#after gunning down the red hood - oops!

[morninkim]

In 1997, Metropolis got its own superhero, the first costumed crime fighter in decades, a flying man who would call himself Superman.

Later that same year, the Batman of Gotham first appeared, his methods much more brutal than the Man of Steel’s chipper and friendly demeanour.

A year later, in 1998, Diana of Themiscyra, the Wonder Woman, returned to Man’s World after nearly a century away, having aided the allies in the first World War.

Though the three were from very different worlds, their activities and efforts to make the planet better would usher in what many would call the Silver Age of Heroes!

[nosyrobin]

JASON NEEDS A BOYFRIEND!! CAN YOU GIVE HIM A BOYFRIEND??

“Red riding hood.”

Jason Todd x GL!reader

Genre: Drabble

Cw: slight suggestive.

A/N:YOU ASK I DELIVER, I feel likeee…a green lantern boyfriend. Yknow with his jason and his comments and basically reader is the son of Hal Jordan so I can just see that Jordan!reader just straights up call him “red riding hood”

“Sooo…red hood? You couldn’t at least pick another name?” Y/N says, glowing in a green aura with his arms crossed.

“What? You got a better name for me?” Y/N smirked at the quick comment. “Yeah the one you’ll be screaming tonight.” Jason usually didn’t feel flustered. But he was trying to watch crime alley when his boyfriend came around. Jason grumbled as the green lantern male just circles around him.

“Though babe, I don’t mind calling you red riding hood. I could be the wolf, and gobble you all up to myself.” Jason immediately turned to the male, y/n can tell he was getting to him. “If you’re just gonna pester me, go back to your corporation.” Jason say. “Ouch….and I thought you loved me.. ight I’m done messing with you. Cya at home babe, I’ll check on the corp.”

It was the next morning, Jason was wrapped in bandages he did himself. Fighting goons and either killing them wasn’t for the weak. As Jason goes and tries to call his boyfriend who hasn’t returned. He heard heavy footsteps, Jason grabbed his gun and pointed outside his bedroom door. Ready to blast whoever it is.

“Yoo- hoo. Red riding hood, it’s your grandma…” Jason deadpanned at Y/N doing a bad grandma voice as he soon sees his boyfriend open the door. “Sup red head. Oops I mean red hood.” Y/N sits by the bed, kissing Jason who seemed to relax a lot more in the man’s presence.

“How was patrol?” Y/N checked over the bandaging and wounds. Jason laid down flat, not even moving an inch. “Was good, until I got shot in my lower abdomen. Hurts like bitch but I’m fine.”

“You didn’t steal anyone’s cookies after that right?” “Fuck you.” “Love you too babe.”

[too-much-tma-stuff]

Double Date (part 6.5)

Better late then never here's the mentioned double date between Harley and Ivey, and Hyena and Hood. It's unedited so please point out any errors you find.

Previous | Masterpost | Next

They really should have expected this when Harley had mentioned Jason and Danny joining her and Pam for a double date. Of course Harley would forget to actually plan, and would just show up, dressed to the nines with Pam on her arm yelling about an event at Penguin's club.

"Come on! we're going to be late for karaoke!" Harley yelled before she processed that Hood had ducked to hide his face and Hyena had a gun trained on them, his mouth stretched too wide in a snarl. "Oh, oops," She said sheepishly as Pam sighed and shook her head.

"Harley, did you forget to tell them we were coming?" Pam questioned with fond exasperation.

"No she did not," Jason said, returning with his helmet on and offering Danny his muzzle. Danny shrugged and took it though he didn't put it on right away. "She mentioned a double date when she brought Danny the flowers but we hadn't heard anything since."

"Oh shoot I'm sorry guys! I got so excited I guess I made the plan in my head! I could have sworn I'd asked," Harley apologized, pouting at the two of them. "Can we still go out though? I really want to do the Karaoke night, I was really looking forward to going with both of you."

Jason glanced at Danny, who glanced back at him, first uncertainly, then when Jason shrugged indicating he didn't mind, with puppydog eyes. Danny wanted to go. Jason sighed. "Fine, get out and give us 20 minutes to get ready and then we can go."

Harley cheered and Danny grinned, scrambling off to their bedroom to grab their clothes. Danny decided on a pair of leather pants and a shirt just sheer enough that his scars weren't obvious, and a more casual cloth facemask with a pattern of bared fangs. It covered his mouth and nose but he could slip a straw under it to have a drink, and it wouldn't muffle his voice too much when they sang.

Jason chose black pants, a red shirt, a brown leather jacket with plenty of concealed weapons, and a wide domino mask. He also took a minute to colour the white streak in his hair black so he'd be less distinctive, insisting Danny did the same, once he'd finished his eyeliner. Danny groaned about it but did it anyway.

"Okay, we're ready to go?" Jason asked, checking Danny out. He sure as hell looked ready for a night out on the town, he looked so fucking good with eyeliner, and those tight black black leather pants... No, Jason couldn't focus on that!

Danny, who smiled with his eyes and nodded eagerly, grabbing Jason's hand and dragging him towards the door. "We're ready to go!" He cheered as soon as he spotted Harley, who immediately cheered as well and lunged forward to hug Danny tightly as he laughed.

"Good now let's go! We're already late!" Harley babbled, dragging Danny towards the door as Pam and Jason followed at a more languid pace.

"And who's fault is that Harls?" Pam chided gently. "You need to learn how to communicate plans like this with people."

"I know, but I really thought I had," Harley said with a pout as she continued to drag Hyena out of the building and into a car they all piled into, Jason insisted on driving Eben though it wasn't his car because he couldn't imagine Harley was a good driver. Pam laughed and said she wasn't while Harley pouted, Jason drove.

They arrived at the iceberg lounge with no trouble. IDs weren't needed to enter, just being recognized as one of Gotham's rogues and since right now Hood and Hyena were practically royalty they were welcomed with open arms. Penguin even got them a last minute table and comped their first bottle, he knew it would pay to stay on the good side of Gotham's new power couple after all. Harley chugged her first glass of bubbly and took off to put her name down for the song she wanted.

"She's not a half bad singer," Pam assured them as she sipped her own glass of champagne more slowly. "Are either of you going to sing?"

Jason glanced over at Danny, who seemed to be hesitating, looking uncertain. Jason shifted closer and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend's waist. "Do it if you want to, I'll go up with you," he encouraged and Danny relaxed a bit.

Danny turned a little to whisper into Jason's ear. "I don't really sing, I'm good at it but since I'm a banshee my voice can be powerful. I've always been worried that singing will have, I don't know, do something?" He said like a question.

"Has it ever done anything?" Jason asked and Danny hesitated before shaking his head.

"No, not unless I scream," Danny admitted reluctantly.

"Alright, then we'll give it a try," Jason assured, kissing the side of Danny’s head before taking a sip of his drink.

Danny nodded and grabbed a straw, slipping it into the drink so he could sip it. Pam topped up their drinks when they were half empty.

"So what song do you think you want to do? Harley'll probably drag me up to do a duet. I always say I won't but she gets me with those puppy-dog eyes," she chuckled fondly, clearly not actually upset about that.

"Oh I know the feeling," Jason agreed, shaking his head.

"I have excellent puppydog eyes," Danny chirped, snuggling closer. Jason rolled his eyes behind his mask.

"I bet he does," Pam laughed softly, amused by the two of them.

"What song should we do? Do you think they have Come With Me Now? We've sung that one together before? Or Vicious, No no! We should do Zombie Love!" Danny suggested sounding excited, though that might just be two glasses of champagne in a body unused to managing alcohol. As long as Danny’s ghostly abilities didn't clear toxins as quickly as physical injuries.

"They can find whatever you want," Pam promised with a snicker. "Pangoo wants to be on both your good sides really bad."

Jason snorted, leaning back against the booth with a crooked and cocky grin. "He knows what my rules are, everyone does, follow them and we'll be fine," he said with a careless little wave.

"Oh don't tell him that!" Harley said, popping out of nowhere and making Jason and Danny jump. "It's so fun watching him scramble," she snickered, flopping down next to Pam, wrapping her arms around Pam's neck. "Come sing with meee," she pleaded as Pam poured her another drink.

"Harley you promised you wouldn't make me this time," Pam chided her without any heat. She didn't actually mind it seemed.

"We'll go first and you can talk her into it," Danny cackled, grabbing Jason's hand and dragging him up and over to the sign-in desk.

They signed up to do Zombie Love because they both thought it was funny. It wasn’t a traditional duet or anything but they could sing it together, that seemed to make Danny feel better too. His voice was beautiful, and he kept his distance from the mic so it wouldn't be too loud because he had very powerful lungs. He seemed more interested in practically grinding on Jason anyway, who was just trying very hard not to blush and potentially taint his fearsome reputation by blushing at his boyfriend's antics.

Harley was whooping and wolf whistling at them excitedly before the song ended and Danny dragged Jason back off the stage laughing breathlessly. He seemed thrilled as he pressed himself against Jason purring under the cover of the music and nuzzling against his neck.

"Hyena we're in public," Jason half joked with his hands gripping Danny's hips too tightly.

"No one's going to say anything, they're scared of us," Danny murmured into Jason's ear making him shiver.

"Hey lovebirds! We supported you while you sang!" Harley accused them, bouncing over to practically pry the two of them apart.

Danny let go while laughing, smiling at Harley with his eyes. "So did you two decide what you're going to sing?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Ya! We're going to do Promiscuous Girl," Harley yipped, Ivy just smiling at her indulgently.

"Then of course we'll cheer you on! But then we're going to dance!" Danny insisted with a wicked glint in his eye that nearly had Jason swooning. Oh he was absolutely going to be pent up and suffering by the end of the night. They should do things like this more often.

Harley and Ivy's duet was pretty good, Pam kept Harley from going too off key and they were clearly having fun. Jason decided to be more stoic about his support, nodding his head to the beat and letting Danny howl and whistle for the both of them. They both clapped when they finished and Harley bounced off the stage again with Pam close in tow.

Danny grabbed Jason and dragged him to the dance floor, and Jason wondered how he could be so graceful and confident in a fight and so fucking lost on the dance floor. He was too aware of his body, and the eyes that were on him and didn't fully know how to behave. Thankfully Danny made sure that didn't last long as he dragged Jason into dancing with him. Jason was content to be essentially a prop and watch as Danny moved with more sensual grace than he had any right to be, flowing with the music in a way that was almost hypnotic.

Jason only became aware that other people thought so too when Harley cut in demanding to dance with Danny as well! Jason chuckled and relinquished Danny to her, going to sit back at their table with Pam. Only then did he notice all the people staring at Danny, the little ring of watchers they'd acquired.

"Is he part siren or something?" Ivy teased him as Jason drank a glass of.. something probably too quickly.

"Something like that," Jason agreed vaguely. "Why are the Gotham City Sirens recruiting?"

"No, but the Birds of Prey might be," Ivy said, smirking at him.

"Hey, no planning to steal my boyfriend," Hood joked, his eyes drawn back to Danny and Harley dancing together. It was... something, they were both completely unaware of the eyes on them, confident and at home in their bodies and sexuality. It was quite the show, and Jason was just glad he was the one Danny would be coming home with.

"Can we borrow him at least?" She asked playfully.

"Weelll I suppose if he agrees to it I can't be too mad," Jason relented, hesitation only for show. They would be good friends to Hyena he was sure.

"Good, now let's just enjoy the night, and how fucking sexy our partners are." Pam said, raising her glass to Jason in a toast, which he returned, clinking his glass against hers.

[kore-arts]

🦜 cuckoo bird called tim au

The Not Talon was privileged to grow. A young body still yet to be molded as they built their weapon.

They didn't think that way when they saw the broken pod and room of dead. From the scent alone they could tell it was days before they even discovered this

The Not Talon clawed himself from the underground. Claws filled with dirt and yellow eyes scaring a mutated pigeon that had landed nearby.

His body wrecked with changes out of his control and anger that vibrates his very bones.

Until boots stomp, Not Talon hidden behind a dumpster as he watches a new being stalk the streets. Drake hid in Crime alley, on place the Elite would never touch. His prize was to witness something new.

A Red Hood. But not alike to the Joker. No no. The Not Talon See's the food and care. The blood and research that comes before. This was a bird of prey like him

The Not Talon stalks, his training in all ways being used. The Not Talon notes the way the new Bird fights, Not unlike the rare time he saw Talia Al Ghul. Whisps of the League. But Acrobatic like the Bird in Sister City. Heavy punches like The Bat who Hunts Cruelly.

Secretly The Not Talon calls Red Hood something else out of a new want and instincts for a flock.

Red Hawk felt right. His silent giggle is earned as he looks them up and compares the Rufous breasted to the Robins that fly in his tattered mind.

The Not Talon likes flying behind the larger Hunter. Except for when he is pulled out with a yelp by a second in command and hangs there wide eyed. swiftly and unthinking, He flips and pins them with talons around their neck with a sharp chirp.

Oops. He attacked one of the Hoods people

Looking up he watches the Hawk stare down at him, gun drawn and feels the stares of the rest before a man -who does not look like he should be stuttering- stutters out a word.

"A T-Talon?!"

The Not Talon straightens in panic, had they come for him?! A sharp screech tearing from his throat as a bullet tears through his head

As he falls forward, (his healing still not as fast as Master Owl) he hears the Hawk yelling about someone killing a kid and second gunshot. A body falling. And boots rapidly moving to drag that weight away.

Oh? Ooooh The Hood wad talking about him. The Not Talon realizes as the bigger man gently rolls him over and off the man who discovered him. Before Red Hood closes his eyes Drake blinks and sits up. Oblivious to the screams and one man fainting in the background, Drake and Hood seemingly stare at eachother.

They stare as either one searches for words.

"... You panicked. Are you running from whatever the fuck is a Talon?" Hood asks sharply but softly. His helmet tipping as The Not Talon nods but also points at himself "i-" The Not Talon coughs at his sore and ragged voice "Made into Talon. Not Talon." The Drake winces as he vaguely remembers a girl who spoke similarly

Red Hood is still. Deadly still as he watches the Not Talon boy. The Not Talon thinks maybe he doesn't know what he is. So he opens his mouth and the room grows cold as the man from earlier claps sharply. The Drake studies him and realized why. The claw scars on his face the same dimensions of the ones on The Drakes back from the Head Talon.

"don't trust it Boss. Those fuckers are assassins, beasts who kill even children. If the Court of Owls fucking See's us and sent that thing? It's a Trap and I ain't getting killed like my pops" it's cold and spitting before the door slams. The Drake remembers that face now. A mysteriously dead politician found dead at a camp sight as his previous attacked son found him hours after

Years before even He was privileged to be Born.

Red Hood Huff's and picks The Not Talon by the scruff "was gonna fire that guy anyways, shit at his job."

This was new. Yellow eyes searching for anything but only seeing protectiveness

"here's how's it's gonna go Birdy" The Not Talon perks up at the semi familiar nickname. One that hurts to try to remember. His face scrunching.

Hood snaps his finger "hey. Hey. I get the feeling you're the one whose been stalking me yeah? Keeps safe out of view when I'm actually working" The Drake nods softly "heh-" huh, that sounded nostalgic of the larger Hunter "anyways, fuckers obviously fucked you up if you can come back from a bullet to the head. So you are staying at my side always. I'm gonna figure out what the fuck even is the Court of Owls is and then rip them apart for messing with A kid" the Drake shivers at the mechanical growl but almost relaxes.

Someone else felt his Hatred. Understood.

"Thank. You." He softly says as he sinks into the blanket turned cloak he stole a while ago. "Am... Not sure Name." His eyes stare at the ground "I Help. Hate them" the Not Talon licks his fangs "made me wrong. They find out"

Jason isn't sure why he decided to do this. He was a crime lord for Gotham's sake. But a clearly experimented on and angry assassin child tugged at his cold chest. one that jerk up from a bullet to the head like it was nothing. A dead child alive again. Those yellow eyes Burning like he knew his green ones did.

He knew that anger and maybe that's why. His helmet connected to the cameras here, allowing him to watch the kid constantly as he dismissed his employees. The kid watched him back, perched on a box with that massive blanket turned cloak draping around him.

As Jason walks the kid follows matching his pace. Silent and deadly they both walk. Kid pulling on his hood and Jasons jacket as he feels the Alley people watching. Jason swiftly pulls him into a very disposable safehouse. Before Jason starts his pattern.

The kid watches and is very still on the couch. Until Jason drops food infront of him. A sad trill has him startled as he watches claws playing with a apple slice

"... The Dead don't eat" it's a whisper. Jason's hair on his arms raised. "Talons are Dead. Undead. We only got liquid in veins." Jason's hand curls at the clinical way it's said. Like a mission statement.

As he focuses on wrangling the anger and Green he hears a small crunch. A happy hum from under the shadow of the blanket cloak. "I still grow. So I still eat, never saw you drug it" Jason raises a eyebrow and notices that yeah. The kids perch is the perfect vantage point too watch someone in the kitchen.

It's stays like that. Jason watching as soft slow bites are taken. It's silent and cold as the kid in his raspy rough voice periodically brings up certain things he remembers. All of them making him furious at this mysterious Court and how they stripped this kid to not even know his name.

The Not Talon doesn't know what else to do.

Hawk is oddly safe feeling, so he does one of the things he remembers well. He talks about it like its a mission. His head hurting as he tries to remember who it was that liked that.

Jason doesn't know what to do.

This kid was broken and Jason is so sure that the only thing he knows how to do is hurt.

[league-of-assassins]

As Halloween was upon the dark and gloomy city, the ghouls and ghosts never slept. Making Gotham City the most dangerous in the night.

"Alright! Curfew has begun, people!" The sheriff yelled from a megaphone as he patrolled the streets. "Please get your children back home and lock your doors!" He yelled again. "God knows it'll be a long night..." He mumbled with a sigh as he heard a gunshot close by. "Dispatch, the sheriff here from Miagani Island. I'm in pursuit of a gunshot."

As the night went on and the villains ran free, JayB couldn't help but be disappointed. "They really don't care anymore, huh?" He muttered under his sniper as he watched some crooks steal a car and almost run over Soobin that tried to avoid them.

"Seriously?" Seonghwa yelled at the Riddler. "Leave my toxins alone and let's go!"

"We can't just leave them like that!" Soobin yelled back as they used a grappling gun to rise up to the roof where JayB was hidden.

"I think we can if one of those dumbasses runs over one." JayB muttered, getting up. "Makes it easier to infect someone with it."

"Do I have tooooo?" Harley whined as she followed behind Donghyuck towards his armored vehicle.

Letting out another whine, she jumps in, almost hitting her head with the dashboard as he reversed suddenly. "HEY!"

"Yes, unless you want to see Joker again." Hyuck rolled his eyes, not even helping Harley into his car as he turned it on. "Now get in before I run you over."

"Oops, my bad," Red Hood snickered, pressing the acceleration and driving down the streets of Gotham after activating one of the potholes to explode behind them.

♧ tags: @kavengers-assemble | @dc-heroes-cb | @badbf-cb | @ateezmystery | @folklore-cb | @livealittleoc-cb | @monsterhigh-cb | @fantasyaespa

[hauntedbythefanficsofmypast]

Betrothal Pt. 2

When Marinette receives Tikki she is freaked out at first but quickly has her explain what she can do as Ladybug, before transforming and taking the Akuma out easily without Chats help.

 She still does the speech to Paris after taking out Hawkmoth's butterfly face thingy.

Alix and Nathaniel are already in her bedroom by the time she gets back, both immediately knowing that Ladybug was their Marinette.

The next day Marinette has Alya claiming they were best friends, she decides to give the girl a chance but doesn't actually bring her into her personal friend group. Plus she really doesnt like that Alya 100% believes that she has a crush on Adrien, all because she had a picture from his recent shoot that she was going to put on her inspiration board.

Alya ignores that and gets all the girls except Alix in on trying to get them together. Marinette continuously tries to get them to stop but after a while she gives up.

Marinette also goes over footage of her fights pointing out to Tikki how under trained Chat Noir is.

"Tikki I'm not doing this because I want a new partner. I'm doing this because I don't want him to die, which he will if we don't train him properly! Stop thinking about this so-called Guardian and think about Chat Noir's life!"

Tikki relents and the next night she and Chat have a heart to heart. She explains to him that she isnt in love with him and won't be, she tells him she's been betrothed since birth. At first Chat points out that the holders are supposed to be soulmates, but Ladybug points out that if anything they are platonic soulmates. She tells him that she wants them to know each other's identities because they are partners and they need to trust each other with their lives. She tells him she'll only allow it if he agrees to begin training with her. Chat Noir agrees and they reveal themselves both a little shocked.

The next day Adrien quits Fencing without telling his father or Nathalie and goes to Marinette's house to begin training with her,  Alix, and Nathaniel.

Adrien realizes after a month that he only thinks of Marinette as a sister. He starts to get annoyed when the boys, except Nathaniel, try pushing him to ask her out.

When it's almost summer Marinette tells Tikki that she is going to Gotham for the summer. Tikki goes to the Guardian and Fu gives her Kaalki in order for Marinette to travel back and forth for attacks.

When the school year ends Marinette's mother is waiting in the car with Marinette's bags on the last day. She kisses Alix Adrien and Nathaniel's cheeks telling them to keep training while she is gone, and promises to be safe. The rest of the class quickly surrounds her asking where she's going and why she isn't spending the summer with them.

"I'm going to Gotham. I go every other year, this is nothing new. I've been doing this for years."

Alya makes a big stink about her 'bestie' leaving and the class tries to convince her to stay. This upsets Alix and Nathaniel, both know the class never cared before, they didn't even help stand up to bullies. Adrien himself wants her to stay but he can see how much she wants to see Damian, so he just kisses her cheeks gently and wishes her a safe trip before opening the door for her. Marinette thanks him as she gets in waving goodbye to her friends before they drive away.

During the school year Damian meets and befriends Jon Kent. At first they dont get along but Damian warms up to him. Damian is proud of Marinette when she becomes a hero, and that their friends are training hard to be ones as well. He even gets permission from Bruce to allow Marinette to train and patrol with them.

Dick and Damian pick Marinette up from the airport and soon everyone in Gotham is talking about Marinette being back. What's even more talked about over the summer is the small dates the two begin to go on.

Halfway through the summer Damian admits to Marinette that he is in love with her and that even if they weren't betrothed he'd still want to marry her. Marinette kisses him softly telling him that she feels exactly the same.

Marinette is excited when she first patrols Gotham with Damian and Dick by her side taking the name Bluebird. 

Bluebird mainly patrols with Nightwing, they both take on Bludhaven side by side. Bluebird patrols  with Robin and Batman every Sunday. Her mandatory night off is on Friday with Robin both of them labeling it their date nights.

Soon after making her debut as Bluebird Marinette discovers Tiktok, and a treasure trove of videos featuring the Wayne family and the Batfamily. She immediately creates two Tiktoks after getting a second phone under a fake identification. This phone is strictly for Bluebird, and so is the Tiktok.

Marinette's favorite Tiktoks are the ones saying that Bruce Wayne is Batman because the butts match. Her Tiktok blows up when her first video is posted.

It starts off with Marinette smiling at the camera with Damian and Bruce standing behind her. When Bruce turns around she gasps opening her eyes widely and whispers to the camera. "Omg...the butts match!"

Marinette continues to make videos of the entire family without any of them noticing, both as Marinette and Bluebird. Both accounts are verified within a week. She posts multiple videos a day all featuring a different member.

The most popular video of Dick is him hanging upside down from a chandelier all smiles while Damian is a few feet away looking up at him.

Damian-It's going to fall.

Dick-No after the first couple times Dad got this one reinforced so it wouldn't.

Tim walked past literally drinking from a coffee pot-No he got the one near the West sitting room reinforced.

Dick looks up when the ceil creaks and a second layer he and the chandelier are falling

Dick-Shi-!!

The video then cuts off.

Jason's most popular video is him blindfolded as he puts a gun back together in seconds not knowing Bruce is behind him.

Jason- Impressive right?

Bruce- I thought I said no guns in the manor

Jason screams before calming down- Oh its you I thought it was Alfred.

Alfred- Master Jason

Jason screams and tries to run with the blindfold still on but runs into a wall.

Tim's popular video is multiple clips of Tim right as he passes out and falls with a loud thump. After three clips people here three voices yelling Timber in the background after he faints. The last video shows Tim knocking over a bookcase only to look at Marinette confused when he hears Timber screamed from three different parts of the manor.

( @daddybats-and-babybirds Hello! So I saw your headcanon a while back and really liked it. If you're seeing this I tried to find you on Tumblr to ask for permission but couldn't. If you don't want me using this please message me and I will remove it immediately! Thank you!)

Cass's popular video is very sweet. It's different clips of her taking care of and spending time with her family. The first clip is her slowly reading aloud curled up next to Bruce, the next is her pushing a chair underneath Dick as he goes to sit down after Jason pulled the other one out without him realizing. Third is her gently cleaning a cut Jason got after falling from a tree. Fourth is her covering Tim with a blanket and moving his work onto the table. Fifth is her painting Stephanie's nails while Barbara does Stephanie's hair for a date. Six is her carefully moving Damian to his room trying not to wake him up. Seven is her helping Alfred during spring cleaning, and eighth is her posing in some of Marinette's clothes as the boys help with lighting and Stephanie takes the pictures.

Bluebird's Tiktok features a lot of videos of her flipping around and laughing wildly as a few older villains run away yelling about the second coming of the first Robin. After every  one of those videos another is posted of Nightwing bent over cackling at what the villains yelled. Everyone in Gotham is thrilled when it's confirmed that Nightwing is actually the first Robin, all recognizing the cackle. A few videos feature the Batfamily arguing through body gestures without saying anything, she'll flip the camera around to show her grinning and writing will pop up saying what they were arguing about. Most of the time is about getting food while on patrol, but one time Red Hood insulted Nightwings butt. The two most popular videos are one where she is a few feet behind Batman and all you see is his cape and head, and she has "Bruce Wayne???" written in. The second is Red Robin sitting in the back of an ambulance with a shock blanket around his shoulders.

Red Robin-  What now? I'm in shock! Look I've got a blanket!

Batman- Red Robin!

Red Robin- And I just delivered twins while stuck in an elevator! Twins Batman!!

Batman turns and walks away silently while Red Robin looks at the paramedic.

Red Robin- Im going to regret that during training tomorrow.

The only time Bluebird makes noise during a Tiktok is when she is laughing wildly. She does this because both her Tiktoks are popular and she doesn't want to take the chance of someone recognizing her voice. She is not worried about the wild laughter because she is calmer as Marinette but as Bluebird she lets herself be wild and carefree. Batman enjoys having Bluebird on patrol with him, her hero persona reminds him of when he and the first Robin started.

Marinette announces that her and Damian are finally dating in a Tiktok showing them on a date at the parks with Barbara and Dick as their 'chaperones'. The video shows her holding his hand walking behind him before she flips the camera and winks at it, in the background walking behind them is Dick pushing Barbara's wheelchair, while looking down at her lovingly.

An hour later Marinette is recording a video where they had been pulled over by Commissioner Gordon himself. Dick is pale as he nods to everything Gordon says while Barbara is groaning refusing to even acknowledge her dad. Before the video cuts out she whispers, 'I forgot a lot of Gotham officers follow me, oops…'

The family also helped Marinette master the art of coming up with excuses and slip out without being noticed, for when she has to rush back to Paris.

The family celebrates their birthday together before having a Gala the night after celebrating it for the cameras. The family shows up wearing Marinette's own designs and she is buzzing with excitement when multiple people ask for the designer's information for commissions, they turn 14.

When summer is coming to an end Marinette really doesn't want to leave but she knows she must. Marinette promises to visit for Christmas.

When she returns she is excited to see Alix, Nathaniel and Adrien at the airport with Gorilla to pick her up. Adrien smiles mischievously, telling her that his father agreed after Adrien mentioned that his friend was a rising Fashion designer, MDC. 

Marinette enjoys her first day back spending it with her friends. The next day she is slightly annoyed when Alya bursts into her room at 7 in the morning demanding details about her trip and if she met anyone famous.

Marinette decided in that moment that she was very thankful she never shared her Insta with Alya and that Alya doesn't know about Tiktok. She does however indulge the girl telling her she had a lot of fun and tells her some of what she did. Alya is quick to tell her all about what the class did together and what she did over the summer. However her tune changes when she sees a few pictures of Adrien pinned to a board, and suddenly she's once again trying to come up with ideas to get them together. At this point Marinette is thankful when her mother comes up, asking Alya to leave so that Marinette can help with chores.

The school year starts the same as always and Marinette decides to run for class president. She is surprised when she wins and names Nathaniel her vice president much to Alya's annoyance.

Marinette also meets Jagged Stone only a month into the school year after designing glasses and an album cover for him. At first Jagged doesn't realize the rockin' girl that made his glasses was MDC until at a party when someone excitedly points out the MDC signature on the side. He begins talking to her more with her parents permission and takes her in as his new niece. Soon he is only wearing clothes that she makes.

Half way through the year Lila shows up. The class sans Mari, Adrien, Alix, Nathaniel, and Chloe are all taken by her immediately. Marinette is not there the day she arrives.Lila attempts to lie her way into Adrien's graces using her Ladybug excuse. But Adrien quickly tells her that he doesn't want to hear it, because there is no way Ladybug would let her defenseless or possibly disabled friends know her Identity out of fear they'd get targeted.

Lila is outraged that her lie failed, but she wants Adrien under her thumb and starts devising a plan for it to happen.

The next day Lila tries to charm Marinette when she is upset over her desk being switched without even asking her. When everyone heads out for lunch she quickly snatches up Marinette apologizing and selling her sob story of Jagged's kitten. She is shocked when Marinette begins to laugh and tells her that it was a nice try but Jagged Stone has a crocodile named Fang because he is allergic to fur. Lila gets even madder and decides to just threaten Marinette telling her that she'd take away all of the class. Marinette just rolls her eyes and tells her good luck with that before walking away to join her friends.

When the four return from lunch they find Lila sitting and crying with the class surrounding her as Alya comforts her.

Lila is quick to claim that Marinette refused to listen to her when she tried to explain the seat switch and that instead she made fun of Lila's disabilities. Alya is upset at Marinette and tells her that she is disappointed that her best friend would act like this and that she needs to give Lila a chance.

Marinette just signs walking back to her new seat and sits down, Adrien follows her up and sits next to her while Alix and Nathaniel take the bench in front of them.

Alya huffs continuing to comfort Lila until she finally stops fake crying, the rest of the class sits down in their seats and starts talking again. However they don't talk to the four

As Lila is there she slowly learns more and more about Adrien and Marinette planning on getting Adrien under her thumb and to take Marinette out. She learns about Marinette's huge crush, Alya's words, on Adrien and that Adrien's dad is so strict that he won't even let him have a birthday party. She begins studying the two of them before making her final plans.

She attempts to get Marinette expelled but fails when the Principal insists that it must be a misunderstanding . Even when she starts crying and claiming Marinette is bullying her, the teachers do nothing. It isn't until Chloe confronts her that she finds out Marinette is the top student in the school and a certified genius. Chloe smirks, informing her that if the school even attempted to claim she was cheating they'd not only come under fire, but they'd lose their funding from having her there.

Lila decides to just make the class hate Marinette while still trying to get Adrien. She is unable to get a foothold even when she manages to get Gabriel's attention claiming  Adrien is hanging with terrible people. However the moment she mentions Marinette's name she is shut out. Gabriel telling her that Marinette has a higher standing than the daughter of an ambassador any day.

Lila's anger gets her akumatized into Volpina, she goes after Marinette determined to hurt the girl in some way. She finds her at the skate park watching Alix practice. She creates an illusion of Adrien and has the illusion walk up to Marinette. The illusion begins to tear into Marinette claiming that she is a terrible person, and doesn't deserve anything that she has, before telling her that they were no longer friends. She gets angrier when Marinette asks the illusion what her nickname for him was and smirks when the illusion doesn't answer. Volpina gets so angry she just attacks Marinette swinging at her with her flute getting angrier when Marinette blocks each hit with her arms barely flinching until Chat Noir tackles Volpina away from her. Marinette is quick to run away, Alix following her. Soon after Ladybug joins them in the fight, once they defeat Volpina. Ladybug turns to find Lila crying claiming that she didn't want to hurt Marinette but the girl had been bullying her. 

Chat Noir growls but Ladybug quickly stops him from doing anything. 

'I know you're lying Lila. I suggest you stop lying, and have that video removed claiming to be my best friends. The only friend I have while in this mask is Chat Noir. You are putting yourself in danger by lying.'

Lila however just stops crying and galres at the heros huffing and storming away.

The next day everyone is talking about Lila taking another trip to Achu to visit Prince Ali. They get annoyed when Marinette asks Rose if she is going to email the Prince asking about her.

Eventually things return to slight normalcy and they only have to listen to Lila's lies when she video chats the class.

A few weeks after she has left Adrien finds the Miraculous grimoire, he immediately brings it to Marinette and shows her. Once Tikki sees it she insists that they bring it to the Guardian so she and Adrien set off together finally meeting Fu. Half way through their conversation Adrien is called back home by Gabriel. Gabriel demands the book back and is deeply upset when Adrien says he lost it. Gabriel dismisses him and he destroys his room before akumatizing himself.

Meanwhile Marinette is tearing into Fu for giving them the Miraculous without any proper training. Soon after she gets a message from Adrien saying that Gabriel had been akumatized. She quickly transforms meeting up with Chat Noir on the way once they defeat The Collector they return to Fu and take pictures of the book. Marinette then heads to the Agreste Mansion with the book in hand. When Gabriel comes to the door she quickly introduces herself before handing the book over. 

"Adrien was really excited to share the book with me today while we had lunch at my home. However he forgot it in my room, sorry it took me so long to get the book here Mr. Agreste!"

Gabriel takes the book and thanks Marinette before questioning her and Adrien's relationship. Marinette laughs softly telling him that Adrien is like a brother to her. He then asks why brother and not best friend. Marinette grabs the ring around her necklace playing with it gently. 

"Because my best friend is my boyfriend and my betrothed."

Gabriel then issues an invite for her to come over more, saying that she is clearly a good influence on Adrien. Marinette thanks him before saying goodbye and leaving.

That night they all meet in their wearhouse to talk about it. Even though Adrien is distressed he agrees that his father is still their biggest suspect.

Marinette pulls Oracle and Batgirl into a video call as they all sort through Gabriel's dealing since Emilie's disappearance. They determine that he wants Tikki and Plagg for a wish relating to Emilie. Marinette pulls Adrien aside and they have a heart to heart.

"Do I want my mom back? Yes, more than anything, but she-My mom would never want this. She'd be so incredibly disappointed in my father for terrorizing the city she loves. She'd be disappointed in me for thinking for even a second to help my dad."

Oracle looks into every dealing Gabriel has had while Batgirl focuses heavily on going through camera footage.

Oracle points out a few months before Hawkmoth started Gabriel paid the city to remove the camera from around his mansion. Batgirl shows them footage of the house before he paid the city off pointing out the window designed like a butterfly. Showing that the small middle section is designed to open. Oracle finds something big from a few months before Emilie disappeared. She found that Gabriel hired multiple workers to come and build an underground garden, paying them off so that they would never mention it. She also found he bought a pod specially designed for those in coma to keep them from dying.

They all start planning on how to take Gabriel down. The only reason they haven't acted is for fear of his company. They don't want it to fall and have millions lose their jobs. They also want more evidence to take to the police. Oracle hires someone to install a camera facing the window in order to get confirmation.

Adrien meets Kagami much the same way except Marinette confirms that she did win. She however gets akumatized when her mother brushes off her success. After being defeated, Adrien extends his friendship to her, and they slowly grow closer. Soon after Marinette meets Luka when he drops something off for Juleka. He helps her pick up the books she dropped and they are quick friends. Marinette can immediately tell that he is a meta and Luka is surprised but tells her that he can hear people's soul songs.

A few weeks later Gorilla is akumatized after Gabriel thinks he is Chat Noir. Ladybug is easily able to save Adrien getting him to safety before defeating Gorizilla she tells Hawkmoth to watch out because they are on to him.

After this Luka invites Marinette to his family's house boat during the music festival, when his mom gets akumatized Luka is quick to help Mari escape. Afterwards he tells her that he knows she was Ladybug and Adrien Chat Noir. Marinette brings him into their fold and when she does Adrien asks to bring Kagami.

Before the school year comes to the end the class meets Clara Nightingale. Clara becomes fast friends with Marinette and tries to get her to be Ladybug in her video. However Chloe has the shoot shut down and she is akumatized into Frightningale. After the fight Marinette encourages her to have everyone in the video wearing masks showing that they are all heros in their own way. Clara agrees and Marinette is very thankful that neither of her masks in her hero persona a black.

Adrien admits to Marinette that he has a slight crush on Kagami so Marinette enlists the help of Luka and together they go ice skating. While Kagami and Adrien are skating Luka and Marinette are calmly talking about the pair. Mari asks about their songs and Luka is silent for a second before smiling softly and telling her that their songs are beautiful together.

Two weeks before the end of the school year Lila returns to school. Once again the class is listening to everything she has to say.

She quickly convinces the class to exclude the four including Chloe from class plans over the summer. She is dumbfounded when the four don't care. Once the school year is over the class only sees the four in passing and every time there is an unknown boy with them.

Lila gets pissed when Gabriel stops having her do photoshoots with Adrien and gets even more pissed when Adrien announces on Twitter that he is dating Kagami.

Halfway through summer the classes are talking excitedly about Fashion week in Paris, excited to see Adrien and Lila modeling. They are surprised when they arrive and Marinette is sitting in the front row with Nathaniel, Alix and four unknown boys and three girls. One of them in a wheelchair. When Audrey arrives she is greatly upset at the seating until Marinette and Cass politely offer her and Chloe their seats. Audrey calms down but is still upset at the slight Gabriel has given her. She accepts the seats and both girls get up, Marinette moves and sits on Damian's lap leaning back against him as he wraps his arms around her waist. Cass goes to sit behind Jason but he gets up giving her his seat before sitting behind her. Marinette greets Chloe politely before introducing her group.

"You already know our classmates Chloe but this is my boyfriend Damian and his brothers and sisters. Richard, Jason, Cass, Tim, and Stephanie."

Chloe is polite in return introducing her mother, Marinette nods politely

"Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Bourgeois, I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Some of my designs are being shown today along with Mr.Agreste's"

Audrey sniffs slightly starring Marinette down before offering a curt greeting. She then attempts to call Gabriel only for her call to go straight to voicemail. She grows more and more angry as she sits in the stands. Half way through the show she gets up and storms out angry that a girl that is unknown got a front seat but not her. When she is akumatized she goes after Marinette, she is unable to fire her because Damian jumps in the way getting turned to gold instead. Marinette is quickly pulled away by Tim who gets her to a safe place encouraging her to transform. Adrien joins them a few minutes later. After they transform Chat Noir agrees to distract Style Queen while Ladybug gets four Miraculouses

Nathaniel- Trixx- Youkai

Alix- Fluff- Bunnyx

Kagami- Longg- Ryuko

Luka- Sass- Viperion

When the fives get back they discover that Chat Noir had to change back, and after he de-transformed Style Queen found him and fired him as a way to get back at Gabriel. They launch into action fighting her. Viperion and Bunnyx sit on the back burner watching the fight. Viperion periodically shifting back using second chance and Bunnyx jumping in to grab one of the others when he tells her. Once she is taken down Gabriel comes and apologizes to Audrey telling her he fired the person that gave her a second row seat. Gabriel then apologizes to Marinette and Damian for this mistake causing her to be attacked. Adrien hurries over quickly hugging the couple telling him that he is happy they're both safe now. Audrey takes note of his clothes and comments that it's far from Gabriel's usual designs.

"Because it's not this outfit that was designed by MDC herself. He and I did a collaboration. She designed all the male outfits and I the female."

Audrey immediately jumps on him, admitting to knowing MDC.

"You know MDC? You know the Wayne family, along with Jagged Stone, and Clara Nightingale's personal designer?"

Gabriel nods gesturing to Marinette who Adrien was still hugging. Tell Audrey that MDC had been standing right next to them along with the Wayne's. Audrey is silent when she realizes she didn't recognize the Wayne family while she was angry. She immediately extends the offer for Marinette to come to New York with her to grow her exceptional talent. She brushes Chloe off when her daughter is upset over her mother never taking her. Marinette however refuses to go before telling Audrey off for telling her own daughter she is not exceptional.

"She may be mean and a bit of a bully but Chloe is exceptional in her own way. I will never work with someone who treats their own family like dirt. Ya know I always thought she was just a mean person, but now that I see who her mother is, I can tell you raised her to act exactly like you."

Marinette then walks away with her friends and the Wayne family following her along with Adrien. The next day Chloe shows up at the bakery and apologizes then thanks Marinette. Tell her that Audrey actually took what she said to heart and decided to stay in Paris to get to know her daughter.This starts a shaky friendship between the two

"Also why haven't you told anyone you're dating a Wayne??."

"Alya is obsessed with famous people, how do you think she'd react to finding out I'm famous in America but also betrothed to the youngest Wayne."

"You have a point but wasn't she your best friend?"

"No she was a friend but honestly she never really listened to me. I mean she thought I was in love with Adrien."

For the rest of the summer Chloe joins the group of friends and even though she is still mean they can tell she does care for them. Much like how Damian acts to the others except Marinette. Damian and Chloe actually enjoy getting into little arguments over different things.

They celebrate their birthdays at Le Grand Pairs at Chloe's place Gabriel even allows Adrien to attend, while Marinette's parents cater the party, they turn 15.

When summer ends the entire group is at the airport saying goodbye to Damian.

The school years start rather calmly with random akumas popping up but none particularly dangerous. It isn't until halfway through the year when Heroes Day comes around and Hawkmoth akumatizes Lila allowing her to create the illusion of an akumatized Ladybug killing Chat Noir.

The fight gets so bad that Fu joins in desperation to help. However at the end of the fight he realizes that his time has been shortened. He proceeds to name Marinette and Adrien Guardians, telling them that he'll shortly lose his memories and a few weeks later die. He tells him that they will not lose theirs unless they recreate the potion he was given.

A few weeks later Marinette is visited by a lawyer, Fu leaves her everything in his will. Marinette has enough money to last a lifetime.

Hawkmoth's akumas are steadily getting stronger and it seems like Lila is getting akumatized every other month. The Miraculous Team begins to think that Lila is working for Hawkmoth, and after hacking her phone Oracle confirms that she has been. 

Before the end of the year Lila convinces the class to kick Marinette as their class president. Marinette steps down without a care however in front of the class she tears apart her notebook that had everything in it for the class's end of the year trip. Telling them to have fun planning another trip, before turning to her friends. 

"Chloe, Alix, Nathaniel, Adrien, you're coming to Gotham with me this year. We'll let Kagami and Luka know when they come over today. You're gonna love it Wayne Manor is beautiful, and we all get to stay there for the whole summer!"

Lila scuffs saying that her Damiboo would never let a bully like her into her house. She then tells the class that she was asked to keep it a secret for a while but her and Damian had been dating for three months.

They are startled when they hear Dick laughing from the doorway.

"My little brother is dating you, good one, especially since my brother has been betrothed since he was born."

Alya immediately jumps to Lila's defense demanding to know who Dick is. Causing him to roll his eyes before turning to Marinette. Telling her that he was taking them to the airport and that they'd be taking the jet to Gotham one their last day. Before he leaves Alya demands to know who he is.

"Richard Grayson-Wayne, now I'd appreciate it if you stopped telling lies about my family. Damian would never go out with you, he has been dating Marinette for almost two years now. Oh and Mari, I'll let dad know your six friends will be coming with us."

The class is stuned and Lila immediately starts crying, telling them that Damian must have lied to her. However Max, Juleka, Rose, Ivan, and Mylene no longer believe her.

When the class ends the group of friends leaving ignoring everyone excitedly talking about their trip.

Once back at Marinette's they all relax talking about what they are going to do while there. The group is upset that Marinette and Batman won't let them patrol Gotham but they don't put up much fuss. Marinette tells them they'll use Kaalki to get back and forth for fights and that while there they'll be finalizing plans to take out Gabriel with the help of Batman.

[scribble-blog]

Soulmate AU part 15 (finally) ((oops)) !!!!!

First  • Previous  • Here  • Next

Oh my god you guys. I’m really sorry for saying yesterday and then not making the update (But on a better note I passed that final!!!!!!) and because of how hellish this week promises to be i’m not gonna make any other attempts at promising updates. I will say that my school isn’t normally near this hectic, so things should calm down come Sunday. Hopefully.

Enjoy!!

Red Hood was the first to speak, lowering his head in a wince. “Damn, kid. Sorry.”

“We had no idea.” Red Robin said quietly. “I hope you can believe us about this, at least. If the Justice League — or even just us- had known about this at any point for the last four years, we would not have let you face it alone.”

Gravely, Batman spoke. “What measures are you taking to find Hawkmoth?”

Adrien and Chloé both looked to her and she suppressed a sigh. As the Guardian, she supposed she actually did understand the most about this. 

“One of the powers granted by the Miraculous is a mask of anonymity. How do you think five teenagers have managed to keep their identities all this time? The magic around the jewels keeps us from being recognized in our superhero forms, and that includes the leaps of logic needed to puzzle out who the person behind the mask is. It’s why I felt safe enough to come ask for help from the supposed best detectives in the superhero world. It would take me detransforming right in front of you to reveal me.”

“That’s all well and good,” Robin said. “But what measures have you taken to find Hawkmoth? You don’t necessarily need to find his identity to track him down.”

Marinette tried not to scowl at his patronizing tone. “Due to how his powers work, we’ve been unable to do anything other than figure out a general area that he operates in. If you’ve found the blog, we’ve been using the maps generated during each Akuma attack to figure out his general range. But we think he may have either multiple places, or that he might be transforming out of his lair and sending Akumas out like that to mess with our data. And we aren’t exactly able to track the butterflies when they can fly through solid objects.”

“And you’re teens, with busy lives and no actual support system for superheroing, so it’s insanely difficult to devote much of your actual time to being proactive against him, other than the patrols your videos mention,” Red Robin summarized. Marinette nodded, Chloé and Adrien echoing the motion.

Batman just sighed. “I’m unsure of how wise it would be to actually send one of us to Paris to help you, if Hawkmoth targets those with dark emotions. But we will dig into this, and I promise we will do anything we can to assist you in your fight.”

“Oracle and I can start working on something,” Red Robin suggested, and the other three nodded. 

“If you need to contact us-“ Marinette pulled out her yo-yo, and opened it up to the screen. “This is how you can contact me. I’ll be notified of any messages or calls even outside the suit.” She offered them the yo-yo, extremely secure in the knowledge that now matter how they try to bug it, it would never work.

Red Robin took it, and after fiddling with it for a moment, looked back at her. “Isn’t this also your weapon? How does that work?”

He sounded distressed by it, and his expression only dropped further when Adrien laughed and said, “Magic.”

“Do you mind if we stay a bit?” Chloé asked, “If you want to accompany us, I wouldn’t mind, but I was kind of interested in seeing Gotham.”

Marinette caught Robin smirking, and wondered why, before Batman opened his mouth.

“I—”

“—Can run some kids around Gotham for a little bit,” Red Hood cut him off. “C’mon, Bats, let ‘em live a little while they’re visiting. I won’t let them get lost.”

Batman sighed. “Robin, you go with them.”

“Tt.” The other teen moved forward again, up to Batman’s side. “If you insist.”

Marinette wasn’t enthused, but she held her jabs in. 

“Awesome,” Chloé breathed, and as she took a look at her, Marinette recognized some of the way she used to stare at Ladybug. Chloé was trying her best not to actually fangirl over getting to spend time with some of the Gotham vigilantes.

It brought back vivid memories of Chloé running around in her Ladybug suit, pretending to save the day. 

And then Chloé gave her a dirty look that said she knew exactly what she was thinking, and leapt straight off the tower.

“Abeille!” Marinette scolded, running over to the ledge. Chloé was hanging below, laughing. 

“You’re too uptight, Ladybug, live a little.” A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned to see Red Hood. “Hey, Bee-girl. Race you to that blue roof.” 

“Me first!” Adrien yelled, bounding past them, propelling himself with his staff out into the open air. Red Hood shot his grappling gun and swung after, and Marinette sighed.

“I work with children,” she grumbled, only to be met with laughter from Red Robin. She turned back to them. “Thank you, Batman, for what you’re doing for us. It means- a lot.”

He nodded at her, and then to Robin, before he and Red Robin flung themselves from the side of the roof, both heading in the opposite direction from her partners.

“You and me, then,” Marinette said to Robin. With a thought, she smirked. “Bet you we can make it to that rooftop before they do.”

“Tt, Red Hood has probably already gotten distracted by another passing fancy.” Why did the way he said that sound familiar? “But I believe you are correct.” And he rushed off.

She matched him, swing for swing. And silently, they stole through the sky, listening to Chat Noir baiting Red Hood about something, Abeille snarking over his comeback, their teammates laughter covering the sound of them thoroughly catching up and then, without warning, surpassing them.

“Hey!” Abeille called, and suddenly it was an actual race. 

Marinette gave Robin one look and he, by some miracle, seemed to understand. They split around a building, and Marinette was on her own. 

Each swing brought her higher, each view of Gotham new and beautiful and confusing, until she heard it. 

On the streets below her, a raised voice.

“Chat,” she called as loudly as she dared, knowing that he would hear her. And then she dropped down.

“Please, please, just let me go-“ the woman cried, clutching a bag to her chest.

“Where are you gonna go, huh, Cynthia?” The man asked, looming over her. “A fucking homeless shelter? You gonna sleep on the streets? You know none of your friends are gonna put up with your goddamn bullshit the way I do—”

“Anything’s better than going back with you!” Cynthia shouted, looking terrified. Marinette couldn’t stop herself from stepping in. 

“Madame?” She moves out of the shadows and into the narrow beam of lamplight that covered the street. “What is the problem?”

Cynthia raised her wild eyes to Marinette and dashed towards her, cowering behind. “Please, please, don’t make me go back with him, I can’t. I can’t.”

“Listen, Red,” the man spoke to her. “This ain’t your business. Let me take my girlfriend home, she’s got meds that keep her from doing shit like this-“

“I don’t,” she spat. “Don’t fucking lie, I don’t have meds, you just-“

“Sir,” Marinette said calmly, her pulse like a jackhammer on the inside of her ribs. “If this really is a simple disagreement, perhaps some time apart will help you both collect yourselves. I’m sure—‘

“You ain’t sure of nothin’, bitch,” the man sneered. “That’s my girl. You’ll hand her over to me or you’ll face the goddamn consequences.”

Marinette’s hesitation was her downfall. There was no way she was going to let the man take Cynthia, but she was torn between getting the woman away quickly or trying to talk down the boyfriend. And in the second where she waited, the man chuckled. 

“Please, no,” Cynthia whispered. Marinette turned her head to assure her. The woman looked stricken, eyes wide over Marinette’s shoulder.

The gun she didn’t see him pull went off.

TAGLIST:

@the-fusionist @rebecarojas07 @lowandco @kotaleartzu @resignedcatservant @alenee13 @mystery-5-5 @ladybug-182 @actual-disaster-human @loysydark @rumbelle18 @magic-miraculous @vixen-uchiha @athena452 @mochegato @ash-amg @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @thestressmademedoit @sassakitty @doriebell @toodaloo-kangaroo @myazael @theatreandcomicfreak @mer-mel @dahjokester @northernbluetongue @abrx2002 @area51qt @jessigurl-design @renscorpio @cici-schnee @multplelifes @redscarlet95 @razzledazzle247 @rosep16 @emotionalsupportginger @kceedraws @tired-butterfly @kuroko26 @catthhay @moonystars14 @shamefullove @shreky-boi @imanerddealwith @chaosace @captainmac6 @purple-people-eaters-productions @crazylittlemunchkin @weird-pale-blonde-person @bigpicklebananatree

[snowdice]

Road Trips and Missing Persons (Part 11)

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Relationships: Patton & Virgil, Virgil & Deceit, Logan & Patton, Emile & Remy, Roman & Remus & Janus

Characters: Patton, Virgil, Deceit, Remus, Roman, Logan, Emile, Remy

Summary: Patton was just getting groceries. The next thing he knew, there was a knife at his throat and he was an unwilling uber driver. Virgil’s on the run after the murder of his dad, and it’s not just his paranoia that’s telling him he’s being chased down. He has to get somewhere safe, somewhere he can trust, and all he has is a couple of stories from his dad and a name: “Green Bellow Foods and Dispensary.”

Notes: Secret Agents AU, knives, carjacking, kidnapping, murder mentioned, guns mentioned, pepper spray, blood mentioned, drugs mentioned, explosions (more to be added)

This is a fic I’ve been writing on study breaks that you have probably all already seen at this point. I’ve affectionately named it the Goblin Brain Fic because it’s helping my brain actually get motivated for studying. I’ve slightly edited it for wording and grammar, but not for content from my previous posts. Feel free to send in asks to direct it because I’m not 100% sure where this is going and you can help decide if you feel so inclined! You can see the process I went through to build this at this link.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 My Master Post

Virgil smiled awkwardly at the cashier when he entered the gas station and went straight to the coffee machine. He went ahead and grabbed the largest size cup for Patton because they were going to be on the road for a while.

He… didn’t quite understand why the man was still going to be driving for Virgil when there was no knife involved, but hopefully it wasn’t a trick.

It was probably a trick.

He should probably tell the cashier he’d been kidnapped.

But then the cashier would definitely call the cops and, knowing his mother, Virgil would definitely be screwed. So, instead, Virgil put the lid on Patton’s now filled coffee cup and found that there was one plain donut with chocolate frosting still in the case. He grabbed that and then searched around the candy aisle for a bit. He finally settled on a pack of Red Vines and grabbed a blue raspberry slushie. If he was going to get axe murdered by some guy that kept a stuffed bear named Barnaby in his car, he was going to do so with a blue tongue.

He handed over the 20-dollar bill to the cashier and then gathered up the snacks and drinks to take them to the car.

He caught Patton with his phone in his hands while he was pumping gas. “Hey, what are you doing?” Virgil asked.

“Just sending a text to my brother so he doesn’t worry too much,” Patton replied quickly. Virgil gave him a suspicious look. When it became clear that Virgil wasn’t going to willingly take a step closer to the car after that, Patton sighed and held out his phone. “You can see,” he said.

Virgil set the drinks and snacks down on the hood of the car and took the phone. The phone indeed was open to just a string of emojis sent to someone called “Lo-Lo” in Patton’s phone. The string of emojis read “🛒🧀🧀🧀💵🚙👶🏻🔪🥺🚙🍔🍟🍦📞🤐📻😭😴😱👣🤳🧸⛽️🗺☕️😎👍 ❤️”

“There is… no way he’d understand that,” Virgil said. “I barely understand it and I lived it.” He paused. “I am not a baby.”

Patton snatched the phone back. “I didn’t say you were.”

“You typed ‘knife baby’ in emoji!” Virgil said.

“Baby with a knife actually,” Patton said unrepentant. He grabbed his coffee and donut off the hood of the car and opened the driver’s door to put the drink in the cup holder and the donut on the seat. Then, he went to finish up pumping the gas.

Virgil frowned, but he did pick up his snack and drink and got into the passenger seat. He’d already thrown his lots in with the possible serial killer anyway.

Patton finished pumping the gas and got back into the car.

“Don’t sit on your…” he sat on his donut.

“Oops!” he said. He sat up and grabbed the donut to take a bite. “Still good,” he declared with a grin.

Virgil rolled his eyes and took a long drag of the slushie.

“Don’t get brain freeze!”

“Whatever da-” He froze, chocking on the word.

Patton looked over at him, his face turning serious suddenly. “Hey kiddo,” the man said softly. He reached over to put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with warm earnest eyes that made Virgil want to believe his words. “I’m going to make sure you’re okay, okay?”

Virgil looked away from his far too knowing eyes. “You don’t even know me, why would you?”

“I like helping people when I can. A couple hours of driving aren’t much to make sure someone else is safe. I spend a lot of my life driving anyway.”

“What do you even do?” Virgil asked.

“I mostly do odd jobs for my brother.”

“That doesn’t sound like a real job,” Virgil said.

He started the car and began to back up as he answered. “Do you know much about real jobs, then?” he asked.

“Well…” Virgil said. “I mean, no, but… still.”

Patton smiled over at him. “Okay, I answered a question about me-” Did he though? Virgil narrowed his eyes at him. “Now you answer a question about you.”

“Why?” Virgil asked suspiciously.

“Well, we have an hour and a half of driving left and neither of us are kidnapped anymore, we might as well get to know each other.”

“…What’s the question?”

“What’s your favorite subject in school?” Patton asked cheerily.

“Really?” Virgil asked. “Is this what we’re doing?” Patton just smiled over at him and Virgil went about tearing open his package of Red Vines. “English,” he said taking a bite of his candy.

“I always liked History myself, but English was fun.”

Virgil hummed. “You have any family other than your brother?” he asked.

“Lo has two sons. They’re twins.”

“Cool,” Virgil replied.

“Favorite color?”

“Purple. So, you don’t have kids then?”

“Not of my own,” Patton replied. “But I helped with the twins when they were younger, and I like to think of all of my coworkers as my kiddos.”

Virgil’s face twisted up. He didn’t know much about adult workplaces, but… “I’m sure they appreciate that,” Virgil scoffed

“I like to think so,” Patton said, seeming to not even register the skepticism in Virgil’s tone. Was the man ever anything but chipper? “Favorite movie?”

“Ratatouille,” he said on instinct and then felt his stomach drop. His favorite movie was Ratatouille because Uncle Emile always insisted on playing it during movie nights. Dad would complain loudly because he knew that Emile and Virgil would spend the rest of the night making jokes about dad having the same name as the rat.

“I don’t want to play this game anymore,” Virgil said, choked.

Patton glanced over at him in surprise. “Okay,” he said softly. Virgil was thankful he didn’t try to push.

They drove for another 10 minutes. Virgil did his best not to think about… everything, but it got increasingly harder. He tugged on the sleeve of his hoodie, his slushie and Red Vines forgotten. Finally, Patton looked back over at him, his eyes concerned. Virgil curled into himself expecting him to try to needle Virgil into talking.

Instead he just smiled sadly at him. “Why don’t we play a different game?”

“I… sure,” Virgil agreed. Might as well. Maybe it would help. “What game?”

“Ooo!” Patton said. “How about ‘I Kill Your Cows’? Lo always threatens to kill me by the end of that game.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Virgil asked.

“Yeah!” Patton said, “Because that means I’m winning.”

Virgil puffed out an amused breath. “Okay. How do you play?” he asked.

“Well,” Patton said. “Basically, when you see a group of cows you can claim them and say ‘I have 10 cows’ or however many there are. Whoever says it first gets the cows. If you see a church or other place people get married, you can say ‘I marry my cows’ and then your cows double. If you see a graveyard, you can say ‘I kill your cows’ and reset the other player back to zero cows. If you see a barn you can say ‘I put however many cows in that barn’ and the cows go in the barn. When they’re in the barn, they can’t be killed, but they can’t be married either. You have to wait to see another barn before you can take them out again.”

“Alright,” Virgil agreed. “Sure. Why not?”

“Great!” Patton said. “There’s a field of them up there. Since you’re new to the game, I’ll let you grab the first few.”

Virgil squinted at the cows in the field. “I have 6 cows,” he said.

“Nice job!” Patton said.

Virgil rolled his eyes. He didn’t know what was impressive about counting a few cows, but he smiled a bit anyway.

They continued to play the cow game for a while. Patton was obviously really good at this game and obviously trying to not be as good at the game as he actually was so Virgil wouldn’t lose by a million cows.

They turned on the radio after a while. Unfortunately, the conspiracy channel had fizzled out by now, so they turned to a local station that played a mix of music.

“Can I take horses?” Virgil asked after about 20 minutes of play.

“Sure,” Patton replied. “Go ahead.”

“Okay, I have 4 horses.”

“Ooo!” Patton said. “That horsey is a palomino! I’ll trade you two cows for that horse.”

Virgil was pretty sure that’s not how it was supposed to work. But… Patton was 18 animals ahead… “20,” Virgil countered.

Patton glanced over at him. “5.”

“15.”

“10.”

“11, so I’m winning for once.”

He thought about it for a long moment. “Deal,” he finally said.

“Yes!” Virgil said excitedly. “I’m winning!”

Patton smiled over at him. “I have five cows,” he said.

Virgil’s head shot up to look out the windshield. There were, in fact, five cows in the pasture right in front of them. “Dammit!”

Patton coughed meaningfully.

“You can’t murder me like that and then get mad when I cuss,” Virgil grumbled.

“Aw, cheer up kiddo. At least we haven’t found a graveyard yet.”

“But when we do, you will guiltlessly murder all of my cows,” Virgil said. “Because you are truly evil.”

Patton just laughed at him. Virgil grumpily reached forward to turn up the radio so he could ignore him easier.

The song that was playing faded out as he did so, and the radio jockey came on the air. “Quick traffic update, there’s been an accident on I-26. A semi-truck full of cattle rolled over near exit 52 and eastbound traffic has been stopped. If you’re on I-26, we’d suggest you find an alternative route as it will take a while to get all of the cows rounded up.”

“Well I’m glad we got off the interstate when we did,” said Patton.

“Yeah,” agreed Virgil. “It would suck to be stuck in the middle of that.” He paused and listened to the radio jockey continue to explain that the semi had been carrying at least 150 cows. “Hey, Patton, can I claim cows remotely?”

Want to read more? Click below!

Part 12

[ethelphantom]

Prompts? Uh Okay not a romantic pairing but what about Mari and the Central City Rogues like the ones from the arrowverse e.g. captain cold heatwave and golden glider or maybe for a different prompt what about mari and the batfam but following the old crossover cliche of falling into another universe/dimension through an akuma or something

Alright, so. I’m not familiar with the arrowverse like, at all, so you can have the latter one. This certainly took me a while, oops. Also there are no romantic ships in this, just things happening (and no, I don’t know what said things are. Don’t ask.)

Ao3 || Second part

This is Maribat – don’t like; don’t read

__________

A scream and what felt like an endless darkness later, Marinette found herself standing on the roof of a tall building in a strange city. She was rather certain that it was even taller than the Eiffel Tower.

It was only then that she realised it was windy but not cold, and that made her check what clothing she was in because not many of her outfits she used during the summer could hold cold out very well. And yeah, she was in the Ladybug suit. Goddamnit. She was in a strange city with no means of returning, and the fact she was transformed meant there was an akuma running rampant in Paris.

The day could have certainly gone so much better.

It was also the middle of the night right now and that certainly didn’t help because that meant she would not be able to find anyone to help her all that easily. Yeah, indeed, the day could have certainly gone so much better, but it seems fate didn’t like her enough and was intent on making it go downhill and straight to hell.

She could probably ask Tikki if she knew how to get home from here.

Then, just as Marinette was about to throw her yoyo and swing around to see if she could see someone to ask them where in the world she was (preferably untransformed) or to at least try to figure out the place herself, she heard someone landing behind her with a loud thump. Marinette whipped around fast, meeting the… well, certainly not their eyes . All she really saw was someone with a god awful red helmet in her opinion no one should actually wear unironically, a leather jacket and… was that a giant red bat on their chest?

Good god.

Soon enough, someone in a red skinsuit and a black cowl (how old was this person? Marinette got the vibe of maybe an eighteen-year-old but the cowl made them look like fourty) landed next to them. Scowling. Of course. That was definitely what she fucking needed from this day.

Seriously, fate? It was bad enough finding yourself in a strange place in the middle of the night, random people in masks and fucking capes and angry at something (her?) really wasn’t needed.

“Who the fuck are you and how did you get here?” the one in a helmet asks her, in English. How fun, she’s not even in France anymore. Hopefully she’s still in Europe, but she isn’t holding her breath. The area is too weird for the Great Britain and the person’s accent sounds more American than British. Their voice is modified, but Marinette estimates them to be a little over twenty. It’s not that hard to guess. Probably. They walk closer to her and—

Oh god, did they really need to be that tall? It was like watching a crane, like, the kind you use in the construction sites. To be able to look them where she thinks their eyes might be, she needs to actually look up.

“Well. I certainly don’t know how I got here, but I think I should blame the latest fashion catastrophe of Paris that Papillon calls an akuma. I am Ladybug, the superheroine of Paris who’s both way too young to do this and has got no idea where she is so if you could be so kind as to tell where I am so I can see if my teammate could get me back home, I’d be very happy to get out of your hair.”

She’s pretty sure that was how you said it in English anyway. If otherwise never, she’s certainly overjoyed right now about the fact she took extra English courses in school. It made communicating a lot easier.

“Since when has Paris had superheroes? Hey, Replacement, when was it you or B were in Paris the last time?” the helmet head asks the smaller person behind them.

“Two weeks ago, I think? We had a meeting there. Why?”

“Were there any superheroes or villains or some shit like that there?”

“Not as far as I was aware, no. Well, other than Emilie Agreste’s horrible fashion sense, that is.”

Marinette could feel colour draining from her face. This couldn’t be happening. Where had that akuma thrown her? “Mm. Agreste is alive?” she asked with a strained voice.

“Yes, yes she is, and she is one of the most known actresses in the world, as well as the wife of one of the most liked fashion designers. And it very much seems you are lying, miss Ladybug. You a new villain? Or a meta trying to be a hero? Because let me tell you, you won’t get far here in Gotham.”

The helmet head’s voice turned borderline threatening (although after Hawkmoth and all the akumas, her idea of “threatening” was rather screwed so she wasn’t too sure) and they stepped forwards as she backed away, her hand already placed on her yoyo to throw it if she needed to get away. Surely enough, the second helmet head’s body jerked weirdly towards her, she threw out her yoyo to the nearest thing it could be wrapped around.

“Goddamnit you fucker—”

And then there was a sharp, stinging and burning pain in her knee, as though something had hit her hard. Her hand slipped and she fell helpless to the ground, hitting her head. It took her a lot to be able to force herself on her knees, supported by her arms.

“…Did her suit deflect the bullets? What the fuck. How did that even happen?”

They’d shot her?! What the hell was wrong with this place?

“Magic?” Mari suggested, wincing as she tried to move her knee. She picked up her yoyo and flicked it open, trying to contact Chat so he could get Kaalki and get her home. She couldn’t stay here, wherever she was.

The problem was, the idea that Emilie was alive and there were no superheroes or supervillains in Paris was frightening. If that was true, then there was a big chance she would not be able to contact Chat, or anyone, really.

The yoyo just made a long sound of not being able to contact anyone, taking away all Marinette’s hope with it. She slumped right back down, barely able to support her weight and cried. Even being Ladybug couldn’t stop her. The only reason it couldn’t connect was if she wasn’t in her world anymore. And if that wasn’t a scary thought, Marinette didn’t know what was.

“Hood, do you think there’s any chance she’s telling the truth but she’s just from another universe? Like, an alternate one. I can’t really notice signs of lying in her so either she’s the best goddamn liar I’ve seen in a long time or she’s telling the truth. It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve seen alternate universes,” the one with the cowl and the cape says, tired, and Marinette can’t remember when was the last time she just wanted to hug someone and cry against someone this much if she didn’t count the times Chat basically sacrificed himself and died in front of her eyes.

(Seriously, that cat really did not know how to take care of himself. He better learn while she’s here because otherwise Paris will have no one to save them.)

“But that… That means there’s no way I can get home,” she murmurs and feels her transformation fall away as she sobs hopelessly. She knows she hasn’t used her lucky charm and she certainly didn’t call it off, so Tikki must have decided it didn’t matter in this situation.

“Oh Marinette,” Tikki says and caresses her cheek as well as she can with those tiny paws of hers before she presses her forehead against Marinette’s. Marinette can’t help the tears that fall from her eyes as she lets Tikki try to comfort her, completely oblivious to the helmet head freaking out behind her.

“Holy shit that is a fucking child and I just shot her in the kneecap? Hell, if that suit hadn’t been there I swear that would’ve crippled her and oh fuck she’s crying. What do I do now? What have I done?” There’s a clatter of guns and other stuff before they’re kneeling next to Marinette but not touching — very polite of them, because they don’t know what her boundaries are and it’s not like she’s bleeding or something that would require the contact regardless of what she likes. Regardless of the fact they just shot her, she thinks they are rather nice.

“I’m so sorry kid. I didn’t— God, yeah, no excuses here, it’s become a reflex and I didn’t realise you were a child. How old are you anyway? Eleven? Twelve?” Then she sees a red helmet on the ground without its wearer and all Marinette can guess from that is they took it off. She’s not looking at them to find out whether they’re wearing another mask under it or not though. She doesn’t think she’d be too surprised if they were.

It was… a little strange how their voice goes from angry and threatening to this soft voice that tries to soothe her. Marinette definitely appreciates it as it does bring her comfort. Tikki shoots a glare at the helmet head (well, helmet-less head at this point) before she flies to them, picks their hand up and lets it go only when it’s above Marinette’s shoulder that’s definitely not closer to them.

“The least you can do is give her some kind of a hug if you don’t want me to ruin you for hurting my bug,” she hisses, and weirdly enough, they comply immediately. To be honest, Tikki can be kinda scary when she wants to so it isn’t that surprising. Maybe. Probably. Possibly. Whatever. The hug is kinda awkward, like they haven’t hugged people much in years, but that’s fine. Marinette melts into it anyway and now she doesn’t need to support her weight anymore so she goes limp. They don’t seem intent on hurting her anymore and also she can trust Tikki to take care of her should something happen so she doesn’t care too much.

She can feel the stare of the other person on her, not sure what she should expect from them. When they do open their mouth though, it’s nothing she could have guessed, because: “Hey you know what, Hood? She looks like a Wayne and if she’s not from this world, it technically makes her an orphaned superhero child with traumatic past. Do you think B would take her in until we figure out how to get her home?”

Marinette perks up at that and turns to look at the cape person. She knows she’s gaping but it seems neither mind. “Wait. You’re going to help me get home?” It’s just a little sad how excited she gets over the idea of two complete strangers helping her after said strangers seemed ready to take her down at any given second just moments earlier but this is not her Paris — this isn’t Paris at all — and she doesn’t need to play the role of a mature and responsible heroine right now.

“Uh, yes, obviously? You’re not supposed to be here and I’m sure you’d like to get back home,” helmet head says, and god Marinette needs better names for both of them but it’s kinda awkward at this point. Well, helmet head has used Replacement (and isn’t that just a bit rude, Monsieur Helmet Head, be more respectful and learn some manners, please) of the cape person and cape person called helmet head “Hood”. Like, what hood? She can’t see any hoods here, especially not on their person.

Regardless, Marinette just straight out beams and throws herself first into the helmet head’s arms and hugs him like it’s no problem at all before she scrambled up and hug attacked cape person as well. “Thank you so much!” And oh, maybe Cape isn’t that old after all because they’re only a little taller than she is. Maybe they’re around sixteen?

Helmet just stares at her. “I— How did she manage to do what only Nightwing can? Like, I can’t remember anyone managing to hug you that easily — aside from Spoiler and Black Bat maybe — in like, years.”

“Same right back to you, dear Hood, right back to you,” Cape replies, a little tense as Mari is still hugging him.

The name “Nightwing” takes a moment before it registers in Marinette’s brain. Wasn’t that the name of that one superhero in the comics Alya loved to tell her about? The one that ended up being Chat’s sexual awakening a bit ago?

Oh my god.

“Wait, Nightwing? You don’t happen to be the Red Hood — where’s your hood though and yes I’m going to critique your style, that’s kinda my job as a fashion designer — and Red Robin — you, on the other hand, what is that cowl supposed to be? Make you look fifty?”

And yes, apparently she managed to recover from her shock because there she is, sassing two people like she knows them very well. Or like they were Papillon because she was rather tired of his shit.

“Uh-huh.”

“So, it turns out the akuma threw me into a fictional universe that I only know about because of my friends who kinda made me read and watch as much as humanly possible during the summer and there are actually comics about you in my world. I also probably know your identities because of that. Do you think you could contact Wonder Woman and ask if she knows anything about the Miraculous because if she does, that could be one way to send me back home. Her mother was one of the Ladybug successors, right, Tikki?”

“Yes, Hippolyta was one of my first holders indeed. Not the first, but one of the first. It would be nice to see her or her daughter after such a long time even if they weren’t necessarily my Bug and her daughter.”

Both the Red Hood — Jason Todd, she’s pretty sure of that — and Red Robin — definitely Tim Drake — are staring at her bewildered. It’s a little amusing. Then she remembers her knee as she takes a step wrong and winces again, falling to the ground. Tikki rushes to her side to soothe the pain, but Red Robin is nearly as fast as he picks her up. “Well. Since you apparently know who we are — though I’d like to have confirmation of it first just in case —, I think we should take you to Agent A for check up,” he says, trying to be as gentle as possible with her.

“Yeeahhh, about that, can we please leave out the part where I shot a child? Or at least heavily emphasise the fact I did not realise it in time? N is going to have my head — as though I wouldn’t do it myself for the same reason — when he hears about it, and you know it’s worse to have N disappointed in you than to have B disappointed in you. He looks at you like you kicked his puppy and stole all his cereal and is ready to relive the memory of his parents’ death and I can’t take more of it so soon,” Red Hood says, looking torn between flinging himself down from the roof without the safety of his grabble and just burying his face in his hands right there.

It’s kind of amusing.

“Yeah, I get you. Let’s see if we can avoid it, and if not, then we just explain the story — or let her explain. That sounds like a good idea, she didn’t look too furious with you after a while there,” Red Robin snorts, and Marinette can hear and feel the rumble in his chest before he can hear the actual sound in the air. “So. Will you help me convince B to take her in?”

Red Hood turns the helmet — and no, she’s never going to stop needing to mention that all the time — in his hands a few times before putting it back on. “Well. I kinda want to say no because of the probably eternal grudge I have with B, but yeah, she’s way too sweet to stay with me considering the stuff I do on the daily, and B definitely has the space for more kids, and there’s not really a way to put her with anyone else considering we do need to send her back at some point. It would be too problematic,” he finally says and pulls out the grabble. “You gonna carry the girlie or let her do it herself? It looked like she knows how to with that yoyo of hers, even if I’ll never understand how it can support her weight that easily or how she can shoot it with such pinpoint accuracy.”

That having been said, Red Robin turns back to look at Marinette. “Well? Do you think you can grabble — or swing, however you call it — yourself with us to where we’re going with that knee? Grabbling with you would be a little more difficult but not impossible so you can say you can’t if you need to.”

Marinette shakes her head. “I think I can manage. The suit eases the pain anyway. It will help if you only let me down after I transform though? And you might want to close your eyes because I’ve been told the light is rather bright to other people?” she says and as soon as she thinks Red Robin has closed his eyes, she calls to Tikki with “Tikki, spots on!”

After she was done, she let Red Robin put her down as she tested her knee. Yeah, it kinda stung but it didn’t hurt, per se, so it was fine. She would survive, probably. Hopefully.

“Let’s go before I regret this,” she huffed and played with the yoyo, waiting for the Reds to make a move. When they did, she followed.

Okay, so maybe the day wasn’t going so badly after all. It was rather fun swinging in a new city with two people she only knew as fictional characters.

…Marinette wondered if she was a fictional character in their world and now she really needed to find out as soon as possible.

oOoOoOoOo

Bonus:

“Who— Tim, who is this and why are you bringing her here while you and Jason are still in full costume sans the masks? Since when has either of you used the front door anyway. I know very well you two are part of the family that literally cannot use front doors to save their life because crawling in through a window does not give you time to reflect on your bad life choices and make you want to turn away as fast. And what is this tiny child doing here in the first place?”

Tim smiles brightly at Bruce who is in the Batsuit for some reason. Why was he inside the manor in the Batsuit to begin with? He has absolutely no right to nag about it to him. Absolutely none. “Do introduce yourself to him,” he says to the tiny girl (that is not that tiny compared to him but he’s just happy she’s still shorter than him) in front of him while still keeping a hand on her shoulder like a proud big brother showing his sister around or a parent showing his child around. It’s a bit weird to be honest but Tim can’t find it in himself to mind too much right now. It’s too much fun being able to mess with Bruce without actually messing with him.

“Hello Monsieur Wayne—” Bruce gapes at her and it’s so much fun to see, “—I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the only daughter of the best bakers in my Paris, as well as the superhero of my Paris. I’m also from an alternate universe where this world is a fictional verse and that kinda has me knowing everyone’s identities. It’s nice to meet you.”

Tim laughs — actually, genuinely laughs and he can hear people falling over inside the manor before hurrying to them and looking at him like he’s sick. It makes him laugh even more. He pushes everyone aside and drags Marinette inside, waiting for Jason to follow him. He does, eventually.

“So. Hey Bruce, here’s a ‘tiny and young Tim Drake comes in for the first time without his parents and with an older Bat’ - situation all over again for you, except this time there’s no older dead Bat that has her here and it’s, in fact, the older Bats who want her in. Jason and I like her, let’s adopt her. She even fits the black hair-blue eyes - theme your kids seem to mostly have going on. She’s even a superhero and knows all our identities, she’s a great addition to the family. If you won’t take her in, I’m going to do that myself—” because regardless of the fact he was not old enough, money could do hell of a lot things in this city,  “—and she’ll still come over here because then she’s family. Or, we could get Jason to adopt her and then you’ll want to take them both here because you’re not sure if you can trust either of them enough. Your pick.”

The flabbergasted expression painted on Bruce’s face that could be seen even with the cowl was totally worth all of this. It took a lot to not laugh at Bruce’s expression after Tim’s analysis. Jason did not possess that strength, it seemed, because he did burst out laughing at Bruce.

“Fine. We’re sending her back as soon as possible, though.”

In the end, they did not end up sending her back as soon as possible and figured out a way for her to come by whenever she wanted, and for them to go to her world to meet her when they felt like it.

(None of them had been able to avoid falling in love with the sweet girl and deciding she was a part of the family, their daughter or sister.)

______

@kris-pines04 @thethirdwheelfriend @daminett4life

[staranon95]

a little more action

a red hood au drabble

Trevor tries to get things back on track for the crew after Red’s disappearance. He starts up the plans for a job they intended to pull when Red first came into their lives.

Jeremy doesn’t blame him. He wants to get things rolling again. He wants the city to remember that the Fakes are still here and, yes, they will cause problems for the upper crust. Red or no Red, the crew needs to get back out there.

It’s an elaborate plan. Jeremy, Fiona, and Gav are dropping in from above on one of the tallest office towers in the city. Jack will be flying them in where they’ll parachute down in. They’ll infiltrate from the top where security is weakest and head down to the floor that has the information they need—bank account numbers, hidden offshore accounts, expenses. Which means they are going to make a living hell out of some very influential people’s lives.

They’re dropping in at around one in the morning. They’ve prepped this run for weeks now. With the clear skies, they’ll drop in at a high altitude. Jeremy can feel the fluttering beat of his heart. It’s all adrenaline, but he’s done this before. He gets a kick out of the high-altitude situation. He knows Fiona is ready to gun for it. She’s as adrenaline seeking as the rest of them and is always looking for a new rush to enjoy. She’s still pretty new at the larger jobs like this. This is the first time she’s going to take direct point and not be relegated to surveillance, getaway driving, or cleanup. And then there’s Gavin. His knees always shake badly when they’re attempting something like this, but when he gets into it, he gets into it. Usually screaming all the way down, but who doesn’t every now and then?

“All right,” Matt says from their earpieces, safely hidden back at his apartment and watching from his scores of equipment. “The jump zone is coming in quick. You’re jumping in at 10,000 feet. There are no approaching headwinds at this time, so it should be a fairly smooth decent. Keep your googles on because they’ll tell you where the building is so you won’t get lost and land on the wrong one.”

“Good thing that happened during the dry run, eh?” Gavin says, breaking the tension.

“Yeah, congrats. That took us some serious explaining as to why you landed in the penthouse pool owned by the mayor ten blocks away.”

“Cut the chit chat,” Jack says. “We’re heading into the jump zone. Good luck, guys.”

“Thank you, Jack!” Fiona is the first one out as soon as the green light is on. Then Gavin. Then Jeremy.

It’s always that first feeling of vertigo that Jeremy has to weather first when they make the jump. The feeling of his stomach dropping to his feet before his body gets used to falling. The display on his googles initiates at Matt’s command and Jeremy is given a digital layout of his target. The hard part will be the landing. They don’t have that much space and if they miss the rooftop, they’ll be sent drifting down the street.

“All right, you’ve entered the parachute zone. Pull now.”

Jeremy yanks on his cord and is prepared for the jerk back once the parachute fills. Now it’s just a matter of being gentle and patient in correcting his fall to the roof. Fiona lands first, carefully guiding herself to the edge of the building so she has the space to dig her heels in and drag her parachute down and clear the space for when Gavin makes a slightly less graceful landing. Jeremy watches him as he comes in at an angle and undoubtedly skins at least his arm along the ground before Fiona rushes in to help stop him.

“Okay,” Jeremy says. “You’re going to have to catch me.”

“We—what?” Gavin asks, sounding out of breath.

“I’m too high and I can’t take another lap or I’ll be too low. You guys will have to grab me.”

“You never make this easy, Jeremy.”

Jeremy kicks his legs in the air and prepares for his approach. Gavin and Fiona, free of their parachutes, come together and watch for Jeremy’s approach.

“Catch me, catch me, catch me!”

Gavin gets one of his legs first and pulls in on him. Fiona gets one of his arms and the three of them come crashing down onto the roof together, Jeremy laughing all the while.

“Oh man. Haven’t done that in a while,” he says, shrugging off his parachute and pulling in the lines to bundle up the fabric. They’ll be leaving everything here and take a basement exit if they can. The building isn’t tall enough to base jump safely, and Jeremy hates base jumping from within the city.

Gavin is quick to get his lockpicks out to open the roof access door for the three of them, while Jeremy and Fiona get themselves untangled from Jeremy’s lines.

“You do not make this any easier,” she says, letting a little of her frustration show, but she’s smiling.

“Where’s the fun in things going smoothly?”

“Door’s open!” Gavin stands and waves them over.

They descend with Matt’s instruction to the exact floor. They’re working into an office claimed by the CEO. From there they’ll have access to a personal computer and extract some encrypted emails. Then they go to the server room and wreak some havoc. Should be easy. They’ve been preparing for this run for months now. It’ll be a big pull in terms of information, intel, and so, so much blackmail material.

They get to the office. Jeremy is on point looking down the hall while Gavin gets Fiona inside so she can take direction from Matt on what to grab and what to do with the computer. They know all the security guards’ routines. There should be at least two of them on this floor. Maybe they’ve caught them at a break because Jeremy hasn’t seen a sign of them. All the better for them, but still. It strikes him as odd.

“Okay,” he hears Fiona say softly over their shared comms. “Downloading the emails. Should be done in thirty seconds.”

“Good, then you can get down to the server rooms,” Matt instructs. “Two floors down from your current location. The room is key card access only, so you’ll have to use that fun toy I gave you.”

“Oh, is that the one you have to pop the case off and plug into ports and shit?” Gavin asks.

“Oh, yeah. That’s my favourite.”

Gavin sighs, and Jeremy can’t help but smirk.

Once Fiona has everything, they leave, locking the door behind them to mask their presence. They move in a single file line, keeping low to the ground so they can get to the stairwell and head down two floors. The only thing about the stairwells is that they’re usually faintly lit. Nothing they can do about that, but there aren’t any cameras.

Jeremy, while still on point, takes the stairs first. He gets to the landing below and motions for the others to follow him. They repeat this until they’re on the right floor. The door to the floor requires key card access. Gavin makes a crouched approach to connect to the port and grant them automatic access. Jeremy is first out, peering around corners and keeping an ear out for the heavy footfalls of any security guard. He hears nothing so he heads in, following Matt’s instructions to where the server room is.

But the door is already open.

Uh oh.

Then the light from a flashlight pins him in his crouch. He rises up so he’s flat on his feet, keeping his center of gravity lower so he can’t easily be knocked onto his feet. From the corner of his eye he saws Gavin and Fiona move into similar positions. Gearing up for a fight.

“Well, would you look at that.” The familiar and cheeky voice cuts through the silent dark of the office. Jeremy has to squint against the flashlight to see who it is, but he already knows.

It’s Red. He’s wearing that familiar red hoodie with the hood pulled up. Over top is a heavy Kevlar vest. He’s wearing a slick mask with a set of goggles over top. It’s a neat looking piece that’s probably teched out. But surrounding him are five others. Dressed in black and wearing a form of tactical gear.

“You guys are a bit late,” Red says. “Decided to help ourselves to what was there. Don’t worry. You’ll get your turn. But, uh, oops! What do we have here?” He lifts what’s clearly a walkie talkie, the kind security guards usually carry. And it’s then that Jeremy finally notices the crumpled and bound form of one of the security personal on the premises. That’s why it’s been so quiet. Red and his team have already cleared the place. “You guys should know what the response time is for the police right? Ten minutes? Fifteen tops? That might be cutting it a bit close if you want to dip and run.”

He motions at his goons and they make a hasty retreat to the windows. They start stringing themselves on long run lines scaling the outside of the building. They clip themselves in and wait for Red to join them before ascending the building. Jeremy leans out to watch them go. He hears Red’s laughter as he goes—and it’s so much like Alfredo it hurts to think of him like that.

He turns back to the server room where Gavin and Fiona have gathered. They won’t have enough time to make this a clean job, and Fiona is already ripping out the drives she thinks are most important.

“Okay, we need to move,” Gavin says.

“No elevator, no stairs,” Jeremy says. “We won’t have enough time.”

“Then how do we get out?” Fiona asks. “We won’t have time to call in a plan ride out of here.”

Gavin snaps his fingers. “The roof,” he says. “I saw one of those window cleaning dealies. It can drop us faster.”

“This better fucking work,” Jeremy says.

Once Fiona has the drives in her back, they make their escape to the roof. In the distance they hear a helicopter cutting its way through the air. Likely Red’s ride out of here.

Gavin points to the lift that’s been left up at the top of the building. He vaults over the railing and waits for Fiona and Jeremy to join him. “We’ll have to do it manually,” he says. “It’ll be quicker than letting the machine handle it.” He breaks into the switch box and disables the safety features which would’ve slowed their descent. Jeremy stands next to one cable break while Gavin is at the other side. Fiona steadies herself in the middle.

“Okay,” Gavin says. “We need to be in sync with this. Hold it in place ‘round the middle. Don’t let it flip all the way otherwise the ropes go and we go as well.”

Jeremy nods. “Got it.”

“On three, yeah? One, two, three!”

Jeremy flips the gear and holds on while the lift begins a controlled fall. It’s a bit unsettling because this is dangerous. This could go so wrong. It’s dizzying, falling past the windows, down to the ground below. He looks to Gavin who looks back at him. He waits for the signal to halt their descent, and at Gavin’s sharp nod, he flips the gear back in place and they come to a jolted halt.

“All right,” Gavin says. “Go, go, go!”

The police sirens are coming from all over it seems. Fiona is already telling Lindsay where she should pick them up. Not at the agreed upon location, and their get away will be tight. Lindsay comes peeling around the corner in a snappy little hatchback. A stick shift so she can manage some tight hand-break turns if need be.

“Get in!” she says.

Jeremy dives for the back seat and barely manages to close his door in time before it’s taken off by a streetlamp.

“What happened?” Lindsay asks. “I only got bits and pieces.”

“Red was there,” Fiona says. “Either he got the drop on what we were doing or someone else wants what we were after.”

“He’s working with someone,” Jeremy adds. “He looked kitted out. Was working with some serious muscle, too.” He leans in with the sharp turn Lindsay makes as she guns for the Vinewood hills. The curved roads will work well for her car and leave the police cars far behind them.

“This is really starting to get on my nerves,” Lindsay says. “Did he look any good? He was pretty hurt when I picked him up.”

“Seemed pretty chipper to me,” Fiona says. “I have like ten hard drives in my bag right now. And we don’t even know which one has the information we need.”

“If he wanted us caught, he could’ve left the guards to grab us,” Jeremy says. “But he didn’t. He’s just making things difficult.”

“Yeah, apparently,” Lindsay says. “This is cutting it pretty close.”

Once they manage to lose the cops, it’s smooth sailing to the Vinewood house. Jeremy is too hopped up on adrenaline to feel like crashing. He is really hungry though, and usually when Michael stays behind, he cooks up a feast for when they return.

He takes a few steps towards the house with the others before he realizes Gavin is standing back.

“You coming?” he asks.

Gavin looks up with his phone in his hands. “There’s some stuff I need to deal with.”

“Listen, Gav, if this is about Red—”

“I need to do this. On my own.”

“You don’t have to. Not about this.”

“I know. But I’ve got some ghosts to bury.”

“Okay.” Jeremy knows he won’t be able to convince Gavin otherwise, so for now he’ll have to let him go. “You let us know if you need a bail out, okay?”

Gavin nods. “I know. I’ll be back. Promise.” And then he’s walking towards his motorcycle and heading back onto the streets.

[helpinghanikan]

Sing us a song

Dinah Lance (Black Canary) x Reader

Sum: Try as Dinah might, it’s impossible to keep her private and business lives separate. 

AN: Just a little one-shot from the Harley Quinn movie. I’m surprised there aren’t more out there. 

Her voice is so powerful you can hear it through the running water and the walls. But soft enough to be a lullaby. You’ve never heard the end of the song as sleep takes you before the grand finale every time. You only know it’s over when her weight comes back to the bed.

It’s only crossed your mind a few times that you could just ask to hear the whole show. Those thoughts are gone when she texts about work;

‘babe, if I start drunk texting you, can you come get me? I’m really gonna need it tonight’

A few hours later she’ll send another;

‘If I sing opera will I get paid more or killed? Maybe I’ll break all the glasses doing that, fuck them glasses’

It would be a gamble to ask her to sing for you. Either she would, and it would be done without any heart and possibly stop from singing at night entirely. Or she would say no and stop singing at night and make the whole relationship just that much more awkward.

It was already bad enough. Dinah never explicably said not to visit her club. Just that it really wasn’t the place you could easily get into without knowing at least three people. You knew one, and she complained about so much it’d be rude to ask if she could introduce you to two others.

Only once you’ve come close to the club. Only because you saw her car in the alley between buildings. It wasn’t an area you usually go to; just this side of rich and the other side of shady. You didn’t even know it was a club until this bigger dude started marching out.

“What are you doing?” He demands, arms open either for effect or an invitation to fight.

In his defense you were leaning against the hood of Dinah’s car. Phone up over your head for a selfie to send to bae. It was probably just instinct that he started yelling. Not that he was worried about your butt adding another dent to it.

“It’s my, I mean, it’s not mine but it’s my…Sorry! Sorry!” Defense mode was activated within you.

It was a quick slide off of the car. Both hands up with the phone like you were being threatened with a gun. The threat coming at you was probably just as dangerous. Walking forward faster than you could step back. It was nice to think that you would have yelled back when he got to close. Balled up your fists and scream back an explanation that would make him back down. Instead you just kept trying to explain yourself in a small voice while walking backwards.

“No, what the fuck are you doing?!” he shouts again.

If it weren’t for your woman walking out of the door you might have just turned tail and ran. Instead you stay and watch, hands still up as she runs around the man to be in front of him.

“Hey, no, NO!” She yells back at him. The same way one might try to scare away a dog. “Chet, cool it.”

“You wanna tell Mr. Sionis his car is dented because of some chick’s ass?” He demands, his voice much calmer then when he was yelling at you.

“That’s my car, dumbass. And that’s my girl on my car, making my dent. Not yours, not his, mine.” She emphasizes this by pointing at the car, pointing at you, pointing at herself and then back to the car.

The security guard, seemed to be named Chet, shut up after that. After a few seconds Dinah seemed to be satisfied with his submission.

“Let’s go,” She says, this time to you.

“That was really hot,” Only thing you can think to say after driving from the alley and immediately meeting traffic. Dinah tried to hide her smile but wasn’t really doing a good job of it.

You’ve both been riding the high of that conversation for days now. Dinah walking around just a little more puffed than usual, while you pretend not to notice and admire.

That high rode you right into the next weekend. Where you know better than to try and text Dinah while she’s at work. As, not only will she not respond, she won’t let you know that she got home safe. Only to apologize the next morning for leaving you worried. It was something but not the same of immediate notification. So, your phone is kept muted, but not silence.

A little sound takes you from the bottomless pit of the television.

It was a small message from an unknown number. ‘Congratulations on your invite to the Black Mask club. Show this text with the message at the door.’

It’s habit to text this to unknown numbers by this point: ‘You have the wrong person, sorry’

Few seconds later: ‘You’re the singer’s girl, right? Dinah’s?’

‘My girlfriend is Dinah and she sings so, maybe?’

‘Show this message and number at the door. We’ll see you at ten.’

With nothing else to do you gave no response saying you couldn’t make it. Instead spending the next hours playing through your clothes and make up. Rules for clubs have always been weird; what counts as too slutty and what’s too prudish? Are high waisted pants in enough to be acceptable at clubs? How does eye-shadow work? All questions that had to be answered right now.

Taking your best guess with a black cocktail dress and matching dress jacket. The only color that would come with the outfit would be your blue flats and same color eye-shadow. It wasn’t the most “Look at me!” outfit but it was enough to at best blend in.

Or, so you thought until you got there. Everyone was dressed to show off and dance: sparkles and high heels on the women, dark colors and loose ties on the men. These bits of description jumped genders several times, only making you stand out like a mourning widow.

Nothing screamed this more than how the bouncer looked at you. Asking for you name without even holding the clipboard, your fate already decided before a trial could take place.

“I was invited,” Your phone is held up to his face.

Against every instinct you let him take the phone. Looking at the few messages, glancing up at you, looking back to the phone, and then up to you again. Making a scoff noise he hands it back, lifting the clipboard and writing something down.

“Go ahead in,” He says.

Music inside the club was like hitting a wall of vibrations. It was just the beginning of the night; the electric music was meant to get everyone hype. Make them forget that the world outside ever existed and the only thing that mattered were drinks and good times.

You weren’t there for either of those things. A woman was dancing on stage, but it wasn’t Dinah. If she was one of the performers it was likely she would be somewhere in the back getting ready. Since you were at her work and it didn’t seem she was really working, would it too far to text and let her know?

Steeling yourself for when a gamble goes wrong you type out a text.

‘Guess who got into the club? Can’t wait to see you!’

It’s selfish to assume that she would respond right away. She was at work and had more important things to focus on then hanging around her phone for you. Even so you stared at the screen for a few seconds longer then was healthy.

Before you can let out the “oops!” the man you run into catches both of your biceps. It was your fault for not paying attention when turning around.

Just like any upstanding woman outside of her element you just make it worse with your reaction to his face. At first glance he’s not ugly, blonde hair and mouth that would easily become a crooked smile, but there were scars. The most prominent of which was a line going across his throat. After seeing that the rest almost screamed at you to pay attention.

“I-I’m-Excuse me, I didn’t see you.” You said, trying to remember what manners you could.

It’s hard to say whether he was going to respond to you or not. Shrugging your arms up and away from him to escape. It was because of how loose he was holding you that it was possible. Not even making it two steps before finding another man to run into.

“And who do we have here?” This man was cleaner cut then the first. Brown hair with the slightest hint of gel.  

Dinah has complained about the big boss so many times you could probably give his description to the police. Even with all that what gave Roman Sionis away were the clothes. Red and black coat made from some animal that probably doesn’t exist anymore. Sunglasses that probably can’t keep away the sun but still cost more then your rent.

Your name comes out in an attempt to sound confident. Lifting your hand like a business meeting.

He makes a little gasp. “You’re my song-bird’s darling, aren’t you?” He asks.

It takes longer then a second to understand who he was talking about. When it finally clicks you nod, “yeah, Dinah sings here. She’s your singer.” Smart enough to correct yourself but dumb enough to not find an exit to the conversation.

Practically brushing your hand aside, he immediately goes for your face.

“Now, you are adorable.” He looks over your shoulder to someone behind you. “She is adorable. Go get Dinah, let’s make this an event.”

His smile only slightly falters when he looks at the rest of you. Hands open like he was trying to understand an abstract painting. But, like most abstract paintings he didn’t like, he refused to understand it. Instead choosing to remove the offending parts.

“Ew, what is this?” He asks, holding the collar of your jacket with one hand. The other gesturing to it as if the crowd were watching too.

Before you could explain that it was a jacket he was already shaking his head slightly. “No, take it off, it’s awful, take it off now.”

It’s wasn’t that big of a deal to remove the jacket. You were in a sweaty club anyway; a jacket didn’t really make sense here. After getting out of the jacket it was immediately pulled away from your hands. Roman almost throwing it onto one of the passing ladies with drinks. She stumbled slightly but kept her footing after the fabric assault.

“Get rid of this, burn the fucking thing,” He says to her with a wave of his hand. Looking back at you. “Now, tell what do you think of my place?”

All this took place in the center of the club. Like a rock in a river everyone just moved around Roman. Somehow managing to sober up just enough to avoid bumping into him. Just to return to their natural state of happy and tipsy when they get past.

“It’s really cool. The art and everything is intense, in a good way, you know?” How do you make conversation with someone who took your jacket and wants feedback on a club you just learned about.

The answer, as it would seem, is for his arm to go around your shoulders. Pointing towards the nearest statue, and gesturing “The artist, lovely woman I got away from my parents, created these for me. These were the last sculptures she ever did.”

“Now that’s impressive, is she enjoying retirement?” You ask.

“Oh no, she’s dead. And here’s your golden throated girl.” He says, giving a sweeping gesture towards the incoming Dinah.

You’re familiar with Dinah’s emotions more then anybody. You’ve seen her angry, confident, have caught her trying to lie more then once, and you’ve seen her scared. This was the first that you’ve her scared while trying to cover it with a lie.

Although starting the conversation off with a “Hey, Dinah,” you were completely barricaded from the conversation happening around you.

“Hey,” She repeats, not looking for an answer and looking to Roman instead.

Dinah was pulled away before she could finish getting ready. Her eyes and cheeks were done but the lips were bare. She was wrapped in a robe brought from home instead of the clothes she left in or the dress for performance. After hearing your name coming from anyone here, especially Victor Zsasz’s, modesty be damned.

“I hope you don’t mind. When Chad-.”

“Chet,” The man you ran into seemed to whisper.

“Whatever. When Chad told me about how fired up you got I just had to meet the girl behind it.” Roman’s hand goes to your face. “And, I must say, I can understand why. Why haven’t you ever brought her around?”

Dinah shrugs, mentally sending you the message to “bite him”.

“We’ve just been so busy. Didn’t want to bring in a distraction.” She says.

It was a subtle movement Dinah was working on. Taking small steps towards you while still looking at Roman. After noticing whatever Roman is saying means nothing, just taking Dinah’s hand when she reached for it.

“She won’t be a distraction; she’ll be in my booth.” Roman says. Using his free hand to take hold of Dinah’s shoulder. “Now you need to go and finish getting ready. We’ll be watching, together.”

0-0-0

It was fun to imagine what Roman was like as a kid. Did he demand this much attention as a middle-schooler, or did it start towards the end of high school? Imaging that jacket and those mannerism on a teen almost helped the situation. Then you’d look too far over his shoulder, see the man affectionately referred to as ‘Mr. Zsasz’, and it wasn’t fun anymore.

“And you’re all set? Anything to drink? Anything at all, at all.” Roman asks. And when you reply that, no, you’re not thirsty. He smiled, almost laughed. “You don’t drink here because you’re thirsty. You drink here because it’s fun. Shots, over here, shots for all!” Just as he had summoned the waitress with a snap he summoned applause with words.

It’s very doubtful that he created these powers while in middle-school.

Dinah had yet to make an appearance onstage. Sticking to the electric, thumping, music that pulsed and got people moving. Sometimes someone would come out to dance between the decorative hands onstage. More as something people could following along to rather than the entertainment itself. Even with the dancers the large hands were the only thing worth looking at on the stage. Were they made by the same sculptor as the other or some other dead artist?

Clicking on the table, that is somehow louder than the music, that brings you back. Two shots, neon blue and green, set between the two of you. Without even acknowledging the waitresses delivering them Roman takes one in each hand. Holding the blue one to you and keeping the green for himself.

“To new friends,” he says, holding it up.

“To new friends, and your amazing club,” You add in.

He places a hand dramatically against his chest at your compliment.

“Salute!” He says as you clink the glasses.

What exactly you were drinking is hard to say. But it was strong and left a coated feeling in your mouth after drinking it. Probably not used to the intense taste of alcohol you started coughing as soon as it all went down.

A gloved hand lightly pats your back. “You’re so fucking pure,” He says, twirling the shot glass he hadn’t taken. “I can see why your girl wants you to herself so badly.”

It was only a few more seconds of your coughing before said girl came on stage. You’ve never seen that particular dress in her wardrobe before. It looked too complicated, with such a niche style, to be something she’d wear on a regular night out. Yellow underclothes that could be confused as a bathing suit, and a long ‘dress’ that showed every bit of skin that could be showed.

From your position in the booth it was hard to tell if her stance was due to fear of tripping over the ‘dress’ or the thinly hidden rage she was pointing your way. Either way her legs stayed shoulder width apart, holding the microphone and starting to sing.

Her voice was so much better with a proper sound system and no obstructing water. Power in her eyes matched the strength in her voice. The song you knew, not enough to sing along to, but enough that you could hum the melody for days to come.

The song wasn’t one that you could dance or exactly sway to. Best described as intense background music.

It took a second to escape the trance Dinah had made to realize that your host had made his exit. Apparently famous for both his loud entrance and Irish goodbye, Roman had made his way into the club. Leaving you in a too large booth and Mr. Zsasz who was probably there to make sure you didn’t leave.

Although Zsasz’s body was leaning on the support towards you, his head was turned towards Roman. Not outright staring, but more of a long glance that didn’t end.

Dinah’s singing was, in fact, background music. Specifically background music for Roman to make some rounds about his club. Watching him with each table or specific person was different then the few steps between them. Those few steps his face would fall, just slightly, and then return to a smile that was becoming less charming the longer you stared at it.

Coming back to yourself you made the mistake of looking about the room. Landing on Mr. Zsasz who was now staring right at you. It’s not that was glaring or showing any emotion outside of slight curiosity. It’s that he let the eye contact last just this side of too long before smiling.

It was like a bite. Snapping your focus away and back to Dinah on stage. Someone else who was staring right at you, but which caused a feeling of love instead of teeth filled fear.

You’re searching for safety in your girl’s voice. Moving about the stage in sways that move her dress and braids in barely dancing. Focused entirely on you, hitting the high notes. Her eyes only close to keep the song going long, holding the notes that make you sigh.

“She is absolutely fantastic,” Roman says, a firm hand landing on your shoulder. “With those pipes. It’s quite selfish of you to keep her all to yourself. Why were you being so greedy?”

“I-I didn’t know she was so good. I didn’t really hear her sing as much as she does for you.” His hand is still on your shoulder, holding on this side of too tight. “I think she likes to save her voice for your club. Save it for you.”

His grip holds for a second. Looking over his glasses at you like an annoyed librarian. Then the grip turns into a pat on the same spot. “You’re forgiven for being so spoiled. It’d be a fucking shame if you had tried to keep her all to yourself.”

The song is ending, and Dinah is staring right back at you. Specifically towards Roman. Holding the microphone pole like a lifeline, her voice cracking at one point before recovering. Her eyes close again, trying to strive to make a good finish.

The song in its entirety was hypnotizing. If it weren’t for your host pulling you from the song you might not have even noticed it ended. Even so you are still staring will a lulled smile on your face when the song dies down. Only coming back when that same host start open handed clapping, rising the rest of the club to do the same.

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” he announces. Grabbing your shoulder once more. “Isn’t she fantastic?”

You didn’t have to pretend to agree with him. Smiling brightly at your woman as she tries to match the enthusiasm.

“Would you like to hear another one?” Roman asks the crowd, you included. When the club cheers he takes that as the answer. “Sing us another song, birdy. Come on, let’s hear another!”

Although never said it was obvious this wasn’t an option. Taking another look into your eyes she focused back on the microphone. Taking a breath and starting to sing once again. This time she dared to take her eyes from you, instead following Roman through the club.

The cycle of song, cheer and another goes on two more times. Roman disappearing into the crowd and coming back just long enough to demand another.

In that time Dinah’s singing had changed to something that was beginning to shake the building. A low rumble that was brushed away as vibrations from the speakers. It shook and messed with your table. The empty shot in front of you was starting to click against the table. Enough so that you began toying with it.

“Another for the guest of honor.” Roman says, another shot of neon color placed in front of you.

Before accepting or rejecting the drink it was almost snatched from the table. Dinah hitting it back with a following fit of coughing. Dinah was tough but whatever was in the shot was something serious and would affect most.

“That was pretty fucking rude,” Roman says but with a smile.

It felt like a secondary race to Dinah’s side. Roman won the race, only getting there first because Mr. Zsasz had cheated. His arm coming around you the moment you escaped from the booth. He gave you that biting smile again when you looked up at him. Snapping you to look at Dinah. Your girl was just as trapped as you were. Roman holding an arm around her shoulder, smiling that didn’t reach his eyes just yet.

“It was so great to meet you,” He says free hand extending towards you.

Thinking he was going for a handshake you matched it. A sudden pull almost tripping you into him. Now trapped under his arm, matching your woman who wasn’t looking away from Roman’s face.

“Little bird, you can’t keep her all to yourself anymore.” He says to Dinah. “Especially now that I know all about her.”

[demiwonder-a]

how do you fly with no wings? // young justice

WHO: Cassie Sandsmark, Bart Allen, Conner Kent, Tim Drake.

WORD COUNT: 4939 words.

LOCATION: New York City.

GENERAL NOTES: Young Justice is back, baby! Well, they thought they were back. A mission goes awry and Cassie falls and falls hard.

WARNINGS: Canon typical violence, guns, mentions of drugs/drug trade, mentions of past injuries. 

CASSIE: There was something in the air that Cassie felt settle deep into her bones, none of it good. Her mind whirled with possibilities of what it could possibly mean. The team was back together, officially. It couldn't be them. This was good, right? It had to be good. It felt like there was some dark cloud hanging over her head despite the joy she felt at being back together with her friends once more. 

The mission was easy enough. It was supposed to be, at least. Intervening in a drug trade that was to go down between two of the traffickers they had been following. Something for them to ease back into working together once more. Cassie was situated on the top of the building across from the meeting place, ready to spring into action as soon as Tim gave the go ahead. "In position. Is everyone else ready?"

KON: The super's eye peeked open at the sounds of his girlfriend's voice in his ear. He had been lounging atop the building where the meet up was supposed to occur for what felt like hours, just waiting to be given the go ahead to crash through the roof with only a pack of gum to entertain him. 

Phones could be tracked, according to Tim. That and he hadn't wanted a ringtone to go off in the middle of an interrogation, which, in Kon's defense, had only happened once so the fact that their fearless leader was still harping on felt a bit unnecessary to begin with. 

Either way, he popped another piece of gum in his mouth, humming at the sweet taste of juicy fruit as he pushed his sunglasses further up his nose. "Born ready, babe. I've been stuck up here for forever!" He complained, flicking his ball of foil into the air and turning into sprinkling ash with a quick flash of red, "Tim's the one taking forever, right Bart?" He snickered as he turned the volume down on his com. He'd know when it was time, and even if he didn't, it was always cooler to make a late entrance anyway. It added pizzazz to these things.

TIM + BART: "Cut the Bat-Brat some slack, Slug," The speedster's chipper voice sounded over the link, following gusts of wind and quick electric snaps. Tim had to smile. It felt so familiar, something old that resurfaced after a good dusty coat had been brushed off, still a bit rough in practice and use, but... These guys had been running their hero gig almost longer than Tim had, in the team sense at least. When Tim had left Young Justice to Cassie, it was to distance himself, to protect them from the possible consequences of his presence causing their utter demise. It was still a prevalent memory, the mass of them to be truly honest, amassing in a visceral fear that made his stomach turn every time he thought about it. Kon, Bart, gone and back within the same... No. They're here. You're all here, you're all getting back into the swing of things. Just keep it cool, keep everyone else in line like you were trained to do. You're a Robin, God damnit.

Crouching from his high vantage point, Tim could clearly see all three members of his merry band, whether they knew it or not. The shadow of the concrete around him kept him near invisible, if it wasn't for the glowing white lenses of his mask and the bright flash of red that spread over the new uniform's arms. Fingerstripes, those were Dick's thing... But Tim needed a change. Needed something new for the new Red Robin. The old one... Well, the old one died at the hands of Ra's Al Ghul, when he told himself he'd never be able to get back in the game because of what he'd done, what he was made to do to keep his city and his family and his friends safe. Besides, with his old gear either destroyed or left to ruin, he figured he'd need to do some upgrading regardless.

"You still thinkin', feather-brain?" Another breath of a laugh, shaking his head and glancing in the direction of the speedster. Bart was keeping himself occupied, as always, by playing around with the rusty lightning that haloed every appendage as he ran. Short sprints gave him just enough to practice throwing the thin bolts at the gravel, every strike leaving a blackened mark on the ground, throwing his already wild hair back further over the open top cowl. "You're almost scarin' me with how spooky silent you are. Then again, guess we've just worked with a boss that likes to be a little more commanding-" ZZRP! "... Not that there's anything bad about that, Wondy."

Bringing his arm up out of it's draped cape coverage, Tim glowered at the holographic screen appearing in his field of vision, working on typing in commands on the gauntlet. White lenses narrowed as he worked, a sly smile forming as information flooded the screen. "I'd have thought you all discovered patience while I was off the team. Guess that's what I get for assuming." Remotely, Tim snagged footage from the hidden security cameras outside of the building's loading bay. Without much more than a second to lose, the familiar lights of a transport truck came up on the screen. People or product, didn't matter, that was their cue.

"Transport approaching, East loading bay. Go for Operation Hart Protector. Flash, keep the truck from parking, watch perimeter. Superboy, Wonder Girl, bust in. Keep watch for digital storage, and don't destroy them please and thank you."

CASSIE: A small smile tugged at Cassie's lips even through the ominous cloud she felt darken with every passing moment. There was always a part of her that couldn't help brighten up around her team, her best friends. When Tim had left she had been a bit wary of leading the team herself, not wary in her skills but in everyone not wanting her to lead after having Tim as a leader. She never had trouble finding her voice, making sure it was the loudest and most commanding. Almost on the other side of the spectrum from Tim, cool and calculating while she was loud and commanding. 

"Thanks, Bart. I think," Cassie snorted out. "No destroying, you got it." This part was easy, putting herself in the mission mindset. She could push aside the looming gray cloud and the way her stomach was churning, head starting to spin. It was fine. Maybe a trip to Dr. Mid-Nite was due, but she'd keep that to herself for now. 

Cassie took to the air, flying towards the loading bay and faltered in the air as her head spun. She quickly righted herself and let out a shaky breath, shaking her head and surging forward to punch in the door. "You're slacking, Superboy!" Cassie quipped despite the words feeling heavy on her tongue. What had just happened? 

Didn't matter. She had to keep going.

KON: It wasn't like he wasn't paying attention, he was great at multitasking, after all, but he was almost always more attuned to Cassie's heartbeat than anything else. Most days it thumped solidly in his ear, grounding him when work got overwhelming and comforting him when he caught glimpses of Clark flying across the sky. He figured it was just a super thing, really, because he knew with certainty Clark did the same with Lois and he would bet his last Dr.Pepper Jon did it with Damian. It was nice, knowing that the person you loved most in the world was safe and happy but now his head snapped toward where Cassie's heartbeat was coming from, the falter in its beat making him frown. 

Cassie never got nervous. Not even when they faced foes that were far more terrifying than some drug traffickers. It worried him and a part of him wanted to rush over to her but he would never hear the end of it if he did. Not from Tim and certainly not from Cassie herself. She could take care of herself, always had. 

He tore through the ceiling with a grin, grabbing one of the few guards by the collar with a quick, "Sup?" Before grabbing onto the man's weapon and tossing it across the warehouse. 

"C'mon!" He whined, "Ladies first and all that. I was just being a gentleman." He grinned, winking at her as he tore a strip of metal from a parked van and formed it around the guards wrists in makeshift handcuffs. "You think Robin would buy us some handcuffs or do you think he'd be worried we'd use them for less than PG purposes?" He asked, dropping the man onto the ground as he glanced toward Cassie.

TIM + BART: Bart didn't need to be told to GO twice. He was off running the minute the order was given, a blip on Tim's visual radar as he appeared to just.. Appear in front of the parking truck, leaning against the hood, still humming from an engine that didn't have time to turn off. "Hi, boys. I'm gonna have to ask you to vacate the premises, orders from the boss." A gear shifted, the tires crunched against the pavement. "... Haha, oops." The speedster pushed his hands against the hood, flipping himself onto the trailer in a few quick motions, holding onto the edge for fear of getting flung off. "I don't think they bought it!!" He called out over the engine revving, the vehicle scraping the side of the building as it attempted to throw the hero off.

Tim was still waiting, a looming shadow at his post, listening and watching like a... "You do know I can still hear you all, right?" He sighed, closing down his holographic computer and standing on the edge of his vantage building. May as well get into the fray, he wasn't trained to just sit back. Besides, he'd been doing far too much of that lately. Grapple launcher in hand, the bird leapt into the air and soared for what felt like the first time in forever. Flying was really more Dick's thing, but there was a special kind of feeling in that free fall, the calculations you had to make, to get yourself to safety without hitting the ground or pulling your arm out of its socket. Without another spoken word, or much other thoughts,  the red bird swung up to fall near silently through the hole the Super left in the ceiling, crouched and ready to strike.

A loud crash against the wall and a mumbled "Owwie..." In his ear caught his attention first, head whipping over to the wall the noise. "Flash?" 

"M'fine," came the grunted reply, Bart pushing himself back up on his knees. "Truck's not parked. In fact, it's way past that." 

"Shit."

"Not to worry, Captain, I'm on it." Funny, Tim doesn't recall Bart ever sounding annoyed himself. His scowl deepened even as he tossed batarangs into the onslaught. There were a lot more hostiles than he'd initially thought...

"Hey, Rob, did these guys also have a weapons trade deal? 'Cause it's a little hard to catch up when I'm also being shot at."

Double shit.

CASSIE: Whipping her lasso out, Cassie snapped it out and wrapped it around the nearest man's forearm. She tugged hard and sent him flying back. A smile pulled at her lips and she rolled her eyes at Conner's attempts at flirting in the midst of them taking down the guards. "Definitely not," she tugged her lasso back and kicked out at the guard who was attempting to charge her, sending him crashing into the nearest wall and making him crumple in on himself. Tim came swinging in and it was like something clicked into place despite the persistent bad feeling that had made itself home in her chest. 

Of course, that couldn't last. Bart's voice sounded out through the comms and Cassie's heart sunk right down into her stomach. "Shit," she breathed out, trying to think of a solution and quick. "Flash, I'm coming! You two handle this!" She barked out the orders and shot out of the doors that were no longer hanging on the hinges after her hard punch. There was a memory that flashed across Cassie's mind of Bart and his knee, the way Deathstroke had put a bullet in it with no hesitation. She couldn't let him get hurt again. She wouldn't.

The dizziness was back and Cassie felt like she was seconds away from throwing up, but pushed it back. She pushed herself harder and faster, shooting through the air and throwing her lasso to wrap around the exhaust pipe of the truck. A scream tore its way through Cassie as she tugged and tugged hard, lifting the back of the truck up and dragging it backwards. Shots sounded out and Cassie tugged up harder, bullets ripping through the air and bouncing off her bracelets. Pain shot up her arms and spread throughout her body unlike she had felt before, the gas being pressed harder to try to get away from her. The exhaust pipe snapped and Cassie was sent flying back, a surprised yelp leaving her. "Oh no you don't!" 

Cassie caught herself in the air and tried to push through the dizzy spell and pain tingling in her entire body. Then something seemed to just snap as she pushed through the air, her body faltering up high in the sky and suddenly dropping down. Cassie scrambled, trying to force her body back up airborne but nothing happened, the dread setting in. 

A blood curdling scream escaped Cassie as she yelled out, "CONNER!" She was falling down towards the ground at a rapid speed and unable to stop it.

KON: He smirked, happy at the sight of his girlfriend's lips twitching into a small smile at his antics. He swiftly dealt with another guard, tossing him against a wall and pointedly ignoring the man's loud groan of pain. "Hey, if you didn't want to deal with us you probably shouldn't be doing... whatever it is you're doing here," he said before turning to Tim, "What are they doing here again?" 

His head whipped toward Cassie, his eyes following as she punched her way through the metal doors and off toward Bart. "Goddammit," He sighed, turning to Tim, "Does she seem a little off to you? Her heartbeat is going crazy." 

He sighed, pulling Tim behind him as a barrage of bullets came through the open door, a large truck screeching to a halt as "What are we supposed to do n-" His words were cut off when he heard, once again, Cassie's heartbeat falter and then, no more than a second later, the terror-laced scream of his name. He glanced at Tim, eyes wide but before the man could say anything he was flying up through the roof once more, dropping Tim onto a different building before he pushed himself toward the sound of the scream. 

His heart raced and he swooped down, his heels digging gouges into the street as he skidded right under Cassie, his arms ready to catch her before he was shooting back into the sky with a relieved laugh, his arms pulling her closer to his chest. "What the hell was that, Cass? Are you okay?"

TIM + BART: This was... Too familiar. Too nostalgic. The staff in his hands seemed to transport him back to a time when he was just a teen, a teen in green tights, a little too obsessed with ninjas, given the gruff command to take care of his own team as his predecessors before had done. A near mirror image of the League, the ones stuck to their sides or in their shadows. The wind in his hair as he whirled around, added more to the momentary illusion, and he forgot for a fleeting moment that the four of them had ever been apart. It was clockwork, just as easy as muscle memory...

That was, until things went wrong. 

Just their luck, the world gave them a sign that they should've kept to themselves, it seemed. Tim barely had the chance to answer Kon's questions before the scream nearly blew out the speaker in his ear. White eyes went wide with shock, a whispered "Cass-" making it's way out of his throat. It didn't take much more than a shared look of fear to know that his teammate had heard it too, possibly a million times louder than either of them wanted to hear. He was trying to think of a plan, to send Kon off so he could fend off the rest of the hoard himself, to call back Bart and get at least someone on his 6, but his brain doesn't run on super speed, the ground flying away from him faster than he could start to talk again.

"What the hell-?!" Another sentence, reflexive and reactive, and again barely spoken before he was dropped out of the air again. Damn it all. Tim rolled to a kneel again, looking up to see a blurred streak racing off into the horizon, his plans fizzling out like a match in a puddle. They had this, they had this under control and ready to get done. What the hell was going on that he didn't plan for?? He wanted to make a retort, tell the other that he was fine, that he should've just left him there to duke it out, but... He worried. Lips pulled into a tight frown, masked eyes watching the blur fade away, he waited... Listened... Watched. It's what he was good at, right?

Bart skidded to a full stop just behind the capture zone, though his gold, sparking eyes darted from the sky to the road. "Grife, they're gone," He sighed, a gloved hand flicking through the windblown nest of hair, letting it fall into his face. He wasn't about to get another hospital trip out of them coming together again as a team, no sir. Besides, he had the plates, make and model, and gaudy off-white color scheme committed to memory, it wasn't like it was going to be hard to find with a now broken exhaust. 

It was a moment of silence from the both of them, just staring at what they could only assume was the super-couple above them. All was quiet until Tim decided it was time to speak up again: "Status report."

CASSIE: There was a certain sense of helplessness as Cassie fell down, down, down. The wind caused her hair to whip past her face, not because of her pushing her body through the sky but from her descent down towards the ground. Her eyes squeezed shut as tears stung at them, so many faces flashing in her mind as the air rushed past her body.

Conner, Bart, Tim. Her team she had let down in a course of action she hadn't even seen coming. Donna and Diana, two Amazons and her sisters she had felt so disconnected from for far too long. She didn't feel a part of the Amazons and entirely too much like a boat floating far out to see. There was Kara and Jon, the two other Kryptonians that had wormed their way into her heart. The anger she had quietly held for Kara despite being able to relate far too deeply. There was a regret in the fact she had been angry with her in a place that had only come from wanting to protect Conner. Her mom. Her mom, who had only wanted to take care of her and was horrified when she decided to become a hero. Her mom who she hadn't talked to in so long and ached for her in this moment. Maybe she was right, Cassie didn't know what she was doing and hadn't in a very long time.

Suddenly, arms were around Cassie and she was shot back up into the air. She let out a startled gasp and her eyes opened, arms scrambling to wrap around Conner's neck tightly. She parted her lips to answer and wasn't even sure what to say. What did happen? 

"...I don't know," Cassie whispered weakly, a tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. She wasn't one to fall apart like this, but she had been scared, terrified even. "I was...I've been feeling off lately. Dizzy and just like something wasn't right. I ignored it for awhile, was gonna go visit Dr. Mid-Nite...then I just—" Failed them. She failed them and the mission. Their first mission back as a team and she had ruined it. 

"I was flying after the truck and it was like someone tugged the power chord on my powers. I just...fell. I couldn't make myself fly no matter how hard I tried. If I had to guess I probably can't even make a dent in a door I punch. I'm...useless. I don't have any powers." The reality came crashing down on Cassie swift and fast. She didn't have any powers. She had had powers for so long now, was one of the heavy hitters on the team alongside Conner. What good was she without them? 

Tim's voice crackled to life in the comms unit and Cassie's response was half hearted—monotone at best. "I'm fine." She didn't feel it. Not in the slightest.

KON: She was safe, here in his arms with her heartbeat fluttering wildly and her voice breaking. He looked down at her and his teeth dug into his bottom lip as his fingers squeezed a little tighter only to ease up again in an instant. His flight wavering as his brows stitched together in concern. 

There had never been a time that he could remember that he had been scared to hurt her, but now as he looked into her eyes and saw the vulnerability shining there he had to take a deep breath just to collect himself. He shifted her weight into one arm and brushed away the stray tear as best as he could, his lips pursing as they continued to flow. He landed them on the ground and glanced around, a small dry chuckle bubbling past his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. They were farther out than he had anticipated, somewhere upstate from the look of it. He had been so terrified, so panicked in the moment that he hadn't even realised how fast they were flying. His only thought had been getting her away as quickly as possible but now he felt guilty. Bart needed him, he had left Tim on a random roof, his need to protect her so strong that he hadn't given a second thought to abandoning the team, his best friends. 

They could have been captured, they could have been hurt, they could have been killed. 

He took a shuddering breath, his eyes squeezing shut as he reached blindly for Cassie's hand and cradled it in his own. He needed to focus on her right now. Bart and Tim were smart and capable and probably already tracking them. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, hating how just a few weeks earlier she had asked him the same question. When did they start keeping secrets? Lying by commission? That wasn't them, was it?

"You are not-" he huffed, snatching the comm from his ear and pinching it between his fingers until he heard a satisfying crunch. "Look, we'll figure it out, Tim will- I don't know, do Tim things and we'll fix it, okay? Don't cry," he said pulling her into a hug, "I hate when you cry."

TIM + BART: No visual, they disappeared... That wasn't too odd in a normal sense, but this wasn't a normal mission. He knew they were out there at least, knew they were still alive. He wished that was all the assurance he needed. Cassie wasn't fine, and Kon wouldn't be fine unless she was. Something had gone terribly wrong here. Possibilities flooded his head, nearly blocking out the mental work he'd already put in that he'd take on solo to try finishing what the four of them had started. Maybe it was easier that way, anyways-

Nope. Fuck. Stop that, you promised you'd stop that. You're fine. Just breathe.

A deep grumble sounded at the back of his throat when he pulled up his screen again, typing quick commands to try and find the pair... And noticed he could only see one dot on his radar. Damn it. Damn it all. "Well, at least he won't get to whine about calling it off."

"Yeah, he can get pretty whiney, huh?" Without a second to spare, it seemed, the yellow-clad speedster had come up to flank the vigilante, his eyes slightly glowing from the sparks that threatened to take his vision for the moment. "I don't think he'll be doin' much of that now, though."

“What happened?" Tim asked, concern filtering through the gruff mask he attempted to put on his voice.

"She just..." Lost, confused, worried, the speedster looked back up at the sky. "She just kinda' fell."

The two shared a moment of silence, each one lost in their own thoughts. If Tim wasn't trying to figure it all out at once, he'd have to laugh at the fact that this was probably the longest time Bart had ever stayed quiet. Deep down, Bart knew it too, but he was stuck in place, rooted, grounded, frozen. All words he never wanted to be. But... What could either of them really do? No one had the full story, least of all Cassie, they were sure.

"... Head back home, Bart," Tim eventually sighed, closing down the holograph screen, turning his head at the familiar sound of an engine on the streets below. Hello, old faithful. "Get some rest. I'll send a report when I can." Walking, not running, Tim dropped off the edge of the roof and onto the waiting top of the Redbird, waiting until he was actually in the old car to lean back and... 'Relax'. To say he had a bad feeling would be rhetorical.

And Bart only watched, still at a loss for words. Did he really want to go 'home' tonight? It felt like he shouldn't, he should let the two of them be alone as much as they could. Maybe he should leave a note, send them a text, maybe he should go to the Garricks or his old place he shared with M-... No no, don't do that, Allen. With the feeling of tears threatening to take his eyes, the speedster set a sort of concentrated scowl on his face at the horizon line. Without another second to lose, he was gone in a flash, taking off to no destination in particular. There were no problems while he ran free, there wasn't anything he had to worry about if he just kept going.

He'd be back tomorrow anyways, always smiling, always happy.

CASSIE: Conner was trying, but all Cassie could feel was a never ending sense of dread and disappointment. She hated letting them down, had been afraid of it for so long even. Back when she was the leader of the team that was a constant fear. For as confident as she was, she truly had lost all faith and confidence in herself steadily over time. She saw Diana, even Donna, and didn't know where she fit into the picture. They were Amazons through and through, but she...she wasn't. She could pretend all she wanted, but she was just some girl who happened to be part god and was only ever gifted these powers by her deadbeat of a grandfather who just so happened to be Zeus. 

Why didn't you tell me? The question was enough to make Cassie grimace and flinch the tiniest bit. She had told Scott, breaking down in a similar fashion in the man's new home on Genosha that something was wrong with her. She hadn't said anything to anyone else, almost afraid if she uttered any more about it that something would happen. Little did she know, she was doomed regardless. 

"I didn't mean to...I was scared. I thought something was wrong and I was afraid if I talked about it then there would actually be something wrong with me. How am I supposed to explain that? I can't explain it other than I had a terrifying gut feeling that there was something absolutely fucking wrong with me." Cassie sighed weakly and scrubbed at her eyes tiredly, she felt completely drained. Whether it was from the loss of powers or just...emotionally being completely destroyed was up for debate. The lasso at her hip felt entirely too heavy and she wanted to rip it apart, throw it away with her bracelets and never look at either again.

"Yeah. We'll figure it out." Cassie parroted halfheartedly at best. She had a feeling that they wouldn't. That she would be...stuck like this and wouldn't be needed. By anyone. "Let's just...can you take us home, please?" She requested quietly, moving to wrap her arms around Conner's neck once more as his arms moved around her. The wind in her hair and the clouds in the sky were a far different experience when someone was carrying her rather than her flying through them herself. Her head fell to Conner's shoulder and she squeezed shut tightly. They'd figure it out. They had to. Right? Right. (She hoped so at least. She didn't know what she'd do if she was stuck like this forever. She could only hope and try not to let that diminish for now.)

[hauntedbythefanficsofmypast]

SuperChat September 12- Angst

Masterlist

Everything had been going fine, it was just a small mission. Nothing big or life threatening, just a drug bust that Wonder Woman had assigned them. Only four would be going so they were quick to volunteer. After all they rarely got time to work together as a team anymore just them. So they took it and soon Ladybug, Robin, Superboy, and Chat Noir we’re flying to a small town on the outskirts of Metropolis. No one knew that it was a cover up for Deathstroke’s operation, no one knew until it was too late. Chat Noir and Ladybug agreed to be the one to confront them, while Robin and Superboy waited above. Together the duo burst in taking down the men in there until clapping started. They were back to back circling around the room unable to spot the man until he stepped out.

“Deathstroke.” Robin growled out before dropping down besides Ladybug, sword out and ready. That just caused the man to chuckle though as he looked Robin up and down.

“Well if it isn't the newest boy wonder, I always preferred the first. He was so fun to mess with, he had excellent control and I loved tearing it apart till he was filled with anger.” Robin growled glaring more as the man talked about his favorite brother. “It is a shame really I could have made him great, but he cared too much, loved too much. He turned out to be so weak.” Ladybug glanced at Robin nervously before glaring at the man, Chat and Superboy shared a look. They both knew of the man, but didn’t know as much as those in the Batfamily. The two shifted to the back knowing that their best friends were the best defense against the man.

“My brother isn’t weak, he is better than you will ever be and that makes you jealous. Though you’ll never admit it, so instead you follow him around trying to corrupt him at every turn. Isn’t that right Slade?” They all saw the man tense and glare down at the newest Robin, this made the group raise their hackles.

“You know brat, I was simply going to send you and your friends back to your brother bruised and battered. Now though, now I’m going to make him find your dead bodies.” The man was quick to open a pouch on his belt and watched amused as Superboy immediately looked ill and fell to the ground holding his stomach and mouth. Ladybug and Robin went into the immediate attack while Chat Noir grabbed Superboy getting him as far away from the green rock as possible. Deathstroke dodged a swipe from Robin and grabbed Ladybug’s yoyo giving a hard pull, dragging the woman close enough for him to kick her in the gut. Knocking the breath out of her and pushing her a good ways away from the two. Superboy leaned weakly against Chat the two of them watching the fight with bated breath.

“It's going to be okay.” Chat whispered rubbing his back softly wincing when Deathstroke landed a particularly hard punch on Robin. He pulled out his communicator immediately sending out a distress signal. He knew that Wonder Woman would see it and send help immediately, but to be safe he also messaged Nightwing with their coordinates and one name, Deathstroke. He slipped his communicator away, turning back to the fight wincing when Deathstroke didn’t hesitate to punch Ladybug in the face, they could see blood running from her nose. “Possibly broken nose.” He muttered softly tensing when Deathstroke pulled out his own sword and successfully knocked Robin’s out of his reach, leaving their only defense Ladybug’s yoyo. “I need to help.” He said leaning Superboy against a pole, studying the fight trying to determine when to jump in. He used his staff to launch himself into the fight, kicking Deathstroke in the side of the head before landing gracefully in a crouch in front of Ladybug and Robin.

“Don’t mind me just dropping in!” He said with a smirk glaring slightly at the man. Ladybug wiped the blood from her nose holding her gut tenderly, while Robin pulled out a few batarangs. Deathstroke smirked watching the three, confidence and amusement shining in his unhidden eye. This caused the three to glare more, they really don’t like being underestimated. He sheathed his sword standing nonchalantly.

“Very well, I shall beat you all into the ground, just as I did to Richard before you.” This caused Robin to launch himself at Deathstroke engaging him in hand to hand combat the other two following after him.

“Keep his name out of your mouth!” Robin roared, aiming a punch at Deathstroke’s gut. Deathstroke grabbed his arm flipping him over his shoulder and throwing him to the right. Chat Noir attacked next, faking a punch before violently scratching his arm. Tearing open parts of his weaker armour, Deathstroke growled punching Chat hard in the face before kicking him away. Then grabbed Ladybug’s arm, flipping her over his shoulder and slamming her into the ground. He turned, grabbing Robin’s ankle twisting it violently, throwing him far enough that he hit the ground a few feet away knocking the breath out of him. Deathstroke smirked walking towards the downed bird pulling out his sword as Robin got on his hands and knees.

“Bye bye birdy, I’ll make sure Richard knows how you fought so hard, yet were no match against me.” He said before going to stab his sword through Robin’s back.

“Cataclysm!!’ Adrien shouted hand brushing against Deathstroke’s sword causing it to dissolve in seconds. “Oops, did I break your sword? Sorry, not really.” Deathstroke glared causing Adrien to smirk as Cataclysm powered up in his hand again. He crouched before running at the man again, determined to hit one of his gun holsters. He was not prepared for the man to drop to the ground and kick out a leg sweeping at his legs causing Chat to fall to the ground on his stomach. He turned on to his back quickly but it was too late, Deathstroke was on his feet gun in hand.

“Interesting power, shame that I have to kill you.” Ladybug and Robin stumbled to their feet running towards the two. Adrien’s eyes widened as Deathstroke leveled the gun at his chest. “No hard feelings kid, but I need you out of my way.” He pulled the trigger and searing hot pain filled his chest as his ears rang from the gun going off. He gasped in pain hand coming up to touch the wound, pulling his gloved hand back to see blood. His face went pale as he fell backwards unable to hold himself up, Ladybug dropped to the ground bent over him protectively. Robin stood in front of them panting heavily, while Superboy attempted to drag himself over to them, tears falling. “Don’t worry Birdie, you’re next.” Deathstroke leveled his gun at Robin’s head but a wing-ding hit it away. Nightwing dropped down in front of them with Red Hood, Red Robin, and Batgirl landed next to Ladybug and Chat Noir quickly getting to work patching him up.

“Get the fuck away from them!” Nightwing growled out seeing red as he landed a solid punch causing Deathstroke to stumble back. He was quick to advance, landing more blows on Deathstroke before he finally began to block. However after that he also had to dodge Red Hood’s bullets. Deathstroke was stunned, he had never seen Richard, the original boy wonder, the kid that could clear the streets of Gotham with one cackle, this angry. Not even when he had the boy as an unwilling apprentice, the young man had never been able to land so many hits on him before. Deathstroke knew then and there that he was going to be sent back to Blackgate, for a second he regretted his decision to shoot the cat themed hero.

Blackbat gently picked Superboy up, carrying the weak man over to the downed hero. Red Robin was working quickly to stop the blood, but everyone could see the panic on his face.

“I think it may have hit his heart, or grazed it, we have to get him to the Watchtower now.” He said seriously, carefully picking up Chat, wincing at his groan of pain. Batgirl grabbed Ladybug helping the girl walk following Red Robin as they left the building. Blackbat paused turning to look at her older brothers before turning and leaving the building Superboy in her arms and Robin following.

Nightwing and Red Hood were escorting a very badly beaten up Deathstroke to Blackgate, while Chat Noir was in surgery. Meanwhile Jon was sitting outside the operation room, running their conversation on the Batwing through his head.

“I love you.” Chat whispered softly looking over at Superboy with pain filled eyes, “I love you so much Jon.” and just like that names are shed and it's not two hero’s talking. No this is Jon and his wonderful boyfriend Adrien. His wonderful boyfriend with a bullet wound in his chest and possibly dying.

“Don’t say it like that.” Jon whispered back tears in his eyes but he wasn’t willing to let them fall. “Don’t say it like you're dying.” Jon grabbed Adrien’s hand, squeezing it weakly still struggling with the effects of the stone.

Jon flinched when he heard Adrien’s heartbeat drop extremely low and the Doctor’s began to panic. He squeezed his eyes shut begging for Adrien to survive.

Adrien smiled weakly, his beautiful eyes slowly dulling, he squeezed back as he took a shuddering breath. He looked over at Marinette and Damian, smile still in place.

“Don’t even think about it Agreste.” Damian growled out but everyone could tell he was extremely upset. Marinette shook her head as she let her transformation fall.

“You’re going to be fine, you hear me. You’re not allowed to leave me damnit.” Marinette choked out holding back tears, she refused to look away from her brother.

“I need you to take care of Jon for me.” He said, still smiling, tears falling from his eyes. “I need you to take care of each other.” Jon shook his head as tears fell.

“You are not dying, you hear me Adrien Agreste!? You are going to go into surgery, the Doctor will fix you up and once you’re better. Once you’re better I’m going to propose to you at our favorite restaurant, because I can’t see a future without you in it.” He said kissing Adrien’s hand gently.

‘Doctor! He’s flatlining, we need to work fast!’ Tears fell from his eyes as he heard everything from the room. The distinctive sound of a defibrillator buzzing in his ears, his only relief being Adrien’s heart beating again, though weakly. ‘He’s back!’

“That sounds nice...you know I’ll say yes.” Adrien said weakly, his eyelids drooping. “I want a summer wedding, nothing big though maybe we could have it on Kent farm. Think Grandma Kent would like that?” Jon smiled nodding his head kissing Adrien’s forehead.

“Grandma would love that. Marinette will be your best woman, and Damian my best man. Your favorite cow Rita will be the flower cow.” He said earning a weak laugh from the blonde, as their ship landed in the Watchtower. Doctor’s rushing in to get Chat Noir, Jon kissed his forehead one last time. “I WILL see you after this. You will go in there and come back to me.” Adrien smiled before his transformation fell, he placed the ring in Jon’s hand.

“I love you.” Please take care of him.

“I love you too forever and always.” Please don’t leave me.

Jon slipped the ring onto his finger and Plagg appeared floating silently eyes looking down at the floor. He slowly lowered himself to rest on Jon’s knees, thinking of his kitten. “It’s always my kitten.” He whispered softly, looking up at Jon. “My kitten is fated to die before his Lady. If she dies before him, the power drives him to insanity. I knew he’d die first, but not this young.” Tears fell from Plagg’s eyes,as pain filled his chest. “I always watch my kittens die but not this young, never this young. Adien deserves a long happy life, not this, I’m sorry kid.” Jon tensed again as Adrien flatlined, but this time the Doctor’s didn’t get a heartbeat.

‘He’s gone...time of death..’ Jon screamed in anguish, curling in on himself tears falling rapidly as other heroes came running to him. Plagg crying into his hair, everyone crying at the pain the usually happy boy was displaying, and it only meant one thing.

“It was just supposed to be just a drug bust. There was nothing about Deathstroke, it was just a drug bust. I sent them on it.” Wonder Woman said when she heard Black Canary walk up behind her.

“Diana, this is not your fault.” Dinah started as she touched her friend's shoulder, but Diana quickly turned anger and guilt in her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

“I SENT THEM ON THE MISSION!” She screamed balling her fists up as she punched the wall once. “I sent them on the mission. I told them it was just a drug bust and Deathstroke was there! And now-and now he’s-he’s...my mother will be so disappointed , Herakles will be so disappointed. I got one of his brother’s killed, I got a black cat killed.” Diana curled in on herself as she tried to wipe her tears away, only succeeding in scratching her face with the bracelet of submission. Dinah stepped forward determined, pulling Diana’s arms down before gently wiping her tears away. Pulling her into a tight hug, feeling the woman pull her closer as she sobbed into Dinah’s shoulder.

“It's not your fault Diana, none of us knew.” She whispered softly.

Jon starred down at the fresh grave, his body numb as he remembered all the good times they had together. All the jokes, smiles, hand holding, hugs, and kisses. When they would sneak around the Watchtower trying to find new places to make out. He kneeled down laying a bouquet of special picked flowers down.

Arbutus Thee only do I love.

Azalea Take care of yourself for me.

Bells of Ireland Good Luck.

Pink and Red Camellia Longing for you./ You’re a flame in my heart.

Pink and Red Carnations I’ll never forget you./ My heart aches for you.

And Red Chrysanthemum I love you.

“I’ll see you again, that's a promise.” Jon turned slowly walking away from the grave. Plagg remained floating beside the grave staring at the engraved name.

“We made a great team kitten-no we made the best team. I’ll miss you, and don’t worry I’ll keep an eye on Jon for you. Maybe one day-maybe one day we’ll see each other again.” Plagg said before flying off after Jon settled down in the boy’s jacket pocket, patting his hand gently.

@superchat-september2k20

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Satisfied, Part 36

First

Previous

Next

~~~

Marinette tipped her head to the side, a phone pressed to her ear for an excuse to talk to them as she wandered through the streets. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Red Hood groaned. “C’mon, we know something happened! Just tell us!”

“The guy was put in Arkham, how is that our fault?” Complained Robin.

“Because he was claiming Ladybug killed him!”

Her grip tightened on the phone. “And yet he was alive. Maybe he belonged there,” she said. Her eyes flicked to a group of men in suits and she cringed. “Right, looks like my ride’s here.”

“Don’t avoid this!”

“Gotta go -- don’t touch me with that if you know what’s good for you -- bye!”

She ‘hung up’ and dropped the phone in her pocket, careful not to look away from what was probably a tranquilizer.

She put her hands up in surrender. “Guys, I thought we went over this last time. It’s fine, I’ll behave. You don’t need to stick me.”

“New orders.”

She tensed. New orders? Had the Rogues found her out? She didn’t think that she had done anything to tip them off, they shouldn’t have been able to, but this didn’t feel like their normal way of dealing with her.

But she couldn’t run. That was only more suspicious. And she had a sneaking suspicion there was people behind her to catch her if she did, if the prickling feeling under her skin was any indication.

This one wasn’t as strong as the first one, but that didn’t mean much. It didn’t make her pass out instantaneously, only made it extremely difficult for her to form coherent thoughts. Well, hopefully they weren’t going to be interrogating her. She didn’t know if she’d even be able to wake up enough to form words.

And then she saw his face and a scream slipped from her lips.

Paper-white skin was stretched grotesquely over the man’s face, leaving folds and flat planes where there definitely shouldn’t have been; at the edges the face was peeling off, only held on by a few staples. Cherry lips were pulled into a grin that was far too wide to be humanly possible.

She pulled her knees to her chest and curled inward on herself in the chair they’d put her in. Maybe if she did that enough she’d collapse in on herself and she wouldn’t have to look at him anymore.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up to see Harley. The woman knelt down to be eye-level with her. “Don’t worry, darlin’, you’ll get used to it.”

She didn’t want to get used to it, but okay.

She hesitantly put her hand out to shake. “Nice to finally meet you, Joker.”

He took her hand and kissed it (or, at least, that was what she thought he was trying to do, in reality he just knocked his teeth against her skin). “And you, NightMare. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

She nodded slightly and waited for his grip to slacken on her hand to pull away.

The man seemed to consider her for a moment before pushing himself to stand at his full height.

She allowed herself to breathe again.

She looked around and frowned. The energy in the room was far more muted than usual. Most of the Rogues were almost hiding against the walls, backs pressed against them as if hoping that the building would swallow them whole. Even Penguin looked like he was trying his hardest to disappear, his knuckles white with how tightly he gripped his umbrella.

She looked up to see Harley and couldn’t help but cringe at the smitten look in her eyes. She was the only one in the center of the room with her and Joker, and she seemed to almost be reveling in the feeling. Marinette had heard of her ‘relationship’ with him and she wanted nothing more than to grab the woman and take her as far away as possible.

She settled for standing between them, smiling innocently as she hugged Harley around the middle. “I was beginning to think you forgot about me!”

The woman beamed and hugged back. “Of course not, darlin’!”

Her smile dropped as Joker handed her a gun.

“Euh?” She mumbled, knitting her eyebrows together as she took it.

“Harls just told me you haven’t had your debut yet!”

Her shoulders tensed slightly but she forced a smile. “I wanted to have some sort of big debut, wouldn’t want to ruin it when there’s only three months left.”

Joker gave her a laugh and rested a hand on her shoulder. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. “Maybe, but I want to make sure you won’t flake out on us when the big day comes.”

“I won’t.”

“Then prove it.”

She swallowed thickly. Now all the Rogues were looking at her, watching her flounder for an excuse. She could see the doubt forming in their eyes the longer she went without answering. Damn. Her whole plan hinged on them trusting her, and they had yet to tell her what their plan was beyond the fact that the Wayne Gala was involved somehow.

She wondered if she should tell them she killed someone. It was a pretty good indicator of general badness. Problem was, she knew that the bats were listening intently to the conversation while they wandered on patrols. If she admitted to this, they’d question her, and eventually they’d find out that Robin had been killed. That wasn’t her secret to tell.

So her only real option was...

Marinette gave a little bow, her eyes trained on the floor. “As you wish.”

~

She opened a portal to just outside the convenience store and couldn’t help but cringe as she saw who was on duty. It was the clerk who had helped her get the right supplies when she’d been shot. Great. So now she had to traumatize a genuinely nice person.

Also herself, possibly, but she was going to try and avoid that if she could.

Her hand went to the gun Joker had given her. She wouldn’t have to kill anyone. It was a robbery. Those were common, people knew how to react. It shouldn’t go wrong.

She glanced back at where the Rogues were all smiling at her and giving her thumbs up. ‘Good luck’. Too bad she never had that.

She closed the portal and pulled out the gun and a burlap sack she could use to hold the money and food in (Harley had asked for skittles, Marinette intended to deliver).

She stepped inside and shot out the lights, which was met by screaming. She tried not to look at the mother shielding her kid, at the group of teenagers who were cowering in a corner, at the clerk who was anxiously opening the cash register.

She swallowed thickly, tears threatening to spill over as she walked past the mother and child to pick up a pack of skittles and dropped it in her bag.

“No one needs to get hurt. Everyone, drop your money in front of you and I’ll come to collect it.”

This was a good area. Hopefully they could all afford the loss.

Everyone hastily pulled out their wallets and she raised her eyebrows as she shot the wall next to one of the teens. “No calling the police. Drop your phone, please.”

The oldest nodded and let their phone fall to the ground.

She walked over and leaned down to pick up the phone, only to hear shuffling above her. She looked up just in time to get punched in the nose.

A curse slipped from her lips and she stumbled back. It didn’t really hurt, the punch was pretty weak, but she found tears coming to her eyes anyways. Her back hit a shelf and she winced.

She gave a sigh and brought her gun up to point at them.

“Funny,” she said, giving a tense smile. Marinette raised an eyebrow as the teen advanced a step. “Do you have a death wish?”

The teen -- no, a closer examination showed she was a preteen at most -- glared at her and took another step forward.

She raised her eyebrows and moved her gun to point at one of her friends, and nodded to herself when the kid tensed.

“I won’t hurt any of you,” she promised.

The kid looked her in the eyes and Marinette found herself looking away, reaching down to pick up their phone and wallets. She cringed as she saw that the phone was still dialed for 911. She pressed it to her ear.

“Ha! Got you! Suckers!” She said.

“Prank calling the police is a crime, young lady.”

“Oh. Oops.” She hung up and dropped the phone again.

She had a strong suspicion that her ‘lol it was just a prank call’ thing hadn’t worked. She was going to have to move faster.

She walked around the store, scooping up wallet after wallet, until she reached the clerk.

Marinette took a glance back and then stuck out her sack. “Drop the money in, please.” She heard sirens in the distance. She could hope it was some other random thing going on, they were in Gotham and all, but she didn’t think she’d be that lucky. “Quickly.”

The man outright pulled out the tray and started dumping it into her bag, eyes wide with fear.

She nodded when he finished and removed her bag, tying a knot at the top.

A flash of movement.

She looked back up and the clerk beaned her with the metal tray. She hit the floor. Her gun hand came up to threaten them.

But there was no gun.

She made a strangled sound in the back of her throat as she looked around, finding it a few feet away. She moved towards it and another hit made lights dance in front of her eyes.

She barely dodged the next hit, rolling to the side and cringing. Now the gun was even further away. The clerk was standing between her and it.

Marinette backed up on the floor until her head hit the wall. She could take quite a few more hits than the average person, but that didn’t mean much if this guy was going to clobber her until she inevitably passed out.

(TW: murder, just skip to the next chapter if you don’t want to read that)

He brought his hands up to hit her again and she opened a portal, watching him fall through it.

She closed it too soon.

There was a sickening sound as he was cut in half. Blood splattered her clothes as she watched both pieces fall to the ground.

Marinette wanted to stay. She wouldn’t have cared about giving herself away as Ladybug if it meant bringing this man back, but the sirens were getting closer and closer.

She dove across the floor for her gun. She stood up slowly, her eyes looking around. All their horrified expressions, the kids she had definitely scarred for life, and... his body, split in half with a look of surprise forever stuck on his face.

She opened a portal underneath her...

And tried not to think about the fact that the edges were coated in red.

~~~

man Marinette is really just not having a good time

wish i could do something about that

~

Taglist

@comet-kun @thatonecroc @trippingovermyfeet @swiftie-miraculer13 @nickristus-dreamer @moongoddesskiana @i-am-ironic @indecisive-mess-named-me @thebooki3h @insane-fangirl-of-everything @deepestobservationwombat @theymakeupfairies @fatimaabbasrizvi @clumsy-owl-4178 @fanofalittletoomuch @iamablinkmarvelarmy @nathleigh @lilkymilky @silvergold-swirl @dino-lovingreen-angel @thestressmademedoit @kissa-chan @ladybug-182 @alysrose-starchild @t1dwarrior-of-earth @spyofthenightcourt @rowanrouge @nik-nak-3 @momothefemur @aestheticnpoetic @labschaos @our-preciousss @mochinek0 @eliza-bich @mythogaychic @severelyenchantedwonderland @sashakoi @smolplantmum @bluesimani @tropestropestropes @kitsunebell @keepingupwiththemalfoys @sassakitty @2confused-2doanything @too0bsessedformyowngood @all-mights-asscheeks @demonicbusiness @meg-an-ace @fantasiame @qualitypeacepainter @multplelifes

<3

[iggy-of-fans]

Part 6, here we are! Also, I hope nobody thinks I don't like Raven. She's literally my favorite TT ever. Hopefully I didn't lose too many of you to her turning. She does get a redemption, I promise! 

Now, we're going to have the conclusion and the epilogue and then I'm done this one. 

What is will always be

Damian had seen several of the magic users take to corners in the ballroom, and so when Jason returned fully costumed he took the Cat Miraculous and ran to the cave. He found Tim about to transform and stopped him. 

"Take this one and transform instead" he said, "the weapon is a staff anyways. Give me the fox. I have an easier time hiding the eears under my hood. And my costume is brighter. No one will look twice at orange thrown in."

"That is…. Brilliant…. No One would believe you switched to a baton, and I don't know if we can switch weapons… Not that a flute is all that… Useful." Timothy said, handing the fox tail to Damien. They transformed quickly and threw on their costumes, finishing just in time for the others to start making their way down. Timothy tried to make it look like he was hiding something much larger than the little black triangles that blended into his hair, while Robin made sure his hat stayed securely on.

"The situation we find ourselves in today…." 

When the JL saw that they had two missing teens Alfred decided to step in. He was out of practice, but he was sure he could help the teens. He looked to Oracle and begged the Miraculous box to open for him. It seemed his prayer was heard, at least somewhat, as the butterfly Miraculous fased up through the box. 

"Oracle, take this. I will need your help to save those kids" Alfred handed her the Miraculous. Noroo awoke and looked at the woman, sitting patiently in a wheelchair and he gasped. 

"oh my poor fairy! Who hurt you so?! I was hurt before too, do you want to help each other heal?" Noroo was quite young in comparison to the others in the inner circle and had very little experience out in the world. But he was eager to redeem himself in the eyes of the world. Barbara was shocked, but nodded. When the light faded, she sat in her chair with new purpose. A butterfly was born from her good intentions to help and landed on her hand. "Magic is so weird" she mumbled, before she thought of how to help the kids. She'd seen the fear in the shorter boys, but the taller one was determined to do the right thing. Him then. She powered up the butterfly, watching as Alfred concentrated hard as well. With a wave of his fan, the butterfly and feather took off to Metropolis. 

… "Here's the plan, everyone. I need Tim to create an illusion of Robin to get close to Adrien and Alya. Then-" 

"Sorry to interrupt Angel, but I don't fight with a staff" Robin stated, lifting his hood slightly to reveal the long fox ears. He dropped it and Guardian Angel looked shocked for a second. 

"You brilliant, brilliant man!" she called, "Okay, new plan. We need a comm from their end. Can anyone do an impression of someone? Like Bane or something?"

"That would be me!" Red Hood called through the comms, shooting another assassin between the eyes. 

"Perfect! Robin, use the mirage to create a ring under your left glove, make it real. You will have to be able to fake a cataclysm midway through, can you do that?" Robin just nodded his head, pulling the flute out from under his Cape and creating a perfect Bane replica. The battle still raging produced the perfect cover for them. 

" Now, make it look like he's dragging you, don't fight too hard, or your illusion will vanish. Superman, get the real Bane and at least break his comm. Take the nerve toxin from Red Robin. Someone get the Red Hood the enemy communicator. Wonder Woman, assist Superman. Supergirl and Superboy. Are you recovered enough to take the ground troops out? Perfect. Remember Robin, you'll have to make an illusion of the ladybug earrings too. Tikki knows to run and hide as soon as he's distracted." 

In Metropolis, Max had long since gone from scared to catatonic. Barely breathing and too terrified to speak. He'd been separated from Nino after their message was discovered. He was as good as dead. 

Nino on the other hand kept tugging at his binds. There is a way out. Ladybug and Marinette would've found one. By Wayzz he hated himself. Why the hell had he let Lila get in the way of years of friendship? How had he believed the utter crap that came out of her mouth? 

Luther had decided it wasn't worth the trouble to kill them since Adrien planned to just resurrect them with his wish, so he left them tied (and beaten and bloody) in a couple of offices on the top floor.. Nino glared at the door, anger coursing through him. 

"Justice, I am Fairy Oracle, from Gotham. I can help you and your friend escape from not only this maniac, but away from the ones you once called friends." 

"And I am Påfugl. I will lend you a companion to aide in your escape. If you accept our aide, unlike when you were Akumatized, you will remember and have ultimate control of your actions. What do you say?" 

"I accept" Nino whispered. Immediately a green light overtook him. He felt the new powers coursing through him, but looking down he didn't look like his outlandish Bubbler form, but rather a bit like the American heroes, with a simple green spandex suit. He flexed his muscles. He didn't look too different from usual, didn't feel too different. But the binding broke from his muscles like glass. He wondered what the power up was hidden in. He hadn't seen the butterfly… Shrugging he looked to the door. He knew roughly that Max was in another office to the right of his own door. He also knew he had a minimum of four guards to fight through. He looked around for the companion he was supposed to receive.

"Look outside" a voice whispered through his head. He looked and saw a falcon flying in the distance, "when you're ready, jump. We will catch you." 

Oh… Okay. He looked at the door and checked the slit to see if it was locked. Of course it was. Okay. Let's see how strong he really was. He yanked the door with all his might, pulling the door clear off the wall. Oops. The guards turned to look at this unknown and lifted their guns. Well, so much for stealth, Nino thought as he threw the door at the two guards. He saw the two that had take Max running down the hall from his right and he quickly picked the door back up and threw it at them too before taking off towards the rooms at the end of the hall. He broke three doors before he found Max, gaping at him like he had two heads. 

"Let's GO!" Nino yelled, breaking the rope on Max and jumping out the nearest window. 

"OH please dear God if I rot in jail, please just get us out of here" he whispered as he and Max fell fifteen stories and counting. Suddenly they abruptly stopped falling, claws closing in on their shirts as a giant falcon swooped over them and lifted off towards Gotham. Distantly Nino still heard the shouts from guards to shoot, but they were out of range. 

With Bane subdued with Neuro-inhibitors, the assassins placed into bullet proof glass boxes, Scarecrow on his way to Arkham, and a quick Miraculous Ladybug to fix the damage, the heroes were left with a passed out Adrien and a cuffed Alya. Commissioner Gordon wanted to have Adrien brought to the hospital for treatment and Alya to the police station for questioning. But the heroes wouldn't be left out. Batman insisted he and Wonder Woman head to the hospital with Adrien. Red Hood nodded and asked Supergirl to accompany himself with Alya. Nightwing nodded to the passed out Raven, being held in cuffs by Star fire. Robin took hold of Guardian Angel and offered her a ride home on his Robin Bike. She smiled and was about to nod when a bird cry was heard from above. Looking up, everyone saw a giant falcon landing with two boys in its claws. They recognized them immediately as Max Kantê and Nino Lahiffe. Commissioner Gordon took them into custody as well, to decide what to do with them after, giving the heroes not joining for the Interrogation a rest. Guardian Angel thanked Comissioner Gordon, and went with Robin back to the batcave. 

Once there, along with several other heroes who were recovering, Marinette tuned in to the screen where Red Hood and Supergirl were with Alya. 

"Miss Cesaire, I am curious about what led you to follow Mr Agreste to Gotham" a translator sat in the room, turning her head to Alya. 

"Lila Rossi is not a liar! I'm a journalist, I know this! She can't be a liar. That means Ladybug is and I just wanted her to admit Lila was telling the truth!" Alya screamed in frustration. The translator frowned as she spoke to Comissioner Gordon. 

"What does that have to do with this incident?" 

And so Red Hood gave the run down of Paris and what happened to Rossi, including her deportation and multiple lawsuits she was facing currently. The translator explained to Alya that the lawsuits were from both individuals who'd been lied about, including Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale, as well as the city of Paris on behalf of Ladybug. Alya paled with the words, shaking her head frantically. 

"Did you or did you not lead the planned attack on a former classmate on behalf of Lila Rossi?" Red Hood asked. But Alya was mute. She wasn't wrong. She wasn't wrong.

" Marinette was just jealous" Alya whispered. She wasn't wrong! "Marinette was just so jealous, she bullied Lila!" she finally screamed, "Ladybug could have fixed her!" 

"Has the girl mentioned, Marinette, ever shown bullying tendencies before? Been outwardly cruel or antagonistic when provoked or jealous?" Comissioner Gordon broke in. Alya froze. She thought about Kagami and Chloe and all the girls involved in Adrien's life and tried to come up with an example. She lowered her head and shook it no. 

" Has Ladybug ever been able to bring back a deceased that was killed outside of a magical attack by these Akuma?" 

"She cured Lila's tinnitus!" she exclaimed. 

"the same Lila that lied about being bullied, and has lawsuits against her from multiple sources? You believe this to be a credible source? Let me ask this, has she ever cured anyone else of chronic illness?" Gordon asked. Alya shook her head. 

"So you came here with the intention of what… Using Ladybug, aka, Guardian Angel, to bring back all those you and your partner killed?" Gordon looked skeptical. 

"you can wish for anything with the jewel of creation and destruction. Even for life to be breathed into the dead" Alya said clearly. 

"Is that a fact?" Gordon turned to Red Hood. He shook his head. 

"The consequences of making any wish can be destructive. A wish for peace might kill half the population, simply because less population means more resources. The law of Alchemy states that everything must remain in balance. To bring back a dear friend, you have to lose another dear friend first. To bring back 14 innocent people, 14 other innocent people would have to die. From my understanding, they planned on not only resurrecting the people they themselves killed, but also the classmate who committed suicide. On top of this, they also planned on creating a "perfect world" in conjunction, to make sure no conflict happened in their class specifically" Red Hood played the video on his phone of Nino explaining this before he was caught. Gordon frowned. He glared at Alya, who was pale. They couldn't bring them back. They couldn't bring any of them back and that meant Marinette was dead and she'd never be able to see or hug or apologize or…. Alya puked on the floor. The realization that even limitless power was in fact limited. Gordon nodded and told an officer to put her in a cell and call Paris. 

When Adrien awoke, he was cuffed to a hospital bed, his head was bandaged down past the right eye, and his torso was strapped to the bed with a warm blanket. In the room with him were Wonder Woman and Batman. He frowned. 

"Mr Agreste. Do you know where you are?" Wonder Woman asked. He tried to shake his head but he opened his mouth anyways. 

"Gotham City" his voice was scratchy and dry. 

"Do you know why we are here?" 

"I tried to get the Ladybug and Cat mirculouses."

"Why?" 

"Because Ladybug should've healed Marinette. My Princess should be here with me. Ladybug was jealous and let her die and sent Lila away and took my ring and my family from me! Everything was ruined because of her!" Adrien shouted. Batman looked at him. This was going to be a long day.

"Tell us what happened from your perspective?"

And Adrien did.

Okay, so.... Here's part six. Seven will be really short but I couldn't find a way to include it in this.

@bookreader20003

@mooshoon @artxyra @spicybelladonna @northernbluetongue @kuroko26 @mystery-5-5 @2sunchild2 @iwantswifttoblessmysoul @zelladane @ellerahs @thedarkwhiteangel @resignedcatservant @scribblinggraveyard @alexzandria-747 @nyctamaximoff @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @sapphiraazure2708 @tinybrie @dudet @thatrandomfandomsgirl @lunar-wolf-warrior @zazzlejazzle @zebrabaker @constancestruggle @unabashedbookworm @ginamarie1512 @mindfulmagics @bitterheart12224 @captainmac6 @blue-peach14 @enduskdragon @multishipper1needshalp @abrx2002

@throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen

[fairie-gothmother]

In The Shadow of Starlight, Part 1: The Fall

A convoy of technical vehicles sped through the desert towards a recently sighted pillar of fire. Octavia looked out the vehicle’s backseat window as they raced toward a rising plume of smoke in the distance. The sun hovered just above the horizon. Orange light cast long shadows that stretched over the dust dunes. Pandora was beautiful when everything on it wasn’t trying to kill you.

It had only been four days since the Calypso Twins had stolen the powers of the legendary Firehawk. Four days! And the Crimson Raiders were responding to distress calls nonstop. Octavia had barely kicked her feet up after returning from the last one before she received the message to rejoin the convoy. Reports poured in from all across the planet. With their limited manpower, it was a struggle to keep up. 

So much had changed recently between the warring factions. Octavia recapped the events in her head to keep things straight. 

The Calypso Twins were self-proclaimed gods leading a cult called the Children of the Vault. Tryeen Calypso- one of six powerfully magical beings called sirens- could leech the life force from any living thing, draining them until nothing remained but a hollow husk. She managed to absorb the powers belonging to the commander of the Crimson Raiders, another siren named Lilith, famously known as the Firehawk. 

Tyreen was having fun with her newly acquired powers by teleporting her brainwashed cultists around everywhere in a telltale pillar of fire, spreading their influence by broadcasting videos of their raids on the Echo net. 

Troy Calypso was the propaganda mastermind who operated mostly behind the scenes, editing videos of murderous raids and turning them into slapstick jokes, air horns and all. His weapon of choice was an enormous sword wielded in a cybernetic arm. Although he spent most of his time out of the spotlight, Troy proved to be equally as brutal as his sister.

In short, the Calypsos were powerful monsters with hordes of mindless followers at their disposal, hell-bent on becoming the brightest stars in the sky while watching the universe burn at their feet.

The Crimson Raiders were doing everything they could to keep that from happening. That included Octavia. She fidgeted with the long sleeves of her shirt. Her anxiety sat heavy in her stomach like a chunk of eridium. She held up her arm to check the device attached to her wrist for what must have been the twelfth time. Straps secure, poison darts loaded, compression mechanism functional, safety off. Oops. She flicked the safety switch on and pulled her sleeve back over it. The last thing she needed was to accidentally shoot a poison dart at anyone.

She always hated being asked to come along on these calls. She wasn’t much of a fighter. Ah, who was she kidding? She was damn near useless. Octavia set her medical bag onto her lap to remind herself why they needed her there. The Crimson Raiders fought the bad guys, and Octavia patched up the good guys. She didn’t claim to be a doctor, nor was she legally allowed to. She was an herbalist. Ever since Dr. Zed went missing, Octavia stepped in as the primary medic. What she wouldn’t give to be back in her greenhouse right now.

Lilith looked back from the driver’s seat. “I know that look. Are you psyching yourself out?”

“As always. Is it that obvious?” Octavia thought she was holding herself together better than last time. Of course, Lilith always picked up on little things like that. Not much gets past the commander of the Crimson Raiders. Maybe intuition comes with the job. 

Lilith smiled. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. We’ll clean up this mess and be back up in Sanctuary in no time.” Her golden eyes glinted as she drove, fiery red hair slightly muted with dust that settled everywhere on this planet. It was still strange to see uniformly fair skin on her arm which was once wrapped in blue glowing siren marks. No one called Lilith the Firehawk anymore, avoiding what that implied. Even though she was no longer a siren, she continued to live up to her legendary status.

The technical’s radio crackled. “We’re almost there,” said a female voice. “Let’s stop here outside the entrance.”

There already? Octavia looked out the window at the camp before them. Its high scrap metal fence made it impossible to see inside. The Children of the Vault were probably tearing the place apart shouting the Twin Gods’ praises. 

Lilith picked up the radio’s microphone and responded, “Copy that, Maya.” The technical came to a stop. Lilith grabbed an SMG from the passenger’s seat. Turning once again to Octavia, she asked, “You ready?”

Octavia squeaked, “As ready as I’ll ever be.” She gulped in an attempt to force her heart down from her throat and opened the door.

Before them stood a rundown camp that looked abandoned. Smoke billowed from inside. It was relatively quiet. No bandits screaming, no gun fire, no explosions; just a distant metallic screech. Crimson Raider soldiers filed out of the technicals parked beside them. 

Lieutenant Cramer stood at the ready. He was an older man that exuded pure military discipline. If you got out of line, he was the one to whip you back into shape. And he enjoyed doing it. 

Maya’s electric blue hair and siren marks made her stand out like an orchid the desert. A hood was pulled over her head, coat flowing behind her in the breeze as she walked swiftly over to Lilith.

“Strange, it’s never this calm,” said Maya.

“Stay on your toes. By now, we should know better than to underestimate them,” Lilith warned. 

Once the whole group gathered around, Lilith gave everyone their instructions. “Maya, you and I will stay outside with teams Beta and Charley. Octavia, wait in the technical, and be on standby. Lieutenant Cramer, take team Alpha through the front gate. Stay alert and keep an eye out for survivors. I wanna see everyone back in Sanctuary at the end of the day. Let’s do this.” The soldiers spread out. Lilith gave a nod to Lieutenant Cramer. The battle scarred veteran nodded in acknowledgement. He began giving orders to his team and used hand gestures that Octavia wasn’t familiar with. 

Octavia climbed into the front seat of the technical as instructed. She took a deep breath steadying her nerves. She was definitely going to her greenhouse for some kragweed after this. The view from the windshield gave a better vantage point of the area. She gripped her dart gun concealed on her wrist, praying she wouldn’t have to use it. 

Team Alpha was about to make their move when Cramer held up his fist signaling to halt. The screeching sound had grown so loud it made Octavia want to grind her teeth together. Maya held her hand in front of her, fingertips sparking and siren marks flaring to life. All eyes and guns were on the entrance prepared to meet what was about to emerge. Showtime. The gates swung open.

The hunched figure of a man limped out dragging a heap of machinery behind him. Wires sparked from the twisted metal as it scraped along the ground. Upon first glance, it was easy to miss that the machinery was actually attached to the man; a cybernetic arm that threatened to tear itself from the shoulder. Blood stained the dirt behind him in a dotted trail as he hobbled forward. The screeching stopped when the figure paused and looked up. Oh, shit.

Lilith’s eyes widened in horror. “What the hell,” she whispered under her breath.

Troy Calypso.

The once mighty God King himself stood before them in a mangled mess. He’d been stripped of his ornate coat and oversized sword. His ribs slid feebly beneath tanned skin as his breath rattled inside his bare chest. The iconic side-swooped hairstyle had fallen; his black hair soaked in blood and stuck to the side of his face. One side of his modified jaw slacked as if hanging from a broken hinge.

Octavia had briefly seen Troy in the cult’s live streams. Countless people died at this man’s hands as he laughed and broadcast their deaths. That same man now stood in front of them broken and bleeding, and Octavia was paralyzed with shock.

She jumped as Lilith broke the silence. Lilith called out to him, “What happened?”

Troy lifted his gaze. His icy blue eyes scanned across the teams of Raiders, passing over Octavia making her blood run cold. After focusing on Lilith, he cocked his head to the side and started to laugh which quickly turned into a wet cough. He gasped for air, then spat onto the ground. Gold capped canines glinted through a bloody smirk. “What, this?” He glanced down to his mechanical arm as it popped sending a shower of sparks bursting from it. “Ah, y’know. Got denounced, excommunicated, and left for dead in the middle of nowhere. How was your day?”

Lilith was stunned. She seemed to be at a loss for words at his flippant response. The expression on her face was more confusion than fear. Octavia wished she could say to same for herself. 

Maya pressed further, “Excommunicated? Are you saying you got thrown out of the Children of the Vault?”

“Yeah, well. Guess I overstepped my boundaries with the God Queen. She labeled me a heretic, and our followers turned on me. Not really much I could do to fight back. Must be nice,” Troy pointed to Maya with his remaining human arm covered in unmistakable red glowing marks, “to be a functional siren.”

No, it couldn’t be. Troy Calypso was a siren? Octavia was far from being an expert, but it was common knowledge that sirens were always female. This would make the first male siren known in history. Male sirens were unheard of, thought to be impossible. 

Maya lowered her voice to Lilith, speaking just loud enough for Octavia to overhear. “This doesn’t feel right. It could be a trap. What do we do?” They didn’t seem to be surprised at this revelation. Did they already know?

“I’m not sure. He’s in pretty bad shape. Do you think Tyreen would do this to her own brother to pull one over on us?” Lilith concluded. 

‘Pretty bad shape’ was a drastic understatement. No one would willingly do this to themselves, especially someone as egocentric as Troy. Something was definitely off here. He must have done something pretty bad to get disowned and banished by his twin sister. Octavia shuddered at the thought.

Octavia jumped from the vehicle. Lilith and Maya turned to her after hearing her feet hit the dirt. “If he doesn’t get medical attention soon, he’s going to die,” Octavia interjected. “The COV is unpredictable, but I don’t think they’d go so far as to beat one of their Gods within an inch of his life just to trick us.” After receiving questioning looks, she added, “Th-that’s just my opinion.” 

Lilith was quiet for a moment, deep in thought before reaching a decision. “Bring him in for questioning.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Maya’s voice echoed. After being shushed by Lilith, she continued in a strained whisper, “This guy is dangerous. There’s no way we can take him to Sanctuary. He could be lying.”

“Then we keep a close eye on him.” Lilith returned her attention to Troy. He hadn’t moved, standing in a growing pool of blood and oil. He simply waited for the Crimson Raiders to decide his fate as if he lacked the strength to do anything else. “Octavia, can you keep him from bleeding out?”

“Of course,” she responded. That was her job, and she was damn good at it. Although- “I don’t know much about cybernetics.”

“We should talk to Ellie. Luckily, she’s stationed at an outpost nearby. We’ll take Troy there until we can decide how to move forward,” said Lilith. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. We’ll figure it out.” 

Maya stopped glaring as if she didn’t realize she was doing it. “Sorry,” she said and directed the glare at Troy instead.

What the hell were they getting into?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello, Tumblr! I hope you enjoyed part 1 of my new ‘In The Shadow Of Starlight’ series. Shout out to @border-spam for the Calypso Twins Prompts. ‘Heretic’ was such a huge inspiration that it influenced me to create an entire story of my own. (All the shorts can also be found on their AO3.) I will post a few more chapters regardless, but if enough of you like the series, I’ll keep it going.

Thanks for reading my garbage!