#wayne: someone wanna tell why my boy's on death's door?

[ikarakie]

s3 secret steddie where steve gets badly injured during starcourt, and his emergency contact is wayne munson. bc the dude loves him like a son and his actual dad never fucking picks up anyways. might as well have someone nearby, who cares, written down instead.

cue everyone discovering that steve has a secret boyfriend (fucking eddie munson, of all people!?) because he and wayne turn up at the hospital frantic after they were contacted and basically told "ur steve harringtons emergency contact. he is actively dying and there's a small crowd gathered in his hospital room that we can't fucking get rid of. what's ur eta??"

[jiejie-eonni-onee-sama]

Play me like a violin...

For the wonderful @marilynmonroefanfics​ 👄👄​

Hope you’ll like it!

TW: Smut in the area!

I wanna be loved by you, just you

And nobody else but you

I wanna be loved by you, alone! 

Boop-boop-a-doop!

I wanna be kissed by you, just you

And nobody else but you

I wanna be kissed by you, alone

Marylin Monroe - I Wanna Be Loved By You (1959)

Bruce can't believe it. Even if it was days ago, he still can't believe what happened to him: he married him. He married this wonderful and handsome angel named Peter. 

He feels like it was yesterday they start dating. He, Bruce Wayne, the renowned playboy of Gotham, finally settled with the young man he met during a gala two years ago.

He remembered well the night when he introduced his lover as his boyfriend to his family: they were astonished that someone managed to get his hands on Bruce Wayne. 

Alfred exclaimed: "Finally! He found someone!" while Stephanie, Cassandra, and Barbara cheered gleefully. As for the boys, Dick was amazed, whereas Jason was taken aback, yelled: "WHAT THE HELL?". 

Tim was happy for his mentor, and Damian stayed calm, as usual, but expressed his respects towards Peter.

Overall, he can say that the Bat-family accepted Peter as its new member.

He was glad to find him: his husband is loving, caring, understanding, patient, and funny. The embodiment of perfection, at least.

Speaking of the angel, Peter appears in the room, dressed casually and with a genuine smile on his face.

"Hello, beloved husband. What are you doing?"

And this voice, my God: it sounds like an angel.

The billionaire smiles:

"I just wondering how lucky I am..."

"Lucky?"

He holds the hand of Peter.

"I mean, I am grateful to have you with me!"

"Til death do us apart if I remember well..."

"Correct."

"It's been six days since we get married if you don't forget?"

"How could I even dare to forget the best day of my life?" chuckles Bruce as he gently kisses Peter's knuckles.

The young man beams at the lovely gesture. And to think that he was a bit worried when he caught the interest of Bruce Wayne...

He was so scared to be just a one-night stand of the notorious Gotham Don Giovanni that he rejected his advances first. Slowly, he discovered what hides behind the seductive façade.

He saw a tortured soul, wounded by personal tragedies, who tried to give meaning to his life as the Dark Knight of Gotham named Batman. 

He also noticed the other side of Bruce's personality: a caring and loving man who have compassion. How not fall in love with this man?

Peter leans his head on his husband's shoulder while enjoying the view in front of him. Currently, they fancy their honeymoon in California, where Bruce rents a mansion with a look of the sea.

"I'm happy that we manage to have a moment for the two of us... I know you have a turbulent life and that we won't have a lot of quality times. But at least, you try to give me the best of you!"

"Because you deserve the best, love!" answers Bruce as he looks at the ebony eyes of his beloved.

They are shining like two black pearls of innocence. Something that amazes Bruce... and also turns him on.

While smiling, the billionaire holds his young husband against him as he lets his hands linger over this body he worships every day.

Suddenly, his phone rings:

"Oh, what again?"

"Let's see... Ah, it's Alfred!" says Peter as he answers the phone.

"Hello, Peter Wayne's on the phone!"

"**Hello, Master Peter. I'm calling to check if everything is fine!**"

"Oh, Alfred, it's a living daydream! California is a lovely place, especially when I am with my dear husband!"

"**I'm glad to hear that. May I speak to Master Bruce?**"

"Sure! Wait a minute, I turn the speakers on!"

Once it's done, Bruce speaks:

"Hello, Alfred."

"**Hello, Master Bruce. According to Master Peter, you enjoy your vacation in California?**"

"Exactly. Everything went smooth."

"**I'm relieved to know that both of you are satisfied with your honeymoon.**"

"And you, Alfred, how are you?"

"**I'm fine, thank you. And your protégés are fine, too. They expect your return on Saturday with great impatience!**"

"They missed us that much?" smirks Bruce.

"**You had no idea, Master Bruce. But, as a picture is worth a thousand words, why don't you hear it by yourself?**"

Half a second later, the couple hears the voices of all the young members of the Batfamily saying hello.

"**Hello, Californian lovebirds. You're alright?**"

"Hello, Dick. Yes, everything is perfect!"

"**Aw, you are so lucky! Can't wait to hear your stories!**"

"Don't worry, Stephanie: I'll tell you the best when we will come back!"

"**Does Bruce treat you like a prince?**," asks Tim.

"Not like a prince, Timothy, but like a king!" states Bruce with a smile.

"**You better do: he marries you, so you have to respect and cherish him!**" reminds him Damian.

"Don't worry, Dami: he is the best husband ever!" says Peter as he glances tenderly towards Bruce.

"**We hope so. Well, as long as you say everything is cool, we are happy for you! Enjoy your honeymoon!**" kindly replies Barbara. 

"**Yeah, sure. Especially Bruce, who wants to satisfy his hunger for Mama Peter!**" snickers Jason.

Bruce facepalms while Peter brightly blushes.

"**Master Jason, are you sure it was necessary?**" sighs Alfred.

"**Todd, you pervert jerk!**" snarls Damian.

"**Boys, calm down! Anyway, we are delighted to hear from you. Especially with good news!**"

"So are we, Cass."

"**Well, we leave you alone. See you on Saturday, Masters Bruce and Peter!**"

"Goodbye, Alfred! Thank you for the call!"

After he hung up the phone, Bruce sighs:

"Those kids, I swear to God they are going to kill me!"

"But you love them!" Peter smiles.

His husband returns the smile and holds him again.

"Yes, but I love you more than anything in the world!"

"Oh, really?" innocently asks Peter.

"Of course... Let me prove it!"

And with a mischievous smile, Bruce kisses his partner with passion. The latter, amused, answered the kiss with the same intensity.

Without interrupting the kiss, Bruce slid his large callused hands under his husband's shirt, greedily stroking his soft skin.

This gesture surprised Peter, who asks:

"But what are you doing again?"

"I take care of my husband, this is what I do!"

"Don't be innocent, honey. You've got an idea in your head, and I'd like to know which one!"

"Very well, since you insist ..."

Bruce leaned over his lover's neck and kissed it several times.

"Since we are on our honeymoon, I said to myself that we could take the opportunity to consummate the marriage ..."

At these words, Peter began to blush. So far, they had never had sex and the thought of having his first time with his husband scared him: what if it turned into a fiasco?

"Are you all right, Peter?"

"Yeah, it's just that ..."

"What?"

The young man lowered his head, a little ashamed.

"It's just that I'm scared!"

"Afraid of what?"

"Let's say I'm apprehensive because it's my first time ..."

Bruce strokes his husband's cheek:

"You don't have to worry, Peter: I'll be careful! I'll make it unforgettable!"

"I don't doubt it, but ..."

"But what? What can you worry about so much?"

"The two of us! I mean, look at yourself: you look like a Greek God, while I look like a bun next to you!"

Bruce rolls his eyes, a slight smile on his lips, before stroking his husband's hips.

"You should stop putting yourself down, honey. Of course, we're different, so what? That's what I liked about you: your playfulness, your zest for life, your kindness ... You are the light that was missing in my life! "

He takes Peter by the waist before adding:

"As far as your body is concerned, know that I find it perfect. Besides, comparing it to a bun is not completely inappropriate ... since I find you delicious!"

And without warning, he lifts his husband off the ground and takes him to their room.

"Bruce, stop!" laughs Peter.

"Definitely not! I'm hanging on to you forever!" the latter jokes.

Once in their room, he gently set Peter down on the bed before closing the door behind him.

Then, he comes back and positions himself above his lover, who gives him an innocent smile.

"I guess it's time to get down to business!"

"Exactly, my little prince! Now let me do it and enjoy!"

With that, Bruce again captures Peter's lips in a passionate kiss.

The newlyweds hasten to get rid of their clothes, and they find themselves naked as on the first day.

Bruce is dumbfounded at his husband's naked body: for him, it is the most beautiful thing he had ever admired in his life.

As for Peter, he is amazed by the impressive musculature of his lover, but not only. It must be said that Bruce is well fitted, especially at the level of the private parts.

He swallows: he wonders how something so huge would be able to penetrate him? Nothing to think about it makes him uncomfortable ...

"If you don't want us to do this right now, I would understand. It might be going a little too fast for you ..."

Peter shakes his head:

"No, Bruce, it's going to be fine. I trust you."

Reassured, the latter kisses his husband again before letting his lips slide down Peter's neck and chest, making the young man moan with pleasure.

This reaction amuses the millionaire, who continues his little game, lingering on his husband's hips before descending to his penis.

"Bruce ..." Peter moans, bracing himself under his lover's expert licks.

His cries of pleasure grows louder when he feels Bruce's mouth tickle his cock. He thought his brain would not stand the shock of the sensations that seizes him.

"Oh my god, Bruce!"

"Good boy, so responsive!" his husband whispers as he continues to explore the young man's privacy with his tongue. While doing so, he lets his large hands caress and pinch his nipples.

Quickly, Peter becomes a moaning mess, clutching at the sheets as if his life depended on it.

He's used to Bruce's hugs, but this is different: it is addicting, and he always needs more.

"Tell me, Peter, do you want to go further?"

"Oh yes, Bruce."

"Tell me what you want, Peter."

Catching his breath, his husband answers:

"I want you to take me, Bruce. I want to offer you my innocence!"

A hungry smile appears on Bruce's face:

"It's a beautiful gift you are giving me, beautiful boy! And it deserves a reward!"

He lays down on top of Peter, tucking himself between his legs, and position himself close to his privacy. Before doing anything, he glances at Peter and asks:

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," the young man whispers.

Bruce kisses his lover before slowly penetrating him so that the latter gets used to his presence.

Peter gasps when he feels his husband's cock inside him. The pain is so unbearable that he sheds a tear that slid down his cheek.

Seeing this, Bruce feels guilty: he wanted this moment to be magical for them, not to make his husband suffer. Gently, he brushes the tear away from Peter's cheek.

"Excuse me if I was brutal."

"No, no. It's not your fault. It's just that I'm not used to ... It's my first time, after all!"

"Don't apologize; you'll be fine. Take your time, and when you're ready, we'll continue!"

"Okay!"

Peter took his time to calm down and get used to Bruce's presence.

He mentally told himself that he does not have to worry, that everything would be fine. Besides, Bruce is patient and understanding: with him, he is in good hands.

Gradually, he relaxes and let his husband understand that he was ready. The latter understands, and he begins his thrusts so as not to rush Peter.

Once he is more at ease, the young man lets himself go and quickly takes pleasure in feeling the kidney strokes of his husband as he moans louder.

As for Bruce, he gives a slow and sensual rhythm to this particular dance. With his old one-night stands, he was content to have a good shag and nothing more. But there, with Peter in his arms, he is taking his time and experiencing a pleasure he had never reached.

But above all, he loves Peter, and he wants to give him that pleasure he currently feels. And the latter's cries of desire confirm that he is doing it well ...

"B-Bruce ..."

"Yes, my angel?"

"G-Go faster!" Peter moans, wrapping his legs around Bruce's waist.

"Your wish is my command!"

And with that, the millionaire picks up the tempo, thrusting faster.

Overwhelmed with pleasure, Peter feels his sanity give up, and he latches onto Bruce's back, scratching him lightly at the shoulders.

This action excites his partner, who continues his thrusts between the hips of his lover rhythmed by their sighs and cries of pleasure.

"B-Bruce, I ... I'm going to cum!"

"Yeah, me too, babe! Just wait for me, darling!"

After several thrusts, the two newlyweds reached seventh heaven with a final moan of pleasure.

Then Bruce slowly withdraws from Peter's privacy before laying down next to his husband.

The latter is still under the effect of adrenaline and does not realize what had just happened. But for sure, the young man loved it!

"So, honey, this first time?" Bruce demands, slightly panting.

"It was perfect. Yes, really perfect!" Peter replies, settling in the strong arms of his husband.

"Good, that's what I wanted for you."

"And I thank you for that."

Chuckling, Bruce kisses his husband's forehead before hugging him and settling down to sleep.

"Come on, I think we have the right to a well-deserved rest!"

"Yes, my body is numb for now!"

"Tomorrow, you will probably be in pain."

"I will hold you personally responsible!" jokes the young man.

"What if I offer you a bath tomorrow to make amends?"

"There, I accept."

The two men laugh and take advantage of the calm, embraced. Then, won over by sleep, they let themselves go in the arms of Morpheus.

"I love you, Bruce Wayne."

"I love you, Peter Wayne."

And with these words of love, the two lovers fell asleep with serenity, far from the tumult of Gotham.

Must be love on the brain

That’s got me feeling this way

It beats me black and blue but it fucks me good

And I can’t get enough

Must be love on the brain yeah

Rihanna - Love on the Brain (2016)

Thanks for the reading!

Hope you enjoy the story!

See you later! 🥰😘😍

[mischiefandspirits]

Last Laugh (1 of 3)

“Oh, I noticed,” Red X said lowly, tossing the staff aside. “What that idiot was thinking letting Flamebird send you all the way across the country right after Batkid got blown up, I’ll never know.”

Robin flinched back at the accusation before his fists clenched at his sides. “Then you’ll be happy to know no one sent me here. It’s just where I ended up when Batman decided he didn’t want to work with me anymore and tossed me out.”

The story of how Dick ended up with the Titans in Batkid and Robin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Richard?”

…

“Richard, may I come in?”

…

“If you do not want me to come in then you need to tell me.”

…

“I’m coming in.”

Light filled the room for a moment then disappeared. The bed shifted and a hand settled on Dick’s back.

…

“Barbara told me what happened.”

Heat. A ringing in his ears. “BATKID!” “Red Wing, please!” Digging. Bodies. “No. Jason.” A mother and son… or a pair of acrobats… Blood. Footprints leading to tire tracks. “My son, I’m so sor-Robin? Robin, get back here!”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

“Why can’t I come with you and Jon?” “You’re not quite ready for a space mission yet, Richard. I’ve talked to Father, though. He said you could patrol with him and Jason until I return so long as you two don’t get into too much trouble.” “We’re not that bad.”

“I’m sorry,” Dick said, his voice hoarse.

“Imagine how mad he’ll be if I’ve clipped the wings of a baby bat and a baby bird on the same day!” Zap! “Haha! Aw Jeez, I hit Batkid harder than that!” “Shut up!” “So,” a groan, “the first Demon Child taught you a,” a hiss, “a few tricks, hahaha!” “I said shut! Up!” “Hahahaha!” “ROBIN!” “B?” “He’s had enough.” “He killed -” “I know. I… I know.” “Don’t worry, Boy Blunder, you’ll join him soon enough!” “What are you talking ab-” “Robin! Move now!” An explosion.

“I killed him.”

The hand started rubbing circles into Dick’s back. “That’s not true.”

“If I hadn’t attacked him like that, if I hadn't beaten him as bad as I did, he would have made it out.”

“He was the one who set off the explosion, Richard. That’s not on you.” The hand shifted up to Dick’s shoulder and tugged him closer to the warm presence next to him.

He pressed his face into the warmth as another hand came up to card through his hair. “B thinks it’s my fault.”

“Father doesn't think anything right now. He’s still processing his grief. We all are. You are not at fault for what happened. If Joker is dead -- and his body still hasn’t been found so we don’t even know if he is finally gone -- then it is no one's fault but his own.”

Dick shook his head. “I shouldn’t’ve attacked him.”

There was a pause, then a sigh. “No, you should not have. It was extremely reckless and we… You could have gotten yourself killed. You are extremely lucky Joker had not expected you to be with Father so you were able to catch him off guard. Impulsive behavior… It’s already taken Jason, you can’t let it take you too.”

Dick’s fingers dug into his calves from where his arms were wrapped around his legs.

“I found my mom.” “Batkid? B said -” “It’s okay. She said Joker isn’t here. It’s safe. We’re going to talk inside so no one sees us.” “But -” “I can talk her around, Red Bird. I know I can. Please, don’t tell B. She’s my mom.” “O-okay. Just be careful.” “It’ll be fine. She said he won’t be back for hours.”

She lied.

“It wasn’t his fault.”

“I-That’s not what I mea-”

“Yes, it was.”

Another sigh. The warmth moved away so the hand in his hair could come down to cup his cheek. It brushed away his tears and tilted his head up, but he didn’t look at the face hovering over him. “Richard -”

“I wanna be alone now. Please.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m tired.”

There was a beat, then the hands and warmth and face moved away. “Alright. Get some rest. I have to go talk to Father. If… I am here if you need anything.”

Dick nodded and laid down with his back to the warmth.

The light came and went.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they returned from Ethiopia, Bruce told Dick he’d be benched for a month. It was partly to give his injuries from the fight with Joker time to heal and partly as punishment for running off to said fight. Damian had agreed when he arrived back on Earth a week later and Dick accepted the punishment without complaint.

By the end, though, he was itching to get out of the manor. He hated being trapped in one place for too long. With the media going crazy over Jason’s death, Bruce had managed to arrange for him to finish the last few weeks of school from home and Damian decided they would remain at the manor instead of heading back to their house in Somerset. It was a longer commute to work and patrol for Damian and meant Dick couldn’t run around the neighborhood to visit with his friends, but it was also more secure against paparazzi.

Dick wouldn’t complain since he knew he deserved it, but it didn’t stop him from feeling trapped.

On the day he was meant to go back on patrol, he was skipping through the halls in anticipation of stretching his wings and releasing the tension that had built up under his grief and guilt. He went looking for Damian once he got home to see if he wanted to spar before dinner. When he couldn’t find him in his room or studio, he went to see if Alfred, Bruce, or Selina knew where he was.

“- for a month. I think that’s a fair amount of time.”

Dick perked up when he heard Damian’s voice and ran up to the door to Bruce’s study.

“I don’t mean he should stay on the bench. I meant Robin should be taken off the roster altogether.”

He froze, hand inches from the doorknob.

“I know he shouldn’t have gone after Joker -”

“It’s not just that. Dick… He never should have been brought into this life. He’s not like us and he was too young.”

“I was younger than him when I started out as Batkid,” Damian snapped.

“You were raised by assassins. He had a normal life before you involved him. He deserves a normal life. I know you wanted to help him, but this isn’t the way.”

Bruce was angry. Dick had known that. He didn’t think Bruce would take Robin away from him though. Robin was… his purpose. His place in the family. Without Robin, he didn’t have any reason to be there. And if he wasn’t there…

“Heard Wayne’s taking Grayson.” “Really? Knew his old man liked strays, but I thought he stuck to animals. Why’s he coming for the kid?” “To honor Brucie’s memory? Hell if I know.” “Well, whatever reason, I hope the kid can behave.” “Yeah. Lord knows Wayne hates people at the best of times, can’t imagine how he’ll take to having a brat running around.” “He’d probably return the kid the first time he acts up. Doubt the poor ***** will get another chance too.”

No, Dick couldn’t lose Robin. But Dick was Damain’s partner and Damian wouldn’t let Bruce do that, right? Right?

Why wasn’t Damian saying anything?

“This is what Richard needs,” Damian finally said after a few moments, but the happiness at his words was overshadowed by the ice sliding down Dick’s spine from how calm Damian sounded.

Why wasn’t he mad anymore?

Was… Was he starting to think Bruce was right?

“No, it isn’t,” Bruce said.

“How is he any different than the rest of us?” Damian asked, voice still calm.

“You were raised by assassins. As was Cass. Duke was in a gang. Tim raised himself in that damn empty mansion and spent years trailing after us through Gotham’s streets with nothing but a camera. And Jason lived on those streets.”

Tearing up, Dick wrapped his arms around himself. He knew he wasn’t as smart or skilled as the others, but he’d thought…

“Dick might not have had a typical childhood, but he had a happy one. He grew up with an entirely different mentality than us. You saw how he looked when he went after Joker.”

Dick flinched. He remembered the rage that had flooded through him. He knew he shouldn’t have gone after Joker. That it was stupid and reckless and wrong. Not justified vengeance, just plain old revenge. The very thing Damian had tried to instill against when he’d started out.

But at the time all he could think was that Jason was dead, had been murdered like his parents, and his family kept dying around him and Joker was to blame. He hadn’t meant to go as far as he did, he hadn’t meant for Joker to die!

He just wanted everyone to be safe.

The worst thing, though, was that as much as he wasn’t proud of how he’d run off and put himself in danger, as terrified as he was that he had killed someone, he didn't regret what he’d done to Joker.

“He doesn’t belong in this life, Damian.”

Dick froze. No. No! Losing Robin was one thing, but to not belong…

“I understand.”

Dick staggered back, hand coming to his mouth as the tears fell. He quickly ran back the way he’d come before the sobs could start.

They couldn’t… They couldn’t!

It was one mistake! It was a bad one, but he knew the others had had bad mistakes too. They couldn’t get rid of him for that, right?

Except the others were Bruce’s sons, and he was just Damian’s foster kid. He thought it hadn’t mattered that he wasn’t really family on paper, but maybe it did.

“You’re not getting a family, circus freak.” “Yeah, foster kids ain’t family. They’re just a paycheck.” “Or some rich bastard’s charity case.” “Either way, no one actually cares about them even if they have to pretend to. And no one would care about someone like you.”

Dick barely stopped himself from slamming the door behind him as he staggered into a closet. He dropped to the floor, pressing his knees into his eyes.

He couldn’t go back to juvie. Losing Robin would be torture, but going back to that hellhouse would kill him. Maybe even literally.

He technically wasn’t as defenseless as he was last time. He was sure he’d probably be able to take anyone that tried to hurt him if he tried, but he wouldn’t be able to try. He wouldn’t be Robin going in. He’d be Dick Grayson, former foster son of Damian Wayne. He couldn’t use any of the skills he’d gained as Robin without risking his identity -- former identity -- and the identities of the rest of the Bats by extension. And he would never do that, even if they did return him.

No, he couldn’t go back to juvie, but where else could he go. It’d been made pretty clear both when he got there and when he left that there was nowhere else he’d be sent. Maybe Babs or Cass would take him? Or maybe they could talk Damian around? Duke, Steph, Tim, and Selina would help, right?

Unless they thought Bruce and Damian were right.

“I understand.”

No, they would talk them around. They had to.

Except Bruce and Damian -- like the rest of the family -- were stubborn. Would the others be able to talk them around before they shipped him off?

Maybe if he could buy them time…

He couldn’t go back to juvie.

Dick scrubbed his eyes and got up to slip out of the closet.

His first stop was the cave. He couldn’t grab his normal suit without anyone noticing, but the updated version had just finished testing and hadn’t yet been equipped with trackers. He stuck it into a lockbox alongside some gear.

Then he was up in his room. He stuck the box into a duffle bag with his travel toiletries.

Before he could grab anything else, there was a knock on his door.

He quietly zipped up the bag and knocked it under the bed as he called, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Richard. Can we talk?”

Dick dropped onto the bed. “Yeah, sure.”

Damian came in with a plate of cookies.

Dick grabbed one, but didn’t press up against his guardian like he normally would.

“You already know why I’m here,” Damian sighed.

“I overheard you talking with Bruce. You’re…” He clenched his fingers around the cookie as he looked up at Damian. “Don’t do this, please. I can be better. I-I won’t do anything like this again, I swear! Please, you can’t! We’re a team. We’re partners! You said so yourself! You cant… you can’t just toss that aside! Toss me aside!”

“It’s not like that, Richard,” Damian said, setting down the plate.

“Then what is it like!” Dick snapped and jumped to his feet, placing them eye-to-eye.

“This life isn’t good for you,” the young man said, meeting his gaze. “Bringing you into it, it was a terrible error in judgment. Father is right. It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just doing what’s best for you.”

“It’s not like you forced me into it! I chose this! I want this!”

“You could have been killed, Dick!” Damian said, voice growing louder.

“I’m sorry! I let my emotions get the best of me! But it won’t happen again!”

“It’s over, Dick!”

“No! You can’t do this! I-I won’t let you! You can’t se-”

“Enough!” Damian shouted, then pressed a hand over his face. In a calmer voice, he said, “I’ve made my decision.”

“Dami, please!” Dick felt tears pricking at his eyes as Damian stood up and turned to leave.

“You’re going to stay here until after the funeral next week. We can talk more about what happens after once you’ve calmed down.”

“You can’t do this to me!”

“You’re better off this way.”

“Wayne is going to be the best chance you’re going to get, kiddo. The only good chance, honestly. I really hope this works out for you.”

“I hate you.”

Damian hesitated by the door, then shut it behind him.

Dick couldn’t go back to juvie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lines quoted or rewritten:

"Imagine how mad he'll be if I've whacked two Boy Wonders on the same day!" - Joker ~ Joker: Last Laugh #6

"Aw... Jeez... I hit Jason a lot harder than that." - Joker ~ Joker: Last Laugh #6

"Bruce... You... You can't! We're a team. We're partners! You said so yourself!" - Dick ~ Robin: Year One #3

"This was all a terrible error in judgment. Gordon was right." - Bruce ~ Robin: Year One #3

"It’s over, Dick! You’re better off this way." - Bruce ~ Robin: Year One #3

[hex6rcist]

The original ask for this was accidentally deleted so here it is in a post. The ask was along the lines of: Jin meeting reader when they start a conversation with him out of the blue. They go from friend, to FWB, to a relationship. Can be NSFW. I believe the asker was @slobbynblobby​ 

This ended up way longer than I had thought because I went with a weird format that isn’t really a fic but also isn’t really headcanons? So I hope that’s cool. Hope you enjoy. <3 

TW: Alcohol, nsfw, drunk sex 

WC: 4,200+

Jin x [F!] Reader Developing Relationship

First Meeting

Jin isn’t one to strike up a conversation with strangers in public. If he could help it he would actually avoid speaking in public at all. His tic makes it particularly difficult for him to communicate with anyone who doesn’t know him well enough and can often times embarrass him in public, so he’d rather just keep his mouth shut. 

However he won’t be outright cold to anyone out and about who tries to talk to him. He’ll do his best to give lost strangers directions, he’ll excuse himself if he bumps someone, he’ll thank the person at the checkout counter. He’s not a dick. If anything he can just come off as curt as he tries to keep his ticing to an unoffensive minimum. 

When you sit next to him on the late night train he gives a polite bob of his head but that’s about it. It was never a problem for him if he was brusque in a public setting because no one expected much more. But you sat for a while, fiddling with the end of your shirt and letting your eyes wander around the train. Being late it wasn’t as packed as usual but everyone was still seated close together. Idly you two bump knees. 

Jin draws his knees in closer, eyes shifting over to see if he’d bothered you. He was surprised when you were looking right back at him. Your nose twitched in a way that Jin thought was cute but could have possibly been an indication of disgust. His eyes quickly shifted away and he mumbled a short, “Sorry.” 

You give a small smirk. “Never apologize mister, it’s a sign of weakness.” He’s a little taken aback by the response, unsure of what to say to that. “I take it you’ve never heard of John Wayne huh?” He simply shook his head no and your nose gave another one of those cute twitches. “He’s an American actor form the 1940s. He was in a bunch of these cool western films, ya know the ones about cowboys? And he always plays these tough guys who say cool shit like, ‘Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.’” You’d struck your best tough guy face and put on a drawl, making Jin chuckle lightly. A little smile plays on your face too. You like his laugh and wanna hear more.    

You chat for so long Jin is actually surprised when the train comes to a halt and you start to grab your things. “Sorry, my stop. It was nice talking to you. Maybe I’ll see you again.” All he can get out is a pretty lame, “Oh, bye.” before you’re gone. In the silence you left him in he’s not sure how to feel. One part of him is glad that he’d gotten through a pretty normal conversation with a perfect stranger on the train. He felt normal which was refreshing. But another part of him wanted to kick himself for not getting your number or at least your name. 

Second Meeting

Jin wouldn’t want to outright admit that he was looking for you but he would say he ended up on that particular train more often than he would have before. The week passes by without a sighting and he comes close to giving up, he’s really starting to feel a little creepy. But that Friday night just before the train was about to depart you slide through the doors before they could close with a relieved sigh. Jin could feel his heart in his throat. Would you even remember him let alone sit by him again? Maybe you were just being polite that night. 

Sure enough when you recognize the cute blonde guy you’d chatted up just last week sitting in the same spot he’d been in before you don’t hesitate to flop down in the space next to him. “Hey there, good to see you again. I realized I didn’t introduce myself before I got off last time and felt so rude. Especially after you let me talk your ear off. I’m y/n!” Jin really couldn’t believe his luck. “I’m Jin.” “No I’m not!”  He flinched slightly at his outburst. Last time he saw you he had been doing well for a while but things tended to change fast with him. Once again Jin noticed your nose crinkle a bit but you ignored his outburst. “Jin, I like that name. It suits you.” 

Just like last time you spend the whole ride chatting. Jin doesn’t let on that he’d come to take this train every night since you met just to see you but you reveal to him that you work the late shift at a bar in Kamino Ward So you always take this train back home on the weekends. He decides that makes sense for you, the kinda girl who starts a conversation with a stranger on the train, to work at a bar. “Why do you take this train?” Obviously he doesn’t want to tell you what his business in that part of the city is so he settles on saying he also works in the area but takes the late train home because he likes to hang out at the bar after work. 

This time when you get up to leave he’s a little more ready, It’s the same stop you got off at last time. “It was nice talking again Jin! You should come by my bar some time. I’ll buy you a drink. I work tomorrow night if you’re interested.” With a little wave he watches you hop off the train. He can’t help but smile the whole way back to his shitty motel. Sure he hadn’t manned up enough to ask for your number yet, but at least now he didn’t have to feel like a stalker. 

Becoming Friends

The night after your second meeting Jin had decided to come and meet you at the bar. He was glad when he realized it was more of a small dive and not one of the clubs with a thrumming bass. This definitely suited him better. Though it was still a Saturday night and the place was kind of packed he was able to find a seat at the end of the bar. When you noticed him you couldn’t help but be excited. “You came!” You made your way to him, cutting your conversation short with another man. You being so excited to see him and the dirty look the guy shot him went to Jin’s head juuuuust a little bit if he was being honest. 

“Okay, okay let me think. I’m so good at guessing what people like to drink so don’t tell me okay!” He gives a short nod, “Alright impress me.” You stand back and act like you’re framing him up in a camera shot while he makes goofy poses. “Mhm, yeah, that’s good, yup. Okay! I got it!” You throw open one of the coolers and pull out the cheapest beer you got before cracking it open and placing it in front of him. “Oh, you are good.” “Whaddaya think I’m cheap?” You giggle and shrug, “Not cheap, just not one for frills, beer is beer.” This time when your nose wrinkles he realized it for what it was, a little tic of your own.

Jin ends up at the bar with you every weekend and every time he comes you’re just as excited as the first. What had started off as a chance meeting on the train turned into a friendship. He loved to watch you work, effortlessly juggling social situations in a way he couldn’t imagine doing. You really were a people person and he just really liked that about you. 

Though his favorite part of the weekend really had to be when the two of you walked to the train together. It was strangely intimate to share such a casual routine with you. And he was glad he could. He really didn’t like the thought of you making the walk to the train on your own that late at night in that part of the city. He knew you could take care of yourself, he’d seen you break up plenty of bar altercations, but he also knew what kind of threats stalked these streets and with your friendly nature he worries someone might lure you in. 

The biggest thing Jin noticed once he spent more time with you is just how damn friendly you could be. You were downright kind in a way he didn’t often see. You were the kind of girl who’d give a bum your last dollar, your last cigarette, and ask about their day. It always took him aback that in a world like this someone as sweet as you could exist. 

FWB

Jin knew he was attracted to you. He knew as soon as he met you. Though if he was being more honest he’d say it wasn’t as much an attraction as it was a crush. You were funny, smart, beautiful, sweet, the whole package really. and he knows he’s not the only one interested. Plenty of other men at the bar vied for your attention, leaving large tips and their phone numbers or leaning over the bar just to get closer to you. It made him glad you never really drank at work. He didn’t want anyone to try and take advantage. 

That’s why he was shocked to see you downing shots with one of your other regulars when he entered the bar one Sunday night. You frantically gesture for him to come join you and the small group of regulars at that end of the bar, opposite where he’d normally sit. He approached shyly. He knew some faces and some names but never chose to interact much with other customers, much preferring your company. But you happily introduced him to the group before revealing it was one of the patron’s birthdays. Later you two would remember this as the night that Jin met party y/n.

Needless to say you all got pretty trashed, buying the birthday boy, Jin, and yourself shots. By the end of the night you had a hard enough time closing up the bar on your own Jin jumped in to help put up chairs and mop while you focused heavily on counting the till and pulling the money you spent past your comp tab out of your tips. 

It really wasn’t until you two had gotten on the train that you both realized how drunk you were. You head lolled onto his shoulder as you two tried to quell fits of giggles, much to the annoyance of the other passengers. When your stop rolled around you both agreed it’d be safest if Jin walked you home. 

At first it didn’t really hit you but the closer you got to home the more you started to think. Should you invite him in? You looked at Jin from the corner of you eye. He wasn’t the only one with a crush. You knew you wanted to invite him in and you were just drunk enough to take the leap. But then how clean was your apartment right now? Did you leave you underwear from this morning on the floor? Is your makeup all over the bathroom counter? All these thoughts abandoned ship however when you reached your door. Jin shifted from foot to foot awkwardly while you fumbled with your keys. Finally you got them in the lock and opened the door. Moment of truth. “You wanna come in?” 

You two were barely through the door when your lips found his. Neither of you was sure who’d leaned in first and neither of you cared. In an instant your hands were all over each other. Groping, caressing, feeling it seemed neither of you could get enough. Your nails raked through his hair and his strong hands had found their way under the hem of your shirt to grab your waist. The feeling of his hands on your bare skin is all it took to finally get the two of you out of the entryway and stumbling towards your room. 

You both laughed lightly as you guided him by the hand through your dark apartment, tripping over nothing and bumping into walls and each other. When you two finally reach your room he’s pleasantly surprised by the way you push him down onto the bed and climb on top of him. He’s almost thankful for his inebriated state and the confidence it gave him. While your lips pressed to his neck, kissing and nipping, his hands found their way to your ass, giving a firm squeeze. 

Both you and Jin eagerly shucked off each other’s clothing. Once you were naked and laying below Jin you couldn’t help but feel just a little shy, cheeks tinting pink. He let his hands glide along the length of your body before they found your hips and squeezed. “You’re so beautiful.” “I’m gonna fuck you so good.” Your lower lip caught between your teeth as Jin lowered his head to start kissing down your stomach, the tickle of his scruff making you giggle. 

Jin settled himself between your legs, his broad shoulders keeping them spread for him. Just before his lips found the spot where you wanted them most he took a detour to nip playfully at your inner thigh. You gave a little yelp your toes curling as you giggled again. “Jin! Don’t tease me.” Not wanting to leave a pretty girl waiting he finally let his tongue lave up the length of your wet cunt, just to get a taste of you. His tongue found it’s way to your clit, circling around the sensitive bud in a way that made you moan. Your head fell back onto your pillow as your thighs squeezed to trap Jin’s head. Not that he minded. His large calloused fingers probed shyly at your entrance, feeling how wet you are from his treatment. He pulled back just long enough to press his fingers to your mouth. You part plush lips to take his fingers in and suck on them. He moaned, the feeling sending a shock though his system. He loved how you looked right then, eyes glazed with lust and his fingers in your mouth. He slowly thrust them in and out, letting you get them nice and prepped before he couldn’t wait any more. “Good girl.” “You’re such a slut.” Eagerly Jin returned to his spot between your thighs. He gave himself the privilege of watching one of his fingers enter your tight pussy. Even though it was only his fingers he couldn’t stop the satisfied sigh that fell form his lips before he went back to your clit. 

Jin made sure you were well and satisfied before finally standing and pulling you to the edge of the bed. He gave his achingly hard dick a few stroked before slowly pushing it inside you. “Oh fuck!” The way your thighs quivered and your voice hitched was enough to drive him crazy. He wanted nothing more than to pound into you but he held it together. He wanted you to enjoy it as much as him. He locked eyes with you and let his hands cup your face. He thrust slow and hard, groaning softly. “You feel so fucking good, y/n.” “I wanna make you scream for me.” Jin’s cock stretched you so good you could only reply in small whimpers and moans. Your hand found the back of Jin’s head pulling him so close your foreheads touch before you lock lips in a heated kiss. 

When you finally adjust your legs wrap tightly around his hips and you press yourself farther into him. Jin gladly takes the cue and his hips begin to move at a brutal pace. The first hard thrust arches your back and rips a loud moan from you. He sits up, one hand pinning your hips to the bed and the other rubbing unrelenting circles on your clit. You’ve only just started and you can already feel an intense orgasm rippling through your body, making your legs tremble. The feeling of your pussy clenching around him only spurred Jin on further. 

The next morning Jin’s head was pounding. He squinted against the harsh light of the sun and buried his face into your chest. ‘... Wait...’ He shot up with a small gasp before looking around the room. It took him a moment to remember exactly what happened last night but the pieces slowly clicked together. He looked down at your still naked form, snoring softly next to him. He slowly lowered himself back down, laying on his side. He brushed your hair out of your face and took in your sleeping face. 

After that night you two had an admittedly awkward morning. You made coffee and some greasy breakfast food to quell your monster hangovers but you couldn’t ignore what had happened the night before. You also couldn’t ignore the lingering touches and eye contact between you two. Finally after eating and getting a few cups of coffee down Jin trapped you between his body and the kitchen counter. His fingers raked through your hair before cupping your cheek. Any resolve you had to not do this again was quickly replaced by need as you pull Jin in for a deep kiss. 

It would go on like this for the next 3 months. Stumbling back to your apartment on drunken nights, stealing kisses in alleyways, playful pinches and squeezes. You two had both tried to stop what was happening but you just couldn’t keep your hands off of each other after that first night. You’d both agreed to enjoy whatever this casual sexual relationship was for now. You were having fun and there was no reason to read too much into it. 

Relationship

“Hey Jin you going to see your girlfriend? When do we get to meet her?” Toga’s questions threw him through a loop. ‘Girlfriend.’ The word made him nervous but excited. And well at this point he really wouldn’t say that you weren’t his girlfriend. Neither of you was really sure when it happened, but it just dawned on you both one day that things had just gotten more serious. Nights of stumbling back to your apartment to hook up turned slowly into walking home hand in hand to watch a movie on the couch. You now cooked more meals together instead of just breakfast. Hot, passionate kisses turned to slow, sweet smooches. In the end though neither of you minded all that much. It was nice. Comfortable. “Yeah I am.” “You’ll never meet her!” 

That night when Jin met you at the bar he found it hard to keep his heartbeat steady. That word just wouldn’t leave his mind, ‘girlfriend.’ You crack open a beer and place it in front of him before leaning over the bar to press a chaste kiss to his lips. It had become more common for you to greet him with little kisses and sweet hugs. That had to mean you felt the same right? You were both on the same page? 

At the end of the night it took all of Jin’s courage. But once the bar was closed down and you two was sharing one last beer in the dim light he decided now was the best time. “Y/n, you know how I feel about you right?” Your nose crinkled in the way he loved and your cheeks flushed. “I think I have a pretty good idea...” Jin nodded, “Good because I want us to be on the same page. I want you to be my girlfriend.” God that word made your heart flutter. You wrap your arms around his neck and lean in for a sweet kiss. “Mmh, I like the sound of that.” 

Dating Jin most days was like a dream. He was handsome, funny, and loving. He wanted nothing more than to make you happy and you wanted to do the same for him. In a lot of ways he surprised you. A healthy and loving relationship wasn’t an easy find these days. That being said you knew Jin had his problems, you did too. No one was perfect. You two had a long discussion about what exactly to do when Jin had one of his episodes and that’s when he showed you his mask. If he was going to be with you he wanted to be honest. Finding out about the League was a hard pill to swallow but one you were willing to take. You had your own issues with the way this superhuman society was canted and you could understand why Jin did what he did. But it made you worry for him, not just for his physical safety but his emotional wellbeing too.

Jin had decided that the best way to make you feel better about the situation would be to introduce you to the league. They had really become his family and so had you. He figured if you could see firsthand what kind of support he had it’d put you at ease. So that’s how you ended up hanging out in an abandoned bar with some of Japan’s most wanted criminals. It was a little uncomfortable at first but the setting was familiar to you. Your attitude quickly put everyone at ease, and seeing Jin so happy definitely helped. 

Toga was probably the quickest to take to you. She was a romantic after all and she really felt that you and Jin were a perfect match. And you were so cute too! A little fact that didn’t escape Dabi’s attention. He made sure to give Jin a good clap on the back for that though he otherwise seemed uninterested in you. The others regarded you politely but with apprehension. Jin could be a little too trusting for a villain sometimes. Though no one would deny that you were a very cute couple, other than a disgruntled Shigaraki who’d only really agreed to this so Toga would stop asking. 

 After the first meeting Jin’s life fell into a kind of weird harmony. He moved out of his shitty motel and into your small apartment. He liked not hiding anything from you and feeling completely accepted for who he was. He knew his life would never be normal or peaceful but this was fulfilling, and that’s all a guy like him could ever ask for.  

[hoodedwing]

Loyalty Killed Me

Summary: The Joker could finally do what he wanted to do, traumatize Nightwing

Characters: Nightwing. Harley Quinn. Joker. Mentions of Red Hood

Warnings: Just really sick ways of stitching people up. Blood. Depressive. Major character/s death mentions. Batman. Doctor Leslie Thompkins

Additional Notes: I know Joker cannot traumatize Grayson canon-wise? Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Word Count: 2,242 words

***

Time doesn't stop.

Time knows, in its hands. It plays around with the seconds. These seconds matter, someone dying, someone on the communicator whispering, ____ come get me. come get me, I can't go back.

Time doesn't freeze. Time does not have a cloak drapes around it in a timeless manner. Time does not walk in a regal manner and stroke your gaping wounds to cauterize them. Apply pressure because really, when did Time wait for you to stop the damned arterial spray? Have you seen first hand how much blood can spew, almost like a fountain from that serrated dagger?

Time has caught up with Dick Grayson, the Wonder Boy. The Nightwing Blüdhaven didn't deserve. The loving boyfriend/husband of Barbara Gordon. The first son of Bruce Wayne, Batman.

Batman. He doesn't know who's Batman. Not anymore.

-

3200..6400..12800..

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Remember, inhale slowly, inflate lungs. Let it circulate through. Let. Let it work.

Richard. That's your name. Your mother was beautiful and your father was handsome. You are a Grayson. You have brothers and sisters.

Pain.

Pain is relative. If you fuck with pain long enough, it won't fuck back with you. Pain spreads through him and he inhales deep, bigger breaths. Trying to drown out the searing ache. He succeeds, deceives his brain.

Dick Grayson is such a liar.

He knows how to lie, how to smile widely at the Blüdhaven precinct when shit goes down or still tell a joke or two when Damian is there.

Dick Grayson is such a liar.

He's a good man. Honest to goodness. He's fooled himself into thinking his left leg didn't feel on fire, he's successfully managed to stop gasping against the rattle of his chest, a rub or two might be the cause. Who knows?

BOY WONDER! SAD YOUR DEAREST BATMAN HASN'T COME TO SAVE YOU YET? WHY LOOK AT THAT.

Mistah J checks his watch and smiles, his crooked smile stares back at Richard.

Dick only looks away as the Joker's cold fingers run his slimy, skinny fingers along his body. He used to shiver under his touch in a bad way, he would gulp and squeeze his eyes shut, hunting for memories to dive into.

When he got Zitka. When his mother named him her Robin. When he went on patrol for the first time with the all mighty Batman. When he first met Jason. Then Tim. Then Damian. Then the nights they spent healing wounds, fighting together or just sleeping or Netflix.

Dick doesn't move, doesn't say a word. He doesn't even let out a humourless laugh or a quip. Dick clings onto a hope.

Batman. Come get me.

BOY WONDER IS STILL LIVING. WHY, THAT'S A JOY. COME OUT THERE LITTLE BLUE BIRD. YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN STAY IN THAT LITTLE BRAIN OF YOURS? WHEN YOU WAKE UP. THAT LEG WILL HURT. YOUR BLOOD WILL SPILL AGAIN ON THAT DARNED LITTLE CREST.

He doesn't care. The glorious speech does not make him flinch. He looks at the window, one thought crosses his cloudy vision.

Bruce (Dad), come get me.

LET'S HAVE SOME MORE FUN, SHALL WE. EVEN JAYBIRD PLAYED THIS GAME TOO. COME ON, HE HAD FUN. LET'S PLAY BLUE BIRD. BLUE JAY. HMM. I LIKE THAT.

-

Playtime.

Its always target practice. He would lie there and watch Harley swing her mallet here and there, sometimes too close to Dick and she would talk to him, so sweetly.

Aww, you wanna play too? Let's play together, shall we?

His face will clench up, his head will scream and suddenly everything is loud as Harley fires guns at targets and maybe shoot some arrows at Dick.

On lucky days, he's used as her gymnast prop.

I want to fly again. Batman I'm falling, please I'd like to fly again. My wings are clipping and I will rip. -

He falls asleep.

You can't call it sleeping. Dozing in and out of consciousness, he was neither awake or sleeping. A grey haze flittered across his vision. No sign of clarity. He still heard the rattle of his breath, the fire in his leg. The now warm abdomen.

He feels someone at his leg.

Harley Quinn was there, a sly smile as he feels a needle go in and out.

In and out. In and out.

In and out, in and out. You need to breathe Dick. In and out. In and out.

When he hears the door shut and a ricocheting silence, he peeks at his leg.

A sick suturing of his leg stabs with dental floss, a handiwork Harley was sure to boast later on. He doesn't care if it gets infected. What's the big deal? Batman will take care of it.

He turns over on his side to his communicator lay. The Nightwing emblem was shattered beyond measure. No matter, I can get a new one. The communication mattered.

He presses the distress signal again, again. Again. Bruce better get that flashing orange light and he should feel his bipolar touch in no time.

He tries to talk, voice hoarse from decreased usage and a rough sandpaper-like quality stuck to it.

"H..hello? Bruce. Dad. Please get me. I'm.. I'm waiting. Please."

He turns back in his side, curled up like an invited animal.

The rain pours, shadows keep coming in and out but none belong to his dad.

The boy asks the moon if Batman had lost his way. Asked if the moon could shine the light brighter at him so Dad can find him faster. He'll be okay, he'll be okay. Bruce might be lost, after all. There's a lot of streets and time isn't on anyone's side.

-

Two weeks go by.

Dick still finds himself bound by the ties and definitely no sign of the caped crusader.

Batman is surely coming.

That thought fades slowly, over the weeks. He's gotten more used to the Joker and the crowbar.

Is this how Jason felt, when he was in Hell?

Dick cannot remember. Dick only knows how the sound of metal and bones work, how the bullet will hit skin, pierce it through with frightening velocity and dull ache afterwards. The pool of blood will remind him that yes, I was shot.

A sick game of Russian Roulette. Instead of one bullet, there's multiple. A .44 magnum shouldn't hurt anymore. The revolver keeps spinning in his mind where acrobats should be. Where's Bruce. Where's dad. Am I forgotten?

Dick tried to remember how to breathe. Is it that hard? Just pulling in oxygen and letting the respiration mechanism do its work?

Distract thine self.

He tries to remember. Tries. He's trying. Nightwing has to do this. You need to at least remember your name. Your mother, your father. Dick. Dick.

Richard. That's your name. Your mother was beautiful but I don't know what her hair colour is, sometimes it's blonde or chestnut and your father was handsome.  You are a Grayson. You have brothers and sisters. Are they Jason? Tim? Da- I don't remember, I don't remember the tiny one. Is he even real? Your sisters too. Stephanie, Stephanie. I have one more, the sneaky one. She's fast but I don't know her name. I'd like to know her well too. Pity I. I don't know her name. I hope she knows my name. That way I can hear her voice and maybe figure out who is the charming one. I know she does ballet. I know she made brownies once with.. Who? I don't remember his name. The old man with cheery wrinkles and deep eyes. I don't know who he is too. Oh. Oh oh. Dick.

[DANGEROUS TO FALL ASLEEP, RICHARD JOHN 'DICK' GRAYSON. EYES. OPEN. EYES. OPEN. BREATHE. (MY LUNGS DON'T WORK)]

I'm begging someone, please. It doesn't have to be Bruce. Get the ballet girl to help me please, she fast and maybe I can ask her name while she gets me out of here.

-

Bruce never gives up.

You know that too, do you? He's spent 3 weeks finding his son. His beloved child.

Do you ever think how much Bruce's heart breaks over and over everyday?

-

"ALFRED?! CAN YOU GET JASON NOW, NOW, NOW?! I FIGURED HIS COORDINATES."

Bruce flips from the Batcomputer and grabs everything. A blind haste, he's never dressed so fast. His son. Oh my god, his son.

Jason is down there getting the Batmobile to rev up and they speed.

They speed.

Are they fast?

I guess. If you call 290 in 85 fast.

They run, Jason dashing first and his breath catches in his throat. A cold draught erupts inside of him. He snarls, Bruce turns as he digs through the alleyways. He finds what he knows lurks.

"The sick fucker is going to end Dick in the same fucking warehouse he ended me in. That big bitch.

Bruce puts one hand on his shoulder and squeezes. No time to panic, Dick is the one. is the unsaid message as Jason crashes through the window.

And even him, Red Hood. The one who sees and commits murder everyday, stops and hot anger sears through him.

Dick lies, barely 15 feet away, bound up and covered in his own blood, the ripped Nightwing suit from his recon mission. Bruce picks him up while Jason gladly punched (and secretly plugged a bullet) the fuck out of Mistah J and Harley.

They lie on unconscious, Jason evaluates the scenes, trying to suppress his screams at what they've done to Grayson.

Bruce picks up Dick like he's glass, he hurries to the Batmobile with Jason telling to prepare the Medbay.

"The Medbay.. I.. I don't think. Leslie. Leslie can."

Is all Bruce says and Jason revs up, driving the Batmobile way beyond the legal limit. Bruce doesn't give a flying banana about it. He'll pay the fine later.

Bruce looks down at his son, hoping he hasn't fallen asleep yet. Finally, finally Dick is in the arms of the crusader. Half his domino mask is ripped and Bruce tries to not break at the baby blues staring without any light-hearted gaze.

His heart still beats (A reminder he's alive and could've been more alive. Bruce failed him)

"LESLIE. DR THOMPKINS!"

Jason screeches across and marching in, earning angry stares  from the other patients but it turns into gasps and horror when they see Batman carry a limp Nightwing barely clad in spandex anymore. Everyone bows out, knowing they were priority.

-

Something inside Dick broke.

He doesn't know what it is.

He'll live with it.

-

"Bruce, he's fallen into a coma."

Leslie says, solemn. Angry tears form in Jason's eye and he was about to fight Bruce, give him the tirade. Compare him to Nightwing.

The unspoken message rings loudly in Bruce's mind. He doesn't need Jason to say it.

You failed him too.

Jason is seething, anger. Sadness a d everything is violating him from inside.

If you were a minute later, he would've died. We would've been carrying his body to the grave. The Joker would still live. You see the problem? DO YOU NOT SEE THE FUCKING PROBLEM?

Bruce sits beside Dick, his pulse like a fluttering butterfly. He grasps his hand in Duck's fragile one and prays.

Prays that he wakes up.

-

Dick is on a life support machine now.

I guess the ventilator couldn't keep him up. All good boys do die. If not, maybe a part of them broke.

Dick is no exception.

-

Alfred squeezes Bruce's hand. Jason sits so quietly beside him alongside the rest of the family.

Its April 27th. Jason was taken this day.

They don't say a word, neither does Red Hood, he just wants the baby blue eyes to open again.

He cries.

-

Five months have gone by and he stirs slowly.

He's barely moving and Jason shoots up and looks, squeezes Dick's hand again.

Baby blues meet emerald green.

Jason dashes for Leslie. She comes and shoos everyone out.

Jason is fucking glad. Dick is alive.

-

Bruce is disappointed.

He cannot bring himself to meet Dick who's currently in the ward under observation. He's failed Dick. He knows it.

He enters, heavy hearted. Dick is smiling at everyone but Bruce can see it, the hard lines. The sunshine doesn't reach the baby blues. He thinks they've turned into aquamarine, a shade tad too dark. I guess, that's what trauma does to people.

Dick smiles at Bruce, he feels the tension and Dick pats the chair beside him where Jason was sleeping. Bruce softly sits, he has no heart to wake Jason up.

Dick is alive. Dick is alive.

Bruce places one hand on Grayson's one, it feels much more warmer and his pulse is beating normally.

And he breaks.

He cries, tears steaming down his cheeks. An ugly sound escapes his throat. Bruce gasps in air and exhales shakily. Dick watches, silent.

Is this how you felt when I was in Hell?

Dick doesn't touch Bruce, doesn't say its okay and I'm alive. He stares dead into Bruce.

I cannot forgive.

Dick sits quietly, he doesn't have to say it. Loyalty does kill you in the end if you step on all the wrong pieces of glass.

That's when you find yourself falling from the trapeze line, you find yourself swirling again in the memories you wish you could lock.

Loyalty in the end, is your demise.

[akimmito]

I’ll still be with you

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Chapter 2: The blue of the sky

Maybe, I can never see this sky again...

The raindrops fall in silent lament, drowning out the noise of the city that is prey to its tears. He just watches the clouds above him, ignoring the water and allowing himself to soak, the white uniform shirt sticks to him defining the muscles he hides underneath, the hair almost covering his eyes as it drips following the rhythm imposed by the sky.

"From here, I can't tell if you're crying or not."

Damian looks away from the dark sky and meets his best friend's vibrant blue, a brilliant color among all the gray that surrounds him. Since that fateful night everything has lost its meaning, didn't he want to make his father proud? Didn't he want to show that he could do great things? Didn't he want to find his own way?

"You're going to get sick, let's go to class."

"No, I'll stay here..."

"Shall I call Alfred or Dick? You don't look good. ”He keeps staring at the blue, sees it blur with the boy's conflicting emotions. Jon is still three years younger than him, it doesn't matter that he's already nearing puberty. His features are still childish, he still lights up as if he were his own sun without needing the star that revitalize him.

"I'll be fine, I just need time..."

Why do I feel this way?

Jon just watches him before nodding, doesn't say anything else, and walks away. He gives him little glances the further he walks back to the classroom, for several days he has been that way, sad. And as if the skies of Gotham felt it, the same amount of time it has been raining, shedding the tears that the teenager is not able to let go.

Damian looks back at the clouds, feeling his eyes sting. In an attempt to contain the sensation, he closes his eyes and just lets himself be felt, the drops soaking him even more, knowing that Alfred won't be happy when he sees him dripping so much water that he could give a whole neighborhood drink. But the rain stops falling on him and he opens his eyes again, a black umbrella protects him.

"I extended a permit to your teacher, come with me."

Damian feels the return of the rain abruptly on him and sees Drake walking towards the main entrance, unlike him, his brother is so neat that he doesn't seem to be walking in the rain. He looks at him for just one more moment before walking behind him.

Before, when he first arrived, he saw Drake as someone inferior, as a piece to be eliminated from the board in order to achieve his objectives, he earned his contempt and a cold shoulder that prevailed until now. Drake is the hardest to read, always hidden behind a sympathetic image, easy to ignore, easy to underestimate and forget that, of all the Wayne family members, he's the most dangerous. He runs Wayne Enterprise better than Bruce, everyone says, the efficiency of the company grew as soon as he got the full job a year ago. Drake is nineteen years old and it's already everything Bruce never asked for, but is proud to have.

If I were like him would my father be proud? Would he love me more?

They move silently through the damp streets of the city, Damian has his eyes fixed on the drops that crash against the glass of the window. There was no comment, Drake just handed him his jacket and now it's just as wet as the rest of him.

He don't want to keep thinking, he just want your mind to push all the thoughts that drown him and let he breathe easy. He feels tormented by not being able to fulfill his father's expectations, by the quiet years in the company of Richard and that were broken by the abrupt return of Bruce, by the time it left and will never return, by the lost happiness, for the torn illusions and for the dreams that are impossible to reach on a horizon that recedes with each step he takes.

"I'm Sorry."

Damian turns to Drake immediately, he's suddenly with the blue of the sky that is dimmed by sadness.

"Why?"

"It's my fault, I brought Bruce back."

He doesn't say anything, maybe that's enough, because his brother returns all his attention to the streets.

The sound of the rain envelops them and the cold is almost welcoming. Damian closes his eyes and leans against the glass, he doesn't care about the destination as long as it's as far as possible from the mansion, the school and everything that haunts him. Because he failed.

I just have to resist… it's the only thing I can do.

I'll not change my father's mind.

I'll not change overnight...

The lack of movement brings him back to reality, the noise of the drops hitting the car is not heard either. They are under cover.

"Where we are?"

"My home."

Sure, Drake lives in the city. Like Todd, he follows the patrol routes imposed by Batman, but no longer lives in the mansion. It's just Bruce, Alfred and him...

A sense of tranquility floods him, it's not the mansion. It's a place without shadows, but neither with a light that he doesn't deserve. Follow Drake up to the tall silver, barely noticing the details of the apartment, though it0s more of a complete building. He vaguely remembers that it's the old theater near the alley where his grandparents died, it was not important and still is not, it is almost surprising how detached he feels to the whole thing, when that event was the first and great event that he brought to life to Batman. He could say, without shame, that he feels closer to the death of Richard's parents, because he always spoke to him about them and made him part of those moments, he made them his family.

"Why are we here, Drake?"

He sees him wandering aimlessly until he stops in front of a door, gives him a glance before entering the new environment. Damian follows him, assuming the answer to his question is there.

A room so small that it could be a matchbox, at odds with the large space enjoyed in the previous room. Stacked books and scattered papers are the main decorations, but the most important are the two computers. Drake works in that little 4x4 space? The place is visibly uncomfortable.

"Drake."

"Bruce is being unfair to you." Damian frowns, his brother doesn't face him, he can only see him in profile while he turns on one of the two computers. The light illuminates his face, making his dull expression better to see. "I was also unfair to you six years ago and I remained so for a long time, I was stuck in your version of ten years. I'm sorry for that too, you deserved more. We're family."

It was never a secret that Drake held a grudge against him and to receive such a sincere apology, admitting that it wasn't just Damian who made mistakes, it's a new and unfamiliar feeling. It's not exactly unpleasant, although it does cause him some discomfort.

"I know it was an accident. I can't judge you for that, I've been close to passing that line… ”He falls silent and begins typing, opening files and an email. Damian begins to suspect that those computers are not for work, he looks for the switch and when the whole room is properly lit, he can see everything in greater detail.

Stacked books are magic, since when has Drake been interested in magic? It's no secret that he feels rejection towards it, so it's strange. The scattered papers, for some that he can read, are bank accounts and other documents related to a certain Gabriel Agreste. On the far wall are a couple of photographs, guarded as if they were a secret. Red Robin and a spotted heroine, Drake and a young girl with bright blue eyes and a kind smile. He can only assume that it's the same woman.

"What is all this?"

"The memories of my trip."

Damian doesn't make sense in his words, but doesn't push. He's tired of pushing.

Just hold on... this place is at least much better than the mansion.

"I'll go."

"Hm?"

"I'll leave Gotham and I'll not return." Only until then does he look at the screen, there is another photo of that same woman, but in the design of a French Marie Lenoir passport, he's sure that this is not her real Name. Next to it's also one of him, Timothée Rothchild. That just confirms it's not her real name. "There is something I must do and it will take me a lifetime."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Do you want to come?"

Damian just watches him open another document and this time, it's his photo with a blank passport.

I wanna go?

Maybe that's the time to go back and find my way...

---------

I don't know if I managed to express well the feeling of melancholy and of being... lost, yes. I hope I have made it.

What did you think?

[thebisexualdogdad]

Sidekicks and sex pollens chapter 5

Co-written with @inhumanshadows

It had been a month since Bruce found out you were Mistletoe and he wasn't happy that Dick and Jason were still seeing you. 

"He's a good person Bruce, he's not Ivy, he's not penguin and he's certainly not Joker," Jason stated. 

"You don't truly know someone until you've seen them at their worst," Bruce responded. 

"I don't need to see him at his worst to know he would never hurt us," Jason went on.

On the other side of town, Ivy was giving you an eerily similar conversation.

“Ivy? I love ya boss. But I can not quantify how much I do not care. I trust them. And if they screw over I can handle it.”

“Just be careful numb skull. I actually enjoy having you around. Tell anyone that and you’re dead.”

"You like me over Harley?" You tease. 

"I don't like anyone over Harley dear," she winks, "speaking of i should get going, we have a very hot date planned tonight." 

"Night boss... Have fun with your girl," you call out. 

"Harley Quinn is no one's girl," Ivy laughs as she leaves.

She has as point. Harley is all her own

You lock the doors and shed your pants and shirt for one of Dicks sweatshirts. And nothing else. 

Maybe I’ll text one of the boys

You: 'You up?' 

Jaybird: 'did you just you up me?' 

You: 'can't handle your own playbook Todd?' 

Jaybird:  'touche'

You: 'I’m bored and wanna cuddle.'

Jaybird: 'why not text Dick?'

You: 'He didn’t answer so you coming or not? Oh and I’m not wearing pants.'

Jaybird: 'I'm on my way'

Twenty minutes later and Jason was at your front door. 

"I see you were telling the truth about the no pants thing," he laughs taking in the way Dick's large shirt barely covers you. 

"Would i ever lie to you babe?" 

"Never"

Jason jumps into your arms and you carry him to your bed.

You put on the last episode of a show while Jason strips and puts on your shirt. You lay on his chest and watch the show on screen.

“So how was your day?” You ask

"Bruce is being a prick again," he sighs. 

"About what?" You ask. 

He hesitates to tell you the truth, not wanting to hurt your feelings. 

"He doesn't trust you," Jason says nervously. 

"I don't need Bruce to trust me Jay, as long as you and Dick trust me that's all that matters"

“Oh... that’s good.”

“And besides Ivy doesn’t trust you two as far as she could throw you. I told her that if you two fuck up, I’ll handle it.”

“How?” Jason asks.

“You don’t wanna know.”

"Do you ever think about leaving Gotham behind? You, me and Dick just... Running away and starting over somewhere new?" Jason questions. 

"I have and as nice as it would be, none of us could ever leave Gotham behind, it's part of who we are," you say rubbing you thumb over his ribs comforting him.

“But isn’t Gotham like a toxic family member? Sometimes you gotta leave it behind to be better and happy?” Jason points out, uncharacteristically.

“Someone’s been raiding my bookshelf. But you have a point... enough of that for now. I just wanna lay with one of the best things in my life.”

"Alright," Jason says pulling you closer to him. 

Suddenly your phone begins to buzz, you groan not wanting to move but lean over to grab your phone off your bedside table. 

"It's Dick," you smile sliding to accept the call, "hello?"

"Hey sorry i just got your texts," he says out of breath. 

"Patrolling alone again?" You ask. 

"Yeah but it turned out to be a bust." 

"Well Jason is over at my place you want to come join the half naked cuddle session to make you feel better?" You chuckle. 

"I'll be over soon."

Dick must’ve sprinted with how fast he gets to your door. That and how out of breath and sweaty his is.

“Hi. Dick, normally love you all sweaty. But uh- you gotta shower.” You say, pulling him inside.

Dick chuckles and pecks your cheek before he strips naked and walks to your bathroom.

“Feel free to join me you two.”

“My shower isn’t that big. Just shower and get your soon to be clean ass over here!!” You shout.

Shortly after a freshly showered Dick is stepping out of the bathroom and climbing into bed next to you. 

"I don't know a better feeling than being between my two favorite people," you say snuggling into them both. 

"I love you guys," Dick says. 

"I love you both," you say in return. 

You expected Jason to say it back but instead you were met with the sound of him loudly snoring. 

"Guess it's time to go to sleep," you laugh. 

"Good night," Dick says kissing you softly. 

"Night."

You wake up around 5AM to two very obvious things poking you. Normally, you'd do something but you just lay on Dick's chest and try to sleep more, praying for an uneventful day.

You seem to get your wish when you wake a few hours later to Jason's ass peeking out from the blanket, still asleep and Dick reading a book that obviously came from your bookshelf. His free hand slowly moving through your hair. 

"Morning. I made breakfast and put your plate aside."

"How should we wake the sleeping bird."

"Let him sleep, he has no issue eating cold food," Dick says. 

You take a bite and stuff it in your mouth, "can I ask you something?" 

"Anything," he says taking a sip of his coffee. 

"How do you feel about Bruce not trusting me?" You ask him. 

"It doesn't bother me as much as Jason, he hasn't quite learned yet how to ignore Bruce's intrusive opinions," he says casually, "does it bother you?" 

"I don't want it to but I know how important Bruce is to you guys."

“Thanks. But honestly to me at this point... I couldn’t give less of a shit what Bruce thinks.” Dick says.

“That’s okay... I guess.”

“What about you? With Ivy. I know you think pretty highly of her.”

"Ivy showed me that i could do more for the world than being stuck in a lab all day, she's my mentor but we don't agree on everything," you explain. 

Once again your phone buzzes taking you out of the moment with your boys, this time however it's Harley calling. 

"That's weird, Harley never calls me," you say out loud before picking up, "uh hello?" 

"Y/N? Y/N get your ass to the old oil refinery downtown," Harley tells you. 

"What? Why?" You say confused. 

"It's Ivy she's in trouble," she responds and the line goes dead. 

"What's going on?" Jason asks in a haze of waking up. 

"I- I don't know- I gotta go," you say stumbling out of bed looking for any clothes you could find.

“Be careful...” Dick says, but you’re already gone.

You get to the Oil refinery, skin changed and the persona of Mistletoes assumed. 

Harley is outside, pacing.

“Harley! What’s going on?”

You take in Harley's appearance, she's got cuts all over and covered in sut, the smell of a fire is now filling the air.

"We went in there to destroy some new fracking machine they are building but there was an explosion and I can't find her anywhere," she says clearly scared. 

A shadow passes over you two, both looking up to see a sliver a cape fly into the building. 

"Shit it's the bat! Y/N you gotta go find her!" Harley shouts. 

"I'll find her I promise," you say running into the building.

The smoke is thick, dark and burns your eyes. You toss some air filtering seeds down to do what they can.

“Ivy!! Ivy!! Where are you!!”

The only answer you have is an explosion from above you. You jump forward, narrowly avoiding a painful potential death. 

Damn it! I gotta find her and get out fast... and before Bruce finds her...”

You scower the refinery, ending up in dead end after dead end..

 "Help"

That was Ivy's voice. 

"Ivy!" You shout. 

 "Y/N"

You follow the voice and that's when you see her. 

She's trapped underneath a fallen beam. 

"Ivy!" You yell again as you run to her.

“Hey kid...” Her voice is weak.

“Don’t talk. Let’s get this off of you and get you back to Harley.

You toss a semicircle of the air filter plants and then summon many vines to lift the beam off of Ivy.

A few more booms ring in the facility. As soon as she’s free you drag her from under, throwing her arm around your shoulder.

“Let’s go. If we die... Harley would bring me back just to kill me.” You joke.

"Ivy what did you do," a bold voice from above yells. 

"Not now Batman," you say dragging Ivy along desperate for an exit. 

Bruce jumps down from a riser landing in front of you. 

"I said not now!" You say angrily, sending vines towards him to throw him away from you.

You hear his body crash against a wall and to be honest- you gave zero fucks.

You have a few more vines tear open a metal door, Harley in the distance. You can tell by her body language she’d been crying. 

“Hold on Ivy, almost there.” You tell her. There’s another chain of explosions as you approach Harley.

“Oh thank god!!” Harley cries.

She takes Ivy from you and you pull two vials from your bag, the liquid a slight green glow.

“Here, these will help Ivy get her strengths back. Use one now and the next tomorrow morning. I’ll try and buy some time with the Bat.”

Harley takes the vials and gives you a knowing nod and takes off, carrying Ivy in her arms.

You knew your emotions had gotten the best of you in that moment so you ran back inside to make sure Bruce wasn't hurt. 

"How could you let her get away after doing this," Bruce scolds dodging another falling beam as it hits the ground. 

"Do you know what they were going to do with that machine? It would kill the environment!" You shout. 

"This refinery is what keeps Gotham out of poverty and now it's destroyed," Bruce retorts. 

"Oh like you care about the people breaking their backs in this place for minimum wage while the rich get richer from their hard work, Wayne industries can keep this entire city out of poverty alone but instead you sit in your high castle only adding to the problem."

"I do everything i can to help this city," Bruce says.

"But it's not enough, it will never be enough, not for Gotham, not for the world," you stammer, "all Ivy and i want is to save the environment from those who are killing it like this refinery." 

"There's gotta be a better way-" 

Before Bruce could finish his sentence a loud crack came from the ceiling, another beam engulfed in flames heading straight for Bruce.

You stretch your arms and have vines pull you and  Bruce towards the door, an explosion rocketing you both outside.

You hit the ground and roll with a thud, ears ringing. You clutch your head and look for Bruce amidst the debris. 

You find him a good ten feet to your left, slowly rising.

“You-you saved me...” He says.

“Don’t be surprised... I may not like that you don’t trust me. But I know how important you are to this city and to Jason and Dick. Plus, I’m not a monster.”

You toss a pollen pod at him and use the cloud to escape.

It's a few days later, you haven't talked to Dick or Jason about what happened, you don't know how. 

You're sitting in your lab, studying samples from a crime scene when there's a knock at your door.

"Come in," you shout across the room. 

When the door opens you turn around and it's Bruce. 

"What are you doing here?" You say surprised. 

"I've been thinking about what you said and i have an offer for you," he says walking towards you. 

"What kind of offer?" 

"I want you to come work for Wayne Industries." 

You sit there speechless. 

"You were right, Wayne Industries can do a lot more not only for Gotham but for the world than what we are currently doing so I want to create a new initiative within the company to fight the damages done to our environment and I want you to lead the department," he explains.

You fully turn to face Bruce, eyebrow raised.

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. I promise. You’d be in control of the department. I’d also like to offer you a room in the Manor and apologize for not trusting you. You saved my life yesterday.”

“I can’t just up and leave my job here.”

“Actually you can. I’ve had Alfred prep recruitment papers. All you need to do is sign.”

"Have you told Dick and Jason?" You ask. 

"No i didn't want to get their hopes up in case you decline," he tells you. 

"And how am I supposed to tell Ivy?" 

"As long as you don't tell Ivy who I really am she won't know you're working for the enemy just the richest man in Gotham," he chuckled. 

"And she would be pretty happy to see me lead my own initiative," you say considering your options, "I'm in."

“Glad to hear it. What about the room at the Manor? I’d be more than happy to pay for any and all moving expenses.” Bruce supplies.

“I’ll take it. And would it be alright if I told Dick and Jason? And we could start packing my place

"I'm sure they would rather hear from you than me," he smiles, "well I'll let you get back to work." 

"I gotta call the boys," you tell yourself when he leaves.

[eak8753]

High School AU 

There were two people at Rebel High that you didn’t mess with. Damian Wayne and Raven Roth. Damian was the son of playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne. He was a violent little shit that got into fights just for the fun of it. He had been kicked out of numerous schools so his Father sent him to the only public school in town as punishment. He could hold himself in a fight and even if he couldn’t, he knew his Father would bail him out of anything.

Raven was a part of the demons, one of the deadliest gangs in America. She was born into it by her Father, as it was her birthright to be a part of it. She was the school's best known drug dealer and had spent the summer before junior year locked up. She had no quarrels with kicking someone’s ass if she needed to, but her preferred method of attack was verbal abuse. Both of them could cut you down to size with a single look and people were far too scared to get on their shit lists. That didn’t stop the rumours though.

“Todd, what are we doing here? I thought you were taking us to get food?” Damian asked his older brother, Jason. He had told their Father that he was grabbing a late lunch, when Alfred had insisted that he take Damian along. That had been thirty minutes ago and they still hadn’t gotten a single thing to eat. Instead they were at some trailer park on the opposite side of the city. The trailers were smaller than his room and it didn’t make sense why Todd would want to come here.

Ignoring his younger brother, Jason got out of the car, banging on one of the trailer's doors. Following his brother's actions -for what reason was beyond him- a man with two dyed white streaks in his primarily black hair, eyes the colour of ambers, covered in tattoos opened the door. looking Jason up and down he motioned for them to come in. Upon entering Damian noticed two things, it was bigger on the inside, and the place reeked of weed.

“I need papes*” Jason told the man once they walked in. “What happened to the ones I gave you?” the man questioned turning the T.V off. Damian always had to marvel at how differently they all handled their problems. Todd used drugs and alcohol, Drake would isolate himself, Grayson would throw himself into work, and Damian used violence. Sure they each tended to do what the others did -minus Damian and drugs- but they all seemed more prone to do one thing.

Damian was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a girl’s voice, one he had heard a couple of times before. “Hey fuckhead” the girl said, anger evident in her voice. Turning to the sound he looked at a form dressed in a white tank top, black sweatpants, and a bat in hand. Right in front of him was Rebel High’s most feared female; Raven Roth. “Shit” the man Jason had asked papes for pailed. “Rae…” he said trailing off as she went towards the television. She glared at the man, then proceeded to take the bat and swing it into the T.V. effectively rendering it useless. Glass shards fell to the ground, all the while the lavender haired girl never took her eyes off the man.

“What the fuck Raven” the man yelled at the young women, looking back from the shattered T.V. to her. “Remember this next time you wanna go through my shit” she said walking up to him, stopping only a few feet away, dropping the bat. “As your older brother I can go through your crap whenever I want to, and how else was I gonna find out that you’re fucking a thirty year old” the dark haired man replied, still in disbelief over the events that took place not even five minutes ago. “Simple, you don’t. Besides it’s not like it would be the first time” the girl replied with venom, clearly still angry, for what was lost to Damian.

The Roth siblings glared at each other, while the Wayne brothers -or the ones there at least- kept glancing at each other, in mild confusion and fear. She looked at him for a moment. Damian had never had a conversation with the young dealer. She rarely ever spoke unless it was to rip someone apart, disrespect someone -who more often than not deserved it- or was to talk about deals. Seeing as Damian and her didn’t run in the same crowd -that of which meant he was popular, thus meaning he sat with popular people and she was always by herself- and he didn’t have a purpose for drugs, they never spoke. Although they did have English together. Turning back to face her brother she flipped him off and walked out the door.

Damian briefly wondered if he had been possessed as he saw her walk out the door, slamming it. He didn’t want her to leave, which was unusual in itself since he wasn’t much of a people person. Looking at the two older men before him, Damian ran out of the trailer home, running up to the young girl, calling out her name.

Stopping a couple of meters in front of him she slowly turned around, her arms crossed in front of her, confusion visible on her face. “Wayne?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow as he ran the last few meters to her. “Hey, I um” he stammered, suddenly his mouth felt dry. Despite other’s beliefs, he had no clue how to talk to teenage girls, especially ones who were just as explosive as him. He knew he had to be cautious, not say or do anything that might make her upset.

“I didn’t know you had a brother” he said casually. “I have five more,” she said, never letting her defences down. Why was Damian Wayne talking to her? It didn’t make any sense, and honestly she couldn’t be bothered to figure out the truth at the moment. She hadn’t eaten yet and was fully aware of how violent and rude she could be if she didn’t eat. “Really? Where are they” he asked with genuine interest. He was observant and used that to his advantage, he pretty much had everyone at Rebel’s High story -or the basics of it- figured out, all’s except her’s.

“Prison” she answered sharply, turning on her heel, she started walking again. Then a hand reached out to latch on to her own, effectively stopping her. Spinning around to him, she looked at his hand on her arm, then at him. Did he have a death wish? Moving his hand from her after a moment -way to quickly, he noted- he went to speak, but was beaten to it. “Look Damian, if my brother asked you to check up on me-“ “Your brother didn’t tell me to do shit. I just wanted to make sure you were okay” he cut her off, nonchalantly.

She was suspicious, he could see that but she didn’t ask “why” which he was grateful for. Honestly Damian didn’t know why he did it, maybe it was because something about Raven had always intrigued him or that she had yet to throw herself at him but he did want to make sure she was okay. Plus if what her brother said about the thirty year old was true, he wanted that pedophile to get locked up.

“I’m guessing you’re one of the shithead brothers Jay is alway complaining about?” She asked him after a moment, still keeping her guards up. Raising his eyebrow slightly he crossed his arms. “He talks about you guys, so are you Kiss Up, Replacement or Demon Spawn?” the girl question. “Demon Spawn, definitely Demon Spawn” the boy answered, smirking.

Sure being called a demon spawn wasn’t something to be proud of, but honestly he couldn’t give two shits. When he first went to live with his Father seven years ago he purposefully was a disobedient, cruel, nasty child, something he undoubtedly would be punished for when he lived with his Mother and Grandfather. He also really liked the names for his other older brothers. Kiss Up had to be Grayson, Father was always comparing everything the others did to their eldest brother. Replacement must have been Drake then, which for Todd was fitting, considering he was adopted a few months after Father had sent Todd off to boarding school in London.

Tuning back into his conversation with Raven he asked “what does he say about us?” “53% of the time it's complaints, 17% is talking about how we should sell him a gun“ this shocked Damian for two reasons; why did Todd need a gun? And he didn’t know the Roths dealt them. Of course he wasn’t stupid and valued his life so he brushed it off as if he already knew these things. “What about the remaining 30%?” The young Wayne asked. At that Raven just grinned.

It was then that she came closer to him, he stood still, tensing up at the contact. He didn’t really like being around people, females no less. He had only really ever had two females close to him; his mother and ex girlfriend, both of which were no longer a part of his life. Raven, being completely oblivious to his uneasiness reached forward for the front of his jacket, playing with the unzipped sides before looking up at him. “Is that a Balmain Biker Jacket*” she questioned, still playing with the sides. “Yeah it is, how did you…” he trailed off, looking at her suspiciously. “Just because I can't afford it doesn’t mean I don't know what it is,” she smirked.

He looked at her a bit sheepishly, then she quickly pulled away from him. For some reason he liked having her close to him, but he brushed it off as wanting physical contact from a female -that he was comfortable with- after going months without it.

“I'm hungry” she stated, and started walking away. Before he could do anything she turned to him again with a raised brow. “Well, are you coming?” She asked. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. Raven Roth had just asked him if he was going to eat with her, it really wasn’t her style. He had rumours that she had slept with -or done something similar- with almost every guy at school. He didn’t think she did dates, then again this wasn’t a date. Did he want it to be a date? That was a question he didn’t need answered at the moment, running up to her he made sure to leave a good five inches of space between them.

Entering Big Belly Burger, they sat down at a booth, across from each other. “Need help deciding what you want,” Raven asked with an amusing smile, clearly teasing him. It wasn't a secret that Damian always had the best of everything; clothes, technology, and food. He knew that she thought that this was his first time coming to a Big Belly Burger, or any fast food place. Yes it was true he didn’t usually go to places that served food high in fat, but he did indulge once in a while, this being one of those times. “Nope” he answered, popping the P, as the waitress came over to them.

“What will it be?” The waitress asked, who Damian quickly realized was a new girl who went to their school, a sophomore he believed. “I'll have a grilled chicken burger and an ice tea, with a side of fries” Raven said, putting the menu down. “I'll have the same thing except for a surprise veg burger” Damian responded to the waitress. Looking up from her notepad, she looked both of them over, registering who exactly was in front of her.

“Holy shit, you’re Damian Wayne” it wasn’t really a question but he nodded anyways. Immediately she became much more cheery. She patted her uniform skirt down, fixed her hair slightly and put on a bright smile. “So what brings you here” she said, he cringed internally at the overused pickup line. He found it a little disrespectful that she would try and talk to him when he was clearly in the middle of something with another person. The complete disregard for Raven infuriated.

He gestured towards the purple haired girl in front of him, the waitress just scoffed. “You certainly are a cheap date” she said to Raven. “Didn’t know you were into rich boys, then again I wouldn’t put being a gold digger past you. Or is the trailer trash you’re used to just not cutting it anymore, you would sleep with anyone who wants it” she said with clear disgust, Raven for her part was keeping her cool, she didn’t even seem bothered by what this girl was insinuating. Damian knew the rumours, and what her brother said didn’t help her case, but she didn’t have to take this kind of treatment.

Looking away from Raven, the younger girl looked Damian, bright smile again. “You know you don’t have to go through the trouble of buying this skank lunch right? I mean you could do so much better-“ no doubt referring to herself, he thought “-and she never needed to be dined before. I heard that she” “I don’t give two shits what you heard about her. Now can you please go get us our fucking food” Damian snapped. The girl, slightly taken aback by his outrage, just nodded and left, all the while having Damian glare at her.

Looking back to Raven he saw her brow raised, something he noticed she did a lot. “You know you could report her right, get her fired. No doubt that she deserves it” he said, still not understanding how she managed not to be angry. “It’s not that big of a deal” she shrugged, playing with a ketchup packet. Not that big of a deal? She had just been disrespected and thinks it isn’t a big deal.

Then a thought struck him. “Does that happen often” he questioned, although deep down he already knew the answer. She pretended to think for a moment. “All the time” she answered, leaning back in her seat. “You don’t have to take it,” he said, placing his hands on the table leaning forward slightly. “Look, I'm a Roth” she sighed. “People are always gonna talk. If she wasn’t bitching about me being a slut, then it would about me being a dealer” she said, eyes pleading with him to just drop it.

“That's fucked up” he said, staring out the window. “I come from a pretty fucked up family” she responded with a smile in her voice. “Yeah, my family’s pretty shit too” he stated, still not looking at her. He was upset with his Father for not knowing about him until he was ten years old, he was upset with his Mother for not telling his Father about him, but more importantly he was upset that they both never treated him like a normal child, then again Damian wasn’t a normal child.

“Damian” Raven's voice snapped him from his thoughts, turning to look at her; she had an incredulity face. “From what I heard you have a pretty great family” she stated matter of factly. Seeing the look of confusion on his face she elaborated. “I know that your Father is sort of a distant asshole, but he also has a multibillion dollar company to run, so he can’t exactly be there for all of you. Clearly he shouldn’t have so many kids but you all turned out pretty fine. The worst of you being Jason, dubbed by the media, and all he really does is smoke weed” she gave her two cents. She wasn’t wrong, in fact she was completely on the nose. Damian understood why his Father was away all the time, but a part of him still wished he could see him after he came home from school like most kids.

“Still wish he’d be there for us sometimes though. We really only see him on Fridays for a mandatory family dinner” Damian said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Family dinner sounds nice, if my Father isn’t locked up then he’s doing something to get locked up” she responded as their food arrived, thankfully it was a different waitress this time. “How much time has he done?” The young man questioned, taking a sip of his ice tea. “30 years on and off” she answered, taking a bite of her fries.

“So, what’s your story?” She asked him after about three minutes of silence. It wasn’t an awkward silence though, and he actually quite enjoyed it. When he was with his -now ex- girlfriend she hated the silence and would talk for hours, which was fine with Damian if it meant he didn’t have to talk about himself. Obviously this tactic wasn’t going to work with Raven.

“I don’t have one” he simply answered, taking a bite from his burger. “Bullshit” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “Everyone's got a story, whether they acknowledge it or not” she stated. “If that’s true then you must have one” he countered, crossing his arms and leaning back into his seat. “Yeah I do, but I asked first” she shrugged, reaching over and grabbing one of his fries.

His eyes followed his fry in her hands, all the way to her mouth, looking up he realized she had been watching him the whole time, sighing he had no other choice but to answer the young woman. “I grew up with my Mother and Grandfather. They took care of me and taught me how to defend myself. After my Grandfather was killed my Mother had trouble taking care of us, so she brought me to my father.”

“Apparently he didn’t even know I was born and made me take a DNA test to determine if I was even his or not. Surprise surprise, I was. I’ve been living with him ever since, sometimes my Mother comes to visit but I wish she would just leave me alone” at her confused face he explained. “My mother was mentally abusive, and kept me isolated from most of the world. It wasn’t until I lived with my Father that I realized how shitty she was though” he finished, taking another bite from his burger.

They just sat there for a while, unmoving. That was until he reached out to take a sip of her drink, she followed the movements with a raised brow, at his smirk she slightly chuckled. “So...” he drawled out, indicating for her to finish, she sighed. “I lived with my mother up until I was eight” she started. “She was murdered and I was taken. Apparently my father didn’t take too kindly to her running off after they found out she was pregnant.”

”Of course I was beyond angry at him for what he did to my mother. Sure she was a bitch at times but she was the only person I had. He went to jail, for unrelated reasons, after that. My brothers were in and out of the house, so I enlisted in school and about four months later he was released. Forced me into the family business. High school kids are more prone to buy drugs than adults. Of course then the rumours came and he totally lost his shit. Went full on psycho, I had to leave for a while so I got my ass thrown in juvie. While I was locked up he got caught for some shit and now has to do 18 months with a chance of parole in 12” she replied in a monotone voice, not betraying how she actually felt.

“Why’d he go psycho” the youngest Wayne questioned, what rumours had her Father heard that would make her want to go to juvie. “That I was a slut” Damian couldn’t help but snort at that. “Yeah, he thought that I was doing it with everyone; high schoolers, felons, junkies, guys in their thirties” she gave him a small smile as she finished her burger. It was odd, he had never told anyone as much as he had told her. He believed that his mind was something for him and him alone, which drove everyone else crazy. But for some reason he was willing to tell her all of his inner thoughts. Then it struck him.

Thought? What do you mean he thought you did those things. No offence, but you have done those things” he told her with a face of confusion. She looked at him with dull eyes, and shook her head slightly. “I've only slept with one man, Damian, and it wasn’t even consensually” she said with the utmost seriousness, then again when wasn’t she serious? “What...what about the rumours?” he probed with a frown, he believed her, he was just taken aback that someone would spread such nasty lies about another person.

“A few weeks after I started school I was invited to this girl’s birthday party. There was this boy there and he tried to kiss me, I said no. Next thing I knew he told everyone that we had hooked up. Guess he got some of his friends into it too, because they made up shit as well” she shrugged, taking another one of his fries. “Why didn’t you deny it?” He asked. “I did it, but by then the damage was done. It only got worse when I became a freshmen” her eyes had clouded over, as if she was remembering something; something particularly painful.

“What about the guy your brother was talking about?” He inquired, looking her over. Snapping back into reality she answered. “My brother doesn’t know shit. I'm not sleeping with the guy, he's my Social Worker. I have to report to him every two weeks on how shit in my life’s going and based on that he deems whether I can continue living with my father or not” obviously she hadn’t told him the truth, or the entire truth at least. There was no way he would let her live with that maniac if he knew what really happened.

Her words bounced around in his mind. “I’ve only slept with one man, and it wasn’t even consensual. Wasn’t even consensual” she hadn’t given consent. “You were raped” he blurted out. she looked at him with a face of indifference. “Well I wouldn’t go so far to say that-“ “did you and this man have intercourse?” He cut her off. “Yes” she answered honestly, “did you give him consent” “No” she shook her head. “That means you were raped-“ she was about to protest but he continued “-he invaded your body without asking or having permission.”

“Even if you had given consent, that still makes him a pedophile, you have to report this” he couldn’t believe this. The girl everyone had belittled for being a slut was actually a rape victim. “I can't,” she whispered. “Why not” he raised his voice slightly, maybe she didn’t understand the magnitude of this situation, but he did. “Because in some fucked up way...I care about him” she laughed but there was no humour in it. Looking up at him he noticed the unshed tears in her eyes, and he knew that this was hurting her, breaking her. She was pleading with him to drop it. “Rae...” he trailed off, he was sorry for her, not in a pity kind of way, but in a you-don’t-deserve-this kind of way.

“Look,” she said, straightening up a bit. “It happened years ago, I have no way to prove that it even happened. The bastard is already in jail anyways” she said, reaching across the table to put her hand over his, not to take a fry. She smiled at him softly, he didn’t agree with her and was willing to take this to court, even pay for a lawyer, but there wasn’t much he could do if she didn’t want to. So, he just returned the smile.

It was weird, less than an hour ago he hadn’t spoken to her once, and now it felt like they knew each other better than anyone else. He had just thought of her as a skanky dealer, another criminal that should be locked up. It was true, what she had said, that everybody has a story. He silently vowed to never judge another person without truly knowing their story first. This may have been their first conversation, but something told him it wouldn’t be their last.

***

A/N: This came to me when I was watching Euphoria and Shameless videos :)

Papes - The paper you roll weed up in (I think, don’t know if that’s how you spell it)

Balmain Biker Jacket is this expensive leather jacket

[vikingpoteto]

we don’t have to dance (to the beat of their songs)

Chapter 3 on AO3 ______________________

Relationships:  (Gen) Tim Drake & Jason Todd

Tags: Battle for the Cowl, Alternate Canon, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Mental Health Issues, Past Child Neglect, Domestic Fluff, Canon is not valid I am, and I want them to be friends goddamnit

Summary: In the middle of their battle, Jason asks Tim to leave the nest and be his Robin. Tim decides it's not a bad idea, after all. ________________________

When the cast comes off his leg, Jason sighs in relief. Casts are a bitch and he can’t believe he survived four weeks walking around like a zombie.

And, well, he technically is a zombie, but still.

The nurse barely has time to set aside the now useless pieces of cast before Jason eagerly stretches his arm. He tries not to take offense in the patronizing smile the man gives him. Jason supposes he isn’t the person acting like having their arm in a cast is hell  — because it is — but he can go without the little smirk, thank you very much. He would’ve removed the damn thing on his own, except it’s his dominant arm stuck in the cursed thing and he didn’t want to risk any new injuries. It’s the first time in over a month that he has no major wounds. And that’s considering that the pit gave him a faster healing rate than your average Joe.

“There’s a crack here,” the nurse comments.

“Hm. I had to fight a criminal. They were annoying, so I hit them with my cast,” Jason says.

The nurse gives him a forced chuckle as though he thinks Jason is joking. Or, well, that Todd Peters is joking. He doesn’t need to know Jason’s real name or that he’s completely serious. He must be new. They’re not in Gotham, but they’re close enough that having to beat a random crook with a cast shouldn’t be that outlandish.

The annoying noise of the saw fills the room again and Jason does his best to stay put. While telling Dick to fuck off after their fight had been satisfying  — a silver lining after having his ass handed back to him, if you must  — letting himself fall to what could’ve been his second death wasn’t Jason’s smartest move. And definitely not worth having to drag his own broken ass home, ruin his wounded body even more as he struggled to change into civies. Never mind having to face the humiliation of seeking a public hospital and pretending he had somehow walked away from getting hit by a bus. That had been fun, but he would not recommend it.

“There you go,” the nurse says. “You’re free as a bird, Mr. Peters.”

Jason flexes his fingers in relief. As a bird. What a joke.

When he walks out of the hospital with a medical bill that will most certainly never get paid  — although it’s tempting to send it to Wayne Enterprises just to let them know Jason is alive and now ready to kick their asses again  — he remembers the second time someone told him he could be Robin.

It had been Tim.

He hadn’t thought about that night in quite a while, mostly because he couldn’t believe it really happened. It was before they freaking sent him to Arkham, but after Jason got rid of (most of) the green mist in his mind that had him foaming at the mouth with unchecked anger. Robin swooped in right in the middle of one of Jason’s busts and somehow managed to knock out as many criminals as he protected from lethal shots. After they were done, he had approached Jason and deadass asked him if he would consider being Robin again.

Just like that. Jason thought he was joking.

Then Tim Drake, in all his 14 year-old glory, his voice still cracking a bit, deadpanned: “I only took over because someone had to. But now that you’re back, it only makes sense that you go back to your family.”

Jason was so stunned he doesn’t remember what he said next. Probably something about shooting the kid if he caught him in his territory again. He’s pretty sure the little shit rolled his eyes at him before jumping off the roof. Jason had the distinct feeling that Bruce never heard about that small mishap.

For quite a while, Jason tried his hardest not to think about what he left in Gotham. It was hard when he was too injured to move, but books helped him through it, as always. Now, however, he was free as a robin and he has a decision to make: what is he going to do next?

The trip to the shitty motel he’s staying at takes no time at all, his feet getting him there while his mind was elsewhere. He’s thinking so hard of Gotham that at first he thinks he’s losing his marbles when he sees a familiar face. Jason freezes on his tracks.

Tim Drake is casually leaning against Jason’s door. He tilts his head to the side and cocks an eyebrow in challenge, as though letting him know that he is very much real and not an hallucination.

“How the fuck —” Jason starts. Then he decides against it. “You know what? I don’t want to know. Forget you found me.”

Tim rolls his eyes. “I happen to have a really good memory, though.”

“It sure doesn’t look like it, considering it seems you forgot I tried to kill you last time we saw each other.”

“You mean when you could’ve killed me, but you didn’t?”

It takes all of Jason’s flimsy self-control not to punch him. Tim stands there, his arms still crossed, his eyebrows vanishing under his too-long bangs, and it’s almost as if he’s daring Jason to hit him, to lose his cool. Doing so would be letting him win and Jason isn’t about to do that.

He has half a mind to appreciate the fact that Tim had been waiting for him in the hallway, though. Even Dick hadn’t been that considerate in the past, always favoring the good old breaking into people’s homes like Bats taught them. It annoys him to no end that the kid somehow always knows what little things will mulify Jason.

“I just wanna talk,” Tim says.

“I haven’t been active lately”

Tim doesn’t even flinch. “That’s a lie.”

“How did Dick find me?” Jason groans.

“He didn’t. I did,” still in that annoying flat voice.

“And you want me to believe he didn’t follow you?”

“I don’t think so, since I haven’t seen him in a month.”

That catches Jason’s attention. He considers the boy in front of him. Rumor has it that Tim Drake manages to be even more elusive than the rest of them, and Jason believes that.  He believes that a child that stalked Batman and Robin for so long is nothing short of impressive. He heard Tim was the only person able to lie to Batman.

Something makes him think Tim isn’t lying now.

With a sigh, he fishes the keys from his pocket and opens the door. Pretends not to see the kid’s annoyingly cocky smile.

Jason doesn’t know much about Tim other than his M.O. as Robin and parts of how he joined the Bat cult. He knows he was already a rich kid before becoming Robin, but if the kid has any reaction to Jason’s crappy hotel room, he doesn’t show.

Jason drops on the couch with a groan. Tim stands around with a blank expression and, if Jason didn’t know any better, he’d think the kid is nervous. He gestures at the empty mismatched armchair by his side, and only then does the kid take a seat. Silence stretches.

“So? You said you wanted to talk. Talk.”

It’s almost impossible to notice, but Tim takes a slow breath before starting: “When we fought… you asked me to be your Robin,” he says. “Did you mean it?”

Jason quirks an eyebrow up. “What kind of question is that?”

“Did you seriously consider taking me as a sidekick?” Tim insists. “It’s a yes or no question.”

Jason sits back and crosses his arms, keeping his expression schooled into something neutral. He hadn’t thought about that night  — at least not on purpose  — since then. However, in the fleeting moments his mind forced him to relive it, he couldn’t help but think about his spur of the moment offer. Because that’s what it had been. An impulsive thought.

However…

“I meant it,” he says, his voice neutral. “In our field, it’s a pain to work alone. I know you have skills, so having you work for me would’ve been useful.”

And that’s the truth, or at least most of it. Tim presses his lips into a tight line and nods slowly, as though he’s readying himself for something.

“And you still think that?”

“What kind of game are you playing, Replacement?” Jason snaps.

“I’m not playing anything. I’m here to offer you my services, sort of.” Tim gives him a crooked smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “We can go over my resume, if you want.”

Jason’s chin drops. He can’t help it. His stunned silence lasts long enough that Tim’s fake smirk slips from his face and, despite his best efforts to keep the cool facade, Jason can see he’s distraught somehow.

“You said that that would mean working for a psychopathic killer,” Jason reminds him.

“I remember distinctly saying sure, why not? to your offer, too. Also you called me worse things, you don’t get to be sensitive about name calling now.”

“Why?” Jason presses.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Tim deflects.

“I asked first.”

“I asked second.”

Jason sighs. “You suck at job interviews.”

“To be fair, I’m a trust fund baby. I’m not supposed to go through job interviews.”

Jason sighs. He doesn’t know what to think. On one hand, he is a detective. He was trained to recognize lying, to know when he’s being played with. On another, the boy in front of him isn’t your everyday crime alley crook, but an equal. Maybe superior, in some circumstances. He could have a plan inside a plan to completely fuck Jason over  — and he kind of should, considering Jason almost killed him a couple of times… and Damian… and Dick.

“What does Bat 2.0 think of you switching career paths?”

“Again, I haven’t seen him in a month.”

“Yeah, I’m not buying that. I haven’t kept close tabs on what’s happening in Gotham, but I know Batman and Robin are still active.”

Tim hesitates. Jason waits patiently. Finally, a little annoyance in his voice betraying his frustration, the younger boy admits:

“Dick fired me. There’s a new Robin.”

Jason snorts. “You’re fucking with me.”

Tim looks down, saying nothing.

Jason starts laughing out loud. “Oh my God, you’re shitting me right? So the Replacement has been replaced! And you decided to come to me of all people for a new job? You want us to be Evil Batman and Evil Robin to good ol’ Bitchard?”

It’s funny, if you think about it. The Robin that got killed and the Robin that got dumped, joining forces to represent failure as the holier than thou golden boy becomes the epitome of heroism. He can’t stop laughing.

Jason expects Tim to get angry. He expects Tim to lash out and tell him to fuck off, say that he knew coming here was a waste of time and storm off. The longer Jason’s mockery goes, however, the quieter the boy gets. His expression is carefully empty, although there is an unnameable storm behind his gaze. Sometimes, Tim is so similar to Bruce  — stoic, a mind like a maze, a smug little shit - Jason forgets about all the ways in which he’s Bruce’s complete opposite. Tim doesn’t do lashing out. Not usually, at least.

When Jason’s hollow laughter dies, the kid is sitting there as though nothing phases him. Not because he is a big bad bat with no emotions, but because he knows better than to show them.

The older boy breathes out slowly. “Alright, I’ll bite it. What exactly are you thinking, Pretender? Be brief and straight, I don’t have all day.”

There’s a beat. The kid is clearly trying to organize his ideas. That’s a first. Little Timmy usually has a plan from the get go.

“I want to be useful,” he says. And that’s the truest thing Tim said all day. There is something raw in his voice that grabs Jason’s attention. Something that Tim hides before Jason can name it. “You said it yourself. We can do better if we work  together. Not as Batman and Robin, of course not. Just as ourselves.”

Jason crosses his arms and starts tapping a finger to his arm. “I don’t believe you’re planning on killing anyone.”

“Good, because I’m not going to.”

“Then? You’re gonna watch while I do the dirty job? Or you think you can stop me?”

There’s a subtle quirk of Tim’s lips. Jason curses inwardly knowing the little satisfied smirk is there because Jason is negotiating. As though he already accepted this insane proposition.

“I don’t think I can stop you every time,” Tim concedes. “We can make a deal, though. With me by your side, you won’t have to resort to murder that often. You promise me you’ll only kill if there’s no other way and, in exchange, I promise you I’ll make sure your cases will be solved a lot faster.”

“You’re awfully confident for someone that just got fired,” Jason deadpans.

“I got fired a month ago.”

“You’re awfully confident for someone that’s been sitting on their ass for a month.”

“I was actually working with the League of Assassins.”

That gives Jason a pause. “I’m sorry, you were what ?”

“There was a case I couldn’t solve on my own. Dick wouldn’t help. Ra’s did.”

“And, what, after working with Ra’s freaking Al Ghul you just decided it was time for a change of scenery?”

“I mean, for starters I like you a lot more than Ra’s. Second, Ra’s kinda fired me too.”

“Again, you’re really bad at this job interview thing.”

Tim smirks. “To be fair, I took everything I needed then ruined a lot of League business before bailing on him, so…”

And then there is that. Jason can count on one hand the things he knows about Tim Drake. One, he found out the identities of Batman, Nightwing and Robin II at age nine. Two, he was a rich kid and neighbor to the Waynes and now he has no family left, just like Jason. Three, he is annoyingly perfect and it makes Jason feel like shit. Four, he is the most unpredictable little shit to ever exist.

And last but not least, he trusts Jason. Jason doesn’t know why. He doesn’t know if that makes him stupid or a genius in a way mere mortals can’t comprehend. Nonetheless, he has this unshakeable faith in Jason like no one had before. Not even Dick, who was supposed to be his brother. Jason doesn’t know what to make of it.

“So Ra’s is after your stupid ass and you want me to be your bodyguard?”

“When Ra’s comes for me, I’ll have a plan to deal with him. Whether you’re a part of it or not, that’s up to you. Don’t worry about it for now.”

He sounds like he has everything under control. Jason knows how to sound like that, too. All of the batlings do. Their entire lives they’re just playing it cool, looking dark, brooding and mysterious while inside they have no idea what’s going on nor how they’ll survive.

“Come on,” Tim says, rolling his eyes. “You worked with back up and you worked alone. You know which one is better.”

“I’m a literal crime lord,” Jason reminds him.

“That’s not the same. Having someone that knows who you are behind the mask makes all the difference in the world.”

Neither of them are addressing the elephant in the room, though. The biggest question looming over them. That’s also a bat thing. Both are aware, none speaks of it, and a taste of something unsolved is making their mouths bitter. The worst part is that they know the answer, even if it’s left unsaid, but do they really? Are they really arrogant to assume they know each other enough, that they’re smart enough to be aware of the truth?

Why did you offer to take me in?

Why do you want to join me now?

Two questions. One answer.  

“I’ll think about it,” Jason says.

Tim’s smile is blinding. He knows a backhanded yes when he hears one. “I’m looking forward to hearing from you, Hood.”

“Piss off before I shoot you.”

Tim snickers and stands to leave. Jason keeps listening after the door closes, after the footsteps vanish down the hallway. He can still hear the sounds of traffic down the street, maybe the indistinct chatter from the neighbors. It still feels too quiet and the egg sized apartment could as well be as big as a manor after Tim leaves.

The answer to both questions is I don’t want to be alone anymore .

[bisexualsforprompto]

Teen Titans AU Part III

https://theatreandcomicfreak.tumblr.com/post/188355464947/teen-titans-au-part-one (Part One)

https://theatreandcomicfreak.tumblr.com/post/188398523482/teen-titans-au-part-two (Part Two)

III

Important: This chapter will be following Damian and Jon, and Alya will have a short section as well. (This takes place the day before Marinette’s birthday).

Jon walked into the room he shared with Damian. Well technically, it was Damian’s room, but he and Jon pulled so many all nighters together that it was practically both of their rooms, most of Jon’s stuff was even there. Jon knew Damian well enough to know that he could trust him with a secret, after all, Damian shared so many with him. He walked in the room and flopped down on the bottom bunk bed. Damian was in a chair adjacent to him reading a book in Arabic. “Damian.” Jon said getting his attention. “Yes Kent?” Damian said pulling his face away from the book. “I like Marinette and I think I’m going to tell her!” Jon spat out quickly, it was the first time he said it out loud. “I think she knows.” Damian said, moving his attention back to the book. “What?!” Jon screamed, “how?!” Damian rolled his eyes, “haven’t you already established you’re friends? Friends tend to like each other.” Jon sighed at his friend. “I mean romantically. I like Mari romantically.” Damian looked a little taken aback. “Really, I can’t picture you together.” Jon retaliated by teasing, “Ooh do you like Marinette, little bird?” Damian rolled his eyes, “Mari is a friend.” Jon realized his previous statement could actually be true, “Damian, you never call people by nicknames. And you’ve never called someone your friend this quickly, even I had to wait a while. All joking aside, do you actually like her?” Jon was panicked, he didn’t want to compete with this best friend. “I don’t like her. If anything I opposite like her, her hair is way too pretty, her personality is far too positive and her eyes are too blue.” Damian huffed, placing his face in his book once again. “Oh my god.” Jon said, “OH MY GOD! You do, you like her! Even if you don’t know it yet I do! But what are we gonna do, I can’t compete against you! Oh why?!” Damian rolled his eyes, he was starting to sound like a certain pretty French girl. He blushed when he realized he called Marinette pretty, only in his thoughts, but still. “Relax Kent. Girlfriends are targets, especially in our line of work. I’ll never have one.” Jon rolled his eyes, “you do know that Marinette is a superhero too, right?!” Damian shrugged, “I don’t want her to get hurt.” Jon stifled a grin, “Damian, that’s adorable.” Damian blushed, “No-no it’s not!” What was happening? Damian Wayne did not stammer. “Wait I don’t know if I should still tell Marinette about my feelings. I’m not betraying the bro code.” Damian shut his book, “just ask her out Kent.” She would never go for me anyway, he added silently. “Are you sure?” Jon asked. No. “Yes.” A sudden knock at their door stopped their conversation. “It’s Marinette.” Jon whispered to Damian. Jon opened the door for her. “Hi guys!” She exclaimed, she was even more chipper than the day before, Raven’s Magic was really helping. “It’s grocery day. Wanna come? Tara isn’t coming again.” She mumbled the last sentence with slight annoyance. “Sure!” Jon lit up. Damian hid a smile, “sounds tolerable.” Marinette giggled, “G-great. A-are you both ready now?” The boys nodded. “Alright! Tikki! They’re ready!” She called in the hall. “Coming Marinette!” Tikki exclaimed. She phased through the boys’ wall. Jon jumped back. “I will never get used to that.” Jon laughed. Marinette opened her pouch which Tikki flew in.

As the trio walked to the store Marinette’s hair flew in the wind, she had started wearing it down after she wanted a change from her Paris look. Both Damian and Jon thought it suited her and Damian liked it a little more than he wanted to admit. Marinette walked ahead of them and accidentally ran into some Italian girl with ugly brown hair. “Oh would you look at that. If it isn’t the old school slut in the flesh.” A redhead girl next to her sneered in French.

Alya’s POV (a while earlier):

“Alright students. Make sure to walk in groups of two or three at the smallest. We don’t want anyone getting lost.” Miss Bustier smiled. Alya took the arms of Sabrina and Lila and they walked together. Alya was amazed again, Lila had said that she personally knew the Teen Titans. “We go way back! I’m an honorary member you know, but recently they’ve been saying that everything has gone south now that Marinette arrived.” Alya tugged at her bestie’s shoulder playfully, “Wow girl you’re awesome! Who don’t you know?” Lila sighed, “Marinette never thought so.” Alya rolled her eyes, “Girl Just forget about her. She’s a bully and she doesn’t need to be ruining our bonding time. We’re in Jump City to enjoy ourselves! It’s not everyday we go on a class trip abroad, besides we probably won’t even see Marinette!” Lila sniffed, “It’s just, now that she’s gone it’s like Adrien won’t even pay attention to anyone.” Sabrina scoffed, “Come on Lila, you know she was a slut, she probably manipulated Adrien and then broke his heart.” A girl with blue hair bumped into Lila and Alya rolled her eyes, she was sure it was on purpose when she saw her old friend, Marinette. “Oh would you look at that. If it isn’t the old school slut in the flesh.” Sabrina sneered.

Jon and Damian again:

Marinette shrunk in on herself. Jon didn’t understand French, but he immediately knew these girls were bad news. Damian however, could understand French and he was about to murder these girls. “What did you say to her?” Damian spoke in perfect French, glaring the redhead white girl in glasses down. “Come on don’t defend that bully! Even the Teen Titans think she’s awful! Look I don’t know who you are, but obviously Marinette has you wrapped around her little finger.” Alya yelled at Damian. Damian growled. “Damian.” Marinette said, trying (and failing) to stop him from being rash and angry. “Listen to me now. Marinette is the sweetest and kindest person ever. I can see now one of the reasons she wanted to leave Paris, you are all insolent and idiotic if you believe anything other than the truth, that Marinette is amazing and would never bully anyone in her life.” Damian stated plainly with a look of resentment on his face while Alya and Sabrina gave him a death glare. “Oh and another thing! Marinette is respected by the teen titans, they like her, like any good person would.” Damian added. Lila looked like she was on the verge of crocodile tears, her solution to everything. Jon was thoroughly confused with the French dialogue but he knew that look on Damian’s face meant that he was just a little while away from snapping and doing something dangerous and violent. “Ok ok, maybe we should calm down…” Jon said in English. “You do not understand. Marinette is a bully, you will learn.” Lila said in English choppily between fake sobs. Alya glared at the trio before leading Lila away from them. “Did she seriously just call you a bully?!” Jon asked Marinette. “Yeah.” Marinette said blankly, she looked like she was on the verge of tears. “They’re dead.” Damian said emotionlessly.

Alya:

Alya couldn't believe what had just happened, Marinette was such a manipulator. She almost felt bad for those people with her. Though the boy with green eyes seemed just as bad as Marinette in Alya’s opinion, maybe she’d finally found people she deserved. Alya patted a crying Lila on the back in sympathy. When they got further away Alya saw Adrien with her ex-boyfriend Nino. Marinette kept causing trouble even after she left, DJWiFi broke up because Nino refused to realize she was a bully. Ignoring her ex, Alya marched up to Adrien and said, “We just ran into Marinette. Her and her friends made Lila cry. If you comforted her it would mean a lot, or maybe confront that bully Marinette.” Adrien’s eyes lit up, “you saw Marinette?” Alya rolled her eyes, “yeah she lives in Jump City now. She mentioned it before she left.” Adrien stared at Alya, “Where is she now?” Alya brightened, maybe he would finally confront Marinette. “She was over by the grocery store down the block.” Adrien took off, leaving Nino in the dust. Alya flipped her hair and turned away from her ex without another word.

Jon and Damian:

Jon draped an arm over Marinette. He felt so awful, especially that he couldn’t even speak French, if Damian wasn’t there he didn’t know what he’d have done. Marinette was staying strong, she was looking at the grocery list very intensely. So intensely that she didn’t notice another classmate come in.

Adrien saw Jon touching Marinette and got angry, no, not angry, livid. He was going to make sure nobody touched his Princess. He sauntered up to Marinette and tapped her on the shoulder that the other boy wasn’t holding. Jon heard the boy with his superhearing. He and Marinette turned at the same time. The blonde boy started conversing with her in French and Damian looked across the store to where Damian was and gave him a quick nod as to say, come here. Damian could translate for him, so he’d know if he had to kick this little blonde boy’s ass. Damian shuffled over. As the boy continued to talk with marinette, Damian repeated his words at a low whisper in English, that only Jon could hear. “We miss you, I miss you. Please come back. You can come with us when we leave, I can arrange an extra ticket.” Marinette shook her head and responded, “I can’t do that Adrien, I’m not interested in going back to Paris. I like it here.” Adrien grabbed her wrist, “Come on princess, at least come catch up with me for a little.” Marinette froze, the nickname. She was seeing double, Chat Noir and Adrien, Chat Noir and Adrien, they moved closer together as the world began to spin, until they merged into one. Then, her world went dark.

“Let her go! Right now!” Damian yelled. “She’s coming back with me!” Adrien hissed. Jon pried the boy and Mari apart. Damian looked at Marinette, she had dilated pupils and a glazed look on her face. She was getting some concerned looks from shoppers, but they were smart enough not to intervene. “Look at her! She doesn’t want to be around you! She’s having a panic attack! We’re taking her back to our house!” Adrien’s eyes narrowed at the word our. Shit, Damian thought, I shouldn’t have given away that much. Damian picked up Marinette bridal style and Jon shoved the blonde boy to the side, Damian walked through with her and walked out of the store. As the boys walked back Jon felt slightly off. He knew the blonde prick who caused Marinette’s panic attack wasn’t there, he would’ve heard him, but for some reason he still felt his presence. Jon picked up his pace a little and Damian followed suit. They arrived at the tower shortly and a worried Kori awaited them. Jon texted Kori to tell her what happened. Raven was also there, that made the boys feel at ease, Raven could heal. Damian held onto Marinette tightly as Raven began to chant. She quickly healed her and Marinette woke up. She sat up in Damian’s arms. She started to ramble in French. “What’s she saying?” Jon asked. Kori nor Raven could speak French either. “I can’t pick up everything, she’s speaking too fast. Something about… a black cat, some kid named Adrien, and…” Damian paused with a look of horror on his face. Marinette was crying as she continued to speak in muffled French. “And what?” Kori asked, scared by what the answer might be. “And a rape.”

Thanks again to @ozmav

[collecting-stories]

East Wing - John Blake

Could I request a Batman nolanverse for John Blake (aka Robin)? If yes, I had an idea where the reader is Bruce Wayne's sister and she met John a ways back just by random chance, so over time they became friends and he was always sweet on her. The fic would be a reunion after the Bane incident, maybe where she's helping Alfred prepare the Manor for the boy's home that moves in and her and John see each other again and it's just cute??? Maybe even the boys tease them? Thanks beautiful xxx

East Wing - John Blake

You stood at the closed doors of the east wing, hand on the doorknob as you listened to Alfred down stairs, instructing the movers. It had been less than two weeks since your brother’s funeral but the renovations to the manor were almost complete. You hadn’t lived at Wayne Manor since you left for college and had little interest in keeping the estate for yourself. Leaving it for the boy’s home from which your brother had received help and care when he was young had always been something the two of you spoke of. When he passed you honored his wishes, agreeing to renovate and leave the home to the boys. But the east wing had yet to be touched, Alfred had offered to take care of it but you had refused, telling him that you needed to clean it out yourself.  

“Alfred told me you would be up here.”

You were a baby when your parents died. Too young to be affected by their death the way that your brother was but you had grown up experiencing Bruce’s trauma second hand for the better part of your childhood. Alfred had strived to give you some semblance of normalcy, a life where you weren’t constantly expected to mourn for people that you had never even met. But it was the boys home in the heart of Gotham City that truly saved both you and your brother. Bruce was a boy when Alfred sent him there in hopes that the community of young men and counselors would provide healing that he himself could not give. You never went, there was no home for young girls would had lost parents or needed out-reach, a problem in itself that you had been giving more and more thought to since your brother’s passing. But you had visited a couple of times. When Bruce was older he liked to go back there, see the place and help with funding for the building and supplies. It was there in the boy’s home that you met John Blake.  

John was around your age and he’d lost his parents as well. He had a complete memory of them though, like your brother did, not just someone else’s words. He also lacked a fancy manor or a butler who was more of a father or the resources to provide for himself. So he was there, like most of the other boys, full time until he was eighteen. And it was just before his birthday that you meant him. Accompanying your brother on a publicity day, you stayed mostly in the background of the photos and greetings. It was Bruce who posed with kids playing basketball while you stood, awkward and seventeen, by the door.  

“The Wayne foundation has really done a lot, for this place I mean.” John had come over to speak to you and he started off sounding like all the middle-aged men in suits who spout lines to kiss your brother’s ass.  

You had laughed at the gesture, “it’s alright, I won’t tell him if you don’t say something nice.”  

“Sorry,” John smiled, sheepish and maybe a little unsure of himself, “I’m John.”

When he offered his hand you took it, introducing yourself. The rest of the afternoon you spent with John, talking about what he planned to do after he left the boy’s home and what you planned to do once you graduated from high school. You lacked your brother’s need to leave Gotham and while you knew of his nightly activities you wanted to help the city you loved in a different way, for a different reason. John was an easy person to be friendly with. Things with Bruce had always been on edge, your brother was secretive and he pushed people away with more ease than he trusted them. You knew he had his reasons, especially when he started to don the cape but there was never a time you could truly remember him making space for you in his life. Just a reminder that your parents, his parents, were dead. With John around you felt happier than you had in a long time and you spent much of the next few years in Gotham City, with John. It was only as work increased for both of you that you began to drift from each other.  

“I can’t open it.” You replied, looking over your shoulder finally to see John standing there. He was holding a duffel bag and he was out of uniform, though you weren’t sure he planned on continuing his career with the police department after everything that happened. You had seen him during Bane’s upheaval of the city, but only briefly on television. This was the first time in years, since he’d become a cop, that you had actually seen him in person. He looked older, but maybe that was just the trauma of the last few years and not age.  

“Do you want help?” He asked, setting the bag down and moving toward you.

“It’s not...” you shook your head, realizing what he meant and smiling for the first time since the funeral. “it’s not jammed, I just, can’t open it.”  

John nodded in understanding and then gestured to the door, offering his help still. You backed away and let him open the east wing. You almost expected to see Bruce standing there in the center of the room but you knew it was foolish to think that way. Even if he wasn’t dead, and something in you said that he wasn’t, he was never coming home to Gotham. He was good as.

“Thank you.” You didn’t meet his eyes as you spoke.  

“Do you need help clearing it out?” John asked, looking into the room.

“I couldn’t ask you too. I’m sure you’re busy.”  

“I’m not. I offered to help move the boys in anyway.” He noticed your hesitancy and shrugged, “I’m sure Alfred needs some help downstairs. The boys were eager to get in and they brought them early so,”

“Oh, I can imagine him now.” You laughed, thinking of all those boys running through the manor and remembering how you and John, even as teenagers, used to run through the halls after each other. Alfred must’ve yelled at you hundreds of times and you were positive it was driving him mad not being able to scold these boys for tearing up the house that used to be under his charge.

“There are some boxes downstairs, if you want I can box everything in here and put it in my car and drive it to your apartment.” John offered, “you don’t even have to go in.”

“I moved,” was all you could think to say. That old walk-up on the northside of town had always given you trouble and you had moved a few blocks over to a small apartment above a bodega on the corner. Bruce always made fun of it, pointing out that you could afford something nicer than that but you insisted on it. The manor was always too big for you and even Bruce’s penthouse was overwhelming.  

“I know.” John nodded, “I’m a cop remember?”

“So you’ve been keeping tabs on me Blake?” You laughed, “cause if you have then I wanna know why all those parking tickets are still in my name?”

“Try paying them,” he teased, smiling at you.  

His smile made you feel like you were seventeen again, up on the roof of the boy’s home while he tried to flirt with you by complimenting your brother’s company. You smiled, “how’ve you been? I missed you.”

“Well some crazy guy tried to destroy Gotham, don’t know if you heard about that,” John moved subtly into the room and you followed without realizing it, “but otherwise you know, same old same old.”

“I think I did hear about that. Hero cop helped save the day right?” You asked.

“Hero detective.” He corrected.  

“Right, sorry about that. I forgot you got a fancy promotion,” you replied, hands finding a picture of Bruce and Rachel from their college years. “They were so in love.”

“Sounds familiar.” John said, glancing over your shoulder at the framed portrait.  

You looked back at him as you placed the picture down again, “we were, weren’t we.”

With one hand on your waist his other held your arm as he leaned down and placed a kiss on your shoulder, right beside the strap of your tank top. The smile never leaving his face as he looked back up at you, “I know I still am.”

“John,” you turned around to face him, leaning your forehead against his and reaching your hand up to brush his cheek.  

Suddenly you pulled away from each other, gagging sounds coming from the open door of the east wing. When you looked over a group of the boys were there, looking around the sides of the doors laughing. John pulled away from you, walking over to the door and shaking his head at them. You laughed as he closed the doors on them.  

“Bye,” you called, waving as they groaned and protested being shut out of the room.  

“Now, where were we?” John asked, smiling at you.

“I think you were, cleaning this whole room out for me all by yourself?” You teased, walking toward the door. You smiled when John held his arm out and stopped you from leaving.

_

First time writing John Blake...I do love Joseph Gordon Levitt though. 

[ellana-ravenwood]

“Wanna Join ?” Part 2/2 - Jason Todd x Reader x Roy Harper (erotica)

And here as promised, part 2 of this little dirty polyamorous fic of mine. If you haven’t read part 1, link down below :-). And hum...I don’t have much to add, hope you’ll like it ! 

FINISHED SERIES : PART 1

IMPORTANT WARNING : THIS IS EROTICA ! THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF YOU ARE UNDERAGED, I GODDAMN MEAN IT. Like there’s cute and sweet feelings in the mix, but also...smut, so if you’re not 18 or more, or if you’re not comfortable with that sort of things etc etc, this story ain’t for you. I have tons of other very SFW story, for averyone to read, and if you wanna check those out instead, it’s right here, on My masterlist blog : @ella-ravenwood-archives.

_________________________________________________

Jason Todd was happy. 

Right here, right now. 

In fact, he doesn’t remember feeling that happy ever in his life...

Maybe before his death, when he was just a carefree kid and Bruce asked him if he could officially be adopted ? 

The feeling, in his little nine years old heart, to finally belong, to finally have a real family that cared about him...It was overwhelming at the time. 

Of course, things were cut short, ruined by that psychopathic clown, who killed him when he was fifteen. And by R’as Al Ghul, who wouldn't let him rest and brought him back...

Since he came back to life, Jason couldn’t recall being THAT happy. 

He found new friends, forgave his father, bonded again with his family (becoming quite a protective yet cool older brother to Tim, and more recently, to Damian, finally making progress with him...Finally wanting to make progress with him), learned how to live again etc etc...

But there was always that gloominess in him. That sadness of being let down. Abandoned by his father, the only person he always thought would never let him go...

The constant feeling of not being important enough followed him everywhere, this pain dragged him down for so long...

Until he met you and Roy. 

At first, he was such an ass to the both of you, but you stuck around anyway. You didn’t let him push you away...and before he knew it, Roy and you were the reasons he felt happier sometimes, just by being with you. 

Before he realized it, he had fallen hopelessly in love with you. 

With both of you...

And then you two started dating, and he thought it would be the end. Over. That he would have to burry his feelings deep down and watch you two be happy from a distance. That once more, he wouldn’t belong anywhere. 

But one day...One day you invited him to join in on your sexy time, and after a few months of fun, of incredible sexual experience...you realized you were all in love with each others. 

Polyamorous. 

That’s the word Jason used. And how lucky was he, to have fallen desperately in love with his best friends who discovered they too, were poly ? 

Very lucky. 

So sure, at first it had been a mess of misunderstandings and hurt, but things cleared pretty rapidly ! 

After Roy thought Jason was trying to steal you away from him, you caught up with him and came back to the apartment, where Jay proceeded to explain himself. 

He remembered how he was afraid because if you guys didn’t share his feelings...he could ruin everything. You’d never abandoned him of course, but it would never be the same again. 

And now...

No Jason Todd was happy. 

Here. Right here. 

That night, he fell asleep in the best spot. 

In the middle. 

Your head was in the crook of his neck, and one of your leg was thrown around his waist, as you were cuddled against him, your warmth spreading to him pleasantly. 

Roy was sleeping on his belly, his body also against Jason’s. One of his arms was laying comfortably across the Red Hood’s chest, fingertips touching you side softly. 

And though this position might sound uncomfortable to a lot of people, sandwiched the way he was...Jason lived to feel you guys’ naked bodies against him. 

Jason Todd was happy. Here. Between you two.

He was thinking about just that when...he felt like something was wrong. 

Yours and Roy’s skin felt...weirdly sweaty and sticky. Not like it should have felt. It was slimy and warm and...It was blood. 

Jason sat up in a panic, and shook both of you, but he already knew...he already knew by the empty look in your eyes, by the sudden coldness of your skin, by the amount of blood all around you...You and Roy were dead. 

You had left him behind, you were gone, forever. What happened ?! 

He...he...He woke up, screaming at the top of his lungs. 

************ 

Jason felt as if he was back in time. When he was eight, and just started to live at Wayne manor’s. When he was all alone in this huge bedroom. 

He used to have vivid dreams about his mother’s murder...And used to wake up screaming, just like right now. And each time, Bruce would come running, and would be there for him until he fell asleep. 

And though Jason was far from being a kid now...Bruce came in when he heard his (adult) son scream in his sleep. It was mainly just a reflex. Tim and Damian still lived at the Manor, and sometimes they had nightmares. 

They were still young enough to appreciated their father rushing in their room to reassure them, to be there for them. And so when Bruce was woken up by a scream...He followed his father instincts and went to the source of the scream, knowing it was one of his boys. 

But half asleep, he didn’t realize that said scream came from one of his oldest son...Jason came back to live in the manor shortly after the huge fall out he had with you and Roy. He just didn’t want to stay alone in an apartment, he couldn’t stay alone in an apartment so...He moved back to his old home. 

It has been a while, since he lived there. But of course, Bruce and Alfred welcomed him with open arms. And the old butler got his old room in order, with the help of a rather excited Tim (he always admired greatly Jason) and the reluctant help of Damian (who was actually pretty excited too...it meant he could randomly start fights in the corridor with someone else than Drake !). 

It was a bit weird, to be back in that huge room...Some of his old stuffs that he didn’t take with him, and that were there since before his death brought memories back to his mind. Of times when it was just him and Bruce. Of Dick and him fighting, but ultimately become close brothers. Of finding a new family. Of Bruce being proud of him because he had good grades at school. Of roaming the mansion with Dick, up to no good. Of scaring Alfred by jumping all around expensive furnitures (though the butler was scared for his well being more than said furnitures). Of Alfred’s cucumber sandwiches...

It was a bit weird, but he realized it was exactly what he needed. 

After the heartbreak he just went through. After loosing his two best friends, but also ruining their relationship...

He needed his home. His family. To not feel completely abandoned again. 

And as Bruce, his father, half-asleep, came running into his room already saying : 

“It’s alright boy, I’m here.”

Jason felt a bit better...But then his dad realizes it’s neither Tim nor Damian. It’s one of his grown ass kid. And he just stands there, between the door and his bed, not really sure of what to do. 

He reconnected with Jason not so long ago, and he fears that him barging in after he had a nightmare might be too much for him. Might make painful memories of his father abandoning him (Bruce would never forgive himself, but he had his reason, and Jay finally understood them) resurface for some reasons...maybe some childhood memories that were too painful to think about. 

And this was the last thing Jason needed. After what he just went through...

So Bruce stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do next, until he realized...Until he realized Jason was crying. 

And once again, his father instincts kicked in. Especially since he never saw Jason cry...And so he goes to him, sits next to him, and holds him. Just like he used to do when Jay was eight...And he listens. 

He listens to his heartbroken son, to his shattered boy...And he doesn’t let go. 

************

Roy is angry. 

Lately, he’s always angry. 

Maybe it’s a way of ignoring that lingering pain inside him, the one that threatens to destroy him if he stops being so furious ? 

But as Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow watch upon his ex-sidekick bashing a random low life head’s in...This has to end. 

It’s not like his Roy to loose it like that. Especially not since he met you and Jason. He became a collected man, that always thought things through and..it just wasn’t his thing to use mindless violence. 

And it was tarnishing his name. And by the same occasion, Green Arrow’s. Not that Oliver cared much, no. He didn’t give a shit what people thought of the Arrows right now, he just wanted Roy to feel better. 

But it was dangerous. There was a high chance of him just getting mad and blowing everything up, telling Oliver to never talk to him again (right when they were reconnecting again at that !). 

However, the archer was ready to risk it all. For the boy’s sake...He chuckled. The boy ? But Roy wasn’t a boy anymore. Or things would be easier. 

When he was a boy, the one they used to call “Speedy” used to drink everything his mentor said, used to admire him so much and follow everything he taught him...Which is probably the source of their downfall. Of why he felt so betrayed and all when...But this was the past. 

Right now, he needed him. 

“You know, I think he understood your point...”

Oliver said, walking slowly toward Roy who was just about finishing beating up that low life drug dealer. The red archer turned around and...Had the opposite reaction Oliver was expecting. 

He was waiting for Roy to burst in anger, to tell him to go fuck himself. He was almost expecting to fight him in order to calm him down ! But this ? This was a surprise. 

Roy let go of the collar of the criminal he was holding, and the man fell back down limply, definitely knocked out. He looked at his former mentor as if he was an hallucination, or a dream, and seemed to come out of a daze and...

He sat down on the floor, or rather, fell down, sunk down on the floor. And his head fell in his hands. He didn’t say anything. He just...looked defeated. 

And Oliver never saw, even at his worst, Roy look defeated...Almost shocked, he walked toward him and sat down beside him. 

Roy jumped in the air a bit, as if he already forgot that Green Arrow was here and he looked at him curiously, but a lingering suffering was there, behind his eyes. And then, with a weak voice so unlike his normal one, he said : 

“I lost her Oli’. I lost both of them”. 

Oliver Queen didn’t need to ask who he was talking about. He knew. 

Anyone who had seen those three together knew that if for whatever reason they had a fall out, it would be bad. For all three of them. 

They seemed so close, even after Roy started to date you...

Oliver laid a hand he wanted consoling on his former sidekick’s shoulder, and was about to say something but...nothing could have prepared him for the flow of words that came out of Roy’s mouth. 

He hadn’t talk to him that much in years ! And so Green Arrow stayed there, sitting next to him, and listened. 

************

Your heart tightened as you looked upon the last picture that you took all together. You were all so happy then...Or so you thought. 

Because if everything went as fine as you thought, then why would Jason decide to kiss you and tell you he loves you ? ...

The picture was taken by him, with his phone. He was a bit in front of you, smiling and making a stupid peace sign, while you and Roy were making silly faces and...You hid the photo, shoving it in your backpack. 

It hurt too much to see it. Especially since you hadn’t seen any of them for now almost two months, had no news whatsoever and...Had those impossible feelings for both of them. 

It’s funny, that it took Jason deciding to kiss you and tell you he loves you for you to realize what has been there all along. 

That you were in love yes...with both of them. 

Which is why you so often let Jason in on your intimate moment with Roy...After all, you were the one that initiated the all thing with your simple : “Wanna join ?”

But the way you grew up, the way society worked...You thought it was actually impossible to be in love with more than one person at once, and so you convinced yourself that what you felt for Jay was just a very strong friendship, and you were just in love with Roy. 

You convinced yourself you were “normal”, that you just had a regular love story, with only two people in it...Only it has never been “normal”. 

Because from day one, Jason was always there. And then when he joined in on your sex session...You should have known it was coming. 

The disaster. Things were going too well, and yet not well enough. 

Because every time you finished having sex with each other, you craved for Jason to stay too and...You shook your head. 

What was the point in remembering and pondering all those thoughts now ? It was too late. You should have never told Jason to join, and stay the way you all were...At least, you would still be together. 

And sure, it would have mean repressing a lot of feelings but...you’d still have them. Not like now, as you were in your now empty old apartment (empty of them), gathering a few things you had never dared to come get back before now. 

In case you ran into one of them, you know ? 

Because you couldn’t face Jason nor Roy, for reasons you weren’t too sure of...Maybe you were afraid of further rejection ? Of fighting and therefor definitely ending everything between all of you ? Maybe...

You didn’t really know, and you weren’t quite ready to delve into your feelings like that, to psychoanalyse yourself just yet. 

You were about to leave the apartment when...You heard a noise coming from Jason’s bedroom. 

For some reason, you were sure it wouldn’t be Jason himself, because it seemed like he was avoiding you too lately (which was good), and went back to live at Wayne’s Manor. So in your head, it was most likely an intruder and you’d be damn if you’d let an intruder come into your house ! Even if nowadays, it wasn't really yours anymore...At least, it didn’t feel like home without Jason and Roy. 

So when you barged in Jason’s room, ready to fight whatever stranger came in, your surprise was huge to discover that it was...Actually Jason. 

You stared at each others for a bit, not really knowing what to say. 

“You um...look well.”

Jason finally broke the silence, and it brought you back to your senses. In a small voice you answer : 

“Yeah well I’m...Well. You look...Alright too.”

Another silence, but it seems like none of you want to leave the room. In fact, you feel a sudden urge to stay, and to talk more to him. To work things out. To try and understand why he did what he did when he did it. To try and understand your own feelings...After all, you still love him too. 

And Jason ? Jason doesn’t want to go out either. He wants to explain. He wants to tell you everything, as finally you’re not running away...

He originally came in just go grab some of his stuffs from his room, coming through the window as an old habit, and definitely didn’t expect you to be there. Not after two months...And yet. Yet here you were. 

And here he was. 

His chance to explain everything. To tell you how he truly feels. To maybe convince you to go after Roy ! And if you don’t love him back ? Well it was alright, he’d settle to see you and Roy happy...It’s all he ever wanted really. 

The two people he was oh so desperately in love with to be happy. 

You both speak at the same time. 

“(Y/N)/Jason I...Oh, you first !” 

And then you chuckle, and it’s been months since any of you laughed... 

You take a step towards him, and he takes one towards you. And as both of your minds’ are overflowing with what you should say, with what you should admit to each other...Everything crumbles away when you’re just a few inches from each other. 

Because the attraction is too strong. It always had been too strong. 

And you both resolve to say everything later, as he catch you in his arms and your mouth are looking for each other...Find each other. 

Your arms wind up around his neck, and he holds you close, his own arms wrapping around your waist. And before you realize it, both your lips part and your tongues dance around each other, as you press even further in his body. And he...

“I can’t fucking believe it !”

A cold chill ran in your vein, as you quickly get away from Jason (even if you don’t want to), and he does the same. You both turned around and...are faced with Roy, a sport bag on his shoulder. 

It seemed like today, all of you thought it was a good time to come back and get some stuffs...But after all, it had been two months, it was suppose to be “safe”. 

You’re about to say something, and you can see Jay is too, but Roy shuts you both down by continuing : 

“I can’t...But I should know. Of course, with me out of the picture, you both had the way free to each others ! 

“Roy it’s not...”

“Shut up ! Both of you ! ...I came here because I saw some lights. And because I needed to take a few things. I came here knowing one of you would be here, and to talk. To not leave things like we left them. And what do I find ? My best friends, whom I thought would never betray me, doing exactly that. Again.”

Roy let his bag slip off his shoulder and walks toward you. By instinct, Jason takes a step back, afraid to get punched again like last time. But Roy stops a few feet from both of you and says : 

“You know, I’d never think EVER in my life that you two would...Do something like that. I...I love you. I love you both so much ! And you’d do that to me ? Why didn’t you just tell me you wanted to be together ?! I would have accepted it ! It would have hurt, yes, but I would..I wouldn’t feel so betrayed. So left out. And it was the least you could do...” 

It was interesting, the way he was talking about both of you, not addressing his speech to only one person. And did he say...He loves you “both so much” ? 

“I don’t understand why you would do that. I just don’t...get it. I thought I could trust you. I thought I...I...” 

His voice break, and you and Jason take the few steps that separate him from you, but as he notices, he walks backwards. 

“Don’t touch me. Don’t come near me. Not after what you’ve just done !” 

It hurts. It hurts so much, the way he walks away, fear in his eyes. Fear that you’d break his heart further...

Roy doesn’t want to hear you say that you love each other. That you’re going to date from now on. He doesn’t want to hear you say that everything between you and him was fake. He...He doesn’t want to hear any excuses. 

There’s a silence, once again broken by Jason :

“I’m sorry. I...Ruined everything. As usual. I...The day you caught us, two months ago...I was about to tell you guys my big confession. The thing I hid for so long and couldn’t hold in anymore. Not after all this time spend in each others’ arms. I...”

“Let me guess Jason. Said confession is that you love her ? That you love (Y/N) ? Since when ugh ? Did you love her already when we invited you to join in on our fun ? Did you join in just because of that ? After all, it’s true that during our sex session you always paid more attention to her ! I thought, like you always said, that sex was just fun ugh ? That it meant nothing ? And so what now Jason, it does because you love her ?!” 

The Red Hood flinches a bit as his friend reminds him of what vision he had of sexual relationships before meeting them. It’s true that, whenever he slept with someone, it used to only be fun but...With them ? Ever since that first night he joined you guys ? It was never fake.

It was never just pleasure. It was...So much more. For him, at least. 

Roy seems to be on a streak of words as he keeps going, talking again about how betrayed he feels and how as soon as Jason joined he felt like he didn’t matter as much as he used to. How Green Arrow himself told him that this all situation was shitty. How...

“Oh shut up will ya ?! Let us talk too !!” 

Jason says a bit harshly. Roy turns to him and anger, but also pain cross his feature as he says : 

“How dare you ? How dare you say such a thing to me while you’re the one that...” 

And Jason doesn't think. It’s the first thing that comes to his mind to shut him up. 

He grabs him by the back of his neck and crashes his mouth on his, kissing him fiercely and passionately. And Roy...kisses back. 

They separate and look at each other, an intensity that wasn’t there before burning in their eyes. But neither of them forgot you, and they turn to you. 

They were expecting to see you hurt, even maybe crying or something, as you witnessed both of them kissing very eagerly. But...No. 

You look...Turned on. Because your brains sometimes works faster than theirs and you figured things out. And you’re relief. Oh so relief. 

You walk to them, and stop right in front of them. Jason’s hand is still behind Roy’s neck, and they’re both so close...You walk in. 

In that little circle. 

And you lay one kiss on Jason’s lips, and one kiss on Roy’s. It’s funny, they both taste like the other one...You cup their cheek, and despite the turmoil of feelings in their belly, they lean into your touch. 

“We are all...Such idiots.” 

You finally say, and it seems like the tension that was raised to the max since Roy came in suddenly deflated. Suddenly disappeared. 

You all walk a little appart, and you continue : 

“It’s...Almost to good to be true. And yet...Jason, do you love me ?” 

“Yes.” 

The man answer, without an ounce of hesitation. 

“Roy, do you love me ?” you ask. 

“...Yes.” 

He says, albeit a bit slower than Jason, as he’s still unsure what to feel right now. You keep going : 

“Jay...Do you love Roy ? And I mean, love beyond our friendship ? ” 

There’s a small silence. Jason looks at you, unsure, and afraid to show his real him. His true feelings. 

But his father’s words came back into his mind. “Don’t hide yourself, be who you are. And don’t be like me, show the people you love you love them, whenever possible, because they’ll be gone before you realize, and you end up realizing you never told them what you really felt...”

And so he says, firmly, sure of himself : 

“Yes.” 

You smile tenderly, glad that you understood what was happening with him. But now, you turn to Roy, and there..You’re not quite sure he’s like you and Jason. Not quite sure he can accept that, not quite sure he can love both of you. 

And from his answer, everything could change. In two ways. 

If he says “yes”, then there’s a chance loves you too, and you could all fix things together; But if he says “yes”, there’s also a chance that he doesn't love you, and just loves Jason and then...Your heart would be broken. 

If he says no however, he might still love you, and then Jason’s heart would be broken. And so would be this little trio of yours. 

From Roy’s answer...your world could either be turned to the best, or worst. 

“...Yes”. 

He finally says. And his head slumps down, and your heart drops. Does that mean ? ...He continues : 

“I’m sorry (Y/N). I tried not to. But...Ever since I met him I had a crush, and then...we’re just so close. A friendship so strong, and it always blew my mind how much I cared and it was all because...it wasn’t just a strong friendship. It was also love. And I’m sorry (Y/N), I really tried not to love him...”

You freeze. Does that mean...Does that mean he doesn’t love you anymore ? Or never loved you ? It was all fake to forget Jason ? Then why was he so mad Jason kissed you ? ...Oh. Oh was it because since he was in love with him, he...your heart stopped. 

You would be out of the picture. You had to step down now. 

You could feel tears welling up in your eyes...But Jason’s fingertips caught them before they fell and said : 

“We really are idiots, we keep getting stuck into those stupid misunderstanding that we could easily avoid if we...voiced our feelings more. Roy, do you love (Y/N) ? Truly love her ?” 

Roy’s head comes back up, and with a vexed look in his eyes he says : 

“Of course I love her !! I just said so a few seconds ago ! Why do you think I was so hurt when I saw you kiss her ? Felt so betrayed ? And how was I suppose to know you were going to tell us you both love us ?” 

Relief. Again. Relief washes over you. And you start to laugh. 

You can’t help it. All of this. Those two months of pain, and this tense conversation. All those quiproquos and such. All those times you didn’t understand the others’ meaning, or actions. How you almost all threw it away because of it...And here it was finally ending. 

“Oh my god. I love you both so much...” 

You hear yourself say. And they both turn and look at you, something new burning in their eyes. Jason says : 

“You...you do ?” 

“Oh yes. Yes. And if I’m being honest, have been for a while now...” 

It’s Roy’s turns now, to have a small tender smile on his face as he brushes his own fingertips on your cheek, where a few seconds ago tears threatened to fall. And where now, there were tears indeed...But tears of happiness. 

“You love us both ?” 

You don’t even know which one of you asked that, but the answer is unanimous. 

“Yes.” 

And just like that, every pent up emotions fly into the air, and you laugh. 

Oh you laugh so much... 

And you tell each others. Those three words. “I love you”. You tell each other, all of you. 

When you stop, you all look at each others, not sure of the next step now that you clumsily professed your love to each other...

Should you...talk more about it ? Try to figure out why you were all in love with two people ? Try to understand why you hid it for so long ? Just trying to be normal ? Should you just talk it through ? 

But what was there to talk about. You loved each other. It was official. 

Jason always knew it. He always knew he was in love with both you and Roy. You had discovered it right when you all fell apart. And Roy...Roy realized it only a few minutes earlier, when you asked him how he felt.

He knew since a very long time he was in love with you. But as you asked if he also loved Jason...He realized that, yes. Yes he did. And what else could you guys add ? 

Nothing. 

Or almost nothing. 

With a mischievous smile, you turn to Jason and say : 

“So...Jay. I think we have one last problem to fix.” 

Jason’s eyebrows crease. What now ? More drama ? Please, please no more dramas...He didn’t think his heart could handle it. 

But the look in your eyes as you said this...It was the same expression that you had just after him and Roy kissed. Raw heat. And a mind full of dirty ideas.

“I think our man here, doesn’t know how much we love him. How much he means to us. And I think we should refresh his...memory.”

Oh. Oh Jason knew where you were going with this, and he loved it. Your tone of voice was the same than when you were all doing the dirty and...It hits Roy too. 

In the most sensitive place it seems, as you both saw something twitch in his pants. You turn to your ex-boyfriend now boyfriend again and say : 

“Whaddaya think Roy ? Should we show you some appreciation ?” 

Your voice is oh so sultry and it always drove him so wild...He looks at you intensely and says, trying to keep his voice clear though it was already hoarsed : 

“Well, I think that would only be fair. After all, I’m the one that thought his girlfriend was cheating on him...That thought his best friends were betraying him so I feel like I deserve some...Appreciation.” 

He smiles deviously, and looks between you and Jason. And your heart swells. 

Was it really that easy ? Could you have avoided months of angstiness just by talking things through ? ...OH but you were all so stupid. 

Because it was really that easy. Once you all realized that you were equally all too important. Once you realized that you couldn’t live without the THREE of you together. 

It was really that easy. All that you needed was to...talk. To say : “I love you”. To admit you weren’t in love with just one person. To admit that little trio of yours was more than just friendship...And that you kinda knew it all along. 

Of course. Jason joined in on your sex session so easily, of course there was more. You touched each others so tenderly, of course there was more. You got along too well and always craved each others presence, of course there was more...

And here. Finally. You realized it. 

But Roy was the last one to realize it, and arguably, the one that suffered the most. Without speaking, you and Jason understood each others. 

You would take care of him a bit more tonight. And next time one of you two would feel insecure, then it’d be your turn. 

But tonight...Tonight would be all about Roy. 

************

And this is how you ended up tearing off his shirt and licking his chest all over, while Jason’s tongue was in Roy’s mouth, kissing him passionately. 

Instinctively, you placed yourselves on each side of your boyfriend. Of your lover. You were in front of him, Jason behind. 

And when Jay moved away to take his own clothes off, you took his place kissing Roy with all the passion you had in your being. Your arms were around his neck, and his were holding you close by clinging your waist. 

It’s only when you both felt Jason moving back in that you separated. Jason gave you a quick kiss, licking your lower lip, and went back to kissing Roy’s neck, sucking and biting there and there. 

You pulled away to take your clothes off, stripping sensually under Roy’s intense gaze, before going back to him. He thought you were about to kiss his lips again, but instead you peppered his jaw, chin, all the way down to his collar bone, while Jason was kissing his shoulder blades. 

You met again with Jason at the junction of his neck and shoulder, and kissed each others while massaging Roy all over. You then parted, and gave each other a wink, knowing exactly what to do to make sure that Roy would finally feel like he truly belonged. 

To make sure he would never feel as if you and Jason focused more on each others than on him during sex. 

You elicited so many moans out of Roy’s mouth, that you both feel more aroused than ever... 

You’re not ashamed to say it, you are dripping wait at the sound he makes, and at the idea of what’s coming next. And seeing the bulge in Roy’s pant, and how rock hard Jason seems to be, there is indeed no shame to have.

Roy can’t handle it anymore. 

“Guys, are you go...I...ah...I can’t...I...” 

But he can’t formulate any thoughts, as you and Jason work him up to his limit. It doesn’t take that much, as you suck and bite at his skin, stroking him all over. His pants is still on, and it becomes unbearable for him, needing more friction. 

It’s you, who release him slowly. 

You kiss down from his lips all the way to his abdomen, and finally pull his pants and boxers down, and oh you missed the sight of his cock springing to life. 

Roy moans loudly as he feels Jason slowly getting to his knees too, behind him. 

One of the archer’s hand wind up in your hair, while the other want tangles in Jay’s mane, and he’s pretty sure he’s about to die. 

You keep peppering kisses all around his inner thighs, without touching him where you want him too, and Jason does the fucking same, kissing his lower back, licking and biting but not going to the point ! 

He’s about to protest when finally, finally, so in synch that it’s so obvious you were meant to be together, you and Jason take action. 

And it’s no better...Or rather, it’s better than anything. But it still drives Roy insane. 

One of your hand loosely wrap around his cock, as your tongue leisurely run up and down his shaft in controlled movement. And Jason ? Fuck, Jason just spread his ass cheek and is giving him the best rim job he ever had. 

You can feel, by the way his hands are tightening in both your hair, and by the way he kinda raises up on his tip toe, that he’s beyond his head with pleasure. 

And so you both lick away. You both give it your all. 

But you...You’re a bit sneakier. You take your time. You slowly work an orgasm out of him. Because you know Jason will have to do more, while you’ll keep sucking him...So you slowly swirls your tongue all around him. Sometimes moving to his ball, close to Jay, to grab at each other quickly, exchanging a quick french kiss while also driving Roy crazy by stopping, even if for a second. 

You slowly suck on in, lick all over including parts all around his cock to enhance any sensation of his, while Jason preps him...

While Jason preps him for more. Because of course, he’ll do more than just a silly rim job, even if it is already, paired with the blow job, extremely pleasurable. 

At one point, you can hear Roy groan in displeasure as Jason gets to his feet...but you know what he’s doing and so you suck on Roy’s head more intensely so he forgets Jay’s absence. 

And you do a wonderful job, as both his hands are now in your hair and you feel his hips swaying in and out of your mouth of its own accord...You smiled around his dick, and patiently let him fuck your mouth as Jason comes back. 

And he has something in his hand, that makes you moan knowing what will happen. Damn. So hot. 

Oh you’re enjoying all this way too much, it almost makes you feel shameful...Almost, because you like too much giving pleasure to one of the people you love like that. 

Jason, behind Roy, coats two of his fingers with the oil he went to get, and you feel Roy’s cock twitch in your mouth as Jason places himself right and, spreading his new boyfriend’s ass cheeks again, insert slowly one, then two fingers inside him. 

Roy’s eye roll at the back of his head, and he almost falls forward, as Jason knows him too well and hit the right spot immediately. But this...this propels Roy towards you and you almost choke on his dick. 

You pull away quickly, and the two men look at you, concern in their eyes. You cough a little, but then smile at them and chuckle. 

“I guess that’s what I get for choosing such...Well endowed lovers. Just give me a second, which I think anyway, Coy Roy there needs”.

Roy scoffs, but...Yeah he kinda needs it. He’s pretty sure he could never handle your perfect lips and skills around his cock, while Jason was working him open from behind with his damn professional fingering...

Jason, his eyes fixed on you to make sure you’re ok, thrusts his fingers in and out of Roy. You exchange a look with him, and reassure him. Yeah. You’re fine. 

Through half-lidded eyes, and through his intense pleasure, Roy looks at you too, and tries to convey to you his concern but...it’s ok. You get it. Jason is after all pretty skilled with his fingers. 

You stand up, and leave a quick peck on Jay’s lips, before walking around Roy to go and slowly stroke your other boyfriend...Yes. Yes you said it was Roy’s night but you couldn’t help it. 

You just imagined Jason, during those three years, being desperately in love with the both of you and never saying anything out of fear to ruin things. Suffering on his own...And you just have to give a little bit more to him too. 

Besides, right now, there’s nothing you can do to Roy that won’t make him pass out in pleasure. Any more kisses, or blow job would be his end, as Jay works him up to his max. 

So kissing one last time Roy on the lips, you walk around him and face Jason. He looks at you curiously, as you reach to stroke his cheek...but the way he leans in. Damn. You love that man. 

Without stopping his thrusting motion on Roy, Jason kisses you, and let you stroke his dick slowly, reminiscing of that first night you all spend together, where he watched Roy fuck you as you jerked him off...

This propels his dick to twitch, and you look at him curiously. But he just smiles smugly as he reaches with his free hand to your pussy, and flick your clit teasingly. 

You keep this little game of yours for a little while. As you want to show Jason that now, he’s in this too, for good. You stroke him lovingly, and he works you just as expertly as he works Roy. You kiss, passionately...Just for a little while. 

Because this is Roy’s night. 

With your own free hand, you reach in front of Roy to jerk him too, and the desperate moan he lets out is addictive. 

You don’t realize it, but your own moans drive both your boyfriends crazy. And Roy blesses whoever gifted Jason with such a talent with his hands. 

For a little while, you stroke both of their cocks, while Jason fingers you and Roy and...It’s mostly Roy’s night, but you also need release. 

You move away from them, and they both groan, shooting you a disapproving look as you walk away...But you go towards the bed. 

You sit on the edge, and slowly crawl in the middle, gesturing to them to come closer, with your most sensual and sexy moves. 

And oh, both their dicks jerks up at the motion. And they know what you want, what you mean. You don’t even need to talk. You never need to talk. You always understand each other oh so perfectly. 

Jason let’s Roy go, and they both walk towards you. 

But tonights Roy’s night. And you had an idea that they understood in mind. 

Roy kneeled in front of you, as you took hold once more of his cock, and started to play with it while Jason was getting ready...

This time, the Red Hood coated his own dick with oil. He settled himself behind Roy, and inserted a finger inside him once again, to be sure he was not going to hurt him...and then..Then Jason spreads Roy’s thighs. 

And you see, through said spread thighs, as he gets ready, stroking himself a few times before settling at Roy’s entrance. 

Roy takes a deep breath, bracing himself but...it’s Jason we’re talking about. The only man that you him that well. The only person he trusted entirely with handling his body. And as you were licking his cock head again...Jason slowly penetrated Roy. 

Slowly. Not forcing his way. Stopping if he felt it resisted a bit, realigning and pushing further...Until he was fully sheathed in his boyfriend. 

Roy growled out, as Jason made that sound you loved so much. That desperate little gasp of pleasure. You smiled to yourself as you took a little step back, sitting in front of them. You knew how things would unfold. 

Both their eyes were closed, and it almost seemed like they had forgotten you, buried in each other so deeply...But they didn’t. 

Jason’s eyes shot open, and he slowly bend Roy down, towards you. 

Jay’s cock was easing itself slowly in and out of the man, making smooth thrusting motion, and Roy finally spoke up : 

“I...I hated...I hated both of you so much...” 

He sighs, as Jason fucks him slowly, and you stroke him tenderly, brushing your thumb over the head of his cock, where some pre-cum gathered. 

“I...I can’t believe I hated you so much...” 

Jason continues to thrust, with a little more force now, taking Roy’s moans as his queue to go faster and harder. But everything comes to a sudden stop...

Roy’s hand stops Jason’s hips to slam into him again, while his other free hand pulls you off his dick and shows to you to lay down on the bed. 

Roy turns to a concerned Jason, who was afraid he just had hurt him, and says : 

“It just doesn’t seem fair, that I’m only forgiving you right now...” 

And Jay understands. He nods, and let himself fall forward with Roy. 

You look at him curiously until...Oh. Yes. Of course. 

Roy slides himself inside you easily, as your walls are wetter than they’ve ever been. He buries himself to the hilt, holding himself up with his elbows on each side of your face, and it’s your turn to roll your eyes to the back of your head, because damn, he knew you too well, and hit that particular spot with his first motion. 

That particular spot that ached to be hit since the beginning of all this. 

And just like that, Jay started to move again, in perfect synch with Roy’s movement inside you. Whenever the archer was thrusting deep within you, Jay was pulling out of him, and vice versa. 

Thrust.

Thrust.

Thrust.

“Ah. You’re so fucking beautiful. So fucking beautiful...and I dreamt of this for so long...” 

You’re not really sure of who says this, and to whom, but does it really matter ? In the end, no. Because it could have been any of you that said that, to any of you, and it would mean the same. 

You all thought you were gorgeous. Beautiful. Sexy. Oh so fucking hot. So who cared, who said what to who ? It was meant for all three of you. 

In, out.

In, out.

In, out.

"I wanted to fuck you, I wanted to taste you, I wanted to come all over you-"

And who the cares to whom that was destined ? Because you all wanted to fuck each others, to taste each others and man if the occasion arised, to come all over each other...The mere thought made you all moan, tighten around each other, hands tangling in hair, kisses lost on collar bones and tongue licking backs and shoulder blades. 

Mouth finding each other hungrily, tongue dancing around each others, and who cared who did it with who ? Because in that moment, you were all so connected. You were all just one being. 

Thrust. Gasp from one of you...Or maybe all of you ? 

Thrust going faster. Inside Roy’s ass. Inside your pussy. In total synch. 

"Your beautiful cock in my mouth. Your come. You taste so good."

Did you say that ? Or was it Roy ? Maybe Jason ? You didn’t even differentiate each others’ voice now, because all of you said what was on everyone’s mind. You were oh so perfectly connected. 

Thrust. 

“Oh God-”

Someone is on the verge of coming, and you’re not quite sure who...Maybe you ? After all, feeling Jay moving in and out of you so perfectly, lying above you, is driving you crazy...And now...Now...

Is that Jason’s fingers, slowly flicking your clit ? Yes. Yes it is. 

Roy’s hands are on either sides of your head, to keep himself and Jay off of you (they would be too heavy), so it couldn't be you...You shoot a look up to Jason and...One of his hand is holding Roy’s hips firmly, leaving marks of his fingers on his skin, but the other one...the other one went down to your clit. 

And maybe it was you, who was on the verge of coming and who uttered this “Oh God”, but you didn’t even realize it...

In, out. 

In, out. 

Thrust. 

Deep thrust. 

Hard and fast now. 

“Roy...” 

Thrust. 

“Jason...” 

Earth shattering thrust. 

“(Y/N)...”

Crippling pleasure. 

“Oh Roy...I’m gonna...I’m gonna...”

“Jay, don’t stop, don’t...”

“(Y/N), you’re so warm and tight and...”

“Ah ! Mmm...” 

You don’t know who says what. And it doesn’t matter. 

Because now...Now...

Now Roy cries out desperately, as you feel him thrust three more times inside you before unleashing his own warmth deep inside, coating your walls with his seed. 

And now you tighten around him as he helps you ride out your own orgasm that you didn’t even realize hit you a few seconds before, and through him over the edge. And you cling to Roy’s shoulder, digging your nails inside them. 

And he...oh he can’t. It’s two strong, to have a double orgasm like that...Because as he was making love to you (there was no fucking between all of y’all anymore), and came inside you, Jason was hitting all the right spot and made him orgasm again, his ass tensing around Jay’s cock and...

It was the final cries, the final yell of pleasure, groans, growls...The end of this heated love making session. 

Jason. Jason was last. And he didn’t hold back. 

He thrusted a few more times in Roy’s tight ass, feeling how the man’s walls were closing around his veiny cock, and he came. 

Oh he came so much. 

Two months of pent up feelings. 

And then he was falling on his side, in the bed, and Roy was too, ending up sandwiched between you and Jason. 

And sure it was kind of a mess, and you needed to clean up but...Right now, right now you were too spend to move. 

Roy couldn’t feel his legs anymore, and all his muscles were painfully throbbing after such two intense orgasms. You were cuddled up against Roy’s chest, a hand lost on Jason’s waist, unable to move ether. And Jason...Jason could have moved, but he didn’t want to. Because moving would mean letting go of both of you, and he just couldn’t do that just now. 

Not just as he found you back. Not just as he discovered that he was loved as much as he loved. Not...Not just now. 

Finally. Things were how they always were supposed to be.

With Jason falling asleep with you and Roy.

With the three of you falling asleep in each others’ arms (Roy having the best place that night, the middle).

You and Roy had dated for three years, but it’s only now that this little missing thing you always felt fell into place.

It was Jason all along.

Of course.

Roy was almost mad that you all wasted three years like that...

But now it was all over. The missing piece was found and in the puzzle.

You were together. And you all loved each other just the same...

************

Sometimes though, one of you would feel a bit less loved for some reasons (often a result of them overthinking). And it couldn’t be more wrong because the feelings you all had for each others was equal...But eh.

You couldn’t control your insecurities.

So sometimes, one of you would need a remainder that he or she was loved all the same.

If it was you, oh the treat you were in for, as they’d both take very good care of you (and of your holes). Working you to multiple orgasm, to exhaustion, so you would stop having such silly thought of “maybe they love each other more than they love me”. 

Because you all loved each other the same. 

If it was Roy, you’d have a reenactment of the night you all admitted your feelings to each other. It was always great, and extremely tiring. 

And if it was Jason ? Well. Jason was particular. When he felt less loved, you had to leave everything to him. Let him in charge of every movements. Which often ended in both you and Roy sprawled on the bed while he was eating you out and jerking him off, or blowing him off and fingering you...

But you’d always make sure that every single one of you knew his or her place in the trio. Knew that there was none of that “I love you more” bullshit between you. You were all desperately in love with each others, equally, and nothing nor anyone could ever change that. 

You were planning on having a long and fulfilling life altogether...And Alfred, aka best butler ever, was already preparing everything for the future “trio wedding”, because he was sure it was only a matter of time before you guys asked each others to get married, and man if the old butler wasn’t all for his master to be happy. And if you and Roy made him happy ? He’d prepare this impossible marriage with three party. Every day of the week. 

The end (?). 

_______________________________

Ok. Sorry if this is terrible, especially the sex scene (at first, I wanted to write multiple little scenes, but ended up writing a big one so...yeah. Maybe I’ll write more if you like this pairing...or like...trioing (how do we call them ?!)...If you like Jason x Reader x Roy. I’m not good at writing smut and I’m cringing so hard every time I do, but I still somewhat enjoy writing it so...Why not, if you liked it. Sorry...OK. The end. As usual though, feedbacks = life. 

PS : Yes, as usual I did NOT re-read myself so sorry for typos. I just can’t proof read something of mine, I cringe too much. 

[scaryscarecrows]

Roots and Leaves, Pt. 6

DC did it first. Take your grievances to them.

Jason and Sheila e-mail back and forth for about a week before she says that she has Thursday off so if he has Thursday off does he want to meet for lunch again?

Last time wasn’t bad. Not a lot of staring or people or anything. He can…he can probably do it again. And it’s a few days away still, so he has time to psyche himself up or, worst case scenario, fake his death and move to Canada.

And it’s been a week and she hasn’t pulled out the Pity Card on him yet and maybe…maybe this’ll all work out okay. She might never be Mom, because Catherine’s always gonna be Mom, but…but she could be Mother, maybe. He can see that in the distant (or not-so-distant?) future.

But he’s not going to rush into things, that’s what got him here in the first place. Patience, grasshopper.

Thursday rolls around and he hasn’t faked his death and moved to Canada, so he has no choice but to put on jeans and a hoodie and resign himself to a couple of hours, easy, of no sunglasses and no e-book shield.

Sorry, any small children who might come out of this traumatized.

Okay. He brings his Kindle anyway, and his sunglasses for the journey, and sticks to his normal Civilian Weaponry-couple’a knives, one pair of brass knuckles tucked into a hidden pocket in his hoodie. Last thing he needs is for someone to pick up a bullet, match it to the Red Hood’s, and come knocking on his door. His luck is bad enough that’s exactly what would happen.

Besides, it’s noon on a Thursday, and even in Gotham that’s a slow hour. Bank robbers gotta eat, too.

The monorail ride there is literal Hell (three fighting couples, two crying kids and old man with no personal spaaaaace!) and he’s literally gasping for air when he stumbles out of the car. He likes people. Honest. If he legitimately hated them all, he wouldn’t risk his life to help them. But interacting with them…he could do without that, mostly.

Whatever. Whatever. It’s over, he lived, he’s had worse.

(And no, he doesn’t hear faint cackling in his head, and that’s final.)

It’s windy today, the type of wind that buffets people every which way and is determined to keep his hood off his head. He fidgets with the drawstrings until it’ll stay and buries his hands in his pockets. Wind sucks. He can feel pollen and dust and Gotham Grime being blown onto his skin.

“Jason!”

Is he there already?

Sheila…looks a lot more haggard than she did before. He tries to remember if she’d mentioned being horribly busy, doesn’t think she did, and figures that to be fair, he hasn’t mentioned the bruise that goes halfway up his back.

She smiles, her awkward driver’s license smile, and waves. Yeah, she doesn’t…it must’ve been a long week, or maybe a rough drive or something. She looks tired.

“Hi.” He’s not sure what to call her, still. Miss Haywood is too disconnected, Sheila’s too personal, and it’s way, way too soon for Mother. Names are a pain. “I’m not late, am I?” He knows he’s not. “Monorail was packed.”

“So was the subway. Can I…?”

Her arms are half-out and he figures she’s asking for a hug. He can do a hug, as long as it’s a short hug.

“Yeah. Thanks for the warning.”

Holy crap, she feels frail. But to be fair, barring Dick’s tackle-hug, everyone’s felt frail since…since. So it could just be him. Hugs are weird now.

(“HUG YOUR DADDY!”)

No. Not today. Everything’s fine.

It’s a sort-of short hug, short enough, anyway, and he wonders, abstractedly, if a day will ever come that he’s used to that sort of thing again. If it even matters whether he does or doesn’t.

It does. Of course it does. And the day will come, in time, and he’ll be better, be normal, be what people want him to be.

Little steps.

* * *

They’ve fallen into a companionable silence and for once Jason’s not jumping whenever someone walks by in a purple sweater or anything when Sheila forces her lips out from between her teeth and says, “I know you were Robin.”

Well. That’s, uh, there’s that out of the way.

“Yeah.” There’s clearly no point in denying it. She probably put it together when Batman came knocking. “For a little while, yeah. I was.” He tastes blood, wonders how long he’s been doing that, and wishes he had gum. Or a mint. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right off, I just…old habits die hard, I guess.”

“Oh God, no, no, I didn’t mean-” She takes a drink. Her hands are shaking, she’s shaking and he doesn’t know what’s wrong. “I just. I thought I should probably make it clear that I did know, so you wouldn’t…I know I was absent, but I don’t want…you shouldn’t feel like you have to hide things from me.”

Oh. That’s. He doesn’t know what to say. Bruce, God knows, has the emotional capabilities of a Himalayan Salt Lamp. Thankfully Jason hadn’t been the type to go through crushes every two weeks, or he probably would have been in Hell. He certainly wouldn’t have…it’s not like he would have shut down the conversation, but sharing and caring? That would have been awkward and best not repeated. Alfred was the go-to for that sorta thing.

All right, then. Since they’re dropping sudden bombshells ‘n all…he has to know.

“You worked for Joker.” There. It’s out. He said it.

And now he kinda regrets it-the self-loathing on her face is a pretty good match for his own, and he can’t tell himself it’s anything less than deep, deep wishing to have made better choices.

“I did.” She straightens up, begins tearing apart a piece of bread on her plate. “Briefly. I’m not proud, but he had a line to my mother, knew where she lived, knew her schedule…knew.” She swallows hard. “Knew she had to rubber-band her jam jars because she couldn’t open them otherwise. I panicked. But it was only for a couple of months-pills, he wanted pills, as much as I could get him. And then he just…went away. I don’t know what he did with them.”

Honestly, after everything, he can’t…he doesn’t have the right to say much. And honestly? There was that one guy, who accidentally cut the fucker off in traffic and couldn’t get away from him.

And look at him. The first man he killed, that wasn’t…oh, sure, he probably had it coming, at least a little, but Jason wasn’t thinking about that or considering it like he does now, he just…he wanted to kill Bruce. Because that was right and reason at the time even though he knows it’s insanity now.

No, he can’t say much.

“I’m sorry,” he says softly, and it’s suddenly easier to look at his hands. “I didn’t…that sounds awful.”

“No.” She tips his chin up and it’s an effort not to pull away and to remember that it’s fingers, warm human fingers, and not the pointy end of a crowbar against his skin. “You deserved to know. It’s only fair.”

Truth be told, it’s a relief to know that she hadn’t…yeah, technically she could’ve…maybe done something different, but she hadn’t wanted to work for him. She wasn’t like the ones he’d christened Dumb and Dumber that…they enjoyed that kinda work.

Lunch is finished in relative silence after that, though, and he’s wondering what’s going to happen now when she rifles through her purse and swears.

“Damn…I meant to grab an old photo album I wanted to show you, with some old family pictures and things.”

Pictures of Willis? Yeah, he’s good. Pictures of other people might be interesting, though.

“Next time?”

“My apartment’s a few blocks over.”

Something feels off. He’s paranoid, he knows he’s paranoid, but something…she’s been shaky and weird all afternoon and he doesn’t…

Calm the fuck down, you freak out when someone window-shops for too long!

“Is everything…is everything okay?”

Or maybe something is wrong-she pulls a napkin over and there’s suddenly a pen in her hand.

“I really do want you to see these pictures, Jason,” she says, but her hand is moving and there’s the ever-so-faint skrit-skrit of pen on paper. “I swear you got my mother’s eyes.”

The napkin slides over to him and he glances down. Her handwriting’s spikey and awful-doctor writing to the bone-but his is no better and he can read it well enough.

An old colleague has been hanging around the hospital lately.

Oh.

That explains a bit.

“Sure.”

Her shoulders drop and she crumples the napkin, nails picking it into shreds.

“I’m sorry to do this to you,” she says softly, nearly too soft for him to hear, and he’s quick to shake his head.

“No, no, I don’t mind, I’m glad you…if there’s anything I can do to…”

Shit, she looks like she’s going to start crying and that is indeed PANIC in his throat. Tears are not good.

“You’re a good boy.” Her voice is watery but there are no tears to be seen. Thank Jesus. “I promise next time we have lunch it’ll be normal.”

Oh, good, things haven’t plummeted down to fiery Hell because of all the revelations flying around.

“Everything’s gonna be fine,” he says, and whoops that’s his ‘all will be well, citizen, never fear!’ voice. But it must work, because the about-to-cry look disappears. “Um. Do you wanna…it looks like it’s gonna rain, should we get going?”

And so they do.

* * *

The wind has picked up and it smells like rain. He’s not looking forward to patrol later.

The wind’s not so bad, though, to stop Sheila from lighting up with a self-depreciating, “I know I’m a doctor and should know better, but I honestly don’t care.”

“I can’t really say anything.” He holds up his own pack and rattles it before pulling one out. It’s not as calming as it usually is and he doesn’t know why.

Eh. It’s been a long day, that’s all. He’s not used to interacting with people on a personal level anymore, which is his own fault and probably not necessarily a good thing.

The first few drops have started to fall when they arrive at her building-big, square, and simplistic. She fishes out her keys while they’re in the elevator (which smells like new car, for some reason).

The hallway is deserted. It’s a little creepy, to be honest-his own building might be crap, but there’s always activity. And then, of course, there was Arkham’s hallways, or what he could hear of them. Noisy. Always noisy. But this? Wayne Manor was silent like this. It unsettled him then and it unsettles him now. Call him a city boy, whatever, but he needs noise.

The brass knuckles and knives in his jacket are warm and comforting and he knows he’s not gonna need ‘em, but they make up for this creepy-ass silence.

Sheila opens the door and motions him inside. It’s dark inside-blackout curtains, probably-but he can hear the rain. It smells like new car in here, too, and he wonders, off-handedly, why-

-it’s not empty. He’s walked into one too many ‘empty’ buildings to be very, very attuned to the sound of somebody breathing. Okay. Be calm, back out and shut the door.

He’s about to do exactly that when the light switch clicks and bathes the whole place in stark white. White walls, white floors, white furniture.

Which only makes Harley Quinn stick out like a sore thumb in all that red and black.

“BAY-BEE!” She could never hope to match Joker’s grin, but she gives it a good go, stretching her makeup. Okay. Change of plans. Get Sheila out of here (and preferably out of the building), deal with Quinn. “It’s been a whiiiiile!”

He takes in the mallet leaning against the couch and the shotgun (are those fuzzy dice? Really?) in her hands and comes to the conclusion that great, she’s riding the crazy train.

But maybe she hasn’t seen Sheila yet. Where’s that goddamn light switch?

He moves, only a little, only to feel the unmistakable press of a gun against his lower back.

“Don’t. Move.”

And the world drops out from under him.

No. No, no, no, she said she quit, it was over, she said they’d let her go, she said-

The door shuts. He twists so he can still see Quinn in his peripheral. Sheila’s face is a blank mask-no tears, no joy, no nothing. Just quiet determination and he doesn’t understand, she said…

“Mom?” The word feels thick and wrong in his mouth, but maybe…maybe she’s brainwashed or hypnotized or something, maybe she doesn’t…isn’t…

“Sorry, kid.” The words are harsh but her tone isn’t. Quinn giggles in the background but she sounds so far away and Sheila’s still pressing a gun against him. “It was you or me, and, well…it had to be you.”

What?

“Aww, come to mama, baby!” Quinn giggles again before straightening up and scowling. “Now.”

His feet drag him forward, sneakers scuffing against the white carpet an’ Heaven’s s’posed ta be white, innit, so why does this feel like Hell and what’s going on she said she said-

For once horrible, desperate second, he wants Bruce. Bruce wouldn’t…yeah, he’d thought, at first, that he’d left him but he knows that he didn’t, he really didn’t, he just…

Bruce wouldn’t have pulled a gun on him, he wouldn’t and God, if he’d just fucking talked to him-

“I did what you wanted, Quinn.” Sheila’s voice is so, so flat and is this all she wanted from the beginning? Is it? “Now call your man.”

Quinn doesn’t even look at her. She’s looking at Jason like she always did-like she’s torn between wanting to rip his head off and wanting to wrap him in a blanket and keep him.

This is his own goddamn fault, he just thought…just once, just once-

“Quinn!” Desperation now, and the gun wobbles against his hoodie as she steps out from behind him. “I did what you said! Call your man!”

Okay. Okay.

He forces himself to take a few deep breaths that taste like that last cigarette outside and says, voice as steady as he can make it, “Let her go, Harley. Leave her alone, I’ll. I’ll do what you want, just. Just let her go.”

“Aww, look at you!” Her pigtails sway and he finds himself oddly hypnotized by the movement. “I knew ya had to be Robin for a reason.”

Yeah. Yeah, he was Robin and that’s all he’ll ever be, the one that fucked up.

“Please, Harley.”

“Nyeh…” She adjusts her grip on the gun, finger dancing near the trigger, and looks down at her knuckles. “Eeny, meanie, miny, moe, catch a Batman by the toe. If he hollers, let ‘im go, eeny…meanie…miny…moe!”

He sees it before she does it, but there’s no time-he’s moved maybe half a centimeter before the gun goes off-

-and Sheila.

Falls.

His ears are ringing. They’re ringing and everything’s so white except her, all blonde and blue and so fucking red because Harley didn’t miss and if he’d been quicker, he should have been-

“Aww, don’t be sad!” Harley’s not alone, of course she’s not. He should have known from the start stupidstupidstupid. “Doncha know what happens to people who know too much?”

Her eyes are open. They’re open and they’re looking at him like this is his fault and it is if he hadn’t…

S’like Joker said, once.

“Good boys know how to lay down and DIE.”

“Mistah J had a spot for ya, baby.” Huh? “But you up an’ left us before it was time! So since it’s his birthday-” The fucker has no birthday he just appeared one day too evil for Hell. “-I thought I’d get my puddin’ somethin’-” She winks. “Real nice.”

And they’re on him.

Harley’s goons are dumb, but they’re also big and they manage to drag him down for a minute before he gets a knife out of his sleeve and drives it into the nearest jaw.

“Andre!” Yeah, Andre ain’t comin’ back from that any time soon. “I thought we taught you manners!”

He reclaims his knife and scrambles back up and okay okay maybe he can get outta this-

WHAM!

Lights out.

[survivingthejungle]

never fade away; part vii

oh goodness. it’s been a hot minute since i wrote a new part to this. bear with me. i’m getting back into the swing of things.

_____________________________________

This was it. 

The apocalypse. 

Armageddon. 

The End of Times. 

You had been dragged inside of some abandoned warehouse, watched Jerome make a crazy speech about ‘what death was like’, and ‘how Gotham was going to be reborn into chaos’, and you watched him murder a man via explosives on live television. He grabbed you before running out of the building, pushing yourself in front of him to make you run fast enough to get out. (And also to act as a human shield in case the police were waiting for him outside.) 

The city was pitch black. Never before had you been able to see more than 10 stars in the sky in Gotham; now you could easily see at least a million. Of course, the smog and air pollution was ever-present, but the city lights being cut off was quite effective in facilitating the visibility of the night sky. 

You admired being able to see the natural brightness and decorations of the universe; you did not, however, appreciate the fact that it was caused by Jerome. 

The boy who was seemingly determined to make your life a living hell. 

To say that he was not intriguing as a concept would be lying. What’s not interesting about some 19-year-old killing his family, escaping from a prison for the criminally insane, going around a city he isn’t from and killing people every chance he gets, kidnapping 16-year-olds, and cutting off the whole power supply of said city?

You only wished you hadn’t been the poor, previously aforementioned 16-year-old. And why did he obsess over you, you wondered?

From the time you were forced to spend in the penthouse in Downtown Gotham, you could pick up on the fact that he liked your appearance and had even considered you pretty. You could also pick up on the fact that he very clearly enjoyed games. You were like a game to him. ‘Let’s see how many times I can kidnap (y/n), let’s see how long I can kidnap (y/n) this time, let’s see how many emotional scars I can leave (y/n) with this time around,’... the list went on. 

“Be honest- how’s my face look?” he asked out of the blue, in the midst of a silent car ride towards  what was begining to look like a suburb. 

“Uh... not good.”  “Hm.” He considered this. “Well, I did say ‘be honest’, so I’ll give ya that one, babe. Say- what game do you wanna play first?” “What?” you asked him. 

“You know... dunk tank, balloon popping, ring tosses... name your pick, beautiful. This is your night as much as it is mine.” That confused you. “Why is that?”

“Well, because we’re finally together again! This is what people have been waiting for, isn’t it?” Theatrically, he made a sign with a free hand while steering. “Jerome and (y/n), the dynamic duo, back at it again! Hahahahaha!”

“Sure, that’s what all your cult freaks wanted. Sure isn’t what I wanted. And we aren’t a duo. And I don’t want to play carnival games. I want to go home. You can let me out here,” you tried, “I’ll walk?”

“Not gonna happen, hot stuff. You don’t get it, do you?”

“Don’t... Don’t get what?” you questioned. 

“I don’t want to let you go. I don’t want to lose you again. Death made me realize a lot of things, and I intend on keeping you with me from here on out. You’re gonna stick around with me from here on out!” The car was parked now, in the driveway of some bougie-looking mansion. “I’m not gonna let you go easy this time. No one’s gonna stab me in the neck and let you go this time. You’re staying with me now kid, we’re in this for the long haul!” You were disturbed by the serious tone of his voice now. 

You had a worried look plastered on your face; a reasonable reaction. You refused to look at him, instead you chose to stare down at the floor and focus on not crying. Someone will find me, you promised yourself. They won’t let this happen to me again. Someone must be looking for me. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry. 

“Hey. Hey... look at me. Give me a smile, huh?” he nudged your shoulder, trying to get you to look at him. You did nothing, just tried to pull farther away from him. “Ah, you’ll get used to it after a while. It’ll be like last time, remember! You were fine eventually! We just gotta get you back in the swing of things.” “NO!” you yelled, tears beginning to fall freely now. “Don’t you understand? I was never fine! I was faking it so that you wouldn’t kill me! I was protecting myself! I never wanted to be with you! And I don’t want to be with you now! Why don’t you understand that?” You turned back from facing him and buried your face in your hands, trying to control your tears and make them stop. 

Your breathing was cut short when a strong hand wrapped itself around your throat, restricting the blood flow to your brain as well as air flow to your lungs. Your head was pressed to the back of the seat of a car; you had no escape. In his eyes, you saw no emotions; well, nothing other than pure, unbridled rage. “I’m gonna let that go with a warning, babe, because I know you didn’t mean it. But if you act up like that again? Well... it’s not gonna be pretty. I can promise you that,” he spat, his face mere milimeters from yours. “Capisce?” 

“Yes,” you managed to choke out, barely making a sound at all. 

“Is this gonna happen again? Because you know, I’m not as patient as I used to be.” His grip loosened on your neck slightly. “No. It won’t. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt me again.” You looked at him with pleading, glassy eyes, praying to God that your life would be spared for even just a day longer. He didn’t respond to this. He simply got out of the car, walked over to your side, and opened it expectantly. 

“Well?” he goaded, gesturing for you to get out. As you hesitantly got out and stood up, he said, “Well, gee, (Y/N), you’re so welcome for opening the door and being so chivalrous. There’s not many gentlemen left these days.” “Thank you, Jerome,” you croaked out hoarsely. He mock bowed to you and laughed, the slits on the sides of his mouth widening grotesquely. 

“Hands,” he demanded suddenly, “Put ‘em out.” You obliged carefully. He pulled a convenient rope out of his back pocket and began to tie it around your wrists. “I know you’re still not used to having me back yet. Can’t risk you tryin’ to run off, can we?” He smiled at you, like he had completely forgotten about everything else that had just happened. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” ______________

Eventually, after chaos was wreaked at Wayne Manor, you and Bruce Wayne were both thrown into the back of Jerome’s hijacked squad car. He hightailed it to a makeshift carnival in the middle of town; just about the only place with any working electric. Once there, Bruce turned to you quickly; in the short moment Jerome had stepped out of the car, he told you, “I promise I will get us out of here.” The sincerety in his voice gave you a sliver of hope for the rest of the night; you were basically both in the same boat, and you were both trying to get out of it together. 

You tried to stay mostly silent throughout the whole debacle, afraid that if you let the wrong word slip out, you might end up dying like one of the people in the awful makeshift carnival games by which you were surrounded. Even when your newest friend was suddenly faced with death-by-canon, you made sure not to make a peep. If Jerome thought you two were starting to be pals, he’d surely kill Bruce in a split second. He was possesive that way, among many other ways.

But you dropped the façade in the house of mirrors. More specifically, once Bruce broke a mirror and ripped your bindings off, before nearly killing the ginger. 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Brucie,” Jerome choked out, “Not in front of my girl, would ya please? Poor thing’ll be traumatized for the rest of her life if she sees me go again.” You knew in your heart he was probably joking, but he almost souned the slightest bit sincere every time you were a topic of conversation. 

“She’s already traumatized by you, you clown,” Bruce spat at him. “(Y/N), run! Get out of here! I can handle myself!” he ordered you. You nodded and ran, making sure to not look back at the expression on the redhead’s face (or lack thereof) when you took off. Finding your way out, you were met face-to-face with Detective Gordon, as well as Bruce’s butler, Alfred, who you’d both assumed to be dead and gone by now. 

“Christ, (Y/N), we need to get you out of here. We have no idea where Jerome could be right now,” Jim motioned for you to stand next to him in order for him to keep a closer eye on you. 

“He’s in there, Detective Gordon, and so is Bruce Wayne. Jerome almost killed him but by the time I got free, Bruce had the upper hand. I don’t know what the status is right now, though-” and you didn’t have too, because Bruce was walking out of the same exit you had just been through, looking absolutely exhaused with his sad clown makeup still painted on. Jim, Alfred, and you all breathed a sigh of relief, before you saw the devil-boy come out with a vengeful look in his eye, and a loaded gun in his hand. 

“BRUCE! Behind you!” you yelled, and Bruce managed to get out of the line of fire. Soon after this, Detective Gordon clocked Jerome in the face so hard that his... well, that is face flew off into a dirty puddle on the ground, and Jerome fell straight back as well. 

______________

4 days later and, while you knew your life would never exactly be normal ever again, you had hoped that it wouldn’t get interrupted again for at least a while. 

While walking Sadie downtown one day, you happened to pass by the GCPD at the same time that Detective Gordon was headed outside. “Oh, (Y/N)! Coincidence crossing paths with you right now; see, I’ve got a bit of bad news,” he told you.

“Oh gosh,” you responded, “What happened? Please tell me he didn’t get out again...” you pleaded to a higher power. 

“No, no... but it is about him,” he informed you. “He’s been making threats, (Y/N), and he’s gone through with all of them, but he’s given us an ultimatum...” he trailed off. 

“What happened, Detective?” you wondered. 

“He’s been killing inmates and guards left and right. Now, there’s not much we can do, since he is already locked up, but he just offered us a deal. It’s... it’s about you.” “What about me? I’ll do it, Detective, I don’t want him to keep killing people. I’m so sick of people killing each other all of the time.” The detective sighed. “He said he’d stop, but only if you would come and see him at least once a week in Arkham. Now, before you say anything, if you agree, we’ll have plenty of armed personel with you during any visit, and a bulletproof barrier between you during every meeting. Are you okay with this?” he asked you, searching for a sign of reaction in your face.

You nodded. “I’ll do it. I’ll be okay. I can do it,” you told him. “I can do it,” you said once more, this time to yourself. 

_______________________________________________

hi friendos. it has been a long ass time (as i have already mentioned i know)

i have had this stuck in my drafts waiting to be finished for about a month. im the literal worst. i know. please accept this as my apology. 

in other news?? the newest episode has got me FUCKED ALL THE WAY UP like damn. all my boys be lookin fine as hell on these thursday nights. god bless amen hallelujah i’m tired and i just got back from spring break so forgive me if this is bad i love u all. 

u kno da drill. feedback is welcome, encouraged, and appreciated

[lfthinkerwrites]

Regarding Jonathan Crane, pt. 3

Title: Regarding Jonathan Crane

Fandom: Batman

Rating: T

Warning: Mentioned Character Death, brief descriptions of past violence

Summary: Bruce is made aware of the situation and reflects on the events that brought them to this point.

Previous Chapters:  1/2

AO3 Link

Saturday, February 3rd

8:30 pm

Since he'd escaped from Arkham Island almost 24 hours earlier, Croc had kept a low profile. Bruce knew though it would only be a matter of time before he caught his trail somewhere beneath the city. Croc was predictable. Dick was already out scouring the Bowery for information, while Oracle and Tim listened in on any radio chatter. Bruce himself was driving into the Bowery, after giving Gordon his latest update.

"How goes your search Master Bruce?"

Bruce pressed the intercom on the car to respond. "No sign of Croc yet. I'm going to meet Dick now in the Bowery. According to an associate of his, Croc has a lair somewhere beneath the old Blue Line subway tunnels. We'll be checking that out first. How's everything back at the Manor?"

"As well as can be expected, though Master Damian is quite insistent that he should have been allowed to accompany you."

"No," Bruce said adamantly. "Damian's not prepared to take on someone like Croc just yet."

"You and Master Dick should exercise caution as well. I know how difficult your last encounter with Croc was for you sir."

Bruce's grip tightened on the Batmobile's steering wheel. His last encounter with Croc had been the night of the Arkham Riot, when he'd been down in Croc's lair to get the spore samples that would counteract Dr. Young's TITAN formula. His encounter with Croc had been difficult yes, but it was what had happened before that still haunted him at night, almost two years later...

...He's still fighting off the effects of Crane's latest toxin as he chases the Rogue down into the sewers. It's more potent than it's ever been. He should of seen this coming he thinks. Crane had been too quiet since Nigma went into his coma. That always meant that he was up to something. Finally, he reaches the door that leads into Croc's lair and goes through it. He stops and slowly walks in. Scarecrow is in control tonight, not Crane. That makes the situation even more dangerous.

He sees Crane at the edge of the water, holding his pouch above it. "Stay back!" He cries out, his usually deep voice high and tinged with mania. "Or this goes into the water supply!" He dangles the bag over the edge and Bruce pauses. There's no reasoning with him at this point. Any scraps of human decency that Crane had ever had had gone with Nigma. Bruce slowly begins to reach for a batarang from a back pouch on his belt.

"Don't! I warn you!" Crane shouts again. "There's enough toxin to drive Gotham mad with fear for a hundred years!"

"Don't do it Crane," Bruce says. Then he pulls the one card he thinks he has left, even if it disgusts him to do so. "Edward is still out there Jonathan. Will you doom him too?"

For a moment, Crane hesitates. "Edward..." he says. Then his voice hardens. "You took him from me. You"ll pay for that. This whole goddamn city will pay for that!" He raises the pouch over the water again and Bruce reaches behind his belt. He'll only have one shot, he needs to make it count-

Suddenly something rises from the water and grabs onto Crane. Bruce realizes it's Croc. Croc raises the scrawny man above his head and the pouch falls harmlessly onto the ground. Bruce races to pick it up before firing the batarang at Croc's shock collar. The collar goes off, shocking Croc, but he does not let go of Crane. With a growl, he plunges back into the murky depths, taking Crane with him.

Bruce should go after them. He's not sure what Croc intends to do with Crane, but he has to stop him. He's about to dive into the water when the Earth above him shakes. The TITAN infected plants are still growing. He needs to get the spores for the antidote or everyone on this island will die, to say nothing of what Joker will do if he gets into Gotham City. But if he doesn't go in, Jonathan Crane may die. One life, vs hundreds, potentially thousands... He takes one last look at the water, then he continues into the lair...

...That was the last time anyone had seen or heard from Jonathan Crane. As far as Gotham and the rest of the world was concerned, the man was dead. Bruce sighed. He should have been more resistant to the fear toxin. He should have been quicker to disarm Crane. He should have gone after Croc. Every death that happened on his watch, no matter whose it was, was his responsibility.

"Are you alright Sir? You've been quiet."

Bruce shook off the memory and focused back on the road. "I'm fine. I'll check in again when I meet with Dick." Bruce shut off the intercom and prepared to make the turn into the Bowery. Then his car phone rang. Bruce narrowed his eyes. That couldn't be Alfred or Barbara. He pressed the talk button to answer the phone. "Yes?"

"Bruce?"

Bruce's eyebrows raised under the cowl. "Selina? What is it?"

"I need to see you."

The almost desperate tone in her voice immediately set Bruce on edge. Selina's never desperate. "What's wrong?"

"It's Eddie. I think he's in real trouble."

Not Nigma. Not now. What could he have possibly gotten up to-Croc. Did Nigma-

"You look like Hell," is the first thing Selina says when he staggers into her apartment. He should go back to Wayne Manor to rest, but he needed to see her first. Selina can sense something deeper than exhaustion brought him here. "Bruce. What's wrong?"

Bruce takes a breath. "Jonathan Crane's dead."

Selina's eyes widen. "What? How?"

"I chased him down into Croc's lair. He was dangling a pouch of fear toxin over the water. Croc grabbed him and dragged him under." He should have gone after them. He knows now he had time. Why didn't he?

Selina sinks onto her couch. "Jesus..." her hand comes up to her mouth as she gasps. "Oh God! Bruce! Eddie! How am I going to tell Eddie?"

Bruce shook his head. "Where are you?"

"I'm on the roof of the Iceberg Lounge."

Bruce made a sharp u-turn. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

Selina was waiting alone on the roof of the Iceberg Lounge, just as she said she'd be. She looked visibly relieved when she saw Bruce as he approached. "Hey handsome."

Bruce wished he could take the time to exchange pleasantries with her. "What happened with Nigma?"

Selina sighed. "He's gone Bruce. He's not at his apartment or his office and he hasn't answered his phone for over 24 hours." Selina's eyes softened slightly. "When I was by his apartment earlier, he had a box of news clipping about Crane out on his coffee table. He's gone after Croc Bruce. I know it."

Bruce knew she was right. He remembered when Selina told him about Edward's reaction when she informed him about what had happened to Crane. He should have told Tim or Dick to check on him when they'd gotten word about Croc's escape. "When was the last time anyone saw or spoke to him?"

"Yesterday morning," she answered. "We didn't know he was gone until earlier this afternoon."

So Edward had potentially been gone for over 24 hours. Bruce narrowed his eyes. He could be anywhere underneath Gotham by now. He might be dead. He clenched his fist. He should have never let Croc take Crane. He should have kept a closer eye on Edward. He should have done better by both of them, but he didn't and Crane was dead. And Edward potentially was too.

He felt Selina's hand on his shoulder. "Bruce," she said gently. "What happened to Crane wasn't your fault."

"I'm responsible for it Selina. I could have done more to prevent it. I should have gone after Croc."

"Bruce, the whole island was going to Hell, you'd just been exposed to enough fear toxin to drive ten people insane and you were on Croc's home turf. If you'd gone after them, you would have died." She gently reached up to cup Bruce's chin. "What happened to Crane was horrible, but he knew the risks going down there. You can't make yourself responsible for everything. We can't bring Crane back, but we can still save Eddie."

She was right. Edward's safety was the priority now. He reached up to take her hand. "I'll find him Selina," he promised. "If Edward's down there, I'll find him before it's too late."

Selina withdrew her hand and smiled. "I know," she said. "I'm coming with you."

"Selina," Bruce warned. "This will be dangerous."

"Oh really?" Selina drawled. "Going down into the sewers to chase Killer Croc will be dangerous? You don't say." Her face grew serious. "Eddie's my friend. If we find him before Croc does, I'm one of the only people around who might be able to talk sense into him. We both know he won't listen to you."

Bruce didn't like the idea of Selina coming with him, but he conceded the point. "Alright, but be careful."

"Relax," she said, sauntering towards the edge of the rooftop. "I'll just grab Eddie and get out. I'll leave the fighting to you. "

Nightwing was waiting by the entrance to the Old Blue Line Bowery Station when Bruce pulled up in the Batmobile. He gave Bruce a quick nod of acknowledgement then did a double  take when he saw Selina exit the vehicle. She gave him a small wave. "Hi Boy Wonder."

Nightwing looked over to Bruce. "You wanna fill me in?"

Bruce locked down the Batmobile and walked over to Nightwing. "Nigma's gone after Croc," he explained. "We need to find him before he finds Croc."

Nightwing's eyes went wide under his domino mask. "Aw jeez..." He looked back towards Selina, who had joined him by the entrance. "I take it you're here to try to save Eddie from himself?"

Selina stretched her arms out above her head. "Try the key word there." She glanced at the entrance. "Ready boys?"

Nightwing stepped to the side and swept his arms towards the entrance "After you my Lady." Selina chuckled a bit and stepped through, followed by Bruce and Nightwing. The three descended the steps into the old station and walked out onto the old platform. Bruce winced as he saw the homeless gathered around meager fires, barely looking up at them as they passed. Budget cuts had forced the city to close down much of the shelters. Bruce would have to see that some of the Wayne Charity Foundation's budget went towards opening new ones. The three passed one older man who was sitting by the edge of the platform. He looked up at them with vague curiosity.

"You here for Croc or for Riddler?"

Selina looked sharply down at the man. "You saw Riddler? When?"

"Last night," the man answered. "Told him Croc was there. I warned him not to go down there. He didn't listen though."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. Edward had been down here for 24 hours. They needed to hurry. He jumped onto the tracks and gestured for Selina and Nightwing to follow him.

As they walked down the tunnel, the faint light from the fires on the platform completely dimmed. Bruce pulled a small flashlight out of a pocket on his belt and clicked it on, illuminating the tunnel before them. For a while, they walked on in silence, until Nightwing broke it.

"Going up against Croc...what's Eddie thinking? He's got to know he doesn't stand a chance against him."

"He's not thinking," Selina answered. "He's not being rational." She clucked her tongue. "He never really was rational where Spooky was concerned."

"I'll say," Nightwing muttered. "I never understood what he saw in Crane."

"Neither did I," Selina admitted. "But Eddie loved Crane. He still does love him. It doesn't matter what I think. And I think Spooky loved him back, in his own way. It wasn't like Joker and Harley."

Crane was a misanthrope who enjoyed the terror he caused, despite a token attempt to pass off his actions as 'pure research.' He disregarded all other concerns, including his health, as something completely beneath his notice. If there had been anyone on Earth that Jonathan Crane had truly cared for though, it was Edward Nigma. His always precarious grip on himself had slipped for good after that last fight in Metropolis, when Edward had finally bitten off more than he could chew. Bruce had been at that battle with the rest of the League, but he didn't see Edward go down. It wasn't until after the fight that he saw Shining Knight, standing over Edward's limp body. He almost didn't recognize him through all the blood. Shining Knight was still holding the bloody mace, stammering out apologies as Bruce had cradled Edward's body and yelled for a medic. Bruce suspected that Edward's earlier dip in the Lazarus Pit was the only reason he survived, even if his memories couldn't be salvaged. The only thing that comforted Bruce was the fact that Crane hadn't been there to witness it. Regardless, that had been the start of his final, fatal descent. Bruce felt his grip on his flashlight tighten. He'd had a hand in everything that had happened to Crane and Edward in the last few years. That was something he'd never forgive himself for.

Bruce paused when he noticed something up ahead. An open manhole, with the lid cast aside. He slowly walked over to the open space and shone his light down. It was about a six foot drop, with railings. Bruce went down first, shining his light  to make sure there were no surprises waiting for them. When he saw it was clear, he gestured for Dick and Selina to follow him.

"You think Eddie was here?" Selina asked when she joined him.

"Yes," Bruce answered. "Let's keep going."

"He's been down here for a whole day," Nightwing said. "What's he been doing? Do you think he found Croc?"

"He could have gotten lost down here," Selina argued. "Maybe we'll run into him."

Bruce doubted that and he'd be surprised if Selina actually believed that.

"So what's the plan if we do find him?" Nightwing asked.

"I'm going to try to talk him into going back up with me," Selina answered. "And if he doesn't listen, I'm going to need your help hog-tying him and dragging him back up."

Nightwing snorted. "Great. Just like old times. I'm sure he'll really appreciate it too."

Bruce's attention was caught by the sound of water. That and the smell told them that they were in the sewers proper.

"I really hate when we have to chase after Croc," Nightwing complained, holding his nose. "Just once, can't he hide out in a bakery, or a field of flowers or something?"

"Eddie must be driven to find him," Selina added. "That's the only reason he'd be down here."

Bruce didn't respond, leading the way forward. If Croc was down here, they needed to be on the alert.

"Either of you boys have the time?"

Nightwing pulled up the sleeve of his costume. "12:30. We've been down here for about four hours, I don't think we're in the Bowery anymore."

Bruce accessed the palm top computer embedded in his right glove. "According to my schematics, we're under the Diamond District."

"You think Eddie made it this far?" Nightwing asked.

"He's got to be down here somewhere," Selina said. "You don't happen to have a tracking device on Eddie, do you?"

"No." Bruce said. He'd considered putting one in Ed's cane when they worked together on the Sharp case last year, but he'd decided against it. There was too much of a risk that Edward would have found out and be set off by it and there was a part of Bruce that had wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. With everything that had happened since then, Bruce wished that he had. He'd promised himself when Edward had woken up and announced his intent to reform, that he'd do what he could to ensure he stayed reformed...

...The office Edward had chosen to set up shop at is small, but Bruce supposes it will do. He'd decided that morning to pay the former rogue a visit as Bruce Wayne. There were things he needed to know about Edward, things he didn't think he'd find out as easily if he went as Batman. The door to what he assumes is the waiting room was wide open, so Bruce walks in. He raises an eyebrow at the open boxes that litter the floor. "Hello?" he calls out. "Anyone home?"

He hears a noise and Edward appears, walking out of the room just beyond the waiting room. His eyes widen in recognition when he sees him and Bruce tenses. The moment of truth. Does Edward remember that Bruce Wayne is Batman?

"I know your face," Edward murmurs. Then a smile appears on his face, one that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course! You're Bruce Wayne!"

This is a good sign, Bruce thinks, but he's still cautious as he reaches out to shake his hand. "Indeed I am."

Edward takes his hand and shakes it, more out of a desire to be polite Bruce thinks. "I'm sorry for the mess in here. I just moved in."

"No worries," Bruce says. "I can only imagine how busy you must be."

Edward picks up one of the boxes on the floor and sets it on what will probably become a secretary's desk. "So," he says in a jovial tone that sounds just a bit forced, "How can I help the wealthiest man in Gotham today?" A look passes on Edward's face. "You're not here to settle a score with me are you? I don't remember if I've ever robbed you or not."

Either Edward is doing a very good job of mocking him, or he legitimately doesn't remember. Bruce is beginning to think it's the latter. Time to do another test. "I actually came to ask for your help."

Edward's eyes widen in genuine surprise then. "You-my help?" He recovers and claps his hands together. "Well then! What kind of conundrum do you have for me?"

Bruce takes the opportunity to study the man before him. Edward's put on weight since he's been released, looking healthier than Bruce had seen him for a long time. His eyes no longer have that manic gleam Bruce remembers from the last few encounters they'd had before Metropolis, but Bruce thinks they're a bit duller than they used to be. The purple shades obscure them somewhat. Bruce clears his throat and continues. "We've been having a rash of break ins at Wayne Towers in the past two weeks. I'd like you to take a look into it." Bruce had already figured out that a security guard was part of a robbery ring and was assisting his friends in breaking in. He wants to see if Edward can come to the same conclusion. He wants to know how sharp his mind still is.

Edward pulls out a pad of paper and a pencil from the desk drawer and jots this down. "Break ins...Do you have security footage?"

"Yes. You'll have access to everything you might need." Bruce pulls out his checkbook and writes an amount down. "I think this should about cover it."

Edward takes the check from Bruce's hand and his eyes almost bug out at the amount. "This-Mr. Wayne I-" Edward passes the check back. "This is too much. I can't accept it."

Selina told Bruce that Edward wasn't quite his old self just yet. Now Bruce fully believes it. "Mr. Nigma," he says. "Edward. Please. I want you to take it."

Edward eyes the check for a long moment, then takes it and puts it in his pocket quickly, as if he thinks that Bruce will change his mind and demand it back. "I'll get started on the case right away," he says. The man wets his lip and continues. "You must have a lot of options Mr. Wayne. Why me? I can't imagine your board at Wayne Enterprises would be too happy about this."

"No, the probably won't be," Bruce admits. "But I believe you really do want a fresh start. And I believe in second chances..."

"Bruce!"

Selina's voice jolted him out of his memory. Before he could respond, she rushed past him, running to what looks like a scrap of cloth on the ground about ten feet from them. A green scrap of cloth. Bruce rushed to catch up to Selina as she picked it up off the ground. When he was next to her, he got a closer look. It was Edward's green bowler hat. "He was here," Selina said. "I knew it."

"So what happened?" Nightwing asked. "Did Croc...?"

Bruce shone the flashlight around the immediate area. No blood. The water wasn't deep enough in this part of the sewer for Croc to have dragged him under either. His lair must be close by. "Come on," he said. "Stay behind me." He can hear Selina unfurl her whip and Dick ready his fighting sticks. The three of them continued on down the sewer. About ten minutes later, they hit a junction.

"Which way?" Selina asked.

"It's too dangerous to split up," Bruce said. He looked back down at his glove. The signal was weak down here, but he could just make out the map of the sewer system that Oracle had uploaded to the server for such an occasion. "The left leads to deeper water. The right's a dead end. We should go left."

Before either of his companions could reply, they heard a long, loud scream from the left. It was one of the most terrible noises Bruce had ever heard. It was a cry of pain, anger, and agony. Dick and Selina's eyes were both wide. "Was that Eddie?" Dick asked.

Selina stood frozen for a moment. "Oh my God! EDDIE!"

Without a word, Bruce ran towards the direction the cry had come from at top speed. He barely heard Dick and Selina behind him in full pursuit. He thought about Metropolis. He thought about the night Jonathan Crane had died. He would not fail Edward again.

[a-deluded-banana]

a shot in the dark

a shot in the dark

She had no place to be and no promises to keep. It was one of those lazy, Kool-Aid-sipping, porch-swinging August afternoons, the ones that feel as if time is just ambling along or maybe pausing for a nice long nap. There had been so many of those afternoons that summer. The freedom would be pleasant, she thought, if only there were something to do with it. There hadn’t been a speck of excitement in the town of Douglasville since Mr. Hobbes’ cow disappeared three months ago. Curious and adventure-hungry, she was a loaded spring.

“Maisie, what did I tell you? You’ll break your neck. And don’t let your skirt fall down like that.” Her mother’s voice cut into her thoughts. Reluctantly she swung down from the porch railing where she had been hanging by her knees and fixed her mother with a glare from across the yard.

But her sulkiness dissipated at the sound of familiar footsteps. “Maisie, Maisie, c’mon!” It was Thomas, one of the neighborhood kids, a red-headed, freckle-faced wisp of a boy. He was Maisie’s favorite—although she’d never admit it—because he had a rebellious streak and never missed an opportunity to stir up mischief at school. Everyone knew him by the way he walked, a distinct long-short rhythm, the mark of anyone crippled by polio. The other kids teased him for it. He was in the sixth grade, a year older than Maisie, but in the summer that didn’t matter.

“What?”

“I gotta show you somethin’. C’mon!” In his eyes danced the excitement Maisie had been waiting for.

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.” His lanky, sunburnt arm beckoned her to follow.

With a cautionary glance over her shoulder at her mother, who was hanging up a pair of underwear and humming busily to herself, Maisie fell into step beside the boy, the dirt road’s dusty exhales rising in their wake. When they had reached the corner before Thomas's house, he slackened his pace, a finger to his lips. Staying close to the side of the house, he led Maisie into the backyard.

They stood before Thomas's father’s toolshed. Rusty hinges creaked twice as the door opened and quickly closed again. Once they were out of sight, Thomas's eyes changed. “You gotta swear not to tell anyone, okay?”

“Why?”

“‘Cause if my dad finds out, I’m dead meat. Got it?”

Maisie nodded, her interest piqued.

“Pinky promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in--”

“Come over here then, and remember, be quiet.” The shifting of some crates, a box of white paint cans, and the broken frame of a washboard revealed as wooden chest, which Thomas opened.

Maisie had never seen a gun before—not in real life, at least. It lay on a neatly folded bed of blue velvet and looked like it would hurt her if she made it angry.

“I found the key under my dad’s bed.”

“Does it work?”

“Yep, she’s all loaded up and everythin’.” He lifted the gun out of its holding place as if it were a sleeping princess, and cradled it in his arms. “A big one, too.”

She let him swoon over it until curiosity got the better of her. “Can I hold it?”

“If you’re careful. Don’t drop it.” He held out the weapon, albeit reluctantly. “Well c’mon. It’s not gonna jump out and bite you.”

She hadn’t expected it to feel so heavy in her hands. Nor had she expected the thrill that travelled up her spine or the peculiar sense of boldness. Still, she tried not to let Thomas see her shaking hands.

“You’re holdin’ it like a girl,” he laughed.

“Well how do you know the right way to hold it?”

“Every guy knows how to hold a gun,” he replied, puffing out his chest slightly.

“Show me, then.”

He guided her fingers around the weapon. “You wrap your right hand over your left, and your pointer finger—no, not that one, your pointer—goes along here like this. And when you wanna shoot, you put it here.”

Her finger leapt off the trigger as soon as his guiding hands were gone. “You don’t plan to use it, do you?” She gingerly returned it.

“Naw, I wouldn’t actually use it. It could come in handy, though.”

But when she looked up at him to ask why, all she saw was the angry black eye of the thing, hovering inches from hers. “Put that down!” She backed up, skittish suddenly, nearly upsetting a small tower of boxes.

“Gee, I was only joking.” But Thomas pointed it at the window instead, cocked his head, and winked down the length of the gun, a John Wayne drawl coming from his licked lips. “Let’s go on an adventure.”

“What kind of adventure?”

“Remember that old crank Mr. Grimm?”

Of course she did. Everybody knew Mr. Grimm. The infamous town drunk lived at the outer edge of the village, in a droopy-eyed house that stood directly next to the dump; rumor had it the old man had been born and raised right in that very dump, and Maisie suspected he’d die there too.

“Yeah, what about him?”

“Well, he’s always sayin’ things about my leg on my way to school. I’m ‘bout to show him what I’m made of.”

Not a soul in Douglasville knew of an anger quite as bitter or as deep-rooted as Mr. Grimm's. Every morning at sunup, already scowling, he would hobble down the street, making sure to tromp on someone’s flower bed on the way, and take his usual place on the stoop of the corner post office, where he sat and commented on ladies’ dresses and grumbled about the state of politics and generally cursed everything under the sun—but his favorite pastime of all was tormenting schoolchildren. Especially Thomas, with his leg brace and funny walk.

“...What do you mean?”

“Oh, just tease ‘im a little, you know how he gets all worked up over things.” He had slipped the gun down his pant leg and now stood with a hand on the doorknob. “You coming?”

“You’re not… bringing that along, are you?”

“Only in case of an emergency. And to scare ‘im.” He shrugged as if people went out every day with guns hidden under their pants. “Aw c’mon, it’ll be funny!”

Maisie picked at a scab on her elbow. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t be such a sissy.”

He might as well have slapped her square in the face; there was nothing Maisie hated more than being called a sissy. “Okay,” she said, but only to nurse her wounded pride, and because she was left with no other option. And besides, Thomas had a point; it would be pretty funny. And so the adventure was on.

--------

Crows ruled the dump from atop heaping thrones of discarded things, pecking and perching and ruffling their dust-coated black feathers. To Maisie, as well as most of the kids of Douglasville, the dump was a land of endless possibility. What was tossed out when someone died or moved out could be salvaged and take on a new life for another. So Maisie had come to know her way around the dump like the back of her hand.

Now Thomas was shushing her. “He’ll be gettin’ home right about now.” As if in response, Mr. Grimm came staggering up the sidewalk, sending the two daredevils darting for cover behind the nearest mountain of junk. Mr. Grimm’s door slammed.

Thomas peered over a worn-out tire. “Looks like we can hide under the kitchen window. He won’t be able to see us down there. I say go, we make a run for it, got it?” Maisie got a little thrill and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Go!”

They made it to safety. Crouching in their hideout, Maisie looked above her head at a gnarled mass of vines, shriveled by the summer heat and clinging to the trellis. It whispered as if threatening to tell their secret.

“Go look in the window,” Thomas hissed in her ear, “and tell me what you see.”

“Why can’t you do it?” Maisie whined.

“‘Cause I gotta be on the lookout in case we need to get out of here in a hurry. Go on.” But his leg brace glinted the real reason as the sun beat down on his twisted frame and his eyes full of brewing storm.

Against her better judgement, but out of pity that Thomas couldn’t, Maisie trusted the trellis with her weight as she craned her neck to see over the windowsill. Even from outside, the air in the house felt stagnant and thick. Flies circled over a half-eaten loaf of stale-looking bread on the counter, and there was dust in the kitchen sink. Finally she noticed the man asleep in an armchair, one wrinkly arm dangling by his side as if he’d been dropped there by accident.

When she reported the news, Thomas visibly deflated. “We’ll just wait until he wakes up then.”

Their hiding place was smaller than it had looked from afar, and their clammy skin was pressed together in some places. In their pre-adolescence a shared self-consciousness descended upon them. Maisie busied herself by wrapping bits of dead vine around her finger. She’d never really thought of people in terms of boy or girl; were they really that different anyway? Why did she wear a skirt and not pants to church? What was it exactly that made a boy a boy and a girl a girl? She had extracted some vague clues from scraps of overheard grown-up conversation and a magazine she’d found in her dad’s coat pocket, but these were mismatched pieces of a puzzle she sensed you didn’t ask about anyway.

Above their heads, Mr. Grimm’s radio crackled out something about President Kennedy having made an appearance at a baseball game last Saturday. “My dad says President Kennedy is a blockhead Catholic,” Thomas whispered, wiping a trickle of sweat out of his eyes.

“You think we really will get a man on the moon someday?” Maisie pondered.

“Naw, I don’t think so.”

Maisie thought about it. “I do.”

“My dad says it’s a load of nonsense.”

Silence settled in. Beside Mr. Grimm’s house stood a quite healthy-looking apple tree Maisie hadn’t noticed before. She found a rotten apple and rolled it around with her toe. The fruit was small and green with a light dusting of pale red like a baby’s cheek. She wondered why death had come so early in its lifetime; perhaps a squirrel had accidentally knocked it off its branch. In any case, here it sat in Mr. Grimm’s dirt, decayed and full of worms.

Over time a lurking black shape became visible in Maisie’s peripheral vision like a shadow. As soon as she realized what it was, her heart leapt into her throat and she whisper-shrieked, “Put that thing down! Put it down!” The gun had been so close she had practically felt its breath on her temple—just like in the toolshed, only this time she didn’t know how long it had been there. By instinct, she had shrunk back against the trellis.

“Why do you do that?” she demanded.

“Shh! Stop being so loud.” He was polishing the weapon with the hem of his shirt.

“Why do you point it at me like that?”

“For practice.”

“Practice for what?”

“C’mon, you know I’m not gonna hurt you.”

"I know," Maisie said, "I just... I just hate it bein’ so close.”

“I’m gonna scare ‘im good,” Thomas was saying. “He’ll think he’s under attack, and when ‘e comes over to see what’s goin’ on, we’ll hide. Then, just when he’s startin’ to settle down again, I’ll shoot his hat right off, or somethin’. That’ll scare ‘im good.” Thomas's ginger hair flamed in the sun.

Maisie could hardly blame him for wanting to torment the old man; Mr. Grimm was a good-for-nothing bully, that part she knew—but the boy's eyes had a strange light, she thought.

But a noise in the house left the thought suspended in midair. Both children froze like deer in headlights as Thomas's eyes locked with Maisie’s.

As soon as Maisie could haul both of them up without causing a racket, the children were peeping over the windowsill by the stale bread and still-blabbering radio, the gun poised between their heads. Mr. Grimm stirred in his armchair. A tendril of dead vine crunched under Maisie's foot on the trellis and both children held their breath.

For the first time Maisie wondered what had happened to Mr. Grimm to make him so bitter. Perhaps the man had never been anything except angry in his life. A bony, blue-veined hand clutched drunkenly at a half-empty bottle arm’s length away on the table, knocking it to the floor. He swore at the broken fragments, then fell silent again.

“Well,” Maisie hissed, eager for the gun to be back in its cabinet, “wanna call it a day?”

But Thomas made no reply. A vein in his forehead was pulsing like the pounding of Maisie’s heart.

Maisie’s trembling grip on the trellis slackened with sweat. Through the window on the opposite wall of the house the sun was hanging heavy in the sky, and Maisie longed to be swinging on the porch railing again, without a care in the world. Besides, her mother must be wild with worry by now.

When Thomas looked at her, her stomach felt like it was being squeezed by a fist, and she felt like yelling out in powerlessness. In her confusion the thought came to her that Thomas could pull that very same trigger on her if he pleased, with only Mr. Grimm and the junkyard crows to bear witness. All earlier excitement was as stale as Mr. Grimm’s bread. Thomas's finger twitched. Would he? Could he?

Maisie tried to reassure herself. It was just a game of hide-and-seek—or better yet, they were a pair of secret agents waiting to expose the bad guys and save the day--only Maisie wasn’t sure who the bad guy was.

Then time went from barely moving to racing. With a considerable amount of effort, Mr. Grimm stood up from his chair and turned around. When he saw them, a look of drunken loathing contorted his face. The crows understood; they scattered, cawing their warnings. Maisie closed her eyes. Thomas cocked the gun, and in that moment she knew that whatever he was going to do, she couldn’t stop if she tried.