#Merlyn Shower

[lothcatthree]

Last Line Challenge

Rules: in a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you like).

tagged by the lovely, wonderful, and talented @loverboy-havocboy @theproblemwithstardust @insertmeaningfulusername thank you all <3

been working on chapter 9 of afterglow, so here's a lil cute thing with cal, caleb, and hera shenanigans :)

“Have a good morning, then?” Caleb waggles his eyebrows when Cal slides into their table with his latte between his hands.  Caleb stares pointedly at the bruise left on Cal’s neck from his earlier shower with Bode, still fresh and slowly blooming across broken blood vessels. Hera nudges Caleb with her elbow, but doesn’t jump to Cal’s defense as she watches him with sparkling green eyes over the rim of her coffee cup.  Hera’s just as bad as Caleb, really. She just hides it better.

no pressure tags: @merlyn-bane @holly-bearie @anxiousotters @whiskygoldwings @clearbluewaters

@lttrsfrmlnrrgby @colonelcaroldanvers @sithfox

[fanfics4all]

Kinktober 2024

Day 1- Temperature Play: Toy Otto x Fem!reader

Day 2- Voyeurism: Lou Chan x Male!reader

Day 3- Public Sex: Barry Allen X Fem!reader

Day 4- Sensory Deprivation: Negan x Fem!reader

Day 5- Bondage: Derek Morgan x Fem!reader

Day 6- Anonymous Sex: Jamie Hunter x Fem!reader

Day 7- Bruising/Biting: John Murphy!Vampire AU x Fem!reader

Day 8- Flogging: Oliver Queen x Fem!reader

Day 9- Food Play: Fred and George Weasley x Fem!reader

Day 10- Overstimulation: Sub!Ambrose Spellman x Dom!Fem!reader

Day 11- Knife Play: F.P. Jones x Fem!reader

Day 12- Breath Play: Savitar x Fem!reader

Day 13- Role Play: Callie Adams-Foster x Male!reader

Day 14- Gangbang: Draco Malfoy x Blaise Zabini x Theodore Nott x Fem!reader

Day 15-Teasing: Althea Szewczyk-Przygocki x Fem!reader

Day 16- Cock Worshiping: Daryl Dixon x Fem!reader

Day 17- Squirting: Bellamy Blake x Fem!reader

Day 18- Foot Fetish: Archie Andrews x Fem!reader

Day 19- Fisting: Caliban x Fem!reader

Day 20- Cunnilingus: Brandon Foster x Fem!reader

Day 21- Shower Sex: Spencer Reid x Fem!reader

Day 22- Thigh Riding: Tommy Merlyn x Fem!reader

Day 23- Breeding: Malachai x Fem!reader

Day 24- Somnophilia: Roy Harper x Fem!reader

Day 25- Pussy Slapping: Leonard Snart x Fem!reader

Day 26- Pegging: Jesus Adams-Foster x Fem!reader

Day 27- Angry Sex: Rosita Espinosa x Male!reader

Day 28- Phone Sex: Luke Alvez x Fem!reader

Day 29- Uniforms: Octavia Blake x Male!reader

Day 30- Sex Pollen: Harvey Kinkle x Fem!reader

Day 31- Cock Warming: Severus Snape x Fem!reader

Here's how the days are gonna go, hope you're all excited!

[loverboy-havocboy]

last line challenge

ty for the tag @five-oh-thirst - i have yet to write today, but i did send this to sticks and i think it's funny. it is about the logistics of the pack sharing the apartment they have in aliit, which has one bathroom

comet, banging on the bathroom door: sinker, hurry up!

sinker: fucking hold on, i still have to piss!

comet: piss in the shower! you've been in there forever

sinker: you piss in the shower!

comet, after a very deep breath: i am the ONLY PERSON IN THIS APARTMENT WHO CAN'T PISS IN THE SHOWER

sinker, suddenly not yelling anymore: oh. right 😬

npt beloveds @adhd-coyote @petrifiedforests @hawthornsword @merlyn-bane @raphaerolo

[dontbelasagnax]

Trick or Treat!! 🧛🏼‍♀️🎃 What's one/what are the thought/trope/headcannon/take(s) that you have for Codywan that you feel is/are less common? Doesn't necessarily have to be a hot take if you don't want, but something you don't see as much or that maybe you'd like to see more of?

Oh goodness, I haven't been reading a lot of codywan recently because I've been stewing in my own thoughts of them so I might not have the most accurate perception of what everyone's doing with the beloveds, but I do have one or two things that most definitely haven't changed in popularity that I would love to see more of.

I am a devout believer in vers codywan so I'd like to see more Cody bottoming! I just think those two are so single mindedly devoted to wringing every ounce of pleasure from one another's bodies so they would leave no stone unturned. Let Obi-Wan rearrange Cody's atomic structure by cradling him close, pressing him to the mattress, and showering him with praise as he fucks him within an inch of his life. Bless <3

Thank you for trick or treating @merlyn-bane !! 🍬🍭🍫

[atlasalexanderwrites]

Welcome Home Baby Brother Pt. 2 (a Queen!Reader x Malcolm Merlyn verse One Shot....PT. 7)

IMAGINE...being the eldest child to Robert Queen, (Being in a relationship with Malcolm Merlyn,) and having dinner for the first time since your baby brother, Oliver, came back from the dead after five, long years.

Word Count: 2,437

Warning: Possible out-of-character canon characters! Spoilers for any readers who haven’t watched Arrow (I guess lol)

A/N: I hope you all enjoy it!

Previous Parts - 1 2 3 4 5 6

“So, do you plan on telling him about you and Mr. Merlyn?” The question from Thea as the two of you were seated in her room waiting for Oliver to get out of the shower and for dinner to be ready made you flinch and look up from your cell where you had been attempting to do some work for Queen Consolidated while you waited.

You knew that it was going to be brought up, but you had hoped that it would wait until tomorrow.

No. You had no intention of telling Oliver about you and Malcolm. Not only was it something you didn’t know how to bring up, but it was also something that maybe your baby brother didn’t need to know about just yet.

Your gaze fell to your left hand where the diamond ring sat. Malcolm had proposed only a few months earlier during a three-week business trip in France for a joint Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global business deal. Since then, neither of you had spoken about setting a date or anything to do with a wedding ceremony. A part of you was nervous to bring it up; you didn’t want to make Malcolm feel pressured and didn’t want to somehow, accidentally, bring up memories that would sadden him or anger him by reminding him of Tommy’s mother. The other part of you was nervous to bring it up to Malcolm because…because you weren’t sure you wanted to be married to Malcolm Merlyn. Not right now. Not with Oliver being alive and home and all those suspicions about Malcolm being involved with the Gambit bringing up not anger but dread.

You couldn’t imagine what would happen if that box got opened. You weren’t sure you wanted an answer to whether Malcolm had a hand in your family’s yacht going down.

“Oliver doesn’t need to know about my love life, Thea. There is no reason he needs to be told. Besides, it is probably best that we don’t overwhelm him too much. It’s like…how Mom wants to not bother Oliver with her and Walter just yet. Oliver needs time to settle and adjust. No doubt, he’s hardly at any time to mourn dad or…or even Sara.”

Thea nodded as you spoke and then rolled her eyes saying, “So, you’re scared to tell him?”

“Terrified.”

How could you not be?

Oliver from five years ago had been an asshole, but he still tried to fight every boyfriend you had ever had.

The last thing you needed was Oliver trying to fight Malcolm the moment he got back to Starling City, not to mention the awkwardness that could pop up between Oliver and Tommy as a result.

Sighing, you stood and brushed a hand through your hair while saying, “Look, I promise that I will tell Oliver, but for tonight lets keep that between us.”

“Us and Tommy, mom and Walter, Raisa, most of Starling City, and…” Thea continued as the two of you walked out from her room and headed downstairs.

She wasn’t wrong. Too many people knew and too many people could let it slip to your brother. But if you were being honest, your biggest concern was Moira. She hadn’t budged even a little on her dissatisfaction toward your relationship with Malcolm, and Moira took every opportunity she could find to try and keep the two of you apart. Even with you now living in Malcolm’s home.

It had been amusing at first, then weird, and then frustrating. It was like there was something she was trying to tell you without telling you.

Like Moira knew something about Malcolm she wanted you to know but couldn’t bring herself to spell it out.

“Tommy!” Thea grinned as she bounded down the last few steps and practically skipped over to where Tommy and Oliver stood, reconnecting in the entryway.

You met the gaze of your brother’s best friend (who just happened to be your fiancé’s son as well) and forced an awkward smile as Tommy greeted Thea. The two of you were on good enough terms, but you also knew each other’s secrets – secrets that neither of you wanted Oliver to know about just yet. It made the situation uncomfortable, and you were kicking yourself for not having spoken openly about it with Tommy before this dinner.

“Well, this is a sight that I have missed.” You finally spoke up, plastering a smile on your lips as you closed the gap between yourself and the others. “And to think Starling City was only just beginning to heal from the terror of Oliver Queen and Thomas Merlyn.”

Most of Starling City probably didn’t care that Oliver had returned. Those who were excited were, of course, your family and Oliver’s party friends.

Still, the thought of having Oliver home meant that there was a chance for some semblance of the familiar. As close to the “good old times” that you could get to with your dad being gone.

“We will try not to do anything too crazy.” Oliver smiled. His voice soft. He sounded sincere, like he truly had zero intention of being his old self, and his eyes held a softness that younger Oliver would have never shown – it would have ruined his party boy persona.

“Make sure you don’t.” you laughed as Risa stepped into the hall announcing that dinner was about to be served.

Thea snorted, “Let’s not keep mom waiting.”

Oliver chuckled at your sister’s attitude and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, teasing Thea about “Making mom happy” as they followed after Risa.

You couldn’t help but chuckle knowing that your stepmother or Walter had sent Risa to “collect” the four of you; no doubt, Moira was having flashbacks from your childhood to when you, Oliver, and Thea would get so caught up in something the three of you had chosen to do together that it would take your father coming home and being “stern” for the three of you to finally come back to reality.

The thought was bittersweet, but you didn’t mind it. You appreciated that you could remember things like that. Over the past five years, there had been plenty of days where memories of your brother and father had been the only thing that helped you get out of bed and get on with your life.

“Hey Y/n,” Tommy hissed, grabbing your arm, and stopping you from following after your brother and sister. He waited for the two of them to be out of earshot before saying, “Listen I just…wanted to make sure we were on the same page about…things. Like, what gets told to Oliver and what can be saved for some other time.”

You knew what he was talking about, and it had nothing to do with you and Malcolm.

It was kind of sweet that Tommy was so concerned about telling Oliver certain things because he wasn’t sure how his lifelong friend would react. It spoke volumes on how much Tommy respected and cherished his friendship with your baby brother.

You whispered his name and offered a small smile as your gaze slipped to your left hand and the diamond engagement ring that sat there. The smart thing would be to remove the ring altogether. After all, if Oliver didn’t see the ring, then he couldn’t ask about it, but you didn’t want to give the impression that you were ashamed of Malcolm and that you wanted to hide your relationship with him.

“I promise that I won’t say anything to Oliver about what you’ve been up to the last five years as long as you don’t say anything about me and your father. I just...I haven’t figured out how to tell Oliver about us yet.”

Tommy stared at you for a long moment, taking in what you had said, and then breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “Alright, alright. Thank you, Y/n. I…thank you.”

“Any time, Tommy.” And you moved into the dining room to join the others.

While Tommy and Thea sat to either side of Oliver, you chose to sit across from Walter placing Moira (and Oliver) at the head of the table. You didn’t mind as it gave you a chance to speak softly to your stepmother and Walter about Queen Consolidated and it gave Thea the chance to soak up as much of Oliver’s attention and closeness as she desired. Thea needed that. She had been only thirteen when the Gambit went down – life was hard enough for Thea with being in her early teens, the loss of your father and brother hadn’t helped things at all.

Besides, you would have plenty of time to catch up with Oliver.

It isn’t like he’s going anywhere any time soon.

“…I was hoping to swing by the office.” Oliver’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts and you quickly snapped your full attention in his direction.

“Queen Consolidated?” you laughed, interrupting whatever Walter had been saying as a response to your brother. “You want to go to…how hard did you hit your head while on that island?” you teased while lifting your glass of wine to your lips.

“I had a lot of time to think while I was away.” Oliver smiled, although it didn’t reach his eyes. “I need something to do with my time, and I was thinking, why not make that something the family business?” his blue eyes looked from you to your mother and then back on you, “Unless this is your way of saying you want the company all to yourself?”

“Shut up, brat.” You laughed with a playful roll of your eyes, “I think it’s a brilliant idea for you to have a hand in Queen Consolidated. Dad would want it.”

“Then it’s settled.” Moira was beaming, clearly happy that Oliver had matured enough to show an interest in your family’s business.

You were proud of Oliver as well, but you couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had motivated your baby brother to want to take an active role in Queen Consolidated. Surely, most people who came back from the dead would want to take some time to rest and readjust to life. But Oliver didn’t seem to want to do that.

Actually, that look on his face…it’s determination. He’s home and he has a list of things he plans to do.

But what?

What has happened to you, Olive?

*

When you were younger, the thing you feared the most was that your baby brother and sister would hate you. That they would grow up and realize how lame you were, and they would then want nothing to do with you.

That morning when you got that call that the Queen’s Gambit had gone down, that your father and brother were lost at sea and presumed dead, you felt so silly for your childhood fears. You knew then that the worst thing imaginable was having those you loved ripped away from you in a moment, in the blink of an eye, without warning.

And now, standing outside with Oliver and avoiding going home to an empty house, you felt that fear in your stomach. Like this was all a dream and that you would wake up, having imagined Oliver being alive, and you would be back in that cold, dark world where your baby brother was gone. Taken from you by fate? A tragic accident at sea? Or…at the hands of unknown enemies.

“So,” Oliver sighed, turning to you with a smile, “When do I get to meet the person who gave you that?” he gestured toward crossed arms, at your engagement ring.

“The wedding?” you shrugged, trying to play it cool at first as you looked anywhere but at him. “It…the engagement is actually pretty new. We don’t have a set date yet.”

“Does mom disapprove?” Oliver asked the question softly, his gaze locked on you so tenderly.

You snorted, “Of course she does. Mom…doesn’t think he’s good enough or me. Which is crazy because he’s a businessman, he’s very successful, and his company actually has a lot of dealings with Queen Consolidated.” Your amusement turned to frustration as you spoke, frowning at your own words and the reminder that Moira could pop off and spill the beans about you and Malcolm at any moment.

“Do I know him?”

Your cheeks flushed at his question, and you found yourself chewing on your bottom lip instead of answering.

Humming, Oliver nodded and leaned toward you, placing a kiss to the side of your head as a sleek, black limo pulled up. “I know that I don’t have to worry about you, Y/n. You’re the smartest out of us all. If you’re sure enough about this guy to marry him, then I will trust you and try to wait patiently for you to introduce me to him.”

“Ollie.” You murmured, eyes filling with tears as you wrapped your arms around him, tucking your face into his shoulder as he returned the hug. “I fucking missed you, Oliver.”

He nodded in agreement, saying “I missed you too, Y/n.”

It took all you had to pull away from him, and it was only after the two of you had agreed to see each other again tomorrow that you finally forced yourself to move away from your baby brother and walk to the limo and Malcolm’s driver.

“Jude.” You nodded, refusing to show your surprise as you stepped past him.

“Miss Queen.” He greeted you with a tilt of his head and a small smile.

Smiling in return, you waved goodbye to Oliver once more before climbing into the limo and letting the door shut behind you.

It was only after you were off your family’s property and Oliver was out of sight that you looked beside you at the man who was supposed to be overseas.

“Darling.” Malcolm hummed, his lips turning upward into that ridiculously charming, crooked smile of his.

“You said…”

Leaning toward you, Malcolm placed a kiss to your lips while murmuring, “You needed me here more.”

Tears prickling in the corner of your eyes, you forced a breathless laugh and pulled away, settling back into the seat. “Thank you, Malcolm.”

“Of course.” He took your hand, placing a kiss to your knuckles, and set it in his lap – seemingly mindlessly playing with the band on your ring finger as he turned to stare out the window, watching the world fly by.

Content and exhausted from the day, you rested your head on his shoulder and let yourself drift off to sleep listening to whatever jazz number Malcolm had chosen for the drive.

*

I hope you all enjoyed it! And I hope you’re all a sucker for sister!reader x Oliver content as I am lol (Oliver being a brother is so lovely to me 😉 )

The next installment will be reader x Malcolm! Probably a gentle day for them! It won’t be out in the next two weeks as I have other one shots (non-Arrowverse) that I want to finish writing/editing/etcetera.

As always, if you want to show some love, feel free to sent me things through my inbox and I also have a Kofi if you would like to support me in that way!

Please be safe and I hope you are having a good day!

~Atlex Writes!

[union-of-mad-scientists]

Armine has, once again, appeared in a sudden shower of sparkles, this time in the foyer of the castle.

He's visibly bleeding, has several rather nasty-looking burns, and his glasses are broken.

"Hello? Anyone here? I really need a place to hide."

@starfleet-oshc

Merlyn's voice buzzes over an intercom after a few moments.

"Alright I'm coming but this is a big castle, might take me a few minutes. Igor is closer, he'll lead you to a saferoom and I'm gonna go get the medical supplies you'll need then meet you there. Do you know how bad those injuries are? I'm probably just gonna grab everything but-"

[crownin-thestars]

Why is it I leave to shower after I posted that and I come back to see p0rn bots following now 😭 MERLYN IS LIKE 13 THANK YOU

[elegantshowersuk]

How to Buy Walk-In Shower Enclosures in the UK

Are you looking to buy a walk-in shower enclosure in the UK? Look no further than this comprehensive guide that will provide you with all the information you need to make the right purchase. We will discuss the different types of walk-in shower enclosures available in the UK, their benefits, and the factors to consider when selecting the perfect enclosure for your home. We will also discuss where to buy walk-in shower enclosures in the UK so you can get the best product for your needs.

Table of Contents:

I. What are Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK?

II. Benefits of Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

III. Factors to Consider When Buying Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

IV. Where to Buy Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

V. Conclusion

I. What are Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK?

Walk-in shower enclosures are the perfect choice for anyone looking to add a modern, stylish touch to their bathroom. These enclosures are designed to provide an open, spacious feel to the shower and can be installed easily into any space. They are available in various sizes, styles, and materials to suit any bathroom design. Whether you’re looking for a freestanding, corner, or sliding door shower enclosure, there’s an option to suit your needs.

II. Benefits of Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

Walk-in shower enclosures offer several benefits for homeowners:

They are easy to install, meaning you can have your new shower enclosure up and running quickly.

They are low maintenance, with no grout lines to worry about, and their glass surfaces are easy to clean.

They are ideal for smaller bathrooms as they provide an open, spacious feel, making them look and feel bigger.

III. Factors to Consider When Buying Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

When choosing a walk-in shower enclosure, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, you need to determine the size of the enclosure you need, as this will affect the type of enclosure you can buy. You also need to decide on the style and material of the enclosure, as this will determine the overall look of your bathroom. Additionally, it would help if you considered the cost of the enclosure, as this can vary depending on the size, style, and material you choose.

IV. Where to Buy Walk-In Shower Enclosures UK

When looking for a walk-in shower enclosure UK, you can purchase it from various places. Popular stores such as Elegant Showers, Homebase, and Wickes offer a range of walk-in shower enclosures, as do online retailers like Amazon and eBay. Alternatively, you can purchase directly from manufacturers, such as Elegant Showers and Merlyn, who can provide you with the best quality products and customer service.

V. Conclusion

Walk-in shower enclosures uk are a great choice for anyone looking to add a modern touch to their bathroom. They offer a range of benefits, including easy installation, low maintenance, and an open, spacious feel to the shower. When selecting a walk-in shower enclosure, it’s important to consider its size, style, material, and cost. You can purchase walk-in shower enclosures from a variety of stores, both online and in-store, as well as directly from the manufacturer.

[trubath]

TRUBATH (UK) LIMITED

Online supplier of high-end bathrooms. Big savings on high-end bathrooms including Villeroy & Boch, Merlyn Shower, BC Designs, Keuco, VADO. Free Delivery Over £500

WebSite:

https://trubath.co.uk/

Address:

King George Court, Warwick Bridge, Carlisle, CA4 8RN

Phone Number:

01228 562322

Business Hours:

Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:00

[ukbathroomshoponline]

Buy Quadrant Shower Enclosures on sale at Bathroom Shop UK!

Buy Quadrant shower enclosures online on sale at Bathroom shop uk now! Huge discounts on Kudos and Sommer Quadrant shower enclosures! Big discounts & Big savings! Kudos Showers are famous for the build quality of all their Shower Enclosures and Trays. And for the best showering experience you can imagine,  search the Merlyn shower range at Bathroom shop UK! Buy Quadrant shower enclosures at the best online prices.

[benebathroomsonline]

Wetroom Panels are now available with huge savings across the entire range. Browse the collection by size and thickness. Ideal for adding a designer edge, enjoy the range of Wet Room Shower Screens from Bene Bathrooms. 10mm & 8mm thick toughened safety glass shower screens and shower enclosures. Sizes from 400mm - 1400mm. Buy Wetroom Panels Online for sale at Bene Bathrooms.

[bestqualitybathrooms11world]

Buy Offset quadrant shower enclosure at low online prices with best quality bathrooms England UK. Have options to choose either left or right-handed. The offset quadrant enclosure and tray are modern updates with a curved edge. Huge showering area, classy design.Product on sale with big discounts and cheap prices. Shop Merlyn series 6,8,10 series and Merlyn Mbox series are also available at low online prices.

[benebathroomsuk]

Wetroom Panels are now available with huge savings across the entire range. Browse the collection by size and thickness. Ideal for adding a designer edge, enjoy the range of Wet Room Shower Screens from Bene Bathrooms. 10mm & 8mm thick toughened safety glass shower screens and shower enclosures. Sizes from 400mm - 1400mm. Buy Wetroom Panels Online for sale at Bene Bathrooms.

[charmingimpact]

[| Starter for @snarkedlush |]

Tommy Merlyn should of known that Oliver would took Laurel from him, it always happened whenever him and Laurel got close. For a while he played along, not wanting to lose Laurel or his best friend.

But as it kept happening, he just couldn’t live like that anymore, he deserved better than that, something he told them and left before they could try and stop him. His phone had been blowing up with text messages and missed calls from both Oliver and Laurel, which he ignored completely. All they would do was just say they aren’t together and get him to come home and as soon he and Laurel get close again, Oliver use his charm and body to take Laurel from him again.

It was that last call that had made hun realize he were better without them in his life, all they do is hurting him and he deserve so much better than being played around with like a rag doll.

So he had ended up moving all the way to New York, away from all the drama in Starling City, no longer did he want to deal with that. He had just moved into his new condo, which was next door to a very beautiful latina brunette.

Just as he had stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around him, there was a knock on his door. Quickly, he put his boxers on, and made his way towards the door, opening it softly to see his next door neighbor. “Hey, anything I can do for you?” He asked, looking at the Latina in front of him, wondering why she knocked on his door.

[greensirencanary]

Lauriver Holiday 2020 Day 7 First Christmas

This is an AU of Lauriver Spending their First Christmas Together. Hope you like it.Photo Edits for Lauriver Holidays 2020 Day 7 - First Christmas.

Just wanted to say an big thank you to @lauriverweek allowing me the opportunity to participate in lauriver week. Also a big thank you to @raywritesthings @the-white-w0lf @unusual-raccoon for all your amazing stories that you did for this week that I absolutely loved. Thank You for making me smile and continuing to support my crappy editing

This is a Lauriver AU where they celebrate their first Christmas as a couple with their family and then with some Quality alone time. Hope you enjoy Christmas Dinner with the Lance-Queen-Merlyn siblings who always spend Christmas together and this year oliver and laurel are officially a couple something that makes Robert, Moira and Raisa very happy because in their opinion Laurel has always been a part of the family .

First Lance-Queen or Lauriver photo as Thea have named them combining their names because she swears it's adorable celebrating their first Christmas ar the Queen's. Quentin is about ready to pass out watching his daughter stare loving into her boyfriend's eyes as he looks at her like she is his world.

Now that the Christmas Dinner with their families are over they can now spend some Quality time together making out, making love till the morning then continue in the shower bringing in Christmas wrapped in each other's arms. It is their favorite place to be wrapped up in each other while it snows outside bringing in the Christmas the best way they can together

[absentlyabbie]

a family and (mis)fortune fic

on ao3

moments growing up in the life of tommy merlyn, part-time wayne foster child. (five)

—————

Gotham was not Starling City.

It was loud, like cities should be, but the noise was different from the background of Tommy’s first nine years and nine months of life, with steam hissing through sidewalk grates and the subways rushing and rumbling and the elevated railways clacking and roaring. Everyone talked like they were in a hurry and the fastest way to get somewhere was to take the least possible time to say anything. Even the accents were weird, clipped but broad.

The days were rainier in Gotham than Starling, and grayer, usually overcast when it wasn’t raining. Every step down the city streets splashed or scraped with that wet grit of sneaker sole on damp pavement. Starling rained plenty, but the showers usually gave way to sunshine, and wet on the streets shone with color and light like the city itself. It was colder here, too, and everyone seemed to expect it would snow before Thanksgiving.

Gotham wasn’t home.

Tommy was trying his best not to hold that against it.

Technically, he knew, he didn’t have a home anymore.

And Dad always used to say that beggars can’t be choosers.

He also used to say no son of his was weak enough to beg. That Merlyns were strong, and that you had to take what you wanted out of life.

Tommy was still a Merlyn, but he felt pretty weak these days. He couldn’t imagine taking anything from life when everything had already been taken from him. He thought he didn’t mind if this made him not his dad’s son. It had felt that way for a long time, so might as well make it official. That is, if being an orphan didn’t do that already.

All these thoughts stewed together in Tommy’s gut like too much soda and bad corndogs, grumbling and cramping. It was hard to keep the scowl off his face as he trailed behind Bruce and Dick down the sidewalk, dirty Gotham rainwater soaking his socks and making his feet squelch in his sneakers, but Tommy didn’t want to be caught looking like a problem. Bruce got that look every time he caught Tommy scowling, or frowning, or even smiling.

Tommy could usually tell who adults wanted him to be or had decided he was. Bruce was frustrating. Nothing seemed to be right. He’d said the day he brought Tommy here that Tommy only needed to be him, and as nice as that had sounded, Tommy couldn’t trust it. Because he wanted to, he knew he shouldn’t.

Nobody wanted Tommy to be himself.

Nobody wanted Tommy.

He was sure Bruce had come in out of nowhere and claimed Tommy for some reason. There was some kind of Tommy that Bruce was looking for him to be. He just hadn’t figured out what it was yet. And he needed to hurry it up, before somebody decided there’d been a mistake and it was time to send Tommy somewhere else.

(If he thought this would get him sent back to Starling to live with the Queens, Tommy would wear out his welcome with Bruce Wayne by the weekend, no doubt. But the Queens didn’t want him, or he wouldn’t be here in the first place.)

Gotham might not be home, but Alfred was nice, and Dick was really cool, and if Bruce decided to keep Tommy, Tommy would still get to spend most of the year in Starling. With Ollie.

At least Ollie wanted him.

For a second, he missed Ollie so fiercely he couldn’t hear, feel, or see anything else—

—and in that second, he tripped right up the stairs leading up to the front doors of Wayne Enterprises.

Tommy cried out in surprise and windmilled his arms, eyes squeezing shut in anticipation of falling flat on his face and losing a whole lot of skin. But instead of the harsh, scraping impact on the cement and hard angles, there was a tight grip around his upper arm and a sharp jerk against the pull of gravity.

Tommy stumbled instead of fell, and the grip on his arm didn’t let go.

“Whoa there, maybe leave the tumbling to the trained professionals, yeah?”

Tommy opened his eyes to see Dick a step and a half above him, upper body twisted around and one arm thrown back as a counterweight to the hand curved around Tommy’s thin arm. Tommy’s eyes went wide and his cheeks burst into flame, but Dick just grinned, those dark blue eyes always laughing—but not at Tommy.

“Thanks,” Tommy mumbled, rubbing his arm as Dick let him go.

“Everything alright?”

Tommy flinched at the mild question, but Dick didn’t even glance back at Bruce, turned towards them on the top step with his hand on the door. Tommy’s eyes darted across Bruce’s stupid unreadable face, heart pounding harder than when he’d been bracing to kiss the pavement.

He waited for the disappointed purse of lips he would’ve seen on Moira. Anticipated the irritable, snapping demand to pay attention Dad would have barked for Tommy’s embarrassing flailing. Even the exasperated impatience the au pair Dad had hired for a while would have huffed with.

Bruce’s brow furrowed just a little and he looked Tommy up and down. Tommy felt every inch the grubby, clumsy brat, too much work, not smart enough, too inconvenient, not quiet or easygoing enough, just too much and not enough from head to toe.

But Bruce just nodded to himself and pushed his mouth into a smile that looked like it was supposed to be reassuring. He pulled open the door and gestured to the boys to head inside with a sweep of his hand.

Tommy hurried through the door on Dick’s heels, doing his best not to hunch his shoulders or duck his head. If he looked too tense, Bruce might try to talk to him. He was even worse at talking than he was at hugs.

(Although, Tommy figured he might deserve at least a little credit for trying. Not everybody bothered.)

Tommy had been in plenty of big-deal office buildings before, but even so, his head tipped back and mouth fell open as he stepped into the lobby of Wayne Enterprises. 

He’d been in the Merlyn Global Group building many times, and in Queen Consolidated often, too. They both looked kind of the same, all flashy colors and sharp lines and things his dad had called “sleek” and “modern.” The biggest difference between them that Tommy could tell was that his dad’s company liked darker colors and Mr. Queen’s company was bright and friendly colors.

Wayne Enterprises didn’t look anything like that. Everything was curves and arches and warm orange-yellow colors and bronze or brass or whichever metal that was. He was pretty sure the style was called “art deco” but not, like, sure sure. He liked art and the way things looked and he always paid more attention during history lessons when they talked about art periods and styles, but it was hard to remember what was called what for longer than it took to take a test about it.

Tommy stood in Wayne Enterprises’s lobby and stared around, and he decided he liked it. Dad’s company made him think it was trying too hard to be cool, and Mr. Queen’s like it was trying too hard to be fun. Bruce’s company made Tommy feel like they had what his mom would call class. It was impressive, like they knew what they were about and so did you and they could just do what they liked without trying too hard to seem impressive.

If he ever ran a business someday like his dad had wanted him to, Tommy thought he might want it to look kind of like this.

“Fancy, right?” Dick asked, the question only just making Tommy realize the older boy was standing beside him.

Tommy cut a quick glance towards Bruce, standing just on the other side of Dick. He shrugged his shoulders in a casual jerk. “It’s really different from Merlyn Global. I guess it’s pretty cool.”

“Thank you,” Bruce said, weirdly serious for a compliment from an almost ten year old. Bruce smiled at him. “I saw you looking at the architecture and design. Call me biased, but I’d say you’ve got a good eye.”

A quick surge of pride leapt bright and warm in Tommy’s chest. He squished it ruthlessly, like a bug. He gave Bruce another shrug, like it didn’t matter.

“My father was very proud of the choices he made in Wayne Enterprises’s aesthetic. It’s needed a little updating from time to time of course, but I’ll give him credit, it’s very classic, difficult to go out of style. And I can speak from experience that style does matter.”

Bruce looked around fondly as he spoke, and Tommy remembered that Bruce’s parents weren’t around anymore either, and hadn’t been for a long time. He wasn’t even that old. Bruce talked about his dad like he still missed him, and Tommy couldn’t help but feel a little jealous, even if it also maybe made him like Bruce a little bit more.

“Your dad had good taste,” he said awkwardly. It sounded like something nice his mom would’ve said, and grownups always talked about “taste” like it was important.

Bruce laughed softly and thanked him again, and Dick gave Tommy a subtle nod like he’d said the right thing. Tommy let out a little bit of breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Come on,” Bruce said, reaching out a hand like he’d rest it on Dick’s or Tommy’s shoulders but not actually touching either of them. “We’re here to give you a tour. It’d be a shame to stop with just the lobby.”

“You’re gonna love the R-and-D department. That’s where all the sick gadgets get made,” Dick enthused with a grin, walking backwards to talk to Tommy as they followed Bruce towards the elevators.

Bruce turned a narrow-eyed, half-amused warning look on Dick as he hit the call button, but Dick just spun on his heel to turn that grin on Bruce in sunny defiance. Bruce shook his head and heaved a sigh, but there was a smile sneaking into the corner of his mouth.

Tommy watched this with interest and wondered if maybe this was what Bruce was looking for. If playing the rascally jokester, cheeky and endearingly feisty, was the way to go to fit here. It would hardly even be an effort. The trouble was, he wouldn’t be as good at it as Dick. Tommy could do the jokes—the worse the better—and he was usually pretty good at being endearing, but Dick was funnier, livelier, and he had the circus thing going for him.

No, imitating Dick could backfire too easy. It might be fun and charming from Dick, but if Tommy piled on the same and made it annoying and obnoxious, one of them might have to go and Tommy already knew it wouldn’t be Dick.

He chewed over ideas on the ride up the elevator, but they slipped away once they started visiting different departments on different floors.

Everyone greeted Bruce. Everyone had always greeted Tommy’s dad at work, too, but this wasn’t like that. At Dad’s work, everyone always seemed nervous and like they were being on their best behavior, which Tommy understood. But Dad only ever paid attention to people in charge, and it seemed like it was mostly to remind them that he was in charge of them.

The people at Wayne Enterprises greeted Bruce like they respected him, but also like they liked him, and even more like they knew him. Bruce stopped to chat with most people, asking them questions about their families or projects or stuff they liked. Which meant he knew all of that. But what Tommy couldn’t figure out was why he knew it. And he didn’t seem fake about it either. He sounded like he cared what the answer was when he asked about them.

Even more, everyone seemed to know Dick, too. Tommy knew Dick had been living with Bruce for two or three years already, but he must have come by Wayne Enterprises a lot in that time. People talked to him. And he talked back, and Bruce didn’t seem to mind. Dad would have clenched his jaw and quietly but sternly reminded Tommy that children were to be seen and not heard. But people here treated Dick like he was just… a person.

It was almost enough to break something in Tommy’s head. Adults didn’t treat kids like they were people. It was like he’d stumbled into some kind of weird Twilight Zone episode.

All of this served to make Tommy unusually shy when Bruce introduced him, and he introduced him to everybody. He hadn’t been prepared for all these people to be looking at him, and worse, paying attention. What were they seeing? Some orphan tagalong? Somebody who didn’t belong?

He got more and more tense with each hand he shook, waiting for all the questions he hated most. Where were his parents. Was he here with family. 

How long would he be staying.

The questions didn’t come.

Any time it would start to come up, or someone looked like they were going to start asking, it got deftly shut down. To Tommy’s growing awe, Bruce and Dick worked like some kind of coordinated act, with Bruce smoothly slipping in a “Tommy’s going to be staying with us from now on” and handing off to Dick to distract with a joke or a question of his own.

It was kind of amazing. It explained enough, was polite, even friendly, but was firm that this was all the information they needed about it. And nobody pushed back or pretended not to get it. Tommy hoped he’d be able to figure out how to do that himself sometime.

The other options were trying not to cry in front of strangers, or angry outbursts, and those were bad options that would get him labeled a problem faster than he could sneeze.

After a while, some three or four floors later and in a department Tommy couldn’t remember, Bruce got pulled a little away to look at something, leaving Tommy and Dick standing around by a short conference table with a bowl of peppermints on it. Dick grabbed a handful and tossed Tommy a couple as well.

Unwrapping one of his mints, Dick nudged Tommy with an elbow and asked quietly, “You doing okay? The whole tour’s kind of a lot, I know.”

“Yeah,” Tommy answered, frowning down at one of his own mints and slowly untwisting the plastic. “I’m good. It’s just. Yeah, it’s a lot. There’s so many people, I didn’t know we were gonna be talking to all these people.”

Dick popped his peppermint into his mouth and leaned against the table, nodding sagely. “It’s a big company, like, really big actually, but this is the home office and Bruce likes to know everybody, kind of acts like it’s just a small family thing.” He smiled, his mint clacking against his teeth. “Actually kinda reminds me of the circus.”

Tommy’s head pulled up sharp, the skeptical scrunch of his face making Dick laugh.

“Okay, there’s a lot less spandex and sequins, sure, but I mean the way everybody is sort of a family. Or, community, whatever. People who can be kind of annoying but care and look out for you.” Dick shrugged.

Tommy sure liked the sound of that, but it just… didn’t sound real to him. He thought maybe that was something wrong with him, not the other way around. So instead of saying anything about that, he made his skeptical face scrunchier and, when Dick raised an eyebrow back, asked, “So did you wear a lot of spandex and sequins?”

Dick’s eyes widened slowly as he realized Tommy was poking fun at him. His lips twitched. “Listen,” he said, then, mouth blooming full into a smile, he reached for Tommy. “C’mere, brat.”

Tommy giggled and ducked away, darting around to the other side of the conference table. “Betcha were super cute in tights.”

“I’m gonna get you,” Dick declared, the menace ruined by laughter. “Get back here. Don’t think I won’t come over that table, I’m an acrobat.”

Tommy cackled, shuffling left and right as Dick feinted at coming around one way then the other. “I dunno, can you do that in jeans or do you need the outfit?”

Dick squawked in outrage—and how he did that without choking on his peppermint, Tommy didn’t know—and vaulted, literally, hands smacking on the table and legs going up as he went over.

Squealing, Tommy hurried under the table, the rolling chairs clacking together as he shoved them out of his way to pop out on the other side. He bounced to his feet and turned to see Dick narrowing his eyes at him, looking mildly impressed. It made Tommy grin so hard it almost hurt his cheeks.

“Boys.” Bruce’s exasperated voice brought Tommy’s head whipping around and he went still. Bruce had crossed half the room towards them, arms folded and head shaking.

(For a moment, Tommy felt the whole world tip a little sideways, and the ghost of his father stood there next to Bruce. Instead of loosely crossed arms and a warm glittering in the eye, Malcolm Merlyn stood straight as a sword, chin up to show the height of his disappointment, arms at his sides and hands in discreet fists. For a moment, Tommy couldn’t believe what he’d done, how stupid he’d been to be so embarrassing and poorly behaved in public.)

There was laughter behind Bruce, a man a little older than Bruce sitting at a desk and smiling wide and chuckling openly. “You sure have your hands full now, Mr. Wayne.”

A woman in a suit at the whiteboard on the other side of the room grinned. “Just wait until they start ganging up on you. I’ve got twins around their age and they’ll run circles around you before you can blink.”

Bruce made a rueful, amused sound. “Please don’t give them any ideas.”

“Oh, it’s way too late for that,” Dick announced, leaning across the table and beaming. “I’ve got a partner in crime now.” Bruce made a little face at that, but Dick just looked encouraged, grinning wider. “We’re gonna drive you absolutely batty.”

All this laughter and joking, everyone teasing and having fun.

But Tommy just tried not to breathe too loudly, hands balled up and trembling at his sides.

Don’t make me go don’t make me go don’t make me go

Bruce sighed, and the sound could have been a gunshot in Tommy’s head. He didn’t blink as Bruce closed the distance between them, and it was only because he was frozen that he didn’t flinch when Bruce committed this time, his hand landing light and large between Tommy’s shoulderblades.

“To be honest,” he said softly, looking back and forth between Dick and Tommy, lips curling without force or hiding, “I’m looking forward to it.”

Laughter around them, warm and friendly, and Dick and Bruce smiling, Bruce’s hand on his back.

Slowly, so slowly, Tommy felt his body loosen again, felt his lungs expand in full.

The danger was passed. He was still here. He didn’t know what he’d done right, but he’d work hard to figure it out. Because he was still here.

For now.

—————

@memcjo @klaus-hargreeves-katz @its-a-pygmy-puffle @keabbs @princesssarcastia @obscure-sentimentalist @icannotbelieveiamhere @p0cketw0tch @andyouweremine @storiesofimagination @acheaptrickandacheesyoneline @cronusamporaofficial @batsonthebrain @adeusminhacolombina @relevanttosomeone