#This one’s dialogue heavy

[bluestarlett]

[(Under A Technicolour Sky.)]

The Sun and Moon talk over a game of chess. And, with some reluctance and pleading, reach a compromise.

1,381 words.

The Sun chewed at their metallic claws, scrawling jumbled words in ink onto a scroll. Their gaze flitted drowsily between the tome sprawled open beside them and the chicken-scratch words forming underneath their quill.

The Observatory would have been quiet, save for the scratching noise of metal upon paper and the slight, uniform ticking of clocks every few moments.

Saturn sighed, setting the pen into the glass of ink as they stretched, their tentacles shooting out in each direction as their joints cracked.

Their gaze fell onto the sky, the stars peering down at them from the vast expanse of the night.

The sky had seemed to move—pools of colour swirling together in technicolour hues like oil, the light of the stars refracting and reflecting from the ceiling of glass.

The floor creaked quietly behind them, and Saturn turned, brushing their hair back into place as they adjusted their vision. There, leaning against the wall, was Seraph, a box tucked under his arm and a soft smirk on his face.

“I thought you said you were going to sleep, Sunny,” he trilled quietly, shadows dancing on his face as he stepped into the light. Shams chuckled sheepishly, stealing the book from the desk and gently stroking the leather cover.

“Perhaps I, er… lost my focus on the time. ‘Twas not intentional.” They explained nervously. The Dove let out a small laugh as he strode over to the Sun, setting the box down on the desk beside Apollo.

“Well, then. You wouldn’t be opposed to a game of chess, would you?” He asked, folding his arms as he smirked down at the Sun. Saturn looked nervously at the scroll, gently pushing the bottle of ink further onto the desk in fear of spilling it.

“I… I’m not particularly sure, Dove. I’m quite busy, as I can’t really be distracted from my duties at hand, an-” They paused, exhaling.

“okay. We’ll play chess. But only one game,” They promised, pushing themself up. Qamar chuckled, stepping out of Saturn’s way as the Sun cleared the surface of the desk, gently taking the chessboard from its box. 

Luna sat across from Neptune, placing pieces on the board absentmindedly. The wooden floor groaned as Saturn dragged another chair to the desk, sitting across from the Moon.

“E6. What made you wish to play chess tonight?” They asked, the chess pieces clacking lightly against the wooden board. Seraph moved his own piece onto a black square.

“Nf3. I don’t know… I just missed you.” 

Saturn hummed thoughtfully.  “Well, I suppose I can’t complain. Admittedly, I wanted to ask you to play last night. Be7.”

Pathos perked up lightly, dragging a piece across the board. “H4. Why didn’t you?” 

“Nc6. I… I suppose I assumed you were still mad at me for what happened.” The Sun nervously tapped their claws against the table.

“Mad? D3.” Logos gently shifted Pathos’ piece over to the left so it would sit on the right square. “Why would I be mad at you, Sunny?” 

“I…” Saturn sighed. “I’m not sure. It’s foolish, anyway. D6.”

Qamar hummed pensively. “Nd2.”  

“Nf6. Goodness, Moonie, you’re hardly trying tonight,” the Sun teased. Icarus chuckled.

“I’m not playing to win right now. Ne4.” 

“Why, if that isn’t a new one. DXe4.”

“DXe4.” 

“QXd1.”

“KXd1.”  

“...Have you spoken to Eris lately?” 

Saturn barked out a strange laugh, scowling. “NXg4. And why would I do that?”

Seraph scoffed. “I was just wondering. She asked about you earlier today. I think she’s been worried since I found you in the snow. Ke1.” 

Saturn hummed. “That’s nice. Nb4.”

“...Bd2.” 

“NXc2.”

“Kd1. What have you been doing up here all day, anyway?” Artem asked curiously.

“NXa1. The same things that I always do. Though, I’ll admit, I might have gotten sidetracked and stargazed at some point earlier tonight.”

Luna chuckled softly. “ Kc1. Look at you, you SLACKER!” 

Saturn laughed. “Oh, please. NXf2.”

The Dove puffed up his chest and sat straight, gesturing dramatically as he took on a mocking tone. “My name’s Saturn Starcatcher, and I never let myself have fun cause I’m too embarrassed to admit that I’m whimsical and silly because I have a massive STICK UP MY ASS.”  

“I should punch you.”

“Yeah, but you know you won’t. Rh2.” 

“NXe4.”

“Be3.” 

“Castle.”

“Oh, you fucker!” The Angel exclaimed lightheartedly. “I should flip this Harmonia-forsaken board right now.” 

Saturn barked out a laugh. “If you do, I’m banishing you from my Observatory.”

“Hey, asshole, it’s actually Aster’s Observatory, thank you.” Seraph stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Apollo scoffed.

“It’s not as if she ever fucking makes her way up here, anyway. She’s so absorbed in her own lamentations and praying to a God that gives all but a flying FUCK about her, so really I couldn’t give a shit if it’s her Observatory. She’s taken everything else away from us in the name of her precious Gaea, so until she takes it herself, it’s mine.”

Luna stared blankly at the Sun.

“Wow, Saturn. That was… something. Kd1.” 

Saturn pinched the bridge of their nose.

“I… apologise. That was extremely uncalled for. Rd8.”

Seraph nervously flicked his wings, tapping his stubby fingers together.

“It’s um… It’s okay. I just… didn’t know you were that angry at her. Nd2.” 

“You’re not?” Saturn asked incredulously. Luna froze, his hands stilling as he went quiet.

“Honestly?” Qamar began. “Of course I am. But… it’s not entirely her fault. You never believed in Gaea like she does. Like I did.” 

Saturn looked up at Icarus.

“But does the life that she strives to lead truly exempt her from the consequences of her own actions? She chose to blindly hurt us for an existence that she knew was far beyond her reach, and always would be. Does that excuse her?”

“I—of course not. But… Sunny, she doesn’t understand what she’s doing.” 

“She’s a grown woman, Artem. Do not defend her as if she’s a child. She’s done this for, what,thousands of years now? She chose to grovel at the feet of a God who doesn’t even know her name, and she continues to do so, even now. Are you seriously going to accept that she hurt you and I in the name of a deity who’d let us die a million times over?” 

Seraph wrung his hands together.

“You… you don’t get it.” 

“No, I don’t. NXd2.” 

Luna perked up in surprise as he was reminded that there was, indeed, still a game going on.

“KXa1. Sunshine, please, at least try to be a little more forgiving to her. She’s not… she’s not like you and I. She doesn’t know how to step out of a corner when she needs to.” 

“...NXf1.”

“Rh3.” 

“Rd1. I’m… Luna, I’m sorry.”

Icarus perked up, his wings twitching.

“Really?” 

“Of course I am. I… admittedly, you’re right. I am harsh on Asteria. But you… I didn’t know her when she was loving and kind, or however you choose to describe her. All of what I remember her being now is just depraved and destructive. You… you didn’t lose that because you tried to keep it.”

“I didn’t.”

Seraph hummed, the table gently shaking alongside his leg.

“I… I guess you’re right. I should have been more considerate of how she treated you, too, I suppose. I’m sorry, Sunny.” 

“Moonshine, you don’t have to apologise.” Neptune whispered in a damn-near pleading tone. “You say sorry far too much.”

“...Bc1.” 

“RXc1. Checkmate.”

Shams leaned back in their chair, pinching the bridge of their nose.

“Luna.” 

The Moon looked up, his eyes blinking open. He winced from the light before refocusing on the Sun.

“Listen, how about… I try and get along with Asteria for a night?” They proposed reluctantly. Pathos blinked slowly, a giddy grin spreading across his face as he leaned forward.

“You’re serious?” 

Apollo sighed. “Juno, do not make me regret my statement.”

Seraph laughed as he pushed himself to his feet, cracking his knuckles. “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll save the bullying for later. Do you want me to go get her now, or..?” 

Neptune shrugged.

“Sure, why not. And bring the wine on the way up, too.”

Seraph nodded, dancing happily down the stairs.

God, was it going to be one hell of a fucking night. 

[meltedmush]

Airplaneeee! + Extra Art!

[paintedcrows]

Human Bill! I wanna put him in a microwave

Bonus-ish: Really liked the flats on this one!

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

"We need cash." Two, Soda, Steve, Dallas, Pony, 'n Johnny crowd the living room in a loose circle like mourners at a funeral. Between them, the shattered, stacked, 'n swept together corpse of what had once been their TV.

"We? Ain't my fault it's broken." Dallas kicks at a shard of glass 'n Pony narrows his eyes at him. "Blame it on the kid 'n call it a night."

"Hey!" Pony stomps a foot before he can catch himself, crosses his arms. "It wasn't me!"

Steve scoffs, rolls his eyes. Pony's face darkens murderously. "Was too."

"No, it was not! You were the one who fuckin' threw me!" Soda 'n Two's eyes ping pong back 'n fourth between the two of them.

"Did not! 'N if I did it was only 'cause you started the fight."

"Bullshit!" Pony's voice hits a shrill high note 'n Steve smirks at him, self-satisfied. "I only started it 'cause you were fuckin' callin' me names you asshole."

"Well, I wouldn't have been callin' you names if you hadn't been actin' like a brat." Pony lets out an indignant wail 'n Soda has to fly across the group to snag him by the waist so he doesn't start right back up again.

"Ok, ok. Enough you two." Pony writhes around like a fish on a hook for another moment before Soda jabs him in the ribs 'n he howls but stops fightin'. "This isn't solvin' our problems."

"I don't see how this is an us problem." Dallas tries again, hooks an arm around Johnny's shoulder 'n pulls him close. "I just got here, Johnny wasn't involved, 'n neither was Two. Soda bites the bullet for not stoppin' 'em 'n Darry can string the idiots up as he so pleases. What's the problem?"

Steve 'n Pony both turn on him, united for the first time that afternoon, fingers pointed 'n accusin'. "'Cause Two was bettin' on us-"

"Hey! Look, all's fair 'n love 'n war or whatever they say. Nobody asked ya to start rumblin' in the livin' room of all places."

"Yeah, 'n Darry'll love to hear that." Steve grabs his hip, wags a finger in a pretty damn passin' imitation of Darry. "Two-Bit Mathews you're how old now? Glory God almighty when are you gonna get any sense- OW!" Steve hollers at the comic Two's rolled up 'n thumped him over the head with.

"Ok, Ok fine. But I wasn't fuckin' bettin' against myself!" Two glares pointedly at Soda who rocks back 'n forth on his heels, suddenly findin' the floor real interestin'.

"Soda!" Steve stops nursin' his head to glare at Soda with wide eyes.

"Hey! Look! I'm sorry!" He blinks, tries his best tip-earnin' grin. "It was all on you, Stevie."

"SODA!" Pony whips on him quick as quick, quiverin' with as much indignance 'n outrage a fourteen-year-old can manage. Soda swallows back a snort, grabs Pony's face in his hands. "I'm sorry-"

"Well. Tough shit for y'all. But I don't see what this has to do with me or Johnny 'n I'm of the mind to beat it before Darry gets home 'n raises hell."

"Uh, Dal." Johnny clears his throat 'n tries to ignore the pointed stares of the rest of the gang hot on his face, runs a hand up the back of his neck, blows out a long breath. "IhadfiftycentsonPonyboy."

"Johnny!" Dallas drops him but doesn't sound half as annoyed as he does impressed.

"Well at least someone was in my corner-" Pony shoots Soda an aggravated glance 'n Soda throws his hands up placatingly.

"Yeah, speakin' of which." Two whips his hand out, palm up, 'n makes a grabbin' motion. Both Soda 'n Johnny huff but reach in their pockets 'n pull out quarters, dumpin' into Two's waitin' hands. He hoots his laughter 'n shoves the dollars' worth of change into his pants.

"Wait, who were you bettin' on Two?" Steve crosses his arms at the same time Pony plunks his hands on his hips, both glarin' accusingly.

"Me? I wasn't playin' for neither of ya! I bet y'all were gonna break somethin'!" Two cracks himself up, howlin'. It doesn't last for long 'n Pony 'n Steve turn succinctly on him, draggin' him down to the floor 'n landin' jabs wherever they can reach.

"Good lord. Well, y'all have fun with that one. I'm peelin' outta here."

"Oh no you don't." Soda catches one hand deftly in the collar of Dallas' jacket as he turns to leave, hefts him back. "You even think about wormin' outta this I'll tell Darry about that time you smoked all that pot 'n threw up 'n I had to carry a bowl a soup down to Buck's for your scrawny ass."

"Yeah, or that time you got picked up for shopliftin' 'n when the cops called I picked up the phone 'n never told Dar." Steve pauses in his onslaught of Two-Bit to throw his hat in the ring. The moment he's not focused Two wriggles out, flips him easily onto his back.

"Or that one time with Tim-"

"OK. Goddamn! No wonder Darry's goin' grey. Y'all are enough to send a man to an early grave." Dallas scowls 'n throw his hands up, shakin' Soda off. "So what now?"

"Now we need cash." Two says plaintively 'n they all stare down at the wreckage again.

"Ok. Thanks, genius." Steve rolls his eyes, clambers back to his feet, offers Pony his hand 'n hauls him up. "What are we lookin' at here? Like what? Twenty bucks?"

"Twenty bucks? Steve, what world do you live on where a TV is twenty goddamn bucks?" Dallas toes at the the box 'n it sparks. "Jesus Christ, none of you unplugged it? Hurry up 'n yank the plug out before we gotta by Dar a new house too."

Both Soda 'n Johnny dive for the cord 'n Johnny pulls up at the last second so they don't crack their heads together.

"So what, like fifty?" Pony 'n Soda exchange a glance, avert their eyes.

"Uh, try more like eighty, man." Soda plops down on his ass, looks desolately at the hunk of plastic 'n glass again.

"EIGHTY? Guys. We're dead. More than dead. Dar's gonna kill us, bury us, 'n then dig us back up again." Steve chews at his thumbnail, paces quick back 'n forth.

"Naw, Steve. Be realistic." Two grins, stuffs his hands into his pockets. "He'd never go through all that work for us. I think just killin' us the first time around'll do it."

Pony groans, presses both his palms into his eyes 'n collapses back into the armchair. "Not funny, Two."

"Aw, not even a lil-" He's cut off by the throw pillow Steve beams at his head, hittin' him square in the face.

"Man focus. We got cash, right?" Dallas refocuses the room, looks at them each in turn. The silence is answer enough, the celin', floor, 'n walls becomin' real fascinatin'. "Man, y'all've got to be jokin'. Steve, don't you have some money from the DX or your da put away?"

"Uh, well, no. Not really. Kinda, uh, lost it. All." He twiddles the bottom of his vest between his fingers, refuses to look up.

"Whatta ya mean lost it?"

"Look you lose one goddamn drag 'n suddenly everyone's crawlin' up your ass! How was I supposed to know that? 'N hey, what about you, Two? I don't hear you offerin' anythin' up."

"Ha! What money? I didn't have anythin' to start with don't look at me. Ask Soda, he's employed."

Soda throws his hands up guiltily. "Don't look over here. I got six bucks to my good name."

"Yeah, good 'n broke-" Soda pulls a face 'n kicks Dallas hard in the shin before he can duck outta the way.

"Where'd your paycheck go, Soda?" Johnny prods at him with his foot 'n Soda playfully catches it, yanks at him.

"Hey, I keep the lights on in this place!"

"And the rest of it?" Johnny pulls back 'n, when he realizes Soda ain't lettin' up, reaches down to jab at the ticklish spot on Soda's ribs.

"What? A man can't be afforded a lil' fun?" Soda yowls 'n drops his foot, wrigglin' backwards to get away. "How was I supposed to know a guitar was twenty-five bucks?"

"Soda!" Pony's jaw drops open. "You can't even play!"

"Hey! Yet! Gimme some credit! Plus I don't wanna hear anythin' from mister no job over there." Soda crosses his arms dramatically but he's grinnin' the whole way 'n all of them know he doesn't mean it.

"That ain't fair! Darry won't let me get a job. 'Course I don't got no goddamn money. Look at Dal. He's got a job!"

"First of all, I didn't even break the fuckin' TV. Second of all, how much money I got is none of your damn business." Dallas scowls, turns his nose up. Steve groans, drops down to the couch with his head in his hands.

"God so we're all broke."

"Hey-!"

"Shut up, Dal." Two cuts him off 'n Dallas' shifts his glare, damn near murderous. "Johnny Cakes?" He tries, weakly hopeful.

"Uh, I got three bucks." Soda quirks an eyebrow up 'n Johnny plops his hands on his hips.

"Where did you-"

"Ya gonna ask questions or are ya gonna take it?" Soda studies him for a moment, arms crossed still 'n doin' a cartoonish impression of a fussin' hen.

"Boys, we got a real hood among us here today." He hoots 'n Johnny kicks him in the hip, both of them still howlin'. "So that brings us up to, what?"

"Uh, nine bucks. Ten if someone can wrestle that change outta Two's pocket." Pony leans forward, elbows on his knees, 'n sizes Two up like he stood even a single chance.

"Man. I want lillies at my funeral. Can I put that out there? Should we do last rites now or-"

"Aw, hush up, Steve. Look, we just gotta scrape together a little money before Dar gets back. We can get, uh, what was it?" Soda frowns, counts absently on his fingers.

"Seventy more bucks." Pony dead pans 'n Soda's self-assured smile wavers a bit.

"C'mon, that's nothin'! We just gotta put our heads together." Soda climbs to his feet, rubs his hands together in thought. "How do we get our hands on some quick cash?"

Dallas 'n Two open their mouths 'n Soda throws out an accusin' finger to each of them. "'N nobody's doin' nothin' illegal 'cause if Dar has to pick one of us from the station before he comes home to no TV he's gonna start inventin' cruel 'n unusual punishments, y'hear?"

Dallas rolls his eyes 'n mutters 'n Two nods absently in agreement but they both don't offer any other ideas. "Anythin' else?"

"Uh, pawn shop?" Pony offers.

"Yeah, great idea, Pone. Anyone have any expensive jewelry they've been keepin' back?" Steve drawls, dryly, apparently resigned to his fate.

"Well, it ain't mine but I got, uh, a Singer we could sell." Dallas leans back in the doorway, waits for the onslaught of questions. They don't disappoint.

"A Singer? Dal, you've been watchin' me hafta hand hem 'n you had a Singer?" Soda howls, goes to kick him in the shin again but Dallas is prepared this time 'n dodges it.

"Where the hell did you get a Singer-?"

"Why-?"

"Look! It was Sylvie's, right? When I kicked her out she didn't get the chance to take it or nothin'. It ain't mine." He throws his hands up defensively, eyes Soda still standin' close enough to wallop him if he decided to. Soda glares back like he's still makin' up his mind about goin' for round two.

"Aw, man. We can't pawn off Sylvie's stuff." Johnny backs outta the way as Soda decides to give it another go 'n jabs at Dallas. "She mighta been a lil' mean but she don't deserve to have her shit sold off."

"The bitch- Soda get offa me- two-timed me? Remember?" Dallas knocks Soda's hands deftly away 'n Soda sneaks in on more solid kick before retreatin'.

"Oh, yeah." Johnny rocks back 'n forth on his heels, still clearly uncomfortable with the whole idea.

"Maybe Soda 'n Steve could pick up some extra shifts for a bit?" Pony tries again, clearly not as willin' as Steve to lie down 'n take his medicine.

"Yeah, another winner, Pone. 'N when Darry comes home to no TV tonight?" Steve scowls at him 'n Pony glares back, the two still dangerously close to another all-out scrap.

"Well, at least I'm comin' up with somethin'."

"Doesn't help if it's all stupid-"

"Alright you two, knock it off. We can't afford to have to buy anythin' else y'all broke 'cause y'all can't keep your traps shut." Two cuts in 'n they both round on him, glarin'.

"Look who's talkin'!" Steve mutters 'n Two grins 'n flips him off.

The laughter 'n bickerin' trail off, lapsin' into silence again. Each lookin' guiltily at the disaster, eyein' each other. "Well, uh, is anyone not above beggin'?" No one says anythin' 'n Two clicks his teeth, nods. "Yeah, didn't think so."

"Hey, guys." Six heads turn to look at Pony, suddenly ashen 'n lookin' past them up at the clock in the kitchen. "Is this a bad time to tell y'all Dar told me to tell y'all he'd be home early this afternoon?"

"Pony." Steve flies to his feet, grabs Pony by his shoulders. "How early?"

Somehow, Pony manages to pale even further. "Uh. In like. An hour?"

As if it had heard, the TV hisses, flashes, lets out one final death rattle 'n falls silent so it's just the seven of them, eyein' each other like men at the gallows.

"Dallas?" Johnny gives himself a shake, grabs his jacket from the back of the sofa.

"Yeah, man?"

"Let's get your girlfriend's stuff."

[thedoodlebuggo]

Previous - Next

I'll upload the masterpost for this once i introduce some of the other AUs

[usertoxicyaoi]

"The current global population is about 7 billion people. If everyone's average lifespan is 80 years, and you meet 1000 people in a day on average, you'll meet about 292 million people in your lifetime."

THE ON1Y ONE (2024). EPISODE ONE.

[erinwantstowrite]

extra, extra! read all about it!!

chapter 16 of Leap of Faith is officially out!! thanks for the patience as always! <3

[thevoidstaredback]

"Don't you find it suspicious?" Barry asks Wally.

"Hm?"

"The attendees. It's such a weird hodgepodge of people."

"Really? Everyone here is well known in their fields of work."

Barry doesn't seem to believe him. Rude.

"It's true!" he insists, "Everyone here has at least two articles written about them."

"And how would you know that?" Bart asks.

"Because I actually read the news?" Wally says. That, and Dick let him in on the whole plan that's been cooked up. He's upset that he wasn't brought in earlier, but he's more than excited to watch the security footage from 'Phase One'.

Iris gasps mockingly. "You do? I don't believe it!"

Wally sniffs. "Believe it or not, Iris, I don't live under a rock."

"Could've fooled me!" Dick snorts from behind him.

Whirling around, Wally grins at his best friend. "Dick!"

"Hey, loser." He directs his attention to the other three at the table, "Mister and Misses Allen, it's nice to meet you. I'm Richard Grayson, but everyone calls me 'Dick'."

Bart snickers. "Unfortunate."

Dick grins and ruffles his hair. "What's your name, little man?"

"'m Bart Allen!"

"Nice to meet ya, Bart." Crouching down, Dick stage whispers, "Can I let you in on a secret?"

Bart nods.

"If you go back out the doors, turn left and there's another room there."

Bart playfully glares at him. "Try'n to get me to a secondary location?"

Dick shakes his head. "Well, if you want to hang out here with the boring adults..."

"Bye, Barry, Iris!" he calls, running - though it's closer to a slow jog for a non-powered person - off, leaving the room.

"You guys set up another room?" Wally asks.

Dick shrugs. "I know, when I was a kid, that I would've done anything to get out of this stuffy atmosphere."

"That's fair."

"Sorry to interrupt," Iris says, "But where did you two meet?"

The duo share a look. It's Dick who says, "I met him when he was visiting Bludhaven a while back."

Wally nods. "Yeah, he's with the BHPD; He got me outta some trouble while I was there."

"Trouble?" Barry almost laughs, "What happened?"

Wally blushes, clearly embarrassed. "Let's, um, not get into this right now."

Iris smirks. "Now, Wally, what do you have to be so shy about?"

This was not a story Wally wanted out. Fortunately, Dick was on his side. For now, at least.

"As much as I'd love to tell you how much cocaine got popped over his head," -he ignores Wally's indignant shout and punch to his shoulder- "I've got a few other people to meet. It was nice meeting you both. Please, I hope you enjoy."

***

There's a group surrounding Bruce, as is normal for galas, though it isn't intentional this time. Most of them are the One Percenter's that were invited to shift suspicions, but there are a few heroes and their families with him. Lois and Clark Kent being the most notable, though Oliver and Diana are here, too.

He's got eyes on his kids, too, making sure they're all okay. Like before, they all have comms in, but they're all umutted unless something happens. The noise, otherwise, would've been too much and obvious to the Supers.

Dick's just finished talking with the Allens, excusing himself and heading over to Donna Troy and Jackson Hyde are talking. Wally looks to be trying to follow after him.

Jason's off talking to Roy and Lian, though Dinah has her eye on them while Oliver's distracted.

Damian and Jon Kent are already walking out of the room. Because dinner's been served and eaten, he doesn't call his son back.

Tim and Duke have been gone for the past few minutes. They'd both left the ballroom as soon as they could, probably off to the room they'd set up away from the boring monotony of the gala. Most of the teen heroes were gone, too.

Cass and Steph are oth talking to the three reporters, though the two from social media seem more interested in online gossip than the Daily Profit reporter.

"Mister Wayne!" Lois greets, pulling his attention back to the group around him, "Are the rumors about you and Batman true?" There's a gleam in her eyes as she speaks. She knows something. She probably knew his secret the second she saw the wax seal. Good. More things to hold over Clark's head.

Bruce smiles at her. "What rumors?"

"That you hate each other." she says, "You've said, on record, that you think Batman does good for this city just in the wrong way; and there's rumors that he's said that you do good work, too, but he just doesn't like you."

He fakes hurt so obviously that everyone can tell he's either joking or he doesn't care, "Batman doesn't like me?" Shocking information, that is. Imagine that.

"That's only speculation, Mister Wayne."

"Please, Mister Wayne was my father, just as Misses Wayne was my mother. Please, call me 'Bruce'."

"Alright, Bruce. Would you mind explaining your thoughts on Batman? He's Gotham's hero, so why don't you like him."

"What is this, an interview?" he jokes. It falls flat, though the people around him chuckle, as social rules demand. "Miss Lane,"

"Please, it's 'Lois'."

"Lois, then. You're here as a guest, so why do you insist on working?"

She smiles sheepishly, though she doesn't back down. "I'm a reporter through and through, Burce, I can't help it."

He chuckles, "Well, then I guess I can help you put these rumors to rest." He pauses for a moment, feigning putting his thoughts together. "While I do think that Batman is doing good for Gotham, I can also see the flaws in his design. After all, he's only one man."

"Oh?" one of the others in the crowd around him asks, "Have you met him?"

"Only once; he saved me when I had been kidnapped a few years ago," the Gothamites in the crowd nod knowingly, though Luther - who's sneering not-so-subtly - shakes his head, "just after Robin appeared, I believe. And I think that's the thing I hate about him the most."

"Hate?" Oliver, who's near the back of the group, wonders. Diana must recognise his voice because she looks over at him and doesn't look away. Point Bruce.

"He never should've brought a child into his line of work. I can never forgive him for that." Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Dick and Jason both share a look. He's speaking loudly, so he isn't surprised they hear. He means it, though. "Back to what I was saying, though! Batman does good work, but there are other solutions he's either overlooking or choosing to ignore."

"Such as..?" Lois prods.

Such as murder. That goes against his Code, but he's considered it. Though he walks a gray line, Kal is there as his moral compass. It wouldn't do to upset his best friend like that. Torture is also a solution, but that's also off the table, though Diana is the reason for that.

"Now, now, Miss Lois, I think it' time we leave this discussion for now. It's been a while since I was last in Metropolis; how's your own city's hero doing?"

Subtle, Bruce.

Lois looks deeply into his eyes, and whatever pieces she'd been missing click into place. She laughs, "He's doing well, though I haven't been reporting on him lately. That's all Clark."

"Have you met Superman?" Miss. Crowne asks, pulling the conversation along.

Clark shakes his head. "Only once, but not nearly long enough to get a comment." Luther looks slightly upset. Loser. "Though I'd love to talk to him some more. Have you ever met Batman?"

The answer is no. Batman makes a point to avoid civilians who aren't victims or Commissioner Gordon. However, Miss. Crowne says, yes, she has met Batman, though he didn't stay long for a talk. She seems to be proud of [not] meeting Gotham's resident cryptid, though her wording entices Oliver to speak up.

"Cryptid?" Oliver asks.

Miss. Crowne nods enthusiastically. "Yes! No one knows where he came from or where he goes at the end of each night. One day, he just showed up, and he's been here ever since."

She continues to spin a fantastical tale about what Gothamites think about Batman and his Birds. Bruce smirks behind his drink. This reveal is going to be really funny.

***

Down the left hallway from the ballroom, by the bathroom, is the sitting room that was chosen as the 'kid's room'. As soon as dinner had ended and the mingling had started, the Wayne children had spread the information about the second room to all of the heroes that had kids with them. Arguably, this room was much more fun than the ballroom.

Tim and Duke had been the first two to leave the ballroom, mostly so that there was actual security in the sitting room. Duke didn't have a team affiliated with the Justice League, so he mostly floated between the sitting room and the ballroom, like Cass and Steph, but Tim was almost a permanent fixture in the sitting room.

The entire team knows who Kon and Bart are, so thy stuck pretty close to each other as the only familiar faces in the party aside from their families. They left the ballroom soon after Tim and Duke did.

Cassie came in a few minutes later, Andy Curry toddling after her, though it didn't seem like she'd noticed.

Tim meet Cassie at the snack table. "Cute kid," he said, looking over her shoulder, "She related to you?"

Cassie didn't jump, though it was a close thing. She turned to Tim before looking behind her. "Nope."

Humming, Tim crouched down to pick up the toddler. Andrina 'Andy' Curry. Arthur and Mera will be missing her soon. "My name's Tim Drake," he says to both Andy and Cassie, though he coos, "What's your name, hun?"

Andy giggles as e boops her nose before picking her up and standing. "A-dy!"

"'Andy'?" he repeats, "Where're your parents, Andy?"

She points to the door. "Dat way!"

"That way?" Cassie says, also pointing to the door, "Why'd you leave them?"

Andy stuck her tongue out. "Bo'ing!"

Tim stifles a laugh. "Can you tell me your last name, sweety?"

"Cuwy!"

"Curry?" Cassie guesses.

"Yeah!" Andy nods happily.

Tim nods. "Let's get you back to your momma, okay, Andy?"

"Boo!" she shouts, gripping his shirt tighter. Cassie laughs.

Shooting his friend a small glare, he says, "You gotta tell your momma where you are or she's gonna worry!"

Andy's face fell, distraught. "Momma sad?"

Seeing the tears, Tim hurries to say, "No! No, no,no! Hunny, she's not sad, but she will be if we don't go say 'hi', okay?"

Andy nods, her eyes still watery, but she wasn't crying, so Tim would take the win."

Cassie follows as Tim leaves the room. "You're pretty good with kids."

"You think?" Tim chuckles. It was part of his Robin training.

"Yeah, though I don't know how you're going to find her parents in a room of people."

Tim looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I memorise faces pretty easily," he says, "And I made the guest list, so they should be easy to spot. Especially if they've noticed Andy here missing."

He nods at Duke as he passes into the ballroom. Cassie waits outside for him.

Just as he said finding Arthur and Mera Curry was pretty easy. They were talking to Dinah Lance, Mister and Misses Elliot, Jason, and Roy and Lian Harper. It didn't seem like they'd realised Andy was missing yet, so this was going to be a fun conversation.

"Excuse me?" he said, placing his hand on Arthur's shoulder, "Sorry to interrupt, but Andy here was wandering off on her own, so I figured I should bring her back to you."

Mera turned, gasping a bit, though it was probably mostly for dramatics. "Andrina!" Gently, she takes the toddler from Tim's arms, "You were supposed to be with Jackson! Why did you wander off?"

"Bo'ed." Andy huffs.

Arthur chuckles. "Thanks for bringing her back, ..?"

"Tim Drake," he offers his hand for a handshake, "I'm Jason's little brother."

"Squirt," Jason acknowledges, "You sticking around?"

He shakes his head. "Nah. I'm gonna go back to the sitting room."

"What?" Roy chuckles, "Too important to stay with adults?"

Tim raises his eyebrow challengingly. "Andy had the right idea. You adults are pretty boring."

The entire group laughs as he excuses himself, leaving the room quickly. He meets Cassie just outside the door.

"I'm Cassie Sandsmark," she says, holding her hand for a handshake.

Tim accepts, "Tim Drake."

"I know. You're pretty famous, y'know?"

He groans. "Don't remind me, man."

"Not all it's cracked up to be?"

"Not even close."

Cassie laughs and Tim joins her. It'll be a weight off his shoulders when his team finally knows him in and out of costume. Though, he knows they'll be hurt at first, they'll more likely find this prank hilarious, especially when he shows them the Cave footage of Phase One.

He and Cassie find Bart and Kon in the same corner as before, though they both have food and there's more people in the room.

"Hi," Tim greets, "I'm Tim Drake. I'm glad you could make it!"

"Connor Kent," he then points to Bart, "That's Bart Allen."

"Cassie Sandsmark," she says.

They all shake hands and merge conversations. For a moment, Tim can imagine that there's no secrets between them.

Eventually, the conversation turns to the Gotham Vigilantes.

"You know the rumors, don't you?" Tim says.

"What rumors?" Kon asks.

He watches his teammates for a seconds before glancing around the room and leaning in to whisper conspiratorially. They lean in as well. "That the Bats and his Birds aren't human."

There's a pause.

"Excuse me?" Cassie blinks.

Tim nods. "No one's quite sure where or when Batman showed up. And the others? None of them seem quite human. Some people think that Batman was created by the sheer amount of magic that's cursed the city."

Bart tilts his head to the side. "Gotham's cured?"

"Yep! Didn't you know that? Can't you feel it?"

"Drake," Damian says from behind the three heroes, startling them, "What are you doing?"

Tim shrugs, leaning away from his friends, "Telling my friends about the magic in Gotham."

"Tt. Baseless assumptions."

"Half of the rogues in the city are undead."

"What?" Kon half exclaims.

"The other half have PhDs in different fields." Damian refutes, "Your point?"

"Yeah, that's fair." Tim agrees, "Konnor, Cassie, Bart; this is my little brother Damian. Damian, this is Konnor Kent, Cassie Sandsmark, and Bart Allen."

"Pleasure to meet you." He was not convincing in the least.

"Nice to meet ya, little dude," Kon smiles.

Damian scowls. "Do not call me little."

"Aww!" Bart coos, laughing, "He's so cute!"

Damian bristles like a cat. "I am not-!"

He's cut off by Jon Kent throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Dami!" he smiles, "You've met my uncle now!"

Cassie does a double take. "You're an uncle?"

Kon shakes his head. "Yep."

"Jon," Damian says, significantly calmer now that his friend is here. "Remove your arm from my shoulder or I will remove it from yours."

Tim clicks his tongue. "Don't be like that, Dami. Who's your friend?"

"This is my nephew, as your heard," Kon introduces, "Jon Kent."

"You're Clark and Lois's kid, huh?" Tim asks.

"You know my parents?"

"'Course," he shrugs, "They've covered quite a few of the events that I've been to."

"You say that as though that's something to be proud of," Damian snarks.

"Shove off, Baby Bat."

If anyone asks, the slip was purposeful.

The group freezes.

For a long moment, their little corner is silent.

"No fucking way." Kon swears. "Red?!"

Tim barely hides his snort. "Surprise."

Damian sighs. "Nice going, Drake."

"Oh, shove off, brat. I was gonna tell them anyway." Quieter, he says, "Though, the meeting I was arranging is redundant now."

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Bart interrupts, 'What's going on?"

Sighing, Tim leans against the wall. "B decided it was time to tell our teams our real names, but, in true B fashion, he's being dramatic about it. We've pranked the Justice League, and I have the footage if you wanna see."

Cassie holds up her hand to make him stop talking. It works. "You're Red Robin. Which means you're Robin."

"Yes." Damian confirms.

"That means that Batman is Bruce Wayne." she says. It takes a second for her words to really sink in. "What the hell!"

"Are you gonna keep freaking out, or do you wanna see what we did to the Justice League last month?"

"Are you bribing us?" Bart asks, almost apauld.

"Is it working?"

"Yes."

Part 15 Part 17

[nimbusclan]

Moon 3, Part 2

[Previous] [Start] [Next]

Without a second of hesitation, Moonpaw takes off over the mountain, mouth open to follow Fogpaw’s scent as her paws fly over the rocks. Her legs are screaming, but adrenaline overpowers her exhaustion.

“Fogpaw?” She yowls. “Fogpaw!”

“I’m here.” Fogpaw’s voice sounds from somewhere nearby, strained but blessedly alive. Moonpaw turns in the direction of the sound and darts around the edge of an outcropping of rock, freezing as the sour scent of blood fills her nostrils.

“Fogpaw?”

“I told you, I’m right here,” He hisses. He’s half on the ground, struggling to pull himself to his paws, so Moonpaw goes to press her body to his to help him up. His pale fur is stained and streaked with blood from long gashes that mar his flank and there are clumps of fur stuck between his claws.

“What happened to you?” Moonpaw is terrified. The scent of blood reminds her of her last night at home and she struggles not to gag. “It smells like other cats.”

“It was other cats,” he spits, leaning heavily on her as she guides them back towards where she first spotted the rabbit. He limps, wincing with each step. “Remember those cats we met up with at the border? They’re using our hunting grounds.” Fogpaw’s voice shakes with anger. “I confronted them, but they said we don’t have a clan anymore which means that the territory is theirs. They said that if I tried to stop them, they’d make me pay. Well,” he laughs humorlessly, “I tried, but there were too many of them. I’m lucky that what little honor they have left was enough to stop them from killing me.”

Thank StarClan. She can’t lose her brother, too. He’s the only thing she has left. “You’re too reckless,” Moonpaw scolds. Fogpaw’s muzzle twists into a scowl, but he doesn’t deny it. “We have to leave, Fogpaw. We need to find somewhere new. We can rebuild NimbusClan, but it can’t be here.”

He looks at her, his eyes going wide and round. Slowly, a determined sheen comes over them. “Alright. Lead the way, Moonpaw.”

[Previous] [Start] [Next]

[magnolia-sunrise]

two years after their violent meeting, Wolfgang decides to seek out the man who saved their life - hopefully to make a better second impression 🚬 (shoutout to mintt and julien for proofreading and feedback!)

[jonathanbyersphd]

... What do you mean there are people that think Jonathan was jealous of Steve in s1 because he had a crush on Nancy?

Cause like yea, I will give you that Jonathan was jealous of Steve. But from the viewpoint of Steve doesn't have nearly a quarter of the responsibilities Jonathan does. From Jonathan's perspective Steve has a happy two-parent household and not to mention he's from a wealthy family. Like Jonathan is jealous of the ease of Steve's life.

It's fundamental that any crush or feelings don't develop until after Nancy falls into the UD. There's a reason the romantic tones ramp up after that. Jonathan isn't calling Steve an asshole because he's in love with Nancy, he's mad at Steve because he broke the one thing that Jonathan has for himself and it's unlikely that he can afford to replace his camera any time soon. (also there's the whole implying he killed his brother thing)

[drawballa]

Shield & Shelter - Chapter 11 (1/6)

READ FULL COMIC: HERE

[martyrbat]

seriously though i know im mostly a comics blog so complaining is expected and is second nature and there is a LOT to complain on (from disgusting writers to character developments being nuked) thats justified but also i love comics so so much.... i love this medium and how unique it is and the story opportunities it gives. i love seeing so many different art styles and writers and how comics can be dialogue or visual heavy (or a balance of both) and how theyre equally important or emotionally moving. i love how many stories and arcs these characters can have. i love when you can tell something is a passion project and when you can tell someone truly loves these characters. i love how long theyve been around and seeing the development of them and the way they been empowering or something to look forward to and bring hope or laughter or excitement since the 1930s. i love that i can not like something in a specific story but still enjoy the character or medium because theres so many different factors in that one story alone but also because theres so many different writers and stories and spin offs and solos and everything to still read and enjoy if that particular one isn't for me. i love how their timelines can be complete bullshit and how sometimes an event is important and sometimes theres no consequences and the only way to find out is to keep reading. i love the melodramas, i love the cheesiness, i love the camp, i love the passion projects, i love the dark themes, i love the slow and developing timelines and arcs, i love the tragedy and humor and horror and action and how many different genres it can have while still in this one medium and still about this one character. i love how any character, no matter how minor, can have a person that loves them and gets excited to see them. i love the community aspect of them (sometimes) and i love how so many different people can enjoy the same comic for different reasons and have their own community of mutuals that enjoy it the way they do. i just love comics so so much.

[prrtnrr]

Naoto: Allow me to recap what's transpired thus far. Nanako chan and Teddie had revealed that we all thought Yosuke senpai and Souji senpai were involved. Yosuke in a gay panic ran into the TV, which we had previously closed after defeating Labrys's Shadow or so we thought, and dungeoned himself. We met the creator of the Velvet Room after defeating the evolved Shadow, got separated, reunited, and the major information that Yosuke senpai was withholding from us to cause all of this to happen is that he has, indeed, been in a same sex relationship before. Am I right so far? Yosuke: please be real careful im in a sensitive state i was scared of exactly this- Naoto: Yosuke senpai; everyone's a hypocrite. No one's mad at you and I can understand why you didn't why you didn't want to say anything. You most likely thought that we would have thrown your past ignorance and hate speech in your face and cut ties with you. Souji: You should give us more credit, we'd never do that. Chie: what souji said! we've all seen the worst parts of each other and thats what makes our bond unbreakable! on the flip side- Rise: I CANT BELIEVE YOU DIDNT GOSSIP WITH ME-- WE COULD HAVE BEEN HAVING BOY TALK THIS! ENTIRE!! TIME!!! Kanji: YEAH WE COULDA BEEN PAINTIN NAILS AND TALKIN FEELINGS; WHEN. Yosuke: AAUGH WHEN WE GRADUATED- OKAY?? i would send him pictures of all us more during third year, and he noticed souji wasnt /in/ many of the pictures that year. he brought it up, i said souji moved back to the city, and then he asked if i was single!! i didnt know what to do! i said yes and-then-we-dated-for-maybe-two-years-it-was-mostly-online-we-only-saw-each-other-face-to-face-like-4-times, uh, yea.... so... never made it as a wise man?

<<Prev | First | Next>>

[thevoidstaredback]

Everyone's comm beeps in their ear, drawing their attention. "Kon, Jon, Cassie, and Bart all know now. I'm bribing them with the footage of Phase One." Tim's voice says. Their comms beep again and the line goes silent.

Dick sighs. Yeah, that checks. Honestly, he's surprised those four hadn't been told way earlier than now.

"What's wrong?" Wally asks from beside him.

"Nothing," ha answers. He finishes the drink in his hand in one go.

Wally snorts softly. "Yeah, sure. I assume someone's blown it?"

"Tim and Dami. Both Superboy's, Wonder Girl, and Impulse all know now."

"Our Wonder Girl?"

"Tim's.

"Ah." A beat. "The problem?"

"No problem. Though, B might say something."

"I thought he was all for telling the teams?"

"He is! This was all his idea! But Tim's bribing the other four with the footage of the Cave."

"You mean the footage that I haven't seen yet?"

"Yep."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Wally grabs his hand, "Let's go get Donna and go watch!"

Dick sighs again and goes along. He clicks his own comm on and says, "Me, Wally, and Donna are gonna come watch, too. Wally insists."

Damian's voice comes next. "Since when does Troy know?"

"Probably since I told her and Wally."

"What?" Steph's voice whines, "You've had two people know for so long?"

Before he can respond, Barbra hisses, "Hey! This is supposed to be a distraction free line, guys."

Jason snorts, "Me, Roy, Lian, and Duke are on our way, too. You girls should come watch; we'll make a party out of it."

"Good idea," Cass says.

Dick can see Bruce on the other side of the room, unable to react to a thing that's being said in his ear. Ha!

***

Bruce watched his kids all leave the room. He's glad that their teams know, though why did they have to let it slip while the party was still going on? Oh, well, nothing to do about it now. Especially because Oliver's agreed to give a speech.

"Ollie, dear, it's time for your speech now, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes." Oliver says, light pink dusting his cheeks at the address Bruce had been using since they were in high school. He made his way to the stage, the band quieting as he took the podium. "If I may have everyone's attention for just a moment?"

Great start, Ollie.

"Like all of you, the invitation to this gala tonight came as a surprise. A welcome one, but a surprise nonetheless. Now, I won't keep your attention for long, but, on behalf of Bruce, I'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight. This Gala tonight, Charity for Justice, is a fantastic way for us to give back to the people who work so hard to save us. And it's not just the Justice League; Doctors, Teachers, Veterans, et cetera. They're all heroes who deserve all the help we can give them. Being here tonight, while it may seem superficial, is a step in the right direction to helping the heroes of the world. Now, I don't know how Bruce is going to get this money to the Justice League, but I'm not one to questions his ways or his motivations. He's been a friend of mine since we were in high school, and I trust him with my life. Thank you, Bruce, for hosting tonight; And thank you all for coming and donating." Nodding to the audience, Oliver walked from the stage as they clapped.

Bruce smiled at Oliver as they met at the bottom of the stairs leading to the stage. "Thanks, Ollie. I didn't know you trusted me so much."

Oliver matched his smile. "'Course I do, Brucie! And what you're doing tonight is really good. I might just have to steal this idea from you."

Laughing, Bruce patted Oliver's shoulder before taking his place on the stage. "Thanks, Oliver, for speaking tonight. I know it was last minute, but you did great." The crowd chuckled a bit as Oliver raised the glass he now held. "At the risk of sounding like a broken record, thanks again, everyone, for coming here tonight. I know a lot of you are far from home, but it means a lot that you made the trip out.

"Admittedly, this entire gala was a spur of the moment decision. My kids, actually, came up with the idea, so if you're going to thank anyone, it should be them. They did everything on their own while sat back and let them do their thing.

"When you think of heroes, you're most likely to think of the Justice League and their sidekicks. But, who were the heroes before the Justice League was founded? Perseus, Heracles, Aeneas, Remus, Romulus, Vldar, Ragnar Lodbrok, Hua Mulan, Guan Yu. All of them were warriors. But, does combat make a hero? I don't think so. I think the thing that makes a hero is the willingness to help; the willingness to give even if you have nothing to give; the willingness to do what it takes to make sure someone gets to live even just a little bit longer.

"Oxford dictionary defines the word 'hero' as "a person who is admired or idealized for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities". While I agree, I think that this is a much too niche definition. After all, I've met hundreds of people who I would consider heroes, heard thousands more stories- and not one of them has been 'admired' or 'idealised' for it.

"Tonight, I've asked for donations from each of you. All of the money will be going towards helping the heroes of the world; those who are recognised as such, those who aren't, and everyone in between. Every donation made will be matched by not only myself, but Wayne Industries as well. Then, all the money will be anonymously give to the heroes of every city represented here.

"Again, I'm so glad everyone could make it tonight, and I'm beyond glad that you've all be generous enough to help our heroes. Please enjoy the rest of your evening." The applause was loud as he walked off stage, the music picking up softly before crescendoing as the crowd began talking again.

The comm in his ear clicked just before Barbra started speaking. "That was a good speech, B. Brought some of us to tears."

He picked up a drink and sipped it as he spoke into his own comm piece. "You're watching the cameras?"

"Naturally," Damian said.

"We're all too comfortable to move," Tim explained, "So Bab's pulled the cameras up on the TV just as Oliver finished speaking."

"I've never heard Batman talk so much..." That was Bart Allen, clearly close enough to hear him over Tim's line, but not close enough to be intentional.

"Hell," Donna was probably sprawled across Dick and Wally, "I've never seen him express emotion and I knew who he was!"

Bruce hid a laugh and a smirk behind his drink. "Watch it, now."

There were a few squeaks as the comms all clicked off, Barbra taking care of his as well.

The ballroom was emptying, slower than he would like, but faster than expected. The kids (because that's what they are, no matter how old they may be) all trickled back into the ballroom, waving goodbye and joining their families as they went, though his own kept themselves near the door to say goodbye to everyone leaving. He decided to join them.

Just as Oliver, Dinah, Roy, and Lian were leaving, he stopped his old friend and pulled him aside.

Oliver's guard was still down, relaxed even as Bruce pulled him into a completely empty room and shut the door. He heard the click of a comm turning on, though no one spoke, so he could only assume it was his own.

"I was just about to head home; What's up, Bruce?"

"Oliver, there's something I need to tell you." This was gonna be so funny.

"Bruce?"

When had first started out, he knew that having the same voice in and out of costume would be a potentially detrimental mistake, so he'd dropped his voice as low as he dared and added the grit to it. Eventually, he'd gotten a voice changer, but he'd kept up the training to make sure he didn't damage his voice in case the voice changer ever broke.

Taking a deep breath, Bruce turned around and dropped his voice. "I'm Batman."

Part 16 Part 18

[heademptysimirror]

Star to star

(Masterpost here!)

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