#’this is Bruce’s bio kid he NEEDS to be white and have blue eyes���

[batbabydamian]

MORE BATMAN AND ROBIN 2023 #1 PREVIEW PAGES!!

[vln-vibes]

Fics in the works

 Updated 04/2023

Hey I know its been a while since I’ve properly published new fics. Honestly  keep coming up with ideas but actually finishing them is the kicker.

Ngl I honestly feel like I need some betas for the works I’ve got going on and if any of these interest you then by all means feel free to message me! And yes some of these are still Maribat 

The Winner Takes The Crown (Princess)

Got into DPxDC and decided to take a crack at it. As usual this thing was supposed to be a one-shot but is 18.9k words so far and counting so three-shot is more likely.

Tags: Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Kon-El | Conner Kent & Danielle "Dani" Phantom, Danielle "Dani" Phantom/Kon-El | Conner Kent, Danny Fenton/Jason Todd

Summary: When members of the Team get sent out to scout an inconspicuous town in Indonesia with supposed hauntings and missing teens on the night of an eclipse surely nothing could go wrong, right?Meanwhile the Ghost King got tired of every old timey ghost royalty trying to get their hands on his little sister/cousin/clone and got an idea. Why not have them duke it out amongst each other for once. It'd be entertaining at the very least or a disaster waiting to happen at most--- at least that's what his newly appointed Fright Knight thought anyway

Chapters out so far: 1/3 AO3  Part 1

Who The Wayne Are You?!

Why not do a fusion of two crossover fandoms??? (Not sure if I’ll include any romantic ships)

Tags: Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Danny Fenton, Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Bruce Wayne, Danny Fenton & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tim Drake & Danny Fenton, Danny Fenton & Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain & Danny Fenton, Cassandra Cain & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Misunderstandings, Mistaken Identities

Summary: Its just her luck that on her first day in Gotham City, the literally cursed crime capital of the world that she gets kidnapped. To make matters worst her kidnappers must be blind because they think she’s Cass Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s only daughter, who doesn’t even have blue eyes! Fortunately or unfortunately she’s not the only one in this dilemma--- He was sure that the spirit of Gotham had it out for him; the moment his sister left to go on the tour to Gotham U he gets pushed into a white van (cliché much?). On the bright side it wasn’t the Guys In White, down side the idiots can’t seem to agree if he’s Tim Drake, co-CEO of Wayne Enterprises, or Jason Todd, supposedly dead son of Bruce Wayne (he’s not sure if that’s quite true). Well at least he’s got company. “Ugh just my luck that I get kidnapped literally on my first day in Gotham” “Oh samesie”

Chapter count: Unknown

Tales of Ladyluck and Jinx: Twins Extraordinaire (Wrk ttl)

I mean c’mon the potential for bio siblings Tim and Mari is right there.

Tags: Tim Drake & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tim Drake & Bridgette Dupain-Cheng, Bridgette Dupain-Cheng & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Jack Drake & Tim Drake, Jack Drake & Marinette-Dupain-Cheng, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain, Sabine Cheng & Tim Drake, Sabine Cheng & Jack Drake, Jack Drake/Janet Drake, Bad Parents Jack/Janet Drake, Dead Janet Drake, Jack Drake Knows Tim is Robin, Does Not Approve, Surrogate Sabine, Fraternal Twins Tim and Mari, Jack Drake tries to be better, in the end, Bridgette Dupain-Cheng/ Felix Culpa, Quantic Kids

Summary: Tim Drake’s 12 year old, almost but not yet 13, life was falling apart right before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His mother was dead and his father was paralyzed. To make matters worse his father found out about Robin and was vehemently against it; so much so that he was sending Tim away. Turns out Janet Drake wasn’t his biological mother, his parents had used a surrogate. A woman named Sabine Cheng who lived in Paris alongside her husband and daughters. Turns out Tim was a twin; his parents only wanted the son.

As much as he wants to hate this new family he can’t help but crave the affection they provide, the warmth and comfort , that his parents never could. As much as Tim would miss being Robin he had Mari and that was enough. Who knows maybe he’d go back to the Life later on in life?

Chapter count: Unknown

Royal Flush 

(Paused)

I’ve been really loving these HBIC Marinette stories and decided to try my own out with a fun Maribat twist!

Tags: Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Chloe Bourgeois & Nathaniel Kutzberg, Damian Wayne & Jon Kent, Jessica Keynes & Aeon Hill

Summary: For this year’s French-American Friendship Day it was the American's turn to visit and what a lucky coincidence and totally not tampered with by any of the Bats that Gotham Academy was chosen with newly re-enrolled Damian Wayne and recent transfers Jonathan Kent, Jessica Keynes and Aeon Hill. Jess was excited to reunite with her fellow Guardian only... things were different with the Parisians? She couldn’t really explain it but it seemed strange that the students were adorned with symbols; Red Hearts, Yellow Diamonds, Green Clovers and Blue Spades. What did this all mean and why were those without them ostracized? Was this also why Marinette seemed to have a whole wardrobe change and was now friends with mean girl Chloe?

Well it was up to Jess and reluctantly Damian to find out what was the root of the problem alongside sunshine duo Jon and Aeon, also known as the Seasonal Court while also trying to figure out how to offer their help with the Hawkmoth situation.

Chapter count; Unknown

Violet Gold (Working Title)

(Still working on it)

Tags: Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Luka Couffaine/Tim Drake, Adrien Agreste/Conner Kent, Juleka Couffaine/Stephanie Brown, Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Kagami Tsurugi & Cassie Sandsmark, Miraculous Team, Young Justice, Soulmate AU

Summary: After a heartbroken meta akuma unleashes her untapped power on all of Paris the citizens all get scatter across the world--- heroes included! While Tygress finds herself mildly concussed and not so alone in a technologically advanced cave with a shadow like girl who intimidating the ever-loving hell out of her and a beautiful amazon who looked badass and like she could kick her ass, even after her recent heartbreak with Rose she felt her heart skip a beat. That’s when she noticed the glowing red band around both their arms. It turns out her fellow heroes were teleported to the same location, each bonding with different teen heroes; Ladybug and Viperion with a red caped black haired hero she didn’t know. As they’d learn the Akuma took them to their soulmates. Journey as these teen caped and non-caped crusaders learn about their ‘soulmates’ and about themselves. All in the name of Love.

Chapter count: 7 (Chapter 1 partially complete)

War (Working Title)

(Still Working on it)

Tags: Bio dad Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous Team, Bat Boys, Bat Girls, Marinette stopped taking shit, salt fic

Summary; Not a Dupain. Not Wanted. Those two phrases echoed in Marinette’s head as she robotically made her way up the stairs after having her world turned. Marinette was not Thomas Dupain’s biological daughter, not only that but her parent’s had enough of her ‘problematic’ behavior and were sending her away to live with her actual father, a man who, after looking him up online, turned out to be billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprise. Now she must leave her friends behind and move in with complete strangers while juggling her Guardian duties and hero life. Well one thing was for sure; she was done being a pushover. Done being a perfect example and ready to start anew. Gone was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, here comes Marinette Wayne!

Chapter count; 1 (its gonna be a long one-shot)

C’est la vie

(Paused)

Tags; Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson & Wally West, Dick Grayson & Kor’iander, Dick Grayson/Kor’iander, Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Conner Kent, Conner Kent/Adrien Agreste, Felix Graham de Venily & Adrien Agreste, Bart Allen & Alix Kubdel, Mal Duncan & Alix Kubdel (more to come)

Summary; (Continuation of Staying Whelmed & Erable AU) Its been two years since the cease of the Parisian heroes. Everyone still  mourns their loss but its time to move on. At least that’s what Dick keeps telling himself, he’s put off being on the team long enough and missed enough family dinners. Honestly he can’t even remember the last time he properly talked to some of his friends, the kwami doing a well enough job of keeping him from completely going off the deep end. With the help of the recently rescued princess Kor’iander of Tamarand he think he’s getting there. Tim on the other hand notices the imbalance of the world; the way certain creatures’ populations have significantly dwindled down, the way the magic users have been losing power, the increase of natural disasters and sudden reappearance of what they believed to be Trixx’s original temple... He can’t help but hope. Hope to regain his brother and fellow heroes, to bring back hope and restore the world’s balance.  After encounters with others in the community he realizes that he’s not the only one that noticed. Now all he needs to do is convince the others that he’s not in denial and isn’t embarking some fruitless endeavor. Well no one said it’d be easy to enter the In-Between

Chapter count: unknown

[soulmate-game]

Not related to the other two Bio!mom Harley AUs that I did. Just... similar. I wrote this instead of sleeping, as per the usual.

—*—*—*—*—*

“I need your help.”

No accent, no threats of violence, no beating around the bush (figurative or otherwise). No fighting or unconscious bodies.

Just Harley Quinn with her hair down, no makeup, and completely serious, in the center of the Bat Cave. Even though her usual exaggerated Brooklynn accent (circa 1950s) had become a pretty inseparable part of her personality over the years, every now and then she forcibly stuffed it down and used her mostly unaccented voice. The one reminiscent of days with less colors on her face, a high bun, and a pristine white lab coat.

Every single one of the Bats and Birds present, fresh from an interrupted patrol thanks to her, could count the number of times they had seen Harley like this on one hand. Bruce would have the most recollections, but everyone else would have plenty of fingers left on said hand. So they all knew, especially when Bruce willingly pulled down his cowl so he could look Harley in the eye, that this was the start of something they were not likely to forget. And maybe their chances of survival were slim too.

“Harley,” Bruce’s voice was still gruff, seeing as he was still mostly Batman at the moment, but his eyes were soft. “Maybe you should tell us what you need help with first. And sit down. You look exhausted.”

Sure enough, there were dark circles under Harley’s eyes. She let Bruce-man lead her over to one of their debriefing tables and sit her down. She let out a huge sigh, her fingers tangling in her loose blond locks.

“I have a confession, and it isn’t gonna leave this cave, capiche?” The slight return of her accent relieved a little of the tension, but not much. Taking this as their cue, the rest of the bats spread out into their usual seats at the table. Bruce stayed near Harley, keeping a hand on her shoulder in silent support. Harley didn’t continue talking until he gave her a solemn nod in agreement. She gulped— an action that immediately returned the tension.

“... fifteen years ago, back when I was still with Joker, I disappeared off the Gotham scene for a few months. I’m sure a few of you remember,” she looked up, and a couple of the older vigilantes nodded. Really, Jason has still been Robin back then. But the memory stuck out in his head now that he was thinking about it.

“Yeah, you were breaking away from him a little bit, which was weird at the time,” Red Hood mused aloud, arms crossed. “I think you helped us out a couple times and did some of your first team ups with Ivy before you vanished. Then a few months go by and you were back in action with Joker, so we mostly ignored it as you just being you.”

Harley nodded. “Ah, my Ivy’s a lifesaver, even back then. She helped cover up the timeline by keeping me in action for longer than I should’a been without putting me at too much risk.”

“Timeline…” Red Robin spoke up, eyes huge even behind his mask. “You don’t mean—“

“Harley,” Bruce breathed, having also caught on. “You were pregnant?”

The air went still. Harley sniffed, eyes watering even as she smiled.

“Oh yeah. Shouldn’t have been possible, ya know? Me ‘n Joker being dumped in that damn acid should have made us both more sterile than an operatin’ room. But I knew I couldn’t raise a kid, so after she was born—“

“You kept her?” Damian interrupted, earning a gentle cuff over the head from Dick. Harley just snorted.

“Yeah. Not gonna lie, I thought about abortion. But the baby didn’t do nothin’ wrong, and I was still in love with Joker back then so I was ecstatic that I was able to make something new with part ‘a him in it. Still, I knew a baby didn’t deserve to be raised in Gotham. Especially not my baby, not with my enemies and history. Not with who her father was. I knew he’d never want her, never let me keep her. So I spent the last five months of my pregnancy lookin’ around for the best possible family to take her in. And I found them in Paris, France. A sweet couple, both of them bakers. Sabine, she’s both adorably sweet and super kickass. Comes from a Chinese family that is crazy about teachin’ their women martial arts. But nothing shady about it, I triple checked. Just bonding through kicking people in the face. Which is perfect, I wanted my baby to know how to defend herself. I knew she’d need those skills eventually. And Tom, that’s Sabine’s wife, he’s a gentle giant. Same size as Bane, but as harmless as a puppy and makes the best croissants ever. Seriously, the best.”

“Harley,” Bruce gently prodded, but there was a tiny grin on his face. Seeing her behaving so… so normally, so proud and reminiscent, was a rare treat. Bruce would be lying if he said he wasn’t proud of how far the woman had come. How she had freed herself and become a better person, mostly on her own.

“Right, right. The point,” Harley took a breath, rubbing her forehead. “I came clean to Tom and Sabine, but apparently they knew who I was the whole time. They just didn’t care— did I mention they are perfect? Anyway, once I explained everything, they agreed immediately to adopting my baby. They’d been wanting kids, but it would’a been too risky for Sabine’s health. That’s how I found them anyway, they were in the market to adopt. We named her Marinette. She took Tom and Sabine’s last names, hyphenated. We decided Quinn would be her middle name. And after that, I came back to Gotham and told myself that she was in good hands and I needed to forget about her. Cuz I was no good for her. I knew that. I went back to my old tricks. And then…” Harley chuckled, but it was self-depreciating.

“Then a few years passed, and I started breaking away from Joker for real. Then we broke up, I blew up Ace Chemicals while you guys were outta town doing Justice League and Young Justice shit. I started dating Ivy. And—“ she smiled softly at the table, clearly seeing something the rest of them couldn’t. “Then Ivy convinced me to go see her. Visit my baby, see how she’s been. And I did. Marinette was seven years old, but damn it to hell she was gorgeous. And say whatever you want about me and Joker— most of it will even be true— but neither of us are stupid. And she inherited all of our intelligence. All of it. She got my blue eyes. But she got his hair, which meant Sabine teased me relentlessly about ‘are you sure she isn’t that Wayne’s kid?’ And don’t make that face Bruce, you’d be lucky to have a kid half as beautiful as my Mari-pie. No offense, Damian. Anyway. Anyway, this is the important part. Or part of it.

“She sat there and listened to everything I had to say. Everything. A little seven year old, who could barely understand English at the time, and she listened without interrupting once. She never threw a fit, she wasn’t angry or confused. I told her about the things I’d done in the past— well, G rated versions— and she didn’t care. She called me Momma Harley right away, said she wanted to meet Aunt Ivy sometime soon, and started telling me everything about her that I’d missed. From that day on, she became my sunshine. The light of my life, and I still call her at least once a week every week. When I disappear for a few days out of the city? I’m visiting her—“

“You’re banned from international travel, Harley,” Dick scolded, but he sounded way too amused for it to work. He knew she had her ways, anyway. Nobody could actually stop Harley damn Quinn from doing whatever she wanted.

“—Ugh, she tells me the same thing every time! Disappointed glare and everything. I don’t know how I gave birth to such a goodie goodie, but somehow I did. Not important though! The important thing is, I’m always the first to hear when something new happens in her life. And we had decided that she wouldn’t visit me in Gotham until she was at least eighteen, but apparently she disobeyed me— which I should have expected honestly— and entered you guys’ WE international scholastic competition.”

“Oh no,” Bruce pinched the bridge of her nose. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng? The contest winner?” He finally pulled out a chair and sat down. “The winner gets an all-expense paid trip to Gotham for them and their whole class.”

“Exactly!” Harley threw up her hands. “Mari told me last week, and I’ve been trying to talk her out of coming ever since. But she’s inherited both of our stubbornness too, and she isn’t budgin’ a bit. ‘Momma Harley, I wanna see you and Auntie Ivy though!’ And ‘Momma, Gotham’s nothing I can’t handle,’ or my favorite, ‘Maybe you’ll finally get to see me dropkick someone three times my size then, and I’ll prove it.’”

“So that’s what you meant by you need our help,” Tim said as he leaned forward over the table. “Joker just broke out of Arkham yesterday. You want us to protect her.”

“I’d prefer if one of you was with her outside of the mask too, as often as possible,” Harley confirmed. “I can’t stop her from coming here anymore, but I also don’t trust Joker for a second. As soon as he sees her, I’m afraid he’ll make the connection.”

“She looks like him?” Damian asked, scrunching up his nose at the ugly mental image of Joker as a teenage girl. Harley shook her head, solemn.

“She looks like a dark-haired mini-me,” she corrected. “She even keeps her hair in pigtails as her way of showing support for me. And I know Marinette can kick ass, Sabine’s trained her well. But Marinette inherited more than I’d like from me,” Harley ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t notice it until she was thirteen. She got a crush on a classmate, and it was almost like watching videos of me back during the early days of— well, of Harley Quinn. Just without the crime and insanity. She didn’t even realize that she was almost stalking the poor kid until I pointed it out, and luckily I was able to put my doctorate to good use and we nipped that right in the bud ASAP. She never meant it that way, anyway. As soon as I explained things to her, she was horrified and immediately asked me to help her learn how to have a healthy relationship. That was a fun discussion,” Harley grimaced. “But she still gets attached to people really, really easily. Once she grew out of her crush on that boy, she adopted him as her unofficial brother. She already calls Selina “Auntie,” even though I’ve barely mentioned her to Marinette. She gets attached fast, and deeply. And I’m afraid that even after all the warning I’ve done, all the stories I’ve told her—“

“You’re afraid she’ll get attached to Joker just like you did,” Bruce finished for her, closing his eyes. “Because she knows he’s her father.”

“Yes,” Tears were slowly dripping down her face already, her hands curled into fists so tightly that her knuckles were paper white. “You know how he is. If he finds out she’s his biological daughter, he’ll immediately try to take advantage of that. And he’s far too good with his words for people like me and Mari. I’m worried outta my mind. Please. Help keep my baby safe from him.”

“We will,” Jason no longer had his helmet on, or the domino mask that he usually wore underneath it. All of them knew masks were merely formality with Harley nowadays. And he needed to look her directly in the eye so she could see how serious he was. “I can sign up as a bodyguard for the class. It won’t be weird, seeing as they’re tourists and this is Gotham. They also have several rich kids in their group if I remember right.”

Bruce nodded, agreeing with Jason. “That’s a good idea. I can lead the class on their tours of WE personally. That’ll serve the purpose of keeping an eye on her and shutting up the investors that keep begging me to make more public appearances for the sake of the company. Marinette’s name is already released to the news as the winner of the contest, so we can’t keep her out of the spotlight long. Tim, you’ll have to keep an eye on any and all pictures of the class. Try to erase or doctor the images with her in it well enough that connections between her and Harley can’t be easily made. Dick, you and Damian will be in charge of keeping an eye out for any activity from Joker. The slightest hint, and you notify all of us. We’ll decide on a case-by-case basis who is necessary to stick with the class and who goes after the clown.”

“She’s gonna sneak out of her hotel to stay with me and Ivy,” Harley admitted, bringing the (now slightly judgemental) attention back to her. She raised her hands up in surrender. “She didn’t tell me that, and I didn’t approve or suggest it! I just know my baby too well to not realize that that’s her plan. Could ya provide an escort?”

Bruce sighed. “This is gonna be an eventful month.”

[timbourinedrakejr]

Missing you

My secret Santa recipient was @moonlightstar64 !!! I saw you liked Mari being the bio!sibling of one of the Batfam, so I got a bit carried away with this big brother Jason fic, I hope you enjoy it!!! (Part 2 of the gift is here)

@maribat-secret-santa-2020

Jason tapped his foot impatiently on the floor, and gave another over dramatic sigh, which gained multiple glares from his siblings. They were meant to be visiting the Marché de Noël at Notre Dame to do a bit of christmas shopping and get food, and he was starving.

But for some god forsaken reason his brothers were taking ages to get ready, and he was sick of waiting for them. He opened his mouth to give another complaint when Alfred cut him off, sending him a stern glare.

“If you cannot wait any longer Master Jason, I suggest you go on ahead and get something to eat and stop fussing. We will be along shortly.” It didn’t take much else for Jason to get the message, Alfred had had enough of his impatience and wanted him out.

With one short glare at the rest of his (incredibly slow) family, Jason turned and left the hotel, determined to make the walk to the market as quick as possible. It had just begun snowing again, and the sunlight was quickly disappearing, giving the streets of Paris a magical feel.

He would never admit it straight up, but he was actually enjoying the forced family vacation, even if his family infuriated him sometimes. It was the first year he’d ever actually accepted the invitation to join them, and despite all his worries, it’d been going surprisingly well.

The tradition to have a Christmas vacation had started a few years ago, when Alfred had decided that he’d had enough of missed Christmas dinners and that the whole family deserved to enjoy a holiday. Alfred had determined that the best way to fully remove the temptations of working over Christmas, would simply be to forcibly take Bruce out of Gotham altogether. Of course Bruce put up a fuss, and so did the rest of their workaholic family, but there was no fighting Alfred sometimes.

It didn’t stop most of them from bringing cases to work on, but it still gave them all a much needed break, as well as a whole lot of unspoilt ‘family bonding time’. Every year the location of the holiday changed, and this year Paris was decided on. As he walked along the streets, admiring how the strings of christmas lights glistened off the snow, he was glad he’d agreed to come this year.

He really was hungry though, and despite being so close to the market, he couldn’t wait to eat any longer. He spotted a small sign up ahead for a boulangerie patisserie, and the delicious smells and warm glow coming from inside, were enough to tempt Jason in.

As soon as he stepped in, his eyes darted straight to the display case, so distracted by his hunger that he almost didn’t notice how the shop assistance’s greeting abruptly cut off with a gasp.

Jason looked up to see what had caused their reaction, only to stop short himself, as his eyes landed on a girl with two familiar pigtails, who’s watering blue eyes were currently locked on him in shock.

“Jason?”

Marinette had never thought she would see Jason again. Not since she was 11 and saw the headline that had torn her heart in two, the one that had crushed all her hopes of one day being reunited with her brother.

When she was younger, freshly adopted and living in her new home in Paris, he was all she would ever talk about. Her parents would listen with a fond grin as she babbled on in broken french about how cool Jason was, and how much he would love it here, especially the food.

They had been separated after their mother had died, sent to different care homes despite all their protests. When her new parents had discovered that she had a brother, they had tried looking for him, only to find out Jason had run away a few weeks prior. Marinette had been heartbroken, but she knew deep down that Jason was looking for her, and one day they would see each other again.

Marinette had been a logical kid though, so she understood that the chance of Jason finding her in France, was extremely low. At best, Jason would be found and adopted by loving parents who would help him find her (which, knowing Gotham, was very unlikely), and at worst, he would have to wait until he was eighteen to look for her himself. She never even considered the possibility that he wouldn’t make it to eighteen.

Jason was a survivor. He was brave, kind, and always always looked out for her. Her mother had tried her best to take care of them both, Marinette knew that, but most of the time it was Jason looking after both of them. Jason had told her that she’d been the best Mom, before she got ill, and before their dad had made it worse, but Marinette was too young to remember the before.

All Marinette could remember was Jason. Jason was the one who cooked most nights, the one who made sure she was in bed on time, the one who got her ready for school each morning. He’d always try and protect her when their dad was in one of his moods, and always patched her up afterwards, no matter how much worse off he was.

No matter how bad some of her memories of Gotham were, Marinette didn’t want to forget Jason. So she did whatever she could to remember him. She told all her new friends about him, and insisted that her parents learnt how to make all his favourite foods.

She even kept her hair in the exact same style that Jason had always put it in. She’d used to complain that all the other girls had their hair in pretty styles, whilst hers was always boring and let down, so Jason had learnt how to do her hair. Granted, the only style he could do neatly were pigtails, but it was still better than nothing.

Every morning they would sit down, and Jason would brush her hair, making up grand tales for her whilst she sat quietly in awe. Those mornings were some of Marinette’s most cherished memories, so to make sure she never forgot, she got her Maman to teach her how to do them herself.

She wore them everyday, without fail, and would proudly tell anyone who commented on them, that it was for her brother. Marinette secretly hoped that it would also help Jason to recognise her when they were finally reunited.

It was also a habit for Marinette to watch the Gotham news every day. She still missed her old home despite how dangerous and corrupt it was, and watching it was a comfort, a way to keep in touch with her roots.

It was also how she found out that the adopted son of Bruce Wayne was killed in an explosion. She’d only been half paying attention, working on her homework whilst she waited for her parents to cook dinner, when she suddenly heard her brother’s name mentioned.

Her world had stopped as a picture of her brother, looking healthy and older in the arms of Bruce Wayne, was displayed on screen, with the newsreader calmly announcing his tragic death alongside it.

Marinette had been inconsolable for weeks, no amount of reassurance from her parents able to stop her tears. She spent days going through news articles, reading anything that mentioned her brother, saving every photo she could.

It hurt knowing that if she’d just paid more attention to Gotham, searched for her brother properly rather than just sit by and wait, she could’ve found him. Could’ve talked to him, let him meet her new family, meet his new family.

But now none of that was possible. Because he was dead and nothing could change that.

Marinette stopped watching Gothams news after that. She stopped talking about him because it hurt too much. She didn’t even tell Tikki at first, only telling her after she noticed the picture of him pinned to the wall next to her bed.

But despite how much the memories hurt now, Marinette still clung to them. The memories were the only things she had left of him, and even though it hurt too much to talk about, she didn’t want to pretend he didn’t ever exist.

So, even though she got teased for it being too childish, and even though it still stung to remember, she kept her hair in pigtails. A small reminder to herself to never forget, and to hold the good memories close.

Life had moved on, and even though Marinette still missed her brother, the pain wasn’t so raw anymore, feeling more like a dull ache rather than a bleeding wound. Still, Marinette always felt worse around the holidays, and liked to keep busy rather than dwell on the thought that Jason should be here, enjoying life, too.

The bakery was always hectic around the holidays, and gave Marinette the perfect excuse to busy herself and help out, often manning the till to give her parents a break.

It had been a miraculously quiet afternoon, which Marinette attributed to the local market, and she’d been doodling on a napkin when the bell chimed, indicating a customer. She’d straightened quickly, automatically greeting the customer, before she looked up and immediately froze.

Because standing in front of her, was what should’ve been a dead man. He looked older, as if he’d actually aged the last five years. She could see scars that weren’t there before, and his hair looked different, a streak of white in the front, but no matter all the changes, she was certain that was him.

That was Jason.

“Jay?”

She barely registered that she’d spoken, and her suspicions were confirmed when the man looked up in wide eyed shock. The tears that were forming in her eyes began to overflow as he replied, the Gotham accent as strong as ever.

“Nette?”

That was all it took for Marinette’s restraint to break, and she practically jumped the counter in her rush to get to him, to prove to herself that he was really there, and not just some akuma trick. But an akuma wouldn’t show her Jason all grown up, and he wouldn’t just be standing there looking like he was the one who’d just seen a ghost.

As soon as she was close enough, she threw herself at him, and clung on to him for dear life. Only a moment later she felt strong arms return the embrace, just as hard. She felt a million different emotions all buzzing through her head at once, but the clearest feeling of all was the pure relief.

She didn’t know how or why he was back and apparently alive, but at this moment, she did not care. Her brother was back, and he was here, and she was never gonna let him go.

“Never do that again,” she managed to choke out, her words muffled by how her face was pressed into Jason’s chest. “I don’t want to lose you ever again.”

Jason’s own words were almost just as tearful when he replied, pulling her closer as he did.

“I promise. I’ll never leave again.”

[sayuricorner]

Miraculous Ladybug salt x Jojo’s bizarre adventure: “Biodad!Jonathan Joestar” AU

Headcanons part 1

Warning: English is not my first language so sorry if it’s confusing.

Warning 2: This AU content salt don’t like don’t read!

Warning 3: For the Jojo character’s palettes colors I use the anime palette colors as reference.

If you want to use this AU you can! just credite and tag me in return please! :)

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So, in many ML biodad AUs Marinette’s bio dad is most of the time someone like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, but how about:

                                 Biodad! Jonathan Joestar AU

I mean when you think about it both Marinette and Jonathan are alike in looks and personnality!

Appearance:

-Both got blue hair

-Both got light blue eyes

Personnality:

-Both are kind souls

-Both are selfless and think about others before themself most of the time

-Both got a strong sense of justice

-Both are very smart

-Both are combative when needed

-Both don’t hesitate to put themself in danger to protect others

-Both can over-react when they’re carried away by their emotions

And just imagine the story possibilities with this AU!

“But Sayuri! Jonathan Joestar is from the Victorian aera and Marinette is born in the french modern aera how Jonathan would be Marinette’s bio dad in this AU?”

Well the same way which make Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel Jonathan’s kids:

Yep! In this AU Marinette is another child born from Dio’s one night stands!

Now I know that make Marinette Dio’s daughter too and I know Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel are mostly know as Dio’s children but to be honest I consider them more as Jonathan’s kids than as Dio’s because honnestly outside of the head the rest of the body is Jonathan’s.

How Marinette’s conception happen then? Well here’s how:

Years before Marinette’s birth, a young adult Sabine Cheng was on a trip in Egypt, she meet Dio in a bar one night, he seduced her and they got a one night stand, with Dio having the intention to suck Sabine’s blood after, but at one Dio got a brutal crisis.

Normally anyone would get afraid and run away but instead Sabine, being the kind person she was, had done all she can to calm down Dio with all the tenderness she can give. And without being aware of it this actually saved her life.

After helping Dio to calm down both fall asleep, Dio woke up later in night while Sabine was still asleep.

Remembering the warm and familiar kind feeling he experienced during his “episode”, a feeling he didn’t feel for a very long time, he decided to spare Sabine under the pretext he wasn’t in the mood to suck her blood anymore before living to go back to his mansion.

In the morning Sabine wake up only to notice Dio left and never see him again after that night, she go on with her trip and when she go back to France she found out she was pregnant.

She decided to keep the baby, times later she meet and fall in love with Tom Dupain, both end up marrying to each other and Tom adopt Marinette and became legally her father.

The Dupain-Cheng couple also decided to give her a middle name “Joanne” in memory of one of Tom’s aunts with who he was close, making her full name “Marinette Joanne Dupain-Cheng”

Does that mean Marinette in this AU had the Joestar birthmark? Yep, she does! And she also got the Joestar genes when it’s come to body shape: as a kid she look like a shrimp but when she will be older she will get rather tall and will got more muscules to her peers’s surprise.

Did she had a stand in this AU? Yes!

Her stand is called [Viva la vida], a reference to the Coldplay’s song, this stand had the power to create miracles like making plants grow, healing illness and bad injures or being a big source of luck she also had a big affinity with plants and animals. But her powers had limits for example while her miracles allow her to bring back someone to life it’s only possible if the dead person isn’t dead for a too long time and make a powerfull miracle drain Marinette energy and she end up knocked out for a time.

When Marinette is Ladybug, [Viva la vida]’s miracles powers are stronger.

[Viva la vida] isn’t a stand know for her strengh but she’s very fast which allow her to make a lot of punches and kicks at the same time.

Stand’s appearance: [Viva la vida] is an humanoid stand with beetle features, her color schemes are black white and pink, she had beetle wings, big rond blue non-reflective eyes and her head is rond with two anthenas and is a head smaller than Marinette.

But if [Viva la vida] is a cute stand when Marinette is a civil, when the young girl took her Ladybug form, her stand took a more imposing and majesting appearance, she became taller, more muscular, her eyes smaller and almond shaped, her whole body get more armors features and her colors scheme change to black and red with black dots and she emit a rather intimidating aura.

Stand’s behavior: [Viva la vida] is a very expressive stand and very sentient and is a friendly and playfull stand. She’s very curious by nature and had the habit to examin in curiosity when Marinette meet new people or stands. Her being very sentient allow her to sometimes act as a conscience to Marinette.

She also love to eat cookies baked by Marinette.

When Marinette is Ladybug, [Viva la vida] is more serious and a more combative behavior.

Stand’s cry: “Mira!” a reference to “miraculous” and to the word miracle.

AU additional details:

-Class salt

-Bustier salt/bad teacher Bustier

-Adrien salt or Adrien sugar(it’s up to whoever use this AU)

-Lila salt

-Chloe redemption

-Class redemption, a part having a redemption or none of them having a redemption(you choose)

-Permanent miraculous user Luka

-Permanent miraculous user Kagami

-Stand user Luka

-Not everyone die AU/temporary death AU: if some Jojo characters like the Pillarmen, Caesar, Kakoyin, Avdol and Iggy are alive but others like Buccellatti, Abbacchio, Narancia and La Squadra are still dead but will not stay dead(You’ll see).

-Good father Jotaro

-Marinette's closed friends/loved ones calling her "Jojo" in reference to her middle name "Joanne"

-Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel adopted by the Dupain-Cheng

-Protective siblings Donatello, Giorno, Rikiel and Ungalo

-Marinette being the baby sister of all Jonathan’s and Dio’s kids

-[Viva la vida] being a cute stand

-Marinette, Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel not acknowledging Dio as their dad

-Protective Joestar family

-Jonadad

-Good parents Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng

-Permanent miraculous users Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel

-Badass Marinette

-Scientist Gina Dupain at Speedwagon Foundation

-Diavolo and Doppio getting differents boddies

-Akumatised Marinette with her stand being corrupted and turned into a sentimonster.(You’ll see! ;) )

-Temporary Ladybug!Giorno (You’ll see! ;) )

-Diavolo still stuck in the death loop(’cause it’s only canon if Diavolo die!)

-The Pillarmen knowing about the miraculous

-Shipping:You decide the ship you want just not Adrinette please

Arcs for this AU:

The bizarre origins arc:

This arc is about the origins of Marinette’s birth, her growing up and getting a stand, becoming Ladybug and learning to accomplish her duties as Ladybug while learning to control and use her stand and meeting others stand users.(ex: Luka)

The bizarre USA adventures arc:

Take place times after Lila’s return, the liar keep her word and little by little Marinette’s friends turned their back on her and the fights against the akumas are always very hard to not say harder especially ever since she became the guardian.

Seeing their daughter’s moral so down Sabine and Tom decide to send Marinette to Gina to the USA for summer break. After making sure to had Kaalki with her to teleport back to Paris when an akuma attack, Marinette go on a trip to the USA with her grandmother.

But what should have been a normal vacation trip will take a bizarre turn when Marinette will learn about Gina’s job at the mysterious Speedwagon Foundation which will lead to a meeting with four ancients Aztec gods of fitness, getting informations about stands and her mysterious lineage and a meeting with three american unknow brothers.

(In this AU the Pillarmen aren’t dead after Battle Tendency but they’re detained by the Speedwagon Foundation)

The bizarre mass resurection mystery arc:

A lot of things happened in Marinette’s life, things she didn’t expected whatever in good or bad.

Finding out about her grandmother’s job at the Speedwagon Foundation, learning more about her stand, finding about the existence of three brothers and having said newfound brothers being adopted by her parents, her friends isolating her thank to Lila and learning she by Bustier she and Chloe were banned from the class field trip...

So she decided with to create with other classmates from the school a trip club and after some successful fundraisers the club get a trip to Italy.

And since Hawkmoth seemed to not have attacked for a time there isn’t any problems to go on that trip.

In Italy, on Giorno’s side the part 5 events happen just like in canon while on Marinette’s side she and the trip club get a good time in Italy until a particuliary violent stand user akuma attack the country. He was akumatised by Hawkmoth ‘cause Gabriel Agreste was on a business trip in Italy and thought creating a akuma in the country would attract Ladybug and Chat Noir and give him an advantage since the akuma attack in a unfamiliar place.

The fight was very hard but in the end Marinette and her allies were able to beat the akuma and with her miraculous powers combined with her stand powers she revert any damage... it’s even worked for damage/injuries/death by stands leaving Marinette knocked out for a time since she use a lot of energy while using her stand’s miracle powers.

On Giorno’s side after he beat Diavolo and became the boss it was noticed that Buccelatti, Narancia, Abbacchio, the whole La Squadra were bring back to life.

Even Doppio was back but in a boddy of his own.

Everyone thought at first this was the work of [Gold experience requiem] but it was reveiled later this was the work of another stand which will put Giorno, his gang and even Jotaro with the SWF on a big infestigation which will lead them to the stand user resposible for this mystery and unknowly to them and to Marinette to one big bizarre family reunion.

The bizarre family arc:

With everything which happened in Italy, Marinette not only had to deal with Lila, Hawkmoth, the akumas and her guardian duties but also with the discovery of an extended families and horrible and disturbing informations about “one of her bio fathers”.

And one day Lila took things too far leading Marinette to unleash all her frustration, stress and anger making her akumatised and it will be up to Giorno as a temporary Ladybug holder, her true friends and her family to saved her from herself and from Hawkmoth’s influence.

But the task will be hard with not only Marinette being akumatised but also with her stand [Viva la vida] having being unconsciously corrupted by Mayura while trying to corrupt Marinette turning her into a sentimonster.

The bizarre final showdown arc:

A alliance between Hawkmoth and a mysterious priest will lead the miraculous villain to his ultimate plan by helping the priest to resurect a powerful man, a man infamous for being a curse to the Joestar family and to the world, with the promise to achieve Heaven and to gain a power which will allow Hawkmoth to do all he want.

It will be up to Marinette, her friends, allies and her new found family to put an end to Hawkmoth once for all and to beat this priest before the worst happen with the resurection of the infamous Dio.

But bizarre chains of events will lead to another resurection, the resurection of a man very well know by the Joestar family and who’s tightly connected to Marinette, Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel.

[thr-333]

Mismatch- Part 15

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020

Time for Batman to regret all his life decisions!

First< Previous > Next

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“Are you sure you're ready for patrol,” Marinette presses, Marion tries not to roll his eyes once again.

“Yes Nette my ribs are perfectly fine, I can manage,” Marion pulls up his mask, hiding away in an alley not far from the hospital, “besides I need to let off some steam from yesterday,”

“Punching people is no way to deal with your emotions,” Marinette scolds, hiding the Kwamis away in her small bag.

“Of course not,” Marion makes sure the miracle box is in place before swinging his satchel over his back, “Kicking can do far more damage,”

“You don’t deserve an answer for that one,” Marinette sighs, handing over his glasses, “Just make a portal already,”

“Absolutely not,” Kaalki flies out of her bag, “I refuse to be a taxi you can easily get there on your own,”

“Kaalki, the meeting point is halfway across the city,” Marion pleads, the Kwami only turns her nose up at him, “What are we meant to do? Take an actual taxi?”

“I can't believe we’re taking a taxi to meet the Batman for patrol,” Marinette mutters, as Marion tries to hail a cab.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Marion scoffs, another cab surprisingly passing up the opportunity to drive two masked figures late at night, “We’re taking a taxi to a block away from the meeting point, only amateurs give away their position like that,”

“Really not my point,” Marinette adjusts her bag strap.

“Maybe we can ask Batman if we can keep the grappling hooks?” Marion suggests, a cab pulling up to the curve.

“We’d still have to go a long way, it’s not like our suits where we get increased stamina,” Marinette opens the door, sliding into the car before it can’t leave without them, telling the driver the destination.

“Oh the days where we could get across the city in five minutes,” Marion sighs dreamily, ignoring the balding drivers' sideways glance as he pulls away.

“You mean yesterday?” Marinette teases, sitting behind the driver.

“Really? Feels like a week,” Marion leans back in the seat, cringing at the smell of cigarette smoke.

“You two heroes, rogues or villains?” The driver interrupts, sizing them up in the mirror.

“Is there a price difference?” Marion questions, quirk to his lips.

“Sure is,” The driver grunts, eyes still uncertain if there were any ill intentions.

“Do I have to guess which one?” Marion gets elbowed by Marinette.

“Stop that,” She digs her elbow in further, “We’re vigilantes passing through town, running with Batman for the time being,”

“So he’s gone and picked up new kids?” The driver snorts, finally taking his eyes off them.

“We’re not his kids,” Marinette assures, nope no more surprise parents for them thank you.

“Not more Robins? you’ve got the colors,” The driver says gruffly, sharp corner sending them both off balance.

“Unfortunately only Sparrow here wears tights,” Marion gestures to Marinette, “I just don’t fit the bill,”

“Sparrow?” The driver repeats cynically, he should have heard the ones Batman shot down.

“Yeah she has a codename, but I still can’t decide mine, any ideas,” Marion leans over the passenger seat in front of him.

“You’re asking me?” He snorts, Marinette just shakes her head.

“Always looking for public opinion,” Marion shrugs, only getting a sideways glance his way.

“Bat boy,” The driver decides, Marion stifles a laugh.

“Wow, that's terrible,” Marion doesn’t catch himself in time to stop, but adds, “No offence,”

“You’re going to have to look elsewhere for creativity, boy,” The driver shrugs, not seeming bothered by his bluntness.

“What do you think of Shelley?” Marion does get a look his way this time, grinning at it.

“Shelley?”

“Yeah as in the Shelley Starling, small, blue and orange, from Africa,” Apparently Marion's extra details do nothing to convince him.

“You want to be called Shelley?”

“Yeah can’t you just picture it, ‘Batman and Shelley save the day’,” Marion gestures to an imaginary headline.

“And you thought Bat Boy was bad,” The driver shakes his head, trying to hide his amusement, “Do whatever you want kid,”

“Can I tell Batman I got your approval?” Marion grins, leaning further into the drivers space.

“Don’t bring me into this,” His gruff tone doesn’t hide his smile as he slows to a stop, “Now get out,”

“Thank you very much sir, sorry about him,”  Marinette pushes Marion out of the car, handing over what they owed him

“Just call me Norris, see ya round, Sparrow... Shelley,” Marion beams at him, Norris shaking his head but smiling none the less.

“Bye!” Marion waves as the car drives away, “I like him, what are the chances we see him again?”

“Zero,” Marinette predicts, walking towards the meeting point.

“Where have you two been?” Batman demands more than asks the second they land on the rooftop.

“Hospital,”

“Family business,”

“....”

“Well, we’re clearly not telepathic,” Marion bumps their shoulders, moving to stand next to Batman.

“Sorry, about missing patrol, it's been… hectic the last few days,” Marinette explains, both hoping they won't pry further.

“Right... Sparrow you’re with me on a stake out,” Batman declares, turning to Marion, “You’re with Nightwing and Robin,”

“You got it,” Marion does a mocking salute, turning on his heels towards them.

As he reacquaints himself with the grappling hook, he gets the run down from Nightwing on where their patrol will go. Marion suspected it wasn't their regular patrol route as they start swinging across the city. He says hi to Oracle and Spoiler on the comms. Disappointed that Red Hood wasn't there tonight, but on the plus side he was less likely to get stabbed… or crash through another window.... or fall off a building.... or-

“There's a mugging three blocks to the east,” Oracle informs, the three of them immediately changing their route.

“We still need to decide on your codename,” Nightwing pipes up, once they start a steady pace towards the mugging.

“Not again,” Robin mutters, Marion grins catching himself in free fall.

“I have a few ideas,” And then because he can’t help himself, “Robin what do you think?”

“Tt, you should take this more seriously, so as not to seem like a complete fool,” Robin scoffs, landing perfectly on the edge of a building, a mugger holding another man at gun point just below.

“Hm, it's a bit long for a codename,” Marion drops down into the alley with them, landing on a garbage skip without a sound, “How about just Fool?”

The mugger turns around, startling at Marion and Robin blocking his exit, Robin scowls, hand twitching towards his katana. Either because of the mugger raising his gun or Marion is undecided.

“Maybe not,” Nightwing stands between the Mugger and the victim. Concerned look apparently deciding Robin’s scowl was aimed at him after all. “What were you thinking?”

If he was trying to redirect the conversation away from murder, boy did he choose a bad way to do it.

“Pterodactyl,” Marion grins as the mugger can’t decide who to point his gun at.

“Why!” Robin spins to him, catching Marion's full attention.

“I don’t know,” Marion shrugs, unconcerned with the mugger pointing at him edging forward, “Their closest living relatives are birds, right?”

“That doesn't mean-” Robin lunges forward as the mugger tries to escape.

“-You act like an immature child,” Robin insults, moving to disarm the gun, “Completely lacking professionalism, you actually sang while apprehending criminals,”

“I see it as more a testament to my skill that I can multitask,” Marion dismisses, coming up behind the mugger as Robin distracts him.

“You were almost stabbed several times,” The whites of the domino mask narrow, removing the gun from the mugger's grip.

“And yet I won without a scratch,” Marion sends back a smirk, grabbing the hand that goes to punch Robin taking the mugger off guard, Robin kicks him to the ground.

“If you like singing, how about Songbird?” Nightwing attempts to interrupt Robin’s likely plans to change his ‘without a scratch’ claim.

“I don’t know, there's a taxi driver I met who’s really attached to Shelley,” Marion tries not to give away his excitement at how perfect the name is.

“I’m sure he’ll survive,” Robin deadpans, zip tying the muggers hands as he struggles.

“Hm… sure sounds good,” Marion shrugs, almost bouncing with excitement, This is gonna be fun .

“Then I guess congratulations are in order, Songbird,” Nightwing slings an arm around him, ruffling his hair.

“You hear that?” Marion looks down at the mugger, “Now you get to tell the Police who took you down,”

“Robin?” The man asks, smug smirk on Robin's face.

Songbird steps out of Nightwing's hold. Picks up the mugger easily, as he shouts and struggles in his grasp. It takes slightly more effort to throw him into the open garbage skip next to them, letting the mugger land on the piles of trash.

“Tt, are you a complete child?” Robin scoffs, having to look up at him.

“Really? What are you like nine?” Songbird smirks at his irritation, ignoring the crook yelling.

“ No I am not ,” Robin hisses.

“Sorry, eight,” Songbird’s instincts tell him to take a few steps back, he doesn't listen.

“That wasn’t very professional,” Nightwing’s disapproval showing through his expression, Marion can’t quite shake off the feeling of a disappointed big brother.

“Hm? What? Oh!” He looks towards the mugger that's still shouting at him, whatever, professionalism was for Ladybug, “Oh no I dropped them! I was carrying them with the utmost care then I went and accidentally dropped them!”

Songbird smacks his forehead, schooling the grin off his face. In much the same way Nightwing is clearly trying to.

“I’m such a klutz- let me try and get them out,” Marion slams the lid shut with an echoing bang, “Oh no! My bad, how can I be so uncoordinated? Whatever will I do now!”

“You are strange,” Robin informs, sending out his grappling hook.

“Thank you, it’s a goal of mine,” Songbird bows, sirens can be heard in the distance now.

He double checks the victim that Nightwing has been covering. Smiling brightly at their slight smile. With a little wave he swings out the alley, following Nightwing and Robin.

After continuing on route for a while longer, stopping minor crimes they stop for a mid patrol snack.

“Number one rule don't stand on a ledge,  I have poor impulse control and I will push you,” Marion warns before they sit down on the rooftop.

“What are you a cat?” Robin scowls, in the danger zone.

“Absolutely,” Marion’s grin is feral, Robin’s scowl deepens as he comes to join them.

“What is that?” Marion gasps in horror at the boring grey brick Robin unwraps.

“An energy bar, it’s more effective than your trash,” Robin scoffs, tucking the wrapper away.

“What do ya mean,” Nightwing and Songbird mumble out through mouthfuls of baked goods.

Robin presumably rolls his eyes under the mask. Leaning in to take a bite of the energy bar. Marion slaps it out his hand.

“Hey!” Robin shouts, as it drops to the ground.

“It touched Gotham, it’s contaminated now,” Marion shrugs, giving Robin pause before he picks it back up.

“I am resistant to a few germs,” Robin says condescendingly, picking the bar back up.

“In Gotham ?” Marion stresses, making him pause again, looking consideringly at the before throwing it away.

He brings out another identical one. Marion doesn't even let him unwrap it before he makes a grab for it. Robin’s expecting it this time and jerks it out of his reach. However years with the miraculous has enhanced his reflexes, Marion’s other hand snatching it. With a little enhanced strength Marion throws it over the edge of the building into the street.

“So what I can’t eat?” Robin bites, hand moving towards his katana.

“Of course you can,” Marion holds out a macaron, “Here,”

“Absolutely not,” Robin glares, Nightwing leaning back to watch the exchange.

“It’s good,” Marion goads, shifting closer.

“I’ve had enough of Nightwing's overly sweet patrol snacks to know that is not true,” Robin scoffs, even as Marion moves close enough that he must be able to smell the treat.

“Yes but this is mine and I know for a fact it’s good enough for the gods,” Except for one particularly picky god who once made him attempt camembert macarons. Needless to say, no one else liked them.

“You overestimate yourself,” Robin scoffs, turning away from Marion, he’d bet to try and avoid the tantalising smell.

“Prove me wrong,” Marion challenges, and can tell from the shift in body language he had him.

With one last glare, Robin snatches the macaron. Regarding it skeptically.

“How do I know it’s not poisoned,”

“Oh for the love of-” Marion takes it back, breaking it in half rather than biting.

He hands one half back and eats the other. Robin doesn't take a bite before he stops chewing. Marion opens his mouth to show the mushed up food for good measure.

“Tt, disgusting,” Robin sneers, turning away to eat the last half, “... this is not,”

“Not what?” Marion teases, despite having a soft smile at Robin's expression, before it turns to a scowl.

“It is better than the trash Nightwing eats,” Robin concedes, too late, he had already given himself away.

“Hey!” Nightwing exclaims, but Marion moves quick as a cat to stuff a macaron in his left open mouth. He startles, before chewing, “... alright… never mind…. Wow,”

Marion hands Nightwing another before he has to ask, getting a downright envious look from Robin. With a smile Marion breaks another macaron in half, handing the bigger half to Robin. He takes it, biting it in half again, clearly trying to control his features to seem indifferent, and failing.

“It’s so good to see you actually enjoying something,” Nightwing pulls Robin into a hug, the latter scowling but not moving away. Marion grin widens, getting Robbin to narrow his eyes.

“What?” He demands, completely failing at being threatening while getting cuddled.

“Nothing,” Marion’s smile suggests otherwise, “Are you two brothers?”

The both startle at the question, shifting slightly away from each other. As if they were about to give away their identities.

“... yes,” Robin admits, faint blush would probably go unnoticed by someone without pseudo-night vision.

“Awe! Little D!” Nightwing brings him back into a much tighter hug, that Robin does try to get out of.

“Lets’ go,” Robin stands, blush probably visible even without night vision.

Marion grins, apparently teasing enough that Robin feels the need to defend himself. They argue and tease as they swing off into the night to resume patrol.

Marinette shifts, joints popping after being crouched for so long. Stake outs weren’t her typical affair as Ladybug but it seemed Sparrow will need to get used to them. She and Batman don’t talk, both focusing on the building below watching for activity. The silence makes the chatter on the comms all the more louder.

“We still need to decide on your codename,”

Marinette tries to hold back a laugh when Batman reaches up to turn off his comm faster than even she ever could as Ladybug. She follows suit, not wanting to burst out laughing when they were meant to be hidden. Marinette tries to stay focused on the warehouse in front of them but the architecture of nearby buildings has her itching to grab her sketchbook.

“Why did you ask me to join the stake out?” She asks Batman, before she gives into the urge to vent her designs.

“Do you honestly think he would sit still,” The avoidance of any codename doesn't go unnoticed by her.

“No he wouldn't,” She smiles, mischief dancing in her eyes, “You just didn’t want to put up with codename again did you?”

She only gets a grunt in response, making her smile widen. Before long she's bored again. That short exchange can only sustain her for so long, sitting still on a cold Gotham rooftop. This wasn’t what she wanted to do tonight, it was meant to be a way to release energy not gather it sitting still all day and night.  Marion was out in the city forgetting about his problems, letting them fall as he leapt from building to building. She was meant to be doing the same. In free fall, focusing on the next building to catch her rather than how to adjust to her new chaotic family.

“Who trained you?” Batman questions, halting Marinette's fidgeting, “Robin wouldn’t stop talking about it after your last patrol,”

That was strange. At the time he had seemed mad she took down all the gang members before he got the chance. Maybe that was just his default state.

“I was trained by master- my master I was trained by my master,” Marinette breaks herself out of her thoughts, stumbling over words.

“Was?” Batman prods, Now looking towards her, and thankfully ignoring her stuttering.

“Yeah, he… left about four years ago,” Marinette considers her words. It’s not that she didn’t trust Batman, but secret identities were so for a reason and any detail could reveal them to the worlds greatest detective.

“When did he start teaching you?” At least it didn’t seem like he was directly trying to figure out her identity, and it was nice to have a distraction. Even if it was just more talking, at least it was talking about something else.

“He never really taught us, per say, our city needed us so we stepped up,” After some hesitation on her part, but Marion had dragged her along anyway, not letting her give up for even a second, “He guided us from afar for a while until we needed to meet him,”

“You were protecting a whole city alone?” Batman's concern is not easily ignored.

“Not alone, we have each other,” Marinette corrects, plus sometimes other miraculous holders, but that would be giving away a bit too much, “We’re still protecting it, that's why we missed patrol, it’s not like we could have just quit, our home needs protection,”

It was partly true, they did leave to protect paris last time.

“.... It seems I’ve underestimated you,” Batman admits, glaring at the skyline “Clearly you are more…. Responsible than I assumed,”

You don’t know the half of it , Marinette thinks, smiling to herself. The silence they fall back into is a peaceful one. Marinette tries to ignore her thoughts, clearing her head to focus on the task at hand. She is just starting to master her thoughts when trucks pulls up, several people jumping out, working together to carry crates stacked in the trucks.

“I’ll call in the others,” Batman whispers, as more people come out to meet them, about thirty people so far with possibly more inside.

Marinette clicks her comm back on to hear the echo of Batman’s voice telling Marion's group to head their way. Within ten minutes Marion, Nightwing and Robin have joined them on the roof, studying the last of the crates being carried inside.

“We'll go in ahead, Sparrow you and your partner wait for my signal and be prepared as backup,” Batman instructs, preparing to jump across the street.

“Songbird,” Marion interrupts, Batman’s gaze snapping to him, “Decided on a codename,”

“That's… acceptable,” Batman concedes, Marion's grin growing manic.

Without another word the three bats swing across the street, crashing through the warehouse windows. She turns off the communicator so they can’t hear them but they can still hear Batman.

“I’m surprise you went with something- at least for you- normal,” Marinette doesn't take her eyes off the flashes of gunfire and shouting coming from inside, “I mean I know singing is your thing and everything, but still,”

“Dear Sister you underestimate me,” Marinette doesn't need to look at him to know what kind of face he’s making, “For you see I have a master plan, so grand it will make my name known to all,”

“And make Batman regret inviting us?” Marinette guesses, eyebrow raised.

“And make Batman regret inviting us,” Marion parrots, smile evident in his tone, “Do you have a speaker?”

Batman knocks the gun out of the nearest criminals hand. An uppercut sending them to the floor for a while. He’s right in the thick of the crowd, back to back with Nightwing, while Robin picks off those on the outer edges.

“I’m going to bring them in,” Batman alerts Nightwing, His communicator off so they don’t come in early.

“Are you sure they can handle this?” Nightwing hits his attacker over the head, disorientating them, “Red Robin will be here soon, there's no need to put rookie’s at risk,”

“They are very capable,” Batman defends in both senses, blocking the oncoming punch.

If Sparrow was telling the truth, which he was sure she was, they had single handedly been protecting an entire city for years. Even if it wasn’t as crime ridden as Gotham it was clear from what little they have said that there is something more going on, perhaps a few villains. What is worse is how young they are. Not even Robin, who has been training all his life, was allowed to patrol by himself. From the sounds of it they could have very well been protecting an entire city single handedly at his age. They could certainly handle a thirty something gang members.

“Sparrow, Songbird, now,” Batman flicks on his communicator, getting confirmation.

Not a hint of fear at the prospect of barging into a heavily armed base. They certainly didn’t seem cocky, confident yes, but they have the skill to back it up. Despite everything, they knew how to take the job seriously and are responsible enough to treat it with care and respect.

The sound of glass shattering is almost drowned out by the sudden blast of music. Eerily familiar tune to a pirate movie Dick had once insisted they all watch together.

“Captain Jack Sparrow is here!” Sparrow hits the ground, landing a punch on the way down.

“Yo-ho Yo-ho A pirate's life for me!” Songbird… sings… of course. As he swings into the room disappearing into a cluster of criminals, not that anyone could mistake where he was as he keeps singing at the top of his lungs. "We pillage we plunder we rifle and loot!"

Batman pauses to watch like many other criminals. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!"

Allies are standing, as confused as enemies at the strange scene. "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot!"

Gunfire is drawn to Songbird, grinning ear to ear. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!"

Batman catches Sparrow's eye, getting a cheeky grin and saluting in response.

“Um…” Nightwing trails off, taking down a thug that had the wherewithal to attack them as most criminals head towards the new… disruption.

“No Nightwing, not now,” Batman grits out, Nightwing backs off to go help Songbird who was getting surrounded. And. Still. Singing.

Batman just stands in the middle of the remaining crowd surrounding him. Absentmindedly taking down anyone who attacks him. Gaze practically locked on the two.

This behaviour... is completely unbecoming of any hero or vigilante.

Sparrow takes down a criminal with a flip that immediately had Nightwing next to her. Chatting as they continued the fight, seemingly experimenting with different styles with the others instructions. With all the criminals around him down he slowly approaches the few remaining that surrounded Songbird and Robin. The latter of which was telling him to stop singing to no avail.

"Um... whats going on here?" Batman doesn't jump at the sudden appearance of Red Robin no matter how much it caught him off guard, he must be more distracted than he thought.

“Just like you to show up when all the hard work’s done,” Robin sneers over at Red Robin.

“I wasn't the one that called for backup,” Red Robin says cooly, “Couldn’t you handle a few thugs?”

“Of course I can your presence here is unwanted as always,” Robin snaps, even as Red Robin takes down the last remaining criminal.

“Oh you two are definitely brothers,” Songbird grins, cutting off Red Robin's retort.

“Tt You are completely- How do you even come to such a inane conclusion,” Robin surprisingly falters, Songbird grinning wider.

“So you’re not?” Songbird pesters, not waiting for further denial, “Cause you seem to really like each other,"

They both start arguing with Songbird. The latter just listening and adding provocation whenever necessary. Easing them both into a teasing atmosphere, playfully more than hurtfully sending out insults.

Nightwing was now showing Sparrow a particular kick flip. All the criminals around them wisely staying still if they were conscious. The two stop to laugh wherever the others say something particularly ludicrous.

Batman watches them, training his years of discipline to keep a smile from tugging on his lips.

I suppose it can be a good thing.

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

Taglist:

@technicallyburninggarden @fusser90  @misslenamooney @superbwhispersconnoisseur @biodad-bruce-month

[itsmeevie01]

Bio!Dad Bruce Month Day 13- Gifts

a teen was standing in an airport, the hood of his hoodie pulled up to hide his dark hair. His hands were stuffed in the pocket of his sweatpants, and he kept his eyes (really blue eyes!) fixed on his phone. When the arrival of the last flight from Paris for the night was announced, he glanced up, scanning the area. Satisfied that whoever he was looking for wasn’t yet at the baggage claim, he returned to his phone. 

20 minutes later, the device binged, and his head shot up, once again scanning the area. The athletic boy’s face split into a smile when he locked eyes with a girl who was waiting near a pile of bags, looking through the ones that were spitting out. The boy made his way over and pulled the girl into a hug. After they had snagged the last of her bags (how on earth did the kid have 6???) the two made their way to the parking garage. When they neared the doors separating the warm airport, the boy pulled the girl’s hood up and made sure his was up as well before pulling the bags he had taken behind him. the tow hurried through the cold air, heads down. 

As they passed a line of cars in the drop off lane, the boy’s hood got knocked off by the wind. He ducked down further, but by then, it was too late. “Timothy! Timothy Drake!” his name flew through the reports and visitors in the crowd. The boy, Tim, scowled and cut those closest to him a glare. The girl behind him sniggered at his distress before pulling her hood farther forward. As she pushed past the teen, there was a flash of blue eyes, before she was pulling him after her. As they hurried off, there were multiple flashes of cameras and questions floated through the air.

---

“what that fuck did you do?” the question was punctuated by the slamming of Marinette’s door. Tim huffed as he slumped into the driver’s seat.

“I didn’t do anything though! Honestly, it’s not my fault B has been making me do the public appearances for WE!” at his sister’s suspicious look, the older teen made a face and checked to make sure she had buckled her seatbelt. S

oon, the two were speeding down the road that led to the manor, where the rest of the family was gathering. 

---

When they walked in, they were greeted by Alfred, who gave Tim an unimpressed look before smiling at Marinette and insisting that the two go join the family in the big sitting room. When they entered, they found everyone staring at the television, where a news story was flashing on the screen. As the Anchor continued to talk, a picture of whatever had caught the family’s interest appeared on the screen and-

“well shit, Timmy, can’t you even pretend to be low key?” Jason’s question made the other boy groan and throw himself into a chair.

“I tried, Jason. I tried. It wasn’t until we were almost to the car that someone saw us.” He glanced at the image on the TV, “at least M can’t be seen clearly. That went correctly.” Jason snorted derisively and let himself fall back into his seat.

“how long do you think before the conspiracy theories start flying?” at his question, Marinette looked up from where she was scrolling through her phone.

“oh, those have already started. Half of Twitter thinks I’m Tim��s Girlfriend.” The room erupted in laughter and the siblings moved to accommodate the teens before turning back to the news.

Bruce smiled at his children as they started to stumble down the stairs. First, Marinette had come down from her room. The 14-year-old had taken the holiday to swap out her jeans and long-sleeved tees for a pair of leggings and a long green top that settled mid-thigh. Although her clothes weren’t festive, per say, you could tell she had thought her appearance through very carefully. At this point, Bruce mused, he wouldn’t expect anything less from the budding fashion designer.

Next had come Tim, somewhere around 5 am. The teen had also changed from his Pajamas into what Bruce realized was an outfit Marinette had planned. Black joggers, black tee peeking out from under a red hoodie, and a pair of slippers that Bruce suspected were actually his.

 Once the two had curled up together gripping their coffee, Dick and Jason appeared. They too had forgone the customary pjs for joggers, in Dicks case, and sweats in Jason’s. Dick was wearing a deep blue hoodie that was almost back, with…OH that must have been Marinette’s doing who else was going to make a custom hoodie for Dick that displayed his Nightwing symbol so subtly. Jason on the other hand…Marinette clearly had put less into being subtle with him. instead of a deep garnet that could blend into the bat symbol on his chest, the hoodie was a bright glaring red. On the back, in cursive, the name “Red Hoodie” had been sewn. Bruce held back a laugh of disbelief at the ease the girl had used to sneak the hoodies into the boy’s wardrobe.

While Bruce was marveling at his daughter’s creativity and sneakiness, Cass slipped in and settled next to him. she too was wearing a hoodie that Bruce now recognized as one of Marinette’s. it was black on black with white outlining the bat symbol. At his look of amusement, Cass handed him the hoodie in her hands.

It was black like hers, except much bigger and completely devoid of color. As he inspected the hoodie, Bruce found a small selection of embroidery on the bottom hem. “dad, I didn’t want to do anything huge, but this is a thank you, and a small reminder that I love you. Stay safe, Marinette Cheng-Wayne” he smiled as he ran his fingers over the stitching. 

When he glanced over at Cass again, he found her playing with the embroidery on her own hoodie where it met her leggings. Before he could turn and say anything to the designer, Damien made his presence known as he entered the room. The boy scowled at everyone before he plopped down on next to Marinette, on the side opposite of Tim. Bruce shook his head as he watched his two youngest interact, Damien in a green hoodie and sweats. The hoodie wasn’t anything special, except for the red lining and yellow accents that Marinette had obviously added as a nod to his hero persona.

Alfred came in shortly after and handed out coffee and Hot Cocoa. As the siblings woke up, they moved so that the family made a semi-circle around the tree. They pulled out their phones and started checked the time, texted their friends, and generally got accustomed to the early morning. 

When Alfred came back to join them, toting two giant trash bags and a camera, Dick perked up, it was time to start handing out presents. As the young adult started moving through the room, the others sorted what he was handing them when they all were given boxes in an unfamiliar paper, many of the older ones traded confused glances with each other. When the last present had been distributed, everyone turned to Damien who glanced around in confusion. “what? Do I have something on my face?” the others laughed, and Marinette bumped him with her elbow.

“its not that, little brother, you are the youngest, so you go first. You open one and everyone else will take turns after until it comes back to you!” the boy rolled his eyes at her explanation, before reaching for the paper that the rest of the family knew signifies that the gift was from Alfred. 

When the youngest had opened the parcel to reveal a selection of books on drawing and wildlife, Marinette smiled at him and nodded to Dick, who had ended up next to Damien. Dick flashed her a bright smile and opened his own present form Alfred. After Dick, Jason tugged off the paper on his box. Then, Cass who turned to Bruce with a prompting tilt of her head. After Bruce had opened his bag (really, Alfred! He didn’t need any more books on raising emotionally stable children. He had done well so far, right?) he nodded to Alfred who raised a pointed eyebrow at him (about what, Bruce wasn’t sure. He hadn’t done anything yet, had he? It was barely 6 in the morning!). Tim rolled his eyes at their interaction, before ripping open his own package and letting out a yelp of happiness at the stack of books that he found waiting for him. 

After that, Marinette simply giggled at the family antics and opened her gift. When Damien reached for the next present, Alfred lifted his camera to capture the smiles that were flooding the room.

Somehow, Damien had left the unfamiliar papered gift for last. When he reached for it, he tried to do a mental tally to figure out who it could be from. First they had opened Alfred’s gifts, so it couldn’t be him. then they had moved onto Bruce’s then Jason’s. After that, they had gone through Cass’s (apparently, she was a notoriously bad gift giver) and his own. Then, Damien had reached for the ones he knew came from Marinette, before deigning to opened Tim’s. if they had opened all of the family presents, then…” Alfred, why are these under the family tree?” Dick’s question broke Damien from his thoughts. “shouldn’t we wait until the Kents get here to open these?” the old Butler shook his head and gestured for the vigilante to open the box. 

When Dick did as instructed, he full on squealed. “How!” at the family’s confusion, the oldest of the siblings held up a card that had been nestled inside. The small crème square read ‘Complements of MCW’. As the family processed what they were seeing, all hell broke loose. The others tore into the boxes in front of them, and all found a personalized gift, and a matching Christmas sweater. No one noticed Marinette’s small smile at the chaos surrounding her, or that though she had the Christmas sweater, she didn’t have a personalized item to go with. 

No one, that is, except Tim.

so, this is LATE, because the place im staying over the weekend has crazy spotty internet and i couldnt get Word to save anything. that said, i will also be uploading day 14, so keep an eye out for that today...

[anjuschiffer]

To Be Exposed

So... my had slipped... Enjoy!

Originally for @maribat-2k20‘s Bio!Dad Bruce Week but like I said, my hand slipped :D (The prompt was Family Outing, which I did include, but like detoured from :D)

------

P. Taglist: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life

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Context: HM has been defeated thanks to a certain family butting in. Mari and Adrien were still Ladybug and Chat Noir, telling each other’s identity after the defeat of HM. Also, Gabriel isn’t HM here and is a good dad, though he is still strict. Lila is still herself, spouting lies the moment she got to school and often got into arguments with Marinette. Everyone believes some of her lies since Marinette would find evidence as to why certain things couldn’t happen and why she couldn’t have stolen ‘x’ thing… she was a Wayne damnit! She didn’t need to steal! She could simply buy it!

Alert: Contains Lila salt

------

AO3

------

Marinette fidgeted in her seat, counting the seconds until class was over.

“Marinette, please stop tapping your pencil against the desk,” Miss Bustier sternly said, causing the girl to burst into a red blush, even reaching the tips of her ears. 

The class giggled, except for Rossi.

“Sorry. Won’t happen again,” Marinette said, burrowing her head into her crossed arms, Alya patting her back in comfort.

As Miss Bustier continued with her lecture, the doors burst open, everyone turning to see who it was. Meanwhile, Marinette stood in her seat, gaping at the person.

“Jason!” Marinette walked down to him, noticing that he was out of breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Lutin. We have to go,” Jason quietly whispered, Marinette paling. Lutin. Something was wrong.

“Jason, what-”

“Despite seeing that the two of you know each other,” Miss Bustier cut off, looking at Jason with narrowed eyes. “I can’t let you just burst into my classroom while class is in session. If you need to speak-”

“This is a family emergency lady,” Jason growled, pulling Marinette behind him. “I already signed the necessary documents to take Mari with me. If you have any more questions or concerns, call us.” 

With that, Marinette and Jason were gone, Miss Bustier calling for an independent study and went to the office for a call, leaving the class abuzz, allowing Lila to use the chaos to her favor.

“Oh poor Marinette!” She cried, placing her hands against her face, a tear slipping from her eye. “I wonder what happened with her family that she had to leave so abruptly?” 

“Why don’t you call your Damiboo then?” Rose suggested, everyone then remembering something Lila told them once before, circling around Lila to see if she’d call him then and there.

“Dudette’s right Lila.” Nino added, waving the phone in his hand. “Why don’t you ask Damian what’s up with their family?”

“Th-their?” Lila asked, wondering what the hell was going on. What if, what if they found out that she really doesn’t- did Marinette plan this?! And wait. Why should Damian know? He’s a Wayne, not a Dupain-Cheng!

“W-Wait, do you really not know?” Max asked, wondering if what Mari told him some time ago was indeed true. 

Was Lila really lying about dating her brother?

“Know what?”

“You really don't, do you?” Alya said, glancing at the others crowded around Lila, Lila feeling beads of sweat running down her face. “We never asked you about this because we thought you were just pretending -seeing as you and Mari don’t get along- but it really seems like you don’t know.” Alya looked at everyone, nodding before she returned her attention to Lila. “Your Damiboo… he’s Marinette’s biological older brother.” 

------

“You pulled me out of class, for this?!” Marinette yelled, gesturing at the scene in front of him.

“Pixie Pop, you don’t understand.” Jason reasoned, watching as Dick chased Damian around the hotel lobby, Damian clawing at Dick  as he was caught. “He’s the only one not aboard with going to dinner at-“

“You weren’t onboard either Jason,” Tim exposed, earning a glare from Jason. “You hate wearing suits after all.”

Marinette sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. 

Yes, she was looking forward to spending time with her brothers, but right now was not the best time.

Her idiot brothers were screaming at each other, yet to draw out their weapons and kill each other. 

Dad wasn’t to set foot in Paris until later today, meaning Marinette was the one to set these morons straight. 

It was time to do it to them. 

The four boys continued to bicker, Dick holding Damian down as he finally managed to place a bow on him, only for Damian to yank it off. Jason was spilling nonsense out of his mouth to Tim’s annoying remarks when Jason caught a few sobs coming from their younger sister. 

When Tim noticed that Jason had gone quiet and had let go of his shirt, his own voice began to trail into silence. 

When Damian realized that his brothers had stopped bickering, he caught the hiccups that escaped from Marinette, his fussing coming to a halt as Dick finally picked up on his little sister’s cries. 

The four quickly circled Marinette, each of them trying to grab her attention. 

“Maribug, what happened?” Dick asked, lifting her face before she smacked his hand away, her cries growing louder. 

“Pixie, I’m sorry I was fighting! I won’t do it again,” Jason offered, smiling when Marinette’s sobs began to grow quiet. “Until after dinner is done, that is.” Lips quivered before sobs escaped her. 

“Todd, you had one job!” Damian growled, placing his hands on Marinette’s shoulders. “Mari, what’s wrong?”

Marinette wipes off some of her tears and a bit of snot that dared to drip off her nose. 

“I-I was looking forward to tonight’s dinner… it’s been a year since we’ve seen each other, bu-but you guys keep fighting a-and,” Marinette sniffled. “And now I’m wondering if-I’d maybe this was too much to ask for.” Marinette rose her head to look at everyone, her doe eyes piercing all of her brother’s chests. “Sh-should I… should I call off di-“

“NO!” The boys yelled in unison, now spilling apologies towards their sister, smothering her with hugs as they promised to keep their bickering to a minimum. 

Meanwhile, Marinette let a smile play on her lips, glad to see her brothers now under control. 

As much as she hated having to resort to tears to get them under control, sometimes she knew it’s one of the few cards she had to play when necessary… unlike a certain some-

...

Maybe this is why she always lied… did she like the attention? The notion of being the beloved center of attention?

Marinette could only wonder as her brothers helped her get ready for the family dinner in three hours.

------

Lila looked at her phone and then at the restaurant before her. Coccinelle Trattoria.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Lila muttered, walking into the restaurant, taking in its radiance. 

White marble covered the entrance from top to bottom, velvet red rugs underneath her feet. And that was just the entrance. 

“Name?” A man asked her, Lila jumping at the question. 

“Rossi, sir.” She provided, watching as his brows furrowed. “Meeting someone named Agreste.”

“Right, right.” He said to himself, turning back a few pages. “Right this way, miss.”

Lila followed, watching as the red carpet shifted into a black one, dark oak beneath it  peaking through, running all along the railings and covering the room from top to bottom. 

Lila was taken aback how breathtaking the plain decor was, the dimmed chandeliers adding a nice touch to the dark interior.  

As she walked down the few steps of stairs, she was guided towards the right side of the restaurant, a certain blue-eyed person catching her attention, causing Lila to do a double take.

Turning her head towards the left, there, in a side room, away from the public eye, Lila spotted her… 

What was Marinette doing here? And why was she alone?

“Miss, if you would?” Lila jumped at the voice, apologizing before being led to a back table.

There was Gabriel Agreste, his sharp gaze piercing Lila. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you sir.” Lila said, giving a small bow. “My name is Lila Rossi, although I’m pretty sure that you already know that.” Lila said with a small chuckle, shutting up when Gabriel remained unimpressed. “I know you’re a busy man, so I’ll get to the point.” Lila opened up her phone and slid it towards him, watching as he took it. “You wanted evidence, so here it is.” She grinned as she watched a small tick form, her cue to take a seat. “Dupain-Cheng is dating your son. I. Wasn’t. Lying.”

-----

“-and that pretty much wraps up my school year so far,” Marinette said with a smile, groaning when Dick decided to pinch her cheek. 

“We’re so proud of you Maribug!”

“Wow… another studybug,” Jason said with a roll of his eyes, earning glares from his three younger siblings. “What? It’s true.” Jason pointed at each of them. “Tech. Fashion. Art History.” 

The three let out huffs, Marinette rolling her eyes as she watched Damian and Tim try to show that they weren’t studybugs, only to realize they just proved the opposite.

Dick now had to try to prevent the debate from spiraling out, only to be ganged up on and now being bullied over this one time he wanted to try fighting in heels (which ended in a sprained pair of ankles).

“So Marinette, anything else you want to talk about?” Bruce asked, watching as Marinette stuffed her face with some pasta.

“Not really. Oh!” Fishing into her purse, Marinette pulled out her phone and showed her father an unfinished dress form. “There’s this upcoming fashion competition! And I, um…” Marinette averted her eyes from her father’s softened ones. “I-I need to buy some fabric to-”

“Consider it done,” Bruce said with a smile, patting her head, a blush rising from Marinette. “We can go after tomorrow morning if you want to choose it yourself.” 

Marinette beamed, tackling a side hug to her father, catching everyone’s attention.

“Thanks Dad,” Marinette whispered. “Thanks for being here even though I know you’re very busy.” Bruce simply smiled, bringing Marinette closer and patted her head.

“I’ll keep doing my best to see you Nightingale,” Bruce said, wondering why the world was so against him.

This was their first family dinner in a long while. If he remembered correctly, the last time everyone got together was a year ago… for Alfred’s-

“Hey.” Jason interrupted. “It’s that Lila bi-”

“Lila?” Everyone chimed in, Marinette stiffening before feeling her hands ball into fists.

“H-How you guys know her name?” Marinette asked, watching as Rossi came into view, standing next to- “Mr. Agreste!” She didn’t notice how pale everyone was, except for Bruce and Damian.

Marinette jumped off her seat and ran to the duo, grabbing Lila’s hand, making the fox face her.

“Lila. What are- How do you know Mr. Agreste?” Lila huffed, jerking her hand away from Marinette.

“This doesn’t concern you Marinette.”

“Actually it does.” Gabriel spoke, looming over Marinette. “Can you explain these pictures to me Miss Dupain-Cheng?”

“What pictures?” Marinette asked, Lila shoving a phone to her face.

“These pictures.”

Marinette took the phone with shaky hands, swiping each picture, feeling her blood drain from her face.

“H-How did you get these?” Marinette gasped out, giving the phone back, never seeing the smirk on Lila’s face.

“So these are real.” Gabriel spoked, Lila quickly turned to him, eyes wide.

Did he not believe them when she showed them to him? But! But he reacted to them!

“Marinette, what is going on here?” Damian asked, placing a hand on Marinette, feeling rage take over him when he saw unshed tears pool into her eyes. “Which one of you assholes-”

Bruce quickly placed a hand over Damian’s mouth while he brought Marinette closer to him.

“Forgive my son, Mr. Agreste,” Bruce apologized, glaring at Damian. “He has… an unusual way to express his feelings.”

“Mr. Wayne,” Gabriel said, seeing Rossi pale upon hearing the name. “It’s a surprise to see you here.”

“Same here.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in Gotham, getting ready for your speech for the opening of the new orphanage?”

“I am,” Bruce admitted, patting Marinette’s head, feeling her relax a bit. “But spending time with one’s child always takes priority, don’t you agree?” 

“That I must.” Gabriel said, giving the fellow business a smile. “Just earlier I was cheering my son, Adrien, at his fencing competition. He didn’t win, but he came in second nonetheless.”

“Was Kagami the one he went up against?” Marinette asked, causing everyone to look at her.

“Yes,” Gabriel said sternly. “How did you know that?” Marinette let out a sigh, now standing a bit firmer than before.

“Adrien spoke to me about it the other day. Through the phone that is,” Marinette added, Damian wondering why she had faltered in her confidence.

“And how did you meet my son?”

“Don’t you remember her, Agreste?” Damian asked, standing in front of Mari. “All of us attended your wife’s funeral.”

Lila froze. Funeral? What funeral?

“Surely I would’ve remembered her. After all, she is the only biological daughter of Wayne’s. Everyone would’ve known about this, knowing how Bruce is when it comes to talking about his beloved children. The press does keep track of every child you’ve adopted and helped make after all.”

Bruce wanted to groan, but knew he was right. However, it didn’t help to hear snickering coming from the room behind him.

Marinette stood there, wondering what was missing. 

She had met Adrien and Gabriel. Adrien even introduced her to him, although she didn’t utter a word to him. 

Word…

Talk…

Speaking…

He was right… He would’ve remembered her if he did indeed meet her, only that he never actually did...

He never met her. He had met-

“Do you remember Cassandra at the funeral Mr. Agreste?” Marinette quickly chirped, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Why yes, I did meet her.” Gabriel said, wondering why she would mention the other Wayne. “A bit too quiet, but Adrien did mention playing with her. He said he would never forget the blue-eyed girl with freckles that played with him. He always asked to see- it was you.” Gabriel pieced together, looking at Bruce and then at Marinette. “You hid her in plain sight.”

That was right. He had met the girl. But looking back, he remembered that the girl he met had freckles, unlike the girl he thought he had met. 

When he looked back, Gabriel had remembered seeing Cassandra at the Wayne Gala last year. The girl looked almost identical to the one standing before him, except Cassandra had black hair unlike Marinette… and… she didn’t have freckles scattered across her face. 

Freckles are a nuisance to hide, often having to build layer upon layer to hide them, something that was unacceptable for photoshoots.

“Sorry that I never introduced myself before, sir.” Marinette said, stepping up and doing a little bow. “My name is Marinette Wayne, that is, if you find me outside of Paris.” Marinette let out a nervous laugh. “I go by Marinette Dupain-Cheng here in Paris, to honor my host parents and to keep my identity a secret.”

“S-So you’re actually a Wayne?” Lila asked, using everything in her mind to prevent herself from panicking. “S-so Alya wasn’t lying?”

“If anyone were to be lying, it would be you Rossi.” Marinette said, letting out a slight huff. “I’m not the one going around saying I know famous people.”

“But you do!” Lila exclaimed, showing her a picture of Marinette with Jagged Stone. “You’re always talking about you working for Jagged-”

“It was Jagged who told the world that I was the one behind his glasses and album art Lila! Hell, he did a whole one hour special in which he visited my house and asked questions on how I got inspired to make those things.”

“Then what about the pictures?” Lila asked, her voice jumping an octave higher than usual “Explain them!” Marinette pursed her lips.

“About those pictures,” Marinette looked at her father and then at Gabriel. Hopefully she would just get out with being grounded. “You see, I-”

“She bribed me and Jason towards helping her take down your security system so that she can bring Adrien over some anime related things and her quiches, which mind you, are the best in all of Paris,” Tim spoke up, lazily showing everyone some pictures of the rest of the people. “She also climbed over your fence and climbed her way to Adrien’s room.”

“Timothy!” Marinette wailed, curling into a ball. “You weren’t supposed to say anything!”

“We can’t keep getting blackmailed by you Pixie.” Jason said, resting his elbow on her shoulder. “So we had to resort to this… sorry.”

“But wait Maribug!” Dick said, jogging up to the family, Lila wondering just how many siblings this girl had. “Are you, or are you not dating the Agreste boy?”

“I’m not dating him!” Marinette groaned, turning to Gabriel. “I’m helping him set up a perfect love confession to the guy he likes!” Once realizing what she said, she covered her hands.

Please forgive me Chaton…

“Confession?” Gabriel asked. “Is it the Luka boy that helps him with his guitar classes?”

“Yes?” Marinette provided, earning a laugh from the man.

“Seems like Natalie lost the bet.”

“Bet?”

“I knew there was something between the boys, but I never mentioned it.” Gabriel walked away, before turning to the Waynes. “Thank you for telling me Marinette.” He bowed. “Also, there’s a door for a reason. Use it next time.” With that, Gabriel was off, leaving Lila at the mercy of the Waynes.

“So you’re Lila Rossi?” Jason asked, crossing his arms. “We’ve been wanting to meet you for a loong while.”

“Jason.” Bruce hissed, watching Marinette frown. “Why don’t we let Marinette handle this?”

“And listen to this idiot keep claiming that she knows us? No.” Jason dragged Lila into the room they had just left, Tim, Dick and Damian trailing behind.

“Dad, please, don’t let them hurt her,” Marinette pleaded. “Yes, she’s a, whatever you want to call her, but she doesn’t deserve to be tortured by them. If anything, she needs help.” Marinette looked at her father. “A therapist if anything.”

Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll see what I can do.”

------

“-and that’s pretty much what happened.” Marinette said, grabbing Adrien’s hands. “I’m so sorry Chaton, I really didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t apologize Mari.” Adrien chuckled. “If anything, it helped to come out of the closet a bit easier.”

“I-It did?”

“Yeah!” Adrien exclaimed, wrapping himself around Mari. “I don’t have to keep hiding it from him anymore.” He squeezed harder, making Mari let out a yelp. “Thank you.”

Marinette could only smile.

“Do you think Lila’s still going to keep bothering you?” Marinette let out a sigh.

“She might, she might not. Although something tells me that tomorrow is going to be a pain in the ass.”

-----

Marinette let out a sigh as she walked down the school steps, Alya at her side.

“So you told her about me being, you know, a Wayne?”

“Sorry girl, it’s just that… how do you put it? Necessary?” Marinette arched a brow. “It was!”

“I’m just worried about her.” Now it was Alya’s turn to arch a brow. “My brothers know about what she’s been doing, gathering information behind my back...and all day I’ve been getting chi-”

“Rossi, there you are.” Marinette quickly spun around, her eyes widening as her eyes landed on her brother approaching Rossi. She watched as some of her classmates giggled, thinking that Damian was here to pick up Rossi, which he was… but not with the intentions they believed he thought. “Been looking for you.”

“Da-Damian! What are you doing here?”

“Thought I’d come to see you,” Damian said, giving her a small smile. “And I have a gift for you.”

Marinette could only watch with horror as Damian handed a vanilla envelope to her, Damian enjoying how the blood from her face drained. 

“O-oh what’s this?”

“A gift, for our anniversary. What else?”

“Anniversary?”

“Of the day we met,” Damina said, hearing some girls squealing in the distance. “And the last day I’m ever going to see your damn face.”

“Wha-what?”

“This envelope contains a nice pile of lawsuits from me to you, a majority of them being centered around defamation...” Damian descended the stairs, before coming to a halt. “If we do see each other again, I hope it’s for a good reason and not because of this stupid, childish game of yours. Also, treat my sister well. If you don’t,” Damian let out a chuckle. “Well, you already know what Jason’s going to do to you.”

Lila collapsed to the ground, Rose and Mylene running to her side, asking what Damian had meant by that and if Damian was telling the truth.

Had she lied to them?

Marinette watched as Damian walked up to her and Alya, a smile on his face.

“What possessed you to do that?” Marinette snarled, Damian’s smile dropping.

“I did what I had to.”

“Showering her in lawsuits wasn’t the way to go and you know that!”

“So what did you want me to do? Praise her?” Damian huffed. “Listen Mari. Nothing good is going to come from her if she doesn’t-”

“Therapy.” Marinette sternly said, looking Damian in the eyes. “She needs help.” Marinette looked at Alya, the girl blinking before understanding. With a quick bye, Alya left two siblings alone. “If therapy helped us get together, if it helped Jason and Dick talk to Dad once again, it has to help her too… don’t you think?”

“You’re too soft, Mari,” Damian said, leaving her on her own as he got into his bike. 

Mari watched as he rode away, leaving her with her thoughts.

-----

After weeks of trying to get Lila to talk to her, Marinette finally gave up.

Lila didn’t want anything to do with her.

“I don’t need your help Dupain-Cheng! You’ve already helped thanks to your brother’s lawsuits against me! Thanks to him, my mother-”

Marinette shook the conversation from her head, wrapping her arms around her knees. She heard her bedroom door creak, listening as a pair of footsteps walk in, a back sliding down beside her.

“Marinette, what’s wrong?” Bruce asked, wondering why his youngest was feeling down.

“I need to fix something, but I don’t think I can do it alone.” Marinette admitted, looking up to her father.

“Just say the word and I’ll do my best to help.”

“Thanks Dad.”

-----

Marinette avoided Lila like the plague, only talking to her if necessary. Aside from that, she never spoke to the Italian. 

But that didn’t matter to her anymore.

Bruce had helped Lila’s mother get another job- a consultant under WE, meaning Lila had to move to Gotham with her mother since her mother took the job eagerly.

“You’re too soft Mari.” Damian said as he closed his textbook. He crumpled the paper he was working on and threw it to the fireplace in front of them. Marinette hummed as she sketched in her notebook, wiggling her feet under the coffee table. “But that’s your definition of justice.”

“I guess it is.”

“And you managed to execute such an easy plan to get your desired outcome.” Damian said with a smile, sometimes wondering how they easily underestimated his sister. 

Marinette simply smiled as she finished drawing a curled up fox.

The minute Lila’s mother accepted the job, Lila was enrolled at Gotham Academy. There, she had to take a few exams and interviews to create her schedule for the upcoming semester. Interviews were made in person, which led to the school telling Lila that she needed to go to Dr.Quinzel for a final examination.

“Lila needs help. She isn’t lying simply because she wants to and can. There must be a reason behind it.” Marinette stated matter of factly. “She can change. I know she can.”

“And if she does?”

“Then I hope we can start things over.” Marinette looked over to her brother, watching him throw another paper ball into the fire. “Or at the very least have a proper conversation with each other.”

“Then let’s hope that she proves you right. If not,” Damian didn’t need to finish the rest. 

If she proved her wrong, Marinette’s efforts would’ve been in vain.

“She will change.” Marinette softly said, tapping on her sketchbook, a ladybug emerging from thin air. “At least, I hope she will.”

Because if she did, then Marinette will finally be at peace with herself.

After all, it was her fault that Lila was so hostile to her.

She should’ve never told the class that Lila wasn’t Marinette Wayne’s best friend. 

She should’ve never told the class that she was Marinette Wayne and that was the reason why Lila wasn’t her best friend.

If she hadn’t exposed her like that.

If she didn’t...then maybe, just maybe…

They could’ve been friends.

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

It’s The Avengers (03x04)

Loki x Reader Avengers The Office AU (Slowwwwww Burn)

Season 3 Episode 04: She Who Seduces

Series Summary: Living in the Avengers facility post-apocalypse in a better timeline   Tony Stark has decided to capture every moment by pulling The Office on the Avengers. All of housemates are pretty used to the idea except for you, who had just come here to finish her degree, and the newest member- Loki.

Warnings: wow! lots of stuff you guys want but at the same time aren’t gettin’ any

Word Count: It’s a weird feeling to be tagged as an essential worker, but not be made to feel like an essential worker? I mean I feel I’m not one. But if I am being forced out of my house, being exposed to the possibility of catching the virus, being ignored by corporate, media and the govt as humans, I have to wonder why am I even sitting here. I get the doctors and nurses and no amount of verbal praise can even come close to what they are doing right now. But if me and my colleagues have be ignored and made to work at large, I’d rather we do it from the safety of our homes, man. (Just when I had started to get better on my own)

MASTERLIST in bio, darlings. Tags are open (check bio)

The camera focused on a blue egg the colour of sky lying in the dirt, zooming in on it a little before jolting back as the egg moved. The camera did the entire cycle once again before a fluff hand tried to smack that egg like a cat curious about this unexplained cute atrocity in front of them.

“Lulu!” a voice called from somewhere in the distance in the midst of a mixture of all sorts of noises- like the ones experienced in your neighbourhood local market. But the camera did not budge till it recorded the sky egg crack bit by bit before a pair of blue eyes popped out on a little white head. Those gorgeous cute eyes looked at the camera, blinking out of coordination before looking at the little golden fuzzy arm slowly coming towards its head. Blinking again- this time with curiosity- the blue eyes froze on that snail-paced extension of a husk behind the camera before a tiny void opened under those innocent eyes to take that husk arm into it and bite down with an audible crunch.

Javier’s camera swiftly turned to Lulu’s cries, finding him far behind in the crowd of aliens trying to knock something away from his arm.

The little husk- screaming and howling like a little dog in pain- was rescued by pale fingers catching hold of the round head that was too stubborn to let go. A little squeeze and those surprisingly vicious teeth let go, breaking the remnants of the eggshells to let out white paws attached to the tiniest legs.

“Scram,” Loki ordered the white alien- who ran away as quickly as possible- before turning towards Lulu, “what were you trying to do with that beast? Have it for breakfast?”

Lulu chirped, nodding before slumping a little into the ground.

“Yeah, good luck with that while you’re in Y/N’s care,” he stated, getting and turning to look at the judgmental zoom Javier’s camera threw on him. “What. You want her to keep another alien as a pet?”

“Guys, I found a restaurant,” your voice called out of the frame, making Loki look in your direction, “OH MY GOD YOU GUYS! THERE ARE REAL LIFE SAILOR SOLDIERS IN HERE!!”

Loki looked at the camera, ageing a thousand years more. “Please tell me it’s not one of those mangas she keeps talking about.”

When Javier spelt it out for him from behind the camera, Loki’s eyes closed and he let out the heaviest sigh he possibly could

Loki: *with a very serious face* the prospect of me having died before being teleported here does not seem so bad. It looks fantastic now. *camera zooms in on his face while you scream in delight in the background, “I’m sitting with real-life Sailor Soldiers!! Aaaahhhh-”*

 The Lounge

"Where's Stark?"

One camera panned in on Bucky's face as he came out of the dorm with bed hair while the other looked at a mildly surprised Scott drinking orange juice from a crystal wine glass.

"He said he'll come in twenty. He's gone for his weekly therapy session," Scott replied, swirling the juice in his glass with his pinky out while observing Bucky from head to toe. "You should try that sometimes. It's really good."

Bucky sat down on the sofa with a stare filled with judgemental questions in Scott's direction. "Me? Therapy? That stuff's for looneys."

Scott furrowed his brows at Bucky, pause all moments for a second before bringing the glass ever so slowly to his lips. "Okay, Boomer."

"What?"

"What?"

Bucky: I don’t need therapy. *mocks a laugh* Shuri made me better than ever in Wakanda. All I need is exercise, healthy food in my stomach and a good amount of sleep. *nods in satisfaction*

*camera zooms out to reveal Scott sitting next to him, shaking his head lightly in mild disbelief*

Scott: *softly* Now I know where that attitude in this present world comes from.

Bucky: *turns to look at Scott* *shifts uncomfortably in his seat while shifting his gaze between the camera and Scott*

*silence erodes the room before Bucky finally breaks*

Why are you looking at me like that? I haven’t killed anyone recently.

Scott: *furrows brows in confusion* what?

Bucky: *stops mid-way and looks away from Scott towards the camera* Nothing

Scott: I never said about killing anyone. *pitch grows higher with every word* Bucky, I never said about killing anyone. Bucky, did you kill someone?

Bucky: *shakes his head with disinterest* mm-mm.

Scott: *mouth opens wide in disbelief* *hands go into his hair on his head* OH MY GOD YOU KILLED SOMEONE!!!

Bucky: NO! I DID N-

Fifteen Minutes Later

Bucky: *softly* So I’ve decided after...a lot of thinking that I should go talk to a...a therapist.

Scott: *nods and smiles at the camera like an encouraging wife*

Bucky: *gives a forceful smile*

Scott: And I too will be going to see a therapist.

Bucky: *nods* *presses lips*

Bucky and Scott: *look at the door, forcing the camera to turn and land on a somewhat irritated Natasha glaring at them from outside the door with arms crossed across her chest*

 Back In The Lounge

Wanda walked into the living room space where Bruce was working on some calculations on his laptop while another camera discreetly caught Bucky and Scott giving each other the stink eye.

"You should take a break, Bruce," Wanda stressed while placing a mug of hot tea on his table. Bruce half-looked at the mug before turning back to it, pulling it close and smelling it. "Since when do we drink so much tea?"

Wanda shrugged. "Since Loki and Y/N came into our lives?" She was unsure but that's what all things pointed at. Bruce went with it too.

He rubbed his eyes and shut his laptop. "Yeah, I guess we can take a break." He yawns and gets up. "Loki seems to have everything under control anyway, so…"

Wanda seemed to wince very quietly, her expressions showing no surety in Bruce’s words; or a reflection of an upset stomach.

“I mean, Y/N is being a levelheaded person too. It’s not all Loki.”

A scoff came from the other side of the room where Bucky stood, all eyes and camera turning to stare at him, his crumbling confident posture trying to display reason. “I mean...she hasn’t been to space before. She does not know what’s out there as well as Loki.”

“So, what you are trying to say is she won’t be able to survive if it wasn’t for Loki?” Scott stretched his words to make sure Bucky heard every single one of them.

“Of course she wouldn’t survive out there. She is a kid.” A very sweaty Clint walked into the lounge and went straight for the orange juice inside the fridge. The camera caught the muted gasps coming out of Wanda and Scott for the men in the room not having much faith in your survival skills.

“So are you,” a very sweaty Natasha acknowledged Clint’s words as she grabbed the juice bottle from Clint’s hand, “but you survived the Infinity War without your family. Oh, wait. You didn’t really survive. You just turned into a whiny little bitch and started killing the first thing you saw.”

Wanda looked at the camera with her eyes wide and her lips pressed tightly to stop her from screaming at the burn. Bruce, on the other hand, whispered ‘oh shit’ and tried to disappear in his mug. Scott sipped his juice like the best tea he had been served in a long time, all the while smirking like a content goofball.

“That was so below the belt, Nat,” Clint protested, his hands resting on his hips as he watched her gulp down half the bottle of juice before handing Clint the rest and smacking her lips in satisfaction. “Y/N is in outer space with a frost giant. And so is Javier. But I don’t hear any of you mention him in this conversation when it comes to surviving on one's own?”

“Javier is a-”

Bruce paused before finishing his sentence as he realised the error of his words right before they came out. “Nice guy?” He finally breathed out, his lungs not being able to take the torture. “He is also in danger, of course. That is a given. I was in danger too when I was stuck in space. Thor can vouch for me.”

Thor: *standing on a cliff while the Asgardians celebrate in the background around a fire* *yells over the sound of waves crashing in on the rocks below* BRUCE WAS SO MUCH FUN ON SAKAAR! WE HAD DRINKS AND DANCES AND SO MANY GIRLS OGLING AT HIM! OF COURSE, THAT WAS WHEN HE WAS THE HULK. WHEN HE WAS BACK TO BEING A BORING OLD SCIENTIST ALL HE SPOKE WAS OF HIS PHDS AND HIS HOW MUCH THIS ONE GUY HERE WAS ALL OVER HIM! I THINK HE LIKED IT. HIM! HE LIKED HIM. IF THIS IDIOT WASN’T STUCK ON BORING OLD NAT THEN I WAS BETTING ON THEM DOIN’ IT. YEAH!!! *pauses and smiles his widest smile* *blinks into an invisible void in the distance* PLEASE DON’T TELL NATASHA  I CALLED HER BORING. OR-OR OLD.

Bruce gulped where he sat. “Maybe he can’t vouch for me. He was too trippy throughout his trip to space anyways. Maybe the lack of oxygen did it to him.”

The silence grew uncomfortable by the second as he exchanged a look with a camera while Clint just shook his head and let out a defeated “dude”.

 Space Place

“Hey, where’s Loki?” you asked Javier while Lulu climbed up the bar stool in the small inn right by the farmer’s market that you had just passed. “Right behind you?” you looked past Javier before walking towards the way he had come- “but he’s not he-”

Your words were cut short by something you saw from the window, forcing the camera to shift on seeing the concern cloud your face towards the scene outside the window. Outside, four buffed up aliens stood surrounding Loki while he raised his hands a little like a white flag.

Instinct took over and you stepped out of the inn but stopped on the porch as Loki yelled, “No! Do not come any closer!” without making eye contact.

One of the buff guys did step closer, his face breathing down right into Loki’s. And Loki? He chuckled at the alien. “One more inch and I think we’ll be kissing, Kronk.”

Kronk the big boulder looking guy hissed at him. “You stepped on the wrong planet, Silvertongue. Hudon wants your head or your body. And he will make sure you pay up your dues.”

Loki tried to increase the distance between him and Kronk, moving back a little; enough to stop smelling his breath on him. “Wow. Looks like someone had a lot of raw Siluji fish today. Hehe. And I thought Hudon was on Myscul. Anyways. How about I talk to Hudon and offer him something that he cannot refuse. And both of us can get back to our respective business.” No matter how much he smiled, Loki did not seem to be getting through that guy.

“Hudon does not want to talk to you. He knows how you work, trickster. He will cut his ears off before he listens to you.”

Loki wanted to contradict the guy but shut his lips to be on the better side of this guy. “Okay. Fine. I will meet him in two hours then? I’ll even bring some good sushi for you.” Loki started to walk away from them when one of Kronk’s men caught hold of him and slapped black handcuffs onto his wrists. 

“You are coming with us, traitor.”

The camera recorded Loki being dragged away in broad daylight while no one even batted an eye at the incident. You walked to the end of the porch- the end close enough to watch Loki being taken away as his brows reflected concern in your direction before disappearing behind the nearest stall of berries.

“Javi,” you uttered softly, your eyes still looking for Loki, “I think Loki’s in trouble. Oh, God. I think we are in trouble.”

 The Foreigner’s Inn

The camera settled on the window sill and a pair of hands moved away to reveal Javier sitting back in the seat of the corner table far away from the bustle of the inn. You sat opposite him, nervously biting your nails and moving your leg under the table while Lulu sat right in the middle, facing the camera, drinking some green concoction you bought him with a few talons from the ones Loki handed you once you had landed on this planet. Javier’s blue eyes scrutinised the place before coming back to you. He tapped your hand for attention before signing something.

“Yeah,” you acknowledged with a nod, “a plan. We need to come up with a plan to save Loki. But we don’t know where they took him. Oh, shi-should we have followed them? Ah fuck! Now, we won’t know where they went. Maybe we should ask someone. But we don’t know what kind of guy Hudon is. What if he’s got eyes everywhere? Then if we ask someone about him, we’ll be the ones walking right into the lion’s den. And we’ll be the ones who will need saving. Okay okay okay okay okay okay. Right right right right right right.”

Javier knocked the table to get your spiralling conscience back to him, directing you to stop, breathe in and breathe out. And you did, pausing for a moment before things got worse in your head. “Right. We need to think this with a clear head. Um...what would Mr Stark tell us to do.”

With your back straight you looked right at Javier. “He would say stop, take a breather. Make sure that you are safe first. It’s fine to worry about Loki but he is a great strategist. He will definitely find a way out of trouble. But that does not mean we do not go look for him. No one gets left behind. Not even that ugly gourd. Help is always around. All you need to do is ask. And never forget that I love you no matter what. Now go save that son of a bitch.”

Javier stared blankly for a second before breaking into silent applause. “So, we need to find something or someone that can give information about that guy holding Loki. Where can we get someone who would know that and help us, complete strangers?”

Lulu, who, all this time had been swinging his bushy bottom from the chair, suddenly stopped, put the drink from his hand on the table and pressed his belly with a click.

[Hippie Sabotage’s Righteous starts playing]

Lulu got down from his chair and moved towards the door of the inn. You called after him but he did not stop and so you and Javier followed with the camera.

Lulu’s camera took in the boots stepping into the inn first. Then the ripped pants, going up to the open shirt revealing perfect abs. Then came those familiar faces carrying their smouldering looks with them still.

Javi’s camera recorded your expression of surprise followed by a hint of something schemy going on in those eyes. A smile was all that you gave them though. “Never thought I would see you guys again.”

The camera swerved to the rainbow k-pop donning shades that were being taken off as slowly as possible. White turned to look at you, the smoulder still holding strong on his face. “And leave you to fend for yourself, princess. Not on my watch.”

You: Yeah *mildly disgusted* I forgot how clingy he is.

“I need your help.”

Sky jumped where he stood and clapped his hand before slipping behind Mauve and blushing.

“Loki’s in trouble. I need to help him es-”

“Say no more,” White whispered while bringing his pale finger on your lips, which you smacked away. “But before we go on the adventure together, my beautiful princess, I urge you to imagine going on another adventure. Just you. And me. And planets with no one but us.”

“And me,” came a faint whisper from behind Mauve.

“Oh, my G-is there anyone of you who is a normal one?”

“I don’t know about normal,” Green came forward and tucked at the edges of his shirt, “but I can take him away from you and help you save your…”

You waited for him to finish his sentence.

“Boyfriend?” he sounded as unsure as the uneasy lines on his face. Before you could say anything to contradict him, White gasped and Sky whimpered. “Boyfriend! He is your boyfriend?! Oh my stars,” White cried, “what are the odds that fate made us meet when you were already someone else’s.”

You stood there, blinking, questioning whether it would be a good decision to tell him the truth. “So, because I have a boyfriend, you will stop pursuing me?”

Sky sniffled, White sighed in defeat and Orange clicked his tongue at the lost opportunity. “I am a creature of code. I would never even think pretty thoughts about someone else’s queen,” he assured with a weak vibration in his voice.

“Cool,” you exclaimed, “Loki is my boyfriend! And I am Y/N, hi. And you are…”

“Call us whatever you like,” Green replied with a smile. “We don’t have names. Just voice notes as a way of identification. Now, let’s get to work.”

“Oh my God,” Mauve groaned audibly and rolled his eyes under those shades, “finally. She definitely needs that work.”

You and the cameras looked at you, wondering what was so wrong to have blunt judgement thrown at you out of nowhere. “Why would I need work?”

Green gestured to you to move up the stairs of the inn with them. “You mentioned Loki being captured by the alien named Hudon.”

“Never mentioned that.”

“He is a classic brute,” Green continued, like he never heard you, as you walked next to him while Lulu got himself lifted into your arms, “who owns all the brothels of this base. He trades in creatures who can exploit their own bodies for what he pays them. The fact that Loki was taken away by his men points at the possibility of trade between them gone wrong.”

You gasped at the sudden revelation that was dawning upon you. “Wait. So, that could mean he wants payback from Loki. Does he want payback in...in cash or...in kind?”

Green’s eyes reflected sympathy for your situation. “Let’s hope, for you and Loki, that it is cash.”

“But wouldn’t that mean he has to sell his body?!”

Green nodded. Lulu’s camera caught White murmuring to Violet, “do you think that furry thing is their child?”

“We have something that might help you. And for that-” he stopped in front of a door of one room at the far end of the corridor, twisting the knob and clicking it open for you to enter- “we would need your help.”

“Okay,” you nodded before confusion took over your face and Lulu purred while rubbing against your shoulder, “what kind of help.”

Mauve sighed loudly, pushing you away- gently- to enter the room first. “We would need your help to do something about the drab that you humans call fashion on your planet,” he nearly puked while looking at your clothes.

“Hey! This shirt is really comfortable. So are these leggings and boots!”

Mauve screwed his face at you. “Oh, they better be! Because that hue-combination is a disaster,” he stressed.

You felt your head go back a little. "Just because I don't have much interest in fashion, I'm gonna let that pass. But I am pretty sure the Queer Eye won't stand for that insult."

"The Queer Eye would've made you into a walking weapon had they been in your vicinity darling," Mauve mentioned matter-of-factly and walked towards the lone dresser and dragged out the chair before tapping it. "Now sit your ass down and let me show you how it's done while Mr Green fills you in about everything."

You looked at Green. He nodded jovially. White on the other hand went and plopped on the bed. Violet went and splayed himself on the sofa, Red went for the window sill to go and brood there. Sky took the foot of the bed and made himself comfortable to look at you for the next two hours. Orange took off his shirt and trousers and went into the bathroom.

"Hey, Lulu," White called out from the bed, "put on a sexy getting-ready song."

Lulu got up on the dresser and pressed his stomach to play Rachel Bloom’s Sexy Getting Ready Song.

“Wait. Hold on,” you called out, making Mauve and Green stop in their tracks and Lulu pausing the song, “I...I gotta poop. Please get that orange pervert out of there?”

 Hudon’s Whorehouse

A hush, beginning from the entrance, fell as the eyes followed the figure. A sweet yet strong melody seemed to follow that black-clad creature, stirring both fear and excitement in the witnesses; who completely missed the two companions walking on its either side.

Never feel too good in crowds With folks around when they're playing

The clack of those pointed heels seemed to be a pound at the doors of the devil himself and every minion that walked in the path she walked, only stopping in the room fit for a queen; nothing less. A seat was taken on the gold-framed sofa, legs spread in comfort and defiance of the one in charge, arms rested on the armrest while popping a grape in the mouth with lips painted red as the blood that flowed in her veins.

A creature with the body of a human- except for the extra pair of hands- and the head of a furry with antlers entered the hall, sitting opposite you. “Welcome to the house of Hudon!” he greeted, the gold on his antlers jingling like bells on Rudolph, “the finest whorehouse you would find in this system.”

“I will evaluate the ‘fine’ myself, Hudon,” you stated quite indifferently, your attention taken by a golden strawberry resting in your fingers, “how old is this rotten blasphemy.”

The anthems of rape, culture loud Crude and proud creatures baying

It was easy to get that accent on your tongue. The tone was smooth enough to show not much effort was being put to talk while the words were spoken like a dagger stabbing the listener with every breath.”

Hudon directed his men to take those old fruits away and to replace them with new ones. But you had already lost interest in them. Sitting straight up, you let your arms go back on the headrest, your suit jacket revealing the skin underneath, the acne on your chest from the sweat and dust revealing itself in full glory. Hudon nearly feels himself blackout with the sheer audacity of a human woman walk into his house and sit there as a client while making him- the one who runs the sex business- make him feel things that were quite transparent in his gaze.

All I've ever done is hide From our times when you're near me

“Here I am, out on a vacation from my boring home, looking for some fun and adventure when someone suggests to me your name and business,” you mutter loud enough for him to hear. “Hudon the hoarder. The one who has everything you can ask for. Anything out of your fantasy. You name it, he has it for you.”

“I do,” he agreed with a smile, interrupted just as he is about to start listing his merchandise.

“Oh, but I don’t think you do, Hudon.” You leaned forward, your legs still spread apart in those black trousers, your frame bent enough to reveal more and still reveal nothing at all, making Hudon’s eyes linger there far longer than he expected them to. “I don’t think you do. What could you possibly have that could seem human enough for my taste and yet not human at all, Hudon? What could you possibly have that could meet my demands, unlike the men on my planet? One who is not meant to be ruled and yet-” your voice turned to a whisper, and Hudon’s eyes were stuck on the hypnotising moment of your lips under that netted veil covering your smokey eyes- “he bends under my commands like a good dog because he knows he will get a treat if he behaves.”

Hudon gulped and blinked.

Honey, when you kill the lights and kiss my eyes I feel like a person for a moment of my life

“I am not here to have some cheap fun, Hudon. Nor some sloppy seconds. I want a challenge that I can smother between my thighs, making him question how he ended up there, under me. And then make him question how he can get under me, again.”

A silence proceeded your laced words. A long lingering silence which would have stretched even more had one of Hudon’s men not brought that shook fur-face back to the present.

“I I I I I think I have the perfect specimen for you, miss…”

“Lady. Lady...Morticia Addams,” you declared, blinking at Javier’s camera.

You: *cringing* I did not think this part through. But I did come up with a nice personality? *does a weak thumbs up*

“I will send for him immediately, Lady Morticia,” Hudon declared, getting and taking a bow, “and if he is not able to satisfy you, I will humbly present myself to you as a sacrifice.”

You: *deadpan* Pervert.

“If your specimen does not satisfy me, then mark my words, Hudon, you won’t find any piece of him in your excuse of a brothel.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a weak voice, walking out and scolding his guards to get him ‘Silvertongue’.

You noticed the two guards still in the hall by the door, looking at you and your companions. Javier moved from his place by the fireplace to the door, to let the tiny camera- courtesy of the rainbow k-pop- strapped to his chest take in the patient steps of the man of the hour; at the same time, directing with his hands to Lulu to resume his score.

But you don't know what hell you put me through To have someone kiss the skin that crawls from you

Loki, bare-chested and in chains, was walked towards your hall with four guards- two on front and two on back. This was the first time any of the cameras had seen so much of his bare skin. Neither had they seen so many muscles on that body that seemed so lean on the outside with the clothes on. The raven hairs snaked around his shoulders while his eyes were set at the goal in front of him: you. And if you did not know any better you would have thought those peach curtains were flying right and left to get a one-touch, one whiff of that God.

To feel your weight in arms I'd never use It's the god that heroin prays to

You almost choked on the juice you were offered on seeing Loki like that- in just his pants. Like a healthy supermodel straight out of a pin-up hidden in your childhood drawer. Quickly recovering and changing into the persona created for this place you leaned back on the sofa to admire the view when all five men came to a halt in front of you.

It feels good, girl, it feels good It feels good, girl, it feels good

“Hm,” you muttered, your eyes going up and down an apparently tight-jawed Loki, “decent. Where did you catch this fish?”

“Caught him fresh in the market today,” Hudon’s henchman answered, surprisingly in an Australian accent, “owed our master for quite some time. Will finally pay his debts now.”

It feels good, girl, it feels good Oh, to be alone with you

The laugh that came out of the prude was murky. You got up and nonchalantly waved your hand to make the guards stand away from the merch, letting you get a good three-sixty view. Loki could feel your eyes on him even when you stood behind him, carefully studying these marks on an otherwise flawless skin that ran all over his back and some did on arms, right down his wrist.

A wave of emotion washed over you on seeing them, which you hastily veiled for the sharp eyes lurking in the background. Clearing your throat, you took out your silver hair stick from the bun at the back and walked to face the frost giant.

There are questions I can't ask Now, at last, the worst is over

“Sit,”  you commanded.

Loki’s eyes grew dark. The camera recorded the silent change of roles for a quick moment before Loki finally obeyed, getting down on his knees.

See the way you hold yourself Reel against your body's borders

You took a step to his side before looking at the guards still standing there. “What. You want in on the show as well?” Your raised-up brow was judging them hard at this moment.

The guards stood there looking at each other before one of them finally spilt. “We are not allowed to leave him alone with you till you sign the contract and make the payment.”

“Hm. Well, if that is the case-” you took another step to stand right behind Loki- “I will inspect this...merchandise before I make the payment.”

I know that you hate this place Not a trace of me would argue

The hair stick in your hand made its first contact with the bare skin on Loki’s back, promptly making his muscles move underneath that pale skin. A smile found its way to your lips. “Sensitive to touch, I see. I prefer virgin skin.” You dragged stick all the way from one end of those shoulder scales in the back to the other, taking light steps to move towards the front.

The camera zoomed in on the shadow of something brewing inside Loki’s eyes while his lips stretched ever so slightly with a thought only he knew. The stick came to the collar bone, travelling up his neck to land right below his chin, lifting it up to watch your tongue in between your teeth, peeking out for a look.

Honey, we should run away, oh, someday Our baby and her momma And the damaged love she made

“Say, boy,” you asked softly, letting the stick dig into that chin to raise it up further, “what does that mouth do.”

A chuckle rose in Loki’s chest and burst out to close his eyes before they could look at you in a new light. “They do things you wouldn’t want to know.”

But I don't know what else that I would do Than try to kiss the skin that crawls from you

Questioning- or pretending to question- his audacity you responded with a sly ‘uh-huh’ before getting down on one knee, letting both your arms rest on the other. “Well, it better-” your voice grew duskier by the minute while that thin stick landed on his lips, circling them- “do things unspeakable. Otherwise-” you gently pushed the stick in his mouth, and he took it in, wrapping his tongue around it- “what is the point of that pretty pretty mouth.”

Then feel your weight in arms I'd never use It's the god that heroin prays to

Javier could not help but record the drooling and uncomfortable faces of the guards standing by the door, half of them looking at each other, other half stuck on the hypnotic movements happening between the two of you; all of them standing with their hands hiding their bulges in those leather pants.

It feels good, girl, it feels good

“That tongue better work like it is the only thing that can save your life, pretty boy.” The low pitch of your voice was drowning the whole room. Your other knee too went down, allowing them to touch his as you sat down, your back arched and your chest moving closer to his. “It better work fast because I don’t like being made to wait. But it better not rush and ruin it for me either.”

It feels good, girl, it feels good

The stick was still in his mouth with Loki’s lips sucking it good when he looked up at you and gave you a judgmental glare. With a gentle tug to the stick from his mouth, you took it away, down the trail it came from, down the chest, the perfect line between his abs and then somewhere further down where the guards could not see; but that did not mean they could not imagine.

It feels good, girl, it feels good

“Now, let’s see how good your hands work,” you ordered more than questioned, turning to Javier and nodding.

Javier nodded back and Lulu’s camera recorded him walking to the door to close and bolt it. The guards could not suppress their smiles, delighted at the thoughts of what was about to go down.

“You,” you pointed at Hudon’s henchman, gesturing to him to come close, “I want you to help me with these.”

It feels good, girl, it feels good

More than eager to ‘help’ you, he skipped to where you now stood and Loki was still on his knees. “Yes. W-what can I help you with, my lady?”

Oh, to be alone with you

Your hands went down your shirt, into your bra and out came four silver balls the size of peas. “Are you done?”

It feels good, girl, it feels good

The henchman did not understand the question. Then came a click from below and Loki’s voice yelled, “NOW!”

It feels good, girl, it feels good

Oh, to be alone with you

A lot of things happened at the same time. Loki stabbed the man right in his calves while you threw those peas on the air; at the same time you and Javier ducked down to let those peas be attracted to the nearest form of flesh in their linear way, sticking to them to shock the living lights till they could see more galaxies in their vision. 

The henchman yelled in pain, down on his knee, which Loki took advantage of and stabbed him in his shoulder before wrapping his arm around his windpipe long enough to make him lose consciousness. 

You grabbed the other pin from your hair and with its pointy end pointed at the men still struggling with the aftermath of the shock, you stood in defence. “Everyone okay?”

The guards groaned. “I meant everyone I care about okay?”

Javier nodded and Lulu chirped, jumping onto your shoulder. You turned to Loki. “You okay?”

Loki nodded, grabbing the henchman’s gun and tucking it in his pants. “Oh, here.” Loki looked at you unbuttoning your suit jacket. “Woah, what are you-” and stopped when he saw a vest peeking from underneath as the shirt was thrown in his direction. “I am almost jealous of the endless choices of these for women here. Does it fit you?”

“It’s quite loose,” Loki absentmindedly responded while buttoning up, not comprehending that disappointed stare till it was too late. “I meant...it’s...how did you even get all of this stuff?”

“Ah, changing the topic, typical,” you muttered while dragging the guards behind the sofa, “I have friends besides you.”

The suspicion in Loki’s eyes suddenly changed to shock. “What are you doing with them?! I told you to stay away from those...those...Hardy-pop spawns; whatever you called them.”

“A, you never said that. B, I had to do something to help you out. C, get us out of here!”

Loki looked at you, about to speak something when he stopped, the camera panning in to watch the surprise colour his face. “You didn’t plan an escape.”

“Oh, no. I was thinking I should get into the prostitution business myself considering what a fine human specimen I am.”

Loki rolled his eyes and smacked the recuperating guard back into the ground before gesturing Javier to follow him out the door.

“I was also thinking how great it would be to settle down here because all I ever wanted was to live in an alien whorehouse. I mean, Silvertongue what? God of Mischief, who?”

“Fine! We get it,” Loki called out, leading you all straight down the corridor, “though you would have fit perfectly here.”

“Excuse me!”

“Oh I saw that look in your eyes!” Loki spat, “you played the character like it’s in your blood.” Loki pondered walking straight, “Well, Stark’s involved. So wanting to control naturally comes in your blood. But playing a full-blown Dominatrix?” Loki chuckled. “You feisty little witch.”

You pouted at his comment. “A Dominatrix! Coming from the one who used his tongue like a fucking lock pick machine to shape that metal thing into the exact pattern that could open your cuffs,” you uttered under your breath while trying to keep up with him till you ran smack into his back.

The door to the exit was closed as guards surrounded the reception from all four sides, cornering the four of you in the middle.

Lulu wrapped his fluffy arms around your neck, holding tight while his camera took in Hudon’s figure entering right where you had walked through. “I cannot believe I was played by a human,” he hissed.

“Wasn’t that hard, really. It’s like I opened my legs and boom! You were open for business,” you shrugged while Loki smacked your arm to shut you up.

“Guards!” Hudon shouted, “cuff them and throw them in the dungeons!”

Before the guards could take a step towards you all, you found yourself screaming, “wait!”

“I almost forgot,” you added, patting your vest and then your pants to find a little black box, “I was told to give this to you with the message ‘your ex says hi’.”

Hudon looked at the box placed in his hand. Javier’s camera captured you putting your fingers over Loki’s hand and dragging your index down towards the ground. Loki gave you a silent look before tangling his fingers in yours, moving Javier right behind him.

“Lulu,” you whispered discreetly, “you know what comes next right?”

Lulu purred a little before shifting to your back, his arms still secure around your neck. All eyes watched as a tweet rose from the box, increasing in pitch. And just like that it dropped in silence, the code for you four to duck down.

Loki was already shielding you with his body, his arm wrapped around you when the flash came and with it a crash. Hudon was enclosed in what looked like lit up ropes sparkling with electricity while the Hardy boys entered from the roof on ropes as smoothly as always.

“Your ex also said ‘time to die motherfucker’,” Mauve declared before electrocuting the furry.

“Seven years, Mauve,” Violet stressed with a shaking head, “it’s been seven years. Let it go.”

 Night Time at the Inn

Javier’s camera rested on the platform outside in the balcony that sat atop the inn to the view of the city. Javier himself was busy with the little yet powerful cameras in the shape of silver flies Violet was showing from his own collection. Lulu ran about chasing fireflies that glowed in multiple colours around him. A few even came and sat down on his fur, making him pause anything and everything he was doing so as not to scare them.

You walked in from the other room, showered and shampooed, in your old clothes cleaned and dried, throwing a quick glance at the surroundings before going straight for the figure sitting outside on the cemented boundary of the balcony looking down at the soft bustle and glow of this little city.

The platform was wide enough for two people but you still stood leaning on the door and knocked on the glass first. “Mind if I join you?”

Loki scooched over to the other side to make room for you. You got up and slid your butt and legs up, a lungful of the foreign air bringing with it the smell of all that was cooking in the streets. “Hmm, smells heavenly,” you hummed, letting your headrest on the brick wall behind.

When your senses had absorbed all there was to the night, you finally found the courage to speak.

[Lulu, still as a cat, clicks his belly to play Sweater Weather (feat. Fruitypoppin x Koven Wei]

“How are you doing?”

Loki’s head turned to look at you, his fingers still moving around the bracelets that did not let him use his full potential.

You shifted where you sat, scratching some itch in your head. “I mean, you okay? Like being forced into sex trafficking can leave a deeply rooted trauma if not addressed in time.”

Loki smiled and looked down at the bracelet. “I appreciate your concern. But I am fine. I have had worse”

Your lips parted in a gasp that was controlled in time. “...okay. Okay.”

His green eyes reflected the lights in a mellow hue under the brilliant duvet of stars above you. His stare had a pinch of something soft as he continued to look at you. “I also appreciate-” he shifted his glance to his arms right when you turned to look at him, adjusting the hem of the sleeve of his black t-shirt- “you not asking me about the scars.”

There was a shift of emotion visible in your eyes. A smile forced upon your lips that those y/e/c pupils betrayed. The unconscious movement of your fingers over your own arm, the repeated motion of them over the same place as if trying to soothe some underlying ache; none of it went unnoticed by those sharp smaragdines. Neither did the cage you tried to make around your waist, wrapping your arms around it, trying to block some invisible evil. “No problem-” you blinked and one of those flies recording you two zoomed in enough to see moisture gathering on the edges of your eyelids- “just know that whenever you are ready to talk, I will be there for you.”

Your smile widened, using your usual trick of letting your eyes close to hide that moisture, even adding in a chuckle here and there.

Loki had to take in a whole lot of air to bring the words out of him. “And I will be there when you need to talk about it too.”

The smile was gone. Knees were drawn closer to your chest. “Yeah, that might take ages,” you muttered as you rested your head on your knees.

“Good thing that I’m immortal then?” And the chuckle came back, bringing the stress in Loki’s shoulders down a little.

“What did you do to Hudon anyway? Why was he so pissed at you to force you to be one of his prostitutes?”

Loki groaned and let his head fall back. “I let all of his unwilling workers escape.”

You raised your brows in praise.

“While tricking him into thinking I was in love with him.”

And your jaw drops. “WHAT?!” you nearly screeched while Loki tried to shush you. “You...what?! Why??”

“Well, he comes from an orthodox planet that did not stand for the choices in the life partners he wanted. Which is why he ran away and opened brothels with no restrictions. I took...advantage of that knowledge to use him and run. From...my torturers.”

Loki’s eyes went to his arms. So did yours. “And in doing so I broke the heart of a man who was into bad trades. So I am the lesser evil here, for your information,” he recovered. 

“Yeah, freeing sex slaves and breaking a stone-cold bitch’s heart isn’t as much as evil as it is a ‘making the world a better place’, dude.” You acknowledged. “And I hope your torturers are dead otherwise they’re gonna catch these hands.”

A chortle left Loki, scaring the Lulu and making all the flies fly away from what had looked like a fluffy Christmas tree. “What, I’m serious.” A punch landed in his gut to show just how serious you were.

“Right. How do you think you will defeat them? Using black latex clothing, handcuffs, a whip and anal beads?”

You looked at the flying cam with a twist in your jaw while Loki laughed in the background.

You: I am too pissed right now to even question how he knows about anal beads.

“Haa haa. You laugh at the idea while I will actually be making them beg for mercy in leather bonds and chains,” you announced, angry at the God for losing it at the thought of you in that role again. “And I’ll definitely be doing a better job of a Dominatrix than you ever did.”

“You take that back.”

Lulu went around chasing the fireflies again while the two of you teased each other under the starry night far away from home, for the very first time not worrying about your way back, the music adding to the soothing colours brewing in the night.

 In the Darkness of The Lounge

All the ladies were lined up on the sofa, binging on drinks and popcorn in the dark, eyes stuck on the big screen when a sniffle was heard from behind them. All of them turned to watch a very worried Steve and Clint looking at Bucky and Scott sit next to them. Their faces glistened in whatever light came from the screen, the streaks of tears and swollen eyes visible even in the dark. Not to mention the blocked noses.

“Are you guys okay?” Wanda asked softly, never giving up what she saw in their minds.

Both of them nodded.

“Are you crying for Loki right now?” Clint asked with a hint of disgust in his voice, earning a smack from Natasha.

“No,” Bucky grunted from the midst of his tear wave while Scott shook his head in agreement. “I’m crying because this stupid bowl in my hand does not have any more popcorn.”

“Yeah,” Scott bawled, “I am mad at this stupid bowl too. Come, let’s get some more popcorn.”

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed in his hoarse voice, still crying as they got up and went away, past the kitchen and into the elevator while the rest watched them silently till the doors closed. 

“They forgot their popcorn bowl,” MJ pointed out. Clint looked at her in confusion. “Who are you?”

“None of your concern,” she replied, making Clint feel a little jolt of ‘the audacity of this kid’.

“Should weeee,” Pepper stretched the words in her whisper, unsure of how they would be seen, “watch the part with Loki and the Dominatrix again?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Natasha whispered back, happy to have recorded the live broadcast. Wanda adjusted herself and MJ passed the soda cans across the row.

Clint watched the ladies in shock while Steve sat there in hollow surprise, waiting for the screen to go back to the scene as heartfelt wails of two people could be heard from the garden outside with the words ‘so soft’ and ‘my heart ow my heart’.

[kurt-nightcrawler]

I’ve got a boyfriend

Request: could you possibly do a warden x reader where she’s like super sweet and innocent (has like nature/healing powers and in this au avengers are there) anyways the Avengers visit the mansion and peter meets reader and is like all heart eyes and she’s super sweet and he mistakes it as she likes him too and then warren returns from a mission or somethin and she’s happy and is like pitching him up and peter realizes and the avengers are like it’s okay kid and warren is all smug and like yeah mine. also with that warren x reader ft. peter request. bc she’s so in tune with nature and herself can her eyes kinda be like a mood ring and shift with her feelings. so it’s like a warm green or yellow for happiness and so peters like yeah she likes me but then when she’s with warren he watches them shift to like a soft pink. like literal heart eyes and warren teasers her a bit (in a good way)

Word Count: 2.3k

Peter swung over to the Avenger’s headquarters on a Saturday. He always did this. 

“What’s on the agenda for today?” He asked Karen.

“Mr. Stark wants you to join the Avengers to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.”

“Xavier’s? Where—  What is that?”

“It’s a boarding school in New Salem.” Karen didn’t say anything else, leaving Peter with lots of questions. 

-

“Why are we going to a boarding school? What’s at Xavier’s?”

 Steve and Bucky chuckled at his curiosity.

“This isn’t like any other boarding school… It’s like Area 51.” Tony said.

“Didn’t you buy Area 51?” Bruce asked.

“That’s beside the point. We’re going here to talk to The man himself, Xavier.” 

Peter still had a lot of questions, but he had no idea where to start. Area 51 the boarding school? Is that where Carol’s Kree friend’s kids went to school? Peter took his phone out of his pocket and texted Ned. 

PETER: What is Xavier's school for gifted youngsters?

NED: It’s some boarding school for really smart kids. Trey from Bio tried to get in but didn’t pass the exam. Why?

PETER: Mr. Stark is taking me there. He and a couple of other Avengers are like, visiting or something. Idk.

NED: DUDE! You gotta tell me everything when u get back! I bet there are tons of really hot nerd girls there!!

Peter snorted to himself. Of course, Ned would think of girls. 

But there was some truth in his statement. There probably would be tons of smart girls there. But Tony described it as Area 51… 

NED: If you can get a girl’s number from Xaiver’s we’d be super cool. 

PETER: Yeah. But Mr. Stark called it Area 51 the school. What if it’s full of aliens?

NED: Okay? And? Technically Princess Leia is an alien. 

PETER: She’s also fictional.

NED: And? You’re seventeen and never been kissed before. You don’t have room to be picky.

PETER: You’ve never been kissed either!! 

NED: Shhhhhhh This is about u, not me

PETER: *eye roll emoji*

Peter turned his phone off and gazed out the window. He saw trees. The trees eventually started to die down and the car slowed down. They came to a set of gates and a sign that said Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

Once entering through the gates, Tony drove around and parked the car. Peter could see glimpses of the school grounds. He saw a few students and at first glance, they didn’t look like aliens. But Kree could shapeshift. Maybe they just shifted to blend in. 

Then he saw a kid with a tail.

Maybe not. “I thought this was a school for aliens.”

Everyone stared at him blankly. 

“Aliens?! Kid, we didn’t mean that literally. When I said Area 51, I meant it’s kinda secret. Not that it’s full of aliens.” 

“Oh.” Peter felt rather foolish. “So it’s just a normal boarding school?” 

“No.” Bucky slammed the car door shut. “It’s a school for mutants.” 

“Mutants? But like, I thought they were kind of a myth. I mean besides Magento and Mystique, but they were around in like, the 70s.”

“And they’re still around. Let’s hope Erik isn’t here. I don’t want any trouble like last time.” Steve said the last part while staring Tony down. 

“It’s not my fault he can control metal and I’m Iron Man!” 

Peter was super confused. Didn’t Magento try to kill the president? Was he evil?

Bucky killed a president, but he’s not inherently evil. I need to give Magento a chance. I need to give everyone at the school a chance. Maybe make some new friends— flex on Flash that my girlfriend has superpowers or something. Wouldn’t that be hilarious?

They walked up a few stairs out front and opened the doors leading inside. 

-

“Oh wow. Wow.” The building was old looking but had a few modern touches here and there. Every room was bustling with people— mutants, going about their lives. 

Peter saw all kinds of mutants and he had only been inside for a few minutes! 

“Oh wow, Mr. Stark… Where’s uh… Professor… Professor... uh—“

“Professor Xavier’s in his office.” 

The Avengers turned to look at the speaker. She had vines wrapped around her legs and arms, along with some flowers and leaves scattered in her hair, and her eyes were a bright yellow color. 

“Thanks, kid. We know where his office is.” 

She nodded, “No problem.” 

Tony glanced at Peter’s slightly pink cheeks and back at the plant girl. “Do you wanna come with us or are you sticking with Mother Nature?” 

“I can show you around if you want.” Everyone looked at Peter, anticipating an answer. 

“Yeah, sure. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” 

“Alright, have fun. And don’t forget to be safe!” 

Peter blushed again, trying to ignore Tony’s teasing remarks, already figuring out he liked the plant girl. 

-

“My name is (Y/N) by the way.” 

“(Y/N), Hi. I’m Peter. Peter Parker.” 

She smiled, “What’s your mutation, Peter Parker?” 

“Oh um, I don’t— well it’s not a mutation, but, when I was fourteen I got bit by a radioactive spider and I got spider abilities.” 

“Spider abilities?”

He nodded, “I’m uh, really strong and I stick to things. Plus I have this like weird sixth sense sort of, like a spider-sense.” 

“You’re strong and sticky?” Peter nodded, a little flustered. (Y/N) laughed. Peter laughed with her. “I’m sorry, but that’s a hilarious description.” 

“I mean— yeah, yeah… What can you do?”

“Oh! I’m really in tune with nature. I can manipulate plants, and my eyes change color based on my mood. Red is angry, blue is calm, green is happy, yellow is excited— there’s more, but those are the most common.” 

Her eyes are green and yellow right now. That means she’s happy and excited— they haven’t changed since we met. Maybe she’s into me. Oh my god! What if she’s into me? She might be into me. Play it cool Pete, play it cool. “That’s really neat!”

(Y/N) nodded, “Yeah. It’s fun, I guess. Kinda annoying sometimes but nothing awful.” 

“I know what you mean. One time my algebra textbook got stuck to my arm and it wouldn’t come off. I had to like, sleep and shower with it on all day.” (Y/N) laughed at Peter’s retelling of his sticky situation. 

“That must have sucked!”

“It did. Eventually, I got it to come off, but it was annoying to sleep with.” 

“Oh god, I can imagine. Sometimes I fall asleep and a fully grown watermelon or pumpkin is next to me in bed.” 

Peter almost snorted, but he held it back. “Free food, I guess.” 

“Yeah— a nice perk.” 

-

The two wandered aimlessly around the mansion, talking about everything— freshman, classes at their schools, hobbies, friends— everything. 

Peter was going to ask for her number. Maybe ask to see her outside of the mansion. Possibly on a date… If he wasn’t too nervous.

“Could I… get your number?” Peter held his phone in his hands tightly.

“Yeah! Yeah, totally!” (Y/N) recited her number while Peter typed it in his contacts. He shot her a message. 

“I texted you. So you have my number now.” 

“Cool thanks.” Peter felt his phone vibrate in his hands and he glanced down at it.

Mr. Stark: How’s it going with Mother Nature?

Peter: Great! I got her number. I might try to ask her out on a date. Will I be free on Friday?

Mr. Stark: You don’t usually come over on Fridays.

Peter mentally shrugged. Tony was right, Peter usually didn’t go to the Avengers HQ on Fridays. 

Mr. Stark: We’re gonna be leaving soon. I’ll let you know when.

Peter: Ok

(Y/N) was also on her phone. “Sorry! Mr. Stark texted me. I don’t want you to feel like I’m ignoring you or anything.”

“You’re fine. Jubilee was just messaging me.”

“About what?” 

Her focus went back to the screen. She gasped. “Oh my god! We have to go downstairs, come on!” (Y/N) grabbed Peter’s hand and sprinted down the halls. 

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“The Jet hanger downstairs. They’re back!” 

Peter frowned and furrowed his brows as they went down the stairs. “Who’s back?”

“The X-Men.” 

-

Peter was about 99% sure he shouldn’t have been downstairs. If the school had a level of secrecy to it, why would he be allowed to know all this stuff? To see the X-Men and their jet and training room and everything.

Then again, he was an Avenger.

(Y/N) and Peter weren’t the only ones in the hanger watching the black jet land. Professor Xavier and the other Avengers were there, along with a few other students Peter didn’t recognize. 

The jet doors opened and people started walking out. The first one was a young guy, no older than Peter, with brown hair, a blue suit, and a red visor on. Next was a blonde woman in a white bodysuit that was styled almost like a dress. She looked familiar, but Peter couldn’t remember why. Wit the blonde woman was a big, furry, blue man. He had on a suit similar to the boy from before, minus the visor. Finally, two more boys came out. One had silver hair, goggles, and his suit was a metallic ice blue with a white lightning bolt on it. 

The last guy had lines all over his face and giant, metal, wings. 

Peter turned to (Y/N) to ask who everyone was, but she was gone. 

“WARREN!” She engulfed the winged boy in a bone-crushing hug. 

Peter squinted his eyes a little in confusion. (Y/N) didn’t mention a Warren. Who was Warren? A friend? Her brother maybe even?

“Hey, baby. I missed you.” Warren placed a kiss on (Y/N)’s forehead. 

“Aww no love for me?” The silver-haired guy whined.

“Piss off Pete.” (Y/N) laughed. 

“By the way! There’s someone I want you guys to meet… This is Peter, and he’s an Avenger.”

“You’re an Avenger? My sister is an Avenger! Wanda, you know her—“

“Yeah, Wanda is really nice.” Peter was trying to take both the guys in and figure out (Y/N)’s relationship with the blonde.

Then Peter noticed it. Her eye color. It hadn’t changed all day, she was happy and excited to meet Peter. He thought maybe she was into him— but now…

Her eyes were pink. What does pink mean? 

“And this is my boyfriend, Warren.” 

Peter felt his heart drop, or maybe break. He wasn’t sure, but he felt his world get flipped upside down. (Y/N) has a boyfriend?! 

“Nice to meet you.” Warren and Peter shook hands. He tried not to seem too dazed. 

“You too… (Y/N) didn’t say she had a boyfriend…” Peter noticed the silver Peter was gone but didn’t press on the matter.

“Oh?” Warren rose his eyebrows and looked at (Y/N). “Trying to keep me all to yourself?” He teased.

“Maybe… You don’t know…” Warren chuckled and kissed the top of her head again. 

“Hey, Angel! We’re gonna do a write up with Beast and shower.” 

Warren rolled his eyes, “I’ll join you later Cyclops.”

“Mystique said now.” 

Warren huffed, “I’ll be back in like an hour, baby.” He pecked her lips before leaving. “Nice to meet you, Peter.”

 “You too…?”

Tony and the others walked over to Peter and (Y/N). “How’d you like the school, kid?”

“It was really cool. I like it here. It’s almost like a college campus or something.” Peter was still too focused on the fact (Y/N) had a boyfriend. A really cool, attractive, powerful, mutant, boyfriend. Peter couldn’t compete even if he wanted to!

-

Everyone walked back to the main entrance room. Peter walked slightly behind the group. (Y/N) asked Bucky questions about his arm. “Does it weigh a lot? Warren’s wings do. His posture isn’t great because of them.” 

Mr. Stark walked slowly to meet up with Peter’s pace. 

“Why’re you down? Sad we’re leaving?”

“No,” Peter mumbled. “It’s not important.” 

“Did someone say something to you? (Y/N)’s boyfriend? I can kill him if you want. I know his dad.” 

“I just… I didn’t know, (Y/N) had a boyfriend. I thought maybe she was into me, I guess. Most girls don’t like me and she said her eye color changes based on her mood and she was excited the whole time we hung out, but I guess it’s like that for everyone.”

Tony put his hand on Peter’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. “I’m sorry, Peter… There’ll be other girls though.”

He nodded, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine. Just kinda sucks.” 

“I get it.”

-

“I’m gonna bake some brownies. I know Warren and Peter really like them and they’re probably hungry. Do you want to stay and have some?”

“Thank you for the offer, (Y/N),” Steve said. “But we really have to get going.”

She shrugged a little. “Alright, maybe next time. It was so great to meet all of you! You’re all really cool. Tell Wanda, Peter said hi.” 

“Will do.” 

They were all about to get in the car and go. 

“Bye Peter! I had a lot of fun today. If you’re ever in the area text me. We should really hang out sometime.” (Y/N) hugged him, and Peter hugged back, trying not to seem sweaty due to nerves.

“Yeah, definitely… Bye.”

The Avengers got in the car and drove away.

-

“I love you, but sometimes you’re a little oblivious.”

“Am not!” (Y/N) scolded her boyfriend. 

“Peter was definitely into you. He almost passed out when you said I was your boyfriend.”

(Y/N) poured flour into a bowl starting her brownies, “He was probably just intimidated by your wings.” Peter doesn’t like me… Right?

Warren kissed the top of her head before walking over to the fridge to get a drink. “You’re cute when in denial.” 

“Shut up!” She joked.

[eyesfixedonthesun22]

First Impressions

Summary: With the multiverse now in play, we visit an alternate universe where Steve Rogers is America’s first bisexual contestant on the ever popular and never lacking dating show, The Bachelor. Nick Fury is your illustrious host through the shocking announcement, contestant biographies, and the first night in the mansion. Only one question remains; who will get the first impression rose on what is promised to be the most dramatic season ever!? Pairing: Steve x Avengers Warning(s): Language. Kissing. A hell of a lot of cringe and bachelor/bachelorette tropes. Word Count: 3,238 Beta: The darling sweetheart @supersoldiersruined-me Notes: This is my entry to @revengingbarnes 10K writing challenge. My prompt was a Bachelor AU. Thank you so much for hosting this, Fatima! This prompt was honestly a challenge for me. I wasn’t sure which point of view and formatting I wanted. It’s certainly unlike anything I’ve ever written. Please no one hate me if I made your fav annoying. I just wanted to fit in as many bachelor personality tropes. The fic isn’t an actual representation of my thoughts on each character. 

Live Studio Audience: Intro

“Good evening and welcome to this exciting season of The Bachelor. I’m Nick Fury, your host for tonight.” The studio audience erupts into choreographed uproar. “Looks like Bachelor Nation is out in full force tonight. Are you all ready for what I promise is our most dramatic season ever?”

Nick commands the stage with a casual grace that only comes from years of hosting. “Last season you all watched as the beautiful bombshell Peggy Carter embarked on her quest for love; which she found with her now fiance. While we wish her the best of luck with her engagement, we couldn’t help be as heartbroken as you all were when a particular fan favorite was booted just before hometown dates. Let’s take a look at this season’s Bachelor!”

Broadcast: Steve’s Bio

“My name is Steve Rogers. I’m twenty-six years old. Born and raised in Brooklyn. You may know me from Peggy Carter’s season of The Bachelorette.”

The audience is treated with a montage of Steve at home in Brooklyn. He walks down the street to a corner bodega on a spring day; smiling and greeting the owner at the counter like they’re old friends. The old tabby cat sat on the counter near the register curls into his hand as he scratches behind her ears.

“A little known fact about me is that I really love cooking.” The next shot is him cooking a large family style meal in a stunning modern kitchen. The black hexagon tiles frame the close up of the saute pan as he flips the food; clearly practiced. The camera zooms in once more for a close up shot of Steve’s large calloused hands making deft work of chiffonading the basal to top his culinary masterpiece. As far as lusting goes, the depiction of Steve as the bachelor is a lot less macho and hits more boy-next-door.

“Things didn’t quite work out with Peggy and I. While we’re kindred souls, I think it just wasn’t the right time.” Steve’s no longer shown at home in his cozy apartment but in a carefully crafted video confessional booth.

The audience hears the producer’s voice off screen, “Do you think you’re over her? Are you ready for love?”

“Definitely. I learned a lot from Peggy. I learned who I am and what I need from a relationship. I’m ready for the whole damn thing. I want a partner, I want kids. I like pretty pedestrian, domestic things.” He looks down at his lap, almost as if he’s embarrassed. “I like ceremony. I wanna carve pumpkins and do the tree at christmas; all that.”

“Anything else you’d like to add to your intro?” The producers prompt. Steve’s broad shoulders straighten and take up much of the booth; his body tense with nervous energy which he masks with a radiant smile. He takes a deep breath before looking the camera dead in the eye.

“I’m Steve Rogers… and I’m the first bisexual Bachelor.”

Live Studio Audience:

The audience goes wild; homemade signs wave, men and women alike scream their delight. Nick Fury stands in the small center stage waiting for the crowds applause to dissipate.

“So needless to say, this season will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.” He smirks at the camera knowingly. “Before we jump back into tonight’s episode, would you guys like to hear from America’s sweetheart himself?” More incoherent cheering. “Let’s bring him on out!”

Steve appears from behind the crimson velvet curtain waving sheepishly. They’ve slicked back his locks doing nothing to detract from the classic bachelor look. He unbuttons the slim navy suit jacket as Fury gestures for him to sit on the small interview couch.

“Welcome, Steve. How ya feeling tonight?”

“Not gonna lie, Nick. I feel super nervous.” He fidgets in the seat a bit; rubbing the flats of his palms on the tops of his thighs. “Being the bachelor is one thing. Being the first bisexual bachelor is another.”

“Well I’m not sure about you guys, but I thought it was about time!” Nick’s enthusiasm draws more cheering from the crowd. “We got to know you on Peggy’s season and America just fell in love with you. You’re such a great guy; so genuine and compassionate.”

“Thank you, really, thank you. I honestly was terrified to be the first bisexual man on the show. Being the bachelor has always traditionally been typecast as a very specific type of man; one that I didn’t really see myself fitting into. So to be given this opportunity to find love and to have the support that I’ve gotten since the announcement has been beyond my wildest dreams.”

“You ready to jump into your season?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“While Steve may be our first bisexual bachelor, you can expect not much to change on the show. Each week contestants will be eliminated at a traditional rose ceremony. We’ll still have the first impression rose, hometown dates, and the always anticipated fantasy suits!”

Fury eyes Steve hoping to make him squirm a bit. Steve manages to make his sinful blush look composed while he chuckles.

“Without further ado let’s meet the delightful men and women vying for a spot in Steve’s heart.”

Broadcast: Contestant Bios

“My name? Tony Stark. Don’t worry about having your little design guys whip me a tagline; I’m certain no one needs it. Household name n’ all.” A smirking brunette stares directly into the camera and winks. He’s wearing rose tinted sunglasses despite the dimmed lighting of the interview space. “So what do you wanna know?”

The producers sigh before proceeding. “Tell us a bit about yourself.”

The camera stays in the testimonial booth but now a blonde women occupies the seat. Unlike the previous occupant she isn’t slouching but sits with excellent posture and poise.

“My name is Sharon McCarter. I’m an agent for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. I need someone who’s ready for a fast paced lifestyle. My job keeps me on my toes.”

“What did you think when Steve was announced as the bachelor? What did you think of him being bisexual?”

“Honestly?” Sharon pauses a bit buffudled. “He seems a bit more clean cut then the guys I usually go for.” She looks at the camera with a hesitant smile.

“What would you say your passion is?”

“Fitness. Fitness and health, for sure.” The booth is now overwhelmed with an exceptionally huge man. His long blonde hair falls to his shoulders with delicate braids mixed into his locks. “I’m Thor Odinson. I own and operate Odinsons Gym with my brother Loki.”

“How would you describe yourself as a partner. What could Steve expect?”

Thor continues in his deep voice. It carries subtle hint of an accent not from the states, “Steve could expect the rough sexiness of a pirate mixed with the pure innocence of an angel; the perfect boyfriend if you ask me.”

“What kind of partner do you hope to be for Steve?”

“An attentive one. I’m a scientist by profession.” The tagline on the screen says that the brunette with the tossed curls currently answering his interview questions is Bruce Banner. “A good part of my job is being detail oriented and focused. I’d like to think I bring that same level of attentiveness and sensitivity to my partner.”

Live Studio Audience:

“Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! It looks like Steve has a great batch of men and women who couldn’t be more excited to get their journey started. Let’s see how Steve get’s along navigating his first night in Bachelor Mansion.

Show Footage:

The camera pans across a gorgeous california night sky and comes to land on Steve standing in front of Bachelor Mansion. They have him perfectly centered between two backlit trees with the ornate floral fountain babbling as a soundtrack. He fidgets with his plain black tie waiting for the first limo to pull up. He stares into the camera and mouths a very endearing “What do I do with my hands!”

From that moment on, it’s a parade of individuals dressed to the nines. The women stun in their gleaming and silky ball gowns. The men glow in their crisp suits. Each give their cheesy one liners to Steve before heading into the mansion.

A man named Phil, who insists that Steve call him Coulson, gives him a red, white, and blue sash emblazoned with the words America’s Sweetheart on it while wearing his own sash reading Mr. America. A women named Wanda introduces herself in a thick, sultry accent.

“Where are you from, Wanda?”

“Sakovia. I’m so excited to meet you. I look forward to teaching you about my culture and getting to know you better.”

After Wanda, the next person out of the limo is Clint. He makes a qippy one liner before sauntering into the mansion. A woman named Carol strolls confidently out of the limo nearly glowing in her crimson and gold gown. Next comes a bird. It’s not actually a bird; but rather a man in an oversized mascot type costume.

“Did you know that eagles mate for life?”

Steve stares at the camera for half a second as if questioning if the producers are serious. “I didn’t know that. Any chance I can see the eagle’s face? Or at least know his name?”

“We’ll save the pretty face for later, but the name is Sam.”

Steve takes a moment to compose himself after the bird’s introduction. The final woman exits the limo. She’s in a simple black dress that hugs her body dangerously. Her flame red hair cascades down one shoulder. Her introduction is clipped and to the point. Steve places a hand on her shoulder.

“Sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

Her face softens then. “It’s Natasha, but you can call me Nat.”

After the train of individuals Steve is looking more relaxed. He seems to have settled into his role with less nerves than when the show began. The final contestant steps out of the limo.

“Good evening, Steve. My name is James Barnes. You look so handsome tonight.”

Steve takes in the man across from him. He’s got equally broad shoulders as Steve; they’re nearly matched in height. He wears his silky brown locks at shoulder length with a dainty waterfall braid on one side. The baby blue of his pocket square matches his eyes.

“I can’t wait to get to know you, James.”

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

“Alright ladies and gentlemen, settle down. You all know who I am already,” Nick Fury is addressing all the contestants as they make themselves comfortable in the front living room at the mansion. “Steve! Why don’t you come on in here and get this cocktail party started?”

Steve enters the room gracefully. “I just want to thank you all for being here. I know that putting yourself out there in a new relationship is never easy; let alone in a situation like this one. It’s incredibly important to me that you all are your genuine selves. I wanna get to know the real you. Here’s to the start of something amazing!”

He raises his glass to a chorus of agreeing voices. There’s a half second of adjustment before Tony clasps Steve’s hand and tugs him away from the group.

“I’m gonna steal you first.”

Despite his depiction as an arrogant ass in his interview, Tony actually has a pleasant conversation with Steve. The audience is left wondering if Tony is the likeable wild card or this seasons possible obnoxious villain. Before Tony saunters off, he presses a deep kiss onto Steve’s lips.

“Had to get you first, handsome.” He winks and heads to the bar to refresh his drink.

Steve stares into the camera and states, “I guess we’re starting things off with a bang?”

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

Clint, being the critical observer, saunters over to the bar to find that Coulson is already posted up on one of the bar stools. It’s by sheer force of will that Coulson is upright as the lack of armrests and amount of alcohol he’s clearly consumed are working against him. Clint quickly surveys the situation and makes eye contact with the camera.

“How ya doin’ there Phil? Save some for us, huh?” Beneath the joke there is a hint of concern in his voice. It would appear the concern is warranted as Phil tips dangerously towards the edge of his seat before righting himself. The first stumble is corrected but the second lands him on the floor. “Whoa big guy. Can I get some help here? Producers? I think first night nerves may have lead Phil to throw back one too many.”

“No pro-hicc-ducers. I’m fine. I’m fiiiine,” Phil slurs. Despite Clint’s efforts to keep him upright he’s laying on the floor, cheek pressed firmly to the cold tile. “I just love Steve-hicc-so much. Ya know?”

“Sure you do buddy...sure you do?”

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

Steve speaks to Wanda, Bruce, and Thor in a series of rapid fire exchanges over the next couple of hours. After a warm conversation, Carol leaves Steve lounging on the plush chaise; promising that one day they’ll go stargazing together.

“No one told me these cocktail parties were so exhausting.” The camera crew chuckle. It’s endearing how much Steve utilizes them to break the tension. His unfiltered emotions only make him that much more of an approachable sweetheart. The makeup staff powder his face as Nick Fury approaches.

“We have about a half hour before the rose ceremony. Just a heads up. Any conversations you wanna have, have them now.”

Steve meanders through the expansive grounds. He’s clearly looking for something. He brushes off Thor asking for a second conversation with a polite excuse before take another turn in the winding paths.  He turns his head over his shoulder to ask the camera men which way back inside when he collides with something. Someone.

“It’s probably ill advised to get the attention of the man of your affections by knocking him on his ass, huh?” Bucky jokes. “I actually was coming to grab you for a conversation. I haven’t had a chance to talk to you all night.”

The two men are sat side by side, dress pants rolled up to their knees, while their legs swing gentle waves into the surface of the pool. Dusk has gone and night has come. They’ve been talking for some time now. They’ve both discarded their suit jackets but it’s done nothing to prevent the evening humidity from clinging their shirts to their muscles.

“I have to ask. I feel like I know you from somewhere.”

“Is that you cheesily telling me you feel like you’ve known me for one hundred years?” Steve asks in a singsong mocking tone.

“No! Punk! I’m serious though.” Bucky thinks for a moment before exclaiming, “Do you go to that bodega on the corner of Clark and Henry with Mr. O’Sullivan and his cat Maevie?”

“See I was having a great time chatting with you but now I have to send you home cause clearly you’re a stalker.”

“I knew it! You look...different?”

Steve chuckles gently. “I bulked up a bit for the show. Had to fit the ‘look’ ya know?”

“I feel like such an idiot for not talking to you sooner but I hadn’t seen you there in a long time. I usually go super late though.” Bucky looks down at his hands; there’s more to the statement than he’s letting on.

“Chatting with Mr. O’Sullivan is always a good way to pass the time when insomnia strikes.” Bucky looks up at Steve in shock. He’s ready to explain himself but Steve jumps up abruptly out of the pool. “I’ll be right back. Don’t leave.”

In Steve’s haste to stand, he’s soaked most of his dress pants all the way through. He follows the twists and turns of the gardens and seating areas. Natasha sees him approaching the bench she’s sat at with Wanda. She raises her hand to grab his attention but before she can even get his name out of her mouth his jogged past.

“He’s disappeared for nearly an hour, no one could find him, and then he’s just not gonna talk to the rest of us?” Disappointment clouds her features as she sits back down next to Wanda with a plop.

“I’m so excited to talk to him. He’s just got great energy-” Sam’s discussion with Bruce is cut off by Steve skidding into the living room; wet bare feet nearly have him knocked on his ass for the second time tonight. “There’s the man of the hour himself. Can I steal you?”

Sam stands confidently looking rather hopeful; bird costume now discarded. Steve does a double take eyeing him top to bottom. He rests both his hands on the top of Sam’s shoulders before speaking.

“I would love to have a conversation with you. There’s just one thing I have to do first.” With that Steve takes off once more. He sprints to the small side table in the entryway. On the table sits a delicate gold tray holding a single rose. He quickly snatches it before dashing back out to the pool.

“Hey now. You may be more beefed up but I’m certain your probably still capable of cracking your head open. Careful now.” Bucky tuts laughing at the breakneck pace. His laughter is quickly stifled when he sees what’s in Steve's open palm.

“James-”

“It’s Bucky. Everyone close to me calls me Bucky.”

“Bucky… coming into tonight I was terrified. I know that sounds like the typical monologue speech I have to give but I was near ready to toss my cookies out front when the limo first opened. I had no idea what to expect and had convinced myself I’d made a huge mistake putting myself out here.”

Bucky takes a single foot out of the water and tucks it beneath his body to better face Steve. The hand that isn’t holding the rose is fidgeting with a fold of fabric from his pants. Bucky reaches out and plants his palm on top of the blondes ceasing the movement. His thumb strokes small circles onto the back of Steve’s hand; it seems to allow Steve to continue with what he has to say.

“My anxiety was at an all time high and then out you came. Speaking to you tonight has been the first time since agreeing to be the bachelor that I feel like I’m doing something right. I want to thank you for putting me at ease and being your true self.”

“You’re welcome, punk.” The joking nickname sounds more affectionate than insult.

“Bucky, will you accept this rose?”

“I’d be honored.”

Steve untwines his hand to pin the crimson rose to Bucky’s lapel. His hands hesitate once the rose is in place as if debating their next action. There’s a half second pause before Steve gently tugs on Bucky’s tie drawing the brunette into a kiss.

Bucky can’t contain the wide smile despite Steve’s lips still being against his. He breaks the kiss and places a final peck on Steve’s forehead.

“I know this isn’t going to be easy for you. But anytime during this experience you never need to doubt who I am with you. I’m here to get to know you, support you, and hopefully fall in love with you. I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.”

[smkkbert]

Time for a story - Protective instinct

Enjoying the silence, Oliver rubbed his thumb over Felicity’s engagement ring and wedding band slowly. She looked beautiful in the low light of the electric porches that were spending them some light in the dark of the night. The smile on her face, though it showed exhaustion and tiredness, was content.

Oliver watched Felicity grabbing her glass of white wine and taking some sips. A quiet sigh fell from her lips when she leaned forward and put the glass back to the table. Resting her head back against the headrest of her chair, Felicity turned her head to look at Oliver, and the smile on her lips grew even more content.

“Do you have everything planned for your trip to Gotham?”

In all the years, Oliver had never grown used to the feeling of being separated from Felicity overnight. Just knowing that she was going to leave the city for a couple of days to go to Gotham made his heart feel heavy. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to find any peaceful sleep while she was gone, and he’d feel like he wasn’t whole until she was back with him.

For Felicity, these business trips were important though. She had to discuss some things with Bruce as they were celebrating the latest breakthrough in their development of their bio-stimulant. They had to plan the next steps they would have to take to make their product available for everyone. So far, one of the biggest issues with the bio-stimulant was that producing and implementing it was still way too expensive.

“I will leave in the morning of July 10,” Felicity replied. “Bruce is going to pick me up at the airport. We are going to work our asses off night and day, so I can come back by July 13.”

Oliver frowned slightly. “You said you’d stay a week.”

“I changed my mind.”

Felicity’s voice was soft when she said that. There was no reproach and no hint of a hidden meaning in it. Still, Oliver knew better than to think that Felicity had just realized that she wouldn’t need that much time in Gotham. There were still too many things had needed to be improved about the bio-stimulant before it could go into mass production.

A smile was tugging at his lips when Oliver lowered his eyes to their linked fingers. His thumb was still rubbing back and forth on Felicity’s rings. He loved feeling the platinum that was warm from her skin against his fingers. It was comforting to know that Felicity was alive, his and right here with him.

“You shouldn’t shorten your business trip because of me,” Oliver said with quiet voice. “What you are working on is very important. If you need time to discuss things with Bruce in Gotham, you have to take that time. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, believe it or not,” Felicity said and squeezed his hand, “but I am actually shortening my trip to Gotham because of I know how much I will miss you and our kids. I want to come back because I know I will need to come back as soon as possible.”

Oliver didn’t quite believe her. He didn’t doubt that Felicity would miss all of them. She wouldn’t sleep as peacefully as she was sleeping when she was home with him, and she would certainly call several times a day to make sure they were alright.  Still, she would get along without them for a week because she would be focused on her work and driven to be the beacon of hope she had always wanted to be.

There was a part of Oliver that considered arguing with her and convincing her that she needed to take her time there. He knew that Felicity made her own decisions based on the facts she had at hand. If she really needed to stay longer, she’d do so.

Maybe there was a little bit of selfishness in deciding to leave it like that, but that was something Oliver would have to live with. He wasn’t going to convince Felicity to stay longer if she assured him that she was the one who had made this decision.

“Are you going to stay at Bruce’s mansion?” Oliver asked instead. “I remember that, when I came back from the island, Thea showed me some lifestyle article about Bruce and his home. The reporters didn’t get any look inside, but there were a lot of rumors about fifty guest rooms.”

“Bruce’s mansion does look like a castle.” Felicity chuckled. “I think he has only twenty guest rooms though.”

Oliver snorted, shaking his head. He knew that he and Bruce were quite similar. They had both been through the trauma of seeing their parents die in front of their eyes. They had both chosen to make their cities a safer place by fighting crime in unique ways. They were both much more closed off than other people. They were both in love with the same incredibly smart woman.

When it came to their lifestyle, they had quite different taste though. Maybe it was because Oliver was with that one woman that they both loved and had kids with her. Having Felicity in his life and starting a family with her had changed a lot about his life. She and their kids had changed everything for him. Being a husband and a father was what determined his life now, not that trauma that had started the moment the Gambit had gone down.

Since Oliver had realized that Bruce was in love with Felicity, he had wondered what his life would look like now if Felicity hadn’t chosen him. If she had fallen in love with Bruce, Oliver guessed that Bruce would be living in a suburban home and raising a handful of kids now, while he would be living in some modern, monstrous home made of glass, wood, steal and concrete. He’d still be brooding a lot, and he’d have little to no contacts.

“I am going to stay at a hotel though,” Felicity interrupted his train of thoughts. “I booked a nice room in a really good hotel. You can relax.”

For a second, Oliver considered telling Felicity that he’d feel a lot safer if she was staying at Bruce’s mansion, but he decided to stay quite instead. He knew that, no matter where Felicity would stay those few nights, Bruce would always have an eye on her.

He trusted Felicity to be faithful to him, and he trusted Bruce to keep his feelings for Felicity in check. He didn’t exactly trust the villains of Gotham to keep their fingers off Felicity, who was not only married to a wealthy and influential man but actually quite wealthy and influential herself.

Gotham just wasn’t Starling.

“Do you-“

Oliver interrupted himself when he felt a tingling in the back of his neck that told him that he and Felicity were not alone anymore. There had been a time that he would have switched into fighting mode immediately. As a father of five, he had been sneaked up to a couple too times too much to think of any crisis.

Indeed, it was just Addie whose presence he had felt. The two-year-old was standing in the terrace door with her stuffed donkey clutched to her chest and her cheek snuggled into the fabric. She was looking at her parents with the big, blue eyes.

“Hi, Addie,” Oliver said softly, “what are you doing here?”

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Felicity turning her head. He could almost pinpoint the second she remembered that they had stopped using a baby monitor for their youngest last week. If they had still used one, they would have probably noticed that Addie had escaped her bed and had been on the way downstairs.

“Can’t sleep.”

In all the years, Oliver had never stopped feeling fascinated by the kids’ need to come downstairs and tell their parents that they couldn’t sleep like they had some magical fix for that. He guessed he had always done the same thing as a child, thinking their parents could solve it.

Spreading his arms, Oliver beckoned for Addie to come to him. She didn’t have to be asked twice. She came running towards him, let him lift her into his arms and pull her against his chest. With a content sigh, she snuggled as close to him as possible, and Oliver pressed his lips to the top of her head as he cradled it protectively.

Cuddle times with the kids were still the best thing to happen to him. He loved having his kids this close where he could protect them. He was grateful for every day that he got to spend with them because there had been too many hours that he had spent thinking he’d never get to see his kids growing up.

Felicity placed her hand over his. He opened his eyes to look at her over the top of Addie’s head, and he could see in her eyes that she knew what had been going on inside of him. She always knew what was going on inside of him, and he was grateful for it because it made everything easier.

“Come here, Addie,” Felicity prompted with soft voice. “Mommy’s going to take you back to bed now.”

Addie turned in Oliver’s arms and reached out her hands for her mother. Felicity pulled her towards her and kissed her cheek before setting her down on the floor. When Addie kept a hand held out for Felicity, she wrapped her fingers around her daughter’s hand before getting up from the couch.

“I guess I will get us another glass of wine in the meantime,” Oliver said. “Or do you want to go to bed?”

Felicity glanced at her watch before she turned her head back over her shoulder and smiled at Oliver. “No, I think I’d like another glass of wine.”

Oliver smiled. “Good.”

Stretching his arms far over his head for a moment to wake up his sleepy muscles, Oliver moved to the edge of the couch. He got up with a low groan and was about to grab the wine glasses from the table when he noticed the way Felicity was looking at him.

“What?” he asked. “Why are you looking at me like that.”

The grin was tugging at the corners of Felicity’s lips, making them twitch slightly, before it spread there. A sparkle of amusement was visible in her eyes.

“I guess if your advanced age is making it so hard for you to stay awake, we can also go to bed,” she told him. “I don’t want to keep an old man away from his bed for too long.”

Oliver pressed his lips together slightly. He knew how much Felicity loved to tease him about his age, especially now that he had crossed the forty-year mark. Even more amused by his reaction, Felicity grinned at him innocently.

“You go and take Addie to bed,” Oliver told her and slapped her butt playfully. “After that I will-“

“Stop!”

Addie’s voice was loud and firm when she stepped in front of her mother. Holding her palm high towards him in a clear stop gesture, she frowned at him angrily.

“What-“

“No hitting people!” Addie demanded firmly before Oliver could ask the question. “No hitting people!”

At first, Oliver frowned. He didn’t know what was going on or what had caused this. He had never seen Addie like this. She had never been this angry.

Once Oliver figured that his playful slap on Felicity’s butt had caused Addie’s reaction, his frown was pushed away by a warm smile though. Of course his daughter was protecting her mother from anything and everyone.

“I guess someone has inherited her father’s protective instinct.���

Felicity’s mumble made Oliver lift his eyes towards Felicity briefly. She was smiling softly, warmth and love shining in them as she looked at two of her most loved people in the world.

When Oliver looked back at Addie, his smile widened even more. He put his hand to his heart and vowed, “No more hitting. I promise.”

Addie watched Oliver for a long moment, unsure if she should believe him. When Oliver just continued looking at her with open honesty, she nodded her head with a dramatic sigh though.

“Okay.” Addie reached out her arms. “And now hug.”

Oliver chuckled and lifted Addie into his arms. She kissed his lips before she rested her head on his shoulder and released a sleepy sigh. Smiling, Oliver stroked his hand over the back of her head and rocked her from side to side slowly.

“I will put you to bed now, okay?”

“Okay.”

Felicity stepped closer to them and placed a kiss to the back of Addie’s head, whispering a goodnight into her ear. She smiled at him before letting him go upstairs, so he could take their little protector to bed. 

* * *

@fannaz @promiseyoullbepatientwithme @bytemegeekette @felicity-said-just-in-case @phanseptiic @orangeisorange @mspotatohead14 @whentheheavenfades @emmaamelia95 @smoakingskye @seaolicity @ourwritinginvein @1022bridgetp @felicityqueenforever @leagueofolicity17 @yryssss @myhauntedblacksoul @sherlock44 @sinceriouslybea @arrowsalways @olivyflavescentdeer @olicitys-castle @ofnothingcharming @vaelisamaza @smoakedandcharmed @alexisa1206 @mysaudadespt2 @florence-bubbles @addictiontelly @queens-of-arrows @memcjo @hysterical-for-joshifer @oswinelevenforever @olicitylovemaking @bandanab310 @mymusiclove101 @lynslogic @scarletqueen23 @olicityshipper19 @alex-wesley @arrows-4ever @unabashedlynerdypatrol @louehmysoul @ligiapimenta @chattyyana @charlie-leau @coal000 @samcrowleys @ishippolivia @julianegomesqueen @malafle @miriam1779 @charlinert @melaux @ontheolicityship @myshipperlife @wrightainsley @lexi9515 @ladygreenwood @multi-fandom-crazy-fangirl @morinamel @mje-thomas @kebarry @canadianheartgirl @nannett2307 @almondblossomme @paarti12 @kathrynelizabeth89 @imdfabulous @cutearrowgirl @mrt2501 @mecha1330 @arsipaci14 @mzminx @salasvia @brandis91 @cainc3 @morganmiguess @pr0fessi0nal-fangurl @iamisalima @nessafrancis-blog @jonhdiggle @niki-is-amazing @universed-posts @hopeful-warrior @senoritaswiftie @bellemmie @green-arrows-of-karamel @iheartarrow @olicityovereverything @oliverfel4 @navyaarsha @fandoms-breathe-life @simone4mcswarek @olicity-in-the-heart @fullychippedcreation @geemarie @everything-but-normal-cat @myarroworld @tjmartinez @pleasantfanandstudent @itsmagnoliagirl @j69confessional2 @scentedcolorpirate @icanica74 @javinancupil @tjmartinez98 @certainmentalityface @tatianadamaceno @ryelew @wildwillowzepplin @missafairy @letsplaymurde-r @lipizette @positivepiper @nuttymilkshakehologram @laksagirl @turnupthemusicandscream @pumpernickle93 @onceuponanolicity @1106angel @jaspertown @fadinglands @morganashimi83 @mochababychristy @omglovechrissie @mariejr88-blog @thetaufactor @onceuponanolicity @speakandseethetruth @bri206 @aglasgo @thats0klaroline @geemarie @pineprincess @nerdgirljen @peterpanslostgirl666 @eternal-olicity14 @allyouhadtodowas-stay-stay-stay @lovelycssefan @tsseract @flowerandsunshine @dcnmarvelgamergeek @blondeeoneexox @monetsmark @soaring-cities @bb-olicity @mashamarty @rulerofsilence @erika-amber @felicity087 @i-claim-only-emily @pattid1 @westallenandolicityshipper @babyolicityandwestallen @nothingmorethanmyotps @kayleenyc @tonto16 @olicityfluv @olicitea1990 @olicity5ever @haahaaa2408 @pattid1 @faegal04 @24karatgem @wrldtravler @readerkas @valery6488 @lemmyeatspeaches @olicity-beliver

(If you want to be tagged or untagged, just let me know. :))

[soulmate-game]

Continuation of the story from Day 1, because you guys requested it enough that I started Thinking, lol.

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020

Day 3: Siblings

—*—*—*—*—*

Dinner. One day after meeting her father for the first time. She had managed to postpone any sort of… socialization and emotional bonding, during their meeting earlier for everyone to choose from Marinette’s initial sketches for them and generally consult some more, by once again steamrolling everyone with Professionalism and Business Marinette.

But no longer. She couldn’t escape. Staring at a giant wooden, elaborate door like it was her pathway to Prison—

“Stop dramatizing everything in your head, Mari,” Adrien fondly scolded, gently rapping the side of her skull with one knuckle. “I got things to do, for your company I might add, so I can’t stay. But, you’ll be fine,” he leaned in, smirking at her and winking as he lowered his voice. “Besides, you’ve been through way worse than a little family reunion, Bugaboo. You’ve faced down way scarier people than the Waynes. You got this,” he encouraged before giving her a solid clap on the shoulder and a chaste kiss on the cheek, walking back towards their sleek but understated dark red car. Rented, of course, for the business trip, but nonetheless very nice.

Adrien had driver’s licenses for just about every major country. Marinette stopped questioning it a while ago.

She waited until he was gone before throwing her hands up. “Scarier people, he says. Like the Bat clan isn’t known for being some of the most intimidating heroes and vigilantes in the spotlight,” she grumbled. When she turned around, it was to the door already being open, and she jumped a bit in surprise. She hadn’t heard anyone answer the door, but sure enough Alfred Pennyworth stood there holding the door with a small smile, with Bruce Wayne and all of Marinette’s siblings gathered behind him. At least this time, nobody had their spouses or children. Every one of them was smirking, some more sharply than others (Damian).

“Would you like to come in, Miss Dupain-Cheng?” Alfred asked, waving his hand to gesture to the fact that there was plenty of room for her to enter. Blushing, she did just that, taking a breath and forcing herself to actually look at the family she had just met instead of down at her glossy navy blue pumps. Jason, the man with the white fringe in his hair. Second Robin, current Red Hood, her mind supplied, spoke up with a grin and his arms crossed over his chest.

“You don’t look so suave anymore, little Queenie,” he teased. Marinette instantly made a face, screwing up her nose.

“No. That nickname is vetoed. One of my friend’s nicknames is Queenie, and not only will she never let me live it down if she finds out someone called me that, but, just no,” Marinette dramatically shivered. “Most of my friends call me Princess nowadays anyway,” she shrugged. “Adrien started it, and it somehow caught on. It’s too much work to protest at this point.”

“You’re not good with crowds,” the soft spoken woman, Cassandra, decided to add. Marinette winced, shifting on her feet even as she followed the group to the dining room.

“Ehhh. I’ve gotten used to dealing with press and stuff, to a certain degree anyway considering my alias. And wearing my Business persona always helps in consultations. But, I’m not…” Marinette bit the inside of her cheek, clearly a little uncomfortable as she looked around. “The best at… actually talking to people outside of my small group of friends.”

Bruce sighed as most of his kids chuckled or snorted at that. Dick, the oldest but second-shortest of the men besides Tim, came over and draped an arm familiarly over Marinette’s shoulders. He still towered over her though, so he had to slouch a bit to do so.

“Ah, that would be the genetics. Let’s hope you stay where you are at instead of getting as bad at communication as B,” he told her cheerfully. She raised an eyebrow at him.

“What about Damian?”

“He’s even worse!”

“Tt,” said teenager tutted, rolling his eyes as they entered the dining room and he was able to come up to Marinette’s other side. “That was mostly how I was raised before I met Father. I have gotten a lot better than I used to be, Grayson.”

Dick gave him a smile, graciously relieving Marinette of the close contact in favor of rustling Damian’s hair despite the fact that the younger Wayne was taller than him already. “Yes, you sure have! But you still need improvement, baby bird.”

Soon enough, everyone managed to get seated around the large dining table. Bruce insisted that Marinette take one of the seats next to him at the head of the table, across from Damian, since this was her first family dinner. Dick sat next to her, Jason across from him, followed by Tim and Duke on Damian’s side of the table. On the other side of Dick sat Cassandra, and then Stephanie. Alfred served everyone before also taking a seat at the table, on the opposite end from Bruce.

And, true to BatFam tradition, everything was a little awkward for the first minute or two. Marinette didn’t know what to say, and nobody quite knew where to begin. Dick would normally start a conversation, but he was trying to glare into Bruce’s head a silent message of “talk to her, damn it.”

Finally seeming to get it, Bruce cleared his throat and turned to Marinette. “So, I wanted to ask. When do you find out about being my daughter?”

Several people around the table closed their eyes in mourning for Bruce’s social skills. Marinette though, just smiled in slight relief at the decision of how to start talking being taken from her.

“Oh. It was in stages, really. When I was ten, we started our unit in school on genetics. I don’t usually care enough about science to do much more than the school requires, but genetics captivated me for some reason. I researched it almost obsessively at home for a while, almost instantly realizing that there had to be a reason that I had blue eyes when none of the rest of my family did. After a week or two, I found my Maman and Papan’s adoption papers in their room,” she blushed, tugging on one end of her bangs, which she had framing her face since she was wearing her hair down that day. “I uh… I’ve always been a little nosy. I never told them that I found the papers, to me it was just the answer I needed. I didn’t think about it at all after that, and my obsession over genetics went away. It wasn’t until I was thirteen that I decided to look into my birth parents,” Marinette sighed, shoving a bite of food in her mouth to buy her time before continuing. Everyone was focused on her, and it was a little unsettling. Every one of them had a sharper gaze than a normal person, and it made her feel like she was made of glass and everyone else could see right through her. “I was going through a lot, back then. I wanted someone to be mad at, I wanted to be able to blame my DNA for the things that had happened.”

“Things?” Bruce interrupted, back straight and eyebrows drawn down. “What things?” Marinette giggled, tilting her head instead of answering and just letting her eyes study him. Bruce Wayne, Batman, the Dark Knight. Original vigilante of Gotham city, one of the founding members of the Justice League. Famous for his secrecy, intimidating presence, and intelligence. Then she switched her gaze, one by one, to everyone else at the table before leaning back and taking a sip of her soda.

“Do you guys know anything about the situation Paris experienced for four years?” She asked, instead of directly answering. It was Tim who frowned, leaning forward to look at her and reply.

“I heard very vague rumors of weird things, but nothing concrete enough to investigate. What happened?”

Marinette hummed, deciding to sum it up for them. “The short version? When I was thirteen, a classmate of mine spontaneously turned into a giant rock monster and destroyed a good portion of the city. Turns out, that was the first of many attacks by our city’s very own supervillain, Hawkmoth. He had a magical artifact that allowed him to take advantage of anyone’s negative emotions to give them powers and brainwash them into being, essentially, temporary villains that he used for his own means. Two heroes showed up out of nowhere, powered by similar magical artifacts, to combat him and free the people he corrupted. Ladybug and Chat Noir, the original Parisian heroes and the leaders of the team that later had to form.”

Jason frowned, along with everyone else at the table. Finally, it was Duke who asked:

“How did we not know about villains in Paris?” To which Marinette just gave him a dangerously wicked smirk that was far too similar to Damian’s for anyone’s comfort.

“Because I do my job,” she told him flatly, sipping from her cup as everyone stared at her in various amounts of shock. “That’s why finding out that my biological father was Batman made so much sense. That’s why I wanted to find out who my birth parents were. I wanted to blame the heroism on genetics. And, it doesn’t look like I was exactly wrong.”

—*—*—*—*—*

Yeah, that was how her first family dinner and subsequent identity reveal went.

Luckily, considering that Bruce had hired MDC for a pretty long job, Marinette was able to finish school online instead of going back to Paris for it. There was no real need anyway, they had defeated Hawkmoth and gotten Adrien emancipated so for now it was calm in Paris. They didn’t need their heroes anymore, for the time being. This meant that Marinette and Adrien, along with a few employees that helped measure and cut fabric and do secretarial duties they needed help with, got to stay in Gotham while Marinette went back and forth to Wayne manor, Wayne Tower, and back to their temporary home.

After about a month, Marinette was comfortable enough with the Waynes that she found herself lounging in the bat cave as she sketched, though she kept raising her eyes to the glass tubes that held old uniforms. Damian was sat across from her, essentially laying out over two chairs while he played some game upside down on his phone. He might usually be a cold brat, even for a sixteen year old, but even he liked to abuse the way furniture should be used and ignore the world via technology.

But he still caught her constantly wandering gaze.

“You don’t like them.”

“They suck!” Marinette immediately agreed, slamming her sketchbook on the metal briefing table. “Your Robin outfit is the only passable one there is! The colors aren’t even the issue, even high fashion designers can appreciate a good color clash moment. But what was Father thinking?! Putting Grayson in that glorified onesie— why are there no pants?! Jason’s at least as a cape that can cocoon his body and prevent anyone from seeing the disaster beneath. I should thank Tim for at least upgrading the suit to having pants, but he still kept the outside-underwear look that I cannot forgive. The attempt at fashion, though, is appreciated. Disappointing, but appreciated.”

“That pretty much sums them all up,” Damian quipped, getting a snort of amusement out of his sister. Maybe that was one thing he had grown to like about her. She didn’t reprimand him for his sense of humor, and usually she even laughed along. The more morbid humor would get a playful shove and a glare, but no real animosity. And she understood him on a different level, too. One he appreciated even more.

“You said, yesterday, that the Cure brings back everyone who dies during a Miraculous-related incident,” Damian spoke up again after a moment, pointedly not looking at her. “Did you ever count?”

Marinette, this being one of the reasons he was quickly growing fond of her, immediately understood. She sighed, closing her notebook. She might have only been two years his elder, but she had had what felt like a lifetime of more experiences than he did, usually in the friendship and social department though. They were roughly equal in their heroism experience, which was weird to think about, but Damian still valued her input. It was different from the rest of the family.

“It was different in Paris than it would be for anyone else. I didn’t keep track of the number of people who died,” she finally answered, taking her hair out of its work bun and running her hands through the midnight black locks. “But I kept track of how often. Since nobody remembered their deaths, I guess I felt it was my responsibility to remember my failures for them. My former best friend, Alya. Over the course of those four years, she died seventeen times. Her boyfriend, Nino, died fourteen. The Mayor died three times. Chloe, my current friend and former bully, died twenty-two times,” she grimaced at Damian’s shocked expression, nodding grimly. “During those first two, maybe two and a half years, she was one of the primary Akuma targets. She was still either an active bully or in the beginning of trying to change for the better, so she caused a lot of negative emotions everywhere she went. Things got better once she matured a bit, though. Anyway, there’s this girl I used to babysit. Manon. She died five times before she was even ten years old,” Marinette shook her head, that look of age and exhaustion that Damian saw in every Wayne and every hero he had ever fought with seeping into her eyes. “My parents, they died thirty-seven times. They were constantly worried about me, and ran into danger on several occasions trying to find and keep me safe. But I could never tell them who I was. I physically could. I had the power to sit them down and say; Hey, I’m Ladybug. Stop running out and getting yourselves killed. But I never did. I valued my identity first. So I usually ended up seeing, in the middle of a fight, one or both of them squished under falling debris. Or drowned. Frozen solid. Burned alive,” she paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “So no. I don’t understand what it was like for you, to count bodies as you felled them. But hell, if it doesn’t feel like I should. Logic doesn’t mean much in the face of emotion, especially guilt. I know I didn’t kill the people I care about, but every single one of their deaths weighs on me like I was the one that caused it.”

Damian nodded, and they shared a few moments of peaceful, contemplative silence as they both ruminated on their less than pleasant memories without fear of being yelled at for what those memories contained.

“But, I do have a secret,” she admitted softly, attracting her brother’s emerald-eyed attention again. The normally cheerful woman was much more subdued even than before, sapphire irises self conscious and vulnerable, which was rare. She licked her lips, even more rare considering her love of her light pink lipstick, and moved off her chair so that she was, instead, sitting on the cold stone floor. Without hesitation, Damian joined her.

“Technically, it didn’t happen. It was a timeline that my friend, the one who I gave the snake Miraculous, essentially erased when he reversed time. But I remember it even though I shouldn’t. How could I forget?”

“You took a life,” Damian whispered, grimacing in empathy. “First time?”

“And the second, and the fifth,” she admitted. “Viperion had to try seven times before I stopped repeating it. But it was always the same person, back during our final battle. I killed Gabriel Agreste seven times. But nobody but me and Luca will ever remember.”

Damian and Marinette both knew it wasn’t the same as Damian’s childhood. They both knew that they would likely never fully understand one another’s trauma. Not the nuances of it. But they did understand the important parts, the broad strokes. Despite their vastly different lives, they understood the big parts that shaped one another.

That was why Damian took to her so quickly. If he had been younger and still bratty, naive, and angry at everything, then it would be a different story entirely. But he was matured, more willing to let himself feel sympathy. And that made the difference.

“You never forget the first person,” he remarked.

“No matter the age or timeline,” she agreed. “I saw how hard it was to stop. How sickeningly addictive it can be, but I hate what it makes me more than I like how it feels.”

“... me too,” Damian whispered. “Me too.”

—*—*—*—*—*

“Wooo!” Marinette cheered as she flew through the air, her hands latching onto Dick’s. There was no audience, but there didn’t need to be. Just the two of them, doing a routine that they’ve been working on during the few chances they had for the past several weeks. Marinette had never done trapeze before Dick helped her learn, but her time swinging through Paris streets helped tremendously alongside her general Gymnastics experience.

Marinette and Dick flipped through the air, swinging from bar to bar, Dick occasionally catching and tossing her again. They soared through the air, both curling through two flips before landing on their respective platforms with matching wide smiles. Marinette, chest heaving a bit since she was slightly out of shape (meaning that she wasn’t at all out of shape, only out of practice when it came to swinging through the air for any length of time. There’s a difference). She met Dick on the floor, who proceeded to ruffle her hair happily.

“That was awesome! Looks like you finally got the routine down,” he praised. She laughed, elbowing him.

“I bet I’m better on the balance beam,” she challenged, making Dick grin widely.

“Oh you are on!”

—*—*—*—*—*

“Ya ever died before?” Jason asked, making Marinette chuckle.

“Two-hundred and eighty-seven times.”

“You started as Ladybug at thirteen, right?”

“Yup. No training or mentor for the first year either.”

“Yeah, then that sounds about right. Wanna go break all the traffic laws?”

“Only if we take your bike.”

“Fuckin’ Duh. What else?”

—*—*—*—*—*

“You stalked Adrien?” Tim asked, smirking that insufferable smirk of his. Marinette groaned, flopping back onto the sofa.

“No! I didn’t mean it that way, anyway. I just took a lot of pictures and spied on him.”

“Yup. You’re Bruce’s kid,” he remarked, tapping away at his laptop. Marinette narrowed her eyes.

“You have noooo place to judge, Mister ‘Dick Grayson is the only person alive who can do four somersaults in the air!’ And ‘Yes, I‘ve known that you are batman since I was eight. Look at all these pictures I took when I— what was your terminology again?”

Tim rolled his eyes, but a grin was peeking through. “Yeah, yeah.”

—*—*—*—*—*

Four months later, and Marinette was staring down at all the garment bags she had painstakingly filled. Outfits for every single one of her new family members. It took a while, but they were ready for the Wayne Gala. Adrien slung am arm over her shoulder.

“You’ve outdone yourself again, Princess,” he praised, grinning at the array of coveted outfits they were about to transport. “But one teensy weeny, tiny little thing.”

“What is it, Chaton?”

Adrien grinned. “Do you have a dress for yourself? Bruce invited you, too, didn’t he?”

Marinette’s face drained of color, right as a knock sounded on the door. Adrien, seeing as Marinette was so far into Panic Mode that she could not be reached at the moment, went to open the door. A second later, plastic was all Marinette could see. Blinking, she raised her head.

It was Cass, holding out a pink garment bag with Marinette’s name on it.

“Thought you would forget,” was all the other woman offered as explanation. Marinette, after gaping for a moment, slowly took the bag from her. Cass smirked. “Present from WE.”

Marinette laughed.

“You guys are the best.”

—*—*—*—*—*

@momothefemur @ladybug-182 @starlightshield @trippingovermyfeet @greatcatblaze @sam-i-am-0222 @bluesimani @ruelukas22 @acoolspacegirl

[lycorogue]

Who Wants to Meet My OCs? (Part 3b – Glitches Reworks)

Who’s ready for part two (er... of part 3...)?

If you’ve missed it, I’m doing a series to introduce everyone to my main OCs (and no, I’m TOOOOOTALLY not doing this to procrastinate on writing my fanfics... why do you ask?)

In Part 1, I introduced the series, what I wanted to do with it, and gave some insight on the real world inspiration for my two worlds:

Gyateara

Glitches

Then, in Part 2, I talked about the IRL inspiration for my Gyateara characters:

Amara Yori

Natalie

Connor

Jolene Crisslebalm

The first half of this third part of the series - Part 3a - I talked about how characters are created for the Play-by-Post RP X-Future; the game that birthed Glitches. I also talked about the inspiration for my main four truly original characters: my husband’s character Chayse, and My Girls: Lia, Willow, and Trish.

In this final part of the introduction series, I’m going to talk about the adult characters of Glitches, the X-Men/Marvel canonical characters they were derived from, and how I have started altering them to create original variants to use for Glitches.

If this sort of thing strikes your fancy, feel free to read about these characters below the break. If you’re more interested in the actual individual character bios, the first one will be up next Sunday. Catch ya then!

Marvel Canon Reworks:

The next series of characters were all originally canon characters for the X-Men comics. They are all significant for the X-Future characters, and therefore would need an original counterpart for Glitches. I have yet to figure out anyone’s last names....

Matteo

Emily

Ryder

Keahi

Cody

Ignatius “Iggy”

Ready to find out who they were originally?

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

Matteo

In X-Future, after Xavier dies in The Reaping, Kitty (Pryde) LeBeau and James “Logan” Howlett take over as the headmistress and headmaster of the school. Wolverine has a strong presence in X-Future because of that, and also because of family created by some of the players. Now, I don't have the IP for any of Wolverine's children/grandchildren/clone's children... (it gets complicated...), but I like the idea of Wolverine being Kitty's foil. A sort of Magneto to Kitty's Professor X. So Wolvie needed an overhaul.

Matteo is half-Puerto Rican, half-African American. His Latino features are more dominant though. And, honestly, the only real reason I thought of including the half-African American part was because it was a suggestion of a friend. His character Lucas is the son of Wolverine's clone X-23. Back when I was first thinking of creating Glitches, this friend was very much involved in helping me figure out what parts of X-Future should make the cut. We jointly reworked Lucas slightly so that he is instead a kid whom Matteo rescued from government experimentation. Lucas was Black, and so my friend thought having Matteo be at least half-Black would help Lucas see a connection that would lead him to trust Matteo and bond with him. A sort of Bruce Wayne/Dick Grayson sort of dynamic.

Said friend of mine sort of went radio-silent after moving a few states away, and so I no longer feel comfortable using Lucas in Glitches. Therefore, I'm not sure if I should just revert Matteo back to full Puerto Rican. It's still up in the air.

I needed him to have the feral personality and physical durability that Wolverine has, but he's now gruff and hardened less because of what had been done to him, but because his younger sister was killed in government experimentation. He is NOT a fan of humans and Glitches (my word for mutants) cohabiting. He no longer has the claws, but takes Logan's begrudging paternal personality and cranks it up a few notches.

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

Emily

Kitty “Shadowcat” Pryde, as mentioned above, is the headmistress of the Institute, and she's Chayse's very involved mother. I couldn't leave her out if Chayse was transitioning into Glitches. So, she became Emily. Since Chayse has both parents' powers in equal parts, it was a touch easier to manipulate both Shadowcat and Gambit so that Chayse still had the same power set, but the Glitches version of his parents SHOULD be different enough not not be blatant rip-offs.

I started off by giving Emily Gambit's powers, sorta. Instead of Gambit's ability to create kinetic energy, Emily can MANIPULATE kinetic energy. Not only can she build up or create kinetic energy out of potential, she can also instantly pull kinetic energy out of an object in order to drop it back into potential energy. This means, for instance, if she were to catch a ball, she wouldn't need to follow through with her arm; it moving with the kinetic energy transferred from the ball once it's stopped in her hand. Instead, her skin simply absorbs the kinetic energy and the ball stops instantly, as if it were gently lobbed over to her. Likewise, if she concentrates, she can make her skin impenetrable: instantly withdrawing the kinetic energy from things such as bullets, cars, blades, etc., before it can puncture or otherwise injure her skin. No skin injuries also tends to mean no internal injuries.

Of course, the main use of this kinetic manipulation is the way Gambit uses it: adding or building up kinetic energy in an object. This can be used to add force to an object, such as hitting harder with a bat or bo staff without added effort, jumping higher or running faster, or building up enough energy the object explodes. Emily and Chayse also figure out how to use the kinetic energy very similarly to The Flash from the DC comics. Namely, build up enough kinetic energy within their own cells that they vibrate fast enough to pass through other particles. This makes them intangible and capable of phasing through solid objects. It takes a LOT of practice to keep their feet particles on top of the ones that make up the floor/ground. Even more practice allows for “air steps” where they can actually climb the particles that make up the air itself. This brings things back full-circle to Kitty's phasing powers.

I have been so focused on Emily's backstory, ideals, and new powers, so I don't really have a mental image of her that is vastly different than Kitty Pryde's. I still need to work on that. The only real big thing is that Emily has eyes similar to Gambit: unnatural colored irises and sclera. Normally, Emily has the naturally occurring white sclera, and magenta irises. When she's using her powers, however, the magenta bleeds into her sclera. That's it. That's all the physical description I have thus far...

Personality wise, however, she is much more stern and focused than Kitty is shown in most canonical iterations.

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

Ryder

Gambit is just as much of an involved parent as Kitty, so it's only natural that if Kitty has to become Emily, then Remy becomes Ryder. My biggest problem, though, was how to make a suave, Cajun, con-man with powers NOT feel like THE Cajun: Remy “Gambit” LeBeau himself. Granted, not having the ability to blow things up helps, but there's so much more to Gambit than just that.

I wanted to keep him suave, a reformed con-man, White with a non-American accent, and have a love of play cards. That's just TOO Gambit to not include. At the same time... it's SOOOOO Gambit to NOT be recognizable. So, I started off by changing the Cajun accent to one I find equally sexy: Australian. Next, Ryder is more a con-artist than a con-man. More of a manipulator than a thief. He still loves his cards, but he's more likely to play Three Card Monty with them than blow you up with them.

One of the side-effects to Gambit's kinetic powers is the “accidental telepathic manipulation.” He may not even realize he does this, but Gambit can mess with the kinetic energy WITHIN SOMEONE'S BRAIN! He can make certain parts of the brain fire off, making his target much more susceptible to believing his lies, manipulation, and over-all charm. Gambit also always has a kinetic shield around him that continuously shifts erratically. This makes it extremely difficult for telepaths to break through the kinetic field and attack Gambit's mind. Effectively making him highly resistant to telepathic attacks and/or manipulation/suggestion.

So, I figured I'd take this commonly overlooked part of Gambit's powers, and make it Ryder's main mutation. He has a “silver tongue” and has the telepathic ability of verbal suggestion, manipulation, and hypnosis.

Ryder looks like a normal human, albeit a gorgeous one. He has brunette hair instead of Gambit's usually auburn, and he has intense “baby blues” that helps him hold eye contact, which elevates his powers. I don't have much more by way of physical description.

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Keahi

On the one hand, Keahi is a major rework of her canon counterpart. In the comics, Amara “Magma” Aquilla is a blonde haired, blue eyed, White girl from the Roman-like society of Neo Roma. They wear togas still and everything. The Amara from X-Future is the version we see in “X-Men: Evolution” in which she's just a typical Brazilian girl of tan skin and brown hair and eyes. I shifted her again so that Keahi is Hawaiian. A bit of a change.

On the flip-side, you can only do so much with “woman who can manipulate tectonic plates and magma, can create fireballs, is immune to fire/lava/breathing in ash, and transforms into a humanoid walking ball of magma.” Lia has all of those powers, so her mother has to have them. Which means I can't really do much with Amara's powers to alter them for Keahi.

Since Keahi doesn't actually show up all that much in Glitches – ya know, since she's MIA – I didn't spend terribly too much time on her. I still need to sit down and figure her out a bit.

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Cody

Jamie “Multiple Man” Madrox is too much of a helicopter parent to not have him follow Lia over into the Glitches rework. The main reason he could be a helicopter parent to such an extreme is his ability to create duplicates. That way he can literally always be with Lia, except for when she needs privacy, such as when she's in the bathroom and/or changing.

In Glitches, Jamie is now Cody, a man who can still create clones of himself out of fresh drops of his own blood. Slightly different than Jamie's impact-created duplicates. The funny thing, though, is for someone whose powers requires bleeding, he's as Edge Lord as a middle-aged man with diabetes. Cody gets viciously protective of those he loves, so he can get some of that badassery his comic counterpart has, but... it's not wholly evident.

In order to use his power, I had Keahi design a special wedding band for her husband. It's similar to (Spoiler alert?) Annie's ring from “Attack on Titan.”

It has a spike hidden inside it that Cody can flick out to puncture or slash his skin whenever he needs blood in a hurry. Normally, he does keep a sleeve of sterilized sewing needles in his pocket, and pricks his fingers on those, but the wedding band is used in a pinch, and has helped him in the past.

Cody still needs some more work as well, but his build is mostly “generic over-protective dad.”

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Ignatius “Iggy”

Iggy started his life as St. John “Pyro” Allerdyce, aka: Devon's father. I was actually largely inspired to create Iggy after watching the anime “K.” Specifically, Iggy is largely designed after the Red King Suoh Mikoto. I mean, look at this guy!

(Sorry, I no longer have the artist credit after my computer crashed. If you know who put this together, please let me know.)

(Same deal; the file I had that listed where I found this fanart got corrupted when my computer crashed. Please let me know if you recognize the artist)

(There's just something about a fit man juuuuuuuust barely showing off his stomach that is just so yummy for me.)

Anyway... Throw in a little Billy Idol and flame-ombre hair, and you have the basic aesthetic for Iggy.

Iggy's personality is more manic than Pyro's. He can be calm and calculated, but also be enraged out of nowhere and go on a rampage; the same qualities his protégé Trish possesses. I wanted Iggy to have a “sexy British-derived accent” still, and with the red hair, I figured: go Irish. So Iggy is an Irish immigrant. The Brotherhood is now a street gang that Iggy turned into a terrorist group. So... again, semi-inspired by Suoh from “K.”

He still has the power to manipulate flame, without the ability to create it. However, there are so many fire manipulators/pyrokinetics throughout pop culture that I'm hoping Iggy doesn't feel like a Discount Bin Pyro.

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In the end, there's not much that I've really done with these character re-works yet, but you'll get to meet them further in later posts.

Until then, thank you for taking this time to see a broad look at my character creation process. If you have any notes on how I can make these characters more distinct from their canon counterparts, feel free to drop me a DM or something.

Thank you, and I’ll see you guys again next week for the first of my individual character profiles. I’m going to start with the “most vocal”: Willow.

[i-am-your-dragon]

Its time to meet the King of the dragons: Bio Roark

Human form:

Popsugar

Dragon form:

mywishlist.ru 

Name: Roark

Species: Dragon

Age: over 600 years old

Gender: male

Sexuality: Straight

Looks:  Roark is a 6'0"tall over 600 years old dragon.

In his human form he is a bald muscular man around 50 with wide shoulders, six-pack(Face claim is Bruce Willis) His eyes are bluish green with brown spot in his right eye, his nose is straight, his face masculin and his lips full. He clad his body in suits red, black sometimes grey without a fly or tie. His only jewelries are three massive golden rings with his kingdom sign and a ring with a drop of the a lock of his queen in it a gift to his 500 birthday.

His dragon form has three heads, three personalities, one is calm and polite it has ocean blue eyes, one is wild and rough one eyes dark golden and one is neutral and the leader of both deciding wich head to listen to has green eyes. Kinda like Angel and Devil on shoulder.

Scars: He has many scars from many battles with humans and other enemies. The worst is decorating his back after he was struck by lightning as child thought.

Clothing: Like said above he is wearing mostly suits and casual clothes like button up shirts, shirts and mostly long pants.

Weapons: He fights with one sword a gigantic one because if he fights he fights in his dragon form. Not that his human form is any weaker but he likes to scare his enemies with his gigantic sword and dragon form.

Personality: Roark is a strongwilled fair and calm ruler. He who would do all for his family and folk. He loves children and is popular with the kids on his island. Beside his age he is still a modern man and likes the inventions of humans. Even thought he rarelly leaves his castel to see them for himself because he need to keep an eye on his folk.

Relationships: He only fell in love once with his queen and had two daughters and three sons with her. Sadly the queen and princesses died on the virus who is killing the female dragons.

Thats why he is forced as the young male of his folks including his sons to search for a bride in his case a queen to safe his race.

Likes: -Roark likes fruits he has a weakness for sweet fruits like strawberries.

-He is satisfied when his folk is happy and trys his best to please them.

He loved his queen over all and his daughters and visits their graves every day.

-He likes to go climb the mountains on his island, it keeps his body beside the training with his much younger royal gards healthy.

-He is a romantic deep hidden inside and enjoyed to go on walks under the starlight with his queen or have picnicks under the moonlight.

He loves children and is a protective, strict big teddy bear father.

-Roark loves music and sometimes sings with his folks at little festivals. His voice is and and raspy voice makes the female dragons falling in love with him.

-He prefers baths over showers mostly using them at the evening to relax and think over the day.

Dislikes:

-The king of dragons dislikes lies! Honesty is important for him even if the truth could be rough. He would never lie.

-In many battles he surivived he took lifes but he hates to kill and only does it if there is no other way.

-Roark hates hunters and he knew they are still out there trying to find his folk.

-He dislikes any violence against woman and childrend punishes it mercyless.

-He cant stand it if someeone calls him old king. He does not feel old and always tells them to wait until he is over 1000. He does not planning to die anytime soon.

-Roark hates traitors and knows no mercy for them. Traitors are in his eyes are dragons who hurt humans who didnt started the battle. Killing out of hate who is sadly still living within the hearts of many of his people.

-Hurt one of his children thats how he sees his folk and you will feel his wrath. Mercyless he will hunt you down no mattr where you hide he will find you and take revenge for his child.

Background Story:

Roark was born over 600 years ago by Queen Regina as the youngest son of King Seoras. His older brother Neacal who was born to become king over the kingdom sadly was killed by dragon hunter as Roark turned 2 years. To soon his childhood ended four years later as his father left their kingdom for war. His days where endlessly filled with many lessons and hard training to make a strong king out of him. Only his mother took care of it that he sometimes could be a child and took him out on walks through his kingdom to be closer with the folks and learn from them as well. With eight years old he was almost killed by lighting striking him as he run away from the castle after a fight with his teacher. To his luck and all of his folks, he could be saved but a scar where the lightning hit him was decorating now his back. The young dragon king met his queen Rhiannon as teen when he was sixteen. She was one of the lady’s daughters who where friends with his mother. He just saw her and knew she was it. But she had eyes for another dragon at that time. That didn’t stop Roark to fight for her heart. First he tried to impress her with this title and spoiled her with gifts. But soon he realized the red haired beauty was not touched the slightest by it. Only as he showed her his true wild, kind hearted self he managed to win her over and after his father return he asked for the blessing by his and her parents. Three years later he married her and was pulled in to his first battle. He disappeared for one and a half year missing the birth of his first son prince Alasdair. In the war he lost many of his loyal men. It hardened him and almost filled his whole heart with hate. Only his queen Rhiannon could save him from it by introduccing to him his son Alasdair and only two years later making him the gift of twin boys Keane and Seoras. He soon began to teach them how to read, to fight and climb. His three boys are his pride. Alsadair is more like his mother while the twins come after their father. As the war with the humans became worse the dragons made horrible decision what still haunts Roark until this days. They find out that a human bride who was burn to ashes while giving birth made the dragons become stronger.

But the horrible act made the humans fight back with wizards and witches. Making Roarks father their traitor through mind control spell. His father and he had to fight but it ended as the father broke out of the spell and attacked the hunters. King Seoras found it end through their hands as many dragons.

Arman a dragon who kept his bride alive showed the dragons too late that human and dragon could live in happiness together. This made now King Roark decide to save the rest of his folks by calling one of the first dragons for help through a old wind ritual, after all was said that the soul of a dragon became one of the many colors fo the sky and can be seen carried by the wind. The dragon appeared in his dreams that night and showed him a island made grown on his bones and told him old forgotten words of a spell to hide this island from humans and any other beings. After he woke up in the deepest night he ordered his folk to build ships. He worked side by side with them driven by the hope in a better future for his kind. From over 40 big ships only 34 arrived safely at the island. Where Roark immedatly put on the spell like the old dragon told him letting his kind disappear for the rest of the world. Many, many years later the queen gave birth to his two daughters: Jovia, and Junia. The kingdom was blessed the folk started to grew more and more. But the king didnt liked how they where cut out from the rest of the world and decided to send young brave dragons out from time to time to visit the human world and keep an eye on them. Soon he danced on the weddings of his twins and after them his oldest son finally find his mate. It made the much older dragon King happy to see his family grow and his folk with them. Roark also decided to give festival every year for the many human brides who where killed so horribly by his kind. It was build a statue of the last bride who was killed in such a way and beg their forgiveness with flowers, salty pastery as symbol for the tears and red wine for the blood that flown. Sad songs will be carried through the whole island on this day. Also to remember how they forced the human to give away their beautiful virgins they have a special wedding ritual the dragon man is waiting on the island while the bride with her family is on a ship prepared clad in her white dress traditional jewelry. She is put in to boat to lay down and sing a song. An old song who humans sang to call the dragon in to their village to take away his bride. The bride and her family will sing it and the dragon male will take her with the boat in his dragon from to the island there they will be awaited by the priest. Roarks kingdom was growing through the inventations his spions brought to it and it seemed like he really brought his kind in to the perfect paradise... Sadly a few years ago a horrible virus started to take away the female dragons lifes. His heart broke as his queen and daughters fell to the virus. He himself carried them alone in his dragon form to their family grave to put them to rest beside his mother. Who was one of the first dragon women who fell to this horrible invisible death. As he saw the hate growing inside his young dragon men and his sons hearts, the dragon king decided to send them out in the world to find their happiness and see the human world for themselves. He gave them three months to find a bride or the cure for the virus.

But after almost the end of the third month he grew tired of waiting and decided to visit the human world himself.

To may find some help for his kind and a new queen.

[minteacutiewrites]

A Game of Cat and Mouse Pt1

Wow something that’s actually kind of angsty...where did this come from lol. It’s kind of written in a flashback style as the events are being retold by Maggie, with Bruce probably filling in some of the blanks at some point. Something I’m working on currently, feedback would be much apriciated!!! :)

The room was bland, aside from a couple of ugly green chairs and a plant or two. An uncomfortable silence clinging to the air. Green eyes flitted around the room, as she fiddled with her fingers nervously picking at the corners of her nails.

She wasn’t really in the mood for any of this, but Batman wanted to talk about her last mission with Robin while the events were still fresh in her mind.

A dark figure moved across her vision taking the seat across from her, snapping her out of her daze. She mentally kicked herself as she hadn’t even noticed him come in.

The sat in there letting the silence hang in the air between them, before the dark night spoke,” I understand this is hard but it’s something we need to talk about, Maggie.” He told her.

She flinched a little, not used to hearing her civilian name pass his lips,” I know.” Maggie said feeling her stomach roll with nausea,” Let do this.”

“Right, so tell me when you noticed that the mission had started going wrong?” He questioned the younger girl

She snorted, he always seemed to want to get right into things, but she supposed it was as good a place to start as any.” I knew something was wrong the moment we got inside.” Maggie told him, watch the other man’s eyebrow raise but when he didn’t say anything she just continued.

“The whole thing was going a little too smooth.” She answered,” Robin and I are smart, but we should have at least had a little trouble, but it felt like we just waltz in…”

~

It was an easy mission, just in and out something that the two young vigilantes should have been able to handle. Nothing that required a whole team just a couple of expert hackers and their brains.

Robin hacked the system in record time getting them inside, while Nightingale watched his back.

She could feel the muscles in her stomach tighten, but she decided to ignore it for now. It was too early in the mission to decide whether they needed to pull out.

“The area seems clear I’m not getting any bio readings on this level.” She told Robin as they entered the building.

“Remember you still need to proceed with caution.” A gruff voice told them over there intercom system.

“Yeah we know this isn’t our first Rodeo, B.” Robin light hearted voice came over the air ways, calming the nerves in her stomach a little.

Everything would go fine, they could handle this.

” I’ll cover the lower area you, cover this one and we’ll meet back up with what we find.” Robin told her, flashing him her signature grin.

“So, the two of you decided to split up?”

~

She blinked coming out of her thoughts, when he asked this question.

“Yeah we decided to split up.” She told him running her fingers through her thick red hair,” It was stupid, my gut was already telling me something was wrong, but Robin was still in my range of vison and…I thought things would be okay…”

Maggie put her face in her hands,” But things weren’t okay, and he got hurt and…it’s all my fault.” She said, her voice shaking.

“It couldn’t be avoided and wasn’t the one that was hurt.” Batman told her resting a calloused hand on her shoulder,” We don’t have to continue if you’re not ready.”  

Her fingers subconsciously ghosted over the bruises on her neck,” I’m fine, let’s continue.” Maggie gave a clipped answer,” So we split up figuring we could cover more ground that way.”

~

“Are you sure something supposed to be going down here Batman because so far me and Robin got nothing.” Bruce listened starting to feel suspicious himself.

“We’ll give it another few minutes and then you and Robin will pull out.” He told the two of them, not wanting to put them into any unnecessary danger.

“Alright Bat’s but so far everything seems dead quiet…” The girl trailed of as her ears caught a faint noise.

“Nightingale is something wrong.” Batman asked, aware that something caught her attention.

“Nothing I just thought I heard…” The line went silent again before shouting,” Robin look out!!!” Before he heard a loud thump and a little gasp.

The line went dead, not even the crackle of static coming through.

“Nightingale…” He waited for a reply but there was nothing but dead silence.

~

“Do you remember what happened after you woke up?” Batman asked, his hands folded, elbows neatly resting on his knees as he listened.

She hesitated,“…It’s still a bit hazy but I think I can manage.”

~

She woke in total darkness, with an intense throbbing pain behind her eyes. Rubbing the back of her head she could already feel a lump forming.

Crawling she found her way to the nearest wall she pushed herself up onto shaky legs, following the smooth, cold wall looking for any sign of a light switch, or a door of some sort.

It wasn’t necessary as moments later the lights flickered on, making her squint against the harsh florescent lights. The room was square with bare white walls and no sign of a door.

The only thing that stuck out was the large monitor that looked built into the wall.

The situation was looking bad and she tried contacting the others, “Batman do you read me?” Receiving nothing but dead air,” Robin?”

Dread settled heavily in her stomach when neither replied.

The large monitor in front of her flickered to life, the Joker’s brightly colored clown face plastered across the on the screen,” Ahh so on of the little birdie’s is awake.” He sniggered, clearly amused with the situation,” Good I was just about to send someone in there to wake you.”

“Where’s Robin?” She questioned, worried about her friend not wanting to imagine what the Joker had done to him.

“Always straight to the point, are we?” He cackled, “Now where’s the fun in that.” He waved her off casually,” What do you say you and I play a little game?” Joker asked.

Weighing her options, she didn’t see any other choice other than to co-operate, the Joker was holding all the cards.

“That’s a good girl, co-operating.” Joker grinned widely,” Let’s play a game of Hide and Seek, you and your little boyfriend, will hide and I’ll come find you, simple enough.”

“If you batman finds you first you win.” He told them, casually brushing a bit of dust off of his shoulder,” If I find you…well you know what’ll happen” Joker sneered.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Joker crowed,” Now don’t look at me like that I’ll even give you head start.” He grinned,” But you might want to hurry your little Bird friend isn’t looking too good now.”

The screen went black. Her heart sank into her stomach, she had to find Robin.

A door in the wall slid open and Nightingale made her way into a large hallway, leading into a maze.

Her brain was starting panic, she had no idea how she was going to find Robin in this mess of hallways

“Alright deep breaths Gale, focus…” She tried to collect her thoughts,” This is Joker you’ve dealt with Joker before…what do you know about him?”

Thinking about it she was able to calm her mind some,” He want’s Batman to suffer…so he wouldn’t let Robin die yet…that’s too easy for Joker…” The weight on her heart lightened,” So maybe he’s somewhere nearby.”

She couldn’t waste anymore time, who knows how long of a head start the Joker was actually giving them.

Turning a corner, she sighed exasperated,” You’ve got to be kidding me.” She said, finding an opening with a large Joker smiled painted over the entryway,” The Joker sure has a flare for the draumatics…”

Running inside she found Robin laying there slack and lifeless.

Her heart froze in her chest,’ Oh god I’m too late...’ She thought, going to his side, tears springing to her eyes.

But soon she noticed his chest rising and falling taking in shaky breaths of air,” Oh thank god.” She breathed out.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Nightingale scanned Robin’s body for injuries.

There was a small shallow gash just above his lefts brow, crusted over with dried blood. His lip was split, which made her smile a little knowing he’d fought back.

Shifting his arms, she examined his torso, grimacing when she noticed blood soaking through the side of his thin suit.  Not sure if she was anywhere near ready to tackle that situation just yet.

“Alright get out of immediate danger first then deal with possibly life-threatening injuries.” Grabbing his arm, she tried to drag him out of the room, but it proved to be more difficult then she first thought.

They didn’t get very far before she heard a low groan,” Robin!” She exclaimed, to the boy’s side. Watching his hazy blue eyes flicker open.

“Nightingale…what happened?” He slurred, wincing in pain his whole-body aching.

“It was a trap the Joker captured us…I’ll explain more later we have to get somewhere safe.” She told him, helping up now that he was conscious.

She stumbled a bit letting him lean heavily on her, as they slowly made their way.

They didn’t get far before they heard voice,” I think they came this way.”

Looks like their head start had ended,” You should go on without me, I’m just slowing you down.” Robin croaked.

“I’m not leaving you behind we just…have to find somewhere….” She leaned on the wall with him, his weight on her starting to take its toll.

A panel on the wall came loose making her stumble a little. Cocking her head a little she rest Robin against the wall tugging on the panel pulling it loose.

 She found a small room, no bigger than a storage closet, she wasn’t sure if it would fit both of them but the voices were getting closer so it would have to do.

Dragging Robin inside she carefully replaced the panel, sitting silently.  

Holding her breath, she listened quietly, “I could have sworn they came this way.” One of the voices said,” No matter, if we don’t find them the joker will.” Another answered.

She still waited a few minutes listen to their footsteps dim until she could no longer hear them before she releases her breath,” They’re gone.” She whispered, scanning the room with the tech in her suit for bugs or listening devices.

“The rooms clean, it looks like we can stay here for a while.” She looked over at him wrinkling her nose,” Let’s get you patched up.” She said

It look like a lot of the things were removed from her utility belt but she was relieve to see that the first aid kit was still intact.  

Peeling back the skin-tight elastic of his suit, she cringed finally seeing the wound on his side. It was deeper than the one on his brow and still slowly oozing blood but it didn’t look life threatening.

Robin hissed as she began to stitch the wound up,” Sorry I’m no Batman when it comes to these things.”

She finished stitching up the wound wrapping a bandage around his waist to cover the stitches,” It’s not perfect but it’ll have to do for now, Hopefully Batman will find us soon.”

She moved so that she was sitting against the wall, cradling his head in her lap, carding her fingers through his dark hair.

Not liking the heat already coming off him,’ Please hurry.” She thought.