#that Catherine was his step mom

[crimsonfeatheredraven]

Even if Jason didn't die...if he didn't go to Ethiopia.... would he have come back willingly?

I don't think so.

[syntheticavenger]

On My Mama - Three

A special thank you to @mrsmischief209 @flordeamatista @negronispagliato for helping with language translation and @cocobutterqwueen for cheering me on with the plot!

Santiago 'Pope' Garcia x Female Reader

Tyler Rake x Female Reader

Andy Barber x Female Reader

Jax Teller x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.2K

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, language, breeding kink (brief), jealousy, angst, mentions of divorce, co-parenting.

Summary | Being a single mom with a complicated relationship with your ex-husband makes for an interesting summer after a school event and an unexpected errand puts you front and center with some eligible contenders for your attention.

“Mommy, look! They have horsies!” Mia squeaks, pointing as Santiago holds her close so that she doesn’t tip over, mesmerized as a horse gallops by the big window. “Daddy, do you see the horsies?!”

“I do see them,” Santiago agrees, kissing the crown of her head affectionately. “We have to finish the tour, mini.”

Sister Catherine Francis stands next to you, the school administrator smiling at the sweet moment between father and daughter. Admittedly, the tour has been impressive. Beside the stables, there is an auditorium, a gym, a play area much larger than the one in her current school and the student to teacher ratio is much smaller than you thought.

“Mrs. Garcia, I know you have some reservations about our school as Mr. Garcia told us,” Sister Catherine begins, her Irish accent strong. “I assure you, Mia will have the very best of care here at St. Mary’s. The curriculum here is outstanding and our students go on to Ivy League universities and abroad.”

“Curriculum,” you repeat, seeing her nod, anticipating your response with a tight-lipped smile. You’ve been peppering her with questions the entire tour, ever since she had mentioned she was pleased that Santiago had reached out weeks prior, calling you by your former last name, ignoring that you had mentioned that you were divorced.

Your cell phone vibrates in your purse, mumbling an excuse to step away for a moment as Sister Catherine approaches Santiago and Mia to discuss the details of the stables, asking Mia if she would like to know the names of all the horses.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sorry if I caught you at a bad time,” Tyler apologizes, your mood improving at the sound of his voice.

You’re grateful for the reprieve, even more so that he’s called you directly.

Santiago looks over his shoulder as you turn around, your back to him. He’s far away enough that you hope he can’t hear you.

“No, it’s fine, I’m just out with Mia,” you answer. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?”

“I’m good.”

After a pause, Tyler laughs, the sound making you smile.

“Listen, I’m being a total idiot about this and I’m sorry. How would you feel if I picked the place to go to dinner? I promise you’ll have a good time.”

“I think that would be fine. Should I be worried?” you ask.

“No? I mean, I hope not. How does Saturday sound? Seven?”

“Seven works,” you agree, taking two steps away from Sister Catherine. “Enough time to find a sitter.”

“Seven it is. We can meet there if that works?”

“Sure. I’ll see you at seven.”

“Perfect. It’s a date. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

When you hang up, you notice that Santiago is closer now, Mia still in his arms as he looks through his phone for a moment. Sister Catherine clears her throat at the interruption, making you look up from your phone.

“Did you have questions regarding any of our curricula?”

You hope that doesn’t mean to be pushy, but it sounds that way, the nun clasping her hands in front of her, waiting for your answer.

 “Mia is five. She’s in kindergarten and doing well,” you counter, trying to keep the irritation out of your voice. “College is a few years away.”

“She’s a very intelligent young lady. We would nurture her intuitive nature, develop her into a strong young woman who would be readily accepted at any university of her choosing. You must start now, in her formidable years, to make sure she is strong.”

“She’s already strong.”

Mia runs over to you when her father puts her down, clinging to your legs as she bends her head back, looking into your eyes.

“I like it, Mommy!” Mia announces.

“You like what, sweetheart?” you ask carefully, Mia raising up her arms for you to pick her up.

She settles into your arms, leaning over to whisper in your ear.

“I like the horsies.”

“They’re nice, aren’t they?” you ask, her head bumping against your cheek as she nods quickly.

“I want one, Mommy. Can I have one?”

“Horses are expensive, baby,” you tell her gently, Santiago standing close by to smooth down her hair.

“We can talk about it over lunch, hmm? How does that sound?” he asks, giving you a cool smile before he turns to the nun. “Sister Catherine, I cannot tell you how much we appreciate the hospitality and the graciousness you’ve shown me and my family.”

“It is my pleasure, Mr. Garcia.”

“We haven’t made a decision,” Santiago says carefully, looking in your direction as you hold Mia close. “But I’m sure either way, we’ll be in touch.”

“Of course. It was nice meeting you, Mia,” Sister Catherine says, Mia leaning over you to shake her hand.

“Bye!” Mia chirps as you force a smile, knowing that this isn’t the right time to say any of the thoughts that have filled your head.

“Thank you,” you reply to her, the nun nodding with a gracious expression.

“Of course, Mrs. Garcia.”

🌙

Mia chews on a piece of chicken, cut up expertly by her father as she colors on the paper placemat. 

Santiago leans back in his chair, sipping his glass of wine, silent as he glances from his daughter to you. As much as your irritation has grown, you know better than to argue in front of Mia. You’re also aware of the stare that he’s giving you, like he has more to say than he is letting on.

“I’m sorry for the surprise,” Santiago murmurs, placing his glass back down on the table. “I should have told you.”

“Yes, you should have,” you answer back quietly, Mia still coloring, playing you no mind. “I know you want what is best for our daughter, but I wish you would understand that this would be a big change for her.”

“Of course it would. No more cafeteria food, no overcrowded classrooms, more attention on our precious daughter. I fail to see the flaws in St. Mary’s.”

“She knows no one there. She’s made friends, she has her own little social calendar now. She’s happy.”

“I’m happy,” Mia recites with a giggle, drawing a squiggly line in purple crayon.

“She’s five,” Santiago recites back to you. “Young enough to make new friends, build new relationships and settle into a new school.”

The server interrupts with the next course, lingering a little longer to ask Santiago if he would like something else, her arm draped over the chair. You pay her no mind, knowing that he won’t let this particular subject go, no matter what distraction there may be in his way.

“I think we’re fine for now, thank you,” he declares with an air of annoyance through a tight flash of teeth.

“I’ll be nearby if you need anything,” she says, moving away from him.

Still within earshot, Santiago’s eyes level with yours, looking down at his plate and then to Mia, who has switched to a green crayon, drawing what looks like two boxes on top of each other.

“A frog,” Mia announces to her parents, coloring diligently.

Before you have a chance to argue, his gaze settles on the server who is still close by, turning back to you with a disapproving stare before he finally speaks.

“Mira a Mia, nos tiene a nosotros igual con el mundo a su alcance.”

He raises an eyebrow after, his words settling as you frown, Mia’s head snapping up at attention.

“¿Que... mundo?” she asks her father, looking at him suspiciously, your eyes rolling as Santiago smirks, lifting her out of her chair and onto his lap.

“I forgot how smart you are, mini,” Santiago murmurs against her, moving his wine glass away from her as she reaches for it. “That’s not juice. Let’s get you your own drink.”

The nickname isn’t lost on you, Mia leaning against her father, rubbing her eyes. Mini, meaning a mini version of you, something he’s called her since before she could talk.

When the server finally moves away, Mia slips off of her father’s lap, running to you as she moves from side to side.

“I gotta potty,” she announces loudly, your finger going to your lips to remind her to lower her voice as she takes off running.

Independent as you know her to be, you also know she’s fast, following behind her. You know she has no idea where she’s going, mumbling out an apology to the tables that she passes, narrowly missing a server with a tray over their head.

She stops in her tracks, pointing as you reach her, following her direction.

“It’s Abel!”

True to her word, Abel is sitting across a table in a booth with a well-dressed woman, who you assume is Abel’s mother. She doesn’t fit the description of Abel’s mother, someone whose name Melanie has dragged through the proverbial mud. This woman, in her black pantsuit and perfectly coiffed hair doesn’t look like she would be an absent mother, especially the way she talks to him.

It is Melanie after all, you think, herding Mia toward the restroom. She’s not exactly known for liking many people, let alone someone who is that close to Jax.

“I wanna say hi,” Mia protests, looking over her shoulder before the door closes. “Mommy, let’s say hi to Abel.”

“After you go to the restroom, I promise we will go say hello to Abel and after you wash your hands.”

“And we sing the ABCs!” Mia reminds you, running into a stall and locking it.

It feels silly to think about Jax, especially with how the day has played out. Santiago’s surprise tour to St. Mary’s and your upcoming date with Tyler. Your plate is full and you haven’t even told Santiago about your date.

If you even want to. You don’t even want to know how many dates he’s been on. Not that he’ll ever tell you and you’ve never been bold enough to ask. A flicker of irritation moves through you when you remember Abel’s sweet little face, dejected after being dropped off without a gift. You know that it didn’t matter that he didn’t have a gift but children mimic their parents and their societal standards.

“I’m done!” Mia says, after stopping the multiple flushes once you remind her to not play in the bathroom. 

Dutifully she recites her alphabet when she washes her hands, the suds flying around the sink while you prepare the paper towels for her to dry her hands like a servant.

“Can we say hi now?”

“Yes,” you agree, Mia bolting out the door.

You stop in your tracks when Mia greets Jax loudly, seeing him sit across from the well-dressed woman. He’s traded his well-worn kutte for a button down shirt and black slacks, his hair slicked back, unaware that you’re close by when he scans the restaurant for any sign of you.

“Mommy!” Mia says, waving to you. “She’s right there.”

You tug your dress down when you walk toward them, Abel giving you a shy smile, Jax giving you a slow smile.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” Jax says with a smile. “Mother daughter lunch date?”

“You could say that,” you respond, Mia eyeing the paper placemat that Abel is working on.

“You have to color the boxes,” Mia orders, your arm going around her to remind her of her manners gently.

“Abel can color them later,” you tell her softly, Mia shrugging as Abel starts to color in the boxes.

The woman smiles and you feel a sense of intruding on their time, quickly giving them a nod before slowly turning Mia back toward the direction of where you are sitting.

It’s family time, you predict, Jax giving you a curious look as you make a move to give them some space.

“Leaving so soon?”

“I wouldn’t want to impede on your family time,” you tell him. “Good to see you and Abel and nice to meet you…”

“Nice to meet you too,” the woman says with a grin, Jax raising an eyebrow before you march Mia back to the table.

🌙

“Busy schedule?” Santiago asks, seeing you fire off a text to one of the moms in the group text over a snack rotation schedule mix up. The drive back as been quiet thus far, ever since you’d gone back to the table and he had already paid, holding Mia’s tiny purse that she had insisted on taking everywhere.

“Just ironing out some details.”

Mia is fast asleep in the backseat, Santiago licking his lower lip in thought.

“If you need a sitter on Saturday, I’m sure I can have my mother watch Mia.”

“Are my conversations not private anymore?” you question, seeing a smirk play at his mouth.

“Big hallway,” he responds. “Your voice carries. And you didn’t answer my question. Do you want my mother to watch Mia?”

“I’d prefer to think about my options and for you to not eavesdrop on my conversations.”

“I told you. Your voice carries.”

You shift in your seat. It’s uncomfortable to know that he heard what you were saying, even more unnerving is that you feel guilty.

“Or you were listening. I don’t ask you about your personal life.”

“No,” he agrees with a shake of his head. “I’d answer anything you’d want to know. You know that.”

You sit in silence for a moment, your street coming into view.

“You want to date, I say go for it,” Santiago continues. “Would it make me a little jealous to know you’re scouting out potential men to find a partner? I’m human, aren’t I? I’d be lying if I told you I don’t think about how I should have put another baby in you. Those sounds you make for me, conejita… I crave them and no one can ever recreate it, nor have they come close.”

You try to move when he places his hand on your bare thigh, his hand warm as he slides it up toward your dress.

“So you’ve tried,” you shoot back, hating that you can already feel yourself reacting to him.

“Does it matter?”

“When you’re trying to surprise me with a quick decision on a private school that I was not given a chance to even think about? No,” you answer, placing your hand on his. “I’m still upset with you.”

“I didn’t say she had to go. It needs to be a decision from the both of us. I’m asking you to keep an open mind.”

“I will once I can keep a clear mind.”

Santiago smiles, a text popping up on his screen. Another woman, your eyes looking at the notification.

“Guess your calendar is packed too,” you shoot back, getting out of the car when he parks. “Not making a decision on the school yet. But we aren’t sleeping together.”

Santiago laughs, shaking his head in disbelief when he gets out the car to take Mia out of her seat.

“My flight leaves in two hours so I’ll put her to bed and you can take your time with your decision,” he informs you.

🌙

Settling Mia into her bed, he heads downstairs, finding no sign of you. Your phone is on the counter, a notification popping up as he hovers over it.

It’s a single name, one that he raises an eyebrow at.

Jax.

Even more curious is what he reads as he hears you come back down the stairs.

Not my wife. She’s my lawyer. 

🌙

It’s daunting, fingers wrapped around the wood, breathing harder than you ever thought. You’re aware that your last movement was less than graceful, afraid to step over the line, your hips moving to try to get into the right position.

“Do you want some help?” Tyler asks, the burr of his voice sending a tingle down your spine.

“Yes, please,” you answer, his warm fingers on your elbow, flexing your arm back and forth slowly. 

The sweet smell of sawdust gives you the urge to sneeze, the loud clink of beer glasses when someone hits a target and the raucous roar when someone doesn’t hit their mark gives you a sense of ease. There’s no need for perfection or expertise.

He’d met you at the door, your shyness on display when he held the door open for you. It wasn’t your first choice for a date, but your only comparison was the upscale restaurants that Santiago would take you to. Either way, you’re excited to try something new, the ax hard to throw but the adrenaline rush when you throw it is entertaining.

“It’s a flick of the wrist,” he instructs, standing behind you, his body a solid wall of muscle when you take a step back accidentally, trying to make sure you don’t disqualify yourself.

“It’s a quick throw but you’ve got to move with purpose, focus on where you want it to go. Ready?”

When you throw it, the ax sails through the air, hitting the top of the target. Not that it matters, you finally got it to stick, celebrating that you were able to hit something, rather than have it bounce off the wall.

As a first date, you’re still glancing at your phone as Laurie sends you pictures of Mia, feeling guilty for all of five seconds when you realize that he’s probably done the same. You feel oddly comfortable in a flannel shirt and jeans and a pair of sneakers for a first date. You’d gone through your closet while Laurie had come over to watch Mia, with it being Andy’s week with Jacob and she was more than happy to watch her as Santiago’s mother had last minute plans.

As a rule, you don’t engage with any questions she has, especially since she’s always hinted that you had made a mistake with your decision to separate and then divorce.

It was a good thing they were your decisions.

Your decision now is to try to not focus on how handsome Tyler looks when he focuses on the target, hitting the target each time. You’re aware of his politeness, the way he doesn’t get into the personal side of your history with your ex, keeping it light with Mia and Hunter and to your interests.

For the first time in a long time, you talk about yourself and your hopes and dreams.

And Tyler listens.

You don’t want to compare, nor do you want to put either of them on a pedestal but there’s something about the way he lets what you say sink in, nodding slowly and taking the social cue of when he can share his own thoughts and ideas. There is no fighting for dominance in a conversation, something that you aren’t used to.

“What?” he asks you after taking a sip of his beer.

“Nothing,” you answer quickly, realizing that you’ve been staring at his tattooed arms and how he smiles.

It isn’t the time to admit that you’ve been appreciating his physical form as well as feeling seen and heard.

“Ax throwing is harder than I thought,” you admit, stretching out your fingers.

“Does it hurt?” Tyler asks, reaching out his hand to you, placing your hand in his. “Sometimes you can get a splinter.”

He examines your hand, his fingers running along your fingers and palm, closing your hand into a fist and then unraveling it to hook your fingers over his, his lips brushing against your knuckles. At the contact, your face heats up at how gentle he is with you.

“Not a scratch or splinter from what I can see,” he says with a nod, looking into your eyes. “I’d say that’s a win.”

-

“I thought about leaving. Taking Hunter with me, moving to a new city and just starting over,” Tyler tells you while you walk along the pier. “It made sense to me, you know? Clean slate, we didn’t have to look back. Then he entered kindergarten and I watched him come out of his shell that I thought he would never break out of and I knew that I couldn’t do that to him.”

“What about private school?” you ask, seeing him shrug off his jacket as he slows his steps, placing it over your shoulders. You’re instantly warm, smelling the faint cologne left on his jacket. “Thank you.”

“I thought about it,” he replies, continuing to walk beside you. “I moved a lot as a kid, went to few private schools here and there but I never like I fit in. Didn’t think Hunter would either. Why do you ask?”

“I thought about St. Mary’s but…” you trail off, focusing on the waves that crash against the shore in the moonlight. “I think she’d miss her friends.”

“They’d miss her.”

“I don’t know,” you sigh. “I want to make sure she’s well adjusted. I want to make sure that she’s happy and healthy. She’s made so many friends and I hope that I make the right decision for her.”

“Have you ever felt like you haven’t?”

Shaking your head, he nods in agreement.

“Then you’re making the right decision.”

“I feel like I could be better.”

“Oh?” he questions. “How so?”

“There’s always room for improvement.”

“Even now?”

His curious expression makes you stop, looking into his blue eyes for a moment. There’s a vulnerability there, a softness that sends a slight flutter to your stomach.

“No,” you answer. “I can’t think of any improvements on tonight.”

“I disagree,” Tyler responds, pulling his jacket that is around your shoulders closer to keep you warm, pulling you toward him slowly. “I can think of something.”

He lowers his head to kiss you and you meet him halfway, his lips on yours, soft and warm. You don’t want it to end, even if you know at any time you’ll both pull away. 

His cell phone vibrates loudly in the pocket, your soft groan barely audible when you break the kiss.

“Did you want to get that?” you whisper, Tyler kissing you again before you can ask him again.

“It’s the sitter. I think I owe her some overtime.”

“Oh, God, I’m sorry,” you apologize, Tyler holding you close by holding onto his jacket.

“Worth it.”

🌙

“You kissed him?” Laurie whispers, eyes wide as she perches on the couch. “Shut up, you did not.”

“I did,” you confess, covering your face. “On the first date? Is that even allowed?”

“Of course it is! I fucked my first college boyfriend on the first date. This is tame. Tongue or no tongue.”

“Laurie!” you hiss, breaking out into a fit of laughter. “This is absurd. I can’t believe I’m talking about this. It was one date.”

“One date where you went ax throwing with a giant. Not just any giant, by the way. Tyler Rake. The man is an enigma. I can’t tell if he hates the PTA or genuinely enjoys it.”

“I didn’t ask,” you say dryly, Laurie finishing the last of her wine. Your phone vibrates next to you, a message popping up that you check quickly before she notices.

Happy you made it home safe. Thank you for a great night.

“So… was he a good kisser?” Laurie questions.

“Do you ask this of everyone?”

“No,” Laurie replies honestly. “I’m asking because you’re my friend and I don’t have many of those because most people annoy me. You went on a date. That’s a start. How do you feel?”

“Weird.”

You don’t know how to explain it. It feels like you’re keeping a secret, even if it isn’t one. You’re a single woman, even if you don’t feel like it sometimes. Santiago is gone, jetted off to Spain for a trip. Probably with one of his companions, something you won’t ever ask about, even if he says he’s an open book.

It’s complicated in a way that it doesn’t need to be and you know it.

Laurie is right. This is a start of something. Maybe not anything that you know but enough to make you begin thinking that you deserve to be selfish for a moment, to think about what you want.

Whatever that may be.

“It’s okay to play the field you know,” Laurie says, getting up from her seat, picking up her wine glass to take to the sink. “It’s not a bad thing to make sure your bases are loaded.”

-

When you check on Mia, she’s fast asleep, buried under the covers with her favorite teddy bear at her side. Next week will be Santiago’s week and the pangs of longing already begin, even though she’s right next to you when you sit carefully on her bed.

Two more weeks of school and then she’s done for the summer, your baby girl going full speed ahead into the first grade once the summer is over, something you aren’t ready to comprehend, let alone even want to think about.

“I’m proud of you,” you whisper, smoothing back her hair as she snuggles against her pillow. “I love you.”

Getting up to leave her room, you scroll through your missed messages, noticing one from an unknown number.

BBQ next Saturday. Adults only – Alcohol is provided. See you there?

You’ve seen the number before, scrolling through your phone to find a message where the number pops up again from a message confirming attendance at a school function.

Andy Barber.

[thelibrarian1895]

Bat bio donors

So Catherine Todd, unfortunately, wasn't Jason's bio mom, even if she was his mom in every other way that matters. Embezzler, child trafficker, and Joker associate Shelia Haywood was his biological mother...probably.

There was no DNA test so I remain unconvinced.

That being said, I see no acceptable evidence that Willis Todd was Jason's bio father. (And if there is, shhh, don't care)

Yes Bruce could be his bio dad but boring, be more creative!

For example, someone else who's based in Gotham, who might have a fling and not follow up on it for very whatever reason, and who might be the namesake of our favorite gun wielding bat: Jason Bood. Yes Shelia, if she is the mother, may have put Willis on the birth certificate, but there's nothing to say that she didn't have an evening with a man with a charming accent, considerable experience, and a rather two faced nature.

Or perhaps someone who is a tiny bit less volatile such as David Cain.

Or honestly there's enough weirdness in Gotham that Jason's other bio donor was Nocturna, the woman who would later want to adopt him while he was Robin and she was, in fact, though she didn't know it, trying to get her own bio child.

Furthermore, Bruce as Tim Drake's bio donor, yes, good, understandable, likely even.

However, there are other options, for example:

Janet spends a great deal of time going around the world and with various artifacts, some of these artifacts could be magical in nature. That magic may have various effects on the average person and one of the more popular things that people in ancient times sought revolved around fertility control, to improve or prevent. Janet might trip over more than a few artifacts designed to improve fertility, let's say even to the point that some who might not normally be able to sire children might in fact be capable of doing so with Janet while she's still under the influence of such magic, such as:

Lady Shiva who admires Janet's ability to handle both a growing business and her academic pursuits.

Ra's Al Ghul who came by for an artifact and had a fling with the lady who found it mostly because why not? Yes if Tim ever found out, or Ra's ever found out, it would result in considerable mental distress, but it could also be hilarious. Flip a coin to decide if this would make Talia want Tim dead more or less than she already does.

Some ancient god who's essentially mortal at this point and has been clinging to existence by the thinnest thread and really the only reason their name is known at this point is because it was in a letter about very bad copper. Tim receives no benefits from this parent except above average endurance and healing which is how he's survived. He's also as stubborn as the nameless god that's hung on for four thousand or so years.

Gotham itself is Tim's bio donor and this is why tiny baby stalker Tim didn't die a thousand times over while he was taking pictures, Gotham was looking out for their son.

Then there's Cassandra, "one who is all" who may or may not be Shiva's daughter.

Honestly for Shiva and for Talia, given the danger they put themselves in and the stress that pregnancy can do to a body, plus the necessary time to heal properly afterwards, the canon where Damian is grown in a tube makes sense and I wouldn't be surprised if Shiva took a page from Talia's book.

Shiva as the mother of "one who is all" can make sense. The other bio donor, well, let's look at other options.

Slade perhaps? He's had quite a few remarkable children, and can handle none of them, but that wouldn't stop him from being a candidate.

If you're a fan of wuxia or xianxia novels, look for or make up some ancient cultivator that Shiva sought out for training perhaps and on that strength Cassandra can pick up cultivation and become that much more awesome, maybe even teach it to her brothers.

Sect Leader Cass o((>ω< ))o

Or someone can be related to or connected to a Lamont Crantson and see if they can step out of his Shadow.

Dick's bio parents were freakin' awesome so jumping over him and also leaving Duke's parentage alone though more distant ancestors for either of them, such as great-great grandmothers or grandfathers might be interesting. Dick has a Talon in the family tree but who else might be hanging around in there?

For example, Santa is real in the dc universe. Tim and his team could have witnessed the death of Dick's maternal great-great-great-great grandpa.

As for Duke, if his family has been in Gotham for longer than a generation, there've got to be some serious weirdos in his bloodline, maybe a lesser known Talon or Queen Mab.

Damian not being the son of Bruce and Talia would be a serious blow to the kid and not worth it. Giving him blood siblings is more fun. He already has a problem learning to share his dad with his adopted siblings, sharing with blood siblings would be good for him.

Stephanie? An additional dad option would probably give her some sort of mental crisis since she originally based her vigilante career on defeating her deadbeat, second rate rogue father. It would be interesting and honestly a little hilarious though if her mother had a fling with Oliver Queen.

[afrotunada]

incomplete list of fun and interesting things I've learned about Jason Todd through my scattered readings and late night googling

One time, he was sooo desperate for affection and validation, he was willing to risk it all after an accidental, spur of the moment kiss with Barbara Gordon in Three Jokers Issue #2. Alas, he was thwarted by a janitor, the poor bastard...(much to everyone's relief I'm sure) (Batman: Three Jokers)

Batman: Three Jokers Issue #3

In addition to statuesque amazons (Artemis), blonde bombshells (Isabel Ardila), white-haired beauties (Essence and Rose Wilson), and Dick's ex-girlfriends, Jason also likes smart, curvy ladies ;) selfshippers rejoice! (although I myself am not so curvy, his love of normal girls is a positive in my book<3) (Red Hood: The Hill)

Jason hooking up with Dana's friend and employee Carmen Ortega while Dana herself (as Strike) gets her shit rocked by her other (former) friend and employee Omar (as Slayer) on the other side of town - as one does. Red Hood: The Hill Issue #2

One of Jason's first overtures at rejoining the Batfam was made in the New 52 relaunch of the 2011 comic Batman Incorporated, where he takes on the persona of Wingman at the behest of Bruce. He even teams up with Damian Wayne (going by Redbird at the time), forming their own very brief Batman & Robin-esque pair! Also, they both looked kind of ridiculous... [apparently, takes place sometime during Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 1 (2011-2015), around issues 17 and 18 and Death of A Family, but before Damian's death and his own Joker-induced gas coma. weird ass timeline!] (Batman Incorporated (2012))

Yes, that is, in fact, Jason in that getup. It's giving Cybercop Owlman. Peak fashion, actually. Batman Incorporated (2012) Issue #4

(as an additional aside, post New 52 and into the Rebirth era, Jay and Bruce start patching things up (kinda) and enter a truce of sorts starting in the Red Hood and the Outlaws: Rebirth one-shot from 2016. Yay!)

In the Elseworld of Batman: White Knight (also known as the Murphyverse for it's creator - Sean Murphy), Jason Todd is the eldest son instead of Dick Grayson, meaning that he was actually both the first Robin, and Bruce's first adopted son! He was still captured and tortured by the Joker tho....he escaped alive, but was presumed dead and given a burial and tombstone - as in the main universe - and Dick was taken on as Robin in his "absence." Poor guy! He can't catch a break even in AUs! BUT!! He does gets his own Robin sidekick in this universe - Gan! (also known as Robin IV, a young woman of Mongolian descent who took up the mantel herself with a homemade costume (similar to Stephanie Brown)). In fact, she's the one who encourages him to become Red Hood in the first place! (Batman: White Knight)

Harley Quinn is a primary protagonist of this universe, btw, and pretty much saves Jason from being killed Batman: White Knight Issue #2

Gan is my adorable daughter and Jason (the messy bitch as she calls him) deserves his own chaos gremlin apprentice<3 Panel 1 - Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood Issue #1 Panels 2 & 3 - Batman: White Knight Presents: Red Hood Issue #2

Speaking of AUs and elseworlds, in 2002's World Without Young Justice, Jason Todd was a circus acrobat, as per his original pre-crisis origin (minus the red hair). In this AU, he's dating fellow circus member Anita Fite (normally Empress, but here known as Voodoo Princess), but she ends up assassinating him at the behest of his step-mom, Catherine Todd, because he discovered his parents dirty business dealings with Killer Croc. What the hell Catherine? (Young Justice Vol. 1 - World Without Young Justice, Part 1: The World What Once We Knew)

Young Justice (1998) Issue #44 - World Without Young Justice, Part 1: The world What Once We Knew

Anyway! This isn't comprehensive or anything, just a post made in fun to put together some things about Jason that I think were funny/interesting that the fandom doesn't know/talk about much. Might add more later if I come across other stuff during my readings (maybe not for a while tho; I am currently consumed by World's Finest and following the Absolute Power event).

But yeah! Feel free to add on if you like! :)

[mortiferumsomnum]

Soup Kitchens and Runaway Ghosts (Part 2)

Part 1 could be read here! Part 3 could be read here!

ASDGLHKASLGKHSDGK

thank you for liking my other post 👉👈 

 ***

It was night outside, with the owls hooting and bats flying under the light of the moon.

Jason had a hand on Dani’s shoulder as they sat in the (illegal) Doctor’s kitchen. Although she was putting on a brave face, she was trembling and pulling at the ends of her sweater. Her eyes never left the open door to the room Danny was getting medical help from. They couldn’t see his body, but they could see the Doctor walking to and fro’ the bed Danny was placed on.

“Hey,” Jason whispered, soothingly, hoping it’s the same comforting way Dick does.

Slowly, her gaze turns to him. Her chin was trembling, and she looked like she was on the verge of crying. Shit. What would Dick do? Jason didn’t think this far in the comforting thing.

So, he tugged the little girl closer, hugging her with his arm. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered to her. “He’s in good hands.”

She sniffed, and huffed through the sob that tore through her lips. “I... I don’t know how I could keep Danny safe...”

Jason glanced to her, but she was looking back to the open door. ‘What do you mean?’ he wanted to ask. ‘It’s not your job to take care of him,’ he wanted to say.

Instead, he whispered, “You did your best.” Because she did. She did her best to get food from his soup kitchen for both her and Danny, not at all stopping to eat in the cafeteria, only thinking to have her containers filled. She stole from drug stores. She tried bandaging Danny even if she didn’t know how to do it properly. She took care of him with everything she could.

(A passing memory of his mom, Catherine, flashes in his mind.)

That only made her chin tremble more, which prompted Jason to hug her closer. 

Finally, the Doctor stepped out.

***

- The Doctor tells Dani that Danny’s okay now, and that he’ll be telling the Red Hood everything that needs to be done to keep up with the treatment. Then, he tells Dani that she could go and see him. She didn’t need to be told twice and ran into the room.

- The Doctor closes the door, then grunted at the Red Hood. “Look, man. I know I said I would help you for anything medical-related, but I think I need to draw the line at freaky supernatural shit. His blood literally had green where the plasma was supposed to be.”

- Jason removed the safety of his gun.

- The Doctor was unfazed. “I’m not going to tell anyone, but men in white managing to track these kids down because they’re, what, ghosts???? Which is weird because that kid’s heart was beating????? And he’s alive??? In fact, the green stuff does a better job than regular human plasma, it’s unreal, man. Since it replaced the plasma the kid was supposed to HAVE, I’m calling it green plasma, for simplicity, yeah.”

- Jason’s not worried about that. “Tell me about the kid,” he said. “How is he, moving forward?”

- The Doctor’s face pinched. “It’s... not bad... anymore...”

- “Anymore?”

- “Look, when you brought the kid in, it’s exactly as you told me: Vivisection wounds, 3rd degree burns from laser guns, infection...” 

- The Red Hood was getting impatient with the way he was loosely fidgeting with his gun. 

- “Bottom line is, once everything was cleaned and properly stitched, he started... healing? On his own?? I took blood samples, and the green plasma has something to do with it. You know how plasma literally moves the blood cells? It seems to enhance their functions as well. The enhanced white blood cells were fighting against the infection that was also enhanced by the plasma. Once the infection was removed, it was smooth sailing for his body. Now, all the kid needs is rest, food and water.”

- Jason hummed. “I’m burning this house down.” There was a chance that the kids would be leaving some kind of bio-signature in this place, and the Doctor was one of the most competent people he knew after Leslie. He was also really easy to intimidate, but despite the fear, he does his job well. Works well under pressure, like what he wrote in his resume. “Change your clothes and pack your bags, Doc. I’m going to lend you one of my safehouses.”

- The Doctor was quick to nod his head. “I assume that you’re destroying the blood samples as well?”

- Jason pointed his gun towards him. “Did you take a sample?”

- The Doctor was fast to shake his head. “Like I said, I want nothing to do with the supernatural, man. I’m already knees deep in crime, and I really don’t want to be making contracts with beings more demonic than you are.”

- Jason huffed, putting his gun away. “The demon is my brother.” The Doctor squeaked. “After changing, leave your clothes here. It’s burning with the rest of the house.”

- “You got it, man,” said the Doctor, leaving the room with a brisk pace.

- Jason then went in where Danny and Dani were, and it seems like the kid was finally sleeping peacefully on the bed he was in. He was changed into a loose pajama that the Doctor probably had, and was tucked under a clean, beige blanket. Just as the Doctor said, he was looking a hundred times better. 

- Dani was smiling. Once she saw him, she jumped out of her seat and ran up to him, hugging his middle while laughing. “He’s okay!” she said. “Thank you thank you thank you so much!!”

- Jason chuckled, patting her head. “No problem, kid.” Even if the Doctor did most of the job.

- “Uh, yes problem?” The Doctor came into the room, clothes changed and face white. “There’s... there’s people... white suits... outside... secret police?? Government agents?? Oh god...”

- Unconsciously, Jason tugged Dani closer.

- Then, Jason took out a domino mask from his leather jacket and an extra rebreather, throwing it to the Doctor. “Put that on, Doc. We can’t have them knowing your face when we make our escape.”

- The Doctor scrambled to put it on. 

- Jason turned to Dani. “Get Danny and turn invisible like you did before.”

- “Uh, I can turn all of us invisible and get us to the car if you guys hold on to me,” she said.

- Jason blinked beneath his Red Hood helmet. “You... could do that?”

- Dani blushed in embarrassment while nodding. “I was panicking when they first showed up, okay?! I could fly us to the car as fast as I can, but they’ll still be able to track us...”

- Jason nodded. He turned to Danny, who was now being carried by the Doctor. “I got ‘im,” he whispered, eyes wide in fear and knees trembling. Jason really doesn’t want him carrying Danny since Dani did just fine earlier, but he also didn’t know how much concentration she needs to bring all of them out.

- Jason went into the kitchen and opened the gas tank connected to the stove. Then, he and the Doctor walked close to Dani.

- She grabbed onto the back of their shirts, and turned them invisible. Thankfully, he could make out the outline of Dani floating them in the room.

- Also, the Doctor was screaming like a banshee. A panicking banshee.

- “WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP?!?!?” Dani yelled.

- “I’M TRYING!!!”

- “Would my gun work through the invisibility?”

- “We’re not intangible yet, so... I think so?”

- That shut the Doctor up.

- The smell of gas was getting strong.

- “Let’s get outta here,” said Dani. And tuned them intangible, and---- holy shit. Jason couldn’t feel his insides... or his outsides... or anything from his body. He felt... nothing. Not even floaty or light. It was as if he didn’t exist. They fazed through so many walls until they made it out of the house.

- But just as they made it out, the men in white’s gadget started beeping like crazy again.

- “They’re close!”

- “Find them!”

- Thank God the Doctor was quiet.

- Jason watched as they were floated into the car. Jason lost his intangibility and invisibility first, being dropped into the driver’s seat. The Doctor was dropped in the backseat with Danny, and Dani sat in the passenger’s.

- “Put your seatbelt on.”

- Dani looked incredulously at him.

- The Doctor did as Jason told, wrapping one around Danny as well as he laid in the back with them.

- “They’re over there!!” one of the men in white yelled.

- Some blasters were shooting at them now, and the Doctor rightfully screamed again.

- Jason started the car, then took out his gun and shot at one of the blasters.

- The blaster was about to go off, and its shot was redirected to the window of the house.

BOOM!

- While the men in white ducked for cover, away from the explosion, Jason drove away, increasing his speed.

- But no matter how fast he was going, trying to get away, the men in white were chasing after them again in their vans, installed blasters getting out and ready to shoot them again. God, they’re annoying.

- “I... I could blast them too!”

- There’s too many of them. 5 vans, plowing through the trees with their comically giant blasters. One was moving forward.

- He turned to Dani. “Try to make the one in front turn around just as they’re about to launch a blast. It’ll hit the other vans.”

- Dani nodded and fazed through the top of the car, hands glowing green. Just as she left, Jason could see form the rearview mirror how Dani transforms. Although the dark of the night made it unclear in a few places, he could clearly see her hair turning white and clothes changing. He couldn’t see her face as she was faced towards their pursuers. 

- Her hands then let out a long green blast towards the van. Just as Jason said, the van flipped, it’s blasters hitting the other two vans behind it. Dani then sent another blast to the other vans, but it was unsuccessful, learning immediately from the first van that was attacked.

- Dani came back into the Hoodmobile (Jason still hates the name, but there really isn’t other name to call it), sitting in the passenger seat and buckling up once more. “What do we do now?”

- They were heading towards Brown Bridge, just past that is China Town, into GCPD territory. If he could just get into the abandoned sections, he’ll be able to get into Red Robin’s patrol route. The techy Robin would be able to fry their devices just as well as Oracle. 

- Only a few Gothamites brave travelling at night, but the streets are mostly empty, thankfully. No civilian will be involved in this crazy chase.

- “We’re heading into one of my brothers’ territories,” he said.

- The Doctor squeaked. “The Demon one???”

- “No,” said Jason.

- “You have a Demon for a brother?” Dani asked, eyes looking excited.

- “He might as well be one,” said Jason, increasing his speed once more. 

- He passed by a GCPD patrol car, but the driver didn’t chase after him after seeing two vans with massive weapons of mass destruction driving past him. Like the good, corrupt officer he was, he deleted the footage of what he had just seen from his police cameras attached to his person and car.

- Finally, Jason was driving through the abandoned warehouse district of Chinatown. Then, Jason activated his comms. “Red Hood to Red Robin, where the fuck are you?”

- “Red Robin to Red Hood, fuck you, too.”

- “Listen kid, there are some shitheads in white chasing after me. Have you heard from O?”

- “We tried hacking into their systems once they fixed it. No progress. Need me to fry their systems again?”

- “As much as possible. Where’s your nearest safehouse? One that could cover the biological-traces of someone.”

- “Including the post-mortem traces of someone?”

- “Fuck, Replacement, you got something like that? Should I be worried? How many bodies are you hiding??”

- “Hardy-har-har, Hood,” said Red Robin. “They upgraded their coding to avoid being hacked and frying their servers again. Can you hold out for 5 minutes?”

- “3 minutes, Double-R. They brought more of their buddies-- SHIT!!” Jason swerved the car to avoid hitting a pole, entering a warehouse and breaking through the old, wooden walls. “Make it 1 minute! They’re fucking multiplying!”

- “Oh shit! Hood! Look out!” the Doctor screamed, pointing to the biggest blaster Jason’s ever seen.

- Fucking hell. Jason turned to Dani, who was looking at the blaster with wide eyes and a panicked look on her face. “I... I can..” She was panicking, trying to think up of things to do to make the situation better, but Jason is NOT going to let her to anything. She did enough. It’s Jason’s job to take care of her and her brother/cousin right now. (And the Doctor, but that man is the least of his priorities. Sorry, Doc.)

- “I’m almost done, Hood!”

- A stray blast hit the already, severely dented hood of Jason’s car, knocking it off to show its engine. Shitshitshit... He unbuckled his seatbelt, to which Dani and the Doctor followed. ”Red! You done yet?!” he yelled into the comms.

- Red Robin didn’t answer. 

- Instead, Jason watched as the vans exploded. 

- Jason leaned towards Dani, covering her view before she could see the guts and limbs fly.

- “Shit... I didn’t mean to do that...” Red Robin said on the comms, voice trembling. “I didn’t...”

- Turning to Dani, her face was frozen. “They... they’re...”

- “Hey, hey, hey... it’s okay... it’s alright,” whispered Jason, taking her into his arms. He thought he managed to hide her from the deaths.

- She shook her head. “I... I could feel their souls leaving... I could feel... they’re scared... others are angry... They’re...”

- Well, shit.

- “Let’s get somewhere safe, yeah?” said Jason. 

- Dani only nodded, most likely numb and dissociating. Great. Trauma. Okay. Fantastic. Fuck.

- “Red Robin, you still there?” asked Jason.

- “I... yeah. I’m here.”

- Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Okay, Jason. You need to be the voice of reason for a whole bunch of traumatized kids right now. Okay. 

- “Double R? Where’s the safehouse and how far is it?” Jason asked.

- “It’s in Upper West Side, right along Schnapp Avenue. There’s an abandoned bookstore there. It’s right above there. The walls are covered with everything you need to cover you.”

- “Okay, we’ll meet up with you there.”

- “I... I’m going, too?”

- Jason wanted to sigh, run a hand down his face, or even punch one of the dead guys that were chasing after them. But he answered, “Yeah, kid. You have any chocolate in there?”

- “Agent A stocks up my safehouses himself.”

- “Good. I really do have everything I need there, then. I’m also bringing along some guests, ‘cause I’m not the only one these bastards are after.”

- Red Robin was quiet.

- “Kids, one who looks younger than the Demon Brat, and the other looks younger than you... and some Doctor that got involved in all this.”

- “Shit...” Red Robin whispered. “Did they...”

- “See? No.” Jason’s not going to tell him that Dani felt the deaths, tho. “I’ll be there in 15 minutes, Red.”

- It was quiet.

- “Red?”

- “Y-yeah... okay. I’ll... I’ll be there, Hood.” Click. Red Robin was no longer on the comms.

- Well... Shit.

*****

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[forever-fixating]

RWRB Appreciation Month Bingo: First Family

For @rwrbsource and @rwrbmovie's RWRB Appreciation Month Bingo: First Family

First Family

Author's Note: All opinions are valid, but as someone raised by a working single mom, I find some of the fandom interpretations of Ellen disheartening. I felt compelled to write this, given all the bullshit swirling around in the news about Kamala Harris. I'm not saying Ellen is a perfect mom, that she didn't make mistakes with Alex and June, but I feel she is way better than some would give her credit for. Maybe that's just my bias showing because she reminds me so much of my mom. Plus, if we want to talk about parental neglect, I think that Catherine basically abandoning her children for years after Arthur's death deserves more scrutiny than is usually given. See my previous ficlet with Henry and Pez for more on that! (steps off soapbox)

Ellen Claremont could not sleep. Leo had taken his nighttime meds and fell fast asleep, currently snoring like a buzzsaw and making Ellen contemplate homicide. She went through her mental checklist one more time, nervous that she was forgetting something that would send the entire ceremony tumbling down tomorrow. Her baby boy was getting married. In the past week, she had gone through at least two packs of tissues from bursting into sporadic fits of tears. June gave her a one-armed hug when she started crying at the florist, confirming the delivery time and location for the arrangements.

"I'm so sorry," Ellen laughed, dabbing at her eyes. "It's just-"

"Oh, you don't have to explain, ma'am," the woman said with a sympathetic smile. "I bawled like a newborn baby when all three of mine got married. You look at them and still see the babies they once were."

"You should have seen her at the tux fitting," June said. Affecting a deep Southern accent, she mock-wailed, "Look at my little boy! He's so grown up. I remember dressing him for his first day of school and now-"

"You were crying too, as I recall!" Ellen said, smacking her oldest's arm. "Just wait 'till it's your turn. I'll be inconsolable."

The two women were joyfully involved in planning Alex's wedding. Right before her second term ended, Ellen was inundated with book deals to write about her historic presidency. After the dust settled and she returned to Austin, she finally went through her inbox and contemplated such a project. There was only one person she went to for help. She called her daughter and asked if she would be willing to work with her on the book.

June was hesitant at first, so Ellen said, "I think this could be good for us, honey. I know I can't make up for all the time we lost, but I don't want to lose anymore. You may not believe it all the time, but you and Alex have always been my greatest accomplishments."

As much as she wanted to, Ellen didn't tell Alex about her offer. She wanted June to want to do this with her. It took about three weeks, but one afternoon, June called. The first words out of her mouth were, "Warts and all, right? I don't want to leave any stone unturned."

"Warts and all," Ellen agreed. With a lump in her throat, she said, "Thank you, honey."

Working on the book with June was something Ellen would always treasure. Seeing her daughter in her element, neck-deep in research materials and pages of questions, made the older woman feel guilty for trying to force her into a box that suited Ellen's needs more than June's. There were days and nights of hard work and even harder conversations, but Ellen wouldn't trade a single second. June unburdened herself of long-held resentments. She cried over being forced to grow up too fast and pick up the slack of caring for Alex when Oscar left for California.

"I was so mad at you," June whispered, her voice wavering as she studied her manicured nails. "I was mad at you for making Dad leave, mad at you for always being busy, mad at you for putting total strangers before me and Alex."

Ellen reached out to take her daughter's hand when she cut herself off. It was difficult to hear how she failed her kids, but she knew June needed this. Their relationship wouldn't progress without addressing those hurts. June wiped her runny nose, saying, "As an adult, I realize there is more to it, but try telling that to a twelve-year-old who just wanted her mom to be like all the other moms. At home doing PTA and helping with my homework."

"I felt the same way about my momma," Ellen said, refilling their wine glasses. "Why couldn't I have new clothes instead of hand-me-downs from cousins? Why didn't she make me breakfast or pack me a lunch like Donna Reed? Never mind that she was a high school dropout and a widow working two, sometimes three, jobs just to support us. I couldn't see what she gave up, just what I lost."

June sniffled, her face crumpled. "I felt so guilty because you were out there changing the world, being this hero to so many, and all I could think was how I wanted you home with me, being my momma. I'm sor-"

"No, baby." Ellen pulled June into her arms and squeezed her tight. They were both crying now. "I can admit there were times when my job took precedence over you two. Christ, after what happened to Alex, I blamed myself and my relentless ambition. Why didn't I stay in Texas? Why couldn't I be happy there? How could I let something like this happen to my own son? But I told myself that if I did stay, he wouldn't have met the love of his life."

After tossing and turning for twenty minutes, Ellen gave up on sleeping and climbed out of bed. Immediate family on both sides chose to stay at the lakehouse before the big day. She slipped on her houseshoes and headed to the kitchen for a snack. She smiled when she saw Alex sitting at the counter, tapping away on his laptop.

"That better not be work-related," Ellen teased when she reached him, "or your husband-to-be will be mighty peeved."

Alex jumped but smiled sheepishly before closing the laptop. She took the chair next to him as he said, "I can neither confirm nor deny what I was doing, but I have a bottle of Maker's and a tub of Rocky Road to pay for your silence."

"Proceed, counselor."

Alex grinned and stood. She watched him move around the kitchen with the softest of smiles. The florist's words returned to her and never felt more true than in that moment. Though a young man stood there, pouring them whiskey and grabbing two spoons and a frosty tub of Bluebell out of the freezer, all she could see was a little boy arguing with a Seaworld employee, a lanky teen excited to drive without supervision. And now here he was, about to marry his fairytale prince.

When he caught her scrubbing the corner of her eye, he shook his head and said quickly, "No, no, no! Momma, please don't start crying 'cause if you start, I won't stop!"

"I'm sorry!" Ellen whimpered between giggles. Alex set their drinks down and put the Bluebell tub between them. As he took his seat, she sipped her whiskey and said, "You're just my baby boy, and you're getting married tomorrow. Poor Junie has been consoling me for weeks."

They clinked their glasses together, and he opened the ice cream. Each of them dug in with matching watery smiles. After a period of silence, Alex said softly, "Shit...I'm getting married tomorrow."

Ellen gave him a chocolate whiskey kiss on the cheek. "You sure are."

He ate another spoonful and said around it, "Is it weird that I'm not nervous? Like...I just want to go home with my husband and unpack our house together."

"Not at all, baby." She took another sip, relishing the burn down her throat. "Alex, when things were at their worst, your love for that boy was unshakeable. Trust in that always, and you'll be okay."

"Any other pearls of wisdom?"

Ellen snorted. "You sure you want my advice? I did get divorced."

"That's why I trust you more than most," he said, his eyes and voice so earnest. "May not have gotten it right the first time, but you got there eventually."

Ellen hummed. She thought back to her marriage with Oscar. Already pregnant, they opted for a quick ceremony with the Justice of the Peace. Neither of their families was happy about that decision, thinking they were moving too fast. All her momma could say when Ellen asked her to be there was, "You're gonna regret this, Ellie, but you're grown. I can't stop you."

"Well," Ellen sighed, leaning back into her chair, "the most important thing, especially since you're your momma's child, is to make time for him. Don't wait for birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate each other. If you see a trinket that makes you smile and think of him, buy it. The little moments are just as important as the big ones, baby."

"Is that why you and Dad didn't work?"

She gave her son a sad smile and said, "If I'm perfectly honest, I don't think your daddy and me would've made it long-term. We were both too stubborn to listen, too proud to compromise. But Alex, I wouldn't change a thing. All the mistakes I've made, the regrets I have...you two were never that."

Alex ducked his head, his long curls falling forward. "Goddamn it, Momma. Told you not to make me cry."

"Oh, baby," she laughed. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed his head and said, "You and Henry are forever. I've never felt more certain about anything in my life."

"More than winning the Presidency?" Alex laughed.

"Especially more than that."

A/N: I tried to give space for valid criticisms of Ellen while still allowing for some grace and understanding. That she and Alex have such a good relationship in the book counts for something in my mind. Share your thoughts down below! I love getting nerdy about RWRB.

Check out this post and join the fun in celebrating the one-year anniversary of our little romcom that could being released!

[lysarria]

Warnings: Fluff, Tiny hint of PTSD, Cussing, Lots of love ❤️

Words: 3562

I enjoyed writing this and I hope that you all enjoy it as well. This story will be 2 parts. Possibly 3. There will be typos. Thank you for reading ☺️😘

A love that never fades

Part 1

Finally got the last box out of storage and into my house. Long distance moving and trying to get everything lined up is frustrating and very exhausting. I flopped my tired body onto the couch to rest my sore feet and back. I reached for my phone to check the notifications and I saw I had new text messages. Most were in my group chat with Cat and James (My friend and Sy's sister Catherine and her husband James who is good friend of Sy's from the Army). I replied in our group chat and went to my next set of new texts and they were from Lily (Sy's Mom).

Lily - Good morning sunshine and welcome home! We are thrilled that you are back here. We think of you as family and love you. You are always welcome at our house.

Let me know if you need any help! If you are feeling up for it later today we would love to have you over at the house for dinner and catching up. You're welcome over anytime but we will start cooking around 4:00. :)

While reading her messages I started to tear up a little bit and felt happiness in my heart. I moved away for a job opportunity little over 3 years ago. I gained a great deal of experience to further my job advancement but the feeling of being out of place and alone started to wear me down. I knew where I belonged so I put together a plan and made it happen. I replied back and let her know that I'd love to come over and that I would let her know once I was on my way.

I placed my phone on the ottoman and jumped up and started to dig around in boxes and putting together an outfit for this afternoon. Once that mission was completed I decided to turn on some music to rock out to and start working on unpacking boxes and figure out how I wanted to setup the house. Mötley Crüe - "Kickstart my heart" came on and that music adrenaline rush hit and I was rocking out all over the house cleaning out boxes while memories of Sy started to flood in and how he had taken me to see Mötley Crüe in concert a couple of times. He would always stand close to me, especially during the slow songs. He would stand behind me and wrap his arms tightly around me. Damn, I miss him. Does he miss me? Does he ever think of me ? For whatever reason we became distant after I moved. Honestly, the man is on my mind probably more than he should be, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. I sighed and shook my head and reset my focus back on the task.

I took a much needed long shower. The hot water felt so good on my sore body. Now it was time to finish getting ready and drive over to the Syverson's for dinner. I sent Lily a text to let her know I would be leaving soon and should arrive in 30 minutes. I am excited, nervous, happy and somewhat emotional on this drive. I haven't seen them in years and I have missed them so much. It is such a beautiful drive in the country to their house.

The leaves are starting to change colors for Fall. The feeling of actually being home is becoming stronger and stronger. The feeling of real happiness is sparking again. Moving back to Texas was the best decision and I'm excited for the future.

I entered their long driveway and came to a stop. I stepped out of the car and grabbed my phone to take a picture. They have Pecan trees and Oak trees along the sides of the driveway. The color of the leaves are so magical. A slight breeze blows the leaves around and the smell of crisp air flows. I've always loved their property. Out in the country. Away from the loud and busy city. Out here it's just nature and peace. I let out a content sigh and get back into the car and continue on. I parked my car and got out and looked around. Sy's truck is under the car port. He would always leave his truck at his parents during deployment. I could feel my heart speeding up just seeing his truck and all the memories I have with him. Our random adventures, driving around just because, going out to eat, sitting on the tailgate and watching sunsets. He loves that truck and seemed that he also loved having me sit next to him with his arm around me. I know that I loved it and I would put my head against his chest. I know he's currently deployed in Iraq but a big part of me wishes that this was a surprise and he was actually home because he's pulled that surprise on me before. I jumped as a dog started to bark at me and my eyes quickly located the incoming dog. "Hank!?" I quickly squatted down and greeted their Chocolate Labrador, Hank. I gave him lots of love and pets as he's trying to lick my face off and dancing in excitement. All these years and he remembers me! Then I hear laughing and look up to see Lily and Felix (Sy's Dad). I stood up and walked towards them and they met me half way. Lots of hugs given and received. They are two of the kindest people I've ever met. Chatting away in the driveway with Lily and there's good ole Hank at my side. Felix went back into the house but returned in seconds. I can hear keys jingling and slightly curious. Lily stepped away to check on dinner and Felix motions for me to follow him. We chat back and forth as we walk to Sy's truck and he hands me the keys that I heard. I looked at him and then to the truck. Felix smiles at me and says "Go ahead Sweetheart. I saw you checking out his truck when you got here." I unlocked the door and slowly slide onto the custom made leather bench seat. I looked down at the set of keys and Sy still had something on the keyring that I had made for him many years ago when I was learning different crafts. A small metal charm in the shape of Texas and I had engraved Sy and a little heart below his name. I put the key in the ignition and started up his truck. Ahhh that loud rumble. I can't help but smile like a big goof. His truck had such a distinct sound. Everything inside looks almost the same as a few years ago. I turned off the truck and slid out of and I handed Felix the keys and thanked him. He then looks at me and says "You know he loves you, right." Tears immediately start to form up as I look at him. Shocked and unsure what to do or say. Felix reaches out and hugs me tightly and as I'm crying I tell him that I love his son so much. He patted me on the back saying "I know you love him, sweetheart. You always have. You're very special to him and to us as well. You bring out a side of him that not many people get to see. You truly make him happy, dear."

Felix made sure I was okay and then stepped back into the house to help Lily with dinner. I walked around the yard with Hank by my side as I gather myself and my thoughts before I head inside. We walk up the steps and I open the door and I'm hit with the wonderful smell of Pot Roast. Lily and Felix always made the most delicious meals. I head into the kitchen and let them know dinner smells great! Lily smiles and winks at me. "We knew this was one of your favorites and we felt a good comfort meal would be perfect for this evening." Felix is making homemade mashed potatoes and rolls. I thanked them for doing so much for me and it wasn't needed. They just shake their heads at me and Felix said dinner will still be a bit and to make myself at home.

I walked around the house and viewed the framed pictures on the walls. Many pictures of friends and family. Army pictures. Baby pictures. A few of the pictures I remember and then some new ones. Pictures of Cat and James adorable daughter, Skyler. She is 2 years old. There's a picture of my Dad and Felix. They were both Majors in the Army. They had met on Base and quickly became good friends. That is how I ended up in this area during my highschool days. My parents had divorced and I picked to live with my Dad. He was transferred to Texas and of all the places we lived. This is where I felt the most at "home." A lot of that is from meeting the Syverson family and how fast they welcomed us in like we were family. Now I am in my late 30s and this is where I still feel the most at home and welcomed. I stepped down the hallway and there's one of my favorite pictures of me and Sy at a Fall festival. Both of us making goofy faces while lost in a corn maze. I can't believe that was almost 4 years ago. Another picture is me with the Syverson family on Christmas. Cat came up with the idea of doing an ugly Christmas sweater photo op and everyone actually agreed to it. That was a fun day. We did the photos after opening our gifts. So to add to the ugly sweaters we decided to stick bows on each other and do silly pictures. His family has such a great sense of humor and very laid back. All these memories makes my heart feel alive. I walked down the hall more and enter Sy's old bedroom. He always liked to stay at his parents house from time to time. Framed Army certificates, Medals, Awards and Army group pictures are hung on the walls. His stereo system and large music collection still sat in the same spot as I remembered. The top of his dresser had a couple of framed pictures. One of him with his parents before leaving for his first deployment. The second picture is of us at Cat and James wedding 4 years ago. Sy in his Army dress uniform....*swoons*. Another favorite picture of us. They had such a beautiful outdoors evening wedding. I grabbed the photo and sat on the bed and just stared at it. It's so obvious that we love each other. I have so many regrets and I'm sure Sy has regrets as well. I do hope that whenever he returns home that he will want to see me and we can talk. I miss that man so much. Half of my heart feels empty without him. Then I hear a knock on the door and Lily walks in. She sat down on the bed next to me and looked at the picture with me.

"He called us a couple of days ago. We told him that you were getting yourself settled in. I could hear a difference in his voice once I mentioned you. He sounded livelier. He asked if you were single! Oh my boy. That was his first question about you. I could hear him smile. If that makes sense. When I told him that you were single. He said he wished he could get on that plane now and come home. He probably has three more months on this deployment but maybe things will change and he can come home sooner. That would be wonderful, huh? Ya know....you should mail him a Care package. I remember when you would mail him packages and letters all the time. You helped him feel like he wasn't too far from home or alone. He knew he had people back home that cared and loved him. I think that would be quite the surprise for him on mail day! I will write down his address for you. He decided to date about a year and half ago while he was home in between deployments and that didn't last long. That girlfriend was absolutely the worst nightmare ever and really messed him up. He was really hard on himself after that. He wanted to jump in his truck and drive out to see you. He kept kicking himself for not asking you out. So many years he wanted to ask you out. He wanted to take it further with you but he always hesitated. We sat right here on this bed and had many discussions about the two of you. I believe in soul mates and I feel it in my heart that you two are meant to be. You both were teenagers when you met but even then. You both clicked like you had known each other for a lifetime and got along perfectly. It was hard for him to fully wrap around the idea he had met "the one" at such a young age. Then he went into the Army and was away so often. He wasn't sure if you wanted that life with him because you grew up in the Army life with your dad. At times he wondered if he deserved to have you in his life in that way. Each deployment changed him and I get it. I went through it with Felix. Just like you had seen a change in your Dad over the years. I told Sy that you are both strong people and can handle anything that is tossed at you. As he grew up and older he realized more and more that you were his world and didn't want to be without you and kicked himself for the past and letting all these years slip by. You two have such a special bond and no other woman has made him feel the way that you do or treated him so lovingly the way you do. I think things will fall right back into place as they were with you two and your future together will be bright and full of happiness and maybe even a wedding! Then we can officially make you a Syverson!"

Lily winked at me and I can feel that I'm blushing and my face hurts from smiling. Felix shouts from down the hall that dinner is ready!

Dinner was amazing and the best meal I've had in a long time. We sat at the table talking and catching up. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the sun was setting. The sky was covered in orange, red and a hint of yellow. I quickly jumped up and asked if one of them would take my picture with Sy's truck so I could print him a copy and put it in his care package. We rushed outside to capture the gorgeous sunset before it was gone. The sun was shining brightly through the trees. Felix took a few pictures for me and then I asked for a group picture. Of course we included Hank! It was very entertaining trying to get the 4 of us in a picture but we finally got it. I can give Sy a copy of that picture as well. We go back inside and continue to chat and catch up. Lily yawns and I didn't realize how fast time had zipped by. It was almost 10:00 p.m. I thanked them again for a wonderful evening and everything they had done for me. They followed me out to my car. I gave Hank some pets and told him bye. I hugged Lily and Felix again and got into the car then Lily stops me from leaving and runs into the house and returns with a post-it note and smiles at me. It's Sy's Military address. It's too late to shop for items tonight. I know what my plans are for tomorrow after my morning jog. I'm excited to go shopping for Sy like I use to and buy some of his favorite things. The drive home went by fast as I had many thoughts going in my brain. Having someone and something special to look forward to. It really makes each day better and happier.

I got up early and went for my usual sunrise jog. Afterwards, I went the post office to get Priority mail shipping boxes and then off to the store to buy items to put into his care packages. It's been such a long time since I've felt like this. The excitement for him to receive my packages and how he'll react when he opens. If only I could see those reactions. From the way his parents talked to me then he should be over the moon. I purchased: coffee, creamer packets, beef jerky, trail mix, oatmeal cookies, granola bars and packs of crackers. Then I decided to get some candies that were cute and a little flirty. In my head I could see him shaking his head and grinning as he pulled the items out of the box. So off to the candy aisle! I tossed a variety of different types of Hershey's kisses...they probably won't survive the Iraq heat but I'm sure he'll still enjoy. Looking around I spot Hot Tamales candies.... I mean...he is pretty damn hot. Perfect find. Tossed a couple of boxes of those in the cart. The last great find... Gummy bears! Of course. I've called him Bear for almost 20 years. Then I went to the other side of the store and purchased some hygiene products that will I will put into a different care package box. Off to the register to purchase the items. I almost feel like squealing and dancing as I exit the store. Before going home I swing by the photo center and quickly print off some copies of the pictures we had taken the day before.

I placed all of the store bags on the living room floor and then I went to browse my crafting box for cardstock, stickers, markers and glue. It's been a while since I've mailed him a package but I had kept all of the supplies. I sat on the living room floor and started working on the packages. Trying to decide on what to write on the inside flaps of the boxes. Then it hit me...."Someone in Texas misses you beary much!". Cute, cheesy, corny? I'm going to go with my heart on this and just be me. After writing that on the flaps I placed a big cute bear sticker on one flap and then placed some little red hearts on each flap. I filled up the boxes with the items I had purchased. I wrote a short note to him on the inside of a card and wrote my phone number at the bottom. I'd love to hear his voice. I placed the photos in the card and sealed the envelope. I looked at both care packages and felt like they were ready to be taped up and to be mailed. I decided to add a little extra love and put some hearts on the outside of the boxes as well. I wish I could see the looks he receives whenever he picks up his packages.

Off to the Post office I go. I took a picture of me with the boxes and sent to Lily. Packages were accepted and later today they will officially be on the way to Iraq to a very special Captain. I get back into the car and Lily had replied:

Wow Honey!! You were on it this morning, huh?! You are such a wonderful person. Thank you for caring and loving our Son like you do. Thank you for loving us and we love you and glad you're a part of our family.

Each day I check the tracking numbers on his packages to see their progress. On day 10 the status on both of his packages change to Arrived to Military Post office. They made it ! Now the feeling of being nervous/anxious hits. I check the tracking again a few hours later and the status has changed. Green words that say "Package delivered to Recipient." I thought I was nervous and anxious earlier. Nope. What I feel now blows that away. I want to jump up and down, scream, cry, giggle, dance. Every emotion is hitting me. Will he call me or maybe just write to me. I can't concentrate on anything. All of my thoughts are on him and these packages I sent. Hours go by and nothing. It's almost 9:00 pm and my phone starts to vibrate and I freeze in spot. I grab my phone. Unknown number. I accepted the call and said Hello. I hear a lot of crackling. No voice. I say hello again. Still just crackling. Then I hear a deep breath...

"I miss you too, Sweet Pea."

..... To be continued 💚

Tags: @mayloma @identity2212 @happydistraction @blah80 @beck07990

[sadlynotthevoid]

Jason Todd is like the MCs of those (a lot of them chinese) asian novels that start like:

"My father let me aside, my older brother turned his back on me, even my dearest [X family member/friend] left. At the end, I was alone. Nothing was left for me.

Just when I died I found out that my life was a novel and I was a cannon fodder— a step stone for the protagonist, [X person he didn't get along with and got everything he wanted]"

It's just that he doesn't know it yet. But he meets all the requirements otherwise.

-Terrible sad backstory.

-Kept forgiving the people who actually gives zero fucks about him.

-When someone (of the people who would fit the important character roles in the inside novel) treated him "well", most of the time is because they want something of him.

-A few good friends who either die before him or would mourn him after his inside-novel death. (Usually one of the regrets of the real novel mc is not listening to them/spending more time/"letting" they die).

-Bad reputation between the inside-novel characters (sometimes it can also be an overall bad reputation, specially if the mc is famous or it's a showbiz story).

-Inexplicable Piss Poor Luck.

-Ends alone no matter what he tries (always before returning back in time).

-Possible DNA drama.

-A mother figure that loves him, whom probably he was separated from by the narrative (death if she was already part of his life, like Catherine, kidnapping/disaparition if it would be an unknown biological mom— not Sheila, obvs—, or other plots/assholes if is a mother figure like in his adult life).

-The father mentioned in the description has a lot of power (AKA, Bruce).

[pruneunfair]

Manhwa characters X Henry VIII and the six wives crossover.

of course this isn't going to line up with the real history, they'll simply be put into the roles they suit best and alternations will be made based on source material and their personalities

Henry VIII-Ceasre de como

He was never meant to inherit the throne until his brother unexpectedly passed away. The infamous bastard son who was the true cause of prince Alfonsos death believed to be a tragic result of illness. He framed the crime of poisoning the king on his mistress Ariande de mare and marries his late brothers widow as his first wife Isabella de Mare who has only been able to have one child: a girl, Princess Giovanna. Over the course of his life, King Ceasre marries a total of 6 different women and has only had 3 legitimate heirs throughout his life. During his reign, he ignited the fear and hatred of his people through execution after execution, some of the most infamous being 2 of his 6 wives. It was said that on his death bed, all the women he betrayed had haunted him, with the ringleader being his first love, Ariande de Mare

Catherine of Aragon-Isabella de Mare

Ceasres first wife, Ariandes sister and widow to prince Alfonso. After marrying for a second time small problems erupt from the queen being known as "tainted" for being another kings wife. To mediate the anger, Isabella starts to take religion even more seriously then she did in the past making herself out as a saint who redeemed herself of her sins, the public is unaware she cares very little for the death of her sister. The queen is aware of her husband's concubines and doesn't mind as she knows he would grow bored of her... until Ceasre finds a woman he can't yet have.. so she schemes to stay on the throne. She didn't help orchestrate her sisters death just so Ceasre can go as far as to violate parliament to marry another woman.

She is not remembered so fondly though after her death.

Anne Boleyn- Aria Roscent:

a common woman adopted into the house of Roscent, despite that fact she has become the talk of the town for her beauty and sharp tongue. Aria was planning on marrying her true love Oscar Frederick until she met the king who wanted her as his mistress more than anything, she tried to turn him down the best she could without facing execution, ultimately coming up with a excuse that she'd only be with Ceasre if she became the queen. To which Ceasre happily does much to the anger of queen Isabella who never would've have guessed it would be a random noblewoman instead of Ceasres favorites. Isabella fights back with the pope on her side using the argument the remarriage is reserved only those who have been widowed, this proves to be Isabellas undoing however when Ceasre shoots back with the revelation that the queen had killed her little sister years back and she would do the same to Princess Giovanna if she stayed. The divorce also leads to Ceasre founding his own church and new rules of religion so no pesky pope will stop him in the future, he marries Aria for only 3 years, during those 3 years Aria gave birth to a girl and named her Arabella to spite the former queen but her happiness is shortlived once Ceasre gets tired of her and executes her on crimes of witchcraft and attempted poisoning of his sister in law, Mielle.

Jane Seymour-Jennette Margarita

The 3rd wife Ceasre married quickly after the execution of Queen Aria. Despite her gentle care and kind attitude, the populace despised Jennette for replacing Aria as queen. Jennette is more obedient than the last two queens, going by a motto of "bound to obey and serve." So it's not surprise that Ceasre chose her to be the lucky wife to bear San Carlos desired prince. The relationship with her step-sisters isn't great either. Giovanna wants nothing to do with anymore step-moms after what happened to her mother and Arabella is still too young to even comprehend what happend to her own mother, leaving Jennette alone with the hope of her unborn child being a boy that could save her from execution. Much to Ceasres joy, Jennette does give birth to a prince Leo, but unfortunately the 3rd queen passes away just 11 days later from child bed fever.

Anne of Cleves-Adelaide Kotrov

A foreign princess from a neighboring kingdom. With a male heir finally secured, Ceasre is encouraged to marry for a political alliance, most princesses reject the offer after knowing what happened to Queen Aria but with the forceful hand of her mother, Adelaide of Kotrov is sent to become Ceasres 4th wife. The introduction doesn't go as well as planned, with Adelaide being visibly uncomfortable and annoyed with her husband's attitude. Since Ceasre can't execute a foreign noble, he never consummated the marriage and divorced Adelaide in only 6 months. Instead of becoming enemies though, Adelaide and Ceasre managed to get along just enough during those 6 months to be considered friends and Adelaide stayed in San Carlo with the reputation of the kings beloved sister. She lives her days with her lover Lionel as her true love and becomes the richest woman in all of San Carlo after Ceasre dies.

Catherine Howard- Rashta Ishka.

Ceasres 5th and youngest wife. A former slave who was saved by another Emperor and worked as a secretary for the Empress Navier. Rashta was never given a proper education so when the work turned out to be more than she could chew, Ceasre took the opportunity to take her with him to enjoy the luxuries of regal life and gave Rashta a title of Viscountess so the nobles of San Carlo wouldn't learn of her true origins. By the time they got married Ceasre was already considerably aged, his daughters have grown and Prince Leo had been getting smarter by the day. Giovanna treated her step-mom with indifference but Arabella and Leo took to their new mother well, giving Rashta a chance to heal from past traumas but her attitude can make it difficult at times as she holds grudges and doesnt easily let things go. Problems would inevitably arise , with unchecked trauma of her past, Ceasre only wanting a spare from her, pushing everyone else that could help her away, yet with her desire to feel seen at the same time. The queen gets coerced and manipulated by another man: Duke Ergi and he takes the chance to screw her over once he got what he wanted from her. Rashta was only queen for a little over a year when she was discovered to have been assaulted by one of her masters leading to a pregnancy no one knew of, and a previous fling she had with Emperor Sovieshu, combined with the rumors that she had cheated on the king, Rashta is beheaded for her crimes. Before her execution she ran after Ceasre, pleading her innocence while being pulled away.

Catherine Parr-Claudine Von Brandt

Ceasres 6th and final wife. Claudine had initially been with a few other lovers but all have either died or left her before the marriages could even happen. When she is told that she has to marry the king, Claudine naturally freaks out knowing the fates of the previous 5 wives who got divorced at best and lost their heads at worst. She learns to live her life with her aging tyrannical husband and becomes a wonderful stepmother to the kids, even Giovanna was willing to give her a chance and accept Claudine as her stepmother and queen of San Carlo after Claudine convinced Ceasre to reinsert his daughtes back into succession. There were a few close calls but Claudine survived her marriage and outlived Ceasre, but only for a year longer...

Mary I-Princess Giovanna

(There's no cannon design for Giovanna yet so I used Athy as a substitute)

The first princess born of King Ceasre and Queen Isabella. Out of all her parents failed pregnancies, Giovanna survived as a healthy child despite being a girl. Her parents treated her well enough until her father had the hots for Aria and divorced her mother. Even after learning the truth, Giovanna still considered Isabella the rightful queen even if she was left with a permanent uneasiness of her mom. For most of her time as princess afterwords, Giovanna is demoted to a lady to make room for Arias baby but despite that, Giovanna is a good big sister and doesn't blame Arabella for her mother's fate especially after the second princess is demoted to lady after Aria is executed. After her father dies, Giovanna went through hell to ensure she'd remain a queen and bring back the influence of the pope even if it means the death of the cousin used as a political pawn and the execution of just under 300 people. She dies without an heir only 5 years later.

Elizabeth I- princess Arabella

Second princess and daughter of King Ceasre and Queen Aria. Poor Arabella was already made a bastard after her mother's execution and lived her life neglected by her father and raised by her older sister. She was named after the 1st queens youngest sister and it's often noted that the princess looks an awful lot like the girl she was named after, almost like she was the reincarnated soul of Arabella de Mare. Her family life is full of nothing but troubles, even after her tyrannical father dies, she's still left in the whims of her sister as their relationship deteriorates when they got older. For years princess Arabella dodged death at every corner until Queen Giovanna passed away, giving rise for the queen no one suspected, Arabella I. She becomes the virgin queen of San Carlo, ending her father's bloodline and granting the right of heir to a cousin when she passes away as the final monarch of the house of de Como.

Edward VI- Leo IV

(Again, Leo doesn't have a design since he's an OC so young Ceasre will be a substitute)

The long sought after male heir Ceasre had been waiting for and the son of Queen Jennette, he takes after his father in terms of appearance too! As such Leo was raised differently then his sisters and was pushed to the bone since he was the only shot they had for a future king of the de Como bloodline. When Leo became king at the young age of 9, he was easily influenced by the adults and advisors in his life to control the country how they wanted to. He's just a kid and already the people think he'll just turn out to be like his father. Despite how much he loves his sisters, they disagree on religion and in an attempt to keep Giovanna from bringing back influence of the pope, he selects a cousin as his heir just before he dies young, he can finally meet the mother he's never known...

Other characters below:

Prince Arthur- Alfonso de Carlo

Jane Boleyn- Mielle Roscent

George Boleyn- Cain Roscent

Mary Boleyn- Larissa De Balloa

Thomas Culpeper- Duke Ergi

[doc-pickles]

sent to save me | sidney crosby (ch 7)

series masterlist

summary: vivie’s birthday party!

warnings: a little angst hehehe

notes: have fuuuuun!

xoxo

nina

“Mr. Sid! You’re here!”

Sid has barely walked through the door of Annie’s house before Vivie was in front of him. A braid twisted with pink ribbon adorns her golden curls, matching the pale pink dress that has glitter and flowers all over it.

“I am, couldn’t miss your party,” Sid grinned as Vivie hugged his legs. “I even wore my nicest shirt.”

Vivie examines the dark blue button down before nodding and dragging Sid further into the house. Geno and Anna are already standing in the kitchen, talking with another set of parents who are holding an infant not much bigger than Eva. There’s some more parents mixed in with the kids that are running around their feet and Sidney suddenly feels very out of place.

“Hey stranger,” Annie’s voice is a welcome reprieve as Sidney turns to her, his breath catching in his throat. She’s dressed in a simple light blue and white dress that flows around her calves, her wild blonde curls pulled away from her face with a ribbon. “Welcome to the fun zone.”

“It’s definitely something,” Sid chuckles as he surveys the room. “I feel out of place, everyone seems so… In their element surrounded by kids.”

Annie places one hand on his arm and rolls her eyes, “You’ll fit in fine. Don’t be a wuss, Crosby.”

Sid laughs at the annoyed expression on Annie’s face, the sound alerting Geno to his best friend's presence. He wanders over, Eva cuddled up on his shoulder, and greets Sid and Annie.

“Sid you take Eva, have to wrangle Niki before he start jumping off couches,” Geno doesn’t give Sid a chance to respond before handing Eva over and walking off.

To his credit Sidney easily takes the infant, Eva only fussing for a moment before she settles into the cradle of his arms. Annie watches him intently, noting how he’s begun to sway slowly as he whispers to Eva.

“Hey sweet girl, sorry daddy dropped you with Uncle Sid,” Sid smiles and runs a finger down the baby’s chubby cheek. “S’okay. You’re much calmer than your brother was, he would’ve been screaming by now.”

“I don’t think Vivie was ever that small,” Annie whispers as she peeks over Sid’s shoulder. “She’s so precious with those cheeks.”

“Did Vivie have chubby cheeks like that?” Sid sways slowly as he keeps his eyes trained on Eva. “My mom said I did until I was a toddler but I think Viv is too old to be able to tell now.”

The comment rips a hole in the middle of their conversation, the words bringing up the ugly realities of their situation. Annie takes a step back and Sidney immediately tries to stop her from leaving.

“Annie I didn’t mean-“

“It’s fine Sid. You two are very cute, you’re a natural,” Annie comments, voice thick as she presses a hand to her chest. “I have to- I’m sorry. I need to go.”

Annie rushes from the room without another word, leaving Sid standing dumbfounded as he looks at her retreating form. A hand settles on his arm and Anna is standing there with a sad smile, “Give me baby. You go chase after your girl.”

Eva is carefully handed from Sid to Anna before he follows after Annie with a quick thanks thrown behind him.

+

“Look at you,” Sid turns and grins at Annie as she sidles up next to him. Her hand falls to his arm as she peeks over his shoulder. “He’s beautiful, looks like Kris.”

Sidney’s house was crawling with Penguins players and their families celebrating the holiday season. Sid held Alex Letang, Kris and Catherine’s newborn, as everyone else milled about. The infant had finally fallen asleep in his arms and he didn’t want to disturb him.

“I’m thinking we can have a few of these,” Sid muses as he looks at Annie with a sly grin. “A boy first. With your blonde curls.”

Annie blushes and leans her head onto Sid’s shoulder, “How about a little girl with your eyes?”

“One of each,” Sid turns slightly to press a kiss to Annie’s hair. “I can’t wait to have a family with you.”

“Someday.”

“Someday”

+

Annie is standing in the backyard, hands braced on the top of a wooden picnic table as her shoulders shake. Sid quietly closes the slider behind him, standing and watching Annie for a moment.

“Annie,” Sid’s single word has Annie whirling around, tears streaking her cheeks. There's no words exchanged between them as they meet each other's eyes. Sidney slowly makes his way across the deck and Annie finally speaks when he’s standing right in front of her.

“I… I had dreams for years of a white picket fence and kids and a dog,” Annie sniffles, looking away from him. “I had everything planned out, how we’d buy a big house in Sewickley and what color our mailbox would be and our wedding that wouldn’t be huge but would still be a blast. All of it Sid…”

“Then why didn’t you tell me about Vivie,” Sid’s tone isn’t accusing or venomous as his fingers brush over her bare shoulder. “We could’ve had all of that.”

“Because you made me feel alone Sid,” Annie huffs out the words, still facing away from him. “You made me feel like I didn’t have a partner and that… I would be raising our baby alone. And I thought that maybe it would be easier to truly do it alone instead of you only being there when it was convenient for you.”

“Annie-“

“And I left. I knew I was pregnant and I left and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Annie sobs. “I don’t have regrets Sid, I never have. But seeing you with Eva… It broke something in me. And I'm sorry I can’t give you back that time with Vivie. I wish things had gone differently but when I left Pittsburgh I felt like I had no one and coming back wasn’t an option.”

“You could’ve come back, you could’ve had me, Annie,” Sid pleads as he steps in closer to her.

“But that’s why I left! I didn’t feel like I had you when you were still there,” Annie cries as she turns and meets Sidney’s eyes. “I was so alone while we were still sharing a bed. Did you know Vivie was conceived the only time we slept together in two months?”

Sid doesn’t have a rebuttal as he stares at Annie with a blank expression. His heart is racing as they stand chest to chest, mind spinning as he takes in everything she’s saying.

“I wanted you to be there so badly Sidney, I really did,” Annie sniffles, her voice gone rigid and emotionless. “But you weren’t and I didn’t want Vivie to feel like that too. So I left.”

And there, Sid thinks, is the truth of everything that had happened between them. Annie needed him and he wasn’t there. And she didn’t trust him to be there for their daughter either.

Annie heaves a sigh and closes her eyes, chest shaking with the weight of the tears she’s holding back. When she opens them again she meets Sid’s eyes and cups his chin.

“I don’t have regrets but I wish you were there for me. I wish things could’ve turned out differently. Maybe we were just in the right place at the wrong time,” Annie sighs before she walks away toward the house.

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t there,” Sid says, stopping Annie in her tracks. “I was… so wrapped up in myself that hurt everyone around me, including you. But I promise I’ll be there for you and for Vivienne. And if I have to spend the rest of my life proving that to you then I will.”

Annie doesn’t respond, just stands there for a moment before finally going back inside. Once the slider is closed Sid falls onto the seat of the picnic bench, head in his hands as he evens out his breathing.

+

“Happy birthday dear Vivie! Happy birthday to you!”

A loud cheer echoes as Vivie blows out the candles on her cake. Sid is positioned toward the back of the crowd but he can still see Vivie’s wide smile as Annie kisses her cheek.

“You still have chance,” Anna’s voice jolts him out of his thoughts as he turns towards her. “She love you, can see in her eyes.”

“Doesn’t matter if she doesn’t trust me,” Sid shrugs, not wanting to give himself false hope. “I wasn’t there when she needed me.”

“Then be there now. Be there for Annie and Vivie,” Anya settles a hand on Sid’s shoulder and squeezes the spot. “You have second chance, don’t blow it.”

Sid watches as Vivie swipes some frosting on Annie’s face, both of them laughing together. He wants this more than anything, to use his second chance to be a real family together.

Sid loves Annie and he loves Vivie and he doesn’t want to be apart from them ever again. And if it takes him the rest of his life to show Annie what the two of them mean to him then he’ll do it.

+

Later that night Vivie is worn out as she climbs into bed and lets out a yawn. Annie smirks at the little girl as she brushes her curls back and presses a kiss to her forehead, “Did you have a good birthday?”

“Yes mama,” Vivie snuggles into her side. “And I made such a good birthday wish.”

“Did you wish for unicorns to live in the backyard?”

“No mommy that’s silly,” Vivie giggles as she swipes at her eyes, holding back a yawn. “‘m not supposed to tell you my wish or it won’t come true.”

Bringing the comforter up to under Vivie’s chin Annie smiles wistfully at her daughter. She’s half asleep now, her peaceful face reminding Annie so much of Sidney.

“I wished for my daddy to come home, so I can have one like everyone else,” Vivie mumbles the last part as she snuggles down into her pillow. “Night mama.”

“Goodnight sweet girl,” Annie whispers, choking back tears. It’s not until she’s in her bedroom that she lets her tears fall, wrapping herself in her blankets and crying until sleep overtakes her.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lost Boys

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Superfam

Summary: After Jonathan Lane Kent wipes himself from existence by canceling his own timeline, he finds himself stuck in the afterlife where he meets Jason Todd. He still wonders about the life un-lived on Earth, and how his parents would've felt about him.

Jason Todd, who is making the most of being dead, struggles with the reality of what he's left behind. He has one wish and one wish only: to send his family one final message.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Jonathan Lane Kent (Laney), Jason Todd, Catherine Todd, Boston Brand, Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, John Constantine, Raven, Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake

Relationships: Platonic JayLaney

Additional Tags: Angst, Platonic Relationships, Magical Jason Todd, Resurrected Jason Todd, Queerplatonic Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, POV Multiple

Chapter Three: Someone Saved My Life Tonight (Laney Kent's POV)

I was so excited to go to the dance with Jason that I let it slip to Catherine that I didn't know how to dance. I just wanted to impress Jason, and I didn't realize it then, but talking to Catherine was probably the best decision I ever made in my life.

I didn't know her very well. I just knew that she was Jason's mom and that she was dead just like we were. She put on some music and started to dance.

"Doesn't matter if you can dance or not. You have to feel comfortable with yourself first," Catherine explained. It was easy for her to say. She was a good dancer. She took my hands and spun me around to get me to loosen up. I didn't want to laugh, but she eventually won that battle. Once I loosened up, it didn't really matter to me if I could dance or not. I didn't even notice that Jason came in from outside.

When I finally turned to see him standing there, I could feel my whole face heat up, and I turned my back to him. "For someone who's never danced, you're pretty good," Jason complimented before going straight to the kitchen.

I sat down at the table next to Catherine, and she looked at me for a moment as if she'd found something out about me. I shrank down in the seat and took a breath. "Jason, remember when you were little and your dad—."

Jason shook his head at her, and that was that. I didn't know anything about his birth father, and that was the first time I'd ever heard anyone mention him. Catherine opened her mouth to apologize, and Jason smiled and shook his head. "It's okay... I just don't want to talk about that," Jason reassured her, "Ma, why don't you come with us tonight? It'd be nice to see you get out of the house." I agreed with him.

She shook her head. "No, I couldn't—."

"Please? Catherine, it'll be fun," I interrupted. She finally gave in and said yes. I was a little relieved to know that she'd be coming with us. I could see Jason lighten up a little bit too. His shoulders dropped, and he came around and sat down with us.

I sometimes wondered if my mom would've loved me like Catherine loved Jason. I sometimes wondered if she would've loved me at all. I think, in a way, that scared me more than the concept of having to tell my father all the horrible things I'd done. I was so busy thinking about that, I didn't hear someone knock on the door. Catherine got up, and I blinked hard. She stepped outside and closed the door.

Jason gestured at me to look at him, and he mouthed, "Who is that?" I shrugged and went to the window to look, and I saw a ghost-like man in a red costume. "Well?"

"Some guy in a red costume with a 'D' on the chest," I explained. Jason stood up, and I grabbed his wrist. He looked like he was ready to fight someone, and it scared me to see him so angry. "No," I pleaded as I tried to hold onto him. He was stronger than he looked.

He wriggled loose and opened the door.

"What do you want with my ma?" Jason asked. I followed behind him and took hold of his wrist again. I was too scared to grab his hand. I looked at Boston and then at Jason, who had his fists balled up.

"Jason, it's okay. Boston was just asking me to the dance," Catherine reassured him as she brushed her knuckle against his cheek. "It's okay." Jason didn't move, and Catherine leaned forward and looked him in the eye. "It's okay, Sweet Pea," she whispered, and he relaxed his shoulders and went back inside.

I never thought he could be so hotheaded. He plopped down in his chair at the table. "Jason?" I whispered.

"She's gonna say no, right?" Jason asked. "She was gonna go with us. She doesn't need a date."

I opened my mouth to speak, but I realized Jason didn't want to hear my opinion. I went back to eating as I sat and listened to what he had to say. He stormed out before Catherine could come back, leaving me alone with her when she got back. "Where's Jason?" Catherine asked.

I frowned and took a sip of juice. "Why's he so upset?" I mumbled. Catherine sat across from me.

"I don't have the—. A lot of men in our life have hurt us. He's just being protective," Catherine explained, "He'll be okay once we talk."

"You aren't gonna go with him, though, right?" I questioned.

"Laney, I'm going to go with Boston, but not because I want to hurt Jason. Jason will always come first, but I have to have my own life—. Death? Afterlife? I have to have my own afterlife, Lane," Catherine replied. I fidgeted with my hands. "It'll be alright."

I started to worry after an hour passed and he didn't come back. "I'm gonna go to the lake and find him," I whispered. Catherine took a deep breath and nodded. I went out the front door and walked down to the lake, where Jason sat skipping stones with Boston.

I watched them from behind a tree. "You're not my father," Jason mumbled. I thanked whatever being responsible for super hearing. Boston looked down at Jason and nodded.

"Yeah, I know... And I'm not trying to hurt you. I just think Catherine's a real special lady," Boston whispered, "I'm not gonna hurt nobody, Jay. I can promise you that. Even if it doesn't work out, I promise I won't hurt either of you." Jason didn't look at him. He took another stone and skipped it across the lake.

Jason turned his head discreetly and looked directly at me. I froze and just stood there, staring back at him. He didn't say anything to me, but I could tell Jason knew I was listening. He flashed a smile, and I let out a breath of relief. Everything was going to be okay.

[flowerflamestars]

Where the middle meets snippet

Llewellyn recognized the great love of Dick’s childhood by her cracked ribs. 

Watched her plow politely through the crowd, red hair bright a sea of black. She wasn’t quite as good at pretending she wasn’t in pain as Dick was, but then again, no one was. The grimace would probably be attributed to grief anyway.

“Thank god,” Were the first words Barbara Gordon ever said to him, huffing out a breath, “Tell me you’re here to ride herd on Dick.”

No was too much of an understatement, and his real answer didn’t belong in a church.

“Taping’s not standard treatment anymore,” Llewellyn was staring down the nave. A moving ocean of people filled Gotham’s cathedral, with one clear demarcation: Bruce Wayne, already seated, several feet of emptied space around him.

Llewellyn glanced down in time to catch Barbara's scowl. “What?”

“You’re increasing your pneumonia risk,” Wells told her, getting one long, disbelieving blink in response. “Further complications.”

She switched her purse from one side to the other, brisk little motion snappy. “Do you know he went out this morning? In civvies. He’s in too much pain to care what he breaks right now. We need to keep the city from imploding”-

“Hi Babs,” Dick interrupted, manifesting over her shoulder, despite having disappeared in the opposite direction. He dipped over to kiss her on the cheek before stepping right into Llewellyn’s side, pressing in shoulder to ankle. “You met Wells.”

“Yeah,” she nodded, gaze moving between them. “I’m so sorry, Dick.”

Llewellyn could only tell he’d gone tense because they were so close.

“Me too. Me too.” Dick answered, dead voiced. “Let’s sit.”

He didn’t say the goodbye Barbara clearly expected. Did not acknowledge a single person on their way through the church, no amount of opulent Gotham mourning enough to make him blink. Dick was moving quickly enough, sleekly untouched by the crowd, it was hard to keep up. Silently too, down to his steps on the vast marble floor.

Barbara Gordon was wrong about one thing: Dick cared.

Dick cared so much it was eating him alive, a black hole at the center of his person, gravity well yanking away daytime lies until a little too much of his true, devastated face peeked out.

That didn’t mean he was going to fuck up the double life he’d been living since he was ten years old.

Dick seemed to realize what he’d been doing as they drew abreast with the front pews. Turned to find Wells still right there, lifeless expression briefly melting.

There was nothing to say. Nothing that would actually help. Llewellyn held out his hand instead, and Dick took it. 

They sat.

Soft, gleaming, perfect cherry wood, ice cold. Not a single dent, even a child’s scrawled scratch, no homey living history, only the finest here in the heart of this part of Gotham. Wells didn’t remember the last time he’d sat on a pew, much less been in a church for service. Tattoos busy climbing to his throat in nerves, Dicks juddering knees- the only person on their row who looked like they belonged was Bruce Wayne, head ducked low.

Dick had sunk down several feet away from his father.

“What happens now?”

Llewellyn gave up on manners, drew in both Dick’s hands to his lap. “Mass? I’ve never been.” Dick nodded. “Was Jason Catholic?”

Another nod, flat gaze going glassy, before Dick said, softly, “His mom was. He used to wear a little saint Catherine.” Dick shook his head, smile fighting out like hell, “He punched a priest once.”

[surroundedbypearls]

Someday I'll be fallin' without caution But for now I'm only people watchin'. -People Watching, Conan Gray

The walk to Catherine’s place was one Isaac had made before. Throughout his high school years, he’d only dragged himself to a select number of her extravagant gatherings. Before that, he’d been over for a lot of playdates, and to all the birthday parties. His mom had usually walked him to and from the house; the walk had been longer then, on his shorter legs, but he never minded. Even now, he liked the walk. When he arrived at Catherine’s house, the lights on the front driveway lit his way up the path towards the front doors. As he stepped onto the porch painted in pristine white and opened the door, the sound of the music playing inside washed over him. The living room stretched out from the front of the house out towards the extension at the back, leading into the open-plan kitchen. The couches and carpets were crowded with his schoolmates, their voices echoing around him all at once and overwhelming his senses. He swallowed, shook his head and tried to clear it. Sometimes, crowds made him dizzy. He didn’t know what it was; he suspected maybe he had sensitive hearing or some kind of undiagnosed vertigo. But as long as he found somewhere to sit, he’d be fine. As long as he tried not to listen. People-watching was one thing, but he hated to feel like he was eavesdropping. And it felt like he was always eavesdropping.

When I first heard this song I thought it was very Isaac-coded and had to add it to the playlist.

More on Homebirds here! Leave a comment or an ask to be added to the taglist.

[doeeyeddyke]

post Lazarus transfem Jay, where no one knows shit about her coming back until completely accidentally, partly bc she's not even the (sole) center of attention

Damian is sent to Gotham and is one day like btw I have some sisters and Bruce is like..... "Are They Mine" (Wait I Might Have Girls 🥺) (secret girldad Bruce for the win) and Damian is like.... Jane will be displeased if I say anything.... but I think Athanasia biologically is Father's..... but I don't want to lie..... hmmm...... "idk anyway look at the time doot di doot...."

Talia doesn't pick up when Bruce calls she's just like "girls go check if it's anything important or if he's just having a meltdown"

So now 2 sisters start popping up around more often to keep and eye out and check on Damian and one is super tall and buff and the other is much shorter and slighter but they call themselves twins even if short one says she's older and tall one is like "barely!! it doesn't count!!" which honestly yea they're sisters alright

That's how Black Swan and White Dove come to be known, Black Swan is quiet and seemingly ambivalent about the bats but White Dove sounds like she's about to beat the shit out of Batman and to a lesser degree Nightwing and seems vaguely displeased being around Tim's Robin but is cool with Spoiler/Batgirl (esp since she's gotten close to Black Swan and treats her well) and distantly polite to young Duke the very few times they meet

Tim's Robin: hey what's up with that

Damian:

Robin:

Damian: she has Issues With Men don't you know anything Drake smh leave her alone

Robin:

Robin: Oh. Yea ok that makes sense ig sorry man

Damian: don't tell her I said anything tho

(Damian to himself later: it's not Untrue but that's not exactly what's- wait ok that's kinda exactly what's going on here isn't it)

Btw Damian calls her Jane but her full name is Catherine Jane Columba (Mom's name + Jane Austen + Mom's hc maiden name) and she uses Jane with league sibs but CJ in general for everyone else

Anyway I imagine that Cass and Jane start hanging around more and are eventually considered neutral to friendly extension of batfam via Damian (and Athanasia and Mara when they're sent over) (Athanasia is sweet if a lil awkward and much younger than everyone else, Mara is very "You're Not My Dad just a sort of step uncle at best" but Bruce is like "omg,,, daughters,,,,")

Cass might even eventually come over for dinner or smth maybe as Steph's plus one and Dick would be like "omg I am going to big brother you so hard" and Bruce is like "are you sure you don't want to be my daughter" and Tim is trying to figure out if he can do his stalking out of affection and respect thing without getting his butt kicked and the Al Ghul kids are being absolute demons fighting for Cass' attention and trying to find out what Jane is upto

The Jane identity reveal can be totally anticlimactic (Damian says Jane wants to meet them and then at a scheduled dinnerthey meet a buff tall older female lookalike of the dead second Robin and they think "omg 😱 surprise older Todd sister no one knew about??" and Jane doesn't let anyone say anything bc she wants to see how long this lasts)

Or maybe there's some big fight or whatever or fear toxin is involved and a league sib is hurt and Jane unmasks to comfort and tend to them and Bruce or Dick (or even Alfred!) see her face and have a bit of an aneurysm and Jane's too distracted with big sister-ing to be too explicitly angry with the bats at the moment but makes a snappy remark or smth that gives her away ("miss me old man" /sarcastic and /derogatory if it's Bruce)

And uh yea anyway don't take this too seriously I'm half delirious and keep dissociating in turns and I just wanted an excuse for transfem Jason and ended up really loving CJ/Jane

[lostfirefly]

Bugust. Day 4 (Buggy x OC). Lovestruck.

"You can't do anything, bunch of idiots. Fuck off! Break for--" Buggy opened the door to his cabinet. "Cotton candy? What are you doing here?"

"First of all, hi!" Catherine waved her hand, sitting on the table.

"Hi!"

"Second, I brought you.. Guess what?" She lifted the box in her hands, "Sandwiches."

"Just sandwiches?" Buggy giggled.

"Yes. Food only. Don't forget about the ban, my blue-haired love." Catherine chuckled. "I don't know.. I thought.. " She dangled her feet. "You've been sitting here late for days, I missed you. I don't think Cabaji and his girlfriends bring you food."

"And what kind of sandwiches did you bring me?" Buggy took off his hat and threw it on the couch.

"Look. There's a peanut butter sandwich. With salmon and cream cheese. With meat balls and your favorite! With hot cheese." Catherine jumped off the table, ran over and pecked Buggy on the cheek. "Sit down, I'll make you some coffee. You need so--- Why.. Why are you smiling, clown?"

"I'm not smiling." Buggy stepped over to his desk and plopped into a chair. "It's.. Fuck, I'm tired. I don't know, strange. A year ago, I didn't think anyone would be bringing me sandwiches."

"I didn't think I'd be living in Cairo either when I worked at the library." Catherine picked up a cup of freshly brewed coffee and walked toward Buggy. "You know, one obese woman worked with me, and she talked in that old, creaky voice all the time." Catherine started imitating her. "Oh, sweet Catherine, you're single. You need to find a good man." She set the coffee on the table and stroked Buggy's head, watching him take a bite of the sandwich. "Tasty?"

"Very. Especially this one with peanut butter. It always tastes so fucking good., Cathie-pie." Buggy took another big bite of bread. "How do you make it taste so good? A seemingly simple piece of bread and peanut butter, but so delicious." He took another bite, sipped his coffee loudly, and noticed Catherine's happy face. "Why are you smiling?"

"It's just... I'm sorry, but you're so sweet now." Catherine kissed the top of his head.

"I'm not sweet, cotton candy." Buggy took the next sandwich, took a bite of it, and continued rambling with his mouth full. "I'm a scary grown man."

"Chew then speak, a scary grown man." Catherine kissed the top of his head again. Three times. And saw Buggy was trying to hide the smile on his face. "You should see yourself right now. Happily eating food, sipping coffee. As for the sandwich, I just mashed a banana and mixed it with this peanut butter. My mom used to do that and then wrapped sandwiches for us at school." Catherine continued to stroke Buggy's head, bowing her head slightly. "No! That woman from the library was wrong. I haven't found a good man."

Buggy stopped chewing for a second and looked at her in surprise.

"I found a better one, my flashy fool." Catherine kissed him in his temple, rested her cheek on his head, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you so much, my Buggy Bear."

Buggy took a meatball sandwich. "You know, I'd love to answer you," he took a big bite, "But this is so fucking delicious." He rolled his eyes in pleasure. "Damn, so tasty." Buggy swallowed a bite and sipped his coffee. "But I love you, too, my cotton candy."

[runningfrom2am]

on the one screen in my town; one

summary:

mason’s life with drew was absolutely perfect, she was happier than ever; until everything came crashing down all at once.

tags/warnings:

drew starkey x fem!popstar!oc, drug and alcohol use, death, grief, these tags are not exhaustive, idk i'll add to this as it goes on.

wc: 2.3k

this is the first plot chapter from the same universe as my oneshot kinda famous! i did the poll ab whether or not i should continue it as an x reader or if you guys were cool with me using the oc it was originally written with and a large majority said it was fine so everyone meet mason! (and este slayyyy)

i hope you guys enjoy!

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"No, Mom, I'm just not sure about this one. I feel like it's just not me," Mason said, tugging at the top of the thirteenth white dress she had tried on that day.

"Honey, it's gorgeous, but this isn't about what I think anyways. Get whatever one calls your name," her mom, Catherine, replied from the couch behind her, catching her eye in the mirror.

"I'm so tired, let's call it a day and come back another time," Mason insisted, turning to face her mom and her best friend.

"Mase, this is the fourth designer we've met with. And every last dress you've tried on has been amazing," Este said. "Just don't forget, they can change anything you want."

Mason let out a sigh as she turned again to face the mirror. "Yes, dear, what don't you like about this one?" the designer asked, fiddling with the train.

"Well, nothing in particular. The neckline feels off... and the bodice, I don't like where it sits on the waist."

"Then that's a no. Just try one more, dear. Try this one!" Her mom grinned, putting her champagne glass on the table, grabbing the designer's 2024 portfolio, and pointing to the dress on the cover.

"Okay, yeah, let's try that one," Mason agreed, nodding, stepping off the pedestal, and lifting the mass amounts of the dress's fabric with the help of the designer's assistants.

With their help, she went back into the changing room, removed the billowing dress, and sat down with her phone as the assistant took the one-of-a-kind wedding dress away. Mason was met with no less than one hundred notifications on her phone, texts from friends and colleagues, and her agent had called no less than three times even though she was technically on vacation. The only thing she was interested in was calling Drew. She opened his contact and hit call, his name lighting up the screen as she put it on speaker, then opened Twitter while she waited for him to answer.

"Hey, my love, how's dress shopping?" Drew's voice echoed through the small speakers as Mason scrolled through endless photos of the crowd forming outside the studio she was currently in, and some pictures in the windows that they thought were fully closed were already making headlines.

"You know I can't tell you that," she laughed slightly, shaking her head.

"Sure you can, I just can't see it. Find the one?"

"Nope," she shook her head, despite him not being able to see her. "I'm trying on one more, then we're calling it a day."

Mason heard some shuffling and laughter in the background on his end as he spoke. "You're real picky about this one, huh? You were less particular at last year's Met."

"Is that Mason?" he was interrupted by a voice she instantly recognized as Madelyn. "Hi, Mason! We miss you!" she shouted into the phone, making her friend smile.

"Hi, Mads! Hey, can I fly out to see you guys in the morning?" Mason replied, chewing on her lip a little and standing as the curtain slid open and the assistant returned with the last dress.

"Yeah, of course. I'll call Amanda and get her to book your flights for you. Does Este want to come?"

"Duh," Mason giggled, putting down her phone and raising her arms so the young girl could slide the dress on. She couldn't help but notice her hands shaking, just slightly. "I've got to go, love, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," Drew agreed. "Love you!" he said before he hung up the phone.

The dress was now settling over her shoulders as the nervous assistant clipped the back. "Are you alright?" Mason asked, turning her head slightly to try and get a glimpse at the girl.

"Yes, ma'am," she said softly, her voice slightly shaking.

"You don't have to call me that," Mason chuckled and shook her head, holding up her hair.

"I do, my boss insists on it with all her clients."

"What's your name?" Mason smiled as she asked, trying to get the girl to relax.

"It's Melissa. I don't want to be weird, but I'm a big fan of yours and I've always wanted to design something for you. I'm a student still, but your Met looks are always my favorite," she rambled on nervously.

Mason's smile grew at this. "Aw, thank you, Melissa. I'd be honored to wear your work someday."

Melissa blushed. "Thank you, that means a lot to me," she finished tying up the back and took a step back, picking up the train and fluffing it out. "While my boss isn't here, can I make a suggestion?"

"Of course," Mason replied. "You don't like this one?"

"No! No, I love it, it's stunning. I just think maybe it would suit your style more if we extended the train, then brought down the waistline just a little bit, and maybe did a bunch back here above the hips, then coated the whole thing in silver Swarovski diamonds. It will just scream Mason more, you know?" she said, trying to explain the vision as best she could as Mason nodded through the whole thing.

"You... are actually a genius," the star replied, nodding enthusiastically.

Melissa smiled wide, clapping her hands together and bouncing on her toes excitedly. "Yay! We can make that happen. One hundred percent."

"Let's go get my Mom's thoughts first," Mason joked, letting Melissa help her with the dress as they walked back out to the viewing room.

"Mason, that is stunning, honey. What do you think?" Catherine asked as Melissa adjusted the train so everyone could see the full vision.

"I really love it," her daughter agreed, looking at herself in the mirror, for the first time being able to see the whole thing. She smoothed out the front gently, turning a little bit and looking herself over. "Este? What do you think?"

Este nodded quickly, taking the final sip out of her champagne glass. "It's beautiful."

"Okay, yes, but I think I want to make some adjustments—could that be arranged?" Mason asked, looking briefly and smiling at the young girl now standing at the edge of the room.

"Yes, dear. Anything," the famous designer nodded, standing next to her in the mirror.

"I'm thinking we lower where the waistline lands, to like here, and then bunch it in the back right here, so it has more of that draping effect, and then extend the train and cover the whole thing in fine diamonds. So it looks like a silver fabric, almost..." Mason explained as the designer frantically took down notes and snapped at her assistant to grab the measuring tape.

"Yes! That will be perfect," the woman instantly agreed. "How long do you want the train? About four yards?"

"Maybe five..." Mason thought out loud, looking back to her mom and best friend for approval, and they both nodded in agreement. "And can we order a matching veil as well, please? I'd like our initials embroidered on it as well. Just above my left shoulder, I think."

"Consider it done, my dear," the designer nodded. "We'll send you some samples of material and fonts for that, and you can take your pick."

"Thank you," Mason smiled. "Oh, and can we please have them sent to my mother's address? I don't need Drew feeling nosy and opening my packages." She giggled, looking back at her mom and best friend, who had been awfully quiet.

"Oh, guys, c'mon. Don't do that," Mason chuckled, covering her face with her hands as she saw their eyes fill with tears.

"I'm sorry, honey, I just..." her mom sniffled, grabbing a tissue from the coffee table in front of them. "You look so beautiful, and it just makes me so happy to see how much you have grown in the last few years and how happy and successful you are. I am just so proud of you. That's all."

"Oh, mom, oh my god now I'm going to cry!" she laughed, already feeling tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to blink them away, fanning her face with her hands and tipping her head back.

"No, c'mon. You can cry, babe," her best friend laughed, already wiping her own tears. "Please actually do, it'll make us feel less weird about it."

She nodded, noticing Melissa standing next to her now with another tissue box and holding it up to her. She laughed a little as she took it, thanking her and dabbing it under her eyes. "You just did such a good job on my makeup this morning, I don't want to ruin it," she said to her friend, a smile still stuck on her cheeks.

"It's going to be beautiful. I just can't wait for the wedding," her mom smiled, taking a deep breath to try and level her head.

"Oh, god," she laughed. "It's just all going by so fast, you know?"

With only eight months left until the wedding, she had to make it her constant priority. She had hardly had a moment to think about anything else. Of course, it was so much fun and such an exciting time; but pretty much since the moment Drew proposed the media had labeled it 'the wedding of the decade', which had put so much pressure on both her and Drew.

"Yes, and you need to enjoy every second," her mom smiled.

"Oh! Speaking of, Este, we're flying out to Charleston in the morning. Drew's manager should be sending our tickets to you any minute." She tells her friend who nods, giving her a thumbs up with a crumpled-up tissue still in her hand, tears still fresh in her eyes.

"I'll be ready."

"Will you hold on to the fabric samples, Mom?" Mason asks her mom with a sniffle as Melissa helps her gather up the fabric of the dress to go get changed.

"Yes, of course, dear."

"Mom, wait- you should come with us!" Mason says, stopping in her tracks and turning again to face her mom, catching Melissa off guard as she struggles to make sure the dress doesn't tear. "I'll get Drew to get you a ticket as well, it can be a girl's trip." 

Her mom smiles back at her, shaking her head. "I appreciate the invitation honey, but you should go be with Drew. I've got brunch with Andrea tomorrow anyways, I hardly ever get the chance to meet up with her." Catherine insists.

"That reminds me, could you let her know that she and Taylor will be getting invitations to the bachelorette trip in the coming weeks? Este has already sent them out," Mason says continuing her way to the dressing room slowly and looking to her friend who nods in confirmation.  

She quickly gets changed back into her day clothes, passing on her card to the designer to take down the information and grabbing Melissa's social media for future reference before they make their break for the back door where their driver had been waiting. To no avail, however, considering at this point that the whole back alley was even swamped with fans and people holding cameras, immediately flashing at them as the door opens.

The environment goes from relaxed to chaotic in a second, and out of habit, Mason smiles wide as her mom and friend are quickly ushered by security into their waiting car. "We have a few minutes to chat with people, yeah?" She smiles at the guard who nods, taking place at her side as she walks up to the makeshift fence around the car.

Among screams of her name and cameras flashing in her face, she makes out a question from who she assumes is a journalist. "Mason! Did you find your dress? Can you show us?"

Mason turns her attention to them, handing back a phone to a fan who asked her to sign the case. "Uh, well, I can't share much right now, but I'm feeling good today!" She laughs, waving at a few fans and reaching over the barrier to give someone a hug.

"How's Drew doing? Is he still in Charleston?" The fan asks as she pulls away, and Mason decides to focus her energy on the fans from here on. 

"He's great! Yeah, they're still filming in Charleston. It's the final season! I'm so excited about it." She grins, nodding and giving a quick wave over her head.

"Are you going to have another song in this season?" The fan asks.

"I can't share that, unfortunately," Mason says, tapping the young girl's arm to draw her attention down and giving her a quick and subtle thumbs up, making both of them smile.

Mason moves down the line, giving people hugs and signing things, almost in tears by the time she steps back to the car with an arm full of letters and bracelets and little handmade gifts. "Thank you! Thank you guys- it was so nice to meet everyone!" She calls out, waving an awkward goodbye before climbing in the back seat.

She sighs with a smile as the security pushes everyone back so they can drive away, placing everything on the empty seat next to her and Este starts to shift through everything.

"They're so sweet, hey?" Mason sighs happily, giving another quick wave out the window.

"They're lovely." Catherine agrees, looking back from the passenger seat of the car. 

"Did anyone ask you about Drew?" Este asks curiously, holding up a letter to the light so she can read the envelope.

"Of course." Mason giggles as they pull out into the street. "Doesn't bother me, though."

"No, of course not." Este agrees. "I just wish they could focus more on you and your music, you put so much work into all your projects I just think that should be the focus when they meet you."

"Right now everything is about me and Drew. After the wedding I'm sure it will shift back to normal, you know?" Mason insists, opening a different envelope to read it.

"I hope so." Her friend sighs. "You did this yourself, it's important to me that you remember that. That's all."

Mason looks over at her friend, tilting her head at her. "Let's be honest, babe, I wouldn't be where I am without him. I don't mind giving him the credit he deserves at least for widening my audience."

Este nods and smiles at her friend, already worried that she's losing her to his shadow.

taglist: @veescorneroftheworld, @totalswag, @madelynie, @cecesrings, @slut4drudy, @mutual-mendes, @winterrrnight, @sadfury, (lmk if you want to be added!!)

also let me know what you guys want me to post from this next! more plot? maybe a oneshot like their first date or the proposal? give me absolutely all your thoughts :) and send me an ask with any ideas for this!