#someone commented “nobody insults Jason’s dad but Jason’

[frownyalfred]

Jason when someone insults his dad (he was insulting his dad three seconds before)

[ragingbookdragon]

Hell In A Cell

Batsis x Batfamily One-Shot

Word Count: 2K Warnings: Explicit Language and Violence

Author's Note: I can't believe I haven't put this one back up yet. Nothing's more fun than WWE references when you're kicking ass, ya feel? -Thorne

They could feel her eyes on them as they stared at their hands, too afraid to meet her gaze. Dick suddenly found the beds of his nails interesting, Jason and Tim kept looking at the steel seats they were sitting on, and Damian just turned towards the front. She sat opposite of them, on the bench against the other wall, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees. The last time any of them had looked, she had her fingers intertwined and pressed against her lips, her eyes cold and infuriated. After a few moments, Dick gathered the courage to look up from his nails and glanced at her.

He gave a fearful smile and asked, “Uh…sis? Are you still…mad?” Her eyes drifted to his and he visibly flinched from her gaze.

She tipped her mouth away from her fingers and seethed, “Mad is the smallest word for what I am right now.” The others flinched at her fury and looked up, taking in the image of their angered sister.

“It wasn’t that bad (Y/N). We’re just…detained…” Jason’s words died as (Y/N) turned her eyes to him.

“I told you four chuckleheads that the property we were on was protected, but nooooo, ‘we’ll just be in there for five minutes. No one is going to find out’.” She growled as she stood, flinging her arms out to gesture around them.

“Well guess what?! Someone found out! And now we’re stuck in a goddamn jail cell at GCPD, waiting for dad to come bail us out!” Each of their necks disappeared into their shoulders.

Tim spoke quietly. “At least none of us got hurt.”

“It doesn’t matter if none of us got hurt! This is going to be all over the news tomorrow! ‘Billionaire Bruce Wayne’s kids found trespassing on personal property’.” She looked at them as she snapped, “Do you have any idea what this is going to do to our reputations?!”

She turned to Tim. “What this can and will do to the company and future deals?!” (Y/N) sat back down and dropped her head into her hands. “We’ll be lucky to come out of this unscathed.” She groaned loudly and rubbed her face with her hands, sighing tiredly, “Dad’s going to be so pissed when he gets here.”

“Father will not be angry at us sister. He will understand what we were doing.”

(Y/N) let out another heavy sigh and from behind her hands, she muttered, “Oh, he’s going to be angry. He’s going to blow a gasket he’s going to be so angry. I highly doubt—”

A shout from the back of the room cut her off. “Will you five shut the hell up? God, you’ve been complaining ever since you got in here.” The comments made the four boys turn their heads to a group sitting in the back.

(Y/N) pulled her head up and turned, her voice dark as she retorted, “Buddy, I’m in a less than stellar mood right now and unless you don’t want me to show you what your insides look like—I’d advise you to shut the fuck up.”

Her threat made him stand up and he started walking towards her, his group of thugs following in tow. “What did you just say to me rich-bitch? Wanna repeat that?”

When he finally stopped walking, he was right in front of her, and she could see her brothers beginning to rise from their seats for a quick defense. She raised a few fingers in their direction, telling them to wait.

(Y/N) looked up at him as she rose from her seat, coming nose to nose with him. She pulled the most intimidating face she could muster and repeated, “I said, unless you want me to show you what your insides look like…shut the fuck up.”

The man turned to his friends and started laughing, causing them to follow in suit, then he turned back to her. “I don’t think you understand the position you’re in sweetheart.” He motioned to his friends. “We’re in Two-Face’s gang.” He motioned to a group in the corner. “And those clowns work for Joker.”

He turned back to her and reached out, shoving her shoulder. “You’re locked in here with us. Imagine what we’ll do to five rich kids that don’t have any bodyguards to protect ‘em.” The others laughed, and (Y/N) shot a quick glance to her brothers along with a nod before looking back at the man and letting out a dark chuckle. A feeling of apprehension came over them as they stopped laughing.

She flashed him an unsettling grin and leaned forward, whispering, “No pal, I don’t think you understand. We aren’t locked in here with you.” Her brothers rose, moving to her sides and she leaned back. “You’re locked in here with us.”

The man’s eyes widened, and she jerked forward to grab the back of his neck and slammed his head into the seat she’d previously been sitting on. He dropped and the cell went dead silent.

The gang members in the back had stood up, and (Y/N) looked at the ones in front of her. “Who’s next?” No one moved an inch, and she tipped her head side-to-side. “C’mon jackasses, we’re gonna be here all night. We might as well get this over with.”

The gang members looked at each other before nodding and they turned to her and her brothers. “You’re so going to regret that.”

(Y/N) tipped her head and gave a quick glance to her brothers, grinning evilly. “Whoever knocks out the most thugs gets to come with me to Tokyo next week.” They matched her grins and they got into fighting stances.

She turned back to the group and taunted, “Let’s dance.”

***

They all collapsed onto the metal benches, sweating and bleeding; (Y/N) glanced at Dick who was holding the collar of his shirt to his busted lip. “You good Dickie?”

He looked at her and tossed her a thumbs up, and she turned to Jason. “How’s the nose?” He grunted and held his nose before sucking in a breath and shoving it back into place with a sickening crunch. The others winced at the sound, and Jason let go of his nose, slamming his head back into the wall a few times.

“I’ll take it that you’re better now?” He raised a few fingers and she reached down, tearing a piece of one of the unconscious gang-member’s shirts and tossing it to Tim. “Put that on your eyebrow Timmy.” He caught it and raised it to his left eyebrow that had been spilt open.

He nodded at her and she finally looked at Damian who was continually spitting blood on the floor. “You alright Dami?”

He spat once more and looked at her. “I got a tooth knocked out.”

The others turned to him and leaned forward, trying to see. “Lemme see!”

He opened his mouth, pointing to a tooth in the bottom left of his mouth. “It was a baby tooth, so there’s no problem.”

Jason snorted, but immediately regretted it as he reached up to hold his nose; he turned to Damian. “You’re thirteen and you still have baby-teeth?” Damian’s retort was cut off by a tennis shoe whacking Jason in the head, and they turned to see (Y/N) reclining against the wall.

“Jason don’t be a douchebag.” He grumbled at her and rubbed the side of his head, but conceded, and silence filled the cell once again.

After a few moments, the sound of footsteps came from down the hall and they all turned their heads to see their father, Alfred, and Gordon staring at them in shock. They flashed sheepish smiles, and (Y/N) waved a hand. “Hey dad, hey Alfie…hey Commissioner Gordon.”

“What in God’s name happened here?!”

(Y/N) looked around at the ground littered with unconscious gangmembers and turned back, grinning. “Uh…they got their asses kicked six ways from Sunday.”

“Why?!”

“Well, first they insulted us, and secondly, they put their hands on us. So technically, we were well within our rights to whoop ass.”

Her father glared at her and rebuked angrily. “(Y/N) Wayne, not another word.” She gave him a mock salute and shut her mouth; Bruce turned to Gordon and began discussing something, and a few minutes later, her and her family were walking out to the waiting car.

They all climbed in and waited for Bruce to start yelling at them; no words came from him, but they could tell he was seething with rage. A few moments went by and they pulled into an abandoned parking lot.

Bruce turned around and let them all have it. “You’re all off patrol for two months. Reason number one, the trespassing. Reason number two, the Hell in a Cell you five had.” He paused and threw his hands in the air. “What the hell were you five thinking?”

They all looked at (Y/N) who rolled her eyes and scoffed, “Yeah sure, look at the oldest and expect her to explain.” They giggled at her and she turned to her dad. “First and foremost, I can’t believe you just used a WWE term. Secondly, they were thugs, and we were attacked. So, by default, we just responded naturally.”

“And breaking skulls and bones is natural?”

“Is that a legit question?”

“Don’t make me ground you, young lady.”

(Y/N) grunted at him. “I’m twenty-six. You can’t ground me. I don’t even live at home.”

The others watched them bicker until Bruce raised a hand. “Enough. We’ll discuss this at home.”

“Again, I don’t live with you. I live on my own.”

“(Y/N) Wayne.”

“Alright…whatever.” He turned back around and nodded to Alfred, and the car began moving once more.

After a few minutes of silence, Jason cleared his throat and nonchalantly mumbled, “Not that it’s super important right now…but I get to go to Tokyo with you next week.”

“The hell you do! I knocked out the most thugs!”

“No, you didn’t replacement. I did.”

“Neither of you Robin failures completed the challenge correctly. I won it.”

“Not to be rude little D, but you would be incorrect. I won the challenge.”

“Ain’t nobody asked you Dickhead.” This spurred an even bigger fight as the four of them began to bicker in the backseat, and (Y/N) groaned, leaning forward and rested her chin on Bruce’s shoulder.

His head tipped downwards, and he eyed her. “What’s wrong with you?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes and mumbled, “I gotta them all to Tokyo next week because we aren’t going to be able to figure out who knocked out the most.”

Bruce sighed, but a small grin crossed his lips, and after a few seconds he murmured, “You won the most knocked out, didn’t you?”

“Oh totally.”

“That’s my badass daughter.”

“Hell yeah.”

“Master Bruce! Ms. (Y/N)! Your language!”

They both glanced at Alfred and said, “Sorry Alfred.” They looked back at each other before sharing a smile, then the sound of flying fists reached their ears and they both sighed. Then,

“OW THAT WAS MY NOSE!”

“AND THAT WAS MY LIP!”

“OW YOU LITTLE SPAWN! THAT’S MY ARM YOU’RE BITING!”

(Y/N) glanced over her shoulder and looked at her fighting brothers: Jason had Dick in a headlock while giving him a noogie, and Tim was trying to remove Damian’s teeth from his forearm. She turned back around and looked at Alfred and her dad.

“Do you guys wanna come with me instead of them?”

Bruce eyed her with an eyebrow raised. “Do you really think leaving the city to the four of them is a good idea?”

(Y/N) thought for a moment before muttering, “I mean it’s not a great idea, but it’s an idea nonetheless.”

“One that’s bound to end up in a city on fire.”

“…Yeah you got me there.” She paused a slight second before affirming, “But the offer still stands.”

“No (Y/N).”

“But I don’t want to take them with me.”

“Too bad.”

“Fuck my life.”

“MS. (Y/N)! LANGUAGE!”

[zayray030]

Baking is the Best Stress Relief.

Summary: Jason just wants people to leave him alone. He just wants him mom back. He wants Bruce back. He just wants to lose himself in the world of sweet treats and baked goods. Or The titans are dicks to Jason and go out to eat without him. He uses that to his advantage and starts baking. He just didn't count on the titans coming back early this time.

A/N: I rewatched Titans and got pissed off and I saw a headcanon about Jason stress baking so I put them together and got this.

“Jason! Could you just listen! No patrol!” yelled Dick at his brother.

Currently they were both in the Titans tower and they were arguing whether Jason was allowed to go on patrol after Dick had seen him try to sneak out.

“You're not my dad!” Jason yelled back. It was a weak argument and he knew it but he just wanted him to leave him alone and for people to stop looking at him.

It did the opposite thing however and people continued to stare at him and Dick ragged on twice as hard

“Thank the Lord for that!” snapped Dick, glaring at his little brother. Why couldn't he not just listen to him?

“Dick, maybe you should stop.” suggested Dawn, but she was also looking at Jason in slight disappointment. “Jason, I thought you weren't going to sneak out?”

Jason didn't say anything and just continued to glare. He just wanted them gone. Why couldn't his mother be here? Or Bruce. His mother wouldn't treat him like this and Bruce would give him his freedom.

“Maybe we should leave the kid here while we go out.” suggested Hank, but there was a slight smirk on his face. Jason so desperately wanted to smack that smirk of his face but he didn't want his punishment to be increased so he just stayed silent.

“Might as well. We're going to be late to the restaurant and it took months to get the reservations.” complained Donna.

“Okay, fine. Jason you stay here. I don't want any more trouble and if you get out of here…” the sentence wasn't finished but it held a warning. Jason slightly felt himself shake and he stopped himself before it came obvious. However, Kory noticed and she narrowed her eyes.

“Come on Grayson. Let's go. You've threatened the kid enough as it is.” snapped Kory already heading to the elevator. Rachel and Gar joined her shooting him slightly apologetic looks with Rose behind them throwing him an unsympathetic look.

Dick sent him one last glare and went with them. Donna and Dawn sent him small looks of disappointment but Hank just smirked at him and it took everything in Jason not to punch him.

When he felt the door of the elevator slide shut he collapsed into tears. He wanted his mom back. She would cuddle him and wouldn't shoot him a disappointed look. She would protect him from his dad. She would help him feel safe.

He wanted Bruce. He would give him his freedom and love him. He would give him actual reasons on why he wasn't allowed to do stuff. He would make him feel loved.

Jason suddenly stood up, and looked around to make sure that truly no one was here and quickly went to the kitchen area of the open plan house. He got out all of his supplies to start baking. He took his phone out from his pocket and quickly blasted some music on it and began singing to it. And soon he got lost to the world of sweet treats and music.

~With the rest of the titans~

“Why can't he just understand? He could get hurt or worse out there if he doesn't have the back up.” complained Dick at the restaurant.

“The kid's a little asshole, Dick. He'll grow out of it.” reassured Hank.

“Hank! Jason is not an asshole. He just needs time.” reprimanded Dawn, slapping her boyfriend's chest.

“Jason's a kid. Aren't all kids assholes?” asked Rose boredly, sending them a critical gaze.

“You, Rachel and Gar aren't. And sure you're kinda bitchy but you're an angel compared to him. And Rachel and Gar are beyond sweet.” replied Donna after swallowing her bite of food.

Rose didn't say anything. Just raised an eyebrow at them and went back to her food

“But Jason is nice!” protested Gar, defending his friend. He couldn't understand why people were so against Jason. He wasn't even a rebel or a bad boy. He was a total nerd!

“Jason? Nice?” asked Rachel, shooting him an incredulous look. Call her biased; she still wasn't over the church comment.

“Okay! We are not going to isnull a fellow team member! We are especially not going to insult him when he's not here to defend himself! We have more honour than that!” snapped Kori, interrupting all comments about Jason.

Everyone looked down slightly ashamed. One of the many powers of Kori, making people feel ashamed of their actions with just a few simple words.

“Eh, my appetite’s spoilt. Let's just go.” muttered Dick. Donna glared at him slightly before standing up too.

“You are paying for pizza, Grayson!” she snapped turning around to exit. Everyone followed after her quickly and Dick quickly put everything on Bruce's card.

Everyone was grumbling about having to leave but all complaints stopped when they heard the voice of an angel coming from the kitchen and the beautiful smell of baked goods.

Everyone quickly stiffened and silently crept into the kitchen expecting some psycho meta who could sing someone to death. Ridiculous, but could you blame them.

However, that was not what greeted them. Instead it was Jason Todd in an oversized Hoodie, singing along to a song on his phone, that sat on the counter, baking some of the amazing treats, any of them have ever seen.

The smell made Donna drool slightly and everyone eyed the treats greedily but they didn't advance. Instead they refocused their attention on Jason.

He looked positively…adorable. There was no other word for it. He was singing slightly, a smile on his face, a small blush decorating his pale cheeks, curly hair whitening at the tips with flour and his mouth was open singing happily to the song in the background. They all couldn't help but notice that this was the first time that they've all seen him so… free. Innocent.

However, the peaceful image was stopped by Hank. “You actually bake!?!” he hadn't meant to sound so rude about it but sometimes his brain to mouth filter didn't work.

Jason quickly turned around and dropped whatever baked good he had just finished and Donna moaned in despair as those beautiful treats dropped on the floor.

Jason wasn't focused on that however. He was just looking at everyone and slowly he began shaking and his face paled dramatically. He began sweating and phantom illusions of his dad began appearing and telling him that he's such a hussy for doing this. Telling him that he isn't a boy and he should die. He hadn't realised the tears falling but suddenly he felt warm, almost too warm, arms wrapping around him, rubbing his back and soothingly talking to him in a quiet voice.

The shaking stopped and when he looked up he saw Kory’s warm face looking down at him and he would have expected her to be looking at him in disappointment. But she was smiling, her eyes shining prettily.

“Jason, could you please teach me how to make pancakes? I actually want to be able to eat something other than take out and cereal.” she asked. And she was asking. Not demanding.

Jason just nodded slightly. “Um, y-y-yeah s-sure.” he stammered and blushed bright red. Kory however didn't laugh at him, just smiled and quickly began making some space on the counter

This, however, gave him the view of everyone else behind her and he thought they would all look at him in disgust instead Donna was looking at him in adoration and she quickly approached him, picked him up, and gave both his cheeks a kiss.

“Oh my Zeus, you can cook! You're my hero!” she exclaimed and her tone wasn't mocking or sarcastic. It was genuine and there was a small sparkle in her eyes. Jason just blushed a darker red and looked down, bashful. He swore he heard the women coo but he wasn't going to ask who it was.

“Jason, these taste so good!!” moaned out Gar after taking a bite from one of the cookies he made. He looked over and saw Rachel biting into them and closing her eyes and moaning in delight. Rose just bit one and nodded her head. Practically a scream of delight for her.

“So, is this how Bruce magically manages to get through the day without Alfred there for him?” asked Dick holding a bitten cupcake.

“Um, yeah.” Jason said quietly. He was confused. Why were none of them threatening to throw him out? Why were none of them making fun out of him?

Kory came back and put an arm around him and quickly steered him in front of a bowl. Everyone was looking at him intently. Even Hank had put down the slice of cake he was devouring to look at Jason.

“What?” he asked defensively when no one looked like they were going to talk.

“Sorry. We were all wondering if you could show us how to make some of these.” said Dawn when she realised why he was so defensive. Everyone flushed lightly but they still continued to look at Jason.

Jason just nodded, not trusting his mouth to speak, and quickly began to demonstrate how to make pancakes. Everyone watched in rapt interest and Jason desperately tried not to mess up.

“You are the designated cook of the Titans! No one is allowed to attack you when in the kitchen or anywhere else. You get to decide whoever comes into the kitchen and who stays out of it!” announced Rachel as she dug into her pancakes.

“Dick isn't allowed.” he said immediately and flushed again and turned to Dick, expecting him to be pissed. Instead he had a soft smile in his face and there was an odd twinkle in his eyes.

“That's understandable. Alfred also banned me from his kitchen when I set fire to a pot of water.” Everyone laughed slightly but Jason just shot him a horrified look and looked as if he was going to faint.

“How do you…?”

“Best not to ask, nerd. Now sing. It's actually one of the few pleasant things in this tower.” said Rose boredly, but there was a small, almost invisible, smile on her face. Everyone squawked in indignation so she amended. “Except for the fire lady.” Nobody tried to fight with her on that however and looked at Jason.

Jason just flushed red again and opened his mouth and began to sing a tune his mother taught him when she wasn't high on the drugs. Everyone listened in rapt attention and swayed to his voice

Soon everyone had finished eating their pancakes and Jason began cleaning up the dishes while they were eating. Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around his shoulder and pull him closer. When he looked up he saw Kori’s face and she had a small frown in her face. Jason quickly shrunk in on himself when he realised that now  they were going to beat him up for baking but he was surprised again when she guided him to the living room and set him down and pushed the TV controller into his hand.

Suddenly, a plate of pancakes was deposited on his lap and when he looked up he saw Rachel standing there and she had a small blush on her cheeks.

“You are going to sit here and enjoy your food. While you do that the rest of us are going to clean up.” said Kory and when it looked like Jason was going to protest she kneeled down. “Please Jason. You deserve to relax. Especially after what we did to you before. Just stay here and watch something.” said Kori softly and in his peripheral vision he could see the older Titans looking down in shame.

He just nodded and turned on the TV. He looked around and quickly picked Tangled. No one made fun out of his movie but he did see Rose quirk her lips up and Dick smiling softly before Kori dragged them over to the kitchen.

~Later~

By the time everyone had finished cleaning up the kitchen Jason had already passed out. Everybody couldn't help but coo at the small boy wrapped in a blanket, sleeping so peacefully with Tangled playing in the background.

“And to think that we thought he was a bad boy.” said Donna as she took out her phone and began snapping photos. She was so going to show these to Diana and she knew that her former mentor was going to show those to Bruce. He might not act like to but he would break his no kill rule just to have a quick glimpse at Jason looking like this.

“Nah, he's just a big nerd.” said Gar, smiling at his best friends sleeping form.

“He's so innocent.” Rachel said quietly approaching the sleeping boy but Dick held her back, some big brother instinct telling him to protect his brother.

“Let him sleep. He needs it.” said Dick guiltily.

“I still want to know who's going to cook in the morning.” said Rose. When everyone turned to look at her she just raised her eyebrow. “We are going to let sleeping beauty sleep, aren't we? Especially after what you dumb fuck’s said.” she added just to see all the older titans except Kory wince.

“Of course we are. And we are going to use those cooking techniques he so graciously taught us to make him an apology breakfast.” Kory’s tone held no argument and everyone nodded their heads at her.

Dick cautiously approached his brother and couldn't help but notice how tiny he was. It made his instincts flare higher as well as his guilt.

He picked the body up with little to no resistance and walked to the boy’s room. He would worry about his weight tomorrow. Right now he was worried about his sleep. He put the boy down in the bed and covered him with the blanket and looked at him.

“Wallowing in your guilt isn't going to help anyone, Grayson.” came Kory’s voice from behind him.

“Kory, I know little to nothing about this kid. I don't know what his favourite food is or what his favourite color is. I don't know his favourite book or movie.” he rambled and his guilt grew. God, he was such a hypocrite and a bad brother. Years of hating Bruce and then he does this to Jason. At least Bruce knew what Jason likes and doesn't.

“Sure you were a dick when this all began. But you can start bettering yourself now. The kid needs to feel needed and wanted. So start making sure he feels loved and wanted.” Bless Kori and her soul.

“What would I do without you?”

“Drown in depression and stupidity.” she answered easily and leaned over and kissed his lips softly. “Come on Grayson. Let's leave the kid alone”

Silently both of the adults walked out of the teen’s room and quickly closed the door behind them.

Sure this didn't start out like Dick wanted but he wasn't going to make it worse. He was going to be the best brother ever.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #403

“ashes to ashes, watch me disappear”

If given the opportunity, would you like to star in a musical? Definitely not. I don't like musicals. Name one person you’d take a bullet for: There's honestly a lot, but Mom immediately came to mind. Any posters of a band on your bedroom wall? Yeah: Metallica and Marilyn Manson currently. I want lots more, especially an Ozzy one. Do you think you’ve already met your soulmate? I don't believe in soulmates. Do you share your bedroom with anyone? No, unless you include my cat and snake. Is your favorite color yellow? No, it's actually one of my least favorites. Were you born in a hospital? I was. Do you know the name of the person that delivered you? No, but Mom does. I think he delivered me and my two sisters, and I know Mom has seen him since for other reasons. Was your birth recorded? God no. Good call, Mom. Did you eat a peach this week? Would you believe me if I told you I had a small bit of peach pie for my sister's birthday? For some reason, I just really wanted to try some. It was okay, but the aftertaste sucked. Are you leaving the house tomorrow? Yes, for TMS therapy. Every weekday. Do you enjoy romantic movies, even when they’re cliche? I honestly do. If you could get free vocal lessons would you take them? Probably not. I don't like singing in front of anyone, and it's not like I wanna get anywhere with my singing, so. Is your mother diabetic? She is. Are you? No. Ever sang someone to sleep? No. Who do you stalk the most through Facebook? Nobody. Have you ever deleted your Facebook, then brought it back? No. What is your main responsibility each day? Be sure to take my medications. Do you feel like you fulfill those responsibilities? Yeah. There are rare mornings where I forget, but I almost always remember. I don't fw skipping out on meds that keep my mental health stable. When was the last time you used spray paint? Good question. Do you know the middle name of the last person you kissed? Yep. Who is the friendliest person you know? My mom, probably. Something that annoys you about summer: THE HEAT. THE HUMIDITY. UGH. Something that annoys you about winter: Hm. That's hard to say, given I love winter. I guess the fact it doesn't snow enough here. Are the doors of your fridge side by side or on top of one another? Side-by-side. If you’ve moved out of the house you were born in, do you know the people who live in that house now? Nope. Have you ever cried in a movie theater? Not sobbed or anything, but I've definitely teared up and gotten the sniffles because of multiple movies. Do you read comic books? No. Do you force your way into conversations in which you are not involved? No. Have you ever seriously pretended to be clinically insane? I didn't need to pretend; I'm pretty damn sure I was for a while. Might I add that it's EXTREMELY inconsiderate to pretend you're insane, btw. Insanity is not "cool." It's not "funny." It's not "edgy." It's a serious, confusing, heart-wrenching issue that can ruin lives. Do you know anyone with a stutter? Yes, myself included when I'm even mildly nervous. And sometimes just randomly. With a lisp? I don't believe so. What was the last board game you played? The Disney version of "Pretty Pretty Princess" w/ my niece and even my nephew, even though his sexist-ass dad didn't want him to. Like let your kid have some fun with his sister and aunt, goddamn. They had a blast. It was Aubree's birthday present from me, so I am SO glad she loved it. Did you win? Ha ha, no, I always let Aubree or Ryder win. I came super close once, but I let the kids bend the rules a bit. They don't like losing, and even though they definitely need to understand that just happens and is totally fine for it to, I wasn't about to be the one to make them sad about it. When was the last time you tried to speak with an accent? OH MY LAAAAAWWWWWWD. Also at Aubree's b-day party, at one point, I spoke in a snobbish British accent while I was winning at the aforementioned game. Ryder asked, "Why are you speaking Spanish?", and I fuckin DIED. Have you ever made up a word before? Yeah, I know at least a few instances for fantasy animals in writing. When was the last time you went to a museum? A couple summers ago when my brother and his son visited, we went to a science museum. My nephew was sooooo into it. Do you have a nice yard? If so, do you spend a lot of time outside in it? If not, where do you go when you want to relax outdoors on nice days? Our front and back yards are both small and honestly very boring. The grass is a pretty green, but that's the only nice thing about it. I don't go to sit outside here on any day. Do your parents enjoy any of the things that you enjoy? Do you bond over these things? My parents and I have very similar music tastes, so there's that. I also didn't know for the longest time that Mom likes to write, which I sure as hell do, too! She doesn't really write anymore though, and she's self-conscious of it anyway, like I am. She and I also love a lot of the same shows. What is the movie that you have waited the longest for/which film do you remember anticipating the most/are still anticipating? I think The Incredibles 2. I aaaalways wanted to know what happened after the end of the first film. Do you have any ideas for a story or movie you’re planning to write or you’d write if you had the time/had the talent? Please share a synopsis! I genuinely think some RP I've written is series-worthy, but I don't feel like re-writing the YEARS of RP into a book format, and I sincerely worry that the ridiculously dark parts could inspire people like serial killers and cause A LOT of controversy, crime-blaming, and just general hate. I don't want to be involved in that. What is something that an interested guy/girl could comment about you, that would make you instantly open to them (e.g., “That book you’re reading is from my favorite author”)? Compliment my Markiplier tattoo, obviously knowing it's a tribute to him, and we're essentially besties. Is there a person in your life (maybe barely) that you feel in constant competition with (even just in your imagination)? Maybe you feel they are consistently outshining you? Ugh... there's a local photographer that's much more successful than I am that I admittedly am very envious of. I swear to whatever god you may believe in that I mean it from a modest perspective, I really, really do, but I genuinely think my skills surpasses hers, and she's only more prevalent because photography REALLY is about who you know. She's talented, yes, but like... come on. If you are single, even if you are normally happily single, are there certain specific things you witness that make you wish you were in a relationship (e.g., people getting engaged)? I mean yeah. I miss cuddling, holding hands, kissing, just being cute together, and especially people getting engaged or having kids. It's such a trigger to me. Once upon a time, that's all I wanted with Jason. I wanted to be that beautiful couple that got married and had two or three loved-beyond-words children, but then he left so abruptly, and I feel like it was so brutally robbed from me. I don't want kids anymore like at all, but the point still stands that I felt like my dreams were just ripped away. Out of all your usernames for websites, which one is your favorite? Do you use it for more than one site? I use "Ozzkat" just about everywhere. Have you ever spent the whole day (or multiple days) just looking up one thing on the internet (e.g., videos of your favorite band, how-to videos, quizzes, etc.)? OHHHHHHHHHH YEAH. There have been a couple days or so where I was totally glued to looking up various tattoo designs, bingeing let's plays or conspiracy theory videos, etc. etc. If you ever think about getting married, what are some aspects of the wedding that you would like to see in a non-traditional manner (e.g., a different color dress or “partners” over “husband” and “wife”)? I WILL NOT get married in a church, first of all. I'm also not having the traditional vows, and I probably won't wear a white dress, but instead black. Salt & vinegar, barbecue, sour cream & onion, or cheddar? Ohhhh, I like all those options but barbecue. I think I've gotta go with sour cream & onion, though. Bow ties on guys, dorky or adorable? A D O R A B L E ! ! ! I think they're ordinarily geeky, but I mean, geeky is cute in my world. :^) Do you believe in demonic possession? How about ghosts? Angels? Angels, no. Spirits/ghosts, 100%. I don't exactly believe in demons, per se, but I do question if evil spirits can possess someone. What is one romantic movie that you enjoy enough to watch more than once? I've seen The Notebook numerous times. Name three countries you want to visit; why those three? South Africa to interact with meerkats at the KMP, somewhere up in Canada to see the Northern Lights, and Germany just because, really. I took German for four semesters, and the culture and all just interests me. Do you have a good luck charm? No, considering I don't believe they do jack. Do you use Skype to talk to your friends? Only Sara. Now that I have Discord semi-figured out now though, we'll probably use that for voice chatting. Are you allergic to any animals? I might be allergic to dogs. Do you usually spend your weekends out, or at home? I'm like... always at home. Do you think it’s wrong for people to say "retard/retarded" as an insult? Absofuckinglutely. Don't pull that shit when I'm around. Have you ever had to go to the police department? No. Have you ever lived through a hurricane? Plenty. Have you ever had a home-grown tomato? Yes, from my old friend's garden. We'd have delicious tomato, mayo, and bacon sandwiches. The only instance where I've enjoyed tomatoes. Have you ever held a real gun? The former friend I mentioned just before, her husband always carried a gun, and he just needed me to hold it for a sec for some reason I don't recall. I hated the feeling. Would you rather wear Converse or Vans? I like both, but I think I prefer Converse. Have you ever been called bipolar? Yes, because I clinically am. Have you ever made fun of a handicapped person? FUCK no. And like the "retarded" thing, don't you fucking DARE to do this in front of me. I WILL deck the shit out of you. Do you think it’s okay to have sex before marriage? Sure, as long as you're being safe and are very thorough in communication. Do you like to watch old sitcoms? I don't really watch TV as I say in like every survey it seems, but I do enjoy some old sitcoms I grew up watching with my mom, like The Nanny, The Golden Girls, The Munsters, etc. If asked, could you run a mile nonstop right now? Being completely serious, I don't even know if I CAN physically run right now. My legs are so incredibly weak, and I'm humiliatingly close to what my heaviest weight was back in 2016, so I can almost guarantee my knees would crumple if I tried. Do you wear those rubber wristbands? I used to. I don't really like bracelets nowadays. If a necklace/ring gives you green marks, do you still wear it? Nope. Have you ever driven an electric car? No. When was the last time you saw someone you went to high school with? Uhhhh idk. What breed was the last dog you saw? A fucking GOLIATH of a lab. I shit you not when I say my sister's roommate's dog Hudson is the size of a goddamn bear. How long have your parents been together (or how long were they together, if they no longer are): I wanna say they were together at the very least 20 years. What has been your most epic cooking failure? I once accidentally put something (I don't remember what) in the microwave for around 45 minutes I believe, and I walked away and completely forgot about it. I remembered a long while later, and safe to say, it wasn't edible, whatever it was, lmao. Have you ever been to Mexico? No. Have you ever had a parrot sit on your shoulder? No, but that'd be cool. Has anyone in your life ever treated you abusively? No. How long has it been since your last breakup? Somewhere around two years ago? My memory is so garbage nowadays. Can you concentrate well while listening to music, or do you find it distracting? It's distracting, usually. What’s something you’ve been struggling with lately? I've been pretty bad about drinking too much soda lately. :/

[thebibliomancer]

50 More Days of Comics! 41/50: Southern Bastards #7 (2015)

So THIS is what Jason Aaron was up to when he wasn’t Thoring.

“Coach Euless Boss is the most powerful man in Craw County, Alabama.

But it wasn’t always that way.

He was once just a boy.

A boy willing to bleed for football.

And with a father who didn’t give a damn.”

Huh. And apparently Jason Aaron and Jason Latour made this comic because they wanted to write a “love letter/hate rant” to the South, which both of them were from.

Apparently the series is about a football coach who isn’t just a Euless Boss, he’s a Crime Boss.

But this issue is about something earlier, when his life could have gone another way. When he played football on his high school team the Runnin’ Rebs.

Charming name that.

That would be the slash hate rant part, I guess.

Pasttimes Teen Euless is feeling disgruntled. He’s feeling disgruntled because he can’t participate in the football games because his foot is in a cast.

His foot is in a cast because crime adjacent person Mozel shot him in the foot because Euless’ shithead dad Olis done fucked up.

And now he done fucked up again. The sheriff is looking for him and Mozel is looking for him. But Euless hasn’t seen him.

Mozel doesn’t apologize for shooting Euless in the foot because he hasn’t ever apologized about anything but he gives Euless a cool hundred dollars.

Mozel: “I never made it on that field neither, kid. But believe it or not, there is life after football. When you get ready to talk about that, you come see me, ya hear?”

This is, no doubt, Euless’ “in” to the criminal world of crime and how he becomes Crime Boss.

But for now, he has zero interest in crime or in having anything to do specifically with Mozel. Because he is only all about football. So he burns the hundred after Mozel leaves.

LATER, he’s sitting and watching a game with his blind, black football mentor Big when Olis sneaks in through the window and starts being racist about Big. And then he hits Euliss when his kid points out that maybe he shouldn’t be here since everyone from both sides of the law is pissed at him and looking for him. And then Big hits Olis with his cane and tells him he’s a shitty father who should get out of Euliss’ life after he thanks him for taking a bullet for him. And then Olis starts beating up Big and pulls a knife on him. So Euliss tackles Olis, beats the shit out of him, and tells him if he ever comes back he’ll make a call and have Olis either dragged off to jail OR MURDERED by crime.

LATER AGAIN, Euless finally gets put in for his first game and tackles someone so hard that they’re knocked unconscious.

Of course running around on a foot that had been shot at some point prior “feels like there’s a wasp nest in my shoe” but he’s not going to quit.

There’s a football montage of Euless being great at games while waiting besides his phone or mailbox waiting to be recruited to college football and also doing bad at academics.

Come his last game, he’s playing on a broken leg and at the end of it in despair.

Euless: “The phone ain’t rung once, Big. And nothing’s come in the mail but bills. Bear Bryant don’t want me. Nobody does. No college in the country’s offerin’ me a scholarship. I just played my last game. After everything I done been through... all that work... all I get is one 6-5 season. One playoff game we lose by 20 damn points. It ain’t enough, Big. I ain’t ready to be done with football.”

Big commiserates. He remembers his last game. Including some weird comment about seeing something so awful that it made him wake up blind the next morning??

Big: “Point is... you ain’t never gone be done with football, Euless Boss. Not when you truly love it. But at some point sooner or later, football gone be done with you. Happens to the best of ‘em.”

Euless: “Not now. Not this soon. I can’t let it happen like this, Big. Without football... what the fuck else have I got?”

LATER YET AGAIN, Euless is interviewing for a position under his ex-football coach. He says he’d be best coaching linebackers because he was one of the best linebackers to ever play at the school but he won’t turn down any spot.

Coach: “You think I’d hire a Boss for my coachin’ staff? You tryin’ to insult me boy? ... If you was so good, then how come you ain’t playin’ college ball, huh? Oh wait. Might be because I told everybody who called me what grade-A pieces a’ shit you and your whole damn family was.”

So, yup. Coach ruined any possible prospects that Euless could have had because he has a grudge against Euless’ family. When Euless was playing on the broken leg earlier, instead of pulling him out of the game, Coach left him on the field because he realized it must hurt like hell. So he’s a gaping asshole.

There’s only one job he’ll consider giving Euless and he tells him he’s so pathetic he’ll take it. Being the ball boy.

Likelihood of Euless murdering Coach and burying him underneath the bleachers once he starts getting into crime? High.

My thoughts on this issue: Not many.

[muses14]

Original 151 Poke’mon

And what it says about you! By: James Grebey This is a fun read! :D Bulbasaur — You’re accessible, reliable, and don’t like to be challenged. If you did like a challenge, you wouldn’t have chosen the starter that can steamroll the first two gyms. Ivysaur — You’re starting to be a “real adult,” so you pay your own cell-phone bill. Venusaur — You’ve had to deal with several rounds of layoffs and all sorts of bullshit, and your body hurts and you’re just goddamn tired and full of resentment. Charmander — You’ve fooled everyone—maybe even yourself—into thinking that you’re all cute and sweet, but there is a fire inside you and you are ready to let folks know that they’ve wronged you. Charmeleon — Your favorite soda is Diet Mountain Dew. Charizard —  You think of yourself as a scrappy underdog, despite being undeniably popular and powerful. Ninety percent chance you’re a Boston sports fan. Squirtle — You’re sweet and innocent and are blessed with the ability to rock any pair of sunglasses. Wartortle — You’re a little upset when people don’t comment on your new haircut, even though you totally did not get it for the attention. Blastoise — Your favorite genre of movie is military documentary. Caterpie — You have low expectations for yourself, but the key is finding joy in the ordinary. Metapod — You would eat undercooked chicken when you ordered a salad rather than tell the waiter that they got your order wrong. Butterfree — You’re still deeply scarred by that episode of Pokémon where Ash says goodbye to his Butterfree, and that emotional trauma is the only reason why you haven’t picked a better Pokémon to be your favorite. Weedle — Contrary to the saying, you do not know when you’ve been insulted. Kakuna — You remember every single slight that’s ever been leveled against you, real and perceived. Beedrill — You have forgotten about at least one of your tattoos. Pidgey — People wrongly assume that you can’t keep a secret, but you’re actually extremely trustworthy, and it’s a little hurtful, actually, that people think they can’t confide in you. Pidgeotto — You attempted to start going by your middle name when you went off to college, but it didn’t stick. Pidgeot — You don’t participate in the group text thread much, but whenever you do chime in, it’s a knockout. Rattata —  You’re a tattletale. Raticate — There’s a pizza box somewhere in your bedroom, right now. Spearow — You push away people who are only trying to help. Fearow — You have stabbed somebody, or at least seriously, seriously considered it. Ekans — Deep in your heart, you know that you’re a Slytherin. Arbok — You proudly self-identify as a Slytherin. Pikachu — Ya basic. Raichu — You think that those rentable scooter start-ups are good, actually. Sandshrew — You have a rich inner life, and you’re secure enough that you don’t feel the need to always be a part of every conversation. Sandslash — Nobody ever really knows what you’re thinking, and it keeps people on edge. Nidoran♀ — You’re deeply upset about what’s happened to Tumblr. Nidorina — You would be onboard a “Hillary 2020” campaign. Nidoqueen — You listen to Lemonade once a day. Nidoran♂ — You probably have some personal biases that you should really address. Nidorino — Inexplicably, you are super, super into soccer, or, as you call it, “football.” Nidoking — In lieu of a personality, you are really into bourbon and craft beer. Clefairy — You would die for Carly Rae Jepsen. Clefable — You can utterly destroy somebody’s sense of self-worth and self-confidence with just the briefest of withering looks. Vulpix — You have dabbled in crystals. Ninetales — You’ve tried running the way they do in Naruto at least once because, well, what if it really is faster that way? Jigglypuff — You want to be the center of attention, yet you cannot handle even the mildest criticism. Wigglytuff — You are deeply invested in the Royal Family. Zubat — You are extremely annoying, and everyone wishes you would stop bothering them!!!! Christ, I’m just trying to walk through this cave in peace!!! Golbat — You nasty. Oddish — You have fallen prey to a multilevel-marketing scheme you learned about on Instagram, and you just don’t know it yet. Gloom — You forgot to put on deodorant, and even though you smell fine (it’s really not a big deal), you are mortified and want to die. Vileplume — You’ve uploaded multiple YouTube videos that begin with “Hey guys, sorry it’s been so long since my last video!” Paras — You’re just trying to get by, man. Parasect — You are Too Online, and it has poisoned your brain. Venonat — Bernie Bro. Venomoth — You’re a Warren G. Diglett — First dates always go well for you, but the person you’re dating will soon discover that you have a lot of stuff going on under the surface. Dugtrio — You’re almost never seen without the company of your best friends in the whole world, and you are terrified about what will happen if anybody moves away. Meowth — You were the class clown in high school, and in retrospect you probably deserved all those suspensions. Persian — You do not have any student loans. Psyduck — You use Tweetdeck to view Twitter, and you’re constantly confused and upset. Golduck — You deleted your Facebook account, but you can keep tabs on your friends with both of your Instagram accounts, so it’s pretty much the same. Mankey — You have punched an authority figure at least once. Primeape — You have punched an authority figure at least once...and won. Growlithe — You don’t love it when people don’t follow rules, but you’re extremely loyal, so you’d never make a big deal of it. Arcanine — You would like to speak to the manager. Poliwag — You go along with the flow out of necessity. Poliwhirl — You are Jason E. Christian, and you live at 23rd East Walnut Lane in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Yes, Jason, we know where you live, and we know what you’ve done. Don’t try to deny it, and don’t try to hide. Poliwrath — You knew multiple yo-yo tricks when you were a kid, and could probably still walk the dog if somebody gave you a yo-yo, even though you’ve largely put such childish things behind you. Abra — You have made important life decisions based on astrology. Kadabra — You took an online IQ test, and because you were happy with the result, you take it as gospel. Alakazam — You’re a mod for several important subreddits. Machop — You’re excited for the tub of protein powder you ordered from Amazon to get here already. Machoke — Machoke me, daddy. Machamp — Remember Big Dick Energy? You have the opposite of that. Bellsprout — You are in way over your head. Weepinbell — You were recently ghosted. Victreebel — You recently ghosted somebody. Tentacool — You think it’s funny to call sports “sportsball.” Tentacruel — You are lurking behind the scenes, waiting for your moment. Geodude — You’re a 14-year-old Men’s Rights Activist. Graveler — MAGA. Golem — You’re a dad who drinks exclusively Milwaukee's Best. IPAs have too much flavor. Ponyta — You’re a horse girl (or horse guy, but you for sure were an enthusiastic junior equestrian). Rapidash — You have never taken a public bus, and you don’t ever plan to. Slowpoke — The people who make fun of you secretly envy you. Slowbro — You just want to relax and not worry about things, but somebody is always riding your ass. Magnemite — You never miss trivia night at your favorite bar, and you take the competition super seriously. Magneton — You never miss trivia night at your favorite bar, but because your friends carry most of the weight, you view it as a weekly opportunity to get sloshed. Farfetch'd — You host a podcast about bad movies that you started with your buddy. Weekly downloads average in the dozens. Doduo — You are paralyzed by even the most minor decisions. Dodrio — After weighing all the options, you then just say “fuck it” and go with your gut. Results have been mixed. Seel — Just happy to be here. Dewgong — You follow multiple National Geographic and wildlife accounts on Instagram, and those commercials about abused animals make you cry every time. Grimer — You’re trashy as hell, but you own it. Muk — You’re trashy as hell, but not in a cute or kitschy way. Shellder — Ariana Grande would hate you. Cloyster — Everything you do is vaguely sexual. Gastly — You shitpost online. Haunter — You are an online troll. Gengar — You steal people’s jokes and post them on your own viral Instagram account. Onix — You have a lot of opinions about “kids these days.” Drowzee — Your allergy medicine is really slowing down your roll. Hypno — You have serious “creepy uncle” vibes. You are not actually an uncle. Krabby — Honestly, given all the stress you’re under, you’re pretty goddamn calm, all things considered. Kingler — You’re always inviting yourself to have a taste of someone’s meal or split a dessert with them, even though they maybe wanted a whole dessert, Kingler — You can order your own instead of stealing half of mine. Voltorb — You’re keeping your mouth good and shut, and it is the only reason you haven’t been fired. Electrode — Premature ejaculation : ( Exeggcute — Part of you is broken. Exeggutor — The funniest movie you’ve ever seen is Billy Madison, and The Waterboy is a close second. Cubone — You own a Corpse Bride T-shirt you bought at Hot Topic because it’s goth. Marowak — Your emo phase resulted in you getting a face tattoo. Hitmonlee — Your least favorite day of the entire year is January 1, because you can’t deal with all of these poseurs ruining your workout because their New Year’s resolution was to go to the gym. Hitmonchan — Given how much you pay for the membership and for all the fancy workout clothes and equipment, you should really go to the gym more. You look the part, though. Lickitung — You are a generous lover, yet somehow unnervingly so. Koffing — Vape influencer. Weezing — Can smoking weed give you black lung disease? You’re determined to find out. Rhyhorn — You’re very goal-oriented but don’t really do “outside-the-box” thinking. Rhydon — You are always ready to rumble. Chansey — You live a very sheltered life. Tangela — Your online browsing history is an absolute nightmare, and your greatest fear is somebody seeing what kind of weird stuff you’re doing on the web. Kangaskhan — Wine mom. Horsea — You’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life. Seadra — You own multiple leather jackets. Goldeen —  You have the Sweetgreen app downloaded to your phone, and you use it pretty much every day. Seaking — Everybody is lying to you, and you had no idea until just now. Staryu — You delete posts when they don’t get enough likes. Starmie — You claim to have famous friends. Mr. Mime — You have a humiliation fetish. Scyther — When everyone was busy partying, you studied the blade. Jynx — You have been canceled due to old tweets. Electabuzz — You still mourn the demise of Four Loko. Magmar — You have unironically worn a fedora and don’t have any friends who are close enough with you that they’ll tell you the truth. Pinsir — You want DC to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. Tauros — You’re sorry, you thought this was America! Magikarp — You’re just going through a rough patch, it’ll be okay. Probably. Gyarados — You’re overcompensating. Lapras — Your friends love you for being “Team Mom” and making sure everyone gets home when someone has a little too much to drink, but deep down you wish they could just be a little more responsible so that you wouldn’t have to make sure they don’t drown in a pond every single time you go to the bars. Ditto — You’re adaptable but have chronic imposter syndrome. Eevee — You can get away with a lot, and nobody will really get mad at you. This won’t last. Vaporeon — You’re a brunch aficionado. Jolteon — You love a good 5K and taking your company softball team very seriously. Flareon — You would never buy something off the rack. Porygon — You have an idea for an app that’ll really disrupt things. Omanyte — You are sitting on an incredibly hot take that you’re kind of nervous about sharing. Omastar — You have a lot of opinions about how bad Daenerys’s military tactics are on Game of Thrones. Kabuto — You prefer subs, not dubs. Kabutops — Your Super Smash Bros. pick is Fox, and you will only play Final Destination with no items. Aerodactyl — You’ve been single for a long time and it’s a little hard to get back in the dating game, but you’re trying and that’s what matters. Snorlax — Honestly, happier and more content than any other Pokémon on this entire list. God, I envy it. Articuno — It takes you a long time to figure out what outfit you’re going to wear, but once you’ve finally picked something from your closet, you always look good. Zapdos — Your mother really wishes you wouldn’t swear so much. Moltres — Your life is constantly a flaming mess and you’re always teetering on the edge of collapse, but somehow you’ve tricked everyone into thinking that you’re doing great and are always in control. Dratini — Your “I want to be a marine biologist" phase lasted longer than most. Dragonair — You were the editor of your high school newspaper, and you served on student council. Dragonite — You’re not like regular bosses, you’re a cool boss (until somebody fucks up). Mewtwo — You’re overpowered. This is bullshit, you shouldn’t be able to pick Mewtwo as your favorite Pokémon. Stop being a jerk and pick another. This isn’t fair. Mew — You’re baby.

[aghostlydeer]

The Unfinished Cut of Project: Crimson (very First draft)

Rating: General (since this never got too deep into any serious topic)

Relationships: Jason Todd/OC

Tags: First Person, Unfinished, First Draft, Old Writing, Out of Character Jason

Notes: This was the very first draft of my long in progressed fan fiction, Project: Crimson. This is about Jason meeting a young boy named Morgan Kingsley and it focuses on their story together, becoming friends, facing their mental, and daily struggles. Over time they end up falling in love with each other but I wanted the main focus of this story was understanding the both of the characters.

I wrote this many, MANY years ago. Mind you, I just sort of started taking writing more seriously at the age of creating this… But I do not think it is all that great. Though I remind myself that we all start somewhere and this is not that bad.

In fact, at the age that I wrote this I think it is pretty decent and there are some things that I wish I kept using for writing. I think that some parts I took more seriously in writing whereas other parts it is easily shown that I felt tired of writing this story.

I gave an annoyed sigh. I tapped at the notebook I was writing in because I had no idea of what I was supposed to say. Or to write for that matter. What was there to say? Sometimes I wondered why I wrote whenever I was upset. It faltered everything I was working for. With yet another sigh, I shoved my notebook into my backpack and walked on. I had no idea of where I was or where I had planned on going but as far away from home as possible.

I was tired of everything at home as well as all of the people within my household. Which was just my father. And honestly, he never did anything wrong. He was right in our fight but I at that point I was  young and I over reacted to such a fight. I was childish and had cried because he took away my art supplies (which looking back on that, I noticed that I was indeed quite a fool at the time), he told me that I had to work for my art much like he had to work for many things in his life. As if it was not the only thing keeping my life in tact. I sometimes never understood why taking such important things away from your child was a good idea, but my father strongly believed that it would help so I did not fight back. I was never a trouble maker in the first place so it almost never happened. Though what had caused such a fight was yet another fight that happened at school. I was getting insulted by some other male over a stupid thing, I don’t recall what he was saying really but it made me so upset that I punched him and broke his nose. Of course I was sent to the office and I had a wonderful talk with the principle. He told me that he was going to call my father and I begged him not to do so because he would happen to be  at work at during this time of day. He called anyway. With me sitting in the chair. Sitting helplessly, awaiting my fate for what he was about to say to me. I had to be sent home early that day and  awaited for my dad to come home. He always came late, around ten at night which is an hour before I went to bed every night except on weekends because I stayed by late during that time. This time I went to bed early only to be woken up by him shaking my shoulder and asking me what happened to make me react in such manners. I hated being woken up, I gave him a scoffed answer which made him upset at me. He admitted to me that he was proud of the fact that I fought back with the insults. Then he commented on how it was not the best idea to punch the boy in the face. I nodded, but felt like crap after words for how I structured my answer towards him. In fact; I felt pretty sick about for everything that I had said. Things were pretty normal until I started to draw more than work on my missing homework. My father was pretty mad at this and he grounded me from drawing. Really, I do not blame him for what he did, but I was mad. I was so very angry and it was silly. I thought in the fit of my rage that would have been a good idea to run away and to never come back. It was stupid, but I remembered that I saved fifty dollars just in case something like this would happen.   I packed my things (like clothes, a notebook, art pencils, my iPod, you know, things that we need to live with) into my violin case and backpack. I felt smart at the moment despite something in my head would scream in my ear that I would regret what I was about to do.      When I was done packing my things, I opened my window and left my house in a haste. It took awhile to have someone who was willing to walk me to the subway but after ten minutes of asking someone did so. When I got on there, I just decided to go as far as I could without really leaving the state of New York. I had some money, though I knew it was not enough and I had plenty of clothes. Maybe I could not eat for a few days and buy a water bottle.  I did not think this through and I was being stupid, but this was normal for a teenager. The night rolled by and I found that the subway was stopping at a city named Gotham. I found that I was sleeping when the announcer said had told the passengers this. Sounded like no one was getting out so I walked out of the subway (it was getting too crowded for me anyways). Once I got out of there, I soon regretted it. You could taste the pollution is the air. I found myself wanting to throw up from such toxins in the air. How could anyone live like this? I thought my city was bad with that sort of thing, but here it was worse. Maybe I should have left New York, or the rural area. Maybe I should have left for a smaller town that was calm and nice? I highly doubted that I could have though. I didn’t know if they subway could go that far. Truth be told, I had never ever rode on one before that day. It was always too loud and for someone like me, I did not need that. I kept walking into the streets, tapping my cane all over the place, no one talked to me, which was nice. I thought that someone surely would have walked up to me and try and mug me, but the people most likely did not see the point in doing that to me. After all, I had nothing worth of much value aside from what I thought was important to me. Maybe this was just a wealthy city and they thought of as some sort of street rat. Oh well! As long as nothing happened to me, I was fine! Things were going to be fine, I reminded myself. If I was smart and kept my distance from anything that seems strange or odd, then I’ll be safe! It seemed so easy if I thought about it. I began to wonder to myself why I could not do this in a quicker time. That is, until I bumped into someone. I mean, really bumped into. I fell on my ass because the person, felt like a man, that I bumped into must have been heavy. Or well fitted into the ground. I could have bumped into a statue. Tisking myself, and rubbing my hand quickly on my back because I did not want to rub my rump in front of the public eye, I quickly said that I was sorry to the person and tried to walk on. I patted myself down when I realised that there was a bit of dust on myself, only now noticing that my mind made little to no sense when I monolog things, but it is my head, I could help it. I felt like if I stayed around for much longer I would have been killed or something of the sort, but a hand (it felt rough it had quite a grip) grabbed my shoulder. I froze, thinking to myself that this is not what I needed that I would die. Why was I so stupid? “Kid, you all right? You fell pretty hard.” The voice asked, I was right about it being a male. I did not turn my head to make it look like I was facing him. “Yes, I am fine. Great to be honest. Now please let me go. I have to go else where.” I answered quickly, trying my best to avert his voice from my head. There was a moment of silence, then the man spoke up again. “You’re blind, aren’t you? Well shit, now I feel guilty and I don’t even know why!” “Don’t worry about it too much, okay?” I swatted his hand from my shoulder in a polite manner. “It happens all of the time and it’s my fault every single time that it does occur.” “Christ sake, it was not! You didn’t even notice I was there, the street is- Wait, what is up with the violin case you’re holding?”  His tone seemed to have some worry to it, but why would he care? “It’s just a violin, I don’t even know you, so let me on-” “Yeah, I call bulshit to that statement. Listen; this isn’t really a safe place and it is past curfew for your time so I think you should go back to wherever you came from, or whatever. I don’t know, maybe you’re like me and like to li-” “Mister, I think it’s best that I be on my way.” I muttered under my breath, trying my best to avoid much more of this topic. “As I was sa-” “Who are you?” I asked, becoming rather annoyed this man would not leave me alone. “Right, should’ve introduced ourselves before hand, right? Jason’s the name. What’s yours?” Jason answered. He sounded like a Jason. “Morgan.” I answered quickly. It was not my birth name, but I went by it. Besides, nobody would go looking for a Morgan Kingsley Stephens in New York, so I was pretty safe at the moment. “I’m Morgan and my violin case is fine. Now can you please leave me alone? I-” “Kid, are you running away? From here?” He asked. The question stung a little. I had hoped that no one would ask me, so I shrugged. “Does it matter in the first place? Why do you care?” “Don’t know. Maybe because you’re blind and it would suck if you were to get mugged and all of the crap. Now to the big question, you running away?” I didn’t answer for a moment. Finding it odd that this whole time we were talking we kept walking on. I had no idea where I had planned on going, but I was getting further and further away from home. Maybe this man knew of a safe place to where I could go? I didn’t want to ask because it would be strange to do so. “I guess you can say that. In reality I am trying to teach him a lesson.” “Uh-huh... What lesson might that be?” “I’m trying to teach him that grounding me for no reason at all  is a pointless thing to do because I will always get out of it in some way.” “Stepfather?” “No. Real father.” Things were quiet for a moment before Jason spoke again. “Listen; I’m not good with kids and all, but I know that you shouldn’t run away from whatever happened between you and your dad. Unless he happened to be abusing you. Then you call the police for that, though there are times where they don’t really help out with things.” He was speaking too fast for my to care what he was saying, I just kept walking. “We had a fight, I told you this already! Nothing much to it aside from that. I mean, he is a good dad! For me that is. I am not really a people’s person, really he is the only person I could handle for many hours of the day. He works a lot though, so I’m never really to have long talks with him.” Now I was speaking far more than I should have. I highly doubted that this stranger cared at this point too. “How long have you been away from your home then?” “I don’t even have a clue.” “A few hours?” “Might be. What time is it now?” “I don’t carry a watch around me at all times! Geez, I’m guessing it’s early in the morn-” “WHAT?!” I yelped out. I could hear that this startled the man by the sudden speed of his heart pounding, but in slowed down a little bit afterwards. “Yeah. Kind of doing this night patrol thing until you bumped into me... Hey, you hungry? ‘Cause I’m starving!” “Uh, no, not really-” I stopped myself, when would I get the time to have free food like this again during this? “You know what, I kind of am!” “Great.” He grabbed my hand, again the grip was far too tight for my liking. He began to walk faster to the point where I knew he was in front of me. I almost tripped on my feet. Which was strange to me because I thought that I was pretty good on my feet. “Have you ever had back alley way food?” He asked quickly. Why was he holding my hand? Oh well, might’ve thought that was better than just telling me where to go. “My father never took me out for food, so I had to learn how to make things myself, besides restaurants never had the appeal to me in the first place.” I answered. “You taught yourself how to cook? How can a blind person cook without sight? I mean, doesn’t that equal out to cutting your fingers a lot?” “It does. I have the scars to prove it too!” I was quite proud of them to be honest. They reminded me that I never gave up a fight when I was determined to win or learn something. “Whoa. That was way too happy! Do you need help?” Jason laughed softly while he said this. “I don’t know, I have worse cuts on my body. I am proud of all of them if I were to be honest.”  I answered underneath my breath. “Okay then... As I was saying, I know this pretty cheap pizza place that is pretty good, I am kind of craving that at the moment and since you’re here I thought I should do my one good deed of the day and treat you to some.” He told me, his grip on my hand getting tighter which made me feel really uncomfortable. “Thank you for that, it is awfully kind of you to do this, but I am kind of a vegan. Do they only sell pizza?” I questioned. I didn’t know why I said I was vegan, but the idea of hot greasy food setting foot into my mouth just made me feel sick. “They have a salad bar, but I’m not into that kind of stuff right now.” He answered. “Tell you the truth; I’m never into it.” I chuckled when he said that. I heard a door open and smelt the food that overwhelmed the area. It was indeed an area that made pizza their life, I really felt like I should’ve thrown up. I told myself not to. I didn’t really hear a lot of voices but I also smelt alcohol in the air. I did not want to cause attention on the man who happened to be buying me food so I did not say to him that I was only seventeen. “Jason Peter Todd!” I heard a man call out. “Long night, huh?”  He asked, he sounded like he was far away and his voice was scruffy, but it seemed nice. “Been all right, pretty boring day to be honest. I really wanted to have a fight or something tonight! But I guess something in the air has made everyone pretty calm or whatever.” Jason answered, getting closer to the scruffy voiced man. He was still holding my hand which at this point made me want to squirm out of it. He reached the counter and sat on one of the chairs at last letting go of my hand. “Hey, Morgan, sit down.” He commanded to me. Shocked by his tone of vice, I sat down. “Who’s this?” The man asked him politely. “He looks a little too young to be on the streets.” “Oh? He’s is a runaway. His name’s Morgan, or at least that’s what he told me. He’s pretty nice, I guess.” He answered, nudging his elbow on my arm. At least he was telling the truth. I guess. Though I didn’t like him talking about me like I was not there. “You know, I’m right here.” I said under my breath. “Right, right. Why’d you run away from home, kiddo?” The man asked.

“A stupid fight with my dad. Nothing that bad, but I was an idiot and thought that I was smarter than him and left in a hurry.” I answered, I was picking at my scabs that were on my fingers. “Sounds like a teenage thing to do.” Jason laughed out. I could hear the smile of his face. “Indeed. In fact, it seems like something you would do. If you didn’t beat your dad up before running off.” The man said with a low chuckle. He turned his back and handed the other man that was sitting next to me a glass. “That’s low, don’t bring my dad into this.” Jason said after he was done taking a sig of his drink from his glass, he coughing a little from it. “Right, forgot. So, what are you here for?” “I’m hungry and so is this kid. Do you have any vegan food for him?” “Not really, aside from the salad bar. By the way, you’re being awfully nice to this kid.” The man leaned on the counter, whispering something into Jason’s ear, I was sure of it. He might of thought that I couldn’t hear him if he were to whisper ?something, but I did hear what he had to say. “Is it because he is a red head?”                   I knew this nearly made the other man jump. “No, that’s not my thing!” He said a little too quickly for comfort for my taste. The room was awkwardly silent for a minute, for the moment it was best to be quiet. I remember being told that talking without being told to do so was never a good idea. I couldn’t help it though, I let out a giggle and waited for someone to tell me that I shouldn’t have done that, but Jason sat down again and told the man at the counter to give him his order. “You sure you’re really vegan? You could just set aside those beliefs or whatever for  the night. I won’t tell anyone.” He was teasing me, I knew this, but I shrugged.   “Maybe one night, as long as the pizza doesn’t have meat on it.” I told him with a slight smile. “Sweet. Order for two cheese pizzas then. Sounds fair to me.” “You’re not buying  me a whole pizza! There’s no fucking way I’m-” I clamped my mouth shut tight when I shouted this. I had no place in shouting. Jason laughed loudly at this, he may have been either drunk or he must’ve thought that was stupidly funny. Something lame like that. “Dude, don’t worry about swearing! I ain't judging you.” “It’s just not something I do. It’s a waste of breath.” I quickly explained which made him chuckle. “Are you dying?” He asked playfully. “No. I’m not dying, I just do not want to waste my breath in case I do die someday. So I can have all of my unwasted breath to waste when that day comes.”  I explained to him. It was difficult to say why I wanted that because I was sure that if it were to happen, I would be okay with death coming into my life.   “Wow. That’s some deep thinking right there. I give you cheers on that.” He told me. Once the glass of whatever he had been drinking was finished, he slammed it on the counter. When we got the pizza, we ate it in silence, but when that was over with, we talked for awhile. We were just messing around, telling each other jokes but anytime I asked him a question he would avoid it and ask me tons of questions. It was somewhat tiring answering all of these questions. Do you live with both parents? No. I’ve lived with only my dad my whole life. I don’t know my mother that well, but in all honesty I do not mind that. How old are you? That is nothing that you should be worried about. It’s of my right to do so if I took you into a bar. Seventeen. No way! I thought you were older than, well, really, you look younger than seventeen. I’ll act like I’m surprised by how young you are though. Okay, so tell me, what is your house life like living with a single father and being blind? Uh, it’s pretty normal. As normal as it can be I guess. He’s busy with work often and we rarely find the time to talk, but when we do we usually get along. After a few more questions, we went back to joking around. It was refreshing to have someone that I could relate to in some way. It was nice to have someone to talk to really. That wasn’t so sad about life and talked about only that. He had me wheezing at one point from laughter, I don’t recall what he said that had me laughing so hard, but it was silly. That is when he brought up something about this guy called Batman. I had no idea who that was, so I just thought it was a man’s head on this body of a bat. I said this out loud which made him laugh because he imagined how that looked like. He began to explain what it would have been like if Manbat came in and took this Batman’s place. Then he started to laugh out about this giant bat flying around, making these annoying bat sounds. Jason would laugh hard at how this was playing out in his head, he would keep going about the whole topic at hand though. “He just flies around the city, cawing because he’s so confused as to what he is, just... Flying around! And..” He giggled out, “I can’t even think of the mes he would make! I mean, he would just shit everywhere!” I choked back a laugh as well as a little pizza, I could not believe that he would go into the direction in topic over something that really did not need to be discussed.         “Ah, I can just see this. Officer Gordon looking up in the sky while the police clean up the piles of shit that was left behind by him. He cleanses his fist, a tear drains from his left eye as he whispers ‘Such a mighty hero!’. I can just see that and then Manbat caws again and shits on his face!” I must have had a horrified expression because he stopped discussing this. “You have a strange sense of humour...” I said to him.

He let out a giggle then we went back to talking. He told me about his brothers and a little bit about his father. A wealthy man that went by the name of Bruce Wayne. Jason seemed to sound a little bittersweet while he talked about this Wayne figure, so I tried not to speak of him. It seemed rude if I kept doing so. He began to ask things about my father, I answered all of them with much truth, but sometimes they became a little odd. Is he a good caretaker? Yes. He is. He is perfect for me. Then why would you run away from such a great parent if you love them so much?

I guess I needed some space from him. You rarely get to talk to him though. I understand this, but I feel as if he or I will grow tired of each other if we spend too much time with one another. That’s really weird to think about. I’m sorry, but how does that mind set even work? You love each other, you do not spend enough-    You are nothing to me in my life aside from a stranger, mister Jason! I stood up out of anger, my face hot from this sudden person in my life wanting to know so much about me. It made me more than upset. “You have no right to get into my mind like you knew me for years! I do not even know who You are! So stop it! Please!” There was an awkward, I felt stupid. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.” “You meant every word of it. Don’t feel bad about it.” He chuckled, then he grabbed my wrist for me to sit back down. I suppose I was causing a scene, which made my face even more hotter than it should’ve been. “Try not to worry so much about such a simple thing, all right? Not your fault. I just have bad trust issues. Like you. Hell, they might be worse than yours.”  He said to me while bumping my shoulder. I frowned. I felt like I really was just being a little twat to him. “Still, I’m sorry for yelling at you. I shouldn’t have. I mean, here you are, wanting to talk to me, wanting to know about me, buying pizza for me! It’s all rather nice and this is something I would expect out of a date, but I’m not that kind of guy. I mean, I may like guys but you can not just get into my pants because you did all of this for me!” I heard him make a small gasp, but I kept going, I needed to say this. “Maybe one day we can be a couple, or maybe we are friends, or maybe you’ll always be a stranger to me! I don’t know, I can’t see the futu-” “You can’t see anything at all.” He corrected me. “Fuck off. Let me finish what I have to say.  It is nice that you’re doing this. You are pretty fun to be around as well, but if you’re only doing this to sleep with me or to only have a one night stand with me then you have another thing coming! I am free. I am myself. I know what is best for me and everyone else around me! I have my r-” “I promise I’m not trying to sleep with you.” “Welllllll...” I dragged out saying. “...If that is the case, then thank you for doing all of this for me.” There was an awkward silence between he and I until he spoke again. “What happened to you to make you react that way?” “What? What way?” “That way. All yelly, getting up and stomping your foot down. I was afraid that you were going to run out because... I don’t know! I don’t think I said anything wrong!” “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m not just some spoiled brat from a lawyer who never pays attention to me, all right? I understand why he can’t. He’s busy with a lot of things, but I am bitter over how that panned out with our relationship.” I became quiet, but I knew Jason wanted to hear more of what of what I had to say. I gave him a sigh. “Things happen, odd stuff. It has made me become not so sweet anymore. Everyday I feel my innocence slip away from me. I feel like I am not even able to fully be there for my friends. Which makes me feel horrible. It’s more of the fact that I’m not going with speaking towards people.” I thought of what I should say next, but I muttered under my breath, “It’s hard just finding the courage to wake up in the morning when you can’t even see the light of a new day...” He muttered something under his breath when I finished what I had to say. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

(AN: I normally hate putting these in, but I found these stories in sets of emails given to my boyfriend, so I am missing some parts, and I also changed things up- So, I am very sorry if it gets confusing and weird. From the looks of it, it seems to go into more detail about what is going on with Morgan and Jason..? Aga)

“Do I look like I carry a watch around at all times?” He asked defensively. I heard a slap and a long groan.

“I wouldn’t- Wait a second, was that a blind joke?” I asked, getting close to him now, I was pointing an accusing finger but I didn’t know where I was pointing it at.

He pushed my hand away and said, “No, I wasn’t. It just came out that way, I swear.” He replied kind of in a shy manner. Odd. “I don’t know... Last time I checked it was already midnight and I’m guessing it’s about a few hours later now...?”

“WHAT?!” I choked a little. Then coughed. “What did you say?” I inquired quickly, massaging my Adam’s apple from that unexpected gagging. I shook my head a little and frowned. Did that much time really pass or was I not paying any attention? Such foolishness on my part!

“Hey, uh... Morgan, calm down! Nothing bad, it’s nothing bad!” Jason attempted but failed in calming me down but I couldn’t help it, I was sweating and close to screaming.

How could I do that?! How could I be so possibly foolish?! I was close to screaming, but that would not be wise and I did not want to look more witless than I already had so far that day.

“What’re you even worried about in the first place? If you were running away from home most people would be happy that it took them this many hours to get that far away! Unless that wasn’t your plan at all and you came here by mistake.” He seem to be off in a rambling fit which didn’t ease my mind. I almost felt faint in a way.

I wanted to tell him to stop talking or to shut up, but I stopped myself from doing so. I wasn’t into being upset. That was something I just do not do. Expect I was very close to it. The closet I have been to doing it in a long time. “Kid, you okay?”

I didn’t even know I had my arms close to me, shaking a little. No, I was trembling. I must have looked stupid doing that, but none of the less I was worried that I did something wrong.

“Are you alright?” He asked more sternly.

“I..I honestly do not know if I can be fine...” I replied.

“Hey, listen to me: Everything will be okay. You did what you wanted and you got far. You’re doing a great job!” I could hear him smiling. It wasn’t something cruel, a true smile but it was not something I wanted to have someone do for me.

“B-but I... I don’t even know this city!” I almost felt like I was about to cry but that would have been silly. Definitely overreacting.

“Aha! So I was right!” Jason sounded like he was some sort of champion of a big prize.

“Yes, you were! Happy now?”

“Ah, kid, don’t be so upset...” He trailed off for a moment. “Are you hungry? ‘Cause I am starving!”

“Uh...” I was so hungry, but I still didn’t know if I could trust him or not.

“Come on, it’s on the house and I can even let you stay at my place.”

“UH...” Was the only way I could  respond with. Maybe he was being kind towards me... Maybe I can trust him. Plus, here was a man offering me free food and shelter! When was that even going to happen again? “Yes, I am very ravenous and I appreciate you offering your home to me and I will gladly take that. Thank you.”

“Not only are you welcome, you are pretty smart too.” He chuckled a little.

“How so?” I asked, very confused.

“First you showed that you didn’t trust me, then you started to think-- I could just hear your head working like clockwork! Then you started to really think about it ‘Free food, free house?’ and then you agreed to it because you wo-”

“Can you read minds or something?” I asked yet again.

He laughed more loudly. Almost wheezing. “No, I can’t do that! Wish I could thought ‘cause I could stop asking so many questions! Buuuut at the same time I’m happy I can’t ‘cause it would suck having to hearing everyone all at the same time.”

I almost ran into a pole, I reached my hand out and climbed of the stump it was on, I spun around on it because why the hell not and got back down to the street. “I understand what you mean, it would indeed stink if a person would have to hear everything. What would their child be like while going to school? That would have been horrible.”

“No doubt ‘bout that. School was already hell for me when I was in it.” He patted my shoulder which made me jump a little.

“Same here.” I hated school. It was difficult to handle all of those different smells and the voices were too much. People bumping into me and vise-versa. It was a pain in the ass to say the least. Going into detail, school was one of the places I never wanted to go into.

“Aren’t you still in school?”

“I was expelled.”

“Oh...”

“A few days ago in fact.”

“Damn, what did you do to make school kick you out?”

“I sort of beat the living hell out of this one guy that wouldn’t leave me alone.” I explained, kind of rubbing the back of my neck while explaining.

“Was he putting you in the corner?”

“A little.” I was feeling kind of odd... This man really wanted to know me.

I now remember that the reason why I did that to that man was because he stole my journal and began to make fun of the things I wrote down in it. It got out of line at one point and I at first punched his jaw and then the next thing I knew I was on top of him, punching his face, I can still remember the smell of the blood that was on the floor and on my hands. I was growling and I didn’t know I was able to do that!

And that is when everything else happened. That is how I got suspended and that is what made my father ground me and that is when I ran away from home.

“How about when we get to where we’re gonna eat you can tell me why. How about that?” He asked me, he brushed his elbow to my side and that made me smile wide. Then I jumped over the touch. I wasn’t expecting that until it was too late.

“Not too touchy.” It was more of a realization than a question.

“Yeah... I just- I am not into people touching.” I assured him. Truth is: I loved touching people but it just stopped suddenly when I was pretty young. I am not quite sure what made it stop but suddenly, like a drop of a hat, even the slightest touch made me jump. I guess that was normal to people because most understood right off the bat.

I was never not into touching people like my father or having my siblings touch me either-- Goodness, that sounded a lot worse than it really is!

“Understood. Sucks though, you might have to get used to that again.”

A strange feeling crept through me. What was he implying? “How about this...” I brushed my hands together, biting my bottom lip. It felt plumbed today, kind of puffy, “...We have that  meal together and I’ll decide if I will stay with you, sounds fair?”

“Yeah, it does. Honestly I was a little surprised that you agreed to stay with me so quickly.”

“Yet you understood why...” Something kept screaming at me to run, get away from this man but I felt as if he was... He was safe. I felt connected in a way. “Either way I am happy you are going out of your way for me. To help me that is.”

He touched my shoulder gently. “No problem, kiddo.”

I flinched a little. Maybe it was because we barely knew each other or maybe because I.. I missed having people touch me without pulling back. Or maybe.. Maybe it was because when he did touch me, I felt something. Something that was tingling and it was nice.

“Sorry, I forgot!” He lifted his hand up.

“No, it’s fine!” I really like the way that feels.

Darn it head. I curse the sun that gives you life!

“Ohoho, is it now? What changed- Ahh, here we go!” Jason took my wrist and opened the door to some place. “Have you ever had back alley food?” He asked me while we got inside the area.

I could smell pizza being made in ovens, burgers being fried and alcohol. Was this a pub? Was I in a Pub?!

“My dad was never into eating out so he taught me how to cook by myself along with him.” I explained, rubbing my hands together frantically. That was something I did if I was becoming too worried.

“Consider this a beginning step to the first chapter of your life then!” He squeezed my shoulders a little.

He leaned on me suddenly, I could feel his breath, it was hot and a little wet but it wasn’t unpleasant. “I should’ve asked a little earlier but how old are you anyways?” He was whispering now.

“Seventeen.” I answered just as softly.

“Wow!” He spoke up a little more. “What?” I turn my head to face his.

“I thought you were twelve, oh thank God you are not!” He clapped his hands together and I heard a sounds like he was rubbing the together. “You just look so much younger than you are. Might take me awhile to believe that you are your age but still.”

“I know for a damn well fact I am the age I claim to be.” I assured him which made him laugh softly.

“Either way we have to convince the people that you are older than that.”

“Yeah, I know.” I sort of pushed him off of me. So this was a pub that he brought me into? Some way to start a ‘New Life’ with.

“Don’t be so upset with me! Lets just have fun with this, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll try my best.”

I could swear I heard him murmur ‘Good boy’ to me. We sat at a table and waited for something to give our menus to us. When a voice of a young woman came in, I heard her voice.

“Evening to you boys, here’s your menus and drinks-” She began with what I guess was her routine lines that she gave to people who came here until Jason interrupted her.

“Sorry Hope, but this love guy can’t read what’s on there.” He corrected her.

“Oh, sorry for the confusion! Um... Well we don’t have those kinds of menus but you would willing to read him what’s on there, right?” She asked Jason. With the way her tone was, it almost sounded she was flirting with him.

“I was planning on it.” He told her, he sounded a little annoyed.

Maybe it was because this woman was asking him something despite him knowing he was going to do it, may have been for other reasons, I didn’t want to know at all. Something in the back of my mind told me that he didn’t like to be told what to do (I kind of respected that) or to have his intelligence be questioned.

I understood that.

“Thank you for getting it out in the first place, dear.” I told her anyways.

“Okay, I’ll be coming back in a few when you’re ready to make your orders!” She told us and I heard a ‘Bye’ that was soft. Ugh, lord tell me she isn’t flirting with either of us.

“Sorry ‘bout that. I don’t even know her but she knows me somehow.” He explained.

“Oh, so you have a creepy fangirl stalker without your clue..” I wiggled in my seat, smiling, close to laughing a little.

“Don’t even remind me of it, it happens almost all of the time.” He was chuckling a little and I could tell that he was shrugging and that he wore a smile on his face while shaking his head. “Do you have anything preferences with any kind of food?”

“I am a vegetarian.”

“What?! That’s insane? How could someone not eat meat? Man, I can’t think of giving that up. I eat it all  of the time. Soo good!”

“I just do not like it compared to other types of food. There’s better types other than meat. I mean- at least I’m not vegan.”

“Hnn. That’s true, if you were that be a pain in the fucking ass.”

“Oh, tell me about it. My older brother is one and he is such a little- We should get to the orders, shouldn’t we?”

“Right, right. Okay, so I’m guessing you would like to have a salad, cheese pizza and... Wow... I forgot how much this place relies on meat...” Jason muttered to himself after that.

Maybe that was one of the reasons my dad never took me out. My whole family was vegetarian. He also thought that homemade food is always better than even food from a five star restaurant. I believe that before he became a lawyer, he wanted to become a chef. He cooks the best food, I swear.

“Guess I brought you to the wrong place, but the desserts look like they might be up your alley! Unless you’re also not into sweets. If that’s the case, what is wrong with you?” He was teasing me, I knew it.

“Just to let you know, I love sweets. I love it to the point where I would only eat that all day if I could.”

“Mm, good taste. Would you like to just do it then or would you like some pizza before then?”

“I’ve...” I trailed off a little. “...I’ve never had pizza before quite frankly.”

“You’ve never lived then, this place has some pretty nice pizza let me tell you.”

“I hear that pizza is pretty good, I just don’t like how it smells.” I went quiet for a moment. I wasn’t quite sure what else to say other than I thought they smelt gross and greasy.

“You’ve never smelt good pizza then, kid.”

“Is that so?” I asked, gaining yet another smile. I didn’t understand what was so charming about him but he kept making me smile and it was really nice. I wasn’t really someone who smiled too often.

“Yeah! Trust me, once you have some you will be addicted to it. I might have to send you to rehab because you will become so addicted to it!”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I whispered.

“Was staying up late to find something to do when I came across you. Plus I need to do my one good deed for today. So why not help you out? Hope that helps you out.”

I had to give this question chance. “Were you following me when I walked out of the subway station?”

“What...?”

“Ah, it’s nothing, ignore what I had asked.”

“No, I am not going to. Why would you ask that? Were you being followed?”

“I don’t know.”

I felt rattling coming from my pocket where the bottle of pills were. God I hope he didn’t hear that. “I don’t think I was. I am just a very paranoid person, trust me.”

“Hnn, I can understand that. I guess I am too.”

It must have been awhile because the woman came back (I’m going to call her ‘Hope’ from now on), I could smell her over dosage of perfume, it made me cough a little. “Hello again, what would you boys like to order?” I swear I could just hear a smile on her face.

“I’ll have a large steak, medium rare. No sauce and I’m in the mood for Ginger Ale tonight.”

“No drinks? Wow, that’s the first, Jay! Are you on a d-”

“I just don’t want any tonight.”

“Oh, okay... And what would you like?” She sounded more hopeful when she asked me that.

“I would like a medium sized cheese pizza with a glass of ice water, please.”

“Can do!” She clicked her pen, tearing the paper she must have been writing on right off. There was the sound of her heels tap as she walked away from the table we were sitting.

There was a long silence.

“Where are you from?” He asked, he was tapping his fingers on the table.

I didn’t know how to answer this question so instead, I took some paper napkins out of it’s dispenser and started to fold them. Once they were folded in the way I liked it, I started to rip the napkins apart.

“I’m from Blüdhaven.” I answered slowly. Before I entered into the subway, I felt the imprint of the name so it is better to say I was from there.

“Awfully close to here but you don’t seem like you have ever heard of this place.”

“Well I am from there.” Is all I could muster up and say with confidence. “Then at the age of ten, I moved to North Ireland to live with my family. At the age of fifteen I moved to Queens, New York.” The last part is true though.

“Mhm... You were sent to live in North Ireland with your family? Where were you living before then?”

“You wanna know something? You sure ask a lot more questions then you need to know, Jason.”

“Sorry..” He sighed a little and seemed like he was pulling his bangs while talking. “Something I do, besides wouldn’t you ask a lot of questions to some wandering kid on the streets?”

“Admittedly, I am someone who takes great pride in asking questions to people but I highly doubt that you are not in the mood to have things turned around. Besides, I am going to be your roommate. In a way I suppose so it is best if you get to know me before you regret anything in the end.” I did want to know more about Jason, but that becking in my head kept telling me that it would be best that I knew the least about the young man.

He snapped his fingers. “You’re pretty clever when it comes to this, have you done this more than once?”

More than I would like to admit. “I wouldn’t say that I have...”

Hope came back to us with our drinks. Once she set mine on the table, I chugged it down quickly. She giggled at that and walked away.

“Right... Can you just tell me if I get into a touchy subject?”

“I think you already have, dear.” I cracked my knuckles and took my glasses off, massaging the bridge of my nose after all of that.

“Have I? Dude, I’m so sorry. I just like to ask questions because of things that have happened to me in the past.” He explained suddenly.

“I get it, I understand. You have nothing to worry over. I just would like to ask you things later on- Don’t you dare tell me that you’re someone who ask questions and avoids the other parties. That’s just not a fair game, Jason.”

“I don’t play fair.”

“You’ll have to grow used to doing that for me then for so h-” Hope brought us our food. Damn, Jason was right. I never was given a chance to have smell good pizza. It was literally making me drool, oh, I was drooling, I whipped my mouth and dug right in when Hope left.

“Pretty good, right?”

I nodded quickly and kept on eating. “So good!” I sang out once I swallowed my third bite.

“Wow, how long has been since you last ate, geez!”

“I have no idea, but I am happy I have been given the chance to eat this.”

I kept on eating every little bit. Once I was done I was listening to him eat his meal. From the sounds, he was a messy eater. I almost expected him to start talking with his mouth full. No, he would not be that untamed. I waited for him to be done for ten minutes. Then it hit me- He was watching me eat. Why? Wouldn’t that be considered creepy? Maybe it was how he did things. I was in no mood to call him out on it. He devoured it quickly. Almost as if he waited too long or something.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” I asked, when I laid my chin on my knuckles while I leaned closer onto the table.

“Could have had more, but I did. How about you?” He placed his utensils on his plate and popped his fingers.

“You were right, it was fucking- Sorry, it was so good!” I admitted when I covered my mouth when I cursed. My voice was muffled which I anticipated.

“Kid, if there is anyone you should be comfortable with cussing along to, that’s me.” He leaned on the table. I could smell his breath again. It was... Comforting in a way. Despite the smell of cigarettes and meat.

“I get it that many people do it, but I just find it a waste of breath and when I am on my death bed, I want to waste the breath I didn’t when I was young. Ah, it’s pointless to even explain why I don’t do it.” I sighed out.

“You’re one strange guy.” Jason commented.

“I do not mind it that I am.” I shrugged a little and smiled shyly at him.

Hope walked up to us yet again. “Are you wanting the bill or you both in the mood for dessert?”

“Well?” Jason asked me.

“Yes!” I chirped. There was a bit of a silence when I made that sound.

“All right, give us a surprise.”

“Are you sure, Jay?”

“Alright, give him a sunday and give me a surprise.”

“Can do!”

I laid my cheek on the cool table, feeling slightly troubled for no reason. I started to pick at the scars on my fingers from the times I accidently slash them while I was chopping some vegetables up for main platters that was intended to be given to during dinner for my family and I. It’s happened many times before.

“Where are you from?” I asked him.

“I’m from this hell hole, but it’s home. Kinda hard to leave...” He trailed off for a few seconds. “Don’t like thinking ‘bout the past.”

“Oh. Well now. That’s fine.” I crossed my arms after I was picking at my fingers. “I’m not into thinking about the past myself.”

“I highly doubt you’ve been through that much.”

“You don’t know me, for all you know, I could have been a slave.” I stuck my nose up in the air a little, more to smell around. There wasn’t many people around but there was this thick... Straining sort of aroma that suddenly came in. “I wasn’t though and that wasn’t even funny to think of, I just kind of spoke without reflecting of my actions.”

“It gets the best of us, I suppose.” He told me with a shuffle of his clothing.

“Bet you’ve met the best of people. How old are you?” I asked with a smile along my face as I leaned further on the table. Something began to burn, which was a strange to feel when it wasn’t me that was burning up.

“25.” He claimed too quickly. I bet he was darting his eyes away so he wouldn’t have to keep looking right at me.

Odd that he was worried about telling me his age. I didn’t find it that big of a deal. I was happy that he was older than me. I don’t know why, I just have always felt more like myself around older people. Maybe it was because I felt like I didn’t have to live up to anything with them unlike kids my own age that I never got along with in the first place.

I never understood why talking with one’s peers makes them out to be better with life or jobs and such when reality most people are going to meet someone younger or older than them. I like kids, but adults make me feel safe. Just like little kids feel towards adults. Though I guess it is an odd comparison.

“Why be so worried that you’re eight years older than I? It’s not like you were trying to sleep with me, yes?” I laughed with my hand covering my mouth.

“Noooo, no, No. Morgan. You see... I’m not into that kind of shit. By that I mean, I am not into fucking minors because I think a stud or some shit like that- just no. I just wanna help you out.” He began to drink out of his glass of Ginger Ale, slurping it loudly.

“Where’s our next order?” He asked loudly.

“It’s coming right up, boys! Don’t worry about it too much.” Hope called out.

There is a moment of silence again. I tapped my fingers on the table. Jason kept on drinking his soda.

“What’s the rest of your family li-”

“Crossing the bonds, Jason.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry.”

“But I do have six siblings. I’m the youngest of them and a little bit of the rut of the litter as well.” I thought that I might as well tell him a little bit about my family life. It was only fair. “I had a mom but she died of an illness.”

Things began to settle down after awhile when I told him that, he seemed really upset about what I had told him. “Don’t worry about it... I barely even knew her.” I tried to reassure him. “Yeah, but everyone should have a mom..” He might have been raised by a single mother so I could understand that claim. I left it at that. I didn’t want to worry him any further. Soon we began to eat our desserts and we talked a little more then. About nothing for the most part, I asked him what Gotham is like and he responded with, ‘It has it’s charm but for the most part it’s a hell hole.’ I, of course, laughed at that. I highly doubted that a place could be that bad. I even said that out loud but he kept telling me that it was that awful. Awful. He called the place in other words, dreadful. I asked why he keeps staying here and he admitted that he still doesn’t know why. “I have traveled around the world though. I guess I can’t get away... I have this thing in my head that keeps telling me that I am needed. Even if I’m not. I keep telling myself that I mean something- if not to the world then maybe here. I don’t know though, I might be dulated.” He confessed to me. “No, no. I can understand what you mean. It’s hard to find a name anywhere, but but you think that if you can be somebody, it would have to be here, right?” “Guess so.” We talked even more. Where he has been, what his favourite place was. It was an interesting topic and I enjoyed talking about the different ideals of culture with him. He was pretty smart, but also a slippery person. He wasn’t the type to answer anyone for what they ask to him often. Unless one were to bend the question around, he would say that he didn’t like the topic choice and he would not talk about it any longer- More so, he wouldn’t talk to you if you asked something rude about him. He was shockingly a sensitive guy. It was pretty nice to know that he was because that was rather rare to find in a person. Though it was shockingly considering some of the things he was said to me. Sometimes he was coming across as a crazy guy, but I didn’t think he was. He was just different. We all are different and if we happened to all be alike, that would just be a boring parade. “So, do you wanna live with me for a bit?” He asked softly. I had to think about it. I really did. “Yes.” I answered. * “Hope you don’t mind the tiny space, since I’m living on my own, I just thought it would save money...” Jason begun while he unlocked his front door. Turns out that he lived in a studio apartment that was in the central area of the city. He kept telling me that it wasn’t the most prettiest looking place and it might smell but it was a nice fit for him and he felt at home every time he entered into the place. “...Guess that’s gotta change now!” He began to mutter things to himself about going back to see his father and that he wasn’t in the mood for that shit. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” I reassured him. “I mean, where I lived, it was really large because my parents were raising a lot of kids at that point before me so when they all moved out and my mother was... No longer there this huge house was-” “You’ve never lived in a small place?” He asked, seeming to be impressed. “Uh... No.” I answered, a little surprised that this was shocking. “Huh. Well, you have a small place now.” He opened the door now. “I have a shit load of locks to be safe.” He explained, might have been because of the time it was taking to open it. “Understood... Seems like a place where one would need that sort of thing.” There was some shuffling, I guess it was from him walking in and taking his jacket off. “Are you coming in or are you going to take a second chance and run away from me?” I was take aback, yet again by this man. I nodded and entered into his small loft. Despite the fact that he kept calming it was small, the living area was pretty decently sized from the time I walked around it. To shoot from the hip, it was large. In fact, it was a little too spacious even without extra rooms within the building. “You know, it’s actually pretty b-” I felt a rush below the calf of my legs, as if something was moving and the sudden sound of woofing. I put my back against the wall, afraid that something was going to jump out at me and eat me alive! “Aye, it’s Taco!” Jason called out from the distance. “It’s what?” I croaked. “How’s my baby girl? How’s she? Didja miss your daddy? Aww, come ‘ere girl!” Jason sounded like he was smiling ear to ear while giggling to this ‘Taco’ creature. “Taco’s my pet pitbull. She’s the best one there is! Aren’t ‘ja girl?” “Ah... Okay.” Of course she was a dog. There would be no way in the world he was a cat person. “I got her from the shelter. She isn’t the prettiest, but she’s pretty good and well tamed and I just knew no one was going to want her because she’s a pitbull and...” He suddenly went quiet. “...She’s not all that pretty and you know how people are assholes!” He spoke up once more. “They care more ‘bout outer-beauty when it’s what’s in the heart that counts, right girl?” “Right...” I murmured while I took my backpack off, placed it on the floor as well as my violin case. “Lemme give you a tour of the house after I feed my dog, okay?” “Okay.” He got up and walked passed me and into what was the kitchen (I assume). I heard bits of hard dog food it a metallic bowel. Once he was done pouring it, he laid the bowel on the floor to have (holy shit that sounded like a big dog) eat it. He then turned on the water faucet and there was a sound of yet another came from the same type of bowel being put under it. Water bowel, got it. “This lady, I’m sure you’ll meet her one day, her name’s Selina, anyways, she kept daring me to work at the animal shelter for weeks on end and so I gave up the long, tragic, epic battle and went to work there as community service and I just kept coming back ‘cause I sort of liked it there!” I walked over to have a more clear sound of his voice. I leaned on the counter to his kitchen... Is it called an island? I have no idea. He placed the bowel on the floor and there came loud chugging. “It was about a month later of me working there as a volunteer when Taco came into my life. She was used as this fight dog and came in with her ear nearly bitten off and her leg broken beyond belief. Her right front leg. She needed to go to the vet. When she came back, getting all better- she came in almost dying-  And I just thought those big brown eyes were meant for me.. I just fell in love at first sight!”

[murphystartedthefire]

SOME MURPHY-RELATED THINGS FROM RICHARD’S MEET & GREET

(none of this is organized, just random things I remember)

He not only gave us one song on his Murphy playlist but FOUR songs - All We Do by Oh Wonder*, Ballad of a Thin Man and The Man in the Long Black Coat by Bob Dylan, and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood by Nina Simone (aww).

(*I’d like someone to confirm that first one since I didn’t write any of this down immediately and that’s the one I hadn’t heard before)

He talked a lot about filming the bunker sequence in 3x01 (they just shot lots and lots of footage for 15 hours that ended up being edited down to a few minutes -- at one point they did a time-lapse where he was stacking empty wine bottles on top of each other and eventually crashed through and broke them). But the main thing that got to me is that Murphy choosing not to kill himself before the door opened was HIS IDEA -- they could’ve done it so the door buzzed open while he was about to, but it was important to him that he couldn’t pull the trigger. Even if he knew he was going to die the next day, Murphy would hang on until the very end. In the best take, the one they ended up using, he just dropped the gun and let it fall.

He originally hated the “in a non-criminal way” line that ended up becoming one of people’s favorite Murphy quotes. (IT’S MY ACTUAL FAVORITE, NOOOOO.) He didn’t get it and thought it sounded stupid. But he later realized it was because of an earlier scene where Jaha said something to him about being more than a criminal, so it was really directed at him, and then it made sense.

Someone asked about the parallel of him saving Abby from the noose in 3x15. He pointed out that nobody told Murphy what to do -- there was a lot going on in the room, but he saw her hanging and ran straight to her. *sob*

Murphy and Jaha are Not Okay after season 3, and he made it clear to Jason/the writers that he can’t just be in the same room with him without comment. They interact early in S4 and Murphy ‘restrains himself pretty well’ but he really hates him.

I got up the nerve to ask him about Ontari and he had quite a bit to say about it that I added to this post.

He couldn’t spoil if he has any scenes with his sister (who plays Niylah, and who he kept hilariously insulting) in the future, but he teased that it would be odd if they never did... He definitely won’t be on iZombie with her, because he can’t be on other shows that film at the same time due to his contract.

He’s still really entertained that his dad was named Alex Murphy, who is also the main character in Robocop. (He’s the only one who cares about this lol.) Before he found out what Murphy was arrested for, he used to joke it was public urination. He thought the arson thing was fitting for him -- someone at the table brought up the little moment in S1 where he was holding the girl over the fire. My internal monologue was like don’t bring up your tumblr name. :p

These are not Murphy things, but he volunteered to show us ALL his tattoos (6 of them) which include two werewolf-themed ones, a matching tattoo with Sachin that says mamaji (uncle) in Hindi, and another three-dots one I believe he said he shares with Sachin & Jarod. His favorite cuisine is Indian and his favorite color is black knows it’s a shade not a color. He talked about his family’s love of Notre Dame football, his former dog who died while he was filming If I Had Wings, and his kakarot stuffed animal. In the end he had a break in his schedule and stayed longer than his allotted time to allow everyone to ask more questions, and then took a group pic with all of us:

[thehelleniclunarwitch]

Oh To Be a Barton (Chapter Twelve)

Tagged: @justgrits

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

Emily stood alone in the Batcave. She had been planted in front of the large screens for the past several hours. The minute the news started rolling in on the battle raging on in New York, Emily couldn't take her eyes off of the screens. She had all of the news channels in front of her so she didn’t miss one piece of detail.

She had known better than to call her brother or Natasha, but she needed some kind of reassurance that her family was okay. Emily had seen the Hulk running around smashing the aliens to pieces. Seeing her dad running around eased some of the panic in her chest, but worrying about Clint and Natasha both may actually kill her.

Seeing Captain America alive and part of the team made her heart swell with pride. Coulson had sent her an email the minute they had found Steve, but to no surprise to him, Emily already knew. She had certain files in the Shields program flagged so whenever new information was added she would be notified as soon as it happened.

Emily didn't hear the door slam shut or the footsteps pounding down the stairs. Sighing, she leaned against the desk as she watched Thor toss his hammer at one of the flying jets. She cringed as she watched one of them slam into Iron Man.

“You shouldn't be torturing yourself by watching this shit.” Jason snarled behind her.

“It’s the only way I’m going to know what’s happening,” Emily replied.

“Your team has this under control,” Jason replied.

Emily looked over her shoulder and glared at him. “Does it look like they have this under control?” She angrily pointed at the news on the screens.

“You're just a girl who’s good with computers. It’s not like you’d be able to help anyways.” Jason pointed out.

Emily slammed her fists on top of the desks.

“You're not helping. If you’d like to keep your head attached to your body you better bug off.” Emily snarled.

Jason sighed. “I didn't mean,”

“If you hadn't meant to offend her you wouldn't have said anything at all.” Peter interrupted as he and Piper stormed down the stairs.

“Can I not get any damn privacy in this house?” Emily growled to herself.

Jason said nothing as he pushed past his siblings and hurried upstairs. Emily turned her back on Peter and Piper both.

“Jason’s right. You shouldn't be torturing yourself.” Peter said.

“He’s right, you know. I'm just a computer geek. My family is out there saving the world and where am I? Miles away hiding in a mansion like a scared little brat.” Emily replied.

“You’re just important to them as they are to you. They can't be out there fighting and worrying about you at the same time. They know that what you can do with computers is important. You’re just as needed as they are. Who cares if your skills are different? They know that you are in capable hands and that's why they are out there saving the rest of the world so you actually have a home to go back to.” Peter explained.

“I feel useless,” Emily admitted.

Piper walked behind the desk over to the wall full of training weapons. She pulled down two bo staffs and walked back over to Peter and Emily.

“Uh Piper, what are you doing?” Peter asked.

She tossed a staff at Emily who caught it before it slammed into her face.

“I’ll make you not feel so useless,” Piper stated before storming over to the practice mat.

“Is she serious?” Emily asked.

“Piper’s one amazing fighter and you know it. She’ll keep your mind off things all the while teaching you a thing or two.” Peter informed her.

Emily quickly pulled up her hair piling it on top of her head. She was dressed comfortably enough in her black leggings and Star Labs t-shirt. Piper stood in the middle of the mat waiting for her. Emily quickly went over to join her friend.

“Why do I have a feeling you’re not going to take it easy on me?” Emily asked.

Piper gave her a small smirk that Emily had almost missed before she slapped at Emily’s feet with her staff. Emily let out a small growl before she took a few steps back.

“You have a lot to learn grasshopper.” Piper said.

Emily narrowed her eyes before getting into position.

“What’s going on?” Dick asked as he and Tim came over to join Peter.

“Piper’s gonna teach Em a thing or two,” Peter replied.

The three boys pulled themselves up on the table to sit and watch the training.

“Piper’s going to kill her,” Tim said.

“When it comes to Emily she has self-control,” Peter stated.

“Aw, so Emily is like you. She’s a special case.” Tim said.

“Pretty much,” Peter answered.

“Plant your feet!” Dick shouted out at Emily.

Peter looked over at Dick.

“What are you two even doing down here?” Peter asked.

“We wanted to take Emily out to get her mind off of things, but this looks more entertaining,” Dick explained.

“Hmm.” Peter hummed.

The boy's attention returned to the mat when they heard the staff come into contact.

Several hours had passed. Jason had come back down into the Batcave. He joined his brothers and watched Piper continue her training with Emily.

Piper swiped at Emily’s legs, but Emily dove over the staff and slapped Piper in the back. Piper let a hiss as she whirled around with her own staff.

The boys had started taking wagers when the lights went off in the Batcave. Someone swore and you could hear the girls’ heavy breathing.

“What happened?” Emily asked, heaving.

“Could be the storm,” Tim suggested.

“No, Pops has huge generators to keep the Mansion afloat if the power ever goes out,” Dick explained.

“Maybe he didn't pay his bill,” Jason said.

“Idiot,” Emily muttered.

“Someone had to have cut the power.” Piper said.

“That would explain why the generators don't work,” Peter said in agreement.

“Well, can one of you geniuses get the power back on?” Emily said.

“Scared of the dark?” Jason sneered.

“More like the things that lurk in the dark,” Emily answered.

“Nothing is lurking in the dark around here,” Dick said.

“Who just touched my butt?” Peter asked.

“Nobody wants to touch your butt,” Tim replied.

“Well somebody just touched my butt,” Peter said.

“Yeah well, their hand will probably fall off,” Tim said.

Emily laughed.

“Don't laugh, Em! You’re supposed to be my friend.” Peter growled.

“Sorry, Petey,” Emily told him.

“Parker, did you just touch my butt to make a point?” Tim asked.

“I’m not that desperate for affection,” Peter replied.

“So we have a butt touching ghost?” Jason asked in disgust.

“Idiot,” Emily muttered again.

“Barton, do you have a problem with me?” Jason demanded to know.

“No, but you obviously have a problem with me.” Emily shot back.

“Jason has a problem with everyone,” Dick said as he turned on a lantern. “It's his way of letting you know he cares about you.”

“Shut it, Grayson,” Jason growled.

“Great, now that we have light let's go upstairs,” Emily said as she tossed down her staff.

Giggles filled the Batcave.

“Okay, that was creepy,” Emily commented. “Who just giggled?”

“Wade.” Peter and Piper answered.

“Um, who is Wade?” Emily asked.

The lights flickered back on and then a man in a black and red suit jumped down in front of her. Emily let out a startled scream and took a few steps backward.

“Good god!” Emily gasped, clutching her chest.

“That’s Wade,” Peter said.

“Wade, what’s with the theatrics?” Dick asked.

“You know I enjoy making a grand entrance.” Wade pointed out.

“You scared Emily and you were being creepy again,” Peter said.

“I didn't mean to scare her!” Wade exclaimed, clearly insulted.

“You know he did that just to be able to go around freely touching everyone on the butt,” Tim said.

Wade gave a look of disgust. “I only wanted to touch Peter’s butt. I only touched yours because I didn't realize that Peter had moved.” Wade explained.

“Can someone please explain to me what’s going on?” Emily asked.

“That’s Wade Wilson.” Tim introduced.

“Deadpool,” Emily said.

“Ha! So you have heard of me!” Wade grinned.

“I’ve seen your name come up on a few select files at Shields,” Emily answered.

“Then you know how dangerous I can be.” Wade taunted.

“I also know that you’re annoying as hell and people want to restitch your mouth shut,” Emily explained.

“His mouth does tend to get him in trouble,” Peter said.

“It does not!” Wade gasped.

“Can we stitch it close now? I think all of us can take him.” Jason asked.

“You know what? I don't have time for this. I let you distract me away from the battle long enough.” Emily said in annoyance.

The group watched her storm off the mats and back over to the computers. Peter sighed before he and Tim went over to join Emily at the desks.

“What has her panties in a bunch?” Wade asked.

“You know that big ole fight in New York?” Dick said.

“Yeah, what about it?” Wade replied.

“She has family in the middle of it,” Dick explained.

“Then why hasn't Bruce sent you guys in as cavalry?” Wade asked.

“Bruce has strict orders to not intervene. Something was mentioned of the government trying out a new team.” Dick told him.

“So why isn't she out there helping?” Wade asked.

“The girl is a computer geek,” Jason said.

“Lay off, Todd.” Piper hissed.

Wade went over to Emily and looped his arm around her neck to pull her in close.

“Come on Princess, cheer up!” Wade exclaimed.

“Princess?” Emily said, noting the nickname.

“You scream of only child syndrome and you look like you’re extremely spoiled. So that makes you my princess!” Wade grinned.

“Lord, give me the strength.” Emily sighed.

“Listen, you’ve been down here a while. Why don’t we all head up for dinner.” Peter suggested.

“I don't want to miss anything,” Emily said.

“Emily, have faith in your family. It will be okay for you to go and eat.” Tim said.

“Your family is going to want you to take care of yourself,” Dick added.

Emily sighed and then gave in. “Alright, fine.”

    Her new larger group of friends easily kept her distracted from the news. After they had eaten dinner, Wade got a board game going, which then turned into the children having a full out Nerf war. Dick teamed up with his brother Jason and Tim. Leaving Piper, Peter, and Emily on the opposite team. Wade wouldn’t pick a side and decided to be a lone wolf determined to take down the others. It didn’t take Wade long to take out Dick, Jason, and Tim. He easily took out Peter. Wade even acted out a dramatic death scene as he cried over Peter’s ‘dead’ body. With him distracted, Emily and Piper both shot Wade in the back. He was upset that his girls so easily took him out as he mourned, but he appreciated their tactic. Once the nerf war was finished, Dick got Emily to agree into going for a late night swim.

All of them headed out into the darkening sky. The storm had calmed and it was lightly sprinkling. Tim informed Emily that the pool was heated so she wouldn’t freeze out in the rain. Dick raced Peter down to the pool and the pair dove in head first. Jason rolled his eyes and slid into the water and began swimming around. Wade, gleefully did a cannonball in the deep end. Piper and Emily sat on the edge of the pool with their feet dangling in the water. They watched as the boys started a game of chicken.

It was by the time Emily was back in her bedroom for the night she had realized that she stayed away for so long. She eyed the television in her room and debated on whether to turn it on or not. Ignoring the tv, Emily sat on her bed and pulled out a book. It had been a long time since she had the time to actually indulge in a good book.

Emily had easily lost herself in the book. Hours passed by as she flipped through the pages losing herself within the story. It was a high pitched scream that tore her attention away from the book. She closed the book and listened carefully. When another scream echoed down the halls, Emily tossed the book to the side and raced out of her bedroom.

She knew that scream and she knew exactly what was happening. She had dealt with this before when they all lived at Shields. Emily hustled down the hall towards Piper’s room. Emily slid to a stop when Dick was tossed from the room. Tim followed right after. Jason came flying out of his own room just as Emily rushed into Piper’s bedroom.

“Piper, you have to calm down,” Peter said.

“Get out!” Piper shouted, backing away from him.

“Piper,” Emily said in a calm tone.

Her best friend looked up at her.

“Get out. Both of you. Now!” Piper shouted.

“You’re going Alpha,” Emily said, coming to stand next to Peter.

“And I’ll hurt you both if you don't leave.” Piper hissed.

“I never left you before and I won't do it now,” Emily said.

“Same. We’re here for you Piper.” Peter agreed.

Slowly, Peter and Emily were able to surround Piper and back her into her bed. The three of them fell onto the soft mattress. Acting quickly, both friends wrapped themselves around Piper and squeezed her in between the both of them.

Peter and Emily talked softly to Piper trying to fill the uneasy silence with calming words. Emily listened carefully as Piper’s heartbeat began to slow. Peter ran his hands through her hair as he told her of one of his misadventures as Spiderman.

Normally, Piper wasn't an affectionate person and not all of the time could Emily and Peter use this technique to calm her, but this time she hadn't gone full Alpha. Sometimes, they weren't so lucky and couldn't prevent Piper turning into Alpha. Those were the worst nights.

When Piper had fallen asleep, Peter and Emily unwrapped themselves from her. They sat on the edge of the bed for several more minutes to be sure that she would have a peaceful sleep. Peter stood first, then he pulled Emily off the bed. With watchful eyes, they backed out of the room and then carefully closed the door. Dick, Tim, and Jason were still out in the hall crowding around her door.

“She went down easy this time,” Peter said.

“We got lucky,” Emily added.

“How did you do that?” Dick asked.

“It's just a thing we’re good at,” Peter answered.

“She went down easy, but we’re going to want to keep an eye on her,” Emily said.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Peter nodded.

“So I’ll take the first shift.” Emily offered.

“You sure? You look exhausted.” Peter asked.

Emily waved him off. “I’m good. Just bring me an iPad and headphones.”

Peter pressed a kiss to her forehead and headed down to her bedroom to grab her things.

“You really do care about Piper, don’t you?” Dick asked.

“Was there ever any doubt?” Emily asked in return.

“No.” Dick and Tim answered.

“Yes,” Jason added.

Dick and Tim sighed. “Back off, Todd,” Dick said he and Tim turned in for the night.

Emily stood there alone in the halls with Jason.

“She’s been through a lot.” Jason suddenly said.

“I may not have been there from the beginning Jason, but I know. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together at Shields. Peter told me everything that has happened to her. Piper’s told me a few things, but we don't have to talk about that to bond. My past isn’t as traumatic like hers, but I have the past too, but that’s not what bonded us together.” Emily explained.

“You did good, kid,” Jason said.

Emily’s mouth fell open.

“Wake me if you need anything.” Jason quickly added and then rushed off to his room.

“Hope you appreciate that compliment. Jason never compliments anyone.” Peter said behind Emily

Emily turned towards Peter and took her headphones and iPad from her phone.

“Yeah, I figured,” Emily said.

“You sure you want to take the first shift?” Peter asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got this. Go and get some sleep.” Emily said.

“Alright. Don’t hesitate to come and get me if anything happens.” Peter said.

“I won’t. Go get some sleep.” Emily said nudging him towards his bedroom.

Emily waited until Peter made it into his bedroom before she slid down the wall. Propping her iPad onto her knees, Emily plugged in her headphones and then pulled up her favorite playlist. As the music began to play, Emily relaxed her head and stared at Piper’s closed door.

Hours passed.

Emily didn’t move from her spot. Her playlist was only halfway through. She knew that she should go and wake Peter, but she was too worried to sleep. Moving her iPad, Emily stretched out her legs and rolled her shoulders to stretch out the muscles.

Finally, around four, Peter came stumbling grumbling out of his bedroom. He glared at Emily before dropping down next to her. They both knew that he wanted to scold her, but he wouldn’t pick this as one of his battles with her. Instead, he grabbed the earbuds out of her right ear and put it into his own ear.

Seven thirty on the dot, Piper’s door swung open. She looked down to where both of her best friends were leaning against each other sleeping. Piper shook her head, patted them both on the top of their heads before heading downstairs for breakfast. The smell of bacon woke up Peter who in turn shook Emily awake.

“She’s already downstairs,” Peter said as they pulled the earbuds out.

“I figured she’d wake up first,” Emily said with a yawn.

“Come on, I smell breakfast,” Peter said, pulling Emily up to her feet.

Dick’s door opened. He banged on Tim’s and then Jason’s door before trailing after Peter and Emily downstairs. Bruce was already sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and the paper. Piper was kneeling on the chair piling food onto her plate. The rest of the teens found seats around the table and started to eat breakfast.

“Everyone sleep well?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah.” The teens mumbled.

“I see that Wade stopped by last night,” Bruce said.

“He didn’t break anything,” Dick said.

“No, but he does owe me a new wiring system. He put them back together with duct tape.” Bruce sighed.

Tim snickered.

“We’ll make sure he gets the message,” Peter said.

A loud ringing noise filled the house.

“Who could be visiting so early?” Bruce wondered.

“Sorry Mr. Pennyworth, but this is confidential news.” A familiar voice said.

Emily dropped her biscuit, pushed away from the table and hurried to the front of the house.  The other teens looked at Bruce, then at each other, before running after Emily. Emily came to a halt when she saw Fury standing in the doorway. She knew that look. That was the same look the police officers had all of those years ago when they came to tell them about her parents.

“Fury,” Emily whispered.

Fury hung his head.

Emily bit her bottom lip to keep from crying.

“Do you have a place where we could have a private conversation?” Fury asked Bruce.

“My office is just down the hall.” Bruce began.

“No,” Emily said coldly.

“Emily,” Bruce started.

“I can’t. I can’t wait for you to go through this lecture of how sorry you are. Just tell me. Tell me!” Emily roared.

“Come on Emily,” Bruce said.

Emily let the older man put his arm around her shoulders. He leads her and Fury down to his office. The second the door to his office was closed the teens hustled down the hall and crammed around the door so they could listen.

“Shh, shut up.” Jason snarled.

“Dick, move your ass.” Tim snapped.

“I can’t hear,” Peter growled.

“Move,” Dick said, pushing between Tim and Piper.

“Is it Clint?” Emily asked, her lip quivering.

“Your brother is a little banged up, but he’s okay.” Fury answered.

“Nat?” Emily said.

“With your brother and just fine.” Fury said.

“I-is it my dad?” Emily asked, holding her breath.

“No, Bruce is fine. He’s at the Shield's headquarters waiting for your return.” Fury answered.

“Then I don’t get it, who could have gotten hurt?” Bruce asked.

“Somebody wasn’t hurt.” Fury said sadly.

Emily’s heart stopped.

“Oh no. No. No. No.” Emily began to panic.

“I think Coulson would have wanted you to have these.” Fury said holding out the last remaining vintage Captain America cards.

Emily dropped to her knees.

“Emily!” Bruce exclaimed, kneeling down next to her.

She took the cards from Fury. Glancing down at them, she noticed how they were covered in his blood. A loud wail escaped from her before, she placed a hand over her mouth. Her body shook with her sobs. Bruce cursed next to her.

“Tell me this is some elaborate prank,” Emily begged of him.

Fury shook his head. “I was there when the med team called his time of death, Emily.”

Tears were streaming down her face and she hit her chest trying to force herself to breathe. When she finally did gasp for air, she yanked herself away from Bruce’s calming touch. She got to her feet and rushed Fury. The Director stood there and let the girl come over to him and began beating on his chest.

“This is all your fault!” Emily screamed.

“Emily! Emily!” Bruce yelled.

Fury shook his head at Bruce.

“Where were you?” Emily demanded to know.

“Emily. Enough.” Fury said, grabbing her wrists.

“He was a good man. It should have been you.” Emily sobbed.

Fury pulled on her hard. When her face planted into his chest he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Emily still struggled against him to continue hitting him, but he was too strong. Emily finally gave up and just sobbed into Fury. Bruce left Emily with Fury. He wasn’t surprised when he found all of his kids standing outside of his office. He glared at them and then pointed for them to go.

An hour later, Fury finally came out of the office with a tear stained face, Emily. She couldn’t even look at her friends. Bruce had Alfred go on up to her bedroom and grab her belongings. Fury thanked Bruce for taking care of Emily, but he’d be taking her back to her family. Dick and Tim both hugged Emily goodbye. Jason patted her on her back. Peter kissed her forehead. Piper took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Emily said nothing. She followed behind Fury out to the waiting car that would take them to the airport.

“When we get back to Shields I can take you to see him.” Fury said gently.

“I want to see my brother,” Emily replied coldly.

Fury sighed. “I’ll have it arranged.”

Emily felt like an empty shell. Everything went by in a blur. She couldn’t even remember arriving at the airport or boarding the plane. She said nothing and didn’t even move on the flight back to DC. The driver who picked them up was someone familiar, but Emily didn’t even bother to glance his way. She stared out the window as they drove through the city.

Bruce and Natasha were waiting for them when they pulled up in front of Shields. Emily didn’t hug them back or say a word to them. They followed behind her quietly as she followed Fury to the hospital wing. She barred every one from following her into her brother’s room.

Clint was sitting up in his bed. He was fully dressed and he gave Emily a small smile as she closed the door behind her. The pair stared at each other for several seconds before Emily finally pushed away from the door to sit on the edge of her brother’s bed.

“Emily?” Clint said.

“He’s really gone, isn’t he?” Emily asked.

Clint sighed. “I know he meant a lot to you, Em.”

Emily nodded. “You okay?”

“I’ll heal up just fine,” Clint answered.

“Wanna talk about it?” Emily asked him.

“Not today, but someday,” Clint replied.

“Okay,” Emily said.

Clint moved so he sat next to his sister. “There’s somewhere I want you and Bruce to go for a while before you two go off the grid,” Clint told her.

“Will it be safe?” Emily asked.

“It’s one of the safest places,” Clint told her.

“How do you know?” Emily asked him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Because Fury has worked really hard over the past year to make sure that it stayed off Shield’s radar,” Clint explained.

“Are you coming?” Emily asked him.

“Natasha and I will be going with you for about a week to recoup, but we have other missions to get to,” Clint answered.

“How long will we have to stay there?” Emily asked.

“I’d like for you to stay on the farm for a year,” Clint said.

“You have a farm?” Emily asked him.

“You’ll like it. I promise.” Clint said.

Emily sighed. “When can we go?”

“Now,” Clint said.

The door opened. Natasha and Bruce were already waiting with their traveling backpacks. Clint spoke quietly with Fury. Fury glanced over at Emily who was leaning on Bruce as they waited for clearance to leave. He nodded at Clint giving them the clearance to escape for a week. Clint was going to personally fly them out to the farm. He had a small area where he could park the helicopter.

The farm was on the outskirts of DC out in the country. There were plenty of lands and the farmhouse was just exactly how Emily had imagined it. Battered and bruised, the four of them climbed up the stairs and into the house. Natasha gave Emily and Bruce a quick tour of the house. Bruce disappeared outside to one of the barns. There was work to do and Clint didn’t want to put it off any further. Natasha led Emily upstairs to the last bedroom in the hall.

“Clint said you’d love the view,” Natasha said, opening the door.

It was the master bedroom and it was completely empty except for the large wooden bed pushed up against the center of the wall. Emily dropped her bag down and looked around the room. Natasha came to wrap an arm around Emily and press a kiss to her cheek.

“You can decorate it however you want. Dinner should be done around seven. Just take it easy.” Natasha said and then left her alone.

Being alone was the last thing Emily wanted, but she didn’t really want to burden the others with her depressing feelings. Instead, Emily pushed her bag to the side and crawled into the middle of the bed and drifted off to sleep with tears still running down her cheeks.

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 15 - NYI - Onto Sweden

1-0 New York Islanders Win

I struggle to figure out how much of the 2018-2019 New York Islanders was Robin Lehner just like I now struggle to figure out how much of the 2019-2020 Buffalo Sabres is PDO and shooting percentage. I don’t think I have a conclusion on either yet. Certainly Matt Barzal has something to do with a new Isles core that seems unencumbered in the post-Tavares Era. General Manager Lou Lamoriello making good decisions for the future of the club unlike his predecessor must help too. This was their 9th straight win. We know that ride really well. Go take a Metropolitan spot and take as many points away from the Devils and Rangers for us. We know you’ll like that. I was pompous enough to proclaim the Sabres the best team in New York State. Josh Allen is really in my head now; although these other New York teams actually play in this state. Now both those other clubs have regulation wins over Buffalo. That doesn’t feel right. I am willing to take the blame for that. I’ve been to a lot of Sabres losses in my day, 14 to be exact, and not one of them was a 1-0 loss. I’m not upset… I’m just frustrated... and a little disappointed. My dad was on a three-game winning streak going to games with me dating back to the 2017-2018 season and on the night that reminds him of his teen years, 70s night, he’s got to sit through a neutral zone slap fight without the horn ever going off. You know who this game probably really sucks for? Carter Hutton. He was undefeated in the back halves of back-to-backs and he sees one deflect in behind him off a pissy French Canadian and suddenly they’re down 1-0 never to score again. Shit, did I just summarize this game in one sentence? Sorry. Don’t worry I think there is some more to say here. It would be easy to say this team had their eyes looking past this game to Sweden, but I think that’s missing the point a little bit.

Rasmus Dahlin looked a little better last night. I was sitting in a very belligerent section who made sure to let me know whenever Eichel or Dahlin missed a chance or a pass. I think they require you to get upset at Eichel to get your AARP card because even my dad is one of these guys who just can’t help himself. “I want Eichel to shoot more.” Yeah dad, and I want a Josh Allen jersey. I’m sure we will both get what we want if we bitch hard enough, right? Blood is thicker than water, friends. You take the good with the bad with family. I think Ralph Krueger feels the same way about Jimmy Vesey and Jake McCabe. One win in four games you might think why not try that Jeff Skinner Jack Eichel pairing on the top line? No, last night we got Jimmy Vesey skating on a line with Jack Eichel for the first time since… the Beanpot? Massholes are going to have to correct me on that one, I don’t understand your traditions. You have to have a big hockey tournament before your straight pride parade every Spring, right? Anyway that line didn’t produce, and it didn’t survive the game as far as I could tell. Conor Sheary and Marcus Johansson both ringed slappers off the post and in spite of a slow shooting first period the Sabres outshot their opposition. I don’t think Semyon Varlamov had an easy night in the Isles net at all, I think he got a lucky shutout. He also probably benefited from his defense tying every meaningful chance up in the neutral zone. It felt like the Sabres just could not get any meaningful possession, especially in the offensive zone as this game went on. Buffalo does bad in neutral zone battles and we saw it again last night. That brings me to another bad Jake McCabe performance. It’s time to split up him and Rasmus Ristolainen. I don’t think that pairing has clicked much this year and the last time I recall either guy contributing a noticeable amount of controlled zone entries was last season. Nobody could get the puck across two bluelines last night and McCabe especially seemed to end every stretch of possession with a turnover or at least a dump-in. Excluding line changes dump-ins are never a good idea. Having watched the Rangers teams that made the Cup Final in 2014 and the Eastern Conference Final in 2015 I have PTSD for the dump-in-chase. That strategy for zone entries is the kiss of death. McCabe panicked over and over when he had a pass available and ruined chances to set up in the zone. In a league where most goals are scored off controlled zone entries you have to have defenseman who can carry the puck through the neutral zone.

I don’t think any Sabres players, even the Swedish ones, were looking past this game to Stockholm next weekend. But maybe Krueger is? I know that sounds silly, but I can’t explain why Jeff Skinner of all players got the least time on ice last night. When you’re losing by one goal for a grand total of 54 minutes how is such a creative goal scorer seeing so little of the ice? On the bright side Vladimir Sobotka saw the ice the second least right behind Skinner so maybe our Canadian-German friend behind the bench can learn. Brandon Montour is now officially back so instead of benching John Gilmour and waiting for Lawrence Pilut to force the issue… how about you make a trade? Jason, you’re allowed to do those before the month of the deadline. We could use a winger. All complaining aside I think Sweden does pose a good opportunity to reset. Don’t look at the standings, they don’t matter until Christmas. The Sabres will fly to Sweden Sunday Monday and practice two days in a row Wednesday Thursday before back to back games against the Lightning Friday Saturday. Treat those practices like Training Camp. Get this Play Connected thing up to full strength again. There were at least a dozen times last night when Sabres passed the puck to nobody. The ability to get the puck to guys on the same team, and to get creative with it, was what made the first ten games of this season fun. Get back to that. I’ll even tell you this: I don’t need more than two points out of you in Sweden. Win one of the games or force them both into OT. A five-game losing streak would be rough but this very light stretch over the next ten days can be a refocusing. It’s not going to get easier when y’all get back to American Soil. There’s only one easy opponent and I’m sure the Sens will look to make a game on a Saturday night. Get your shit together because this little cushion you’ve built will dissipate fast as we learned all too quickly last season.

Before we wrap up and go watch the Bills game I want every New York Islander who reads this to know that Johnny left because he thinks you personally are a bad person. You already felt personally insulted? Okay, you probably didn’t read this far anyway. Like this blog and drop a comment before you leave. If you want to be really nice you can share it with someone. I’ll be sharing this with fellow tailgaters today in the ECC lot. Let’s hope the Sabres win again before the Bills catch up to them in wins, eh? I didn’t think it was going to be no win November, geez. If you get bored waiting for next Friday when the Sabres hit the ice again don’t worry, there will be plenty varied content going up on the blog including a Sabres-related list. What is it? Wait and find out next week! In the meantime, Let’s Go Buffalo!

Thanks for Reading.

P.S. I’m not a fan of those Nashville Predators Winter Classic Jerseys. If I’m being honest I think they’re some MS Paint garbage.