#and that isn't happening because I'm going around trying to graphically describe an incident at people

[thedreadvampy]

I get that this is an addition rather than an argument against the original post, but I guess I'm just confused about where this is coming from because while as OP I may not have an unbiased view, I thought that the initial post was pretty clearly about using specific language. And to me what you're talking about is not a question of language but content and intent.

Like I am certainly not saying, and I think very few people are saying, that we should just talk with no filters in graphic detail about rape or murder or assault. In fact part of what I actually advocate for about using that type of specific language is that it reduces the need to be graphically descriptive to make yourself understood.

I don't disagree that you should be sensitive in these conversations as to HOW you discuss these topics and the level of detail used, which I think is why your comment feels like such a non sequitur to me.

(tbf as well it does annoy me that a lot of people in the notes start fighting about trigger warnings as if this is in any way a refutation of the need to be sensitive and trauma-aware.)

you gotta be able to say "die"

you gotta be able to say "suicide"

you gotta be able to talk about "sex"

they're uncomfortable topics, YEAH for SURE

because LIFE is uncomfortable. Death and suicide and sex and pain are straight up going to happen. not having words for the way it discomforts you doesn't make it more comfortable, it just makes you less able to reach out about it.

even more vital, you gotta be able to say words like "rape", "abuse", "queer" or "racist". cause we fought fucking hard to name those experiences. to identify "rape" as distinct from "sex" and "racism" as distinct from "acceptable behaviour" and "queer" as distinct from "invert"

like the function of communication is not to minimise immediate discomfort. we gotta be able to talk about stuff that's hard or sucks or causes difficult conversations.

[justagalwhowrites]

Yearling - Ch. 37: Pieces

Mitchum sends you to where he wants you as Joel questions Cody. A continuation of Yearling ch. 1-36 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Canon-typical violence and several steps beyond that. Fairly graphic torture (not of reader.) Mention of past sexual assault, not described. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ Only 

Length: 6k

A/N: As with the last chapter, I want to state, real quick, that Bambi is NOT going to be sexually assaulted again. This is a highly triggering subject and, given the situation she's in, I understand if folks are bracing for it. That's not going to happen. The threat of it is there but it's not going to happen.

We are into the final arc of Yearling and we are going to see some TLOU 2 OVERLAP again. There isn't any this chapter but there will be in this arc and here's how: a character from that game will be mentioned as will the spoiler-y incident from a few chapters ago. What happens plot wise in this arc is completely separate from the game and entirely original content BUT there is that character overlap and more specific mentions of the incident and the motives behind it. This character returns THIS CHAPTER. If you're trying to go in blind to season 2, it might be wise to step back. Feel free to send me a DM, I'm happy to answer any and all questions!

AO3 | Chapter One | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

They were talking about you like you weren’t there. 

You’d been used to that once but it had been a long time since you’d been just a thing, separate from that life about as long as you’d suffered it. You had forgotten just how much you hated this part of being a prisoner. You’d internalized so many of the more acute horrors that the smaller things had slipped away, but the change from human being to livestock was sharp. You didn’t have much in you to fight against anything - still barely able to stand - but it seemed what little there was faded quickly just listening to the men talk about you as though you were some unruly animal. 

“Take her back to the main camp,” Mitchum said, taking your arm and turning you around so he could look you over. “She’s good on a horse, don’t let her near the reins. Don’t be stupid enough to think this one won’t take off just because she’s down some fingers, she’s a feral thing. That fucking moron… Get her there and don’t fuck her, understand? She’s mine and I gotta make sure she’s broken in right. Been wild too long, gonna have to start from scratch.” 

He took your chin in his hand, forcing your eyes to meet his own. 

“Gonna bring you back where you belong,” he said. “I tamed you once, I can do it again.” 

You didn’t say anything, all your energy going in to keeping yourself standing. You tried to think about something, anything, beyond how close Mitchum was to you again, every alarm bell your body had ringing. Where his fingers were on you burned and your heart raced, the blood loss and fear making your head spin.

The only thing that could be worse than being this close to him again was Savvy and Ellie being this close to him. The thought that you’d saved them from this was a small comfort. You hoped they made it back. You had to believe they made it. You weren’t sure you’d have the strength to keep going otherwise. They made it, they made it back to Jackson, they were safe there. 

But the men were talking about Jackson, too. Like it was something they could take. What’s worse, they sounded confident that they could do it. It was something that had seemed impossible when you were within the walls, everything so strong and permanent. How could the will of men destroy something like that? But now that you were here, back in the grip of what terrified you, it didn’t seem so impossible anymore. Jackson was just people, too. Good people, strong people who had decided to survive and work and love alongside each other but people all the same. It doesn’t take some act of God to destroy a person, just one other, determined person can do the job. 

You couldn’t handle considering that, not when the only things in the world that mattered were dependent on Jackson to be safe. You had to believe that Jackson could withstand whatever came its way, that Ellie and Savvy had made it back, that they would be safe within its walls and would never have to face men like Mitchum and Cody again. They made it, they made it back to Jackson and they were safe. The whole city was.

You thought it over and over again in your head, a mantra of sorts, as they brought you to a horse and forced you on its back. You were too out of it to grab the reins immediately, a man mounting up in front of you before you could think twice about taking control of the animal. 

“Better not try anything back there if you know what’s good for you,” the man snapped before making the horse move. You just tried to stay upright and tried to think of ways to escape once you were strong enough to run. You had to resist the urge to try now, every nerve in your body on fire and driving you to run or fight. But you couldn’t. You’d never survive a fight right now and you’d only be able to walk a mile - maybe two - before you’d collapse and then they���d have you again. You needed to save your strength or you’d never get out. 

You tried to remind yourself that you’d done all this before. You’d survived what they did to you and made it out. You’d lived and built a life and found your daughter and protected what mattered. You’d done it once, you could do it again. You just had to survive. 

You focused on the people that you wanted to survive for - Savvy and Ellie and Joel and Maria and Tommy and William and Julie and and and - and tried to settle into the sway of the horse as it walked.

Time was strange like this, pulling and warping. It seemed like it was dark longer than it should have been when the sun started to rise and then, when the men stopped for a break, the sun seemed higher than it should have been. You drank water when it was offered. You watched for a chance to steal a horse - the only way you thought you’d be able to make it far in that moment - but didn’t get one. 

The light hadn’t yet taken on the soft, hazy quality of evening when you reached where you were headed. It was an unfamiliar place, a small subdivision - maybe two dozen houses total - with mountains at its back. There was a guarded perimeter, men in cowboy hats who gave the men you were with a nod as they rode in. 

They brought you to the center of the neighborhood, to a house that was small but looked to be in good repair, two men stationed outside. 

“Down,” the man you were riding with ordered. You obeyed, sliding off the horse and stumbling, head spinning. He dismounted more smoothly before grabbing you by the collar of your shirt - Joel’s shirt - and hauled you for the door, one of the guards meeting him there. He took a padlock off the front door before opening it and shoving you inside, past a small living room with a sunken sofa and a kitchen with counters covered in a thick layer of dust. He forced you down a hall to a bedroom. You were almost positive it had been a little girl’s room once but it had been stripped of all forms of childish comfort. There were two twin sized mattresses on the floor, tucked into corners on opposite pink walls. There had been carpet once, you were sure, but it had been pulled up, just the plywood below remaining. There was a bucket at the foot of each bed and some drywall had been pulled away near each bed, exposing the frame of the walls, chains wrapped around a stud near either bed. 

“On the bed,” the man ordered, shoving you toward it and making you stumble. You more fell onto the mattress than sat on it but it didn’t seem to make a difference. He approached you and you went to kick him, not about to let him just take what he wanted without a fight, but he caught your boot, giving you a sharp shake when he did. “Just making sure you don’t run. Sit still or this will hurt a lot more than it needs to.” 

He pulled your boot off before you had a chance to respond and tossed it near the door before picking up the chain. It was thick and heavy, no cuff on the end. He wrapped it around your ankle, tight enough that it cut into your flesh a little, and put a padlock through the loops to hold it in place. He gave it a testing pull and it didn’t budge. He nodded. 

“Recommend you rest while you can,” he said, dropping your leg. “Mitchum’s back in a day or two, don’t imagine you’ll have much while he’s here.” 

He turned to leave and you looked to the other mattress. There was a smear of blood near the chain that was still bright red, like it hadn’t dried yet. There was someone else who had been here, someone recently. The door closed and locked and you stretched out on the bed, trying to force your body and mind to still enough that you could rest. 

It didn’t work very well. You faded in and out of consciousness for a while - you weren’t entirely sure how long but you were fairly certain night had fallen. The window in the room was covered with yellowed newspaper but you were pretty sure you’d seen light coming through it earlier in the day. It was dark now. 

It took you a moment to realize what had pulled you back to consciousness. There was a scuffle outside your door, the sound of someone being wrestled inside. You shot up, scrambling to find something you might be able to use as a weapon but came up empty, the room stripped of anything that could be a tool and your mind still working slowly. You were still down a lot of blood. 

The door opened and you braced yourself to claw and bite but the man there paid you no mind. Instead, he shoved a tall, broad young woman in, one with a blonde fishtail braid that hung down her back. Something inside you twinged at the sight of her, a distant alarm bell ringing. She was familiar, you couldn’t see her face but you knew her. You could feel it.

The man forced her onto the opposite mattress and all but threw the chain around her ankle before locking it into place. 

“If you’re fuckin’ smart, you’ll behave yourself,” the man backed away from her, panting for breath with a cut on his cheek. “If you weren’t one of Mitchum’s favorite toys, I’d kill you myself.” 

“Fuck you,” she spat, lifting her head from the mattress, her teeth bared in a snarl. Your breath caught, the fingers from your intact hand groping for the chain attached to your ankle, your best hope for a weapon. 

You did know this woman - almost more of a girl in spite of her size and strength, she couldn’t be much older than Ellie and definitely young enough to be your daughter. You didn’t know her name or where she was from or why she had tried to murder your husband but you knew her, knew how she looked when she was filled with rage and desperate to kill a man. Knew how she looked as she beat Joel until he was bloody and half dead. Your grip on the chain tightened. 

The man left and you weren’t sure if the two of them had said anything else, the high pitched whine that had taken over your ears only just beginning to fade. 

She seemed to notice you then, straining to sit up, her eyes wide at first but narrowing when she reached your face. 

She recognized you, too. 

“You,” she was still panting for breath, leaning against the wall at her back, sneering at you. Watching you. “I should have known they’d find some other fucking way to torture me.” 

You watched her back, ready to defend yourself in case she made a move. 

“I could have said the same thing about you.” 

***

Joel wasn’t aware of much. 

There were gunshots but they were of little consequence. The screams didn’t register, either. Neither did the sweat on his neck or the pain in his back or the pull in his leg that had been there ever since he was shot by the girl who wanted him dead. 

He could feel your blood on his hands, though, and the feel of your fingers in his pocket and hear the thud of his heart and he could see. He could see Cody on his horse but he could see how you’d been afraid of him, too. That day in the stable when Joel held you and you were so scared you could barely stay standing. He could see how it would have happened, how this man would have cut away pieces of you. How scared you would have been, how you would have fought anyway, how you would have screamed. 

All Joel really knew in that moment was that he needed to hurt this man. He needed to take every ounce of pain from his body until there was nothing else left inside of him and he needed him to know, as he died, that he was dying for you. 

Cody tried to dodge Joel as he threw himself at him, the horse stutter stepping away as Cody tried to pull it back while also grabbing his gun. But he wasn’t fast enough, Joel’s hands closing around the edges of the man’s jacket as he yanked him to the ground, Cody’s gun flying into the trees. 

But Cody was not a small man and his thrashing weight threw Joel off balance, the two of them sprawling to the forest floor. Cody was younger and more agile and got to his feet first, pulling his knife free from his belt, lunging for Joel. But Joel was ready for him, kicking him in the gut so hard that it knocked the wind out of him and sent him stumbling back. He got to his feet, too, Cody leaning against a tree, knife out as he caught his breath. 

“You’re not gonna get her back,” he panted, a sneer on his face as he watched Joel. “She’s with him now and he’s not gonna let her go so easy this time. And when he’s done with her, don’t think you’ll even want her back.” 

There was commotion at Joel’s back but it barely registered. 

“I should have fucking killed you when I had the chance,” Joel said, watching him closely. “She was too good to you. She’s always been better than anyone left fuckin’ deserved, least of all you.” 

“And she should’ve known what I gave her when I let her go,” he said, standing up a little straighter now, breath caught. “Instead of being an ungrateful cunt.” 

Joel roared and threw himself at Cody, the other man striking out at him with his knife. He nicked Joel’s shoulder with the blade but he barely noticed it, the blow not really hurting so much as being filed away as information, things he would need to contend with at some point when Cody’s blood was cold on the ground. 

Joel threw a punch, catching Cody on the jaw and he stumbled for a moment before lunging at Joel, striking out with the knife again but falling short and following up with a clumsy fist after. Joel caught his hand and twisted it, the other man giving a sharp yelp. Joel liked the sound, the evidence of his pain soothing the gnawing desperation inside him. 

But his satisfaction was short lived, the knife slamming into Joel’s shoulder making him seize up for a moment. He was aware that it should hurt, that there was metal inside him now that didn’t belong, but all it did was bring everything into sharper focus. This knife was probably the one that had drawn your blood, too. It seemed right that he should suffer it with you after he’d failed at doing what he’d vowed to do. 

The split second of the shock of the stab passed quickly and Joel drove Cody back into the tree, slamming his back into the trunk of it and knocking the air out of him, his head hitting the bark with a sickening thud. Joel didn’t relent. Instead, he punched him across the face, one arm holding the man in place as he hit him again and again. 

This satisfaction held longer. Cody’s fingers scramble and clawed at Joel, trying to find purchase somewhere they could pull him away from his singular mission but that was impossible. Joel’s physical body didn’t matter to him anymore, not without you, and every small hurt was swallowed by the drive to destroy. 

“Joel!” Tommy’s arm looped around Joel’s neck, pulling him back from Cody who slipped down the tree trunk, his hands limp on the blood coated leaves, his chest still rising and falling, eyes blinking as he stared into space. Joel strained to pull away from Tommy’s grip but his brother held him firm as he panted for breath. “Joel, you can’t kill him yet, we need information. We kept one of the others alive but we need information or we’ll never find her. He’s alive, we need him to stay a live a little longer.” 

Joel slumped forward in Tommy’s grip and his hold on him loosened, starting to feel his body again. His knuckles hurt and were slick with blood. Joel wasn’t sure how much was Cody’s and how much was his own. There was a sharp, stabbing pain in his shoulder and he reached back with his other arm, flinching as he did, before taking hold of the knife and pulling the blade free. He heard Tommy wince as he did and Joel brought the weapon around in front of him, holding it up for a moment. His blood was slick over half the blade, the edge serrated. 

“You cut off my wife’s fingers with this?” Joel panted, squatting down to be on Cody’s level, holding the knife up. His own voice sounded odd to him, so normal when everything was so wrong. 

“Wait, what?” Ellie stalked over to him and Joel glanced up at her. There was a cut on her cheek and her eyes were wide. Joel turned back to Cody and reached into his pocket, gently pulling your fingers free before setting them on Cody’s stomach. “Motherfucker!” 

Joel barely registered the sound of Tommy wrestling Ellie away, too focused on the man in front of him to worry about anything else. 

“Did you cut off my wife’s fingers with this?” Joel said again, voice flat. 

Cody struggled to swallow and Joel took hold of his jaw, yanking his head around so he was looking right at him. 

“Answer the question.” 

Cody blinked a few times before taking a shaky breath. 

“Yes.” 

There was a rattle in his voice and blood on his teeth. 

“Good.” 

Joel took the knife and thrust it into his thigh, just over his knee. Cody screamed and squirmed uselessly under him and Joel waited, keeping constant pressure down on the blade, giving him no relief. 

As he quieted - gasping for breath, eyes wide and bloodshot - Joel pulled the knife from his leg and wiped the blood on his jeans. 

“Gonna hurt you like you hurt her,” he said, picking up Cody’s hand from the ground. He started trying to pull it away, heavy breaths shifting to hyperventilation, but Joel held firm, forcing the hand down to the man’s thigh. “What, you afraid of me usin’ your knife the way you do? That it? Can’t be that bad, can it?” 

“No,” he panted. “No, please, I’ll give you whatever you want, I’ll…” 

Joel lined the blade up with the smallest knuckle on Cody’s pinky and cut through it in one devastating push, the man screaming and writhing and trying to pull his hand into his chest to comfort himself but Joel didn’t let him. 

“You’ll give me what I want?” Joel asked, putting the knife at the next joint down. “But what if what I want is my wife? What if what I want is your pain, hm? You give me that?” 

He cut again, the blade meeting more resistance this time. Joel pushed through it, the knife cutting through the denim of his jeans on the other side of his hand as he screamed again. Cody closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree and Joel resisted the urge to beat his face in. He had to leave him alive for a little while longer. 

And besides, he couldn’t take more pain from him if he was dead. 

“No, you don’t get to fuckin’ pass out on me,” Joel stabbed the knife through his hand, pinning it to his thigh before grabbing his hair by the fistful, bringing his head forward so it was only inches from Joel’s own. He could smell the blood on his skin, clearly see the trails of salt on his cheeks. “You get to be awake for this. Doubt you ever let her pass out, did you? Not about to do you any favors. Now, you focus on me, understand?” 

Cody managed a nod. Joel dragged the blade through is palm, between the webbing of his fingers, cutting a path through the delicate bones of his hand and the thick muscle of his thigh as Cody begged and screamed. The wound at Joel’s shoulder ached. He couldn’t bring himself to care about either thing. 

He held Cody’s hand in place again and gave him a second to quiet and catch his breath before lining the knife up at the base of his pinky. 

“Please,” he panted, eyes so desperate as they met Joel’s. “Please, I can’t…” 

“Can’t what?” Joel asked, brows raised. “Can’t survive what you did to her?” 

Joel cut, separating the bloody remains of the finger from Cody’s hand and casting it aside. Cody’s screams were growing hoarse and Joel ground his teeth. He still needed answers from him and he needed to be able to talk for that. 

He pulled the knife away, holding it firmly and watching as the other man caught his breath. 

“I can make this easier,” Joel said after a moment. “You tell me where she is? I kill you. Quick. Maybe not painless but not as bad as this. You’re not leavin’ here alive. Should have killed you in Jackson months ago. Hell, should have fucking found you years ago and killed you then but I didn’t. Not about to let you go again. But it’s up to you if how I kill you is for you or for me, if it’s fast or if it’s slow.”

“I…” the wet rattle of Cody’s breath was sharper now. “I can’t… I can’t trust you to do it quick…” 

“Yes you can,” Joel said. “You tell me where my wife is? I’m gonna go get her. Not gonna want to waste more time here with you. It’ll be quick if you just tell me.” 

Cody’s eyes searched Joel’s for a moment, like he would find some kind of answer in them. Joel didn’t need to see his reflection to know that the only thing Cody would find in his gaze was the hollow, desperate pain of your loss. There wasn’t anything else left in him to see. 

“I traded her,” he said. “To Mitchum. Met… met him about 10 miles north east of here but he won’t still be there. I don’t think he’d keep her with him - he never did before, always… always had her at his base…” 

“And where’s that,” Joel asked when he trailed off. Cody’s neck went limp and Joel grabbed his chin again, giving him a sharp shake and forcing his eyes to spring open. “Stay with me, focus right here. Where is Mitchum’s base? Where would he take her?” 

“Little spot,” he panted. “Just… a bunch of houses, don’t know if it’s got a name…” 

“Tommy!” Joel called without even glancing back at him. “Need a map.” 

It took a few seconds before Tommy appeared, handing Joel a wrinkled and worn map. 

“Point to where it is on this map,” Joel said, releasing his bloody, four fingered hand. “Your buddy over there know where it is?” Cody nodded, shaky, once. “Good. You point where it is. He’d better point to the same goddamn spot.”

He handed the map back to Tommy and kept Cody in his sights, watching as his skin grew pale and his head listless and limp. There was a scuffle and scream behind him, loud enough that Cody shocked back to full consciousness with it. 

“Sounds like your friend don’t know what’s good for him,” Joel said, taking Cody’s bloodied hand and forcing it to his thigh again. “Or what’s good for you.” 

“No,” he shook his head, his eyes so wide. “No, please!” 

“Tell him to cooperate,” Joel said. 

“Do what he says!” Cody screamed. “Just do it, please!” 

Joel pressed the knife to the base of his ring finger and cut. He was almost surprised at how easy it was to force the blade through the bone and sinew. He could barely feel the strain of it as Cody screamed below him. The knife sank a bit into his leg as it cut through the last of the skin and Joel picked the finger up, holding it in front of Cody’s crying eyes. 

“She scream like you?” Joel asked, turning the piece of his captive slowly before them both, the wet of his blood catching the light like the fractures in the glass of his watch. “You like hearin’ it like I like hearin’ you?” 

“Please,” Cody managed, voice ragged and hoarse.

“Why’d you do it?” He asked, lowering the severed finger but keeping it firmly in his grip. “You already took her, already were handing her over to that… animal. Why’d you need to hurt her, too.” 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Joel thrust the knife into his upper thigh, inches shy of the man’s crotch and he gasped, mouth open in a silent scream. He was wearing out, inching closer and closer to death. 

“Don’t give a shit about your sorry,” Joel said. “Why. Tell me.” 

He gave Cody a second to start to recover from the pain before twisting the knife, making him seize again. 

“Tell me.” 

“She tried to run!” He sobbed, collapsing back down again. “She… she tried to run, killed two of my men. And she never… never appreciated what I did for her then…” 

Joel just nodded slowly. You’d been able to try to run, at least before Cody took your fingers. You weren’t so scared that you couldn’t move, weren’t so beaten that you couldn’t run. That was a good sign. You were a survivor. He had to remember that. You’d survived before. You would now, too. You would still be alive for him to find, for him to save, and he would save you. If it was the last thing he did, he would save you.

“Joel,” Tommy was at his side and it was quiet at his back. “Same spot.” 

“Good,” Joel said. He carefully picked your fingers up from where they’d fallen in the leaves at Cody’s side and tucked them away in his pocket again before getting to his feet. Ellie was at his side, her rifle in her hands. 

“I want to hurt him,” she said, her voice flat. 

Joel looked at her, really looked at her for the first time since they’d found Cody. There was a darkness in her eyes that terrified him in its familiarity. It was the look she’d had for a split second when he’d found her after David had taken her from him. It was sharp and vicious and demanding and Joel wasn’t sure she knew how to come back from it. 

“Will hurtin’ him help you?” Joel asked as gently as he could. She looked up at him, that sharp look still in her eyes. 

“He hurt my mother,” she said, a hint of barely contained rage on her face. “I need to make him pay.” 

He considered her for a second, trying to think clearly as he looked at the young woman who had once been the girl he’d shepherded across the country. In so many ways, she was still that little girl, one who he’d protected and failed at protecting, one who he had saved and had led to her near demise.

Would this be any worse than anything she had already suffered? Would it hurt her any worse than the things that Joel had allowed on his watch before, when he hadn’t been good enough to take care of her the way she deserved? Would it be, somehow, any more terrible because he allowed it? 

Ellie was so like him in so many ways, ways that terrified him when he thought about it. There was a passion in her that so easily bloomed into rage and he knew what it was to keep that stifled and smothered. He knew, too, what it was to take it out on another human being, even one who deserved it. 

He adjusted his grip on the knife and held the handle out to her. She went to take it but he pulled it back for a moment. 

“Can’t kill him,” Joel said. “Understand?” 

“Joel…” Tommy said at his back, but Joel just held out his empty hand, silencing him. 

“Understand?” He repeated, watching Ellie closely. 

She hesitated a moment, watching him back with those sharp, dark eyes. 

“I understand,” she said, taking the knife from him and turning to Cody. She cocked her head, examining him cooly. 

“Please,” the man whispered, looking up at her. 

“Which fingers did he take?” Ellie asked, not looking back at Joel. 

“Outside two,” Joel said, a twinge in his chest as he said it. “Her wedding ring with ‘em.” 

Ellie nodded, her grip tightening on the knife before lowering her knee to pin Cody’s wrist of his intact hand to the ground. 

“I told you I was gonna fucking kill you,” she said, her voice dangerous as the man tried weakly to pull his arm away from her. “My dad told me not to do that. But I am going to make you fucking pay.” 

She slammed the knife into his hand with a sharp, angry cry, more hacking at him than cutting, striking him again and again until she was splattered with blood and Cody had screamed himself to silence. Joel’s stomach twisted at the sight of it, the satisfaction at knowing Cody’s agony twinged with an ache of his own at the sound of Ellie’s pained scream. 

“If you’re just gonna let her fuckin’…” Tommy snapped, nudging Joel roughly to the side and stepping around him to wrap his arms around Ellie from behind, forcing her to still. She quieted then, no longer screaming and just sobbing instead. “It’s OK baby girl. C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up…” 

“No!” She tried to shake him loose but he held firm. “I want him to hurt! I want to make him hurt, I want him fucking dead, he doesn’t deserve it, he doesn’t deserve to live, he doesn’t…” 

“I know,” Tommy said gently. “I know. But you hear him? He’s passed out, you’re not gonna make him regret this any more than he already does and Joel’s gonna finish him. He’s not gonna live, OK? He’s paid for it, he’s hurt for it, it’s OK baby girl.” 

The knife slipped from her hold then, lying beside the mangled flesh and bone that had once been Cody’s hand. His pinky and ring fingers were completely gone. 

“C’mon,” Tommy said again. “Gonna get you cleaned up, let Joel finish the job, then we’ll get movin’. You’re OK.” 

He pulled her gently to her feet and gave Joel a deadly look as he passed, Ellie gathered against his side as he led her away. 

Joel knelt and picked up the knife, every inch of it splattered in blood now. He didn’t care. He took Cody’s chin in his hand and gave his head a sharp shake and the man gave a sharp gasp before trying to cough but choked on his own blood instead, his eyes opening slowly. He couldn’t even lift his head now, his eyes the only thing it seemed he could really move. 

“Wanted you to be awake for this,” Joel said, his voice a deadly calm. “Wanted to make sure you felt it. Wanted to be sure you knew why you were dying.”

Joel thrust the knife into Cody’s side, burying it fully between two ribs and twisting it there. His eyes went wide and his body thrashed as much as it could but it was a useless endeavor. He started gasping for breath, the gurgling sound of him starting to drown in his own blood overwhelming the sound of the woods around them as Joel pulled the knife from his side. 

“You could have lived, you know,” Joel continued. “Could have spent the rest of your years anywhere but Jackson, never would have looked for you. She asked me not to look for you, to just leave you alive. Felt like she owed you somethin’. Maybe she thought you’d been a good man once, long time ago. But you and me, we know the truth. You were never a good man, never had it in you to be good. You didn’t deserve her mercy so you ain’t gettin’ mine.”

“You…” he gasped and choked. “Promised…” 

“Promised what?” He asked. “To make it quick for you?” 

He didn’t give Cody a chance to respond. Joel just shrugged. 

“I lied.” 

He thrust the knife in between the same ribs on the other side, twisting it and pulling it free before wiping the worst of the blood on Cody’s pants and getting back to his feet. He put his hand in his pocket, the one that held the pieces of you. He traced your wedding band with his thumb, feeling your cold skin below his touch. How many times had this flesh laced with his? How many times had it tangled in his hair or squeezed his arm or touched his cheek? 

He held it himself now, trying to keep the pieces of you warm as Cody drowned in his own blood. His dying breaths were harsh and rasping and desperate, the last gasp of his mortality clinging to this life as though there was anything but pain to be found for him here. As if there was anything he deserved beyond pain. Just before the light left his eyes, Joel picked Cody’s fingers up off the ground and opened his mouth, forcing them inside. He stood back again, watching as he tried to take two quick, shallow breaths around them before going completely still. 

“Joel,” Tommy said from behind him. 

Joel looked down at Cody’s body for a moment longer. This man had hurt you, raped you, taken you. He was dead now, at Joel’s hand. There was justice in that. He spit on his body all the same. 

He turned to find his brother and daughter standing side by side, Ellie’s eyes still sharp but rimmed in red, her cheeks puffy. Both of them were wet, Ellie no longer splattered in blood. 

“We should move,” Joel said, stalking toward Cody’s horse. Tommy just watched him as Joel mounted up, the horse pawing at the ground for a moment as he got settled. He looked back at his brother. “If you ain’t got the stomach, Tommy, I’ll do this myself…” 

“I’m comin’,” Tommy said, going to another horse and mounting up, too. “Just hope you don’t get lost in the process.” 

Joel didn’t say anything. What was there to say? That the man he had the potential to be had left when you did? That, without you, there was nothing left to lose? 

He didn’t need to say it. Somehow, he was sure, Tommy knew. 

Instead, he nudged his horse forward, starting on the path given to him by the man he’d left in pieces on the ground. 

Next Chapter

A/N: So Joel is pretttttttty damn feral at this point. I'm not sure I've ever written a Joel quite this unhinged and that's not even accounting for the fact that the juxtaposition between Jackson Joel and Feral Joel is pretty harsh. He's just gone, at least for now.

There are just three chapters left of this fic now (I think, the way some of this chapter flowed means it may grow to 41 chapters but I don't think so)! Next chapter is going to be a big one, one that's been building for the whole of this fic and I'm so excited for it. I hope you are, too!

Thanks for being here through this INSANELY lengthy journey both in word/chapter count and in time. It feels like we've been with Joel and Bambi forever and that's because we kind of have been - almost a year now! I hope you've enjoyed the ride. I know I have.

Love you!

Taglist: @ashleymsnodgrass@planet-marz1@kalea-bane @juneswonderlust @ilovepedro @h-annahayy @starstruckmusiciansartghost @beccerjune @mumma-moonchild @netonetoneto @mellymbee @purplelye @n7cje @flugazi @evyiione @randomhoex @aliengirl99 @orcasoul @reds-ramblings @pedropascalsbbg @fupoola @tinypotatothing @knopes-waffles @lilmizmoz @ayamenimthiriel @jenispunk @panda-pascal @sarap-77 @flugazi @your-slutty-gf @daniegraceg @partyofone3413 @cumberpegg @noisynightmarepoetry. @fifia-writes @grumpygrumperton @srmacaroni @txlady37 @bigboiseason123 @ashleyfilm @arizonadreamingg

[pretty-in-roses]

The Black Bat | JHS

AN: I dont feel motivated to write at all :( I want to get better but this shit is HAAAAARD

WARNINGS: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE

It's a cold and clear night as Jung Hoseok is walking home after a long shift, he huddles further into his jacket as the wind picks up. The part of town is dark and lonely. The hairs on his neck stand as the sound of footsteps reached his ears. He picks up his pace and the footsteps follow, he wants to look behind him but can't seem to bring himself to do it. He rounds the corner and slams right into a group of men, one of them grips his shoulders tightly, digging his nails into his jacket. Hoseok is trembling with fear as they look around and shove him into the dark alley nearby. 

"Empty your pockets, give us all your money" the man demands pulling out a knife. Hoseok looks around for an escape but finds none, the alley is a dead end and the men have him surrounded. They are bigger than him in stature and all have weapons. He can feel the panic rising in his throat, the men draw closer and closer, ready to cut into him unless he complies but thinking about the bills he has to pay he can't bring himself to do it. He watches in horror as the man draws nearer with a blade in his hand. Something comes hurling through the air and imbeds itself into the man's hand making him drop the knife and a scream rips from his throat echoing through the alley, bloodstains his skin. He freezes in fear as the piece of metal in the shape of a bat shines ominously sealing his fate a dark shape descends from a rooftop landing right in front of Hoseok startling him. The sight of the bat insignia on their chest puts him at ease and he watches in disbelief as they stalk towards the men that were trying to rob him. He couldn't help but feel for them because everyone around here knew what happens to bad people that come across the path of the Black Bat. His trail of thoughts was cut short by the sound of their armoured fist connecting with flesh, followed by a loud cry of agony and the sound of his bones breaking is a sound that will haunt him forever. One man stumbles backwards and his back hits the wall as he slides down it leaving a trail of blood. His face mangled beyond recognition and the black bat turned to the man who managed to dislodge the bat-shaped shuriken from his hand. He's holding a gun with trembling hands he manages to fire a few shots which the bat avoids with ease and suddenly appears behind him startling the man into dropping his gun. The bat is quick to grab the man, slamming him against the wall and he screams at the impact. As the other 3 prepare to run, the bat speaks voice deep and menacing.

"You can run but I will catch you and when I do, I will kill you" the bat drops the unconscious man to the floor, he lays in a pool of his blood and like lightning, they're right in front of the men trying to flee. Fists flying at the speed of sound knocking them out before they even have the chance to react and Hoseok eyes widen as he takes in the Black Bat whom people have described to be a shadow. The elusive Black Bat is even more mysterious than their mentor Batman if that was possible and now to see them clear as anyone could in the night. Hoseok marvels at the sight of the black suit shining in the moonlight, the gender of the Black Bat has always eluded the general public but now as he looks closer he realizes it's a woman, he continues to examine the suit. The helmet has bat ears and the cape, a homage to her mentor no doubt but the intricate details set them apart. Such as the gold bat insignia on her chest, the katana sitting on her back and the full-face helmet giving nothing away. His thoughts get cut short as she speaks, a chill runs down his spine at the sound. 

"Are you hurt?" She questions him scanning his body for any injuries and Hoseok shakes his head, not being able to form a coherent reply. She tilts her head almost amusingly but it's hard to tell with the helmet and she questions him once again. 

"Are you able to get home safely from here?" Hoseok swallows and clears his throat before speaking.

"I'll call a taxi" he's surprised that he was able to form a coherent reply without stuttering and with that, she nods vanishing into the night leaving behind an astonished Hoseok to make his way home. Hoseok is too occupied with his thoughts to notice that she hasn't left as he thought, she's watching him from the rooftops as he calls a taxi and clambers in. The taxi leaves just in time for the police to arrive and the crime-fighting vigilante continues on her night patrol leaving the police to take care of the rest. 

The next day Hoseok meets up with his sister Mejiwoo, while they chat about their daily life and the family events that are coming up. She talks about her job as a detective when she mentions her friends, Hoseok's ears perk up at the mention of Yn's name. She smirks at his sudden interest, raising a brow sipping on her drink. 

"Oh now that I'm talking about Yn, you're suddenly interested?" She laughs, she loves teasing me about my crush on the woman. 

"Urgh shut up," Hoseok grumbles drinking his coffee, 

"Jesus, dude just ask her out already" she watches him blush violently and shake his head, she sighed knowing he won't do it. 

"Ya know, I met The Black Bat" Hoseok tries to change the subject and succeeds when his sister freezes. She looks over him to see if he is lying and finds no deception.

"What happened?" She questions almost cautiously. Hoseok furrows his brows at the tone, he staches it away for another time and tells her the story of how The Black Bat saved him that night. The whole time he keeps note of how her face changes, she seems surprised but there's something she's hiding, something she isn't telling him. Hoseok considers asking her but he knows that if his sister is keeping a secret it's not likely he'll get it out of her. As the sun sets on the horizon Hoseok and Mejiwoo decide to call it a night and watch movies at her apartment.

Hoseok almost has a heart attack as he sees a shadow move out the corner of his eyes but the angry grumbling reminds him of his sister's roommate and best friend. His sister paused the movie and called out to her long time friend. 

"Oi, what's got you in a mood?" Mejiwoo questions her and she snaps her head in our direction before groaning aloud. 

"My dad is hosting a fucking charity event and forcing me to attend" she's frustrated, her brows knitted in thought.

"Yn, chill. I'll come with, like usual" she shrugs nonchalantly. 

"No, you can't because it's on the same day as your fashion showcase" she huffs in defeat. 

"I'm gonna be stuck standing around in uncomfortable shoes as rich assholes kiss my ass or try to get into my pants." She groans, crossing her arms over her chest, throwing her head back. Mejiwoo doesn't answer, she seems to be deep in thought and suddenly she snaps her fingers. She turns to me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

"Hey, I have an idea" she exclaims gaining Yn's attention as well as Hoseok and he narrows his eyes at her. She's being pretty suspicious. 

"My brother is free and would love to accompany you!" Mejiwoo exclaims, winding her arm around Hoseoks and tugging him towards Yn. Hoseok is about to object but he's interrupted by Yn. 

"Really?!? You would do that for me?" Yn practically jumping in joy, grabbing Hoseok's face in her surprisingly calloused fingers and all thoughts leave Hoseok's mind. Any thoughts of objecting are forgotten as he gazes into her sparkling eyes, they memorize him and his words die in his throat. He nods dumbly, to which she wraps her arms around him excitedly and he relishes the feeling of her in his arms. He hesitantly wraps his arms around her and she nuzzles further into him, a content sigh echoing through the quiet room. Hoseok and Yn are so caught up in the moment that they forgot about the other person watching them gleefully. Yn's phone pinging brings them out of their little bubble and they both pull apart awkwardly. Yn clears her throat before speaking. 

"I'll get a suit delivered to you and pick you up, text me if you have any questions" she checks her phone and her face immediately hardens. Her face is stern as she gives Hoseok and Mejiwoo a nod before heading out the door. 

Yn's walking into Kim manor when her phone lights up with a message from Mejiwoo. 

[✨MJ💅🏻] : am I good or what 👀 

[Yn] : or what 

[✨MJ💅🏻] : Is this what I get for setting you up with Hoseok???? 😫

[Yn] : you know why I can't date, 

[✨MJ💅🏻] : Yeah, yeah, the life of a vigilante must be a lonely one blah blah blah 🙄

You roll your eyes at her response and opt not to reply. You make your way to the bat cave to get ready for the night patrol and your mins keep trailing back to your moments with Hoseok. The feeling of being wrapped in his embrace is something you don't ever want to forget, being in your line of work isn't ideal and you can't commit to a proper civilian relationship. Knowing that you won't get a chance to be with him causes your heart to ache a little, you sigh as you play the piano keys to open the secret door to the bat cave and make your way into the elevator leading to the cave underground. The sound of your brother's training gets louder as you get closer, the clanging of weapons echo through the cave as you make your way to your father, billionaire industrialist and notorious playboy Kim Seokjin typing away on the Batcave computer system. As he sees you approaching, he stands clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, you and your brothers stand ready for your assignments to be handed out for the night. 

"There has been an incident at Arkham and The Joker has managed to escape so I'm going to need all of you out patrolling tonight in pairs just to be safe." He crosses his arms over his chest standing tall, his tone cold as always. You stand next to Taehyung who for some unknown reason has his Red Hood helmet on and you roll your eyes at how immature he's being. You pray to God that Jin doesn't take Taehyung with him because you know that would end up in a fight. Taehyung feels like Jin doesn't trust him. You understand how he feels but at the same time, he doesn't understand Jin's fear of losing him again and your dear old father is emotionally constipated so he'd never admit it to Taehyung. Men are so fucking stupid sometimes, Jin speaking pulls you out of your thoughts. You notice Taehyung's shoulder tense and fists clenched at his side at the mention of the Joker, no doubt a painful memory for him so you intertwine your finger with his. Hoping to offer some sort of comfort for him, you can feel his eyes on you. His fingers are tense and slowly he grasps your hand and you give his hand a comforting squeeze. 

"As for the pairs, Namjoon you're with Jimin, Yn and Jungkook and Taehyung you're with me" you sigh and pinch Taehyung's arm before he can say anything. He turns his head to you but you can't read the expression on his face.

"Please don't start a fight," you whisper to him begging. He stares at you and says nothing. You sigh knowing full well what's about to transpire between the two. 

"I'm ready when you are, old man" Taehyung calls out to Jin climbing into the batmobile, you know he has a shit-eating smirk under the helmet. Jin nods and they set off in the batmobile. Meanwhile, Namjoon is holstering his Escrima sticks and Jimin is checking his red robin cowl before they head out. Jungkook is ready, his cape flowing as he gets on his motorcycle. You step into your suit as Jungkook calls out to you. 

"Hey sis, you ready or what" his Robin suit shines in the moonlight as he nears the exit. You laugh as you do the final checks on your suit, pull on your helmet and straddle your bike revving it, it reverberates through the cave as you speed off into the night. 

Before you know it, it's already the day of the charity event and you haven't seen Hoseok since the day he agreed to accompany you. The joker and his goons have kept you busy to the point you had to go out during the day, at the thought of Joker your side ache remembering your last encounter with him, you took a hit for Jungkook which ended up with you breaking 3 ribs on the same day you were meant to go with Hoseok to get him a suit for the event. Mejiwoo being the great friend she is, went with him instead. Thank God for that, you wouldn't want him to get suspicious as to why you could barely stand. Your phone lights up with a text from Hoseok. 

[Hoseok 🥰] : I've got my suit and I'm ready to party 🎉

[Yn] : pffffft, good luck with all the rich stifs around 🙄 BTWs be ready by 6, the car with come to pick you up. 

[Hoseok 🥰] : the car? Aren't you coming to pick me up? 🥺

[Yn]: no, I'm already here. I'm gonna get ready here, I'll meet you here. Don't worry you'll be fine. 😘

(｡・//ε//・｡)

When 6 comes around Hoseok is sitting in his lounge with his sister nervously twiddling his thumbs. She smacks his hand as he's about to run it through his hair again. 

"Stop it, you'll mess it up! Finally got it perfect." She fusses with his hair and the sound of the doorbell has Hoseok stiff as a board. To say he's terrified would be an understatement. Mejiwoo makes her way to the door and opens it greeting the driver.

"Hi Yoongi, Hoseok, hurry up." When he gets up she rushes over to him and ushers him out the door, shutting it behind him. 

"Mr Jung I'm Min Yoongi, the Kim family's butler" he introduces himself to Hoseok and ushers him to the awaiting car. Hoseok leans back in the leather seats closing his eyes hoping to get his nerves under control but alas he isn't so lucky. He tries to distract himself but once again he isn't so lucky, he's so busy overthinking it he doesn't realize that they've already arrived until Yoongi holds the door open for him. Hoseok marvels at the mansion in front of him and he stops breathing at the sight of you. You step out the front door making your way over to him and he's so captivated by you he can't seem to process anything. The way your dress hugs your body and the colour compliments your skin so well. You pry his attention away from admiring you.

"You look great," you compliment him as you grab him by the elbow and practically drags him inside. You're beyond ecstatic to have someone as handsome as Hoseok, you come to a halt in front of the doors to the ballroom that holds the charity event and you turn to Hoseok to straighten his tie. 

"You look gorgeous," Hoseok's voice almost a whisper but you manage to hear him and you smile, gazing into his mesmerizing eyes. You feel yourself being drawn to him, you see a glimmer of nervousness and something akin to love swirling in the depth of his eyes. You take a step closer to him, just as you're about to lift your hand to caress his cheek Yoongi rounds the corner and interrupts you. 

"Miss Yn, what're you still doing out here?" You snap out of the daze and straighten your shoulders. Hoseok clears his throat and holds out his arm for you which you take. Yoongi opens the door and all eyes are on you and Hoseok. You ignore them and stroll into the ballroom with Hoseok, you make a beeline to the bar. You and Hoseok get a drink and survey the room, looking for your family. All of a sudden the hairs on the back of your neck stands up, a chill runs down your spine and Hoseok immediately notices your sudden behaviour change. 

"Yn, how lovely to see you again. It's been so long darling" you body stiffens knowing full well who the voice belongs to, Hoseok observes your reaction and he slips his arm around your waist. You relax a little when you feel Hoseok's arm around your waist and you lean into his warmth, taking a deep breath you turn to the man leering at you. You can feel his beady eyes roam your figure as he licks his lips bringing his drink to his lips and you almost vomit but manage to hold it back. 

"I thought I made myself clear last time, I'm not interested" you bite out and he steps closer to you, Hoseok seeing your discomfort steps in front of you stopping him in his tracks. He lets out a chuckle as he takes in the sight in front of him.

"Why so serious?" He drawls out slowly his voice a few octaves lower and that's enough to make you spring into action. You grab Hoseok by the back of his collar and yank him behind the bar with you, you can hear the machine gun firing. The glass shelves filled with glass bottles of liquor shatter sending the liquid flying everywhere and all over the body of the now-dead bartender. The screams of the people in the ballroom are deafening and the maniacal laugh of the supervillain isn't helping. You don't know what to do, Hoseok is currently wrapped around you protectively giving you no space to disappear to change but you know if you sit here any longer people will die. A groan escapes you when you realize what has to be done, you push Hoseok's arms away and grab his face. Your lips meet and it's like fireworks, you have no words to describe the way you feel right now but time is short. You reluctantly pull away, Hoseok goes to kiss you again but your hold on his face stops him.

"Please trust me and follow me" you beg him, leaning your forehead on his and his face scrunches up in confusion. He nods afraid making any sort of noise might attract more attention. You wait for the machine gun to run out of ammo so you can make a run for it. Then the sudden click and the barrage of bullets are drawn to a halt. Using this moment you drag Hoseok to his feet and run towards the hallway, your first priority being Hoseok's safety. You burst into the library, dropping the hold of his hand, walking over to the piano. 

"Yn, what the fuck are you doing?" Hoseok marches over to you to drag you out the back door but halts in his steps as you play the piano keys and the sudden click of a door opening draws his attention. The door leads to an elevator before Hoseok can question it, the commotion in the hallway has you pushing Hoseok into it and the doors seal shut behind them. He's about to speak again when the sound of doors opening again interrupts him and you step out tentatively. Your gaze stays focused on Hoseok, closely observing his reaction which at first is just plain confusion then as he looks around it morphs into curiosity and just flat out disbelief when he makes his way further in. He stands there mutely taking in the batmobile, the past robin suits on display and all the previous batman suits. His features scrunch up as he starts putting two and two together. All your strange behaviour like all the times he's noticed you sneaking in and out of the house. That one time he saw a katana in your room and all the numerous injuries. This would explain everything, he turns to you eyes filled with astonishment but you don't have time for this shit. 

"Stay here, don't move!" You yell at him taking off towards your suit, you rush to put it on all the while cursing yourself for not grabbing the new prototype suit your father gave you that would have initially saved you the hassle due to the suit's nanotech. 

"Wait," Hoseok grabs you by the arm when you run past him.

"Please stay, I'll explain everything when I get back" you don't want to waste time explaining all this to him right now. 

"No, no, I was just gonna say be careful" he kisses your forehead and lets your arm go. You smile slightly before taking off towards your bike, you jump on giving Hoseok one last look and put on your helmet speeding out. Hoseok watches your figure disappear out the heavy metal doors he assumes lead's outside when someone clears their throat behind him. 

"Mr Jung please feel free to have a seat and enjoy the show" Yoongi smirks at Hoseok's confusion and takes a seat in the leather chair in front of the monitors. 

The thought of leaving Hoseok alone and defenceless almost makes you turn around as you're speeding through the tunnel but the sound of Yoongi in your helmet stops you. 

"Your brothers and father are being held separately" Yoongi informs you and that's enough to have you speeding up, knowing he's there with Hoseok. The tires of your bike squeals as you do a sharp turn back towards the house as soon as the tunnel leads you out through the waterfall. You rev your bike to go faster, the mansion comes into your sight.

"Lounge" Yoongi's voice is calm, your bike smashes through the window of the lounge and screeches to a halt on the linoleum floor. The two goons with guns immediately train their guns on you ready to fire and you're on them before they can pull the trigger. You grab the gun of the one closest to you and hurl it at the other man effectively discombobulating him. Grabbing the back of his neck and bringing him down on your knee knocks the man out while the discombobulated man stumbles around. You grab the remaining goon and throw him out the other unbroken window. A chorus of thank you and the hostages are gone as you cut each one loose. You curse them for not checking or asking about anyone but ultimately not surprised by the rich bastard’s selfishness and kind of relieved. You brothers are there as well, you cut each one loose last and they stand rubbing their wrists. 

"suit up" and with that, the boys are off.

"I found Jin, he's still in the ballroom and it's surrounded. You're going to need all the help you can get '' Yoongi watches on the screen as Jin is being held at gunpoint along with a bunch of other guests. Hoseok is anxious even though he just watched you take out two armed men. Namjoon, Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook rush past them when they come back in their respective suits, Taehyung gives Hoseok a once over.

"Taehyung, we don't have time" Namjoon reminds him, he growls and follows Namjoon knowing you need help. They meet up with you upstairs and you've managed to do some recon. 

"We've got 10 armed guards outside the door, 20 inside and the hostages strapped with about 10 kgs of c4. So we split up and take 2 each. Crawl through the roof and take out the men inside. Stealth is key" you signal for Taehyung to follow you while Namjoon takes Jimin and Jungkook with him. You and Taehyung watch the four guards they're all within arms reach. You can't take them out before they alert someone inside. Taehyung holds up 3 fingers and signals to take them out. You go for the men on the farther left meanwhile Taehyung takes the men on the far right. You kick the feet out of one while grappling the other and they both fall. You punch the closest one knocking him out cold and slam the other guys face into the wall the crack of his skull is unmistakable. Taehyung on the other hand has a guy by the throat and kicked the guard through the wall. He suffocates the man in his hold and drops his limp body on the floor. You all meet up in front of the doors and before you can climb into the roof, the double doors to the ballroom slam open. The bone-chilling laugh echos through the house, well there's no turning back now. You walk through the doors cautiously knowing that he must be up to something. 

"Well, well, well if it isn't the bat kids. Black bat, Nightwing, Redhood, Red Robin and Robin. How nice of you to join us but where is the main attraction, WHERE IS BATMAN?" he strolls closer and bows in greeting smiling like a lunatic. 

"We're not here to play nice Joker, let the hostages go and we won't hurt you." Namjoon steps forward spinning his Escrima sticks and getting into an offensive stance. You hear Taehyung cocking his gun and you know what he's about to do. You run towards the Joker and kick him square in the chest effectively throwing him to the ground, his head connecting with the floor. You're on him before he can do anything and slam his head back into the floor. His body lays unmoving as you jump up to assist your brothers with the rest of the guards. You pull out your katana and launch it handle first at one, hitting him point blank and spin kick another. You whip out 3 Batarang and throw it at one guy that's firing at Jimin, disarming him. The commotion comes to an end when punches the last man in the throat and kick him. During that time Jungkook has managed to free the hostages and escort them outside. 

"The police are on their way you all should go change back" Jin walks over to Joker and checks for a pulse. Taehyung walks over and gets a hold of his collar getting ready to drag him away when Jin reaches out to him.

"What're you doing?" He asks confused. 

"What does it look like? I'm taking him into the cave holding cell." Taehyung replies as if it's obvious.

"No, the police are going to take him back to Arkham so they can treat him." Jin insists. 

"So he can escape again? There's no curing him, there's no cure for evil" the sirens of the police cruisers are getting louder and louder the closer they get to the mansion. No one moves a muscle, Taehyung and Jin glaring at each other. You hesitate a bit before putting your hand on Taehyung's hand that holds the Joker by the collar, his glare softens as he turns to you. 

"Let's just go Tae, please. We have to hurry" you insist softly trying to pry his hand from the Jokers collar. As soon as you feel his fingers release slowly you yank Joker away and set him on the floor cuffing his feet and wrists together. Taehyung's shoulders slump in defeat but you know he's fuming, his fists are clenched. 

"Tae-" he stalks off back towards the cave and you run to keep up with him. He brushes off your attempts at talking to him and makes his way to his bike, giving you one last look before speeding out of the cave. You sigh in defeat and slump. Hoseok watches the scene, jealousy rising in his gut. You walk over to Hoseok, the suit retreats into the bracelet, you take a moment to breathe.

"Okay so I have some explaining to do, don't I?" You rub the back of your neck nervously. 

"You don't have to do anything, there's nothing to explain, darling." Hoseok caresses your cheek softly and you lean into touch, grateful for him not pushing you for an explanation. 

"How about instead I explain everything over dinner this week?" You suggest shyly closing your eyes. Hoseok smiles softly and leans his head on yours. His lips brush yours. 

"I would love that"