#Bowery Mission

[newyorkthegoldenage]

The Rev. Mr. George Bolton, left, a former skid row derelict, speaks to a denizen of the Bowery as another sleeps in the doorway of the Bowery Mission, December 12, 1956. The 77-year-old Bowery Mission, one of several, dispenses soup, soap, and salvation. The Rev. Mr. Bolton often told the men about the "miracle" that lifted him from the gutter.

Photo: Associated Press

[nycreligion]

J.C. Penney — A CHRISTMAS BURIAL, THEN HOPELESSNESS

JC Penney (r) was on top of the world in New York City in 1965, here posing with friends, former world champion boxer Jack Dempsey (l), and renowned publisher Harry N. Abrams (m). Credit: DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, J.C. Penney Papers. The local paper recorded, “Mrs. J.C. Penney dies. Sick with pneumonia and suffering from asthma for a long time. Died at home…

[im-gonna-sing-the-doom-song-blog]

Jason Todd NSFW A-Z

Warnings 18+:

Adult language and themes

*sorry in advance for any spelling/grammar errors

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex) 

Jason would hold you, grip firm, but comforting, almost as if grounding himself in this moment.  He would mummer to you in that rough Bowery accent. “Fucking shit, hon..” while kissing your neck. It takes a little for him to clean up and to let you do the same (he's very lazy at this point), but when he does, he spoils you. He runs you a warm bath and brings you your favorite snack, along with the softest pjs ever. The best part is the deep tissue massage he gives you to release the rest of that tension they may linger. “I said I would get all of the knots out, didn’t I?” 

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) 

Jason really doesn’t have a favorite part of his own body. His hands maybe. They can bring on destruction, but also build and mend things he thought he was only capable of destroying. He loves using them to squeeze your thighs. That’s his favorite part, if he had to choose. He loves all of you.  

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically) 

I fully believe he's into facials and cumming in your mouth. Something about holding your face with one hand, thumb and index finger squishing your cheeks as he rubs his leaking cock against your lips, glossing them with precum. When he cums, his smacking your face with it. Extra points if you stick out your tongue. 

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) 

Secret recordings and photos. He gets off on rewatching the filthy things he does to you. He’s not much of a porn guy, since he only wants you. Other people don’t really interest him in that aspect. So, when he goes on those long missions and can’t see you for a while, he has something to keep him motivated. 

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?) 

He’s had a few partners, but nothing really special. Not like you. Just basic sex after he came back from the pit, but his body was still settling in itself. Growing pains and all that he had to endure all at once. He has the know-how and some top tier equipment, so what he lacks in experience he makes up in that. Either way, you're a soaking mess when he’s done. The longer you're with him, the better and better it gets 

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying) 

Doggy style. Hands down, He loves watching your pussy take his full length to the base “You like that? Get that ass up. You can take it” .  He also enjoys cowgirl when you both in the mood, but doesn’t wanna move around too much. Perfect for those sore post patrol nights and he wants to get you off.  

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.) 

Neither goofy or serious. A complete bastard. Jason gets that shit eating grin on his face when he’s slamming into you and you making you whimper in pleasure. “All that talk and you can barely take it.” He chuckles. “And you think I was gonna let you off easy?”  

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.) 

Definitely trimmed. He doesn’t really care as long as it's neat down there. Dark trail of hair. Not really much to say. 

Always clean. 

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect) 

Kind of a prick. Jason is naturally an aggressive guy, so I can’t really see him being gentle in bed unless you ask him to. He won’t hurt you in anyway, but he fucks in the mattress until you’re unable to walk properly.  

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon) 

Not really into it. Jason would rather wait to have the real thing than bore himself with a porno. Why waste time with that? However mutual masturbation can get him going. Intense making out while he jerks off and you touch yourself drives him feral. “Those goddamn noises you make, doll. Gonna make me lose my shit” 

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks) 

Lingerie. Especially his color.  Lace makes him rock hard. He likes to choke you too. Pull your hair. His major kink is definitely edging..teasing and teasing..and teasing some more until he feels like letting you cum. “Too much? Look at you. You’re squirming and soak already. I haven’t even put my cock in you yet.”  

L = Location (favorite places to do the do) 

Home. Anywhere in his apartment is game. He has security measures up the ass there and I don’t see him being a public sex kinda man. Too many risks. The exception is the Batcave.. he’ll hack the security there, fuck you on the training mat and then leave your assprint on the hood of the Batmobile. Wouldn’t even bother deleting the footage either. This asshole would make eye contact with the camera and flip it off on the way out.  

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going) 

Arguments with you get him going. Especially when it's really heated. He’ll fuck the attitude right out of you. “Babe, curb the ‘tude before I fuck it out of ya” In contrast, his desire is also awakened when you're...just....talking. Your voice puts him in a state. “Just keep talking, please..” He breathes as he palms himself. Stress relief after patrol is another motivator. He’ll wash up the blood and carry you to the bed. “I need you like crazy, c’mere” 

*Bonus. Not really a turn on...but he’ll demolish you out of jealousy. Say, if he felt like someone like Dick was trying something (Dick would never but Jason can be a delusional baby sometimes, let’s face it). It's a self-esteem thing for him. “Everyone wants the pretty golden boy. What, don’t I fuck you good enough.” Oh, he certainly does. 

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) 

Consent is key. Jason Todd is a mean prick during sex and can sometimes get carried away, but the moment you show the slightest display of unwillingness in your eyes, he’ll stop immediately. He’ll go soft and it may take a while to get him hard again. He could never hurt you and if ever accidently did, he wouldn’t forgive himself.  

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.) 

Loves giving as much as receiving. Jason will eat you out like he's starving, your legs pushed up and everything. He’ll make you scream his name as he traces it with his tongue.  “Hold still and stop squirming, will you? I’m trying to fuckin’eat.” Then when he's leaning back against the couch, muscular arms resting up and you're on your knees on the floor in front of him, he’ll forgive you a little if you can’t go down all the day. “Too big? Poor you” He’ll coo almost mockingly. I don’t really feel choking my pretty girl out. Take a deep breath and take it slow” The sounds that come out of him though? Goddamn. 

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) 

Normally rough and medium paced. Not fast or slow. He’s not gentle. I don't care what anyone says. When I say he’ll fuck you into oblivion, I mean it. That doesn’t translate that he doesn't enjoy slow and sensual love making, he does. It's just  that sex is a stress reliever for him, so he wants to release it as much as possible. “You can take it, huh? Look at me, sweetheart. Look at me. I can always fuck you harder, you know”  

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.) 

Jason likes to take his time. He would only want a quickie if he was on patrol and its quiet. He’ll sneak into your window. And after briefly scolding (lovingly) you for your cheap ass, shit locks. He’ll fuck you into the mattress, leaving a puddle. Then he’ll kiss you as he’s leaving before getting caught by Bruce.  

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.) 

I feel like he's pretty open. I think the one main thing he wouldn't do would be those gas station enhancement pills or things like ecstasy etc.. After his mom and being on the streets, he’s not really eager to put anything like that in his body. Also, anything that could cause harm or injury. I really don’t see him being into thing like gunplay, even if you are. “These are for work, not play, baby girl. Though I like your enthusiasm, let's keep those separate.” 

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?) 

Nonstop. The Lazarus pit gave him an endurance boost. An extra perk if you will. Useful for knocking out his enemies and for going round after round in more ways than one. He can last as long as he wants. “Don’t tap out now, love. I’m only getting started.”  

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) 

I have a personal fantasy of using a vibrating cock ring on Jason. He would like that cause it gives both you and him pleasure. His cock would be twitching like hell. Make him stutter his words. “Fuck..you’re killing me..and I’ve been dead. Keep this on me and it might actually do the job this time.” 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) 

Bastard. That is all.  

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.) 

Jason is a breathy swearer. This man cusses a lot when shit gets hot and heavy. No surprise there. “Fuck..fuck..just like that. Fuck yes. Such a good fucking girl. Make me cum, sweetheart. Fuck” 

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character) 

He doesn’t watch porn to get off. He watches them for the corny plots and laughs at them. You’ll catch him and you think he would have his hand down his pants. Nope. He’s eating chips and laughing. 

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes) 

Under his black Under Armor boxers, the man is packing. Long and a little thick with that vein that runs on the underside. Eye candy when he’s in sweatpants. “Keep staring with you mouth open like that and I’ll put it to use” hell joke. 

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?) 

Very high, but not uncontrollable. Jason is a patient man and has no problem waiting for you to be in the mood. 

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) 

Doesn’t fall asleep quickly. He’s the type to smoke a cigarette with you (if you smoke) on the balcony as he holds you. He’s used to being up all night, so he would only nap post sex if if the afternoon so it doesn’t mess with the sleep schedule. “Come here and cuddle babe. We can order something for take out” 

[metallicmikus]

Modern Newsie headcannons: NYC edition

i know the newsies live in nyc but a lot of the headcannons aren’t about them living in nyc so i came up with some

- Race sleeps a lot on the subway, mostly when he’s with albert cuz he knows albert will get them off at the right place. When they’re standing on the subway, and race is leaning his head on albert’s shoulder, al will keep his arm around Race’s waist so he doesn’t fall. If he’s asleep while they’re sitting down, albert will make sure his head doesn’t hit the wall.

- race and al use one pair of air pods on the subway to listen to the same music

- jack hates the subway (country boy at heart)

- finch will always ask someone if they would get up for crutchie to sit down if they’re are no empty seats

- race just knows the manhattan subway and streets by heart (native new yorker lookin ass)

- david carries hand sanitizer with him for after using the subway cuz you don’t know where everyone’s hands have been (the other newsies catch on cuz it’s smart)

- david is TERRIBLE at navigating the subway system. it’s overwhelming to him. he has cried while trying to figure out where they’re supposed to go when going somewhere new and jack takes over and never lets him navigate again. (unless he really wants to)

- race fanning albert while they wait for the subway (it’s hot as fuck down there)

- i know a very popular hc is that one of the newsies (usually jack) has a van, but realistically, these mfs don’t own cars 😭

- albert and jack will almost always take the stairs over the escalator

- race has fallen asleep alone on the subway and ended up somewhere completely different than where he was headed, which is why he now usually only sleeps if he’s with someone else

- most of the newsies live in lower manhattan (duh), but some of them live uptown north of central park. jack and crutchie live in the bowery with medda. the jacobs live in the lower east side (many jewish families settled there when they moved to nyc). races family lived in east harlem, but they moved to lower manhattan when race was a baby. spot and elmer are roommates (they live in brooklyn)

- race family is the classic italian roman catholic family

- david, sarah, and les are first generation immigrants from poland

- finch has picked up a pigeon off the streets on multiple occasions

- most of the newsies have never really left the city

- you know the newsies are constantly joining broadway lotteries

- race works at the broadway dance center (sky flaherty core)

- albert has no patience for slow walkers, he weaves in between people. he always looks like he’s on a mission.

that’s it for now !!

[sanguineterrain]

hiii! can i request reader being a vigilante and also jason’s ex? they’re on the same mission/have to work together and reader gets injured or smn?

thank you so much! I love your writing!

thanks for requesting! this turned into a whole ass one shot 😭 hope you like ❤️

jason todd x gn!reader. tw: fighting, exes, physical violence, reader is captured but they're fine, jason is NOT over you (and he doesn't want to be), making up, fluffy ending. 2k words (lol)

****

The Cave is exactly how you remember. Foolishly, you thought maybe it would've rotted after you broke up with Jason.

That's certainly how you felt.

But no. It's the same, and the other Bats are the same. Dick and Tim are there, probably because you're the most familiar with them... after your ex, of course... and Barbara already pushed the envelope by contacting you.

Still, Gotham is your city too. And if the Bats need an extra set of hands to protect the city, then so be it.

"Hey, glad you could make it," Dick says warmly.

At times, you envy how easygoing he can be. Even though he can have a temper, Dick Grayson, for the most part, shakes hands like a politician. He doesn't burn bridges. He doesn't hold grudges, at least not publicly.

You, on the other hand, are perhaps too much like his younger brother: you absolutely hold grudges, and you don't let go easily.

"Hi, guys," you say, trying to be civil. "What's up?"

"So—"

The roar of a motorcycle pulling into the Cave cuts Tim off. Quick anger soars through you as Red Hood dismounts the bike. He takes off his helmet.

You haven't seen Jason in a year. Judging by his physique, the breakup did not take a toll on him. If anything, he seems bigger than you remember. Asshole.

You can pinpoint the moment that he finally sees you, and he stops in his tracks.

"Oh, boy," you hear Tim mumble.

Jason is silent. You cross your arms, keeping your face neutral.

"I didn't know you worked with the Bats, Hood. Thought you flew solo."

Jason is quiet for another moment. Then he speaks.

"Things change."

"Clearly."

"Anyway!" Dick says, clapping his hands. "Pretty straightforward mission. Drugs, warehouse, bad guys, et cetera. We have to clear out these shipments tomorrow night, or they'll hit the streets, and we'll be too late. Robin and I will take Gotham Heights. Signal, Black Bat, and Red Robin will take downtown. And, um, you two can clear out the Bowery."

"Hood can handle the Bowery himself," you say. "Gimme another section."

Jason scoffs. You glance at him.

"Something funny?" you ask, teeth grit.

"Once again, you're biting off more than you can chew," he says, hands on his waist. "It's stupid and you're gonna get yourself into trouble. Just clear out the Bowery with me. Plenty of room for both of us."

"I don't know if you know this, but I actually do pretty okay on my own. Just because you're one of Batman's special little prodigies doesn't mean the rest of us can't get by."

You glance at the others. "No offense."

"None taken," Tim says. "You're far better adjusted than us, no contest."

Jason rolls his eyes. "C'mon. You don't have anything to prove to us. We know you're capable, but these guys are rough. We team up for safety."

"Oh, now you care about being a part of a team?" you snap. "You didn't give a shit when it was me asking—no, begging you and Roy to help me with the League mission in Sydney."

Jason's jaw tenses. "That was different."

"Guys, I think we should—"

"Why? Because you only get your hands dirty locally?" you ask, shaking with anger.

"Because if I had gotten involved, it would've put a target on your back," Jason says icily. "You would've been killed. You were nowhere near ready to take on the League. I wouldn't have been able to protect you and fight them."

"You know, right there, you sounded just like Bruce. Did you take tips from him?"

Silence. Jason's boiling with anger, you can tell.

"Bruce wouldn't have had the sense to stop you from going," he finally says, tone even. "He's not too good at that."

"Bruce would've cared enough to back me up. And he wouldn't have driven a wedge between me and my team."

It's just words; there's no way to know whether Batman would've actually backed you up. Probably not, considering his history. But it hurts Jason, and you take the moment to whirl around to look at Dick and Tim, who are wildly uncomfortable. Dick looks sad.

"It's better to team up," Dick says gently.

You bristle. "Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow."

You stalk out of the Cave.

Stupid fucking exes. Stupid fucking vigilantes.

****

"Okay, just to make things clear..."

"In and out. Report at the Cave," you say, tightening your equipment. "I got it, Nightwing. Over and out."

You silence your comm before he can respond. You're tired of their voices.

Thankfully, Jason has taken the hint and is on the opposite end of the Bowery. Which means you can slip away in peace.

You did this as a favor for Barbara, but now you're seriously rethinking getting reinvolved with the Bats. It never ends well.

The warehouses on the East End of Old Gotham are no problem. You clear out five within an hour. You check the comm briefly. It's pretty much silent, so you turn it off and keep going.

The West End, however, is a little harder.

Because you're only one person, someone figures out your pattern. You're clobbered over the head before you can drop in through the roof.

This is the last time you do a favor for anybody in Gotham.

****

You wake up tied to a chair. Your head pounds, and your lip is bloody. Not good.

"—way the Bat will show. They're a nobody vigilante."

"Tony, you're a fuckin' idiot if you think Batman doesn't know exactly what the fuck goes on in this city. Swear to God, I shoulda left you with Mom in Boise. Nothing but cotton in your head."

"Oh, fuck off, Al, you'd still be droolin' on your couch crying over Marie if I hadn't come back to Jersey."

"You little—"

"Very sorry to interrupt this family spat," you say. "But I'm on a tight schedule here, so if you could just speed things up..."

"Smartass, huh?" Al asks, waving a gun. "I wouldn't be so bold tied to a chair, toots."

"Toots? Are you a hundred years old?"

Tony snickers. Al glares at him and stalks over to you. He doesn't hesitate before whacking you upside the head with his gun. Your ears ring, and you hunch forward.

"Watch your mouth," he growls, and you're in too much pain to come up with a response to that.

Presently, you realize that your earbud is out of your ear. Probably destroyed. You have no other way of sending a distress signal. By the time you miss the report at the Cave, it'll be too late.

You were a failure then, and you're a failure now. Even your ex-boyfriend took pity on you.

Jason. God, look at how you'd left things. How his face had fallen when you'd called him Bruce. He used to love Bruce, and you know exactly what happened that changed that. And you used it against him.

Now you're facing the consequences. This is your own damn fault.

"Load everything into the truck," Al says into a walkie. "Then move out. Tell the others the same."

There's a crackled reply. Then shouting. Then silence.

You look up in surprise. Al curses and points at you.

"Stay here and watch them," he orders Tony.

"But Al, what if Batman comes here?"

"That's what guns are for, you freakin' idiot!"

You snort. As if guns could stop any of them, much less Batman.

But whatever. These guys probably didn't go into selling drugs because of their big IQs.

Tony and five other men stay to guard you. You work on trying to slip out of the handcuffs and rope.

Bang!

The first gunshot hits one goon in the leg. A second gets hit in the shoulder. Hip. Foot. Opposite leg.

Red Hood steps out of the shadows, then. Tony immediately looks sick.

"H-Hood? This ain't your territory, what're you—"

"You've got something of mine, Tony," Jason says, voice smooth and dangerous.

Tony decides that, fuck his brother, he's getting out of here alive, and runs. Jason doesn't pay him any mind, instead walking to you.

He cuts the ropes first, then picks the handcuffs. Jason roughly rubs your wrists and ankles, pushing blood back into your extremities.

"What're you doing?" you ask. "Go get him. He's meeting his brother downtown."

You can't see Jason's expression through the helmet, but if looks could kill...

"Hood—"

"What. The hell. Is wrong with you."

You scowl. "I didn't come here for a fucking lecture."

"Well, you're gonna get one. This wasn't the plan. And you turned off your comm? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You have a death wish or something?"

"It didn't make sense to put both of us in the Bowery—"

"You could've died tonight!" Jason yells.

"And wouldn't you have liked that!" you snap back. "Proves the fact that I'm a failure quite nicely."

Jason tears off his helmet. His eyes are wide with anger and... guilt. Helplessness.

He's afraid.

"Don't you fucking say that," he says lowly. "I'd rather die again than find your body."

"What the fuck do you care?" you snarl. "I'm not your responsibility, remember? What does it matter if I dropped off the face of the earth?"

"Because I still love you!"

All of your anger drains.

Your body buzzes like it wants to feel him again. Traitor.

"That would kill me," Jason finishes quietly. "And I wouldn't come back from that death."

Your mouth feels like you swallowed chalk.

"You love me?" you whisper.

"You're hard to get over," he says. "Still haven't managed it."

"But... you said our breakup was for the best."

Jason sighs. His anger fades. "It was. I was a jackass. I let my shit with Bruce and the Pit and everything get in the way of what was important. Which is you."

"You were good to me, Jay," you say. "And we were okay. Till... till Sydney."

Jason winces. "I should've handled it better. And I should've treated you better."

"You're a good man, Jason. I don't regret my relationship with you. I regret it ending."

He looks at you. His face is twisted in pain.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," he says. "And you're not a failure. Not even close."

You scoff, your eyes wet. "Aren't I? Couldn't even handle a simple drug bust."

"No, you're not. Nothing about what we do is simple, even if we're gaslit into thinking so. In this life, you need someone to watch your back. Even B doesn't work alone."

You try to stand, suddenly feeling like a raw nerve. You stand up too fast, though, and blood rushes to your head. You might also be mildly concussed.

Jason immediately slips an arm around your waist as you teeter forward and puts you upright.

"Easy, sweetheart," he says, and doesn't let go until you're steady.

You raise a brow. Jason grimaces.

"Sorry. Force a' habit."

You scoff, suddenly shy. "Habit, huh? Still think of me as your sweetheart?"

"Never stopped."

You roll your eyes, but it's fond now. "Anybody ever tell you you don't know how to move on?"

"Mm. I've heard it once or twice."

Your lips tingle. You've missed kissing him.

"I'm sorry I compared you to Bruce," you say. "You're nothing like him."

Jason shrugs. "Some of me is exactly like him. The fact that I didn't put a bullet in anybody's brain even though they kidnapped you isn't me at all. But I forgive you. And I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't know the Sydney mission had festered so much."

"It's okay, Jay. You're right, I wasn't ready to take down the League or kill anybody. I'm grateful you stopped me."

Jason takes a careful step forward, eyes darting to your lips. You smirk.

"Hot for communication, are we?" you ask.

"Oh," he says, suddenly reticent. "Sorry. Too forward. Shit. I've... I've just missed you so much. I thought maybe you—that there was a vibe—but if there isn't, then—"

You take the last step and kiss him, and your lips buzz in satisfaction. Jason kisses back just as eagerly, hands flying to your waist and squeezing. But his hands roam, holding and cupping like he's been starved for the last year.

"I missed you too, Jaybird," you say between kisses.

[delusionalmultifandomwriter]

Please do a fic where adult jason todd gets comforted under/hidden in Batman’s cape!! the softer the better

your wish is my command (i missed the topic a little but it is super soft so i hope you like it anyways)

requested?: yes (i am so excited about this, ahh!)

words: 1848

Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Joker, Orphan

Oneshot, angst, hurt/comfort

TW: throwing up, violence, implicite self-harm urges (this got a lot darker than i planned it to be)

credits: the dialogue parts of the italic are from Batman: A Death in the Family

Have fun, thank you so much for requesting!

Ressurection is not exactly healthy. Which is not too surprising but still. The Lazarus Pit healed Jason's body, the scars were still there but very pale and barely visible anymore.

But the inner scars stayed, even after Jason and Bruce figured themselves out and came to terms with eachother again. Jason suffered from PTSD, who wouldn't after getting beaten up with a crowbar? The nightterrors and the coldness that randomly appeared every now and then were the worst.

This week started off with a night terror. Nothing uncommon, it happened all the time to almost all off them. Jason was at his own place where he was alone. Maybe he woke up his neighbours but at least not his family. He didn't like them worrying about him.

"What hurts more? A? Or B? Forehand? Or backhand? The crazy laugh echoed through the hall. Robin helplessly tried to craw away, his hands restrained behind his back. His breath whistled as he spit out some blood and mumbled a curse. The Joker chuckled evil and leaned down. A little louder, lamb chop. I think you may have a collapsed lung. That always impedes the oratory. Robin leaned up and spit the Joker into his face. The clown smashed Robin's head into the floor, his senses got flooded with the distant metallic feeling of a concussion. Nausea instantly hit him.

Jason shrieked awake. Nausea instantly hit him. He jumped up and nearly got tangled into his blanket. He stumbled into his bathroom and fell to his knees in front of the toilet.

Jason hated throwing up. Especially after a night terror when his mind was already full of thoughts. He leaned against the shower glass still sitting next to the toilet and waiting for the nausea to pass. After a few minutes he slowly got up and scooped some water from the washbasin into his mouth. Jason winced, his throat was raw and still shut tight.

He shivered, the bathroom floor was cold. Jason stumbled back into his bedroom. He grabbed the blanket from the floor and slowly made his way into the living room. He sat down against the heater with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He fell asleep exhausted on his carpet floor.

He was drowning. Breath. He needed air. Needed his lungs fill with oxygen. Cloth. There was cloth over his face. His mouth was dry. The sweet smell of death. He ripped the cloth from his face and threw up green, stale water. Flight! Where was he? He turned around and ran off. People. He took them out. The moves where in his muscles. He pressed his thumbs into the eyes of one of them. A tunnel. A cave. Darkness. Away.

The Joker escaping Arkham was nothing new to Gotham. Nothing new to the Batfam and nothing new to Jason. It happened a million times before but it still put Jason on edge ever since that night in Sarajevo.

He thought he was better. He thought he could conquer the Joker and arrest him again. It was a simple mission. A simple task. Then he met him in a warehouse in the Bowery. The green hair was brushed back, the purple suit dirty with some blood stains on it. The clown turned around and laughed at Red Hood hysterically.

And, hey, please tell the big man I said… "hello".

Jason saw red. He lunged at him and slammed the Joker into the wall, punched him in the face, once, twice. He could break him. He was not Robin anymore. He was taller than the clown now. Stronger. He could give back all the pain. He would give back all the pain. He slammed his knee into the Joker's ribs, a sharp crack echoed through the warehouse.

"Wow, that looked like it really hurt." Jason growled deeply as he lifted the Joker up a little and pinned him against the wall. He pulled him away and smashed him against the wall, the Joker's head lulled foreward a little as he coughed.

"Whoa, now, hang on. That looked like it hurt a lot more." Jason shouted angrily as he threw the Joker on the floor. "Now let's try and find out what hurts more?"

"A?" He kicked the Joker into the stomach. "Or B?" He striked out again.

"Red Hood!" Batman. Jason's head snapped around. "Orphan, stay here until the GCPD arrives." Batman ordered, Orphan appeared from the shadows behind the older man.

Jason finally snapped out of his murderous frenzy. His eyes went wide as he saw what he did. The Joker layed in a puddle of blood, his nose was broken pretty obviously and he was coughing and whincing weakly. Jason backed down when the clown started to laugh madly. Red Hood turned around, pushed past Batman and flea from the area.

The thoughts were flooding over Jason as he ran over the roofs. He was out of breath but he kept running and running until he fell to his knees. He leaned against a brick wall and ripped his mask off of his head. His face was wet with hot tears, smeared over his cheeks and neck. He wrapped his arms around his knees and tried to calm his breath.

He needed to get air into his lungs but his whole body blocked against taking a deep breath. Jason panicked. What had he done?! He disappointed Batman, he promised to be better than the Joker. He wanted to be better. His family would abandom him, what else should they do? He was supposed to be a hero. He sobbed violently, black spots started to dance over his vision. He couldn't breath. Jason felt like he would die here, alone on some roof, alone in this world.

Jason felt someone shake his body. "Jason." A deep but very calm voice called out to him. Jason panted desperatly as his lungs filled with air. Not enough to live but enough to survive.

He was lifted up a little and after that leaned against a soft wall. Soft wall. There are no soft walls, at least none that Jason was aware off but he was too close to fainting to truly bother about the existence of soft walls. Jason started sobbing again.

"Jay, come on. Breath." The voice said desperate. A strong hand was harshly rubbing his back. Jason inhaled the air shaky, his body was trembling.

"There you go chum, okay." Bruce. It was Bruce. Noone ever called Jason chum before. Jason was suddenly embarassed and violently tried to dry his tears up, rubbing on his skin roughly with his gloved hands. Bruce gently took his hands in his and Jason's head slupped against Bruce's chest.

Then Jason started babbling. "I'm sorry, i didn't mean to... he... i, i couldn't." He sobbed again. "The memories, they come back... the Joker... i can't stop it." Jason needed to hurt, he needed to feel something. He tried to pull his hands from Bruce' grip but he held them tightly.

"Jason, look at me." Bruce growled deeply. Jason looked up and as their eyes met, he couldn't find any angryness, not even disappointment. He looked back into his lap and sobbed quietly but his breath, although shaky, evened out a little.

"There you go. You are fine, Jay." Bruce said. "You can breath, you are okay." Bruce always was repetitive with his comforting but it didn't really matter to Jason because he was there, he held Jason in his arms and he was not angry. Jason could stay with his family, he could come back.

"You called me chum." Jason mumbled weakly, his voice was still filled with silent crying. Bruce chuckled deeply. "I guess that is true." Jason felt the hand on his back, he shivered a little as the cold hit his body. "Cold?" Bruce asked. Jason nodded softly.

Bruce leaned up a little and deattached his cape from his shoulders. He wrapped the thick, black fabric around Jason and bundeled him up tightly. Jason exhaled shaky. The bone aching cold disappeared from his body and the shivering slowly but surely passed. His muscles were burning, feeling weak like he could not move anything. Jason blinked drowsily. His sobs died down and just like that, his eyes closed.

Gotham City was no place for a kid. Not even a well-trained and resilient kid like Jason Todd. It was raining tonight, the wind whistled through the city. Robin sat under Batman's cape like an owl baby, as they observed the Iceberg Lounge. They had been sitting there for hours but Robin wasn't cold. He was warm. Wet from the rain but warm. He would totally catch a cold but not tonight. Not right now. Right now he was warm, close to Batman and sucking up his body heat. Nothing bad has happened to him yet.

When Jason jolted awake, he was no longer on the roof. He inhaled sharply, as he felt a hand on his back. "Hey, you are safe. It was just a nightmare." Jason turned around to see Bruce, leaning against the head of the bed with his laptop on the nightstand. The older man gave him a worried look. Jason looked around confused. This wasn't his bedroom. It was Bruce'. The kingsize bed spoke for itself.

Jason looked down at himself, he was wearing a black t-shirt and red and black sweatpants not in his Red Hood suit. "I'm fine?" He mumbled. Bruce smiled at him, it was weird to see him so relaxed. "Yes, you are." Jason nodded slowly. Bruce leaned down to the floor and put something heavy on his lap.

"Here, Tim got you this. You looked like you liked the cape a lot." Jason lifted the heavy thing up, it was a weighted blanket. He wrapped it around his shoulders. "Did i fall asleep?" He asked confused. "Right after i wrapped the cape around you. Dr. Thompkins said you where hypothermic and severly sleep deprived. What the hell happened?" Bruce asked concerned

Jason shrugged and layed back down on his stomach with the heavy blanket around him. He was still tired, his body was grounded now and he wanted to sleep. Bruce sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sleep, we can later talk about you not reaching out for help" He finally said. Jason rolled his eyes. "As if you are better." He grumbled.

Bruce nudged Jason playfully. He gently rubbed the younger boys back. Jason sighed as he moved a little closer. Bruce pulled the other blanket over him a little and Jason was finally warm. "You scared the living hell out of me." Bruce said while he layed down next to Jason. The younger boy moved a little closer and Bruce continued to gently rub his back.

"M sorry." Jason mumbled sleepily. "Didn't mean to." He looked at Bruce with half open eyes. He buried his head into one of the pillows and Bruce smiled as he watched how relaxed and content Jason looked. He leaned over to kiss Jason's hair.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. Sleep tight, chum."

-----

Same shit on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55397161

:)

[eastvillagetripster]

Saintly Face

Mural by Swed Oner https://www.street-artwork.com/en/artist-profile/432/swed-oner, Bowery Mission, Bowery near Rivington, Lower East Side, New York City.

[ao3feed-jaydick]

Wasteland

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/60443761 by wingbit Hell’s Kitchen is a 20-block neighborhood tucked between the Bowery and Robbinsville on the bad side of town. Three separate organized crime groups fight for dominance by the river, the trains up above keep everyone from sleeping, and crime is almost as high as Crime Alley. Batman and his allies try their best for the city, but their mission is widespread and unfocused. They deal with whatever top dog is causing the most damage. The little neighborhoods get overlooked. No one’s protecting the Kitchen. Maybe it’s time someone should. In a world where Hell’s Kitchen is in Gotham, Matt Murdock fights the good fight.   - Featuring Spyral, the mafia, rotten mayoral campaigns, romance, suspected murder, a map, spying and intrigue, blind jokes, Nick Fury, a different map, the end of the world, the catholic church, and lesbians. Words: 9087, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Matt Murdock, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Karen Page, Cassandra Cain, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake (DCU), Melinda Zucco, Helena Bertinelli, Tiger (DCU), Stephanie Brown, Wilson Fisk, Vanessa Marianna Fisk, Talia al Ghul, Nick Fury, Elektra Natchios, Stick (Marvel), Brett Mahoney, Minhkhoa Khan Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain & Dick Grayson, Cassandra Cain & Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Helena Bertinelli & Tim Drake, Dick Grayson & Melinda Zucco, Matt Murdock & Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Matt Murdock & Karen Page, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson & Karen Page, Karen Page & Stephanie Brown, Matt Murdock & Bruce Wayne, Ships: - Relationship, Matt Murdock/Bruce Wayne, Helena Bertinelli/Melinda Zucco, One-sided Dick Grayson/Tiger, Dick Grayson/Jason Todd Additional Tags: Angst, Slow Burn, Spies & Secret Agents, Post-Crisis (DCU), Hell's Kitchen (Marvel), Gotham City Police Department, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Undercover Missions, vigilantes, Spyral (DCU), References to Canon, Sick Dick Grayson, Explicit Sexual Content, Pseudo-Incest, Alternate Universe - Hell's Kitchen is in Gotham, Honeypot Missions, Japanese Tim Drake, Catholic Matt Murdock, Helena Bertinelli is Huntress, Dick Grayson is Agent 37, Mental Health Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Jason Todd, Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Grief/Mourning, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Dubious Consent, Trans Dick Grayson read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/60443761

[newyorkthegoldenage]

One of the homeless men who hung out around the Bowery looked bemused as he read from a hymnal given to him at the Beacon Mission, 1937. The organization also provided a free Thanksgiving dinner to all the men.

Photo: John Lindsay for the AP

[nycreligion]

J.C. Penney — A CHRISTMAS BURIAL, THEN HOPELESSNESS

JC Penney (r) was on top of the world in New York City in 1965, here posing with friends, former world champion boxer Jack Dempsey (l), and renowned publisher Harry N. Abrams (m). Credit: DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, J.C. Penney Papers. The local paper recorded, “Mrs. J.C. Penney dies. Sick with pneumonia and suffering from asthma for a long time. Died at home…

[thewhumpcaretaker]

The Broken Veil: Summary of Unfinished Remaining Chapters

As I mentioned in the author's notes, I've had a mental health crisis related to maladaptive dreaming/limerence/mania/I-don't-exactly-know while writing this story. I'm going to stop and focus on the real people who care about me. So, here's the spoiler-filled outline of what the rest would have looked like to prevent myself from returning to the project. If you want to know what would have happened, here it is!

With that, this blog is going dark.

With love for all whumpees, real and fictional,

TheWhumpCaretaker

Helen and John talk with The Bowery King. They explain why Helen is invulnerable and propose revolution. “How many assassins are there in New York alone? And how many of them chose this life? Don’t you think something is out of balance?” He agrees to back them. However, he is interested in using her powers to his own advantage.

The Director hears what’s been happening and puts out the call for information about Helen. Helen’s grave is exhumed. There is no body, only her clothes. The Director is afraid of hell. “It’s hard to tell who’s dead and who’s alive these days. Gianna D’Arentino’s dead and then she’s missing and then she’s back…and now this mysterious woman claiming to be Helen Wick.”

They go to confront Santino. Helen talks John down from killing Ares and they leave her with a knife in her aorta, incapacitated but with the option to survive if she doesn’t pursue them.

Helen shoots Santino. Winston: “Your wife is excommunicado.” Helen: “Can’t kick me out of a club I’ve never joined.” Unfortunately, John is responsible for Helen’s behavior while on Continental Grounds, so he may still be excommunicated too.

Conversation with Winston (and Ares?). “How do you know that that…thing is your wife? How do you know it’s not some bride of the devil?” “Because I am the devil, and she is my bride.”

Helen meets John’s new dog. Pure fluff.

The High Table holds a trail to decide whether John is liable for Helen killing Santino, his marker holder. Meanwhile, they are assembling a team, first contacting Gianna and Cassian. Cassian is immediately onboard, Gianna is not. Helen makes her realize how much she loves Cassian through some means and she joins them.

Others who join include Caine, Sophia, and Ares. Winston is reluctant to join, not wanting to let go of the world as he knows it and his position of power. John fears for his life in the coming war.

They discover that Helen is pregnant. “What if this is why you were sent back? What if we only have nine months together?”

John proposes to Helen for a vow renewal, because they said “till death do us part,” and now he knows that death will not part them.

At some point, mission to kill the head of the high table.

At some point, John is stranded in the rain with severe injuries until Helen can find him, followed by a sicfic chapter.

At some point, existential crisis chapter. Winston is wounded or dead. John asks, “Why are there beings at all? If we’re all headed for nonbeing…why can’t we just shorten the trip?” “Because of the becoming. Out there, nothing changes. Don’t you want things to change, John? We aren’t finished yet.”

At some point, the movement begins burning the money and leverage held by all heads of crime throughout the world.

At some point, they call for the end of all markers. “No debts, no markers.”

At some point, John and Helen’s vow renewal takes place.

At some point, shortly before the birth, they hold a revelation. An announcement broadcast to the entire world about the nature of death and the afterlife, with Helen as living proof. A new era of different turmoil begins, including religious conflicts and attempts to reach loved ones. The meaning of assassination is altered forever. Mediums are established.

Helen gives birth. I have yet to choose between three endings:

Happy ending: Apparently, she is still needed at John’s side, because she remains with him.

Bittersweet ending: Helen vanishes back into the afterlife and John spends his remaining days passing on all of his wisdom and fighting skills to his daughter, who is born between life and death and carries supernatural powers, including the ability to help them communicate at times.

Weird ending: There is a battle going on at the time. John dies to save the baby, but claws his way back from the dead just as Helen did. They reign together over a new world as immortals.

[nenyabusiness]

SE VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM CHAPTER 15: MAIRON MAIA

Fandom: Rings of Power Pairing: Haladriel/Saurondriel Rating: M Words:  3.6k (62k) Summary: John Wick AU. For four years, Galadriel has lived a life in freedom. After executing a mission that was supposed to be impossible, losing two of her brothers in the process, she and Finrod got out of the family business. She left the criminal underworld behind her, fully convinced that she would never return—but then her brother’s dead body is found in New York, branded with the Crest of Angband. After Morgoth’s death, Sauron was left with the daunting task of keeping the Angband family from falling apart. For four years, he’s successfully kept the organization together—but then he finds out that one of his underlings has killed Finrod Noldor. The infamous Daughter of the Golden House of Finarfin has been brought back to life, and she’ll be coming for them. To save his organization, he disguises himself as Halbrand; an exiled member of the Angbands��� inner circle. He knows he can’t defeat Galadriel in a fair fight, but he has no intention of playing fair. As Halbrand and Galadriel team up to take down Sauron, they soon realize that there are more forces at play than either of them thought. The Angbands are not the only ones who want to see Galadriel dead, and Galadriel is not the only one who’s after Sauron. (Mind the tags.)

Chapter 15:

“Who was that?” she asked once they’d put enough distance between them and Ilmarë to give them some privacy.

“We used to call her the Queen’s handmaiden,” he said. “Let’s just say that we’ve been officially summoned to an audience.”

Halbrand is forced to face his past when he and Galadriel visit the Bowery Queen.

Read on AO3

[ficrecslist]

Fic Rec Sunday #3

This week's collection includes Boku no Hero Academia, Batman, Young Justice, Marvel and Naruto fics. Please make sure to look through each fanfic's respective tags before reading.

Batman

Into the Brighter Night by shoalsea (162k, G)

When an unknown enemy threatens Robin, Gotham's vigilantes come together to keep him safe.

Unfortunately, they're protecting the wrong Robin.

Or: Tim Drake plans his own rescue. Things get complicated.

something just broke by BeatriceEagle (10k, M) cw: referenced sexual assault

With teams run by a small handful of big names, recruitment based almost entirely on who you know, and unchecked interteam dating, the superhero community is practically designed to encourage interpersonal abuse. When a former sidekick comes forward to say that she was abused by her mentor, the entire community has to reckon with the part they may have played—and with the abuses that may still be going unnoticed.

(A story of systems, told through chats, texts, and transcripts.)

hand in unlovable hand (a chokehold) by britishparty (54k, M)

Tim Drake is eleven years old when he’s grabbed off the streets of Bristol while he’s on his way home. It will be okay, he tells himself: they’ll call his parents, and they’ll pay the ransom, and he’ll get to go home.

There are pictures of Batman and Robin on the camera he was carrying. A lot of pictures.

They don’t call his parents. They call Black Mask.

-

or: the one where Black Mask kidnaps Tim and tries to groom him into a ruthless heir, and Tim tries to figure out how to destroy him from the inside out.

General warnings tagged, anything not covered by those is in end-of-chapter notes to avoid spoilers.

Deadfall by vellaphoria (125k, WIP, M)

Bruce’s death fractured Gotham's vigilantes, even as it brought some of them together. Despite Dick’s progress with Jason and Damian, Tim is still in the wind, somewhere overseas getting involved with who knows what in a desperate attempt to prove Bruce is alive. An attempt that goes horribly, catastrophically wrong, destroying most of the League of Assassins’ global infrastructure and taking Tim with it.

But something feels off. Dick knows Tim’s apparent death can’t be as simple as a botched mission.

When Ra’s al Ghul gets involved, it never is.

yours for the weekend by fanfictiongreenirises (19k, T) cw: referenced sexual assault

"Been meaning to ask," Jason said. "You and Kory… are you guys still… y’know. Going strong?”

Dick almost choked on his mouthful right then and there. No, he wanted to tell him. We broke up months after you died.

But a million memories swept through his head. Jason being utterly starstruck by Kory the first time he had met her, the million and one questions Jason had to ask Kory, taking photos of the two of them as Kory gave Jay a piggyback ride… the way that Jason, at one point, had rather memorably said, man, you guys are so perfect together. If you ever break up, that’ll be it, I’ll just stop believing in true love.

“Yeah, no, we’re going good,” Dick said, lying through his teeth. “Long distance, y’know?”

Charmed, I'm Sure by M00n_Slippers (29k, WIP, T)

Jason thought he was done with magic when he left the All-Caste, but it turns out magic wasn't done with him. Walking into a back-alley dive, the Red Hood expects stale beer and an old fashioned bar brawl to lift his spirits, not a shortcut to The Oblivion Bar.

But a bar is a bar, beer is beer and a fight is a fight, whether it's in the Bowery or in a pocket dimension to the left of reality.

Young Justice

Reflexive Carphology by Briarwitched (24k)

Lex is not a sentimental man. Despite whatever his stupid sister thinks, his motives for kidnapping Superboy are purely practical: if Kon-El isn't growing on the Light's schedule, he will be useless to their long term plans-- and the Light doesn't tolerate things that aren't useful. Just a quick snatch and grab, one hastily improvised mind control device, and a few tests in the lab should be all that's required to get this all sorted out so Lex can go back to reclaiming his UN Secretary General position. The entire operation is far too essential to have anything to do with feelings.

It's simple. Practical. There's no way this could go wrong, in any way, ever.

Shut up, Lena.

Filial Pedantics by Briarwitched (61k, T)

After failing to swallow kryptonite in an attempt to beat his terminal illness to the punchline, Conner is confronted by the least super of his two genetic donors as he wanders the desert states solo. Meanwhile, Lex is suffering from both a relapse of kryptonite cancer and the delusion that he's Conner's father-- a condition that leads him to insist that he take over Conner's end of life care while he attempts to cure him himself.

It's not exactly like Conner had better plans. Now they can both be dying assholes... together.

Yay.

one day this will all be yours by suzukiblu (32k, T)

“You know, I used to think if I had different parents my life would be different,” Artemis says neutrally as she lines up a shot, and Superboy looks away from the punching bag, a little surprised to hear her speak.

Boku no Hero Academia

song on a policeman's radio by ohwickedsoul (6k, M)

TOKYO, JAPAN: The outside of the courthouse is packed with protestors, onlookers, and community safety officers who are attempting to keep the peace before what is shaping out to be the trial of the century. Former pro-hero Ground Zero, real name Bakugo Katsuki, is currently facing charges of 1st degree murder, aggravated assault, assault on officers, and several other charges. Among the hundreds who have turned out to the courthouse to view the public trial are many members of Yuuei Academy’s infamous class 1A, including several former professors. Back in the early years of the decade, the class, taught by retired pro-hero Eraserhead, was subject to many attacks by the so-called League of Villains…

Silhouette by Frostglitch (43k, WIP, G)

Midoriya Izuku remembers a life that is not his own.

Yoichi Shigaraki: The Sociopathic Hero by Gfan97 (3k, G)

"When he was eight, Yoichi started to suspect he wasn’t a good person."

Basically, what if All for One wasn't the only sociopath in the family. What if Yoichi was also a sociopath, but unlike his brother wanted to be good?

imprint by wonhaebunny (4k, T)

Katsuki handles Eri with far more ease than an only child has any business possessing. Shouta observes.

Or: Bakugou Katsuki may not have grown up with any younger siblings, but he did grow up with a Deku. It amounts to about the same.

A Walk Remembered by SimplyKaren (10k, G)

Since Jakku, Izuku's been feeling... off. Nothing he could put his finger on, but things reach a tipping point one day while he's in Heroics class. Things go downhill rapidly from there, and none of the doctors can figure out what's wrong.

Meanwhile, in Tartarus, All for One is feeling antsy as he watches from afar with Search. Izuku's symptoms are hauntingly familiar and not in a good way...

Bakugou Bewitched by Feltcutemightdeletelater (155k)

On a random day when Bakugou was a child, a helpful woman gave him a gift that would change his life forever.

“Little Katsuki,” the woman chided, leaning in close. “Behave.”

Marvel

Pound the Table by An_October_Daye (152k, WIP, M)

[A 90's Era X-Men Self-Insert]

"There is an old adage among lawyers that says: If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound the table." – Martin A. Davis, Jr.

Mutant law is an emergent field, more or less the wild west of the legal profession, and on a good day, you're lucky if the law and facts aren't all dead-set against you. And when your list of recurring clients includes the Wielder of Cerebro and the Master of Magnetism?

Well... suffice to say, there is plenty of pounding the table to be done.

Naruto

Waiting on a Wire by mirrorless (15k, T)

Shisui, both of the young shinobi's wide dark eyes still thankfully residing in their proper places, stares at him in shocked-silent awe, as though Kagami's sudden appearance is the divinely bestowed answer to fervent prayer.

The weight of that gaze is far too heavy for comfort.

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead by Xarybde (4k, T)

Dying is easy. Sasuke knows this better than anyone else.

[still-single]

new HEATHEN DISCO (show no. 348, 13 August 2023)

Do you know I've been DJing for 30 years? This is what that sounds like (I guess):

HOUR 1

Bowery Electric – Slow Thrills

Godflesh – Veins

Adulkt Life – Future Cops

Pleasure Forever – Neolith Nonce

Drop Nineteens – Scapa Flow

Gaadge – Nanty Glo

Lifeguard – Tell Me When

Jim O’Rourke – Here Is Where I Seem to Be / The Good Lord Doesn’t Need Paperwork

Lewsberg – A Different View

Rodriguez – Sugar Man

Gordon Jackson – Song for Freedom

Tim Rose – Morning Dew

Sopwith Camel – Fazon

Space Project – Mission to Lyra

Spiral Dub – Orgy of Swans

HOUR 2

Happy Mondays – Tart Tart

The Fall – Spoilt Victorian Child

Your Old Droog – Help

Lotti Golden – Who Are Your Friends

Cath Carroll – Jimmy’s Candy

Dippers – Comment’s Grip

A.R. Kane – The Sun Falls Into the Sea

V/Z – Caffe Giallo

Ellen Allien – Fensterbrettmusik

Pole – Tanzboden

Galcher Lustwerk – Proof

Steve Hillage – Earthrise

Ben Chasny & Rick Tomlinson – Waking of Insects

Daniel Villareal – Rug Motif

HOUR 3

Spirogyra – The Duke of Beaufoot

Horn – 72

Non Plus Temps – Hide Away

Mark Imperial and Dennis Ramirez – Rock This House (House Nation Club Mix)

Intersperse – Haunting Winds

The Osmonds – I, I, I

Resavoir – Inside Minds

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek – Flitting Splits Reverb Adage

Blue Dolphin – Ida

Johnny Moped – Incendiary Device

Embrace - Past

The Wipers – So Young

Current Affairs – Her Own Private Multiverse

The Clientele – Lady Grey

[leanstooneside]

TEENS IN LITERATURE (TAPERLAY)

1. UNKNOWN GOD

2. SIXDIGITARIAN LEGION

3. LITTLE LOVE

4. GOOD CAUSE

5. MANY NOODLES

6. PRESTUBERIAN PONCHO

7. ELECTRIC KING

8. DAFFY DAMEDEACONESSES

9. ALL HE

10. BIG SEAT

11. GREEN APPROVE

12. NONSTOP MARRIMONT

13. OLD MATT

14. IMPRECURIOUS POSITION

15. METHYLOGICAL MISSION

16. SUCKERASSOUSYOCEANAL SEA

17. UNADULTERATOUS BOWERY

18. OLD BUZZARD

19. OVER GIVE

20. OLD MIGHTY

21. STILL PLAYING

22. DIRTY FLOCK

23. OVER THERE

24. GOODBARK

25. OLIVERIAN SOCIETY

26. MENTAL MOSKATS

27. EAGER MAKE

28. VINCIAL CRUCIFIXIONERS

29. MEGGY GUGGY€™S

30. MANY NEEDLES

31. STILL GOING

32. DEDUCTIVE ALMAYNE

33. FREE ROGUE

34. OLD CERPAINTIME

35. SLY GROGGING

36. ALL WE

37. SAME GOUMERAL€™S

38. BALD SURGING

39. LARGE FACE

40. OUTER NOCENSE

41. OLD BARDS

42. OLD LUKE

43. LEFT LEAVE

44. HEAVIEST CORPSUS

45. NICE BOYS

46. STRONG GROUND

47. LAST FIGHT

48. OVER OMBRELLONE

[rustyfinch]

Chapter three : Kill the mosquito with a gun

--

Jaring it proved to be much harder than he expected, not that he had much experience catching such creatures in his life, but come on. A task like that should be easy enough for a Robin.

Just about an hour before his usual patrol started Tim went out trying to locate the arachnids. He was going to keep his little mission under wraps for now. He didn't need Damian calling him names again, If the weird spiders just turned out to be nothing but weird spiders.

He had located two of them after about half an hour of running on the rooftops of the Bowery. Unfortunately they all scrambled away once they saw him, as If they knew something was up. It was incredibly frustrating.

After a few failed tries, and lots of energy drink breaks, he had managed to corner one of them with a calculated route that successfully cut out every escape path the little arachnid could take. Tim followed it for so long that they ended up in Crime alley, but Hood shouldn't be out at this time so It should be fine, just a few more minutes and he's out of there anyway.

This was his last chance for today, the sun was already setting and hunting them in the dark even with Bat technology would be near impossible.

He was currently crouching by a brick wall, hands up to grasp at the little red spider that was staring daggers at him. This time it will work, he'll be faster, more precise. Tim can't take another bloodied nose, that would be beyond unprofessional.

With careful movements Tim slowly took out a jar from his belt, the spider's eyes never leaving him.

Said jar was small, with a thin, tight lid for extra security, stolen from the kitchen. He hoped Alfred wouldn't notice.

Now it was a matter of time and precision. Tim needed to strike now or never...

A shifting of weight behind him made Tim jerk his hands back-

--

As the bird's hands lowered towards It, the spider failed to notice another figure slowly approaching from behind the red bird. Its already panicked sensors registered the gun too slow.

It couldn't jump away, couldn't fight back. It could only send one last distress signal to Its creators, right before the shot was fired.

The time slowed for It. A close up of the bullet caught in a still image was the last thing Its camera captured, millisecond later completely disintegrated. It could still feel Its body snapping, Its legs, Its carefully painted metallic shell crumbling into pieces. Until the only thing left was its chip, Its heart.

The heart their creators gave It, planted it deep within Its body, reinforced and protected.

Even with all their effort put into Its creation the spider's heart couldn't withstand the bullet.

There was a pop, then…

Nothing.

-³-

BANG!

A shot rang through the alley. The bullet hit Its target near centimeters from Tim's head, completely blowing up the spider and scattering debris all over Tim's face. His mask protected him from getting it into his eyes.

Heavy boots shifting against the concrete, the gunman's stance going from rigid to relaxed.

The smell of motor oil.

"Hood…" Tim growled, turning back to face his estranged pseudo brother.

Jason was dressed in his usual gear, maybe with a thicker jacket on, but they all looked the same to Tim, so it was hard to tell. His helmet was slightly scratched up on the left side, which made sense given his recent fight with the Whisper Gang.

"You could just say thank you, ya' know." Hood twirled his gun around his pointer finger, his gravelly voice jabbing at Tim's migraine.

"I was doing something!" Tim got on his feet in one sharp movement, dusted out his cape expecting some spider juices on it but no, he was clean except for- What were these thin wires stuck to his costume?

"Looked like you were just starin' at a bug, but whatever you say." Jason shrugged, pocketing the gun. He didn't seem hostile seeing Tim in his territory, still that didn't mean he'll be nice about it. What was he even doing out so early before sunset?

"A spider." Tim corrected, not ready to give up just yet in this manner.

"Yeah, a bug." Jason shruggs.

"Spiders aren't bugs." That's the last time he's going to say it. Hood rolls his eyes at that. Probably. It's not like Tim had an x-ray vision to see underneath the helmet, but he pictured it nonetheless.

"Okay, since that's established, maybe… I don't know-Get the fuck out of here?" My swamp, my rules and all that. Tim supposed.

"So you can do your crime boss stuff?" He bit back instead, looking up at the frankly too tall form of Jason. What did Alfred feed him growing up? Can Tim have some too?

"Exactly."

"Hood, you have a take out from the Bat Burger underneath your armpit." Tim stated plainly, lowering his gaze to said take out, a square styrofoam box that smelled of melted cheese and far too old oil.

"Ever heard of a lunch break? Clearly not with that skinny ass of yours. I could chop potatoes on that." He crateled- fucking createled his disgusting meal closer. Everyone has their weaknesses, it seems. Hood's just turn out to be mediocre fast food every now and then. Jason fiddled with the lid for a few seconds seemingly unable to stop himself. He pulled out a simple juice box.

"Didn't come here for you to body shame me."

"Yeah, you came here to stare at bugs, ya' weirdo." Hood muttered, pressing the paper straw into it, surprisingly gently for someone who had his hands covered in a layer of bulletproof kevlar. Unfortunately when trying to take a sip from it, the straw bent hitting against the surface of his helmet.

"..." Tim just stared. Jason froze for a second, before putting the offending juice back from where it came from, without saying a word. Awkward.

"So, what's that about?" Hood deflected, gesturing at the spider parts spruned around. "Pretty sure bugs-"

"Spiders."

"- don't just fall apart like that after shooting at them."

"You shoot a lot of spiders in your apartment?" Tim raised a brow, he could almost picture it.

"Nah, only mosquitoes." …Makes sense.

Tim looked back down at what was left of the little spider. He kneeled, bending to pick up one of the spider legs. It twitched, then sent a small electric shock into his fingers-

"Shit-!" He hissed, dropping the offending limb.

"What the hell?" Hood poked at it with his boot, the rubber sole of it serving a decent protection against the electricity.

"Did you make this? Some kind of robot thingy-" He tilted his head, tone a bit accusing. He poked another part with his foot, it looked like glass.

"Listen- B can just fucking call okay? Not that I'll pick up mind you but, what are these? Surveillance spider's or sine shit, really? Did you guys go totally bat shit-? Next thing it's gonna be flying bat drones with coded messages saying 'Oh, please show up at the next family dinner-!' Was this Wing's Idea? Be honest with me Timbo-"

"No! No, code names and no. Chill out, I want nothing to do with… all that." Tim winced at Hood's volume. Cringed a bit even. Jason went quiet, possibly embarrassed by his own outburst. Tim hoped he was a little embarrassed at least. The whole bad blood between him and Bruce was understandable, but very uncomfortable at times when they tried to bring the other family members into it.

"I was trying to figure out who did it, before you shoot at it." He calmly explained, trying to turn the conversation back on track.

"You knew there was a little robotic bug walking around and you haven't told anyone?" Jason barked at him.

"I only found out it wasn't biological after you decided to shoot it." Tim hissed back, the twitching of the spider leg stopped at this point, so he took out a pair of tweezers from his belt and began placing each salvageable part inside the jar.

"So, you've been following it thinking it was a normal bug." Hood's tone was condescending even through the voice modulator. Tim could feel his cheeks heat up slightly in shame. When you put it this way, it was rather stupid to perform a manhunt over bad vibes coming from the local arachnid community. Still, Tim was fucking right!

"-Ugh, no matter, I'll just find another one." He grumbled, closing the lid tightly. The shiny, metallic parts clinked together like a little bell. The material which they were made of looked odd, definitely not something Tim encountered before.

"Wait, there is more of the little fuckers?" Hood came closer, peering through Tim's shoulder to inspect the crime scene of his own making. Tim just hoped Jason won't get too invested in this, not that he had anything against Hood just against working in close proximity to him. He never apologized for the Tower incident and to be honest Tim would like it to stay that way. Unnecessary drama and feelings weren't his thing, they were Jason's thing though. No matter how much the other man wanted to deny it.

"Are you planning on telling B?" Hood asked after a stretched out moment of silence.

"... No."

That was a wrong response. The jar was snatched out of his grasp in an instant, now held firmly in Jason's gloved hand.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's figure out who's behind those crawly perverts." Hood shook the evidence, because obviously he did. Then threw the take out box at Tim. "Hold that for me won't ya'? Maybe I'll even give you a fry Baby Bird for good behavior."

"Give that back." Tim tried to sound threatening, but to be honest he was so over it at this point.

"No way. It was here and I shot it, so it's mine." Another shake of the jar.

"I'm gonna throw your food into a sewer." A stare contest with both of the participants masked was always an interesting experience.

"You wouldn't dare."

Tim's shoulders slumped. He took a big inhale with his nose then exhaled, looking up at the now dark sky. Oracle should be calling him any moment now.

"After the patrol we can work on it… but you're giving me this back."

Jason seemed to pounder it for a second. "I can accept that." The jar was exchanged for the take out box. Tim readied his grapple, giving Hood one last look. The other just shrugged, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. He turned around and began walking away from Tim.

"Hey." Tim found himself saying. Jason stopped but hasn't turned back. "... Enjoy your juice." With that he fired his grapple.

"Fuck you!"-

-⁴-