#I’m so happy we got to see more Tim being chaotic. he���s like the eye of the storm. calm and unassuming while commanding the chaos

[artxyra]

Can you do a continuation of my last ask (the chaos cult one) where the JL is going up against some big villain and they need a group of unpredictable people to defeat them. Cue Batman having a traumatic flashback. He just tells the others that he knows who to call and then leaves. The day of the fight they go up to Batman and ask him where are the people he called and what the plan is and Bruce just replies with "I don't know." The JL is confused and freaking out when suddenly the cult attacks.

Note: @wannajointhecrabcult, sorry your request took awhile to finished. The battle scene had me up in the air, but hey I hope you like it.  

It was rare for when the Justice League are facing a villain that they cannot face directly. They’ve been facing this villain for days, failing with each attempt due to a random interference or the villain switching up the game plan. The league of heroes was getting fed up.

“This is getting out of control.” It was Wonder Woman who throws her hand down against the table. She looks to ever one of her peers. She can feel the tension rising amongst them all.

“What can we do. He changes tactics every time we enter the field. One moment we are winning and the next we are defeated. I hate this.” Among them, murmurs of agreements follow. Everyone put in their two cents aside from Batman.

In deep thought, no one knows what the dark knight was thinking. That wasn’t an unfamiliar site though, so they all turned him.

“I have a plan.” He grunts, secretly hoping this plan doesn’t backfire on him.

Unknown to the league members, chaos has been recking the streets of Gotham and it wasn’t due to the Gotham major villains. No, it was done by his youngest son and his childhood friends. Every night is a new prank, experiment, and or challenge.

Bruce Wayne remembers the time, the Premier Chaotique invaded one of his business meetings with Tim. However, they didn’t do it in person, it was by slides. Tim had premade the business plans, in advance, and was too sleep-deprived to check the files the night before. Instead of being shown the actual presentation, everyone in the meeting was greeted with a video of Premier Chaotique pretending to be in their own meeting very similar to the one that was currently in session. Nathanial had been the presenter as Nino, Kim, and Chloe pretended to be the business partners. It was Damian and Marinette who had been making side noises in the background asking random questions interrupting Nathanial every chance they got. Of course, this got a good laugh out of the business meeting members, but a scowl from Bruce and a sigh of defeat from Tim, who was severely lacking caffeine but active.

The time after that it was prank war around the manor. It was a massive mess filled with water and paint balloons with the looming threat of turning it into a paint (or mud) ball battle. Bruce swears that if it wasn’t for Alfred keeping them in check, they (mainly Marinette and Damian) would have made it happen. This not only happened once but thrice all with different consequences and a massive cry for help. Had he known Damian would turn into a pranking teenager with the help of five others, he would have stuck with dark and stubborn Damian instead. Though he was secretly happy that his son was enjoying his teen years.

Dick and Jason tried to get into their little cult but were met with lies and deceit causing them to finally understand that Marinette is not just sunshine and rainbows but a cold-blooded prankster warrior.

Watching the Premier Chaotique wild videos, that he had bookmarked when the cult was trending, on his way back to the Batcave, Bruce can only internally sob. Post after post is filled with the latest spot and random information on what they were doing. He wouldn’t be surprised to see if that was just a cover-up to keep the GCPD off their trail.

“Please tell me that the manor is still intact,” Bruce asks, eyes close upon existing the Batcave and into one of the many halls of the manor. Alfred simply nods handing the man a towel and offers him a drink.

“Nino, Kim, Nate... I have a plan.” There went the peace as Damian makes his voice known. The Premier Chaotique enters the manor’s living room slightly exhausted but still filled with chaotic energy. Marinette and Chloe break from the group living the boys alone to plot their next escapade.

“Yo, lord dude, what do you have in mind?” Nino asks seemingly intrigued.

The three males listen closely to their leader. The plan was brilliant and chaotic. It involves surfboards, silly string, and heaps of cotton candy.

Once the Premier Chaotique cult had settled down to watch TV, it was then that Bruce makes his own plan known.

“I have a mission for you.” He states with little room for negotiation.

“What’s in it for us?” It was Chloe, the future lawyer or PR agent, asks gesturing to others, who all looks intrigued yet wary by this announcement.

Bruce sighs, whatever comes out of his mouth next could quite possibly come back and punch him in the face. “Endless amount of chaos, for if you take on this villain.”

Marinette narrows her eyes at the older man. “You mean that magician Mumbo who keeps evading you?” She counters. After a while of spending school breaks in Gotham, it didn’t take long for the Premier Chaotique (aside from Damian) to accidentally find the Batcave. They all promise to never speak of it to anyone outside of the Bat-fam or each other. Let’s just say, that was a rough day for everyone in on the secret prior to the exposure.

“Yes, Marinette.” Bruce nods as the sinking feeling of regard (or was it worry) fills his stomach. It wasn’t long before the intrigued looks turn turns into a mixture of mischievous evil. Heroes help them all if this plan ends up becoming something that was not in the favor of the league capturing this villain.

The day when the Justice League was called to apprehend their latest chaotic villain, a cold chill went down everyone’s’ spines. Unknown to everyone, Batman had unleashed an evil like no other upon them.

“With a wave of my wand, I shall disappear,” Mumbo announces.

“Batman!” Wonder Woman shouts as she takes her lasso and throws it to wrap around Mumbo. Mumbo’s eyes widen before ducking to the ground.

“Pesto!” Smoke covers the Justice Members all trying to escape. Mumbo skips over to be in front of them.

“Hey, B-man, yeah so, when is this plan of yours coming through?” Flash asks, running in place but then smoke coves him and now he’s a rabbit.

Batman doesn’t answer. He only grunts and tries to cut loose his bindings. Then an explosion happens in the background. Chaotic laughter, that wasn’t by Mumbo, fills the area. Another round of shivers goes down everyone’s spines.

Then there were lights, bright flashing lights, and an obnoxious duck honk. Vroom. A vehicle flies over their heads.

“Heck yeah, time to face the Premier Chaotique!” A voice screams to the heavens (it was Kim's). Once the car had drifted to the side, the side door slides open revealing two people in inflatable dino suits diving in the direction of Mumbo.

Mumbo barely had any time to conjure up a spell. This gave the Justice League members enough time to a safer position. For Batman, he only hopes that they don’t do overboard, but who was he kidding?

“Need a hand.” Batman looks up to see Nightwing, Red Robin, and Red Hood sitting on top of the building each holding some kind of snack.

“What are you three doing here?” He asks narrowing his eyes at his sons who smirk and gestures to the mess that is happening down below. The League members are heavily confused, but they were unsure whether to ask questions or just watch the scene unfolded.

Beats from a boombox play in the ground catching everyone’s attention.

The two dino suit wearers head butts the magician before disappearing. Mumbo produces his wand and twirls creating a smokescreen of dust particles. When the dust cleared, Mumbo was face-to-face with Damian, wearing a suit similar to Robin’s but replaced with paint splatters instead of its usual colors.

“I'm sure there's a peaceful solution here...” Mumbo starts as he pulls out a multiple color linked handkerchief turns into a lasso and sends it to wrap around Damian. Damian stands there motionless.

Just as the lasso wraps around Damian, a parachute appears over his head. The only facial expression on Damian’s face was a smirk. Within seconds, they were in a whole new world.

Mumbo not liking the gain these people had on him, summons bombs and throws them around him. The bombs hit nothing while a series of various laughter fills the area.

“Huh?” The magician is then twirled around to be faced with Marinette and Chloe both wearing a paint splatter design jumpsuit with domino masks. Marinette curtly nods her head and sends a wink to the magician. Chloe lets out a burst of chaotic laughter.

“Need a hand.” A giant hand appears feet away from the girls but as the hand makes it way over to the girls two motorcycles come slinging through the air. The girls hold out the hand to which the two riders grab hold and help them onto the back.

Mumbo dodges one of the bikes as it nearly skims his hat. He then crackles realizing that he has found a wonder opponent against his magician tactics.

“You boys and girls need to take a drink.” He states as he twirls his wand. A giant glass of water appears in the giant’s hand. Like a waterfall, the liquid pours on top of his opponents. He could hear the grunts from them as they land on the hard ground.

On the ground, Marinette glares at the magician all while keeping a knowing smirk on her lips. She could hear Damian rushing in the background grabbing the scooters and sliding them in their direction. Nino and Kim jump up and takes over their scooters and ride to attack the magician.

“Here have some flowers,” Mumbo says as he takes a boutique of flowers out of sleeves. The boutique is beeping and explodes on impact. The impacts cause the parachute to waver.

Slowly the parachute collapses. Standing on top of the hill trying to maintain the parachute form is Nathaniel who was simply struggling but one motion from Damian told him to stop.

“Well, that’s just great!” Chloe groans once she was out of the parachute gliding on her yellow scooter. Kim and Nino are okay and riding up the blonde.

“A bunch of kids, you sent a bunch of kids after Mumbo” Mumbo screeches to the Justice League but from his position, it was more directed to the Premier Chaotique. “This is nothing that’s what’s up my sleeves can’t help.” A robe sprouts out from Mumbo’s sleeves to wrap around Marinette, who was behind him. Simultaneously, the Premier Chaotique calls out "boss". From the JL’s position, Batman and his sons were all inching to stop Mumbo, but it was Nathanial that stops from and he was holding a camera in his hands.  

“You calling us kids?” The cult members aside from Marinette move to the show Damian trembling with anger.

“What of it?” Mumbo reinforce his statement. Marinette with an exasperated look on her face was silently gleaming.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have done that.” She says as her lips purse together to prevent her from laughing. Though she is slightly worried about what’s going to happen next.

“I’ll ask this again, are you calling us kids?” Damian asks with his voice rising with each word.

“Now’s he’s mad,” Marinette says quickly but returns to her innocent facial expression the moment Mumbo turned to her turn.

“They call us the Premier Chaotique!” He screams running towards Mumbo with his katana in hand. Not sure where he got the katana from. Seeing the running teen coming at him, Mumbo was quick to push Marinette in front of Damian but since her feet weren’t tied, she pushes herself out of the way, allowing Damian to continue his pursuit in harming Mumbo.

The Premier Chaotique winces (or provides commentary like a sportscaster, blame Kim) at the sight of Damian practically mutilating Mumbo. Marinette took this time to free herself allowing The Justice League, aside from the Bat-family cautiously walk over to the group.

By the time they all made it down, Mumbo was seeing stars, his outfit was unrecognizable, and Damian was holding Marinette in his arms keeping her away from anyone but his cult members.

“Good work, cult. We’ll take it from here.” Batman states ignoring the flabbergasted look of the Justice League. For the cult, they knew there was an underlying message within that statement which means that they will be receiving a full-on report back at the Batcave when he arrives home.

Bruce Wayne stands expressionless in front of his son and his son’s friend. The members of Premier Chaotique side eye one another with hidden expressions of laughter.

“Do I even want to know what you six, excuse me, five did whole under the parachute?” He questioned eyeing each of the kids including his oldest sons. There is a slight chance that those three managed to help the Premier Chaotique with some of the ideas.

“He’s not dead,” Damian shrugs.

“Besides B-man, what we did was practically child’s play.” Chloe states waving before turning to nails and scoffing at how they look.

Bruce groans and face-palms, “That was not, child’s play.”

“Hey, Mr. Dude, you promised us an endless amount of chaos…and we delivered.” Nino adds messing with his music player trying to figure out his next tunes.

“Bruce, we promise not to do any pranks inside the manor.” Marinette offers but before her cult members could protest, she continues with, “Will that satisfy your concerns?”  

Bruce knows there was a loophole in that statement, but he knew he wouldn’t get any information from them. Sighing, he wraps up the conversation and disappears to wherever he goes when beyond stress.

“Are you really not going to prank the manor?” Dick asks hoping that they will say yes. Marinette looks to her members and nods. This sends Dick crying in happiness and dragging Jason and Tim with him out of the cave.

“Are we really not going to prank the manor?” Nathanial asks.

“Of course not. We two options: real-life game simulation or turning the manor into a giant maze of falling dominoes. Which one you wanna do?” The smirk on Marinette’s face said it all. They were not done with being the Premier Chaotique.

“Game simulation!” They collectively shout. Far from the cave, everyone who will be indirectly affected felt a shiver go down their spines.

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[headcans-oneshots-and-stuff]

Do Angels giggle?

Warning: Mentioned death of multiple people, a teeny tiny bit of angst, swearing, but otherwise you should be fine Word count: 4k (sis snapped again)(I should really stop doing this tbh) Summary: A rumor of an angel kidnapping criminals and leads them to a path of justice and Jason is on the suspects track. He hasn’t expected to be caught and he surely hasn’t expected what met him there...

This was requested by @middevil465​: 'Babe did you fall from heaven bc you seem to be a chaotic ever shifting sphere of eyes & wings making a sound not of this earth and I’m kind of hoping God sent you because this is terrifying' with jason x reader

Jason really didn't plan on this to happen. He didn't plan on getting caught while spying on the current suspect in a case of criminals disappearing only to re-appear with no memory of what happened and babbling of being lead to a better life by an angel. And he certainly didn't plan to end up in a warehouse that was decorated with a clearly religious altar and other things that heavily reminded him of the church. The only thing that wasn't church-y was the fact that he was tied to a - honestly not uncomfortable - chair in front of the altar. The worst fact was that he, too, couldn't remember how he ended up here. He had some flashes of memories, about how Bruce assigned him to the case, about how he found a man that all the criminals who found themselves 'victim' had met sometime before their disappearance and how he'd found and followed him before he blacked out.

And now he was here. He wasn't really afraid as much as he was concerned and curious about what was going to happen next. Bruce could easily track him as soon as he noticed he wasn't answering so there was also not much reason to try to escape before he knew what was going on here or if he was in any serious danger. Jason wasn't sure what to expect. Tortue, drugging, brainwashing? He knew the man must have some kind of secret weapon that made him able to re-write these criminals to his liking, but he wasn't quite sure why. Everyone in the cave had different theories. Bruce and Dick thought that he maybe got information about their 'businesses', deleted the memory and sold the info, Damian and (surprisingly enough) Tim thought that the criminals had been involved in something bigger, all of them involved somehow, and the person (or people) who hunted them down and changed their memories and life choices, were on a hunt for information. Steph and Cass had agreed that it was a cult or a conspiracy and Barbara had said that she wouldn't make any theories just yet, or rather not reveal hers. Jason had a more sinister thought though. He knew about the criminal world better than most others in his family, once having been a big part of it too, and he thought that whoever was able to do this, was slowly building an empire, first taking out smaller criminals, snitches and errand boys, maybe as to test their methods, before going for the big fish and re-writing them to take over their territory. It was honestly a good plan, but the fam wasn't really happy about it. Having an enemy that could delete and rewrite memories and demeanours could be a real threat. That was why Jason needed to find out how they did it. But he didn't see anything in the warehouse room that would implicate what they used for their plan, only all that church stuff, and Jason considered that it was probably something to harden the illusion that it was an angel who showed them the 'light'. 

"I've seen thou have been awakened, man in the blooded hood," a male voice echoed through the large space and bounced off the walls. The man he had followed stepped in front of him in a robe that reminded him of a monk. "It's crimson, bitch," Jason snarkily responded and couldn't help the smirk on his face, but it didn't seem to even slightly faze him. "Many have found the devil in their words in this city, but we, the church of hope and new ways, have made it our mission to bring thou, wrongdoers, to a path of justice and good, to a path of the angel." So Cass and Stephanie were right after all? A cult, really? "So that's all very noble and all, at least in theory, but ya know, I'm kinda on your side. With hunting and jailing criminals and all that jazz." "Thou words are full of sin that thou not even recognize, but don't fret, we will free you of them, free you of the devil within and bring you on a path of belief and light, we will bring thou to face with the angel that hath shown us the way too." Now that was next-level crazy, Jason thought and rolled his eyes under his still worn helmet. "Well, knock yourself out," he sighed and leaned back in the chair. Seemingly listening to Jason, the man disappeared through a door and suddenly all the lights in the room went out, leaving Jason in complete darkness, unable to turn on the night vision in his helmet. He heard another door on the other side opening and light steps echoed through the room, but whoever came in didn't make any other sounds but that. Then he was blinded by the brightest light he had most likely ever seen and what his eyes saw when the light simmered down a bit and he got used to the brightness made him freeze to the core. The words that left his mouth next were the result of habit more than thought, but he said them nonetheless: "Babe did you fall from heaven because you seem to be a chaotic ever-shifting sphere of eyes and wings making a sound not of this earth and I'm kind of hoping God sent you because this is terrifying." He wasn't wrong though. In front of him was, in fact, actually an ever-shifting sphere of eyes and wings that was making sounds that were clearly not human, neither anything that he had ever heard off-world and even though Jason was by no means religious, he had heard enough about how the angels in the bible were described to identify this thing in front of him as an angel. Suddenly the ever so brave, fearless and cocky Jason Todd stared at that being in front of him and his hidden face was drawn by fear and terror. He could deal with torture and pain, he could deal with technology and drugs, but he couldn't deal with whatever would be happening next. What would be happening next? Well, whatever it was that he expected, it sure as hell wasn't what happened. The sphere that he feared more than he had feared anything in the last years started to giggle. GIGGLE! Do Angel's even giggle? How would I ever know if angels giggle? The glow died down and the shifting intensified, the eyes were closing and drawing together, the wings merging too until there was only one pair left and the sphere turned into a different form, something longer and more humanly shaped, until it did a final change and turned into a girl. And what a girl she was. Jason's breath was stolen by her and the atmosphere surrounding her. She looked stunning in every sense of the word, from the Y/S/C skin that was basically glowing with angelic shine, her hair that was somehow looking like a halo even though it was nothing like one and her face that seemed to be sculptured by whoever created this hellhole called life themselves. And don't let him get started on the pair off wings that she was still sporting on her back. It was quite honestly gigantic. So big that its lowest part was reaching the floor and the highest part was still a few inches higher than her head. He could imagine that they would fill out the entire room if she was to stretch them out and the thought alone made him somewhat fuzzy in his head. He wished he could describe their colour, but he was sure that it was none of the ones he had ever seen on any planet, ever, he wasn't even sure if his eyes should be humanly able to comprehend the colour and yet there he sat looking at them. He was so impressed by these celestial limbs that he didn't even notice the fact that the girl was, in fact, completely naked. But even if he'd notice it, he wouldn't have seen her body as something sexual. The way she was moving like it was completely natural would more likely make him feel ridiculous for ever thinking of a naked body as something as intimate. And then her voice. Her voice was even more divine than anything else, making his whole body tense up and relax simultaneously. "You are full of darkness, but your darkness is unlike anything else they have shown me," she stated matter-of-factly and she came close to him, rounding him a few times with curiosity in her eyes, "And not just your insides are different than the ones they showed me, your head seems to have a sort of protective shell, how magnificent." Is she talking about my helmet? Does she think it is a part of me? "Uhm, Miss Angel, that isn't a part of my body, it's removable," he said, surprised that he was even  able to talk with his heart basically having stopped beating. Her eyes widened in child-like wonder and she kneeled down in front of him, her wings spreading out slightly beside her to accommodate the change in height. "Would it be okay if I were to take it off?" she asked in innocence that Jason has quite honestly never seen before. "Uhm, sure," Jason answered, completely having forgotten the whole reason that he was here in the first place.   Her delicate hands slowly found their way to were his helmet laid over his ears and she looked into the general direction of were his eyes were, her Y/E/C orbs seemingly shifting colour every time she moved even an inch. "I'll try to be careful," she hummed and started trying to get it off, changing her tactic ever so often when she noticed that it wasn't working, but instead of telling her what to do, Jason just looked at the angel and couldn't find any words. Finally, after about two minutes, she managed to pull it off and carefully laid it down beside the chair, before finally leading her gaze to his now, except for the domino mask, uncovered face. She didn't say anything, just bringing her hands up to his face and tracing it, including every scar, no matter how little, and every edge. Even though he had been in awe before, now he could almost comprehend why the criminals changed their ways, hell, at that moment he'd burn the city down without hesitation if she'd asked for it. Finally, her fingers wandered over the edges of his mask and when he gave her a small nod of consent, she somehow managed to peel it off and free his eyes for her to see. He didn't mind that she now knew what he looked like, that she could now identify him, but to be honest, he didn't think much about it, too caught up in that moment and that moment only. Their eyes met in a moment of complete silence whit the only sound present in Jason's head was the pounding of his heart and the rushing of his blood. "You are really unlike the others aren't you?" her voice broke that moment, but he somehow knew that he wasn't expected to answer. For a few heartbeats, the two off them stayed in place, before the angel ruffled her feathers, the sound echoing through the warehouse, like dozens of birds flying away. She raised back to her full size, her wings folding back to where they had originally been. "Tell me, why do my saviours want me to bring you to the light? I can see that it is already in you, it may be clouded and darkened, but it is there," she asked him and her hand was cupping his cheek in an act that seemed unnoticed by herself as if she was doing it unconsciously. Jason wasn't quite sure how to respond to that question, but he noticed something else in what she said, something that formed confusion in him. "Your saviours? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" "How do you mean that?" the angel asked with honest naive confusion written over her face as she cocked her head to the side and folded her hand in front of her bare stomach. "Well, uh, I'm no expert by any means, but you're an angel right?" She nodded but kept quiet as if that question didn't give her a clue as to what he meant. "Uhm... Angels are creatures sent by God and...uhm...they are over humans, right? So how is that guy and whoever he works with your saviour? Is he Jesus or something?" What she answered was something he didn't even remotely expect. "Who?" "Jesus? Your Boss's son? God sent messiah to free all humans? Allegedly forgave us for our sins and got killed for that?" Jason rambled and tried to count down everything he still remembered. The angle put her hand in front of her mouth in shock at his words. "That sounds horrible, is he okay?" she asked in a tone that made it pretty clear to Jason that she did, first of all, not know who Jesus was, and second, had no idea what killing actually meant. "Uhm, sure, he's great, somewhere up there with his dad, I guess," Jason just shrugged, not really caring about that topic anymore and more focusing on all the facts about her being an angel that didn't add up. "Can you tell me about yourself?" he just boldly asked her, but it didn't seem to phase her at all, in fact, she brightened up at the possibility to tell him about her. "Uhm, I can't tell you much, but I was saved by the church of hope and new ways when they found me after what they called a miracle, they took care of me and explained to me that I was sent to them to be their tool to re-shape the world," she explained with a somewhat proud undertone, but Jason's feeling got cemented. The feeling that she had actually no idea what was going on around her and what she was used to do, and the feeling that she may not really be the sort of angel he, and seemingly she, believed she was. "Re-shape the world?" he investigated further, a small voice muttering theories in the back of his head. "Mhm," she nodded and her right wing folded itself slightly in front of her as if she was nervous or shy, "They bring men who are filled with darkness and they have me look into them, look if they have light and make me watch their mind, then they have told me to bring them into the sun, I show them the way that they tell me is right, make them believe in the church." Her words were slightly wary and Jason could recognize the doubt in them. She wasn't doing this voluntarily... "Do you want to do that?" he asked to clarify things for himself, and maybe also her. Her eyes wandered to the door the mock-monk had disappeared in and Jason could have sworn he saw something like fear in them. "I- Uhm- Yes," she nodded, but couldn't look at the man in front of her, she had almost turned her whole body away from him. "I don't believe you." "Why?" her voice wasn't as childish and curious and innocent anymore, it was small and fragile. "I'm not sure, but I think they are lying to you, I think you aren't an angel. I mean, you're sure as hell no human, but you're not an angel, at least not one in the...uhm..traditional sense." This seemed to gain her attention in a way that had her turning around again and made her take a step towards him. "Do you really think so? Because... I have tried to tell them, but they said no to all my questions, they told me that I am the tool for the church, that that is my only task and that I would be lost without them, but I can see it in them too. The darkness, they tell me to turn into light, is in them too, but they don't let me change it, they tell me I must see something that isn't there... And not only that... I have memories, memories of the Miracle. I see flashes of other people, people that make my heartache, and flashes of a building, one that looked like this room here on the inside. "And then there are other flashes, flashes I have at nights when I'm resting, there are loud noises and heat is licking at my skin, at my back, at my whole body, and there are so many screams." She seemingly didn't find the connection between those memories, but Jason sure as hell did. It was mainly a theory at that point, but he believed that she had been at church with her family when it burned down, maybe there was magic involved or she had the meta-gen inside her, but while her family burned she must have turned into the angel she was now, losing most of her memory in the process. The people that must have found her and figured out of the great powers she had, had decided to use her for their own sinister plans and she was none the wiser, Jason couldn't know if she had always been that naive and innocent, but she was now and, even though he had only known her for a matter of maybe half an hour, she had grown on him if he was being honest. "Can you see into other people's heads? Can you read other people's memories too?" he asked, a small plan forming in his mind. She looked at him in thought, but she seemingly was somewhat intrigued. "I believe so, I have only done it one or two times." "Read my mind, read my memories," he almost commanded, but she was taken off for other reasons. "Why would you want me to do that? My saviours tell me that it isn't my place to do so..." "I know this is confusing and what you will see will shock you, but I hope you will be able to trust me after that, trust me to help you, get you out of here." The prospect of being away from her 'saviours' seemed to make her interested, but there was something else that she had to know beforehand. "Will you stay with me? Will you take me with you? I can't be alone, I don't know where to go, what to do, I can't- don't think that I can survive all alone," she looked away and he could see the fear and pain, of not knowing what the future would hold in her whole demeanour, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms, but the restraints that were still binding him to the chair were keeping him from doing so. "If you don't want to be, you won't be alone, I will take you with me, we will go through this together, okay?" "Okay," she smiled slightly and came to him, her hands hovering over the rope around his chest and, in a for Jason surprising turn of event, her palms started glowing and the rope basically disintegrated leaving him free to stand up, having to physically restrain himself from holding her. "This won't be happening to me too?" he asked gesturing to what was still left off the rope. And she giggled again. God, he had almost forgotten how heavenly that giggle was. "No, I don't think it will," she said in a tone as if she was honestly questioning her statement, but before he could say anything about it her hands found themselves on the sides of his temple and the last thing that echoed through the room before the angel fell unconscious in his arms was her scream.

When the angel woke up she felt utterly exhausted. She had seen everything that had ever happened in Jason's life, including his death and every time he had killed, and she had felt it like she was it who experienced it. It had literally drained her, but Jason was correct, as she woke up again, she trusted him with her life and more. She knew him now. Possibly better than anyone else in the world. And not only that, when her eyes opened he was the first thing she saw. She was laying in his lap, something that was astounding enough considering the giant wings that were spread out beside her and partly over Jason, and somewhere along her time of being in his memories he had taken off his brown leather jacket and had put it on her and zipped it up, keeping the, in normal standards, intimate parts of her body hidden from sight. What the angel couldn't see were the bodies of the people who had, in Jason's opinion, used you for the past few months that were stacked in the backroom and, if he was lucky, not dead. "Sorry you had to see this, but I wanted for you to be able to completely trust me," Jason whispered, his hands caressing through her hands. "It's okay, I understand," she hummed back and they both knew that she meant more than just the statement about him wanting her to trust him. "Can we leave now?" "Of course," he smiled and helped her up, having been made aware earlier when she passed out that her wings added more to her body weight than he had anticipated, but that was to expect, they were robust and spread out almost twice as big as Jason in width. The angel, who Jason really needed to find a name for, had the wing on the side opposite of where Jason stood beside her, drawn in, but the one that was on his side was spread out behind him like a shield, curling around him slightly, but he just smiled and slightly shook his head at that. He honestly really didn't know what it was about the girl, his angel, or the whole situation itself, but a really small part of him wanted to believe that maybe there was something like a bigger picture, maybe not necessarily a god, but something that had brought them together, something that had wanted to make him know that the two of them knowing each other was meant to be.

[incoherentbabblings]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Young Justice - All Media Types, Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake Characters: Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake, Cassie Sandsmark, Kon-El | Conner Kent Additional Tags: Missing Scene, Kissing, Romance, Established Relationship, Tim Drake is Drake (DCU), Stephanie Brown is Spoiler, Minor Canonical Character(s), Fluff and Humor, Light Angst Summary:

Expanded scene for Young Justice (2019) #15. Tim and Steph finally get to reunite after the team’s reality hopping adventure, and whilst Tim is keen for Stephanie to be (re)introduced to his friends, Stephanie isn’t sure she belongs.

Tim watched as people piled up the big green monsters into one giant pile of unconsciousness. He was standing on top of his pickup truck; the one Stephanie had apparently driven halfway across America without even a scratch to come meet up with him.

Tim watched as she very awkwardly extracted herself from a conversation with Jackson and Derek, not sure what to say or do, and made a beeline towards Tim. He tried to control his expression as she did so. He wasn’t disappointed in her, but he had hoped she would be able to feel comfortable enough around a bunch of strangers to strike up a friendly conversation or two. At the same time, he understood. Afterall, they hadn’t really gotten their reunion yet. At least, not the one that Steph had teased about wanting.

Tim could see her slight nervousness in the way she held her shoulders as she looked up at him, face hidden under her black mask and purple hood.

“We done? No more bad guys to punch?”

Two days they’d said. Two days and they would find each other.

They’d known it was a promise neither could keep, and things had very understandably gotten out of hand, but still, Tim felt like he had disappointed her.

“We’re done.”

He reached down, tugging her up onto the roof of the truck. She didn’t need the help, but he wanted to see how readily she took his arm.

She did so immediately, without hesitation, a light laugh bubbling out as she was heaved upwards. Stephanie was deceptively light, or maybe Tim was deceptively strong. Regardless, he tugged up until she was able to twist onto the roof on her butt. She then pulled herself up to standing to be level with Tim.

She was smiling under her face cover.

“Can I take off my mask, do you think? Do you trust them all?”

“Yes,” he replied immediately. “They’re our friends Steph.”

His heart broke a little that she didn’t quite understand it yet. It was a bit of a white lie, but Tim saw no reason why it could not be the truth. They had left Gotham for many reasons, altered timelines being one of many, but another was simply the desire to go new places, meet new people, and have a life outside of the damn Bat for two weeks.

Finding his friends again, finding that safe space... He wanted Steph to find her own place within it. He had mentioned it to Cassie, Kon and Bart on the rare quiet moment during their interdimensional travels. He didn’t want there to be a hard line between his life in Gotham and life with them. He didn’t see the need. Not anymore.

Needless to say that the three of them took his thoughts very well. Yes, the four of them were finally reunited. Enough with the melodrama; be grateful that they could spend time together once more and stretch it out and milk that time for all it was worth. Remember how easily it was taken away?

Besides, it couldn’t do Steph any harm to have friends too, right? Admittedly she was a bit rough around the edges, as socially awkward as she was genuinely kind, but then again it wasn’t like the team were exactly behaving at peak social norms either. Bart alone was surely testament to that, right?

Steph was ignorant to Tim’s musings and continued their conversation.

“Good. Because,” she sang, pulling down her hood and her full-face mask off. “I need to give you that proper greeting, remember? Can’t wait any longer.”

Tim exhaled at the sight of her smile and long blonde hair, but it collapsed when she leaned in, eyes half shut.

“Wait,” he said, jerking back a little.

“What?” Stephanie asked, voice quiet and sad. Worried at the rejection, she put her hands up to rest on his chest. He flinched as she did so, and she felt like crying. “Oh no… Something happened didn’t it? Is it those memories you got back? Was I horrible in them? Because I’m really sorry if I was. I’m a different person now. Literally or metaphorically I dunno but…Or is it something that happened whilst you were away?”

She spoke with such sincerity despite the farcical nature of the statements, that Tim felt the need to put her out of her misery. He grasped her wrists and then intertwined their fingers when she raised her palm from his chest. He squeezed tight, and he saw her tremble.

“It’s not you. I didn’t keep my promise.”

“What?” Her voice shifted from upset at herself to the situation.

“You needed me. We said two days. And I tried but-but…”

Stephanie pouted at being denied affection for such a trivial reason as – as far as she saw it – losing track of time. Tim was punishing himself in that silly head of his, and by extension, it also felt so to Stephanie. She took a deep breath and mellowed out her tone.

“Stuff happens,” she responded firmly. She was not interested in a debate or Tim’s proclivity for self-flagellation. “I know you didn’t deliberately leave me hanging, so why would I resent it? Impulse mentioned reality hopping…”

Her look became worried as she drew the wrong conclusion. The confidence fled her as quickly as it had come. “Was it bad? Trauma? Where did you go? Is that where you got this outfit from because ooft honey –”

“You gave it to me.”

Stephanie paused, then tugged Tim’s hands round to hold her waist.

“I did what?” she scrunched up her eyes and face cutely, shaking her head like she was trying really hard to remember giving Tim a brown superhero suit without a cape and a yellow bat on the belt buckle. “Is it another missing memory? Because it’s so unfair that you have yours and mine are still wibbly wobbly. I’m actually a little peeved about it to be honest.”

“This costume. It was… we were…”

Like she was speaking to a toddler, she squeezed tight and said, “Start at the start. What happened after you got to Metropolis?”

Tim told her.

It was an oddly long story, and yet simultaneously brief. It was chaotic and frantic, and yet the affection with which Tim relayed the adventure with his friends made her chest warm. When he reached the misdirection of Earth Three, Stephanie’s patient and attentive expression turned a little distraught. She didn’t mind having the title of Batwoman, she didn’t mind being a good guy in a world of not good guys, but there was just the fact that…

“But you said everyone on Earth Three was evil? A flip of this earth’s morality.”

“I thought so. But you weren’t. You were good there too.”

This only served to further confuse Stephanie.

“But… but…but!” she gulped in a large pocket of air. “But that would mean this me is evil! Right? Am I evil? All this time we’ve been worrying about crazy bat you –”

“Ouch.”

“—But what if it’s me? You could have stayed and helped her right? But you didn’t. And she gave you that costume as what? A present? Something to remember her by? Oh, that’s romantic and sad. But what if this means that I’m the ticking time bomb? You could have stayed and made a huge difference, right? You could have… turned that whole place upside down and made it better for everyone. From the sounds of it, I’m sure not evil me would have been down to clown... Which, great. Now I’m gonna spend my days thinking that me getting the wrong Starbucks order is going to be my start of darkness or something equally stupid. Your friends will think I’m a lunatic...”

Her eyes darted backwards, looking at the team, chatting and oblivious. Superboy was sitting off to the side, quietly watching as everyone wrapped up their work, Wondergirl and Arrowette were catching up, whilst Impulse spoke to Jinny and Naomi. Stephanie felt abruptly ashamed and as a result shifted, almost trying to hide herself behind Tim.

With a firmness and certainty that reflected Stephanie when she had rebuked his earlier guilt, Tim pressed her cheeks together to make her face scrunch up in a pout

“You… are not evil. You never will be if I have any say in the matter. Think you’re about the least capable of it in Gotham, if not in the world. You pulled me back last month from the brink of being a monster. I’d say I’d do the same for you, but I’ll never have to. You’re not stained by the dark.”

She blinked owlishly. Tim was not often that grand and romantic (though he could be histrionic), so it made her blush to be spoken of so highly. Still, her nagging concern, an uncomfortable tightness in the pit of her belly, remained.

“You could have stayed there,” she insisted. She was holding onto the fact that Tim had returned wearing a costume and a name which had been gifted to him on another earth. A name from his alternate self and a costume from an alternate her. There was something to be dissected there right? What would a psychologist make of that tangle of identity and interpersonal relationships?

He had returned from an earth where motives were selfish, and heroes were rare. He had returned wearing a name that was simultaneously his and yet not, wearing a costume that was not hers to grant. Tim wanted more than anything to make a difference. That world was ripe for his ambition.

Tim did not even seem concerned at such a concept. For once, it seemed he had not even given the matter much thought.

“Sure. Maybe I could have stayed. She would have been happy if I had. That Stephanie didn’t have anyone to help her. She…I think she was very lonely.”

Steph sighed shakily, and Tim held her closer. He knocked his forehead against hers, and her grip went up to cradle his face. They kissed, and Tim heard and felt Stephanie’s right foot pop up.

Finally granted the kiss she had been craving for hours, Tim swallowed the sound of her whimper. Not even remotely ashamed of who could be watching, Stephanie deepened the kiss and moved closer, curving her body against Tim as she tugged at his neck, encouraging him to make it harder.

It had been too long, and Stephanie was sure she was developing a complex regarding Tim, like if she took her eyes off him for three seconds he would – for the third time in a year – be zipped off to another dimension. It was almost funny how much the two of them could apparently not stay joint at the hip as they desired, and Stephanie suspected she may have started developing some bizarre attachment disorder as a result.

Although, it was worth it for moments when they kissed like this. When Tim allowed himself to feel like a seventeen-year-old. Kissing felt good. Kissing Stephanie felt great. She always tasted of cinnamon gum and liked to hold his cheek and tug his hair and she made cute squeaks when he –

No, he couldn’t get too carried away.

Tim ended the kiss with a most content sigh, like his worries had been laid to rest forever (which was false and a lie, but he indulged in it for now), and kept his eyes shut.

“I came back,” he whispered, keeping his forehead on hers and missing how Stephanie looked a little cross eyed from the kiss. “Because I had to get home to you. I promised, even if I couldn’t keep to two days. I had to come home.”

“To me,” Stephanie breathed. Looking at him reverently, she cradled his chin and kissed him again.

“To you,” Tim confirmed. “I missed you, Steph.”

She tugged him closer, making him rest his forehead against her shoulder as she buried a hand in his hair.

“Missed you too, boy wonder.”

They embraced for a moment too long, then Tim pulled back a little to speak into her ear.

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to everyone. Properly. I’m sure Bart did a rush job of it. They already know you, which isn’t fair. You should get to know them again.”

He very distinctly felt her tremble. Fighting monsters, fine. Facing her dad down, fine. Meeting her boyfriend’s friends? Terrifying.

Tim hopped down off the truck, but held out his arms, fully intent on catching her. Stephanie looked around once more. It seemed Wondergirl and Naomi were wandering over to the truck, so she swallowed her fear. She leapt off the car, straight into Tim’s arms. He caught her easily and spun her around twice, making her laugh sharply, until using the momentum he flung her up and off. She landed on her feet with a delighted shriek, and it was with that smile on her face that Cassie reached them.

To Stephanie’s surprise and delight, she was enveloped in a warm hug.

“It’s so nice to see you again. Both of you,” Cassie said. Chin resting on Stephanie’s caped shoulder, Cassie saw Tim’s look of relief and gratitude. “You guys will stick around a bit?” she insisted, raising her eyebrows in a gentle chide.

Stephanie choked on her reply, not sure how to react. Behind her, Tim grimaced. Why was she so reluctant around his friends? Was it because she didn’t want to know them, or because she didn’t feel she had the right too?

“I… I want to,” she said, Tim watching her struggle. “But-but my dad…”

Stephanie looked over her shoulder at Tim for guidance, and Cassie broke out the hug. Seeing Stephanie’s hand reach back, Tim took it tightly. He could see in her face no disdain or dislike, just insecurity and the realisation that she didn’t know how best to say her father was a pressing issue without seeming like a haughty holier than thou girlfriend.

Paradoxically, Tim relaxed. That angle was much easier to deal with. It simply was that Stephanie was nervous, and unsure of what her place was in the team. They had their memories of each other back. She held no such memories. She felt locked out, and undeserving.

How to make her understand…

“We have one loose end to tie up at our end,” Tim explained. Playing with Steph’s fingers, he had a sudden thought as a solution. “After though, how about the fact that we’re gonna need to see if the place in Rhode Island is still standing? The team should be able to use it again.”

“Huh?”

Cassie chuckled at Steph's confusion, and smiled broadly at the thought of returning to Mount Justice.

“You’ll love it Spoiler. Better than living out the back of a truck, believe me.”

Stephanie seemed bemused, like she had just suspected Cassie of mocking her but also not hearing any genuine insult in the dig at her current living circumstances.

Cassie wasn’t mocking her. She didn’t have a passive aggressive bone in her body and was not capable of being underhand. She was only trying to gently tease, as a friend would do.

Not that Stephanie knew that, but still, Tim’s heart stuttered for her.

Tim kissed Stephanie’s cheek and explained, “It was Young Justice’s home away from home. There’s a whole headquarters up there. An old Justice League site.”

“We appropriated it,” Cassie said. Her eyes were patient and encouraging. Stephanie, meanwhile, still did not understand.

“That’s cool,” she said politely. Tim sighed good naturedly, exasperated at her obtuseness.

“Stephie,” Tim moaned as she burned red from the pet name in front of his friends. He jerked his head at Conner, begging his direct nature to intercede.

“Whu—”

Endlessly patient, Tim stated, “It’s gonna be your home away from home too. If you want it to be. It can be all of ours again.”

She could not reply, as she was then embraced in a bear hug courtesy of Superboy. Cassie smirked, then called for the others to come gather. Tim held onto Stephanie’s fingers, and watched carefully what Conner did and spoke. Tim had seen that melancholy look from earlier as Conner had watched the team.

Tim knew Conner was feeling a little out of place, but he was grateful that he had put it aside to help Tim and welcome Stephanie. Hidden to Stephanie, he mouthed a thank you in Conner’s direction, who responded by wiggling his head in smug satisfaction.

Stephanie remained oblivious, her only thought as she endured the hug was at the blatant display of strength and control that the clone displayed. She grunted when he squeezed the bear hug tighter but found herself smiling all the same. There was only genuine joy and laughter in Conner’s voice as he teased.

“Hey, we finally got the lovebirds in the same room again, huh? It’s been a while, Spoiler, even if Tim says you don’t remember.”

When he set her down, she returned to Tim, holding his hand still. She didn’t understand why Superboy saying such a thing made the pit of nerves in her gut settle, but the warmth that bloomed in her chest made her smile until her cheeks hurt.

“I’m sorry I don’t. Remember, that is.”

Conner shrugged, “Hey, we’re still young. Gotta lifetime to fix that. Or make new memories. Or both.”

Tim’s hand snuck round her waist, and he pressed his cheek to her temple.

“We’ll deal with your dad. Then we’ll go home?”

“Home?” Stephanie asked.

“Second home,” he quantified.

Looking at the friendly faces surrounding the pair of them, Stephanie smiled awkwardly and nodded.

A home away from home sounded…nice.

[herstarburststories]

Batfam Headcanon: Pregnancy

✾ Request: Can I request a batfam headcanon? Batboys reactions when Kory says she’s pregnant of Mar’i. Btw love you page💕

✾ A/N: You teased me about dickkory, now you got a bible. That’s how it goes. Also, added Babs, Alfred and Bruce as bonus. And I’m glad you enjoy my work! Ps: I barely know Duke, tha’s why he doesn’t show up here.

✾ Disclaimer: Main relationship is Dick Grayson x Koriand’r. Mentions of Tim x Steph and Tim x Kon (kind of?). Check my Fandoms’ liist to see which Ships I’ll write for.

                                                  ━─┈ ✧

Dick Grayson

I'm gonna use unpublished Nightwing #30 here: he and Kory had sex when he was getting ready for the agente stuff.

Once Agent 37 is off the deal, they end up finding each other again. A bit before Dick gets shoot.

And then, as usually it is between the acrobat and the alien princess, they do it again. 

Over and over again.

She gets pregnant and finds out by the time Dick is amnesic.

Don't @ me DC would do that.

Kory flies towards Bludhaven & talks to him. It's not exactly successful. As he had said to Babs before, he didn't want his memories back. Ric was happy without Dick's conscience.

But Starfire isn't asking for her; it's about him, of course. He should be himself, he worked very hard through years to become who he truly was. But mostly, she begged him to come back because of a new addition to their lives.

Pregnant alien!!

At first, Ric Grayson doesn't believe it. Actually, part of him is aware that's true, he can feel it in the change inside his heart when he saw her; something similar to shame and adoration and excitement at once. Kory moved, talked, and seemed like someone he could love, be completely crazy about.

But he wasn't a father!

Koriand'r leaves, and Grayson is by himself again. Without his Gotham or Titans affiliates.

And, for the first time, there is no comfort in that.

He could tell she wasn't lying. Even though a part of his treacherous new mind tried to convince him otherwise.

Grayson's mind didn't know any gorgeous alien, let alone a pregnant with his child alien.

Yet, Dick felt like he had her in his veins. Just like he did with Bruce, Damian, Barbara, Donna, and the others. Tickles behind his skin, a red alarm for a memory that was long lost. But the sensation of keeping it somewhere remained inside him.

Although, when it came to the redhead princess, the warmth inside him was more intense.

Dick was going to be a father. He didn't even know his whole self and would be needed to take care of someone else. Someone small, part of him, and the legacy of the Flying Grayson's. Besides, he didn't even actually remember the mother of his kid.

didn't even remember making the kid.

He calls Bruce. Telling him to bring the antidote that Barbara was keeping if he wanted his memories back.

Not for him, not because it was the right thing, not because of everyone who claimed to love him cried for Dick to do that. Not even because of familiar senses holding into him every time he interacted with someone from his past.

But because he was going to be a father.

This decision was for his child.

When Bruce, Babs, and Damian ask why, he doesn't answer.

He remembers now, and he needs to find Kory.

It's scary, exciting, and the biggest surprise she ever gave to him-- even more scandalous than the day she fell on earth and kissed him.

A dad! He would be a dad!

Jason Todd

It all started off as an unusual ordinary day; 

Roy got himself in trouble, Jason went to help him and the little problem became a bigger situation. Roy called Kory and a few minutes later, the situation was replaced by dust and fire smell. No one died, but it was enough to make the villains leave.

In the middle of ''What the fuck they wanted?" & "Who were they?" wonders, the original Outlaws heard a familiar motorcycle's noise which made Jason huff, Roy arch eyebrows and Kory confused. 

Dick Grayson was there.

He was hysterical, blue eyes flaming with worry and relief towards Kory. Between their couple discussion and the others attempt to understand what was going on 

Were they back together? Did dick know about the outlaws' way and was sticking his nose where it didn't belong? Did the titans need kory urgently? 

Until 'pregnant' left Dick's lips, being followed by Kory's chaotic scream of "Just because I am pregnant, it does not mean I can not fight!"

Roy just had to get closer to them and explain that it would make no good to go through stressful situations, especially if he got it right. 

A deep breath would be taken, and then Dick would apologize to Kory, saying he was just really scared for both of them. She'd look at her Outlaw friends and curve the corner of her lips-- that Kory smile that translate into 'I've seen hell and chose to use its flames to warm up the cold places of my heart.'

‘’Jason, Roy. . . I am expecting a baby.’’

Meanwhile, Jason was taking off his helmet and glaring at his friends with a perplexed look on his face. Also, a slightly desire of punching Dick. Last time he had heard of their relationship, it was about both of them avoiding each other, his older brother telling him to take care of Kory and Jason calling Dick an idiot. Yeah, he had to have a chat with him later.

For now, Roy was pulling him and Kory into a group hug.

Almost felt like their old times together.

Roy: Outlaw baby!!  /  Dick: Excuse me?

Tim Drake

Okay, okay. First of all, he wasn't planning on seeing any member of his family for a quite while. Not that Tim didn't want to, he was just really running out of time. Being Young Justice's leader was a full time job, and he wanted to be excellent at it.

But things don't always pass by as they were settle to. Therefore, when a disaster happens and Conner, of all people, gets hurt, Tim is in a delicate state of mind.

Drake is smart. He knows it isn't just about Conner. It's all the small things he's been keeping since Gotham.

Not enough sleep, but a certain amount of coffee to make his hands shake when it's late enough for the sun to come out weakly. His relationship with Steph is growing with disagreements from both lives; heroic and urban. His best friend is hurt because he analyzed too much a situation instead of telling his team what to do, so they made their independent choices. A dumb mistake, the kind that Batman would be disappointed of. Tim himself was biting his own neck about it. How could he be a leader? He should be better than that.

And then, he made a call. Because of all things he might be and might not be, he wasn't Batman.

Tim had friends, and a brother that would know what he was going through.

And he knew how to ask for help sometimes.

Dick comes by as fast as possible. They go to the roof and talk it out.

"Remember that they aren't just your team, Tim," He would say, a tranquil smile on his face. It's so similar to how he explained his relationship with the Titans when Drake was still Robin years ago. "They are your family. It's impossible for you not to be affected when they get hurt or something goes wrong. But they are alive. They still trust you. They believe, and need you. You need to give yourself some credit, and do your best for them."

OF COURSE Tim is stubborn about that because Dick is Dick and he basically grew with the Titans, it wasn't the same thing. He didn't have his older brother's skills to command, communicate, etc.

It was scary.

"Yet, Tim, a lot of things are scary. But you have to keep going. For who needs saving. For yourself. For the people you love."

His tone is too sentimental, even for Dick's big brother moments.

"You need to find something to fight for. That's how you keep going, even when you make mistakes. Good news, you already have it. "

Tim: Yeah, I think so. . . You came back to the Titans? I still have access to the computers.

Dick: Yeah, no. Kind if. It's complicated.

Tim: "Complicated? Like. . . Alien kind of complication?"

Dick: "You should know about that, huh?"

BLUSHING, STUTTERING TIM. Cutting it because I already mentioned Steph, but I couldn't miss this opportunity ok.

Dick just laughs about it.

"Starfire isn't complicated, but yeah. We are still deciding if we will keep in the Titans or if we are going to Bludhaven for now."

"It sounds serious, even permanent."

"As permanent as a baby can be."

HHSHHSUSJJSIUSIE

BABY?

IS SHE PREGNANT??

Yeah, Tim was pretty wake, and shaking, and his brain felt like burning right now.

OH MY-- DICK

He was going to be a FATHER.

"YOU ARE GONNA BE A PARENT!"

But then, Dick was the older one and the best with kids.

"WAIT, SHE WILL BE HALF ALIEN. An hybrid. In nature, two different but similar species can procreate, but their kid can't have kids. Do you think--"

"Tim, calm down. Can you at least give me congratulations before talking about my unborn child's probable infertility?"

Damian Wayne

He knew Kory and Dick had been seeing each other again.

Therefore, making one of them notice his presence before showing up was necessary.

He didn't want to accidentally see profanity between his brother figure and his team's current leader, thank you.

After an obvious noise, he got in Dick's apartment.

As expected, Starfire was there.

She was standing up, and Grayson and looking at her tearful, while holding her belly.

It wasn't possible.

Grayson wouldn't be that irresponsible, would he?

Of course he would.

" So, I supposed Starfire either has a deadly bellyache, or you two are procreating. "

He is mildly fearing that Dick won't have much time for him, but that's a matter for another time.

BONUS!

Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth

Dick visits the manor with Kory someday.

He had to give the news or Batman would end up knowing anyway.

Honestly, it wasn't about that. He actually wanted to tell Bruce about his baby.

Alfred was there when they exchanged greetings, politely as usual.

‘'We are having a baby.'’

Listen, Bruce knows how to keep his emotions under his skin, but his eldest son being a father?

This must be the most real expression he has showed in years, and it's full of emotions; he is content, and surprised, and worried.

Some would say that Alfred was tearfully, but kept his posture. Master Bruce really made it. Obstacles, of course, even more than necessary at times. Yet, he was going to be a grandfather, and master Dick was becoming a father.

Gotham had a sunny day for once.

Barbara Gordon 

If it's not Kory and Babs' baby, she will be aunt Babs

Something happens, help becomes needed.

Nightwing shows up in the middle of the combat, he was in Gotham to talk to Bruce & Alfred & Damian, anyway.

Batman dispersed him, though.

And Batgirl was confused by Batman's choice, especially after listening to his explanation:

"Nightwing, this is more dangerous than our usual job. I will take Robin and Batgirl. You have more urgent thinks to be taken care of. "

The dynamic duo leaves and there is just two long time friends. 

It doesn't take a half second for Barbara to notice Dick hiding something.

Sigh, sigh, sigh.

"All right, Dick Grayson. What did you do?"

"Apparently, a baby."

????????????

"He has been ditching me since he learned about Kory's pregnancy."

"KORY'S WHAT!?"

"You didn't even tell me you two were back together!"

"You lost your virginity to an attractive alien and now she is pregnant with your child. That is. . . Surprising."

"I am really happy for you, Dick."

"Thank you, Babs. . . You know what? Maybe it's time to actually introduce you to Kory."

Communicator ringing.

"After I take care of something. Go home, dad."

[rxdshood-a]

the ghost of you // self para

WHO: Jason Todd & Stephanie Brown. Mentions of Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Ra’s al Ghul, Tim Drake.

WORD COUNT: 3159 words. 

LOCATION: Wayne Manor.

GENERAL NOTES: Jason comes to visit Steph finally at the manor. Steph tells him what she knows. A self para with a sprinkling of technically self-interaction! Jason angsts. We all cry.

WARNINGS: Mentions of past death, injuries, anxiety, past trauma, violence, blood.

Jason hated being in the manor more than anything. There were too many ghosts. Too many foggy memories that made his chest tighten with a storm of emotions that he didn’t want to name. It loomed over him like it did back when he was a foot shorter and daunted by the fact that Bruce could change his mind at any moment. Even older and taller than he was back then it still feels daunting, the anxiety was already threatening to make him turn tail and run, but he had to do this. If not for Steph herself, but Tim.

The mere thought of Tim made Jason grimace, like poking at a sleeping bear with a stick his anger was reignited with a fury. The green that always lingered in the back of his mind seemed to perk up, circling like a shark. He had to take a few even deep breaths, fingers curled up into two tight fists before he could feel the anger and green smoke recede back. The combination of his unresolved anger at his brother’s disappearance and the anxiety and bad blood the manor brought was likely a disaster waiting to happen. Regardless, Jason trucked on. He had to. He would.

Opening the door to the manor Jason surveyed the long, seemingly quiet hallways. It was like getting slapped in the face with nostalgia. Half memories he could somewhat recall. There were some happy ones, like trying on the Robin suit for the first time. Him jumping out from behind the batcomputer and scaring Alfred, laughing in utter excitement and claiming it was the best day of his life. The nights he would sit in the kitchen and read while eating whatever cookies Alfred had made. The feeling of finally belonging. There were bad memories too. Screaming matches with Bruce, too many ‘I’m not Dick!’s thrown around. Too many plans made with Dick that were left abandoned, Jason hoping and staying too close to the phone only to be met with silence. Lashing out at Dick as he reached the end of his very short line of patience with him, going as far to break formation in their sparring session to bite the older Robin’s arm.

Dick still had a scar on his arm from the incident. 

The anxiety stayed a constant presence, each step up the long manor stairs feeling all too dread inducing. The silence in the manor was something that Jason hated more than anything, even as a kid. It was so big and so quiet. The silence was always broken anytime Dick actually visited, whether it was broken by his squabbles with Bruce, or the pair of them actually laughing and enjoying video games or movies together. Other than that the silence was broken by him, making his presence bigger and louder. Constantly he was yelling, being reprimanded by the butler for shouting at inappropriate times, the laughter whenever he and Alfred would cook dinner together. If he didn’t make extra noise then Jason would drown in the silence, the cold the silence brought as the cavern between him and Bruce grew and grew, all before he even had died and it had become a grand canyon between them. 

It was just one foot after the other. Simple, right? Wrong. 

Each step brought ghosts, memories he didn’t want. Flickers of memories that haunted the man every time something triggered it. Passing the library, days and nights spent in there, reading all he could and perking up anytime Bruce entered, giving him a book suggestion. The time spent there together, reading in silence and feeling the smile that would play at his lips as he did, constantly aware of the man’s presence. It was their own form of bonding, it didn’t leave Jason no matter how hard he tried to forget it. The hope it gave him that led him to believe he actually could have a father. A family.

A shudder wracked through Jason’s body and he pushed forward, trying not to linger outside the library. A closed, all too familiar door, had him stopping in his tracks once more. His stomach lurched as he found his feet bringing him to the door, hand laying flat against the cool wood and staring at the doorknob like it’d open itself. 

His room. His old bedroom. If it wasn’t locked, Jason was sure that if he opened up that door it would be just how he had left it before it all. His clothes all folded and tucked away in the wardrobe drawers. His textbook lay on the desk collecting dust. The mere thought had Jason grimacing and staggering back, immediately looking away. Ghosts. It was a thought that had made itself repeatedly known the moment he stepped onto the Wayne Manor grounds. There was a piece of this place that wouldn’t ever leave him, no matter how far he traveled. It’d always be a part of him, as much as he despised it. 

Jason knew what room Steph was in, had been lamenting on it, whether he wanted to even do this, but ultimately pushed through. It wasn’t hard to figure she’d be holed up in Tim’s room. It didn’t take the skills of a Robin to know that she’d be in his room. As far as he knew of, Steph hadn’t seen many people save for those in the manor currently. Refusing to see anyone, staying silent on the groupchat end. He didn’t blame her. This trauma was something Jason was entirely too familiar with. 

(The sound of maniacal cackling echoed in his head, phantom pains of bones breaking and sticky blood beneath his body caused Jason to shudder.)

It wasn’t something you could get over within a few days. Months even. She was grieving and processing trauma she endured all in one sitting. That could knock even the most trained bat kids on their ass. There’s only so much you can compartmentalize before it's all spilling over and you’re cracking and breaking at every seam. Maybe it comes out in anger like it did with Jason. Or maybe it came out in agonizing sadness. Whatever Jason was about to walk into, he was more than wary to see what state the Gotham girl was in. Scared that he may just see entirely too much of himself reflected back in her. 

Approaching the door, Jason hesitated in his approach. He didn’t like feeling like this, off balance. The manor did that to him, left him unstable and on shaky ground that never stopped moving underneath his feet. A heavy sigh left the man and he scowled, finally making a decision and moving forward, turning the doorknob in his hand and entering the bedroom. The sight of the evidence walls was what Jason registered first, entirely too amazed at how chaotic Tim’s brain seemed to work. He was constantly analyzing, thinking, moving. That was reflected in the evidence thrown up on his walls. Then his green eyes moved to the unmoving lump buried under the comforter on the former Robin’s bed, a tuft of blonde hair sticking out near the pillows. 

“Your footsteps don’t sound like Alfred. Too light to be Bruce’s, but too heavy to be Dick’s. So I can only assume it’s Jason.”

Steph’s voice startled Jason slightly, hand gripping the doorknob entirely too tight as he stared into the bedroom and hovered in the doorway. He didn’t know what to say. What do you say in these situations? You would think he’d be an expert on this, how to deal with trauma from torture and yet. 

“Look at you. You still got those Robin trained ears.” Jason’s voice sounded stilted against the silence of the room. 

“Not Robin anymore, or Batgirl. Or Spoiler even.”

Jason frowned at that, finally fully entering the room and shutting the door behind him quietly. He grabbed the desk chair at Tim’s unoccupied desk and sat down, wheeling it closer to the bedside but still staying a slight distance away to give her the space she may want. Her back was still to him, unmoving, not even shifting to look at him when he sat down. 

“What does that mean?”

A sharp sigh, irritation bleeding into the girl’s tone in an instant, “what do you think it means, Jason? I’m nothing. I’m hanging up the suit. I’m burning it, whatever I can do to get it away from me. What good am I as a vigilante, as some makeshift hero, if I can’t even save Tim?” The tremble was clear in her voice now, body seeming to follow suit in the way it was now shaking beneath the covers. “I was like a lamb sent to the slaughter. I made it so easy for them to get me and use me as a pawn so he could get to Tim. How am I supposed to believe I can help people like that? I let Tim get sent off to his death, Jason.”

Her words had Jason alarmed in an instant. Death? 

“Stephanie, you didn’t do anything. Ra’s al Ghul is one fucked up old ass man with a lot of experience and power at his fingertips. He would’ve done something, anything, to get to Tim one way or another, even if it meant not using you to get to him. You didn’t send him off to his death, I don’t—” Jason let out a harsh breath, running his hands through his hair and causing entirely too many strands to stick up every which way in a chaotic mess. “How would you have sent him off to his death? You didn’t do anything to cause that, Stephanie. We will find him. You know we won’t stop until we do.”

The silence grew, tension palpable in the air of the room and then finally, the lump that Jason had been talking to moved. Steph hissed and shifted to turn to look at him head on, tugging the blanket down and moving enough that she was propped up somewhat against the stack of pillows behind her. Jason took in the purple and yellowing bruises on her face, the bandage covering her cheek. The finger shaped bruises that were healing on her chin and neck were enough to cause his stomach to roll, a flare of anger igniting in his chest. There was a peak of a bandage from the collar of her sweater that was laid over her collarbone. Ra’s clearly did a number on her, it made Jason grimace. The poor kid. 

“He took him, Jason.” Steph started, swallowing hard and tears shining in her tired eyes. “He wanted him. He kept going on about his obsession with Tim, that he wanted him and that’s why he used me. That Tim would yield to him because—” a broken sob left Stephanie’s mouth and before Jason registered it, his calloused fingers closed around hers and squeezed, her smaller hand trembling in his. “—because he wanted to save me, a girl that he thought he could have even though...even though Ra’s had already ‘laid claim’. He’s with him, Jason. Wherever Ra’s is, that is where you’ll find Tim.”

She looked exhausted. The words having taken a toll on her already bruised and battered body. Jason’s mind was going fast, taking in all the information the girl had offered up to him. His hand squeezed her own and he swallowed hard. That was more information than any of them had. He could work with that. He could get Tim back, or try to at least. 

“He’ll expect you.” 

Stephanie’s words had Jason faltering, looking at her face with a furrowed brow, “what do you mean?”

“The bats. I’m sure he’ll expect us. We’re his family. Of course we’d go after him. We’re just some trained vigilantes he’s come up against before. He has his knowledge on us already, I have no doubts about that. So how do we get around that? How do we get an edge against, as much as I fucking loathe to admit, an incredibly intelligent man?” 

The thought posed a good question, Jason at a loss of an answer and merely shook his head, looking to Steph to see where she was going with this. 

“Would he be expecting powered individuals who care just as much for Tim as we do?” Steph finally asked and in a moment it clicked, Jason sitting up fully with wide eyes.

“You want to have his old team help save him.”

Steph nodded. It was a valid thought. It was the bare bones of a plan, an idea barely if he was honest. Despite the clear anguish and pain in the girl’s features there was a fire that burned in her eyes, one he recognized in his own gaze, in Tim’s. It came with the territory of being a Gotham kid, of seeing this city in all its ugly glory and still loving it with everything you had in you. No matter how many times it beat you down, unrelenting and merciless in the pain it dealt upon you, you still came back. You still called it home, nowhere would compare, no matter how hard you tried. It was different for those who weren’t born here, grew up in its grungy streets and was brought up in the belly of the beast. 

Sure, Dick grew up there to a degree, but he didn’t really get it. Not in Jason’s mind at least. Tim got it, of course he did. He was a Gotham boy, born and raised, but he and Steph understood it differently. They saw the streets, the ugly and violence that you had to wade your way through, trusting yourself before anyone else. Jason came out jaded, guarded and all too quick to throw out harsh and angry words to keep people at arm’s length. Steph on the other side of the coin was warm and loud, personality filling up a room in an instant to fill up the emptiness she felt and mistrust she quietly hid behind big smiles and sarcastic quips. That mistrust stayed with you, no matter how long you hadn’t been fighting your way through Gotham’s shady underworld. 

What also stayed with you was a fire that no matter how dim it got, stayed lit. Gotham could break your spirits, your bones, your everything, but you’d still come back kicking and screaming. All Gothamites did. That was the fire that Jason saw in Steph’s eyes, the determination that was attempting to trump the trauma and fear she clearly felt. Despite how much pain and emotional trauma she had been put through with her time spent at Ra’s hands, she was still determined to get Tim back. It was a sentiment that Jason could return.

The thought of being anywhere close to the man had shivers running up Jason’s spine. The thought that they both shared the pit rage and the effects of it made him sick. He never wanted anything in common with that man. To think that he could lash out in a similar way to the villain painted a grimace upon his face. There were nights he wondered if the old fuck ever agonized over it like he did. If he felt out of control when that green haze crept to the forefront of his brain and took over, painting everything an angry, ugly shade of green that made him go charging in like a bull. Probably not. Jason hated that part of him more than anything like he had been broken and put together wrong when he came back. There were jagged edges that stuck out still, cutting even those he cared for the most despite himself. 

Looking at Steph, Jason saw too much of himself. She was falling apart, doing her best to keep it together enough to tell him what she knew, the only way she thought she could help in her state. His fingers squeezed hers and his lips pulled up the faintest bit in a smile. He was never good at this part, being comforting. He wasn’t Dick who comfort seemed to come to all too easily. His comfort was stilted at best, unsure and awkward, afraid of saying the wrong thing. Even when he was Robin there were far too many times Dick had the right thing to say to quiet the fierce anger that raged inside of him. It was one reason he had looked up to the first Robin so much, he was just so good at everything he did while Jason felt like everything he touched turned rotten and crumbled beneath his fingertips. 

“Thank you for telling me, Steph.” 

Was that the right thing to say? Sometimes...sometimes Jason wished he could ask his brother for advice without the immediate urge to take it back, to lash out in unresolved anger he held towards the older man. 

“I know this is hard to talk about, that you’re having a hard time with this, but this will help. We’ll find him. You know we will.” Jason said firmly, the former Batgirl’s fingers trembling in his own and a tear rolling down her cheek.

“I hope so. God, I hope so.” Steph’s breath hitched and a sob fell from her lips, pulling her hand back in an instant to cover her face with both of them. 

“Hey, you did good. You did great, even. Come on, lay back down. You talked enough for one day.” Jason soothed, standing up and pushing the desk chair back to gently wrap his scarred fingers around Stephanie’s arms and squeezed. 

He eased her back down into a lying position, hating the way her sobs and hiccups tugged painfully at his heart. As much of a pain in the ass she was, Jason had grown fond of the girl who stuck around the bats and had heart eyes for the boy he once loathed for replacing him, now a little brother in his eyes. He pulled the blanket up over Steph’s trembling form and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. 

“You tell anyone I was this nice to you, I’ll kick your ass.”

A startled laugh left Steph, it obviously surprised both of them if her eyes widening a beat later was anything to go by. Jason’s lips pulled up into a wry smile and he patted her shoulder. 

“Get some rest, kid.”

Stepping back, Jason looked at the larger than life girl who now seemed entirely too small and reluctantly moved out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The silence in the manor halls weighed down on him. Jason had vital information now, but no plan. He hardly ever was the man with a plan, that was Tim, even Dick. Now he had to be that man to save his little brother and bring him back home. He had no idea how in the hell he was going to do that. 

[midnightswithdearkatytspb]

The Spark (CountryMusicStar!Bucky x OFC)

Pairing: Country Star!Bucky x Country Star!OFC 

Rating: PG

Warning(s): Angst & Fluff

Word Count: 2,954

Info: This series has been running around my brain for forever, like over a year, so here it is. This is for @the-omni-princess​ 1k Writing Challenge, I grabbed Celebrity AU. Please forgive me for having it be 2 days late, being sick and just having a laptop that doesn’t quite like me hasn’t helped me get this done on time. I do not know lawyer-speak or contract speak for that matter, so please do not come after me or my friend @stormygedd0nthespaz​ who helped me with this. Thank you! 

Synopsis: What do you do when the man who holds your career comes to you with an ultimatum, that not only affects you but the lives around you? That is what is happening for Sparrow Lake, she thought she would start 2020 with just her close friends and family, but when Tony Stark shows up at her family's Smokey Mountain home, with fellow country star Bucky Barnes and their manager, that was not going to happen. 

Thursday, January 9th E!News Online

Stark Record’s owner Tony Stark held a press conference Thursday morning in Nashville, to announce the engagement of two of his top-selling artist Bucky Barnes and Sparrow Lake. The couple first sparked rumors when they performed their new singles Center Point Road and I Will Fall, which both happen to be duets with each other, at Stark Records Take Over Grand Ole Opery. Fans of both Bucky and Sparrow took to Twitter with their speculations but were shot down by Sparrow Lake’s guitarist, Clint Barton, who tweeted; “What happened to the days when artists could collaborate and it didn’t mean they were in relationship?” It was quickly retweeted by Sparrow’s siblings Bey Lake and Peter Parker, as well as Bucky Barnes best friend Steve Rogers. 

Tony broke the news saying, “It is my pleasure to announce the engagement of two of my record labels artist Bucky Barnes and Sparrow Lake. The couple have worked hard to keep the relationship as private as possible for the past thirteen months, but know they are ready to share it with you all. As the fans have been speculating for a while they were together, both Sparrow and Barnes are open with fans, they felt it was the right thing to do. They are working on setting a date for their wedding and are happy to have their relationship out in the open. Stark Records, couldn't be more happy for Barnes and Sparrow, they make a great couple. I look forward to seeing what the future brings them. Thank you.” 

In Tony Stark fashion he didn't stick around to take questions from the press, but just hours later Sparrow posted to her Instagram, where she showed off her ring with the caption, “My soul said yes.” Just minutes later, Bucky Barnes posted a photo of Sparrow Lake makeup-free, with the caption, “So glad you said yes, so we can take over the world together.” If that doesn't melt your heart, I don't know what will!

Wednesday, January 8th, 10 AM - Great Smoky Mountains, Eastern Tennessee 

The house was alive giggles from Birdie as she ran after Jojo, who held her scrunchie in her jaw. Clint laughed at his daughter's antics reminding her to be careful between puffs of breaths. Bey sat on the couch, guitar in lap, phone beside them as they recorded a demo for a pop star. Sparrow sat with her mother, Maggie, sipping on a new tea she had gotten while in Canada with her father Bruce. This was how Sparrow imagined her break, before she hit the studio, with her family, her friends just relaxing. 

“Mr. Lake, Hayes is reporting that Mr. Stark is coming up the driveway, I wasn't aware we were expecting him today.” Kaius, frowned as he walked in listening to his Bluetooth earplugs. The security guard was known for not liking Tony Stark’s chaotic fits, as he liked to call them. Bruce looked up from his book, pulling his glasses off confused before shaking his head. 

“We weren't aware he was coming to visit.” pulling himself up from the chair, Bey followed suit laying their guitar on the couch. “Why don't you go ask Mags to put the coffee on and I’ll go see what Mr. Stark is here for.” patting Kaius on the shoulder, he made his way out the front door pulling his bomber jacket closer to his body as she black SUV came to a stop.

Bruce watched on as Happy Hogan opened the door for Tony Stark, followed by Sam Wilson, his daughter's manager, last but not least Bucky Barnes got out. Bucky looked annoyed as Sam spoke to him, but shook his head before he smiled when he saw that Bruce was watching them. Sam waved to Bruce as he took a bundle of bouquets from Happy, Bruce provided a head-nod of acknowledgment. 

“Good morning Bruce, would it hurt to get cellphone reception up here?” Tony climbed up the steps while gazing up at the maestro of recording music. “Also I hear a congratulation is in order, 4 grammy nominations, that makes what 60 in total your career so far?” Bruce shook Tony’s hand when they met at the top of the stairs. 

“Don’t go congratulating me just yet Mr. Stark, I haven't won yet. As for cellphone reception, my Verizon network works just fine, I was able to call my sister and heard her crystal clear.” Bruce peered down the shorter man, as they waited for the other two gentlemen to reach the porch. Tony scoffed as he pulled his cellphone out to see his name network only had two bars. 

“Is there a chance that Miss. Sparrow has risen yet from slumber?” stuffing his cell back in the pocket of his jeans, as both Bucky and Sam came up behind him. 

“She rose with the sun today. Mr. Stark, we weren't expecting you today, any of you. Not that I'm not happy to see you Sam or Bucky, but this Sparrow’s vacation as well as mine, so if you don't mind me asking, what is it your here for?” Bruce leaned against the banister his arms crossed over his chest, keeping the heat in. Before any of the visitors could speak, Sparrow had opened the front door, her mother's Mexican serape around her shoulders. 

“Sam, Mr. Stark, what a surprise, I just checked with Sarah, she said you didn’t call or e-mail to say you were coming by. Bucky it’s so good to see you.” stepping out onto the porch, Sparrow laid a kiss to Bucky’s cheek, before doing the same to Sam, her eyes staying on Tony the whole time. Clint and Kaius stood vigilant in the doorway. 

“I thought you’d give your team a break, we also needed to talk in person, at best interest.” Tony kissed Sparrow on the cheek as he took his sunglasses off and looked at her with a fond smile. Sparrow pulled away, taking one of the bouquets off Sam’s hands. The anemone’s stood out against berries, lilies, cotton, and roses. 

“Let's go inside then, it's warm and my mother put a fresh pot of coffee on and she’s about to take a tray of snickerdoodles out of the oven.” Kaius and Clint broke away from the doorway allowing the group to pass by, Bey was holding Birdie upside down by her legs, making the little girl giggle. Maggie stood in the entrance of the living room hands on her hip, an apron around her waist looking at the men. 

“You best remove your shoes before you mess up my house, I had these floors cleaned before Christmas so my angels could eat off them,” Maggie ordered the group, referring to Birdie, Clint’s daughter, and Jojo the family's dog, when she meant angels. Bucky made no protest and was quick to take off his worn cowboy boots, while Sam handed over the matching bouquet to her before he slipping his Timberlands off. Tony sighed before he took a seat at the bench in the entrance, pulling off his Adidas. Maggie kissed Sam’s cheek before she took both hers and Sparrow’s bouquets into the kitchen to put them in water.

Bruce leads the group into the dining room, sitting at his usual head of the table. Sparrow sat beside her father to the left, the windows casting a rainbow effect to her. Tony sat down with Bucky between him and Sam, facing Sparrow as Clint came in and sat down beside her. Sam opened his jacket to pull out a file and setting it on the table, immediately Sparrow's stomach dropped. 

“Sparrow, I assume you've seen the charts since you and Barnes put your singles out at the end of November. Well fans have been speculating that you two are together for awhile since photographers caught you both leaving the studio in New York.” Sparrow looked at Bucky who was staring at her, he winked but it did nothing to ease the monster sitting in the pit of her stomach, that felt like it was trying to claw its way out currently.

“So I got to thinking you know what would be great, if we could form the next Faith Hill and Tim McGraw!” Was she going to faint, was the room suddenly too hot? Sparrow threw the serape from her shoulders and covered her face with her hands. 

“Stark, you do realize they are always fighting? Just last year when I was backstage at their tour, Faith was kicking him out of their dressing room and they were spending the rest of tour in different busses. That marriage is in shambles.” Sam didn't think the Tim and Faith were a good reference at all, as he put his two sense in. There was no doubt the two loved each other but no one would want to put themselves willingly in their shoes. 

“Okay, so terrible reference, Sparrow Lake and Bucky Barnes could be the next Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. I bet they could even be the next Johnny and June Cash, I want to make it happen.” banging his hand on the table, Sparrow flinched back while Bruce glared at Tony. Tony was out of his mind if he thought he had the next big it couple, you had to have a couple for it to be a couple. 

“Just one problem Stark, last I checked Bucky isn't dating my daughter.” Bruce stood up from his chair, placing his hands on the table, making his annoyance ever the more known at the label owner and multimillionaire. 

Clint reached under the table grabbing Sparrow’s hand as her leg started to bounce up and down. Anxiety was heavy on her mind, Tony Stark had something up his sleeve she just knew it. Bruce sat back down just as Maggie came in with a platter of cookies along with mugs and coffee. 

“Mom, can you take Dad and Jojo out for a walk, he needs some air.” meeting her father's gaze as her mother placed a kiss atop her head. Bruce was up from his seat no argument as Maggie looked at him from above their daughters head. Placing a kiss on the crown of Sparrow's head, he sighed then proceed to follow his wife out of the room. 

Sparrow poured cups of coffee for everyone, buying time to be sure her parents had left the cabin. Bucky watched her closely, he could see the slight shake in her as she passed each cup out, how her left pointer finger plucked at the skin on the nail bed of her thumb. The door closing pulled everyone from their thoughts as Sam took a cookie from platter stuffing it in his mouth in one go. 

“Tony, as my dad said before, me and Bucky aren’t dating, I‘ve made no inclination that I was dating anyone since I broke up with my ex, so I’m just not sure what you are insinuating.” Clint and Sam’s eyes met while Bucky scratched at the stubble that had grown on his face over the past few days. 

“Well it’s simple really, Bucky and you have been dating in secret for the past 13 months, that give you what six months to get over what’s his face. Bucky over Christmas break proposed to you and well, you both just love your fans so much it’s now time for the two of you confirm that you have been in a relationship and you want to share this wonderful news with them.” Tony smiled at her while Sparrow’s jaw dropped, the monster was now raging and it was going to try and claw its way out of her. Clint well he was laughing, the man couldn’t be seriously insinuating a fake marriage was an amazing idea. 

“Stark you can’t seriously be thinking that a fake marriage is going to sell more tickets and records are you? It may work for a little bit but when TMZ finds out it’s fake because you can’t fake records like that, well it’s over their fans will hate them.” Clint got up from the table and started to pace the dining room, running his fingers through his hair. 

“No it will be real, they will be married till one of them doesn’t want to make music anymore. I’ve thought this out for weeks, they can tour together and support each other. They will be the next big thing. Sparrow if you don’t go through with this, I will terminate your contract with Stark Records.” It was getting harder to breathe, the air felt stifling, she could hear Clint calling Tony something before he stormed out of the room. Suddenly someone was beside her holding her hand, and she knew it was Bucky. 

“But what about my contract surely you can’t just take it away from me because I refuse to get married.” Sparrows’ voice cracked as she looked to Sam than Tony, as her pointer finger tried to make contact with her thumb, but Bucky held her hand tighter. 

“I looked Sparrow and in your contract under clause 12 article 1, it says at any point in which you don't fulfill any request or obligation given to you by Tony Stark or Pepper Potts, they have the right to terminate your contract.” Sam handed over the very contract Sparrow had signed at 21, without her parents beside her or a lawyer, for that matter. He had the part he was talking about highlighted in lime green. This was real, she could very well have her record contract taken from her.

“Sam, Tony can you give me and Sparrow a few minutes alone.” Bucky continued to hold Sparrow’s hand as she stared at the contract. His heart went out to her it truly did, he remembered what it felt to feel as if the world was out to get him when he was barely acknowledged by fellow country artist, producers wanted to control his sound. He found his backbone, kept his true friends closer and stood up for what he believed in, his family. 

When they were alone Bucky got up from the table and pulled Sparrow along with him, remembering the door Maggie Lake had come through, as the kitchen, he leads them through there. At the breakfast nook was leftover ice water from breakfast, he quickly pulled a chair out for Sparrow to sit, before pouring the water. Once he was sure they were alone and some of the color had returned Sparrow’s face he took her hand again. 

“Sparrow I need you to listen to me and I need you to listen to me well. I’m on your side and I know in the end we’ll make a great team but you just have to hear me out.” setting her glass down she turned her body so it was facing him and he had her full attention. “As much as the media likes to think I’m with every girl I’m seen with I’m not. I haven't been with anyone since Delores Smith, and she, she broke my heart, Sparrow. I haven't had time for anyone, I’m always on tour, in the studio recording or I’m promoting a single. I need someone who understands me and I think that if you give us a shot, a real shot to fall in love like I’m willing to try, I think we could have something.” pulling her hand from Bucky’s she started to pull her hair up but he got up and moved up behind her. Suddenly he was putting her hair in a French braid. 

Sparrow felt like she owed this to everyone in her life to do this. She owed this to her parents who worked so hard year after year, album after album of her own dads to this. She owed this to her siblings who cheered her on, but especially Bey and Peter who had known what it felt like to feel so lost. Scott, she for sure owed him, he had taken her song and put it on the airways of his music show, got her played all across North America, taking her directly himself to Tony Stark. Scott had helped her get signed. She really owed it to Clint, who took his only child on the road with them, looked out for her like a big brother did. He had given up so much to be her guitarist and he showed no signs of stopping. How could he let not only them down, the fans but herself? 

“I promise you Sparrow Lake we are in this as a team.” Bucky gave her his signature half-smile as held out his left pinky to her, biting her lip she hooked her right one with his. 

“Don’t make me regret this Barnes, and I hope you are prepared for this family because you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into.” talking as she watched Bucky get down on one knee, she laughed when he reached into his skin-tight jeans to pull out a purple velvet box.

“Sparrow India Lake, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and my best friend, that drives Sam crazy with me?” opening the velvet box sat a beautiful ring that Sparrow recognized right away as a ring she pointed out to her sister-in-law when they were out shopping. 

“Yes, yes James Buchanan Barnes, I would love to drive Sam crazy with you as well as become your best friend and wife.” Bucky took the elegant celestial ring from its holder and placed it on her left ring finger, making it very official. Sparrow Lake was on her way to becoming Sparrow Lake-Barnes.