#anything to a story unless you MAKE IT. it isn't enough to just kill people off

[hedgehogcryptid]

Absolutely offended that Paz dies just to check the box of "obligatory death to make this final batle SERIOUS and EMOTIONAL and DRAMATIC" absolute garbage, generic final stand, with the typical sacrificial lamb character that was introduced later and given just enough of a personality for you to be sad when they die.

What should've happened was that he starts to lag behind to make his move and three random warriors we don't know go "the fuck you are, you have a fucking kid" and bodily throw him through the hole in the wall before closing the door themselves. Then we get a cool as fight where they make combo moves, exemplifying the "stronger together" thing we have been told for the last few episodes. Then the three creepy red guards show up and our heroes are fucked up after the heavy fighting but with a concerted effort kill one before dying themselves, making it a more meaningful victory.

We get a properly Mandalorian™ flavored final stand, that showcases care for children, team work, bravery, and badass battle prowess with a cool choreographed fight. And since there's three of them you can have them interacting and talking and caring for each other so that you're still sad when they die even if you literally just met them. With the added punch that since there's three of them you could hope that at least one of them survives, instead of knowing from the start that of course the solitary last defence will fall.

Hell, we could've had the "dramatic sacrifice for serious show purposes" without having anyone die. They just needed to cut one of the Armorer's hands. She loses it, beats the one responsible to death with her hammer, and then you have a whole symbolic loss of the very craft they're here to get back, the central tenet of their whole culture. And then again have the whole message of strength in comunity and survival by having her stubbornly teach an apprentice into mastery despite her disadvantage

[exhaslo]

Hiya! I see you like CEO/Mafia Miguel trope. And honey you do them so FABULOUS 🌹💐✨

So I got a little Mafia request for you!

How about: Mafia Miguel is rising in the ranks and money. He catches the word of a Mafia princess. Who she is or how she looks like is shrouded in mystery. And Miguel is determined to catch this 'princess' and maybe be her knight or greedy dragon.

Thank you ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Thank you~ I'm glad you enjoy my stories!!

Ohoho, a Mafia Princess? I think I have an idea on what to do. Hehe.

Warning: Fluff, language, violence, blood, mentions of murder

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Much like there are two sides to every coin, there are two sides of the city of Nueva York.

One side was the bright and lively city that never sleeps, the side that 90% of people knew. The other? That was the side were you reside in. The dark and bloody side where territory was all the matters and family.

Nueva York was split between different groups of mafia families. Each having their own specialty. There was an unspoken rule to not interfere with another family unless a war was to break out. Another rule, was to never interlope with another family.

Which was why you tried you best to break that rule. You were known as the Spider Mafia's Princess. Your father currently ran the family and kept your existence a secret. It frustrated you to every extent. You were not allowed to do anything.

Just be a pretty doll locked in your room.

You knew all about what your father did. The people he has killed. The drugs he let onto the streets. Everything about how your father ran the mafia sicken you. You were a Princess in name, but no one knew where you were to free you.

--------

It was just another day for Miguel. After collecting the money for his boss, Miguel proceeded to go above and beyond. From the moment Miguel entered the Spider Mafia, he knew that he wanted to rise as high up as he could get.

Miguel had already rose pretty far from when he first started, but he could get higher.

As he went to deliver the money, Miguel stopped in front of one of the main entry doors.

"Did you hear about the Princess?"

"Dude, you're going to fall for that rumor? Everyone knows that there isn't such thing as a Mafia Princess here."

Such comments were not the first time Miguel has heard of them. The more Miguel heard about this 'Mafia Princess' the more he wanted to find out about her. He just hoped that it wasn't going to be a baseless rumor.

Once the money was dropped off, Miguel was free to do this own thing until called upon. Deciding to follow the rumor, Miguel made sure to cover his tracks. After all, if this rumor was true, Miguel wouldn't want to get in trouble.

-------

Now was the perfect time to sneak out. Your father was in the middle of a meeting and your bodyguards were falling asleep. Quickly making a run for it, you dashed by the bodyguards and made your way down the private elevator.

You NEEDED freedom.

Once you were down on the ground floor, your booked it towards the exit. As you did, you had bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry!" You apologized and glanced towards the man, "Oh-"

--------

Miguel helped you up, wondering what had you in such a hurry. To his surprise, you were beautiful. Clearing his throat since he was staring for you long, Miguel let you go, but tensed as you grabbed onto his jacket.

"Please! Help me get away from here!" You begged.

"Huh?"

"Long story, just help me get away from this building!"

Miguel was confused but soon heard distant yelling. He glanced down at you once more, unable to avoid those gorgeous pleading eyes. With a heavy sigh, Miguel held your hand tightly as he led you away from this place.

So much for his hunt for the 'Mafia Princess'.

Once the two of you were far enough away, Miguel had you sit on a nearby bench. He crossed his arms and gave you a slight glare. He had so many questions for a beauty such as yourself. One of them being if you were single.

"Thank you. It's kind of a long story, but my father basically refuses to ever let me leave the condo. I'm trapped in there all the time and I just needed to leave." You briefly summarized.

"You sick?" Miguel asked, wanting to make sure he didn't make a huge mistake.

"Haha, no, no. I would tell you, but I don't think you'd be ready to hear such a thing." You gave him a bright smile.

"Dunno. You did trust a stranger to get you outta there. I could have just kidnapped you and proved your father right." Miguel said bluntly.

"Then you'd really be asking for death," You said with a chuckle, "My dear father is a scary boss."

"My boss doesn't even frighten me," Miguel smirked as he took the seat beside you, "You should be more afraid of me if anything."

"Oh? Such a handsome face has a secret?" You stood, looking around the park, "Can't be that horrible. Hey, why don't you show me around the city. I'd love to know where to get some good pizza."

"You really have no fear...or you're just a fool,"

Miguel glanced at your body, licking his lips slightly. While you maybe a fool, perhaps Miguel could still have some fun. You did ruin his little hunt, so you had to make up for it.

"Can't have that much fear when your dad runs the biggest mafia in the city," You said with a sigh.

Miguel's ears perked up. His eyes widen as he grabbed your wrist,

"Wait...You're the Mafia Princess?"

Oh, this was perfect.

"Of course you work for my dad. Let me guess, he let me escape then!" You stomped your foot, wanting to yell.

Miguel just resisted a chuckle as he watched you. A sheltered princess with no knowledge of the city. That, and you were rebellious. Perhaps this was working in Miguel's favor. Pulling you back into his embrace, Miguel just chuckled.

"This was just fate. Listen, I'll take you where ever you want to go-"

"But?"

"But I want to know more about you." Miguel thought for a moment, "And I would like to avoid any punishment for helping you escape."

"Ugh, my stupid father and his punishments! If only someone would take over-" You smiled towards Miguel, "Why don't we make ourselves a deal?"

"Oh?"

Now you caught his interest even more.

"You let me stay with you and I will help you take down my father, what do you say?"

Miguel just smiled towards your offer. He held your chin and sealed the deal with a kiss. You were gripping his jacket, but soon let go and wrapped your arms around his neck.

A foolish, but beautiful Princess.

"It's a deal," Miguel said with a hum, watching your dazed expression.

"G-Good....N-Now about that pizza," You stuttered, trying to hide your blush.

Miguel chuckled as he wrapped his arm around your waist. You were going to be his princess now. Call it greedy, but Miguel wanted to make sure that you were going to be his and his alone. What better than taking over the mafia by fucking the princess?

"By the way, what's your name?" Miguel whispered in your ear. You shuddered,

"(Y/N)"

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I can totally see a part 2 smut for this, but that will have to be after my Hiatus.

Hope you enjoyed~~

[thewebcomicsreview]

I'm hardly the first person to notice this, but good god webcomics are the least time-efficient possible way of telling a story, aren't they?

I've been trying to figure out a better method of telling a story so that I could finish it before I die of old age (or, perhaps more relevantly, before everyone loses interest). It seems like no one really wants to read prose on the internet, but also people don't really like a comic that takes a year to go anywhere.

The main bottleneck is dialogue. You can only get 2-3 lines in a standard comic panel, so even a short conversation of character texture can take several pages. It makes me wonder if the Single Panel With Text Beneath It style (like ForEach) isn't just the Objectively Correct™ way to tell a comic on the internet. It's very efficient on the art, you can include narration if that's your jam, and it's very easy to make it work on mobile. (Also the art being separate is a boon if you want to make marketing materials). But everyone will correctly call you a Homestuck rip off.

Though the other thing Homestuck did was make these sprites of the characters that could be used to crank out a bunch of panels for scenes where nothing visually interesting was happening. You don't really see that copied as much

Not openly, anyway. There's a stigma. I've thought about rebooting Legend of the Hare as a visual novel, where that kind of thing is arbitrarily more accepted, but it does start raising the question of why you're bothering with the visuals at all. I don't think the kind of person who makes webcomics is usually looking for an excuse to get out of drawing, even if it lets them increase their page output dramatically. Making sprites that don't look like absolute ass is also really hard. Homestuck sprites have a really specific janky charm to them that I've never really seen any other comic pull off.

And, yeah, you could always just use a simpler art style, like Order of the Stick does, but it's super hard to get anyone to read a webcomic with great art, let alone simple art designed to maintain a high page output. And, again, why are you making a comic if you don't want to draw, unless you just naturally happen to draw that way and be really fucking good at it like Rich Burlew is?

It seems like the only really good way to tell a story in a reasonable amount of time as a webcomic artist is to make enough money off it that you can work full time, and, um, that's not really feasible either.

I don't have an answer I like. I guess just kill yourself in the content mines working webcomics as a second job that doesn't pay you anything.

I don't have a conclusion, capitalism is a nightmare.

[justaz]

need post magic reveal/ban repeal where magic is free and everyone grows in their knowledge of just what magic is and how it works etc, etc. merlin (isn't one for bragging about his powers) doesn't really mention much about his magic so people just assume he has enough to get by with like chores but not enough to catch the ire of uther EXCEPT for gauis, lancelot, and arthur bc gaius and lancelot have known about him for years and know what he's capable of and arthur sat merlin down and demanded all the stories so arthur knows he'd be a formidable opponent but he doesn't really get it yk? so he's like "yeah merlin has magic and he's capable of defending himself and camelot so he's probably on the more powerful end of the spectrum like every other sorcerer who is powerful"

and then i need merlin to be Different. like noticeably different. like idk a sorcerer is like trying out to be court sorcerer (bc merlin doesn't want another job dammit arthur give it morgana or someone-) and they perform this elaborate spell that captivates merlin and he starts asking all these questions and the sorcerer is like "yeah it's super difficult, it took me months to get it right and it takes years for some others-" and they cut themselves off bc merlin was just like "i wanna try" and does it perfectly first try. the sorcerer is seething.

camelot is hit with a heatwave and everyone is suffering and arthur is just like "morgana can you make it rain or something? it's too hot to breathe." and morgana is just like "no you idiot i can't just bend nature to my will. it doesn't like that." and merlin finally arrives with waterskins full of nice, cold, refreshing drink that the knights are frothing at the mouth to get. arthur complains again and morgana huffs and merlin is like "has he been like that this whole time?" and morgana nods with a groan and merlin laughs before going "i can try something" and leaves before anyone can say anything and arthur looks at morgana and is like "i thought you said nature doesn't like to be controlled?" and she's like "it doesn't" and then they all chase after merlin but he's chilling in the courtyard with his eyes closed, not even chanting, and then the sky starts to darken as black clouds roll in, the temperature plummets and then...snow begins to fall. in july. they all end up having a snowball fight.

a power hungry sorcerer comes along and is like "emrys....he's perfect....just what i need...teehee" and casts some spell over merlin and begins to siphon his magic and his power and merlin feels waves of his magic flood through the connection and into the sorcerer and like he's a mix of panic and concern bc yeah this mf is taking his magic but they're taking his magic. merlin tries to bargain or talk them down while the knights and arthur try to attack but the sorcerer keeps pushing them back and ignores merlin and is like "i want power, i want your power" blah blah blah monologue time and they swing another wave of magic out at the knights and knock many out while killing some and merlin is just like "ok no that's all folks thanks" and starts to push his own magic through the connection. the sorcerer has this wild gleam in their eyes and they feel more and more power fill them and it's like a high until it gets too much and they frantically try to sever the connection and their telling merlin to stop but merlin is just like "i thought you wanted my power? i'm giving it to you" and continues to flood the sorcerer with his magic until gold begins to trace their skin and they idk explode or smth and then all the magic flies back into merlin and he flexes his hands. unnamed knights 3, 6, 22, 53, and 55 still died so it's a tragedy.

a bunch of sorcerers are entertaining at a feast (kind of like the trickler) and they cast illusions all around the room that look real enough (unless you look too closely or touch it bc they are somewhat see through and your hand would pass right through them) and it's a fun and joyous night. later that week, the knights bring it up during their break while training and merlin is like "sure, what illusion should i cast?" and after some back and forth, he settles on the illusion of a dragon. it's around the size and age of aithusa bc that's all he has to go off of and it's gold since he took inspiration from the pendragon crest all around the area. it jumps around and flaps it's wings to get some air and it's all fine and dandy until elyan goes to poke his hand through it's ribs but meets physical scales and he jumps up into percival's arms. merlin looks closer and is like "oh. its real. whoops." and leon is like "whoops?? you make a real life dragon and all you have to say is whoops?" and merlin shrugs and is like "it was an accident" and leon about keels over from a heart attack "an accident? how do you accidentally-" the dragon is considered a gift from magic to camelot and helps further heal the wounds of uther's purge.

idk just like merlin being casually the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth and unnerving people just by how little he seems to care about his shows of power but they're all like "well he's just doing all these small things that don't harm anyone and he doesn't even seem to realize just how powerful he is so what can ya do?" and they leave it be and make peace with merlin being Like That. and then camelot/arthur is attacked or smth idk and then everyone gets to see exactly how powerful and dangerous merlin is

[enehana]

can you write about Leo crushing on fem reader who is daughter of Khione and at the time they both don't know who the reader godly parent was but she is shown to have ice powers and can change the temperature around the environment when she gets anxious, scared or sad and over time they grew close and started dating that is when Leo put two and two together that the reader is Khione's daughter

Of course! Hope you like it. I absolutely did not proof read anything.

Leo Valdez x Daughter of Khione

You and Leo Valdez certainly weren't alike. You were a tall, sexy, badass with an affinity for combat. There wasn't too many good stories about you, especially due to you never being claimed despite Percy forcing the gods to pay their child support and claim their kids. To newer campers, you were standoffish and scary. Yet, when Leo Valdez arrived with camp along with Piper and Jason, he was absolutely taken with you.

You were confused. He had shown to be a carefree, silly guy. Yet he always wanted to talk to a girl that wasn't often liked at first glance. He was claimed quickly, as many demigods are nowadays. A son of Hephaestus. Not exactly the type of kid that would want to talk to you. A son of the god of the forge and fire constantly trying to make friends with a orphan girl with ice powers and anxiety-induced snowstorms. Quite the pair.

"Hey, Elsa, don't you wanna come watch me at work? I've got a new flamethrower I'm working on that I think you'll find pretty hot."

"It's a flamethrower. I certainly hope it can get hot enough to throw fire. And my name isn't Elsa."

"Whatever you say, hermosa."

"That isn't my name either."

He'd never leave you alone. Sometimes it was comforting. Not many people thought about you like that. Annabeth was too preoccupied with Percy being missing to think about anyone but him. Thalia was gone with the huntresses. Luke, Silena, and many of your other friends died a year prior in the battle of Manhattan. And Nico never stuck around at camp. So you were on your own most of the time. It was nice to have someone who thought of you enough to come bother you everyday. Though sometimes you just needed to be alone.

"What are you doing here all alone, Hermosa? Capture the flag is about to start, you love playing."

"Not a good time, Leo."

"I can't exactly postpone the game, unless you want me to blow up the entire forest."

"I don't care about the game."

"You're making it awfully chilly in here, y'know."

"Then leave."

"Damn, okay. If that's what you want, your wish is my command, your highness."

Then he went on a quest. And you were left at camp. No more crazy fire boy to annoy you. Yet, you thought of him more than you expected to. You kept telling yourself he wasn't thinking of you. He was on a quest, there were a million more important things than the girl he decided to borderline harass everyday. Surely he was more focused on staying alive, right?

Leo hadn't been at camp nearly as long as you had. He did get somewhat of a grip on the whole dying before reaching adulthood thing, but he was used to that. He didn't see quests in the same light you did.

Then when they got back from the quest, and the first thing he did was run up to you, excited to tell you about it. Excited to see you. All the thoughts left your brain. He was an absolute idiot.

"Oh my gods, there's literally so much to tell you."

"You're supposed to debrief-"

"Nah, Jason's got it. Let me tell you about this batshit insane lady I killed."

Unbeknownst to both of you, that batshit insane lady he 'killed' was your mother.

Slowly, you started to laugh at his jokes. You'd sit with him while he built the Argo II in bunker nine. You'd bring him snacks and made sure he slept at least enough to stay alive. It was peaceful, for a short while.

Then they had to go on another quest. Finally retrieving Percy. Stopping Gaea. Potentially saving Nico.

You had to stay at camp. Again. Not your lucky day.

Leo would iris message you almost every day. You weren't used to that. The people you talked to were always at camp, nearby. Then all of a sudden, all of your friends are off saving the world without you. At least Leo cared enough to fill you in on what was going on.

But the seven disagreed on whether or not to save Nico. And that hurt the most. You knew Nico better than most people at camp. You were outcasted because somehow you didn't have a godly parent. And he was the son of Hades. Of course misfits tend to drift towards each other.

You wanted to save Nico more than anything. So you packed your shit and left camp. You stopped accepting iris messages. No one knew where you went.

So when you ran into the seven down at Nico's prison, everyone was shocked. You were convinced they wouldn't come to rescue him. They all thought you dropped off the face of the Earth.

You all got Nico and got the hell out of there. Then you were stuck on the Argo II indefinitely.

Leo built you your own room, right next to his. Not that he ever slept there anyways. You two would stay up all night, keeping him company when he couldn't sleep.

And of course, there had to be encounters with monsters. You really came in handy there. You could just freeze them, and Percy or Jason would shatter them with their swords, sending them straight back to Tartarus. Leo didn't look at you the same way after that.

You two were still best friends, but he always acted like he knew something he didn't want to tell you, especially when you used your powers. And no matter how much pushing you did, he wouldn't tell you.

The anxiety this caused you was immense. Snowstorms would rage outside the ship every time he insisted nothing was off. Hail would knock holes in the ship, which Leo would complain about every time. The ocean underneath you almost froze over. That's when he confronted you.

"Okay, we all know you're doing this. What in Tartarus is this about?"

"Oh my gods, Leo. It's nothing." You used the phrase exactly like he did. Same tone and pausing as him. Every little detail exact. He didn't get the hint.

"Clearly not. I don't know if I should be concerned for you or worried that you're trying to kill us all."

"I am not trying to kill you!"

He took you into his arms, his heat and your cold causing steam to rise from your bodies.

"If you're not trying to kill us, you must be killing yourself. We can't have that."

His heat thawed right through you. The storm outside calmed and the ship passed through the silky water gracefully.

And one night, while you two were up in the engine room way past curfew, he turned to you.

"Y'know, you're actually not as bad as everyone tried to tell me you were."

"Oh. Yeah. The whole unclaimed thing doesn't come across as lightly as it used to, huh?"

"I guess. And for the record, I'd totally claim you. Whoever your godly parent is should be proud to have you as their kid."

"Oh wow, thanks."

"Yeah, sure."

Then he smiled at you with all the warmth in the world. Your entire spirit was set ablaze. You unconsciously leaned towards him, your shoulder brushing against his. The whole world seems to stop spinning. The sound of your heartbeat drowns out the crashing waves and heavy machinery all around you. You and Leo didn't leave the engine room until morning.

Things were different between you two ever since. He'd bring you flowers that were often burnt in his nervousness and he'd allow you to take a break in his room whenever you needed it. And you started calling yourself his girl.

Eventually, he caught on to that.

"What, am I your boyfriend now?"

"Yes, you are."

"Damn, anything to make you happy, hermosa."

And he was yours. No more watching him flirt with every woman that comes his way. Much more being flirted with. Every chance you got, you were by his side. You also noticed he observed you more often. Especially when you used your powers.

"What in Hades has possessed you to look at me like that?" You questioned, having just turned an empusa into an ice sculpture.

"You just- oh shit."

"Valdez?"

"You're an awful lot like Khione. Y'know, the hair, the attitude, the ice powers."

"Oh. Oh shit."

"Could she be...?"

"I guess. If she tried to kill you she's also probably the type of bitch to not claim her kids like she's supposed to."

"What the hell was your dad thinking?"

"The same thing you were thinking when you first met her."

And you and Leo laughed. It wasn't too different. Sure, your mom tried to kill him, but that can't stop Leo Valdez from being yours. Nothing could. Even when he was willing to die to fulfill the prophecy and kill Gaia. The physician's cure brought him back to you. Everything always turned him back to his new home. And the anxiety induced snowstorms almost completely stopped with him by your side.

[batsbirdsandspeedstersohmy]

Some thoughts I have on cute story line/au

Wally and dick are dating took them forever to actually admit they got feeling for each other even if everyone else alrighty knew.

Wally is the flash berry is still alive and the flash. They kind of both are at the same time. No it's not confusing unless your arent from key stone or central city. If your from bludhaven you are to scared to ask due to seeing Nightwing and flash kissing. If your from anywhere else then you are probably confused.

Bruce gets lost in the time line

Dick unfortunately has to take up the mantle of Batman

Wally doesn't like that but support his boyfriend in any and everyway he can.

Dick moved back into the manner makes Damian Robin and works closely with him. Wally just about spends every night there even if he isn't living there technically. Since his name is on their old apartment and they don't fully want to lose it yet.

Dick and Damian become close. And thus Wally and Damian become close.

Damian starts seeing them as his parents. Calling them dad in different languages they don't know

Dick has an idea of what's Damian is doing. He knows his Damian even if they don't say it. Dick and wally refers to Damian as their kid.

Wally and Dick go to all meet the parents and Damian art shows and just every and anything they can. Damian will not say it but he is glad to have them there. He gets so upset if anything wrong happens cause he doesn't want them to think he not good enough anymore.

Wally and Dick get engaged Damian knew it was happening. He when with Dick to help pick out the rings. Well he when with Dick to help look at rings and get an idea of style. then waited as Wayne enterprises made something that would work for a speedster. He also inspected the ring very closely to make sure the people who made it didn't mess up.

Bruce comes back

Damian thinks he has to go back with Bruce and Wally and Dick won't want him anymore. Bruce of course thinks he is entitled to Damian. Wally and Dick are heart broken but think its best if Damian stays with Bruce.

Everyone but Bruce cry

Bruce is a bad parent and doesn't see Damian as anything but the killing machine he was trian to be and how he was right when he was dropping off at Bruce door step a few years ago.

Damian is the ring bearer for the wedding of course and hoes with them on wedding planning.

Alfred hates how Bruce is not showing love and how excited Damian is when Dick and wally come over. And how sad he gets as soon as they leave.

Alfred prints out adoption paperwork for what feels like the millionth time and instead of giving to Bruce puts in Dick pile of papers.

Wally and Dick almost cry when they find it and fill out what is their part. They take Damian out for ice cream. And ask Damian if he wants to be with them. Damian of course says yes and how their his dads and please don't leave him again.

They go back and start packing up stuff and go to the bat cave to get Bruce to sign the papers.

Bruce says no he will not and that they baby Damian and he needs to be watched carefully. Dick and Wally are going to get killed if they trust Damian so easily. And he will not let them take him.

Dick and wally are so upset dick gets mad. And yells at Bruce about how he been gone and Damian been hurt so much by him. Wally ends up being like Bruce you have 3 days otherwise we are taking this to court and taking our child back the hard way.

Damian doesnt understand why he can't go with them now. Wally unfortunately understands that it looks worse if they kidnap Damian by taking him now. They promised it only going to be a little bit and they get him very soon.

Damian spends the next three days packing up everything when he not busy. Alfred brings him boxes. Bruce tried to unpack things saying he not going anywhere. Alfred starts moving the boxes to a safe space that Bruce can't get to. But isn't Dick and Wally's place.

Bruce doesn't sign the papers

They go to court Dick and Wally get a lawyer for themselves and one for Damian. Bruce says it stupid for Damian to have his own one. And it's actually Dick and wally having two.

The judge ends up picking Damian a new lawyer and whoever wins have to pay for Damian's.

A lot of Damian's teachers are called in. Damian art teacher is one of the ones who help a lot. She brings up a project about their family tree and how Bruce and Talia are on there. But also Wally and Dick are on it. And Damian has put himself under them but arrows to Bruce and Talia with blood parents.

Talia ends up showing up. Which no one really knows how she knew what was happening. She says wants her son with Bruce that's why she drop him off at his place. (To train with the Batman)

I need to go to bed about 40 minute ago I'll come back and finish my thoughts

[suzukiblu]

Day four of fic NaNoWriMo, obligatory sugar daddy Tim/sugar baby Kon AU.

"Dead," Tim says, because it's not like it's a secret in the community or anything. "Joker happened to him."

And a lot of other things. Sheila Haywood and Felipe Garzonas and Bruce's eternal control-freak paranoia and constant inability to just talk, to name a few. But Joker, in the end.

Still, Tim can't help thinking about the chances to have avoided what happened to Jason. Especially when thinking about what's currently happening to Kon.

If Kon gets taken advantage of or hurt or killed because no one's paying enough attention . . .

Tim takes another drink.

"That sucks," Kon says with a grimace. "No wonder Batman goes all weird mama Bat on you all the time."

Tim chokes on an incredulous laugh and also a mouthful of soda, because Bruce is definitely not that and this isn't something to make light of either, but–

But also, he thinks about how no one ever goes "weird mama Bat" on Kon. No one ever has, as far as he knows.

No one takes care of him at all.

Tim really, really doesn't like that. Kon shouldn't have to rely on working for people who think they can build custom-designed personal-use superheroes based off of stolen dead bodies and are constantly making clones that are just inhuman-looking enough to not be able to blend into society outside the lab, and therefore don't have a choice about where they live or what they do with their lives.

Maybe it's not as bad as it sounds, or at least not as malicious as it sounds, but it's still the results of what Cadmus is doing either way. Kon has the option of being a superhero, at least, but he also has a custom-designed face that looks exactly like the face of one of the most famous heroes in the sector and was given absolutely no idea how to either establish or support a civilian life, so that's just about his only option.

Aside from, again, just working for Cadmus for the rest of his life.

Tim definitely hates the world.

"Please don't call it 'going mama Bat'," he says to distract himself.

"Please tell me what else you'd call it," Kon says.

"Micromanaging," Tim replies matter-of-factly, and Kon chokes on a laugh of his own.

"What, is being Robin your after-school job?" he teases. Technically it is, Tim supposes, but he doesn't exactly think of it that way.

"I consider it more of an unpaid internship," he says, since explaining the whole "emotional support sidekick" thing would probably damage Bruce's Bat-mystique, and if he tells Kon the full story there he's basically telling all of Young Justice. Kon barely seems to understand the concept of secrets, much less the concept of keeping them. "Like I get an expense account but not a paycheck, you know? And sometimes we get cookies in the Batcave."

"Cookies. In the Batcave," Kon echoes, his eyebrows shooting up. "Are they bat-shaped?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Tim replies with a pleasant smile. Alfred doesn't usually bother with anything quite that on the nose, but according to Dick there are Halloween cookie cutters in the kitchen that he's not above bringing out when Bruce has been being especially ridiculous, so . . .

"Oh my god," Kon says delightedly. "Does he make them himself? Is there a Bat-apron? A Bat-oven? Or does he just order them special from the Bat-bakery?"

"There is not a Bat-bakery," Tim says, trying not to laugh again. Goddammit, Kon shouldn't be so fucking funny all the time. He's not even that funny, objectively; Tim is just a smitten idiot.

"So there is a Bat-apron?" Kon says with a smirk.

"I plead the fifth," Tim says, since explaining the novelty Halloween apron Jason bought Alfred when he was thirteen is not actually on the table. Details compromise identities, loose lips sink ships; all that.

"Listen, man, Cadmus doesn't have a bakery unless you count the test tubes they cook us up in," Kon says with a snigger, grabbing himself another slice. Tim thinks thoughts about incendiary devices. "They buy our cookies frozen or just get the industrial-sized pudding cans. Or make bread pudding, the bastards. So you gotta tell me about the Bat-cookies."

Tim winces at the thought of industrial-sized pudding cans and bread pudding, because that sounds absolutely horrifying and he never, ever wants to taste industrial pudding. Ever.

"Well, they're definitely not frozen," he says. "But Nightwing started being Robin a lot younger than I did and the last Robin started younger than me too, so I think I'm just reaping the benefits of younger kids needing after-patrol snacks and everyone else getting in the habit of it."

"I could get into that habit," Kon says musingly as he tears a bite off his newest slice. Tim immediately resolves to order takeout after every possible Young Justice mission that he can. Or they could go get ice cream or something, he doesn't know. "What do you think, wanna make me Bat-cookies sometime, Rob?"

Every weekend for the rest of their respective lives, although Tim would never actually say that. He's not even a good baker. He doesn't even like to bake.

This crush is definitely a problem.

"You're not Gothamite enough to handle Bat-baking, Kon," Tim says dryly, and Kon sniggers.

He also ducks his head a little, looking . . . oddly soft, for a moment. Tim doesn't understand why, until he realizes–oh. It's because he just called him "Kon", isn't it. He wasn't even thinking about it; just did it reflexively.

Tim is pretty sure he needs to ruin the credit of every single "responsible" adult in Kon's life for not naming him sooner. Well–Dubbilex can have a pass, considering he was also made by Cadmus and his own name is Dubbilex, so it probably never occurred to him that "Superboy" wasn't a perfectly acceptable name. And also he probably doesn't have credit either. But all the rest of them, definitely and for sure.

Superman is getting an envelope of powdered Kryptonite in his fucking mailbox, to start. Or maybe Tim could aerosolize it and pepper-spray him with it. That might work.

"You don't know, I could be," Kon huffs, putting on a mock-offended expression. "I was born and raised in a lab, I'm way tougher than the average guy."

"A Metropolis lab," Tim says pityingly. "Might as well be a kindergarten science class."

"Oh fuck you, Batboy!" Kon protests with a laugh. "Tell that to the next alien invasion."

"Aliens know better than to invade Gotham," Tim says. Kon laughs again. It's–weirdly nice, honestly. Usually Kon's too busy trying to act cool in front of whatever "audience" he thinks they have to actually, like . . . just talk all that much or anything. And also usually he gets offended really easily or starts being annoying about something he doesn't know as much as he thinks he does about or just . . . something.

Tim admittedly is less and less annoyed and more and more endeared by that kind of stupid behavior these days, but still. It's the usual pattern their interactions follow.

He guesses they're actually just, like, hanging out right now. It's not like there's a bad guy or a crisis or even any teammates around or training to do, so . . .

Yeah. He guesses they're just hanging out.

Kon decimates the pizza and wings, Tim pretends to be helping and takes a few mental notes on how much Kon is eating and what that may or may not say about his required caloric intake, and they just kind of keep . . . hanging out, really. And they talk, at least as much as Tim lightly interrogating Kon and subtly evading providing any personal identifying information counts as "talking".

Tim really doesn't know if the guys at school or Young Justice are more authentically his "friends", at this point, but at least Young Justice knows there are things they don't know. Everyone from school . . .

Not so much, with them. They all only know Tim Drake, and none of them have any reason to suspect the existence of Robin. Young Justice only knows Robin, but at least they know there is a Tim Drake somewhere, whether they know him or not.

Maybe they are the ones who are more his friends, thinking of it that way.

It'd explain why things never really go anywhere with civilians and he's developed this stupid inadvisable crush on Kon, at least. Though not why things fizzled with Steph, since she knows Robin better than anyone in Young Justice. If he should be having a stupid inadvisable crush on anyone, at least it could've been someone with an equally stupid and inadvisable crush on him.

Unfortunately, he and Steph have officially friend-zoned each other and also Kon exists, so Tim is having his stupid inadvisable crush on an alien hybrid metahuman clone in a terrible living situation with stupid taste in sunglasses and a mysteriously infinite-seeming supply of leather jackets. So now Tim is in this situation and his supervillain timeline needs recalculated, and also he's going to be buying Young Justice so much takeout to make sure Kon gets to eat something that isn't cafeteria food in a way he won't get offended by.

Hopefully, anyway.

"Well, I'm glad the new job's working out," Tim comments eventually, after some very careful conversational maneuvering, and Kon . . . pauses.

"I guess," he says after a moment, picking olives off the remains of his current slice and not quite looking at him as he says it. Tim resists the urge to absolutely pounce on the blood in the water and makes himself wait. "I mean, it's fine, it's not like it's bad there. Like, I don't love that it's my only real option and I don't love the same lab that made me out of DNA that it literally got out of a literal grave being in charge of me, but it's not like Westfield's still running the place or anything. So like, could be worse."

Tim hates the world. All of it. Seriously. Alfred's snickerdoodles get an exception and that's it. Nothing else.

"I'm sure it'll all work out," he says, because yeah, he officially needs to actually do something about this. He doesn't know what something, but something. If he doesn't, who else is going to?

Kon puts on a fake grin and says something stupid and easy in reply, the comment lighthearted and dismissive and a screamingly obvious coping strategy from someone who doesn't see any way out of their current situation but through, and Tim . . .

Tim finishes his Zesti and starts to think.

[kopivie]

share some hades!wrio headcanons? I'm actually SO invested i'm going to die

oh! i think i can come up with a few! it'll probably be some facts about him, and maybe some writing? (note: i'm coming back after finishing this and.. i got so carried away.)

(also as a side note, if i were to write a fic about this, i might use a lot of greek/ancient greek terms and words, so if you see something like that, please don't be alarmed.)

first and foremost, i'm definitely clinging to That One Part of wriothesley's canon lore of him abandoning the name given to him before his murder trial. canonically, he just picked up the name "wriothesley" from an obituary because he didn't want to use the one his foster parents gave him. what that name was, we will probably never know (unless it's said in his story quest, which i haven't done yet.) that said, allow me to jump into my hades!wriothesley hcs :D

"wriothesley" is a name that very few actually use. much like canon, people often refer to him as "your grace". however, he has many, many monikers; "the duke of meropide" and "king of the underworld" are just two of many.

underworld residents (or to overworlders, meropide prisoners) coined a bunch of new terms to refer to the elusive duke: aides or aidoneus (meaning "the unseen" or "the invisible one"), orcus (meaning "killer" or "the one who kills"), ditis pater/dis pater/dis (all meaning something along the lines of "rich one"), or clymenus (meaning "the illustrious" or "the revered one")

note: these are all actual names used to refer to hades in greek mythology.

no one calls him those names to his face or in his presence. those names are spoken in whisper -- saying any of those names seems to evoke a physical reaction to anyone who may have been in the fortress long enough to understand the weight behind those names.

hades!wriothesley is not a benevolent being. he is extremely objective. he seldom makes emotional decisions, which leads people to believe that at times, he has no emotions to speak of. (which isn't true, obviously.) his impartial decisions have cost many a life.

i think that because he doesn't rely on his emotions when making many decisions, that is the reason why he goes overboard when it comes to you. it's a little like shaking an unopened soda bottle for an hour and then suddenly opening the top.

wriothesley's love overflows, it gushes, it stains everything it touches. it seeps into every pore and changes you from the inside out. the problem with this, however, is that you resist this change initially.

you are receptive to his... i don't wanna call it advances, since that often has a negative connotation. wriothesley is anything but pushy and inappropriate. he's gentlemanly and chivalrous, so much so that you almost want to scream sometimes. let's call it courting — you allow him to court you, although you keep him at a distance.

why do you keep him at a distance? i... don't really know. perhaps someone can send in a suggestion. but the point is that you don't fully indulge yourself -- sometimes you do, but you become slightly distant and apologetic afterwards. wriothesley understands and is happy to be patient with you, but...

i think my suggestion for your hesitancy would be that you can feel the love that he exudes, and it scares you. you're afraid of what might happen if you allow yourself to sink too deep.

and that... that is probably why you resent him when he takes you to the fortress. that's part of the reason, anyhow. you were afraid of drowning and he literally took you to the bottom of the sea. in a metaphorical sense, he basically tied a brick to your ankles and dragged you down to his own depths against your will. you can't fight, you can't resist -- you can only endure. that is why you're angry with him.

"why do you resent me so?"

hades has the audacity to ask you such a question as you study a flower that he'd brought back from his latest visit to the overworld. you hadn't known of his departure, but when he gifted you this fresh plant, you felt something ugly and bitter stir within you. you became fixated on it, deciding to hole yourself up in your room to spend time with the only thing that gave you peace. you don't react to his question.

he stays quiet for a while, but he doesn't leave. after about five minutes, he inquires again. "please, blossom. i must know. i just wish to make you happy."

you all but slam your hand down on your desk. "happy? you want to make me happy?" you haven't raised your voice, but your tone is as icy as the vision that dangles from his clothing. "set me free. let me go home."

wriothesley is quiet again. "...will you at least look at me?"

the wetness in your eyes forces you to shake your head. "you haven't earned my gaze."

"and what must i do to earn it?"

"i've already told you."

"what else must i do?"

that gets you to turn around. "why are you so stubborn? what is preventing you from letting me go? you yourself can wander between the realms freely, but i can't?" your eyes sting with unshed tears, though the sensation doesn't last long. your frame trembles as you cry, and wriothesley cups your face to wipe the tears away. "do not touch me." you hiss at him.

wriothesley gives you a humorless smile. "you're not pushing me away."

...he's right. why aren't you pushing him away? "you haven't earned the right to touch me."

"haven't i?" hades is leaning in closer. you can smell peppermint on his breath. did he drink tea before coming? his thumb caresses your cheek. your eyes list to the side. "blossom," he calls you. "please."

you have a hard time resisting when he begs you like this. you hate how you let him get away with murder. he's trapped you here against your will, denied you of your freedom, and yet you still allow him to treat you like a deity. you allow him to do as he pleases. you don't feel threatened by him, no -- what you feel is his sincerity. his longing. his love.

you lock eyes with wriothesley. he's sharing a breath with you now. "wh-what do you want?" you ask. "you've already taken everything from me. how greedy can one man be?"

wriothesley's eyes glimmer in the lamplight. you can feel his gaze drop to your lips. his voice is noticeably deeper when he asks, "do you want to find out?"

you're not sure what you feel when he kisses you. the kiss is soft, sweet, and tastes of peppermint. his lips are warm, as is the rest of him. he licks into your mouth slowly and patiently, and you don't fight him.

because really, you've never wanted to push him away. you want to accept wriothesley for who he is, bloodied hands and all. you want him almost as bad as he wants you. and yet you just can't accept him in his entirety-- not as he is now. not when he's secretive and evasive. but his affection gives you some reprieve; his love gives you peace overwhelming, so much so that you let your own feelings shine through in moments like these.

you end the kiss first. you pull away, breathless, though you notice that he doesn't move an inch. after a brief silence, you finally speak. "you're too much for me." you murmur. "you'll be death of me."

wriothesley takes your hands in his. "for as long as i rule the underworld," he replies, "death will never find you. and that's a promise."

(also obligatory catte tag bc i need a fellow wrio lover to see this 🫡🩷 @catcze)

(p.s.: lemme know if i shouldn't tag you in this stuff, okay?)

[poke-me-with-a-stick]

Chapter 32 of Artificial Wingman!

For the full story on AO3, click Here!

Enjoy!

---

It's been two whole days since Danny and Jason's conversation, and Danny had yet to bring up the portal gun with Robin. It's not that he was putting it off, he had promised Jason that he would be the one to bring it up. But that was the hard part. How do you naturally bring up a conversation about dimensional rifts and the guns that open them? It wasn't something he just wanted to blurt out! That's what happened the first time, and look how that turned out!

The point was, Danny was trying to find a way to bring it up without sending the other teen into a blind fury like before. And no amount of pointed glares and subtle gestures from a particular skunk-man was going to force him into that mistake!

It was directly after one such glare, that Danny had had enough. He pushed his chair out from under the table and stood, striding past a startled Jason and stopping directly in front of Robin, who had been flipping through channels on the TV. The teen in question looked up, one perfect eyebrow raised at Danny in a silent question.

"I'm sick of being cooped up in here." The halfa stated firmly, if a bit exaggeratedly. "Lets go out."

Robin sat up with a sigh, glancing back at Jason for just a second before turning his full attention back to Danny. "As much as I would love to go out with just you and me, I fear that an incident like last time will occur again."

Danny tilted his head. "By last time, do you mean when we were caught by your brother, or when I was kidnapped by that weird jester guy?" He plopped down next to the teen, letting his head lull back against the cushions. "Because the jester wanna-be probably won't be a problem for at least two to three months."

Robin stared at him for a long minute. "I was referring to Drake. But what do you mean by that?"

"By what?" Danny's mounting frustration was replaced by confusion.

"The 'Jester Wannabe' thing, Casper." Jason pipped up from behind him, a small bubble of laughter in his tone. "I've never heard anyone call him that." The bitter snort that the man let out worried the teen, but his attention was brought back to Robin when the vigilante cleared his throat.

"I was more interested in why you are so sure that he would not be a problem." Robin's words cut Jason's laugh off, the man making a considering hum as he moved from the kitchen stool to the armchair.

"I mean, unless he's somehow immune to it, he should be pretty sick for a while. My two to three month guess was me being optomistic." Danny admitted. "He'll probably be out for longer than that." Embarrasment flooded him as he purposfully kept his eyes on the ceiling, not wanting to look at either of them.

The silence that followed his words lasted for only a minute. "What did you do, poison him?" Jason asked. His tone was half sarcastic, half eager.

Realization hit Danny then, as he took in Jason's words. "Um. Kinda?" He squeaked out. Man, he was so not used to talking about ghost things with people who knew little to nothing about the topic. Was it ever this weird for the ghosts that taught him this stuff? "I mean, ghost venom is kind of like a poison. It also isn't really meant to be used on the living..." Oh, Ancients. Danny had no idea what ghost venom would do to a normal, non-liminal human being. The only human he had ever bitten was Dash, and the venom from that wasn't strong enough to do anything more than give the guy a cold. The full force of his venom could knock out a fully materialized ghost, and he had used that on a living person.

That was a crisis to focus on later, Danny decided faintly. Once he was alone, he would spiral a bit about probably having killed a man. For now, he had confused stares on him. "What the hell is Ghost Venom?" Jason asked, his voice cracking a bit. From what emotion, Danny wasn't sure. He wasn't about to risk finding out, not when the man still tasted of rot. Should he offer to try and fix that at some point? Maybe that was something to leave to Frostbite...

Shaking the errant thoughts from his head, Danny focused on the question asked. "Ghost venom is a, uh, defensive mechanism for young ghosts. It kinda phases out as their cores finish materializing, and they come into their powers, because then they have something else to defend themselves with." That's the basics, anyways. There was a lot more to it than that, especially for halfas like him. But for a normal ghost, that's about how it works.

"I'm surprised you remember what happened that night." Robin tilted his head, leaning closer to Danny. "When I arrived at Quinzell's home, you were quite out of it. It stands to reason that the rest of the night beforehand would have been worse, symptoms wise."

"Well..." Danny's hand came up to rest on the back of his neck. "To be honest, I don't remember most of the night. Not after being hit by that van, while I was looking for you. I do remember bits and pieces, though. Like calling the jester dude a moldy eggplant." Jason let out a startled snort at that. "But the clearest part of the night was when I bit him. Honestly, it was more instinct driven than anything."

Danny shook himself again, determined to get back on track. "I don't want to talk about that though. I meant what I said, I really can't stay in this apartment for another day. I need a change of scenery, and I know that you want that too." Robin didn't deny it, merely tilting his head in acknowledgement.

"I agree with you on that. It would be nice to go out," Robin sighed, "But, sadly, my family is the main factor keeping us here. The other's have eyes all over the city, and if they had any reason to believe that we had been spotted..."

Danny couldn't help but pout a bit. "If only we had some sort of disguise," he joked, expecting either a groan or an eye roll from the two brothers. Instead, he was met with a considering look from Robin, and a dumbstruck look from Jason. "...What?"

"Oh my god, we're idiots." Jason groaned, dragging a hand down his face before standing up and heading for the hallway closet. Danny glanced away from him to shoot Robin a confused look, trying to convey 'What did I just do?' with his eyes alone. Robin wasn't looking at him, however. The teen's gaze remained on Jason, a thoughtful expression evident as he watched Jason dig through stuff.

Eventually the man found what he was looking for, holding a shopping bag over his head with a victorious noise. Walking back to the two boys, he tosses the bag at Robin, the teen catching it efforlessly despite his irritated glare at his brother.

"What is that?" Danny asked, trying to peek into the bag while Robin attempted telekenetic fratricide. The teen broke his stare with his brother, nudging Danny's hand away from the bag gently but firmly as he began digging through the bag.

"Is that a... wig?" Danny blinked at the large clump of blond hair that Robin had pulled out of the bag, flinching in surprise when it was dumped into his lap as Robin began to dig again.

"Yeah, it's a wig." Jason chuckled as Danny was pelted by something else from the bag, a t-shirt this time. "Sometimes we have to go undercover for detective work. I'm not sure how much the Demon brat has told you about us, but our family is pretty recognizable, especially here in Gotham. So if we go undercover, we need to be unrecognizable. Ergo," he pointed to the bag, and both watched as Robin pulled a light brunette wig, this one a bit less mangled looking than the blond furball Danny had been given.

"So, what your saying is, you regularly just have disguises lying around in all of your living spaces?" Danny tried to brush his fingers through the artificial hair, surprised and slighly put-off when it felt a bit... too real. Was this real hair?

"Not in every place." Robin pulled his attention away from examining the content of the bag. "We have a lot of safe houses and hideaways. It would be a waste of resources to fill all of them with the same things. Especially ones that are not used often enough as others." Setting the bag asided, he turned towards Danny. "Would you like some help?" He asked, gesturing to the wig in the halfa's hands.

"Yes please." Wigs were not his area of expertise. The best person to go to in his friend group for wigs and other non-permenant ways to show rebellion through appearance was Sam. And ever since the Anomorpho incident, he really didn't want to discuss her, ah, talent with disguise.

Robin took the wig from his hands, smoothing the wayward hair until it actually looked like it was supposed to, and not like someone had skinned a large furbie. Setting the now less raggedy wig aside, he rummaged around the bag again until he came out with a hair net.

The next few minutes consisted of Jason laughing as Robin tried his absolute best to tame and trap the fluffy, gravity-defying mess that was his hair. Eventually, they managed to trap most of it, some poking out rebeliously through the holes that confined them. Thankfully, the escaping hair had little effect on how the wig fit, though the inner layer caught and tugged on a few strands uncomfortably as Robin adjusts it.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour but was probably way less than that, Robin was combing his fingers through the wig hair one last time, making fluffy strands brush down into Danny's face. While it was familiar enough to how his own hair settled, Danny couldn't help but marvel at the oddness of the color change. The teens eyes were unneringly drawn to the too light hair that covered his forehead and brushed the bridge of his nose. '

This might take some getting used to,' he couldn't help but think, forcing his eyes away as he watched Robin expertly tamp down his own hair in a net and swiftly apply his own brunette wig. The half couldn't help but be a bit jealous at how easily the wig settled into place, looking so natural that Danny could mistake it for his actual hair. The teen had no doubt that his didn't look nearly as seamless, judging by how Jason looked like he wanted to burst with laughter every time he glanced at him.

"Okay, we're wearing wigs now, is there anything else or is this good enough?" Danny fought the urge to push the hair out of his face, not wanting to risk messing up the wig's placement.

Robin held up a shirt in response. "The wigs make giving us a second glance a bit harder. Now we wear something that doesn't fit with the image my family has of us in their heads, and find a way to naturally cover most of our faces, to make identifying us through facial recognition harder." Setting aside a small pile of folded clothes, Robin stood up and made his way to the bathroom, his own change of clothes nestled in the crook of his arm.

Danny was left sitting on the couch, blinking blankly at the spot Robin was just sitting in a moment ago. "Why does your family sound less like vigilantes, and more like super secret spys from a James Bond flick?" Danny questioned faintly, trying to figure out just how Robin and Jason's family do stuff like that.

Jason snorted at his question. "At this point, I barely even notice the batshit stuff that this family does. Stalking through security cameras is basically a love language." The man winked at Danny's look of dumbfounded incredulity.

Deciding that thinking about a vigilante family dynamic was something that could also be put off until later, Danny stood and grabbed his set of clothes, headed for the bedroom at the end of the hall. Changing was quite easy when you had ghost powers, and by the time he made it back to the living room just a few minutes later, it was still just Jason sitting there, Robin nowhere in sight and the bathroom door still closed.

Jason glanced up from a book he was looking over, making a vague noise of surprise as he flipped the page. "That was fast." He commented, humming when Danny flopped down, the teen wincing at the way his new pocket zipper dragged on the couch's fabric.

"Well, intangibility is handy like that." Danny commented, picking lightly at the too-big red hoodie he was in. The sleeves just barely passed his fingertips, and he amused himself with flipping the tiny sweater paws to and fro.

The silence thelat fell over them didn't last as long as Danny hoped it would. "So, are you gonna tell him soon?" Jason asked, almost offhandedly if not for the pointed way his eyes met Danny's over his book.

Danny rolled his eyes, focusing back on his sweater paws as he dragged them over his black ripped denim pants. "Yeah? I promised I would. It's just a bit hard to bring up, is all." He mumbled, his fingertips toying with a loose thread.

"What's so hard about it?" Jason asked, his voice not unkind. It wasn't that condescending tone that parents and teachers used on him all the time, instead a bit of sarcasm mixed with genuine curiosity.

"Well, for starters, the first time I told him, he used a wicked blade and sliced the damn thing in half." He pointed out, his own sarcasm leaning more towards playful than deadpan.

Jason hummed, considering. "Maybe he'll take the news better this time. I mean, he hasn't tried to break it again while you've been working on it." the man pointed out. Flipping the page, he made another noise, this one of realization. "Your gonna break the news in a more public setting just in case he does take it wrong, aren't you?"

Danny shrugged, pulling his knees up towards his chest. The Hoodie pooled around his thighs at the movement, and the halfa had to resist the urge to tuck ot over his legs completely. Now wasn't the time to go turtle mode. "I mean, both of us could really use the day out of the apartment. This place is nice and all, but me and Robin were outside basically every day before this." He didn't mention that most of their time put and about was more like dates than anything else. That wasn't conductive to his reasoning whatsoever. "Both of us are annoyed at being cooped up. What better time to tell him than when we both can actually breath a bit better?"

Before Jason could retort with... whatever he looked like he wanted to say, Robin came out of the bathroom. His sunglasses, the same ones he had gotten from the mall, what felt like forever ago, covered his eyes, and the brunette hair fell over his face artfully. A few clip on ear cuffs studded his cartilage, the mat black color of the accessories matching perfectly with his perfectly-fitted leather jacket, a pop of color added with the ice blue t-shirt and dark blue jeans. Lastly, a pair of mat black, low platform ankle boots completed the look, turning the pr and proper boy he had spent the last few days with into the most attractive punk kid he had ever seen.

Willing away his blush, Danny stood and slipped on his own shoes, a pair of black convers sneakers. They were for someone a size and a half bigger than him, but they were still surprisingly comfortable. "You- uh. You ready to go?" Danny smiled nervously, anxiety starting to know at him alongside the butterflies in his stomach. It was a slightly nauseating feeling, and part of Danny cursed his newfound emotional intelligence. This would all be so much easier if he was still in denial.

Sucking it up, as Sam would put it, he shot Robin a smile as the teen dug in his pocket for something. "Here," the teen offered him a piece of cloth. Grabbing it, Danny hummed curiously at what turned out to be a face mask. "I have one as well," Robin pulled out a second fabric mask, putting it on with the same efficiency as everything else he did. "It will go a long way to hide us from anyone on the lookout for us specifically."

Danny pulled the mask on, the corners of his eyes crinkling being the only sign of his broad grin underneath the fabric. "Man, you have this all thought out, don't you?" Jason's snort from behind him earned a reprimanding glare from the teen, the expression translating scarily well through the sunglasses and mask he wore.

"Yes, I do. Father is very firm on having a plan laid out beforehand, so as to iron out any details as well as contingency plans, in case something goes wrong." Robin walked around him, grabbing one last thing from the shopping bag before turning to Danny. "Here," he offers a pair of sunglasses, gray frames studded with small runestones at the corners. Danny slipped them on without protest, humming at the way they comfortably darkened the room without completely blacking out his vision. Robin nodded in approval, tugging the red hood of his hoodie until it covered most of his head. "Perfect. I barely recognize you now." The teen hummed, before grabbing Danny's hand.

"We shall return before dark. Call only if you have need of us." Robin shot his brother a warning glare as he tugged Danny out of the apartment and into the elevator. A silence settled between them until they were on the street, blending in with the rest of the crowd. "Now, what do you wish to do?" Robin asked as they turned a corner, the apartment building disappearing from their line of sight.

Danny hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. We didn't exactly eat lunch before we left." He grinned at the teen, though it wasn't very noticable through the face mask.

Robin tilted his head in thought, making Danny suppress the errant thought of 'cute' that ran through his head. "I suppose you are right. We haven't had anything to eat, have we?"

"Not since Jazz's attempts at French toast!" Danny replies cheerfully, grinning at the memory of his sister's burnt yet somehow soft and soggy flavored egg bread. Honestly, if the conversation he wanted to have with Robin went well, then he was gonna ask Jason to give his sister some cooking lessons. Maybe get some lessons himself, while he's at it. That man knows how to cook.

Robin let put another humming noise, this one tinged with amusement. "Your sister is not the best in the kitchen, though she is admittedly more reliable and trustworthy than most of my family." The teen let out a huff that could only be described as a stifled laugh.

"What is worse than physics-defying toast?" Danny couldn't help but ask. Not because he thought his sister was the worst person to put in a kitchen, but because Danny always found it interesting when Robin mentioned his family. The way he talked about them, with tones of exaggerated annoyance and feigned disinterest barely hiding the fondess he held for them, it was nice to see the teen be expressive about someone besides Danny himself.

"Trust me," though his face was fully covered, Danny could still tell his face was set in a serious expression, despite the sweet strawberry flavor of mischief that exuded from the teen. "My brothers and father are much worse. Everyone besides Todd and Cain have a lifetime ban from the kitchen in the manor. Pennyworth is very protective of his precieved domain."

Danny mulled over Robin's worout. Sending the teen a cheeky smirk, he couldn't help but to point something out. "You know, I noticed that you didn't say anything about yourself not being banned from the kitchen as well." Danny couldn't help but snicker as Robin took a cheap swat at him, embarrassment and amusement mixing to make an almost sweet and tangy taste to his emotions. Like an orange cream filled chocolate.

Great, now he wanted something sweet. Deciding to let the topic of horrible family cooks drop for now, Danny focused on trying to find an enticing food smell amongst the different smells of the city. Pollution and garbage stung his nose, while body sparys and perfumes made his eyes water uncontrollably. After a few minutes, Danny sighed quietly in defeat and turned towards Robin. "Ypu have any ideas on where to eat?" He asked hopefully.

The teen thought on it for a minute. "As luck would have it, I do." Tightening his grip on Danny's hand slightly, he began to weave through the streets as if he were born in them. For all Danny knew, that could be true. Past flower shops and fruit stalls that seemed a bit on the shader side, until the streets began to clear up a bit. Not like when they had visited the arcade or the skating rink, but not as crowded and trash-filled as when they were staying in Jason's abandoned building.

Finally, Robin slowed his pace until they came to a stop in front of an out of the way shop. A small sign above a glass door with a bell, cursive letters spelling out, 'Grandma's Kitchen' in sleek black-cherry colors. Standing where they were, Danny could already smell the scent of fresh bread and coffee, sweet undertones pointing to muffins or danishes as well. It was good enough to make his mouth water and his stomach growl.

Hearing no complaints from the teen, Robin pushed the door open and led Danny inside, coming to a stop again at the counter. Behind the bar, manning the register with a pen and notepad in hand, a woman with short blond hair and green eyes smiled at them. "Hello!" She greeted warmly. "Welcome to Grandma's Kitchen. What can I get you today?" Her eyes crinkled at the corners, the beginnings of crows feet evident as she took in their appearances.

Robin tutted to himself as he skimmed over the menu hung up on the wall behind the woman. "Your vegan options are quite acceptable. I shall have a croissant with berry jam filling, and an almond milk hot chocolate." He ordered after a second of consideration.

Her grin widened slightly as she jotted down the teen's order. "Alright, lovely choices. Now, how about you?" Her attention turned to Danny, the boy stuttering slightly as he looked over the menu himself. "Um, the waffles look good. Maybe the waffles with whipped cream and blueberries? Oh! And a milk tea." That sounded good.

"Okay. I'll have that right out to you!" She smiled again as she turned towards the kitchen. "Go ahead and sit down, I'll be out shortly if you need anything else!"

With the door swinging shut behind her, Danny and Robin turned to survey the sitting area options. There was no one else in the shop, besides and older woman rubbing down a table near the window. So that left the two teens free reign over where they wanted to sit.

After the last few times they had eaten out together, Danny wasn't surprised at all when Robin led him to a seat next to the kitchen doors, just out of sight of the windows and front counter. Unlike the other times they ate together, Robin kept ahold of his hand, slinding into the booth next to him instead of in front of him. If not for the fact that he could go intangible, Danny would be half tempted to complain about being boxed in. Y'know, if he could find the will to argue around the warmth that filled his chest and cheeks at the action.

As silence decended over them, Danny couldn't help but fidget in his seat. His finders found the ends of his sweater paws, tugging at them in a way that almost resembled two kids fighting over a toy. A bit lower, his foot began tapping out a rhythm he vaguely recognized. Something he heard oten, but not something he particularly paid attention to. Maybe one of the background soundtracks for Doomed? Or maybe something Sam made him listen to. No lyrics popped up in his memories, so he decided to tap a little louder. Maybe it was from a boss battle or something?

Danny was brought out of his musings by Robin, the teen clearing his throat subtly as his gaze raked over Danny. "Are you alright, Danny?" He asked, his hand coming down from the table top to ease his grip on his hoodie sleeve.

"Y-yep!" Danny stuttered. "I'm fine, everything's fine!" Clearing his own throat, he shot Robin what he hoped always a reassuring smile. It wasn't that convincing, if the look of concern and suspicion on the vigilante's barely visible face was anything to go by. But before he could comment on Danny's oddness again, the clatter of plates and a sqeal of door hinges brought both of their attentions to the lady approaching their table. A different woman than the one that they had seen clearing off another table, she had long dark hair that fit nicely with her warm brown eyes, the corners slightly creased with age.

"Here you go, one croissant with berry jam, one plate of waffles with blueberries and whipped cream." She set down two plates of delicious-looking food before turning back to her tray. "One hot chocolate made with almond milk, one milk tea, and a sharing sized basket of blueberry muffins." The last item was set down in the middle of the table, almost like a bread basket. "Is there anything else I can get you boys?" She asked kindly.

"Oh, uh. I'm sorry, Miss. But we didn't order any muffins." Danny told her, his Midwestern manners kicking in. Though, he wasn't quite sure how they could make that mistake, seeing as there weren't any other costumers present at the moment.

The woman laughed a bit. "Don't worry 'bout it, hun. It's on the house." In a quieter voice, she leaned closer to Robin and whispered, "Clarissa said that the blond boy was too thin. Make sure he eats the muffins." With a wink and a wave, she was gone. Danny stared after her, gobsmacked. Robin grinned at him, nudging the basket of muffins closer to Danny's plate.

"You know, she isn't wrong about you being too thin." The teen teased him in a low tone. Danny glared at him half-heartedly, but pulled his own plate closer to him, taking a bite of his waffles. His momentary annoyance is forgotten as the taste hits him. Robin chuckles at the way his eyes widen, but stays blessfully silent about it. Instead, he turns to his own food.

It feels like no time has passed by the time Danny wipes up the last bit of whipped cream with his fork, slightly disappointed that he had finished. Beside him, Robin was polishing off his hot chocolate, having already finished his croissant. When Danny's fork clattered against his plate, Robin looked over at him. "Are you done?" He asked, glancing at his plate, then at his cup. Danny nods, gulping down the last few sips of his milk tea.

"Ready to go whenever you are!" He answers, his bright grin only slightly forced.

As they stand, Robin casts a glance back at the basket of muffins. "What about those?" He asks, pointing to the muffins. Danny looks back at them as well, before grabbing the basket with a shrug.

As they approached the counter to pay, Danny sets the basket on the counter. "Excuse me, would it be possible to get a to-go bag or something for these?" He shoots the woman behind the register a charming smile.

She nodded, smiling back at him. "Here you go, honey. Be sure to eat them before they go stale!" She calls after them, waving as they exit the café. Danny waves back at her, pulling up his mask before following Robin out the door with his bag of muffins.

"Okay, now. Where to?" Danny asks, linking his arm with Robin's instead of just grabbing his hand. He couldn't help but to lean into the taller teen, a rumble of contentment running through his core. His nervesness was buried under the positive delight his core was producing, making him feel warm and bubbly as long as he stayed curled up to Robin's side. Logically, he knew that this peace he felt wouldn't last, but what was the harm in enjoying it while he could?

Robin hummed thoughtfully, slowing their pace and moving them out of the way of anyone rushing past. "How about Robinson Park?" He suggested. "The last time we attempted to visit the park, I believe we were... Rudely interrupted." The last part was grumbled with a bite of venom, making Danny smirk. It warmed his cold ghostly core that his prospective partner was prone to violence. Maybe he would be up to a play fight, if the love potion antidote didn't make him hate Danny?

...A question for later, the teen decided. He ignored the part of him that wondered if it was a question he would even get to ask, if things happened the way he was planning. Instead, but focused on the here and now, tilting his head until his hooded wig brushed Robin's shoulder. "Well, if we do get interrupted again, at least it won't be by thw jester knock-off." He snickered playfully as Robin knocked his knuckles against Danny's forehead lightly, almost like he was scolding him.

"It would be unwise to say that aloud, as things in Gotham usually happen in the worst way possible." Robin huffed, but Danny could hear the smile in his voice. "But, if you have no objections, then Robinson Park it is." Without further delay, Robin turned to the crosswalk, leading Danny across quickly and down the sidewalk on the other side.

Doing there best to look like any other teenaged couple roaming around together, they made no effort to avoid crowded areas or places with cameras. It was actually a bit freeing, not having to sneak around just to avoid trouble. And before long, Danny found himself standing at a park entrance.

As they walked in, Danny spotted a vendor just off the walking path. He was quick to point it out to Robin. "I think he's selling hot chocolate and tea." The smells of chocolate and fragrant leaves waft of the chilled breeze. "We could grab a drink and enjoy these muffins on a bench or something. Like a picnic!"

Robin nodded, agreeing easily. The vendor had more than just hot chocolate and tea, but the two boys stuck to warmer drinks. Danny with an extra sweet hot chocolate, and Robin cradling some jasmine and honey tea, both piping hot and steaming as they settled down on a bench not too far from the entrance to the park.

Children passed by frequently, running and jumping and doing only things that small humans could do with their limitless energies. Their parents followed at a much slower pace, content to let their children tire themselves out. Couples and joggers and dog walkers waved back and forth across the pathway, all going about their lives as if nothing else truly mattered at the moment but what they were doing. All in all, it was a pretty populated place. Perfect for the conversation that they had to have. Because with how much Danny had learned about Robin over the past few weeks, he knew the teen wouldn't cause a scene in public

But just because he knew this would be the perfect opportunity to tell Robin about the portal gun, doesn't mean that his original problem wasn't still hampering him. Because, really, how do you bring up a gun that rips holes in the universe for quick travel? Especially when the person you are trying to tell really, really doesn't want you to leave?

The silence between them had been stretching like taffy as Danny tried to figure out how to bring the topic up. The nerves that he had been suppressing bubbled up again like angry blob ghosts in his stomach, making him feel just a tad nauseous along side everything else. When he finally opened his mouth, planning on just blurting it out, Robin stopped him. "The portal gun is finished, isn't it?" It was phrased like a question, but Danny already knew that the teen had his answer.

Danny blinked in surprise, before letting out a nervous chuckle. "Man,there really isn't any hiding things from you, is there?" He joked. In a quieter, more serious tone, he asked, "how long have you known?" Part of him dreaded the answer.

Robin sent him a small smirk, though it was slightly bitter. "I suspected something was amiss yesterday, when I noticed the way you and Todd kept gesturing at each other when you thought I could not see you. Though I didn't make the connection until you stated that you wanted to leave the apartment."

That... Wasn't the worst timeframe, Danny had to admit."Look, I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. Jason discovered it was finished about two days ago, and since then he's been pressuring me to tell you, but I wasn't really sure how to bring it up, and I didn't want to freak you out like what happened the first time and-" The halfway was cut off by Robin's palm against his mouth.

When the other teen was sure Danny wasnt going to say anything, he lowered his hand with a small laugh. "It is alright, beloved. I'm not mad, or even disappointed that you did not tell me sooner. Although, I am not exactly thrilled that you are finished with the device-" Danny winced slightly at the sharp look Robin sent him, "-I know that you did not intend to keep it from me."

A different kind of silence fell between them, one that was a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't like before. "Soo... What now?" Danny can't help but ask. It was kind of dumb, but he wanted to know where Robin was in all of this. 'We've had enough misunderstandings.'

Robin shot him a slightly confused look. "Well, I suppose you are planning to leave, soon. Isn't that the whole point?" Well, that made things a bit easier.

"Well, I have to go home eventually. I have a life, friends and school." Danny admitted. "But there still isn't enough power built up to make our way home just yet. And me and Jason have talked about some things..." The hope that was beginning to grow in Robin's eyes directly reflected the feeling growning in Danny's core.

"We think it would be best for me and Jazz to leave before you take to antidote." Immediately, Robin's face fell. Danny grimaced, wishing silently that he hadn't said that so bluntly. Hurriedly, he continues. "Its just so neither of us get hurt, either physically or emotionall, if the cure works the way I think it does. If, afterwards, you still have feelings for me , ai do plan to come back. And if you don't have feelings for me, or you hate me for what happened, then we'll deal with that when it comes up. But, Robin," Danny grabs the teen's hand in his, squeezing it as he brings it, anlong with Robin's gaze, to his face. "I do plan on coming back."

Robin smiles, grabbing Danny's free hand with his and bringing it up to his face. Laying it against his cheek, he turns his head to lay a small kiss on the meat of Danny's palm. "Then I have nothing to worry about, do I?"

Danny didn't answer him, too flustered by his braisen actions. Clearing his throat, Danny tore his eyes away from Robin, instead focusing on the dogwalker being dragged across the grass by a pack of five. The scene caused him to snort, breaking the intimate cloud around them. Robin glanced away from him as well, snickering questly at the man being pulled to and fro by the dogs he walked.

After a while, when all the muffins were gone and their drinks were noting but dredges in their paper cups, the two left the park. "Should we return to the apartment, now that you've finally told me what you wanted to?" Robin asked as he led Danny down the street, being careful of any shady alleyways.

Danny thought about it for a minute, before shaking his head. "Nah, let's just walk around For a bit." When Robin sent him a questioning look, Danny snickered. "You know, I wasn't just trying to make up an excuse to talk to you without Jason around. I really have been cooped up in that apartment for too long. Especially ow that the PG is done."

"PG?" Robin raised an eyebrow, giving Danny a look that conveyed just how dumb he thought it sounded.

"What? Are you gonna tell me that it's okay to say g.u.n. in a public area here? After some of the things you've told me?" Danny snarked back playfully, nudging Robin away before wrapping his arm around his again and pulling the teen back. He was only a little annoyed when the teen didn't stumble at the sudden action.

"I suppose I was hoping that you would have a better name for it." The tease was layered with something that was a mix of fond and exasperated, and it seemed so right, that tone he used, that Danny wondered if he had reminded the teen about his family.

Grinning mischievously, Danny lightly bumped his shoulder with Robin's. "Well, of you have any better ideas, I'm all ears. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with calling it by it's initials. Not as confusing, that way." Robin's only response was an eye roll. Silently, Danny cheered for his small victory, a smug smile the only evidence of his inner emotions.

Robin bumped his shoulder in retaliation, but made no verbal attempt to rebuke him. The two fell in step next to each other, strolling around Gotham's streets. Eventually, Danny noticed something. "Hey, when did it get cleaned?" He asked, having not seen as much trash as he had been. Cars actually filled the street, and the crowd around them thickened a bit. With all the activity going on, it was a little surprising that there was a lack of litter.

The teen beside him hummed. "Of course it would be cleaner. We are getting closer to the diamond district." As if to prove his point, a woman in designer heels and coat walked past them, the crowd parting around her ever so slightly as she moved. Robin scoffed at her under his breath, and Danny couldn't help but he reminded of Sam's mother for a moment.

"Well, at least the sights are pretty to look at, unlike some of the people." Danny half-joked. Honestly, he didn't know how a person could comfortably wear so much makeup.

Robin chuckled at his comment, before schooling his expression a bit. "You know, if you want a better view of what the Diamond district has to offer without the strongly decorated people interfering, I know a good leash-free dog park we could visit."

Danny side eyed the teen. "Didn't we just leave a park?" He asked playfully, already planning on agreeing. Anywhere Robin wanted to hang out was fine with him at the moment.

Robin rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. "Yes, but that was a normal park with a strict leash-only policy. The dog park has no such restrictions. And, I might add, more dogs as well." Already their direction had changed, Robin pulling ahead by a step or two to direct Danny away from the bustling streets.

The halfa couldn't help but chuckle. ”Lead the way." He snarked playfully, letting himself be dragged along.

- - -

Dick stared at Stephanie from over Duke's shoulder, tucked safely behind the confused man. The girl stood innocently in front of them, offering a plate of what looked like something out of Alfred's nightmares. The plate had set, presumably abandoned, while Steph had spent three hours cleaning the kitchen up under the weight of Alfred's disappointed stare. The man had added another name to the kitchen's ban list, but she didn't seem to care as Dick had waltzed back into the kitchen to check on her. The spotless kitche had given him hope,but that hope had immediately been dashed when he caught the sight of the plate sitting on the counter.

Steph had looked up at his frozen form, a grin that sat between innocent and devious forming on her face. "Dick! There you are!" She called excitedly, setting the last pot into the dish drained to dry. Quickly wiping her hands off on the hand towel that rested by the sink, she leaned over the counter to reach the plate. "So, Alfred wasn't very happy with the mess I made, but he let me keep the caramel pineapples that I made! I mean, he gave them the stink eye, but he didn't tell me to throw them away, so I'm assuming he let me keep them!"

Dick took a small step backwards as a strained smile pinched his face. "Oh, that's great, Steph! But, if you think they look so good, then why don't you eat them?" The man prayed that Steph would take him up on it. At the very least, he hoped that she would take a bite of one, taste how bad it was, and decide that this was too far for whatever revenge she was trying to enact. Not even Dami, his babiest baby bat, would result to poisoning.

To the man's dismay, the girl pouted. Giving him her best puppy dog eyes, she held the plate up a bit higher. "But, Iade these for you? Do you not want something I made? I mean, I worked so hard on these." Oh dear Lord, this girl knew how to tug on his heart strings. If not for the fact that this was obviously some sort of plot against him for some reason, guilt would be eating away at him right now.

Some higher being must have been on his side, however, because his angel in a college hoodie walked through the door as he was trying to find a way to turn her down. "Duke!" The relief in his voice caught the man's attention immediately, pulling his gaze from his phone as he took in the scene in front of him.

"Uhhh..." The meta blinked at the two of them, his eyes going to Dick, then Steph, and to the plate in her hands, then back to Dick. "What's going on here?" He asked cautiously.

Dick took the unexpected moment to dive behind the man. In a low voice, he hurriedly explained. "Duke, I have no idea what I did to her, but I'm pretty sure she's trying to poison me and make it look like a genuine accident." He snuck another glance at the plate she was holding, cringing at the hardened yet squishy looking cubes it held. "Honestly, it doesn't look like she's trying hard for the accident part."

Steph's pout flickered briefly into a smile, before she schooled her expression back. "Aww, come on Dick! They don't look that bad!" A humorous light entered her eyes. "I bet Duke would try one, wouldn't you?" Her pleading eyes turned on Duke, and the man felt his stomach drop.

Throwing up his hands in surrender, he turned hand hurried out of the kitchen. "Sorry, Dick. You're on your own for this one." With his back to the man, Dick could hear him mutter, " I dont feel like being poisoned either."

Feeling betrayed, he turned his wary gaze back to Steph, who was watching Duke leave with laughter in her eyes. It disappearedI almost as soon as it had appeared, her expression dropping back into that mopey, sad look that almost made Dick surrender himself. But he stands firm, keeping a firm distance between them.

Finally, she dropped the sad, pleading act. Her expression morphed into exasperation. "Seriously, Dick? It's literally sugar and cream on a fruit. Stop being a baby and just try one!"

Dick smiled at her again. "Oh, I really couldn't, I, uh, I had a big breakfast with Babs earlier! Honestly, I'm just too full to eat anything else right now. You understand, right?" He flashed her his most charming look, hoping to get her to drop the topic long enough for him to secretly dispose of the pineapple cubes while she wasn't looking.

Steph rolled her eyes at him. "Y'know what? I'll show you there isn't anything to be afraid of." Grabbing a toothpick from the plate, she jabbed one of the cubes. Before Dick could stop her, it was in her mouth.he frozen in horror, expecting her to spit it out in disgust. Instead, her eyes lit up after chewing for a moment. Swallowing, she reached for another one. "Actually, these are really good. Since you obviously don't want them, I think I will eat them myself." With that, she hurried out of the kitchen, leaving Dick to stare after her in shock.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he chased after her. "Steph, wait!" He calls, trying to get her to slow down. Instead, she giggles and speeds up, throwing another cube into her mouth. Dick groaned, slipping in his socked feet as she stepped off the carpet and onto the hardwood. While he fell over, Steph slipped out of the room, her plate of abomination candy still firmly in her hand.

Slapping his had on the floor, Dick couldn't help but groan again. He didn't believe for one second that she actually liked that treat, he had once seen her eat a ghost pepper out of spite. All the while pretending to be fine, but the minute she was alone, she had made herself sick chugging milk and water to get rid of the spice. And he had been the one to look after her in the days following.

Two things he had learned from that were one; Steph wouldn't back down from a challenge or dare, even if it was only a precieved one. And two, a sick Steph was very, very clingy. So clingy, in fact, that he hadn't been able to go on patrol for two days after the pepper incident, on the count of a teenager girl not letting go of his sweater any time he tried to leave.

If there was anything to be taken from that incident, it was that a sick Steph was a bad thing, especially when you had a baby brother to be looking for.

Pushing himself back up, he took off after Steph again. The man had already spent too long at the manor, looking for his spare suits when he could have been out there looking for Damien. He didn't need a clingy Steph holding him up more.

-

Steph watched as Dick ran towards the library, swinging her legs over the railing of the second floor as she tossed another cube into her mouth. Honestly, the girl hadn't been expecting these to actually taste good, but she had been more than willing to force herself to eat one of it got Dick to eat one too. But the taste had reminded her of those mini pineapple upside-down cakes that had been on the food platter at one of Bruce's Galas. Granted, the texture wasn't right for it, but the taste had been pretty close. And, well, if Dick had been about to throw them out while she wasn't looking, then she was gonna eat them instead. No since in a decent snack going to waste, right?

The girl giggled as Dick left the library, heading into the whole first floor before moving upwards to look for her. So she got to enjoy a snack and a show! The only thing that would make this better is if Cass were here.

Sighing, Steph ate another cube before standing up and cackling as Dick finally spotted her on the banister. She disappeared into a hall closet before he reached the landing, watching him turn the corner and dart down the hall. This was way more fun than she thought it would be.

---

(There may be some spelling/grammar mistakes, but it's okay because I did my best!)

To all the wonderful people who follow along, as well as the amazing person who made the prompt:

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[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Why I consider Miguel replacing his own self so bad?

Originally this was going to be a response to a post someone else did, but then I feel I was being mean to people just enjoying a character, so I repurposed it. Is funny because before that post I wasn't planning on doing this but that one got the words out of me somehow.

As disclaimer; I don't think there is anything wrong with liking Miguel, or any character of this movie. It doesn't matter what Miguel may or may not had done in this movie, or if your headcanons and ideas align with how he is in canon or not.

I also feel that regardless of what I think it went down in this situation, I can't call Miguel evil; I would have some words about what I think later in this post, but I don't think when he did what he did he was doing it because ~evil~

With all that out of the way, let's start with this:

The way he talks about the ordeal makes me uneasy.

You know why I find this unsettling? That this is about himself.

I understand that Miguel is narrating this story from his perspective, and is about his mistake, so by that, you wouldn't need to bring up anyone else. You can even make the argument it may be too painful for him if you want.

So why I still have a problem?

Because the narration isn't the only problem I have with this, in fact, what I find the most disturbing, is the following part.

Here is my thing...Don't you find odd how quickly he found out about this?

Think about it; it would be weird that he was just looking on the Multiverse, saw a version of himself with a nice, happy family, and just at that moment that person got killed, so he step in.

I had seen someone made the argument that he did what did because he was thinking of Gabby, however, nothing on his demeanour or words makes me think this was about anyone that wasn't himself.

Let's go back to those pics.

Want to know why I posted two that are basically the same? Because what's important is Miguel's face.

He is completely stoic.

We see Miguel seeing the body at the same time the mugger is running away, this makes me believe it was implied he watched at least the guy get away. But when Miguel appears on the screen, it is already watching the image, it doesn't make me think he just popped up the screen and saw it play at the moment he got killed.

Much less because he looks so calm, like he was expecting this to happen.

I don't know how much Miguel can see in future events, I believe there is some capacity because he said to Miles that his dad will die in two days. That may be because is when he becomes a Captain and his words are more speculation than actual confirmation. It could also be that at that moment he didn't have the means to look into it.

But all this footage makes me believe he saw his other self try to do the right thing, get killed, and then came in.

This wasn't about preserving the canon, this is in theory, before he knew how "canon works" (because he affirms the universe collapsed because he try to take the place of someone who was suppose to die. At least that was the impression it gave me.) So is not like there was any reason to not step in and help him.

This is going into speculation territory, so feel free to say this is a reach, but...was there really no way to save the other Miguel?

It gave me the impression the guy used just one bullet, unless is in specific places, normally one bullet wouldn't be enough. More important, Miguel is from the future, his world can make travel to the moon as if it is just going on the highway; are you telling me that if Miguel wanted to help to save this guy's life, was there really nothing he could?

Like sure, he doesn't need to, this isn't this problem and not his story, he shouldn't interfere.

Except that he did, to replace him.

And that's why I consider his initial speech so disturbing.

Let me put all together what Miguel said:

"I found a world where I had a family. Where I was happy. And that version of myself was killed. So I replace him. I thought it was harmless."

This entire discourse is about himself, with no real thought put into how Gabby, or anyone else may feel. Miguel keeps saying "family," which makes me think it was more than just Gabby, since I don't see why he wouldn't just say daughter if it was only her. That being say I am praying that I am wrong.

My heart really breaks for the other Miguel, he just wanted to do the right thing, he didn't have any powers or special abilities but he still try to help this lady that he probably didn't even know.

And what he got?

That his family will not mourn him, that none of his love ones would go to his funeral (I doubt there was one.) That the people who loved him can't even begin to deal with the mourning process.

Because Miguel, wanted a family.

I am sorry, but I can't help to feel this was en egoistic action when literally there is no mention of ever thinking of anyone that wasn't him; you can try to argue that the "harmless" part also included every other person who knew that Miguel, since they now don't need to go through the pain of a funeral.

But Miguel wasn't that Miguel, if there is something the multi-verse has shown us, is that different versions of a character don't need to be the same, in fact is not odd to not be.

I mentioned this in the past, but if I feel my boyfriend was acting odd, and then discover that he got replaced by another version of himself, just because this one wanted to have a partner- It makes my blood boil; I would personally feel outraged.

Because it should be my decision, which is removed completely of the equation because someone decided they knew me better than me, so they could take decisions on my behalf.

And if I heard him talk, and realize all he ever mentioned was about him and what he wanted? Oh that's one easy slap to the face minimum.

I don't think Miguel had nefarious intentions by doing this, the problem is that he does the thing he literally does the rest of the movie: Assume his idea is the right call, no think twice about asking anyone's opinion, and then blame it on something else when things start to go south.

(If you want an easy example: Literally blaming Gwen for the fiasco with Miles, as if the guy didn't literally scared Miles off when Peter was THIS close to making him go with him.)

Hope anyone liked it! If you did, please consider either commissioning me or donating to my ko-fi, and if not please reblog!

Have a good night.

[yanderes-galore]

Can I ask for a general romantic concept of Annie Leonhart from AOT?

Sure! Here you go :) This is a general view of her character, but mostly takes place during Season 1 as she had a much bigger role there.

Yandere! Annie Leonhart Concept

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Stalking, Possessive behavior, Violence, Blood, Disturbing descriptions, Murder, Kidnapping, Forced relationship.

Annie is a very... reserved character.

Due to her mission, she doesn't want to get too attached to people.

She is shown to care at times, but she tends to focus on her goals.

Even towards her obsession she doesn't talk or emote too much.

Occasionally you two may share conversation, but it's more like her listening while you chat.

She'd find that annoying with anyone else but you....

Annie tends to be quiet, apathetic, and focused on the task at hand.

She's realistic and often struggles with friendships.

She may not want to harm her obsession, but she knows she's a monster.

You may not know it, but she's the Female Titan, nothing's changing that.

She's actually nervous to be attached to her fellow cadets.

She knows their fate.

Unfortunately, oblivious to her concerns, you keep coming up to her to be friends.

Bonds are difficult for her...

Although, she finds herself understanding you better during training.

You see her as strong and want her to help you train.

These sessions are what begins to bring you closer.

Annie respects those with determination, people willing to do anything to achieve their goals.

Seeing you turn to her for strength training... wanting to rely on her... she both feels good and horrible.

Annie doesn't feel she deserves you.

She's trained to be a Warrior, one meant to destroy people like you.

Yet here she is, hiding smiles as she's around you.

Annie feels happy with you.

She feels so guilty about it, though.

She knows she shouldn't get attached, that once you see what she is you'll hate her...

But even Annie knows she's a selfish person.

Annie usually tries to stay distant from everyone but Bertolt and Reiner.

Unless it's you... In that case, she trains you and speaks with you.

Your conversations are often brief... as Annie isn't much of a talker.

She mostly likes to stay in your presence silently.

In fact, Annie's obsession is silent and rather out of the way.

She often busies herself with her goals, yet keeps an eye on you.

Annie tends to follow you from a distance, often telling herself she's just... worried.

She wants to keep you out of harm... out of her plans... away from maybe even the other cadets....

While she may not want to acknowledge it... This is a sign of obsession.

She's watching you when you're unaware, often glaring when other people speak to you or rough you up...

She hates to admit it, probably won't for a long time...

But she's in love with you.

Love... She hasn't experienced such a thing often.

In fact, just thinking about it makes her think of her father...

Her yearning for a normal life....

Annie wants a normal life with you....

Yet she quickly stops herself from thinking that.

Annie is a good fighter, which makes most people stay out of her way.

Annie just being close to her obsession may drive people off.

I also imagine her fighting skills would make threatening and removing rivals easy.

Before her Female Titan reveal I doubt she's killing anyone... alone.

Marco was a different story she'd rather not think about.

Her jealousy is often vented during training, or maybe she'll take it out on someone in private if they pushed her far enough.

Annie is used to fighting.

Blood on her hands is something she expects... In all ways.

Annie's obsession with you would be quiet and observing until she goes into the Military Police.

After that, her obsession has time to grow due to the distance...

You don't "see" her again until the Female Titan attacks when you join the Scouts.

I like the idea of Annie interacting with her obsession as the Female Titan.

During the first few attacks, her goal is Eren, but she's also cautious of where you are.

She often ignores you during her mission, reluctant to accidentally squish you.

She loves you more than anyone here, after all...

She's missed you, too....

During one of the Female Titan attacks I can see Annie trying to abduct you with Eren.

You, other than her father, are what makes her happy.

She feels you're her key to a normal life....

You make her atrocities seem much more bearable.

Which would make her try to kidnap you as a titan.

Moving away from the plot to focus on general ideas (I have that exact plot planned for a fic)...

Annie struggles on how to deal with her feelings towards you.

She's often dismissive or unsure how to give affection.

Even more so after she's kidnapped you and you keep calling her a monster...

Not like she doesn't know that.

I feel she wouldn't try to kidnap you as a human, it would definitely be as a titan.

She'd either tuck away her obsession in her hardened hands, or even her mouth.

Her mouth is more secure and allows her to use her hands but you're definitely covered in saliva afterwards....

When she has you, she finds somewhere to isolate you.

I'm thinking of an abandoned cabin or something similar.

There's plenty of those due to the titans.

Regardless if she successfully retrieved Eren or not... she feels happy to have you.

Annie sometimes smiles around you and may try to give you affection like hugs.

But hugs, let alone kisses, are difficult for her.

Annie would be cold towards you, especially if you lashed out.

Annie doesn't blame you for hating her.

In fact, she expects it.

She's realistic and lucid enough to know you aren't willingly going to throw yourself into her arms.

You see her as a monster, she views herself the same.

After all, by the time she captures you, she's killed.

She decimated many Scouts as her titan... just to get Eren... just to get you.

She knows you hate her.

She knows you don't deserve each other.

Yet she loves you all the same.

Calling her a monster won't change anything.

It stings when you try to fight her, but you won't last without her.

You need her and her titan to live in isolation without dying.

Call her names, say you hate her...

It doesn't stop her from holding you close.

Imagine if she tries to be affectionate in titan form?

Compared to other titans... like Eren as an example, she probably isn't too affectionate like her human self.

Yet Annie enjoys holding you in her hands, using a thumb to lightly touch you.

Another reason she'd use her titan form is if you try to escape.

You won't get far with broken or missing gear.

Allowing Annie to pick you up, pop you in her mouth, and keep you there as she walks you back to that damn hideout.

Annie wants her obsession to love her. She really does.

But Annie won't delude herself, either.

She's a monster... you can't love a monster...

She loves you way too much to let you go, not when she finally can taste the happiness she craves.

[concreteparasite]

I have horrible taste in men so naturally Double ended up being my favorite lmao, what are some facts you can share with us about him?

Double is a total psycho. I intentionally keep his more recentish backstory with MC kinda vague because I want people to be able to spin their own stories about MC and Double's interactions.

Here is some lore that isn't really touched on in the game:

- Double and MC are childhood sweethearts. Double has a really bad time growing up and because of it latched onto MC when they showed him kindness (defended him from bullying) Double sees MC as his one only 'family member' which is why he is PISSED when MC ditches him, he has abandonment issues stemmed DEEP from childhood and everything he has done up to that point is to guarantee MC won't leave him. So MC leaving him was next level betrayal for him.

Double was very sweet on MC as a kid he was bullied and MC stood up for him. Then when Double's affections were not received (or more likely) misunderstood he ended up using his ability to gain fame amongst their peers and started teasing, bulling and butting heads with MC while in middleschool. In highschool he kinda watched from afar and swooped in to become friends with MC senior year, where after they kinda just stayed together, college and on. In Double's mind it was always only MC all along. Which is why he says "more than family"

- I was thinking about making small character bios (but ultimately decided not to so I didn't feature creep) but in Double's bio for 'attraction' I was going to write: "Fortune favors the bold, and so does Double". Meaning that Double is attracted to bold personalities, someone that will push back against him and won't back down until they get what they want. Which is why by being rude to him or blunt towards him you will gain love points lol. Double likes a bad bitch.

- Double doesn't really feel 'love' in the same way most people do. He feels desperation , possessiveness, and anger, but 'love' is something that is a very...distant feeling for someone like him. He is a manipulator and ultimately a selfish person. He doesn't care much about MC's wellbeing, just that they will stay around.

- On Double's ending he leaves the front door open for MC to see if they will get away. He wants to watch them escape with their own determination. He is also smart enough to know that if he hangs around the apartment for too long Binary Star will find him and kill him. Ultimately, Double values his own life above everything else, so he isn't willing to bat the hornets nest unless he knows MC still has some force of will in them to get away. And that they are far enough away that they won't be under the watchful eye of Binary Star.

- Double studied architecture in college before he and MC dropped out into a life of crime. MC needed the money, so Double was game to help, as his ability (teleportation) is very useful.

- Double's weapon of choice is a black fixed blade tactical bowie knife.

- Double is 5'10

I left MC's ability (or lack thereof) vague because I wanted the player to decide if their MC had an ability or not and what it was.

Anyways, there's some facts off the top of my head. Anything else you are wondering, feel free to ask 💕

[codenamesazanka]

Toga dying for the IzuOcha ship to born like Neji did for NaruHina... I hate it here

Because Toga being used for the possible romantic plot of them is just... horrible, it leaves me with a bad taste and I kind of liked Ochako and now I fear I'll dislike her (it depends on the next chapter, but two are too little to wrap everything)

I REMEMBER THAT. NEJI. I liked Neji.

No, it's absolutely horrible. Even putting aside the fact that a canonically bisexual character is killed off to make away for mandatory Shounen Jump het romance (or even just the hint of it) - probably cluelessly unintentional, but very abhorrent - just. Toga as a character, Toga and her very vital themes for the story, being ended just to serve some kind of dumb confession scene? Essentially their little schoolyard crush being prioritized over the very story conceit of 'saving'? what the hell man. Toga gets fridged for this???

And also. It's Tsuyu and Deku who notices Ochako's distress, Tsuyu being the one who was there for the Toga/Ochako fight, but it's Deku who finds her/goes to find her because he's soooo heroic. Because he sees that she looked like she needed help; he saw through the smiling mask. She's crying and now he's here to save her.

BUT remember it's Deku being the one who broke Toga's last thread of hope. Who dismissed Toga's confession as 'you're weird and I don't get you'. dumbass fucking kid and awful choice.

All that said. I do have some hope that while Deku and Ochako get a moment and a hint to a future relationship, they can't do anything right now because they're both totally fucked up about the war and villains and saving. They just develop a stronger bond and greater commitment to changing things.

(Because they have to change things now. their guilt is normal. given who they are - kind people at heart who became heroes to help people - they have to feel guilt, whether their villain dying is their fault or not (Shigaraki dying is def Deku's fault; Toga dying if she is actually dead is not Ochako's fault, unless you consider her refusing to engage/'talk about romance' with Toga until the very last desperate minute to be a factor). Their single act of saving just isn't enough. Having the thought of 'i want to save' was never going to be enough. it was always going to be a good start - but that's it: a start. so they have to take a good hard look at everything around them and really roll up their sleeve. Awful that it took until this; awful that much like everything else, it's too late for the Heroes to fix anything. But they must turn minuses not just into zeroes, but into positives.)

But sacrificing Toga for that? 🔪

[jester089]

FUN IDEIA ALERT!!!

FUN IDEIA ALERT!!!

Spoopy season requires spoopy things

sooo i was kinda of thinking Ghost!child reader with the gang (platonic, always!)

Lemme explain it to ya, So i wanted to see some hc of an spirit child reader whos soul got stuck into the digital circus, how, you say? Lets say that in the moment that reader putted the headset something fell in their head, killing them instantly, since reader was wearing the Headset, instead of their body and conscience go to the digital circus, their soul got there! Their appearance being something peaceful and pleasing to the eye, like Reader's appearance are a child covered in white robes with some gold details and a flower crown. But reader's eyes represent constant sadness, like there are always rivers of tears falling off their eyes who (strangely) doesnt make a mess on the floor, kinda like Gangle's tears but more sad

If you go close enough to Reader you can hear multiple whispers, inaudible ones cuz its multiple whispers at one time but only Reader can understand them. If they question what the whispers says, Reader will say: "its the voices lamenting." In a full echoish-whisperish voice.

BUUT theres more!

Since reader is a spirit they can lift things with their mind, dim the lights and go invisible (ghost things)

Reader rarely express any other emotion than sadness, but when they snap... OH BOI

Reader will go full hostile mode, their appearance distorts into something really creepy, like their eyes will go full pitch black and the tears turns into some glitchy goo, their robes getting slightly black in the edges, Reader will start throwing things around with their mind and scream loud as hell, basically like a ghost tantrum.

Im very excited with this ideia AAAA

- 🦇

Crying child

Ik that isn't what you meant. But the first thing my mind went to is the crying children from fnaf. Also this sounds honestly really hard to write for. I ain't gonna just not write it though. I wasn't really sure if you wanted headcannons or a oneshot. But this felt like a more oneshot-ish request so I did that. TADC Crew x Child Ghost Reader

You were one of the first people to arrive at the digital circus. You were around 6 when you first arrived and are now much older. But being trapped here as well as being dead had taken it's toll on your young mind so you still act around the same as when you first arrived. Still easily excitable, still gullible, still sad. You really were like a ghost. Not only because you were literally a ghost but you rarely spoke unless spoken to and would just quietly float around an endless stream of tears falling from your eyes. You also had the tendency to just stare at people. You had an aura of sadness around you. The occasional quiet sob and endless depressed whispers that always followed you around made it hard to be around you for long periods of time. Their's a lot of mental problems in the circus already, and you sure as hell ain't gonna help. When you are happy, which is rare you're quite nice to be around. The tears and whispers stop and you really do feel like just a normal kid to the others. Now anger is a different story. When you're angry Caine has to actually lock you up cause you've killed a few people. Your usual appearance resembles a fallen angel. Snapped halo, dirtied once pristine white robes lined with gold. But when you're angry it flips. Your robes singe at the edges leaving behind a brownish blood red color your halo sinks into your head and is replaced by a single broken pure red horn. The fact that your soul is in the circus makes you have some kind of power. You don't really use it cause you don't know how. But when you're mad at someone it is proper time to freak out because you've deleted a few people. You always feel horrible afterwards but their isn't anything you can do for them. The ones who have been abstracted at least have a chance of being helped. The ones you deleted not so much. So in the rare occurrence that you're around everyone they do their best to keep you calm, and to keep Jax away from you (He doesn't believe you're a threat.)

(Another kind of strange request. Sorry if this isn't good. I just didn't really know what to write. I did my best though. Hope you enjoyed it.)

xoxo, Jester

[sapphic-agent]

I really hope my ask won't be seen as mean, hope to word correctly....bc your last post about how Eri and Shig do share some common ground. I agree but it irks me how LoV stans use this to make shig sound not so bad.

Many fics and arts where "shig saved Eri" exists as Eri is an accessory for Shig and nothing else.

I do see the paralels here. I do wonder about the mother....did overhaul killed her?

It's very convenient for the heroes to label Eri's quirk as good ...bc if she had just decay...she would be label as having a bad quirk. Maybe the heroes wouldn't care much. (Makes me wonder where are the healing quirks or medical advancement in this world)

But while they have a similar backstory...how Izu would possible know? I sincerely ask here bc AM went radio silence regards Shig to Izu, same with Gran and the police did a really lousy investigation (I'm assuming is lousy bc we don't see what they did and whatever they did it was one time thing) and didn't share the infos with Izu.

Does Izu knows about the nomus?

Im even surprised he knows shig is TENKO...but of course, such reveal is underwealming as fuck and him and Nana don't take at all.

Izu is mistreated by the narrative and no one talks to him ever.

Not to harpy on your post bc I agree this could have been useful....but like how Izu would know anything about Shig? Unless Shig tells or Izu becames the best hacker ever...or reads mind...he can't know. Ever.

I've said this before, but the reason Izuku doesn't understand Shigaraki is because they haven't interacted enough prior to the Final War.

Their conversation at the mall was a good moment. It shows that a) Izuku has the capacity to resonate with a villain's intent AND disagree with their actions (Stain), b) Shigaraki at this point didn't have a goal or direction, and c) it IS possible for Izuku to understand why hero society is corrupt. It also highlights the differences between them, attempting to show them as complete opposites.

The mall scene was a great way to explain the dynamic between them. And it's something that should have been expanded on throughout the story.

Admittedly, I don't know how Shigaraki's backstory would come up. But I'm sure it wouldn't be a hard thing to do. Didn't All Might pull up Tenko Shimura's disappearance? Maybe Izuku figures it out on his own somehow. Idk.

But to me, it doesn't even specifically have to be Tenko's actual past. It could be an implied thing that Izuku learns from watching how people treat Eri. Hell, part of him already has a clue from his fight with Shinsou.

(One thing I actually hate about Izuku's character is his inability to acknowledge the corruption of society despite being a victim of it. He started off being able to do this with Stain, but for some reason that just went away. He studies under Endeavor, even defends him to Dabi and tells Todoroki he's ready to forgive him. Lady Nagant spelled it out for him and he just... Doesn't react. Doesn't even think about what she said. This is on Horikoshi's awful writing decisions, but it's the one criticism of Izuku that's 100% valid)

Eri shouldn't be used for Shigaraki's redemption. I honestly wouldn't want her around any of the LOV, that's putting her in danger to make another character look better. It's the same issue that I have with Aizawa making Bakugou watch her.

But I do think that Izuku's experiences with the people around him- which includes Eri- should give him a broader worldview. That's typically how development and growth work. If Izuku was going to reach out and try to save Shigaraki, it should have been with an understanding of how society failed Shigaraki.

Saving him also could have meant a lot of different things. Saving Shigaraki from AFO's influence/brainwashing wasn't a bad goal. Saving him from himself, though, is different. People have to want to change, you can't make them. You can give them support, but Izuku wasn't in a position to do so because he's, y'know, a sixteen year old who isn't even an official pro hero. Of course he wasn't equipped for this. Most actual pros wouldn't have been

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Outfoxed: Part Two

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2k

Summary: Derek has had enough and decides now is the time to work bringing you home. The team is working on two cases and stretching their agents thin but they'll do anything to bring you back into Spencer's arms.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Season Five Masterlist

Author’s Note: I know I'm going to piss some people off with the way I wrote the trial and the gathering of evidence but remember, this is fiction and it's my story. I'm making it easy and convenient. I know this isn't how trials work.

I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

When Emily gets the message from JJ, she repeats it back to Hotch. They've already arrived at the prison and kept their heads down as they walked past the cells housing some of the most dangerous criminals.

"So, why wait a year to send Karl a note? Unless they were communicating the whole time?"

"That's the first thing we need to find out. Karl has a big ego. He's gonna want to answer a question with a question. The first thing he's gonna want to know is why I'm not wearing my wedding ring. Then, he's gonna want to describe to you in graphic detail every sexual act he committed with the families."

"To freak me out?"

"To pull you into his fantasy. More than anything, he's going to want to see the images of the children."

"We can't give him that."

"We have to give him something or we'll get nothing from him." Hotch and Emily walk into the interrogation room they've placed Karl in, and the criminal smirks when he sees them. "Hello, Karl."

"Agent Hotchner." His eyes flit over Emily. "I didn't know you were sending... they just told me two agents"

"Karl, this is Agent--"

"Emily Prentiss. I know all about you."

Hotch takes out files and only sets out certain evidence for him to look at while keeping most of it hidden.

"It appears you have a fan."

"Admirer. Not a fan. Big difference, right?"

"Is this the first time you've been contacted by your admirer?"

"I have many fans. Even on my own website. Don't you? You'd be astounded by some of the questions they ask. I make a log of all of them. Would you like to read some?"

"I would love to," Emily says.

"You'd love to? Here." He puts a file on the desk right by him. "Look."

Emily reaches over the table to grab it and Karl immediately leans in to smell her hair. Hotch snatches the file away and Emily backs off, but the damage has been done.

"Your admirer is taking wedding rings, just like you. Maybe not for the same reason."

"Like how you took all of mine. You took mine," Karl says to Hotch. "I see... you lost yours."

"Eight rings, four families. Or was it one ring for each family?"

"How'd you come to lose your ring?" Karl laughs before Hotch can answer. "Wait, don't tell me. A casualty of the job."

"My job is what put you here."

"True. Then, it's the children who suffer most. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You'd know more about that than me," Hotch glares.

"Which is why you came to me. I can help you with that, Agent Hotchner. I certainly can, but I'll need to see those photos. May I?"

"Can we talk for a second?" Emily asks Hotch before he has a chance to see those pictures.

"Is there a problem, Emily?"

"No," Hotch answers for her, the two of them leaving the room with the files in hand.

"We cannot show him these."

"These images will be his undoing and our way in."

"They're not just images."

"That's exactly what they are."

"We can't use Lucy like that."

"It's a tradeoff we have to make."

"You're saying we're going to use a dead twelve-year-old in a bathing suit as a bargaining chip? For what?"

"To him, it's not just a photograph. It's much, much more, and we need to know what."

"I've never done this before," she sighs.

"You don't have to now."

"Yes, I do."

"Alright. When I feel he's ready to talk, I'll leave the room. You get him talking. Whatever he does, whatever you feel, just stay on script. We need to know why he killed those families."

While half the team is working endlessly on the current case, Derek and Spencer head back to the BAU to work with Penelope on your case. Derek knocks once and enters her office. She is surprised to see them back when there is an active case, and Derek explains before she can question it.

"I need you to work your magic, baby girl. We're helping Y/N regardless of what Strauss says."

"Yes, I knew you'd come around," she grins. She wheels her chair over to the set of monitors on the side. She already has files saved dedicated to your case and she pulls up every single one of them. "I looked into her whereabouts during each of the murders, and I happened to come across two videos before Strauss shut everything down. I cross-referenced her face against any kind of video across the country. I haven't watched them but I did manage to save them before the shutdown."

She plays the first video which is a grainy CCTV footage of a hotel a few states away from Virginia. This was when the team was out on a case so they watch Hotch, Rossi, Emily, JJ, and Derek walk into the lobby of the hotel. You and Spencer walk in behind them holding hands. Spencer sighs silently at the fact that he hasn't held our hand in a long time. Two and a half months is a lifetime when it comes to you. The second video is a grainy CCTV video of you at the gas station. You paid cash but it clearly shows you walk inside the place to pay.

"That proves she was in that hotel and at that gas station at that time with us. How does it connect to the murders?" Derek asks.

"I looked at the only two autopsies for two of the victims. Juan Lopez and John Dimateo died on the night you checked into the hotel. Police were so blinded by the fact that there was all this evidence against her that they didn't want to look into this. They were dead a week before being found by police. You were on a case for the first few days of them being dead."

"It's like the police don't want to know the possibility that someone else did this. Why are they so stubborn? Why aren't they looking into this more?" Spencer asks.

"Great job, mama, but this only clears her for two of the seven murders. She needs to be cleared on all seven."

"Yeah, I'm working on it."

"Kid, go talk to your neighbors. There may be something someone saw or someone roaming the hallways near your apartment. PD wouldn't have done this because they're confident that the case is closed."

"Okay," Spencer nods and leaves her office.

"Baby, look for footage of everything related to those seven murders. There has to be someone who knows something. I'm going to go to the ME's office and see if there is a connection through the victims."

"Okay, got it."

Derek kisses the side of her head and leaves her office with his phone in his hands. He quickly texts Hotch an update on your case. Hotch sees the message and keeps it under wraps right now. He and Emily have a goal right now, and that's to get Karl talking. Both of them walk back inside the interrogation room and Karl stands up.

"You want to see, don't you?"

"Very much."

"We're going to show you." Hotch takes out the pictures of the crime scene photos. Karl looks at them with wide eyes. "This is the home of the Downey family. There were three children."

"How old?"

"Twelve, nine, and four. A girl and two boys."

"Where were they found?"

"Backyard."

"Buried... Interesting."

"Laura, the mother, and the two boys were killed in the house." He shows the picture of the master bedroom. "This is where the mother and the youngest son were killed. The other boy was shot in the bedroom closet."

"Where's the father?"

"Overseas. The killer knows this."

"He knows everything about this family, and he watches their every move to be sure he achieves what he needs." Karl chuckles. "You have no idea how he knows the father is gone or how he targets these families, and the how. That's the key. The how is why he was able to catch me."

"You watched the families for days."

"Weeks. I got to know them, but not your guy. He doesn't need weeks. If he did, he'd stay longer."

"Why?"

"So he can enjoy them. What I don't understand is why he didn't separate the children. That way you have more control. No room for error. Why he didn't put the boys in separate rooms and say, 'If you cry, I'll have to kill Mommy'? Tell me, how did the girl die?"

"She was drowned."

"Yet the others were shot. May I see her?"

Emily doesn't give him the chance and stakes the files away from him.

"What's so special about the girl?"

"To suffocate her. To feel the life leave her body means everything to the man who did this."

"To you, maybe, but not to this killer. Not in the same way."

"All I did was show them how weak fathers could be. That's all."

"Every child you killed you abused physically. For this man, there is no sexual gratification."

"At least I spared the fathers the grief of living."

Emily sighs, takes out her phone, and sends a quick text to Penelope who responds even faster. How is it going? We're working as quickly as we can. Penelope has not stopped looking into your case since Derek and Spencer left her office. She continues to use her database to get a match of your face on cameras around the time of the murders, and she looks for videos regarding the areas where the murders took place.

She comes across a video that's too dark to make anything out, but the person holding the camera moves underneath a street light. She can see down an alley where there are cars on either side of the street. She assumes a man steps out into the light but the person filming is too far away to see any notable features. The man (she assumes it's a man because of his height and build) drags a victim out of the car and begins stabbing him. The crime scene photos of Chase Williams compared to the place in the video are exact except one is with the sun out and the other with the moon out.

That makes you clear for three of the seven. She dials Derek and gets him on the second ring.

"Hey, I found a video of Chase Williams getting murdered by the unsub. I compared it to the crime scene where he was found. Y/N is much smaller than the person I saw. No defined features, I'm afraid."

"Good. Keep that in evidence."

"You got it." Derek hangs up the phone and turns to the ME who agrees to see him. She hasn't done all seven autopsies yet due to being backed up which is why only two were released to the public. "Sorry, Doc. You were saying?"

"Eric Price and Jeffrey Rideback have injuries far older than when they were found."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning they were dead long before they were found."

"We came to that same conclusion with the first two victims, the ones whose autopsies were released. Can you determine the date of death?"

"Based on the severe bruising around Eric's eyes and Jeffrey's neck, and the state of decomposition, I'd say they were dead two weeks before when they were found."

"When can you get the autopsies done?"

"By the afternoon."

"I'd like them faxed over to our technical analyst as soon as you get them done."

"Sure."

If these two men were dead two weeks before they were found, then that means you couldn't have done it. Two weeks before their discoveries, you were out of town with Spencer. He has receipts that show you were in another county and footage from the security cameras on the cabin you rented. Whoever killed these men must have been in a blind rage because he would have thought about all of this before doing it.

That makes you five of the seven murders. He needs to clear you on all seven for you to be released. He takes out his phone and calls Rossi to check in on the team.

"Hey, how's it going over there?"

"There's been another murder but we've got it handled over here. Focus on Y/N right now. We got this."

"Thank you."

x

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