#did u not hear todd it was his father

[ace-with--a-mace]

i wouldnt have watched this fuckass movie if i was gonna cry this much wtf

[incorrectbatfam]

How do u think they all reacted to finding out pieces of Tim’s year abroad?

Concept: he tells one person who tells everyone else, but it's like a game of telephone where the story changes over time

Tim, under his breath: ...so yeah, I lost my spleen and blew up the League of Assassins.

Cassandra: *nods*

[later]

Stephanie, gasping: No way! He sold his spleen to the League of Assassins?!?

Cassandra: *nods*

[later]

Stephanie: *whispers to Barbara*

Barbara: Moldy blue cheese in a pasta salad. No wonder he seemed so out of it.

[later]

Barbara: *whispers*

Duke: That doesn't sound like him. I'm gonna ask Jason to see if he knows.

[later]

Duke: Apparently Tim spent a year in a treehouse writing classic rock ballads.

Jason: That's the first time I'm hearing about this.

[later]

Dick: What were you and Duke talking about?

Jason: Nothing much, just how Tim went off the grid to live like a caveman for a year.

Dick: He what now—

[later]

Damian: I overheard you and Todd talking about Drake's alternative lifestyle retreat.

Dick: Well, actually—

Damian: Does Father know?

Dick: I don't think so, but—

Damian: I shall inform him.

[later]

Damian: *whispers*

Bruce: Are you sure?

Damian: My intel is never wrong.

Bruce: *barges into the Batcave*

Bruce: Timothy Jackson Drake, since when did you smoke weed?!

[cryscendo]

ok tell me about your dps klaine au. i love the movie so i'm interested to hear what you have in mind! :)

omggg ty to u and @blossoms-and-possums and @warblercore for asking about it totally and entirely unprompted 🥰

sooooo i have this au in mind for dps klaine that would take place during dalton era klaine (naturally) and i wanna write it so bad. here are some highlights

kurt as todd anderson

blaine as neil perry

sam as knox overstreet

mercedes as chris noel (for the samcedes of it all naturally)

kurt transfers to dalton for largely the same reason he did in canon — to get away from bullies. the difference being he doesn’t actually meet blaine until they find out they find out they’re rooming together (as is the case in dps)

blaine’s father is really adamant that he gets good grades so that he’ll be able to get scholarships for a nice law school.

when blaine hints that he might want to do acting, mr. anderson gets agitated with him bc he already had one kid try to follow that acting pipe dream and where did that get cooper? absolutely nowhere, according to his father. blaine is NOT allowed to do the theatre stuff under any circumstances

meanwhile kurt still feels like an outsider amongst the other boys in school bc he’s the self conscious gay kid who is a natural creative in a space where only academics and business seem to matter. the only person that really actively tries to make him feel welcome is blaine who he quietly latches onto.

ofc that kinda shifts when the society is formed.

it’ll more or less follow the main story, but i’m gonna change some stuff for plot purposes and also make klaine a bigger focus in the narrative. including the deleted scenes from the film that expand on their relationship

“i can take care of myself, alright?” “no.” “what do you mean no?” “no ❤️”

i’d probably also keep the late 50s/early 60s era the same bc i think that’d be fun to interact with when dealing with queerness

there’s about 5874364585 things i wanna discuss but i gotta keep some things a surprise <3

[ms-nesbit]

how would jason be as a dad?

Jason Todd - Father Edition

do i think he will be like anakin/darth vader, despite his writing (mostly) being depicted as DC's tragic fallen sidekick? no

he will probably be incredibly apprehensive the entirety of the pregnancy (if he impregnates someone)

but will read every single parenting book in the gotham library

and he will learn every nook and cranny about various parenting styles

PTO parent

threatens karen w a knife bc she was intimidating/using fear tactics to scare the kids

"why dont u pick on someone ur own size" - jason, at karen, at approximately 8:57pm

reads a book a night to his baby

and doesnt miss a night. ever.

self-identifies as a DILF

(until he gets hit on by women. then he cringes.)

teaches the importance of boundaries, self-respect, and self-defense

yes, hes a karate dad. his kids take karate and he refuses to elaborate further

doesnt understand cocomelon

and bans it from his roof

but loves cookie monster and gonger's food truck adventures

sings lullabies to his babies

but the lullabies are alice in chains or metallica hits

he even bought matching black sabbath shirts for him and his baby

HOME COOKED MEALS FOR HIS KIDS

and those really cool homemade lunch kits you see on pinterest, with the star shaped sandwiches and dinosaur carrots

will literally dropkick anybody who hits on his kid

"they are a fucking child, karen. why are you making comments about 'waiting till he's 18'? what're you gonna do, RISE from the grave and snatch my child? fucking crypt keeper."

"Oh, shit. Did you hear that? This creep wants to hit on my baby, who still shits herself and can barely hold her head up. How about I take you on a date, and show you exactly what I'd do to you if I catch you makin' those comments about her again, hmm?"

doesnt care about being a single dad, and doesnt use his kids as pawns to flirt with others

he trusts duke the most (aside from alfred) with his kids

then tim, then damian, then dick.

"what the fuc- he's 11!1!" - dick, when walking in on damian babysitting jason's child

"yes, and you stick your escrima stick wherever it fits. stay humble." - jason

bruce is the second best grandpa in the world

alfred is the world's best pop-pop

and jason goes to him for parenting advice, or when he's feeling doubtful about himself as a father

and it usually ends up with him in tears and alfred comforting him because he's a better father than he's ever had

[muder-boner]

MY OC IF SHE WAS IN SALLY FACE

tw mentions of getting high , nightmares , fighting

Summary of my oc': Her name is Riri /its not me lol just same name !! She normally lives in a zombie apocalypse, erm i wont go in detail her life is so disturbing

so in sf, shes a teen again, and her mother is alive, when her and her sister , and moher left the abusive home and ran away from her father they moved in The Adisson Apartments /idk if spelled right and uhm yeah idk, here are some hc

When Riri first met Sal, she already knew him , but that still didnt make her any less cold.

''Uh, youre Riri, right? I heard youre new here.'' Sal asks. Riri squints her eyes. ''Ah, youre Larrys friend?.'' She looks around and nods when she notices Larry nearby. ''Sup dude.''She turns to Sal. ''You need anything?'' Sal shakes his head. ''I just wanted to introduce myself, im Sal, my friends call me Sally Face.'' Riri looks around. ''Erm, oki.''

After that when they hung out at Riris place, Sal brought Gizmo over, little did he know Riri had two cats, white cat named Angel, and black cat named Dracula, the three cats played together , while Sal looked around Riris room for hour since she has so much stuff in there.

After like a month of being friends, Riri got introduced to the friend group, she instantly became friends with Ashley, bur she kinda just was there everytime they hanged out, not much of a talker.

Sal was confused how Riri knew Larry, so when he asked her she explained that Larry caught her smoking on the rooftop, they proceeded to get high on casual Fridays, just smoke buddies.

Lisa and Riris mother are bestfriends.

Riri appered in Larrys and Travis' nightmares cause they both saw Riri in a fight with one of Lizzies / her younger sister / bully, they still havent recovered

Sal could hear Riri yell at Lizzie at 3 am from downstairs over some food.

Riri likes to study human anatomy and animal anatomy with Todd, only reason she likes to be around him.

She relates to Travis so she tries to help him, not knowing how to comfort him yet she gets called a cunt by him so she punched his nose, shes too embarrased to say sorry so she didnt show up tp school for 3 days.

She once got high with a teacher, nobody knows.

Riris mother hates when Riri smokes in her room but cant help smoke with her

Her younger sister, Lizzie LOVES Larry, she sees him like an older brother,

one time Riri came home to see Lizzie paint Larrys nails pink and play with glitter ponies together. She still has a picture of Larry like that on her wall.

Larry was suprised Lizzie knows so many swear words, so they had a contest of who know the most swear words.

OKI THATS KINDA IT I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THESE, I MIGHT DRAW RIRI AND LIZZIE SO U COULD SEE HOW THEY LOOK LIKE !! I HOPE U LIKE THESWE

[dilfwaynes]

heya!!

could u maybe do general nsfw head canons with the batboys (w/o Damien ofc) if not maybe just Jason and Bruce?

Ty in advance :)

bundle nights are open!

⚤ pairings ; bruce wayne x fem!reader, jason todd x fem!reader, dick grayson x fem!reader

✗ warnings ; oral and virginal sex, praise & degradation kink, reader being a power!bottom, light bdsm.

a/n: idk if u wanted fem or male reader so i just went with fem, if thats not what u wanted just tell me and i’ll rewrite it <33 also i didnt add tim since im p sure hes still underage ? idk n bc i personally cant picture him in a sexual setting lol.

navigation | masterlist | dc headcanons

BRUCE WAYNE

bruce prefers a power bottom idc idc idc

even if he doesn’t realize it himself but by the looks of his women? selina, diana, talia, and zatanna

mans love a confident woman

honestly not kinky tbh like little bdsm here and there

nothing too big either, just cuffs or silk ties

and mostly hes on the reviving end

though the sight is honestly breathtaking of bruce without his shirt and still in his pretty slacks

and his little efforts of tugging on the silk, though u both know how easy he could break them if he wanted

hes not vocal in the bedroom other than his quiet grunts here and there but u bask whenever u hear them

not really a beggar either once he gets too frustrated with ur teasing he just demands you to stop

its the closest thing towards a beg so u take what u can get tbh

ur favorite positions r missionary and riding him

but riding him with his hands tied up and hes not allowed to touch u SHEESH

and your hips dragging just enough to feel him inside of you

u also do the thing where u take control of the pace and when he’s allowed to move inside of you or not

sometimes he’ll spice it up and take full control though

“no, i’m taking over tonight.”

u couldve creamed right then and there

and yes u have ride him in his batman suit just without his mask

somethings just different fucking him with his suit still on and in the bat-crave 

DICK GRAYSON

hes so vanilla lol like

hes that corny fake kinky guy if that makes sense??

type to call himself daddy but in some joking way cos its not something that actually turns him on

prefers to be in control and its probs always missionary

but if you were kinky thats a different story

he’ll start to enjoy the little teasing u do

like if u quietly grab his hand and place your panties in hand and just continued talking to tim or steph?? it’ll drive him insane

i do imagine him being into quickies and the most random places

though u did give the push he needed

u both probably have fucked in one of the wayne manor hallways

and ate you out in the batcave or in the batmobile when bruce is out for a few minutes

JASON TODD

bruh like father like son LMAO

the boy honestly loves a girl whos a power bottom and can take control over him

and unlike bruce, jason is willing to beg and moan

hes also into roleplay, the typical seduction to get information out

u both switch a lot but u two know its u whos really in control lol

bedroom or general life doesn’t matter

doesn’t admit it but he likes to be handcuffed and u having your way with him

hes needy and whine af tbh, your breath could just hit the tip of his dick and he’s already so sensitive

 absolutely love when you ride him, getting him so deep inside of you and seeing your tits bouncing

he could cum from just that alone

cant see him being into choking or anything like that tbh

too bad many memories and he just doesn’t fit it appealing

size kink though i can definitely see that

he likes how petite you are to him

and how easy it is to pick you up and around

he also gets whiny af when hes inside you and u wont allow him to move inside you

“did i say you can move yet?”

you enjoy controlling the pace of his thrusts sm

but you also enjoy when he just gets too needy and takes control

[notfeelingthyaster]

I have been listening to Welcome to the Black Parade (the album) for like a whole hour inside my head as I read about Jason Todd and it f i t s w a y t o o m u c h

so I'm writing as if this is a jason todd musical mcr style, that little emo (maybe the tracks are out of order about events but)

now hear me out

the first track is "The End" and it's serving Ghost!Jason at his own grave/funeral afterward his death

"you might wake up and notice you're someone you're not" = jason waking up in the grave

"another contusion, my funeral jag/here's my resignation, i'll serve it in drag" = his final time as robin ?? his resignation from the role, his fights with bruce, him getting more violent?

"come on, come on, oh, come on, i said save me (get me the hell out of here)" = he dying in the joker's hands

"save me! (too young to die, and my dear)" = do i really need to explain?

also the whole song is about a funeral

the second track is "Dead!" and i could make the same comparison (jason is dead hehe) but this song is actually Jason singing to himself AND joker as the red hood

"and if your heart stops beating, i'll be here wondering: did you get what you deserve? the ending of your life" = the joker dying would be enough to punish him?

"have you heard the news that you're dead? no one ever had much nice to say, i think they never liked you anyway" = so this is jason's dramatic ass bitch comeback singing to the joker and HIMSELF about how no one really mourned him

"wouldn't it be grand to take a pistol by the hand" = definitely red hood

"oh motherfucker, if life ain't just a joke, then why are we laughing?" = this is the joker's answer. or maybe is jason being extra dramatic because there's also a line "then why am i dead?"

then it comes the "This is How I Disappear" track, which is basically Jason and Bruce talking

"to un-explain the unforgivable, drain all the blood and give the kids a show" = the confrontation in the tower with tim

"there's things that i have done, you never should ever know" = this is about jason's breaking the "rule"

"and live my life alone, forever now / who walks among the famous living dead" = jason talking about him going solo and being dead

"you wanna see how far down i can sink? let me go fuck" = jason screaming at bruce

The next track, "The Sharpest Lives", it's really all about The Outlaws

"a light to burn all the empires, so bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be" = Starfire? Artemis?

"give me a shot to remember, and you can take all the pain away from me" = this is Jason

"the sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead" = roy? jay? all of them really

i could continue and show were each point is but the whole vibe of the song fits the messy lives of the outlaws and the whole "forsaken heroes" they have going on

The title track, "Welcome to the Black Parade", is all about Jason's relationship with Bruce

"When I was a young boy/My father took me into the city to see a marching band / He said, "Son, when you grow up would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?" / He said, "Will you defeat them? Your demons, and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?""

IS THERE ANYTHING MORE ROBIN AND BATMAN THAN THIS???

"And through it all, the rise and fall / The bodies in the streets / And when you're gone, we want you all to know / We'll carry on, we'll carry on / And though you're dead and gone, believe me / Your memory will carry on" = this is about either Jason being "replaced" or Bruce being "dead"

"I won't explain or say I'm sorry/ I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scars / Give a cheer for all the broken / Listen here, because it's who we are / Just a man, I'm not a hero." = this is Jason refusing to apologize for being who he is

the next track is actually "I Don't Love You" and it's ALSO about Bruce, perhaps Dick?

"And after all this time that you still owe, you're still the good-for-nothing, I don't know / So take your gloves and get out / Better get out, while you can" = pick up your shit and leave me alone, jason style

"When you go, would you have the guts to say: 'I don't love you, like I loved you yesterday'" = this is about him being "replaced" by tim again, and also bc bruce didn't unalive the joker

maybe this is more a dick song than a bruce song bc of the drama, and also the little quote about "knock you down and out is where you oughta stay" feels more like he's talking to dick? idk

The "House of Wolves" track is just a big ass mess, and it's jason's joker/bruce confrontation where bruce again don't unalive this fucking clown

"And I'll be grantin' your permission / 'Cause you haven't got a prayer" = this is about him going to unalive the joker

Well, I think I'm gonna burn in Hell / Everybody burn the house right down / And say what I wanna say / Tell me I'm an angel, take this to my grave / Tell me I'm a bad man, kick me like a stray / Tell me I'm an angel, take this to my grave" = this is about bruce glorifying his death and treating Robin!Jason as an angel and red hood as the "bad man", that he is going to hell, blablabla

"So get the choir boys around you / It's a compliment, I swear" = this is about Tim/Dick and their "perfection" as "obedient robins"

"You better run like the devil / 'Cause they're never gonna leave you alone / You better hide up in the alley / 'Cause they're never gonna find you a home" = joker won't have anywhere to hide where Jason won't find him and unalive him

"And as the blood runs down the walls / You see me creepin' up these halls / I've been a bad motherfucker" = Jason about himself to Bruce

The next track is "Cancer" and I'm uncertain yet but PERHAPS this is a mix of Jason's dying on the warehouse and flashbacks about his mom (not she*la this bitch) dying

but there's a lot of mentions to actual cancer so perhaps it's the least well-suited song to jason

i do like this line a lotttt though

"Help her gather all my things / And bury me in all my favorite colors / My sisters and my brothers, still"

Then there's "Mama" and this is Jason in the warehouse with Sheila in his last moments and oooooh it's the full song

"Oh well now, Mama, we're all gonna die / Mama, we're all gonna die / Stop asking me questions, I hate to see you cry / Mama, we're all gonna die" = i don't even

"We'll let the fires just bathe us, yeah / You made us oh so famous; / We'll never let you go / And when you go don't return to me my love" = THE FIRES OF THE EXPLOSION

"Mama, we're all full of lies / Mama, we're meant for the flies / And right now they're building a coffin your size / Mama, we're all full of lies" = The lies of SERVING THE FUCKING JOKER

"She said, "You ain't no son of mine!" / For what you've done they're / Gonna find a place for you" = he is saying she's going to hell for being a bitch

If you want me to explain my thoughts about the last five songs of the album comment and all cause I'm a lil tired now

gimme thoughts about it all bc this feels like a jason todd musical

[projectjasper]

do you think todd had something to do with what happened to black? im not sure but it would make a lot of sense. white clearly has not much idea abt whats goin on ,any extra info he gets is from todd and by "helping" white he's basically manipulating the way white thinks... white is not likely to suspect him.. i wanna hear your take cuz yours are almost always really accurate and mine are fuelled with excitement and impulsiveness. (also omg white what r u doing with eugene u dont even know why they broke up bro you trainwreck that kiss was so weird to watch)

also um no way gram hurt black uk and actually if todd did hurt black wouldnt this be the perfect way to spin it? clearly gram and black were close but i dont think white is aware of how close... making white suspicious of gram will mean that not only is he eliminating the only person that could definitively guess that black is not being himself but also whos prolly aware of the daily ongoings of black before he was attacked? im clowning🤡

you are absolutely not clowning, everything you said makes complete sense. i wanted todd to not be the bad guy so much, because... sing, you know? and there is also the fact that he has an iphone, and it's genuinely true that apple doesn't allow bad guys in media to use their products. but everything just kind of... points to todd, doesn't it? gram is obviously not the person who is responsible for what happened to black - the guy would jump in front of a bullet for him, who are we kidding. and todd is controlling the narrative so much right now, i don't think it's unintentional. not to mention he is almost a fucking caricature of a rich spoiled child, which is exactly who the guys are fighting against. i wouldn't be surprised if his father was somehow connected to tawi, because rich people are always in cahoots with each other. i also think it's kind of sus that he was so calm about what the gang was doing - he was very vague about them in the beginning, but then they are burning houses down, white almost has a panic attack over it, and todd's just like "ugh, just burn it down with them and let me go back to bed"? AND he supported white's idea to pretend to be black without any questions either - almost like he wanted him to focus on a very specific part of black's life and he already had it all planned out in his head.

[arty-shadow-morningstar]

So this is something I wrote sometime during 12 to 1 AM coz i couldn't sleep and I can't get this idea out of my head. I have an Maribat obsession. English is my second language so there is bound to be mistakes.

Something to know beforehand Sabine is an assassin but not part of the League and trains Marinette in the ways of assassin stuff. She also knows about her daughter being LB cause u can't hide stuff from a former assassin. Mari is more chaotic and have Plagg's ring. This is told from both Damian and Jason's Pov.

-----------------------------------------------------

Damian groaned.

He was not having a good day.

First, Father decided to pair him with Todd, TODD of all people, for patrol.

Second, while investigating the warehouse near the docks which seems to be the cause for concern and enduring Red Hood's taunts, they both were knocked out by tranquilizers and his mother face was the last thing he remembers seeing.

"Don't worry, little one. You are just fulfilling your duties as heir to the Demon's Head."

She had said, just before he fully lost consciousness.

Third, he was chained up and had a headache. Taking a bearing of his surroundings, he found himself in wedding ensembles of the League of Shadows. Red Hood was chained up next to him as well but unlike him, still had his suit and helmet on. Glancing to the other side, he saw a raven-haired girl, chained up as well and dressed in the black and gold robes of a bride. She had also retained consciousness and was staring at him.

Bluebell eyes met his piercing green.

She was petite with asian features. She had freckles dotting her button nose.

She was fragile and would break easily, he thought.

Why did his mother wants him to marry such a weakling?

"(French) Do you know where we are?" Her voice was sweet and trembling. Her eyes were wide and seem filled with innocence. She was an Angel, not fit for the world she was forcefully going to get married to.

She opened her mouth to ask again and suddenly, she slumped to appear unconscious. A moment later, he heard footsteps approaching and the door opened to reveal his mother.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason finally woke up to the sight of the Bitch Talia and Demon Spawn, face to face, in a staring contest.

Talia broke the silence.

"Damian,my son, I hope you know what is expected of you."

"To be forcefully married to that little girl. She is no one special. Why am I getting tied to her?"

Jason saw through his helmeted vision, a girl about Damian's age, across him and chained up like them.

"Marinette may not seem like it but she possesses great power that your grandfather converts. Speaking of, she should be awake by now."

Talia grabbed the girl's hair and yanked so that her eyes met the girl's. The girl, who unfortunately was going to be the Demon Spawn's bride,(That little shithead is getting married. Jason thought) lets out a cry and starts to tear up. Jason felt anger at how she was treated.

"Tch, See, she is more pathetic than I thought. She is not powerful." Demon Spawn growled out. Bride to be or not, that is no way to treat a girl and if Jason could, he would beat him for that comment. The girl starts babbling in what seems to be a mix of French and Cantonese. And Talia and Demon Spawn starts to argue about the choice of who he was forced to marry.

"(Arabic)Appearance can be deceiving. Despite her demeanor, she is the current wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous and the Current Guardian of all of them. The old Guardian, the old fool promised her in exchage for protection."

"(Arabic)That doesn't mean I want to marry her. She is not worthy of an Al Ghul or a Wayne."

The dark haired girl had stopped crying and starts murmuring, from what Jason hears , in Latin? He caught words like "Black Cat" "Portal" "Mother" " getting Married" "ladybug" and some curse words thrown in.

And she stopped as if waiting for an answer.

Later, Jason saw a terrifying smile crossed the face of the girl chained up across him that was quickly smoothed out.

He blinked.

Talia was now choking on the chains that were previously chained to the wall and now around her neck. Fortunately, Talia had closed the door after her entrance and the guards stationed outside were none the wiser to what was happening inside the cell.

The experienced assassin tried to get free and gain an upper hand on the girl but was unsuccessful, passing out from the lack of oxygen and strangly strong grip of the girl.

Next, she breathed hard on the chains on her wrists which instantly disintegrated into flakes of rust. She somehow managed to use what remained of the chains to hog tie the assassin up. ( Talia didn't have the keys to the locks. Being crafty like that. The girl told them to call her M and used her weird ability to remove their chains.)

-----------------------------------------------------

Damian had his jaws on the ground, in shock at the turn of events. He had severely underestimated his betrothal.

-----------------------------------------------------

Edit: I wrote a more in-depth version if you want to read it. Here

[chvrliesapcet]

ever since olivia rodrigo released her debut album, SOUR, i have been listening to it on repeat (totally not kidding). so, after seeing a girl on tiktok do something like this, but with the avengers, i was inspired to make this post. there you go:

the poets as olivia rodrigo’s songs.

trigger warning: mention of su*c*de and mental health issues.

brutal: all of them. they’re teenagers, insecure sometimes, trying their best, but sadly not living the teenage dream (what is it, that fucking teenage dream, anyway?). “if someone tells me one more time "enjoy your youth, " i’m gonna cry” and they can’t quit what they’re doing, because their parents would most likely be hurt. “and they'd all be so disappointed 'cause who am if, if not exploited?” they once recited the lyrics of this song as a poem, during one of their meetings, and they were all laughing their asses off. life at hell-ton is brutal, what can i say?

traitor: knox, of course. “god i wish that you had thought this through, before i went and fell in love with you” or “guess you didn’t cheat, but you’re still a traitor” just hit different for him. he thinks about chris when he listens to this song, that’s for sure..! we can’t really blame chris for knox falling in love with her though,, sorry buddy.

drivers license: knox, again. poor boy listens to this song while riding his bike, crying his eyes out. “but today i drove through the suburbs, crying 'cause you weren't around” chris isn’t with that blonde girl, she is that blonde girl. knox has never felt this way for no one, and it’s hard for him to imagine that chris is, well, doing okay without him. he thinks and talks about her all the time. “and all my friends are tired of hearing how much i miss you, but i kinda feel sorry for them 'cause they'll never know you the way that i do”

1 step forward, 3 steps back: todd. like many people (including me!) when he listens to this song, he doesn’t necessarily think of a past relationship (mostly because he has never dated anyone before neil). he thinks of his mental health struggles, such as his anxiety, instead. it’s hard, sometimes. he thinks he’s getting better, but then realizes he isn’t.. “got me fucked up in the head, boy. never doubted myself so much. like am i pretty, am i fun boy? i hate that i gave you power over that kinda stuff” need i say more? this song is as soft, but as sad, as he is.

deja vu: keating. this is.. kind of a joke, but only because i didn’t know who to pair this song with. john was an original member of the dead poets society, and knowing that now, other teenage boys are taking turns reading poetry, in the old indian cave, reminds him of his teenage years. “so when you gonna tell her that we did that, too? she thinks it's special, but it's all reused. that was our place, i found it first” olivia’s music isn’t the type of music he normally listens to, but after hearing students (the poets) talk about her album, during his class, he decided he’d give it a try. he likes it. he loves the lyrics, mostly.

good 4 u: CHARLIE. he loves screaming the lyrics to this song. especially the bridge and the last chorus. “LIKE A DAMN SOCIOPATH!” cameron has to beg him to turn the volume down,, he doesn’t listen to him, obviously, and instead turns the volume up. his argument? ‘this song is meant to be played loud!’ to which cameron responds ‘but not that loud! i’m trying to study!’ he thinks looking at his roommate directly in the eye when singing “baby, what the fuck is up with that?” exactly the way olivia does is funny. cameron just rolls his eyes every time, but it’s hard for him to hide the smile taking place on his lips.

enough for you: pitts. although he and stev/phen are both super, super smart, i think meeks is the ‘genius’ of the group. and that, can, sometimes, make pitts feel like he might not be good enough for his boyfriend, whom he loves very much. “and i knew how you took your coffee, and your favorite songs by heart. i read all of your self-help books so you'd think that i was smart” whenever he doubts himself, meeks is the first to reassure him and tell him he’s more than enough, but still.. “'cause all i ever wanted was to be enough for you” he listens to this song with his earphones, always, so no one knows he listens to it on repeat.

happier: meeks. ever since charlie got expelled, he can’t stop listening to this song. these two were pretty close, (“he flatters me, that’s why i help him with latin”) and stev/phen doesn’t like thinking about his friend being in a new school, and spending time with other people. “so find someone great but don't find no one better. i hope you're happy, but don't be happier” he wishes charlie would still be with them, at welton, even if he hated it. “your friends aren't mine, you know, i know. you’ve moved on, found someone new” or “does she mean you forgot about me?” he’s being a bit overdramatic, considering charlie comes to see the poets at least once a week, and still attends the dps meetings.. but anyway.

jealousy, jealousy: cameron, because, yes, he’s smart and everything, but he’s still jealous of other people, and wishes he were different. he thinks he should be like the other guys. “all i see, is what i should be, happier, prettier, jealousy, jealousy” he also thinks that, maybe then, people would like him more </3. he knows no one really hates him, but feels like no one really likes him, either. and in his opinion, it’s because he’s.. him. “I'm so sick of myself, i’d rather be, rather be, anyone, anyone else” just like mr. k, this type of music isn’t what he usually listens to, but he relates to this song so much, he can’t help but listen to it at least once a day.

favorite crime: neil. just like todd, he doesn’t associate this song with a relationship he had in the past. actually, he thinks of his father (and his mom, a bit, too) and all of the things his dad forces him to do, even if it upsets him. “those things i did, just so i could call you mine. the things you did, well, i hope i was your favorite crime” i know we don’t usually talk about the canon ending, but i have to. mr. perry didn’t want his son to pursue his dreams, and planned neil’s life for him, which made him feel so miserable, he sadly committed su*c*de.. but then, his dad wasn’t blamed for it, to preserve his reputation. “and i watched as you fled the scene, doe-eyed as you buried me, one heart broke, four hands bloody” todd knows this was neil’s favorite song. he listens to it once in a while, in their room, alone, and cries.

hope ur ok: all of them. do they know how proud i am they were created? after all they’ve been through, especially their family problems, i’m glad they found each other. “she was tired 'cause she was brought into a world where family was merely blood” and even when life throws bad things at them, they always stay strong, and support each other through everything. they’re very brave. “well, i hope you know how proud i am you were created, with the courage to unlearn all of their hatred” i love them, my beautiful poets <33

[chronicbatfictioner]

Exchanges and Compromises - Chapter 17

Jason was having the time of his life.

Dick was sure of it. He might grump and sulk a lot more than before, but Dick was sure that he was having fun. Sure, guarding Damian might be a little more than tasking, after a while - especially since Damian was so certain that he could face Bane alone if it comes down to it, conveniently ignoring the fact that: a. he's ten and practically one-tenth of Bane's size; b. the Waynes most likely would detest having to clear intestines off the marble floor if Damian were to be let near a katana and/or Bane, and c. Alfred definitely would detest cleaning intestines or parts of Damian off the floor or walls.

And d. Bruce Wayne seemed to actually enjoy having Damian around and has no qualm in talking to Damian as if he was twice his age. Bruce's age, that is. Not Damian's. Dick suspected that Bruce has spent a lot of time talking to 60-year-olds.

But there were numerous forms of excitement that were offered by the Wayne Manor. First and foremost were the cars. Dick has never learned to drive - being a Talon kind of impeded the learning process of 'common human things'. Jason, however, was an excellent driver. He had mentioned something about being a getaway driver in warzones, and Dick couldn't be sure if he was telling the truth or joking. Either way, he rather enjoyed it whenever he and Jason had to take Damian somewhere in town.

Except for today, as somebody seemed to have tampered with the car.

It wouldn't brake, and they were cruising really, really fast.

Hence Dick's belief that Jason was having fun. He did not look perturbed at the slightest as he controlled the car, swerving crazily over the backroads, making sharp u-turns instead of going into the city roads and went back where they came from. Within a mile from the Drake House's gate, Jason finally managed to cut down the speed to the point where the car's engines died and it rolled to a stop. On the Drake House's gate.

"Seriously, people," Tim remarked dryly as they walked in - leaving the car at the gate and settling their respective adrenaline back down. "I've heard of visiting the neighbors, but must you be like, dying and/or damaging people's property before you come here to say hi?"

"The car was tampered with," Damian reported. "Must be the brute. And I shall replace your gate, Drake."

"I think I'm down to like, eight lives. No-- seven." Dick admitted, "my heart's still beating a hundred miles per minute. Good thing, though, at least that way I know I'm quite alive."

"Dick, you're a bird. Not a cat." Tim deadpanned. His eyes never leaving Jason, who had lit up a cigarette as he walked through the house. "Since when do you smoke?"

"Since I was eleven," Jason replied. "And since I walked into a house that has laser triggers that were set up by a lunatic. Smoke worked to reveal them all."

"I'm... partially scowling because smoking kills. But I suppose laser triggers would kill faster..." Tim replied.

"The lasers are used to trigger booby traps just about Damian's height. If he were to be a common kid and run around the house, he'd be decapitated within the first few days." Jason continued bitterly. "What the fuck is wrong with that giant lump of steroids, anyway? He was ready to kill a child!"

"The nutshell version is that the child would prevent his usurping the Waynes' wealth." Tim pointed out. "The long version is that I don't think he's really the child of Dr Wayne, the Waynes know of it, and they're literally being held hostage in their own home. Also, you people are being watched, too, by drones. I've asked Harper to kill those drones for entering my property."

Tim then explained Bruce's visit and the USB. "Oracle has contacted him and told him we... the Birds, that is - are investigating the evidence."

"How long until we can punch the asshole out of the house for good?" Jason demanded, accepting a bottle of water Tim handed him. Slowly and gently. Making sure his fingers brushed Tim's. And Dick had to swallow a grin.

"That, unfortunately, would be up to the GCPD. Did you guys saw the news? Vicky Vale's article on Damian?" Tim... preened a little, waving his hair as he walked away from Jason. Dick's lips itched, he wondered if Barbara or the other girls -- if Selina or Dinah have noticed this. The two were definitely flirting.

"I have seen it. It had good pictures of my mother and grandfather, and quite... adequate descriptions of both of them." Damian replied. "Evidently father has made a comment to the writer about me looking like him when he was my age."

"Well, you kind of do look like him, except for the green eyes." Dick pointed out. Bruce's eyes were blue - like both his parents. But from the photos of little Brucie around the house, Dick could see a little of Martha Wayne in Damian's still-round face. "When did Bruce make the comment?"

"Oh, Vale called him." Tim snickered. "She still has his personal number, and she commented something about hearing a - quote: 'constipated buffalo sounds in the background' - unquote. She was also wondering if Bruce was in a bullfighting ring somewhere."

"Seriously?" Dick laughed.

"Seriously. Even Barbara couldn't stop laughing hearing that." Tim assured him. Jason rolled his eyes but looking amused, anyway.

"Sooo... a possible off-road accident for the apparent heir is in the books?" Jason suggested.

"I won't put it past Bane. Damian...?" Tim started. But Damian already nodded in acknowledgment.

"I shan't eat anything that is not presented by Todd or Grayson, nor will I frolic the manor on my own. This shall be more to bear witness to your insinuation of my 'child-like' behavior than to take care of me, Drake, as I am quite capable of sustaining my own life." Damian scoffed.

Tim paused visibly for a good two seconds, before nodding, "of course. Furthermore, I can assure you that Alfred is safe, mainly because as a butler, his focal interest would be the actual Waynes. That's in his training - unless an offspring is publicly announced, they are not to be cared for by the Butler. In Wayne Manor, the proverbial child would solely be Bruce - for obvious reasons, and Damian, whom Bruce has publicly acknowledged." Tim explained.

"He was in MI6," Jason remarked. "Alfred, that is. Not Bane. It would be safe to say he's loyal. He told me of the booby traps and that Bane has a daily dose of injection of the steroid-like substance. But I-- we shall prepare you emergency rations - just in case, anyway."

"You guys can always drop by here. And don't think that Damian would be Bane's only target." Tim reminded. "If I was him, I'd take out the big guns - that is you two - first; and then Bruce, because he'll want to be protective of his son; and then Dr and Mrs Wayne last."

"Then I'm afraid you are forgetting one of the members of the household that is most dangerous, Master Tim," a voice spoke; Jason pulled out his gun, Damian automatically hid behind him while pulling out a small dagger.

Dick wanted to lunge right toward the source of the voice until he realized that it was Alfred Pennyworth, both hands raised up to show that he was unarmed.

"How...?" Jason growled, "I didn't hear the front door open."

"Apologies, gentlemen. I should have informed you that there is an underground passageway between the two houses that were once used frequently, but now has all been forgotten." Alfred explained. "You were right that I was in MI6, Jason; as you were right that my focus will and forever shall remain the true Wayne blood, Master Tim. Not ones who claimed as such and refused to provide irrefutable evidence."

"Does Bane know of this passageway?" Tim asked.

"It is located in the staff's wing, and as he is not permitted to be there, I sincerely doubt it," Alfred replied. "I have my own... booby traps and surveillance that should tell me if anyone has been there." he smiled. "I am aware that both of you have prowled the entire house at one point or the other in the past few weeks." he nodded toward Jason and Dick. "You were stealthy, indeed."

"But not stealthy enough?" Dick quipped. "I gotta go back to training... Anyway, why are you here?"

"I saw your vehicle's mishap and its stop here. If anything, Bane is not... stealthy enough." Alfred pulled out a small memory card. "To get to the garage, one must pass the servants' hall. And the garage is my province."

Tim accepted the memory card, plugged it into his cellphone; and then projected its content to a wall. "Huh... this should be enough evidence of tampering..." Tim commented. The memory card showed a clear date stamp - that morning, a few hours before Bane and the Waynes left the house. It also showed Bane himself, jacking the car that was now resting with a dented bumper at Tim's gate, while holding a plier.

"Anyone watching our car now?" Dick commented. "Won't be cool to have it suddenly fixed, will it?"

"Harper should be. Plus, y'all are on my property. If he trespasses, I'll have his ass arrested." Tim huffed. "So... if anyone has ideas--" Jason and Damian's eyes lit up; Tim glared at them and continued "--that do not include sharp and/or exploding objects of how to remove Bane from the Manor..."

"I'm fresh out," Jason replied mournfully. "No sharp objects, no exploding objects... what do you expect me to do? Poison him?"

"But Todd, did my mother not teach you the arts of food as medicine?" Damian piped up.

The sudden silence as all eyes landed on Alfred was quite ominous.

"I will not conduct a crime, young masters," Alfred remarked dryly.

"Oh nooo... not a crime," Jason grinned mischievously. "It's just... you know that Damian was born in the Middle East, yeah?"

"I may have quite a culinary skill, but I fear that my Middle Eastern cuisine knowledge is rather limited," Alfred said demurely.

"Well, mine isn't." Jason grinned. "Besides, what else should one do to celebrate one's entrance into such a distinguished family; but hold a family dinner?"

"You're going to poison him." Dick groaned.

"Not to death!" Jason protested. Dick gave him an unimpressed glare. "Just... to the point where he would realize that he and I have opposing objectives."

"Do let me know of the ingredients you require, Jason." Alfred intoned. "Or perhaps you prefer to shop on your own? I shall fetch a new, un-tampered-with vehicle."

"Oh, please do, Alfred. I doubt we can make a single trip. But they will be fun." Jason replied, grinning.

Dick knew that the sense of foreboding was not in him only. Tim looked like he was contemplating moving away to Alaska.

"For the records, I don't know anything about cooking," Dick said defensively.

"I'm... truly and fully reconsidering my life choices," Tim admitted.

"Oh, don't worry, Drake. Todd was trained by the best," Damian grinned mischievously. "I pity the fools who think him as a brute. I pity the brute who think that small equals weak."

[ontheblock]

BABE U WRITE FOR SALLY FACE?? Anything with Travis (male s/o with him obviously) or Sally please :O your writing is amazing!!

YES I DO !! i used to have a bunch of wips i still haven’t finished but i figured i can still add sf to my list since it was such a comfort game when it came out haha. as per usual, this isn’t beta read, i fucked the formatting up twice but just squint when you notice any errors- also thank you love <3 i‘d give you a free bologna sandwich for requesting trav ily. 100% beef obviously /winkwonk

fabric

•warning: abuse, religious guilt, homophobia and f-slur use, bad first kisses, badly written fluff, travis being travis

Travis was meant to live a life molded for him by his father. The pattern was already placed on the fabric when his first cry shook the hospital room at 6:33am. He was supposed to be cut from his father‘s mold but Travis‘ fabric was already old and frayed, the intertwining strings of muted tones that held him together felt lose by the time he could run. Sometimes he thought about the reason why he was incomplete. His fabric wasn‘t strong enough to hold his family name, not stretchy enough to bounce back from his father‘s reactions. Travis‘ mother patched him up every time there was another bruise on his back or face. She would cut parts out of her own fabric to cover the ripped strings her husband‘s belt left on their son. But she had only so much left when the beatings got worse.

Travis was in middle school, attending a christian summer camp a few hours away from Nockfell. He never noticed how different the air was at home but the sky was so murky compared to literally everywhere else. His father thought it was a good idea to let the boy out of town while he took care of the Ministry business which was code for something Travis shouldn‘t stick his nose into. He never asked but someone went missing while he was gone. Tragic.

Not as tragic as the camp counselor calling Travis home on their last day. The boy didn‘t know about that but they told his father about some inappropriate behavior his son showed with a fellow camper - a boy his age, Kenneth didn‘t care for the name or where he was from. All he needed to know was what his son did with that boy. The counselor tried to calm the angry parent on the phone but as soon as the information was exchanged the line went dead. He didn‘t want to hear the washed up excuses. His son was young and it was best to get these urges out of his system before they could even develop - dig for the deepest root you could find and rip it from the still fresh ground before it bloomed into something ugly, even if that meant that the garden would never bloom at all. Kenneth was a man of action after all.

That evening Travis came home clueless while his father already stood in the hallway with his wife behind him, holding onto his hand and uttering whispered quick prayers but his thick fingers already curled around the leather painfully hard. The strain it caused in his hand only fueled the need for a release as he charged for his son who didn‘t even have the chance to slip out of his worn sneakers.

That evening his mother didn‘t stay when Kenneth told her to go to bed early. Travis asked himself if it pained her the same way it pained him when his skin split under the force his father put in his first few strikes.

“You want to hold hands with boys now?“

“My son isn‘t a faggot, is that clear?“

“I gave you a place in this filthy town. You will appreciate it and live a proper life!“

“You will thank me when you don‘t burn for being dirty.“

It wasn‘t meant for Travis to answer because by the end of the night he would not even think about a boy‘s hand to be soft and warm anymore.

Travis was older now but he never found enough of anything to mend the damage his father did that night. Travis didn‘t try to explain that he held onto the boy because they figured that they wouldn’t slip on the wet mud that way. Instead he kept quiet about it ever happening and his father was content with this as long as he pulled his son from the devil‘s path to sodomy.

And Travis thought so too until a thread of blue fabric pulled together a gaping hole in his fabric. It stuck out like a sore thumb - too vibrant but warmer than any patch his mother gave to him and when he sat on the grimy bathroom floor in school after Sal Fisher of all people gave him a fucking pep talk, it felt nice. The warmth let his tears evaporate so he could pull himself together for the rest of the day.

But it was short lived. The warmth spread through him so fast he felt like burning up whenever he sat in class with Sal. He tried everything to get that blue thread out of his life but pulling on it only felt like strangling himself and he regretted ever letting his bully persona slip in that bathroom just because Sal fucking Fisher found the note he threw away - the note that was about him but Travis never had it in himself to tell him that. He regretted his promise to be less of an asshole because he knew he couldn‘t. Not even three days later the heat in his belly was so hot that he boiled over when he saw Fisher talking to that ginger nerd by the lockers. He ended up calling him a faggot because how dare he be openly gay in the same town Kenneth Phelps lived? How dare he be happy like this?

Sal tensed at the insult. Did he actually think Travis could be better? And why was his freakshow friend not hurt at the insult when it still burned in his throat to say it? Why did it feel like the slur wasn‘t meant for Todd at all? Travis swallowed hard as he fled the hallway in such a hurry that the three folded up pamphlets in his barely zipped up backpack fell on the muddy vinyl flooring.

“Fuck, Phleps. Just wait. Travis!“ The boy in question tucked at his collar as he turned a corner just to slip into another empty corridor. They had a free period right after gym class and Sal Fisher was determined to finally talk to the boy who relentlessly bullied him to now avoid him like it was the other way around. “Jesus, I‘m not gonna pry but if your dad-“ Sally harshly bumped into Travis as he whipped around, finally coming to a stop. Shame crawled up the taller teen‘s neck when he didn‘t find the prosthetic nose digging into his sweater uncomfortable.

“Shut up! God, just stop!“ Sal was surprised that he would use his Lord‘s name in vain like that and if the situation was anything but this he would‘ve laughed. “Travis, I don‘t know how you feel but-“, Sal tried again but Travis was at his limits this time. “You don‘t and you never will, Fisher. Your dad would accept you being a dirty faggot but mine doesn’t!“ He tried to fill his words with venom but it all bounced back on the guy‘s mask anyway with how much his voice actually trembled.

There was a moment of silence that made Travis want to literally get struck by his God‘s angry lightning. He couldn‘t even leave. It was like all the root his father dug out slowly crawled back to feed on his shame and ground him in front of Sal who still had to react and maybe Travis should just tell him to fuck off so he wouldn‘t have to find out what he wanted to say next.

“Travis...“ Sal lowered his voice in a fake moment of privacy. “Are you-?“ Travis already shut his eyes as he clenched his fists. He didn‘t like where this was going but there was no more fight in him. “Nevermind. You don‘t owe me shit but I saw your back.“ Travis exhaled through his mouth until there was nothing left in his lungs. He knew where that question was headed. Are you gay, Travis? Are you the faggot and that‘s why you‘re so angry? He was glad that Sal changed his approach because even Travis himself was too scared to find the answer.

“So what, Sally Face? You‘re sticking your nose somewhere it doesn’t belong. If you even have one under that stupid mask.“ Travis harshly pushed his index finger into the boys chest and the sharp inhale he made almost made him freeze up and apologize. But he couldn‘t. He was too deep to go soft now. The look in Sal‘s eyes was enough to make Travis finally stumble backwards and push past him.

He didn‘t follow him this time.

His verbal fights with Sal Fisher were like a damn wake up call for the teen. The rush of warmth it spread in his chest and the cold shiver in sent down his spine were shaking his body every time. He started noticing that Nockfell wasn‘t that murky. Travis used to really like yellow as a child because it reminded him of his mother’s favorite sunflower dress. She was a different woman now. The vibrant yellow was fading just like her hair. Maybe it was just Nockfell, maybe it was because of her suffocating husband draining her of her life and slowly unraveling her fabric. It didn‘t matter now but to make a depressing story short, Travis didn‘t have a favorite color anymore.

But the sky looked like a pretty shade of blue on some days. He never noticed but his bathroom tiles had blue specks in them. He always thought they were just a weird grey. There were tiny flowers blooming in the most vibrant blue behind the school and he wished that they were behind the church too but nothing ever grew around that building. But he would pluck them sometimes when he was skipping gym class. His last fight in the empty hallway was weeks ago and he hoped that Sal finally gave up on his savior complex. But why did his chest sting at that thought? His fingers slowly clutched his sweater as he stared at a withering flower by his foot. Travis jumped out of his thoughts when the metal door creaked open.

“Yo.“ Sal pushed the door closed with his shoe as he held up a hand to casually greet him. His face scrunched up. “What do you want?“ Travis lowered his head again. The boy obviously noticed the fresh shiner on his face already but facing him still felt like he exposed himself. “Just wanted to confirm that the church boy was skipping class.“ Uninvited, the teen sat beside Travis on the grass, with a healthy distance of course. “Shut up. My faith has fuck all to do with school“, Travis spoke lowly but his voice was tired. Sal just hummed in agreement before silence draped over them. Not uncomfortably like the usual strained void of reactions when one of them dropped something they weren‘t prepared for. It felt ok like this and it felt like a blanket. To Travis that blanket was soft and blue but before he could shake it off and stand up there were strings of the obnoxious fabric already weaving themself into his personal space.

“We don‘t have to fight all the time.“ Sal didn‘t look at him and neither did Travis. He really didn‘t have a reason to disagree. Not one that wouldn’t blow his cover at least.

“Maybe I could come to your little church and-“ Travis head snapped up. “Don‘t“, he blurted out a little louder than he meant. “It‘s a joke. I‘m not religious.“ Sal snorted, plucking a few pieces of grass. “Yeah, because you‘re a sinner in the eyes of the Lord. You f-“ Travis had to physically stop himself by biting his lip. Sal looked over at him and Travis wished he didn‘t. “Sorry“, Travis mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes, or eye since he was pretty sure his other eye never moved before. “I‘m trying to not call people that anymore.��� because all I hear is my father saying it.

“It‘s cool.“ It wasn‘t. “Why are you skipping?“ Travis huffed. It was weird to not let the conversation derail into verbal abuse. “I don‘t know. I fell. Hit my head on the door pretty bad. As you can see.“ Sal just hummed. “That‘s why you‘re limping, too?“ Travis blurted out a “yes“ a little too fast. Why was he nervous? His whole school life already revolved around cover up stories about the strange aches and bruises he got out of nowhere.

“Right.“ Sal let it slide, again. “You‘re acing algebra, Fisher.“ It wasn‘t a question so Sal didn‘t say anything. “Hmm.“ Travis cursed himself for never learning proper social skills but his father didn‘t like him bringing strangers into the house and his teen years were a constant feeling of push and pull of picking fights with boys that sparked an ugly tingle in his belly.

“You need a tutor?“ The silence seemed to be enough for Sal. Fuck him and his open fucking hand. “Maybe.“ Travis flicked a flower with his finger, dismissing the clear offer because his stomach ignited at the fact that Sal didn‘t hate him enough yet. “Maybe there is a tutor in Addisons Appartement, Room 402, who‘s free on the weekend.“ Sal couldn‘t help but smile under his mask as Travis huffed. “Fuck you, Fisher.“

Sal already forgot about his offer when lunch passed and his dad stood in the kitchen, washing their dishes, enjoying the background noise of his son watching TV with his cat. They were so engrossed in the VHS tape Sal put on that he didn‘t hear the door until his dad whistled from the kitchen. “Sally, door.“

“Huh? Oh. Yes, dad.“ He jumped to his feet, leaving Gizmo to the slasher movie he seemed to like. “Weird, Larry said he‘s busy“, Sal mumbled, opening the front door. “Oh.“ It was a knee jerk reaction from Sal because he expected everyone but Travis Phelps to knock at his door and truth be told, he looked like he‘d rather be anywhere else with the way his awkward greeting caught in his throat and died on his tongue as a huff. His eyes followed the way the blue strands hung over Sal‘s shoulders, the mask straps upsetting the smooth texture as a few chunks hung over the elastics. Travis hasn’t seen him with his hair down. He looked smaller in big sweatpants and a band shirt too.

“Travis?“ The boy‘s eyes snapped back to the mask in front of him. “So, algebra?“ Sal tilted his head a smidge. A small habit he picked up to better communicate what would otherwise be shown in his facial features. But it made Travis want to scream for a multitude of reasons as heat crept up his neck. “Obviously.“

Anyone else would‘ve told him to fix his tone or fuck off but Sal held open the door for him. It felt wrong but Travis took the invitation, rubbing his clammy hands on his pants. “Who is it?“, a deeper voice called and Travis almost jumped. He had to remind him this wasn‘t Kenneth. Mr Fisher wasn’t anything like his dad and he didn’t have to be on edge around the boy. “A friend“, Sal replied shortly, only getting an approving hum.

A friend. Did Sal see him as a friend? He couldn‘t dwell on it since he was pulled into the boy‘s bedroom that looked nothing like his. “Just sit anywhere.“ Sal wildly gestured into the room and Travis sat on the barely made bed as Sall dropped his books next to him.

Travis felt like there was something breathing down his neck the entire time they sat on Sal‘s bed. His shirt collar felt like it was about to cinch his neck closed, the dangling cross necklace he kept under his shirt felt hot to the touch like it burned the shape of Jesus into his chest with every sinful thought that crossed his mind as Sal explained the most bland and unerotic subject.

“Travis?“ The boy almost choked on his own spit.

“Romans 1:26-27.“ Travis stumbled over his own words but the verse was engraved into his head after writing and reciting it for a month straight under the stern eye of his father. There was a briefe silence for a moment.

“What?“ Sal looked up from the book in his lap.

“What?“ Travis felt breathless as he stared back at Sal. “Nothing“, he quickly added before Sal could even say anything else. “Explain that again?“ But he didn‘t. Instead, Sal pushed the book off his thigh, still staring the boy down. “Did you really come here for algebra, dude?“ No. “Yes.“ Travis fiddled with the hem of his shirt, not knowing if it was anxiety, anger or just bile scratching against his stomach lining to crawl out of him.

When Sal didn‘t say anything else Travis just reached over the boys lap to take the book himself but there was already a hand pressing against his shoulder. Travis hissed as he pulled his arm back, making Sal pull back just as fast. They stared at each other for a moment before Sal‘s gaze darted to his shoulder. “You fell pretty hard on that door.“ Travis clenched his jaw. “Shut up, Fisher, and back the fuck up.“

The boy shook his head, scooting away an inch. “Listen, you can say no because I would too but I can at least get you ointment for that.“ Sal gestured to his back and shoulder and something in Travis just crumbles as he lets his hands drop into his lap, staring them down to not look at Sal. “Ok. If it gets you off my back you parasite.“

Travis didn‘t plan this when he knocked on the apartment door. He expected to maybe stay 20 minutes before something would make him see red but all he saw was blue. Maybe he was cursed. All these years of plucking out the roots his father couldn’t reach were rendered worthless now that he sat on the rough carpet, holding his shirt up as Sal dug out the ointment.

How did he even get here? His heart beat in his throat when he felt a presence behind him. He felt the need to say something. He wanted to make it clear that this meant nothing to not make it weird but wouldn‘t that make it weirder? Wasn‘t this the same as his mother putting a bandaid on his cuts and whatever herbal mixture on his wounds? It wasn’t because he never felt the sick urge to kiss his mother.

“Ready?“, Sal asked, kneeling behind him with a glob of cool ointment on his index and middle finger. Fucking hell, why did he have to make it weird? He definitely had to say something now.

“It was my dad.“ Travis spoke fast enough to mutter his words but the long pause probably meant that Sal heard him anyway. He wanted to melt into the carpet, leave behind a stain on the boy‘s floor to annoy him just one last time. He didn‘t know what he expected him to say to that and he also didn‘t know why that was the thing he had to say. But Sal made it easy on him by just not answering at all. Instead, he dabbed the cream on the first bruise, making Travis inhale sharply but otherwise biting his tongue. Sal figured that Travis wanted to act tough by not showing that it hurt but actually, Travis didn‘t trust his voice under Sal‘s soft fingertips.

“Travis“, Sal spoke again. Travis wasn‘t sure if he hated the heavy silence more of the fact that Sal was the first to say something while he was rubbing little circles into his back. He didn‘t answer but that never held Sal back.

“Are you gay?“ His voice was so quiet that Travis wouldn‘t have heard it if they sat a little further apart but it had the same effect as screaming it for all of Nockfell to hear. Sal felt him tense up under his touch, already expecting him to jump up or at least yell at him. But neither of them did anything. Sal‘s fingers rested against the heating skin, feeling it rise with every ragged breath he managed to take. “Travis-“

“Fuck, Sal. What? Do you want me to tell you about the times my dad beat the gay out of me or do you prefer that time I wanted to kiss you in that gross fucking bathroom?“, the teen finally barked, letting his words sink in first before he hissed a quiet “shit“. The fingers on his back pulled away as Sal sat on his heels. “You wanted to kiss me?“, Sal repeated, slower than Travis but he just pressed the balls of his hands into his eyes until he saw shapes and felt like the pressure would crush his face. He heard Sal shuffle around the room, probably getting ready to throw him out like he should‘ve done a while ago. But the shuffling stopped in front of him and something told him not to look but cold hands were already on his wrists to peel his cramping hands from his face. Travis opened his eyes just in time to see that mask uncomfortably close but before he could say anything, there was an odd sensation on his lips with minimal pressure. Sal was kissing him and it snuffed the flame in his stomach for just a moment, allowing the torched butterflies to unfold their wings and fly high enough to even make his heart pump overtime. But the feeling was lost just as soon when Sal inched backwards, pulling his prosthetic back in place before Travis could even take any of this in.

“Sorry.“ Sal threw it into the room for Travis to interpret. But the gears in his head threatened to jump out of place already so he reached out to Sal who already flinched backwards, holding onto his mask. “You don‘t want that.“ Sal pushed his hand back a little. “How would you know?“ Travis furrowed his brows at him but he was thankful. He wasn‘t sure if he could take seeing the boy bare like that but he was craving that feeling his father tried to snuff so desperately.

Sal just shook his head as Travis inched closer. “I‘ll close my eyes.“ Now it was Sal‘s turn to hole up in silence, knowing that neither of them could handle the mask coming off. Something made him trust Travis‘ words as he opened the bottom clasp which was the cue for Travis to shut his eyes. He did and seconds later he felt Sal on him again. One hand clamping over his eyes just to make sure and the other fisting the front of his shirt.

This time Travis felt the cleft in Sal‘s lip and the scar tissue ripping up the soft skin. He leaned into the kiss. Where were his hands supposed to go? When Travis didn‘t find the answer his body moved on autopilot. One hand threaded through the surprisingly smooth strands as the other clung to the small of his back.

Travis should‘ve been grossed out by the drool pooling out of Sal‘s torn lip but he wasn‘t. He should be grossed out by Sal being a boy but he wasn‘t. When Sal pulled back he kept his hand over Travis‘ eyes while the other wiped the spit off his chin. The kiss alone was enough to patch up his murky fabric with bright blue strings that dominated the colors his father painted him in. Travis didn‘t know what would happen after high school. Hell, he didn‘t even know what would be tomorrow. But he didn‘t want the bright fibers to unravel him again.

A knock on the door startled both of them, making Sal pull his arm away and Travis rapidly blinking. He didn‘t notice the mangled face first as the unruly blue caught his eye. His hand did that. His heart beat in his throat again as he overheard Sal‘s father say something and Sal shooting a hum of agreement back. His prosthetic was already on his face again before Travis could catch anything besides the scar tissue crawling up his jaw and chin before splitting his lips and exposing teeth and gum.

Maybe blue was his favorite color.

[dcftones]

the dead poets society asks fo today

from this post

where did you hear about dead poets society?

ive known about it for years and have been Meaning to watch it, but i actually got around to it cuz of the parody episode from derry girls abt it😭(ALSO A GREAT SHOW watch derry girls)

have you ever watched it with someone?

ive made most of my friends watch it w me

how many times have you watched it?

at least 10 times? not sure i legit never finish it i just watch up to the play

favorite character?

charlie dalton <3

least favorite character?

mr perry die challenge‼️‼️‼️

favorite quote?

“but poetry, beauty, romance, love, this is what we stay alive for.” and also “who brought half a roll??”

in what ways did the movie inspire you?

to actually take risks and live life😪 not to b corny doe

did the movie make you cry at all?

yes‼️when the gang is comforting todd after hes told neils dead AND when mrs perry is hysterically crying and saying hes ok...everytime it hurts

favorite actor(s) from dead poets society?

robert sean leonard and gale hansen <3

what have you learned from dead poets society?

to take risks!!! life is about living and you gotta take those chances you might miss out on!

have you copied any phrases, mannerisms or personality traits from the movie?

not Really, though for a while my echolalia went wouldn’t stop repeating ‘but room fairy here comes oberon’.

have you ever had a teacher like mr keating?

my choir teacher probably. she was amazing and inspired us all to be better and also she genuinely cared for me when i was at rock bottom and would listen to me. mrs harmon i miss u❤️

have you ever had friends that are the same way as neil, todd, cameron, etc?

sort of? my sophmore year friendgroup was really wacky, but we all fell apart after some serious drama

favorite ship?

neil/charlie 😩 </3

least favorite ship?

ANYTHING with cameron‼️

how do you feel about the scene where nolan paddles charlie?

IT GIVES ME THE WORST SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT i have to skip it everytime😭

do you blame mr perry or mr keating for neil?

mr perry 100%, like even if keating did inspire neil to chase his dreams mr perry still refused to listen to the wants of his son and even after he was gone he refused to change. and while neil never did really stand up for himself to make his wants known his father had still conditioned him to never talk back or speak to himself!

do you think that cameron deserved to get punched by charlie?

TBH LIKE. I get where cameron was coming from about saving his own skin cuz he clearly cares for his own future unlike charlie whos been on the brink of being expelled for ages and says he doesnt care anymore, but his comments about letting keating fry or trying to say theyre all victims of keating like neil? bro shut up i hope charlie AND todd both jump you you narc

would you ever want to go to a school like welton academy and have a secret poetry group?

TBH i see the appeal in a boarding school because you’d be away from your parents, but i am chronically stupid and the curriculum would kill me!

the message of dead poets society is about how education can go beyond what is taught in textbooks, and that’ll education should be taught in a way to enlighten people about the realities of life and how they shouldn’t look at things with a singular perspective. do you agree and believe that?

i do agree with that! its a great message tbh especially in terms of its time period where the rigid academia system didn’t give room for thinking for yourself

[heartless-error]

Love-Struck

Fandom: DC comics, Batman

Pairing: Jason Todd x Timothy Drake (JayTim)

Rating/Tags: JayTim Week 2020 - Day 1: College AU, Family Feels, Fluff and Humor, Secret Crushes 

Other(s) links: AO3

"Okay." Jason sighed, gathering strength to himself. "You remember… That guy?"

"That guy?" Roy asked back.

"Yes."

"The one you have a crush on and look at him from afar, but you deny it and never take the first step because you’re a dramatic bitch?"

"Yeah."

"What? You have finally talked to him?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I hit him with the bike."

Roy was silent, looking at him and blinking a few times at the news. But he didn't have to say anything, Jason knew he was totally fucked.

OR:

Based on the prompt "I was distracted looking at my crush and accidentally hit him."

Love-Struck

 It happened on a Tuesday, during the break.

 Tim met Conner and Bart outside his classes to head to one of the coffee shops near the campus, between his mathematical analysis class and his computing class, because he wouldn’t be able to survive that day without a third coffee and in addition his friends would be nearby to make sure he didn’t fall in the temptation to drink a fourth.

 Everything was going well, Bart received him with an effusive hug and Kon patted his back like always. All started walking towards their destination while talking about their classes, how close they were to the finals, Kon’s new game, where they could go to celebrate when they finish the semester, generally normal things that made Tim forget about how he had slept an hour and half, still had four assignments to do, and his parents were waiting for his presence at tonight’s dinner after they returned from their business trip to Dubai.

 Maybe it was because of that hour and half of sleep, or because the little conversation of his two best friends about how Conner was a coward who couldn’t ask Cassie out caused him a slight smile, a warm emotion, and distracted him from his problems and everything around him. But when he crossed the street to the cafe, happy and absent, he didn’t have time to react to anything.

 “Watch out!”

 “Tim!”

 Something hit him and before he knew what, fell unconscious.

 ~0.0~

 “He's alive!”

 That was the first thing he heard when he started waking up.

 Tim found himself confused as he regained consciousness, his whole body hurt, a lot, but at the same time he was somewhat sleepy. He realized he was lying on a bed that smelled of antiseptic and medicine, around him he could hear bustle and people talking next to him, couldn’t feel his leg either.

 “Of course he's alive, calm down.”

 That was Kon's voice. And previously was Bart's. If he remembered well, he was with them on campus, just heading to one of his favorite coffee shops before something hit him on the side and everything went dark. If he had to guess, he would say that he hadn’t passed out from the lack of caffeine but had been run over.

Tim growled annoyed, opening his eyes heavily and blinking because of the whitish light of the hospital room.

 When he was finally able to focus and wake up properly, the sight that received him was his plastered leg held high and his friends hovering over him with a worried gaze.

 “Tim!” Exclaimed Bart, who seemed to be on the verge of tears.

 “What's up buddy? How did you sleep?” Conner asked with a relieved smile.

 When he tried to answer, he realized how dry his throat was, as well as how overwhelmed he was because of the medications and sedatives that would have been administered to him when had been treated. His friends, realizing this, soon helped him to lean him over and give him the bottle of water that was on the next table.

 “What happened?” He ended up asking after recovered himself.

 “You got hit by a motorcycle.” Conner answered bluntly. “And you scared us, man.”

 “Yes! I almost have a heart attack!” Bart exclaimed. He could tell he was holding himself back to not hug him until crush him because he was benched. “We were talking and suddenly you were flying!”

 “Really?” He asked, surprised.

 It wouldn't be strange if the hit had thrown him a few meters away, but he felt the most serious wound he had, was that broken leg, so he didn't think he would have fly for real.

 “No.” Conner denied instantly.

 Yeah, he thought so. What a disappointment.

But now that he was more awake, he remembered certain things clearly.

 “I think I remember listening to the ambulance.” He frowned, trying to remember well.

 “No, that was Bart screaming.”

 “It scared me! Okay?” The redhead excused himself immediately.

 “We could hear you better than the sirens.” His other friend started teasing.

 Tim couldn’t help to smile amused at this, fondly too. Bart used to be loud in general, but him being so concerned about him was very touching. Also, the fact that his two friends had taken care of him, had accompanied him, waited him to wake up and now were there, receiving him, made him remember why he loved and appreciated them so much.

 “I thought it was serious!” The redhead excused himself again.

 “Obviously not.” Kon replied, still amused. “Tim is stronger than we think.”

 “I'm fine, Bart. For real.” He tried to reassure him, he felt it could have been worse anyway. “I'm only a little numb for the medicines, can you call a nurse?”

 As much as he appreciated the ride to the hospital, the treatment and all, he wouldn't like to spend the night there. He didn’t consider his condition serious enough to do so, so he would like to be discharged immediately. He also wants to sleep in his bed, those four assignments weren’t going to be done magically and no nurse was going to allow him to drink a decent coffee. So, hearing his diagnosis and going home was all he wanted now.

 However, when Kon and Bart exchanged glances, something told him that it wasn’t going to be that easy.

 “What?” He asked immediately.

 They didn't answer, just looked at each other again with a slight hint of panic. Which was not cool at all, because it made thousands of unpleasant possibilities run through his mind.

And the worst, the worst of them entered the room before he could ask again.

 The temperature in the room dropped suddenly to below zero as soon as Janet Drake, as beautiful and noble as ever, entered keeping her formal, elegant, and polite composure characteristic of her as the sound of her heels echoed in the room harshly. Her pristine appearance contrasted with her icy eyes -identical to his son’s- and his aura in itself, so cold, lethal, and furious that she seemed to freeze all those who dared to look at her directly.

Everything was quiet and it seemed like the death itself, ethereal and deadly, had entered the room. And Jack Drake, who warmly greeted his son and his friends after saying goodbye to the nurse they had been talking to.

 “Timothy.” His mother said calmly, firm, approaching the bed with safe steps. “Glad to see you’re awake.”

 Tim swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to answer, because now he understood and shared the same panic as his friends. Janet looked angry, was she? God, why he hadn't thought it before? Of course they were going to call his parents after being struck by a bike, and of course it wouldn’t be pleasant for them to receive such news while they were unpacking and planning their dinner tonight. She was angry, right?

 “Thanks for being with him, guys.” Said his father to his friends.

 Conner tried to smile naturally, but it looked like he had just sucked on a lemon. Bart didn't even try; he was as stiff as a board and looking at him like a deer about to be run over.

Sometimes he found fascinating how his mother -yes, only his mother- still had the power to scare them in this way as if they were still the noisy children he met at summer camp and used to visit him. Anyone would think she hated them, seeing the disinterested attitude she always has maintained, he knows they think so too, but after learning the scholarships of both to enter the best programs of the Gotham University were slightly orchestrated by her, he knows it’s not true. Or maybe it was, and she was just doing him a favor by keeping his best friends close to him. He will never know.

 Of course, that doesn't take away the fact that his mother seems furious right now and can effortlessly rip someone's arm off just for the pleasure of doing it.

 “N-Never mind…” Conner tried to say with that nervous smile. “Anything for Tim.”

 “We’re lucky it wasn’t anything serious, was it?” His father said looking at him directly. “The doctor said is just a few bruises and your poor leg, you will recover without problem, son.”

 Tim was a little relieved that the diagnosis was so simple, despite already suspecting it, confirming it didn’t hurt. He saw how his father winked at his friends so they wouldn’t be worried, though they hesitated for a second.

 “U-Um... We...” Bart tried to say.

 “I’m sure you still have classes to attend today.” Janet cut him off. “Don't worry about Timothy, we’ll take care of it.”

 All of that, even from her tone, would have sounded kind if her eyes wouldn’t have been piercing them to the depths of their being, as if she were throwing ice daggers into their hearts. He swears he could see Bart flinch.

 “Ok, see you later Tim!” Bart said trying to hide his panic and saying goodbye with a nervous smile.

 He could have sworn that if Bart could run at super speed, he would have done it to get out of there. Connor, on his part, reached out to him and lifted his hand to ruffle his hair in that loving, gentle way he used to do, but stopped halfway as soon as he felt Janet's murderous aura grow wild and out of control.

 “Get well soon.” He said before turning around and run away like a coward.

 Well, he couldn’t blame them. He will text them later.

 But now he had been left alone, drugged, hurt and with his parents, one trying to be positive and the other willing to kill someone. Who? He doesn't know, but if he survives this, he vows he'll quit caffeine (he won't).

 He felt her mother's icy gaze move from his leg to his face, and he had to swallow hard again to try to speak.

 “We were going to the cafe and then…” He tried to explain.

 “We know what happened.” She cut him off seriously. Of course she knew it, at this point it doesn't surprise him if she knows even the date the bike wheel was created. “Also know who was the responsible. We'll fix it.”

 He didn't know how to take that. On one hand, if they didn’t know who had hit him, at this moment they would be tracing all Gotham with all the resources they had to find it out; But on the other, they knew it, and Tim could only feel sorry for whoever that poor soul was, because they had no idea what was going to come after them.

What's more, he was realizing how his father was compulsively sending messages right now, surely to their lawyers, or to public relations, or whoever, but that wasn’t promising anything good.

 “I’m fine.” He said looking at his mother, hoping to appease the murderous hunger that was devouring her right now. “Seriously.”

 It didn't seem to work, because she didn't move a single muscle and looked at his plastered leg again.

 “I don’t see it that way.” She declared in a soft but deadly tone.

 He didn’t have the will to refute her. He had never had it when it came to such a situation, after all he had always had a fragile and compromised health, which didn’t help to calm down his parents when he ended in the hospital again.

 On the other hand, many people thought that Janet was someone extremely cold and severe to be a mother. Which wasn't exactly true, it’s just... She showed her love in other ways, a little differently. Tim knows when he was born, he was premature, very small, sickly and not the first baby Janet had carried, but the only one who could have born. For this reason, he knows that, although she travels a lot and not many people consider her a model mother, his mother possess an extreme and powerful sense of overprotection embedded in her, and when it’s active threatens to destroy everything and everyone around it. Which was now aimed at the person who hit him, who is going to have to deal with the Drake army of lawyers.

 It’s somewhat unfair and exaggerated to waste such an amount of legal power against someone because of a simple accident, unless it’s a good reason, at least that’s what he thinks. He wishes he had said it, but he knows it will be in vain, they are already in it, and he’s also exhausted, the drugs are probably still working. So, before he knew, he was just falling asleep.

 As he slipped into the dream world, he really hoped that the person responsible for the accident weren’t someone he knows or cares about, because they could end up hating him.

He also felt his mother gave him a light kiss on the forehead, but that only made him smile.

 ~0.0~

 “I have a problem.”

 “Yeah, I’ve figured out.” Roy replied across the table.

 He had only raised an eyebrow and put aside his coffee when he saw Jason enter the room and sit in front of him in panic. Well, Roy couldn't do much after being called there so suddenly either.

 “A big problem.”

 “I felt it when I received your texts.” He said again, more than calm. “Very deep, by the way.”

 Jason snorted. Right now, he was going to explode like a popcorn, many things had happened, so it hadn't been in his plans to write a text beyond the “Help, I fucked up” to his best friend.

 “Roy, c’mon” He scolded him, agitated. Right now, he could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket for all the texts Bruce was sending him, that didn’t help at all.

 “Ok, sorry.” The redhead raised his hands in an attempt to calm things down, then looked at him curiously. “What happened?”

 Jason writhed uncomfortably in his chair at that question, it's not like it's the first time he asked that to him if the redhead was so calm at the moment it's because he was used to doing this. He had come to Roy because he’s his best friend, the one he trusted, who wouldn’t judge him, and the only one who has the privilege to know certain personal information, which had importance at the moment. The thing is, he had no idea where to start, there were so many things at once, he wanted to think about how to explain them all because he could see his friend getting impatient as he hesitated.

 “Jay.” He said, it's not like Roy was very patient to begin with.

 “Wait, I'm thinking.”

 “You're a literature student, you're supposed to be good at words.”

 He's right, but Jason's eloquence was absent since this morning.

 “I don't know where to start, dammit.”

 “From the beginning.” The other said, then looked to his phone. “I have to pick up Lian from school in an hour, so hurry up.”

 Jason sighed and scratched the back of his neck, deciding to say it all at once. He said to himself he does it because he didn’t want to interfere with the single father duties from his friend and not because he was going to explode.

 “Okay.” He sighed again, gathering strength to himself. “You remember… That guy?”

 “That guy?” Roy asked back.

 “Yes.”

 “The one we saw on campus earlier in the semester?"

 “Yes.”

 “The one who's also friends with Kent, the quarterback?”

 “Yes.”

 “Nerd, short, pretty eyes, nice ass and very cute?”

 “Yes. Yes.”

 "Totally your type?"

 “Yep.”

 “The one you have a crush on and look at him from afar, but you deny it and never take the first step because you’re a dramatic bitch?”

 “Yes.”

 “What? You have finally talked to him?”

 “No.”

 “Then what?”

 “I ran him over.”

 Roy was silent. Completely silent, looking at him and blinking a few times at the news. Jason couldn’t avoid wondering if that was the face he did when he found out he was going to be a dad in high school, but he couldn't joke with that because he was too busy panicking right now.

 “What?” The redhead ended up asking to make sure he had heard correctly.

 “I ran him over, Roy.” He repeated, feeling the panic build within him again.

 The other was quiet again, staring at him stunned.

 “I. Ran. Him. Over.” He repeated once more, this time to internalize it himself, because since it had happened, he hadn’t even had time to do it. “During the break, with the bike.”

 One, two, three seconds of silence before Roy dared to say anything, and when he did everything that came out of his bright and amazing mind was:

 “He’s dead?”

 “No!” He yelled in exasperation at that, causing some clients in the cafe to look at him.

 He didn't even want to imagine that possibility, he already had enough.

 “Well, that’s good.” The other tried to say to see the positive point of the whole thing.

 “It’s not. It’s not!” He complained, none of this was okay.

 “If you think about it, you've already broken the ice, Jay.” His friend joked to cheer him up. "Everything that follows is easy."

 “What I broke was his leg.” He sentenced still agitated, he appreciated the attempts from the other for encouraging him but couldn't work for many reasons. “And wait, there's more.”

 “There’s more?” He asked, intrigued, with that face he made every time he heard a gossip that interested him.

 “There’s more.” He confirmed with a nod. “Now I know his name.”

 “You know it?”

 "Yes, I finally know it.”

 “Tell me.” He asked, beginning to smile, like an exalted puppy.

 “Do you want to know?”

 “Yes.”

 “Do you really want to know?”

 “Yes!”

 “Timothy Drake.”

 Roy was quiet again, thoughtful. This time Jason swears that he could see how the gears in his head gave their all -which wasn’t much- to assimilate that name and think where he might have heard it before.

 “Drake?” The redhead ended up asking with a frown.

 “Yeah. Drake.”

 "Like… Drake Industries?”

 “Exactly.”

 "Your father's competitors?!” He asked then, opening his eyes slightly.

 He nodded. His adoptive father, Bruce Wayne, was in charge of the famous and multi-million-dollar company called Wayne Enterprise, which for the past few years had been surrounded by strong rivals in Gotham, such as Drake Industries, for example. Directed by Jack and Janet Drake, who apparently have an only child, a student, very attractive and easy to hit.

 “Yes!” He exclaimed, taking his phone out of his pocket to show it to his friend, the object had started vibrating again nonstop, texts arriving over and over again. “And guess what: They are not happy!”

 “I wouldn't be either if you ran over my daughter.” Roy said as if it was obvious.

 “But you don't have a public image, an army of lawyers and a lot of money!” Technically he had it, because Oliver Queen is not exactly from middle class, but he was not rival of his family and the gossip magazines would not publish the minimum friction that they had. “They've already called Bruce and they want a meeting with those involved, they are going to eat me alive."

 He was sure they would. The Gotham's corporate and high-society landscape had never been his thing, he was just a street boy who knew no manners and bored by math, it had been clear from the first and only sophisticated gala to which he was forced to go and in which he learned that high society were unscrupulous sharks.

Maybe if he had gone to more of those parties, he would have met Timothy Drake before and wouldn’t have to learn his name after struck him with his motorcycle, but you can no longer change the past.

 "Well, yes, you screwed up." Roy finished saying as he nodded, totally convinced.

 What a great support. Wise words.

 “They're going to kill me, if Bruce doesn't do it before.” He thought aloud, they hadn't even made an appointment with the lawyers, and he was already stressed. “Or Fox with the public relations team.”

 He could already see the headlines in the gossip magazines, overshadowing the ones that talked about his older brother's one-night lovers or the ones that mentioned the bad manners the little one had.

 “Yes, you are fucked.” Roy said, nodding and taking in what he had just told him, although after a few seconds he frowned. “But… Bro, just one thing.”

 “What?” He asked, rubbing his eyes, and doing his best not to pull his hair out.

 “How did you end up running over the boy? You are not a bad driver; you are always focus.”

 Now it was Jason’s turn to stay quiet and look at the table, blinking as he chooses an answer that didn't make him look like a fucking mess. He couldn't think of any, so he allowed the silence to continue.

 "Jason?" Roy asked, beginning to lose patience again. “What happened?”

 Still not saying anything, Jay looked down further and felt his cheeks begin to heat up.

 "No…" Roy whispered surprised. Knowing him so well gave him too much of an advantage. “Tell me it’s not true.”

 He couldn’t do nothing more than blushing stronger, cross his arms and shrug. He wanted to deny what he was thinking, but he couldn’t.

 That morning he hadn't expected to see Timothy hanging around that part of campus with his friends as he searched for a place to park his bike. The boy was wearing a wide sweatshirt, but at the same time those tight pants that fit him so well, his blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, the wind ruffled that ebony hair that seemed soft to the touch, and the soft and loving smile that was directed to his friends as they walked together caused things in Jason that he couldn't explain.

So, in one moment he was looking at him stunned and the next he had lost the course of the motorcycle and was hitting him.

 Shit happens, right?

 Apparently not, because Roy had started laughing. A lot. Had started with a weak and incredulous laugh that had grown to become loud laughter that made the tears jump of his eyes and the people in the cafe look at them again, annoyed.

 “I can’t believe it! Jay!” Roy said loudly and laughing like crazy, he could hardly breathe.

 “It's not funny.” He replied, his arms crossed and his face anger.

 Yes it was, it was very funny indeed. If it had been Roy who had run over his crush for having been too distracted having a gay panic for him, he would have also laughed a lot and wouldn’t have let him forget it for the rest of his life. So, he was sure that his friend was not going to do it too.

 “It's amazing!” The other answered trying to dry the tears away but still laughing. “Bud, you’re really fucked.”

 Jason knew he was saying it just because being so attracted to a guy to the point of running him over unintentionally was a lot, but if they took into account that surely now that boy hated him, along with his parents, friends, and lawyers, whom he would have to meet soon to deal with the consequences of that, yes, that described his situation quite well.

 Jason was fucked.

 ~0.0~

 “I just have one question.” Bruce said to his side, also laying his back on the corridor’s wall.

 One day, only one day had passed. 24 hours since he had committed the serious mistake of being too aware of a cutie with black hair and blue big eyes like a damn puppy, and he was already in the law firm wearing a suit, almost sweating and the man he could call father looking at him sternly. They were both in the hallway which was heading to the boardroom as they waited for permission to enter, and Jason had been trying not think about how he had destroyed his chances of dating the Drake boy before Bruce came up to judge him, again.

He didn't blame him, the man had spent the previous day receiving and making calls on his name, making the appointment as he could while containing his desire to give him a slap. He didn’t need the talk of "we are public figures, we have to behave" again, because he gave it that to him a lot at his younger times, so he had tried to stay out of it. This implied that Bruce didn’t have time to ask him anything before he had to get him up earlier to go to the Drake’s law firm. Knowing this, Jason continued looking at nothing, but he nodded to give him the opportunity to ask that question.

 “There are more than eighty thousand students enrolled at Gotham University.” The man began to say still looking at him. "And of all of them, you have to run over Timothy Drake precisely?"

 Jason seemed to think about it for a few long seconds, although the answer was obvious.

 “Yes?” He answered. No one at the university had caught his eye like Tim had, so he doubted he could have been distracted enough by another person to run them over.

 Bruce sighed deeply, exasperated, and lifting his hand to the bridge of his nose. He had seen him do that gesture of disappointment so many times throughout his life that he could no longer count them.

 "Jason…”

 “It was an accident.” He was also lost count the times he had said that since the day before.

 "I know, son, but it's not me you have to convince.” He finished explaining, taking another deep breath. “It’s her.”

 The tone in which he said that, was uncertain and with severe hints of fear, something he was no longer so used to hearing from Bruce and made a chill run down his spine.

 “Her?” He asked, trying not to break his voice from the stress.

 Bruce breathed again to try to calm down and nodded, the way he looked at him to reveal more reminded him of Alfred when he told him stories as they cooked together in the manor when he was younger.

 “Janet Drake.” He let out that name in a low voice, as if it were forbidden to pronounce it. “You've never met her in person, and I was counting on you not have to.”

 “Why?” This time he couldn't stop his voice from breaking slightly.

 “Don't get me wrong, she is a beautiful woman, very intelligent and talented. Everyone knows that Drake Industries has come this far thanks to her.” He began to say, in a poor attempt to calm him that was not leading nowhere. "But do you know how she is called?”

 “How?” His throat couldn't close anymore, he didn't like where this was going.

 “The Ice Queen.” Bruce announced. “That's how she’s known, but I can assure you is not enough.”

 This time he didn't want to ask anymore, although Bruce would keep talking. Because the ice queen, the ice queen, the ice queen, fucking seriously? No one who has earned such a name in Gotham's corporate and high-society landscape can be kind and understanding. Fuck.

 “I have only seen Janet angry one time.” His father emphasized as he pulled out his tie, as if it were choking him. Maybe he was nervous too. “Many years ago, at a gala organized by the Dumas.”

 It took Jason a few seconds. He tried to link that last name to some wealthy Gotham family, but unfortunately, he couldn't think of any.

 “Who are the Dumas?” He ended up asking.

 Bruce looked him seriously in the eye, returned to pull his tie out and nodded frowning.

 “Exactly.” He replied annoyed.

 Jason swallowed hard and looked back at nothing at the implication in that response. He was going to die, he was going to die, he was to fucking die, there was a beast in Gotham, a fierce and fearsome beast that apparently erased families from the business and social map and he had angered her, he had angered her a lot. He had awakened the beast by harming her puppy, and everyone knew that nothing was more dangerous than an angry mother.

 “Mr. Wayne, you can come in.” They heard the voice of one of the mediators calling them from the door of the boardroom.

 It's hot, why it’s so hot? He's sweating, he's sure he's sweating, or maybe crying, but he can't be sure because Bruce has put his hand on his lower back, trying to cheer him up and is directing him to the room followed by his own lawyers because they can't let the Drakes wait, but Jason felt like he was going straight to the slaughterhouse.

 When he entered, he was greeted by the sight of another group well-dressed, very serious and sitting across the table, lawyers, public relations, and mediators, ready to work and do reach an agreement between the two of Gotham's biggest families with their friction. However, all of them and their greetings were in the background for him when he realized that in one of the chairs was the small, nerdy and adorable boy who had accidentally hit, who looked at him from his seat surprised by his presence and -surely- for being able to put a face to his attacker. He didn't expect him to be there either, he should be resting, but seeing him made the stress he felt ease at least a little.

Both seemed to stare at each other for a few seconds, recognizing each other, and after what seemed like forever, Timothy gave him a slight, almost imperceptible, sorry smile. Jason's heart jumped and he felt warm for a second, his nerves almost disappeared at that gesture, looking at the way in which the boy had combed different this time for the meeting, how pretty he was -as usual-, or how a dimple formed in his cheek when he was smiling, how beautiful that smile was. He would like to see him smile more, smile at him, and does that mean he didn't hate him? He would like to know, and it was all happiness and hope until he realized why of that sorry smile.

 Suddenly he felt cold, so cold.

 Janet Drake was also staring at him, sitting right next to her son in a straight and elegant posture, without taking her eyes off him. Black hair, smooth and shiny, delicate features, neutral and apparently calm expression. Beautiful, but unattainable, because her blue, icy eyes pierced him in a way that froze him inside. The woman sitting there seemed to be able to see his soul and rip it off, everything from him, that could split him in two and rip out every part of his being without any effort. And despite appearing calm and serene, her aura, everything in her posture, in her gaze, screamed danger and misfortune.

 There’s no doubt, she’s the ice queen in all her glory.

 He was wasted.

 ~0.0~

 Tim was wasted.

 When he had got up that morning, everything he had asked for was that the meeting was normal and went without any inconvenient. And as he prepared to attend awkwardly and without receive any help, because half a day was not enough time to get used to using crutches, he mentally reviewed what had been planned for that meeting.

 His parents hadn’t wanted to reveal who had been the responsible for the incident, he didn’t know exactly the reason, but he sensed it must have been someone important, given the deployment of means that had been carried out, it’s not like they also gave him much opportunity to ask anyway. Both immediately went out to arrange the meeting and to arrange things with the hospital so they would give him discharged, and by the time he was allowed to leave he was too exhausted and wasn’t going to say no to anyone when they asked him to rest even more, because he needed it. Hopefully, he had already had an excuse to turn in those assignments later.

So, despite not knowing who he was going to meet, he had decided to do that unfortunate soul a favor and stay in the line that he was fine, surely it had been an incident, and they didn’t have to give it more importance than it had even though his mother wanted to cut heads and stick them in stakes to decorate the garden.

 He was the more affected, his word had to count there... No?

 Anyway, that's what he thought before he saw Jason Todd walking through the door.

 Now, all crushed down, the meeting had started a while ago and he was quiet, serious and sitting in his chair with the Wayne's in front of him, looking at the fine mahogany table and barely listening to the legal conversation that was taking place in his name, although why he fooled himself? Nothing he could say would change anything or appease his parents. But the thing was, why? why is the world so cruel? Jason Todd? really? Of all people, of all motorcycles in the world, it has to be the one from his crush?

 It's not like he'd ever thought he had a slight chance with him after all. Jason was tall, handsome, with that bad boy vibe that he likes too much for his own good, also smart, cult, while Tim was... Tim. They had only spoken face to face once at a gala where a 12-year-old Jason shared a muffin with him and never went to any of them again, sure he didn't even remember it. They also went to different faculties, he only saw him from afar on campus from time to time and they hadn't even spoken, but that didn't stop him from noticing him because he had eyes, thank you. No one knows, except maybe Conner, but beyond a curious sparkle in his eyes after realized that he was drooling over Jason in the distance, he never brought the topic up, so he'd always had that fascination with the Wayne boy in secret and under lock and key. He knew that his parents wouldn't be too happy to find out that he was interested in the son of his greatest competitor, or that he was interested in any boy in general, that topic had never come up anyway and he wasn't going to bring it up.

 Until the boy walked into the meeting room with his father and Tim almost had a short circuit when he realized that what hit him was an attractive literature student in a leather jacket riding that incredible Ducati. Come on, it wasn’t fair, he had always wanted to ride that, and then the bike, but it wasn’t the most appropriate thing to think about when the other one was looking at him surprised that he was there. He was so busy panicking that he only managed to give him a nervous smile that he hoped hadn't ridiculed him, and then when they sat down he could only scream internally because Jason was so handsome in a suit, this meeting might not end well, Jay could end up hating him if he didn't already, and his mother hadn’t taken her eyes off the tallest as if she were a shark smelling fresh blood.

 So, trying to regain his composure and recover from the revelation, Tim sighed, straightened up in his seat, and pretended to listen the meeting while trying with all his might to calm down.

 But he couldn't do it, he couldn’t, because it wasn’t easy. The atmosphere wasn’t the most adequate to do it, he could heard his father laugh and trying to appear friendly and understanding when he knew that it was only a strategy to emphasize the coldness and seriousness of his mother, who, of course, kept looking at the Waynes as if they had committed the greatest offense known to man. He played with his fingers for a moment and peeked to assess the situation, Bruce, or Brucie, kept an eye on the mediator's talk, while Jason… Oh.

 He turned his gaze away immediately, trying to control his blush. Jason was looking at him in a sneaky attempt too, but they had both failed when their eyes met across the table. He didn't know what to think about it. Did Jason hate him? He did? What was he thinking? He would hate him, of course. He was too nervous, and the possibilities started to suffocate him, he needed to get out of there.

 Luckily, his beloved malevolent mother, the perfect model for being a villain in a Disney movie, possessed a sharp sixth sense that was activated at the slightest sign of anguish on his part, which caused her to divert the piercing gaze of the Waynes to center it on him, silently asking what was wrong.

The only good thing about being run over a day earlier by the guy you like is that he could excuse himself from these kinds of meetings without any repercussions or questions.

 “Can I get out for a moment?” He whispered, lowering his head.

 His fear of asking something like that wasn’t exactly small, but Janet seemed to consider it for a few seconds as she carefully analyzed him before giving his approval and nodding, not before turning his gaze once more to Jason.

 Before deciding to worry more about it, he stood up as he could with the crutches and managed to leave the room ignoring the looks on him. His goal was to get to the water machine that was around the hall to pour himself a glass and calm down a bit, but that broken leg didn’t make it easy for him. It was a hard journey; he swears when he got there, he could hear the victory music of Mario Kart playing in his head.

 It would have kept playing, he would even have sang it, if it hadn't been because while pouring that first glass, a voice behind him caught his attention and made him jump and turn around with all the speed he had, which wasn’t a lot.

 “Hey.” Jason had said softly.

 He had to put everything he had together so as not to drop the plastic cup or crush it in his hands. How had he also escaped from the meeting? So much time had passed since his trip to the water machine?

 “H-Hey.” He replied nervously and looking down.

 That seemed to make Jason nervous too, who already seemed to be it before too, as well as a little guilty, because he tried to look everywhere except him until he had no choice.

 “Hi.” Said the tallest.

 “Hi.” He replied again.

 Eloquent. Inspiring.

 They ended up looking at each other closely, at least for a minute before Tim began to fear again and prepare himself for the impending rejection he was going to suffer without even trying. That happened to him for crossing the street without looking before.

But then Jason sighed hard, he tensed and scream in his mind than he wasn’t ready.

 “Listen. I…” He began to say, scratching the back of his neck and looking at him sadly. “I’m sorry.”

 Eh?

 “Eh?”

 The other looked at him confused at his reaction. Although surely, he wasn't more confused than he was, he didn't expect an apology even though it was the most normal thing to do in those situations.

 “I'm sorry.” Jason repeated, frowning in confusion. "It was an accident, really. And I'm glad you're okay."

 If Jason Todd didn’t want him having a massive crush on him this isn’t the way. At all. He had no right to be so attractive to begin with, but neither so good nor kind to him. Before Tim could think better of it, he was already spitting out an unnecessary question:

 “Aren't you angry?” He asked, he knew it sounded a bit stunned, but it seemed weird to him. “For all of this?”

 Anyone would have been upset or angry about all the trouble their parents had been having over something like that, with the lawyers, the firm, and the notaries. If it had been someone else, they would have caused them a lot of trouble, he was aware of it. So, he couldn't help but wonder how Jason couldn't blame him for the legal mess.

 “Shouldn't I be the one asking that?” Jason said raising an eyebrow and pointing at his crutches. “You were the most affected.”

 Blinking, Tim realized what he was implying on that and he quickly shook his head effusively. Jason thought he was angry at him? That he hated him for this or something? That’s why he had been so tense with him?

 “Oh no. It’s okay.” He hastened to explain. “I know it was an accident, I wasn't paying attention either, those things happen.”

 Jason's shoulders seemed to lift as if a huge weight had been lifted from him, and his eyes shone at him in a way he couldn't determine, made him want to smile, this time from relief. Jason didn't hate him, or vice versa. That was a good sign, wasn't it? It meant he had a chance… Right?

 “Thank god.” Murmured the other with a slight smile, clearly relieved.

 “Unless you did it on purpose.” He dared to say with a playful tone, wanting to take weight off the issue. “In which case, it wouldn't be so good.”

 Jason's smile widened and he let out a funny snort, relaxing him was a plus and made Tim compliment himself for that.

 “How would I have met you then?” Jason blurted out, still smiling at him.

 The atmosphere between them changed completely, it was no longer so uncomfortable or formal, but very different, embarrassed, and warm. Tim felt how his heart stopped before starting to beat faster, because that last one, the way he had said it, and the nervous look he was giving him now, was Jason flirting with him? It was real?

 “A-Ah.” He replied mildly surprised. “I don’t know…”

 If he continued like this, his brain would definitely fry, more than it already was. He looked at the hallway wall uneasily as Jason ruffled his hair, also undecided.

 “I'd like to make it up to you.” He ended up saying, looking like he had come to an agreement with himself. “If you don’t mind.”

 “Oh?” He asked, tilting his head curiously, his heart starting to beat stronger than before by the tiny possibility.

 “I can invite you to a coffee, or something like that… It would be okay?”

 This time when Jason looked up, still seemed impatient and nervous, but the slight blush covering his cheeks indicated why. Tim almost exploded right there, and he had to take all of himself to act quickly.

 “Yes. A coffee would be fine.” He also nervously stated, trying to control himself. “It would be a date?”

 The brief seconds Jason took to answer that question born from his desire to know, seemed like hours to him, the longest in Tim's life. But when he ended up nodding, scratching the back of his neck again and totally flushed, he couldn't help but smile excitedly and let his own blush appear this time, feeling warm and happy.

 “Then I'd love to.” He answered laughing, he couldn’t help it.

 “Yes? Really?” Jason asked in surprise again, as if it hadn't been clear from the start that he would say yes. Although by the way they ended up talking, it wasn’t surprising that he doubted his answer, not many people forgave something like a struck with a bike.

 “Yes.” He nodded again, totally sure. “What about now?”

 No, he didn’t want to go back to the meeting, he knew Jason either. It was no longer worth it. And maybe with this they could give the public relations team something else to work with.

Jason smiled at him in that warm and happy way that made him feel dizzy, but he looked to the hallway of the meeting room somewhat concerned.

 “Bruce is used to me avoiding these things, but I don't think your mother would be very happy.”

 After a moment of thinking about it, Tim almost went back to laugh again, happy, funny, almost touched.

 Before that meeting and his departure from it he hadn’t been sure, but with Jason now in front of him there was no doubt. Her mother expressed her love in very different ways, and it was evident that she had an efficient and sharp mother radar, there was nothing that escaped her, there was nothing she didn't know, no matter how much Tim had tried to hide his panic at the beginning of the meeting, or his sexuality itself. He was very sure that by now she had to know, and if she wouldn't have wanted him or Jason to leave the room, she wouldn’t allowed it. If she hadn't wanted them to talk right now, Jason wouldn't be there. It was that simple.

 “I think we'll be fine.” He assured him with a wide smile, taking his mother's actions as a kind of blessing.

 When Jason's eyes shined and he smiled back, he confirmed it.

 Yes, they would be fine.

 ~0.0~

 “You look so pretty today, Janet. You haven’t changed at all since our last meeting.” Said Brucie with his usual smile.

 “…”

 “How much time has passed? Six years?”

 “…”

 “And look at you, beautiful as always.”

 “…”

 “Jack is a lucky man.”

 “…”

 “And Timothy? Oh, I remember when he was little, totally the cutest thing in the galas. Now is a man too, but he looks a lot like you.”

 “…”

 “Kids, uh? Grow up so fast.”

 “…”

 “…”

 “…”

 “Talking about kids, ours have left a while ago, maybe I should go to find th-”

 “Sit down.”

 Bruce sit down and didn’t speak again.

[the-navistar-carol]

A Daminette songfic — ‘Invisible Thread’ by Matt Gould

From the marvelous Maribat AU of @ozmav, @maribat-archive where u at

Inspired by the Maribat Discord :))

Everyone had a soulmate. A black mark where they would first touch. Once the two did, the mark would blossom with color.

People would go for years with black marks on their knuckles, thinking it was from a punch, and then have their knuckles brush someone on the subway and voilá, their mark would change.

Some were more obvious, a handprint over their own (a high-five), a hand on their arm, or even one directly across their face.

~~~

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had no such obvious case. Her handprint was directly over her fingers of her right hand, as though someone had shook her hand (but only her fingers). Without a doubt, it confused her.

Once she became Ladybug, she met Chat Noir. Upon their first meeting, he took her hand directly over her soulmate mark and attempted to kiss her hand, but she had pushed him away. After the akuma attack, she had detransformed in a panic to check her hand, and in relief, found her hand was still uncolored.

The mark was still black.

It worried her, then, after her crush on Adrien started, that he did not turn her mark colors either.

So who was it?

Not like she’d ever meet who it was.

There is a long invisible thread

That wraps around my heart

And wraps around your head

Damian Wayne had an odd soulmate mark that was, thankfully, easy to hide via gloves. The black silhouettes of fingers in his right hand confused him, so he gave it little thought. Who even shakes hands like that?

During his training both with Ra’s al Ghul and the Robins, none of the ways anybody had touched his hand had made the mark change, thankfully. Soulmates were a nasty business, anyway. They were almost expected to drop everything upon meeting. Dumb.

Not that he cared who it was.

It tightens its grip

When things go unsaid

And I can't break free

Lila, upon her return to Ms. Bustier’s class, had successfully turned the class against Marinette. She made good on her promise, but allowed Marinette to keep her spot as class president — only useful when she was needed, of course, and expected to drop everything for them without looking for anything in return.

She was effectively that one tool in a closet that only was picked up when needed, and discarded as soon as she had lost her use.

She couldn’t reverse the way things had gone. If only.

Let go, let me

Little boy, break free

Leave him out on his own

Let him find his way home

When Damian had become the next Robin, he had fought many people under the mask. But his black marks underneath his gauntlets never changed, even when he met new people at charity galas and shook hands.

Clearly, his soulmate wasn’t anybody he was going to meet anytime soon.

Not that it bothered him anyway. It did.

Can't take all this pain on his shoulders

Only weighs you all down when you're older

Chat Noir had come up to her, demanding she stop pretending. Pretending that they weren’t soulmates, that they weren’t in love, that they didn’t make a good couple.

He deserved her, he had yelled. He had been nothing but loyal, hadn’t he? A good cat? So, as a reward, he deserved her love. Her lips, her hands, her body.

He didn’t. And she told him so, exploding at him atop a roof despite the paparazzi growing below.

They made sure to catch his outburst, too. It served him right.

He treated the fame of being a superhero like a game. It was only fair that he dealt with the consequences.

Let them take their pictures.

Let him run, let him fly

If you love him, then don't cry tonight

Let him learn all he can

The cameras at Wayne galas and other nonsense never bothered him. They would be pointed at him anyway, so what difference did it make if he paid attention?

Flashes of white lights were only peripheral at this point, the snaps of shutters something to be tuned out.

The tabloids would run rampant anyway. Whether it was Grayson or Todd or Drake making the headlines with their antics, he would be shoved in there anyway.

Let them take their pictures.

So when he comes home to you

He'll be a better man

When she had proposed a class outing, the class had suggested many things, but Lila had thought of karaoke, so that was that. Of course, it was all up to her to plan the outing, raise funds, and reserve places.

She had asked the class to help her out, but Lila had oh-so-innocently wondered that since her family ran a bakery, couldn’t they just maybe give a few away to help their daughter raise the money?

Never mind the fact that they would be losing money. Never mind the fact that it would stress her out more than necessary. Never mind the fact that no one person should have to run their entire outing by herself.

But Marinette was their everyday Ladybug. That should be enough to cover any problem.

But they were looking for a miraculous cure. Who in the world had one for these situations?

Certainly not her.

There is a long invisible thread

That wraps around my heart

And wraps around your head

When Damian heard that his brothers and Father were going to Paris, his original thought was one of disgust. Of course, he spoke French. But any Romance language or country made him want to vomit. Latin lovers? Please. But France, the country dubbed one of love? Absolutely not.

But it was for a League reason, something to do with a supervillain with magic butterflies. It probably wasn’t even real.

But Paris meant his brothers teasing him about love, which infuriated him to no end. Who cared if he met someone the universe deemed his match?

Certainly not him.

It tightens its grip

When things go unsaid

And I can't break free

She had the dates figured out, triple-checked with her classmates to make sure it all worked together. Thankfully, the class had agreed to help fundraise for once. A small relief in the grand scheme of things.

Patrols now were such a chore. Where she had once enjoyed swinging through Paris’s streets with only her yo-yo to hold her up and the wind teasing through her hair, there was now a demanding Chat Noir, proclaiming her as his soulmate and he should be treated as such.

Akuma fights took so much longer and so much out of her now. Chat would watch from the sidelines, taunting her with the fact that he would join in from now on if she only gave up the delusions that they weren’t meant to be.

The gauntleted fist in his stomach was so worth it.

Sadly, it hadn’t come from her.

Lord above, can you hear my prayers

If you know the answer, then make me aware

How to still love him and how to still care

And how to stay strong when I want to be over there

Upon his first investigation in Paris, he had come across an akuma victim. It wasn’t hard to find, actually, as it left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Apparently, Paris already had two superheroes clad in Spandex, Ladybug and Chat Noir. Any information he had found on the latter was increasingly negative, if videos on the Ladyblog (God, that was a dumb name) were to be believed.

The first encounter he had had with the duo was subpar. Far, far below the bar.

The increasingly negative press on Chat Noir was completely accurate. Which was why he’d immediately punched him in the gut and gone up against the akuma, giving Ladybug a chance to rest.

“The akuma?”

She started, surprised that he would know of those. “The locket! It’s on her bracelet—”

Smash.

“Bye-bye, little butterfly.”

He shook hands with Ladybug, introduced himself as Robin, and updated her that the Justice League was looking into the Hawkmoth problem.

It had felt good to punch that brat of a cat. He had a feeling Ladybug would have enjoyed it more.

Sadly, it hadn’t come from her.

Do I run, do I fly?

How can I love him and keep my eyes dry

Do I learn all I can

The next day left Marinette in shock as she prepared for the karaoke night with her class. In all honesty, she would probably be left alone. Again.

But when she showed up, they initially welcomed her, to her pleasant surprise. But it couldn’t last. As soon as she had gone to the bathroom, they had gone into the room and not told her the number.

So she was left in the main room, pathetically sitting at a table by the stage, twirling a microphone she’d nicked from the stands.

Not like she could sing with anyone.

So when he comes home

I'll be a better man

Grayson had had the marvelous idea to go to a karaoke place. Abhorable. Not like he would even sing. The entire idea was dumb. Incredibly dumb. Who, in their right mind, would go and sing in front of people completely sober? (Not like he could drink legally, anyway.)

But when he got there, it was a bit more welcoming. All the rooms were taken, they were told, so there was only a communal stage left. No matter, Grayson grinned, and led them toward the main room. There were already a number of people there, taking turns on the stage.

He sat back in his chair, and prepared to sit back and enjoy the view.

Not like he would sing with anyone.

There is a long invisible thread

That wraps around my heart

And wraps around your head

A number of people went by before she did, and when she got up there, she selected a song that would usually be considered a duet, shrugging that she would sing it herself.

What she hadn’t expected was for a trio of black-haired boys to practically drag a fourth over to the stage, hand him a microphone, and place him next to her with positively wicked grins.

He looked like he wanted to leave. Marinette offered him a sympathetic half-smile. “That’s okay, you don’t have to—”

“It’s fine.” His voice was tinged with visible reluctance, but he took the microphone from its stand. “Just sing.” He was cute, she admitted, but would probably forget her after the night.

So she did.

It tightens its grip

When things go unsaid

And I can't break free

Dumb karaoke. Dumb brothers. Dumb Father, for bringing him to Paris. And it didn’t help that the girl hid certain mortification. But he wasn’t going to back down and show weakness to his brothers. “Just sing.” And get this over with.

When she began to sing, it sent a jolt through his body. She didn’t even need to read the lyrics, voice something that could only be described as melodic. Hell, she sounded better than some professionals.

After the first verse or so, she nervously glanced at him, as if making sure he was still there and hadn’t taken off into the night. Damian shrugged in response, waiting for his turn.

It came up, and he gave his voice to the music. Grayson was definitely recording.

The girl at his side, a pretty black-haired girl who couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred pounds, flinched as though she had been shocked. His singing wasn’t that bad, he groused, but kept at it anyway.

His brothers had pushed him up there as a challenge, taunting him to do it.

So he did.

There is a long invisible thread

That wraps around my heart

And wraps around your head

Wow, she mused. Cute and a good voice. When she added his voice to hers in the first true duet part, their singing harmonized into something truly remarkable. Is this even my voice?

In a sudden burst of courage, she spun, pleated skirt adding to the movement.

Her classmates started to trickle out of their room, as if wondering who was singing. She could see Rose, Juleka, Alya, and the courage vanished in a heartbeat.

Oh no.

It tightens its grip

When things go unsaid

And I can't break free

Suddenly, the girl next to him spun, a giddy smile beginning to form. Somehow, he was beginning to enjoy this, too. Curses. Maybe he had been drugged.

But her spin stopped, voice faltering, and he quickly followed her gaze. A group of teenagers had exited one of the rooms, looking up to the stage, no doubt causing her to waver.

So he took her hand and spun her, certainly not missing the way her face lit up in a dazzling smile.

As soon as he released her hand, she took it again and spun him. A laugh nearly bubbled up (yeah, he had to be drugged). She was half a foot shorter, and yet she did it anyway.

Those people who had made her hesitate wouldn’t ruin her night, at least.

Not if he had anything to say about it.

Oh, no.

There is a long invisible thread

That wraps around my heart

And wraps around your head

A burst of warmth blossomed in her right hand as she danced with the stranger, voice strengthening by the note. Marinette met his jade-green eyes with a smile, left hand clutching the microphone.

For tonight, at least, maybe she could forget about her classmates and Lila and Chat Noir.

Hopefully it would last.

It tightens its grip

When things go unsaid

Her enthusiasm had returned, Damian noted, and her excitement was definitely leeching into him, too. His right hand was warm, but he chalked it up to her hand. He didn’t sweat, at least not in a karaoke bar.

For this song, at least, maybe he could ignore his brothers’ antics and the seriousness of the League.

He knew it wouldn’t last.

And I can't break free

As the song died out, Marinette dropped his hand, the movement causing her to catch her breath. Oh God.

Her soulmate mark had changed. From the blackest black, it was colored in a beautiful blend of red, green, and gold.

It’s him.

And I can't break free

He didn’t miss her gasp, glancing back to catch her reaction as she stared at her right hand — now colored in reds, greens, and golds. His colors.

He didn’t miss a beat to check his own right hand, eyes only widening as he found the mark swirled in blues, pinks, and silvers.

It’s her.

And I can't break free

[incorrectbatclan]

Hiiiiii I'm new!!!!! Could you please explain who's who? Who's in the Bat Family, and their backstories please?! ❤️❤️

For this I’ve only done Bruce’s actual like genuinely adopted family (and Alfred) because it was getting really long!! Let me know If you want to hear about the rest and I’ll either make another post or reblog this one and add onto it. I tried my best lol!!

Alfred Pennyworth - Bruce’s batler and kind-of-dad rolled into one, tired, old man who just wants his family to be safe. The best baker, cook and costume creator of the group, absolutely no one can touch him or I Will Cry. Used to be in Her Majesty’s Secret Service before moving to America, so he can kick some ass - I’ve heard different code names for him, the most popular being Agent A or Penny-One, both very good at keeping secret identities secret. 👨‍🦳 /10

Bruce Wayne - This one should be obvs, he’s Batsy. Son of Martha and Thomas Wayne, he was orphaned when they were shot in an alley on their way home one night. He’s also a multi-billionaire due to his company Wayne industries, which you never hear anything about bc all he does is run around dressed in his fursona costume and punch people. Emotionally constipated, but he does love his kids a lot, even if he doesn’t show it. He’s 80 years old this year (2019), what an old man. Get some therapy. Around 40-45? 🦇/10

Dick Grayson - The original Boy Wonder/Robin. An absolutely feral child, and a slightly calmer adult. Was probably responsible for Batcomputer, Batmobile, Batarang, and many others due to his Holy Puns Batman! Born and raised in a circus as a trapeze artist/acrobat until his parents fell and died at any age between 8-12; it changes regularly. After this, he was taken in by Bruce and destroyed every chandelier he had by swinging off of it. When he’d outgrown Robin, he became Nightwing, a name he got from the Kryptonian legend and moved to Bludhaven (Gotham’s little sister city). He’s known as the funny one in the family, but in any other group, he’s the serious one so take that as u will lol. He’s the Robin you’ll see in pretty much any show about DC that has sidekicks in. Has a temper, don’t let fanon fool u. Was also Batman when Bruce died for a little bit before he was found again. Also “””””died”””””” for a bit, worked as a secret agent, back now. Absolutely amazing appalling sense in fashion. Around 24-27? 🕺/10

Cassandra Cain- Daughter of two of the best assassins in the world, and was raised to be a human weapon until she ran after her first assassination at age 8 and lived on the streets until 17 where she became one of Oracle’s agents, and later Bruce took her in and adopted her too. Due to her father’s training, she’s unable to speak with words well, and instead can read peoples body language and movement, often uses sign language to speak instead if the writer’s not a coward. She’s highly skilled in many different ways and is also my fucking child, I love her a lot. She went by Batgirl for a bit, before going by the code name Black Bat. Sometimes Orphan is used but I’m not sure why or in what comics. The cool one. She’s around Jason’s age, maybe younger, probably older. 🥰/10

Jason Todd - The second Robin, now Red Hood. Died angry, came back wrathful. Jason was living in Crime Alley, one of the dingiest places in Gotham, which is where he saw the Batmobile one day, and just decided to rob the wheels. Right there and then. Not only that but when Bruce caught him doing it, he started smacking him with a tire iron. He’s the passionate one, to say the least. Anyway, Bruce saw this kid robbing him and he was like ‘I have to have him’. So he did. For about 3 years maybe, then he died. Bc, he ran off, and the Joker killed him in a warehouse oop-. Anyway, he came back maybe a few years later to find another Robin in his place, and the clown who killed him still kicking, so he went on a murderous rampage, taking the mantle of Red Hood until he calmed down a bit. Now he’s like that angry brother u only see on holidays because Alfred makes him. Under all that anger he’s a sweetheart though, and I’m pretty sure he loves Classical Lit. Sometimes runs around with a group called the Outlaws, members changing regularly, but you have to be a redhead. Bizarro is the exception bc u can’t say no to him. Around 21? 😠/10

Tim Drake- Tim was the son of Bruce’s next-door neighbours, Jake and Janet Drake, often depicted as assholes, bc they literally just leave their kid to go do whatever they want ig????? Anyway, Timmy was like super smart, and when he was young, managed to figure out who Batman and Robin were bc he stalked them and took pictures of them every night. Sneaky. Then Jason died, Bats was like all sad and shit and wasn’t coping well so Tim just knocked on his door and was like ‘Yeah okay make me Robin’, and after maybe the 10th attempt, Bruce did. Anyway, his parents died somehow (the ‘how’ varies) and Bruce was like, yeah okay I’ll have another one. Tim’s a master hacker and he’s all-around baby, mainly bc he doesn’t fucking sleep. Was Dick’s first Robin when he was Batman, before Damian came along and got Robin instead, so he named himself Red Robin because he’s creative and petty like that. Not that I wouldn’t be tbf. Went off to find Bruce when he “died” bc he didn’t believe he was dead, and he wasn’t so like? Anyway, he changed his name to Drake recently, which is stupid so just ignore that. Needs to stop drinking coffee. Around 17? 🐉/10

Damian Wayne-Such a precious little shit. Blood son of Bruce Wayne and the assassin, Talia Ah Ghul, daughter of one of Bruce’s frenemies. He was trained all the way through his childhood to be the perfect sidekick for Bruce, so some of the things he was taught fucked him up a wee bit, but he’s slowly learning that not everything has to be difficult and he is allowed to have fun sometimes. In his eyes for a while, he was Bruce’s only son, because he was the only blood related one. Soon got told to shut up and shown that that wasn’t true. Now secretly loves his family but would die before admitting it. A baby. Became Dick’s Robin after Tim and they ended up being really close and I love them a lot. Absolutely adores animals, and adopts every animal he sees. Just like his father does with kids. Around 13.  🐈/10

The others are Kate Kane, Duke Thomas, Stephanie Brown, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon and Selina Kyle. A villains list would be quite fun actually too!

Second Post! - Rest of the vigilantes