#Alfred will meet his great-grandchildren?

[mikami1992]

Jason is about to have a panic attack…

He knew that he had to finish researching and confirm those 48 hours of lost memory from last year…

but nooo… I thought I put together everything that happened during that time and left a few hours here and there with only assumptions about what happened…

and now he has the consequences in front of him… on a pair of baby seats in the middle of his living room next to a pair of diaper bags with a note…

"Emergency, take care of them for time, I'll be back

Sincerely, Danny"

and there, in those pair of seats, are 2 babies, a girl and a boy, one with blue eyes and the other reddish brown, the two children had black hair… with a white strand of hair on their heads. …

Jason isn't an idiot, he did the math…and the dates fit…so now he has to face his impending fatherhood…it's time to call Alfred….

While all this is happening Danny flies through the Infinite Realms, he now has to face the idiots who think they can challenge him for the throne.

He just hopes Ellie and Dan are okay…. Well there shouldn't be any problem, he left them with one of the strongest avenging/protecting spirits on the side of the living, plus Red Hood is known for being good with children…

He only regrets not being able to explain more in the note…

[002yb]

My heart???? I pove the amnesiac Jason being in love AGAIN with Dick. Please give us all your thoughts and Bruce and Tim and Damian and Alfred aaaaa

The trope of Jason having an undying crush on Dick Grayson is one that I'll shoehorn into every bit of anything I ever write, hahaha. I love it so much; it's so sweet. Thank you for following along with the secretary AU though. //u/// Here's some general thoughts for them:

Bruce

There are times Bruce has to do his job. Unfortunately, part of that job includes playing nice with his employees. A lot of people want to get in good with the CEO so that they'll be better favored for promotions. Rubbing elbows is part of corporate culture.

Only Jason doesn't give a fuck. Do you have an appointment? Of course they don't; Jason sure as hell didn't make one for them. Get outta here.

Just Jason being the most ornery secretary/assistant, an actual guard dog outside of Bruce's office.

Meanwhile Bruce just looking on from the glass panes separating them and being so smitten because look at his boy - small as he ever was and just as fierce as before. Viciousness being innately Jason and Bruce appreciating it in a way he hadn't before.

And when Jason finally shoos whatever bootlicker comes along, he sits back in his chair with a huff, before glancing at Bruce and smiling that ornery little smirk and Bruce loves him so damn much.

Unrelated: when Bruce can't stay on task, Jason moves himself to temporarily sit in Bruce's office with him. Just sitting across from Bruce at his desk and supervising because they've got deadlines, boss.

The above is a strategy Bruce employs to get Jason closer to him. It works up until Jason realizes what Bruce is doing, after which Jason withholds himself until Bruce does his job and Bruce is despondent over it, of course, but also a little humored and fond and affectionate because that's his boy.

Alfred

The way this man fishes for information on his grandbaby (Damian) being so next level. He laments to Jason about how he always wanted grandchildren, but... *sidelong glance to Bruce who straightens up in his office*

The joke being that Damian is actually Bruce's kid, only Jason still hasn't brought Damian around so they can't confirm anything.

Anyway, Jason shares pictures and Alfred adores them. Especially the ones that have both Jason and Damian in them.

And Alfred is a gentleman, a professional. He doesn't get cranky, only he does hahaha. Because he wants Jason home and he wants to meet his (great) grandbaby, Master Bruce. l<

Until they can sort that though, Alfred is very doting to Jason and Damian. He can't overstep, but when opportunity presents itself, Alfred offers up recipes that he knows Jason will like and that would be appropriate for a fussy child. He offers up little caretaking tips and tricks and bites back chortles when Jason jokes about trying them on Bruce.

Alfred startling when he gets a text from Jason one day asking for help with a sick child

And Alfred is halfway to the garage before he realizes how inappropriate that would be so he parks himself right beside the door just in case Jason requests him

Which he doesn't, which breaks Alfred's heart. But Jason does call and Alfred is able to talk Jason down and help him through whatever crisis Damian has brought on.

And later, Jason passing along a thank you card that Damian also contributed some baby scribbles to. Along with a little gift, a tea cup, that Damian helped pick out. Because they're really grateful and Alfred is composed about it until he gets back to the car and then he just holds this sweet note and gift and mourns how he wants his family back ahhhhhhhhhh

But Alfred is a strong person and bears the strain of it all and carries on.

It's his new favorite cup though ;U;

Dick

Dick uses the excuse of meeting Bruce and Tim for lunch all of once before he boldly asks Jason out

Bruce's jaw drops so fast. He's damn near tripping over every bit of furniture in his office and his own two feet, scrambling to the door where he falls dramatically against the frame with a lie that he needs Jason to fetch xyz thing from xyz area of WE

Once Jason is out of earshot, Bruce glowering so hard at Dick because don't lead their boy on; get those foul thoughts out of his head

And Dick just here without one impure thought in his head (yet) and being very l: because really, Bruce? Dick would never (only he will).

Anyway, Bruce cockblocking even the most innocent of interactions and Jason being a bit ._. about it because he's never so busy as when Dick turns up to say hi.

Just Dick surprising Jason at the office with drinks and food, little pick-me-ups. And here's the thing - Dick doesn't know Jason like Alfred does. He doesn't know Jason's favorites or things he doesn't. He's figuring it all out in the moment and he keeps making efforts and there's a level of guilt there for not doing this before, sure, but there's also enjoyment because it's Jason and ahhhhhh

When Dick brings by the pick-me-ups and leans against Jason's desk or pulls up a chair to sit across from him and loaf around for a few minutes, Bruce and Tim are just l: because really? Nothing for them?

And Dick laughs because, 'no, Jason's special.'

Which just slays Jason where he stands as he misinterprets Dick's (current) interests and intentions

Something something Dick picking Jason up after work on his bike. And both Bruce and Alfred send death glares Dick's way, but Dick just smiles that cheeky Robin smile at them before helping Jason up behind him and telling him to hold tight

Alfred relents with his petulance immediately if only because his boys look so happy; this is how it should have always been

Bruce, on the other hand, is getting into the car and telling Alfred to follow them immediately, don't lose sight of them! D<

Tim

Copy room meet-cute scenario. Where Tim is about to commit property damage because all the copiers keep jamming on him and he doesn't have the fucking time; he's got a meeting in x number of hours and he needs to prep all the materials and the interns aren't there to help because Tim didn't finish the reports until x o'clock and he's stressed and just got off of patrol he doesn't have time to fight and be bested by a fucking copier and-- 'here, let me help.'

It's Robin. Jason. It's Jason. And Tim feels Jason looks as heroic as he ever did back when the mantle was his to wear.

Jason doing the copying for Tim and brushing off the gratitude. 'I'd rather not explain to the boss that all our copiers were thrashed in the midst of someone's corporate rage ¬‿¬' before it settles on a shrugged, self-aware, 'you take over a lot of boss's work, so it makes sense that I help you, no?'

The stress leaving Tim slowly but surely as Jason and he work side by side to put together Tim's meeting presentation materials for all of the board members/xxxxxx department heads/etc.

Not much chatter, but at the end after Bruce turns up and causes a scene (because Jason is missing from his desk and 'where is he!?') Jason turns to Tim with a crooked smile and insists that if Tim needs help with anything, Jason's there.

And Tim is left there being all awestruck and a little flushed

Plenty of casual interactions after that. Just casual greetings in the morning. Teasing from Jason that disguises blatant check-ins to make sure Tim is good. Which he is. Tim's embarrassed about it, but he notices Bruce taking back some of the work he pushed off onto Tim and...it's better.

So much banter though as they get comfortable. And Tim still sees Robin, but he starts to see Jason more and he likes him a lot.

Tim going to see Bruce and Jason knowing Tim is cool, but tormenting him anyway with the whole 'you got an appt, sir?' shtick

Jason sneakily switching out coffee with water and snickering when he catches Tim grimacing, head snapping to look Jason's direction while Jason gives a cheeky wave

Tim being teased as the next Brucie because of the supposed 'flirtiness' of their interactions; it's a scandal waiting to happen, he's following in Bruce's footsteps, etc. etc.

Tim is embarrassed about the rumors that start to circulate. He doesn't even flinch when Bruce looms over him with a rough demand of, 'what are your intentions with Jason?' like Tim is doing anything uncouth, come on man

Whether because Tim is genuinely interested or he wants to mess with Bruce (in retaliation for the copious amount of work Bruce has passed on to him), Tim pointedly asking Jason out. Right outside of Bruce's office.

Damian

Weeks later, Bruce still creeps outside of Jason's apartment. He hates the neighborhood. Crime rates are too high and the apartment isn't up to code, but he hasn't figured how to tell Jason to move yet. Telling his boy to come home would be inappropriate, as would buying the property beside the manor for Jason to have. He'll figure something out, but before that--

A flutter of sheer curtains and movement in Jason's apartment.

Bruce being persistently curious about the child, Damian, but not having much information outside of passing commentary from Jason (but mostly shared stories from Alfred).

The child is always well-guarded. Regardless of how Tim has tried to get close, the tutors that are with Damian are always very alert. Which is...good. But not conducive to the answers Bruce wants.

Anyway, Bruce being a creep outside of Jason's apartment. Listening in on recently placed bugs and startling because Damian talks.

Apparently Damian has aspirations to be Batman. And Jason humors him even as he laughs under his breath because why.

And to sucker-punch Bruce in the throat, Damian makes a proclamation that wounds Bruce deeply: 'To protect you.'

Jason being all endeared and sweeping Damian up off the ground to hold on his hip and smacking his head with a kiss

'Why not Robin?'

There's a pause, but Damian is quick even at such a young age and proclaims, 'Because you will be my Robin.'

And Bruce just cries on the inside a bit because ouch.

What started as a Damian section became a Dickjay with a Damian cameo section. Truth be told, idk how hold Damian should be.

Where the first member of the batfam Damian meets is actually Dick

Jason invites Dick up after Dick brings him home one evening

And Dick is so happy to be welcomed into this private part of Jason's life - smug because Dick is the first of them to be welcomed and this is an enormous step up from always being the last to know anything

Jason switching off with the tutor (LoA assassin lol) and the assassin and Dick eyeing each other up as they pass one another by because they both sense something's off about one another, just not what

Anyway, Jason locks up (extensive; perfect for the neighborhood, but also hopeful of all that Robin training having lingered in the back of Jason's head) then excuses himself to check that Damian was put to bed properly

Dick taking the opportunity to look around and being so enamored with every detail. There aren't many personal belongings, but there's enough. Used books and well-loved art supplies; second-hand furniture and a half-knitted blanket. There are drawings posted up on the fridge that Dick looks over fondly: depictions of Damian and Jason and few others that make up his family (which spoilers is gonna include Dick once Damian and Dick come to an understanding about Jason)

Anyway, Jason is so proud of Damian's artistic endeavors - a new hobby that Jason encouraged because Damian is otherwise so serious and morose for such a little guy. And Jason's smile when he talks about it, fuck. It's devastating. Dick could listen to Jason talk about this forever - he would love that.

Instead they talk about other things while they have a nightcap. They keep their voices low. Hushed so they don't disturb Damian in the next room.

By this point Dick would be well aware that Jason is still a sassy, ornery little menace firecracker, but it's still a joy to experience it. To trade quips, to banter. Keeping up with Jason's wit and playing a playful game of who has the sharper tongue.

It's them curled on either end of a stubby, narrow couch. Where Jason reaches out his sock-clad foot to shove at Dick's leg and Dick catches him and squeezes and holds on, a mindfully mindless point of contact - tentatively intimate.

And Dick isn't aware of how intimate the moment is - how captivated he is by Jason until suddenly a kid comes between them, face pinched as they click their tongue (and oh, that's a habit of Jason's, isn't it? Cute), taking Dick's hand in the tiniest of grips and forcibly removing Dick from Jason

Then Damian buries himself in Jason's chest before peeking back to glare at Dick. The declaration is clear as anything: he's mine

Jason introduces him, but Damian having none of it because Jason's attention being on another man? In their home? Unforgivable.

Jason being flummoxed because what? He's allowed to have friends, Damian.

No.

Dick smiles at that. He might understand that desire to be possessive.

Introductions made, but Damian being very grumpy

Child rearing difficulties for Jason with setting boundaries and getting Damian to bed because he wants to spend time with Dick, but Damian doesn't want to share

And Dick wants more of Jason. Of course he does, but he's not going to put Jason in a position to pick. Never. So he calls it a night so that Jason can take care of Damian. That besides, it's late. They should both turn in.

Jason grumbling and being a little petulant about it as he sees Dick out at the door, Damian nestled in his arms and resting on his hip, arms wrapped tight around Jason's neck. But really? He'd stay up all night. It's been nice.

Their parting being all sorts of electric although there's nothing more than lingering gazes and slow pull aways and second looks over shoulders only to catch one another still there and sheepish, giddy titters ahhhhhh

Jason resting his back against the closed door while Dick sort of bounces down the hall, invigorated and happy and excited for next time

Next time being: just an hour later when Jason texts to see if Dick made it home safely

They proceed to text through the night and come the following day when Jason looks exhausted? Bruce is concerned. When Dick comes in later with Jason's choice caffeine, looking just as tired? Bruce quickly switches to paranoid because what's happening and why and how does he stop it? l:

Still waffling with how Damian should be, hence his section being a little scarce/vague. It'll get there!

[sandsbuisle]

Here’s how I think Alfred should die. (Yes, I’m aware he’s currently dead in the comics. But I disagree with it and hope he’ll be back, so here’s how I think his death should go)

I don’t want his death to be sudden or shocking. I want it to be long, I want everyone to see it coming, to see it as an inevitability. I want him to die of “old age” (in other words, I want him to die of health complications that you usually see in people his age)

Alfred is old. He’s apparently had a very exciting and fulfilling career in MI6 before retiring to become a butler, and it’s implied he’s been working for the Wayne’s since before Bruce was born. The man is old.

But I first want him to meet his great-grandchild. I want one of the bat-kids to become a parent. My preference is Dick or Babs, but I can understand Jason or Steph having one. (Tim, Cass and Steph are all still a bit young to be adopting a kid. If they find a kid in need of parenting, they should be the cool older sibling after Bruce adopts the kid. But while Tim is in a long-term, healthy same-sex relationship, and Cass I don’t feel is at the point in her character development that she’s ready for a serious relationship, I can see Steph becoming pregnant again, and this time deciding to keep the kid instead of putting them up for adoption. I can see her deliberating it, and deciding that she now has the support network, the financial stability and maturity to be a mother. Her dad is gone, she has Bruce and the rest of the Family, and she’s older and wiser. I could see her deciding she’s ready this time, could see motherhood being a part of her grand character arc, a mirror to how she was when we first met her, but better. I’d still prefer Dick or Babs, or even Jason)

I want the good news to be mildly dimmed by Alfred’s failing health. I want him to slowly get worse, and I want the rest of the family to start worrying about life without Alfred. I want them to struggle with figuring out how they’re going to find people to do Alfred’s job (it is frankly ridiculous that he takes care of as much as he does anyway, but with his health starting to deteriorate they will need to find people to fill in for him, including in the secret Bat-stuff). And with the thought that he might soon be gone.

I want Bruce to go through all the stages of grief while Alfred is still alive, as his health gets worse and worse. I want him to struggle with the thought of losing the man who has been a father to him since Thomas Wayne died. I want him to be afraid that Alfred will die alone while he’s out being Batman. I want the audience to worry about that too, to fear that this next issue is the one where Alfred dies.

I want Bruce to be at Acceptance by the time Alfred dies peacefully in his sleep. I think the rest of the family should be at various stages of grief by that point- I think at least one should have news of Alfred’s death finally push them past Denial. (I really want that to be Jason, since he’s got a very close relationship to Alfred, but I feel like he might be too used to people dying on him, that this would be too similar to his mother’s death, for him to get stuck on denial. I feel like its more realistic to have him struggle while in Anger/Bargaining. But someone should be in that stage)

I want everyone to see Alfred’s death coming. I want to see the various characters struggle through the grief process while he’s still alive. And I want this death to be permanent. Alfred’s been there since the beginning, and he’s watched all of his grandchildren die at least once. It’s time to retire the old man. But it needs to be done right.

But I want him to meet his great-grandchild first.

[worldoffanfiction10]

*discovering Hades is the better grandparent (not than Alfred)*

Hippolyta: Children.

Hades: Diana! Bruce! How wonderful to see you after being with the dead another year.

Diana: (smiling) Mother. Father.

Bruce: Hades. Hippolyta.

Hades: You two best be on your way to your vacation. Alfred, Hippolyta and I will take great care of them. I got gifts for all of you!

Diana: (slightly panicking) Father.

Hades: (rolls his eyes) Seriously, Diana. They’re not from the underworld. I went as a human to the little stores and picked them out myself.

Hippolyta: That’s why you disappeared. The god of the underworld buying gifts. What would your minions say?

Hades: Don’t be like that, Hippolyta. You know you were in love with me once for a reason.

Hippolyta: (groans) Don’t remind me.

Bruce: (nudges Diana) Let’s go, Princess. Everything is taken care of here.

Diana: Bye, everyone. Have fun! Love you all!

*everyone talks over each other saying their byes and loves*

Hades: My boys! I have a great treat for you. Let’s see. We have Hermès Jr and Jason. Slide me some hellfire, Reds.

Wally: Haha! Hey, gramps!

Jason: Hey.

Hades: Linda, wonderful to finally meet you. I’m glad Wally brought you rather than using you as an excuse to not come home for our annual get togethers.

Linda: Nice to meet you, sir.

Hades: Duck, Duke, and Tom.

Wally and Tim: Hahaha Duck!

Dick: (cracks a small smile) Shut up.

Duke: Grandpa.

Hades: Awww, Demon! Or Damian, my boy. It’s the closest reverence I’ll get in a name here.

Damian: Hello, Grandfather.

Hades: Cassoondra and Step-a-knee.

Hippolyta: It’s Cassandra and Stephanie.

Hades: You would remember only the girl’s name.

Hippolyta: Whatever do you mean?

Hades: You didn’t correct me over Dick and Tim. If you called them every week like I do, you would know everyone.

Tim: OHHHH SNAP!

Alfred: (walking in) Master Timothy. We do not ohhh snap your grandparents in this house. Hello Mistress Hippolyta, Master Hades. I have everything set up in the game room.

Hades: Excellent! Just a few more. The natural procreations. (Hugs and kisses the little ones) Terry. The twins Alexander Thomas and Chloe Martha. And little baby Artemis Penny. Alfred, if they decide to procreate again, remind them that Hades is an excellent boy name. I am a god after all.

Hippolyta: Hippolyta would be an excellent girl’s names. I don’t see how one of them hasn’t been named so. I’ve been a wonderful mother, have I not? I deserve someone named after me.

Hades: Come, now, Hippolyta. Take your nagging to the underworld. The living don’t want to hear it. The boys showed me that when your name gets typed, a picture of a hippopotamus comes to the screen. Most amusing, but what’s even funnier is the video they showed me of this hippo going poop. It farts so loud and it’s tail fans the poop out everywhere. It reminds me of your mouth. This is why our grandchildren shouldn’t be named Hippolyta.

Hippolyta: (glares at Hades) And you wonder why I only let you out once a year.

*All the boys hide a chuckle and run off to the game room before hearing it from Alfred or Hippolyta.*

Hades: (picks up Alexander and Terry) Ah, yes. Come, Alfred. We boys will have what the humans say “a riot.”

Alfred: Yes. I imagine so, Master Hades.

Hippolyta: Come granddaughters. That includes you Linda. Pick up the babies. We’re going out for... cheeseburgers. Diana said you enjoy doing this outing.

Bruce: (shuts off mic of mansion entryway in Rolls Royce) I told you they would be fine, Princess.

Diana: (entwines her hand with Bruce’s) Then, let’s have some fun, my Dark Knight.

[wherearemyglassesbro]

A lil somethin I’ve been thinking about idk enjoy

In a world where every child need a guardian angel...There just happens to be a shortage on angels

A set of twins in the Jones-Williams household is what tips the scales. One twin gets a guardian angel and the other gets a guardian demon

Arthurs been a guardian angel for about 200 years, his children growing up to be fantastic people with strong blood lines. He still checks in on their great great great great grand children and grants them an occasional ‘heavenly miracle’. One of those great great great great grandchildren has a 20 year old cat thanks to Arthur’s soft spot for animals. He was excited to be assigned to Matthew! The boy was born a bit weak but Art knows he’ll be a strong young lad once he gets moving around!

Francis has been a demon for 500 years and is 100% not qualified to be watching over a child like this but out of alllllllll of the demons the angel council could have picked, his sins weren’t as extreme. Lust and stealing arent exactly comparable to murdering. He still had to interview for the position! Which was easy to get since every other demon who was contacted for the position didn’t bother to show up

In exchange for watching out for Alfred, he would have the opportunity to be reincarnated or, after watching over multiple children, brought up to Heaven! Wow! How great is that! Naturally he took the offer and rubbed it in his friends faces

When he showed up to meet his coworker Arthur...it didn’t go over very well “Are you joking? I have to work with a demon?” “Excuse you, I’m not just any demon! I have quite the high status!”

As the boys grow up they have to protect them and make ‘suggestions’ which will alter their morals and personality. Matthew is well behaved but Alfred is not. I wonder why. On a trip to the grocery store, Arthur subtly nudges Matthew away from the candy display so he isn’t tempted to steal. Francis, on the other hand, makes a suggestion ‘You can take a piece you know. No one will notice’ and Alfred does uh oh

Arthur swoops in and suggests louder that he put it back....so he does. Francis is beyond peeved “What do you think you’re doing?” “Preventing a child from committing a crime!” “Taking a gumball isn’t that bad, I do it all the time!” “That’s why you’re a demon, you dolt!”

They’re not supposed to show themselves to the boys but again Fran breaks that rule. His true non-human shaped form is a tall, black silllouette with a terrifying grin and long horns. He forgets to glamor himself before walking into the boys bedroom and scares the everloving shit out of them oh lord STOP-

Arthur takes over for the night, quickly knocking the boys out and giving them sweet dreams while glaring over his shoulder at his demon coworker...who stole a bagel from the pantry

Imagining them working together as some weird parental influences on the boys is just funny to me idk Art is like ‘wow Matthew that’s a beautiful drawing of a polar bear!!’ And Francis is looming over Alfred’s shoulder “Oooo! That’s creative, an ambulance running someone over! THATS funny! True comedy!”

“Hey Sister Arthur, want me to heat you up some pizza?” “First of all, stop calling me that. Secondly, we are not supposed to be stealing their food! That pizza is Alfred’s lunch for tomorrow-“ “He’s my kid! He won’t care if I eat it!”

Matthew is a clumsy child which makes Art a very busy guardian angel. He’s watching for cracks in the sidewalk, choking hazards, surfaces he could get scraped on. This boy is just a danger magnet. And his twin is danger personified!! Alfred runs around constantly doing parkour on the furniture in the house or jumping down the stairs. Arthur is just tense all day long as he watches these two. Francis encoruages the dangerous behavior “Alfred! Wouldn’t it be fun to roller skate in the kitchen?” “Francis! Stop suggesting those things!”

That’s all I got for now lmao

[artxyra]

I got another request! So, Jason is Red Hood at the time when he sees Marinette clutching a backpack (it has the miraculous box inside and some essentials and clothing) as she was falling from a portal (even tho a cloud was covering it so it looked like she was falling from the sky) into a river. He jumps in, saves her, and says something like "Holy sh*t I just saved an angel" He stays hidden for 2 weeks helping her until the fam meet her. [Anything you want from here but end goal is daminette]

It was close to midnight when the Red Hood notice that something was up. Little did he knew was that his next encounter with someone would have changed his entire life. He looked up to the cloudy night sky that always plagues Gotham, nothing felt out of the place. Well, the moment lasted into his begins to see a silhouette of someone falling from the sky. The person was coming down fast, real fast.

Rushing to what he presumed to be the persons landing grounds, he failed to realize that the person wasn’t going to reach the cold hard concrete ground but the river not far from him. As the person was falling quickly than anticipated, he ditched his jacket and ran towards the river.

Splash. Splash.

He breaks for air pulling the formerly falling person with him to shore. Back on dry land, the Red Hood was finally able to get a good look at the person he saved.

“Holy shit, did I just save an Angel?” He whispers to himself brushing back strands of dark hair that clings to the girl’s face.

Looking around for any signs of help coming, he picks the girl up into his arms and disappears into the night, not caring that it was his night to patrol.

Marinette woke up the next day with a massive headache. Quickly leaning upward, she calls out for Tikki as she searches through the blankets looking for her backpack. It hasn’t registered to Marinette that wasn’t at home nor was she in Paris anymore.

Tikki flies up to Marinette, giving the panic guardian a sense of reassurance.

“Where am I? Kaalki?” Marinette finally takes in her bearings as she touches face noticing the lack of glasses that is the horse miraculous.

“Kaalki’s fine, Marinette. Your entry coming here was rather shaky.” Tikki states keeping close to Marinette as the realization hits her. Turning to the side table, Marinette sees the horse miraculous and puts.

“Kaalki, where did that portal send us?” Kaalki finally appears but she scoffs and looks around the room.

“The portal sent us to a place called Gotham. In the Americas, apparently.” Kaalki answers before flying off to who knows where.

“Gotham, like in the Batman comics?” Marinette says before groaning resting her hand over her forehead and lay back down. All she could do is think, how was this possible.

“Hey Angel from the sky, you alright in there?” A voice startles her out of the bed. She stares at the tall muscular man in front of her. He has a turf of white in his dark hair, blue eyes, and wearing the worst kind of leather jacket she has ever seen in her life.

Racking through her brain, she tries to find the words to say in English, “Uh… and you are?”

“I should be asking you the same, but the names Jason, and you look like someone who has been trucked over, twice,” Jason says cautiously take a few steps forward.

Marinette’s shoulders relax. “I’m Marinette.”

Marinette walks over to Jason, shaking his hand, thus creating one of the most cherished siblings’ bonds ever created in the city of Gotham.

Over the course of a week, Jason quickly learned that Marinette’s English wasn’t that great (she knew basic English, but then again who doesn’t know anything past basic English), he also learned that Marinette was only sixteen almost seventeen, just a year younger than this youngest brother. Marinette had learned that Jason lives by himself in this rundown apartment complex, though he does spend a handful of times over at his adoptive family’s house. She also learned he really enjoys guns and rock music, so of course they bond over Jagged Stone’s latest new album.

At the beginning of her second week in Gotham, Marinette was growing anxious and a little stir crazy. After Jason had left to go to work, she decided that it would do her and the kwamis well to leave the apartment and explore. She doesn’t know why, but she found herself drawn to the park.

Pulling out the remains of one her sketchbook, she finds a dainty little bench underneath a tree far away from people. Looking around, inspiration hits her, so she begins sketching out an outline.

Marinette doesn’t know how long it has passed until a ball dropped in front of her. She sets the sketchbook aside and is immediately greeted by black Great Dane wagging his tail. Marinette giggles before bending down to search for a name tag.

“Titus?” Marinette mutters before scratching Titus’ head and neck.

Titus nudges the ball towards her getting the message to Marinette. She managed to play ball with her new furry friend until a concerned voice calls out the dog’s name. The person she assumes is Titus’ owner walks in fury towards her direction.

“Hi, he came over to me…” The owner cuts her off turning his attention to the dog who wags his tail in the owner’s face before walking over to Marinette. Marinette tries and fails to conceal her laughter.

The owner sighs and turns his attention to Marinette, “Damian.”

“Damian,” Marinette test the name, “Well you have a very nice dog. Actually, I’m very thankful for him pulling me out of my zone.” She holds out her hand. Damian shakes it after a moment of eyeing her down.

“Titus does have a tendency to do that.” She’s beginning to wonder if Damian was a person against small talk or better yet talking about himself.

Marinette bends down to say goodbye but not before wishing to see him and Damian again in the future.

Damian turns to Titus who does the same, and Damian could have sworn that he says a smirk on that dog’s face.

After their first encounter, Damian and Marinette continuously met at the park. Their second encounter was by pure accident. Marinette had wanted ice cream the following day and decided to enjoy her soft serve back on that dainty bench. Titus wanted to get out again, so Damian took him back to the park around the same time. After that, they decided to meet at the park every day around the same time.

As another week past by, Marinette finally began to wonder what was going on in Paris. She doubts that any besides her parents would care that she was missing, but she can’t help but wonder whether that person (or group) that was after her left Paris alone.

As Marinette grow closer to Damian, she did the same with Jason. He even took her to the shooting ring for practice one night and was blown away by her aim. Jason now swears that if Bruce doesn’t adopt his newly claimed sister then he would find a way to do it legally.

After having Marinette to his lonesome for two weeks, Jason decided that it might be best to introduce her to the family against every bone in his body. He knows that Marinette is hiding something, but it also seemed like she didn’t know what she was hiding also.

“Hey Pixie-Pop, you would you mind coming with to B’s house?” He asks on that faithful Sunday morning, which is odd considering Sundays were the days he typically leaves Marinette to herself.

“Sure,” She pauses for a moment, “Are you sure that they wouldn’t mind? I hate to be—” She rambles on getting a chuckle out of the older male.

“Nah, Pixie-Pop, they wouldn’t mind.” He tells her easing her growing anxiety.

Marinette smiles up at him before rushing into the guestroom that slowly became her room.

On the back of Jason’s bike reminded her of her Nona. In fact, every time she rides with him it’s a constant reminder of her Nona, the rush of wind blowing through her hair. The feeling of someone close to you knowing that you’re most likely being protected. Marinette had dreamed of getting a bike of her own when she older and in case she can never return to Paris perhaps Jason would be willing to teach her.

“Jay-Jay this a house, it’s a mansion.” Were the first few words upon entering the Wayne Manor grounds. Jason laughs it off by rubbing her head and motioning for her to follow him.

“Sup nimrods, I’m back and I brought a guest. Treat her right and there will be no bullets shooting tonight.” He calls out to the group of people settled into the room.

Marinette squirms underneath all the glances she was receiving but upon seeing the familiar sight of green eyes and a certain Great Dane, she slowly became at ease.

“Hey Damian, I didn’t know you lived here.” Well, ring the alarms because immediately she is greeted by screams of all kinds some projected to the green-eyed teen while one was projected to her.

Ignoring the commotion that is aimed at him, Damian curtly nods to Marinette as Titus rushes over to her. “Hi, Angel.” Cue another round of commotion.

So, dinner was a complete mess, well not like food is thrown everywhere kind of a mess but it was an emotional disaster. Tim was knocked over the table, the like of caffeine and sleep finally getting to him. Dick and was having a heated conversation with Jason about Marinette, all while Bruce sat there in silence. Secretly he was hoping for the chance of grandchildren in the future if this girl can make it through with his family.

Once Damian had finished his food and notice how uncomfortable Marinette is, they managed to disappear down the halls to who knows where. Alfred walks in shaking his head all while cleaning up the dishes.

Marinette ended up moving into Wayne Manor just days after the dinner at the request of Jason who ended up tag-teaming with Bruce. It didn’t take her long to figure their secret identities and it wasn’t long after that when they question her as to why she was declared missing and presumed dead in Paris. Let just say that was another heated conversation because it unleashed a whole lot of emotions.

Damian finally worked up the courage to ask the bluenette out after her staying with them for over a month. Both of them were too afraid of ruining the friendship they created. Not long after they started dating, Marinette learned that the people who were after her in Paris were a part of some cult under the name League of Assassins. This is then prompted Damian to talk about his past and Marinette telling the family that she had known their identities for quite some time. It didn’t them long to meet the kwamis and adding Ladybug to their personal alliance.

Marinette only went back to Paris after some convincing from the Batfamily to at least give her parents some sort of closure that their daughter is safe. She took Kaalki to make the trip easy. Her parents were, of course, mad at her for not contacting them sooner, but after she explained everything it was Sabine that had some choice words to say to some “old co-workers” of hers from her early teen and adult years. As much as they didn’t want Marinette to leave, her parents knew their daughter was happier in Gotham than she ever was after the whole Hawkmoth ordeal and even both that. Her missing person case was closed, and Marinette went back to Gotham with the promise to come to see them again in the summer.

Damian and Marinette finally shared their first kiss with each other after a couple of months of dating. It was Titus that pushed them to do at the park underneath the bench where they meet.

Permanent Tag List: @vixen-uchiha | @i-is-mysterious | @kuroko26 | @maribat-is-lifeblood | @marinettepotterandplagg | @loveswifi | @ladybug-182

Unspecific Tag List: @g-arya | @jardimazul | @jeminiikrystal | @zalladane | @bluerosette23  | @dast218 

[goldandbluesmiles]

A more silent love language

Summary: Dick has always like sparkly things.

Ao3

Part of my batfam flufftober2020

Bruce had decided that Dick needed some winter clothing.

Why that was necessary, Dick did not understand but here they were, in some relatively high-end shop.

"You should have let Alfred bring me,"

"What do you mean?" said Bruce with mock hurt, "Are you not having fun bonding with your brother/father figure? I am so hurt!"

"Oh shut it," muttered Dick

Bruce laughed, "Come on Kiddo. We already got a lot of stuff. Just a couple of sweaters and long sleeve shirts are left. It's your first winter here. We probably won't have to do shopping like this from now on,"

"Fine," muttered Dick, thumbing through a stack of shirts, "I'll look,"

"Great," said Bruce, "We can split up and meet at...that couch? I think, over there in about fifteen minutes,"

Dick looked to where Bruce was pointing and snorted. The weird-looking, probably really expensive, lump barely resembled any piece of furniture, much less a couch.

"Alright," said Dick

Bruce smiled and started toward the other side of the shop. Dick went back to looking through the shirts and even chose a couple. He was about to make his way to the couch when something shimmery and silver caught his eye.

It was a set of a hat, scarf and gloves made of wool-like material that was silver and sparkly. He touched it and noticed it was soft to the touch.

Dick had been used to wearing sparkly things back at the circus but ever since he had come to Gotham, he had been expected to wear boring colours, fit for a young boy, according to literally everyone in Gotham.

He wondered if Bruce would-

"Chum?" Dick almost jumped in the air and carefully pulled his hand back.

"Oh, hey Bruce," he squeaked out

Bruce smiled, "Sorry, Chum. Didn't mean to startle you. I just got worried. Something caught your eye?"

Dick resisted the urge to look at the clothing items again. He already had all those things anyway.

"Nah, just looking around," said Dick

Bruce didn't look like he believed but nodded anyway.

"Alright, Kiddo," said Bruce, "Why don't we try these on and then go to checkout,"

"Okay,"

xxx

Once in awhile, Alfred would take out the photo albums, sort them again and add new ones.

This time he had been ambushed by his grandchildren as he was finishing and he had left them to flip through the pictures.

They were still going through Dick's childhood pictures when Jason stopped at little Dick standing in the snow, wearing a shimmery set of gloves, scarf and hats.

"Sparkly shit, huh?" said Jason, "You always liked it,"

Dick grinned, "Yeah, that was a breaking moment for me and Bruce, you know,"

"How so?" asked Damian

"Well, I had been at the manor for like five months and while I was pretty comfortable, I still had some reservations some things. One of them was whether or not Bruce would be completely okay with the style I had at Haly's, every bold and loud. Not that he even said anything but everyone at in Gotham, especially in high society wore proper muted colours if they were guys and I was fine. And then I saw that set and I kinda really liked it. Bruce was with me that day and I guess he noticed me staring at it,"

"And he told you you could buy it?" asked Tim

"Umm," said Dick, "Not exactly,"

"Meaning?" asked Cass

"Well..."

Once they got home, Bruce handed Dick the shopping bags and told him to put the stuff away.

"And then we'll get some popcorns and watch a movie, okay?"

"Okay!"

Dick took the bags and practically ran up the stairs. he started to take the stuff out and put it in the right places. When he to the end he noticed something shimmery at the bottom.

The sparkly set.

Bruce must have grabbed it when Dick had been trying on clothes.

Smiling, Dick ran all the way down to Bruce and practically tackled him in a hug.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

Bruce laughed, "You're welcome, Chum,"

"He just bought it and put it in the bag?" asked Duke

"Yup," said Dick, "That's B for you. Bad with words, better with actions. He did delve into his vast vocabulary and tell me that I could wear whatever I wanted. I know, it might not seem like a big deal, but it kinda felt like he was telling me I could express myself however I wanted,"

"Yeah, he's good like that," said Dick

"Wait," said Damian, "Is that why he keeps buying me whatever art supply I glance at?"

"And all the books and stuff on photography?"

"He got me history stuff," said Duke

"Dance lessons," said Cass, "All of them,"

"I thought he was just passionate about books too," said Jason, "But yeah, that's B's love language,"

"Yup," said Dick, "The best thing to do is take it and you know, just use it in front of him. Makes him happy,"

"Huh," said Duke

Just them they heard footsteps and Bruce joined then in the den.

"Hey, guys," said Bruce, "Going through the albums?"

"Yup," answered Dick, "Join us,"

Bruce smiled and sat down, scanning the pictures as Jason flipped through them.

"Oh hey, Bruce," said Duke, "I loved the historical map you got me for my room. I put it up if you wanna see it later,"

Bruce's answering smile could have lit up Gotham's darkest goddamn night.

"I would love to, Kiddo,"

[hrhduchessoflancaster]

Chapter Ninety-Four: The New Elizabethan Era

Disclaimer: see Prologue

A/N: Almost at the end now, everyone. Just one more chapter and epilogue to go. Hope you enjoy it! Thank you. xx Bea

_____________________________________________

September, 2020

Harry and Elle had remained in Sussex for a month after Philip’s death but duties over the UK had made them return to London. Elle’s parent’s and occasionally Charles and Camilla as well were more than happy to babysit the youngsters. Charles had taken the Sussexes to Highgrove and much like he had done with Arthur when he was a baby, the proud grandfather introduced his littlest grandchild to the all the animals and plants at the estate, going into much detail about the care of each one of them. Owen, like his older brother, enjoyed seeing the animals the most and even tried to pet a few of them. 

“ He’s a curious little boy, isn’t he?”, said Charles as Owen stretched out his arms trying to grab a hold of the sheep’s ear. 

“ He most certainly is! Arthur was more of an observant baby. Owen is the opposite. Acts first. Think later. Something we’ll have to be more careful about in the near future.”, said Elle. They said their farewells to the animals and walked along the path towards the house.

“ Have you heard from Will and Kate? We’ve been so busy lately with engagements and meetings that we’ve barely had time to breathe.”, asked Harry.

“ I have. They’ve been visiting mama every weekend, keeping her company.”, said Charles with a sad smile.

“ And how is she?”, asked Elle, balancing Owen on her arms. Charles sighed and shook his head.

“ Hanging in there. But we fear she’s losing her will to live.”, he replied.

As Harry had predicted, the Queen quite never recovered from her husband’s death. She resumed her public activities after three months in Sandringham. While there, she had often received visits from her children and grandchildren, as well as her great grandchildren, which seemed to bring back a bit of light and laughter into her life. Her animals were also a source of joy for her. She had traveled to Balmoral for the summer and enjoyed having the family around but it also brought many memories from Prince Philip that left her shaken up. 

Once the summer was over, instead of returning to London she decided to reside at Windsor and remain there, where she could continue her duties but be away from the public eye. And even though she had put on a brave façade, they all knew she was suffering. A loss such as hers leaves deep marks on the heart and soul and takes a toll on the body. And little by little the family saw the spark she once had, fade away.

**********

By mid September they returned to Sussex for an extended stay. There, they took the time to take their sons to the Ashdown Forest and played Pooh sticks with them and explored bits of the forest itself, much to the enjoyment of the children. Arthur, now three, had taken up to running while Owen, who was still tumbling on his feet at almost nine months old, tried to follow suit. While there, they also took the time to improve their vegetable garden and farming, started renovations two of the three cottages at the property into a guest houses for visitors who wished more privacy as well as the rooms at the end of the first floor and the second floor into more suitable bedroom and a playroom for the children. They had a hired a full-time staff to work at the property with a housekeep living on site in one of the cottages while the remaining workers lived in the village, which was a short distance from the house. 

Elle had taken the time she had with Charles at Highgrove to get some tips into what and how to plant at the property. In addition to the herb and vegetable garden, she also wanted to grow a few fruit trees such as apple, mulberry, raspberry, peach and pomegranate as well as some strawberries in the field next to the vegetables. She also wanted to plant a few flowers and start beekeeping. In a few years, she imagined, the property would have sufficient food to stock up their pantry and sell it in the farmer’s market at the village. Arthur loved helping her out when she was planting, helping put in seeds for the flowers and some other edible plants. He’d giggle and smile when he got his hands dirty but was ever so gentle with how he handled the plants, following the gentle guidance of his mother.

On Harry’s birthday, they kept it low key and decided to have a small celebration, just the four of them. Elle had baked a caked and the boys ‘helped’ decorate it with some fruits they had picked while in the village. She had also prepared their shared favourite pudding ‘Eton Mess’ so they could have as a side dish to the cake. They gathered around Harry, laughing and cheering as they sang Happy Birthday and he blew the candles. 

“ Thirty-six huh, Major? You’re getting old…”, joked Elle, kissing his cheek. He chuckled and shook his head, cutting a piece of the cake which he divided into three parts so he could give the first piece to them. Harry helped Arthur eat small pieces of the slice while Elle crumbled a bit of the cake to give Owen a taste. In a light and loving mood, the small family enjoyed their food 

“ Boys! Should we give Dada his gifts?”, she asked her sons and they cheered once again. Elle then handed each of them a parcel which they handed without ceremony to their father. Opening Arthur’s first he smiled as he saw the the little card with a doodle made by his eldest son and Elle’s calligraphy written at the bottom which read: “ To Dada. You make me happy and I love you.”. Below it, a pair of grey tracksuit trousers that he’d been needing for a few months. Smiling, touched with the gift, he hugged his eldest son and kissed his cheek.

“ Thank you, little cub. I loved it.”, he said and the boy grinned at his father then sat down beside him. He then took the one Owen had practically thrown at him and unwrapped it. Inside, there was a white t-shirt with an impression of his tiny hands in forest green, with his name and age printed below it. He chuckled and put it on, smiling at his youngest son and family, once again touched by the simple yet meaningful gifts he had received.

“ Thank you, little warrior.”, he said, hugging Owen and also kissing his cheek. “ Thank you all. I loved my gifts. The boys seemed satisfied with their father’s reply but soon lost interest in him and amused themselves with the wrappers, tearing it to pieces. Elle smiled, watching her sons and quietly approached her husband.

“ You have one more, Major.”, she said, handing him a small rectangular box. He eyed her suspiciously while opening it. Inside, placed in tissue paper was a familiar bracelet design: a leather string, and a metal plate with numbers and letters in it.

“ Let’s see if you can guess this one.”, she said. Smiling, he took a closer look. 52° 49′ 47″ N, 0° 30′ 50″ E. 

“ Well… assuming you’re following the same pattern, are those the coordinates to Sandringham?”, he asked.

“ Yes. Owen needed his own personal bracelet, too.”, said Elle, putting it on his wrist. 

“ Thank you, love.”, he replied, kissing her softly. “ Maybe we can get someone to put them all together in a single bracelet, so I can wear them all at once.”, he said to her.

“ I think that’s a great idea! She said, playing with the infinity band encrusted with diamonds that Harry had given her after Owen’s birth. 

“ And leave room for more… for I’m sure we’ll have more memorable moments to add to the collection.”, continued Harry. She smiled, nodding her head and pulled him towards her, hooking her arms around him and pressing their lips together for a more passionate kiss.

“ Easy there, love. The little ones are still up.”, whispered Harry, his lips still dangerously close to hers. Elle smirked and bit her bottom lip.

“ In an hour we’ll remedy that.”, she said, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

**********

On the following week, the couple travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon for Elle’s second official visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company, which she had become a patron after Arthur’s birth. She had been to a few plays and been in touch with the directors but this was the first time she’d visit them after she and Harry had stepped up their duties. The children stayed with nanny Jackie who had been hired again once they had Owen and their workload increased. That way, the children could travel with them and the nanny would come along to take care of the boys while they were at work. 

They had taken the helicopter and descended on Warwick that morning which was a 15 minute drive to Shakespeare’s birthplace. This time around, they’d be shown some landmarks in the city as well as attending a performance of Henry V later that same evening. They’d be staying overnight at Warwick Castle at their own expense just so they could enjoy the visit properly. At Warwick, Lisa and Daniel took care of settling their thing in the castle and Nanny Jackie took the children with her as well while Elle, Harry, Ronald, Ingrid, Alfred and Leo drove to Stratford. The couple was met with a crowd surrounding the main street, waving little English flags on their hands. Dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt and a burgundy knee high skirt, Elle waved at the people and Harry followed beside her as they walked at the entrance of the school where Shakespeare studied. 

“ Your Royal Highnesses, it’s a pleasure to have you here at Stratford.”, greeted the Mayor of the town, shaking their hands.

“ Thank  very much for having us. My husband and I are very happy to be here.”, said Elle, smiling. They proceeded to be taken inside the school, where they were given a private tour, followed by other landmarks such as Shakespeare’s home, Anne Hathaway’s cottage and Trinity Church where he’s buried. After the tours, they returned to the castle to rest and change for the evening. 

At the castle, they enjoyed some quality time with the boys during the afternoon by privately walking around the main building and grounds, trying to shoot a few arrows, meeting the actors and actresses dressed up as knights and ladies. Elle took upon herself to explain a few bit and pieces of medieval history to her children who seemed to enjoy being entertained by her mother as she made faces and sounds when telling particularly interesting moments of the Middle Ages. 

Once the sun started to go down, they returned to their suite, took care of the children and left them in the care of nanny Jackie while they dressed up for the night. Harry put on his suit while Elle put on a black dress with soft purple flowers in a mesh fabric draped over the base, giving it a shimmer. Before they left, they kissed the boys goodnight and departed for the theatre. Upon arrival at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, they were met with a line up of photographers and a few o the board members and directors from the RSC, whom Elle had previously met. 

“ Welcome, Your Royal Highnesses!”, greeted by Gregory Doran, the artistic director of the company.

“ It’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve been longing to watch of the historical productions here at Stratford for a few years now and now I finally can!”, joked Elle, and they both chuckled. 

“ You cannot believe how excited she is for this.”, said Harry, grinning.

“ I hope we can meet the expectations and deliver a performance to remember.”, said the director. 

“ I have no doubt it’ll be wonderful.”, said Elle.

Moving inside the theatre, they were directed to their box and received with a trumpet sound and applauses from the public. They smiled and acknowledged the audience before taking their seats. During the play Elle smiled, cheered, cried and got emotional as the story she knew — both historically and culturally — so well. At the end of the play, they were taken to the backstage, where they met and talked to the actors and actresses.

“ I actually enjoyed it!”, said Harry smiling at Elle, as they rode back to Warwick.

“ I had a feeling you would. It’d a war play after all.”, Elle replied chuckling.

“ Yes, I enjoyed that. But the speeches were also very good. Very inspiring.”, said Harry.

“ Oh absolutely! So much so that during World War Two the BBC recorded a film of Henry V to be broadcasted at home and internationally to the soldiers as a way to boost moral.”, said Elle.

“ Really? Didn’t know that. Makes sense though.”, replied Harry. The short ride to the castle was enough to bring their adrenaline down, which made them jump to bed as quick as they could and fall soundly asleep in each other’s arms.

***********

 October 2020

Back in London, Elle met up with her friends for lunch and tea at Kensington Palace while Harry, Richard and Edward were out together at polo training for the match they had coming up. Melissa and Trevor had yet to meet Owen and were delighted to see him and how much Arthur had grown. Valerie and Mary were also delighted to see their friend and children.

“ Look at you! A mother of two!”, said Melissa, smiling sweetly as they watched the children play. Rose, who was a bit older than the boys, coerced them into playing her favourite games which the boys welcomed as a distraction to their own playtime games. 

“ Arthur looks so much like you…”, commented Trevor, who in the past year had gotten engaged and remained his bubbly self. “ Owen, however, looks a bit more like Harry.”, he continued, earning agreements all around.

“ Hmmm… I don’t really see it but I guess I’m used to seeing the the bits that are mine and the ones that are Harry’s in both of them.”, replied Elle.

“ Speaking of children, how are Blair and Jeremy, Mel?”, Elle asked.

“ Oh, Blair started uni this term. History of Art and I’m entirely guilty and proud of her choice.”, said the older woman and they all chuckled.

“ Jeremy is having the time of his life at school ever since he started playing rugby. François thinks he has a genuine future in it.”, she continued.

“ That’s amazing! I’m really happy for them.”, said Elle. “ Oh how time passes quickly… yesterday they were little children!”, she continued and the mothers agreed.

“ They do grow up in front of our eyes, don’t they?”, said Mary.

“ They do. I’ve caught myself crying a few times while folding their clothes. Owen’s already wearing size one year old. He’s growing up too fast!”, said Elle.

“ Speaking of babies… I have something to tell you.” Said Mary smiling coyly. Elle’s and Victoria’s eyes widened.

“ No! You are? You are!”, said Victoria and Mary nodded her head, chuckling. “ I’m gonna be an aunt again!”, she said happily.

“ Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and Rick. I’m sure Rose will love having another sibling.”, said Elle, hugging her friend.

“ We’ve been trying for so long, you know? I’m only a couple of weeks along but I wanted to share the news with people I know wish me well.”, said Mary.

“ Of course we do and we’re ecstatic for you.”, said Valerie encouragingly.

That afternoon was filled with joy and laughter that Elle had missed severely int he past months after they had lost the Duke of Edinburgh. It felt good to be surrounded by people who could make her smiled and forget for a few moments, the sorrow, sadness and loss that had permeated their lives in the last couple of months. Those sad days, however, would soon return.

On the 9th of October, near 8 am, they received a phone call from Charles asking them to meet with him immediately at Clarence House. Their staff was alerted by his staff and were already set in motion to take them there. They rushed to the familiar home, barely greeting Greyson on their way to the Drawing Room. They were slightly shocked to see not only Charles and Camilla there, but also Andrew and Edward. All of them looking visibly shocked and red in the face as if they’d been crying.

“ Oh good, you’re here.”, said Camilla. “ Charles, they are here.”, said Camilla to her husband who had been talking in rushed tones to his siblings and senior advisor. 

“ Harry, Eleanor.”, said Charles, hugging them both and sniffing on their shoulders. 

“ Pa, you’re scaring us. What’s wrong?”, said Harry, cautiously.

“ It’s your grandmother. Anne has just called. I’m afraid… I’m afraid she’s passed away.”, said Charles, sobbing. Their eyes widened and tears began falling from their cheeks, which triggered the rest of the family to also cry in their shared grief. They hugged Charles while he cried at the same time as they held themselves amidst such tragic news. 

“ How?”, asked Elle, turning to the people in the room, still in disbelief. 

“ Heart failure, in her sleep. According to what Anne has told us.”, replied Edward. Gulping and sniffing, Elle nodded her head.

“ At least it was peaceful.”, she replied and they all nodded their head. Charles composed himself and dried his face with his fingers.

“ Operation London Bridge is on the way. The Private Secretary and Prime Minister have already been informed. I imagine the rest of the government will soon receive the news as well.”, said Charles, visibly shaken. 

And so they did. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office were also communicated and passed down the news to the other fifteen countries of which Her Majesty was the head of state and also the governments of the Commonwealth. The news vehicles were also alerted and all schedules programmes were interrupted. Soon, the news had reached the world that this most beloved Queen had passed away, age 94. A footman pinned a dark-edged notice to the gates of Buckingham Palace, much like her own father’s death had been notified. But unlike during her father’s reign, the staff of all royal households took to social media to address the public and keep them updated about a book of condolence and other way they could share take part in the ceremonies around the the UK and abroad to celebrate Queen Elizabeth.

That morning, the Prime Minister, Mr. Christopher Simmons recalled the Parliament and it would meet within the first hours of the news being shared. There, he addressed the House of Commons. Soon after, all government building were flying their flags at half-mast and all ceremonial ornaments were placed in black purses as a sign of mourning for the past monarch. 

That same day, her body was moved, and placed at St. George’s Chapel, with the royal standard draped over her coffin. The first funeral rites were given at the by the Windsor chaplain and the guards stationed at the castle mounted a guard of honour inside the building and would remain there for the next two days before he body was transported by by car to London, where it would remain at Buckingham Palace’s Throne Room for a day. 

In the afternoon, the Prime Minister came around Clarence House to meet with Charles who was now the Head of State. The family’s engagements were cancelled for the rest of the month and Elle and Harry remained at Clarence House overnight, their children had been brought to them by their staff, so they could support Charles and be close as a family. On the following day, they drove with Charles and Camilla to St. James’s Palace for the Accession Council meeting. 

“ Your Majesty, Your Royal highnesses, we’re very sorry for your loss.”, said a councillor as the family entered the building side by side. Inside it, members of the Privy Council, officers of the State, members of the House of Lords — which included Elle’s father and uncle, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other senior members of the Church of England, the mayor of London, high commissioners and representatives of the Commonwealth realms. 

As Charles took his place at the front of the room, with the people surrounding him, Charles made his Oath of Allegiance to the Council, the Church of England and Church of Scotland. Then, Charles seated on the Sovereign’s Chair and one by one, the members of government present as well as Harry, Elle and Camilla made their oaths of allegiance which would be repeated in a more ceremonial manner during his coronation in a few months. Afterwards, they moved to the Proclamation Gallery outside the court of the palace where the proclamation was read out-loud by the Garter King of Arms.

“Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth II of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Prince Charles Philip Arthur George. We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm, being here assisted with these Her late Majesty's Privy Council, with representatives of other Members of the Commonwealth, with other Principal Gentlemen of Quality, with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become King Charles the Third, by the Grace of God King of this Realm and of all His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom His lieges do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with hearty and humble Affection, beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to bless the Royal Prince Charles the Third with long and happy Years to reign over us.”

“ The Queen is dead. Long live the King!”, he shouted.

“ Long live the King!”, was repeated by all. 

[thychesters]

For the batprompt. It's father's day and great pains were made to make sure everyone was at the manor and that there were good gifts. (bonus points if Bruce gives Alfred a gift) ((I want fluff don't @ me))

listen, i need you to know i wrote the beginning of this like 3 times and am on such a baby kick that i just took this and ran with it. i had a blast.

The plan had been a very simple one: breakfast at their apartment as they celebrated Dick’s first Father’s Day (despite Barbara not even showing yet) while Barbara made up pancakes, and lounging about the place and considering names before meeting Jim for lunch and then heading to the manor to tell the rest of the family the news and make Bruce feel old.

Of course, in theory the plan had gone off without a hitch. In the execution, however, Barbara had awoken early with a rather unpleasant (as if it could be enjoyable) bout of morning sickness, and as such their pancake breakfast had turned into bowls of cereal that sat long enough that got soggy. She’d groused when Dick had swapped her coffee out for decaffeinated tea, and there had been little else to choose from that hadn’t turned her stomach.

While she’d apologized, Dick shrugged from where she was propped against him on the couch, sitting between his legs. He’d rested his hands on her stomach and said he was perfectly content right here.

Naturally, they were not going to get out of visiting the manor so easily. As far as the others are aware the only person other than Bruce they’re going to harangue today is Jim, so the two of them bide their time by lounging on the couch.

Barbara dozes against him. Dick drums his fingers on the barely there swell of her stomach and throws his head back with a sigh.

-- --

“It’s about time you got here,” Damian says by way of greeting, stepping aside to let Barbara in.

“It’s good to see you too, squirt,” Dick says as he reaches up to ruffle his hair, which Damian allows for all of five seconds before pretending he hates it and muttering don’t call me that. He shifts the gift bags to his other hand before toeing his shoes off to leave them in the haphazard pile of the others’.

Alfred’s already appeared to greet them both, bending down so that Barbara can press a kiss to his cheek and offer him a quick hug. As he rights himself he glances Dick’s way with a smile, which Dick returns with a grin and then sets about righting the collection of shoes before Alfred worries himself over them.

“Hey Alf,” he says, wrapping his free arm around his shoulders as he approaches. “Happy Father’s Day.”

“Hmm, remind me again why I agreed to that? There are few single women out there keen on a bachelor such as myself with so many children and grandchildren, eccentric as they are.” he murmurs, though with a soft smirk.

“Because you took one look at me and said yep, that one,” Dick says, choosing instead to throw his arm over Alfred’s shoulders as he guides the both of them back deeper into the manor to find the others. The latter sighs, though good-naturedly. “The others… I forgive you for them.”

“I took one look at you and couldn’t run away fast enough.” Barbara rolls her eyes and Damian lets out a snort he tries to cover with a cough.

-- --

Dinner goes off without a hitch, for the most part. Or as well as it can considering the guests. Barbara politely declines any offerings of wine, and her lips draw into a thin line a few times so he can imagine how her stomach is faring. On the other side of the table, Tim blanches and says no, of course he was not going to slip his carrots to Titus, Bruce, what nerve.

Dick slips a hand between them and takes Barbara’s in his own. If he takes a few bites off her plate, at least no one calls them on it.

“Presents,” Cass says, tugging on Stephanie’s arm once they’ve all retreated back into the sitting room, to which Jason says they better wait as he goes to retrieve Alfred in an ill-fated attempt to convince him to wait to do the dishes until later.

He at least looks rather pleased with himself at the look on Bruce’s face when he unwraps his gift and is left staring down at a tie emblazoned with Superman’s logo. Bruce mutters a tight-lipped thanks, and Jason then looks bashful when it’s revealed that his gift to Alfred (and by extension himself and Bruce) was him admitting he’d gone back to get his GED, even if some names had been tweaked. Jason lets Bruce clap him on the shoulder, but he hugs Alfred.

A few other gifts pass: a pair of cufflinks, a vintage poster of The Ghost in Gray, a hand drawn sketch of Bruce and Alfred based on one of the portraits in the main foyer, which Damian mutters isn’t quite done yet. As gifts change hands Dick can see the way Barbara holds herself turns strained, and he can all but hear her swallow.

“Excuse me,” she says softly, which the others don’t seem to think much of as she ducks out of the room and down the hall. Dick watches her go with a frown, and inclines his head to watch her disappear around the corner.

Tim gives him an amused look from the other side of the couch, where Alfred had him sit after he separated him and Damian. “You know the buddy system only applies in public, right?”

“What? Yeah,” Dick says distractedly, which draws attention from Bruce and Jason. Cass, meanwhile, reaches for the next gift, plucking one of the last few from the pile. Dick blanches, because Barbara isn’t back yet and he’ll be damned if this is something he presents by himself. “Wait, don’t open that yet.”

Bruce pauses, bag in hand. All eyes are on him and if he strains his ears he can hear water running. He stalls, mouth trying to form words and failing.

“Um,” he offers. After a moment of him doing little more than shrugging at them, Barbara comes back into the room, dragging her thumbnail against the corner of her mouth and clearly thrown off at the standoff she’s come back to. She glances at Dick, line forming in her brow, and he nods. “Okay, never mind.”

Bruce narrows his eyes a little, Cass bends down to sneak a peek at the box tucked into the bag.

“Are you sure?” he mutters with a raised eyebrow, and it almost looks like he wants to laugh.

“Should I ask?” Barbara rejoins Dick at his side, shifting from her chair and to the loveseat. He just shakes his head and curses at himself. He watches his adoptive father slide the box out of the bag with a little more apprehension, just for show, and Dick watches, sitting like a tightly coiled spring.

He holds up the World’s Best Grandpa with an air of scrutiny, and it’s quiet for a moment before Jason snorts and there’s a soft chuckle from where Tim and Damian sit. Bruce regards them carefully, and Barbara’s thumb smooths across his knuckles, though Dick can tell she’s nervous too.

“Oh my,” Alfred says, eyes wide, and it’s then that it clicks for the rest of them.

“Oh my God,” Stephanie sputters as she clambers to her feet. Cass smiles wide, clasping her hands over her mouth as she beams at the two of them.

Barbara reaches down with her other hand to squeeze Dick’s and both laugh as they tell Alfred he has to go open his then. Alfred’s eyes shine and he lets out a small chuckle of his own as he holds up his own Actual Best Grandpa.

“They’re corny, but what else would you expect from us?” Dick says, raising to stand as both Bruce and Alfred stand.

“Us? Speak for yourself,” Barbara says from where Cass has wrapped her in a hug, and she raises an eyebrow at Jason who just shrugs, even though he’s smiling.

“Damn, Dickhead, now you’re just making the rest of our presents look bad,” he says, though he claps Dick on the arm. The hug from Alfred is comforting, but the one from Bruce is tighter than he would have expected. Tim and Damian have set upon Barbara, both trying to deduce when she’s due and how far along she is while she and Stephanie bat both of their hands away.

“I had some help with this one,” he says while his sister gives him a hug of her own. She sighs and he pats the space between her shoulders.

“Hrn,” Bruce hums, and Cass pulls away to glance up at him along with the others. There’s still a small smile on his face, and Alfred is cradling his mug like he never plans on putting it down (though perhaps in a few months he’ll exchange it for an infant). “I’ll say. I’ll admit I’m not used to being one-upped when it comes to gift giving.”

Jason and Tim gag at that, after which the former tries to swat the other on the back of the head because you’re one to talk, asshole.

“Yes, I’m afraid there is little else that will impress me now,” Alfred says, which draws a small laugh. “A weekend with no Batman pales in comparison, I must say.”

At that the others set upon him, demanding to know what coercion and blackmail went into getting Bruce to agree to take it easy for a few days, what sort of dirty tricks he used and can he teach them, and Alfred only says he thought they were aware a magician never reveals their secrets.

Dick meets his eye from across the room and he smiles.

-- --

Bruce, true to his word, somehow manages to refrain from any Batman activities for the weekend (having an entire brood of vigilantes operating out of his sub-basement might have something to do with it). Instead, takes it upon himself to aid Dick and Barbara in their nursery decorating duties, much to their bafflement and mild mortification, because they’ve hardly ever seen him in such a good mood.

Dick holds a hand against Barbara’s stomach while they watch him debate color swatches, and he supposes he really can’t blame him.

[jeromesxreader16]

Such a Joker (50)

Part 49 Here

~o0o~

Jim POV:

As I come out of my office I see a large number of cops watching Jeremiah sitting calming in the holding cell. "Don't you all have work you should be doing?" I yell towards them as they scatter.

"Pardon me, Jim."

I walk over to Jeremiah raising my brows. "What is it?" "I'd like to press charges against Bruce Wayne's butler. I mean, just look at my face. I can't have my wife seeing me like this."

I scoff smirking with pure anger, "I think you look great."

"And I'd like to speak to Bruce again. We couldn't really talk before what with his girlfriend bleeding out all over him."

"You tried to prove you're better than your brother. But I'm still here. I'm searching for (Y/n), and the city's still here. You're a failure, Jeremiah. Enjoy Arkham. Your brother did. I'll be the one to make sure (Y/n)'s visiting hours will be less than none."

"Bring me, Bruce Wayne... I'll let you speak with (y/n), and I'll tell you where the other bombs are." I walk closer engaging. "We have all your bombs."

Jeremiah nods with an underlying smirk, "The maze bombs, yes. I mean the other ones. Jim, as an engineer, you expect systems to fail. So, you build in redundancies. And I am a very good engineer."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I?" He smirks at me waiting for a reaction.

"You're right, you know. I did fail. I didn't yet understand the vision I was servicing, but, I do now. My eyes are open as will yours be. When you realize I'm not bluffing, bring me, Bruce Wayne. And I'd like a coffee. Black. Two sugars."

~

"How many bombs are there? Where are they?" I challenge him again. "I want to talk to Bruce Wayne."

"Tell me where they are, you son of a bitch. Who's helping you?"

"Bruce Wayne."

I grunt, shaking my head in frustration, "You are never gonna talk to Bruce Wayne. You hear me?"

Jeremiah shrugs smirking, "Then more people will die and you will never see (Y/n) or meet your grandchildren." I look up meeting his icy eyes with cold blood. "What? You're lying." Jeremiah sighs, "My wallet, right sleeve, forth slot, a sonogram photo of my two twins. I don't bluff, Jim. Why do you think I ask for your blessing? Wouldn't want your daughter unwed and knocked up, huh? But once again you resented her happiness, and she ran right into my arms. You never were good at holding on to what you care about, were you, James?"

~

Bruce finally walks in as I'm strapped to the dolly awaiting transportation to Arkham. "Hello, Bruce. It's great to see you."

"Where are the bombs, Jeremiah? Where is (Y/n) Gordon?"

"Closer, please."

As Bruce teds near I speak again. "Tell me. How is the young lady doing?" Of course no reaction. I smile switching subjects, "You know why we're destined to be best friends? Because we're very much alike. You are as I used to be. At war with your true nature. You must truly embrace it if you ever want to be free. I'm just trying to help you."

"Trying to help me? By torturing Alfred? Trying to destroy Gotham?

By shooting Selina? You think we're alike because there's a darkness inside both of us. But the difference is, I know how to control mine."

I scoff smirking, "I think you could be so strong. I see it. He sees it too." Bruce looks at me confused walking closer. "What do you mean, "he"?"

"Where are the other bombs?"

I roll my eyes looking up at the camera playing the game, "What bombs?" "Bombs you planted around the city. You blew up the Mayor."

"Ah, that bomb. Yes, that was the only one. But it did what it had to do. It got you here."

"You said, "he." Who do you mean?"

I smile gasping at Bruce. "The one who opened up my eyes. Who showed me that everything I was doing, was not to create a Gotham of my own for (y/n), and I, But yours, Bruce. The Gotham you need. Your dark island. And it will come to be, Bruce. Tonight."

"Tell me his name," Bruce demands empty-handed.

"What did the doctors say? Will the little bitch ever walk again? What vertebrae did I sever? I was hoping for the lumbar..." "TELL ME HIS NAME!" I laugh at his anger. "You already know his name. You're his heir."

Bruce gasps letting my suit wings go. "Ra's al Ghul... No, it can't..."

"Shh." The lights flicker as the room goes dark and I am freed from this hold.

~

Enter the building I see (Y/n) waiting with Ra's, overlooking the old city. "Jeremiah! Ra's was just telling me he could marry us!" I grin walking over as the men get Bruce ready for the arrival.

"Could you?" Ra's nods smirking, "Just say when my boy. I can-" "Now." I pull out two solid gold bands passing mine to (Y/n). "You're prepared." She giggles. "I've been waiting."

Ra's chuckles offering off a quick blessing to us as a couple. "Do you Jeremiah Valeska take (Y/n) Gordon as your lawfully wedded wife?" "I certainly do." I grin watching my love. "And do you, (Y/n)-" "Yes." Ra's gestures between us chuckling. "Wonderful, you may kiss your bride, Mr. Valeska."

I scoop her in my arms kissing her deeply. I pull away as the men waltz a masked Bruce into the room. "Ah, hate you missed the ceremony, friend." I walk over pulling the bag off of his head.

"How did you two..." "Find each other?" Ra's finishes, "I'd like to think it was you, Bruce. You brought us together."

Ra's turns to me and (Y/n) as we look at the city. "I trust things went smoothly?" "Like clockwork. Did your men retrieve my bombs?" "They are en route to their positions as we speak. From here, we can take in the full majesty of Gotham's destruction."

"You're both insane!"

Ra's shakes his head in disappointment, "I know it's difficult to fathom, Bruce. But Jeremiah and I are doing this for your benefit."

"How is destroying Gotham supposed to help me?"

"Because I had a vision. That out of this crucible of blood and fire will rise the Dark Knight that your city needs. That I need."

I scoff pulling away from (y/n) and joining Bruce and Ra's. "To be honest, Bruce. Prophecies, visions. Not really my cup of tea. But our friend revealed something to me. That my twin obsessions, rebuilding Gotham and rebuilding you, are one and the same. You're the brother I never had. The one Jerome never could be. We will create a legacy in this city. Gotham falls. We rise. Together."

Barbara walks in passing each of us towards Ra's. "Oh, hey, Bruce. Freak. (Y/n), looking beautiful!"

"Hello, Barbara. I'm really glad you came." She sighs shrugging. "Bad news, baby. I'm not leaving. Gotham's in my blood. And I don't think I can let you leave either. You see, you say you're leaving. But I've got a feeling you're gonna be back. And I don't like looking over my shoulder."

"Need I remind you, Barbara. You've already tried using that knife. And also, you're outnumbered."

She hums smiling "Hmm. That Demon's Head is really not working out for you, huh?" Suddenly Oswald yells striking us and the fight breaks out quickly.

Tabith tackles me to the ground as I search for (Y/n) in a blind panic. She holds her knife to my neck sneering, "So you know, this is for Selina." I flip her overtaking the blade from her and pressing it to her skin. "In that case, it must be very disappointing for you to be dying like this." She smirks and moves her arm. "I'm not talking about you." She pulls her trigger making me search where the bullet traveled.

The bombs go off destroying the city as my wife falls bleeding from the bullet that pierced her. "No!" I growl rushing over. She cries holding her chest. "Jer-" "No, no, don't speak. You're going to be fine." The city burns down as my love's life source lowers.

"You're going to be fine, love. We're all going to be safe. Tomorrow is a new day,"

~

Staying by her bedside the entire night as the doctors work to remove the bullet, and stabilize her and the babies. "She should wake soon, Sir. The children are healthy. She's lucky it wasn't any closer to her heart." I nod boring my eyes into her face.

"Thank you, Doctor."

(y/n) mumbles and opens her eyes slowly. I smile leaning over, "Rise and shine, beautiful." She looks up at me confused, then looks down at her chest gasping, "That bitch." she sneers growling and trying to sit up. "No, no, don't try that." She gasps, putting a hand on her belly. "Jer-" "They're alright, doll. You're very lucky. All four of us are."

She looks over to me putting a hand on my cheek. "What do we do now, Jeremiah?" I smile rubbing my hands on her stomach. "Now, my love, we enjoy our marriage, and wait for our children." Her cheeks glow as I speak of our children. "I love you, Jeremiah." "I love you too, Mrs. Valeska. Always."

~ Day 87~

I sit at the radio discussing yet another call on the state of Gotham to the officials over the bridge. "Your people have decided to ignore evacuation orders." "No, no, no, no. It is clear you don't understand." "What's to understand, Mr. Gordon? I'm afraid you're making your-" "For the last time... after the bridges blew and the government declared Gotham off-limits, the city was up for grabs. Given over to criminals and murderers. New territory is controlled by whoever has enough power to hold it. I mean, we have Penguins in City Hall, for God's sake. Barbara and the Sirens control an area around their club. It's the only place in Gotham not suffering for food or booze. Barabra trades mostly for information. It's women only, but men can buy windows of time. To the west Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow. Victor Freeze is further north warring with Firefly. And to date, there have been no confirmed sightings of Jeremiah Valeska, or my Daughter, (y/n). Then there is us. The GCPD controls a ten-block area around the precinct, where we feed and protect 150 civilians. That number could grow as who knows how many others are trapped around the city. These are innocent people who couldn't get out. The Government has a duty to protect them. You have a duty to help them." I finish waiting for the response.

"We've been over this time and time again. No one is allowed in or out of Gotham."

"People we are protecting are not criminals." "And anyone who stayed after the evacuation order is no longer the government's responsibility." "We're surrounded by hostile forces. We are running out of food, ammunition. There are children here. You need to evacuate them." "A committee is being formed regarding the situation in Gotham."

I huff shaking my head. "At least let us resupply ourselves."

"We understand the situation."

"You DON'T understand. If you did you would do something. Just say we're on our own." The radio waves stay silent as no response comes through. I nod gruffly and turn off the communication.

I look to the corner of the desk seeing a photo of (Y/n), along with the photo of the unborn twins. I sigh holding them to my heart. "Please be okay."

~

"I like Jeremy," Jeremiah says as we relax on the couch together. "And for a girl?" He hums thinking. "What if we stuck with the J name? I kinda like Juliet." Jeremiah looks at me smiling. "I think that's lovely."

I stroke my small belly with love. "I just want them here already." Jeremiah laughs kissing the top of my head. "They'll be perfect."

~

Months pass of us hiding, gaining followers, and then finally start to dig under the city for our escape. Fully 6 months pregnant and things are just seeming harder. "You're sad," Ecco says frowning. She scoots over massaging my shoulders. "Tell me what's wrong." I sigh stroking my stomach feeling a wash of sadness. "I miss my dad. I hate to say it, but I do. These kids won't have a Grandpa." Ecco nods sighing dramatically. "I am so sorry, (Y/n). I wish I could help." I smile leaning my head on her shoulder. "How's that bullet feeling in there?" I tease as she giggles. "It's still rolling around in here!" She shakes her head, knocking the loose pieces in her brain. "I still can't believe you did it." She shrugs giggling, "Anything to help you, (Y/n)."

"Come on, let's see how the boss is. It's been a while since I've seen the progress."

Ecco helps me down the steps into the area where they're digging the large tunnel. "Wow! Looks, good everyone!" I yell, making the workers greet me with forced smiles. "Darling." Jeremiah clams walking to me, placing hands over my stomach with a grin. "Ecco, you're not supposed to bring her down here. It's dangerous." He glares at her. "Jer, I wanted to, she was obeying me." He reluctantly nods waving her away.

I switch the radio station finding a slow song and smiling. "Dance we me, Jer." I grasp his hand swaying with him to the music. "We're close aren't we?" I nod laughing. "Just three more months, Jeremiah." He shutters with a smile. "I can't wait." 

[staywhelmedbatfam]

It’s Your Day Now Too

~Older!Damian Wayne/Reader~

Summary: Damian is now celebrated on a day besides his birthday! Written for Father’s Day 2018, posted on Father’s Day 2020.

I don’t think too many dads are going to be reading this, but... Happy Father’s Day! I’ve been sitting on this short fluff piece for about two years and keep forgetting to post it on Father’s Day... I made it this year by about an hour and a half.

***

When Alfred walked into the kitchen, you had just put biscuits in the oven. You’d gotten up before he was due to get out of bed so you could get started on making breakfast. Plus, it was nice to get some alone time when you’re constantly at Damian’s side.

Turning your head to face the doorway instead of the stove, you greeted him with a cheerful smile. “Morning Alfred.”

“Good morning, Miss (Y/N). You’re up rather early.”

“I wanted to make breakfast for everyone. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

Alfred glanced over at the coffee maker where it sat on the countertop. Sure enough, you’d made a fresh pot and set some mugs next to it for whoever wanted some. “No, thank you. Do you want some help?”

“That’s okay. I want you to sit down and relax. After all, it is Father’s Day. You may not be my father or grandfather, Alfred, but you might as well be.” He smiled and thanked you before hugging you.

Just as you had finished cooking, everyone else entered the room. They were surprised to see you awake and setting the table with Alfred’s assistance – he insisted on helping. Those that wanted coffee, especially Tim, had poured themselves a cup and finally caught your attention when they sat down at the table.

“Good morning everyone! You came down right on time! I just finished making breakfast.” Grinning, you set the food in the middle of the table. Before taking a seat next to your husband, you looked around and admired how everyone was together.

“This all looks and smells amazing, (Y/N). Thank you,” Dick complimented.

“Before we start eating, I just want to say one thing. Alfred, Bruce, Dami…” you began saying. “Happy Father’s Day.”

Bruce smirked and said a thank you while Alfred sent a smile your way. Dick’s eyes widened and Jason, who had been taking a drink, spit out orange juice all over Tim.

“Dude!” Tim yelled as he wiped his face off.

Jason ignored Tim’s comment. “Demon spawn is going to have a kid?!”

Damian looked at you, seemingly speechless. “(Y/N), y-you’re pregnant?”

Nodding, you took one of his hands and placed it over your stomach. “I found out last week. I’m six weeks along. The doctor estimated that my due date is January 29th.”

“Wow. I’m going to be a father… This is great, Beloved.” He briefly kissed you and put his other hand on your stomach with the one you held there.

“So, Bruce, how does it feel to know you’re going to have a grandchild?” Dick asked, amusement clear in his voice. He received a glare in response.

Biting your lip, you corrected your oldest brother-in-law, “Actually, it’s grandchildren. We’re having twins!” Damian’s head snapped up to meet your eyes and the two of you smiled at each other. Both Jason and Tim’s jaws dropped.

“Congratulations! I can’t wait to spoil them!” Dick announced.

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[spooky-z]

COLLEGE FRANÇOISE DUPONT’S TALENT SHOW [5.1/5]

The promissed epilogue.

• 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 4.1 • 5 • 5.1 •

@ozmav @maribat-archive

The show was over and the big winner declared. It was time to go home.

The mood was not the best around the class. Expressions ranging from anger, disbelief and sadness.

Marinette had to stop herself from feeling pity or remorse. They needed this reality shock to understand that it was no longer the Ecole and now it was adulthood. Responsibilities and maturity.

Her parents had already gone home on a ride with Alfred, Dick, Kori, Tim and Jason.

Allegra, Allan, Claude and Felix were gone too, not before saying goodbye, of course. The promise of meeting soon upon them.

Only Kagami, Chloe, Luka, Marinette and Damian were left, who had been ambushed by Adrien, Nino and Alya as they step out of the theater.

The three of them looking like they had been riding a roller coaster of emotions. None good.

"Mari, we need to talk." Adrien says, eyes red and puffy. He had cried.

Alya wasn't much better and Nino still had the incredulous expression on his face. Probably refusing to believe everything that had happened and everything he had heard.

Damian shook Mari's hand and was ready to tell them some truths, but before he could, Chloe along with Kagami and Luka, took the lead of the couple. An obvious attempt to hide Marinette from the three.

Kagami's expression was murderous.

"No. You have no right to want to talk to her! Not after all these years of acting like she's nothing but shit stuck in your shoes.”

“Kagami, this has nothing to do with you. Our business is with Marinette. Just her.” Alya had the audacity to counter.

Damian could see the thin smoke rising from Kagami's mouth and was apprehensive of the asian losing control in front of the other three.

Everyone on the miraculous team suffered with at least one side effect from carrying the jewelry for so long.

He could clearly remember every time Kagami spit fire from being angry or the first winter of all together, when everyone panicked because Marinette didn't wake up at all.

Chloe ate honey like water, and Luka found that he no longer needed to chew his food. This discovery had been a little disturbing at first.

Luka stepped forward, as if to beat Adrien, but Chloe stopped her friend by gripping his arm.

"It's our problem-"

"Chloe, that's fine," Marinette says, stepping in front of her friends. Damian following her closely. "You know I need to put an end to this."

"Minette..." Luka looks about to explode. This was a side of the boy that few people knew about.

She strokes his shoulder quickly and smiles, trying to calm her friends.

“Alright, guys. Just stay close.”

Only when the three of them pulled away, dragging Damian along, did Alya speak again.

"Girl, you look beautiful today." An attempt to lighten the mood. Which doesn't work, because Marinette only returns a bland smile.

“Thanks.” She replies. “But let's get to the point. I still have to say goodbye to my parents before the flight.”

It makes Nino wince.

"Are you really leaving?"

"Yes. I thought I was clear about that on stage.”

"Oh." He makes a sad expression.

Adrien draws Marinette's attention to him.

"Mari, I came to apologize." He says "For closing my eyes to what was happening and doing nothing to help you."

"Dude." Nino puts his hand on the blonde's shoulder in comfort and he grins gratefully.

“You're right.” Marinette cuts their moment. “You didn't do anything.” He cringes. “But thanks for that.”

Adrien was surprised by the girl. Alya even more so.

“What, Mari-“

"Because if you hadn't been a coward, I wouldn't have seen the true face of the people I thought were my friends."

“Mari…” Alya whispers “I'm still your friend. I never stopped being.”

Marinette lets an incredulous expression wash over her face. She was not believing what she was hearing. What the hell!

“You're kidding me, aren't you?!” She snaps. “You stopped being my friend the moment you preferred to believe a liar you barely knew! I tried to warn you, tried to open your eyes, gave you the damn evidences and you ignored it! You accused me of being jealous! Not once have you shown any faith in what I said! How can you say you're my friend?!” Marinette waited for an answer, an answer that didn't come. “I’d rather my worst enemy sleeping under my roof than have such a friendship, Alya!”

Alya was crying openly now, Nino was more discreet for comforting his girlfriend.

“I did everything for you and all I got was accusations, anger, disbelief and invalidations!” She was screaming but didn't shed a tear. They did not deserve it. “It was you who threw our friendship in the trash. So, don't give me that one of continuing to be my friend.” She gasped for breath.

Damian was having trouble holding the three friends and himself not to meddle in the discussion. He wanted to defend his angel, but he knew she needed that.

“I know we made a mistake, Mari.” Nino looks at her. “But we want to fix things. Pick up where we left off.”

Marinette returns her gaze, but the heavy tiredness in her being.

"You are three years late."

She glances at her friends behind her and her fiancé.

“I followed my life. You should do the same.”

Damian seems to feel this was the end of the conversation and picks up the phone. Probably calling Alfred.

"I have to go now." Marinette looks back at her former friends. "Goodbye." She says quickly. Wanting to get out of there ASAP.

Adrien takes her arm to stop her. He still had a lot to say. There was much more to apologize for. He wanted to show that now he would be there for her. That he loves-No, that he could not say. He no longer had that right. Not when she looked so happy with Wayne.

“Wait, Mari. I need-” He shuts up when she puts her hand over his cheek in a gentle caress.

She smiles sadly.

A black car pulls up beside them and Alfred gets out, opening the door for the five of them. Kagami, Chloe and Luka come in, but Damian waited for Marinette at the door. Alfred returns to the driver's seat.

"You know, Adrien, you were a good partner." She says quietly, but all three are able to hear clearly.

“Kinda messy, silly, and too gallant, but you got my back when I needed it on the battlefield. You fought by my side even when your world was falling apart.”

Adrien widens his eyes as soon as he understands what she meant.

“You were a very good kitten, Chaton.” She balances on her toes and kisses his cheek gently. “It was an honor to fight by your side. After all, I'm glad I met you.”

Alya chokes in the background.

"Oh my God. Oh my god!” She was almost jumping. “Ladyb-” Nino covers the girl's mouth.

Adrien still had the shock on his face, mesmerized by the woman in front of him.

"My lady..." He whispers, the raw emotion in his voice.

Marinette walks away.

"I have to go."

The blonde seems to come to himself.

“My lady, Marinette, please wait, I”

Marinette shakes her head no.

“Bye, Adrien. Alya, Nino.”

She turns and quickly gets in the car followed by Damian.

Alfred starts the car, but they are still able to hear Adrien calling for her.

Marinette wished not.

BONUS

The little girl, no more than six years old, looked at the wooden box.

Her pale pink hijab slung over her shoulder, leaving the dark hair free, the school uniform missing a sock and her backpack tossed in the middle of the room.

Aria Wayne was curious.

Even though her mother letting her play with her new cloths, she never let Aria get close to the box and that made the little girl increasingly uncomfortable.

There was an itch that wouldn't let her forget about the box, even when she tried not to think.

So here she was, in her parents' room, taking advantage of the fact that they were both working out adult things, to finally find out what was so important in the box that her mother wouldn't let her have a look.

Aria pushes the dressing table chair closer to the shelf, needing extra height to reach the box.

She peeks once more toward the door to make sure she is alone. When she decides that, yes, she was safe to continue, she climbs into the chair with a little difficulty.

Her uncles loved to joke that she had pulled her grandmother's side of the family.

When she is fully up on the chair, arms outstretched to reach the box, fingers almost touching the polished wood, a cough comes from the door, startling the little girl.

She screams and jumps. Almost falling from her chair with the startle, but manages to steady herself before falling.

"Aria Wayne, what did I say about trying to sneak around māmā's stuff?"

She looks at her father, who was standing in the doorway, his arms busy with baby Jules who seemed to be wide awake.

Aria smiles awkwardly.

“… Not to do?”

Damian raises an eyebrow at his daughter.

"And what were you doing now?"

Aria sighs hopelessly.

“But bābā! I want to know what's in that box. Why don't you and māmā let me see?” She pouts.

The man looks at the little girl, his heart melting with the cuteness.

"How about I tell you about the story of Miss Ladybug and how she and her friends saved the world from the powerful villain Hawkmoth?"

Aria seems unconvinced. Damian smiles.

"Can I have ice cream?" She asks.

"You can. But only if you come now.” He replies and leaves the room.

Jules was quietly sucking his finger as he looked around.

“YEAH!” Aria jumps off the chair and runs excitedly.

//

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Tikki comes out from behind the miraculous box along with Plagg.

"That was close." She says.

"She'll be a great kitten." The black kwami responds, the mischievous smile on his face.

He had plans for his grandchildren.

[tag list]

@mystery-5-5​ @spicybelladonna​ @iglowinggemma28​ @crazylittlemunchkin​ @lunaraquaenby​ @maude-zarella @mooshoon @kuroko26 @littleredrobinhoodlum @fanboy7794 @shadowberrybinch @k-rena-k @captainmac6 @clumsy-owl-4178  @tazanna-blythe @vixen-uchiha @zebrabaker @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay @artxyra @ellerahs @minightrose @redscarlet95 @soaringowlsstuff @xxkelsey39​ @unmaskedagain​

[tcm]

In Conversation with Eva Marie Saint and Norman Lloyd by Susan King

Anybody who has attended the TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL in Hollywood knows what a magical experience the event is for fans of vintage movies. There’s such good will, love and friendship there that it’s hard to choose what the favorite event is at the Festival, which would have celebrated its 11th edition this April until Covid-19 cancelled the four days of classic films.

One of the most popular presentations are the “Live From” events, which features some of the greatest actors and filmmakers from the Golden Age of Hollywood in conversation with the late, great TCM host Robert Osborne and now with Ben Mankiewicz, the channel’s primary host. These interviews have played on TCM over the years. And a select few, including interviews with Oscar-winners Luise Rainer, Eva Marie Saint, Faye Dunaway and such legends as Norman Lloyd and Peter O’Toole, will be featured during the TCM Classic Film Festival: Special Home Edition.

As a movie writer for 26 years at the L.A. Times. I’ve had the good fortune of interviewing many of these legends. Here are some memories of my conversations with two of my favorites, Eva Marie Saint and Norman Lloyd.

Eva Marie Saint

I have lost count of how many times I have interviewed Eva Marie Saint, now 95, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Edie, the girlfriend of Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), in Elia Kazan’s 1954 Academy Award-winning masterpiece ON THE WATERFRONT.

But I remember the first time.

I was at the now defunct Los Angeles Herald Examiner when I was assigned to talk to her in 1986 about director Garry Marshall’s NOTHING IN COMMON, which stars Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason in his final film. Saint had long been a favorite of mine. I was a huge fan of ON THE WATERFRONT and admired her performances in 1957’s RAINTREE COUNTY opposite Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 romantic thriller NORTH BY NORTHWEST opposite Cary Grant and Otto Preminger’s 1960 epic EXODUS, where Saint was romanced by Paul Newman. I had also seen her on stage in 1979 in Los Angeles opposite Henry Fonda in the hit comedy First Monday in October.

From the moment she opened the door of the Westwood townhome she shared with her late director husband Jeffrey Hayden, I felt an immediate bond with her. Not only did we both hail from the same hometown, East Orange, N.J., Saint was down-to-earth, friendly and smart as a whip. And she’s always been frank and funny.

The last time I interviewed her in person in 2014, Saint talked about doing live TV in the late 1940s and 1950s. “My God, terrible things happened,” she said with a laugh, including exposing more than her talent on the soap opera One Man’s Family. Saint was doing a scene in a small pool opposite the actor who was playing her brother. At one point, she recalled, “someone was doing something offstage. You learn not to look away from what you are doing because you can be distracted.” But she finally looked, only to see a man off camera pulling his shirt up and down. “I looked down and saw my boobies were showing coast to coast,” Saint said, laughing. “I just kept in the scene and slid under the water. What could I do? It was live television. To this day, all of these years later, someone will say to me ‘Miss Saint, you were doing One Man’s Family…’ and I’ll say, ‘I remember.’”

Saint was married to Hayden for 65 years until his death at 90 in late 2016. And he was as exceptional a person as Saint, sweet and friendly. I asked her how the two met. Saint was a young actress and model in New York in the late 1940s, and Hayden was working in radio at NBC. “He saw me on the subway from the back, and he liked the way I walked,” Saint said with a smile. Hayden also noticed a big black book she was carrying that was her modeling portfolio. “The book I was carrying said ‘Eva Marie Saint’ in gold letters,” she noted. “He thought ‘I like the name.’”

They were fated to meet. Not long after seeing her on the subway, Hayden saw her again at Radio City talking with actor Arnold Stang, who also happened to be the only actor that Hayden knew. “So, he could go over to Arnold and Arnold would say ‘Hi Jeff, do you know Eva Marie?’”

The married in 1951, had two children and grandchildren.

My heart skipped a beat when she talked about how strong their marriage was after six decades. Saint noted she had been “thinking about life and I guess I was a little low. I said ‘Jeffrey, what in today’s world inspires you?’ He put his head up and said ‘You.’”

Norman Lloyd

Norman Lloyd, who is still going strong at 105, is one of the most accomplished actors/producers/directors. Beginning as child actor in the 1920s, he starred on Broadway as a member of Orson Welles’ legendary Mercury Theatre in the late 1930s.

He’s appeared in countless movies, including as the evil villain who falls from the Statue of Liberty in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1942 classic thriller SABOTEUR, as well as Jean Renoir’s 1945 THE SOUTHERNER and Charlie Chaplin’s 1952 LIMELIGHT. And TV audiences may know him as the kindly Dr. Auschlander on NBC’s acclaimed medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982-88.

Lloyd also had one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood. He and his wife Peggy, who died in 2011, were married for 75 years. Having interviewed him several times, I can attest that he is a terrific storyteller and the sweetest of peas.

When I chatted with him at his cozy Brentwood home in 2014, he was still playing tennis twice a week and regaling me with stories about Hitchcock (Hitchcock, Renoir and Chaplin were among his best friends.) In fact, Hitchcock saved his career in the 1950s. Lloyd had discovered jobs hard to find because of the Hollywood Blacklist. Though he was not officially blacklisted, his liberal leanings and friendship with those who had been blacklisted hurt his career.

That didn’t stop Hitchcock from hiring him to be an associate producer on his classic anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1957. CBS told the Master of Suspense that there was a “problem” with Lloyd. Hitch persisted. “He said three words: ‘I want him,’” Lloyd recalled.

The Tiffany network, not wanting to upset one of the biggest directors in the world, immediately greenlit Lloyd, who initially worked with producer Joan Harrison, eventually became the executive producer of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour which ran until 1965. Lloyd also directed episodes of the series, including the devilishly fun 1960 installment “Man from the South,” starring Peter Lorre, Steve McQueen and the King of Cool’s then-wife Neile Adams.

Hitchcock and Lloyd reunited in the late 1970s for THE SHORT NIGHT, a thriller Hitch was hoping to make after 1976’s FAMILY PLOT. “Hitch, by the way, was not at his physical best,” Lloyd recalled. “He was really getting old and had difficulty walking. We were working on the script one day and he says to me, ‘You know, Norm. We are not going to make the picture.’”

Lloyd asked him what he meant by the statement. “He said to me a classic line: ‘Because it’s not necessary.’ When he died, the Directors Guild asked me to write a tribute to him, which I did. That’s what I ended it with.“

[teentitanimals]

im working on a BIG Batfamily project, and WOW have i realized how much harder this is gonna be than i first thought it was... for now, have an excerpt- or, rather, Selina Kyle’s information card of the project :) im pretty proud of this! information and story subject to change

Selina Kyle-Wayne

birth name: Selina Calabrese

Main Alias: Catwoman

Other Aliases: Catbird (in Gothtopia), The Cat, The Cat Burglar, Irena Dubrovna

Current Age: ~46 (When first CW; 21. When had HK; 36. Retires CW; ~55. At death; ~70.)

Birthdate: March 14th (Alternatively; March 31st)

Hair Color: Black

Hair Length: Short

Eye Color: Green

Race/Ethnic/Skin Color: Half-Cuban; Possibly Italian, Scottish, and/or Latina descendant (White)

Sexuality: Bisexual

Gender: Female (She/her)

Height: ~5’11” (Tall)

Weight: ~146lbs (Sorta Heavy)

Build: Slender, Curvy

Biological Parents: Maria Kyle, Rex Calabrese

Step-Father: Brian Kyle

Alleged Father: Carmine Falcone

Biological Sister: Magdalene “Maggie” Kyle-Burton

Biological Half-Brother: Aiden Mason

Brother-in-Law: Simon Burton

Biological Cousins: Nick Calabrese, Antonia Calabrese

Alleged Siblings: Sofia Falcone, Alberto Falcone, Mario Falcone

Surrogative Sister: Holly Robinson

Ex-Lovers: Sam Bradley Jr., Eiko Hasigawa, Moreland McShane

Husband: Bruce Wayne

Parents-in-Law: Thomas Wayne, Martha Wayne

Siblings-in-Law: Thomas Wayne Jr. (On Earth-3), Rochelle Wayne (in Elseworlds: Reign of Terror)

Surrogative Father-in-Law: Alfred Pennyworth

Surrogative Sister-in-Law: Julia Pennyworth

Cousins-in-Law: Kate Kane, Beth Kane, Bette Kane

Surrogate Daughter: Arizona

Biological Children: Helena Kyle, Helena Wayne (from Earth-2)*, “Aion” Wayne (In Batman in Bethlehem)

*(HC; Helena is legally her adopted daughter on Earth-1.)

Step-Children: Damian Wayne, Athanasia al Ghul, The Heretic (clone of DW), Tallant Wayne (clone of DW), Alina Wayne (maybe), Bruce Wayne Jr. (On Earth-3839), Dick Grayson, Lance Bruner, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Cass Cain, Duke Thomas (maybe), Terry McGinnis, Matt McGinnis

Daughters-in-Law: Koriand’r, Dana Tan

Step-Grandchildren: Mar'i Grayson, Jake Grayson, John Grayson II (On Earth-2), Sasha Todd, Clark Wayne (On Earth-3839)

Step-Great-Granddaughters: Lois Wayne (On Earth-3839), Lara Wayne (On Earth-3839)

Catwoman Run: ~34 years

Succeeded By: Eiko Hasigawa, Holly Robinson, (First Name N/A) Black

Wikipedia. Batman Wiki. DC Database. DCAMU. Animated Series. Comic Vine.

(tw; self-harm, suicide, child abuse, illegal prostitution, drug addiction, sexual abuse, death)

Selina Calabrese was born to Rex Calabrese and Maria Calabrese with a sister two years older than her named Magdalene Calabrese. When Selina was very young, her mother escaped from Rex, also known as The Lion, leader of the Calabrese Crime Family, and became the husband to Brian Kyle, legally changing all their names to Maria Kyle, Maggie Kyle, and Selina Kyle. Maria had a son with him, Aiden Kyle. Their relationship was not healthy, with Maria being very suicidal and Brian being drunk and abusive. He would often yell at and harm Maria and her kids, and Maria, although she loved her kids, was distant, more often spending time with her cats. One day, Selina came home from school to find her mother dead in the tub, having cut her wrists until she bled out. A year later, Brian died from alcohol poisoning, and Selina called the police, packed her bags and ran away. Maggie and Aiden were taken to the orphanage, and Aiden, being fairly young, was almost immediately adopted by a family, where his name was changed to Aiden Mason. His contact with his half-sisters was cut off, although he would eventually seek them out as an older teen and young adult. Maggie was adopted after a few months, and was raised very religiously. She kept in contact with Selina best she could.

On the streets, Selina would steal food, clothing and other material from grocery stores. She was eventually caught and put in the orphanage. She acted out a lot, causing her to be sent to Juvenile Hall. When she turned age 13, she was sent back to the orphanage. There, she realized the place was embezzling money. To make sure she never told anyone, they put her in a bag and dropped her in a river. Selina managed to escape, and then stole documentary proof of their embezzlement to give to the police, some money for herself, and her own files in hopes of reuniting with her brother or sister. Instead, she found out that Brian was not her birth father, and that her father was an unknown mobster man. Selina continued living on the streets, stealing food and jewelry to meet her own, as the money she stole would not last forever. She would be taken in by an old thief gang leader named Mama Fortuna, who treated the kids under her care like slaves. Eventually, Selina would run away with a friend from the gang named Sylvia. They could not survive on their own and always had a shortage of money, and Sylvia took up prostitution to support them both, and grew to hate Selina for it. They parted ways.

When Selina was 17, she began illegally working as a prostitute under an abusive pimp named Stan. She stumbled upon a 13-year-old Holly Robinson who was being sexually abused by a cop. Selina beat the cop up, inspiring Holly who said that was the first time anybody had shown her she could fight back. The two became roommates. To pay for living expenses and food, Selina continued stealing, and Holly eventually became an illegal prostitute too when she was 16, despite Selina being against it. Her underage status resulted in Stan getting into a fight with a drifter, who, unbeknownst to them, was Bruce Wayne in disguise. A few weeks later, Holly would wake Selina up to show her Batman, still new and fresh, beating up corrupt police officer and former Commissioner Branden. Selina, inspired by how someone can don a costume and have everyone either be happy or terrified to see him that she can do the same too, would confront and fight Stan about his abuse, officially having her and Holly quit prostitution. She spent money to buy an expensive costume- her first Catwoman costume. She robbed a local store, and one of the security guards called her “Catwoman”, which she liked and chose to be her name. Stan, wanting revenge on Selina and Holly for quitting, kidnaps Maggie. After a few days, Selina locates him, saves her sister, and beats him to death in a rage as Catwoman. Selina informs Maggie of her new persona, who disagrees heavily, especially seeing as she killed a man, but promises to keep quiet.

The police investigate Selina and Holly, and one police officer sexually harasses Holly. Enraged, Selina went out as Catwoman with intent to kill him, but Batman intervened and made her see how her anger blinded her. Terrified she was a danger to Holly, she sent Holly to live in a convent with Maggie, who was a nun (although she would later give up her nunage to marry her husband, Simon Burton). Catwoman would begin her crime life properly, crossing paths with the likes of the Joker, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, and others, and flirting with Batman, of course. While Selina continued on to be a thief as Catwoman for the next few years, Holly felt she did not fit in the convent, and eventually found herself back on the streets. She got addicted to drugs and went back into prostitution.

While Holly was away, Selina temporarily got a new roommate, a young blonde girl nicknamed Arizona who reminded Selina a lot of Holly. She took her under her wing, and Arizona acted like her sidekick for a while, before she eventually found her own feeting and started a life on her own. She still kept close contact with Selina, though.

After five years, a gang leader named Bone killed a close friend of Selina’s named Lola MacIntire, who knew Selina was Catwoman and let her crash at her place after her apartment was destroyed. Bone wanted revenge after Catwoman had stolen from him. This devastated Selina, who viewed it as completely her fault. At Lola’s funeral, Selina encountered her old friend, Gwen Altamont, and the two began working together. Catwoman stole cars for Gwen, and encountered a metahuman thief named Spark while on the job. Catwoman convinces Gwen to let her work with Spark, and the two plan to rob Penguin of the fifth dagger they need to complete a set of valuable knives. Catwoman stakes out at the restaurant Penguin likes to eat at a day before he would be there, which Spark questions why they are doing so a day before. Catwoman notices a young hooker getting tranquilized and dragged into a van. Catwoman leaps into action, Spark soon following. They save the girl, and, after questioning local prostitutes, find out there have been multiple kidnappings and murders like this. Catwoman investigates and plans to defeat the kidnappers. After failing to stop a kidnapper in the act, Catwoman contacts Detective Carlos Alvarez, a detective who has been chasing her tail but that she knows is a genuinely good cop, for help. They track the kidnapper, Matilda Mathis aka Dollhouse, the daughter of Dollmaker, to a mansion. Catwoman fights Dollhouse, but Batman interrupts their fight, allowing both to escape. Catwoman questions her ability to be a vigilante, knowing she’s a better thief.

After those series of murders to other prostitutes, Holly quits being a prostitute and heads to her and Selina’s old apartment. She is pleasantly surprised to find Selina lived there after the destruction of her other apartment, and the two reunited. Holly began working as a spy of sorts for Catwoman, gathering information of what was happening on the streets of East End. Although she eventually stopped taking drugs after living with Selina for a few months, she felt concerned that she was still looking at the world through the eyes of a junkie to gather intel. During this time period, the Scarecrow releases a gas that makes everyone believe they are in a utopia- Gothtopia. There, Selina believed she was Catbird, partner to Batman. Where Batman could see glimpses of reality, Catbird just thought him delusional. While people who could see through the illusion questioned their sanity and committed suicide, Catbird began investigating a criminal named Steeljacket, who was also convinced their reality was an illusion. Steeljacket explained that the suit he was wearing kept him alive and he needed her thievery skills to get him the money to repair it. Catbird helped him, and the familiar adrenaline rush of a robbery made her remember her real identity of Catwoman. After Batman freed the city from Scarecrow’s toxin, Catwoman reminded him of how they shared both a partnership and a true romantic relationship in Gothtopia. Batman denied the extent of his romantic feelings, even though the toxin showed them both what they wanted to see.

A few years later, Black Mask, who held a vendetta against Catwoman, kidnapped her sister Maggie and Simon, killed Simon, and then forced Maggie to eat her husband’s eyes, driving her insane. Black Mask also kidnapped and beat Holly with the help of an old childhood friend of Catwoman, Sylvia. Catwoman kills Black Mask, Holly kills Sylvia, and they save Maggie, who is put in a psychiatric institute. Holly isolated herself and nearly fell back onto old habits. Selina decided Holly needed time to heal outside of Gotham City and needed proper training, so she sent Holly to a rural safehouse where she trained in hand-to-hand combat with Ted Grant. Selina and Slam Bradley, a detective friend of Selina’s, located Holly’s long lost brother Davey, and the two reunited.

Eventually, Black Mask was revived by a Black Lantern, and immediately sought out Maggie, threatening to kill her and anyone else Catwoman cared about. Catwoman, with the help of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, defeated Black Mask again. Maggie escaped, and no longer wanted anything to do with Selina, blaming her for her insane condition and Simon’s death, and believing Selina was possessed by a cat demon. Maggie sought out Sister Agatha to exorcise her sister, but when Maggie saw Agatha’s cat, she snapped and killed Agatha’s cat and then Agatha because she believed Agatha was in league with Selina’s cat demon. Maggie then searched through Agatha’s relics and tools, stumbling upon a supernatural substance in a container that warped Maggie’s sense of reality further. To Maggie, an angel was released and claimed it would help her destroy Selina’s cat demon. Maggie finds Selina and Harley Quinn and attacks them with heightened abilities. Harley refers to Maggie as “Sister Zero”, and then becomes possessed by the “angel”’s influence. Catwoman manages to get through to Harley, confusing her enough to escape Maggie’s control. Selina forces Maggie to escape, who starts to formulate a new plan to save her sister’s soul. The angel told her to team up with Azrael and Crusader during Gotham’s Judgement Day, which she does. Maggie believes she is her sister’s test of faith, which means either Selina will get cleansed of her cat demon, or Maggie will die. But in the end, when Maggie has a chance to end Selina’s life, she can’t bring herself to do it. Maggie ends up back in a psychiatric institute and starts to slowly heal, although sometimes Sister Zero breaks out.

Holly begins a relationship with a girl named Karon, who she moves into the apartment of. She also becomes the supervisor of a group of street kids known as the Alleytown Gang, training them to act like the spies and informants of Catwoman’s network. Unbeknownst to Holly, Selina had grown tired of seeing her role as Catwoman ruin her life over and over. Selina burned her suit, but would be forced to don it again after a woman named Roulette contacted her about a competition between thieves that threatened the lives of children. Catwoman got a new suit and raced to save the lives of the children. After competing in several rounds, she realized that there never were any real children in danger. Roulette had actually been hired by a man named Hunt Stone who wanted any evidence that connected his ancestors to a famous murder stolen and erased. Selina began sabotaging every aspect of her strictly regimented and planned out days, until Roulette was forced to declare her the winner of the Race of Thieves to make her stop. During this time where Selina went missing, Holly acted as Catwoman to keep other criminals at bay.

With Catwoman I back in action, Oracle asks Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn to keep an eye on Vicki Vale, who has evidence on the members of the Batfamily that need to be destroyed. Selina notices an artifact in Vicki’s possession that she had once stolen. It reminds her of the days when Batman used to chase her, and she reminisces on them. Her flashback is interrupted as Harley breaks into the room they were monitoring, wanting to get her hyenas back because they had stolen them from her. Vicki bolts out of the room, and they lose her trail, but Selina managed to get her phone number. She planted a fake call to lead Vicki out of her apartment, allowing Selina to break in and take pictures of her Batwall, which Batman and Oracle needed. Selina reminisces about her crime life.

When a mysterious malefactor came to Gotham with a yearlong plan to ruin Batman’s life, Catwoman began investigating into the turf war between the Penguin and newly returned mobster Carmine Falcone. She was captured by Falcone for causing him grief years ago and he nearly killed her, but Professor Pyg attacked Falcone, having a vendetta against him. Catwoman plans to kill Falcone, who she suspects might be her biological father, but before she can, Batman intervenes. She leaves Falcone and his mob to Batman, but sometime later while trying and failing to stop a deal to sell a baby snow leopard for its fur, a young girl locates Selina. She tells Selina that her father wanted her to attend a meeting in Blackgate Penitentiary. Her real father was Rex Calabrese, the crime boss from whom Falcone had taken power. Selina declined the request at first, but a street kid named Jade came to find her next, informing her the girl before her was killed by gang violence. Selina asked Rex for his guidance in becoming a mob boss herself to keep the mobsters in check from killing any other kids. The leadership of the Calabrese Family and the ownership of the Egyptian Nightclub were passed onto her as the legal heir. Catwoman, wanting to make sure Batman knew she was still on the side of good despite becoming the head of a crime family, told Batman everything she knew about the group of Arkham escapees still on the loose. After she got invited to a secret weapons sale that were actually weapons stolen from Batman’s own supply, Catwoman began to research high bounties in Gotham, and was tipped onto Stephanie Brown. Catwoman kidnapped her without realizing she was the current Batgirl. She was rescued by Batman and the situation was resolved. Soon Batman got captured by Lincoln March, and rioting broke out across the city. Selina forced her people to help prevent the riots while also secretly making strategic thefts to further her causes. During this time, Selina gave up her Catwoman mantle to Eiko Hasigawa, a heir to the rival Hasigawa crime family, and a love interest of Selina’s.

Eiko’s time as Catwoman was short-lived, though, as Eiko and Selina merged the Hasigawa and Calabrese families, leaving Eiko as their leader while Selina went back to her normal life… Sort of. She realized she was pregnant from a one-night stand with Sam Bradley Jr., and Holly Robinson took on the mantle of Catwoman at Selina’s request. Selina made up a fake identity, Irena Dubrovna, to peacefully give birth to her daughter, legally known as Helena Dubrovna. Sam Jr. had died by the time Selina realized she was pregnant, but his father, Slam Bradley, wanted to provide for his new granddaughter. Selina could not resist the thrill of Catwoman, and donned the suit alongside Holly a few times. Unfortunately, Film Freak and Angle Man had deduced where Selina lived after catching the two Catwomen on film, and kidnapped Helena. Selina easily rescued her daughter, and then had Zatanna Zatarra mindwipe the two villains of Selina’s identities. With Batman’s help, she faked “Irena” and Helena’s deaths, putting Helena up for adoption. She asked Zatanna to wipe her mind of knowledge about Helena so she wouldn’t put her in danger again, but Zatanna refused.

After returning to her solo role as Catwoman for nearly a year, Selina allowed herself to be arrested and sent to death row at Arkham Asylum for the murders of over two hundred terrorists. It was her friend, Holly, who had really committed the crime, but she trusted Batman would prove her innocence, therefore saving her and Holly’s lives. Nearly a year later, Helena Wayne, biological daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, from Earth Never-Two passes into Earth Never-One and gets trapped. Helena meets this world’s Selina Kyle. The two become close, with Helena still mourning the death of her mother in her universe and Selina missing her daughter. Selina was worried that being too close to her alternate universe daughter might lead her to the same fate as her Helena Kyle, but this Helena was an experienced adult who had lived through an Apokoliptian war. She was a capable vigilante who could hold her own perhaps even better than Selina herself, and Selina felt her concerns fade away. After another year passes, Selina asks if she can adopt Helena Wayne, despite Helena being 21-years-old. Helena, surprised, agrees. Almost a year after that, Bruce proposes to Selina and she accepts, becoming his wife.

Selina Kyle is, in general, highly flirtatious, seductive, and willing to use her looks and her charms to get what she wants- in fact she’s even proud of it. She’s also, much like her namesake, graceful, sly and light-footed, known as one of the greatest thieves out there. Despite her past of being an abused victim, she stands with her head high since she first donned the Catwoman suit (it can be quite enconfidating, that anonymity). She was never one to sit back and let herself or others get abused, and she sympathizes heavily with abused children, young women and sex workers especially. While her career as Catwoman started out to support herself and her friends, it eventually became an addictive adrenaline rush she couldn’t give up. Even though she’s ‘reformed’, she still has sticky fingers and loves the thrill of getting away with small robberies, especially when her husband is the Batman. She enjoys getting under his skin. She isn’t too big on black and white morality, instead choosing to do whatever is necessary for the situation. She’s not ‘above’ killing, but she’s no homicidal murderer, and it’s never her first option, although attacking her loved ones is a sure way to push her closer to the edge. Although admittedly in her earlier days, the empowerment of being Catwoman got to her head, and she let rage cloud her judgement, leading to her being more willing to brutally harm and kill. She’s very willing to take risks, enjoying the danger even, and she’s incredibly stubborn and persistent. She never had much of a villainous ego, nor does she have a superhero complex. She walks the line between the both with confidence, never worrying about being in the gray. Sometimes it ticks her off when Bruce and others think she should commit completely to one or the other, when she’s perfectly fine where she is.

Reblogs appreciated! Stay tuned for the finished project, which is this... but for every Batfam member ever

[justforbooks]

McCoy Tyner, Groundbreaking Pianist Of 20th Century Jazz, Dies At 81

McCoy Tyner, a pianist whose deep resonance, hammering attack and sublime harmonic invention made him a game-changing catalyst in jazz and beyond, died Friday, March 6, at his home in New Jersey. His death was confirmed by his manager. No cause of death was given. He was 81.

Tyner was the last surviving member of the John Coltrane Quartet, among the most momentous groups in jazz history. Few musicians have ever exerted as much influence as a sideman. His crucial role in the group's articulation of modal harmony, from the early 1960s on, will always stand as a defining achievement: The ringing intervals in his left hand, often perfect fourths or fifths, became the cornerstone of a style that endures today.

But Tyner was always a more multidimensional musician than the sum of his mannerisms would seem to suggest. And he had a long, consequential post-Coltrane career as a composer and bandleader. Among his dozens of albums are a handful regarded as classics, like Reaching Fourth, The Real McCoy and Atlantis. A number of his compositions, including "Passion Dance" and "Peresina," have entered the common repertory.

"On all the recordings with Coltrane, and indeed on all his work of the '60s, McCoy's crisp, lightning-fast right-hand lines, set against the sheer power of his left, are a revelation," jazz historian Lewis Porter, one of Coltrane's biographers, wrote in an email NPR Music on Friday. "He came out of the tradition (he mentioned Thelonious Monk as one of his favorites), but he was one of those few who forged an absolutely unique style."

Because Tyner's work with Coltrane catapulted him to the first tier of accompanists, that style can be heard on some of the landmark jazz albums of the '60s. Among them are Page One, by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, and Open Sesame, by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a pair of auspicious debuts on Blue Note — and Stick-Up! by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson.

Tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter enlisted Tyner on a close succession of Blue Note sessions in the mid-'60s. One of these yielded the classic JuJu, which also had Elvin Jones on drums and another Coltrane associate, Reggie Workman, on bass. The title track to JuJu, which opens the album, bears Tyner's stamp from the first downbeat, with a cresting wave of chords in a shrewdly indeterminate key.

Alfred McCoy Tyner was born Dec. 11, 1938 in Philadelphia, the oldest child of Jarvis Tyner and the former Beatrice Stevenson. The oldest of three siblings, he began taking piano lessons at 13. His mother, who ran a beauty salon out of their West Philadelphia home, installed a piano there, because it was the largest room of the house.

This yielded unanticipated benefits, as Tyner recalled in a 1963 interview with Stanley Dance, in DownBeat magazine. "Bud Powell and his brother were living just around the corner from me in Philadelphia," he said, referring to the pacesetting bebop pianist, "but they didn't have a piano in their apartment, and Bud came to my mother's house to play." Powell — who, with peers like Charlie Parker and Max Roach, had redefined the language of modern jazz in the 1940s — remained a core influence for Tyner, even as he developed his own unmistakable voice.

Tyner studied classical theory and harmony at the Granoff School of Music, but also drew formative insights from personal instruction — including conga lessons with Garvin Masseaux, who was working at the time with Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji.

By his high school years, Tyner was playing professionally in and around Philadelphia, as part of a modern jazz scene that was one of the most vibrant in the country. Among his more fateful appointments was a band led by trumpeter-composer Cal Massey, an associate of Coltrane; it was also through Massey that Tyner met his future wife, Aisha, whose sister was a vocalist in the band.

In 1959, Tyner joined trumpeter Art Farmer and saxophonist Benny Golson in a group they called The Jazztet; he made his recording debut on Meet the Jazztet, released the following year. That same year, 1960, Tyner played on Coltrane's album My Favorite Things; his tolling, meditative chords on the title track, a popular song borrowed from the hit Broadway musical The Sound of Music, were a key part of its allure.

The classic John Coltrane Quartet — with Tyner, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums — formally coalesced in 1962. For the next several years it created at a prodigious pace, recording landmark albums like Crescent and A Love Supreme, and setting a fearsome bar for intensity on the bandstand. Recordings like Live at Birdland have been prized by generations of musicians and fans; in 2005 another live document, Live at the Half Note: One Down, One Up, left another major impression, 40 years after its recording date.

Tyner stayed with Coltrane until soon after that recording, as the music grew more cacophonous, rhythmically abstract and untethered from root tonality. His piano chair was passed on to Alice Coltrane, who quickly made it her own.

"I was so immersed in the music when I was with John," Tyner told me in 1997. "The influence was so great, and the roles we all played in that group were so powerful; you couldn't divorce yourself from it just because you weren't physically there. For a while there, all the horn players that were with me wanted to sound like John. So I deliberately started using alto sax instead of tenor, and other instruments, because I wanted to kind of try something different."

The scale of Tyner's output ranged from solo piano to big band, with some notable midsize efforts like the seven-piece band on Expansions, which enlisted Ron Carter on cello and Shorter on clarinet as well as saxophone. A similarly titled follow-up, Extensions, included Alice Coltrane's harp; Sahara, which followed, found Tyner experimenting on koto and flute.

The searching Afrocentrism of these albums carried on the intrepid tone and earnest spiritualism of Coltrane's music, without overt emulation. The critic Gary Giddins, reflecting on the 1970s in The Village Voice, once pegged Tyner "the most influential pianist of the decade," an assessment that could credibly be extended outside that frame. As he settled into the stature of an elder, Tyner worked meaningfully not only with peers like Hutcherson and Bartz, but also figures from successive generations, like saxophonists Michael Brecker and Joe Lovano.

Tyner was a 2002 NEA Jazz Master and a five-time Grammy winner — most recently in 2004 for his album Illuminations, featuring a band with trumpeter Terence Blanchard, alto saxophonist Gary Bartz, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash. He worked extensively in a trio format; one longtime working band had Avery Sharpe on bass and Aaron Scott on drums. Tyner's final album was a piano recital, Solo: Live From San Francisco, released in 2009; it includes compositions by Coltrane and Duke Ellington as well as his own songs, including "Ballad For Aisha."

In addition to Aisha, Tyner's immediate survivors include his son, Nurudeen; his brother, Jarvis; his sister, Gwendolyn-Yvette Tyner; and three grandchildren.

The legacy of Tyner's pianism can be heard far and wide, in the music of everyone from salsa legend Eddie Palmieri to Late Show bandleader Jon Batiste. His innovations in harmony, with their intimations of transcendence, form a standard proudly upheld by contemporary pianists like Nduduzo Makhathini, whose forthcoming Blue Note debut bears the influence unmistakably.

"I feel very honored, actually," Tyner told me about the legions of pianists who have emulated his style. "I really do, because I think that if I could make a statement that makes a difference, and the influence could be preserved through the generations to come, that means that my stay here on earth has a meaning."

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[lgbtqiahistoricalromance]

LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels...International Locations

Historical romance novels tend to center on a few locations, despite the large mass that is our globe. Here’s a list of romances that don’t take place in England or New England.

Beautiful One: An LGBT Historical Romance by Kerry Adrienne - Ancient Greece

In Athens, the Great Dionysia festival rouses citizens with wine, song, theater, and debauchery. Politics and scandal paint deep shadows across the portrait of the city, and wolves in sheep’s clothing roam the streets and the stage.   Shy Kallistos faces Sophocles in the theater competition, play for play against the celebrated master. Success beckons like a siren’s song, but the dark allure and smoldering desire for a new acquaintance rouse feelings Kallistos never imagined he’d feel. Alexios spent many cold nights singing to the sheep and stars before traveling to Athens to help Sophocles. He longs to feel the breath of audience applause on his face and will do anything to become a famous actor. Now, losing his heart to the competition forces him to make difficult choices that may jeopardize his lifelong dreams. Of Minotaur masks and men…where is life truly lived? On the stage or in the heart? This book was first published in 2013. It has been significantly revised to release here.

Rebellion by Naomi Aoki - China

1899, political tensions are rising with the emergence of the Boxer Movement in Northern China, straining ties between the Chinese Imperial Government and the Eight Nations with stakes in the country. As a Captain in the Royal Marines, Alfred Cartwright is deployed to Shanghai, where he discovers more than he’d dared to dream of – Love. Not even the struggles with language or the fear of reprisals if their relationship is found out, can stop Alfred from falling for the Chinese man he encounters. But as the ant-foreigner sentiment of the Boxer Movement grows in strength, their relationship will be put to the test.Where do Alfred’s loyalties lie? With the man he loves or his country, as they stand opposite each other on a battlefield neither can escape.

Shadowrunners by Alex Assan - Fantasy Chicago-style

“A thread all about my queer noir webcomic Shadowrunners.com ; historical fantasy comic where the alcohol prohibition in the 1920s is instead a prohibition of COLOUR! 🎷🍸💚 via @alexassanart on Twitter”

A thousand years ago, the last colour in the world faded to grey. Now, after the great archaeological discovery of Queen Sorizahana’s shade-stocked tomb, it stands ready to enter the world again. Ironwell City will become the birthplace of the burgeoning colour industry, where colour is pumped out of factories, poured into perfumed bottles and sold at exorbitant prices to those wealthy enough to afford the luxury.

At least, that’s the plan according to the Five Financiers of the Sorizahana excavation.

One part Prohibition fantasy, one part Robin Hood, and a whole lot of epic heist, Shaderunners follows a group of ragtag bootleggers and bohemians who band together in an effort to steal colour from the wealthy echelons of Ironwell’s high society. Among them: a philosopher, a puppeteer, a gutter rat, an opera singer, a naval officer and a hopeless romantic. Together, they run The Glass Dial, former watch shop and future night club, where all the house drinks run red.

Speak easy, pal, ‘cause the road to ruin is paved with good intentions.

Labyrinth by Alex Beecroft - Ancient Knossos (Beautiful origin story of a myth, with a nonbinary MC.)

- Kikeru, the child of a priestess at the sacred temple of Knossos in ancient Crete, believes that the goddesses are laughing at him. They expect him to choose whether he is a man or a woman, when he’s both. They expect him to choose whether to be a husband to a wife, or a celibate priestess in the temple, when all he wants to do is invent things and be with the person he loves. Unfortunately, that person is Rusa, the handsome ship owner who is most decidedly a man and therefore off-limits no matter what he chooses. And did he mention that the goddesses also expect him to avert war with the Greeks? The Greeks have an army. Kikeru has his mother, Maja, who is pressuring him to give her grandchildren; Jadikira, Rusa’s pregnant daughter; and superstitious Rusa, who is terrified of what the goddesses will think of him being in love with one of their chosen ones. It’s a tall order to save Crete from conquest, win his love, and keep both halves of himself. Luckily, at least the daemons are on his side. 

The Crimson Outlaw by Alex Beecroft - 18th century Transylvania (High adventure, with not a single vampire.)

- Love is the greatest outlaw of all. Vali Florescu, heir to a powerful local boyar, flees his father’s cruelty to seek his fortune in the untamed Carpathian forests. There he expects to fight ferocious bandits and woo fair maidens to prove himself worthy of returning to depose his tyrannical father. But when he is ambushed by Mihai Roscat, the fearsome Crimson Outlaw, he discovers that he’s surprisingly happy to be captured and debauched instead. Mihai, once an honoured knight, has long sought revenge against Vali’s father, Wadim, who killed his lord and forced him into a life of banditry. Expecting his hostage to be a resentful, spoiled brat, Mihai is unprepared for the boy to switch loyalties, saving the lives of villagers and of Mihai himself during one of Wadim’s raids. Mihai is equally unprepared for the attraction between them to deepen into love. Vali soon learns that life outside the castle is not the fairy tale he thought, and happy endings must be earned. To free themselves and their people from Wadim’s oppression, Vali and Mihai must forge their love into the spear-point of a revolution and fight for a better world for all.

Side Note...Alex Beecroft also has a collection of novels that take place in the Caribbean.

The Celestial by Barry Brennessel - 19th century California

- Love was the last thing Todd Webster Morgan expected to find while searching for gold in 1870s California. But that was before he met Lao Jian. Hardened beyond his nineteen years, Todd Webster Morgan is determined to find gold high in the Sierra Nevadas. But his dream is violently upended. Complicating matters even more, he meets a young Chinese immigrant named Lao Jian, whose own dreams of finding gold have been quashed by violence. But life back in Sacramento isn't any easier. Todd's mother struggles to make ends meet. His invalid uncle becomes increasing angry and violent. Todd seeks employment with little success. Meanwhile his friendship with Lao Jian turns to love. But their relationship is strained as anti-Chinese sentiment grows. Todd vows not to lose Lao Jian. The couple must risk everything to make a life for themselves. A life that requires facing fear and prejudice head on.

Provoked by Joanna Chambers (Enlightened Book One) and Beguiled (Book Two) - Scotland

- Tormented by his forbidden desires for other men and the painful memories of the childhood friend he once loved, lawyer David Lauriston tries to maintain a celibate existence while he forges his reputation in Edinburgh’s privileged legal world. But then, into his repressed and orderly life, bursts Lord Murdo Balfour. Cynical, hedonistic and utterly unapologetic, Murdo could not be less like David. And as appalled as David is by Murdo’s unrepentant self-interest, he cannot resist the man’s sway. Murdo tempts and provokes David in equal measure, forcing him to acknowledge his physical desires. But Murdo is not the only man distracting David from his work. Euan MacLennan, the brother of a convicted radical David once represented, approaches David to beg him for help. Euan is searching for the government agent who sent his brother to Australia on a convict ship, and other radicals to the gallows. Despite knowing it may damage his career, David cannot turn Euan away. As their search progresses, it begins to look as though the trail may lead to none other than Lord Murdo Balfour, and David has to wonder whether it’s possible Murdo could be more than he seems. Is he really just a bored aristocrat, amusing himself at David’s expense, or could he be the agent provocateur responsible for the fate of Peter MacLennan and the other radicals?

Peony Lanterns by Patricia Correll - Japan

Mitsu has been Shiro’s personal servant and best friend since they were both six years old, and he’s been in love with him for nearly that long. While Shiro takes lovers of both sexes, the gulf between their social classes is so vast that Mitsu has never spoken his feelings aloud. When Shiro meets the beautiful Lady Keiko, he’s instantly infatuated. His affection soon turns to obsession, and Mitsu resigns himself to a life of unrequited love. But as Mitsu looks deeper into Keiko and her motives, he realizes that Shiro is in grave danger. He will need all his courage-- and some help from a master of the occult-- to save the life of the man he loves.

Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett (f/f!!!) - Milan

With Miranda in Milan, debut author Katharine Duckett reimagines the consequences of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, casting Miranda into a Milanese pit of vipers and building a queer love story that lifts off the page in whirlwinds of feeling.

After the tempest, after the reunion, after her father drowned his books, Miranda was meant to enter a brave new world. Naples awaited her, and Ferdinand, and a throne. Instead she finds herself in Milan, in her father’s castle, surrounded by hostile servants who treat her like a ghost. Whispers cling to her like spiderwebs, whispers that carry her dead mother’s name. And though he promised to give away his power, Milan is once again contorting around Prospero’s dark arts.

With only Dorothea, her sole companion and confidant to aid her, Miranda must cut through the mystery and find the truth about her father, her mother, and herself.

Muffled Drum by Erastes

Bohemia, 1866 They met in a port-side tavern, their lust-filled moments stolen from days of marching and madness. After eighteen months, Captain Rudolph von Ratzlaff and First Lieutenant Mathias Hofmann have decided to run away from everything they hold dear. Resigning their commissions is social suicide, but there's no other choice. Someone will eventually see Rudolph's partiality toward Mathias. Now their plans have gone horribly awry... When Mathias goes to Rudolph's tent after their last battle, his lover looks at him without a hint of recognition. Mathias can hardly believe the man he knew is gone. He wants to fill in so many of Rudolph's missing memories, but the doctor says a shock could result in permanent damage. The pain of seeing Rudolph on a daily basis, when Rudolph doesn't remember their love, is excruciating. Now Mathias must decide whether he wants to fight for the man he loves or forget him completely...

Brought Forth by Josie Finch - Virginia

Henry Merrill escaped the abusive family from his childhood and has built a life as the kindhearted handyman for the small town of Ashford in the 1880’s. Henry has every intention of living his life alone, serving the town he considers home. But an angel named Cory-Elle has other plans for Henry. With a soul that needs to be brought to earth, Cory-Elle gives Henry the opportunity to raise the family he never imagined he would have. Dr. Lawrence Turner has a bad reputation in Ashford for attending to poor patients who cannot pay him and for being the only physician the town has ever seen make house calls to the local brothel. So when a young man claiming an angel has made him pregnant arrives in his office, Dr. Turner is not surprised. Despite his disbelief, Lawrence has few things to lose in tending to Henry—though Lawrence never counted on his heart being one of those things. With the help of the doctor’s assistant Ben Lockhart and a saloon woman named Lily Mae Pepperidge, Henry and Lawrence must challenge everything they thought they knew about faith and family. Together they encounter pain, joy, sorrow, and pleasure. But among it all, they discover love. Standalone. HEA. Mpreg (Male Pregnancy) is a primary theme. Print version is coming soon.

The Last Concubine by Catt Ford - Japan

When Princess Lan’xiu’s brother delivers her under duress into General Hüi Wei’s harem as a political offering, her only question is how soon her secret will be discovered. She is under no illusions: when the general discovers she is actually a he, death is his only future—though he doesn’t plan to make it easy. Lan’xiu has dressed as a woman all his life, but he is no damsel in distress. He can swing a sword with the best of them.

General Hüi Wei has everything a man could want: power, wealth, success on the battlefield, and a harem of concubines. At first, he regards Lan’xiu with suspicion, but he finds himself strangely drawn to her. When he discovers the beautiful young woman is actually a man, his first reaction is to draw his sword. Rather than waste such beauty, he decides to enjoy the spirited Lan’xiu’s submission—and ignites a passion and desire deeper than anything he’s felt with other wives. But court intrigue, political ambitions, and the general's doubts may be too much for their love to overcome.

A Timeless Dreams title: While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma.

Flying Fish by Sedonia Guillone - 18th century Japan (Book One of the Sword and Silk trilogy)

- In eighteenth century Japan, during the golden age of samurai and of the Kabuki theater, young actors known as “flying fish” traveled the countryside, performing for audiences by day and giving their bodies to their samurai patrons at night. Genji Sakura is one such flying fish, yet he dreams of finding the man he can give his heart to and leave the loneliness of his itinerant life behind. Though he loves theater, he doesn’t love every part of his profession, especially some of the patrons. So when a handsome ronin comes upon him stealing some solitude for a bath in a hot spring and their encounter turns passionate, Genji’s surprised and delighted. Daisuke Minamoto’s past fills his life with a bitterness that grips his soul and makes him dangerous. Yet passion takes him when he spies on a graceful young man bathing naked in a hot spring. He has always loved women, but he can’t deny the call of his heart. After an afternoon of sexual bliss, his heart and soul are tormented and torn. Keeping this miraculous lover will require giving up the one thing that has kept him alive for years: his hatred for the lord who murdered his wife. If he loves another, how will he go on and who will he become?

Well Met in Molos by J Hepburn (trans MC!) - Fantasy Middle East

Zerris is a man of many talents: thieving, procuring, and more, peddling his trades in a city at the edge of the empire and between two cultures. He has a built a life and sterling reputation through guile, cunning, and constant vigilance in hiding what and who he is. Then a cocky stranger barrels through all his careful planning, and a contract goes horribly wrong. As he struggles to recover his plans and save his name, Zerris instead finds his world collapsing, until all that’s left is the first true friend he’d ever had.

Novae Comic by Kaiju - 17th century France http://www.novaecomic.com/

Novae chronicles the adventures of Sulvain, a sweet tempered necromancer and Raziol, a passionate 17th century astronomer. While studying the stars together, a connection forms between them and their relationship blooms. However, when the body of a fellow astronomer is found on the steps of the Academy of Sciences, their lives are entangled in ways they could never foresee.

Japanese Love by Rei Kimura - Edo period Japan through 21st century

- Can a Japanese samurai of impeccable lineage in Edo period Japan get away with being gay? Can he break all the rules of society and get away with it? It all started when an aging samurai took an eccentric interest in a teenage peasant boy who had the unusual gift of writing and one day he brought his son, Lord Okimoto to the peasant’s house. The eyes of the samurai’s son and the teenage peasant met and spawned a forbidden love affair which broke all the rules of Japan’s Edo period society and a feudal class so sharply defined that it could cut like a knife. Four centuries later, an ancestor of Lord Okimoto finds a diary written by his peasant lover unfolding the anguished tale of a forbidden life went wrong, leaving behind a trail of destroyed lives, broken dreams and a few deaths. The spirit of the gay samurai who put duty and obligations above his poignant love travels one whole circle to arrive to the 21st century in a final twist to this intriguing story of how two young men dared to break all the rules in conservative unforgiving 18th century Japan.

Nomad’s Dreams by August Li - Fantasy Middle East

Two men, each with a hidden destiny. Can they defeat a web of deceit and dark magic to ensure their fates intertwine?

Bedouin Isra al-Grayjaab’s dreams lead him to Janan, an amnesiac beggar on the street of Qena—one who steals his heart and starts him on a seemingly hopeless quest. With only their wits, Isra’s knowledge of the desert’s secrets, and the aid of a mercurial djinn, they must recover Janan’s past. But neither can predict his true identity or the lengths others will go to see that his mind remains broken and his true power out of his reach.

In a sweeping romantic adventure that takes them across the Eastern Desert to the modern streets of Cairo and on to the luxurious Red Sea Coast, Janan and Isra seek a truth that will either bring them into each other’s arms or tear them apart forever.

The Farmer’s Daughter by by Robbi McCoy - Hollywood

A butch hobo meets a beautiful girl on a farm while roadtripping in the 1940's. Years later they find each other again in glamorous 1950's Hollywood, but now the farm girl is an aspiring actress. This story has every bit of a happy ending as the couple end up together for something like the next fifty years, but I can't stress enough that this one has trigger warnings (pasted from my Goodreads review: If you are triggered by family abuse/"corrective rape" of a lesbian or of bad guys dying in various realistically violent ways, check out my other book reviews for alternate recommendations instead.)

By The Currawong’s Call by Welton B. Marsland - Australia

- A small town, a new arrival, and a love that is as undeniable as it is unlawful…

Victoria, Australia, 1891 Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw receives his first posting in tiny Dinbratten, two days’ ride from his Melbourne home. Determined to honour his calling as best he can, he throws himself into the footy mad, two–pub town, navigating the dusty streets, learning the gossip, and striking up a friendship with Jonah Parks, the resident police sergeant and local bona fide hero.

A police officer and a priest often find themselves needed at the same place, and Jonah and Matthew’s friendship deepens quickly, as they set about their business of protecting the bodies and souls of Dinbratten’s residents. When a bushfire threatens the town, and Matthew’s inexperience with fire endangers the church buildings, Jonah comes to the rescue, and a reckless kiss in the midst of the chaos takes their friendship to forbidden.

Neither Matthew nor Jonah can go back to the way things were before, but continuing their relationship puts everything at risk: their jobs, their friends, even their lives. In the outback town of Dinbratten where everyone knows everything about everyone else, how can they ever expect to keep a secret this explosive?

The Liberators of Willow Run by Marianne K Martin (f/f WWII)

It’s 1943 and the world is at war.

Hope for victory rests on the wings of America’s Liberator, the B-24 bomber. And, with more than nine million Americans on the front lines, there is only one way for the assembly plants to produce enough planes to meet the demand—and that is to recruit women by the thousands into the work force.

Audrey Draper is committed to the war effort, and beyond that, to finding her own personal and financial independence. And she is not alone. Ruth Evans also chooses to seek employment. As a waitress living on her own, she not only searches for freedom, but also a way to fulfill an important promise. And then there’s young Amelia, a fifteen-year-old rape victim who is being forced to return to a dark and dangerous home. Audrey, Ruth, and a handful of these newly independent women must risk everything they have fought so hard to achieve to give one of their own a fighting chance to survive. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world, these women capture the spirit of the times through their determination, ingenuity, and enduring courage.

Interested in more f/f WWII novels? Try these…

Tournament of Shadows by SA Meade - Bukhara (Uzbekistan- being fought over by the British and Russian Empire during 19th century)

In 1842, Captain Gabriel O'Riordan of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars is sent on a mission to Bukhara. His task—to try to free two of his compatriots from the clutches of a mentally unstable Emir. On his way, he encounters Valentin Yakolev, an officer in the Russian Army, who is also on a mission—to persuade the Emir that an alliance with Russia would be in his best interests. Gabriel, disguised as a holy man, is not happy to be the object of Yakolev's intense scrutiny. After all, he's working for the opposing team in the Great Game being played between their two nations. When Gabriel realises that his mission is little more than a forlorn hope, a game he has no chance of winning, he's desperate enough to turn to Valentin to help and offer him anything in return. What he doesn't expect is to have his plans to return to Calcutta scuppered by events. Instead, he and Valentin flee north, fighting off bandits, their desire for each other and the hardship of desert travel. Their travails bring them closer together until a secret from Valentin's past tears them apart. Can they set the past behind them and move on together?

Battle Scars series by Charlene Newcomb - Jersulem

March 1190. Brimming with the spirit of youth, the idealistic Henry de Grey joins King Richard’s army ready to fight for God’s glory on the battlefield. But after he bloodies his sword and witnesses the slaughter of innocents, he struggles to justify the violent acts he’s committed. Through months of brutal marches and political bickering, Henry finds comfort in the fearless resolve of a brash veteran. But when his feelings of friendship grow into something more, he must put his old convictions through the gauntlet. Stephan I’Aigle would follow the king anywhere, even into the heart of enemy territory. He takes Henry under his wing, but fears his growing attachment and burning passion could make him lose his fighting edge. Will opening up his heart destroy the knights’ friendship, or leave them both completely defenseless in the heat of battle? Men of the Cross is medieval historical fiction with elements of an m/m romance. If you like journeys of self-discovery, vivid historical details, and slow-burn chemistry, then you’ll love this tale of the knights who served the Lionheart.

Song of the Spring Moon Waning by EE Ottoman - China

Upon waking up one morning, Wen Yu is surprised to find a note asking him to return the song thrush given into his care while the owner was sick. The only problem is that Wen Yu was never given a song thrush. Though he has no time for distractions from his studies for the palace examination, Wen Yu goes in search of the unknown Liu Yi who left him the note. What he finds is a beautiful imperial eunuch, a talking tortoise, and a collection of mysterious moon poems that force Wen Yu to question what path in life he is truly meant to be walking …

Alaskan Bride by Jordan Redhawk - 19th century Alaska (f/f)

- Finding a husband after the American Civil War isn’t easy. When twenty-two-year-old Bostonian Clara Stapleton discovers the address of a likely bachelor in the wilds of the Alaskan bush, she throws caution to the wind and sends him a letter. Soon she’s on the adventure of her life, leaving the comfort and stability of a well-to-do family for a man she’s never met and a life of uncertainty. Callie Glass isn’t happy with her brother Jasper’s proposal to a mail-order bride, though she knows it’s not her call. And when a tragic accident takes Jasper Glass’s life, Callie doesn’t hesitate to call off the wedding in a letter to Clara. Callie is soon surprised to find a strange woman settling into her cabin, a stranger who had never received news of Jasper’s demise. While Callie insists that the other woman should return home, Clara digs in her heels. If Callie can live without a man in this isolated land, why can’t she? Both headstrong women struggle in the ashes of their dashed hopes and dreams, slowly coming together to forge an alliance for which neither is prepared.

Nova Praetorian by NR Walker - Ancient Rome

Quintus Furius Varus is one of the best lanistas in Rome. Tall and strong in build, fearsome in manner, and sharp of wit, he trains the best gladiators bound for the arenas of Rome. When Senator Servius Augendus seeks personal guards, he attends the Ludus Varus for purchase of the very best. He puts to Quintus an offer he cannot refuse, and Quintus finds himself in Neapolis, contracted as a trainer of guards instead of gladiators.

Kaeso Agorix was taken from his homelands of Iberia and delivered to Rome as a slave. Bought by a senator to be trained as a guard, his fate is handed to the man who would train him. Absent free will, Kaeso knows his life is no longer his own, though he soon realises the gods have favoured him when he learns his new master has a kind heart.

Quintus and Kaeso forge a bond that far exceeds the collar at Kaeso’s neck, and together they discover the senator’s move for promotion has an ulterior motive. Thrown into a world of politics and conspiracy, of keeping enemies close, they move against time to save Rome before traitors and the gods themselves see to their end.

And in doing so, see the dawn of the nova praetorian—the new guard—rise.

A Land So Wild by Alyssa Warkentin - 19th century Arctic (This one is a can be a difficult read, but so worth it. The amount of research put into it, boggles the mind--I know, because I majored in some of this in uni.)

- In 1845, the HMS Vanguard, under the command of Captain William Caulderson, departed England on a voyage of discovery to find a Northwest Passage through the perilous arctic waters separating the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was never heard from again. Five years later, Captain David Maxwell of the Serapis sets sail to attempt to recover the Vanguard and determine the fate of his former commander. Naturalist Embleton Hall is running from demons of his own. He doesn’t expect to find himself drawn to Captain Maxwell--but the two men form a bond that will become essential to their survival. Together, they'll brave the elements on a long and harrowing voyage to discover the fate of the lost ship Vanguard. But they'll also learn that some secrets are best left frozen in ice.

A Little Sin by Sionnach Wintergreen - East Texas

Sheriff Avery O’Rourke has tried to obey his strict Christian faith and lead a “normal” life. In 1923 in a rural East Texas town, “normal” means heterosexual. A cholera outbreak has made Avery a young widower, so he is married to his job. When a murder investigation forces him to confront his truth, will he finally be able to accept being gay?

Veterinarian Garland Sands has returned from Europe to take over his father’s practice. Struggling with shellshock (PTSD) and heartbroken by the suicide of his French lover, he resigns himself to a quiet, solitary life as a country vet. But the murder of the town doctor brings the sheriff to Garland’s doorstep looking for help with the investigation. Seeing Avery awakens dormant feelings. Can he love a man who hates what he is?

This isn’t the lavish 1920s of The Great Gatsby. This is the flip side of that coin—rural East Texas. No electricity. No indoor plumbing. No flappers. In 1923, the timber barons have left and racism, homophobia, and sexism thrive.

A Little Sin is a realistic mystery with unlikely heroes and a timeless romance between lovers caught in a world where their love is forbidden. This book contains steamy sex scenes and is intended for adults only.

The Winter Triangle by Nikki Woolfolk - 19th century Virginia

- In the town of Stubborn, West Virginia, 1880, happily single Cassandra Holloway has decided to come out to her father, Walter, on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Before she can reveal being a woman of “two spirits,” her well-intentioned but offspring-obsessed father has set her up on another blind date with someone named Morgan. When Cassandra attempts to cancel the date, she is faced with a first. She must choose between a beautiful, deaf astronomy professor at the local university or the professor’s handsome sign-language interpreter—both named Morgan. With a comedy-filled evening that Cassandra’s cupid-playing father could not have planned, she must make a choice as the sun rises on Valentine’s Day. Which Morgan will be her Valentine?

*LGBTQIA+ Historical Romance Novels w/Cowboys, Ranchers, and People of the Frontier and Old West (Includes Fantasy, Steampunk, and Horror offerings this time.)

LGBTQIA Historical Romances with Pirates, Sailors, Highwayman, Smugglers, and Thieves