#but i still have my clown wig on and holding onto hope for a second series maybe

[rafyki]

So anyway from the announcement they just made it seems like it's gonna be only one episode :')

[kitty0boy]

Y’all know what time it is. I know it’s past April fools day but I’ll be damned if I don’t write some for it. And knowing my sleep deprived Marichat obsessed ass, you know it’s gonna be Marichat.

—————————————

It was April fools day, and everyone knew it was Chat Noir’s favourite. Well they didn’t know for sure but he seemed to be out and about more than usual every year on April first. And nobody was complaining. His practical jokes were always light hearted and fun, purrhaps if he did this everyday, no one would be akumatized. The streets where each prank took place was filled with laughter and excitement at seeing the hero in person. He was happier too, seeing everyone smile and hearing them laugh was his favourite part of the day.

Unfurrtuately Adrien was scheduled to have a photo shoot that same day, and in an act of rebellion, decided to prank his father by hiding from him all day and occasionally he detransformed and took pictures of himself in different locations before retransforming and taking off again. He would scroll through the comments on each post and he his school friends cheering him on. He just hoped that Gabriel didn’t punish him too harshly for this, then again he wouldn’t let that stop him from living normally. What was he gonna do anyway, take his miraculous? If a super villain whose been hunting it down for 4 years can’t take it, there’s no way his father could.

For his final act of the day he had something special planned. It had been set up, waiting for them all day. He just had to go pick her up in the most Foolish way possible. And what’s more foolish than a clown costume? Nothing, the answer is nothing. So dawning the oversized shoes, the baggy polka dot pants, the large white collar, and the red wig. He set off to François DuPont Highschool.

She was at the front entrance, talking to Alya. Neither of them were wearing their usual outfits though and their hair was soaked. Kim had mentioned something about water balloon so he’d just assumed that was the cause. Instead Marinette wore a cute dark brown button up sundress with a pastel green dress shirt underneath. Accompanied by some simple platform boots. Her wet hair fell into light curls that brushed her shoulders when she laughed. He guessed that she’d caught word of Kim’s endeavours and brought a change of clothes, or maybe she brought them just in case.

Puffing up his chest and holding his head high, he waddled over in his giant red shoes that squeaked with each step. Did he almost trip and fall, yes a few times. Did he adopt a wider stance as a result, yes, yes he did. By the time he’d gotten to Marinette he was the same height as her while he scuttled like a crab behind her. Alya had taken notice a long time ago and struggled to stifle her laugh, she knew he wanted it to be a surprise and oh boy was it. He pulled a little horn out of his pocket, the ones with the rubber ball end that you have to squeeze to get the sound out. He pinched it and she flew into the air and nearly tripped on his shoes but he caught her before she could hit the ground. Alya burst out laughing, nearly falling to the ground. “Oh my god,” she said between cackles. “That was amazing.” Marinette started laughing too, “Chat you scared me.” She giggled. Step one complete, onto step two.

He took a few steps back, each squeak of his shoes making the girls laugh louder. It took Marinette a minute to compose herself when she turned to face him. He took a pink rose out of his belt and held it out to Marinette in a bow. A few gasps were heard from the top of the staircase as more students came out only to witness a cat clown giving a pretty girl a rose. She took it carefully and inspected it from a distance before deciding that there was nothing tricky about it. He pointed to it and she spun it around in her hands a few times before finding what he wanted her to find. Written on the outside petals was a message for her, only two words. “Brace yourself?” She read aloud before he slung her over his shoulder (ensuring that she skirt was covering her of course) and ran off with her. The red wig flying off his head. In their journey he spotted a very angry Lila Rossi, what a lovely bonus.

“Chat! Hey put me down!” Marinette laughed over his shoulder. Before they really got moving she’d propped herself up and wrapped her arms around his neck so that she wasn’t completely slung over his shoulder. Which he was glad for, he didn’t want her to get dizzy, just wanted to take her on a fun run across the roof tops of Paris. Of course there was a destination though, and it was waiting just across the street. In one final leap, they’d arrived at Le Pont des Art with its many lockets reflecting the sunlight. Reached up and grabbed her waist with both hands before lowering her to the ground.

“And what are we doing here?” She asked crossing her arms. “I thought we could go for a little, catwalk. See that we can find in the lockets.” He pointed. ‘Please take the hint’ he thought, and thankfully she did. “What did you hide here kitty?” She teased before turning towards the fence. “You’ll see, but if you want to find it, I’d suggest looking in the section.” He gestured to a square section of locks while she turned to look through them. Occasionally she would hold one that had familiar names on them. Exclaiming, “Hey I know them! They live across the street.” or something along those lines. Until her eyes fell on the lock he was waiting for. It was the only one that was unlocked on the bridge. “Maman et Papa’s lock.” She said. She tentatively cradled the lock in her hands before running her thumb across the initials engrave into it. “Hey wait, why isn’t it locked?” In her realization she turned around and glared at Chat, he was in the middle of taking off the baggy pants and he froze, holding his hands up in surrender. “They said it was ok, you know since they’re taking all the locks off anyways.” She didn’t seem convinced. “They asked if we could take it back home to them and besides, I only broken the lock mechanism.” Her gaze softened and she unhooked to lock from the fence. Keeping her eyes fixed on it, she walked over to Chat and sat beside him on the bench. “How did you find it? There’s hundreds of locks on the bridge.” “Simple, they showed me.” He explained. “They still knew where it was?” She asked, he wasn’t sure how they remembered either honestly, but “I have a feeling that, they put it on the fence on a special day. Maybe they even came back to see it a few times.” She let out a small gasp beside him as she rubbed her finger along the back of the metal. She turned it over only to find a small “MDC” craved on the back. “I guess we know when the put it on the fence then.” He couldn’t see her face, but he felt her smiling, and when she turned her head towards him, the purest light danced in her eyes. He smiled at her and he smiled back.

“Now then, I do have a lock if you want to use it.” He stated as he rummaged in his pocket. “Wait really?” She perked up, looking around to the hand in his pocket, watching as her pulled out a silver locket with an engraved design of vines swirling around the edge. “Oh wow Chat it’s beautiful.” She said reaching out for it, but before she could grab it he pulled his hand back out of her reach. “Ah ah purrincess, you can’t look at anymore than this until Hawkmoth is defeated.” He told her. “Oh? And why is that?” He put the lock back into his pocket before crossing his arms. “Because it has my real first initial on it.” He stated simply. “Chat! Your superhero name would have been fine.” She lightly smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “Yeah but I wanted it to be more official, you know?” Her face turned pink, very reminiscent of her bedroom walls. “Official as in, what I think it is?” He laughed, was she really embarrassed about that? “Well not all the people that come here put locks on are a couple Marinette,” Chat turned to look out at the sun. “I’ve seen a mother a son come to put a lock on here once. They were laughing to themselves. The mom put the lock on while her kid twisted the key to lock it, then she picked him up and he threw it in the seine.” He smiled. “Do, do you know which one it was?” He looked down at Marinette, she looked so cute when she was curious. He took her hand and walked with her a little ways across before stopping and grabbing a locket in his hand. “G, E, and A Agreste. Chat I know them! That’s Adrien and his parents! Oh do you think Adrien would want his locket too?” He blinked, he hadn’t thought about it. Did he want to keep the locket? What would his father do if he found out he had it. He clearly wasn’t over Emilie, despite it being year 4 of her disappearance. “I don’t know Marinette, he might? Why don’t you try giving it to him at school tomorrow.” ‘That way I can decide if I want it or not’ he thought. “Oh but what if he thinks I’m weird, or a stalker?” He looked at her and half smirked half laughed “Why would that make him think you were a stalker?” She crossed her arms and pouted “Well me just happening to find his locket on a bridge that no one else knows about might seem a little stalkerish.” He laughed “Ok first of all, I don’t think ‘stalkerish’ is a word. Second, I don’t think he would think that of you. I mean, you’ve found a bunch of locks today. Plus, I do have fans and they happen to be amazing photographers.” She perked up, “What? Who? Where?” “Uh behind you?” He used his finger to turn her head towards a little boy with a Polaroid camera. He blushed as a picture came out the top. Marinette approached him. “Did you want a photo with Chat? I can take the picture.” He nodded and Marinette held out her hand. After giving her the camera, he walked over to Chat and he was lifted onto the hero’s shoulders. There was a little click before the picture came up. The boy hopped down and shook the picture until the image of him and Chat smiling brightly came through the plastic.

“Hey big guy,” Chat turned to him, “Mind if me and this lovely lady get a photo together while your here?” He kid nodded before holding up the camera. Getting a request from a superhero seemed to have made him so excited that he was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Marinette and Chat stepped back to get in frame and without giving her a warning, he scooped her up bridal style causing her to laugh. “Big smiles for the camera princess.” And click, the picture was taken. The boy shook the picture proudly, jumping up and down. So a quiet boy, he sure did have a lot of energy. Out of nowhere a woman came running towards the three and bent down to him. She spoke to him using sign language. ‘Oh shit was this kid deaf, had he understood a word I had said?’ The boy seemed to sense Chat’s confusion. “D-d-ont worry-y. I-I-I un-n-nderstood-d.” He said through a stammer. ‘Oh I see, some people just have an easier time speaking in ASL.’ “Oh sweet, and don’t worry,” he cut himself off, he then signed “I know sign language too.” The boy did a cute little wiggle of excitement before he hoped onto his mother’s shoulders. She stood and signed “Thank you for taking care of my son, he’s a big fan of yours.” He signed back “It was no problem, we had a little photoshoot together. Look.” He held out the pictures to her. She smiled before taking the ones of him and her son, and walking away with the big guys waving at them.

“So kitty,” Marinette piped up, “there was a rolled up paper in the lock.” He turned to her and crossed his arms. “And what does the lock say?” “I think it wants us to go to the Louvre.” She stated. “Well then purrincess,” He said, holding out his hand. “Close your eyes and hold on tight, ok?” He instructed before she was scooped up in his arms and carried towards their next destination.

This is not the end of the story! I still have more I want to write on it. But for one, It’s 3:37 am and I need my beauty sleep and two, this is already longer than what I normally write so I will be writing a second “chapter” soon. I’ll try to have it out by like, Wednesday. I’ll even figure out how to add a link to it. So stay tuned!

[corvusconductor]

A mini Haikyuu!! Halloween fic!!!

I’m not sure why I chose to write this. But it’s spooky season, and as the weather chills (where I am it chilled a LOT) and we start to see changing leaves, I figure why not?? Grab a seasonal beverage of your choosing, put on a big fluffy sweater and get cozy!!

“ASAHIIIII” Nishinoya yelled from the kitchen. It was the best night of the year in Noya’s opinion, Halloween! He and his boyfriend, Asahi, were going with a few of their other friends to a near by haunted house and then to Kuroo’s for a Halloween bash. It had been Asahi’s idea for them to do a couple’s costume, seeing as they were one and plus, the others were going in couples costumes so why not? Now, it was an hour till they were meant to meet their friends and Asahi was having second thoughts on his costume. “Honey, come on! I’m sure you look very manly.”

“Easy for you to say, you aren’t the one walking around with no shirt on.” Asahi sighed and stepped out of the bedroom. 

“Finally! Let s-” Noya managed to get that much out before seeing his boyfriend. He made a very handsome and very manly Eijiro Kirishima. His face was bright red and he wouldn’t look in Noya’s direction. The shorter male’s eyes widened.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Noya couldn’t think. He was gay panicking. “I knew it! It’s terrible. Lets see if Walmart has-” Asahi was cut off by Noya climbing on the counter to reach his lips. They kissed and Asahi finally looked at Noya, who was dressed as Bakugou. With the height and spikey blonde wig, Asahi couldn’t help but compare his itty-bitty boyfriend with a pomeranian. He laughed and picked up his keys. 

“Let’s get going, shall we?”

In another house, a different pair of boyfriend’s were nearly done getting ready. Tsukishima gave a little twirl in the mirror and watched his poodle skirt swish. He had on a “Pink Ladies” jacket (despite knowing Sandy never actually wore one) and a bit of make up. He leaned over to fix a smudge in his lipstick when Yamaguchi entered the room.

Yamaguchi was dressed in a leather jacket and had his hair slicked back. He blushed scratched his back. 

“You don’t think I look too foolish?” Tsukki turned and beheld his boyfriend. The 50s suited them both and his face darkened. He put a hand on the shorter male’s shoulder.

“You look wonderful.”

“So do you, Sandy” Yamaguchi laughed and spun his blonde boyfriend around, dipping him. They laughed and kissed and laughed a little more.

Flinging across town to a small apartment, yet another couple was getting ready for Halloween. Suga was spraying temporary red dye on his head while across the bedroom Daichi was purposefully smudging his eyeshadow and lipstick. They had chosen to go as Poison Ivy and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. 

“Hey babe, you mind drawing some stuff on my legs?? I can do the upside-down ones but its harder to do some of the ones on the back by myself.”

“Of course, darling!” He took the sharpie Daichi handed to him and crouched over. He scribbled a heart and the word ‘pud’ on on leg, then a bow and arrow and ‘ding’ on the other. He stood and smiled at his handy work, patting his boyfriend on the butt. Daichi jumped and Suga hit the radio rebel Debby Ryan. The brunette kissed his newly red haired boyfriend on the forehead and smiled. 

“Nice work, Suga. But we should head out. We gotta get to the haunted house!”

Two floors down and to the right from Suga and Daichi, a tangerine was waiting for his boyfriend to get ready. He was already in his ketchup outfit and was just waiting for an oversized bottle of mustard to join him in the living room. Hinata was practically bouncing off the walls and Kageyama could hear his impatient boyfriend from across the tiny apartment. He sighed and stepped out, feeling really silly. Hinata stopped his bouncing and jumped toward the taller boy in the yellow outfit. 

“Kags, you look so good!”

“You’re sure I don’t look silly?” Hinata gasped at the thought. HIS boyfriend? Silly? Never.

“Absolutely not! When are you ever silly looking?” Kageyama smiled and hooked his arm through Hinata’s, grabbed his keys and headed out the door into the chilly autumn evening.

Noya and Asahi arrived first, quickly followed by Suga and Daichi then Yamaguchi and Tsukki. They complimented each others outfits and purchased tickets, getting into line just as Hinata and Kageyama arrived. They waited in line together outside and realized they could only go in with groups of four. They split into 2 groups of four, Tsukki, Yamaguchi, Suga and Daichi in one group and Noya, Asahi, Kageyama and Hinata in the other. Asahi looked around as they stepped inside, grabbing Noya’s hand as a loud noise came from ahead. Mini- Bakugou laughed and rolled his eyes, leading the group. Kageyama threw an arm around Hinata, making sure no scary thing could hurt his boy. But then they came to the first jumpscare. A girl in a clown mask popped up from behind a wall and slashed a chainsaw with the chain removed in the arm. Asahi screamed like a little girl, picking up Noya in a giant bear hug. Kageyama, who was meant to be keeping Hinata safe squealed and hid behind his unaffected boyfriend. Hinata seemed to be the only one not frightened. 

Suga wrapped an arm around Daichi’s waist and Daichi slung one over Suga’s shoulder. Tsukki hid slightly behind Yamaguchi who had no problem protecting his boyfriend. They made it through the first few scares okay, but then it got to a swamp themed one. There was a fog machine going somewhere in the room and they had to walk across something that looked like a wooden bridge. A voice boomed from under the bridge.

“You! In the poodle skirt! Come on across the bridge first!” Tsukki shook his head. “Come on! Don’t be too scared. Ladies first.”

“I’m a guy.”

“Oh. Well, just cross the bridge.” Yamaguchi smiled sympathetically and pushed his boyfriend forward slightly. Tsukki’s eyebrows knitted together but he took a few tentative steps forward. A man in a ghillie suit resembling a swamp monster ran over the bridge straight at Tsukki then jumped the 3 feet off the bridge. Tsukki jumped backward into Yamaguchi’s arms and the group continued forward, Yamaguchi carrying Tsukishima bridal style across the bridge. 

Then after that room, there was coffin that read ‘Here Lies Jason Voorhees.’ Jason was not in the coffin. Daichi and Suga took the lead, still holding onto each other. Jason popped out from behind a wall like the clown had early and chased after our Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy duo. He backed them into a corner and got quite close to Daichi’s face and Suga hid behind Daichi’s back, screaming LOUDLY. JV walked away laughing manically. Suga stopped screaming and coughed, puffing out his chest to hopefully make the group forget he acted like a scared little girl.

In the end, everyone made it out of the haunted house alive. Asahi was shakey and looked like he was about to cry but Noya pulled him down and kissed him all over the face which seemed to help quite a bit. They all hopped into their individual cars and sped off towards Kuroo’s party.

That’s where I am going to end this fic!! I hope you enjoyed. Part two will be coming tomorrow because this part took like 2 hours because I procrastinated so hard and now it’s my bedtime that my mom still has for me<3

[fanficsandfluff]

Emotions Get the Better (2)

Mentions of violence and blood, but nothing too graphic. Enjoy!

Part 1

~~~~

You were able to sleep in the next day because your shift started in the late afternoon. So you threw yourself out of bed and made yourself a midday breakfast and a midday pot of coffee. 

You couldn’t get the idea out of your head that you wanted to tell a joke to the clown on the street. So as your coffee was brewing, as you brushed your teeth by the sink, and as you washed all of yesterday’s grime off in the shower, you kept trying to figure out a joke that the clown--- Arthur, his name was Arthur, wasn’t it? --- that Arthur would enjoy. But man, it was hard to come up with original jokes.

When you finally thought of one that made you smile, you locked it into memory and headed out of your apartment. 

The train was packed for that time of day, filled with students and employees who just got out of school and work for the day. You were about to turn the corner where you’d normally see the clown across the street. But when you got to that point, no speck of green clown hair could be seen. You stood on the curb and watched as masses of Gothamites sped up and down the busy street, but there was no sign-twirler. 

“Hm,” you let out a curious breath. Maybe it was his day off. So, you continued your walk to the theater.

All of a sudden, a group of teenagers burst out of an alleyway you were just passing and one of them literally almost pushed you to the ground with how fast he was running. 

“Hey!” you shouted, annoyed that you got shoved anyway. You watched those teens continue running down the street, and you realized they were the same group from last night on the train.

“Dicks,” you muttered under your breath and you glanced down the alley they had just came from.

Your eyes went wide and you sprinted down to the middle of the alleyway between two Gotham skyscrapers, “Shit shit--- a-are you okay?”

The clown was laying on his side on the ground, breathing heavy, ragged breaths. He started when he heard your voice and turned his head. 

“Seriously, are you okay? What the fuck did they do to you?” you kept asking, kneeling by the clown’s side. You can see his nose was bloodied, but that was the only visible injury at the moment. The clown looked like he was about to speak but whimpered and squeezed his arm around his midsection instead, still trying to catch his breath and center himself.

“Arthur,” you said gently, “What can I do?”

Again, no answer. 

“Let me take you to the hospital, please, I can’t---”

“No,” he finally croaked.

“What, why?”

“I-I....” Arthur sighed and rolled onto his back, “I’m be fine. I’m fine...” he stared up at you, his eyes seemingly coming into focus, “I remember you.”

You stared at him incredulously, sure he had something broken around his middle and his nose still looked like it was smashed. You almost wanted to laugh. I remember you. You just got fucked up by those goddamn teens and... No hospital? Well, shit, you weren’t a nurse so you couldn’t help him. 

“What did they do to you?”

Arthur’s face grew sad, and it looked so warped in his cheery clown makeup. 

“Just some kids, I-I shouldn’t have--”

“Those ones from the train, right? I saw them. They jumped you?” you just now realized your hand was placed on his shoulder this whole time. 

Arthur nodded and he tried sitting up but stifled a groan.

“Please let me take you to the hospital. You could have broken bones! And your nose is all--”

“No, I can’t afford it,” Arthur finally said, broken, sad, ashamed. 

You frowned. This poor, poor guy. You checked the time on your watch. You’d be late in the next ten minutes. 

“I can take you home?” you offered. 

Arthur looked at you with that same puppy-ish expression as he did last night on the train after you’d shoo’d those goons away. 

You sighed, started to get irritated by his nonchalant attitude, “Well, I’m not leaving you here. Come on,” you stood and hooked your arm under Arthur’s. You helped him gingerly stand. 

As you emerged out of the alleyway with Arthur limping by your side, you didn’t even feel a little self-conscious about the fact that here you were, in the middle of Gotham City, with a bruised and bloodied clown hanging off your arm. 

“Do you have a lot of ice at home? I think ice would help with bruises and soreness,” you offered as you approached the train station together. He forced himself to be free from your supportive hold on his arm when you reached the stairs. 

“I have ice,” he responded. He walked on his own and got on the train with you. 

Someone saw Arthur’s face and immediately stood up from their seat on the train. You wanted to think they were doing it out of pity for his still bloody face. But you knew they were just scared. 

You let him have the seat and you stood in front of him, hanging onto the railing above you. 

“We need to stop meeting like this,” you said.

“What?” Arthur looked up at you, genuine concern and confusion written on his face.

Then you smirked, “With me coming to your rescue... and with you dressed as a clown.”

Arthur huffed, and you were worried for a split second you offended him, but he was smiling, and that huff was a small laugh. He squeezed his arm around his midsection tighter after that, the laugh clearly causing him some pain. You frowned again. You should’ve forced him to go to a hospital anyway. Even some shady one down the next Gotham alley or some shit. He could have internal bleeding for all you knew.

“My clown name is Carnival,” he said, still an innocent smile upon his lips.

“Carnival,” you repeated, knocked out of your worrisome thoughts, “That’s a good name. Like that song.”

It was clear he didn’t know what you were talking about.

“My Name is Carnival. It’s a song. Can’t remember the singer, but you should give it a listen.”

Arthur nodded, “Yeah. I will,” he said easily. 

You looked at each other in silence for a bit more. You wondered why he wouldn’t rip off that wig and that false red nose. Relieve himself of the costume, of the act and just be able to feel the pain he was surely experiencing. You thought of yanking the red nose from his face, or yanking it and watching it snap back into his real nose. That would’ve made him laugh, you were sure of it. 

“I’m sorry those kids beat you up, Arthur,” you said, genuinely, “I feel like it’s my fault, like because I was there to stop them the first time they just took it out on you today and--”

“No! No no no,” Arthur kept saying, “Nothing’s anyone’s fault anymore. This city’s just getting crazier. You stopping them the other night was one of the few miracles I’d seen in Gotham. You’re a very kind person.”

You could imagine him reaching out and holding your hand in thanks and solidarity. But that didn’t happen. You balled your hand into a fist in your jacket pocket. 

“Thank you,” you took the compliment, “I just don’t see the need of being a dick to someone all the time. Life’s already a fucking joke, right? Might as well try to live it with a sense of decency.”

“This is my stop,” Arthur said, but his eyes were almost shining, like the last night on the train. He stood up and you walked out with him. It was sunset now and the lights bounced off the slick city streets and glass windows on buildings, making it all somehow look nice. 

“Hey, there’s a pharmacy right there. You want me to go in and get you supplies for your face or your ribs or--”

“No. I told you I have ice at home.”

You looked at him, hoping he’d just agree with you after all. But he didn’t and he kept walking. It was at this point when he took his wig off and held it in his hand limply. Next came the red nose, now gripped in the palm of his other hand. You jogged to catch up with him. 

You turned a few corners with him until he started toward the biggest staircase you’d ever seen. He climbed the first step and you thought, ‘Oh fuck that...’

“Wait, there’s no other way to get to your home?”

“This is the fastest.”

And he started climbing the stairs. You watched him go up the first six steps and you didn’t even move. He looked hurt, it was obvious. But there was something in how he was tackling this surely painful challenge of mounting the stairs with an air of someone who was beyond physical pain. There was a tiredness and a weakness that loomed in his posture, in each sure step he took from one stair to the next. But the climb was a familiar one to him. It was clear he had done this most of his life. As you followed behind him and when you were getting winded, you didn’t hear a peep out of him. Not an out-of-breath sigh or a grimace of pain. 

Arthur reached the top first, and you still had another flight to go. He smiled at you, clearly with an air of making fun of you, but not in a mean way. 

“Any day now,” he said, a certain bounce in his voice.

You huffed a small laugh and jogged the last few steps to reach the top, “Jehesus Christ.... I wanna fucking die....”

Arthur smiled more at you and he waited for you to catch your breath before continuing his walk..... which was up another hill. No wonder this guy was skinny as a twig.

You felt the air was getting less tight, and you couldn’t explain it. But things all around felt like they were getting better. You almost forgot that Arthur had dried blood caked under his nose, mixing with his makeup. 

“Oh, I almost forgot!” you exclaimed, making Arthur jump at your sudden volume, “I was coming up with something to tell you all morning.”

Arthur had no clue what that something could be, so he simply said, “What?”

“Why can’t your nose be 12 inches long?” 

There was a silence as the two of you kept walking. Arthur caught on immediately and he smiled, trying to think of the punchline, “Uhhhh...”

But you came right in with it, unable to contain yourself anymore, “Cuz then it’d be a foot,” and you belted out a laugh. 

Arthur was amused, and he let out a titter of a giggle, most of his laughter coming out as breathy. He watched you with what could have been perceived as adoration in his eyes.

“That was very good,” he chuckled. 

“I cahame up with it today,” you were still giggling and wiped a tear of laughter from your eye, “I thought you’d appreciate it.”

“I did. Very much so,” Arthur said and he stopped walking. You paused, as well. You two were in front of a rundown looking apartment building. Then again, how many buildings in the city weren’t rundown? 

“Please take care of yourself, Arthur,” you said to him, still showing him a friendly smile. 

“I will.”

There was an awkward silence.

“I don’t know what to say,” Arthur suddenly became shy again (well, shier than he normally was thus far today), “How can I repay you for---”

You quickly interrupted him before he started to feel like he owed you just for being a decent fucking human being, “You can have my joke and use it in your acts. Free of charge, no credit due. And next time I see you, you’re gonna have to share one of your jokes with me. Then we’ll call it even. Deal?” you smiled again, trying to catch his eye so you knew he understood.

Arthur smiled back at you, “Deal.”

“Well, goodnight, Arthur,” you said, realizing it was now dark out. 

“Goodnight, Y/N,” Arthur said in response, and he watched you walk down the next block before he turned and entered his apartment. He was smiling the whole way up to his apartment, even prompting his mother to ask, “What’s got you so giddy?” So, he told her the joke you shared with him. She rolled her eyes, corners of her lips turned down. Arthur went to wash off his makeup for the night, and he started cackling when he looked at himself in the mirror, a wet mix of blood, multicolored paint, and his gaunt skin color dripping down his chest, over his cuts and bruises. He laughed until he nearly choked on it.

[decorativedust]

HNK chapter 80 thoughts + analysis

I’ve been marinating on this chapter for a few days, and I have some things in mind for it that I’d like to talk about. 

This is just my take on things, and how I’ve interpreted them: mostly phos, aechmea, cairngorm, a tad bit of dia, and my thoughts on the fate of the series. 

Warning for: talk of suicide, spoilers. 

so I have a few very specific things I want to cover: Phos, Aechmea, Cairngorm, Dia, and the fate of the series. 

We’ll start with Phos. 

Personally, one of the biggest draws and attachments for hnk was phos’s transition from a sweet, naive gem to a depressed, anxious, horrifically warped individual. There’s not a lot of series out there where you can actually see a character become changed so drastically in such an intricate manner. I find character development, as a whole, to be extremely interesting. 

Phos’s transition has been building up for the entire series. They kept growing stronger, learned more- but continued to fail over and over again. They tried to make an encyclopedia, and failed. They tried to find a job for shinsa, and failed. They tried to help bring Ventricosus home and got betrayed and lost their legs. They tried to save antarc, and failed. Ghost was abducted trying to save them. They lost nearly all of their body. They couldn’t bring back the ground up gems. Their night raid was a failure and might’ve killed padpa. 

They’ve had a few triumphs- becoming stronger (although I’m ultimately not sure how much good this led to), giving the gems on the moon potentially happier lives (?), and help uncover more of the truth of their world. The gem abductions have seemed to stop entirely. And cinnabar seems to have finally reintegrated back into gem society through their efforts. 

Ultimately though, phos’s life has become full of constant efforts sustained on hope and bravery that almost always end in failure. At the end of the day, how could you not snap? How could you not become a self-doubting, depressed mess? In a world where everyone has given up on you in your efforts to stop the cycle of suffering, how could you not become the despair-filled person that Phos now is? 

I hope they get a satisfying ending. Phos has been fucked over from the beginning. They’re far from perfect, but I believe the things that ultimately drive them are kindness and a desire to end this cycle of pain for everyone- and I think that’s important to keep in mind. 

Now let’s go to Aechmea. 

This man really is an absolute lying bastard, huh? 

There’s no doubt about it- Aechmea straight up lied to EVERYONE about the fate of the other two societies (admirabilis and gems). Honestly, I’m not even sure the lunarians knew about it. I don’t think they did- he genuinely ran lunarian society on the operation that the gems and admirabilis would be around after they disappeared. 

Aechmea gives no indication that the fact that adamant will pray away all remnants of humanity is new information. It serves in Aechmea’s favor that he doesn’t tell anyone, either. While there’s certainly a few gems who likely don’t mind this fate (yellow), i imagine the bulk of admirabilis and gems wouldn’t desire such a fate. And how would the lunarians feel, if they found out the gems and the admirabilis would go with them, especially now that gems and admirabilis have all been on the moon for at least several hundred years at this point? 

Aechmea didn’t care if they took all the gem dust on the moon and tried to reform the gems. Aechmea didn’t harm any of the gems on the moon. He stopped abducting gems. He listened to their demands. Because ultimately, it didn’t matter! None of it mattered, because they’d all die alongside the lunarians anyways! 

I suppose I can find sympathy in their reasons for wanting to cross over to the nothingness. But at the cost of two entire other species? At the cost of killing so many other living things who likely don’t want to die- who don’t even know the fate they’re getting? Is there really nothing else that can be done? You got any lunarian therapy up there? 

Its a hard thing to discuss. Obviously I’ll never know the feeling of being given the ability to live for eternity. Could they have not chosen to build some sort of positive relationship with the admirabilis and the gems, rather than terrorize and use both of them for their own purposes? 

It feels so selfish. I suppose that’s not surprising, given how selfishness is just part of being human- or the personality and essence of humanity, at least. While selflessness is good, we all need a little selfishness sometimes. We need to take time to ourselves and do things for our own goods, rather than contribute ourselves 100% to others and completely burn ourselves out. It seems lunarians (or at least Aechmea) have selfishness in spades, to the point of being utterly apathetic to the fate of gems and admirabilis. 

Now onto Cairngorm. 

They look terrified and horrified the entire chapter. 

Cairngorm is certainly no stranger to the concept of death. They had suicidal thoughts during phos’s first 200 year coma (right after they’d lost their head), they brushed by death when their outer shell (Ghost) was ripped away from their body. They’ve outwardly expressed before how they want to go with Aechmea into the nothingness, and yet- here they are. Not excited, not happy, not anything near positive. 

There’s a giant difference between saying “i will die with you/i want to die” and actually, genuinely embracing death. Its so easy to say something, but so much harder to actually do it, and I think this is when cairngorm is actually, fully realizing this. 

I don’t know whether or not they’re suicidal anymore, but I imagine not. This is probably the happiest they have been in their entire life. Imagine finally overcoming the desire to die, to find a place that makes you so happy - and then to realize that you’re about to lose it all and become nothing. 

If there was ever a time for cairngorm to go against aechmea, its now. If we ever have a moment where cairngorm realizes aechmea lied to them, where cairngorm is finally going to become their own person without being under the rule and command of anyone else, it is now. 

Personally, I’m hoping they’ll somehow attempt to interfere and try and stop Phos, but I’ll cover this more when I talk about the fate of the series. 

Now onto Dia! This is probably the most lighthearted part of the whole chapter. 

They’ve finally shined under their own light. 

This is going back waaaaaaay far into the manga (like chapter 3), but we’re finally seeing some sort of resolution to Dia’s desire to become good at their own thing, without always being second best to Bort. 

I feel like Dia and Phos, at this point, had very similar feelings. Both felt insignificant and useless as a result of not being as good as a fighter as their societal expectations hold them to- leading to feelings of self doubt, and the desire to become better. 

A lot of people have called Dia selfish, for wanting to go somewhere where there is no Bort. Perhaps, a little bit. However, I don’t think Bort was purposefully trying to ‘show off’ and show how much better than Dia they are. They seemed to just be doing it out of the desire to protect Dia. But ultimately, Dia still felt very second-best to them, despite the fact that Dia should’ve been one of the best themselves. Yet their partnership was suffocating for Dia, constantly under the shadow of Bort. It just simply wasn’t healthy. 

But now Dia has found a thing where they’re able to shine under their own light- an idol!!! They seem really happy doing it. They have a whole crowd of adoring fans, too. (blows a kiss to the moon) this is for u dia u fuckin get em 

Finally, onto the last point: The fate of houseki no kuni. 

This really feels like we’re so close to the end, doesn’t it? But how close to that end are we?  As most of us are aware, chapter 80 is just the first chapter in volume 10. So, I find it very hard to believe that Phos is going to be successful in this particular attempt to get sensei to pray. A maximum of 21 minutes is certainly not enough time to tie up all the loose plotlines. What happened to Yellow? To Padpa? How are the earth gems? What about all the stuff that was happening between Cinnabar and Phos? What about the professor? etc etc im probably missing a few things, but you get my point. 

Personally, I think there’s either going to be a gem that wanders out and sees phos going apeshit, and manages to stop them. Or, we’re going to get interference from Cairngorm. Right now Cairngorm seems the most likely candidate, despite the fact that they aren’t physically there. (Boy, if they do that though, I’m afraid to see how aechmea will react.) But I don’t really find it hard to believe that one of the earth gems will wander out, unable or unwilling to sleep. 

Phos, obviously, won’t stop. They haven’t stopped trying for hundreds of years, why would they stop now, unless somehow they also bypassed whatever was preventing sensei from telling them “hey, you’re gonna kill everyone so maybe chill out”. I find it unlikely Sensei would do anything, however. He’s seemed extremely passive towards the gems lately (the most violent he’s ever been towards them was when he yelled at original goshe and morganite and accidentally shattered phos in like.. chapter 1) and aechmea said it himself- he doesn’t seem to be resisting. 

Ending it here feels so.. messy. I like to have a little bit more faith in Ichikawa as a writer. I’ve decided to trust her because she’s written a lot of other things extremely well. Maybe I’ll be putting on my clown wig in a few chapters, but we’ll see. 

[prairiesongserial]

11.7

Ice cream in hand, and Val’s wallet a little lighter, Friday and Val explored the steamboat. The outside walls of the middle deck’s cabin were papered with posters - the photography kind, which was rare and expensive. All pictured the same girl in the same pose, about a hundred of them in a row, some overlapping, even. The text was printed in a regional style that gave Friday a headache if she tried to read it, though that didn’t stop her slowing her pace to admire the figure of the pictured girl.

“You think I could clean up that nice?” she asked Val around her ice cream.

Val seemed to notice the posters for the first time. His eyes scanned over the girl’s slinky dress, each wrinkle in the silk intentional and suggestive with light and shadow. Three strands of pearls were fastened close to her neck, her dark hair tidily pinned away so the pearls drew in the eye and held it. The girl’s features were dainty - and clearly belonged to someone several years Friday’s junior.

“You already dress like that,” Val said.

Friday laughed. She didn’t own anything that rich. “What are you talking about?”

Val gestured down to Friday’s sundress, then kept walking. Friday wanted to make fun of him for the crime of conflating cotton and silk, but she couldn’t quite shake the compliment under the comparison. She trotted to catch up with Val.

A young mother was passing in the other direction, counting coins out of a change purse. She wore her Sunday best, a green dress that closed at the neck, with sleeves that billowed outwards. Her three children circled, nearly tripping her, their eyes on the purse.

“Hold on, now, all of you,” she snapped, counting pennies into their palms in turn. “Don’t spend it all on peanuts, do you hear? And Gawain, watch out for your brothers.”

Friday tugged Val’s shirt, steering him over to the woman. As the last of the three children hurtled off with his handful of pennies, Friday gave her a wave and a smile.

“Hello, do I know you?” the woman said. Her change purse still held loosely in her hand, the woman’s attention slid from Friday to her children, still barely in sight.

The pickpocket in Friday, long retired, wondered what on earth was wrong with this woman. She felt baited into robbing the poor creature, though of course she kept her twitching fingers to herself.

“No, Ma’am,” Friday said. She looped her arm in Val’s, sensing he wanted to escape. “We’re in town with the circus.”

“Oh, how lovely,” the woman said with a smile. “I’m Marian Pérez, pleased to meet you.”

“Friday Wilmot, and my associate Valerie Lecter.” Friday held out her hand to shake. “This is our first time in Everglades City, so we really don’t know our way around yet.”

Marian’s sons were out of sight among the distant circus tents. Marian didn’t seem to be concerned. She set her purse down on the boat’s railing to shake Friday’s hand. Friday frowned at it. People passed by on either side. In Vegas, that purse would have already been gone, but there it sat.

“Is Everglades City a very safe town?” Friday asked.

“Oh, certainly,” Marian said. Friday barely heard the response, watching the change purse bob with the gentle rhythm of the water under the boat. “There’s no safer place to live. I’ve only just moved here recently myself, when I was pregnant with my second, and that was exactly why. Even you can tell, and you’ve only been in town a handful of hours.”

Marian beamed at Friday proudly.

“It’s due to the Bellamys, of course,” she added. “I only found out well after I moved here, but I was curious too!” She tittered, touching Friday’s arm familiarly, and Friday laughed with her. This was getting very interesting.

“What do the Bellamys have to do with it?” Val asked. He no longer looked like he was waiting for an opening to slip away, his gaze focused intensely down on Marian.

“They got rid of the crime,” said Marian simply.

Friday’s eyes went wide before she got her face under control.

“The Bellamys operate Everglades City,” Marian said, finally taking up her purse. “There hasn’t been crime here for as long as they’ve been in charge, and that’s been a long time. If you’re interested in the town history, I’m sure there’s someone else who could tell it better. Oh, let’s see...”

Marian’s attention jerked back to one of her sons, who had reappeared with ice cream, and seemed to want nothing of his mother but to show her. Friday licked a drop up from the bottom of her own ice cream cone. She had to agree with the kid; this was noteworthy ice cream - and in her book, all ice cream was noteworthy.

Friday grabbed Val’s sleeve urgently, and he went rigid, startled.

“What?” he hissed.

“If we travel with the circus, we can eat this all the time,” Friday hissed back, voice tight with emotion. She waved her cone around. “We can eat ice cream every day, Val.”

The kid stopped mid-sentence, looking at Friday with the eyes of a hawk.

“Mama, I want to join the circus,” he said. “Mama - ”

Friday took a big bite of ice cream, looking innocently up at Marian as the kid’s idea began to increase in pitch and volume. Whoops. Val began to steer her away, which was probably for the best.

“Thank you for the pleasant conversation, Mrs. Pérez,” Val said quickly. “On behalf of the Madsen and Something circus, I hope you enjoy your afternoon.”

Marian’s expression was quickly turning sour, but Friday and Val happily made their escape before the kid really began to squall. Val had led her down the ramp, back onto the pier they had arrived by, before Friday cracked up.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” she laughed, ice cream running down her fingers.

“You’re awful with children,” Val said wonderingly. It only made Friday laugh harder.

“Christ, I need to sit down,” she gasped, stomach aching. The pier looked like it had been put together without much care to how long it would last, or the unlucky fate of the person who would finally find out how long that was, exactly. The planks creaked loudly as Friday hoisted herself up on a barrel. As she straightened, the wind whipped a lock of blond hair in front of her eyes, reminding her that she was still wearing the wig she’d found.

Val paced in front of her, the skin at the base of his neck pink and glowing with sweat. His hair was so long, now, he must have been hot. It was hard to say whether or not he was in better spirits now, but his forehead wasn’t knotted with worry anymore. Not that he looked anything near relaxed.

Friday smiled to herself. She had leveled the top of the ice cream, though half of it had dribbled down her fingers.

“Here, eat this,” she said, holding the cone out to Val.

Val paused his pacing and came over to her. He took the ice cream, then sighed.

“This is sticky,” he said.

Friday hopped off her barrel and pulled a pink handkerchief from the pocket of her sundress. She wiped at her fingers, but found them unpleasantly still sticky. The water lapping at the pier was fairly high, high enough that if she reached, she could probably dip her handkerchief.

Friday was showing off a bit, as she knelt by the edge, straining to reach the surface of the water, but she almost hoped she would fall in. She was already clowning - it didn’t matter that she was wearing a nice wig and not a yarn one. She wasn’t running around interrogating young mothers for the joy of it; she was trying to make Val forget they were kind-of-sort-of prisoners of a traveling circus and there was no knowing when Val would see the door of the convent again. Why not commit to the bit and fall in a few feet of water? Val was too nice to laugh at her, but he would make a big fuss over her and forget to be melancholy for a few more minutes.

Friday’s concentration was complete as she strained for the water, her ankles wobbling as the handkerchief danced a hairsbreadth above the water’s surface. Several locks of hair fell in her eyes, and her ankles wobbled again as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

“What are you doing?” Val asked. She couldn’t see him, but she heard him quietly crunch through a piece of ice cream cone.

An oar passed under the water, just under the spot where Friday’s handkerchief hovered. She looked up. An old man sat in a rowboat, kept company by a writhing net of the biggest fish Friday had ever seen. Each one was the size of one of Marian’s kids, four feet long at least. The fish took up more room in the boat than the old man did.

The old man paused his rowing. He glared at Friday - or more likely, into the sun behind her.

“You’ll lose your arm,” he said, and spat over his shoulder.

Friday straightened up. The man had the ordinary things one expected of fisherfolk in his rowboat with him, but he also had a shotgun wedged under the seat.

This was the person Friday should be asking questions. Friday shoved her handkerchief back in her pocket. The old man was moving on, bringing his rowboat to the shallow end of the pier. Friday followed, jogging along the pier to keep up. She could hear Val behind her, following at a sensible pace.

“Hey, I was wondering if you know someone named, uh…” Friday struggled to remember the previous courier’s name. “Adams! Someone named Adams?”

The man grunted.

“You don’t know him? Or you do?” Friday pressed.

The man was wrapping rope around a post as his net of fish flopped back and forth, rocking the little boat. A cloud moved overhead, its shadow passing over the water. Friday frowned. In that case, why was the old man still squinting like the sun was in his eyes?

Val caught up, finally.

“Something’s bothering me,” he said, pulling Friday aside. His hands were sticky too, she noticed, with satisfaction. “On the way in, Ezra told us not to wander off. But Mrs. Pérez says there’s no crime. And you saw…”

“How she just left her purse there?” Friday finished.

The old man tossed his fish up onto the pier; the writhing net landed an inch from Friday, and she screamed, jumping out of her skin. The old man climbed up after his catch.

“Don’t know an Adams,” the old man said. Friday wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. “There’s more than two dozen people living here, pet. Haven’t you ever been to a city before?”

Friday barked a laugh, stepping toward the old man. Val caught her shoulder.

“How about any disappearances at all lately?” Val said.

The old man cracked up, howling with laughter. A shiver ran down Friday’s spine. Val was perfectly still beside her, his stiffness validating the wrongness that Friday felt under the old man’s laugh. The two of them stood and watched him, his net of fish all but forgotten as he cackled.

“...What’s funny?” asked Val.

“There’s more disappearances in Everglades City than there are people,” the old man said. “And as I was telling the lady, there’s no small number of people.”

The old man’s face twisted now, not in laughter, but in some unclear emotion. No feeling came through in his words, his laughter dead in the air.

“Been a peculiarity of this city as long as I’ve been alive,” he said. “People’ll pack up a boat and row out into the glades, never come back. Leave their whole family behind. Some weeks, it’ll be one a day. Then you’ll have a dry month or two...but it never stops.”

The old man rubbed the white stubble on his chin thoughtfully as his net of fish slapped the pier in a frenzy.

“Just keep your hands where they are, young lady,” he mumbled, finally turning away. “Just keep ‘em where they are.”

11.6 || 11.8

[revengeofthebluepen]

Painted On With Laughter Ch 19/20/21

Ch. 19 A Rose By Any Other Name

The nights passed slowly without (Name), for Jason. Bruce had reported you missing. Alfred was searching the manner in hopes that you had just gotten stuck somewhere. It was tearing Jason apart from the inside that (Name) were gone. She had left without a trace. The only thing missing from (Name)'s room that the three males noticed was her guitar. As the days turned into weeks. The family grew desperate of finding (Name). Bruce and Jason were quick to noticed that the joker's plans had become more well planned out, but all thoughts of (Name) helping him were dismissed. Bruce became more hostile towards the villain they caught. As the weeks turned into months, the only one not to lose hope of finding (Name) was Jason. On every patrol he would always scan the crowds of people for her but never came close to finding (Name).

To be noticed by Bruce or Jason, (Name) wore a red and black wig. She would wear bright electric blue contacts to hid her original (e/c) eyes. She never left her own room, which no longer had windows, without makeup and her signature mask. She would wear face prosthetics and her Harley Quinn outfit to make her even less like her old self. She couldn't go back to the manner, for it held too many memories she yearned to forget. It torn her heart apart to abandon her family, but now she had a fresh start. Here in the crime world, (Name) was the queen of crime and could recreate herself any way she seen fit. This was her home now. Only a force of fate could change her mind now.

The months finally turned years and Jason had finally lost hope in finding (Name). He felt like a piece of his heart was missing again. He begged Alfred to leave (Name)'s room unchanged and Alfred did. Jason and Bruce weren't the same since (Name)'s disappearance. It wasn't until a mysterious letter arrived that they even talked to each other within the home. Jason had received an letter labeled with only his name and address and Bruce along with Alfred had received on as well along with one labeled: Flying G. Jason wasted no time opening his letter after receiving his letter. The only word was printed in crimson ink that said: Alive. At the bottom of the page was a signature, (first letter of first name) Wayne. Jason ran to show Bruce his letter and saw one that Bruce had received. Bruce's letter was written in a golden ink with the words: Giggles, Smiles. At the bottom page was the same signature. Alfred soon entered the study and showed both his letter. In (f/c) was the familiar signature at the bottom and the words: Freedom, Lives, Gotham. Alfred handed the final letter to Bruce who quickly opened it. He was unable to read it though for it was in Romanian. Bruce along with the others ran down to the batcave in order to use the Bat Computer to translate the page. What they found is as follows.

Mea pasăre dragă a unei pene ,

Ce mai faci? Unde ai călători ? Na mai rămas nimic pentru mine în maniera . Ea deține prea multe amintiri pentru mine . Nu știu unde să meargă . Pana in momentul in care il veti primi aceasta voi fi fost mult timp plecat . Mai mult decât probabil a fost un an , în cazul în care sistemul poștal nu a făcut mizerie în sus . Mai ții minte când am crezut că o să cadă , dar m-ai prins . Am fost atât de speriată am fost de gând să fie rănit . O astfel de rușine că ai lăsat să cad în dragoste dar nu a avut nici o intenție de a mă prindă . Ai lăsat să cadă și să se sfărâma în timp ce a căzut în dragoste cu pixie cu cap roșu . Dragostea ei pentru tine nu este real . Sper că veți obține ceea ce vine la tine .

Cele mai bune gânduri,

Vrabie)

(My dear bird of a feather,

How are you? Where did you travel to? There is nothing left for me in the manner. It holds too many memories for me. I don't know where to go. By the time you receive this I will have been long gone. More than likely it has been a year, if the postal system didn't mess up. Remember that time I thought I was going to fall but you caught me. I was so scared I was going to get hurt. Such a shame that you let me fall in love but had no intention of catching me. You let me fall and shatter while you fell in love with the red headed pixie. Her love for you isn't real. I hope that you get what's coming to you.

Best wishes,

Sparrow)

Bruce read the letter aloud in order to keep no one in the dark. As Jason questioned as to what happened in between (Name) and this Flying person. The following night Jason and Bruce looked for (Name). They questioned any villains they saw. They searched all night but once the sun began to rise they began to lose hope. Every night they searched for her. The days passed without a trace of (Name) again. They were beginning to lose hope of finding her. Jason entered his room and fell onto his bed. He was about to closes his eyes until a shimmering object caught his eye. He got up from his bed and walked over to his desk where an envelope and a charm bracelet laid. His heart beat even faster when he realized it was (Name)'s bracelet. He quickly tore open the letter. He scanned the writing quickly and left without a single word. Bruce would later enter his room towards the evening and find the letter on the floor with the few words: Come, 5465 E. Glider Street, Before Sundown. Bruce yelled to Alfred where he was going. He hoped he wasn't too late.

(Name) sat in her room sketching out the plans of the local banks. Her guitar was being fixed at a local music store so she couldn't play music. While in the middle of planning her next job when she heard a scream. She quickly grabbed her gun and sneaked out of her room. She followed the sounds until she arrived to the backroom of the warehouse. She quietly opened the door and was shocked at the scene before her. There was blood everywhere and the joker was laughing maniacally. He held a crowbar in his hand and was bearing someone with it. Joker caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye.

"Phantom darling would you like to join me?" he questioned.

(Name) entered, and saw it was Jason who was being killed. She had to hold back the tears as she looked at him. His eyes pleaded for it all to stop. There was blood pouring out of him and pooling beneath him. The sight filled (Name) with anger. She loved Jason and Joker knew it. He had promised her that Jason wouldn't be hurt. She would stay if he wasn't hurt. (Name) walked forwards but this time with no smile on her face, like with the others they hurt. Her heart was shattering into pieces as she looked at Jason. Every breath he took, she feared was his last. Joker handed her the crow bar. She gripped the crowbar tightly and picked it up to swing. She swung with all her might. Blood spilled and a scream was let out. Another swing and more screaming. She rapidly hit him over and over. A laugh erupted from her. Teeth flew out of his mouth and onto the floor. (Name) hit him over and over until he no longer moved. (Name) looked over to where Jason laid on the ground. Her heart stopped seeing his breath come to stop. (Name) dropped the crowbar next to the Joker who was now in the same pain Jason was in. (Name) checked for a pulse and fro breathing. There was none. She tried over and over with CPR to bring him back. It was all in vain. (Name) pulled Jason into a hug and kissed his head one final time. He was gone. She cried and cried till the Joker came too. He slowly limped out of the room. He had crossed a line and awoke the beast within (Name). He had never seen her so upset in her life. Joker made his way to the bathroom while (Name)'s cries haunted him. He never wanted to see her upset again. He thought if Jason was out of the picture she would be happier. He was wrong. As the Joker tried to patch up his sides a helping hand came. He looked up to see his favorite blonde. With a smile on her face and her blue eyes twinkling, Joker pulled her into a hug. He no longer needed (Name) around to hold him together. (Name) had betrayed him and now would pay.

(Name) held onto Jason's cold body as a dark figure loomed over her. (Name) didn't bother to look up she knew who it was. She knew that familiar feeling of being watched.

"Let me help," was all he said as he picked up Jason's body. (Name) followed close behind him as they exited the building (Name) pulled out a device with a red button labeled "BOOM!". She pushed the button. At first nothing happened but in a few hours the news would be covering the mysterious warehouse going up in flames.

Batman dropped (Name) a block from the manner. (Name) collect her things from the Batmobile and walked outside and towards the manor. Batman had promised to return Jason's body to Bruce. (Name) stopped dead in her tracks at the gates of the manner. She closed her eyes and took a breath. It was home but at the same time her personal hell. I will make this work. I will make this my home again. This is where I belong (Name) thought to herself. (Name) climbed over the gates and walked up to the main door. She took another breath and tried to fix her appearance. (Name) rung the doorbell and seconds later was met by Alfred. (Name) cried as she was pulled into a tight hug. Alfred welcomed her back into the home. (Name) excused herself to her room to make herself look more presentable. She washed the clown makeup off and changed into her normal clothes. She threw the wig in the trash can and exited her room. Alfred lead (Name) to Bruce's study. She knocked on the door and Bruce said they could entered. Bruce didn't look up from his papers as he continued to work through them. There were pictures of her and other things. Bruce muttered to himself as (Name) drew closer.

"Alfred, I'm not going to stop looking. I need to find her." he said still looking at the papers. A few of them being the letters.

"Then look up," (Name) said and Bruce did.

The world stood still till Bruce rose from his spot and walked over to (Name). He hugged her and they both cried tears of joy. Bruce wanted to cry when he had first saw her but that would have given him away, so now all of those emotions flooded forwards to this moment.

"I'm sorry," was all (Name) could say over and over. She didn't realize how much pain she had cause him till now. She never wanted to hurt the people she loved the most. She just wanted to feel free again.

"It's okay," Bruce said.

"No it's not. They killed him dad," It was the first time (Name) had called Bruce dad instead of father. He knew that Jason's death would cause (Name) grief beyond everyone else.

"Who?" Bruce questioned, even though he knew the answer.

"Joker, he killed, Jason. Jason is gone." (Name) said as she sobbed even more into Bruce's embrace.

A few days later they had Jason's funeral. After the service, it was only Bruce and (Name) left. (Name) sat next to the head stone talking quietly while Bruce waited in the car. He knew that (Name) was never going to be like before. There was no chance now. Bruce had hoped that Jason was going to bring the old (Name) back. Back before Dick broke her. Before she lost all feeling of what love was supposed to be. Once Jason had died so did (Name)'s chances of going back to normal.

Ch 20. Everything Burns

A/N: (Name) age 17

Dick: 18

Barbara: ~19 (maybe 18)

Jason: died at 16

Bruce: ~29 (give or take a few years)

_____________

    Jason’s passing took a toll on everyone, especially (Name). She looked like a shell of her old self. She rarely left her room. Barely ate anything. Never spoke above a whisper, when she spoke a word or two. She no longer played her guitar nor did she draw. She would spend most of her days, laying on her bed with headphones on. Bruce couldn’t tell if she had music on or not. The truth was everything reminded (Name) of Jason. Her clothes, she books, her every belonging. She couldn’t bare to get rid of her last connection to Jason. The rare occasions (Name) did leave her room, it was either to get food or to visit Jason’s grave. As the days dragged by (Name)’s pain of lose worsen. Bruce and Alfred, both had moved on. They accepted the fact Jason was to never return.  World kept going on around (Name), she fell down the rabbit hole even farther. 

    (Name) lost time of the days. She no longer could keep track of the days. It wasn’t until a knock came rapping on her door, that she realised that she could hear sound. She never played music and prefer to wallow in silence as her mind wandered. Every song she had was to painful to listen to.  The door creaked open and (Name) turned her head ever so slightly to see a young boy who was probably only 14. She was only three years older than him.  In the eight years (Name) had lived at the manner she had never seen such curious eyes. His eyes were a smoky blue. He had raven black hair that was slightly messy. He wore a red shirt and khaki pants. He was holding onto what looked like a piece paper. As he entered the room, the paper shined in the sunlight. (Name) realized it was picture. She sat up. Tim shook as he approached her. He tripped over his own words as he handed the paper, that was actually a photo, to (Name).

    “I...I’m a big...no...huge fan. I.. would..could..You..t?” He said.

(Name) examined the photo. It was of her, Dick along with his parents. They were standing with what she assumed was him and his parents. Her signature along with the other FLying Graysons were sprawled at the bottom. 

    “Tim,” (Name) said in just a whisper.

    “H...how”

    “You were there, for our last performance. I remember signing this.” (Name) said as she looked at the photo.

    Before (Name) and Tim could continue on Alfred came and took Tim to dinner. (Name) didn’t leave her room. She stared at the picture. Tears threatened to fall once more. She stood from her spot on the bed and gently sat the picture down on her desk. Tim came back after dinner and they talked for a bit. He said his good nights once the sun went down. She laid awake in the bed all night long. This time without her headphones on. She heard every footstep that Bruce, Tim and Alfred took. She laid there and thought for a long time about what her life had become. I impacted a random kid, who now lives with us, because I signed a picture almost nine years ago. Who would have guessed? I’m a role model for him. He looks up to me because I could swing on a trapeze. 

    (Name) got out of her bed and looked at her clock. It was 4 am and she still couldn’t sleep. Walking across her room, she entered her closet and pulled out two totes. One was empty and the other filled with things she had long said goodbye to. (Name) opened the lid of the empty tote and walked about her room. She took everything that reminded her of Jason or Dick and placed them in the tote. Photos, drawings, certain outfits. Anything and everything she could fit in this tote. If Tim was going to look up to her she was going to make herself a good role model. She had Mary and John when she had nothing else. Now Tim would have her and Bruce.

    The next afternoon, Tim knocked on (Name)’s door. She told him to come in and motioned for him to sit on the bed with her. She said nothing as she handed him a handful of pictures. He carefully looked at them in awe. They were picture that (Name) and other circus members had taken. On the back were the people's names who were in the pictures. As Tim went to hand them back to (Name), she spoke again.

    “You can keep them,”

    “But they..” (Name) cut Tim off.

    “Are for you to have. I don’t need them anymore. Besides I have all those memories here,” she motioned to her head, “and here.” She pointed to her heart. 

    “Thank you so much,” Tim said repeatedly. 

Tim and (Name) continued to talk about the circus and other things. She learned that Tim had come from a very wealthy family and moved in to study under Bruce, or so he claimed. (Name) and Tim became friends over the course of the weeks. He would often visit her and they would talk. One day (Name) and Tim went through her old circus things. Even though it pained her to look through the objects, she bared through it to see the smile on Tim’s face. Every time Tim smiled, it was like the pain of the past faded a bit. They found her old custom and even more pictures. Tim dared for her to wear it again and so she went into her bathroom and tried to put it on. The only thing that still fit was the tutu and even then it only fit around her barley. She came back out wearing the tutu over her regular clothes and the rest over head. Tim laughed so hard he fell off the bed. Tim’s laughter was contagious and soon (Name) joined in. Hearing the commotion Bruce peaked his head in and saw the two laughing so hard they cried tears of joy. He smiled to himself. It amazed him how one person could change someone so much. The days passed by with Tim and (Name). At one point Tim dared (Name) to try the trapeze again. No one ever expected her to climb the ladder once more.

    (Name) and Tim walked into the gym in some comfy clothes and she instructed Tim what to do. She climbed up right behind Tim. Alfred soon found out what was going on and got Bruce. They both watched with both teens  unaware. (Name) taught Tim how to hold on to the bar and when to let go.

    “When you feel like you can fly straight forwards that’s when you let go.” (Name) said. A smile appeared on her face for quoting Mary. She now understood how Mary felt when it had been (Name)’s first try. Even though it was terrifying to teach someone there was a comfort in what she was doing. (Name) swung on the bar to the other platform and readied herself for when Tim would go.

    “Remember only look at me! I promise I’ll catch you.” (Name) called out.

Tim took a few final breaths and swung forwards. (Name) swung out to catch Tim. Tim locked eyes with her and when he was ready, let go of the bar. (Name) caught him with ease. They swung back to the other side and hopped onto the platform. The duo repeated the trick over and over till Tim was comfortable to do the act on his own. (Name) smiled as Tim tried for the first time on his own. He gripped the bar and leaned out into the air. He swung through the air, as graceful as a bird in flight. He reached the climax of the swing he let go and flew through the air. He started to fall down in the air and reached out to the other bar. Fingers barely touched the bar. (Name) took no time to swing into action, literally. She swung through the air even more graceful than Tim and quickly grabbed the acrobatic curtain that hung still. She threw herself towards him with the curtain in hand. She barely caught him by his foot. There were only yards away from the floor. She took her leg and wrapped it around the curtain. Taking her now sree hand she grabbed onto Tim. He was still panick stricken with the fall. During the fall Bruce and Alfred had rushed up to the edge of the net. They watched as a smile spread across (Name)’s face. Maybe Bruce thought to himself, just maybe not all hopes are lost.

Tim and (Name) would often be found practicing on the the trapeze. (Name) was working her way out of her depression. Tim was her saving grace and (Name) learned that she no longer need someone to depend on. She didn’t need a romance to be happy. It was one afternoon though that Bruce’s hopes died again. He had found (Name) lying on the floor crying her heart out. She was curled up in a ball and clutching something in her had. Before he entered the room, he saw Tim, walking in from the bathroom with a washcloth in hand. He sat down next to her and placed the washcloth on her head. After a bit she calmed down and sat up. Bruce saw that the thing (Name) was holding in her hand was a actually a bandaged wrapped around her hand. Bruce knocked on the door and the two answered for him to come in.

“What happened?” questioned Bruce

“I cut my hand open and hit my head when I fell over my cord.” She said wiping away the tears away from her eyes once more. 

“Are you ok?” he pried more.

“I am now, Tim helped me,” she replied. 

Bruce gave the is-she-telling-the-truth-look to Tim and he nodded. Bruce felt better that she was no longer crying over Dick and Jason. Things looked as if they were going to get better. The days that followed were filled with laughter and smiles as Tim and (Name) worked together. (Name) was more than happy to teach Tim her ways and Tim was happy that someone cared for him. It wasn’t that Tim came from a broken family. His parents loved him very much and bought him whatever he pleased. They were a very wealthy family in Gotham, with a networth that revealed the Waynes and Kains. Their wealth came at a price though, the price of never being around. As Tim learned and grew his mother and father were always on business trips or at work. There was little time for them and Tim to be together so Tim looked for other role models. 

At first it was his butler and then (Name) and the other Flying Graysons and finally Batman. Tim had a small obsession with his role models and tried to figure out what ever he could about them. He learned everything he could about his butler and when he passed away Tim searched for someone else. When his parents took him to the circus as his birthday present, he was memorized by how someone could fly through the air. He attended every show in the Gotham City area. Once the circus disbanded he looked again for a role model. He found Batman. His newest role model turned into a serious obsession. Tim spent many years on figuring out who was batman. Then once he had he waited for his chance for him to be a robin.

    It rained one night in Gotham, the heaviest rain it had been in years. (Name) clicked through the channels as she looked for something to watch. After months of living with Tim, (Name) had become comfortable in her home again. She now lived like she did when she was first here. She did retrogress though when Barbara came back to the manner. Barbara had come back and was now batgirl again and had gotten over Dick. Though Barbara didn’t get over Dick like a normal person would have. (Name) wasn’t happy with Bruce because of it. She had dealt with Bruce’s girlfriends before and this was what (Name) considered an all time low in his choices. 

    Barbara entered the room and took a seat by (Name). Though Barbara hated to admit it, she felt awful about what had happened to (Name). How she had bullied (Name) to the point she was at. When Barbara had first moved back the first thing Bruce had told her was if she ever made (Name) become the way she was the 1st time Barbara moved in, he had no problem not only breaking up but pressing charges and ruining her reputation forever. So as Barbara sat down she said nothing. (Name) stood and left the remote next to Barbara, taking her mug with her. She went to leave the room and Barbara called out behind her. 

    “(Name) wait,” Barbara called out as she walked towards (Name). Barbara could see (Name) tensing with every step she took. 

    “Please I just want to say sorry.” Barbara said placing a hand on (Name)’s shoulder.

    “Sorry?” (Name) said as she turned around. (Name) threw off Barbara's hand like it was poisonous.

    “I’m sorry (Name)”

    “Take this cup barbara.” and she did

    “Now throw it down on the floor” (Name) said and Barbara gave a questioning look but did as told. The porcelain mug shattered into a million tiny little pieces.

    “Now say sorry to it.” (Name) said.

    “What is the point of this.”

    “Say sorry to it.” (Name) reiterated.

    “Sorry,” Barbara said to the mug.

    “Is it fixed?”

    “No” Barbara said and (Name) went to leave again. 

    “Wait! (Name) can we move on please. I’m just so sorry” Barbara shouted out.

A laugh erupted from (Name). Not a sweet one but one of a sinister like one. 

    “You caused me not only years of physical pain but mental!You made it so I was scared of leaving my room! You nearly killed me, for crying out loud! And all you can come up with it let's move on, I’m sorry!” (Name) walked out the room and this time Barbara didn’t try to stop her. 

    Barbara and the others eventually left to go on patrol. (Name) stayed awake and watched t.v. till one in the morning. She waited and waited for the familiar footsteps to walked up the stairs but they never came. (Name) went to bed eventually and awoke the next morning to find bruce asleep on the couch with barbara curled next to him. (Name) wandered around the home in search of Tim. Upon not finding him, she asked Alfred about Tim. Alfred didn’t know either. Bruce and Barbara eventually with bloodshot eyes. It had looked like they had cried all night long. Barbara and Bruce stood and (Name) entered the room. Barbara went to give a hug to (Name) but (Name) moved out of the way. She stood in front of Bruce and looked him in the eyes. Bruce placed his hand on (Name)’s shoulder but she quickly pushed it off. Bruce went to grab (Name) but she turned away and ran back to Tim’s room. She closed and locked the door behind her. She fired up his computer, while waiting went through his things for a sign. She scrolled through his files and other things looking for a clue on his computer. She found nothing. She placed everything back where it was and shutdown the computer.It looked like she never touched anything. She left the room and went into her own. Again she locked the door. She turned on her own laptop, pulled out several sheets of paper and pencils. She unpinned everything from her bulletin board she had recently installed. The hours passed and Bruce feared that (Name) had finally broken down. After a while he knocked on her door and all he got was a “go away father, I’m working on something.” At least she’s talking, Bruce thought as she went down the stairs to comfort Barbara.  The hours passed and it was noon, still (Name) didn’t leave her room. At dinner time (Name) came down to eat but as soon she finished her meal she returned to her room. Bruce feared leaving (Name) home alone that night, but Barbara promised to keep an eye on her. Barbara placed a sleeping bag and other sleep over things outside of (Name)’s locked door. Barbara would spend the night there.

At midnight Bruce left to patrol the city. (Name) kept an eye on Barbara and when she finally fell asleep, (Name) got ready. She changed into sweats and a hoodie, along with placing her mask on. She clipped her belt onto her belt and filled it with useful things. (Name) quietly sneaked out of the window. She crept through the city unseen by the passerbys and made her way across the city. She arrived at and abandoned movie theater. She entered without tripping an alarm. (Name) entered one of the rooms where a film played. It was like a collection of family home-videos but it had manikins in almost every shot. It seemed like the youngest one was forced to smile. In the video a few familiar people we featured but they youngest one kept her attention. He was a young boy with green hair, painted on white skin and wore a small purple suit. His lips were as bright as a stop sign and just as red. Batman soon entered the theater room and watched with (Name). He didn’t notice her and neither did the person who started to laugh. The movie relapsed back to the beginning once more and a laugh erupted. A voice filled the room as the laughter died down. (Name) quickly exited the room but she could still hear the man talking.

“You know Bats, it's funny what people will do in order to be loved by someone. (Name) and I used to want another one to add to our little family. So I thought to myself, I know someone who has an extra kid. Besides you can always replace him….like the others. I figured if I built (Name)’s perfect little family she’d come back since Harley just didn’t fit the part anymore.” Joker’s voice continued on as a smoke filled the room.

“I just can’t have you messing this up Batsy-boy.” With that the room filled even faster with the smoke. It was thick and green. Bruce tried to get out as the Joker laughed but all the doors were locked. His laugh was cut off quickly and doors unlocked with a loud clunk. The joker fell on the floor from the force that hit him. Batman quickly made his way to where the Joker was. 

“(Name) darling it nice to see you again.” Joker said as he went to stand. (Name)hit him again and he fell once more.

“Look darling I even got us another one to add to our little family.” A young boy walked out of the shadows. It was the boy from the movies. (Name) stared at the boy and the Joker stood. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.

“See now we can be a family for real.” he said kissing her again.

(Name)’s eye twitched. Batman watched to see what (Name) would do. (Name) twitched once more and joker let go of her. (Name)’s eyes connected with his steel smokey blue ones. There were ones she had grown to know. She opened her arms and dropped her bat she had used to hit the joker. The boy raced forwards and hugged (Name) tightly. He was crying but a smile was still plastered on his face. Joker and Batman let them have their moment. The Joker took a step towards (Name) and as soon as he took a second one she drew her gun. (Name) placed her free hand over Tim’s eyes. (Name) didn’t look joker in the eyes but pulled the trigger. He fell to the floor. (Name) walked over to joker’s body but made Tim stand behind her. 

    “Don’t you ever touch my brother again.” She muttered before shooting him one last time. Bruce watched as (Name) carried Tim out the theater doors. Bruce pulled up in the Batmobile and tried to take Tim. Tim clung to his sister and cried. (Name) and Tim shared a seat and Bruce drove them a block away from the manner. They got out and walked home and (Name) took off her mask. Barbara and Bruce greeted them at the door. Bruce hugged the two and Barbara went to join in but (Name) shot her a death glare. Barbara slinked away into another room. Tim refused to leave (Name)’s side and she didn’t mind it one bit. She knew what it was like to be under the Joker’s spell and was ready to help Tim work his way back to what he was ready for. It would take a few months but Tim would bounce back to him old self much faster than what anyone expected. 

    That night (Name) changed into her catsuit and mask. She looked over her papers one last time before sneaking out the manner. She ran across the city and into a warehouse. (Name) quickly took care of the few thugs in the warehouse.  She quickly worked and painted on walls. She opened safes and other areas of the warehouse where importants items laid. She sourced the building with gasoline. She placed a few charges here and there and wire a few trapps. She sprayed the lot outside before leaving with the buildings in flames. It looked as if one of the thugs had set off a trap when (Name) was done but really she just burned it to the ground. The thugs exited the building once (Name) had finished her work and thought the accidently start the fire by tripping a trap. In fear of what would happen to them they ran. The joker would return later that night to see his hideout burnt to the ground. All his money gone. All of his plans destroyed. He would begin to think that one of the thugs had set off a trap but after searching through the rubble, he would see the words spray painted in red paint. 

Everything Burns.

Ch. 21 Please Don’t Say It.

The months passed and Tim quickly recovered. With everyday passing things became even more normal. (Name) smiled more, laughed more and was generally happier. As (Name) became exactly like her old self Tim became happier. They were almost joined at the hip when Tim came home from school. (Name) never went to a public or private school, for bruce made her do online school to catch up on her missing education from when she lived with Mr. Haley. Tim would often come home to find (Name) working on something oh her computer. Though she had missed so much due to her past, she was very close to graduating from her high school work. Today when Tim came home he was met with a very upset (Name). 

    As he opened her door, he watch as a tornado of books and papers go flying across the room. (Name) picked up more papers and threw them in the air. She danced around her room and threw the papers. A cheesy smile was displayed across her face. Tim opened the door even more and (Name) saw him. She twirled over to him and grabbed Tim’s hands. She spun around with him and smiled like a madman. (Name)’s ipod was playing music in the background as they wrold and spun around the room. (Name) and Tim laughed as they danced. Alfred was going to see if (Name) need any help but stopped in the doorway seeing the duo. He smiled as a memories flashed back to him. Alfred remembered the 1st time (Name) had gotten an A on one of her test. (Name) and Dick had danced around her room like this till her feet were sore. (Name) had done the same with Jason when he got a C on one of his test. It was his highest grade that year. Alfred left as quietly as he came. Neither of the children noticed him. 

    “What’s gotten you in such a good mood sis?” Tim asked as they stopped dancing.

    “I graduated! See!” (Name) pointed to the computer screen which had a certification of graduation on it. (Name) picked up her papers. Tim soo joined in and helped pick up more papers. Soon they had finished and Bruce knocked on the door. 

    “I have a emergency business trip. I will be back in a week.” Bruce said once he had the children’s attention. (Name) went to tell the good new but Bruce had already made his back to his office. (Name) went after him but couldn’t get a word in as he talked on the phone with someone. Bruce kissed the top of her head before hugging her and Tim and walking out the door. (Name)’s smile disappeared once more before reappearing on her face when she looked at Tim. At least someone cares, (Name) thought to herself. 

    Tim and (Name) hung out around the manner avoiding Barbara who was in and out for most of the day. Alfred returned around dinner time after dropping Bruce off at the airport. (Name) and Tim were going through (Name)’s old things in her closet. Tim dug out tote with some pictures and clothes in it. He was ready to open it when (Name) placed her hands on the lid. 

“I’m not ready to go through those yet,” She spoke softly before digging out other things. 

Tim didn’t ask why she wasn’t or what had happened to her. He knew  (Name) had something troubling in her past. He wasn’t going to pry for it. He could understand by the way Bruce, Alfred and Barbara looked when she smiled. Tim noticed the interaction between Barbara and (Name). They were stiff and uncomfortable, he figured Barbar might had something to do with her past. As tim continued looking through boxes he found a guitar case underneath some of the boxes. 

    “I didn’t know you played the guitar, (Name)” Tim exclaimed as he opened the case.

    “You don’t know a thing.” (Name) whispered.

    “What did you say (Name)?”

    “I used to play all the time,” she said a bit louder. She motioned for Tim to hand her the guitar. They walked out, and sat on her bed. She strummed a few notes before beginning to play her song.

    “Summer comes, winter fades

Here we are just the same

We don't need pressure, we don't need change

Let's not give the game away

There used to be an empty space

A photograph without a face

But with your presence, and your grace

Everything falls into place,” (Name) sung out.

As she readied to sing the next verse, the doorbell rang. (Name) sat her guitar down as Tim raced out to see who was at the door.  Out of the corner of her eye, (Name) saw two pictures in her guitare. A smile spread on her face as she saw the one with Jason on it. Jason and herself were sitting on the roof with her guitar singing at the top of their lungs, with the moon behind her. (Name) remembered that day very well. It was bruce’s birthday and Jason and herself, climbed on the roof above Bruce’s open office window. They sang at the top of their lungs as Bruce ripped apart  his office at midnight trying to find where they had hidden a speaker playing them singing was, like (Name) did with Dick one year. After not finding the speaker, he asked Alfred to help, who looked out the window and up at them. He took a photo before showing Bruce where they guys were. Bruce had flipped out that (Name) was on the roof. After getting her down he smiled and laughed at the cute gesture. The other photo was of Dick and (Name) at the park, the day she was taken to her new home. It was a selfie of Dick with (Name) in the background playing. 

    (Name) smiled at the photos once more before making her way out of her room and down to the main staircase. Tim and Barbara were talking with someone and seemed to be very happy. (Name) walked down the hall and slid down on the grand staircase’s banister. She caught a glimpse of raven hair that belonged to the guest. As (Name) jumped off and the room filled with silence. (Name) brush off her clothes and the guest walked over to her. (Name) didn’t even get a chance to get a good look at the guest before she was pulled into a tight hug. She could feel him shaking when she was hugged. It was if his heart was shattering in two. He let go and his baby blues connected with her (e/c). Tears threatened to fall from one of the two. It was quick as lighting and as loud as thunder, she drew blood from such a powerful slap. Her nails had cut his cheek, and her had left a huge red mark. There were no tears from (Name) her eyes were cold as her soul. He heart hardened in an instant as she look at dick. He looked like a little lost puppy who had found his owner but had been smacked for doing so. 

    “(Name)!” shouted Barbara who was angered by (Name)’s action.

    “You have no right to be here,” (Name) said ignoring Barbara. Barbara walked over to yell at (Name) but one glare from (Name) stopped her in her tracks. Tim was shocked to see (Name) like this. 

    “You no right either Barbara,” (Name) spoke with venom dripping from her words.

    “(Name),” Dick said quietly. He tried to place a hand on (Name)’s cheeks but she quickly slapped his hand away. 

    “Please,” Dick begged.

    “Get out,” (Name) said before turning her back to the others. Her voice was never raised, but with every syllable spoken Dick and Barbara could feel the immense amount of anger from her. Every word spoken to Barbara was soaked and dripping with venom, it was a surprised she hadn’t died. Tim knew not why (Name) was so angered by them, but he knew one thing: (Name) had a wall a mile high around her heart because of them. 

    (Name) didn’t stormed off to her room but walked casually up the stairs, and with every step she took, Dick’s heart broke. It was his turn to feel the pain, as (Name) walked away. Dick went to chase after her but Barbara held him back. Tim stood the at the bottom of the stair case. He watched as (Name) walked away, each step leaving him with more questions than the last. Just what did Dick do to her? Was just one of the ones running through his mind. 

    (Name) sat in her room, door closed and locked. She waited for the footsteps to come running. She waited for the yelling and pounding on her door. They came. Dick yelled at Barbara for stopping him. Tim ran up the stairs soon followed by Dick. Barbara yelled after him, how she would end their relationship, if he took one more step. Tim banged on the door and (Name) listened to the chaos outside. Her world was crashing down once more. (Name) walked over to her closet calm as could be. It wasn’t the first time this had happen, it sure wasn't going to be the last. She pulled out the tote, Tim hadn’t been allowed to open. She unclipped the lid and pulled out the items. Shirts, dresses, pictures and her braclet. She took the bracelet and took a single charm off, a robin.She grabbed her guitar case and a bag full of a few things. She clipped it back to get her and opened her door. Setting her things down, she pulled Tim into a hug and he hugged her back. 

    “Tim, do me favor and let me take care of this first,” She pushed Tim into her room and locked the door behind him. She took a chair in the nearby room and propped it up making so he couldn’t open the door. (Name) walked down the hallway. Dick and Barbara were arguing on the stairs, and (Name) threw the bracelet at Dick. It hit him square in the face.

    “(Name),” Dick said his heart was broken, (Name) could see it on his face.

    “She’s dating Bruce,” (Name) said before walking down the hallway and taking her things. She walked all the way down the hall, past her room and to Bruce’s office. She scribbled down a note and left it on the desk before opening the window, she jumped out. She closed the office window and climbed on the walls. Tim watched her from the window and gave up on trying to stop her. She watched her climb down to the ground, and make her way through the gardens. He made his own escape after she was long gone. 

    (Name) ran and ran till her feet were sore. Past the back gates, past the gardens, and into forest on the property. It had been a long time since she had been back this far on the property. She walked down the old beaten path down to the stream. She walked across the small bridge and up a hill. It was in a clearing, with a single tree on the hill. She followed the path that changed from dirt to cobble stone. Her visit was long overdue. The last time she was here was a month after Tim was attacked. (Name) stood next to the gravestones. On her left was Martha and Thomas Wayne and on her right was Jason. 

    “Hi Grandma, Grandpa.” (Name) spoke softly.

    “It’s nice to see you guys again. Father went on another business trip, I graduate highschool today. I got a certificate and all for it,”(Name) smiled  as she spoke. Though she never met her grandparents she felt like they would be proud of her. She would speak with them before talking to Jason. It was a way, she felt, to show her respect for them. (Name) sat down her bag and guitar. She dug out a blanket from her bag and spread it down on the ground in by Jason's gavestone. When Bruce and herself would visit his parents, they would bring the same blanket so they could sit and talk. (Name) took out some rope and tied it to the branches she suspended a sheet  so that the sun wouldn’t be in her eyes. She took a pillow and placed it against the trunk of the tree. (Name) took her guitar out and leaned against the tree and strummed a few chords. 

“Summer comes, winter fades

Here we are just the same

We don't need pressure, we don't need change

Let's not give the game away

There used to be an empty space

A photograph without a face

But with your presence, and your grace

Everything falls into place,” (Name) sang out. She missed how Jason would maker her smile. She did truly love him. Even though they were young she knew it from the start. Her heart would never be the same. 

“Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that

There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back,”(Name) loved Jason but she wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life being broken from this. She would always miss him, but there is beauty from pain. 

“Heavy words are hard to take

Under pressure precious things can break

How we feel is hard to fake

So let's not give the game away”  (Name) could grow without Jason. She could be so much more if she didn’t crumble every time she thought of him. She was ready to move on. She was going to forgive herself for everything she’d done. She was sure he would forgive her too.  She wasn’t going to forget him. Jason would forever have a special place in her heart, that no one could ever take. 

“Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that

There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back,” Dick was a different story. She was so afraid to let him in, she’d be a fool to do so. 

“And fools rush in

And I've been the fool before

This time I'm gonna slow down

'Cause I think this could be more

The thing I'm looking for,” Maybe with time as Dick would live here with them, (Name) could forgive him. Maybe if she allowed herself to forgive him, she couldn’t be bound by her past.

“Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that

There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back,” (Name) no longer wanted to keep things as they were she would have to make the change for herself. There was no one else who could. 

“Please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that

There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back” It would take time and it Dick told her, he loved her, would she be able to move on or would her wall come crumbling down once more?

“Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back,” (Name) sang the last words as a familiar head of raven hair came into the sight, running after where she sat. 

    “(Name)!” yelled out the raven haired boy as (Name) closed her eyes. The tears were threatening to spill, she fought to stay strong. 

[artificialqueens]

A Clownfish & A Mermaid (5/?): Snatched! (Biadore) - doctor bitchcraftt

Anonymous request from AQ: “I love your fic of Bianca playing Adore for snatch game on bots, could you write one where Adore surprises Bianca by coming out as her? Maybe Bianca is being the host and doesn’t know till Adore appears.”

A/N: Keeping it non-AU by having it take place before Adore left for AS2, because as far as I remember she did have Bianca as her backup character for Snatch Game. And oh how I wish we’d been able to see that…  A little bittersweet, because we know Adore didn’t stay for Snatch Game.

Regarding Bianca’s waist measurement: her dress form is a 12, which has a 29-30 inch waist; additionally, it’s quoted as 28 in an article from years ago and she looks to be about the same size now.  Xoxoxoxo, bitchcraftt

********

“Show me what else you’ve got?”

Bianca lounged on the couch surrounded by piles of drag and half-packed suitcases.  Still in drag after hosting a show, she’d ignored the stare from the Uber driver (typical) and his awkward attempts at flirting (not typical), and blown through the door at full force to find Adore already spreading her chaos across every available surface.

NDA or not, Danny’s excited call a couple of days ago about accepting All Stars 2 made it clear that the planning had to include Bianca.  Roy kept his mouth shut at the objections he desperately wanted to voice - fallout from Danny' losing his dad, amongst other things - and promised his support in any way possible.

They’d spent the better part of the last two hours going through Adore’s drag, matching items to the list as best as they could and trying to guess what the challenges might entail.  Vintage shopping yesterday netted a gorgeous purple sequined shift that would go wonderfully with her crimped lavender wig, and they’d agreed on a half dozen other looks already before test driving for Snatch Game.  Adore’s Snatch Game needed to be strong, even stronger than her season six Anna Nicole Smith if possible.  Without Bianca and DeLa giving her a run for her money, she should be a standout.  Her first choice seemed decent, but having a backup option was always a good idea.

Danny had briefly complained about having to go into full drag and face for each look, but there was no way to get a complete opinion otherwise.  Because of that, she’d insisted that Bianca not watch her prep so that she would be able to give advice on the final product.  

Bianca was prepared to loan her anything she needed, and tried to guess what the character would be based on Adore banging around her closet and cursing.  After twenty minutes, Adore’s voice drifted around the corner.

“Close your eyes!”

“Really?"  Bianca rolled them instead.

"I want it to be a surprise!”  

She’d teased that it was another queen, and Bianca tried to picture her dressed as Alyssa or Laganja in things garnered from her own extensive wardrobe.  Although, Adore did have a wicked DeLa voice…

“Fine, they’re closed.”

The sound of heels clicking nervously on the hardwood heralded Adore’s arrival, tapping to a stop on the carpet in front of the couch.

“ ‘Kay, you can open them.”

Bianca blinked a few times, shook her head in disbelief, and tried to find her voice.

“You like it?"  

Adore had borrowed a pair of Bianca’s platform pumps covered in jet black rhinestones, and her nude fishnets showed where she held the weighted hem up.  Above that, she was corseted tighter than ever before over actual padding, clad in a fitted black velvet cowl-neck sleeveless gown with oversized sequin flowers pinned at the shoulder and hair piled up to ridiculous heights.  Was that five wigs? An assortment of sparkly bangles and large bracelets worked their way up from her wrists to almost the elbows on both arms.  To top it off, Adore had picked Bianca’s most obnoxious chandelier earrings to accompany the exaggerated eyes and what had to be eight pairs of lashes.

She clutched a throw pillow in front of herself, cocked a hip, and grinned before schooling her face into a disapproving frown.  

"NOT TODAY SATAN!"

Bianca opened and closed her mouth a few times, before starting at the floor and making her way up with a critical eye. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the clink of bangles as Adore fidgeted.  

"Well fuck me,” Bianca managed at last.

”…was that a good fuck me?”

As she watched nervously, Bianca’s blank expression transformed into a howl of laughter, raspy cackle filling the room.  Unable to speak through it, she flailed wildly.  Adore’s smile drooped a bit on the edges, face gone anxious.  Her posture melted into a slouch, vaguely ridiculous given the silhouette of her outfit.

”…okay, I get it.  I look fucking stupid, and I’ll -“

Bianca pushed off the couch, catching her hand before she could do more than turn.  

“N- no!  Don’t!  It’s…fucking…hee hehehe hee hee- oh my fuck it’s perfect!”

“Yeah?”

“Lemme hear what you’ve got planned."  This should be something else.

Adore scowled, dropping her voice and rolling her eyes.  "I ain’t got time for this.  Beat it queen!  Need help packin’ ?”

”Fuck you bitch, I do not sound like that!  You sound like you’re gargling gravel in there.”  After a night of yelling at a crowd her own voice was scratchy and rough, and Bianca couldn’t hold a straight face.  “All right fine, maybe I do.”

She pulled her into the drag room to stand side by side in the mirror, ignoring how the usually neat racks of dresses looked like a tornado touched down.  Without her own heels on she was the better part of a foot shorter than Adore, but together they looked like Bianca standing next to some of the more accurate fan art.  Seeing her own signature evening gown on Adore’s body set her off again.

”Adore Del Rio,” she giggled, dabbing at her eyes, “this might be the best fucking thing I’ve ever seen.  Including Anna Nicole.”

“Really?“  

"Not when you stand with your mouth open like that,” Bianca teased, nearly losing it again when Adore stuck her tongue out.  

“Put your hand on your hip.  No, like this,” Bianca repositioned Adore’s arm and tugged her knee until her right leg crossed in front of the left, bent slightly.  “Emphasizes the hips, it looks more feminine like that.”

“We won’t be doing runway like this, I’ll fucking trip over the hem.  I hope?"  

“You wanna be prepared.  And you’re taller so it won’t hit the floor…Visage is going to love that."    

The sequined flower was perfect and she didn’t need a necklace, but… “Here.”  She pulled the bracelets off and dug back into the jewelry drawers, discarding some and adding others to the pile.  She slipped them back onto Adore’s wrist sorted by color, switching the smaller beads for chunkier ones.  “Exaggerated but still detail oriented.”  

A second pair of less garish earrings followed, Bianca’s signature hoops with colored beads.  “In case you wanna use them for something else.  Now sit.”  She nudged her down in front of the vanity, picking up eyeshadow.  "Gotta get you beyond clown."

Frowning in concentration, she gripped Adore’s chin gently to hold her steady and reached for a lipliner.  "Your lips are full enough, don’t overdraw, just make the Cupid’s bow curved right here."  Adore had done a good job reproducing her eyes, although the liner was a bit more winged than Bianca would wear it.   Punk rock style or not, Danny was a talented makeup artist and the Bianca face only needed a little bit of adjustment.  “Raccoon territory next.  You need to avoid too much color on the lids.”  With a few deft strokes, she painted even darker eyes and added more white to the bottom lids before making the beauty mark bigger.

Once satisfied that the face was right, Bianca collected a few items - two shades of gloss, new packages of lashes - and zipped them into a cosmetic bag with the earrings for Adore to pack.  "Stack them fresh, you don’t want to wear someone else’s lashes, who knows-”

“Yes mom."  Her tone of voice implied that this was yet another lecture.  "I know, but they’re yours so…"  She wilted a little under Bianca’s unimpressed stare.  "Okay fine, but it’s not like I’m gonna get eye herpes from them.”

Moving up from the face, Bianca studied the auburn curls tenuously balanced on her head.  Frowning, she pulled it apart to set three of the five wigs aside, teased and re-pinned, then nodded decisively.

“Forget you trying to do this in the workroom.  Let me style you a full wig so it’s ready to go.”

Adore nodded and stood, leaning on the table for support.  Bianca narrowed her eyes when she noticed that she seemed to be slightly out of breath.

”Can you breathe in that?”

”Yeah?”

“That shouldn’t be a question.  You need to be able to sit for an hour, you remember what it was like.  Show me how you’re cinched.”  When Adore seemed reluctant, Bianca bent to hike up the skirt of the gown, waiting until Adore took the fabric from her before peeling the dress up her midsection (thank goodness for stretch velvet) to reveal the corset.  

"Adore.” The gently chiding tone was worse than annoyance.  “You’re not Chachki for fuck’s sake.  We can get rid of some of that padding and loosen it up."  While she spoke, Bianca turned Adore around to untie the laces before unzipping the front to reveal angry red welts where the boning strained around her waist.  Sighing, she pulled the tights down enough to work the pads out from underneath.  

"But…” Adore protested, “your waist is so small!”

“It’s about proportion.  You’ve got enough to cinch in without the pads. Just make your tits a little bigger, squeezing down to this isn’t going to even show when you’re sitting behind a table."  Bianca searched on the side table for a tape measure, wrapping it around her own waist.  "I’m 29 corsetted, 30 with the gown.  I only take two inches off.”

“I wanna get it right."

The muttered comment seemed more weighted than just a corset disagreement and Bianca paused with her hands on Adore’s hips.  "Pussyface?

"It’s…” Adore met her eyes, more serious than she’d been the entire night.  “I don’t want to disappoint you.  What if I fuck this up?"

"Hey."  Even with the heels, Bianca still needed to tip Adore’s chin up to make eye contact.  "You’re gonna be amazing, you hear me?  They’re lucky to have you, and it doesn’t matter what happens on some reality tv show filmed in RuPaul’s basement.  You could go home the first week and I’d still be proud of you for going back in to that fucking shark pit.”

Adore was silent while Bianca zipped her back up and smoothed the dress back down.  Bianca turned her to face the mirror again, and was relieved to see the small smile.  

“Really, pussyface,” she felt the need to repeat, “I’m so proud of you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

[continuouscalamity]

CHAPTER 6 | MKG7 ENDING

The elevator closes, and sends you back up…

All the doors to the outside were wide open. And with a path leading to the fence...

...the front gates were open. Into the night hills and sky.

Hazel's tear-filled eyes are wide with wonder at the sight. She almost felt like she'd never see the outside world again...

"We're coming home." Uzoamaka said.

Hana wails. Yeah, she thought, it's okay to cry, I guess. She jumps outside, smiling and falling to her knees, crown slipping sideways ever so slightly. "W-Wuh, we're...! We're really...! I'm gonna go and see my bakery! I'm gonna go see my Umi!"

"O-Oh god," Hazel chokes out, smiling a watery smile at the others, hope in her eyes. "We're free."

Renzo leaves the elevator and eyes the outside world, hunched over and clutching their chest with tears streaming down their scarred features. Oh my god. They smiled wide that their cheeks began to hurt. "Hahhh.. we're free.. this is it, we're free.." They almost couldn't believe it.

Uzoamaka chokes up a sob, finally seeing the pure nature of the outside. She hugs who she is closet to, sobbing in joy.

"I-I want to meet all of your friends, if that's okay...!" Hazel sniffles, rubbing her nose. "I didn't have any before this..."

...Lake fell to her knees when she saw it. Her eyes were filled to the brims with tears of... of a lot of emotions. Despite the cocktail of feelings stirring in her head, though, she had a soft, genuine smile on her face as she whispered to herself. "...I'll do better. I will. I'm sorry, and... thank you so much, everyone. I hope... I hope you can hear me." 

Artemis stepped onto the path, letting out a choked sob. "We're going home-" She took a moment to breathe, she's getting overemotional. "I'm coming home, Eun!" She practically yells out, trying to wipe at the tears coming to her eyes.   

"I want you to meet my friends! Come over to my bakery, Hazel! Right now!" Hana exclaimed, shaking Hazel's shoulders, teary-eyed. "After this I'll make you your favorite cake 'c-cause I'm a kind girl!" 

"That sounds wonderful, Hana." She says, smiling happily. "...everyone... we should head where our future is." 

Renzo heads out onto the path as well, getting closer and closer to freedom with every step that they took. It was an amazing feeling, as much pain as they were in. They approach Artemis and hold onto her arm, partially to stay upright but mainly for... comfort reasons.  

Hazel offers her hand to Hana and Lake. 

Hana takes her hand, smiling up at her and Lake. She doesn't say anything, though. Not yet.

Artemis quickly wrapped her arms around Renzo's, hands entangling theirs. "We're- Gonna go home... I know a guy- Who can help you... You're gonna be in good health when you see your buddy, okay? Let's go..." 

Renzo nods and smiles down at Artemis, tears still filling their eyes so much that it was hard to see. "Y..Yeah.... Thank you, Artie."  

Looking down from the beautiful, beautiful starry night sky, Hazel's blurry hand came into view.

...It only took a second for Lake to take it with a toothy smile, hopping up with a joyous energy.

...From here, it can only get better.

...

...

...

...

As you all walked away into the far forests of beyond, the Willy you knew looked down upon all of you from the rooftop.

“The best thing you all can do is forget about all of this.” Tucker Homburg mutters, despite not being heard by anyone else. While turning around, he takes off the wig, makeup and fake teeth.

Uzoamaka has a watchful eye as she quickly turned her head around- "GUYS!"  She points at the man on the roof. "LOOK!"

"Oh shoot." Tucker said.

"Huh?" Hazel looks back to where Uzo is pointing.

"...Is that...?"

"Huh-"

Hana, afraid they were about to be killed or something, flicked her head towards the roof. "WUH?"

"HE'S ALIVE!!"

"Huh-" Renzo turns around as well and looks up, wide-eyed.

Tucker awkwardly waves from the top of the building.

"COME OUT WITH US!!!" 

"TUCKER YOU DRAMATIC BITCH-"

Renzo waves enthusiastically. "TUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!"

Uzoamaka jumps and waves. "COME DOWN!!! COME WITH US!!!"

"...WHAT THE FUCK? GET DOWN HERE!!!"

Hazel doesn't know how to feel about... this Tucker fellow. The most she can do is trust he's not batshit like Willy.

Tucker takes off the cape and runs down. Give him a minute.

The boy catches up. "Uh... Hey..." His voice no longer high pitched and squeaky, more a smooth tenor. "Uhm... I'm... I'm sorry... about... About the whole, uh..."

"Just come with us to group therapy and we can talk about it there, man." Lake said.

"Shush." Hazel holds a hand up to stop him. "You can... tell us more about yourself on the way home."

"Listen." Artemis punches him in the arm but lovingly. "That fucker tried to kill you too so... You're welcome to come with us just... Don't be a copy. Be yourself, man."

"...Okay." He nods. "Uh. How about I properly introduce myself then?" He holds out his hand. "Hi... My name is Tucker Homburg." 

Hazel takes it, giving him a gripping handshake.  So she's a little angry, still. It's fine. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance..."

“ow...”

Renzo smiles. "Nice to meet you Tucker Hamburger!"

"Tucker Homburg! A sensational name!" Uzoamaka clicks her pen.

"Nice to meet you Tuck." Artemis greets.

Hana's still a little on edge, but she's a fair princess, right?

"Nice to meet you, Tucker-chan. Yeah, we can talk about it later...maybe, like, a couple weeks from now. I wanna have some time to do nothing for a while..."

"...I should probably start coming up with some wild fuckin' story about why I was gone for almost a fuckin' month." Lake mumbled.

"Just say you were kidnapped by murder ass-clown it's possible. And true." Artemis replied.  

"Well, I'm definitely reporting this. Swear to god... Wait until the press hears about all of that!" Uzoamaka exclaims.

The group talks amongst one another as they walk into the grassy forest as a union, broken away from what Willy has put you through.

Whatever you do, it’s all up to you all.

One thing is for certain, though.

You’re finally free.

[steverogersnotebook]

Neighbors - Someone to Look Up to

NEIGHBORS

TJ Hammond and Steve Rogers (between TWS/CW) are neighbors who, after trying to find comfort on sleepless nights through baking and music, have forged a lasting friendship.

(my inbox is open for ideas, prompts and headcanons)

NEIGHBORS fluff | gen [platonic friendships] / Steve & TJ Hammond [SERIES of oneshots]

Many thanks to @avenger-nerd-mom for the idea behind this snippet (as well as her continued cheer-leading)

TJ let himself into Steve’s apartment, looked around the orange, brown, and black autumn decorations and saw why he’d heard the muffled “come in” when he’d rang. Steve was in an orange t-shirt and a black apron with a full-sized skeleton, and he was piping icing onto cookies.

“Um,” TJ hesitated, cleared his throat, and started again, “I hate to tell you this, because you look like you’re having a great time with those spooky cookies.”

“What?” Steve flicked his eyes toward TJ, not moving a muscle as his hand hovered over the latest perfect pumpkin cookie in the lineup. The piping bag stilled and a line of royal icing dangled from the tip.

“Well,” TJ’s voice rose an octave. “Parents don’t trust homemade treats. There have been too many urban legends about poison and people believe them. Then there are the dozen or so cases of pins or needles found in treats, which have clinics offering free x-rays of candy bags.”

“Why does everything have to be so –” Steve looked a bit deflated, and TJ felt terrible for opening his mouth.

“Shitty? I don’t know.”

“Why even do any of it then?” Steve set the piping bag to the side and broke the cookie in half that the stray icing fell onto. “Test cookie?”

“Yes, please. You know? Kids still get excited, they don’t typically know anything about the shitty stuff. Parents like to let ‘em dress up and they do the routine without making a big deal. I’m sure you can hand out cookies to the kids we know, whose parents know you. The rest we can take to the retirement home down the block. Unless you just wanna eat them all.”

“I’m sure I have a volunteer for that mission.” Steve smiled. “Y’ know, Ma used to call dressing up guising, she’d make soul cakes and she called trick-or-treating souling. It wasn’t ‘til I met Bucky that I knew that and trick-or-treating were one and the same.”

“Since you spend most of your life dressing up, have you decided not to?”

“Nope. I have a costume.”

“Oh really?” TJ asked around the bite of cookie. “I’m shocked. Or am I looking at it?”

“An actual costume. How about you?”

“I used to go to parties, not house-to-house. They were too busy for that. We did have a party once, at the farm. Apple bobbing, ghost stories around a bonfire, hay rides and scarecrows – please tell me you’re not going as a scarecrow?”

“Scared?” Steve laughed, before pulling back. “Sorry. If you’re scared – I mean…”

“As terrified as others are of clowns,” TJ laughed. “My brother was an idiot. He got his friends to prank me with a scarecrow. When I freaked out, he laughed and decided I should be a crow for Halloween or, as he put it, ‘a fraidy cat’.”

“Rest easy, it’s not a scarecrow. Or a clown. By the way, I was asking about your costume. Not that I’m not interested in your Halloween stories, because I am.”

“Oh, I might have to pick a different one,” TJ hesitated. Steve’s expectant look prodded him to continue. “I was actually going to be Tinkerbell.”

“Why would you have to pick a different costume? I hope you don’t think I’d judge something as important as self-expression?”

“I’m sure others will pick up the slack.”

“Do you have the costume? Maybe more important, do you have the legs for it?”

TJ laughed, relieved that he had one friend who was on his side, and amused at the important question. “Hell, yeah, I’ve got the legs for it.”

“Then do it.” Steve picked up another cookie, this time with no icing, and broke it in half. He chuckled as he offered the cookie. “We’re gonna look like a couple.”

“You’re gonna be a super-buff Peter Pan?” TJ asked, taking the cookie half.

“Pirate. Not Hook, but…” Steve stopped as TJ busted up laughing.

“But there’s no difference once people see Tinkerbell.”

“Exactly. Are you expecting anyone you’d rather not have think you’re seeing someone?”

“Cute dads,” TJ said with a smirk. “Single cute dads, of course.”

“Of course.”

“My homewrecker days are through. You really believed the Tinkerbell thing, didn’t you?”

Steve returned to the cookie side of the island and pushed a bowl and tray in front of TJ. “Ice these and talk to me. You do know I tend to take you at your word, right? You wanna be a jealous little pixie, you got the legs for it, like you said.”

“If I’m targeting single, cute dads, I need to be a little less over the top. I do think about it every year, but I just don’t have the guts.”

“You should do it. You’ll either love it and be glad you did, or hate it and know you don’t want to do it again. The one thing you won’t have to do is worry about whether you can pull it off or not.”

TJ was quiet, thinking about advice that he might not get from anyone else, even Nana would caution him to be careful because of his mother and the press. He concentrated on the outlines for the ghost cookies, and pondered where he’d get a decent costume on short notice.

~•~Ѽ~•~

Steve rushed to the door, plastic pumpkin full of candies in one hand, he hesitated as his free hand touched the knob. Taking a deep breath, he opened it, expecting to see costumed kids. He smiled wide when he saw TJ had followed through with his costume idea. “TJ, come in.”

“Hey, you look like a real swashbuckler,” TJ said as he entered the apartment, taking in Steve’s costume and the plastic pumpkin.

“And you weren’t kidding about your legs,” Steve laughed. “Remember, I traveled with showgirls. I know a great pair of gams when I see ‘em.”

“Whoa, gams huh?” TJ chuckled along with Steve. “I keep forgetting you’re older than Nana. You shoulda gone for the noir gumshoe if you’re gonna talk like that.”

“I lived through that era.” Steve shook his head, “Besides, I always wanted to be a pirate, the closest I got was a pair of Buck’s shorts that went below my knees, one of Ma’s scarves tied around my waist, and a hankie on my head. I wanted some boots or a hat, but those were too extravagant. I did cut an eye patch out of paper and scribbled it black with a piece of charred wood. I hated it, it looked ridiculous.”

“Sounds adorable,” TJ disagreed. “Is this your dream costume then? Your hat is very – commanding.”

“It’s over the top. I’m considering changing into my uniform, either of them.”

“As much as I love a guy in uniform, keep the pirate get-up. It’s Halloween, not work. That’s just cheating you.”

Just then, the doorbell chimed and a chorus of “Trick or Treat!” trailed after it.

“I guess I don’t have a choice.” Steve shrugged. “Why is this so nerve wracking?”

“Want me to get the first one? You can see how it’s done.”

“No. I should be able to manage this. They’re kids.”

TJ smiled and stepped away from the door, resisting the urge to mess with the skirt of his costume, or his wig. The door opened to three little ones, six and under if TJ guessed it right. Their parents stood across the hall, watching the trio. His smile grew as he noticed the littlest one, hiding behind a slightly bigger Harry Potter. The child’s blue costume was a little too big.

TJ wondered if Steve had spotted the tiny version of himself yet, and he stifled a giggle as he thought about the idea that he’d just talked Steve out of donning his super suit. He got his answer the second Steve saluted the child and lowered himself to one knee to offer the kid their choice of candies.

“Captain, are you keeping these wizards safe? Or are they keeping you safe?”

The tyke pulled a plastic shield up to hide their face, covering all but part of one brown eye.

“I think either way, it’s a very good plan. How about some treats?” Steve asked, careful to give the kid space.

Once each bag was a handful of candy heavier, they said “Thank you” in a staggered chorus. Steve and TJ both waved and wished them a Happy Halloween before closing the door.

“You did great,” TJ offered as he walked to the front window. “Looks like there will be more in a bit, they’re a building away.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Steve admitted. “You hungry? I’d thought about ordering a pizza, but decided to put one in instead. It should be ready in a bit.”

“Next time I’m ordering out so you can sit and relax.”

“It’s relaxing.” When TJ gave him the look, Steve leaned against the arm of the sofa. “You’re right, make it a local place and not a chain, and you have a deal.”

“As if I didn’t know that by now. That Mini-Cap was pretty cute.”

“They were all cute,” Steve countered. “You know, I should have talked you out of that costume after all.”

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or not,” TJ turned away from the window. “Why?”

“After I talked you into it, I had a dream about the show I did back in the war, when I took off after Bucky. A soldier yelled from the jeering crowd ‘nice boots, Tinkerbell’.”

“Flashbacks? You should have called me.”

“It didn’t bother me – well – doesn’t bother me. I was just teasing. Your costume is impressive. I’m glad you didn’t give in to self-consciousness.”

“There were a couple of minutes there,” TJ sighed. He put his hand into the pumpkin bucket, shuffling the candies inside. “You got the good stuff. Full size? Trick or treat!”

Steve laughed, “there are several packages, I know there will be plenty of extras, help yourself.”

“I’m fine, I’m holding out for pizza and some of those cookies. Did you end up doing soul cakes too?”

“Nah,” Steve was interrupted by the ringing doorbell. “Just the ghosts and Jack-o’-lanterns.”

TJ snickered as the door opened to a little more than a half-dozen kids, ranging in age from elementary to middle school. The older kids had turned word puns into their costumes. TJ thought it might be interesting to make a game of it and keep score.

He was rethinking his plan as Steve guessed every single one. TJ barely managed to figure out the slender girl in the cottony cloud costume with pictures tucked into the fluff: The Cloud, and there was the one he himself couldn’t figure out at all. A boy wearing a ponytail wig, a Starbucks cup, and the letters ‘R’ and ‘E’ on his chest: Ariana Grande.

The small ones were dressed as a fire fighter, two witches, and Max from Where the Wild Things Are. TJ was impressed that the only correction Steve received was that the witches were ‘princess witches’.

As that group left, two visitors replaced them. a two-foot Hulk with an Iron-Dad had Steve’s face alight. Hulk showed his muscles and roared. He held up his plastic Hulk fists, which were bigger than his little head. Steve crouched in front of him, “Can you show me your best Hulk Smash?”

The little green guy punched Steve’s palm, Steve groaned and rolled backward. With a smooth somersault, he landed upright on his feet.

“That was one super smash!” Steve announced with a grin, while TJ applauded both performances. Iron-Dad had a very cute smile as he pulled off his mask, and TJ chewed his lip before smiling back.

Hulk roared again before taking the offered candy and saying, ‘thank you’.

“Would you like a homemade cookie?” TJ found his guts and started toward the island, perfectly aware of how good his ass and legs looked walking away. “When he’s not moonlighting as a pirate, my neighbor here, is a great baker.”

“Sure, sounds great.”

TJ wrote his number on the napkin before placing one of his best ghost cookies in the center. “What about Hulk?”

“Hulk has enough candy to keep him green for the rest of the year.”

“I’m not going to take all the credit for that cookie, TJ decorated the ghosts.” Steve winked at TJ as he put a few more candies in Hulk’s bucket.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

Steve’s grin was beyond devilish when he closed the door behind the pair. “He deserves to know how talented you are.”

“I’m improving, after almost a year.”

“Well, just wait until he hears you play. You did give him your number?”

“I did.” TJ was beet red and trying not to smile. “You’re a decent wingman. Thanks. He’s a very cute dad. couldn’t tell if he was single, but…”

“He was clearly interested. Just make sure he is single, you told me you weren’t into homewrecking.”

“Okay, remind me never to tell you anything.”

“No way, you tell me everything.” Steve laughed as he answered the door to another Captain America, this one in a tutu with blonde curls poking out of her helmet. She’d brought Thor and Falcon along. “My goodness, it’s a night for Avengers! Did you guys see Iron-Man and Hulk?”

“No. Have they been here?” Little Miss Cap asked.

“You just barely missed them.” Steve nodded, again getting on level with the children. “Look at you all. You look just like the bigger versions.”

“Hulk wrestled the pirate for his,” TJ announced. “Which one of you thinks you can beat this scallywag?”

“Tinkerbell? Did mean ole Captain Hook kidnap you again?” Falcon asked eagerly, “I would fight him for that.”

“You’ve mistaken my friend for nasty old Hook? No, Captain Blond Beard is my friend.”

“Oh, good. He’s a pretty big pirate.” Falcon admitted.

“I love your Tinkerbell costume. You look really neat.” The quiet Thor finally said. “I wanted to be Black Widow, but my mom said I had to be one of the boy Avengers.”

“I happen to know someone who knows the Black Widow,” Steve said, sitting back on his heels. “I’m pretty sure she’d be flattered. I think she might disagree with your mom, but she’d tell you to do what keeps you safe. I also know that if we had her ask Thor, he’d agree.”

“I think the Captain has some good advice.” TJ agreed, watching as the kids took candy and said, ‘thank you’. He looked down the hall as the kids left, seeing a couple of parents at the end of the hallway. They seemed stunned when the kids caught up to them, engrossed in whatever they’d been talking about. “Well, at least the mother didn’t hear us giving the ‘you be you’ talk.”

“Well, you know I wouldn’t get into a discussion of that sort in front of the kids, but in adult company, I’d have a few things to say.”

“More kids, more Avengers.”

“What? Aren’t they tired of us yet?”

“Not gonna happen.” TJ grinned, holding the door as one family approached followed closely by a second. A pop star, several pun costumes, a couple of princesses, a princess cat, two pirates, Jedi and Sith, and more superheroes filled the night and emptied several buckets of candy, ate cookies, and enjoyed both TJ’s Tinkerbell and Steve’s pirate.

Once the knocks and doorbell rings had tapered off, Steve pulled the ‘treats’ sign from his door and locked up after what he’d determined would be their final visitor. He looked at TJ where he was sitting on the sofa. The pizza had been removed from the oven sometime during the festivities, and TJ was piling pieces onto plates.

“You really think people are going to tire of you and your team?” TJ asked, looking up at him through glitter tipped false eyelashes.

“You really think Iron-Dad isn’t going to call you?” Steve countered, falling onto the sofa next to TJ. He took the plate TJ handed him. “There sure were a lot of little Avengers. I lost count.”

“Twenty-nine. Including eight mini-yous. I hope Iron-Dad is single and doesn’t throw the napkin away before seeing my lame attempt at a pick-up.”

“You were so shy, you shoulda been Bashful. You know one of the dwarfs?” Steve teased as he took a bite of the cold – but still good – pizza.

“Hahaha! You’re very funny. I just didn’t want to upset the little green guy.”

“Wise.” Steve chuckled.

“You were so nervous when this started. How do you feel now that it’s ended?”

“Like I could eat a whole pizza and a few cookies.”

“You were having so much fun with the kids, you didn’t give yourself time to eat. Did you even sneak a candy bar?”

“No. I figured after all of the sample cookies earlier…”

“Don’t you even think of finishing that statement. I’m the one who’s had to increase gym time.”

“You don’t have to come up every time I tell you I’m baking.” Steve shrugged. He put a large piece of his pizza slice into his mouth and shrugged again.

“I don’t come for the baking.” TJ tossed his head back against the sofa cushion. “You do know that right? I don’t come because of your hero status or your famous name. Fame sucks.”

“It has its moments,” Steve agreed. “But seeing those kids, happy and excited. They think some guy in tights is worthy of a Halloween costume?”

“They do. They plan their costumes with excitement too. You know, kids get these things in their heads and they don’t think twice. I want to be Captain America, but I’m a girl? Ok, make it a skirt. It’s not about tights, and you don’t wear tights anymore. That’s a combat uniform and you know it.”

“Thank you, TJ. I really didn’t expect to see anybody dressed as me, and as weird as it is, it’s really –” Steve set his plate aside and laced his fingers together across his middle, gazing up at the ceiling before turning to look at TJ. “– it’s just flattering, you know?”

“Only when you’re someone to look up to. When you’re the president’s kid, it’s far from flattering. Especially when you’re the family disappointment.”

“Yeah –” Steve sighed, “– well, I look up to you. As for being the family disappointment? No. You were let down. You know your father’s history, you know your mother’s ambition. Consider, coming from those examples, and the neglect you experienced, you and your brother made it.” He looked at TJ, knowing an argument was imminent. “Better late than never, you know?”

“Thank you, Steve.”

“It’s the least I could do. You still wanna deliver cookies with me tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Yes, I do.”

“How about a scary movie? No clowns or scarecrows, unless you’re feeling brave?”

“Not feeling brave. Not the least bit. Hit me with whatever else you’ve got.”

~•~Ѽ~•~