#and for liking the starter call of course!
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palabraasinnecesarias · 2 days ago
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five times ranma didn’t say i love you and the one time he didn’t need to: (this was the time he didn't need to)
ao3 | ff.net | ship: ranma/akane | rating: general audience | words: 8,889
summary
Ranma and Akane throughout their relationship in which they wondered about each other, and the one time they didn’t need to anymore.
a/n: this is JUST the ending part of the longer fic btw [words: 2,331]
“Okay. Okay,” Akane released a deep breath as she closed her eyes, taking a moment to ease her mind and body as she sat with crossed legs atop her bed. “Just walk over to him. Mistletoe over his head, and then kiss him.” Right, as if it were that easy – otherwise she wouldn't be such a nervous wreck.
According to Nabiki, after talking to Auntie Saotome and Kasumi, they were to be wed by Spring. They, being she and Ranma, of course. She was fine with it, had come to terms with the whole situation long ago . All she had asked of her father and Auntie Saotome had been to wait after her university's graduation, which was up coming the following semester; they had fulfilled the end of their bargain by agreeing.  
Naturally, after the misfortunes that came about their last attempted wedding so many years ago, this wedding would be hushed with only immediate family attending. Afterwards, at Auntie Saotome’s insistence, they’d throw a larger celebration to announce the union of both schools and families.  
Ranma had trained all night at the dojo after the rest of their lives had been arranged that evening during dinner, as if it were another checked off task on the to-do list, and she had wondered if he was upset at her. Maybe not at her, but the whole ordeal. But then, it all continued as it was. He’d bump her when racing down the stairs at Kasumi’s call for dinner or battle as to who had first dibs on the bathroom when they’d reach it at the same time.  
But then Nabiki asked, oh, how she had hated that damn question , “Have you two even kissed?” Of course not!
Their relationship had remained so normal, sometimes she’d forget the wedding was actually happening and she’d have to kiss him and live with him and introduce him as her husband. Although, she didn’t have to kiss him, but oh god did she want to. Making herself think about it, she didn’t want their official kiss to be on their wedding night.  
Her cheeks flushed quickly, imitating variant berries as she cupped them, shaking her head embarrassingly just thinking about it – their wedding night.  
Akane jumped slightly at the sudden knock at her door, starling her as she called for them to come in.  
“Hey,” Ranma popped his head in, holding a mug steaming as he offered it to her, “Kasumi sends some hot chocolate. The climate’s dropping and she wants to keep us warm. Considering it’s almost Christmas, she insisted on hot chocolate,” he smirked, inviting himself to take a seat on the bed next to her.  
She could feel the scrambling of her insides jumble and knot within her abdomen when she felt his shoulders press against hers. They were both wearing long sleeves, but nonetheless, their shoulders were touching. She took the mug from his hand, thanking him under her breath as she looked at the chocolate filled mug with a soft smile, feeling like such a child with a crush.
She held a tight grip on the handle, breathing in slowly and then breathing out slower. Just do it. Right? No, that wouldn’t be right. Also, Ranma would stop it before she even got close to him, considering his agility. Bad plan. Bad idea. She chewed her lower lip nervously. 
“Everything alright?” His sudden inquiry pulled her out of thought, and she glanced up at him with one raised eyebrow.  
“Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't it be?” 
“Well, for starters,” he sighed rubbing his shoulder against hers, such familiarity cozying her further, and her smile only widen, “you have hot chocolate and haven’t taken a sip.”
He had noticed her distracted face as soon as he had walked in, unable to mask it as quickly as she would have wanted, and he was curious. Worried, too, but she didn’t need to know that.   
“What if I wasn’t craving hot chocolate?” She joked with a cocked eyebrow, lifting the mug slowly to her lips to take a slow taste as to test how hot it was.  
“You’re a dork.” 
She only grinned.  
Half done with her mug, Akane placed it on her desk, adjusting herself comfortably to be facing him rather than sitting sideways. They had sat together for quite some time, chatting, and one topic led to another and now they were discussing how pressing and overindulged his mother was. Something she was glad they could both agree on.  
“If it was up to your mom, we’d be getting married tomorrow,” Akane grinned at the absurdity of it all. It felt incongruous sitting together knowing they’d to be married in just four months when they hadn’t even officially kissed yet . Yet impling that the moment was to come, and what better time than the present, right? She knew she shouldn’t be thinking about it, their nonexistent kiss, but he was right there and she was sitting so close. She could just lean foward, and maybe he’d allow it.
Maybe he wanted to kiss her, too.  
Her laughter decreased softly, clearing her throat as she watched the pigtail wearing man drag the palm of his hands up and down his face with seemingly frustration.  
“I know, I know,” he replied, a sigh of his own before looking over at her, noticing the intense stare she was offering. One that told him she was thinking about something, brewing an idea, but wasn’t quite sure how to drag it out of her. “You sure there isn’t anything ya’ wanna talk about?” He tried again, shimming at her side, hoping his persistence would get him just a bit further.  
“Well,” she pursed her lips, glancing to the left and then to the right, as if pondering about something so nonessential, like an outfit she’d sport to a classmate’s holiday party.  
Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP.   
“Well?”  
And then he watched her lean towards her desk, watched her open the top drawer and pull out a plant of some sort, as she held it delicately. And then she brought it towards, spreading her palm as the small stem laid on her flat hand in between them, watching him stare at it.  
“I was thinking...and I think we should...?” She gulped the inventible lump clogged at the back of her throat not letting her finish her question as Ranma’s eyebrows furrowed together, curious as to what she was getting at.  
“Should what?” 
Akane groaned mildly, an eyebrow of her own twitching at his ignorance, “You’re really going to make me say it?” Irritation was getting the best of her, but mainly because she already found this embarrassing enough.  
But they were to be married; they were to share a lifetime of embarrassing moments, right?  
“Kiss.”  
She blinked a few times, staring at the mistletoe laying on her palm, like that was the kiss itself.  
“Kiss?” He repeated, and this time she looked up to find him pondering, tapping his index finger against his chin and she couldn’t help but chuckle at just how dumb he looked.  
“We don’t have to,” Akane sighed, pulling away, but almost instantly both of her wrists were gripped and tugged forward by Ranma’s hands, and suddenly she forgot how to breathe.  
Ranma must have yanked her a tad too hard because she was now only centimeters away from his face, and she could see his light eyes scanning about her face as she tried to keep herself calm. His messy fridge just reached his nose bridge, and easily caught a whiff of her floral shampoo on him. 
“You want to kiss me?” He asked, and that was enough to knock her out of her daze. It wasn’t a lie, but she figured his question was coming from his egotistic self, rather than curiosity.  
“I was saying,” Akane continued, gently trying to push herself away but not successfully releasing the grip of his hands around her wrist, “maybe it’d be a good idea to kiss now,” she swallowed as Ranma softly tugged her once more, “rather...rather than wait...for the...wedding.”  
“Okay.” He breathed in, his half-lidded eyes watching her carefully. His voice was low, and she almost missed his verbal agreement at how distracted she was by his eyelashes pulling her in.  
“Okay?” It was that easy?   
“Y-yeah,” he stammered, his face so close that the tip of their noses skimmed faintly, “if ya’ wanna.”  
“Do you...do you want to?” Her voice was so delicate, it seemed, hushed as she waited for his answer. The question itself was insecure, and full of hope, and could easily break her. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to ask so early, but rather two months before the wedding. The thought itself sounded so absurd in her mind, she wanted to laugh.  
“I mean, I don’t mind if ya’ don’t,” he answered truthfully, and she scanned his face for any sarcasm, any disgust, and malice, but there was none. He watched her in wonder, with curiosity, making her feel dainty.  
“I don’t mind.” She replied quickly.  
And then she closed her eyes waiting for him, and he looked down at her, taking an extra moment to take in all the soft features of her round face with her glowing cheeks and curved nose. The hold around her wrist lessened, and instead he pushed his palms higher around her lower arm, as if to ground himself before kissing her.  
It was timid, the way he brushed his lips against hers; like feathery light touches, almost tentative about kissing her. But then he pushed just a tad further into her, and his hands lightly squeezed her arms. It felt good. He figured he was supposed to pull away after just one kiss, but he found himself wanting to continue kissing her.  
And maybe she did, too, because he caught the way her mouth opened just a bit when he pushed for another. It was slow, and very new, but there was a tingling sensation vibrating from his mouth down his neck and up his face that kept him wanting more. It was a good new.  
Her lips were softer than he’d imagine they’d ever be (not that he thought about her lips often), and as he continued kissing her, they were beginning to burn, in a good way; in a great way.  
He could feel her hands reach for his face, each fingertip almost stinging as they pressed onto his cheeks, easily melting against his skin. Had he known that kissing Akane felt this good, he would have done it a long time ago. Her palms smoothed across his skin towards his ears, dragging themselves down to settle on his neck, edging him to pull her closer.  
This was supposed to be a chaste kiss, right?  
He felt her nudge away momentarily, and he took that as a sign to pull away instantly because otherwise he wouldn’t. And when he did so, it took him a moment to open his eyes to look down at her already gazing up at him. She was breathing heavily, as was he, and her lips were reddish, like cherries. And she looked so beautiful, and he could admit that to himself and to her if she wanted to hear it.  
And then she laughed a breathy laugh, one that kept her smile intact with a toothy grin, her eyes searching his as she found herself compelled to say, “That was a good kiss.”  
Ranma chuckled, not sure why they found the situation amusing, but nonetheless refreshing. “Good.” He could feel the warmth easily diminish as she pulled her hands away from his skin, and he went to catch them, holding her hands in between his, “Are we...can we...?” 
Akane’s eyebrows pricked up at his unfinished question, allowing him a moment before she asked, “Do you want to kiss me again?” This time it was her egotistic-self rubbing it on his face, but she couldn’t help but find herself suddenly so sheepish.  
He knew she could see his ruddy face as soon as she was done asking, but man, did he want to kiss her that way again if she’d let him.  
“Ain’t that the sort of thing people do when they’re in love?” His question had been rushed out, in an attempt to remedy his embarrassment, with pure genuity. And then he heard himself ask it. “What I mean–”  
“Ranma,” Akane giggled, her hands pushing strands of hair away from his face, her touch very soft and tender as she looked at him, “you can kiss me any time you want.”  
“Any time?”  
She nodded slowly; a sly grin plastered on her face as she leaned closer to him, enough to peck him into another kiss, had he pushed himself forward. 
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iniziare · 8 days ago
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“Have you seen the reports?” Came in query, his pitch elevated just sufficiently as to show the exasperation caught therein, enough to insinuate that he all but knew the answer to come. “Tevinter’s once-proud banners now look more like a public relations disaster. Slave uprisings, internal power struggles, and a magisterial scandal so juicy even the Chantry couldn’t help but gawk.” A sigh ensued, all but utterly dramatic in nature of course, all to match the wave of a hand, as if in gesture to brush away the entirety of the sordid affair. "And before you say it, yes, I’m well aware it’s hardly surprising. But tell me, do your associates—your... people— watch all this floundering about with satisfaction? Or is it just another tedious mess for the pile?”
Starter call: Dorian // @lastburden (The Iron Bull!)
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moonrecalled · 11 months ago
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Ryoji still has so much he wants to learn.
What does it mean, to live? Why do people carry on? From the moment he was born as 'Mochizuki Ryoji', he had always been bursting with curiosity about every aspect of the world. The desire to experience life had overflowed from within him in everything he did...
Maybe he was naive, back then. Now, he understands more things - the pain of death, and the fear of losing what one has. But SEES... and especially him... they'd all managed to face those things, and move forward anyway. And he can't help but wonder - how do they do it? Jealousy was once an alien emotion to him, and he can't say it's exactly what he's feeling now, but maybe it's something close.
Ryoji shouldn't be alive to begin with, unlike them. The sole meaning of his existence is to bring death to this world, to everyone without distinction, whether they want it or not. And... many do seek death. Nyx wouldn't be drawn to this world to begin with if they didn't. When so many people suffer - how do some have the strength to deal with that suffering, and to face the things that hurt them even when their time in this world is limited?
He wants to understand. But he doesn't even know how or why he's alive - and that terrifies him.
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"Oh... I'm sorry for staring." Ryoji suddenly smiles as he realizes he's caught someone's attention. He doesn't go around asking every pretty girl he sees on a date, nowadays, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to... regardless, after a moment, his brows furrow as if he's deep in thought.
"I just feel like I've seen you somewhere before... on TV, maybe?"
@shellofdenial
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limpfisted · 1 year ago
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"Why, you wound me. Of course you're special. I fall for every beautiful person I meet. And you, my friend, are truly beautiful."
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shadowedresolve · 1 year ago
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And while I work on other replies, like this post for an Ann starter! I have a lot of muse for her right now so I want to take advantage of it while I can <33
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occkalt · 11 months ago
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anyway would anyone like a kat starter???? uwu...
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nagweon · 2 years ago
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ㅤi'd like to get some interactions going here, so!! like this post for a little something (and please, if you don't mind, comment with which boy you'd prefer. i'd appreciate that help a lot)!!
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revengesworn · 1 year ago
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he (best boy koko) is added!! but also, as well as koko...
i suddenly had the most bizarre idea for a fic/rp scenario in which some of the tokyo revengers adults like. don't exactly time travel, but... somehow end up in the bodies of themselves as teenagers?? and kind of blend in with the tokyorev characters without anyone (or, well, most people) realizing who they are. and for some reason that's a really interesting idea to me???????
i do occasionally get the desire for more adults in tr to write so i've added some as teritary muses to explore this concept, lol. specifically ryoko baji, ryoko tachibana and remi atm. don't ask why those three, i have no clue what i'm doing :p i probably wont' write them much at all which is why they're teritary, but hey, i don't write south or takuya much either and they're still on the muse page, so like. why not??
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outridera · 2 years ago
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Like for a starter.
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universalcarnival · 2 years ago
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grabs anyone awake by the throat
starter call
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melonthesprigatito · 1 year ago
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Started a second playthrough of Pokémon Gaia after beating it and not touching it since 2021 and not even ten minutes after choosing my Starter, I ran into a reference to the Spiders Georg Tumblr post.
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I love this game.
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electricea · 1 year ago
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to add on to that post - if i ever once didn't want to hear or interact with anyone for any reason, i wouldn't be following you. shyness and social anxiety can be a bitch, especially when it comes to introductions and first meetings but if someone is following you and hasn't blocked you on sight, i'd say that's a good sign - just keep reaching out and showing that you're interested.
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divinamour · 2 years ago
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You know what’s kinda nuts? For a little bit, like in the twilight hours of the night, when the depression spice is really strong, I thought to myself ‘maybe I’m just not... wanted on this side of tumblr anymore’. y’know?
Mostly because I didn’t have much to write.
What’s nutty, and when I say that I mean it, is that if I want stuff to write... I need to WRITE stuff first! Fucking bonkers how that works, right?
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collarus · 2 years ago
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♡ for a starter.
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noisilyscreechingsong · 9 days ago
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Dp x Dc short idea
Jason is Danny’s dad
Warning: Language
Jason had just returned to the family publicly about two weeks ago. It hadn’t even been that long for him to settle before something happened. The press weren’t even off his ass and he has Alfred requesting he return home for an urgent matter immediately, which is butler speak for get your ass here right now!
The family was happy but adjusting to everything. They had mandatory family dinners at least twice a month and voluntarily got together more frequently, mostly just the siblings, but every once in a while Bruce would sneak in for a movie in the family room.
Alfred was pleased with the progress the family has made over the course of many years. It finally felt like everything was coming together and maybe settling down. He knew he thought that too soon when he answered the buzzer at the front gate. They weren’t expecting any visitors and looking at the video feed it was a young woman with hands on her hips glaring back at the camera. There were two large bags with her and surprisingly enough a young child playing in the grass just a short distance behind her.
“Wayne Residence, Alfred Pennyworth speaking, how may I assist you, ma’am?”
“Lettin’ me in for starters,” she says back with venom on her tongue.
“My apologies, but you do not have an appointment.”
She snorts, “Nah, but ya see, I saw that bastard on the news and thought I’d drop off what he gave me.”
To get her point across, she turns and looks back at the little boy not paying her any attention.
“Danny!” She snaps and he jerks his head to look at, who Alfred is assuming is, his mother. “Come here.”
He hops up at his own pace and dusts off the grass on his knees before trotting over. She leans down to angle the young boy away from the camera and pushing back his hair.
He couldn’t see it well before by the way the boy was positioned before, but Alfred could clearly see a prominent patch of white hair on the left lower section by his neck. Just like the white batch on Jason.
“You gonna let us in now?” She asks rudely.
Alfred has already determined he did not like this woman. He still buzzes them in. He contacts Jason immediately followed closely with Bruce.
Alfred then helps the two carry in the bags, while subtly checking for any weapons or explosives. Instead he finds things meant for a child.
He really didn’t like this woman.
Bruce is the first one to arrive down the stairs, pausing towards the bottom. He glances at Alfred and can see the displeasure in the butler’s eyes.
“Hello, ma’am. I’m Bruce Wayne, nice to meet you.”
“Fuckin’ everyone knows who you are, Brucie Wayne,” she huffs with a roll of her eyes.
Bruce glances down at the very young child who is hearing the foul language. He couldn’t be more than five, and completely oblivious as the little boy runs a hand along the wall and looks around at everything. He particularly keeps going back to the shiny chandelier above their heads.
“Who might you be?” He asks the woman, coming back to her as she almost touches the vase on the entry table. She draws her hand back to fold her arms across her chest.
“Grace.”
The name seems ironic compared to her behavior.
“And how can I help you, Miss Grace?”
“Your thought-to-be-dead son left something of his. I’m here to return it.”
It took no detective to determine she was talking about the boy currently using the door frame to the sitting room as leverage to rock back and forth, holding on with his tiny hands. Bruce could see the splash of white among the dark hair from this angle.
Bruce hums.
“Is that so?”
“I’ve already contacted Master Jason. He should be arriving soon. Shall I prepare some refreshments in the drawing room?” Alfred informs.
“Thank you, Alfred. Right this way,” he says to Grace, directing her toward the left while pulling out his phone to ask Tim to prepare the proper equipment downstairs.
“Danny!” The woman calls with impatience. She glares at the little boy who calmly turns to look at her, then skips behind them.
Grace huffs but doesn’t say anything else as they enter the room. She sits herself in the middle of the love seat and Bruce takes one of the chairs across from her. The boy, Danny, explores the room thoroughly, walking around without pattern and investigating every nook and cabinet to keep himself entertained. Very curious little child.
Bruce tries to engage her in conversation to dig up more information, but she firmly wanted to wait for Jason before divulging anything. He did however find out that Danny is four and needs to be enrolled in kindergarten next turn. Grace works night shift but wouldn’t say where.
Alfred came with three waters, one in a smaller plastic cup for Danny, and a plate of crackers and cut up fruit.
Grace eyes the butler with a raised brow. However, the first words Danny has spoken in their presence is a cute, “Thank you, mister,” before munching on a cracker and sipping from his cup. His curious eyes flick over the fruit and wanders over to his mother who picks at a rip in her jeans. He taps her knee and she sighs.
“What is it?”
“What’s that?”
Danny points to the fruit.
“What’s what?”
He creeps forward to point directly at the blackberries mixed in with the blueberries and strawberries.
“Blackberry,” she answers shortly.
“What’s it taste like?”
“Why don’t you try it and find out?”
He must have approved of that suggestion and reaches in to clumsily wrap a tiny hand around one of the dark berries. He flips it over in his hand for a minute, observing it at all angles, feeling the texture of the little bumps, before shoving it in his mouth. Danny leans his body over the coffee table to drag the bowl closer and rummage through it for more goodies.
Really looking at him, Bruce could see Jason’s freckles and the few other similarities like his square jaw and lip shape. He hasn’t seen it yet but Bruce bets Danny has the same crooked grin as his son.
He has the woman’s pale complexion and nose shape. His hair was straight like hers instead of Jason’s curls, but Danny took his dark coloring compared to her light brunette.
The boy was an adorable mix of both his son and this woman. He almost felt the test was unnecessary, but he didn’t stop Alfred from replacing the plastic cup and take it back to the kitchen where he knew it would be handed off to Tim.
Thankfully it was a day where there weren’t any meetings for either of them to attend.
Surprisingly, it isn’t Jason that enters the room first, it’s Damian coming home from school. The fourteen year old, almost fifteen, holds a leash in one hand with Titus standing patiently next to him, ready for his after school walk.
“Father, I heard we have guests.”
The teen stops in the doorway and Danny turns with interest until he spots the animal, then his eyes bug with excitement.
“Mommy, doggie,” he whisper shouts.
She just hums in affirmative, looking the new arrival up and down.
Danny grabs a blackberry from the bowl and trots over to Damian. He holds out the piece of fruit.
“This is a blackberry,” he states proudly.
Damian blinks down at the small child. Titus tilts his head, his nose working hard.
“I’m aware.”
“You can have it, if you let me pet your doggie,” he negotiates like he needed to give something in order to receive permission.
Damian looks up to his father for answers.
“Jason will be here soon,” is what he gets instead, his father’s lips twitch.
Damian looks back down in sudden realization when he sees the similarities between the man and this boy. He sighs tiredly.
“Pennyworth. A wet washcloth if you please.”
“Right away, Master Damian.”
“Next time, you only need to ask to pet Titus, you do not need to give me anything in return,” he tells the child.
Danny looks down at the berry sitting in his stained hands.
“So you don’t want it?”
“…Maybe later.”
“Okay!”
Danny skips back to carefully set the berry off the side on the tray, as if to save it for Damian for later like he said. He jogs the short distance back to them.
“Can I pet your doggie now, please?”
Damian takes the washcloth Alfred hands him with a nod and crouches down to get level with the boy.
“We must wipe our hands first. We don’t want anything sticky in his fur,” he explains as he holds out the washcloth for Danny’s hands.
The four year old looks down at the stains to see what he means and then places his hands on the washcloth for Damian to get the juices off.
The teen then calmly explains how to properly approach a dog he does not know by letting Titus smell the back of his hand first and then to always stay calm and confident.
Titus, the gentle giant that he is, had no problems letting the tiny child pat him and run small fingers through his short fur. It was endearing to hear the giggles when Titus used his big nose to sniff at the child’s face and neck. Sitting down, Titus was taller than the child standing up, which would have been scary to some kids, but Danny seemed to love Titus instantly. The little boy easily telling the dog what a good boy he is even with the dog sitting there doing nothing.
“Titus needs his afternoon walk now,” Damian informs.
Titus stands at the word walk, clearly ready to go.
“Oh, okay.” Danny turns to the big dog to reach up and pat his head twice. “Bye-bye, Titus. Have a good walk.”
The two leave and Danny skips back over to hang over the arm of the love seat his mother sits in, typing on her phone.
“Mommy, did you see the doggie? His name is Titus. He’s a good dog.”
“Uh-huh,” she comments without really listening.
“Do you like dogs, Danny?” Bruce asks with a smile.
Danny looks at him like he forgot the man was there, tilts his head as he studies him for a moment. Bruce waits patiently until Danny deems him okay and perks back up with bright eyes.
“Uh-huh! I love dogs! Mommy says we can’t get one ‘cuz our ‘partment is too small and they’re dirty. You’s guys are lucky,” the boy rambles as he wanders around the coffee table to get closer to Bruce and away from his distracted mother.
“How do you feel about cats? Damian has a black and white one around here somewhere.”
Danny shrugs and they continue to have a rather pleasant conversation about different animals and foods and each of their houses. It takes up the amount of time for Jason to walk through the door, seemingly already informed of the situation from Alfred.
Jason was… flabbergasted. Bewildered. Caught unprepared. He was a lot of words. Mostly he was scared.
Did he really have a child? A son? If that was true then he missed so much. He missed all of his firsts. First words, first steps, first laugh, first everything.
Would the boy even like him? What if he saw all his scars and was scared of him? What if he didn’t want anything to do with Jason after not being in his life this whole time?
But the boy might not be his. There’s that. That could be… Jason didn’t like the disappointment that thought brought.
Grace was the first one he noticed. Her ripped jeans and low cut top being out of place among the antique furniture and Persian rug. She scowls at him, putting her phone down.
“Finally decided to show up?”
He bites back a comment. He broke several traffic laws to get here, it wasn’t his fault he was fourty minutes away at the time he got the call.
He glances over at Bruce and instead his eyes zero in on the child standing by the armchair Bruce was sitting in.
Just one look and he knew the boy was his.
He looks to Bruce anyway for confirmation, since he has no doubt he sent off a sample to Tim hiding like the troll he is in the basement. The man nods. Jason sucks in a deep breath and suddenly needs to sit down.
He sinks heavily in the matching armchair next to Bruce’s, separated only by a round end table. Jason can’t stop staring at those big, blue eyes that are filled with such curiosity and innocence he almost breaks down right then. But he can’t. He has to be strong. He can’t just walk away to get a handle on his emotions. He’s a dad now.
“You’re a hard man to find,” Grace folds her arms over her chest.
“I’ve been busy,” he answers lamely.
She humphs and looks away with a shake of her head.
The boy, Danny Alfred said his name was, creeps around Bruce’s legs to get closer, obviously seeing something in Jason enough to investigate. The room is quiet as they wait to see how Danny will react.
Coming to a stop right before his knees, Danny stares up at the large man with lots of scars and muscles from what he can see. He wasn’t scared. There was just something familiar that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He looks… he looks like… and he also feels almost like…
Furrowing his brows in a pout, he knows his Mommy doesn’t like it when he does it, but he still makes his eyes burn with green.
The man gasps and his eyes also swirl into an angry green.
“Daddy?” Danny asks with hope and joy.
Daddy swallows and then nods.
“Yea, buddy, I’m your dad.”
“Daddy!” The boy cheers, jumping in place with a wide smile. “Daddy! Mommy, look! It’s Daddy!”
Danny wastes no time climbing into the man’s lap and wrapping his arms around him as far as they’ll go (not very far) to press his ear to Jason’s chest over his heart. He’s practically vibrating with excitement and Jason makes sure to set a large hand on his back to hold him close.
“I fuckin’ knew it,” Grace hisses, her eyes wide at the display earlier. Both of their eyes had returned to their calmer blue and teal color, but everyone in the room saw it. “I knew he got it from you.”
His eyes narrow in warning, pulling the boy closer to his chest. He sets a hand over Danny’s exposed ear to protect him from the harsh words he’s probably already heard before.
“Do you have any idea how creepy it is to deal with a tantrum when your kid has fucking glowing green eyes?”
“Did you hit him?” Jason growls, the vibrations seeming to settle Danny even more.
“Please, I’m not my mother,” she dismisses with a sneer.
Could have fooled him.
“Everything was fine until he started doing freaky shit. I don’t know how to raise a meta kid, alright?”
“What are you talking about?”
Now he was just confused. What stuff was Danny doing that Grace thought he was a meta?
“Don’t try to pretend you don’t have powers too,” she points viciously.
“I’m not pretending. I don’t have powers. I don’t have the meta gene. What can he do?” He demands while being transparently clear.
She just glares back at him, obviously not believing him. That didn’t exactly matter at the moment.
“What can he do?” He repeats with emphasis.
She puckers her lips like she’s tasted something sour and then lifts her chin.
“Why doesn’t he just show you, huh? Danny- Would you stop babying him? Danny, show him the things you can do.”
After Jason takes the hand off the boy’s head, Danny turns to his mother warily.
“But you don’t like it,” he reminds, like she forgot.
“He wants to see it, so show him,” she waves a hand at Jason like he just asked for something he would regret.
Danny leans back to look up at his dad.
“You won’t get mad? Or scared?”
He sounds so unsure and scared. As if Jason could ever hate him. Jason really wants to punch something. Preferably something with her face on it.
“I promise I won’t.”
Another parent might have something more profound to say to reassure their child, but Jason was just starting out and honestly, it was more than Bruce would ever say.
Danny thinks for a second before wiggling to get down. He looks back once more at his mother who gives him a ‘get on with it’ motion.
The boy fidgets a little before covering his face with two hands like he’s playing hide and seek, then- disappears. Jason jerks at watching his son blink out of sight like a Martian.
“Boo!” Danny pops back into view, exactly where he was standing before with his hands out like any child on Halloween.
Jason blinks and then starts laughing. This was karma. Danny could literally become invisible, something the Bats train to do for years.
“That was good, buddy,” Jason chuckles, ruffling the kid’s hair.
Danny hesitantly smiles back, a bit of hope and pride in those eyes.
“There’s more,” Grace interrupts, seemingly uneasy with how well Jason reacted.
“Yea?” Jason directs to Danny, his focus on his son.
Danny gives a shaky nod, glancing over worriedly at Bruce who is just silently watching. Jason could see the tension in his shoulders but also the intrigue.
The boy places a hand on the coffee table and focuses on his hand. It took a few minutes of concentration before Danny’s hand went through the table like he was just dunking his hand in a pool instead of through a solid object.
He pulls his hand out and they could see it be slightly translucent.
“That one’s harder to do when I want to,” Danny mumbles.
“You mean it mostly happens on accident?”
Danny nods.
“I drop a lot. And get stuck sometimes.”
Yea, Jason can see how that could be a problem. He can’t imagine how terrified Danny was the first time a body part got stuck in an immovable object. He really wishes he could have been there for him in his panic.
“The last thing is hard too. But I’ve been practicing. Watch!”
Danny jumps once, twice, and on the third time he lingers in the air, coming down slowly like someone in water or astronauts on the moon. Danny pushes off the ground a fourth time, this time floating steadily higher like gravity meant nothing to him.
Despite the kid obviously have done this before and enjoying it with his giggles, Jason stands under him in case he falls. And falls he does. Suddenly, like the strings being cut and gravity taking hold of him again, Danny plummets into Jason waiting arms. The boy grunts on impact and then smiled sheepishly up at his dad.
“Sorry, Daddy. I promise I’m doing better.”
“That’s okay, squirt. I’m glad I was here to catch you.”
Jason plops back into the chair with his child in his lap.
“Anything else up that sleeve of yours?” He teases but is equally as serious.
Danny shakes his head enough to make his hair fluff. Jason looks to Grace for confirmation and sees she is still recovering from Danny’s fall out of the air. How many times has she had to catch him? Or wasn’t able to catch him?
She clears her throat.
“I don’t know if it’s part of it, but he never gets sick. Never even had a cough.”
Children always get sick, that’s how they build immune systems. For Danny to have never gotten even a cold, Jason doesn’t know if it’s worrying or a good thing.
“Any allergies?” Is the first thing on his mind, thinking of what Alfred will need to know.
She shakes her head with a negative hum.
“In one of the bags is a folder with all of his documents. Birth certificate, immunizations, doctor visits. I also made a list of some favorite things and things he hates. It has foods on there too.”
That was… honestly more than he was expecting from her. But it also cements the fact that she intended to drop him off with him and then never see them again. She raised him for four years and she doesn’t even want visitation? Does she not understand there are legal documents she needs to sign to transfer custody properly?
“There are some things you need to sign, but it will take some time to get it sorted,” Bruce chimes in all business.
Long nails swipe through the air like signing her rights away was trivial.
“My phone number and address are on one of the documents. Just tell me when and where.”
She stands to leave and Jason can feel Danny tense up.
“Are we leaving?” He asks worriedly, climbing down from his seat on his dad’s lap. He didn’t want to go.
“You’re staying here. With your dad,” Grace says shortly, not once looking at the boy.
“Are you going home to get the rest of our stuff?”
“No. I’m going home. You’re staying here. End of story.”
Danny visibly thinks on that for a second then scampers after his mother as she leaves the room.
“Is it like Robbie where his mom lives in one ‘partment and his dad lives in a different one?”
Grace sighs and runs a hand through her hair. She’s clearly flustered and is showing it as irritation, but Jason can’t help but trail behind in case she says something that she shouldn’t.
“No, Danny, it’s not like Robbie. I- I am leaving you here and I’m not coming back, okay?”
Jason takes a step forward to draw her attention and send her a look that says ‘choose your words carefully, this is a conversation he will remember for a long time’.
“But- but why? Is it ‘cuz of my things? I’m sorry I scared you, Mommy. I didn’t mean to. I won’t do them again, promise.”
Jason grits his teeth at how desperate his son sounds, trying to keep his mother with him. Even making a promise he can’t keep.
Grace finally looks at her baby. Sees the turmoil and tears in his baby blue eyes. She gets down on her knees to get level and places her hands on his tiny shoulders.
“You will do them again and that’s not a bad thing. Your things are part of you. That’s okay. You’re not in any trouble. I just- I’m in over my head here, Danny. I can’t take care of you the way you should be taken care of, okay? But your dad can, I hope. So I’m leaving you here. With him.”
Danny’s lip wobbles and she has to restrain herself from not hugging him like she always does when he’s upset.
“Then- then you’ll visit, right? Like Chase’s grandma visits him?”
Why is this so hard?
“I don’t think so, baby. I don’t think you’re gonna see me again. I’m sorry.”
Danny is silent for a while. He wipes his eyes and sniffs.
“Are you goin’ ‘way like Jamal’s dad?”
The ten year old in the same building as them lost his dad in a wrong place wrong time type situation. Jamal had told Danny his dad went away forever so he couldn’t see him again. Grace had told him that when people go away forever, they get put among the stars he loves so much to be remembered.
Grace wears such a pained expression Jason half thought she was about to burst into tears.
“Kinda,” she nods. “So give me a big hug, okay?”
Danny was in her arms before she finished speaking. Jason didn’t exactly know why she wanted to stop all contact, but he had a theory that if Danny really was a meta (and with his powers he was leaning toward believing it) then Grace would want to distance herself as much as possible to protect them both. He met her in Crime Alley, he knew they didn’t live in a good spot. If any one of those crooks saw Danny use any of his powers, they could steal him easily from his single mother. She didn’t want to give those kind of people leverage to get Danny and sell him off. She wasn’t trying to be cruel, she was just trying to do what was best for her kid, even if that meant cutting her out of his life.
He had a strange new respect for her he didn’t want to acknowledge.
Grace takes a heavy breath and pulls away showing Danny’s tear stained cheeks. She wipes them like it would do anything.
“I gotta go now, Danny.”
“No,” he cries and Jason’s heart breaks a little more.
“We gotta say goodbye now. Please.”
Grace is just barely hanging on. Jason knows as soon as she walks out that door she’ll break down.
“I don’t want to. Don’t want you to leave,” Danny whines, trying to keep a strong grip on his mother.
She holds his hands in hers and gives him a serious look.
“You’re going to be fine. You’re gonna be just fine with your dad.” She leans in and whispers, “You’re not alone, Danny. You are never alone. Just look up. Look at the stars, baby, and you’ll be okay.”
Danny pouts, but thinks about those words.
“I like the stars,” he mumbles.
She smiles, probably the first one in a while.
“I know you do.”
She kisses his forehead one last time and stands. Danny whines. She steps away.
“Bye-bye, Danny. I- I love you.”
“Mommy,” he cries, tears and snot coming full force now.
Jason can’t take anymore and picks up his son to hold on his hip.
“It’s okay, buddy. I got you,” he assures. He turns to Grace who is having the internal battle of her life in the foyer. “I got him.”
It’s an assurance to her too, that he will take care of Danny, that he would be there for him. It was a promise.
Grace sees it for what it is and leaves out the front door without another word.
Danny screams and cries and struggles, but Jason holds on tight, scared he’ll fall or use his powers to get away and disappear. The man walks back to the drawing room so his son wasn’t staring at the door longingly.
As soon as Jason sits down, Danny struggles harder since they stopped moving. So Jason stands again, adjusting the boy in his arms and starts pacing a path around the room.
Bruce has already disappeared, not knowing what to do with a heartbroken child crying his eyes out. Alfred has cleared away the tray of snacks, leaving two waters on the table, one in a small, plastic cup. Jason spies Damian poke his head in for a second to see what the matter was, and upon seeing no immediate threat went off wherever. Other than that, father and son were alone to figure themselves out.
Danny was going through a lot for a toddler and Jason didn’t exactly know how to handle what happened either. He tried his best with speaking reassurances into the boy’s hair, but he didn’t know if Danny even heard him over his own crying.
It was a rough first meeting to be frank, but after a while (what felt like ages) Danny cried himself to sleep and Jason felt it safe to finally sprawl out on the loveseat with the boy laying on his chest. Compared to a grueling patrol, that was definitely worse. He never wanted to have to go through that again, but knew as a dad it was part of the job description.
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shadowedresolve · 1 year ago
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actually you know what semi-related to the post i just made but fuck it. like this post for a zenkichi starter for a thread that involves him discovering the supernatural/existence of the metaverse/personas earlier than he does in strikers. l am kind of in love with this idea right now.
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