#and about thirty issues from now another shrink is going to strap him to a bed and drug him until his muscles atrophy

[vintagerobin]

(source: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #11)

While we're on the subject of Bruce and psychologists. I love how Alfred asked if he wanted this turned off earlier and Bruce was like "no it's a free analysis" meanwhile he's crunching glass over it and denying the analysis.

[artsninspo]

PULSE : PART III - WHO IS YOU?

PART I | PART II | PART III

PART III - WHO IS YOU?

Black had always been a pretty good judge of character, its how he’d survived on his own for so long. He did what he had to do to survive comfortably, nothing more nothing less. He didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep and he maintained relationships within their necessary boundaries - never blurring lines. Women had always been the easiest to keep in check. He had a reputation as a sure thing, rules too like no contact it it wasn’t about sex. No contact if she’s on her period. If he needed someone to talk to he’d see a shrink. If he needed love he’d get a pet or visit Lisa the woman that raised him.

His size and demeanour did what he needed it to do. Keep people away.

Elle Blake on paper and in person were two completely different people. She’d lived a privileged life but could navigate the neighbourhood without issue. She didn’t take his demeanour towards her personally and her mouth is fucking lethal.

Everyday, he’d see her walking home and everyday he drove past her, rain or shine. Since then Black had been getting presents in his washer and dryer. Boxers with days of the week printed on the ass, socks with toe slits in ridiculous colours with his name printed on the bottoms and other childish annoying shit. Today in the dryer were the lollies from down the street “suckers to stay sucker free”. He’d have checked anyone else for it but he knew she was doing it purposely to get under his skin and not to be disrespectful.

The rain is really coming down and Elle looks around but all the cabs are occupied. He contemplates making his car spray her with water but decides against it pulling over slowly and opening the door. She looks confused before walking and getting in.

“Thanks” she mutters getting on her seatbelt on and shivering from being drenched. He turns off the air conditioning to keep her from getting a cold. She’s pissed - not at him but he can feel the anger radiating from her. Her phone rings and she declines the call immediately taking a deep breath. Her phone rings again and she rolls down the window chucking it into a puddle. Black continues to drive when he hears her sniffle and she wipes the tears away smearing her make up. Its not an act, it’s not like the games women ploy to get attention. He says nothing enjoying the silence until his phone rings. He hits decline not wanting to talk business in the company of someone else.

Black parks looking over at Elle and reaching into his glove compartment taking out some wet-wipes.

“You’re not about to leave my car looking like that” he comments pointing at her racoon eyes from the tears and make up. She concedes taking the wet wipes pulling down the mirror and cleaning herself up . When she’s done she gets her things taking her trash and unlocking the door.

“I’m not trying to get in your business-“

“Then don’t” Elle snaps before sighing with tears in her eyes again. “Look, I appreciate the ride, thank you can we leave it at that?” She asks causing him to chew the inside of his lip.

“I hope no one in the neighbourhood has you soft like this” he comments casually looking away from her and at his mirror. He’d threatened her and she’d kept her cool - whatever this was it had to be big.

“Nothing to do with anything here” Elle sighs looking at Black honestly.

He nods unlocking the door, “Cool” he says but she’s already out the car heading inside. He stops in his tracks seeing Dia Evans the best lawyer in the city, maybe even state and her daughter at Elles door. Their eyes are kind and caring; everything Elle doesn’t want right now. She stops looking up at them and turning to head back towards the exit.

“Elle!” Dia calls before she can open the door.

“Kiz, Dia, I’m fine. I don’t want company or to talk about it I just want to be alone - respect that or leave” Elle says calmly with tears in her eyes again.

“Okay” Kizzy agrees but Dia doesn’t say anything. “Is this Mr. Asshole” Kizzy whispers looking at Black who’s witnessed everything.

“Black” Elle mutters in response heading up the flight of stairs to her door.

He didn’t know what to make of it. Especially when the yelling started and went on for hours. Especially when Kizzy knocked at his door looking worn out.

“Sorry to bother you, where can I find the super?” She asks.

“He don’t be here like that” Black comments looking down at her with his typical expression.

“Guess, I’ll just google his number” Kizzy breathes looking back in the direction of Elles door?

“Is the yelling over?” He asks offending Kizzy.

“Fuck you” she snarls flipping him off and storming down the stairs to the exit.

She’s the hot head.

Black notes giving her a pass, whatever it was they all were acting crazy. He shouldn’t have opened the door for her in the first place.

…

Black had noticed Elle on the screens when she first came in. He shook his head watching all the guys in the venue posture themselves to get at her. Business had to be completed but still his eyes searched the monitors every few minutes making a mental not of where Elle was next, all the while ignoring his associates periodically. In his mind she was too pretty to be here. Not that she was the most beautiful woman ever, it’s just every man likes new pussy and to be the first to tap into it. He’d watched her throw at least five shots back getting happier each time and bouncing around dancing with any and everyone. He checked the time only to see thirty minutes until closing - usually it would be more sparse than this.

“Get these nigga’s outta here” Reggie his security who does exactly that leaving Elle entertaining the bartender. He’d never seen Stevie look at a woman the way he was looking at Elle and he’s gay.

“I got this you close up” Black says stepping behind the bar as Elle hiccups looking up. It takes her nearly a minute to recognize him and when she does she groans.

“Fuck” she laughs putting her head down onto her crossed arms. “God, I don’t wanna dream about this guy” she says looking into the ceiling.

“You aren’t dreaming” he tells her and she pouts taking another shot.

“That’s enough or you’ll have your stomach pumped”

“Doesn’t matter, nothing matters” she sniffles looking around. “Why’d they stop the music?” She asks.

“It’s three in the morning”

“How much would it cost you to kill me?” Her words surprise Black.

“Dia Evans’ niece?” He asks and she shakes her head coherent enough to understand it’s not going to happen.

“Come on lets go” he says but she refuses.

“Turn the music back on, I’m not done yet” she smiles getting behind the empty booth and pressing buttons turning on music but only one subwoofer is connected making it much less obnoxious. Black pours himself a drink watching her jump around in performance to two songs before he gets up.

“You look like a terrible dancer”

“I am”

“Shame, if you’re bad at that you’re bad at other things” Elle winks twirling around him playfully. “Surprising because I know it isn’t your personality that keeps those girls coming back”

“So you’ve given it some thought?” Black asks making Elle giggle.

“I don’t care about that stuff” Elle laughs shrugging. “My life was perfect, I had so much fun everyday, I laughed so much”

“What changed?’ Black asks and she swallows.

“Everything” she mutters. Before fanning her eyes and refusing to cry. He changes his posture to be less intimidating as he sits on one of the speakers letting Elle do her thing. “It’d tell you but you probably already know super sleuth” Elle smiles but its just a brave face.

“My name is Trevante, Tre for short’

“You’re just telling me that because I’m drunk and won’t remember”

“Maybe, but I don’t know why you’ve been sulking everyday. Kinda disappointing” he comments making Elle laugh as he stands. “Clubs closing” He points to the door and she retrieves a fluffy fur coat from coat check making Tre laugh. Its June. She sits in the car needing his help to buckle herself in.

“Trevante!” She shouts out of nowhere startling him before bursting out in laughter. “God my feet hurt” she groans unbuckling her heel straps to take them off. “Ouuuuch” she hisses seeing part of her foot is bloody. “Im gonna have an ugly scar.” She groans.

“It’s a foot”

“I’m a woman feet matter” she says making Tre scoff.

“You were just in the club no one was looking at your feet”

“Thats a damn shame, look at them. They’re cute” she says putting them on the dashboard.

“Beautiful, now take them down before I make you walk”

“You didn’t even look” Elle pouts taking them down and wincing again.

“Is your cousin home, can I drop you there so you don’t die?” Tre asks starting the engine. “No”

Tre nods starting on the way to their apartment building. When they arrive she’s asleep but wakes up to the sound of the car shutting off. Elle looks around re-orienting herself and reaching for her shoes.

“Your’e going to put those things back on?”

“Or walk barefoot?” Elle says sleepily and Tre takes the shoes.

“Where are your keys?”

Elle shrugs. “For fuck sake” Tre snaps heading up the stairs only to find them in her door. He braces himself for anything heading and seeing its a place fit for a princess as he does his check. Before finding a pair of boot like house slippers and heading back to the car to hand them to Elle. He walked behind her up the stairs in case she decided to fall anytime soon. She barely made it to her couch before passing out and making him feel uneasy. He’d cleaned himself up many times before. The cut on her foot of more of a burn but he cleans it correctly bandaging it and holding an ice pack against it while he took mental notes of her apartment. He couldn’t imagine what put her in such a state.

His mother had been beautiful too, once upon a time. Before the drinking turned into smoking, then pills, the prostitution and other stuff.

He sighs taking a deep breath before leaving suddenly feeling overwhelmed himself.

__________

Tags: @bugngiz @lifelover4u @l-auteuse @notsomellowmushroom @princessasaani @heavensangelxo

[argylemikewheeler]

Any chances of a Will, first day of high school, getting in the building with the party and meeting this kid who's on his second year and has a edgy badboy vibe going on (but still looking cool) and yeah, feelings are a thing? And they lowkey (or highkey, idc) flirting in front of everyone with Mike and Lucas being over protective and hating the older boy?

One hundred and thirty one. One-Three-One. The number was simple enough; Will’s locker shouldn’t have been the hardest part of his first day. Will scanned the long hallway extending from the foyer, all the gray lockers identical to the ones surrounding them. He tried to find familiar faces, but he was on his own. Will had a last name with a “B” and somehow was already in the hundreds. Dustin and Lucas were in completely different hallways and Mike was nearly on the other end of the building.

Will found one hundred and twenty-nine, the next odd number being his own locker– at least he thought so. He had no way to check with the boy leaning up against his locker. He was talking to the girl at one hundred and thirty-three, Will shrinking as they both laughed warmly and loudly.

“Excuse me, you’re on my locker.” Will tapped the boy’s shoulder lightly. Will stepped back as he turned, the boy having to look down at Will’s short frame.

“Oh, sorry, sweetness.” He said, straightening his posture. He ran a hand through his hair, the long black strands carding through his fingers. Will pretended to be looking somewhere other than his face– his dark eyes, pink lips, scattered freckles– and focused on the cigarette perched behind his ear. The boy’s hand drug through his hair and found the cigarette, readjusting it with thin fingers. It was perfectly fine where it was, but the boy’s hands seemed to enjoy being in Will’s line of sight.

“I–I’m Will.” The words hadn’t meant to slip out. What did it mean to introduce himself to this boy? The boy didn’t care. Will was a nervous freshman disturbing his conversation.

“Hi, Will. I’m Travis.” He grinned at Will, his smile lopsided but sincere. His voice was deeper than Will’s, obviously older (and intimidatingly taller) than Will. “It’s an absolute pleasure.”

Will laughed nervously, trying to echo Travis and his friend. He failed and instead sounded like he was a moment from crying– which wasn’t entirely false. He had no idea where Mike’s locker was or where Lucas was and he was still just trying to get into his locker. He was going to be late to his first class of his first day of high school. They’d probably laugh at him all the way home.

“You’re still on my locker…” Will said quietly, pointing to his destination still hidden behind Travis’s back.

“What’s the password.” He asked, still smiling at Will. The girl at one-thirty-three seemed to laugh at Travis’s question before closing her own locker and walking away. Travis stayed where he was, looking at Will with lifted eyebrows.

“I don’t know.” Will muttered, fidgeting with his backpack straps. He waited for Travis to laugh at him, to swing an arm out and push him to the ground. He was smiling at Will and typically that didn’t mean anything good unless it was coming from his friends. “Please?”

“I’m sorry. The answer is, ‘no, I’m not doing anything on Friday night’.” Travis said.

“I’m not doing anything on Friday night?” Will repeated, confused by the sentence. Travis stepped aside in a smooth motion, waving his arm out to displaying the locker.

“Great, neither am I. Might I request an outing to a football game?” He stayed next to Will, leaning against the girl’s locker and leaning towards Will.

“What?” Will asked. He was about to look upset, disgusted with the boy’s new teasing tactic, but was shocked to see lifted eyebrows and another warm smile on his lips. “Me?” Will had heard about this before. He had heard about flirting in distance and in practice, but never had it happened to him.

“Yes, you, Will.” He laughed and Will thought his blushing would turn the joke to be on him, but Travis seemed to take Will’s awkwardness in stride. He placed a hand on Will’s shoulder, quickly and delicately, saying quietly to him, “It’s okay. I’m like you too.”

“Like me?” Will swallowed, pointing a delicate finger at himself.

“Yeah. Don’t worry. I’m not pulling your leg, William.” He bowed his head at Will slowly. Will could feel his heart fluttering in his chest and his lungs tightening as he attempted to laugh again. “There is more than one of us in Hawkins.” He was flirting. He was definitely flirting with Will. Oh shit. He hadn’t studied for this over break.

“Hey, Will! There you are!” Mike called down the hallway, yanking Will’s attention from the boy’s knowing smile. “It’s like a ten minute walk from my locker. I almost got lost.”

“Sorry.” Will said offhandedly, not sure what to say to blend the two conversation together. He was apologizing to Mike for his placement in the alphabet and apologizing to Travis for being as a green a freshman as they came.

“Why are you apologizing?” Mike asked, walking up and placing his arm around Will’s shoulders. “Not your fault.”  Will looked at Mike’s hand hanging over his shoulder, behind it Will could see Travis’s grin, now admiring Mike with its glow.

“How do we know them, Will?” He asked with a laugh. “A boyfriend?”

“No.” Will said, shaking his head– and trying not to hit Mike’s as it whipped towards Travis. “This is my best friend, Mike. Mike, this is Travis.”

“Hi.” Travis winked and outstretched a hand to Mike.

“Hi.” Mike said slowly, taking Travis’s hand. “Will, do you know him?”

“We met a minute ago.” Will answered, piling books in his locker. He still had somewhere to be. “Asked me to a football game.”

“What?” Mike asked, leaning forward to try and catch Will’s expression as he moved his things around. “Football game? You hate football.”

“You do?” Travis said, still listening. “Then, gosh Will, we’ll do something else.”

“It’s fine.” Will said, smiling at Travis. He turned back to his locker and met Mike’s eyes, clenching his jaw and trying to get him to drop the subject. Baseball with Lonnie was going to be much different than a possible half-way date with a boy. Will wasn’t even sure the boy would remember him by Friday. He was probably just blowing smoke, but it felt nice to be flattered.

“Are you sure?” Mike was almost trying to protect Will from his own intentions.

“Really, I think it will be fun! Jonathan will probably be there–”

“Wait, you’re Byers, right?” Travis cut in, suddenly surprised. “Jonathan’s kid brother.”

“He prefers to go by Will.” Mike sneered, crossing his arms.

“Mike.” Will hissed, slapping his arm. “Yeah, that’s me. Why.”

“I read about you in the papers.” He said, pointing at Will as his expression relaxed with realization. “That’s why you look so familiar.”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Mike cut in, although Travis hadn’t admitted how he knew Will. It didn’t take a genius though; Zombie Boy was pretty famous across the entire city. “Oh hey, look! Lucas!” Mike waved their friend over with a frantic hand and a tense face. Travis cocked his head as he looked at him, laughing shortly through his nose as Mike pulled Lucas over by the collar of his shirt. “This is Lucas. Will’s other friend.”

“I can have more than one.” Will said, looking at Mike with furrowed eyebrows. “Besides, I just met Travis.” He hissed, widening his eyes at Mike, trying to communicate without words. Lucas looked between them with confusion.

“Who’s Travis?”

“Me.” He lifted a hand before extending it to Lucas. “I’m still filling out the application, but I’m trying to be Will’s friend.”

“He’s taking Will to a football game.” Mike said, intensifying his tone for a reason Will wasn’t even sure he understood.

“Will hates sports.” Lucas said to Mike. “You hate sports.”

“Then I’ll take you somewhere else, Will.” Travis continued to ignore the complaints of Will’s friends and spoke only to Will to discuss the issue. He was letting Will deny the rejection cleanly and without any shame or awkwardness. “I mean, I’m probably not into the same stuff as you, but we can figure something out.”

“What’s that mean?” Lucas asked, leaning back to take in Travis. He noted the boy’s ripped leather jacket and cigarette with a click of the tongue.

“Science.” Travis said, finally acknowledging them. “Will’s always in the papers for science stuff. Jonathan is always developing pictures from science fairs too. My friend, the locker next to you, uses the darkroom all the time.”

“That’s how you know me?” Will asked, turning his whole body away from Mike and Lucas. Travis actually somehow meant to run into Will– or if not was very pleased by their crossing paths. Will thought he was being disingenuous and looking to smear Zombie Boy’s new legacy across the pavement behind the football stadium, maybe chipping a tooth too.

“Yeah. How else would I?” He laughed, looking at Will curiously. “You in the papers much, William? Front pagin’ your first day of high school?”

“This kinda counts.” Will muttered, feeling the blush spread over his cheeks as Travis grinned, winking at Will.

“No one calls him William.” Lucas interrupted. “It’s Will.”

“Guys!” Will cried. “Shut up and let’s get to class.”

“Gladly. Let’s go.” Mike said, grabbing Will’s arm to begin pulling him away from Travis.

“Sorry.” Will said quietly to Travis, who was ripping a corner page of Will’s notebook off. “See you around.” He ignored Will’s goodbye and pulled a pen from his pocket and scribbled on it. Will could only hold his ground against Mike’s grip for so long. He was hoping for something other than a complete shutout. “Bye-”

Travis reached out to Will, the paper in his fingertips. “Here. Call after six.” He winked again.

“Great. Thanks.” Mike took the paper before dragging Will down the hallway, twisting him around so he faced away from Travis. “Ugh that guy was so annoying.”

“He was not.” Will insisted. “He was nice to me.”

“Were we talking to the same guy?” Lucas laughed, waving his arms out. “That guy was a dick!”

“He said like, twenty words total to us.” Will said, tugging his arm out of Mike’s grip. “He was sweet.” And cute.

“Nope. Twenty words too many. I don’t trust him.”

“And why’s that?” Will asked.

“He asked you to a football game.” Lucas cried. “That’s like, a date.”

“I am accepting dates from men.” Will said flatly. “That’s not rude.”

“But he doesn’t know you!” Mike argued. “Why would he ask!”

“Because I’m nice?” Will wasn’t sure the exact criteria to get a date, but Will was the last one of the group to get one. There wasn’t something wrong with him, was there?

“NO!” Mike cried. “He’s up to something.”

“I really think you guys are being ridiculous.”

“You’ll thank us later.” Lucas said, shoving Will forward and into their history class. “Disaster avoided.”

Will huffed and shouldered the boys’ grips off of his shoulders. Will didn’t want to believe that his friends were right; it was a strong possibility, but he liked living with the thought that he had made a friend within moments of walking in the door of high school. That he had met someone who knew him from his favorite hobbies, not from an article and horrible nickname that ruined his previous year of schooling. Travis seemed to be genuine and kind, showing the kind of instant pull that Will had seen with Eleven and Mike, with Lucas and Max. It seemed fair to Will; he was allowed to have crushes too.

Will sat down in the front row, Mike taking the seat to his left and Lucas to his right. They sandwiched him, still muttering about how lucky he was that they were there to save him. Will rolled his eyes and opened his notebook, the first page torn and its missing piece still gripped in Mike’s hand. He’d have no luck getting it back unless he pried Mike’s fingers open. Will ran his fingers over the torn paper, wishing he had seen some of the numbers before Mike intervened.

“Excuse me, boys.” Will’s head shot up, his hands covering the missing corner, as if the numbers were still there. Will gulped down his sheepish smile and creeping blush. “Is that seat behind William taken?”

“N–No.” Will said, turning to wave a hand out. “It’s all yours.”

“Excellent.” Travis smiled, slipping between them and sitting in the desk behind Will. “I’ve got the perfect seat.”

On either side of Will, he could hear grumbling, groaning, and the ever so subtle sound of paper crumpling in Mike’s hand. He could feel the heat of their glares passing him and landing on Travis– although the heat might have just been from the flush crawling up his face. His friends were boiling as Travis resting his feet on the back of Will’s chair, hand touching Will’s shoulder as he asked if it bothered him. The hand retracted, dragging over Will’s shirt and past his collar as it rested back on his desk. Travis was silent as Mike and Lucas began leaning back into Will.

“What a creep!” Mike insisted. “Stop letting him flirt with you!” Will rolled his eyes at the idea and reached back to scratch his neck. Lucas agreed with Mike, Will ignored them both, trying to flatten his shirt tag.

“Honestly, Will. From what I’ve heard everyone say about high school, you can’t trust anyone the first week.” Lucas said sternly. “I mean, remember what Mr. Clarke told us happened to him?” Will didn’t, but he nodded his head to silence them.

He grabbed at his shirt tag, the usually stiff material folding in his fingers with ease. It crumpled, like paper. Will hid Travis’s note tightly in his hand, sliding it down to his lap without the other boys noticing. Mike repeated that they didn’t know him, therefore could not trust him. Will knew Mike was right, at least in some way, but after six that night, Will would know Travis a little bit more. He’d call him and they’d talk and laugh and Will would hide in his kitchen with the phone so no one heard him talking to a new boy on the phone and he’d feel normal. He’d have a crush and maybe go on a weird first date. He’d learn to flirt. He’d let high school change him; he always wanted to like football anyway.

Part 2

ao3