#I would’ve brought a little gift for him had I known | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

winterchimez · 1 year ago

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Insanity | Ji Changmin

SUMMARY: It has been several years since Gotham City mourned the passing of the previous Robin, Ji Changmin. However, as you continue with your career as Batgirl to protect the city while filling in for your mentor, Batman, you eventually discover that Changmin was alive all these years after all but has now turned into the city’s most wanted criminal. It is your job to eliminate him for good, but you just can’t bring yourself to do so. How could you? Especially when you still have feelings for him even after all these years.

PAIRING: robin/joker Changmin x batgirl f!reader (feat. nightwing Sangyeon)

GENRE: batman au, angst, crime, thriller, some fluff, slight suggestive

WARNINGS: nc-17, slow-burn, violence, manipulation, mentions of drug trafficking, torture, traumatic(-ish) childhood, time skip, characters' death, kissing, mentions of weapons (guns, snipers, blades, etc.), blood, both Changmin & Sangyeon are just SO flirty here

WORD COUNT: 14,136 (wowza)

A/N: happiest birthday to my pookie, my beloved lil 妹妹 whom i love so so freaking much and would protect with the rest of my life, @sungbeam 🥳 you've been there since day 1 of my writing journey, and no words could ever describe how much you mean to me 🥹 i hope this fic would somehow be a worthy gift to you miss beam 😮‍💨

also this is my first time writing a superhero au, so pls bear with me it might not be the best i apologise 😭 (this is by far the longest oneshot ive ever written oops—)

Year 2X42

“There have been reports of cases of drug trafficking on the outskirts of Gotham City, and the league have decided to deploy you and your team for the job since it is your area of residence, after all.”

Turning around from his chair, the male looks up at his huge monitor, seemingly replying to the person on screen as half-heartedly as possible. “Sure, Clark. Leave it up to me to deal with the dirty business of the city.”

Clark—better known as Clark Kent or Superman, then quickly shifted his facial expression towards his good old friend, indicating that the situation was far more gruesome and serious than it used to be.

“Bruce... just a fair warning. You do know who the mastermind of this particular crime spree is, especially when you have dealt with him for decades. You certainly don’t plan to bring your two kids with you, right?”

That was when he immediately brought up his fingers to massage his temples. Bruce knew he would eventually bring them up on this particular topic. Why wouldn’t he? Especially when his two kids, whom he is especially proud of—you and Changmin, have assisted him in many of his work.

You both have been registered in the league’s system for quite a few years now, Changmin starting a little ahead of you since he was a few years older than you were. Both you and Changmin have lived in poverty in the dark slumps of the outskirts of Gotham for many years, having been abandoned by your parents from a young age. It was tough to live in Gotham City, especially when the city was often tied with crime and corruption. If only you were born into the upper class, then you would’ve had a better chance of survival.

Unfortunately, you and Changmin just had to end up in the city's lower class. All Changmin knew about his parents was that his mother was a prostitute, and he ended up becoming an aftermath of a one-night stand. Hence, he was immediately dumped on the streets right after birth. Some kind-hearted families took him in for a while, but eventually, he needed to venture out on his own to ease the family's expenses.

On the other hand, you had a relatively good upbringing until your parent’s murder when you were 9. Having no other place or family to turn to, you eventually find your way into the slumps.

And that was when you met Changmin.

By then, Changmin had already created a reputation for him. He somehow became the so-called “leader” among the troupe and led the kids around to make a decent living even during the worst situation possible. He treated you like a little sister, and you both became inseparable as time passed. You both would always stick together, even going up to the main city to look for food to provide for the others back at your so-called home.

It wasn’t until several years later, both of you aged 16 and 14 respectively, that you came across the infamous Bruce Wayne himself. He was out on a business around the slumps—seemingly tracking down one of the most wanted criminals then, which was also when he found you two and the rest of the kids.

Thanks to Mr Wayne’s contribution, he placed all of the kids into a care facility sponsored by the Wayne Enterprises, where they would finally have a rooftop over their heads and a better future ahead of them. On the other hand, you and Changmin have seemingly intrigued the man himself, and he decided to take you in and raise you two as if you were his children.

It turns out that his intuition about you both wasn’t wrong after all. Both of you possessed a higher intelligence level than usual and could pick up combat skills almost immediately. The first time he brought you both down to his training station to have a go, you adjusted quickly to all the provided gadgets. With the help of his trusted butler Alfred, both of them made sure that the two of you were trained to be skilled fighters and have a loving family of the four of you.

It was obvious among the two of you that Changmin stood out a bit more and earned the title Robin at 18. All you knew was that Mr Wayne had raised an individual before you two and he was the original Robin, but certain things happened along the way and he hung his cape up, never to return. All you could assume was that he had enough of his life as the superhero himself and perhaps created a new alias to start anew. Discussing it was hard with Mr Wayne, so you’ve never pressed further.

You were certainly a bit jealous at the beginning as Mr Wayne would only take Changmin with him out on missions, pressing that you needed more practice or it was too dangerous for a woman like you. But you proved him wrong and finally made a name for yourself about a year prior.

Batgirl. The first ever in the family.

With that, Mr Wayne has trusted you enough to take you along on his missions and eventually assign minor ones for you both to deal with when Batman himself isn’t present to deal with them personally.

You and Changmin made a great team, and it might even become the best combo Batman has ever seen. Even better than himself than the original Robin decades ago.

So it all came down to making the decision. To take you both along with him during this special assigned mission from the league or not? It was a risk, especially when the mastermind behind this mission was someone who had been hunting Bruce Wayne himself for as long as he could remember. Dealing with him has always been a life-and-death situation.

The Joker.

But Mr Wayne trusted you both, and it was about time for him to prove to the league his proudest achievement just yet.

“I’ve made my decision, Clark. And there will be no second thoughts about this.” He paused briefly before finally tilting his head up to the screen and looking at his friend seriously.

“I’m taking both of them with me.”

“Come on, Y/N. You can do better than that.”

Changmin pinned you down to the ground and head-locked you, ensuring you had little to no escape from him.

You both were sparring as usual in the training station in the Batcave, and it is always a competition between you two. Just as the male thought he had everything under control, you freed yourself from his grasp and turned him around. The next thing that happened was that you were hovering over him and pinning both of his arms above his head.

“Says you, Robin. This is now my 35th win, and you owe me a bowl of Akamaru Ramen down the streets later tonight.” You smirked.

“Sheesh, Batgirl. Seems like you have improved from the last time we sparred.” He gives you a wink, and you roll your eyes up, trying your best to ignore his flirty remarks.

It wasn’t long before the two of you broke off from your positions as the familiar grunt filled the entire training room.

“You’ve gotten a new mission for us, Mr. Wayne?” Changmin asked enthusiastically, desperately wanting to be deployed almost immediately and showcase his newly perfected martial arts skills and new gadgets he had just gotten from Alfred a week ago.

“Slow down, cowboy. I am going to need you two to listen to me very carefully. And I will not allow a single mistake to happen for this one.”

With that, both of you followed your mentor right back into the control room where the batcomputers were stored. It was clear that Mr Wayne was here minutes ago and had just recently hung up a call from someone from the league. You guessed it would’ve been Superman since he would be the main person to contact Batman often, being the league's chief.

Mr Wayne then leaned back onto the computer desk, crossing his arms as he pressed play on one of the remotes that were situated in his hand. Immediately, the video footage on-screen depicts a series of trucks entering a secluded area outside Gotham City. It was rare as the number of trucks slowly grew each second. 10, 20, and eventually up to 30 of them.

Once the trucks were parked around the area, one of the drivers, whom you both assumed to be the squad leader, got down from the vehicle and opened up the trunk boot. And that was when you both saw it with your own eyes.

Heroin. One of the most life-threatening ones to humankind.

Just as you thought it would be over, another figure pops up on-screen, someone you have all been familiar with for decades. Too familiar with to be exact.

“Joker.” Changmin clenched his fist, his eyes now narrowed and his facial expression seemingly changed almost immediately compared to when he was back at the training station.

You know how much beef The Joker has with the Bat Family, including Changmin. As much as he was the ultimate archenemy of Batman—he was also, in fact, the same for Robin. Changmin had his fair share of encounters with the infamous enemy, and neither had been pleasant. Adding salt to the wound, he would often return with an injury whenever he faced the psychopath himself, never once coming back home in one piece.

But usually, it was both Batman and Robin who dealt with The Joker, not Batgirl. So why even did Mr Wayne request for your presence this time?

As you open your mouth to get an answer, Mr Wayne beats you to it by explaining the situation in detail.

“I know we have dealt with the madman himself countless times, and it’s nothing new that he would do such a thing. But judging by the amount of drugs he had smuggled in this time, I fear the worst could happen.”

“Mr Wayne, you don’t think…” Changmin proposed.

“It is exactly what’s on your mind, Robin.”

No way. The Joker plans to drug at least half the population of Gotham City.

Knowing him, he could execute such a plan in countless ways or methods. Besides, he would definitely strike when law enforcement least expects it to happen. Hence, it is up to the Bat Family to put a stop to this massacre from happening.

With that, Mr. Wayne turned towards you and began speaking up again. “And I thought we could definitely use a little more manpower for this job.”

You were ecstatic, to say the least. Going on a mission with both Batman and Robin? Oh lord, that would be a dream come true. Most of the time, you were either often deployed on minor cases that you could’ve dealt with on your own or paired up with Changmin to deal with slightly more dangerous matters that were right up your alley and didn’t require the presence of Batman to clean up the dirty work. You have probably been deployed just once or twice with Mr Wayne himself, but not with both of them present.

But you were hesitant. You have never encountered the madman himself before, while Batman and Robin have. So what in the world was Mr Wayne thinking to bring you along for this mission?

Was it a test for you? Was it for you to prove to him how much you have grown? Were you finally going to make a name for yourself and be as famous as the duo already are in Gotham City?

As much as you liked your last idea, you were still reluctant.

“I… I don’t know about this, Mr Wayne. With all due respect, I deeply appreciate the opportunity given. But are you sure a common girl like me could do the job?” Your voice was shaking, unsure of this whole situation at hand.

But Mr Wayne steps closer to you, placing one hand on your right shoulder. “You are not just a common girl. You’re Batgirl. You are my pride and joy, and it’s time for me to finally show the world how amazing you are and that you are finally ready to join the Justice League.”

Your ears perked up at that. Even if he seemed cold outside, Mr Wayne always knew the right words and timing to comfort you. That was all you needed to know to be sure that you were needed for this mission, and there was no mistake.

At the same time, Mr. Wayne pulls Changmin towards him so he is now hugging you two. “Batman could always use some good sidekicks by his side, and tonight is the night.”

Finally, he breaks off the hug and puts on his stern face, which the public has grown familiar with.

“We leave tonight in two hours. Gear up, kids.”

It took Alfred less than an hour to figure out the exact coordinates of the exact location where the drug trafficking was taking place. Thanks to that, the three of you immediately hopped into the batmobile and eventually reached your destination within 15 minutes.

After parking the vehicle somewhere undetected, all three of you used your batclaw to get yourselves up to the higher ground, now examining the entire base area of operation with your own eyes.

The area was an abandoned factory, where the men had begun unloading the bags filled with heroin. A few individuals stood out as they possessed a walkie-talkie around their hips, indicating that they were responsible for giving orders and communicating.

Upon closer inspection, all of the trucks used were freezer trucks— all embedded with the Wayne Enterprises logo all over the exterior of all 30 trucks. There was no doubt they could bypass the security borders, and it was very bold and cunning for them to do so as well.

“There is no way I’ll let them tarnish your name, Mr Wayne. This is all a sick joke.” Changmin said furiously, already ready to hop into action.

“Easy now, Robin. Let us establish our roles before going into action without a plan.” You stopped your friend by placing your hand on his chest.

“Batgirl’s right. Now, listen to me, you two. As this operation is way too dangerous, there is no way I’m letting you both step close to The Joker himself, did I make myself clear?”

Mr Wayne immediately turned his direction to Changmin, knowing fully how he would definitely be the type to act all mighty and head straight for The Joker’s head. But given the situation and the look in Mr Wayne’s eyes, Changmin had no choice but to obey his commands if he wished to return home in one piece.

“I will be the one who’s going to go for the psychopath. I need you two to clear out all of the thugs and workers here. Once you’re done, contact Alfred and he will let you two know on what to do with the large amount of drugs. If you ever come across The Joker, don’t engage. Call me and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

With that, Batman gives a pat on both of your shoulders, extends out his cape, and flies all the way down—taking down several henchmen at once and quickly making his way down into the basement, where The Joker would most definitely be.

“Alright, Robin. You’re the senior here. Tell me what to do.” You nudged Changmin’s shoulder, waiting for his reply.

He smiled at you and crossed his arms before filling you in with his plan. “Okay, Junior. Listen and watch. You and I will clear off the thugs from the main entrance first, and then we’ll hack into the system and get in to deal with the rest. I’ll leave the hacking to you as the computer wizz of the team.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Within seconds, both of you extended your capes and flew all the way down, both taking down a thug at a time. Immediately, the enemy noticed your presence, and about 20 men seemingly emerged from the shadows—all armed with baseball bats, ready to knock you both out.

But 20 was just a number as you both were skilled in martial arts—it was only a matter of time before you two eventually defeated them all to clear the pathway to access the main door. You immediately took out your remote hacking device to open the main door, and within seconds you succeeded. It was Batgirl’s forte, after all.

As the door pried open, there were more who had been expecting your arrival. Some of them were equipped with shotguns and snipers this time, but that didn’t bother you both that much. Working together with Changmin, each of you took one side of the hall, landing a punch or kick to knock these bad boys out.

Huh. This wasn’t as difficult or dangerous as Batman had mentioned. Now why would—

Your thoughts were interrupted as you felt a bullet graze through your shoulders. It definitely stung and blood was now oozing out slowly as you clutch onto your open wound with your hands. You were turning around to see who was the culprit behind this.

Suddenly, you felt your limbs start to go numb, and you immediately collapsed onto the cold solid ground.

What’s happening? Why is my body aching all of a sudden?

Still trying your best to look around your surroundings, you were starting to feel your eyelids drop, which was a very bad sign.

No. No. Batgirl! Stay focused!

Finally, your eyes fall on one individual who stands out from the rest of the crowd. As the individual slowly made their way towards you, you noticed how the other thugs had begun to back off, making out a pathway for the individual to come to you without having any obstructions in their way.

That green hair. That pale white skin. And those horrendous blood-red lips.

Joker.

“My my, who do we have here for company tonight? Huh, seems like I’ve got a new visitor in town!” It was that sinister voice all of you have grown accustomed to. God, he was now right in front of you, squatting down while placing his pistol right onto your skull, which was the weapon you assumed he had just used to shoot that bullet that grazed you a minute ago.

“Good heavens, if it isn’t the infamous Batgirl that has been the talk of the town! It seems that Batman can no longer contain his little one and finally let her out of the cave!”

As taunting as his demeanour and voice were, you were still struggling and fighting with yourself to keep yourself awake and not fall into his trap while trying to figure out an escape plan or counterattack right back at the madman himself. The Joker constantly pressed the tip of the pistol into your skull, applying slightly more pressure each time he did it.

Batgirl… please… do something—

“Stay away from her!!”

Both you and The Joker dart your eyes in the direction of the voice, and sure enough, you find Changmin just a few meters away from you now, holding a shuriken in both hands, aiming towards the madman himself.

“If it isn’t my favourite superhero boy, Robin! How have you been, my dear, it has certainly been a while since we last met.”

Changmin wasn’t interested in playing games with The Joker and he immediately cut to the chase. “What have you done to her.”

“Oh no, nothing much. Just loaded my trustworthy pistol with some infused poison bullets. And your poor girlfriend seemed to have taken a close shot of it, so she is unable to move now.” This time, The Joker grabs a chunk of your hair and pulls them up aggressively, which was where you were also pulled up from the ground against your will.

Both of you remembered Batman’s warnings to never engage with The Joker and to contact him immediately. But there was a problem—you were wounded, and you both were now surrounded by tons of thugs around you, with the madman himself threatening your life at this point. If only you weren’t poisoned, perhaps you both could have pulled something off quickly to distract him and contact Batman immediately. But you were stuck, and there was no way Changmin would take his eyes off you, especially when The Joker was right in front of you, having full control over you now.

Changmin’s tut was visible and loud enough for you to hear even meters away, and you knew you both were stuck big time.

“Tic toc, tic toc. Robin. I might as well just fire the fatal blow into Batgirl’s skull if you keep standing there!” The Joker taunted, and immediately he was loading his pistol again, getting ready to fire this time.

In a flash, Changmin aimed and threw one of his shurikens at The Joker, and he quickly made his way towards him, landing a punch right into his abdomen and then quickly picking you up and moving to higher ground.

“You’ve gotten a little heavier, haven’t you?” Changmin teased; clearly, he was panting.

“Please… not the time, Changmin. We’ve got to contact Mr Wayne now.”

“Hah.. right.”

Just as he was about to ring Mr Wayne, Changmin immediately felt an excruciating pain, and his entire body felt numb. Within seconds, his grip loosened around you and he fell back to the ground. You were now trying to understand what was happening when you realised that The Joker fired that shot right into Changmin’s back. And now, he was poisoned as well.

“Well, what did I say, kiddos! You’ve got to make a decision quickly before I land that shot! Oh, don’t worry, Batgirl. The poison is not enough to kill Robin immediately—he will die a slow and painful death instead.” The Joker and his thugs were slowly approaching Changmin, and you were all alone on the higher grounds, having to witness this scene helplessly.

That was when you finally received a transmission from Batman.

“You two, change of plans! I’m going to blow the entire place up. Both of you get out of there immediately!”

Within seconds, bombs began to detonate one by one, and the abandoned factory was now slowly collapsing. It was chaos, and everyone was running around frantically while trying to escape as best as possible.

You tried your best to push yourself back up, supporting yourself with the pillar right beside you. Equipping your batclaw, you have decided to swing back down to get Changmin out of there.

But you were too late, for The Joker was now grabbing Changmin by the shoulder, seemingly backing off to enter back into the abandoned factory.

“It seems that this operation has failed, and I am not having one of you escape alive, that is!”

“NO!!!”

You ran towards them, but the next thing that happened, the final explosion blew you away, and all you could hear was a siren. You tried to keep your eyes open, and all you could see was the entire factory up in flames, not a single human in sight. Before you passed out, you could vaguely make out a black figure approaching you, your mentor.

And what happened after all of that was then a blur.

It has been a week since that fateful incident.

When you have jolted awake from your slumber, you find yourself on the operating table back down in the Wayne Manor. You’ve had an oxygen mask placed over your mouth, with some IV drips inserted into your arms. How long has it been since then?

Just as you are about to stand up, Alfred makes his way into the room while passing you a tray of food to fill up your hunger.

And that was when you remembered the events that happened.

You begged to know the details but Alfred remained silent, not wanting to speak up just yet. But eventually, you’ve managed to get him to spill the tea, and you wish you could’ve taken it all back instead.

After the explosion, Batman was the one who scooped you up, took you back into his batmobile and brought you back to Alfred immediately. He tried his best to search for Changmin and The Joker amidst the blazing inferno, but all he could find was a piece of fabric from Changmin��s outfit and from The Joker, which could only mean the worst.

You screamed. You placed your head down into both of your hands and began screaming frantically. In order to save you, he took on the bullet, knowing very well that The Joker was planning to aim it at you. That explained why he turned his back towards the madman back then to shield you from taking another shot of the poisoned bullet.

Mr Wayne did not take it well either. He secluded himself in his room for days and wouldn’t step out from it, even when the league called multiple times to ask for updates regarding the case. It was all up to Alfred to take up the job in his presence.

But the days then passed into a week, and now all three of you were standing in the pouring rain of Gotham Cementary, overlooking the newly carved headstone that read your partners-in-crime’s name and span of life.

How badly you’ve wished that all this was a terrible nightmare, and you begged anyone to put some sense into you and wake you up from this bad dream. As much as you pinched yourself, it surely was a reality. You dropped down onto your knees, resting your head on the headstone, crying your heart out loud.

Why did it have to be you? Why did it have to be this particular mission? Just. Why?

Mr Wayne and Alfred said nothing as they stood in the rain with their eyes closed, not wanting to accept reality either. Countless thoughts were also going through their mind, along with the guilt and sadness—the same emotions that you were feeling.

But what pains you the most wasn’t his passing; it was how you’ve never got to confess your love for him after all these years.

Year 2X47 — 5 years later

It was your usual routine as you were back down in the training station once again, both of your fists tied up with the usual white bandages as you landed one punch after another onto the punching bag. You have always loved to keep yourself busy—always finding the time to improve your skills whenever you had some time to spare in the Wayne Manor and Batcave.

It surely hasn’t been easy since that fateful day five years ago. Since then, Batman has forbidden you from taking on any missions involving The Joker—quite frankly, you were thankful for in one way or another. There was no way you could’ve forgotten about what happened then so easily and faced the psychopathic killer himself. Instead, you were left with crimes that the GCPD occasionally required some assistance with.

You had to thank the GCPD for even requesting your help. Otherwise, you would’ve rotted away in the comforts of your room and sulked for years. At least fighting crime and assisting them was also a way to keep your mind busy and away from all of the negative thoughts.

Just as you were done with your training, you heard a sudden ping from your earpiece; it was from Alfred.

“Batgirl, report to the control room immediately, please.”

Once you have gotten the message, you quickly put all of the equipment away and shut down the room. You hoped that the mission for tonight was something worthwhile.

You were baffled, to say the least, when you approached the computer screen. It wasn’t from the GCPD tonight but from the league. Since Batman was away at the moment, you had no choice but to step in for Mr Wayne.

Accepting the call, the screen immediately opens with Superman on screen—even he was surprised that you would answer the call. But there was no time to waste and he eventually cut to the chase.

“Joker is back in town and he is plotting another major catastrophe that could bring the entire Gotham City down. He is planning to eliminate the GCPD and take over the city.”

What a jokester the madman himself sure is.

“But I am aware from the last mission that you’ve had that Bruce forbids you to step close to The Joker himself. With Bruce being away to deal with some league missions, I’m afraid the only person I could turn to in Gotham City is you.”

Well, that was true. It has always been the three of you in Gotham City. Now, only the two of you were in the picture since Robin’s passing. It was up to you to take on the job or not.

You have definitely shown some hesitation there, and given your facial expressions, it was clear that you needed some time to think about it. Superman then decides to give you at least ten minutes to make the decision and he hangs up the call.

One thing is for sure: Alfred was against you going alone alone on this mission. With the absence of Batman, there was nobody who was going to be your sidekick this time.

If only Robin were still alive, that is.

Alfred’s feelings were valid and understandable, especially when he has been concerned about your well-being since that day. He has also been your father figure, just as Mr Wayne had done all these years.

But if no superhero was available in Gotham City, you were practically left with no choice but to face your worst nightmare. You gave yourself a deep breath and mentally prepared yourself that it was about time to overcome your fear—it was time to face the madman himself while putting closure to all of this.

You made a promise to Alfred that you would always keep in close contact with him by constantly sending him transmissions to let him know each and every single one of your movements. And this time, you will immediately retreat if you’ve sensed danger or threat to your life.

You were definitely not taking risks anymore especially facing the psychopath himself all alone.

Returning the call to Superman, you huffed and closed your eyes before opening them once again to stand firm on your decision.

“Send me the coordinates of the location.”

You arrived quickly at the designated location on one of the rooftops of the nearby buildings, which gave you a clear look at the GCPD. Just as Superman has stated, the police department was in an awful state—countless windows were broken through and there were plenty of hostages within the building. These hostages also included the policemen themselves.

You knew you would definitely not act hastily, given the current situation. It was just you—you’re all alone in this madness. You had to think carefully about your next plan of action if you wished to keep all of the hostages and yourself alive, that is.

With that, you took out your binoculars to scope out which floor would be the best for you to infiltrate—the fourth floor. Using your batclaw, you aimed at the balcony of the building and swung away into the floor itself—crashing into the glass windows while taking down the few thugs that were stationed there. It wasn’t too hard for you to find the lighting control panel which you used your remote hacking device to crack the code open and shut down the lights from the entire building. That way, you’re able to roam around without being detected easily.

Quickly jumping and breaking down the glass tiles from the current floor onto the ground, you managed to take down the thugs one by one by doing so undetected. Once that was out of the way, you freed the hostages by cutting through the ropes they were bound with using your batarang.

“The Joker is on the top floor with Commissioner Gordon. Please be careful, Batgirl.” One of the officers warned you.

Taking that down mentally, you slowly made your way up to the top floor, eliminating all enemies that were in your way.

Eventually, you’ve come face-to-face with The Joker while the commissioner is tied onto a wooden chair. But something felt different.

The Joker himself was wearing a clown mask over his face. Why did he decide to do so? Was it because he was wounded from a previous crime spree he was on? Or did Batman manage to land a blow on one of his missions?

“Well, what do we have here? If it isn’t the infamous Batgirl! It has been a few years, sweetheart. It’s a pleasure to be able to see you again in person.”

Even the voice sounded different somehow.

“What is your purpose, Joker. Why even consider taking over the GCPD.”

He chuckled. “Oh, honey. I’ll be a dear and tell you why, hmm?”

He walked closer to you and you couldn’t help but take a few steps back. Eventually, he stops about a few centimetres apart from you and bends down to be at eye-level with you.

“I do very bad things honey, and I do them very well. And nobody is going to stop me because they fear me, and I fear nothing. So I will gladly take on any chances I can get in this beloved city of yours and turn the tables around, doesn’t it sound tempting?”

Not wanting to hear his sick jokes anymore, you quickly balled up your fist and landed a punch directly onto his face, but his hands were quick enough to grab hold of your fist, stopping your tracks.

Since when did The Joker have such great agility?

“Seemed like someone’s been working on their reflexes since we last met, haven’t we.” The Joker taunted before trying to grab hold of this pistol behind his hips and aimed the bullet at you. He shot a few times, but each time you dodged them to the best of your ability as you were constantly running around the room.

Once you were at a distance between you and he was, you took out your batclaw and aimed it at the pistol, which you managed to bring it over to your side—loaded it before pulling the trigger and aiming at the mask he was wearing.

Sure enough, one of the bullets managed to penetrate through the mask and it was surprisingly way more sturdier than it was. It managed to form a small crack, but the blow was not enough. Perhaps your only choice was to have a close combat range, and you would either take it off or destroy it to find out who is really behind that mask.

It took a while before you managed to come close to The Joker as he was shooting you from afar. Once you’ve done so, you managed to grab hold of his arm that was holding the pistol and punched right through the mask. You’ve succeeded in destroying it with your brute strength in one blow.

But you wished that you could’ve taken it back.

Whatever that you’ve just seen was horrifying, and you were in absolute shock and denial.

There’s no way. It absolutely can’t be.

He… but he’s…

“Cha-Changmin…?” You stuttered, and your eyes widened. You thought you were hallucinating. That can’t be. He died 5 years ago, and you and Mr Wayne were there to witness it all.

Is this some sort of joke? A reincarnation? Another bad joke from the real Joker himself?

You backed away, and so did he. You could tell that it was fine for now, and he wasn’t going to shoot because he seemed as baffled as you were. As much as you want to pinch yourself to wake you up from this bad dream, you notice his sincere eyes. One that you’ve always loved since you both met at the slumps.

Unbeknownst to him, a single tear drop eventually fell onto his face, ruining the white makeup that he had got on him. He gently raised his hands and touched it, looking bewildered as if he had no idea what was happening.

You did what you thought was best at the moment, taking a step closer and reassuring him that it was all alright and how much everyone had missed him.

How much you’ve missed him, to be exact.

“Changmin…”

“Don’t come any closer. Please… stay away from me!” He protested, taking several steps back to keep a distance from you. He then placed one of his hands on the side of his head as if he remembered something—or rather, it actually triggered something within him. His pupils were now shaking, and you desperately wanted to help and hold him close to you.

Then, you both heard footsteps coming up the stairs, which meant your alone time was up. The officers were bound to capture The Joker and place him behind bars for good this time.

Just then, Changmin regained his composure and aimed his pistol directly at you. Before loading the gun, he said one last sentence to you.

“The person you once knew me as has died.”

With that, he pulled the trigger but he missed his shot. Instead, it landed on one of the window latches and it broke apart—giving him the immediate escape route as he ran and jumped out of the building. You stood there, baffled by the situation, while the officers had now filled the room scanning for signs of The Joker.

Commissioner Gordon approached you, thanking you for saving his and his comrades' lives. He also reassured you that they will be keeping track of The Joker’s movements and keep you updated with anything.

But only one thing filled your mind and you needed answers desperately.

Changmin was alive this whole time. But how?

You quickly made your return to the Batcave and immediately approached Alfred. You needed to know that whatever answers—even the tiniest detail, could help you solve the puzzle.

Alfred was quiet at the beginning, debating on the right words to tell you the truth at this point. Apparently, Batman has found out about this a year prior, knowing very well that Changmin was alive and well, and has somehow taken the persona of The Joker. But according to Alfred, Mr Wayne was still looking for answers about how it had all ended up this way.

As much as you were furious about not knowing this earlier, there was no way you could’ve blamed it on Alfred. He was simply following Mr Wayne’s orders, and that was to keep you away from anything relating to the madman himself.

“Fine. Then tell me where Mr Wayne is, and I’ll confront him myself.”

“That’s the thing, miss Y/N. Master Wayne has been on a league mission for the past few weeks, but I haven’t heard from him. I myself have been trying to track down his coordinates but to no avail.”

Now that was strange. Disappearing for quite a while wasn’t deemed unusual in Mr Wayne’s books. But more than a week? That was definitely a red flag, and someone must look into this matter.

Taking in a deep sigh as you were overwhelmed with everything happening, you calmed yourself down and spoke to Alfred in a low voice.

“I’ll find the answers to all of them.”

You decided to head back to the rooftops of GCPD, where the Batsignal was located. Commissioner Gordon often used it to signal to summon the Bat Family whenever they needed help. But it seemed as if the searchlight was destroyed and torn apart—revealing that whoever had done this definitely held a grudge against you and your squad.

You did contemplate using it to reach out to Batman, but with this option down, you were now back to square one.

If Alfred cannot contact Mr Wayne through transmissions, then you wouldn’t stand a chance either.

God. Think, Batgirl. There’s got to be a way to contact—

“It seemed as if the rumours were true after all.”

You were startled by the sudden voice coming from behind you. As a common reflex, you immediately throw a punch towards the individual’s face—only to be stopped by their hand grabbing onto your fist. Once you got a glimpse of who it was, your eyes widened.

“Nightwing.”

“Ah, I see you have heard about me before. Then that saves up the trouble of having to introduce myself. Also, sorry about startling you. It’s my fault.”

As both of you backed down and composed yourselves, you finally got a good look at the individual standing before you. He was tall and definitely well-built (a little too well-built to your liking actually); he wore a black with some outlines of a blue suit and a domino mask. Even through the mask, he was a pretty darn good-looking individual.

“Ogling at my beauty during our first meeting already?” He teased.

“Are all Robins meant to be this flirty?” You shot back. He chuckled and his voice somehow lightens up the mood for a bit.

“Ah, so you knew about my backstory.”

“Well, I learned about you through the files Mr Wayne kept in his office a decade ago. Consider that a time when I will snooping around his stuff because I was curious about many things.”

“Bruce definitely has loads of secrets that he keeps from others, alright.” He shook his head, thinking that his former mentor was still the same old individual he had known for many decades.

As far as you know, Nightwing was the first Robin and has worked alongside Batman for many years, even longer than you and Changmin ever did. He was a former circus acrobat when he was younger, so his skills and agility had to be one of the toughest Gotham City—or rather, the league has ever seen. At one point, you have once heard that the league has appointed him to look over the younger superheroes, the Teen Titans, from time to time. So he has got plenty of things on his hands to deal with.

But there was one question that has pondered you for long enough. One that you knew you could never ask Mr Wayne and Alfred themselves because they definitely weren’t comfortable bringing up this topic.

Nightwing somehow knew this topic would come up eventually, and he decided to indulge in your curiosity for the time being. Leaning back towards the headlight, he crossed his arms and told you about his backstory.

“To begin with, Bruce had taken me in ever since my parent’s murder when I was 8. He trained me to be a soldier, his sidekick and I’ve never left his side for 20 years. But you know what they say—when the time comes for the baby birds to leave the nest, then there is no explanation needed.”

“So you left willingly?” You questioned.

“In a way, yeah. Now I mainly patrol crimes in Blüdhaven, occasionally returning to Gotham City to assist Bruce and the team if needed. Commissioner Gordon seems to really enjoy my company after all.”

The way he spoke lit up the mood, and you could tell how he was definitely worth being the first Robin. Anyone would agree on how behind that jovial and friendly smile he possessed, he could be one of the most feared individuals on the battlefield.

Given that he was trained by the one and only Bruce Wayne himself, he has then gained insane human strength, speed, agility, and even reflexes. He was definitely the type you would want to anger the least—otherwise, you would definitely find yourself being killed by the 50,000 volts of Escrima Sticks that he always carried on his back.

If a superhero like him is back in Gotham City during such a right timing, you assume he’s probably back for the same reason as you did, more or less.

“Say, are you perhaps back for The Joker?”

“Yeah, but there’s more to that. The Justice League has contacted me to investigate Bruce’s disappearance as they couldn’t contact him for a week now.”

Disappearance? Now that’s new for you. You knew that he was away for some league missions, but never would you have thought that he would actually disappear.

Could he have done it himself for an unspecified reason? Or worse, has Mr Wayne fallen into the traps of the enemy?

Now that is something you definitely have to look into as well—because finding him would be the key to knowing about Changmin’s faked death for the past several years.

“Count me in, Nightwing.”

“Woah, slow down Batgirl. What makes you think you would wanna come along with me?”

“Well, for one, the current Joker is somehow the former Robin that we all thought he died. But I’ve just encountered him days prior, and he is very much alive and well. And I need answers.” You firmly stated, and you did not take no for an answer. Clearly, Nightwing had sensed that in you and knew there was no point in convincing you otherwise.

“Hmm, this seems more like a romantic couple reunion situation to me.” He teased.

He wasn’t wrong though.

“He’s family and I deserve to know, Nightwing. Please.” You emphasised the last word while taking a few steps closer to him as you stared into his eyes.

He looked at you for a few seconds before he eventually put on a smile. He gently laid his hands on your head and patted you. “Alright, girlie. Let’s figure out where would be the best place to look for them.”

Just when he finished his statement, a radio transmission was sent in through his earpiece, and he shared one of them with you to hear the message.

“Reports have stated that there were sightings of The Joker near the ports, and he has gotten several hostages with him. All officers on duty, please report to the site at once!”

“Then that’s where we’re headed, sweetheart.”

Immediately, you got your batclaw out, ready to start swinging across the buildings to head to your destination. You looked at Nightwing in confusion as he stood there and stretched his muscles.

“Well, aren’t you leaving too?”

“Oh no, you get to the location first. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up in no time. I was a former acrobat, after all. Don’t need no batclaw to swing around buildings.” He winked, and you rolled your eyes back slightly as you started to get used to his flirty remarks.

Before you made your move, he spoke to you one last time before you two were to part ways for a bit.

“Call me, Sangyeon. It’s much better than repeating my superhero name all the time.”

Just as you reached the port's entrance, Gotham City had to start a heavy downpour, making the situation much worse.

But it wasn’t something you weren’t used to since you have been in such conditions before on several missions. However, since the motive tonight was to find both Changmin and Mr Wayne, you couldn’t help but feel nervous, something that you haven’t experienced in a while.

At least not since that fateful day 5 years ago.

Shaking your thoughts away, you calmed yourself down and reminded yourself that the hostages come first, then family.

You ran to the gates but saw that they were already hacked open. Just then, Sangyeon jumps down from one of the higher buildings and places his hands on one of your shoulders.

“They don’t call me a hacking wizard for nothing.”

“Well, guess I have a rival in this field of work now.” You chuckled.

“Alright, let’s go.”

As you both entered the ports, a group of thugs were already on standby, as if they were expecting your arrival hours ago. Each of them was armed with a weapon, ready to put up a fight.

Sangyeon then gets both of his Escrima Sticks out from his back and positions himself in his offensive state.

“Wanna see the famous Nightwing himself in action?”

“Just be careful out there.” You replied.

“Always have been.”

As soon as the thugs began charging towards your direction, the both of you did the same, beginning to take down the enemies one by one.

It seemed that Sangyeon wasn’t all talk and thought highly about himself because you’ve now witnessed how skilled and quick he is at combat with your own eyes. He could take out at least 4 at once, leaving no room for them to retaliate. None of them stood a chance against the superhero himself—quite frankly, he could handle them all on his own if needed.

You have definitely improved from 5 years ago too. You were now much quicker and your skills have upped a level—handling several enemies simultaneously. With the new gadgets that Alfred has equipped you with, you definitely found it a lot easier to deal with the enemies and not just entirely rely on pure brute strength.

Within 10 minutes, both of you have successfully wiped out the entire thugs, and they were all lying lifelessly on the ground, allowing you to move on to find the hostages.

“Well, aren’t you a rather good fighter yourself, Batgirl.” Sangyeon was surely impressed with the way you presented yourself tonight.

“Now that’s flattering coming from the former Robin himself.” You counterbacked, and you earned a laugh from the man himself.

“This isn’t over yet, Y/N. There are definitely more thugs lurking around the area. I suggest we split up and take on each side, and I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Let me know if you need help, okay? You’re not in this alone.”

Thanks, Sangyeon. It means a lot. “I’ll contact you soon.”

Splitting up, you decided to take on the right side of the ports, defeating the thugs in your way as you slowly made your way through. Eventually, you found hostages along your way, and you freed them by using your batclaw to cut through the ropes they were tied up with, and they ran to their safety towards the GCPD at the front entrance.

Finally, you have reached the last destination that you could’ve scooped out for any remaining hostages, the lighthouse.

Fingers crossed, you were mentally praying before making the move that Changmin would be there.

It seemed that you had deduced your theory correctly, and sure enough, he was there—holding up several hostages, ready to throw them down into the deep, freezing ocean.

“CHANGMIN STOP!!” You screamed, and that got his attention.

He turned back to look at you, and his eyes widened upon the contact. It was you again; this time, he wasn’t wearing a mask anymore.

It seemed as if he hadn't recovered from the encounter days prior because he was beginning to malfunction again, and how badly you just wanted to help him by taking him back for good now.

“Please… Changmin. Let us talk. Please, talk to me about it.” You begged, and unknowingly tears began to form in your eyes.

Immediately, he dropped the hostages down onto the concrete floor, and they quickly ran for it. His attention was now entirely on you, eyes widened while trying to make sense of everything.

“Y/N… I… All these years later… I can’t…”

“No Changmin. You can, and you will come back to us.”

Come back to me.

“What have I done? I’m… I’m a monster now, a terrifying criminal and psychopath. I’m beyond saving.” He now stares down at his bloodied, shaking hands, and his speech begins to stammer.

“No, you just need to press reset. And we will help with that.”

Let me help you.

“Why? Why, Y/N? After all these years and everything?” Tears were now beginning to form in his as well, and he was trying his best to hold them back.

“Because I love you and have always been after all these years.”

You were now slowly taking one step at a time closer to him, and he slowly did the same but backwards.

“Y/N… No, you can’t.”

“I can and I will. I have longed for you endlessly, and I always find myself coming back to you, even if you are no longer Robin.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is. And I will prove it to you.”

Changmin was now pinned against the guardrails of the lighthouse and he was stuck with nowhere to run. You were now standing right in front of him—centimetres apart, when you gently laid your palms onto both sides of his face, slowly rubbing away the white makeup that sat on his face.

He then looks down at you, standing motionless before muttering a quiet: “I warn you. I’ll break your heart.”

You smiled back at him. “I know you more than you know yourself, cowboy. Fill me more with that dangerous love of yours—there’s nothing Batgirl can’t take on anyways.”

With that, you quickly took Changmin into your embrace, and the tears that formed within his eyes began to drip down slowly.

Yes, Changmin. I’m here now. I will protect you from all of this madness—

That short-lived moment was then interrupted abruptly as that familiar chilling voice from years ago started to haunt you.

“My my, what do we have here? A little family reunion, isn’t it?”

Both of you turned behind to see the real Joker standing in front of you, with a syringe containing a rather intriguing green liquid, while having a group of thugs behind him.

You and Changmin were now cornered, and there was no way to escape. It seemed as if history was repeating itself.

“Damn, I guess the dose wasn’t enough for that Robin boy to take on my persona fully. I guess the test was an ultimate failure.” He was now flicking the syringe bottle; his eyes were now entirely on you.

“Hmm.. maybe another test subject would be worth trying out… someone whose name rhymes with Batgirl.”

The Joker was taunting you and moving closer to you now. You had to think of something quickly because clearly, Changmin was in no state of fighting back. You could use one of your gadgets for close-range combat, but given the number of enemies you were up against, there was only a 50% success rate.

Maybe I could use a smoke bomb to distract them while I think of something real quick—

“Batgirl!! Dodge and leave right now! Trust me!!”

That voice. It was Sangyeon. You quickly redirected your attention to the opposite building across the lighthouse. He was now equipped with several explosive batarangs, and is now aiming towards your direction. Once he let go and threw them towards you, you quickly grabbed Changmin and jumped straight down into the cold, freezing ocean.

As soon as you both touched down into the waters, the explosion went off and the parts of the lighthouse came crumbling down along with the enemies that were on it.

Before you knew it, both of you were slowly beginning to lose air before finally being fully engulfed by the ocean waves.

It has been a few days since that encounter with The Joker himself at the port. When you dived into the ocean, you tried your best to swim towards the shore while carrying Changmin with you—despite the constant moments where the ocean waves would engulf you both while trying to swim back up again. As soon as you reached dry land, you immediately passed out before seeing Sangyeon coming to both of your rescue.

When you finally came to, you were left with just a few minor scratches and nothing major. You demanded to know where Changmin was and eventually found it lying on the operation table—the same one you were lying on 5 years ago. An oxygen mask was attached around his face, along with an IV drip by the side.

According to Alfred, it seemed that Changmin was systematically subjected to a wide range of shock therapy and torture over the few years that he was captured alive by the psychopath himself. Eventually, Joker decided to take things a step ahead and injected various serums into his body, eventually leading to his breakdown. Hence, he decided to let Changmin take over his identity for a period of time while he went into hiding.

It was definitely a lot and hard to take in for you. You couldn’t imagine how brutal it was for Changmin over the past few years, all wounded and injured from that fateful day, only to be taken back to The Joker’s lair and left to experience all of the barbaric tortures he had up his sleeve.

You stood right at the windows of the operating room, placing your hand on it while trying your best to hold back your tears. This went on for a few days—it was best to let him rest after all.

Sangyeon was staying for a while as he was still on the mission to track down Mr Wayne’s location, and he would often check up on you as well, ensuring you that Changmin would be alright and he would wake up real soon.

All you could do at this point was hope for the best and that Changmin would return to his usual self when he woke.

The bright glaring lights blinded Changmin’s eyes as he finally struggled to open them up. Once he has finally adjusted his sight, he tries to make sense of his surroundings.

He was back at the Batcave—all patched up and had an IV drip right into his arms. He tried turning his head around, trying to take in everything as he struggled to regain his memory.

And that was when he remembered that the both of you were up at the lighthouse, desperately trying to escape The Joker.

Almost immediately after that thought, a pair of arms wrapped around him tightly as he tried to sit up from his bed.

It was you whom he had been longing to see.

God, how much he had missed your embrace. Your scent, the warmth you gave, and your bright, bubbly persona that radiates whenever you are around him.

And now he’s back to witness it all close-up.

He returned the hug to you, squeezing a little tightly and clinging onto you for dear life. He wouldn’t let you go anytime soon, and he wants to savour the moment and make it up to you after being away for years. He slowly turned his head to take the sweet strawberry scent of your hair—ah, you were still using his favourite shampoo. He couldn’t help but to also rest his lips on your scalp as well.

“Changmin… I don’t even know where to begin…” You muffled since you were squeezed into his big muscular chest.

“Let’s just stay like this for a while, hmm?”

Silence. But it wasn’t awkward in the slightest bit. Instead, you both appreciated it—a lot was happening in both of your minds.

He’s back. He was back in his comfort zone, former residence, and home.

You were his home.

There were just so many things he regretted back then too, how he wasn’t able to save you and ended up being held captive and tortured by The Joker himself. Most importantly, he regretted that he couldn’t tell you how he felt about you, especially when he had seen you more than just a friend and sidekick for years.

But now that he was alive and back in the game, it was his chance.

Gently grabbing your shoulders, he pushes you away so that you look at him deep into his eyes. He takes in a big breath before he decides to spill the beans. What he didn’t expect was that you spat out the same exact thing that has been lingering on his mind, word by word.

“So uh, I thought you should know that I’ve had feelings for you for years now.” You both said at the same time. It took a few seconds for the both of you to process what the hell actually happened before bursting out in loud laughter.

“Gee, Y/N. And I thought it has been one-sided for years, and all those flirty remarks I’ve made were just for show, and my efforts have gone down the drain.”

“Well, I’m pleased to tell you those flirty remarks worked.”

You both giggled before Changmin decided to press on. “So when did this lovey-dovey feeling start?”

“Maybe around when I was 12?”

“Hah! I win. I’ve liked you ever since you came into the slumps.”

“That isn’t a victory, Changmin. It just shows how whipped you have always been and how easily you actually fall in love with someone.”

“Hey, it's not my fault when my love interest is actually a rockstar who excels at everything she does. Mind you, she is the best computer wizz I’ve ever seen with that long luscious brown hair of hers.”

“Yeah, you’re insufferable.” You huffed.

“But admit it, you like it.” He winked back at you, causing you to slap him on the chest while rolling your eyes back.

It was when he decided to lean in a bit closer while gently placing his fingers around your chin, lifting your face so that he could see you clearly.

“Since my princess literally saved my life, it is time for her prince charming to return the favour, no?”

You gave him a confused look. “Whatever are you planning, Mr. Ji Changmin.”

“Something that starts with the letter K.”

He then swipes his finger on your lips to feel those luscious, juicy lips once before crashing his onto yours. And he was right all these years, after all—on how good they tasted, and it was definitely a kiss that was worth the wait and savouring.

You didn’t reject it at all and proceeded to adjust your position so that it was easier to ease into the kiss. Tilting both of your heads to grant more entrance while your fingers moved up into his hair, Changmin did the same while his other hand rested on your waist.

How badly he wished to stay like this forever. To kiss you, hold you tight, and never let go nor fail you again. He made a promise to himself this time that he was definitely not going to repeat the same mistake, and he was no longer going to hurt anyone else.

Including you.

The intense moment was abruptly cut short by a low grunt coming from behind. It was Sangyeon.

“Well, it seems as if I have chosen the wrong timing, haven’t I?”

Oh, how badly you knew he somehow did it on purpose. You were definitely going to make him pay real soon.

Changmin being innocent, brushes him off and asks if something was the matter (since, technically, he hasn’t encountered how flirty he could be).

“I’m here to ask you about Bruce. I’m sure you have some information that is worth hearing about.” Sangyeon then crossed his arms, and immediately his facial expression shifted, and you both knew well that it was time to get back into business.

Once Alfred came to ensure that Changmin could continue his daily routine as usual, Sangyeon immediately cut to the chase and began pressing on the topic of importance.

“It was definitely a recent thing, I would say. The Joker tortured me for a few years before finally making me into his other half to take over his dirty job for him while he disappeared into thin air. And it was recently when I actually saw how he was dragging a body down into the basement of his lair. If it aligns with what you have in mind, then I’m sure it is worth checking it out.”

All of you pondered what Changmin said. It could be Mr Wayne who was under the hands of The Joker at the moment. According to Sangyeon, there have been reports of sightings of the man on the most recent site where Mr Wayne was last seen.

“So that would be the first place for us to look at, I suppose?” Changmin questioned.

“Supposedly, yes,” Sangyeon answered bluntly.

Just as all of you would start gearing up to head out to the place of interest, the batcomputer began blaring—it was from Commissioner Gordon. Picking up the call, all of you were met with a very distraught commissioner. Something must’ve happened.

“You guys have to see this right now.”

Immediately, the commissioner forwards a link that redirects all of you to a live webcam.

It was live. And there on screen sat a badly wounded individual, tied up on a wooden chair with only a single light bulb above his head as their only light source.

It was Batman.

The Joker swiftly turned the camera towards him, and he placed this huge menacing grin on his face, knowing that he was up to no good once again.

“Welcome, my fellow watchers to tonight’s grand show! Ah, it seems as if the entire GCPD & the Bat Family are here to witness the epic performance of the century!!”

The Joker then turns the camera back to Batman as he begins circling him, continuing with his act.

“Now, I’m pretty sure we all recognise this lovely individual right here. Isn’t it a bummer how he’s all wounded up badly? When he is supposed to be the strongest superhero in Gotham City?” He began laughing and then slowly stood behind Mr Wayne, bending down to rest his hands on Batman’s shoulders.

“It seemed as if my very first experiment had failed terribly, given that Robin had escaped thanks to Batgirl & Nightwing. Perhaps the 10,000 volts of shock therapy & the dosage of my serum weren’t enough throughout the years Robin was held captive at my lair. But fear not, ladies and gentlemen! For I have a new subject now, the famous Batman himself, and I wonder what would happen if I turn him into a Joker?”

The madman then walked over towards the right, and his hand gripped the latch of a switch, and all of you wished you did not have to witness what came next.

Pulling down the latch, it triggered the shock machine and Batman was screaming at the top of his lungs, clearly in a lot of pain while the high electricity flowed through his entire body. It went on for a good 10 seconds before The Joker finally decided to turn it off. Then, he walks towards the front of the camera, completely blocking Batman out of the picture.

“Here’s my suggestion, fellow Bat Family and the officers at GCPD. I will be kind enough to tell you my location. Come to the abandoned Nightville Amusement Park in an hour. I’m pretty sure your “father” here would want his children to come save his ass, no?”

The Joker then laughed menacingly again before ending the livestream.

Oh my god.

Batman is now in the hands of The Joker. And he has clearly shown all of you that he wasn’t kidding and meant serious business. If neither of you were careful, Mr Wayne would be next in line to get killed.

All of you will definitely have to come up with an actual plan and strategy before heading to the site, and this time you will stop this whole fiasco the psychopath himself has planned.

Thankfully, that was where Sangyeon came in and he began to take charge of everything and everyone as he gathered both sides to listen closely to his words.

“Are you with me, lads?”

The clock struck strictly at 10 at night as the three of you arrived at the amusement park. Based on Sangyeon’s lead, he deemed it too dangerous for the officers to tag along at first. The plan was to let the three clear out the place until 80% of the thugs were wiped out, and then the GCPD would step in and scope the place out. Commissioner Gordon couldn’t agree more.

On the other hand, Alfred remained at his position in the Batcave in front of the monitor screen, keeping you three updated with everything going on around your surroundings while being the middle person to communicate to the GCPD upon Sangyeon’s orders.

As you three stood in front of the amusement park gates, Sangyeon decided to break the ice and loosen the atmosphere for a bit. He focused on Changmin, who was clearly doing a few stretches here and there.

“So how does it feel to be back in the Robin suit, young lad?”

“Is it bad that the suit’s gotten a little tighter?”

“Well, guess that’s some good news for you, Batgirl.” He then poked his head out to look at you, who were standing on the far right side.

Dear heavens, Lee Sangyeon. I swear, for the love of God—

“What about yours, mister? I’m sure all of the time that’s gone to leading the Teen Titans and patrolling Blüdhaven has taken a toll on your romantic relationship.” You fought back, but clearly, he doesn’t back down easily.

“Nah, I have my ways. She’ll come back to me when she’s bored and lonely. She always has been anyway.”

Huh. So he does have a certain special someone. That is definitely going to be added to your books of “things to stalk more about Nightwing’s dirty secrets”.

Clearing your throat to bring everyone back to reality, you turned your head back to the entrance, where all of you began to hear the footsteps growing louder each second.

“Mr Lee, there’s about 60 thugs headed your way. Be prepared.” Alfred’s voice chimed into the intercom.

“Well, 60 is just a number.” Sangyeon proclaimed.

“So what do we do now?” You asked.

Then, Changmin stepped forward and stood in front of you both. “We fight.”

Immediately, he charged towards one of the thugs and wrapped his legs around his neck, pinning him down to the ground and punching him hard enough to knock the individual out cold. Not wasting any time, he began moving onto the thugs one after another.

“Gee, your boyfriend’s one impatient little fella, isn’t he?”

“And so are you, Nightwing.”

You and Sangyeon did the same by charging towards the enemies. It was as if the tension and atmosphere were different tonight, and you felt the company that you had been longing for years. With both Robin and Nightwing with you, you knew that you were all in good hands and reaching The Joker himself wouldn’t be a problem this time round.

The three of you worked amazingly as a team, performing a combo of attacks and matching one another’s fighting style almost instantly, even though it was the first time the three of you fought together. Sangyeon was definitely impressed, to say the least, that Bruce had gotten himself some good young sidekicks to fill in his spot after he had left. He was smiling like a proud older brother would as he looked at how you and Changmin battled.

The enemy was successfully wiped out within 10 minutes thanks to the great teamwork. With that, the screen from one of the televisions that hung loosely at one of the lamp posts started broadcasting what seemed like a live message.

The Joker.

“Well well, I must say, an amazing job well done as a team!! Bravo bravo, you three have certainly exceeded my expectations! Now, moving deeper into the parks will not be that easy. So choose wisely and find out where Batman and I could be. Adios for now!!”

“God, will he stop with all of these taunts?” You complained, getting sick and frustrated with all of his jokes by now.

Changmin then walked close to you and placed one of his hands on your shoulder. “It’s okay, Y/N. We will definitely get Mr Wayne back home safely.”

“Yeah… we will this time.” You tried your best to return a smile.

Sangyeon then makes his way towards you both to inform you that it was best to split up to narrow down the possible location where The Joker and Batman could be. Before he could even suggest the plan, you gripped Changmin’s hands tightly, intertwining your fingers with his.

“I suppose you wouldn’t mind Robin and Batgirl taking on one side of the park, right?”

Sangyeon stared at you both for a moment, and you were clearly not budging, standing firm to prove that you were taking no as an answer.

He immediately sighed and agreed to your request. “Okay okay, lovebirds. Just make sure to do your actual job.”

You swear if it weren’t for him being your senior and part of the Bat Family, you would’ve whooped his ass and sent him back to his rightful place.

“Alright, jokes aside. Both of you, please contact me as soon as you find out something. Don’t even try to act bravely and jump into your demise. I mean it.”

It all sounded too familiar. It was precisely what Mr Wayne said to the both of you 5 years ago. The Sangyeon that stood before you now wasn’t the flirty yet annoying senior you have come to despise. Now this man is feared across the nation, and one you would look up to actually. He was the spitting image of Batman.

“Understood, Sangyeon. You should be careful out there too.” Changmin said firmly.

“Kiddo, I always have been.”

Within seconds he was out of sight, jumping down towards the other side of the park as he made his way quickly through the thugs.

“So, what do you suggest we do then, miss Y/N? You clearly asked me to stay with you.”

“Well, for starters, let’s look around and get rid of the thugs along our way to find Mr Wayne as soon as possible. Find The Joker, put him behind bars, and that’s a wrap.”

“Sounds good to me. Lead the way, Batgirl.”

Both of you went to each section of the park and searched every crook and corner to see if there were any traces or clues to where both of them might be.

If you were to deduce, according to the live footage—they were either at higher ground or beneath the amusement park. You tried searching for a latch which would lead you down but to no avail.

It was when Changmin finally called out to you as he noticed one of the buildings furthest from you had a little light source coming out from it. It led up to one of the roller coaster rides, and the stairs were clearly destroyed so that the officers could not reach high ground alone.

Only those of you equipped with the batclaw could swing your way up to the building itself.

On both of your signals, you both immediately launched your batclaw and quickly made your way towards the source, hoping that it was finally where your mentor would be.

Please, Mr Wayne. Please hang in there. We’re coming.

“Hmm… it seems as if your kids are taking a little longer, don’t you think? The Joker was now swinging his pistol around his hands, growing impatient as there was no sign of either of you coming anytime soon.

That was when Batman slowly tilted his head up as he tried his best to mutter a few words back to counterattack his remarks.

“Don’t… underestimate my kids… they’re a lot… stronger than… you think they are…”

The Joker immediately threw a punch right into Batman’s face once again. “You know clearly that’s not the right answer, no?”

“Well, clearly you aren’t thinking straight, Joker.”

His eyes widened as he turned towards the source of where the voice came from. When he finally did, he found Changmin already in position with a few shurikens within the palm of his hands, and you did the same while holding onto your batclaw.

“Why, if it isn’t my wonderful “son” back in town! How have you been? Papa has missed you loads.”

“It’s over, Joker. Your spree of crimes ends tonight and you’re finally going to jail after all these years.” Changmin declared.

“Disrespecting your papa, I see. Well, then. I’m sorry but it seems like I will have to teach you and your little girlfriend a lesson then.” The Joker slowly walked towards you with a group of thugs emerging from the shadows behind. Just like 5 years ago, they were all equipped with their weapons, the right to strike whenever.

“Y/N, let’s do our usual formation?”

“Say no more, Robin.”

Both sides struck simultaneously, and a heated battle soon erupted within the building. With the batclaw in hand, you use it to shoot to get the thugs close to you as you knock them out cold with your punches and kicks. Changmin, on the other hand, used his shurikens wisely and aimed at all of the thugs, not missing a target.

The Joker managed to get this way close towards you both, but he always seemed to have missed his shot or he was often caught by either of you two, pulling him close and throwing punches while he backed off to regain himself.

As all of the thugs were wiped out, The Joker was now the one being cornered by you two, and he clearly did not stand a chance.

“Hah! Don’t even think that you’re about to win!” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls up a vile of green liquid. However, judging from the container that was used this time, it wasn’t an ordinary serum now.

No. A poison gas bomb!

“I guess you know what this means then. That saves a lot of trouble. Robin, this is for you!” The Joker was about to throw it at Changmin when he finally decided to change direction and threw it towards you instead.

“Y/N! No!!!” Changmin quickly jumps onto you to push you out of the way as the poison gas bomb detonates.

But he was in no luck as Nightwing made his way here in time, destroying it before the gas spread around too much. At the same time, The Joker was pinned down by the one and only Batman, who was now free from being tied up thanks to Sangyeon.

The GCPD officers then made their way here along with the commissioner as they handcuffed the psychopath and started taking him away.

“This isn’t over, Bat Family!! I will be back to haunt Gotham City again!!” Those were the sentences that The Joker kept repeating on a loop till he was out of the picture.

Eventually, Mr. Wayne made his way toward you and brought you both into his embrace.

“I knew you both could’ve done it. Welcome home, Robin.”

Those words were enough to get you both all teary-eyed, primarily for Changmin though. He had longed to be reunited with his mentor, and how much he wanted to apologise for all of the trouble he had caused over the years.

“Mr Wayne…I—”

“It’s not your fault, and it was beyond your control. I’m sorry I failed you as your mentor. And father.”

He rests his chin upon Changmin’s head and closes his eyes before muttering something for you too. “You too, Batgirl. You have grown and I’m beyond proud of you.”

You have yet to hear Mr. Wayne praise you like that. He doesn’t talk much, nor has he ever praised you in such a manner since he wasn’t really great with words. Hearing that from Mr Wayne himself, after all of what you’ve been through, was surely enough to get you bawl your eyes out in front of him.

Sangyeon notices the little heartwarming family reunion and he can’t help but smile from afar. It was nice seeing how Bruce has gotten a new family on his own, and he is happy how you two were given a new life and beginning with him. A few seconds later, he decided not to interrupt, turned his heel in the opposite direction and started walking away. That is until Bruce’s voice stops him in his tracks.

“Nightwing. Or rather, Sangyeon. Thank you.”

He hasn’t heard those words from Bruce either in a very long time. Every time they met, Mr. Wayne often gave him a cold shoulder as he tended to focus more on the mission and rather cut to the chase. But Sangyeon knew that he had always been like that—it was just his way of worrying about his former sidekick. And how Sangyeon will always have a special place in Bruce’s heart.

Without turning back, he raised one of his arms and began waving. “I’ll see you around, Bruce. Don’t get caught next time.”

Mr Wayne chuckled for the first time in a while. “I won’t.”

A couple of days had passed since that day and it was time that the Bat Family took some time off to rest up and relax.

Mr Wayne was stuck in his room most of the time, with Alfred constantly checking up on him—bringing him his meals and checking his vitals to ensure that he wasn’t pushing himself too hard during recovery. Knowing him, Mr Wayne is definitely the type to wander around and get himself busy even when he is in no shape to stand up or perform his daily routines as usual.

On the other hand, you and Changmin have been spending as much time as you could with one another. It wasn’t easy when Alfred often dragged Changmin down to the sick room, claiming that he hadn’t fully recovered and had no time to play around. You had to muffle up a laugh whenever you see Alfred taking him away to his second home now.

It was a relatively calm afternoon as you decided to curl up with a novel in your room. Every so often, you would be reminded of what Mr. Wayne had told you last night about everything that has happened until now.

First and foremost, he apologised for keeping you in the dark about Changmin’s condition as he was afraid of losing you as well, and he wanted to keep you safe from The Joker as much as he could. But when you encountered Changmin at the GCPD, he knew his secret wouldn’t last long.

He has been keeping track of both of your movements even when he was away on league missions, having elicited the help of Alfred. When you helped Changmin escape from the lighthouse, he knew that The Joker was definitely going to target you next without a doubt. Hence, he decided to surrender himself as bait—knowing fully that you both would definitely come to the rescue. At the same time, it also saves time in finding out The Joker’s actual hideout.

As much as you thought he could be insane at times, you knew his methods somehow always work, and he has definitely thought them through. Giving a little scolding to Mr Wayne was all that you could do before it was time for him to rest up.

Returning to your novel, you slowly reached the story's climax until you felt someone gently hit your head with a book.

Changmin.

“Hey, what was that for!”

“Someone has been too invested or daydreaming to the point that she hasn’t heard me call out her name for over 10 times now.” He crossed his arms while giving you a pout.

“Ugh, please don’t do that face, for goodness sake.”

“Why? Because you like it?” He purposely widens his eyes ever so slightly.

“You need to go see a therapist for real, Changmin.”

Standing up from your couch, you decided to tuck your book away before walking towards him and wrapping your arms around his waist.

“So, what brings you here today?” You asked while giving a little peck on his lips.

“Well.” He pecks your lips back. “Alfred said that I’m fully recovered and I should be able to return to my usual routine with no problem.”

“Should. Changmin.” You emphasised the word.

“Hey, I’ll prove to you that I am one healthy man. What do you say? Shall we go out on our first date?”

“Hmm, tempting. Where are we going exactly?”

“Well, for starters, I still have to treat you to your favourite Akamaru Ramen that I promised 5 years ago.”

A/N: who knows i might cook up a nightwing Sangyeon fic in the near future 🤭

masterlist

taglist: @deoboyznet @kflixnet @k-films @flwoie @hokupi @zzoguri @kyusqult @tinkerbell460 @cheonsafics @sulkygyu @jaerisdiction @lngwayup

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password-door-lock · 12 days ago

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Naturally, Unknown did not expect, when he brought you back to Magenta, that you’d be so glib about the whole affair. You talked and joked with him on the car ride here, apparently unaware of (or, at the very least, unperturbed by) the blindfold covering your eyes. You didn't seem at all fazed by his rough handling as he steered you through the compound itself, and you even complimented the design of his crisp white suit. So perhaps Unknown should’ve been prepared for your reaction when he finally took off your blindfold in the intelligence room.

Instead, he’s a little caught off guard by the way you move your hand up to cover your mouth and stifle your laughter. “Oh my god,” you giggle.

“I told you I had a present for you here in paradise,” Unknown points out, trying to sound smooth and unbothered. He doesn’t understand what you’re laughing at. The gift he picked out for you might be simple, but he feels it suits the occasion and fits your interests well enough,

“Yep,” you manage between giggles, kneeling down to examine the gift that Unknown left out for you. “It’s just… earlier, I thought you were hitting on me.”

Unknown thinks back to your compliant behavior throughout this entire ordeal. “And you went along with it.” Apparently, this whole time, you’ve had some sort of crush on him. Maybe if he’d known what to look for, he would’ve picked up on the signs.

“Um, yeah?” Your amused expression has transmuted into one of disbelief. “Anyway, what was I supposed to think? You called me and told me to entertain you with my frightened face!”

“Yes,” Unknown confirms. He did, in fact, say that, which might explain why you’d think he was interested in you. In your defense, he is interested in you— but he doesn’t see how that would be mutually exclusive with the gift he’s given you. “But I also said I had a present for you, prince(ss). Did you think I was lying?”

“I thought it was a euphemism,” you admit, “Like, ‘yes, hello, cutie, I have a little gift for you,’” You lower your voice into an annoyingly passable impression of Unknown’s most seductive sneer. He really did not expect this when he brought you to paradise, but perhaps he should’ve seen it coming. “And then you’d go in for the kiss.”

“Would you rather have that kind of present instead, cutie?” Unknown drawls, establishing himself in a languid leaning position against the wall. Despite himself, he’s looking forward to hearing your answer. You have the absolute audacity to giggle at him.

“God, you’re so cute,” you observe without malice. To your great fortune, Unknown discovers that he doesn’t mind being labeled as something so trifling as cute when you’re the one doing the labeling. Still, you shouldn’t press your luck. “I think I’ll be keeping the socks,” you decide, picking up the parcel and carefully removing the red ribbon tied around it so as not to damage the bow. Unknown feels gratified that you’re pleased with his handiwork— he did spend several minutes following a metube tutorial to dress the present that way— though his heart sinks at the knowledge that he’s apparently missed his chance for a kiss. “The penguin print is really cute, and anyway, I didn’t bring any luggage. These socks are the only change of clothes I have.”

Unknown chafes a bit at your decision to describe a pair of penguin-print socks with the same adjective you just used on him, even if you did mean it as a compliment. “I can get you clothes to wear.”

“If you want,” you flop down in Unknown’s desk chair, looking unfairly attractive. “But… since you gave me a present, shouldn’t I get you something in return?” You fashion your lips into a pout, being obvious and really altogether corny.

But, then again, Unknown is a man who tried to lure you to paradise with a pair of novelty holiday socks from a department store Christmas bin. Clearly, corniness is not a dealbreaker for him. “What did you have in mind, sweetheart?”

You shudder at his tone. Then you have the nerve to say, “I was thinking maybe some Christmas tree socks?”

Unknown turns around to face the wall, against which he presses his forehead. “Okay.” He had thought you’d want to kiss him. After all, you seemed so eager when you arrived. But he’s not interested in pushing for something that you don’t want to do.

“I’m kidding,” you announce, “Let’s make out. I left my wallet at the apartment, anyway. If I got you the socks, I would have to steal them, and then we’d both get in trouble.”

Unknown is so excited to follow your suggestion that he ignores the second part of your utterance entirely. The placement of your wallet is a topic to be explored at a later date.

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger drabble #choi saeran #saeran choi #unknown mystic messenger #fanfiction

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laelelinae · 6 months ago

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hii can I have general akaashi headcanons pls? TYY!

General Akaashi HCs!

The type of person to talk to himself 😭😭

Probably just muttered things to himself and practice compliments to give 😭

I FEEL LIKE HE WOULD HAVE SILLY SOCKS,LIKE FROG ONES AND SHARK ONES HFGGHGH

Probably has a ikea shark plushie and the fat bear plushie

HE LOVES PLANTS IM SURE OF IT. Probably has a lot of plants in his house and a few in his room

Talks to them like he’s a dad to themmmm

I feel like he’s pretty nerdy😭 but probably has stable grades?

Probably has the cleanest and comfiest room known in mankind

I feel like he would smell minty like sweet and minty or just some refreshing smell!

Probably a froggie boy ,I feel like he had a frog phase and owns a crochet frog hat taht his mom made 😭😭

Type of person to get bottled black coffee and sandwiches at convenience store in the mornings

I think he’s the type of person to read people when’s out like when he’s bored ,he just looks at someone random and think about how their life,their career and how they are ?

Probably LOVES crunchy sweet green grapes

I feel like he loves light green and dark blue?

Likes going to libraries a few times a week

Probably a top in his class? Not top 1 but around top 3 to 5?

He loves making snowman in the winter :)))

Probably a mommy boy (in a good way) (his mom is probably really really sweet)

Loves going to local bakeries

LOCAL GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS LOVES HIM LIKE?? HES SUCH A GOOD BOI

Listens to Wave to Earth and probably Lamp😝

Has a few pictures of you and him on dates and silly pictures of him and Bokuto

If you ever go on dates with him,he probably always bring small tiny gifts like snacks or little clips he randomly brought for you <3

Does whatever you do

Quality time is a must for this man😭

Your parents DEFINITELY LOVES HIM AND IS LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR WEDDING LIKEEE

He probably walks old people dogs on holiday mornings and he gets some tips or food in return 😭

Has a crochet frog keychain on his backpack

I feel like he does yoga sometimes

LOVESSS bringing you on picnic & aquarium dates

I bet he LOVES Shinchan (me too)

Probably has a salt lamp

Likes collecting some gems from some local shops

Whenever he’s sick or your sick,he would make soups that taste like literal heaven

I feel like he dates to marry (loyal boy!)

I feel like he would love to visit local farms and helps out the farmers

Loves taking the trains and take some pictures

Loves cuddling you,pecking you with some kisses

Secretly REALLY caring and LOVING.

Probably prefer at home dates more,would just love to lay on your thighs or chest and just rest on there like a sloth😭

Probably snores really quietly

Loves snacking on cucumbers and drinking veggie juices

Have bokuto third wheel your dates 😭

Loves buying you small gifts like always

Buys them in random shops,buys clips,small plushie keychains,matching keychains. And honestly,anything!

Let’s you put on makeup on him😭

You guys went to Uniqlo and then picked outfits for each other !!

Speaking of Uniqlo,surely is a Uniqlo boy!

Loves fat plushies and soft ones

Loves the rain!

Probably has really soft hair but he doesn’t take care of it that often.

SMOOTHHHH SKINNN! Like is shiny and soft?!

Probably has a 2 step skincare, face wash and then some moisturizer 😭

Type of person to never get tanned,he does put on sunscreen and sometimes doesn’t and still never get tanned

Favorited student by many many teachers and students EVEN JANITORS

Probably got so much gifts on his desk on Valentine’s Day,like at least more than 5😭

Would’ve just gave all the chocolate to Bokuto LMFAO

Loves drinking yogurt (especially blueberry flavored or just normal)

I feel like he loves eating crepes

Just love refreshing stuff

When he first started dating you in high school,he probably had dreams and imaginations about proposing to you after college 😭🫶🏻🫶🏻

And guess what? He did 😝

#akaashi fluff #haikyuu akaashi #akaashi keiji #akaashi x reader #hq akaashi #akaashi x you #akaashi keji x reader #akaashi headcanons #sillyposting #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu bokuto #haikyuu headcanons

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mores0 · 1 year ago

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Okay, so, buckle in because I have so much to say about the first episode of Psych, and I already know that this post is going to be extremely long, haha.

So first of all, season one is one of Psych’s best seasons in my opinion, and the first episode is one of my favorites. It’s just so good. And it’s crazy how even though it’s James Roday and Dulé Hill’s first episode, they act like they’ve already known each other and been friends for years- their chemistry is amazing right off the bat.

And Shawn and Gus’ characterizations in this episode are amazing, because as the show goes on they really got watered down, but in this episode- it was amazing. Shawn in this episode was so- I don’t know if this is the right word- but angsty, I guess. And I kind of like it honestly. Lassiter’s ex partner was like “You never know when to give up, don’t you?” And he said something like “Oh, I give up all the time, but only when the moment’s right,” or something like that, and as a “gifted” kid, I felt that. Lmao. And- there’s more that I want to talk about- but I’ll come back around to it later- hang in there.

And Gus is the best. I am Gus on a spiritual level. He has anxiety, (which is actually confirmed because he takes anxiety medication apparently, I didn’t know that). He says that he doesn’t want any part of what Shawn was doing, but he secretly wanted to so bad and Shawn knows that, and said all the right things to give Gus the push he needed to just go for it. And he was having the time of his life, even if he said that he wasn’t. Even when he was running away from the dead bodies screaming, which definitely would’ve been me in that situation, lmao. And then when Shawn solved the case and they were both let go, he had the smuggest little smile on his face, because he knew that Shawn could do it. “Just one more day.” Yeah right, he knew fully well that he was going to do it with Shawn for as long as possible lmao, you’re not fooling anybody.

And then there was Henry and Shawn’s dysfunctional father-son relationship- which even in the first episode is very prominent. And that’s literally how the show started- first scene ever, and it was Shawn doing the hat thing and Henry saying “yeah, that’s adequate.” That pisses me off haha, sorry to everyone who likes Henry. I respect that and can definitely see why people would feel that way- but I just don’t like him very much, haha. Additionally, Shawn didn’t even know that his dad had already been back for a year or so, and they didn’t seem too happy to see each other again which was rough. And later on when Shawn did the hat thing again and even like, noticed things that Henry didn’t, he smiled for a second, which Shawn seemed to be happy about and they could’ve had a moment before Henry ruined it by saying something like “Whatever, you got lucky,” and how he was a disappointment, etc, and then they went back to being angry at each other, which is their main issue I think. Shawn wants Henry’s, I don’t know, approval. He wants that “good job,” but Henry doesn’t want to give it.

And then there’s Lassiter and Shawn’s talk about his arrest, and Shawn brought up that his dad did that so that he could teach him a lesson, so Lassiter was like “Well did you learn it?” And Shawn replied, “I learned that I hated my father.” Which fucking hit me so hard lmao. But then- there’s another scene later on which nobody talks about where Shawn is talking to Mr.McCallum about how he was familiar with disappointing his dad, and how McCallum killed his son, and Shawn spoke about how it was because his son kept letting him down time and time again, before saying that he’d change and he’ll be different, but then just let him down again and how it was the needle that broke the camel’s back- and he was so obviously talking about himself, and that scene was just so raw. I’m losing my mind over it.

Also, I loved officer Allan so much even though she only got, like, two scenes, haha. I wish that she got more than one episode. And it was weird not to see Juliet in this one, haha.

Anyways, there’s so many other scenes that I love, like the shooting range scene, the scene with the guy sneezing on the chicken, Shawn showing Gus the office, Shawn telling the guy to get rid of the shards on his sleeves only for him to brush them onto his leg and boot. Shawn pretending to be Psychic for the first time and working through it. Basically, the entire episode, lmao.

And, yeah, that’s everything I have to say I think. And if you could leave your own thoughts in like, the comments/ a reblog, that would be really cool. Have a nice day. (And sorry that this is so long, lmao).

#shawn spencer #burton gus guster #burton guster #carlton lassiter #juliet o'hara #henry spencer #psych #psych tv #🍍

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camlyee · 4 months ago

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an event that changed several lives forever.

↓ lore dump below ↓

Note: transcript for the images will be at the bottom of the post (sorry for the messy handwriting!)

Gitriea-II — the planet of isolation.

I wanted this piece to highlight the cataclysmic event that took place at Gitriea-II’s church that altered the lives of hundreds, though most didn’t know that that night would be their last. Only few survived to recall the tragedy.

TW for vague mentions of abuse, death, and religious trauma.

(so please read with caution)

I won’t go into extreme detail about every character, I’ll probably make separate posts deep diving into each character more and give them the attention they deserve. I’ll briefly mention each character in order (top to bottom) and their present faction.

- Gabriel — Genius Society as an assistant, but pursues architectural studies through the Intelligentsia Guild

- Eve (left) — Intelligentsia Guild (cousins with Gabriel and Shiloh)

- Shiloh — Astral Express member (Gabriel’s little sibling)

- Mary (red hair) — Astral Express member

- Elijah (in Mary’s arms) — Stellaron Hunter

Gabriel and Mary had been planning on wedding, as throughout their youth they were hopelessly in love with each other (it was a kind of puppy love, one slipping the other gifts or gentle hand touches). They hadn’t done anything out of line for two teenagers planning on marrying one another, until they shared a kiss. It was sweet, but it was forbidden. You were expected to reserve your chastity until you were wed, as that was how the Church functioned. Any kind of forbidden acts would lead to punishment, and Gabriel was more than aware of that. As every time he would answer a question wrong or was out of line, the Mothers would ‘redirect’ him with force. He always kept his sleeves rolled down because of it. Mary was already known to be a ‘defective’ child, as her parents went against the church and were ostracized. Mary’s bright red hair and vibrant yellow eyes matched her mother’s and father’s respectively, so there was no hiding her roots. She was a slightly rebellious teenager, though. She knew little about her parents, but remember how much they loved each other, and how she wanted to share that love with Gabriel. Gabriel was scared, though. The paranoia took over him and clawed at his throat, and he was truly afraid of the consequences of loving too much before marriage.

Gabriel would’ve never expected what would’ve happened to Mary when he told the Mothers about what they did. Searing wax poured on her gentle and soft hands, scorching the skin and forever altering both her mind and her flesh. She would never be able to love with her hands again, that’s what the mothers said. After days of her recovery, Mary had approached Gabriel, a smile on her face with hope that things between them wouldn’t be ruined. She didn’t know he was the one that told the mothers. As she asked about how he was, she was met with a cold and unforgiving gaze, a scowl curled on his lips with venom. He told her to never speak to him again, and the whiplash of cruelty brought tears to her eyes. He was never like this before, why was he being so cruel now? Was she truly never meant to love anyone?

With a broken heart, she respected his wishes and left him alone, and not long after, he left to do his missionary work. Maybe he’ll find a woman that can love him, she thought. It took a while for Mary to navigate her tasks with the state of her hands now. But, eventually she was able to do her work with minimal accidents. She worked hard, though being told plenty of times that she was ‘defective’, she wanted the approval from the mothers. She wanted to become a mother and make people proud of her. So she worked. She worked so hard.

One night, she had been cleaning around one of the prayer rooms. She often worked at night so she wouldn’t have the urge to talk to anyone, as it often resulted into an uncomfortable end. She did still experience issues with fine motor skills, especially with her fingers and wrists. The prayer rooms often had plenty of lit candles, as it was one of the primary ways the Church remained lit during the night. Mary reached over with her rag to gently dust an area near the candles and consequently knocked one over. The embers didn’t take long to travel up the cloth hanging over the alter and up the walls. There were dozens of lit candles, and they all began to fester into a large flame. She hurriedly ran out to get help, but it was too late by the time she had gotten to one of the boys in the church, Isaac. The embers quickly engulfed the church, and Mary was only able to pull one other person out, a small child, Elijah. She had no idea there were other survivors.

By the time Gabriel returned home from his missionary duties, it was far too late. The church was nothing but ashes. He couldn’t believe it. Everything he had cared about was gone, and he was sure this was his God’s plan for divine punishment. It has to be. He let out a distraught cry and fell to his knees, the bitter cold snow engulfing him in an icy hug. He sobbed and sobbed until all his senses went numb and everything went dark.

holy shit yapfest over, i hope y’all enjoy some of this writing stuff.. i didn’t even talk about Rory and Isaac, but they’re not in this piece sooo..

Elijah, Shiloh, Isaac, and Rory all belong to @sawnday and he also was a writer for a lot of this lore so.. credit :)

Transcript for the image: (left to right)

> Home to a large church orphanage that follows the Abundance (Yaoshi)

Notes:

- Two Moons

- Below Freezing most of their calendar year

- Minimal daylight

Gitriea-II

- An isolated planet that suffers from a near-frozen climate due to distance from any sun/star.

- Very minimal life, but a few human civilizations call it home.

- Minimal outside influence, but ships can be seen occasionally departing this planet.

- Not much is known about the origins of the planet.

#camlyee art #honkai star rail #hsr #hsr fanart #my ocs #oc artwork #hsr ocs #artists on tumblr #gitriea-II camlyee #camlyee lore #HOLY SHIT IT IS DONE IM SO RELIEVED #i have so much oc lore up my sleeve dw guys #and sorry gabriel is my scrimblo trust #also imagine shiloh has wings. shiloh is halovian. but their burn is from the fire #also they really hate mary because it looked like she abandoned them when she didn’t even see them #hahaa dramaaaa

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sugarbell · 1 year ago

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Batfam X Neglected Batsis Reader

Part 2

It was the day, or night of the fundraiser and you were jittery. With both nerves, and excitement. For starters it was your first time at an event like this by yourself. Usually at least your siblings were there, but being around them was like being alone anyways.

Harry had a package sent to the house two days before and Alfred had brought it up to your bedroom. A note was inside the box on top of a black dress. It wasn’t anything too flashy, but it was definitely a jaw-dropper. It was short, black, and had long sleeves but the sides were ruched and had two strings that tied into loose bows at the sides and dangled down your thighs. He had also sent a pair of black suede heels, and you had never worn any before so you were especially nervous about those, but you had been practicing in your room almost all day when it was sent. There was also a diamond clutch purse, and a matching thin diamond necklace and earrings. You had gasped when you pulled everything out of the gift box. You could tell the diamonds were real.

When Alfred brought it up he seemed a little puzzled, but also had a little knowing smirk on his lips. Probably from the little tag on the gift box that read, “To Miss Lana Lang” with a drawn heart and a kissy face. You had wanted to tell Alfred that it wasn’t what he thought but you decided against it, and simply thanked him for bringing the package up. Immediately you set it on your bed and sighed. You had barely known this boy for longer than ten minutes and he was already embarrassingly flirty. But you couldn’t deny that it made a little smile pull at your own lips, and turned your freckled cheeks a little pink. You hadn’t really been able to stop thinking about him ever since that time on the sidewalk where you met him.

Although you weren’t actually planning to go, even when he sent the dress. You did feel a little pressured, feeling a little bad that he would’ve spent all this money on clearly expensive clothing and accessories, just for you to not even show up. And you had really wanted to see him again. You thought about sending it all back with an apology letter, but when you read the letter inside the box your mind was half changed. What happened with Damian just sealed the deal.

“Lana, I’d really love it if you’d wear this and join me at the fundraiser event in two days. There’s no pressure though, if you aren’t interested. Maybe we could meet up and do something else instead. However if you do decide to come, it would really make my day. 8:00 sharp. Even if you don’t decide to come, keep the outfit. Maybe I could see you in it another time.

P.S., the diamonds are real. You’d look lovely in them, Kitten.”

After you read that letter, your head was spinning, and your heart was beating ten times faster. You did feel a little relieved that he wasn’t pressuring you to come. And was he asking you out again? If you didn’t want to come? It was too much for you to think about at the time, so you had packed it all up, we’re preparing to write up a letter explaining why you couldn’t come. Probably using some bullshit excuse of having to finish a paper for school or something.

But after you had that incident in the kitchen with your younger “brother”, you had made up your mind. You were going. You needed a distraction anyway. A break, and you wanted to do something for you for once, instead of constantly trying to please everyone else in the household and tripping yourself up in the process.

(Present Time)

You were currently getting dressed in your room. You had to wear a black strapless bra because of the sweetheart cut and curved breast line of the dress. You weren’t sure how he knew your size, but he probably took a gamble. It wouldn’t have been hard to figure out that you were an extra small because of your build. It fit perfectly. It hugged your body, you didn’t really have many or any curves for that matter, it it made you look incredibly flattering. You slipped into the black suede heels that also fit very well. After dumping all your necessities into your diamond clutch(, wallet, keys, pads, candies, pepper spray-you never know-) you had fastened the dazzling necklace and earrings on and next was your hair. You let it down and it was already straight, but you used a flat iron to bump it inwards a little at the ends. You painted your lips with a dark-wine colored lipstick. You had bought it a while back but never used it. That was the only makeup you put on as you looked in the mirror.

You were happy with your appearance. “I hope Harry is too.” You thought but instantly, you brushed the intrusive thought away. “You hardly know him, Lana” you told yourself.

Now for the hard part..sneak out the house at 7:50 pm and try not to get noticed by nine people. Piece of cake. It wasn’t necessarily ray you weren’t supposed to go, it was more you didn’t really want to have to explain to anyone why you were dressed for a party, and leaving the house at 8:00 p.m., when all you’ve ever done was stay inside the house shut up in your room. You crept through the house as quietly as you could in nine inch heels. You were down the stairs and now all you had to do was cross the spacious living room to reach the kitchen. And you were almost home free when you heard footsteps. Slow, but sure. Fuck.

You thought you were done for, but when you saw Alfred’s frame round the corner with a neutral look on his face you breathed a sigh of relief. At least maybe you could try talking to him. “Alfred! Um, hi…” you said with a nervous smile on your face. You were a dead giveaway. “Ahem. Going somewhere, young Madame Lang?” He asked. You sighed and shook your head. There was no point in trying to lie or dance around the truth. “I’m going to Harry Osborn’s fundraiser tonight, Alfred.” You said with a sigh.

“Then won’t you be needing this, young madame?” He asked, raising up your phone, with the red superman phone case facing towards you. “Of course! Thank you so much, Alfred!” You grinned jumping into his arms as he handed you the case. “You’re a lifesaver, Alfred!” Alfred smiled down at you before pulling away and patting your back towards the door. “Yes, of course I am, Madame. Now go have fun.” You lean up and kiss his cheek before nodding and leaving as Alfred locked the door behind you.

When you arrived at Harry Osborn’s manor, you were shocked. There were more people than you thought filtering into the house. There were press scattered around inside and outside of the place, but nothing that threw you. You were used to this kind of stuff, being Bruce Wayne’s daughter and all. At least you didn’t appear thrown. On the inside, no matter how many camera shined or flashed in your face you would never get over the anxiety of it, but on the outside, you were always the composed and calm daughter. And that’s how you appeared now as you made your way inside.

You were stunned when you saw his ballroom. It was incredibly large, and again, you had been to tons of places with large, beautiful ballrooms, and none of them ever really compared to Bruce’s at home, that was used for galas, balls, and events at his own home, but his was still pretty and large. There were a few tables set up where mostly older people were sitting down and talking, there was a little bar posted in the far right corner of the large room where adults were also drinking and mingling, and others were standing around the ballroom talking and mingling as well. There was also two large spiral staircases leading down from the top floor to the ballroom area. Bruce had staircases just like that I’m his ballroom too, except it was a bit more grand, but you loved this one just the same. It was much more crowded than you thought it would be.

On shaky legs you made your way over to the bar. These heels looked nice, but they were truly little devils. It was your first time walking in them and you were sure you looked ridiculous, but you were actually doing rather well. You tried not to kill yourself, and cause a scene in the process with each step you took over to the surprisingly large bar.

You had been there for around thirty minutes, and Harry was nowhere to be seen. You felt out of place among all these people. Older people with good jobs, lots of money, established places in society. You weren’t that far off, it’s just that you got a lot of stares from being so young, and you were alone. You took a deep breath, sat down in one of the stools a couple seats down from where a couple was drinking and laughing, and quietly ordered an apple juice in a wine glass. That way you would at least maybe look a little more like you belonged here.

The bartender was a female, around early forties who gave you a small smile as she poured your juice into the cup on the down low. You smiled back at her. She had red hair curled up to her chin, and slight wrinkles along her face. She was plump and a little short. She grinned. “Nice choice.” You crossed one leg over the other on the small stool you sat at. “Thank you,” You replied with a giggle. “It’s one of my favorites.” She was about to say something else to you when she was called over politely by an older male at the other end of the bar.

She walked over to him and took his order, leaving you alone again just like that. You had sighed and looked down, feeling all the nervousness and anxiety rush back again. Where was Harry? He was the one who invited you here in the first place, one of the main reasons why you came, and now he was nowhere to be found? He was thirty-five minutes past being ‘fashionably late.’ Your dark brown eyes scanned the room looking for him, but to no avail. You were becoming increasingly frustrated about it. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. You swirled the drink in your wine glass around before you topped it back and finished the whole thing in just two gulps.

“Easy there.” You heard a voice say. You turned your head ti the side to see a beautiful, goddess-looking women sitting beside you. She looks to be in her early/mid thirties. Wow…she’s insanely gorgeous. She has long jet black hair curled flawlessly. Her face is soft, but sharp around the edges, showing maturity. Dark eyes, but the way the ceiling chandelier and the little lights installed in the roof of the bar hits them makes them able to be recognized as a dark honey color. Thick eyebrows arched, lips full and defined perfectly, and coated with the perfect shade of bright red. Her skin is tan, and her accent is incredibly hard to place, but her voice is smooth and mature.

At your confused and mildly shocked look she just smiles softly and holds her hand out. Her nails are perfectly manicured red to match her lips, and the knee length red bodycon dress she wore, contrasting your dainty hands with shiny black polish. “Diana Prince, museum curator.” She smiled, as your dainty hand shook hers. You weren’t sure why, but you couldn’t keep your composure, (surprising right?), and you immediately blurred out, “L-Lana Lang, high school senior.” she laughed at the last part of your sentence. “You seem nervous.” She states matter of factly, and the sheer amount of woman confidence and power that radiated off of her made you even more nervous but you admired it.

“I am,” you admitted truthfully. “I was invited here by an…acquaintance, but he’s nowhere to be found, and this isn’t really my kind of scene and…I feel tremendously out of place.” You said, hanging your head with a sigh. “Is it that obvious, though?” You asked, and she smiled reassuringly. “Only if you’ve felt that way yourself before.” She says and you smile back at her, your spirits lifting a little. You sigh exaggeratedly and wipe a drop of fake sweat away from your brow. “Good.” She laughs again, and the nice bartender is back. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.” Diana tells the bartender, and nods her head towards you so she knew what you meant. The bartender laughs a little and nods. “You got it.”

When she hands Diana her drink, she takes a sip and arches an eyebrow at you, giving you a playful look making you snort and laugh a little. “I’m not old enough to drink…and I wanted to feel in place.” Diana smiled but scoffed a little making you give her a questioning look. She shook her head at you. “Why do you do that?” She asked, and you frowned in confusion. “Do what?” She sat a little straighter in her stool, if that wears even possible because you noted from the beginning that her posture was impeccable. “Act so unsure of yourself. I noticed you earlier, and you seemed so nervous and anxious. So uncomfortable in your own skin. You’re beautiful, funny, and you seem kinder and more good-hearted than anybody else here. That alone should be more than enough to make you tremendously confident in yourself. You ought to walk with your head held high.” She said, raising her perfectly arched eyebrow at you again and her words shocked you. She really thought that of you?

You had only just met her a couple minutes ago, and already she was praising your beauty and qualities and you accidentally wondered aloud how she could tell all of that from you already, to which she replied with, “I can feel it.” It perplexed you, but it brought a smile to your face. “I-wow…um, thank you. Nobody’s ever told me anything like that before. I think you’re beautiful too…you’ve got this aura of confidence and it’s…envious.” She smiled at you like she had known you forever. “Don’t be envious. You have it inside of you as well.” She stood up from her seat and grabbed her ‘wine.’ “It was lovely talking to you, Lana, but I must be going. And I think your acquaintance is looking for you. Remember what I said, won’t you?” She shook your hand again, and began walking to a small group on the other side of the room.

You nodded, still a little stunned, and turned to see Harry coming down the stairs and entering the ballroom. He was already looking at you when you turned around and met eyes with him. His eyes seemed to light up when you finally noticed him. He began making his way towards you, but he was stopped by quite a few people on the way. He plastered on a handsome smile and talked with them each until he was finally able to greet you at the bar. You stood up when he reached you.

His voice was smooth, with just a little bit of raspiness. “Hi, kitten. Miss me?” You had no idea how a man you just met was able to make you that weak in the knees with just four words and a smile. At the moment you were caught between your feelings that were at war. The half of you that wanted to schoolgirl and kick your feet and shyly stutter out a response, or the bolder you that wanted to place your hands on your hips, raise an eyebrow, and ask him just what was the point of inviting you here and then making you wait an hour for him to show up to his own ‘party.’ You settled for the latter, after remembering Diana’s words.

You stood up straight and arched your brow, giving him an unimpressed look. He looked down sheepishly but he still seemed to have such an air of arrogance around him. “Okay, I’m sorry, I got caught up with last minute business stuff and it couldn’t wait.” He said, giving you an award winning smile like that would instantly make you forgive him. And you hated how it did.

You sighed and nodded and he took a step back from you to run his eyes up and down your body, and he whistled before his eyes met yours again. “I knew you’d look incredible in this stuff…” and you hate the way that you blush and avert your gaze like a schoolgirl. He “tsks” and takes your chin in his thumb and forefinger and makes you look into his striking emerald eyes. “Look at me, yeah kitten? Lemme see those eyes.” *and the shocked gasp that come from your throat makes him smirk a little as he releases your chin and praises you when you keep your eyes on him. “Good girl.” He mutters, his eyes trained on your lips.

You were sure that you had serious daddy issues that manifested somewhere during the time you had met Bruce. Not having a great father figure in your life instantly gave you them and they were bad. The way he praised you and how you found yourself practically willing to do anything on the inside to hear more of it, after only knowing him for such a short amount of time confirmed your suspicions.

He wasn’t even that much older than you either, only around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, maybe it was the idea that he was older even by a little. Maybe it was the idea that he was running his own business and throwing fundraisers and charity events and galas and balls. You weren’t sure but you were hopelessly attracted to it.

Harry had noticed from the first time he met you how adorably shy and weak you got when he called you nicknames, so he took it a step further here, and he was more than please with the results. When he got home from meeting you, the first thing he did was look you up and see if he could get anything on you. You had zero social media presence of your own, but you had a google page and there were countless photos of you with your other siblings at charity events, balls, galas, and fundraisers. Some at different places, and some of you at Wayne Manor. He also looked up all of your siblings to learn what he could about them. He found himself growing more and more infatuated with you since he met you last week.

He couldn’t wait to see you again, and he was pissed when his assistant had apologetically dumped more paperwork on him, telling him it had to be finished before he went downstairs. He wanted so badly to see if you had showed up. And you had, looking ethereal, no less.

He watched your hazy eyes snap back into focus as you remembered where you were and looked around to see if anybody had seen that, but it didn’t look as though anyone had. Everyone too caught up laughing and mingling amongst themselves to notice you with Harry. You took two steps back from him and smiled. “Hi Harry.” “Hi, kitten.” He repeated making you nudge his side harshly. “Shh! My name is Lana—“you didn’t seem to mind when I was calling you that before.” He chuckled with that same mischievous fire dancing in his eyes again. You weren’t sure just how badly you were going to get burned if you got too close, but if he kept being this alluring, you were going to have to find out.

“I’m glad you showed up after all. Wasn’t sure if you were gonna come.” He said as he looked to you. “I decided what the hell. Has nothing else to do, so I figured I’d entertain you for a bit.” You giggled, teasing him, but he just grinned a little. “Oh yeah?” “Mhm. Yeah.” You said, not taking your eyes off of his. He stepped closer to you and you waited for him to get close enough. What he deemed close enough, and suddenly you were grateful you had decided to sit in the back of the bar on the far side, secluded from prying eyes.

His wolfish grin never stopped even as he slowly wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you close into him. Like he was testing the waters, and giving you time to pull away. You never did. And it made his heart swell, surprisingly so. Nobody had ever made him feel the way you did. And he was obsessed with it.

You braced your hands against his chest. He wore a black three piece suit and tie with a white shirt and the classic black shoes. “He looked good in a suit.” You thought. “How’s your side?” He murmured lowly, his cool breath fanning your face as he spoke. Your eyes still locked onto each others. “It’s fine.” He eyes your own eyes suspiciously. “Yeah?” He asks, still in that low tone and it’s absolutely killing you. “Yeah.” You mumble. He hums, as if in deep thought, his eyes still never leaving yours. “You sure? Cuz I could take you upstairs and we could have a look at it, make sure it isn’t bruised or anything. And then maybe I could give you something as an apology for hitting you. How’s that sound, kitten?” The way he says it is so unabashedly suggestive and in no way subtle and you’re really grateful that you’re in a more secluded spot. You giggled softly. “I thought you said inviting me here was an apology for that?” You asked, and he frowned before nodding like he did remember saying that. “Well, think of this as a second one. So what do you say?”

You stopped and truly considered it for a moment. The offer was so incredibly tempting and sweet, but there were a few factors that came into play regarding your answer.

One, Harry had literally just gotten down here to his own event, and while you didn’t doubt that he had probably ditched more than enough times, considering the way he was so ready to take you upstairs without a second thought, you knew it probably wouldn’t look good.

Two, you didn’t really see how you two could just escape upstairs without anyone seeing you and you didn’t need a headline in the paper, titled, “Bruce Wayne’s adoptive daughter Lana Lang, and Harry Osborn, now head of OsCorp seen going upstairs together at charity event.” Just really wasn’t the kind of attention you wanted to attract.

Three, you weren’t really too sure about Harry. Of course you were embarrassingly wrapped around his finger, but you were very smart and intelligent. You didn’t know Harry well enough to go upstairs with him, and while people had one night stands just like this all the time, you weren’t ready.

Four, related to reason number three, you were also a virgin, and you were positive you weren’t ready for that to change just yet.

You sighed a little and gave Harry a soft smile. He still patiently awaited your answer and had busied himself with taking in deep breaths of the perfume you had decided to wear tonight. A roses and wine scent that you had put on. It was far from what you usually wore which was more milder, softer, sweeter scents, but you wanted something a little more…adult today.

“Maybe another time, tiger.” You said, as he was leaning in probably to begin pressing losses against your neck, but he stopped when he hears your words. He gave you a little smile to let you know that it was no problem. “Alright…alright. God, you make me crazy, you know that?” He asked, like he was trying so hard to restrain himself. He took a step back from you and already you were missing the warmth of his arms wrapped around your waist. “Do I?” He just stared at you like this was basic common knowledge. Like this was something you should already know. He gave you a curt nod and took your hand, placing a kiss on it, as he steered you towards the crowd to mingle.

No matter how much Harry wanted nothing more than to whisk you upstairs and fuck you into his bed until you were seeing stars, he knew he had to take it slow with you. You two had only met a little while ago after all, and you might not be as infatuated with him as he was with you yet. That was okay. He would make sure that you were soon.

After around two and a half hours of mingling around, talking with people, and raising awareness about the situation. The reason you were there in the first place you were both mentally and physically exhausted. Harry was steering you outside by the small of your back. You two had also gotten closer during the night and he invited you on a coffee date sometime next week, to which you had accepted.

You felt as though you really had made a difference. At the end of the night, a little before Harry had taken you outside, the number of money that would be put into renovating orphanages, and getting better care for the children there was a surprisingly high amount.

You’d had to tell your ‘story’ to lots of people there, explaining what happened to your parents during your childhood and how you ended up with Bruce now. Lots of people were inspired and put in even more money. A lot of them really weren’t as snobby and stuck-up as you expected them to be, however you did run into a couple of assholes like that. One of the people you spoke to regarding your life experience was Diana, and when you told her who your parents were she didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. When you asked her why not she explained that she had known your parents, specifically your mother and they were rather good friends before she passed.

She said that she had worked in your mothers company as her secretary and right hand woman until she got a new job, and that’s when she became a museum curator because she had a love for history and historical art. All this information shocked you very much and you asked her why she hadn’t told you earlier. She explained that she hadn’t truly recognized you until she started talking with you, and she realized you looked familiar but when you said your name, it confirmed her earlier suspicions that you were Eleanor’s daughter. She said she was planning to tell you all this but when she saw Harry looking for you, she decided she’d come find you later before you left. Which she did. She caught you when Harry was without you, talking to someone else.

You were very shocked and you asked her so many questions about your parents. She wasn’t able to answer many about your father, other than what your mother had told her in passing, because she hadn’t ever met your father directly before. But she said that when your mother talked about your father, she was beaming. Like she had been married to her soulmate. Hearing that made your heart melt.

She told you how strong, brave, independent, bold, fiery, and confident your mother was. But how she also had the capacity to be soft, and caring, and kind, and loving and compassionate and gentle. She was beloved by many of the women who worked in her industry and many were saddened when she left. How she lit up any room wherever she went and brought smiles to people’s faces, but how she could also make any who unjustly opposed her cower in fear. She said your mother was very shy, a sweet wallflower before the two met in college and how Diana had helped her grow out of her shell into the girl boss she was up until her death.

Diana explained how she didn’t even know that your mother had a baby. Since you were orphaned when you were a baby, Diana had been living in another part of the world for a short time, excavating something for her new job, and when she returned and heard the news, she was devastated. Diana and your mother kept in contact and frequently spoke just as often as they did before, even with Diana having a new job and moving away for a short period of time.

She seemed to feel so guilty about the fact that you were in such a terrible orphanage for eight years, and trust maybe she could’ve done something about it, having known your mother so well, and been employed under her. You asked Diana why, instead of your parents writing it down that you should go with Bruce, seeing as all your other family was either supposedly dead or unable to take you in, instead of perhaps going with Diana when your mother knew her so much better than she knew Bruce. You had always thought it odd, knowing that your parents were good surface friends with Bruce but not much more than that. You always chalked it up to you having nobody else besides him to go to…but now you knew about Diana. So why didn’t your mother send you with her? Life might’ve been so much less lonely and cold being with her.

Diana told you that her and your mother trusted each other a lot, but if there was one thing your mom was, it was selfless. She was stubborn in that kind of endearing way, Diana had said. She probably viewed it as saddling me with you when you were such a young age and my job allowed me to travel all over the world, but seeing as Bru—Mr. Wayne, (she had corrected herself, which you thought was strange but you brushed it off as her wanting to be polite especially since he was your “father.”) already had kids at the time. She said and it made sense.

However, Diana was quick to assure you that she would’ve loved to have you as her adoptive daughter no matter what. She said, it would’ve been a lively experience for the both of us, I hope. And that was something you truly believed. You and Diana ended up exchanging numbers, and she told you that you could talk to her about anything at all, any time at all. Knowing you had another friend made you happy. Maybe Diana could fill the hole in your heart with stories to your mother and her. Just maybe.

Anyways, as said before, Harry was steering you outside by the small of your back, but when you shivered against the cool early-spring air he frowned. “You didn’t bring a jacket?,” he asked, “Dammit, I should’ve bought you one as well.” You cut him off by shaking your head and smiling. “It’s fine, I’m fine. I actually had a lot of fun tonight.” Harry have you a genuine smile at that, and then it turned into his signature arrogant smirk. He took off his suit jacket and placed it around your arms. “For the ride home. G’night kitten.” He said, and debated leaning in for a kiss, but decided against it. He just sort of squeezed the small of your waist before heading off back inside.

When you got home that night you were practically breathless. You weren’t really sure if your plan would go as planned in the beginning. If you would actually make a difference, but so many people there seemed so moved by what you had to say, and easily gave three times the moment they would’ve in the beginning just from you talking to them. It felt so good to do some to ing like that at your age. You were already helping people but you felt like you could do more. You thought about what it would be like to be a vigilante like the rest of your family. You had your heart set on that as well, and you were sure going to make that happen. But you did need a plan for that first. You couldn’t well just make a suit and go out fighting crime with no training. You weren’t fighting or killing machines like your siblings were, so you would need to train for a long time before you’d be ready for any of that. But that was later to come.

Right now you were just in bed and fangirling. So incredibly excited about what had happened today. So many new relationships has blossomed. You were surprised that so much could happen in just one night. Raising that much money, making connections with wealthy, powerful people, finding the truth about Diana and your mother, and you and Harry.

Harry. You thought about him a lot lately too. You wondered if what you two had might blossom into more, and maybe even love if you two continued to spend time together. You wanted something like what your parents have. How Diane a spoke about the way your mother talked about your father.

You wanted to be able to talk about someone like that, and in turn they talk about you the same way. You wanted to feel true love so badly that it hurt you. When you were old enough to learn about your parents and why you were with Bruce, you learned also that your parents were found the next day when someone took the w highway and called the police because of the broken rail. You learned that your parents both drowned in the car together, but that they were found holding hands over the glove compartment. They had accepted their fate, but they still loved each other so much, that even in death they were together. You wanted something like that. A relationship like that. You wanted to die for someone and someone who would die for you.

Be careful what you wish for.

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abilouwrites · 6 months ago

Text

MISERY AND HER THREE FRIENDS

Ooc Shoto?? I haven’t written in foreva

My friends and I have become no stranger to death, to the limbo between death and life. The strange uncomfortable standing at a funeral. I’ve become comfortable in that strange position. I’ve grown to loathe love, the human need to from an attachment to someone. Something.

I’m standing at my best friends funeral, “Erika was, my best friend. An amazing hero. I’ve known her my entire life.. we lived together, and” I sigh, fighting back tears as I shakily exhale, “y’know I’m gonna miss her so much..” I hastily exit, trying to cover my face and avoid looking at the closed casket as photos are snapped left and right. Pictures of what would’ve been an amazing hero, taken out so young. Photographs of hero’s attending the ceremony.

“Your speech” someone approaches me as the mass of people dispersed, “you and Ignite were close” he doesn’t refer to Erika by her name. I’m not surprised, most people didn’t know her as Erika. Only her hero name, by the sharp precise flames that shoot from her palms. Gifting her the name. Ignite.

Misery has taken my last friend, and I will await for when she takes me, “yes” I respond, I find Shoto behind me. He places a hand on my shoulder. A reach to comfort me, “I uh grew up with her, we had a little group. The four of us, throughout everything. I even went to UA with her..”

I see his eyebrow quirk and quickly add on, “the business corse” I smile a little, memories of chasing the halls and watching her battle.

“Oh. You said you had three other friends.. are they here or”

I shake my head, “Amelia passed two years ago, and Suki three” he frowns, “it’s sad but. I think I’ve come to terms with it”

“I’m sorry anyways, if it’s uh” he looks a little nervous and pushes his hair out of his face. Pulled up for a formal event, “not inappropriate. And you don’t have a partner I’d like to take you for coffee”

I find myself agreeing to coffee. To walking down the street in my black dress and his black shirt, “thank you again” I push my hair out of my face and over my shoulder.

And somehow, like magic I find myself. A year later hopelessly in love with him. His head on my lap, my hands combing through his freshly cut hair, “I think I’m in love with you” he murmurs against the plush of my legs. A soft kiss against the scar on my knee. It hurts my heart, brings a fear to my core. Shakes me. Because I’m supposed to die. All of my friends have, and what stops death from coming for me next? Reuniting me with misery once again.

“I love you too” I murmur, massaging his scalp. Touching him slowly and gently. In a way that will comfort us both, soothe him, “was work good?”

He simply nods, and I’m scared. Terrified I won’t have this ever again. It’s an awareness that looms over me, haunts over my shoulder.

“Yes, the clients are paying which is always good”

“Should we get married?” He asks. I freeze, because I want too. I want to marry him, I want everything with him. But I’m so scared I’ll leave him just as my friends have left their partners.

Selfishly I want too. I want to marry him, even if I’m going to die before thirty. I can’t describe this feeling, a dread that I can’t stop.

“Ok” Those words feel like a death sentence, Suki passed just after her engagement became public to us, and her parents. We die as soon as we find love and affection in someone else. But now, there’s no one left. I’m no longer able to follow my solitude in Erika.

I thought I was ready, I expected it. I never knew when it would happen, I just hoped I wouldn’t have any strings attached and now.. now I have the strongest of strings attached to me. I’ve found someone to love me. And I love him back, I don’t want him to be where I was a year ago.

“What happens if I die?” I ask, looking over at the flowers he’d brought me yesterday.

“I promise to find you in every lifetime”

#louiseabilenewrites #shoto todoroki x reader #shoto todoroki #todoroki shoto x reader #shoto x reader #mha shoto #my hero x reader #my hero acedamia #Shoto Todoroki agnst #my hero fanfic #short story #Shoto Todoroki fic #shouto todoroki x reader #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki x reader #shouto todoroki

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adaptacy · 1 year ago

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A Found Flame {Pt.13}

Pairing: Mentor!Gale Dekarios x Apprentice!GN!Reader

(Previous Chapter) - (Next Chapter) ➔ (AO3)

Word Count: 4.6k

After nudging a small roll of bandages towards you, Tara lays down by your side, her chin resting on your thigh, tail swishing with a mix of irritation and concern. You accept the assistance, unrolling the bandages and beginning to wrap your neck, wincing at the uncomfortable stinging of the two small holes on the left of your throat. One of Tara’s paws lifts to lay on your thigh as well, and her head turns, scanning the area for fear of your attacker making a second attempt.

“We need to find Gale immediately. I don’t– Had I known the area would be so dangerous, I would’ve brought more protective clothing. I should’ve had the dagger with me. Gods, vampires… I never would have imagined I’d run into one. Let alone be attacked by one,” you sigh, bringing the strip of bandage to your teeth and biting into it, ripping the fabric and setting the roll back down, tucking the torn end into the wrap around your neck. Your hand runs over Tara’s head, petting her to show your appreciation. “Thank you. You probably saved my life.”

“The bastard needed a good clawing. Ought to teach him a lesson, make him think twice before attacking innocents in the woods! What a fool. I hope I gifted him a scar or two,” she hisses, tail thrashing and puffing up as she recalls her defense of you. Then she settles, her ears pressing back against her head as she looks up at you, then visually inspects your bandaged neck. “Are you alright?”

“I will be. He didn’t take much blood, thanks to you. It stings, but it’ll heal in time,” you reply, your thumb brushing her head once more before you return the bandage to your adventuring pack, scooting it closer to yourself so that you have a better chance of retrieving your dagger should anything, vampires or otherwise, choose to strike. “You said Gale should be somewhere nearby, right?”

“Indeed. Fortunately for us, he’s not the quickest-moving adventurer to roam, so we have a good chance of catching up to him rather quickly, so long as we are precise and efficient in our hunt,” she replies, backing off of your leg as you lay back down on your bedroll, pulling the thin blanket you’d packed over your body. Tara spins in a circle a few times next to you, her paws kneading at the grass before she eventually lays down, curled up with the tip of her tail resting near her face, her back against your side. “I’ll stay awake for a little while longer to ensure no pasty beasts pose you any threat.”

“Aren’t you tired?” You ask, looking over at her as her gaze continues to flick around the trees, seeing far better in the dark forest shadows than you ever could.

“Very much so. Alas, Mr. Dekarios would surely dismiss me if I let his darling apprentice be harmed in such a way. And Mr. Dekarios most certainly could not survive without me. It’s a miracle he’s made it this far,” she chuckles, her wings twitching at the thought of upsetting him. “He cares quite deeply for you, dear.”

You roll your eyes with a dismissive scoff, looking up at the starryscape above you, her words being just thought-provoking enough to draw you away from registering the subtle pain in your neck. “With only two companions to care for, it’s hardly surprising that I get a hefty portion. Compared to someone with a… larger social circle, that is.”

Tara’s wing thumps against your side as a scolding, and she huffs, rumbling out a subtle growl of disapproval. “Oh, hush. You and I both know his affections run deeper than that. He sees you as more than a mere companion,” she argues. “He’s very fond of you. Gods know he’d never admit it to himself. But a tressym always knows.”

“He is?” You can’t help but ask, finding a small smile spreading over your mouth, as embarrassing as the sensation is. You don’t really see it, but Tara knows him better. Any interactions you’d had with him were perfectly innocent, and not romantic in the slightest. Just normal, unassuming conversations and whatnot. The sorts of discussions and time spent together that was completely expected from a mentor-apprentice relationship.

Things like studying, and learning, and… stargazing. Errand-running, tidying, dozing off on his arm in front of a warm fire. Nothing that should arouse any sort of suspicion, or pining. Tara’s head nods, and she replies with a gentle “Oh, naturally. You ought to see the way he writes about you.”

Your head lifts at the expense of your comfort, eyes narrowed at the familiar. “He Writes about me?” You question, mind immediately drifting to that gods forsaken book you’d read in his room, a subject you still aren’t entirely sure of your opinion on.

“Yes, in letters to his mother. He speaks so highly of you, mighty proud of your progress. Both as his apprentice and as his friend,” she clarifies, allowing you to breathe a quiet huff of relief. “I must ask, dear, is the fondness mutual?”

“I respect him a lot, as my mentor, and just… as such an accomplished wizard,” you praise, but Tara eyes you closely, urging you to answer more directly. You lay back down, looking up at the stars for guidance once more. “I think what we have is nice. I don’t want to lose that.”

“Fools, the both of you,” she scolds.

“Tara…” You groan, closing your eyes to try and steady yourself, not entirely understanding why she’s being so insistent.

“No, no, I understand. Truly, I do. Mr. Dekarios fears his own mortality too intensely to dabble in his feelings. You fear his rejection. Both of you fear losing one another. Mr. Dekarios runs from any reminder of his all-too-mortal body, emotions included. And you, dear, run from the threat of change,” she elaborates, her tone entirely self-assured, as if she knows you better than you know yourself.

It irritates you. With a frown, you pinch the bridge of your nose and turn onto your side, your back to her. “Gale has been perfectly clear in his disinterest in romantics. And don’t act like you understand my fears – or even understand me. You hardly know me, Tara.”

“Ah, but a tressym always knows. Do as you please. Keep running. When your paws ache and your lungs are empty, it will be Mr. Dekarios who catches you. And then we shall see just what you were running from,” she tuts, her confidence still irking you, but you stay quiet this time. You need rest, so you figure it’s easier if you let her get away with her unreasonable fantasies. Entirely unreasonable.

– – –

Waking up granted him one, all-consuming, far-too-powerful feeling; Pain.

Pain in his legs, his arms, his gut, and most uncomfortably, his head. Soreness from the exercise of the past few days had truly taken its toll on his muscles, and last night’s celebration served a hellish punishment on the parts of his body not already burdened by the exhaustion. He’d had the strangest of dreams last night; visited by some otherworldly spirit, the exact details a blur he hadn’t yet recalled, humming a tale about something-or-other concerning the parasite, but frankly he’d been far too drunk when he’d gone to bed, and he struggled to grasp the particulars.

That’s likely all it was – side-effects of his state mixed with his stress, granting him strange visions to join his raging headache. A hangover most unpleasant.

It seemed the consensus was the same for everyone else in camp. Lae’zel hadn’t indulged much, or perhaps had a complete immunity to the effects of a morning after drinking, but the other two bore their own wine-induced scars.

Astarion more literally than Shadowheart, oddly enough. Shadowheart knelt by the river, fighting off her nausea in the only way she knew how – throwing up last night’s regrets, and Gale would probably join her quite soon, but he was a little more intrigued by the strange scratches spanning over Astarion’s nose and cheeks.

“Encounter a feral cat in your sleep?” He asks, and Astarion gives a quick, unhappy glare towards the wizard, but he’s far from threatened by him.

“Took a walk last night. I’m not the most nimble drunkard – tripped over an inconveniently-placed log, where a patch of bramble awaited me,” Astarion replies, tapping his fingers to the dried cuts, checking for any leaking blood. “Merely an unpleasant coincidence, darling. We have larger things to worry about.” He motions with his head towards Halsin, who’s standing a few yards away, buckling the leather straps on his large upper arms.

“Do those serve any real purpose?” Gale wonders aloud, and Astarion chuckles, shaking his head.

“Doubtful. I expect they’re just for looks. As if those muscles weren’t distracting enough,” he teases in return. Gale cracks a small smile, bringing himself to his feet and running a hand through his hair, doing his best to neaten it, even if the change is quite minor. Once he’s vertical, he feels the lingering wine bubble up in his throat, and quickly excuses himself, rushing to join Shadowheart in her purge.

After a few minutes, once they’re positive that they’re ready to proceed, Gale reaches out a hand and helps the cleric to her feet, granting her a reassuring smile. Shadowheart dips her head in appreciation, straightening her headpiece and clearing her throat, deciding to make small talk. “Next time we host, we ought to have someone guarding the reserves. Had anything happened last night, none of us would have been in a proper enough state for defense.”

“Couldn’t agree more. Though Lae’zel seemed well-off enough,” he replies, looking over at where the Githyanki puts on the heavier pieces of her armor, wiping them free of any dirt.

Shadowheart scoffs quietly, raising an eyebrow at Gale. “I’d sooner label her the very enemy we need defense from, than to imply she’d be the defender. I’m rather surprised none of us found ourselves with a dagger to our throats in the middle of the night. Hesitate when trusting her, Gale. She’s yet to show her true colors,” Shadowheart hums, her defensive pride showing through in her tone, and Gale replies with a frown.

“She hasn’t tried to kill us yet. So long as these parasites are in our heads, I take it she’s on our side. She’s a solid warrior, and one we are lucky to have fighting for us,” he attempts to defend, but Shadowheart isn’t so quick to agree.

“I fear it’s the parasites that make us her enemy. Githyanki aren’t prone to very efficient logical reasoning. They have a sworn rival, and as long as we have these mind flayer spawn with us, we are but an incubating version of those very rivals. Just don’t be too surprised if she decides to attack someday soon.” She, too, looks over at Lae’zel now, her expression one of hardly-muted disgust.

“I assume you’re not too keen on seeking out the crèche she speaks of, then?” Gale hums, taking a few steps back towards the unlit campfire. He spots Astarion talking to Halsin as the druid checks over his own armor.

“I’m desperate enough for a cure that I’m willing to try our hand at any possibility. Do I trust that we’ll be saved there? Hardly. More likely, our heads will be stuffed onto spikes for a gruesome display. But our selection of options are thinning by the day, so I don’t see much other choice than to make an attempt,” she responds, taking an extra second before she follows Gale’s steps, her focus still mostly on the githyanki she spoke of. “I suppose you have… some kind of a point. For all of her flaws, she is quite efficient in battle.”

Gale chuckles, nudging the half-elf with a certain playfulness in his movements. “Ah, see? You’re warming up to her. I’m sure the two of you will be gossiping over tea before long,” he teases.

Shadowheart’s eyebrows raise in disagreement, and she gives the slightest shake of her head. “Let’s… not get ahead of ourselves. I merely tolerate her. Nothing less, and most definitely nothing more.” She stops walking alongside him, motioning loosely towards her tent. “Pleasure… purging with you, Gale. I’m going to excuse myself before I get distracted. I’m sure the journey today will leave room for plenty more small talk.”

“We shall see,” he agrees, dipping his head as she turns and heads back to her tent to prepare for whatever the day may bring. Gale contemplates returning to his own tent to dress in more battle-ready clothing, but he notices a sudden flash of concern over Halsin’s face, and decides to investigate.

“Oh, you caught me,” Astarion concedes, his tone a little too dramatic to be genuine, but Halsin seems too worried to notice. “The truth is a little less kind to my reputation. I don’t remember specifics, exactly, just that I somehow found myself facing off against a rather angry red squirrel,” he sighs, keeping his voice barely above a whisper, as if attempting to keep the conversation private.

“Ah, worry not about your reputation, Astarion. Nature sees the best and worst of us. It’s no surprise – some creatures are quite territorial around these parts. Especially with the approaching mating season. I won’t judge your drunken quarrel with a squirrel,” Halsin comforts, and Astarion seems a little confused for a moment, especially as Halsin places a hand on his shoulder, but he eventually snaps out of it.

“I was hoping you could repair what damage those little claws dealt. Not much one for battle scars. More your style – and well-so. If it isn’t too much trouble, of course…” The pale elf puts up a mock pout, and Gale smiles to himself, deciding the conversation no longer warrants his eavesdropping. As he turns his aim back to his own tent, he hears Halsin murmuring a healing spell of some sort, obliging Astarion’s request.

Gale steps inside of his tent, one that he purchased from a vendor at the grove, much like the rest of them did. It’s small, but adequate enough – and purple, no less. He’s not one to complain, especially not with the situation they’re in. Sifting through a small adventurer’s pack, he removes the purple robe he’d been wearing when the abduction occurred, and zips up the entrance as he changes.

There’s no telling what the day holds in store for them. New companions, new battles, new discoveries galore – Gale doesn’t have a single clue. All he can do is hope they manage to take one step closer to a cure.

– – –

“She looks… injured?” You whisper, narrowing your eyes at the blurry figure of a red, faintly humanoid-esque shape in the distance. You can’t see much, as you’re quite far back, but she seems to be hunched over, and you hear what sounds like pained groaning, but you’re not entirely sure.

“And positively dangerous,” Tara hisses, her tail stiffened in the air as she pulls back, claws unsheathed and ready to strike. “You must be mad to think of approaching her!”

“Tara, what if she’s seen Gale? We should investigate. Worst case scenario, we’ll just make a run for it. We should at least get a little closer,” you whisper, sneaking forward, seeing that the figure is on a small ledge across the river, a fallen log acting as a bridge between the side that you stood on now, and her side.

“My– Has he taught you no self-preservation?!” Tara yowls, though she too keeps that yowl down to a whisper, and you hush her, earning a scoff of disbelief from the tressym.

As you near her, you see that she is, indeed, slightly hunched over, with her arms folded over her abdomen. She’s a tiefling, which you could have assumed from the redness of her skin, though she only bears one, curved horn. The groans are certainly uncomfortable ones, but not quite pained – more so just burdened. Even as you near her, she’s too preoccupied to notice your approach.

“I do believe the woman is on fire,” Tara remarks, though quickly silences herself as you take another step, now standing on the opposite end of the log from her.

“Are you okay?” You call out, and immediately her head lifts, locking eyes with you.

“Hells, not another one – Stay back!” She yells, and you furrow your brows, not understanding. You aren’t sure if it’s a warning or a threat that her words carry, and you’re not given a chance to decipher the exact connotation before her expression softens, immediately killing any fear of her. “Shit. You’re not one of them, are you?”

You step closer, much to the dismay of the tressym at your heel, who’s tail is now swishing back and forth with an ever-intensifying defensiveness. The woman takes a small step back, and you immediately take notice of flames carried on her shoulders. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that the flames were originating from her, but that’s surely impossible, right…? “Not one of who?” You ask, head tilting as you take yet another step, now standing on the log.

“Those damned fake paladins,” she replies, groaning for a moment, and the flames around her intensify, as if sent from the hells themselves. Now that you’re even closer, it’s undeniable that the flames are originating from her – exactly how, you have no idea, but you know for a fact that your eyes don’t deceive you. “Careful, soldier, I’d keep your distance if I were you.”

“You’re on fire. Are you okay?” You ask again, and the woman chuckles at your question, the flames seeming to calm down after a few moments. She stands up fully, and whatever intimidation had faded comes back, albeit much gentler, but it returns nonetheless. She’s tall, and decidedly strong, if her build is anything to judge by. Yet, despite her intimidation factor, you don’t quite fear her. She smiles, a nervous one but still somehow optimistic, and it… somehow eases you. Maybe by means of magic? You’re not sure.

“I’ll be alright. Just got a little heated. The name’s Karlach. Well met, soldier,” she introduces and holds out a hand, though near-instantly retracts it and shakes that hand at her side, extinguishing the few flames lingering on her palm. Her attention shifts to Tara, and her grin widens, eyes following suit. Karlach places her palms on her knees and squats down, giggling at Tara as she bares her teeth and hisses again, clearly still not a fan. “Hey, kitty, kitty! Aren’t you a cute lil’ thing?”

You look down at Tara as well, watching as she inspects the woman again, backing up and taking shelter behind your ankles, suspicious of her intentions. “Nice to meet you, Karlach. This is Tara… Sorry, she’s, uh…” You glance around, and then chuckle awkwardly, rubbing the back of your neck. “Not used to being out in the wild. More of an indoor cat– ow!” You grumble as Tara’s wing roughly smacks against your leg, and you’re quick to correct yourself; “An indoor tressym, sorry.”

“Gods, she’s adorable! Never seen a cat with wings before,” she remarks, standing up once more, and Tara hisses her complaints. “Oh, right, uh– What’d you call her? Testin’? Tressym?” She corrects, and then raises a finger and waves it, her wide grin returning. “Hold it! I’ve got just the thing,” she giggles, her playfulness throwing you for a bit of a loop. You wouldn’t have expected such a friendly attitude on a woman as objectively scary as her. Karlach turns around and reaches into a leather pack, pulling out a long, silver-scaled fish and tossing it onto the bank behind you.

Tara’s eyes follow it with striking accuracy, and you notice a few dark dots littering the upper half of the fish, a mark typical of salmon. There’s no more than 4 seconds between the fish landing and Tara nearly pouncing on it, sniffing and pawing at the limp prey as if she were no less distinguished than a common housecat. You chuckle at the sight before returning your attention to Karlach, who begins cracking her knuckles as if preparing for a fight. You seriously hope she doesn’t mean to fight you.

“You asked if I was one of those ‘fake paladins’,” you remind, stepping a little closer and assuming a more casual stance, hoping to put her off of the idea of fighting you, if she had any plans to. “Who were you talking about?”

Karlach groans, stretching her interlocked arms above her head and rolling her shoulders. “Ugh. It’s a long story, scout, so I’ll save you the borin’ bits. Important part is, a bunch’a evil bastards are on my tail – hunting little ol’ me all the way from the hells,” she scowls, her shoulders dropping, and now you notice a red tail behind her, typical of tieflings, that sways in irritation. “Now, before you assume wrong, I should probably clarify that I’m not some escaped devil, or, like, some evil that they’re trying to drag back down to Avernus for good reason. Nah, it’s this bitch named Zariel sending her attack dogs after me ‘cause I hitched a ride on a nautiloid ship and got out of her enslavement,” she boasts, placing her hands on her hips and nodding.

Nautiloid – the word sounds familiar. Very, very faintly familiar, and you try to recall where you’ve heard it before. It only takes a second before you instantly remember mention of nautiloid ships piloted by mind flayers in a book about, well, mind flayers. The ships were capable of jumping between astral planes and posed quite the threat, but had become the stuff of legends in Faerûn, at least until one crashed somewhere in the Dalelands, but you don’t remember the specifics of that event.

So… either this woman was completely insane, lying to your face, or somehow, against all realms of possibility, had been kidnapped by mind flayers and dropped somewhere in Faerûn, all the way from Avernus. You weren’t particularly eager for any of those options to be true.

Shaking your head with a small scoff, you decide to question her further; “Sorry – a nautiloid? How did you… escape it? Or survive it? What happened to it?”

Karlach laughs, pointing finger-guns at you. “Aw, you’re a funny one!” She jokes, and though it takes her a few seconds, she seems to catch onto the fact that you’re being completely serious. “Oh, damn. You’re not joking? You been livin’ under a rock? Yeah, no, it was a disaster, really. Whole thing just crashed and burned. Like, literally. Pshewf.” Her hands meet in front of her chest and then explode in a mock explosion as she imitates the noise, following the description with a hearty chuckle. “Not a whole lotta survivors. Surprised it didn’t shake the earth enough to make the mountains fall. You really didn’t know?”

“I’m… not from around here. How long ago was this?” You can’t help but let your curiosity get the best of you. Even if it probably isn’t connected to whatever might be happening with Gale, you figure it’s best to explore any chance you have of following clues back to him, or solve whatever puzzle you’ve been tasked with piecing together in his wake. And, to be fair, this does seem like a pretty major event.

“Couple days ago. Like, ten, maybe? Dunno, not the best with time… Man, you picked a reaaaal bad time to take a vacation. Hate to be the one to spoil it, scout,” Karlach hisses through her teeth, cringing at her guilt. She then leans in towards you, a slight frown on her face. “Listen, I don’t wanna overwhelm you or anything, I’m sure this is a lot to take in, but those assholes are on my tail, and it’s only a matter of time before they find me coolin’ off down here. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you have, but I need you to do me a favor n’ help me throw the yappers off my scent. Or… keep ‘em from smellin’ ever again, if you catch my drift.” She giggles with a sense of mischief, and you can’t help but trust her. Maybe it’s foolish to, but she seems genuine – and she seemed to trust you pretty easily, which makes you doubt that she’d be lying about such a thing.

“I’m… not really built for fighting anyone off. Not sure I’d be of much help,” you confess, raising your shoulders in an attempt to display your apologies. “I’m not familiar with the area – like, at all – but I’m happy to try and help you escape them.”

Karlach thinks over the offer for a moment, and she looks a little disappointed that she won’t have your assistance in battle, but she ultimately nods and gives you a thumbs up. “I appreciate it – means a lot that you’re willing to help me. I wish everyone around here was as accepting as you. It’s been a while since I’ve been on the surface, so I’m afraid I’m probably not the person to ask for directions. But, hey–!” Karlach grins again, the optimism behind the expression noticeably contagious. “Would much rather be clueless together, yeah? Figure it out as we go, and all that.”

You feel a presence at your feet once more, and Tara sits on the log, eyes slightly narrowed at Karlach, but she’s no longer anywhere near defensive. The reason why is quickly explained when you notice that Karlach’s peace offering to her is nothing more than a frail, fish-shaped skeleton now. “Actually, I’m here because I’m looking for a… friend of mine. His name is Gale – he’s human, middle-aged, shoulder-length brown hair, likes to make cheesy book references…?”

She looks off to the right for a moment, a finger pressed to her chin, but soon she shakes her head, shrugging. “Not ringin’ any bells. Sorry, scout. I’m happy to help you look for him though, once we’re well off-and-away from those paladin-posin’ asses.” Karlach glances down at Tara, and she leans down again. “And before you go thinkin’ I forgot about you, I promise I’ll pay my weight in fish. Wouldn’t risk gettin’ on your bad side, kitty,” she teases, and you think about telling her that Tara is way more conscious of what’s happening than Karlach seems to think, but Tara has yet to say anything, so you refrain from breaking the illusion for the time being.

“We should get going, then. I don’t want to risk running into these hunters of yours,” you advise, and Karlach stands up again, stretching once more before grabbing her backpack and a bedroll, approaching you where you stand on the log.

“Yup, I gotcha. Any danger comes our way, just stick close to Mama K, alright?” She hums, almost singing the rhyme before laughing to herself, and you chuckle as well, nodding in agreement.

You definitely weren’t expecting to find a second companion before you found Gale, but Karlach seems more than valuable in battle, and you’re certain that she’s a way better protector than your dagger could ever be, so you’re not complaining. Not that Tara isn’t also a fine defender, but should anything stronger than a cowardly vampire pick a fight with you, you doubt that Tara would be able to do all of the heavy lifting. Definitely not the kind of heavy lifting Karlach seems like she would be capable of.

So, the three of you set off back the way you came, hoping to find safety – and, ideally, answers – as quickly as possible, and preferably without having to fight for either of them.

#bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 gale #gale x reader #gale dekarios x reader #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #karlach cliffgate #karlach bg3 #tara the tressym #astarion bg3 #halsin bg3 #shadowheart bg3 #gale bg3 x reader

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atinytokki · 1 year ago

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Mechanosis

Chapter 1: 구름 (cloud)

구름

cloud

The future looked different through a cracked glass pane. Only two people in the entirety of Gyeongseong Station knew there was a crack on the inside pane of the seven metre clock face that adorned the iconic tower, and Hongjoong was one of them.

He spent most nights alone with a view of the city far below, twinkling lights almost seeming magical through the blanket of haze that coated everything east of Incheon. And most nights, he knew better than to dream.

The past, too, had a strange new colour streaked across it, and the filter of glass clock face windows, like thin hanji mulberry paper, revealed things Hongjoong hadn’t seen five years ago. Things he couldn’t have known.

Accompanied by the constant whirring and clicking of gears, he watched rain trail down the glass with his single working eye, following a drop and tracing it with his finger until it slid off the clock face and out of view.

He had put his tinkering away an hour ago, but too many things were keeping him awake. The constant thoughts, plans, and anxiety. The rain. San’s coughing.

The pair of them worked sunrise to sunset in the Namsan metal factory every day, retreating for the night to their secret hideaway in the clock tower, and these late hours were the only moments he could steal for himself.

If Hongjoong turned to look out the eastern facing windows in the tower, he’d see the factory there; carved into the side of the mountain and constantly belching a steady stream of smoke into the surrounding forest.

It was good money— as good as pay could be these days— but it was also the culprit of San’s cough. Both of them knew it.

For now, it was mercifully raining. In a matter of weeks, it would be snowing. And when the snows came, their days would be difficult again. San always grew sicker when winter arrived.

Five years ago, Hongjoong would’ve looked forward to the snow, and the way it gathered on bare tree branches outside in his courtyard in perfect little snow walls that stood upright until he ran a mittened hand across their surface and knocked them down. Now, the snow should be a gift— freedom from the curse of ash that had befallen Hanseong— but all it did was signal the upcoming darkness and the increased chance of death.

He closed his eyes, the burned right one with more difficulty, and inhaled deeply before his thoughts could spiral, pulling his legs close to his chest. The bottom edges of each pant leg of his baji were fraying, so he picked at them mindlessly and waited for exhaustion to set in.

A mumble sounded from the direction of the sleeping mats, set in the middle of the uppermost terrace with the best view below to catch any intruder who should attempt to sneak up the stairs.

San’s sleep-talking no doubt.

“Come to bed.”

Hongjoong turned his head to the left to see him. So, the younger man was coherent after all.

He was sitting up with the blanket draped over him, hair ruffled from tossing and turning.

Hongjoong hesitated and it brought a childish pout to San’s face.

“Please? I want to snuggle.”

Watching him bat his eyelashes, Hongjoong would never have guessed San had spent nearly all of his nineteen years growing up on the streets, wondering where the next meal would come from and inventing creative ways to get by on his own.

Even around a complete stranger, his softness and innocence had always remained.

Hongjoong remembered the day he met him, on a rainy night at Mount Inwang when he opened his single eye to see the ceiling of a shrine room.

A shaman had appeared above him weeks before and softly explained that he was the sole survivor of the fire, that he had been brought to the temple in secret to hide from the new authorities, that his eye was bandaged but would likely not heal, and that he was free to go where he pleased or remain in Suseongdong Valley if he wished.

The news had been beyond devastating. His entire life had burned down around him and he had no desire to go on. He had lost everything.

The shaman’s kindness never wavered, even when he would not rise from his mat on the floor to thank her. Others came and went, their shadows moving across the floor, turning like the sun through each long and lonely day. Sometimes the surrounding sleeping mats filled with other patients, more and more growing sickly as the chill of winter moved through the mountain peaks.

“I’ve brought you supper,” a voice broke into his spiralling thoughts that evening at the moment when the smell of samgyetang reached him. “You have a neighbour for tonight, his name is San.” It was one of the monks informing Hongjoong, as if he would care, and though he didn’t turn his head to see, the noise of a boy being guided to the mat next to his went on for a few minutes after.

Some time went by in silence. How much time, Hongjoong didn’t know, but night had fallen at least an hour ago and after dozing, he was hungry, despite himself.

Turning his head all the way to the right so he could see through his left eye, he was met with the shocked face of his neighbour, cheeks full of Hongjoong’s food.

“O-Oh!” The boy choked out, hurriedly swallowing and placing the bowl back on the floor. “I didn’t realise you were awake. Your eye bandage…”

When Hongjoong didn’t reply, the boy— San— shamelessly picked up the food again before hesitating.

“You weren’t planning on eating this, right?”

Taken aback, Hongjoong blinked a few times before shaking his head in agreement. It didn’t matter if his stomach was grumbling now, he had lost his chance.

“It’s good!” The boy exclaimed through another bite as he spooned the last vegetables into his mouth, much louder than he should be considering the late hour and the other sleeping patients. “Even though it’s cold.”

With that, he flashed a dimpled smile, downed the last of the broth and set the bowl back on the floor before standing from his bed and heading for the exit.

“Wh—” Hoarse from disuse, Hongjoong’s voice didn’t reach the patient, so he sat up and called more loudly, head spinning from the sudden adjustment, and tried to recall the name, “San? San!”

The mountain, who he met in the valley.

Surprised, the boy turned, bright eyes landing on Hongjoong’s form, and cocked his head to the side like a cat. “That’s me. What is it?”

“You…” Hongjoong sighed and cleared his throat, and San moved closer to hear what he had to say. “You’re leaving already? Are you even sick or did just you come for the food?”

At this observation, San smirked and gave a half shrug before continuing on his way.

Hongjoong didn’t see him again until two days later.

Again, the boy was given the sleeping mat next to his, and again he waited until Hongjoong drifted to sleep to eat both his own meal and the food designated for Hongjoong as if it belonged to him.

“Come on, you should eat some of this,” San tutted at him, the sound of him clicking his tongue just barely audible over the wind that whipped through Suseongdong. It was the seventh night now that he had appeared and helped himself to the shamans’ cooking, occasionally starting conversations that rarely went anywhere, as if determined to heal Hongjoong with his words even while he took his food every evening. “Look at you, you’re wasting away. Why do you refuse to eat? Do you think it will bring back whatever it is you lost?”

Biting his lip anxiously, Hongjoong merely shook his head.

He was still in mourning. And he had no appetite.

A growling stomach gave him away and, frustrated, he couldn’t stop a tear from escaping.

San noticed and placed down the bowl, regarding him seriously with no trace of his usual teasing.

“Would you like a hug?”

Sighing through his nose and squeezing his eye shut, Hongjoong tried to say no, but San was too fast and it only took a moment for him to be encased in his arms, squeezed gently but reassuringly, and then released again so the other boy could finish his kimchi.

It felt… nice.

And it was the sign he needed that life would go on, whether he wanted it to at the moment or not.

The season continued on, with snows blowing in from the west, and the mysterious boy continued his occasional visits.

Hongjoong always let him eat the second bowl or dip into to his banchan, because he knew San’s hunger must be severe for him to take food from another. He needed it more than Hongjoong did, when he could survive off of luncheon and this single meal was likely the only one of the day— or week— for San.

And, as expected, San always cleaned the plate.

The day he didn’t, Hongjoong knew something was wrong.

“You’re sick this time, aren’t you?” He whispered.

He didn’t lay on his back anymore, facing the patterned ceiling and letting tears wind down the sides of his cheeks. Instead, he faced San’s bed, watching him closely with his left eye.

San frowned from where he sat by Hongjoong’s mat, cross-legged.

“I do get sick, but this—”

Interrupted by his own cough, the harsh fit went on for a moment before he nodded, fully laying on his mat this time, turned in Hongjoong’s direction.

“This is worse than usual. I think it’s that factory they’re building next to my hideout.”

“Wh-What?” Hongjoong was surprised to hear those words. A factory so close to the city was strange, when most large mills were located in the countryside.

Unless…

“It’s this new steam-powered factory,” San explained slowly in his rasp, as if it was obvious and Hongjoong should’ve known despite not leaving the shrine in weeks. “They’re popping up all over Hanseong, burning ore to heat water and run the steam through this… machinery. That’s what they call it.”

Hongjoong’s head was reeling. It was as if the world had changed overnight. In a matter of weeks, things he had only seen on paper by candlelight existed. And they were multiplying.

“How?”

“A Mr. Shin is responsible, Minister of Technological Advancement he calls himself,” San sniffed in derision, not appearing to like the man, or at least what he knew of him. “The very night he was appointed, he had the plans set in motion, workers conscripted, and new authorities established. It’s all his design.”

“No, it isn’t.”

The words escaped Hongjoong so quickly, even he was surprised.

But it was true.

He had been there when the concept of steam-powered machinery was dreamt up in a crowded kitchen while the smoke trailed up to the sky on a starry summer’s night years ago. He knew whose design it was first scribbled on corners of worn parchment, ink staining the clothes and hands of the one who made it.

San was staring at him like he’d grown a second head, and patiently waiting for the right moment to ask a question he must have been meaning to ask for a long time.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh?”

“Your name,” San whispered urgently. “What is it? Who are you?”

He seemed sincere, and the cavernous pit of loneliness inside made Hongjoong yearn for companionship, but his name was all he had left now.

Could he really give it up so easily?

“I—” Hongjoong’s mouth ran dry. He simply needed to know San’s intentions first.

“I’ve decided I like you,” San supplied soon enough. “You’re kindhearted, and I want to keep you.”

Hongjoong furrowed his brows. “But I haven’t done anything.”

“Exactly,” San smiled sweetly but with some sadness under those innocent dimples. “You let me take without question. Most others would’ve accused me of stealing.”

So San had interpreted his indifference as kindness.

“You don’t want me,” Hongjoong shook his head, trying his best to sound sure of himself. “I have nothing else to give you.”

He knew he was about to give up the last thing he did have, he could feel himself losing the inner battle.

“I just want your name for now,” San assured him softly. “And then let me give you something for a change.”

He said it was just a name, but the truth was that it was so much more. What he had experienced and what San was experiencing were both tied up in that identity and to give it away would not help San. In fact, it may condemn him.

Eyes watering embarrassingly, the half-blinded boy squirmed in place before giving up.

“I’m Kim Hongjoong. I’m fifteen years old. I’m here because the Ministry of Technological Advancement set a fire two months ago that killed my parents and burned my eye. I know it was them because it was my family who created those designs— the ones for the machines— and now that the Ministry murdered the creators and stole the research, they perverted it. In a way, due to my inability to stop them, I am the one responsible for your sickness, San.” He paused to let the truth sink in.

Hongjoong could scarcely believe it himself, but this was the new world he’d woken up to.

“Are you sure you still want me?”

___

San had not hesitated even a moment, and from that day on, the two were brothers.

A tower was under construction at Gyeongseong Station, and quickly adorned with a massive clock face, run on the interlocking mechanism conceptualised by Hongjoong’s own mother and based on the tiny test models Hongjoong’s father had constructed himself.

It was San’s hiding place when he didn’t trek up the mountain to receive medicine at the shrine. He had always been a poor orphan for as long as he could remember, but the cost of living was unbearable now, and so he taught himself how to escape the notice of the station guards, and then taught Hongjoong in turn.

They lived there together now, five years later, and worked at the nearby factory begrudgingly, knowing there were very few options to get by, no matter how much former education Hongjoong had. Machinery was the way of the world now, and if they didn’t offer themselves up to be cogs in the machine, they’d end up playing that role one way or another.

Hongjoong had his habits, San admitted, such as getting in trouble at the factory for working too slowly and staying up late at night to tinker with the strange metal pieces he sourced from who knows where, but he was already dear to San. San’s heart had made the decision for him.

And he was never more sure of his decision than during times like these, when he lay coughing until blood came up in crimson specks on his handkerchief, and the pain in his chest kept him from sleeping.

Hongjoong acquiesced to San’s pleas for cuddles, and pulled the younger boy close with the hopes of lulling him to sleep. Instead, both lay awake for a while longer, unable to escape from the crossroads they knew they were approaching the sicker San became.

“The factory hurts you,” Hongjoong sighed into San’s hair.

San didn’t answer. Tears pricked at his eyes, watering from the force of his cough and partially from the frustration.

“I don’t want you to work there anymore,” Hongjoong told him softly. He’d said as much many times before, but both of them knew there was no turning away from the factory. Not in these times.

Again, San remained silent, shaking his head resolutely but remaining securely tucked in between Hongjoong’s arms.

“Please, San,” Hongjoong whined. San had never heard him beg like this before. “You’re scaring me.”

“Hyung, you—” a coughing fit interrupted him, and the force of his cough jolted them both. Hongjoong clung on anyway. “You know I can’t quit. It’s good money.”

“But you can find somewhere better to work,” Hongjoong insisted immediately, voice dripping with desperation. No matter how many times he thought it through, the situation was unbearable. “And if the money’s so good, I can pick up extra shifts instead since I won’t be busy nursing you back to health every winter.”

But it ended the way it always did. Ultimately, San persevered as he always had.

“No.” It came out harsher than he intended it to. “I’m going and there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”

Hongjoong went quiet for just long enough that San could tell he was angry.

“I’m sorry,” He whispered, rubbing Hongjoong’s arm appreciatively. “Please, hyung, I really am. I love you.”

“Don’t say that.”

Hongjoong’s voice was softly admonishing.

A pout found San’s face again. “Why not?”

He used the words all the time, relishing in the opportunity to direct them at someone after all those years alone.

The silence stretched on between them and San tilted his head up to see tears in his hyung’s eye.

“You love too easily,” he finally answered, so quietly that San almost missed it.

He bristled at the accusation, regardless of how gently it had been delivered.

“But I mean it, Hongjoong,” San insisted, shifting to encourage the older boy to look at him. He spoke with as much conviction as he could despite the stabs of pain in his throat with every word he said. “I love you and I’m not leaving you. So you can’t leave me either.”

Hongjoong didn’t respond, but San knew he had heard him from the way he squeezed his eye shut. The right one was still covered in bandages. Whether he ever took them off to inspect the burned eye or not, San didn’t know.

San had seen from the beginning that Hongjoong didn’t think himself worthy of a second chance at family.

But family was the one thing San never had yet truly wanted. He needed to do everything in his power to secure a family for himself, one he truly loved regardless of their flaws.

“Did someone leave you behind?” He found himself conjecturing aloud. “Is that why…”

San’s words trailed off but his question hung in the air.

Hongjoong knew what he meant to ask.

Is that why you’re like this?

Another silence settled over them, not uncomfortable this time. San had tried and failed to wheedle the details out many times, but he understood the defences Hongjoong kept around his story.

He had the same walls around his own, no matter how talkative he could be about other things.

Finally, Hongjoong opened his mouth, closed it again, and then acquiesced and released a small key to the past.

“I had a brother.”

San stared at him for a moment, directly into his eye, before asking for clarification.

“Had?”

“He got out before the fire.”

San could feel Hongjoong’s shrug as it shifted their position on the floor mat. “I think my parents knew what was coming— there were whispers. They gave him the key to some of their designs and got him out of the country. I never saw him again. And it was all for naught, because the Ministry of Technological Advancement got hold of the plans anyway.”

Stunned, San worked through the information inside his own head for a moment.

“You think he’s alive?”

“I don’t know,” Hongjoong whispered. “I hope so… but he’s never returned for me. Perhaps he thinks I died in the fire, too.”

Suddenly it all made sense to San and he needed to gulp back tears at the memory it sparked inside him. He understood the fear of abandonment. He knew abandonment all too well.

“Leaving me before I leave you won’t make things any better,” San reminded him fiercely. They both knew that whether he said so or not, Hongjoong had grown attached.

That was what San was counting on.

“And besides, I’m not leaving you anyway.”

___

The wind that rustled bamboo leaves was colder than it had been last week.

Seonghwa could see the stalks swaying in the breeze from his table, and hurried to close the window and warm himself with some soybean jochi stew.

Most days, he got what he came to Ahopsan forest for; peace, quiet, and stillness.

But today the wind blew his wooden shutters open again and again, until he fetched his dopo and went outside to reinforce the latch.

The shadows on the surrounding forest floor came and went with the flickering light as it filtered through the canopy. Two layers of clouds blew quickly overhead, large puffy cumulus clouds with dark grey undersides, indicating a growing storm, and the wispy remnants of smog from Busan’s factories encroaching on his territory.

Its shape was always changing, morphing with every twist and turn as it was pushed onwards, pushed like the rest of Joseon when progress drove people away from their lives.

People like Seonghwa.

He had run as far as he was able, and still the smoke of the city chased him and interrupted his peace.

It wouldn’t be long before he needed to flee yet again.

Washing the dishes with a close watch on the sky, Seonghwa almost didn’t notice the footsteps leading up to his door.

Jolted from his reverie, he instinctively grabbed the crossbow by the entryway before bracing himself against the door, peeking through a gap in the paper cover to see who was calling in such a remote place at an hour like this.

“Hyung, it’s me,” Yeosang’s voice resonated deeply but with a light tone to it, and Seonghwa released his weapon and opened the door, shoulders still tense.

The two need not exchange words, and together they ventured into the main room and settled on the floor. Seonghwa poured his guest some tea and merely stared at his own, too anxious about the report he was waiting for to actually drink any.

“Will he get us out?”

Finally he couldn’t keep his anticipation inside anymore.

Yeosang snorted into his tea before composing himself and lowering the cup. “Seonghwa, I haven’t even spoken to him yet.”

“Right, right,” Seonghwa trailed off, wiping sweaty hands on his baji. “But you observed him these past few days?”

Yeosang rooted around in his bag for a moment before procuring a paper. “I drew this sketch when he visited the apothecary shop earlier in the week.”

Seonghwa took it promptly with both hands and gave the drawing a careful once over.

Jeong Yunho.

His cheekbones and nose were wide and striking, his mouth naturally rested in a smile, and his eyes were kind even if his face seemed tense. The clothes Yeosang had drawn him in were undoubtedly that of the yangban.

He was the son of Joseon’s foremost steam engine railway entrepreneur, and just so happened to do detective work.

Ever since he and Seonghwa had left their posts with the government, it was Yeosang’s job while he worked undercover in Hanseong to connect powerful people like Yunho to causes that weren’t exactly supported by the Ministry of Technological Advancement.

Seonghwa’s escape from Joseon was one of them.

The Jeong family were known supporters of the Ministry’s new order, but Yeosang was confident this Yunho would willingly help them if approached anyway.

“And there’s something else important,” Yeosang pulled his attention away from the illustration and related his latest report. “He came in again yesterday and brought another man with him. I recognised him from the festivals I’ve been tailing Yunho at. He’s one of the Jeong family servants— or, he was. He walks with Yunho-ssi now… as an equal.”

Seonghwa sat back slowly, deep in thought.

This was unprecedented.

That a rich nobleman would allow his servant the dress and status of a fellow noble wasn’t only unheard of, it was laughable. It was fantasy.

But if this Yunho diverged so sharply from his family’s views on servitude, there was a high chance he diverged from their views on the Ministry as well.

And that was the kind of person Seonghwa needed.

“How soon can you approach him?”

Yeosang went for another sip of tea while he thought things through.

“It wouldn’t be wise to arrange a meeting. He’s watched very closely by his father and the Ministry. Those moments in the apothecary shop are the only ones I have.”

“You must speak with him, Yeosang. If the smog has reached the forest, the machines won’t be far behind. We have to get out before they hunt us down.”

He knew he sounded desperate, but Seonghwa couldn’t help himself. If he relaxed, even for a moment, he could find himself trapped under the Ministry’s again, run over by the very steam-powered train engines he had planned and met with manufacturers for.

Biting his lip and avoiding Seonghwa’s eyes, Yeosang carefully voiced his reservations.

“Hyung, I don’t know.”

Seonghwa couldn’t help but frown. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

This was a matter of life and death, after all.

“I don’t think I should come with you,” Yeosang sighed, tension in his forehead and worry in his eyes. “There’s still work to be done here, others to help escape.”

The regret in his voice tugged at Seonghwa’s heartstrings.

He wasn’t attached, he told himself. No, he wasn’t bound to Yeosang despite fleeing the Ministry together and he wasn’t lonely in his tiny cabin while he waited for a boat ride away from this country.

But no matter how much he repeated it to himself, he knew in his heart that he couldn’t leave if Yeosang was staying.

“Oh.”

Suddenly his mouth was dry.

“Well, what do you think you’ll do here?”

An easy smile grew on Yeosang’s face, and Seonghwa found himself releasing his breath at the sight of it.

“I already see what’s happening throughout Hanseong from the apothecary shop,” he pointed out, chattering away like he only did when it was a subject he cared about immensely. “And it would be an excellent outpost to hide and then transport others who may be hunted by the new authorities for labor violations or association with the underground.”

“You’re saying… you want to become part of the underground yourself?” Seonghwa followed the logic to its natural conclusion.

Ever since the Ministry of Technological Advancement had absorbed the other main offices at the palace and instituted strict rules and insufferable working conditions, an underground network of rebellious citizens had quietly begun to form.

Seonghwa had heard whispers of them once or twice, but as far as he knew had never been involved with them.

They were a shadowy group with eyes everywhere, so it was difficult to know whether he’d encountered their members or not.

“Well,” Yeosang scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I don’t intend to join a revolution, but times are hard. So many people are barred from escaping. If I can make a difference in saving lives and making one less machine operate, I’ll gladly do so.”

Seonghwa found his eyes to be welling up and glanced away.

It wasn’t that he was sad to be sent away alone. It wasn’t even that he might be separating from a colleague he’d known since their university days. It was his pride in Yeosang, that he’d found a perfect way to serve a cause that was important to him, honestly to them both.

“Are you alright, hyung?” Yeosang sounded surprised, so Seonghwa wiped his eyes quickly and shot him a reassuring smile.

“Just happy for you,” the older admitted, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “You should consider joining me one day when it’s your turn to escape the Ministry. Any suspicious activity will put a sure target on your back, and you don’t want to end up in a factory.”

Seonghwa didn’t mean it lightly.

For years he had studied obliviously, thrilled to be a part of the technology team helping to bring Joseon to the future with better, more efficient steam-powered devices.

Until one day when he had witnessed the horror of the factories himself, had seen what his creations, untethered, could do to people.

Seonghwa bit back the memory and tasted blood on his tongue.

During his reminiscing, his colleague had packed his things and fetched his shoes.

“Yeosang, won’t you stay?” Seonghwa got to his feet suddenly, chiding himself mentally for being a bad host. “A storm is rolling in, I can bring your sleeping mats out—”

But the younger man simply shook his head with a smile and stepped outside, breathing in the slightly citrusy aroma of bamboo in late fall. It was as fresh as it had been the day he found this little hideaway and ushered Seonghwa into it.

“I hope one of these days you consider putting your skills to use,” Yeosang teased on the way out, his tone light but his words serious. “The people could use a Mechanist.”

___

A/N: Welcome to Mechanosis!! It was born from a prompt in 2022's platonic fic fest on ao3 and I'm planning on expanding and finishing it, so if you like the late Joseon period/steampunk pirate vibes or are intrigued by the story thus far, please do stick around and let me know what you think :) I may be slow to update considering my many other works and crazy schedule but hearing from readers always helps with motivation so don't forget to leave some in the comments/reblogs!

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