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loser-mobile · 12 days ago

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Future Lover - Chapter 3 - Jason Todd x Reader

Synopsis: Trying to make it in Gotham, you are dragged clawing and screaming into a time travel mess with a man who claims to be your future husband.

Author’s Note: Holy fucking shit you guys I cannot express how elated I am at the engagement from my last two posts. I have been thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking about how to beat my last chapter and make the next one something special, and I just spent the last 2-3 hours polishing this off. For reference, it is currently 3am where I am. I am one silly noodle.

I think now is officially the time for me to state MDNI. 18+, not just for this chapter, but more broadly for this fic because I am planning on having more explicit content in future.

Content: Mild mention of injuries, and SA implied.

Word Count: 4.2k (Somehow??)

The small backseat of the batmobile was cool. The dark gray seats felt like cold slate, and you awkwardly sat on your hands in an effort to warm them up. You peer out the dark tinted glass as the city passes you by.

Your eyes dart forward, and timidly meet the eyes of Batman. The white lenses of his cowl are inscrutable. They look like they could be looking at you, and the road ahead, at the same time. All-knowing, the eyes of Batman.

“Hey.”

You turn your head to the right. Sitting beside you in the backseat is Red Hood, well- the old, no, future Red Hood? Who exactly is this guy? He smiles at you warmly, red muzzle still pulled down to hang around his neck, domino mask still pressed firmly on his face. White lenses meet your gaze, and you stare at each other.

He whispers again, in a hushed tone.

“He’s really not that bad, y’know. I know he looks scary, but he’s a big softie.”

You blink. “Who? Oh, yeah, Batman. Right.”

You chuckle breathily.

He smiles back, a little awkward. But there's something else there too. He smiles at you like he expects you to know him. Like he can’t believe you don’t.

You look away, a little flustered. What the fuck is his deal?

After the fight had concluded, you had watched as Batman made a series of executive decisions. It was awe-inspiring, simply watching the half-man half-legend expertly delegate tasks in his team. Red-Robin is injured, and can’t get back on his own. Spoiler voiced her prognosis, then agreed to meet back at the Cave. They help Red-Robin into the front passenger’s seat, the seat in front of you.

Then they turned to you. The loose end, the civilian. Before they could say anything, Future Hood had stepped in front of you and insisted, insisted, that you come along. So, here you were. In the Batmobile. After getting caught up in a fight that nearly killed you. What a time to be alive.

You can see through the gaps in the seat, and hear the costumed vigilante groan and grunt in pain as he clutches his side. He thankfully received basic medical attention. You feel as if you should suggest going to a hospital, but you know better. Hell, they probably have one back at the… wherever you’re going. Cave? Okay.

Nightwing and Robin were charged with tracking the two attackers. Ophelia and Max… no… Ophelia and Fred.. Oh whatever, it doesn’t matter.

Red Hood, that is to say, current Red Hood took his motorcycle, scowling the whole time at his counterpart, who regarded him with almost bemused apathy. Fuckin’ freak, he had said, under his breath to the older Hood, shaking his head. It was obvious that he wasn’t convinced of the Future Red Hood’s story, or whoever he claimed to be. Matter of fact, you weren’t entirely convinced either. There’s plenty of weirdos in Gotham. That’s why it’s so cheap to live here.

It was disconcerting, being called someone’s wife, especially by a man that had at least 20 years on you. Especially since his current self was someone who, up until this point, had been more of a title than a real person. The Red Hood, the Child of Crime Alley. One of Batman’s army, a formidable adversary. Oh, and just by the way, your future husband! Your mind pictures a Married At First Sight style wedding, with you walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress, and him at the end in a tux, still wearing that iconic red helmet. You snort softly. Yeah, right.

Future Red Hood shifts beside you, and you sense him looking at you. You shoot a glance over at him, wide-eyed, and catch a knowing smirk on his face, before turning to face the window again. The less yearning eye-contact, the better. Also I should stop binge-watching MAFS.

The batmobile pulls down a hidden tunnel, and out again into an area thickly shrouded with trees. You hear the dirt path under the tires of the sportscar as it peels around another corner and into another long tunnel, this one lined with cool-white lights. The engine whirs as the car glides down the ramp and into the alcove of a large cave. This must be it.

Batman parks the engine and other vigilants are quick to arrive to aid Red Robin. He’s aided by Signal and Spoiler, as they guide him towards a chair, where an older man with a long face quickly attends to him.

Future Red Hood hops out of the car, then reaches out his hand to help you out as well, a charming smile plastered on his rugged face. You pause, then decide to just ignore him and lift yourself out of the lowrider alone.

“C’mon, sweetheart, you can’t keep me in the doghouse forever!” He quips, amused.

The hulking man stands before you, arms crossed now in a relaxed posture.

You gaze back up at him, wide-eyed and aloof. Taking him in again, you notice that if you stand too close to him, you are forced to crane your neck up to meet his gaze. Just who the hell does this guy think he is?! Your jaw tightens defiantly, and you squint your eyes.

“You-”

“Jason?”

Your attention is pulled to your side, to see Signal approach the two of you. The bright yellow and black of his suit cuts through the sleek black surroundings of the cave.

“Jason, what the hell happened to you? You look like shit, man” Signal chuckles, dryly. His gaze shifts to face you.

“And who’s this?”

Before either of you can respond, the rumble of Red Hood’s motorcycle cuts you off. He pulls up beside the Batmobile. Signal does a double take.

Batman approaches behind the three of you. His deep growl responds.

“Signal, we need to conduct a DNA test. Draw blood from the two Red Hoods and begin a profile match. We need to be sure.”

Red Hood dismounts from his back and stomps past us. Under the mask, it’s impossible to tell, but deep in your gut you know he’s scowling. The Red Hood beside you chuckles.

“Always so broody.”

Signal huffs out a laugh. “Right?”

He turns to face Future Red Hood, and his smile falters as he receives the older man’s glare.

“My bad.”

You are later invited to take refuge on the dark gray modular couch in the Batcave, by the butler, who introduces himself as Alfred. As he gently tends to your scraped hands and knees, you glance around the large room. The sprawling computer, with its multiple monitors, towers over you as you sit, letting the older gentleman clean and dress your wounds. You would feel intimidated, if you weren’t so damn impressed with the whole operation.

Red Robin lays on the medical bed, getting some much-needed rest it seems. Spoiler leans on the side, her golden hair spilling out from under the hood of her purple cloak. Over by the computer, Batman, Signal and Red Hood speak in hushed voices, casting glances every so often towards you, or the older Red Hood, who seems undeterred by the suspicious attitudes, choosing instead to meander around the cave, looking like a mildly entertained museum-goer, and not like someone who is in the fucking Batcave.

“Ma’am?”

You head snaps to the side.

“Huh?”

“I said, shall I prepare some tea, ma’am?”

“Hm? Oh, yes, that would be lovely. Thank you, Alfred.”

“Very good.” He nods sagely, then quietly walks off to disappear into an adjacent room. Christ, how big is this place?

You chew on your lip a moment, then decide to just go for it. Gingerly standing up, you slowly walk over to the older Red Hood, wrapping your hands around your arms to feebly self-soothe. You walk to stand beside him, as he observes at a ginormous green t-rex statue, arms crossed.

You don’t speak for a moment. You're not quite sure what to say. But you clear your throat.

“Hey.”

“Hey. All patched up?” He asks, softly.

“Yeah.” You nod. “Alfred, the butler. Although he seems to be much more than a butler, in terms of responsibilities.”

“He is.” Is the simple response you’re given by the older Red Hood. You turn to face him. He looks somber.

“So.. future husband, huh?”

“...Yeah. I know it sounds insane.” He sheepishly confesses, turning his head to finally face you.

You huff, dismissively. I mean it is, obviously, insane. He’s an insane person. But the DNA test will soon confirm that. May as well see why he’s so obsessed with you in the meantime. You decide to play along; be affable.

“I live in Gotham. Nothing’s off the table here.”

He chuckles at that. Good. Good?

“You don't believe me, do you?”

“No, I- I never said that.” You rebut, a little frustrated now.

“You didn’t have to. I can read you.” He states, like it's a fact.

“Oh, yeah, cause you know me so well.” You scoff, dismissively.

“I do. We’ve been married nearly 20 years now.”

That shuts you up quickly.

“I know everything about you.” He murmurs, looming a bit closer. When did he move closer? It doesn’t matter, the only thing you can look at are his eyes.

“DNA doesn’t lie. You should come clean now, while you still can.”

“I’ll prove it. You’re 22 at present, so right now, you’re living with..” He takes a beat, turns his head to the side and closes his eyes briefly, seemingly conjuring up a memory. “Alice, Harrison, Mike and Sarah.”

“Tch. Any creep with Facebook would know that.” You cross your arms and arch yourself up to him, puffing your chest out defiantly. This guy has done his research.

“Harrison recently hooked up with a guy who turned out to have a wife, and Alice broke your favourite bowl a few months ago.”

That one gets you. Your eyes widen for just a moment. You take a step back. That’s too eerie to be from Facebook.

“Stalker.”

“No. Your husband.”

You practically hiss back. “Get a grip.”

“Your favourite band is-”

Signal’s voice rings out and interrupts him. “We have the results!”

You quickly walk towards where he stands, with Batman and the other Red Hood. Older Red Hood trails behind, hands in the pockets of his worn cargo pants.

Signal and Batman part to reveal the screen, showing the results of a positive match. You turn, facing both Red Hoods, who now seem to be in some sort of glare-off.

“It’s a match.” You state, a bit in shock.

“Whatta surprise. Told ya so.” Older Red Hood replies, eyes not leaving his younger counterpart.

“How did you get here?” Batman booms to your left.

“I already told you. I followed Ophidia and Felix through, after my daughter was taken. Our daughter.” He says the last bit to you, pointedly.

“This doesn’t prove anything! You could still be lying about us being married!” You protest back.

“She’s right. I don’t know her from Adam, and you’re telling me we’re gonna get married?” Younger Red Hood pipes up, voice slightly muffled under the muzzle still. “I’ve never met this woman before in my life. This isn’t Married At First Sight!”

HolyshitheknowsMAFS. Your heart lurches for a moment at the mention of your current viewing obsession, before your brain brings you back down to Earth. The two Red Hoods continue bickering, each one getting louder and louder, before Batman interrupts.

“Enough!”

They both fall silent. It’s almost comical how close in age Batman and the Red Hood from the future seem to be, and yet he falls in line almost quicker and more obediently than current-day Red Hood. There’s a reverence, a gleamingly proud respect that your so-called future husband has for the caped crusader. It’s almost like he’s honoured to be in the presence of Batman at all.

“The argument can wait. We have two new super-powered threats loose on the streets of Gotham and people are in danger. We need to focus.”

“Three.”

“What?”

“There’s three. Ophidia and Felix. He’s otherwise known as Bullseye. You met them both today. But their leader, Sergio. He’s the real threat. And he has Iris. Our girl. She’s only fifteen.”

You stare at him, this time without malice or suspicion. Despite everything he might be lying about, you can see the very real fear for his daughter’s safety.

Then, there’s the name.

Iris

“Iris.” you murmur, quietly, to yourself.

“What’s their angle?” Current-day Red Hood pipes up, interrupting your internal spiral.

The older Red Hood responds. “They want me to suffer. They’ll do that by hurting everyone I love. And Sergio… Sergio.. plans to hurt her. Our Iris. Says he wants her to… start over with. Make a family.”

You can’t hold back the gasp that slips from your throat, as your eyes widen in horror. Despite yourself, your heart sinks to your feet.

Beside you, Signal bristles, while Batman remains as stoic as a statue. But you watch as the two Red Hoods have virtually the same reaction. Jaws tightening, fists clenching, shoulders tense. Despite having delivered the news himself, the older Red Hood seems to have no easier time containing his reaction to the disturbing revelation, as if he had been trying to put it out of his mind for a while now.

“I have some leads.” He announces.

You step aside to allow him to access the computer keypad, as he marks down several locations on the giant map of Gotham. Nightwing and Robin's trackers are shown to be somewhere near the Cave, seemingly retreating after losing the scent of Bullseye and Ophidia.

The older Red Hood begins to explain as he clacks away at the keyboard. “Sergio Sharp. He and I have history. I disrupted his father’s plans to create a machine that could essentially bend space and time. The project was being funded by Lex Luthor, and it was for a client of his that was… well, he wasn’t a saint, alright? But they were getting real close in their research, and I was only going in there to convince him to stop and put an end to the research, but…”

He takes a beat, and straightens up.

“Sergio’s father ended up being killed. It was… unintentional.”

We all look at the older Red Hood as he provides us with some much-needed context. His shoulders slouch as he recalls the events that led to his daughter’s capture, and you can clearly see his remorse over Dr. Sharp’s death. It’s quiet for a moment.

But the younger Red Hood speaks up. “Well I’ve never heard of these guys. The Sharps, you said? When did you say you first met them?”

His older counterpart replies. “I didn’t. Dr. Sharp died in November of 2025.”

“That’s only a few months from now.” Signal remarks.

“Exactly. Sergio is likely trying to track his father down right now to give him the completed research and save his life. We do have an advantage, though. Sergio, his father, and their team were kept in a secure location during the course of their research. Secure, and unknown, even to them.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Red Robin pipes up from a few feet away, voice slightly weary from his injury.

“They slept, ate and worked in the same place for years. They weren’t allowed to leave, and when they did, they were drugged. LexCorp did it for “security” reasons, but we all know it was to avoid loose ends. Sergio doesn’t know where the hell he or his father are at this time. But I do.”

“So, let’s go there!” Young Red Hood exclaims.

“We can’t” Batman shuts him down quickly. “We need to regroup. Breaking into a LexCorp facility is a risky process, and we don’t even know if the older Sergio is there yet.”

“He’s right” The older Red Hood nods his head. “Besides, our main priority right now should be getting Iris.”

You feel that familiar maternal instinct swell up inside your chest. From your years working as a social worker, you’d learnt to balance that instinct with practical solutions and a healthy dose of boundaries, but this time it felt… different. Unshakeable.

You sigh. “Where do you think he’s taken her?”

Both of the Red Hoods look at you, but the older Red Hood meets your concerned gaze. “I have a few ideas, but we’re gonna need to do some digging. Cards on the table, this guy has the upperhand on me in many ways. He’s been obsessed with me for nearly twenty years, and I- I haven’t thought about him in a long time.”

“So, you’re saying we need to do some detective work. The family of detectives need to do some detecting” Signal’s voice chirps over from where she sits and listens with Red Robin.

“Tch. Yup.” Comes his response. “Think you can handle it?”

“Let's get to work.” Batman concludes.

“Just one more thing.” The voice comes from behind you. Nightwing. And, in tow, a scowling Robin. You hadn’t noticed them come in.

“What about her?” Nightwing points to you, smirking softly.

“What about her?” The older Red Hood quips back, defensively.

“Well, what does she get to know, B? And do we really believe she’s Hood’s future wife?”

“Not future. Very much current.” The older Red Hood pulls out a chain from under his outfit, and dangles it above his chest. On it is a simple silver wedding band. Smart. Avoiding degloving.

“You know what I mean, man.” Comes the retort from the black-and-blue vigilante.

Alright, that's enough.

“Do I get a say in this? Like, at all?” You pipe up, a little ticked off.

A somewhat tired sigh comes from Batman, as he considers all that they’ve just learned.

“Well, thats up to you.” He states, plainly.

You shift your gaze from him, to Signal, and then finally back to the two Red Hoods, who now stand slightly adjacent to each other. You make eye contact with the older Red Hood.

“You said her name was Iris, right? Our- your daughter.”

He nods once.

You take a pause, and breathe in deeply.

“Th-”

The older Red Hood interrupts you.

“That was your best friend’s name. From when you were little.”

You stare up at him, wide eyed.

“She died when you were 9. Before she did, she gave you a locket, with a butterfly engraved inside. You used to say you were the butterfly girls.”

Your mouth parts slowly, and you feel like you can barely breathe, though your heart is pounding against your ribcage, like a rabbit in a cage.

“And you made a promise, when she died, that you'd name your daughter after her.”

Holy shit. He wasn’t lying.

“And you loved her. Loved her dearly. But after she passed, you couldn’t speak about her anymore.” He concludes.

Tears well up in your eyes, and you feel your face scrunch in emotion that you can’t control. “I.. I haven’t told anyone that. Any of that.. I never- I couldn’t. Hurt too much.”

Hot tears spill down from your eyes and your hands rush up to cover your face, but he’s curled his arms around you in an instant. The faint smell of sweat and smoke, and the feeling of his leather jacket envelope you as you shudder into him, letting the sobs come out. After a long day of nothing but fear, confusion and frustration, it’s all too much.

“So it’s true.” You hear from behind him, the familiar voice of Signal.

No response is heard, but the room seems to concur. That this Red Hood, the one holding you right now as you cry, has been telling the truth. He’s from the future, he’s the same man as the current Red Hood, and eventually, the two of you will, inexplicably, be married.

You sniffle. “I’m okay, I’m okay.” You blubber, composing yourself as you peel away from the Future Red Hood’s arms. “I’m sorry, it’s just-”

“Don’t apologise. Never apologise.” The tall man responds, seemingly reluctant to let go of you as you break from his arms.

From your right, Signal holds out a box of batman-branded tissues for you to use, and you chuckle softly and take one, thanking him. He smiles warmly.

Steadying yourself with a deep breath, and composing yourself as much as one can after breaking down in front of the Batfamily, you turn to face Batman, and nod.

“I think he’s telling the truth. Iris is someone very few people know about. And he knows details about her I’ve never told anyone. Ever.” You confirm, voice slightly wobbly still.

Batman meets your gaze, and is silent for a moment, before nodding. “Very well.”

Then, without hesitation, pulls off the cowl to reveal..

Bruce Wayne.

He smiles at you, and nods slightly.

Your eyes practically bulge out of your head. But before you can say anything, Signal removes his helmet, and sticks out his hand.

“Duke Thomas. Ward of Bruce Wayne.”

You mechanically meet his hand with yours, still glancing from him to Mr. Wayne in shock.

From behind you, Nightwing clears his throat and removes his white-lensed domino mask, revealing the iconic blue eyes of Dick Grayson. One of Gotham’s heartthrobs, and adoptive son of Mr. Wayne. Beside him, Robin groans.

“Yes, yes, you’re all very impressive. Perhaps we can do our introductions to this complete stranger later?" The short teenager huffs, practically stomping away. You bite back a grin, and share a mirthful look with Duke.

“He’s always like this, don’t worry.” Duke whispers to you.

“I heard that!” Comes the biting, yet admittedly high-pitched response from the little Robin.

Turning from Duke as he rolls his eyes, you face the two Red Hoods. One gleams at you, with all the familiarity and affection that comes from nearly decades of marriage. Well, you can only assume.

The other has his arms crossed, and though you still can’t see him under the mask and muzzle, you just know he’s not happy. You swallow apprehensively. He doesn’t seem convinced.

“They could both be lying, you know.” He says, addressing Mr. Wayne. “Some sorta long-con.”

“Jason, why would they lie? I mean, why would your future self lie?” Dick counters.

“I’m just employing some healthy skepticism, that’s all.” The younger Red Hood replies, somewhat haughty.

“She’s not lying, asshole. She wouldn’t lie about something like that.” The older Red Hood steps forward towards him, his broad back partially obscuring your view of the impending dick-measuring contest.

“And why should I believe you, prick?” Comes the retort, as the younger Red Hood steps up to the challenge. “You could be a clone, a freak that she made to infiltrate us, or to stalk me!”

“You arrogant piece of shit!” The older Red Hood swings a clenched fist at the younger one, which is swiftly blocked.

“Enough! ENOUGH!” Bruce’s deep voice cuts through the fight before it really even starts, and both men back off, steam practically billowing out of their ears.

Nightwing pipes up, chuckling humorlessly. “Yeah, that’s you, Jaybird. Ain’t no way to clone that kinda rage.” It earns him a glare from both Red Hoods.

You cut through, trying to refocus the two fuming men.

“So… are you gonna tell me who you are? I mean, I already know your first name; Jason, right?” The request comes out more timid than you would’ve liked it to, but oh well.

The older Red Hood, or Jason, looks over to the younger one, who stands further away from you. He squints in response, then groans out his response. He unbuckles the muzzle fully, then removes the domino mask, and runs a hand through his hair. His… white striped hair..

Hang on, is that the crazy guy from the bus? The one no-one would sit next to?

He steps closer towards you and holds out his hand. His face is neutral, a little stern.

“Jason. Jason Todd.”

You take his hand, and shake it firmly.

“Nice to meet you, Jason Todd. My name is-”

Epilogue

Later that evening

Stephanie Brown swoons theatrically, trailing a very unhappy Jason through the hallways of Wayne Manor. Beside her walks Duke, hands in the pockets of his jeans, with a puzzled look on his face.

“How does it feel to be living my dream, Jason? I mean, you’ve got living, breathing confirmation that you’re not gonna die alone. Well, not again, at least.” Steph prods him.

She doesn’t get much more out of him than a grumble.

Duke chimes in, with seemingly more concerning matters to discuss. Seemingly.

“What I’m wondering is, what do we call you now. Y’know, since there’s two of you. Future Jason, and Current Jason? That's a bit of a mouthful. Jason One and Jason Two?”

“Nah, that’s too ‘Cat in the Hat’.” Steph comments.

“You can call me absolutely nothing, and fuck off.” Jason spits back, shoulders hunched defensively as he ascends the stairs.

Steph and Duke exchange a wide-eyed look as he disappears into the second floor of the manor.

“Drama-queen…” Stephanie warbles softly, making Duke giggle softly.

“How about… Red Hood and Blue Hood?” Tim peers from behind a corner.

“Again, we’re not looking for Dr. Seuss references, Tim.” Duke dismisses him. “This is strictly strategic. Battlefield. Code names.”

“Well, maybe you should ask the older Jason. He seems kinda okay.” Tim suggests.

“Mm.. he’s kinda scary, no? Besides, what if he tells me my future? What if I hate it?” Stephanie responds, biting her lip anxiously. Duke nods in agreement.

“Well,” Tim remarks. “Guess we’re just gonna have to sleep on it. G’night, guys.”

“Goodnight.”

“Night”

A/N: K so obviously that last bit (pre-epilogue) was you saying your name, but I refuse to put y/n after that goddamn hilarious y/n meme on tiktok, so you can all use ya brains!

Just kidding. love you.

Also I hope my ability to write well is still alright. Since I am writing the majority of these at night/early morning like a bloody nutjob, I am a little nervous that I just ramble. And this chapter is... like... 2k longer than the two before. Anyway, like always my DMs are open for feedback and I love reading your responses in the comments/tags :)

So I'm not sure if it's completely obvious at this point but I'm not a super avid comics reader, so if the characters are a bit mischaracterised, I'm sorry, but tbh im NOT SORRY and these are MY DOLLS and I'll play with them how I WANT.

okay goodnight love you MWAH

Taglist:

@c4xcocoa

@coffeemin

@theendofthematerialgworl

@daffy-the-duck

@phoenix666stuff

@coralineyouareinterribledanger

@sinnamon-bunn

@ohgodimgoungtodie

@4rachn3

@ye-olde-trash-panda

@truthdaze

@arkham-hoods

@salvatt1

@krys0210

Biting my hair right now im so friggin excited for you guys to read this.

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loser-mobile · 19 days ago

Text

Future Lover - Chapter 2- Jason Todd x Reader

Synopsis: Trying to make it in Gotham, you are dragged clawing and screaming into a time travel mess with a man who claims to be your future husband.

Author’s Note: still messing around with the formatting of these posts, please bear with me! I've seen a lot of authors on here who have such amazing aesthetics, tryna figure mine out lol

So this fic was actually inspired by this post, by @cipheress-to-k-pop.

Thank you so much for your awesome writing and support :)))). Please go check them out!

And thank you to everyone who liked/reblogged/commented on my last post, it means a whole lot. I'm planning on expanding this into a whole chaptered work, so watch this space!

Also, in this chapter I had to write a fight scene, which I've never done before, so please bear with me <:)

Content: Blood, mention of injuries, violence. nothing too gore-y though.

Word Count: 2.7k

No Grammarly we die like men

The tunnel was cold, dark, and loud. The echoes of a battle commenced, requests for support, and slang that you couldn't understand, let alone fully hear, echoed through the eight-lane tunnel. You could barely see a thing, but you could feel the man holding you. His chest was heaving; he’d clearly been running and exerting himself. His breath was warm, and his armour cold. A thin sheen of sweat coated his face, and he licked the sweat from above his top lip.

He grinned, almost stupidly, at you, before gently putting you on the ground. His bright eyes, one blue, and one bright green, stared down at you, with an unreadable but almost elated expression, before he pulls you aside to hide you both behind a small sedan. It was then you realised your mouth was agape. You quickly closed it.

“Hey, so, here’s the plan. You’re gonna have to wait here, and I’m gonna deal with these guys, and then I’ll explain everything, okay? Take you somewhere real nice, okay, ma?” His voice is low and mature, and a little bit husky, but he speaks to you with a boyish familiarity. A tone that confuses the hell out of you.

You just stare at him, wide eyed like an owl. No words leave your mouth, which has again fallen open. He stared back with a soft lopsided grin, panting. His hand reaches up to click his muzzle on, goggles attached, and when you look into his eyes again they are obscured by white lenses. He speaks again, his voice different under the mask.

“Hah. Yeah, okay. I’ll see you real soon, okay?”

And just like that, he was gone. And you were left staring at the concrete where he had crouched in front of you just seconds ago.

What the hell?

Your impending mental spiral is interrupted by a jarring screech somewhere to your left, but the car blocks your view. Not even thinking to mentally prepare yourself, you peer over the red sedan, and your eyes catch another car, skidding along the road of the tunnel, sending sparks flying.

In front of you, the scene is chaos. The man who caught you, nowhere to be seen amidst the darkness. But you can see some familiar symbols. Red Robin, perched atop a white van that has toppled to its side, holds his hand to his ear and seems to be contacting someone.

You catch a glimpse of the deep plum cloak of Spoiler, as she flips and ducks, perfectly dodging some incoming arrows. Those arrows, where are they coming from? It’s hard to tell, as the shooter seems obstructed from your view behind another car, and it’s even harder to tell when Red Robin tosses in a smoke bomb, right into the middle of it all.

You blink and cough slightly, your eyes and throat burning slightly from the smoke, but you remain glued to the hood of the car, by the right front wheel; your front row seat to all the action. Your eyes dart to the right, seeing the opportunity to leave, sprint to the tunnel’s bright exit, but you hesitate. The man who caught you told you to stay put. You should, right? I mean, he’s a trained hero, he knows what he’s doing.

But as the smoke continues to billow out, and the sounds of violence continue, your resolve to stay falters. You make one last glance back at the battlefield, then run, low and fast, to hide behind a car nearer to the exit.

You trip and stumble, your kitten heels catching on the rough concrete, and careen forward, nearly faceplanting on the ground. The road shreds your knees and hands, tearing through the fabric of your pants, and you hiss and cry out in pain.

Fuck! I’m in the open, I gotta keep going!

You hobble to rest behind the car in front of you, and take a deep breath, trying to steel your nerves. Always so damn uncoordinated. Then you get back onto your feet, and carry on with your escape.

Keeping low and trying to stay calm, you cast glances backwards to make sure there aren’t any arrows or flying cars heading in your direction, and go again, this time to a smaller green hatchback.

Huffing, you’re already a little out of breath and you lean up against the car, trying to catch your breath a little. Man, I have gotta cut down on the smokes after this is all over.

FFSSHHHH-VUMP!

Your head shoots up, towards the sound of an impact into the tunnel wall a few feet behind you. It’s a batarang, lodged into the side of an arrow, piercing the concrete, and glueing the two to the wall. But you can see a small light from the head of the arrow, pulsing, faster and faster. Your eyes bulge and your heart lunges, beating so hard against your ribcage you feel like a human drum. Instinct takes over, and faster than your brain can comprehend, you’ve tucked into yourself and have wrapped your arms around your head. Squeezing your eyes shut, you brace for impact, vibrating like a mouse’s heartbeat.

“Oh, shit, shit, shit! Stay down!”

You feel the crash of another body into yours, arms wrapping tightly atop your head, kevlar plate pressed against your back-

BOOM!!

Heat envelops you, and your hair whips around your face wildly, like a thousand tiny thorned whips. Your skin burns slightly. As quickly as it started, its over. And then, a loud high pitched whining, and the feeling of… stuff, on your face. You open both eyes, and everything feels tight and loud. Your scraped and bleeding knees are pulled up to your chest, and you can see the bright green paint of the car your cower next to, and the wheel. Your breathing, rapid and pulsing, becomes your main focus, and you try to slow it down. I think I survived that…

You feel the body behind you stir, too. Large arms turn you around to face a broad chest, and you can hear muffled speaking, though it’s inaudible, under the loud white noise that now invades your head. Hands brush along your face, and you feel the grainy dust get swept away under gloved hands.

“-light……-ay here, okay?.....-ay…. Hey! -an you hear me? Hey!”

You look up at him, blinking the dust and debris from your eyes, but you don’t respond. It’s the same guy as before…. Red muzzle, white lenses, red hood. He’s looking at you, his hands placed on your shoulders, crouched between you and the blast. Your back rests against the side of the car, and you tilt your head back, sharp knives of pain shooting through your skull. It feels like someone has popped a balloon inside your head.

At least the white noise is subsiding.

“Hey! Focus up! I need you to stay with me, okay?”. Red Hood declares to you again, his voice slightly muffled by the mask, but audible all the same.

His voice is different this time. Still deep, and a bit gravelly, but less so than before. He sounds almost... younger?

“I’m here, okay. I can hear you”, you confirm, nodding softly, scrunching your face up in an effort to combat the headache you know is coming.

“Okay, good. Thought we had a bigger problem there, tha’s good.” He replies, shoulders relaxing just a touch. “We’re gonna need to get you outta here, okay? So you’re coming with me.”

You look up at him with furrowed brows, confused once again.

“But you said to stay put?”

He looks down at you, and behind the mask you can see his confusion.

“No, I didn’t-” He sighs, exasperated. “We don’t have time for this.”

He grabs you by the arms and hoists you to your feet, and now the both of you are standing, bent slightly to hide behind the hatchback. Your legs tremble like a newborn deer, and you look down to lightly brush some gravel out of your scraped and bleeding palms.

He peers over the hood of the car, to observe the battle ahead of you, and you follow suit. Spoiler and Red Robin hunch behind a flipped car, Spoiler holding onto Red Robin’s side. He’s bleeding.

A flash of electric blue, and you see Nightwing, with Robin in tow, running full pelt at a young man. He stands, chest puffed out, wearing dark combat clothes and hoisting a taught bow, firing multiple rapid-fire arrows that explode around Nightwing and Robin’s feet. But they’re too nimble, and he is forced to use his bow to parry Nightwings sticks.

Robin, meanwhile, is busy dodging a motorcycle that is hurled towards him. A few feet from him stands a young woman, with glowing blue eyes. Her hands are outstretched, clutching the air, and you can see now that she’s got some sort of superpower. She grunts and shrieks, but you can’t quite make out what she says.

You turn to face Red Hood, who observes the scene with a heaving chest.

“W-what do we do?” You ask, still a bit dizzy.

He turns to face you. From this angle, the way he towers over you, he looks a bit like a rabid dog, or a wolf. His mask lenses are bleach white, and the muzzle bloody red. His hood, draped over his crown, barely covers his sweat-drenched hair, which sticks to his forehead.

“We’re gonna run, alright? I’m gonna get’chu to the mouth of the tunnel, then you’re gonna keep running, got it?”

You barely even get the chance to react, before you notice the hatchback being lifted into the air. The shiny green car levitates towards the ceiling of the tunnel, and for a moment everything slows down.

A young woman’s voice rings out.

“Guess I’m gonna have to kill your girl again, Hood!”

It’s not taunting, more reverent and threatening than anything, and it’s followed by a howling response from a man.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Ophidia!”

And your eyes track the voice. The first, from the young woman you saw deflecting Robin before. She’s closer to you now, and you can see her more clearly now. She’s young, younger than you, and lanky like a teenager. She’s frighteningly skinny, with pale blonde hair and even paler skin. Her eyes, glazed like pools of milk, stare at you and Red Hood, and the 1.5 ton car that floats above the two of you, with a look that can only be described as entranced, like she’s witnessing something holy.

The second voice rings out again.

“Get her away! Now!”

That voice, familiar in a way, comes from the man who caught you from your fall before. Red Hood. His familiar worn red muzzle and white-lensed mask adorn his face, but you can hear the panic and tension in his voice. His command is for Red Hood, who stands beside you. The man continues running towards Ophidia, guns drawn, and every muscle in his body seems driven to overpower and disarm the deranged young woman.

WHOOSH!

The car comes hurtling down, and in a split second the Red Hood beside you has pulled you away and down, and you’ve crash-landed onto his chestplate, adorned with the signature red bat-symbol.

CRUNCH!

The green hatchback is no more.

Glass and metal shatter around you, but you feel his gloved hands covering your head as he tucks and curls you behind him. Two-for-zero on the amount of times Red Hood has shielded me with his body in the past five minutes. God, I just wanna go home.

A shard of glass nicks your ear and you can move under the weight of Red Hood’s arms. But you don’t have to, because in a split second he’s scooped you up into his arms and is running full pelt towards the exit of the tunnel, only to screech to a halt as another car comes crashing down in front of his path. He whips his neck around, desperately trying to get you out of this. Your arms tighten around his neck.

“Shit, shit, shit.”

But you hear the whistling, whipping sound of fabric, and the both of you look towards the sound.

Batman.

Oh, thank fuck.

Perched atop an SUV that has somehow managed to stay on all four wheels, he blends well with the shrouded darkness of the tunnel. But you can see his lenses, white ovals poking from underneath the cowl, as he squints at the adversaries his team faces.

“B!” Red Hood, the one who has you in his arms, calls out. His chest puffs out, in confidence and relief.

Batman looks over to us, nods solemnly, then launches himself towards the girl. From your position in Red Hood's arms, you watch as he completely overwhelms her in a flurry of tactical manoeuvres, all whilst dodging arrows from her counterpart. Supported by Nightwing, and Robin, the two of them are pushed further and further back, until the young man cries out.

“Ophidia, retreat!”

The response that comes is harsh and whiny.

“Felix, I’m not gonna-”

“Ophidia, we’re not gonna win this, we gotta go!”

She growls, then, like she’s pulling out the last trick she knows, reaches her hands to the ceiling, fingers crooked like claws. The concrete ceiling of the tunnel collapses, creating an explosion of rubble and pale dust that fills the air. You tuck your head into Red Hood’s chest, shielding yourself from the noise and debris. The dust settles quickly, and the two are gone.

Red Hood puts you gently on the ground, then breathes deeply. He looks down at you, a hand still on your back, steadying you.

“You alright?”

You look back up at him, blinking, and still in a bit of shock. You nod, slowly.

“Yeah, yeah. I think I’m okay.”

A figure comes running towards you, and you have to make a double take. He’s… wearing the exact same outfit as the Red Hood that stands beside you.

“Hey, sweetheart, you alright?” He pants out as he reaches you, and you have to glance between him and the hero that stands to your left, hand still placed on your back. It’s a bit disconcerting to be asked the same question…. twice.

The Red Hood beside you is the first to speak.

“Hey man, thanks for your help back there, but we’re not looking for copycats. So, kindly fuck off.”

The Red Hood in front of you, chuckles beneath the mask.

But before he can respond, Batman’s footsteps approach the three of you.

“Someone needs to explain this situation to me right now.” He states, gruffly. His voice, smooth in its commanding presence, brings a mixture of fear and awe to your chest. You stare at the looming Bat in front of you with wide eyes. Your mouth refuses to speak in such a presence. For some reason I feel like I’m in trouble.

The Red Hood next to you pipes up again. With a tone that tells you he’s totally and utterly done, he addresses Batman.

“It’s nothin’ serious, B, just another fanboy. I’ll sort him out.”

“HAH! Fanboy? You wish, squirt.” The other Red Hood quips back, clearly smiling beneath the mask. Before anyone can respond, he flicks back the hood, and removes the mask from his face with one hand, letting it hang against his chest. It’s the man that caught you from your leap from the bus before. His hair, sweat-heavy and stuck to his forehead, same as it was before. Raven black, with a snow white streak in the front, salty flecks of white and grey throughout his hairline, showing his age. Crows feets, and the scars of many battles crease his sharp and defined face. Heterochromia; one ocean blue eye, one a radioactive green.

The Red Hood beside you stiffens. So does Batman.

“What the fuck?” Red Hood blurts out.

“Yeah. Still a fanboy?” Red Hood replies, arrogantly.

Your eyes dart from one reaction to another, and Red Hood removes his hand from your back.

“Jason?” Batman murmurs, mouth slightly agape, showing slivers of pearly white teeth.

“The one and only!” The older Red Hood stretches his arms out, like a jester in a royal court, and puff his chest out proudly. “Well, not anymore.” He grins to the Red Hood who stands beside you.

“What the fuck, man! Put your mask back on, she’s a civilian, she can’t know what I look like.” The Red Hood beside you scolds him, incredulously.

“Now why would I wanna hide my face from my lovely wife, huh?” The older one replies.

Silence.

“What?!” You and Red Hood shout in sync.

Tag list:

@c4xcocoa @coffeemin

@theendofthematerialgworl

(I hope i did that right.)

AHHHH I hope you like it. I spent all night working on it, and avoiding my actual responsibilities hehe

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