#my fic: the art of rehabilitating snowbirds

[albatmobile]

!!could you please interact with this post if you’d be interested in a physical copy giveaway of The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds!!

4/13 UPDATE: click here for up to date information on the giveaway dates

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 23

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

𓅪 Rated: E | 8.3k includes: smut ur welcome, Jason and Roy being whores, Bruce and Ollie appearance

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 23: Love Me Like You Used To | ao3 - wattpad

The three of you stay up practically all night, talking about whatever comes to mind while sleep continues to elude your minds. 

The adrenaline has yet to wear off and you still feel like there’s so much to be said, yet the three of you continue to talk about the dumbest shit just like you had back in high school. 

You all take turns saying the most ridiculous, slap-happy influenced bullshit to see who will laugh the hardest, Jason being the hardest nut to crack, of course. Eventually, around five, you all tire out.

“You know,” Roy yawns, leaning his head on your shoulder. “Damian has that Cali king in our room.” 

“I remember.” You’d just been in there the other night. It’s not like the couch was exactly looking appetizing with your injury. “Your boyfriend is right here, Roy,” You chide with a light snort.

“It’s not like that, but it could be. Right, Jay?” 

Jason surprisingly winks at you, leaving you to sputter. 

It’s unfair how easily they manage to make you blush, especially now, even when you’re tired and injured. As it is, every move you make leaves your body in agonizing, stabbing pain and your eyelids can hardly remain open.

“Stop teasing me,” It comes out as more of a weak demand than anything as sleep tugs at your heavy eyelids. 

You yawn, feeling Roy’s head bob against your shoulder before resting your head atop his.

“Come on. Let’s go to bed,” It’s Roy who stirs and urges you into the room. You willingly oblige, allowing him to lead you to the mattress. 

Lian’s already passed out. Her little snores sputter out into the dark room and you try to minimize your movement to not wake her a whole hour earlier than she’d normally wake up. 

If she does end up waking up, you know none of you will be able to go to sleep for at least another hour. Your mind tiredly lists off Lian’s little quirks with a smile, knowing she’d want to be fed and entertained, meaning you’d be stuck on babysitting duty until Damian or Jon would get up.

The ache in your body and eyelids is enough incentive to keep as still as possible.

You make quick work of changing into your PJs while Jason and Roy turn around to give you space. 

It’s quite funny, in your sleep-induced state, how they still try to grant you modesty when they’ve literally seen all there is to see. Nonetheless, you appreciate the gesture. Once you’ve changed, Roy slips into bed behind you while Jason lies across from you, his fingers tickling your scalp from over Lian’s sleeping form. 

You’d always been prone to falling asleep wherever. However, after these few days of bliss with them, your body rejects anything less than being snuggled between them. 

You’re awoken what seems like minutes later by Lian’s pleas from the other room for Jon to put on Superman. 

You blearily let yourself close the new gap between you and Jason. You sleepily hike your leg in between his and snuggle your head into the crook of his neck. He stirs slightly but ultimately begins tracing up and down your arm. 

Beside you, Roy’s still conked out, laying stomach down with his arm thrown over your waist. His haphazard snores are angled into your shoulder while his legs are eagle spread across the mattress.  

Jason’s skin smells intimate, like sleep. You crave more. 

You nuzzle his neck, feeling him smile in response, “Morning.” 

He shifts, allowing your thick thigh further in between his own muscular ones. 

“Mm,” You mumble dreamily. His fingers begin tickling underneath your, well, technically his, sleep shirt. 

“You sleep alright?” Jason’s morning voice is pure sin, rumbling all the way from the pooling heat in your lower region down to your toes. You nod, smiling when his eyes briefly slide close as he fights to keep whatever lingering dregs of sleep he can before gracing you with his emerald gaze a few moments later. “Tha’sgood, babe.”

You chuckle lightly, “Yeah.” 

Your response is a breathy whisper against the roar of Roy’s deep slumber and Lian’s joyful screams in the living room. Man, coudl these Harper’s make some noise in the morning.

You shuffle closer, still feeling the weight of Roy’s arm around your waist as Jason’s left arm soon falls beside it, pulling you flush against his warm chest. Your head presses against his chest hair, looking up at his neck when you hear him yawn. 

Once he’s done, he moves his head backward a bit so that he can meet your gaze.

He seems more awake than before when he wishes you good morning and nearly kisses you before fully waking up, “Sorry.” 

Jason’s green eyes are wild as he searches your face for a response. 

You just smile tiredly in return and tug for his fingers around your waist to start tickling up your sides again. 

He smiles at your cute, early-morning behavior and easily gives in to your request. The shirt rises and with it, exposing your panties. Jason continues his ticklish sensations. Unbeknownst to him, his ministrations are causing other things to tickle at the same time.

“I wouldn’t have minded, you know.” 

“Oh?” He blinks back at you slowly, like he still thinks he might be in the midst of dreaming. His motions on your soft skin cease so swiftly you almost miss it before they resume like they’d never stopped.

You can’t help but bite your lip at the deep timber of his voice while you’re in such an intimate position like this. 

Your eyes flick back down to the safety of his chest, unable to face the intensity behind his slitted eyes. “Jay?” 

You hear him gulp, wondering just what kind of effect you’re having on him, all while trying to hide his obvious one on you.

Your nickname is a hushed response back. 

His rough fingers trail down, drawing his shirt on you down with it. He comes to a light stop right above the waistband of your thong with a hypnotizing barely there pressure. You need more. You need the pads of his fingertips to go lower and lower until they… 

You unwittingly buck into the touch and gasp with embarrassment. He doesn’t allow you to drown in it for too long, however. The gentle pressure lifts as his fingers move to caress under your chin, motioning it upward. You give in easily, though the heat on your cheeks prevents you from looking at him again quite yet.

When you finally gain the courage to look at him, you can’t help the look of absolute wonder on your face as you explore his face for any sign of resistance. Yes, he’d already kissed you, but it’d been in the midst of all the recent stress and chaos. Who’s to say that this isn’t just another one-off event? 

“I don’t think,” You finally muster after a few seconds of studying his expression. ‘I don’t think I can hold back anymore,’ is what you want to say, but your lips refuse to reveal your cards just yet. Your bottom lip trembles as an overwhelming surge of lust and anticipation after years of this chase takes hold of you. “I can’t think,” You whimper, hoping he’ll somehow understand this all means you really want his tongue in your mouth like, five years ago. Now, though… Now is the next best thing. “Please, no more teasing me.”

Jason’s eyes widen. 

His fingers trickle further up your jawline at a tantalizingly slow pace. The deliberate touch draws your face closer to his on the pillow with every catch of his callouses against your soft cheeks. 

Where Roy’s lips are chapped, his hands have always been surprisingly soft. Jason, on the other hand, Jason’s lips have always been smooth and supple, but his hands are rough and calloused.

“No more,” He agrees lowly. 

It’s your turn to look surprised, “Really?”

He leans down, lips brushing lightly against your forehead as his next words send you over the edge of no return, “I promise,” He places a gentle kiss where his lips have been resting before moving further down to kiss at the tip of your nose. “Anything you want, you can have, babe. Just say the words.”

Your one hand rests on his sculpted stomach while your other hand mimics his own and rests along his chiseled jawline. He’d always looked like one of those Greek statues in Damian’s art books, but his scars and iridescent jewel-toned eyes put him in an entirely different category. Jason’s beauty is truly that of a god, which no marble nor sculptor could ever do justice.

“I can’t wait anymore,” You breathe out, feeling relief with each word that pushes past the anticipation lodged in your throat. “Please,” You beg. “Please, don’t make me wait for you any longer, Jay. Please, I can’t…” You trail off at the same time he seems to snap.

Jason groans, finally ducking his head down to meet your lips and give you exactly what you’ve been aching for.

It’s at this exact moment that Roy snorts awake with a jolt, moving to drowsily spoon you like he had last night, just as your lips finally brush against Jason’s. 

Roy’s unexpected touch causes you to startle backward into his morning wood with a tiny yelp. Upon contact with his heavy, clothed member, you arch your back, blushing when you realize what you’ve just done.

He winces as if you’d hurt him, then wiggles back against you, “Oh, man, princess. I forgot you were here.” 

You’re still very much entangled with his boyfriend right in front of him, though he seems more interested by the situation than upset by it. 

“Gee, thanks, Roy.” 

“Just playing, baby,” He makes to spoon you but stops just short of fully pressing himself against your back. All the while, Jason’s slitted green eyes stare the two of you down with sleepy interest. “This okay?” Does Roy mean spooning you, or the fact his morning wood is now directly pressed up against your bare ass. 

Maybe it’s the fact that you’re all three dancing around the idea of fucking? Well, at least you’re dancing around the idea and have to remind yourself that they’re the ones who are dating, not you. 

Something does feel different in the air after last night, though. 

It’s as if the floodgates have finally opened and yet, even though you now feel like you can be completely open and vulnerable with them, you still don’t exactly know where you stand relationship-wise with them. Frankly, you’re too scared to ask. 

You bite at your lower lip when his dick twitches against you and can’t help but nod. Your answer escapes your lips in a gasp, “Yes.”

Jason’s eyes flick upward and you know he and Roy are doing that annoying ass eye-communication-thing they do so well before they’re both closing in on you. 

Your stomach flips as the reality of the situation comes crashing down on you like a tidal wave.

Roy clears his throat. Your whole body goes tense, waiting for them to throw you out of the room, but it never comes. Instead, you’re met with his gruff, morning voice. It’s not fair the things it’s stirring inside yourself. 

“Do you want us?” His words alone are enough that you feel a rush of wetness seep onto your thighs. “Because we reallywant you, baby.”

They forcibly remain still on the mattress as they await your answer.

You can’t help but gulp around the excitement that it’s finally, finally happening.

Your hands grip the sheets as you grind back into Roy. At the same time, you tug Jason’s abs flush against your tits.

It’s not enough of an answer, apparently.

“We’re gonna need to hear that pretty voice, babe,” His voice sounds barely restrained as it lewdly tickles against your ears.

“Loud and clear,” Roy adds as a hot whisper against the shell of your ear. “You can do that for us, can’t you?” Your breath hitches in your throat, “Or are you going to be a bad girl?”

Your legs tremble, wanting so badly to flip on your back and spread yourself for both of them right then and there, but you’ve been patient- so fucking patient. The least you can do is return the favor of all their teasing and blue balls for a few moments more.

“What if I don’t want to be bad?” Your eyes slowly trail up Jason’s chiseled abdomen, lit up like a work of Michelangelo’s in the morning sun. “What if all I’ve been trying to do is be a good girl for the two of you.” 

You notice Jason’s eyes flicking up greedily to meet Roy’s and wonder if you’ve said something wrong.

You’re quickly assured that, no, you haven’t said anything wrong when Jason takes the lead and flips you on your side to pin you against the mattress. It happens so fast that you’re left staring up at him in brief confusion, then arousal as one of Jason’s thick thighs slots deliciously between your own.

“I like good girls,” Jason says your name with his heavy eyes boring into you like loaded guns, shooting fire all the way down to your aching wetness. “I like ‘em a lot,” The last part of his sentence is grumbled against your neck as he steadily makes his way toward your gasping mouth. 

It’s everything you’ve known you needed and so much more.

Your heart pours itself into the kiss, gliding against his plump lips like they’re your lifeline. 

A steady pouring of adrenaline leaves you nearly shaking after having waited so many fucking YEARS for this kind of clarity. No, for this kind of relief. 

It’s finally yours for the taking and, boy, do you take.

The flood walls finally give way, bursting as both of them descend upon you, taking turns sucking your lips until they’re swollen up like a sex doll.

Roy’s still lying on his side as he caresses your cheek and leverages your head to get a deeper angle. His hand tantalizingly trickles up your thigh to rest at the small of your waist while he gives you exactly what you want. 

“You’re perfect, princess,” He gasps once Jason cups your cheek to move your lips back to his. This is how it continues until Roy finally has the courage to bare himself completely. “What?” He says, covering his dick when you and Jason break away to stare at the latest development.

“Roy,” You gasped, staring at him in shock, openly taking in his, well, everything for the first time since the showers. This time, his pink-tipped cock bounces up and down under your inspection. 

Jason looks down at you, then at Roy as if, for once, they’re the ones who are unable to read you.

“Like what you see?” He’s smirking like usual, but it lacks its usual charm. There’s no way he’s actually self-conscious right now, right? 

You gulp, realizing they’re way out of your league, yet they’re just as self-conscious as you’re feeling. 

“I always have.”

Roy smirks, “Have a thing for redheads, then?”

“Yeah,” You nod easily, “and their angsty boyfriends.” 

Jason chuckles lowly, but Roy looks downright devilish now.

You’ve obviously quelled any remaining timidness as he slinks toward you, smirking like the cat who got the cream. Roy straddles your waist with his cock slipping ever so slightly through your slick folds before his slit rubs against your sensitive nub. You throw your head back at the contact with a pathetic moan that has Jason on your lips in an instant.

His strong hand slides up your neck, securing his hold around it into the kiss as Roy grinds against your twitching cunt. 

“Jay,” He moans when you grind up to meet his thrust. The tip of his cock catches on your entrance, nearly pushing in. You break away from the kiss with a shocked gasp, arching up off the mattress.

Jason rips your shirt off of you, literally rips it from your body. You and Roy stare at him in shock, but he just shrugs, “What?”

The three of you all seem to realize at the same time that your tits are now fully exposed and waste no time descending upon them. Each of them taunts your nipples at a different pace, with different strokes, but at the same time. 

“Fuck,” You need relief, so your hand travels downward only to be stopped by Jason’s calloused hands. 

“I thought you said you were a good girl, babe,” His eyes sear into yours with a playful glint flashing across their emerald surface. “Or did you tell daddy a lie?” His mouth hovers tantalizingly close to your erect bud while he awaits your answer. 

“I-” For the first time in your life, you’re rendered speechless as these two god-like men ravenously stare down at your naked body, eyeing you up like prey.

Roy smirks over at Jason, coming out slightly slurred as if he's already drunk on sex, “She’s speechless, Jay.”

Your eyes narrow, “Shut it, Harper.” 

He may have his dick sliding against the wet folds of your cunt, but you aren’t so desperate as to let him talk shit.

His mouth obediently snaps shut at the same time Jason laughs. 

Your clit is desperate to be touched and you feel half delirious because of it. Roy seems to understand because he slithers down your stomach and positions himself between your legs, restraining them in his strong grip to prevent you from closing them.

“I’ll shut up and eat your pussy, princess. That works for me, too.”

“Good,” You nod down at him, tangling his fiery locks in between your fingers to tug him close to where you so desperately need him. He groans as he mouths against your lips, barely flicking at your clit just to be a dick. It leaves you a panting mess, nonetheless, as his slow, deliberate laps at your cunt leave you wriggling against his boyfriend’s chest. 

Jason moves from the side of you, removing his boxers as he does so, to trap your head between his deliciously scarred thighs. For the first time, you come face to face, well, face to dick with his eye-widening member. 

You can’t help but stare at what you’ve only ever imagined.

It’s thick, veiny and fucking perfect. 

You need it shoved down your throat, stat.

Your mouth unwittingly opens and he needs no further encouragement than to settle his hefty cock onto your willing tongue. You nearly go cross-eyed when his length breaches against the back of your throat. You obediently swallow around it, feeling tears tinge in the corners of your eyes at the challenging stretch.

At the same time, Roy knows exactly all the angles and pressure to use on you to make you a withering mess in mere seconds. You’ve never felt anything like it before and you’re seriously worried you’re going to come before either of them even get the chance to fuck you. Carefully, his thick fingers add one after the other into your tight heat, plunging in and out as he stretches you obscenely. 

You take Jason’s dick like a champ, swallowing it all the way to the base with every demanding thrust he sends your way. You find yourself actually enjoying the pain as your mouth stretches and drools around his thick cock. It probably helps that Roy’s making an absolute mess of your cunt with every barrage of fast flicks and slow, flat licks that leave you a gurgling mess against Jason’s thrusts.

It’s too much and Roy seems to know it with your sporadic thrusts against his slick-coated mouth. He smacks Jason on the ass, sending his cock all the way to the back of your throat. You nearly scream at the obscene pressure, teary eyes never leaving Jason’s green ones all the while.

You mumble sadly around Jason’s member when Roy’s mouth removes itself from you with a loud slurp. His fingers gently follow soon after, leaving you feeling completely empty. Jason seems to understand what this means and moves to lie beside you with a wink.

“You ready for what’s next, babe?”

What’s next?

Your blown-out eyes nod dumbly, causing both of them to chuckle at your uncharacteristic quietness. 

Roy’s eyes impishly flash between your naked bodies like it’s Christmas morning. “How you wanna do this, Jay?”

You watch as Jason’s dick twitches, “Just like how we always talked about, love.”

Roy smirks and smacks lightly at your hip. You give him a confused look but rise to your knees nonetheless. 

“Follow my lead, princess.” You watch as Roy spreads his legs across Jason’s upper thighs so their cocks bounce against each other. Roy motions for you to come closer and, when you do, his hand covers yours and drags it over to their leaking tips. 

You don’t need his help to know what’s next.

Timidly, you wrap your lithe fingers around the impressive girth of their combined erections and begin to beat them off together. You wonder if you’re even doing it right when Roy throws his head back and moans like an absolute whore, something you and Jason share an amused look at. The look only lasts for so long before you feel your face flush.

“You like that, baby?” You bite your lip, turning to face Jason’s lust-drunk eyes. “You like making Roy come undone like the slut he is?” Roy groans appreciatively.

Jason’s words spur your hands into a frantic pace that leaves both of them fucking desperately up into your fist for more delicious friction. As if it’s too much, Jason motions to Roy and Roy stops your hand mid-jerk.

Jason shifts so he’s half-propped up by the headboard, looking absolutely pleased with his arms tucked behind his head while Roy situates your dripping cunt over his cock. When you slowly sink down on his length, growing accustomed to the stretch as you do, Jason can hardly stop himself from bucking up into your tight heat had Roy’s sturdy hands not remained on either side of his hip bones. 

You’re definitely happy Roy had fingered you as much as he had earlier. It makes what’s happening now a hell of a lot more pleasurable. You take your time as the uncomfortableness soon turns to pleasure with help from their tantalizing touches as you slowly sink further down on Jason’s cock. 

They don’t seem to mind how long it’s taking at all. If anything, it seems like they’re grateful for the slowdown in pace, if only to last longer once you finally reach his base.

Once you grow accustomed to the intense stretched feeling, you gently rest back on Roy’s freckled thighs, which are spread similarly to yours, across Jason’s thick thighs.

“Tell me,” Roy whispers your name against the shell of your ear from behind. Jason begins to thrust in and out of you, carefully watching your every minute reaction. “Did you fantasize about this?” He groans at a particular thrust. “Did you imagine getting stuffed by me and Jay, baby? So full and so good for us just like this, princess?”

“YES!” Roy’s hand snakes around to flick your clit cruelly. “Fuck, yes. I did.” You feel droll spilling from the corner of your mouth, but Jason easily wipes it with his thumb and a Cheshire grin. “You both know I did.”

It seems like you aren’t the only one who’s fantasized about this if their desperate, pleased reactions are anything to go by.

“Shit,” Roy groans as he lines himself up with your twitching hole. “You don’t know how many wet dreams I’ve had about this.”

“Enough to force us to get new sheets every year,” Jason rolls his eyes, moving his hands to support some of your weight as Roy’s cock begins to rub against your slick slit.

“Jay,” Roy whines like the brat he is. “Fuck, I don’t think I’m going to fit.” You feel more than see his head resting against the back of yours as he restrains himself from tearing straight into you. “Your pussy’s too tight for us, baby.”

You whimper as the head of his cock hardly has enough room, with Jason’s thick member already engulfing the majority of your cunt. 

“That’s so fucking hot,” You cover your mouth as soon as the words escape your mouth, but Jason’s already there, removing your hands from your mouth. 

“We want to hear everything,” Jason’s dark, domineering tone drips around your name, thick like honey. “We want you to give us everything, babe. All of it.”

It’s enough to unleash a sputtered moan that you wish you could cover up but don’t. Jason seems to recognize this and coos lightly with simmering praise that leaves you dripping on Roy’s cock steadily slipping into your wet heat right alongside Jason’s.

“Fuck,” It comes out barely as a breath as your head knocks back into Roy’s once he’s fully situated inside of you. “I don’t wanna come yet,” You shake your head desperately while Jason drinks in your reaction with thirsty, verdant eyes. “Please,” You beg them. “I can’t come yet, please!” 

You’re completely stuffed with both of their thick lengths pushing into every possible wall inside of you. You could come right here and now with this overwhelming sensation alone, but once they start thrusting into you, you know you’re not going to last long.

Your desperate whines and whimpers fall on deaf ears as they continue their ruthless assault on your cunt, barely leaving you time to breathe with each purposeful thrust they shudder into you.

Jason removes his hands to situate themselves behind his head, watching you ride him while Roy fucks into you from behind.

You don’t think you’ve managed to stop moaning for even a millisecond since Roy’s pink-tipped dick slipped inside your already-filled pussy. His head pathetically splayed across your shoulder, panting like he’s barely holding himself back from fully ravaging your pussy.

That won’t do.

“Give it to me, Roy.” Jason groans at the same time Roy does. Both of them buck into you simultaneously, leaving you to see stars. You can’t even begin to attempt to cover your screams as they ring out across the expanse of the room. It feels like nothing you’ve ever experienced before and your body reacts openly because of it.

Roy’s hand still rubs at your clit, while the other snakes around your front to jiggle your tits. You watch as they bounce up and down with each pump and your hips sputter when his fingers flick at your nipples. You clench down around them as you stave off your orgasm for another moment longer, but it’s in vain.

You’re coming, falling backward into Roy’s sturdy chest as you spasm on their dicks, never fully pulling off. You’re shaking into Roy’s hold around you. The redhead steadies you as your arousal cools and simmers back in the bottom of your stomach. 

This, however, doesn’t stop Jason from continuing to fuck into you.

Hell, he doesn’t even slow his thrusts as he continues to fuck into you with a dazed look settled across his half-lidded eyes. He bites his lip as he and Roy fuck your come into you with their own precome adding to the lewd syrup drizzling from your squelching hole with each thrust.

Jason seems lucid as he watches Roy fondle your abused tits, leaving you to writhe against him whorishly as he brings you close to the edge again. Jason himself doesn’t look too far off either, as his small gasps and grunts become more frequent and more desperate.

Roy’s breath fans across your neck in small puffs as he makes cruel work of your overly sensitive nub. 

You come again with a pained cry, arching your back with your eyes crossing as they milk every last drop of come from you. Roy fucks into you as Jason’s sinking out of you. 

This is how they continue until you’re stuffed with both of their come. Both you and Roy fall forward, completely spent, onto Jason’s toned chest.  

Jason’s panting beneath your weight when he finally speaks up, “Was it everything you imagined?”

You’re still catching your breath as you consider your answer. 

Your pussy aches pleasantly, you’re completely fucked out and the two men you’ve always loved are the reason for it all.

“Fuck yeah, Jay.”

Roy groans and you feel his dick twitch against your ass in interest. 

You end up going a few more rounds before you’re all entirely spent. You wash each other off in Damian’s rich-ass shower before joining Jon, Damian and Lian in the living room.

“I’ve never known either of you to sleep in so long,” Damian’s stare is pointed at both Jason and you.

You shrug, blushing. 

“Babe’s still speechless, Jay,” Roy smirks, freckled cheeks still lit up with the red heat of sex. One searing look his way, though and he concedes, easily throwing up his hands in faux-surrender. 

Words escape you and you have no interest in opening your mouth and babbling like an idiot, which will inevitably happen if you do.

Jon hangs out with you, Jason, Roy and Lian, even going so far as to offer to watch her with Damian so you guys can start on a plan. Eventually, it’s decided that Arsenal and Red Hood will search for your parents and leads into who all had been contracted but ultimately lost Deadshot’s trail. 

Meanwhile, you try to trace him but keep running into Belle Reve’s annoying ass firewall. 

Further digging brings up something called-

“Task Force X?” You squint your eyes at the screen, trying to make sense of the name. After hours of research, you give up and pass along the information. 

Apparently, they can both make sense of the connection and this earns you the title of ‘their oracle.’ 

Once you’re finished, Lian’s itching to get outside, so the three of you relieve Jon of his babysitting duties to take her to Gotham Botanical Gardens.

You can’t help but be reminded of the last time you were here with Jason and Roy after their kiss and subsequent weirdness. Coupled with this morning’s predicament, you couldn’t help but be amused by your current predicament all these years later.

Here you are, hours post-sex with them, yet you can’t help but feel like your insecure fifteen-year-old self around them. 

As if repeating how Jason and Roy had split off from each other to brood in silence all those years ago, you remain somewhat distant from the three of them without even meaning to.

You’re still hesitant around them and you’re pretty sure they can tell because now they’re giving you even more space. It’s a good sign that they aren’t currently arguing about you impeding on their relationship. 

They seem fine, but you can’t be sure. 

They don’t mention anything to you, so you continue to walk on eggshells around your feelings for both of them.

You just hope they won’t notice.

Jason and Roy have Lian, all hand-in-hand, walking around the botanical gardens all hand as you trail behind them. You don’t even realize you’re wringing your hands until Roy’s freckled hand stops the movement.

Roy glances at you with a curious, raised brow, “You know, you can totally join in on this, princess. Just say the word.” 

You wince at being caught, “I wouldn’t want to intrude.” 

Roy chuckles and Jason turns around to give you a look you’re starting to get familiar with. Instead of saying anything further, Jason reaches his free hand out for you.

You stare at it as if it’s going to hurt you and aren’t able to school your response before Jason can notice. His hand falters briefly before you grab it and lace your fingers in between his automatically.

You understand that, yes, they had sex with you- you just don’t understand what it means, never mind where the three of you go from here. It’s not like they’re exactly screaming your relationship status from the rooftops.

Jason squeezes your hand before you can spiral too far into your doubts. Instead, he draws your attention to the butterflies that suddenly flock around you. 

Lian giggles at the sight of butterflies flitting about your hair, “You have a butterfly crown!”

“A true princess,” Roy winks, moving beside you to hold your free hand while Lian skips around close by. “Definitely a different vibe from when me and Jay were arguing and shit here, don’t you think?”

You’re definitely in a better place in life now than you were back then, even with all this crazy shit going on.

Maybe the hesitancy is all in your head. Maybe there’s truly no reason for your insecurity.

With both of their hands securely wrapped around yours, you allow yourself to believe it. Even if it’s only for today, you do believe it.

“Definitely,” You agree, squeezing both of their hands at the same time. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to smiling this hard.

Lian quickly becomes distracted by the ice cream stand a few yards off the main garden path. You take up Lian-duty as you quickly follow behind her before she can get too far away.

When you turn around, you’re met with a familiar face talking to Jason and Roy- Deadshot. 

You quickly steer Lian’s attention toward the ice cream man, which isn’t too difficult. The entire time, though, you can’t deny the pressing feeling of eyes on your back. After ordering and waiting a few minutes, you finally gain the courage to check behind you to find Deadshot gone.

You give Lian her ice cream cone, hoping it’ll be enough to keep her preoccupied enough while you and her dads reconvene.

Jason and Roy are deep in conversation as you and Lian approach. They only briefly stop to let you know he hasn’t been asked to renew the contract against you, meaning they’ve most likely dropped it.

“Probably realized it was more expensive to hire mercenaries than whatever payout they’d receive from you.” 

That’s too easy.

Nothing is ever easy with them.

“Or they’re waiting it out,” You surmise.

Roy seems confused, “Why would they keep trying to kill you?” 

“I think I’m their only failsafe.” You sigh, “I mean, all they’ve ever cared about is money and it’s the one thing they’ve never securely had.”

“Pieces of shit,” Jason bangs his hand against the tree beside him like the edgelord he is. “They must be in some sort of trouble to go to their last resort,” His eyes knit together in concentration as he ponders the next move, “Maybe we could barter with them?” 

You think back to their cruel, cold nature. “They do just want money.” It’s all they’ve ever wanted, but it’s still something that seemed to elude them like a curse. 

“Well, then, sweetheart, we’re probably two good people to know,” Roy wraps his arm around your shoulders. “Well, not exactly us, but close!” 

•••

That same day, you find yourself in a meeting at Wayne Industries with Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen. The CEO suite is at the top of the building and requires the front desk assistant to insert a key in the elevator to reach the level. 

“Have you ever been to your dad’s work before?” You look up at Jason innocently. 

His eyes flicker down to yours briefly before focusing back on the climbing numbers on the screen, “No.”

Before you can question him further, the doors ding and slide open to reveal wall-to-floor windows overlooking all of Gotham. 

“Oh, no way!” A smile spreads across your face as you take in Bruce’s impressive office.

“Yeah,” Oliver fiddles slightly with his mustache, “Queen Industries doesn’t really dedicate an entire floor to my office,” He clears his throat obnoxiously before stage whispering to you from behind his hand. “More like two floors, not bragging, though. We wouldn’t want Bats over there to get too jealous, now would we?” He winks at Bruce’s unimpressed deadpan. “Anyway, nice to see ya again, little missy. Still a spitfire as ever, I presume?” He gives you a tiny noogie with his hand that you quickly slap away. He hisses, withdrawing his touch immediately, “I’m gonna take that as a yes, then.”

You can’t help but laugh at his tenacity.

Though your past self would be flipping out that you’re standing right in front of Green Arrow, you’re more preoccupied with the danger at hand to feel anything other than anxiety. 

“Nice to see you again, too, Mr. Harper.” The atmosphere in the room turns awkward and you quickly look around for an answer as to why, “What?”

“It’s called Queen Industries for a reason, kid,” Your brows furrow in confusion. “I’m just his adopted dad,” He subconsciously runs a hand through his hair, “Guess we never really got around to talking about changing your last name or not, did we, kid?” He shoots a sad smile Roy’s way, but Roy’s gaze refuses to lift from the marble floor.

“So, the money,” Jason steps in to get the conversation on track.

Roy seems to breathe a sigh of relief at the shift in conversation.

Bruce, who’s remained largely unnoticed the entire time, now takes the center of the room, seeming to call the meeting to order. You were only ever used to seeing Bruce around the manor, never during his business hours.

His crisp suit complied with his slicked-back hair meant Bruce was fully in character. 

Well, his other character.

Jason’s eyes are off toward the windows, but Roy’s staring Bruce down as he rehashes the situation to them. There’s no real malice behind his eyes, but the challenge is evident. 

“We have two options: either A. we take them down,” Roy makes to list off on his fingers, but Bruce’s unimpressed face briefly stops him.

“No killing,” Bruce interrupts.

Roy continues on like Bruce hadn’t just cut him off, “Or B. bribe them.”

“I don’t barter with terrorists,” Bruce’s tone leaves no room for negotiation.

You look at Jason, wondering how his wonderful plan is actually going to work if one of the main proponents is out within seconds of hearing your pitch. 

It’s time to pivot, but you can’t help but feel a bit scorned at him for turning it all down so easily with, quite literally, your life on the line.

“So,” You drawl, looking up at the ceiling as if deep in thought, “If you don’t barter and you don’t kill, what exactly do you do? Because it seems to be a whole lot of nothing.” 

By now, you’re staring at Bruce again, trying to ignore how the rest of the room’s mouths are on the floor. 

Hey, it’s life or death. If someone’s going to stand the fuck up, it may as well be you. Seriously, talk about advocating for yourself.

Ollie’s previously upset face morphs into a wicked smile directed Bruce’s way that you can tell the other man is purposefully ignoring.

“Don’t forget you’re asking me for my help,” Bruce quirks an amused brow at you. “For my money, too, not to mention.” 

“And mine!” Ollie butts in with his finger held high in the air, demanding his presence also be recognized. “Which,” He nods toward Bruce’s daunting form, “unfortunately, I am also not keen on giving for the same reasons.”

“Alright, so, what exactly do you both,” You look pointedly at Ollie before turning back to Bruce, “recommend that I do, then?”

Bruce takes you in for a moment, almost like he’s proud of you, though surely you’re reading too much into it. He stands up from his desk, coming around it slowly while his gruff voice rumbles out wisdom that could only come from his alter ego’s past experience. 

“If you give them the money,” He stops and leans against the desk, crossing his arms across his chest as he does, “it will only prolong them for so long. Money is the easiest bargaining chip, but it’s always temporary,” His eyes bear into yours as he watches you attempt to put together the puzzle. “They’ll always come back searching for more until the inevitable happens.” He stops, pursing his lips a bit before continuing, “All this, of course, assuming that money truly is their endgame.” 

You stare at him like he just dropped a bomb. This information is coming from the world’s greatest detective, so you listen to every single word he’s saying earnestly. 

Here, you’re truly able to see where Bruce and Batman collide.

You tirelessly search your mind to try to think of other possible motives but quickly reach a wall.

Jason huffs frustratedly, but you stop him before he can speak, “No, Bruce is right.” With everyone’s attention on you, you can’t allow yourself to crumble. “It has to go deeper,” A pensive hand rests under your chin as you continue to dig deep. “But how do we find out more?”

Bruce stops leaning against his desk and moves back around it to face out the window. Ollie rolls his eyes at the dramatic action but still attempts to replicate a mysterious pose, much to your amusement. 

It’s completely quiet in Bruce’s soundproof CEO suite atop Wayne Tower, but you can practically hear everyone’s thoughts bouncing off the walls.

“I may be able to help you there,” Bruce says with a quirk of his lips. He slightly turns his face from the window to meet yours, “I think I know a guy.”

All the men in the room groan at his cheesy line, but internally, you’re fangirling hard.

“Oh, jeez,” Ollie groans.

You watch as he types something into his phone and, moments later, the elevator springs back open to reveal…

“Damian?” You rush forward to greet him, albeit with a questioning gaze.

He kisses you on your cheeks, muttering your name in greeting before stepping into view of the rest of the room. “You called, father?”

“Oh, this is just fantastic,” Jason mutters to Roy. Their arms are crossed defensively over their chests at the sight of Damian in a pressed, navy suit and slicked-back hair. He looked like a literal matryoshka of Bruce. “I thought this was a closed meeting, Bruce,” Jason hisses out his father’s name like a curse.

“You’re looking at Wayne Enterprise’s new director of the R&D department.” 

Holy shit.

“You’re leading Research and Development?” You look over at your friend incredulously. “That’s awesome!” He smiles and looks at Bruce briefly before his eyes land back on you. “I definitely want to see what you have hiding down there.”

“Someday soon,” Damian promises. “Until then, you’ll need a secured place to stay while I set about repairs on the penthouse. Shouldn’t be long, anyway.”

•••

“I just don’t see why we need to stay at the manor,” Roy huffs as he packs up whatever clothes he’d actually managed to unpack in the first place. Jason sighs, coming to resituate Roy’s bag in a more orderly fashion. “Even if it’s just for a night or two, we should’ve just robbed your dad and bounced.”

“Do you even hear yourself, dumbass?” Jason chides him before snatching the boxers Roy was scrunching up out of his hands to refold and repack. “What kind of shitty plan would that be?” Roy wrinkles his freckled nose, “Not morally, jesus. I just mean, logically, what sense would that make?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Roy mutters, flopping on the bed beside you. He’s apparently resigned to allow Jason to take over packing duties, though you think Jason probably prefers it that way, anyway. “Gettin’ soft on ol’ Batsy. Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.”

“Shut up,” Jason hisses with a glare that stops even you in your tracks.

“Scouts honor,” Roy continues to tease until Jason smacks him with the first article of clothing he can find in the unfolded pile on the floor, which just so happens to be one of your thongs. Your face flares red when Roy picks it up and inhales your scent with a pleased groan. He looks around at Jason and your aghast faces and challenges the two of you, “What?” You snort, “What?!” He asks again with more desperation, looking to Jason for support but finding none.

•••

You gleefully skip with Lian as you give her the rundown of the mansion. Though you haven’t really been here much since high school, you still know your way around the intricate mahogany walls of Wayne Manor. 

Meanwhile, Jason and Roy busied themselves with toting around the luggage and Alfred had already become preoccupied with cooking dinner. This left you to show the bouncing kid around.

You take her to the library, where you’re affronted with memories of passion, confusion and a cacophony of hormones. Then to the gym, where you’d faced a nearly intolerable amount of pain and exertion to be able to protect Lian the way you do now.

You decide to mess around a bit with their sparring equipment while Lian distracts herself with the colorful resistance bands that are scattered near the door. You giggle at her little grunts of frustration as she teeters around with the bands on the floor.

While you’re deep in routine, you don’t even realize she’s wandered off until you hear her loud gasp.

You quickly turn around, only to find the room empty and panic. Though, how much trouble could a toddler really get into at Wayne Manor? Never mind, you think, as the thought alone only increases your panic.

“Lian?!” You call out, wandering the labyrinth of halls until you finally catch sight of her little pigtails. 

Lian manages to stumble into the only room you’ve been wanting to avoid.

Damian’s old art room.

It’s largely untouched, with white cloths covering the various easels. The furniture and the bookshelves seem relatively kept up without much dust littering their mahogany shelves. Only one painting remains uncovered and Lian quickly makes her way over to it. Your eyes follow her to her destination, locking onto the canvas.

There, across the room, is the familiar painting depicting your first visit to Wayne Manor. 

Upon closer inspection, a thick layer of dust has accumulated on the piece that you’d last seen drying, feeling sickening nostalgia stirring in the bottom of your stomach. It’s a bittersweet reminder of just how much has changed and, yet, how it’s all still the same.

“You look beautiful,” Lian grabs the picture and holds it close to her face to inspect it. You can’t help but become mesmerized by the once-familiar strokes. “Did daddies make you?”

“No,” You answer, still distracted by the acrylic work, “Uncle Damian.”

You look so young, so innocent and naive of what was to come. Sometimes you wish you could go back to that sweet ignorance only youth brings, but you wouldn’t trade where you are right for anything- even with all the new danger.

“Oh,” She puts a finger near her mouth like she’s thinking about the implications before it slides into her mouth and she begins to bite at it. “I want to paint too.”

You can’t help but giggle at her adorableness, “We will soon, okay?”

“Okay, mommy.”

You place the canvas back with gentle care, giving it one last look over.

They find the two of you in the game room twenty minutes later, watching Ponyo. 

Lian’s sitting right up next to the screen to watch while you’re splayed across one of the couches. Roy easily comes, lifting you up and settling beneath your body with a pleased groan. Meanwhile, Jason scoops Lian up to snuggle on the other couch. She tries to protest and go back to her spot, but Jason chides her. 

“Sitting that close isn’t good for your neck, baby.”

“That’s shoot,” She pouts grumpily.

“Hey,” Roy’s chest vibrates below you, “no cursing.”

She gawks, “You said it wasn’t a curse!”

You try your best to hide your smile but find the whole thing too fucking cute to stop it from gracing your face.

Roy sighs, “We’re not doing this right now, Lian. Daddies are tired,” He elevates your legs that lie atop his onto the arm of the couch as if to prove his point.

She huffs, crossing her arms adorably under her chin with puffed-out cheeks, “One day, I will curse.”

A threat and a promise the three of you know she’ll keep.

Before Roy can retort, Alfred’s at the stairs announcing dinner. 

He looks at her as if to say she was saved by the bell, but Lian’s already proudly looking at him in Jason’s lap like she knows. It’s here you’re able to see her mother shining through and can’t help but smile. 

On Lian, it’s cute. On Cheshire… not so much.

“Feels just like old times, kinda,” Roy rubs a sheepish hand through his locks. He gathers Lian in his arms from Jason while the latter guides the three of you out of the room and down into the dining room. “But, like, complete.”

That basically sums it all up.

“Yeah,” You agree. “Now, all we need is for Jason to throw a book at me.”

“Oh, come off it. You make me seem like a fucki’-freakin’,” He shoots an apologetic look Lian’s way. “I wasn’t that bad,” He tries, refusing to concede. 

“Whatever you say,” You wink at him, causing him to blush.

Just like old times.

•••

After dinner, Roy puts Lian to bed while you and Jason tinker around in the library into the late hours of the night. 

You’re researching on one of the couches with Jason stretched stomach-side-down across your lap on his own laptop. Your laptop rests on his chiseled back while you research the account your parents had made in your name.

Roy comes in and takes over for another couple of hours while Jason’s soft snores sound from beside you until he, too, conks out.

You feel yourself start to drift off when your screen blacks out.

You sigh, moving to search for the power cord and quickly giving up. Jason’s weight on you, coupled with Roy’s weight at your feet is enough to lull you off into dream world, too. 

You forget the laptop, figuring you can just charge it in the morning and go to shut it when you see a blue error screen blinking. You wipe at your eyes, squinting as the blinking blue goes black again.

What the fuck?

You feel fully awake now as you straighten the laptop on Jason’s back to get a better view. Suddenly, the blue screen produces a place to type a password. 

The cursor innocently blinks in the box, patiently waiting for your response.

You look around the dark room as if you’ll somehow find the answer and aren’t surprised when you turn back around to the screen without it.

All the clues smash around in your panicked skull, trying to filter through each one with conviction.

Blood is thicker than water.

Life insurance policy.

What started it all?

You blink.

Your fingers hover over your keyboard as you type your full name into the password bar. You hesitate briefly, wondering if you should wake anyone up before trying to crack the code. It’s possible you’ll only get one shot at a guess, but you know deep down there’s only one possible answer.

You hit enter with a hesitant twitch of your fingers. 

You watch as the password loads, then the screen goes black again.

Your breath hitches.

There, in the top left corner of your screen, is an address.

You watch as the cursor blinks, following along with each letter that’s typed. The next sentence forms, ‘Give yourself up and no one else gets hurt.’ The cursor blinks an unknown logo before your entire laptop shuts down entirely.

You sit there, letting the moment wash over you. 

This is a chance to end everything without any casualties. Who are you to turn it down? Even earlier, when Bruce was coming up with a plan, it was obvious your chances of survival were meek. Why should anyone else suffer for something only you have the power to end?

It’s mercy and you take it.

You slip out into the cold of the night, closer and closer to the end.

You’re not scared but rather resolute with each step you take toward the end of your journey, knowing you’re making the best choice. You round another corner when you hear it- footsteps.

“There you are.” 

A/N: was it worth the wait??

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

Master List: The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds

𓅪 Navigating the present is hard when your past refuses to die. After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

Rated E | fem!reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper CLICK FOR LINK TO SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Yellow Flowers 4k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

The Wilder Mile 9.8k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

Work’s Easy… 6.5k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

She's a Riot 15.2k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

Lost in Translation 9k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

Growing Pains 11.2k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

There is a Light 7k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

8. I Wanna Be Your Man 10.2k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

9. What You Know 7.8k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

10. Your Protector 6.3k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

11. Bambi 8k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

12. Waste 9.3k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

13. Diamonds 8.2k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

14. Strong Enough 3.1k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

15. Snowbird 5.5k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

16. It's Gonna Be Me 3.3k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

17. Special Enough 2.8k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

18. Call Me in the Afternoon 4.5k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

19. Crazy Train 9.1k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

20. Junk of the Heart 3.3k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

21. A Million Years Ago 8.1k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

22. Dance for Love 6k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

23. Love Me Like You Used To 8.3k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

24. Love Story 4k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

25. Born to Die 14k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

26. If You Ever Leave 5.5k | ao3 - wattpad - tumblr

Next in Series: Cardinal Sins

[albatmobile]

okay okay okay so i have so many ideas about ARS and their relationship but omg thinking about sharing clothes and like u said they always share each others clothes but like going into it

Roy has the weirdest t-shirts, he gets a lot of stuff at thrift stores or if they're misprinted so they are fucking wild and always worn (and so so so comfy) but hes got like a pink floyd tshirt with the entire logo upside down, lynyrd skynyrd but its spelled lenard skinard dskjfdsajk and a bunch of shit like that and Jason and reader alwyas wear them,, Jason mainly wears them to bed (but always packs one of them if hes heading out overnight bc they smell like roy), reader will wear them more often,, once roy asked why they like hes shirts so much and they siad "they smell like you" and he B L U S H E D

Jason has the comfiest boxers and like gym shorts (his thighs are soooooo sensitiveeeee) and roy and reader will wear them,,, he gets SOOOOOOOOO into seeing them in his clothes, possessive mf, and especially likes to see them in his boxer, literally pawing at their asses, saying shit like "babeee you look so good in my stuff", will get all soft on them

ROY BLUSHING, JASON BEING POSSESSIVE AKSNDKSJNEKJ

All of this just… yes 100%

the fic (x)

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 26

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: E | 5.5k  includes: public sex, deep-throating, threesome, roy eats u out and fucks you while jason fucks ur mouth

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 26: If You Ever Leave | ao3 - wattpad

Recovering from the boss fight takes weeks, but Jason and Roy are there with you every step of the way.

You move out of the penthouse and into a place you can all call your own. However, the lease only goes through the next year while the three of you settle down together and figure out what you’re doing long-term.

Though there’s technically a room for you, you sleep in their bed every night and they kiss you multiple times a day. It’s the fact that you haven’t once fucked since the motorcycle, let alone talked about where you all stand, that confuses the fuck out of you.

You want to be honest with them, you know, getting everything out in the open and all, but it’s so hard. 

Deep down, you’re still afraid that they only like you because you’ve always been so obviously infatuated with them. 

You and Roy have been using Damian’s private gym to rehabilitate your injuries, with Jason tagging along each time. It’s nice catching up with Damian and he seriously knows what he’s doing when it comes to physical therapy.

There’s a small medbay off to the side, which is where Jason currently has you held hostage. 

As Jason removes your stitches, you want to express your concerns, but only if Roy is present, too. 

“Is Roy still with Damian?”

You wince at a particularly rough pull, but he instantly soothes it away with a sweet kiss to your forehead. The chaste contact only reminds you of your current predicament: what exactly are the three of you?

“No, he’s in the showers,” Jason quirks a brow. “Why? Miss him?” You blush, choosing to look down at his handy work instead of responding. His fingers halt briefly before finishing the job. 

When Roy walks in, towel slung around his shoulders, you know it’s time to address the elephant in the room.

Roy explains that Lian insisted on going with Damian and Jon to the library, which leaves the entire penthouse to just the three of you. It’s the first time you’ve all been alone since the night before the dockyard battle. 

If there’s ever a time to open up, it’s now.

Say it. 

“I’m,” You start only to have your words cut themselves off. “I-”

“What, baby?” Roy’s concerned voice tickles at your ears. 

Both of them wear serious looks as if they somehow know what you’re about to say. Regardless, you’re still anxious about revealing your hand. 

“I’m,” You sigh, releasing years of pent-up doubts, miscommunication and second-guessings. “I’m afraid you don’t love me. That you just want to be loved and know you’re loved.” 

“Are those truly horrible things to want?” Jason and your heads shift in unison to stare at Roy’s unexpected response. “What?” He meets your dumbfounded looks with squinted eyes, “I’ve read Little Women.” You both still must not look convinced because he rolls his eyes, “Whatever. I think it’s about time we talked about what we are,” Roy starts. “Like we, us,” Roy motions between the three of you. 

Your mouth falters, not knowing what to say.

You feel like you’ve been obvious with them from the beginning, so it’s time for them to reveal their hand.

Jason looks at Roy, though this time, you know their shared eye contact is Jason asking for permission to reveal… well, you don’t exactly know what.

“Speaking for me first,” Jason shifts uncomfortably. “God, this is so fucking mortifying to admit it, but,” He runs a distracted hand through his hair, “I’ve always had a thing for you. Ever since the first time we skipped, your quick-witted nature, the way you always had a retort for my dumb shit. You definitely caught my eye.” His emerald eyes flicker up to yours now, “Hell, you’ve always had my attention, babe. I hate to admit it, it’s sappy as fuck, I know, but,” He walks forward and takes your hands in his. The way he looks at you is like it’s out of a movie, like he can’t ever imagine getting enough of you, “I’ve been hopelessly in love with you from the beginning.”

Jason turns to Roy now, motioning him over. Jason places your hand in Roy’s. The redhead stares down at the contact like he’s afraid of messing up after Jason’s stirring monologue. 

Roy’s eyes remain on your clasped hands as he shakily begins, “You’re beautiful.” You blush, your own eyes resorting down to your hands now, though they flicker up almost immediately to see if he’s looked up yet. He has. You gulp. “You’re intelligent, you don’t let anyone stop you, you’re a fighter, but most of all,” Roy exhales, eyes searching yours, “you loved me and supported me when I couldn’t even do it myself. In high school, I was a wreck, baby,” Roy pouts. “I treated you so wrong, I did you so fucking wrong and it haunts me every day. But this,” He gestures between the three of you, “you being here, your unwavering devotion, how you fucking -” He chokes up. Jason rubs him on the back, wiping away the tears he’d shed before clasping your hand again. “How you fucking treat my daughter like she’s your own,” He shakes his head like he can’t even believe it. “I don’t deserve you, princess.”

You squeeze both of their hands, reassuring them that their words mean everything to you.

Jason pipes up before you can voice your thoughts just yet, “Obviously, there were factors that kept us from revealing this to you before, but-”

Roy finishes where Jason left off anxiously, “Now that all of that is, uh, you know, out of the way,” Roy uncharacteristically stumbles over his words as he finally meets your eyes, “I guess we were just wondering what you think about the whole situation.”

Holy shit.

Your heart is palpitating out of your chest and you’re pretty sure they must be able to hear its erratic beating over the faint noise of traffic below.

“You’ve both really liked me from the beginning?” They nod. “All along?” You’re breathless, no, speechless, at the revelation.

“Baby,” Roy starts like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “We’ve wanted to bang you from the moment we started getting close to you. Right, Jay?” 

You snort, but Jason doesn’t seem amused that he resorts back to humor after such a serious moment. You don’t mind, though—not when they’ve both bared their hearts to you.

Jason elbows him, but you’re already pointedly butting in. “Must be why your first words to me were to call me a fat bitch, then, yeah?” 

Jason looks sheepish while Roy looks offended on your behalf, muttering under his breath, “Dude.” 

“You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?” He winces, but you’ve been smiling the entire time, clearly fucking with him.  

“No amount of scones, Todd.” 

They mention having sex with you and almost kissing you a few times and the times they actually did kiss you, "How did you not pick up on what we were putting down? Even now, we literally fucked twice. How are you still questioning this, babe?” 

“I didn’t want to come between you.” 

“Little late for that,” Roy waggles his brows teasingly. “There’s not anything to come between when you’ve always been a part of this.” 

“So you were jealous of Damian,” It’s their turn to squirm. “No way,” You say breathlessly, more to yourself than anyone else.

“Whatever, not our fault you’ve been attached to his side since we met.” 

You can hardly contain your eye roll, “And the two of you dipshits. When I wasn’t with Dami, I was in the library with you guys doing your homework for you.”

Library.

Huh.

Your brain itches as it tries to remember something , but what, you’re having trouble recalling.

“Roy’s homework,” Jason corrects you, but your mind is still stuck.

Library…

The note Jason had left in his book; ‘remember for them.’  

Had it really been about you and Roy after all?

“Remember for them,” It’s all you have to say to get a reaction out of Jason.

His eyes flicker to Roy anxiously, who doesn’t seem to understand the new line of conversation. 

Jason, however, seems to know exactly what you’re talking about, “How the fuck do you remember that shit?” 

You’ve hit the nail right on the head.

You take a deep breath, “I need to know who it was about.” 

If he’d actually been thinking about it since then, you would be able to feel relief. You hadn’t been strung along the whole time. He’s loved you this whole time.

“Yes,” He confirms, somewhat embarrassed. “It was about the two of you.” 

You can hardly believe what you’re hearing.

“You mean to tell me this whole time we all could’ve been dating?” 

“You were too young!” Roy cuts in swiftly. “We both had our own issues, still do…” 

“So do I,” You snort, reflecting on the shit show that’s been the past few weeks. 

“And we’re so proud of you,” Jason earnestly says your name. “All mistakes aside, you’ve really handled this entire situation with an impressive amount of grace. You never once crumbled. You allowed yourself to cry, yes, but, ultimately, you stood tall,” Roy’s smirking at Jason now. “It really shows your level of maturity and how far you’ve come since the scrappy little asshole we first met.”

“I, for one,” Roy leans in like the Casanova he is, “love your little asshole.”

“I know the entire family is proud of you for how you handled the Joker, too, Jay,” Your eyes widen when your brain finally catches up to what Roy had said, “Wait, Roy. Love ?”

Roy’s charm immediately dissipates. He swiftly backs away, but your hand remains firmly around his.

Jason bites his lip as he ponders what to say next, “How would you want to go about this?” 

They’re both staring at you, anxiously awaiting your response. You would laugh, you know, if you weren’t on the edge of your seat in anticipation, too.

“‘This’ being?” You want to tease them a bit longer, finally content to not be on the receiving end of their torment.

You’d consider the ‘this’ a relationship, but you need to hear it from them first.

“We’ve always discussed keeping our relationship open for you,” Roy says. “We just thought, y’know, after all the shit we put you through, that it’d never be an actual option.”

“But now that you’re here, neither of us can imagine a life without you.”

“Neither of us could live a life without you, baby,” Roy looks up at you anxiously, squeezing your hand as he does. “Nor would we want to.”

“I was so depressed, you know, once I got past all the twinging pain of abandonment,” They wince. “It was so triggering when abandonment is all I’ve ever known. After knowing what I know now, I don’t hold anything against either of you at all,” You draw them closer to you until they’re both sitting beside you on the mattress. “You’re both all I’ve ever dreamed about and I never thought I’d actually have the chance to be with both of you,” They both instantly look relieved, as if they’re finally able to breathe for the first time since the conversation started. “And, now that we’re all here, I really see no reason for any of us to be anywhere else.”

“Shit,” Roy exhales with a wide smile. “Okay, yeah. This is good.”

You can’t help but bashfully smile back. 

Good? This is everything you’ve ever wanted.

You look between them expectantly, causing both of them to panic. 

“Er,” Jason starts. He unsurely looks at Roy to speak, but he’s already looking Jason’s way for the very same reason.

You clear your throat in an attempt to hide your amusement, but it’s in vain. 

They’ve been so kind to open up to you, so you don’t mind taking the reins this time. “Does this mean the three of us are dating, then?”

You nearly laugh when their wide eyes land on you at the same time and probably would’ve had you not felt so anxious. Actually putting the words out there was a lot more daunting than you’d expected. Then again, it has been the accumulation of literal years . 

Everything’s finally falling into place. You can hardly believe it’s actually becoming official.

Roy responds with an eager shake of his head, “Hell yeah, we are.”

This communication and upfront is exactly what you’d always needed but had never gotten. 

You can finally close all previous confusion and finally, truly move into the future.

At his response, you snort, though Jason’s gentle hand along your jawline stops you. He guides your face to his, looking deeply into your eyes, “Promise you don’t hold anything against us?” 

“The only thing I’ll ever hold against you is my body.” 

The mood instantly shifts.

“Y’know,” Roy starts as he languidly leans in, fingers tickling up and down the side of your arm as he does. “Now that we’re all officially dating, we do kind of need to christen it and all.”

“He’s not wrong,” Jason quirks a brow your way. “Plus, we have the whole place to ourselves.”

You blink back at them, your boyfriends, innocently, “The sectional looks comfy.”

“Fuck, yeah,” A wolfish grin spreads from freckled cheek to freckled cheek, “that’s hot.” Roy rubs his hands together greedily before he scoops you up and throws you over his shoulder. 

“Roy!” You bat at his back half-heartedly as he gropes your ass all the way to the living room. 

It’s as if he hasn’t heard you because he continues on, “In front of those big ass windows too, you’re a fucking slut, aren’t you, baby?”

You shoot Jason, who’s trailing behind his- wait, your, boyfriend, a deadpan stare, “A little help?”

“Now,” The right side of Jason’s mouth quirks up cruelly. “What’d be the fun in that, babe?”

Fuck.

You’re so fucked.

You can’t help the pleased grin that spreads across your face as Roy deposits you on the cashmere soft leather couch. Jason sidles up next to him and they both gaze down at you like they can’t decide how they want to wreck you today.

You love it.

They share a devilish smirk before getting into position. Everyone is very much careful of battle wounds that remain even weeks later.

Jason stands over you, placing his hands on the newly replaced glass as he guides his hefty cock to the opening of your mouth. You feel his heat as his erection bobs up and down, teasing precome-like dewdrops across your lofty lips.  

At the same time, Roy maneuvers the cushioned leather ottoman right up to you so he doesn’t have to kneel on the ground. With length added to the couch, Roy’s now free to spread his knees and arch his ass as he leans down to eat you out, spreading your legs wide open as both support and leverage. 

The tip of Roy’s tongue teases along the crease of your lips, barely dipping deeper. When the tip finally breaches your wet heat, he fatly laps your entire cunt before teasing the top of your entrance. As he does, the arched, middle section of his tongue teases your clit, not giving it nearly enough friction that you crave.

Jason suddenly turns around, one hand leaving the glass to get a better look as Roy expertly teases your wet cunt. The hand slowly trails up his scarred thighs as he gives his cock a few tugs. Roy’s emerald eyes blink open and immediately widen at the sight of Jason’s juicy ass.

Roy’s tongue is hypnotizing as it dips and flicks in all the right places. Roy pulls away from your cunt with a slurp, “I fuckin’ love Jay’s thighs, don’t you, baby?”

You lean forward slightly to pepper open-mouthed kisses along Jason’s thick thighs in lieu of a response, reveling in the way his breath hitches as you suck a hickey onto one. His dick twitches against your cheek and you can’t help but moan, deciding to leave more nice marks along his pale skin You catch sight of Roy winking at Jason, then at you, before Jason shifts forward once again.

Your one hand holds onto the wild tresses of Roy’s hair like a lifeline as Jason guides his down your pliant throat.

His length slowly inches down your throat, giving you the delicious constriction you’ve been craving since the last time you’d fucked.

His thick, veiny cock slowly dips in and out of your mouth while your tongue trickles along the underside. Your lips catch against the head of his cock and suck lightly before flicking against his seeping slit. All the while, your eyes maintain eye contact with his searing emerald gaze.

Slowly he begins to fuck your throat deeper and deeper. Your eyes roll back in your head, struggling to take his thickness.

Roy finally circles around your clit. At the same time, Jason thrusts deep enough to draw tears from your eyes. You breathe your moan vibrates against Jason’s length. 

Speaking of vibrating, Roy’s finger increases the vibration speed on his prosthetic as the tip of the metal tickles as it hovers just above your clit. Your thighs keep, read: squish, Roy’s head in place as he continues to torment you with his skilled tongue. The ticklish thrum of an orgasm steadily sinks down into your lower stomach until you can no longer bear it.

Roy’s tongue flicks and laps you through the waves of pleasure that wrack your body. Jason, however, doesn’t slow his thrusts in the slightest. 

It’s exactly what you want. What you’ve craved .

You quickly become overly sensitive to Roy’s tongue and snap your thighs together, trapping his face in the process as you struggle away from his teasing. 

As soon as your legs stop trembling enough to part them again, Roy’s diving right back in. This time, instead of his tongue, he graces you with his leaking cock against your aching entrance. You’re still a bit sensitive, yet you can’t help but guide his tip further inside your tight heat.

He releases a shaky exhale and looks down at you with darkened eyes once he bottoms out. He shakes his head and fucking whimpers as he rests his forehead against your own. His orange hair tickles at your cheeks as your eyes search his lust-consumed ones.

“You’re so fucking wet, baby,” He shakes his head like he can’t believe it, leaving his cascading hair to trickle in its wake. “You want me to fuck your come into you, princess?” He’s gritting his teeth at this point like he’s obviously holding himself back from pounding into you. 

Jason pulls out of your throat shakily, panting as he allows you to respond.

“Only if you give me your come, too,” You bite lightly at your bottom lip. Both of them groan at the same time and you know you’ve said the right thing. 

You wiggle your hips downward to get more friction, but his firm hands on your hips stop you in your tracks. He seriously has the audacity to tease you when you’re already aching so badly for him. 

His tip barely breaches your slit, fucking into you with shallow, quick-paced thrusts that leave you crying out desperately for more.

“How bad do you want it?” Jason’s dark timbre sends your stomach flipping. He, however, doesn’t give you a chance to respond before he shoves his cock back into your tight mouth.

“ Omph !” You startle around his length, though you quickly ease back into the fluid snaps of his hips. You only pull off to jack him off with your hand for a moment, spitting on the red tip of his cock before continuing your previous ministrations.

Jason removes one hand from the window to caress your cheek before smacking it lightly. You’re completely embarrassed by the needy whine you release in response.

You pull off Jason’s dick, panting as you do. 

“I want it so fucking bad, Roy,” Your eyes never once leave Jason’s darkened ones above you, however. “I want the both of you to fill all my little fuckholes and fuck me until I forget my name.” It comes out in a breathy rush, cut up between wanton moans, but they seem to get the point.

“Shit, baby.” You look between Jason’s thick thighs, watching as Roy’s cock enters further and further into your cunt with each thrust. “Our good girl has such a filthy little mouth, Jay.” 

“Should probably punish her then,” Jason flashes you a dark smirk, “Right, Roy?”

Your eyes widen, though your mouth opens expectantly for Jason to give you what you deserve. He groans at the sight of your open, fuckable mouth waiting for him. He smacks his heavy cock against your stinging cheek, smearing precome as he does before finally indulging by slipping between your sinful lips.

“One of us has to teach her a lesson,” As if to prove his point, his soft hand comes down on your ass cheek. He delivers swift, painful pleasure that sends you reeling. 

“ Fuck! ” You cry out around Jason’s leaking dick. 

Jason grabs a fistful of your hair as your eyes go unfocused in pure ecstasy. “You take that shit,” He grunts out your name through gritted teeth. “Fucking cock slut. What are we going to do with you?”

At his words, Roy moans, hips sputtering as he finally gives you what you’ve been craving. He holds you down by your hip, placing his other hand on your lower stomach as he quickens his pace. 

“I can think of a few things,” Comes Roy’s teasing response.

The pressure from Roy’s hands is in all the right places; places you’d never even known about until now.

With Roy fucking into you and Jason positioned standing over your torso, you’re completely filled.

Jason suddenly moans and stumbles a bit on the cushions. You break away from Jason’s face to see Roy’s face deep in Jason’s ass.

“Shit, Roy . A little warning,” Jason tries to sound annoyed, but with all his breathy moans, it’s easy to see through. 

Roy only eats Jason’s ass for mere seconds before Jason’s hand leaves the glass window, while the other tightens in your hair. He uses his grip to fuck your wet mouth with his cock as he rides out his orgasm.

“Coming all undone for our princess, Jay?” Roy’s thrusts are unrelenting, striking up against your g-spot with each snap of his hips.

When Jason’s hips are done twitching, he shakily reaches down to wipe stray come and spit that dribbles down from your swollen lips, “Always.”

He settles on your stomach, back to Roy, adding even more delicious pressure to the already steady building pressure Roy’s created.

“Open,” He demands and you comply, making a show of the rest of his come you’ve collected. You visibly swallow as you accept his come-covered thumb, sucking the remaining seed from his finger lewdly with your eyes never once leaving his.

Before you can swallow again, Jason surges forward to capture your lips with his.

The kiss is sloppy, slightly salty with sweat and come and you can’t get enough. You let out a broken moan as wet noises take over the hum of the TV.

“I can’t,” You break away, panting as you feel the eminent approach of another toe-curling orgasm. “Please, Roy !”

“Just like that,” Roy’s hips sputter and his voice is absolute velvet as he fucks you in all the right ways. “Beg for my cock just like that, princess.”

Jason goes between making out with you and whispering filthy things in your ear, loud enough for Roy to hear.

All the dirty talk is enough to send you and Roy over the edge at the same time. You feel his hot come filling every inch of your pussy and you grind against his dick one last time to make sure he’s giving it all to you.

Jason moves to slowly lap at your twitching cunt as soon as Roy pulls out. Jason makes a show of collecting the come that spills to your inner thighs. He gathers it all up into his mouth before spitting it into your already open one, “Swallow.” 

Your eyes widen owlishly, though you manage to follow his command, eyes flickering between your boyfriends as you do. You let out a pleased hum as your own come mixed with Roy’s trickles down your fucked throat.

Roy watches with a lazy smirk crawling across his freckled cheeks, “Such a good girl for us, aren’t you?”

Jason’s calloused fingers caress your jawline, turning your face to meet his head on for a toe-curling kiss. The fact that you know he can taste both of his lover’s come on his tongue only drives you more crazy. You deepen the kiss, tickling your tongue against his until he guides it into his mouth with a teasing flick that draws a pleased sigh from you.

“Very good,” Jason smirks as he pulls away, leaving you wrecked.

You relax back on the couch with a warm grin gracing your blushing face.

“ Fuck , dude,” Roy’s naked body slumps beside you. “Our sex game just reached a whole new level, Jay.” They then have the audacity to lazily high-five over your shallowly panting body. “Told you she was a freak,” He mutters cheekily with a playful nudge to your side.

“If you ever want to continue sticking your dick in me again, you might want to shut the fuck up, Harper.”

They both snicker, “Fair enough, princess.”

•••

You’ve almost forgotten what normal life feels like, you know, without people constantly trying to murder you and shit.

Dick’s been off of patrol for the past few weeks, sporting a broken leg. This is Lian’s dream scenario, who requests the acrobat come over every other day.

Roy hadn’t been able to hold in your relationship for long, spewing about it to anyone and everyone who would listen.

It’s… cute.

“You know,” Dick hobbles over to the sectional, “you guys should get out of here, go on a date or something.” Jason makes to mention Lian, but Dick’s already waving him off. “I’ve got Lian, right babydoll?” 

She nods excitedly, motioning for him to turn around to braid his hair. It’s almost long enough to braid, just barely missing the mark.

Lian huffs, “Make your hair longer, Uncle Dick.”

“Uh,” He chuckles nervously, lightly pulling his shiny locks from her white-knuckled grip, “right on it, kiddo!” 

“Jay’s gotcha covered. He keeps a whole bunch of wigs stashed in our closet,” Roy winks and, much to Dick’s horror, continues on. “Just don’t go digging around in the boxes next to ‘em.”

“So wrong, Roy,” Dick shakes his head in disgust. “Seriously, so wrong on so many levels- I’m his brother ,” Dick cuts himself off in the middle of whatever he’d been saying to exclaim the obvious. It’s as if Roy’s words alone are enough to make Dick puke at the very thought alone. If anything, Dick’s exaggerated response only adds to Roy’s shit-eating grin. “You know what?” He sounds plain exasperated now. “Just leave. Just go,” He closes his eyes with an annoyed sigh. When he opens them and the three are you are still standing there, he gives a deadpan glare before threatening,. “Leave before I change my mind.” 

Jason seems to come to after the shock of Roy revealing their- your sex life to his brother. He rubs irritably at the space between his brows as if he now has a migraine. Avoiding Dick’s direction completely, Jason grabs both of your hands and hightails it to the car before Dick can make good on his threat.

“I can never look him in the eye again,” Jason glares at Roy. Roy, on the other hand, looks extremely pleased with himself. “You realize that, right?” Jason huffs in annoyance but still opens the car door for you. “Fuck you, Roy.” 

From the backseat, you wiggle across the front seat armrest to open both of their doors for them from inside. Neither seem to notice, however, as they’re both way too preoccupied with quarreling.

“I know, right?” Roy waggles his eyebrows obnoxiously. As he adjusts the rearview, he winks at you, “Where to, gorgeous?”

•••

The diner is completely empty when you get there.

The jukebox loudly pounds out Tom Petty, nearly unbearably so, as the man leads you to a circular booth. It’s not your usual booth, but it sits right across from the one you’d originally sat at. This booth means you all get to sit next to and face each other at the same time.

They sit on either side of you, effectively squishing you with their muscular bodies.

It’s perfect.

You smile, beginning to absentmindedly kick your legs under the table in glee.

Same chipped flooring, same fake pies in the display, same big rip on your favorite booth. Everything’s the same, yet so different . 

Jason voices much of the same. 

“Different in a good way, though,” He clarifies as the waiter puts down your food and milkshakes. The waiter’s barely turned around before Roy steals one of your fries and dips it in Jason’s milkshake, “Hey!”

“In the best way, Jay,” He responds through a mouthful of fries.

From underneath the tablecloth, both of their hands slowly trail up to the short hem of your skirt.

Jason’s calloused fingers reach your heat first, easily pushing aside the lace of your thong to run one of his thick fingers up and down the length of your slit. The touch is intoxicating, though not nearly giving you the friction your hips now desperately buck for.

Roy’s bionic hand secures around your thick thigh, holding you in place as Jason begins his torment. “Hold your moan,” Jason lowly rumbles out your name as the server approaches.

“Everything looking good over here?”

“Really good,” Roy nods impishly as his verdant eyes lock mischievously onto yours. “Your food alright, princess?”

Jason chooses this moment to finally flick at your aching clit. 

You arch off the back of the booth, quickly coughing into your elbow to stifle your cry.

“All good, yup,” You confirm weakly as Roy’s cool metal slips closer and closer to your leaking cunt.

The man’s eyes linger on you just a bit too long for Jason’s liking. You can hardly focus, though, with Roy’s bionic hand lowly vibrating just above the hood of your clit.

Roy snorts at your boyfriend’s possessive behavior and gives the dude a thumbs-up with his free hand. It’s enough to have him stumbling away from your table, rambling and stuttering all the while. Though your server obviously knows what’s going on, Roy’s vibrations never falter in their teasing motions.

Once he’s out of earshot, you allow yourself to release the pent-up sigh that’s been lodged in your throat, “My fucking Magic Wand doesn’t even vibrate this fast, Roy.” It comes out a little more breathy than you’d like, but you’re not in any position to complain. 

The longer Roy keeps teasing his fingers through your slick folds, the closer you are to coming.

“ Shit,” He scoots close so your thighs are touching. “Shit, baby. Say my name just like that.” 

The jukebox blares out in time with your cries as Roy’s finger finally moves to directly stimulate your clit. Meanwhile, one of Jason’s slips inside your tight heat.

As you slink further down in the booth, Jason’s hands slip beneath the tablecloth to busy themselves with the provocative scene you’re putting on. He briefly searches around the restaurant before shoving his free hand down your bra to caress your tits. He glances up quickly again before shifting your top to expose them to the empty room.

“I think she’s actually getting off on this shit, Roy,” Jason’s dark timbre shakes every fiber of your vibrating being. “Like she’d let us fuck her right here and now in public.”

His words have your unfocused eyes rolling to the back of your head with a whine. 

You would.

That is… if you weren’t already seconds away from coming.

Roy chuckles lowly, abusing your clit all the while, “You like that, princess?”

You do.

“Fuck,” Your lower lip wobbles under their careful, teasing attention. Their every move is made to make you unravel until you’re nothing but a twitching mess sitting in the ruins of your arousal. “You’re both so good to me. I wanna come, please. Please, I want to come, JAY! ”

Jason slips in a second finger that leaves you lewdly arching off the booth, “Come.”

His commandeering tone only further adds to your overstimulation.

You don’t care that you’re slightly drooling, only that you’re about to have one of the best orgasms of your life. Your hips snap forward, directly against Roy’s vibrating onslaught, until you have no choice but to come.

Your orgasm shakes your body with waves of fiery chills wracking your shaking body. Through it all, they continue their ministrations until you finally unleash the wanton moan, read: scream, you’ve been holding in.

By the time the food comes out, you’re all fully satiated and take it to go. Go, meaning you fuck in the minivan for another thirty minutes before going home to watch one of Jason’s favorite horror movies.

You easily slip into the remaining cracks in their life as if you were always meant to be here. The best part? You finally know it, too. There are no more doubts, no more confusion- only love.

It’s everything you’ve ever imagined. It’s the start of the new, the end of the old and all the beautiful moments in between. It’s everything you could have wanted and more.

It's truly a beginning, yet you can’t deny that the end is still somehow just out of sight. 

An insidious smoke still looms just below the surface, lying stagnant in wait for the perfect moment to bubble over and leak to the surface. 

A/N: ah! i can't believe it's over :( be sure to let me know what you think!!!

Here’s the Spotify link again!

3/3 giveaway in the works for april! check out this post for more info!

[end]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[next in series]

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 25

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: E | TW: graphic violence, blood | 14k  includes: motorcycle smut, squirting, public sex, boss battle

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 25: Born to Die | ao3 - wattpad

It’s pitch black when you slip from the manor and into the quiet of the inky, starless night.

Jason and Roy had long elected to go to sleep in favor of researching and, after hours upon hours of hunting for clues the past couple of days, you nearly joined them.

But, even though your body aches with tiredness, you know sleep will only elude you. Especially when you’re this close to the end.

Your parents told you to go to Gotham Bay and, for once in your life, you follow their instructions.

Gotham Bay smells like fish and literal ass as you choke on the thick air surrounding the harbor. Your shoes squelch against the muck that liters the slick pavement, urging you to reconsider your choice, but you refuse. 

Up ahead, you see the final marker and turn the corner. “There you are,” You gasp, feeling your blood run cold. 

Yes, you’d come here to face the bad guys. That being said, you hadn’t really considered what you’d do when they ultimately came to collect.

“What the actual fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jason’s familiar voice berates you from behind, “Walking into a trap like some sort of suicidal maniac doesn’t really seem like your forte, babe.”

You sigh in relief when you turn and see your two dopey white knights.

With the original panic gone, the sadness starts to set in. 

You’re not dumb. You know the end is in sight, but you don’t see a way out of this. At the end of the day, the only way to truly end this is to give your parents what they want by turning yourself in.

“I,” You pout, realizing your reasoning isn’t as sound as you’d previously thought now that you’re actually saying it out loud. Nonetheless, you continue, “I just didn’t want anyone else to have to get hurt because of me.” 

Jason kicks lightly at the ground, leaving it up to Roy to talk you down.

“Well, too bad,” Roy easily steers you right back the way you came. You sigh, letting him guide you to Jason’s motorcycle that’s been hidden in a nearby alley. “We definitely would’ve been more than hurt if anything happened to you, princess,” He rubs your back. “Lian included.” 

You turn to look at him, but he’s just focused on getting you settled on the bike. He climbs on behind you, nudging Jason to lift you up onto his lap. Jason lifts you with ease as he deposits you onto Roy’s jean-covered lap. 

Your stomach flips.

Jason glances back at you before mounting the bike with your body sliding forward against his broad back once he’s fully seated. You gulp, unable to keep your raging blush at bay as the engine revs to life. 

Jason takes off down the street. His speed leaves you clinging desperately to him and you can’t help but scream as the bike reaches a scary speed that even Dick would have to give him a ticket for, relatives or not.

They both help you slip off the bike and quietly lead you back to Jason’s old room. Halfway up the stairs, you’re met with a sleepy-looking Titus. You give him a good scratch behind the ears as you pass. 

“What were you thinking?” Jason asks angrily, pacing around his old room. “Even if you had just turned yourself in, it wouldn’t have solved anything,” He glares at you like he can’t believe you would pull something so reckless. “Hell, all it would’ve done is give them the ability to move forward with their plan,” He crosses his muscular, scarred arms like he can’t even believe he has to have this conversation with you. “Are you trying to get yourself killed or something?”

Roy places a gentle hand on his shoulder as he slumps on the edge of his queen-sized mattress beside you.

The last time you’d been in here had been a few months following the Joker accident. You know Jason’s upset with you, Roy too, but you can’t help but look around the room.

Nothing much has changed aside from a few new books on the shelves and new, bigger clothing. The stain on the carpet from Jason’s spilled whiskey is noticeably absent, though, undoubtedly thanks to Alfred.

“What Jason’s trying to ask is, are you feeling alright?” He looks genuinely concerned and you don’t want either of them getting the wrong idea.

“I’m not fucking suicidal,” You sigh, shaking your head. “They offered me an out. They said no one had to get hurt.”

“Just you, then,” Jason looks disgusted. “You’re no fucking martyr,” He hisses your name out like a curse, banging his hand on his desk as he does so. Every object on the wooden surface jumps into the air as he does so, causing you to inadvertently startle. “You’re…” Jason trails off. “What you mean to us…”

“Yeah?” Your eyes widen, wondering if he’ll actually come out and say it. Hoping he’ll come out and say it.

Jason’s eyes flash with remorse and he makes to leave the room until you stop him.

“Jason, please,” He stops. “I just thought I was doing what was right after I did you both so wrong.” 

“We already talked it over, remember? We’re all good,” Jason gently chides you, placing steadying hands on your shoulders. “Stop holding that against yourself,” He looks you in the eyes to let you know that he’s serious. It’s like he’s waiting for a response because once you nod, he releases his firm grip. “It’s just…” Jason trails off unsurely.

“We can't lose you, princess,” Roy starts.

Jason shakes his head, finishing Roy’s statement easily, “Not when we just got you back.”

Back?

You’re the only one who’s been here the whole time, waiting.

“I never left.” 

They gulp, looking at each other before descending upon you with fervor only five years of separation could cause. 

You don’t label it and neither do they. 

You decide to go along with what feels right and, holy fuck, does this feel right.

Standing on the precipice of battle, they hold you together, if only for tonight.

“Princess,” Roy sounds barely restrained as he eyes you up your nearly naked form with barely withheld restraint, “I need you.” It’s rushed as it falls from his mouth.

You aren’t used to being needed and aren’t surprised when a rush of arousal surges all the way down to your clit.

This time, the sex is slow and deliberate as they get to know each and every inch of your body intimately. They make you come undone in ways you never could’ve imagined, trapping you between their muscular bodies as they slowly fuck into your aching cunt. 

After they’re done milking your first orgasm out of you, they both take turns watching as the other one forces another one out of you.

Roy lets you take control, pulling at his red locks and fucking into him ruthlessly amazon-style until he begs for you to allow him to come.

“Please, baby,” Roy whimpers your name soon after as he ruts against your brutal pace. “Please, you gotta let me come. Please,” He shakes his head, eyebrows furrowed together like he thinks he won’t last another second. 

Cute.

Jason’s grip around his leaking cock tightens. You take the hint  as you slow your pace with a cruel smirk, “No.”

“Fuck!” Roy’s voice cracks in his throat as he arches off the mattress to pound into you, nearly sending you off balance as he does. Jason quickly comes to wrap his calloused fingers around Roy’s thick cock before he can come. 

You bite your bottom lip, loving how Jason’s rough hand brushes against all the right spots. You glance up at his darkening emerald eyes as you grind against the delicious friction it offers.

“You fucking yourself against my hand?” Jason’s voice sinfully coats around your name as he questions you. You absentmindedly draw closer to him in response until your wide eyes are staring down his predatory ones. “Answer me.”

You nod with owlish eyes, feeling the heat of a nasty blush smack across your cheeks. 

“That’s good,” Jason praises you, looking as if he’s ready to devour you right then and there, but instead, he lets Roy have his fun with you. 

He removes his hand, causing Roy to release a shaky groan as he does. You don’t realize you’re pouting at the loss of contact with Jason’s sexy-ass hand until Roy smacks you on the ass. “Try not to look so disappointed, princess,” He winks up at you, panting slightly as he does. “’Specially not when my dick’s inside you, gorgeous.”

He deliberately places gentle pressure on your pubic bone as he shallowly thrusts inside you. You refuse to settle back onto your knees to give him the angle he’s really craving. 

No, not yet.

You grab a handful of his hair and use your grip to tug his face right in front of yours. His verdant eyes roll back in his head with an obscene moan you’ve ever heard. With how loud it had been, you’re pretty sure it’s the most obscene moan anyone at the manor’s ever heard; no, this entire block’s ever heard.

“Fucking, slut,” Jason grits around his teeth. He mashes against Roy’s chapped lips, tearing into them as you increase your pace again. 

Your hips stutter when his girthy length smashes directly into your g-spot. “Roy!” You salaciously clench down around him, forcing his cock against your inner wall again until you’re seeing stars. You’re babbling now, completely lost in the throws of this overwhelming feeling of arousal, “I need you to come inside me, please, Roy.” You beg him, throwing your head back with a wrecked moan.

Roy babbles back, easily just as clouded in lust as you are. “I wanna give you all my come, baby. So good; you fuck me so fucking good, baby- so good, I wanna- fuck!”

“Oh, damn,” Jason’s voice rumbles against the wet pants and moans that bounce around his childhood bedroom’s walls.

Jason joins the two of you on the small mattress again as Roy’s come leaks out of your sore slit and onto your folds. Jason then positions himself behind your to slurp it up and lap at your over-sensitive clit that jumps every time he plays with it. He spreads your ass as far apart as it’ll go before pressing a bruising grip into your soft globes.

“I’m so fucking spent,” You groan, face-planting into the mattress right next to Roy’s still half-delirious state. “I’m so fucking sore.”

“I’ll tell you when I’m done with you.”

You don’t even have time to settle into the mattress before Jason’s flipping you around again.

Roy seems to brighten up at Jason’s dark tone that drips with sex. He slinks beside you to whisper the dirtiest things into your ear. Meanwhile, Jason smacks his cock against your twitching cunt with a wicked glint flashing across his eyes as he stares down at the two of you.

Roy’s soft, freckled fingers trickle from your lower abdomen to circle around your painfully erect nipples. He briefly squeezes one before enveloping the other with a salacious twist of his tongue. 

They skillfully work in tandem to draw everything they can out of you. All of the moans, all the hushed curses, all the squelching noises from your pussy.

Jason takes in your lucid, fucked-out form with a wolfish grin. 

Roy’s hand lightly caresses your throat, as if testing the waters. When you give no complaint, he slowly strengthens his grip until you’re withering around on the mattress for more. 

“You want me to talk to you like the whore I know you are, baby?” He nods sweetly at you, though you can easily see the lust-ridden heat that lies behind it. “Tell you how Jason should punish you with his huge dick while I spank the rest of the badness out of you?” You gasp, “Would that make you come, baby?”

You’re a wreck. 

All you can manage is a tear-filled nod as Jason continues to tease your entrance. 

You don’t even know if you’ll be able to come any more than you already have, but Jason seems convinced as he draws every breathy whimper, every choked beg out of your body.

“Want me to spread her for you, Jay?” He doesn’t even wait for confirmation, knowing it’s exactly what he wants. 

He situates himself behind you with his sticky, flaccid dick pressed against your lower back as he bares your come-filled hole for Jason to ravage.

You’re so fucked. 

Literally.

You don’t even feel like you’re on the Earthly plane by the time they’re finally finished with you.

•••

The next day, you help Jason and Alfred with breakfast while the rest of the family lingers about in the kitchen and dining room, chatting amicably. 

You’re completely sore after your body had been so wonderfully used last night. You can’t help but walk with a slight limp. Personally, you don’t think it’s noticeable at all, but in a room filled with the world’s greatest detectives, it’s obvious as day. 

They shoot each other knowing glances, but Dick has the gull to openly stare in what you can only discern as disbelief.

Steph and Babs though, they’re content to wear shit-eating grins on their faces any time Jason or Roy so much as look at you.

You don’t realize making pancakes can be so messy until Roy’s smearing batter down your nose. Jason retaliates in your honor, splatting a spoonful into his fiery waves and drawing a disbelieving gasp from Roy.

From here, Dick leaps gracefully over the counter to grab the other bowl of batter straight from Alfred’s gloved hands. He grabs a fist full of the batter and wastes no time in catapulting it directly at Jason’s face. This, coincidentally, also smacks into the side of your cheek and even manages to splash Tim, Connor and Stephanie, who stand just a few beats behind the three of you.

It’s an all-out war with screams and giggles ringing out in the kitchen as the Batfamily attacks their own with any and every food-related item they come into contact with.

“FOOD FIGHT!” Roy screams, holding two cans of whipped cream like they’re automatic rifles as he sprays them across the chaos unfolding in the room. 

Dick and Barbara quickly team up to knock him off the counter while Stephanie attempts to throw strawberries at you through your human shield, Jason.

Bruce and Alfred can’t help but smile. Regardless of the mess, it’s good to see all of you acting like the kids you are. 

Connor somehow nearly breaks the refrigerator by falling into it after slipping on a banana peel that Stephanie had left on the ground thinking no one would fall for it, yet…

The dent he leaves on the stainless steel fridge from his body alone is enough for Bruce to call it all off.

After you all clean up the pancake remains, seriously, how did all the batter end up on the ceiling (???), you pack your things and meet everyone out front. That is, after changing.

You only really have one nice outfit, a skin-tight, thick-cotton, white v-neck and a plaid skirt. You elect to go commando as you skip down the driveway to where everyone’s gathered around, with Stephanie, Tim and Connor still in their pancake-covered PJs.

“And you’re sure it’s all fixed?” You catch the tail-end of Damian’s question to Bruce.

“They had your window fixed two days ago. The caulk needed to be set for a day or so for it to be completely secure again, though.”

Lian gasps when Alfred pulls around in the limo, stepping out to open the trunk for Jason and Roy to load all of your things. “Can I go in the long car?” Lian makes puppy-dog eyes up at her dad. “Can I, please?”

“‘Course, darlin’,” Roy ruffles her inky hair, helping her buckle into the back seat as she excitedly squirms around in the seat. “We’ll be following behind you on daddy’s motorcycle, okay?” She nods and obediently lets Roy finish securing her in her Superman car seat.

Damian and Jon hop in the seat facing opposite hers, still picking pancake batter out of each other’s hair with playful smiles.

Alfred gets in the limo and drives off. Soon after, he shuts the door and bids the rest of the Batfamily goodbye. Meanwhile, the three of you hop onto Jason’s motorcycle and speed off to catch up.

“Just like old times,” Roy winks and you just shake your head as his hands move to caress your thick thighs. It doesn’t take long for him to realize you’re not wearing anything underneath. You’re practically sitting in his lap, so you know he’s noticed when his dick twitches against your bare ass. “And here I was thinking you were still holding out on us, princess,” He mutters lowly lowly against your ear. Roy’s fingers stealthily slip between your slick folds, barely rubbing your clit as he releases a low chuckle, “Fucking whore.”

You arch against him, feeling your adrenaline spike as Jason revs his engine and speeds up on the back streets.

“Please,” You groan, grinding down into the redhead’s erection.

Jason seems to be picking up on what’s going on because he makes a sharp right turn, forcing you to cling tighter around his muscular abdomen.

The vibrations alone last time had been enough to make your eyes cross in pleasure, but this time was different. This time they were both touching you, tormenting you in the best ways possible.

Roy’s deliberate flicks against your still-aching clit leave your eyes twitching. He holds you steady as your body seizes, preparing for the most insane orgasm of your life- in public, nonetheless.

“You’re gonna come for me and Jay right here,” Your breathing hitches in your throat, making it hard to swallow. “All of these people are gonna see what a slut you are, baby,” His words tickle against the shell of your ear, sounding even above the roar of Jason’s V8. “All for us.”

“Roy,” You warn shakily.

“Scream his name, princess.” You hastily remove his helmet to reveal the satisfied smirk that lies underneath and he easily does the same for you, wanting to take in all of your little tells.

Your orgasm couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Jason finishes exiting the side street, coming to a stop at a red light when you’re overcome with a familiar, icy pleasure as it blooms across your aching cunt.

“JASON!” He revs the engine again in response, causing you to double forward against him as Roy continues to rub your abused, sensitive nub. 

With your head thrown back against Roy’s shoulder, liquid erupts all across the back of Jason’s leather jacket. All the while, the dude and his friend in the pickup truck beside you stare with their mouths wide open in disbelief. 

Jason whips off his helmet, nodding his head their way as if to say, ‘sup.’

You’re panting, pushing Roy’s hand out of your skirt, feeling completely satiated. “What the fuck was that?”

“Pretty sure you just squirted all over our Jay.” 

Squirt?

You shook your head languidly in your after haze, “What, like piss?”

“I’m not 100% sure,” Roy rubs at the outside of your thigh with a smirk, “but even if it is, feel free to do it all over my face sometime, princess.”

“Seconded,” Jason says. 

His slitted eyes trail up your trembling form like he’s considering fucking you right here and now. He feels behind himself, dragging his rough fingers through the wetness you’ve left on his back and the seat. 

He stares at the dripping slick curiously before forcing his fingers down Roy’s willing throat. He swallows your come all while staring at you through his strawberry-lashed, half-lidded eyes.

A deep voice stirs you all from your lust-filled haze.

“I need to get me a motorcycle, bro.”

His friend nods dumbly in agreement.

You all put on your helmets back on just as the light blinks green, speeding off before the men in the pickup can pick their jaws up off the floor. You nearly come again, feeling the flipping feeling tickling stir below, but Roy purposefully keeps his fingers just out of reach for you to get any relief. 

Fucking dick. 

You’ll definitely make him pay later.

•••

Regardless of what happened on the motorcycle hours earlier, they’re gentle with every part of you as you prepare for the final battle.

You’re lying in front of the fireplace of Damian’s living room, with Jason stoking the fire as Roy cleans and redresses your wound.

“’S looking a lot better, princess,” He pats lightly at your side, peppering your face and body with gentle kisses. 

His intimate gestures draw a quiet smile on your face. You’ve never felt so happy in your entire life and, yet, you feel like you can’t even bask in it until you finally come face to face with your parents.

You arch into his hold, snuggling against his chest as his lithe fingers begin to play with your hair.

Gentle music warbles in from the gramophone Damian has playing in the kitchen as he and Jon talk in hushed whispers.

Your eyes lazily trail back to meet Roy’s tired eyes. You’re honestly surprised he isn’t trying to take it any further with his lavishing touch, especially after last night. Though, it’s probably for the best, considering the lingering company in the adjacent kitchen. 

Roy slowly blinks back at you, his eyes lightly crinkling as he does, as if he’s the one who can’t believe he has you.

Lian had been put to bed hours before, though it looks like she might be sleeping alone tonight as Jason removes his shirt before cuddling around the two of you with a heavy blanket. Earlier, Roy had brought out a pile of pillows from the bed to prop you up on. Now, you use the pillows to create a sleepy little nest for your fam-… for the three of you.

Laying down with the two of them wrapped up in this fluffy bundle on the floor, they slowly begin to mouth at either side of your neck. You wriggle contentedly between them, returning chaste kisses of your own scattered along their chiseled jawlines. 

The music slowly ebbs as the needle catches. It slowly slips from the disc, leaving you with only the crackling roars of the fire in front of you.

Jason caresses your face before languidly drawing it to his lips for a slow, toe-curling good night kiss that Roy attempts to top as soon as Jason’s lips leave yours. 

You drift off somewhere in between the light tickles of their gentle lips against your warm skin.

•••

The logs on the fire come crashing down as they die out some odd hours later. 

You wipe blearily at your eyes, glancing at the clock in Damian’s kitchen to see that it’s nearly three in the morning.

Jason and Roy still seem to be dead asleep, even as you wriggle out of their overwhelming heat.

The hum of the refrigerator is all that greets you as you pad around the penthouse. You’re looking for something… Something you know was dumped on the living room floor but obviously isn’t there anymore. 

“Oh!” You accidentally exclaim out loud when you find what you’d been looking for a few minutes later in Damian’s office.

You look around the room suspiciously as if booby traps are going to pop out of nowhere and alert everyone to what you’re doing, but it doesn’t happen. You snatch your laptop from atop one of his filing cabinets before scurrying back to the living room. Roy’s curled around Jason’s midsection, with drool leaking onto his abs. You roll your eyes at the sight, opening the corrupted laptop. 

After the last time, there’s now a giant crack stretched across the screen, crackling across the glass like lightning. The display flickers between a blinking blue error, colorful popcorn static and, strangely enough, the password box.

Your fingers hesitate as the password box flickers back onto the screen before typing, ‘tonight.’ 

You shut the laptop again, making quick work to remove the hard drive before throwing it into the last raging flame that remained. You silently placed the laptop exactly where it had been before getting dressed for what’s to come.

•••

This time, Gotham Bay isn’t so daunting when you approach.

You know this area has to be under high surveillance for them even to suggest you come back to the same location as the previous night. 

So, here you are. Waiting.

The cold, misty wind bites at your exposed ankles while you peer around for any signs of movement. You’re completely alone with only the squeals of Gotham’s signature cat-sized rats pattering about in the shadows to keep you company. 

Your weather app said it’s supposed to rain at some point and, although the sky is its usual murky fog, the moon still shines brightly. 

After wandering around the lot for a bit, you come to your final location: a dead end of warehouse buildings on one of Gotham’s loading docks.

The hairs on your arms stir awake, prickling your sensitive skin as they become erect. 

The familiar weight of eyes has been on you the entire time, but now it feels entirely different. 

There’s shuffling from behind you, then in front of you. 

Your arms come out to steady yourself as you back into the one area you haven’t heard anything from, but it’s a mistake.

You gasp as cold fingers grip your forearms with a bruising hold.

“I can’t believe the broad actually came here alone!” The Joker’s familiar laugh trembles against your ears in disbelief. “No, seriously,” His face falls into a frightening deadpan glare as he makes his way in front of you. All around him, hundreds of henchmen swarm into the dockyard. “I don’t believe you.”

His wretched voice slithers through your veins, wrapping around your beating heart like an unforgiving cobra. He watches your every minute reaction for any telling signs, but you offer him the truth. After all, it’d be fruitless to lie to him.

“I was just listening to my family,” You shake your head, wondering if you’ve made a mistake; no, wondering if you’ve misplaced your loyalty. You’ve already made your bed, though, so now you’ll have to lie in it.

The situation becomes all too familiar as Joker’s men swarm in to restrain your squirming form. Beefy arms tug and squeeze at every limb as if they’re trying to rip them off straight out of your sockets. You can’t help the grunts and protests you spout all the while, but Joker remains eerily quiet as he takes in the scene in front of him. 

It’s as if he’s testing that you’re really alone- like he still doesn’t believe you. 

His green hair bobs finally as he surveys the area once more before nodding with an impressed face, “Guess the girl really isn’t too bright. Maybe that’s why mommy and daddy want you gone,” His creepy smile catches your breath in your throat, “You truly are just a worthless disappointment now, aren’t you?” He giggles, “An orphan with parents! Who’d’ve thought of that contradiction?”

“I want to believe they’re my actual family,” You say.

“Them?” The Joker actually laughs, no theatrics, just laughs at your stupidity as he hitches a thumb over his shoulder at nothing. “And how does that seem like it’s going?” He snorts and comes around to tickle his fingertips lightly across your cheek. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, but first,” He skips around his henchmen, clapping frantically in their faces all the while, “How about a little family reunion? Let’s give ‘em a hand, folks!” 

His cackles are genuine as your parents emerge from the shadows. Their faces are smug as they take in your overpowered position.

“Mom,” You look at her with pleading eyes, begging her not to do this. “Dad, please.”

They shake their heads, “This is how it was always going to end. We’ll get what we’re owed.” Your mother’s wearing a full-length ball gown she undoubtedly stole and her expensive heels click against the ground as she cooly addresses you, “You won’truin this for us. You hear me?” 

She’s using her ‘don’t fuck with me’ tone and you are more than happy to oblige. Though you’re not used to being reprimanded by them, it doesn’t mean it’s never happened. You know exactly what kind of response she’s looking for.

You automatically nod your head, “Yes.”

You flinch backward into the men when she makes to slap you but stops just before the contact and, instead, caresses your face with her soft touch.

“Good.” You slink back at her familiar hostility and eye her cautiously as she continues to linger, “Do not forget blood is thicker than water.” You could scoff if you weren’t actually so terrified of your mother. Words jam in your throat, suffocating you all the while. “And do not mistake,” She glares at you as she releases your face with a jolt of her hand, “that for the lasting good of our family name, your blood will spill.”

“Mom,” You whisper, eyes staring after her retreating form in hopes that some semblance of sense will befall her, but it’s in vain. “Please, help me,” You beg. “Don’t make me do this, please,” You continue to plead, but it falls on deaf ears.

“Do what, exactly? Seems like you’re pretty tied up at the moment!” Joker pops right in front of your face with a wicked smile that has you startling backward into your captors. “Perhaps another introduction is in order,” Joker chuckles. “I think it’s time you met my other half,” His voice drips with amused malice with his manic eyes refusing to leave your pained ones. “Oh, Two Face!” Joker sing-songs off to the right of you.

The shuffling of men and their sniffles in the cold is all you can hear for the longest time, then scuffled steps.

There’s no way you’re actually going to meet Two Face, right?

Right?

A twinkling metal sound reverberates as the aforementioned man strolls forward, followed by crowds of men. 

Shit.

Two Face’s normal side is bathed in the moonlight first. You squint to get a better look right as his wicked side emerges from the shadows into full visibility. You can’t help but gasp. 

The comic books could never do his veneer justice. 

His hand is nonchalantly tucked into the white side of his suit while the scarred hand flips a hefty coin over and over again. 

Two Face’s daunting voice grumbles out your name with half a smirk adorning his grotesque face. “I’m sure by now you’re in on our little agreement, right?” The coin continues to glisten as it’s thrown into the night air with practiced motions. “How mommy and daddy sold you out when you were born?” You shake your head, “Oh, you’re not in on it?”

You spit at him, “Fuck you.” 

“Newsflash, brat,” He grabs your face in his hands with wretched venom. Your eyes are wide with fear as he shakes your face, seeming to switch between ire and calm sporadically. “The only thing you’ve been good for is your social security number. You’re worthless. They’ve had this organization created with the financial backing of this loon while you were still in mommy’s stomach.” You were truly born to die by the very people who’d brought you into this world. You shake your head as tears form, refusing to believe it but knowing it’s true, “Cry all you want, but you’ll be dead before the hour’s up.”

He motions for you to see the time on his silver Rolex. 

2:39 AM.

Joker snickers while the two of them circle around you like vultures closing in on roadkill. 

You’re completely vulnerable in this moment. 

“Go on!” Joker hypes Two Face up, “Tell the poor little thing,” He tugs at your cheek as if you’re a baby. “How she’s going to save Gotham!” He jumps up excitedly and, if you weren’t sure he was unstable before, you do now. Every movement is jerky and completely erratic, never flowing into each other so much as clashing in a grandeur fashion.

Your dad sighs, rubbing irritably at the space between his eyebrows, “Our organization was built with the backing of Gothamite’s with a vision for a Gotham. A Gotham with the right rich people, which, of course, means taking money away from those who don’t deserve it. Worthy Gotham families would funnel money into our insurance scheme and funded, well-”

“Our research,” Two Face stops pacing and his mangled side faces you. “With plans as grand as this, enemies of our organization would need to be dealt with swiftly and justly. A culling of Gotham’s wealthiest, so to speak. Thus, you came into play again.”

“Oh, oh!” Joker raises his hand up and down enthusiastically like he’s answering a question in class. “Me next!” 

“Why do I put up with this clown?” Two Face groans, turning to his main henchmen for an answer he’ll never find.

His yellow teeth are on full display as he gets in your face again, “You, my dear, are the only reason your parents were even included in the deal.” He eyes you, searching for any emotions, but now you’re more focused on the missing pieces. “Only under the stipulations that, A.,” He holds up a finger in front of your left eye, “the organization would kill you when it came time to collect our spoils and, B.,” Another pale finger, this time in front of your right eye, “that you’d be the test subject for our eventual enemies' medicine.” He nods with sinister delight as horror settles across your face, “That’s right. You’ve been a dead girl walking since birth,” He’s up in your face, practically spitting wretchedness through his now gritted teeth. “A pawn.”

Joker looks over his shoulder and nods for someone to come forward.

From the crowd, a skinny man with Joker face paint walks forward with a bulky briefcase and hands it to Joker with his head bowed, “For our vision.” 

Joker takes him in with a disgusted look and brings down a fist at the base of the man’s neck. You can’t help but gasp in alarm as the man seems to go from standing to crumbling to the floor before you can even manage to blink.

“Don’t worry!” Joker pouts with faux concern as he punt-kicks the crumpled man in his side, causing him to roll over at the sheer force with a resounding crack. “He’s just on break! You get it?” He erupts into a fit of laughter, eyes remaining insanely open all the while.

He wiggles his fingers greedily like he’s dipping them into some deplorable cookie jar. The case clicks open, causing you to flinch and tightly squeeze your eyes together.

You stare at the glowing green tubes embedded in the case in front of you.

You glare as you turn to your parents, wondering if they even cared you were about to die, but they’re facing the Joker.

They were the ones who originally created the account and scheme itself, and, hell, they were even the ones to get you to show up here, yet they seem to have forfeited control to the Joker. The way their eyes constantly flick to him and how they verbally defer to him on what to do next, how can they not see they’re the henchmen in their own plot?

They’re the real pawns.

And you? You’re just stuck in the damn crossfire.

“Why two?”

“Easy,” Two Face’s bald eyeball scours around in its socket as he eyes your chest up. “I like a nice, even two.”

Gross.

Since they seem content to spill all this information, you wonder if you can get them to divulge evenmore. You continue your questioning, “What does it do?” 

You’ve been injected before, yes, but you’re after anything that can get you one step ahead of them. 

“Oh, say no more!” Joker dances around Two Face gleefully, cutting him off in the process. The split man appears entirely done with his business partner now, as if he’s seconds away from capping the clown. “We wouldn’t want to spoil the fun, now would we?” His voice becomes menacing as he peaks around the black side of Two Face’s suit.

“Tell you what,” Two Face’s haughty voice seems only to be coming from the smirking side of his mouth. “Heads we inject you, tails we forget about the whole thing.”

You raise a dubious brow at his blatant lie. These fuckers don’t know how many comic pages you’ve poured over since middle school. You’re already familiar with their little schticks and a motherfucker like Two Face isn’t about to fuck you over.

“Heads, I go free,” You nod your head at him, calling him out on his bullshit.

His mouth hitches, squeezing out a growl from the rotted corner, “I’ve already made my deal, accept it or get injected anyway, brat.”

“Well,” You roll your eyes, “that’s not exactly fair.”

He sneers as he rapidly advances on you, “YOU THINK I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT FAIR? YOU THINK LIFE IS FAIR? LOOK AT ME. DOES THIS LOOK FAIR?” He pants rabidly with an animalistic look in his already wild eyes. After a brief moment, he clears his throat, schooling his face as he wipes at imaginary dust on his color-blocked suit. Two Face seems entirely entranced as he flips his coin, holding his hand over it to prevent the result from being revealed. His voice is contrastingly calm and collected when he addresses you again, “How does it feel knowing your family doesn’t care about you?” 

Your parents may know you have Red Hood and Arsenal on your side, but they definitely don’t know you have the entire Bat Family too. Though they remain concealed, every member of the Wayne family stands at the ready on the surrounding warehouse rooftops to take down this horde of goons. 

You smirk when you hear Batman give the ‘stand-by’ over the comms system, “I wouldn’t know.” 

Two Face’s face contorts at your response and, before he can reveal the Heads that lay underneath his hand, you see multiple shadows flitting down from the sky.

From here, it’s a flurry of rapid-paced movement as everyone moves in at once.

Robin’s the one who whisks you off and hands you off to Arsenal. You quickly duck behind the barricade they’ve created for you on a nearby rooftop.

Below, the sounds of war cries, clanking and pained cries ring out into the bay, reminding you of the very real situation at hand.

Robin looks at you, grabbing your hand in his, “I need you to stay safe.” He shakes his head. “It’s selfish, I know, but just say the word and I’ll take you far away from here.” The whites of his mask hide effectively hide his usual tells from you, “It’s what father instructed me to do.”

Your breathing hitches, “You’re not going to?”

He’s going against Batman?

“I know you can handle yourself,” He sighs. “I also know you’d only blame yourself if anything happened to anyone here without you having a way to stop it.” He stares down at your connected hands, “Just promise me you won’t make me regret this.”

“Promise,” You nod at him.

He isn’t able to look at you after this and he releases your hand at once. Robin takes down two men before tackling another group of them back down to the ground, knocking them out with the landing.

When you turn around, Arsenal’s tugging his trucker hat low enough on his head that you’re only barely able to see the wicked glint in his eyes.

“Well, wasn’t that just fuckin’ special,” Arsenal doesn’t try to hide the jealousy lighting up his voice.

Roy… Jealous… of you??? 

That’s fucking rich.

“Oh, come the fuck on,” You roll your eyes as he fires off round after round of rubber bullets into the crowd of goons. “We literally fucked last night.”

He can’t argue with your logic and, instead, reach over for a fist bump. You leave him hanging easily with an unimpressed glare. 

“Damn, tough crowd,” Arsenal switches to his specialty arrows as a few of Two Face’s men get too close. 

You watch in a panic as the men attempt to close in on your barricade from either side of the building. You don’t have to worry for too long, though, as Arsenal wastes no time in firing off shots from his prosthetic. The arrows appear to have heat trackers in them as they trail behind the screaming goons. The burly men trample each other down the stairs in an attempt to flee from the fury of Arsenal’s bionic quiver.

You can’t help but watch with wide eyes, “Woah,” You absentmindedly go to feel up his weapon, regretting it instantly when you feel its radiating heat. “That’s fucking awesome, I can’t even lie.”

“New favorite superhero?” He wiggles his brows at you from under his trucker cap.

You roll your eyes at his shit-eating grin, “Focus.” 

“I’ll take that as a yes, princess.” 

The original barrage of arrows seems to have done their job, but, soon enough more of Two Face’s men break away from Nightwing and Batgirl down below. Once again, your barricade comes under attack as the burly men attempt to breach it again. 

Suddenly, Spoiler swoops in to start chipping away at the back of the wave, mainly Joker’s men, until Red Robin joins her at her side. You watch as they swiftly eye each other up with barely contained amusement at their predicament. Without hesitation, the two of them work in well-practiced coordination to tackle more of the horde heading your way.

The moshpit on the ground steadily thins as each Bat makes their way through the throng of henchmen, taking on multiple men at a time. 

This is good, you think.

Another glance around proves the two Robins are squaring off with Two Face, but still, Red Hood, Batman and the Joker are nowhere to be seen.

That’s… definitely not good.

A quick look behind you proves Arsenal’s already thinking the same thing.

Arsenal screams your name and you duck on instinct, watching in horror as two bullets become embedded in the armor of his stomach. He grunts, then cries out in pain as their weight sinks into his flesh. He makes quick work of the offending gang member before stumbling over to you.

“I can’t,” Arsenal chokes out as he slides down the front of the barricade, stomach clasped in his hands. Thin streams of blood trickle onto his pale arm as they weave syrupy paths in between the spatters of freckles. “I need you, please.”

You gulp, thinking back to how different those exact words sounded coming from him just the night before.

“I’ll protect you,” You nod at him sincerely, taking the Uzi strapped to his thigh in the process. You check the chamber out of habit, keeping a steady eye on the advancing men all the while. “I promise.”

A weak smile tugs at the corner of his chapped lips, “Go get ‘em, princess.”

You sigh, cracking your neck to either side and shaking out your arms as a mixture of Joker and Two Face's henchman clamor over the roof’s edge. They stalk toward you with disgusting, wanton looks in their eyes. 

You pump yourself up one more time, shivering as cold adrenaline settles across your entire body. They’ve got the wrong fucking one.

While they’re still some way off, you play crowd control.

You swiftly scatter the men with bullets, only halting when you need to reload, but quickly realize you don’t have the time. Though you’ve managed to knock out 90% of the hoard, five hulking men remain.

You throw aside the empty gun with disdain as Arsenal fires off quick shots from behind. He manages to distract two of them well enough that you’re able to square up with the other three.

One of them scoffs as he takes in your battle stance, “I didn’t sign up to hit no fuckin’ bitch.”

“This bitch just took out Frankie and Tommy in seconds,” He cracks his knuckles, grinning at you with a smile that's supposed to be terrifying but only causes you to roll your eyes. Henchmen always play into the same stereotypes, it seems, both in comics and in real life. “We’re takin’ her down. Then we’re takin’ her down,” He winks at you. 

The other goons start howling with laughter as they close in on you like a pack of wailing hyenas. 

You’re ready for them as you steel yourself with the skills they’ve taught you that you didn’t have the first time around at the gala. 

Round two motherfuckers. Ding, ding!

Your battle smile works its way onto your face, begging them to fuck with you.

They finally bite your bait and one of the men takes his swing. 

While they’re all large, bulky men, they’re entirely too slow for your speedy form. You dodge the haymaker easily, leveraging his uneven weight against him to send him sprawling straight across to the other edge of the roof. The remaining two men stare after him in shock. 

You use their distracted state to jump up and smash their skulls together. 

You waste no time in spinning around to help Arsenal with the two he’s been distracting. He’s already nearly at the ledge when you blindside the biggest goon by pummeling into him from the side like a bull, effectively knocking him away from Arsenal’s bleeding form. 

The other man is already extremely injured from Arsenal’s arrows and only takes a few swift hits before he’s knocked out.

The pleasant buzz of adrenaline feeds your ravenous hunger for vengeance, but it also blinds you.

You rush to where Roy is slumped over and panting in exertion, “R-” Even through his blood loss, he shoots you a glare and you correct yourself quickly. “I mean, Arsenal,” You shake your head quickly in apology. “Sorry. First day on the job and all, you know?” You try to joke, but the redhead is far too out of it to do anything more than gurgle around a small quirk of his lips.

While you’re tending to Arsenal, the first man you’d sent sprawling across the roof comes back to return the gesture. 

You’re airborne for what feels like a minute, though it can’t have been more than two seconds. 

You groan as your body skids agonizingly across the rooftop. The thick scratches you’ve just gained singe your skin, though the more pressing matter is that you’re currently halfway off of the rooftop. You blink, staring down at the battle below as you land in a way that leaves your head over the ledge. You blink again, realizing just how close you’d come to becoming sidewalk meat. 

Okay, no more looking down.

You hear thunderous steps advancing on you from behind, tussling through Arsenal’s barrage of firepower as they continue your way unhindered.

You pant, groaning as your scraped hands clutch around the ledge.

Now’s not the time to panic and it’s most definitely not the time to…

You look down again.

It’s a mistake.

You whimper, closing your eyes while praying that Arsenal can hold the dude off for just a while longer. 

You need to get back up. 

Though it’s not a technique the Wayne’s taught you, you pathetically wriggle backward like a snake, not even caring how ridiculous it looks so long as it gets the job done. Once you’ve backed up enough, you roll just in time to miss Joker’s henchman lunging to unleash a punch where you’d been trapped mere seconds ago.

“Holy shit,” You breathe with wide eyes as the humongous goon becomes momentarily preoccupied with nursing his mangled fist. “Oh, shit,” You nod rapidly to yourself, scurrying away from his distracted state, tripping in the process. The goon hears your curse and his attention easily shoots your way like a shark sniffing out blood. He’s definitely angry this time as he slowly breaks into a full-on sprint your way. You scramble up on your wobbly feet, heartbeat thrumming in your ears as you race with a worried face back toward Arsenal. “Holy shit, holy shit, holy SHIT!” You screech as you duck and dodge blindly out of the goon’s reach. 

You distance yourself from the far ledge and close the distance between you and the dazed redhead.

When you know you’re about to run into the vigilante, you halt suddenly. Your feet skid backward across the dirty rooftop like a move straight out of the comics as you suddenly spin to face the assailant head-on. 

Your face shines with determination as you lean into your fighting stance. Milliseconds later, you’re ducking before popping back up to unleash an unforgiving fist upside the man’s chin. His jaw, or at least you hope it is, audibly snaps and the once intimidating man crumbles to the floor like a child. 

You drop to your knees before you can think otherwise, mind still completely absorbed in the attack. You gasp, feeling the tickling presence of emptiness meet your back as your calves slip from the ledge of the roof you’ve unknowingly found your way to.

Then, you’re falling, cutting through the signature thick, grotesque smog of Gotham.

“NO!” Roy screams your name with a raw pain you never want to hear again. With the way things are currently going, you won’t have to.

The rushing wind helplessly pushes its transparent strength against your body as you come closer and closer to your demise.

So, this is how you die.

Sorry, Damian, for breaking your promise.

You close your eyes, smiling, ready for whatever comes next.

Jason’s died before and he seems… Well, he’s…

Who are you kidding? The kid’s still a mess, but, you know, now much less so.

It’s still comforting, regardless of Jason’s sometimes hostile disposition, that he has, in fact, died before. 

There’s no flashback of memories, there’s no words of wisdom, there’s no dramatic music. You’re alone with the beating of your heart and the wind.

The mere seconds tick on, feeling like minutes as you fall weightlessly into the unknown.

           |

                                                |

        |

              |

Instead of splatting onto the pavement below, the wind is sucked out of you as you land hard against... You squirm around to find none other than Batman. He glances down at you, checking you over for injuries before setting you down in a cleared area behind Nightwing.

There’s no time to recollect, well, anything, as you’re forced right back into battle.

“We need to get you out of here,” His eyes and stern tone leave no room for argument, though Nightwing’s quickly overpowered. “You shouldn’t be here in the first place,” He reprimands you, leaving you to shrug sheepishly in response. 

Before Batman can go for the comms, he’s swept back up into battle. His black cape flutters, obstructing you from view as he joins alongside the blur of Nightwing’s signature escrima sticks. 

From in front of you, you as watch Red Hood meets up with Joker in the midst of the sea of swarming bodies. 

This isn’t good… 

Red Hood grows more aggressive with the assailants, allowing his fists to come down harder and kicks to connect with a sickening power. You wonder if he’s even using rubber bullets anymore.

Joker, a few yards ahead of him, prances around, using anything and anyone in sight as weapons. In his fucked up mind, you suppose they’re mere props to further his deranged performance. 

Red Hood continues forward in the same merciless manner, blazing a war path with his usual ruthless demeanor. A particular cruel shot has you scrambling for Batman as Red Hood comes face to face with the man who killed him for the first time since the gala.

You stumble backward, unable to take your eyes off Red Hood’s brute power with sickening amazement. 

This isn’t right, though.

The Joker throws a grenade Red Hood’s way but he just picks it up and throws it back, shooting it in the air just before it’s set to hit the madman. The explosion shakes the ground but is only a brief roadblock as your vengeful lover pistol whips the Joker across both cheeks. You watch as he drags the madman up off the ground by his green hair.

The thunderous explosion is finally enough to get Batman heading Red Hood’s way, though not before their wily opponent can climb into a loading crane. 

Shit. 

Like the battle hasn’t already been fucking hard enough, now we’re bringing heavy machinery into play? 

This is so entirely fucked.

The crane stirs to life, unleashing a terrifying, beast-like roar while the man behind it cackles gleefully. His first move is to lift the cargo box already loaded onto the crane and swings it rapidly over the raging battle. The metal crate thuds over the few henchmen Batman and Nightwing weren’t able to save.

You hide, using the shadows for cover as more cargo boxes are wildly swung around in the air and dropped like bombs on the throngs of people below. The Joker obviously doesn’t care who he hurts, throwing caution to the wind as his men get tangled up in the bloodshed. 

So long as people are getting hurt, Joker’s happy.

Meanwhile, Two Face frowns as he takes in the fight. He searches around for his next move, hightailing it once he sets his sights on a nearby forklift to even the playing field. 

“Yeah,” He snickers, turning the key as the engine roars to life. “Now, this’s more like it.” 

His first target is a distracted Red Robin, who, upon hearing another motor revving, has enough sense to jump up, leaving Two Face to mow down his own men instead. The psychotic man seethes as he throws the forklift into reverse with a displeased grunt. 

Red Robin wobbles unsteadily before he’s thrown to the ground as the machine shifts into drive.

Without hesitation, you leap forward, snatching him out of harm’s way and nearly getting yourself run over in the process.

Red Robin looks down at you, stunned. There’s not much time to dwell, though, as the two goons not under the forklift lunge toward the two of you on the ground. Red Robin rolls the two of you to the left, then right, dodging each punch before popping up and unleashing a flurry of fists. 

Meanwhile, you scramble to your feet and wobble laughably into your stance.

The man quirks an unimpressed brow at you before following suit, “You gonna be a good girl for me, sweetheart?”

You huff. 

Men are so fucking dumb. If he’d just charged you instead of humoring you, you’d’ve been a fucking goner, but no. He wants to play? 

So be it.

Let’s fucking play.

He spits blood from his previous bat family encounters on the ground with a smile before charging at you with his bulky body. You wait until the very last second before simply stepping out of the way, sending him barreling into the brick behind where you’d been.

Now for the boss man.

Two Face seems to have forgotten you and Red Robin and you watch with horror as he bulldozes straight toward a distracted Batman and Red Hood. 

Batman shoves Red Hood out of the way of the metal rods the Joker’s unloading from a drastic height. It seems like he’s getting a better hang of the dangerous machine and it’s definitely not a good thing.

“I’m really starting to like this baby!” He giggles with glee, though it’s effectively cut off by wide eyes as Batman carefully traverses the windshield, bursting in through the opened door. “Uh, oh,” Joker slides across the seat in an attempt to exit through the other door but bumps into a seething Red Hood who blocks the only other exit. “Now, Batsy, can’t we just talk this out over a nice cup o’ joe-?” 

POW!

Even from where you’re standing, you hear the sickening crunch of the Joker’s now broken face. You watch as Batman takes the key to the machine and bends the metal with his bare hands to prevent further usage.

Red Robin sees Two Face getting closer to his family and makes a mad dash for the duo. He doesn’t slow any as he grabs Nightwing by the forearm to drag him over to put a stop to the father-son quarrel, “Back me up!” 

Nightwing quickly falls into step with him, “Right behind you.”

They throw Two Face from the driver's seat and lunge out of its path, leaving the forklift to crash into a stack of metal rods. The heavy metal clatters and tumbles to the ground with a roaring might and your heart stops when you realize you’re directly in the line of fire.

A flash of red and you’re momentarily weightless for the second time tonight. A quick look to the side proves Red Hood’s ditched the Joker to come to your rescue. You’re rendered speechless as he uncharacteristically, not to mention roughly, drops you back down to the ground to face Batman.

“How dare you stop me from delivering justice when this is the carnage he still leaves behind?” You can practically hear the pain behind his robotic impediment. When Red Hood socks Batman, you can practically feel the pain as his heavy fist lands in between the flexible joints between his armor.

Batman grunts at the contact, parrying without a second thought, “Justice or vengeance?” 

Red Robin seems nervous as he aids Nightwing in holding their brother back. Red Hood easily overpowers them, throwing the two of them off of his muscular body like rag dolls.

Red Hood gets in his father’s face and although you can’t see or hear any of the emotion, his actions ooze it. “Are they not the same?”

This is not a man you recognize, well, not since first meeting him, at least.

You can’t just sit by and watch him throw away all the progress he’s made over the years in the heat of the moment. You need to stop this before it escalates further and you all lose sight of the actual mission: getting everyone in the family out of here alive.

You can’t lie. Earlier on the rooftop, you'd experience the same blinding rage. Seeing Jason like this makes you realize that, no, they’re not the same.

“Gregor Samsa!”

His red helmet snaps toward you and you don’t waste a minute further as you come to his side. 

Batgirl and Spoiler are covering you guys. Meanwhile, Nightwing and Red Robin hesitate, not knowing whether to intervene in family affairs again just yet or not. 

“Kafka?” His warbled voice sounds confused even through the modulator. “The fuck does the book Metamorphosis have to do with anything?”

Batman’s eyes shift to you as he continues to let Red Hood hold him up by his chest plate.

“I understand your pain, love,” You scramble for what to say as everyone’s eyes land on you after the pet name. “No matter how much you grow your calloused exterior, you will always be that ostracized little boy. You don’t want vengeance like this.” 

“Fuck YOU!” He screams, causing your eyes to go wide.

Red Hood front kicks his father in the stomach, sending him sprawling into a rapid pack of henchmen. He then spatters the men with rubber bullets before grabbing Batman by the cape, thrashing him across the ground like a loose whip. 

You’re seconds from accidentally screaming out his actual name in horror. 

It’s looking bad and you know you need to reach him before it’s too late. 

Batgirl and Nightwing have taken to warding off henchmen while Spoiler leaps from place to place, trying to knock down as many of the goons who are waking back up as she can, but everyone’s steadily slowing down.

“YOU WANT ACCEPTANCE. You want LOVE.” You can’t help but shout again, “AND YOU HAVE IT. All around you, look,” You motion to each member of the bat family from wherever they are in the battle and he easily follows the action. “You and I owe that monster nothing, not even revenge,” You sigh as the weight of your words fully settles over you, knowing it’s true. “It’s not worth it.” 

He glances at his father once more before dropping his limp body and storming up to you. 

Even when he’s mad and terrifying, he can’t help but be dramatic. 

“So, what?” He gets right up in your face and looks down at you. It’s almost like he expects you to back up, but you don’t. You hold your ground and glare right back up at his dumbass. “We lock him up; he escapes, he kills and tortures again. Is that what you want?” 

It’s pointed at you and you know it.

“Not that this isn’t an amazing, touching moment,” Nightwing pants as he backflips and kicks two men upside the face at the same time, “but we kinda need some backup.” Numerous goons and Two Face lurk menacingly closer to your worn-out group. The assailants charge forward with war cries and the hero looks back towards his family, “Like, right now would be good.” He doesn’t even need to turn around to know to when to flip out of the way. 

Batman gets to his feet, catching you off guard. It’s enough distraction that Nightwing’s able to chuck you over his shoulder and hightail it away from the action.

“What are you DOING?!” You beat your fists against Nightwing’s back as you watch your loved ones get overpowered by the surprise attack. “PUT ME DOWN,” You wail, kicking at his firm stomach before leaning right next to his ear with a terrifying, low growl. “Dick motherfucking Grayson, you take me back there THIS FUCKING INSTANT.” Your gritted whisper steadily ascends throughout your sentence until it reaches a shrill screech.

You begin to kick again until he finally does put you down.

“Jesus, fuck kid,” He leans over like he’s going to puke all while flipping you off.

You have half a mind to break his fucking finger while he’s busy rubbing at the ear you screamed into, but you’re more preoccupied with getting back to Red Hood. Ten steps forward and you realize this is going to be a harder challenge than you’d previously thought.

Your brain buzzes numbly, feeling overwhelmed by the constant onslaught of everything. Through the buzz, you hardly remember thinking about anything at all other than keep moving. 

So, here you are. On the ground, embedded in battle, dodging attacks, hoping Arsenal is still safe on the roof and not, you know, dead. All while knowing that you’ve gone and put Nightwing out of commission by spazzing when he was only trying to save you.

You’re effectively surrounded until said hero backflips over the group of men’s heads, knocking a few of them out with his sticks along the way. 

You hustle to his side, circling back to back like you had when you sparred with Damian and him in the manor. Back to back with Nightwing, you feel all those sparring sessions smack back into your brain. 

He glances over his shoulder and down at you, “You ready to kick some ass?” 

You give him an apologetic smile, “I promise not to kick you this time.”

He snorts as the men close in, “Good thinking.”

You waste no more time as you unleash the flips and twists he’d taught you all those years ago. 

You hope to fuck that your kicks to his stomach didn’t set him back too much because you need his full effort behind you. Especially when all the exertion’s gone and torn open your stab wound. The pain radiating from it is becoming increasingly harder to ignore.

The goons you’ve got talk to fucking much and it’s driving you crazy. Their words and hollers only spur you on further, knocking the majority of them down with the other men in less than a minute. 

You’re startled when Nightwing suddenly calls out to you, “Switch!”

Your body moves on instinct.

The new group of men have been completely roughed up by Nightwing and all they need is a few more hits each before they’re out. 

Easy, right?

The first two take you on at once, while the third waits eagerly on the sidelines, screaming and chanting all the while to throw you off. You don’t let it work. 

Once again, you’re completely focused as they make to charge you but you duck and roll out of the way at the last minute. You watch from the ground as they barrel head-first into each other and slump in a pile to the ground. 

Your stab wound has already begun to leak through your shirt. The stabbing pain has become so familiar that it’s merely becomes another numbing sensation added on to your overwhelmed body.

That just leaves…

“Well, well, well,” The balding henchman advances on you. You wobble to your feet, hand covering your wound in the process. “You have moves, I’ll give you that.” He eyes you up and down.

You try to steady your panting breath, but you can’t seem to get enough oxygen into your aching lungs, no matter how hard you try. Nightwing’s grunts and witty retorts sound somewhere in the back of your mind, but a high-pitched ringing takes over the majority of your hearing. 

You’re shutting down and you know it.

A static settles over your body, humming with your declining energy and adrenaline. Now’s not the time to give in to it just yet, though. 

“You wanna fuckin’ fight, ‘er wha?” You tilt your head at him, albeit unsteadily, with your words starting to slur. You spit, tasting metallic ooze as you do.  

You hate how the weight of your head seems to be too much for your neck to support at the moment, but, hey, work with what you got, right?

He advances on you without another word. His strong fists are calloused and they graze your slowed movements with a heavy, unignorable edge. One hit from him will definitely be enough to knock you out if you’re not careful.

He scoffs at your unconventional stance and, in the same breath, brings down his fist in the center of your chest. The wind is painfully knocked out of you even after having stepped partially out of the way of the hit, proving your earlier point true- you need to avoid his hits, or you’re fucked.

You shake your head, unleashing a front kick, then a roundhouse to create more space between the two of you. Based on his smirk, he seems largely unfazed by your attacks and charges forward, ruining whatever measly distance you’d gained. 

You don’t have the will to try any flips, nor do you have the confidence that any of them will land, leaving you with whatever fumes of strength you have remaining.

Your head spins as you dodge a haymaker thrown toward your stomach and retaliate with a fist of your own. You have no time to celebrate the broken nose you’ve just given him before he’s coming back for more.

You can’t keep going like this. 

Whereas your energy leaks to the ground like a broken spigot, his radiates like a raging nuclear bomb that’s ready to envelop you whole.

Another hit, another parry; more energy gone.

You’re comically slow at this point, but he’s not going any easier on you, as evidenced by his kick that nearly costs you your balance.

“Nigh,” You pant, “Nigh-wing,” You cough, heaving blood in the process. You watch, hypnotized, as it spills onto the last clean part of your shirt. What hit caused it? You have no idea only that, holy shit, it’s a lot of blood.

It’s pathetic and the volume of your dying voice is only loud enough for you and the goon to hear.

“I said you have moves, but,” You look up just in time to get punched again with the same ferocity, “it’s clear that you’re out of them.” His kick lands right smack on your stitched wound.  

You throw your head back and howl as the pain stabs you to your core, “FUCK!” 

You’re thrown back by the force and watch as a sinister grin finds its way across his face, “I’m gonna enjoy this a little too much.” He winks and wastes no time straddling you. He puts an intolerable amount of pressure on the stitches that remain intact. You nearly puke when the rest of them burst apart at his action. “Good thing church is tomorrow, yeah?” He breathes a chuckle across your squirming form.

You ignore his odd statement in favor of lucidly squirming, but it’s in vain.

Nightwing calls out your name, but he’s got five assailants on him who show no signs of slowing.

You whimper and struggle against the man, but the movement quickly becomes unbearable. Your eyes go crossed in absolute agony when the henchman leans forward again. The sickly pressure builds until a blood-curdling scream unleashes from the depths of your being.

You black out and wake up in thin yet sturdy arms.

“The-, the fuggin’,” You slur through the pain and blood loss, “Ztitchezz.”

“I know,” Robin’s familiar voice coos in a calming manner. 

You’re set down somewhere relatively quiet, all things considered, though you’ve yet to fully open your eyes since being on the ground. 

“What’s it looking like?” That’s Nightwing. At least you didn’t leave him for dead like you did Roy.

“Nightwing, Arsenal needs back up on the roof over there.” 

Your eyes blearily blink open, blinking through the blurred haze to see Arsenal slumped behind the barrier, giving it his all. It’s obvious, even through your blood loss, that he doesn’t have much left to give due to his own blood loss.

“Got it, baby bird.” Nightwing gives him a tiny salute before somersaulting across the large space between the warehouse rooftops to race to Arsenal’s aide.

Once he’s gone, Robin walks over to where you slowly push yourself into a standing position.

“What are you doing?” Robin hisses as he rushes over to support you, “Stay down and out of sight. I should’ve taken you away from here as soon as everything went to shit. You have no business being here.” It seems like he’s repeating what Bruce told him earlier as he grumbles and tugs at his hair, “I think I messed up,” You don’t know if it’s your half-delirious state or if Damian’s always been this indecisive, but you watch him pace back and forth. He comes to a halt in front of you as you regain as much of your bearings as you can, “We’re leaving.”

First, Dick rips you away from Jason and now Damian wants you to abandon Roy?

Not happening.

No way in hell.

“Fuggin’ delusional,” You flick his nose and saunter, well, at least you want it to look like a saunter, to the edge, “‘F you thing I’m leavin’ah,” You wince at a particular tug of pain, “without them.”

“You’ll get yourself killed, you suicidal dumbass,” He spits in your face, “You’ll only bring us down. Your training means nothing.”

You thought you’d already felt the worst possible pain imaginable, but no. His words cut deeper into you than any sais ever could. You can’t help but remember this same sinking feeling when Jason and Roy gave you the SOS bracelet, but, hey, look how many times that actually did come in handy.

They’re all only trying to protect you, you realize, in the only way they know how, but it’s not going to work. You’re already too involved with the plan being too far in.

You smack yourself a few times on the cheeks, bouncing unsteadily from foot to foot and wincing all the while. You steel yourself for one final battle as you hurry to milk any and all of the few remaining dregs of adrenaline within yourself.

“You said it yourself. I can’t just sit by while my family gets hurt on my behalf,” Your slur is mostly gone and you use it as an opportunity to plead your case. “You’d have no time to take me anywhere and, even up here, I’m a sitting duck,” You duck as a stray bullet whizzes past the two of you as if to cement your point further. “Whether it be ricochet, blood loss, or suicidal tendencies, I really don’t give a fuck,” Your eyes burn into his. “You’ll have to kill me right here and now before I let you keep me away from the men I love.”

There’s a slight hitch in his breath. 

He eyes you warily as you slouch into a starting stance, albeit a weak one.

“I won’t fight you.”

“We’re wasting TIME, D-ROBIN!” Your desperate pleas fall on deaf ears. “Training means nothing, sure, but will is everything,” You spit his words back at him from all those years ago. “The will to act,” Your breathing is shallow as you face your friend down. “Well, I’m here and I’m ready to act.”

He glares at the near slip-up and swiftly approaches you, “You’re no fucking hero,” Your name hisses out between the cracks of his gritted teeth. “If I have to knock you out to get you to saftey, I will,” He closes the remaining space with ease and whispers the next part, “and I will do it all without hesitation.”

“Don’t make me do this, Dami,” You can’t help that their alias’ and their actual names have become jumbled in your pain-ridden brain as you slip up again. “‘M gonna make it easy. Turn away and let me go.”

His mouth shifts as he seems to fight off tears angrily, “Yeah?”

You know he’s not going to let you. At the very least, you had to give him the out.

You nod, “Yeah.”

Even in your slowed state, you know the hit is coming before he can even pull the punch. 

You reach expectantly for his right arm, using your strength and his light weight to send him sprawling off the rooftop when the inevitable hit comes. 

You know you don’t have long before he catches his bearings and swings back up with his grappling hook.

You shake your body off as you come to the ledge. 

Nightwing made the daunting distance between the rooftops look easy, though, up close, it seems impossible. You know Robin’s hot on your trail and also that, if you don’t hurry the fuck up, you’ll be noticed and shot.

So, with the pressure mounting, you fly.  

Kinda.

“OMPF!” Your body jerks against the side of the opposite building, smacking your wound against the brick with each reverberation. 

You don’t know how much attention you’ve drawn to yourself, but you can hear Damian behind you. You will not go gently. Your face scrunches up in a combination of pain, concentration and pure exertion as you lift yourself onto your forearms.

From here, you find yourself behind Arsenal’s barrier. He grunts as he uses his draining strength to tug you up to where the final stand is taking place. Below is filled with bodies, be they passed out or dead, littering the dock like leaves in the fall night. 

Red Hood shakes the ground with his landing when he joins seconds later with his guns ablaze. His dual handguns light up the rooftop with a barrage of rubber bullets that none of the goons are able to dodge.

“Rubber bullets?” The Joker cackles as Batman socks him in the stomach hard enough to send spit sprawling into the air,  “You’re getting soft on us, Hood!”

Red Hood wastes no time, swooping in to tug the Joker away from Batman. Batman makes to go after them but is quickly subdued by the last wave of henchmen that remain.

“Yeah? Not you, though,” His modulated voice is discernibly gritted as he unloads the rubber bullets and replaces them with ones that clink loudly into his gloved hands. “No, you get the fun ones.”

Your eyes whip over to him at his statement. 

After that touching speech, you still haven’t managed to get through to him?

“Oh, goody!” Joker claps gleefully, laughing when Red Hood unleashes haymaker after haymaker to his face. Each punch stains the vigilante’s leather gloves with an increasing amount of the lunatic’s face paint.

It’s horrid to watch, so you use it as a distraction while you finish pulling yourself up.

Roy’s- head in the game, you berate yourself- Arsenal’s worried eyes are the only ones to spot you so far.  He scrambles to kneel. His entire arm is painted red while fresh blood continues to ooze from the two bullet holes. “Hood, stop,” Arsenal’s weakened, breathy pleas fall on deaf ears.

Red Hood looks around rapidly as he becomes overpowered by a new swarm of Joker’s men. 

In his haste, he nearly puts a bullet in you.

You duck and roll out of the way with a pained groan. 

Now everyone notices your presence.

Not good, not good.

You shuffle backward away from the men who are significantly closer to you than any of the vigilantes.

There’s a brief moment of pause before chaos, once again, ensues and you become lost in the madness.

In the midst of Nightwing, Red Hood and Batman fighting off the swarms of goons, Joker manages to sneak up on you. You can’t even manage a  scream before he covers your mouth and drags you closer and closer to the edge, snickering getting louder with each step. 

When you finally come to the edge, you don’t have a chance to look back to see if anyone’s noticed when he does the unthinkable. Though, when it comes to the Joker, is it really unthinkable?

“I do love a good reunion!” He swings you around aggressively, “Now tell me- last time did you scream like this?” You try to hold in the urge as he tips you over the edge of the roof, but it’s in vain. A whimper, then a screech, unleashes from your throat. “Or like this?” He swivels you around and punches you square in the jaw. A pained cry escapes at the contact, much to your dismay. “No? Maybe more like this!“ His voice darkens dramatically as he brings a knife to your throat. “You knew this was going to happen sooner or later! It’s called parallelism, darling.” His words are rushed with uncanny glee, like he can’t wait to get to whatever horrors that are coming next.

Red Hood’s hulking form is on him in an instant, charging across the rooftop to halt right behind his lanky form. 

The way Red Hood’s holding his gun against the greasy, green hair on his head, you’re nearly sure he’s going to shoot right then and there, regardless of you falling or not. You know what this monster did to the one you loved, what he’s done to you and your found family. You, admittedly, love Jason and hate to see how the hurt this madman’s inflicted has lingered year after year, but this isn’t the right way. 

Batman voices the same thing.

“Remember who your real enemies are,” Batman nods his head at a conflicted-looking Red Hood as he stares down at his gun. He hesitates, looking from you to Arsenal, then back down at the chuckling clown.

Surveying the slowing battle, you see that Robin has your parents rounded up and Batgirl and Spoiler have Two Face at a standstill. Most of the gang members have already been knocked out, with the rest either fleeing or tied up, aside from a few still kicking both metaphorically and literally.

“Oh, enemies,” Joker drawls. “They’re like ex-girlfriends. I’ve got too many, HA!” He looks around at everyone’s serious faces, “Nothing? Really?” His face drops. “It’s all business with the lot of you, all about the money,” He spats with an exaggerated disgusted face. “What happened to the theatrics? That certain, je nais se quoi everyone nowadays seems to lack.”

“Shut up and help me, clown,” Two Face swings at Spoiler, attempting to flee to the roof, but she dodges and uses his force against him. He stumbles and ultimately falls back to the ground. “You do want your money, right?” He calls up to the madman. 

Joker looks at Two Face and your parents as he begins to cackle. He continues to hold the knife but uses the other to pull a gun. To your shock, it’s not trained on you but rather trained on his accomplices. He giggles so quietly you nearly think it’s a cough.

“Yes, it’s true, this started out as a way to get money, but that’s sooooo boring!” He drawls and Red Hood clicks his safety off. “I have a new… business,” He flounders his hand before producing, “associate, of sorts as it were. We share the same grandeur vision that this organization lacks. You see, a serum to kill off Gotham’s wealthiest families isn’t large scale enough for me, no. It’s just not effective for my type of work. Though, if you ask me,” He gets up close to you, “the potency, though ineffectually non-lethal, seemed just right the way you squealed,” He giggles gleefully, then stops abruptly, looking at you with wide, animalistic eyes, “So I ditched the old and got with the new!” He cackles as his remaining men suit up in gas masks. Two Faces men scramble, looking around for any sort of guidance but find none. You look and see Joker putting on his own mask, covered with a wicked smile dripping across its front, “Aw, shucks. Just for old time's sake, shall we?” 

Your brows knit together with worry as the knife is replaced by two needles wedged into your arm. You struggle, screaming all while ripping your arm from his hold, but it’s too late. Joker’s henchmen surround you, distracting Red Hood from Joker, but Arsenal’s already on his way for backup.

“What?” You feel the liquid coursing familiarly through your veins as it takes hold of you, washing across your entire body. “What did you do to me?” 

“I haven’t done anything yet. Just you wait.” He giggles in response, “Oh, Batman!” He calls, standing suddenly. You start to feel the injection take hold on you but are still able to hear an approaching helicopter. Already, your world becomes hazy as the familiar feeling courses through your veins with a sinister new twist. “Plans are so 2008, wouldn’t you say? But my new one might just have to wait! Oh, how I do love a sequel!” A rope ladder snaps down and Joker takes hold of it.

Over your comms, you hear Batman ordering everyone out.

In your steadily increasing haze, Red Hood and Arsenal come to your rescue.

He hums a jolly rendition of jingle bells loudly as the remaining Two Face henchmen on the ground and your parents succumb to the gas that spills in from the cargo bay. The chopper hangs low in the cloudy sky for a moment more as the Joker’s merry screeches echo across your ringing ears before the helicopter disappears into the twinkling smog of Gotham’s night sky, “And the Joker got awaaay!” 

His maniacal laughter crackles like lightning in the calming chaos of the night until he’s no more than a distant rumble in your fear-clouded vision.

Even though he’s physically left, the injections have you seeing renditions of him all around. From Robin Joker, to Arsenal Joker all the way to, quite honestly, the most terrifying one- a Joker-fied Batman. 

You desperately scurry to get away from the advancing group of Jokers, all wearing mangled versions of the Bat mantle. 

Your breath gets knocked out of you. You don’t even realize that you’ve fallen to the ground as distorted images of the Joker’s hands and the glaring lights of the city below suddenly overtake your sight. Through the haze, you vaguely note a scrawny person with long hair beside you(?) in the passenger seat, but you can’t be sure when your senses are still so warped. 

You shake your head and will the visions away to focus on the danger right in front of you. 

Joker’s horrifying smile is smacked across Nightwing’s semi-familiar outfit as he advances on you with hands held in surrender, but all you can hear is that horrid cackling. 

The group of Jokers, though howling, give you space. 

You scoot backward further with gasping, shallow breaths that only serve to suffocate you further. You start to shake, arching in pain when your back settles against cool brick. 

“Make it stop, please,” You cry weakly as visions continue to wrack over your mind, “PLEASE!” You scream until your voice is nearly raw.

Two Jokers remove their masks as they slowly approach your frightened form. You struggle to regain your breath as you fight off the toxin and prepare to fight off these fuckers too. That is until their faces slowly morph from contorted grins to the concerned faces of the men you love.

“It’s over,” They all try to assure you, but you just keep shaking your head in your hands. 

Your rocking ceases when they put their arms around you.

Though you’re reveling in their comforting contact, you could scoff at their naivety. How can they not see? How can they not SEE???

You pant, welcoming the cool rain as it begins to spill from to sky and onto your feverish face. The edge of the toxin is like an unescapable weighted blanket during a heat wave: relentlessly debilitating.

The drizzle picks up into a downpour, effectively dispersing the rest of the toxin

“No,” You manage as rain trickles down your parted lips, “it’s only the beginning.” 

You weakly pull Roy and Jason in to kiss them one after the other in front of all the Jokers before abruptly passing out. 

A/N: another one of my faves to write! did i get you w the falling scene?? lemme know!

Here’s the Spotify link again!

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 24

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: M | 4k  includes: morning after w roy, skipping, romeo and juliet kiss

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 24: Love Story | ao3 - wattpad

THEN

The next morning, Roy knocked on your door.

“There’s breakfast down here if you want anything, princess,” His low, morning voice stirred you from your sleep.

When you arrived downstairs, you were met by stacks of burnt pancakes, an assortment of breakfast meats and a heaping pile of over-scrambled eggs. All of this to say it was a far cry from the luxurious food you were used to from Alfred at Wayne Manor.

“Mornin’,” Ollie greeted you with a tip of an invisible hat. Dinah was absent, meaning it’d been Ollie and Roy behind this catastrophe in front of you. “Dig in, there, kid.”

You sat down and Roy quickly set about making a plate for you, shocking both you and his dad. He blushed as he handed the plate back to you. 

You took it from him with a confused quirk of your brow, “Uh, thanks, Roy.” 

“Yeah,” He nodded, bowing his head so that his red locks concealed his face from view.

“Well,” Ollie cleared his throat, clearly amused with the situation unfolding in front of him. “I’ve got to be off for a product review meeting. Would you believe they schedule me meetings on the weekend?” You shook your head, “Well, they do and they fucking suck for it… But!” He held up a pointed finger, “I’m going anyway because I’m an adult and sometimes I do adult things for money,” He seemed to ponder his statement before retracting it. “No, that came out wrong. I mean, yes, they’re paying me, but the ‘adult things’ in question are strictly businessy…” He trailed off as if that explanation weren’t any better. “Never mind. I’m out!” He shot a pointed brow Roy’s way, “Don’t do anything I would do.”

You laughed. Ollie was definitely odd, well, at least odd in a different way than Roy. That was for sure.

With a wave, he was off, leaving just you and Roy alone with enough breakfast to feed the entirety of Wayne Manor. 

Speaking of manor…

“I’m gonna head over to the manor after this.” He watched as you inhaled your plate with a breathy chuckle. You’d never drunk liquor before, only watered-down piss that constituted beer and cheap Moscato. As such, you were incredibly hungry the day after the college party. “When you’re done choking on that shit, you wanna tag along?” 

Roy at least seemed happy you were enjoying his cooking, though you’d never tell him it was only because you were still slightly tipsy and had gone to bed hungry. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure Damian mentioned training today,” You shrugged as you pushed your empty plate back and rubbed at your stomach. “I really don’t know how I’m going to get through it when I have this food baby, but I doubt he’ll take it as a viable excuse.”

Roy didn’t laugh at your attempt for humor, only stared at your bloated stomach, then up at your eyes like he was considering something.

“You should hang around him more,” Roy nodded like you’d just reminded him of something.

“Not this again,” You could hardly contain the annoyance from leaking out into your tone. “Is it about the kiss?”

He stilled, seeming to stop his breathing at your words. “You were drunk. That’s all it was. I won’t hold it against ya; promise, princess.”

This time, it was you who’d blurred the lines of the boundaries you set. Roy was just following through with them.

“I’m sorry,” You didn’t know what else to say. You’d fucked up. “I hadn’t planned to-”

“Where’d you get the condom from?” He cut you off before you could begin your pathetic rambling.

Why did Roy care?

Last night was blurry, but you still remember the blonde.

Was he seriously jealous of you?

“Uh,” You blinked owlishly at him, “I don’t really remember.”

He bristled, standing up from the table to approach you. “Did someone touch you?” You watched as his hands closed into fists as he peered out from under the tendrils of his greasy locks.

“No, no,” You were quick to reassure him. You placed your hands over his fists to cement your point further. “I don’t think it was anything like that,” He seemed to calm down, though he still seemed tense. “You were the, uh, only one.”

“The only one to what?” Now, he looked concerned again.

“The only one to touch me, Roy.” 

“Shit,” He cursed. “But last night, I thought you said-”

“The kiss, I mean,” You cut him off before he could freak out any further. “Just the kiss.”

“Oh,” He stopped for a moment before exhaling, “okay.” 

You couldn’t help but wonder what exactly he did remember. “You really don’t remember much of the party?”

He blushed before shrugging, “I always pregame hard.”

“So, you don’t remember ditching me?”

“Listen,” He rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck. “That was a mistake.” So, he did remember. You squinted your eyes at the table in front of you, feeling jealousy boil back to the surface. His freckled fingers delicately grasped your chin, lifting it to face him dead on. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he looked… pained. “When I start drinking like that, it gets all fuzzy.”

You quirked a brow, “How so?”

“It’s like,” He sighed in frustration, allowing his hand to fall from your chin to rub at the crease between his brows as if his hangover had returned. He tried again. “It’s like there are blurry moments and then flashes of clarity where I remember nearly exactly what happened. In the end, though, it all ends up just feeling like some fucked up dream.”

“So,” You trailed off dubiously, “you blacked out and ditched me?”

Roy appeared genuinely sad, “I didn’t mean to.”

“And you’re telling me that your moment of clarity was when you got whiskey dick?”

You watched the way he seemed to internally argue with himself about what to say. Even though you were hurt, Roy’s concentrated, read: constipated, face still managed to stir some amusement from within you.

“It wasn’t whiskey dick,” He looked away as if he wasn’t ever planning on revealing this information to you. “When I came to, all she was doing was bad-mouthing you,” He sighed, still refusing to make eye contact with you. “And I couldn’t really even remember leaving the dance floor, so I just got up and left to find you and… yeah.”

Through the lingering dregs of pain from the party, your heart swelled after hearing he chose you. No, even better, he didn’t even remember that rude bitch. 

The walk to Wayne Manor was odd, to say the least.

For some reason, Roy seemed completely shy when it was just the two of you and you couldn’t help but find it cute. Either it was shyness or his hangover, but you were determined to think it was the latter. The last thing you wanted to allow yourself to think was that this was all because of the kiss…

Roy was quick to split away from you once you reached the gym, not even bothering with a goodbye before leaving you with Damian.

Even he noticed.

“What’s wrong with Harper?” You and Damian stared after his hastily retreating form.

You met his questioning look with a confused one of your own, “Probably nothing.”

“Well,” Damian tapped the tip of a wooden practice sword on the ground twice, “I need you fully present for our lesson today.” 

He drew you toward the center of the mat, where a tiny satchel sat in the middle. 

“Am I finally learning how to use weapons?”

Damian scoffed, “Your body and mind are the only weapons you’ll ever need.” 

“Why?” You questioned him.

“Because,” He rolled his eyes as if it were obvious, “they’re the only ones you’ll always have in your arsenal.”

You snorted, “Deep.” 

You were circling each other at this point, though he still seemed like he wasn’t ready to make a move quite just yet.

“Shut up,” He smirked at you. “I’m going to show you your strength through the art of illusion.” 

Damian then used the remote to turn on a lighting function in the room. 

The entire room was cast in darkness until, suddenly, bursts of blinding strobe lights affronted your vision, leaving a filmy glare over your sight. Your eyes winced at the harsh lighting effects going on, but Damian seemed entirely unperturbed.

He advanced on you easily through the pitch-black. 

The sporadic flashes of light stunned your vision, leaving you feeling off-kilter. You definitely weren’t prepared for an attack like the one he dealt you.

“Dami,” You said as he got another swipe at your head. The panic began to set in. “I don’t think I’m ready for this,” You attempted to dodge the wooden blade by rolling to the side, but he still ended up smacking it against your back. “I need more training,” You tried to barter with him, feeling the dregs of a panic seizing around your throat, “Damian, please!”

“Training means nothing,” Another slash, “but will is everything.”

“Will?” You questioned frantically as he made to hit you again.

“The will to act,” He swiped at you again. This time, however, it merely grazed you. “My grandfather taught me that.”

This time, you pushed down your anxiety as you allowed yourself to feel the atmosphere around you.

You felt him behind you and readied yourself for his attack pattern. When the attack inevitably came, you dodged and pushed against his body, sending him rolling backward into a tumble. 

Or, at least, you think he tumbled.

The strobing lights made it so you were only ever able to see a flash of random colors every few seconds or so.

He let you catch your breath for a second, allowing you to finally ask what you’d been thinking, “What do these seizure-causing lights have to do with ‘the art of illusion?’”

“Illusion is wanting your enemies,” He cleared his throat, “attackers to think one thing when it’s actually another. Every plan incorporates this art,” He started toward you again. “Well, every good plan, at least.”

A plan?

Your mind raced back to the bag in the center, wondering if that was how you could gain the upper hand.

It was worth a try.

“Sort of like Batman?” You distracted him while you looked for a way to get back over to it.

“Sure,” Damian lunged with his wooden sword poised toward your stomach, “whatever works for you in that weird brain of yours.” 

You leapt up from the floor, landing on the sword and breaking it upon the impact of your full weight.

The pieces of the sword clattered uselessly to the ground just as the lights fully came on for a few seconds. You used the clarity to race to the center for a bag and tossed the powder inside to the ground.

All around you, small explosions and smoke scattered across the room, coating it in a mist of smog that allowed you to sneak up behind Damian and tackle him to the floor.

“Woah,” Dick’s voice sounded from deep outside the fog. “What kind of rave’s going on in here?”

A heavy body bounded into yours, throwing you off Damian before being assaulted by slobbery kisses from Titus. 

“You recovering alright?” Babs smiled at you.

“For the most part,” You nodded, putting a tentative hand to your head as the lights came back on for good. “What’ve you two up to?”

“We just got back from chasing Titus around the back lawn,” She nudged you. “Had to find a way to work off these hangovers and all that good stuff now that we’re fucking old.”

You laughed. 

If 23 was considered old, you weren’t far off from being just as ancient as them.

“Don’t worry. Next time, we’ll throw one on a Thursday or something so you can come too, Dami.”

“Why can’t you do the weekend?” You looked at him curiously, but he was too busy shooting a sheepish-looking Dick a death glare.

You had noticed Damian was usually busy during the weekends, especially at night, but it was always because he was with Bruce.

“Previous obligations with father,” Was all he said. “I do not need to go to college functions to get my thrills, though, anyway.” He nodded at you, “Good work today.”

Then, he was off.

“Dami’s a tough nut to crack,” Dick rubbed at the back of his head diffidently. “But it seems like you’re really getting through to him.”

“Maybe it’s the other way around,” You shrugged.

Babs laughed, but Dick looked genuinely pleased by your answer, “Maybe it is.”

•

“I need two people to volunteer for Act I Scene 4,” Your English teacher scoured across the room at all the avoidant faces, “Anyone? Anyone?” His face landed on you and Jason, who was determined to stare out the window to avoid his fate. “You, you,” He pointed between the two of you. “It’s a short scene. Make haste!” He clapped his hands together dramatically to silence the whispers that circulated throughout the room. “I won’t hesitate to hand you a one-way ticket to detention, guys. Try me.”

Hushed murmurs of annoyance swept across the classroom, though they soon died down when he went around his desk to pull out the hall pass. 

You ignored all of this and opened to the beginning of the sonnet, looking down in disbelief, “But this is a kissing scene.” 

Not to mention the first time they’re meeting… You know… at a ball.

The gala stung painfully into your mind.

“A bit of a spoiler,” Your teacher seemed amused, “but go ahead.”

You turned to Jason, who’d yet to so much as open his book, let alone look away from the window.

“Someone else should take my part,” You shook your head. You couldn’t embarrass yourself in front of these upperclassmen who already had enough to say about your involvement with the various Wayne boys.

Nope. Not doing it.

“Jason,” The teacher silently warned him to begin.

He sighed beside you, taking an obnoxiously long time to open his book to the right page and even longer to actually begin reading. 

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”

His voice was like silk, suffocating every part of your being.

As you listen, you realize Romeo is essentially convincing Juliet of the purity of his intentions. The whole scene is a balance between sex and religion. Sex being the want; religion being what ultimately stops them from going further.

You could definitely relate to excuses based on social constructs coming between you and… 

You were so enraptured you nearly forgot it was your turn to speak.

“Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.”

Juliet coyly responded to Romeo with a metaphor of her own, assuring she knew exactly what he was insinuating.

You could feel Jason’s stare on the side of your face, but you were blushing far too hard to ever be able to meet it.

“Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?”

You had to remind yourself he was reading. He wasn’t actually fucking speaking to you.

You responded, gulping as you did.

“Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.”

Jason hesitated, seeming to read, then reread the words in front of him as if they’d somehow magically change.

“O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.”

If prayers were a kiss, then their want and what was stopping them were one and the same. 

You’d always considered Romeo and Juliet to be trite, but reading this scene now, you saw it in a new light. Their love was serious to them, regardless of their age, regardless of their families.

“Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.”

His eyes seared into every fiber of your being. This time, you met his gaze head-on as he delivered the final line.

“Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.”

The obnoxious group of jocks in the front began to tease the two of you, chanting, “Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

Soon, everyone was joining in, laughing obnoxiously as they pointed at the two of you.

It was too much. The walls were closing in and your fight or flight instincts ultimately ended up kicking in.

You got up and left, refusing to be the butt of a joke.

Jason seemed hurt behind his usual RBF before he saw you nod at him to follow.

He did.

You didn’t stop walking until you reached the art wing on the complete opposite side of the school.

When you finally did stop, Jason silently followed suit, dropping both of your bags to the ground as he did so.

You slumped against a wall, sliding to the ground with a pout. 

Jason had yet to speak, only continued to analyze your every move.

“That whole thing was so dumb,” You sighed, knowing he was waiting for your explanation. “I don’t even know why he picked me for the part, anyway.” 

Jason seemed to consider your words before responding, moving to sit right beside you, “Maybe because you’re the only one who can read with an ounce of inflection to make that shit tolerable enough to listen to.” 

You snorted. 

Of course Jason would take issue with something as classic as Romeo and Juliet.

“And what Shakespeare play would you recommend reading instead?” You rolled your eyes, “Don’t tell me King Lear or Much Ado About Nothing.” 

The bell rang and you hurriedly motioned for Jason to follow you.

Luckily, he didn’t question anything. Instead, he picked up the conversation right where you’d left off as you dodged in and out of pedestrian traffic.

“You know, you’re never going to impress me no matter how many classic titles you pull out of your ass.” 

You turned around, flashing him a huge smirk, “So you were thinking The Tempest, then.” 

He laughed lightly, “Where are we going anyway?” 

“Anywhere but here,” You dodged a rogue group of stragglers as you made your way into the back courtyard. “If I’m going to kiss you, it won’t be in front of any of these heathens.” 

“Oh?” You searched his eyes for any further indication that he was into the idea, but he offered none. 

Instead, he merely helped lift you over the ivy-covered wall before joining you on top of it. He dropped down first, probably assuming you’d need help, but you shocked him by standing up fully on the wall.

“Watch this!”

“What are you doing?!” Jason hissed, looking at you like you were crazy. “We’re both going to be stuck in detention if you keep being obvious like this, dumbass.”

“You worried about me, Jay?” You smirked, turning around to backflip off of the wall just as Dick had shown you. You beamed when you realized you’d landed perfectly on your feet.

His mouth was on the floor, though he quickly schooled his expression. “Come on,” He turned around with sharp eyes, “and don’t call me that shit.”

He pushed past all the prickly bushes until you finally reached the tree line next to the parking lot. Here, the melodic chips of birds, complete with the serene sound and smell of trees blowing in the growing heat, overtook your senses.

You tried to gauge his reaction as you followed behind him. 

You were definitely beyond the sight of, well, anyone, but he seemed as put together and unaffected as ever, leaving you to falter a bit. 

Had you misread the situation? 

“Do you believe all that stuff?”

“What stuff?”

“About, you know,” You kick lightly at the ground, refusing to maintain his eye contact, “purity and all of that.”

“Why?”

Your kiss with Roy, no… your night with Damian. 

You were proving the rumors spread about you to be true and you hated how you cared what he thought about you.

Would Jason still want to kiss you if he knew?

“As much as that shit was about religion, it was just as much about their love overcoming all of it. Purity’s bullshit, anyway,” He shrugged as if he hadn’t completely bestilled your heart. 

“Jason,” You turned to him, taking his hands within your own.

“What?” He asked like he didn’t know exactly what you were about to ask of him.

“Kiss me.”

He didn’t respond, only took a step toward you. His hand cradled your cheek as his eyes took in every inch of your face, giving you the chance to back out.

Blurred lines be damned.

He leaned down and planted a chaste kiss against your expectant lips, “Always.”

•

“You’re graduating in three weeks,” You sighed, plopping down next to Roy on one of the couches in the game room. “It’s not fair that you’re going to leave me all alone with Jason.”

They shared a look that left you internally panicking.

Had they seriously already told each other about the kisses?

Fuck.

“Try not to sound too excited, princess,” Roy winked. “You’ll break my heart and all,” He threw his arm around the back of the couch and, coincidentally, around your shoulder. “‘Sides, we at least have to have one last rager.”

You shifted excitedly beside him. 

“And what does this ‘rager’ include?” You’d used air quotes around the word, causing Jason to roll his eyes.

“You’re not invited if that’s how you’re going to act,” You pouted, looking to Roy for backup, but his eyes were on Jason. “I’m just kidding, babe.”

“Whatever,” You huffed, leaving both of them to laugh at your annoyance. You knew you’d miss this banter once Roy went away to… “Wait, where exactly are you going again?”

You remembered he wasn’t going to college right away, but his plan always seemed to be changing.

“Taking a sabbatical to stay with my old tribe for a bit in Arizona. After that, well, who knows what,” He beamed widely. “World’s pretty much wide open for me, beautiful.”

Your eyes flicked across his verdant ones, inadvertently leaning into his earthy scent. Roy let you get close and was about to tease you when Jason cut in.

“Back to the rager,” Jason interrupted the steady building tension between you and Roy. “I really want to go to this one club, but the paps can’t see me.”

Paparazzi had been an unexpected byproduct of hanging around the Wayne’s. 

The first time it happened, it’d been with Jason and Roy at the diner while you’d been skipping.

 At first, you thought it was lightning until the unexpected questions started.

“Jason, how do you feel about the allegations that this mystery girl has moved on from one Wayne brother to the next?”

“What do you have to say about the comments that this mystery woman is a gold digger for hanging around both the Wayne and Queen heirs?”

Roy muttered something under his breath and the three of you left before you could be flanked by three other reporters.

After that, it was like some sort of Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.

Weeks later, you were getting snacks with Damian and Tim at 7/11, quite literally in the middle of the night, when they showed up. 

The now familiar flashes burned your retinas, though this time, you were at least aware that it was a media ambush.

“Damian, are you hoping to fill your father’s big shoes one day and follow in his footsteps?”

“Tim, are you and Stephanie back on, or have you really moved on to Bernard?”

“Follow-up question: how does Bernard feel about you hanging around a girl with her reputation?”

You then understood why Bruce had you media prepped for the gala, insisting you feel confident should you be approached. And, boy, had you been approached.

“Who are you wearing?” 

“Who’s your date for tonight?”

“Better question, will they still be your date next week? Are the rumors true that you’re a homewrecker?”

You could definitely understand why Jason wouldn’t want to put up with that if you were going out to celebrate.

“So,” You pondered how Jason could get out of being seen. “What are you going to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?” Apparently, neither of them had seen Lion King because the reference went straight over their heads.l

“Honestly,” Jason nodded his head, staring up at the ceiling as if considering your idea seriously, “that’s not such a bad idea.”

“Seriously?” You looked at him incredulously.

He rolled his eyes, “Well, not the hula part, but the drag part seems like it could work,” He looked up at you somewhat timidly. “Do my makeup?”

Meanwhile, Roy remained completely stunned by recent revelations.

“Always.” 

His eyes twinkled at your response, “Cool.”

“Cool,” You smiled, ignoring how Roy’s eyes seemed to analyze the entire situation.

And thus, your plans for a dragged-out gay club rager were born.

A/N: this is the last 'then' chap. it's supposed to loop back to the description of the gay club in the first chap :D

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

What would the pins look like? I have a tote bag that needs some new pins and I’d love to sport some ARS merch

Ahhh!!!!!

I just have a rough draft so far, but it would be a button for each of the main characters (rn I have 2 as being regular sized pins and 2 as smaller pins)

Spoilers under the cut!

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 21

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: violence | 8.1k includes: answers are finally revealed! also- angst

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 21: A Million Years Ago | ao3 - wattpad

When you wake up, Jason’s already gearing up. Roy's apparently side-lined alongside you. 

“I know we said we didn’t want to involve you,” Jason slips on his domino mask before facing you. It’s still so early and you’re still so horny after last night that all your comic book fantasies smack into you at full force. You gulp lightly as you force yourself to focus back in on what he’s saying. “But it’s clear you’re already involved and we need your expertise,” Jason stops so Roy can pick up where he left off.

Roy walks over to you with his laptop, showing you the ongoing case file he has, “We need your help hacking back into the organization. This time, we’ll be more prepared.”

“Anything I’m looking for in particular?” You feign ignorance, hoping they’ll buy it. 

There’s an uncomfortable, worm-like feeling going on in your stomach with the way they wholeheartedly accept your lie. You’re not one to lie, but damn, are you doing a lot of it recently. It’s not like you and you can’t wait to get your parents out of the picture so you won’t have to anymore.

“We need to know the scope of the organization.”

Great.

“Names,” You supply, feeling dread pool in your stomach. “You want names.”

You want to protect yourself while also protecting their family- now, as they’ve put it, your family. Are you truly willing, even able, to give up your blood for your found family if it comes down to it? 

You know they’re going to find out, so if push comes to shove, will you really be able to follow through with your decision? Better yet, will you be able to live with your decision?

“We know you gave us the two main ones, but shit like this always goes deeper,” Roy shrugs like you already know and, boy, do you fucking know. “We just need to know what we’re up against before we go making any more big moves. This time, just be a bit more careful with the tracking,” Roy jokes, but you wince. 

“She’s more than capable, Harper,” Damian tuts, coming to your rescue. He walks out of his room, shirtless and into the kitchen. The chiseled man throws the soggy towel he’d been drying off with onto the back of Jason’s chair, only to immediately be whipped by the aforementioned towel. “Fuck you, Todd.”

“Fuck did you disappear off to for an hour, demon fuck?”

“Some of us shower, swamp ass,” Damian spits right back.

They wrestle over the towel for a bit until Roy eventually gets up to ‘referee.’ 

You roll your eyes, knowing he hadn’t just showered but had also just finished his meticulous skin regimen, “You still have a 30-minute face routine?”

“You still ask dumb questions?” He immediately whips around to sneer at you, causing an easy laugh to erupt. 

You miss bantering with Damian like this. Like old times.  Like the only thing wrong was your dumb algebra homework due Monday.

Now…

You distract Damian well enough that Jason wins the tug-of-war. He growls when Jason gets another hit on him and makes to hit him with a closed fist until Roy rips the panting idiots away from each other.

“Put a shirt on, Wayne,” Jason spits as he sits back down, rubbing at his cheek that Damian had scratched.

The tanned man smiles with wicked glee at the remnants of his attack, “Tower’s got my name on it. I think I’ll remain comfortably shirtless in my penthouse.” 

Damian saunters over to the chair across from you and uncharacteristically spreads himself out as if he’s tanning under the LED chandelier.

“More like daddy’s tower,” Jason and Roy snicker to themselves, but you just roll your eyes. 

As much as he still likes to pretend he’s not Bruce’s kid, you hope deep down he knows he is. Hell, if he didn’t consider himself a part of the family, how could you? Your stomach sinks at the very thought.

“Perhaps,” Damian smirks, “but it is my penthouse, nonetheless. From what I recall of your subpar abode, this whole situation should be considered a once-in-a-lifetime upgrade for you, Todd.” 

“Yeah, you inbred brat?” Jason makes to get up, but a quick, reactionary hand on his thigh from you stops him right in his tracks. 

He looks at you in confusion, calming almost immediately at the contact. 

You use it as an opportunity to stop Damian while he’s ahead. Lord knows when the dude gets going, he gets going. And Jason? Jason’s problem isn’t getting going. No, Jason’s problem is stopping once he reaches the point of no return.

Definitely a clash to prevent, though Roy seems mildly amused by it all, you note with exasperation. Is he wanting to break up more petty fights or get on with the fucking mission?

“Damian,” You chastise him with an unimpressed look, the one that tells him to cut it out or risk sincerely pissing you off. He knows this look well and backs off instantly. 

You don’t know what’s pissing Jason and Roy off more: Damian being shirtless and showing off or him obeying you just like that. No, you know it’s the latter based on the seething looks they’re shooting at his impish smile.

“I just came back out here to ask if Roy needs a babysitter for tonight.”

Roy’s eyes narrow, turning to Damian with a deadly seriousness that throws the tanned man off for a brief moment, “I’ll be fine taking care of my family on my own.”

He’s so busy staring Damian down he doesn’t see the hesitation in Jason’s eyes. You, yourself, would also appreciate Damian skipping patrol to keep an eye on everyone while Jason tracked down the lead. 

You open your mouth to vouch for Damian staying, but Jason beats you to it. Regardless of their tiffs, they’re brothers and they still have to look out for each other. 

“Some extra help might be nice with your injury,” He gives his boyfriend a wary glance, “Just thinking of Lian.” He adds, instantly regretting it when Roy’s face sours.

“You don’t think I’m thinking of our daughter?”

“That’s not what I said!” Jason insists and turns to you for support. You feel like a deer in the headlights as everyone’s eyes fall on you, looking to you as some sort of fucked up mediator for the whole debacle. “Roy, just think about it. You’ll both be injured, sitting here like, well, sitting ducks.”

Roy’s been, understandably, tense since the garage run-in and here comes yet another opportunity for shit to hit the fan with the people he cares about.  

Everyone’s patience has been tested throughout this whole ordeal. With so much more adversity ahead, it’s easy to lose hope and give in to frustration. 

Everyone’s at their wits ends after so many run-ins that had the potential to be deadly. You’re all extremely lucky a few stab wounds are the only injuries you’ve acquired or, more reasonably, that you’re all still very much alive somehow.

You don’t want to provoke him further, nor do you want him to get the idea you’re all trying to undermine him, but, yeah, Damian should stay. It’s obvious that Roy’s pride is the only thing that's standing in the way.

“I trust Roy knows what he’s doing,” Is what you end up saying.

His verdant eyes flash an emotion you can’t quite place as he takes you in. It’s over as soon as it begins and soon after, he uncrosses his arms, “We need info on the bomb and we need an eye on Cheshire's whereabouts. You both need to be out there more than you need to be here.” He looks between Jason and Damian expectantly, “Soo, take a hint and hit the road, Boy Wonder.”

Though he detests the nickname, Damian leaves at the same time Jason does. Damian takes off after Cheshire while Jason goes back to investigating the bomb manufacturer.

Once Lian’s attention leaves Titus, she easily becomes preoccupied with her toys in her room. Meanwhile, Roy rearranges Damian's living room into a makeshift pillow fort. There's even a pile of snacks all set out for you by the time you’re finished changing out of what you’d slept in.

“Thanks for having my back earlier. It means a lot,” He says, though he’s still focused on the laptop in his lap. 

You have to use one of Damian’s spares, considering your laptop is completely traceable after your dumb move.

You shrug, “I have faith in you. I know you wouldn’t put your two favorite girls in danger.” You wink at him and nearly startle when he blushes. You nudge him playfully, “Don’t tell me you’re getting all soft on me now, Harper.”

His usual charm is back on at full force. 

Whether it’s forced or not, you don’t have the energy to figure it out. All your attention is focused on what exactly Roy will be here to find out with you in the upcoming minutes. This time, there’s no lying to be done. No, there’s no way to hide anything when he’ll be right next to you reading the screen at the same time you are.

He winks with a wolfish smirk, “I’d never get soft on you, princess. I promise.” He waggles his eyebrows obnoxiously, leaving you to smack his shoulder playfully. 

Bending down, you sit next to him in the mess of feather pillows Damian seems to keep everywhere. You pull Lian’s fluffy Superman blanket onto your lap and peek over to see how far he’s gotten into editing your program. He still has some ways to go, so you lean your head on his shoulder, reveling in the calmness before shit presumably hits the fan.

It always does.

“You’ve got a solid build so far, just a few tweaks,” His brows are knit together in concentration as his fingers fly across the keyboard.

“Gee, where was this level of dedication when you made me do your homework for you? Now you’re sitting here giving me shit during some fucked up version of a code review?” You tease, hating how perfect his smirk is. 

You notice how he watches you through the glare of the screen when you nestle into his neck and barely withhold your blush.

“Precisely,” He snorts and uses his prosthetic hand to flick you on the nose. You grin and chase after his retreating arm, pretending to bite at it. He merely uses his finger to tilt your chin up and takes in your bewildered eyes, “Y’know, this shit’s gonna take another couple of minutes.” 

You gulp under his imploring gaze. His voice, already deep, deepens into a syrupy rasp that leaves you captivated by its coarse, hypnotic rumble.

“Oh?” 

You mentally berate yourself for such a dumb response. 

This is Roy, the absolute dumbass you’ve always known him to be and yet he still manages to catch you off guard.

He seems to be thinking the same thing because his smirk only widens, “I am, of course, talking about a pillow fight, princess.”

You don’t have time to take in his words before a pillow’s barreling smack in your face- NOT lightly, mind you.

“Roy!” You move to grab a pillow, but he smacks you again, sending feathers up into the air like a plume of smoke. 

You blindly grab in front of you, only to retract your hand with lightning speed when Roy moans. 

You’re hoping he’ll let your mistake go unnoticed, but, of course, he doesn’t. How could he when you just grabbed for his fucking dick??

“You’re dirty, you know that?” He corals your still shocked form into the corner of the pillow fort, “All I wanted to do was have some innocent fun and here you are groping me like some kind of slut.” You gasp, feeling yourself react to the name in more ways than one. He parts your thighs with his sinful, freckled hands and you easily comply. “Tell me,” He says your name like an oath, “are you a slut?”

Your mouth is open wide, completely stupefied by the recent developments. 

They definitely didn’t teach you about any of this in your coding courses, that’s for fucking sure.

The tent in his sweatpants twitches and you gulp when he purposefully does it again for you. It’s at this moment that the laptop beeps, signaling the program’s readiness. You use Roy’s distracted state to destroy half the pillow fort as you scramble around him just in time to stop the server from pulling up any documents. 

Roy’s on you in mere seconds. 

“I-” You let him take the laptop from you as you trail off, focusing on the files loading onto the screen.

“What are you doing?” He tilts his head curiously before stating the obvious, “It’s working.” More and more files fill the screen, proving that, yes, it’s doing what you'd coded it to do.

“Yup, it’s working.” 

Great.

He mistakes your tone for something else and tilts the laptop towards you just in time for you to see your name pulled up on a document. 

“You did a really good job. I’m impressed,” He commends you. “And you are speaking to a fellow tech genius, by the way, princess.”

Your eyes widen at the document he’s yet to see. You look back at Roy, hoping to cover your reaction up so he doesn’t look back down at the screen. 

“That means a lot, Roy,” You force a smile and, in the spur of the moment, pull him in for a hug as an old picture of your family crossing a street somewhere covers the screen. “Really,” You squeeze him when he tries to pull back after a few seconds.

“Woah,” He snorts. “Called you a slut and now you can’t keep your hands off of me? Nice.” You feel him nodding to himself on your shoulder. 

You can hardly focus on him, though, as pictures of syringes and test subjects flash across the screen. Your stomach is in knots and your head spins into a flurry of half-assed plans on how to stop the program before Roy can see… see…

Your heart races cold with adrenaline as your hands draw Roy’s, diverting his attention back to your face in a last-ditch effort to prevent him from seeing… your college ID photo from a year ago??? Your eyebrows knit together in confusion at the sight, something that Roy catches and threatens his gaze downward.

With the confusion on your face still clear as day, you’re desperate.

“Kiss me,” His searching eyes flick up before he can see the screen to meet your panicked ones.

He sputters, “Are you feeling alright?” He places the back of his hand on your head as if to check your temperature, “Don’t tell me you’re not still up to do some nerdy hacking shit, beautiful?”

The crisis has been averted for now, but how much longer will you be able to stave him off? You know the answer is: not very long.

He goes to turn his head to the screen, but you pull it back to you, “Yeah,” You nod and his brows knit in confusion, “I mean, no, I’m not.  Maybe we should just wait until Jay gets back.”

He shakes his head, “But you said-”

“I know what I said!” You’re becoming increasingly panicked and it’s becoming increasingly harder to hide. You quiet your voice back down to a normal level. “I just mean,” You sigh, looking away from him, “I think something might happen." 

You gulp, hoping he won’t press further, but knowing Roy, he isn’t just going to let it slide.

“Lian would love someone to play with if you need me to take over,” He puts a gentle hand on your thigh that you follow until he glances down, too. You quickly lift your eyes and lift his head from the direction of the laptop to face you again. “If it makes you feel any better, I won’t tell Jay you chickened out,” He says your name with a wink.

God, why’s he so understanding?

Hopefully, that can still be said after what you’re about to do.

“Sure,” You drawl, thinking of your next move. He can’t see that screen. He pats your thigh and goes to move away, but your hand traps his, “Roy, please.” You plead.

If only he’d just leave this alone.

“Now you’re begging me?” He bites his lower lip, “You’re doin’ things to me, princess.” You sigh, realizing the moment you’d feared earlier has finally arrived. He takes in your distracted, seemingly sad state with confusion. “You good, baby?”

“No,” You say finally.

It’s the truth.

He immediately drops his frat boy facade to comfort you.

“Let me take over,” He rubs your shoulder and looks down at the laptop in his lap, where Joker’s face is smacked in the middle of an invoice of some sort. “Seeing all this must bring up a lot of old scars,” His eyes inadvertently flicker to your neck. “I know this can’t be easy for you.”

“Oh,” You lament with a bitter laugh, “you have no idea.”

“Well,” He ruffles your hair, “I’ve got your back, sexy. Sexy back. Bringing it?” His eyes cross and you know he’s just saying random shit to make you laugh, but it only makes you feel worse for what you’re about to do.

You give a half-hearted chuckle that doesn’t quite reach your eyes.

There’s no more time to waste.

“Just let me do one more thing,” You pluck the computer from him before he can protest.

You switch around files at random, opening multiple you don’t need to in the process to cover up the file with your last name plastered all over it. In the process, you end up making the same rookie mistake you’d made in the garage. This time, though, somewhat on purpose. 

The headquarters location blinks on the map somewhere east of the blinking dot that represents Damian’s apartment. Upon closer inspection, you see it’s right by the docks.

“What are you doing?!” Roy grabs the laptop out of your hands and, in a panic, you snatch it back with a scared look before he can see the extent of the damage. “What’s going on with you? You’re going to give away our location if you haven’t fucking done it-”

“Dad,” Lian peaks under the pillow fort and tugs at Roy’s metallic fingers. You both stop your quarreling and look at her with wild eyes, calming immediately when she shoots you both a questioning head tilt. “I’m ready for my story.”

Roy exhales. The chaos in the room quiets with it. 

“Lian, baby,” Roy sighs, rubbing his hands down his face tiredly. 

He momentarily forgets about the laptop long enough for you to get ahold of it again and close out of the file, but not before seeing a new name- Sionis Industries. 

That’s odd. 

You pull this file up and enlarge it on the screen while Roy lectures Lian about ‘interrupting dad during his work.’ 

When he’s done, he turns to you with a sigh.

“I’m sorry,” You say instantly. You really are.

“Yeah,” He sounds gruff as he nods with pursed lips. “Let’s just hope Damian’s got an eye on Cheshire,” Lian giggles, though you personally feel sick to your stomach at her mother’s name. “Come on, etai yazi. Let’s get you to bed,” He throws his phone your way and you catch it easily, albeit confused. “Text Jay the new address.”

You don’t know how Roy’s able to keep his cool like this when you’ve completely blown your cover- again.

You text Jason the HQ address, along with the info on Sionis Industries, while Roy scurries Lian off into the other room.

You roll your neck, feeling the weight of eyes on you, then snort, realizing how paranoid you sound. If someone was going to strike, based on Cheshire’s rapid response time the day before, they’d have already made their move.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Lian’s favorite dinosaur plushie on the ground and bend down to pick it up. At this exact moment, a bullet pierces the wall behind where your head had just been. 

Your eyes blink owlishly down at the toy before your body takes over.

A barrage of bullets scatter your way and you’re forced to roll behind the kitchen island to gain some sort of barrier.

At the sound of shattering glass and, you know, bullets, Roy runs into the room, bionic arm drawn in preparation, “STAY DOWN!” 

He calls out your name somewhere in the chaos, but you’re already ducking. You roll across the floor out of the way as another round of bullets is spat at you through the skyline-facing window.

It’s quiet for a beat. It’s too long for the assailant to be reloading.

Roy scurries in a crouch over to you, arm still at the ready. 

Once he’s within reach, you waste no time in throwing your arms around him, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” You’re shaking.

“It’s not over yet,” He puts a loose arm around you and squeezes. “Stay alert; keep them away from Lian. Use the bracelet.”

You nod, feeling your head fog with the overwhelming adrenaline coursing through your veins as you click the SOS button. 

Both your heads snap up at the sound of gleeful whistling. 

Roy places a finger to his lips, eyes filled with warning.

A deep chuckle- a man.

“Anyone home?” Roy’s eyes shoot open, seeming to recognize the drawling voice instantly. “I’m a man with a schedule,” You hear him shuffling furniture around. “Let me rephrase that; I’m a man who intends to keep his schedule.” A breath, “Strictly.”

The heavy boots come to a halt in front of the island. You watch Roy’s hand twitch as he contemplates his next move. He nods to himself, then looks over at you before slowly standing with his hands up. You follow his muscular form as he moves around the corner, keeping his eyes strictly on the man in front of him.

“Deadshot,” Roy says once he fully stands.

“Arsenal,” Deadshot responds with the same bored greeting. “Give her up and there will be no fight,” They seem to be sizing each other up. “You know I’d never hurt your girl, Arsenal.” He sounds genuine enough that you feel some relief. At least Lian’ll be safe from your selfish move. “Only one needs to die.”

As if that’s any comfort to Roy.

“I,” Roy trails off and you realize he’s stalling until Jason can get back here. Roy sighs, “See, that’s the problem. That woman you’re after? She’s my girl too.”

They must be looking at each other or something because there’s another beat of silence.

“You know what I meant,” It’s almost as if Deadshot’s pleading with Roy like he doesn’t actually want to kill you. “Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. You know it’s just a job.”

“You and Hood have a pact!” Roy tries.

A pause, “And?” His hoarse laugh would probably be considered sexy if it weren’t for the fact that, you know, the dude’s currently trying to put a bullet through your skull. “Does it look like he’s here right now? Even if he was, what good would it do? I’ve got a contract,” He restates purposefully.

“Please,” Roy continues to reason with him. “Your contract, that woman, she’s his,” Roy trails off, seemingly remembering that you’re not even five feet away. Even in the heat of the moment, you can’t help but quirk a brow. Just what exactly are you to Jason? “If we just wait until he gets here, we can sort it all out.”

“You know I can’t do that. I’ve got to provide for my girl.” Based on the small shuffles and scuffs from Deadshot’s boots, you can tell that they’re moving around now. “Don’t forget that when I do the unforgivable; inevitable but still unforgivable, it’s not coming from a place of malice. I trust you’ll forgive me someday,” He tuts at Roy’s lack of response before moving to address you. “Stand.” 

When you don’t, he shoots a warning shot at the fridge directly in front of where you’re facing. 

Your heart’s beating loud as you stare at the bullet hole that tore through your blurred reflection on the stainless steel.

“You’re on thin fucking ice,” Roy spits. “Contract or not, you’re fucking with Red Hood’s territory,” His voice is absolute venom. “I reckon that’s a pretty pricey gamble. Maybe even pricier than that contract of yours. Give me information, let her go and I won’t mention a thing to my partner.”

“Territory? Please,” He snorts, “ do you really take me for a fool? I think you forget who has the power right now, Arsenal,” He shifts and his voice addresses you again. “I believe I told you to stand.”

Your usual quick mouth is uncharacteristically quiet as you search for what to do.

You decide it might just be best to give in and do what he says. 

At the last second, you second-guess yourself and lift up one of your slippers instead. It’s shot through in the blink of an eye and you’re left slack-jawed over the fact that if you’d gotten up like you’d planned to, you’d now be headless. 

“Please,” You beg, praying to whatever gods out there that he’ll be out of bullets or something.

The man makes a pleased hum upon hearing your pleading voice. “I’m not usually some masochistic asshole, but darling,” His voice deepens. When you look up, you see him peering over the island at you with his one good eye, “I don’t think I mind a beautiful woman like you begging me like this.” You shiver, not out of attraction but disgust. His eyes remain on yours through the reflection as if he were a predator eyeing up his prey, “I won’t ask again.”

You have no choice now but to stand and face the judge, jury and executioner, otherwise known as Deadshot. The mercenary you’d only ever seen in comics is not only very much real but he also poses a very real threat. 

Deadshot almost kills you again when you stand, but Roy’s already prepared for the predictable shot. The redhead tackles him to the ground, but not before getting point-blank pistol-whipped. 

It’s not funny, like, at all. 

It really isn’t with the intensity of the moment. This being said, you can’t help a small snort from escaping, much to Roy’s chagrin. 

The gun clatters to the ground and, in their tussle, you use their distracted state to grab it. 

You stare down at the Glock with wide eyes for a fraction of a second before stowing the gun in the lower kitchen cabinets. This is definitely a weapon you don’t want used against you.

The sounds of their struggles pound against your eardrums, beating in tandem with your rapid pulse.

You know you need to help Roy get the upper hand, but at the same time, you don’t want to become a casualty while trying to intervene. Your feet remain glued to the ground, stuck in the muck of your own indecision.

Roy’s sluggishly countering Deadshot’s strikes and his breathing is audibly already heavy after the head injury he’s been dealt. Coupled with his previous injuries from Cheshire yesterday, you know he’s not anywhere near his peak condition to fight. 

Another hard strike to the same spot on Roy’s head and he’s out.

“Now, now,” The mercenary saunters towards you in an almost cat-like nature. “Where were we, doll?” Your breath catches in your throat as you allow him to advance on you until you’re completely backed against the cold metal of the fridge. “Such a shame I have to kill you,” He takes in your wild, innocent eyes with a cocky smirk. “Really,” He murmurs as the back of his gloved hand glides slowly against your cheek. You wince at the gentle touch and attempt to push him away, but it’s in vain. He laughs and moves his face in closer, “Any last words, beautiful?”

You squirm under his unforgiving hold as he abruptly pins your wrists against the fridge. You wince at the contact and draw your knees up to 1: to protect your wound and 2: to fuck him up with your dead weight. However, your weight doesn’t seem to deter him in the slightest. The mercenary hardly falters as he adjusts his grip on you, only to slam you into the fridge again, causing your feet to drop to the floor.

“Roy!” You cry out, searching for him desperately.

Roy, somewhat dazed after coming to, stumbles toward the mercenary from behind.

Your feet aren’t on the ground for long before he picks you back up by your neck, noticing the blood seeping through the stomach of your shirt. He eyes the crimson curiously, “Don’t tell me I wasn’t the one to pop your mercenary cherry, doll,” He uses his gun to lift up your shirt, inhaling over dramatically as your festering wound’s exposed to the cold air that spills in from the shattered windows. “Well, now. That’d put a damper on anyone’s party now, wouldn’t it?” He continues to lift up your shirt while you continue to struggle. “Tell me to stop and I will, gorgeous.” 

Your tongue is caught in your throat as the tip of his pokes out to lick greedily at his lips.

“Hey!” Roy tugs him back by the nape of his uniform, arm at the ready to release a sucker punch on him with his prosthetic. “Stop flirting with my,” Roy hesitates in the heat of the moment. “Well, I don’t know yet, but she’s mine,” The last word comes out as a hiss as Roy brings down his fist across Deadshot’s face savagely. 

You drop to the floor and scurry right into… Your eyes lift from the familiar combat boots to an even more familiar red helmet- Red Hood.

You gasp and fall backward, looking up at him with startled eyes.

He regards you on the floor briefly before turning his attention to the main quarrel. 

“Lawton,” Red Hood’s modulated voice cuts through the quiet. 

You turn around on the floor to see Roy holding Deadshot by the front of his shirt, arm frozen as it’s poised to release. 

Deadshot holds up his hands in surrender, still within Roy’s grip, “Hood.” 

Roy lets him drop to the floor, though he gets up milliseconds after touching the ground, wiping off imaginary dust from his suit in the process.

“Robin’s on the way,” Every loud step he takes makes a purposeful, resounding impact in the room. He meets Deadshot face to face and, you notice that, although Jason’s form is much stockier, Deadshot has at least a half inch on him, if not a bit more. “In the meantime, you’re going to tell me about this contract of yours,” A moment passes as Jason steadies his gun. “Who are you working for?”

Deadshot holds up his hands in surrender again, “Can’t you just let me off with a nice spanking and we can call it even?” There’s a clicking noise as Jason switches the safety off. “You used to be so much more fun when you weren’t shackled down, Hood,” He winks and you feel a rush of jealousy in your stomach, noticing Roy’s very much in the same boat.

“I don’t have time for your games, Lawton,” His warbled voice drawls monotonously as he cocks the gun.

A beat passes as Deadshot seems to come to terms with the situation, “Fine.” He sighs. “Just put the fucking Glock down, would ya?” He mutters something about it being sacrilege to be killed with such a basic gun. “As far as I know, there’re four groups of people in charge of this, I don’t know, account of some kind. They've all been funneling money into it.” Roy looks confused, but Red Hood remains firm, coaxing him for more information.

“Names,” Jason demands dully.

Deadshot scratches at his mask, “Gee, can’t seem to remember.”

“No?” Jason tilts his head menacingly, steadying his gun before you can finish exhaling, “Maybe this’ll jog your memory." 

Deadshot groans, feeling himself being cornered.

You’re right in front of the open door, thinking the danger is under control, when a cold sharpness stops your breathing in its tracks. A quick glance around the room proves this assailant’s gone unnoticed.

“Hello again, rabbit,” Cheshire’s familiar, eerie voice shushes you. “Wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, now would we?”

Meanwhile, Deadshot begins to list off contacts.

“Joker, Two Face,” He trails off with a slight smirk, “chick’s parents.” He laughs, “And here I was thinking I’m giving my kid issues,” He nudges Roy playfully, but Roy shakes off his touch with visible contempt.

At the mention of your parents, three sets of eyes land on you. The three men startle when they find you being held at knifepoint. 

Cheshire has you captive with a knife, just as the Joker had done all those years ago. Even through Jason’s helmet, you can see him thinking the same thing. You know he’d tell you to stay calm, so you attempt to follow his non-verbal advice, though it’s easier said than done.

Cheshire’s musically cruel laugh chimes gratingly against your ear, “Oh, but she already knows. Don’t you, rabbit?” You can practically hear her beaming behind her mask as she unveils you to be the liar you truly are. “She knows all about the little organization they’ve built around her, but I didn’t realize she’d kept it from everyone.” Her head snakes from behind you to sneer at the side of your face, though you refuse to look at her. No, you’re more focused on the crumbling ruins of the family you’ve injected yourself into, watching as it's destroyed right in front of your very eyes. “Now, be a doll and fill them in on your little scheme.”

You can't see it, but you know Jason’s calculated eyes are on you from underneath his helmet. 

“I,” Your voice catches in your throat. You try to swallow it down and regret it instantly when it burns with a sharp pain on the way down. “Why?” You grit your teeth, not understanding why she wants to see you fumble. Isn’t it just a contract to her?

You must’ve voiced the last part out loud because she chortles.

“At first, yes, but this is just starting to get juicy. I’ll collect my money after you’ve dug your grave.” She doesn’t seem to have any more patience for your resistance. “Tell them,” She hisses each word as a pointed threat, drawing the knife closer all the while.

You’re left with no choice.

“The other day in the garage,” Your eyes frantically search their eyes for understanding, but it ultimately reveals nothing. “I found out my parents were controlling the organization and I,” You wince, “I tried to hide it from you.” Your voice cracks as you look between the two men.

“Go on,” She’s enjoying this entirely too much. Surprisingly, Jason and Roy aren’t putting a stop to it as they wait for your next words. “You’re a part of it too, are you not? I’ve been calling you rabbit, but perhaps a more fitting name would be rat.” 

“No!” You shout, wincing when the blade catches on your skin. “No, I’m not- I wasn’t- I didn’t!” Your brows knit together, hoping they believe you. “I didn’t know until yesterday, I swear!”

“She’s been a part of it since the beginning,” Cheshire tsks with exaggerated disapproval. 

If you could, you’d shake your head no, but it’s not exactly a smart option at the moment. 

Compared to Red Hood’s covered expression, Roy’s emotions are clear as day. You’re able to see the confusion, realization and then, eventually, anger smack across Roy’s face. 

“You messed up earlier on… on purpose?” He looks like can’t believe it and, hey, maybe he can’t. It was a shitty, selfish, not to mention completely out-of-character thing for you to do. “You knew the whole time?”

Everyone’s eyes fall on you again.

“No, I swear,” You try to reason with him, but you’ve never seen this look on Roy’s face before, “Just yesterday. Please, you have to believe me-” 

You’re about to tell them about all the trials and how, in this situation, if you were any type of rat, it’d be a lab rat, but he doesn’t give you the chance. 

Roy cuts off your pleading monotonously, “Well, forgive me if I fucking don’t.”

“Oh, no,” Her fake caring voice is like nails on a chalkboard to you. All you want to do is go to sleep in between your boyfr- in between Jason and Roy. “Trouble in paradise?”

It’s an understatement, to say the least.

She wasn’t lying when she said she wanted to destroy your world before taking you down. 

“Like you wouldn’t fucking believe,” You absentmindedly shake your head, regretting it instantly when blood spills from the knife in the process. You bite back a pained groan at the prickling sting from the blade and focus on an escape plan.

With Deadshot, you’d been too compliant. 

Not this time.

You’ve beat this crazy bitch before and, all be damned, if you weren’t about to do it again.

No firepower, no car. This time, it’s just blades and fists.

It’s on.

You quickly step to the side, grabbing her lithe wrist in the process. You then yank down and body her to the ground, using her own weight against her. Between the slits in her mask, you see Cheshire’s startled eyes look back at you. 

It’s then you know Cheshire remembers she’s fucked with the wrong one.

She’s slower than she had been on account of, you know, being forced under the grille of your car. Other than that, though, she seems completely untouched. It’s a little unnerving.

You don’t give her a chance to distract you enough to risk losing the upper hand, so you kick her square in the face with all your might. Her mask clatters to the ground with a hollowed bang that echos in tandem with her pained cry. 

Now you’re better able to see the extent of the damage you’d dealt.

She’s sporting a large gash across her forehead and cheek. Her right eye and upper lip match, both being comedically puffed up and bruised, while the rest of the damage remains hidden under her uniform.

You land another kick. This time, upside the chin.

She blacks out for a few seconds before she flips up off the ground, wiping fruitlessly at the fountain of blood erupting from her mouth. The Asian woman rolls her neck before settling into a sparring stance that you match.

From across the room, the men finally take action and intervene, but not before the two of you can charge at each other. Upon clashing, your wound stirs sinisterly, but the sight of her blood only adds fuel to your fire. 

You have no choice but to win.

Cheshire gets one good hit on you, but it’s all you need to unleash the same savage blow back at her. 

It’s more satisfying having your knuckles come into contact with her bare skin as opposed to her dumb mask. You manage to lay a haymaker on her soft, tanned cheek. A wicked grin tugs at your mouth as you lay another one on the other cheek, moving her face from side to side with the raw power of your fists.

Cheshire clearly doesn’t care about whatever agreement they have going on with Deadshot and quickly overpowers you before you can land another hit. 

Though it feels like minutes, your quarrel has been mere seconds.

The thinly veiled threat in her eyes is obvious as she looks from Roy to Red Hood, assuring them she’d kill you long before they’d be able to save you. Begrudgingly, they back off, thinking of the best way to intervene.

“You know, rabbit. I don’t like you,” You groan when she pounds into where she’d stabbed you the day before. She grabs for her mask, resecuring it before you can even blink. “In fact, I don’t like you at all,” Her head tilts menacingly before surveying the shocked inhabitants of the room. She chuckles, “This isn’t just a contract for me now. No, I’m going to take actual delight in killing you,” She tilts her mask up so you’re able to see her shark-like smile. “Every second of it.”

Roy calls your name. You waste no time rolling out of her grasp and jump out of the way just in time to miss one of Roy’s electric arrows. Cheshire, on the other hand? Yeah, not so much. She spasms erratically on the floor and you watch as the twitches become few and far between until she’s out like a light. 

Robin, well, Damian, shows up a minute later. You watch as he takes in the tattered remains of his penthouse.

“I see you’ve found Cheshire.” No one says anything as Deadshot salutes before backflipping out of the shot-out window and into the night. “Alright,” Damian looks from you and the assassin on the ground, then over at his brother and Roy. “Belle Reve’s already expecting her. You guys should,” He trails off, seeming to remember Cheshire’s still very much present, “We’ll talk momentarily. We don’t want to risk anything,” He drags her body over his shoulder before approaching where Deadshot had just been to check that he was actually gone too. “I’m glad you’re safe,” He remains there for a few more seconds, taking you in before he jumps into the dark abyss of the Gotham night.

A gusty breeze blows in and sends the scattered glass shimmering across his Versace carpet. Aside from the bullet holes, it seems like the window was the only real casualty tonight. 

Roy slinks over to sit on the kitchen counter and Jason follows easily. You, however, stay firmly planted where you are, feeling like an outsider to them again. 

You shrink in on yourself as Jason busies himself by checking over Roy with a loving carefulness you’d been lavished with just last night. Upon your first step closer, their attention snaps to you, as if finally remembering that you’re still in the room.

Then, all hell breaks loose.

“So, you knew the whole time,” Jason rips off his helmet to tear into exactly what you’ve been trying to avoid. “Or, well, at least since the garage, right?” You nod and he scoffs. Meanwhile, Roy just looks away, “And you didn’t say shit to us and led us on a wild goose chase?”

You break down at everything, understanding their anger, but know that, now,  all you can do now is be apologetic. “I wanted to tell you both last night-”

“Yeah?” Jason cuts you off with a glare cold enough to freeze you in your tracks, “Before or after I told you everything?” His words sting, but you take it, knowing you deserve it. “You put all of us in danger, our family and for what? Your secret? You had to have known we’d figure it out at some point.” 

You knew they would figure it out; you just didn’t think it’d be the next fucking day. 

You feel like absolute shit.

“And with Lian in the room next door?” Roy continues right where Jason had left off. Though your parents have never berated you, you imagine this is pretty close to what it'd be like. “If it had been someone worse than Deadshot, Lian could’ve been seriously harmed,” Your eyes water and you want to yell back that you already fucking know. You want to scream that you feel like shit about it, but you don’t. You just take it. “You’re lucky you weren’t harmed with your shitty hacking.”

You sniffle, taking the insult. However, Jason seems to realize this is getting out of hand and places a calming hand on Roy’s shoulder, but it’s too late. Roy’s high on adrenaline and only getting started.

“I know,” You nod your head, electing to stare at the ground.

You’ve never seen Roy mad, let alone towards you, but you understand completely. You put the #1 girl in his life in harm's way and you’d never forgive yourself. You can’t imagine being in his shoes right now.

“I can’t,” Roy huffs in aggravation. “All I can think about is how you probably fucked up on purpose. Either that or you shouldn’t’ve rushed through your hacking classes like you did.”

In an ironic twist from earlier, it seems Jason’s the calm one while Roy only seems to be ramping up.

“First of all,” Jason finally comes to your defense, “She’s a programmer, Roy. A young one at that and I can almost guarantee she’s never been in a position where she’s had to hack on this caliber before.”

Roy cuts him off, sounding somewhat hysterical, “Then why did we leave Lian with her when the stakes were this high yesterday?” 

Jason’s eyes flick from you to Roy like he hopes you know not to take too much of it to heart, but how can you not?

“Love,” Roy’s eyes shoot open and he looks at his boyfriend head-on, “How many times has she saved her?” Roy refuses to look at you until Jason steps closer to you. “Do you forget who she is to us?” Roy looks at you now with hurt spilling from his eyes. “I think it’s convenient that you forget you had every chance to take the hacking shit somewhere else, but you chose to do it here and told Damian to go on patrol.” 

The coffee machine whirs to life, sending everyone on guard before falling limply again out of sheer exhaustion. 

“I thought the two of us could,” Roy rubs at his face in irritation. You wished you’d never done the hacking, that the two of you should’ve just gone to bed and waited for Jason to get back. Now, you’re stuck dealing with this shitshow. Roy’s eyes visibly water and yours soon follow suit. He starts again, “I thought the two of us could handle it because I have faith in you.” 

He said have, not had.

Maybe he’d misspoken?

“Even now?” Your voice wobbles as you ask for clarification you desperately need.

He nods tiredly, “Even now.”

At least it’s something.

Jason rubs at both of your shoulders now. He’s definitely come a long way from the person he was in high school and how he’s dealing with this situation proves it. If he’s changed, maybe you’ve changed too.

“We’ve all made mistakes. Especially me, especially Roy,” He shoots a pointed look Roy’s way, who looks away bashfully. “And, especially at your age.”

Roy had accused you of messing up on purpose the first time and it hasn’t been sitting right with you. 

As everyone settles, you choose your words carefully.

“The first time was an honest mistake,” You sigh. “I take full responsibility for what happened tonight, though. Tonight, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than covering my ass.” It’s quiet as you bow your head under their reprimanding gazes. “That being said, I’m no fucking rat,” You huff, referring to Cheshire’s earlier accusation. “Not in that way, at least.”

Roy’s still rightfully upset, but at least he’s looking at you now. “I believe you.”

You three sit there in silence as the situation settles, though you don’t feel as if you’ve really explained your rationale.

“I was embarrassed,” You choke back the overwhelming urge to cry. “You guys have always known my parents were shitty, but they’re thieves. They’re… murderers. They were using me as a lab rat, biding time until they could come to collect. They don’t care about me. They never did. You guys probably even knew that,” They wince as if proving your point. “And I’m still now just hearing things when we said no more lies between us. It’s no excuse for the harm I’ve put everyone in; I know, I just. Fuck! I keep fucking up when all I want is for everything to go back to normal, whatever that even means now. From now on, we tell each other everything. We need to have trust if-” You’re going to say ‘if this is going to work out,’ but what exactly is there to work out? “Just, we need to have trust. Maybe it’s selfish, but I,” You wrap your arms protectively around yourself, refusing to meet their eyes as you bare your entire heart, “I really need both of you right now.” 

Their arms immediately encircle you, though you can’t quite allow yourself to give in to their touch just yet.

“We’re always here for you.” 

Your heart swells.

“I know,” You hug both of them back finally and rest your head between their touching shoulders. “You both mean everything to me,” You can’t stop the words from coming out after all these years. “ Lian, too, of course.” You sniffle as you remember her tiny body sleeping in the other room. “I just want us to all be safe.” Lian had been included in too many close calls now because of you and you could never live with yourself knowing you caused harm to any person in their family. Maybe this resolution was just another selfish decision on your part. Doubt floods you before you and, before you can question it, spills out. “I don’t want to be the reason your family is destroyed,” You choke. “I know I should leave.” 

Roy stops you from doing so when he says your name, “You can’t leave if you’re a part of this family too.” 

You hesitate, “You don’t have to say that.” 

“Since day one, you’ve been family. Even as a nerdy little kid, can’t you see that?” Roy tries to reach through to you. “Trust me. It took me a while to see it, too,” He confides, placing a delicate hand on your shoulder, “but it doesn’t make it any less true.”

You nod, appreciating his perspective as an outsider to Gotham and, subsequently, the Waynes. 

The yellow calm of the moonlight trickles through the broken window, illuminating the toll this weighty situation has taken on all three of you. 

“You are not your parents,” Jason finally says. “If anyone out there understands that, it’s us. We’ve known you since you were young. We know who you really are and know that you were never what they tried to make you.”

It’s the first time you feel like you’re on an even playing field with them. For once, there are no walls between the three of you for the first time since you've met. 

It’s truly a fresh start. 

A/N: we finally made it!! next present day chap is AHHHH

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 15

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

𓅪 Rated: M | 5.5k includes: slight praise kink this one came out of left field absolutely do NOT look @ me, bonding, steph being amazing

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 15: Snowbird | ao3 - wattpad

In the passing weeks, you find yourself falling easily into their routines. 

The everyday moments you share with them no longer carry an awkward edge, even when you hang out with them on their own. 

During this time is also when the touching starts.

It starts off innocently enough with soft touches while they’d talk or caressing you in passing. So light and so brief you start to think you’re imagining it until, eventually, you can no longer ignore it nor pass it off as a mistake.

It’s casual, of course.

Roy snuggling you into his side while you game, Jason massaging your shoulders while you read to Lian. Even simple things like Roy lightly squeezing your thigh when you tell a joke or Jason’s swift touches along your lower back when you help him cook dinner. 

Nothing more than casual, though. Seriously.

This is why it’s completely casual to have Jason’s hands settled in the crux of your lap while Roy cleans up the remains of playtime. Lian had only gone down for a nap a few minutes prior, yet, to Jason, it's the perfect time to dip into the past.

“Stop moving,” You chastise lightly as you force his hand back into its original position.

“Yes, ma’am,” He mutters mirthfully, following your demand easily. 

His hands rest back on your skin so you can pick up right where you left off. You couldn’t deny that the stray pink nail polish, that had somehow snuck its way into your surviving bag, looks really nice against his complexion.

“I think the last time I did this for you was before the club.”

You swear he blushes, looking away from you. It's rare to see him actually embarrassed like this and you can’t help the laugh that escapes your lips because of it. 

Roy wolf whistles, “Trust me, you looked good. You’ve definitely come a long way since cross-dressing while denying your sexuality, Jay babe.”

“I know,” He grumbles as if not used to all the attention. You expect him to joke back, but he just continues to stare at your handy work with a distracted gaze. 

You find yourself going back to Roy’s comment, “Why do you think you denied it for so long?” 

While Bruce didn’t seem like the type of dad to show up tits-out at Pride, he also didn’t strike you as a conversion camp freak either. 

“Even though Dick’s always been a flamboyant fuck, I just didn’t feel the need to show it in that way. I guess I thought that because I didn’t fit some mold, I wasn’t actually gay- bi,” He corrects himself, looking at you with an unexpected intensity, “I’m bi.”

You know it’s a statement completely in line with the conversation at hand, but you can’t help but feel a tiny portion of it is directed towards you, telling you that you have a chance.

You can’t stop the blush that overtakes your cheeks, hoping the dimness of the evening covers it enough to avoid any further miscommunications. “Thank you for trusting me with that.”

He chuckles, “You’ve always been accepting of me, even when I was still figuring it out for myself.”

“Of course. What are friends for?” You smile back at him, but this time, it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

•••

“What’s a movie we’d all like?”

“Texas Chainsaw?”

You fake gag, “What about something less gory? Moonrise Kingdom?”

“Fucking boring, as usual,” Jason drawls without removing his hand from his palm where his elbow is propped up on his knee. 

“Hey! I resent that.”

“Keep bickering all you want,” Roy leans back on the couch, watching the tiff go down in amusement, “just know I’m not watching some period chick flick for you and Jason. Not doin’ it.”

You and Jason smack him with the same deadpan glare. He knows you and Jason are always down to watch Pride and Prejudice. 

“Then what do you suggest we watch?” 

“A classic film, perhaps,” He says with a wry grin. “Avatar.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s loads better than any period drama.”

He smacks your arm, “Alright, Wes Anderson apologist.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I am, you fucking creep,” Your voice drips with sarcasm as you search through the next onslaught of films on screen, “Lego Batman,” You’re instantly met with a resolute chorus of no’s. “Aquamarine,” You try again.

“How are these titles getting even worse?” Jason grumbles and nudges your shoulder to get you to keep searching.

“I’m just wondering how the ‘recommended blockbuster’ section on here went from Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Aquamarine.” Roy chortles as he shifts next to you, hitting your hip in the process. “Oh, no fucking way. We’re watching FernGully, Jason,” He cuts off Jason’s rant prematurely. “Honest to god, we are watching these elves save the fucking forest. I’m not backing down on this one, loves.”

His boyfriend’s angsty ass blows at the overhanging white hair on his forehead as he flops back against the couch in submission. The force alone is enough to send you sprawling backward with a thud as part of your rib cage comes into contact with his muscular chest. In the disruptiveness of the action, you’ve completely missed Roy’s newest nickname.

“Your one chance to watch, you know, an actual adult movie while Lian is asleep, yet you still manage to pick some dumbelf movie that she’d love.” 

You’ve yet to move from against his chest and are completely surprised when he rests his arm around your shoulder, drawing you in closer. There’s no time to overthink his action before Roy’s laying down across your thighs so his head rests in Jason’s lap. And, yeah, you were jealous you couldn’t nestle your face in his thick, muscular thighs too, but his sturdy arm around you and Roy squirming around in your lap was still fucking bliss.

It's times like these that make you forget about the looming threat of… well, who knows?

“They’re fairies, by the way,” You correct him. 

“Fairies, elves, same shit. You and Jay would look cute as one either way.” He reaches up and ‘boops’ the two of you on the nose.

“Why not you?”

“Well, princess,” He clicks proudly on the film, electing to squirm much in the way Lian does when she gets a sugar rush, “I’m already basically in it.” 

“Let me guess,” You say, booping his nose right back. “There’s a redhead in here who looks nothing like you.”

“Fuck you. Disrespect Pips and me like that again and…” He trails off with a constipated face that has you and Jason smirking at each other, “I don’t know, but fuck around and find out.” He sits up to try and flick you on the nose in retaliation, but you smack his hand away as you push him back down into Jason’s lap, “Oh, I liked that.”

Jason grumbles something incomprehensible as he turns up the movie to drown out Roy’s annoying ass whining. Meanwhile, your hands retreat from Roy’s body with a speed that rivals the Flash. 

You’re grateful for the distraction, anyway. All the recent touching and lack of personal space is driving you crazy in the best way possible, but damn if it wasn’t dangerous. 

Roy flops around on Jason’s and your thighs, squirming what seems like every two minutes. There's no possible way he’s getting a chub from the animated movie or anything like that and he doesn’t seem to have any previous issues with focus from what you’d noticed in the past. Thus, it seems that the random wiggling seems specifically directed to torture you.

His dumb fucking smirk spattered across his freckled cheeks further confirms this.

“There are dogs that lay more still than you, dude,” You smack at his hip as he begins another wiggle assault. “What’s your damage?”

Roy chortles as he flips over from his side, then to his back to stare at you over his shoulder from the comforts of Jason’s lap.

“I really have to pee, but the part I like is coming up.”

You shoot an unimpressed glance at Jason, who merely shakes his head in response.

“Yes, I’m aware I have two kids. You don’t have to remind me with that smug ass look,” He says your name at the same time he flicks at the tip of your nose, seemingly wanting to be included in all the ‘boop’ing.

Your so-called ‘smug ass look’ effectively drops. Your eyes cross as you stare at his finger that’s yet to leave your nose. 

Your nose crinkles as if you’re about to sneeze until he finally removes his finger with a small laugh.

It’s not that it’s a boring movie; you’re just tired as fuck.

Roy’s newest thing has been flipping on top of you in the middle of the night. That alone you can deal with, your own personal weighted blanket of sorts, but no. He's Roy and Roy’s annoying as fuck, so of course, he utilizes the position to snore directly into your ear.  

It’s his apartment, so you’re sure as fuck not going to be the one to wake him up. For such a light sleeper, Jason seems largely unbothered by Roy’s roars. Every now and then, a particular snore would have Jason shifting against you, but he seemed to have already grown accustomed to Roy’s irritating sleeping quirks. 

Jason, for the most part, sleeps like a log. 

You’ll sometimes hear his quiet exhales early in the morning, but that’s about it. Recently, he’s been attaching onto you in the middle of the night. Well, at least until one of you gets too sweaty and, subsequently, wakes up. 

Not realizing you’ve drifted off, you’re awoken when your pillow, Jason, moves. Your head falls the short distance to the warmth of the now empty cushion below. 

You always thought you ran cold, at least your feet did, until you started sleeping with two men. Well, really, just Jason, whose body heat seemed to spur your own to exponential amounts. Roy, on the other hand… 

You gratefully cling to the squishy icicle on top of you. The heavy lump groans lightly in response before nestling further into your radiating heat.

•••

It’s light out; you can tell even though your eyes remain shut. 

You know you've all slept in and that it's probably the afternoon, but you still attempt to doze on and off for a few more minutes before you can’t deny the weight on your stomach is crushing your insides slowly. 

A light snore rings out in the quiet of the room, louder than the gurgling of the coffee machine off in the distance.

At the sound of quiet, approaching footsteps, you allow your eyes to flutter open.

You squint against the open blinds only to flush when you find Roy’s fiery, splayed-out locks burning in the light against your chest. You’d probably give in to him right then and there if you hadn’t noticed, more like stopped yourself from laughing at, the puddle of drool he’s left behind on one of your tits.

Jason doesn’t say anything as he hands you a cup of coffee that you try to hand back so you can sit up, but the dark smell of the roast is enough to wake Roy up.

Upon seeing your precarious position, Roy slurps up the remaining spit from his chin and smiles lazily, “Mornin’, princess.” His eyes are half opened and his hair's a mess, but you swear he’s never looked so attractive.

Your stomach flips and, with the close proximity, you’re worried he’ll be able to feel all the butterflies that are thrashing around in your stomach. 

You’d never really considered your looks: ugly, pretty, whatever. You've just always known the way they looked was out of your league. 

Laying there, looking from Roy’s chiseled jawline to the light wrinkle that stretched a nail’s-width across his forehead down to his tantalizing freckles, you feel way out of your depth. Regardless of the logistics, he’s everything you want.

You should kiss him.

The angelic glow radiating off of him in the morning light, his steady weight on all the right spots, his dopey sleep face. 

You need to kiss him.

Your fingers drag along the stubble of his jaw all the way over to tug playfully at his bottom lip with your thumb. One of his eyes perks open with interest but flickers shut immediately as you tilt his head up within inches of yours.

You’re going to kiss him.

And , no.

The spell is broken when he unleashes a dad yawn that smacks you square in the face with his horrifying morning breath. 

You buck him off of your front to the floor with a disgusted look, “Jesus, Roy.”

Jason snorts, handing Roy his own cup of coffee before he can start bitching. Lian eyes the passing of the mug enviously, following along with it like an extension of the steam rolling off the top. “Do I get some?”

“Sorry,” Roy snorts, ruffling her inky hair. “Too young, champ.”

Your head snaps over to Lian, who’s playing on the ground next to Roy’s half-asleep form. You silently beg her not to out the one time you let her have half your coffee.

“Trust me. You won’t like it, sweetie.” Roy crawls over to pick up a Barbie that her Triceratops savagely murders as soon as he tries to place it in the toy convertible. “Why won’t you play with me?” Roy whines and quickly snatches away his discarded cup of coffee Lian had been going for while he’d been distracted.

“Lian,” Jason’s deep daddy-tone stirs the attention of everyone in the room. “Dad said no coffee.”

She looks from him to you with narrowed eyes. You return the look with a telepathic warning that if she ever wants coffee again, she better keep quiet.

You clear your throat uncomfortably as their focus instantly turns to you.

“What?” You feign innocence.

Lian looks from the coffee clasped protectively in Roy’s bionic grasp, then back to you. It seems like she’s about to give in and snitch but realizes the situation at hand and pouts. Eventually, she moves on and nudges Roy’s Barbie with her Triceratops, effectively dropping the topic altogether.

You’re so absorbed in her Jurassic Park slay fest you don’t even realize Jason’s gotten up.

You’ll never admit it, not like they couldn’t tell anyway, but you startle when Jason suddenly gets up from the lounge chair to join you on the couch. 

This time, instead of draping his arm around your shoulder, he snakes it around your waist to draw you closer to him. Your stomach flips as you allow the movement. You follow his lead into his firm body in your sluggish, early morning state. You can’t help the pleased inhale that escapes you, welcoming the closeness easily. You snuggle into his side, drawing your feet up underneath yourself on the cushion to further cement your comfy spot. 

“You sniffing me, little bird?” His eyes flash and he looks down at you quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”

You wince, realizing how fragile he still thought you were. 

All those weeks ago, when he’d said it for the first time in years, it had thrown you off. His coming at you from behind also didn’t help, but it had been a one-off event. Never again. You aren’t weak… It was a one-off event, you repeat to yourself.

In all honesty, his use of the nickname this time hadn’t left you feeling any sort of way, so you do somewhat believe your lie.

Somewhat.

“I don’t mind,” Is all you say.

It’s enough. 

No one questions you further, though you feel their stares linger on you long enough for you to know they can see right through you.

As soon as you finish your coffee, Lian gets up and tugs you from Jason’s grasp over to the kitchen. 

You laugh lightly, “What do you want to eat, chickie?”

“We’re making scones,” Jason traps you against the counter briefly as he comes up behind you to grab the butter in front of you. He stutters as soon as he realizes the familiar position he put you in and startles backward. “That alright?”

The scones or the position, you didn’t know.

Lian saves you from further embarrassment by being her usual cute self, “What’s sk-ons?” 

“Teaching her the British way, Jay?” Roy’s still splayed out on the floor, sipping his coffee obnoxiously. “Alfred will be so proud.”

You and Lian measure out the flour and sugar when Jason suddenly sets down an ingredient you’re 100% sure was not on the original recipe card he'd given you.

“Bro.”

“What, bro?” Jason mocks you as he begins to stir together the dry ingredients. 

You stare down at the offending container.

“Bro.”

He huffs with faux-annoyance, “I’m not going to keep amusing you by asking ‘what’ again, you know?”

You can hardly look at his traitor-ass when he smugly adds baking powder to the white mixture in the bowl.

“You told me baking soda, Jason.” 

After years and years of lackluster scones, you remain deadly serious as you confront him. 

You'd thought maybe it was you. Maybe your Achilles heel was scones. Not so bad; everyone has one, but scones? If you had a recipe for the best scones in the world, which you did and they still always turned out meh, which they did, then, yeah, you start to doubt your cooking abilities and sanity somewhere along the way.

“Did I?” 

It’s too nonchalant. 

You’re not even breathing as he pours in the rest of the ingredients with their familiar measurements you’d memorized after all those years of botching the recipe.

“You did.”

You stare down the side of his face, noting the smile that hid just below the surface of his scarred cheeks.

When he does look at you, you almost wish he hadn’t.

It’s too… open.

Too tender.

You gulp under his direct attention, hating the way his eyes blatantly follow the movement under the plushness of his inky lashes.

“Why would it be baking soda, babe?” He taps you lightly on the forehead, “You know how to cook. You should’ve noticed that mistake.”

“You’re telling me this whole time they tasted like shi- oot ,” You look down at a curious Lian as you attempt to salvage your curse before completely giving up and starting again. “They tasted like poo just because you wrote it down wrong?”

“How is poo any better than shit?!” Roy calls from the floor, “ Shit,” He hisses. 

You and Jason exchange an amused glance when you both turn around just in time to see Roy smack himself in the nose instead of over his mouth. Meanwhile, Lian goes over to him to continue playing, seemingly content that breakfast is being made by the two best chefs in the house.

“Now that I think about it,” Jason pretends to ponder. “Maybe I did miswrite it on purpose.”

You knew it!

“Bastard!” You hiss.

It’s like your narrowed eyes are fuel-feeding his sickening smirk. How can he find this situation so amusing?

“Consider it payback for slipping Lian coffee.”

“Oh, sure. Preemptive payback for your future child,” You snort in disbelief. “Completely sound logic, yeah?” You move around the island to watch him stick the tray of dough in the fridge to chill. “Besides, it was one time! Only half a cup, I swear.”

“Half a cup?!” Jason repeats incredulously, nearly dropping the tray in the process to turn to face you. “She’s a toddler!” 

You shake your head, “You know I drink glorified coffee. It’s loads of sugar with all cream, just like Roy.” 

“How do you remember that?” He calls over, then seems to remember you’ve been over enough mornings by now to know how he takes his coffee. What you’d never admit is that, yes, you had, in fact, still remembered from all those years ago. “Never mind, you would have freaky detective skills. I always forget you’re basically a Bat, too.”

You couldn’t help but preen even though you’d long stopped paying attention to Batman and his clan of birds.

“Please, I haven’t trained in all these years. I’m out of practice,” You hesitate. “Well, not that I was ever truly in it, but, well, you know,” You trail off self-consciously, busying yourself by cleaning up the excess flour that had spilled onto the counter.

Apparently, your cleaning methods are too sporadic and Jason takes over by placing his calloused hand over yours. The movements are slow with a firm, yet gentle control as he guides your hand across the counter, settling behind you with a warmth you’re steadily becoming familiar with.

You allow yourself to lean back into his warm embrace and force your eyes to remain open if only to save yourself any further embarrassment. 

The coffee slip-up with Roy had already been bad enough. 

“Good, just like that.” He murmurs and gently presses the bulge of his sweatpants against your lower back. You react without meaning to, flushing when you realize you’ve just pushed back into him. “Lian, go help your dad find something to watch on TV.”

“Okay, daddy!” Lian leaps over to Roy, who wiggles upward, accidentally spilling his coffee all over Barbie. He then notices you peeking at him innocently from within the confines of his boyfriend's flexed arms. 

Your eyes hold his impish ones, your mouth remaining slightly open as the situation settles across the two of you. 

You watch his red hair bob when he looks up at Jason, who you assume is also looking at Roy, but you’re too afraid to move and risk the chance of ending whatever this is. 

The moment with Roy on the couch, now this? Hell, you’re scared to blink , let alone move.

Jason’s never, had never, been one to call the shots before. You can’t deny it feels nice to have Roy on the same playing field with this unfamiliar territory. 

Your eyes slip from Roy’s as you allow Jason to shift your attention back to the counter. 

Lian screaming the Paw Patrol theme song long before the actual show starts is all background noise to you. You’re fully present with him wrapped around you so deliciously. 

He lowers his head closer to yours, where he seems to wait, gauging each and every minute reaction. He then proceeds to nudge your cheek with his once he begins to scrub a stubborn spot, “This okay, babe?”

The flour, or you wanting him to bend you over right here and now?

Say something sexy, say something sexy .

“There’s so much flour,” Is what you manage to choke out instead.

Awesome.

He laughs lowly with his breath brushing the side of your cheek, “Help me clean it then, babe.”

You nod dumbly, noting how Roy’s left a highly amused Lian to her show to join the cleanup crew. 

“What’s goin’ on over here?” 

You startle away from his boyfriend instantly. The last thing you want to do is step on anyone’s toes.  

He merely snickers as he stops off to the side, flipping through the stray mail on the island too quickly to really be reading anything. You’re not completely oblivious to the way his eyes flicker between the papers and you.

He gauges your reaction as he steps closer, treating you like you’ll break if they make one misstep. And, hell, maybe you will. 

“Sorry,” You apologize, but he’s already shaking his head before you can fully get the word out.

“Nothin’ to be sorry for, princess,” Roy gestures back to Jason, who looks- wait, what? Jason glances at you for what you think is reassurance and wish, once again, that you could read them like they could read each other. “Never hurts to have two good housewives like you and Jay’sall I’m saying.”

His wink falls flat as you read way too far into his statement, but he takes it the wrong way. His teasing smile falters slightly at the corners of his mouth briefly before he plasters it back in place like it’d never happened.

Ever since you’d learned about their secret identities, they’d been exponentially more open with you. Still, you couldn’t help but feel like you were still being left in the dark about certain things. That, and you’re more confused than ever about where you stand with both of them.

“Why didn’t you tell her?” 

You shudder. 

“What’s on your mind, babygirl?” 

He’s clearly trying to see why the mood soured so quickly. You can’t help but feel like you always bring down the mood. 

You clear your throat as you try to think of a logical excuse for why you’d gone so stiff after, well, after almost saying fuck it and fucking them. 

Now your mind is somewhere else completely. 

“Just thinking about the attacks,” You lie easily.

Roy nods understandingly, easily changing his approach after the clear shift in mood, “What about them?”

You’d finally gotten around to doing more research on the bombing, but you couldn’t quite get a certain notion out of your head. Now would be as good a time as any to let them in at least somewhat on what you’ve uncovered from the coffee shop security footage.

“I’m starting to think the mugging and coffee shop were connected somehow to the break-in.” You wait for them to shoot down your idea or tell you you’re being paranoid, but, much to your relief, they’re nodding along as if they’ve already been thinking the same thing, “Just a hunch.” You add with a shrug in case you’re completely misreading everything.

 “We may be dealing with the same set of people, but we can’t be sure. We need to stay alert,” Jason says.

His phone suddenly rings in his pocket and you watch him pull out his non-burner iPhone. The only reason you even know the difference is because he added a picture of the three of you and Lian from game night for his personal phone background. His work phone, as he calls it, is reserved for the Gray Ghost.

You watch his eyebrows knit together in confusion at the contact. The familiar last digits have your stomach filling with anxiety.

Damian .

Jason shoots you a look before wandering off into the bedroom to answer. 

You turn to Roy to see if he has any idea what that was about when Lian seizes the moment to gulp down Roy’s abandoned coffee, spilling it all over herself in the process.

“Etai yazi, no !” 

Jason comes back in the room moments later just as you and Roy manage to wrangle Lian into the tub to clean off the remnants of coffee.

“We’ve got work stuff,” Jason looks at the cute scene in front of him with tender eyes, “Stephanie’s on her way over.”

“Ah, so now the babysitter needs a babysitter,” You giggle as Lian dumps a pile of bubbles on top of your head. “Well, maybe I could use some backup.”

When she arrives a little while later, Stephanie wastes no time pulling you into a hug. 

“It’s just Auntie Stephie and mommy?”

Stephanie chokes on her spit and whirls around to face you accusingly. “And when did this development happen?”

“I mean…”  Should you mention you were sleeping in their bed in front of their kid? 

Meanwhile, Jason and Roy quietly slip away, having already said their goodbyes. At least this time, you kind of knew what they were up to with their previously elusive duffle bags.

She suddenly shoots you a knowing glance, “Bedtime?”

“Auntie Stephie, no,” Lian shakes her head petulantly. “You can’t just put me to bed to talk about dad.”

“It’s almost eight!” Stephanie tries to reason with the toddler, then seems to realize the ridiculousness of it all and snatches Lian up to place in bed. “Besides, don’t think I didn’t see you yawning, missy.” 

Lian narrows her eyes when Stephanie boops her on the tip of her nose. “I won’t forget this, Auntie Stephie.”

“Oh, Jesus,” She cackles and backs away. “Remind me to sleep with one eye open,” Stephanie winks at the pouting cuteness that is cranky Lian. 

She didn’t stay on the bed for too long, though and, soon enough, you and Stephanie were running around the room to grab her. Hey, at least all this running would probably tire her out… Probably…

It's a bad bedtime kind of night, you realize with an exasperated sigh.

Bedtimes with her are always a hit or miss. She's either bouncing to get under the covers and get her bedtime story, or she'll complain the entire hour up until bedtime and refuse to go anywhere near her bed.

“Lian, chickie, come on,” You swoop Lian into your arms and dodge her usual tired swings to place her back on the bed. “We can even pick out two stories, okay?” 

“Two whole stories from mommy?” Stephanie teases until you silence her with a sharp glare. It doesn’t stop her from teasing you at all, but it’s the thought that counts.

“Yes,” Lian crosses her little arms, not understanding what’s so funny.

The running had seemed to tire her out and she finally melted into your arms, allowing you to place her in a sleepy heap under the covers. 

“Two stories, okay?”

“Two,” She nods.

You shake your head exasperatedly before picking out the two books you know she loves the most. 

She’d definitely become spoiled with the nighttime reading for sure. When you first started, she’d been content to get halfway through the book before falling asleep. Now, she'll still be rolling around after the first book and well into the second. It's inevitable that, within a matter of weeks, it’ll have to be three books. Soon you’ll be reading to her through the night. 

When you’re done, she turns sleepily toward you for her goodnight hug. You forget Stephanie’s still in the room until Lian mumbles she loves you and Stephanie absolutely loses it.

“That is so freakin’ adorable!” You can practically see the hearts forming in the pupils of her eyes. 

When you turn back around, you’re met with Lian’s light exhales. You click on her night light before following Stephanie back into the main room.

“So, two bedroom?” She wiggles her eyebrows at the lack of sheets on the couch.

“Yup,” You awkwardly rub at the back of your neck.

“And the ‘I love you?’” Her brows raise. 

“Yup,” You refuse to meet her eyes.

“Do you say it back?”

The question forces your eyes back to her maniacal-looking ones. “To Jason and Roy?” She shoots you a knowing glance and you attempt to  backtrack, “Oh, Lian. Um, yeah. Of course, I say it back.”

“To Jason and Roy?” She smirks.

“To Lian!” You sputter indignantly as your eyes narrow at her. “You’re good- you know that?” 

“Of fucking course I do, bitch.” 

You both burst into a fit of laughter, then quickly remember Lian and smack each other to shut up. It only serves to make things worse as Stephanie runs around making kissy lips at you, pretending to be Roy and Jason.

You both eventually flop into the pile of blankets Roy had left on the floor earlier, surprising her when you nearly meet her joking pout with your soft lips. It works. She ruffles lightly, backing away with a smack to your shoulder and a joking curse. 

Still the same ol’ Steph. 

“So, besides taking two dicks at once and calling me for a ride a city over without ever explaining, what’ve you been up to?” Her expression lets you know she isn’t going to let you off the hook this time. 

Figures.

“Well, I got mugged," You start listing off on your fingers, "Got stuck in the middle of a hold-up in a cafe and oh, yeah, my apartment got blown up.” You sigh, “Didn’t even get to celebrate my 20th birthday all those weeks ago.”

Stephanie wolf whistles, “Damn, that’s a lot.” You laugh humorlessly. “You know, I always forget how much younger you and Damian are than me.”

“Me too,” You admit, even though it's just by a year. “You asked about that day Damian invited Jon and me to his yacht?”

“Bruce’s, but go on,” She gestures in her usual Stephanie manner for you to continue, leaving you to giggle.

“Everything seemed like our usual bickering at first until he just blew up.”

“He just blew up randomly?” She questions suspiciously.

“Well,” You think back to that day, “I guess it happened after I mentioned Jason and Roy.”

“Dude," She drawls as if it's obvious. "He’s jealous.”

“Jealous?” You repeat dumbly.

She shoots an unimpressed look your way, “You were smart enough to be in my grade, don’t play coy. He’s been in love with you since he brought you home that first week.”

“First week?” You repeat dumbly again.

“ Yeah ,” She snorts that she can’t believe you haven’t already worked it out. “When we were walking home together?”

“Oh, god, Steph,” Your head falls to your hands. “I really fucked up.”

All those years of being a fucking hypocrite. 

“Mhm,” She nods. “ And ?”

“And,” You pout, lifting your head up to meet her encouraging smile. “And, I… I just want my friend back.”

Stephanie says your name, “Do you know how to be his friend without leading him on?” 

Her question is pointed and leaves your stomach churning uncomfortably. If it were anyone else, you’d probably get up and leave, but with Stephanie, you appreciate that at least she’s asking the deep questions. 

It’s something you wish you’d asked Jason and Roy back then. There's no way they didn’t know they fucked up, but even though you’d been young, so had they. 

Was being an adult realizing everyone was always a bit in the wrong? 

Ugh. 

That whole time you’d been lamenting about them using you, had you inadvertently been using Damian the exact same way?

“I feel like everyone in this family leads people on.” 

Her laugh startles you,  “Oh, see. Sometimes I forget you’re an honorary Bat until you say some real shit like that,” She sighs as she looks over your pouting form. “Girl, just go make it right.”

“You don’t think I’ve tried?” You sigh exasperatedly. “You know how he is."

"Yes and you know who you are," She insists. "What are your goals?"

You think hard on it before speaking, “I don’t want to lead him on anymore. He means too much to me as a friend. He’s been there for me through everything and the last thing I’d want is for him to resent me.”

"Then, go talk to him before it gets to that point," She trails off like it's obvious. 

Maybe it has been completely obvious and you’ve just been blind to it this whole time. 

“Steph, you’re a genius!”

“Finally, you see the light,” She rolls her eyes, shoving your phone back into your hand.

When he'd told you to figure it out, you sure as fuck didn’t expect it to take you this long to piece together something so obvious, yet here you are. 

I understand now. 

Your text is read instantly. 

You’re barely able to blink as text bubbles appear, then disappear and his response overtakes your screen.

Come over. 

A/N: the song for this chap (snowbirds by anne murray) for some reason is what inspired this entire fic lol

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 5

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: attempted assault  | 9k  includes: Damian helping u apply sunscreen before the angst, dinner w babs and Steph where they give u the inside info on past batboy feelings for u, Red Hood saves u from thugs, u wear Roy’s clothes

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter Five: Lost in Translation | ao3 - wattpad

Damian ends up whisking you and Jon away on a yachting adventure, insisting you need to get out more. At first, you're offended, that is until you realize holding your tongue means going out of state on a yacht. Suddenly all previous offense dissipates.

Damian reminds you for the second time that, even though it's out of state, it's only a fifteen-minute drive. Whatever. It just sounds fancier. 

You’re only holding your tongue just this one time though, so Damian better not get used to it.

This is how you end up in Happy Harbor in the middle of the week, lounging on the top deck in the hot tub with Damian. Jon disappeared somewhere inside to get you guys drinks and check out the food, but he comes back soon after.

“Do you need sunblock?” You ask Damian, noticing his shoulders turning pink under the direct glare of the sun's 80-degree rays. He's about to open his mouth, probably to tell you to fuck off, but you know he'll thank you later, “You need sunblock. Come here.”

“No,” He spits out your name, dodging whichever way you move in the water all while avoiding your sunscreen-covered palms. “I don’t even burn,” He insists quickly when you get particularly close.

“Everyone burns, dumbass,” You leap forward to tackle him into submission, though you know he must’ve partially let you. With Damian subdued, you waste no time in spreading the cream across his burning, tanned shoulders. 

He eventually relaxes into your touch, even going as far as hopping up onto the ledge to give you better access to the rest of his upper body. Though, this new position now means you're eye level with his crotch. He doesn’t bother with fussing; he just stays still enough for you to rub it along the ripples of his muscular chest and back, making you wish you’d never offered. 

This ended up being a lot more than you bargained for.

It’s only as you reach the waistband of his trunks that he places a dark hand over yours. “This is where I draw the line,” He smirks and swiftly hops out of the hot tub to avoid you trying, keyword trying, to put sunscreen on his face. “I think you’ll need it more than I do.” 

You look down to see that you do indeed appear rosier than usual, though you’re not entirely sure it’s just from the sun. 

“Okay, so put some on me then,” You shrug nonchalantly. At least, you hope it looked nonchalant… You aren’t trying to let him know just how riled up you were after, essentially, feeling him up.

“Ew, gross,” Damian wrinkles his nose in disgust. “I don’t want to catch anything you’ve got.”

Your jaw drops, “But I just did it for you!”

“That’s because you wanted to.” He looks way too proud of himself. Way too proud. 

From where you stand, you can tell he’s definitely flexing his abs right now on purpose.

You roll your eyes at his arrogant display and push the bottle of sunscreen into his hands. You hop out of the tub and make your way over to the lounge chairs together, but he just pushes it right back at you.

“Just put this shit on my back, dude,” You huff in annoyance. “You may not care about burning out here, but I do.”

Instead of helping (because when has Damian ever been consideed helpful?), he mocks you in a high-pitched voice, “Dude.”

Seriously?

Okay, well, two can play this game, Wayne.

“Aw, cute! That’s exactly how you sounded when I first met you,” You imitate freshman Damian saying your name but highly exaggerate the pitch just to piss him off.

“Did not.”

It worked.

“Did too.” 

He aggressively snatches the bottle from your hand. “You know, for someone who doesn’t want to burn, it sure sounds like you want to burn,” He dangles the sunscreen like he’s going to drop it on top of your head, but you don’t give him the reaction he wants, so he eventually huffs and pops open the cap. 

You grin, dangling your victory obxnosiously in his face as you roll over onto your stomach to give him better access to your back. There's really no reason to, considering the string bikini you're wearing grants him any access he'll need seeing as it doesn’t cover a whole lot of you in the first place.

“Damn, you’re so aggressive with it.” You whine as he digs in. Yes, digs into your skin to apply the cream. He seems to think that the sunscreen needs to be applied with a certain psi to be effective with the way his hands continue to push into your skin. “Please never become a masseuse.” You joke, but he significantly lightens his touch as he makes his way down to your lower back. You quietly exhale in relief. 

“I hire masseuses. Why would I become one?” His voice sounds slightly restrained.

“To give me free massages?” You state the obvious with a smirk thrown over your shoulder at him, not that he's looking at your face, though you note a twinge of amusement. 

“Seems like that's already a benefit of yours,” His fingertips lightly trail down to where your back meets the top string of your bottoms and stops abruptly. “I’m not touching your ass. Nice try, though.”

You laugh, grabbing the bottle from his hands to lather it on your backside while he watches. “Still looking at it, though.” You wink at him, reveling in how he bristles as he walks over to claim the lounge chair across from your own. 

“Hard not to when it’s that fat,” He curls his face into disgust as he puts on his sunglasses. “Might even be bigger than Nightwing’s.” 

“Enough with the compliments, Damian. You’re making me blush,” You tease him, kicking your legs up behind you like a girl writing in her diary. “Makin’ a girl feel all special ’n shit.” You flip over with a whine. “Also, you've never talked comics with me before. What’s up with that?”

“They’re for lame losers like you. Besides, I’ve never picked one up, but I do watch the news.” He reaches over and clicks a button on the side table. Almost immediately, two stewardesses bring out towels along with some sort of infused water for Damian and quickly leave without a word. You make a weird face. “What?” 

“You didn’t tell me it was chartered.”

“What do I look like? Someone with an unchartered yacht. Please.” He rolls his eyes from the lounge chair across from yours and tilts his Bottega Veneta sunglasses further up on his face. “Why do you keep looking constipated like that?”

“Nothing. Sometimes I forget you’re super fucking rich.” 

Not even in your wildest imagination could you have pictured yourself on a yacht with people to cater to your every, frivolous whim. If anything, the most you’d hoped for was a full fridge and a normal family, but Damian’s wild experiences will suffice for now.

It just seems too unrealistic for someone like you to be able to enjoy crazy indulgences like this, especially when these same experiences don’t seem to affect Damian in the slightest.

“I don’t think I ever ended up hearing about how your meeting with Roy and Jason went,” Jon says, walking towards you and Damian with a tray of fresh drinks from the inside bar. Jon and you both felt very weird about the whole service thing, so you understand why he’d just want to serve himself. “Damian mentioned that you seemed a bit nervous.” 

You laugh. That's a complete understatement. 

“It went alright. Kid’s cute,” Damian tch’s at that. “What? She is! And Roy, well, he’s missing a hand since the last time I saw him, so there’s that.” 

You wonder if Damian will correct you. You wonder if he'll tell you that the prosthetic was also further up his arm, but he doesn’t and you're left to wonder just how much of his arm is actually gone.

“I told you he’s changed,” Damian’s face reads: ‘I told you so' clear as day. 

“Yeah, no fucking kidding. I still don’t understand why you couldn’t’ve given me a heads up buuut,” You sit up straighter to visually demonstrate to them how his prosthetic hand looked. “It was all black and like, had this like shooty thing right here,” You point to the top of your hand. “Or, well, it kinda looked like it, but I doubt that. Right?” Jon nods as if he has any idea what you're talking about. You appreciate his enthusiasm, nonetheless. “But he seemed pretty much the same other than that. Still hot as ever, though, obviously.” You waggle your eyebrows at Jon, mainly because Damian seems content ignoring the two of you ever since the topic had been broached. 

“Whatever,” Damian sips petulantly at his drink. It isn’t until Jon asks to see a picture that Damian sighs in annoyance. “Don’t let her pull into her smut, Jon. I’m more attractive than both of them combined, easily. Right?” He imitates your tone from earlier. 

You and Jon gigle at the jealousy in his tone as you show him pictures of Jason, Roy and you from high school. 

“You’ve always been really pretty.” He points at you in a picture taken while the three of you had been arguing at the library. “But, yeah, I’d be hot and bothered too,” He says, pretending to fan himself at the sight of Roy and Jason. “Jeesh!”

“Shut up,” Damian slams his drink down on the side table next to him, removing his sunglasses with  sharp malice. “Enough about those two dimwits already.” 

It’s silent after that. 

The waves lapping up the sides of the ship and the seagulls chatter serve as reminders of the resulting awkwardness now in place of the lively conversations which had previously masked them.

“It’s not that serious-” You attempt to give him an out and get the jovial atmosphere back but it seems he doesn’t care. “Damian, are you being for real?” His face leaves no room for debate. “Okay, fine. We’ll stop,” You try calming him down before he can really go off, but it seems it’s already too late. 

From the slight twitch of his eye and the telltale sign of his neck vein popping out, you have a very upset Damian Wayne on your hands. Well, you turn to Jon in alarm, the two of you have a very upset Damian Wayne on your hands.

You think he’ll remain quiet, content to glare at you for the rest of however long his pissy-fit lasts, but no. The combination of the hot sun coupled with too many drinks leaves Damian’s usual short temper even shorter.

“We get it,” Damian sits up, menacingly facing you from across the short distance of the deck as if you hadn’t even spoken. “You’re a desperate wannabe who clings onto unavailable people. Truly pathetic and completely high school, if you ask me.”

You don’t even know what to say.

Where was all of this coming from?

Jon seems to, for lack of better words, be in the same boat.

“Woah, Damian,” Jon searches Damian’s purposefully blank face as defends you from the uncalled-for outburst. “She’s your friend. Why are you acting like this?”

You’re still stuptefied by his abrupt hostility. You try to retrace your steps, seeing where the conversation had gone awry, but came up blank. All you’d talked about was Roy and Jason for not even a second… Wait. 

Was he really telling you to shut up over talking about them?

You think back to high school, when he never seemed to upset when you talked about them aside from a few eye-rolls and such, but now it’s like a completely taboo topic for Damian.

“She used to be my best friend.” It comes out cold and uninterested, as if he’s completely over the conversation and you.

“Used to?” You finally spoke with a soft voice, barely audible above the overlapping waves against the boat. 

You’d done nothing but be at his side endlessly. You thought you understood him when no one else had, just as he’d done for you. So, why was he saying this?

Ever since Jason and Roy came back into the picture, it was like you could see flashes of the old Damian. The one who was always fighting for your attention over his brothers. It had always been comical to you, considering Damian had always had your undivided attention whether he realized it or not. 

“Like you haven’t noticed,” Damian motions to Jon, who doesn’t seem to know what to do with himself but, then again, neither do you. You’ve never been on the wrong side of Damian’s ire like you are right now. 

“Damian, what did I do?” You can’t help the genuine hurt and confusion that drips from your every word, pleading with him to stop, “I’ve only been talking to them for a few days, so how could you already be replacing me?”

“Maybe I knew they’d be coming back and prepared myself,” He responds cryptically. If you weren’t already so upset, you'd probably roll your eyes at the blatant lie. 

You look at Jon, but he still seems just as baffled, “He’s been like this ever since the day after we painted.” 

It doesn’t take long to connect that what you thought was going on, was going on. 

The day after the penthouse party is when you’d gone over to dump about your Jason and Roy problems. Now, today he’s blowing up after you showed Jon an old picture. 

It's clear as day to everyone but Damian, it seems.

Why he's jealous of your complicated relationship with them, you have no idea.

“You’re so jealous, Damian. It’s really cute.” You attempt to cover up your hurt with nonchalance, giving him another chance to calm down.

He doesn’t take it. 

“Jealous? Me? Please,” Damian scoffs and tilts his head in just a way that causes his sunglasses to reflect a ray of the sun directly into your eye. This leaves you to dodge out of its way by lying back down. “Let’s not forget that you’re on my yacht,” He curses your last name. “Would you like a one-way ticket off of it?” 

“Would I be able to stay dry?” You ask tonelessly as you adjust your navy bikini top. You really hope whatever steam Damian’s letting off is almost out because you're running out of patience. 

It doesn’t help you're all quite literally trapped in the middle of the ocean on a boat together, either.

“What do you think?” He snarls.

“Whatever, man,” You snort. If he gets a free pass at being a dick,  “Whatever. Jon,” He looks like he’d rather not be dragged back into one of your tiffs. “How do you put up with him?” You place a delicate hand over your bikini-clad chest. “How did I ever put up with him?”

He glares at you as if daring you to make him explain exactly why he even confronted you in the first place: you were a loser. Though you remind yourself, to be fair, Damian was somewhat of a social outcast himself, so he's one to talk. 

“Maybe those rumors they used to spread about you were true,” He falsely muses to get a rise out of you. 

It works. 

It’s simple but effective. 

No one knows how to push your buttons quite like Damian does and today is a prime example of this. You shoot up from your seat with fury burning in your eyes, coming to an abrupt halt at the end of his chair, wrought with rage. 

“You know they weren’t."  

How dare he insinuate he wasn’t your first, well… everything. 

You continue to stand over him, waiting on him to say anything, but he sits in silence with a small smile you so badly want to knock off his face. 

Finally, he yawns and you anxiously await whatever dumb shit he’s about to spew, “Who really knows?” 

"I've never even so much as had a boyfriend, Dami,” You respond through gritted teeth, reveling in how his face finally falls.

You definitely caught him off guard, but you’re not entirely sure.

He covers it up as soon as you take notice, stirring the pot to cover up the brief break in his rock-solid facade, "Then you really are a whore."

It’s as if you blackout because the next thing you know, you’re holding an empty glass. 

You come to just in time to see Damian, in a now soaked swimsuit, lunging at you with a devilish glint in his dark eyes as Jon desperately smooshes himself in between the two of you as best he can in an attempt to separate you both, but to no avail. 

“DAMIAN, GET OFF OF HER!” He shouts, drawing the attention of the deck crew, who move in to help Jon intervene. 

You don’t bother touching him; it’d be too dumb of a move. He’d obviously know any moves you’d use, seeing as he was the one who’d taught you the self-defense moves you know, albeit foggily. Supposedly, he taught you everything he knows but, with his ever-present ninja-like reflexes, you’re pretty sure he’s held some moves back from you. You don’t want to give him a reason to hurt you any further in a way he can’t come back from, so you turn your head to the side, exposing your neck to signal to him you're done dealing with his shit. Well, your shit because you’d technically started it. Ugh. 

He recognizes your white flag easily and swiftly gets up before anyone else can intervene, wiping meticulously at his swim trunks. “I think it’d be best if you left,” He says your first name coldly, but you don’t stick around to hear much else. 

If Jon could, you think the glare he’s currently sending Damian would disintegrate him on impact. He mutters to himself, sounding disappointed as he helps you gather up your things and onto the tender. Damian's long gone, having retired to one of the inside cabins soon after the ordeal ended. 

“I don’t know what came over him,” He confides to you, holding your hand steady as you step down into the tiny boat that's set to take you back to shore.

“Pretty sure it was a Mai Tai.” He gives you an admonishing glance in response that makes you wince, “Yeah.. Not my best moment.” It's as close as you’ll get to an apology after all the provoking Damian had done. 

“You both need some time apart, I think.” He looks extremely uncomfortable in the position he’s found himself in as mediator.

This whole situation’s fucking pathetic.

“Like a fucking break up or something. Come on, Jon. You see how ridiculous he’s being!” You throw your arms up dramatically, causing the poor deckhand near the wheel to duck out of the way.

“I know. You’ll just have to let him figure it out.” 

You sigh.

You’ve never fought with Damian like this over all the years and it's definitely left you shaken. 

You look down at the floor of the tender. “Tell him I’m sorry about the drink, I guess.” 

Jon nods, smiling lightly, “I was going to tell him that anyway,” He pats you on the back as he and retreats from the loading deck. “Take care of yourself,” He says your name gently as he makes his way back to the main decks, undoubtedly to look for your sulking friend.

You’re chartered back to land. As soon as your feet hit the dock, you make a desperate call.

•••

“Thanks again for picking me up on such short notice,” You shimmy into the passenger seat, smiling at Stephanie behind the wheel as you buckle in. 

She shoots you a grin with thinly veiled worried leaking from it, “Of course! Sorry, I had to bring company,” She winks at the redhead in the back through the rearview mirror. 

“Never apologize for bringing Babs.” You look back to Barbara in the back seat with a tiny smile. It's been a while since you’ve seen her anyway, so it's as good a chance as any to catch up with the redhead. You’re, admittedly, still getting used to seeing her with a wheelchair in tow.

“Yeah, Steph!” Barbara punches the back of Stephanie's seat playfully. 

“Sorry, sorry!” She giggles. 

“What were you guys up to?”

“Running errands.” They simultaneously glance over your attire and think back to your pissed-off, slightly frantic voicemail you’d left Stephanie half an hour earlier. Surely there has to be some reason for the call and your lack of clothes. “What were you up to?”

“Damian had a yacht thing.”

They glance at each other in the rearview again, sensing something's gone down.

“Sounds fancy,” Babs says.

“Mmm.” 

Another shared look.

“Want to grab something to eat?” Babs changes the subject easily.

“But I’m practically naked,” You gesture down to your skimpy bikini and crocheted cover-up.

“Oh, trust me, babe. We both noticed,” Stephanie obnoxiously wiggles her eyebrows at your exposed body. “God, you make me wish I was gay sometimes.”

Barbara snorts, “What’s stopping you?”

“That handsome GPD officer I was telling you about.” She sighs dreamily. “I keep running into him and… I don’t know, I just get this feeling about him.”

“What’s his name?” You ask, quirking a brow when Barbara giggles.

“She doesn’t know.”

“Oh, come on, Steph.” You now join in on Babs giggles. “Does he at least know yours?”

She snorts, “They always do.” The three of you cackle until Stephanie pulls up to an old Mexican restaurant. It's right on the outskirts of Gotham and super close to Jason and Roy’s apartment. “I’m craving Mexican and I’m driving so… Ta da!” She gives you both jazz hands as soon as the car’s in park.

“Works for me,” You shrug. “But that still doesn’t solve this,” You gesture downward where your tits are barely concealed by the tiny triangles and your ass isn't much better off.

“I have a pair of stretchy shorts in the back that should fit!” She gets out to grab it while you get out to set up Barbara’s wheelchair. You help lift her into it and nearly drop her when you feel the tie on the left side of your bikini bottom come undone. 

“Damn, Barbara,” She moves to re-tie it for you with a laugh. “If you wanted me naked, all you had to do was ask.” 

She smacks at your hip to signal she’s done trying. “Time and date.” 

You throw your head back and lose it.

“Careful Damian doesn’t hear us." Stephanie comes back around the car to where you and Babs are and hands you the black fabric. "He’s a real possessive one.”

You snort. “Yeah, figured that out today.”

“Just today?” They both look at you in disbelief.

“What?!” You put on the shorts Stephanie gave you and tie the crochet cover-up into a wonky tube top over your bikini before heading in with your friends in tow.

Once inside, you order and they immediately begin to dish on your friend.

“So, you’re telling us that you really didn’t know Damian liked you?” They still carry the same incredulous looks they’d worn in the parking lot. “He’s like the weirdest little demon child to ever be spawned and you actually got along with him for literal years. It’d take a fucking miracle for that to happen if he hadn’t somewhat liked you.”

You think back to the night of the Joker incident and how he’d comforted you in a way no one had before. Your stomach knots at the intimate memory of a man whom you don’t even recognize after today. 

“Now you’re gonna tell me you didn’t know Tim liked you,” Barbara jokes lightly before clearing her throat awkwardly. 

She’d been much older than you and Steph, so she hadn’t become as close with either of you as she is now until around senior year. This also means, however, that everything before senior year she’s not as familiar with, hence her not knowing the turmoil you and Stephanie went through when you’d first met. Was it true that all of that initial friction had been inadvertently caused by Tim? 

You can see the hesitancy in Stephanie’s smile, but she eventually nods in agreement. “When Tim and I were dating, I was soo jealous of you.” 

No way.

“I was 15!” You exclaim in shock. 

Tim liked you?!

Of course, you’d looked at Tim that way. He was hot and didn’t think your obsession with heroes was cringy. Regardless, you’d always just assumed he saw you as his younger brother’s nerdy friend. Nothing more. Part of you still doubts he'd ever even looked at you that way, regardless of what Steph and Babs said. 

As for Damian? Well, you knew Damian had liked you at some point with all the, uh, things you’d done, but he definitely didn’t now… right? 

She shrugs. “You’re hot as fuck and you’ve always had big tits and a fat ass. How could I not be?” 

“I’m starting to think maybe you liked me too,” You tease her, causing her to laugh easily.

“Oh, I for sure did. I just couldn’t recognize it over all the envy,” She shoots you a smirk.

Your food’s just arrived when Barbara looks down at the ringing phone in her hand. She shoots Stephanie with a look she easily reads and quickly gets up in response. “I’m glad we got to catch up, but there’s been a bit of an emergency. Do you have a ride?”

“Sorry to bail like this, but we really have to hurry,” Barbara sets down cash and begins wheeling to the exit, but Stephanie lingers to hear your answer to her question. 

“Of course.” You lie easily. They’d driven all the way to the state over to save you from Damian’s “Can I at least keep the shorts?” 

“All yours, babe!” She gives you a thumbs up and races to meet Barbara by the entrance. “Don’t even bother washing them before you return ‘em!”

You snort at her frat-like humor as they wave a final time and load back into the car. 

You would’ve been heading to Jason and Roy’s in an hour anyway, but you shouldn't be showing up like this. You stare down at your barely covered chest, to your ass that's hanging out of Stephanies workout shorts and know it's a dumb idea to walk through the rough side of town like this. You inwardly groan, realizing it’s not like you have a choice in the matter with the way Damian had dropped you. You aren’t upset with Stephanie and Barbara needing to leave like they had when they’d just dropped everything to pick you up, but you can’t help but feel an overall feeling of sinking abandonment. 

You sigh and have the waiter bring you boxes so, at the very least, you won’t have to worry about food for you and Lian. You pump yourself up as you begin your trek along the three blocks it takes to get to Jason and Roy’s place, but not before at least two cars pull over to ask how much you cost. 

You don’t bother to slow down for either car. You try to maintain a steady pace, but the further away from the restaurant and the busy street it lay on, the more uneasiness you feel.

When the Wayne boys had trained you all those years ago, they always reminded you to keep your eyes and ears open in moments like these. They said there's probably a logical reason for you to get an uneasy gut feeling, but nothing seems particularly out of the ordinary. You wave off your worry and continue across the street. 

Two more blocks.

You’re startled in the middle of the crosswalk by the loud, crackling sound of a motorcycle revving somewhere off in the near distance, but quickly pull it together like you hadn’t. You finish crossing the street, hoping you haven't drawn the wrong attention. You know you shouldn’t be jumping at dumb shit like that, especially when the only people you've seen on the streets have all been large groups of men. You think back to the last woman you’d passed, which had been an old lady right outside the corner bodega next to the restaurant two blocks back.

You take a deep breath and hold the food further in front of your cleavage to retain some semblance of modesty, but who are you kidding? It's bad. You look like you've drunkenly dressed yourself for a shift at the strip club and the fewer people that notice, the better.

You can see the corner building to Jason and Roy’s block and break into a light jog. You think you’re home free when you’re suddenly dragged into a dark ally. 

You make to scream, but a grimy, clammy hand hastens itself over your mouth. You don’t give them a chance to get any further as your training kicks in. You drop down out of the hold. The man gasps in confusion, but you don’t give him any more time to react before you pop back up, turning to kick him directly in the balls with a satisfying smush. 

“This one's a fighter, guys.” You’re panting slightly as you watch two more figures approaching from the corners of your vision. Regardless of how scared you are right now, you can't help but smirk at his deduction. "No way, freak's fuckin' into it." 

His fear is all the encouragement you need to give the doubled-over man a psychotic grin he can’t even see from his hurt position. His friends, however, can and make small noises of unease. 

“Oh," Your eyes go wild. "You have no idea.” 

You set down the to-go bag gently and shake out your wrists just as the second goon begins a barrage of slow punches. You easily dodge them and parry them with quick, ferocious bursts of fists. 

“Agh!” He exclaims as you drive a hearty punch into his fleshy stomach, sending him backward into the metal casing of a dumpster that lies further down the ally. 

He’s still groaning on the ground, propped up by the dumpster, when the two other men gather their wits and team up to attack you simultaneously from both sides. 

You try to remain calm as you prepare yourself for their inevitable attack. 

You wait until they get right on you before lifting off the ground into a split kick that nails both men in the face. The momentum sends each man crashing into the brick ally wall on their respective sides. 

The dude on the ground shuffles to get to his feet, quivering, nearly tripping over his buddies to get away from you in his haste. 

“That’s right! Tell your creepy fucking friends,” You yell after his retreating form. You wait until he's out of sight before spinning into a proud little jump. “Oof!” Upon landing, you run into something extremely hard and extremely smelly. 

You stumble backward, sneezing at the offending scent. When you look up, you startle, quickly distancing yourself from the man in the motorcycle helmet, who smells vaguely of gunpowder.

You squint your eyes up at him, almost immediately recognizing his getup from the news. 

His name isn’t coming to you now, but you know what the costume stands for: Joker. You sure as fuck aren’t sticking around to find out if this guy is affiliated with that creep or not. 

“I think everything’s all good over here,” You hesitantly tell the man who’s yet to talk but is also currently blocking your only way out. 

“What are you doing out here?” 

You startle at his robotic voice and subconsciously take a step back toward the unconscious thugs. “I’m just going home,” You answer in a higher-pitched voice than usual much to your chagrin.

Lowly goons you can deal with, but dual-wielding gunned, Joker-themed psychopaths? 

Yeah, not so much. 

You put up your hands in a lax surrender, slowly inching toward the bag of food that sits at the base of his ginormous combat boots. On second thought, cooking wouldn’t be too bad, right? You abort your mission, deciding big boy over here can have you stupid Mexican food if it means you don’t have to fight him.

“I won’t hurt you,” Comes his robotic reply. 

Regardless of his words, you still feel like a deer in headlights. Your heart stops completely when he reaches near your frozen body to grab the bag. With your breath caught in your throat, you look up. His red helmet comes within centimeters of your face as he offers the bag of food in the direction of your cowering form. 

You stand instantly, finally feeling like you can finally think again once you stand over his still crouching body. You watch as his monstrously thick thighs stretch the fabric of his cargo pants sinfully when he stands, once again gaining ground on you with his incredible height.

“Cool. Thanks,” You say with a forced smile as you attempt to get around his thick, built body. “I’ll be going now, then.” You give a tiny salute but startle, leaving the action suspended mid-air at the sound of one of the men you’d kicked coming to.

It’s also at this moment that the pounding sound of footsteps becomes clearer. In fact, the thunderous noise seems to be rounding the corner when you finally pick up on it.

“There she is! This way.” 

You anxiously look up at the red helmet of the man standing next to you, hoping you can trust him. 

“Follow me.” It’s all he says and, with your food in tow, you don’t hesitate to do exactly as he says. You trudge along behind his swift pace with your sandals slapping against the slush and muck of Gotham as he leads you deeper into the dark ally systems.

You follow him around an adjacent ally only to be roughly pushed up against the dirty brick wall.

 “Hey!” You push off the wall and against his hard chest, but he easily pushes you back against the bricks. You squirm against his hold, attempting to protest as he covers your entire body with his and searches for whatever sound he’d apparently heard. “Listen, I don’t think it’s that deep.” He shushes you, but you roll your eyes and continue in a slightly lowered voice. “I mean, muggings in Gotham are basically a given. How is this any different?”

He turns his head back to you. “You want me to leave you like this, or what?” He threatens in his robotic voice as he eyes your revealing outfit up and down in the little space that remains between your bodies. “What are you supposed to be anyway? A hooker?”

You think back to the others who’d thought the same and wrinkle your nose in disgust.

“Hey, fuck you, man.” This time, he backs away when you push him off you. “You wish I was.” You pull down Stephanie’s shorts to regain some semblance of modesty, but it’s in vain. With your head slightly turned to see if the shorts were covering, well, anything you see shadows floating across where you’d just come from. You immediately feel your heartbeat start to tremble. 

Just what the fuck is going on? Were these dudes really that ass-hurt about getting taken down by a girl?

The helmeted man sees the shadows at the same time you do and wastes no time in taking action.

It’s his turn to snort as he picks a different direction to walk in with a pace you can’t quite meet while walking, so you begin to jog next to him, “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

He does slow his pace a bit, though, much to your aching leg's delight and your ego's chagrin. 

You ignore him and continue your best to keep up as you follow behind him. You’re definitely feeling more comfortable around the man after what seemed like genuine concern. “And I think I’d be okay, anyway. I mean, did you see the other guys? Yeah, plural. I totally had them.” 

You walk ahead of him when you finally catch sight of the populated streets that you’d been nabbed from and hasten your pace. 

“Yeah, but add ten more? You’re lucky I even saw you,” He's chastising you, you realize with an incredulous shake of your head, “I almost sped by you on my patrol route until I saw it was you- er an issue... happening.” 

You know he’s right, but you try to play it off. 

If you think about what could've happened for too long, you'll start to spiral back to your other close-call incidents. You shiver, quickly catching yourself, all while hoping he didn’t notice, but his unreadable helmet ultimately reveals nothing. 

Quick to switch the subject, you boop the middle of his red helmet where his nose would be and motion him to take the lead again. “Well, thanks for seeing me and everything, I guess.”

He nods at you, coming to a stop at a parked red motorcycle before boarding it. It reminds you somewhat of Jason’s old one, but this one looks a helluva lot faster. 

You make to get on, but he stops you, grabbing your finger. “No more boop’ing. Get on.” You hesitate with slight amusement at him saying the word ‘boop’. 

“Two questions,” He motions for you to hurry the fuck up. “Do you have another helmet,” He nods and shuffles around under the seat before producing a black one for you. “Thanks. Okay, second question: are you good or bad?”

He scoffs at your juvenile question, “From your position what does it look like, ba-” 

You don't have time to question him cutting himself off because you suddenly hear the approaching sound of footsteps that've been steadily gaining on you and your unlikely savior. You waste no time in dropping into the remaining space on the seat behind the dude’s massive form and quickly put on the helmet he gave you. 

At least one of your questions had been answered. 

You shove on your helmet and quickly climb on behind his hulking form.

One of the first and last times, you remember bitterly, that you’d been on a motorcycle had been when you skipped school for the first time with Jason and Roy. You don't let the memory linger too long, quickly shaking the embarrassing thought from your head and promising yourself that you will not orgasm on this masked man. 

You blush at your thoughts, thankful he can’t see your flustered expression. “Well, your creepy voice doesn’t help any.”

“Listen, you got on my motorcycle. Might not be the best idea to piss off the driver.” The last part comes out somewhat rushed, like he's worried about something other than the thugs, but what exactly, you don’t understand. Nor do you fully trust yourself to be able to understand the stranger’s tone when it's all coming out robotic anyway. “I did save you, didn’t I?”

He speeds off, easily getting lost amongst the evening Gotham traffic. After a few turns, you begin to relax, breathing in the cool night air that whizzes by at the insane speed he's zipping around at. 

When you exhale, you feel the weight of the situation release with it, not realizing how much tension you've actually been holding in.

“Save is a big word,” He just turns his head briefly at you before speeding up, leaving you to tighten your grip around his hard abdomen. 

Do not orgasm, do not orgasm. 

“Whatever you want to call it, but you are on my bike, so how bad could I be?” He screeches the bike suddenly, leaving you to slam uncomfortably into his back as he doubles back in the direction you’d just come from with a grating screech that reverberates throughout the streets. 

You’re absolutely fucking terrified. 

The lack of space between your bodies after his stunt isn't helping your other predicament either. 

“Well,” You begin one of your nerd ramblings to get your mind off of the current situation, “you appear to be the vigilante Red Hood. When he first appeared in comics, Red Hood was the original alias of the man that would later become Joker, but your helmet’s all wrong.” You bravely unwrap one of your arms from around Red Hood’s waist to tap against his helmet. He sharply turns halfway as if to say “wtf I’m driving bro,” but you continue on anyway. “Joker’s helmet was originally made from two-way stained red glass, while this is more of a motorcycle fetish look.”

“Glad my outfit finally has a proper label, then,” His robotic voice tones, sarcasm somehow evident, as he makes a sharp turn, seemingly to get back at you. You cling onto him for dear life and peek open one eye over his shoulder to make sure you're still alive before burying your face into his back. 

This is exactly where you stay for the remainder of his little joy ride.

Once he’s back to driving somewhat normally, you start up where you left off, peeling your cheek from the leather of his jacket to peer up at the side of his helmet.  “So, basically I’m just confused if you’re similar to who you based your outfit off of or not. AKA good or bad?” You repeat your original question to him. 

From what you can remember from things you’ve seen online, it seems like not even the news can pin down this dude’s motive, but then again, you can’t completely remember. 

“My world isn’t so black and white,” You what he means, but he doesn’t answer again, instead focusing on slowing down to look around where he’s driven to, “Just tell me where I’m dropping you off, sweetheart.”

You squint your eyes at him, still not completely trusting his motives, “For sure.” 

You’d basically been at their doorstep when you’d been attacked, so now, after his little speeding stunt, you're well on the other side of town. You start pointing in the direction of Jason and Roy’s apartment. Once you get to the general area, you tell him you’re there even though it's actually two blocks early and hop off.

“Thanks again for ‘saving me,’” You use air quotes as you walk up to the random apartment building. “Bye now,” You give a little wave, expecting him to drive off and are perturbed when he just sits there and watches. The blank look on his helmet does nothing to ease you further. 

Even as you arrive at the keycard access door to an apartment, by the way, that's not your own and won’t allow access to the keycard you have, he continues to sit there. Waiting. 

Who says chivalry is dead?

A quick glance down shows a seemingly amused(?) Red Hood, though you can't be too sure through the emotionless helmet. You wave to him again and turn around to face the door, pretending to fiddle around your beach bag, but he remains glued to the spot, looking at you with arms crossed. 

What kind of babysitter would you be to bring this potentially dangerous man to the doorstep of their apartment? 

At the same time, you reason, it would be somewhat worse to lead him back to your actual apartment where you lived alone. At least with Roy and Jason’s place, you’ll have two bulky dudes to back you up. 

You sigh and turn around to get back on the bike.

“You ready to tell me where you actually live, babe?” You narrow your eyes at the familiar nickname, recognizing it to be what he’d cut himself off from saying earlier.

You roll your eyes and get back on the bike albeit hesitantly, where you gesture further down the street. This time you only take him a block away before you just start walking, hoping he'll just leave. Even as you prepare your backup plan, you know it's complete shit. 

“One more down,” You mutter and wrap your arms back around him as he huffs robotically through the helmet.

“So, you won’t tell me where you live even after all I’ve done? I’m just trying to get you home safe and sound and you, for one, are making it extremely difficult.” He glances back at you incredulously. 

Did he completely zone out your explanation of him wearing Joker’s first costume? Joker’s name alone is enough to send shivers down your spine. After your run-in with the killer, you wanted nothing to do with the psychopath. Considering Joker was this masked man’s whole persona, he doesn’t seem all that trustworthy to you. 

Besides, you hadn’t even needed saving, anyway. You’d taken those three thugs down with ease after what Damian and his family had taught you. 

“Try not to sound so hurt, random vigilante.” You guess that that would be the most accurate term for the man in front of you. His silence seems to indicate his acceptance, at the very least.

“It’s just Red Hood, by the way,” Nevermind, you’d guessed wrong, “not random vigilante.”

“Cool, whatever,” You say, hopping off his bike for the second time.  

This time, as soon as you reach the door, you turn and shoo him with your hands. 

If he could roll his eyes, you know he would’ve, but he does oblige you in driving off, leaving you with a vast sense of relief. 

“Bye, Red Hood,” You yell after him, then tug your food bag closer to your chest. 

You continue further down a block, hoping he isn’t still following you on his motorcycle, but the lack of revving makes you think the coast is clear, so you scurry home. Well, not home, you correct yourself, blushing at your slip-up. You mean to Jason and Roy's apartment. Duh... 

Once inside, you're met with Roy and Lian hunched over the stove, making some sort of pasta concoction. You, once again, remind Roy that if he doesn’t want his child poisoned, he needs to let you or Jason do the cooking. 

“The fuck is that?” You ask with a scrunched-up nose. 

Roy smiles wide and lopsided, “Something like a pasta carbonara. Right, Lian?” The girl nods confidently beside him and continues to stir the haphazard goop around the pan.

“Guess I’ve got Spidey senses for your shi-oot cooking, or something because I grabbed this on my way over.” You set the cold bag of food down on the kitchen island before returning to Roy’s side to give both of them side hugs. “Also, don’t ask about the outfit unless you’re going to give me something to wear.” You warned Roy sternly, who already seemed to be doing his best not to stare at your oddly provocative outfit. 

“Deal,” He winks as he begins to unload the containers. So much time had passed since you’d left the restaurant that you’d actually forgotten what everyone had ended up ordering “Wouldn’t wanna ruin the show.”

“Your child is right there, you perv.” You look around the empty apartment. “Where’s Jason, anyway?”

“Seems like you weren’t expecting him.” He points down to the three containers he’d set up. “Or expecting to come over here, at the very least.” He doesn’t try to hide the way his eyes are traveling up the expanse of your body. "Maybe you were, though," He winks easily. "That's hot."

“Ah, ah, ah!” You tsk at him. “Give me some clothes, Roy.”

“Ughhh,” He slumps off dramatically but returns moments later with one of his oversized slogan T-shirts and a pair of sweats. “Here, go change while I get her fed.” He goes over to where Lian’s attempting to put a fork into one of the styrofoam containers. “Lian, let me at least heat that up for you first!” 

You chuckle and huddle into the bathroom that's already regained a bit of its original messiness to remove your damp suit. You forego Roy’s sweatpants and end up going commando in Stephanie’s shorts and braless in Roy’s ‘World’s Sluttiest Dad’ shirt.

Roy looks up from Lian as you approach and quickly uses his prosthetic hand to cover up his eyes at the sight of you. “Oh, man. Jason’s gonna kill me,” You raise a brow at him and grab the plate he held out for you with his other hand. “Absolutely, utterly kill me.”

“He’ll have to get in line after the night I’ve had.” You tell him about dinner with Barbara and Stephanie and how you figured you were close enough to walk, but then all the thugs. “And, Roy,” You look him dead in the eye, “I kicked ass, like serious ass.” 

“Hey!” Comes Lian’s tiny voice. Roy banishes her over to the couch so you two can have a bit more privacy. 

“Sorry!” You shoot Roy an apologetic glance across the kitchen island, but he’s still focused on your story. “But I totally knocked these three guys out and then this dude in a helmet- Red Hood,” You trail off at Roy’s sudden increase in interest. 

He leans in, “Red Hood, you say?”

“Mhm,” You nodded. “He thought I was a hooker,” You laughed at the memory of what Red Hood had asked you.

Roy clasps his hands together, “Okay, so maybe Jason won’t kill me.” You tilt your head in confusion, not seeing the connection at all. “This is good. Anyway, continue,” Roy smiles brightly at you.

“So, remember when we skipped and took Jason’s motorcycle?”

Now, it’s Roy who’s confused. “You mean the time you came all over my arm? How could I forget.” He smirks at the exact same time your heart drops.

Oh, fuck no.

“ROY!” You short-circuit, ultimately forgetting how to function. “No, you did not know that this whole time.”

He grins slyly, “Oh, I didn’t?” He obnoxiously and extremely accurately, imitates how you’d bucked back into his crotch and spasmed on Jason’s back with your head thrown back on Roy’s shoulder. “‘Oh, Jason, you’re so angsty and hot with your motorcycle and leather jacket.’” He pitches his voice impressively high. “‘Take me now!’”

You bury your head in your hands with a pitiful whine, “Oh my god, I want to die. I really want to die.” You look up with begging eyes, “Please never ever mention this ever again. Like, EVER.” You beg desperately, looking into Roy’s mirthful green eyes, “I don’t think I can ever come back from this level of embarrassment, dude.”

He snickers. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure Jason’s forgotten about it by now.” He winks at you as you groan.

“Pretty sure?” You mumble pathetically. “A mercenary seems logical at this point, right?” You hide your face in your hands, wishing Roy would just leave for work already, but he's still picking at his plate.

“As long as it waits until we get back home from work, princess.” You quickly forget your shame at the sudden nickname. You still aren’t used to hearing him say your old nickname, but each time he does, you feel like a piece of you is complete. “Speechless? Yeah, I have that effect on the ladies,” You fake gag as he moves to stick his leftovers it in the fridge. “I gotta get heading out, though and you’re here early, so it works out perfectly. Jason’s gonna be mad he missed out on our date, though. That’s for sure.”

You deadpan, “Roy, I’m watching your child for money. It’s like the furthest thing from a date.” 

“For money, you say?” He wiggles his brows obnoxiously referencing your earlier (lack of) outfit. 

“Piss off. Don’t you have to put on your little business suit?” You try to tease his usual choice of stained clothes that always he leaves in, complete with those mysterious, heavy duffle bags, but he remains taking you in. It’s as if he’s peering deep into your soul with just a simple smile and you're embarrassed how quickly he makes you shut down. He’s never looked at you like this before. No, in the past, he never looked at you like he actually saw you, but it seems like he does now. 

It can’t have been anything you’ve said, surely.

“I should probably get ready,” His voice trickles out deep and raspy, causing you to unwittingly gulp under the sudden shift. 

Before you can bask in his attention, he quickly releases you from whatever spell he’d held you under as he walks past you and into the hallway. In his wake, you’re met with a whiff of his rugged scent.

“Don’t forget your briefcase!” You call to him in an even tone as he leaves the room to change, hoping it covers up just how much you’ve been thirsting over him.

You go to the couch to finish eating with Lian, then take your dishes to the kitchen to wash them in the sink as Roy passes behind you in his typical work attire and matching bags. 

“Sooner or later, I’m going to start thinking you guys are serial killers or something with those heavy-ass bags you carry around,” You say as he unnecessarily passes behind you in the already tight space between the sink and the kitchen island. 

“You’d probably be right,” Roy maniacally cackles and settles into a typical villain pose. “MWAHAHA!”

Lian squeals and runs over to Roy to grab at his cargo pant leg. “No, it’s more like this, dad.” She then proceeds to release her own, much cuter, evil laugh. 

You can’t help but smile at the adorable yet slightly concerning sight in front of you. “Definitely serial killers,” You conclude, trying to ignore Roy’s heat from behind you.

“Be safe. Don’t do anything I would do!” Roy ruffles Lian’s hair and then yours. 

He walks over to the door and opens it, but Lian refuses to let him leave. “Love you, dad!” 

“Love you too. Be good.” He smooches her on the head and winks at you one final time. “Live up to my shirt, princess.”

Your face drops instantly, “Way to kill the moment, Roy.”

“Why kill it when we could… alive it?” 

You snort, pushing him out the door, “Go before you lose the rest of your touch.”

“Ask, Jason- it never left, babe. I mean princess.” You tilt your head slightly at the correction but continue to shoo him off. After all, why would he care about using Jason’s old nickname for you? 

One thing's for certain: you don’t understand anything concerning the two of them in the slightest.

A/N: is it getting hot in here??? hope u have a good day/ night!!

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 22

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: underage drinking | 6k includes: college party w steph

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 22: Dance for Love | ao3 - wattpad

THEN

Before you headed off to the library, you bumped into your parents, who were finally home for once.

You didn’t bother to acknowledge them as you moved past them in the living room to get to the front door. They were going over a necklace they’d probably just stolen and were meticulously removing its gems one by one. The necklace alone should be enough to get your family through the next few months, that is, if they used it right. Keyword: if. 

They completely ignored you as you moved around the room, but it was fine. It was how you liked it, anyway. The only time they ever acknowledged you was when they needed money and needed you to get it. It wasn’t honest work; it was surviving.

At the last minute, Damian called you. Instead of your plans to walk four miles to the library, Damian had Alfred pull up right in front of your apartment to take you there. He insisted that he would, at the very least, accompany you until Babs and Steph showed up, though you still hadn’t exactly had the chance to tell him that you were going to a party.

As soon as you stepped into the car, Damian’s face noticeably shifted. 

“What?” You self-consciously tugged the hem of your red dress (X) lower as you situated yourself next to him in the back. “Hi, Alfred. How are you?”

“Lovely, Miss,” He said your name with his usual deadpan face, though his eyes always held a welcoming wisdom you’d come to love. “Are we still headed to the Gotham Library?”

You buckled your seatbelt and nodded, “Yes, please.” 

You chatted amicably with Alfred for the rest of the short ride before you came to a stop in front of your destination. Steph was already there, smirking wildly as Damian moved around the side of the car to open the car door for you.

“Well, hello there,” She snickered at your hand, which still rested in Damian’s palm from when he'd helped you out of the car. “What do we have here?” She looked over Damian’s usual ‘casual’ wear, which consisted of a cashmere sweater and slacks, similar to what you always saw Bruce wearing around the manor. “Dami’s coming with?”

Ah, that. 

You kind of just wanted it to be a girl’s night, but you also didn’t want your friend to feel left out. So, you turned to Damian, releasing your hand in the process.

“Would you want to come to the party with us?” Damian had still yet to speak. You found yourself growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. “Dude, what’s your damage?”

He crinkled his nose like your outfit was revolting before finally having the audacity to speak, “So, that’s where you’re going, looking like that ?” 

“Oh, shut it, Dami. You know you like it,” Steph teased him as she nodded in approval of your outfit. “Makes me wish I swung the other way.” 

You blushed and wondered if it was genetic or something in the water that made the whole Wayne family this charming.  

“Brown. Thought you’d be banned from Gotham by now.” 

“ Spoiler alert ,” She flicked at Damian’s tanned button nose, “you can’t get rid of me that easily.” 

“You really should come,” You turned to Damian, but he was already shaking his head 'no.'

“I have other obligations this Friday night,” He looked at the blonde judgmentally before turning to you with a much gentler look. “Next time, then,” He squeezed your hand gently, rolling his eyes at Stephanie’s cooing all the while. “Be safe. Call me if you need anything.” 

You squeezed back, “Of course.” 

He nodded and hesitated so briefly that you almost missed it before dropping your hand and disappearing back into the car. By the time they’d driven off, you were already buckled in and jamming out to Barbara’s playlist.

•

This wasn’t your first part, but it was your first college party and damn , did you feel out of your depth. 

The purple lace bra she wore underneath her sheer button-up did somehow bring the look together, though you still doubted anyone other than her could pull it. As soon as you walked through the doors, Stephanie was off, mingling with what seemed like every single person in the dingy, loud room. 

You remained alone as you took in the entirety of the insane scene that lay ahead of you.

College kids were littered across every place imaginable: making out on the couches, throwing up over the second-floor banister, skateboarding through the kitchen and, holy shit, keg stands were actually a thing?

Regardless of being in the police academy, Dick still knew how to throw a rager. 

You knew Dick was on campus, earning his degree alongside police academy. Meanwhile, Barbara was blowing through her law degree at a pace even GSU couldn’t keep up with. Together, the two of them were renting a house a few blocks off campus and in the heart of frat life. 

Ironically, it was a redhead that locked onto you as soon as you walked in.

“Wally,” Steph rolled her eyes, seeming to reappear out of nowhere to introduce you pointedly. “This is Bart’s friend,” At the mention of Bart’s name, the charming smirk on the kid’s freckled face instantly fell. 

She told him your name, but he was already backing off, waving his hands defensively all the while.

“The fuck are you guys doing here then?” Wally looked around, seemingly for Dick, but Stephanie pulled him down close to her face.

“We were invited here, Pippi Longstocking. So buzz off, or catch a sentence.” That was all it took for Wally to flee in the opposite direction.

Your familiar redhead replaced him.

“You know, it’s kinda cheating that you’re associating with another redhead in public,” Roy sidled up to your side with two cups, handing one to you easily. “You’re practically killin’ me over here, princess.”

“Fuck are you doing here?” You joked easily.

“I could ask you the same question, beautiful.” He eyed you up, “Never seen you wear that before.”

You regarded him, eyeing you up with a faux scowl. “Are you normally this pervy and I ignore it, or are you just especially drunk tonight?”

He snorted, handing you a beer to match the one in his hand. “’S probably a bit of both. You know I always pregame.”

“Where’s Jay?”

Roy snorted at your nickname, “Patrol with your little boyfriend. It’s the second Friday of the month,” He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but you were left wildly confused.

“Patrol?” 

Little boyfriend? 

Roy seemed to sober up quickly enough. He nonchalantly moved from the wall he was leaning up against to stand fully, “Project. I meant he’s working on a project.”

“Oh,” Your brows furrowed together, not quite believing him but being too tipsy to know how to push for further information. “Well, maybe we should’ve helped him then,” You trailed off with a slight pout, not wanting Jason to think you and Roy ditched him like at the botanical gardens.

Roy was back to slouching against the wall as he chugged the rest of his beer before chucking it behind himself. 

“ Roy !” Came Dick’s voice from somewhere in the room. You didn’t have time to guess where his voice had come from before he was high-tailing it across the party to chuck a can directly at the back of Roy’s head. The contact produced a loud clang that had you dying of laughter as Roy moaned in pain. “I told you to stop with that high school shit, you dope ass lightweight,” Dick then seemed to realize that you were right there and quickly shifted back into the usual innocent puppy-dog routine you were used to, “Oh, hey! I didn’t see you there,” He said your name while ruffling your hair until you smacked it off of you. “You enjoying yourself?”

You nodded before you busied yourself with fixing your hair that he’d just frizzed up. When you were finished getting it back somewhat into place, you shot him a half-hearted glare. 

It was a good party. Hell, even better than the one Jason and Roy had thrown at the manor, but after he’d just fucked up your hair, you weren’t going to butter him up anymore. What kind of a dick messes up a girl’s hair?

Oh, wait…

Sure, last time Dick Grayson had used his police academy gear to shut down the manor party, but here, at his own place, Dick showed no signs of putting an end to this out-of-control party. 

“Is that the dress you and Steph picked out?” Barbara came up from behind you, startling you slightly when her fingers trailed over the fabric of your outfit appreciatively. “I didn’t really get to see it in the car. You look really cute!” You tried to thank her over the deafening beat, but she just winked. “Did you get a drink yet?” 

You raised the cup you’d had lowered to your side and sipped at it with a smile, “Roy got one for me.”

Apparently, even though you couldn’t hear shit, Barbara could hear everything clear as fucking day. 

Her attention easily shifted toward Roy with a warning tone, “We don’t play that shit here, Harper.”

You thought she was going to take your drink, but apparently, that hadn’t been what the warning was about. Roy, however, seemed to understand even in his drunken stupor. 

“Yeah, yeah,” He muttered something haughtily under his breath about you that you missed, but both Dick and Babs seemed to hear clearly. 

Babs looked like she was about ready to kick Roy out, but Dick just threw his head back and laughed.

“My man’s totally chill, Babs,” Dick's slur became more evident, no matter how hard he tried to hide it with his playboy grin. He threw one of his burly arms across Roy’s shoulder and the other around you as if to cement the point. “’S just got a little too much fireball in him, which is totally my fault. He’s not like that, anyway and you know it,” Dick seemed to sober up, turning to you to put both hands on your shoulders seriously. “Be careful around these older kids, though. Not all of them are so noble.” 

You nodded under the stern warning hidden in the depths of his cobalt blue eyes. He broke the eye contact and, just like that, the spell was broken. Dick’s serious face dropped into his usual beguiling smile. He patted your right shoulder before going back to chat amicably with Roy and Babs like he hadn’t just done a complete 180.

“Speaking of the unnoble, do you finally have enough alcohol in your system to suck on Prince Harry’s Prince Albert?” Roy sipped pointedly while looking across the room.

Dick smacked him without hesitation, sloshing a good portion of Roy’s drink onto his freckled face in the process.

“Don’t talk about him like that,” He hissed, looking around to make sure no one had heard. 

You watched as his eyes stuck on the redhead from earlier- Wally. One look at the gleam behind Dick’s eyes and it became apparent that you weren’t the only one with a thing for redheads.

“So, Babs’ still your beard? That’s weak, dude.”

“Like you’re one to talk.” Dick snickered, “How’s that closet, Harper?”

“Grayson, you dumbass,” Roy narrowed his eyes, “you’re right there in it with me.” 

You’d only drank half your cup but were easily lost in their conversation. Babs, however, followed their back and forth with sinister glee.

“Wayne Manor does have big closets,” You nodded mostly to yourself, but everyone heard and started cracking up. 

Even though you’d made them laugh, you had no idea as to why . The closets at Wayne Manor were practically all walk-ins, complete with dressers in the middle of them. Honestly, if you added a lock onto any of them, they’d definitely be able to double as safe rooms.

“You’re telling me,” Dick snickered at your questioning face, patting you on the back. “So, anyway, what were u guys talking about before I so rudely interrupted?” 

“Jason’s project,” You supplied, glad for the shift in topic. Dick shot Roy a pointed brow that the redhead easily dismissed. Now that you’d brought it up, your earlier worries rushed back into your brain, “Are you sure Jason won’t be upset?” 

You thought back to Damian’s hurt face and figured Jason would react much the same. Roy seemed to understand your train of thought and fought to derail it before you could lose too much of your steadily building buzz. 

“Nah, don’t worry about it. He would want us to have fun,” He gently led you back to the dance floor. Dick cheered you guys on while Babs looked unamused, though she was quickly pulled away by a group of guys who were attempting to piss from off of the banister. “Don’t tell me one dance with me and you’re done?”

The weight of his hand in yours pulled at your heart, feeling your pulse quicken with each passing second his effervescent eyes lingered. His half-lidded verdant eyes, covered partially by his strawberry lashes, bore into your deer-in-headlights ones. No matter how hard you tried to play it cool, Roy was one of those people who’d always be able to crumble your resolve with just a look. 

His steady hand on your waist drew you close to his sweaty body while the other bodies around you bumped and mashed around to the beat. 

“Roy,” His name was a breathless whisper, somehow discernible above the ruckus of the party. You don’t know where you’d been going with your sentence, only that Roy had your whole, undivided attention. 

Normally, you’d try to push down these butterflies or maybe pretend like they didn’t exist, but more and more, you were starting to acknowledge that they were there- that you did feel something. 

The blurred lines kept getting blurrier and you were only getting hornier. Like, fuck .

“Yeah, baby?” His other hand wandered up your side, following your natural curves as he did so. You couldn’t help but moan into his ear as his fingers trailed your mid-thigh all the way until they, too, rested on your waist, enticing you to join the sensual rhythm he’d set. 

The music was far too fast-paced to dirty dance like last time, but it was the perfect tempo to let loose against his firm chest. Your hands were up in the air before you could stop them as your hips swayed in time to the fast beat, feeling the warmth of Roy’s encouraging hands on you all the while.

With Roy, you could always let loose and not care what others thought. He was a free spirit that flared your own inner desire for the same: to exist in the moment and exist for yourself. Freedom in its own effortless yet arduous sense.

You brought your hands down to caress the sides of his face as you mouthed along to the lyrics that were only semi-coherent in your mind. Your full attention was on Roy and his every minute reaction to you. You wanted him to want you.

If the devilish glint in his eyes, you’re pretty sure Roy might actually give in tonight. 

From beside you, Stephanie nudged the two of you, “Damn, mami.”

The roaring bass polluted your ears and you strained to understand her over the noise.

“What she said,” Roy wiggled his eyebrows.

You asked her to repeat herself, still not having heard her, but she was too busy giggling to respond. 

“Tell me,” You playfully pushed Roy. When he still didn’t divulge you, you spun around and ground directly against his dick.

The alcohol burned at your throat. You felt its heat crawl up into your skull and slosh around your brain like a ship caught in a monsoon. 

With your head turned to the side, you watched him gulp. 

"No," His dopey eyes took you in as he bit at the corner of his lip. “I don’t think I will, beautiful.” 

Your arms came up again, trailing against his chest as you slithered down the expanse of his front. You looked up at his darkening eyes from your crouched position. You’d really been thinking that, yes, Roy was definitely into you when it happened.

A sharp laugh from right above before you were knocked onto your ass. Your face cringed in disgust as you fell to the sticky, carpeted floor below. Why they continued to put carpets in frat houses? You’d never know.

A college woman, probably an underclassman by the looks of it, had bumped into you and sent you sprawling, nearly spilling her drink on your new dress in the process. The worst part? She didn’t even bother to look down at you. 

No, the bitch was more concerned with twirling her hair for Roy.

You sprang up from the ground to check over your outfit, making sure that nothing had actually spilled before glaring at her. If you were this mad, you figured Roy would be worse and looked at Roy to calm him down, but… He was too busy eyeing up the college girl to be upset on your behalf.

She noticed she now had his undivided attention and increased her efforts tenfold, “When you want to hang around a woman ,” Her eyes flicked your way distastefully, “come find me.” 

Whatever trance Roy had created between the two of you dissipated as soon as his eyes left yours.

Roy held up his finger as he downed the rest of the amber liquid in his cup before handing its empty remains to you. He winked and saluted you before ditching you. 

Stephanie replaced him easily, yelling over the booming bass, “Men are jerks.” 

She took the empty cup from your hand and chucked it in the direction Roy had sauntered off to. Before you could blink, she’d replaced your previous drink with two full shots in each of your hands. You didn’t question how she’d poured them so fast, electing instead to take them in quick succession before you could pussy out. 

You were surprised but grateful to be handed a chaser. You chugged a majority of the indiscernible sweet liquid down before letting out a ‘hoo!’ as the burning liquid finally caught up to your tastebuds.

The music blared at full blast, vibrating the thin walls that seemed to swell and retract like lungs with each rattle of the bass. The overwhelming amount of drunk students that occupied the house left your head spinning until you found yourself squashed up against Stephanie in the aimless sea of bodies surrounding you.

“It doesn’t matter,” You tried to hide your disappointment, but it was in vain. She saw right through you. 

“He’s too old for you, anyway,” She started to swing her hips in time to the music, urging yours to do the same. You reluctantly gave in, truly just wanting to go back home.

The shots had warmed your throat on the way down and were now pooling comfortably in your stomach. The party lost a bit of its edge. The music seemed less loud and more invigorating, while the mass of bodies seemed less claustrophobic and more exhilarating. 

You felt loose. You felt good .

“Just over two years!” You argued, fully giving in to the music.

She smacked your hip and your confused hands landed on Stephanie’s shorts as she ground back into you. “Have fun, bitch! Wait,” Without warning, she spun around and grabbed your cheeks in her hands, “he’s watching. Come here.”

Before you could question who ‘he’ was, Stephanie’s lips slit loosely and wetly against your own. 

Your half-lidded eyes met hers lazily. The tips of your tongues flicked against each other before your lips clashed back together. You could hardly contain the tipsy whimper that escaped from you in the process. Her kiss was doing nothing to quell the cottony feeling that steadily encompassed your brain.

“Steph,” You moaned as your eyes slid shut again. 

She snickered, “Oh, yeah. It’s definitely working. He’s like, glaring over here, dude,” You nodded, distracted by her beauty. You tugged her back in with a whine that was indiscernible above the obnoxious decibel level in the room. You did, however, hear her small noise of surprise when you sucked her bottom lip into your mouth and bit down playfully. “Oh, shit.”

Her words tickled at your sensitive skin and with all the blue balls you’d been getting from Jason and Roy recently, it was finally nice to get some actual fucking action.

You’re about to slide down to the floor with her to get a better angle when a rough hand is placed on her shoulder. Your eyes blearily blinked open to see- Jason? 

You blinked again, shaking your head. 

No. 

The man had the same dark hair and light eyes, but you didn’t know this fucker.

“Connor?” Stephanie mumbled against your tongue, which was still drunkenly shoved down her throat.

“Mind if I cut in?” You were officially lost for words as the two of you finally broke apart. A trail of saliva connected you until the dude from Roy’s grade, Conner, batted it away with a light smile.

You mumbled something along the lines of ‘no,’ but your needy touch still lingered. Your fingers drunkenly untangled themselves from her light hair before you finally stumbled back to the outskirts of the party. 

With nothing else to do, you texted Jason to see how his project was coming along. Reading back your words, they hardly made any sense, though you honestly didn’t think you were feeling it that much, but apparently so. 

You were left with a pleasant warm as you watched Stephanie and Conner dance from the sidelines, forgetting why your phone was even in your hands when you heard it.

A wolf whistle had you twisting around to see- Roy?

This time, it was actually who you thought it was. His obnoxious strawberry-red hair was hard to mistake and even harder to ignore.

And, the biggest shocker? He had the audacity to come crawling back to you.

Maybe you’d gotten a little too tipsy and a little too confident. He obviously just viewed you as a friend, so this situation shouldn’t be bothering you. Especially after your argument with Jason about blurred lines. 

Besides, like Stephanie said, he was too old for you.

“You already done?” Your unimpressed eyebrow pointed in the direction of the perky-titted blonde he’d ditched you for. 

You glanced back down at your phone, wishing Stephanie would want to leave sooner rather than later so you could avoid the rest of this awkward conversation with Roy.

He squished himself beside your position along the perimeter of the room, “You dissing my skills?” You pointedly looked at your phone until he smacked it out of your hand, catching it easily before it got too far out of your grip. “Whatever, doesn’t usually happen like this unless I drink.” 

“Whiskey dick?” You supplied monotonously, feeling somewhat better about the whole situation. 

“Something like that,” He shrugged as if uninterested in the entire conversation. 

You threw your head back and laughed, feeling all previous inhibitions leave with it. 

Deep down, a part of you hoped that you were the reason he didn’t go through with it, though you knew it was a delusional thought. One to be added to all your other ones concerning the two upperclassmen.

“You wanna bounce?” You yelled the question over the drunk kids screaming the lyrics to some 2000’s pop song.

He regarded you for a brief moment, “You’re not mad?”

Yes. 

“No,” You shook your head, throwing back the rest of your drink to soften the lie. 

“Cool,” He tried to emulate your inside joke with Jason, but you merely rolled your eyes in response.

“Whatever,” You said, effectively ruining the usual joke and leaving him to wince. In an attempt to rectify your sour tone, played up the buddy card way too hard. “So, are you trying to leave or not, bro?”

He snorted, content to follow the shift in conversation, “Sure, bro.”

“Awesome, bro,” You jested back as you nudged him toward the front door. 

You pocketed your phone, looking around for Stephanie’s signature blonde, only to see the other blonde from earlier. 

Ugh.

She glared your way, flipping you off before flipping her hair while sidling up to Wally. 

You didn’t miss the way Roy’s eyes winced at her vulgar behavior but couldn’t help but be annoyed at how he’d completely ignored it earlier. To be honest, this was the best possible ending and you couldn’t help but think the blonde’s power move was kind of iconic. 

Poetic justice, in a way, yes. 

Revenge, in a way, also yes. For Roy, that is, of course.

“Seems like Wally’s pretty good at picking up your scraps, don’t you?” You wiggled your brows. You expected him to laugh, push you, or something , but all he does is stare at you with those stupid fucking unreadable eyes. 

“Dunno,” He mumbled. “Neither of you are my scraps.”

Gee, that was comforting.

He was only focused on you now, though you remembered how that went earlier. Part of you wondered that, in the last few moments you spent at the party, if he’d somehow find a way to ditch you again. Surprisingly, he didn’t.

You went to finish your drink before remembering you’d already downed it and sighed, “Be right back.” 

After letting Stephanie in on your plans (and after she slid you a magnum condom from who the fuck knows where), you and Roy bounced, choosing to walk to his place that was just a few blocks away.

You weren’t drunk anymore, but you were definitely tipsy. You tried hard not to let it show, but your tiny stumbles and unfocused gaze were enough to let anyone in on the fact.

Roy, on the other hand, was quite obviously fucking wasted. Your arm looped in his to keep him from smashing into another drunk passerby. When you finally wrangled him through the front door, two people were there waiting for you.

“Well, well, well,” The mustached man drawled. “What do we have here?”

“Delivery?” You tried, sighing in relief when the two blonds, who you assumed to be Roy’s parents, came to alleviate the majority of Roy’s drunken weight off of you. Once he was off, you extended your arm to the rugged blond and then to the bombshell and introduced yourself. 

“Oliver, Roy’s father,” He winked, “You can call me Ollie, though.”

While they looked nothing alike, you could definitely see where Roy’d gotten his flirtatious edge from. You couldn’t help but wonder about Roy’s family situation. It definitely seemed like, at the very least, you weren’t the only one with an unconventional family life, though the Waynes were definitely still the paragon for it.

“I’m Dinah,” You reached out, shaking her soft hand with a tipsy smile. Even though it was firm, you could tell that it was just because she was buff as fuck and not anything to do with intimidation. “Roy’s been telling us a lot about you.” 

You coughed uncomfortably, which Ollie only added to by butting in with a stage whisper, “More like wouldn’t shut up about you.” He sidled up to you, wrapping his muscular arm around your tiny shoulders. “Tells us all your jokes, how you help with his homework,” He nudged you playfully. “What an attractive young lady you are.” 

He glanced up, seeing if he’d get a reaction out of Roy, but he was already practically snoring on the couch Dinah and Ollie had moved him to.

It was Dinah who stepped in, nearly sending Ollie sprawling to the floor with one swift movement that left your mouth hanging open. “We wouldn’t want to make our young guest feel uncomfortable, now would we, Ollie?”

Ollie gulped, “Definitely not my intention, pretty bird,” She tilted her head to you and his downcast eyes moved your way. “Sorry, love.”

“Trust me,” You motioned toward Roy’s slumped form, “I’m used to it.

Dinah tsk’ed and Ollie seemed to know better than to stick around the woman when her feathers had been ruffled. Without another word, he disappeared off into the next room for a few moments while Dinah got to know you a bit more, making sure you had everything you needed for the night.

When Ollie returned with a cup of bog-looking sludge, you asked the question that had been on your mind. You weren’t used to parents waiting up for you and wondered if this was a normal thing in their family.

“You normally stay up waiting for him?” You hitched a thumb over your shoulder at the redhead, who sat up straighter to accept the gross drink. 

They looked at each other, then at you as if pondering how much to disclose, “Certain months, we’re more careful to look out for him than others.”

Whatever the fuck that meant.

“That’s sweet of you guys,” You watched as Roy downed the concoction Ollie had whipped up and began to hack as coughs wracked over his body.

“We’re just trying to be the best support system for him that we can,” Dinah’s kind eyes flitted back to Roy briefly. “It’s not like we can sleep without knowing he’s at least safe either, so there’s that too.”

You laughed lightly, helping Roy with the excess green goop that had spilled onto his chin. You instantly regretted it when the sludge just kept coming.

“Holy shit !” He sputtered and pounded at his chest as the overwhelming flavor settled, “Where the fuck was this shit when I was trying to grow chest hair?” Roy seemed entirely coherent after whatever drink Ollie had offered.

“There ya go, kid.” Ollie, who was still standing behind the loveseat you and Roy were on, patted him aggressively on the back, “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

“ Shit ,” Roy hissed, then did a double take your way. “Wait, you’re not that blonde chick,” He looked around the room, “ Annnd this isn’t a party. What the fuck happened?”

With Alfred and the Wayne’s, cursing was a no-no. Here? Neither Dinah nor Ollie batted an eye.

Families were fucking weird.

“I’m like 90% sure that Dick had to physically snatch the fireball out of your hands at some point,” You grimaced, thinking back to the cursed liquid you’d seen Roy toting around the second half of the night. 

“Not fucking soon enough,” He winced as he rubbed at his head. “Did we fuck?” He seemed to realize Ollie and Dinah were still very much present and winced even harder. 

It was also at this very convenient moment that the magnum condom slipped from your hands and onto the floor.

“Uh,” You drawled, knowing how everything looked.

Fuck.

“ Shit ,” Roy winced, rubbing between his brows with dismay.

Your wide eyes flicked over to his parents, who anxiously awaited your answer that, no, you hadn’t fucked.

“And we should keep it that way with alcohol involved, right Roy?” Dinah prompted, looking to Ollie for support. He cleared his throat and nodded once her glare caught him smirking at Roy.

You then, in your alcohol-induced state, thought it best to assure her that he wasn’t getting any.

“Besides, he already missed his chance,” You said smugly, referring back to Whiskey Dick Gate, then backtracked when you’re met with three scandalized faces. You rushed to correct yourself hastily, “I mean- not with me, that is. I know I’m too young.” You finished, tucking your hair behind your ear lamely, wishing you could just go to sleep before you fucked up even further. 

“But old enough for a magnum?” Ollie snickered, leaving you to blush in mortification. 

Roy choked, “I think we should just all go to bed. It’s late,” Roy yawned obnoxiously, shooting Dinah and Ollie a look that had them backing off in an instant.

They moved to go upstairs, but not before Dinah could give him a thinly veiled warning, “Be respectful to our guest, Roy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” His cheeks pooled red. “How about if you worry about her respecting me? She’s the one with the vicious mouth.” Ollie wiggled his brows, leaving Roy and Dinah to groan in dismay. “Bed, let’s all go to bed,” Roy stumbled up from the couch like a newborn deer before leading you to the room you’d be staying in for the night with a bit of help from you. 

He handed you some of his clothes to sleep in but remained in the doorway just long enough for you to notice. You couldn’t ignore his lingering, though why he did, you weren’t sure.

“Good night, Roy,” You said lightly. You attempted to close the door on him, but he wedged his foot in between the door and the frame before it could fully close.

Your shocked eyes met his own. 

He obviously hadn’t meant to actually stop the door from closing, but by the time you’d blinked, he’d already managed to school his face. His whole persona switched as if to cover up his mistake because god forbid these boys be vulnerable around you.

His usual teasing nature was amplified as he tilted his head like a kicked puppy, “Damn, so no ass then?” 

You choked on your spit, thinking about how he probably very well could’ve if he hadn’t pulled that dumb stunt early. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, or whatever delusional people called it. You knew it was probably more telling of his rambunctious character than anything. 

“Shut the fuck up, loser,” You beat down your raging blush, hoping your abrasive words might throw him off your trail.

They didn’t.

“You’re killing me here, princess,” He, honest to god, pouted and, if you didn’t already have the ick before with that shit at the party, you definitely did now. “‘Sides, you’ve already got the condom,” He added somewhat bitterly.

It came out before you could stop it, “You’re ugly when you pout.” 

You went to babble something of an apology, but his boisterous laughter cut you off. The way his eyes crinkled when he laughed melted away any words you might’ve had on your tongue in a heartbeat. 

He definitely didn’t look ugly laughing, that was for fucking sure. Your ick vanished alongside his melodic cadence. 

“If I’m a loser, then you’re a straight asshole, baby.” 

You gulped at the new nickname. 

His flirtation somehow carried more weight than usual. Maybe it was the heat behind his eyes or how they constantly mapped out your body in your skin-tight dress, but Roy really wasn’t holding back.

You foolishly went wherever your slightly tipsy emotions took you. Your stomach dropped and your heart sputtered against your ribcage. Its naive flutter only spurred you on further as you leaned into his musky, sweat-ridden scent.

Anxiety pooled in your stomach, but your body moved on autopilot to give you exactly what you’ve wanted for so many months. Tremors spiraled down your entire being while lips pressed chastely and insecurely against his own.

A cool rush of adrenaline hit you like a shock wave as you pulled away from his scratchy lips. You left the door ajar as you moved away from his stunned form, “Night, Roy.” 

He hesitated.

Whether he was thinking back to the argument about these exact blurred lines or whether to continue this further- you didn’t know. Regardless, you anxiously waited for his move.

His voice was gruff, with obvious restraint, “Night.” 

The slight tent forming in his pants was all too telling. This was honestly farther than you ever thought you’d get, but you’d also thought that during the incident in the library and, you know, the one in Jason’s room. 

Right now, though, it’s just you and Roy and a whole minefield of untouchable lust.

He lingered in the doorway, having an obvious mental debate with himself before finally turning away and walking down the hall to his room. His door shut with a click and you found yourself quickly coming down from the high he’d left you riding with.

A breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding in released itself into the still of the night.

Staring up at the dark ceiling of the guest room, you wondered if being a teenager got any easier. Surely it did, right? Roy would graduate this year with Jason following him the year after. From there, the three of you could continue on like you’d been for the past few months, albeit with fewer bumps in the road and a hell of a lot less hormones, right?

It all had to get clearer.

Right? 

A/N: next chapter is what you've all been waiting on!! check out my pinned post to see my other works + under navigation -> #my fic updates to stay up to date!

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 19

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: violence, blood | 9.1k includes: sparring, you regina george cheshire’s ass, change in scenery :o

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 19: Crazy Train | ao3 - wattpad

You stay up all night creating a plan. 

You wake up with a page of notes stuck to your face until Jason blearily reaches over to tug it off. He sleepily caresses your cheek and kisses at the ink that remains stuck to your skin. 

Unfortunately, Stephanie isn’t able to babysit again as she’s shipping out on a recon mission to Japan at o’dark hundred. 

A quick glance around proves it’s still dark out and Lian isn’t running around yet, so it’s not even five yet. You could try to go back to sleep, but you know sleep will only elude you with the impending battle ahead. Roy, on the other hand, seems to find it as his snores quake the quiet atmosphere of the late hour.

This is, apparently, the perfect time to spar.

Jason’s sleepy nature quickly turns to something more playful as he urges your yawning form to get up from the table. He apparently has some sixth sense and knows you’re up for the day. 

He leads you over to the living room where he lifts up the furniture to create more floor space.

“Jay,” You start with another tear-producing yawn that Roy, now effectively awake, joins in with as you both hazily move to humor Jason.

“Don’t be shy. Show me what you remember. Nope,” Jason places his firm hands on your shoulders and kicks your stance further apart, “Come on, little bird. You’ve kicked my ass plenty of times.” 

The nickname had your heart fluttering in the best way this time.

“You let me kick your ass plenty of times,” You roll your eyes. “Don’t play coy now, Jason. It’s unbecoming of you.”

“Still talk like the demon child when you fight too,” He squares up with a challenging smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Good to know.”

“Fuck off.” 

With your stance corrected, you waste no time in advancing on Jason. 

Roy startles more than Jason, something you’d laugh at if you weren’t so busy dodging Jason’s fists. He isn’t starting off as easy as he had all those years ago when you started. This, coupled with being five years out of practice, leaves you feeling like a complete dumbass.

And, the worst part? Roy’s here to see it.

Why couldn’t he have been there to witness the library fiasco? You’d done a flip, for fuck’s sake!

“You’re sloppy,” He strikes near your head. “Stop holding your breath.”

You know he’s just trying to rile you up, so instead, you focus more on your defense. 

You hone in on your breathing, calming it as you try to grant yourself some distance from him.

He instantly notices and, with one swift jerk of his head, motions over to his boyfriend. Roy begrudgingly shakes off the rest of his sleep as he taps in.

The little space you’ve created is gone in seconds as Roy skillfully advances on you with a wolfish smile, “Stop hiding. Let’s dance, princess.”

You don’t rise to his bait. 

The brief downtime you have is spent putting the couch between yourself and Roy. You calculatedly leap away from his predicted lunge over its back, much to Jason’s chagrin and Roy’s annoyance. 

He corrals you directly into Jason’s path, who wastes no time in toppling you to the floor. However, you’re able to maneuver the fall into a fucked up sort of somersault and somehow end up coming out on top. You land a closed fist on his stomach and drop into a push-up over his body to avoid Roy’s fist.

“Two on one?” You pant, heaving your chest off of Jason’s face before rolling off and to the side to avoid another one of Roy’s hits. “That’s dirty.” 

“Holy shit,” Roy’s eyes are absolutely wild as he takes in your reactive nature. “You are so fucking hot.” 

Your ankle snakes over Jason’s to trip both of them at the same time. You use this distraction to run for the safety of their kitchen island.

“No jumping on my counters,” Jason warns, but it goes unheard as Roy gets a running start to land right where your head was. Instead, he runs directly into the cabinet ahead, earning a searing glare from Jason. “She’s your kid if she wakes up,” Is all he says before getting back into position to trap you in between the two of them. “Not like this will take much longer.”

That’s it.

“Fuck,” Your fist connects with his side, “you.” You land a front kick to his chest, toppling him backward. You strategically use his momentum to grab his shirt and swing his falling weight into Roy like a sack. 

Jason groans a bit when he gets up, helping Roy in the process. Both share the same impressed grin. 

“Good to see you’ve still got it, babe.” You’re horrified when he readies himself for more, “Now go again.”

•••

By the time Jason determines the session to be over, neither has broken a sweat. 

You, on the other hand? 

Your hair’s plastered against your face and you’re pretty sure the sweat on your back is visible because Roy’s t-shirt clings against it with your every move. You’re definitely out of practice. 

“Hit the showers,” Roy smacks you on the ass with the blanket Jason has draped over the couch ‘to add texture to the interiors of the room,’ as he puts it. 

What you hadn’t realized was that hitting the showers meant that they were going to fuck while you’re rinsing off.

Just like last time, you doubt your thoughts when the first few grunts ring out. 

Your hand hesitates dragging the suds of your body wash over your stomach momentarily as your ears focus on whatever noise is happening in the bedroom. 

It sounds again, this time clear as day.

No fucking way.

The slapping of skin and actual smacking along with you rubbing at your clit has the three of you engaged in a contest of who can moan the loudest without waking the neighbors. 

They win easily, considering you barely last long enough for the heat of the water tank to lessen. 

You rinse out your conditioner and wait just a tad longer in the shower until you’re sure everything’s settled down in there, just in case you’ve been reading into everything wrong. 

They merely chuckle as you appear and toss a towel in Roy’s direction to wipe Jason off with. He gives it to Jason, but not before he can turn around and give you a full display of his pale, freckled ass. 

Modesty be damned, you suppose.

You don’t know what confidence overcomes you, but you drop your towel without a second thought. Both their eyes snap to your body as they take in your curves, highlighted by the moonlight spilling into their room.

Jason eyes you hesitantly, but Roy welcomes you by reaching out and tucking a stray strand of wet hair behind your ear. “Gonna get my pillow wet, princess?”

“Something like that,” You mutter, spending extra time wiggling into a comfortable position before motioning for Jason to curl against you like usual.

You shiver into Roy as Jason’s calloused fingers drag lazily along your waist, reveling in the way they trickle down to your thigh. It’s hard to ignore that both of their dicks are currently pressing flush against your naked body, but you somehow manage to keep your flush down to a bare minimum. Literally.

Roy doesn’t even try to hide the way he breathes you in, “You smell good.” It’s grumbled against your neck like your body wash is the absolute bane of his existence.

The lines aren’t exactly clear, but, hey, have they ever been?

“Your husband is right there, weirdo,” You jokingly push against his bare chest and instantly regret it. The contact only makes you want to get closer to see just how far you can take it before-

Roy’s firm grip settles against your hip to put an end to your wiggling, “He’s not my husband yet.” 

Guess that’s how far.

“Like that makes this any better,” You huff, but Jason merely resumes his pampering, light touches across your skin until your breathing evens out. 

•••

All according to plan, when morning comes, you settle down with your coffee and laptop in your car. 

Lian’s cheerful little kicks in the air move in tandem with her epic toy battle she has spread out in your back seat. The dawn of dinosaurs is nearing, but the Barbies won’t back down without a fight- from what you’ve gathered, at least.

Roy’s reconning the warehouse that the bomb had been manufactured at while Jason’s on the other side of town messing up a shipment of weapons arriving in Two Face’s territory. You know, however, based on your conversation with Damian, that he’s most likely going after the coin lead and is choosing to keep you in the dark.

Whatever.

When they asked for your help hacking, you assumed they at least had the decency to have decent WiFi, but did they? No. These dumbasses have you hacking into a private server for classified information via the guest Wifi at the Internet Cafe next door. 

Yes, those places still exist.

There’s only so much information you can gather without hacking into the server’s VPN. You spend a few minutes scanning available reports before getting irritated. None of this shit was useful.

Your fingers perch over your keys as you ponder how far you want to dig. Is your VPN strong enough to block theirs from tracking your location? You really didn’t know who you were dealing with here, let alone what technology they possessed. 

You have to decide if you’re willing to risk it all.

You know it’s a double-edged sword. Once you connect, you’ll be able to see them, but they also might be able to see you. You just hope your VPN holds against whatever cybersecurity they might have. 

Hacking in wasn’t too hard, so it seems like whatever security they have is pretty dismal. Good.

With full access, you begin searching the new files now accessible on the server, becoming lost in the words that flash across your screen. You’re so focused that you don’t notice the attack on your firewall, at least until you get the notification that your VPN has been disconnected.

Fuck.

One moment you’re reading and the next your fingers are flying across the screen to download whatever files you can manage.

You really didn’t know who you were dealing with, yet you still took the risk.

Holy shit, you’d completely underestimated them. It’d taken them all of, what? 15 minutes to breach your connection… You’re fucked. You know they’re coming for you.

What you don’t expect is for them to come after you as quickly as they do.

You’re three pages into a trial report download when you see it.

“No," Staring back at you were two familiar names whose last names match your own. "No, it can’t be…”

You aren’t able to click any further when you notice movement out of the corner of your eye in the rearview mirror.

“Lian,” She glances up from the tablet with tiny, knitted brows. “I need you to do exactly as I say, okay?”

“Yes, mommy,” She nods obediently and sets down the toys in her hands.

You waste no time in clicking Roy’s contact, knowing he's the closest as you usher Lian to hide under the seat. You shoot off an SOS message, but when the call gets sent to voicemail you’re forced to turn your attention back to the situation at hand.

You’re on your own.

“Stay put, stay quiet,” You place an Alice and Wonderland blanket over her tiny form. “I need you to be brave like you were before at the coffee shop. Do you understand what that means?”

Do you understand we’re in danger?

She nods, showing obvious signs of being spooked, though she allows you to finish placing the blanket over her.

“If anyone tries to get in the car, run and hide really well. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” She hesitates for a moment as if she doesn’t know if she should divulge this information or not. “I’m scared,” She whispers finally.

“Me too and that’s okay. I love-”

“Aww, how sweet,” A deep, melodic voice reverberates throughout the packed parking garage. You look from your left to your right but don't see any movement. Your breathing picks up as you shift your body to face forward in the car again. Had it all been a figment of your imagination? “Not.”

No, not imagination. Definitely not your imagination.

Your heart stops, then rapidly flutters into a frenzy at the sinister resoluteness of the female voice. You don’t even realize you’re holding your breath as you survey the expanse of concrete in front of you until you smack backward into the headrest, startled by a crimson cardinal taking flight. You snort lightly, placing a comforting hand over your heart in a vain attempt to calm it after the false alarm. 

Head in the game.

You hand your phone to Lian and guide her finger over to the call button on Roy’s contact, nodding encouragingly when she presses it. 

“Keep pressing that button, chickie. Tell dad we need help.”

“Help?”

You nod, wishing you’d at least tried to call Jason, hell, even Damian, but it's too late now. You feel like you’re going to need all the help you can get with whoever this creep is.

Based on your previous encounters, this didn’t seem like any type of previous thug you’d dealt with before. This woman, whoever she is, carries a dangerous edge, making the other goons seem dull in comparison.

You’re already unbuckled with the doors locked, but you allow your hand to make its way to the door handle, ready at any moment for the voice to reveal herself.

Passenger side mirror.

Your head snaps to follow a tuft of black that stuck out just beyond the beginning of the window.

Got her.

You take one last look at Lian before bracing the door handle. 

It’s now or never. 

She opens the door just as you open yours. You tumble out just in time, watching as a dart is thrown centimeters away from where your head had just been. Your head snaps up to see a familiar mask and dodge the barrage of three other darts she sends your way.

Oh, shit.

You slam your door shut and panic when you see the back door open to reveal a shell-shocked Lian.

“Mommy?”

“Yes?” You and Cheshire respond in unison. 

You stare at each other briefly in confusion, though, luckily, your sense of urgency kicks back in faster than hers. It only offers you a few seconds headstart, but you’ll take all the help you can get right now.

“Lian!” You yell as Cheshire finally tears her attention away from Lian to bound over the hood of your car. “Remember what I told you.” 

You’re too busy dodging what appear to be sais to see if Lian’s taken off to hide or not, so you try to keep Cheshire as far away from your car as possible.

You dodge a few more timed attacks until it’s obvious to her that you aren’t planning on going down easy. 

You’re not stupid enough to attempt the flips you used to know, but your form comes back easily enough. Plus, your reflexes aren’t quite as shit as they’d been when you sparred the previous night, so manage to hold your own. For how long, though, is the real question.

She can easily overpower you and the more impatient she becomes, the more accurately timed and lethal her swipes become. You’re lucky when a particular stab of hers gets her sais jammed into some unlucky person’s car. 

This is the perfect opportunity to escape.

You’re scrambling, weaving in and out of cars, hoping to lose her, but you’ve watched enough Young Justice with Lian to know the assassin’s a ruthless hunter.

Though, it also means you know some of her signature moves. You do a mental checklist: avoid poisoned darts, avoid poisoned sais, avoid the kunai, avoid Cheshire.

Check, check, no dagger yet and an in-progress check.

You struggle to push past the strain in your legs. Your lungs burn pathetically and your heart’s hammering against your rib cage, threatening to explode through your pulsating flesh. Your rapid pulse beats along every inch of your being, heating your skin uncomfortably as it does. 

Training, you nod to yourself. You definitely need more training.

Right now, however, it’s time to give it all you’ve got with what you’ve got. You know you need to push through the pain and get your head level again. 

It’s hard to forget that Lian’s still very much in danger, if not for the sole fact that it’s her mom. You’ve never seen her interact with Lian and you aren’t about to let her get close enough to find out if she’ll hurt Lian or not. Cheshire attacking you with her daughter right there already speaks volumes and you don’t really like what those volumes are saying. 

You know you’ve only thrown the assassin off for so long. What little downtime you have, you need to use strategically to your advantage. 

You shift your focus to coverage. If you find coverage, she won’t have enough room for the signature blows she’s known for. Either that or you need to get back in your car.

“You’re slippery,” You don’t have time to process anything as Cheshire finds you and unsheaths- “just like a white rabbit.” Annnd there’s the dagger you’ve been waiting for. She presses it menacingly against your stomach before body slamming against the car you’d been hiding behind. You groan out in pain as she forces your face to meet hers, “They call me Cheshire, darling.” She tilts her mask to the side, sending an eerie shiver down your spine as her dark eyes search yours. There’s nowhere to run to. “I’m always mad enough to catch up.”

Huh?

Maybe it was the impact from the car, but the bitch was making no sense.

“Wait- you’re mad, or you’re mad?”

She's definitely mad crazy, but she has no reason to be mad or angry with you. You’ve only ever seen the woman in 2D.

The looks she offers in return leaves no doubts in your mind.

She stabs you one good time in the stomach and pulls back to plunge again when Roy shows up amidst your horrified screams. 

“Is this a literal custody battle?” Roy’s bionic arm fires off a round of arrows out of his semi-automatic crossbow feature. She pulls you in front of her and he instantly raises his hands in surrender, slowly moving forward to close the distance without trying to test her patience. “Wouldn’t it’ve been easier to just subpoena my ass or something?”

“Maybe I could if she were actually yours,” She flips her long black hair over her shoulder, leaving you a miniscule window of opportunity to drop from her grasp. “You know, legal loopholes and such.” 

You make your move, leaving Roy momentarily stunned by your quick instincts. Luckily, he recovers faster than Cheshire. This time, he fires off a smoke bomb that hits the car next to her causing it to explode upon contact.

Now’s the perfect time to get back to the car. 

You use the smoke as cover, wasting no time in dropping to avoid the blind swipe of her blade. 

Roy, however, isn’t so lucky.

“Shit,” He hisses as the blade makes contact.

In the process of pulling your shirt over your nose to prevent any coughing, you wince as the sliding fabric glazes over your fresh wound. However, there’s no time to stop and inspect just how bad it is when she’s this close. You gather your bearings to run, crouched, amongst the rows of cars.

Roy seems to be keeping her occupied enough when you peer around your cover to see Jason finally making an appearance. You notice his lack of guns, figuring it was probably out of fear of ricochets. Not knowing where Lian is seems like enough incentive not to bring any firepower to the mix, anyway.

Wait…

Suddenly, you see Lian not even 10 feet away, lying on the ground with her blanket covering her.

“You left a trail, little rabbit!” Her shrill voice sounds like it's only a few cars behind you and closing in quickly.

You raise a brow at the odd nickname but take the time to rip off your shirt and tie it tight around the wound as a tourniquet. 

At least you're wearing your cute bra today.

Who are you kidding? At least you're wearing a bra, at all, today.

By the time Cheshire sniffs you out, you’re halfway across the lot with Lian in your sights. From this angle, you’re sure she doesn’t see Lian and you intend to keep it that way.

She lunges for your exerted form. It’s at this moment you truly face the fact that, holy shit, you’ve been stabbed. 

“Agh!” Your wound protests vehemently as you duck and roll, immediately regretting taking the fight to the ground. It’d been a call made in desperation, but it’s one that may just put an end to you. 

“Ah, ah.” Roy tuts and sends a few well-aimed shots her way, sending her clamoring off you. “I thought we were playing. You’re gonna break my heart.”

Your breath stops as her sais slice through Roy’s armor, impaling him once again, “Yeah, that was the idea.” She holds the weapons in him for a moment longer, twisting them agonizingly into his flesh before withdrawing them with a sickening, slick noise.

You watch for a few moments more as Roy stumbles to his feet, getting out of the way of where Jason’s got Cheshire engaged in hand-to-hand combat. 

You need to focus: get to Lian, get to the car.

You’ve bled enough by now that you’re feeling a mental strain, but you push through enough to get to Lian.

“Hey, chickie.” You wipe away the tears in her eyes, swaying as you crouch in front of her. Your hand smacks to the floor for support as you waver slightly. “I need you to stay right here. Don’t move, okay? Even when you see my car, alright? Stay very still and very quiet.”

You want to say more, but you risk drawing Cheshire’s attention your way if you do. You take a few deep breaths and attempt to regulate your breathing, but it never does.

The hardest thing to do is leave Lian the second time. At least you know she’s safe. 

You give her a tight hug, then begin to run off, but end up stumbling and falling to the ground as your vision tunnels around you. 

This isn’t good. 

Can’t run? Can’t crawl? You groan in pain as you flip yourself onto your back to drag yourself the remaining distance. Your wound permeates pain in protest with each pull. Each drag adds a new set of scrapes on your exposed back, though it’s better than subjecting your stab wound to the dirty garage conditions. 

By the time you reach the car, your head feels as clouded and dizzy as when you’d smoked weed with Jason and Roy all those years ago. 

You hoist yourself off the ground sluggishly, missing the handle entirely. You fall flat to the ground below with a pained cry. Your sniffles steadily pour out of you as you come to the scary realization you don’t have enough in you to do anymore. 

You’re really going to bleed out right here and now on the pavement of this godforsaken parking garage. 

You think of Lian, who's been forced to watch you drag yourself; now she has to watch you die too? 

You haven’t given everything you have because you’re still breathing, blinking, still in pain, still alive.

You’re still alive and you intend to keep it that way.

It’s by the grace of whatever gods, or lack thereof, are out there that your keys have remained on you throughout this whole ordeal. Their presence alone is enough motivation to get you moving. 

You’re just glad no one else is around to see you flopping around so pathetically as you maneuver your body into the driver’s seat. 

You pause.

As soon as you shut the door, she’ll be on you. As soon as you turn on the car, she’ll be on you. These are facts you force yourself to come to terms with as you prepare to face her one last time. 

You gulp and force your focus on the blurry figures moving ahead of you until you’re able to make out Roy’s red hair on the ground. Cheshire looks like she’s about to put Jason in the very same state.

Breathe.

You buckle your seatbelt.

Breathe.

You drag your remaining leg inside the vehicle with a weak groan.

Breathe.

You don’t have any more time to waste. 

The car door slams shut at the same time the engine turns over. 

Just as you anticipated, she’s searching for you as soon as the sound rings out into the concrete abyss. What she hadn’t anticipated is for you to have enough balls to actually go through with mowing her down. Jason, on the other hand, knows you’re crazy enough to run someone over and throws himself backward, out of the way of her strike and clear of the hood of your car. 

Cheshire… Well, not so much.

Familiar fiery locks come into view as Roy rips off your car door with his bionic arm. You can hardly focus when the impact of the small crash, coupled with your wound and blood loss, has you fighting to remain conscious. The pain alone’s becoming unbearably euphoric and you can’t imagine that means anything good. 

You need medical attention and stat.

“It’s over, baby,” Roy pants as he holds your half-naked torso in his arms. “It’s over; it’s okay. You did good, baby.” You nod at him through the panting.

“We got her?” You manage blearily.

“Yeah, you got her.” 

Your adrenaline had prevented you from feeling too much of your injury, but the ripples of pain become stronger with each passing moment as the hormone wears off. You clutch desperately at your stomach. Both you and Roy are both horrified when you pull back to see the slick amount of blood that pools from your palms. A quick glance down proves your makeshift tourniquet has already completely soaked through. 

Yeah, this isn't good.

“What happened?” Jason has an unharmed Lian in his arms. You’re finally able to breathe again. 

He’s frantic, but in the haze of your blood loss, you’re not exactly sure why. 

“It’s good. It’s okay,” You try to repeat Roy’s words back to him, but for some reason, they’re coming out slurred. “It’s okay.”

And it is.

•••

When you come to, Roy’s standing over you in what you realize is the apartment’s tub. 

You’re in your bra and underwear with a towel covering your waist down. 

“We’ve got you. You’re safe.” 

You’ve become familiar with those words with this family. 

“Lian!” You call out, suddenly remembering you hadn’t been alone.

“Not a scratch,” Roy assures you with a sincerity you aren’t used to. “Thank you. Seriously,” He says your name as he tilts your chin up to meet his tired eyes. “You, you have no idea- I have no idea what I’d do if I lost either of you.”

You have no time to react before he’s dragging you into a slow, sweet kiss that would probably be considered chaste for Roy but leaves you reeling nonetheless. 

“What the fuck?” 

Roy pulls away from you with a whine, “Jay.”

He says nothing further, just sets down the set of clothes he’d been carrying before coming to your side to begin the lengthy process of stitching. 

•••

You hear Jason and Roy fighting in the bathroom when you wake up alone in bed- their bed. 

You stir further, noting the early hour. Lian wouldn’t be up for another hour or two at the very least, so they didn’t have to worry about that, but you were once again reminded of just how much you were intruding on their life.

Now you’ve gone and kissed Roy.

You feign sleep when they come back out, though Jason sees right through it. He smacks you on the hip and motions for Roy to join you on the bed so he can redress your wounds.

“I don’t want to come between the two of you,” You say quietly, then wince at a particular tug. Roy unwraps the dressing as Jason flits about the hallway for more materials, “That’s not my intention at all.” 

“That’s not the issue,” He rubs calmly at your side in apology. “Even if it was, I kissed you first.” He hesitates before sighing, “Jay’s just thrown off by the whole thing s’all.” He sees your worried face and quickly adds, “About the attack, not the kiss. It was good- I mean,” He clears his throat with his voice now coming out deeper, “You liked the kiss. Did you? I mean… Fuck.” He backs off, shutting his eyes tightly. “Just forget I even opened my mouth,” He rubs sheepishly at the back of his neck. You watch as his strawberry tresses cascade across his eyes as he looks busies himself with your wound.

When Jason comes in, you look up. He’s staring you down with a curious intensity that has you questioning his steadfast gate. You’re sure as fuck not expecting him to walk over and peck the corner of your mouth, but he does.

“How are you feeling?”

You’re momentarily stunned by the brief contact, only to startle at Roy's obnoxious laughter.

So, their fight really hadn’t been about the kiss then?

Oh.

“Uh, yeah,” You nod dumbly. “Good,” You mentally berated yourself for being as tongue-tied as Roy had been with you. “Feeling like I got stabbed, but yeah, still good.”

“Cool,” He nods and moves to deal with your wound first.

You pull off the shirt they’ve put you in, only hesitating after the fact when you realize you’re still wearing your bloodied bra. You quickly rid yourself of the reeking fabric, trying to seem unphased that you’re currently on full display.

“Cool,” You complete your inside joke with an embarrassed flush that puts a pleased look on his face.

He sets to work quickly and delicately. In the daze of your sleep-riddled, injured mind, you’ve forgotten that Roy also needs his wounds to.

“Well, isn’t this familiar,” Roy winks from beside you as Jason carefully dotes over the two of you. Roy’s flirtatiousness only serves to make things worse as your nipples start to harden in the cold air. Roy, the fucking pervert he is, notices instantly, “Jay’s always had the best hands, don’t you think?”

You feel the goosebumps his touch leaves in its wake and are sure they’ve both been noticing too. 

The entire mood changes when he actually begins to clean, though. You cling to Roy for support, wishing you had something to bite down on. 

“I know, I know.” Jason coos while Roy’s fingers trickle up and down your arm as he tries to distract you from the pain. 

You’re a tough bitch. Like, all things considered, a really tough bitch.

Come to think of it, you hadn’t even cried when you'd been stabbed. If you could take the wound, you could take the aftercare. At least that’s what you’d thought until Jason’s fingers come across a particularly sore area. The damning touch shoots pain to your very core, leaving your back arching off the bed with a sharp moan. 

“I’m sorry, babe,” Jason’s cooing increases tenfold as he finishes up tending to your stomach. When he’s done, he hands you a clean shirt, helping you gently glide it past the stitches before straddling your thighs and capturing your lips with his own.

You could’ve easily disengaged from his lips if you’d wanted to, but that was the thing, you didn’t want this to ever end.

Sensing your reciprocation, his mouth begins to move eagerly against yours out of pure desperation. You can't exactly blame him when they’d come so close to losing you. 

Roy chortles from beside you as Jason deepens the kiss. You breathlessly take on his passion as you tilt your head to better meet his own, feeling the doubt in his shaky hands as they moved across your skin with readable hesitancy. 

No, they definitely hadn’t been fighting about the kiss. 

Jason tilts your chin up with his index finger and pecks you to complete the electrifying kiss. 

“We would never fight over you. Promise,” You nod, still not understanding what that really meant even after having kissed both of them and sleeping naked in between them. “We just can’t have you getting hurt, is all.” 

You see Jason fiddling with something gold, a box. Once you place the object, you tilt your head in confusion.

“You don’t want to see me hurt, so you got me jewelry?”

“It’s SOS jewelry,” Roy snatches it from Jason and motions for you to stick out your wrist, but you continue to look at the offending box like it’s going to bite you. “We talked about it and we decided really don’t want to involve you any more than we already have.”

So much for teamwork, huh?

In the stress of the aftermath, your body does what it’s always done when people show you they care- run.

Your smile falls instantly. 

They decided for you? They said they aren’t going to involve you anymore because… You want to cry. You’re just a liability to them. First day on the job and you’ve already fucked everything up.

“What do you mean not going to involve me anymore?”

“Princess,” Roy starts, but you cut him off.

“No, I’m already involved. It’s too fucking late for that, so what do you mean?” You reiterate your previous question with a sharp finger to Jason’s chest, who's, unfortunately for him, the person closest to you. “What were you planning on doing? Disappearing again ‘for my own good?’” You add the last part with sarcastic air quotes. You make to get off the bed with a scoff, “You know what? This was a mistake.” 

Moving in with them, the kissing, or maybe even giving them a second chance, you don’t know. What you do know is that, right now, it’s all wrong. 

You tell yourself to prepare for the pain so you can keep a straight face when you walk away, but you’re not prepared for the electrifying jolt that shoots from the wound. The agony alone nearly sends you tumbling right back into Jason and Roy as you begin to stand.

“Where are you going?” 

“Anywhere but here,” You wince at the affiliation each movement brings,  but continue toward the front door, nonetheless. 

“Yeah?” Jason blocks your limping form easily, “With what car?” 

You curse, forgetting you’d purposefully wrecked it in the fight. 

You end up in Roy’s minivan, arms crossed and a pout that rivaled Lian’s signature one as they dropped you off at the entrance of Damian’s apartment. You’re too pissed to even acknowledge that your original minivan hunch had been right.

You don’t care if it looks like you’re crawling back because you’re not.

You hobble from the car, producing his guest access key and walk into the elevator without looking back.

You click random floors, check your phone and count five minutes before hitting the lobby button again. 

When you emerge, the coast is clear. The gaudy 2005 beaten-up metal junk Roy called a car was nowhere in sight.

They really thought they could just kick you out of the operation like you were a fucking hindrance? Even after all you’d done for them? After everything you’ve proven to them time and time again?

It was never enough. 

You're never good enough to join them as equals and never would be, it seems.

The crumbled remains of your apartment are a far cry from a welcoming picture, but it feels good to be in a place that’s solely yours. 

You know- have known, how to care for yourself by yourself your entire life. They aren’t going to change that with some stupid SOS jewelry as if you’re some damsel in distress. No, fuck that. Fuck them.

The blocks of concrete and brick are difficult to traverse with your fresh injury, but you manage alright. It’s not like there’s anyone here to make fun of your pathetic form, anyway.

The living room is a complete mess and you find nothing but building debris within its confines. Your room and the bathroom are much of the same. While neither had ever been anywhere in the realm of nice, they both now easily fall under the ‘looking like complete shit’ category.

Your parent's room, on the other hand, remains completely untouched. 

That’s odd.

You move to inspect the room further and gasp when your feet come into contact with rivers of thick… something.

A message has been left on the dilapidated wall of where their room meets the bathroom, oozing wet red to the floor.

The crimson liquid, whatever it is, is fresh. It’s as if someone had just been here before you arrived. 

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER.

The bombing, the information you’d found in the garage and now this message. All it does is further confirm what you’ve already feared.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.”

You startle at the realization that you’re not as alone as you’d thought.

That voice…

“Cheshire,” You turn around only to be immediately forced against her chest. You can’t help but flinch as her sword steadies itself at the top of your neck. “I was starting to think I drove you away.”

She doesn’t bother responding to your dumb joke, only secures her grip on you as a warning.

“Just who are you?” 

“Wait, you’re asking me that?” You laugh and instantly halt when the blade presses deeper. “Literally no one,” You manage with a strained voice. 

All at once, the pressure is gone and you fall to the floor in an instant, desperately grasping at your neck. Her unimpressed stare cuts through your exerted heap on the floor. 

You silently wish she’d just go ahead and kill you or whatever. There’s obviously no escape route this time.

“That can’t be true when I have a contract this big for you.” She looks over you menacingly, leaving you to throw up your hands in surrender. 

There's nothing you can do in your wounded state. The only reason you’d been able to defeat her in the first place was because of your car. You didn’t have to look around to know that there was no car in sight for you to use.

You’re absolutely fucked.

“Speak now or forever hold your peace.” 

You flip the script. If you’re going to die, you may as well get some answers, “What are you doing with Two Face?”

She tilts her head slowly, “For someone who’s no one, you sure seem to know a lot.” Her face is centimeters away from yours as she ponders her next move. “Since I’m going to kill you, I guess I can let you in on a little secret.” As she turns away, you click the SOS button on your bracelet in your pocket and focus on keeping her talking.

“Hardly seems little,” You laugh humorlessly.

Her expressionless mask regards you, “No, it doesn’t.” She walks around you with effortless footwork, avoiding all rubble without once looking down. “You’ve pissed off my bosses.”

“Multiple?”

“Too many to count. Joker and Two Face are at the head of it, though,” She gets in your face again. “You’ve caught yourself right smack in the middle of a little laundering scheme that’s going to line my pockets very well. Guess I should thank you for that before I murder you,” She shrugs disinterestedly like she doesn’t care if she kills you or not. Your life is worthless to her in every other aspect than monetarily.

Joker. 

Five years later, you think bitterly and his name still haunts you. 

All these years and your parents still haunt you. 

It never ends. No, it never ended in the first place.

“I don’t suppose you do a coin flip before you kill?” 

“Trust me, it won’t matter in a moment.” She goes to strike, but you dodge just as the door you were trapped against gets blown open by, what you presume to be, one of Roy’s arrows. 

You manage to roll just in time to avoid a majority of the blast, but the jostling movement leaves you clutching at the fresh stitches on your stomach. 

“Shouldn’t you be under a car somewhere downtown?” Roy snarkily barks into the room.

“Your clone would know nothing gets me down for too long.” 

You glare at her for flirting with your… well, whatever he was, “Too bad he’s the original, you Wonderland freak show.” You waste no time in throwing one of her discarded sais directly at her back.

Jason uses the distraction to shoot her in each of her arms. 

You know shit’s really hitting the fan when Damian swoops in to remove you from the scene entirely.

It’s the first time, well, technically, the second time you’ve seen him as Robin. It’s definitely your first time seeing him since figuring out his secret identity, though. Watching his swift technique further proves that he really is the assassin you claimed him to be.

While Jason and Roy fight off Cheshire, you and Damian entertain a mentally exhausted Lian whose only request is to have a princess tea party. What kind of shitty people would you be if you didn’t oblige?

“She acts like she’s your kid,” He says.

You smile, remembering how Stephanie had said the same thing.  

“Family,” Lian points at you. 

You point at Damian, “Also, family.” She eyes him skeptically but trusts your judgment enough to nod. 

Roy and Jason come back twenty minutes later to the wonderful surprise of the princess tea party complete with Damian, as Robin, in a tiara and tutu that Lian had forced on him. 

“Oh, you’re never living this down, Hellspawn,” Whatever exhaustion Jason had previously faced vanishes as he eagerly snaps a pic of Robin scowling in his princess gear with his teacup poised midair.

“There’s a serious matter at hand, in case you forgot, dipwad,” He wastes no time in spurring everyone into action, “We need to leave this location,” He gets up, throwing the tutu and crown to the floor in obvious distaste as he does. “Now.”

“Why don’t we go to the manor?” You assume that’s the safest place to stay at a time like this. Batcave with full armory? Hell yes. Plus Alfred’s medical care? Double yes.

“Jason has daddy issues,” Roy says it like it explains everything. You know he must be feeling like shit because his face is as pale as yours probably is right now. 

“So does Damian.” You point at a scowling Damian, “He still talks to Bruce.” 

“You don’t know the half of it,” Jason warns.

“Well, it seems like that’s always the case.” 

Silence.

Then, finally, answers.

“Ever since this past year, when I became the Red Hood I am now,” His face scrunches up as he fights some internal battle, “it’s been different.” He rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly, “I do things differently.” 

“Killing for your washed-up drug gang is hardly noble, Todd.” 

You’re left in shock at this new information.

“It’s money,” He looks like he’s pleading for you to understand, but you don’t. This isn’t the Jason you thought you knew.

“Wait a minute. So, you have me babysitting your kid so you can go off and run a drug ring?” You look at them, thoroughly disgusted. “After everything Roy’s been through?”

He looks away from you like he can’t bear to face you.

With all the things they're still holding close to their chest, now you definitely don’t want them to know about your parent’s involvement. 

Lian grumbles and you realize this is another thing you just have to take in and move on from. At least for now, that is. The dangerous predicament you find yourself in is completely unorthodox and requires your full attention for the time being- not this petty back and forth bullshit. 

“How many bedrooms does your penthouse have again?” Damian sighs at your question, knowing what’s coming next. “Not including the stripper room.” 

“If you want to be that way,” He pushes at you lightly, minding your injury, “you can stay in that one.” 

“But there’s no bed!” 

“Should’ve just shut the fuck up, then,” You laugh. He doesn’t have to say anything, but based on his prickliness, you can tell Damian is, at the very least, happy you're safe. 

“What are we standing around for then?" Damian tch’s, "An invitation from the Queen? She’s dead; let’s go.” 

You tug your singular suitcase along with Lian’s and take them downstairs where you’re met with… 

“THE BATMOBILE?!” You nearly drop the suitcase you’d been holding in shock.

Damian smirks at you while Roy and Jason mutter skeptically behind you. Lian, on the other hand, joins you in your squealing glee, much to their chagrin.

“God, remind me never to do this again,” You and Lian pout at Damian, leaving him to roll his eyes. “Get in, losers.”

•••

Once everyone settles in at Damian’s penthouse and Lian’s been put to bed, you join the three men at Damian’s dining room table. 

Information and leads are splayed out across the wooden surface that you glance at half-heartedly. You already know most of the information going on at this point, well, more than they know, at the very least. However, you still plan to keep the information close to your chest for now.

They’d been looking over the stacks of photos and file while you read Lian to sleep, so when you rejoin them, you find yourself interrupting a disagreement between Damian and Jason.

You’re weak. 

Your body is, at least. You sag into the available seat, hoping no one will notice your slow crawl of movements. 

The sweat and blood from earlier have long dried across the expanse of your skin, but the mission isn’t done just yet. You know you’ll have to tell them something, you just know that you definitely can’t tell them everything.

“Well, do we have someone to interrogate?” They tell him no, that Cheshire had escaped. “Next time, let me handle it. I won’t fuck it up like you two imbeciles. For fuck’s sake, does anyone know fucking anything?” 

“It’s Joker and Two Face behind it all,” You lie, hoping that offering them big information will throw them off your trail. You couldn’t let them find out your parents are also partially behind it until you knew exactly how. Besides, it’s not like they weren’t still keeping shit from you. Hello- drug lords? Yeah, you haven’t forgotten that tidbit of information. “Cheshire mentioned it being some sort of money laundering scheme.” 

You try to add as much information as possible, so they don't suspect you're holding anything back. You're crushed when they immediately come to your side to comfort you.  

“That could explain the mugging and the thing at the cafe with Two Face’s gang members.” Roy reasons. You see the way his eyes move back and forth aimlessly as if trying to put the pieces together. It’s quite cute, in all honesty, but you’re still very much upset with him.

Jason shakes his head. “We can’t just assume the first thing. It’ll only put us at a disadvantage. And, as is, Cheshire’s a far cry from a trustworthy source.”

In the chaos of battle, your wound had reopened. Meanwhile, the scrapes on your back from earlier continued to burn. The scrapes are the biggest fuck you, serving as a constant searing presence on top of the already unbearable pain from the far more sinister puncture wound.

Blood seeps from your shirt and Roy pauses in his theory as the rest of the table takes notice.

“We should call it a night,” He clears his throat and moves to help you up. “We’ll have you go back tomorrow to investigate the bomb and track down Cheshire.”

You feel like you’re back at square one.

Everyone breaks away from the table with hushed goodnights and promises to help you get to the bottom of this. 

If only they knew. If only you could find it in yourself to tell them.

Jason and Roy delicately lead you to the guest room. Jason’s arm is wrapped around one side of you with Roy’s on the other side only furthered the sinking feeling in your gut. You worry that you’ve made a mistake by hiding the information, but it's too late to reveal it to them now… Right?

The best part about Damian’s penthouse, you decide as they usher you inside, is the entire section of the guest bathroom that’s dedicated to an open shower. 

Jason folds a towel for you to sit on and helps undress you while Roy starts the water and removes his own clothes. You figure you’ve already all seen each other naked once; what’s a second time?

You’re too drained to comment, anyway as Jason strips down to his boxers. One glance at Roy and he’s kicking them off to the dry side of the floor.

They do the painful parts first, wincing as they scrub around the perimeter of your wound before helping you with your regular shower rituals that you have trouble completing on your own.

“Will it scar?”

“Yes,” Jason doesn’t hesitate. You’d slump further down against the shower wall if you knew it wouldn’t hurt like shit. Just what you needed, another ugly fucking scar to add to your collection. “So will Roy’s,” He shoots you a pointed look. “Just in the way mine have. I recall you telling me they didn’t look so bad,” You had, you realize with a sheepish glance his way. “Don’t break my heart and tell me it was a lie, babe.”

A lie.

You snort. 

Yeah, you breaking his heart. That’s rich.

“No,” It’s more of a grunt than anything, considering your wound’s been properly disturbed for a decent amount of time now, “not a lie.” 

You sigh but notice tension release you don’t realize you’ve been holding onto when Jason resumes his gentle cleaning. 

“You wanna know how I got these scars?”  

Your mind’s not completely here after the blood loss and agonizing, well, stabbing pain, but you’re cognizant enough to realize you should feel like extra shit for lying now.

You’ve been on edge, always expecting them to throw games your way as they’d done in the past, but you’re all adults now. 

If you want to get anywhere close to them, you can’t use your walls as weapons against them while also assuming the worst of them. It’s not fair to them and it’s sure as hell not fair to yourself.

Do you want to know?

Of course. 

You’ve wondered about those scars ever since Jason first barged into your world.

Your stomach twists uncomfortably as you give him your selfish answer, “Yes.” It echoes around the ceramics of the room, forcing you to hear your own betrayal smack around like the crack of a whip as each wave hits your ear.

Roy shifts uncomfortably beside you and you wonder how long it’s been since he’s heard the story. Maybe he’s never actually heard it come from Jason himself. If that's the case, it's an even playing field.

“My mom,” He laughs bitterly, “my own fucking mother sold me out to that damned clown. When I told you I know about how he lingers, trust me, I know,” His voice breaks at the same time your heart does. “I wanted, for so long, to let you in. I wanted, for so long, to let you know you weren’t alone- that I understood your pain.” 

You can relate to him more than he’ll ever hopefully know. 

“Jason.” You whisper, wishing he wouldn’t tell you any more. You don’t deserve it with what you’re withholding from him.

He can’t stop looking at you. 

You’re the one who’s been stabbed and yet he’s the one who looks like he’s in the most pain. 

“It was a setup, of course. I felt dumb for walking into it, but I did and I paid for it,” He stops and drags his thumb across the exact length of each and every scar. “He beat me mercilessly. First with a crowbar and then, when I was lucid enough, his hands. I was never meant to make it out of the warehouse,” He grits his teeth. “Shit was rigged to blow from the start. It was stupid, so fucking dumb of me. I still can’t believe I really-”

“Jay, baby,” Roy sucks in a sharp breath, stumbling over to comfort him, “it’s not your fault.”

So, this is what it’s like to be on the opposite end of this conversation.

It’s as if Jason sees this recognition light up behind your eyes, giving him the strength to continue. “I don’t remember what happened after; I just remember waking up, but not in the way you think.” 

“Wait,” You think back to all the comic villains and startle, “so, the Lazarus pit is real?”

“Uh,” It’s their turn to look shocked. “It is. But its powers do far more damage than the good people claim it to do,” He shakes his head. “It makes you angry. Really fucking vengeful. Even to this day, the residue lingers and I hate it,” He glances down at his hands, flexing them in and out of fists. “I wasn’t in a good place when you met me. I’d just come back five years later to see some random fucks walking around the manor, Joker still kicking and my mantle replaced. I wanted to kill the bastard and I wanted to kill Bruce for letting him live.”

It’s quiet for a few moments and you don’t know what to do other than grab his hand that’s closest  to you and rub gentle circles into his damp skin.

“Therapy helps, Roy helps.” His blush is back and he hesitates just minutely enough for you to pick up on, “You being around again helps. Opening up to you helps.”

Your heart flutters then sinks.

Tell them.

Jason goes back to rinsing you, but Roy and your eyes linger, neither of you quite knowing what to say. One thing’s for sure, though, after that somber conversation, you’re feeling more alert. 

Tell them.

And, you swear you’re going to until you realize you’re now face-to-face with both of their dicks. 

Even clothed, Jason’s bulge alone has you sweating and forgetting the plan to come clean to them.

While you’d technically already slept naked together, it’d been so dark you hadn’t actually seen… er.

It’s big. 

Okay?

Even flaccid, Roy’s pink-tipped dick has all your dazed attention.

What’s worse is when he notices and smirks. No, what’s worse is you don’t have it in you to stop staring even after he catches you. Luckily he seems to let you off the hook, considering the worst thing he does is continuing to flash a dopey, shit-eating grin.

Roy’s able to wash most of his body before he tires out and slumps to the floor beside you.

He bumps into you playfully once seated, “Hey.”

Jason’s working on sudsing up your arms, then shoulders. He hesitates at your neck, but you tilt your head to the side to face Roy, exposing it to him. It’s all the encouragement he needs to continue until-

“Uh, do you want me to finish Roy off and then I can…” Jason shifts uncomfortably with the washcloth. “Or were you wanting to...?”

Your head tiredly rolls back to face him, “Jay, what?” Your head is too fucked up to read between the lines of what he’s asking you.

Your blinking is languid, but even between the long pauses in vision, it's impossible to miss the bright blush splotching across his scarred cheeks. “Would you want to finish cleaning up on your own?” 

You glance down to where his hand lays, waiting on your upper thigh.

Oh.

“Yeah, sure.” 

He hands you the cloth and it immediately slips through your grasp. You wince as your hand slowly inches down toward the damp heap in your lap. You don’t have the energy to check, but you can feel both sets of eyes on you. 

Jason wastes no time in collecting the washcloth and continuing to rub the remnants of battle from your skin. 

“This isn’t sexual,” Jason ressaures you.  

“Yeah,” You snort, “that’s exactly what you want to hear from someone giving you a sponge bath.” Roy cackles until Jason smacks the towel dangerously close to his stitches, effectively shutting both you and the redhead up. “Sorry,” You wince.

The man had stitched you up, bathed you, let you see his boyfriend’s nice cock and even opened up to you. The least you can do is drop the sarcasm at his sake.

“If I couldn’t handle back talk, do you really think I’d be holed up with this fucker?” 

The washcloth drags suds across your erect nipples and Roy, as respectful as his perverted ass has been this entire time, can’t help the way his pupils dilate as he follows each swipe across your skin. He is, however, respectful enough to stare at the ceiling when Jason’s rough hands move lower. 

He cleans your folds with the washcloth thoroughly, though he doesn’t linger any longer than necessary before helping Roy finish washing up. 

•••

It turns out you do have to sleep on the couch in the pole room. 

Jason and Roy graciously offer for you to stay with them and Lian in the bed, but you don’t want to give Lian the wrong idea.

“Don’t be silly. I’ll be good out here,” As if to prove your point, you slowly nestle into the sheets Damian had laid out for you. Along with two feather pillows, Damian had also left an insanely comfortable duvet.

The comfort only lasts for so long, though. It’s a couch, after all and there’s only so much the duvet can do to offset it. 

You feel like you can’t get a full breath without pulling at the stitches. You realize eating tomorrow will be an event, too. 

Ugh.

After what feels like hours of staring at the ceiling, you give up and allow yourself to do what you wanted to do in the first place. Even if you are still a bit hurt that Jason said they’d open up, then kept things from you, you can at least acknowledge that he did eventually tell you something. 

You slip into their bed quietly. As soon as you're tucked under the covers, they instantly cuddle around you, careful of your wound. They indulge you easily, playing with your hair, kissing along your body. You allow yourself to bask in the fluttering feeling of their attention. 

In their warmth, you manage to push past the guilt of lying to them and find sleep. 

There’s always a catch, it seems. 

There’s always a reason the three of you can’t be together for whatever reason. Namely, that this entire relationship is a mere daydream of yours. No, namely, that you’re currently fucking up whatever chances you have with them over some selfish, short-lived effort to save your already broken image from further tarnishing from the sins of your blood.

Even after all of this, you’re lying to yourself if you think being with them will ever be anything more than a fantasy. 

A/N: Tumblr was a bitch w this post for some reason :(

how r u liking it so far?? this has honestly been one of my fave chaps to write since the skipping/motorcycle incident in chap 4 and ofc the joker scenes in chaps 10 and 12

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 20

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for their child.

𓅪 Rated: M | 3.3k includes: skipping school w jayroy, shopping w steph

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter 20: Junk of the Heart | ao3 - wattpad

THEN

This time, you guys ditched your usual stomping grounds at the diner to meander around Gotham’s botanical gardens.

Perfect timing- not, as there was apparently a field trip going on. Every few seconds, you were forced to dodge gaggles of little kids left and right who zoomed around the foliage-filled room at alarming paces. 

Jason and Roy had hardly spoken much past grunts and terse head nods the entire ride in Roy’s beat-up 1998 Mustang coupe. Both did, however, laugh when you were forced to sit in Jason’s lap the entire ride. 

It started out with Jason and Roy splitting up in the expansive room, forcing you to choose between the two.

Shit.

You groaned, figuring Roy would be the easiest to persuade to meet Jason halfway.

“Soo,” You drawled once you caught up to the redhead. He was staring at a butterfly as it swooped down from the roof and floated down onto the petals of the pink dahlia in front of him.

“I’m surprised you followed me,” His green eyes flicked toward you.

“Yeah, well,” You trailed off, unsure of where exactly this was going, “here I am.” 

Just what had happened after you’d left?

Apparently, you’d managed to voice your question aloud because Roy began to visibly panic as he searched for words. 

“I mean, princess.” He said your nickname with a fake charm you’d only ever seen him use on the girls he brought around. “Yeah, I mean, obviously something happened,” He laughed cheekily with a cringe-worthy faux nonchalance, “but, uh, nothing like else,” He then played way too naive for you to actually believe any of the shit that spewed from his chapped lips. Your squinted eyes prove he now realized this and backtracked, “Yeah, no. Nothing else happened after you left.”

“Sick,” Your monotonous response spurred a panicked look across his freckled face. You knew Jason would start getting pouty if the three of you didn’t reconvene soon, so you tilted you needed to hurry this shit up. You tilted your head sharply in Jason’s direction, leaving no room for negotiation. “Now, come on.”

Roy mumbled something about you being a ‘meddlesome kid’ before begrudgingly following behind you.

Jason remained silent as the two of you bounded up beside him at the koi fish pond. 

All around him, little kids were scattered around, listening to the tour guide. The man was explaining their usual habitat and feeding habits before allowing some of them to feed the spotted fish small food pellets. 

“Leave it to us to come here on the one day kids are running all over the fucking place,” Roy muttered to you behind his hand. You snickered, having just been thinking the same thing. 

Jason, however, was busy helping a little boy safely lean over the side so that he could throw the treats in.

It was cute.

A glance out of the corner of your eyes proved Roy must’ve been sharing your thoughts again. 

His eyes were absolutely entranced with Jason’s soft complexion, highlighted by the sun’s rays that broke through the greenhouse roof. His mouth, normally tense or forced downward, was relaxed into an easy smile as the boy turned around to thank him gleefully.

Upon remembering your and Roy’s presence, Jason cleared his throat and awkwardly patted the kid on the back in response. The group of kids moved on to the adjacent field outside, leaving the three of you alone with the butterflies, koi and a shit ton of unresolved tension.

“You guys decide to ditch me?” Jason deposited the rest of the treats into your hand and you blushed as each pellet hit your palm. “What kind of shit is that?” His voice was overly cool and controlled, just as it had been since meeting up earlier with Roy in the school’s parking lot.

“We’re all ditching technically,” Your eyes warned him to drop it. “You know we would never ditch you. Never.”

Varying shades of green glared back at each other as Jason and Roy sized each other up.

Nope, no. 

No, we weren’t doing this. Not today, not ever. 

Especially when the three of you had just made up. Like, come on.

The last thing you needed was these two sexually repressed teens going at it, no, not that going at it, in the botanical gardens, especially with schoolchildren outside on the playground not even forty feet away.

“Cool,” He spun around without another word. 

You smacked Roy in the arm when he rolled his eyes at the dramatic action before following after your other friend.

“Very cool, Jay.” You and Jason turned around, both shocked to find that it was Roy who’d completed your inside joke.

“Whatever, man,” Jason shooed him off like an insistent fly. “You making fun of me now, too?”

“Never,” Roy sighed, sounding actually genuine for the first time since you’d arrived. “I promise.”

From there, the rest of the day went on as it normally would’ve to the point you’d nearly forgotten about the earlier tension between them. 

Well, mostly.

Ever since the kiss, yes, they’d been awkward at first, but eventually, it’d been hard not to notice oddities. There were more accidental brushes, more pinkies bumping pinkies and more shared glances that lingered just a bit too long as the day went on.

For the most part, you just let them do their thing while silently observing. It was only when Jason brushed a piece of Roy’s hair from his face that you finally gave in and questioned them. You asked where they went after the… er, occurrence in Jason’s room and they blushed in response. 

The distance between them grew as they stumbled to address you.

“What?” You couldn’t help but quirk a brow at them, not quite believing what you were seeing, “Are you guys dating now or something?” 

“Hell no,” They backed away from each other at the same time, but you merely shook your head. 

These two needed to fuck and get it over with. And maybe let you watch… 

Nevermind. 

Roy noogied the top of your head, pulling away before you could retaliate, “You’ve got a dirty mind there, kid.” If only he knew.

“How is it dirty to ask if you’re dating?” You quirked a questioning brow at his flushed, freckled cheeks. “Seems like you’re the dirty-minded one here then, huh?” You flicked his nose, laughing when it scrunched in protest. 

Definitely payback for the noogie. 

He muttered something before smacking at your hand without any actual malice. Meanwhile, Jason’s eyes remained curiously fixed on your own as if searching for something.

•

You had lots of shit to make up for the classes you’d missed while skipping, so an impromptu library session was a must. 

You’d never been to the library alone, aside from your first week at the academy and you’d definitely never been here after school, so seeing the crazy influx of students coming in and out was shocking.

Every single seat at every table was taken.

You inwardly sighed. You were never skipping again.

“Hey,” A boy’s voice called out your name. 

You spun around to see Tim with headphones in at a small table in the middle of the packed room. You waved and awkwardly shifted from foot to foot until he motioned you over.

He removed his bag from the seat next to him and patted for you to sit, pulling out the chair for you in the process.

“Thanks,” You slid into the seat and wasted no time pulling out your trig homework. “Didn’t realize I’d need a reservation for the library an hour after school let out.” 

Tim snorted, “Gotta come during last period and place a towel over your seat just like the pool, rookie.” He turned around to tug at his green hoodie that hung off the back of his seat, “This works too, though.”

You added his library hack to your repertoire as you peeked over his shoulder. It didn’t seem like he was doing much studying at all, considering the majority of his notebook page was covered in little chibis. He blushed and attempted to flip the page back to where he’d previously been working on… magnets? There was a class for magnets at GA? Regardless of the magnets, or lack thereof, you’d seen Tim’s superhero chibi’s and you were determined to get a closer look. 

“No way,” You squealed down at the sketch as you reached into your bag to produce your phone. “This looks just like this new suit idea I made for Red Robin,” You pulled up your Tumblr, shamelessly showing him new content on your fanblog filled with all types of provocative illustrations of the bat boys, including some of your own embarrassing fan art. Finally, you reached the post you were talking about, “See?”

Tim seemed way too interested in the other content on your blog, but his eyes lit up when your finger stopped scrolling.

“Oh, wow. That is pretty similar,” He pulled the phone from your hand to get a closer look, only to recoil at the next photo you’d drawn of a bloodied, half-naked Red Robin.

“You don’t like that one?”

He cleared his throat and handed you back your phone, “No, I do. They’re both really… detailed.”

“Tim!” The two of your heads popped up to see Bernard swoop in. He came to a swift halt directly in front of Tim, “We’re going to be late. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, just give me a sec,” Tim set about collecting his things. Once he’d finished, he stood up, regarding you with a kind smile, “I’ll see you around.”

“Thanks for showing me your sketches!”

Bernard hustled him away from you without looking back or acknowledging you in any way. Before they were completely out of earshot, you heard the blond ask, “What is she talking about?” 

Ever since Tim and Bernard had been hanging out recently, you felt like chopped liver to him.

Even at your lockers, he was always too preoccupied with Bernard to even acknowledge you. You hadn’t seen Stephanie around recently and even though you’d gotten off to the rough start you had, you still missed her presence. You’d take Steph’s sparkly sass to Bernard’s persnickety ass any day. 

It was by chance you saw her in between periods the next day whilst taking a new route Roy had shown you the previous week. Supposedly it cut 30 seconds off your commute, but you honestly just figured it was because he played basketball in between these periods and the route conveniently passed by the gym. 

Sure enough, Roy was there and caught you looking. You chortled at his wink and continued on your trek toward the blonde.

“Hey!” You gave a small wave. 

Stephanie ignored the action, “You’re still talkin’ to me?”

You quirked your head questioningly, “Uh, should I not be?”

She gave you an unimpressed once over, “You trying to get with Tim?” You shook your head, completely and utterly confused. When had you ever been trying to get with Tim? Your face must have accurately portrayed this because she simply shrugged, “Cool. Guess you’re tagging along with me tonight then, yeah?”

She started walking and you trailed slightly behind her fast pace.

“Is Tim going?”

Her weird questioning, along with Roy’s question to Tim the other day, left you feeling like you were missing a large piece of the puzzle. He had just said they were going on a date- had he not? Did Stephanie really think you were trying to take Tim away from her when you had your hands preoccupied with two other Waynes and Roy?

“Fuck no,” She spat, “It’s a college party, so I doubt his dorky-ass will show,” She turned to you, slowing down finally. “Well, actually, I don’t know, nor do I care.”

“Aren’t you guys a thing?” 

“Doesn’t matter anymore.” She crossed her arms and you took the hint, dropping the topic altogether. You passed by Tim, who waved in your direction, noticeably hesitating when Stephanie’s fiery gaze shot his way. “I’m so over these little Gotham boys. It’s time we hung around the men.” 

“I severely doubt the Gotham Academy students qualify as men,” You pointed out, shooting Tim a tiny wave back once Stephanie became distracted with pulling up details from Dick about his party. 

“You’re literally a titted version of Damian, you know that? Swear, it’s scary sometimes.” 

You snorted, jokingly shouldering her, “Fuck off.”

“Fuck you, bitch,” She shouldered you right back with a cackle. You were instantly sent sprawling clear across the hallway and directly into the angry oncoming foot traffic. Once you rejoined her at her side, she continued on as if she hadn’t just bruised your entire arm and ego. “We’re going to the mall after school. I need something to make my tits look perkier,” She floofed at her boobs with a slight pout. “‘Sides, your wardrobes a bit all over the place. Screams ‘jailbait’ and we don’t want that.”

“Hey! All you've ever seen me in is the uniform or Jason’s clothes. Besides,” You tried to flick her on the nose as some form of payback, but she dodged you with a practiced ease, “I am jailbait and people should know that.”

She raised a dubious brow, “Just not Jason and Roy?”

“Fuck you,” You rolled your eyes as you came to a halt in front of your next class. “So, your locker?”

“My locker,” She confirmed with a nod.

•

It was your first time at the mall with a friend and you were absolutely buzzing with excitement. You matched Stephanie’s upbeat nature easily, creating a positively chaotic vibe you loved. 

That was, at least until the actual shopping commenced.

Stephanie unloaded a barrage of options into your arms, all of which you turned down in seconds. 

Everyone was self-conscious about something; you knew this. However, it wasn’t always obvious until you were in a Nordstrom Rack, freaking out because every god-damned piece of clothing showed off the one thing you couldn’t stand to bare: your scar.

Sure, Jason had tried to point out you’d only been wearing turtlenecks and, yeah, you probably should’ve realized that you’d been hiding your scar by avoiding certain styles of clothes too, but it hadn’t truly clicked until just then.

Stephanie pouted at the options you steadily stacked back into her arms, only to return with another armful of options that you also turned down. 

“What are you so self-conscious about? It’s not like your tits haven’t been out before,” She shot you a pointed stare, mistaking your insecurity as distaste for low-cut clothes. “Trust me, I saw the photo of you and everyone at the gala.” 

She was wearing a teasing smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes or her tone. If you were being honest, she sounded… upset? 

You unwittingly gulped and tugged at the collar of your turtleneck, “Yeah, well, I haven’t worn that shit since then,” You tugged at the collar of your turtleneck. Luckily, she suddenly seemed to understand.

“Oh,” You nodded at her with a tight smile. “Turtleneck then? I already have a few in mind that I saw earlier.” 

You shot her a genuine smile, glad that she hadn’t pressed any further. 

Her being accommodating of your insecurities meant more than she’d ever know. 

You wandered about the clearance section while her blonde hair bobbed in and out of isles with Flash-like speed. Soon enough, you were making your way to the dressing room with bundles of clothes piled high in each arm.

There was no attendant at the desk when you walked back, so you and Stephanie hightailed it for one of the bigger rooms and set down your spoils before getting to work.

She undressed quickly in front of you and you blushed, not being in the right state of mind to notice her watching you taking in her nearly nude body.

“Do you always match your,” You cleared your throat, “uh, bra and undies?” 

“Only when I know I’m going to be sharing a dressing room,” She winked, picking up a tube top and ripping off her neon pink bra without hesitation. “Now, strip.”

You gulped, nodding distractedly.

The first few shirts you tried on, you could manage with a bra, but the remaining options required you to strip yours as well, allowing Stephanie to see the extent of your scar. She couldn’t contain her shock, though you pretended not to notice her silent horror. 

She schooled her reaction quickly enough that most wouldn’t have caught, but you did. 

She turned around to offer you some privacy as you continued to reject hanger after hanger of clothing. Nothing was fitting right and, on the off chance it did, it exposed your scar.

Your ‘no’ pile was growing faster than Stephanie could keep up with. She’d only been on her second shirt while you were already down to your last hanger.

It was a red turtleneck dress with low-cut arm holes that exposed the top part of your ribcage. Stephanie wobbled over to you with black jeans half-pulled up around her mid-thighs to finish styling you. She turned you away from the mirror to give the outfit a fair shot as she accessorized you with a cute belt and thin, strappy heels.

When she finally allowed you to view yourself in the mirror, you knew you’d found your outfit. (X)

You waited until Stephanie was busy pulling on a pair of pants to rip off your bra, wishing you shared Stephanie’s same mindset about matching lingerie or, at the very least, her same confidence around nudity.

She turned around just as you were tugging the fabric over your nipples and gave you a once-over. “Honestly, I kind of dig it,” She motioned for you to do a spin, then rolled her eyes as you came back around to face her. “Okay, titties.”

“What?!” You covered your tits nervously as she took in your exposed skin.

“Don’t ask dumb questions.” She sighed, “You’re fucking perfect. It’s annoying.”

You blushed, allowing your hands to drop and expose your hardened nipples that tented against the lightweight cotton. “Still jailbait?”

She scoffed, “Definitely not. Your side boob situation is making my dick go up.” 

You choked. You definitely hadn’t expected her to say that. 

The obnoxious howl that filled the dressing room following was not your proudest moment. Once you caught your breath, she shot you a stupid look that left you cackling all over again right alongside her. It was only a matter of time before your buffoonery forced an attendant to come by, knocking on the door to ask if you were alright. 

This only led to more giggling and reassurances that, yes, you were still just looking.

“You’re going to get us kicked out of a fucking Nordstrom Rack, Stephanie.” You shook your head in thinly veiled amusement.

“It would be an honor to get thrown out of this Nordstrom Rack with you,” She said your name, then did a double take. “Oh, your underwear line is showing.” Without warning, Stephanie squatted so her face was directly in front of your backside. She wasted no time in snaking her hands over the globes of your ass and snapping at the edges of your underwear with a resounding smack to smooth out the lines, “There.”

You managed a pathetic ‘thanks,’ deciding that you had to buy the dress that had Stephanie’s straight-ass eyeing you up and down.

“What?” 

“Nothing,” She blushed more if it was even possible. 

You checked out after Stephanie decided on a flowy, white chiffon button-up top and a dark purple skirt. You, personally, didn’t see the vision, but you seriously doubted Stephanie could look bad in anything. She claimed the lace plum bra she was going to wear underneath would bring it all together, so you’d just have to wait and see. 

“Be ready at eleven.” She said when Babs, the only person you and Stephanie knew with a car, dropped you off at the library as you'd requested.

Fuck, no. You couldn’t have her seeing the shithole you lived at. 

At the last second, you called out Stephanie’s name just as Barbara made to peel off into traffic, “Meet me here.”

She shot you a confused glance but nodded anyway before disappearing off into Gotham’s rush hour.

A/N: I <3 steph- who's ur fave character so far?

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 6

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: M | TW: underage drinking | 11.2k  includes: sleepover w Damian (y’all already know there’s bed sharing), dinner and breaky w batfam, sex talk from bruce, Jason throws a party at the manor and you’re invited (shenanigans and dirty dancing w ur boy roy)

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter Six: Growing Pains | ao3 - wattpad

THEN

Damian held out the chair for you as you walked up to the overly-stuffed table that was filled to the brim with every type of food imaginable before sitting to your left. Maybe even some foods that weren’t imaginable, considering you couldn’t quite place the fluffed bowl of purple goodness in front of a runny-nosed Jason to the right of you.  

Tim sat parallel to Jason with his raw-rubbed Rudolph nose, but you didn’t remember him mentioning anything about being sick. 

Weird. 

Upon closer inspection, Tim’s eyes appeared to be red, as if stained with tears. You looked around the table to see if anyone else had noticed, but Damian was too busy fiddling with his napkin next to you. Meanwhile, Jason was preoccupied with blowing an excessive amount of snot into his own, leaving both Alfred and Damian to frown in distaste.

“Miss,” Alfred’s soothing voice drew you from your thoughts. You looked up as he set down the last serving plate and then picked up the water pitcher, “I do have a few questions for you." 

What questions could the Wayne's most prestigious help have for a nobody like you? Oh, god, you thought. Here come the questions about your home life. You were really hoping to avoid the topic, let alone in front of the entire Wayne family. At the same time, how could you say no to Alfred?

You gulped nervously, “Uh, sure.” You looked around to see them all glancing between you and Alfred warily. Everyone, that is, except Tim. Upon seeing the raven lift his head, you attempted to hold his gaze from across the table, but Tim seemed to purposefully avoid your eyes. “What about?”

“Well," He looked like what he was about to say was rather obvious, "it’s regarding you and the young men at this table.”

“Oh?” You didn’t know what else to say.

Alfred’s poker face remained strong as ever as he began filling everyone’s glasses with great care. “You see, Master Damian has been nothing but complimentary about your art skills,” He poured your water, “and Master Bruce seems quite taken with your baking skills.” You smiled modestly at Bruce, not understanding where Alfred was going with this in the slightest. “Master Timothy can’t seem to stop talking about which comics you like and which ones you don’t,” Tim finally caught your eyes long enough for him to see your worried expression, but the glance was over just as quickly as it'd begun. “You even have Master Jason cooking tirelessly for you nearly every day of the week.” He stopped pouring, tilting his head from in between the empty space between where Damian’s seat met yours. “I’m simply wondering what magical powers you possess, Miss?”

Woah, woah, woah... Hold up. Jason cooked for you? A quick look his way proved he was too busy glaring at Alfred to notice your dumbfounded stare. Even Tim seemed upset with what Alfred said, but you were still caught off guard by all the information you’d just obtained.

“Pennyworth, whose side are you on?” Damian spat, pouting petulantly at his empty plate.

“I’m merely on the side that causes you more embarrassment, it would appear,” The older man said sarcastically as he finally sat down. “Please, do dig in before it gets too cold. I’ve worked too hard for it to go to waste,” He gave you a knowing smile as you blushed down at your plate.

None of them needed to be told twice and they began digging in with such fervor you had to laugh at the barbaric sight.

“Boys, calm down,” Came Bruce’s deep, rumbling timbre from the head of the expensive wood table. You could understand his playboy reputation when he looked and talked like that, but now was definitely not the time to be checking out your friend’s dad. “You act like we don’t feed you.”

“Shi-” Jason sneezed into his arm, cutting off his curse before Alfred could claim any swear jar money. “It’s really good,” He shrugged way too innocently, leaving everyone to roll their eyes.

“So,” Your name dripped from Bruce’s mouth like honey. “What is your secret?” 

You met his dark eyes and with a kind, hopefully unaffected, smile before quickly retreating to look at the much less intimidating Alfred. “I just do my own thing and whoever tags along for long enough, I try to keep them around.” 

You really didn’t know how else to answer the question and figured you were at least being truthful with them. You’d never been in a situation like this before, let alone in a situation where you had multiple friends. 

“I understand,” You glanced back at him to see his face had softened. You waited for the uncomfortable question about why you were always over here or where your parents were, but it never came. “Guess we’ll have to keep you around too, then.” He flashed you a dazzling smile, causing Damian to mutter something under his breath from beside you.

You gave the beguiling man a weak thumbs up, “Sounds good.”

Damian snorted at your awkwardness, only to sneer and shove at your shoulder when you brought your foot down hard onto his from underneath the table in response. 

“Master Damian, no roughhousing at the table.”

He stuck out his tongue at you, “She started it.”

“Woah! Careful, Damian you know what she does with those,” Jason said with a wicked glint in his eyes. Tim, to your surprise, chuckled from across the table around a mouthful of purple fluff. How fitting that they wouldn’t let you live down grabbing Damian’s tongue during Injustice.

“Yes. Please refrain from further tongue-grabbing,” He smirked around your last name, “and stomping like a cow.”

“Damian!” Bruce and Tim reprimanded in unison, but you just laughed. You were growing more accustomed to his jokes which were honestly more like jabs than anything else. Nonetheless, you could appreciate his prickly humor.

“What?” He looked innocently from Bruce and Tim to you. “At least she has a sense of humor.”

You shook your head in amusement and sipped at your water. “Thick skin is more like it, asshol-” You looked up quickly, first at Alfred, then at Bruce with worried eyes. You weren’t used to censoring yourself for parental figures. “Sorry,” You managed sheepishly. 

“We do have a swear jar here in the manor, Miss,” Alfred says your name. “We wouldn’t want you to start adding to it, now would we?”

“What do you guys do when it’s filled up? Go to Disneyland or some-,” You’d been about to say shit but corrected yourself before it could squeeze out, “-thing?” 

You hoped you'd corrected yourself fast enough that Alfred wouldn't claim any swear jar money from you, but his distasteful gaze seemed to say that you were on thin ice.

“Something like that.” Bruce agreed, shooting a highly amused gaze your way. 

Dinner continued somewhat normally, with Tim and Damian talking about their respective days at school until it came down to Jason. 

Bruce cleared his throat before saying your name. Your eyes instantly drew from your debate with Damian over which genre ‘Las Meninas’ was to Bruce’s baby blues, but they were more focused on the pathetic sniffling mess next to you. “Was telling me earlier about the strange circumstance under which you got sick, Jason. Care to explain?” 

You visibly winced in your seat when he turned to glare at you with his gorgeous green eyes. 

Whatever. 

It’s not like you’d meant to rat anyone out, anyway. 

“Must’ve been something in the air, Bruce,” He pushed his empty plate away. “Speaking of, I better go quarantine myself in my room before I share the love with all of you.” 

Tim and Damian also went to stand. 

You grabbed your plate, getting up from the table with it until Damian slapped the plate out of your hand. “What are you doing?” You gave him a naive look that he ignored in favor of pulling you upstairs. “Come along.”

“Don’t stay up too late now, you two,” Alfred warned after your retreating forms.

“We won’t,” You promised innocently enough.

“You dare lie to my butler?” Damian smirked at you.

“Please, Damian,” You gestured to his short form. “You look like a kid who goes to bed at eight. I garuntee you’ll be out in the fetal position in another three hours tops.” 

He snorted, “I could stay up longer than you could ever imagine.”

You knew he hadn’t meant it to sound so provocative, but that didn’t stop the blush that blossomed crudely across your cheeks. “I guess I’ll just have to take your word on that, then.”

Damian didn’t have time to respond as you smacked dead into Jason’s bare chest. 

You scrambled backward and attempted to keep your eyes off his oddly scarred chest. The rise and fall of his chiseled stomach ceased as if he'd stopped breathing upon contact. You steeled your face, forcing yourself to look up at his usual blank expression. 

The gym shorts he’d had on at dinner, however, had other ideas on where your attention should be. They hung deliciously loose around his protruding muscular hipbones leading your eyes right down to…

“What are you looking at?” He scowled at you, though it held no actual malice. He seemed to be testing you or maybe even teasing, but you couldn’t tell in your flustered state. You were more surprised Damian had remained silent through you blatantly checking out his older brother.

You ignored him and chose to keep your eyes on the towel wrapped around his shoulders for the sake of your own sanity. “So, you cooked for me?”

He’d obviously been caught off guard. “Whatever, just the one time.” You thought back to the scones and somehow now doubted that was the only time based on his sudden defensiveness on the topic. He hesitated before hastily adding, “The other shit didn’t come out right, but it wasn’t even for you, so you get that shit out of your head right now.” 

He huffed at your growing smirk. After all, you’d just been the one fawning all over him and now you have him flustered? 

Time to amp it up.

“The scones you made were so good! I was getting kind of sad you hadn’t made anything else for me since then,” You trailed off, looking up at him through your lashes. Damian tutted somewhere next to you, but you hardly noticed. It was like Jason had you in a trance where everything disappeared until it was just the two of you locked in a heated gaze.

He broke the eye contact first, running a sheepish hand through his locks before coughing into the crook of his elbow, “Once I’m better, maybe.” You smiled widely, “That is, if I even remember,” He added on with a cool nonchalance you saw right through. 

“We should make something together sometime.” He gave you an odd face, knowing the joke Roy would’ve told if he’d been around. “You know what I meant." You sighed, "Cooking, baking, whatever. Anything’s cool.”

"Cool," He fiddled slightly with the ends of his navy towel. “Now move so I can hack up mucus in the shower and shit.”

You ooo’ed, “I’m totally telling Alfred you just said that.” 

He glared at you as you waved and left to find Damian, who’d snuck off while you’d been flirting. “I bet you will, snitch,” He called after you.

You ignore his jab, “See you around.” You called back to him, but he was already gone. 

•

It was only after you’d beaten Damian three times in a row at Dragon Ball Z that he rage quit and demanded you get ready for bed. 

His new puppy Titus followed him around like a, well, lost puppy and went wherever the two of you went. It would be more endearing if he didn’t come up to your tits and all, but, hey, Damian really seemed to cheer up with the new addition to the Wayne family.

You yawned and sleepily followed him and Titus back to his room where he disappeared swiftly into his attached bathroom. Damian reappeared shortly after to open the door for you in sleep shorts and a cotton crewneck. 

“Don’t use my face products,” He warned around the toothbrush that was in his mouth.

You rolled your eyes and joined him at the his-and-her sinks to unload your own products, “As if I need your expensive shit. It’s filled with a whole bunch of alcohol and fragrances, anyway.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means you’re paying for overpriced shit that’s going to make your face break out all for the sake of having a name brand?” You said it as if it were obvious. You snickered as he continued to stare at you with a vexing glare.

He pulled the toothbrush from his mouth to hiss at you, “You’re so annoying. Do you ever hear yourself talking and want to shut up?” 

Damian’s fucking funny. You’d never met someone who could banter with you so well before.

“I can’t wait until I leave and you check the ingredients on your shit because I know you will,” You tilted your head condescendingly. “And you know I’m right.”

He flipped you off in the mirror with his signature slitted, hazel glare, “You know nothing, peasant.”

You snorted at the fitting nickname and began your lengthy skincare process. Damian did the same in silence, only stopping a few times to steal glances at you in the mirror and quickly look away when you stared back. You blamed his weird behavior on the late hour and hurried to put on your moisturizer, brush your teeth and call it. 

“I totally forgot about the air mattress.” You walked into his room to see the air mattress set up next to the side it seemed Damian slept on. The whole thing looked decked out enough with all its fluffy pillows and soft-looking blankets adorning it that it didn’t seem like it’d be too bad to sleep on, though Damian’s king-sized bed definitely looked a lot more appealing. “You’re such a spoiled fucking brat.” 

He chuckled silently and climbed into bed after making Titus scootch over to the edge of his bed. He positioned himself so he was facing the way you were, but he was slightly higher up on his mattress, considering you were ground-level on your blow-up one. 

He reached his hand down and you started at him in confusion, thinking he was handing you something. You brought your hand up to meet his cool one and he clasped them together. “Is this comfortable?”

Your arm was only slightly raised and it wasn’t that bad, so you nodded your head, “It’s good.”

“Okay.” He shifted around a bit before settling down, all while keeping your hand clasped in his. “Goodnight.”

“Night, Damian.” You closed your eyes only to open them a moment later to see his closed as well. You closed them again and drifted off to sleep.

When you woke up, it was still dark out. 

At some point in the night, Damian slid partially off of his bed and onto yours in just a way that left his legs completely on his bed, but his head and shoulders pressed just slightly into your side on your shorter mattress. Titus had taken up the remaining space on the mattress, leaving nearly no room for Damian.

You winced at the heat on your left hand and noticed it was still encased in Damian’s unrelenting grasp. You pulled it free of the sweaty grip that had accumulated between you and Damian from overnight, trying not to wake him up in the process. Regardless, Damian stirred as soon as you pulled away. Before he could fully wake up, he slumped forward like a slug to completely fall onto your bed with a pained groan into your blanket pile. He shuffled around on the bed so he was facing you with his head on your same pillow. 

“My neck is killing,” He rubbed lightly at his neck and pushed at your stomach so you’d make room for him.

You thought back to his uncomfortable-looking position from mere moments ago. “I can’t imagine why,” You teased and giggled softly when he squirmed closer into the newly created space between you. 

You could feel the smoothness of his legs as they popped beneath your duvet one at a time. It’s also at that time that he  and he began his assault on you with his cold ass feet. 

“DAMIAN!” You jolted across the inflatable mattress, but Damian’s arctic feet followed you relentlessly wherever you tried to escape. 

“Quiet, wench,” You huffed at the stupid nickname, but remained quiet. All these old-fashioned insults were getting… well, old. “Good,” You blushed pathetically at his praise, thankful it was still dark in the room.

“Whatever, just stop putting your nasty feet on me,” You huffed as you flipped around to snuggle into his chest.  

He let out a breathy laugh, “Don’t tell me what to do.” 

You’d never heard him sound like that before and it was doing all kinds of things to your already raging hormones. You felt the dull ache of simmering arousal heating up. You were so focused on holding in a moan that you couldn’t stop your hips from inadvertently arching into Damian’s front.

“Watch it,” He moaned lightly, voice barely above a whisper.

“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” You quickly whispered back.

It was somewhat the truth. 

Namely, you knew it had mostly been on account of Damian’s sexy, newly deepening voice. You hadn’t realized that your tanned friend was capable of producing the most delicious sounds like the one you just bore witness to.

“Don’t let it happen again.” It was dark and deep and, along with his hushed moan, it did nothing to help the wetness that was accumulating in your underwear. 

“Sorry,” You said again, forcing yourself to ignore your urge. You eventually fell back asleep, still wrapped in Damian’s arms.

•

“You look well rested today, Damian,” Bruce said when you and Damian joined Bruce and Alfred for breakfast. Just like last night, Damian is sure to pull out your chair and push it in for you before taking a seat himself. “I trust you were both able to get some sleep last night, then?”

“Of course, father.” Damian kept a calm and even tone as he cut into the slice of quiche on his plate.

“So it wasn’t giggling that awoke me at four in the morning then, Master Damian?” He looked between the two of you with a knowing look before cutting into his eggs with careful precision.

“Purely my fault this time, Pennyworth.” Damian looked down at his plate. 

Meanwhile, you looked over to Bruce, who you were startled to see was already looking your way. You blushed, not wanting him to think anything had happened because, well, technically it hadn’t… but it also hadn’t been completely innocent either with the bed sharing and spooning. Or had it been???

Ugh.

Breakfast returned somewhat normally, though a bit quieter than it’d been previous to Alfred’s question. That was until a flushed, wet Jason appeared behind Bruce, seeming to be fully recovered in his half-naked state of gym shorts and sneakers. 

You attempted to hide your gaze, fighting not to rake your eyes down his toned chest, but your eyes had minds of their own. Without permission, they unabashedly flitted across Jason’s dripping abs to his loose-hanging gym shorts that rode down extremely close to his-

“You’re still here?” He asked you haughtily. It was his turn to eye you up, taking in your PJs up and down.

You went to open your mouth to retort, then took note of Alfred’s polite presence and thought better of it. 

He rolled his eyes, seeming to realize your predicament. He came closer to lean casually against Damian’s chair, where he then began to assault his younger brother’s face with intense pokes. You winced at the venom behind each jab of Jason’s index finger into Damian’s tanned cheek. 

“Fuck off, Todd,” Damian vehemently batted at his hand with irritation.

“I’ll go get the swear jar,” Alfred sighed, elegantly pushing his chair away from the table. “I would like to have just one proper meal around here for once,” He shook his head and disappeared off to find the elusive jar. 

Damian looked at Jason’s dripping wet, rippling abs with disgust. “How long would it have taken you to put on a shirt, ugly?”

“I don’t know, it’s kind of freeing without one. You wouldn’t have the muscles to pull this look off quite yet though there, squirt,” He ruffled Damian’s inky locks and flexed.

You couldn’t understand why he was acting like such an asshole all of a sudden. Not that you could entirely focus on that when the cause of your recent lust was standing directly in front of you exactly how you wanted him: shirtless and wet. 

You looked away just as your eyes reached down Jason’s torso to the dark patch of hair that was cut off by a nasty-looking scar. You bit slightly at your lip all while hoping no one had noticed all of your oogling. 

“Jason. Stop instigating,” Bruce warned lightly.

“Sure thing, dad!” He said in an over-exaggerated tone and threw his wet towel over your head before sitting next to you. You’d never heard him refer to Bruce that way and outwardly cringed at how forced it sounded coming from his cracked lips.

You peeked out from under his towel with a deadly gaze. “You’re lucky I didn’t do my hair yet, or I would’ve-”

“You would’ve what?” He snorted. “Done nothing? Right, right,” He nodded petulantly at you, flicking the hanging towel as if to cement his point. 

You glanced at Damian, but he seemed more preoccupied with the fact Jason was still shirtless. You completely understood his distracted state, still very much in state of your own.

“Why are you being such a dick today?”

“I didn’t see him around here today, actually,” He continued his petty tirade. 

You gave him an admonishing look as you dumped his wet towel onto his still-soaked head, “You forgot this.” You scurried away from the table before he could throw the damp fabric back onto your PJs, not caring how rude it might’ve looked to Mr. Wayne. You were quickly preoccupied with how ruthless Jason was being and had to pathetically dodge back around toward Damian in hopes he would avenge you, but Bruce materialized out of nowhere before either could react.

“Get back here,” He smirked around your name, but Bruce caught the towel in his hand before he could throw it at you. He glowered at Jason with an intensity that stopped even you in your tracks. 

“Enough.” It was enough that Jason did, in fact, stop but not without letting his annoyance be known.

“What? Let me get this straight. The hellspawn can fuck right under your roof, but I can’t walk around shirtless?”

Bruce tensed, analyzing you and Damian briefly. You looked over at his tired form, noting how resigned he seemed by Jason’s statement, but before you could vouch for yourself, Bruce had already taken control of the situation.

“Enough with the pissing match- both of you,re” He looked from a scowling Damian to a seething Jason. Bruce soothed at the crease in between his brows as he said your name, then Damian’s. “Meet me in my office.” Before you could scurry out from under Bruce Wayne’s intense stare, he continued. “Now,” Jason ooo’ed, leaving Damian to glare at him like he’d reached his limit of patience for the day- no, week. “You can join them if you want to keep instigating.”

“Hey!” Jason threw his hands up in exhasperation. Bruce shot him a warning eyebrow which was enough to shut Jason up. He sulked off to his room, but not before grabbing a piece of toast in a huff.

You looked over at Damian, now recognizing the deep, dark tone he’d used on you last night… He’d been imitating his dad? You wanted to laugh, but the situation was far too intense for it. Instead, you resigned to staring at your feet. 

Damian, on the other hand, continued to scowl at his dad, “You’ve got it twisted, old man.” You held in your smile at his insult, figuring it wasn’t the time to be pissing Bruce off any more than he already seemed to be with his sons. You tugged Damian out of his aggressive stance to drag him up the steps to where you guessed his dad’s office might be. Eventually, Damian took charge and led you to where it sat at the end of a short hallway. At the door, he turned to you and offered you simple advice, “Don’t let him intimidate you.”

You snorted, “Easier said than done.”

“You’ll manage just fine. He enjoys your company, it seems.” He sighed as he pushed open the door and sat down in one of the two chairs that faced Bruce’s desk.

“Really?” You raised a dubious brow at him.

“He’s very protective over me and my, erm, well, with fornicating. The Wayne fortune and all.” He looked at you hesitantly, like he didn’t want you to misunderstand what he was saying because it wasn’t about your character at all. He completely trusted you. “He learned this all the hard way,” He added cryptically.

You sat down in the other chair and instantly began to wring your hands in the hem of your PJ top.

“Stop that,” Damian chided. You returned your hands to your side sheepishly. “I told you, don’t be nervous.”

Bruce arrived a few moments later, shutting the door lightly behind him. There was no need for any aggressive door slams, considering his presence alone held all the intimidation he'd ever need.

“You guys aren’t in any trouble,” He said lightly as he leaned against the front of his desk, facing the two of you, “but I do realize you’re both at a confusing, developmental age where you might want to start trying things,” He trailed off, clearing his throat.

You could tell he was trying his best not to make it awkward, but holy fuck was it awkward.

“I’m pretty sure we're both well versed on the sex talk, father,” Damian crossed his arms and looked out the window before he could go any further. 

You were grateful for the interruption seeing as, even though your only information had come from school, you felt knowledgeable enough about the topic. 

You nodded, but your eyes remained glued to the clock on the wall directly behind his hulking form.

“Are you both sexually active?” You and Damian both laughed at the same time. “Alright then,” He looked from you to his son with gentle eyes, “My best friend when I was your age was a girl named Rachel. I remember what it feels like to be young and in a situation like this. I just want to make sure we were on the same page,” He confided, looking off briefly as if reminiscing before focusing his attention back on the two of you. “Will you be staying over again tonight?” 

You thought about your empty apartment absentmindedly and nodded. “If that’s alright, that is!” You were quick to add, seeing as you didn’t want to intrude or overstay your welcome.

“Of course. As I said, you’re welcome over any time. Just be safe.” He looked at his watch and sighed. “I’ll be headed out soon with Tim and Alfred on our trip, but Dick should be around to hold things down while I’m away.” 

It was a thinly veiled warning not to do anything stupid and you understood completely.

“We will be respectful of your wishes, Father.” You hummed in agreement.

Bruce walked forward and placed a gentle hand on Damian’s shoulder. “I know you will,” He looked over at you, causing you to flush under his attention. “And I know you will too.” 

God, this shit was so fucking awkward. You thought, no, knew that this is probably the first and only time you were glad not to have parents to discuss you the birds and the bees.

You nodded for what seemed like the billionth time, “For sure.”

“Good. You can shut my door on the way out.” Damian got up and you went to follow, but Bruce stopped you before you could leave. “Just be careful,” He looked to Damian at that point, leaving you to wonder what exactly had happened between Bruce and Rachel. “Both of you.” 

“Father,” Damian nodded in acknowledgment.

As soon as you were out of his father’s office, he ushered you in the direction of the game room and loaded up GTA V. All the while, you had Bruce’s last words replaying eerily in your head. 

“What do you want, Todd?” Damian’s voice drew you from your thoughts. 

You looked up and over to the doorway to see Jason draped against it in a way that accentuated every muscle on his body without even trying.

“Bruce told me to come apologize.” 

“Okay,” Damian paused your game to give Jason his undivided attention. “Get on with it then.”

“Don’t make me regret doing this, fuckface,” Jason merely shook his head, looking at the ground.  

Damian pinched his face together at the nickname, “Doing what, Todd? For fucks sake, just say something.” 

You giggled. One stern look from Jason through the slits of his eyes, causes you to cease under the intensity of his green glare. 

“Whatever. Don’t be lame about it, but me and Roy-”

“Roy and I,” You and Damian corrected in unison. 

“Yup, already regretting this. Nevermind. Bye.” Jason spun around to leave, but you got up and grab his pale arm before he could.

“Please tell us?” 

He looked down into your sincere eyes and sighed like he regretted ever stepping foot in the room. 

It was weird how he could go from sitting with you at lunch and skipping with you and helping you through the whole... incident to being embarrassed to be seen with you. And by weird, you meant hurtful. 

You didn’t have time to mull it over before he divulged your curiosity.

“Fine,” He flicked your hand off of him with ease. “There’s a party here tonight, so stay out of the way or come. I really don’t care as long as neither of you snitches,” He shot you a pointed look.

“I didn’t even snitch!” You said to no avail. He merely rolled his eyes, clearly not believing you in the slightest.

He gave you both a stern look as he pointed to both of you and backed out of the room, “Keep it quiet and don’t make me regret inviting you lame freshmen.”

You ignored his jab, thinking back to how lucky you were to have randomly packed a dress in your haste. You lamented, however, when you came to the realization that you’d only packed a single pair of PJs. You’d have to get a shirt or something from one of these Wayne’s, but definitely not from Damian’s twig-ass. 

•

It was yours and Damian’s first high school party, so you guys got ready together. Downstairs, you could hear the commotion from Roy and Jason obnoxiously setting shit up for the party. It seriously sounded like they had a gang of thirty-some people breaking in or something, though you hardly doubted anyone could get past the extensive security system Wayne Manor had. 

“This one,” He held up a green plaid shirt, “or this one?” He switched hangers to show off a white dress shirt and argyle sweater vest. 

“Damian, you’re 14 not 40,” You stopped doing your makeup to go over and look through his closet. “Don’t you have a plain v-neck or something? Seriously it’s like a closet for a miniature businessman.”

“You don’t have to insult my height or lack thereof, every time,” He scowled your name.

You peered back at him mirthfully, “If your increase in voice crack frequency is anything like lighting and thunder, I’m pretty sure you won’t have to worry about your shortness for too long.” You go back to looking through his excessive sweater vest collection. “Plus, your dad’s pretty tall, so you at least have that going for you too. He is your dad- right?”

“Whatever. And yes, biologically,” He seemed hesitant to say more, but you were used to it after how Jason acted around the subject too. Damian seemed a lot more proud of being a Wayne than Jason ever did though, that was for sure.

“Here!” You throw him a black faux-turtle neck shirt and a pair of jeans to ease the awkwardness. “Do you have any tennis shoes?”

“You mean sneakers?” He snorted.  

"Same shit," You rolled your eyes. “Do you have them or not?” He left for a bit and you took the chance to slip into your forest green long sleeve mock-neck dress with a sweetheart cutout on the chest, revealing a generous amount of your cleavage.

“I have red and oh-” Damian stopped in his tracks at the sight of you in your outfit before clearing his throat like he hadn’t completely just malfunctioned at the sight of you. “Red or blue.”

You shrugged, thinking either would look good, “You choose.”

“Fine then,” He then went about putting the read oens on whilst perched on the end of his bed.

You rolled your eyes, thinking back to his go-to color choice for painting, “Typical.” You went into the bathroom to finish your smoked-out, dark brown eye with a sharp cat eye and nude lip just as the party was getting started. “You think we should wait an hour and then go down?”

“Why would we be late for a party that’s being thrown right here?”

“Ever heard of fashionably late, Damian?”

“It’s what father says every time he’s running behind schedule.”

“No, that’s a pathetic excuse for tardiness,” You clasped at his shoulders. “This is a statement. A cool statement.”

Damian looked at you with boredom, “I don’t see the difference.”

“Because you’re not cool yet, it’s okay,” You patted his shoulder condescendingly. “Listen, we’ll wait thirty minutes and go down.”

“15.”

“20.”

“Deal,” He shook your hand with stormy, unreadable eyes. You could’ve sworn he was pissed off, but you could never be too sure with Damian. “In the meantime, what do you suggest we do?” His tone was somewhat teasing, leaving you to believe that, perhaps you’d read his ‘annoyance’ compeltely wrong.

“We could always pregame?”

“Yes, gaming would be good.” 

You snickered when he led you to the game room. You stayed and played Lego Batman until two seniors burst in whilst attacking each other with their tongues while you guys were five rounds in. 

“This is our cue to head down.” 

Damian nodded as he hid his favorite controller. “Jason’s a dumbass if he thinks these plebs aren’t going to steal.”

“I didn’t even think about that.”

“You wouldn’t, would you?” You giggled and pushed at him as he came to your side. Together you walked down the main staircase and witnessed the wreckage below for the first time. 

Sweaty, already drunk bodies twisted together in a mangled mass around every square inch of the place. Smoke, whether from cigarettes or what, you didn’t know, covered the air in a blanket of fog over the foyer where the main action was happening. 

There was even a DJ. Well, DJ was a bit of an exaggeration considering it was just some kid with a laptop and Spotify premium next to a makeshift dance floor.

You were quickly enveloped in the madness as soon as you reached the ground, only finding relief at the familiar reddish bob of Roy’s head. He caught sight of you, then Damian’s signature scowl and waved you over only to be left speechless by your revealing dress. 

“Eyes up, creep,” Jason joked to a completely distracted Roy. 

“Yeah, yeah," Roy said, waving him off. 

"Anyway,” Jason said, addressing you and Damian again, “get some beer, don’t make fools of yourselves and,” Jason leaned in close enough for you to smell that he’d way overdone it on the cologne. “Try to stay out of the way. Got it? Awesome,” Jason saluted you and Damian and stalked off to where Roy was busy hitting on a group of senior girls. 

You bristled, turning to Damian who also looked just as put off.

“It’s not too late to just play video games, you know,” You offered.

He glared at you for even thinking to say so, especially after the disgusting sight you both beared witness to in the game room. You definitely didn’t want to walk in on anyone or, worse, sit where anyone had been… well. 

“This is our first party and we will stay. We’re already late enough as it is.”

“20 minutes isn’t even that bad! Plus, look,” You pointed to the doorway where the rest of the seniors were just now filing in. “See. The cool, older kids are just getting here now too.”

““Alright,” He looked at them, nodding. “I suppose we’ve done well for ourselves, then.” 

“I told you I wouldn’t lead us wrong.” 

It was getting harder and harder to hear each other of the roar of the crowd and the obnoxious bass system Roy had hacked into in order to play his Spotify setlist for the night. Not to mention how crowded and hot the room was already getting. 

“Are parties supposed to be this hot and claustrophobic?”

You shrugged, grabbing his hand to lead him over to where the beer was being handed out by two guys you’d never seen. 

“ID’s?”

“ID’s?” Damian mocked them, hands landing squarely on the fold up table with enough force to make it cave in a bit. “This is my fucking house. Now, hand over the refreshments or face my wrath.” 

They cackled at Damian’s vengeful eyes but did end up handing you each two cans of some piss-tasting beer.

“Okay, beer acquired,” You laughed lightly as Damian nearly spit out his first sip. 

“Holy shit, this is fucking terrible.” He downed the first can in seconds and didn’t hesitate to chuck it at the back of Elliot’s blonde head. It landed with a loud thump that you could hear from over the blasting bass, causing you to cover your mouth in disbelief.

“HEY!” You and Damian quickly ducked behind the ping pong table and snickered. 

“There’s something seriously wrong with you, but I think I love it,” You playfully pushed his shoulder.

Once the coast was clear of Elliot,  he helped you to stand.

“Glad to hear it,” He cheers’ed you again and downed the second one. 

“You might wanna slow down there, buddy.” Two beers in less than ten minutes? Not a good start for the rules Jason had just laid out.

“Please, I’ve been drinking since I was six,” He waved off your concern easily as he finished the remains of his can.

You thought back to how strict Bruce seemed and doubted the validity of his statement. The last thing you wanted to do is upset the man who’s given you shelter and food when all he’d asked for in return was respect.

“Sure,” You sipped carefully at your own as you watched him go back and get more. 

The majority of the night was spent with you and Damian chatting about random shit once it was settled that Damian refused to dance and you refused to dance alone. 

True to their word, Jason and Roy really had ditched you to be with Damian all night. You couldn’t deny it made your heart hurt at what you interpreted as rejection. You weren’t cool enough to hang out with them in front of others, or, maybe they didn’t want people to know they actually hung out with you in the first place. Was that acid reflux or your heart exploding into your throat? No, it was definitely acid reflux from the shitty ass beer.

Tipsy Damian truly was the only thing getting you through the night. 

“You wanna play beer ping pong?” He said randomly to you, motioning to the table you’d been ducking under two hours earlier. 

“Beer pong?” You gently corrected him. “Sure,” You got up and walked over to where a game was ending between two groups of senior guys. Meanwhile, the trashed senior girls mainly stood around the table to watch and cheer. 

When you approached you heard the whispers and snickers start, but you were buzzed enough to able to ignore most of it. You were three beers deep and they weren’t going to ruin your good time, especially when Damian was loosening up as much as he was. It was as if he was finally acting his age for once and you were having a blast.

“Who wants some of this?” Damian shouted at the snickering group of seniors, but, eventually, two of them agreed. 

“This is gonna be funny,” He nudged his friends as they gathered around the table to watch.

“We’ll see about that,” Damian egged them on. “My drunk aim is better than your sober one any day, fool.”

“This kid’s weird. Mad respect,” He snorted and missed his first shot. You were up and dunked it on your first and second try. “Damnnn,” The senior drank both cups and winced. “I’m gonna feel that later for sure.” 

His friend went next and sunk both shots, leaving Damian to drink two more that he probably shouldn’t have. Regardless, your friend wasl still able to make his next two shots, so he couldn’t be that drunk yet… right? 

At this point, people at the party had begun to crowd around and place bets.

“GUYS! CLASH OF THE CLASSES!” Someone to your right screamed causing a loud cheer to ripple throughout the room. More and more people joined around the small table and you were definitely feeling the pressure. 

Damian on the other hand? He was loving it.

He nudged you in your side lightly, “Told you we would’ve had a blast together at last year's party.” 

You could see it in his eyes he was definitely feeling it and laughed with ease, “Anything we do together is fun, Damian.”

He blushed, “Of course.”

“Six left for freshman, eight left for seniors!” Someone called out the score for the room. 

You were met with loud boo’s that Damian ate up. He was way too into it, but it made it all the more fun for your now slightly tipsy self.

It was at this point that you saw Roy and Jason break away from their small group. You watched as they tore through to the front of the crowd that surrounded you and Damian with anxious looks adorning their faces. 

Jason came right up behind you with an audible huff.

“I thought I told you guys to lay low,” He hissed mainly at you since Damian clearly wasn't the soberest out of the two of you. 

You didn’t know what to say, electing to give him an apologetic, somewhat awkward, smile as you dunked your other two balls without ever looking away from him. 

“YOO, NO WAY!” The opposing senior lamented, causing everyone to loose their shit in a ferocious roar that left you to cover your ears. 

Man, could drunk kids cheer.

Damian was swept into the chaotic energy of the boisterous room and lifted you up into a spin before forcing you into an aggressive chest bump. You rubbed tenderly at the point of impact after he finally released you, nearly doubling over in laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation. What made the whole thing better was Jason’s constipated face behind Damian’s beet red shit-eatting grin.

Damian, true to his earlier word about not being drunk, landed both shots even in his not-so-sober state. He yelled out your last name with an excitement that had Jason rubbing at his temples. 

Roy came up from behind Jason to see what all the ruckus was and chuckled, “Oh, this is good.” Roy soon joined in on the cheers and you blushed at his and Jason’s attention that was now fully on you. 

The seniors missed theirs and someone yelled out the updated score. 

Two more rounds like you’d been performing and this shit would be over with you only having to drink one. 

“We play next!” Roy jostled a deadpan Jason who looked like he would rather shoot himself in the foot.

You finished up your first game after only having to drink two more cups, but you guys had ultimately won. Jason reluctantly let Roy drag him into a game as the crowd was still hyper from the last match. He looked from a stoned Roy next to him, then across the table to you and a highly energetic drunk Damian who was acting more like a kid on a sugar high. Jason was completely over the situation and completely over his dumb friends, you could tell amusedly. Good. It was about time he acknowledged your presence.

Roy took the first shot and it bounced straight into your cleavage. “Sorry. Guess I have a habit of aiming where I’m looking at, princess,” He winked at you with a tipsy smirk.

Your heart skipped a beat, but you hoped it didn’t show. 

You retrieved the ball from its precarious position with an abashed expression, shooting him a glare while motioning for him to hurry it up. After all, you didn’t want to be stuck playing ping pong for another 20 minutes. If you could even last another ten, you’d be content. At the rate you’d been drinking over such a short period of time, you were definitely starting to feel the effects of the piss-tasting beer you’d had the displeasure of drinking all night.

It was a fairly close game, proving it hadn’t been sheer drunk luck that you and Damian ended up being beer pong fiends, but, being as close as it was, your shots were getting sloppier and sloppier. When it came down to your turn, you looked across the table at the last cup and sighed as the one cup spun into two, three- ugh. 

You winced, throwing your first ball at the third, most focused cup in your spinning vision, but you’d chosen wrong and ultimately threw it at Jason’s crotch instead. Hey, maybe you had the same problem Roy had. The redhead seemed to think so too as he nudged Jason with a resounding snicker that you could hear even over the crowd. 

You were surprised the game had been able to hold everyone’s attention for as long as it had, considering everyone was still gathered shoulder to shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of the action.

“Trick shot for the last one,” The dude you’d just played warned you as you set up your last shoo-in shot.

Jason came to your defense with a quick ease that shut down any further arguments, “That’s not a real rule.” 

You could tell that they hadn't wanted either of you drinking anymore just to win, even though you'd assured them you were fine. Aside from the slight buzz and heat that has settled across your skin, you could still see and think somewhat straight. 

Without a second thought, you turned around and threw your last ball over your shoulder, figuring it was probably better that you couldn’t see. It sank with a resounding ‘plop’ into Jason’s cup mere seconds later. 

“Fuck my life,” Jason said, rubbing his hands pathetically down his face.

 Not only had he lost the match in front of the entire his entire grade, but you and Damian were breaking the only other rule he’d given you: don’t make fools of yourselves. 

Your celebration dance with Damian seemed straight out of The Parent Trap and Jason begged for Roy’s help in hiding you two for the rest of the night. 

Luckily, he told Jason to knock it off and that you guys were just having fun. “How many times have you seen them let loose?”

“Yeah, Jason,” You stuck out your tongue, becoming surprised when Damian grabbed it with a loud snort. “Hey!”

“Now we’re even,” He laughed as he said your last name. He looked unsteady with a blaring red ringing his face, “We should sit.” Which was Damian code for he wanted to sit.

Another group of teens had already taken over playing, so you guys wandered back towards the makeshift bar, where there were a few seats scattered around the bustling dance floor. Damian uneasily plopped down into one of the fold-up chairs while Jason sat down with more grace and draped his arm around the back of Damian’s.

Roy crossed his arms, “You guys are lame. It’s barely even one in the morning.”

“Pathetic,” You drunkenly nodded, causing an odd rush to ripple across your brain. You shook the odd feeling and glanced enviously at the groups of people dancing. It was then you realized, that, yes, you’d been to your first party, but you hadn’t even gotten to dance because of Damian’s blatant refusal. 

Roy, catching your line of sight, took the opportunity to steer you away from Jason and out onto the dance floor without saying a word. Somewhere behind you, Damian protested even as drunk as he was, but you ignored him and quickly fell into a drunken rhythm with Roy in the sea of sweaty, hormonal bodies. 

You were glad for the confidence boost the beer had given you because normally, you’d be running for the hills. The contact was intoxicating, even maybe more so than the alcohol currently thrumming across your warm skin.

Roy quickly took the lead, twirling you around while holding your back against his front as he trapped you with your intertwined hands. You released your hold on his grip to drag them lazily up your chest and under your chin, where he lightly nudged at the side of your face with his own 

His breath was directly against your ear, cuasing you to stumble slightly into him. He ate this up with a ferocious intensity you weren’t used to being directed your way. 

He brought his hands to your hips, where they gripped down as if to avoid the temptation of wandering elsewhere. 

To reward him, you ground back into him but quickly doubted yourself. You found yourself faltering, even after you’d felt his sharp exhale against the gentle skin of your ear. You shifted your head slightly, bumping your nose against his own, which continued to hover lowly near the side of your face.

“Just like the motorcycle!” You turned around to face him before he could react, nearly brushing your lips against his own in the process. You couldn't help but giggle at the missed contact.

You took your close proximity and prime position of your chest against his own as an opportunity to throw your arms around his neck and draw him closer. You felt the music coursing through you as you swayed your hips against his front as you slowly sank down his body with your hands unlatching from behind his neck to trail down his front lightly as you went. 

He snorted and pulled you up before your mouth could get any closer to his crotch before bringing you upright again to spin you into a twirl. He then dipped you down, where he held you for a moment. 

“Yeah,” He drawled deeply, “just like it.” His voice was raspy like he’d been smoking. Based on the underlying scent that lingered beneath his suffocating cologne and his glowing verdancy against the reds of his eyes, it seemed like he very may well have been.

You squealed, clasping your hands together in sheer delight at the action while still in the dip. No one had ever danced with you, let alone dipped you like this. It left you in a whirlwind of butterflies and pure, confused arousal.

Roy brought you back up and pointed over to the corner with a smirk and spun you around so you could see Jason and Damian sitting hunched over with matching scowls. You waved, still within his grasp, leaving them to quickly sit up and correct themselves nonchalantly. 

“Since neither of ‘em dance, should we should give ‘em a show, darlin’?” He joked in a horrible southern drawl.

You tipped a fake cowboy hat at him, “Sure, thing pardner.” 

He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re funny,”  He said your name as he placed his hands on your waist. He pulled you onto his knee, which was slightly bent to accommodate for your height difference. “Ever seen Dirty Dancing?”

You gasped drunkenly, “Of course, it’s iconic.” His eyes held a devilish glint you count place. “Why?”

“Come on, be my baby tonight. I already got you out of the corner and everything, princess.” 

You stiffened in his grasp, stumbling to find an intelligent response, but he was already there, guiding your upper body to spur movement. You gave into willingly, still trapped in the hypnotizing gaze of his half-opened emerald eyes. 

“Roy.” Is all you managed to gasp as you brought your arms back around his neck to begin grinding into his movements. You then proceeded to replicate as much as you could remember about the scene from the movie in your drunken state. Halfway through the song, you felt your dress riding up with each grind into his muscular thighs. You’d attempted to unwrap one arm from around him to pull it down before your bare ass could be exposed to the entire party, but Roy was already way ahead of you. 

“I got you, princess,” He yelled over the thumping bass.

You inadvertently arched against his chest as he moved a hand tantalizingly slow down the side of your thigh. His sweaty, freckled hands pulled down at the offending fabric before sliding them back up just as slowly to rest again at your waist. 

Your head was already spinning, but Roy's presence alone was making you dizzy.

“Thanks,” You responded breathlessly. 

He pulled you back to him to wrap your arms back around his neck as he leaned your torso backward with his to do a sultry half dip. Meanwhile, your thighs remained interwoven with his own thick ones. It was just like the movie. 

You snorted suddenly, finally reaching your limit and pushed him away just as the friction from his thigh was getting to be too good. You were feeling way too drunk and way too entranced by Roy’s body heat to be this close to him right now, especially when you were already confused by your feelings for, well, everyone around you, essentially. 

“Alright, I think I’m all danced out. I’m gonna go join the grumps.” 

Surprisingly, Roy smacked at your arm and motioned for you to lead the way. 

You shot him a confused glance considering he’d ditched you earlier to hang with the senior girls, but in your drunken state, all you could focus on was the electricity that still remained where he’d been touching you. 

He ended up leading you over to where Jason and Damian were talking about a book you couldn’t focus on over the pounding of the bass, or, wait- was that your head? Ugh. 

You brought a palm up to your head to stop the head rush, but it was pointless. Your brain felt like it was on a rollercoaster.

Jason called your name, “You should sit down.”

You nodded. 

Sitting. 

That sounded good.

Yes.

All the seats were taken, so without a second thought, you dropped clumsily into Jason’s lap. You only stopped to second guess yourself when you felt him stiffen underneath your touch. 

Fuck it, you were too drunk to care. 

You wrapped your arms around his neck and nestled into it no matter how much he protested. His cologne, mixed with his sweat from the night, quickly became your favorite scent. Definitely a step up from the overbearing shit from earlier. 

“Mmm,” You mumbled into his slightly damp skin. 

Damian seemed slightly more sober, while you seemed slightly more intoxicated than before you went dancing. You didn't see it, but Damian eyed you with an unreadable, hazy gaze. 

“Careful, now, Jay,” Roy gestured to Jason’s beet-red face. “She’s my dancing partner.” 

You lazily smiled at his wink before burying your head in the crook of Jason’s neck again.

Jason and Roy stuck around you and Damian a bit longer and thought you’d both been handling your alcohol well enough to leave the two of you on your own while, so they went to get refills. They came back to see you being lifted onto the ping pong table by the crowd to dance and quickly sprung into action. They glared at a sleeping Damian and were on you in an instant, pulling you down without hesitation before you could embarrass yourself. 

Roy was quick to pull down your dress that had ridden up again at the same time Jason lifted you off the table. You used him as your primary support once you were on the ground again as you stumbled to regain your balance. 

“But wait!” You tried to plead with them as you stumbled and slurred in their supportive grasp. 

“Release my ping pong beer partner!” Damian, now awake, stumbled after the three of you toward the blocked-off service stairs in the kitchen.

“Close,” You snorted into Roy’s shoulder at Damian’s inability to grasp the name beer pong, “so close.”

“What’s going on here?” 

Hey, you knew that sexy voice…

“Speedo!” You greeted the raven-haired man with a drunken grin, attempting to shake his hand. “You’re dressed this time.” Your head snapped up and down erratically as you took in his tight-fitting police academy uniform. “Still good, though. You look-” Roy swiftly covered your mouth with his hand while Jason attempted to cover you and Damian from his line of sight. 

You hiccuped lightly, which Roy attempted to cough in order to cover the offending noise.

“She’s just messing around,” He reassured a skeptical Dick. “Right?” Jason said your name and turned around to give you a ‘don’t blow this’ type of look that, in your drunken state, you took to mean continue rambling about how hot his older brother was.

“Dick,” You snorted and forgot what you’d been about to say due to the obvious, funny nature of his name. “We’re just cool over here, just chillin’,” You leaned further onto Roy’s shoulder as your legs began to wobble due to the lack of Jason’s support on your other side. “Keeping it a scorching 100 over here, playaaa,” You shot a bemused Dick the ‘okay’ symbol with your hand and attempted to close your eyes as Damian had moments earlier. 

“Alright,” He sounded extremely entertained.

That was good. Right?

“Guys, he believes us,” You tried to whisper, keyword tried, thinking you had it made, but Jason’s quick glare that met your own when your eyes finally reopened seemed to say otherwise.

“Do we need to pay the toll, or can the troll fuckin’,” Damian belched loudly, “Moooove.”

“I know Bruce sent you, but please don’t tell him about this.” 

You peaked over at Jason to see him busy reasoning with Dick while you were more preoccupied with nuzzling your nose into Roy’s sticky neck. You were feeling very cuddly tonight for some reason.

“Princess, chill out with that,” He muttered quietly to you and you nodded up and down against the skin of his neck. “Can you keep it chill?” He asked under his breath, looking directly into your slitted eyes from the corner of his own.

“For sure,” You nodded seriously before turning to Dick to correct your previous statement. “Hey, Dick. Quick update.”

“No, no, no,” Jason attempted to shush you, but Dick mirthfully motioned for you to continue. “I’m listening.”

“Just wanted to let you know that now we’re actually keeping it a chill 100 over here,” You snorted and completely lost balance. “Playaaa!” Jason rushed to your side before you could fall in order to relieve Roy of some of your dead weight. 

“Dick, seriously. I’ll pay you,” Jason had resorted to bartering with the older man, who appeared extremely amused. 

He waved his hands in front of him dismissively. “As long as no one gets hurt, we’re all good here.”

“Seriously?” Jason and Roy exclaimed in unison. 

Dick nodded, “I just happened to look at the cameras, but I don’t think Bruce has, so it should be all good on that front.” Jason nodded animatedly. Dick looked to Damian, who was attempting to fight both Jason and Dick off at the same time, then over to you, who was slowly falling asleep in Jason and Roy’s arms. “Kids gotta have fun at some point. Besides, I have a date to get back to, but you really should shut this down before Bruce decides to check in for himself,” He finally moved, allowing you guys to pass up the stairs.

“Think you could help me out with that, Officer Grayson?” Jason asked as he looked back to the raging party that showed no signs of slowing any time soon.

Dick grinned wickedly, tipping his police cap, “With pleasure.”

•

You woke up in the wee hours of the morning with a rude awakening that splattered all over Damian’s toilet. 

“Ughhhh.”

Damian sighed from behind you, coming over to hold your hair throughout the ordeal. He only slightly made fun of you for missing the bowl, but, for the most part, ended up comforting you. He rubbed at your back as you dry heaved and only left to get you some water and a new toothbrush. 

“What happened to my one from earlier?” You asked as he handed you the new one.

“You said my bathtub was dirty and started cleaning it with it.” His eyes were too jocular for it being five in the morning. 

You wrinkled your nose, “Oh.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Ew,” You said still grossed out. 

“Yeah.” 

You both laughed before noticing that you were still in your party dress. Without thinking, you took it off under the false pretense that you had shorts and a bra on underneath but quickly and all too late, remembered you’d foregone them. 

Damian’s eyes widen and you were quick to cover yourself up, not that it stopped the er, rising problem Damian had acquired at the sight. Bruce’s words from a few days ago forcibly sprang to mind as your heart confusedly raced at the thought of what lay beneath. ‘Be careful.’ 

Damian, without another word, turned around to give you some privacy.

“Sorry, I forgot.” You said, feeling completely embarrassed as you searched around single-handedly for your sleep shirt but remembered all you had were the ones from the previous night. “Do you have something I could wear?”

He looked over at you, “No.” 

You'd already realized earlier that nothing he had would fit your frame and sighed. 

“Look away.” 

He obliged again easily as you looked around for a loose blanket or clothes but ultimately found nothing.

“This never happened,” He whispered your first name, catching you off guard in your search for clothes. 

“Okay.” You nodded in the darkness, not knowing what else to say. 

Your face felt warm when Damian patted the spot next to him on his bed and you obliged, curling into his chest where you felt the remnants of his arousal. You controlled yourself in your still slightly buzzed state and instead focused on steadying your breathing. 

Titus whimpered lightly from where his heavy form had been forced to the edge of the bed, but, eventually, he was able to find a comfortable position.

Your pounding head and arousal eventually quelled and you were able to finally drift off, though the heat remained on your cheeks longer after you both fell back asleep.

•

You awoke again with a start as Damian’s door was thrown open by Jason, who looked like an absolute zombie. He hadn’t seemed to notice you yet because he avoided the air mattress that was deceivingly fluffed up by the bedding. At first glance, the pillows hidden beneath the blankets appeared to be your sleeping form.

Titus barked, jumping up from the bed to run past Jason. The Great Dane disappeared down the hallway in a rush, most likely in search of breakfast.

“Wake up, you annoying little fuck,” Jason smacked a hard fist down on Damian’s side that was curled around you. “We got busted.”

“Todd!” Damian growled with enough venom to have you hastily escaping from his arms. 

Jason’s eyes blew open at the sight of you naked in Damian’s bed and backed away instantly. “Woah, you guys know I was just joking about the fucking part yesterday.”

Damian wore a satisfied smirk that you quickly smacked at with a pillow. 

“Nothing happened. Now both of you look away,” You clutched at your chest, realizing you had just exposed it to both Jason and Damian.

You rubbed at your pounding temple as you remembered the fact that you had no clean clothes with you and none of Damian’s would fit. So, did that leave you to wear this blanket around until you got home? God, you hoped not. 

Damian sensed your problem with ease, “Todd. Fetch her some clothes.”

“Why the fuck do I have to do it?” But he started looking around on the floor anyway like the gentleman he was. 

“No, I meant your clothes, you annoying fat fuck,” Damian gave a devilish grin as he spat Jason’s earlier insult back at him. “Nothing I have will fit.”

He looked at you and shrugged, coming back with red cotton gym shorts and a soft, white short sleeve v-neck before leaving without a word. Damian quickly followed after him, giving you the chance to change.

It’s only after you looked in Damian’s mirror that you noticed the shirt was somewhat see-through due to its lightweight nature and color. Better than something dirty, though, you thought with a shrug and scoured around the floor for your things to pack back up into your bag. 

Once you’d collected everything, you scurried downstairs to where Jason and Damian were already at each other’s throats. 

“Woah, what happened? I only took two minutes.” You went to break them apart, but Bruce beat you to it. You startled away from the older man to let him handle it. 

To your surprise and amusement, you noticed Roy still lingering about, though he was too busy groaning and hiding from the light to acknowledge you or the tense situation.

“BOYS!” Bruce’s demanding voice echoed throughout the manor with a reverberating force. 

Roy winced and smacked his hands over his ears, no doubt still feeling the lingering effects of last night as much as you were.

Boys? Well, that didn’t include you! 

You attempted to sneak forward toward the front door with your bag in tow before anyone could notice, but you were quickly spotted and reprimanded.

“You. Stay.” 

You winced, shamefully retreating back to where the boys were lined up, including Roy, with your tail between your legs. After the conversation you'd had in his office, you knew you’d betrayed his trust.

“Why does she need to be here for this?” Jason complained. “The whole thing was my idea anyway. This is between you and me, Bruce.” 

He glanced down at your outfit with a barely quirked brow, “She’s here because she’s family. As much as Roy and Stephanie are, at least.” 

Family?

Bruce Wayne was calling you family?

You'd never even heard your parents say the word.

You gleamed inwardly at the acceptance, but it was soured by the fact that you’d already gone and let him down. The first chance you got at an actual family and you’d fucked it up. 

Maybe that’s why your parents never hung around.

Whether it was the remnants of the alcohol, the weight of the past few days, or even just the disappointed look in Bruce’s eye, you couldn’t help the sniffles that trickled from you. They started off slow, then erupted all at once. Heavy tears soon poured from your eyes, cascading down your quivering lips before splattering against the ruined carpet below.

You’d never been reprimanded before, only ever having been ignored. This being so, you had no idea what to say other than ‘sorry’ over and over again until Bruce finally put a hand on your shoulder just as he had previously. It was meant to comfort, but you still shrunk away from his touch. 

"It's okay," He sensed your hesitancy and withdrew his hand immediately. “Hey, it’s not that serious,” He switched up his tone to be more jovial, Do you know how many parties I threw here back in the day?” You shook your head ‘no’ and he sighed, seeming to think back on all the trouble he’d got into. “Well, it was a lot.” Your tear-stained eyes met his sincere blue ones. 

“Okay,” You pouted, wiping at your cheeks. 

He couldn't help but laugh a bit at your lackluster response. "Alright," Bruce’s eyebrows creased together as he pondered a fitting punishment. “Just get this cleaned up. Alfred's on vacation for the next two days,” He glanced pointedly at the four of you before walking off, leaving you all to the piles of empty cups and trash.

Jason was on you in an instant.

“Fucking crybaby,” Jason teased you. You quickly wiped at the remaining tears on your face with vigor as if it would somehow hide what they’d already bore witness to.

“Please,” Damian was quick to come to your defense. “You’re lucky she spouted so many tears. Father went easy on us,” Damian pointed out what you’d all been thinking.

Jason instantly quieted without further insults, realizing it was true. He gave you one last unreadable look before silently going back to picking up the copious amounts of red solo cups that littered the floor.

Roy sidled up behind you, tapping you on the opposite shoulder of where he was and flicked your nose when you finally turned the other way. 

“I think I know whose clothes those are. And I can see why he gave them to you,” You attempted to whack your broom at him in retaliation, but he just laughed and slid out of the way. “You dancin’ with Jay over there now?” He wiggled his brows as he easily dodged another one of your broom attacks.

Even Damian couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of your chest, which was tenting salaciously against the thin fabric. 

“Whatever. My head hurts too much to deal with your shit right now, Roy.” 

He left you alone with a knowing smile that you ignored in favor of starting to clean.

You knew this break from reality would have to come crashing back down on you sooner rather than later. You also knew that this meant that you’d eventually have to face your sketchy apartment. All this being said, you knew you'd be able to take anything on with your newfound system of support.

[next]  ||  masterlist ||  pinned

[albatmobile]

The Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds Chapter 4

𓅪 After not hearing from Roy or Jason for five years, you suddenly find yourself taking in extra income as a babysitter for Roy and Jason's child.

𓅪 Rated: E | TW: attempted SA mention (just dialogue) | 15.2k  includes: skipping class to hang w the seniors, jayroy x reader motorcycle orgasm, Jayroy saving u from a creep, Damian paints u like one of his French girls jk kinda tho

fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist]

Chapter Four: She's a Riot | ao3 - wattpad

THEN 

It’d been weeks into your first term at Gotham Academy when Jason first appeared in your Honors English course. You watched with wide eyes as his signature skunk-stripe bobbed its way to the back corner of the room with his scarred face partially hidden in a book.

You sighed in relief at the sight of the familiar face in a class that was mostly filled with older, mean kids. Sure, art you had Damian, but every other class? Yeah, not so lucky.

Before you could second guess yourself, you got up from your desk to plop down in the seat next to him, though he didn’t stir from his book, leaving you to second-guess your decision. After all, your first meeting hadn’t necessarily been the greatest. 

With him still ignoring you, you decide to be the one to break the ice. “Aren’t you a junior?” 

You’d overheard whispers in the hallway about the ‘new Wayne kid’ and assumed it to be the angst-king you’d met at the manor. 

“Don’t remind me,” Jason sighed and marked his place in ‘Catcher and the Rye’ as he answered you. “The boarding school I was at wasn’t able to transfer over certain courses, so I’ve been held back a few years in certain subjects.”

A few years? “How old are you then?” 

His green eyes danced mischievously with your curious ones. “17. I should be a senior.”

“Oh, wow.” You couldn’t imagine being held back that many years and still being able to put forth a good effort. “That sucks.”

“Eh, I’ve already read the books on the syllabus, so that helps some,” He shrugged while you scrambled to look at the list of required books for the course. You’d only read two out of the six, but it was still something.

“You’ve read ‘Little Women?’” You move your finger to the next line and read it off. “‘The Odyssey’?” 

“Of course, they’re iconic,” You snorted at his response. And to think his brothers actually had the audacity to call you the nerd. 

“‘The Odyssey’ is pretty good for some ancient poems,” You admitted, but it was an understatement. The Odyssey had been one of your favorites due to its roots in Greek mythology.

Jason looked amused, “I think they’re considered epic.” 

“Sure, however you want to describe it,” You waved him off as you set out your math notebook from last year that you were reusing. There were still a decent amount of blank pages to use before you’d need to get a new one, anyway.

“You’re funny,” He scooted his desk closer to you and from here, you’re better able to see deep-set scars scattered across his face. You didn’t want him to notice your staring at them, though so you quickly glanced at his mouth instead. Wait- that wasn’t any better, you thought as you came face-to-face with his plump, sharp-angled lips. “I think you and I are going to be the only competent people in this class,” He acted like he was letting you in on a secret. “First project’s due in two weeks. Wanna team up?” 

You, competent? Him, hot? Okay, yes. You were in

“Sure.” 

He seemed nice enough and you needed an outstanding GPA to keep your scholarship here, so the more help you got, the better. Plus, he’d already read the books? Definite bonus.

“Cool,” You blushed at his deep voice. Even just the casual nature of him splayed out in his chair had you fanning yourself with your notebook. He was so… ugh. 

Perfect.

His half-lidded eyes regard you as if he was about to fall asleep while you continued to blatantly eye him up. 

He was angry, hot and had scars. Not to mention the sexiest eyes you’d ever seen, but he was older. Out of reach. 

You belittled yourself for even considering chasing after the naive butterflies that fluttered around your stomach at the sight of the Adonis at the desk next to you alone. Thankfully the butterflies didn’t have to stick around too long as your English teacher began going over the project, forcing you to focus in. Well, somewhat…

For the next 54 minutes, you caught yourself stealing glances at Jason’s stoic build out of the corner of your eye up until the bell rang. Students chatter instantly bubbled over your teacher’s final remarks as they packed up for their next class. 

Jason leaned over, invading your space with his musky scent as you stowed your notebook away. “We should meet up after school.” 

Damian hadn’t mentioned anything about you coming over, but you didn’t think he’d mind. “Sure.” 

With Tim and Damian being brothers and Jason’s residency at the manor, you didn’t think it’d be out of the question to assume that Jason was another one of Bruce’s wards. It was for this reason you mentioned your locker being next to Tim’s. It’d been enough for Damian to know where you were talking about but, as evidenced by the confused look on Jason’s face, you’d been mistaken.

“Yeah, I don’t know where the fuck that is, babe.” You blushed at the nickname, “Me and Timmy don’t really get along much.” 

Well then. 

“He’s pretty nice,” You insisted while slinging on your backpack. Jason just rolled his eyes, following suit before motioning you out of the classroom ahead of him. “No, really. He always says hi to me and stuff.” 

“That’s a pretty high bar you got there.” He seemed just to be following you, so you headed to your next class with Jason in tow.

You laughed, realizing too late how pathetic that had sounded, “After my first few weeks here, you have no idea.” Jason screaming at you in the manor had truly been nothing compared to the insults and rumors your classmates slung your way each day.

“What does that mean?”

You dodged his question easily, “Don’t you have a class to go to?” 

“No,” He shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Me and Roy are ditching to get something to eat.”

Why did that name sound so familiar?

“Who’s Roy?” You kind of remembered hearing that name at Star City, but he had been a high schooler at the time you’d been in middle school there. Probably wishful thinking, you thought to yourself. After all, there was obviously more than one Roy in the world.

“My friend,” He looked down at you with amusement. 

“Cool,” He laughed at your imitation of him earlier in class, leaving you to blush at being caught. 

“Sure, kid.” He sighed at your responding glare, “And don't try to tell me you’re not a kid when you’re the same age as that demon brat.” You assumed he was talking about Damian for, well, obvious reasons. 

“Would a kid know to make fun of you for reading Alcott?” You countered with a pointed brow. 

“Okay, fuck off,” He chuckled a bit. “Where’s this class you’re headed to anyway?” 

You faltered in your steps. “Should be in this wing,” You paused, looking around at the surrounding doors. “Maybe down this hallway?” 

Damn, you’d taken the wrong hallway again and ended up lost. It happened at least once a week, at this point, in the maze that was Gotham Academy.

“Alright, so what I’m hearing is you don’t appreciate classic literature, or know shit in general,” You gaped at him. “And now we’re both lost,” He sighed in tandem with the late bell ringing. The two of you watched as the last stragglers slipped away and disappeared into their classrooms. His pocket vibrated and he produced his cell phone to answer the call with an annoyed, “What?” 

You didn’t know whether to stay with Jason or continue looking around for your class, so you elected to awkwardly stand off to the side as Jason narrated to someone, likely Roy, your current location. 

“We should wait here,” You nodded at his statement, not really knowing what else to do. Jason shifted to lean against the hallway wall closest to you and you dropped your heavy Batman bag to the floor with an echoing  thud. “You carrying a dead body in there or something?”

You gave him an odd yet amused look. “Because that’s the most logical thing I’d be carrying around in this tiny-ass backpack.” He shrugged, once again looking down each end of the hallway you were in, “Doesn’t your dad own this school, or something? How are you lost?”

Jason’s glare settled over you immediately, causing you to inadvertently step backward into the wall. “First off, he’s not my dad,” You nodded hastily until he dropped his glare. You hadn’t even realized you’d held your breath until his green eyes looked back down at his phone. “Second, he just funds the school. At least I think. I don’t know. I haven’t been around much until recently,” You gave him a quizzical look. “Boarding school and all,” He mumbled. 

“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He at least had the decency to look somewhat ashamed for blowing up on you. “I mean, everyone has their daddy issues.” That much could be said for you- well, parent issues. Neither of them were around enough to check in on you, let alone to care that you existed. “I get that.”

“Cool.” 

You dropped the topic and smiled lightly at what seemed to be becoming an inside joke between the two of you. 

“For sure,” He smiled back and, this time, it seemed genuine. That was a relief. The last thing you wanted was to be on his bad side again. 

Soon enough, over-styled, familiar red hair came into view complete with an untucked uniform and loosened tie. 

“Yoo! I know you.” He threw up his arm and waved at you. “Us Star City kids gotta represent!” Once he got close enough, he stuck out towards you for a hand for a low high-five. 

You lightly tapped his opened hand with a grin, “Hey, Roy.”

“I thought I saw you around the halls,” He said your name. “I was stoned out of my mind, though, so I wasn’t too sure.” 

“Really?” You looked at him doubtfully, not bothering to touch the stoned part. “I’m surprised you even remember me, to be honest.” 

You’d never talked, having only seen him hanging around the cafeteria sometimes after school, if that. It was possible you’d seen a tuft of his red hair sticking out of the crowd at the occasional football game if you bothered to go, but with no friends, it wasn’t really worth the trek or the $10 ticket. 

“Still have the prettiest eyes, princess,” He shrugged nonchalantly from in front of you and Jason with a wicked glint in his light green eyes. “That’s how I knew it was you.” You gulped, not sure how to respond to his blatant flirting. It was one thing to tease Damian, but Roy and Jason were older and you had to be more careful. “What are you doing around these parts anyway?” Roy asked, ushering you and Jason into the hallway opposite your current one. 

Jason wordlessly picked up your backpack like it weighed nothing and slung it around his free shoulder. You knew better than to try and fight him on it, so you just let him carry it around as Roy led the two of you around the labyrinth of Gotham Academy.

“I’m here on scholarship.”

“You say it like you wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Jason chimed in. 

He was right, but they didn’t need to know that. 

This was your only chance at escaping the same fate as your parents- doomed to scavenge for money by any means for the rest of their lives. It left a bitter taste in your mouth, but you couldn’t show it.

“I mean, truthfully, the scholarship is the only thing that would make me come to a crime-hole city like this.” It was partially true. Gotham, even its richest parts, weren’t for the faint-hearted. 

Anything could happen at the flip of a coin.

“Fair enough,” Roy said as you entered a long corridor facing the back doors of the school. You’d only been back here once, but remembered enough to know that the whole back area was fenced-in by a high, cobblestone wall. 

“Where are we going exactly?” You asked as you hesitantly let them lead you out the back. 

“I thought you were ditching with us. My bad.” Roy looked to Jason, who turned at you with a questioning glance, “It’s cool. There’s no pressure, dude.”

“I forgot to mention she was looking for a classroom. It’s my fault.” Jason saw the hesitance on your face and handed you back your twenty-some-pound backpack before rubbing at his shoulder. “I don’t know where shit is to be any help.” 

“I can still show you where your class is,” Roy offered helpfully, watching as you struggled under your backpack’s hulking weight. 

Okay, skipping was definitely not up your alley, but showing up to class this late also wasn’t. 

It’s not like your parents would be there to pick up the call that you'd skipped anyway, you thought bitterly. Looking down at your phone, you anxiously noted that it was 10 minutes past the late bell and figured it was too late to show up at that point. 

“No, it’s good,” You started walking further back on the grounds to where the gardens and tennis courts were. “Jason wanted me to come, anyway,” You gave a small smirk, testing out just how much sass you could unleash on them.

“Sure,” He laughed. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, babe.” 

There it was again. The nickname that already had you in a chokehold.

“Where are you guys eating at?”

“Oh, yeah, food would be sweet,” Roy clapped you on the back. Not lightly, mind you. “Good idea."

“Jason said you guys were getting something to eat?” You stated the obvious. Had that not been their plan after all? 

"Sure, yeah," Roy tried to cover up with faux nonchalance. Jason, on the other hand, looked downright guilty. “Want to go to the diner on fifth?” 

You reached the courtyard wall, where they immediately began to climb over it, but you just stood there. The wall’s daunting height only seemed to double the longer you stared. Roy dropped back down from the top to grab your backpack before throwing it up to Jason, who sat saddled over both sides, with ease. 

Jason caught your backpack and dropped it to the other side before doing the same, just after Roy rejoined him on the top of the wall. 

“Okay, I didn’t realize skipping school involved level 20 calisthenics skills,” You brushed your sweaty hands on the front of your skirt as you finally approached the wall. 

“Video game talk, very hot. Nice, nice,” His red hair bobbed from above with his enthusiastic nods. You struggled for a bit until he started pointing out odd stones that stuck out. “Put your foot there, good,” You blushed at the insignificant praise. “Just like that.” You were a bit over halfway up the wall when Roy offered you his right hand to pull you up. 

Once at the top, you held down the center of your skirt to keep it from rising before maneuvering both legs over the side so you could peer down at the ground below you. 

Below you, Jason seemed entirely entertained by the whole situation. He eventually opened his arms and motioned for you to jump. 

“Hurry up, princess.” Roy ushered from beside you. “Your chariot awaits.” What chariot he was referring to, you didn’t know, but you did know that you didn’t want to get caught. 

“Coming, coming,” You waved Roy off, leaving him to gracefully drop to the grass below. “In the comics, they roll. Should I roll?”

“Do whatever the fuck you need to; just hurry up.” Jason motioned once again for you to jump. 

You looked behind you, then at the ground again. “Alright,” You leaped from the wall and rolled onto the grass with as much grace as a newborn bird. “Ow, okay. Rolling does nothing,” You groaned, gathering your bearings on the ground when you suddenly heard Roy clearing his throat. You peered up to see the older men pointedly avoiding your general direction. You quickly glanced down only to become mortified by the sight of your bright red Flash-themed panties on full display. “Oh, fuck me. Come on.” 

If there was a word greater than embarrassment, that’s what you were, but like times ten. Scratch that, times 100. 

You pulled down at the plaid uniform skirt, desperately shifting it back into place. You refused to meet Roy’s eyes as he extended a hand to lift you up, but you ultimately ended up taking it. 

You were pretty sure your face was going to remain red for the rest of the day and seriously considered hanging your head in shame, taking the L and just going back to class. That and never showing your face around either of them again. 

Yeah, that sounded about right. 

But you did none of that. Instead, you looked at them defensively, challenging them to say anything about what they’d just witnessed. 

Jason merely tilted his head in the direction of the parking lot, still content to avoid eye contact. He didn’t leave any room for conversation anyway. “We’re going to get caught if we stay around much longer.” You and Roy nodded, following his lead all the way to the far side of the parking lot where there were three Challengers, a station wagon and a red motorcycle. 

You silently begged whatever gods were out there that you wouldn’t be taking the death-trap. 

It was for naught. 

Jason and Roy soon sidled up next to the obnoxious crimson motorcycle that put the red of your Flash undies to shame. They beckoned you over and you obliged, albeit hesitantly. 

“Problem with the ride, kid?” Jason quirked a brow your way.

“If anything, I’m just thinking about how this adds to your whole superfluous, angsty persona,” You shrugged and continued to eye the bike with disdain.

“A true angst king then, perhaps,” Roy added.

“Indeed,” You nodded and fist-bumped, leaving Jason to roll his eyes.

“Good to know you’re both brushing up on basic ACT vocab, but can we get a move on?” Roy wasted no further time in sitting down on the bike before patting his lap.

You looked over at Roy, “Don’t you have a car or something?”

“Forgot my keys?” You glared as you let out a resigning sigh and straddled the seat, not wanting to keep Jason waiting any longer. You backed up a bit before ultimately settling down onto his lap. “Usually, Jason drives anyway. For real, though,” He said, trying to make you feel more comfortable and less like a set-up, considering you were sitting in his lap and he’d just seen your panties. 

It did help you calm down a bit.

Jason handed you his red helmet, then maneuvered to sit. His added proportions forced you backward, higher onto Roy’s lap. 

“Alrighty then, a warning next time would be great, princess,” His voice sounded restrained, leaving Jason to snicker as he continued to find the best way to sit. Huffing, he turned around to spread your thighs before turning back around and pushing his back in between them. 

You sat there stupefied; eyes wide, blush evident like a dumbass.

His touch had been brief but firm.

You were grateful the gasp you felt stirring didn’t make it past your lips. Especially when all you could feel was the leather of his jacket flush against your bare thighs where his touch still lingered. 

“Don’t suppose you have any more badass jackets lying around?” You managed around your sudden flash of arousal. 

“Ha, ha,” He toned, unamused. “Very funny,” He shifted slightly, inadvertently causing the center seam on the back of his jacket to come into contact with your seam. 

This time, you’re unable to hide your reaction as the contact leaves you arching backward into Roy. 

Being between the two of them had left you both hot and bothered and now also extremely wet. 

“I, for one, think she’s a riot,” Roy added unhelpfully. 

“Thanks, Roy,” You said, thankful for the distraction. 

You were still breathless from the dizzying leather contact in front of you and the muscular wall behind you that trapped you against it. You shook yourself out of your remaining stupor to put the helmet on to further hide your flustered state.

“Anytime,” He patted the top of your thigh where his hand had been resting. “You told us to hurry up, so come on, bro.” 

Just as Roy finished his sentence, Jason rev’ed his engine up, eliciting a huge roar as he high-tailed it out of the parking lot. 

You desperately clung to Jason’s rock-hard stomach while wrestling to keep your skirt from flapping up in the wind. From behind you, Roy howled with laughter right next to your ear at the adrenaline-inducing speed, but a sharp turn had him shutting up real fast. He then focused on wrapping both arms securely around you as Jason continued to zip around midday Gotham traffic on his bike. 

You’d lost the battle with your skirt long ago until Roy, having seen your pathetic plight, adjusted his grip. His right arm situated around your waist while the other splayed itself between your thighs to keep the offending piece of fabric at bay. “I got you.” 

All you could manage was a nod. 

The vibrations, coupled with Roy’s unfortunate-yet-fortunate hand placement, made you feel like you were in your room going at it with your vibrator.

You were glad the skirt acted as a barrier between your leaking arousal and Roy’s wrist, but it was only so thick. With the steady piling of chilling heat in the bottom of your stomach, you knew this wasn't going to end well.  

You were suddenly slammed against Roy’s forearm and into Jason's back when he came to an abrupt stop at a red light. 

“Oof!” You fell directly back onto Roy’s lap. “You’re doing this on purpose.” You growled through the helmet, assuming he’d think you were talking about the excessive speeding, but no. You were talking about the delicious friction that was about to push you to your limit. 

He held up his hands in faux surrender before quickly shifting them back to rev the handles as the light turned green. 

“JASON!” You screamed as he went from zero to round the corner at a highly illegal speed. 

Even through the helmet, you can hear his gorgeous laugh. He’s only laughing for so long as he completely blows through a speed bump, leaving the bike and all its inhabitants airborne from the shared seat. “HOLY SHIT!” You screamed as you bounced back onto Roy’s lap at the same time your chest bounced against the back of Jason’s leather jacket. 

Roy let out a pained groan at the contact. “I agree,” He mewled. In your highly aroused, nearly lucid state, your clit throbbed at the noise. “This is definitely on purpose.” 

You probably would’ve laughed along had you not been seconds away from your first, very public, orgasm on a motorcycle. 

Your shaky breath by then had fogged up your helmet, leaving you completely blind to everything around you. For some reason, this wasn’t helping your problem in the slightest and, if anything, was amplifying their obscene onslaught against you.

You attempted to shift, but were ultimately unable to find any relief from the, er… relief you were already feeling. At least, that is until Roy smacked your thigh, holding it in place to stop any further movement from you. It was worse, a lot worse. And by worse, you meant better, a lot better for other things. 

You stilled suddenly as your eyes rolled back into your head. The vibrations, coupled withRoy’s hand on your spread thighs and your grip on Jason’s abs took control over your body. 

You shifted your hips forward against Jason’s back while your head fell onto Roy’s shoulder with a silent gasp. You quickly came to the realization of what you’d just done and straightened instantly in Roy’s lap to play it off.

“Can you guys stop humping each other back there for two seconds? We’re almost there.” Your back tensed at his sudden statement and you wondered if your orgasm hadn’t been as quiet as you’d thought. There was no way, though, right? Jason was surelyjust joking… That had to be it.   

“Swear she just passed out, dude.” Jason and Roy cackled as you attempted to regulate your breathing, “I think your driving knocked her out, or some shit.” 

Sure, you thought, if that’s what they said happened, who were you to correct them? You glanced down to where an uncomfortable damp spot in your Flash-themed panties told the real story and made sure it stayed covered up. 

Jason hadn’t lied. Seconds later, the bike came to a lurching stop in the empty parking lot where the force of the brakes sent you and Roy pushing against Jason’s muscular back. 

“Was all of this necessary?” You asked him, still half-hanging over his shoulder from the abrupt stop. 

“Plenty, babe,” He turned his head so it was breaths away from your helmeted one with a wicked smirk and hopped down to help you get off the bike. Roy moved his hand from in between your thighs so you were free to hop off using Jason’s hand for support. “Was it really that bad?” You gave him a deadpan glare in lieu of an actual response as you returned his helmet. 

“She was shaking the entire time,” Roy answered for you, shaking with laughter as he got down too.

“I thought there was something wrong with my bike,” Jason snorted.

You hastily steered the conversation in a different direction before it got any further. “It’s all super hilarious,” You fake laughed obnoxiously before crossing your arms. “So, are we gonna go eat or what?”

“Jeez, Princess. You think you’d be a bit more mellowed out right now.” You glanced wearily at Roy after his oddly specific comment, but refrained from any further questioning so they’d drop the topic completely. 

“Hangry,” You offered instead of taking the bait. “Now, let’s go.” You ushered both of them inside only to be led by them to the booth furthest in the back. The table was angled in just the right way to be able to see the diner counter and the entrance. 

You all ordered and you pulled out your phone to see a text from Damian asking why you’d missed art class. You sent back a quick reply that you’d tell him later before slipping your phone back into your backpack.

“Baby’s first skip day?” Roy motioned over to your phone. “Parents already on your back?”

“Sure.” Parents were another topic you wanted to avoid. 

Roy seemed to take the hint and offered a toast as soon as all of your milkshakes came out. “Well, cheers to your first day of delinquency.”

“I’ll cheers to that,” Jason clinked his strawberry against Roy’s chocolate peanut butter and soon your own frosted glass joined in the mock celebration.

“To maybe having a few more,” You said. “Emphasis on the maybe, though.” You warned, but they were too busy slurping to pay you any mind. 

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll see.” 

Your food arrived and you chatted more about their classes and hobbies. 

It turned out Roy was playing the same video game you’d had your eye on for a year now, so a majority of the time was spent with Roy trying to explain the plot and failing miserably, leaving Jason to correct him every other few minutes. 

“He was stoned out of his mind on that level,” Jason would butt in every few minutes or so and you’d lean in closer to hear the actual storyline per Jason.

“We should play together sometime.” You slouched down in the booth with a groan on account of your overly full stomach.

“Why not now?” Jason suggested, looking at you for permission. 

You’d all finished at that point, but you’d planned to head back to school after your long lunch. 

Now you were debating. You’d already left the school premises, so was there really any point to going back? You looked at your phone, seeing your long lunch had well extended into last period.

You gave him an affirming look, “Let’s do it.” 

You slid out from the booth to let Roy out. Meanwhile, Jason fiddled around in his leather jacket until he produced a wallet. Jason slapped a $100 on the table and gave you and Roy a look that it was not up for debate on who paid. 

A man walking in held open the door for you and Roy, but Jason being the straggler, ended up right in the crossfire of said man’s sneeze. Jason stumbled out of the entryway with a horrified face, greeted by the sight of you and Roy cackling at his misery.

“I need a shower. No,” He shuddered as he stalked over to the two of you, “five.”

“I’ll join you,” Roy obnoxiously wiggled his brows at Jason. “I’m so dirty, daddy.” 

Jason gawked briefly, then quickly wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Fuck off, you gay ass.” 

The two of them laughed at that, but you shut it down. 

“You know, you really shouldn’t make fun of someone for their sexuality.”

They both looked at you blankly, then at each other and grinned, “PFFT!” 

“I’m serious,” They began to laugh to the point you ripped the helmet from Jason’s bony-fingered grip. “It’s not funny!” You stuck the helmet on your head and plopped onto the bike with crossed arms. “Lots of men are put down or unjustly feminized for being gay or bi. You guys shouldn’t perpetuate that kind of culture.” 

Roy snickered, wiping mirthful tears from his gorgeous eyes, “No, princess, you’re right.” He elbowed Jason, who’d stopped laughing soon after your statement. “Guess we don’t have to hide our undying love anymore, Jasey-poo,” He began to obnoxiously smooch at the air around Jason’s face. 

There was a sudden shift not even you could’ve been prepared for, let alone Roy.

Jason backed up, face scrunched up in disgust, “Shut up and get on the bike, Roy.” Jason refused to meet either of your eyes. Well, not that he could even see yours through the darkened helmet visor, but even through the dark tint, you could tell Jason seemed bothered. 

You sighed internally, that’s not what you’d meant to do at all.

Roy cleared his throat, throwing on the second helmet. “You’re gonna have to get up, beautiful.” 

“Oh,” You quickly got up so Roy could sit where you’d just been. “Sorry.” 

You fiddled with the oversized helmet as you sat back on his lap with a soft bounce. This time, you knew what to expect in terms of positioning, so settling onto the bike didn’t take as long nor had as many adjustments. Your clit was still tender from earlier, which made the ride back somewhat painful rather than the pleasure you’d felt earlier. 

The three of you pulled into the manor just as Tim and Stephanie were walking through the gates. 

“Yooo!” Stephanie threw a peace sign in your direction. 

“Hey!” You took off the helmet and handed it to Jason, who held out his other to help you down. 

“Don't you look all hot and bothered,” She wiggled her eyebrows, referencing the squished position between the two seniors.

The four of you chatted as you walked into the manor, where you met a confused Damian in the foyer. 

He looked surprised to see you. “You weren’t in class today.” 

You rambled a bit before Stephanie cut in.

“Trouble in paradise?” She cackled, causing her blonde tresses to bob up and down. “You should’ve seen her ride.” She obnoxiously winked at Jason, who blew past her without a word to go upstairs. 

You immediately looked at Roy, who shrugged and saluted to the other three in the room. “Fuck it, we ball.”

“What?” Your head tilted in confusion. Damian seemed to be in the exact same boat. 

Roy simply tilted his head where Jason had gone, “Come on, princess.” 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Damian cut Roy’s nonsense off, saying your last name in an accusatory tone. 

Well, you thought as you looked anywhere but at him, you were busy orgasming all over the back of your brother and his friend. “I got cold feet?” 

He scowled, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll be there for you. In the class, I mean,” He quickly corrected as he looked over your shoulder to where Roy lingered, “Perhaps you’d want to make up for the time we lost?”

You snorted, “Talk normal, twerp.” 

He ignored you, moving both hands behind his back. “Father will need me soon but, until then, would you want to hang out?” 

“Yeah, sure.” You looked to Roy for permission as if you needed it, but he just motioned to the two of you to follow after Jason. “I wasn’t trying to skip.” You confided as the three of you began walking up the stairs. 

“It doesn’t seem like you.” He agreed with your statement, turning to glare at Roy, who paid him no mind. “Don’t let these hooligans deflower your innocence.” 

The worst part was he was being completely serious. No, the worst part was they technically had deflowered you, albeit without knowing. 

He merely glanced at you out of the corner of his eyes as Roy howled, having to hold onto the banister for support. “Oh, my god, Damian. You’re hilarious, little dude,” His face was turning red enough to block out his freckles as he continued to howl, “Deflower, PFFT!”

“DAMIAN!” Your mouth dropped open in complete shock. “What the fuck is your deal?!” 

You smacked at his shoulder. He returned the action tenfold, nearly sending you over the railing of the stairs with his brute power. You winced at the contact and hissed out an ‘ow.’ His eyes, however, remained glued to Roy’s back.

“What’s up?” Jason greeted monotonously once the three of you found him in the library.

“I thought we were gaming?” You questioned Jason, who sat on the floor with his papers spread out in front of him

“Yeah, what the hell,” Roy walked over to Jason and destroyed his organized papers by chucking his bag on the ground in front of him. “Then you ditched me to babysit, dude.”

Damian quirked a dubious brow, “More like the other way around, Harper.”

“If anything,” You concurred. 

The redhead motioned between the two of you as if it explained everything, “See what I’m talking about?”

“Sure, Roy,” Jason glanced up at you with amusement glimmering in his verdant eyes. Your cheeks heat up instantly at the contact, immediately shiftting your eyes over at the copy of ‘The Odyssey’ trapped in his attractive hands. Was there any place on Jason’s body you could look at and not get flustered by? “And we need to get started on our project, so,” He motioned to the papers.

“Give me that, Todd.” Damian flipped over the book impetuously to scowl at both sides, “Purely elementary.”

“And what are you and Roy reading?” Jason challenged.

“‘Animal Farm?’” You chimed in, voice dripping with sarcasm. “No, ‘Lord of the Flies?’”

“Don’t you join them!” Damian insisted, looking at you somewhat betrayed. Roy and Jason laughed as you comforted a distraught Damian and assure him that you’re not, in fact, ganging up against him. “It’s ‘Grapes of Wrath’, for your information.”

“Ah,” You pat him on the back. “Nature is king is a reoccurring theme. Boom, I just wrote your thesis for you.” 

“Please, we have to go more in-depth than that.” He scoffed. “It’s a lot more complex than ‘The Odyssey’.”

“How?” Jason challenged. “Different genres, different time periods. It’s completely unfair to even compare the two unless you’re just talking about them being literary classics.”

Roy leaned over to fake whisper to you, “I love it when he gets all book-wormy.” 

You nodded distractedly in agreement as you watched the literary battle between Jason and Damian roar on. 

“They’re about the plight between families, albeit for different reasons and how they’re able to overcome to ultimately come back together.” Damian said. You nodded, being able to see where his analysis was coming from. 

“Odysseus was on his own for the entire book practically.” Jason pointed out the flaw in his argument, but Damian was quick to refute it. 

“It’s a hero’s journey; of course he’s alone,” He said. “It always is a lone journey,” He gave Jason a meaningful glance that had you furrowing your brows. 

You nudged a distracted Roy. “Reminds me of Batman, to be honest.” You lowered your voice into a dramatic rasp and use your arm to create a fake cape to cover the bottom half of your face. “I work alone.”

Damian wrinkled his nose, having heard you, “Please never do that again.” 

You all burst into laughter. Well, except for Roy, who was vehemently scribbling down what you assumed to be notes. Upon closer inspection, however, it all just appeared to be random, disconnected scribbles. 

He seemed to sense the weight of your eyes on him because he tried to explain, “I think I’ll actually manage to pass this year.” 

“Yeah,” You drawled, looking back down at his chicken scratch, turning your head every which way to make sense of it, “if you can ever manage to go back and decode this shit.” 

“I, for one, can read it perfectly.” He boop'ed you on the nose, leaving you to snort. 

“Hey!” Jason and Damian complained suddenly. 

You turned from Roy to see them glaring in both of your directions. 

Your eyes widened with confusion, “What?” Damian muttered something under his breath and then, out of nowhere, asked you to help him with his English homework. “Damian, you’re in Roy’s English class… Two years above me.” You reminded him. 

“Fine,” He sighed and made a demanding grab for the papers you were busy pulling out of your backpack. “Then I’ll help you with yours.”

“Unless you just up and do it, I can’t imagine how much help you’ll be,” You shrugged as he looked over the papers with a heavily focused look before shoving them back into your expectant hands.

“Pass.” Damian gave a curt nod before leaving you, Jason and Roy alone with a growing mountain of homework. “Enjoy these losers.”

“Keep those petals flowery, Damian.” Roy looked up from his notes to wink at Damian’s retreating form. He nudged his elbow into your arm, “Right, babe?”

“That’s my nickname for her, Roy.” Jason looked at you for an explanation but was met with you blushing at the memory of Damian’s uncalled-for comment on the stairs. 

“You’re right,” Roy smirked, turning to you. “Wouldn’t want to confuse you, now would we, princess?” He winked, leaving you to roll your eyes in return. 

You wished your cheeks would go back to their normal fucking color already, but they stubornly refused.

“Are we actually going to work or not?” You reminded Jason of your upcoming project, but he quickly waved you off. It seemed like his priorities had changed after Damian’s appearance in the library.

“Roy, pass me the shit.” 

You raised a brow, but Roy just nodded with a coy smile before pulling out a gigantic colorful wrapped treat.

“What is that?” You skeptically eyed the treat as it was passed between the two boys. 

Jason unwrapped it, looking pointedly at Roy with a silent question, but Roy just shook his head.

“They’re edibles, dumbass.” 

You huffed, crossing your arms, “I think I like ‘babe’ better.”

“Noted,” He said, taking a huge bite and offering it your way, but you held up a hand to pass. 

Soon enough, absolutely no work had been done and the two of them had taken to fucking around with each other, making it nearly impossible to read. You tried to ignore their rambunctious laughter and rough-housing as you continued to note, but eventually, it got to be too much.

You sighed, catching both of their attention as you snapped your notebook shut. “I’m soo glad we’re partnered together on this project.” The sarcasm rolled off you in waves as they both finished off a second Rice Krispie each. Great. You continued to work on the outline you needed to complete by Friday while Jason and Roy immediately went back to reinitiating their smack-fest on the floor.

“Don’t worry, babe. I’ll do my fair share. It’s not like the weed is gonna stop that.” Jason reassured you, panting as he held Roy down on the floor by a fistfull of his firey hair, but you doubtful. 

In true stoner fashion, Roy butted in, face still smashed hilariously against the carpet. “Shit's less dangerous than alcohol. Don’t believe the shit they tell you about da kush.”

“Dude,” Jason shook his head at Roy’s pathetic lingo, pushing down harder on him until Roy’d had enough. You watched half-amused, half-annoyed as Roy slammed Jason to the spot on the carpet Roy’d warmed up for him. The dumbass stopped to admire his work too long, leaving an open invitation for Jason to tackle him by the midsection to the ground below. 

“I think I’ve done enough rebellious teenage things for one day,” You admitted hesitantly, looking from the offending pot Fruity Pebble Rice Krispies Treats to the sweaty fuckeres rolling around on the floor. “Besides, those don’t even look good.”

“True,” Roy panted, ignoring your last comment about the edibles as he held Jason in a headlock. “We did just break your skipping virginity.” 

They really had no idea about the true extent of virginity that had been taken from you that day, leaving a faint blush to appear at the memory of the motorcycle ride. That, along with Damian’s weird ‘deflowering’ comment.

“And with that lovely comment, Roy,” You squinted your eyes in his direction. “I’m out. I actually plan to get my shit done before school tomorrow.”

“You’re so smart, princess,” Roy made a heart with his hands over his actual one. “Maybe it’ll rub off on me one day,” He winked and Jason smacked him audibly on the arm.

No motorcycles ever again, you silently concurred after another one of Roy’s pointed comments about earlier that day.

“Stop trying to act like a fuck boy. It’s completely out of character,” Jason belittled his red-haired friend.

“Don’t even get me started on you Mr. Brooding, bad boy,” He morphed his face into Jason’s seemingly permanent scowl, doing his signature ‘tch.’ “Babe this, babe that, check out my motorcycle I only got from my dad because I-” Roy trailed off, crossing his arms at both of your wide gazes. “What?!”

Jason looked deathly murderous. 

Definitely your cue to leave, especially considering what you witnessed the last time you saw that same look on his face. You shook your head, thinking back on your first visit here to now. So much had changed. Plus, you definitely had a lot more friends than you did the first time. You smiled lightly to yourself at this as you collected your things in the wake of their argument. 

“Alright, I’m officially out. Have fun with each other and all of this,” You gestured to the papers and edibles. “I’m actually going to get my shit done. See you guys tomorrow.” You managed over their bickering, but neither seemed to notice. 

As you shut the library door behind you, you heard Tim’s quiet voice too late and you ended up bumping directly into him. He greeted you somewhat off-handedly before giving your disheveled uniform a once over. You attempted to smooth out your skirt, which had been creased from your earlier ride, then adjusted the straps of your superhero themed backpack on your shoulders. 

“Don’t think I noticed that the first time,” He said, referring to your bag. “You read comics?” 

“Of course!” You couldn’t help that the volume of your voice raised with your excitement. No one ever wanted to talk comics with you, especially no one in Gotham. It was taboo in a way most cities would never be able to comprehend. 

You’d tried to get Damian into Batman of all things, but it never held his attention. According to him, it was all “girly-soap-opera bullshit anyway.” 

“Want me to walk you out?” You nodded and he moved to guide you with a gentle hand on your shoulder. “I feel like I keep seeing you, but you’re gone before I can talk to you.” He admitted. “Who do I have to fight to get some attention from you?” He flashed a gorgeous smile in your direction, forcing your eyes away from his delicate attractiveness.

“Talk comics with me?” 

He gives you an amused smile, “Yeah, I can do that.” You ended up sitting down next to Tim in the living room, which was situated next to the foyer. He patted at the spot on the couch right next to him and you ended up settling close enough that you could feel warmth radiating from his slender form. “Who do you read?” He glanced down at your backpack and smirked. “Besides Batman, that is.”

You blushed, not sure how much you wanted to nerd out in front of Tim. You didn’t want to scare him off and having him think you were some weird freak. “Long answer or short?”

His bright eyes glistened with something you couldn’t read. “Long.” His voice was deep and controlled, making you squirm slightly in your seat.

You still weren’t encouraged he knew what he was getting himself into, but you divulged anyway. 

“Well, living in Star City I’m partial to any of the Arrow comics, Black Canary included.” You added but thought it was pretty self-explanatory. “Flash family is pretty interesting too with the whole speed-force thing… Poor Kid Flash,” You lamented as if the storyline was actually real. “Can’t go wrong with Huntress or The Question, OH!” You exclaimed, sitting up straighter on the couch, further invading Tim’s space. You cleared your throat as you caught a whiff of his earthy, pinewood-smelling cologne. “Nightwing’s hot as fuck. Serious buns of steel, so there’s that, but I know you said besides Batman,” You finished with a shrug.

“Er…” Tim looked around the room quickly.

“Don’t lie, Tim. You know it’s true,” You sighed as you stared off into space, thinking about the skin-tight uniform he donned. “Fattest ass in the whole superhero game by a longshot.” You inadvertently thought back to Dick’s speedo-covered ass that was now ingrained in your mind for the rest of eternity. Still had nothing on Nightwing, though you concluded. 

“I’ll take your word on it,” He trailed off amusedly. 

“But, obviously,” You pointed to your backpack. “Anything Batman or Robin is the shit.” You nodded and started listing off repeat characters that were featured in the issues over the years. “They speculate that there have been at least five Robins, if not more! How crazy is that?” You continued rambling. “And they all start so young too! Could you imagine being in middle school and going home to kick ass and then finish fractions homework? Wild.” You shook your head in disbelief. Tim had remained quiet throughout, so you glanced over to make sure he was still awake, only to find him still staring at you with the same unreadable look. “What?”

“Which one is your favorite?” It came out somewhat hesitant, but you shrugged, figuring you were reading too far into it.

You didn’t have to think on it for too long. You’d asked yourself this very question ages ago once the speculation came out, but actually explaining it out loud was a whole other thing.

“First Robin is always iconic,” You listed on your finger easily. “The second one… Not much is known, I don’t think.” You trailed off and looked to him for confirmation, but he just shook his head. “Red Robin is probably the most iconic Robin aside from the first panty-wearing one.”

Tim barked out a laugh, “Oh, yeah?” 

You nodded animatedly. “Red Robin’s uniform basically set the trend for the newest Robin’s garb,” You pointed out with a raised eyebrow, begging Tim to refute it, but he never did, so you continued. “Besides the hood and all, it’s just a boring Red Robin costume, but Red Robin,” You sighed and whipped out your phone to show Tim all the photos you’d captured of him over the years for your Batman blog. “He’s different.”

“Woah, déjà vu…” He muttered to himself and you let out a questioning noise. “I, uh, used to follow around Batman and Robin too.”

“No way,” You smiled widely. “We should go out together sometime then. With the two of us, we’ll be unstoppable!” He continued to scroll through your blog distractedly. “I haven’t been out to photograph since I moved out here, but I’ve been wanting to get back out there sometime soon.”

“I’d be down,” Tim nodded as he zoomed in on a particularly spicy photo that had somewhat blown up on your blog. “Seems like you always go for a, uh… certain angle?” 

You blushed and snatched your phone away. “It’s not like I can exactly repel up buildings like them to get a normal angle.”

“So, basically, you have a Red Robin ass-shot fanpage?” He teased, handing you back your phone.

You laughed at his accurate analysis. “I guess so.” You pocketed your phone and stood up. “I have to get heading out now, but if you ever want a large print of one of my pics, just let me know.” You winked at him, teasing him right back. 

“It was really nice chatting with you.” He said, also getting up.

You nodded. “Nice chatting with someone who gets it.” You’d meant the comic book part because his brothers teased you relentlessly about it, but your statement seemed to be misconstrued by Tim as it made him blush brightly. 

Deep red stained Tim’s pale, striking cheekbones. “For sure.” He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but instead just ran a bony hand through his loose locks. “See you around,” He said your name. As he turned to walk off with a tiny wave, he came upon the ruckus heading directly your way.

You heard trampling from behind you and turned just in time to see Jason and Roy shoving each other down the stairs. 

"Oh," Jason drawled, schooling a bored face as he stared at the small space between you and Tim. "You’re still here?”

“Fuck off,” You turned on your heel and walked to the front door, still annoyed that they took edibles rather than help with the project. You waved to them and headed for the door.

“Woah, woah, woah.” Roy said, appearing out of nowhere with a strong hand on your shoulder to prevent you from going anywhere further. “We got you, babe-princess.” He looked back to Jason, who seemed extremely unamused by Roy's second nickname mix-up of the day. “You down for another motorcycle threesome?”

You gawked and turned to Tim quickly to set things straight. “I’ve never been down for that, but,” You turned back to Jason and Roy and admitted, “I do need a ride.” 

Tim walked out to the front with you guys, as if wanting to see the motorcycle set up for himself. Based on his wrinkled nose, he didn’t approve of the intimate proximity between the three of you. If he really was bothered, he didn’t really show it as he still elected to wave at you. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” He said your name and walked back into the manor.

“You got a goal to fuck everyone in the mansion, or what?” Jason’s bitter voice cut through your daydreaming. 

“Definitely not the two of you, that’s for sure. Dick, though…” You sighed extra dreamily just to piss him off. 

“Just get on the bike.” Came Jason’s gruff response. 

It had worked, you thought to yourself with a smile, and it wasn’t even true. You totally would bang any of them in a heartbeat- have they seen themselves? Everyone in the house looked like they'd strutted straight off the catwalk of Paris Fashion Week.

“When did you meet Dick?” Came Roy’s faux-nonchalant question, “I haven’t seen him around recently.”

“We played one game together, figures she’d already be attached to him.” Jason seemed a lot more upset than you’d expected, but why? Also, Jason hadn’t even technically been there when you’d first met Dick, so what did he even know?

“And yet, whose bike am I on?” You snatched the helmet from his hand to shove on your head.

The ride to your apartment goes by quickly and is mainly drowned out by Jason blasting some angsty music. When you pulled up, they looked at you expectantly. 

“What?” You handed Jason back his helmet, hopping off Roy’s lap. “You want to come inside or something?” You’d only been joking, but they seemed to take it very seriously as they both dismounted swiftly to follow you into the apartment complex. “Woah, I was just kidding.”

“No takebacks,” Jason insisted, but you were too busy internally worrying about them seeing your pathetic apartment to truly be bothered by his resolutness. 

“Alright,” You turned to go inside but hesitated enough for Roy, who was following behind you, to notice.

He quickly came to your side. “We don’t have to, you know?” It was muttered somewhat privately between the two of you as Jason was more preoccupied with the safety of his bike. “I definitely get it.” Did he though? Your face must have expressed this because he merely laughed. “Listen, my uncle, Ollie may be rich, but before him, well, not so much,” He trailed off. “So, in that sense, I guess I get it?” He seemed uncomfortable bearing all this information with you, but you felt more at ease because of it. 

“I,” You placed a light hand on his shoulder in appreciation, “yeah.” You weren’t so good with the being open part either. At least he was able to get out an actual sentence, you admonished yourself. “Definitely difficult living here and going to school in Bristol too.” You shrugged. It was the truth and it seemed to be the primary reason almost everyone at school treated you like slimy trash beneath their Prada dress shoes.

“For sure, princess.” You blushed at the intimacy that leaked out from his voice. “Like I said earlier, ‘us Star City kids gotta stick together.’” You nodded, looking anywhere but into his hypnotizing green eyes. From this close, you could clearly see the light freckles that dotted his pale face. 

“You guys good?” Jason finally appeared behind you, wrapping a hand around your shoulder. “Is he bothering you?”

Roy slapped at Jason’s shoulder, effectively smooshing you between the two of them. It was a feeling that was becoming increasingly familiar to you and you definitely weren’t hating it. “Dude!”

“What?!” Jason pushed back at him, smooshing you into Roy now, who pushed back and smooshed you into Jason’s side. 

“Okay, not that I’m not loving this whole tug-of-war game here, but we really shouldn’t be just standing outside in this neighborhood,” You said, pushing them apart with both arms. “Are you guys coming up or not?” You stepped forward, turning around with a questioning gaze, efficiently commanding their attention. 

The sun was starting to set and you didn’t want to wait around for it to get much darker than it already was. You definitely weren’t about to get mugged just because these dumbasses wanted to wrestle on the concrete. 

They look at you and nodded dumbly. 

“Good,” You said, motioning them inside, where they followed behind you like lost puppies. It was kind of cute, you thought to yourself with a light smile. “They say this place is haunted or some shit.” You were making small conversation as you led them to the elevator and clicked your floor, but not before a seemingly intoxicated man could board as well. "I think people are just scared of old, broken-down shit, though."

The building was obviously dilapidated, with outdated aesthetics peeling and chipping into the rotting corpse of the building's barely withstanding core. Fluorescent flickering of sickening green glows throughout, well, the lights that were working, that is.

Without a second glance your way, both Roy and Jason herded you from the middle of the only working elevator to stand between the two of them.

You’d never seen the man around before, but you were glad you’d invited Roy and Jason in, if not just for the numbers. He didn’t seem right and with his blatant staring at you, you were becoming more uncomfortable with each passing second. 

You cursed the slow-ass elevator for taking its damn time.

“You didn’t click a floor, my dude.” Roy tried to sound light as he addressed the man. You looked up at Jason to see him clenching his jaw tightly. Meanwhile, Roy seemed calmer, yet reserved about the unfolding creepy situation. “What number can I hit for you?”

Instead of an answer, there’s a bone-chilling bark of laughter. All eyes shifted to the man now with a steadily growing feeling of unease. “I got my floor,” His dark, hollowed eyes never leaving your own. You glared at him, but all he did was smile back with a haunting grin. 

The elevator ‘dinged!’ and opened up to your floor, but no one moved. 

A couple of things could’ve happened, you figured as you looked around at the overwhelming amount of testosterone leaking into the small elevator car. One: Roy could attempt to dissuade the drunk man with his charm to get him to not follow you back to the apartment and everyone would leave unharmed, plus creepy dude wouldn’t know where you lived. Or, two: Jason would unleash his white-knuckled, clenched fist on the drunk dude, knocking him around and an all-out war would shake the entire unstable car until it threatened to fall. 

However, neither of those things happened. Well, rather a combination of Roy’s charm and Jason’s unhinged hostility. 

“‘M afraid I can’t let you follow our little lady over here, so if this is your floor, you better hop out now, dude.” Roy was smiling, but it didn’t meet his usually warm eyes at all. No, this was a hostile and frightening grimmace under the guise of a smile.

“We’re all men here, right?” It was completely slurred, but you were able to make out what he’d said. 

Your heart pounded frantically with every second that ticked on.

“That we are,” Roy’s lips grew tighter, essentially baring his teeth at that point. “Let’s get a move on, bud.”

The man, however, didn’t head the warning and continued on as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “We’re men, we know what we’re doing. I know what you're both doing.” He gestured drunkenly to them, then to you. “Just like she knows what she’s doing. 'Specially when they walk around in them little school girl uniforms askin’ for it-”

Jason’s capriciousness is unleashed in a well-timed fist to the face, effectively cutting off the sleazy man’s ramblings. 

One punch is all it takes for the man to crumble to the elevator floor. 

You couldn’t help the gasp that slipped from your mouth and into the silent car at the display of violence that took place in front of you. It was only in the aftermath that the true weight of the situation fell upon you.

If you’d been alone… You didn’t have to say it out loud because it’d been what you’d all already been thinking. 

As you left the elevator in heavy silence, your stomach swirled and churned with unease at the memory of his black eyes. It was as if he could somehow see beneath your clothes. 

You felt completely dirty and utterly nauseated. 

Probably for the best, you realized with a sigh, considering you didn’t have any food to cook, but that was something to think about once Roy and Jason left. You hated to admit that, the thought of them leaving didn’t quell any lingering nausea. After all, they’d been the ones who’d saved you. 

What would you have been able to do alone?

You’d been apparently staring at the front of your apartment door for too long because Jason and Roy both cleared their throats. You shook your head, robotically going through the familiar motion of pulling out your keys and unlocking the door as if on autopilot. No, you knew you were on autopilot because you kept forgetting Roy and Jason’s presence.

It was odd hearing voices and movement around the apartment. You weren't alone, per se, but with every rippling ache reverberating throughout your fog in your skull, you knew you were mentally alone.

“Where are your parents?”

You winced at the question, not having the energy to play it off.

No ‘are you okay?’, no ‘how are you feeling?’- no. It was the most invasive question you’d wanted to avoid this whole time. It was quite literally the entire reason that you hadn’t wanted them to come up in the first place.

You came out of your brain fog long enough to see them both looking around at the completely bare walls. You’re sure it was because it clearly lacked the normal familial clutter they were used to. 

You would never tell them but, ever since you were eight, you’d begun the process of raising yourself in your parent's absence. 

They were addicted to gambling, robbing and anything to do with money. Some might even consider them common thieves, you would just consider them absent addicts. They meant almost nothing to you. There was a small part of you that wished for a normal family life where your parents were more focused on taking you apple picking in the fall and swimming at the pool in the summer rather than their next fix of dirty money.

Jason noticed you were seeming to respond again and slowly approached you. “Would you want to stay at the manor tonight?” 

Roy looked concerned like he wanted to ask something more, but instead, he let you take your time answering. Seeing their brows knit together with worry only made your stomach churn more.

You considered the offer but you were used to dealing with this side of town. At least, so you tried to convince yourself. If anything, tonight was a grim reminder that you really didn’t stand a chance in these parts, even against some piss-drunk fuck. 

“No,” You cleared your throat after hearing how small and pathetic it sounded. You wanted to shower and burn your uniform. 

“I’m sorry, but it had nothing to do with what you were wearing and everything to do with him being an absolute pedophile.” You must’ve let the last part slip out in your half-minded state but couldn’t find it within yourself to be embarrassed by Roy comforting you.

Roy looked to Jason, who merely nodded, “We can teach you self-defense that could help you in those situations if they ever happen again.” You looked up into Jason’s emerald eyes, but your gaze was evidently dull and unfocused. 

“Maybe another time.” You wanted for them to leave and stay at the same time. It was just like how you wanted to shower, knew you needed to, but refused to move from the spot you’d been standing in since arriving. 

They said your name in unison and then looked between themselves with concerned looks. “We can stay here? If that would be more comfortable?” Jason finally broke the silence.

“At least while you shower!” Roy chirped with kind eyes that begged yours to meet his own. You couldn’t.

They didn’t want to leave you…? 

“Yeah,” You were too tired for words. Finally, you forced yourself to take step after step as the man’s voice repeated itself over and over again in your head.

You walked to the hallway dead ahead and into the bathroom before turning on the shower. 

Your hamper was in the closet in the hallway that faced the living room where Roy and Jason were currently stationed. In your haze-clouded brain, you didn’t seem to notice or care as you walked back into the hallway to strip in front of the hamper. You made quick work of discarding your ruined uniform, throwing it onto the heap of your other dirty clothes, not caring if Roy or Jason saw as you continued the motions of your usual routine. 

You returned to the bathroom and immediately stepped into its cold spray, not having had the patience to wait for it to heat up, though you regretted it instantly with a pathetic hiss. Soon the shower had heated up to where you’d turned the nozzle all the way to red. You reveled as the scalding water singed your skin red in its wake. 

You were clean. No, not completely clean, but definitely cleaner than you had been in the elevator. You miserably realized that you would never truly feel clean when you could still picture and hear everything. 

Eventually, you heard a knock on the door, reminding you that you of your company. 

“What?” It came out harsh, but you couldn't help but be somewhat upset at being pulled from your pitiful spiraling. 

“Just checking on you.” Came Jason’s gentle voice. “Roy headed out to get something for us to eat and maybe some groceries.” 

Your stomach growled loudly enough that you’re sure Jason heard it. You were embarrassed that, by now, they’d probably gone through your empty cabinet and fridge.

You didn’t respond, so you assumed Jason had gone back to the living room while you finished washing off your fourth round of suds. It was only in the foggy after-haze of your shower that you stepped out into your towel that you realized how rude you were being. You hope they wouldn’t hold it against you after everything they'd done to help you. 

You just weren’t in the right mindset right now.

Emerging from the bathroom, a wall cloud of steam billowed out from behind your small form. You stepped out into the hall and nearly tripped over Jason, who was stationed right outside the bathroomon the floor, in the process. 

“Woah!” He caught you in his arms before you could fall face-first to the floor. “I got you,” He said your name as he righted you and helped you stand. 

He looked away as you fiddled with your towel and headed into your room, shutting the door lightly behind you. You didn't care that it didn’t click into place, leaving a slight path of light from hallway into your own. You used this light to pull on your most basic t-shirt and short PJ set, seeing as the superhero ones didn’t appeal to you at the moment for some reason. You still do pull on your bat signal socks, though, before walking back out into the living room. 

Jason looked you up and down from where he slouched on the couch, but his eyes revealed nothing and you weren’t fully there enough to analyze it further.

You hadn’t shaved in a few days, so stubble showed across your bare legs that were normally covered by your uniform socks, but you didn’t give a fuck. It didn’t seem like Jason cared either as he tore his eyes away from your exposed legs to meet your eyes. “Do you want to talk about anything?” It was Jason’s way of asking if you wanted to talk about it.

“What’s there to talk about? Grown men suck.” It had been an understatement. “They ruin everything.” You’d be stuck picturing the elevator ride from tonight every time you’d get in it.

Jason laughed slightly in agreement. “I know.” He shifted a bit on the couch so he could better face you. “It’s good you know it’s not your fault though, right? You didn’t do anything or cause this in any way.” 

Jason was very clearly trying to let you know that it was the dude’s problem, not yours. It’d been something you’d been thinking about since the incident. 

You, however, were mostly worried about what would happen once Jason and Roy left and it was just you in the building by yourself again. What would you do if you ran into that man again? What if he stalked your floor door-by-door until he found you? You hoped he’d be drunk enough to forget everything, but you couldn’t be sure. 

Suddenly, the door burst open and Roy walked in with piles of plastic to-go containers that stacked up way overtop of his red hair. 

“Solved our little problem.” He set down the bags on your laminate kitchen counters, doing a double take when he saw you sitting on the couch next to Jason. “The food problem, that is!” He rushed to cover his previous statement for some unknown reason, “Who’s hungry?”

Jason snorted and got up to help Roy unpack the Chinese food. “We all are, idiot.” 

You thought back to the two edibles they’d eaten earlier and imagined they’d have the munchies at this point. It was only then that the redness in both of their eyes became apparent, making each of their unique green colors stand out even more than usual. 

The munchies definitely explain the shit ton of food that’s being shoved onto the small amount of counter space you had.

“There’s only three of us.” You said quietly, motioning to the eight food containers.

“I know, but you’re a princess, so I gotta bring you a feast,” He smiled with crinkled eyes, but all you could think about was the terrifying one he’d shot at the drunk man in the elevator. 

Your eyes glazed over once again, heart pounding after suddenly being thrown back into that moment. You stare down at your feet. 

“What do you want?” Jason’s gentle voice washed over you, forcing you to focus back on the options in front of you. 

You shrugged, not feeling too hungry, all things considered. “Whatever's good.”

Another glance between them, but you were too tired to care, let alone read more into it. You found yourself walking back to the couch where you curled into the blanket that you kept on the arm of it.

Roy handed Jason your plate and his before making his way over to you on the couch. “Want me to turn something on?”

Truthfully, you hadn’t even bothered to try and turn the thing on yet. “I only get news channels,” You lied.

“I have Hulu on my phone?” He suggested as he handed you his phone to flip through the options. “Just pick something and I think I can AirPlay it to your TV.”

You clicked on Andrew Garfield in a Spider-Man outfit, then handed it back to Roy. He fiddled for a second with his phone and the TV until it popped up on the flat screen your parents had stolen from your neighbors when you’d moved from your old place to here. It was a pleasant surprise that it worked, seeing as every other TV they'd stolen (and hadn’t pawned) never did. 

Jason squeezed in between you and Roy, balancing three plates piled high with random Chinese goodness like a professional waiter. He distributed two of them out to you and Roy and kept the last for himself.

“You have good taste in spider men.” Roy attempted to joke and get you to nerd out, but you were more focused on eating with your tumultuous stomach. “We could teach you Spidey self-defense,” He obnoxiously pretends to shoot off webs like Spider-Man and even makes cute little noises to go with it. 

You smiled a bit finally at that, leaving Roy to beam at the sight. 

Jason pretended to be absorbed in the food, but you saw how his eyes lingered on your smile just a bit longer than normal. You knew he was glad to see you coming out of your fog a bit more. 

You thought back to the moment and realized how different it could’ve gone if you’d been able to actually defend yourself. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all? 

“I think it would be good for me to know that.” It definitely couldn’t hurt. “It happened so fast,” You looked at both of them with fearful eyes. “If you guys hadn’t walked me up, I would’ve been alone.”

They nodded gravely. 

It’s only then you feel the tears spill out of your eyes. 

You’d always been alone, you were used to being alone, but this time you weren’t and, because of it, something awful was prevented from happening. You tried to stifle your sniffling quietly so they wouldn’t notice, but it was fruitless. The first sob slipped out without permission, gaining both of their attention. They swiftly took care of the plates before wrapping you and your blanket cocoon in their arms, holding on tightly. 

“I’m sorry that this happened to you,” Roy spoke first, with his deep rumble cutting through your silent cries. “We both are.” 

You felt their hands lightly tracing patterns on your back and laugh somewhat when their hands met near the middle of your back. They both immediately pull away with hurried ‘sorry’s’ and mumbled excuses. You yawned, pulling them both back to curl around you and snuggled your head onto Roy’s chest, who stilled instantly at the sudden contact. You felt him glance up at Jason, who merely curled against your back, lightly leaning his head on Roy’s and on top of your own. You tucked your head under his chin and furrowed further into Roy’s exposed collar bones. 

Once you and Jason were settled, Roy kicked his feet up onto your coffee table and got comfortable himself. 

“Don’t suppose you’d want to sleep in a bed?” He whispered, but the even breathing coming from your small body against him was the only answer he received. 

• 

You floated through school the next day, completely preoccupied with the events that took place last night both in the elevator and your apartment. Damian could either sense it like some freaky pack animal shit or, more likely, Jason had told him. You figured this to be true because Damian refused to leave your side the entire day, even going so far as to insist on you spending the night at the manor. You wouldn’t refuse and had already prepared for it by bringing your daily essentials with you in your backpack to lessen the number of trips you’d need to take back to the apartment.

Stephanie and Tim joined you, Jason and Roy at lunch, which helped keep your mind off of everything. That is, aside from the fact that everyone was walking on eggshells and shooting you the most pitiful glances that made your stomach knot. 

Damian was the most tolerable, aside from Jason and Roy who’d woken up with you. For the most part, though, none of them were pressing further. There was a part of him that seemed like he was holding back from saying something to you, but he never convinced himself to actually spit it out. It was just as well, you’d already grown tired of the topic and tired of feeling the cacophony of emotions that always followed. 

You truly owed Roy and Jason so much for stopping that man. You didn’t know how you’d ever make it up to them.

You walked home with the group, mainly trying to keep up appearances when they brought you into the conversation, but Damian made sure to keep you somewhat involved and distracted from your thoughts.

You were brought back to the present by Damian rehashing gossip he’d picked up on in the class you missed yesterday. You could hardly keep up with people’s first names, let alone their last names, enough to actually know who Damian was referring to. In the end, you were just glad for the noise. It was nice not to have to talk when you were still feeling so out of it.

“And she said that she didn’t fornicate with him and that it was all a ‘simple misunderstanding.’” Damian was flapping his hands around dramatically in frustration at the story. “How do you accidentally fornicate?” He pointed a finger at you to further his point. “And, coming from her, it’s rich, seeing as last year at the 8th grade party she couldn’t keep her sloppy ass away from…” You tuned him out as Jason and Roy sped by on his motorcycle, flipping you all off. “And Elliot, being her nosey self-”

“That’s rich,” You joked lightly, not realizing you'd accidentally cut him off. 

His eyes sparkled at the sight of your small smile. “Whatever. I know you live for the drama too.”

You fled from his intense, hazel gaze to stare back down at Tim’s pristine sneakers on the sidewalk directly in front of you. 

“So long as it’s not about me, I guess,” You tried, but it fell flat. 

Damian picked up where he left off, not allowing you to bask in the silence long enough for what happened last night to resurface. “I personally didn’t even want to go to the party, but Father made me.” Damian looked for a reaction and when you gave none, he continued. “I wore a fine tuxedo, but everyone else dressed down for some reason.” 

You couldn’t help but giggle, imagining Damian showing up to the summer pool party in a three-piece suit. 

“Hush,” He said your last name with gentle mirth. You hadn’t realized until that point that Stephanie and Tim had long stopped talking, but Damian didn’t seem to care or notice. “I wish we would’ve known each other then. It surely would’ve been more enjoyable with your company,” He confessed as he looked at you out of the corners of his eyes. 

“I’m sure I would’ve had fun with you too.” You thought about what you would’ve worn, what the pool looked like, etc. 

“I suppose we could go to the homecoming dance together next month.” He was still looking at you with a vulnerability you’d never seen from him before. “It’s not exactly the same, but it might make up for your previous absence.”

You shrugged, “Yeah, sure. That sounds fun.” 

You locked eyes again and he lightly smiled. “We always do what I want to do when we’re here,” Damian said once you’d reached the manor. “So, what would you want to do?”

You thought back to your bare kitchen and how fully stocked his had been. “Would you want me to teach you to bake?”

“I heard bake!” Roy yelled from the kitchen, where he and Jason were in the middle of making enough sandwiches to feed at least eight people. 

You and Damian wandered into the kitchen after bidding Tim and Stephanie goodbye. You were starting to get a hunch that they were a thing… You’d have to remember to ask Damian later. 

Whatever they were, it seemed off today.

Jason ended up helping you more than Damian or Roy did, that is, until Jason started sneezing and coughing and Damian told him to scram. Well, less told and more demanded.

Roy headed out a bit after Jason left and while the scones were still chilling in the fridge. He left after giving you a big hug and a head ruffle to Damian, making him huff in annoyance. 

“Call me if you need anything.” Roy was cut off by Damian slamming the door behind him, but you could still hear Roy’s laughter through the thick, wooden door. 

“I’ll never pretend to understand why you’re hanging out with them all of a sudden,” Damian turned his scowl on you. He suddenly seemed to remember the night you’d had and sheepishly rubbed at the back of his neck. “Never mind, I’m just glad you’re here,” His voice trailed off with a slight rasp. Recently you’d noticed more voice cracks that became less sporadic throughout the weeks and that the voice you’d met had been slightly changing each day.

You snorted, “You don’t need to go all soft on me because of what happened.”

“You have no family either.” 

You winced even though he hadn’t meant it as a jab. “Yeah, that too. Glad you’re caught up on everything.” You pushed past him abruptly to pull the chilled dough from the fridge and put it into the preheated oven. “Guess that’s why Tim wouldn’t talk to me today.”

“It’s not him.” Damian seemed willing to give you whatever information you wanted to stop being mad at him. “He and Brown are on the rocks.” 

“I knew they were a thing!” You exclaimed, turning around with the dirty mixing bowl in your hands. And, as you recalled, you also felt like something was off between them in the foyer early too. 

Damian took the bowl and placed it in the sink, “Anyone with eyes could see that, stupid,”

“Whatever,” You jumped up onto the counter, then remembered it wasn’t your house and shamefully slid down, hoping Damian wouldn’t notice. He did. He jumped onto the counter and pat the spot next to him somewhat demandingly. 

“The only person who uses the kitchen is Pennyworth and Todd, so no one will care about your ass or mine being on here.” You snorted and hopped back up and boop’ed his nose. He’d been nothing but helpful and understanding in how to approach what happened and you were extremely appreciative. He looked at you like you’d grown a third eye. “What’s your deal,” He said your name in a deep voice you’d never heard from him before, sending shivers down your spine. 

What was with you? This was your friend... He didn't like you like that.

Your faces were inches apart without you even realizing it, but he seemed suddenly spooked by the close proximity. Yeah, he definitely didn't like you like that and, to be honest, you didn't know if you did either. It was almost as if you were addicted to the intoxicating feeling of being wanted and that's what you held fast to. 

You were just backing away from him when a deep voice cleared slightly, causing you both to turn immediately to the source- Bruce Wayne. 

He walked over near the sink to grab an apple without a glance in Damian's or your direction. “I don’t think we’ve officially met,” You slipped from the counter bashfully, even after Damian reassured you it wasn’t an issue, but you didn’t dare break eye contact with the older man. It was seemingly a challenge from the infamous playboy and you were more than willing to meet it head-on.

You smiled as genuinely as you could while simultaneously preventing yourself from shitting your pants, well, skirt, on the spot under his intense inspection. You told him your name with only the slightest wobble in your tone as you smoothed down the tweed fabric that had ridden up as you slipped off the counter. “It’s nice to meet you properly, Mr. Wayne.” 

"Call me Bruce," He chuckled politely and threw the red apple into the air before catching it quickly. “I’m sure I don’t have to make excuses for my sons at this point, though, if you’ve been hanging around my youngest.”

“His only,” Damian muttered. It’s only then that you felt like you could look back at him for support. When you turned around, you were met with the sight him hunched over with crossed arms on the counter. 

“I see my point has been proven,” He winked at you, leaving you to genuinely laugh. 

Damian tch’ed. 

“I’m making scones if you’d like some,” You pointed at his state-of-the-art oven. “Jason got sick yesterday at the diner-” You stopped and looked up at Bruce hesitantly. “After school?” You tried to mend your statement, but it was in vain. You weren't used to having to cover anything up for adults seeing as you answered to no one. “Anyway, it’s his recipe and I wanted to make him something.” You shrugged and trailed off lamely. You made eye contact with anything but the attractive man in front of you who towered over you without even trying. 

You didn’t want to mention that Jason had also helped save you from an attack last night, but you assumed Bruce already knew, anyway.

“That’s the whole reason I came in here.” He ignored your admittance to skipping and, instead, moved to open the over to see the dough browning. “It smells delicious.” 

The older man who’d taken you home the first time you visited walked in soon after Bruce and also commented on the smell. “I assumed Master Jason was in here, but it seems like you might just take my job, Miss,” He said your name and you smiled lightly. “Master Damian, see to it that the proper accommodations are ready for your friend.” He turned to you once again, “You will be staying for dinner, Miss?” 

You awkwardly looked back at Damian, who was blatantly staring at you. “Only if it’s no hassle.” You still had lots of leftover Chinese at home, but you didn’t feel safe there on your own quite yet. 

“Of course not, Miss,” He said your last name again and bowed out of the room.

Bruce was about to follow but hesitated and faced you again. You looked up at him expectantly, making him falter slightly. It’d been evident enough that Damian noticed and decided to comment on. 

“What?” He spat at his father.

Bruce gave him an admonishing glance. “If you ever feel unsafe or just want to come over, you’re welcome here any time.” 

Your heart swelled at the offer and you couldn't deny that you felt your eyes start to glisten, “That means a lot.” It'd been a long 24 hours. 

He nodded and gave you and Damian one last look before following after the older man. “I’ll be back for the scones.” He shot you a smile that you returned easily. 

“Father approves of you,” Damian said as soon as Bruce was out of earshot. 

“How? I basically told him I skipped school with your brother.” You glanced at him incredulously as you moved to take the scones out of the oven. 

“I’m not related to those fools,” Damian said with a slight voice crack. You laughed and he glared unappreciatively in response. “Let’s go see if Alfred set up your bed.”

“What do you mean?” There were so many rooms you highly doubted Bruce would want two 14-year-olds of the opposite sex sleeping in the same room. 

“There’s an air mattress.”

“So, I sleep in your bed?” You raised a brow.

“Pfft, don’t be ridiculous,” He said your last name. “I would never sleep on such a contraption.” 

“Gee, sounds comfortable. Can’t wait.” You said sarcastically. 

“You’ll enjoy it.” He hopped down from the counter while you fanned off the scones. Damian mischievously grabbed one and sneakily pulled it away before you could smack it out of his hand, “Too slow.”

“That’s because you’re a fucking ninja or something,” You snorted. “And I’ll take your word on the mattress.” You placed a few scones on a plate and motioned for him to follow you to Jason’s room with some help from your friend to find it. 

You knocked on his door lightly and heard shuffles, then a sneeze, then a curse, then the door opened. The sight that met you had you nearly dropping the scones had it not been for Damian and Jason’s quick, cat-like reflexes. 

You gazed up beet red at a shirtless Jason, which matched the crimson of his red boxers that matched your obvious blush. “I- we made you scones,” You shoved them into his arms and turned on your heel before he could thank you, well, actually before you could make an even greater embarrassment of yourself. 

“Thanks, babe,” Jason called after you, but you didn’t bother to turn around as you continued toward the art room for refuge. 

Damian caught up to you easily. “Why are you acting like that?”

“Like what?” You snapped. 

You weren’t in the mood to have your capricious hormones tested when his were obviously doing the same with all his recent, very comical, you might add, voice cracks. You turned around to give him one of his signature glares as a warning to drop it.

He looked into your eyes, then at your blush and huffed. “If that’s all it takes, then… Never mind.” 

“Good,” You huffed right back and turned away from him. You suddenly noticed a new painting he’d done that was still drying. You walked towards it, analyzing the somehow aggressive, sharp strokes from a watercolor brush. “It's safe to say your style translates across any medium.”

He came up behind you, already knowing which painting you were looking at. It was your face, after all. 

“And what style is that?”

You look at him for a moment, then back at the canvas. “These lines you do are always sharp and heavy, even in watercolor. It looks like you were moments away from ripping through the paper but didn’t.” You looked closer at it. “It’s really beautiful. Can I keep it?”

He regarded you for a moment, hesitating breifly. “Are you sure you want it? I can make a better one of you.” He motioned you to sit in one of the expensive-looking armchairs that adorned the room. 

You shrugged, glad for the distraction and leaned back in the chair with your legs crossed over one another to conceal your underwear in your tweed skirt. You rested your elbow that was closest to the window down onto the arm of the chair and brought that hand to rest lightly and effortlessly against your rosy cheek.

Damian’s eyes slid up and down your body with a heavy gaze, then seemed to remember the task at hand and picked up his brush to dip into varying shades of reddish-pink and green. “Why those colors?”

“They remind me of you.” He didn’t bother glancing up from the canvas to answer you until moments later when he needed to reference you. “You’re very curved, which makes it more satisfying to draw your shapes.”

“Thanks, I think?” You laughed but stopped after Damian reprimanded you for messing up your pose. “Sorry, sorry.” You did your best to smooth your face back down. “I don’t think I’ve seen a single curved line in any of your work yet.”

“That’s because I’ve never had a live model before.” He was definitely staring at your tits now, which were very prominently on display in your long sleeve, v-neck shirt.  

“Damian Wayne’s first live model. What a prestigious yet oddly creepy title to be given.” 

He smirked, “Just stay still, would you?” You followed his orders and returned back to your original position. “Are you wearing lipstick?”

You subconsciously touched your lips. “No, why?”

“They look nice.” He said without looking up. “You don’t wear makeup, do you?” 

“Sometimes I do, I don’t know. I don’t really think about it all too much.” His brows knitted together in concentration while he analyzed your features with careful precision. “Have you ever worn makeup?” You countered his question.

He regarded you with an odd face, “Not willingly, no.”

“But you have?” You were surprised to hear Damian had walked around with anything on his face. You assumed maybe he was talking about concealer before going to a Wayne event, but you couldn’t imagine anything more than that.

He sighed and put his brush down. “Drake and Brown thought it’d be funny to hold me down and put a whole bunch of shit on my face when I was like nine.” You barked out an unexpected laugh at the imagery. “It wasn’t fucking funny,” He glared at you, “Whatever,” He said when you wouldn’t shut up and picked back up the brush to capture your smiling face. 

“I bet you looked beautiful,” You were part teasing, part being honest. Damian had truly stunning features that could definitely be highlighted through a little liquid eyeliner and smoked-out eyeshadow. 

“Fuck off.” From where you were, you could see Damian’s painting process. It was as if you were there for reference but only second to where his hand already wanted to go. Almost like he was possessed by an already mapped-out picture in his mind. The brush slid across the canvas at an alarming pace for what seemed like forever as it scattered from the cup, to the paints, to the canvas. “I’m almost done with the main outline, I can finish the rest without you needing to pose.”

“Alright,” You yawned, asking Damian for the time.

“It’s almost time for dinner. Let me just finish up.” He dipped the brush in the water a few more times, making dramatic, long lines across the canvas before setting down the brush. After a moment of inspecting his work, he called you over to look.

“Oh, wow.” To say he made you look incredible was an understatement- you looked like an actual goddess. He’d captured every minute detail about you in this outline, even on account of the challenging new medium he was using. “Damian, this is crazy good. I can’t even believe how little time it took you to make this!” He didn’t know how to react to the praise, which only made you want to continue to stroke his ego. “I think I’ll need you to teach me how to paint people with watercolors because I sure as fuck can’t.”

“Please,” He waved you off with warm cheeks. “I merely used the techniques you showed me. You’re just being modest.” 

“Whatever,” You blew him off, staring at all the little details. “This is amazing. You’re amazing.” You added the last part at the last second. 

Damian shifted under your attention uncomfortably. “We better not be late to dinner, or Pennyworth will have our heads.” 

You couldn’t quite place a person like Damian Wayne, not then, at least. Would you ever be able to? That was something you weren’t sure of.

“Alright, let’s go.”

A/N: one of my faves chaps so far! what r u thinking- let me know!

in case you missed it- here's a link to the spotify playlist! (it's also linked on the masterlist seen below :p)

[next] ||  masterlist ||  pinned