#and robin flu away

[purple-on-black]

Story Segment: And Robin Flu Away

Scene between Damian and Barbra (and some Alfred thrown in for good measure.)

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60191428/chapters/153599713

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60191428/chapters/153599713

(I just really love this scene, Don’t judge me!😖 Just some fluffy, whumpy goodness. The story itself isn’t particularly good, and it’s not even finished [I can’t seem to get the ending to work right to save my life] but if you really want to see the full thing, it is linked. 👆🏻)

****

Barbra rolled her wheelchair into the doorway to Damien’s room. She rapped lightly on the doorframe to get his attention. “Hey, Kiddo. Alfred’s downstairs making you some chicken broth. Thought I’d come in and check on you.” She pushed her wheelchair over to the bed where Damien was sitting up playing something on an old Gamekid.

Damien didn’t look up from the game, but continued tapping away at the buttons as he replied, “Well, as you can see, I am perfectly lucid and would have been fully capable of carrying on with activities as normal, however, Pennyworth insisted I remain stationary and in bed.” His eyes glanced up toward Barbra, who was leaning over to look at his screen and see what game he was playing. “Timothy lent me this…contraption…to more quickly pass the time. I don’t see why anyone would waste their time with something so frivolous.”

“Well, you’re at the level 6 Fire Castle,” she observed with a teasing smirk. “Can’t be all that frivolous if you already put that much time in.”

Damien didn’t reply, but continued tapping away at the buttons on the handheld game. Suddenly a pixilated fireball came in from the right and hit his character, causing it to fall over and what looked like a tiny angel fly up across the screen. “Curses…!” Damien spat in frustration as the screen faded black, then opened up back at the start screen. He huffed as he switched off the game, dropping it forcefully on the mattress and throwing himself back into the pillows of his bed in a defiant pout.

Barbra smirked to herself, reminiscent of her own first time playing the same game. “Well, I suppose if you’re busy I’ll leave you to it. I just came in to check on you.” She held her hand against Damien’s forehead. “Do you need anything?”

Damien’s face scrunched up more into its pout. He glanced away from Barbra, but was unable to hide his flushed skin turning an even deeper shade of pink. “No. I am fully capable of taking care of myself.”

Barbra’s mind hardly registered the reply. Her brow furrowed as she touched about her little brother’s hairline. “You sure?” She asked tentatively. The heat coming off his skin had her worried. “You don’t at least want a glass of water or something?”

Damien paused, but he pulled his knees up to his chest and quickly shook his head, successfully shaking Barbra’s hand off in the process.

Barbra pulled her hand back, feeling almost hurt by the rejection. But after a moment she softened a bit, remembering where Damien had come from. She leaned onto the edge of the seat to her wheelchair. While she did she drummed her other fingers on her knee. “You know, I don’t have very many memories of being a kid. Could be a result of growing up in Gotham—all the bad pushes out the good. But one I still have pretty vividly is one winter when I got bronchitis.” She chuckled at herself. “I was so needy. I swear I was worse than an infant. But my dad was right there with me the whole time. He took time off work, canceled all plans, just to be there with me. Sometimes he’d just sit there and hold me until we both fell asleep. Yeah, it was probably a little overkill, but I’m glad he did. It was the safest I’ve ever felt in my life. I can’t imagine having to go through that all by myself.” She stopped drumming on her knee and looked back up at Damien. “Are you sure you want me to go?”

“I was trained from birth to be a lethal assassin!” Damien spat. “To need no one and to show no weakness! I don’t need your company!”

“I didn’t ask if you needed it, I asked if you wanted it,” Barbra rebuffed gently.

Damien sputtered a short, “I…”

“Do you at least want to try? To see what it’s like?” Barbra asked now leaning forward onto the edge of his bed. “Then you can decide for yourself which way is better: ours, or your grandfather’s.” She covered her mouth as if what she was about to say was a matter of national security. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

Still though, Damien seemed hesitant. Barbra reached down to engage the lock of her wheelchair. Then she sat back up and reached out her arms toward Damien. “Come here, you.”

“Aren’t I a little big to be sitting on your lap?” Damien scoffed.

Barbra huffed. “Oh nonsense. I can’t feel these from the waist down anyway. I won’t even notice.”

Damien seemed hesitant again, but soon overcame it and crawled out from the covers and to Barbra’s wheelchair. He climbed up onto it with her and she helped him position himself, then wrapping her arms securely around him. He tried to sit up again. “What about the others, they’ll need the Oracle.”

Barbra shook her head as she laid Damien’s head to her shoulder. “I have my earpiece in still, but they haven’t needed me all day. And if something happens all of a sudden I’m sure they can manage themselves without me for a few minutes.”

Damien remained tense for a minute or two, but finally relaxed. Barbra’s hand fell from his head to his back. She rubbed his shoulder gently, considering things as Damien Wayne lay in her arms. He acted so much like an adult all the time, sometimes it was easy to forget he was just a child. Now more than ever he felt like one to Barbra; cradled in her arms, small and weak, burning with a fever so high that even through her thick sweater it felt uncomfortable. She rested her cheek against the top of his head. His jet black hair felt damp against the side of her neck. Her heart ached for him. She took a deep breath as she gave him a snug squeeze, exhaling in a slow and shaky sigh. “Just rest. I’ll be here for you the whole time.”

Damien lay there curled up on Barbra’s lap, his ear pressed against her chest. Her heartbeat pumped out a hypnotizing rhythm, Damien soon finding it all he could hear. Despite himself he relaxed, snuggling closer into Barbra’s arms, unwilling to admit to himself that this had been something he’d craved. Soon his mind faded and he fell into a light doze.

Barbra felt his breathing slow. He melted into her arms and soon was snoring peacefully. Barbra brushed some of his damp hair away from his face, an uncomfortable heat still radiating from his head. Every so often his body would shake. Barbra held him securely with one hand as she reached over to his bed a pulled off his blanket, wrapping it up over his shoulders. She tucked it in securely around the both of them before then going back to just holding Damien safely against her chest.

Some minutes later Alfred came around the corner to the doorway of Damien’s room. He carried a silver platter, holding a ceramic bowl of chicken broth, as well as a set of tableware and a glass of water. He stopped short when he saw Babs. “Oh, Mistress Barbra, I was unaware you were here,” he said, regaining himself and walking over to the nightstand near Damien’s bed.

Barbra gestured to her lips as best she could without disturbing Damien laying in her arms. “I just came in to check on him; he only fell asleep a couple minutes ago,” she explained in a low voice barely over a whisper.

Alfred set the silver tray down on the end table before standing straight and regaining his stiff form. “Shall I take the young Master Damien so you may return to the others?” He asked following suit and lowering his voice as well.

Barbra nodded slowly. “Yeah…yeah, just give me a minute…” she whispered, reaching up to brush away some of the damp hair that had again fallen over Damien’s forehead. She sighed as she looked down at him. She wrapped both arms around him again and hugged him close. “This poor kid…he’s gone through so much…I can’t even imagine what it must have been like growing up the way he did…no loving parents, no real friends, just training and fighting all the time for that… Monster Ra’s Al Goul…! I can’t even imagine what that’d do to a kid! He’s way stronger than I ever could be.”

“We all have our crosses to bear,” Alfred said, sitting down across from her on Damien’s bed. “There is little that can be done about the past, but we can affect the future. At least Master Damien is in a safe place now.” He gestured to Barbra. “He has role models that can show him a better way, friends—both those that share his…peculiar life circumstances and those that don’t—he has a loving family, a fine education, and a future. While we cannot help what his mother and grandfather have done, I should say it seems to me his situation has much improved.”

Barbra nodded solemnly. “I just…feel kinda guilty, you know? Him, Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim even…they all went through so much. I can’t even imagine going through all that before even hitting puberty! I think it would have broken me!” She glanced up at Alfred again. “You know he flinched when I tried to give him a hug?”

Alfred nodded solemnly. “I have seen enough traumatized children walk into this house that this does not come as a shock. In the service I witnessed fully grown men crumble under less pressure; it truly takes resilience to go through what the members of this group have gone through.” He reached out and laid a hand on Barbra’s knee. “But you should not sell yourself short, Mistress Barbra. A stable childhood in a loving home is not something to apologize for. And should memory serve, you’ve seen your fair share of trauma as well.”

Bab’s eyes glanced down to where Alfred’s hand rested on her knee, then shifted over to the metal frame of her wheelchair. The events of her becoming paralyzed played out in less than a second before she even had the chance to deflect it. Even though she’d managed to get by and hadn’t let the wheelchair negatively impact her life, that didn’t get rid of the painful jump in her chest every time the memories would sneak their way in again. She took a shaking breath and exhaled slowly through her mouth. “Yeah, I know. You’re right.” She smiled up at the elderly British man. “Thanks Alfred…for everything. You’re the best.”

Alfred shrugged dismissively with a smile of his own. “While I am aware, it is nice to hear it once in a while,” He joked.

The pair’s conversation was interrupted when the earpiece in Barbra’s ear lit up and began chattering. Barbra lifted a hand quickly to her ear to unmute her mic, “Oracle: Go ahead.”

“I need you to run some names for me,” Nightwing explained from the other end. “I finally caught the pair that’s been causing so much trouble for the harbor-master but it looks like this might be a little bigger than we thought.”

Barbra silently gestured to Alfred, who stood up and lifted Damien off her lap while she talked back into her earpiece. “Sure thing, stand by just a minute.” As soon as Alfred had lifted the sleeping boy free of her chair she disengaged the lock and maneuvered herself out the door back toward the bat cave. “Go ahead with that first name,” she could be heard saying as she rolled down the hall.

Damien stirred as Alfred laid him back down onto his bed. O-Oracle? What happened? Do they need my help?” He mumbled, still somewhat in a daze.

Alfred pulled the covers up over Damien to his chest. “It’s nothing you need worry yourself over. I’m sure the others have it plenty under control.”

Damian sat up. “You and I both know they’re incompetent. Who’s to say they are not already in over their heads and about to get captured?”

Alfred subtly rolled his eyes. “Even if that were to be the case, I doubt in your condition you would fare much better.” He pushed Damian to lie down again. “Go back to sleep, Master Damian.”

“But what if—“

“Need I report your insubordination to Master Bruce?” Alfred interrupted.

Damian recoiled slightly. “No,” he finally said in a meek voice.

“Very good. Then I expect we should have no further issue.” Alfred replied. He pushed Damian to lie down for a third time, pulling the blankets up over him once more. Then he headed toward the door, stopping as he laid his hand on the knob, turning back toward Damian. “Now then, I would encourage you to get some sleep. Should you need something, I will be right downstairs.”

“Yes, yes, understood, Pennyworth,” Damian huffed as he made a show of rolling over toward the wall.

Alfred paused for a moment, then reached over to the wall and flicked off the light, pulling the door closed silently behind him as he left.

[the-thing-inside-your-closet]

Who Started The Fire?

From the prompts list:

“That’s my emotional support entity of questionable moral standing.”

Batman stared down the two teens standing before him. The boy was pointedly looking anywhere but the Bat’s face, finding more interest in the dirt and gravel crunching under his shoes. Meanwhile, the girl stood with her arms crossed, head held high, meeting Batman’s gaze with a defiant glare that wouldn’t be out of place on any of his own children’s faces.

Behind them lay the smoking remains of what was once a warehouse that had been used as a front for a weapons smuggling operation that the bats had collectively spent the past few weeks investigating. Although their investigation had taken longer than anticipated thanks to this group’s rather impressive security, they had been so close to a breakthrough…when the place had gone up in an inferno.

When the Gotham vigilantes had first arrived on the scene the fire had been so intense that they’d had to put in their gas masks to avoid any inhaling any of the thick black smoke from not only the fire, but also whatever chemicals may have potentially been within the building that would have been released into the air.

Batman’s initial hypothesis had been that the group had become aware of their investigation and burned the place to avoid any evidence being discovered while they moved locations. However, that theory had been shelved when Red Hood had announced the presence of charred bodies amongst the rubble, and evidence of explosives having been used in multiple area where the building’s structure had been the weakest. Whoever had been inside had not had any warning of the blaze that had swallowed the building too fast for them to get to safety, and with the structure being compromised from the explosions all exists had been blocked, preventing the inhabitant’s escape. Red Hood and Nightwing had been discussing potential suspects as Batman and Red Robin searched for any evidence that could have survived the destruction, when a clattering sound followed by the sound of voices hushing each other had altered all of the on scene bats to the presence of possibly several unknowns.

The two teens had been apprehended quickly and ushered to the side, far enough away from the scene of the fire to avoid them overhearing details of the investigation and to prevent any potential tampering. Accidental or otherwise. The teens had been stubborn in their refusal to answer any of the bat’s questions to their presence. Nobody knew why they were there, where they had come from, and they had even refused to disclose their names. Oracle, unfortunately, was sick with the flu and had been gently ordered to rest by Agent A. Batman was nevertheless confident that they would be able to discover their identities quickly either once they had returned to the cave or if they could get the kids to talk.

He would have asked Red Hood to speak with the teens, he was the best with kids. And if caught up in anything illegal they often seemed to respond better to him due to his more ambiguous morals and reputation for ensuring kid’s safety. Both from rouges and in some cases, the rest of the bats and birds. But he had been needed in Crime Ally after he had been alerted to a gunfight breaking out between two gangs who had been more hostile and antagonistic in recent months. Nightwing had accompanied him, and Spoiler had diverted from her patrol route to assist. That left Batman and Red Robin behind to deal with both the police and the frustratingly stubborn teens.

Batman resisted the urge to punch the bridge of his nose as yet another question was blatantly ignored by both kids. The boy had begun fiddling with the sleeved of his letterman jacket and the girl had taken to checking her manicured nails for any dirt or imperfections.

Just as he was about to turn the questioning over to one of the on scene police officers, a writhing mass of shadow had emerged from the girl’s shadow. Two tendrils of black smoke reached out to wrap themselves around the wrists and hands of both teens, who had in turn glanced down at their hands and smiled.

“We’re fine,” the boy had muttered quietly, “no need to worry.”

“What is that?” Batman asked, eyeing the mass with a cautious suspicion. He wanted to believe it wasn’t hostile given the kids reactions to it. But this was Gotham.

The girl shot him another glare, one hand on her hip while the other remained in the hold of whatever the shadowy mass was.

“That sir,” she spat out the first word with such venom to her tone that Batman almost flinched, “is our emotional support entity of questionable moral standing.”

[galaxymagitech]

Ways I have written/would write different Bats out of my fics because they’d be a liability to the plot:

Bruce

He’s on a Justice League mission in space

He’s undercover as Matches Malone and Cannot Be Contacted

He decided he’s a Loner and Doesn’t Need Family again

No one’s willing to open a comm channel to him because he’s currently on a mission with Selina

Barbara

She’s busy leading the Birds of Prey

She has the flu and you will bother her under penalty of death

Her father is in the hospital and she won’t leave his bedside

She refuses to get involved in Batfamily-Typical Emotional Repression

She’s currently elbow-deep in some government’s computer system, so no distractions allowed

Dick

He’s in Bludhaven and busy

He’s on a Titans mission in space

He’s fighting with Bruce and won’t return to Gotham for anything less than an emergency

He’s having his yearly mental breakdown, leave him alone

Cass

She’s in Hong Kong

She is off visiting or training with Lady Shiva

She’s on important Birds of Prey business

She’s hanging out with Barbara and/or Steph so you can’t bother her for anything short of an emergency

Jason

He’s away with the Outlaws

He refuses to be involved in anything

He’s currently a villain

He’s dead again for unexplained reasons, but don’t worry, he’ll be fine

Steph

People are still mad at her for faking her death and won’t contact her

She’s spending time with her mom, who is miraculously off work at this specific time

The other characters literally forgot she existed (it’s meta, okay?)

It’s midterm season at GothamU

Tim

He’s with the Teen Titans in space/California

He’s with Young Justice in space

His Dad wants to take him to a baseball game

He had a paranoid episode and went off the grid

Duke

He’s with his parents at the hospital

He’s living with his mom or his cousin so he’s not around

He’s sleeping because he’s on day shift

He’s hanging out/completing important work with We Are Robin

Damian

I’ve set things earlier in the timeline solely so that he’s still at the League of Assassins. Sorry Dami.

He’s at school

He’s off visiting Jon Kent and his family wants him to have a normal childhood so they won’t bother him

He’s on a mission with the Teen Titans

Kate

She’s too busy for this BS

It’s Rosh HaShanah or some other holiday that I spent 20 minutes researching calendar coincidences to confirm fell on that day of the week within the correct year

She’s on a date and if you bother her you’re homophobic

Alfred

He’s on vacation in England

He’s dead

And worst comes to worst, I can just give them broken ribs or a sprained ankle.

[alienzil]

Okay so I saw this post and you know the types of fics where adult Danny moves to Gotham and winds up emotionally adopting one or more of bat kids or accidentally coparenting with Bruce (with or without a relationship between them)? I had the thought, what if Danny parented the bat kids but he started doing it out of spite?

Like, Danny moves to Gotham and runs into Batman and Robin one night while out for a late night flight and drops down to the rooftop to say hi.

Bruce sees this 5'6" twink that looks like a stiff breeze could knock him over and is so obviously new in town and thinks Gotham is going to eat him alive, he needs to leave before he gets killed.

Batman: Looming menacingly and in his deepest scariest Batman voice, "Leave. Metas aren't allowed in Gotham."

Danny: Offend! Excuse?! Who does this guy think he is?! 😡 Danny was trying to be polite here! "First of all, I'm not a meta. Second of all, rude much?!"

Batman: Does scariest bat glare. "Leave." Swoops off into the night.

Robin (Damian): "My father is correct. You should leave the city for your own safety."

Danny sees this tiny vigilante child with fierce expression and a sword and is just like awww, so cute! 😍 Then he noticed Robin had a small cut on his arm and his inner gremlin activates. If the rude flying furry can't take care of his own kid properly, Danny will do it better!

He bandages up Damian's arm, gives him a cookie and teaches him a neat sword trick before sending him on his way with a hug telling him he needs his sleep.

Danny goes out of his way to run into the bat kids and be the absolute best dad.

He takes Nightwing flying and throws him in the air so Nightwing can do all the fanciest acrobatic tricks.

He tracks down Red Hood and starts a book club with him (Danny may or may not have used his connection with Ghost Writer to get ahold of some rare books).

He eats waffles with Spoiler and trys out weird topping combinations that make them both make faces and laugh.

He makes new gadgets for Red Robin but carefully breaks them just a little bit and takes them to the teen so they can fix them together (it's enrichment!). He always insists RR keep them as a reward.

He follows Signal around during the day invisibly, making faces and doing tricks only Signal can see (he made him laugh in front of the police at a crime scene twice!).

All of the kids get his attention and love and Danny smugly thinks how Batman must be absolutely seething about his kids bonding with Danny and Batman missing out on all of it.

Danny started it out of spite but he does wind up genuinely loving the bat kids.

Batman definetly hates it when the kids are bonding with Danny and is extremely jealous (sulky Batman brooding in his cave about it).

Bruce's repeated attempts to intimidate Danny into leaving Gotham don't work and him telling his kids to stay away from Danny had zero effect (the terrible children don't listen to him at all).

So Bruce starts spending more time with the kids to compete against Danny. The bat kids love it and (little gremlins that they are) use the two of them against each other constantly.

Bruce:"Sorry Tim, I can't make it to your photography exhibit this weekend, there's a meeting with the Justice League."

Tim:"Oh that's fine... I'll just ask Danny to come." 😏

Bruce: Narrows his eyes and grits his teeth, "Actually, the Justice League needs to have contingencies in place to manage without my input. This would be a good time to test their capabilities. I'll skip the meeting and come to your exhibit."

With both of them competing to spend more time with the kids it leads to the two of them spending time with each other to be around the kids more.

After Damian catches a terrible flu bug, Danny spends an entire weekend at the manor babying him. This is when Bruce finds out Danny has known their secret identities for months and tries to get mad about it but Alfred puts his foot down, raises a judgmental eyebrow in Bruce's direction that puts a stop to that nonsense and sets up Danny with his own room in the family wing.

Eventually, Danny gets to the point where he spends most of his nights at the manor and he and Bruce consult each other on all major household decisions.

The whole family is at the manor one morning including Danny. Bruce has a meeting at WE and he and Danny are absently discussing their plans for the day at the breakfast table.

Bruce: " The meeting should take most of the morning and then I have paperwork this afternoon and a scheduled walk through on one of the new engineering projects. I probably won't be done by the time school let's out. Can you pick up Damian today?"

Danny: "That shouldn't be a problem. Would you mind swinging by the bookstore on the way home and getting my preorder? Jay and I just finished rereading the first book and we were wanting to start the second tonight before you all go on patrol. I'd rather not try to make it to the bookstore in school rush hour traffic"

Bruce: "Sure."

Stephanie watches Danny reach out and absently straighten Bruce's tie as they both get up to leave. Bruce grabs Danny's coffee thermos and hands it to him while they walk out the door.

Stephanie: "Sooo, bets on how long until they realize they're basically married?"

[keeryhours]

kiss me - steve harrington

Steve Harrington x female reader

Masterlist

Steve Harrington Masterlist

Summary:

Steve has a crush on you, but he’s too scared to make a move.

1k celebration prompt: “So…are you just going to keep staring or are you going to kiss me?”

Warnings:

None, just kissing

Word Count: 1k

A/N:

Thank you @the-witty-pen-name for your request and for celebrating with me! Join in my celebration here 🍾

Steve Harrington was not scared to ask girls out. He had spent years being King Steve, after all. Every girl at school wanted him - that was until he dated Nancy and lost his spot at the top of the popularity chain. But he still had moves, right? He asked out girls and went on dates all the time.

That was before you. Before you came walking into Family Video, looking for a job. Before Keith hired you on the spot, because he always liked hiring the pretty girls. And god, were you pretty.

Beautiful, in fact. The most beautiful Steve had ever seen. He no longer noticed the girls who came into the store, because you were right there. Robin noticed immediately and started teasing him about it all the time.

“Too scared to ask her out, little Stevie?” She’d tease, Steve rolling his eyes and throwing the candy he was eating at her.

But the truth was, he was too scared. He didn’t think he could take it if he asked you out and you said no. For one, he’d have to work with you still and see you everyday after the most embarrassing denial of his life. And second, he cared too much about you. Most of the time he’d ask a girl out and if she said no it might bruise his ego a little, but with you? It would be earth shattering.

So he just looked. From afar. And admired. There was a lot to admire, he thought. The way your clothes hugged your curves, showing off your body. The view of your ass when you bent over to shelve some tapes or help a customer find what they wanted. The way your hair was always perfect, he so badly wanted to brush it off your shoulder and kiss your neck. How soft your lips looked, how perfect he knew they would feel pressed against his own. He needed a taste.

He had never been scheduled to work alone with you, always accompanied by Robin or Keith. But when Robin got hit with the flu and called out, it left only the two of you.

Steve said your name in shock when you walked in right on time on your own, and you looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Yeah?”

“What- what are you doing here?”

You stared at him. “I…work here?”

Steve shook his head, willing himself to get his thoughts together. “No, yeah. I mean, like, it’s just us today?”

“Yeah, you didn’t hear?” You asked, pulling your vest on over your striped shirt and walking to the back room to leave your bag. “Robin’s sick. Just us today.”

Steve wasn’t sure if he should be celebrating or running far away. Instead he watched your ass as you walked into the back room, quickly averting his gaze when you came back out.

It was a quiet evening at Family Video. Not many customers came in, and it left you and Steve in awkward silence or stilted conversation. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, Steve couldn’t get a coherent thought out when it came to you.

“What’s your favorite movie?” He asked.

You thought for a minute, and Steve thought you looked so cute when you were contemplating. “Maybe The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“Really?” He asked. He wouldn’t have guessed that. “I’ve never seen it.”

“Oh, you have to,” you said. “It’s so unbelievably good. Good songs, too. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What’s your favorite movie?” You reminded him with a laugh.

“Oh,” Steve thought. “Um, Animal House.”

“Animal House?” You laughed.

“Yeah! It’s a good movie!”

You shook your head, grinning. “I’ll take your word for it.”

The day went on, Steve unable to take his eyes off of you. He was distracted dealing with customers, shelving movies in the wrong place. “Uh, dingus,” he could practically hear Robin’s voice in his head, “just talk to her.”

He thought he would, and he tried to work up the courage all day, but before he knew it the day was over and it was closing time. He cursed himself for ruining his chance as the two of you straightened up and wiped down the counters. When you were done, you both headed into the back room to grab your stuff.

God, you looked so good. So pretty. He loved those jeans you were wearing, your striped top showing off your boobs in a way he definitely appreciated. He was practically drooling as he grabbed his car keys and slid his vest off. When you turned and looked him in the eye, it startled him- he’d been caught.

“So…” you said, a slight grin on your pretty lips. “Are you just going to keep staring or are you going to kiss me?”

Steve blinked in surprise. Had you really just said that, or had he finally lost it? “Huh?” He asked, like an idiot.

You looked at him. “Steve, you’ve been staring at me all day. Since I got hired, actually.”

A blush rose to his cheeks. “I…”

“It’s okay…” You said quietly, taking a step closer to him. “I like you, too. So are you gonna kiss me or not?”

Steve wasn’t about to let this chance go to waste, dream or not. He closed the distance between you and placed his hands on either side of your face, pulling you into a kiss. Your lips felt just as soft as he imagined. He had never kissed someone who’s lips felt as perfect against his, he swore he could see the metaphorical fireworks.

He moved his hands down to grasp at your waist as your arms slid around his neck. He lifted you and sat you on the table, standing between your thighs and kissing you deeply, tongue tracing along your bottom lip. You easily let him in, your tongues moving together in a way that gave Steve butterflies.

His hands gripped your hips, caressing your body with his large hands as he kissed you. He pulled you closer to him, as close as you could get. God, this was even better than his dreams.

When he pulled back he rested his forehead against yours. You both breathed heavily, big smiles on your faces as you looked into each other’s eyes.

“Go out with me sometime?” He asked, squeezing your hips, his forehead nuzzling against yours.

“Duh,” you laughed. “At least you finally asked.”

[forgetmesunflower]

Bruce wasn’t at breakfast. He wasn’t at lunch either. But it was the weekend, and Dick was pretty sure Bruce only went into work on weekdays like when Dick was sent to school.

Swinging his feet from the too-high kitchen stool as he watched Alfred wash his plate and cup, Dick eventually asked, “Do you know where Bruce is?”

Alfred didn’t look up. “I believe he’s still in bed. It would be best to let him rest for a while longer.”

Dick thought that was strange, since Bruce hadn’t patrolled last night. All major organized crime leaders were in Blackgate, and that clown guy that made a scene last month was just admitted to Arkham Asylum after his trial. Apparently, the poor guy was sick, which was why he killed those men.

Dick didn’t quite understand it. But he got grumpy when he was sick too, so maybe it was kind of similar. He hated to think that something like having the flu could lead to killing people, but Detective Gordon also said that the clown guy was sick up in his brain, so maybe it wasn’t quite the same.

Still, it was supposed to have been quiet beyond minor crimes that most of the police could handle (the ones that were initiating it anyway), so Alfred had insisted both Batman and Robin take the previous night off, which Bruce agreed to reluctantly. All to say, it was strange that he was still asleep.

So Dick wandered over to Bruce’s bedroom and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, Dick turned the knob and cracked it open. Peeking in, the room was almost pitch black aside from the light spilling in from the hallway. As he squinted into the room, he could see the heavy curtains were drawn, the big top blanket—the duvet or the comforter or whatever, Alfred kept changing the word up on him—was on the floor, and there was a large lump under the thin top sheet on the bed. 

“Bruce?” he whispered into the room.

The lump didn’t move nor make a sound, so Dick slipped inside and shut the door behind him. He blinked a few times until he could see the bed again in the dark, then tiptoed over. The duvet-comforter tried to trip him up, but he clambered over and crawled onto the bed.

He tapped what he assumed to be Bruce’s arm. “Bruce?” he whispered again. 

There was a mumbled answer this time, but Dick didn’t catch it.

“I can’t hear you.”

“Not right now, Dick. Leave,” Bruce growled, almost in his Batman voice.

“Why?”

Maybe he was sick too. He wondered why Alfred wasn’t taking care of him if he was. Dick’s mama always took care of him when he threw up or felt all hot and cold and gross, and she took care of Papa too when he inevitably got whatever was going around. Sickness always spread like hay on fire in the circus, but Mama never seemed to be affected. 

“What’s wrong?” Dick pushed.

Bruce sighed heavily, a sound Dick was beginning to recognize to mean he was annoyed with Dick but too tired to do much about it. But usually he was only ever annoyed because he was tired. Dick didn’t get it. He always felt the best after exercise left him exhausted. 

“It’s after lunch,” Dick told him. “Alfred told us to go to bed last night. You did, right?” That was another habit Dick had noticed. Bruce would be tired lots, so much so that he got annoyed and short with Dick, but still didn’t go to bed. And he wasn’t even staying up to do anything fun. It was just more work.

Bruce shifted under the sheet, and Dick finally got a look at the side of his face, body turned away from Dick. Bruce sighed again.

“Are you sick?”

After another pause, Bruce said, “Sure.”

That would explain why he was still tired. But then, he shouldn’t be skipping meals. “Should I get Alfred?”

“No–” Bruce shifted again, bringing a hand up to rub at his face. “Not like that. I’m not–” He trailed off.

Dick frowned. “Well, are you sick like that clown guy?”

Bruce’s head snapped up, looking over at Dick in the dark. “That man is deranged. We are nothing alike.”

Dick frowned deeper. He didn’t know what deranged meant, but Bruce didn’t say it like anything good. “Detective Gordon said he was sick.” He tapped his own forehead with a finger. “Up in his head.”

Bruce closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He straightened out to lie on his back. He didn’t open his eyes yet, but said much more gently, “Yes. He’s right. The man is sick. The doctors and staff at Arkham will help him so that he doesn’t hurt anymore people.”

Batman went out at night and hurt bad people, but Dick didn’t think he would appreciate the comparison. Batman didn’t kill people. “What kind of sick are you then?”

Opening one eye just a slit, Bruce’s blue eyes looked black in the dark. For a few moments, Bruce didn’t say anything, and Dick remembered how Bruce seemed to have an easier time talking when Dick wasn’t looking directly at him. Which was strange. His parents had always liked him to look at them when they talked. They said it showed he was paying attention. 

Dick shuffled down the bed a little and lied down beside Bruce. Then he scooted over until he was tucked up against Bruce’s side, feeling his body heat radiating even through the blanket. Maybe he really did have a fever. Bruce lifted one arm to accommodate, curling it around Dick’s shoulders as Dick used it as a pillow. Bruce must really have been feeling sick. He didn’t stiffen or hesitate at all.

“Sometimes adults have bad days. They just– don’t feel well.”

“But wasn’t last night a break?”

“I– yeah. I guess.”

Dick hummed in thought. “Is it because you didn’t go out?”

Bruce didn’t answer.

Dick continued anyway, “Is it like when I don’t go on the bars for a few days because of an injury? Like, I know the break is supposed to  help my body feel better, but I also feel worse when I haven’t done it in a while. Kinda… icky?”

A few seconds passed before Bruce said, “That’s probably part of it.”

“Part of it?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the other part?”

He sighed again. “It’s just like that sometimes.”

Dick wrinkled his nose. He hated when Bruce said that. Usually, he was the adult that said that to Dick the least, explaining things even if a lot of the time Dick still didn’t get it, but every so often, he’d close up and say ‘It’s just like that.’

“Why don’t you want to get up?”

“Because I don’t feel well.”

“Because you’re sick?”

“Because I’m sick.”

Dick shifted a bit, feeling restless. “Fresh air usually makes me feel better.”

Bruce held his breath, like he was trying not to sigh. 

“We should go out for ice cream.”

“Not today, Dick.”

“How are you going to feel better if you don’t get fresh air?”

“Fresh air won’t make me feel better.”

“Oh,” Dick said. He pursed his lips. “You sure?”

This time, Bruce didn’t hold in his sigh. He was doing that a lot. Dick kinda hoped he was breathing out all the sick from his body. Maybe sighing made him feel better.

They both lied there for another minute. Dick counted the seconds. Then he sat up suddenly. Bruce flinched.

“What if we have ice cream in bed?”

Bruce squinted up at him. “What?”

Dick hurried to scramble off the bed. “That’ll make you feel better. I’ll go ask Alfred.”

“Wait, Dick– no ice cream before dinner.”

Dick didn’t look back, hopping over to the door as he said, “Yeah, but you're sick! Alfred let me have ice cream after lunch when Carrie gave me the chicken pox, so it’s only fair.”

Then he was out the door.

[strange-anni]

What Jonathan truly wants and needs

... and how his heart-to-heart with Argyle in the desert reveals why his relationship with Nancy is doomed

Part 1: Jonathan wants to feel loved and wanted

When Nancy talks to Robin in the woods she reveals how it was Jonathan who was supposed to visit her in Hawkins for the break. Yet he backed out for some vague mumbly Jonathan reason. This means he canceled the plans and but he still tells Argyle that there was part of him that expected Nancy to be on that plane and come to him to California.

That doesn't make much sense, does it? If he gives of the signals of not wanting to be approached why would he want her to come to him anyway?

It's because Jonathan is waiting for some kind of proof that Nancy still loves him and cares about his needs. That is why he expected her to be on that plane. To show him that despite what he said this relationship means something to her. That she is willing to go the extra mile to be with him. (Note: This does not come out of nowhere as the early scenes in S3 clearly show us how ready Jonathan was to follow her but not the other way around)

But clearly that did not happen.

Yet at the same time Jonathan was also relieved that she wasn't there. It's because that also means he doesn't have to confront his lie about his college application letter just yet as he doesn't want her to lose sight of her goals in life in order to be with him.

Here is the real kicker though: Nancy did not fulfill his expectation as she didn't visit him for spring break, so who is to say she will fulfill his expectation and offer to be with him in California?

While it is true that Jonathan doesn't want to tie her down and lose sight of her goals in life, he still wants her to consider it and to offer it to him which he would then vehemently decline and try to convince her to go to college on her own which she would do but this also would not solve his problem as then they still won't be able to be together.

So he's relieved that Nancy is not there, is relieved that he doesn't have to confront his lie about the letter just yet and it's also the reason why he is still lying about it at the end in S4 because as long as Nancy doesn't know the truth and outright declines Jonathan can still delude himself into thinking that she would.

Part 2: The nuclear family

So what gets me here is how Jonathans mind works. If we were to assume for one second that Nancy would indeed compromise and go to California to be with him (She would not but that's besides the point) Jonathans mind knows only one outcome for this scenario: getting married -> having kids (PLURAL) -> resent each other -> divorce -> kids hate him and everyone is miserable.

And while I get his fears and where he comes from this is by no means the only outcome this could have. Who is to say that they would marry? Why would they have children at all? Birth control exists and is readily available and to get married is also not like getting the flu or something. It's a decision they need to make and if they truly do not want to to then they don't have to do it.

Imho if Nancy were to come to him she'd most likely find another college to attend and focus on that. Maybe she won't even live with him in Lenora but in a bigger city in California. She'd just not be that far away as if she were in Boston and they would then proceed to see each other on the weekends.

But Jonathan doesn't even consider any of this. His mind goes straight to marriage and kids which in turn makes me question one thing:

What is he really afraid of?

Starting a nuclear family?

Or ending a nuclear family?

That'd be quite a surprising turn of events, wouldn't it? Cause I think it's the latter.

According to Jonathan his parents must have loved each other at one point and I believe this is what drives him into despair. It's love and he needs that love in his life. In his imagination love is always at the beginning of it and then everything just falls apart. He wants to get married and have kids but he has no idea at all how this won't turn out badly.

Compare all of this with Nancy who has no thoughts like that at all. Why? Because she doesn't worry about it. It's just not a part of her future plans and that's it.

Part 3: Compatibility and loving each other for who they truly are

Both of their visions of each other are pretty accurate. That's who they are and that's also why they love each other. It's 100% true and I do believe them.

It's also exactly what's driving them apart and the reason they should find the courage to end their romantic relationship while they still care about each other.

Nancy can't be in the environment Jonathan envisions without hating and resenting him in the end just as Jonathan can't go to college with Nancy because no matter what in the end her job would always come first.

Plus there is the matter of Will and Joyce too. He is neither willing nor ready to leave them to chase Nancys dream just as Nancy would never be ready to leave her dream behind just to be with Jonathan.

So in order to continue loving each other for who they really are Nancy and Jonathan must stop loving each other romantically and start loving each other platonically. It's an imperative.

[mosskingcreator]

Is- Is the Pup Drunk?! Part 1

First (here) Next-

Tim sighed as Damian tried to make his way past him to get to his Robin suit. 

“Damian no,” he commanded, spinning the chair around to look at the pup. 

Damian has been sick for the past few days and Bruce has benched him until he can get better. 

“Tt,” Damian clicked and walked back over to Tim’s side. “I do not see why I must remain here in the cave instead of going out and helping Father.” 

Tim just rolled his eyes, Damian had been trying to convince all of them for the past few days to let him go out as Robin, even if he was sick. 

“No chance brat. Not until you beat that fever and flu.” Tim wasn’t actually sure it was the flu, there were a few symptoms that weren’t matching up, but that may be attributed to Damian being weird. 

“It’s not fair. I can still fight just as well and-” Tim cut him off with a chuff, opening his arms and beckoning the puppy. Damian lurched forward unconsciously, before turning around with a scowl. 

“Until you’re not stressed and can keep your instincts from hurting you you’re stuck here with me pup.” Tim turned around and kept working away at the cold case he was sitting in front of. Alfred had stationed him by the entrance to help prevent Damian from getting past and out into Gotham.

“Master Tim, why don’t you both head upstairs to prepare for bed? Perhaps you can convince Master Damian to rest.” Speaking of Alfred, he was working at the batcomputer with the rest of the family outside to give Babs a break. 

“Alrighty Alfie, come on brat,” he huffed, getting up and dragging Damian away to the elevator. Damian grumbled the whole way, but he wasn’t going to go against Alfred. 

Once they got into the elevator, Tim began rubbing his wrist on Damian’s shoulder. It took a minute, but once the scent started to pour through, Tim rubbed his other wrist through Damian’s hair. 

Tim was a little surprised that Damian hadn’t bit or growled at him yet, but wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Where did that phrase even come from? He should look that up. Tim kept his hand running through Damian’s hair and grabbed his phone to look it up. 

The elevator dinged and Tim let go of Damian and started heading back to his bedroom, maybe the nest if he felt like it. 

Thunk

Tim whipped around to look at Damian, leaning against the door of the elevator. 

“Damian?” 

Damian just shook his head and stumbled- stumbled out?

It was like all the grace that he’d ever had had just left him. Tim reached out and grabbed him to hold his brother steady.

“I’m fine Drake,” he muttered, but he was slowly tilting into Tim. 

“Bullshit, come here,” he said, dragging Damian over to the couch in Bruce’s study. Damian sat down with a plop, slumping down into the chair away from Tim. 

“What’s wrong, are you dizzy? Are you feeling sick, what do you need from me?” Tim’s instincts were going wild, the pup was sick, the pup wasn’t okay, and he needed to fix it. 

“I’m fine Drake, I just got a little dizzy and-” he cut himself off with a shaky breath, and looked up at Tim. “I just got a little tired and weak. I am perfectly fine.”

Despite his reassurances, Damian remained sitting in the seat looking weak, tired, and confused. 

Wait.

Weak, tired, dizzy, confused, dazed, unable to hold themselves up, shaky breathing, all right after a scenting? Tim could recognize the symptoms of scent drunkenness anywhere. He used to get scent drunk after long scenting sessions, anything over an hour, but after being exposed so much to Dick and Bruce, he’d eventually got used to it before presenting as an Omega. 

“Damian I need you to answer honestly,” Tim asked, holding out his wrist and swiping it against his cheek, and bringing it close to his nose “Is my scent making you dizzy or confused at all?” 

Tim looked Damian in the eyes, but Damian didn’t seem to be paying attention. Instead, he was leaning into Tim’s hand, almost nuzzling it, and his eyes were unfocused and glassy. A closer look revealed large, blown pupils.  

Damian didn’t need to nod and conform for Tim to be sure, but he waited a few minutes until he did anyways.

“Shit, okay buddy.” Tim drew his hand away from Damian’s face, then immediately threw his hands out as Damian tried to chase after the scent. Damian caught himself though, and pushed himself back unhappily. 

Tim sat on the sofa next to him and rubbed his neck glands to produce more scent. Damian sat there blinking confused, swaying towards Tim before jerking backwards away from him. 

Tim opened his arms and chuffed for the puppy. Wrapping his arms around Damian and leaning him in, allowing him to rest on his lap. Tim let out a soft purr, rubbing his scent across Damian’s hair. 

Damian sighed and went completely limp in Tim’s lap. A few minutes later Tim turned Damian over to look at his face. Damian was completely dazed and blank, his face relaxed, eyes half-lidded, and what pupil he could see was so large that his iris was just a small ring of green around it. 

Tim sighed and glanced at the clock. It had barely been five minutes and Damian was completely out of it. He’d never seen anyone get scent drunk so quickly. 

He paused for a minute to grab his phone, and Damian let out a whimper. A whimper. He’d never heard Damian whimper before. 

He scooped up his phone and went back to gently scenting the pup. 

He hacked into the coms and set it on speakerphone. 

“Master Tim I do hope you aren’t trying to keep working,” Alfred called over comms. 

“Hey baby bird, what’s up?” Dick called over comms.

“Hey Nightwing, B-man. Is Red Hood on this comm too?”

“Right here. This better be important.”

Tim sighed, again, and shook Damian awake. He let out a little hum as he woke up, and an even smaller whine as Tim tried to pull him into sitting up.

“Robin? Is that you?” Dick called through the coms. 

“Yeah it’s him,” Tim said, huffing as Damian flopped into his neck by his gland and breathed in. 

“What’s wrong? Is he hurt?” Dick asked overly concerned about the pack's pup. 

“He’s not hurt, but he’s definitely scent drunk,” Tim started off, before Damian pressed into him, and Tim let them flop down onto the couch. 

“Scent drunk? How long did it take you to convince him to let you scent him?” Dick asked, he was totally jealous. 

“I didn’t. I scented him in passing in the elevator.”

“Master Timothy, that was five minutes ago.”

“Yeah, once he got up here he was pretty out of it, but a few minutes later he was completely drunk,” Tim informed, as Damian fell back asleep on top of him. 

“So it took about 5 minutes for him to get drunk?” Dick asked.

“No, it took him one minute to get mostly there,” Tim clarified, “then ended up pushing him the rest of the way a few minutes later when asking him what was happening.” 

“Hng.” Tim is pretty sure that’s Bruce for ‘I’m coming home’, but he’s not sure. 

“I’m coming home baby bird, Little Wing? Are you coming?” 

Jason grunted, and apparently started moving towards the manor.

“I’ll see you guys when you get here, we didn’t get past the study.”

[fictionandfixation]

Older Bachelor headcanons!

Older Bachelor stardew headcanons because I’ve been playing lots recently! All sfw, some mentions of smoking/alcohol 💕 also please bear in mind I am no SDV expert, so sorry if these go against canon occasionally!

Edit: I have now written fic with this in mind. Feast thy eyes: here

Harvey ☕️🔬📚

• Secret smoking habit that he would rather die than tell anyone about. Not often, but during flu season when he’s stressed, you can find him cooped up in his room with an imported cigar or a Marlboro Gold, an espresso and an Agatha Christie.

• Plays classic soul, funk, golden oldies and jazz in the foyer of the clinic on an old-timey record player, and chooses every day from his large record collection. Frequently irritates Maru with the extent of his Doris Day enjoyment.

• Kind of wide-set - very broad shoulders, and quite tall.

• Packets of salted peanuts and cookies on the clinic foyer desk which he restocks every week.

• Goes to fetch you personally from the mines or Skull Cavern sometimes when you get knocked out. And he also keeps a vintage forest green car behind the clinic to pick you up in. He hopes one day you’ll wake up on the way back and compliment his tasteful vehicle choice or notice he’s bringing you home. You don’t.

• Best friends with Evelyn. Worst enemies with George.

• Tennis player. Plays with whoever will say yes in the mountains and always manages to punt the ball into the lake somehow. Also used to be in a rock climbing club or rowing team in med school, and has sort of sinewy, strong forearms as a result.

• Outrageous flirt after a few glasses of Pinot Noir, mostly because I think he’s on the spectrum but also because I think it would help him stop being quite so nervous.

• Brown suspenders. Every. Single. Day.

• Gives Jas and Vincent candy after their checkup.

• “Sweetheart/honey” as a nickname for you.

Elliott 📜🖋️🐚

• Striped. Matching. Pajamas.

• Finds, forages and cooks mussels when he needs to impress someone. And on that note, very much a French cuisine enjoyer.

• If blue cheese has no fans Elliott is dead.

• Rizz master. Silver tongue. Read so much romance when he was a teenager that it has actively become a part of his personality to be a book boyfriend.

• Very willowy and slender. Metabolism of the gods. Puts away food like it’s nobody’s business.

• Can read several languages, but just can’t master an accent so never uses them in a spoken context. Definitely a student of Latin.

• English accent headcanon! Probably spent the first couple of decades of his life in somewhere high-income like Warwickshire, or (more likely) Cornwall or Exeter, on or near the coast. I am also envisioning him as having been to an old collegiate university like Durham, or maybe a college at Oxford (Merton I reckon).

• Writes and then burns poems about everyone he’s ever been in love with. Starts keeping them when he meets you.

• Chats fashion history with Emily and Haley.

• Religious about his collection of cravat-style ties because he’s seen the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice a few too many times.

• Frequent book club gatherings with Caroline, Marnie, Robin and Jodi (mostly because mothers love him, the main selling point here being that he has definitely read at least one Jodi Picoult book. He does not remember anything about it, he’s just glad to be invited).

“Dearest/my love” as a pet name.

Shane 🍺🍕🐓

• Snores. Very quiet about it though.

• I know a lot of people HC Harvey as oldest but I reckon it’s Shane. He also acts the most like a bitter old man whereas I feel Harvey is just ‘mature’.

• Could be convinced to grow a beard. Maybe.

• Goes for a jog three times a week. Hates it. Refuses to stop and really isn’t even sure why he does it himself any more.

• Secret Lana Del Rey enjoyer. Mainly a fan of Midwest emo, classic rock, nu metal and sometimes country but the kind of country where they sing about killing people and getting away with it.

• Raised by heavily Christian parents in the Deep South. Yes this is a Southern accent headcanon. Yeehaw.

• Lets Jas put eyeshadow on him sometimes. Shaves properly only when she wants to put makeup on him.

• Craft beer’s number one opp. Wants an ice cold tap Budweiser only, and if there isn’t enough head on it he will be asking for a refund. Not that Gus would ever do that to him.

• Has muscle with padding. Very strong, very wide in stature, but not lean at all. Biceps wider than your neck that you could (and would) use as pillows.

• Makes the most insane hangover breakfast known to man. Bacon. Pancakes. Sausage. Home fries. Butter. Syrup. You’re putting on a bit of healthy relationship weight for sure with Shane as your partner.

• “Darlin’/baby” user. “Sweet cheeks” as a joke. Kind of a joke.

Hope you guys enjoyed these!! I am down irretrievable for Older Bachelor content because I love ✨older men✨

Please let me know if you’d like some more for these characters or the other bachelors and bachelorettes!

[gothamite-rambler]

Batman and Red Robin stood in a living room on a usual Gotham night, surveying a scene that, while not entirely out of the ordinary, was unsettlingly nonetheless. A woman named Liz stood in front on a chair looking visibly unwell, while her boyfriend, Markus, lay on the floor, pouting angrily, a knife protruding from his thigh.

Liz: I have the flu—not that "flu" that swept through the world. Gotham managed to dodge Covid, so it’s just a regular flu. I was feeling terrible, and my clueless boyfriend just wouldn’t stop pestering me to go to ShopRite for food so we could cook together.

Red Robin: How are you feeling now?

Liz: After I stabbed him, I took some Robitussin and feel a little better.

Batman: What's Robitussin?

Red Robin: God, how rich are you? Continue, ma'am.

Liz: Well, it’s not a problem. He's just unaware of the miraculous power of Robitussin. Back to the prick on the ground, all I wanted was some broth, a little peace and quiet, while watching Cobra Kai in bed until my flu went away. But then... that motherfucker!

She pointed an accusatory finger at Markus, who scowled back at her.

Liz: He wouldn’t stop pestering me to "help" him cook dinner! "Let’s cook together!" he kept saying! I know you guys are superheroes, but have either of you ever had a cold that feels like your body has been put through a marathon and then dropped off a cliff onto a bed of sandspurs?

Batman (stoic): The summer of '81. I adjusted, but most people aren’t me.

Red Robin: He’s telling you he gets it.

Markus: But he still did his job even with a little cold! Why can’t she cook with me?

Batman: I wouldn’t recommend doing anything if you’re sick, especially cooking. Don’t drag me into your flawed logic. I don’t want a knife in my thigh.

Liz: A man with sense! Anyway, he kept pestering me about going to the store under the pretense that he would make a sick-friendly meal for me when I got back. I gave in, went to the store, I had a terrible time, we arrive back home, and I tried to cook with him. Batman and Robin, I really did try.

Red Robin: I believe you. I tried to work once while dealing with a foreign flu, and it was awful. I can handle it because I’m a Robin.

Batman: The phrase doesn’t work with Robins.

Red Robin (ignoring Batman): Anyway, what happened next? What led to you stabbing him in the thigh with a kitchen knife?

Liz: Right, sorry. I told him I couldn’t 'cook together' and went to bed, hoping he’d take the hint and let me rest. Maybe bring me some Campbell’s soup or crackers, stuff for sick people. Instead, he barged in with a cutting board, a bell pepper, and a knife so I could help him cut vegetables. In bed!

Red Robin and Batman: Repeat that last part.

Liz: Oh glad to! He came into the room with a cutting board, a bell pepper, and a knife so I could cut vegetables in bed!

Batman (pointing at the knife in Markus's thigh): The knife that’s in his thigh?

Liz nodded, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Red Robin: This is actually not something I thought I'd see and I fought Kite-Man in a balloon factory. Where's the cutting board?

Liz: In the room. Probably covered in blood. I blacked out after he kept saying "cook together!"

Red Robin: I shouldn’t advocate for violence, but I understand your anger. Please continue.

Markus grumbled under his breath as his brows furrowed in anger as Batman and Red Robin exchanged incredulous looks.

Liz: I lost it. I’m not proud of it, but "cooking together" means I do ninety percent of the work. He does this with his family, and I usually let it slide, but not when I have the flu!

Markus (shouting): Oh my God, I had a cold when I was ten, and it wasn’t even that bad!

Batman remained silent, struggling not to laugh, as Red Robin shook his head in disbelief.

Red Robin: How old are you?

Markus: Twenty-five.

Red Robin: So, at twenty-five, with a fully developed brain, you thought it was wise to bring a sick person a cutting board to help you cook food?

Batman (dryly): And he gave her the worst task, too. "Let me bring these items to my sick partner's bedroom, because the germs add flavor." I can’t believe I’m witnessing this.

Red Robin (smirking): I know.

Markus: This is so stupid! Why can’t I just want to cook together?

Red Robin: The more you talk, the more I lean towards believing no jury would convict her.

Markus: She stabbed me in my thigh!

Batman (sarcastically): You’ll be fine. Walk it off.

Red Robin (jokingly): Yeah, you’re alive. I got stabbed once and could still work, so yours can’t be that bad.

Liz: Look at that, you’re logic thrown right back at you.

Batman stifled a laugh as he went to the bedroom to retrieve the cutting board.

Liz: I didn’t want to stab him! He kept shaking me and badgering me to get up and cook "together." Pity him, he said. I could barely walk, but I’d gladly be arrested just to get away from him.

Markus (pouting): I just wanted to cook together!

Red Robin: You keep saying "cooking together." Are you stuck in a loop? I can’t get past the part where he claimed he’d make you a meal if you went to the store with him. He didn’t do that?

Liz: Exactly! The bell pepper was for a gumbo he wanted to make—only for himself!

Markus (whining again): That’s a soup! I just wanted to cook together, and she needs to feel better!

Liz fumed, angrily tossing the bell pepper she had been clutching at Markus's head. He grunted, cutting off his whining—at least for a moment.

Red Robin: Why are you even with him?

Liz: He wasn’t like this when we started dating!

Batman left the bedroom, holding the clean cutting board. He covered his mouth with one hand, trying to stifle an unintended laugh. Handing the cutting board to his sidekick, he burst into laughter.

Batman (unable to control his laughter): This is fucking wild! He's such a ignoramus. I just keep picturing you grabbing the knife and jabbing it into his thigh and he shouts "I just wanted to cook together!"

Red Robin: This freaking guy is like the dog that keeps bringing the tennis ball back and you just want to rest.

Batman: And you see if he genuinely did care about your wellbeing he'd get in the bed with you and the cutting board. Over this bullshit!

The laughter filled the room, an unexpected moment of levity amidst the absurdity as Liz and Red Robin joined in, all at Markus’s expense.

Red Robin (serious): We're sorry for laughing ma'am.

Liz: Dude, it's fine. I needed a reason to dump him anyways and my dad knows a good lawyer.

Batman: You overreacted and committed a crime, but he's alive. We just have to wait for the EMTs to take him away and then take you in for questioning. Honestly you might not get jail time.

Markus (defiant, pointing his index finger): I'm suing her either way!

Liz: I'll pay half of your medical bills Markus. It's the least I can do and whether I got to prison or not, pack your shit later and leave. We're through.

Markus: Fine! I'll find another girl to cook—

Batman and Red Robin: STOP SAYING COOK TOGETHER!

Markus pouted, resting on the ground with his arms cross while Liz sat down to blow her nose.

Based off a reddit story I saw on smosh pit that angered me so much I had to write a what if. In the AITA post OP was the boyfriend who brought in the cutting board and she didn't stab him (I would've hit him with the cutting board at least). He got voted the asshole. I can only hope she dumped his ass.

[jjtheresidentbaby]

been having lots of babysitter! jonathan thoughts, so could you possibly do like cg!steve needs to go out for the day or has a long work day when little! reader is feeling really tiny and super fussy, so he has jonathan come over to babysit, maybe argyle is there too?

I just imagine he'd be really quiet and gentle with reader in babyspace and patient when they are nonverbal, just like sitting with them and giving them a bottle, and when they're feeling a bit better after being sad about steve being away so long, they have a dance party in the living room 

(sorry if this is like way too long or if you dont write like babysitter stuff, theres absolutely no pressure!)

˚. ❝₊˚ last minute ❞ ˚₊·

» johnathan byers x reader

» a/n: omg this request is over a year old, I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to get to 😭 also sorry I couldn’t fit everything you asked for in, I had trouble figuring out how to write jon

» warnings: fussy reader, crying, pet names, bottle feeding

You cling your hands tighter onto Steve’s yellow sweater, face stuffed into his chest, a wet spot of tears under you that’s only growing larger as he tries to hand you off to Johnathan.

“I’ll be back tonight, I swear baby.” Steve assures for the millionth time, it does nothing to help you calm down. You’ve dropped younger than normal and while Steve hadn’t wanted to leave you, Robin already called out with the flu so Steve doesn’t have the option of staying home. It’s hell for him to see you so distraught.

“No!” You cry and Steve lets out a sad sigh. It’s been five full minutes of you, Steve, and Johnathan standing in the doorway of Steve’s house waiting for you to let go of Steve and for Johnathan to take over caring for you as he’s the only one around that’s able to watch you on such short notice.

“It’s okay little one, we’ll have fun while Steve’s gone.” Johnathan ducks his head to meet your eyes when you turn your head against Steve’s pec, only offering a sniffle in reply to Johnathan.

“See? Jon’s a good caregiver, you guys will have a great day. Now I- I gotta go-.” Steve starts to pull you off of his chest and instantly more tears start to streak down your face, hiccuping cries leaving your throat as Johnathan takes over holding you on his hip.

“I’m so sorry, I’ll be back.” A kiss gets pressed to your forehead before Steve’s bounding down the driveway to his car, probably already ten minutes late for work, which is the only reason you decide not to put up much of a fight when Johnathan takes you inside.

“I know we don’t know each other that well but I want to help you and for today to be a good day. Is there anything you want that I can do to help?” Johnathan speaks softly, it reminds you of how Joyce talks to littles, kind and caring in that signature Byers way.

“Bottle?” You ask shyly but Johnathan instantly nods and hefts you up to get a more comfortable hold on you before walking to the kitchen.

Nothing is said as Johnathan makes the bottle, you point to the cabinets everything’s in and then lean against him as he starts to hum a song under his breath. The rumble of his chest is grounding in a way and lets your tears turn to sniffles before ceasing all together- you still miss Steve and wish he didn’t have to go to work- but Johnathan isn’t so bad.

“Let- let me know if I’m tipping it too much.” Johnathan says with a nervous undertone to his words, you know he has nothing to be nervous about, you’ve seen him take care of Nancy plenty of times and he’s never done anything to raise concern.

You nod anyways and latch onto the bottle once he holds it out for you. He has one bent arm under your head as you sit on Steve’s couch and his eyes don’t leave your face, gently scanning your features for discomfort as you suck down the drink, slower than you’d usually drink it. You’re honestly exhausted from earlier and don’t have the energy to move with the speed and eagerness you normally have.

“All set? Do you wanna watch a movie?” It’s obvious you’re close to falling asleep but Johnathan flicks the Tv on despite it, shifting to get more comfortable on the couch as he suspects you’ll fall asleep in the position you’re in right now.

“You can nap if you wanna.” The assurance is all you need to close your eyes and curl into Johnathan more, hoping you’ll sleep long enough that your emotions won’t be so intense when you wake up and maybe you can enjoy having Johnathan here more.

[strawheart-pirate]

What they do for their sick s/o who can’t leave the ship

Sanji, Nami, Law, Penguin & Shachi, Kid, Killer

CW: SFW. This is just fluff. no drugs, no alcohol, no smokes, just soup and pampering. Comfort. They go above and beyond for you.

Scenario: After weeks at sea, you finally reached an island, but you were unable to leave the ship. You had the flu, and because it came with a cough, fever and chills, you were not allowed to leave your bed. Your s/o went on the island to get some goods, and maybe they have a surprise for you.

Read part 1 here: Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, Franky, Brook

Sanji

- Since Sanji is a good listener and observer, he knew exactly what you needed. - Although he didn't want to leave your side, he had to gather a few things that would help you overcome your sickness. It took him only a short time to gather everything and he was back sooner than you expected. - He prepared a nice stew with only the best and freshest veggies and wrapped some small gifts. Not long after, he wheeled a small service cart next to your bed. It was packed with the small gifts, flowers in a vase and a steaming stew full of veggies. - “Sanji, it smells delicious.” – “I made you a very rich stew. We’ll get you back on your feet in no time with my special care.” You smiled at him. He insisted on feeding you, even though you were perfectly capable of holding the spoon with your own hands. You sulked at first but seeing him so happy made you enjoy it. - After your meal you unwrapped the little gifts. It was a few souvenirs and the one thing you’d been talking about for weeks. “Thank you, Sanji.” – “Anything for you. Now tell me. Do you want me to give you a massage, or do you want to watch a movie, or how can I help you?” - “This may sound strange, but can you read to me or tell me a story while I try to sleep?” – “Of course, just make yourself comfortable. Shall I tell you stories of the North Blue?” Sanji sat down on the bed beside you, and you made yourself comfortable and laid your head on his lap. - You fell asleep listening to Sanji’s smooth voice.

Nami

- Would boss the whole crew around to make you feel better and recover faster. Sanji would get most of her wrath, and he’d be ordered to cook you a soup and whatever you want. - Hits Luffy when he tries to steal your food away and is in a very bad mood because she wanted to enjoy the island together with you. - You would send her off to the island to give everyone a break (but make sure not to phrase it like that!). She would be gone for the whole day. - When she returns, she’ll apologize (but only to you) for being so stressed, but she’s just worried. She’d tell you about how she got nearly everything for free and show you all the new clothes and accessories. - In the end, she’d hand you a small box. She got you a little souvenir with the name of the island on it and added a voucher to it. “For later. We could take the shark submerge and visit an island of your choice...” She said with a soft smile, and you were once again amazed at how generous Nami could be. “Thank you Nami, you’re the best. I’m looking forward to our little trip.” You hugged her show your gratitude. - You spent the evening watching a movie until you fell asleep on her shoulder.

Trafalgar Law

- Your captain was very strict about the bed rest he prescribed you, so no island for you. Not even a glimpse of it. - Though he acted serious and cold towards you, his heart ached when you begged him to go. But it was for your own good that he was this persistent. - He made sure to have Bepo watch over you, knowing that you loved the bear and that he would be able to comfort you. - As he went about his duties on the island, his mind wandered off to you frequently and he thought hard about he could get you to lighten your mood and make up for not being able to visit the island. - He returned to the Polar Tang with a small bag in his hand. As he entered the room, you were fast asleep. He placed the paper bag on your nightstand and was about to leave quietly, when you shifted. - The smell of your favorite pastry woke you up and you saw Law before he could leave the room. “Law?” He slowly turned around. “I came to check on you, but you were asleep and-“ You interrupted him as you saw the paper bag on the nightstand. “Is that what I think it is?” Your eyes sparkled with excitement as you grabbed the bag and looked inside. “You went to a bakery for me?” You flashed him a smile and he looked away feeling caught. “Don’t read too much into it…” he muttered. You took his hand and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Law.”  Law only squeezed your hand a little as an answer. “I have to go to set the new course.” He mumbled and left the room. - You just giggled at how flustered he was. As you ate your favorite pastry, you smiled thinking about how Law really went out of his way to treat you.

Penguin & Shachi

- They sat on either side of your bed and cried as if you were going to die. But you weren’t, and no matter how many times you told them, that you were going to get better, they still cried. The trash was full of wet tissues, and as much as you liked them, you needed a break. - So, you sent them off to the island to do whatever they wanted. - They were determined to find you something, anything that would help you and keep you from dying. They were not that good at cooking, so they needed to help you in another way. - When they came across a beauty shop, they went in. They took notes on how to do nails, how to give proper massages and how to do face masks and compressions. They left the shop with a large bag full of creams, oils, and tools. - Once they returned, Shachi prepared the tub for you with your favorite bubble bath and your rubber ducky, and washed your hair while you soaked in the tub. Meanwhile Penguin set up the room ready for your surprise. When you came back into the room, you noticed all the candles, cosmetics, and the incense sticks. It smelled nice. - “What’s this all about?” – “We can’t help your immune system, but we can help you relax.” Penguin explained and soon you found yourself being pampered by the men. Their hands were not as skilled as the professionals with the utensils or the movements, but they managed it quite well. And you really enjoyed it. - If you ask them to do your nails, they will make a competition out of it. - You had the most precious spa day with these guys and your weakened body really enjoyed their pampering.

Eustass Kid

- Kid was angry. Not at you, but the fact that you couldn’t get out of bed because of that damn flu really pissed him off. You tried to calm him down and told him, that you were okay (you weren’t okay, but he needed to calm down, so you swallowed your own sadness), but he wouldn’t listen. - “If I can’t kill the fucking flu, I’ll at least burn this fucking island to the ground.” He said and left. You were left alone in your bed, hoping for the best. - Kid left the ship alongside Killer. “Do you know how to kill the flu?” - “Give it some time and they will be fine. Some soup or medicine can ease the symptoms.” - With that in mind, Kid wandered around with an angry expression on his face. The people who came across him hid behind walls or changed their direction, no one wanted to be the one facing his wrath. Finally, Kid found what he was looking for. - “You!” He broke down the door and scattered inside. “You're caring for a sick one, I saw it from outside.” He had an angry scowl on his face, a vein was ticking, and his voice was demanding. The woman at the stove nodded hesitantly. - “I need that soup and whatever you have, that makes a sick person feel better. Now.” He commanded with a twisted smile. The frightened woman hurried up and placed a soup, some herbs, and creams in a bag. “Well done.” He said and left for the ship. - “The soup is good.” You smiled at him and took another spoonful of it. “That’s good, otherwise I’d tear this city apart.” You saw that he was restless and tense. “Tell you what, come here.” You moved to one side of the bed, and he sat down beside you, putting an arm around you. “Can you show me your little trick?” You asked and he smirked and was about to give a cocky answer, but you had already placed some screws and small metal parts in his palm before you continued to eat your soup. So, he let it slide and activated his powers. First, he locked the door, no need for an audience, and then he stacked the parts and formed little butterflies with them. You watched in awe as he let them fly across the room. - You set down the now empty bowl. “Thank you.” You said and played with one of the little metal creatures as Kid watched the scene with a confident smile.

Killer

- He has a plan. He knows how to deal with a sick Captain Kid, and he definitely knows what you need. - Grabbing his list, he went to the island and was determined to be back soon. But then Kid caused some trouble on the island, and he had to deescalate the whole situation. He came back with everything on his list, an angry captain, and a sour mood. - He went into the kitchen and started to prepare everything for you. If anyone entered the kitchen, he would take his anger out on them, so everyone avoided going near the kitchen, no matter how hungry they were. - You woke up when a now calm Killer entered the room with a hot meal, some meds, and a bottle of water. “Hey, sorry if I woke you up.” You gave him a tired smile and a delicious smell entered your nose. “It’s okay. Did you cook?” – “Yeah, hope it helps you get better.” You sat up and he placed the food on your lap. It tasted good and you hummed appreciatively. “Thank you. It’s delicious.” – “I’m glad you like it. I also bought some meds, just in case.” He said placing the meds on your nightstand. - After the meal, Killer sat down beside you and you curled up against him. You mumbled a small 'thank you' and quickly fell asleep while Killer watched over you.

All content unless otherwise stated belongs to: ©Strawheart-pirate. Please do not copy / modify / translate / repost my writing, banners or art on other platforms. Comments, reblogs or likes are highly appreciated!

[withacapitalp]

Okay so @lazylittledragon I am so sorry to just randomly toss this at you and run, but I COULD NOT RESIST AFTER THAT LAST MOMBIN POST!!!! For anyone that hasn't seen it this is inspired by this amazing amazing art

tw: Pregnancy and Childbirth

“Steve I can’t do this-” Robin choked out, unable to complete her sentence as a new wave of pain crashed over her. The plastic of the birthing pool squeaked under her knees as she tried to find any position that would be even slightly more comfortable, her fingers squeezing tightly against Steve’s that were trapped in her iron grip. 

“Yeah you can! Robinbird, look at you. You’re already doing it!” Steve said, completely in awe of her, acting like she was doing something special when she was just barely managing to hold on. 

He had done this for the whole pregnancy. Every little thing, every milestone, all of it a marvel to him. Like she was brilliant, special, thriving when Robin had spent most of the last nine months alternating between crying, yelling, and crying some more. All of this over something that women went through every single day. 

God she had been a mess and now she was messier than ever. 

“No, Steve, I mean I don’t think I can do this alone,” Robin sobbed, the tears she had managed to hold back all day finally breaking through. She was hurting, confused, scared, and more than anything she wanted her own mama here with her, which was really something she never thought she would want. 

One and done. One and done. She was only going to fuck up one kid. Just like her mom.

A delirious giggle cut through her sobbing, and Robin leaned her forehead against their conjoined hands, continuing to babble. 

“I thought I could, I really did, but he’s here, and he’s mine, and I can’t do it alone, Steve. I can’t do this alone-”

Because that was the scary part, wasn’t it? She was alone. She had chosen to do this all by herself, ignoring every person, including her sainted mother, who tried to convince her to wait till she had a partner. She had ignored them all, so sure of herself and her abilities, and now all she could think about was how easy it was going to be to fuck this kid up when there was no one there to help her.  

“Alone?” Steve said with a wild laugh, a slightly feral look in his eyes as he raised his free hand up and cupped Robin’s cheek, lifting up her head and brushing away her tears, letting her lean into his familiar, safe, touch, “Now who’s being a dingus?”

Robin shut her eyes against the latest contraction, taking a deep breath in, smelling Steve’s cologne as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, holding onto her tight through the pain. He had always done that. Period cramps, headaches, flu and colds, whatever had happened, Steve had been there. 

Steve was here now. 

Steve was here. 

“Robin, you are not alone. You have never been alone, and you will never be alone,” He whispered furiously into her ear, reading her mind the way he always had, “As long as there is breath in my body, you and this baby will never be alone.” 

He had proved it over and over again. Running to get ice cream at three am, holding her hand at every ultrasound, standing in front of their 'how many times have we cried' board, kneeling here on the floor for god knows how many hours it would take to get this GD baby out. 

“You’re here?” Robin said softly into the space between just the two of them, her voice wobbling and shaky, but still alive. 

“Forever.” Steve promised. 

[wolfjackle-creates]

Please tell me that with 'Johnny and Kitty pocess Superman and Batman' That they are either on a date or go on a date after a fight? Please this needs to happen

@britcision also asked about this one!

So I was looking through what I wrote of this and...it's not that good. It's based on a prompt from back in Nov 2022 and I was still figuring things out back then and needed to rewrite everything I wrote at least once. It's less crack than you'd expect from the title, I'm afraid.

So I'm gonna do part of that rewrite. Because I'm insane and don't have self control. 🤣

Anyway, the prompt is from @zeestarfishalien and can be found here. Oddly it doesn't have half as many notes as I remember it having. Huh. Guess I thought it had more because I latched onto it so strongly.

Anyway, enjoy!

Word Count: 1.6k

-----

"Danny!" yelled Jazz from downstairs.

Danny froze for just a moment. That was Jazz's something-is-wrong voice. He dropped through the floor to get to her that much quicker. "What happened?" he demanded.

She just pointed to the TV where a news reporter was standing in a city. Behind her, Batman stood next to the open driver's side door to the batmobile while Superman floated in the air a few feet away with his arms crossed.

"Don't look at me like that, baby," said Batman.

"I will look at you however the hell I want. You forgot our date, asshole!" yelled Superman back.

The reporter grinned at the camera. "Looks like quite the lover's tiff we've stumbled upon! Who would have ever suspected Batman and Superman of being in a relationship?"

Behind her, Superman used his heat vision to shoot at Batman who cursed loudly before jumping into his car and speeding off. Superman huffed and flew in the opposite direction. Jazz muted the TV while the reporter continued making speculations about Batman and Superman's relationship. Danny stared at Jazz in horror.

"That was—"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think it was."

Danny closed his eyes and thought about the half finished essay he had upstairs and the history test he had the next day and how his parents would be home in an hour. He wanted to cry.

"I have to go to Gotham."

"I'll take care of our parents. Have you had the flu yet this year?"

Danny's laugh had a hysterical edge to it. "Tuck's been keeping track of my excuses. Ask him. I'll just…" Danny let the sentence trail as he transformed and flew out of the house without another word.

Even flying as fast as he could, he didn't arrive in Gotham until night had fallen. He tried to sense Johnny or Kitty or listen for the chaos that always followed them, but the city was so big.

After over half an hour of searching with no luck, Danny was sitting on a roof with his head buried in his knees trying not to cry. He only had so many hours before he had to be back in Amity for school. If he missed any more days, he'd get a suspension and his parents would be livid.

Just then, the clock tower chimed ten. Danny lifted his head to look at the tall building, one of the tallest in the city. He might not have any idea how to find Batman, but surely the other heroes would. Maybe he could get their attention?

In a matter of minutes, he was floating above the clock tower. With a deep breath, he shot an ectoblast up into the sky. Two minutes later, he repeated the action.

Not long after his fifth blast, two grapple hooks attached to the tower near his feet and seconds later he was facing Batman and Robin.

Danny immediately fell into a fighting stance. "Johnny, I'm not going to let you get away with this. Get out of him. Now."

But instead of calling him a do-gooder nerd, Batman pulled out a batarang and held it ready to throw. "I'm not this Johnny," he growled.

Danny relaxed and sighed in relief. "Oh thank the ancients, you got him out. I'm so, so sorry, Batman! I know you and the Justice League are relying on me to keep the ghosts from escaping Amity. Johnny and Kitty must’ve gotten past me. How'd you get Johnny out? Were you able to help Superman? Kitty is at least reasonable most of the time so I hope she didn't give you any trouble. Where are they now? I'll just collect them and bring them back to the Realms."

Robin pulled out his sword and pointed it at Danny. "What do you know of Fa— Batman's condition? Who is this 'Johnny' you speak of?"

Danny's core stuttered in his chest. The kid couldn't mean… He looked past the blade pointed at him towards Batman. "You… aren't Batman. Are you? You're covering for him while Johnny is overshadowing the real one."

Batman put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Lower the sword, Robin." To Danny, he said, "I think you owe us some explanations."

Danny buried his head in his hands and tried to bite back the tears. He was so tired. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. This is my fault. They got past me and I failed. I'm so sorry."

“Desist with your groveling and explain!” ordered Robin.

“Right, yeah. Of course. Sorry.” Danny looked up, but the stars were hidden behind smog and lights. He sighed. “I’m Phantom, of course. Responsible for monitoring the portal in Amity and keeping ghosts from coming through and causing problems on Earth. Also for stopping human hunters from hurting any ghosts. Johnny and Kitty, two ghosts, must have gotten past me. I’m careful, I swear. We set up an alarm on the portal so I know the moment someone comes through, but I missed them somehow. I…maybe they came through at the same time as someone else? I’ve had to deal with Skulker and Boxy so far this week. And Queen Dora came for a visit and one of Pandora’s people stopped by to drop something off. So if Johnny and Kitty came through at the same time… Pariah curse it, I should’ve realized. What a stupid design flaw. I’ll be working on a fix for that as soon as I get out of school tomorrow. I’d do it sooner, but I’ve a test you see. And if I miss any more class, I’ll get a suspension, and then my parents really will kill me again.”

Danny winced when he saw Robin’s fingers twitch towards his sword again. “Sorry! No more excuses. It’ll be fixed ASAP, promise. Um, Johnny is generally into motorcycles, but I think he saw the Batmobile and wanted to take it for a ride so he overshadowed Batman. From what I saw on the news, he blew off a date with Kitty to do it so she’s pissed and followed him and ended up overshadowing Superman. Probably so she could use his powers on top of her own to punish Johnny.” He trailed off and waited for the yelling to start.

But they were silent.

Danny shifted from foot to foot. “Again, I’m really sorry. I know you rely on me to keep this from happening and I swear it won’t again. But if you tell me where you think Batman is, I’ll go retrieve Johnny. Same with Superman and Kitty. I need to get this wrapped up by four, maybe four thirty, so I can get home in time for school to start.” He couldn’t hold back a yawn. He just wanted to sleep.

Batman and Robin exchanged a glance and Batman put away his weapon. “I’ve never heard of you or this Amity before. You’re a kid, who is your Justice League mentor? Why aren’t they here?”

“I… What? Justice League mentor? What are you talking about? All of my mentors are ghosts.”

Robin snorted. “Who informed you that it was your responsibility to monitor this portal that allows these ghosts to invade? Why are you the only one preventing attacks such as this?”

Danny bristled. “I’m not alone! Sam and Tucker and my sister help me!”

“Are they kids like you?” asked Batman.

“If by like me you mean ghosts, of course not. They’re fully alive. I’m the only ghost of the group.”

“No,” said Batman after a pause. “That’s not what I meant. I wanted to know if they were teenagers who still go to school like you or if they were adults you worked with.”

Danny shrugged. “Jazz is starting college next year, but yeah. They’re my friends.”

Batman let out a long breath. “Right. And why do you think the Justice League is expecting you, specifically, to monitor this portal?”

Danny threw up his hands. “Because you told me that!” He saw Batman open his mouth to say something and quickly added, “Not you specifically, but, like, the League. This guy Constantine came by a month or two after the portal opened and saw me and relaxed. Said he was glad to see I was already handling things there. Gave me a number and laughed and said if anyone could handle the situation, it’d be me, but I could call if I needed back up.” He shrugged. “And he was right. So far I have been able to handle it. This is an exception and I’ll get it fixed in a few hours tops.”

Robin ground his teeth. “That lazy magician.”

Batman also muttered something under his breath. “Thank you, Phantom. For doing so much on your own. If you tell us how to free Batman and Superman, we can handle it from here.”

“What?” Danny shook his head in confusion. “What are you talking about? You need specialized weapons that I don’t have on me and containment devices and access to a portal to the Realms to get rid of them. Seriously, I can get this taken care of. Just tell me where Batman is.”

Batman sighed again. “We don’t have much of a choice. Fine. But will you be able to get us these weapons and containment devices if we requested some of you? We’ll pay you, of course. And we’d like more details on what you’ve been dealing with. I’m afraid Constantine… did not share the details of your dealings with the rest of us.”

“Yeah, sure. The weapons are made by Drs. Jack and Maddie Fenton of FentonWorks, based out of Amity Park, Illinois. Their son Danny can help you pick out the most useful ones. Some are more torture device than anything, though, so definitely avoid those. Danny will be able to tell you the difference.”

Batman nodded once, jaw clenched. “Thank you. Now, I’ve just gotten an update on the possessed Batman’s location. Follow us.”

-----

Dick is pretending to be Batman here. If they have a "normal" batman out, then they can show the possessed batman is an imposter.

I saw some debate on the original over whether Johnny would possess Batman or Superman. To me, the answer was obvious. He'd possess Batman because he wanted to take the Batmobile for a spin.

Meanwhile, Kitty is the smart one. She'd go for Superman because then she could use his powers and her own to 1) punish Johnny and 2) prevent anyone from stopping them.

Regarding Constantine: He made an oops, but it's not (fully) his fault. Due to time missions from Clockwork, Phantom is shown to be thousands of years old and is known for fantastic feats. If Constantine had known this was some fourteen year old newly dead kid, he'd have acted differently. Instead, he thinks Danny is older than he is with millenia of experience.

This is free for anyone to continue!

[ataliagold]

Or Maybe We Don't

For @astrangersummer week 7 prompt 'or maybe we don't'.

Pairing: Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington

Rating: G

W/C: 1280

Tags: Steddie, first kiss, getting together, beach holiday, sunset, fluff, Steve Harrington has a crush on Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson has a crush on Steve Harrington, love confessions

Summary: It's the final day of Steve and Eddie's summer trip, and Steve has something he needs to tell Eddie.

___

Sunset was approaching, the sky a brilliant array of orange and pink, light sparkling off the water flowing forward then receding away again in gentle waves.

Steve was sitting with Eddie in the sand, looking out across the empty beach. It had been busy earlier – families set up for a day in the sun, kids building sandcastles, people playing in the surf. Most had been day-trippers, now packed up and departed, leaving just Steve and Eddie to take in the slowly sinking sun.

It was their last night at the little seaside house that Robin’s aunty had let them use for a few days for a brief summer getaway.

Robin and Nancy were supposed to have come on this trip with them, but Nancy had come down with some flu she’d caught from Mike and Robin had stayed behind to take care of her.

That left only Eddie and Steve, and this unspoken thing building between them that neither had managed to mention yet.

It was stolen glances, hands brushing not-so-accidentally, Steve quietly giving Eddie the pickles from his burger at the diner, nights spent in front of the TV where neither of them really focused on the movie – they were too busy looking at each other.

“I don’t really want to go home,” Eddie commented, breaking the pleasant silence that had fallen over them, “not yet. S’nice here.”

“I’m sure we can come back,” Steve told him, letting a handful of sand run through his fingers. “With Robin and Nancy.”

Something flashed across Eddie’s face, the slightest wince, and he turned away a little. “Yeah. With them.”

Steve paused. Reached his hand slightly towards Eddie’s, then stopped himself, let his hand fall again.

“Eddie?”

“Yeah?” His voice was tight.

Steve frowned. “Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Ok. Just…you seem kinda…”

“What?”

“I dunno.”

“Good one, Harrington.”

There was no malice in Eddie’s tone, but Steve flinched a little at the old nickname anyway because he and Eddie were so far past that now – or at least, he thought they were.

Steve sighed. “I don’t really wanna go home either. I do miss Robin though.”

Eddie smiled then. “You missed her on our first night here.”

“Yeah,” Steve said sheepishly.

“It’s been good though, right? The last couple of days?”

“Yeah.”

“I know it’s not…well, it’s not really what we’d planned, without the girls, but…”

“I’ve had fun.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Steve’s tongue darted out over his lips, and he looked back out to the water. He knew why their conversation had become so stilted, why things suddenly felt so awkward, but he hadn’t been able to get the courage up to voice it.

To tell Eddie how he felt.

But when was he going to get another chance like this? They were alone, away from prying eyes, from the demands of the kids – out here they could be anyone they wanted to be.

Steve wanted to be Eddie’s.

He snuck a glance at the other boy. Took in the way the light fell across his delicate features, shining off dark brown eyes, his face so pretty despite being slightly clouded by indecision, perhaps the same indecision Steve was feeling right now.

“Eddie –”

“Steve – ”

They spoke at the same time, snapped their mouths shut in sync.

Eddie laughed briefly. Rubbed the back of his neck, tugged a section of hair across his mouth, smiled playfully at Steve.

“You first, big boy.”

“What were you going to say?” Steve asked quietly, because what if he’d been reading this all wrong, what if Eddie was going to say something completely mundane, suggest they eat at the diner tonight instead of Steve cooking, which Steve really hoped he wouldn’t because he was planning on making Eddie’s favourite lasagna as a surprise…

Eddie’s lips twitched. “Probably the same as you,” he said earnestly.

Steve sucked in a breath, let it out a little shakily. Inched his hand towards Eddie’s again.

“I really enjoyed these last few days,” Steve said after a moment. “With you, I mean.”

Eddie nodded, pinky brushing against Steve’s.

“And I think…well, I know how I…feel about you. And it kinda…” Steve trailed off, looked down at his lap, anywhere but Eddie because he could feel his cheeks colouring now, and what if he was about to fuck everything up? He took a deep breath, tried again. “Well, it kinda scares me. Because I’ve never felt this way about anyone else except Nancy, a long time ago. And you know how that ended, and I don’t want that to happen again, not with you. God, not with you.”

Finally, he forced himself to look up, Eddie’s silence too much to bear.

He was looking at Steve softly, openly, his pinky looped over Steve’s now, breeze gently ruffling his hair.

Steve wanted to kiss him.

But he waited, needed to be sure, needed to know he hadn’t imagined everything between them.

“You know I’ve been in love with you since you carried my half-dead ass out of the Upside Down, right?”

Steve blinked several times in response to Eddie’s confession. “Seriously?”

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah. What, like that’s an unreasonable response to Steve Harrington saving your life?”

“I just…I mean, you never…you didn’t say anything.”

“I thought you were straight.”

Steve tipped his head to the side, raised his eyebrows briefly. “To be fair, so did I.”

“So you’re telling me…you’re not?” Eddie continued, his expression hopeful, his pinky curling around Steve’s.

“No,” Steve said, meeting his eyes. “No, because I really want to kiss you right now.”

Eddie swallowed visibly. Leaned in closer, until Steve could feel his warm breath dance across his lips.

“Go on then, Stevie.”

Steve closed the little distance left between them. Kissed him there as the sun farewelled the sky, slow and gentle and a little unsure of himself because he’d never kissed another man before. But instead of his heart rate spiking like he’d expected it to, it slowed under Eddie’s touch, and Steve felt calm and soft and safe because this was Eddie and he’d never felt something so right in this life.

The following day, after spending the night in Eddie’s arms, Steve was driving them back to Hawkins. Back to their jobs, back to their separate homes, back to reality.

Hand in hand across the gearbox, the two spent most of the drive looking at each other, Steve having to force his attention back to the road every now and then.

An hour out of Hawkins, Eddie spoke.

“What do we do, when we get home?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, do we…tell people? Our friends? Wayne? The kids?”

“Do you want to?”

“Well…I want to be able to be with you,” Eddie said, squeezing his hand. “But are you ready for that? Steve Harrington, former Hawkins golden boy, in a relationship with Eddie the freak?”

Steve made a soft noise of protest at that, brought Eddie’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

“I want to be with you,” Steve said firmly. “I’m not sure when we tell people, let’s maybe give it a few days to think about it, but…yeah, Eddie. I want you.”

“Because we could…well, I mean, if you wanted to we could…” Eddie’s eyes darted away, looked out the window, back again. “I’d understand if you wanted to pretend this never happened. If you wanted to just go back to normal. We could, if you want.”

I can’t, Steve knew. And looking at Eddie, at his face that was imploring Steve otherwise, he knew Eddie couldn’t either.

Steve smiled at him. Brought Eddie’s hand to his lap and held it securely there.

“Or maybe we don’t.”

[ladykailitha]

Around the World Part 2

Hello and welcome to the second chapter of this lovely fic. We have all sorts of thrills for you on this one.

A ghost town, a haunted B&B, and Gaming Con Salt Lake City.

Did I spend too much time in Utah? Oh no doubt, but I am a Utah girlie born and bred and I know a bit more about it then anywhere else.

Part 1

~

At breakfast in the little nook the B&B provided for them to eat, Robin was eyeing Eddie and Steve suspiciously.

“I can’t believe you two actually went to bed after we parted for the night,” she huffed. “I was expecting at least some vigorous exercise, if you know what I mean.”

But before either of them could reply, one of the owners came over and tutted at Steve. She was an elderly woman with frizzy hair and half moon glasses. “Do you like to exercise, young man?”

Steve pursed his lips to avoid laughing in his hostess’s face and nodded. “I usually like to go for a run in the morning, but I’m on vacation.” He kicked Robin’s shin for good measure.

“I understand, dear,” she said patting his shoulder. “When we make a habit of something our friends can be a little shocked when we take a break.” She wandered back into the kitchen to get more coffee.

“Did you forget that Eddie and I aren’t supposed to be a couple?” Steve hissed. “It’s a good thing she missed the double entendre otherwise you might have gotten us kicked out.”

Robin threw herself against the back of the chair with a huff and crossed her arms. She looked away and Chrissy whispered to her for a bit while Steve and Eddie ate their food.

“Sorry.”

Suddenly there was a crash and the woman started screaming. “George! She’s done it again! Either she goes or I do!”

Their whole table went silent but everyone around kept going about their business like this happened all the time.

Steve asked a nearby table what that was all about.

“That’s Nessie Thomas,” the man explained. “She’s been haunting this house since she died of the Spanish Flu in 1918. She doesn’t like the way Emma does her eggs and will pull the pans off the shelf to express her displeasure.”

Steve and Robin looked at each other and then started shoveling food in their mouths. Chrissy raised an eyebrow at Eddie in askance.

“Soulmate telepathy,” he said with a shrug. “I think basically, they want to get out of here as fast as possible before the ghost starts throwing something more dangerous than pans.”

Chrissy tilted her head and there was another crash and more screaming from the kitchen.

Her eyes widened and she too started hurrying to finish her breakfast.

“That’s it! George you can have the witch!” Emma screamed. She stomped out of the kitchen and threw her apron on the floor on her way out the door.

Eddie turned to the guy who had told them about the ghost. “Is that normal, too?”

The guy laughed. “Sure is. About once a month Emma declares she’s done and then after two or three days of George nearly running this place into the ground, she comes back with a shit ton of garlic, a bowl of salt, and a crucifix or three.”

That was when Eddie started to hurry up with breakfast. Ghosts were fine, but weaponized incompetence was where he drew the line.

They made it out to their roomy SUV Eddie had rent for their tour of America’s haunted places. They would return it in New Hampshire after touring all the HH Holmes sites, in Pennsylvania for his grave site, Vermont for where he fell the police, and finally New Hampshire for his birthday place. They would see other sites in between in Pennsylvania and New York.

Their final stop was Boston where they would take a flight to Queenstown in Ireland where they would begin their tour of Europe’s haunted places as New Hampshire didn’t have any international flights. So they would take a flight down to Massachusetts, see Salem and the birth place of Edgar Allen Poe and then fly out to Ireland.

Their next stop was Brodie, CA. A ghost town from the Gold rush that mysteriously burned down in the 1930s.

“It’s so creepy,” Robin said as they walked through the town, everything just as people left it all those years ago.

Suddenly there was a large bang and both Eddie and Robin grabbed Steve’s hands, one each, while Chrissy, clutched Eddie’s free arm, burying her face into it.

Steve smiled but wisely said nothing when they wanted to continue, but did not want to let go of his hands. He found the place more sad than creepy. These people thought they were going to get rich and suddenly everything went horribly wrong.

They made it back to the car, his koalas still firmly attached.

“You don’t think there were like, actual ghosts,” Robin asked, “do you?”

Steve merely pursed his lips as the three of them went off on all sorts of theories for the phenomena that went on in that town. From natural gases, to wind, to actual ghosts. They hadn’t reached a consensus by the time Steve hit the freeway.

~

They traveled all over the west and were a little disappointed when the got to Utah and found that Skinwalker Ranch didn’t allow visitors.

“That’s lame,” Chrissy said at the cafe they stopped in after seeing the “no trespassing” signs. “I really wanted to get a closer look at that one.”

A nearby local snorted. “It’s ‘cause they’re filming another season of that show right now. You just came at the wrong time.”

Robin sunk down in bench of their booth and crossed her arms with a pout. “That sucks.”

“There’s always Blind Frog Ranch,” the local suggested. “It’s near here, and you can even book tours.”

Eddie pulled out his phone and within minutes the girls and Eddie had booked a tour while Steve talked to the local. His name was Cary and he had lived in the area his whole life.

“Blind Frog isn’t as famous,” Cary told Steve, “but it’s still a pretty good haunt if you like that sort of thing.”

“Sounds right up our alley,” Steve agreed. “We’ve spent a good couple of days in Vegas at the Monster Museum and Museum of Illusions as well as a couple of others thrown in for fun.”

“You taking in as many sites as you can?”

Steve nodded. “We can do whatever we want as long as we are in Boston for our flight to Ireland in three weeks time.”

“You’re pretty slow going,” Cary said. “You’ve only made it through a third of the country.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, pulling out their map of places they wanted to see. “But we’re from the Midwest and are already familiar with those sites, so we’ll be breezing past those.”

Cary nodded. He pointed to a place on the map. “That there is Fall River. That’s where the Lizzy Borden house is. It’s a bed and breakfast. My niece stayed out there when she was in the state for Halloween in Salem.”

Steve circled it and put a little number on it and then made a note on the side what that was.

“Hey, Eds?” Steve called over his shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Be sure to book us in the Lizzy Borden B&B.”

Robin and Chrissy shared shocked but excited glances and they bent over Eddie’s phone yet again. This time for a B&B in Massachusetts.

Steve thanked Cary and went back to his table, map firmly in hand.

“Well,” Chrissy said brightly. “It wasn’t a complete wash.” She turned around to where Cary had been sitting to thank him but he had vanished.

~

The trip to Blind Frog was as fun as Cary said it was going to be. They asked around but there hadn’t been a Cary around town for a long time.

“Did–was he–he couldn’t have,” Eddie said, his eyes wide, “could he?”

“You’re asking me if there is a thing as ghosts?” Steve asked his hands on his hips. “Because if you are, we are going home this instant. If you can’t handle a friendly one, you aren’t going to fair well in Europe.”

Robin and Chrissy shared a glance and Robin crossed her arms. “And just how would you know?”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down, pained. He looked upwards and nodded to himself as he fought to control his temper. Because even Eddie was looking confused.

“Did you people forget that I had wealthy parents that before I came out as bi,” he said tersely, “took me with them on vacations. Vacations to Europe, Cancun, The Bahamas, Australia?”

Chrissy raised her hand. “Like I didn’t know that. But probably should have guessed,” she explained as Eddie and Robin looked a tad chagrin and refused to look Steve in the eye.

“She’s excused.” He turned to his best friend and his boyfriend. “So what about you too?”

“Sorry, Stevie,” Eddie murmured. “I guess I did forget that you’ve done this sort of thing before.”

“Yeah,” Robin said softly. “I was just thinking about travel in terms of before stardom and after. And before was when you met me and not, you know the previous eighteen years before that.”

“So are we okay with ghosties?” Steve asked, tilting his head forward and to the side.

All three of them nodded.

“Good,” he replied rubbing his hands together, “I hear the McCune Mansion in Salt Lake is extra haunted.”

~

They pulled up to the mansion and out front was a Mystery Machine, a 1967 Chevy Impala, and an Echo 1 in the parking lot.

Steve licked his lips slowly. “Uh, hey guys? How do we feel about skipping this one and moving on to the next one?”

“Baby,” Eddie cooed, “I’d be very grateful to you if you did just that.”

“We can still say we’ve been here,” Chrissy hedged from the back seat. “We just don’t have to go in.”

Robin sat in silence for a moment. “Whatever is happening inside that house is way above our level to handle. All in favor of moving to the next creepy thing say ‘aye’?”

Everyone said “Aye!” and Steve pulled slowly out of the parking lot.

They pulled into a pizza place just off the nearby university campus called The Pie for some really good pizza and great atmosphere. Eddie fell immediately in love with all weird decor and graffiti everywhere.

They were also amazed that everyone was in costumes of some sort.

“What’s going on?” Robin asked their waitress when she brought them the largest pizza they had ever seen in their lives.

“Local gaming convention this weekend,” she said. “I don’t know how they can stand the heat with all those layers. I would have passed out before noon.”

Eddie began to vibrate. “Guys, guys... can we go? Pleeaassse!”

Steve and Chrissy shared a glance. Eddie was sure to get recognized if they did.

“Fuck, yeah. Let’s go,” Robin said, slamming her hand on the table.

Steve jumped and looked her in the eye. She tilted her head to the side and smirked. He blinked, furrowing his brow. She wagged her eyebrows. He cocked his head to the side and tapped his lips thoughtfully. She leaned forward expectantly. He threw his arms up in the air in resignation.

“Yes!” Robin crowed. “I win!”

Chrissy blinked in confusion. “Was there a conversation in that? Because I must of have missed something if there was.”

“Soulmate telepathy,” Eddie explained solemnly. “It’s rare to see that pronounced though. Usually it’s more subtle.”

With a sigh Chrissy pulled out her phone and after a bit of searching and some phone tag was able to get ahold of convention management. “Yes, I’m a completely serious. I’m just giving you a head’s up because if a single fan tags his location you might get more fans at your convention than the fire marshals will allow.”

Eddie grimaced. “Oops. I forgot I was that level of famous.”

“So?” Robin huffed. “You should still be able to go out and have fun if you want to. Just pull your hair up in a ponytail and wear a hat and sunglasses. You can tell people you’re Bucky Barnes.”

Steve huffed out a laugh. “If he’s Bucky, who does that make me? I’m not blond enough for Steve Rogers, though Chrissy could absolutely pull on ‘End Game’ Natasha.”

Chrissy bowed to the best of her ability sitting down. “Why thank you!”

“Robbie could be Carol Danvers!” Eddie crowed. “It’d be awesome!”

They started throwing out ideas like Tony Stark or Clint Barton, but none of them really fit Steve.

Then Robin hit on the perfect idea. “Hey, Steve, did you bring your glasses with you?”

“Yeah,” Steve said slowly. “I can’t wear my contacts when I get my migraines, why?”

Robin just grinned.

~

Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

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