#He considered Constantine his friend too

[nelkcats]

Spirit Guide

Constantine is showing Billy Batson how to use magic (after discovering the kid doesn't have a mentor and again, IS A KID), they are entering into "Black Magic" and all that, Constantine is moraly grey so Billy don't care.

For practice they summon a Spirit to help Billy with his next classes, Constantine expected it to be dangerous cause you know, champion of magic and all that, but is surprised when into the summoning circle is a ¿Teen? (his age seems to change at times) in a hazma suit judging them. Honestly he is just happy Billy didn't summon a world threat (as far as he knows).

Billy explained Danny the situation and he accepted to help him with magic, he doesn't know a lot about it but can ask Desiree or Ghost Writer for knowledge. He also agreed in helping Billy when needed after heard about the "I am Captain Marvel/Shazam" mess and told him he is a protector spirit himself.

Constantine was amused cause that kind of ghost is rare, maybe the kid just have good luck. After that, Danny goes back and forth to Billy's lessons, helping him in both magic and being a kid hero (with some lessons about ghosts, dimensions and everything useful he can remember), he sees him as an apprentice of some kind. Billy even started calling him "Teacher Phantom".

He told Clockwork about it, completely proud of the boy's progress. Clockwork just judged him for not telling his supposed apprentice that he was the Ghost King but Danny didn't see the point in doing so.

Or at least, he didn't see the point of mentioning it until Constantine summoned the Ghost King for help with one of his subjects and as most of the heroes prepared to fight (cause this was supposed to be an unknown threat and probably hard to convince) Captain Marvel/Shazam was shocked and yelling "TEACHER PHANTOM?"

Which of course made Constantine curse his luck as the league misinterpreted everything. Danny might have made a miscalculation or two, but he didn't want to lose their friendship or tell them he was immortal, he was cut off from humanity for a long time.

[deadsetobsessions]

Summonings

Ever since Danny Phantom became the Ghost King, he’s had to deal with an endless amount of crap. An eternity of it, actually, and it was constantly causing him unending amount of existential crises and stress.

First, there was the paperwork. Pariah Dark, the incompetent asshole, had left him decades worth of bureaucracy to painfully sift through. He ended up hiring some ghosts with paperwork obsessions to sort some of that out. Who knew ruling the infinite realms would require this much paperwork? He’s lucky each section of the underworld had their own systems to report to their own rulers who, in turn, report to him.

Secondly, there were the Observers. And other ghosts, like his own rogues, but they were the main issues. Eyeball menaces. They protested his appointment, something he actually agreed with. Putting a fifteen year old on the throne is rarely a smart decision. But the Infinite Realm values strength, the only type of currency that matters in the land of the gods and the dead. Danny? Phantom? He’s got strength in spades. With only a few months of being a ghost, Danny had managed to defeat Pariah Dark, who had cowered gods and struck fear into the hearts of ghost heroes.

But Danny hasn’t quite realized the significance of that yet, too focused on the realization that he was about to be in charge of the infinite realms. The Observants, since his reluctant and extremely limited coronation, has been up his ass about doing things the “proper way.”

Danny’s main problem lies with the ridiculous amount of paperwork though. It’s fine. Tedious. But fine.

But if he gets one more fifteen page essay style complaint form about some guy named Constantine, Danny might seriously reconsider donning Dan’s ruthlessness and offing the guy himself. Perhaps grab the man by his shoulders and shake him like a rag doll and ask who the fuck told him it was a good idea to sell his soul out like that? Danny eventually just sent out Skulker to hunt down the contracts and trade minor services for them. He owns most of the soul now, and perhaps he’ll hunt this guy down and force him to do paperwork.

Regardless, paperwork was just often tedious. He’s worked out a system for himself. The halfa, true to his teenage form, had better things to be doing. His homework, for one. Hanging out with his friends and logging in hours for Doomed 2 would be another. But no, he’s here, twirling a pen as he glared down at a stack of forms for a zone expansion. What the fuck does Zeus want to expand his zone for? The current share space of the sky domain is literally a perfect balance with respect towards the other gods. For the love of- Danny slams down a red ‘REJECTED’ stamp on top of the stack. His hair flickers wildly in annoyance, the iced over Crown floating above his head emitting concerning levels of frost. To anyone else but himself, of course.

He then feels a soft tug on his core.

Right. The third most annoying thing about becoming King: the fucking summoning. Danny taps his pen against his lips, clicking it against his fangs, as he considers the summoning circle that calls him. Huh. Desperation. Mildly bloody. Fear. Resignation- ah, fuck it, it’s not like he’s too enthusiastic about staying to do work with the Observers poking around. He takes the summoning, allowing his regalia to overtake his normal hazmat-clad form, and approves the summoning.

Oh hey, Danny thinks he recognizes that ugly ass trenchcoat.

—-

John Constantine has had more than enough practice summoning things that would give people nightmares. But there are things he normally refuses to touch, refuses to even entertain the idea of trying. As usual, desperation made John its bitch and the Justice League’s battered and bruised faces tugged on his shriveled heart.

He’s going to summon something from the Infinite Realms. Oh, but he wasn’t just summoning any old ghost. No, he thought, I’m just going to summon the one being that’s guaranteed to be able to crush our universe without breaking a sweat. Bollocks.

“Is it ready?”

“Untwist your pants, spooky,” John snaps, wishing he had a crate of whiskey he could down. “We’re trying to summon the Ghost King, not your average demon.”

“What do we know about him?” Batman’s gravelly voice demanded.

“Powerful enough to take us all out without even breaking a sweat. Defeated the bloody tyrant who ruled over the Realms last I heard.”

“That’s it?”

“You could ask Deadman, but I heard he’s on the outs with the Infinite Realms on the fact that he’s made of pure magic, not ectoplasm.”

“There’s no guarantee the king will work with us.” Zatanna says, pressing her fingertips together tiredly. She had been at the forefront of the battle and had paid the price for it. “But he’s supposedly more benevolent than his predecessor… and we’re out of options.”

“Hm.”

“Just make sure to shut up and let me do the talking.”

“Hn.”

John rolls his eyes and takes a fortifying breath, something that does not go unnoticed by the League. They all tense up, preparing themselves for a battle. Another one, seeing as they all got their ass kicked by a ghost only ten hours ago. The League is spread thin, running interference to distract the ghost in question and evacuating civilians.

John Constantine started chanting, the glow of his magic lighting up the circle as he spills his blood into the circle.

He waits, heart in his throat, for the summoning to work.

“Is it supposed to take-” Red Robin asks, only to cut himself off as the circle flares once more. Power pulsates outwards from the circle. Frost crackles on the frost resistant floors, spreading outwards as a green portal rips open the fabric of time and space. Long, spindly imitations of a hand grabs the edges of space and pulls, heaving the rest of his celestial body out of the tear in reality. John does not look away. He can not look away, not from the eerie green pallor of the King, not from his torrential white wisps of hair, not from the black-hole like material of his outfit, not from the nebulas and beginnings and endings tailored onto the King’s cape. John could not look away from the ice crown that floated like a bastion of power above the king’s head.

His mouth is dry. What price will he have to pay to save the world? What price will this being demand of him, of the Justice League, to save the world?

John desperately needs that drink.

—-

Oh! He’s in his home dimension! His core purrs at coming home, at the close proximity to his first haunt.

He was expecting cultists, or even the Winchesters again, but this is nice.

The Justice League- summoning him. Sam and Tucker are going to flip when they hear about this.

They’ve been staring at him in silence for a bit now. It was getting awkward.

“Why have you summoned me?” He asks, softening his tone. By their winces, he didn’t get it as well as he thought. Danny grimaces. At the first sign of discomfort though, the man in the trenchcoat- is that fucking Constantine?!- launches into a nerve filled tirade.

“Your, uh, Majesty.” He starts. “One of… One of your subjects is wreaking havoc on the world. We would be extremely grateful if… if you could reign him in?”

Danny’s face sours, only to quickly clear his expression as he realized how much even a small hint of displeasure causes the jumpiness in Constantine and the others.

“To do that, I will have to make a contract with you, seeing as you’ve summoned me.” Danny drawls, letting his overly long digits wave at the summoning circle in question. He could break it, of course, but Danny’s bored and trying to draw this out. He’s not saying he’d take a batch of cookies as payment but that’s exactly what he’s saying.

“The price… you could always have my soul?”

Danny pauses. “Your… soul?”

Oh, he did not say what he just said.

“Yes. My soul.”

Oh, he did.

Fuck it. Danny’s flashbacks of suffering through the reports pushes green into his irises and urgency to his action.

He breaks out of the circle, hands lunging and gripping Constantine’s jaw tightly. Danny ignores the shouts of alarm as he allows the thrown weapons to pass through him.

John Constantine is panicking now, struggling in the air as Danny lifts him an inch off the floor in agitation.

Good.

“Your soul, little wizard? The one you’ve split eight ways till the thirtieth of February? The one that caused,” he tightens his grip, no doubt bruising the man. “An insane amount of paperwork that I’ve had to suffer through. Your soul, John Constantine?”

Danny hisses his name. The man makes a warbling noise that Danny takes as acknowledgement. Danny bats away the weak spell Zatanna sends at him with a hand.

“You’ll find that I am in the possession of most of your soul contracts. To simply put,” he grins, teeth made of dying stars on display. “I own your soul. My soul, now.”

He drops the wizard who collapses onto his knees to stare up at him in horror, eyes flicking between the circle that was meant to contain him and Danny, who is very much not contained. He crouches down- something necessary but disjointed as he’s not used to this taller form- and speaks to Constantine in a slow, dead serious, drawl.

“If you ever sell your soul again, you and I are going to have issues. Is that clear, John Constantine?”

“Uh- yeah, yes, yes, your majesty.”

Patting his cheek condescendingly, Danny gets up and sighs, stress relieved. He’s starting to feel bad, though, so he allows his form to ripple back to his normal teenage Phantom self.

“Well, it’s not like anyone will buy it, since they know they’ll have to go against me.” He chirps, flipping 180 from his terror inducing eldritch voice. “So, what’ll you pay me to get rid of whatever ghost you’ve got?”

“…. Nothing?”

Red Robin holds out a bag, eyebags betraying his exhaustion. “I’ve got fifty dollars and a bag of cookies.”

Phantom beams at him. “Throw in a couple of autographs and you’ve got a deal.”

“That’s- yeah, okay.” Red Robin says, inching forward cautiously to hand him the bag.

“Great. I’ll be back for them later. You can call me Phantom. ‘Your Majesty’ gets annoying after a while.”

“Thank- thank you for your mercy, Your- Phantom.” Wonder Woman says.

“Sure. Make sure this idiot doesn’t make any more deals with demons while I’m out, yeah?”

With that, Danny Phantom grabs the bag of cookies and fifty dollars and flies through the wall to do his job.

John slams his head onto the space station floor.

“Fuck.”

—-

Danny: lol I’ll do it for the shits and giggles

Constantine and the League: he’s terrifying, a bastion of pure power and authority

Red Robin, Young “we commit war crimes bc it gets shit done” Justice leader and fellow gremlin: he’d probably do it for cookies. I would.

[ghostreblogging]

Omg like I had this dream about it yesterday. So what if batfam decided nope we're gonna ghost proof this house. And in the way they did it, they didn't use blood blossoms, ectoranium etc (blood blossoms are extinct and hard to find in large quantities and ectoranium is a space metal that nobody knows exist yet or confused with kryptonite) They used magic, so it's little less noticable.

And Tim decides to Invite his new friend over, aka Danny Fenton . Said friend refuses to touch anything while there. He wouldn't sit, eat food, or touch any of the occupants. And when he finally accidentally touches something, the spell works and he is captured with glowing chains or straight up thrown back into the infinite realms.

Danny finally has time for normal teenager shit. He managed slowly go through the bureaucratic shithole that is the infinite realms politics and he managed to come out with his sanity intact. Phantom is no longer a menace but a hero that tragically gave himself up to seal all of the Infinite realms (that is kinda true he did go through a nightmare to make sure ghosts didn't attack the living world and had to do the equivalent of centuries worth of paperwork to do that.)

And all things considered ghosts are a thing of the past for most people. ( He hopes that the ones he allows through keep their oaths and stay hidden)

And he can finally be a normal teenager again, albeit in Gotham of all places. But the death in the city masks his more inhuman traits and he really didn't wanna go through another paper work stuff to register himself as a meta without the meta gene, he would have to do that later though.

But he can do that later, he's on a vacation and he's not doing that.

-_-_-_-

He is standing in the doorway. People around him are getting their umbrellas and sadly he doesn't have one. He was debating internally if he should just go or go back to the lost and found for an umbrella.

He was waiting for Tim as he agreed to come for dinner. The car ride to the Wayne manor was calm, filled with few words.

All changed when he came to find the whole manor was covered in intricate magical circles and traps. He saw atleast few that straight up sent him to the dark parts of the realms and he didn't want to touch that. And as much as he wanted to straight up escape, Tim had been asking for multiple days.

So as much as he wanted to flee, his social skills are shit and he didn't want to risk the awkwardness afterwards.

So he tried his best. Didn't touch the ground floated slightly above it, didn't touch the furnitures cuz apparently it was considered part of the house, couldn't touch the walls. Couldn't even touch the residents before setting the alarms off.

He thinks he pulled it off. Of course he pulled it off everything was going smoothly and he just has to make sure he has everyone in the room in his sights and float a bit. Well until the actual dinner. He couldn't touch the food and he looked quite akward so much so Tim whispers to him.

"You okay? You aren't touching your food."

"Oh I'm okay, it's just-" before he could even start with his sorrowful excuses, someone someone grabs his arm, again it wouldn't have been a problem too it would only raise the alarm, until he is pushed down into the chair thus triggering multiple traps .

Big golden chains appear and he is arleady out of the chair by then. He opens a window and turns to say sorry but he accidentally trips over another trap and is pulled into the realms. He should probably cross Tim out of his list of friends.

-_-_-_-

Tim's friend just fell through a portal, should probably call Constantine about that.

Dick was the first one to speak up after the silence that incued.

"Did we just banish Tim's new friend to the shadow realm?"

"Wait why did he trigger the alarm? He didn't seem all that ghostly, was he like Jason"

"Probably. We probably won't see him again, do we just. . . Push the blame onto Constantine?"

" We are heroes-"

"And how the heck are we supposed to enter the realms anyway? And escape! Constantine greatly expressed that portal was one way only"

*Tommorow*

They see Danny just waltzing through Gotham and they pull him aside.

"What the fuck. You got pulled into the shadow realm yesterday! How do you even trigger the alarms"

Danny who arleady went through the five stages of denial and how tf am I gonna explain "oh you see i am a warlock of....uhhhh

I didn't think this far

OH PHANTOM. THE GREAT PHANTOM"

And after a very stressful meeting with batman and the entire JL dark members cuz apparently his alter ego became a big deal without his agreement.

Where he

Had to speed learn how to create duplicates

Had to fight off a few ghost lawyers cuz they wanted to be a part of "the very important meeting of importance"

Got asked to do magic (he's still learning okay?)

He panicked tried to sell one of his powers as a spell or him just having the copy of his patrons power.

More people got worried about him supposedly creating a contract with a very powerful new unknown diety

Got into the JL dark as a warlock

People apparently trusts him now???? As FENTON??????

Apperantly showing off weaker version of patrons power was a bad idea cuz he greatly overestimated the power limit.

He is a powerful warlock of a powerful "demon"?

WHAT THE FUCK DO U MEAN I- MY PATRON IS NOT A DEMON

"so what is he"

Uhhhhhh a guardian spirit?

Uunhuun soo it's phantom right.?? Leme do some research

WHAT DO U MEAN PHANTOM IS APPARENTLY A GOD AND IS KNOWN GLOBALY FOR BEING THE GOD OF HEROES??

Wait . . . . Clockwork. Oh my god.

Now he is the number one call up magic person for the bats now.

[spacedace]

So I have an idea for a dp x dc fic and I'm going to throw it here since i need to get it out of my head and i'm not sure i'll ever actually write it (and as always if anyone finds my rambles interesting any/all of it us up for grabs to run with):

Elle ends up crashing into the DC universe while exploring, but despite all the dimension/multivariate nonsense that always goes down (or maybe because of it) she can't actually get back, and the levels of ectoplasm are a lot lower than most dimensions which weakens her quite a bit.

There's enough for her to survive, and use her powers a little bit, but using them too much makes her get really weak/maybe even causes serious harm depending on how much she uses.

She finds this out when she tries to open a portal home and both fails to open the portal & passes out as a result of trying. Cut to Elle waking up in Cadmus and realizing "ah, fucked up unethical science, I am familiar with this fuckery" and escapes.

In the process of escaping she comes across Kon, who isn't "finished" yet. He's alive and aged up to a teenager, but isn't quite done with his programming/whatever (this idea came to me based entirely off what I've gleaned through fandom so I don't know the canon of Kon's whole time with Cadmus). Elle immediately realizes "Oh clone baby, that's not good" and breaks him out and takes him with her.

Kon in this doesn't know he's a clone of Superman, he doesn't know a lot of things considering how early into the clone info-dumling process he was in when Elle broke him out. He barely knows language and how to read. What he does know for sure though is that Cadmus is Bad and Getting the Fuck Out is Good so he's down to go with Elle

Queue them becoming friends and being on the run together, learning about this world/dimension together and coming to see each other as family. Eventually they end up in Gotham because it's one of the places that naturally has a higher ectopalsm level and because if you're in the right area no one cares if you have no legal ID (in some circles it's a plus).

Kon gets a lot of odd jobs before eventually ending up working at a strip club or burlesque bar or something (my idea is that it's years after escaping so he's in his early 20s at this point and not just a fresh baby clone anymore and he gets into it because he likes it and it's good money) while Elle uses her ghostly knowledge/what powers she can to work as like a psychic or something like that.

Meanwhile Justice League (with alive again Superman) have found out about the escaped Superman clone and, along with Cadmus, are desperately trying to track him down. The info they have is a bit murky, so they think it's actually *two* clones, one that had Martian dnd also thrown in to the mix based off a short clip they managed to find of Elle phasing through walls.

My idea is that it'd all finally come to a head when Constantine pulls Tim (and maybe also Damian) in on a JL Dark case that involves the Lazerus Pit and for reasons ends up having to hire Elle to help. I'm thinking it's a thing that Elle is a pretty respected name in certain magic circles due to her expert knowledge on the Infinite Realms, though she refuses to work for most people who seek her out - even though the money would be good - because usually it's only evil assholes that want to hire her.

She makes a deal with Jon to help (in exchange for something that would let her get a message to Danny letting him know what happened or something like that) and Kon joins in because there's no way he's trusting a dude Elle calls the "drunk soul slut" with his baby sister unattended, he doesn't *care* if she could handle herself it's not happening.

Anyway, Tim/Kon (and maybe some Damian/Elle) shenanigans during a Lazerus Pit/demon hunting road trip where eventually everyone figures out who Kon & Elle are, Elle manages to get a stable portal setup so she can go home and come back whenever she wants (Kon getting adopted by Danny? Kon getting adopted by Danny) and Kon joining Young Justice and having a good relationship with Clark (who had a lot more time to deal with things before meeting Kon and learned about him as a person before learning he was Clark's clone).

Anyway there would be a scene at the end where Kon would be in his superhero suit for the first time and just:

Clark: Did you choose a hero name yet?

Kon: Yeah, I figured I'd go with Supernova.

Clark, feeling touched: Yeah? Any particular reason?

Kon: It's cool, it has 'Super' in the name, and really it just seemed the easiest option, I'm used to responding to Nova, so *shrugs*

Clark: Yeah? Why's that? Nickname?

Kon: I guess kinda? It's my stage name at the strip club I work at

Clark: what

Tim, brain shut down by this revelation: ...do you do private shows?

Clark: w h a t

[k2ntoss]

YO QUISIERA - JASON TODD

tw ⭒ jason todd x fem!reader, john constantine's sidekick!reader, swearing, jealousy and that's it, this is mostly fluff with best friend jason based on guess what??? ANOTHER SONG, yo quisiera by reik

a/n ⭒ do you have an idea of how of a sucker i am for jay????? this is just, i need this please show some love. reblogs and comments are appreciated and each one gets you a kiss on your forehead and a warm hug and yeah, i mentioned mbv because it has jensen ackles and he's my man <3

have you ever heard about not being able to decide who you love? well, jason has heard enough of that bullshit and he was sick of it.

it all started the day bruce brought back with him the man that the bat-kids could consider their weird uncle, john constantine and he showed up with a girl that was about jason's age. she walked swaying her hips a little too much and wore a smirk on her lips that made him a mix between upset and fascinated, there was also that white button-up shirt with the black trousers which made her look like a mini-me of the obnoxious sorcerer if only she wore also a trenchcoat and a red tie.

his first claim, after your first meeting, was that he didn't liked you "she speaks like she has all the right in the world" he said, voice gruffy and body a little too tense when dick asked him what he thought about you "she thinks she's funny but she's fucking annoying" and that makes dick chuckle.

"i think she's funny and smart, maybe you should try and spend some more time with y/n" dick tells him with a shrug before he leaves jason with his thoughts. there was no way on earth he'll get along with you.

but thruth be told, you were a little more giddy and nice that anyone could ever say constantine was and that made jason a bit less avoidant when it came to the times you were around the batcave and let's say that he just happened to get used to you, that's how he finds a new friend that he never thought would really understand him but he was mistaken.

since all of this it's been two years, it took jason a while to open himself up to you while you were maybe a bit of an oversharer but jason enjoys listening to your rambles, it's been so easy for him to accept you into his space in a way that's been noticeable to everyone around, not that they say anything because there are things that need to happen.

but what makes everyone tease him when they notice is how he seems to turn into a giddy kid whenever you're close, there's always a nice aura around you both but there are times he would be walking behind you like an overexcited puppy, following you from a corner to another because he needs to know what you need even if it's just a hug.

for dick that's just so funny, because he does remembers how annoying jason said you were and now he barely accepts going on patrol with anyone but you as his partner "thought you said y/n was annoying, you spend too much time with her for someone who you can't stand" he starts as soon as he steps next to jason and it causes him to grunt.

"she's annoying but she's my friend" jason says, shrugging it off before walking away to start his shift with dick as his partner "and what if i spend too much time with her? that's what friends do" the way he gets all defensive amuses dick and makes him giggle.

"sure thing, birdie boy" the nickname earns him a death stare from jason because that's just one of the ways you call him and if jason has to be honest he loves it but only when it comes from you "friends are running behind their friends like a lost puppy and looking at their friend like they hung the moon and the stars on the night sky"

"shut your mouth, grayson, she's my friend"

and yes, you're best friends but that doesn't mean he's not dealing with a big crush on you and he tries hard to hide it. maybe it works with you because you've never been wise enough with those things but there are things you can't hide from a family of damn detectives and the way he looked at you, how he spoke about you and the big amount of time he spent with you, yeah even bruce was aware.

jason had to deal with their knowing looks, the not so subtle glances they gave him as soon as you stood next to him because he was afraid that you could notice and that his feelings could ruin your friendship. it was sad having you so close yet not being able to do anything about it, he could hold his love if it meant you would be by his side even if he would have to see you around anyone else.

he wanted to be the one for you; he wanted to be reason of your nerves and smiles, he wanted to be the guy who would keep you awake until late just to talk a little bit more so then you could wake up feeling so eager to see him. jason wanted to be the guy you loved the most.

but instead he was your best friend, a shoulder to cry on and the first person you would always ask for advice before a date, which was the situation today. three days before valentine's day.

"and how am i supposed to know if he really likes me? i mean, he's nice but that can't be all" you start once you sit by his side, looking at jason with a small frown and your tone sounds so frustrated he sighs.

the question itself makes his breath catch because if he's not careful he could be giving himself away, letting you know how he feels about you and that is something he can't let happen.

"how am i supposed to know? i don't even know the guy" he replies with a low scoff, but truth be told he knows who the guy is and he also knows that he isn't worthy for you and it had been proven when he cancelled your date "but if he cancelled your date he might not be really interested"

"jay, i'm being serious! it's there something wrong with me?" you sink a little into the couch, arms crossed and a small pool of tears now forming on your eyes "why can't i have one single chance? why isn't there a single guy that really likes me?"

the only thing left for him on these situations is to lean in and drap one of his arms around your shoulder and he does, pulling you closer so you can cuddle yourself up into his side while he kisses the top of your head and bites his tongue so he holds back his words.

"life is pretty shitty, isn't it? i'm pretty sure the right person will show up eventually" he says softly, jason caresses your side while he coos you and there's a second when he swears he has a chance because you look up at him in a way that sends his stomach to do backflips.

he feels so damn jealous, you've been telling him about your dates and the guys that you hang out with and he wishes it was him instead. that he could be able to call you his, to kiss you and hold you, call you his girlfriend and have you all for him. he knows that's not even possible, he knows he can't indulge himself such a pleasure.

"i wish all guys were half as nice as you are, jaybirdie" your words are enough to make his face go as red as his helmet but he just pushes his feelings away again.

she's just being nice, you stupid asshole he tells himself as a dry chuckle leaves his chest mixed with an annoyed grunt "you don't want a guy like me, sweetheart, i'm sure as hell" he says in a whisper that you seem to ignore and he knows that it's better that way.

"now... i have no valentine's date so" he listens to your words and there's a voice on his head that tells him that this is his opportunity to get you a nice gift, to win you over but that's only possible on his dreams "would you be my valentine?" you asks, eyes still teary but there's a small smile on your lips and he wants to scream yes, he's about to answer when cass comes into the room.

funny enough to tell that cass is the only one of his sibblings that really knows from the source that jason is into you and they've both tried to find out if you have feelings for him and you do, cass knows and she has told him but he refuses to believe it. life isn't that good for him.

"ew, no" he says, his hand nudding your head lightly and he misses the quick glint of sadness on your eyes but cass doesn't and she coughs while giving jason a knowing look as soon as his eyes meet hers "why would i date my loser best friend for valentine's?"

rejection hurts and even when it felt like you were asking him as your second option thruth was that you've been scared enough to make any move. because this was special enough for you to want to be the one to actually court him, making him feel wanted and needed because he was important for you way beyond the friendship.

"yeah, no" you nod as you sit straight, clearing your throat to get rid of the knot that was starting to mess your voice up "it would be really lame, sorry. you must have plans already just for me to ruin them"

the sudden change on your attitude weirds jason out and it also scares him, did he messed up? yeah, he did he manages to think with the glare he receives from cass. sitting straight too, reaching her arm again to pull her back into his embrace.

"i hate valentine's, you know i have no plans at all" he says softly, trying to get you to look at him "but i can make an exception for you, what were you thinking for us to do?" jason asks, leaning in to kiss your temple.

"i was thinking we could watch a movie, you know..." you start, maybe a little less excited that he would wanted you to be and he nods with a small smile, his mind running with possible ideas until he remembers one of those movies with one of your favorite actors.

"my bloody valentine?" jason suggests, looking at you with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his lips that made your heart jump. this was exactly the kind of things jason never gave himself credit for, he may not be perfect but even with every flaw he could possibly have he was there, trying to be better for those who deserved to be loved.

it was set, you left after a few minutes of discussion on what to bring to your valentine's movie night. as soon as you were gone cass came up to him and the way she stood right in front with her hands on her hips made him guess what she was about to say.

"i know i almost fucked up" jason starts, hands on his face as he grunts "but i just- how do you expect me to believe she really likes me?" he asks on the edge of losing it.

"jason, she's being so transparent about it" cass says, she sounds tired and maybe she is, this isn't the first time she's said this to her little brother "you're not the only one that's chasing after her all the time, she's also doing the same and you're just too hard headed to accept it"

those words play on his head on repeat until the time you're out of his room, hands holding a couple of bags with food and also a small gift you brought him. it doesn't matter how the night ends, you wanted to give him something special. jason opens the door of his room, a big and warm smile as he sees your face and his heartbeat grows faster.

he lets you into his dorm, letting you sit on his bed with your back leaned against the headboard and he drops to the matress, his head resting on your lap while you play the movie and everything is nice, you both laugh at the cranky 3D effects that are just so weird on a common screen, he teases you whenever tom hanniger appears on the screen and chuckles when you giggle.

he eats a little distracted, feeling so at ease when your fingers brush through his hair and he stops watching the movie to look up at you, all the happiness he felt being replaced by a wave of doubt, he wanted to accept the idea of you liking him back but his mind was always ready to mess it up.

jason isn't aware of the low grunt he lets out, sound that brings you to pause the movie to look down at him with a worried expression because you wouldn't want him to be wasting his time on something he didn't wanted to do. he feels your gaze on him, eyes fixed on his face and he turns to watch the screen.

"what's going on, red?" the nickname slips, it isn't so often you call him like that but right now it just seemed fair when his cheeks blush a little "is there something wrong?" and the soft voice you use makes jason want to cry.

if only you knew how bad he wanted to tell you, he was dying to let you know how much he wanted to kiss you and have you all for him.

"if i tell you something you promise me we will continue to be friends?" jason asks, it slipped and he wants to tell you to forget it but he knows it's too late when you tilt your head before nodding "i just... is it weird if i told you i wish i was the reason you wake up all giddy? is it bad if i told you i wanted to be the guy you cry over? that you really felt something else for me? i'm just dying to tell you so many things but i'm afraid you don't feel the same, i'm afraid to tell you i want you to be in love with me and lose you, that the only way to see you then is on my dreams"

with each word he says your cheeks burn a little more, your heart is about to burst when he stops speaking. jason is looking at you, waiting for a response and he grows anxious when you don't speak right away, he shifts about to stand up when you stop him.

"who says you're not already the guy i've cried for?" your voice is soft and he can't bring himself to believe his ears "i mean... i can believe you don't think about it but how couldn't i? when i told you i wished any other guy was like you i meant it... i thought you didn't felt anything else for me"

you want to keep talking, keep on telling him everything you've felt for him but your words are hushed by his lips on your.

jason is kissing your lips, his touch so tender on your face while his hands cup your face like you could break or vanish at any second. the movie was still paused and who could care about a hot masked killer when jason was reciprocating your feelings?

"do you mean it?" his voice is low, almost a whisper as he speaks after breaking the kiss without putting much distance between your faces, lips still brushing as he looks into your eyes.

"i mean it, red" and your words, mixed with that cute giggle of yours made his heart melt "i like you. i love you" you whisper with your eyes closed and jason feels like he's in heaven.

"i love you too, sweetheart"

[strong-with-the-sarcasm]

part 15 - we’re all misunderstood

"Me and all my friends, we're all misunderstood. They say we stand for nothing and there's no way we ever could." -Waiting On The World To Change by John Mayer

Masterlist Part 14

The Watchtower was a marvel of engineering and fortitude, constantly in orbit above Earth among the star-studded void of space.

Just a quick glance out of the meeting hall window had proved to the Regent that her little brother would love it here. He’d inherited the innovative side of Fentonworks more than she, so the combination of one of his obsessions and tech to fiddle with was a dream come true. 

(She’d inherited the ruthlessness of Maddie Fenton.) 

Batman, the Dark Knight her little brother had trusted and the father of her soulmate, tapped away at a tablet in hand before turning his focus to her at ease form, hands clasped behind her back. Wonder Woman stood at her side and Superman at the other. A flanking maneuver it seemed. 

The Regent would’ve been offended if they didn’t consider her a threat, despite her willingness to discuss war prevention between the Infinite Realms and the Living Realm. Her armor alone was meant to be intimidating at first appearance, but it was the woman sealed into it that gave off the vibes of ‘Approach with caution’. She was a Warrior, not a pacifist,and everything she presented about herself was meant to signify that. 

However, the Regent was trained by the Ancient of Peace and would demand a peaceful resolution to a crisis rather than conflict, even if the Liminal had no desire for a battle against the Justice League. 

Constantine was a familiar presence in the room. The Laughing Magician had a soft spot for her little brother, but she felt the claim she had of his soul. It was cracked and missing so many pieces, but it was still a good one. The Sad Trenchcoat Man might’ve been a career drunk and conman, but that didn’t mean he was unnecessarily bad. 

He wouldn’t be here if he was. 

The man in question spoke first, much to the obvious surprise of those present, “How’s Phantom?” 

Her helmet turned to face him down where he sat a few feet away, an unopened flask resting on his thigh, “He is fine. Would you like me to pass on a message?” 

Constantine seemed to relax for a moment before shaking his head, “Nah, the kid bugs me enough.” 

“Regent.” Batman interrupted. “We would appreciate it if you could answer some questions we have regarding some disturbing files we received from Phantom.” 

The Liminal nodded, “I suspected as much. I cannot speak much on behalf of the King or others not present, but I will answer what I can truthfully.” 

“Thank you, My Lady, for your willingness to discuss such things with us.” Wonder Woman offered with sincerity in her words. 

The Regent shook her helmeted head, “I’d rather peace than be across from one another on the battlefield, Princess.” 

“Wisely so.” 

The Knight tapped on his tablet again, a projection of one of the Ghost Files documents spreading across the wall behind the Bat, the man in question returning his attention to her. 

“Why does the King require a Regent?” 

If Bruce was being honest, which he was, he’d rather be anywhere else than here in the Watchtower about to helm peace talks between the Infinite Realms and Earth. He’d rather be eating dinner with his children, questioning Phantom about Jason’s whereabouts, or even on patrol- anywhere but here. 

It wasn’t even the presence of the armored woman who’d answered in place of the King Constantine had been asked to summon, rather Bruce wanted nothing to do with the Death Energy he felt in lapses radiating from the Regent that felt… cleaner than that of what Ra’s Al Ghul or Talia had. 

Bruce wanted answers. 

But he also wanted to be anywhere but here. 

He supposed it was his self-preservation instincts trying to get him away from the being that’s been summoned, he had no choice but to stay though. 

“The King is too young.” The Regent replied evenly, hands clasped in front of her stomach, much like Diana would when trying to demonstrate that she’s prepared to draw her sword at a given moment. “There is still much for him to learn and experience before he is ready for the Crown.” 

Batman hummed, even though Constantine spluttered in shock- “A kid defeated Pariah Dark in single combat?” 

“Yes.” 

“There are some questions that we would like to have recorded for the record, would you be amenable to this?” Batman interrupts, “We would also discuss public use.” 

Regent nods, helmet tinting a darker green as the Watchtower lights slant across it for a brief moment. “I accept, though there are some answers that are not mine to give.” The woman takes a breath, “I cannot give the identity of the King without his permission, nor can I discuss how or when he died.”

“Is there a particular reason why?” Superman asks. “It is considered taboo to ask a ghost anything related to their death because it can cause them to relieve it.” A pause, “Ghosts, or Ecto-Entites, are a fighting-based culture. They are beings of varying intelligence, thoughts, and emotions- sentient and sapient, much like humans and aliens. Capable of great things, both good and evil.” 

Bruce processed those words, a pit of horror forming in his chest. How many times has this woman said those exact words, hoping for them to be heard? They were eloquent, with the formality that hinted at diplomatic training, but with so much hope that it almost physically hurt. 

Capable of great things, both good and evil. 

Wasn’t that the choice Bruce made every time he put on the cowl? Anytime one of his kids got hurt and he felt such rage in his bones? He made the choice every day to do good and while it may not be great in the broader scale of things, it was to somebody somewhere. That was what it meant to be alive, to have free will, to exist. 

Now he finally understood why Phantom gave him the Ghost Files. 

He needed this. This confrontation of what it means to exist outside of Bats and Birds, the cowl and the mask, as a being. Would Bruce have listened had he not seen the Files? If he hadn’t seen the inhumanity committed upon the inhuman? What evil would he have perpetuated had he refused to listen? 

(Tim might think he had been the only one to watch the video of Danny Fenton’s death.)

(He was wrong.)(What if he hadn’t heard the wail?)(What if he hadn’t seen the rebirth of Fenton to Phantom?) 

With all the bloodshed the GIW had on their collective hands, they would not go quietly. 

The Regent had emphasized their zealot tendencies, hypocritical ideology perpetuated by the Drs. Fentons and somewhat lackluster training, but exceedingly advanced technology geared explicitly towards Ecto-Entities in her testimony to the Justice League in the hours that followed. Several examples from the Ghost Files were explained and expanded on, including the destruction of the Casper High Gym which resulted in the death of a faculty member and the maiming of a student. Evidence of the town roads being utterly demolished, what looks like the aftermath of war being the norm for the citizens as they try to go about their daily lives. 

She had prepared to discuss all the above, and gone through various questions she’d been expecting from the League, but she had steadfastly avoided thoughts of the GIW’s unethical experimentation. Naturally, the League began this particular section with the Files’ opened to what Danny, Tucker, and Sam had included, a warning issued to all present that what they were about to watch was grotesque and to leave the room if they felt unable to hold the contents of their stomachs. 

The Regent was an older sister, a daughter, a leader, and a warrior- but she was still only able to take so much. (She hadn’t known the Fentons recorded Danny’s Phantom’s vivisection.)

(She hadn’t known they called each other sweetie and fudge-kins while digging in his chest cavity.)

Fury was a familiar enemy and friend in equal breaths, existing in the space between her ribs and her heart, trapped by a cage of bone and will. 

Fury echoed by her mirror image that entered the camera frame, sword first and merciless as she gutted Jack Fenton. 

(Regret was nowhere to be found.)(Shame had no place here.)

“By Realms Law 2127 subsection 32f paragraph 3: liminals, mortals, all in between may be promptly judged and or executed on grounds of threat to End a protector spirit or child. May also be decreed as battlefield law when faced with a sufficiently armed opponent and or external force.” The Regent recited monotonously. “Drs. Fenton also could have been tried for Invasion by opening the portal, but Phantom was able to give them a pardon.” 

“On what grounds?” Wonder Woman questioned, “He is a protector spirit, yes?” 

“Yes, which allowed the previous Law to be enacted and legal. By him acting within Amity Park and using Fenton tech to catch Ghosts, he gave them a pardon by an unspoken alliance.” 

“An alliance they broke,” Batman this time was clearly angry too in his clenched fists were any indication, “when they vivisected Phantom.”

“Yes.” The Regent continued, “Make no mistake, I uphold the Realms Law to the best of my abilities and expect my subjects and my council to do the same. We are a people and people have societies, societies have structures and without that, we would be no better than what the GIW claims us to be.” 

“Well spoken, My Lady.” Wonder Woman complemented, clearly taken by the Regent’s speech. 

“This is all gory and horrifying, but we still haven’t talked about preventing a bloody war.” 

While he’d been quietly observing the meeting, minor mutterings here and there, Constantine remained the only Dark member present. The Regent was somewhat fond of the Sad Man, even without having ownership over his soul (or the majority of shards) he would remain a fond memory for the Nightingales. 

 “My Lady,” the Magician belatedly addressed her, clearly having recalled to whom exactly he was speaking. 

“Constantine,” Batman warned, “we’ll get to that.” 

“Indeed we shall. In fact,” the Regent twirled a hand in a graceful motion “the Anti-Acto Acts is the main point of contention on the docket and allows that,” now she thrust a pointed finger at the Files’ section on ‘experimentation’, “to be legal.” 

“It’s been discussed, previously, to bring these laws before the UN with a censored version of the Ghost Files.” 

The Regent nodded almost immediately, “If you can, yes, but I would recommend leaking some of the data for the public to judge.” 

“Amity Park, for instance?” Superman asked, “Let the public choose a side and put pressure on the UN.” 

“Perhaps.” WW nodded, “Though there is likely chance that blame will be shifted onto the Ghosts solely for the damage.” 

“We can show the footage of the attacks that caused them.” Batman interjected, “As well as the videos of Phantom protecting Amity’s citizens at risk to himself.” 

The Regent agreed, “There are also videos of teenagers practicing drills for Ghost and Ghost Hunter attacks.” 

“What about sitting for an interview for a newspaper?” Superman suggested, “I can get a reputable reporter to conduct it.” 

“That can be done.” 

The Regent felt a slight tug on her Proto-Core, a shiver down her spine to follow- her little brother was trying to summon her back to him. Nothing urgent, not with just a slight tug, not an emergency. 

It had been quite a while here anyway and she missed her boys. 

“I’m afraid I am being summoned for a council meeting.” The Regent announced, “If I am needed again-“ 

She took a breath before turning to Batman, “You May summon me, Dark Knight, through your Lady’s Claim.” 

A friendly handshake with Superman, “Have your reporter meet me in the Ridge next Friday during the Witching Hours.” 

A clasping of arms with Wonder Woman, Warrior to warrior, “When this is settled, I would ask for a spar, Princess.” 

And the Regent was gone in a torrent of icy green-tinted mist. 

A/N:

Happy new year!

I can't believe it's 2024 already! Feels like I just got used to writing 2023.

As always, thanks to the wonderful beta @meditating-cat, who also let me who use them as a sounding board for ideas for the Regent earlier. I cannot wait to write those ideas, let me tell you.

As always, if you have any song suggestions please feel free to share and check out the masterlist for the rest of the series. It's always updated afterwards!

Thanks for reading!

[spectral-snippets-and-drabbles]

New Leaf!Au

Danny successfully completed his training to ascend to the throne and is taking a well earned vacation to celebrate. The time for said vacation time is a surprisingly long, long vacation but one he was happy to take one nonetheless! So he decided to travel the multiverse and found one that had heroes!

Surely he could finally kick back, relax and watch them handle things without his help, right? Especially after aiding them in taking down the guy with funny lazer eyes (he tore Darkseid to pieces in front of said heroes for them).

...Right?

After much gaslighting, feigning innocence, and speaking half-truths on his part, Danny is able to convince them that he's an alien that was the last of his kind with very few memories left of who he was. Thankfully, Martian ManHunter's mind reading abilities don't work on ghosts, so it made him sell his pitch all the more easily.

"I cannot sense them anymore...I am alone...Will I die alone too?"

So now the league of heroes with a bleeding heart take him in and give him a place to stay as a reserve member. After being told that his kind age rather slowly and that he's still considered a youngling, Dinah thinks socializing with younger people will do wonders for Phantom.

And for a while, things are going good until a certain Hellblazer comes rushing to the Leauge to inform the Leauge that the Infinite Realms has been ruined by Pariah Dark and freaks out when he sees Phantom wearing the Ring of Rage.

Something only one Ghost Royalty can wield. Pariah Dark was the last known King of the Realms.

However, due to a lack of knowledge from on the Infinite Realms' practices and culture, they can only speculate what the happened before Phantom found himself wandering around the place. This causes everyone to go crazy with several conspiracy theories.

The most popular ones are as follows, not in any specific tank or order:

1) Phantom has the Ring of Rage on his ring finger. Specifically, on his left ring finger.

Which has some speculating that he was the husband/consort/favored concubine to the king and was offered it to become Pariah's beloved. With all of his injuries, it's assumed Dark's enemy's tortured Phantom to the point of memory regression and so the enraged monarch sacked the Realms to either find him or enact revenge.

Phantom did mentioned he probably had children (Dan and Dani) and that his 'kind' don't need to be male and female exclusively to have offspring.

(He used Box Ghost and Lunch Lady as reference.)

2) Constantine with the knowledge of how one becomes king.

It's possible that Phantom took the title of King after challenging Pariah Dark to one on one combat and suffered a serious blow to his head in the fight to usurp the Tyrant, causing his amnesia.

Medical scans revealed a healed scar on the side of his head under his hair, giving some support to the theory. If that's the case, then their friend is a potential warrior king lost in the Land of the Living!

3) Constantine is taken at face value.

Phantom is Pariah Dark. When his subjects made a move to kill him, they failed and somehow banished him to the realm of the living in exile. If Phantom regained these old memories and truly was the old warlord standing before them, the Leauge would have to make contingency plans to eliminate him, as he laid one of the afterlives to near irreparable ruin.

(Batman's infamous paranoia makes things worse to the point where Danny may flee the universe if he were to use a contingency on him...everyone disliked that!)

4) A Victim of unjust Betrayal?

During his talks with Martian ManHunter, Phantom talked about pieces of memories of ungrateful people and how they saw him as a menace, even though he did everything possible to keep them safe. Everything became a blur after his last encounter with his enemies but couldn't recall what happened next. When he came to, the place was in ruin.

(So it's possible he pulled a Lobo, lashed out in his panicked state and damaged the realms under extreme stress after being harmed by the denizens of the Realms before running away to escape.)

5) Regressed through other means?

Constantine knows that some ghosts have an initial form after death, so he believes that there's a chance that Phantom is Pariah Dark just before he used his powers to become the Evil King, his amnesia making him regress back to the moment before he makes a final decision.

• Some Leaguers believe he's a ticking time bomb if he regained his old memories. One that they probably can't stop, as Constantine and the other magic users can sense some serious God-like power emanating from the Phantom and who definitely has legions of undead armies at his command with forgotten knowledge that would make Apokolips look tame in comparison.

• The others who are more compassionate believe that this could be a chance to help nudge Pariah Dark onto a better path to avoid becoming evil again. Better to help walk a just path and not give him a reason to believe the Leauge would harm him.

One things for certain; everyone believes Phantom is at the critical moment on the crossroad again that could very well make or break the safety of the both the Infinite Realms and Multiverse.

So they'll help him go down the path of Justice.

[brucewaynehater101]

Let’s say Alfred is busy and Tim has to leave. Who do you think Tim leaves in charge of Bruce while he’s gone?

Like ofc there’s the option of dropping him off at the JL but there’s no way Tim can just drop his kid off with his little friends and not expect him to end up in some world ending kind of danger.

Then there’s also the option of Tim dropping Bruce off with one of his own friends but I just think the thought of one of yj’s members getting The Batman dropped off at their front door with a baby bat bag of things to entertain Bruce while Tim’s gone full of different level of difficulty cases is hilarious.

Anita is Tim's number one choice, but she's usually too busy to watch Bruce.

Babs is a decent option, but she's also extremely busy and not willing to put up with Bruce for too long.

Ma Kent is a fantastic option. She won't put up with shit, Bruce will get plenty of sun, he'll be fed good meals, and Ma will keep a good eye on him. Bruce may even get a play date with Clark if he comes over.

If Bruce has been behaving recently, Tim considers dropping him off with Diana. She won't necessarily parent Bruce, but she will be able to get him out of any trouble they get into.

YJ is, unfortunately, both afraid and pissed off at Bruce. Tim only leaves Bruce with them if he has no other choice (especially because he's usually leaving Bruce behind to do stuff with YJ anyways).

Tim doesn't say it as so, but he threatens Bruce to be good with anyone he gets dropped off with. Tim has the routine down (the list of rules Bruce isn't allowed to do [so the man can't try to wiggle out of his consequences], the bag of stuff, the bribes to the watcher, and the lost of allergies/phone numbers). Tim is so thankful that he doesn't have to do this often.

Tim left Bruce with Constantine one time.

Constantine received the worst shovel talk he's ever even witnessed in his entire life.

[inthememetime]

Cursed necklace DPxDC AU

Vlad is a 24yr-old student who dies in college...in the early 1900s. Since then, he has haunted the University of Wisconsin by virtue of his his old necklace.

He likes the school- and the students like him! Since photography became accessible, students, teachers, staff, and visitors alike have been trying to get photos with him, students bribe him to help with homework (after all, he's been auditing classes for a century), mainly with cheep beer, fried cheese-related foods, and (since some kid introduced him to the Green Bay Packers), Packers memorabilia.

The students leave the game on for him, and the brave ones turn the lights off and leave a spot open for him in the hopes of seeing the Wisconsin University ghost up close and personal. (If they combine this with cheese sticks and beer, it's a near guarantee).

In general, he's a beloved figure. But then the Fentons start college there. At first, it's cool! These humans have made machines to let them listen to him (with some translation errors), they're building a portal to the GZ, which means he can have other ghosts to talk to, again, and they're fun!

Oh. Wait. They're being kicked out because they tried something unethical. Oh well! Somebody just turned on a Packers game, and he can smell the cheesesticks already.

Little does he know, the Fentons have created their prototype thermos. Until his necklace (and due to the lack of ambient ectoplasm), essentially his core is in there.

For 15. Long. Years.

Danny- not as Phantom, just Danny- finds the box and, with the curiosity of a 9-year-old opens the box. Soon, he's contaminated, despite his new buddy trying to keep him safe. And dies. Yep 9 year old Phantom.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! See Damian was a TWIN! Bruce is, when he tracks down said twin, Very Displeased by the lack of safety measures, and takes his other biological son (and his son's sister who is only 12 rn) home with him.

Bruce does NOT know about his hitchhiker; a centuries-old vampire ghost. He also doesn't know Danny's dead. More under the cut!

Clark gets mind controlled and tries to start a fight. Tries being the operative word here, because his 9-year-old is fighting a grown Kryptonian. And winning.

Plasmius steals cheese a lot, turns TVs to Packers games, and is generally a nuisance. Constantine is called.

Constantine has a new best friend because holy shit, a real ghost who's willing to talk to him! He can get so much info!

Bruce: Can you get him out of my house? Plasmius: Where Danny goes, I go.

Danny: Hey, can I have this? *eats a blob ghost in front of everyone*. *shares half with Plasmius*

Constantine is both horrified and curious. Clark gets punted across state lines by a vampire ghost who was Not Happy his kiddo got in a fight. Jason gets therapy a la a 12-year-old girl, a 9-year-old half-dead kid, and a centuries-old ghost.

There's enough ambient ectoplasm to thrive on, so Plasmius can roam and Danny can start learning powers. Vlad starts teaching Jason on the sly too.

Danny starts talking to bats, cats, rats, and a snake Damian rescued. Damian takes him to break into zoos to see what else he can talk to. Bruce is tired.

Plasmius uses his doubles for housework purposes in exchange for cheese from Alfred. Alfred abuses this shamelessly to drag Bruce up from the cave and make him eat.

Jasmine is Aggressively Normal. To the point where they're considering therapy, but then she gets kidnapped, talks to Harley, and embraces her alter identity as The Mindflayer.

Ok fine, she admits that is a little villainous. Maybe she can be Wraith or something? "Look, it seems you guys are being a little too upset about-", " Jazmine, you turned the Joker into a vegetable." Jason: YEAH she did! C'mon, we're going to have some fun, kids!

Just- Bruce thought he was getting two kids from an abusive household. He did NOT sign up for 2 half-dead OP kids, a cheese and football-obsessed vampire ghost, and a...NO, Danny, you CANNOT keep the giant green hellhound. Damien, stop encouraging him!

[dairy-farmer]

Am on a reversal of my other prompts kick~ :3c

Imagine~~

The Time Loop Prompt! A perfectly average, nothing happening, boring 24 hours. BUT THIS TIME?? It's NOT Tim who gets trapped! It's our dear Bat Boys!

Tim is still patrolling, been distant. Considering going back to The Nest. This upsets Bruce but he doesn't want to push and drive Tim away. Aggravates Damian, who is supposed to be putting away the Suspect Unknown Magical Object.

The more he listens to Drake make excuses, the more annoyed he gets. He gets careless. Too rough. Jason arrives, planning to look something up, but notices and corrects him. It's the final straw. He slams the idol down.

It shatters.

Magic sweeps the cave. Oh Shit.

Tim HEARD that. Respond. Respond! He's coming over! Tim IMMEDIATELY changes his plans. Awkwardness be damned, they just got exposed to Unknown Magics. He arrives. The Bats manage to peel themselves off the floor. Run through their standard "are we compromised" tests. So far? Nothing.

But Tim is gonna stay the night, just to safe. A 24 hour watch.

The next day is quiet. Maybe it really was nothing? Or it hasn't hit yet, knowing their luck. Could have just been the showy bang itself. Still... it's nice to actually have Tim AROUND for once. They wish they knew how to say that without starting a fight. They watch him head out around midnight. They hate it.

The NEXT day though? Oh. So THAT'S what it did. Timeloop. Well that's annoying. Except... except Tim's expression says he has no idea what they are talking about. But he was THERE, was he? They compare notes. And...

No. No, he wasn't. He HEARD the idol breaking, but wasn't actually THERE for it. He's outside of the Loop. So he'll have to take their word on it. Now, what are their options? Magic users, right?

They spend the day trying to figure out who they need to talk too. Then the next. Then the NEXT. Gods damn it they hate magic so, SO much. But! Constantine SHOULD be able to brute force them out? They are told this sort of situation is "his thing". Fine. So where is he?

Yeeeeah, about that.....

Bruce closes the link before he says something he will probably not regret, but would be DEEPLY unprofessional. Apparently they are on their own finding Constantine. Last known location: "probably Earth".

Fantastic.

It takes the rest of that loop to put together a functional program. One that will search for the House of Mysteries in a grid pattern, spanning the entirety of the planet. They cut it close, but manage to memorize it.

Next loop, start the program. Which... takes ALL of the Bat computer's processing power to run.. meaning they can't work on any cases. Now what?

They disperse. Try to find something to do. Read that book, finally play that game, maybe work on that art project. But... what's the POINT if all their progress gets undone? They try new foods, take naps, check out places they've put off going too.

The program has barely made a dent. The entire planet is not a SMALL place to search after all.

It's Dick who gets lonely first. Gets ideas. He'll swear of course, he didn't. It just... his friends are busy. Thanks to the loop? They'll STAY busy. Forever. He wants to hang out. Misses his Timmy Time. Things aren't great between them. But he is trying to be better.

And for Tim? It's a Rule. If someone stuck in a Timeloop wants to hang out, you hang out. Because YOU may have spoken to them yesterday, but for them? They could have been trapped alone for years. So he sighs and let's Dick drag him along.

Dick is THRILLED. Tim is having fun. HE'S having fun.

He genuinely can't remember when last it was just the two of them. Hanging out. Does Tim even skateboard anymore? Still WANT to see that photo exhibit? Yeah, Tim is having fun. But Dick gets the vibe he's humoring him. That... that he doesn't even KNOW him anymore.

So next loop he tries again.

It's not like Tim remembers their last hang out. He can keep trying! Movies and events and outings. Has he ever taken Timmy dancing, he wonders? Let's hit the clubs! Everything and anything! See what gets a spark of interest.

And... listen, maybe the clubbing was a mistake. Yes, Timmy is old enough. Yes, he had fun. But so did Dick. They got dressed up Super Hot. They got tipsy. Dick made sure to watch over Tim while he was their, made sure no one harassed him or put anything in his drink. Let him have fun in the loud music and strobing lights.

And... and... Realized Timmy... Timmers Tim Tim... grew up Hot. Watched him move. Laugh. Be gorgeous and relaxed in a way he rarely gets to be, surrounded by people who WANT him but who could NEVER know him like Dick does.

He... he should not be having these thoughts. Not about his baby brother. It's a distant thought. Weak in the face of things sliding into place at long last. Finally a name to apply to the complicated MESS that sat between them. One that seemed to come from HIM and not Tim. Oh.

His hands linger more then they should, helping his tipsy brother home. He dumps them both in his bed. Legs tangled, clothes on. Just to soak up the warmth of Timmy's body and press close, close, CLOSE. To let mad thought and insane plans rumble to life in his head. He shouldn't. He has to shut these thoughts down NOW while he still has a chance.

Tim is so warm. A bit giggly and boneless from the elaborate cocktails he wanted to try. Cologne all but washed off by sweat and stinking of the club. But... but cuddling him BACK for the first time in as long as he can remember, outside of an Ivy breakout. He wants and wants and wants. What if he could KEEP this?

It's so warm.

And waking up is so cold. No Tim. Just a reset timeloop and empty bed. Tim remembers nothing. But Dick does. Things have shifted. Lets go clubbing, Timmy! Why PAY for their cocktails when I can make better ones! It's called pre-gaming!

Soon they are tipsy, it's barely mid-day. But Tim is gorgeous and laughing. But, WHOOPS! Dick spilled his drink on your pants! Thank god we're still at home, huh? You can still change. BTW, unrelated, past boyfriends? Wanna rant?

He distracts Tim, pants off, with a rant. Nudges the conversation where he wants it. Dick's not nearly as drunk as he's pretending. But Tipsy Tim? Has GRIEVANCES! Don't get him wrong! He LOVES trying new positions! Practicing his BJs! So sue him, he's a perfectionist! But does that mean he never wants a little reciprocal action? No!

He, in fact, very much DOES want to get eaten out! Constantly! And other things! CONSTANTLY! He's horny and stressed okay? They lead stressful lives! But GOD FORBID men who will dive head first into radioactive goo monsters, put their Precious Wittle Mouths anywhere near his-!

Dick takes his chance. HE would never do that. You deserve BETTER. Have all those cases on the Bat computer, all that work at WE. He crowds forward, not looming, on his knees. Hands resting on Tim's hips. Not doing anything. Just so very, very Close.

Tim deserves to relax... doesn't he?

And Tim is torn. This does not seem like normal Dick behavior, but? Timeloop? Booze? And does he WANT this? Dick IS his childhood hero. He's had dreams about stuff like this. Should say no though. But then Dick leans forward, rests his flushed cheek against the soft skin of Tim's stomach. Rubs, just to feel them glide against each other.

Tim shudders. Y.. yeah. He deserves to relax. He mutters.

Like blood in the water before a shark. Tim squeaks he's lifted and moved so fast. He's being pressed down to the end of Dick's bed. He barely has time to register his boyshorts disappearing before his legs are lifted and spread. Then skilled, wet, heat is PLUNDERING him and he's jerking so hard you'd think he was tazered. Hands scrambling along Dick's sheets for any sort of purchase.

Gasping for air, whimpering, he can't for enough coherent thought to tell Dick to just-! Oh god! S-slow down! He spasms apart and then? Oh god. Clever, clever fingers. Sliding deep and rubbing just-! Dick is VERY good with his mouth. Tim come apart again and again, until he's desperately grabbing for Dicks head, slurring weakly for it to stop. For Dick to let him REST.

It's so god damn PERFECT. Dick has never seen anything better. Flushed and boneless and taken car off so good. He gently hauls him up the bed. Gets his Timmy all warm and snuggly. Then slides slick and perfect into his pampered little hole. Wraps him up close for a cuddle. Just the two of them, as he fucks. So, so good~

It's more of a rut then anything, honestly. But holding him? Feeling the gushing wet hole flutter around him as he rocks and rocks, just chasing his pleasure? Tim is so GOOD for him. A twitching, drooling, exhausted mess wrapped up in a safe little bundle, here in his arms. He slides as deep as he can, when he cums. Keeps Tim close and full.

Fails to notice, near midnight, when someone comes looking for him.

Tim may not remember, but Damian sure does. And he is NOT best pleased. Have you LOST YOUR MIND?! He may not li.. may have.. there may be strained relations between him and Drake, but that does not mean he will allow these PERVERSIONS!

Tim is baffled and wary. The Demon Child is sticking to him like glue. Dick keeps trying to subtlety separate them but what say WHY. As the day progresses, it escalates.

The NEXT Same Day? Tim is out right ALARMED. Dick tries to kidnap him for "bro time"? Did the magic idol turn him evil?! Shit! KON! He spends the day at the Kent farm.

Next loop? Wakes up in a safe house. One of Bruce's? WHY? Oh fuck. Damian's kidnapped him. Wait.... are... are these Bruce's KINK restraints?! Damian What The FUCK?!

And... look. Damian's at the end of his rope here. Richard is NOT giving up. Has years more experience and a plethora of allies. Drake doesn't even realize he's IN peril! No! Shut up!

He gags Tim. Begins explaining. Looks unhinged. Pacing back and forth. First the time loop, which is his fault. He KNEW better then to let his temper get the better of him! Has been working tirelessly to-! It doesn't matter. First the timeloop. His fault. Then Richard acting suspicious. Nothing out of place though? Until it WAS!

Liquor supplies raided! Held up in his room all day! Damian was suspicious!

The BASTARD! Forever going on about Family this and Family that! Blood relations don't mean anything! Still FAMILY!! He just wanted-!

Damian freezes, mid rant. Things connecting in his mind. Tim doesn't know WHAT and is too busy trying to get free of his cuffs to care. But then Damian spins to look at him. Eyes intense in a way that is VERY AL Ghul and thus VERY concerning.

Damian figured it out. Richard wanted Tim for himself. Of course he did. Tim is the favorite apprentice. Richard lied to Damian so Damian wouldn't be compition. He KNEW Damian desired Timothy and was doing everything he could to discourage it! Because Damian is the rightful heir. He has more to offer. Is a dangerous rival to have. He figure it out!

Tim has no idea what's happening and Damian may have finally gone insane.

Why is he coming closer? No! No coming closer! Go be insane somewhere ELSE! But Damian does not. He's not just Wayne stubborn. He's AL Ghul stubborn. He can TOTALLY seduce his freaked out, tied up, brother-rival!

Tim tries to kick him in the face.

Works for him. He's done research, he knows Dick's modis operandi. It apparently WORKS so... Holding the legs that tried to kick him, he inches forward. To tug sleep shorts out of the way until they are trapped near bound knees.

If Tim could remember it, could compare them, he'd tell you Damian is rougher then Dick. Demanding and exploring, tounge hot as it goes where it pleases. That he was far more merciless, in his inexperience, as that demanding mouth sucks and licks and toys with his clit. He chokes on air. Jerks and thrashes against the restraints binding him.

He's barely aware of Damian reaching for something, of some sort of noises, as he tries to escape the onslaught. But then there are demanding fingers. Slick and clumsy. Exploring, pushing deep as they can, more STUFFING him then fucking him. Full. Too much!

Something else replaces them. Over lubed. It SQUELCHS going in. Whats?

If nothing else, Damian has an EXCELLENT eye for sex toys. Tim all but HOWLS when he flips the vibrator on. Unthinkingly cranking it high, with little thought for Tim's sensitive hole. The orgasm is DRAGGED out of him. He.. he doesn't think Damian can even TELL he came. He's to distracted by eating him out.

Oh god. Tim's gonna die.

The vibrator keeps going.

By the time the loop resets, Damian has used several "interesting" toys he's tried. And fucked Tim's poor, throbbing hole full. Tim is losing time. His shoulders are screaming from the restraints and he's passed at least twice. Damian has... has never been softer with him.

Whispering praise and kissing every bit of skin he can reach. Cuddling close. Touching him reverently. Tim doesn't know how to feel. Doesn't... Doesn't understand.

He wakes up and doesn't remember.

Jason, however, catches both Dickface and the Hellion trying to kidnap his Replacement. Has some Opinions about that. He'd THOUGHT things were too quite.

There goes his reading day. And he'd been making such good progress on his books. This is some BULLSHIT. Meh, Timbers can sleep on the couch. Back to his regancy novel. Except of course his life could never be that easy. The fuckers team up. Lie their asses off to some Kryptonians. And he KNOWS that Kon-El has been just WAITING for an excuse, so DICK MOVE you FUCKERS! Oh shit!

Now they are in a lead lined bunker. No quality literature in sight. Timbits is convinced the idol turned everyone but him evil and you know what? Yeah. Yeah that's EXACTLY what happened. We should kick them in the dicks about it. It's the only heroic thing to do, really.

But then the fuckers FIND his lead bunker. HOW.

And the squirrly little shit he's trying to protect goes "don't worry, I got a place". Next thing he knows? Bam. Just... just a fuckin WALL of pictures of baby him. Timbers had a secret, Kryptonian-proof, stalker bunker? Oh. My. God. This is the creepiest, hottest, most pathetic thing he's ever seen.

Is that one of those WAIFU PILLOWS? Oh my God it IS! It's HIM! Booty shorts and all! Bruce shut that shit DOWN. They only ever managed to sell 15!

Tim regrets everything. Please. Just... for the love of all that is holy. Evil family members? Remember? Ignore my Secret Shame Bunker.

Jason will not. Don't think he didn't see the Red Hood merch. Supporting crime alley merchants are we? Cause they are the ONLY ones who sell those. The rest you had to have MADE. You're a creepy little fanboy. Holy shit. How did he FORGET that?

......Jason kinda needs to bend you over that creepy waifu pillow on those Red Hood sheets and fuck your brains out. Get over here. Now.

Tim would... LIKE to say as both a collector and self respecting vigilante, he doesn't desecrate his collection and get wildly distracted. But. Well. He would be a lying liar who lies. He's face down, ass in the air in SECONDS. Jason pounds him like he's trying to permanently bruise his hips. Makes him admit to all sorts of things he SWORE he'd take to the grave. Then flips him on his back, bends him in half, and goes AGAIN.

Somehow he finds Tim's old self-interest fanfiction. Drags Tim's head down to blow him as he reads it out loud. There are literary critiques. Tim's too distracted by the cock in his mouth to care.

Dawn comes. Tim does not remember. Jason wages war against the two fuckos who would prevent take two of "The Secret Fuck Bunker: An Epic Romance." He is INVESTED.

Bruce... finally acknowledges he can't keep ignoring whatever nonsense his sons are getting up too. It's loud and getting in the way of, you know, BREAKING THE TIME LOOP. You remember that, RIGHT children of his? He banishes them from the house. Well, Alfred does. He nods and agrees to it.

Tim is concerned but understanding. Bruce explains what progress they've made. They... they talk. Tim is supportive. He always has been, even when Bruce did not deserve it. Bruce.. admits the loop could not have come at a worse time.

The anniversary of- When he was lost in time? Tim finishes.

Yes. Being unmoored. Lost, trapped, and helpless before a force you can't so much as touch. Bruce has never liked timeloops. They are made to drive men mad.

Hesitantly, Tim climbs into his lap. Heavy and warm. Alive. Here. Arms wrap around Bruce in a hug and he just? Let's himself... breathe. Holds his boy back. Anchored and okay, if only for now. The hum of the computer, the chattering of bats, the smell of Tim's cologne. It's meditative.

Hands, running soothing fingers through his hair, gripping his sweater. A head resting against his own, Tim's lips ghosting against his forehead. Nearly a kiss, mostly just closeness. It's... it's the stillness that does it. Let's the thought he refused to think, finally slink forward. It's just them here.

And only he will remember.

But... He is an old and broken man. Has insisted on playing Father figure for so long, for all he did it so poorly. What right does he have to think this, much less ACT on it? To complicate Tim's life. Try to be something he's not even sure he can manage? What right does he have?

And why? He wonders, rubbing his exhausted cheek against the softness of Tim's shirt. Is he so very weak, so selfish, when it comes to love?

Tim's fingers pause... and then continue.

They have always been a lot alike. This may have been inevitable. But a day spent camping in his chair is not. It's terrible for his back. And for all that the loop may reset physical exhaustion, they clearly do nothing for mental exhaustion. The program will run just fine on its own, Bruce. Too bed with you.

For the first time in years, that old Batman Mischief. Oh? And who will keep him there? Hmm? You? Better supervise him. Make sure he stays. Tim's laugh fills the cave. Guess he has no choice then, does he?

Shukking clothes, Bruce feels decades younger. Back when the world wasn't so heavy on his shoulders. Just two young men, a soft bed, in the dark. He kisses Tim breathless as he works him open. Finds sensitive spots on his neck as he wrings and orgasm out of his boy, just to get him relaxed. Plenty of lube and stretching, and he's sinking in. Slow and relentless.

Tim gasping, shaking, gripping his arms like a lifeline. Tim feel like he's being impaled on a log. If he didn't love Bruce he'd have called it off the second his pants were off. He's never sitting again. Never WALKING again. It's not even rubbing against anything, just pressure. But... but Bruce is looking at him with such AWE and in such PLEASURE and he.. he cant.....

Bruce starts slow and relentless. Just getting Tim's body to let him GO. To stop clenching and relax. Little by little. Then faster. Harder. It feels ruinous. No ones ever going to be able to stuff Tim like this. He can't even tell if he LIKES it. So much. Full. Stretched and sloppy and all his inside pumped to pieces.

Should be crude. Violent. He's being RUINED. But Bruce is so loving. Holding him and praising him and kissing him. Gasping like it's the best he's ever had. That's cheating. How us Tim supposed to be mad if he does that? And then Bruce cums in him and he can't even... even...

Bruce loses count, how many rounds they go. Tim is absolutely fuck drunk and gapping, his poor little hole drooling and twitching around nothing. He should have held back. Next time he'll hold back.

Probably.

He pulls his sweet boy close and just... let's himself exsist. Holds him. Everything is warm and good. He drifts off.

And wakes up alone. Start of the loop.

Bruce breaks some things.

He also puts two and two together, as he stalks his was to go fetch Tim. The odd behavior of his sons makes a.. sudden sort of sense. Family Room. Now. Let Tim sleep.

No one wants to admit to anything. Them? Take advantage on the timeloop? They would never! Take advantage of Tim's lack of MEMORY of the loops? They would NEVER! In fact! What were YOU doing at the devils sacrament, goodie Procter?!

Accusations are thrown.

Bruce asks if they're done.

Because this can go one of two ways. They leave Tim alone until after the loops after finished. OR? They share.

What.

Tim can't make an informed decision with less then 24hours of information to go off of. We may remember our time bonding with him. But HE does not. We share, he decides. What, if anything, he'll do AFTER the loop ends. No fighting or No Tim.

Argue and I'll have Clark remove Tim from the house each day, every day, at midnight. Full 24 hours. Try me.

Tim wakes up to a VERY weird energy in the studio today. The vibes are Off. You guys... good? They explain the Timeloop. He chooses to believe it's that.

Right up until Jason pulls him into a guest bedroom and fucks him on the floor.

It takes a lot of days Tim doesn't remember, for the program to Find Constantine. He gets fucked in his bed, his brothers bed, the batcave. There are threesomes he doesn't remember. Face fucking. Machines. Each morning, the SAME morning, his family greet him with a stranger and stranger energy he can't quite place. He's missing something.

They find Constantine right before a loop resets. Tim is asleep when they head out to Argentina. He goes from dead asleep to WIDE FUCKING AWAKE.

TIM. REMEMBERS.

Oh, you BASTARDS. Not even a DRINK first? What is he, a cheap date?? Just a "hey gorgeous" and a hand down his pants!?!? He's killing them! Alfred! ALFRED! Where's the shotgun!?

Those fuckers better GROVEL. No dates, no ROMANCE, just fucking him against the nearest flat surface. In FACT! KON! Kon get your Midwest ass over here! You're my dad now!

The Bats hear Boss Music and are rightfully afraid to answer their phones. It won't save them. Tim is MIFFED and owed ROMANCE and ROMANTIC fuckings. Where the hell are his flowers? His fancy restaurants reservations? His ALIEN TECHNOLOGY!?

He's moving in with the KENT'S! No pussy for you! No pussy 1000 years!

😭😭😭😭 tim getting so MAD at the bats for not romancing him and just fucking him instead- repeatedly to. they used him like an open cunt at a glory hole!!! he would absolutely be livid and as for the bats, tim is angry but at least he's still talking with them even if it is to yell and insult them 😭😭😭

[gabessquishytum]

Listen. Hear me out.

Dreamling Bridget Jones's Diary AU

Hob as Bridget: 30 something, working for a publishing company, occasionally has to go home to his loving yet embarrassing parents, has not had a boyfriend in...... a while.

Dream as Mark Darcy: posh lawyer, no social skills. His parents know Hob’s parents. Hob used to play naked in his paddling pool as a child??? Terrible Christmas jumpers. Very, very sexy. Wants to fuck Hob in a romantic way, just doesn't know how to tell him.

The Corinthian as Daniel Cleaver: Hob’s boss. Very bad boy, serial adulterer, very sexy. He and Dream used to be best friends until Corinthian fucked Dream’s fiance, oops. Wants to fuck Hob, then develops... feelings?

Also staring Johanna Constantine and Matthew the Raven as Hob's terrible best friends, Lucienne as Dream’s long suffering colleague, cameo from Aziraphale and Crowley as Hob’s embarrassing but well meaning parents.

Please consider such incredible scenes as:

- a very grumpy Dream in a terrible Christmas jumper

- inappropriate workplace behaviour

- Corinthian trying and failing to row a boat, and falling in the lake

- Hob’s very sexy grandpa underwear (he likes to be comfortable)

- Hob in a sexy bunny costume (no one told him the party wasn't fancy dress anymore)

- Dream liking Hob "just as you are"

- Dream throwing Corinthian through a restaurant window as they fight for Hob’s honour

- Hob being the world's worst cook (why is the soup blue)

- Hob running through the streets in the snow only wearing boxers and a jumper because he needs to tell Dream that he loves him, too

- Aziraphale and Crowley's wedding vow renewal <3

[nelkcats]

A Little bird told me

Danny knew his dimension didn't need him. It had been a long time since it stopped needing him, a long time since he had to be content to spend most of his days in the Infinite Realms. His sister and friends were too busy these days to pay attention to him; Danny understood, it's not like he could work or have a job, considering he'd stopped growing at 21 and people would start asking questions eventually.

Honestly, it was a relief that he'd even been able to grow up to that age, Clockwork's knowing look told him he had help with it.

So, he distracted himself by learning things from the other ghosts in the Realms, who were definitely as bored as he was. He even managed to get Vlad to teach him duplication, but it wasn't that interesting after a while. Though he had become interested in the different dimensions that Clockwork watched over.

The problem was that there was one dimension that had caught his attention (one full of heroes and magic) but they always made the worst decisions. There came a point where he decided to interfere, Clockwork seemed amused so he figured he wasn't going to stop him.

As he thought about how to infiltrate (definitely not as a hero, he loved his retirement, thank you very much), he remembered a rather...odd power he had recently discovered.

Danny had discovered that he could shapeshift. The problem was that he could only shapeshift into dead animals and well, while it was fun to scare others, he didn't know how well people would take a ghost crow with ectoplasm coming out of it's wounds.

Figuring it was better than nothing, he transformed into a bird and flew through the portal; he flew towards John Constantine, who seemed fed up with his life. Constantine knew the bird was fucking weird the moment it sit on his shoulders but he had better things to take care of, like the demon in front of him.

Said bird apparently knew the way to defeat the demon, because he started naming the ingredients needed to banish it. Constantine saw it with narrowed eyes and asked if he wanted his soul, the bird pecked him, looking annoyed.

From there, seeing that the dead bird was doing no harm, Constantine let it stay. It was oddly useful and he had sold his soul for less.

Danny spent his days whispering things to Constantine to defeat enemies and the hellbazer gave him cookies in return (the halfa really wanted to be offended), when the League saw Constantine with a dead crow on his shoulder they wondered if he had finally lost his mind.

John commented that his name was Ghosty (he was pecked again) and that he was useful, unfortunately for the superhero community, Constantine had never been that useful and therefore they couldn't complain (but why did he suddenly know all the existing gossip?, he kept bribing them with it! His crow looked amused too).

Every time Constantine won a battle without explanation, someone would make the mistake of asking how he did it. With a shit-eating grin, Constantine would point to his shoulder and say "a little bird told me."

Danny was so tempted to shape-shift just to bite his head off, but the cookies were good.

[britcision]

*blowing a horn* sorry my friends! For some ungodly reason for the past couple weeks Wednesday has been my busiest day/night? But never fear, I have not forgotten you and the new chapter is more than half done!

(Also got to go see a friend before she flies back to Newfoundland, climb another waterfall in 3” platforms, and do a photoshoot at said waterfall! Busy weeeeeeeek!)

So here is this week’s belated WIP Wednesday, with some more good news for y’all! Wonder Woman is here to save the day!

—————

Well You Did Get Down On One Knee part iii

There was not a single thing on Earth or the Watchtower that he wanted less than to stop and talk to John Fucking Constantine and Diana after the meeting.

To be completely fair, Constantine clearly didn’t want to have that conversation any more either; Bruce had not been wrong about how well the magician would take the news that the United States had declared war on an entire dimension.

He was visibly green, had actually ground an unlit cigarette into a grainy mess against the table in lieu of lighting up, and looked about ready to lick up the tobacco.

Diana did not look happy either, but she never had. Her face was as stony and grave as Bruce had ever seen it, concern writ large even as she caught his eye.

The sure knowledge that her lasso would follow if he tried to leave was the only thing that kept him from ignoring her.

But since the only thing he wanted in the world at this moment was to have his son in his arms, and there was no chance of that happening until they were in the same dimension once more…

Bruce shot a quick, questioning look at Clark as the traitor made his way to the exit along with the rest of the Justice League. The Kryptonian at least had the grace to look a little guilty as he shook his head, stepping quickly out the door.

Wonder Woman hadn’t specifically told everyone else to get the fuck out. She had simply molded herself into an immovable force, concluded the meeting, and instructed Bruce alone to remain and discuss these… complications.

Bruce considered making an argument for Superman’s inclusion. They were the original three, and they’d probably need at least his and Aquaman’s help to handle the diplomatic situation.

Possibly the Oa, and Bruce was quite sure Green Lantern wasn’t looking forward to that possibility any more than he was. Hal Jordan talked a good game, always far too flippant, but he’d been pale enough by the end of the lecture that his suit made him look frankly unwell.

Unpleasant times would be in all of their futures it seemed. It was no real comfort as he slipped into a seat across from Wonder Woman and the slumped form of John Constantine.

The magician didn’t even look up, but clearly noticed.

“Didn’t fuckin’ think anyone’d fuck this up worse’n you, Bats,” he groaned, face still pressed into the table.

Bruce grunted, uninterested in his judgement.

“There are new complications we should focus on.” A vain hope, and one Diana instantly crushed.

“One that makes the contents of our discussion all the more vital,” she corrected sharply, piercing blue eyes narrowed as she watched his face. “It seems we have already caused unintentional offence.”

Which was an extremely light way to phrase the declared genocide, but Bruce didn’t bother arguing that position. Not when Constantine would do it for him.

But the mage just let out a long, hearty groan.

“Offence. Yeah. Maybe if we saw off the United States and toss it through a portal the rest of us will be fine,” he snarked, raising his head just enough to bang it off the table. Repeatedly.

By the third bang Diana gripped the back of his head, holding him in place against the table.

“Whatever the situation,” she growled, her tone daring either of them to comment, “we must deal with it as it is. You believe we would have noticed any countermeasures from the former Ghost King?”

She released her grip a moment later, and Constantine rolled his head just enough to glare at her through one eye.

“Pariah Dark? Sister, it wouldn’ta been a single town bein’ pulled off the map. We’d have lost the continent, and probably the world. You wouldn’t miss it,” he added with a bitter laugh, clearly considering banging his head off the table again.

Diana placed a hand on the table. Constantine set his head back down gently.

“And the new king?” She prodded, all icy control.

Bruce had to admit, even he felt calmer watching her.

He knew all the follies and foibles of gods, had no delusions about the limits of her power. He also knew her strengths. Her wisdom. Her ability to cut through complex issues with sword or words.

Whatever he missed, she was removed enough from this mess to catch.

Constantine shrugged, still not rising.

“No fuckin’ clue. All I know is they’re better’n Pariah, which is the lowest damn bar I ever saw. They call them Balance, and we’re not gonna fuckin’ like when the scales come due.”

Bruce’s brows furrowed. What could be a sufficient counterweight for demanding a whole people be hunted and experimented on until extinction?

The dead always vastly outnumbered the living.

Diana cut across his thoughts, her tone as sharp as her blade.

“So you believe we’d notice.”

Constantine sighed heavily and flopped back in his seat hard enough that he nearly toppled over. Diana steadied the chair with one hand, eyebrow rising archly.

Constantine stopped flailing, went to fold his arms, and instead stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Probably’d be pretty hard to miss too,” he agreed gruffly. Diana nodded, having received the answer she wanted, and interlaced her fingers.

“Then we have time to rectify matters before word reaches his ears.” She paused, brow furrowing as she recounted John’s words. “Do we not know if the King is a man?”

Constantine shrugged again, pulling something unidentifiable from his pocket before hastily shoving it back in, coming out again with a lighter. He spun it between his fingers, eyes fixed on the metal lid.

“Nah. “King” is just a loose translation to living tongues, for what yer used to. Easier to say than “Supreme High Ruler, Core of the Realms”. Not even likely that they were ever human; not even the Ancients could take Pariah solo to take the crown, so a human ghost wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Huffing out a mighty breath, Constantine looked from the lighter to Bruce, his gaze somehow immeasurably more tired. Bruce had imagined that talking about Amity Park made the man look ancient.

He looked haggard enough to be an ancient ghost himself now.

Raising his other hand, he began counting off points on his fingers.

“We know they’re young. Everything agrees on that. Could be any time in the past few centuries, but it’s still a timeline. We know they’re tougher’n Hell and all its demons put together, cuz they put Pariah down single handed. Had to to get the throne. Might not have Ended him, the Casket of Eternal Slumber’s not turned up looking for a new occupant.”

The magician stared at his two fingers for a moment, then sighed and raised a third.

“And we know ghosts like them. They’re less scared, though most of ‘em never knew shit about Pariah. Didn’t even react to him waking, which had to happen for the change in power. That or it all went down too fast for the shockwaves to reach us here; not bloody likely. Wouldn’t take more than a day, and ghosts fight for decades on a whim.”

He hesitated for a moment, considering that last finger. Finally he sighed and shook his head.

“Can’t rule it out though. Pariah waking up’d be as much an emergency for them as it’d be for us, putting his ass back down is an all hands on deck situation on either side of the veil. If this new king is Balance, Pariah’d be their opposite,” he finished gruffly, glaring at all three digits before stuffing both hands into his pockets.

Bruce nodded, drawing a deep, calming breath in through his nose and then out through his mouth. Even this much discussion had something itching in the back of his mind, a building tension that he had to Get Away.

He was in control of it though. Could tell the difference between his own unease and the burning ember of the oath.

Turn and run right away his ass. Magic could never hold out against cool, calm logic.

“And this new king, Balance, has stamped a damn mark on Jason.”

And his breath hitched.

Sharp, white hot panic flared behind his eyes, every muscle clenching with the effort of not leaping straight from the table. The only reason he didn’t was because he had no idea where to go.

What would he even do? Run to Jason’s side? The boy was in another dimension, far beyond Bruce’s reach.

Again.

He was losing Jason again. Losing him to this Ghost King, this Balance, this-

Diana’s hand clamped firmly over his, the Amazon’s grip immovable steel. Bruce felt his bones grinding together before he even noticed he’d stopped breathing, before he managed to look up enough to meet her eyes.

Stern, determined, brilliant blue locked with his. Her grip tightened a little further, the ribbing on his gloves creaking with the pressure.

She wouldn’t break them… probably. They were designed to hold up against any of the supers the League dealt with. Prolonged contact was another thing entirely though.

His attention now locked on her face, Bruce managed a deep breath in along with her. Held it when she did. Let it out.

She didn’t release him for another few repetitions, until he was breathing mostly on his own again. Then she returned her attention to Constantine.

“What.” It wasn’t aggressive. Just a completely flat, completely toneless statement.

Constantine gave her an entirely hopeless smile, pulling his hands from his pockets to give her jazz hands.

“And that’s what he’s not ready to hear yet. Your boy, Jason, Red Hood, has gotten himself personally warded by the Ghost King. He’s the next thing to invulnerable right now,” he added bitterly, as if that made any of it better.

An icy hand clenched in Bruce’s chest again, but he forced himself to still. To breathe through it. To not turn and run, run until he found his child and tore him away from whatever influence had him.

The Ghost King had a hold of Jason. Jason who’d all but ordered Bruce to let him go.

“And Jason must have been in direct contact with the King to receive these wards?” Diana asked sharply, and Bruce’s head snapped back to her.

It was a good question. Important, obvious, there was a connection there that he should be making, but he couldn’t think. His head was spinning, heart pounding, and every shadow seemed black as pitch.

Constantine grunted an agreement, shooting Bruce an almost sympathetic look.

Could. Could this be the oath? Not his own instinctive, natural panic?

Bruce couldn’t tell, he’d been so afraid for so long, ever since he held Jason’s broken body in his arms. Ever since he buried his son.

It felt the same. But he had mastered that fear long ago, so this would not control him now. He had to be better.

Frowning at Diana, he leaned forward.

“Explain.” She’d probably assumed that he’d made the same connection. He probably should have.

There was just a brief flash of surprise on her face before her expression softened, her hand gentling over his.

“Jason was the one who told you of these Anti Ecto Acts, was he not?” She asked pointedly, a dark brow arching delicately.

Bruce about managed a grunt of agreement, his jaw clenched too tightly to speak. She waited a moment longer, watching his face, and then sighed.

“Then is it not likely that either he has told Balance of these Acts, or that Balance was the one that told him?”

Constantine jerked and got halfway through a bellowed curse before she cut him off with a glare. Her tone brooked no argument as she continued with a firm, frosted patience.

“Jason is a principled young man, even if not of the exact principles you prefer. Either he has warned you because he believes we have time to fix this, or because the King would prefer we handle it,” she said bluntly.

It sounded so simple, put like that. Far too simple. Bruce shook his head, leaning in.

“We can’t know for sure-”

“Batman.” There was nothing harsh in her tone. Nothing so overtly aggressive as the glare she kept giving Constantine. Just a calm, cool statement that sucked the air from his lungs.

The weight of her own mantle, the Amazon princess who would one day be Queen. Not his friend Diana; Wonder Woman.

Once she was sure he wouldn’t continue, she fixed him with a sapphire stare.

“Do you believe Jason Todd would condone the end of the world?” She asked simply, and that at least was that plain.

“No.” It didn’t even require thought; whatever he feared ever since his son took his first life, Bruce knew that.

Jason was fundamentally a good boy. So kind, so giving, ironically he had been the most well adjusted boy Bruce had ever given the mantle to.

Which was what made what he’d become so painful. It was everything he never should have been.

Wonder Woman nodded as if that solved all the rest.

“And yet you called the meeting, not him. He has known for several days already and did nothing to alert any of us. Therefore, he does not believe this is an urgent threat.”

It sounded good, and Bruce almost believed it before Constantine snorted.

“Yeah, great, except the kid has no fuckin’ clue what he’s dealing with. Didn’t even know he’d been fuckin’ marked or that sellin’ his fuckin’ service was the dumbest fuckin’ thing he coulda done,” he grumbled and Bruce’s heart fell.

Wonder Woman was not so easily swayed. She raised an eyebrow slowly at the magician.

“And could those protective marks have been placed on Jason against his will?” She asked pointedly, like she knew the first thing about magic.

Constantine hesitated. Frowned a little, thinking hard. Finally he threw both hands in the air and leaned back in his chair, scrubbing them down his face.

“Technically, yes, alright? But I can’t think of a damn reason why they’d bother. Like I told the old Bat, it’s technically a good thing; I couldn’t even get a basic diagnostic spell off, he’s completely fuckin’ magic proof an’ anythin’ that can read that ward will run like fuck.”

Something in Bruce’s chest flickered hopefully. Wonder Woman nodded firmly, then redirected her stare to him.

“Then until we have reason not to, we assume that Jason Todd has control of this situation. He has assigned us to deal with these Acts, either before his king discovers them or on their behalf. You, Batman, will defer to his experience along with that of our experts,” she declared with all the ringing command she was capable of.

It chafed. And yet… he could hear the echo of Harley’s words in her voice.

What if Jason was wrong? It was the kind of thing he always thought about, the kind of thing he couldn’t stop thinking about. The kind of thing that had the Batman able to stand and go toe to toe with gods.

But what if Jason was right? What if Harley, Diana, Constantine were right, and his usual measures would spell disaster?

He had a dozen contingency plans that any member of the League could use to take him down.

—————

Tag List: @welcometosasakiworld @kyrianclawraith @someonebored0100 @stealingyourbones @starkcravingmad @frostedthroughghost @akikkobara @rainbowbunny0159 @littlefeather345 @violet-catsarelife @serasvictoria02 @wolfjackle @blacksea21090 @secretdestinywerewolf @anime-hipster-the-amazing @undead-essence @skitscratched @blackroserelina @snoodly-boop @mayoota-blog @xysidhe @little-apricot-the-writer @chaoticmistake @the-legal-shipper @bun-fish @aroranorth-west @demon-cat-goes-woof @perfectwastelandcreation @onyxlightdragon @larks-and-katydids @peachesandcreamfemboy @jesus-camp-the-sequel @may-rbi @mothman-the-mothman87 @viyatrix @stargirl1331 @idfk-man10 @thedepressedrobin @skulld3mort-1fan @rootsmudge @ravenshadow17 @cankoking @phantom-dc @mentalcarebear @magic-pincushion @redamancyardor @lyra689 @itsparadoxlacuna @alcorbearson @asphyxia778 @why-must-i-be-like-this @tkiesai i @greenpyrowolf @frivolous-pastel @honeysuckletook

Thaaaaaat’s a whole lotta new names that can’t be properly tagged, have I missed something?

[nextinline-if]

Next in Line (IF) - Updated Aug 2023

Demo (August 3, 2023) | Discord | Ask Me Anything | Tag List | Kofi | Patreon | TAGS TO BLOCK - TW

Demo Updated: August 3, 2023 (Chapter 2, Part 1)

You're next in line for the throne of Castelon, a fictional country loosely based on different periods of history, such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and periods of England.

A 10-year war with your country's main adversary, Arandale, recently ended. Then your father, King Percival was assassinated. After his assassination, your twin, Prince James abdicated. Return home after 5 years and decide what kind of Harbinger you will be.

Prepare to step into a story of betrayal, love, and trust. Can you navigate your royal duties, solve your father's murder, and find love (or friendship) at the same time? Or, will the Gods withdraw their blessings from you?

Demo features:

Play as male, female, non-binary;

Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Part 1;

Shape your MC's future and some of their past.

Pursue romance and/or friendship with 4 different characters.

Choose 1 of 3 Family Mottos.

Get a taste of "Attributes", which will unlock choices throughout the game. More Attributes will be available in the coming chapters.

Choose a patron god or goddess (optional).

Choose a pet (who you'll meet in chapter 2).

The final game will be rated Mature. The current version is rated 16+. Please note all of the below content is not in the demo but planned for the finished game. NSFW asks are tagged #nsfw so please block if applicable!

CW: suggestive language, references to war and the effects of war, death, references to death, exploration of grief, curse / swear words, possible violence, optional sexual content.

Next in Line features four romance options. View more characters + RO's ArtBreeder images by clicking here.

Sir Constantine Dimas | M, 26 years old, Taurus, #constantine dimas

Constantine is the best friend of your twin brother, James, and a Knight in Castelon's Elite Guard. He is fiercely loyal to your family and fought alongside James in the Arandale War. Like you, he finds amusement in teasing your brother.

"You're not too different from your twin, both reckless royals, so you probably need someone to care for you."

F. Faramund | M or F, 22 years old, Aquarius, #f faramund

Whether F was your first love or your ex-best friend, they broke your trust and disappeared. Now, they're back and seemingly apologetic. Bury the hatchet, rekindle your former relationship, or walk a different path altogether.

"The stars guided me back to you and I will stay as long as you allow."

Felix Faramund | M, 24 years old, Aries, #felix faramund

Felix is F.'s older brother and was someone you once considered a friend. Like, F., he's returned to Castelon. Unlike F., he can be quick to anger and he's not afraid to speak his mind. He can read the room, he just doesn't care. You can romance Felix, even if you loved F.

"Just know, I'll fight for what I want."

Lady Margaret | F, 22 years old, Gemini, #lady margaret

The mysterious Lady Margaret is a noble businesswoman who enjoys observing from the shadows. She's close to your mother, Queen Vivian. Although she is slow to trust others, those who earn her trust will find themselves in the company of a powerful and loyal ally.

"I can think of many ways to consume your time."

[tgrailwar-zero]

... leaving aside the fact that some Servants have categorically, measurably better luck than others... do we even have enough cash to blow on gambling?

... is there a signup fee for the Flaming Bout or can we just put out hat in the ring?

.... Caster, Caster, dear beloved empress, why did you make me think about gambling- now I wanna test my luck... the slot machines are calling to me... the poker tables are calling to me... the roulette wheels- well maybe not the roulette wheels, but...

Rider, please be a voice of reason on this...

NERO: "I cannot relate to those urges that you and Saber seem to have. I only like games of chance if I win. Who wishes to lose money? Money is to be spent, not wasted."

CONSTANTINE: "I get the feeling there's no stopping you all. I'll watch the little one and wait in the lobby, maybe ask around. Don't spend too much in one place, like you said we don't know if there's an entrance fee yet. Just… be careful."

CONSTANTINE: "Not a bad idea. I'll see what I can find related to our Pharaoh, and keep the little one with me. I'd rather the child not get caught up in the gambling."

MUSASHI: "I'll keep them safe, okay?"

CONSTANTINE: "Oh, like it's just them I'm worried about? You stay out of trouble too, Saber."

With that, he stepped off on his own, taking the little guy by the hands.

(CONSTANTINE has temporarily left the party!)

She feigned a deep gasp, as if gravely offended.

MUSASHI: "I don't cheat, I strategize. And I'm better at swordfighting. Playing cards would be fun, but I probably couldn't pull a ton off without a plan first. Or... what's it they say in modern movies? 'Casing the joint'?"

That was about right. The voice matched up.

Your Assassin, OKADA IZOU...

ASSASSIN... he was surly, loyal to a fault, and had horrible gambling luck. Far from the most heroic of individuals, but he wasn't an unpleasant person to be around-- when he was in a good mood at least.

He was also notoriously bad at gambling, and yet notoriously obsessed with it, if your memory served you right.

Outside of the 'black box' prison, he had also died at the hands of KARNA after killing ASCLEPIUS, but considering those memories were much less clear, it was best to remember the good times like 'Grail Force'.

IZOU was a blade, coated with blood and grime, but as effective as even the most luxurious of swords.

Approaching the table, you could see that he wasn't in the best of moods or situations.

IZOU: "Hey… mind loaning me a few bucks? Not a lot, just enough so I can afford this blind..."

GAUDY MAN: "Wahahaha! Why? What's the fun in winning my own cash back?"

GAUDY MAN: "However, if you really think you can pay me back… I'll loan it, with interest."

IZOU: "You're downright criminal, you know that?"

GAUDY MAN: "Come on, what if you win this time? And win big too, so that you actually turn a profit."

IZOU: "Bastard…"

Despite his cursing, you could already see him rummaging around in his wallet.

GAUDY MAN: "Attaboy. You need to spend money to make money, my friend. And see? Your goodwill has been rewarded by a couple of beautiful women and their pet ominous shadow gracing our presence."

They seemed to have noticed your arrival, looking up from the table as you, NERO, and MUSASHI approached.

OKADA IZOU, abruptly stood up, pointing in your direction. Or, more specifically, in MUSASHI's direction.

IZOU: "Saber? Saber, if that ain't you! Long time no see! I could never forget a pretty face like yours!"

It seems like he didn't pay much attention to you at the moment. You weren't exactly sure what you looked like previously, so there was a solid chance he just didn't recognize you.

MUSASHI: "I didn't think you'd be here, Assassin. How are things?"

IZOU: "Ah, the summonin' is a new deal. But... Say, do you and your rich-looking friend have some PPT you can loan an old pal? I swear I'm good for it."

MUSASHI: "Straight to asking for money? Assassin… take the war out of the picture and you're just sort of a slimeball, huh?"

IZOU: "C'mon, you're breakin' my heart here."

NERO: "As far as men go, I'd opt to call them both unsavory in very different ways."

GAUDY MAN: "Well, 'Assassin', don't just start up a conversation without introducing me. Especially in the company of such lovely ladies and their... well, dark and looming bodyguard, I presume?"

The man by IZOU spoke up, lightly clapping the Assassin on the back. He had a roguishly charismatic air about him, and seemed as slick as he was strong. He had the eyes of a schemer, similarly to CASTER.

DURYODHANA: "My name is Duryodhana, a pleasure. Though, when I grace the battlefield, the crowds have taken to calling me 'Jishnu'. It means 'Triumphant', where I hail from. I know, I know, it's a lot, but what can I say? The people call it as they see it."

MUSASHI: "Nice to meet you. You can just call me 'Saber', for now."

NERO: "I am Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Though Emperor Nero will suffice."

DURYODHANA: "An Emperor? Well, how about that? I'm royalty myself! How about some drinks for our new friends? I've come into quite a windfall recently thanks to my swordsman friend here, you see. Hahahahaha!"

DURYODHANA flagged down some of the waitstaff as he cackled heartily, as IZOU placed a hand on his blade, smiling wickedly.

IZOU: "Oh, fuck off… I'll kill you, you know? Stab you right through that exposed gut."

DURYODHANA: "I'd love to see you try."

The two men, the former with the eyes of a killer and the latter with the glare of a demon, stared at one another.

There was a moment of tension where you really thought they actually would slaughter each other in the middle of this casino, before they both laughed and clinked their drinks together.

[97keanu]

Premise: You were born a Slayer. It's in your blood, you've been trained to kill monsters your whole life. You have no mercy especially when it comes to Vampires, those blood sucking nightmares that lurk in the shadows. You've had no problems as a young Slayer so far, killing mostly young Vampires as well. That is until you meet John. He's so much more powerful than you, and he wants you for reasons he may not even understand. All John knows is that he's drawn to you, beyond even the sweetness of your blood. All you know is that he won't leave your dreams and you ache for his touch despite yourself. The strange connection between the two of you perplexes you both, and in a game of cat and mouse you end up more confused about your place as a Slayer than ever before...

With the help of some friendly faces, you can conquer anything.

Tags/CW: KEANUVERSE (multiple keanu characters in one), Vampire!John Wick, Slayer!Reader, enemies to ???, hunted/hunter dynamics, prey/pred dynamics, age gap (21/???), dubcon, power dynamics, John Constantine is your best slayer friend, asshole!Constantine, protective!Constantine, love triangle?, roommate!Ted Logan, himbo!Ted, sensitive!Ted, Best Friend!Ted, childhood friends ted Logan x you, loser!neo, witchy!neo, past lives, reincarnation troupes, part one.

Author's Note: That's it. We're doing it, folks. Full Top 5 Keanuverse supernatural AU. We got Vampire!John Wick, Slayer!Constantine, Roommate and ???!Ted Logan, Demon!Kevin, and last but not least, Hacker!Neo to help you along the way. This is the Halloween 2023 finale of the ages. Hope to see you all there ʚ♥︎ɞ

You could sense it. You knew you were being hunted. That's what made you different from all the other humans that walked this city alone at night, like helpless sheep or cattle grazing about from one place to the next. Instead, the hair on your neck raised, the tingle on your back reverberated throughout your body, and you could feel the cold stare like two little pin pricks on your shoulder blades. A vampire was hunting you.

You know not to fret, not to show any sign that you know it's back there, the monster that seeks you out. No, you must play pretend, act as if you're no different from the other humans that walk sporadically alongside you on this chilled October night. The leaves play along, rustling with your step, crunching despite the fact that you know, if you really wanted, you could walk as silently as the night. You let your body stay fluid and calm, walking and looking ahead towards your destination, an alleyway. You turn into it, and you feel the coldness spread across your shoulders, knowing the vampire is nearer than ever before. You slide your hand into your leather jacket, pulling out your wooden stake and turning, aimed and ready.

You see him, the monster that's hunted you. He's older, at least by his human looking age, but you have no idea how old he may be in vampire years. He wears a black on black suit, and his eyes gleam red at you. You can see the bloodlust in his eyes, and by the lack of surprise at your stake, he must have known you were a Slayer. You lower your stance, ready for his attack, but he looks at you with intrigue.

"I have never smelled a Slayer so...delectable..." His voice is deep, husky and mature.

He raises an eyebrow at you while you grit your teeth at his comment, clearly taking this much more seriously than his nonchalance.

"Too bad you won't get a taste." You chide, trying to make your own voice sound as in control and threatening as his.

You watch as your breath materializes in the cold of the night, while the Vampire across from you shows no such signs. The moments tick by as you consider what to do, questioning if you should strike first, but knowing that's what he wants.

"Go ahead, Slayer, take your best shot..." He tempts you, and your body stiffens, rigid and ready to strike.

"You first," you throw back.

"If you insist..." The Vampire replies.

Before you can say any other snide comments, he's dashed forward, so fast you can barely detect it. You let out an aggravated breath and launch back, away from what's chasing you. The Vampire laughs and before you can fight him off, he's grabbed your neck, pressing you into the brick wall of the alley.

"I like a woman who tells me what she wants..." He whispers into your ears, a deep chuckle resonating.

The feeling of his cold breath across your neck sends chills down your body, you feel as if it's just you and this creature, your vision tunneling to the two of you. The way your throat is being held sends butterflies to your stomach, and you squirm in his grip. You usually aren't defeated so quickly. He must be very old, and very powerful, that much is evidenced by how fast he was able to move and pin you. You can't believe you underestimated him. You hope you won't pay for it.

"What are you waiting for..." You grimace, knowing the Vampire is so close to your neck, but making no move to bite.

Your only hope now is that if he does bite you, maybe he'll be distracted enough by your taste for you to use the stake you still grip in your hand. Your hand hurts from how tightly you're holding it.

"I like to play with my prey, dear..." You hear his deep voice answer finally, a cold hand stroking the side of your cheek. You flinch away, but he keeps going, looking deeply into your eyes.

"Why don't you just submit to me..." his voice is smooth like velvet now, his red eyes mesmerizing.

Slayers are harder to hypnotize than regular humans, but with a vampire this powerful, you feel his mind probing yours, dancing along the outside, looking for a way in. You've trained enough to know how to keep your mind locked, but your stomach turns while you squirm, wondering if it's enough. You're young for a Slayer, only just turned 21, and you're certain a Vampire this old will use any trick he has picked up over the years against you. You turn your head, trying to look away from that sultry red gaze. Your heart quickens and your breath gets away from you.

"I love it when they resist...it makes it that much more entertaining." He keeps your head in place, a grip on your chin now, stopping you from looking away.

You shake, your body frightened, unable to control the fear that courses through your veins right now. You can't believe you were stupid enough to let this happen. You try to keep your eyes away from his, but the world behind him darkens until there's nothing but him holding you to anything. You feel as if the universe has floated away, and the creature before you is your only hope to stay grounded. You blink as much as you can, trying to get away, but it's happening, he's found a way in. He begins to flood your mind, and you want to scream when you sense what he's doing to you.

"I want you to like this as much as me..." His voice is no longer coming from his mouth, instead directly surfacing in your mind.

The Vampire tightens his grip on your throat just so, in the perfect way, and you can't stop the moan that escapes your mouth.

"I can tell every little thing that turns you on...so predictable for a human such as yourself to want to be dominated. I don't know why you resist so much when even your most basic instincts want this..." You want to thrash against him, yell out, spit in his face if you could.

Instead, you find yourself growing wetter between your legs as the Vampires hands move to roam your body. One draws all the way down your neck to your breast, sizing them up and enjoying the feel of them. Another moan escapes you, floating up into the night air quietly. The worst part was, somewhere deep down, you knew you have craved to be touched like this. You fight the thought, you hate that he can hear them, and you hope with anger that he knows it was never a monster that you wanted to be touched by.

"So busy, learning how to kill creatures like me, never having any time to make the connections necessary to get this far with anyone else." He teases you, a smile showing just how large his fangs have grown.

His long, dark hair tousled by the chilly night breeze, he and the night are both uncaring for your torment. You hate how hot your body becomes from his freezing touch. You can only melt there, like liquid in his grasp, whining out as he touches you more and more. You feel a hand snake between your thighs, and your eyes waiver from how good it feels.

"Submit, and I will make this all be over..." The voice commands, asking so perfectly you consider agreeing. The vampire's mouth opens, fangs inhumanly long, claws wrapped around your neck, eyes glowing red, hungry for you.

Just as you're on the verge of it all, the edge looking so comforting to jump from, you hear a voice call out. A tiny voice, that of a child talking to their mother.

"Mommy! Look! A monster!" The child has spotted the vampire, and as you look to see the creature's reaction, you see that there's no one holding you to the wall anymore. All presence of the Vampire is gone, only the shadowy memory of his grip on your mind remains.

"That's not very nice to say about her." The woman responds to her child after seeing you in the alleyway, still a bit dazed.

The woman ushers the child along, and disappears, onto her own life. You try to regain your body. The world is becoming brighter and bigger all at once, and the feeling makes your stomach sick. You feel the vertigo from the experience wash over you, but you know you have to keep going before he comes back. You stumble forward, each step becoming more controlled until you're breaking out into a run towards your apartment, mind not thinking over if that's a good idea or not. You head inside feeling more lost than ever about what's happened.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

"I don't know, it's like nothing I've ever faced before..." You whisper across the coffee table, not wanting to admit your defeat tonight.

Your confidant about the slayer world, Constantine, sips his black coffee thoughtfully. He's the only other person in this new city you moved to that you know you can trust with such things. Unfortunately, he had a tendency to be an asshole as well.

"I don't know why you would go into that alley by yourself," he chides. "You should have called me at least..."

He adds the last part, and you remember that as much as he can be a dick about things, he also tends to be quite protective of you, in his own way.

"I know, I just..." You pause, looking for the right words. "I didn't think it would be such a powerful Vampire, I haven't seen one in the city since..."

You begin to speak, but the words fall in the air.

"Since," Constantine finishes. "Since the night we met..."

It was a disaster. You ended up accidentally messing up Constantine's biggest kill of his career. He has hunted the Old One for almost a year before you decided to move, and here you are, waltzing in at the wrong time. Constantine had to choose between saving you, a Slayer who was a stranger to him, or finally finishing off what he had started.

You owed him big time.

"Well, in the spirit of not having it end like last time, maybe you better let me take over the case." He says sarcastically, his voice gruff to try to get his way.

"I prefer it if we work on it together..." You admit.

"And you get your ass almost chewed up and spit out again? I don't think so." He scoffs.

"I doubt he will stop hunting me, you could even use me as bait if you really wanted." You were always great with coming up with ideas, but acting on them was a different matter.

"Hm..." Constantine thinks for a moment. "We'll see about that one."

He stands, walking over to your kitchen, which was basically in your living room of the tiny apartment, and pouring out his cup in your sink. He walks towards the door and grabs his long black trench coat, getting it on.

"I'll look into this vampire, see if I can't get a read on who he is in the monster world." Constantine says.

"I want you to make sure you stay inside tonight though." he continues, then looks at you before leaving. "And please, next time give me a call if something like that is going on."

He leaves before you can respond, and soon enough you're left all alone in your tiny apartment.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You toss and turn in bed all night, sweaty despite the cold October air slipping through your bedroom window. You try to sleep, but every time that darkness takes you, you dream of red eyes. Red eyes that hunger for you, sharp teeth that desire your flesh, you feel as if you're on fire from the touch of such cold hands.

You wake once more with a jolt as you dream of those fangs piercing your tender neck. As you look about your dark bedroom, eyes unfocused, your breath seizes in your throat as you think you see him. That long hair, well kept beard, tempting eyes. You blink, rubbing sleep from your tired eyes, and when you look to the corner of your dark room, nothing is to be found. You think for a moment, and wonder if that gust of cold air was just the wind, or...?

You shake your head, trying not to be silly, and slipping from your damp from sweat sheets. You check the clock, and can hardly believe it's only half past 4 a.m.

Your bare feet pad across the cold wood floors of your apartment, and as you flick on the light in the living room, you hear the front door jingling.

You immediately feel your heart pick up, and you search the room for something to defend yourself with. You settle on a giant encyclopedia you keep on the bookshelf, wielding it and hiding just out of sight as the door opens.

As the intruder rounds the corner, you take them by surprise, your hands clutching the book and aiming for the head. You let out a yell as you go, and the intruder yells back, hands already out and grabbing the book from yours.

"Jeez! What's gotten into you?" You hear the familiar voice of your roommate, Ted.

You stare at him, the sleepless fogginess of your head starting to clear as you see him. You could cry after the night you've had, and Ted can tell just from looking at you. He takes the book, gently and softly, and places it on a nearby table. Then he slowly, ready for you to say no at any time, wraps two big arms around you, his sweatshirt soft and comfortable, his warmth radiating.

"I'm so sorry, Ted..." Your voice quivers and tears begin to flow from the stress and how kindly Ted is treating you after almost bashing him.

"Shh..." His voice is deep, soothing. "It's okay. You don't have to talk right now."

And you don't. You let Ted lead you to the couch, settling into him and his musky scent. You have always been able to count on him, even though he knows nothing about the slayer world you live in. He's been your best friend since forever, meeting you as children in school. He is no stranger for being a shoulder to cry on, and he never expects anything in return besides your own support and friendship. That's what you've always loved about him.

And now, you're glad for his presence more than ever. For some reason, despite Ted being only human, you feel so safe in his strong arms. You always have.

Ted relaxes you, petting your back and hair softly. He puts on your favorite movie, knowing it by heart by now, and let's you slowly drift back to sleep while laying on his chest. Listening to his deep, rhythmic breathing soothes you more than you knew you needed it. You fall back into a dreamless sleep, no nightmares of fangs or flesh to be found, and you are grateful.

You don't know when, but sometime near sunrise, Ted gently picks you up, taking you back to your room, and tucking you in. You sleep well despite how late in the day it's gotten.

When you awake, it's well past noon, and you groan, stretching and shaking off the deep sleep. Your body thanks you for taking it slow this morning, or afternoon really, and you once again pad back out to the kitchen. This time with less nightmare fueled stress.

When you do, Ted is eating the largest bowl of cereal you can imagine out of a mixing bowl. When he sees you, he grins, trying to swallow his mouthful of Reese's Puffs.

"Hey, Sunshine!" He greets you using the nickname he gave you as a kid.

"Morning, Moonbeam..." You reply with a yawn and another stretch you didn't know you had in you.

You feel better in Ted's presence, even now. You shine his goofy smile right back at him and hop up on the counter next to him.

"So, any plans for the day?" Ted asks, still housing his bowl of cereal.

"Not really, taking it easy I guess." You lie, knowing that in reality, you have to prepare after last nights attack, but Ted can't know that. Even if you wish he could...

"Sounds like a plan! Me and Bill are going down to the arcade later if you want to join!" He always offers to let you get in on his "bro time" with Bill. Sometimes you accept, but you have a lot of work to do today.

"You guys go on ahead, I think I need to recoup after last night." Ted nods, and you know he won't ask, but you can tell he's curious about what happened. You keep your mouth closed, instead hopping off the counter to start some coffee.

The two of you enjoy the rest of breakfast talking about normal topics, like how Ted is ready to finally get that high score in Tetris. You enjoy being able to talk about such things with someone, it makes you feel normal again, if only for a few moments.

Soon enough, a knock comes to the door, and you jump, despite yourself. Ted looks at you with a sympathetic smile, and starts off to the door.

"I'll get it, Sunshine..." Ted says softly as he walks by you.

You know immediately as the door opens, it's Bill. The two boys woop and woof at each other, practically barking like dogs as they amp each other up to finally win at this or that game. Ted bounces back into the kitchen, grabbing his keys as he does.

"You call me and let me know if you need anything, okay?" Ted says, waiting for you to nod, then smiles and says his goodbyes before excitedly heading out with Bill.

You can hear them bolting and howling down the hall until the sound fades away to silence.

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You've spent the rest of the day trying to find anything to keep your mind off of the vampire and what he might be doing right about now. You would say sleeping, as the day wanes on still. It's hard to imagine such an evil creature could sleep, though. You watch out the window as the sky turns to orange, the fall season setting the sun so early now. Orange turns to pink, and then purple, and before you know it, darkness has set upon the world once again.

You hate waiting around. You feel restless, and as you pace your apartment, you begin to feel strange. Your body feels so different, as if it's not even your own. You decide to go to the bathroom, flicking on the yellow light, and walking before the mirror over your sink.

You catch sight of your face, and how gaunt and thin it looks. It's you, you know that's you looking back at yourself. On a deeper level, you know that's just not true. You feel so confused, and reach up to touch your face when you see the other woman in the mirror move.

You stumble back, and as you do, she mouths something at you. You can't quite catch what she's trying to tell you, but you think you see her say, "Help him..."

You rush from the bathroom, and your eyes try to stay away from anything reflective.

You call Constantine, even as your stomach clenches from the idea.

"What?" His voice answers and you feel the strangeness start to subside.

"I just...I thought I saw something." You blurt out, not knowing what to say, or how to explain.

"Saw what? The vampire?" He asks, and the concern is obvious in his voice.

"No, not him..." You bite your lip, holding the phone to your head with a grip, your body curling up into the couch. "I thought I saw...well, it doesn't matter."

"Alright, well, I'm still working on figuring this all out, I'll be back over when I can." You can tell he's trying to be reassuring, but it's not really helping.

"It's okay...I think," you pause on what you want to say next, feeling conflicted inside. "I think I just needed to hear your voice..."

Constantine's line is silent for a moment, then he speaks.

"I'm glad it helped then. I'll be back soon." He seems genuinely surprised by your comment, but happy to have made things easier on you either way.

You hang up, and sit there on the couch, dazed and unsure of what to do with yourself. Eventually, you turn on some television, and find yourself falling asleep, despite how hard you try to keep your eyes open.

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You don't know when it started, but you're walking, moving with your eyes closed, and your body finding it's way towards the door of your balcony. You want to wake up, will yourself to stop, but you continue, and the hold on your mind is such an iron grip that you know you're too weak to stop it. You can only just barely open your eyes, seeing through your long lashes as you unlock the balcony door, the wind picking up and opening it.

Outside, in the night, he stands there, looking for you.

The vampire is on your balcony now, his dark hair whipping in the wind. He wears his dark suit, and he reaches out a gloved hand to you. You want to run from him, but your body betrays you. You come closer as he coaxes you with two fingers. It's as if something else has taken over your mind, and is making the decision to go forward for you. You hate how helpless you feel, as if your own body is just a shell that you're residing in. As you get closer you can see him clearly standing there, as if he was some sort of prince of the night, coming to rescue his fair Juliet.

You feel his arms snake around your waist, bringing you in. He smells of pine and metal, a smoky scent mixed somewhere in the middle. The one holding your mind swoons for the smell, and you can't help but feel enchanted as well. You find your body leaning into his, holding on as if he could be your salvation.

But when you look up into those red eyes of his, you know you have everything to fear in his presence.

"My sweet...have you returned to me?" His voice is tender, but he looks at you hungrily.

You open your mouth to say something, and what comes out is not your voice, not your words.

"Yes, my love..."

The vampire grins, and you feel as if the spider has truly captured the fly, unable to unweave yourself from his web.

As you try to will yourself to wake up, wake up, wake up...

John dips you lower, moving your hair from your neck, and his fangs baring sweetly.

"And now, we shall never be apart again..." His eyes look deeply into yours, and it feels as if he's speaking to your very soul. You gasp and he leans in, dragging his teeth across the sensitive flesh of your neck.

Just as he's prepared to bite, you jolt awake. You're still on the couch, the TV still running, and you try to find your bearings. You have no idea how it felt so real, how you felt like a prisoner of your own mind. You tell yourself it was just a dream, but you're scared to fall back asleep at this point, despite being so exhausted by the whole situation.

You look about the room, still feeling so watched, and see that the balcony door is ajar, just slightly, letting the cool breeze in.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You hear a knock at the door. You stand cautiously, and carefully tiptoe to see who's there through the peephole.

It's Constantine, standing in his usual dark trench coat and suit, finishing the end of a cigarette.

"I know you're there, let me in already." He grumbles, and you remember that he's a much older, more trained Slayer than you.

You sigh, your small piece of a normal morning fading away as you unlock the door.

"Good morning, Constantine." You say with a smile, and he stops and takes a long look at you.

"Rough night, huh?" He assesses then, without waiting for you, barges into your apartment. Typical.

"Oh yes! Please after you!" You say sarcastically past the fact, rolling your eyes.

"We have a lot of work to do, and you're still in your pajamas. Please save the sarcasm for someone who's not helping your sorry ass, Princess." He throws the last word at you, a nickname he's been using on you to your great displeasure.

"Fine," you grumble under your breath, your arms folding across your chest. "What have you got for me?"

"So," Constantine starts, already in your kitchen and helping himself to his own black coffee. "I talked to Neo and he got me some info on the vampire who wants to take a bite out of you."

Constantine says the last part as he sips on his drink, obvious now that he's as tired as you.

"And?" You sit in the living room and Constantine joins you before continuing.

"And you're lucky to have made it back with your skin, Princess." he scoffs.

"That bad?" You look at him with sheepish dread.

"You seem to have drawn the attention of John Wick. A vampire they nicknamed Baba Yaga, or The Boogeyman." You feel a chill run through you at the name, Constantine continues.

"Looks like this vampire is pretty old. Almost getting near a 1000 years if our research was right. We looked into what people are saying about him, and it seems he is an overly skilled hunter, usually working as an assassin within the vampire hierarchy. What he wants with you, I have no clue." Constantine takes another deep sip as you digest what he's told you.

"So why call him the Baba-? What was it again?"

"Baba Yaga, it's Russian." Constantine interjects.

"Yeah, Baba whatever, Boogeyman and all that."

"Because besides being a nightmare to fuck with," Constantine starts with a scoff. "He also is highly skilled in mind manipulation, particularly dreams."

That explained the dreams you've been having lately, at least. The fact that he can so easily manipulate your mind makes your stomach churn. You stay quiet for a moment, contemplating all this new information. You're happy you had a light breakfast, your stomach now turning at the thought of how easily you could have died last night. It sours more as you think about what Constantine has told you.

"So...." You start, afraid to speak it.

"So, is he after you?" Constantine speaks it for you, and you nod, afraid to know the answer.

Constantine's face drops a little, concern sullying it.

"I'm afraid so. It looks like whatever this vampire begins hunting, he has a near perfect track record of obtaining." His voice is deeper, softer, lacking any sarcasm or wit that he usually holds. You watch as he swallows hard, looking at you with pity.

"What, you're already giving up on me?" You say with dismay at his attitude. You've never known him to be one to act like this.

"No! Of course not!" He seems to try to snap out of the somber tone. "But, it's not going to be easy. We will have to think up a perfect way to either kill him or at least get him to stop hunting you."

"How do we know he's still hunting me now?" You blurt out, wanting this to already be over.

"I could smell the scent of him even a block away. He's been patrolling your apartment all night." Your stomach drops. You can't believe you didn't pick that up. What lousy Slayer skills you have in comparison, you're suddenly very grateful to have Constantine on your side. Even if he is an asshole most of the time.

"Right. So...what do we do?" It's the only thing to say at this point.

"First off, I don't want you anywhere at night alone, you got that?" You can tell Constantine is going into protector mode as he talks, his voice stern and his face gravely serious. You nod.

"Second, Neo gave me some runes and tools to try out. From his research, it seems that these should work for warding off vampires and evil presences. We'll start with that today, then head over to his place to do some more research." You feel better knowing Constantine has this planned out.

You trust him enough to keep you safe, especially since his saving of your life is what your whole relationship is built on.

You two get started, etching runes and sigils in the wood work of the doorframes and floors. You pass smoldering herbs around the apartment, and take the time to say all the Latin spell work correctly. By the time you're done, the house smells wonderful and you feel a bit more at ease.

You change into a more acceptable outfit for a Slayer, consisting of thick blue jeans, and your signature black leather jacket. Your jacket, of course, has all you will need should you encounter another vampire. You made sure to packet properly this time. You hope you won't need to use it.

As soon as you're ready, Constantine takes you to Neo's place.

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Apartment wasn't really a good word to describe Neo's place. It was more of a hovel. It was cramped, and placed in the sub sub-basement of a real apartment complex. You were half sure it was only there for storage and somehow Neo had taken up residency without anyone's knowledge. He had it packed with computers and tech, the other half scribbled with sigils and runes across the walls. It was somewhere between a witchy tarot shop, and a one man internet cafe. The lights from his computer displays cast a neon green glow across the cramped hole, and you had to watch for stacks of old tomes as you walked in behind Constantine.

Like Constantine, Neo loved cigarettes, one hanging out of his mouth, one behind his ear at the ready. He leaned back in his computer chair, looking at the two of you with deep bags under his eyes but a grin on his face. He looked like he needed a month's worth of sleep and a clean shave at the very least, his stubble's shadow well past 5 o'clock.

"Hello, hello, my Slayer friends...what brings you here this afternoon..." He yawns between a few words, stretching and standing from his chair to greet you.

"Same as last night." Constantine says gruffly, he's never really had the time for Neo's antics.

"Ah, yes. Baba Yaga..." He says with fake fright of the name. "What do you wish to know?"

"How to get rid of him!" You speak up, more than ready to find a solution to all of this.

"Hmm...and what do you mean by that? You want to know how to kill him? Stake through his heart, you know that much, Slayer." He chides you and makes a 'tutting' noise.

Constantine slams a hand down on his desk.

"You know what she means, now what else have you found out about the bastard? I didn't pay you to work all night for nothing." He growls, but keeps his teeth at bay. He's not ready to get completely on Neo's bad side.

"Alright, alright." Neo lifts his hands up in defense, and continues. "I found only one other slayer who had come in contact with him and lived."

"And..?" You don't think your eyes could get bigger, you look at Neo with such hope for a good answer.

"And...they're dead now. Not from John Wick however, natural causes..." Neo gives the bad news with sympathy.

"Great, so you've learned nothing." Constantine grumbles and takes out his own cigarette to anxiously and stoically light.

"Not nothing." Neo informs. "I think from my research I may have found some field notes about the encounter. It seems that Wick had hunted this slayer, but was finally deterred from killing them. I have no clue how, but supposedly I know a guy who might just have that journal. It seems the other Slayer was really big on keeping notes, thank god..."

Constantine seems to have simmered down with that reveal, blowing out a long held puff of smoke.

"Alright, so who's got the notes?" You ask, once again starting to feel hopeful about the whole situation.

"Kevin Lomax." As soon as Neo utters the name, Constantine is swearing again.

"Not goddamn Kevin fucking Lomax..." He grumbles as he begins to put on his trenchcoat.

"You know the guy?" You ask quizzically.

"Know him? I've tried to slay his demon ass for the past ten years. Fucker always gets the better of me..." He's already headed out the door, tossing Neo a money clip as he goes.

"Hey! Wait up!" You say, quickly headed for him as he continues to curse this Kevin Lomax character under his breath.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Midnight's bar was somewhere Constantine has banned you from, both verbally and with the bouncer. You'd tried before to go and found yourself more than embarrassed when the bouncer laughed at you. Constantine scolded you, telling you it was no place for a slayer so young. You knew this is where the best tips came from though, and were eager to get a look inside.

As Constantine walked up to the bouncer, he held a card, not facing the two of you. Constantine clearly spoke what was on the other side of the card, he was so much better than you at using his slayer powers. When the bouncer tried to stop you at the door, Constantine stepped in.

"She's with me."

"Alright, you sure she's ready to head in there?" He asked, looking you up and down with a face of disbelief.

"She's going to have to be, no other choice..." Constantine said simply, and the bouncer nodded, on to better things.

The bar was seedier than you imagined. You walked in, and saw so many different types of supernatural's mingling. You were surprised that they were allowed to coexist here. You spotted demons, horns and tails all out in the open, greedily drinking at the bar. Angel's sat next to them, soft feathery wings flapping gently as they spoke. Vampire's danced and a few turned to look at you, smelling the air as you walked in.

"Is it safe for me to be here...?" You asked, now seeing why Constantine didn't want you to come earlier.

"There is a strict rule of peace here. That doesn't mean a demon or a vampire couldn't tempt you into saying 'yes' to whatever sick ideas they cook up." He says over his shoulder at you as he walks.

"So if they say yes..." You say as you eye a vampire slowly draining a young angel in a dark corner of the bar.

"Then you're free game." Constantine says with distaste for the sight you're looking at.

"Oh..." You say nothing else and follow him into a back room.

He goes through velvet doorways until he comes to one with the words "Mr. Lomax" printed on them in gold. It must be his office.

Constantine pounds on the door.

When it opens, you're surprised to see that the demon is younger, maybe early thirties by his look. He's well dressed, a black, expensive looking suit with snake skin cowboy boots as well. He smiles widely, a toothpick hanging out of his mouth.

"Well, howdy there Constantine, come for another round?" His speech is filled with a southern drawl, the sound warm and full. He seems cocky, especially with how he meets Constantine.

"Not now, Lomax." Constantine seems put out by the demon. "I've come to ask you a favor."

"A favor! Out of my dear old slayer friend? From little ol' me? Why...I never!" He sure was dramatic. He really was ready to make this hard on Constantine.

"It's not for me, it's for her." Constantine nods to you, and you see the demon's eyes run across your body. You shiver as your mind finds itself fantasizing about what's under that suit of his, then shake it off, knowing his black eyes are making the thoughts dance around in your pretty little head.

"Well, anything for a pretty woman such as yourself, darlin'..." He winks and let's the two of you into his office.

It's black, with shades of brown and red sometimes making it into the design. Gold accents any metal and you get the sense Mr. Lomax enjoys the finer things in life. You sit down next to Constantine in chairs across the desk. The demon props those cowboy boots up on the desk and leans back in his chair, hands behind his head.

"Well, what can Mr. Lomax do for you?" He says, seeming relaxed and cocky.

"We have the need for a journal. I know you love collecting different magical items, and I heard you might have it." Constantine speaks as if he's playing a game of poker with the other man, never quite letting him see everything.

"And what journal might that be?" Mr. Lomax raises an eyebrow and chews thoughtfully on his toothpick.

"That of a slayer who had an encounter with John Wick." Constantine says carefully, unsure if he is giving away too much.

"Please tell me you haven't gotten mixed up with thee John Wick, Constantine..." The demon sits up, taking his feet off the desk and leaning in with concern. He puts the toothpick down in a nearby golden ashtray.

"We just need the journal." Constantine tries not to get off topic.

The demon then looks at you, and looks back at Constantine, then doubles back to you. A grin swipes across his face. He slaps his knee and laughs.

"Don't tell me...SHE'S got John's attention!" Kevin laughs and Constantine says nothing. "She DOES! Oh my..."

Mr. Lomax looks at you with pity.

"Oh, dear. You've barked up the wrong tree, one that you can't even see what lurks at the top, haven't you?" He scans your face with interest. "Of course Wick is after you, you look just like her..."

He says the last part softly then sighs. Constantine seems to be getting irritated by the whole thing.

"Look, we need the book. That's all. Not your commentary." Constantine's words are pointed.

"Constantine...you'll need more help than just a book. Let me see what I can do for you." Suddenly, the devilish man is much softer as he speaks.

He picks up his phone and rings for someone, then when they answer, asks for the journal to be brought. He sets the phone down carefully and looks at the two of you with concern.

"It won't be easy, what you're going to need to do, darlin'..." He addresses you again, his hands neatly folded on the dark, wooden desk.

"And what is that...?" You say with confusion, glancing at Constantine for help, but he's lighting another cigarette angrily.

"Well, you'll have to find his soft spot. But doing that to someone like John Wick is no easy task." He seems to be trying to gently tell you.

"What are you on about? Just get it out!" You've become fed up with the games and running about. You want to know how to defeat John Wick and now!

"Well, my dear...You'll have to seduce him." He says plainly with a sigh, as if there's no other answer.

"SEDUCE him? What kind of advice is that!" you spit, throwing your hands in the air. "Oh yes, let me go ahead and seduce thee Baba Yaga!"

You say the last part with sarcasm that could rival Constantine's, and they both look at each other before Constantine sighs.

"I was afraid this might happen..." He starts, smoke slipping out of his lips slowly.

"What!" You look at him with fury, your face reddening. "You're kidding me, you knew??"

"When I found out it was John Wick, and he had let you go...well, I had heard of this happening before, but only under one circumstance." Constantine says, his voice regretful from not confiding in you sooner.

"And that is?" You growl back at him, still so confused and angry.

Before he can respond, there is a knock at the door, and Mr. Lomax gets up to answer. A young woman hands him a book and he thanks her with a smile. He turns back to you two, holding up the book.

"This might answer your question... It's the diary of Elena, a once fellow slayer..." He says, holding out the book to you. "Flip until you find the photos..."

You do so and you heart drops. You look up at the two men, more confused than ever before, staring back down at the picture when they offer you nothing. What you see is, well, yourself.

That is to say, if you had been photographed in the late 1800s. And when you turn the page, there you are again, in a different decade. It continued on, until the last one, in the 90s. It could have been your mother, or a sister you didn't know you had, the women all looked so close to you. But you had never seen any of them in your life. What was this supposed to mean?

"I don't..." You start, then look up again to see the pity in both men's eyes, Constantine's more than just pitiful, but frightened as well.

"Do you believe in reincarnation, darlin'?" Mr. Lomax speaks, being able to break the news to you better than Constantine could ever.

"You've got to be kidding!" You say, standing without realizing it, completely in disbelief.

"Afraid not..." Mr. Lomax clears his throat before continuing. "You see, John Wick once took a wife. Her name was Helen. They lived a life of happiness, or so I've heard. That was until she was taken from him."

"And then what? She's just been reincarnating since?" You still can't believe what's being shared with you, and Constantine stands to steady you, your body shaking without realizing.

"Yes..." Constantine's rough voice whispers next to you. "And now that he's found you again, he won't let up until he has you..."

"But why would he want to harm me if that's true?" You say softly, looking back down at the photographs.

"A life of eternal pain and damnation can drive a man mad..." Mr. Lomax begins. "Believe me, I know."

You feel yourself sinking into Constantine deeper as the reality of all of this hits you harder. His body is lean, and chillier than you expected. He wraps an arm around your waist and holds you up.

"So, you're serious then. I have to seduce him and find his weak spot..." You whisper to no one in particular, your thoughts running from your mouth.

"If you need any help figuring out how to seduce a man, I am always at your service..." Kevin smiles and winks once more and Constantine shoots him a glare that could kill.

"Thank you for your help, but we will be on our way." Constantine said through gritted teeth as his hands moved to your shoulders to guide you out.

"Suit yourself! You were more than welcome to join in, Connie!" Kevin calls from his desk, once again alluding his incubus tendencies.

You two are already out the door however, and Constantine is grumbling about how he could kill "that idiot" in a heartbeat. You vaguely wonder about their history, but are more preoccupied with your place in all this.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Constantine drops you back off at your apartment, and of course, goes off on his own to try and figure all of this out. You're not surprised he thinks you're too fragile to bring with him, but you wish he would let you handle your own fate a bit more. You also wish he wouldn't leave you alone right now when you need him so much. You wish you could tell him how deeply you feel for him, and how safe he makes you feel, but that's not something you think you can talk about with him. You're scared, and worst of all, you're scared if you show it too much and lean too heavy on him, Constantine might just run off. You know in your heart it's unlikely, but any attempt you'd made in the past to get close to him than the arms length he keeps you at, has been met with a frosty nature.

You sigh, trying to get your mind off Constantine.

You end up at your computer desk, your desk lamp illuminating the journal, and you begin to look into what Elena may be able to tell you...

"October 24th, 1992.

My heart is beating so fast, even now, as I write this. I know what I am doing is wrong, but John is irresistible. That man, no monster, has overtaken my mind, body, and soul. I feel such a deep connection with him, and I know Slayer's are not to mingle with the creatures they're supposed to kill, but how could I not?

He floods my mind, even when I sleep, and I dream of being her once more. The real Helen, the Helen that John originally fell in love with. That's the only reason he continues to torment me as such. If only there were a way to exorcise her spirit from my body, or split our souls from one another. I wonder still, if he would have nothing to do with me after, or if he can truly love the me I really am..."

You feel chills run down your spine. You wonder if Helen had the right idea. Are you two souls fused as one? Or are you simply Helen's soul that has forgotten where she came from? You wonder if Neo would be able to help with this at all, but read on nonetheless.

" October 27th, 1992.

My worst fears have come true. John feels for me, my soul, my mind, nothing. He only desires to break into my mind to restore his former love, Helen, into me. I feel so used. But I still feel love for him all the same and it hurts even more to know this. I need to talk to someone who knows about all this past life stuff, then maybe I can find my answers.

Either way, he beckons me, every night polluting my dreams with promises of love that I know are not true.

I need to speak with Helen. "

You wonder if John plans the same with you, and you feel sick. How easy it has been for him to play with you. And you have done nothing to stop it.

You go to the last entry.

"October 31th, 1992.

I held a mirror in front of the candle, just like the old witch informed me to do. I watched as the light flickered over my face, and finished the incantation she had told me. What I saw frightened me to my core. I saw my face change, subtly, then all at once I was someone else. Someone who was breathing different breaths, and thinking different thoughts. I called out to her, and asked her what she wanted from me.

She said "Do not be led into temptation, for my husband's heart hath grown wicked with grief and time. Save him, or save yourself. You cannot do both in this lifetime..."

I chose to save myself."

You stare at the page, then reread it to make sure you've truly understand what's being said. You wonder what she could have meant, and something deep inside of you stirs, it already knows.

You must decide the same for yourself.

Your curtains flutter at your window, and you feel a pull in your heart. You walk slowly over, peeking out into the cold night, and you know he's calling you. He can feel it, the part of you that's awakening after so long. And he wants you all the more for it. You gaze out into the darkness, and think you see the shape of him, of glowing red eyes that watch you with a thirst that's been building for ages. When you look deeper, you can only see shadows, and John's presence in your mind fades and dulls, but doesn't vanish.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

That night, you dream of him. His hands are on your body, but they don't take from you. They touch you softly, sweetly, and when you moan, it is in her voice. You see the memory, and see how different John used to be. His face holds no darkness, only love, and he whispers such sweet things to you as he kisses up your body. You don't feel the terror in your flesh as you did the night you met him. Instead you feel a love that seals up that hole inside of you. You've been searching for this your whole life. That's why you never ended up with anyone else, you couldn't. Not when half of your heart was taken by another. Not when her half of you will always be in love with John.

You dream of tenderness and light filled touches, and when you awaken, you feel so confused on what you're supposed to do.

You know John Wick is not going to go back to that, not easily at least.

And a part of you feels guilty for how much you wanted that feeling, that feeling of being so wanted and loved by John, when you know you also love another. You lay there in bed, contemplating what to do.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You go to Neo on your own. He's the only person you know who wouldn't question your morality on the matter. You arrive at his apartment once more, and he looks you over with curiosity.

"You're different." He says plainly, eyes searching over your body.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Your hands cross over your chest as you ask.

"Nothing." he starts with a raised eyebrow. "Or maybe everything depending on your view."

"I don't have time for games, Neo. Please just help me with what I called you about." Your anxiety rises by the minute, and you start to feel like Constantine the way you're short with Neo right now.

"It's just...your aura's different." He keeps inspecting you and you remember that he is, indeed, apart of a long line of witches. "It's as if there's two colors dancing for dominance right now."

"I think I can guess why..." You say, looking to the floor as your fears are being realized.

"Ah, yes. The reincarnation you talked about on the phone..." Neo looks about his computer, the stands, trying to find something specific in his room.

"Here, come, sit..." He motions to a small table topped with a velvet cover.

You sit in a chair that's since better days, and finally Neo returns, sitting next to you. He lights a candle in the middle of the table and pulls out a deck of cards.

"I said I don't want to play any more games-" You begin, and Neo cuts you off with a look.

You keep your mouth shut and wait for him to help you. He lights a stick of incense, the smell deep and warm, you watch as he waives it across the deck, then himself, then you. You don't question him this time.

He whispers something to the deck, then knocks on it three times. He closes his eyes and speaks to you.

"I want you to think about what answer you're looking for. Think on it long and hard, and I will channel the answer for you." He seems so different than the computer nerd you're used to seeing. You're surprised by his skill.

You consider things carefully, then begin to think of your question. Neo waits, and finally he pulls some cards and places them around the candle.

"She wants you to know that if you're willing, she is as well." He mutters, and you listen carefully, the candle flickering as he speaks.

"That if it's love you seek, you may find it within him, but she can sense your heart feels safe elsewhere as well."

"You will have to make a choice, do you desire to be loved for an eternity, an immortal love that lives on within you. Or are you ready to break the tie and go forward on a new path with a love you may not know has bloomed or not."

You consider the words, and you feel just as lost as when you walked in. You know you should listen right now, but you have to speak.

"Please, Helen if that's you, I don't know what to do here..."

Neo's voice changes, and you feel as if Helen herself is speaking to you now.

"I am a drift, caught between the living and dead, my spirit living on within you, as a part of you. Some of you is me, and some of you is all the choices you've made in this life, all the mistakes and right things that have made you who you are. Please decide if you are ready to join as one and go forward, or if you wish to sever my connection to you so that you may be free. I cannot go on in this limbo, this purgatory, no longer..."

The sadness in the voice is overwhelming, and you feel it in your own chest. You watch as Neo comes down from his channeling, and he looks at you gravely. He says nothing, but looks at the cards laid out before him.

"You are in for a hell of a time, kid." He says, shaking his head.

"I think I know what she wants from me..." You whisper out and Neo nods.

"You do. Now, tell me what you will choose." He looks at you, and you can tell he cares for your opinion the most.

"I am a slayer after all." (Slayer route.)

"I have always felt as if I was missing something." (Sacrifice route.)

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

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