#brief roy harper mention

[iwishiwasawhiteguyin1985]

Literally, bc ollie for all his faults legit tries to be there for his family and even if he doesnt get it quite right, steps up for them however he can.

Like ‘oh, my teenage son is being teen angsty and wants space? Okay. Ill uh…. Ill be right here. I will aggressively remind him im here on occasion and just watch and uhhh….. ope hes going too far so nooe, sorry kid, hi yeah no you dont get to tell me to fuck off this time nice try’

And bruce gets like…. So personally affronted by it. Like… teenage dick being a teenager??? And angsty??? And wanting and having friends and to be his own person? ‘Okay fine then bye leave the manor and you are no linger my robin’

Like wtf?????

Now i do enjoy fanon good dad bruce, i like those stories where bruce actually has a good grasp on what mental health is but like…. I find the ones where hes toxic AF and his kids eventually force him to see that post time stream incident are way more realistic imo. Idk. They just seem more true to him.

I also love it when fics have more than the bat fam in them and those other people call them out on their absolute bullshit. Like…. Please do. Please inform them of how fucked up this all is.

I also honestly prefer fics where it focuses on the kids and leaves bruce out of it bc like, lbr…. Bruce was always Batman. He wasnt really much of a dad. I think theres moments where he kinda tried that with Jason but he never fully got there and then jason died and it wasnt until damian that he kinda tried to be a dad again. But even then it was meh.

Idk these are just my thoughts. Theres things i like abt fanon but. Yeah.

Literally all the other mentors seem to care more about their sidekicks/proteges than B does. Like don’t get me wrong i think Bruce does care, but I also just think he doesn’t have the capacity to really truly show them and care for them the way a dad should. Not really.

Like again, i do enjoy a good good-dad-bruce fic but. They are very clearly deeply rooted in fanon with a pinch of some of these events happened in canon at some point. Like Jason dying.

(Which, i know, part of that is bc what on gods green earth is the canon continuity, you really gotta not squint too hard theres too many conflicting timelines so to an extent you have to just kind… mash puzzle pieces together but also…. I feel like it’s a thing that a lot of good dad bruce fics really stretch that to the extreme.)

So yeah. Thats my comments. Im running on like enough hours awake that Tim starts getting concerned looks and comments about how sleep is a good thing so take my ramblings with a grain of salt.

becoming a fan of non-bat characters really will suddenly make the batfam seem insufferable and render 99% of batfics unreadable😭

"bruce takes in roy and shows him what a REAL father figure is" i think oliver should go tell bruce to shoot himself

[varpusvaras]

Friend, I am frothing at the mouth over your protective!Roy snippets. The way you had him go to tend to Jason's helmet, only to then piece together he was hit outside of true combat, by Batman, his father...ughhh. And the way he KNOWS every scratch on said helmet! That is love. God. Like, consider me obsessed.

I would read 100k words of this little jayroy world you've carved, if I could. I hope you continue to post about this particular version of them. 🥰

I will admit (this comes as news to probably pretty much no one who has read my stuff before lmao) I am a sucker for protective characters in relationships. Like that is the number one thing that gets me going. I will be writing it in. Roy and Jason both do display protectiveness and isn't that the good stuff. Roy especially is just such a perfect character to me in so many ways (just by himself, not just talking in ships). He is loving and soft and gentle and fierce and strong and emotional but stable at the same time (yes it makes sense if you look at him). I am a firm believer that Roy is the character who has all the rights to beat up shitty parents for free. He would be able to see that yes, Batman is someone who does a lot of good and isn't a bad person per se, but it's still not okay. It's not okay. One reason I like jayroy is that they just narratively complete each other as individuals in many ways, and I think Roy being someone who can actually see Jason and be so protective of him is a goldmine regarding them. Good stuff, good stuff indeed.

I would absolutely write that 100k for you in a heartbeat if I had just a little more time (hopefully things become a little less hectic after the New Years, I say, as my Master's Thesis is looming over my shoulder, reminding me that I need to write it too-), but I am going to continue giving smaller bits for ya'll in here because I am frankly just as obsessed. Seriously, I am in trouble.

[issdisgrace]

FAMILY DINNER

WARNINGS: None

Another week, another family dinner. I don’t even know why I have to attend to these damn things. I got better things to do. I sigh as I enter the manor. Making my way to the dining room, knowing everyone would be there already, considering I’m 5 minutes late. Walking into the dining room, there is everyone as expected. I take note that next time I should be 10 to 15 minutes late rather than 5 minutes, so I can just eat and leave.

“Look who finally arrived.” Bruce says everyone’s attention turning to me. 

“Fuck off. You’re lucky I’m even here.” I say as I go to sit down next to the short stack. Of course, they would sit me next to the short stack. As I sit, the talking amongst one another continues up again. I pull out my phone to check if Roy responded to my text about going bowling and getting plastered this weekend. Of course, he didn’t respond yet. God, I wish it didn’t take literally fucking hours for him to reply to one text. Sighing to myself, I switch over and text Y/n. 

‘When I’m done here, can we go out and get drinks? I already feel like I’m going to one or four.’

‘I have a business meeting at 7 tomorrow that I have to get up early for so unfortunately no, but I can go out and grab you whatever.’

‘Ok. Could you get me a bottle of the good Russian vodka?’

‘Sure. Do you want anything else?’

‘No.’

‘Alright.’

I turn off my phone and place it down on the table. I go to listen to everyone else conversations when Damian asks,

“Todd, why are you wearing a wedding ring?” His question causes everyone to stop talking and look at me, leaving a oh so lovely silence. Great, I didn’t expect to be telling everyone tonight I was married. I guess it’s been a long time coming.

“Because I’m married.”

“What!!” Everyone exclaims.

“Since when.” Dick asks.

“Since a year ago. After being with my partner for 3 years.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Bruce speaks up.

“Well dear ole dad. I didn’t tell you guys I was dating anyone because I didn’t need any of you snooping into my life. Then I didn’t tell you I got married because I didn’t need you guys snooping into my life.”

“Pretty valid.” Tim says, looking up from his phone. 

“That’s what I thought too, Tim tam.”

“Rude, we just want to know if who you’re seeing is good for you.” Dick says.

“They are good for me and Alfred already approved of them, so do with that what you will.” 

“Alfred knew.” Dick practically shouts.

“Yes, I did, master dick. ‘’ Alfred says, coming out of practically nowhere with dinner. 

“I don’t know why you’re surprised dick, Alfred knows everything.” Tim said. 

“Well, does Alfred know everything about the person Jason’s married to?”

“I know quite about Master Jason’s husband, but I wouldn’t say I know everything about him.” Alfred says as he begins placing food in front of everyone, one by one.

“Husband!!” Dick exclaimes.

“Oh no, I’m married to a man.”

“He didn’t mean it like Jason. It’s just a little shocking.” Bruce says 

“I don’t care what way he met it…” 

“What is his name Todd?” Damian asks cutting me off. 

“Why do want to know, short stack?”

“I am curious as to who in their right mind would date or marry you.” 

“Oh fuck you. If you really want to know who I’m married to so badly, I’ll tell you guys but after that I’m going to eat and go home and you’re not going to bother me, ask me questions about my husband, or stalk my husband and do a background check on him. Alright.”

“Alright.” Most of them respond.

“His name is Y/n L/n.”

“Isn’t he an actor and like 40?” Tim asks.

“Yes, and he’s not 40, he is 38.”

“Damn.” Dick says.

“You got a problem with it, dick head.”

“No, he’s just what 13 years older than you.”

“Yes, and I don’t care. He loves me. He helps patch me up when I need help. He cooks for me. He gets me anything I want. And the sex is good, so what more could I want or need?” 

“We didn’t need to know the last part, Todd.” 

“Well, count your blessings that I didn’t say what we did.”

“Thank you for sparing the details, Jason.”

“Your welcome, old man. Now I’m fucking hungry and want to eat and go home, so no more questions.”

“Alright, Jason and we will respect your on not stalking, running background check, or anything of the sort on your husband. Right boys.”

“Right.” The others respond.

[albatmobile]

Cardinal Sins Chapter 10

𓅪 Living with your vigilante boyfriends for the past year has been amazing, well, almost. Butting heads, old wounds resurfacing and a deadly threat still looming overhead could threaten the sanctity of everything you've ever fought for. Will you finally overcome your tainted past and survive the trials and tribulations, or will your relationships and your faith crumble under the pressure?

Rated: E | 10.5k | TW: violence | Contains: reconciliation, a new player enters the arena, court shenanigans, smut, praise kink, anal sex, oral fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist] Previous in Series: Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds

Chapter Ten: Ready to Let Go

A week later, you get a letter saying your parents want to see you this upcoming weekend. You can’t help but think that maybe things could be looking up after all.

While reading the letter, you suddenly feel eyes on you. Your eyes shoot up instantly, catching a brief glimpse of blonde hair. If you didn’t know any better, you’d swear the person had been Samantha. You blink exaggeratedly before rubbing at your eyes to confirm that you’re 100% just sleep deprived and that it’d all been a mirage. After all, it’s not easy to get much sleep when every time you close your eyes, you just see him.

You don’t know what comes over you, but you don’t mention your parent’s letter to anyone. It’s for the best anyway, considering both men are more preoccupied with putting a cranky, sugar-crazed Lian to sleep than they are with the wrinkled paper in your hand.

“She get into the snack cabinet again?” you ask, highly amused with the entire situation.

Roy’s tired, light green eyes narrow. “What do you think?”

You snort, “When you’re tired, you sound just like, Jay, baby.”

Roy sticks out his tongue, which you quickly suck into your mouth. Your lips meet his chapped ones briefly before he’s forced to pull apart when Lian begins to wail. 

“I’M NOT TIRED!”

“That’s exactly what someone who’s tired would say,” Roy responds tonelessly with a sigh. 

“DAD, I’M NOT,” she cries. Seeing dad isn’t going to budge, she switches her tactics. “DADDY!” 

Jason just shakes his head as he reaches down to scoop her up into his muscular arms. “You want me to read to you?” 

The red, tear-faced little girl sniffles as she weighs her options. Her dark eyes move from Jason, to you, then to Roy before falling on Jason again. She gives a cute nod and cuddles into his neck while she pouts at her exhausted dad. As Jason carries Lian to her room, you hear the little girl mumble to her daddy, “Dad was mean to me.” 

Jason laughs, “Dad gets mean when he’s tired, just like another Harper I know.”

With Lian finally being put down for a nap, Roy wastes no time in picking you up and throwing you over his shoulder.

“The fuck, Roy!” you exclaim as you grasp at his shirt. You know there’s no way he’d ever drop you, you know, considering he does the whole hero thing for a living and all, but still, being upside-down is never comforting. 

Instead of responding, he drops you down on the bed before slinking over to you.

“Wanna makeout?” he asks.

You smirk lightly. “I thought you were tired.”

“Yeah,” he says as he straddles you. You quirk a questioning brow as he then leans down so that his lips are mere centimeters from yours. “That was until you fucked my tongue.”

Your nose wrinkles in distaste. “What a fucking gross way to describe what I did.”

“Just kiss me already, princess,” he murmurs before capturing your lips with his. His soft hands gently come up to cup your cheeks, deepening the kiss steadily as he does so until, eventually, he teasingly slips the tip of his tongue into your mouth. You flick at the appendage, chasing after it when it retreats to lewdly draw him back into your mouth.

Jason walks in to see Roy straddling your torso, grinding down into you while the two of you gasp dramatically into each other’s mouths. At the clearing of Jason’s throat, Roy breaks away but only briefly to throw his shirt off, then yours, before diving back in. 

“Baby,” you whimper breathlessly. You feel the bed shift and easily break away to drag Jason in for an equally salacious kiss. “You guys should fuck and let me watch,” you say, the words rushing out from your saliva-covered lips before you can stop them.

Both men pull away from each other abruptly, looking from each other, to finally stare dumbfounded you.

“You wouldn’t be jealous?” Jason asks. The tone of his voice carries a hint of guilt, though why, you can’t place.

You shrug. “Of course not. You’ve both watched me fuck the other; why wouldn’t I want to see that, too?”

Roy just smirks devilishly. “Oh, you have no idea the dirty shit I’m thinking about right now, baby,” Roy purrs and makes to pull Jason back in, but the raven-haired man stops him gently. 

“We should tell her,” Jason cautions quietly, as if the conversation is meant to stay between Roy and himself. “It doesn’t feel right.” Roy gulps inadvertently in response as the mood suddenly shifts. Jason exhales as he faces you again, “We fucked while you were in your coma.” The last part of his sentence comes out somewhat hesitantly, like he doesn’t want to beat around the bush but also doesn’t want to completely sour the mood.

You blink owlishly as you take in the news. “I feel like we’ve already been over this,” you start with a smile easily forming across your heated cheeks. “I don’t care who fucks who as long as it stays between the three of us,” you say, feeling your cheeks heat up even more as you do. 

“We’re in the clear?” Roy asks impishly as he quickly looks between Jason and you. “You’re not mad?” 

“I won’t be mad as long as you show me exactly what you two did,” you supply coquettishly. 

Before either of them seems to process your demand, you’re already scooting back on the bed, undressing as you go. Once naked, you lean against your shared pile of pillows. The act seems to spur them into action as they giddily rid themselves of their clothes, too. They’re making out again as you slowly spread your thighs, gently trailing up and down the soft skin of your inner thighs to tease yourself for what’s to come.

They’re both entirely too eager and swiftly move on to the next step as you finally grant yourself some relief by delving between your wet lips. It’s then that Roy begins stretching Jason’s ass, his light green eyes flickering between Jason on his knees and you on your back with your legs spread. Jason seems to notice his divided attention and arches his ass to further present his twitching hole to your boyfriend. All the while, the doggy-style position means that Jason’s facing you head-on, which only serves to make you exaggerate your moans even further.

You finally tickle at your inner folds, dragging lewdly through your slick as you watch Roy’s thick mechanical fingers steadily bob in and out of Jason’s ass. You try to take your time and pace it so that you’re not too close by the time Roy finally pushes into Jason’s tight hole. From here, your eyes flicker greedily between your hot boyfriends, catching their sex-dazed eyes as you do.

“You’re shit’s so fucking tight,” Roy groans in appreciation as he places his hands on Jason’s cheeks to spread them. “Taking my cock so good, Jay,” the redhead praises breathily.

“Well,” you and Jason correct absentmindedly in unison, pause, then laugh. 

“To think you guys call me a fucking loser,” Roy chides half-heartedly as he picks up his pace once again, earning a surprised moan from Jason’s supple lips.

It’s only been a few minutes into them fucking, but you find yourself shaking, leaving you embarrassed after having come so soon without any real stimulation. You move to close your blushing thighs when Jason suddenly stops you.

“When have we ever just let you come once, babe?”

You groan shakily in response to Jason’s rhetorical question and allow your thighs to ease back open. He’s close enough already to reach your slick-covered pussy and wastes no time in teasing your sensitive folds. Your whole body reacts to the first contact, arching lewdly with your chest bouncing as you do so as you let out a wobbly exhale.

“Never,” you breathe.

Jason’s tongue travels across all the familiar spots he knows drive you crazy, even going so far as to slow down his movements to achingly tease you further. If he’s going to play games, so are you. Though every moan is very much real, you turn up your reactions, feeling his ministrations below fervently speed up as you do so.

“Such a fucking slut for her pussy, aren’t you, Jay?” Roy teases Jason gruffly, followed by a smack on his ass that sends Jason surging forward into your cunt. The added pressure leaves you panting and pushing further against his mouth for greater friction. Jason only allows this for so long, though, before he goes back to playful flicks, light pressure and avoiding your throbbing clit.

“Mmm,” Jason moans against your slit. The vibrations are nearly too much and, if it weren’t for Roy’s next words, you know you’d probably be the one coming undone instead of Jason.

“Show her that’s our pussy, love,” Roy says, his half-lidded eyes never once leaving yours as the words leave his smirking, chapped lips. 

“Please,” you beg, quaking when Jason doubles down and actually gives you the friction you’ve been so desperately chasing after. His heavenly tongue soon slinks in and out of your dripping hole, slurping up your want as he goes along. With one hand clenched like a lifeline in the sheets below, your other quickly moves to fist Jason’s inky locks to force his mouth exactly where you need it. “Yes! Right there, Jay. Don’t fucking move,” you breathlessly curse at him. 

If your eyes hadn’t already rolled all the way to the back of your head, you’d probably notice the animalistic look behind Roy’s usually tame, verdant gaze at the erotic sight. Instead, all you can focus on is Jason’s unrelenting mouth and the intense pleasure it’s causing.

You think your pornstar-worthy moans will cause Roy to crumble first, but surprisingly, it’s Jason whose hips sputter out a large bout of come first. His breath catches hotly against your pulsating pussy and you inadvertently whine for more.

“Shit, babe,” Jason pants. When he pulls away, saliva and your want string from his mouth, connecting the two of you until he tiredly wipes away at it. 

Without another word, Roy pulls out, looking mischievous as ever. “What?” the redhead questions cheekily you as soon as he sees your dubious look. “Really weren’t going to tell me how much you’ve been holding back on me and ol’ Jay here, now were you, princess?”

“Shut up,” you groan half-heartedly, wishing you had a free pillow to knock him over the head with. “It’s probably because neither one of you has ever eaten me out like that before,” you admit and blush profusely when Jason looks your way.

“Fair enough,” Roy continues the banter easily as he slinks across the mattress towards his panting lovers. “So,” he drawls, “we’re definitely going to have to do this again and we’re definitely going to have to soundproof these walls.” You snort and Jason chuckles tiredly, though you and Roy are still very much ready to go. Roy seems to realize this too and smirks wolfishly as he slinks over to take over Jason’s spot between your legs. “You know, I can’t lie, I’m kinda hurt over here, princess,” Roy says, though he sounds anything but. His soft hands trail up and down the mix of slick and saliva that covers your inner thighs. “Saying I haven’t been taking care of you right.” His verdant eyes flicker up at your expectant form as he forms his next question. “That can’t be right, now can it?”

With this, his impish tongue pokes out to trickle across your sensitive outer lips, spurring a light sigh from you.

“No,” you respond breathlessly once Roy stops his ministrations in anticipation of an answer.

“We can’t have our princess feeling unsatisfied, now can we?” he continues teasingly. 

You both fully know that they’d never leave you unsatisfied with anything when it comes to the bedroom. It’s not at all what you’d meant at all when you said that they had never eaten you out like this before. It’s just never felt so intense.Them fucking, coupled with Jason’s expert tongue, left you with an orgasm you’d never experienced before. You can’t deny, however, that you’re ready for Roy to try and outdo him, though.

Having taken his spot, Jason moves to lay beside you, gently guiding your chin and, subsequently, your attention over to him as he gently and slowly captures your lips with his own. You find yourself melting against his body, but Roy’s swift to remind you of his promise. 

The redhead pries your thighs back open as he achingly teases his way from above your clit all the way down to your twitching hole. If Jason’s tongue was heavenly, Roy’s is downright sinful. While both know exactly how to push you over the edge with their mouths alone, Roy’s definitely pulling out new tricks that leave you gasping and sighing against Jason’s lips. With Jason’s hand placed strategically over your lower stomach, all of Roy’s movements feel amplified and, having just come down from an orgasm, you’re already feeling overly sensitive in the best possible way.

With a strategic plunging of his tongue in and out of your wet pussy, coupled with his cool, metallic thumb flicking at your clit, you feel another orgasm steadily approaching. Before you’re completely pushed over the edge, however, Roy suddenly retreats from your aching cunt.

You pull off of Jason’s lips in an instant, turning to ask Roy what’s wrong only to have to stifle a laugh as he waddles over on his knees to come all over your abused pussy. The redhead comes with a shaky exhale and groan as his hips jerkily rock into fist while he empties out his entire load all over your slick folds.

“You get off on eating my pussy, baby?” you ask teasingly, channeling Roy’s usual cheekiness as you watch him come undone.

“Fuck yeah,” he replies through his panting, sounding completely fucked-out. “Always.”

You lose yourself in the redhead’s minute reactions that follow and miss how Jason’s hand trails down your lower stomach all the way down to your entrance. When his calloused fingers breach your entrance, you gasp. Your hips sputter against the filled feeling and friction he’s supplying and quickly meet his knowing thrusts with shaky ones of your own.

“Your turn,” Jason says suddenly against the sensitive shell of your ear. 

“Fuck,” you curse as he swirls his fingers through Roy’s want before abruptly fucking it into your cunt. “I’m not gonna last much longer,” you admit breathily.

“Good girl,” Roy praises you with his voice leaving tantalizing vibrations across your cunt as he does.

Sure enough, with Jason fucking Roy’s come directly into your g-spot, you find release a few moments later. Your second orgasm is more intense than the first and you’d probably be embarrassed by your reaction if you hadn’t been met by your loves wanton eyes on you when you shakily focus back on them. 

“So fucking good,” you admit, though suddenly, neither are looking at you. Well, not your face, at least. No, both men’s eyes are trained on your dripping pussy where your orgasm has lewdly pushed the sticky white substance back out and onto your slick folds.

Without warning, Jason swoops down and erotically slurps up the combination of saliva and come. You half prepare yourself for him to coax it between your lips, but he moves Roy’s way instead. Completely entranced by the entire interaction, Roy willingly presents his open mouth for Jason to spit inside, with Roy swallowing obediently. A small stream trickles out from the corner of Roy’s chapped mouth, something Jason notices and quickly corrects. He lewdly laps at the fluids before forcing it back into Roy’s mouth with his dutiful tongue.

The two of them lose themselves in each other’s lips for a moment before leaning down to press gentle, wet kisses against your blushing cheeks and lips.

Completely spent, the three of you collapse backward onto the mattress together, panting lightly as you do.

“So, which one of us is cooking dinner?” you ask. The remnants of your orgasms have left you entirely too tired to cook like you’d been planning to. Not to mention, you hardly feel like moving from your bed for the rest of the evening.

It’s quiet for a beat as the bed’s other inhabitants obviously are feeling much of the same.

“Pizza?” Roy tries.

“Pizza,” Jason agrees.

•••

Later that same day, you contemplate your options. You know visiting hours are only for another hour. You’ve sat on the decision all day, but you’re no where near being closer to having an answer. With Jason and Roy out picking up food, you know this may be your only chance to slip out undetected.

You need to know.

Before you lose the will to go, your feet start moving. 

You know they’ll be back any second, so Lian will be fine and even go so far as to tell yourself that if you run into them, you won’t bother going.

When you call the elevator, you’re 90% sure it’ll open to reveal your partners, but the elevator car is empty. 

What the fuck are you doing? You berate yourself as you step inside and hit the button for the lobby. Your breathing quickens as the realization of what you’re doing crashes over you. You make to hop off, to go back inside the apartment and go to Lian’s room to play with her, but ultimately, the doors slide shut, sealing your fate.

By the time you’re across the street, you watch as your loves walk into the building, holding hands. Your heart sinks at the sight. Logically, you know you should call out to them. You should call out to them right now, but you don’t. The last thing you need is for them to talk you out of it when you’re already seconds from bailing as it is. 

With a heavy heart and unsure gate, you walk away from your family.

The prison is a decent ways away, luckily Gotham City taxi drivers are a different breed. You make it to Blackgate in under 20 minutes. 

The whole sign-in ordeal takes another 30 or so minutes, leaving only 10 minutes to speak with them by the time you’re being escorted over to the visitation room. The guard who ends up walking you over to them has been giving you weird vibes the entire time, but you ultimately end up blaming his behavior on your uneasiness with the situation. It definitely doesn’t help your unease that the entire visiting section is completely empty. 

As you sit down on the visitor side of the glass partition, you still can’t help but wonder just what’s made them change their minds. Why is this time different?

Before you can question their goodwill any further, the guard strikes.

It all happens so fast. One second, you’re waiting for your parents to join you and the next, you notice movement in the glass. Before you can react, you’re punched in the face and knocked to the ground. You scramble to get up and retaliate, but the guard, who’s now disguised by an owl mask, holds you down with a chokehold. Your face heats up as your blood floods to it, feeling as your eyes bulge out of your head before, ultimately, passing out.

•••

“LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!”

The wretched sound of scratching overtakes your senses as you watch a large group of disheveled people scratching at glass in front of you.

Their voices soon overtake each other, panicking as a putrid green fog overtakes your vision.

You laugh, but it comes out as his laugh.

“Let the fun begin,” you say, though your voice ends up coming out as Joker’s.

Suddenly, the dream halts, though your surroundings still feel hazy, as if the last few dregs of the dream, nightmare, are still overtaking your senses. You attempt to stir, but everything feels like you’re wading through water.

“That’s it,” a distorted voice encourages you.

Huh?

You try to open your eyes, but they feel heavy- like, way heavier than usual. Your mouth feels cottony, reminding you of the time in the library when you and… you and…

Your loves.

Your eyes slowly open to reveal a dark, cavernous room.

The Batcave? When did you get here? The last thing you remember was…

Oh.

You blink, attempting to clear the blurriness from your vision, but it doesn’t help any. If anything, it only causes you to fall back into the comfort of closing them, becoming instantly met with a large boat. It almost looks like the one Damian had…

Damian.

Your eyes flash open to see a dark outline of a man in front of you. All the while, your breathing picks up as you attempt to remember just what the fuck is going on, but the pounding in your temple becomes far too overwhelming. 

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” the voice jokes sinisterly. “I’ve been dying to introduce myself to a fine specimen such as yourself.”

“Sthpeth-imn?” you slur, then immediately shut your mouth. What the fuck did this dude do to you? 

“You can call me Dr. Crane for now.” His voice suddenly becomes closer, causing you to flinch. “Oh, no. Don’t be worried. No,” he reassures you with a comforting voice, though you feel anything but comforted, “this is all a part of the plan, don’t you see?” He sounds somewhat giddy now. “You’re the perfect specimen. All the others failed me- failed my genius, but not you. No, your body accepts it. It accepts what everyone else’s should’ve. I was right all along and they tried to tell me-“ he cuts himself off, chuckling darkly. “Well, they tried to tell me I’d failed,” he guffaws before growing interested in you again. “But, you see, I don’t fail and you’re the proof. The unkempt man circles around you, eyes flitting across every inch of your body as he observes your every minute reaction. “You know,” he starts conversationally, “when they first told me you were special, I didn’t believe them, but now-."

“H-” you try to ask, 'who,' but the words aren’t coming out right. “Them,” you finally manage as you attempt to ask him who else is behind this.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he responds placatingly. “By now, you’ve inhaled a majority of the vapor. All that’s left to do is let it take over.”

Crane mentioned vapor; however, the man seems largely unaffected by the greenish smog that hangs in the room. He doesn’t appear to be wearing a gas mask of any kind, either. If you’d been in your right mind, you probably would’ve attempted to interrogate the doctor, but right now, you’re focused on escaping. You’re under the influence of an experimental concoction and you don’t want to give it any more time to take effect. 

Your breathing quickens even more and you struggle against your rope restraints on the examination table. Through the haze of whatever concoction you’re breathing in, you notice a small table filled with medical equipment next to you. You fight the shivers that spread across your body as you eye a promising scalpel. 

Pretending to be more out of it than you are leads to Crane dropping his guard. He turns around and presses play on an old radio. Classical music fills the muddled air as the doctor begins to rifle through a small closet off to the side, but you don’t wait to see what he produces as you make a grab for the sharp instrument and begin to saw haphazardly against your restraints. First, your left hand, then your right. You feign being restrained when he begins to dance to the crescendo of violins and rapidly cut through the ropes around your ankles the second he turns back around to grab… a rotten sack? 

Yeah, you’re not sticking around to find out what the fuck that’s about. 

You can’t pretend you’re restrained any longer now that all the ropes are so obviously broken, so you gather every bit of sanity within yourself to slip from the metal bed to stumble over behind the man who’s too busy shoving his head inside the bag. You use the sack around his head as a weapon, quickly wrapping the remnants of rope around his neck and tugging hard, falling to the ground as he vehemently reacts. His skinny body ends up on top of you and you will yourself to follow your instincts, to follow your training, but you can hardly stay present in your mind as it is. Everything feels like a dream. The actions you make feel as if you’re wading through a mental flood to accomplish them and you know your strength isn’t anything like you’re used to, but it’s what you’ve got, so you use it anyway.

“AGH!” he exclaims as his bruised hands attempt to pry the rope off his throat. You feel him shift as he tries to turn around to grant you the same courtesy, but you shift your hips at the last second and end up on top of him. You’re panting with snot streaming from your nose as you use everything within yourself to choke him.

“Out, out,” you repeat, willing your crippling visions away as you beg him to just pass out already. After speaking, you feel droll leaking out of the corners of your mouth but you don’t dare to attempt to wipe it away. You’re giving everything into your power around the rope, screaming when your hands grow numb, whether from the white-knuckled grip you have on the hold or whatever he’s injected you with, but you can’t give up now.

All the while, his fists clash into your sides. It’s a relentless pain that only serves to keep you in the moment as you continue to drift in and out of reality.

Seconds pass, possibly minutes, before he stops struggling. The punches cease and soon, the noises spewing from his throat cease as well. Even though your hands are purple at this point, you keep the hold on him for as long as you can before you feel yourself falling to the side of Crane’s passed-out form. Upon landing on the stone ground below, you heave, effectively losing whatever’s in your stomach to the stone below.

Scratching.

You hear it as if it’s happening in this very lab- no, you can practically feel it against your skin as you gasp and shake on the ground.

You need to get up. You need to get up. Get up. Please, get up. With this mantra on repeat in your head, you force your head off the ground. Your head feels entirely too heavy for your neck and you end up failing it around like a newborn baby as you attempt to get a grip on your mind, but it’s nearly impossible. 

You think about your family, but it only makes things worse. Instead of seeing Jason, Roy and Lian, you see flashes of your parents, then Bruce. You try to calm your breathing at the calming thought of your father figure, but your pulse continues to vibrate throughout your veins in a way that makes everything hard to focus.

SLAP!

“No,” you mumble incoherently. With your visions crashing down upon you, you finally manage to make headway in standing by tugging yourself back over to the examination table and using it to support your weight as you struggle to stand. Your legs feel like absolute noodles and any time you try to move away from the table, your knees give in.

It’s then that you notice two vials of liquid on the very tray you’d stolen the scalpel from. One a half-full, toxic green and the other a deep indigo. Half-delirious, you snatch them up as quickly as you can manage, realizing only then that you’re completely naked. You stumble over to pick up a lab coat off the hook by the door as you slowly inch out of the room, placing the vials in the pockets as carefully as you can in your state of mind. 

You’re half expecting whatever building you’re in to be a maze in the way Cadmus had been, but the sight that meets you shocks you. Laid out before you is an actual maze. An absolutely gigantic one, in fact.

What the fuck.

Using the stone walls as support, you begin your arduous trek. 

You catch flickers of your parents as you wander aimlessly, following their familiar forms, only to come to a halt just when you think you’ve caught up to them. You find yourself having run into a dead end what feels like hours later, though you figure it’s only been minutes.

You heave a sigh through your pants as you force yourself to turn around to find Bruce. 

“Help,” you manage to wheeze out through your dry throat. “Safe-“

Bruce’s mirage cuts you off, “Follow.”

Though you know it’s only a figment of your imagination, the man moves quickly, like way too quickly for you to keep up with. You try to run but end up flailing and tripping over your own feet. You try to beg him to wait for you, to help you, but the man only gives you an unimpressed look. You soon realize that he’s not going to wait for you; he’s not going to budge. It’s his pace and it’s clear that you either need to catch up or find yourself left in the dust.

Dragging yourself across the stone floor, you ignore the way the porous material scratches and cuts at your skin. You need Bruce. He’s your lifeline and your only way out of here, you hazily reason. Regardless, he disappears around a corner to the left of you and, by the time you’ve dragged yourself over there, he’s disappeared completely. 

“COME BACK,” you scream out as you desperately search around for him. “PLEASE!” you try again. “Don’t leave me…” you mumble, feeling out of your body as your head bobs lucidly while you continue on your search. Your breath huffs out against the stones and you allow yourself only a few seconds to rest your head on their cold surface before once again forcing yourself to stand.

At this point, you’re flitting in and out of reality nearly every other second. You can hardly keep track of what’s real and what’s not, but you continue to move your feet as fast as you can. You break into a drunken-looking run, crashing against the stone partition at the end of this section of the maze. Groaning in pain, you notice that the impact has wedged the wall slightly open, revealing a sliver of light through the crack.

Panting, you press against the stones, groaning in pain when the hidden entrance rumbles open, sending you tumbling inside.

“Agh!”

You think you pass out for a moment, but you’re not entirely sure. When you come to again, you find yourself in what appears to be another lab, though this one looks as if it was left in a haste. 

There’s a sink to your right, so you stumble to get up and over to it to begin drinking from the tap. When the water hits your tongue, you feel slightly more awake, but end up choking on the liquid and find it hard to breathe while you try to swallow around it. Nonetheless, you force yourself to down more of the liquid, relishing in the way it clears your mind. 

By the time you’ve gotten your fill, you feel more in control of your actions, enough to suddenly notice the partially covered glass box in the middle of the room. Curtains have been hastily drawn around it, but a portion of the glass behind it is still visible.

Thereupon the glass is…

No, it can’t be.

Scratching.

”STOP!” you beg, clutching your head as the visions flow freely once again. “No more, please! NO MORE!” Your voice is completely fucked. You can’t be sure if you were screaming while you were out earlier, but fuck if it doesn’t feel like you’ve screamed your throat raw.

Weighing out your options, you hobble closer to the glass, tugging the curtains back haphazardly only to find bloodied streaks covering the visible portion of glass. What’s worse? All the discarded files you’re currently stepping on. It’s hard to read; your brain can hardly focus on escape as it is, but you understand enough to know these are lab reports. Each report is adorned with a photo of an unkempt person, dead behind the eyes.

“No,” you mutter hazily. “NO!” With this, you use what little strength you have to tear down the curtains and end up taking the rods down with it as well to reveal the stolen microwave emitter. You sharply exhale, feeling your entire body shake as your mind attempts to shut down again. You won’t let it- you refuse. “FUCK!” you exclaim as you slap yourself across the face once, then twice, to keep yourself alert. 

SLAP!

Waves of images flood your brain. Images of family in all its forms. Leaping from one broken home to another, creating your own version of safety only to have it all be threatened. Bruce- he…

You’re panting again as you slowly make your way back out into the labyrinth, catching a glance of a sticky-note on a bulletin board in the room as you get to the threshold. The yellow paper reads: Gotham Marina 4/1 REDEMPTION!

With newfound energy from your discoveries, you now notice the overwhelming feeling of being watched. If this is The Court you’re dealing with, you know the only way out in your state is to outwit them.

“You think you’re the first ones to drug me?” you call out shakily as you clumsily enter back into the stone maze. You manage to swallow down the lump in your throat as you address your watcher again, “YOU THINK YOU’RE THE FIRST ONES TO INVADE MY MIND?!”

Instead of a response, you’re met with a coolness at your ankles. Upon looking down, you notice that the same sickly fog in Crane’s lab trickling along the floor like a threat for what’s to come.

From here, your visions grow worse.

Water.

A ship.

Fog.

Scratching.

SLAP!

You let out a guttural scream, wishing it will somehow rid your brain of these crippling thoughts, but it only pains your strained throat further. You’re running out of gas. At this point, the whole labyrinth just seems like a cruel joke. You finally feel like you live up to your supposed purpose: a lab rat.

You watch yourself leap from one family to another as if they’re atop clouds, searching for, well, you’re not sure. Your parents reject you, sending you leaping again as the fluffy structure disappears out from under your feet. It’s then that you see Bruce, the manor, all the people you grew up with. It feels like home, but while Bruce doesn’t send you packing, your stay is merely temporary. Your distorted vision shows the man holding a scale, weighing out everything you’ve done. When one side outweighs the other, he suddenly casts you aside, sending you crashing through the now smog-filled sky. You see Bruce peering down over the edge of the cloud to watch you plummet without a care right before you hit the final cloud in the sky.

You’re panting as you sit up to see Jason, Roy and Lian having a tea party. You want to laugh. This whole situation is insane and the visions are unlike anything you’ve experienced before. You truly have no fucking idea what’s going on, let alone what’s real and what’s not.

Whatever is real and whatever is not is hardly relevant, however. What is relevant is the message behind it all. You realize that, no matter what you do, the fear of being disowned again cripples you to your core. Logically, you know you’re in too deep now- the point of no return. There’s no way to come out of this situation unscathed, you realize. Whether at the cost of your life, the city, or your family, these elements can’t all be saved without the destruction of another. 

Something has to give.

Lian suddenly gets up from the table and you think she’ll invite you over, but she appears upset. 

“You left me,” she says. Your mind goes blank. “You left me just like my other mommy.”

“I,” you start, then quickly trail off. She’s turning away, facing back to where Jason and Roy are now standing and looking at you with disgust. “I didn’t want to fuck this up,” you plead, grabbing her by the shoulders so she faces you again, but she easily brushes your hold away to round the nearest corner of the maze. You give a jerky gaze back to the table, but both your loves have disappeared as well. With nothing left, you chase after her. “LIAN! I DIDN’T WANT IT TO BE THIS WAY. I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO END UP LIKE THIS. I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO END UP LIKE THEM- PLEASE BELIEVE ME! My parents...” Your throat feels raw, but screaming feels like the only way to reach her. “I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE YOU,” you finally yell. The sound echoes emptily as it bounces across the cold stone surrounding you. You’re crying now, tears streaming down your face as you clumsily search for her. Finally, you round an unfamiliar corner to find her being comforted by Jason and Roy. “Lian!” you exclaim as you blearily scramble over to her.

“You’re not my real mom,” she says quietly, causing you to stop flailing. You brace yourself against one of the walls as you pant, head pounding, heart pounding uncontrollably as your vision tunnels around you. The only things you can clearly make out are Lian, Jason and Roy, but it only serves to make you more panicked. “And you did leave me,” her dark eyes stare you down hauntingly, “just like her.”

This time, she’s ushered away by your loves who treat you like you’re not even there. You don’t attempt to chase after them, fuck knows she’s better off without you... They all are.

You crash through the last cloud, finding yourself on the stone-cold ground as you catch your bearings.

You want to give up as you slink to the frigid floor below. Tears flow freely from your stinging, puffy eyes as you rock back and forth on the rough ground. “I’m sorry,” you mutter, hating how the sound of your voice plays on repeat all around you. “I made a mistake,” you sniffle wetly. “I made a fucking mistake. I can’t do this alone, I can’t-“ you choke. “I can’t be alone. Please, don’t leave me,” you brokenly whisper to the empty maze.

Through your blinding thoughts, you hear a semi-familiar voice. You’re unable to place it, but you can’t help but follow after it. 

“Go right,” the voice says, echoing along the stone chasms surrounding you. Your legs jerk in the direction, staggering to follow after the sound. “Right.” Again, you clumsily chase after the voice. “Make a left at the opening.”

Upon taking the left, you lumber out into the center of the maze whilst mumbling the directions lucidly.

“There is no hope,” the voice suddenly booms, sounding as if it’s right behind you. However, when you turn around, you’re only met with more fog. “There is no savior.” At this point, you’re spinning around, looking erratically for the source. “Not this time.” From here, a familiar man emerges menacingly from the thick smog.

“Talon,” you hiss incoherently.

“That’s right,” he praises you. Similar to Dr. Crane, he begins to circle you as if studying your every movement. “We finally meet. I hear you have a penchant for ruining plans.” You have no idea what to say to that, so you remain silent. Your brain is thrumming in pain and delusion, but you fight to push past it, and you force yourself to circle around the killer. “You won’t mess up mine, though. You see, I have a penchant for pushing people to their limit,” he says. “I like peering between the cracks in a person’s psyche to see how I can melt it down, mold it to fit my wants and needs.” He suddenly surges forward, pinning you against the stone wall behind you. “I’m going to manipulate you in ways that haven’t been studied yet, but I’m guessing you’ll be a really good test subject. After all, that is your purpose, right?”

“Fuck you,” you spit, growling when his face comes within centimeters of yours. “You talk about control and yet you’re not even the one in charge.”

He presses you deeper against the cold, scratchy surface. The threat his strength alone brings is threat enough. Knowing you’re in his territory and he has weapons at his disposal while you’re just stuck with your hands is the even bigger threat.

“Do you feel in charge?” he asks, though you can tell he’s just teasing you. It’s as if he finds the whole situation largely amusing; as if he already knows how this is going to end.

Well, he doesn’t.

You technically don’t either, to be honest, but you refuse to let this be the way you go out.

“I’m in charge here,” you pant, whimpering when his thick, gloved hand comes up to choke you. Your hand immediately covers his in a lame attempt to pry it off, but it’s useless. “This is my mind,” you hiss through the abhorrent pressure. “You can’t hurt me in here.”

“Is that so?” Talon scoffs, backing off immediately. You gasp, drawing in as much tainted air as you can and regret it instantly when the woozy feeling the gas brings washes over you once again. “Let’s test that theory, then.” With this, he draws his swords and charges at you.

You roll yourself along the stone wall and quickly flee to the closest portion of the maze. Your movements are jerky, unstable, but it’s all you’ve got. At the very least, you’re just glad you’re able to move. This doesn’t mean, however, that you’re moving in any semblance of fast, meaning Talon’s able to catch up to you easily. The man, though he’s completely covered by his mask, is clearly enjoying the chase.

His sword crashes to the left of you, clanking against the stone as it makes abrupt contact. The sudden movement has you crashing into the opposite wall. You drop down to avoid another swing and stumble to get back up to run barefoot down a different section of the labyrinth.

It’s here that you manage to lose him for a second, though you soon hear his sword scraping menacingly against the walls as he searches for you. He’s rapidly approaching and you have no idea what to do. Your brain screams, begging for you to give in to the poison, but you know that if you give in now, you’ll be dead before the days up. You shake your head, pinching yourself wherever you can to keep yourself awake and alert as you search for the exit.

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” he sing-songs. “How much longer can you keep this up?” he calls out tauntingly. “No, really, I want to know.” His dark, damning voice is close. With two options in front of you, you pick the one on the right, only to run into a dead end. “You know I can hear you.” He sounds like he’s talking through a smile. “I can end this any time I want.”

You don’t know what comes over you, but you’ve had enough. You’re not some owl’s fucking prey. 

“Then, do it!” you scream. “DO IT!” 

He’s on you in a second, but you’re already nearly out of the dead end. The man tackles you to the ground, chuckling darkly as he does.

You’re fucked. You’re absolutely fucking dead.

The sound of clanking glass draws your attention, but Talon’s too focused on subduing you to notice it. You’d completely forgotten that you have two vials of their shitty concoction in your stolen lab coat. If this is the only chance you have for a distraction, you know you’ve got to use it. You only hope some of the liquid will survive for analysis, but you’re mainly just focused on, you know, not fucking dying.

“I know you want me to kill you, that you want me to end the misery you’re experiencing,” he gibes as he presses his sword against the scar on your neck, “but I won’t.” With this, he uses his other hand to draw up the hanging cloth portion of the bottom of his mask to reveal a pleased smirk. “I have other plans in mind.”

He did say you have a penchant for fucking up plans, didn’t he?

With both his hands preoccupied, you shove yours into the pockets of the lab coat to produce the purple vial. Though he catches onto what you’re doing fast, it’s not fast enough. You break the vial against the floor, stabbing the sharp edges of the broken glass into his exposed neck.

“Taste of your own fucking medicine,” you manage to slur out as you wiggle out from under him.

While he continues to react to the substance, you make a break for it. Though you’re delirious, marks and blood along the stone labyrinth help you recognize ways you’ve been down and ways you haven’t. By sheer dumb luck, you stop to catch your breath right by, upon closer inspection, what appears to be a door. You can only hope it’s not another fucking lab.

You push with the rest of your strength, screaming in agony as you do so. The door whines and groans under your force until it’s forced open to reveal-

“Oh, no fucking way,” you mutter weakly as you stumble into the very room you’d been in a week prior.

The Court’s headquarters are hidden behind the fireplace you’d found at their secret meeting location. You hardly have time to think of how you’d been right as you stagger through the familiar space.

The hall you’d been in for the court meeting is eerily empty, allowing you to run out through the front door as if on autopilot. When you emerge, you keep running without stopping until you reach the law firm- safety. You don’t know what time it is, let alone what day it is, as you storm inside the dark office. Luckily, the place is empty. Though there's an abundance of cars and activity outside, the clock inside reads 1:03.

Panicked, you begin to rifle around the filing cabinet and soon find your discarded gown. You waste no time in pulling it on, quickly shifting into a fighting stance when you hear rustling from outside the building. Those owl fucks aren’t taking you back to that place. No. You won’t let them. You’ll die before you become someone’s experiment again. 

Willing all the sanity you have left and gathering up the remnants of your depleted energy, you storm out of the building with rabid eyes, paperweight from one of the desks loosely in your right hand as you come face-to-face with Red Hood and Arsenal. Upon your entrance into the alley, you swear you see the familiar gleam of familiar sais, but it’s gone before you can question if you’ve imagined it or not.

“What happened?” You’re looking at them, but you’re far too out of it to tell which one of them is talking. “Who did this to you?”

You shake your head. They’re not fucking real. None of this is.

Panic swells over your entire being, feeling yourself begin to shake. You’re freezing, but it’s the only feeling keeping you grounded as you fight through the fog that’s overwhelming your mind. You’re shivering, your mouth wobbling as you try to think of something coherent to see if it’s really them, but nothing comes out.

You suppose it’s good that neither of them has tried to attack you just yet, but it doesn’t necessarily clarify that it’s not The Court. You know now from firsthand experience that they like to play games, so who’s to say this isn’t another one of their fucked up tests? 

Were they going to leave again, just as they had in the maze?

“I-“ you say, attempting to catch your breath while you wonder if they’re actually real or not. “I’m the one in control of my mind,” you hiss at them. “I CONTROL ME!” you shout crazily, lifting your arm with the weighted weapon as if begging them to dispute your words. “Neither of you are real,” you whimper, shaking your head rapidly as you back away from their advancing forms. “NONE OF THIS IS FUCKING REAL!”

“Baby, we’re here to save you.” 

You hear Roy’s voice as clear as day, but your vision is still too hazy to confirm if he’s merely a vision or not. You know you’re lucky to have made it as far as you have, though part of you worries that you’re still inside, that maybe you haven’t left that wretched hell at all. 

You feel yourself slipping, wanting to believe so bad that it really is them. 

“I don’t need anyone to save me,” you growl. Contrary to your words, however, seconds later your arm begins to shake and soon, your whole body follows suit. Without warning, you crumple to the pavement in front of them and begin to sob. Your hands clench around fistfuls of your hair as you begin to shake and rock back and forth. “I just want this to end. Please!”

“It’s over,” Jason’s voice assures you, whispering your name like a promise. “It’s over.”

Somehow, you believe him.

“It’s over,” you conceed before promptly passing out.

•••

This time, when you wake up, you find yourself in your bed. 

You quickly snap your eyes shut again as you tune into the noises in your surroundings.

The shower’s running and you hear the TV on low. Upon listening closer, you realize that it’s on The Food Network, undoubtedly Jason’s choice. You battle internally with yourself: to open your eyes and trust that this is real, or play opossum and try to figure out how to actually get out of the maze- out of your head.

While you’re going back and forth, you suddenly hear Jason’s deep humming reverberating from the bathroom, meaning the weight you feel beside you must be Roy. Your heart beats fast, wanting so badly to believe that you escaped. You take a leap of faith and open your eyes. Roy’s light green ones latch onto yours immediately.

“Hey,” he greets your dazed form quietly. You close your eyes again, willing the scene to change, but it doesn’t. When you open them again, Roy’s still there, staring at you with concern. “Jay!” Roy calls out. Not even seconds later, a distressed Jason emerges in the doorway of the adjoining bathroom, completely wet and completely naked.

For some reason, all these little quirks somehow add up to let you know that this is actually real. You had managed to escape The Court of Owls all on your own.

“What happened?” Jason asks as he approaches you slowly. “Are you feeling alright?” Are you sane again? You open your mouth to speak, but your throat is too raw to speak. “I’ll make you some tea,” he says instead. You watch lazily as he grabs a towel and swiftly exits without another word.

“We were really worried,” Roy says. His voice is deep and gravelly. It feels entirely intimate and this is exactly what you need after the hell you just went through. “Did someone take you?” he asks as he cautiously curls around you. When you don’t tense, he allows himself to relax into you, drawing circles across your shoulders as he does. “When we came back, you were gone and Lian was playing alone in her room.”

You attempt to swallow around the lump in your throat, but it’s too dry to do so. Guilt floods every atom of your being, so much so that the shame visibly heats up your cheeks. As a cop-out, you motion to your throat and he seems to understand that you’re unable to speak. You watch as he frowns and turns toward the TV, though his eyes are glazed over as if deep in thought.

Jason returns minutes later with a tray containing a steaming kettle and a teacup filled with honey and a filled infuser. 

“It’s chamomile,” he says as he shifts uncomfortably, awaiting your first sip. 

You’ve only ever seen him act like this when he needs to apologize to you. Had you not already been feeling so guilty, you might actually kind of find it cute how nervous he was for you. However, all you can think about is how angry they’re both going to be with you when the truth comes out. You practically already know their reaction, having seen how they abandoned you in the maze after Lian had… It wasn’t real, you reassert to yourself.

“It’s good,” you manage to rasp out after a few sips. The hot liquid coats your throat, silencing the pain for a brief second as you swallow it down. After another cup, you gently clear your throat, grimacing lightly when sharp pain erupts from the action. “I’m sorry,” you whisper.

“Don’t be, baby,” Roy coos gently. “What happened to you wasn’t your fault at all.” While you’d like nothing more than to lie and shift the blame, you know you can’t. Regardless of what you saw in the labyrinth, you know you owe it to them to take the blame, to tell the truth.

“But it was,” you breathe. They both look at you curiously, leaving you to shrink into yourself. “I left here willingly.” You don’t bother to watch their expressions change as the weight of your admission hits them.

“So, you willingly left Lian alone?” Jason asks curtly. “What? To take down The Court on your own like that dumb shit you pulled at the dockyards?”

You hang your head in shame. “My parents,” you reply through a voice crack. You clear your throat again, taking another sip as you finally look at both of them again. Jason’s face is completely blank, while Roy’s is entirely betrayed.

Fuck.

Though you had to know this was coming, it still doesn’t make their reactions sting any less.

“You left our kid to go see some fucking deadbeats?” Jason hisses, brows furrowing as if you might’ve actually lost your goddamned mind. “The fuck is going on with you? This isn’t like you at all, so what the fuck is actually going on?”

“They sent me a letter. I wasn’t planning on going,” you admit. “Being alone in the house, though, all I could do was think on it. Time was running out and before I knew it, I was outside the building watching the two of you walk in.”

“And you didn’t say shit to us?”

“No,” you whimper, feeling tears coming on. It would’ve saved so much pain and so much misunderstanding had you just reached out to them. Now, well… “I fucked up. I really did,” you sob. “Maybe I’m tired of always making the right decisions,” you manage through a gross sniffle. “Maybe I’m tired of needing backup. Maybe I just want to do shit for myself and know I can take care of the aftermath without… I don’t need anyone,” you wail, “but I want to rely on the two of you and all this shit with the family, Bruce and now knowing that my parents are fucking through with me, it’s all too much. I think,” you cut off with a hiccup, “I think I broke down. Mentally, you know? Even if I hadn’t been abducted, I’d still feel bad for leaving how I did. It wasn’t right and it’s not what a mom does.” You hiccup again as you wipe away the stream of tears leaking from your eyes. 

“So, what happened?” Roy asks. You can tell he’s still distraught that you left your daughter alone, but you know he feels some relief knowing she was alone for only a minute or two. Doesn’t make it any better, though, you know that as much as anyone in the room.

“I went there and they didn’t show up.” You shrug nonchalantly, but the words kill you inside. You’ve officially been discarded. There’s no making up with them, no redeeming any sense of the relationship with either of them. Dead. That’s all they want. They want you dead. And then Bruce… You sigh, “I just wanted to give them a chance, just like you’ve both done with your parents. Didn’t matter, anyway. The guard must’ve worked for The Court because he punched me.” You motion to the bruise that’s undoubtedly adorning your face before continuing, “It was all a trap, though. I woke up in some underground lab, completely drugged off my ass.”

From here, you tell them everything: from Crane to Talon, the maze, the sticky-note and even your vision and the subsequent glass container that followed.

“You should’ve let us come with you,” Jason insists irritably. You can tell both of them are still processing everything, so you try not to take his reaction to heart. 

“What good would that have done?” you ask. “So we’d all get captured and experimented on? No,” you shake your head, “I don’t think so.”

“But you’re injured,” Roy says like it explains everything. “You should’ve told us, at the very least, so we could keep an eye on you.”

“You really shouldn’t be out in public with this threat looming without us, especially not while you’re still recovering,” Jason agrees.

“Excuse me?” You can hardly believe what you’re hearing. “In case you’re both forgetting, I didn’t need your help.” You think back to your issue with them the other night and decide to bring it up. “And I don’t fucking need you guys to do the dirty work without me either,” you snap.

“We just don’t want to lose you again,” Roy cries out suddenly, urging you to understand their perspective. 

Regardless of all the facts, you’re still the love of their lives. You know they wouldn’t know what to do without you and you the same with them.

“It’s nothing to do with your abilities,” Jason adds sincerely.

“But it is,” you insist, “and you guys always say the same shit. How many times do I really need to prove myself before it gets through to your heads that I’m an asset, not a hindrance? You’re not doing me any favors by letting me tag along,” you say pointedly. “When are you guys going to realize that I’m doing this to put an end to what I started and that you two are just along for the ride.” You watch their faces for any tells, but both of them just appear to be taking in your words. Good, you need them to really fucking hear this. “You always tell me that I’m strong, but when are you guys actually going to realize that I am strong?” 

It’s quiet and you watch as they turn to each other, having a silent back and forth before finally turning back your way.

“You’re right,” Jason says as he joins the two of you on the bed. Your stomach flips, finally feeling heard. You’ve finally proven yourself. There’s zero doubt left in anyone’s mind of what you’re capable of after a stunt like this. “We love you a lot and it’s hard not to get possessive over you. We just want to keep you safe but it’s clear you don’t need us to protect you at all.”

“I’m sorry for hiding shit again,” you breathe. “This whole day was completely fucked on my part and it’ll fucking haunt me forever how I handled this shit.” It’s quiet for a moment as the three of you come to terms with the past six hours. You sigh, “Seems like we can have all the conversations we want about our contentions, but it’s putting in the actual work that’s the hardest part.”

Roy shuffles up against your side quickly. Regardless of everything, you know all he wants is to support you after everything you’ve just been through. “Of course it is, baby,” he murmurs as his hands trickle lightly up and down your arm. “We know it as much as anyone. I’m nowhere near perfect either and, as much as I love him, neither is Jay over there either.”

Though you feel his eyes on you, you can’t quite bring yourself to look over at him yet. It’s a complete cop-out. One that you know both of you are completely aware of, though it doesn’t stop you from avoiding his reaction any less.

“I’m just glad we’re all able to talk about it instead of those huge blow-ups like before,” you say, feeling vulnerable as you finally force yourself to meet Jason’s emerald gaze.

“Definitely on the right track,” Roy agrees with a gentle kiss to your forehead. 

The two of you both turn to Jason at the same time, who, in response, blushes and crosses his arms over his chest. He seems to catch the action and awkwardly uncrosses them, seemingly out of embarrassment. It’s really fucking cute. Instead of responding, he simply clears his throat. “You should rest,” Jason insists. “Whatever they poisoned you with will still probably working its way out of your system for another few hours.” 

With the info from Poison Ivy and the Cadmus scientist, coupled with your visions and the now-placed microwave emitter, you attempt to piece together the puzzle, but you’re still missing big chunks of the bigger scheme. 

Was Dr. Crane the other benefactor Grandmaster had been referring to in the meeting? What did the subway systems have to do with anything? And, what were the trials in the lab reports you’d found referencing?

There are still so many unanswered questions and time is clearly running out. April 1st is less than a week away, which barely leaves you enough time to prepare for a formidable attack that keeps looming closer and closer. With such doom eminent, you know you have to get as ahead of The Court as you can before April materializes.

After they’ve gone to sleep you get a text. 

Possible Spam: Balcony 

Without a word, you tiredly slip away from your sleeping lovers in hopes of answers. 

A/N: next chap, the puzzle finally comes together. chap 12 is the boss battle where everything changes AGAIN rip lmao and chap 13 is a wrap-up / an epilogue of sort

[next: coming soon]  ||  masterlist || pinned || ways to support

[ao3feed-jaydick]

Once Upon a Midsummer Night

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/48995668 by GraveTiger Jason's read about fairy rings in the books in Bruce's library. Bruce has told him about the Fae. The townspeople are suspicious of the mere mention of them. He... wonders... ----------- He’s tall, lithe, with shiny black hair that almost looks like it’s not quite obeying the laws of nature… nearly floating. His eyes are the bluest blue he’s ever seen. Everything about him seems just a little… off. Jason can’t quite put his finger on it, “Who are you?” He smirks a little, “Bold of you, child, asking for my name… I like you… You may call me ‘Gray’ if you like.” Words: 6142, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Roy Harper, Joker Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Roy Harper/Jason Todd (Brief) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Medieval Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Fae, Jason Todd Centric, Bruce's B+ parenting, don't know how to tag this one, Jason meets a fairy, Canon events tweaked for setting, Implied Character Death, Canonical Character Death, Still a little fluffy, or at least not sad, Happy(ish) ending read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/48995668

[ao3feed-birdflash]

past the places

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/n7YxuUt

by fiveandnocents

“I’m surprised you’re even on patrol. Timmy says that you’re becoming a shut-in.”

Dick winces. Tim doesn’t have a leg to stand on there, perpetually on his computer unless on patrol, which makes it even worse if he’s warning Jason about Dick’s own behavior. “I’ve been going on missions,” Dick says, feeling defensive.

“Yeah?” Jason raises a judgemental eyebrow through the mask. “Any of those missions not include your new boy toy?”

Dick scowls, caught out. “What does it matter?”

Jason pushes himself off of the wall and stretches with strategic lethargy. “Look, take it from a guy who came back from the dead too.” Dick flinches, but Jason barrels on. “The longer you keep him to yourself—away from everyone else—the longer it’ll take for him to process that life moved on without him.”

Words: 7837, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 3 of nervous breakthrough

Fandoms: Young Justice (Cartoon), DCU (Comics), The Flash - All Media Types, Batman - All Media Types

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Dick Grayson, Wally West, Jason Todd, Clone Roy Harper | Will Harper, Kon-El | Conner Kent, Tim Drake, Zatanna Zatara, Barbara Gordon

Relationships: Dick Grayson/Wally West, past dick grayson/others

Additional Tags: Wally West is Alive, Jealousy, Anal Sex, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Developing Relationship, Communication, Boys In Love, Love Confessions, Not actually infidelity but Dick doesn’t check, Brief Mention of Past Suicidal Thoughts, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/n7YxuUt

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Gotham City Exposé

by tiger_in_the_flightdeck

Research into an article about the public perception of costumed superheroes brings Eddie and Venom to Gotham City to learn how the citizens there feel about their Caped Crusader. Their investigation brings them from the glittering world of Wayne Charity Galas to the underground tunnels and the crime riddled streets to face the Bat and his family.

Do crocodiles really live in Gotham's sewers? Is the Batman even real? Why does Brucie Wayne smell like blood? And how much money did he spend on all this shrimp?

Words: 8312, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Venom (Comics), Venom (Marvel Movies), Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen, M/M

Characters: Eddie Brock, Venom Symbiote (Marvel), Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Sleeper Symbiote (Marvel), Dylan Brock, Waylon Jones, Batfamily Members, Justice League Members Mentioned, Avengers Members Mentioned

Relationships: Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Roy Harper/Jason Todd Implied, Bernard Dowd/Tim Drake implied

Additional Tags: Crossover, Fandom Trumps Hate 2022, Secret Identity, Established Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, Brief Mentions Of Canon Typical Cannibalism, Wayne Gala (DCU), Jason Todd Being a Little Shit, Nerd Tim Drake, Killer Croc Loves Kids, Street Kids, Gotham City is Terrible, Bruce Wayne Needs a Break, Good Parents Eddie Brock & Venom Symbiote, Tired Parent Bruce Wayne

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/43968780

[notepadsandtealeaves]

status: ongoing || updated: 12/21/21

|| byf | batboys tag | other m.lists | my ao3 | main blog ||

⚪️ all works are poc friendly. ⚪️ unless otherwise specified, all works are written with a gender neutral reader. ⚪️ unless otherwise specified, all damian x reader fics are written with an adult age (at least 18) damian. ⚪️ at current all works are sfw—the odd bit of innuendo/suggestive line notwithstanding—but that’ll probably change at some point lol. ⚪️ links marked with a ❣ lead to my main blog. ⚪️ links under the cut so as not to clutter up your dash/blog.

12 days of batmas

status: on hiatus until i get my holiday spirit back a-fuckin-gain ((fuck 2021, seriously))

rating: sfw with the occasional spicy-ish bit

cws/tws: any applicable warnings will be listed in their respective fills.

reader gender: neutral

characters: damian w. | dick g. | jay t. | tim d.

summary: p. much what it says on the tin. various hcs and scenarios about your favorite bats and their holiday habits.

links: tumblr | ao3

from the batboys, with love || valentines day event 2021

status: complete

rating: sfw fluffy-fluffs

cws/tws: any applicable warnings will be listed in their respective fills.

reader gender: neutral

characters: damian w. | dick g. | jay t. | tim d.

summary: just cute lil letters from your boys to you.

links: tumblr | ao3

single sentence prompts

status: on hiatus

rating: sfw fluff/general silliness with the occasional a dash of spice

cws/tws: any applicable warnings will be listed in their respective fills.

reader gender: female ((tho i’ll eventually add gn! and m!reader options too))

characters: damian w. | dick g. | jay t. | tim d.

summary: various shenanigans with the boys™

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

damian wayne, rabbit whisperer

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw fluff

cws/tws: none

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: animals just love the young mister wayne. || in which pet-sitting your friend’s bunny leads to a sweet scene between you and your man.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

kiss kiss, fall in love, pt.2

status: complete

series: autumn’s arrival

rating: sfw fluff (with one tiny bit of angst)

cws/tws: mentions of a grave and bloody injury (damian receiving), tho it’s not super graphic, just a brief mention of blood. also a v. brief mention of the shared mental trauma that results from said injury. again, i do not get super into it, but it is touched upon.

reader gender: neutral

additional characters: none

summary: a love story as told through kisses. || inspired by the arrival my favorite season

links: tumblr | ao3

no words needed

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw fluff

cws/tws: marriage and kid’s mention, as in you and damian are married with a kid. also brief talks of how dames’ early childhood trauma are affecting his current relationships (it’s not as dark as it sounds, i promise lol).

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: in raising your daughter, he’s finding himself. || in which you have the honor of witnessing a sweet moment between your husband and your daughter.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

dating j. todd be like, pt. 1

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw crack

cws/tws: none

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: bonus background roy harper

summary: jason todd is a living conduit of chaotic relationship energy.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

revelations, or how the hell did we get here?

status: complete

series: n/a; a requested piece

rating: sfw, tho jay swears a lot because ofc he does

cws/tws: (unfounded) accusations of infidelity, and also marriage and kids mentions.

reader gender: female, per request

additional characters: nate and delielah todd (the requester’s ocs, tho the latter’s only mentioned)

summary: despite a very thorough investigation, nate comes to an absolute and extremely wrong conclusion. his father would be more insulted if he wasn’t so impressed…

links: tumblr

sasha, sasha, where for art thou sasha…

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw flirty fluff

cws/tws: none, tho there is some suggestive talk and insinuations.

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: given how long you’ve been dating him, you probably should’ve seen this coming… || in which you’re dubiously rewarded for a complete lack of help lmao.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

say the word (practice makes perfect)

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw… not exactly fluff, but fluff adjacent sweetness

cws/tws: pregnancy scares and resulting tears, but jay comforts reader through it.

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: just because you weren’t ready didn’t mean that you didn’t want it… || in which a pregnancy scare leads to talks of the future jay wants to build with you.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

the curious case of the girl in the library

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw fluff

cws/tws: none

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: tho this is technically a fill for dick, the story is told from damian’s pov.

summary: hide and seek shenanigans, with bonus dames and titus.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

whole

rating: sfw fluff

series: single sentence prompts

cws/tws: marriage mentions, and reader’s giving birth to her and dick’s kid, tho i don’t go into great detail.

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: you all click together, like the fitting of a puzzle’s pieces into place. || in which dick’s world is made whole with the birth of his son.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

maybe (love, once lost)

status: complete

series: n/a; written for my 200 followers event

rating: a sfw gut punch, it’s a h/c sour patch kid made up of angst and love lol

cws/tws: an unhappy/unhealthy relationship that leads to a potential breakup. also tim-typical self-destructive tendencies, tho tbh Reader’s not faring much better.

reader gender: neutral

additional characters: none

summary: in reaching the end of things you and tim find that the only way to move forwards is to go back to the start… || a breakup fic but not really because i left the ending open lol.

links: tumblr | ao3

of creepypastas and bo staffs

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw fluff

cws/tws: none unless you count being freaked out by scary movies lol

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: a movie night goes awry. tim may or may not be banned from making the movie night selection for the foreseeable future…

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

you and me both, babe

status: complete

series: single sentence prompts

rating: sfw fluff

cws/tws: reader’s married to tim and they’re gonna have a baby lol.

reader gender: female ((at current; i plan on writing m- and gn!reader versions too))

additional characters: none

summary: when you see an opportunity you take it. that’s one of the things he loves about you the most. || in which you ready yourself to give your hubby the big news.

links: tumblr ❣ | ao3

© notepadsandtealeaves, 2018-2022 || Please do not repost, translate, or otherwise alter or distribute my works without my express permission. And for the love of god keep it away from Youtube and TikTok lol…

[alecmagnuslwb]

Right In Front of Him - @doubleredweek Day 3

Read on AO3

Roy Harper came back wrong or at least that’s what everyone says.

He died bloody and violent and just shy of being an adult at the hands of a monster that wasn’t even his problem to begin with. Wrong place, wrong time. That’s what they called it. The young son of a billionaire killed by Gotham’s most notorious monster in the hopes of a payout or just for fun. Speedy and Green Arrow were never mentioned, Star City had replacements in the form of Oliver’s other son and daughter in no time to keep their father and the memory of their dead brother safe.

Jason never even got the chance to meet his big brother’s best friend and by the time Oliver Queen had slipped past Batman’s prudish defenses and no one kills in my city rules and avenged his son Jason had already picked up his mother’s bad habit.

Robin couldn’t be a drug addict, Bruce made that abundantly clear. And while Oliver Queen happily sat in prison doing the only thing he could to avenge the son he never expected, but loved all the same, Jason’s father labeled his son a problem.

Oliver got five years, the one and only time Jason can remember hearing about a rich guy using his money to get a lesser sentence being reasonable and justified. He thinks the jury probably wasn’t feeling too bad for the dead psychopath who had been terrorizing their city for decades either.

And then the son he avenged came back, but he came back angry. He’d been angry and vengeful and grateful and a million conflicting feelings that made the once shining bright example of the sidekick into a rogue, an outlaw.

The entire Arrow family still wanted him back anyways, no matter how wrong everyone said he came back, no matter how many lives his bow started taking. He kept his distance though, the rage of the Lazarus pit he’d been thrown in under control but still boiling under his skin.

And then for some inexplicable reason he picked up Jason. Grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him from a prison in the middle of nowhere that he’d quite literally joked and drank his way into and certain death because Dick tentatively reached out and asked him to.

Why Dick didn’t just do it himself Jason could care less.

Roy helped him get clean, helped him get back into the work of being a hero or well as close to one as he could get with a new identity and new suit and didn’t even bat an eye at some of Jason’s poorer choices.

Hell he hadn’t even mentioned when Jason started a brief affair with their teammate, who also happened to be his brother’s former fiancée.

Jason’s never said it out loud, but the broken angry sidekick that everyone wants to take ten steps back from is Jason’s saving grace. His best friend, the closest thing to home he’s had since Bruce sent him packing, quite possibly the love of his life.

And Roy doesn’t have a single clue.

He just loads his arrows and doesn’t know it drives Jason crazy when he slips past him a steadying hand on his lower back. He doesn’t know that Jason twistedly savors when Roy’s hurt and needs to be patched up just so he can get a little closer to his skin. He doesn’t know how much it makes Jason’s unlovable heart clench knowing that he’s the first and only person Roy has let get close since he came back from the dead. He doesn’t see it and Jason resigns himself to what they have, forcing himself to be content with what they are so he can keep him close.

“You should pick up this time,” Jason says frankly tired of watching Roy pace back and forth across their shared loft in nothing but a pair of low hanging sweatpants. He cares too, but he also really needs Roy to take a call in the other room and put on a shirt while he’s there.

“I don’t know if I can,” Roy says finally stopping his pacing. He pulls out a chair at the small rickety kitchen table where Jason is trying to figure out how exactly they’re going to pay rent this month flipping it backwards and sitting in it his arms resting on the back. He tosses his phone on the table the weekly missed collect call shining brightly on the screen.

“Why not?” Jason says looking up from his budgeting that’s giving him a headache. If Roy would just let them tap into the fund that Oliver has set up for him for things other than technical gear he wouldn’t be doing this. But that’s a conversation for another time, right now it’s the phone call conversation that needs to be had. As long as his good behavior continues Oliver only has a year left on his sentence and Jason knows he’ll call every single one of those fifty-two weeks if Roy continues to not pick up.

“He’s in there because of me,” Roy says running a frustrated hand through the floppy red hair on the top of his head scratching a little harder than necessary at the shaved down sides. “No matter what he says he has to blame me for some of that.”

“Roy,” Jason says reaching out and grabbing his hand that’s scratching far too hard and resting it on the table. “Oliver Queen has never been quiet or subtle about his opinions, if he in any way blamed you he would have said it by now.”

Roy sighs looking down at where their hands are still touching. Jason swallows hard once pulling his hand back quickly.

“He doesn’t regret what he did, you coming back didn’t change that at all,” Jason continues on trailing his fingers along the little marks along his inner elbow a nervous habit he’s never quite been able to shake. “A monster who killed you, who would have killed hundreds more if he’d been allowed to live is gone because he had to do something for you. Because he wanted to do something for you, you coming back was just the icing on the revenge cake for him.”

Roy sighs rubbing at his forehead like a headache is coming on. “How can you be sure about that?”

“Because I may have been three sheets to the wind the whole time the trial was going on, but I still saw the news. I saw his face in that courtroom and I know what someone with no regrets look like,” Jason says. He scratches at his elbow one last time before reaching out to place a hand on Roy’s wrist reassuringly. Roy’s not big on touch these days, like coming back made him sensitive to everything, but that rule doesn’t seem to apply when it comes to them much anymore.

“Plus, he calls every single week, and every time Dinah goes up to visit him he asks about you which results in her calling every other week too,” Jason adds on.

“If it was Bruce would you pick up?” Roy counters.

“Fuck no,” Jason says without missing a beat. “It’s a completely different situation and you know it, but nice try with the deflecting.”

Oliver is painfully sincere in a way Bruce could never be. The bridges were burned between he and Jason long ago, a call wouldn’t be anywhere near what Jason would need to think of him as his father again. Oliver and Roy’s bridge however is perfectly intact just a little neglected and in need of some care. It’s just waiting for Roy to walk across it again and whether Roy admits it or not he’s ready.

He doesn’t have the wake up screaming nightmares as much anymore, he hasn’t killed a criminal in months and the rage in him still boils, but only when it’s justified.

Roy chuckles with one of those tilted little half smiles of his. “Caught me,” he says just as the phone rings the familiar number popping up like clockwork. He takes a deep breath and slips his wrist out from under Jason’s fingers before he picks up his phone.

On the other side of the phone Jason hears the tinny robotic voice asking if he’s willing to accept a collect call from Blackgate Penitentiary and for the first time in nearly two years of calls, he says yes giving Jason a small nervous smile as he walks into the other room.

Roy’s not gone as long as he’d thought he’d be, he guesses that even with all the good behavior and the perks of being rich in prison Oliver still only gets so long on a phone call. Jason’s making dinner when Roy rolls out of his room, a shirt blissfully covering up his tattooed and scarred chest now.

“If Ollie is bulking up the way he claims he is in prison he’s gonna be able to kick Bruce’s ass when he gets out,” Roy says walking into the kitchen leaning back against the counter a reasonable distance from the open flame Jason is working over, but still a little closer than needed. Jason’s not complaining about the choice.

Jason chuckles as he stirs the contents of the pan in front of him.

“So it went well I guess?” he says turning down the flame so he can focus his attention on Roy.

Roy rubs at the light stubble on his jaw tracing along the scar that moves from the bottom of his ear to the corner of his lips, one of the many unhealed remnants of the day he died.

“Weirdly well, I mean there’s a lot still, but it was a good start. Thank you,” Roy says reaching out a hand and dragging his fingertips lightly down Jason’s arm a barely there breath of a touch, it’s unexpectedly intimate.

Jason just shrugs ignoring the tingling feeling of Roy’s fingertips against his bare arm. “I basically just told you to suck it up, it’s no big deal,” he says shaking off any gratitude.

“Not just for pushing me today, I just mean for a lot of stuff,” Roy says with a shrug not quite meeting Jason’s eye. He may not be biologically related to Oliver but that sincerity when he truly means something is a tone they share. It’s rare when Roy lets it out, harder for him to let slip through than it is for his father, but it’s there and Jason is grateful every single time.

“It’s nothing,” he says with a smile. “If the messed-up sidekicks don’t stick together I mean who will.”

Roy laughs at that and steps a little closer. Closer than he’s probably ever been before. Neither of them speaks or moves for a moment and for the first time since Roy pulled him out of that makeshift prison he can’t read what’s going on in Roy’s unearthly green eyes. He remembers Dick saying Roy had been hard to read without words even before he came back, how whatever was going on in his head always seemed out of reach, how he was an open book but only when he wanted to be. Jason has prided himself in being able to pick up on everything in every moment up until now.

And then Roy’s expression shifts like he’s made up his mind about something and before Jason can ask what it is Roy’s hands are on his neck and his lips are connecting with Jason’s. Jason responds immediately his hands flailing a little uselessly before they settle at Roy’s waist. The kiss doesn’t last long barely a few beats, but it’s everything Jason has been yearning for. It’s better than any fix he’s ever gotten.

“Sorry, I’ve wanted to do that for so long and I probably should have given you a warning or something,” Roy says when he pulls back trying to put much more distance between them than Jason wants.

“No,” he reassures quickly pulling Roy back in with his hold on his waist. “No, it’s okay. It’s more than okay.”

“Yeah?” Roy asks, quietly vulnerable in the small space between them.

“Yeah,” Jason says smiling. Roy nods and leans back in kissing Jason slow and softer than he ever thought the big bad Arsenal would kiss.

And it’s in that moment that Jason realizes maybe Roy does have a clue.

[judedeluca]

For LeepLoop - Baby It’s Cold Outside But Without The Assault Undertones

For LeepLoop on twitter, who asked for “snowed in” with the Fab Five and Lian Harper

“Wow it’s really coming down out there,” Donna noticed as the snow had turned from a light flurry to a perhaps a full on blizzard.

“Hate to be out in that,” Wally mentioned.

The founding Titans had been gathered at Roy Harper’s new home with his adorable daughter for a brief holiday gathering. The Fab Five tried to make it a tradition of celebrating the holiday season in each of their homes before December 25th arrived, and tonight they were in Roy’s new pad in Star City.

Roy whistled as he caught a glimpse of the snowfall outside and announced “As your wonderful host, I cannot in good conscience allow any of you to leave in such obscene weather conditions. It would keep me up at night fearing for your safety, and Roy William Harper the Second is nothing if not a good host.”

Wally rolled his eyes and Donna shook her head as Garth and Dick entered the living room, while Lian had her arms wrapped around Dick’s leg and was telling him about everything she wanted Santa to bring her for Christmas.

“-and a neon purple pair of roller skates, and a hovercraft, and a pet turtle, and a-“

“What’s going on?” Garth inquired.

“Hunker down, boys,” Roy exclaimed, “it is simply too ghastly for you to depart in this weather. You’re spending the night at Chez Harper.”

“-and a Spintendo 65 and a-,” Lian did a sugar fueled double take, “Christmas sleepover?!”

“That’s right, Etai Yazi, Christmas sleepover!”

“Yaaay!” Lian let go of Dick’s leg and dashed up the stairs. “I’ll go get pillows and blankets!”

“God!” Wally was half-appalled. “How much sugar did we let her eat?”

“Sorry guys,” Dick said as he started to fall into “Batman” mode, “But I need to get back to Bludhaven.”

“Uh-uh,” Roy shook his head. “It’s either all of us, or none of us. You’re staying put.”

“A Christmas sleepover does sound like fun,” Donna smiled at the thought. “I haven’t done anything like that since I was a little girl.”

“Linda’s at her parents’ place this weekend,” Wally reasoned, “So it’s not like I need to be home or anything.”

Getting into the spirit of things, Garth said “And it might take me a while to get back to Atlantis anyway.”

“You guys can stay, but I have stuff I need to take care of,” Dick responded.

“Like what?” Roy asked.

“Yeah, like what?” The other three mimicked.

“…stuff,” Dick said in his best Batman impersonation.

“Ooh, scary,” Roy pretended to shiver.

“Besides, we’re not REALLY snowed in,” Dick implored. “Wally you could shovel us out in less than a second.”

“Well, gee Dick,” Wally sheepishly began to explain, “I wish I could do that but the thing is, I was fighting Professor Zoom the other day and was hit by the Negative Speed Force.”

“The what?”

“No yeah it’s the, um, the opposite of the regular Speed Force,” Wally gestured with his hands as he said “It does all kinds of weird stuff to speedsters. Yeah now I can’t use my speed for the next couple of days. Shame, really.”

Dick immediately asked “Then how’d you get here from Keystone City?”

Wally was stymied for a moment before answering “I uh, I had to ask Jay to carry me.”

“You’re serious.”

Wally did his best not to look Dick in the eye, but at the same time was trying not to laugh at what an obvious lie that was. Negative Speed Force, what a ridiculous excuse.

Seeing Wally would be of no help, Dick turned to Donna and said “Well, maybe you can use your Amazonian strength to move the snow or fly us out of here.”

“Oh gosh, about that,” Donna sighed, “I had to fight one of Diana’s old villains earlier today and they chained my bracelets together. Thanks to Amazonian law, that means I lose my strength for at least a day. And I can’t fly. Boy it made things tough to finish that fight.”

“Who was the villain?”

“Excuse me?” Donna replied.

Dick folded his arms across his chest and pointedly asked “I asked which villain you fight.”

“It’s one of her old ones, really obscure, um,” Donna thought trying to think of a name, “It was… American Adolph.”

“Really.”

“Neo Nazi, really nasty piece of work. Tried to hold a white power rally at a Christmas tree farm,” Donna looked away. “He uh, boy he really got the best of me.”

Wally and Garth both looked like they were about to burst into a fit of laughter, when Dick turned to the two and they suddenly stood up very straight and rigid.

“And what’s your excuse,” Dick wearily asked Garth.

“My excuse, sir?” Garth repeated.

“Lemme guess, Black Manta zapped you with a no-power ray from some anti-trident?” Dick hypothesized.

“Oh no that was last week,” Garth laughed. “I unfortunately was fighting Rhombus and he exposed me to Aquanite.”

“Aqua-“

“Yep, it’s like Kryptonite but for Aquaman. And this was the magenta variant so, yeah I lost my powers for a day or two.”

“You’re using them to reheat the hot chocolate that’s in your hand RIGHT. NOW.” Dick empathetically gestured to the snowman mug in Garth’s hands.

Garth looked down at the now steaming mug, then at Dick, and said “No I’m not.”

Before Dick could open his mouth, Lian burst back into the room with blankets and pillows, as much as her little arms could carry.

“Daddy could we build a pillow fort?” Lian inquired.

“Well I dunno,” Roy scratched as the soul patch on his chin, “You’re gonna have to ask your Uncle Dick.”

Lian immediately turned to one of her favorite uncles and asked “Uncle Dick can we build a pillow fort?”

“Oh Lian I don’t…”

Dick could barely finish when he saw just how excited Lian looked.

And then Roy appeared next to her with the same pleading expression.

Followed by Wally.

And Donna.

And Garth.

Literally back up against a wall, Dick sighed and answered “I just hope there’s enough pillows for all of us.”

“I’ll go get some from Daddy’s room!” Lian made her way back upstairs when Roy ran after her.

“Hey stay out of Daddy’s room he’s got Daddy stuff in there!”

Donna looked at the guys and said “What exactly does he mean by ‘Daddy’ stuff.”

“Yeah I don’t want to know,” Wally shuddered.

“You’re a good uncle,” Garth said to Dick.

“I get to choose which movie we watch,” Dick stated, “and that’s not up for discussion.”

[hoodedwing]

Babybird, please?

Summary: Jason returns to Gotham after a year-long sabbatical at his Arkansas safehouse. Nothing has changed in Gotham, but he probably did.  Dick realizes and puts the pieces together to make a horrible discovery.

Characters: Red Hood, Nightwing. Roy Harper (brief mentions). Cheshire (brief mentions), Lian Harper(brief mentions)

Warnings: Drinking. Injury flashbacks (we’re looking at an event gone too far). Anger issues. Also, swearing but from the last dude you’d expect.

Additional Notes: Jason deserves a happy Christmas and yep, I wrote this after Christmas so sue me. Also this seemed a little choppy to me

Word Count: 1,306 words

***

Christmas had long gone by and left trees still adorned with tinsel and other décor. It was supposed to keep people in a cheery mood, keep away the post-Christmas blues and amp Gothamites for New Year in an otherwise gloomy town.

It didn’t do the trick for Jason. With his hands shoved in his leather jacket, he kept his head low and speed fast, nimbly dodging excited throngs exchanging the occasional cheers and here’s to a happy new year, folks. Snow crunched under his boots as he rounded the corner to a bar.

Quietly, he sat down and warmed down a bit. A bartender amicably approached Jason who mumbled.

“Whisky, make it extra strong.”

Nodding, the bartender left. Jason drew himself closer, making his presence as small in possible. His eyes kept shifting to not spot a certain Dark Knight or at least (for small mercies) Bruce Wayne as another civilian. A rich and seemingly happy civilian who was often seen ruffling his sons’ hair and chatting away. 

The last time Jason saw Bruce, there wasn’t a happy civilian, no stroking of hair.

There was a batarang at his neck.

Jason absentmindedly rubs the faint scar as the bartender placed the alcohol in front of him. He pushes spare change with his other gloved palm and nods imperceptibly. He takes a small sip, lets the whisky warm him up internally and space out awhile.

He wasn’t supposed to be in Gotham but Jason was a rebel. A rebel since childhood. It’s probably the rebellion that kept him alive in Crime Alley’s dark and unlit paths. Paths even Batman would be scared shitless to enter himself, even when armed with his fancy toys up to the teeth.

He suppresses what he believed was probably anger or a by-product because man, today the whisky was definitely strong. He felt a little light-headed at the kick of it but it was good, it distracted him from the fact he returned to Gotham from Arkansas for Christmas.

He never celebrated Christmas outside Gotham. It seemed strange to suddenly break the tradition. Some things shouldn’t change, it probably does alter a person entirely. With the whole shitshow of a showdown on the rooftop with Batman, he probably didn’t want to go even remotely close to them. 

Nope, not even touching five streets near them

He finished the rest of his drink before his thought loop threatened to swallow him whole with old memories. Trudging outside the snow, he thought about calling Roy.

Maybe check in with him?  

See how Cheshire and Lian were? 

He hoped Lian didn’t mind too much about his absence on her fourth birthday that year. She was a sweet girl in such a cruel world, Jason could only hope she would still retain that sweetness under such a caring dad.

Dad

God, Jason really hated that word. Reminded him of Willis but Bruce wasn’t that much of a dad to him either. The word tasted acrid on his tongue, almost unnatural, like it didn’t belong there.

Is it bad he sometimes longed for dad?

Somebody suddenly knocks into him, pretty hard by the shoulder and distracts Jason from his second thought loop of the day. Bags spill everywhere and Jason isn’t sure where the pavement is anymore from under all the obnoxiously wrapped gifts and overly expensive-looking bags.

‘“Sorry! I’m in such a hurry. I missed Christmas with my family. Kinda sucks actually”

“No bother.”

Jason rasped a little, voice unrecognizable as he bent down to help pick up the scattered mess. He quickly shoves the gifts into each bag till some names caught his eye.

For Damian. 

For Tim

For Bruce

Jason’s heart stops.

He doesn’t have to look at the rest of the gifts to know who it was for.

“Hey, is everything alright?”

A hand outstretches towards Jason who takes it and held with more force than necessary. He heard the man let out a small ouch.

“Thanks man. Hey, if its too much, can I drop you anywhere? It’s really cold out here today. My car is a street down, we can stop by for donuts and hot coffee?”

Jason momentarily looks up and the man lets out a gasp.

“J.Jason?”

He looks the other direction, angry that he’s betrayed himself to look up to the voice because he knows its Dick and older brothers would keep younger ones safe.

Why does he have to gravitate again? Fall for the same trick? Didn’t Bruce, dad, Batman make it clear?

“What?”

“Offer for donuts and coffee still stands. Come.”

-

Jason finds himself at Dunkin’ Donuts with Dick.

He wouldn’t be here, surrounded by warm coffee and sugar-glazed creations as Dick smiled at him. Jason knows that smile is stretched thin, probably filled with questions 

Where were you on Christmas?

I couldn’t look for you, did you hide somewhere?

We miss you, aren’t we brothers?

He is prepared for all of them till Dick asks the one thing that strikes an arrow.

“Your neck, babybird. Who did that?”

Jason cannot answer, He contemplates lying for a while, testing the silence till he realizes that right now Dick could kick him back out into the lung-freezing cold.

He wouldn’t do that.

Bruce almost killed you. He did that.

“Jay?”

He registers someone’s hand on his shoulder. Jason licks his lips, tests the words. He knew the implications of telling Golden Boy right here and now that Bruce could’ve murdered him though somehow he ended up voiceless for some months instead.

“Bruce.”

Dick’s smile drops from a million kilowatts to one of anger.

“Asshole.”

Jason’s ears pricked up, when did he even pick up swearing?

“Wa-”

Dick held up a finger, commanding Jason into silence and thought through it. His eyebrows further knit in realization when he thought more about it. It seemed to add up.

Bruce returning home, untouched. A brief intercepted transmission of Roy that he’s taking Jason to Arkansas because he frankly looked like he went head-to-toe with Deathstroke. Jason not returning for awhile.

“You didn’t fight back.”

Tears form in Dick’s eyes. The words didn’t sound right to him. The Red Hood not laying even a bruise on Batman?

“You let him hit you!”

Dick cried out, slamming his fists against the table. A few patrons turn briefly to the scene before refocusing back on their own conversations.

Jason turned his head down, of all the people that would come in defense for him, it was Dickie Bird. 

“Jay, he could’ve killed you.”

Again.

“Dick-”

“Don’t Dick me! Where are you staying right now?”

Jason doesn’t bother coming up with a lie anymore.

“Arkansas still.”

Dick considers awhile.

“I can get you a place in Bludhaven. Shift in with me for now while I deal with the bastard.”

“But Bruce-”

Dick angrily turns to Jason.

“You of last people should be giving fucks about what Bruce says or does.”

He almost laughs at the sheer fucking irony of it right now till Dick squeezes Jason’s hand gently and he knows Dick actually means it.

He has a chance at actually living instead of hiding and being on the run for the rest of his life.

“Sure. If that’s okay with-”

“It’s always okay, Jay. Please tell me if things like these happen again. Bruce cannot get away like that. Beating the shit out of you and then prancing away. Jay, I’m so sorry.”

Dick buries his face into his palms and Jason sits there, twisting his hands together.

Till he gathers enough courage to calmly place a hand on Dick’s shoulder.

“Hey? We still have to finish these donuts and I can’t do it alone.”

Dick turns up, eyes red but cheekily smiling back as they devour the donuts on a cold, snowy day.

Except this time, Jason feels warmer than ever.

[ao3feed-jaydick]

Dick Grayson and His Love of Redheads

read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/54624565 by GraveTiger “Cat-! Hey-” Catlad flips backwards, towards Dick and lays a finger over his lips, “It’s Stray now, Birdie,” His metal claws scrape over Dick’s cheek and jaw, not deep enough to scratch but enough to feel. He grins… winks… and saunters away, flipping off a building… And Dick wonders if this is a heart attack. ------- A 5+1 about Dick and his love of red hair... or maybe just one redhead in particular Words: 2821, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Brief Mentions/appearances of, Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson/Roy Harper, Dick Grayson/Wally West, Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Jason Todd is a redhead, Jason Todd is Catlad | Stray, Selina Kyle Adopts Jason Todd, Jason never died, therefore is not a human tank, Dick Grayson Loves Redheads, Getting Together, 5+1 Things read it on the AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/54624565

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Instead Of Getting Locked Up Were Getting Knocked Up

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/ILOT46V by The_stars_ship_us Jason finds out some shocking news while trying to take down a smuggling ring. Words: 3484, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: DCU (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Green Arrow (Comics), Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Jason Todd, Roy Harper, Lian Harper, Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, Alfred Pennyworth, Batfamily Members, Arrowfamily Members Relationships: Roy Harper/Jason Todd Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Accidental Pregnancy, pregnancy announcement, Trans Jason Todd, Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, Marriage Proposal, The Author Regrets Everything, this tag is bc the author is squicked out by pregnancy but still wrote this fic, Hurt/Comfort, Humor, POV Multiple, held at gunpoint (as a prank), brief mention of starving yourself (as part of a hunger strike) read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/ILOT46V

[solomonara]

Chapters: 1/1 - Words: 8092 Fandom: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, brief Boston Brand, brief Roy Harper, vanishingly brief Starfire Additional Tags: mostly pre-slash, Fairy Tale Retellings, The Snow Queen retelling, contains neither snow nor queens, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of self-harm, Drugs

"What are you doing here, Wing?" Red Hood asked, dropping silently to crouch next to Nightwing. They were on a rooftop strategically positioned to overlook a different rooftop, specifically the rooftop garden of one Miss Bianca Dronning, who was currently hosting a small soiree.

"Bustin' some drugs," Nightwing said with a grin, though he didn't take his eyes off the gathering of people in Dronning's garden.

"What a coincidence," Hood said. "That this just so happens to be the case I've been working for the last month."

"Is it?" Nightwing asked innocently. "Imagine that. Well, if you want me to butt out—"

Read it on AO3

Here it is, the jaydick Snow Queen retelling from last weekend’s fairy tale prompt request :D Thanks for the prompt, @elwon! I had lots of fun and now I am refreshed and ready to dive back in to Chaos Theory o7

[batboyblog]

neglected, lost and overlooked DC characters I love.

Here’s a few (and I’m sure to forget some) DC characters, lost, overlooked or neglected I carry a torch for, some are well known some aren’t a lot are bat related, some I just like the look of okay? 

Colin Wilkes

I know I know how on brand for me, but really, I miss this Ginger little dude. Damian’s first real frost a tough Gotham street kid with the power to turn into low rent Hulk. Damian needs more friends is all

Chris Kent

Come on! COME ON! we need someone in the Bat or Super family with brown hair! besides which it feels shitty for Damian to have a ton fo siblings and Jon to be an only child. plus the idea of a 11-13 year old Kryptonian Nightwing who hero-worships the shit out of Dick Grayson is great. 

Helena Wayne

I’ve always been a sucker for her since Crisis, and the comic where she’s an exile form Earth 2 is pretty great. I just love the idea of her lost on Earth 1, being a bemused big sister to Damian the grump, teaming up with Dick and Bruce and the weirdness from that. 

Sand

To be 100% real I miss all of the JSA gang (as this list will show) but really Sandy’s powers were particularly cool, being lost between being both a next gen hero and one of the old guard as a former side kick, feeling both like he messed up and that he was failed by his hero, all gold stuff. 

Bombshell

honestly do I need to say more? I don’t know much about her but the look, the name, this iconic moment, nuclear powered and angry? sign me up I’m here for it 

Bette Kane

Flamebird! oh my god! oh my god! WHY! is Bette not living with Kate, driving her crazy? come on, look at that costume! also she was great as a Titans supporting character I want her back! I want her in Batwoman!

Jakeem Thunder

honestly my favorite bad mouthed 13 year old super hero. All the JSA characters were so good, but JJ with his pain but hard outside, was gold. My main complaint is you never really got to see him with other kid heroes, (other than Stargirl) it would be nice to see him with Billy Batson, or the Young Justice crew, which I feel like Stargirl got to do a few times but he never did.

Talon

Again not a character I know a lot about, but I love the idea of a Talon coming over from Earth 3 and turning hero, I like that idea, so much so I even have an OC based on it (ask me about him some time) 

Cullen Row

talk about a deeply underused character as far as I know Cullen is the only openly gay male character in the Bat extended family. I once had an idea of Kate being the center of like a different Batfamily of her own where Harper was one of her sidekicks and Cullen would be over Kate’s apartment all the time doing homework, maybe fixing gear having heart to heart talks about boys and stuff with lesbian aunt Kate. 

Kid Devil 

I like a sad sack hero truthfully Eddie was always such a mess in the Teen Titans comic and I like that, I also like a hero who looks scary but is like soft AF 

Hourman

Have I mentioned I like the JSA? I like the JSA. I like Rick Tyler a lot, I loved the thing where his dad was in a time window, the father’s day issue of JSA remains one of my all time favorites I love that special connection he has with JJ. 

Hippolyta

You might not remember it but there was a brief time when Hippolyta was Wonder Woman and it was explained that she’d been the WWII Wonder Woman, founder of the Justice Society etc. and her suited up as Wonder Woman, her showing up and palling around with the old JSA members, it was great it was legacy and depth. 

Damage

the perfect cross between the Titans and the JSA, a young hero, a troubled past that was dealt with in an interesting way with Roy Harper, I like really like this dork who always did his best

okay so I have lots more but this is getting long, feel free to reblog with your favorite missing and overlooked minor heroes/characters.