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#college in Gotham au
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All these fanfiction where Danny or Jazz go to college in Gotham, and I’ve yet to see anyone have one of their classmates make the Drs. Fenton the subject of a thesis. Instant mortification, whether they’re being called crackpots or actually being taken seriously.
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emo-batboy · 5 months
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Things Battinson Totally Did During His First Year of University
Using Unhinged or Odd Things I Also Did as a College Freshman :D
Note: for this list, let’s believe Bruce was living in an (admittedly expensive and swanky) dorm because it is required for first-years, especially those entering at a young age, and Alfred told him he needed to make friends. Also yes I did every single thing on this list. I never claimed to be a role model
Bruce, to his TA: I’m so sorry I’m late to class. I gave blood a few hours ago and almost fainted on the way here, but it won’t happen again.
Signs up for a class called “Age of Dinosaurs” despite it not being required whatsoever and proceeds to work his entire schedule around it
Bruce: Your mental health is super important. If you think you should see the on-campus therapist, go see them. Friend: Fine. I’ll sign up for therapy if you sign up for therapy too. Bruce: Hold on-
Finds a loophole in his housing contract that allows him to get a pet frog, calls him kermit :)
Gets a second frog because Kermit was lonely, names it Constantine after Muppets Most Wanted, then realizes that they’re gay for each other. Wonders if the rainbow-colored rocks he got them triggered anything
Swings dramatically between calling Alfred every single day and ghosting him for weeks, cries when he realizes what he did
“Accidentally” joins the student body council, doesn’t know what he’s doing, gets re-elected anyway
Molds a dragon out of Laffy Taffy instead of doing his work
Bruce: *joins Honors, gets all A’s, takes the max amount of classes, has several minors, overachieves* Also Bruce: I’m a failure.
Breaks into a building after hours to study because NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO SHUT THE FUCK UP AT THE LIBRARY
Bruce: I will not get seasonal depression this year. Bruce: *gets real and seasonal depression that year*
Meticulously schedules his day with a color-coded planner because if he sits down for too long, the thoughts will consume him
Gives a presentation to his rhetoric class on how much he likes Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (it is 20 minutes long)
Successfully allocates funding from the student body council to pay for free feminine products in the dorms OUT OF SPITE because someone said it couldn't be done. fuck you, Andrew
Bruce: It is not an all-nighter if I go to sleep before my first class. Friend: It is 7:30am, the sun is in the sky, and your first class is at 12:30. Bruce: But I am getting sleep.
Refuses to go anywhere without his backpack because what if he needs three notebooks at once
Loses over 20 pounds because ✨stress✨ and scares the shit out of Alfred when he comes home for Thanksgiving
Argues with his TA over the one (1) question he got wrong on his Dinosaur exam
Bruce, calling Alfred: Hello father figure. How do I do taxes? Do I have to do them myself? Also, I think I’m having a panic attack.
Joins in on a charity arts-and-crafts project that gives kids books with matching activities made by volunteers, proceeds to commandeer the project because “it’s not color-blind friendly” and rewrites the instructions for everyone
Makes a murder wall
Goes to one (1) sports game and proceeds to leave in the first ten minutes because it’s way too loud wtf is wrong with people
Professor, addressing the lecture hall: I dare you to write an essay about these two sentences. Bruce: *writes an essay about six words, gets a 100, never even read the book*
Crawls into the ceiling for some alone time
Ghosts someone after a date because he’s too scared to tell them he didn’t know it was a date in the first place and now he feels bad
Classmate: How tf does he walk across campus that fast? I go in the same direction he does on my bike, and he’s always ahead of me. Bruce: *is gay sprinting to Dinosaur class*
Refuses to let others use his Favorite Pen TM
Constantly gets mistaken for a Grad Student because he is “so wise and mature” (bestie, that’s the autism)
Alfred: *casually mentions he got into a car accident through text* Bruce: *replies with a meme while hyperventilating because he doesn’t know what to do with that information??!*
Wears a suit to one of his finals
Regularly eats non-organic food for the first time in his life, proceeds to learn about several allergies Alfred forgot to mention he has
Writes “What is a Hot Pocket?” in calligraphy and proceeds to laugh his ass off alone in his dorm because he is so exhausted he’s reached the point of delusion
Locks himself out of his dorm right before class, frantically asks the floor group chat if someone can help, proceeds to tell the nice gay man on the floor who saved him “I love you” because his social skills have hit rock bottom
Makes a little music album display next to his desk for his favorite band (Nirvana) His friends call it a shrine, and they are technically correct
Has a blacklist of people he refuses to interact with because Reasons
Counselor: What do you want to do when you graduate? Bruce: *gestures vaguely*
Refuses to take the bus because there are people in there and he doesn’t like those
Loses one of his frogs, how tf did he do that, they’re fully aquatic, oh fuck, this is probably why they got rid of that loophole a year later because unbeknownst to Bruce, he accidentally started a frog revolution in the dorms, btw he SWEARS he did not mean to do that
Has two trash cans in his room: one for the Good Garbage, and one for the Bad Garbage. Only Bruce knows which is which
Bruce: *writes a creative piece about a ship’s final thoughts as it sinks, bringing its passengers down with it* TA: Absolutely lovely, Bruce, but are you okay?
Goes on Night Walks, keeps himself safe by maintaining a level 12 resting bitch face at all times
Earns the nickname “8th floor cryptid” after pacing the halls at 3am when it’s too cold for Night Walks (honestly tho how tf didn’t he get the nickname earlier?)
Bruce: Do you think a depressed person could do this? Bruce: *has a manic episode*
Okay that's all love you BYE
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nelkcats · 1 year
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Danny is a meta Babysitter
Is not public information, but all Crime Alley know it, ¿the only rule? Don't tell the heroes
So, imagine the surprise when Roy Harper contacted him (¡¿cause Hood recommended!?)
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kokoa-la · 9 months
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Prompt from @help-i-need-a-cool-username
Jason has once again snuck into Gotham University. Now, before any assumptions are made onto why the crime lord would break into a college, the reason is because he likes the library. That's it. The public library is trashed and small, barely taken care of, but Gotham U's? It's beautiful. Multiple floors, organized and in sections, taken care of, alphabetical order, it's magnificent. The chairs were a reason alone to sneak in, but the students here added an extra charm. 
He had gone to the very back of the library on the second floor. This area was  pretty well hidden and enclosed. He would come here to read without anyone questioning him, even hiding the books he wasn’t finished with yet to continue on later. Jason wasn’t expecting someone to be so close to his spot though. A few tables across stood a student, thin, tall, with pitch black hair, baggy cargo jeans, and a white t-shirt. The other hadn’t noticed him yet, so he remained quiet and just watched. He was in front of a large white board on wheels, seemingly taken from the rooms he saw down the hall. 
“That doesn’t work, goddammit.”
On the white board was lines upon lines of equations- at least he thought they were equations, with most of them being letters and symbols rather than numbers. It made the vigilante’s brain hurt. The student - assumed STEM major - just kept mumbling to himself.
“Stupid physics, won’t allow interdimensional travel”
What? Jason may have been out of school since 15, but he knew no courses were asking for the answer to traveling between dimensions. It seemed the student had a habit of talking to himself when worked up or focused, possibly why he isolated himself from the rest of the library. 
“If your parents could do it, why can’t you? Think Danny, think!”
That sentence wasn’t concerning at all, but at least Jason learned the boy’s name. Danny seemed to have a strange background, what did he mean by ‘if your parents could do it’? Had his parents managed to travel between dimensions? The other was chewing on the cap of the white board marker, his other hand resting on his hip as he swayed back and forth.
“Oh! Oh! Oh! That! The thing! That thingy!”
Jason could practically see the lightbulb go on above Danny’s head. Just then the other erased a solid portion of the whiteboard and dropped to his knees, ouch. He started frantically scribbling, fast and messy, barely cohesive. Though, Jason was sure that if it was Tim sitting where he was instead, the boy could probably understand everything on that board. He’d stick to English literature, thank you very much. 
“That’s it! Oh my ancients! I got it!”
Danny practically jumped in the air, punching the air in triumph. Jason almost felt proud of him, this complete stranger he’s been watching, wow he was being creepy, huh? Danny shot both of his arms straight up, the marker gripped tightly in his right hand fist. 
“I did it!”
He looked so happy, so excited. He began to buzz, even spinning, before stopping mid loop and turning around slowly. Shit, Jason had been caught. To be fair, Danny hadn’t exactly turned around the whole time, meaning Jason was just watching his back the whole time as he worked through his… problem? It’s such a shame, Jason was thoroughly entertained by this random kid. 
“Uhhh, hi? How long have you been there?”
Oh shit, Jason had to talk now, didn’t he?
“Not very long, but long enough to know you were trying to solve interdimensional travel before apparently succeeding.” 
The color drained from Danny’s face. Whoops?
“Uhm, no I didn’t.”
Now that he got a closer look, the student looked like someone Bruce would adopt. Black hair, clear blue eyes, tan skin, sharp features, the whole nine yards. He was actually fairly attractive, maybe even cute. 
“Really? I could have sworn that you said ‘stupid physics won’t allow interdimensional travel’”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah sure, and I’m a student here.”
“Wait, you’re not a student here?”
“That’d only be true if you were lying.”
“Well I’m not so-”
“Uh huh, sure you’re not.”
“Look dude-”
“Jason.”
“Look Jason, there’s no way that I could solve interdimensional travel, the multiverse doesn’t exist.”
“Look Danny-”
“How do you know my name?”
“I won’t tell a single soul if you explain how you did it to me”
Curiosity won his gambit. Would he regret what he was about to say? Perhaps.
“Maybe over a coffee?”
He knew it was worth it when the marker hit the floor and Danny moved his hand to cover his red face. Well, it wasn’t the first time he’s done something he regrets, maybe this time it’d be a cute STEM major who knows the secrets to the multiverse. 
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dat1angel · 5 months
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When Ra's needed an heir, Talia impregnated herself with The Detective's DNA to give him the perfect offspring. When she delived fraternal twins the boy was raised to one day take over the League and the girl was kept around so that she might one day provide the LoA with new recruits. When she came of age and learned that the only reason she was kept around was the idea of her future children, she fled. They never found her.
Years later, Duke Thomas introduces his family to his new boyfriend, Danny Fenton.
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Rivals With Benefits
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Fandom: Gotham
Ed Nygma x Fem!Academic Rival!Reader
Cw: College Au, tall reader, suggestive, no smut tho, Y/n is kinda rude. Ed is a cocky bastard, think like he already was kind a like the Riddler in high school.
Word Count: 4.1k
They had gone back and forth like this for the last week. Each time their little quips and witty comeback became more frequent, their stares more intense, Edward was starting to get the feeling that he had made a mistake. He had underestimated her and now he was paying for that assumption. Now, with every interaction came a little twinge of… worry? Excitement? He didn’t know what it was but it was becoming unbearable. Every time their eyes met, he felt this tug at his stomach, that he couldn’t ignore.
"What are you looking at Nygma?" Y/n asked looking at him coldly, making sure he wasn't cheating off of her.
He raised an eyebrow at the question. Her tone suggested annoyance, but there was still that hint of something else lingering behind her eyes. A secret that he would love to see her keep until she slipped up and told him willingly. “Nothin, thought you could use the help.” He smirked smugly in response hoping to get a rise out of her. He’d make her angry and then he’d see how far he could push her before she broke.
"We both know you're the one who needs the help Nygma," she said fixing her hair, seeing his blood boil for a second.
Her response gave him a little pause. He found his confidence taking a dip as his eyes searched her for some sign of weakness, some hint as to how to get her to lose her temper. But as his eyes drifted across her face, he could no longer deny that twinge in his belly. Every time his eyes met hers, he was reminded that there was something different about her and as each moment of uncomfortable eye contact passed by, the more he wanted to see her face again. “Is that so?” He couldn’t help it, his voice had become low, borderline a growl.
"Yes, as my essay is done and your's isn't," She said bluntly pointing to his blank paper. "Get to work." His face was a picture of cool anger as he stared her down. Her gaze was unwavering, he had to respect her for that. She wasn’t intimidated by his bluster. “Or what?” He asked just as calmly as he could manage.
"Well the essay is due tonight at, 11 so I guess you fail the assignment." Y/n had a slight smirk on her face highlighting her tired features. She looks like she lives off of coffee and spite
Ed took out a folder with an essay showing her that he had finished it. Y/n read his essay without his consent or knowledge. "And it's absolute shit," she said smiling at him condescendingly enjoying the rise she gets out of him.
“Oh, why don’t you do it better then?” He asked with a grin, knowing that the offer would strike a nerve, she would hate having to accept it. He waited for her to reply, his smirk still upon his face. This little contest was the most fun he’d had in a while, and it wasn’t for the simple fact that he was losing. His eyes had started to be drawn to her face even outside of the competition. There was this certain… attractiveness in her boldness.
Y/n gave him her essay. She watched his jaw drop from being so impressed by her work. "Jim was right, she's amazing at this." Ed muttered to himself. Y/n took a swig of her energy drink.
He looked up at her in stunned silence, he had to admit she did a far better job than he did. He could feel her eyes burning into his back and he tried to act like he wasn’t impressed by her work. “That doesn’t mean you weren’t a pain in my ass today!” His attempt at saving face was as flimsy as a wet napkin and he knew she could see right through it.
Y/n took her essay, stood up and patted his shoulder. "Bye, Nygma. Have fun with your C." She said walking out the door to the campus library.
Her casual dismissal left him seething with annoyance. The fact that she had taken her paper before he could even ask left him feeling wronged. He stared after her in rage and he swore he saw that smirk again. The audacity, after seeing him basically fail she now walks away without even showing the slightest consideration for the work he had done.
He clenched one hand into a fist as he tried to control his rage, he only succeeded in digging his fingernails into his flesh. “She doesn’t deserve the satisfaction.” He muttered to himself as he gathered his own things to leave. Ed chased after her not letting her get the last laugh.
She heard his running feet getting closer and closer to her, but she ignored it. Until he grabbed her arm and whirled her around. She tried to fight to get free but quickly realized that strength wise he was in a different league. She stared up at him, her expression one of annoyance, her cheeks were flushed with anger. “Are you fuckin' insane, let me go!” Her tone was sharp with frustration.
"Nygma, get a hold of yourself," she said even though she was as tall as him, doesn't means she's as strong. She tried to twist her arm out of his grip, but nothing she did was enough to free her from his grasp. She stared at him with disdain not fear, though she had to admit a small bit of fear did seep into her stomach as his grip tightened. “I’ve got a hold on myself.” He said with a smirk, his hand slid up her arm as he stepped closer.
"No ya' have a hold on my arm," she said angry at him. Her Brooklyn accent coming out.
He pulled her closer, their faces only just a few inches apart as his other hand crept up towards her waist. She could see the lust in his eyes and feel his breath against her face. His hand brushed against her waist ever so lightly and he leaned in, his lips hovering close to hers, but not touching. She could feel something stirring within her, a heat rising in her core. She looked in his eyes. "Ed.." This was the first time Y/n had ever called him by his first name.
Their eyes met, the tension building between them. It was that moment of truth. All or nothing, he wasn’t going to let her go so easily, not before having a taste. He leaned in a bit closer, his lips just barely touching hers, enough to feel their touch but not enough to actually kiss. He pulled back slightly and looked down at her for a moment before leaning forward again this time a bit more forceful.
She kissed him back passionately. "This is a place of learning we shouldn't be doing this here," Y/n said softly. She was right, this was a place of learning. Perhaps that was why he had been hesitant with her. His mind had been telling him it was wrong and it was, but for some reason, as he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her, the world fell away and he only had eyes for her. The passion that he felt for her was intense and he didn’t want to stop. “Maybe we should go somewhere more private.” His voice was hushed as he whispered into her ear.
"I know a place." Y/n dragged him into an abandoned classroom. "This should work."
It took him a moment to react to her pulling him into the abandoned classroom. He couldn’t help but feel some slight amount of suspicion, but whatever she had in mind he was on board. He looked around the old classroom, seeing the faded chalk markings on the wall. It looked like someone may have used the room for more than studies. “Are you sure we can’t get caught?” He asked with a smirk, not like he cared about the consequences.
"I study in here every day, and no one has found this place." Y/n said, her lips crashing against his.
He pressed her up against the wall of the abandoned classroom, the intensity of their kiss slowly growing. He let himself succumb to her kisses, his heart starting to race at just the touch of her skin. His hand reached up and cupped her jaw, running a thumb along her lips.
"God your good at this, Ed." she said, looking at him in the eyes and unbuttoning his first couple buttons of his shirt and kisses him.
He chuckled at her words, his heart seemed to be racing even more now as the intensity of their kiss grew. His mind slowly becoming foggy, the only thing in his mind now was her lips pressed against his. A moan escaped him as he felt the buttons being undone, his skin shivering in response to her touch.
"Good boy," Y/n said eating up the sounds he made. He groaned quietly as she continued, but he couldn’t help but enjoy it. Her words only heightened the experience for him, his eyes drifted shut as he felt her hand moving to his collar. He leaned into it, allowing her to have more control of the situation, he wasn’t going to complain about it.
"Needy aren't we today, Ed." She teased, leaving a hickey on his collarbone, easy to hide but they will know.
He gasped as he felt her bite down against his collarbone, he knew the mark she left would be easy to hide, but the knowledge of the mark he knew would drive him wild. Her words only made his lips spread into a smug grin as he looked down to her, her eyes seemed to shimmer as the light glimmered in them. “I’m many things… and needy isn’t one of them.” He retorted, his words sounding rather smug with a tinge of arrogance.
"Oh really now darling, I mean if you aren't needy, I could just leave right now..." she teased him, but he liked it.
A small bit of panic rose within him at the thought of her just leaving. He needed that feeling again, he wanted to revel in her kisses again. “No, please don’t.” He said, his words dripping with desperation. He had come this far, he couldn’t just let her leave. "As I thought," She walked towards him slowly.
His eyes followed her body as she approached, he couldn’t help but take in every curve it presented. She knew exactly what he was doing and it only made her smirk wider as he did so. The anticipation in his heart only grew more with each step she took towards him.
She was close enough he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face, and just like that she made her lips touch his again. His eyes drifted shut once more as she resumed her previous position. “I think you're the needy one.” He said, his voice was low and rich. "No, no, no I stand by my point you're very needy, Ed." Y/n said teasingly.
He couldn’t deny her assessment of him, but at the same time he didn’t care in the moment. His mind was clouded by her and he wanted nothing more than to feel her again. “Alright, L/n if you're not needy then why did you drag me here?” He challenged, his voice was bold, but there was no denying the heat in his words.
Y/n smiled at that statement. "Because, I wanted to and do as I please." He looked into her eyes as she spoke. She was right, she could do as she pleased and in this moment he knew exactly what she wanted. Her eyes were locked on his hand as it slid down to her waist, she was waiting to see what he would do next. “Well now.” His tone was low and husky, his eyes were filled with lust towards her. “Since I’m so needy, would you please let me kiss your neck? Would you please let me have a taste of you…” The words slipped out of his mouth and all he could feel was anticipation for her answer.
"Good boy, Yes you may" Y/n said in a sultry tone. She gave a slight moan as she felt his lip on her neck. He moaned quietly against her neck as he kissed her, he was enjoying the sweet sound of her moans. His lips pressed softly against her neck and his tongue ran along it teasingly. He bit down on it, just hard enough to feel it but not enough to draw blood, the sound of her moan only caused him to moan again.
"Well, there's no covering that one." Y/n said, wearing a v-neck sweater she couldn't hide that mark. “You’re damn right there isn’t.” His lips moved up along her neck, kissing it as he went. His body was pressed against hers, his arm around her back as he felt her body against his. He couldn’t control himself any longer, his other hand slid up along her thighs as he pushed her up against the wall of the classroom. “Is this what you wanted?” He whispered into her ear, his breath filling her ear with heat.
"It isn't what I planned but I don't mind" She said smiling, the chalk of her equations getting on her back. His lips moved up to her jaw again before he brought it down to her lips and kissed her deeply, his hand sliding up her body slowly. His teeth grazed her tongue as they kissed and he moaned passionately with each kiss. He let his hand move up to her neck again, his fingers grazing along the neckline of her sweater. “Well, if we are doing unexpected things I have a request…” He trailed off, his voice had a teasing tone with a bit of arrogance mixed in.
"Well ask darling, I'm not a mind reader." She said as he ran his fingers across the marks he left. “Well in that case darling, may I?” He gestured to her sweater. He raised his hand to it as if he was going to slide the sweater off. Her answer would most likely be an obvious yes given their current situation, but maybe she would surprise him. His eyes were on her now, waiting to see what she had to say.
"Maybe I should keep it on and tease you a little." She said, smirking at his blush at her statement. His shirt was almost completely unbuttoned and he didn't even consider wearing an undershirt today.
She must take great satisfaction in knowing that he was now getting flustered at his own actions. He scoffed, though he knew that he had been bested. “Ahh so I’ll have to beg a little, maybe give you a little performance for you to let me have what I want.” His tone was that of arrogance though he couldn’t help but smirk in the process.
"Oh you catch on quick, baby. Beg for it." Y/n said a sadistic look in her eyes. A little bit of cruelity never hurt.
“Ah so this is your game, I have to beg you huh?” He asked with a smirk. “Then I’ll do just that, on my knees just for you.” He dropped to his knees and looked up at her, his cheeks flushed with both shame and the desire that he felt towards her. “Please, I’m begging you to let me have this. Please!” He begged in a hushed voice, his tone mixed with desperation and lust. Y/n bent down and ran her hand under his jaw then forced him to look at her. "More." She liked this it felt good. Her arrogance getting to her head a bit.
She was forcing him to beg now, he felt as if he might just pass out from all the blood that was rushing to his face. He forced himself to beg even more, not wanting her to win. “Please, you have to. I need to, I’m begging you!” He whispered, he knew if she heard him begging like this it would push her to continue this longer. “Please, please, please, please!” He pleaded, trying to put on a desperate tone in his voice. She tilted her head in a questioning manner. "Please, what. What do you want to do Zeeskeit" She looked at him and his blushing face.
“Your sweater, I need to have it.” There was no mistaking his desperation now, his voice trembling slightly. This was a game to her but it was a war for him, every cell in his body wanted that sweater gone and it was up to him to convince her. He waited for her to say something, he didn’t even think about what he would do once he got the sweater off of her. The hunger he felt for her was the priority.
"And what do you want to do after?" She said, knowing that he had no plan but she was enjoying this sight way too much for her own good.
“I’ll figure that out once the sweater is gone.” He said, a smirk growing across his lips as he tried to hide his desperation in his voice. The hunger in his eyes grew as an idea came into his head. “How about I make you a deal?” His tone became more cocky and his eyes shifted around looking for a bargaining chip. Y/n considered it, she was curious about what he would say. "I'm a kind mistress, I'll hear it."
A smirk spread across his face as he saw an opportunity to make this a little interesting. “If I can guess your size, then I can have the sweater, if I’m wrong you can do anything you want to me.” He said, his tone daring her to accept his offer. He was confident that he knew her size well enough, he just wanted to spice this up some more. He was willing to make the game more risky if he had to.
"Alright, take a guess." It was a men's medium, she was almost always too tall for women's clothes.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment and did some quick math in his head. He felt as if he knew her measurements, but maybe this was just him being cocky. “Fine, let’s say a medium, I doubt it’d be anything more.” He said, there was a small bit of challenge to his tone as his smirk grew some more. "Men's or women's?" She asked.
He paused for a moment, he hadn’t considered that he would have to guess that as well. “Fine… men’s medium.” He said confidently, hoping he was right yet again.
"You're correct, I'm guessing because you're also a medium? Am I correct there." She said letting him take off the sweater, handing it to him. Now shivering from the cold air hitting her skin.
He watched as she started to pull the sweater off, his eyes were glued to the movement of the sweater, his body seemed to lean slightly towards her as well out of sheer desperation. There was a small smile on his face. “Correct, now I want a promise out of you though, if I win you do what I want.” He said, he wanted to be sure she would follow through with the terms of the game.
"Alrighty another guessing game, go ahead." She said wondering what his question would be and wondering if she'd allow it.
“What's your double major in?” He asked confidently. The air sent a chill down his spine and he felt his heart rate spike, but the thought of finally getting to see her shoulders made it all worth it. It would be nice if he could keep the sweater but he had a feeling she wasn’t going to give it up that easily. "Alright, but most people get it wrong." She said arms crossed for warmth.
He stared at her before answering, her body was perfect in his eyes. He couldn’t help but have a small smile creep across his lips. “How about… biochem.” He said, knowing that he was probably off the mark by a long shot.
"Ah not biochem, just chemistry." She said leaning against the chalk board. "I'll give you another chance, ask another."
He narrowed his eyes, not sure what to guess at this point. “Alright alright, I’ll ask you this then, how old are you?” He asked, maybe he could win this, but the answer she gave would be crucial.
"Take your guess, Ed." They were both freshman, but she was 19 and he was 18. Their birthdays were a few months apart.
He really wanted this and he was going to put his all into winning this game. He took a wild guess, he tried not to show the panic in his eyes as he threw this out into the abyss. “19.” He said, his heart starting to beat a lot quicker as he waited for her response.
"Yep, so you got my sweater what else do you want?" She says smiling. He was good at this, or really damn lucky.
As soon as the word left her lips his eyes gleamed with joy and he gave a loud shout of excitement. “Yes, yes, yes! I got it! That means I can do whatever I want, right?” He asked with a cocky smirk on his face. His eyes were locked on her now that he won, it was impossible to not notice how beautiful she was after seeing so much of her.
"Yes, darling. I will keep up my end of the deal." She said waiting for him to make his first move. He looked like a child on Rosh Hashana.
He laughed slightly, his eyes looking her up and down as he tried to decide what to do. “Well for starters, I’m not letting go of this sweater, it's mine now.” He smiled as he pulled her slightly closer, her body pressing slightly against his. He thought for a moment and let out a chuckle. “I want to keep the sweater. And, how about… this.” He leaned in and kissed her, his voice was cocky and his tone arrogant.
"I guess I'll have to wear your button up out of this classroom then. I can't go to advanced chem topless." She said and then kissing him back.
He moved his hands up and placed them onto her waist as they continued to kiss, he felt his emotions rush out for just a moment. Everything he felt towards her in that one second was the greatest feeling in the world. He pulled away slightly, a cocky smirk grew across his lips as he noticed her blush. “Oh no no, you couldn’t go topless, that would give everyone too much of a surprise.” He teased in a low tone, his eyes trailed down her body once again.
"Including your roommate." She said knowing that Jim Gordon liked her, it was obvious. Ed, Jim, Y/n, and Y/n's roommate Katya were all familiar with each other. Jim, Ed, and Katya being good friends from Gotham High School.
He looked at her with a smirk, he liked her knowing that Jim was into her. He felt a sense of rivalry towards Jim that made him that much more cocky. “Yeah, him too. Guess I will have to steal you away at your earliest convenience.” He teased, his voice was low, husky and almost growl like. He pulled away from her slightly, but his hands were still on her waist. “What about a date?” He asked, his question accompanied by a smile as he ran his hand down her thigh.
"I'll take it." Y/n's phone rang, it was Jim. She picked it up. "Y/n where are you we have that Lab today?" Y/n's eyes widened completely forgetting about it in the heat of the moment. "Right, give me 5. I was doing things for Biology, tutoring someone." Y/n lied through her teeth.
Ed heard the phone ringing and the look on her face made him smile. He knew as soon as the heat of the moment died down she would have to go, but that only made him want her that much more. He moved his head closer to her ear, his tone lowering once again. “I have to ask, did he sound suspicious of your answer?” He teased, his hand still grazing along her thigh.
"Not for a second." She said. "Give me your button down, you're keeping the sweater." Y/n said grabbing it off of him and buttoning it. She wrote down her number and gave it to Ed. "Call me. I guess we're now rivals with benefits." Y/n said leaving the classroom, and Ed looking stunned.
His eyes were glued to her figure as he thought. “Oh she’s definitely going to be one of the hottest rivals I’ve had.” he whispered to himself.
I hope y'all liked it, um if you want a part 2 just tell me.
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thecatboyfriend · 2 years
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also here they r side by side!! the heights arent perfect but eds 6’1” and oz is 5’6”!
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viscerax · 1 year
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Gotham college au where ed and oz are both professors and have to deal with "these little shits" (the students) 24/7 and also their students can tell they're pining for each other before either of them know it
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vroomian · 1 year
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Ngl the idea of batfam Yrz as brucie 2.0: this time it’s bisexual is very funny. He could pull off beloved manwhore of the Gotham elite when he’s older. A beloved scamp who just kinda exists as a glittering public shield of the family.
Idk if Yrz would actually do it though, because attention is Gross. Maybe just for a public persona.
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arcanemoody · 1 year
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Sunday Six
Oswald can’t wait to get linens for a full-size mattress, which given the current state of their combined budget, will be after the next financial aid disbursement in January. Until then, he drags their tatami mattress down the hall, ignoring the ache in his knee and letting it collapse unceremoniously in the middle of the floor.
“Don’t everyone rush to help at once!” he comments to the nearly empty room.
“Brucie’s helping,” Zsasz offers from the doorway.
“Bruce is helping Ed downstairs.”
 “And he’s doing a great job.” Victor ripostes, turning his head when Oswald lodges a roll of packing tape at it
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covertblizzard · 2 years
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Info-dumping my list of JayKyle short story ideas because I might never get around to them and I mean even if I do, it’s fine to have multiple similar fics anyway so...
Jason comparing himself to women who had their husbands away at war in the past and could not contact them, no way of knowing if or when they will return, or if they would be hurt (this fits so well because Kyle is away lantern-ing and Jason would have read those stories and be like, that is me, woe is me). Bonus if they write dramatic “wartime” letters to each other (Kyle’s with a whole bunch of doodles of the pretty things he sees in space that he thinks Jason would like)
I know canonically Jason came back to life because of Superboy’s punch or whatever, but have you considered... alternate universe where Jason and Kyle are boyfriends, Kyle is a White Lantern, Jason dies and in Kyle’s shock, fear, and desperation to bring Jason back to life, he reawakens Jason’s across the multiverse.
Jason and Steph making jokes about Batman adopting Kyle, but Kyle thinks they’re serious and he’s freaking out because then he will lose his chance with Jason, so the next time he meets Batman he just yells “YOU CAN’T ADOPT ME, I HAVE GREEN EYES” and Batman’s just like “Hn”
Wallykyle fake dating to make Dick and Jason respectively jealous
Batman manipulates certain situations to make JayKyle happens, but then Jason finds out and at first he wants to dump Kyle because HELLO HE IS NOT GOING ALONG WITH HIS DAD’S STUPID PLAN, but then he couldn’t so now he is agonising over Batman having “tricked” Kyle into liking him and maybe Kyle doesn’t even like him and has just been manipulated. Kyle doesn’t know what’s going on. (Maybe it’s funnier if Kyle is planning to propose and Jason doesn’t notice solely because he is busy having a crisis, idk)
Dick’s POV where he is working with Kyle (maybe with the Titans, maybe with just Donna, maybe just him and Kyle) and Jason keeps popping out of nowhere for a while, and he realised Jason was being a helicopter boyfriend while Kyle’s on Earth because he is worried and because he CAN
A Titans gathering where Jason keeps looking at the door when someone enters as though waiting for someone, then perks up when Kyle enters, and Dick is like HMMM? (And Donna is like... you don’t already know?? Maybe even Wally and Roy know and Dick is like... why am I the last to know??? This can be used for either pre-relationship crushing stage, or relationship stage really, just make it work idc)
Jason being afraid of Kyle meeting the family because they’ll either say bad things about him or they’ll give him the shovel talk, both he worries might chase Kyle away
Jason picking up photography because he thinks Kyle likes photographers (Alex, Donna, Jennie-Lynn... it’s a real trend)
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geek-and-nina · 9 months
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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Gotham Knights (TV 2023) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Stephanie Brown/Harper Row Characters: Stephanie Brown, Harper Row, Cullen Row Additional Tags: wrong door au, College AU Series: Part 4 of Sharper Summary:
title kind of from falling slowly by glenn hansard but that song doesn't super fit. i just love it
harper stays awake for way too many hours taking care of Cullen after his top surgery and trying to balance her classes at the same time. half-asleep she tries to go into the wrong apartment. you can guess who lives there
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rat-shark · 2 years
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Saw a lot of people drawing their own college/high school AUs, so I decided to jump in on the trend, lol
I’ll draw him an Ed soon, I swear
I imagine he’s in his early 20s and basically just trying to survive
his life involves a lot of stealing, shit jobs (not always legal) and fighting
also, sidenote, I’m never drawing shoes like these again (they’re supposed to be pike buckle boots but finding a good reference was nearly impossible for me, so they look like shit)
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antifa-terra · 2 years
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Okay if you had to do an unironic all or nothing au for Steph and cass, what would ur hcs be? like how would they meet, what’d be the angstiest thing that could happen in that au, etc
Hmmm... well, college au, by definition. I'm just going to say it's combined liberal arts and performing arts. They're roommates, and Babs is the incredibly tired RA. I'm not sure what Cass is studying-- dance, maybe-- and Steph is studying to become a social worker. They bond over having shitty dads.
Cass is still semiverbal in this -- she was neglected and the only thing her parents really connected with her about was martial arts. Maybe David Cain and Lady Shiva are famous MMA fighters or something. She had a horse girl arc of, "but I don't want to do fighting, I want to do ballet." Steph's family is basically the same as in canon, except Arthur's just a normal criminal, as opposed to a super criminal. Babs is majoring in computer science and she ends up bailing the two out of trouble, because she realizes their parents definitely aren't going to. Harley (dual major in clowning and psychology), Ivy (botany), and Selina (sociology with Steph), also college students in this, are sharing a room across the way. Slice of life shenanigans, involving at least one prank war that escalated faster than anyone could've guessed. Several Teen Titans, including Rose Wilson, are here too because I really like them and I think Steph should get to be one.
Cass gets a girlfriend. I'm not sure who.
Parents weekend rolls around and hostilities amongst the dormmates immediately cease, to be resumed once the unspoken goal of absolutely annihilate their asses. David Cain and Arthur Brown leave, begging the courts for a restraining order against the united college students.
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luxaofhesperides · 1 month
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Soulmark AU + Sleeping Beauty ; requested by @candeartist422!
For the last few years, Duke’s been waiting for his soulmate to die.
It sounds cruel to say it that way. But the waiting is more painful, he thinks, than just mourning a lost love. It’s not like most people ever meet their soulmates anyways; his parents weren’t meant to be, but they still loved each other and had a life together. He wishes he could turn his focus away from his soulmate, but Duke is a romantic at heart and has always wanted to find the other half of his soul.
But since he was fourteen, his soulmark has dulled, fading in and out of color. What was once a vibrant blue crystal star, with eight points and a swirl of watercolor hues around it, dimmed more and more until Duke was sure he was watching his soulmate die slowly. 
His soulmate didn’t die then. Whoever they are got better, his soulmark gaining color, but it never went back to the way it was. For years after, Duke would check at the beginning and end of each day, keeping track of when it faded and when it regained its color. 
He thought his soulmate was sick. In and out of hospitals, fighting to stay alive.
And then it went nearly colorless. 
Duke doesn’t remember much about that day. He knows he woke up, brushed his teeth, the lifted up his shirt to check his soulmark in the mirror. The blue was almost completely gone, the star on his left hipbone nearly gray with how colorless it was. He started at it for a moment, shocked, and reality slid away from him as he retreated into the safety of his mind, fully dissociating. 
Bruce had found him when Duke didn’t show up for breakfast. He held him and offered quiet words of comfort that Duke couldn’t understand, but just having someone with him lessened the hurt of losing his soulmate. 
Seeing the color come back the next day, faint as it was, hurt even more.
A year later, Duke still can’t break the habit of checking his soulmark twice a day. It hasn’t changed at all, still faint and dim, but carrying just enough color to show that his soulmate was still alive. At the very least, they were still breathing, but his chance of ever meeting them is basically zero. Still, he can’t help but hope, wishing that he could meet them even once before they die and leave him forever. 
“Same as ever,” he murmurs to himself as he brushes his thumb against his soulmark. He’s terrified that he’s forgotten how beautiful the blue of it was when his soulmate was healthy. 
Duke doesn’t let himself think on it too much anymore. Though his thoughts often turn to his soulmate during quiet moments like these, the busy nature of Gotham is usually more than enough to pull his attention back to the here and now. There’s no use in obsessing over his soulmate anyways; they’re just going to die, sooner or later, and Duke knows he’ll never get to meet them. They’ll just be another empty space in his life, right next to his parents. 
“Come on, Thomas, focus,” he tells himself firmly, then gets dressed and heads down to the kitchen for breakfast.
The manor is quiet. It usually is in the mornings, with everyone from the night shift dead asleep and trying to get as much rest as they can before they have to start their day. Not that many of them stay in the manor these days; Duke and Damian are the only permanent residents at the moment, but Steph usually stays half with her mom and half in the manor during the summers when she’s home from college, and the others drop in whenever they feel like it. 
Bruce lives more in the Batcave than the manor, so he doesn’t really count. It’s also why Duke is surprised to see Bruce awake and dressed like a normal person, drinking coffee in the kitchen as if this is a normal occurrence. 
“Morning,” Duke offers.
“Good morning, Duke,” Bruce replies. “Sleep well?”
“Well enough. Alfred out or something?”
“He may have kicked me out of the Batcave to clean it up a bit,” Bruce answers tiredly. “Want me to make breakfast?”
Duke has heard the horror stories of Bruce’s attempts to make edible food in a kitchen. In the interest of not dealing with food poisoning, Duke shakes his head quickly and says, “Nah, it’s fine. I was kinda wanting to eat out for breakfast. Get out there as me, and not a mask, you know?”
“Mind if I join you? Alfred may forgive me for not sleeping if I willingly go outside.”
Duke laughs. “Sure man, as long as you pay.”
“I’ll drive, too.”
“What, don’t trust me behind a wheel?”
Bruce gives him a tired look, eyes dead and dull. “I have taught all my children how to drive. The day I willingly let them take the wheel when I am not actively dying is the day I’ve been replaced by a robot clone of myself who doesn’t know better yet.”
“That is… very specific. Is that a thing you usually worry about?”
“I’m Batman. I have to worry about everything.”
Yeah, that tracks. Duke wouldn’t be surprised if he has at least five contingency plans for that scenario, should it ever happen. “Well,” he says, “Right now, all you need to worry about is having your wallet and driving us down to The Foodie Nook. I’ve been craving their breakfast plates for ages.”
Bruce doesn’t object to his choice of restaurant and follows Duke down to the garage, grabbing a random set of keys and pointing it out to the many cars he owns. One near the front blinks its lights as it unlocks and Duke cheerfully tosses himself into the passenger seat as Bruce opens the garage door. 
The drive into Gotham is smooth. They don’t hit traffic until they reach the bridge that leads into the city proper, taking them away from the quiet of Bristol. The morning is busy, but not enough that Duke worries about being out as the Signal to help keep the peace. It’s a normal type of busy, one borne from people going about their lives, feeling safe enough to go out. 
The Foodie Nook is entirely local and very popular, so the parking lot is nearly full. But they expanded their space last year, which means he and Bruce don’t have to sit outside while they wait to grab a table. Bruce keeps conversation light and casual, well aware of the many listening ears around them, and it’s nice, feeling normal for once. 
Well, as normal as life can be with Bruce Wayne™. The server who comes to lead them to a table realizes who she’s talking to after she gets a proper look at them while holding open the door and promptly stutters over her words. 
“No need for any special treatment,” Bruce laughs lightly, “We’re just here for breakfast. Nothing special.”
“Of course,” she replies, cheeks red. “Um, right this way! We’ve got a table by the windows for you. Just two, yeah?”
“Yup! Just two. Thought this was a good day to spend some time with Duke. He’s a great kid, you know, I’m glad I was given the opportunity to foster him.”
The sunny, cheerful Bruce Wayne persona is so different from the usual Bruce he works with that it feels like he’s standing next to a stranger. But his words are sincere and warm his heart, filling up the gaps that his soulmate has left. 
“Here you are!” their server announces, showing them to their table. “I’ll be right back with some menus.” She’s gone in a rush, and other customers glance over before quickly averting their gaze. 
It’s one of the unspoken rules of Gotham: give the Waynes their privacy while they’re out in public. Questions and conversation are for public events only, but if they see a Wayne out and about during a normal day, everyone leaves them be unless spoken to first. Duke used to follow those rules as well when he was just another Gothamite. It’s strange being on the other side of that now that he’s in with the Waynes.
Duke barely has to look through the menu when it’s handed to him. The breakfast plates are his favorites and he gets one every single time he comes to The Foodie Nook; stacked full with breakfast foods from around the world. As a kid, he loved the Mexico Plate, but these days he’s craving either the Brazilian Plate or the Vietnamese Plate.  
He can’t decide on which one and thinks about tossing a coin to decide, but seeing how that’s Two Face’s whole thing, he decides to hold off and settle the matter with eenie-meenie-minnie-mo. 
He gets the Vietnamese Plate.
Bruce, on the other hand, reads through the entire menu like it’s a novel, then leans over and says rather loudly, “Duke, what’s a tort-illa.” 
The pain he feels hearing that is only worsened by the amusement in Bruce’s eyes. He’s doing it on purpose, playing up the Brucie act for the public so he can psychologically torment Duke. A few nearby customers choke back laughter, turning away to hide their smiles. 
Duke shakes his head and says, “Don’t worry about it. It’s just food. Don’t ask any more questions, I just want a peaceful breakfast.”
“Well then,” Bruce replies, “I suppose I know what to order now.”
As if she was summoned, their server reappears before them, cheeks still looking a little flushed. “Hi! Ready to order?”
She writes down their orders quickly, valiantly keeping a straight face at Bruce’s mispronunciation of tortilla, then heads off to deliver their orders to the kitchen. 
Rather than draw out a conversation with Brucie Wayne, Duke settles for playing a few idle games on his phone; his current favorite is one quiet cat cafe game where he directs cats into fulfilling cafe orders. 
Bruce, despite being out in his civilian identity, is working. He’s on his Batman phone, which looks the same as his other cell phones except this one has a bat symbol sticker just barely hiding a Superman sticker on the phone case. His brow is slightly furrowed as he reads whatever file he’s accessing from the Batcomputer. It’s a little worrying but it could be anything. Bruce makes the same expression when he reads one of Tim’s snarky comments getting quoted in the news.
But that’s not Duke’s problem! He’s here to enjoy his breakfast and it will take the end of the world itself to remove him from his seat before he’s done eating.
The game takes most of his attention until their food comes out, and by then Bruce has tucked away the smallest of his Batman mannerisms. They enjoy a normal, peaceful breakfast. Bruce ends it by asking their server if she has any debt that’s weighing her down, then giving her a tip that’s at least five thousand dollars above that. 
She does cry and Bruce hugs her. It’s very sweet. 
As soon as they get back into the car, his easy going smile drops and Duke knows some superhero nonsense is about to take over his day. 
“Duke,” Bruce starts, seriously, “I received a message from Zatanna.”
“Don’t drag this out,” Duke says, “Just give it to me straight. What terrible thing is about to happen to us?”
“It’s nothing too big. They just recently defeated a magical being who had been tearing apart secret government facilities in Illinois. He had both magic and a high tech weapon, which they confiscated and are delivering to me. The government agency he was fighting was suspiciously interested in the weapon, and based on their behaviors and newly revealed work, Zatanna made the decision to turn the weapon over to us so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
Bruce smoothly merges into traffic as he speaks, getting them onto the road back to the manor. There’s a look in his eyes that means he’s keeping a lot unsaid, and Duke knows without a doubt that whatever this government agency was doing is bad if Zatanna needs Batman to act as extra security. 
He’s not sure about her decision to trust the weapon to be safe in Gotham, either. Sure, Batman will keep it as safe as he can, but with their luck, it’ll end up in the hands of a Rogue and lead to a lot of death and destruction. 
As soon as they cross the bridge and return to Bristol, Bruce steps on the gas and the car tears down the road. Without any other cars to worry about (or traffic laws), it takes barely two minutes to reach the manor, when the gates open for them and let them into the garage. 
Alfred waits for them by the door, looking them over with a critical eye. “I see you have managed to go outside, Master Bruce. What’s the special occasion?”
“Just breakfast,” Bruce answers. “I’m heading back down to the Batcave. Zatanna will be here soon to deliver a weapon.” He’s gone before Alfred can say anything more, hurrying down the hall and turning the corner, disappearing from sight as he heads towards his office. 
“I see we have yet to break that bad habit of his. Did you enjoy your morning out, Master Duke?”
“Sure did, Alfred. I’m, uh, also going down to the Batcave. He’s definitely not telling me a lot about what’s going on, so I’m just going to read about it over his shoulder. I’ll be back up for lunch, though!”
“And perhaps you’ll be able to drag Master Bruce away from that cave of his,” Alfred comments wryly as he walks with Duke towards the office. He gives Duke a nod, then splits away from him, returning to the kitchen where Duke can hear Damian speaking to someone, probably Tim by the annoyed tone of his voice, and mentally wishes Alfred luck in handling them.
Duke sets the correct time on the clock in Bruce’s office and heads down to the Batcave, taking the steps two at a time. 
Bruce is already at the Batcomputer, shoulders tensed, when he arrives. 
“More bad news?” he asks as he makes his way over.
Bruce doesn’t bother looking away from the screen as he says, “More details about the fight. It seems the magical being called himself a ghost and was going on a rampage due to a betrayal. He says they nearly killed his son.”
“Oh, yikes.”
“And two of the scientists working with the government agency said that he stole their son and is keeping them from saving him.”
“Yikes,” Duke says with more feeling.
He doesn’t get to hear anymore details about JLD’s fight with this ghost when he catches a flicker in the corner of his eye. Duke turns and stares at the empty space in the Batcave near the medbay and watches as colorful magic gathers and swirls in dizzing circles. The portal opens a moment later and Zatanna steps out, looking exhausted and lightly singed. 
“Batman,” she greets, holding a white gun that looks like it belongs in an early sci-fi movie from the 60s. “The GIW is trying to arrest us. Constantine keeps burning their badges and documents so it shouldn’t be a problem, but they are determined to get this back. I wouldn’t be surprised if they came after you next. They’ve got some way of tracking things, but I didn’t have time to get any details before I had to leave.”
Bruce takes the gun from her hands carefully, looking it over with a sharp gaze. “Why would a ghost want to use a gun?”
“I don’t know. He had a variety of powers, too.”
“What does this do?”
“Shoots ice. He never let it go and nearly burned me alive for taking it before we subdued him.”
“We’ll keep it locked up,” Bruce promises. 
Zatanna sighs. It looks as though a physical weight fell off her shoulders. “Thanks. I’m going to head back to stop Constantine from getting into a fistfight with the GIW agents.”
She opens another portal with a waved hand and a muttered spell. Bruce is already walking away to set the gun down on a work station, so Duke is the one to wave Zatanna goodbye. 
By the time he reaches Bruce’s side, the gun is already dismantled, all pieces neatly set aside. Sticky notes denote which pieces go together and in what order. It looks the same as most guns, save for the aesthetic, but the heart of it is a glowing blue orb, large enough to cover the entirety of Bruce’s palm, and it brings a chill to the air.
Duke stares at it and feels his soulmark burn ice cold.
“Duke?”
It’s in his hands. He doesn’t remember reaching out to take it, but it’s in his hands. He can’t take his eyes off of it, cradling it gently and bringing it closer to his chest. 
It’s the same blue his soulmark once was. Before his soulmate began to fade, before every day became a waiting game to see how long his soulmate will last before they die. 
This has something to do with his soulmate. He’s sure of it. 
He won’t let anyone take it from him. 
“Duke. Give that to me.”
He doesn’t feel like he’s in his body. He’s detached, floating somewhere outside his body, puppeteering his limbs, making them move without feeling the motion. Shadows condense around his feet and Bruce takes a step back, wary. 
“Duke,” he says again, but Duke can’t find any words, can’t draw on his voice, can’t even look away from the bright, bright blue of the orb. It pulses lightly in his hand like a heartbeat. 
Bruce reaches a hand out. 
He’s pulled back by shadows before he can get close, and Duke holds the orb against his chest, right against his heart, and feels the cold seep into him. 
“Duke. I need you to look at me.” This time, Bruce’s voice has Batman’s growl in it, a heavy command that he can’t help but instinctively follow. He looks up and meets Bruce’s eyes, but he can’t focus. All his awareness is in his hands and the heartbeat of the glowing orb.
“I have to protect this,” Duke manages to whisper. “I… I think it’s alive.”
“Okay. Let’s get you to the medbay so you can sit down. We’ll figure this out, Duke.”
Bruce slowly, carefully, sets his hand on Duke’s shoulder. He keeps his attention away from the orb, so Duke allows it and lets Bruce guide him to the medbay and onto one of the medical cots. Bruce leaves him after a minute of quiet fussing, muttering about calling Zatanna.
Whatever. None of that matters when the heartbeat of the orb grows stronger, steadier, and Duke feels it match the beat of his own heart.
Time slips away from him. Distantly, he hears people move around the cave, speaking in low tones. A hand presses against his shoulder, warm, then moves away. 
The orb in his hand moves. 
Duke blinks slowly, then claws his way back to awareness, pushing past the haze that’s fallen over his mind. The orb turns over in his hand, then cracks right down the middle. The glow grows stronger, washing the medbay in blue light and a symbol appears on the orb.
It’s his soulmark. 
Later, he won’t be able to say why he did it. There were no thoughts, no reasonings, no explanations. Duke simply moved on instinct and lifted the orb up to his face and pressed a soft kiss against it. 
One moment, the orb was still.
The next, it had burst in a flash of light that blinded everyone in the Batcave, and then a thin, injured teenager had fallen into Duke’s lap. 
Hands immediately grab him, pulling him away from Duke. The teenager puts up no fight, eyes barely open, but he reaches for Duke weakly. On his wrist is the bright blue snowflake, the color strong and vivid. 
“That’s me soulmate,” Duke whispers as he watches Bruce and Tim set the boy down on another medical cot. 
“What?” Tim says, turning to face Duke, concern clear on his face. 
“That’s my soulmate,” he repeats, louder. Then, panicked, he pulls up his shirt enough to see his own soulmark; the color is still dull, weak, barely there, but it’s more blue that it has been in a while. He doesn’t need to say anything. Tim sees the dullness of his soulmark, looks at the boy, and puts the pieces together on his own.
“I’ll call Doc Thompkins,” he says, already moving to fix everything. Bruce remains where he is, making sure the boy is tucked in and breathing steadily before he returns to Duke. 
“Are you alright?”
Duke swallows roughly, unable to tear his eyes away from the boy. He’s pale and thin, as if he’d been starved, and there’s frost beginning to spread on the bedsheet from his fingers. “He’s my soulmate,” Duke manages to say. “He’s been dying for two years.”
Bruce’s eyes a hard, a determined light in them. “We’ll save him,” he promises. 
If anyone can, it’s Batman. 
If anyone can, it’s them, Batman and the Signal, and their entire network of family and friends. 
Duke’s been waiting for his soulmate to die all this time. Now, he’s going to save him.
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ew-selfish-art · 9 months
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Dp x dc AU - If the Internation Space Station orbits the Earth 16 times a day, then so does the Watchtower.
Danny’s on track to move out of his parent’s house and move to Gotham for college (He swears that Sam bribed the board to let him in- and she wasn’t even going to that university!) but the dorms don’t open for another three days and he cannot wait to escape. Seeing his parents try to perfect yet another weapon to use against him while he changed out the ecto filters on the portal was too much. He’s completely over the idea of staying when he already has everything packed and ready to go.
The solution? Take all his boxes into his haunt in the Ghost Zone, leave them there and then spend some time in camping in space. He’s already explored the Infinite Realms enough to be bored of it for a minute (not to mention he wants to avoid getting more ‘favors’ to do from Clockwork) and hell, he just wants to see some stars.
He grabs his tent, a sleeping bag and all the food and things he could need and brings it into the atmosphere with him. Keeping it all tethered to him, Danny stays in a fixed position above Gotham (Cause that’s where he’s going next, duh) and treats himself to some quality Me-time.
Only problem is that several times a day he has to make himself intangible while he lets satellites and things pass through. Easy enough and honestly pretty interesting to observe as a wannabe engineering student.
He doesn’t know when exactly it happened the first time- but it turns out the Heroes of Earth all congregated in a satelite office building? It was bigger than the ISS! What the heck!?
Going intangible but not invisible, the JL spot Danny and are incredibly confused how an ‘Alien’ teen just happens to appear in their meeting rooms disappearing at the rate (slowly but surely) of the Watchtower moving through space. Was that camping gear? How was he roasting a marshmallow? Did propane camping stoves even work in space??
16 times a day they get the opportunity to ask Danny a few questions. He mostly ignores them or gives them joke answers. Eventually Martian Manhunter phases through the Watchtower to join him.
They talk about how hard transition periods in life can be and having strained relationships with family. J’ohn returns to the watchtower on its next cycle and reports that the kid is just fine, being an adult is just a hard thing to do.
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