#hehehe what do you see my dear viewers

[knackercracker]

she was always going to die

[j-jinxee]

Ooo can you write about about how Alastor would use restraints, he’d defo get turned on by how helpless reader would look when they’ve got a chain wrapped around them, with his need for control.

PRISONER ☆

TYPE - Alastor x Reader

WARNINGS - restraints/being tied up, semi public sorta?, ownership, swearing, oral receiving, humiliation.

authors note - tysm for requesting!! especially for Alastor hehehe, hope u like ittt >:)

----------------------------------------------------

That night came back to you every time you got pulled down by that fuckers chain. The most regrettable night of your life, you were so far gone you really thought he'd help you. Making any deal while you were drunk was a bad idea, but making a deal with the radio demon?? Even worse. He's made you do sickening things for him in the past, all things you never would've done if your soul wasn't on the line; but nothing that made your stomach turn quite like this one.

You made the mistake of confronting him right before he went on the air. That pissed him off enough, and thought you needed a reminder of who you belonged to. Hence why you're tied up in his radio tower, chain around your neck, and screaming his name for all of Hell to hear.

Alastor made you crawl up to his radio tower, him holding the chain, then tied you up with dark sorcery, and clicked "start broadcast".

"Hello my dear viewers! Hope you're having a grand evening. Today will be a little different to my usual style of broadcast, but I trust you'll enjoy it nonetheless" His voice turned scratchy and demonic towards the end, making you nervous for what was to come.

The only luminance in the tower was the faint glow of the red sky, and the shine of Alastor's eyes. You had no idea how many people were listening right now, or what was even going to happen, you just hoped no one could tell it was you.

You swore you could smell his arousal. It was rare, but you could tell he liked seeing you chained up. He never expressed any romantic feelings towards you, only savage, animalistic needs to over-power you. You let him have his way, since there was nothing you could do about it, but this? This was a little past your limit.

Your hands were behind your back, legs bent, and whole body hoisted up. You had no clue what happened to your clothes, they vanished off your body when the ropse appeard around you. Your neck was angled slightly up from the floor, enough to see a little out the window, but not enough to hurt. That's when you felt him.

You gasped abruptly as you felt his hot tongue on your clit, "Ah!" It took you by surprise - to say the least. You obviously wanted to hold back your moans in order to keep some dignity... but, holy fuck he was good.

It was like being chained up increased the pleasure, you swore it'd never felt this good before. His tongue made you squirm, but squirming hurt, especially when you held back. You thought you may aswell give him what he wants instead of agitating him even more.

"Mmm- Fuck! Alastor please"

"Please what my dear?"

You didn't even know what you were asking for, you wanted to say please stop, but you knew you couldn't, it felt too good.

"Pl- Ah! Please don't stop!"

Yeah real good fucken choice, beg him to keep going and see where that'll get ya.

The next thing you felt was his tongue diving deep into your core, fuck. You knew he'd be skilled, but this was on a completely different level.

"Ohhh, fuck! I'm- I'm gonna cum, ah!"

Your legs attempted to collide, obviously being held back by the rope. As Alastor felt your thighs start to shake, he only increased his pace, sending you over the edge. The coil in your stomach finally snapped, sending shivers throughout your whole body as you screamed Alastor's name for all of Hell to hear. Even if they weren't listening to the broadcast, they might’ve still heard you.

Your vision was blurry, your face was hot, and currents of pleasure still shot through your core like electricity. Alastor got up and made his way to the control panel, "I hope this is to your liking dear listeners! Because we're just getting started"

...you've gotta be fucking kidding.

----------------------------------------------------

Rlly rlly hoping u like thisss 🤞🏻 I think it's aight, I just love writing for Alastor tbh hehe. Cheers x

[wulvercazz]

grimmichigrimmichigrimmichi >:3333 (pairing meme)

heheh okay- so shiP IT ofc 😂 .. but here's the answers;

What made you ship it?

so... I have a very specific list of qualities I look for when it comes to my favorite male characters. And Grimmjow fit them all 😂💕

When I first watched Bleach the only thing I shipped was IchiRuki, bc naturally that was the only way to go for me tbh, but then Grimm appeared and I was obsessed. When it comes to otps for me, first I find a fave character, then I consider the possible pairings. Not any other way. And with Grimmjow... well the only option for me was Ichigo tbh.

Not to discredit any other Grimmjow ships, I've done a few of them myself, but with how passionately these two throw themselves at each other I truly couldn't look any other way. Lol

So tldr; Grimmjow's got slut potential and I dig that, and they're too into each other for me not to see "gay" plastered all over them 💫

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

Hmmm 🤔maybe how inherently feral it is, canon-wise. Also how harmonious their overall designs are together, there's nothing nicer than a pair that looks good together, at least as an artist. Also how easy they are (for me at least) to write/draw; I have a hard time focusing on one thing for long enough to get good at things (hence the many AUs lol!) so for me to have a ship I draw constantly for more than four years now... is truly astounding lmao. They helped me grow soooo much so they hold a dear dear place in my heart just bc of that alone.

And because of that last one: how easy it is to apply AUs to themmmm ;w;<33333 I can legit think of anything and make an AU out of it and not struggle too much to find the perfect place for them in it.

And also,, sort of fave sort of least fave- that it's not an overly popular ship in general (ik it's popular in the Bleach fandom itself, but rather; not popular like a ship from BNHA or JJK). Why; bc I get to have my quiet space where I draw all the ideas I want and yet have had verY few people throw insults at me for some of my darker stuff 😂 Bigger fandoms I've interacted with (as a viewer mostly) have had issues popping up left and right, people getting upset over dumb shit and letting that grow to huge proportions, "antis" everywhere... yeahhhh no thanks 😖

but also-- it gets verY quiet at times specially for someone who's so picky. Like, if I could find a fandom space like the exclusive bottom Bakugo enthusiasts I followed on twt (and even bought a whole zine about) but for GriMMJOW??? WOOF😭💕 so yeah,,, love-hate situation on this last bit lmaooo

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

A few 😂😭 everyone who's followed my art for a certain amount of time can probs tell how the 'tism really affects how I enjoy ships lmaoooo I have to enjoy them a very specific certain way so... that means I don't partake at all on a good few of the popular tropes for the ship. Some I can think of rn; damsel-in-distress!Ichigo, overly hurtful!Grimm (although this one is more old fandom I think 🤔? I remember, in a lot of fics back then, Grimmjow was portrayed a lot as this violent rapist adgdfddfdff not for me lmaoo), ofc top!Grimm, Grimmjow acting all macho relationship wise, and too much angst (I think this ship (and Ichigo in general lets be honest) can call for a lot of angst in fic so I totally get it- but ...meh, if it's not romaticized/sexualized angst, idc for it adgdfgf I don't like it when they actually suffer 😭)

OOH OH! ALSO --- making them OOC in AUs CAN be great actually (to me at least). I know a lot of people (not just here, but in any ship/fandom/etc) don't love OOC characterizations of their fave characters/ships (hence why it's a tag we use tbh) but I personally love that at times??? I won't do it all the time and all over the place... but AUs where there's space to make Grimm less violent? or Ichigo less friendly/loving??? While still within their canon character potentials--- hecC yes. >:)ccc

Also ofc; that I wish it was still common to tag ships as top-bottom like it is with HoEn/EnHo (bnha), VK/KV /trigun, KRBK/BKKR (bnha) etc or at least tag it some other way along the ship.... it would be sO much easier to filter out stuff i don't want to see instead of having to mute/block a whole person I would still love to see stuff from.

BuT I am aware most have no preference whatsoever lmaO so... yeah nothing I can do there except not follow people pfFFF 😂😭 (and wait until I find peeps with similar tastes aasdfs)

[i-am-beckyu]

✨MASTERPOST✨

Hello! My name is Beckyu (Beck, coo. lol silent Y :3) but Becky is fine ❤️ I’m your resident Aussie gal (she/her) 21, and extremely energetic and I’m here to have fun and enjoy people’s content. and maybe post my own writing or art lol

This is my only blog and it’s not very consistent with what I post as I just share anything and everything. But I love mcyt gt and gt in general so that’s what ya get.

Stories and Tags under the cut ❤️❤️❤️

You looked under the cut :000

Have a lollipop to show my appreciation 🍭🍭🍭

❤️❤️❤️ I love you oh so very much dear viewer/reader ❤️❤️❤️

My Stories :D

Mcyt gt Link to Ao3 versions here

My very first fic (name tba no spoilers hehehe and is my baby. A very very special work in progress that I’m still working on and is long....)

Don’t forget to mention that...

Mine to hold close

The Perfect Hill (Gift) Just out of Reach, but Never out of Sight Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 tba

Treat spiders the way you want to be treated. Killed without hesitation.

My monster to Slay

Can we see the fireflies?

Amongst the Kelp, I found you in Hair- I mean There...

Lies and the Thieves That Try

To Fly Once More

Red Paint and Tiny Portraits (submitted on Faeiyns blog)

One Small Gift -A Christmas Fic

And the phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing….

My own stories (OCs etc)

Dancing in your Hands

In the Hands of my Tormentor

If any of the above links don’t work, they are all under the beckyu writes tag tag list NOTE: All my writing is sfw and noms free. I’m not comfortable writing noms despite reading/re-blogging the odd post. I tag all my fics accordingly and have content warnings before them as well. Just wanted to add that here :>

Submissions!!!

That’s one way to keep warm :D by @. local-squishmallow  Just Try Not to Crash (a Jornos fanfic) by @.munchkin1156 

Tiny houses!!

Tiny Bedroom

I have finished one! but I have many more I will finish in the future someday

My tags:

#beckyu writes                     - for all my words in long sentences :3 #beckyu late night writes     - dumb time at night and I have short story thoughts #beckyu arts                        - I make the pretty pictures and characters #beckyu creates                  - I made something irl woah :0 #beckyu answers                - You ask me something, I respond :D #beckyu speaks - I say words/announcements #beckyu but on ao3          - All my fics but reuploaded on ao3  #c!beckyu                           - my c!sona for fun

My Tumblr Fam

My Tumblr sisters @.brick-a-doodle-do, @.a-xyz-s and @.faeiyn-can't-write

@.orchid-harmony, @.da3dm, 🕶️ anon, ✨anon✨ , @.krazycat49 and @.justarandomsloth are my lovely children❤️❤️❤️

Then I’m somehow an aunt to everyone in the chaos family. So @. local-squishmallow , @.kayla-crazy-stuffs , @.colossal-red , @.a-tiny-frog-girl and @.poprockpanda all my fam too ❤️ Last updated: 1st of May 2024

[twst-x-homestuck-askblog]

INTRODUCTIONS AND RULES ):<B

carcinoGeneticist has started a memo on Thaumbler

CG: ALRIGHT, THE REST OF YOU, SHUT THE FUCK UP, I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN TO THESE NON-STUDENTS WHAT IN THE SEVEN FORSAKEN WE ARE DOING IN HERE, AND IF ANYONE TALKS IN HERE BESIDES ME I'M GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN LIKE THE JUNIORS FROM THIS GOD FORSAKEN DORM I'M IN. GA: Karkat, I'm Positive That It Would Be Better For Me To Explain This In The Current Situation GA: Ahem, Pardon Him, Dear Viewers. My Name Is Kanaya Maryam, But You May Know Me As Mod Maryam, While The Creator Of The Memo Is Karkat Vantas, or Mod Karkat. GA: You See, Me And Karkat, Together With Other Lucky (Or Maybe Unlucky, Depending In Their Views) Students, Are A Friend Group At Night Raven College, One Of The Most Prestigious Magical Academies In Our World, Twisted Wonderland. GA: We Collectively Decided To Introduce Ourselves By Our Names, Class, Homeland, And Dorm So You May Ask Us About Our Particular Experience In Night Raven College So Far. CG: MY FUCKING TURN, SHUT UP NOW. CG: SINCE I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE BULLSHIT THE PEOPLE IN THAUMBLR CAN PULL, I'M LAYING DOWN SOME GROUND RULES AND YOU BETTER FOLLOW THEM IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO TALK WITH THE HEADMAGE. NO SNITCHING ON MAGICAM TOO, OR I'LL PERSONALLY COME AFTER YOUR FUCKIGN THROAT.

RULE NUMBER 1: NO WEIRD SHIT. WE ARE ALL FRESHMEN, AKA WE ARE MINORS, SO ANY FUNNY BUSINESS WAY TOO DEEP IN WHATEVER STUFF AND YOU GET A BIG FUCKING BLOCK.

RULE NUMBER 2: SAY WHO YOU ARE ASKING STUFF, WE MAY BE MAGES BUT WE DON'T HAVE A MAGIC BALL OF ALL-KNOWINGNESS TO GUESS WHO YOU MEANT.

RULE NUMBER 3: IF YOU ARE OUR HAUSEWARDENS AND YOU SAW THIS BLOG NO YOU FUCKING DIDN'T (AKA VIL AND RIDDLE DNI. FUCK IT, AZUL TOO, YOU'RE ON THIN FUCKING ICE)

RULE NUMBER 4: JUST ME AND KAN POST, BECAUSE THESE OTHERS HOUSEWARDENS BOOTLICKERS ARE TOO BUSY FOR THIS APPARENTLY? SO IF WE DIDN'T GET TO YOU, WAIT, AND IF WAITING DOESN'T WORK, WAIT MORE I GUESS, WE ARE IN A SCHOOL AFTER ALL.

RULE NUMBER 5: YES YOU CAN PRY A BIT ON WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHATNOT, BUT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY HELL FUCKING NO IF WE WANT TO, SO... THINK BEFORE ASKING OR WHATEVER.

GA: Have You Finished Your Tantrum Filled Rant, Or Should I Wait More For The Introductions? CG: REALLY NICE WAY TO SAY SHUT UP AND LET ME SPEAK. GO.

GA: As You May Have Seen, There Are Quite A Bit Of Us, So I Will Try To Keep This Short. Each Of Us Wrote A Bit As To Make Mine And Karkat's Work Easier. I'm Kanaya Maryam, I'm From Class 1-A, I Come From The Land Of Scalding Sands And Am From Ignihyde, Much To My Dismay. I'M KARKAT VANTAS, I'M FROM CLASS 1-A, I'M FROM THE QUEENDOM OF ROSES AND AM FROM THE SEVEN FORSAKEN POMEFIORE. Hell0 there 0u0. I'm Aradia Megid0, I'm fr0m class 1-B, am fr0m the Briar Valley and study f0r Scarabia. hI, I'M TAVROS NITRAM. i'M IN CLASS 1-E, I WAS BORN ON, UH, THE SUNSET SAVANNAH AND AM IN OCTAVINELLE (:{ ii'm kiiliing you for thi2 KK. Ii'm 2ollux Captor, Cla22 1-C, 2haftland2 and in fuckiing 2avanaclaw. :33< *tackles you on the ground* Hii! I'm Nepeta Leijon, in class 1-D! I'm furrm Sunset Savannah and am in Purrmefiore with Karkitty! Hiii! H3H3H3! H1 K4RKL3S 4ND K4N >:] 1'M T3R3Z1 PYROP3 FROM CL4SS 1-A 4ND 4M 1N H34RTSL4BYUL. 1'M FROM TH3 SH4FTL4NDS >:] (ALT: hehehe! Hi Karkles and Kan. I'm terezi Pyrope From Class 1-A and am in heartslabyul. I'm from the shaftlands) The name is Vriska Serk8 (Serket for the NERDS!). I'm in class 1-C and am from the Shaftlands. Since I'm soooooooo cool I'm in Diasomnia ::::) D-> Oh my... My name is Equius Zahaak, and I'm from the Shaftlands, though there is STRONG evidence of my birth being from the great Briar Valley. I'm in class 1-B and in the Ignihyde dorm. HoNk. NaMe's gAmZeE MaKaRa, FrOm cLaSs 1-e. I'M FrOm tHiS MiRaClE MoThErFuCkInG PlAcE CaLlEd fLeUr cItY. i'm iN OcTaViNeLlE ToO :o) i'm named Eridan Ampora, and am a noble from the Coral Sea. I study in class 1-D and am in... the fuckin savanaclaw, irk. )(I! 38D i'm Feferi Peixes and am in class 1-D!!! my )(homeland is the Coral Sea and i'm in the Octavinelle dorm!!! 38)

GA: I Do Believe This Is Everyone, So We Are Ending The First Introductory Post. CG: IF YOU DON'T LEAVE ASKS WE ARE GONNA CURSE YOUR BLOODLINE OR WHATEVER. GA: Don't Speak On My Regard, Karkat.

-Mod Karkat and Mod Maryam

[keyenuta]

TW One-Shot: The Spider and Snow White

Context: for the psst few days, me and a few friends began joking about a Crack ship between two-faced!Neige and Anansi. And just like usual, my shipping but actually began to like the idea of the ship. So here's a one shot about it, hope y'all like it!

Laughter echoed throughout the white gold room as Neige and Anansi interacted with the chat. Teasing and playfully flirting with Neige's fans as the pair didn't exclude the other in this either. In slight jabs, and quick teases, the two little shits teased and messed with the other. A slight poke here, a tickle there, and haughty look there were each thrown back and forth. But both parties knew they couldn't go too far, it was the internet after all. And after a while, suddenly a bright blare of snow white's hum blasted from the laptop as Neige ooed at the donation.

"Ah, thank you so much for the 50 madool Donation Skele-mom67, it truly means the world to me~ heheh" Neige gave a closed eyes smile as a rush of "awwwws" filled the chat, while snickering Anansi poked Neige's cheeks, shifting a playful look at the prince beside him as he finished the message, giving the chat a faux valley girl accent.

"Hey Neige~ love your work, you're sooo, adorable, but I was wondering could you and your "prince" sing a song together? Againthsbkyiusomuch" giving a friendly smile to the camera, Neige swatted Anansi's hands from his cheeks as he giggled

"Heheh, well thank you for calling me adorable dear, it's very appreciated. And as for a song, hmm, that sounds fun, what do you think Nansi?" Quipped the prince, to the resting spider, gifting the camera a fanged smirk, Anansi shrugged

"Sure I'm up for it, although~" he sang leaning forward winking to the chat, Anansi held a hand next to his mouth as he loudly whispered "I don't think Neige could handle it, ya know all the flirting would keep him from finishing the song dearie" at the whispers, Neige pouted as soon it transferred into a sharp smirk only Anansi could see, as in moments Neige whispered into Anansi's ear in a sly tone.

"I bet i'd get you to blush before i do, little spider~" he teased sweetly

"Oh-ho? Try me dough boy, give me all ya got~ but don't complain if you're in this "lil' spiders" web again~"

"Heheh, oh i doubt I will, hope you enjoy being number 2 dear~"

"Careful princey, fly too close to web and you'll get caught. But sure, let's go!"

Reaching into his pocket, Anansi took out a "borrowed" black-blue phone and played a karaoke version of the song as the chat began to blow up in hype.

Song

Chuckling and bobbing his head to the music, Anansi's red orbs closed, while moments later, a silky melody escaped his pursed lips "Oohh~dada-oh-da-oohh," a creak sounded as Neige leant forward in his chair, he knew the spider could song, but still, each time that melody soared, he felt a chill down his spine, his little spider wasn't going to make this an easy bet hm? He thought, and right as that thought echoed, a feathery touch brought him from his mind. The hand, although coarse, held so much warmth, and with them both being in camera, he had to give his fans a show.

So leaning into the hand, Neige fluttered his eyes shyly, watching the comments go crazy with excitement as Nancy continued on, getting closer and closer with every verse,

"The very first time that I saw your brown eyes~" lifting up his head, Neige went with the song, and gazed lovingly at Anansi, ready to see just what his prince had in store for him. And just like that, the gap between the was closed on seconds, as the spider leant forward. Touching their heads together, slick black locks met kinky dreads as the heat between the two filled the small gap as the lyrics drifted on,

"your lips said "hello," and I said "Hi"~ I knew right then you were the one~ " at this, the actor felt their lips brush with every lyric, and despite all this, Neige hid his smirk and teased the spider with an eye roll. Tell me that's not all you have dear~ his eyes said, but in a second a rapid verse dissipated that tease

"But I was caught up!" Rapidly, Anansi yanked the prince towards him, twirling him to rest his back against the spider, while his drifted across his jaw, while Anansi smirked against his ear, his fangs tickling his love while the melody continued, as once more, Neige went with the music. Leaning his head back, gifting the spider an easier angle as the two gazed at the fans in the chat, exploding and typing frantically with energy, only fueling them both even more. "In physical attraction~"

"Oooh~" hummed Neige

"But to my satisfaction~" meeting Neige's face, the two leant forward once more, both smiling as the song continued on as Nancy turned up Neige's chin, only for the actor to whisper "well, aren't you handsy today, my prince~" as Nansi replied

"but, baby you were more than just a face~ And if I e-(N:ever) fall in love" now straddling Anansi, Neige and him sang together, Anansi's baritone intertwined with Neige's tenor in a beautiful vibrato

Duet: Again~

Anansi: I will be sure that, the lady is a friend~

Anansi: And if I eeee-

Neige: (ever fall)

Anansi: in love again~ I will be sure that the lady is a friend(x2)

As the chorus reached its last notes, Anansi couldn't shake the pater in his chest, nor could he get rid of the wide grin he got from the last verse

Anansi: and if I ever fall in love so true~, I will be sure that, the lady's just like you~

As the words left his mouth a scarlet eyes met brown, and for the briefest of moments. Despite the teasing grins and the grounds of the bet, Neige and Anansi both felt a spark that usually only showed up behind closed doors when their masks are off. But with the show having to continue, Neige used this spark, and truthfully smiled lovingly at Anansi, cupping his brown face in his pale hands, giving his prince a truly loving smile as Anansi finished his last verse, wrapping his arms around Neige's waist, gifting him the same.

"I swear that next time, they'll be~ a friend" the note drew out like a whisper on a breeze, as if it was a real promise. Nodding to his words, Neige took in a breath, nearly singing in a whisper as he rested his head against Anansi, as his rosey lips parted into,

"If I said that I, can be your one and only~" gulping, Neige sang "promise that you'll never leave me lonely~ I just wanna be the one you need" as the sound vibrated, Neige rested his arms in Anansi's neck as the spider mutters something illegible. But what was easy to see, with a smile gracing his lips. Neige kept on, "I just wanna be the one who serve- (A:serves you~) and now once again, their voices melded together in a fusion of want and emotion. As now, despite themselves, through this song, it was as if the two spilled their hearts to one another with every note

Duet: Sometimes i feel as if I don't deserve you~

Closing his eyes, Neige kept going, leaning even more against the spider, their chests meeting as he sang out, nearly kissing Anansi with how close they were, a scent of apples and spice wafted between the two as their heads rested together.

Neige: I Cherish every that we share~ And if I e-(A: Ever fall) In love again~ I will be sure that, the lady is, a frieeend!" As Neige held out the note, every E flowed up an octave, cascading down Anansi's back like a waterfall, gifting him a chill this time, but As well, the spider also viewed it as a challenge, amd so, knowing what notes came next, he prepared his voice for what was to come. Lightly pushing Neige away, the two continued to sing.

Neige: and if I e-(A: Ever fall) In love, so true~ I will be sure that(sure that) The lady(the lady's) like you~

As Neige sang, a low "my friend" raised up more and more, every lyric that Neige sang, the louder and higher, and longer the note became. The second my friend eclipsed the first, and after that, Anansi got so high, he approached the limit of a baritone, and with the final my friend, he let it run out, no longer able to keep it going that high for so long, as in the chat, and as well in Neige's eyes, there was a look of shock at those notes, as now, all that was left to do was ride the song out.

And as the lyrics reached their ends, but by bit, both of the students got closer once more, until their voices were nothing but a whisper, as finally their lips once again brushed together, and with one peak to the chat, both saw one message that flooded the stream.

"KISS!" and so, not wanting to disappoint their viewers, and sealing each of their promises, the two students kissed, as both their faces burnt bright red. Seems like this bet was a draw after all.

[hysterialevi]

Legend pt. 2

Author’s note: Sorry about the long wait for this one. I got a bit stumped for a while, but it’s finally finished and I hope you enjoy the end result. Thanks for all your support, and as always, love you guys. Stay awesome.

From Bruce’s POV

WAYNE MANOR

THE NEXT MORNING

John let out an astonished gasp upon entering the manor, his jaw dropping open as he viewed the inside with an amazed expression.

“Wow, Bruce!” He exclaimed as he observed the chandeliers hanging above, craning his neck backwards. “I knew you were rich, but...but this...!”

John spread his arms out and twirled around like a top, laughing vigorously to himself.

“This is...INCREDIBLE! Hehehe!”

I smiled gently at the man, adoring his eccentric display of joy from a distance while he explored his new home. 

With the Agency and police constantly trying to arrest John, I agreed to let the man live with me for a while in hopes of protecting him. It was too risky to leave him alone during these times, and the last thing I wanted was for someone to catch him while I wasn’t looking.  

Aside from Alfred, John was all I had left. He was my closest friend, my partner in fighting crime, and one of the few people I knew I could trust for sure. He had been with me through thick and thin, and always had my back no matter what. I needed him by my side.

If Waller or anyone else wanted to take him away from me, they were going to have to put up a fight. And a damned good one.

“I’m glad you like the house, John,” I said, strolling up to him. “As much as I appreciate the solitude, I have to admit it does get lonely here sometimes. It’ll be nice having you around.”

John put a dramatic hand over his heart and wiped away a fake tear, tilting his head at me in a touched manner.

“You are truly the kindest man I’ve ever met, Brucie. I might just shed a tear.”

I grinned at that, slipping my hands into my pockets. “You’d be the first to say that in a while. I’ve almost forgotten the days when Gotham didn’t hate the Waynes. So, any idea where you want to sleep?”

The clown shrugged, slightly confused. “Um...in the bedroom...?”

A chuckle escaped me. “Well, yes, but which one? There are seven of them.”

John’s eyes popped open. “You have seven bedrooms?”

“Yeah,” I confirmed, “along with two kitchens, a library, a gymnasium, a basketball court, and a movie theater. And there’s obviously also the Batcave.”

The other man clapped happily and rubbed his hands together out of excitement, unable to contain himself.

“This is unreal, Bruce. It’s like I’m in paradise. I went from living in an abandoned subway station...to the fanciest manor in Gotham! Ah, it’s so nice having all this...space! Not to mention that Bane and Harley aren’t here to argue about nonsense all day long. We have to arrange a move night sometime! Tell me, are you more of a beef jerky or corn bites guy?” John shrugged. “Ah heck, I’ll just bring both! Hehe!”

“Just be sure to keep a low profile,” I reminded him. “The Agency can’t know you’re here. Otherwise, they’ll tear the place apart brick-by-brick, and take you back to Arkham. Or worse -- slap a collar on you like the rest of the Pact. If you ever want to leave the house, there’s a another exit through the Batcave that will draw much less attention than the front door. And try not to go out by yourself, got it? I wanna make sure you’re safe.”

John nodded, giving me a thumbs-up. “Got it!”

“Great. Now, why don’t you go set up your room?”

He smirked at me, picking up his bags. “Oh, I’ve been so excited for this moment, Brucie! Decorating my own room in Wayne Manor,” John sighed in satisfaction. “This is a dream come true. You and I -- we are gonna have so...much...fun!”

Hurrying up the elegant staircase with his belongings, John practically glided to his room as Alfred passed him on the way down, giving the clown a subtle gesture of acknowledgement before making his way to me. 

Despite the smile on the butler’s face and his straightened posture, I could still tell something wasn’t quite right, and as soon as John’s echoing cackle disappeared down the corridor, the old man broke his charade, voicing his concerns.

“I mean no disrespect towards your friend, Bruce,” he said lowly, “but are you sure it’s a good idea to have him stay here?”

Alfred and I wandered over to a more secluded corner of the manor, hoping to keep out of earshot while I explained the situation to him.

“I can’t just let John roam around Gotham by himself, Al. He’s not exactly the type of person to lay low, and the Agency’s been keeping an extremely close eye on him lately. One wrong move, and he’ll be behind bars. I have to watch him.”

The butler didn’t appear convinced. 

“...Well, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing,” he argued. “I know you care for him, but in the end, John is a criminal. And he must be brought to justice. We can’t ignore that, Bruce. Batman can’t.”

I paused for a moment, unable to deny that Alfred had a point. 

Crossing my arms, I checked to make sure John was still out of sight. 

“Look, I know John’s made mistakes--”

“--He’s murdered people.” Alfred corrected.

“--But...” I continued, “I don’t think he’s beyond saving. Not yet, anyways. You said it yourself, Alfred. He’s my friend. I can’t just give up on him and toss him in jail. He’s...he’s all I have left. I mean, Tiffany’s with the Agency, Lucius is gone, and now Waller’s threatening to take John away, too. I have to at least try to help him.”

Realizing that there was no way he was going to sway my mind, Alfred let out a defeated sigh and dropped the subject, evidently anxious about what would come in the future.

“...Very well, sir. I trust your decision, but please...proceed with caution. Soon, the time will come when you must choose which is more important: your friendship with John, or your duty as Batman -- and I don’t want your judgement to be hindered.”

I gave him an assuring nod, heading upstairs to check on my friend. 

“Don’t worry, Alfred. As much as I care about John, I’m not blind. If I think he’s fallen beyond repair, Batman will be the first one to step in. But he’ll be brought to justice the right way. I won’t let Waller lay a finger on him, no matter what happens.”

From Oswald’s POV

THE STACKED DECK

“The hunt for the Joker continues,” Jack Ryder reported, his voice barely audible over the rock music filling up the bar, “and the police are desperate to find any leads that could help them find the perpetrator. Fortunately for Gotham, the Joker seems to have gone underground recently and has even ‘vanished’ according to some. In the past few days, there have been no reports of any Joker-related crimes, and the green-haired clown hasn’t been spotted by anyone. Normally, a moment of peace such as this would be appreciated, but one can’t help wondering if the reason the Joker has disappeared...is he’s planning something bigger. But of course, we will keep all you viewers out there informed with any updates. I’m Jack Ryder, and you’re watching Gotham TV.”

I softly chuckled at the news and glanced downwards at my beer bottle, happily taking a sip as I watched the chaos unravel in Gotham’s news. At this point, I wasn’t even upset by all the mayhem slowly tearing down this city, and a part of me was even thrilled. 

I had learned enough about Gotham to know that its citizens were far from innocent, and the ones who were died ages ago. The only people who survived in this godforsaken place were men in suits, and those controlling them from the shadows. As far as I was concerned, Joker’s hell-raising rampage was nothing but some well-earned karma, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I only hoped that karma also hit Bruce Wayne.

I was still having difficulty imagining that billionaire pretty boy as Batman. Not only did the two of them act nothing alike, but they were also on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

The Waynes hurt people; killed them, even. Anyone who was brave enough to oppose them got murdered or thrown in Arkham by Thomas...and yet, his son grew up to become a vigilante. Someone who fought against people like his father. Why?

Maybe this was Bruce’s way of making amends? Maybe he knew the truth about his dear, old dad all along, and wore the mask so he could do more good for the world without risking his reputation. Like he did when Joseph bullied me as a kid. 

Pft. I didn’t know whether to admire or condemn him. 

All I did know...was that I had to kill him. And quickly.

Ordering another drink, I suddenly sensed a presence walking up behind me as the bartender waltzed off, causing me to glance over my shoulder. 

Standing not too far away from me, there was a young woman dressed in a neat, grey blazer and high heels, and her brown hair had been tied into an elegant bun. She was equipped with an advanced pistol that hid just beneath her jacket, and in her hand, she held a clipboard. I guessed this woman must’ve been with the Agency. She had that...look.

“So you’re released from prison after an entire year on the inside,” she said, “...and this is the first place you visit? I...guess I see the appeal.”

I paid no mind to her comment.

“I was in Blackgate for quite a while, love. I’d say I deserve a drink.”

The woman stepped closer. “Just make sure you don’t overdo it. I need your senses to be alert.”

Putting the beer down for a moment, I gave her an irritated glare and casually stood up from my chair, approaching the agent.

“And just who the hell are you?” I questioned. “I’m working on assassinating Gotham’s favorite vigilante for you people, yet your lips remain tighter than the security at Blackgate. Can I get a code name, at the very least?”

Surprisingly, the woman reacted in a more-than-friendly manner and held out her hand, smiling warmly at me.

“Agent Iman Avesta,” she introduced. “You met my partner yesterday. Vernon Blake.” 

I didn’t return the handshake, and went back to my stool. 

“You can call me Oz,” I replied, “but I assume you know that already. The Agency seems to know a lot ‘bout me. So, what, you here to keep an eye on me?”

Avesta took a seat next to me. “Something like that. Waller just wants to make sure you don’t do anything too...rash. I’m sure you understand.”

I quirked a brow. “If she don’t trust me, then why’d she hire me to do the job?”

“Waller has absolute confidence in your skills,” the agent explained, “but that’s the extent of her trust. Not that I blame her. After all, you were associated with the Children of Arkham. It’d be foolish to let you act alone. It’s nothing personal, of course. The Director watches all her ‘allies’ very closely.”

I scoffed. “You mean like the Pact? I know they’re working for her.”

Avesta seemed impressed. “Well, well. Looks like we’re not the only ones who are good at learning secrets. Waller made a good choice, hiring you for the job. I look forward to accompanying you.”

Finishing my drink, I placed the empty bottle aside and turned to the agent.

“...And how exactly does Waller want me to approach this mission?” I asked. “Any rules I should know about? Any lines I can’t cross?”

Avesta shook her head. “Aside from deserting the mission itself, no. The Director has granted you full permission to do anything it takes to kill Batman. And she means anything.”

Slightly nodding in approval, I separated myself from the bar and prepared to leave, Avesta tagging along with me as we strolled outside.

“Well, all right then. If that’s the case, I think I know just what to do for our first step. But I’m gonna need your help finding someone.”

She appeared intrigued. “Oh, really? And who would that be?”

I smirked, eager to get down to business.

“...Ever heard of a man named Joseph Hunt?”