#Jason will consider return for the next year

[nelkcats]

War Day

After Danny was crowned he decided that the truce party had to have a counterpart, after all ghosts became friends mostly through battles, and he assumed that one day letting them fight wouldn't be a bad thing, it might even help stir up some grudges.

This was how High King Phantom, ruler of the infinite realms inaugurated the long-awaited "Day of War" or just "War Day", a moment when the Infinite Realms naturally became chaotic; alliances were allowed but it was not advisable to trust on them.

And of course, you were free not to participate, you just had to put a blue or green band on your arm, or a little green clock in the backyard of your haunt so the ghosts would leave you, your haunt or your territory in general alone.

Danny thought of it as some kind of giant paintball day, only with no paintballs and full of aggressive ghosts with various powers, it was especially exciting since everyone knew there would be no hard feelings after it and they would end up in the king's palace eating sweets as little children.

They usually celebrated it on a day close to any celebration related to death in human world, when their powers were especially powerful and therefore everyone could have more fun.

The problem was that since Danny had human friends (liminals?) who came to play, they didn't really consider it weird when some humans fell into the realms by a natural portal, and since they weren't wearing any blue or green arm bands they were definitely in the game.

For their part, the family of bats along with some League allies found themselves literally standing on a field of war where everyone seemed to be going for the kill, Jason was strangely excited about it, as was Damian.

When Dick asked one of the locals for an explanation, a guy on a motorbike threw him into the air laughing and yelled "LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!"

[smolbird]

Bruce is insecure about his position in his family.

The seed was planted from the beginning, when he first met Dick and was turned down as a father.

At that time, he himself didn't think it was a big deal. Dick is a traumatized kid who has yet to know him. But as the time passed, it became something Bruce would lie awake thinking about. Should he ask again? Would Dick be mad if he did?

And then Dick leaves.

That cements it in Bruce's heart. He isn't Dick's father, and his relationship with Dick is dependent on they being Batman and Robin.

Because he was not a good enough Batman, he lost Robin, and with Robin, Dick too is gone.

Next, Jason. Bruce has a new son, one that is legally his. This time I will do everything right, he swore. Then Jason is gone.

When Jason returns, he refuses to return to Bruce because he was such a failure as Batman.

Tim came to Bruce because of Batman. Tim wants Batman and never Bruce.

Even when Tim's parents are being awful. Even when Tim needs a parent, Bruce will never be a choice Tim considers. That much was clear.

Tim admired Batman but never wanted anything to do with Bruce.

Cassandra is his daughter. She even seems to like being his daughter. But with how low the bar for her father's position is, he can't help thinking about how she would want to leave him too when she knows better.

At least there is no way she can find a better Batman, even if she finds a better father.

Damian is his biological son. Damian is proud of that fact. He feels like he should be more secure in his position as Damian's father, but he just can't. Dick is a better father to Damian than he is. He can see it. Everyone can see it. Day after day, he feels like he's losing Damain's respect little by little, each time he can't understand him or be at ease with him like Dick. To make it worse, Damian's Batman is Dick before Bruce. Damian sees Batman as something great, and Bruce is Batman, but he is still not Damian's Batman.

He doesn't know what he would do if one day Damian looked at his version of Batman and found it lacking.

Batman needed to be perfect or he would lose his family.

(If he ever told his children about this, they would scream for hours about how false it was. For years, they have seen Bruce as their father. For years, they desperately wanted Bruce to be a father before Batman. But Bruce doesn't know.)

[nyerusnova]

Glad to see that Tim being a giant Dick Grayson fanboy is finally being highlighted again, and sparking more discussion especially on their early relationship! (Please gimme more!!! I love them so much, augh!)

Probably as a result of that surge, there seems to be reciprocal chatter on the topic of how young Tim actually felt towards Jason, too. It's honestly pretty interesting, because it's more nuanced than it appears at first glance.

Which means it's very fun to dissect! ✨

There's a degree of subjectivity to keep in mind, because readers are going to have different interpretations of the same scenes, or will pull from entirely different scenes than one another to form their individual view on this topic. That's just how it is in comic book fandom, for many things! Regardless, in this case... if the scale ranges from the extreme of "Jason was Tim's Robin" to the other extreme of "Tim actually hated Jason [as Robin] or thought he was a loser that got himself killed" — the actual truth is closer to the middle, as is often the case.

At least, in my opinion.

Mainly I want to focus on those relatively early days with this post, to highlight Tim's initial(-ish) feelings towards his heroes, and touch on the point at which they really begin to change. This turned into a very long post, though. Brevity is beyond my skill, so grab snacks and water lol. Transcripts for each image will be posted at the very end under the cut.

So, the two storylines I want to cover are "Rite of Passage," which is rolls into "Identity Crisis." (NOT to be confused with the major crossover event "Identity Crisis™" which came years later, and is where Jack Drake dies.... But it sure is an interesting coincidence that Tim deals with the loss of each parent in two similarly named stories!) These take place before Tim is even Robin, and I'll be considering them as one arc for this post.

Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 (July, 1990) -- Pages 1 & 2

"When Gotham needed him, he was there. When the Batman needed him, he was there. He was a hero."

"One day, I'll be as good as Jason. One day I'll wear the suit."

To start off, we have this opening from "Rite of Passage." Tim is still in training here, mainly helping Bruce with minor stuff from the cave. His parents are off traveling, alive and well as of these next few pages. He's still bright-eyed and full of wonder. An extraordinarily weird but ultimately innocent kid.

So his view on Jason is positive and fairly simple: a hero, and someone to look up to as Robin. Clearly, Tim here doesn't think Jason was deficient in his role, either as a protector of Gotham or as Batman's trusted partner.

Moreover, Tim already held Dick in very high regard because he was amazingly skilled before he became Robin. To Tim, that's not something he'll ever be able to achieve. Meanwhile, Jason wasn't like that. He was a regular kid without crazy acrobatic training since practically birth. Yet he still went on to be a hero—which is obviously motivational for Tim who finds himself in similar shoes.

It's true that Tim only ever knew or thought of Jason as Robin, and idolized him in that regard. But that's kind of all that mattered to him at that point, because he was this kid who was utterly star-struck by his heroes. Even if he's technically aware of their shortcomings as people, it's overshadowed by the hero-worship.

It was kind of the same with Bruce as Batman at first. (Which was still enough for Tim to risk life and limb to help his beloved hero, before Bruce even knew his name.) Dick was the only one Tim had any sort of "personal" relationship with beforehand, so there is an extra level of attachment—and hence why it was the nidus for his obsession with Batman. Yet even then, it wasn't like he actually knew anything about Dick as a person until later. Until then, Tim's ideas of him were all he had, too. With Jason, Tim just didn't get to know him at any point before his return (oof), apart from what he heard over the years secondhand (also oof).

Ultimately, it's the loss of innocence—along with the ricocheting bullet that is the unresolved guilt of those around him—that begins to change Tim's perception. Not just of Jason, but of things in general.

Batman vol. 1 #455 (Oct., 1990) -- Page 13

"I know why they do it now. Why they put on the suits, and the masks, and go out into the night. They're angry, they're full of rage. They want to hit back."

Losing his mother was a major shift for Tim, obviously. This is right after the previous storyline, and Tim's had the worst week or two of his life (so far). His monologue here is a reference to what happened to both Dick and Jason. The unbearable pain of loss, the rage masking the grief underneath. And importantly, that he feels both of them were justified in their anger. (And Bruce too, indirectly.)

The major theme of the aptly named "Identity Crisis" is to mirror aspects of Dick and Jason and Tim's lives—to show how they converged onto the same tragic road. It's something that Tim notices early in the story, and was frightened by. Now, horrifically, it's become a part of him as well. His parents are gone, and he was entirely helpless to do anything about it. Dick was the same way, Jason was the same way. The cycle is repeated.

In particular, the part about him wanting to go to Haiti for revenge—for his mother—sort of struck me as being an intentional parallel to Jason and Ethiopia. It's a bit of a stretch, especially in isolation, so others may see it differently (e.g. the angry ramblings of a grieving child that does sound like something anyone might say). But it always stuck out to me because of how much Tim is compared directly to Jason in this arc. More on that below.

It's not something I can really give an accurate feel of because it's a lot of subtle things that begin to add up, so I'd encourage folks to read this arc themselves to see what I mean. (Or maybe you'll still disagree which is fine too lol.) Again, many things are in reference to both Dick and Jason in relation to Tim, but it's weighted more on Jason's side.

Batman vol. 1 #455 (Oct., 1990) -- Page 18

"You think my anger will boil over, the way Jason's did. I can assure you, it won't!"

Tim's grief has begun to pull away the veil of idealism that enshrouded his heroes in his mind. It doesn't apply only to Jason, but to the rest of them. Plus add the fact that Tim's keenly aware that he's being managed, even if the adults around him are careful to not outright say certain things. He still knows.

Bruce, Dick, and Alfred are all worried about Tim potentially turning into "another Jason." They (and mainly Bruce) caution Tim to not ignore his emotions, but they're still concerned that he may be overly eager to prove himself in order to cope, and could get hurt or killed as a result. While they aren't wrong for their caution—especially at how unsettlingly similar all the circumstances are—they aren't very subtle about the elephant in the room.

Imagine how that would affect Tim's perception of his predecessor, especially when he's in the midst of a traumatic event he hasn't had time to fully process. The negative association is pretty much inevitable.

Tim's known from day one that he's walking in Jason's shadow, and now it's become inescapable. Tim went from seeing Jason as a goal to reach, to feeling that unless he surpasses him, he wasn't going to be taken seriously by anyone. However, as of this arc, Tim doesn't even fully come to that point yet.

Batman vol. 1 #456 (Nov., 1990) -- Pages 14 & 15

"Drop-outs don't make it. And dead heroes are no use to anyone!"

It's really easy to take away "Tim totally thought Jason got himself killed" as the main thing here, but I think that's missing the forest for the trees.

First some context: Bruce has gone out on a mission to get Scarecrow, and expressly forbade Tim from doing any shenanigans. Meanwhile, Tim is grappling with wanting to prove himself and trying to help Bruce from the cave, all while trying to deal with his emotions. At some point, he falls asleep and ends up having like... exhaustion-grief hallucinations of Dick!Robin and Jason!Robin who confusingly caution yet encourage him. The main theme of this part is facing your fears.

Depending on how you want to interpret the intent of Jason's dialogue here, you could go several ways with it. Ranging from "writer's feelings towards Jason" to "a peek into Tim's mind as his fears manifest as visions of his heroes" or some mixture thereof.

Though Tim argues with Bruce that Batman needs a Robin, we're shown that Tim is understandably scared of joining Batman's "war." He's still not willing to let Bruce go it alone, though, and that's something he feels more strongly than his fear.

Meanwhile, hallucination!Jason's warnings are a lamentation of what happened to him in a way, but it actually exactly describes Tim's current situation even more so. Unlike Jason, Tim is under-trained, under-experienced, doesn't even have a suit of his own yet. But like Jason, he can't sit by and do nothing while someone he cares about is in danger. Tim knows that if he goes out there, he will probably get himself killed, and it will be his own fault. So he's about to disobey Batman's orders, and fly right into danger. If that got Jason killed, then Tim—who is in a way worse position experience-wise—has every chance of ending up the same.

Like... it's about Jason, but it's also about Tim. It's Tim's worst fears made manifest, via the representation of why he is even here in the first place (Jason's death).

That's my theory anyway, but perhaps this is an overly charitable reading of this scene on my end. (Not that I think that makes me wrong lol.) However given that Grant wrote both parts of this arc, and the beginning of which is especially favorable towards Jason, it certainly is something to ponder. I have a lot of thoughts on it I can't expand on here tbh but perhaps that'll be another post.

Anyway, returning to the point of the similarities vs differences between Tim and Jason: since this is the arc that solidified Tim as the next Robin in comic continuity, it makes sense that the writers really pushed the comparisons between the two of them, specifically. (Even though Dick was pretty similar, as going against Batman's orders is the Robin thing to do, it's not his shoes Tim is directly filling.) So making Tim's "debut" story arc mirror Jason's "swansong" is an obvious narrative choice.

To drive home the parallels, I wanted to include this panel from just a few pages prior to the "daydream":

Batman vol. 1 #456 (Nov., 1990) -- Page 9

"The suit is magic."

That so distressingly close to Jason's famous "being Robin gives me magic" line (Batman #385, page 6). Given all the previous context, it's hard for me to just dismiss it as pure coincidence. Even if it is, the point still stands. Tim is shown having the some of the same heartbreakingly naive views as Jason once did, right in front of Jason's memorial, just as he's about to go and run off into the night against orders.

I think that speaks for itself. There's a lot to take away from it, if you so choose. Especially given the context of that specific Jason arc.

Alright, back to the main course:

So in the end, Tim actually goes out in civvies and a ski mask because if he fails, then at least he wouldn't bring shame to Robin's legacy™. When he gets fear gassed saving Batman, it's once again both Dick and Jason that he hallucinates encouraging him to push past his fear. (Shout out to the fact that he's literally more afraid of tarnishing the legacy of Batman & Robin than he is of dying.... I'm sure this will not be a recurring thing for him in the future.)

Tim's ideology is shown to be similar to Jason's, and the actions Tim ultimately takes are similar to Jason's... but the outcome is different. And it really isn't just "Tim succeeded where Jason failed." At least, that's not what I took away from this. Rather, Tim had no reason to succeed any more than he had to fail, just that he did. Luck combined with caution because he knew what happened to his predecessor, and the fact that Batman was there to finish the job all made the difference.

You could say (and I know some will) that it's just classic Jason character assassination and the writers trying to implore readers that this new kid is different we promise pls don't hate us look how much better he is! But in this case, that feels like it undermines the whole point of this story. It doesn't fit with what the characters actually say.

Thus, we return to the question of how Tim felt towards his predecessor. And the answer is different from where we started, because Tim is different. Not that different though. Because even though at this point Tim—like all the adults around him—has probably attributed Jason "going off on his own" being what led to his death, Tim still thought of him as a hero to look up to. It's about Robin, first and foremost, yes. But Tim is fully aware of the people who made that suit mean what it does, because it's all intertwined.

Batman vol. 1 #457 (Dec., 1990) -- Page 20

"I mean--Dick made it into a symbol the whole world knows. Jason gave his life for it."

Even further, Tim thinks of it in terms of Jason having given his life for what he believed in, for the legacy that now falls to Tim. There's a sense of gravitas there. He's afraid of failing both the Robins who came before him.

Ultimately do I think Tim adored and loved Jason on the same level as Dick or something? No. It's not comparable. (Dick was like part of some of Tim's earliest memories and everything! They have a really unique bond ok.) Yet Tim was also far from thinking poorly of Jason so early on. Frankly, it seems that Tim thought of Jason as a noble hero and a cautionary tale. Yes he took risks and sometimes went too far, generally stuff that Tim doesn't want to repeat and all that. At the same time, Tim still saw him as someone whose legacy and memory was worth honoring.

It's complicated, which is why I like it so much—because it feels real. Having conflicting feelings towards someone is... so human. Especially someone you never got to know, yet who plays such an integral role in your life via the shadow of their death. How can you feel anything but complicated towards them?

It has to be said that, yes, Tim's views—even before Jason's return—change over the years. He becomes more jaded as a person and is surrounded by people who are even more jaded than him... and who often mention Jason as the "failed Robin." It's something that's hung over Tim's head all the damn time. The curse of the Robin mantle.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Tim's idea of him becomes more akin to "sounds like a skill issue" as the years go by. All bets are off after Jason's return, and the Titans Tower Incident™. At that point it's firmly "I am better than you, loser" lmao.

And... that's all without getting too into things like authorial intent and general "moods" of different DC writers towards Jason at a given point. Or retcons that played a role in his characterization and how other characters talk about him, depending on what "era" you're reading. That's way beyond the scope of this post though!

TLDR; even though young Tim Drake was obsessed with Dick Grayson as Robin, he still looked up to Jason Todd as well. He didn't think of Jason as a cringefail loser until later. :)

(image dialogue transcripts under cut ↓)

Dialogue Transcript for Image 1 (Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 -- Page 1):

Narration box (Tim): When Gotham needed him, he was there. When the Batman needed him, he was there. He was a hero.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 2 (Detective Comics vol. 1 #618 -- Page 2):

(Scene continued from previous page)

Narration box: But he was nothing special, really. Just a boy, who was taught--trained--brought to his full potential by someone who knew how. Just a boy... like me. I know I can do it. I know I can. One day I'll be as good as Jason. One day I'll wear the suit. One day I'll be a hero.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 3 (Batman vol. 1 #455 -- Page 13):

Tim: I hate him! I hate him! I know why they do it now. Why they put on the suits, and the masks, and go out into the night. They're angry. Full of rage. They want to hit back. They want to fill the hole that's burning inside them.

Bruce: There's more to it than that, son. Much more.

Tim: I know. It's just--I feel--like going to Haiti myself and strangling that creep with my bare hands!

Bruce: The Obeah Man will spend the rest of his life in a prison hospital. He's history. Forget him! But don't fight against your anger. It's natural. Accept it. Live with it. One day it'll be your friend.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 4 (Batman vol. 1 #455 -- Panels from page 18):

Tim: Because you think my mother's death has upset me too much. Well, it did. But I've taken your words to heart. I can cope. You think my anger will boil over, the way Jason's did. I can assure you, it won't. But that doesn't make any difference, does it? Why can't you have a little faith in me?

Dialogue Transcript for Image 5 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Page 14):

Narration box (Tim): Blast it! My head's starting to swim. I'm about ready to give up. I almost wish I'd never heard of Batman and Robin!

Vision Dick: Heroes never give up, Tim.

Vision Jason: You know that.

Tim: Dick--! Jason Todd!

Vision Dick: You're training to fight in a war, Tim. It'll last all your life. No matter what, you have to go on fighting.

Vision Jason: Drop-outs don't make it. And dead heroes are no use to anyone! I thought I knew better than Batman. I thought I could run before I could walk. I killed myself, Tim. Because I couldn't wait. Because I couldn't think it through.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 6 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Page 15):

(Scene continued from previous page)

Vision Dick: Think, Tim. Concentrate!

Vision Jason: You can do it.

Both: You can do it!

Tim, waking up: What--? Robin...?

Narration box (Tim): I must have been daydreaming. They're right, though. There's a solution to everything. I can find it! So here I go again... Whim. Caprice. Doing something without forethought.

Dialogue Transcript for Image 7 (Batman vol. 1 #456 -- Panel from page 9):

Narration box (Tim): The suit is magic. It gives you power. It hides your weakness. It makes you give it everything you've got. It makes you a hero. If only I could!

Dialogue Transcript for Image 8 (Batman vol. 1 #457 -- Page 20):

Bruce: Are you afraid of it?

Tim: No. It isn't fear. It's more... the suit carries so much history. I mean--Dick made it into a symbol the whole world knows. Jason gave his life for it. Failing them--what they fought so hard to build--that's what worries me!

Bruce: I appreciate that, Tim. That costume weighs a whole lot more than any symbol should... and I'd be failing you if I expected you to bear that weight. So... let me know what you think.

Narration box: A mask has a double edged, he said. It hides your own anxiety as it strikes fear into your enemy.

[jiilll]

Pjo atla au! Was comtemplating on who should be the avatar and I went with nico just because he’s my fav. I feel like the au wont go exactly as the plot of atlau due do drastic changes like the air nomads never getting wiped off, given that the new avatar during kronos’ reign was from the earth kingdom, but i also didnt want the plot point of nico being the *last* earthbender because if i do expand on the au, id want some characters like hazel or grover to also be earthbenders (sue me for adjusting stuff to my liking), so lets just assume kronos didnt went as far as completely annihilating an entire race of benders cuz he thought the real avatar is already dead, and based on the cycle, the next avatar should be from the fire nation, and he probably would not destroy his own homeland, which leads to the next fire lord, zeus, sending jason to search for the supposedly 100 year old fire nation native avatar, that is until they eventually figured out nico’s status

Also! I thought about making jason an actual fire bender at first because, well, lightning. But i figured that in the hoo books, jason was more adept on the flying/sky/storm related aspects of zeus, so i thought, what if hes from the fire nation BUT an airbender? Boom.

And as for percy, hes kinda like an outcast after being banished from his tribe for practicing blood blending. Even if it was in an urgent scenario like the fire nation army attacking the place with no mercy. so he just wanders around until he eventually found nico. Certainly, if he helped the avatar in defeating their tyrant ruler, his tribe would let him return and be with his mom again right??? But maybe he should consider recruiting other people in team avatar eventually if him and nico kept getting chased around due to the big bounty on his head (other than the fact that he is with, literally, the avatar)

lmk if u want more of this au!

[chloe-skywalker]

Keeping Each Other's Secrets - Jason Dilaurentis

Jason x Fem!Reader

Ezra x sister Reader

Warnings: none

Word count: 548

Summary: Being Ezras younger sister and finding out about him and Aria. Well Aria finds out about you and Jason.

Masterlist

Pretty Little Liars Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Whens. Your. Sister. Coming Over?” Aria asked in between kisses.

“Around 5.” Exar answered.

Little did the couple know it was already 5 past 5. So when a knock sounded on the door it made both of them jump.

“What time is it?” Aria pushes him back a bit.

“5 past . Shit.” Eaxar curses.

“The knocks were a warning because I do in fact have a key.” Y/n walks in having used her own key when no one answered. Y/n smirked at seeing their predicament on the couch. “Maybe I should knock harder next time.”

“It’s not-” Aria stuttered but she couldn’t find the words for an answer.

“We weren’t -” Ezra was at a loss for an explanation as well, it’s exactly what it looks like.

“Look guys. I don’t care. If your both happy. And you treat her right.” Y/n pointed at her brother. “Then your secrets safe with me. Because I do imagine this is a secret. Right?” She asked about the obvious age difference.

“Yes.” Aria and Ezra answer at the same time.

“Okay. Just be more careful, k?” Y/n said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Y/n, Aria and Ezra spent the rest of the night hanging out and having fun.

^     ^     ^

“Where are we going Jason?” Y/n asked, confused.

“You’ll see.” Jason smiles excitedly.

“High School?” Y/n raised an eyebrow. “Wow, I haven't been in a highschool since I graduated.” She said looking around.

“That was like a year or two ago.” He laughs.

“Oh hush.” Y/n laughs as well. “But why are we here? It’s closed.”

“I have a key.” Jason dangled the keys before walking them in.

“Ah perk of working here I guess.” Y/n flicked her brows up nodding her head impressed he’d use his work key this way.

Jason led her to a door and opened it, as they walked through the doorway Y/n laughed.

“The pool.” Y/n turns to Jason with a mischievous look. “Oh I know that look, what do you have planned Mr. Dilaurentis?”

“Let’s go swimming.” He smirks, excited.

“I’m in.” Y/n smiled.

As the couple enjoyed their secret swim. Little did they know they were being watched. Aria had been sent to the school thanks to -A. Who wanted her to see her boyfriend's sister and Jason together.

^     ^     ^

“Hey Aria, what’s up?” Y/n was surprised to see her brother's girlfriend at her door.

“I have something I need to share with you.” Aria tells her as Y/n lets her into her home.

“Okay?” Y/n was deeply confused now.

“I know.” Aria gave her a serious look as they both sat facing each other on the couch.

“About what?” Y/n furrowed her brow, confused by what she could have met.

“You and Jason.” She clarified.

“oh…How?” Y/n nodded and then tilted her head curiously.

“I saw you both the other night at the high school.” Aria explained sheepishly.

“Oh, Aria-” Y/n was blushing now considering they were practically naked that night.

“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” Aria was returning the favor.

“Thank you.” Y/n smiled gratefully. “You wanna stay for pizza?” She asked.

“Absolutely.” Aria smiled, the two hanging out all night at Y/n’s place.

Taglist: @padawancat97

[markliving]

A KISS HEALS EVERYTHING

pairing: jason tood x reader

warnings: just fluff, mention of injuries but it's all fine. english is not my first language, so sorry if this have some errors

word count: 1076

masterlist

Jason was a strong man, not only because he was a tall person, but also because of everything he went through in his 23 years. However, it was strong, but not unbeatable. He had discovered this a long time ago, but he still preferred to pretend that nothing had happened, especially this time.

Alfred, however, upon receiving him last night with an open wound, considered serious, and several bruises on his body, made the young man spend the night at the mansion and called you, letting you know that your boyfriend, this time, was not returning to home and asked if you could stop by the mansion in the morning.

The morning after the incident, you entered the doors of the huge mansion, greeted by the butler and a small smile coming from the man. He knew that sooner or later you would arrive, after all, it was like that every time, and it was the only way he found to leave Jason, in some way, quiet.

Damian, who was sitting on the huge sofa in the living room, caressing Titus, after doing a trick that the boy was teaching him, smiled mischievously when he saw you. You were one of the few people that, apparently, he liked, leaving the other brothers a little jealous with the relationship that the two of you created in such a short time, which at first, according to Damian, was just to make fun of his older brother’s, but it became a brother and sister relationship between the two of you.

“Jason again, huh?” you stopped walking as soon as you heard the boy's voice and turned towards him, smiling. “I still wonder every day what it was you saw in him.”

“Love is something misunderstood” you replied, earning a laugh from the other.

You climbed the huge stairs, which led to the top floor, turned to the left side as soon as you reached the top, where there were the rooms of those who lived in the house and also those who had already left, but who were left exactly the way they came out. You went through the first door, which you knew was Tim's, and entered the second one, right next door.

The room was completely dark, the curtains closed, no lamps on, or cell phone lights. It was after ten in the morning, from what you remembered, and if you knew well, at that time Jason would be disturbing someone, you in this case, normally. Apparently Alfred had given him something strong.

“Jason” you called, approaching the bed and sitting on the edge. Now, accustomed to the darkness, you noticed that the man slept without his top on, showing the bandage around his stomach.

You had seen him like this several times, hurt, and every time it was heartbreaking. When you met the man, when he was still Robin, at school, you knew that despite his rogue appearance, Jason had a good heart. And as time passed, and he hadn't been kind to the boy at all, it only helped to confirm what you already thought.

“Jason” you called a little louder, receiving a groan of dissatisfaction from him.

You touched Jason's foot, about to shake it, but you were startled, as was Jason, who jumped when he felt a cold hand touch his foot.

“I thought you died” you commented, mocking the boy and mentally cursing him for the scare he had given you.

“Look who's talking, your hand looks just like one of them” he replied, shifting, sitting, in a position that didn't hurt his abdomen so much.

The night had been long. After spending more than an hour in the cave with Alfred patching him up and receiving a big lecture about how irresponsible he had been on patrol not only by the butler, but also by Bruce, who was looking at the scene in a bit of despair — he needed a very strong painkiller to get it close your eyes and sleep for a few hours, but you didn't count on Alfred calling you for some reason.

“Very funny you.” He showed his tongue. “How are you?” you asked him, worried.

Jason looked down at the bandages on his torso. He wishes he could say that he was used to bruises and the pain he felt, but it was a lie. It seemed that after the Lazarus pit, even though he had gained some resistance, each cut hurt more, not just physical pain, but mental pain, which as time went by was getting better.

"It doesn't hurt that much, I think the medicine is still working." He shrugged.

You climbed completely onto the bed and sat next to him, analyzing his features face to face. You knew it hurt like hell and that he just wanted to maintain his tough-guy pose, but you didn't care, after all, he was right there in front of you.

You were scared to death that one day, just like a few years ago, he would leave, and that feeling, which resided in your heart at times, only left when you heard Jason's voice in front of you, saying that he was fine and that Soon he would be home. But every time you get a call from a family member in the middle of the night, you're pretty sure your heart misses a few beats, and not in a good way.

“I'm sorry” Jason whispered, noticing the melancholy that surrounded you. “I'm sorry, I didn't want to worry you.” He placed one of his hands on his cheek, stroking the area in the form of comfort, receiving a smile in return.

“It's good to know you're okay, I almost had a meltdown when Alfred called me” you said, taking his free hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.

The two of you spent a few minutes looking at each other, trapped in your own thoughts, until Jason spoke again.

“You know... there's a place that's still hurting a lot.” He pouted, putting his plan into action, he knew that a real smile was about to leave your's lips.

“Where?” you frowned, starting to worry a little more.

“Here.” Without letting go of your hand, he brought your hand to his lips.

As soon as you realized what his deal was, you laughed out loud.

“Do you want a kiss to get better faster?” you asked and received a quick yes from Jason.

[klbwriting]

Not Romeo and Not Juliet

Chapter 1: Mingle Yarn

Fandom: Red Hood

Pairing: Jason Todd x f!reader

Warnings: fighting, mentions of broken bones and blood

Summary: Jason Todd was alive again. Not only that, but he was back in high school, living with Dick Grayson, and just trying to get by without anyone noticing him. That doesn't go as planned.

Notes: Here it is! Dueling prep schools! Enemies to Lovers! Theater Nerds! Shakespeare! A true rom-com! Jason as a senior and a theater kid! I'm messing with the canon immensely so let's just call this an AU or Elseworlds story where Jason was killed in a similar way to Under the Red Hood movie, but instead of the LoA going and getting him Dick has the falling out with Bruce over Jason's death and he goes to resurrect him without Bruce knowing. He takes Jason to live with him in Bludhaven and enrolls him in Bludhaven Prep so that he can readjust to living and to leaving Robin behind. I hope you enjoy!

The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together

— ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, ACT 4 SCENE 3

               “Jason, you have to get going or you’re going to be late,” Dick Grayson called through the apartment.  He knew Jason wasn’t exactly excited to start his senior year of high school and he couldn’t blame him if he was being honest.  Just a month ago Jason had been murdered by a clown and just a week ago he had been revived in a pit of green goo protected by assassins.  They had only agreed to let Dick revive him because they were the reason Jason was even killed in the first place, so it was honestly the least they could do.  Dick was still coming to terms with who came out of the pit, not Jason but not not Jason either.  While pre-Lazarus Pit Jason had been happy, funny, and kind of scrawny, this Jason was moody, stoic, and big.  He wasn’t sure how the 17-year-old had gone from around skinny 5’8 to a jacked 6’1 during a bath but it was what it was.  Now he was staying in Dick’s Penthouse in Bludhaven, Bruce had no idea he was alive, and he was starting his senior year at Bludhaven Prep and Dick was hoping getting him back out there with kids his own age would help him readjust to living again.  The therapist that Dick hired, the one Clark Kent recommended, had given approval for him to return, saying he was mentally able to be around others, but considering no one knew how the pit might affect him they would still be watching him closely.  Dick stood very still in the dining room, waiting until he heard feet stomping down the stairs from the loft area that Jason had taken as his room. 

               “I’m here, I’m here,” he grumbled, sitting down in front of the plate of eggs and bacon that Dick had made for him.  Jason took two bites and made a face.  “I am making breakfast from now on, this tastes like shit.”  Dick rolled his eyes as he watched Jason clean his plate of the ‘shit’.  “Why am I going to school again anyway?  Bruce pulled me out to be homeschooled when I was freshman.”

               “Ya Bruce also had you running around in tights and you’re not doing that anymore either.  At least not until we know that no side effects from the pit are going to cause problems,” Dick said, putting a bookbag on the chair next to Jason.  Jason glanced at the bag and then at Dick.  Dick was once again struck by how different Jason was, yet he could still see the kid Jason was in those eyes.  They weren’t same, they could never settle on what color they wanted to be, blue like before, green like the pit, even brown sometimes, a muddied version of the two.  But the vulnerability was there, even though Jason was desperately trying to hide it. 

               “Fine, I see your point,” Jason muttered, grabbing the backpack before heading to the bookshelf.  He grunted.  “You need better books, honestly, some actual literature would be nice.”  He gave up on finding something, grabbed his phone and took off towards Bludhaven Prep. 

               The car ride over was nice, then the rest of the day started.  Jason knew he was weird, new kid as a senior, eyes that didn’t know what they were, and that black hair with the one tuft of white streaking across the front.  He would be as rich as his big brother if he had a dollar for every time someone asked him about that during the first class alone.  By the time the day was over he was so tightly wound he wanted to bust.  It didn’t help that some football player had decided that Jason was going to be his target for the year.  It started with an ‘accidental’ tray drop at lunch that left yogurt and milk across his new sneakers.  Then in study hall a football to the back of the head.  Finally, what really broke Jason, was the walk from the front of the school to the back where the cars were lined up.  Jason was straggling, hoping that the jock would have gone first, and he might have peace, but no.  He started walking around the side of the school, no one around at first, when from the back came the jock and two friends.  The guy was cracking his knuckles like he was some gangster in a movie.  Jason rolled his eyes and dropped his bag, knowing where this was going. 

               “You seem to think you can just come in and take over my school,” the jock said.  Jason let out an annoyed breath.  He hadn’t spoken to a single person that, hadn’t raised his hand once, he had barely listened, why did the fact that he was an inch taller than this guy make the jock so insecure?  He didn’t want to deal with it.

               “Can you just try and hit me, and we can get this over with?” Jason asked.  The jock’s friends let out snorts of laughter and that seemed to enrage their leader, who threw a wild punch that Jason dodged easily and then Jason threw a jab right at the guy’s face.  He did forget that he was bigger now, stronger than before.  He was surprised by the blood, but the ear shattering crack of bone and the shriek that the guy let out did surprise him.  Jason took off, running around the back of the school and jumping into the car to get home.  Great, first day and he had probably just broken that guy’s eye socket.  He was getting expelled.  At least he wouldn’t have to wear the student uniform anymore. 

               By the time he got back Dick was already on the phone with the headmaster.  Dick pointed at the couch and Jason sat, not wanting to but he knew it was pointless to argue.  Dick had literally brought him back to life, he could sit there and take his punishment without argument.  He had just shattered a guy’s face; he probably deserved the tongue lashing.

               “-I understand but you have to remember that there were no cameras, no actual witnesses other than this Mr. Harrison’s friends, it seems like a he said, he said situation which will not make anyone on the school board happy.  Especially when I pull my funding for the new football stadium,” he said.  Jason rolled his eyes.  Dick had definitely graduated from the Bruce Wayne school for getting out of shit.  “Of course, I am glad that we could work this out.  And of course, any injuries will be taken care of, but no mention of who the fight was with?  Thank you so much for your discretion.”  Dick hung up and rounded on Jason.  “Care to explain?”

               “Some football asshole decided I was too tall for him,” Jason said.  Dick pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to remember why he had decided to take in a teenager.  “Did you have to break his orbital bone?”

               “I forgot about my biceps being the size of my head,” he mumbled.  Dick actually chuckled at that.  “He threw the first punch…”

               “You look uninjured…”

               “You think I would let an idiot like that hit me?” Jason looked shocked.  Dick sighed and looked at his watch.  Then at his phone clock, like it would be much different.

               “I am going to be late for my date with Barbara, stay here tonight, get your homework done, there’s food in the fridge and tomorrow we can talk about this more,” Dick said, buttoning his suit jacket and grabbing his wallet.  Jason just nodded, pulling out a book that he had gotten at the school library.  That at least had more options than Dick’s place.  Dick took one more glance at Jason before leaving. 

               Around 9PM Jason was starting to climb the walls.  He had this nervous energy and he didn’t know how to relieve it.  He tried to think of something.  Parkour?  No, he was angry.  Video arcade?  No, not enough movement.  Then he remembered the underground fights that he and Batman had once raised over in his old neighborhood, Crime Alley.  He figured the fights were probably back by now, they wouldn’t be down for long.  He knew he couldn’t show his face, Dick didn’t need the stress of him being caught in Gotham, or God forbid Bruce finding him, so headed down to the garage that Dick kept on site.  He started searching the sports equipment that he had, grabbing an old school goalie’s mask.  Very Friday the 13th, and hey, his name was Jason.  But the white, no, that wasn’t his color.  He looked around, finding some spray paint in another section and he painted the mask red.  Nice.  He grabbed an old black hoodie, shoved the mask inside the pocket and taking one of Dick’s bikes. 

               It took him about ten minutes to remember how to drive a motorcycle, apparently death didn’t keep memories of driving in his brain.  He almost wiped out five or six times before finally crossing over into Robbinsville and then up into Crime Alley.  He stowed the bike behind a dumpster near a Big Belly Burger before heading into a laundromat.  He walked to the counter that was helmed by a short woman with dyed blonde hair.

               “I’ve come for some good smelling socks,” he said.  He hoped these types didn’t get change their code phrases, it was the only one he remembered.  The woman nodded and pressed a button, motioning to the side door that said ‘Employees Only’.  Jason went through the door and down the stairs, donning his mask.  The guy waiting at the bottom looked him over.

               “50$ to watch, 100$ to fight,” he said.  Jason nodded and turned over his 100$ and the guy pointed him to another woman with a clipboard.  Jason headed over to her.

               “Name?” she asked.  Jason scrambled.  “Name?” she repeated, louder and more annoyed.  The other fights nearby were starting to watch him.  They weren’t too much bigger than him, he might have a good chance.  Either way he could blow off some steam.

               “Mask of the Red Death,” he said.  She cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. 

               “Too long, you’re Red Mask,” she said.  He nodded, very creative.  Poe would be proud.  “You’re finding Butch first.”  She pointed to a large man with muscles in places Jason didn’t know you could have them.  They were for show, not strength, not fighting.  This guy wanted to look good, not actually be good.  Jason watched him as they entered the makeshift cage.  He circled the guy, letting him come to him.  Butch threw a punch, Jason dodged behind him, and Spartan kicked him in the ass, sending him tripping into the glorified fence surrounding them.  The fight went on for only a few more seconds before the guy came back, trying to kick Jason, who slide to the side, grabbed the guy’s leg and slammed his elbow into his knee.  There was a crunch and Butch fell, howling in pain, unable to get up.  Jason was announced the winner and stepped out, heading towards a back door to get some air.  As he opened the door to the basement walkout, he heard a commotion and turned, seeing cops starting to come down the stairs.  He knew they would be going to the back door next, so he took off, mask going back in his pocket and climbing a nearby fire escape until he was high enough to hide in the shadows above the streetlight.  Once the cops that found the back were inside, he climbed down, running to the alley where he’d left the bike.  He was just moving the dumpster again when the back door to the Big Belly Burger opened, making him jump in surprise and slice his hand on an exposed piece of metal inside the trash.  He let out a grunt and the teenage girl in uniform turned to face him.          

               “Are you ok?” she asked, walking over.  Jason was gripping his hand, trying to stop the bleeding so he could get the bike and leave.  “Hold on, I have a bandage.”  She pulled out a roll box of bandaids from the apron pocket.

               “Clumsy are you?” Jason asked, trying to distract from the annoying ache in his palm.  She chuckled and walked over, pulling a cotton ball out of the packet. 

               “No, we have a griller who thinks he’s a ninja, any time he gets his hand on a knife I have to be ready to stitch him up,” she said.  She started dabbing his hand and Jason once again hissed.  “What music do you like?”

               “I uh…I don’t know, I used to like metal, some alternative stuff, but went through a change this summer…not sure anymore,” he said, confused.  “Why?”

               “Well, one this is distracting you from me disinfecting this thing, so you don’t get tetanus, and two, you live in Crime Alley, don’t be a stereotype.  If you think you might like something different than ‘I grew up in the slums, so I just listen to angry shit’ try Noah Kahan, you look like a guy who’d like him, or Hozier.”  He could tell she was just throwing out names to keep him listening and he appreciated it.  “What’s your name?”

               “Jason,” he said.  She nodded and smiled, finishing with the bandage. 

               “Nice to meet you, I’m YN,” she said.  “Want some help with the dumpster or are all those muscles working?”  She winked at him, and he actually blushed, glad it was dark and she might not notice.

               “Sure,” he said.  Together they moved the dumpster, and he got the bike.  He waved quick before driving back to the penthouse.  He got as far as the elevator door, when it opened there was Dick.

               “So, I see you had an interesting evening,” he said, holding up his phone where video of Jason breaking Butch’s leg was being shown.  Of course, Dick would realize it was him, he would know that move anywhere, Dick had taught it to him. 

               “I needed to get out, blow off some steam, forget who I was for a bit,” he said.  Dick nodded. 

               “Good, then what I just signed you up for will be perfect,” he said.  Jason looked at him, eyebrows raised.  “You’re not a member of the theater program, auditions for Hamlet are Friday.”

               “You can’t be serious,” Jason said, heading out of the elevator.

               “I am very serious, you go to school, go to practice, be someone else for awhile when you’re there, and then you come home and you stay here or I am calling Bruce and sending you back to him, see how Batman deals with your shit,” he said.  Jason sighed, heading up to his room.  Fine, theater, he’d wanted to do that before Bruce pulled him from high school.  How bad could it be?

[hellfirexhoe]

Thursdays | Eddie Munson x Bitchy Reader

summary: This follows the events of part 2 directly. Eddie and reader are enemies who hate fuck.

1,900+ words

warnings: 18+ only, minors dni, swearing, name calling, mention of drugs, reference to roofies, enemies to lovers fuck buddies, rough sex, p in v with a condom, sex in a semi-public place, ANGST, female reader

Series Masterlist

It had been less than 24 hours since you left Eddie's after a quick detour to the pharmacy. The usual routine goes something like screw Eddie until you're both exhausted, go home, shower and then continue to ignore his presence the following day.

So with these two things considered why has Eddie Munson been staring at you with his ridiculous baby cow eyes throughout the whole day? No one else had really noticed thankfully, except Chrissy.

"What did you do to that poor boy last night?" Chrissy asked as she followed Eddie's burning gaze across the canteen straight to the back of your head.

"I swear, I didn't do anything."

Chrissy shakes her head, "No, somethings up. Did you guys do butt stuff?!"

"Chrissy I am begging you to please shut the fuck up." You manage to speak through gritted teeth, pointedly looking at the rest of the table who are all in earshot of your conversation.

"Oh right. Sorry." Chrissy then speaks louder, "Hey, do you have that textbook I leant you last week?"

"What textbook? What are you talking about?"

"You know, the physics textbook that you said you would bring in for me today?" Chrissy's eyes are about to pop out of her skull as she gives you a stare so intense it rivals Eddie's.

"Ohh, yes I have the textbook, I think I left it in my car."

"Let's go for a walk."

Neither of your performances were particularly Oscar worthy but thankfully they were all discussing Jason's party on Saturday so no one paid much attention to you both leaving.

The parking lot was virtually empty so Chrissy rounds on you the second you were outside,

“Spill.”

“Nothing to spill Chrissy, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Just a small hiccup.”

“A hiccup?”

“Turns out he’s not so hot on date checking condoms.”

“And?”

“It split?”

Chrissy starts laughing, “Oh, my god. I can’t believe I’m going to be an auntie to a little Munson.”

“Fuck off, that’s not happening. Morning after pill.”

"If it works."

"So not funny, Chrissy."

"That doesn’t explain why he’s looking at you so weirdly.”

“I don’t know, maybe the freak is hoping I didn’t take it. He made a comment about wanting to see me with a small bump in the uniform.”

Chrissy is helpless with laughter as the bell rings, in fact your whole walk to Spanish is accompanied by a soundtrack of snickers.

Your usual desk mate is back so Eddie is forced to his normal seat at the back of the classroom, its not much of a reprieve since you can feel his stare burning a hole through your head. Determined to keep ignoring him, you don’t turn, you stay focused on your lesson. Until a balled up piece of paper smacks into the back of your head, you whip round, ready to speak but your teacher beats you to it, stooping down to pick up the ball of paper,

“Mr Munson, something you’d like to share with the class?” You hold your breath as the ball of paper is unraveled, your mind spirals as you contemplate all the incriminating things Eddie could have possibly written,

“Please focus on your work instead of distracting students who have a hope of passing this year.” The ball of paper is thrown into the recycling bin, evidently blank of any words. Eddie fidgets some but returns to his work. He’s first out of the door when the bell rings, and you begin to relax, thinking maybe he’s just been messing with you. You catch up with Chrissy in the hall and begin your walk to the next lesson, when you are suddenly yanked from the hall and into a closet.

“Okay you are seriously pissing me off now, what the fuck do you want Eddie?”

Eddie chews his cheek, “Hi?”

“You have not been staring at me like a psycho all day and grabbing me into a closet to just say hi. Is this about last night? I took the pill when I got home.”

“Uh, no not about that. Glad to hear it though, your body your choice, girl power.” Eddie is being infinitely more awkward than usual.

“What is it then? You’ve got like a minute before I’m late.”

“Are you going to Jason’s party this Saturday?”

“Please. Please tell me you are not about to fucking ask me to bring you to that party.”

“No, I was more wondering if I could convince you not to go.”

“And do what instead? Sit in on your fucking d&d game? Hang out in the trailer watching movies? Piss off. Why can’t I go?”

“Some of the guys were, uh, placing an order.”

“Okay?” Drugs were commonplace at Jason’s parties, it wasn’t exactly some huge secret.

“Some of that shit I’m not going to supply. But I know that there are some dealers who don’t exactly have any moral codes.”

“Eddie. Everyone knows there are drugs at parties, I’ve taken drugs at parties. I really don’t get why you’re freaking out about this. It’s not like I’m your girlfriend, we’re not even friends.”

“Okay fine, just. Watch your drinks ‘kay? Don’t let anyone get your drinks.” Eddie offers you a weak smile and you rolls your eyes,

“Do you think I’m stupid Eddie? Let me tell you someth-”

The second bill trills outside.

“Shit, now I’m late.”

“So ditch?”

“Its this attitude that’s the reason you’re going to miss graduating again.”

“You wound me. C’mon I’m sure the two of us can find something fun to do instead of going to those boring lessons.” Eddie steps closer to you,

“We’re not fucking on school property.” You open the door but Eddie easily shuts it against your strength.

“Okay, so what is your excuse going to be for being so late? Plus if people happen to look out of the window and see us leaving this closet together they’ll know. They’ll know that you’re my easy slut.” Eddie whispers the words you spoke last night against your ear, the darkness in his voice making you shiver.

“You’re such an asshole.”

“That’s a yes then.” Eddie picks you up, big hands cupping your thighs as he places you to sit on a cabinet. You go to start taking your uniform off and he shakes his head,

“No time for that.”

“Liar, you just want to fuck me in my cheerleader uniform.”

“Guilty.” As he speaks Eddie is undoing his jeans with one hand and teasing you through your underwear with the other, his skilled fingers tracing circles around your clit as you shut your eyes and lean back against the wall. You hiss at the sudden cold feeling as Eddie’s rings touch your sensitive skin when he pulls your underwear to the side, now teasing your bare pussy with his cock.

“You’d better have a condom with you.” 

“Hmm, what if I want to try bareback with you?” Eddie whispers in your ear,

“Absolutely fucking not.” You tense up and begin to push him away, closing your legs.

“Relax. I was kidding.” Eddie rolls his eyes at you as he rummages through his wallet to find a condom, before he can rip it open you snatch it from his hands and eye the date.

“We’re not having a repeat of last night.” You glare at him as you return the satisfactorily dated condom to him, “Also its bad to keep them in wallets.”

“Jesus christ, do you ever shut up?” Eddie grunts as he rolls the condom on and pulls your body flush against his, his cock immediately bottoming out in you, earning a quiet whimper from you in response to the sudden fullness. Eddie gives you a moment to adjust and places his hand over your mouth with a cheeky grin as he starts to roughly pound into you, making you moan loudly against his hand.

“Such a good little slut for me, taking this big cock instead of going to a boring lesson.” Eddie purrs at you quietly, eyes focused on how good his dick looks covered in your slick every time he withdraws. He looks away for a second just to admire how undone you’re becoming, he can feel your drool against his palm, hear your muffled cries. He takes his hand away from your mouth and shushes you,

“Naughty girl better be quiet, otherwise someone might come looking for those pretty little sounds you’re making and see you getting fucked by the freak in your uniform.” You bite your lip as he starts rubbing your clit with a smug smirk on his face, “Am I still bad at this?” His thrusts do not falter even for a second as he waits for your answer,

“ah, uh... fucking... awful.” You manage to pant out unconvincingly as Eddie laughs quietly,

“Aw, maybe I should stop if this is so terrible for you.”

You shake your head frantically, “n,no stop...ping. Practice.”

“If you weren’t such a bitch I’d say you look cute when you’re begging me not to stop fucking you.” Eddie is picking up the pace, feeling how close you’re getting by how tight your walls are around his cock, hands pulling up your top so he can watch your tits bounce with every thrust and he groans at the sports bra he uncovers,

“Hate these fucking things. Keeps you far too un-bouncy.” Eddie unclasps it with ease, not removing it just pulling it below your tits so he can get his favorite view, “You like being my little cock sleeve don’t you?”

“ ‘m not yours.”

“No?” Eddie slows his thrusts, a small smile on his face,

“N-no, I’ll never be yours. T-this is all there is.”

“So I really can’t make you not go to that stupid party on Saturday?”

You shake your head, “An’ you can’t stop me from fucking someone else at the party.”

Eddie grabs your jaw angrily, almost possessively,

“Then I’ll just have to fucking ruin you for anyone else then.” He pulls you off the cabinet and turns you around, forcing you to bend at the waist over the cabinet and wastes no time in slamming back into you, hands gripping your skirt so tight you faintly hear some threads breaking. You start to moan in spite of yourself, volume increasing the closer you get to finishing, everything around you starting to fade away,

“Fucking shit, shut up!” Eddie hisses as he sticks his fingers in your mouth, muffling the sounds elicited by you, with his other hand he’s rubbing your clit roughly, until finally your legs are shaking, you’re biting down on his fingers and clamping around his cock while your orgasm takes over, your still shaking slightly when Eddie lets off a string of curse words as he cums, his cock twitching violently against your sore walls. He pulls out slowly, determined to make you really feel the loss of him. Once he’s out, he tucks your underwear back over your sore and soaked pussy.

“Think you’ll be able to walk for the rest of the day?” He teases you as you straighten up and readjust your clothes.

“Fucker. You know I have practice after school today.”

“I do indeed.”

The bell chimes from the hallway and you step out into the wave of students that passes. Eddie waits a few more minutes, straightening his clothes, waiting for the chatter to quieten. Once he’s certain no one who saw you leave the closet would see him leaving the same closet he steps out.

[jasontoddispoly]

Fic idea bc I don’t write:

au where Bruce kept Damien from birth.

just imagine the panic during fights of OH NO I CANT DIE I HAVE A TODDLER TO RAISE

Bruce finding his suit bedazzled with glitter and sticky stars and wears it anyway

Damien making macaroni art that almost reveals Bruce as batman

just consider this

Oky let me think on this:

Dick was late teens when he found out about Damian, and Bruce got custody during the period of an argument

And Bruce being Bruce ‘forgets’ to tell him about the child until he walks in on Damian and promptly screams

Jason is adopted nearly immediately after Bruce gains custody and its because Bruce(Alfred) decides to take(Alfred made him) Dami to the park as something to do with a small child

In this Au Jason tries to steal the tires off Bruce Wayne’s car, not the batmobile

Bruce was already an inch away from taking Jason as it was, but Damian’s face settled it

Bruce will never forget the look on Alfred’s face when he returns home with double the amount of children he left with

Dick is again. Not told.

Dick and Bruce are both essentially terrified of Damian, which is why Jason’s arrival is very needed

Jason LOVES Damian, he reads to him for Alfred, and Damian grows up with a massive love of literature

Guaranteed that the arrival of Damian and Jason doesn’t help Dick and Bruce’s relationship, but I like to think Dick could stomach being nice to at least baby Dami (who am I kidding he’d hate both of them for like a month but ignore that)

I am aware that Jason was not adopted at a similar time to Damian being born, rather he was adopted a few years previous. But uh

Suck on it

I think Dami would hate every time Bruce left for patrol, and Jason would always take baby Dami’s side (minus some screaming) and they would all end up staying in and reading stories to Damian.

The alternative, which was tried many a time by both Jason and Dick, was to see how far into patrol they could get with Damian in a baby carrier on one of their back

Dick boasts about the time Bruce didn’t notice until they were talking to Jim, and Nightwing walks up behind Bruce, who is being his very serious self

And Gordon just

“Is… that a baby?”

Nightwing was banned from patrol for the next week

[mintacle]

Jason Todd- DC's Pandora's box

If you only hadn't felt the need to see.

The allure of the beautiful, the desire for what you believe it will hold and the blessings you hope to receive. Open up that casket and look inside if that which you love most can still be found.

Jason Todd is blatantly without agency for a lot of his story. Ranging from the implications of his lack of self-determination as Robin and his demise resulting as actions unrelated to him; Sheila's desires, Joker and Batman's feud, Jason getting caught up in the middle without his own motive mattering much either way, - to his lack of autonomy over his narrative while dead, being turned into a cautionary tale and getting victim-blamed over and over again for his death - finally to his catatonic state for about a year after returning to life, rendering him more object than human and with the exception of Talia he is treated as a mere object. This lack of autonomy coupled with the heaping of others' worst nightmares and biggest hopes on him turns him into an instrument for others to torture themselves over.

The thing about the Pandora's Box is that it's myth was meant to drive home the point that women were inherently evil. Because they lure you in with their beauty but they hide things beneath this surface, and how dare they be more than what they appear to be, no, what you project them to be?

Once the box of Jason Todd is opened up and he is not the potential that everyone wishes to have fulfilled through him - the loyal son come back to life - it is clear that he is no good, he is a mistake.

And saying that Jason is Pandora's Box is not just random pontification. The Lost Days comics themselves allude to this. First we have Ra's saying so:

dehumanizing Jason and seeing him merely as how he affects others, namely inconveniences Ra's and is a distraction to his daughter.

Then at the end of the next issue, Jason tells Talia about his plan to kill Bruce and Talia says the same thing:

And the problem is that, while people can pontificate about whether Jason is good or bad, a net gain or a net loss, morally justified or morally apprehensive, what about Jason himself?

No one cared for Pandora or her plights, in fact ancient Greeks didn't much care for the plights of any woman. they were excused from caring about women with the Pandora's curse. Because of how others suffer due to their mere existence, it is not necessary to consider them. Never mind that the men's suffering is constructed in their own minds.

The pain that Jason puts others in by making them confront reality, that he died for Bruce's mission, is used as an excuse to not care about him either. Because he's too painful to look in the eye, because of the painful memories he brings up.

The potential of having him back was too alluring to ignore, the reality of it too crushing to accept. The only place to put all this blame for the hurt and suffering was on Jason himself. Never mins that he did not create this pain, did not ask to be brought back, that he is the one suffering most under this weight.

[p1nkshield]

Greetings and welcome to Chapter Seven!

Bruce kept checking and rechecking the security footage. One moment his son and the surprise guest were talking in the cave and the next a rift opens up pulling them both through.

“Hn”

Not good.

“Barbara.”

Bruce decided to call in the big guns on this one.

“Hello Bruce, I would say it’s nice to hear from you but considering this is the emergency line I'm concerned. What’s up?"

"Jason is missing."

Bruce let words fall out of his mouth quickly. He didn’t want to make his worries so apparent. He didn’t want to lose his composure. Losing his composure could cause mistakes in his detective work.

Bruce could hear the first few questions that Barbara posed.

"What do mean he's missing? Like he's left the manor? I can try to track him if you want."

Bruce nodded.

Of course he put an inter-dimensional tracker into the comms he gave to all of his children. This was exactly why.

Bruce rechecked the security footage.

For once Jason was actually wearing his.

good.

All the while Barbara was entering something into the computer on her end.

"I'm not getting anything for Jason's location..."

Bruce was truly concerned now.

He needed a lead to latch onto. Something he can focus on to keep his mind from wandering to extreme conclusions. Bruce then reviewed the audio recording from his cameras.

"Take us to Frostbite!"

"Wait!"

Frostbite? Was that a place or a person? Where have they gone that his tracker was out of range? Was it out of range or was it broken?

"You called me before listening to the audio from the security cam?"

"..."

Barbara decided not to press the matter.

"We have a lead, but I'm not really equipped to follow it. The only thing coming up for "Frostbite" is the medical condition and Icicle Jr.'s really sub par band"

Bruce's worry mixed with reluctance.

"Constantine."

"What is this now! Two calls from spooky the bat this year? I'm just tapping my toes with joy. What cataclysmic event do you have for me?"

Jason felt as though he had accidentally caught Superman's cape with his grappling hook.

He wrenched his eyes shut as he hurtled through space via map. Danny on the other hand was enjoying every moment of the journey, grinning as they flew to their destination.

Jason found himself face down among ice, snow and glaciers.

"Great One! It is good to see you, and you've returned the infinimap! You are truly full of surprises."

Jason managed to dislodge his face from the snow bank in time to see Danny being clapped jovially on the back by an eight foot tall yeti.

He could only blink.

"Who is this new guest you've brought with you?"

Jason was then scruffed like a kitten, placed on his feet and had the snow gently dusted off of his head by an eight foot tall yeti.

"That's Jason. He's cool, I promise. I was wondering if you could give us both a check up though. If you haven’t noticed yet he doesn't have a core yet and I'm tinier than usual."

Frostbite looked appraisingly between both Danny and Jason.

"And here I was about to applaud you on finally mastering shapeshifting! No matter, a friend to the savior of the infinite realms is a friend of mine. Follow me! You both shall receive the best care we can offer!"

Jason shuffled through the snow, following an eight foot tall yeti.

Said eight foot tall yeti managed to make Jason feel surprisingly comfortable in his presence. That is until he came to his diagnosis.

"Let me get this straight. I'm basically an infant, I’m ectoplasmicly malnourished, and I will eventually have powers?"

"Essentially, yes."

Danny snickered from a distance.

Jason really missed being a regular old zombie.

"What if I told you that I do not believe you?"

Frostbite mirthfully chuckled.

"If that were true I would ask you why you survived drinking ectoplasm."

Jason conceded.

"Ya got me there."

"That I do!"

Frostbite then addressed Danny

"Great One, I must admit this is not the safest place for either of you to heal and grow respectively. It has come to my attention that your parents are accepting payment in order for a certain Organization to have access to the portal."

Danny quietly processed the information, looking far too profoundly tired than any child should.

"How can I help?"

Frostbite carried two large tanks into the center of the room.

"Rest, heal and allow yourself to delegate tasks amongst your subjects."

Frostbite then knelt down to Danny's level and placed a large paw on his shoulder.

"We will be fine here Danny."

He then got up and lifted the two tanks.

"You both need to have a good supply of ectoplasm where you are staying. I think one of these will be enough for both you to reach a point where your cores are properly formed or reformed."

Frostbite carried the two tanks to out to the second most interesting individual Jason has met today.

"Wulf!"

Danny apparently knew this werewolf enough to greet him happily.

"Wulf, if you would be so inclined, can you open a portal to the dimension this young man is from?"

This Wulf as Jason has now gleaned sniffed him aggressively then nodded.

This is totally normal and fine.

Wulf then used his claws and ripped a portal out of thin air into the batcave.

Great.

Danny traipsed through the portal as if it was a door. Jason decided to help Frostbite push the tanks through the portal to feel some semblance of knowing what is happening.

Frostbite left them with well wishes as the portal closed.

Jason tried his best to wipe the bewildered look off his face when he realized the batcave was currently occupied.

Bruce had apparently started an entire search party with the rest of his family.

Tim had his detective wall of documents all pinned up.

Damian was arguing about the placement of the string.

Dick was pacing a few yards away from the wall.

Bruce was about to get carpal tunnel with the speed at which he was typing, his monitor was split between a database and a call with Constantine.

That is until the scraping of large metal tanks stopped them all in their tracks.

Jason waved.

"Hey"

He was immediately tackled by his older brother and squeezed into a hug.

"You can't scare us like that Jace!"

Bruce hung up on Constantine and walked towards him.

"Sorry I spooked you I didn’t really have time to leave a note-"

Interrupted, Jason and Dick by proxy was swept into a hug by Bruce.

Bruce let go.

"Let me know before you travel extra dimensionally."

He then left.

Dick had yet to let go, continuing his fretting.

"You just disappeared! None of use could find you! Never ever do that to me again. I swear you’re going to make me go bald with stress! Do you want me to look like Lex?"

Jason managed to get out of the vice grip Dick had on him.

"I'm sorry, okay? I go to the ghost doctor once and everyone thinks I've been kidnaped!"

Tim piped up

"To be fair it did look a lot like you got kidnaped by an inter dimensional map"

Dick managed to look even more worried.

"What do you mean a ghost doctor!?"

Jason shrugged.

"Exactly what I said. Found out I'm a baby ghost."

"A baby half ghost! Wellcome to the club, you are one of very few halfas in existence."

Jason took that information in

"What he said."

@shinyladykingdom @kyrianclawraith @vehan-tikkun-olam-and-stuff @darkhinauniverse @krzys2000 @coruscateselene @kjoboo91 @vythika96 @hydralusus @addie-lover-of-stories @skulld3mort-1fan

Also I don't want to flood people's notifs with my silly little fanfic so if you want me to continue to tag you let me know! Also sometimes I can't find the blog people ask me to tag them with so if you asked to be tagged and weren’t it wasn’t on purpose!

[goodoldfashionedengineer]

I like analysing shit.

I like Red Hood: Lost Days

So I am going to analyse some of it.

To start with, lets look at the titles of the issues.

#1: The First Step

#2: Baptism

#3: School

#4: Higher Learning

#5: After School Activities

#6: Benediction and Commencement

What immediately strikes me is how all of these are relevant to the issue AND as a whole. They are describing a life fresh from birth to how that life progresses until graduation. Extremely important when considering that this is basically Jason's second life. He died and now he is "reborn" after being put into the Lazarus pit.

The First Step: The fact that the title name was on the page in which Jason was pushed into the Pit lets me believe that this IS the first step, as Red Hood: Lost Days explains the time between him being found by Talia to him becoming Red Hood. This is the first step in him becoming the Red Hood.

Baptism: Not exactly clear as to what "Baptism" is referring to here. I have multiple ideas. First, there is the possibility that it is a continuation of the last issue, as that issue ended with Jason being pushed into the pit and in religious baptisms, water is usually connected to it as the person being baptized is getting water poured onto their head. But it could also mean a non-religious baptism as in he is starting a new role. He finally gets to train with a clear mind and can properly start his journey.

Issue #3-#5 are relatively similar, all him explaining his training and stopping the evil schemes his teachers are involved with.

Benediction and Commencement: Commencement, he has completed his training or "graduated" if you take the school aspect into account from issue 3 to 5. Benediction, he gets his blessings from Talia to finally confront Bruce after stalling him so long. Commencement, "the beginning of something new". The issue ends with him picking up the Red Hood helmet, before that, he met up with Hush. The beginning of the Red Hood.

Next I want to focus a bit on religious imagery. I am not a big fan of it in general, but considering that words like "Baptism" and "Benediction" are in the titles, it is note-worthy. If it is something you're uncomfortable with, feel free to skip this section

I have seen people make the point that this cover:

Has similarities to pictures of Mary holding a dead Jesus.

And now that I think about it more, I can see why and they are pretty good stand-ins.

Jason came back from the dead, like Jesus.

Talia found Jason after he came back. She considers it a miracle. Like fate WANTS Jason to live. He wandered into her life. She isn't so much as interfering with fate, as stepping out of its way.

And then you have this page:

Jason as he has his arms spread wide, legs forming almost a straight line. Similar to Jesus on the cross.

The Lazarus pit isn't green. It's orange and yellow. It shines so bright. Ra's says it burns in his heart. He tells Talia it could turn Jason mad in a few months, years or decades. That she has unleashed a curse. A pestilence. Pestilence being one of the for Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And so, the Lazarus Pit becomes a symbol for Hell.

The fact that Jason and Talia are more distorted versions of the religious figures they could represent becomes more prominent as the story goes on. In the bible, Jesus goes back to Heaven to rejoin with his Father. In this story, Talia is told and knows that she should return Jason to Bruce. But she doesn't. Because Jason will see it as betrayal and he wouldn't forgive her for that.

My last and favourite point is how RH: LD is the perfect set up to Under the Red Hood.

Jason explains how it isn't about the Joker. Or Bruce. Or him. It's about the three of them.

Bruce was supposed to protect him.

Joker killed him.

Bruce didn't avenge him.

He tried to kill both of them only to NOT do it and walk away.

Jason died away from Gotham in Ethiopia, but not before being beaten with a crowbar, the building he was in having exploded and then asphyxiating due to the smoke.

Jason almost killed the Joker by setting him on fire. (Explosion)

He initially wanted to do it in another location. (Ethiopia)

He wanted to do it slowly. (Crowbar)

Jason says when the pain would hit the Joker, he would scream. Until it hit his throat. His lungs. (Asphyxiating)

He is reliving his own death. He wants his murderer to go through the agony he did. An eye for an eye one could say.

"Reliving his own death" is an objective statement here, as Jason sees the Joker swinging a crowbar that is dripping with his own blood while at the same time also standing right above the Joker, who is drenched in gasoline.

Now I want you to compare these two scenes. This is when he was about to kill the Joker:

The panels switch between Jason and the firelighter, present Joker and past Joker. The firelighter, the device that would end the Joker's life, comes more and more into the focus. Until he disengages it on the last panel.

Now to the second scene, when Jason planted a bomb under the Batmobile and was about to detonate it.

The panels switch between Batman and Jason. Jason is hovering over the detonater. Until he pulls away.

When Jason explained to Talia why he walked away from the Joker, he said that it wasn't enough. It was only ever about the three of them, not just Joker. His plan doesn't include murdering Batman anymore.

But the reason Jason gave Talia why he didn't kill Bruce? "I couldn't let him get off so easy. He'd never know what happened. He'd never know knwo why. He'd never know it was me." One could wonder if we are supposed to see this as a parallel as well. If we should apply this reasoning of why he didn't kill Bruce to why he didn't kill Joker.

The Joker would never know why Jason killed him. He doesn't even know that it IS Jason who is about to murder him.

And while is plan doesn't include killing Bruce anymore. Nobody said anything about the Joker.

As I said, perfect setup to Under the Red Hood.

[cipheramnesia]

hello i am giving u an excuse to talk about the chucky TV series because i generally don't like horror but i watched it and it was great

My friend... this goes so much deeper than the TV series.

DATELINE 1988! The horror movie slasher genre is THRIVING in the boom of video and cheap rental stores. Jason. Freddy. Michael. Already household names, nay! Heroes! Enter one Don Mancini, young and queer and ready to share some fear with a little idea knocking around in his head about a killer doll. With little more than a dream and few friends he tackled the enormous task of crafting the next horror legend. On the advice of a lawyer friend, he loaded Chucky up with distinct, trademarked features and made sure copyright on the titular killer doll was his and HIS ALONE.

Child's Play, the original Chucky movie, debuted to instant classic status. To modern eyes it may seem strange that a concept as silly as a killer doll could ascend to the heights of the holy triumvirate, but SIMULTANEOUS to Chucky we found such properties as Cabbage Patch Kids and My Buddy dolls - a virtual BUFFET of saccharine toys just begging for a counterpart with edge, and Chucky edged hard. The My Buddy doll never recovered as millions of children globally cowered from the mere TRAILER of Chucky and his slimeball snarl voice broadcast it's way to hearts and minds. But this wasn't all, no, for you see Chucky had a most peculiar gift, the gift of a soulful heart.

While many other slasher movies focused on a test of wills between survivor girl and unstoppable monster, Child's Play was first and foremost the coming of age story for Andy Barclay and his, Karen. In particular credit must be given to actor Catherine Hicks who never wanted to be in a horror movie, and made the conscious decision to play Karen as a straight dramatic role about a single mother and her son. In a sea of peculiarly good choices, it perhaps was hers more than any other that granted Child's Play a quasi-Spielberg-esque movie magic to transcend the genre stereotypes and absurd premise, to create something unique.

While she would not return for Child's Play 2, the die was cast with Alex Vincent as Andy and Brad Dourif as Chucky. We saw the introduction of street smart older stepsister played by Christine Elise. With a bigger budget, nastier deaths, and a truly grotesque version of Chucky, Child's Play 2 is likely considered the best in the series, as it predates the series' later campiness and had the delightfully rubbery 80s practical effects. Not me though, I love them all except of course Child's Play 3, the military academy one, which rounds out the first arc of Chucky. For a little while.

In 1998, just in time for a ten year anniversary, Chucky would RISE AGAIN, in Bride of Chucky. You see, while Don Mancini no longer had the rights to the Child's Play name, he still owned Chucky. Would this new chapter in the knife wielding minimaniac mean the previous continuity was dispensed with? NO, for this series was and still is violent killer baby of ONE MAN and his found film family. Instead, Bride of Chucky would introduce a new member of the family, Tiffany Valentine, played by the inimitable Jennifer Tilly. In this chapter of Chucky's tale, he and Tiffany took center stage, with no consistent protagonist, and a greater focus on absurd humor. Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky are both movies which give the sense of perhaps Mancini himself being more comfortable with his sexuality, more open and free. It was also the turning point where Chucky would go from a by the numbers slasher to a metatexual interrogation of the horror genre itself.

Besides playing with self referential comedy and genre references, Don Mancini introduced an in-universe awareness of Chucky's prior crimes, both as a human and as a doll, including the set of an in-universe movie (Chucky Goes Psycho) starring actress Jennifer Tilly. Hang onto your butts, because we're going in hot. If Bride of Chucky felt like it was going to weird places by having two dolls fucking and working on their romantic matters, Seed of Chucky abandoned all pretense, enjoying the presence of stuntcasting like John Waters and Redman (as himself) in roles specifically for gruesome deaths. But Jennifer Tilly was the central meta tornado.

Try and follow this. Real actress Jennifer Tilly plays Tiffany Valentine, who gets her soul transferred into a doll which is also voiced by Jennifer Tilly. Subsequently Jennifer Tilly also plays fictional actress Jennifer Tilly (who is otherwise identical to real world Jennifer Tilly), cast to play Tiffany Valentine in fictional fictionalized account of the fictional world real events of Child's Play 1 & 2, and also to voice the fictional Tiffany Valentine doll along with fictional Brad Dourif voicing the fictional Chucky doll, both dolls created for the fictional movie Chucky gets lucky. However, the fictional dolls get possessed by the real fictional characters Chucky and Tiffany, still voiced by real actors Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly. Eventually, Tiffany is able to transfer her soul into fictional Jennifer Tilly.

So, hang with me, in Chucky this means that fictional actress Jennifer Tilly (played by real Jennifer Tilly) is now possessed by fictional real murderer Tiffany Valentine (played by real Jennifer Tilly) who has to pretend to be fictional actress Jennifer Tilly (as played by Jennifer Tilly).

Beyond all this fuckery, Chucky and Tiff must cope with their new child who vacillates between Glen or Glenda, a kind of bigender or genderfluid character at a time when those ideas weren't very widespread, but which feels deeply informed both my Mancini's experience as a gay man, and also the long history of queers in Hollywood. At the conclusion of these two movies, it seemed like we were done with Chucky, with Tiffany living happily ever after as Tillyception and Glen/Glenda now living as two children, having their soul split into the twins fictional Tilly was pregnant with.

However, it seems that these five movies total instead were a kind of foundation for the next generation, when Chucky returned in Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky. Together these movies added a new layer of recursion, and might be called the Nica Pierce chapter. Both films featured less camp, and a more serious tone which, initially seemed to imply an intent to reboot the series. This was, of course, a fake out as Mancini not only revealed the new movies as a direct continuation, but also gave Chucky an illegitimate human daughter in the form of Nica Pierce, played by Fiona Dourif, the real world daughter of Brad Dourif. Not only that, but we would get the reintroduction of a long absent character, Andy Barclay, still played by Alex Vincent.

In the reprisal, Alex Vincent, an actor who was damaged and traumatized by being a child actor in movies like the original Child's Play, plays Andy as an adult damaged and traumatized by his experiences as a child in the original Child's Play.

Now, eventually Chucky gets control of Nica and Fiona Dourif does drag to play young Chucky and there's fucked up lesbians and gay kissing and a priest explodes, but all that happens in the TV series. What I'm really needing everyone to get at here is that from 1988 up to RIGHT NOW Don Mancini has kept continuity of plot AND ACTORS, with two seasons and an upcoming third which incorporates every single movie detail. A series which, while silly at times, always both respects its audience second, but FIRST is itself above all. Every single movie and episode has been something which set out to be its own thing, free from control or demands of conformity and it always has been, like it or not, love it or leave it. Somehow the killer doll movie has turned into a 35 year long and counting love affair, a found extended nuclear family both on screen and off.

And perhaps the best part is how much the queerness has been given a chance to flourish, going from a whisper of an influence in early films, to campy comedy later, to fully realized queer relationships in the series. Not only that, but it's always seemed to treat its atypical protagonists with a humanity and respect few other media properties manage. The young Andy works so well because he's an actual character, not just some kid, treated like a capable and thinking human. Tiff and Glen/Glenda are bizarre but never dehumanized, never treated as undeserving of human kindness. And Nica, a paraplegic, is amazing, with her disabilities informing the plot, but not innately treated as some definitive limit or inspiration porn. It's rare for so many disenfranchised characters to get such a human treatment, and frankly bizarre that the murder doll series is the one to do it. But that's kind of the real beauty of Chucky. Every character is human first, before anything else.

In fact, there is only one character who is genuinely human second, and it's Chucky himself. Now I'm not saying there's no room for complex antagonists, but in all Chucy movies, the one constant is this: Chucky is a total dick. Not evil, not a menace, just a pure all out asshole. Chucky is a piece of shit person first, murderer second, and that's GREAT. You will never be in a position where you hope the evil murder doll succeeds (Tiff excepted). You will never stop and wonder "Gosh maybe Chucky is secretly a good guy deep down." Chucky is always a gaslighting selfish prick who wants to live for ever and kill everyone, full stop. It's beautiful, it frees the mind to dwell on the humanity of other characters because you never once are getting asked to give the lying cheating manipulative little fucker the benefit of the doubt.

I don't know what it is, but Mancini just gets it. He gets the best and the worst of people and that's what makes this whole machine tick. It's huge and overwhelming to think of how many people and plotlines and stories are encompassed by Chucky and then like a falling air-conditioner it just slams into my head: "Oh yeah, this is about a killer doll."

[arkhamsrevenge]

Water Under the Bridge

Alfred stood next to you smiling at his children. 

“Master Bruce told me if anything should happen to him then call her. She’ll protect you all.” You shift uncomfortably. Bruce had never been your favorite person but he knew your love for his son, Jason out weighed your disdain for him. Still you didn't expect to move into the clock tower Bruce had made for them. You were the daughter of Dr. Thomas Elliot or Hush as he was called. When your father wanted to take over Gotham you didn’t bat an eye but when he went after Bruce Wayne's children that’s when you tracked him down and handed him to Gotham PD. Your father didn’t like that his daughter outsmarted and out matched him but he shouldn’t have been surprised considering he gave you to the Al Ghuls for payment when they gave him his high status as a doctor. You were only returning the favor but of course cause you did one good thing, Batman had to meet you. When he did, he was with Nightwing, Batgirl and Robin who was Jason Todd at the time. You spent the interaction spitting insult after insult towards the bat family to which Jason laughed. However, Jason as Robin threw them right back at you, and even more surprisingly you smiled. It was a small smile and it only lasted a second but it was there. You remember at the time it hurt your face because no one had made you smile before and even funnier, Batman was surprised. After that, it seemed like you couldn’t shake Robin ANYWHERE. If you were watching out for the “lower class” people of Gotham? He was there. If you were getting the drop on some drug dealers selling to kids? He was there and Batman was never far though he tried to recruit you more than once. Oh and Robin had the cutest nickname for you, “Loaner.” because he always saw you alone. You always declined to go with them to clean up afterwards, until the GCPD tried to take you into custody for being on the streets as you were only 16 years old. Before they could get you in the car miraculously Bruce Wayne showed up. Remembering his affiliation with orphans, he took it upon himself to house you until further notice. Of course, everyone fawned over him and how generous he was. You rolled your eyes and got into the car not wanting to make a scene. Yet when you got back to this ENORMOUS manor a kid with black hair and blue eyes came bouncing toward you. 

“I’m Jason!” The boy had said. You started at him, not feeling the need to talk to someone you’d see to maybe a handful of times before Bruce gave you to the first family that would take you. “What’s wrong? Are you still trying to be a loaner?” That’s when your eyes widened to which Jason started laughing uncontrollably. 

“Jason!” Bruce had snapped. Yet the boy continued to laugh. “Could you have waited till she got settled?” You finally blinked and walked inside leaving Jason still laughing. If you thought your shadow was annoying before, living with him was much worse. He spent all his time with you and soon you found yourself liking the company. Still you were not speaking to Bruce or Alfred, only gestures and small noises because you didn't trust the “father figure” type or adults for that matter due to what happened. Jason, however, knew you spoke because you spoke to him and only him. You didn't even speak to Dick Grayson, the golden son, Nightwing. The one all the women fall for. But you? You didn't even spare him a second look. All you did was wave then walk off to the library to study for an upcoming test. Oh yes, and you actually got to go to school with Jason. He’d be glued to your side, as he made sure Bruce put all your classes together. Funny enough there were boys and girls who wanted to ask you out but most of the time didn’t because they thought you were with Jason. Not that you minded. It kept people away. That was until Leon Hops, the “dream boat” of the Sophomore class decided you were pretty enough to be asked out. You remember being at your locker, Jason was talking about the lit paper you guys were doing together when Leon showed up.

“Hey Beautiful. Would you like to go out sometime.” You looked up at him and for the first time spoke.

“No.” With the close of your locker and turned on your heels to see Jason’s mouth dropped. You furrowed your brow because at the time you didn’t know that know one had ever said “no” to Leon.  

“Little bitch.” Leon said with hurt pride and grabbed your waist pulling you back and triggered a reflex. Your elbow made contact with his nose. He screamed as he tried to stop the bleeding. “Fucking psycho!” Leon screamed as a teacher came toward you guys. 

“Ms. Wayne, that is not how we express ourselves.” 

“I will have my father sue you for allowing sexual harassment in the school and trying to blame my reaction.” You said coldly. The teacher swallowed. 

“I-” “I’m going to class, I expect you will be calling his parents? If you don't, I'll talk to a Gotham Gazette and ruin this school forever.” 

“That won’t be necessary. We will handle it.” You turned to see the principal walking up to you. You blinked and nodded then turned again to Jason who couldn’t believe what happened. His jaw still dropped. You tilted your head waiting for him to speak. 

“You talked.” He finally said. You widened your eyes and realize why the teacher was acting so shocked. It was because you spoke for the first time. “Huh.” You said. “Yeah I did.” Once that cat was out of the bag, you spoke all the time. That was until Jason’s death. When Batman told you what happened you reverted back to your quiet, nonverbal self. Bruce was worried you’d go after the Joker and he was right to. You disappeared from the manor the day after Jason was buried. Then, the Joker was found mangled and torn apart after going missing from Arkham for three weeks. You never went back to Wayne Manor again but still made sure to look after Barbra, Dick and the newest member Tim. At first, Tim didn’t believe about the shadow in the night that protects them, he thought Dick was just messing with the new recruit, until he saw you himself. You saved him from a bullet and from that day forward he was a believer. Bruce and yourself never really made up as he couldn’t find any evidence that it was you who killed the Joker which made him suspicious that it was you even more. 

 Babs basically tackled you when she saw you. Tim followed after and then Dick. They all hugged you as if they knew you’d protect them not just physically but emotionally. 

“Why the hell are you guys running-” A gruff voice carried over the room. The three bat family members pulled away to reveal you to Jason. He stopped in his tracks and it felt like time did too. 

“Hi.” You finally said. 

“Come on Jason.” Babs said, reaching her arm out. “We all need a long hug from her.” Jason put his hands in his pockets. 

“Babs.” You say quietly giving her a “physical touch is a no no right now” look. The three understood the signal and gave her one more squeeze before Babs spoke.

“You can stay in my room with me until we figure out what to do for you permanently.” You open your mouth to protest. “Nope. Don’t say a thing. Bruce-trusted- that you’d always show up for us. And you have…every time even at the expense of your own well being.” You swallow roughly. You had many scars underneath your clothing that still hurt from multiple close calls you’ve gotten in between of. Babs takes your hand, you turn to get your bag before you are met with the green eyes of Jason. “I’ll carry your bag.” You nodded as Babs pulled you along to her room. Of course Jason would do that. You have a bad shoulder because of him.

When he came back from the pit, his rage was so chaotic and out of control that Bruce called you which was a bitter pill to swallow. When you saw Jason for the first time in years, you froze as did Jason. He stopped his rampage once his vision fell on you. You reached out to him. 

“Jason?” He slowly, with shaking limbs made his way over to you. You could see his shaking legs wouldn’t keep him up for long. Making sure not to startle him again you made your way to him. He fell on his knees and hugged your waist still shaking. You let him wrap around you and pull you down. You remember holding him for who knows how long. The bat cave was sorta destroyed but nothing money can’t fix. Bruce nodded to you as if to say, ‘thank you’. Then, a cracking noise echoed throughout the cave. Jason raised his head and looked around, finally registering the carnage he had made. His eyes were horrified. “It’s not your fault.” You said. “It’s not.” You kept your voice soft but the cracking noise got louder. Finally, you look up knowing what was about to happen. One of the sharp rocks that hung in the cave had come crashing down towards Jason and you. With all your strength you pushed Jason out of the way, your shoulder making contact with the sharp  point of the rock ripping through. Once the dust settled, you knew you were bleeding bad. Standing up and turning away from Jason, you shouted. 

“Dick!” Dick, seeing everything that happened, had something to stop the bleeding. “I don’t wanna trigger Jason.” You said holding the compression pad to your wound. “Down play it.” Dick nodded and did as he was told, telling Jason to stay where he was until the ruble was clear. Jason did so and you quickly stitched up your wound. Months later, after a night of drinking with Wally West, Dick let it slip what really happened. Jason wasn’t happy at all, and showed up at your doorstep at 3 am. It took hours to calm him down when he saw the large wound still healing on your shoulder. The surrounding skin had bruised over and at that point it really did look worse than it was. 

“I have a pull out couch, you can sleep on that!” Babs said bring you back to reality. You nodded. 

“No.” Jason interrupted. “I’m going to be taking the couch in the living room. You are going to take my bed.” You open your mouth to protest. “You broke your back saving Babs when she was knocked out and thrown off a building remember? Chronic back pain and a pull out don’t mix well.” You closed your mouth. Babs dropped your hand and gasped. 

“I forgot about that. We were all so young…” 

“It’s OK. It’s not chronic.” You say to try and soothe her.

“Yeah not since you finally started going to a chiropractor last year. Let’s not push it.” Jason said, taking your bag to his room. Your blood boils a bit but you wanted to smile as Jason’s mouth continued. “Don’t look at me like that.” Jason rolled his eyes. You stared at him annoyed and wanting to know how he knew you were going to a chiropractor.“I found an appointment card on your desk.” You hummed following Jason into his room, turning back to Barbra who was smiling wider than you’d ever seen. 

A scream woke you from a dead sleep. Stumbling out of the room, you made your way to the sound knowing who was making it. Jason was sweating profusely on the coach, swinging his arms out around nothing. You saw Barbra run in and dashed towards Jason, you grabbed her just in time before Jason struck her. You threw Babs out of Jason’s reach as his half opened eyes glowed green. He’s not conscious but having a nightmare, one that's being enhanced by the pit’s properties. You stood in front of Jason as he towered over you. You stayed still, as if he only could see you if you moved. Jason’s arms shot out but you deflected them and pushed him back, you then saw Tim run in a glass of cold water. He threw it to you, as you caught it Jason was getting back up but was soon hit with the cold water. Finally, Jason gasped and looked around frantically. You signaled for everyone to stand still, then when Jason’s eyes met yours he reached for you. Wanting to see if he was asleep still. You held out your hand and let his huge hands wrap around your wrist, feeling your pulse. 

“Real?” He asked. 

“Like you.” You respond. Jason’s eyes turned soft, he knew you’d only respond with those words when he needed to know he was awake. It was like a code the two of you had but never placed where it started. You pulled him upward, helping him stand as he leaned into you as you led him to this bedroom. Babs, Tim, Dick and Alfred were all amazed how quickly you were able to get Jason up and calm again. Though they shouldn't be surprised, Jason’s always able to calm you and you with him. Once you got Jason onto his bed, you went to his own bathroom to get a cold towel. You started to blot this forehead trying to cool him. “Your sleeping in your room.” You declared. Jason nodded, too tired to argue. “I can stay if you want.” You say softly to which Jason nodded again. You put the cloth back in the bathroom and saw Jason climbing into bed when you turned back. You waited for him to get comfortable before you got in. Once he did, you joined him in bed and rolled onto your back relieving the tension it held. You were drifting off to sleep when you felt a hand on your heart. “If you try to grope me I’ll rip your hand off.” You mumbled. Jason huffed out a laugh. “Relax, I’m just keeping a hand on your heart just so I know what’s real.” Jason grumbled. You hummed and felt yourself drift away. 

The next morning you woke up alone. Jason was not next to you though the indent of his body was still there. You stretched and sat up. “Mornin.” You turned to see Jason with a towel wrapped around his waist. Not wanting to blush, you coolly turn away and take a deep breath. 

“You're eating breakfast.” You say getting up. Jason laughed and your heart sped up. “Do I get a say in what I eat for breakfast?” You shake your head. 

“You need to eat more than a cup of tea and donuts.” Jason rolled his eyes but knew you were actually taking care of him as he doesn’t feel like eating after his episodes. He grabbed his clothes to change into and disappeared behind the bathroom door. You got out some clothes from your bag and with your back towards the door started to change. Mindlessly putting your pants on you weren’t paying attention until you felt rough fingers trace the horizontal scar on your lower back, the one you got when you broke your back saving Barbra…after Jason’s death. You freeze clutching your shirt to your chest. “Make a fucking noise next time.” You say you threw closed teeth. Jason chuckles. 

“Sorry. Shoulda warned you.” You feel him continue to trace the other scars that littered your skin. This is not the first time you have been in a vulnerable position in front of Jason. But the weird safe feeling is something you don’t think you would get used to. Most of the scars he was tracing were ones he wasn’t there for as he was dead. The last scar he traced was the scar on your shoulder. You felt guilt radiate off of him. 

“Can you let me put my shirt on.” You asked, trying to distract him. Jason pulls away. 

“But I’d rather see you without pants.” You shake your head knowing he’d only joke like this when it’s the two of you. You walked into the small kitchen to see Dick already making breakfast. Eggs, bacon and pancakes to be exact. Jason followed after you and nudged you to sit down while he got your food. You got the message still thinking it was funny that you two could communicate with each other without talking. “Seriously, you guys as fucking creepy when you do that.” Dick said. You feel the right side of your lip curl into a small smile. “Never mind you smiling is creepier.” You rolled your eyes as Jason placed a plate of food down in front of you. 

“Thanks.” You mutter. Jason nods and eats his breakfast beside you. 

When you came back from talking to Harley Quinn, who was giving information about where Black Mask has set up shop again. You got wind that the Black Mask was trying to get more traffic on his territory since Batman was dead. Harley told you of one of Joker's hidden hideouts was used as Black Mask's stash of drugs. You had checked it out and long story short, Black Mask knew to keep his nose clean or you’d do more than break his femur. Jason and Dick were in the kitchen cooking when you took off your shoes. 

“Hey your back.” Dick called. You nodded and your eyes fell on Jason who handed you a cup of herbal tea. You took a deep breath and sat at the island, watching the guys make dinner when Dick started to laugh. 

“What?” Jason asked. 

“Remember when we made dinner together? And Tim got tomato sauce all over Bruce and Babs?” Dick asked Jason, continuing to laugh. “I don’t remember that.” Jason grumbled. You sipped your tea and started daggers at Dick. That happened AFTER Jason died. You know because you had been watching over the house outside when that happened. You’d never admit it but you cried when you saw how much fun they were having because Jason wasn’t there. How could they smile after a loss like that? That was when you knew, you were in love with Jason and you always will be. 

“What? You have to, it's the same year that…” Dick trailed off then looked at you finally seeing the look in your eyes. “You what? Never mind. Dumb story anyway.” “I’ve got a story for you. It’s about being dead then coming back to life by a pit of mind altering goo.” Jason sneered. Dick reached for him.

“I didn’t mean to-” “I don’t know what's worse, having a chunk of my life taken from me or coming back to everyone thinking I’m gonna snap.” Jason yelled, stabbing a cutting board with his chef's knife. “Everyone but you.” You looked up from your cup and looked into Jason’s now green eyes, they were blue before but since the pit…they are green now. 

“I’m sorry Jason we should’ve..I should’ve never treated you like an outsider.” Dick apologized then turned to you. “And I’m sorry we-” “Water under the bridge.” You cut him off not wanting to open old wounds. Jason never truly found out what led to you and the family having a brief fall out but he knew you killed the Joker because he died. 

“But-”

“Dick.” You warned.

“Please…just let me…it’s been eating me up for a while.” You slowly inhaled and exhaled. “I’m sorry we abandoned you when Jason died.” You felt like he was cutting into you and ripping you open. You wanted him to stop talking. You don’t like thinking about the past, it hurt too much and you worked so hard to push forward. Your jaw was tight and Dick looked at you with hopeful eyes. 

“What.” You closed your eyes. In Dick’s surrender all thy sins moment, he unleashed something you hadn’t mentioned to Jason about what happened when he died. Shit. 

“Jason…” You started. But he raised his hand to signal you to stop. “You all left a mentally ill sixteen year old to grieve the death of the only person she regularly spoke to alone. Why?” Jason sounded calm but fuming at the same time. Dick swallowed realizing what he did. “Jason…” You heard Babs say as she and Tim enter. Oh this is not gonna go well.

“She disappeared.” Tim said. 

“AND YOU LET HER?” Jason screamed. “ALL TRAINED BY THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE AND NO ONE FOUND HER?” Tim shrunk into himself and looked at the floor. 

“We were all still reeling-” “BUT YOU HAD EACH OTHER RIGHT? AFTER ALL SHE’S DONE FOR YOU, AFTER EVERYTHING SHE’S BEEN THROUGH-” “Jason.” You finally said swallowing the lump in your throat. “It’s water under the bridge.” Jason’s angry eyes met yours. You two stared at each other and even though no words were said, you were still having a conversation with him. He finally unclenched his fists and relaxed. 

“Water under the bridge.” He repeated,  as you got up and put your cup in the sink then walked into your shared room with Jason following after. 

[book-place]

Now That You’re Home

Warnings: cursing, mention of kidnapping, violence, mentions of running away, injuries, let me know if I missed any :)

First part here —> Welcome Home

Pairings: Batfamily x batsis!reader

*not my gif*

Summary: After finally getting home, things can’t be expected to go back to normal right away. You were gone for far too long

A/N: I know a lot of you have been waiting for this and I’m sorry it took so long, I kept losing the will to write it, hence why it’s not as good as the first chapter

Please don’t plagiarize my work, you may reblog if you like but I’m asking that you don’t steal my hard work

You yawned, slowly sitting up, wincing and gingerly holding your stomach, scanning the room.

In bed next to you was a peacefully sleeping Cass and Damain.

On the floor was Jason, sprawled out on his back, with Dicks foot resting on his face.

Dick himself, was sleeping half on, half off the couch, looking like if he moved even a muscle he would come crashing down onto the floor.

Steph was hanging upside down off your bed, somehow sleeping.

Tim and Barbara were nowhere to be seen, making you assume that they already got up and began their days.

It was hard to believe that it had only been last night that your family had come and saved you from that warehouse, it felt like it had been years since you were tied to that chair with a piece of tape over your mouth.

Pretty much right as you got into the batcave, Bruce made you get checked up by Alfred, and he gave you some pain medication for your head and ribs.

Then right after, Dick dragged you and your siblings up to your room, which surprisingly hadn’t changed in the slightest, and made you all have a sibling movie night.

After an hour of arguing about what you were going to watch, you finally put on your favorite movie as they continued arguing, which soon stopped them and they just began watching.

The rest of the evening was full of yelling, laughing, and junk food.

The perfect Wayne sibling night.

Apparently you had all fallen asleep, hence the uncomfortable positions most of your siblings were in right now.

The painkillers must have worn off by then, so you carefully put your feet over your bed and crept out of your room, not before taking Dicks discarded phone, snapping a photo, and sending it to your new number of the phone that Bruce gave you last night. Considering your phone was broken in the kidnapping.

You had no idea how he had one just laying around though.

You didn’t feel like walking down all of those stairs, so you hopped into the elevator that Bruce had installed for Babs and rode it down.

You got out of the elevator and walked to the living room, where you knew Alfred would be at this time, having a nice cup of tea before the rest of the children woke up and disturbed the peace.

A small smile made its way onto your face as you stepped into the living room to the sight of Alfred and Bruce drinking tea and coffee, just chatting.

“Morning.” You croaked.

Bruce’s head snapped over to you and he quickly stumbled up and over to you, taking you gently by the arm and leading you over to the couch.

Alfred looked at you with a smile, “Good morning, Miss. Y/n, how are you doing this morning?”

Last night was nice not only because you were finally able to hang out with your siblings, but also because nobody had asked or pushed you to talk about leaving.

You returned his smile and gently said, “I’m doing okay. Thank you Alfred.”

Bruce cleared his throat, “Y/n, I think we need to talk-“

“No, we most certainly do not.” Alfred cut him off sharply, giving him a warning look before turning back to you with a smile, “Care for some tea?”

“I would love some.” You said, voice full of gratitude for multiple reasons. You really didn’t know how you got on without this man.

The three of you fell back into a silence, one that seemed comfortable for Alfred, but very uncomfortable for you and your father.

The silence was thankfully broken quickly though by the sound of feet hurtling down the stairs, “Alfred! B!” The panicked sound of your eldest brother sounded through the room before any of you could even see him, “She’s gone! Y/n’s gone! I don’t know where-“ He cut himself off as soon as he sprinted into the room, skidding to a stop.

He sighed a big breath of relief, visibly relaxing.

Alfred looked at him in amusement, “She is still here, Master Dick.”

“Good.” Dick said awkwardly, rocking back and forth on his heels.

You looked up at him with a look that was a mix of guilt, concern, and sadness, he had thought that you left again.

He briefly glanced at you before quickly looking away, clearing his throat, “I’m- um- I’m gonna go get some coffee.”

With that he scurried off into the next room, stealing one more glance back at all of you.

“He thought I left.” You hadn’t meant to say it out loud, the sadness in your voice caught you off guard.

Bruce hummed, “Which is exactly why I think we need to talk-“

“Bruce!” Alfred burst out, standing abruptly, “May I have a word with you?” His tone was anything but questioning, it was demanding. He turned back to you and in a softer voice said, “I think Mistress Barbra and Master Tim are down in the Batcave if you would like to go see them.”

You nodded, quickly standing up and exiting the room, leaving your father to face Alfred’s wrath.

Sure enough, once you entered the Batcave, you were met with the sight of your older sister and younger brother typing away furiously at the keyboards of the computers.

“Morning.” You called out after a moment of them not noticing you.

Their heads snapped up at the sound of your voice and wide grins broke out onto both of their faces.

“Morning, honey.” Babs called out, beckoning you over with a hand, “How did you sleep?”

“Better than most of the others.” You responded with a small chuckle.

You watched as they both laughed a little before Tim took a large sip from his coffee mug.

“Still an addict for coffee, Timmy?” You asked with a raised eyebrow.

He looked over at you sheepishly, “You know me.”

You rolled your eyes a little, trying, and failing, to hide your amusement.

“What are you two doing up so early?” You asked, changing the topic which made Tim ‘secretly’ sigh in relief.

Babs shrugged, “Work to be done. What about you?”

“I usually get up at this time.” You copied her shrug.

Tim looked at you with a small laugh, “You used to not get up until noon.”

You cleared your throat, “Yeah, well I’m also not up until the early hours of the night every day now.”

Tim’s laugh quickly faded along with his smile and a sad look came over his face. He quickly looked down and Barbra looked away awkwardly.

A heavy silence fell over the three of you, seeming to crush down on top of you, almost making it hard for you to breathe.

“Well,” You said, “I’ll let you get back to work, sorry for interrupting.”

They didn't respond, and you didn’t wait for them to, as you quickly rushed away from the cave to try and rid yourself of the guilt you felt for what you had just said.

Why had you brought it up?

You mentally groaned and you felt like running your head through the closest wall as hard as you could.

As if on autopilot, you navigated your way through the manor. And though it had been years, you still knew exactly where everything was, almost nothing had changed.

There were still family pictures hanging on the walls alongside some expensive artwork that you could assume had been duct taped thirty times over in the back from your siblings probably destroying it.

A lot of the pictures were ones with you in it, but there were also some clearly updated and new ones.

You made your way through the maze of hallways to the place you had always gone whenever you were upset or needed some space to clear your head. The library.

Bruce had bought every single book in there for you and Jason because the two of you were the bookworms of the family.

As soon as you walked through the doors you sucked in a sharp breath, it was exactly as you remembered, besides at least six new bookshelves filled to the brim with books, down to the exact placing of the chairs and couches.

You wandered down the shelves of stories without really paying attention to anything, let alone where you were going.

You were walking down the fifth row when you suddenly ran into a hard wall and fell backwards.

A hand quickly flew out and caught you right before you could hit the ground though.

Your eyes quickly snapped open to see Jason standing above you with an amused smirk, “Watch where you’re going, Sunshine.”

Sunshine was a nickname he had given you when you were first dropped off at the manor. You had always been in a good mood back then, bubbly and full of giggles.

It seemed to annoy Jason to no end back then, and he had begun calling you Sunshine as an insult, but it ended up sticking.

A slow smile made its way onto your face as you fully stood up, “Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.”

The black haired man scoffed, “Obviously, because I'm the only one that can call you that.”

“So true.” You said back, falling into a comfortable silence as the two of you began to wander down the aisles together.

The two of you fell back into the pattern that had been your weekly routine before you left.

You would go back and forth making new book recommendations and you would both do your best to give summaries about them without spoiling.

The peacefulness of normalcy was interrupted by Jason’s phone making a loud ‘ding’.

He grumbled under his breath and fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket. He glanced down at it for a second before announcing, “Dickie Bird says breakfast is ready.”

Your eyes widened slightly in horror, and Jason must have noticed because he quickly reassured you, “Don't worry, Alfred doesn’t let him actually cook. Just let’s Dick think that he helps.”

You breathed a small sigh in relief, “Good, I wasn’t really in the mood to have shit sprinkled with a pinch of poisoning.”

He laughed as the two of you made your way back through the hall mazes and to the dining room.

When you got there, everybody was now awake and all seated in the same seats that they sat in when you had left.

Your eyes swept across the table before they landed on the chair that was in the middle of your father and Damian, the chair that you had always sat in. And it was empty.

The thought made you sad, realizing that they had left that seat empty for you all those years, waiting for you to come home and fill it again.

You quietly made your way to the seat, hesitating only slightly before sitting down, but you were sure that your family noticed.

Across from you sat Alfred, and next to him was Tim, then Cass, Steph, and Jason.

And then next to Damian was Barbra and then Dick.

You all began to eat the pancakes in front of you in silence. And while you sensed your family sending numerous glances your way, you kept your eyes trained on your plate.

Once you were halfway through, you finally looked up and mumbled, “This is very good, Alfred. Thank you.”

You had almost forgotten how much you loved his pancakes. Almost.

“You are quite welcome, Miss. Y/n.” He said, clearly delighted that you spoke up.

Then you all fell back into the uncomfortable silence.

Bruce was the next one to break it.

“Where have you been?” His question was genuine, and there was such sadness in his eyes that you had to look away.

Your siblings all snapped their heads towards you, eagerly awaiting your answer.

Alfred on the other hand, was glaring at your father, “Master Bruce, the breakfast table is no place to discuss such things.”

Once again, you were grateful for Alfred.

“I just wanted to-“

“Enough.” Pennyworth said, face calm, but eyes raging with a fire that you hadn’t seen since you and Jason broke the most expensive piece of art in the manor by having a pillow fight.

Bruce’s mouth snapped shut and he quickly averted his eyes back to his own plate, your siblings quickly following suit.

You cleared your throat, pushing your still half full plate away, “Thank you again, Alfred.”

With that you hastily stood up and exited the room as fast as you could, avoiding eye contact with everybody.

After a moment of silence, Damain rolled his eyes and scoffed, clearly directing it towards his father, and stood up, harshly pushing his chair away from the table and stomped in the direction you had just exited.

It didn’t take him long to find you out in the backyard, sitting on a bench in the garden, knees pulled up to your chest with your head resting against them.

This was where you went whenever you and your father got into a fight.

“Sister.” Damain called out from a few feet away from you, trying not to creep up and end up scaring you.

You turned around quickly with wide eyes before relaxing when your eyes landed on your youngest brother, “Hi, Dami.” You greeted quietly, scooching over to give him room on the bench as well.

He walked over and sat down, letting silence wash over the two of you, this was something that the two of you used to do whenever something like this would happen.

You and your father would fight, then you would end up storming out into the garden and Damian would quickly follow after you.

Then you would end up sitting together for as long as it took for you to calm down. Either by talking it through or just sitting in silence, taking in the comfort that your brother gave when you had him close.

After about ten minutes of a comfortable silence, you let out a deep breath, keeping your eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing, “Thank you, Dami.”

He nodded, looking over and studying you, deciding what he should do next.

Without warning, he quickly stood up, “Come, sister.” He said in less of a commanding way and almost as a question, as if he was afraid you would say no but was trying to hide it, “I want to show you something.”

Letting your curiosity get the better of you, you stood up and followed behind your brother as he led the way through the rows upon rows of plants until he came to a stop in front of a large bush and dropped to his hands and knees.

You looked down at him in confusion and he quickly explained while trying to look under the leaves, “He normally like to hide here.”

Though you were still confused, you nodded slightly.

“Ah,” He said suddenly, “There he is.”

He stuck his arm into the bush and for a moment you were terrified that he was going to scream as it got eaten off by a wild animal, instead it slowly started coming out of the bushes, with a cat in his hand.

“Alfred.” You said in surprise, instantly recognizing the now much older cat.

Damain nodded, holding out the cat named after the butler for you to hold and pet.

“You still have him.” You said softly, gazing at the beautiful creature.

“I also have more pets.” Your younger brother said proudly, before diving into an hour long conversation and meet and greet of the rest of his pets.

The two of you were in the barn, introducing and being introduced to Batcow, when Steph came bounding through the doors with a wide smile on her face.

“Sorry, Dames.” She said, not very apologetic at all, gently taking your arm and beginning to drag you out the door, “I need to borrow our sister.”

You looked at your little brother helplessly as the blonde girl dragged you out of the barn and Damain stood with his face beginning to grow red and a glare pointed at your sister.

Before he could threaten to take his katana out though, Stephine quickly ran and exited, taking you with her as you had to run to keep up with her long strides.

When she finally came to a stop once you got inside the manor, you were gasping for air and bent over with your hands on your knees, “W-what’s up, S-steph?” You asked breathlessly.

Your sister, who wasn’t even out of breath, shrugged, “Eh, I thought I deserved some time with my sister, seeing as my little brother was hogging her all to himself.” She answered with her iconic grin.

This caused you to smile a little, “Well fair enough.”

You looked around, trying to see what room she had brought you to, and with a little shock, you realized that you were in the game room.

Looking back at her, you were about to say something until you noticed her looking at you with a now evil grin, “I Stephanie Brown, challenge you, Y/n Wayne to a game of air hockey.”

You quickly copied her look, “Oh it’s so on.”

The next hour was spent with yelling, laughing, betting, and cursing. Just like old times.

The two of you didn’t stop until you heard someone softly clear their throat from the side of the table.

You and Steph each jumped a foot in the air, letting out a little scream each, and Steph threw the puck that she was holding at the person.

Cass dodged the piece with ease and an amused smile on her face.

You sighed in relief when you realized that it was just her, “You scared me, Cass.”

She giggled quietly, and Steph rolled her eyes playfully, “That’s cause you're a scaredy cat.” She teased, and this time it was you rolling your eyes.

“If I remember correctly, it was you doing the screaming as well.”

She opened her mouth to rebuttal, only for Cass to beat her to it, “Actually, Bruce sent me to get Y/n. He wants to talk with her.”

This caused you and your sister to fall silent and for her to send you an apologetic look.

You looked down and took a deep breath before looking up at Cassandra with a clearly forced smile, “Well then, lead the way, Cassie.”

She nodded, beginning to lead you to wherever Bruce had told her to go.

On the way she started a conversation to get you caught up on some basic things that changed around the manor, like a change in breakfast cereal, or everyone’s new favorite movie.

Even though they weren’t big things, it still made you sad to hear about everything you had missed out on while being away.

You had been so caught up in your thoughts, that you hadn’t even noticed Cass had come to a stop until she put a hand on your shoulder to stop you from continuing down the hall.

With a small, reassuring smile, she quickly turned on her heel and left you to deal with your father alone.

After taking a deep breath, and seriously debating just not going in at all, you mustered up the courage to knock gently on the door.

You were met with the muffled sound of your fathers voice calling back a, ‘come in’.

With another deep breath, you pushed open the door and stepped right into your fathers office, only to find it exactly as how you had left it.

Bruce sat behind his desk and you could see him studying you carefully, before he gestured to the seat across from him, indicating that he wanted you to sit down.

You strode across the room, keeping a brave and confident exterior on, while on the inside you were squirming with nerves.

Sitting down graciously, you didn’t take your gaze away from your father and neither did he to you.

You two just sat there in silence, both of you still trying to wrap your heads around if the other was actually before you or if this was some dream that you would wake up from any moment.

“It’s been put off all day.” Bruce started, leaning back in his chair, “But I-“ He cut himself off and cleared his throat, darting his eyes away quickly, “I need to know.” His voice came out quiet and suddenly you were feeling guilty all over again.

It was weird for you, even after all these years to see your father like this. So vulnerable, so… small.

“Dad,” You began and then opened your mouth again, but no words came out.

You didn’t know what to say.

That you were sorry? That you couldn’t live his lifestyle anymore? That being Batgirl was one of the worst times of your life?

“A day never passed that I didn’t think about you guys… I missed you all so much.” You admitted, tears filling your eyes as you looked down and fiddled with your fingers.

Bruce stayed silent for another moment, “We looked for you. Everywhere.”

You nodded your head, “I figured. That’s why I changed my name.”

A pained look crossed Bruce’s face, “You changed Y/n?”

You shook your head, swallowing hard, “I changed Wayne.”

“Oh,” was all that came out.

You finally looked up, realizing that he deserved to know, and you were just being selfish not telling him, “I was in Bludhaven.”

His head snapped up and his eyes met yours, “You were?”

You nodded slightly, “And I- I left because…” You took a deep breath before letting the words tumble out of your mouth before you could convince yourself to change your mind, “I couldn’t do it. The whole vigilante thing. The violence. Staying out late every night. Never knowing if I was ever going to see my family again. I couldn’t handle it. Any of it. I wasn’t strong enough.”

It was like the weight of the world had been lifted off your shoulders when you said that.

Bruce stayed silent for one moment. Two. Three. Four.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” His voice came out so broken that you almost started crying right then and there in that chair, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you.” Your voice was thick with emotion.

His next words surprised you, “You could never disappoint me.”

Next thing you knew, you were around the desk and had launched yourself into your fathers arms, taking him and you by surprise, but he quickly wrapped his arms around you in return, holding you in a hug that said a million things.

And you stayed like that for a while, holding each other in silence and comfort.

Then the door was slammed open, surprising the two of you so much that you each jumped a foot in the air.

Out of instinct, Bruce immediately pushed you behind him and put his hands up, ready to fight off whoever dared step foot in his office.

But instead of some random goon or attacker, all of your siblings filed into the room, Jason in the front, who you had assumed was the one who did the kicking in of the door.

Steph let out a battle cry as she emerged from the hallway and entered the room, shoving Tim out of the way, who fell with a heavy thud.

Damian followed quickly after, katana raised and ready for action.

Bruce dropped his arms to his side and scowled and you stepped out from behind him, “What are you kids doing?” He asked in a tired voice.

Before any of them could answer though, Alfred stepped into the room, not even glancing down as he stepped over Tim’s groaning form, “They all insisted that since it had been so quiet that one of you had ended up killing the other.”

You watched as your siblings came to a halt upon seeing both of you alive and well, and all shuffled awkwardly and Barbra slapped Dick’s arm and muttered something about an idiotic idea.

Dick then proceeded to gasp dramatically and shove Jason slightly, saying something about it being his plan all along, and he just rolled his eyes before motioning to Damian and muttering about the demon child being the one with a weapon.

The room then erupted in chaos as your siblings yelled at each other and Bruce and Alfred tried to calm them down.

And despite everything, you couldn’t help but allow a small smile to grow on your face.

You were finally home, and this time you weren’t going anywhere.

Eventually, your siblings calmed down after all agreeing to blame Steph (because she was the one to bring up the silence coming from the room in the first place), who was very much against that accusation, and made their way down to the living room where you all sat around as Bruce told you all to wait before he exited the room.

After a moment of silence, you cleared your throat and spoke up, “Guys, I’m sorry for every-“

“We know.” Cass cut you off with that small, kind smile that she’s so famous for.

“I just-“ You tried again.

“We know.” Babs repeated her sister.

Your eyebrows furrowed, “What do you-“

“We may or may not have been eavesdropping on yours and Bruce’s conversation.” Tim rubbed the back of his neck and avoided your gaze.

Your mouth dropped open, but you quickly smiled, “I suppose I can’t expect anything less from you guys.”

“Pennyworth was listening as well.” Damain blurted out, pointing a finger at the butler.

Alfred turned his nose up, “I am quite certain I have no idea what you are speaking of, Master Damian.”

Before the youngest could open his mouth to rebuttal, Bruce walked back into a room with something hidden behind his back.

Everyone fell silent and looked at him expectantly, so he smiled and revealed to all of you the monopoly box he was holding, and grins broke out on every single one of your faces.

The monopoly box he was holding was something that you had helped make with all of them before you had ran away, it was a DIY that held enough pieces, money, and properties to buy for everyone in your family to play at once.

The next hour was spent laughing and yelling while trying to make each other go bankrupt and keep Jason and Dick from cheating.

Jason slammed his hands down on the table, “You piece of shit!” He screamed at Damain.

“Well at least I wasn’t beaten to death by a crowbar!” The younger one yelled back.

Then it went silent and everyone snapped their heads over to you, but you just stayed quiet.

The silence lasted for about five minutes before you slowly stood up.

“I’m sorry… YOU DIED?”

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Eyes and Ears

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: An AU where Barbara finds Jason instead of Bruce.

Chapters: 7/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): Jason Todd/Original Character(s), Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson

Additional Tags: Canon Divergent AU, Older SIbling Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd-centric, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Jason Todd is NOT Robin, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Has a Crush, Adopted Siblings

Chapter Seven: Seaside

Barbara went out as Batgirl shortly after dinner, leaving Jason home alone to wait for Jim. As the night progressed, Jason lay on the couch watching tv. He wanted to be awake when Jim returned. It reminded him of how Jason often waited for his parents to come home, and that's what worried him most. As hard as he tried to stay awake for Jim's return, he couldn't keep his eyes open past two in the morning.

Jim dragged his feet as he entered the house around three in the morning. His body and mind were weary as he hung his coat up and kicked his shoes off. He turned the tv off and smiled at Jason, who lay curled up on the couch, holding one of the throw pillows to his chest. Jim picked Jason up and held him for a moment before taking Jason to his room to tuck him into bed. Jason took hold of Jim's wrist and mumbled, "Don't go... Please don't go." His voice was broken. Jim pushed Jason's hair back.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here... We might have to go get ice cream in the morning, though," Jim whispered as he sat down on the floor by Jason's bedside. Jason turned on his stomach, facing Jim, and he opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked. Jim took a deep breath.

"Mind if I tell you what happened and why I was gone so long?" Jim asked. Jason nodded.

Jim talked about his work with Batman and how many bombs they had to defuse around the city, and Jason stopped him. "But are you okay?" Jason asked. Jim paused, and his shoulders dropped.

"I'm exhausted, and I feel bad for how I left you earlier... I want you to know that I would've come home hours ago if I could've. I don't want you to think I abandoned you," Jim whispered.

"You were working," Jason yawned.

Jim left the room and showered, and climbed into bed. He lay awake for a few minutes only to hear Jason's footsteps in his room. Jim lay still and listened to Jason make a shuffling noise before complete silence. He turned on his side and met eyes with Jason. Despite the pounding in Jim's head, he opened his mouth and whispered, "It's cold down there. Come up here." Jason hesitated for a moment before climbing into Jim's bed, and he closed his eyes. Jim threw the blankets over Jason and took a deep breath.

"I was dreaming about my mom... My birth one. I mean, I don't know her, but maybe this is the way she wanted things to be. Maybe she didn't want me," Jason whispered, "Maybe she doesn't want to be found..."

Jim kissed the top of Jason's head. "I can't imagine someone not wanting a kid like you... But I honestly hope that even if you do find her, you'll consider making this your home for good," Jim whispered.

"You'd want me to stay for the next five years? Like until I turn eighteen?" Jason asked.

"Or until you're ready to leave home. I figure if you're still living with me by the time I retire, we could go live in Maine... Get away from all the noise. We could go fishing there," Jim whispered as he went on to describe the coastal cities and the lighthouses and the silence. Jason's breathing slowed, and Jim kept speaking as if Maine was some fairy tale place.

Jim drifted off to sleep only after he knew Jason was fast asleep. They both slept late into the next day, only waking once the sun was too bright to ignore. "Pop?" Jason asked as he sat up, and Jim groaned. "Therapy?"

"Mhm, we'll pick someone out together... But first, let's go eat, okay? I promised my son I'd take him out for ice cream," Jim smiled. Jason got out of bed, and he stood in the doorway.

"I know I just kind of got you, but... You're the best dad I've ever had," Jason whispered before waving. The words made Jim's heart heavy. He got cleaned up and dressed before leaving his room and ran into Barbara in the kitchen.

"You do realize that you just can't promise him ice cream and make things okay, right?" Barbara asked. Jim nodded solemnly.

"I know," he replied, "But I did talk to him about therapy, and he said he'll give it a try as long as I'm there with him."

"How'd you manage that? He wouldn't even—."

"I took a different approach. Do you want to come with us to get ice cream?" Jim asked. Barbara nodded.

"Sure, why not. I have a day off... Also, I noticed... This is the second night in a row that he hasn't slept in his bed," Barbara noted. Jim nodded.

"I know. But last night was sort of my fault. He was gonna sleep on the floor," Jim explained. Jason came out of the bathroom and stretched out. "Hey, I'll be downstairs." Jason nodded and moved to follow Jim before Barbara took his hand.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Barbara asked. Jason nodded and stood in the kitchen with her. "You okay?"

"Train me," Jason whispered.

"What?" Barbara exclaimed. "No! Are you crazy? You're just barely thirteen, that's way too young—."

"How old was Robin when he started? He didn't exactly look like he was in his early twenties," Jason whispered.

"Robin wasn't my baby brother. You are," Barbara replied as she tried to walk past him, and he grabbed her wrist.

"I already lost one family. I'm not gonna lose this one," Jason tightened his hold on her wrist, not to hurt her, but to let her know he was serious. She sighed.

"I'm not letting you in the field, but I'll consider it," Barbara replied, and he embraced her. She stood still in shock for a moment before hugging him back. "I'm serious. It's not a yes. I'm just thinking about it."

She tried to keep a stern look on her face, but she couldn't help but smile. "I call shotgun, Barbie!" Jason smiled as he ran down the stairs.

"Wait! No one calls me that!" Barbara shouted as she locked up and followed him down the steps and out to the car. Jason chuckled to himself in the front seat.

While they were eating ice cream, Barbara tried to think about the idea of a partner, but she knew he was far too young and much too traumatized to be out in the field. On the other hand, he would be too busy training to worry about losing them and decided that keeping Jason preoccupied was her best option.

She understood where Jason was coming from, but she was no Batman. She could only allow him to dream, nothing more. Barbara secretly hoped that he would lose interest as his fear of loss subsided. Only time would tell.