent as he passed, hanging her head down while hoping not to incur any further wrath. "Ranyon". A term used by the village that was specifically reserved for her. Her mother had been one of the whores who worked at the tavern, and her father was, at least according to Archimedes, a womanizing deserter who abandoned the king's army. Archimedes attributed the death of the second prince to her father's desertion, therefore as his daughter, she was no better. The only reason Archimedes allowed her to work and stay in the tavern was because of her mother. She died shortly after Esmerays second birthday and left her debt to pass on to Esmeray.

After Kartikeya had passed and was at a far enough distance, Esmeray turned and set about picking up the orders Archimedes had made. The brewery had left out a cart and donkey to ensure the specialty ale and wine would make the journey safely since their shop would not be open until later on in the afternoon. The fruits were wrapped in cloth that had been soaked in lemon juice, something that was supposed to improve the longevity and freshness, the meats were tied and strung up, each order needing to be placed beside one thing but not the other, some on top as to not be crushed. By the time she was finished, both her basket and kart were piled high with the goods.

As Esmeray was heading back onto the path towards the tavern, the sky had lightened considerably, her vision not nearly as restricted as it had been on the trip prior. She was much more at ease with the company of an animal, enough so to sing a soft tune to herself. The fog had yet to dissipate, and the faint morning light filtering through the leaves gave an eerie atmosphere. Adjusting the pace of the donkey and cart, Esmeray began to hum a tune, the words eventually coming to her mind.

"Wolves asleep amidst the trees, bats all swaying in the breeze, but one soul lies anxious wide awake. Fearing all manner of gh-"

"Eeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhhhhk"

Esmeray jumped at the sudden shriek that echoed through the mist coated trees, an unnatural silence settling in as everything went still. She stayed quiet a few moments more, her heart pounding so loudly in her ears she could have sworn it could be heard from miles away. Her mind raced as she tried to recall what kind of creature could make that unholy sound, but none were coming to her recollection. Whatever this was, its cry had not been listed in any of the texts she had studied, nor had she had the privilege to meet it in the flesh. Something she desperately prayed would not happen. The donkey had stopped moving and was sniffing at a few stray leaves as if it were completely unfazed by the shriek that had erupted a few moments ago. Shaking herself free of her thoughts she continued forward at a brisk pace, hoping whatever it was that made the unholy sound was going in the opposite direction of herself. 

[bl33dingm3mry]

Lord of the Marked || Prologue

x

Word Count: 132

Summary: Struggling to survive in a small village, Esmeray dreams that one day things will change... until a vision from beyond shakes her to the core. Life had never been easy, but what will fate have in store for an ill-marked soul such as her own?

CHAPTER WARNING: 

A/N: Short but sweet, bit of a different style for me but we’ll see where it goes.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

"Wolves asleep amidst the trees, bats all swaying in the breeze, but one soul lies anxious wide awake. Fearing all manner of gh-"

"Eeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiihhhhhhhhhhhhk"

Esmeray jumped at the sudden shriek that echoed through the mist coated trees, an unnatural silence settling in as everything went still. She stayed quiet a few moments more, her heart pounding so loudly in her ears she could have sworn it could be heard from miles away. Her mind raced as she tried to recall what kind of creature could make that unholy sound, but none were coming to her recollection. Whatever this was, its cry had not been listed in any of the texts she had studied, nor had she had the privilege to meet it in the flesh. Something she desperately prayed would not happen.

[bl33dingm3mry]

Stolen Sound || Chapter 7

Jason Todd x OC

Word Count: 1,480

Summary: A fateful night in Gotham City sends a young girl spiraling as she discovers a part of herself that could spell disaster for those around her.

CHAPTER WARNING: Angst, Gore, Abuse, Mentions of Kidnapping, Torture

A/N: IF YOU ARE EASILY TRIGGERED BY DESCRIPTIONS OF ABUSIVE SITUATIONS PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU INSIST, THEN SKIP TO THE UNITALICIZED TEXT AT THE BOTTOM. DON’T BLAME ME FOR WHAT'S WRITTEN WHEN YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN AMPLE WARNING.Bit of a flashback for this one, filling in some backstory. Sorry this one took a bit longer, I really wanted to get the feeling right. This has some heavy topics in it, as well as major references to other media that covered the topic. If you know, you know. I’m hoping the next chapter will be more uplifting. As always, enjoy!

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

"It's been 6 months now Jason, I think it's time to face facts."

WHACK!

“Ungh… mff… shnd…”

“Repeat that a little louder kiddo. I think you may have a collapsed lung! That always impedes the ability to converse.”

Joker strutted his way over to the young male on the floor, brandishing his choice of weapon for the night. He seemed gleeful and proud of his work as Jason looked up through bruised eyes. He had mumbled while trying to collect all the blood that had pooled in his mouth, spitting in the face of the deranged clown.

“Now that was rude. The first boy blunder had manners. I suppose I’m going to have to teach you a lesson so you can better follow in his footsteps.”

“Fuck you.”

“That's the spirit! You're a chip off the ol' bat block. Not that it'll do you any good.”

WHACK!

The feeling of another rib cracking under the heavy impact of the crowbar made Jason want to scream, cry out, something, anything, but he refused to. Refused to give the criminal any sort of satisfaction. Where was Bruce? Why wasn’t he here cracking his knuckles across Joker's jaw? He should have been able to find them by now, although as he thought about it, he wasn’t sure how long it had been. All sense of time was gone. For all he knew the endless torture could have happened over the course of 6 months like the man said or 1 hour. Feeling the metal crowbar slam down onto his side made Jason curl up into a ball, scrunching his eyes shut as he tried to keep silent. 

Opening them again, something felt different. His body was heavy, almost like his feet were coated in lead. Looking up, his wrists were bound in rope, his fingertips numb. Looking down, his feet were just inches from the floor. His uniform was bloody, torn at the shoulder and hip from a knife fight prior to him passing out. Joker regularly had people sent down to “play with him” inmates from Arkham asylum who were escorted by a guard, someone who had been bribed most likely. Judging how easy it was for the inmates to get in and the strange markings drawn all over the room, Jason figured out he was being kept in the abandoned wing of the Asylum. Specifically, the cell the founder, Amadeus Arkham, was kept in when he went insane. 

“Wakey wakey.”

The tapping of metal on stone broke the younger male out of his thoughts, all senses on high alert as he tried to scan the room. The noise continued from behind him, getting louder as it got closer. The excited tone of the Jokers voice sent chills down his spine, leaving his mind racing with all the possible torture methods he would have to endure for their time together. The sound of sizzling made him whimper, struggling against his binds.

"What's wrong? Do you think I’m going to hurt you? Why? I’m not the bad one here. Oh no, no, no, no. It’s Batman. He’s abandoned you. Thrown you away. Replaced you with that new kid of his.”

“No, he wouldn’t…”

“So this… Isn’t him? Huh. Usually the ears are a dead give away.”

Joker appeared in front of Jason, holding a newspaper article with a grainy photo of Batman with another Robin. He wouldn’t have believed it had the article’s date been way past the day he was taken. It had been almost ten months past to be precise. Joker hadn’t been lying… Bruce had left him behind with this psycho and found someone else to replace him. This had to be a trick though… Bruce would never be so cruel… would he? Sure, he had his cold shoulder moments, but to leave him behind in the hands of their worst enemy, to be tortured and abused night after night. That didn’t sound like Bruce.

“I didn’t want to show you that Jason, I really didn’t… But you needed closure. Oh don’t worry kiddo, you can be my sidekick now! Imagine it! You and me, out on the streets, a real dynamic duo!”

Jason's eyes widened in panic as the Joker laughed like the maniac he was, before swiftly lifting the glowing red poker iron to the wound on his shoulder. Letting out a shriek in agony, Jason opened his eyes, the sound of medical monitors and harsh white lights flooded his senses. His shoulder burned as he went to move, instinctively reaching for his thigh where his gun would be holstered. He panicked as the gun was nowhere to be found, his vision blurry as he adjusted to the lighting.

“Jason… It’s alright, you’re okay. We’re in the Batcave.”

Bruce’s voice snapped Jason out of his fight or flight response, the younger male reaching out, his hand trembling as he did. Bruce’s face came into view as he felt the man's hand grasp his, grounding him. He lightly tugged on the older man's hand, wanting him closer, wanting the comfort of knowing this wasn’t some twisted dream. Bruce not only stepped closer but sat on the table, pulling the smaller male into his lap and holding him. Jason clutched onto the male's shirt, burying his face into Bruce’s chest as he sobbed, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke.

“Please… Don’t leave dad…”

“I’m not going anywhere son, I’m right here I promise.”

Bruce shifted slightly as he pulled out his phone, texting most likely Dick, before he settled again, both arms cradling Jason who trembled in the embrace. He was safe, he was loved, and he wasn’t going back to that wretched Asylum. Bruce would rather eat a bullet than let him go back, but it didn’t stop the nightmares from haunting him. Just when he thought he was past them, they’d always come back, and stronger than before. More vivid, more real sometimes than when it had actually happened.

Nuzzling further into Bruce’s arms, Jason took a deep shaky breath, the older man's cologne easing his nerves. They stayed like that for several minutes, just holding onto each other before footsteps echoed down into the cave. Stealing a glance towards the sound, Alfred came into view, holding a glass of water and most likely some ibuprofen. If anything, Jason was more glad that Alfred had come down alone. He hated the idea of his brothers seeing him like this, a grown man behaving like a child. Alfred however had seen him as torn and beaten as could be and at the lowest of low. He and Bruce had sat through every nightmare, every hallucination, every panic attack after they rescued him.

“Master Jason, I brought you some painkillers as well as a few snacks for you and Master Bruce. I thought the two of you might be hungry after everything that happened tonight. You both did miss dinner after all.”

“Thank you, Alfred. You can set them on the table, Jason and I need a moment.”

“Very well Master Bruce. I shall return to the study should you need me.”

Watching the older man leave, Bruce undid the medical sensors that were still attached to the younger male's body and slowly stood up, carrying Jason to the chair he rolled over earlier. They settled in as Bruce gave him the medicine and water, softly stroking his hair like he used to do when he first took him in. His eyes fixed themselves onto his son's pale features, glad he was alive. Jason however, looked back up at the man, slightly confused. He wanted to ask what was wrong, why he was staring at him like that, but the other spoke first.

“I’m sorry… For everything.”

“Bruce…”

“I said some awful things to you Jason, and I regret every word. I would never kick you out of the house, no matter how much we disagree on something. After everything that's happened, I know how much that would destroy you and to have thrown that in your face like I did… It was inexcusable. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but just know that you will always have a place here in both the Manor and the Batcave.”

Jason felt completely dumbstruck at Bruce's apology. He wasn’t expecting it, and their argument from earlier had been the farthest from his mind at that moment, but his eyes began to water. He and Bruce always got into it more than any of his brothers and usually they'd sort things out, forgive and forget. But this was different. Bruce loved him, Jason knew he did, but hearing the older man say that he'd always have a home with him lifted a weight he didn’t know he had been carrying. Jason wrapped his arms around his father, hugging him tightly.

“I… I love you dad.”

“I love you too Jason.”

[bl33dingm3mry]

Stolen Sound Masterlist

Jason Todd x Reader

Last Update: 4/18/22

Word Count: 13,624 {As of last update}

Summary: A fateful night in Gotham City sends a young girl spiraling as she discovers a part of herself that could spell disaster for those around her.

STORY WARNINGS: Angst, Gore, Mentions of Death, Kidnapping, Abusive Language

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list, it will be updated every chapter!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

[bl33dingm3mry]

Stolen Sound || Chapter 6

Jason Todd x OC

Word Count: 1,569

Summary: A fateful night in Gotham City sends a young girl spiraling as she discovers a part of herself that could spell disaster for those around her.

CHAPTER WARNING: Angst, Gore, Mentions of Death

A/N: Bit of a flashback for this one, filling in some blanks. This is the latest chapter, and I am currently writing the next one. Till then I will work on making a master list so these are easier for you to find. The link to it will be in the pinned post of my profile.

TAGLIST:

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the list!

▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚▚

It had been a considerably normal day at Wayne Manor, and even after Bruce, Dick and the other boys had left for the evening, things had been relatively peaceful. Alfread sat at the Bat Computer, assisting the team whenever they needed him to, Barbara on the other line keeping them company as well. The original plan for the night was to split off in groups and do a quick patrol of Gotham before reconvening at the Sionis Steel Mill. Black Mask had been arranging a massive drug smuggling deal over the past few months and according to the conversation they overheard from the bug planted in Sionis's office, the hand off was tonight. Things had gone smoothly at first, until Jason took it upon himself to shoot Black Mask. Against orders. Again.

Jason had been responsible for ruining most of Black Mask's operations, however the major disaster that led up to the current one had involved a huge weapons cache being shipped over from Blüdhaven that the younger male had not only intercepted and destroyed, but he also got a shot off on the crime lord. The bullet had ripped through Sionis's shoulder, it wasn't enough to kill the man, but it was enough for him to put Red Hood at the top of his kill list. So, this time around Black Mask took off down an alleyway in hopes that the vigilante assassin would take the bait, which Jason stupidly did, leaving the others to deal with the crime lord's cronies. By the time Bruce had gotten away from the fight, Jason had the masked man pinned to the ground, one of his pistols pressed under the older man's chin.

"Red Hood. Don't."

"Stay out of this Batman!"

"Go on. Run off like a coward, the big bad Bat is calling."

That singular comment from Sionis was all it took for Jason to pull the trigger, blood spattering across the front of his uniform and pooling onto the ground beneath the criminal's lifeless body. The younger male stood up silently, holstering his pistol and walking back towards Bruce and the others who had gathered behind him, half their faces plastered with shock. Any remaining cronies had run off, most likely going to spread the word about their boss's death, and those who had been knocked unconscious were left in a pile for the GCPD to collect. Bruce stood there for a moment longer before turning to leave, pausing to utter a single word before he did.

"Batcave."

Damien, Dick and Tim followed in a stunned silence, all piling into the Batmobile as Bruce revved the car's engine. Tearing out of the factory yard, his stoic face hiding every ounce of anger he had bubbling in his gut. This wasn't the first incident, but it didn't make things any better, and Bruce couldn't understand why the younger male insisted on defying him. Jason himself however, had taken his motorcycle to avoid what they all knew would be an awkward ride home. He was most definitely in for an argument once they returned to the Manor.

Having arrived back at the Batcave first, Bruce took Alfreds spot at the Bat computer, waiting for the rumble of the other motorbike. Without so much of a nod, Alfred turned on his heel and led the younger boys upstairs towards the Manor's secret entrance. The longer Bruce sat there waiting, the clearer it became that Jason was taking the long way home. He should have arrived mere moments after them with the speed his bike could reach, however, Jason's avoidance of their impending conversation only served to annoy Bruce further. If the younger man would have hashed it out with him right then and there they could have moved forward and been better off by the end of the night. Hanging his head with a sigh, Bruce stood and went upstairs to get changed. It had been an early evening for them, only being around eight fifteen, meaning they would be able to have some sort of a late dinner with Alfred. Something that almost never happened with their line of work.

"Fine. He wants to drag it out, then I can play this game too."

Having showered and changed into more comfortable clothes, Bruce ended up making his way down to the kitchen, the faint smell of curry spices in the air. He stood in the doorway watching Alfred make his way around the kitchen for a few moments, enjoying the calm atmosphere. That was, until he could hear a commotion coming from the dining room. Part of him hoped it was just Tim and Damien getting into another mild debate, the other half bracing for it to be Jason. Turning the doorknob, sure enough, Tim and Damien were squabbling over some video they had been watching on one of their phones, however his attention was dragged to the movement behind them. The two boys glanced up at Bruce settling down at the aggravated expression on his face, turning around to watch what their fathers eyes were glued to.

Jason had casually strolled into the room still in his cargo pants but donning a red shirt instead of his vest, sweatshirt and jacket combo. He must have arrived while Bruce had been in the shower, seeing as he had only half changed out of his uniform. Bruce watched as the younger male sat down at the table, not even glancing up from his phone despite the burning gaze locked onto him. Dick Damien and Tim were glancing between the two men before Dick had the sense to kick his brother from under the table, subtly nodding at the glowering man in the doorway.

"I guess dinner is out of the question right now."

Jason held Bruce's gaze without any emotion in his blue eyes before standing from his seat and walking out of the room. Bruce followed the younger male, making his way around the dining table to the other door. Jason was most likely going to cut through the living room to reach the library where he would lock the door and hide for however long he thought was necessary. However Bruce slammed the door behind him catching the others' attention before he had made it halfway past the fireplace. Bruce wasn't one to slam doors in the Manor, he usually chewed into the others for doing it. The younger man turned around, arms crossed over his chest as he steeled himself for the oncoming lecture.

"What the hell were you thinking Jason?!"

"Bruce, he deserved to die! He murdered all those people and when he eventually gets back out of Arkham, he will gladly do it again cause he knows he can get away with it!"

"That is not how we do things Jason... Don't stoop to their level Jason."

"Stooping to their level would be slaughtering an innocent man, not a scum sucking criminal that murders for fun!"

"We have rules Jason. A line that we do not cross, no matter who it is we face."

"WE don't have rules Bruce! YOU have rules! And GOD FORBID you go one FUCKING NIGHT without quoting them at me!"

"Yes, they are my rules. My rules are there to keep us alive, and if you want to stay in this house and on this team, you WILL abide by them!"

"You don't-"

"What are you trying to prove Jason?"

"..."

"This selfish need to dish out justice has to stop. It's going to get you killed."

"Selfish... Me? ...I stood by you. I ALWAYS stood by you! I'm STILL standing by you! I GAVE UP EVERYTHING FOR YOU! And I'M the one who's selfish!? ...Is it really me that's in the wrong; or is it actually you?"

"Jason..."

Bruce stood in a stunned silence as his son glared at him, tears building in his eyes. A moment passed before Jason stormed past, his shoulder bumping into the older man, his face red in frustration and hurt. He wanted to stop him, grab his wrist and pull him into a hug, apologize for what was said, but he knew that would only push Jason farther away. He would need his space to calm down and clear his head before Bruce would be able to make any attempt at an apology. The door slammed behind him as Jason made his way through the dining room, and the older male could hear Dick, his concerned tone clear as day. It wasn't the first argument they had on this topic; however, Bruce had always tried to keep it between them instead of in front of the other boys, however he had even fucked that up. Walking back into the dining room, he was greeted by a heavy silence as Tim, Damien, Alfred stared at him. He turned his gaze away and walked back towards the kitchen, thinking his study would be the best place to hunker down for a while.

"Master Bruce-"

"I'm not hungry Alfred. Feel free to wrap mine in the fridge."

"Very well."

Bruce nodded and left the room, not even daring another glance at the butler behind him, knowing far too well the look of disappointment that would be strewn across his face. He was far too disappointed in himself already to add his closest friends on top of it.

"Master Bruce... "

"Sir..."

"Wake up Master Bruce..."

"Master Jason is coming to."