#monitoring computer activities

[teamtrackmaster]

Top 10 Benefits of Implementing Desktop Monitoring in Your Business

Ensuring productivity and security within the workplace is crucial these days. One effective way to achieve this is through monitoring desktops. Monitoring desktops refers to practices of tracking and recording activities performed on company computers. By using remote PC monitoring software, businesses can monitor PC activity, ensuring that employees remain productive and that company data is secure. This article will explore the top 10 benefits of desktop monitoring for your business, highlighting the importance of monitoring computer activities and how it can contribute to overall business success.

What is Remote PC Monitoring Software?

Before diving into the benefits, it’s essential to understand what remote PC monitoring software is. This software enables businesses to monitor PC activity remotely, providing insights into how employees use their workstations. Popular remote PC monitoring software includes EmpMonitor, TimeDoctor, and Hubstaff. These tools offer a range of features as tracking keystrokes, capturing screenshots, and generating detailed reports, allowing businesses effectively manage and optimize their workforce.

1. Enhanced Productivity

One of the primary benefits of monitoring desktops is the significant boost in productivity. By monitoring computer activities, businesses can identify time-wasting activities and take corrective measures. Remote PC monitoring software like EmpMonitor and TimeDoctor provide detailed reports on how employees spend their time, allowing managers to address inefficiencies and promote a more productive work environment.

2. Improved Data Security

For any business, data security is a top focus. Implementing a monitoring system for desktops helps protect sensitive information by monitoring PC activity and detecting unauthorized access or suspicious behavior. Remote PC monitoring software can alert administrators to potential security threats, enabling them to take swift action to mitigate risks.

3. Accountability and Transparency

Desktop monitoring promotes accountability and transparency within the workplace. When employees know their activities are monitored, they are more likely to adhere to company policies and maintain high professionalism level. This transparency fosters a culture of trust and responsibility, which enhance overall team morale.

4. Better Resource Allocation

By using remote PC monitoring software, businesses can optimize resource allocation. Monitoring computer activities provides insights into how resources such as software licenses, hardware, and internet bandwidth utilized. This information allows companies to make informed decisions about resource distribution, ensuring they are used efficiently and cost-effectively.

5. Streamlined Workflow Management

Effective workflow management is crucial for business success. Desktop monitoring helps identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in workflow processes. By analyzing monitoring data, managers can implement changes to streamline operations, reduce downtime, and improve overall efficiency.

6. Enhanced Compliance

Compliance with industry regulations and internal policies is essential for avoiding legal issues and maintaining a good reputation. Remote PC monitoring software assists in ensuring compliance by tracking and documenting all activities on company computers. This documentation can serve as evidence in case of audits or legal disputes.

7. Employee Training and Development

Monitoring PC activity can also be valuable tool for employee training and development. By reviewing monitoring data, managers can identify areas where employees may need additional training or support. This targeted approach to training can improve employee performance and contribute to their professional growth.

8. Reduced Risk of Insider Threats

Insider threats, such as data breaches or intellectual property theft, can have devastating consequences for a business. Desktop monitoring helps mitigate this risk by monitoring computer activities and detecting unusual behavior. Remote PC monitoring software can provide real-time alerts, allowing to respond quickly to threats.

9. Cost Savings

Implementing a monitoring system on a desktop can lead to significant cost savings. By identifying and addressing inefficiencies, businesses can reduce wasted time and resources. Additionally, preventing data breaches and other security incidents can save companies from costly legal fees and reputational damage.

10. Informed Decision-Making

Monitoring on desktop provides valuable data that can inform decision-making. By analyzing trends and patterns in employee behavior, businesses can make strategic decisions to improve operations, enhance productivity, and achieve their goals. Remote PC monitoring software offers detailed analytics and reporting features, enabling to make data-driven decisions.

You Can Also Watch:

Conclusion

Implementing desktop monitoring in your business offers a multitude of benefits, from enhanced productivity and data security to improved compliance and cost savings. By using remote PC monitoring software such as EmpMonitor, TimeDoctor, and Hubstaff, businesses can effectively monitor PC activity, ensuring that employees remain productive and company data is secure. As the business landscape continues evolves, adopting desktop monitoring practices will be essential for staying competitive and achieving long-term success.

[efficiencytracker]

Optimizing Performance And Mitigating Risks: A Guide To Essential Monitoring Activities

Monitoring operations are critical to optimizing performance and managing risks for firms. As organisations traverse the intricacies of the digital age, the necessity for efficient monitoring has grown more urgent than ever. Monitoring is the systematic monitoring and study of different elements of corporate operations, including internet activity and computer usage. 

By leveraging monitoring activities, businesses can gain valuable insights into their processes, identify inefficiencies, detect threats, and ensure compliance with regulations. In this article, we'll delve into the significance of monitoring in today's digital landscape, exploring its role in enhancing performance and reducing risks for businesses.

Monitoring is the process of systematically observing and analyzing various aspects of business operations to gather insights and make informed decisions. It involves tracking key metrics, performance indicators, and activities to assess the health and efficiency of business processes. 

It encompass a wide range of practices, including tracking internet activities such as website traffic and social media engagement, as well as monitoring computer activities such as software usage and file access. By monitoring these aspects, businesses can identify areas for improvement, detect potential threats, and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.

The Significance Of Monitoring Internet Activities

Monitoring internet activities is crucial for businesses to safeguard sensitive information, prevent data breaches, and maintain regulatory compliance. Unmonitored internet usage can pose significant risks, including security breaches, productivity loss, and legal liabilities. 

By monitoring internet activities, businesses can track employee browsing habits, identify potential security threats, and enforce usage policies to mitigate risks. Additionally, monitoring internet activities can help small businesses enhance cybersecurity measures and protect their digital assets from external threats.

The Role Of Monitoring Computer Activities

Monitoring computer activities is essential for ensuring productivity and security within an organization. By tracking software usage, file access, and email communications, businesses can detect unauthorized activities and insider threats in real-time. 

Monitoring computer activities also enables businesses to identify performance bottlenecks, optimize workflows, and improve resource allocation. With the help of monitoring tools and technologies, businesses can gain actionable insights into their IT infrastructure and proactively address potential risks and vulnerabilities.

How Monitoring Activities Help Small Businesses

It offer a wide range of benefits for small businesses, including cost-saving opportunities, streamlined operations, and improved decision-making. By monitoring key metrics and performance indicators, small businesses can identify areas of inefficiency and implement targeted improvements to enhance productivity and profitability. 

Monitoring also plays a crucial role in enhancing customer satisfaction, reducing downtime, and increasing competitiveness in the marketplace. Case studies and testimonials illustrate the positive impact of monitoring-activities on small business performance and growth, highlighting the importance of adopting monitoring practices for long-term success.

Best Practices For Effective Monitoring

Implementing activities monitoring effectively requires adherence to best practices and principles. Businesses should set clear objectives, define relevant metrics, and establish robust employee monitoring solutions processes to ensure accurate data collection and analysis. 

Regular monitoring, analysis of data trends, and timely response to anomalies are essential for maintaining the effectiveness of activities monitoring. Ongoing training and education are also critical to ensure the successful implementation and management of activities monitoring, keeping businesses informed about the latest trends and technologies in the field.

Mitigating Risks Through Proactive Monitoring

Proactive monitoring is key to mitigating risks and preventing potential threats before they escalate into major issues. By continuously monitoring key metrics and performance indicators, businesses can identify potential risks early on and take preventive measures to mitigate them. 

Proactive monitoring relies on predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and predict future risks, enabling businesses to anticipate challenges and adapt their strategies accordingly. 

Examples of proactive monitoring strategies demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing vulnerabilities and minimizing potential losses, highlighting the importance of adopting a proactive approach to risk mitigation. Also Watch: Leading Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity Tool

Epilogue!

In conclusion, activities monitoring play a critical role in optimizing performance and reducing risks for businesses in today's digital landscape. By tracking internet activities and computer usage, businesses can gain valuable insights into their processes, identify inefficiencies, and detect potential threats. 

It is imperative for businesses to prioritize monitoring activities as part of their risk management and performance optimization strategies, leveraging monitoring tools and technologies to enhance productivity and safeguard their digital assets. 

As businesses continue to evolve in the digital era, activities monitoring will remain essential for maintaining competitiveness and ensuring long-term success.

[kashuan]

some more pates and crates :,)

[otherpeoplescreativity]

This report fron my sleep tracker is trying to recommend a healthier pattern for me based upon and my recent struggles to sleep well.

I am not going to alt text all of the contents because they are not relevant.

It says that my "ideal wake time" is between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

It goes on to recommend that I have my daily exercise between 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

It has been a very long time since I exhibited any signs of sleepwalking.

I don't think I can reasonably go along with starting a exercise program 45 minutes before I should be trying to wake up.

This is why I do not want a self-driving car.

[abbiistabbii]

I think every computer user needs to read this because holy fucking shit this is fucking horrible.

So Windows has a new feature incoming called Recall where your computer will first, monitor everything you do with screenshots every couple of seconds and "process that" with an AI.

Hey, errrr, fuck no? This isn't merely because AI is really energy intensive to the point that it causes environmental damage. This is because it's basically surveilling what you are doing on your fucking desktop.

This AI is not going to be on your desktop, like all AI, it's going to be done on another server, "in the cloud" to be precise, so all those data and screenshot? They're going to go off to Microsoft. Microsoft are going to be monitoring what you do on your own computer.

Now of course Microsoft are going to be all "oooh, it's okay, we'll keep your data safe". They won't. Let me just remind you that evidence given over from Facebook has been used to prosecute a mother and daughter for an "illegal abortion", Microsoft will likely do the same.

And before someone goes "durrr, nuthin' to fear, nuthin to hide", let me remind you that you can be doing completely legal and righteous acts and still have the police on your arse. Are you an activist? Don't even need to be a hackivist, you can just be very vocal about something concerning and have the fucking police on your arse. They did this with environmental protesters in the UK. The culture war against transgender people looks likely to be heading in a direction wherein people looking for information on transgender people or help transitioning will be tracked down too. You have plenty to hide from the government, including your opinions and ideas.

Again, look into backing up your shit and switching to Linux Mint or Ubuntu to get away from Microsoft doing this shit.

[raingerr]

kernel_task is back at it again

[thatrandombystander]

OOF

[icttone24]

Discover the top computer monitoring software for parents and businesses! Keep track of online activities and boost productivity. Read more: https://icttone.com/best-computer-monitoring-software/

[prokopetz]

With DND 5e being set up to cause DM burnout, can you give examples of tabletop systems that facilitate easy DMing? I love running a tabletop game but don't have the time to deal with 5e or homebrew anymore.

(With reference to this post here.)

This is an area where you're going to get a lot of bad advice, because there's no such thing as a tabletop RPG that's "easy to GM" in the abstract. Some systems make greater or lesser demands of the GM's time and skill, but the reason that Dungeons & Dragons has a massive GM burnout problem is a bit more subtle than that – indeed, D&D's GM burnout problem is considerably worse than that of many games whose procedures of play place much greater demands on the GM!

It boils down to the fact that games are opinionated. Even a very simple set of rules contains a vast number of baked-in assumptions about how the game ought to be played; in the case of tabletop RPGs, those baked-in assumptions include assumptions about what kinds of stories the game ought to be used to tell. The players of any given group, of course, also have assumptions – some explicit, many unexamined – about how the game's story ought to go. It's rare that these two sets of assumptions will perfectly agree.

Fortunately, perfect agreement isn't necessary, because tabletop RPGs aren't computer games, and it's always possible to tweak the outputs of the rules on the fly to better suit the desired narrative experience. In conventional one-GM-many-players games like D&D, this responsibility for monitoring and adjusting the outputs of the rules so that they're compatible with the narrative space the group wishes to explore falls principally on the GM.

Now, here's where the trouble starts: the larger the disconnect between the story the rules want to produce and the narrative space the group wants to explore, the more work the GM in a conventional one-GM-many-players context needs to do in order to close that gap. If the disconnect is large enough, the GM ends up spending practically all of their time babysitting the outputs of the rules, at the expense of literally every other facet of their responsibilities.

(Conversely, if that gap is large and isn't successfully closed, you can end up with a situation where engaging with the rules and engaging with the narrative become mutually exclusive activities. This is where we get daft ideas like "combat" and "roleplaying" being opposites – which is nonsense, of course, but it's persuasive nonsense if you've never experienced a game where the rules agree with you about what kind of story you should be telling.)

And here's where the problem with Dungeons & Dragons in particular arises. The rules of D&D aren't especially more opinionated than those of your average tabletop RPG; however, the game has developed a culture of play that's allergic to actually acknowledging this. There are several legs to this, including:

a text which makes claims about the game's supported modes of play that are far broader than what the rules in fact support;

a body of received wisdom about GMing best practices which consists mostly of advice on how to close the gap between the rules' assumptions and the players' expectations (but refuses to admit that this is what it's doing);

a player culture which has become increasingly hostile to players learning or knowing the rules, and positions any expectation that players should learn the rules as a form of "gatekeeping"; and

a propensity to treat a very high level of GMing skill as an entry-level expectation.

Taken together, all this produces a situation where, when the rules and the group disagree about how the game's story ought to go, the players don't experience it as a problem with the rules: they experience it as a problem with the GM. A lot of GMs even buy into this perception themselves, which is how you end up with GM advice forums overflowing with people telling novice GMs that they're morally bad people for being unprepared to tackle very advanced GMing challenges right from the jump.

(At this point, one may wonder: why on Earth would a game develop this sort of culture of play in the first place? Who benefits? Well, what we're looking at in practice is a culture of play which treats novice and casual GMs as a disposal resource whose purpose is to maximise the number of people playing Dungeons & Dragons. Follow the money!)

So, after all of that, the short answer is that there isn't a specific magic-bullet solution to avoiding D&D's GM burnout problem – or, at least, not one that operates at the level of the rules, because there's no particular thing that D&D as a system is doing "wrong" that produces this outcome; the problem operates almost entirely at the play culture level.

In practice, two things need to happen:

Placing a greater expectation on the players to learn and understand the game's rules; and

Selecting a system where the gap between the story the rules want to produce and the narrative space the group wants to explore is small.

It's that second one that's the real trick. In order to minimise that gap, we need to know what kind of narrative space your group wants to explore, and that might not be something you have a good answer to if you don't have good lines of communication with your players.

(As an aside, there's a good chance that we're going to see dipsticks cropping up in the notes insisting that their favourite system short-circuits this problem by being perfectly universal and having no baked-in narrative assumptions. These people are lying to you, and lending credence to the idea that there's any such thing as a universal RPG is a big part of how we got into this mess in the first place!)

[teamtrackmaster]

Keystroke Tracker: The Ultimate Guide to Monitoring Employee Activity

Do you ever sit back and wonder what's happening on your company computers when you're not looking? Are employees diligently hammering away at tasks, or are there occasional detours into the world of online shopping or social media? The truth is, you might be surprised. But what if there was a way to gain complete transparency, to see every keystroke and action with crystal clarity?

Enter the world of keystroke tracker. These powerful tools are revolutionizing employee monitoring, giving employers an unprecedented view into their workforce's digital activity. But are keystroke trackers the ultimate answer to boosting productivity and ensuring security, or is there a darker side to consider?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve deep into the world of keystroke tracking, exploring its benefits, drawbacks, and everything in between.

What is a Keystroke Tracker?

A keystroke tracker is a software application that records every keystroke typed on a computer. This data can include:

Letters and numbers typed

Special characters used

Punctuation marks entered

Program commands and shortcuts

The software runs discreetly in the background, capturing this information and storing it for later review.

How Does Keystroke Tracking Software Work?

Keystroke tracking software operates in two primary ways:

Kernel-Level Monitoring: This method involves the software installing itself at a deep system level, granting it access to the raw data stream from the keyboard before it reaches specific applications. It provides a comprehensive record of all keystrokes, including login credentials and messages typed in chat applications.

Application-Level Monitoring: This method tracks keystrokes within specific programs or applications. It offers less intrusive monitoring but might not capture activity outside designated programs.

Here's a breakdown of the typical functionalities of keystroke-tracking software:

Real-time Monitoring: Certain programs allow employers to monitor employee activity in real-time, providing immediate insight into their work habits.

Keyword Filtering: Employers can set up keyword filters to flag specific phrases or activities, allowing them to identify potential security breaches or misuse of company resources.

Activity Logs and Reports: The software generates detailed logs and reports that categorize keystrokes, track application usage, and measure overall productivity.

Benefits of Using Keystroke Tracking Software

Proponents of keystroke tracking software tout several potential benefits for businesses:

Enhanced Productivity: By monitoring application usage and identifying unproductive activities, employers can encourage employees to focus on work-related tasks.

Improved Data Security: Keystroke trackers can detect suspicious activity, such as unauthorized login attempts or sensitive data being copied, helping to prevent data breaches.

Compliance Monitoring: In industries with strict regulatory requirements, keystroke tracking can ensure employees adhere to data security protocols and record-keeping regulations.

Training and Development: Analysis of keystroke data can reveal areas where employees might require additional training or support, allowing employers to bridge skill gaps and enhance overall efficiency.

Legal Considerations of Keystroke Monitoring

The legality of keystroke tracking software varies depending on geographical location and specific company policies. Here are some key factors to consider:

Employee Consent: In most jurisdictions, employers are required to obtain explicit employee consent before implementing keystroke monitoring. This consent should be clearly outlined in a written policy detailing the monitoring scope and purpose.

Data Privacy Laws: Regions with stringent data privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, impose limitations on how employee data can be collected, stored, and used. Employers must ensure compliance with relevant data privacy regulations.

Transparency and Trust: Open communication with employees regarding the use of keystroke monitoring software is crucial for building trust and fostering a positive work environment.

Alternatives to Keystroke Tracking Software:

While keystroke trackers offer a comprehensive approach to employee monitoring, some businesses might prefer alternative methods:

Website Blocking and Time Tracking Software: These programs restrict access to non-work-related websites and track time spent on different applications, promoting focused work.

Employee Productivity Monitoring Tools: These software solutions analyze document creation, email activity, and meeting participation to gauge employee productivity without resorting to keystroke monitoring.

Performance Reviews and Open Communication: Regular performance reviews and open communication channels can foster a culture of accountability and productivity without infringing on employee privacy.

You Can Also Watch: 

Conclusion

keystroke tracker presents a powerful tool for employers seeking to monitor employee activity and optimize workflow. However, it's crucial to weigh the potential benefits against legal considerations and employee privacy concerns. Businesses should explore alternative solutions and prioritize clear communication with employees before implementing keystroke monitoring practices.

By carefully considering these factors, businesses can leverage technology to enhance employee productivity and achieve their organizational goals while maintaining a culture of trust and transparency.

[efficiencytracker]

Safeguarding Your Valuable Assets: Exploring Laptop Tracking Software

In an increasingly technological world, laptops are becoming necessary tools for business, school, and personal use. But because of their portability, they are also more susceptible to theft or loss. This can lead to security problems if private information ends up in the wrong hands, in addition to the loss of important data and productivity.

Fortunately, laptop tracking software offers a valuable solution for mitigating these concerns. These programs are designed to help individuals and organizations locate lost or stolen devices, potentially increasing the chances of recovery and protecting sensitive information.

While the specific features and functionalities of different software options may vary, they typically leverage various methods to track a missing laptop. This can include:

GPS Tracking: Utilizing built-in GPS hardware or internet-based location services to pinpoint the device's physical location.

IP Address Tracking: Identifying the IP address the laptop is connected to, potentially providing clues about its whereabouts.

Remote Data Wiping: Enabling the remote deletion of data stored on the laptop, safeguarding sensitive information in case of theft.

It's important to note that the effectiveness of laptop tracking solutions depends on various factors, including the specific software capabilities, internet connectivity, and pre-configuration settings. Additionally, legal considerations regarding data privacy and user consent are crucial aspects to be aware of when implementing such solutions.

Exploring laptop tracking solutions can be a wise decision for individuals and organizations seeking to enhance the security of their devices and mitigate the risks associated with loss or theft. By understanding the available options and their functionalities, users can make informed choices to protect their valuable assets and safeguard sensitive information.

Tracking Software For Laptop

Laptop tracking solutions offers a comprehensive solution for locating and recovering lost or stolen devices. By utilizing GPS, Wi-Fi, or IP address tracking, these software solutions enable users to pinpoint the exact location of their laptops in real-time, facilitating prompt recovery and minimizing potential losses.

Why Are Employee Tracking Apps Valuable For Your Business?

Enhanced Security: Employee tracking apps provide an additional layer of security by monitoring the whereabouts of company-issued laptops. In the event of loss or theft, administrators can swiftly track and recover the devices, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Productivity Optimization: By tracking employee activity and usage patterns, businesses can identify inefficiencies and streamline workflows. Insights gained from tracking software enable employers to optimize resource allocation, identify training needs, and enhance overall productivity.

Compliance And Regulatory Requirements: Employee tracking apps help businesses comply with regulatory requirements and industry standards by ensuring adherence to data protection laws and privacy regulations. By maintaining comprehensive logs of employee activity, businesses can demonstrate compliance in the event of an audit or investigation.

Remote Work Monitoring: With the rise of remote work, employee tracking tools play a crucial role in monitoring off-site employee activity. By providing visibility into remote work environments, businesses can ensure accountability, maintain security standards, and mitigate the risks associated with remote access to company resources.

Risk Mitigation: Employee tracking apps serve as a proactive measure for risk mitigation by identifying and addressing potential security threats or insider risks. By monitoring for suspicious activity or unauthorized access, businesses can take timely action to mitigate risks and safeguard sensitive data.

Track Computer Activity

Tracking computer activity involves monitoring the usage patterns, applications accessed, and online behavior of users on a particular device. This allows administrators to identify potential security threats, unauthorized access, or compliance breaches, enabling proactive intervention to mitigate risks and maintain data integrity.

System Monitoring Tools

System monitoring tools, employee monitoring software, and employee tracking software are essential components of a comprehensive security and productivity strategy for businesses. While system monitoring tools focus on monitoring the performance and health of IT systems, employee monitoring software tracks employee activity and productivity levels. 

Employee tracking software, on the other hand, specifically focuses on tracking the whereabouts and usage of company-issued devices, such as laptops, to ensure security and compliance with regulatory requirements. Also Watch: Leading Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity Tool

To Sum Up!

In conclusion, laptop tracking software emerges as a vital tool for businesses seeking to safeguard their valuable assets and maintain operational efficiency in an increasingly digital world. By investing in robust tracking solutions, businesses can mitigate the risks of loss, theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive data. 

Moreover, employee tracking apps offer added benefits such as productivity optimization, compliance assurance, and risk mitigation, making them indispensable tools for modern businesses. Embrace the power of Laptop Tracking solutions to protect your valuable assets and enhance the security of your organization.

[totally-here]

3 times Phantom's Guardian was Mentioned + 1 Time He Showed Up

One

Phantom’s introduction to Young Justice wasn’t as dramatic as Empress’ or Slobo’s, or even Arrowette’s first introduction to the cave. No, it wasn’t during the Olympics, or on a battlefield, and he didn’t come in injured and looking for help. 

Impulse just brought Phantom in one day and insisted that he should join because he’s their age, interested in justice, and now that Greta’s human again they need another ghost member. So Phantom stayed, popping in and out for missions but never really sticking around all that long. 

Today is one of the days that Phantom’s with them on a mission, that being looking around a lab of the Brain’s that had an energy surge recently, despite it being presumably abandoned. 

Kon got paired up with Phantom to check the rest out first, since they both have better hearing than Anita and Tim, who were both still in the main room working on checking the computers for previous activity. 

The room is dark except for the light green ball glowing slightly above Phantom’s hand. He waves it around enough for it to reflect off of glass, then throws it up to the ceiling. The light expands enough to illuminate the room. 

Phantom mumbles about not knowing he could do that. Kon ignores him and moves closer to inspect the glass tubes to the side of several monitors set up. 

“Looks like cloning equipment,” Phantom says, casually. He drags a finger through the dust gathering on one of the monitors. “Don’t think they’ve been activated recently, though, so that’s good.”

“What? You got a problem with clones or something?” It’s a quick and defensive answer, and Phantom puts his hands up in surrender. 

“Not in concept.” He shrugs and joins Kon near the tubes. “But not a lot of people ask before making clones.”

“So I don’t need to sic Superman on you?” Obviously Kon could chew Phantom out himself, but few can do a “not mad, just disappointed” face better than Clark. 

Phantom scrunches his face. “Why would you need to?” 

Kon stops pretending to inspect the tube and stares at Phantom. “You do know I’m a clone, right?” The blank look on Phantom’s face tells him that no, he did not. “Well I am. Clone of Superman, though we’re pretty much brothers now.”

“Cool,” Phantom says, not a bit less friendly. He hesitates for a second before continuing, “Could I maybe ask you how you got there? Me and my clone have landed on cousins, but that was also, like, given to us by her evil dad. So.”

Phantom trails off. Huh, that makes three members of the team that have been cloned. Not a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened three times. 

“You’re making sure she feels accepted, right?” 

“Yeah! Well, whenever she’s around. She,” Phantom waves his hand around, looking for the right word, “She’s a wanderer. Exploring the world and stuff. But Richard has a room for her at home, and I remind her of that whenever she does stop by.” 

“Well, first of all, don’t push it so hard,” Kon says. Phantom nods enthusiastically. “And second, who’s Richard?”

Kon doesn’t know a lot of Richards, and he doesn’t think that Phantom ever mentioned one before. Or even if he remembers his living life. 

“Oh, he’s my, uh, guardian? I guess that’s the best term. The guy I’m living with who forces me to go to school sometimes.” Phantom looks away and back to the tubes. 

Before Kon can ask for more details, Robin and Empress come in with a report of dead computers and wanting to know where they’re at with the cloning room.

They’re unimpressed with their lack of progress.

Two

Wally doesn’t really need to come by the Hamilton Lodge that often, not when that’s Young Justice’s territory and he doesn’t want to get involved in all of That.

But Red Tornado said that the team has a file on a planet that’s very quickly becoming a league problem, and he figured it might be a good time to try to check in with Bart, anyway. Make sure he hasn’t run any cars off cliffs again and all that. 

So he stops by Manchester to ask Bart about the file, then they both head East to actually find it. 

When they arrive at the hotel minutes later, Wally’s surprised to actually find it… clean? There’s no visible trash or overturned furniture or anything else he’d expect from an abandoned hotel filled with teenagers. Well, maybe not filled, lately. He doesn’t think anyone’s living here currently, with Greta at Elias’ for the school year and Slobo gone. 

Still, the room smells slightly of artificial pine scent, and Bart perks up before disappearing and reappearing rapidly, holding a teammate up by his armpits. Said teammate just accepts this, his legs folding into a wispy tail, and head rolling against his shoulders. 

“This is Phantom!” Bart holds him up higher. Phantom waves. Wally’s only heard of him through Max’s updates, the same way he would hear about Preston or Carol, but with more wariness about the supposed ghost. 

Actually looking at the pale face and glowing green eyes contrasting against the darker than dark jumpsuit, Wally’s a little more ready to accept his claim at being undead. 

“He stress cleans,” Bart explains, moving to carry Phantom under his arm. Wally bites down the urge to tell him to put him down, but only because Phantom doesn’t resist the hold, only moving to get into a more comfortable position. His hands are touching the floor. “So what happened?” 

Bart directs the question downwards, and Phantom heaves a very dramatic sigh. Definitely a teenager. It does raise the question of who exactly this kid’s mentor is. Hopefully he does have one. Maybe he’s the Spectre’s kid?

Phantom phases through the arm holding him only to lay on top of Bart’s hair. “I accidentally called Richard dad. And then fled.” 

Bart nods sagely. “Classic. One time I accidentally called Max dad, so I had to start a fire to distract him.”

Phantom sighs again, almost dreamily. “Genius.” 

Wally doesn’t have time to unpack all of that. Well he does, but he’s not going to, because there’s really only one Richard that comes to mind that might have the heart to take in a dead kid, even if he doesn’t go by his full name.

But surely Dick would have told him, or any other Titan, if he had adopted a kid. Right?

But there’s still a little shadow of doubt. Maybe Dick wanted it to be a secret, or it was really new or had a rocky start. Phantom doesn’t seem to hold himself like a Bat, but it’s not a guarantee Dick would have trained him. 

“The lodge looks nice,” Wally offers out loud, which Phantom shrugs at and wraps his tail around Bart’s head to keep secure. “Anyway, Impulse. The file on Myrg?” 

“Oh yeah!” Again, Bart disappears then reappears a few seconds later with a paper file. They really need to start digitizing more of these things. “That’s the planet where we played baseball so that they wouldn’t destroy Earth!” 

“You what.” 

The prospect of Dick following in his dad’s footsteps is forgotten in the face of what the hell Young Justice got up to on Myrg. 

Three

Tim may be in a…Predicament. 

It’s not his fault. Really. He knew what he was doing. He couldn’t let a civilian fall for the trap. But they were already so close, so he just, kinda, pushed himself into the rope instead. 

So there Robin is, tied upside down in a warehouse, with the Joker below next to an overly complicated control panel. The clown’s rambling about bombs hidden all over the city that Tim knows Batman is already tracking down with Batgirl. 

Tim’s not really paying attention to the rant because of that, more focused on wiggling enough to get the spare mini-birdarang out of his glove to cut the rope without notifying the Joker. 

“Yikes, bad time?” Asks Phantom’s voice beside him. Based on the source and accounting for the slight echo, he’s floating with his head near Tim’s, likely upside down. “Want some help?” 

Tim gets the birdarang out and starts sawing at the thick rope. They should be fine anyway, but stalling the Joker for extra time would be helpful. “Can you possess the Joker? Just hold him still.”

“The correct term is overshadow, but sure.” The voice disappears, and a few seconds later the Joker freezes. 

His body jerks forward, then backward, and a laugh chokes out of his throat. His hand claws over his mouth at the noise and he hunches over. All movement halts before he rights himself, shaking out his hands and rolling his shoulders. Phantom looks up at Tim and his eyes are glowing. 

Tim cuts through the rope, kicking and using the momentum to right himself and land on his feet. He brushes past Phantom in Joker’s body to handle the control panel. He turns off the radio broadcast and dismantles the bomb strapped to the panel.

Threat handled, he turns to Phantom and holds up some handcuffs. “Let me arrest you?”

Phantom obliges, turning the Joker’s body around and putting his hands behind his back. Tim lets him walk by himself out of the warehouse and moves the handcuffs around a lamppost. The Joker’s body jerks again, then slumps forward, just as Phantom reappears next to him, scowling down at the unconscious body. 

“That felt really slimy. Zero out of ten, would not do again,” Phantom grouches. 

“Why’re you in Gotham?” Tim asks. It’s not like Phantom makes a habit of visiting. The last time he came into the city, he complained about feeling the dead under the streets. Fortunately, that let Tim uncover a few tunnels that Talons travel through. Phantom, however, was unnerved by the Talons and left quickly. 

“Oh, Solomon Grundy’s back in our sewers. Richard said I should probably tell one of you Gotham heroes, since you keep track of those guys.” He shakes out his hands like they were cramped in the Joker. 

They hadn’t seen Grundy in a while. Tim assumed he was currently in a less violent personality. “What’s he doing?” 

Phantom shrugs. “Just chilling. Mostly underground. I tried to talk to him but he only grunted back at me. He also tried to pick me up, dunno what that was about.”

“Maybe because you’re both dead?” Tim guessed. That would be a surface level connection. Ivy and Woodrue have had more luck working with Grundy than anyone, and Phantom definitely doesn’t have the connection to the Green that’d help with that. 

Police lights turn around the corner, and Tim shoots a grapple to get to the roof above them. Phantom follows, but disappears as soon as they’re on the roof. Going back home, probably. 

Cass drops down from the roof she was listening on. “Richard?”

“Not the same one.”

They both stick around long enough to watch the Joker get put into the cop car. 

Plus one

A spaceship landed in the forests of New York, and Cassie’s team was the first to respond to it. Technically not respond, but check it out, since there wasn’t any alert or anything. 

Still, Wonder Girl has Empress, Robin, and Superboy on the other side of the ship, watching what looks like the back door, while she, Impulse, and Phantom watch the other door and main window. She has binoculars, but the windows are so tinted she can’t quite make anything out. 

No aliens have come out yet, and she hesitates to have anyone go in, in case whoever inside does turn hostile. 

Impulse has offered to run through a total of five times already, and it’s a testament to his restraint that he hasn’t, and a testament to Cassie’s that she hasn’t yelled at him yet. Phantom at least isn’t being annoying, but he’s not necessarily helpful, either. He’s not even watching the spaceship anymore. Now he’s trying to make a flower crown out of dandelions. 

“Door’s opening on our side,” Robin says from the comms. “But no one’s coming out.” 

“Alright, good enough to try to get in,” Cassie decides. She turns to Phantom, who’s closing off the circle of flowers. Beside him, Impulse has since pulled out a gameboy. “Phantom, go in invisibly through the open door and report back. Try to see what their plans are.” 

“Oh, sure. One second.” Phantom finishes the crown and tries to put it on Bart’s head. It doesn’t quite fit over his mane of hair, but Phantom shrugs and leaves it sitting there anyway before going invisible. 

“Maybe I should shave my head again,” Bart says as his game character dies. 

He gets a resounding no in response. 

Half an hour later they have a very annoyed Green Lantern lecturing them about league jurisdiction and knowing when to call someone else. 

Apparently, the alien ship was just stopping to complete some maintenance, and did not appreciate any spying on them, and especially did not appreciate who did it. Green Lantern was more than happy to explain that Wonder Girl’s team is not really a part of the Justice League and he can help with their maintenance. They denied his help and left to find a place with less people in it. 

“-and you!” Green Lantern rounds on Phantom next, but Cassie knows none of them are really listening. Sure, they messed up by freaking out the visiting aliens, and yeah maybe they should have contacted the league about it, but they’ve dealt with stuff worse than this! It’s not Cassie’s fault she thought that this would have stuck to the formula. 

“Who even are you?” Green Lantern runs a hand through his black hair, stupid green gauntlets shining in the sunlight. “Do I need to call your mentor?” He frowns. “Or do they know you mess up alien technology by just being around it?” 

Phantom scoffs and rolls his eyes. “How was I supposed to know their tech would go all fuzzy when I came in?” 

“You wouldn’t have to know if you just stayed out of the spaceship!” 

“Hey!” Cassie cuts in. “Technically that was my call. It’s not all on Phantom.”

“I still could've been more careful,” Phantom says to her, ignoring Green Lantern as they argue about blame. 

“Cut it out for a second, okay?” Green Lantern puts a hand between them and they stop to glare at him. He pulls the hand back. “Look, can I just talk to one of your adults about this?” 

Robin glares. “We don’t need an adult. We have this under control.”

“Only because I’m here now.” 

“I’ll call my mentor,” Phantom says. Kon opens his mouth, most likely to offer to call Superman instead in hopes of a lighter sentence, but Bart covers his mouth, smiling like he knows something Cassie doesn’t. Tim and Anita share a look, and don’t intervene as Phantom pulls out a phone from his chest. 

It rings once before it’s picked up. Cassie can’t hear the other side of the conversation, but Kon’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion. “Hey, do you think you can pick me up? Green Lantern wants to talk to you.” Phantom looks Green Lantern up and down then says, “No, this one doesn’t have a cape.”

Phantom says goodbye after rattling off their coordinates, hangs up, and stares at Green Lantern in silence for a few seconds. 

And then a swirling mass of black seeps into the space next to Phantom. The end of a cane steps out of it, followed by a leg, then the rest of the immaculately dressed man holding the handle of the cane that’s shaped like a bird’s head. 

“Phantom,” The man says. His voice drips with condescension in only a way a british accent can, yet Phantom smiles up at him. The shadowy portal behind him disappears. “What, exactly, happened?”

“That’s the fucking Shade,” Anita hisses to Robin, who shrugs noncommittedly at her. Green Lantern seems to recognise him too, taking a step back and clenching his hand that holds his ring. 

“Well, the team and I were staking out this spaceship–super cool, by the way–and I went inside to check it out, but my presence messed with their tech–which was an accident–and they freaked out, so I freaked out, and then we kinda got into a little fight until Green Lantern came to mediate.”

“Hm. Is that right?” The Shade asks Green Lantern, who nods slowly, still anticipating an attack. “It seems like the problem’s fixed, then.”

“Well, yes, but–”

“And it does seem about time for these kids to get home, doesn't it?” The Shade pulls out an actual pocket watch, chain and all, from his suit pocket and takes his time in checking it. “I’ll see them home.” 

Shadows grow from behind the team, swirling until they become a giant, gaping maw that swallows them up and spits them out in a different forest, or maybe just a different part of the same forest. 

Either way, Cassie has to take a moment to make sure she doesn’t throw up from the sudden vertigo the shadow portal caused. 

The Shade looks at Phantom, and raises an eyebrow. “You can’t expect me to always bail you out.” 

Phantom shrugs, looking guilty. “I know. Thanks, Richard.”

Oh, so that’s who Richard is. Annoyingly, neither Tim or Bart look surprised by this revelation.

[niwaart]

Family without light

[#Part1 #part2 #Part3]

Jason's bike stopped in front of Damian's school, the school was almost empty at this time. Damian walked over to where Jason stopped and got on the bike after putting on his helmet. Jason noticed that Damian was depressed these months, he would be a fool if he did not notice the change in Damian, first his fights with Tim had stopped, his taking care of his animals had decreased, and his enthusiasm for fighting crime had disappeared. He knew why, it was all because of Y/N's departure, and he had to admit that her decision to divorce Bruce was a good choice... almost.

He rode his bike back to Wayne Manor in silence, Jason didn't make fun of Damian for this, he himself was suffering now after Y/N's departure and even before her departure... Before his death, his relationship with Y/N ​​was beautiful, wonderful, like a real family, he couldn't have asked for more, but after his death... everything changed, he still remembered that night when he returned to Gotham and sought revenge on Bruce and the Joker, when Batman was chasing him through the city's procedures and the identity of the Red Hood was still unknown Y/N was the first to discover his true identity, she was monitoring his movements through the bat computer while Batman was chasing him, and when she saw Red Hood's movements... and how familiar he was in every way she didn't hesitate for a moment to take the nearest car in front of her and drive to Batman and Red Hood's location. Alfred tried to stop her but couldn't, as soon as Y/N reached their location she ran to them. Batman tried to stop Y/N and push her away but Y/N shouted at Batman that Red Hood is her son… her son… Jason remembers that he froze in place when he saw Y/N and when he heard the word… my son… his mind was confused, he didn’t know what to do and from the sudden tension and pressure he raised his gun towards her and shot her… he doesn’t remember what happened after that… he doesn’t remember anything… he only remembers that Y/N gave him a look that he will never forget as long as he lives… a look full of pain and sadness… and disappointment… and from the strength of his fear and tension he fired another shot and then everything else turned into a blur… he ran as fast as he could away from the place… away from her…

Since that day his relationship with Y/N ​​changed, even after his relationship with Bruce improved, he didn't visit her or meet her... afraid of her reaction, afraid of seeing her hatred towards him in her eyes... Still... he was still trying to follow her... even if it was by chance... he wanted to improve his relationship with her.. like before... to be a mother and son again... he admits that he missed hugging her before going to sleep, and morning activities like yoga and chasing around the house... if he could go back.. he wants to stay in those moments that he cherished with all his heart... but he can't... he tried once to enter the house at a random time... just to meet Y/N even if it was by chance... but by mistake.. he overheard Y/N and Alfred arguing about him... which broke his heart and he surrendered that she would never forgive him.. Alfred told her to see Jason more, Jason became quieter and came to the house more often... Y/N's answer had ruined all his plans for reconciliation... Y/N said that this boy is not Jason... Not her son… Her son is dead and he’s not coming back. Jason remembers running as fast as he could out of the house, riding his bike as fast as he could, and hiding in one of his safe houses. He couldn’t stop the tears… He couldn’t hide his regret… Hide his feelings… Hide his frustration… He was sorry… He was sorry… He was ready to pay back… He was ready for Y/N to shoot him if she wanted… She could kill him if she wanted… He was ready to surrender… He just wanted her to forgive him… To be her son again… He wanted to tell her about his fears and nightmares that haunt him at night… He wanted to tell her about the pain he felt without her, he wanted to hold her before he fell asleep… Like a little child… Couldn’t he have that? Couldn’t he be her son again? What should he do? He was ready to do what she asked for until the end… He really missed her so much…

Jason stopped his bike in front of Wayne Manor. "Okay brat... We're here." Jason turned to Damian who took off his helmet and walked silently into the manor... Jason sighed sadly. He was sure Damian felt the same way... That he missed her... Jason wondered if Y/N still had any love for him... He didn't know.

As soon as Damian entered his room, he threw his bag and lay down on his bed... Why did she hate him? Was it because he was cruel? Or because he was so emotional? Or because he was cursing and belittling her? Or because he broke her hand because she tried to brush his hair? Or because he was comparing her to his mother Talia in front of everyone... ? Does she hate him now because of this? He's sorry... He's so sorry... He's ready to apologize... He's so sorry for all the stupid fights... He's sorry for every word he said... He's sorry for trying to be cruel... He's so sorry for all the threatening texts he sent... Maybe... Maybe if he apologized in front of her, she'd forgive him.... Right?

His tears were wetting his bed… His fist gripping the blanket tightly like a lifeline…He cried and screamed sadly into his pillow. She came today to school but not for him!! Not for him… But for two children he hadn’t noticed throughout his time studying here… Who are they to have Y/N’s love? Who are they to take Y/N away from him?!! Who are they to even dare to hug Y/N?!!… He wiped his tears and went to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water… He wouldn’t let two weak children have all of Y/N’s love. He walked out of his room and headed to Tim’s room… He didn’t care if he was going to beg… He wanted to know who these two children were…

Y/N’s love for him. Only him. And he wasn’t ready to share it with anyone.

@itsmadamehydra @sirenetheblogger @insomniaccorner @nommingonfood @supernaturalmarvelfan @moe-moes-stuff @stickyricewithmangosauce @emeraldcutie44 @randomlyappearingartist @type-ink

[witherby]

HI HI. SAME ANON :33anon here!!!

omg???? jfc christ? that was so good im shaking my cup for more 😭 i think the fact my ask is being used as a power shower is silly... i love it keep up the good work!

(side note ive done metamorphosis may i be 🎆anon.... i will be yapping at you on a later date o7)

Welcome to the club 🎆 I am smooching ur cheek

Hahaha...wouldn't it be so silly....if I used your ask again.....to post the second part hahahaha.....isn't that the silliest idea hahahaha.........

The Littlest Wayne: Uncertain Home

(Part 2 of 2)

Masterlist is Here!

"Let me make sure I've got this straight."

Everyone stiffens in their seats. When Batman says things like that, it means he is very, very close to yelling. Batman never yells unless his patience has reached its limit, his emotional threshold has bubbled over, or he hasn't slept in over six consecutive days. Given his usual activities, it could very well be a combination of the three, and the current situation is not helping.

"You —" he points a gauntleted finger at Manhunter, "— realized my child was showing signs of developing their powers six weeks ago, and told no one."

He turns to Superman and Diana next, talking through clenched teeth.

"And then you two, today, realized the same thing, indirectly told them they would no longer have a place in my home, and then they vanished under your cape."

He places his hands on the meeting table. Inhales. Exhales.

"No one attempted to reach out and express their concerns to me, the father, in either incident."

He slams his fists on the table. The wood splinters under the impact. Everyone flinches with it.

"AND NOW MY CHILD IS MISSING! DID I FORGET ANYTHING? DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OUT!?"

The silence afterwards is deafening. Bruce yanks his cowl off and slams it to the floor, running his hands through his hair.

"The Watchtower is under lockdown until further notice. We do not leave until either I find my kid, or I figure out how to track them down."

"Batman," the Flash chimes in, "I feel for you. This is a bad situation, but we can't all stay here; I have to —"

Bruce rounds the table and crowds Barry into his seat with near-inhuman speed. His eyes are wide and wild and his teeth are bared.

"We do not leave until I find them."

The lights briefly turn red and an automated voice comes over the intercom, alerting them that lockdown protocols have initiated. The heroes watch as blast shields cover the windows and the Zeta tubes deactivate, effectively blocking their only ways out.

Green Lantern re-enters the room from the observation deck with a determined expression.

"Checked the monitors and surrounding galaxy. Skies are clear, and earth-side we should be fine for at least a couple hours, so I went ahead and triggered the protocol."

"Hal!" Barry protests. "C'mon, I'm gonna be late to work again! It's not as easy for some of us to maintain our civilian covers, you know!"

"Well, then it sounds like we gotta find our missing Mouse fast."

Bruce presses a button on his gauntlet and pulls a small ball out of it, rolling it to the center of the table. A hologram screen pops up and shows a picture of you sitting in Tim's lap and enthusiastically looking at something on his computer with him. To the right of the image, a wall of text begins to appear, detailing observations made about your growth, health, and development of your powers.

"You already knew," Diana mutters, like the words have been punched out of her. Clark holds his head in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell us then, huh?" Oliver frowns. "Didn't think we could benefit from that information?"

"My child, my discretion," Bruce hisses. That shuts Ollie right back up. "This is everything I've been able to passively observe about their ability. They can latch onto any shadows in their immediate vicinity, up to a range of approximately one hundred feet, and until now has only used them for pathfinding, like solving puzzles or looking for small objects. What just happened today with Superman's cape is the first discovered instance of them being able to traverse into darkness itself."

"That's why the Watchtower is locked down," J'onn realizes. "If they can only travel so far with the shadows, chances are high that they're still in here."

"Yes."

"How do we pull them out if we find them?" Arthur speaks up, arms crossed. "Last I checked, no one else has shadow powers."

"Do what you can without risking injury to them or yourselves. If you can talk them out, that will be the ideal tactic. Any more questions?" Bruce waits a few seconds for anyone to speak up, then dismisses the holo-screen and rises to his full height. "Then everyone fan out, cast some shadows, and get to work."

--

Arthur is having no luck. He checks the furniture that was already casting shadows, like tables and beds and appliances, to no avail. Calling to you and feeling around those dark spaces isn't gonna get him anywhere.

Clark and Diana had picked up his cape and hunkered down under the fabric, gingerly asking you to please come out, Uncle Clark and Auntie Di are very sorry they implied what they did, they never meant to scare you, please please please come back.

Barry is zipping around the whole tower, checking high spaces and low, calling for you with a mixture of urgency and concern.

Ollie uses his body to cast a shadow under the fluorescent lighting and Dinah crouches in the space of it, patting the ground gently and urging you to appear. She insists everyone is worried and looking for you because they want you to be safe.

Bruce is frantic. He's visually very composed, but Hal can see the tremble in his hands as he slowly and methodically checks every single shadow he can find or create for signs of you.

"Bruce," Hal mutters, watching him check his cape for the fifteenth time in just as many minutes. "Bruce, sit down and breathe for a bit."

"Don't mention breathing," Bruce snaps. "This is unprecedented. I'm working with zero useful information and three of my teammates contributed to this situation in the first place. Can they just exist in darkness forever, or is there a limit before they get spit back out? Can they even get back out? Is there oxygen wherever they are? Are they safe or in any kind of distress? If you don't have answers to these questions or haven't found them yet, I don't want you talking to me."

He turns to check his cape again and almost runs right into J'onn.

"There was a shadow moving in the training room," he noted. "When I approached to investigate, it melted away. I found it important to tell you that Flittermouse seems to be active and uninjured judging by the ease in which that shadow moved."

The Manhunter leaves them again, phasing through the walls to continue searching for you. Bruce pulls his gloves off and rubs his face, sighing.

"Hal."

"I forgive you," comes the immediate reply. Hal places a hand on Bruce's back and offers him a thin smile. "You're a dad who's scared for your four-year-old kid. I think you're entitled to a little bit of bitchiness."

Bruce hums.

"Just a little bit, though. Like fifteen percent more bitch than your baseline. Which is to say, if you talk to me like that again I'm going to make a giant cartoon hammer and beat you to death with it."

Both men hear you giggle. Their heads whip around in the direction of the sound, and find a small, child-shaped shadow moulded into the corner. It's a strange thing, to look at a shadow with no source. It would be frightening if it wasn't you.

"Mouse?" Bruce immediately calls, stepping towards you. The giggling stops and the shadow shrinks. He crouches down, palms extended. "No no no! Don't go, don't go anywhere, please. Can I talk to you?"

You don't respond. Bruce isn't entirely sure if you can, in your current form. You haven't run away yet, however, so he inches just a bit closer.

"I'm...there's...." He stops and starts, searching for the best words to use. "Mouse, there was a misunderstanding. No one is making you leave. I'm not going to give you up or send you away, I promise."

"...m e t a h u m a n..." you mutter. Both Bruce and Hal shiver. It sounds like darkness itself whispering directly into their ears, faint and echoing and all-encompassing.

"Yes, that's what people with skills like yours are called," he confirms.

Your shadow doesn't move for a while. Bruce shuffles closer, palms extended, and is about to ask you to come out, but then your entire form wobbles and starts shrinking even more.

"...n o m e t a s i n G o t h a m..." you say, and the sadness in your voice is so potent Hal has to brace himself against the wall.

"No!" Bruce says, pressing his palm against the wall just a second too late. You dissolve and disappear. "That's not — ffffffuck."

He presses his forehead to the wall and closes his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths to avoid screaming. It takes a while.

"They're not going to talk to me," he eventually says. "They're scared of me, of that damned rule I —"

He cuts himself off and rubs a hand down his face.

"You have to do it."

"Me? Specifically?" Hal asks.

"You're their favorite uncle." Bruce pushes himself off the floor and rests his hand on Hal's forearm. "They adore you. They ask when you're going to visit Gotham again all the time. If anybody's gonna get them to understand that they're not in any trouble or danger of losing their family because of something I did, it's gonna be you."

"Whoa. No pressure," Hal says. He knows it's true though — you absolutely adore Hal, and the feeling is mutual. You feel almost like his own kid. He's just as scared as Bruce is about your current situation. "Okay...alright, I got this. Listen, tell the others that Mouse probably isn't gonna come out for 'em. Go hang out in the meeting room and gimme an hour alone. I'll bring them back."

Bruce nods, but he seems hesitant to leave the part of the hall where they spotted your shadow. Hal gives him a small nudge and he eventually turns away, his boots clocking softly against the floor.

Hal inhales slowly, holds it, then exhales for a count of ten.

He's got this.

--

He does not have this. Hal walked into an empty corridor and flicked all the lights off, choosing to sit in the darkness and try calling out to you for almost thirty minutes. There's been no luck.

He sighs and uses his ring to construct a small bear, illuminating the immediate space around him in green, and makes it walk around.

"Y'know you used to love playing with my constructs," he murmurs. "We had this game I made up, where you would chase after whatever toy I made as fast as you could and try to catch it. I let you win a lot."

He makes a construct of you as a much smaller infant, not yet able to walk, crawling eagerly after the bear.

"You'd grab the little toy and hug it tight, and then come show me you got it. And I'd scoop you up and give you a cookie before we did it all again. We had to really tone down the cookie part because you got sick one time. Bruce made me sleep on the floor for a week. Not even one of the million couches in the manor. The floor. It was the worst."

He hears the surrounding darkness around him giggle. Hal leans against the wall and heaves a large, relieved sigh.

"Hey, kid," he says softly. "S'good to hear you."

You don't respond. He tries not to feel discouraged, instead seizing the opportunity presented.

"I'm not gonna ask you to come out, but if you don't mind...I'm kinda lonely. D'you think we could play that game again?"

Hal vanishes the constructs and makes a new one — a small, stuffed bat toy. He makes it flap its little wings and flop in circles.

"Think you can catch it? This one's a bit feisty."

Nothing happens for a few seconds. Hal feels himself growing nervous, and he's about to abandon the idea and suggest something else, but then the bat just vanishes. The construct is sucked up into the shadows, like darkness itself came up and hugged it into the void. A knot in his chest comes undone.

"That," he says, "was awesome. Okay, here's another one. Even feistier than the last."

This goes on for a while. Hal makes something for you to chase, you emerge from the dark just long enough to pull it in with you, and the process is rinse and repeat. Eventually, though, you come out of the shadows more and more, staying out of it longer and longer to chase around the conjured toys, until you're just tossing them into the shadows with gleeful little cheers.

"Got it!" You cry, jumping up to reach another one, this time shaped like an owl. You're panting from exertion and grinning widely at Hal, just standing and hugging it to your chest. "I win?"

"You win again," Hal agrees, expression painfully fond. He adores you wholeheartedly. "C'mere and get a victory hug, kid. Don't have any cookies on me, but we'll do a raincheck on that."

You go to him easily, practically collapsing in his lap, and rest your head against his chest while you idly pet the glowing owl toy. The area is bathed in dim green, enough to see each other without strain but still casting more than enough shadows for you to hide in again if you wanted.

"Fantastic job," Hal murmurs, kissing the top of your head. You nuzzle into his chest even more, hiding your face. "We definitely have to do that again some time. Don't you think?"

You start to nod, but the motion is jerky. You hesitate, then shrug, hugging the toy tighter.

"Oh, Mousey," he says, running his fingers through your hair. "You didn't think your powers would make Uncle Hal stop wanting to play with you, did ya?"

You slowly nod again, curling in on yourself.

"Well, that's just plain wrong. I love you, honey. Everybody loves you, y'know? You're smart, and adorable, and soooo much fun to be around," Hal insists, giving you a quick squeeze. Your mouth twitches like you're trying not to smile. "And it's gonna be way more fun now that you have cool shadow powers! Hide and seek might get a little challenging, but we'll make it work."

"...and Daddy?" You mutter. "Will he...want to play, too?"

"I know Daddy would love to play any game you wanted," Hal swore. "Daddy loves you more than anything in the whole wide world. And you know what else?"

"What?" You ask, lifting your head. You look at him with wide eyes and furrowed brows, hanging onto his every word.

"Sometimes Daddy makes mistakes. Like creating dumb rules he shoulda broke years ago."

You look away, snuggling further into Hal.

"What if...Daddy don't wanna break the rule?" You whisper.

Hal curls around you almost protectively, kissing your head again.

"Then he's a big, smelly dummy, and I'll take care of you instead," he promises. "You can live at my house, and I'll still bring you to the Watchtower to hang out with everyone and play games, and maybe, if you're extra good, I'll take you on vacation in outer space. I'll show you things you've never seen, like planets with four moons, and people as tall as skyscrapers, and space food that turns your hair all different colors. It'll explode your tiny head!"

"Nooo!" You giggle, grinning. "I don't want a exploded head!"

"Hmm...you drive a hard bargain kid," Hal says. "Okay, I won't give you explodey-head food. But only because you said so."

He lets you get your laughter out, then gently pats your back to regain your attention.

"I know you're very scared," he says, "but I promise this doesn't change the fact that you are so, so incredibly loved. I bet if you gave the others a chance, they'd be more than willing to prove it. Especially your dad."

You tighten your grip on the owl in your arms, bottom lip wobbling for a moment.

"Could you give him a chance, Mouse?" Hal asks. "If you don't want to, that's fine. We can work an arrangement out and always try again a different day. But I know he would be really, really excited to see you again."

You stare at Hal, face tight in contemplation. He waits patiently, continuing to rub small circles in your back.

His patience is rewarded when you bury your face in his chest again, nodding.

"Want daddy," you whisper. Hal settles you more securely in his arms and immediately rises to his feet, relishing the burst of satisfaction and relief in his chest.

He takes you back into the meeting room. Bruce immediately stands up from the table when he spots you curled up in Hal's embrace, hands twitching like he wants to hold you himself.

He moves with all the carefulness of someone approaching a wild animal. His face is uncharacteristically open, broadcasting his worry for you and relief that you're unharmed.

"Hi, sweet pea," Bruce mutters, silk-soft, and that's all it takes to make you start sobbing and reach for him. Your father doesn't hesitate, sweeping you up and giving assurance after assurance that you are just as treasured and loved as you've always been, that he is so happy to be your dad, that you belong in Gotham and that will never change no matter what.

The lockdown gets lifted from the Watchtower. Several heroes, after conveying their relief and gratitude over your safety, take their leave. Diana and Clark stay behind to apologize profusely, both to you and Bruce, for implying that you would ever be unwelcome in your own home just for being different. It's easy for you to forgive them, but Bruce is grinding his jaw a bit, so they excuse themselves for the night and take their leave.

"Well." Hal claps his hands together and yawns. "I'm ready for a drink and a bed. What do we say we hit the road, huh? C'mon, B, let's get Flittermouse back home. I've hit my daily quota for adventure."

Bruce nods, walking with you back to the Zeta tubes. You've already nodded off in his arms, drained from your stressful day.

"Thank you, Hal," he says, preparing to warp home. "Come by after the kids are in bed. Let me repay you properly."

"Y'know, normally I'd be all over that," Hal smirks, "but I'm seriously beat. Can I cash my reward in tomorrow?"

Bruce gives him a small smile. "Whenever you want. Come by anyway, if you like. We don't have to do anything."

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you later, then." Hal crosses his arms and relaxes against the corridor wall, smiling down at your dozing form. "You take care. Both of you."

Bruce thanks him again, disappearing in a flash of light. When Hal drops by later that evening, he finds his boyfriend asleep with you in his arms, clinging to his shirt and drooling on his chest as you coast peacefully in Dreamland.

Before joining the cuddle pile, he finds that sitting on the nightstand, written in a combination of pen and crayon, is a contract holding both yours and Bruce's signatures:

The rule against Metahumans in Gotham is hereby null and void forever and ever.

Signed by: Daddy & Mousey

[punk-in-metal-detector]

no one fucking warned me that going into IT would mean my desk would be covered in computers and extremities before I even enrolled the fuck

[shaisuki]

dude I adore ur yandere zayne so so so much

wonder what would happen if MC tried reconnecting with Zayne? We may be able so convince her something is wrong :}

❆ ₊⋆ content warnings. implied emotional cheating + insecurities + heavy angst + ooc zayne + this is a fic, don't go roaring like a wanderer because you didn't like it and sorry for the messy shit, it's 3 am for me.

She came monthly for the check-ups as always.

Yvonne sat at her station. Fixated on the screen in front of her as she monitors every patient's room. As always when Yvonne sees her, she greets her with a smile. Checking her schedule and told her that Dr. Zayne was waiting for her in their scheduled appointment. She thanked her and smiled before walking to Zayne's office.

The walk to his office felt different this time. It was heavy — she can't describe it but something changed. Usually, she looked forward to her check-ups by him or perhaps was the news that Zayne had married you.

Her childhood friend is married.

She knew that it would end up like this since he knew the surgeon was engaged even it was an arranged marriage but it stung her more than she can admit. She thought Zayne was hers in her own way even there isn't feelings involved with his fiancée.

Why would he give all the time to spend it with her when he can give it to you?

She enter the familiar doors of his office and she finds him typing. “Dr. Zayne.” She greets him in the same way. There's a hint of affection in there and Zayne isn't dense not to notice it but he only looks at her the same way he treats his patients.

He didn't even correct her not to call him Dr. Zayne but only "Zayne".

“I received the monthly assessment from the Association and from the results — you're doing better. There's still irregularities and I won't say that there is nothing to be sure considering your condition.” His voice even have the same tone of a physician and the softness in there was gone. It was transferred to someone.

She nods in understanding but her eyes traveled to his desk. It was the same. Neatly stacked documents, his personal computer and laptop in the same position. There was an addition, a photograph is placed besides his PC. A wedding picture — of you and him.

It wasn't all smiles but she can see how Zayne kisses you in that photograph and her heart clenched in a way that she knows it wasn't her condition that was acting up and to make it worse — next to the photograph was a sonogram. Twins. She cannot be mistaken even it's black and white and the two lumps of cells incubating in your belly feels like a slap to her face.

It wasn't only Zayne was married but was also expecting. He's going to be a father soon.

He looks at the man across her. She can't be hurt — Zayne didn't promise anything to her nor said the words she wanted. He was only there besides her but he will belong to you in a matter that even the strongest of gravity in the universe can't pull.

Her primary care physician approach her, activating his stethoscope to check the condition of her heart. She remains silent but as Zayne presses the diaphragm of his stethoscope, she noticed it. The silver wedding band wrapped around his ring finger.

“I heard you got married, Dr. Zayne.” She says in curious manner. Genuinely curious about it and she just needs to hear it even it was obvious and the ring around his finger says it.

Zayne puts his stethoscope down and began to type his recent findings. He didn't look at her. “I did.” He says monotonously.

She sees a brief flicker of revelry in hazel green eyes. The same eyes that looks at her like that too but it wasn't directed to her.

“What happened to you?” She asks

“She happened.” He says indifferently and glances at her. No explanation was need to tell her what really happened cause it was clear he choosed you.

She presses further. “Isn't too sudden marrying her?”

“What are you implying?” The temperature in the room drops. Cold and icy and it wasn't only the temperature but there's no warmth in his voice. “We were bound to be married any time.”

Suddenly, she felt embarrassment creeping up on her face. She said it like it wasn't the most obvious thing. She acted out that Zayne will choose her despite the circumstances and you didn't matter but it was you. It will always be you.

“I think we're done here for the day. I have to go home early.” To her — you mean. Is what she wanted to say but he kept her mouth shut. She only nods and left his office without much of a peep.

Zayne isn't hers anymore.

She met you again.

Zayne wasn't around but you weren't alone either. This time you were with your children, strapped to your chest is your child with Zayne in a carrier. The other is in the stroller. She can hear the distinctive babbles of the other twin while you slowly pushed the stroller as you scanned the displays.

The last time she had seen you in here was you were with Zayne. She realizes the tears in your eyes wasn't cause by allergies but hers. She recognizes that look anytime cause it was you now that is causing the pain but she wasn't crying. The damage was inside.

How painful must it be to you that your husband's affections was once directed to her.

It was wrong of her to be involved with Zayne. Your fiance — although she thought that there were no feelings in both side — you felt strongly. You didn't confront her — didn't told her to stay away from him. You stayed silent for it was better than to make a fool out of yourself and Zayne was no better, kept you at arm's length while they divulged in each other's feeling and then the accident happened.

After that, she didn't exist in Zayne's and they were like strangers again.

The baby strapped to your chest wiggles and coos. She can see how you gently caressed the baby's head, a small smile to your lips as say something and the baby laughs. You check at the other twin in the stroller before continuing to shop.

The sight of her made you freeze before relaxing. She was like a ghost always lingering and you accepted that even though Zayne married you and impregnated you with his children — she will always be a ghost haunting you.

You only got used to her presence.

She wondered. Would things be different if you didn't get into that fatal car crash? Will she be the one in your place? Having their own family and raising children together?

You're good. You didn't flinch nor getting your waterworks opening. She thinks it's the power you held being a mother that even she approaches you, you kept a polite smile.

She take a look to the baby in your chest. The baby looks like Zayne, the same thick, black hair and that eyes. Sharp as ever and even it was in a baby of his. The baby looks at her before it fusses, sensing that she's the one causing the inner turmoil of his mother.

“They're adorable.” She commented. The baby in the stroller waves their arms at her. The toy they're holding rattles and she smiles softly but the bitterness in her chest builds up.

“I told him that he should leave me and be with you.” You started, a smile in your lips but it wasn't mocking or a pitiful one. “He didn't. Never left my side after that.”

“I'm sorry.” You apologized.

Why were you telling her this? Why are you apologizing? She should be the one apologizing for not being able to stay away from him when he have you during the times you were treated like a stranger. Hell, she didn't know you as nothing but the one with Zayne in a arranged marriage until that fateful run in after your accident in the very same store.

You didn't gave her a second look and left.

She should stop chasing ghosts from the last and move on but it does not feel right, it wasn't wrong either.