#hey. don’t cry. two birds on a wire one tries to fly away and the other watches him close from that wire

[yrlocalghost]

@milfula

mutuals you would sit on a power line like little birds with

[sarah-sandwich]

"I need a hug" please and thank you!

Hi friend! Here it is! Remind me to never commit to a fic a day for an entire week again lmao

Happy last day of National Storyteller Week to everyone who creates or consumes stories! Jump over to my ao3 for 5 ridiculous parkner fics 👌✨💛

Peter, no

He probably should have clued in sooner, a lot sooner.

Him and Peter have been attached at the hip for three years, ever since Peter ran into the lab in the middle of a video call with Tony, shouted something about an arm-wrestling tournament with the Avengers, and begged, “You gotta come trash talk them for me! Please, Mr. Stark! No one roasts as good as you!” Then, after receiving Tony’s resigned agreement, exclaimed, “I’m gonna dislocate Captain America’s shoulder!” turned tail and sprinted back out, ignoring Tony’s, “Peter, no!”

It was over in under a minute but he was bewitched.

“Who was that? And why haven’t I met him?”

“I’ve been avoiding this day,” Tony said in a world-weary tone. “You’re either going to hate each other or get on like a house fire. Either way, I’ll never know peace again.”

In usual Tony Stark fashion, he was right.

He thought he’d seen every side of Peter there is. He’s seen him soft and sleepy under the blue glow of the television. He’s seen him wired and manic as he pursues a project on little to no sleep. He’s seen him broken and bleeding in more ways than he cares to count. He’s seen him laughing until he cries, crying so hard the only thing he can do is cry with him, too exhausted to feed himself, too angry to speak, and he’s been there when he’s on the cusp of dropping dead from embarrassment (usually pointing and laughing but hey, somebody’s gotta keep him humble).

He knows him like he knows his sister, like he knows his mom, like he knows himself.

His point is, it shouldn’t have taken this camping trip to put the pieces together. Realization shouldn’t have hit him like a log to the face when Peter rolled up the sleeves of his borrowed flannel and suddenly he couldn’t breathe for wanting to kiss him stupid.

Well, stupider.

A moment later, Peter picked up the bag of tent poles like they weighed nothing and somehow managed to dump them all over the side of the road like a can of pick-up-sticks.

It’s gonna be a long weekend.

~*~

“What’s this thing for again?” Peter asks, raising his arms high over his head to hold up the long swath of fabric two times his height.

“It’s a rain fly, Peter. It keeps out the rain.”

“It’s not supposed to rain. Trust me, Aunt May checked the weather like 50 times before she would let me leave.”

“We still need it.”

“But why? We could sleep under the stars.”

“It traps in heat.”

“Sounds like another tally in the cons column. It’s hot as fuck, dude.”

“Not tonight it won’t be. Temperature fluctuates a lot in the mountains, especially when the sun goes down.”

“Temperature fluctuates in the mountains,” Peter repeats mockingly.

Harley stops what he’s doing. “If you really wanna sleep under the stars I don’t have to share my tent. Enjoy the skeeters.”

“You love me too much to leave me to sleep with the wildlife,” Peter says, voice muffled from under the rain fly as he attempts to drape it over the erected tent.

His heart skips. Does he know? Has he been that obvious even while oblivious to his own feelings? Did Peter figure it out before he did? Has he been graciously not saying anything about his huge undeniable crush while—

Peter squawks and tumbles forward, the tent collapsing under him with a snap that echoes through the trees. The rain fly flutters over him like a burial shroud.

“Please tell me whatever just broke was a part of you.”

“Uhh, sorry.”

He sighs. He’s in love with an idiot.

~*~

The tent leans a little to the left when they’re done with it but he’s pretty sure it’ll hold up through the night. Just in case, they limit how often they go in and out of it (which, in his opinion, is the way it should be done regardless).

A breeze rustles the trees, scattering pine needles as birds chitter and small unseen wildlife scurries around the underbrush. He breathes in deep, savoring the scent of dirt, pine, and fresh air. He’s been in the city far too long.

Peter stands with his hands on his hips, dirt crusted on the knees of his jeans, his borrowed flannel pulling tight across his chest as he watches a puffy white cloud scoot by with a befuddled expression.

He turns to Harley. “So umm, now what?”

He shrugs. “Whatever you want. You’re the one who’s never done this before?”

Peter stares at him blankly.

“Right. Forgot who I was talking to.” He shakes his head and walks over to the car with a sigh. “This way, city boy. It’s time you learned to fish.”

“Sounds smelly.”

“Mmm.” He pops the trunk and pulls out two fishing rods—one old and dinged up, the other brand-spankin-new—and he passes them to Peter so he can grab the tackle box and a white plastic bucket with a lid on it.

“And slimy,” Peter continues, wrinkling his nose at the bold ‘WORMS’ printed on the side of the white bucket.

“That it is, but there aren’t any rats and no one has pissed on the place you need to sit so it’s automatically better than anything the city has to offer.”

“We’ll see about that,” Peter grumbles.

~*~

“Y’know,” Harley drawls lazily, eyes half-lidded as he watches Peter jump from rock to rock along the shoreline, “usually when people are lookin’ to catch a fish they cast their line into the water rather than leavin’ it on the ground.”

“Oh is that how it’s done? I had no idea,” Peter says, stooping down to peer into a small pool sequestered away from the rest of the body of water. “What do tadpoles look like?”

“Uh, little squirmy guys.”

“Very descriptive, thank you.”

“Mhmm. Anytime, darlin’.”

Peter looks up at him, eyes narrowed and he jolts under the sudden scrutiny.

“What?” he asks. He always calls him darling. It’s just a thing he says—a southern thing. So what if over the years he’s stopped using the name for anyone else? It doesn’t mean anything. It’s not weird.

“Are you falling asleep?” Peter asks.

“Pfft, no,” he says. The sun is deliciously warm, seeping into his skin and turning his bones to butter as the katydids buzz and birds sing. A warm breeze ruffs his hair and he finds himself blinking slowly.

“Dude, you’re totally falling asleep.” Peter grins playfully and hopscotches across the rocks back to him as he teases, “You know, usually when someone wants to catch a fish, they do it while they’re awake.”

“I am awake, dummy.”

“Not for much longer.” He comes to a stop at his side and tweaks the brim of his hat. “Look at you. You’re like an old man falling asleep in his recliner in front of the big game.”

“Napping is a perfectly respectable part of fishing,” he argues.

Peter throws back his head and laughs. Backed by blue sky and thickly forested mountain, sunlit from above, he’s never looked better.

Should he tell him? Is now the time? He can’t imagine living like this—knowing how he feels but bottling it up and keeping it a secret from his best friend.

Then again—

His fishing rod dips and he sits up with a start, hands already moving for the reel.

“Woah, is that a fish?” Peter exclaims, peering into the lake.

“Sure hope so. Can’t imagine what else it’d—,”

“Can I pull it in?” Peter asks, bouncing on the balls of his feet like an excitable puppy.

“No, you if wanna get a fish you have to put in the work.”

“What work? Laying around half-asleep?”

“Yeah, exactly. I’ll let you take it off the line, how ‘bout that?”

“Eh, that’s okay. I’m good.”

He wrestles the fish out of the lake, a bass about two hands long, and then holds the flopping fish, hooked through the lip, out to Peter.

“There you go. Just pop that puppy off the hook and toss ‘im back in.”

“Wait, you don’t even keep the fish?”

“What would I do with a fish?”

“…eat it?”

“That’s a whole song and dance I ain’t got the tools or the patience for. Just grab the fish, Pete. Preferably before it suffocates.”

Peter makes an unhappy sound in his throat but reaches for the fish. Just as his fingers brush the scales, the fish gives a mighty wiggle and Peter flinches back towards the lake.

“Eep!” Peter squeaks and goes into the water with a splash.

Harley hunches over, laughing his head off as Peter sits up, water streaming down his face and dripping from his hair.

“I hate you.” Slipping and sliding in the muck, he makes his way through the mid-thigh deep water, back to dry land, and then keeps walking past Harley and up the hill to the trail that will lead him back to camp.

All the while Harley laughs and laughs, taking a moment to free the fish back into the lake before he sits down and tips his face to the sun, chuckling and committing to memory the way Peter’s soaked jeans and flannel clung all over his body.

~*~

“I still don’t see why—,”

“Shush,” Peter snaps, frowning in concentration over the tiny flame he’s been babying to life for the past fifteen minutes.

He sighs. He tried to convince him to wait until supper for a campfire meal but Mr. Eager Beaver insisted on trying his hand at it now. Had they made sandwiches they’d be done by now and could be hiking. But no. Peter wants to play Boy Scout so they’re going to sit here and starve until he gets a fire built just to spend five minutes roasting hot dogs and then have to put it out again.

To make matters worse, Peter’s no longer wearing his shirt since it got soaked in the lake. He’d gotten attached to how he looks in his clothes. Now he’s wearing on one of his standard nerd-pun tees and a wrinkly pair of khaki cargo shorts and he’s going to have to convince him to at least put on long socks before they hike or he’s going to risk getting poison ivy or poison oak all over his calves and ankles.

“There it goes! There it goes!” Peter exclaims, sitting up tall and motioning at him to look at the little flame as it eats up the pile of twigs and tinder.

“Very good, dear,” he says dryly. “Now see if you can keep it going with some real wood.”

Peter cocks his head at him. “Was that a double-entendre?”

“Why on earth would I imply that we should put a part of my human anatomy in the fire, Peter?”

“I don’t know,” he murmurs, squatting beside the fire as he breaks up a stick. “Dick jokes are funny.”

“You’re a child.”

“And yet you— Shit!” He flinches back from the fire and falls on his backside.

He comes alert with a spike of adrenaline, rushing forward to— to— pat out flames with his bare hands? He doesn’t know. “What happened?” he demands, checking Peter over for damage and finding nothing, not a burn or singe in sight.

Still sprawled on the ground, Peter looks up at him through his eyelashes with an embarrassed grimace. “I don’t want to say.”

“But you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” he sits up cross-legged and rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He stares down at him as he looks down in his lap. “You’re really not going to tell me what just happened? I already saw you fall in a lake because you were scared of a fish. It can’t be worse than that.”

Peter looks up, neck crimped and mouth screwed into an unhappy pucker. “I thought something was on me but it was just the grass.”

Harley stares. “So, you thought a bug was on you.”

“Yeah. I’m starting to think I’m not cut out for this place.”

What has he gotten himself into?

~*~

Peter hasn’t stopped chattering about everything under the sun since they left camp. And considering where they are, there’s a lot to chatter about. From bugs to birds to types of trees and identifying clouds, he’s heard it all. It’s why he’s not paying attention to the path like he should, too busy watching the way Peter waves his hands animatedly as he rambles, the way the sun lights his eyes and makes his hair shine, the way his lips shape the words.

He hasn’t taken in a word he’s said for the past twenty minutes but he’s watched him with rapt attention while his mind churns through his options. He’s not one to ignore something once he knows about it. He doesn’t want to keep this a secret. There’s no reason to. It’s nothing shameful and if Peter doesn’t reciprocate then… well, nothing changes, right? He’s fine with that. Best friends is still good. Great, even.

But if Peter does reciprocate…

His breathing quickens at the thought. How did he not notice this ridiculous crush sooner? It’s like something has been awakened inside him and now it refuses to shut up and go back to sleep. He gravitates towards Peter like an orbiting moon. He’s a moth to Peter’s beam of light. Helpless under the thrall.

Peter suddenly looks right at him. “—you know what I mean?”

“Huh?” His foot lands wrong and rolls over a root. His ankle screams out and then he’s dropping as it gives out.

“Woah!” Peter catches him, one arm around his back and the other fisted into his shirt at his shoulder. His brain goes offline, only processing the way Peter is pressed against him, the way his face is angled over him like he’s on the verge of dipping him into a kiss, the way neither of them moves or speaks, staring instead with startled realization.

He thinks he imagines it when Peter’s eyes dilate but then they fix on his lips and there’s no way he’s imagining that.

Lights flash in his head and he forgets to breathe as they hang suspended in time.

Then Peter bites his lip and his cheeks flush dark pink as he yanks Harley upright.

He stumbles, unprepared, and his ankle gives out a second time.

Peter catches him by the elbows babbling, “Oh my God, I’m sorry! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to—,”

“I’m fine. I…” The rest of the sentence vanishes from his tongue as he looks into Peter’s eyes. He loves his eyes—warm and affectionate, they always give him away. Whether they’re bright with curiosity, sparkling with delight, wide with embarrassment, or narrowed in anger, he’s an open book. That’s why the look in his eyes now gives him pause. He’s never seen it before—or maybe it’s been there all along but he hasn’t noticed until now.

They’re dark and focused like he’s seeing through him into his soul and likes what he sees so much he wants to eat him alive.

His heart thunders as he lifts a hand to Peter’s cheek. This is it. This is the moment he tells him and finds out where they’re going to go next.

Peter’s eyes go wide and he swallows thickly, but then his gaze shifts beyond him and he freezes except to carefully grab his forearm in a too-tight grip.

“Bear,” Peter breathes.

His awareness of their surrounding returns so suddenly it hurts. Birds sing, bugs buzz and chirp, somewhere nearby a creek burbles, and behind him on the path, something scuffs the ground and then snorts and sniffs harshly.

“No,” he says quietly. No, he refuses to allow this to be his reality. This cannot be happening. He won’t allow this to happen.

“Harley, bear,” Peter repeats, grip tightening.

Oh my God, this is happening.

“Don’t run,” he says in an undertone. “You’re not supposed to run.”

“We gotta run.”

“Peter, no.”

“Harley, there’s a fucking bear.”

“Listen to me—,”

“I’m gonna grab you—,”

“—we gotta stay still and—,”

“I’ll carry you and—,”

“—non-threatening so—,”

“I’m going to get you up a tree and then—,”

“—it won’t chase us.”

“—the bear will chase me.”

“Peter—,”

“It’ll be fine.”

“—no.”

~*~

He waits in the tree for over an hour, ankle throbbing, sick to his stomach with worry, wondering if he’ll ever see the idiot he stupidly fell in love with ever again. Even if he didn’t get eaten by the bear, he’s no good out here in the woods. He could be lost. He could be too hurt to move. He could be—

—covered in what smells like animal shit and standing balefully at the base of the tree.

“I need a hug,” Peter says, voice small.

“Did you—,”

“I did what needed to be done.”

“So that’s—,”

“Don’t say it. Do you need help getting down?”

“I’ll figure it out. Don’t touch me.”

“That’s fair. I’ll be in the lake. Will you bring me all of the soap and soap-like products we own?”

“Yeah. Gimme a minute.”

“Thanks, Harley.”

“Peter?”

“Yeah?”

I love you. I’m glad you’re not dead. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come back. My life wouldn’t be the same without you in it. You’re everything I want.

“You’re an idiot,” he says.

Peter nods. “Yeah.”

~*~

“Black bears can run 35 miles per hour,” he says conversationally. They’re sprawled on a blanket while the fire crackles nearby (but not too close, they’ve had enough disasters for one day). His foot is propped on the tackle box, elevating his ankle and Peter is beside him, flat on his back staring up at the stars through the trees, close enough that their arms brush.

“Trust me, I know.”

“They can also climb trees,” he continues reading from his phone. “You should never climb a tree to avoid a bear.”

“Harley—,”

“If a bear notices you, stay calm. Most bears don’t want to attack you.”

“Dude, I get it.”

“Move away slowly and sideways. Do not run. Do not climb a tree.”

Peter snatches the phone out of his hands and sits up. “I panicked, okay? I can’t lose you! I had to get you out of there.”

He goes still, the crackling of the fire and the crickets the only sound in the night.

“Say again?”

“Don’t,” Peter says harshly, still holding his phone far out of reach. “Don’t make fun of me about this one. You don’t get it, okay?”

This isn’t how he expected this to happen. Hyper aware of his heart beating in his chest, he asks, “What don’t I get?”

“I was terrified.”

“And you think I wasn’t?”

“Not in the way I was. I was— It was like— It was like if anything happened to you, nothing would be okay ever again. I don’t—,” He pulls in a deep breath, chest heaving as his eyes shine uncommonly bright in the firelight. “I don’t know. You’re— Ever since we met things have just felt right and good in a way they hadn’t before and I’ve already lost so many people and then you were in danger and I couldn’t do nothing. I couldn’t.”

“Okay,” he says gently, sitting upright and scooting over on the blanket. “Okay.” He takes the phone and sets it aside then takes Peter’s hand in both of his. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m okay.”

“I think I’m in love with you,” Peter says miserably, sniffing and wiping his eyes with the back of his free hand. “I think I have been for a long time.”

“Well, that’s lucky because I think I’m in love with you too.”

��You— What?”

“Mhmm. Since at least this morning.”

Peter stares at him. His lips twitch. “This morning? For real? Are you teasing me?”

“A hundred percent serious. It hit me right before you dumped my tent poles all over 36th street. Unrelated, you should wear my clothes more often.” He pauses and then says, “I think today was the universe asking me if I was sure I wanted to be tied down to your dumb ass for the rest of forever.”

“And?” Peter asks, eyes wide in the firelight.

“Yeah,” he says, smoothing a curl away from his forehead. “I’m sure.”

Peter leans in and kisses him, soft and quick. “Is that okay?”

Heart in his mouth, he says, “I think you can do better.”

Peter laughs and smooths his thumb over his cheekbone. “I love you.”

“I love you too, darlin’.”

[de-profundis-ad-astra]

Let’s Get Something Straight

Pairing || William Miller x Reader Rating || E (18+ ONLY) Warnings || Sex in the great outdoors, sex on Will’s car Word Count || 4.1k shut up Prompt || Anonymous Request: Will and the reader have a fight that ends with them having rough makeup sex. Taglist ||   @firefeatherx @goldenhour-goldenboy @mandoplease @mylifeliterally @phoenixhalliwell @havenforafrazzledmind @living-reminder @beatriz-silva-00 @pascalz @worldominatorx @givemethatgold @agirllovespancakes @lilacyennefer @dignityneeded @veuliee @briskywalker @the-bird-suit @mapache-lector @skylyknightly (let me know if you want to be added/removed!)

You decided a long time ago that the worst thing about text messages is that they line up on your locked phone screen and you end up reading them without even wanting to.

What was the name of your contact in Germany?

Lost the password to the bus station locker in Boulder. Help?

Are you still alive?

William Miller has the best memory out of any person you’ve ever met. There’s no way he lost the name of your contact or, god forbid, forgot a four number combination for a locker when that man keeps track of every damn thing in his life. He’s just trying to get a response out of you.

However, there was something even worse. When the text messages….

Stop.

The emptiness of your phone screen is agony, but you can’t seem to stop checking it. After about a month of this, you’re sitting, feeling bruised, at the window of a coffee shop. Your phone is face down beside your mug and your laptop. On the other side of the window, a fall rain shower sweeps down the small town street. it wets down the leaves on the sidewalk and fills the shop with the crisp scent of wet pavement every time a patron bustles in or out.

You respond to Will’s requests for help. Just because things hadn’t worked out between you doesn’t mean you had to become an asshole. You had gotten through a month on your own; you were doing well without him.

As well as could be expected.

You’d run and gunned, fought, and made love with the adamant, selfless, hedonistic man who was William Miller for a year and a half. It had been a time of soaring, you realize, and golden, flying time full of freedom to touch, snuggle, fight, endure. You hadn’t fully realized this until it all went south–when a mission had gone wrong and Ben had let it slip that William had tried to do it on his own and that was the top of those other three botched missions and the time Will said:

No, not gonna go back through that. It’s better to move on.

Move on? How delusional are you?

You can’t escape the furious pain in Will’s eyes when you left, after he tried to kiss you like that would change your mind. Despite the ugliness of the past year, Will, in all his tall, deadly, blunt, powerful glory, made parts of you hum with contentment and warmth–something you still don’t now how you’ll survive without.

You gulp down some coffee to force back tears. You’ll survive, anyway.

And that’s when you see his car roll right past the window.

You choke, eyes fastening on the passengers–it’s them. Will driving, Ben riding. You shrink down as if you can hide behind your mug.

Oh no. Your own car is parked right in front of the shop. The Millers don’t miss a thing, but you desperately hope this one time–

Ben’s head swivels, his eyes locked onto your truck. Will notices and cranes his head back to stare at your truck, too.

Then they’re gone, and you’re sitting there, heart racing.

Well, shit.

–

“Feel like I’m in freaking high school again! Ooh, better take a different way to class so I don’t pass his fucking locker!”

Your falsetto fills the cabin of your truck as you navigate the town’s main drag. You’re talking to yourself.

Again.

“Well is the whole country going to be a high school now?” you continue. “Or… no, I’ll go be all mature and woman-power-ish, and I’ll just stick it out and pretend they’re not here–SURE, NO PROBLEM, LET ME JUST WALTZ AROUND LIKE I’M NOT A FUCKING MESS… godDAMMIT!”

And now you’re crying because dammit, you fucking miss William Miller and his fucking car and his fucking smile and the way his hair sticks up in back in the morning and the look he gets when he knows you’re bullshitting him and the way he’s never cold and the way he gloats when he makes you scream in pleasure, like he just invented the fucking wheel.

You bounce and splash through a few blocks of neighborhood, glaring furiously. The sun is cutting through masses of gold leaves, turning the streets into shiny, steaming lanes out of a storybook, and you fucking hate it.

And then, in your rear view mirror, you see the flash of a grille and the gleam of black paint. William’s turns onto the street behind you.

There’s only one person riding in it now.

A barbed-wire spasm of pain draws a gasp from your lips. “Oh fuck, that’s it. That is it.”

And then your foot stomps on the accelerator and you are getting out of town; you’re not coming back. You can’t handle this, and if he’s gonna follow you, screw him; you’re not gonna stop. The two-lane country road you’re on goes somewhere you don’t know, but you haul down it anyway, jaw mulishly set as you blow through stop sign after stop sign.

Will doesn’t stop, either.

You’ve learned several reasons why the boys call him Ironhead. This one takes the cake.

He follows you. And keeps following you. Soon, you’ve been going about three miles, and you’re starting to get more worried than angry. What if he’s off his rocker?

Suddenly, he starts to fade back. You let off the accelerator a bit as he fades back more… and then he fades so quickly, he has to be stopping.

He pulls over to the side of the road: I’m done.

Good! You keep going, William shrinking into the sunset…

… for about a hundred feet.

You curse and slam on the brakes. You wrench your truck into park and sit for a moment, gasping.

“What the hell?” you breathe. When he pulled over, you had felt pain worse than anything you felt yet.

You open your door, and cool air full of fields and trees and rain washes over you. The setting sun lays down a warm blanket as you slam the door shut behind you. You walk to the tailgate of your truck and stare down the road.

The car slowly returns to the road and crawls toward you, lurching over potholes. Your eyes devour Will’s silhouette as his car comes to a stop and falls silent about fifteen feet away. The door screeches open, and his workboots hit the pavement.

He looks pissed.

Well, you’re pissed, too. You wipe your eyes and meet him halfway, not a step more, not a step less. It’s like charging a lion. You cross your arms. It feels as if you’re seeing him for the first time all over again–it’s overwhelming how good he looks-stubble, tired eyes and all.

“Cryin’ over me, sweetheart?” he asks, feet wide, chin up.

Just the sound of his rough baritone makes you melt, but you fight it. “Following me like a stalker?” you retort.

He gives you the bullshit look and closes in a step. The setting sun catches half his face, and the light pools in his gold-brown right eye as he raises his eyebrows. “You’ve got nothing, sweetheart.”

You shove your face toward his. “Neither do you, buster.”

The two of you stare at each other, and the temperature between you shoots up. Will’s generous lips part and he starts to angle his head-

You recoil. “How many girls have you slept with since I left?”

His eyes go cold, his expression ugly. “I’ll tell you if you tell me how many guys have gotten into your pants.”

“Fuck you! Nobody’s gotten anything from me, you bastard!”

“Well the last chick I touched was you, you bitch!”

And then you’re just glaring at each other.

“Why did you lie to me about those missions?” you demand.

“I didn’t lie exact-”

“It’s called lying by omission, Will! Maybe if you’d-”

And then he’s in your face again, teeth bared. “I wanted to keep you safe,  dammit, but I’ve realized I can’t–fucking helli–I realized it, but you were too busy packing up and not listening!”

You blink at him. “Say that again?”

He closes his eyes and sighs, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “I get it, okay? I get it. And really, I don’t want to have a girl who’s just something I need to protect; I want one who kicks ass. Who I can still protect. A little.”

Unconvinced, you squint at him.

“Come back with me.” He blurts it quickly, only briefly meeting your eyes.

There are crickets singing in the long grass. The sun is halfway beneath the horizon. Most of you is screaming yes and snuggling into his strong chest. A fraction waits and doubts.

“I’m not asking again,” he says more softly, and he meets your gaze, straightening his shoulders. “I’m not gonna beg.”

“You shouldn’t have to.” The words exit your mouth, and with them goes the cold tightness that’s been clutching your chest for a month. Loose warmth fills you up instead. “You don’t have to.” You step into the tall sturdiness of him, tucking your head into his shoulder. His powerful arms encircle you tightly and he tucks his face into your neck, a tremor running through him.

You stand like that for a long time, breathing against each other, squeezing tighter and tighter and tighter. The sun slips behind the horizon, leaving a hollow sky dotted with orange clouds. You can hear traffic on bigger roads, but it’s all far, far, far away.

Soon, you can’t breathe, he’s squeezing so tightly. Your lips start to smile without your permission. “God, you’re such a-“

He pulls back. His mouth crashes into yours and it feels so soft-wet-familiar-hot-delicious, your knees give a little spasm before giving out. You quickly grab him around the neck and hang on, overwhelmed by how deeply you missed this. If his urgency is any indication, Will missed it just as much. He buries his fingers in your hair, pressing you closer as he slants his mouth over yours, first one way and then the other, filling you with his taste–taste that floods you with wet heat all the way to the core.

He breaks away, and you moan a protest, trying to recapture him, but his breath fans over your face. “Hey.” His voice is gruff. You can barely open your eyes, but when you do, you stiffen.

This is an expression you’ve never seen before. Eyes narrowed, jaw clenched, nostrils flared … somehow he looks ravenous and vulnerable at the same time. And somehow, it makes you want to flee and pounce all at once. “W-Will-“

He takes your wrist and pulls you toward his car. You follow him through the deepening blue, the crunching of your boots almost too loud in the dusky hush. He pulls you around, and the backs of your legs hit his car. His big hands fall to your hips, massaging as he grinds into you, breathing faster. He’s hooked his thumbs into the side belt loops and he’s tugging down.

You gape up at him. “Will–wait, Will, you can’t –“

He presses his forehead to yours and you almost lose your balance; only his grip on your hips keeps you upright. His nose brushes yours, smooth and warm. “You tell me flat-out no and we’ll do this somewhere else,” he growls. “Otherwise, we are going to get something straight, right here, right now. Got it?”

“… Yeah? …Wait. Get what straight?”

“And there’s why I’m doing this.” He rises, and, staring you in the eyes, unbuckles your belt.

You have never, ever been naked outside a bathroom or bedroom. You grab his wrists, trying not to fall back onto the car’s hood. “Will–W-Will –“

“The deal is you tell me no, remember?” His hands keep moving despite your grip on his wrists. The rasp of your zipper coming down is loud in the wide silence, and you squeak when he twists free of your grip. He slides his hands in between your jeans and panties, his fingers digging into your ass as he pushes your pants down around your thighs.

“Oh, I missed this.” He pins you to his chest with one arm while his other snakes down over your ass and burrows between your legs from behind. You squirm as his fingers stroke up and down your pussy, your hands fisted in his red and black flannel. Making a rough sound deep in his throat, he presses one finger in deeper than the others and opens you through your panties. You bury your face in his shirt now, overcome by embarrassment and a roaring tsunami of please yes!

He withdraws, and you peek out as his chest expands. His eyes are closed and he’s pressing his fingers to his nose, breathing deeply. He opens his eyes, and your lips part when you see the quicksilver gleam of liquid over his lower lashes.

And then he’s moving fast. You shiver as he rips off his flannel and spreads it on the car’s hood behind you. Then, clad in a t-shirt, he pushes your jeans to your ankles and lifts you onto his flannel. He pulls off his t-shirt and now you’re almost crying; the familiar planes of his chest unravel all the barriers you’d built the last month to remain upright.

He grabs your shirt, and, frightened, you clamp your arms to your sides. Unstoppable, he slides his hands up your back and unhooks your bra instead.

His hands are splayed over your back…

… now forcing themselves under your arms…

… under your bra –

You keen and arch. He grins like he always does when your breasts are in his hands, and squeezes. You melt backward, knees falling open. The car creaks as he pulls you to the edge and settles into the cradle of your hips, wriggling to press flush against your core. You shudder when you feel how hard he is. “That’s better,” he murmurs. And then he makes rings with his thumbs and forefingers, tightly frames your nipples with them, and nuzzles into your breasts.

You toss your head back, nails digging into his shoulders. “Oh god–oh g-g-god Will!”

He bites and tongues your nipples slowly through your shirt and bra, so the damp heat of his mouth soaks through to your prickling skin. You squeeze your eyes shut, face burning. And then, with one deft movement, he’s got your shirt and bra over your head. You gasp as he yanks to loosen your hands - and then both your shirt and bra are flying off to join his shirt.

“Will! Will, no-Will!” You start to sit up, trying to track your clothing, but the cool air on your bare back frightens you into lying right back down. The feeling of the open on your skin is terrifying. It’s not just air; it’s distances; it’s the world. You cover your chest with a curse, glaring up at Will, who looms against the fiery clouds wearing a smirk.

“Was that an official no?” he asks, gyrating his hips the tiniest bit.

You groan at the sensation. “Nnn-no, no, but Will, what if someone comes?”

He hums deep in his chest. “Well I think two people might be–”

“No!” Irritated, you shove with your legs, pushing him back a step so you can bend your knees and press them together.  “You know what I mean.”

He stands where you shoved him and lifts his hands in surrender. “They’ll see us lying on a car. Y’know,” he adds, belt clinking as he undoes it, “they’d see less of you if I’m on top of you.”

You don’t open your legs and keep glaring. The sky is so big. What if some pervy farmer is watching from that copse over there? Teens out on a romp? Your teeth start to chatter.

Will drops his pants to reveal his straining boxers. He steps up to your fused knees and leans against your shins, hands flanking your hips. He takes in the sight of your naked body lying on the hood of his car and curses through clenched teeth before taking a deep, steadying breath. “You’d feel better if you’d let me in, sweetheart. Let me show you.”

He runs his hands –they are so, so warm- up your shins, over your knees, down the backs of your thighs. His fingers hook into the flesh on either side of your pussy and pull it wide open so your panties cling to the sensitive skin. You gasp, squeezing your legs tighter together.

It does nothing.

He grins wolfishly and his fingers slither into your pussy, skin to skin. You jump with a bleat, fingers digging into your upper arms. His fingers delve deep, all the way to your opening, where they swirl in the thick wetness. His breath hisses through his teeth. “So fucking wet.” Your toes curl as he gently swipes upward to your clit.

Abruptly, he whips his fingers hard over your entire pussy, forcing it open with every pass. Your entire body goes taut and you moan through clenched teeth as the sensuous heat in your belly skyrockets. He grinds his finger down on your clit a few times and you throw your head back with a strangled cry. “Will-Will-please!”

He doesn’t stop. You fight to keep your legs together as the fire between them tries to spasm them apart, but it gets harder and harder. And Will knows exactly what’s happening.

“When you come, your legs always open up,” he says breathlessly. “I’ll get you either way. Come on. You let me in now, and I’ll cover you when you lose it.”

With a desperate squeal, you open up, reach up, grab his shoulders, and pull him down. He lets you with a chuckle, planting his left hand by your head to support his weight. “There we go,” he gloats, pulling his hand free of your panties so his boxer-clad erection can nestle into the wet heat of your core. All he can do in the moment is moan as he settles against you

He is so warm. He leans down and kisses you deeply, slowly, while his hips languidly rock into yours. You whimper into his mouth; your clit is sparking and tingling under the sliding ridge of his cock, and you feel frantically hollow.

Will breaks away. His cheeks look darker. He lays his head on your chest and lifts his hips, using both hands to free himself from his boxers. As he pumps his cock a few times with his hand, his stubble bites into your sternum, and he knows it; he lifts his head by dragging his cheek over first one nipple, then the other. You choke, hands white-knuckled on his shoulders.

“So.” He stares you right in the eyes. “We gotta set something … straight … for the future.”

“Huh?”

He breathes through pursed lips for control and slides a hand between you. He fists the crotch of your panties for a second and you freeze, waiting. “From now on,” he says roughly, “whether I make a mistake or you make a mistake-“

He wrenches your panties to the side, and the head of his cock is immediately against your opening. You stiffen, the hollowness inside you yawning unbearably deep.

“Or you’re… pissed or… I’m pissed…” he struggles to continue. A drip of sweat lands on your neck. “No …matter what,” he gasps, “I’m … y-yours.” And he shoves deep into you–stretching and filling your hollowness at last. Both of you cry out at the same time, melting into muffled curses.

Then Will grasps your chin and looks you straight in the eye. “And you’re … mine…”

“Y-y-yours,” you breathe, throat closing up with tears.

His entire aspect loosens. He buries his face in your neck and starts rocking shallowly into you. Your entire body lights up all the way to your fingertips. Sweat blooms all over you, chilling the skin that isn’t sliding against Will’s. You wrap your arms around his neck, wishing you could wrap your legs around his hips, but your jeans keep your ankles trapped beneath him.

Then he slows almost to a stop, and you squirm. Slowly, he pulls almost all the way out. Then –

“Mine.” He slides in deep.

You gasp for breath, holding perfectly still, eyes huge as his breath fills your ear.

He pulls back again, leaving you hollow. He pauses, and you wait, not even breathing –

Any second now…

…How long is he going to-

“Mine.”

You cry out as he thrusts deep again.

… And then pulls back again. Your nails are starting to dig into the soft skin of his back. Then-

“Mine.”

“God, Will!” you wail, arching desperately. And then you wait…

“Mine.”

Your eyes are leaking and you don’t know if you’re sobbing-crying or just struggling for breath-

“Mine.”

You shriek, writhing-

“Mine.”

“Please, please, plea-“

“Mine.”

“WILL!”

And then he picks up the pace a little, his voice a low, low force in your ear.  “Mine … mine … mine … mine … mine … you’re mine …”

It’s if he’s pushing the word into you. You tremble around him, trying to open up further, to stretch absolutely wide.

His voice hardens and his thrusts sharpen. “Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine-”

Every time he thrusts… every time he fills you… to the fullest

“Mine-”

When the tip of him penetrates the deepest, that one word floods your ear

“Mine-”

Pulses of electric heat ratchet you tighter each time, until you’re shaking, head thrown back, pinned open–

“Mine-”

With no choice but to accept the humming tide rising between your legs.

“Mine-”

All of this, after so long, feels so GOOD. o

“Mine-”

So GOOD. His voice is just a growl now. Getting faster and louder.

“Oh god!”

“Mine!”

“Please!”

“Mine-mine-”

“W-WILL PLEASE-”

“MINE-MINE-MINE-”

Then he swells and cracks the last barrier between you and the maelstrom –

-and you scream WIIIIILLLLLLLLLL—! clenching down on him and writhing, and it’s the best, oh it’s the BEST—

He grabs your hips, pulls back, and then thrusts so hard it almost knocks the air out of you, penetrating your spasming pussy deeper than he ever has before, which just shoves you further into orgasm.

As you try to scream, he rasps, “M-mine … oh-f-f-f-f-uck!” And then he bites into the thick muscle at the base of your neck and snarls, twitching against your fluttering walls and flooding you with burst after burst of wet heat. He grinds into you, pressing and rubbing all the rawness inside and making you clench as it comes in waves.

It stretches on-

And on-

And on.

You end up gasping the cool, fragrant air together, riding out the last of the storm. And then he rests for a minute, almost all his weight on you. You try to relax even though you can hardly breathe, stroking his hair.

When he lifts up and pulls out, you moan. It aches, but worse than that, you feel empty again. He replaces your panties over your pussy. Then he shakily wraps a tanned arm around your waist and levers the both of you upright with his free arm.

He cups the back of your head and pulls you into his still-heaving chest. You wrap your arms around his waist and nuzzle his flushed, slick skin. You breathe together until your sweat chills, and then he helps you off his car, catching you when your legs almost give out.

You both dress again in peaceful silence, laughing as you try to retrieve his shirt from a bramble bush. By the time you’re dressed, it’s hard to make out his features in the darkness.

You almost ride back into town with him in his car. But he raises his eyebrows incredulously and leads you to your truck, where he opens the door for you and smacks your ass as you get in.

“Follow me back?” he asks.

The smiling warmth in his deep voice almost makes you tackle him. After dinner, you promise yourself.

“Right behind you,” you say.

You see his teeth gleam in the shadows, and then the two of you close the truck door so slowly, it doesn’t latch, and you have to snort and do it again.  

[jasontoddiefor]

Title: I measure every Grief I meet

Summary: Batman arrives in time and Jason spends hours buried beneath his father’s corpse, crying and begging and bleeding before Alfred finally manages to contact someone to come bring them home. Ethiopia is a constant in most universes, but who dies isn’t written in stone.

AN: Y’all remember when I said I had big angst coming? This is it. Have fun!

There were three truths to being Robin.

1.      You are the distraction. The hits they see coming but don’t expect to hurt. The bright light, the laughter and the joy.

2.      You are half of a whole. Batman and Robin are a team, which is why you shouldn’t fly on your own.

And most importantly:

3.      Batman will always catch you, no matter what.

Jason had held onto that last truth even when the Joker wouldn’t stop beating him and all he wanted to do was scream. His legs were on fire, the few steps he had taken had been worse than any beating he had endured before. Jason knew that once the adrenaline wore off, he wouldn’t be able to move them at all. All Jason wanted to was scream, or better yet, take the fucking crowbar and hit the Joker right back with it until he was lying on the floor, blood slowly collecting under his head-

But Jason couldn’t. He had to endure, had to save his energy until Bruce would come and get him.

He’d make it.

Jason knew he’d arrive.

Bruce always did.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jason saw the Joker returning from the back of the warehouse. He tried to keep his breathing even like he hadn’t started struggling to push air in and out of his lungs hours ago. He wanted to shut his eyes, spare himself the sight of a future filled with broken bones, a blood-drenched uniform and pus covered lacerations. But Jason had to stay awake, stay aware. The moment he lost consciousness of what was done to him, he’d lose whatever advantage he still had.

Even if the said advantage was only knowing what weapon the Joker had taken to his bruised body. Instead of the anticipated object of torture, the Joker returned holding onto a coat. Instead of stopping beside Jason, he walked towards the entrance of the warehouse.

“Okay, kiddo, I gotta go,” the Joker began to speak. Jason noticed how rough and low his voice sounded. He’d never heard it so deep. Usually, it was as high-pitched and disorientating as nails on a blackboard, screeching birds, a violin played by a beginner.

“It’s been fun, alright. Well, maybe a smidge more fun for me than you.”

The Joker shrugged as if he were talking about daily trivialities. “I’m just guessing since you’re being awfully quiet.”

He watched Jason just a moment longer, his eyes too sharp, too calculating. There was madness in these green pits of poison, but it wasn’t the kind found before the jump into insanity. This was afterward, calculated unhingedness betting on sudden terrifying inspirations for an even more gruesome plan.

“Anyway! Be a good boy, finish your homework and be in bed by nine. And hey! Please tell the big man I said hello.”

The Joker finished putting on his coat. The jarring of the door mashed with the Joker’s laughter, the sound still echoing in the silence that followed.

Jason allowed himself two short breaths, then he rolled backwards to get on his feet. His… everything protested vividly with pinpricks against him moving. He managed two wonky steps forwards before crashing to the ground again. His body begged for rest, but the door was right there. Jason just had to keep moving forward.

He’d get out of this.

He would go home and apologize to Alfred for running away without another word. Ask Babs to teach him that cool kick she did on their last joined patrol. Call Dick and tell him he’d like to just hang out sometime and try out this whole siblings package that came with being Bruce Wayne’s son.

Jason would go back home and hug his Dad and promise to never ever take on such a dumb and dangerous risk headfirst again. He’d honor the ‘you’re worth more than the mission,’ whispered at his bedside when Bruce thought Jason was asleep.

Hot tears ran over Jason’s cheeks. He lifted his right arm and pushed himself forward. Then he moved his left arm, bare skin scraping over the dirty floor of the warehouse. One arm after another, Jason slowly crawled towards his freedom.

It’s a trap, his ever vigilante sub-consciousness whispered. It sounded like a starved child begging for food on the streets. The Joker’s right behind that. He’s waiting for you. He’ll grab your ankles and drag you back inside again and laugh and laugh and laugh.

He didn’t slow down.

Jason was choking on his own spit and blood, but he didn’t dare stop even for a second longer than necessary. The way over to the door took ages so that he could hardly believe it when he actually made it. Reenergized, Jason jogged the door handle, but it didn’t move.

The door didn’t open.

Hysteria bubbled up in his mind, emerging from his throat as barely contained whimpers. He just wanted out, he wanted to go home.

Sobbing, Jason leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

Everything would be alright. He was still here, but the Joker wasn’t. Bruce would find him in no time. He was Batman. They were a team. They didn’t- shouldn’t leave each other behind.

And if not for that fucking ticking noise, Jason would be able to focus on that as well, instead of crying like a child. The noise kept distracting him, reminding him painfully of every second passing away while Jason had to wait for rescue. Like the world’s most annoying countdown, the ticking continued.

Jason opened his eyes and turned his head so fast that he became nauseous.

A small black box covered in tape and wires was lying innocently on the wooden boxes to Jason’s left.

Tick. Tock.

A Bomb.

There wasn’t even a minute left until it would blow up. It would set the sky ablaze, burn everything in reach to ashes and Jason-

20.

Jason was right in the middle of it.

17.

He’d die.

15.

Bruce would be too late and he’d die.

13.

The door to Jason’s right crashed open. A shadow, tall, dark, imposing and so familiar.

“Jay, son-“

“Bomb!” Jason screamed and Bruce didn’t even bother to search for it. He pulled Jason close and began to run. The warehouse and the bomb to their back. Jason’s head was resting in the crook of Bruce’s neck.

He exhaled.

Fire torched the earth.

X

Jason’s ears were ringing. 

Everything was silent, yet the screaming in his head wouldn’t stop. It assaulted his mind like the crescendo of an untuned violin. Small fires crawled over the remains of the warehouse to his right. The flames must be cracking, whispering of destruction, but all Jason heard was the terrifying emptiness of a high-pitched whirring.

Jason coughed and tried to push air into his lungs, but all that seemed to slip in was ashes. The air smelled of burned flesh and the weight on his chest made it impossible to move. 

“B?” Jason rasped.

He needed Bruce to get off. They had to start going; staying close to explosion sites was dangerous, especially in their condition. Bruce would have to carry Jason. He knew he wouldn’t be able to take another step on his own. Bruce had shielded him with his body, but the shock from the fall to the harsh ground hadn’t improved Jason’s wounds either.

“Batman?” Jason tried again. “We need to move.”

Jason could barely make out his own words. He knew he was moving his mouth and his tongue, so he must be making words. Why wasn’t Bruce reacting? “Batman!”

Silence still. Terror seized control of Jason’s voice.

“Bruce, please, wake up.”

He didn’t know what to do. Jason could count the times Bruce hadn’t been able to act on one hand, and then he had been mind-controlled, or sick. Not like this. Unmoving. The smell of burned flesh. As still as the dead-

Jason’s heartbeat accelerated, he thought his heart was about to claw itself out of his ribcage.

“Dad,” he said. “Dad, please. Wake up. I need you to wake up, don’t leave me here alone. Please don’t leave me. I’m sorry, please. I promise. Wake up. Wake up, wake up. Dad, please, wake up-”

X

Jason woke up in a hospital. The smell of antiseptics stung in his nose and his throbbing head made it difficult to open his eyes.

The world was silent.

Jason had been to plenty hospitals since he had been adopted. Bruce supported many hospitals, if not all of Gotham’s clinics, and took to visiting regularly. Jason had tagged along whenever he’d felt like it. Most of the time, he would sneak away to the children’s wing and done cartwheels for the youngest – or snuck in sweets and snacks that were better than the gross cafeteria food.

In all his visits, though, even on the intensive care station, the hospital had never been this silent.

Jason forced himself to open his eyes, and to his relief, his sight wasn’t immediately assaulted by bright white light. His room was as dark as night in Gotham with plenty of shadows that looked just vaguely human enough to scare you. The curtains were drawn and the only source of light was the TV in the corner, running the news from what he could tell.

Vicky Vale stood in front of a building Jason recognized as the Wayne Enterprises' main office. More people surrounded the plaza around it, bringing flowers, candles and balloons.

Jason must be in Gotham again. When had that happened? He’d been in Ethiopia with Bruce just before-

A sharp pain exploded in Jason’s head and he instinctively raised his hands to massage his head, an action his ribs immediately protested against.

Bruce.

He had to go check on him. Surely he was close. He was always there when Jason felt unwell. Jason had woken up so often at night with Bruce asleep at his bedside. He was probably just down the hallway.

Jason pushed the blanket off his bandage covered legs and tentatively sat his feet on the ground. He didn’t have any crutches, but the IV stand would do as well. He braced himself for pain when he shifted his weight to his feet, but thankfully only a dull numbness greeted him. Given his injuries, Jason knew standing shouldn’t be so easy. They must have given him the good stuff.

Jason gritted his teeth and took his first step. He hated painkillers.

Soon enough, Jason opened the door and reached the busy hall of the hospital. People were chatting away, running around, moving.

Jason couldn’t hear a thing, nothing but a very low rumble he wasn’t sure he was just imagining.

One of the nurses spotted him and began talking, but Jason still couldn’t make out any sounds.

“Where’s my Dad?” He said, or perhaps he shouted instead. In his panic, it might have been either or both, Jason couldn’t tell.

The nurse kept talking, moving towards him, so Jason took a step back. “Where is he!?”

There was a hand on his shoulder and Jason, all injuries be damned to hell and back, was ready to flip whoever was playing this fucked up prank on him. His hand was already at the other’s wrists, and if he hadn’t turned around in the last second, he would have followed through with it too.

“Alfred.”

Seeing Alfred amidst the chaos washed all tension off Jason’s shoulder.

“Alfred, what’s going? Where’s Bruce- Alfie?”

Alfred looked so tired, exhausted beyond his years. He had always been an unmoving constant in Jason’s world. The closest they’d get to immortality without Ra’s al Ghul he had joked with Bruce. For the first time since Jason had seen Alfred, there was nothing graceful about the butler’s age. He looked exhausted in the same way Bruce did when the two of them had to bury another child after a long night.

Alfred’s mouth moved and words must be coming out.

“I can’t hear you,” Jason said, desperation clinging to him. “Why can’t I hear you?”

Alfred was silent.

X

They went back into Jason’s room and soon after a doctor came to them. She was holding a tablet and typed out what she was saying, painstakingly slowly in Jason’s opinion. He’d been here for two days already apparently and went through a lot of surgery. They’d take him down to another station to get his ears checked out now.

“Where’s Bruce?”

Jason made sure to speak slowly, pronounce every syllable correctly without Crime Alley’s drawls. Maybe they all just couldn’t understand him properly. He felt as if he had asked this question a thousand times already. He just wanted to see his dad.

Alfred’s face was ashen and he put an arm around Jason’s shoulder.

Jason didn’t get it.

And then, when he read Alfred’s message on the tablet, he thought he had forgotten how to read as well.

Master Bruce had already passed by the time you were brought to the hospital.

Jason’s shoulders trembled and he began to laugh. High-pitched, he assumed, but he couldn’t tell because he couldn’t hear and couldn’t read too apparently because his dad wasn’t dead.

Batman couldn’t die.

X

It was Superman who had found them, supposedly.

Jason didn’t recall anything but his own pitiful begging until his tears had exhausted him and he had let himself be welcomed by the merciful emptiness.

They’d been kidnapped by the Joker.

[Lie: Jason had gone to the warehouse by himself.]

They had managed to escape.

[Truth: They had been outside.]

They had been caught by the blast.

[Truth: The heat hadn’t touched Jason but it had melted the Batsuit to Bruce’s skin, scorched his skin black.]

Superman had come across them by chance.

[Lie: Alfred had taken an hour until he had been able to connect to a League member. And then another thirty minutes until Clark Kent could get to them.]

Jason had been unconscious when they had been found.

[Truth: He had spent 83 minutes and 47 seconds buried in-between rubble and his father’s corpse, breathing in ashes and blood. He’d been awake for almost all of it, choking on his tears and his words.]

Jason was lucky. He was alive.

[Lie: He woke up with nightmares, words on his tongue he couldn’t speak. It said “Sensorineural Hearing Loss” on the white paper sheet the doctor had handed Alfred, but all Jason really saw punishment befitting the crime. He hadn’t listened. Now he wouldn’t ever hear again.]

Bruce Wayne was dead.

[Truth: Gotham was mourning, pouring flowers and light all over the streets for its favorite son. They didn’t even know yet that Batman was gone too.

And so was Robin.]

X

When Dick stepped onto the Watchtower, he was capital P Pissed. The Titans weren’t the League’s children’s club they could order around like they wanted. Dick knew the League respected them, but this first generation of heroes only ever acknowledged their boundaries when it benefited them. This was why Dick had left Gotham in the end.

Bruce could be proud of him as much as he wanted, but as long as he still expected Dick to come each time he called and follow every other like a perfect little soldier, there was nothing left in Gotham for Dick.

He had practiced his speech on the entire way back. He’d give Bruce a piece of his mind, maybe force the League to stick to some kind of regulations.

The words were stuck in his throat the moment he saw Superman.

No matter what, Clark Kent was always a rock you could lean on. He carried so much weight on his shoulders and rarely let anyone see his weaknesses. Bruce had called his behavior foolish and necessary at the same time.

Dick was vaguely aware that if there was anyone Clark confided in, it had to be Bruce. The thought that Clark must have terrible days too had never really occurred to Dick.

Clark looked grim, and so did the rest of the League.

Founders meetings didn’t happen very often since the heroes were already busy enough. Yet there all of them were, with the notable exception of Batman.

“What happened?” Dick asked.

It was Wonder Woman who spoke up first. “Two weeks ago, Robin and Batman confronted the Joker in Ethiopia. The Joker managed to escape and has so far escaped the League’s grasp. Robin has been severely injured, but is recovering steadily.”

Dread filled Dick’s thoughts. “And Batman?”

Diana stood up and walked over to Dick, taking his hands into hers as she had always done when he was young, walking around the Watchtower while Bruce was in surgery.

“Batman passed away on the 27th of April. We tried to reach you faster. His funeral is today.”

X

There were paparazzi everywhere. They were screaming his name, trying to get his attention, and Dick tried to block them all out. Kori squeezed his hand and helped him move forward. His side was still hurting from the battle he’d been in hours ago. All of it felt so surreal and fake.

Dick had seen Bruce injured plenty of time, but he had never expected those injuries to mean anything besides a little more physical therapy and another disapproving look from Alfred.

Dick knew death - it was a part of their lives.

He didn’t expect it to ever haunt him personally again. Not like this.

(He had healed before hadn’t he? Those wounds had closed, yet here they were again: wide open.)

They had reserved the first rows for family and friends. If Alfred looked bad, Jason looked downright horrible. He was sitting in a wheelchair, makeup partially hiding bruises and scars. He hadn’t bothered to cover up the bags under his eyes. Babs and the Commissioner were at the front, as well as Oliver. Dick could spot Selina in the crowd and various other Justice League members in civilian uniform. From the Kane family, only Kate had shown up, wearing a suit. Her hair was as bright as Dick remembered it from the last time he had seen her.

His relationship with Kate had always been strange. She wasn’t that much older than him, but Bruce had always treated her differently. She was his cousin and Dick was his-

Dick bit on his lips. He wanted to look at anything else. Everything but the closed casket in front of him.

He failed.

He needed to check the autopsy files later, see what had actually happened. The League’s report hadn’t even scratched the surface.

The music began to play and everybody stood up.

Dick would go to the Batcave and search for an explanation. Something about this didn’t add up in his mind and he would figure it out.

X

Jason didn’t know what the hell all the people were talking about. He didn’t even know why so many people were at the funeral. The family’s circle of friends hadn’t been all that big. Most of these people were only here for their own benefit. After all, they hadn’t been there when Bruce had-

When he-

They hadn’t been there.

Never mind Dick who looked like he was paying about as much attention to it all as Jason. Jason had excuses at least. He couldn’t hear what was going on, wouldn’t for a while longer until his ears healed the little bit they might still, and he’d get hearing aids. Jason had already cried plenty for his father. Screamed and raged too, threw books against the wall and hoped he would grow satisfied by seeing everything crash and burn.

He’d only felt horrible afterward, cried because he had damaged the Anne of Green Gables book Bruce’s mother had bought decades ago and Bruce had entrusted to him.

This funeral was useless. Jason had never been to a funeral, he only knew where his mother, where Catherine Todd, was buried thanks to Bruce researching it. Jason hadn’t been involved in her funeral. He had been searching through trash cans, looking for food.

He should have stayed in Crime Alley.

He ruined everything he touched.

X

The Cave welcomed Dick home. The familiar moving shadows embraced him, eyes watched his back and the low whirring of the Bat-Computer powering up echoed in his ears. Kori had gone back to the Titans after the funeral, they needed her more than Dick did at the moment. He would have gone with her too if he’d gotten access to the Cave immediately. But Alfred had decided to be difficult about it all. He had pretty much outright forbidden Dick from going down to the Cave. It was only after Alfred had gone out with Jason a week later to get the kid his hearing aids that Dick could finally sneak it.

Because of course he had to hack the system to get access. Damn Alfred’s paranoia.

Dick had spent many hours in the Cave, but he’d never really been alone for long. To know that he really was the only person here was strange, to say the least.

Quickly, Dick headed for the Batcomputer and opened the archive. He searched for the files that set up this whole Ethiopia mess. If there was one thing Dick had to be thankful for considering his vigilante upbringing, it was the many hours Bruce had spent with him, teaching him how to organize exactly. Bruce was a neat freak, and his own files were all categorized per date, case, duration, participants, crime and so on. Dick used a similar if slightly simplified filing system and had more or less forced his teammates to adapt to it.

Dick grinned triumphantly when he found the beginning of this particular case. He’d have to cross-reference it with the undercover cases later on to figure out what Bruce needed to disappear for.

Dick knew he and Bruce weren’t exactly on speaking terms right now, but he’d thought that for instances such as faking the death of your civilian persona, he’d have gotten a note, a call, anything.

Emotionally stunted as Bruce was, he wouldn’t just disappear on Dick like that.

He’d promised Dick.

The more Dick read, the more confused he became. Where was the hidden plot?

Groaning, Dick pushed himself away from the Batcomputer and marched over to the cabinet with the paper files. It was impossible to hack the computer unless you were Barbara Gordon, but Bruce still kept some of the critical data on paper so that you needed access to the Cave to read those files, and the Cave could withstand WW3. If there was anything more profound to it all, then surely the secret had to be hidden in-between these documents.

Dick carefully combed through the different cases, forced himself to read on where Bruce’s elegant handwriting turned into short chicken-scratches. More often than he expected, Dick had to stop and go to the mats, burn away the images of torn-apart bodies, thin children with no clothes, and horror stories of Gotham’s dirty streets. Dick had known that Gotham could be this cruel, but Bruce had never let him see these cases.

At the very end of the pile, Dick had to admit that there was nothing on these blood-stained pages that explained Bruce’s actions.

Frustrated, Dick went back to the computer to check the recordings. He still hadn’t gone through all the audio files because he usually didn’t have the patience to sit down and listen for a longer duration. And most of the time, the audios were pretty useless as well.

Dick dropped back into the massive chair in front of the computer. It was big and comfortable, he’d fallen asleep in it when he was younger and waiting up for Bruce to return home. He’d always woken up in his bed the next morning.

Dick opened up the file and it began to play.

“Bomb!”

Static.

“Jay, Jay, you’re okay-“

And the rain started pouring.

X

The manor was loud when Alfred and Jason returned. After the two weeks of mostly total silence, every sound had Jason jumping at his own shadows. His hearing aids worked as well as they could, though Jason still had troubles with certain sounds. Alfred had suggested visiting Lucius in the next days, have him take a look at them.

Jason thought he was comfortable hiding away in his room for the foreseeable future, but before he could voice such thoughts, Alfred was ushering Jason into the kitchen.

It had been a quiet, peaceful May day outside. Sunshine warmth and bird songs.

Alfred wanted to make him a hot chocolate either way and Jason was sure it was more for Alfred’s sake than Jason’s own. He wondered if drinking the hot beverage in silence was their thing. Instead of talking, they hid away in the kitchen, drowning their sorrows in sweetness as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.

The kitchen was already occupied when they entered.

“Master Dick,” Alfred said, his tone almost wary.

Jason didn’t know what for. Dick had stayed away from everyone in the past weeks. Or he had stayed away from Jason at least, and in such a big and empty house, Jason was pretty much everyone. If Dick wanted to join them for dinner now, it wasn’t Jason’s place to protest.

(Though there were several things on Jason’s mind he wanted to scream at him.)

“I’ll be making hot chocolate for Master Jason and I, and I prepared lasagna for dinner. Will you be joining us?”

Dick's eyes were blue.

Barbara had made jokes about it. It had been Jason’s first time meeting Batgirl and he’d tried to impress her with a rather amateur flip. She’d smiled at him regardless.

“Gosh, B!” She had said. “Are you sure you’re not cloning yourself to get such a talented little Robins?”

Dick’s eyes weren’t blue anymore. They were stormy gray, tidal waves and hurricanes, rage, and anger.

“You’re the reason Bruce is dead,” Dick said.

His face was impassive, but his look made Jason freeze up on the spot.

“Master Dick-“

“He wouldn’t be dead, if not for you,” Dick continued, now rising to his full height.

Jason used to wonder how people could be intimidated by the ever-smiling, joyful and perfect Dick Grayson.

He didn’t anymore.

“I-“

“You got my Dad killed!” Dick shouted and lunged forward, his hands at Jason’s collar.

Not even Alfred’s shocked protests could drown out the sounds of explosions in Jason’s head because Dick was right. Jason had been stupid and reckless and only he was to blame that the two of them were orphans once more.

“I know,” he said when he finally found his voice again. Dick was still caught up in his righteous fury. “It’s my fault. I know. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to- I didn’t- I’m-“

Dick let go of him and stormed out of the room.

Alfred stayed with Jason, put his hands on his back and let him cry into his neck, all while whispering sweet but useless reassurances into Jason’s ears.

He knew he was to blame.

(He wished it would have been him too.)

X

When Dick could finally feel again, he was halfway across Gotham in his Nightwing suit.

Bruce was dead.

He was dead, dead, dead deaddeaddead-

He had promised. Bruce had promised that he’d never leave Dick. He wouldn’t die, he wouldn’t make Dick bury another parent. Oh god, he had buried his father, Bruce’s burned body had been in that coffin, Dick had just stood there and watched as they killed his father a second time because he hadn’t known-

“Breathe, Dick. Look at me. Dick, can you hear me?”

Dick wanted to throw out another cheap line about hearing. He wasn’t the Robin who had lost his hearing. He’d only lost his father, his wings, the one person who’d always catch him, be it when he was falling from chandeliers or buildings. Even when they had been separated by different cities, Dick had been aware of Bruce’s shadow lingering somewhere nearby.

“Dick, son, are you alright?”

“No,” Dick replied. “I’m not okay, Uncle Clark.”

Dick held onto Superman’s cape. Clark’s heartbeat was a slow and steady one, grounding.

“I know. It’s alright.”

“It’s not. He’s really gone, isn’t he? Bruce is dead. And I wasn’t fast enough. I shouldn’t have left him or Gotham. I could have stopped this. If I’d been-“

“Here? Faster?”

Dick slowly let go of Clark. He wanted to rub his eyes, wash away the tear stains, but he couldn’t. Years of being told to never take off his mask had stuck.

“It wasn’t your fault, Dick,” Clark said. “You couldn’t have known. You weren’t even on-planet. Don’t blame yourself.”

No, Dick couldn’t have known. But he should have. He and Bruce had been partners, even if Dick had left to stretch his wings and Bruce had brought Jason in – he’d still been Dick’s partner. If not for Jason, Bruce wouldn’t have gotten into this situation in the first place, but Dick couldn’t change the premise. That too was a lesson Bruce had taught him early on.

You cannot change the situation, only the players.

So who had been there, or rather, who hadn’t?

Alfred must have suffered terribly at the other end of the comm. Line. Listening to his son’s last words trying to organize a rescue-

Dick tensed.

“Look, if there’s anything you need-“

 “You said you were listening,” Dick interrupted softly. He had screamed his throat sore just hours ago in the Cave. “You promised, Clark. You said you always had an ear on my father’s heartbeat and you didn’t.”

What was the Justice League even for if they weren’t there for each other? A whole world to protect and they couldn’t even keep one of their own safe.

“Dick-“

Dick turned around and stared into the black void of Crime Alley beneath him. He couldn’t look into Clark’s face anymore. See his worry and pity and guilt. He should have just been faster instead.

“Go away, Superman. Your kind isn’t welcome in Gotham.”

Dick jumped.

And for the first time in years, he was wondering how he’d reach the ground.

X

Jason fucking hated his hearing aids. He hated a lot of things recently starting with his pain medication, the press and the fact that Gotham still seemed to be holding her breath even though it was all over already. Bruce was dead, and so was Batman.

He didn’t know what everyone was waiting for anymore.

Jason dragged himself out of his bed and room for lunch. Alfred insisted that they ate together, what for Jason didn’t know. He wouldn’t be able to sit in the same room and cook a meal for his son’s murderer.

(Because that was what he ought to call himself.)

Dick hadn’t returned to the manor in the past weeks or, if he had, Jason hadn’t seen him. The past had proven once already that he wasn’t the most observant person or a good judge of character.

Jason sighed when he reached the top of the staircase. He hated walking them up and down every day, but he wouldn’t tell Alfred about it. Jason was causing enough trouble as it was.

Once he reached the bottom, he sat down for another few minutes to catch his breath. He’d lowered his medication dosage and was paying for it now. He just wanted to get off them as soon as possible. He hated taking the little white pills, they brought up too many ugly memories.

Jason continued on to the kitchen. They didn’t eat in the dining room anymore, Jason didn’t know why.

Maybe the table was just too big for them.

When Jason stepped into the kitchen, the smell of burned flesh assaulted him. He couldn’t even make it to the sink. He just toppled over and threw up right on the kitchen tiles. He heaved until his stomach was empty and only fluids crawled up his throat. Alfred’s hands were on Jason’s back, but they weren’t enough.

“Everything will be alright, lad. Breathe with me, Jason.”

But he couldn’t.

He just kept on hoping for air when he was drowning in the deep waters.

X

Alfred tried to make Jason go see a therapist.

Jason thought it was stupid and promptly voiced it. He hadn’t meant to start shouting, but by the time he had realized what he’d done, it was already too late.

Alfred didn’t bring it up again, but he gave Jason access to the Cave again.

Jason hadn’t been in there since before Ethiopia and he only got as far as the first case holding the Batman suit.

(He didn’t throw up again, but it was a close call.)

He had hurried back upstairs, nearly running past Bruce’s bedroom. He hadn’t meant to stop and stare, but he couldn’t help himself. Slowly Jason opened the door. He knew the door usually screeched every time you moved it. Bruce hadn’t wanted to oil the hinges because it alerted him whenever someone opened the door. Jason had thought the explanation was bullshit, but Bruce had been awake every time Jason had crawled into his bed at night.

The sheets smelled like they always did.

Jason woke up screaming.

X

Maybe hiding away in Barbara’s Clocktower was cowardly, but Dick didn’t know what else to do. He couldn’t return to the manor, despite Alfred’s many unanswered calls and voice messages. Barbara hadn’t said anything against him staying with her either, yet. She had handed him a pillow and a blanket, pointed him into the direction of the sofa and that was it. While she worked, Dick did coffee runs, cooked, cleaned or spent hours staring at the ceiling like it could tell him what is next step should be.

And every night, without fail, Dick put on his suit and headed outside, chasing crime out of Gotham’s streets and venting his frustrations.

He knew he shouldn’t go out when he was so full of rage, but he didn’t know how to stop.

(Bruce used to be the one who decided that they should have a movie night every time Dick was too angry for patrol. He hadn’t noticed it as a kid, but now Dick knew what his father had been doing and he missed those times.)

“Are you staying?” Barbara asked one morning when he returned.

Dick was still wearing his suit, his hair was shiny because of how much he had been sweating.

“What?”

Barbara didn’t look away from her many screens. She was calculating something, observing Arkham on another screen, Blackgate on another, and the listening device was recording a conversation and sending it straight to her server.

“Are you staying in Gotham or returning to Blüdhaven? I need to know so I can script patrol routes accordingly.”

The question caught Dick off-guard. “I don’t know.”

“Then make up your mind.”

Dick threw his hands up in the air. “Can’t I get just five minutes to think about it?”

His tone must have been harsher than he had intended. When Barbara turned around, she looked downright murderous. Her auburn hair appeared to be on fire with the light of the screens behind her. Dick had never believed that her injury would interfere with her capability to be an absolute terror. Still, he had never expected to be at the receiving end of her righteous fury.

“You’ve had more than five minutes already, Dick. You’ve had hours, days, weeks. I need to know now so I can start setting up an actual working system for Gotham!”

“What gave you the right-“

“What gave me the right!?” She interrupted him. “I’m Oracle. Bruce left his city to me. I’m supposed to know it all and right now I’m the only reason Gotham hasn’t been devoured by gang wars already, but I don’t know how long I can keep this up when working with uncertainties. Tell me now if you’re staying or leaving so that I can do my work.”

She was breathing heavily and her eyes, though her glasses hid it well, were red-rimmed. When he thought of it, Dick had never seen Barbara sleep in the past weeks.

“I-“ He glanced at her screens. There was a robbery going on in City Hall. “I need to go.”

Dick fled.

X

Nightwing caught the robbers still in the act. He quickly knocked them out and put them into cuffs. The police would arrive in the next fifteen minutes, Dick was sure. The night was as clean as it could be in Gotham, and with summer underway, Dick didn’t need to feel bad for leaving the robbers right there on the ground.

Dick had perhaps apprehended the robbers in a much harsher way than he could have, but he was just so angry. He wanted something to hurt. Others, his hands, his heart – he didn’t care as long as he was feeling anything that wasn’t the dark pit clawing itself open with razor-sharp nails.

Dick moved further south, as far away from the Clocktower, the manor, the Cave, the Grave as he could. He hadn’t patrolled in Gotham in such a long time, every change caught him off-guard. Not all of them were massive, but Dick expected a house where there was none or empty space where there now rested a small playground. When Dick reached the docks, he was almost thankful that the old warehouses were still standing. Some of them had been torn down to make space for newer ones, but the oldest was still standing. Dick had fond memories of falling asleep its rusty roof while the sun rose and Bruce was sitting next to him.

He had always woken up in his bed again, except for the times Bruce also hadn’t made it up to Dick’s room again and had just let Dick fall asleep next to Bruce.

Gotham’s sunrises were beautiful. The polluted air made the colors all that more vibrant. Almost neon. The prettiest there were.

Nobody would carry him back to his room.

His father was dead and Dick hadn’t had the chance to apologize to Bruce and come home again.

He should have never left Gotham.

X

When Dick fucking finally showed his face again, he looked just as angry and grim as the last time Jason had seen him. There was a different edge to it though, the same kind of exhaustion Jason had been able to trace in Bruce’s face after bad nights.

Jason had taken to working on his homework in the Cave. Up in the manor, he couldn’t concentrate. Everything looked so normal like nothing had changed, like Jason hadn’t brought everything down crashing.

In the Cave, surrounded by the familiar smell of sweat, machinery and leather, Jason could breathe and focus. He caught up on schoolwork he’d missed, vowed to excel at it for the praise he’d never hear again. Dick suddenly showing up there wasn’t part of the plan.

Alfred hadn’t allowed Jason to drop the speech therapy. Jason frankly speaking didn’t see the point of it. He already knew the basics of ASL and with the adjustments Lucius had made to his hearing aids, Jason was alright. The world wasn’t silent anymore, even if it wasn’t as loud and clear as it used to be, but Jason could make up for it. He’d managed on the streets with broken bones, bruised ribs and scraped knees.

He didn’t understand how meeting with some lady with eyes filled with pity was supposed to improve anything – or what the point of going to that equally stupid children’s group was. He didn’t fucking want to interact with any of them and he most definitely didn’t want to be stuck there for two hours every Saturday. He could be using his time more productively, studying, researching, tracking that fucking clown down since the Justice League was apparently too god damn incompetent.

Jason didn’t need any help.

He wasn’t just born with a mistake, he was the fucking mistake. It would be better for everyone if they stopped trying to fix it and just left him alone.

X

Dick didn’t know what the hell Jason was doing in the Cave. He had no right to be there, but since Alfred was apparently letting him in there, Dick couldn’t kick him out either. And the brat was stubborn. He glared at Dick every time he entered the Cave, but Dick’s presence obviously wasn’t enough to make him leave or speak up.

The kid was just always there, observing, judging.

It was worse than Barbara’s anger when Dick had returned to her to apologize – after a week of sleeping in Bruce’s safe houses. She had been right. Dick needed to step up and act to protect what he had abandoned. During the night, he refamiliarized himself with Gotham. He needed to know every corner, every territory, every gang and very loose brick if he wanted to do as he once did: fight and bleed for this city.

Batman’s absence had shifted Gotham’s carefully crafted balance into disorder. The Rogues were careful still, but soon enough Batman would have been gone too long for them to still care about repercussions. They would just lash out and injure whoever their closest target was.

None of this would have happened if Dick hadn’t left. He needed to fix it, try to stitch up the bleeding wound of Bruce’s absence. He could do it. He had to.

Bruce used to believe in him.

Dick hoped that despite his own flaws, his father had never stopped.

It wasn’t easy to pull up the schematics of the batsuit, but it got more bearable with every word Dick read. Bruce had made a lot of changes since Dick had been Robin, continually improving his armor. A lot of it wouldn’t work for Dick, his fighting style was too different, but he too could adjust. He owed it to Bruce.

The cape had to be shorter, the armor lighter.

Time to get to work.

X

Jason hadn’t known what Dick was doing in the Cave, not until Dick had asked Alfred for help. The butler wasn’t pleased with whatever Dick was attempting – probably something stupid – but he was still helping him, if reluctantly. It reminded Jason of the times he and Bruce had snuck away from galas to go on patrol.

“Do you think it will hold up?” Dick asked Alfred. Jason watched them out of the corner of his eyes, tried to make it seem like he wasn’t paying attention to what they were saying. They were a little out of his reach, it sucked that he couldn’t hear them. He should look into tweaking his hearing aids, giving himself a broader range, he thought as he subtly moved closer to the conversation.

“It should,” Alfred replied. “Though, I’m not sure you’ll be able to fool Gordon.”

Dick snorted. “There’s no fooling him. He knows exactly who we are. He just lies because he’s a cop and all cops lie. He’s just one of those who knows what the line should be.”

And then Dick picked something up from the table. Long and dark fabric fell to the ground, the bat-symbol reflected the light it caught.

It was a batsuit. A new one.

“No.”

Jason didn’t notice he had said it out loud until Alfred and Dick both turned to him. Jason stood up from his chair and walked over to Alfred and Dick. Dick might have the advantage of years of training, but he hadn’t been forced to steal for his survival. Jason snatched the uniform right out of his hands.

“Hey!”

“You don’t deserve this,” Jason hissed. “You have no right to walk in here and put on his mark again!”

With every word Jason said, his voice grew louder, stronger, more resolute.

Dick’s storm returned full force and he stood up straighter. “Now, you, listen to me-“

“No! Fuck you!” Jason didn’t back down, not this time. He knew he was a screw-up, but Richard John Look At Me I Can’t Do No Fucking Wrong Grayson didn’t get to pretend he wasn’t. “You walked out of this and you don’t get to come back. The only person who can allow that is dead and you don’t fucking get to wear his uniform. You’re not Batman! You can’t be!”

“And you can!?” Dick shouted back.

His wrath was impressive, but Jason wouldn’t let him take this away from him. He would fight and bleed and suffer if that meant that Dick wouldn’t ever touch a uniform.

“You don’t belong in Gotham, traitor!”

 “And you don’t belong in the manor!”

“Master Jason! Master Dick!”

Right now, Jason couldn’t care less about what Alfred had to say. He had vowed to protect Gotham and all the treasures left behind. He didn’t care about what happened to him, but nobody would tarnish Batman’s legacy with cowardice and weakness. Not as long as he was still standing.

“Fuck you, Grayson! Bruce chose me!”

Maybe he wouldn’t have if he knew what it would lead to. Or perhaps he would because Bruce had sat at Jason’s bedside, read for him, made him breakfast, didn’t get mad when Jason accidentally broke expensive vases or put stickers on the ancient wooden floors.

“He was my dad too and he wanted me. He was mine and you don’t get to take him away.”

Then, before Dick could think of a reply, Jason quickly ran off towards the stairs, the suit still in hand. He’d throw it in the trash, ruin it and ensure nobody could ever wear it.

Jason didn’t even manage step one of his plan. As soon as he was out of the Cave, he blindly ran upstairs, planning to cut his path to the kitchen short, but unfortunately, Jason still wasn’t healed completely, and not as fast as he knew he could be.

Dick caught up to him and gripped his shoulder when Jason was going at full speed. Jason fell backward, tumbling right into Dick’s chest.

“What the hell, Dickface!?” Jason shouted, he clutched the uniform as tight as he could, but Dick was stronger. He jacked it out of Jason’s hands like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Now you listen,” Dick said.

Jason looked up, ready to stare straight at a tidal wave of fury, persist and tear it down, but Dick’s face was blank. No anger, nothing.

“You don’t know anything about Bruce and me.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jason challenged. “I know plenty-“

“You know nothing,” Dick replied, his voice tethering on the edge of dangerous. “And here’s the deal: You don’t say anything about it and I don’t make sure you never step on Gotham’s rooftops again.”

Jason stared at Dick in disbelief. How was this supposed to even be a threat? Dick couldn’t stop Jason from doing jack, no matter how hard he might try.

“I’m sorry, Grayson, did the truth hurt your feelings?”

Dick looked like he was reaching the end of his patience. Good. Jason wanted him to lose it, to prove he was just as much of a mess as the rest of them.

“Shut. Up. Jason. Just shut the fuck up. Bruce would be ashamed to hear you speak like that.”

Jason snarled and stepped forward to push Dick, but the older man avoided Jason by leaning to the right, evading him easily.

“Well, he isn’t here anymore! So who cares!?”

Dick moved away from Jason, mustering him again with that cold expression Jason couldn’t place.

“Gotham,” Dick then said and walked back into the direction the two of them had come from.

X

Bruce chose me!

Dick pulled the uniform close to his chest, inhaled and expected a scent he never entirely could forget. Sometimes he’d walk through Blüdhaven, catch it and get thrown right back into one of his fondest childhood memories. When he had been younger, he hadn’t understood how much work having a protégé must have been for Bruce. He had to make his files and the cases he allowed Robin to investigate childhood friendly, train him enough so that he wouldn’t have to worry every time Robin left his line of sight.

He was my dad too.

Of course, Bruce being Bruce, he would worry nevertheless, that was just in his nature. He wasn’t the poster child of articulating his feelings or thoughts very well, but Dick had never questioned that Bruce cared about him. He had proof of that buried beneath all the gruesome Ethiopia files he had hidden so deep down in the archive that nobody but him and Barbara would ever find it.

He wanted me.

Bruce would make Dick run laps until his legs gave out for how he’d been acting in the past weeks. Jason was fifteen for god’s sake and what had Dick done? Screamed in his face that it was Jason’s fault Bruce was dead when really, nobody but the Joker was to blame.

Dick didn’t have to like Jason, he didn’t know if he ever could, but he could start treating him like the victim instead of the offender. He was a child lashing out at everything and everyone he could get his hands on, Dick had to be patient.

Putting on the uniform for the first time was a strange feeling. When Dick looked in the mirror, he thought he was seeing someone else. His brain caught up only slowly, measuring the height of the vigilante in the mirror against what he knew Batman’s actual height was. The cape was too short, the waist too narrow and the chin not angular enough.

He was mine.

Dick looked like a child playing dress-up. It would have to be enough. (He would make sure of it.)

X

“The Signal has been lit again and for the first time in months-“

Switch.

“-Calendar Man escaped last week-“

Switch.

“I thought I wasn’t seeing correctly, but there he was-“

Switch.

“Batman-“

Switch.

“-Batman.”

Switch.

“-Batman-“

Switch.

“-Robin?”

Jason stopped flipping through the channels, which were all reporting the same thing. Batman had finally returned and caught the villain of the week. The people were celebrating, but Jason didn’t know what for. It had taken Dick much longer than it would have Bruce to capture Calendar Man. One person had died still. Batman hadn’t made his great comeback, he was lying six feet underground and maggots were eating away his skin. Dick was a terrible replacement and Barbara was the only reason he was functioning at all. Without Oracle’s help, the first scuffle he had gotten involved in, would have ended deadly.

“And still we wonder: What happened to Batman? And where is Robin? The Joker, too, hasn’t resurfaced yet and his madness looms like a threat over Gotham’s skyline. Many speculate-“

The TV cut off.

Jason looked to his right where he found Alfred holding the remote.

“You shouldn’t watch such rubbish, Master Jason,” Alfred said.

“Why? It’s not like they’re saying anything wrong. As soon as that clown comes out of his hideyhole, Dick is done for. He’s barely holding it together as he is.”

Jason pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them. Where is Robin? The question echoed in his head. He was curled up on a comfortable sofa and the heavy blanket resting on his shoulders kept him warm. His wounds had healed, all of them, and he was almost back in shape. His legs still hurt more than they ought to when he didn’t land a role or a jump a hundred percent correctly, but that was to be expected. Bruce wouldn’t let him out on the streets yet, maybe in a week or two.

But he couldn’t.

Robin had caused all of this, he didn’t know how to fly anymore.

“Master Dick is trying his best,” Alfred said.

He took off his gloves and put them on the table in front of them. Then he sat down next to Jason and put one arm around Jason’s shoulders.

“His burden isn’t yours to carry and neither of you should feel like you have any weight on your shoulders at all. You are not to blame for the action of others.”

Jason bit on his lip until he could taste blood on his tongue. “But I am. I did this. I ruined it. I got him killed-“

His eyes burned. He had cried so often in the past weeks, when was it finally enough? He hated it, he wanted it to stop, but nothing he ever did went according to plan.

“You did not. You were trying to do an admirable task and save another person. Bruce wouldn’t want you to keep hurting yourself like this. He definitely wouldn’t blame you, either.”

Jason buried his head in Alfred’s chest as if that could stop the tears from flowing. They burned hot on his cheeks and his shoulders trembled as he tried to choke down the sobs.

“It will get better, Jason,” Alfred murmured. He held Jason close, both his arms acting as a shield, protecting Jason from the outside world. “It will get better.”

Jason wanted to believe it.

X

Blüdhaven was a terrible city to protect. Everybody was corrupt and Dick could count the people he could trust on one hand with a couple fingers still left over. However, Blüdhaven was also a lot smaller than Gotham. It wasn’t called Gotham’s little sister just because it inherited its gangs, it was also only roughly a third of its size.

Gotham was a lot more work than Blüdhaven. When Dick had started going out as Nightwing, the high amount of hours and sleepless nights that went into acting on your own had caught him slightly off guard. The first weeks hadn’t just sucked, they had been the worst.

Dick felt a lot like he was eighteen again, standing in front of a wall so high he wasn’t sure he could climb to the top. Dick wasn’t even working by himself, he had Oracle and her Birds of Prey. Catwoman too had taken up a much more active role, keeping check of East End. Her relationship with Bruce had always been a little strange, and it hadn’t gotten any clearer now that Dick was an adult and could understand parts of it. However, Selina Kyle had always been absolutely clear on the fact that she was no vigilante and certainly no hero.

Her more recent actions sung a different song, but Dick wasn’t going to ask her about it. He was grateful for all the help he got.

Batman’s mantle was a heavy weight, one Dick wasn’t sure wouldn’t suffocate him one day. He’d need to slow down a little, or the stress would catch up to him. His body was already a stunning blue and green pattern- there was no need to add any red to it because he couldn’t catch enough sleep.

Alfred wouldn’t be able to handle it and he already had his hands full with Jason.

Dick hadn’t seen him in the Cave lately, though he knew the teenager still sneaked in to look at the computer. Jason did a good job of covering his tracks, but Dick had been in this business longer than Jason. It had been almost twelve years now.

It felt like an eternity and a half.

Dick dropped in Bruce’s chair. (No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of the big chair as his own. Dick had hang on it when he was a child, climbing all over Bruce while he was trying not to spill any hot tea on Dick. It was always going to be Bruce’s throne to Dick.)

“Alright,” he muttered. “What does today’s schedule have for us?”

Barbara forwarded him any info she gathered. Some of it was already marked down as taken care of, but other cases were filled with more gaps and holes than Swiss cheese.

“Arms dealer, drug trafficking, …” The list went on and on and Dick had no idea where to start. It seemed like the moment he took down one operation, another was there to take its place.

Dick didn’t like the silence of the Cave, never had. Back in Blüdhaven, Dick would play musing while he was solving cases and before that, when he had been Robin, he had always been talking with Bruce – or at Bruce. His grunts and hums might not have been the greatest replies, but they had been enough for Dick. He missed them. The silence ate everything up.

Until it didn’t.

“Dick!”

Dick wasn’t prepared for Barbara’s face to suddenly show up on the computer screen. Her eyes were wide with shock, fear. Her breathing was uneven and shallow, signs of a panic attack.

“Barbara, what’s going on-“

“The Joker. He’s back. One of my camera’s picked him up. It’s him, I know it, Dick. It’s him, he’s back.”

Dick could feel all the blood drain from his face. For a moment, he was frozen. All the years of training him out of the habit seemed to disappear.

(“Fight or flight, chum. Choose either, but never freeze. There’s no shame in running away.”)

The cold determination took over.

“We’ll get him,” Dick said. ‘I will end him,’ he thought.

He suited up.

X

Jason carefully monitored Dick’s progress. He still sucked, but the fact that he needed Jason’s help was becoming painfully obvious. Jason had thought about abandoning Dick, but then he might as well burn Bruce’s grave to the ground.

Dick was trying to keep Gotham standing when Jason couldn’t. He had to help him or people would get hurt and die. Gotham needed Batman and if Dick was the only viable candidate, then Jason would ensure he wouldn’t come back to the Cave with more bullets than blood in his body. Jason left notes on the Batcomputer, correcting Dick’s records and adding background information Dick couldn’t have because he hadn’t been there when it happened.

There was no way he’d know the Irish and the Russians hated each other because of some Romeo-and-Julietesque drama that had gone down a year ago. So Jason put it in Dick’s rainbow color-coded files and highlighted it thrice.

Jason didn’t own Dick anything, least of all an apology.

He had been right with everything he said.

But they needed to set terms or Gotham would go to hell.

Jason walked down the steps to the Cave deliberately slowly, going through his speech word for word. Yes, he had written an actual speech and learned it by heart. He didn’t want Dick to catch him off guard when Jason struggled to find the words. Alfred was currently out running some errands, so it was the best time to confront Dick.

Jason knew it hurt Alfred to see the two fighting. The butler had enough worries already and Jason didn’t want to add to them.

When Jason reached the bottom of the stairs, he stood still for a moment. Analyze the situation first, figure out where Dick was and what kind of mood he was in.

But Dick was nowhere to be found. Jason frowned and tried to recall whether Dick should be anywhere else, maybe with his Team?

No, he had resigned from the Titans or something. He had had a massive fight with his teammates about his decision to stay in Gotham, not that Jason was supposed to be aware of that.

“Grayson?” Jason shouted. “Are you here?”

Nobody replied and Jason was starting to get worried. “Hey, Dick, come on. This isn’t funny. We need to talk.”

Jason walked further into the Cave, but he still couldn’t spot Dick anywhere.

“Where did you-“

Jason’s words were stuck in his throat as Jason glanced at the Batcomputer screen.

He was back.

He was back, he was back, he was back.

Jason belched, but nothing came out. Hellfire burned the earth around him, there was a heavy weight on his chest and the Joker was laughing and laughing-

Dick.

He must have gotten the Joker alert and ran after him on his own, without Jason, without back-up.

The Joker was no fool, he would know that Dick wasn’t Batman. He’d barely take a look at him and he would make Dick pay for it.

Jason couldn’t let that happen.

He scrambled over to the changing room, that horrible sound chasing him. Jason hadn’t worn Robin’s colors in months. He wouldn’t fit the uniform anymore. Somewhere in-between his panic, he recalled that the spares, Dick’s old Robin suits, were still kept in at the very back behind Jason’s.

Bruce had never said why he had kept them. They were old, Dick wouldn’t use them again and Jason’s had all been upgraded. They would have to be enough today.

Jason fastened his utility belt and headed for his bike.

He couldn’t waste a minute.

Thirteen seconds left.

Jason drove out of the Batcave faster than he ever had.

He needed to find the clown and end him.

X

The Joker usually hauled up in the Amusement Mile. Even when he was locked up in Arkham, people didn’t dare to go there in fear of stepping into the Joker’s traps.

Dick would likely head there first.

The Joker wouldn’t be there. It would be stupid to head to his main base immediately. They knew Joker had more hideouts, but they had never been able to track down all of them. He would restock first and then-

Where would he go?

Somewhere he can plan, somewhere familiar.

The Joker had known that Bruce had been on his way to Jason and he knew that whoever was wearing Batman’s mantle now, it wasn’t the real Batman. What was the likely conclusion if Robin and Batman hadn’t been seen since Ethiopia?

Death.

Joker would be pissed, he’d be furious. His Batman was gone and now a new one had taken the scene. One who didn’t share any history with him yet. He’d want to change that, recreate what had existed once.

Jason cursed. He knew where the Joker was headed. He thought about calling Dick or Barbara, notifying anyone, but-

He could end this.

Jason could ensure nobody would ever get hurt by the Joker again.

He drove on.

X

Dick was one setback away from indulging completely in his panic. The Joker wasn’t in his usual hideout, nor anywhere near it, and Barbara had lost track of him. The Joker could be everywhere, planning to blow up more than just one warehouse this time, and they didn’t have a single lead.

 “Dick,” Alfred’s voice rang over the comm. “Is Jason with you?”

He sounded out of breath like he had run a marathon. Dick’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

“No, why should he?”

Please, Dick thought. Not now, not this.

“He’s not at home and his bike is missing, I fear he’s decided to follow you.”

Dick’s mouth dried. No. No, no, no, no!

“O, can you track him?” Dick asked. “Jason’s bike has a tracker, right?” Dick’s bike used to have a tracker so he wouldn’t be able to sneak away. Of course, he had figured out how to disable it, but if Jason was even half as terrified as Dick right now, maybe he wouldn’t have thought of it.

“I’ve got him,” Barbara replied. “He’s- it’s parked in front of Ace Chemicals. I’m rerouting the police there. Hurry.”

Dick didn’t need to be told twice.

X

The Ace Chemicals plant was dark. They were currently right in the middle of rebuilding the whole area and roughly half of it was already done. They had started with the newest parts, fixing them up and enlarging them. A lot of their production had been shipped overseas, and if a few adjustments here and there were enough, they could simply tear down the old buildings and warehouses.

Jason didn’t even waste a second to consider where exactly the Joker would go, it was obvious. He had no interest in the new building, it held no memories for him. No, he would head to the old part. Maybe he had sneaked in, just like Jason, through the damaged fence and entered the old building through the backdoor.

The lack of security cameras was a bit confusing, but not too unusual. Enough dark deals were made in the shadows of big corporations. The less supervision there was in general, the more plausible deniability did the heads of such companies have. Jason was mindful of any security still, but he encountered not even one guard on his way through the building. Everything smelled like chlorine and disinfectant. It reminded Jason of the hospital and he hated it. He tugged at his cape and held it over his nose in the hope it would lessen the sharp scent at least a bit.

It didn’t.

The warehouse was cloaked in darkness. The only light source was the moonlight shining through the dirty windows. Jason’s patience was running out.

“I know you’re here,” he hissed. “Stop hiding, you coward.”

Jason walked into the middle of the warehouse, his back exposed. He was open to any attacks, but he was sure that the benefits outweighed the risks.

At first, nothing changed, but then a shadow moved and by the time Jason could see the trademark violet suit, he also heard the Joker’s footsteps and clapping.

“Oh, look! The itty-bitty birdy found me! Where did you leave your new Bat?”

Jason had been right. The Joker did know that it wasn’t the same man under the mask. He took out two Batarangs, one for each hand.

The Joker leaned forward as if to examine them closer. “Those again? I thought we had already established they’re not useful, especially if I step a little on those fingers and toes.”

Jason was accustomed to the fire burning inside him. It flared up, tainted his vision red and urged him to move forward through all walls and bodies.

He couldn’t feel its warmth.

Instead, ice spread through his limbs, its cold burning like the flame, if not even more damaging.

“That reminds me!” The Joker said. “Do you think we should have another session? Our first one didn’t end as planned.”

And suddenly, the Joker was upon him. Jason stumbled back, but he couldn’t catch his balance in time and dropped to the floor. The Joker grabbed Jason’s shoulders and when he tried to lift his head, the Joker smashed it to the ground.

“You! Ruined! My! Game!” The Joker shouted in Jason’s face. “You useless little birds always do! The Bat is mine and you keep hogging his attention. Life would be so much better with you gone.”

The Joker sighed theatrically and leaned back. “I imagined how sweet it would be. Just me and Batman forever and ever without you little pests interfering.”

The Joker’s nails dug into Jason’s arms so harshly that he must be drawing blood. Jason whimpered. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go, he’d had a plan, a goal. He couldn’t let the Joker ruin it or him or anything else ever again.

“But you! You had to get in-between us! I figured Batsy’s gonna be sad for a while, but then he came back all wrong. So I have to make him right, I’ll fix us. You won’t make me mad again, will you, Robin? I had fun the last time, but I think I might be angry today. People don’t like me being angry, it hurts them.”

The Joker’s green eyes gleamed and he began to grin. “Or maybe that’s why you came back? No daddy at home to punish teeny-tiny Robin for getting him killed?”

Jason could taste blood on his tongue. He hated the Joker. That was the reason for the cold, he was the reason. Jason had been angry at others before, but nobody but Willis had managed to make Jason so furious he lost all control, but the Joker?

This was hatred.

Jason screamed and with all the strength he could measure up, he pushed himself off the ground, toppling the Joker over. Now their roles were reversed. The Joker was lying on the ground, helpless like prey and Jason was holding the weapon.

He would kill him.

Jason would kill the bastard and make him pay for every crime he had ever committed.

“You-“

A loud crash interrupted Jason. The right wall of the warehouse just smashed open when a familiar black car drove through it.

Dick jumped out of the driver’s seat.

“Robin!” He shouted, then his eyes zoomed in on the Joker lying beneath him.

“Hello, big bird,” the Joker sing-songed. “Nice upgrade you got there, but it’s not all done. I was going to help you but then this little bird interrupted.”

Jason used his right hand to push the Joker’s head forcefully to the ground.

“Robin,” Dick repeated, this time softer. “Let go of him.”

“No.” Jason hissed. “I can’t.”

“You can,” Dick said and took one step forward, then another. “You don’t want to do this.”

“I don’t want to do this? He ruined everything!”

Why didn’t Dick understand? If they got rid of the Joker, everything would change. No more torture, no more nightmares, no more pain.

Jason was going to fix everything. “He has to die.”

 “B wouldn’t want you to do this,” Dick said. He held his hands up as if to show that he wasn’t going to forcefully take the decision out of Jason’s hand.

It almost made Jason want to laugh. Bruce had shown him a couple maneuvers he could do easily while

“No more death,” Jason said. “No more destruction. The world is better off without him!”

Beneath him, the Joker laughed maniacally, his face twisted into the ugly impression of a smile.

“Shut up!” Jason shouted, but the Joker wouldn’t calm. He only became more and more hysteric and Jason just wanted it all to end!

“I said, shut up!”

“Ja- Robin,” Dick tried again. “Please. You don’t-“

“I’m right,” Jason said. “I’m right. He should die and I’ll make him stop.”

Dick fell silent. The Joker’s laughter surrounded them both. If Jason wasn’t here, Dick wouldn’t know whether he’d be able to knock the Joker out and put handcuffs on him. Hell, if Dick were in Jason’s position, he didn’t know if he could do it. He wanted the Joker gone as well. Preferably slow and painful, so he’d suffer like Bruce had.

But-

“B wouldn’t want it,” Dick repeated. “I want him gone as much as you do, but Batman and Robin don’t kill.”

Gotham would fall apart as soon as they shed blood like that.

“I know it hurts and he should suffer, but you shouldn’t have to pay the price. Dad loved you and he wanted you to be safe. This is the opposite of that. You don’t have to agree, you don’t even have to think my way is the right one, but you know he’d hate himself for being the reason you’d have to spill blood.”

Jason’s hands were still holding onto the Batarang. If Jason really wanted to kill the Joker, Dick wouldn’t be fast enough to drop it.

“He deserves it,” Jason whispered. “He killed our Dad and he deserves it.”

Jason dropped the Batarang. His arms went slack at his side and Dick used the opportunity to move in. He pulled Jason away from the Joker as fast and gentle as he could. He draped his cape around Jason’s shoulders and kneeled down next to the Joker. Dick jammed a syringe with sedatives in the Joker’s neck and cuffed his hands together.

Maybe the dosage was a little higher than usual.

Not enough to make sure he wouldn’t wake up again, but to ensure he’d drop immediately and his insane laughter would die.

“Oracle, police?” Dick asked. He was moving on autopilot, directing Jason away from the body.

“Outside, my father’s there.”

Good.

“Let’s go back home,” Dick said softly. At his side, Jason only nodded.

Dick carefully maneuvered Jason out of the warehouse and towards the Batmobile. When they arrived back home, Alfred was already waiting for them. He pulled both of them into a bone-crushing hug.

“My boys,” Alfred said. “Don’t ever do something like this again. I’m not sure my heart could take it.”

Dick put his arms around his grandfather, squishing Jason in the middle. All of them were here and all of them were alive.

They had made it.

Dick was home.

X

“There is something I want to show you,” Dick said. “I- I didn’t want you to know before and, fuck. I’m sorry. This wouldn’t have-“

Dick was struggling to find the right words. Would it have changed anything, he wondered, if he had given Jason this beforehand?

Jason wasn’t moving from his spot on Bruce’s chair, still wrapped in Dick’s cape. He was just staring into space, tear tracks still visible. Alfred had wanted them to go upstairs immediately and not step in the Cave for the next ten years, but Jason needed to listen to this.

Dick sighed. Now or never.

He opened the Ethiopia file and purposefully didn’t look at Jason. Then he hit play.

X

“Jay-“Bruce's voice played and Jason breathed a sob. “Jay, you’re okay. It’s alright. Don’t cry. Sssh, I love you. You and Dick. I love you, I-“ He coughed. It was a wet and ugly sound. “I love you, I love...”

The recording cut off.

Jason hit replay.

Again.

And again.

And again and again and again and just once more. He just had to be sure that he wasn’t mishearing Bruce’s words, that he was committing them to his memories until he could quote this terrifying declaration.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

Just once more.

Rewind.

X

Jason was sitting in the circle with the rest of the deaf kids. He knew their names, some of their hobbies and roughly how much of their hearing was impaired. He had never bothered to pay any attention beyond that or involve himself in any way. More than once, he had brought a book to these sessions and had refused to look up from it.

He thought of all the puns about deafness Dick had made on the way to Jason’s appointment. Not all of them had been good or fun – two have them had fucking hurt, but Dick had apologized and it was okay.

Getting better.

Something like that, at least.

‘Is there anything you’d like to share today, Jason?’ The therapist asked like she did every Saturday.

She wore one of her awfully colorful dresses and smiled softly, hopeful. Jason didn’t get how she could do that for weeks without growing resentful. If Jason didn't absolutely shut down, he avoided eye-contact and replied with a quick ‘no’ and, if he was feeling especially crude, told her to ‘fuck off’ in the most vulgar way possible.

‘Yes,’ Jason signed for the first time. ‘I’ll be spending the evening with…’ He dropped his hands in his lap, took a breath, then picked the sentence up again. ‘I’ll be spending the evening with my older brother. I don’t know what we’ll do yet, but I hope it will be fun.’

Poison Ivy had escaped Arkham yesterday. The last few times she had escaped, she hadn’t done any significant damage and Jason still had a biology test to study for. Sometimes, Ivy was down to answer his questions when they were driving her back to Arkham. It would be pretty great if tonight was one of those nights.

X

“So,” Jason said. “I’m thinking.”

The buzzing in his ears annoyed the hell out of him, but he couldn’t get it to stop. He'd have to wait until they were back home.

“Oh, dangerous,” Dick shouted from where he was lying beneath the Batmobile, trying to figure out what Ivy had done to stop their car.

Jason rolled his eyes and wrung out his cape once more. Everything was cold and wet and sticky. Ivy had been seriously pissed by the plans for a new factory at the edge of town. So much for getting her to tutor him.

“I think I should exchange my mask for something that covers my ears as well because my aids were not made for being thrown in Gotham River.”

Dick moved out from beneath the Batmobile, looking at Jason in a slight panic. Even though the mask covered his head, it was fairly easy for Jason to tell what he was thinking.

“They didn’t get damaged, did they?” Dick asked, signing while he was it.

Honestly, Lucius had made them. If getting dropped in the water once was going to fry them completely, Jason wouldn’t trust any of the equipment they were using.

“They’ll survive the night,” Jason said. Even if everything sounded a little bit like static. ‘And don’t speak and sign, your signs are shit.’

‘Sorry.’

“Anyway, I was thinking I should get a helmet…” Jason trailed off. Something or someone was moving on the roof of the building in front of them.

“Robin?” Dick called.

“Be right back,” Jason replied and angled his grapple so that it would pull him onto the roof. He shot it and whoever was on the roof was already running backward. Oh, hell no!

Jason landed smoothly on the roof and after a short sprint, he caught the person, who turned out to be much shorter than Jason expected.

Kid-sized, really.

“Hello,” the kid squeaked nervously. He couldn’t be older than twelve or so, Jason thought. “Nice to meet you?”

“What are you doing here?” Jason asked. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“Eh…” The kid glanced at the camera he was holding. “Maybe?”

Jason raised a brow, pretty unimpressed with the kid so far. Though, he couldn’t just let the kid go and ignore that he had caught a maybe twelve-year-old with a camera on a rooftop. At least it wasn’t a video camera, so no possibly incriminating videos spoiling Batman and Robin’s identities for the world.

“Gimme that,” Jason said, already pulling the camera out of the kid's hands.

“I don’t show them anybody!” The kid insisted when Jason turned the camera on and looked at the most recent photos.

As expected, the last one was of the two down in the alley, but the ones before that were close-ups of the dynamic duo fighting Ivy. Ivy had destroyed an entire – fortunately abandoned – building in her rage. To get pictures of that…

“Who are you?” Jason asked. He didn’t make it his habit to intimidate kids, but if they got involved in such dangerous situations, he needed to know why. “Who is paying you for this?”

“Nobody!” The kid said. “I just do this for. Uhm. Fun. My name is Tim. I’m your neighbor.”

The words registered in Jason’s mind about the same time as they did in the kid’s as Tim slapped his hands over his mouth and paled.

Later, when Jason would be ranting about Dick’s overreaction at Bruce’s grave, he’d maybe admit that he could have dealt with Timothy Jackson Drake differently and that knocking a twelve-year-old out shouldn’t ever be anyone’s first instinct, but right now?

Right now, Jason already had the knock out gas in hand and was only vaguely aware of Dick having reached the rooftop.

[gryffindorcls]

My Thoughts Exactly:  Part 1

Hello, lovely readers!

This was written for an AU swap on Discord. I decided to take a little bit of a different take on the traditional soulmate AU. It's not love at first sight, but these two definitely have a budding romance blossoming between them.

(Let's just say that there is A LOT of fluff coming in the next chapter.)

---

Next ----> (Coming Soon)

AO3

FanFiction

Marinette climbed onto her balcony and did her best to focus on the task at hand. Her arms were jelly and her stomach was in knots.

I’m no superhero, her mind screamed, I’m just a normal girl.

Tikki had told her so many things, but everything was a jumble. All she knew was that somehow she had to defeat Stoneheart and make Paris safe again.

As crashes continued to sound in the distance, she took a deep calming breath and grabbed the yo-yo on her hip. “Okay, I have special powers, and apparently this amazing super yo-yo thingy?”

She tossed the yo-yo onto a building, pulled the wire, and went flying into the air. While she did her best to land gracefully, she quickly found herself in a tangled nest with what appeared to be a boy with…

Are those cat ears? She thought as she arched her back in an attempt to move away from the person caught in her snare.

“Nice of you to drop in!” The boy laughed. “And to answer your question, yes, they are! I think they look rather claw-some!”

“Excuse me?”

“You asked me about my ears.”

“Oh my gosh, did I say that out loud?” The feeling of his chest against her own created a buzzing sensation throughout her body. “I’m messing up everything today, aren’t I?”

She sighed. Ugh, I’m such a failure!

“No, you’re not!” His voice was bright and cheerful. “I’m still learning the ropes, too, and if you also got chosen for this, something tells me that you’re not a failure.”

The boy’s eyes met hers and filled her with an unusual warmth. She’s kind of cute.

“Wait...did you just call me cute?”

Please tell me I didn’t actually say that. The voice speaking in her head definitely didn’t belong to her.

Marinette’s heart pounded against her chest. Does that mean he can hear me, too?

Oh my God, I can hear your thoughts.

How are you inside my head?

What is happening?

They both screamed.

An involuntary twitch of Marinette’s wrist retracted the wire holding them together, sending them careening towards the ground. She landed in a heap but was surprised to find that nothing had been broken. Her yo-yo thunked the boy on the head, causing him to recoil.

After taking a moment to rub his injury, he looked up at her with a panicked expression. “What the heck was that?”

She grabbed her pigtails and began to pace. “I-I have no idea! That’s never happened to me before.”

“Is mind reading your power?”

“No. Maybe? I don’t know. Tikki was talking so fast, I may have missed something.”

“Tikki?” He cocked his head to the side. “Who’s that?”

“She’s my Kwami. You have one of those, right?” Marinette was desperate for answers. “From the look on your face, I’m guessing yours didn’t say anything about this either.”

“Plagg? Uh, he told me how to transform and that I have special powers, but not much else. However, he did mention that I would have a partner, and I’m guessing that’s you. It’s nice to meet you. I’m...Chat Noir! Yeah, Chat Noir.”

His answer only left her with more questions. “Well, this is just great. We have no answers, and I have a partner who obviously has a better grasp at this whole superhero thing than I do. Did you come up with that name just now?”

“I did.” He looked proud. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“What’s your superhero name?

“It’s...I don’t know. This is all so much to take in, and I haven’t thought about it.” Her breathing quickened as her hand clenched around her yo-yo. “How can I be a superhero if I can’t even think of a name for myself? I’m not cut out for this. I should probably just go.”

“Hey, it’s okay! There’s no rush. It’s just a name, and I don’t want to do this without a partner. You don’t need a fancy name to be a hero.” The softness in his voice sent her reeling.

It should be illegal to be that adorable. Marinette caught herself before continuing the thought. No, now’s not the time. FOCUS.

She took a deep breath. “Think, Chat Noir! Are you sure your Kwami didn’t say anything else to you? He never mentioned telepathy?”

He scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “I, uh, may have transformed before I let him finish explaining everything. I got a little excited. Sorry.”

“Wonderful. Between my stunning lack of short-term memory and your fabulous listening skills, it sounds like we’ve got our work cut out for us today. This isn’t going to be a disaster at all.”

Well, at least he’s cute.

“My thoughts exactly.” He chuckled.

Panic rose in her throat. “Wait, can you still hear what I’m thinking?”

Please say no. Please say no!

He shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know. Can you hear my thoughts anymore?”

They fell into a tense silence. With bated breath, she waited for the second voice to appear in her mind.

If you can hear me, blink your eyes three times. She scanned his face for a reaction but was met only with his unwavering stare.

“Were you thinking something just now?” Her partner’s voice pierced through the quiet.

She nodded. “Yeah, I was, but you didn’t react to what I said. We’re you thinking something?”

“Yes, did you hear it?”

“No.” “Well, that’s a relief!” His hand landed on her shoulder, and he shot her a dazzling smile.

His touch felt like a million microscopic bursts of electricity on her skin.

Good thing I don’t have to worry about that anymore. The boy’s lips remained still as his voice echoed all around her.

I think you spoke too soon. She watched as his face turned white.

Your voice is in my head again.

And yours is in mine.

What do we do?

I don’t know.

While their voices eventually grew quiet, Marinette could still feel herself swimming in a sea of thoughts and feelings that were not her own. No longer consumed by the initial shock from before, she was able to feel the invisible connection between them. It crackled like static and pulsed to the beat of her heart.

As his consciousness continued to seep into hers, she wanted to fear the invasion of privacy but ultimately found herself being soothed by the presence of the boy she’d just met. Marinette didn’t want it to stop, and she could feel that he wanted to continue, as well. Overcome by her curiosity, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall deeper into his mind.

To her surprise, his mind was a safety net. Marinette found nothing but the purest intentions and an overabundance of kindness. He had a good heart, and while she knew almost nothing about him, she knew that she could trust him with her life.

Wanting more, she continued to explore. Even when the light inside him began to fade into darkness, she didn’t stop. Her desire to dig deeper and Chat’s willingness to share drove her to peel back every layer she encountered.

Without warning, Marinette came to a crashing halt when she was struck with a profound loneliness that punched the air from her lungs.

She was suffocating.

She was trapped.

She was in his world, and she hated it.

Unable to move, a sorrow that was not her own gripped her soul, causing her to cry out in pain. Chat pulled his hand away, and they both collapsed.

“I’m so sorry.” She clutched her chest and sobbed for the anguish that was buried deep inside her partner. “No one should have to feel that way.”

“It’s okay.” The gentleness behind his words surprised her.

“No, it’s not. What happened? Is someone doing that to you?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter now.” He held up his clawed hand and smirked. “This ring gave me a freedom I’ve never had before. My life changed today, and I plan on using this for good.”

His sincerity struck her heart. “Wow. I don’t know if I’d have the strength to still be kind if something happened to make me feel that way.”

A distant crash shook the ground, snapping her back into reality. Chat Noir shot her a desperate look as he nodded his head towards the commotion and waved his arms in the air.

“What are you doing?” Marinette crossed her arms. “You look like a bird. I thought you were supposed to be a cat.”

“We have to go save the day. Didn’t you hear me think that?” He threw his hands into the air before letting them fall to his sides.

“No, I guess it stopped again.”

“How is this supposed to be a useful power if we can’t control it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s something that takes practice?”

A second crash and a chorus of screams pierced the air.

“It’s getting closer. Come on. As much as I’d love to stay here with you, we’ll have to figure this out later. Let’s go save Paris!” He unsheathed his baton and vaulted across the rooftops.

“He’s right,” she mumbled to herself, winding up her yo-yo and tossing it into the air, “Trust yourself, Marinette. If he can do this, you can do this.”

With a tug of the string, she soared over buildings and landed on the stadium wall. However, her sudden burst of confidence evaporated as she watched her seemingly fearless partner take on the rock giant by himself.

Chat slammed his baton into Stoneheart and stood horrified when the monster doubled in size. “Where are you, partner?”

She covered her face and tried not to cry. “Oh, I can't. What was I thinking? I’m not him! I can’t do this!”

Stoneheart grabbed a soccer net and flung it towards the field’s entrance. Marinette watched the net arc across the field and nearly kill Alya before being stopped by Chat’s baton.

At least Chat was brave enough to save her. She tightened her grip around her yo-yo. I’m useless.

“What are you waiting for, super red bug?” Alya’s voice cut through her self-deprecation. “The world is watching you!”

“Please, I need you!” Chat’s cried out in obvious desperation. “I know you’re scared, but you can do this.”

He believes in me. Her mind sang. Come on, Marinette. You have to at least try!

Mentally steeling herself, she swung into the action and landed next to her partner. “Sorry it took so long, Chat Noir. I’m here now.”

The smile that spread across his face melted away the remaining fear that still clouded her thoughts. “I knew you’d come. I never doubted you for a second.”

“Thank you, Chat.” She sighed. “But if we’re being honest, the only reason I’m here is because of you.”

“That’s not true.” His smile evaporated, leaving a frown in its stead. “You need to stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?” The disappointment in his tone made her wither.

When I got a sneak peek into that head of yours, I saw what kind of person you are. Stop doubting yourself. You told me that you admired my strength, but you keep selling yourself short. You and I were both chosen for this. Just trust your instincts.”

“That’s what Tikki said to me.”

“It sounds like she knows what she’s talking about.” Using his baton, he pointed at Stoneheart. “Besides, I really need your help. Like you, I have no idea what I’m doing. Would you like to learn how to do this together?”

“But...what if I make a mistake?”

“Then we’ll figure it out.”

“Together?”

He nodded. “Yeah, together.”

“Okay.” Soaking in his words, she straightened her back and stared down the Akuma. “Let’s do this!”

Defeating Stoneheart proved to be a challenge. Chat used his power to early, and she discovered that her Lucky Charms were anything but straightforward. Nonetheless, they eventually found their footing, and somehow managed to break the Akumatized object.

As she watched the purple butterfly disappear into the sky, she finally felt herself relax.

“You were incredible, miss...uh...Bug Lady,” Chat exclaimed, “You did it!”

Marinette shook her head and laughed. “No, we both did it...partner.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He held out his fist. “Pound it?”

“Pound it.” She tapped his hand with her fist and was once again consumed by a wave of foreign emotions.

An unseen force crackled against their point of contact, pulling her deeper into the connection. Before she could react, a shrill beeping caused her to jump and yank her hand away, dissipating their bond.

A residual tingle danced on her knuckles. Confused, she rubbed her hand and looked at her partner.

Then, it hit her.

“TOUCH!” she screamed, “Our hands just touched. You touched me!”

He held his hands up in surrender. “S-sorry. If you don’t like it, we don’t have to do it again.”

“No! That’s not it at all!” She grabbed his arm, restarting their mental connection.

Whenever we touch, we can hear each other’s thoughts. She smiled at him.

A burst of giddiness coursed through him and into her. That’s amazing, and you figured it out. You’re so smart!

His ring beeped again.

Marinette took back her hand and sighed. “You have to go.”

“Why?” The sadness in his tone threatened to break her.

“Because that beeping means that you’re about to transform back. We’re not supposed to know each other’s identities.”

“How are we supposed to keep that a secret if we can read each other’s minds? The truth will come out at some point. I don’t think I can keep my identity hidden in the back of my mind forever.”

“You’re right.” She groaned and slumped. “But there are people here. Let’s meet tomorrow and talk about it. I’ll call you on your communicator.”

“Sounds good.” He picked up her hand and placed a feather-light kiss on her knuckles, filling her with the crackling warmth that she was starting to love. “Until we meet again.”

“I can’t wait.” She whispered to herself as he vaulted away from the stadium.

She spent the next few minutes comforting Ivan but ultimately found herself being bombarded with questions from her new classmate.

“Uncanny, amazing, spectacular!” Alya pointed her phone at Marinette and beamed. “Are you going to be protecting Paris from now on? How did you get your powers? Did you get stung by a radioactive Ladybug? Oh, I've got a ton of questions to ask you, uh, Miss…”

Marinette did her best to suppress her rising panic as she searched for the perfect name. You can do this. Just don’t overthink it. Chat called me Bug Lady. No, that won’t do. What about…

“Ladybug,” she said triumphantly, “Call me, Ladybug.”

[jadekitty777]

Fate’s Arrow: Chapter One

Today’s entry I actually started before Valentine’s Day, and it was supposed to be for the holiday. But I fell behind on my goal line - then FG week was announced with the exact theme I was using for the entry I decided I would repurpose it for the shipweek instead.

And I still didn’t finish this one.

So I’m cheating a little bit. Unfortunately, for as great as I have done for the week (and I won’t lie, I’m very impressed with myself) a month to do seven stories is VERY demanding for me. I’m just not fast enough nor do I have enough free time to make it happen without my quality dipping. And I want y’all to read a product I’m proud of.

SO, all this to say... that this is the first chapter of this tale. I will readdress it at a future time, but I hope you enjoy this one!

Day 4: Soulmates

Rating: K+

Pairing: Qrow/Clover

Word Count: 1.4k

Ao3 Link: Chapter One

Summary: It was said to be the work of Fate: A date etched one’s wrist, in the color of another's eyes, that foretold a destined meeting with one's soulmate.

Qrow took one look at his and decided the person with teal eyes he was meant to encounter on February 14th was more trouble than they were worth. [Modern Soulmate AU]

Qrow was pretty sure when he was born, Fate took one look at him, laughed hysterically, and then, like the conniving mistress She was, etched in the color of his other half’s irises what had to be the most ironic date in the world to find his soulmate:

February, 14th

That’s all he got. A day and an eye color. Nothing more, nothing less. Not even the year – for all he knew, he’d met his soulmate before he could even talk.

He thumbed at his wristband, where below the teal green ink was hidden. Then scoffed at himself when he realized what he was doing.

Soulmates, pah! What good was a soulmate, anyways? He’d seen what it had done to his best friend, how Tai had practically danced on Cloud 9 for five years only to lose Summer and trade in all that joy for Stage 5 depression instead. There was nothing romantic or fulfilling about that. It was just sad. And to think the same could happen to him?

Qrow was pretty sure he had enough problems to fill out the Dignostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders himself, thank you very much.

He reached across the bathroom sink, plucking out his contact lenses from their case and placing them in either eye. He blinked rapidly a few times to get used to the feeling, looking into the now blue orbs staring back at him.

He had no intention of being a pawn of Fate whom was already twittering away over destining them to meet on the so called “Day of Love”.

He set the case aside, gave himself one more appraising look, before heading out the door.

Besides, with his luck, even if he did find them, his soulmate wouldn’t even like him.

~

Tai was intent on giving him hell for it – just like every year before.

“I just don’t understand why you insist on making yourself unhappy.” He was saying as he slowed the car down for a stop light.

Qrow looked up from the emails he was riffling through (mostly junk about it being the ‘Last day to buy for his one and only!’), to frown towards the blond. “Hey, who says I’m unhappy?”

Tai rolled his own naturally blue eyes at him. “Oh, I don’t know, why don’t we ask Jack Daniels?”

He rolled his eyes right back. “Just because I knock back a few every now and again-”

“Every now and again? Qrow, for awhile, it was almost every night!”

“Yeah, and I got better. What more do you want from me?” He huffed. As the light turned green and they started moving again, he added, “What does this have to do with anything, anyways?”

“Because I don’t want to see you like that again man! It was, scary.” Tai brow had furrowed with stress, a crinkling at the edges of his eyes that made it look like he might cry.

Gods, Qrow hated it that expression. It made his gut twist in unpleasant ways.

So, he looked out the window instead. “And what, finding my soulmate will be the cure to my alcoholism?”

“No, but it would be something positive for you. Which you do need more of in your life.” He replied, taking a right onto Beacon Boulevard.

Leafless trees framed either side of the street. Last night’s snowfall was still heaped heavily into the knots of trunks and today’s sun caused the icicles clinging to the branches to shine brightly. They only had a few houses to go before they pulled up to the curb of their destination – a moderately sized two-story house that sheltered a rather unusual collective within its walls. Oz’s Home Away From Home was a group home for recently orphaned kids as well as teenagers who fell out of unfavorable foster home situations. The facility was meant to provide a safe space for kids to recover from or deal with trauma and grief rather than immediately allow the government social workers to chuck them into the system and forget about their pain.

Having been fosters themselves during a time when the organization was an even more unfavorable mess, Tai and Qrow had both been volunteering for nearly a decade now at Oz’s. They came by every other Saturday, working with the kids there to rehabilitate or counsel them. It was difficult, trying to instill hope into the children when Qrow knew they felt at their lowest. He’d been there right along with them once, and hoped that the man they could see now acted as an example that things did get better. That there was still a future out there for them.

Tai pulled the break and cut the engine, but that did nothing for his motormouth. “Look, all I’m saying is, are you really going to be satisfied letting the opportunity to meet your soulmate pass you by?”

He shrugged as he unbuckled his seatbelt.  “There’s plenty of people who don’t have a date on their wrist and they seem to make it through life just fine. I don’t see why I’d be any different.” He threw open the door, adding as he got out. “Just ‘cause I have one doesn’t mean I need them.”

“It’s not-”

He slammed the door closed before he had to hear anymore.

He enjoyed the blissful silence for all of two seconds, when Tai got out from the other side, “You bast-”

This time he was saved by the front door flying open. “Oscar-!” He heard Oz yelling from inside.

But it did nothing to pause the freckled-faced boy from running down the steps of the stoop, calling brightly, “Mr. Qroooow!”

Qrow grinned, swooping up the little five-year-old in his arms and lifting him high just like he liked. “Hey you lil’ rascal.”

He giggled holding his arms out. “I’m the crow now.”

“That you are.” He laughed. As he peered past the boy, he could see Ozpin making his way over.

It was easy to tell from his unusually rumpled appearance that it had probably been a hard morning for the caretaker. “Sorry, he got away from me.”

“No need to be sorry, I can’t think of a more wonderful greeting.” Tai said as he made his way around the car. He held out his hands, letting Qrow deposit Oscar into them.

“Mr. Long!” The boy immediately started fiddling with the fringed ends of Tai’s yellow scarf. “Did you bring gifts?”

The blond made a show of thinking really hard. “Hmmmm, I can’t recall. Maybe we need to check the trunk and see?”

“Need help carrying anything?”

The new voice was unexpected and had Qrow looking towards the door, eyebrows rising at the man coming down the steps. He remembered Ozpin mentioning a new volunteer would be joining them today – a friend of a friend, was what he had said. But he hadn’t mentioned more than that. Like, perhaps, the slightly more interesting fact that he was from the military.

From head to toe, the new fellow was decked out in the white uniform of a navy officer, even the circular, wire-frame sunglasses. The only thing he didn’t have was the low-brimmed cap. Probably didn’t want to contain that slightly ridiculous updo he had, which reminded Qrow of a crest of feathers certain birds had. Something glinted on his chest, catching his eye, and he tried to make out what it was.

“Any help would be appreciated!” Tai called from where he was trying to juggle Oscar and get the trunk open. The new guy hurried over to relinquish him of the boy which turned out to be a bit more difficult when he refused to let go of Tai’s scarf.

Oz joined in the effort, helping to untangle them, and once he had a good hold of Oscar, the soldier stepped back to stand beside Qrow instead.

It gave him a chance to get a better look at the medallion on the collar of his shirt. He snorted as he realized it was a brooch in the shape of a four-leaf clover. “Hey shamrock, I think you decorated for the wrong holiday.”

“Huh? Oh, you mean this?” He flicked one edge as he adjusted his grip on Oscar. “Nah this is just an old keepsake of mine.”

“Mr. Bee? Can I wear your glasses again?” The little boy asked, wide-eyed and hopeful.

“Sure kid.” He lowered his head so he could reach up and take them.

Qrow snorted again. “Bee?”

“Ebi, actually. Clover Ebi.” The other man corrected, looking up at him with a grin that was almost blinding.

But only almost – and almost just wasn’t enough.

As he stared into the other’s teal green eyes, Qrow swore the sudden rushing in his ears was the sound of Fate pouring Herself a glass of well-deserved wine.

Oh fuck.

[pxppydogtailz]

my boreo playlist

run boy run // woodkid

‘run boy run, this world is not made for you. run boy run, they're trying to catch you.’

pale blue eyes // the velvet underground

‘thought of you as my mountaintop. thought of you as my peak. thought of you as everything i've had, but couldn't keep.’

swimming pool // the front bottoms

‘there's comfort in the bottom of a swimming pool. i'm holding my breath for you’

amsterdam // nothing but thieves

‘so i hit my head up against the wall over and over and over and over again, and again. cause i don't wanna be like them’

something for your m.i.n.d. // superorganism

‘i think you know what i need to get by, something for your mind’

your love is my drug // kesha

‘i get so high when you're with me, but crash and crave you when you leave’

strawberries and cigarettes // troye sivan

‘blue eyes, black jeans, lighters and candy, i've been a fool. but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you’

someone you loved // lewis capaldi

‘I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug. i was getting kinda used to being someone you loved‘

daddy issues // the neighbourhood

‘i'd run away and hide with you. i love that you got daddy issues, and i do too’

i love you like an alcoholic // the taxpayers

‘some handsome dark stranger, you were standing there on the corner. you had those compelling magnetized eyes that you must have lost when you got older.’

thief // ansel elgort

‘taking love just to spill it on parchment. next page and i'm out again.’

all i think about is you // ansel elgort

‘once i was with you. no money, no issue we laughed even when we were down’

somebody else // the 1975

‘i hate to think about you with somebody else. our love has gone cold. you're intertwining your soul with somebody else’

boys don’t cry // the cure

‘i would tell you that i loved you if i thought that you would stay. but i know that it's no use and you've already gone away’

ribs // lorde

‘you're the only friend i need. sharing beds like little kids. laughing til our ribs get tough. but that will never be enough’

drugs or me // jimmy eat world

‘stay with me, you're the one i need. you make the hardest things seem easy’

romeo and juliet // hobo johnson

‘we’re just romeo and juliet, but getting drunk and eating percocets’

devil town // cavetown

‘hold my hand tight, we'll make it another night. i still get a little scared of something new. but i feel a little safer when I'm with you. falling doesn't feel so bad when i know you've fallen this way too’

nicotine // panic! at the disco

‘so i say damn your kiss and the awful things you do. you're worse than nicotine’

youth // troye sivan

‘my youth, my youth is yours. trippin on skies, sippin waterfalls’

your eyes // rent obc

‘how'd i let you slip away when i'm longing to hold you. now i'd die for one more day, cause there's something i should have told you.’

twin size mattress // the front bottoms

‘you stopped by my house the night you escaped. with tears in my eyes, i begged you to stay. you said, hey man, i love you, but no fucking way.’

fool // cavetown

‘i am just a fool to keep on chasing after nothing great. you are just a fool to keep pretending that you're loving me.’

two birds // regina spektor

‘two birds on a wire, one tries to fly away. and the other watches him close from that wire, he says he wants to as well. but he is a liar’

home alone // ansel elgort

‘and miss your smile, and miss your laugh. i miss the memories from our past. i don't wanna go home alone.’

to you // andy shauf

‘it's just that sometimes when I'm by your side it feels so right, it feels like nothing could go wrong. does it ever feel like that to you?’

affection // between friends

‘i'm laying on the floor we're drinking 'cause we're bored. boy, i'm looking for affection in all the wrong places. and we'll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces’

marijuana breath // adam jensen

‘so kiss me with your marijuana breath, i can be your cure for loneliness. a little something to help you forget’

i’m addicted to you // avicii

‘i'm addicted to you, hooked on your love like a powerful drug i can't get enough of’

hold on // chord overstreet

'you locked yourself in the bathroom, lying on the floor when i break through. i pull you in to feel your heartbeat. can you hear me screaming please don't leave me'

[unsurepotatohooman]

Two Birds

Fandom : Sander Sides

Characters : Deceit, Virgil, Remus, Patton

Pairings : Platonic Anxceit, Demus and past platonic, now toxic (?) Moceit

Summary : This fic revolves around how Virgil eventually leaves the "dark sides".

Warnings : Swearing :P

A/N : Wow this is my first fic that I am posting! I worked on this for two hours a few days ago after I finally started to crawl out of my writers block. The lyrics I am using is from a song called Two Birds by Regina Spektor. The plot used in this video is heavily inspired by an animatic by teardroppeddew on YouTube! Their animatic is W O N D E R F U L so please check it out!! Here is the link : https://youtu.be/8S6mWMgMqOo I hope you enjoy!!

Work :

Two birds on a wire

Anxiety and Deceit sat together in the dark sides commons. No one really came out in the open very much. The “dark sides”, so their title states, tended to spend time in the shadows; however, the anxious and deceitful sides had grown closer over the years.

One tries to fly away

“-and then we can use that to our advantage. We could finally be heard, Verge!”

And the other watches him close from that wire

The anxious trait sat atop the counter watching as Deceit paced back and forth in the living room, making sure to avoid the dead animal that was left behind by Remus. Deceit was gesturing as he spoke, he cape flapping with the motion. This is how they spent their time together, plotting.

He says he wants to as well

“That could work. We just need to keep Thomas safe.” Anxiety said with his head in his hand that was propped up on his knee.

But he is a liar

Little did they know that Virgil would be heard more than all of them.

I’ll believe it all

“Virgil, are you alright?”

“Dee, I-I don’t know what to do.”

Virgil shook as he spoke. Deceit swept him inside his room and shut the door.

“Tell me what happened.”

There’s nothing I won’t understand

“I’m one of the core sides now.”

I’ll believe it all

He wasn’t expecting that. Virgil clung to him as he sobbed.

“H-hey, calm down Verge. It’s okay.”

I won’t let go of your hand

“Virgil, look at me.”

Deceit guided the anxious traits eyes to meet his own.

“This is a good thing! You can keep Thomas safe and be heard. The rest of us can’t do that.”

“B-but I have to leave the subconscious.” Virgil sniffed.

Damn. There was always a but.

“I’ll still be here for you Verge, I promise. Just come back and visit us whenever.”

As he spoke, Deceit avoided the dread forming in the pit of his stomach. He focused instead on combing his fingers through the boy’s hair.

“Everything will be fine.”

He didn’t even know that the phrase that slipped between his teeth was a lie.

Two birds on a wire

Deceit sat with his head in his hands; his hat lay close beside him.

“Hello~ Dee!” Remus popped up as he made his way into the commons waving his morning star behind him.

Deceit didn’t even bother to look up at the creative facet.

“Still feeling low?” Remus asked.

“No.” The lie slipped through his teeth.

One says c’mon on and the other says “I’m tired”

“Come on! If Virgil the racoon can be heard why can’t I!?”

“Not now, Remus.” Deceit sighed. They had been having this conversation for weeks now. It always ended in the same argument.

“No! You keep putting this off! I can’t take it Dee!”

The sky is overcast and I’m sorry

“Remus enough!”

Remus froze at the shouting. Deceit turned to face him; his snake eye glowed a dangerous yellow color.

“I will let you know when Thomas is ready. We can’t do this now.”

One more or one less

“Fine! Keep me hidden away!”

“Remus-”

It was no use. The creative side sunk out behind the couch. Deceit walked over to it and peered behind the furniture; sometimes Remus tended to pull pranks and just lay on the floor after pretending to sink out. This however, was no joke.

Nobody’s worried

Deceit sunk out back to his room and tried to ignore the tears streaming down his face, the way his fist clenched by his sides or the way his chest squeezed painfully. The yellow glow faded from his eye.

“Everything’s fine.”

I’ll believe it all~

Virgil hadn’t visited in weeks and Remus had barely spoke to Deceit. Everything seemed to be darker in this side of the mindscape. They all kept to themselves far more and the tension was high.

Deceit sat on his bed while he petted his snake. The green and yellow scales that matched his own glimmered in the light from the stars of desire that floated about the room. Thoughts filtered through his mind; some were from Thomas and others were his own.

There’s nothing I won’t understand

A knock on the door snapped him back to reality. He lied the snake down on the mattress as it released a small his of displeasure. With a flick of his wrist the door was unlocked.

“You may not come in.”

The door opened to reveal Remus with a solemn expression over his face.

I’ll believe it all~

“Hello Remus.” Deceit said shortly, though his eyes swam with curiosity. “What do you desire?”

“Dee-” Remus croaked out. “I-I’m sorry.”

I won’t let go of your hand

The pair ended up on Deceit’s bed; Remus on top of Deceit. The creative side was holding on tightly to his shirt as he wailed about all the things that were going through his mind; horrible things. The deceitful facet normally kept Remus from reeling too far; though, their argument prevented him from doing so.

“I’ve got you Rem.” Deceit said softly as he stroked his hair.

“Please d-don’t leave again.”

Deceit slowly slid his hand into Remus’ and squeezed it gently.

“I won’t; promise.”

Two birds of a feather

Deceit was once again sitting in his room filtering through Thomas’ desires. Some of them were simple enough; the want for pizza or to watch more Steven Universe. Others; however, were much more complicated such as the desire for a stable relationship or skipping out on important events. Morality stood in the way of the more extreme desires with his ideas on rights and wrongs. Deceit scoffed at the thought of him.

To think at one point he used to be close with Patton.

They used to be brothers.

He quickly shook the thought from his mind. There was no need to focus on his own desires right now.

Say that they’re always gonna stay together

“I love you Dee Dee!” Patton squealed as he embraced the side in a hug.

Deceit couldn’t help but smile. In the warmth and comfort of their cat and snake onesies, he responded,

“I love you too, Pat.”

But one’s never going to let go of that wire

“Dee stop! Thomas can’t lie! It will hurt them!”

The two boys stood as they shouted with each other in the mindscape commons.

“Patton,” Deceit’s voice was tired. “If he doesn’t, he will get in trouble! Just listen to me for once!”

He says that he will

“I am!” Patton yelled as tears stream down his face. “What you are saying is wrong!”

But he is a lair

“Dee.”

Deceit jumped at the voice. He was so caught up in his own desires he didn’t notice that Remus was there.

“Remus! God, what do you need?”

There was a pause.

“Virgil’s here.”

Two birds on a wire~

The three boys stood in the “dark sides” common room.

“Well, look who decided to finally show up.” Deceit starts.

Virgil rolled his eyes and shoved his hands deeper into his hoodie pockets; purple hoodie pockets.

“What’s with the new getup?” Remus asked as he gestured with his morning star. “Did you all get like superhero outfits or something?”

“No, we didn’t.”

Something was wrong. Something was… different.

One tries to fly away and the other

“I need you two to stop messing with Thomas.”

Remus’ jaw dropped as Deceit’s clenched.

“Excuse me, what now?”

Watches him close from that wire

“You two are doing him more harm than good!” Virgil yelled as his voice became distorted.

“NO! We agreed that we should all be heard! Don’t you remember what it’s like to be like us or has all of this ‘light side’ stuff just gone to your head!” Deceit snapped.

“Well maybe you shouldn’t be heard if you are just going to hurt Thomas!”

“Maybe you should just go back to all those stuck up dumb asses and leave us alone! We don’t have to listen to a bitch like you!” Remus shouted.

“Fine! Maybe I will!”

With one final glare, Virgil was gone.

He says he wants to as well, but he is a lair

“I ‘ought to go kick his ass right now!”

“Remus, no.”

“W-what?! What do you mean no!?” Remus asked as he gestured wildly about. “He just fucking told us that we are hurting Thomas!”

“And there is no need to go punching him in the gut for it, that will only hurt Thomas.”

“This is BULLSHIT! B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T! I’m out of here!”

And with that, Remus was gone too.

Two birds on a wire

Anger. That was the emotion he felt as the two sides left. He felt anger, confusion and guilt.

Felt.

Feelings.

Emotions…

“Patton.”

One tries to fly away and the other-

Deceit charges into Patton’s room earning a gasp from the moral side.

“Dee! What are you- are you crying?”

Deceit snarled as he stomped over and picked up the moral side by his shirt; his snake eye was gleaming so bright the light side had to squint to look at him.

“Let’s play a game, shall we?”

[shewolfofficial]

can i get levi with a civillian crush who also likes him but both of them think the other doesn't know of their existence and thinks they are not worthy of the other's time. they meet officially when the reader's district(?) gets attacked by titans and levi saves her

D/N - District Name

S/N - Sister Name

Warning: Cursing, Minor Violence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ring of horse hooves against the stone grounds echoed in your ears along with the subtle chatter among people in the crowd. The Survey Corps were returning from a short-term expedition and by the looks of it, no lives were lost since they didn’t venture that far out into the open. The sun was sky high with occasional clouds blocking it as they floated above, birds chirped and flew around accompanied by the occasional Summer’s breeze. You stood watching as the Scouts rode through your district, D/N. S/N, your younger sister by your side watching with a fond smile towards the soldiers.

Your mom and dad would always ask why you and S/N are always eager and excited to see the Survey Corps whenever they ride through D/N. S/N always says she admires them for going outside the walls and you usually do say the same reason except that’s not quite it. You’re always excited to see the Scouts because of him. Dark ebony hair with piercing cobalt eyes, clear pale skin with thin lips. The soldier’s name was Levi? Was it? You were pretty sure that’s what he was named, everyone else knew him to be Humanities Strongest.

Though you never met the man in person, that didn’t stop the crush you had on him from watching from afar. He caught your gaze a couple of times, keeping it locked for a few seconds before you looked away in embarrassment, face flushed red and a miniature smile tugging on the edges of your lips. S/N noticed the way your eyes would light up every time you spotted him in the crowd of Scouts, the way the subconscious smile on your lips grew more and more. She knew about your infatuation with the short Captain but she didn’t want to torment you on it.

Once again, like any other time, your gaze shifted to find the grumpy looking man on his stallion. Blinking from surprise when you noticed he was riding to the edges of the Scouting crowd, a brunette woman with goggles on by his side looking around with bright energetic auburn orbs. The woman eventually looked to you and you could hear a distance squeal come from her lips as she slowed her horse down- going behind the raven-haired man’s to take his spot at the edge by the crowd where you were standing with your sister. The stern guy eyed her with a scowl before rolling his eyes, shifting in his saddle when he caught sight of you again.

S/N smirked and lightly nudged your side with her elbow. Giving up on keeping herself from teasing you- only a little.

‘‘There’s your lover boy F/N..~’‘ she cooed in your ear as your face set up in a fiery crimson. Shaking your head you glared at her. ‘‘S-Shut up you dork, I don’t even know the guy’‘ yo retorted as she giggled. A moment later and the brunette was in front of you and your sibling on her horse, she smiled softly to you both before quickly snatching something from a sack belonging to the shorter man’s horse. Turning back to you the woman leant down a little stretching her arm out somewhat holding a red rose, the thorns seemed to be cut off. ‘‘Courtesy of Levi, he got you this but he’s too shy to give you it~! Here you go~’‘ the woman chirped as you took the rose, S/N giggled by your side and looked to the rose before switching her gaze to the guy, Levi, who was glaring deathly daggers at the four-eyed female next to him with a beet-red face. Clicking his tongue he continued on down the path shortly followed by the woman after saying her goodbye’s.

‘‘Aweh! Isn’t that cute~ And you say you don’t even know him~’‘ S/N snickered as you pouted and frowned at her. ‘‘I swear I don’t!’‘ you tried which only made S/N laugh and shake her head.’‘Whatever you say sis, now let’s go home- you’ve seen your boyfriend now let's go’‘ she called out to you, hearing your muttered grumbles as you followed her behind.

// Time Skip - Half an Hour After Titan Attack \\

‘‘Mom where the fuck is S/N?! The titans Have broken through the gates! We have to go!’‘ You shrieked at the top of your lungs after nearly slamming down the front door to your house, your mother was peeling the potatoes and your father was reading the newspaper- both of their heads snapped in your direction. ‘‘She’s with F/N (Friend Name)- Wait titans broke through the wall?!’‘ she dropped the knife she was holding as you stepped in violently nodding your head. ‘‘Yes the fucking titans are in! We have to get out of here!’‘ you impatiently barked. ‘‘Alright, you go and find the nearest evacuation point- I’ll go and get your sister.’‘ ‘’I’ll go with you-’’ your father tried to cut in but your mother shot him a dirty look. ‘’No- you need to go with F/N! She’ll be on her own-’’ your mother tried to retort but you scoffed and slammed your hand on the table in a panic. 

‘’Mom! I don’t care who goes with who! Dad you just go with her! I’ll go the evacuation point and see if S/N is already there with F/N- you go check their house anyways in case they aren’t’’ you told them both earning a nod from either of your parents. Before you knew it you were out running through the streets, screams and smoke rose to the sky as the ground thundered from underneath you from nearby titans.

‘Find the shortcut to the boats.. Hopefully there isn’t any debris in the way or else I might make it to the evacuation point on time...I’ll be left behind!’ you thought, urging yourself to run faster, you turned a sharp corner from your street where your house was on and continued up a small set of stairs, eventually reaching the alleyway that would usually be your shortcut to the market and boats. Skidding to a stop you felt the colour drain from your face, staring straight up to one of those beasts which only looked down to you. 

 Your breath got caught in your throat, spinning around quickly you tried to run away from the titan that towered over the houses all around you. The rumbling of its footsteps following you from behind, your legs ached and so did your chest. You knew you couldn’t easily outrun a titan. It was worth a shot, wasn’t it? You turned to run down another street only to spot another titan- this time a smaller one already ogling you like it was expecting you.

Shock took over your body making you freeze, forgetting about the 15-meter giant that had just arrived behind you. The smaller looking titan dove towards you, a strained cry left your lips as you quite literally flung your body out of the way of being dove on. Rolling along the stone ground, dirt and a tint of red clung to your skin and clothes as you opened your eyes to look at the two titans. 

A flash of green came into view, the dark thin lines of wires being shot into the back of the taller lanky titan before the blob of green whizzed past the fifteen meter titan- it collapsed to the ground like a limp doll with its nape cut out soon the smaller one was just like the tall one in a matter of seconds. Swinging down to land in front of you, was that Levi? Oh lord, it was.. Fancy seeing him here.

He arrived by your side in an instant and helped you up, a worried frown on his face as he rested his hand on your lower back. ‘’Hey- Hey are you alright? You’re able to stand right?’’ he said, you nodded and gulped. Heart thundering in your chest.

‘What a cliche coincidence’

‘‘I’ll need to bring you to a high place, it’s dangerous for me to lead you to the evacuation point on the ground.’‘ he grumbled as you nodded, you didn’t even notice he had lifted you up until he shot off into the air again making you squeak from fright. Subconsciously wrapping your arms around his neck, you clung to him. Levi landed on a roof, gentle putting you down so you could stand. His hand went back to rest on your lower back as he looked around him for any signs of his squad or any Scout for that.

‘‘Fuck.. We’ll have to run along the rooftops since nobody is nearby- if any titan appears you just keep running and I’ll take care of it’‘ he says before ushering you onwards, nodding you set off again- trying your best not to trip or slip off the tiled building with Levi following closely behind.

Thankfully on the way to the boats, it wasn’t that hard, even though two or three titans did pop up Levi didn’t let them near you. Reaching the edge of the rooftop- in front of you was the second last boat that was being loaded with people, you could feel Levi scoop you into his arms before flying down to the ground, landing right by the Garrison guards and setting you down again. The fact that Levi had flown over the crowd and skipped just to make sure you got onto the boat surprised you. 

Nudging you to the Garrison soldier Levi growled for them to let you on, the soldier nodded in terror before bringing you on board. Looking back to the short man who stood watching you get onto it- making sure you weren’t kicked off you cupped your hands by your mouth and called out to him.

‘‘Thank you sir!’‘

Levi nodded, letting his orbs linger on you for a second longer before he disappeared again- most presumably to regroup with his squad.

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Little Songbird

Summary: Various Avenger x Reader one-shots with songs from musicals. In this one — Thanos has decided to use the one thing the Avengers can’t lose. You. Song is “Little Songbird” from Hadestown.

Warnings: Angst, arguments, pain, blood, loss

The sight of Asgardian bodies surrounding you was enough to make your stomach churn. The battlefield was never a sight you had grown accustomed to. The smell of blood…the sight of lost families…the dull ache of guilt was all more than you knew how to process. It was why Thor had taken you to Asgard. You wanted to study, to understand and gain knowledge. A place with the Avengers didn’t fit for Barton’s little sister and that was okay.

He understood.

But now, you were curled in a corner, tucked and hidden away. You watched, feeling helpless now that Bruce had been sent back to Earth.

“If you’re going to earth, you might want a guide.” 

Loki’s voice caught your attention as he offered his services to this monster. How could he so easily switch sides? It took all your strength to bite back the sob that wanted to rip through your throat. Only hours before he had helped the Asgardians onto the ship…now he was interested in the demise of your people? It didn’t make sense…

Your thoughts raced, tumbling over one another as you tried to sort through your emotions. Betrayal, guilt, pain…You needed to warn your family, the Avengers, but Thor demanded you remain hidden, unnoticed. Loki was going so far as to use his illusion magic to make sure you were safe.

So why would he —

“Odinson. The rightful king of Jutenheim, God of Mischief, do hereby pledge to you, my undying fidelity.”

You watched Loki carefully, hands clasped over your mouth as tears welled in your eyes. What was he doing? He bowed, his breath unsteady for someone whose words seemed so sure and determined. 

And that’s when he acted.

His knife came out, a small weapon for someone to use on Thanos, but Loki didn’t have a choice. He raised it, aiming for the throat, but was stopped by that second damn infinity stone. Thanos smirked and immediately your breath caught in your chest.

No, no, no. Thor couldn’t lose his brother too. He’d lost so much already, he couldn’t —

“Undying,” Thanos repeated, eyes watching Loki carefully. From the angle of your hiding spot, you could see the fear in the brother’s eyes. Never had Loki looked so…mortal. Taking his hand, Thanos twisted it away. “You should choose your words more carefully.”

A small cry of pain slipped from Loki as he dropped the knife. The infinity gauntlet wrapped around his throat, squeezing as Thanos lifted him into the air. Loki’s choking cries were the only sound on the space craft, sending a shiver down his spine. You immediately looked to Thor. He was trembling, from anger no doubt, as he watched Loki thrash around in the smallest of attempts to free himself.

“You,” Loki gasped, eyes wide and bloodshot. Thanos’ attention had briefly shifted to Thor, watching as his actions affected the God of Thunder, was brought back to Loki upon hearing his voice. “Will never be…a God.”

Thanos smiled at Loki’s words before giving the final squeeze that would crack the Asgardian’s neck. Thor’s muffled cries earned Thanos’ attention once again and he turned to face him. Loki’s dangling body seeming to weigh nothing in his grip. As if reading the small bit of hope in Thor’s gaze, Thanos assured him, “No resurrections this time.” He dropped Loki’s body with a thud and your eyes grew to the size of saucers as his illusion disappeared before your eyes. 

Ebony Maw, who had been surveying the room, paused when he saw you. He tilted his head — taking note of the tears streaming down your cheeks, your frail, trembling body, the fact that you were wearing Midgardian clothes. 

“Mighty Thanos, supreme ruler,” his chilling voice spoke. “It seems there is one last survivor amongst the dead.”

Thor’s muffled protests grew louder, trying to keep Thanos’s attention away from you, but to no avail. Thanos followed Ebony’s gaze, raising an eyebrow when he saw the last thing he expected. Thanos had heard stories of the Avengers. He’d studied their weaknesses and strengths, finding none particularly interesting other than Tony Stark.

You were not a face he knew.

“What is your name, child?” Thanos asked, stepping forward. You tried crawling further into your corner, the only attempt you could possibly posses to try and get away. However, Proxima Midnight forced you to your feet, a hand on your upper arm.

“The great Thanos asked you a question,” Ebony Maw warned, catching your gaze for the briefest moment.

“I — I’m —“ You cleared your throat, the raw feeling making it difficult to speak. “Y/N Barton.”

Thanos’ gaze shifted, surprise in his features. He didn’t know your face, but he knew your name. You were vital to the Avengers. You united them, kept them strong and dedicated even from across worlds. The Hawkeye’s little sister — a woman with the uncanny ability to write and speak in a way that brought any mortal man to his knees. And yet here you were, the little bird lost in space.

If he had you in his grasp, if he could use you, then the Avengers would have no choice but to listen to him.

Thanos looked back at Thor. Raw emotions shone in that one eye, his jaw was clenched even with the metal keeping his mouth shut. The God of Thunder looked like a live wire, a nerve ready to be toyed with.

And Thanos had found the perfect method.

Looking back at you, he told Proxima Midnight, “Let her go.”

Your brow furrowed in confusion as the warrior did as she was told. You hugged yourself, taking a step back from the purple…beast in front of you. 

“I know a great deal about you, Miss Barton.”

“Y-You do?” Your gaze shifted to Thor, but was quickly blocked as Thanos stepped between you two. You looked up at him, nails digging into your arms.

“Little songbird, give me a song. I’m a busy man and I can’t stay long,” he started, his voice smooth. “I got men to lead, I got orders to give. I got an army to lead, I got riots to quell. And they’ll be giving me hell back on Earth.”

You opened your mouth to speak, wanting to put him in his place, strike him down with words. The way you were once so eloquent with the spoken word, that talent seemed lost as you stood before a Titan. How were you, a mortal, supposed to best him? Especially when he so easily tossed Loki to the side?

“Hey, little songbird, cat got your tongue?” He walked to your side, watching as your gaze shifted to Thor almost immediately. Thanos brushed your hair back, off your shoulder and glanced at Thor. The Asgardian was livid. And Thanos was eating it up. “Always a pity for one so pretty and young. When destruction comes to clip your wings and knock the wind right out of your lungs…” Thanos knelt down, his face so close to yours. “Hey,” he voiced, his tone almost assuring that everything would be okay. “Nobody sings on empty.”

Biting your lip, you looked to Thor, silently pleading with him to protect you. If he could break past the metal prison, he could take you from here. The two of you would be safe. “Strange is the call of this…monstrous man. I want to fly out and run from his hand. I want a nice soft place to live. I want to…be safe forever.”

Thanos tucked his finger under your chin, turning him to look at you. “Hey, little songbird, you got something fine. You’d shine like a diamond down on our side. And the choice is yours, if you’re willing to choose. Seeing as you’ve got someone to lose…and I could use a canary.” His voice, velvet and a threat, sent a shiver down your spine. You knew what offer he was making. If you went with him, you’d be protecting Thor. If you didn’t, Thanos would kill him.

Thor couldn’t save you this time.

But you could save him.

“Suddenly nothing is as it was. Where are we now, Odinson?” you murmured, your voice wavering as you glanced at Thor. “Wasn’t it gonna be the two of us? Weren’t we birds of a feather?”

Tears streamed down Thor’s cheek. All he wanted was to take you in his arms. He wanted to protect you, assure you that he would kill Thanos and let nothing happen to you. But given the circumstances, he was not in the position to make threats or assure you of anything.

Thanos turned you to face him, taking a step back. “Hey, little songbird, let me guess: He’s some kind of hero and he’s one of the best? Give him your hand, he’ll give you his hand-to-mouth. He’ll…swing you a hammer when the power’s out. Hey, why not be the hero this time around?” He gestured to everything — the death and destruction that you were helpless to stop. You were weak, nothing you could do would have prevented anything. “Little songbird, look all around you. See how the vipers and vultures surround you.” 

Ebony Maw and Proxima Midnight smirked and you shuddered, your nails drawing blood in your arms. “They’ll take you down,” Thanos promised. “They’ll pick you clean if you stick around such a desperate scene.”

You look up at him, tears welling in your eyes as he laid out the reality of the situation. He explained, “See, people get mean when the chips are down.” Thanos glanced at Thor, whispering to you, “As someone with no abilities, no strength, how long do you think it will take him to blame you for what has happened?”

Your heart squeezed, twisted as you muffled a cry behind your hand. Thor would hate you when he realized just how useless you are. But if you left with Thanos…

“If I leave with you, you let him live,” you insisted, holding his gaze.

“You have my word.”

You look from him, the Titan offering for you to be the hero, to the God who was always yours. Biting your lip, you know you don’t have a choice. If it were any Avenger in your place, they would be choosing the right thing.

They would be the hero.

Thor’s muffled protests sent a shiver down your spine. He knew you too well. He knew what you would do because it was something you always wished you could do. You were normal, not an agent or enhanced in any way. You weren’t a super. 

“Okay.”

Thanos glanced at Thor, smirking. A piece of his puzzle fell into place, fitting perfectly. He held a hand out to you, gently taking yours as you watched Thor. 

Thanos’ low voice rumbled through his chest and seemed to run through you like a current, sending an uneasiness in the pit of your stomach. “He’ll live, Y/N. I can assure you of that.”

As you turned your back, Ebony Maw waved his hand. A portal appeared and you stepped through. For a choice that was supposed to be right, you couldn’t help but feel like you were making the biggest mistake. 

“Y/N!” 

Thor’s voice caught your attention and you turned back. Your gaze met the baby blue gaze of the eye that stared so intently at him. The metal restraints were gone. He reached out to you, crying out your name as if it were a wish, a plea for you to return to his arms.

“Thor, I —“

The portal closed between the two of you, severing his ties to you. Thor fell forward, his hands landing next to Loki’s body. His body shook with anger, regret, and a pain he’d never felt before. He had one job, to protect you, to love you.

And he failed.

[iphoenixrising]

For 800 Followers!  Broken Trust: Continued

So. SO. The original Broken Trust was pretty traumatic, but I got so many wonderful comments on the post that I did write a second part. Just a warning tho, the previous part to the story contained a suicide attempt.  Here’s the aftermath.

A bit of a warning: one of my babes cried when she read this. It will hit your feels.

**

Raven and Gar stand behind Cassie when they firmly tell the Batfamily no, none of them can come to the Tower right now.

Nightwing and the Red Hood exchange a look while B is the usual silent and stoic, the darkness of the Cave behind them.

“Wonder Girl,” N hold up placating hands palms up, noticing the way Gar doesn’t look directly at the camera, and Rave is almost completely hidden by her cloak. He gets the impression of things not good. “We only heard Red Robin is in critical condition! Can you tell us anything about what happened if at least one of us can’t come see him?”

The family of detectives can pick out all the tells.

“My hands are tied until he wakes up,” the de-facto leader of the Titans goes with, as diplomatically as possible, “right now he’s being monitored twenty-four seven while he’s comatose–”

Because Kon and Bart won’t leave him alone for a second.

“–and we’re taking care of him–”

As we have been since he finally called out to us for the fun time against the League of Assassins in Gotham.

“–I’ll keep you updated with the latest news.”

“Comatose?” All three Bats on the screen echo with different pitches to their voices.

The sigh coming out of her is just on the edge of her patience.

“How?” Dick chokes out, “what the hell happened to him?”

Cassie just stares back, lips pursed.

“That ain’t good ‘nough, y’ feel me here?” The Red Hood’s helmet is turned toward the screen, arms crossed over his chest, “Baby Bird’s a Bat first n’ foremost–”

“Not in the last few years,” Cassie counters gently, firmly, “and the last instructions he gave us? Back when there were assassins all over your city? It was to keep the Bats out of his business. I’m only calling because–”

The Batman holds up a hand, “Wonder Girl, I’m grateful you did. But. I’m still Tim’s mentor and the only legal family he has. I’m asking you, please at least let me in the Tower to see him.”

“Batman,” and she massages the bridge of her nose, “I can’t. Not until he wakes up and tells me what he wants. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

She looks at the screen again, “please don’t try to force this. Gar’s family still owns Titans Tower, and I will authorize the security system to activate if you try anything. If–” her breath hitches, “when Tim wakes up, I’ll let you know.”

Gar finally seems to be able to move, stepping around Cassie to grin half-heartedly down at the camera. “You heard it from here. We’ll keep in touch. Tower, outtie.” And flips the button to cut the feed.

**

The monitor beeps steadily, the only comforting thing in the room.

Kon doesn’t need the soft noise to assure himself Tim is still alive.

He can hear it through his Robin’s chest.

For the last seventy-odd hours, he’s been sitting, laying, floating right in this spot next to the medical bed where his best friend is stretched out, comatose. He’s only takes short breaks to run to the bathroom.

The team keeps close tabs on them, bringing him food, someone always trying to stop by and stick around to keep him company.

(He knows what they’re trying to do.)

Food makes appearances and things get tucked away in the niches of the room. Tablets, books, a half-done knitting project, old school Playstation hooked up to the television, origami cranes all over the place.

The team is worried about both of them, and Kon still hadn’t told everyone what really happened out there, how he came to be flying madly in the Tower, sobbing while he carried Tim’s body, limp and still, blood everywhere. They’re worried because Kon’s been exhibiting signs of shock, white as a ghost, and quietly crying while Raven, BB, Cassie, and Miguel sprinted into action, getting their former Robin into the medical bay and working fast to try saving his life.

Kid Flash had watched from behind his working teammates, holding Kon tightly in both arms to keep the super on his feet, eyes wide when he catches glimpses of Tim’s slack, white face, blood on the pillow, on gloved hands, making everything more red than the old Robin tunic.

Since then, Kon’s been a wreck, unable to talk about it without breaking down, his immeasurable strength utterly useless in the face of whatever had happened to Tim.

(Raven and Gar went into the Safe Room of the Tower to talk it out, wondering if Luthor had some tech still hidden in their Superboy, if it was just like the time he’d broken Tim’s arm–)

So, the Titans absolutely close ranks, stay on edge, monitoring, waiting, watching, trying to be there for their teammate, trying to console him when Kon admitted he couldn’t stop Tim in time, he couldn’t stop him, didn’t know what he was going to do until it was too fucking late–

It’s enough to put the pieces together without forcing Superboy to come out and say it directly, keeping the pressure in the room for if...when Tim finally woke up.

New Protocols start appearing in the database the very next hour.

**

When he comes to, his mouth is so dry and his head is killing him.

Seriously.

The familiar room in the Tower’s Med Bay is soothing at least, not like he wants to be caught by the Joker right now or anything because that? Would not be conducive to Good Morning, Robin.

His senses gradually come back online, and turning his head on the pillow is just short of agonizing.

Conner Kent, Superboy, is sitting by the bed, head in his hands, shoulders shaking gently and Tim Drake’s eyes go wide, all the pain in his head forgotten when he sees his Superboy look up with red, watery eyes.

Tim shoots up in bed, can’t look away, can’t focus on the pain rolling down his spine with the movement.

“Kon?” Is a whisper, a broken sound, “Kon is it really you?”

Because fuck, he’s going to cry too, isn’t he?

(Oh yeah. Yeah, he is.)

“Tim! Oh my God, you’re awake! Tim, you’re awake!” The super barely has enough time to get to his feet before Tim Drake launches himself out of the medical bed, wires and IVs be damned, hurling himself straight at the red S shield against the black t-shirt.

Just like he expects, Conner Kent, Kon-El, Superboy, his best fucking friend–

–catches him.

Kon’s knees give out and they’re on the floor, sobbing against each other, Tim’s arms tight around him, holding on like he thought Kon would disappear the second he let him go, and all Tim is saying sounds vaguely like, “you’re alive, you’re alive! How the hell are you alive?!” where his face is buried in the side of Kon’s throat.

The camera are apparently working just fine because KF is in that room in the two seconds it took for Tim to launch himself out of bed and send the two sprawling all over the floor, ripped out wires all over them.

The speedster, his own eyes wet with relief, is gentle when he kneels next to them, when he touches Kon’s shoulder and lays a hand softly to the center of Tim’s back.

Bart’s mouth opens, ready to say something smarmy to cover up the emotions, something like, “hey, hey. Almost dead guys have to be in bed,” when Tim’s watery eyes are looking up at him and his expression is utterly fucking broken.

“Bart?” Cracks in Tim’s hitching chest, his eyes wide and wet and spilling over, and hands shaking but moving so fast to reach out and grip Bart’s shoulder. “Bart, you...Oh my God, you too! You’re back? You’re alive! You’re both alive.”

He has every intention of leaping up to throw both arms around Kid Flash as well, to bring him down and hold on to both of them forever, but when he tries to stand this time, his legs won’t hold his weight.

It’s only because the two of them are so super that he doesn’t go falling back down to the ground, both muscling a shoulder under his arms, sliding free hands around his waist. This time it’s Tim’s shoulders shaking while he bites down on his lower lip hard and tries to stop his eyes from spilling the fuck over, tries to keep the sobs trapped in the center of his chest where it won’t come out.

(Because he’s Robin, and that shit doesn’t happen…

And yet, here we are.)

He totally fails, and now they’re never going to let him live it down.

Bart darts across the room, viciously slams the intercom and yells for everyone to get to the Med Bay because their bird is awake, and someone needs to come down and put his damn IVs back in!

Then he’s hot-footing it back across the room, sliding on his knees to be right on Tim’s empty side, squirreling both arms under Tim’s since Kon’s is around his shoulders.

“I can’t believe it,” Tim sobs against the side of Kon’s face, wrapped in both of them. “I can’t...I can’t–”

“Tim, my bro,” Bart frees a hand to wipe across his eyes, “that’s our line. For fuck’s sake, you’ve been a coma for days. Do you have any idea how worried everyone is? Cassie is might literally punch you hard enough to break your head open again.”

“After you’re okay,” Kon’s voice is muffled and watery against his shoulder.

“After you’re okay,” Bart parrots back, “you asshole, you stupid, stupid asshole.”

“Asshole,” Kon chokes out, “how could you be so fucking stupid? Why didn’t you call me? Why...why didn’t–”

“You were dead. Both of you were dead, Kon. How could I have–”

And it’s a whoa moment right there.

Something very not crash.

“Tim what are you talking about? We’ve been back almost–”

With a terrible feeling in his gut, Kon cuts right in, “what’s the last thing you remember?”

With wide eyes, the super grabs both of Tim’s shoulders, “Tim. What the last thing you remember?”

“I...I moved to Blüdhaven. Because Steph. Steph...and you and you right after my dad,” He falters, pulling back, being Robin, trying to keep it the hell together.

(But he was literally the only one left standing. Just him and Dick and B, but that still didn’t make it better, didn’t make the pain go away, didn’t fill the void, didn’t bring them back.)

“What?” Kon mumbles, numb, not realizing his grip has gotten tighter and tighter until Tim flinches in his hold and Bart is pushing the center of his chest.

It takes a minute. A very long minute for him to breathe because Kon has such a bad feeling about where this might be going.

It takes Bart just a few more seconds than Kon. “Tim, Stephanie Brown isn’t dead. She’s alive.”

“Wh-what?” And even if his head is starting to hurt again, even if the nausea is building, he can push it all away with that sentence, with someone else he loved apparently alive. “She’s–she’s what now?”

Bart and Kon are looking at him intently from both sides, noticing how his expression crumbles, his shoulders slumping in shock, his eyes are blown wide, and he’s pulling back from them both, looking pale and unsteady.

Unconsciously, they tighten their grips around him, ready to catch, ready to hold him up, ready to be what he needed.

(It’s time to stop running.)

When Cassie slides almost past the door to the Med Bay, beating Gar literally by a hair, the small leopard gets with the program and leaps over her shoulder effortlessly transforming so they come to the three idiots on the floor.

“What the hell are you doing? Why isn’t Tim in bed?”

“Totes pulled out your IVs, man,” Gar tisks at him, the trembly kind of relieved to see one of his besties, a good teammate, a good leader, look up at him again instead of unmoving and unnaturally still. “Rave’s gonna get moody, right? No one wants to see that.”

He and Cassie are gentle, keeping in mind he’s the only one on the team that could get this fucked up and not die, while they get him back to bed.

Their resident supernatural specialist and part-time nurse comes in more serenely than her teammates, eyes warm when she spots Tim’s dazed eyes just watching them reinsert his IV and put patches back on his chest, a tube under his nose.

Looking up at Cassie, sees her I’m relieved you aren’t dead expression and just smiles dopily up at her (he can’t help a flash of awkward because, well, he’d kissed his best friend’s girl – they thought he’d been dead at the time, but...wait, does it still count?). His brain is fuzzy with the crazy emotional rollercoaster since he’d woken up and see his best friends alive, is still reeling a little bit from Steph. It makes him literally itch to get back to Gotham even if he’s sinking further down into the softer-than-it-should-feel medical bed with most the team scrambling around them.

He glances up when he catches Raven injecting something in his IV, smiles at her too.

But, it’s fine. He’s going to stay long enough to let them take care of him because he doesn’t have to go back to Blüdhaven and that shitty hovel he’d been holding up in after things went so, so wrong. Bruce had taken them training, had worked with Dick to bring Tim back from a terrible edge.

The three of them were working better together, and he’s staying at the Manor instead of his...his parent’s house or the Carriage House where he’d passed the heck right out more than once in his tenure as Robin.

Things are finally better.

And now? Now that he’s got Conner and Bart back, now that he can head back to Gotham and Steph...his Steph will be alive–

He’ll have cases to work and school to eventually go back to, or at least the GED test to take. He’ll have Gotham, dirty and dingy, corrupt and cold and cruel while being a beacon to the best and brightest and the dreamers and the innocent. He’ll have the Cave and his room down the hall from Bruce. He’ll sign the paperwork to change his last name–

(Drake-Wayne, who would have thought?)

–and try to make friends with Damian, again.

When it gets too much, he can come back to the New Teen Titans, and work it out with his team.

Life? Life is finally going his way.

(And if he doesn’t remember anything from before clearly enough to explain how he got hurt, well, that’ll wait until he wakes up.)

*Note: I imagine Tim’s memory is stuck on the One Year Later arc where after Tim, Bruce, and Dick went on some kind of training journey and afterwards, he comes back to reform the New Teen Titans, Cass is in the wind, probably not even Black Bat yet, and he’s sporting a red and black suit. It’s after he tried to clone Bart and Kon? I’m a little fuzzy on how the events fall, so I’m pretty much making it up as I go along :D

[a-lilacsong]

Elena of Avalor Live text reaction: Giant Steps

I enjoy reading other people's posts where they watch episodes of shows and write reactions to things in the episode while they're still watching it. So I decided to make one for this new episode: Giant Steps. 

Reaction starts under the cut (Spoilers for the episode since this is a reaction)

She needs a crew 

Wait has she gone to Australia 

Also I love that fish on the wall 

To bad it wouldn't be able to sing most likely

Is that a wanted poster for the bat on the wall?

And it looks like she's selling Esteban’s hat as well 

oooooh I think I feel a song coming on

 also the letter text is so clear I could probably translate this

if I felt like it 

Man, Elena is a fast writer 

I really like the accordion in this song but so far it's been pretty casual 

I don't know, I guess I was just expecting a big old villain song 

What a cute parrot! Naomi should get a parrot

Oh that's a sword for a second I thought it could be a chainsaw 

Don't mind him that's just casual Joe, casually showing off his casual sword to his casual friends Casually 

Wow there's a lot of lens flares in this song, was it directed by JJ Abrams?

Maybe it's not even a big threat Naomi's coming to warn them about, maybe she's just going to come back to say hi at this point, she seems like she's really missing Elena 

This is why she needs a crew, then she wouldn't be lonely 

Having a good cry together?! All of the hurt comfort and angst fanfiction possibilities! 

Oh look there's the not-Ash little girl 

yes the Elena and Naomi feels are strong with this one 

Ship does not rhyme with fate! this is the second time a line hasn't rhymed and it bugs me 

And she's broke

Maybe she should have asked for some money along with a ship eh?

The Bat Wanted poster Is hilarious 

And so starts her career as a bounty hunter 

“So how much gold are you giving for his capture?” “heaps of it.” “But how much gold exactly?” “HEAPS. OF. IT.”

Yeah when you just draw bags of money on the poster it's probably a scam 

Naomi unrolls the wanted poster, Me: *Gasps out loud* They all look so good!

 I wonder if you captured those three along with the bat if they give you an extra gold for that or if they just only give you a reward for the bat

You probably wouldn't get any gold though cuz it's probably a scam

Sudden zoom in on the poster while there's a bell in the background like what

 reminds me how they always always seem to do that during dramatic moments in Star Trek

What's in the bag a knife, a phaser, or is she just giving her the bag 

Maybe a special knockout powder?

Oh cool it's one of those endless Space Bags 

also what a cute red bird 

This episodes giving lots of birds 

But the Winged being I want to see most is Chatana

Oh look she sells harpoons! What does the store not have?

The necklace, of course she wants the necklace, I was thinking about was oddly noticeable with Naomi wearing two necklaces so of course she's going to have to give one away

Will she give it to her, Probably

Yep now she has the Magic Bag

And she got the take the wanted poster as well?! Wow !

It's not illegal to take down wanted posters?

Boy there is probably some kid out there who has fifty wanted posters just up decorating their room because they are very well drawn 

I mean if I lived in that world and knew I couldn't get punished for it I would totally have a few of them up 

Ash and Chatana just look so snug in their pictures, when why was Esteban just looks so innocent compared to them 

Wait so ash gave Chatana the diadem off screen? okay...

I've been waiting months for this, yes, YES team Ash team Ash team Ash YES!

Now I finally get to see more of Chatana

 I will finally get to see what her personality is really like yes

~~ but now I have to eat supper so intermission

Sarah give me spoilers Darn it ~~

 Anyway

 the bat can shape-shift!? wow I always thought that Esteban’s teleportation powers would take them to Vestrella but I was wrong

Of course they're seen immediately, probably because of Ash’s yelling

Wait if you Caught the Jaquin babies, what would you do with them Esteban?

He seems better at this villain stuff than I thought 

Also both Ash and Chatana seem way too confident about this 

I'm predicting it will be their Achilles heel 

Bold of Mateo to assume that she would be looking for her friend instead of the villains 

Probably spied on Naomi before 

It seems Mateo's more Curious boy Then I thought he's willing to spy on someone if they're a friend 

And she's right there, she probably ran past Armando and everyone else that's why they didn't get it notified of her arrival 

Like she always does 

Yay clumsy Mateo

And he didn't drop it!

No one expected you back this soon Naomi not even the audience 

Lesbians lesbians lesbians 

It's great other than the crippling loneliness 

Mateo asks the kind of questions that I asked on tumblr ask blogs anonymously 

“Ancient at least I thought she was ancient '' if she said that to Chatana’s face which you take it as a compliment or an insult I wonder?

Also continuity!

And of course she's only going to bring Gabe because he is the only guard She Knows by name 

Sarcasm aside though I'm glad that these four will get to have another adventure together 

They are the Ultimate Adventure team 

Well Isabel is always welcome on it 

But it is illegal for her to try to fight Esteban 

Or Witness Elena seriously killing him 

Wait is she going because she wants to be with Elena 

Or to get the prize money 

Probably both 

I sure hope Elena doesn't feel betrayed if Naomi tries to get that prize money I mean she has to make a living somehow 

Yes Elena, the team 

It is the only team strong enough to defeat the evil team 

Oh boy every time Chatana walks she looks like she's on a Runway! She is so poised and confident looking 

Also it seems that they have gotten past that cloaking spell 

And Esteban gets smacked in the face

They just love you using him for slapstick don't they?

I just love it how bat says casually that they're being watched 

And Ash and Chatana flip out like they're about to be caught by the thought police 

Okay, Esteban is hilarious 

*Ash Eyeroll*

I wonder who has done more eye rolls in the series Ash or Esteban?

And she blocked it again, I guess it wears off over time?

SOME kind of cloaking spell!? it looks like the same one they were using before!

I sure hope Philly wasn't conscious with Chatana all those years

She CAN fly!

And we finally get to see her make a monster and it's so cool!!!

Spiders spiders everywhere!

Flying spider tornado!

Ash and Esteban’s reactions are valid

BABY spider Eagles! that changes everything 

Now that means that they're really cute 

I would still be distracted by them though

Esteban sass 

Ash threats

If they weren't so evil they make a great sitcom team 

~~~break to watch final episode of Pride and Prejudice with my family~~

Gabe makes yet another strategy which will be most likely ignored or never brought up again 

Points for trying, Captain 

Oh good, that’s just webs, thought it was something else for a moment 

Down they go, too bad she can't use levaloop with that sceptre and they're going to have a hard Landing 

Woo he didn't use levaloop he's learning new spells 

Yay team Ash back views! I've been needing these for artistic purposes 

Did Phili just spit fire Let me back that up 

Wow I think he did

Awww,  “Little one”

They must train together a lot, Ash just needs to give Esteban a look and he does what they need 

That's the same unlocking spell as before

 do the Maruveians only have one kind of lock spell

Also wait did Chatana teach that to Ash at some point?

Because she certainly didn't use that on the gate before to unlock Chatana...

Oh nice unlocking effects 

some...BODY ONCE TOLD ME

MAMA <--May I also mention that my theory was right 

Wait all of Chatana's creatures are locked up here?

I guess there are the Sunbird jars 

True she was captured, (much better excuse than Pink Diamond’s)

And here is Esteban, the king of sucking up 

In a way, Kizin Reminds me of Sarah

He Likes the tall funny man 

Good recovery Esteban, you didn't make any snide comment that time 

And now everyone else sucks up 

Except Phili 

Chatana smile 

Kizin has other friends? AWW, he Just wants to help his friends! 

Ash has done nothing other than that spell so far except yell and complain to others

And there goes a bat

We will probably get him later... or maybe we will just leave him

Oh look will team Avalor attack him immediately or will they try and reason with him first 

If you needed more guards why didn't you just grab them in the first place 

I know Migs and Skyler are Guardians but couldn't you have gotten another Guardian to go and get reinforcements? 

Elena never planned ahead for things

Gabe the running LOL 

So you're going to just attack him instead of reasoning with him? okay 

I think that trip wire might be a little high Naomi

Wait Shouldn't Elena and Mateo wait on the other side of the tripwire so that they can surround Kizim just in case 

Naomi tie the tripwire you won't be strong enough to hold it up yourself 

Or maybe you will you are pretty strong 

Hey look there's the bat

No Naomi, no Naomi no tie the rope Naomi, and then go after him 

Tell Elena of your financial troubles don't risk it all 

(to quote Ash:) foolish child....

Looks like the bats in the bag 

Also why was he attacking ships in the first place, for the LOLs?

More Gabe running 

*Sigh* should have tied it...

She hurt him he hurt her 

Very good, Gabe protect 

See Don't Use Magic on Kizim, use Magic on yourself 

Oh yeah use the wizard to unlock the pots

And then an extra 

You know it seems like every episode where Elena could do a lot more she gets injured and then another character has to save the day 

It happened in the episode with the merman Prince 

Naomi just sort of stands there and watches 

Okay that scene is funnier in context than it is in the trailer 

First aid! Someone actually knows how to do first aid!

Mateo disobeyed a plan and now Naomi disobeyed the plan

When will they learn that disobeying plans always leads to bad things 

Sorry Princess I'm broke 

And Too Proud to Beg 

Okay, this is a complicated situation, on one hand Naomi is a big help in defeating villains on the other, why don't they just get a royal guard who is good with a lasso? 

I mean there are definitely some personal emotions running here 

But also it might have been better to wait to become a Captain until after the villains had been caught

I just think this might be both their faults

Although running out to the bat and not tying the Rope yeah

Little scared Mateo noise

I thought it was just going to run head-on into a wall 

LOL if one man can't do it get the other guy to do it

Gabe with magic well that would be interesting…

Well yeah, he's normally there 

Wait he's not going to attack Keatamos is he?

Gabe and Matteo wouldn't allow that 

“Hello friends” awww

Uh-oh is right, that many shaking pots is never good 

And now they're here to save the day 

When you forget you have an injury 

Although she Naomi should have felt the arm first to see how the sling should be set 

He likes one cousin and dislikes the other

Wait magic wands are handed?

Don't worry that Blaze probably didn't hit the wood that's everywhere around here 

How would releasing the bat help, I feel like he'd be on Kizim's side 

Couldn't you have just caught him in the bag with the bat still inside 

Actually no, the bat would get squished 

Well Gabe, you are bringing the burn today

Esteban reacts to waiting for things the same way I do 

Esteban knows he's the universe is punching bag 

Ash facepalm 

Chatana does care 

And Phili never will 

OOOOh Other allies!??!

It just seems like the Delgados inexplicably know about every different darkforce and possible magic thing there is 

She is angsting, Naomi, Which she always does alone 

Wow her arm is in a cast

Couldn't they just fix it with magic?

Does no one in this world know a healing spell? 

Actually that wouldn't surprise me.

Get a room you two! Oh, you do have a room 

now kiss 

They love each other 

You know you can hire your own ship crew at some point right?

I mean Captains classically command other crew members.

Wait is she coming back to the council

No Naomi don't ruin your life with politics! 

Get out while you still can! 

Wait, Naomi doesn't know she was replaced 

Well it would be easier on Julio if he didn't have two jobs… 

Which is the responsible thing to do 

She lives to serve 

Hugs 

Every episode with Chatana so far has had Elena Naomi angst 

That's the end of my reaction.

~~~~~

So here's my Mini review. Overall I liked the episode, sure the big conflicts could have been avoided if people actually talked with each other about their feelings first before the disasters, but that happens so often in TV shows I'm almost used to it. I loved seeing the villain force again (especially Chatana). Hopefully we will see them again soon. I wonder what job Naomi will get now, (Maybe being the minister of ships)?

[lnhumanity]

an agents of shield playlist in chronological order from pre-series, up until the end of season 6 / beginning of season 7.

listen to it here!

song explanations under the cut. warning that its very long, i have a lot of thoughts

01. Two Birds - Regina Spektor

Two birds on a wire / One tries to fly away / And the other watches him close from that wire / He says he wants to as well / But he is a liar

Relating both to May & Coulson after Bahrain, with Coulson trying to help May return to the field, but May refusing, and FitzSimmons immediately pre-season, with Simmons excitement about going into the field contrasted to Fitz’s hesitance, but over-all desire to stay with her.

02. Small - Chloe Moriondo

And I'm suddenly not interested in / whatever the rest of the world has to offer so / I drown facedown in my head and feel my state start to alter cause / You / Because you

After FZZT, Fitz realising that he has romantic feelings towards Simmons.

03. Saturn - Sleeping At Last

With shortness of breath, I'll explain the infinite / How rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist

FitzSimmons in the med pod under the ocean, with Simmons talking about the first law of thermodynamics.

04. Evaporate - Gabrielle Aplin

Flesh and bone wrapped up in skin / Kept alive by oxygen / But right now breathing is so tough

During the S1/2 hiatus, Fitz starting his recovery and relying on Simmons, while Simmons suffers from PTSD and decides to leave due to her guilt.

05. Waves - Chloe Moriondo

Sometimes I feel like I wanna go back / To a time before my mind turned black / I miss the way it was / When instead of just my gooey brains / All that melted was popsicles and the rain just pelted down / Down on me

Fitz coping with his brain injury after Simmons left.

06. Anybody Out There - Gabrielle Aplin

You never told me why you had to leave / I always thought that you'd come back for me / I'm tired of getting people's sympathy / I know I'd make it back eventually

Fitz coping with Simmons leaving.

07. Hiding In Your Hands - Dear Evan Hansen

Look at her, a total trainwreck / Let her off this ride / Lift her out from all the pain / She tells herself she needs to hide

Simmons after the med pod, hiding her trauma in her music box and convincing others that she’s fine.

08. Just Add Water - Cavetown

Please don't invite me, please don't invite me / I wanna be alone, I wanna be alone / And don't remind me, please don't remind me / I don't wanna know, I don't wanna know

Fitz isolating himself from the rest of the team at the beginning of S2.

09. King and Lionheart - Of Monsters And Men

And in the sea that's painted black / Creatures lurk below the deck / But you're a king and I'm a lion-heart

Coulson leading SHIELD as the new director, while May supports him in the field.

10. New River - The Oh Hellos

Well, it'll rain for forty days and nights, / and nothing you do can slow the rising tides / But the river takes her shape from every tempest she abides / And like her, you'll be made new again

Raina and Daisy undergoing terrigenesis, and later being accepted into Afterlife.

11. Earth - Sleeping At Last

Fault lines tremble underneath our glass house / But I put it out of my mind / Long enough to call it courage / To live without a lifeline

Daisy becoming an Inhuman, contrasted with May during and after Bahrain. (So, basically, the episode ‘Melinda’).

12. Wolf - First Aid Kit

Wolf-father, at the door / You don't smile anymore / You're a drifter, shape-shifter / Let me see you run, hey-ya hey-ya

May & Coulson dealing with Gonzalez’s SHIELD while Daisy is hiding from SHIELD at Afterlife.

13. Storm Song - PHILDEL

I'll send a storm / to capture your heart / and bring you home.

FitzSimmons during their countless separations, but specifically put this early in the playlist for Maveth, and Fitz searching for Simmons during the S2/3 hiatus.

14. Spaceland - Chloe Moriondo

Sometimes overthinking can feel like more than overthinking / It's like I'm trapped in spaceland and I'm not coming back

Simmons trapped on Maveth, reflecting on everything that’s happened.

15. Neptune - Sleeping At Last

I'm only honest when it rains / If I time it right, the thunder breaks / When I open my mouth / I wanna tell you but I don't know how

Simmons after returning from Maveth, before she tells Fitz about Will.

16. Yellow Light - Of Monsters And Men

Somewhere deep in the dark / A howling beast hears us talk

Simmons on Maveth with Will.

17. The Currents - Bastille

We're living in the currents you create / We're sinking in the pool of your mistakes / So stub it out, your podium awaits

The team with regards to Ward about all of the tragedies that he’s caused, the impact he’s had on them, and their impending doom with him bringing Hive to Earth.

18. Bad Bad Things - AJJ

And I got to thinking / If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven / If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven / If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven / If I don't go to Hell when I die I might go to Heaven / Might go to Heaven, but probably not

Ward killing Roz, torturing Simmons, and dying on Maveth.

19. Blame - Bastille

Fall upon your knees saying / "This is my body and soul here" / Fall and begging, pleading / "You've got the power and control"

Hive and his control over Inhumans.

20. The Last Time - The Script

Why's it so hard to look me in the eye? / Playing with that cross that's on your chain / I know you only ever bite your lip / When it's something you're afraid to say

Lincoln’s sacrifice.

21. Meet Me In The Woods - Lord Huron

I took a little journey to the unknown / And I come back changed, I can feel it in my bones / I fucked with the forces that our eyes can't see / Now the darkness got a hold on me / Holy darkness got a hold on me

Daisy after being released from Hive’s sway, and dealing with the fallout of Lincoln’s sacrifice.

22. ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl) - Green Day

Little girl, little girl, why are you crying? / Inside your restless soul your heart is dying

Daisy during the S3/4 hiatus, running away from SHIELD.

23. Pluto - Sleeping At Last

Until one day I had enough / Of this exercise of trust. / I leaned in and let it hurt, / And let my body feel the dirt.

Daisy returning to SHIELD.

24. The Steven Bradley - Ghost Bear

My, oh my / you look as good as the day you died! / Oh, who am I kidding? / You look even more alive!

Radcliffe stealing the Darkhold and putting the dying Agnes into the Framework.

25. We Forgot We Were Human - Dirt Poor Robins

So tell me, what do we need with the sun? / Now we have an electric one / To melt every shadow away / Turn the night into day

AIDA and the other LMDs concluding that physical bodies don’t matter when someone’s consciousness has been uploaded into the Framework.

26. Squares - Stepdad

Thinking happy thoughts will fix it oh-no no-no oh-oh uh-oh / Where did I go wrong I guess I don't know whoa-oh uh-oh oh-oh / I'll just go on kidding myself and everything will work itself out

Radcliffe in the Framework, realising the mistakes that he’s made but being unable to do anything about it.

27. Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control - Tame Impala

Nothing that has happened so far / Has been anything we could control

Daisy and Simmons fighting back against the LMDs and entering the Framework.

28. Turn The Lights Off - Tally Hall

Everybody likes to get taken for turns / To see how bright the fire inside of us burns / And everybody wants to get evil tonight / But all good devils masquerade under the light

Daisy and Simmons finding out that HYDRA are in control inside the Framework, and seeing what May and Fitz had turned into.

29. Willow Tree March - The Paper Kites

And we all still die / Yeah we all still die / What will you leave behind? / Oh we all still die

Agnes, Mace, Hope and Radcliffe’s deaths, and their impacts on the team.

30. Cabinet Man - Lemon Demon

You can't win me, I can't be beat / I won't hurt you unless you cheat / You can't see me behind the screen / I'm half human and half machine

AIDA becoming a human, and fighting back using her new Inhuman powers, ending with her being killed by the Spirit of Vengeance.

31. Lethargy - Bastille

There's an English man up in space these days / Floating in awe and wonder / As he broke away from the atmosphere / And all of us non-believers

The team arriving at the future Lighthouse, and meeting Deke.

32. Warmth Outro - Bastille

Never good, still the bad and the ugly / Laid in front of us / Clearly we've learned nothing at all / From the TV's window

The remainder of the team during the loop, where they failed to save the Earth.

33. Cutie Boots - Stepdad

I wanna hold you til' it feels like it's been long enough to stop saying I miss you, stop saying I miss you

FitzSimmons reunion in the future Lighthouse.

34. Venus - Sleeping At Last

After a while, I thought I'd never find you. / I convinced myself that I would never find you, / When suddenly I saw you.

FitzSimmons wedding.

35. Stagnant - Chloe Moriondo

I don't know why I'm mean to everyone I love / It's hard to try to communicate / With darkness inside my head / Filling my lungs

Fitz, leading up to his breakdown.

36. The Driver - Bastille

There was a time when a moment like this / Wouldn't ever cross my mind / The sun will rise with my name on your lips / 'Cause everything will change tonight

The Devil Complex.

37. A Dark Design - Among Savages

Oh, there is not a God in heaven that wants to see us fighting this way / Oh, He spoke more about loving than people trying to make people change

The team fighting during S5.

38. Shame - Bastille

I can see a change / I can see a change in you / I see it coursing through your veins / And it is a shame / It is a shame on you / I barely recognize your face

The team continuing to fight - especially Daisy towards Fitz, and Daisy and Yo-Yo after Yo-Yo kills Ruby.

39. Terrified - Among Savages

Cause I'm terrified and I'm ruined by this mess / Cause I needed you more than I needed what was best

FitzSimmons refusing to let each other die & fixing the Gravitonium machine.

40. Icarus - Bastille

Icarus is flying too close to the sun / And Icarus's life, it has only just begun / This is how it feels to take a fall / Icarus is flying towards an early grave

Fitz during S5.

41. Bad Moon Rising - Credence Clearwater Revival

I see a bad moon a-rising / I see trouble on the way / I see earthquakes and lightnin' / I see bad times today

The final battle between Daisy and Graviton.

42. A Sadness Runs Through Him - The Hoosiers

Turn back the time that drew him / But he couldn't be saved / No he couldn't be saved / A sadness runs through him

Fitz’s death.

43. Carry On - fun.

Woah, my head is on fire but my legs are fine / After all, they are mine

The aftermath of the battle.

44. Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons

But the ghosts that we knew will flicker from you / And we'll live a long life

Coulson’s retirement party.

45. Good Grief - Bastille

Every minute and every hour / I miss you, I miss you, I miss you more / Every stumble and each misfire / I miss you, I miss you, I miss you more

Daisy and May’s reaction to Coulson’s death, and Simmons’s reaction to Fitz’s death.

46. Tic Toc - Mother Mother

Big hand, little hand, no hand, slow hand / Sitting in my hand is the sand of a shattered hour glass / And I throw these grains of sand into the wind and laugh / And I do not care just what they'll have to say about that

Simmons realising that there’s another Fitz out there, and her determination to bring him home.

47. Happier - Marshmello

Then only for a minute / I want to change my mind / 'Cause this just don't feel right to me / I want to raise your spirits / I want to see you smile but / Know that means I'll have to leave

Yo-Yo and Mack’s break up during the S5/6 hiatus.

48. Mountain Sound - Of Monsters and Men

Some hid scars and some hid scratches / It made me wonder about their past / And as I looked around, I began to notice / That we were nothing like the rest

The Zephyr team searching for Fitz, while Fitz and Enoch try to get to Naro-Atzia, during the S5/6 hiatus.

49. The World Ender - Lord Huron

I had a life and a place in the world / I had a sweet talkin' wife and a beautiful girl / I know I'm never gonna see 'em again / Gonna tear the world up until I have my revenge

Sarge hunting for Izel.

50. Spaceman - The Killers

The star maker says, it ain't so bad / The dream maker's going make you mad / The spaceman says, everybody look down / It's all in your mind

S6 as a whole, starting with Fitz in space, and ending with Simmons taking the team to the future, including Izel’s body hopping and Davis’s death.

51. Smile - Mikky Ekko

Smile, the worst is yet to come / We'll be lucky if we ever see the sun / Got nowhere to go, we could be here for a while / But the future is forgiven so smile

The team heading off to stop the Chronicom and save their future.

[luluguardainofcreative]

Monsters and Mistakes Fanfic: The Dragon Rider

The night sky seems brighter tonight, the stars shone among their crescent friends as if they were watching over a group of adventurers that had made camp under them for the night. The group slept while a fire burned throughout the night, keeping away any animals or monsters that might come near, but not every creature was afraid of fire.

Something among the trees watched them with their glowing green eyes almost like a cat. It peered out of the trees a little, making a strange sound, seeing if they were asleep.  The fire’s light showed the bronze color of it’s skin, it almost looked like a lizard with fish like features on its body, but it had wings along its sides, keeping them from touching the ground or the members of the group who might hear. It started to sniff at each of them, it looked like it was looking for food of some sort. It went over to one of the members, it sniffed, a cat-like creature. It felt their whiskers against its face a little until going to another member.

It sniffed a girl a little, as it noticed horns among her pink hair, it sniffed her one more time before going over to the next person. It brought it’s head over to a male figure and sniffed its hair until noticing his ears were pointy, it sniffed him as it made a somewhat disgusted face at the sleeping figure, to the creature, he smelled like a bird which happens to be it’s less favorite creatures among the sky. It soon went over to the last member who was snoring very loudly. It noticed he was larger and taller than the rest of them, to it, he must be half his size. It sniffed the tall one noticing he was sleeping against a rock for some reason.

It sniffed him one more time before it left him alone for now as it began to look around, looking at the fire that was beginning to die. It looked at it for a moment before it opens its mouth, releasing fire for it in order for the fire to come back to life a little. It looked proud of itself for a moment as it began to look through the groups’ belongings. It started with the larger member, looking at the top hat that was toward the side, its tail hit against one of the members’ faces, waking them a little.  

Their eyes opened a little only to see a blur due to sleep9 before he could close his eyes again, the creature’s tail hit against his face again. “Ah! Ra what are you trying t-” He froze a little seeing the creature standing near one of his friends. The creature somehow got its head into their bags as a few items fell out. It shook the bag off its head while its goggles slipped down its face before going towards the next one when it saw the person awake. The creature looked at it as it stepped a little closer, it sniffed them unaware it was reaching for their staff.

Before either one could react, the creature’s head rose to look around as if it heard something in the woods. It turned back to the person one more time, until it jumped into the air a little, getting a little bit of a lift spreading out its wings until giving the fire one more breath of its fire bringing it to life again before flying into the forest’s darkness. The person who was awake took a few deep breaths until he started to talk to himself a little. “Okay, Quinn...you just saw a dragon...and it wasn’t..wasn’t..” Quinn began to shake a little feeling his chest tighten up.

He could hear screaming inside his mind and the familiar roaring sound that seems to follow him still. He questioned a few things inside his mind as he tried to calm himself down a little. “What was that dragon doing?”  He took a few more breaths until he looked around seeing how his friends were not harmed and were still asleep, he laid down trying to go back to sleep as much as he could but with seeing that dragon, some memories were flooding back into his mind keeping him awake until dawn came. When the sun started to rise into the sky, Ra awoke sitting up stretching her legs a little to see that their campsite had suddenly become a mess.

Ra scratched behind her ears trying to figure how this had happened when she noticed Quinn barely awake or half asleep. “You okay there pointy ears?” She asked seeing how Quinn looked almost like the undead right now. Ea woke up seeing the mess as well looking at Ra and Quinn when Nikoli awoke to see the mess as well,l looking over at Ra thinking there was some kind of prank involved with the mess.

“I don’t want to know.” He said picking up his top hat until he stood up looking annoyed at Ra. “Wait, I do want to know. Ra what did you do?” He asked in a strong voice looking at their cat friend. Ra jumped up almost looking offended as they looked up at their giant friend. “I didn’t do anything, do you think I would leave a mess like this when setting up a prank on you guys?”

Quinn stood up as Ra and Nikoli were having their little argument as he looks around to see if the dragon he saw left any sort of evidence behind. Ea let out a scream as her friends went silent looking over at her holding her investment in her hands. It was cover slime for some reason and there were a few bite marks on it. Quinn was a little relieved to know that it did leave evidence behind, but why did it want with Ea’s instrument? How did he not notice over there or was he aware of it but did nothing about it?

“Quinn, did you see what did this?” Ra ask him as he froze up again, he knew a dragon did this but he couldn’t say the word even if he wanted to.  “I did see the direction went it off to..” He pointed to where it had flyn off to. “Well, should we let it go or go after it?” Ra ask the others. “Do we want to take a chance if comes back for us?” The same thought was going through Nikoil’s mind as well. Ea jump as she wanted to get the creature that ruins her interment. Quinn just stood there with a fearful look on his face as the screams from his village began to ring in his ears again. “We should also consider this thing is also with our enemies?”

Ra and Ea just gave him an agreement nod at Quinn until they looked shook up. Ra noticed this as she moved closer to his side. “Hey, it’s okay.” She said as Quinn looked up at her picking up his staff. “Yeah...can we just get it over with?” He asked her as he gathered up his things. Ra knew his past but something was telling her he shouldn’t go, yet he was going to do it no matter what. As soon they finished getting themselves together they started to look for the creature that came to their campsite. Ea just mourned over her interment. Nikoli looked down at her asking her if she would like him to play something that might cheer her up a little.

“You think now is the time to play something?”  She said looking at their giant friend. “I would be angry if that thing took Henry!” Ea said referring to a head she carried with her all the times. Nikoli dropped it for right now looking back at Quinn for a moment. “Did this creature happen to have any features we should be looking for?”  Quinn remained quiet for a moment trying to remember what the dragon looked like, but he did find it odd that it had been wearing goggles of all things? “Yeah, it was wearing goggles for some reason?”

“Goggles?” Nikoli touched his face since he happens to be wearing his own pair. “Anything else about it?” Quinn was trying not to let his fear get the better of him, what else about that dragon stood out? What else did it happen to have on its body? Before he could answer they heard a roar not too far from them. Quinn wondered if it was the dragon he saw last night or maybe it was just a monster being attacked by something else, he hoped. They headed towards the sound, as the roar got louder when they got closer they could hear men trying to capture something.

They all hid amongst the bushes, trees, and rocks looking out onto a clearing. Quinn was shaking when he saw the dragon from last night, fighting off a few hunters from the look of them. There were about ten men and one dragon. “A dragon?! That’s what messed up our camp?!” Ra whispered with a surprised look as Quinn tried to keep his gaze on the ground as much as possible when one of the hunters was thrown against one of the trees near them.  “Damn beast, I can’t wait to skin you alive!”  The group listened as the dragon growled at him until they managed to pin down its wings tying them down so it wouldn’t fly away.

A few more hunters used an iron muzzle to keep it from biting at anyone. “This dragon might give us a good price.” One of the hunters has scars all over his right arm while his left hand was missing two fingers. “I want this one to be the last one we sell.” He said removing the goggles off the dragon as it growled at him just as he tossed them aside.

The group watched as the hunters as they pulled the dragon up into a wire cage, it was staring at something beyond them, almost crying. It was staring at the spot where a cave where a few bushes cover up the entrances. The hunters tied down the dragon in the cage as few of them got on their horses. Two of the hunters got on the wage pulling the dragon away from the clearing as it cries out until they couldn’t be seen.  “Don’t you dare take him away!” A girl appeared of the bushes yelling at the hunters. She was wearing goggles almost the same as the dragon. She wore a green jacket with a purple shirt that looked like to be part of a dress, she wore some kind jeans, but she was wearing what seems to look like riding boots trying to be hiking boots as well. The hunters looked at the girl as the dragon struggle a little more.

 The Hunter came up to her and pointed his dagger and finger at her. “Your dragon, this dragon will make a great price for those who want this dragon’s skin.” The girl shook her head heading over to the dragon. The girl seems to grin as the dragon gave a smile back.  “By the way..” The girl turned around to the head of the hunters. “Smithblower won't stay.” She said as the dragon pulled the muzzle off roaring at them. The girl picked up the goggles as the dragon breathed fire at them. The fire was like lava as the some the hunters moved away from it. The dragon started to chew on the ropes a bit as the girl ran up to it trying to pull the ropes up. “What is she doing?” Ra questioned seeing how some of the hunters tried to get the girl as the dragon roared again breathing its’ fire at them. The dragon started to chew at the muzzle pulling a piece off of it breathing fire again as it chews on it.

“We can’t just sit here and let that girl get hurt.” Nikolai noticed how the girl was getting surrounded by hunters trying to recapture the dragon, but the hunter who seems to be the leader went up to the girl grabbing her by the hair. This made the dragon angry as it forced itself up getting free, it struggled more and it rushes over to the hunter and it swiped it claws the at hunter releasing the girl as it climbed up onto the dragon’s back.  The girl made some sort of growl as the dragon seem to understand what that growl meant as it jumps into the air and flies off with the girl on it’s back. The group was surprised by this while the hunters pull out their arrows aiming at the girl and the dragon. “Shot that dragon down and kill that lunatic girl.” Some of the hunters shot some of their arrows into the dragon’s left wing.

The group saw how the girl was holding on to the dragon as the dragon was leaning into the left landing into the trees.  The hunters were about to head into the direction of the girl and her dragon when another dragon appeared in front of them. It’s horns curled into a way that the horns were made for charging into its enemies, it’s jaw open a little to see the heat of its fire ready to burn the hunters into ashes.

The hunters start to attack this dragon as it breathes its fiery breath at them. “Maybe this is a good time to help that girl.” Ra starts to move into the girl's direction when Quinn got in front of the feline from leaving them. “Hello! Dragon!” Quinn pointed to the dragon that the hunters were fighting with. “I know, but the girl could be hurt?” She said to him. Quinn bit the bottom of his lip a little bit.

The memories started to flood back into his mind. The formless One destroying his village, the screams of terror he could hear from everyone when Ra place a paw on his shoulder. “It’s okay, let just get out of here before they see us,” she said as the dragon and hunters continue to fight against each other. The group moves away from the fight as the sound start to fade away until nothing but birds and the wind blowing against the leaves. “Do you think that girl is alright?” Nikolai asks the other looking around for her. “I’m just taking a guess she wouldn’t save that dragon for a reason unless it’s like..well you know..that piece who can turn into a dragon, I forgot the word for them.”  

Nikolai trying to remember the word they could hear someone talking to someone. They wonder if it was the hunters from behind them but the voice was softer but louder as well. The group starts to hear getting closer to see the girl and the dragon among small pound where purple and blue flowers were growing around it. The group hides a bit in case if the two spotted them in case they decided to attack them. “”You’re not going to be able to fly for a few days.” The girl was talking to the dragon as the dragon just made an annoyed face at her. “Don’t give me that look. What else was I supposed to do? Let you get taken away?”

The dragon turned away from the girl as it sat there looking annoyed until when it’s nose started to sniff the air a bit when it started in the direction where the group was hiding. Quinn held his breath as the dragon started to come closer to them. “Mel, what are you doing?” The girl asked her dragon as it moved closer to them. It sniffs the air again as it moved closer to Ea a bit, it started to sniff around her bag a little among the bushes and flowers that grew around the area. The dragon grabbed Ea’s bag pulling her out of hiding trying to get what was inside her bag. “Hey Scaly Face!” Ra jumped on to the dragon’s head trying to pull its jaws apart. “Let go of her!” Nikolai held down the dragon as it struggled against him.

The girl ran to them holding a stick for a weapon as she hit against Nikolai’s side. “Let him go!” She cried out to him. “Get off of him before you destroy his wing!”  Nikolai looked over at her as she continued to hit him with the stick until he let go of him. Ra looked over to see her trying free Ea from it.  “Get your dragon off our friend!” Ra yelled when the dragon growled at Ra as it let go of Ea. “Mel! It’s okay.” Quinn still remained hiding feeling his body giving in a bit as he felt his legs start to get weak. He looks to see if his friends needed his help, he turned a little to see Nikolai letting go of the dragon as it lifted its wing.  The dragon noticed Quinn staring at him.

The girl turned around to see what her dragon was looking at as she noticed Quinn still hiding. “With you?” She asked looking back at her dragon’s wing. Ra went over to Quinn seeing how his fear of dragons was getting the better of him. Ra placed a paw on his shoulder letting him know it’s okay. Quinn just nodded a little but the dragon still stare at him as it’s girl was looking over its wing.

“Guess we won’t be getting off this asteroid anytime soon.” She said to the dragon as the group looked at her confused.  What did she mean by an asteroid? Was she not from this world or maybe she was referring to the area? “Also I wouldn’t hang around this area either. Mossscales will come around here and these flowers are not just pretty,  they have a poison in them which happens to be Mossscales’ favorite and if they see you they’re going to give a nasty bite and you won’t be able to move while the poison is in your body.” She said getting on her dragon’s back as her dragon started to go over Ea as it sniffs her bag again. The girl told it to stop what it was doing till Ea gave the dragon a glare. Ea pulls out her interment out looking at the girl on top of the dragon before they could leave.

“Did your dragon do this?” She asked as the girl looked at it, she jumped off her dragon taking the instrument from Ea. it was covered in slime like saliva, she didn’t know what the internment was but she looked over to the dragon for a moment, she did something that the adventurers weren’t expecting her to do.  She licked the instrument that was covered in saliva already, still looking back at her dragon. “Mel, what did you do last night?” The dragon gave her what seemed to be a smile trying to play innocent for a little bit. “I’m sorry about Mel, he likes to eat metal, if you want to get it fixed I think there was a village outside the Crimson Forest.”

“The Crimson Forest?” Quinn looked a little confused by what she said. The girl looked over at him and nodded a yes. “If you haven’t really noticed, this place is a dragon a paradise. All types of dragons come here and do dragon stuff. But as I said before, we need to get out of this part before Mossscales comes.” The girl said, getting back on her dragon.  “What the hell is a Mossscales?” Ra asked as the ground started to bubble up a little. “Whatever you do, don’t move.” The girl said “trust me on this, don’t move or attack it. You have less of a chance of getting bitten then.” She said as the water started to move as a head rose from the water. This dragon was the color of blue and green scales like flowers, they could see its teeth sticking out as it ate a few of the flowers. Parts of the body seemed to be covered with some sort of algae that looked like moss or something that resembled it. “So cool...” Ra whispered under her breath at it as the dragon brought its front legs up from the water, it's clawed were almost like stone as they hit the earth. The dragon pulled some of the flowers from their roots as it chewed on them as a strange liquid formed from its jaw.  

“That’s the poison.” As the girl and her dragon were instances ready for an attack from it. “It should go soon…” She said as the dragon took another group of flowers into its mouth, but it was interrupted when a few arrows hit against it as it made a hissing roar at it.  The hunters from earlier appeared, shooting their arrows at it as it roared pulling the rest of its body out of the body of water.

“Watch the tail!” The girl said moving away as Nikolai ducked a little as the tail swung close to him. The dragon continues to roar as it grabs one of the hunters with its jaw. “Follow us!” The girl said to the group. They started to move away from the dragon, one of the hunters was thrown towards them with a bloody leg as he gasped in pain seeing the girl and the dragon again.  “You two again!...”  The two ran off a little as the group followed them before anyone saw that this dragon was trying to finish off the hunter before the poison took its toll on the hunter. They followed the girl and the dragon until they heard a pained scream from the hunters.

“What did you do to those hunters?” Ra asked running beside them until they came to a small slope causing them to slide down into a muddy pool that leads to another part of the forest, the girl and her dragon glided a bit away from the pool, both of them giggled a bit at the adventures. Quinn tried to wipe the mud off his coat as the dragon giggled at him. Ra tried shaking her fur a little to get the dirt off as Nikolai pulled Ea out.  “I didn’t do anything to those hunters. They hurt Mel and tried to take him.” She told them as The dragon went over to them again. It sniffed Ra ’s fur as she tried to push the dragon away from her. “Please tell your dragon to give us some space.” She said as the girl gave her a look. “His name is Mel.”

The dragon sniffed her one more time then looked at her tail that was still cover in mud as he left one of his feet to touch it as it swings back and forth a little. “Is Mel short of something?” Nikolai asked as the dragon came over to Ea now sniffing her a little as she started to pull down the hood of her cloak. “No, Mel is his name.” she told him “I’m Lu, he’s Mel.” The group looked at her a little funny as Mel went over to Nikolai now standing on his legs trying to get a better look at him. “Your name is Lu?” Quinn asked a little nervously, holding on to his staff tightly hoping that the dragon wouldn’t come near him next. “Is Lu short for something?” Lu nodded a yes as she took a deep breath, hitting her hands against each palm.

“Lunette Llewellyn Flyington. Lu for short.” She said as Mel went over to Quinn, sniffing him a little when he held up his staff aiming at it at the dragon.  Mel looked confused at him, staring at the staff sniffing it as Quinn felt memories flooding into his mind. A panic attack was starting to well up as Mel went back over to Lu, who gave her dragon a pat on his head while fixing the goggles on it’s head. “Also, those hunters aren’t hunters, they’re really poachers,” Lu said giving her Mel some kind of hand sign to him as his wing opened up to see the holes on it. The holes didn’t get any worse as Ra looked at Mel’s wing.

“Is he okay?” She asked, noticing the saddle on his back with a few bags on it too. “He is, he just can’t fly for a few days. Mel is one of the few lucky dragons who’s wing can heal and fly again. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be able to, the worst thing that could happen would be if his tail was damaged.” She said as Mel gave his rider a look as if she shouldn’t be saying anything to them, but Mel growled as Lu poked him against his nose. “Hey, you know that’s not going to happen with me.”

She looked over at the group seeing how muddy they were. “There’s a stream not to far from here and you can clean yourselves a little.” she commented, “Where are your dragons?” She asked them noticing they looked confused by her question.  Mel and Lu looked at each other signing a bit. “This asteroid is weird.” Mel nodded an agreement to her comment. Ra just raised an eye at them a little confused by what she said just now. “I’m guessing where you’re from a lot of people ride dragons?” Nikolai asked her.

Lu didn’t seem to respond but Mel nodded a yes towards him.  “I’m taking that a yes?” He asked the dragon again just to make sure he understood it. Quinn on the other hand just moves close to their giant friend as hiding behind him as Ra look over to him. He bit the bottom of his lip trying very hard to suppress his memories as much as he could. The sound of his village being destroyed, the painful screams of everyone he knew as the fire burned down the village, but he could see his family being killed during this right in front of him. He tried to hold back his tears till Mel was in front of him sniffing him, giving him a small whine. “Sorry, he is just a little confused with you for some reason?” Lu said looking at the dark half-elf a bit.  Quinn only gave a small nod towards her while she gave Mel a pat on his head. “Well, if you are going to a town, there one on the other side of the forest.”

Quinn smiled a bit hoping she knew a way through this forest. He would like to get out of here as soon as possible. “Since you guys don’t have dragons, it’s going to a little longer to get there,” Lu told them while Mel looked at her a bit, giving her what seemed to be grumpy yet mad at her. “Excuse us.” The two went to the side, talking while the others talked among themselves. “I think this girl might be...a little weird or something else?” Ra said keeping her voice low enough so that the two wouldn’t hear them. Ea pulled out her instrument, still having the same expression on her face as when she found it this morning. “But her dragon did this!” Ea tried to hold back her tears a little bit, but a few escaped from her eyes. “She does seem to know more about this place than we do,” Nikolai commented remembering how the two reacted to the dragon attack and happened to know a village nearby.

He looked over at the pair seeing Mel on his back now as Lu was rubbing his bully letting out a small pleased growl while his tail wiggled like a dog, Ra held in a giggle just to keep herself from laughing when she looked over at Quinn. “Are you sure that was the same dragon you saw last night?” Quinn didn’t want to turn around, his body was starting to shake a little, holding on to his staff tightly. He didn’t want to say anything but if those two were the best option to get out of the forest he’d just have to deal it with for right now. He looked over to see the same color eyes he saw the night before, but then to turned black all of a sudden as it started to turn into something else. “Quinn?” Ra shook him a little as this brought him back to reality. “You okay?”

Quinn just took a breath seeing the dragon was still laying on his back just enjoying his rider’s pets or whatever she was doing with it. “Yeah..I’m okay.”  He lied a bit under his breath but he was trying to hide from Ra, for right now, and he knew she could tell something was wrong. “Well, looks like we stuck together till you lot get out of the forest. It's sad really, this place is filled with so many dragons that are begging to be discovered!” Lu said while Mel lifted his wings up as if he was trying to make her words seem inspiring or something else along those lines. “But if Fury’s Breath appears we’re gone.”  They looked confused about this when Ea walked up to her glaring at her putting herself between Lu and Mel. “Is this Fury’s Breath another dragon that likes to eat my stuff?!” Mel gave a guilty smile towards Lu while she shook her head. “Mel, you should say you’re sorry to her for snacking on her..thingy?”  Ra giggled a bit at the sight of this seeing how the dragon leaned it’s head down to Ea’s level as it gave her a lick on the forehead.

Ea wasn’t sure how to react to this but Ra’s laughter could be heard. “That’s his way of saying he’s sorry, Mel needs metal to keep his fire burning,” Lu said getting on Mel’s back as Mel wait for them to follow him and his rider to spring to clean themselves off. Nikolai went up to them a little asking them to go ahead and lead the way. Lu turned her head to Ea apologizing again for Mel’s action again. “Smithblowers love to eat metal like things.”

Ra raised an eyebrow, a little confused about what she had just said. What did she mean by that? Before long they could smell something like a wash room or bath house, in view, there were small pools on water, some bubbling while others just gave off steam or remained still.  “These are the springs, you want the ones that are steaming to clean yourself,” Lu told them pulling out a few books: one with a pan fault on the cover while the other had a star and a rose on it. Mel just sat down while his rider slips off his back giggling. The adventures just stare a little at them till they headed to them small pools with steam.

Ra dipped her tail in to make sure it wasn’t too hot, the other pools were bubbling boiling their water as Ra dipped into the pool, it wasn’t too hot or cold, The mud on her tail seems to come off and when she pulled her tail out, she could feel how soft her tail was. “Fun fact about those pools, they’re used to hatch certain eggs,” Lu said reading from her book not looking up as her dragon lean in trying to read it as well. “You said hatching?” Ra ask dipping the rest of her tail in taking a cloth out to clean the rest of herself.

“It’s okay, there aren’t any eggs here.” She said as Nikolai stuck his hand into the pool looking around as well. “What do you mean by that?” He noticed there were a few nests or what seem to resemble nests. The nest was made of dry grass and large branches from trees while another nest was just dug up dirt and sand. “I don’t see any signs of eggs being here?” Nikolai pointed out to Lu. She and Mel giggled and pointed to the pools of water. Nikolai looked down at the pool, he happened to notice what looked like shells to him, but as he looked closer he saw the eggshell pieces. “Not all dragon eggs hatch, some go boom.”  Quinn jumped a little backing away from the pool just thinking about a dragon popping out of the water mistaking him as it’s a parent.

“That’s why these pools or springs are here.” Lu closed her book seeing the group coming more or less to her. Mel happened to be staring at Quinn still. Ra walked over grinning a bit. “I think a certain princess would be jealous of your new crush?” Quinn shot Ra a look grinding his teeth a bit, the joke wasn’t funny and Ra knew his issue with dragons, but it did bother him a bit why this dragon was staring at him. It’s green eyes just remain on him still last night. Lu and Mel started to move a little while Lu stood up on Mel’s back.

“Hey! Hey!” Ra ran up climbing on Mel’s back making him stop letting out growl out. “I have to know, where did you get this big guy?” Ra asking looking very excited about this. “Did you tame it? Did someone sell it to you?” “His name is Mel, not it.” Lu said, “and please get off of him, he doesn’t like anyone on him but me.” Ra jumped off Mel’s back respecting her request. She noticed Mel was staring at her giving her an annoyed look. “Plus, don’t want to risk more damage on his wing.”

Ra looked at the wing that happens to be injured, it didn’t seem to bother Mel at all. He wasn’t in pain, maybe something like this had happened before. “Okay...but how did you get him?” Ra went on with her questions. Nikolai looked at the wing too about to try it just to know what it felt like. “You know, we could give it-I mean him one of our position.” Lu looked more confused at the giant looking over at Mel as if waiting for a response but just continued to lead the way. “I’m guessing you don’t have any?” Nikolai asked her again still there was still no response from her. Nikolai turned his head over to Quinn who was trying his best to keep his distance away from Mel while trying not to be rude. “Quinn, don’t you know a healing spell?”  He hesitated a bit, he knew one but was still trying to master it.

 He wasn’t sure what to say now or do. This forest was filled with dragons and he wasn’t ready to face any of them, let alone make a  possible friend with one if it was that, that turned into dragons and human he might be a little okay with it. “I’m still working on that spell..” He replied holding his staff closer to him.  He could feel Ra’s eyes on him knowing he was lying a bit, there were some spells he was still learning or was he trying to get out of helping the dragon? “Magic isn’t real.” Lu said, “At least not that I’ve seen so far?” “Have you been in this forest the whole time and you haven’t seen anyone do magic and you haven’t been in the village either?” Ra asked, “Not connected with anyone?” Mel stopped looking at Ra sniffing her a little bit again.  Mel made a little sound at her sniffing her ears now.

“What’s he doing?” Ra asked a little confused by this since this dragon had done this before. “Maybe he’s never seen a Catfolk before?” Nikolai commented since Lu was n’t asking about them? Mel sniffed her again giving her a nuzzle against her face. Ra sort of smile at this when sounds of roars could be heard. Mel lifted his head with Lu standing up up a little.  “It’s okay, we’re just coming into a good view of the forest,” Lu asked as Mel grinned over at them. The trees started to clear a little to reveal a cliff.  Mel stopped at the bit when a dragon suddenly appeared flying by. They had viewed a beautiful view of the forest, the tips of the trees turned red and gold. There were a few mountains and hills in the distance where a few waterfalls could be seen to be connected to a large lake that had a few rivers that seemed to break into the forest’s grounds running in all directions.

There they could see all sorts of dragons. Some were flying among the clouds and sky, a few could be seen sitting in the trees among the branches while others roamed around the lake.  “This is just one of the beautiful sights,” Lu said walking along the cliff as Mel whined a bit. Ra noticed he looked sort of sad when he looked at his wing going over to Lu to nuzzle his head against her. Nikolai leaned over to look over the cliff and the drop, it didn’t seem too high for them “We could make s staircase to get down or use a le-woah!” A few dragons flew down to the cliff almost knocking off Nikolai’s hat off almost taking him with it. The dragons were crawling along the cliff’s edge just like most lizards would do, but some just sat there staring off at the horizon while a few lookup up towards the adventurers with curiosity about the new visitors. “Like I said before if you had dragons this would be easier,” Lu called towards a little ahead as Mel just stared at the other dragons hanging around the cliff

. Quinn slowly backed away following Lu and Mel as the dragons made bird-like sounds as a few more dragons happen to fly over landing on the cliff almost close to them. “Do know you what those are called?” Ra asked Lu looking excited as her tail wagged a bit. “No, there are some dragons I haven’t seen before, but those dragons are close to a small dragon I know without wings.”Lu just looked down at the cliff with Mel closer to her, ready to pull her back in case she slipped and fell.  

“Really?” Ra tilted her head a bit while her ears twitched a bit hearing some of the dragons roaring. Mel roared back at some of the dragons down below warning them to leave his girl alone while Lu tried to keep him calm a little. “Could we please keep moving?” Quinn asked standing next to Ra for comfort. The others nodded in agreement waiting for Lu and Mel to lead the way. Lu jumped up on to Mel’s back again as Mel lead the way. Quinn took a few more deep breaths which Ra happened to notice this time. “You know, you could tell her you’re uncomfortable about this?”  Ra told him. Quinn bit the bottom of his lip and looked up to see Mel looking back at him, he noticed that part of Mel’s skin color was changing into black like mist now as his eyes changed into lifeless white eyes staring at him. He panicked a bit until he bumped into Ea a bit. almost knocking her over.

He looked back at the dragon looking it’s normal self now.  “I can’t..we need them to get out of this forest,” Quinn said trying his best to remain calm. “Besides we don’t know this forest and Lu seemed the best bet right now to get out of here?” Ra did have to agree with that, but she was a little surprised too. Maybe she was working with someone that was looking for them or she could be some kind of bait as well.

“Well we’ll just have to keep an eye on them,” Ra said with a smile when she noticed that Mel stopped for a moment growling at something. Lu leaned against him to see what he happen to see or hear in front of them. “Is there a reason we stopped?” Nikolai asked seeing nothing in front of them or in the air as well. Lu jumped off of Mel pulling down her goggles a little. Lu took a deep breath sniffing the air a bit before running off.

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

This is just part of this story and this...took forever!!! But I did it! I still have a long way to go. this is a fanfic base on @pshattuckproduction ‘s DnD series Monsters and Mistakes~ I’m still working this story and I’m just happy to finally get the first part out! I hope all of you enjoy this^^ Let me know if I have your characters personality right

I’ll be also posting this also on my DeviantART page (kakashisgirlfighter) as well.

@pshattuckproduction @kyzer-aqueron @gmillerhoctor-blog and @kolormixstudios​

[mortemania]

Two Birds

This is a short story I wrote, it’s under the read more :v

“Two birds on a wire

One tries to fly away And the other watches him close from that wire”

Jay and Corvin had been friends for as long as either one could remember and they did everything together. Jay would stick up for Corvin whenever the latter was getting picked on and Corvin was there to calm Jay down whenever he started to lash out at people because he was overwhelmed. They were definitely as close as they could be and they felt that absolutely nothing could tear the two apart, that they’d be together forever.

The two shared many things, clothes, dreams, food, the list could go on. As similar as the two were sometimes, other times would show their glaring differences. Corvin was prone to having panic attacks when placed into situations that he was uncomfortable in and would break down sobbing, while Jay would lash out in agitation and break things before storming off. Jay grew attached to music while Corvin gained an affinity for the cosmos. These differences later started to cause lags in their rather close friendship.

It started small, Jay wanted Corvin to join him on a ride at the amusement park but he was too scared. Then it slowly began to progress to where Corvin was turning down party requests from the other throughout their high school career. Jay understood that the other was never the best with socialisation and respected that but he couldn’t stand that he was denying all opportunities to hang out.  He brushed it off though, after all, Corvin was his best friend and he meant the world to him. He didn’t want to lose him over something stupid.

As the two both got older, they chose to go to the same college. Jay joined a fraternity and a band while Corvin was his roommate, choosing to stay back and focus on his studies. People at parties would frequently make rude comments about the raven haired boy but Jay was quick to defend him, retorting with a few comments of his own. He then stormed off to his room upstairs where the other was sitting with his astronomy textbook.

“Oh, hey, Jay,” he greeted with a soft smile, “Are you feeling okay? You seem awfully upset.” “Yeah, I’m fine,” he lied, flopping onto the other bed with a scowl. He flinched a bit at the sound as he watched the blue haired boy glare up at the ceiling, drilling holes into it with his chocolate hued eyes. He continued to watch as the other rolled onto his side, muttering a “goodnight” before shutting out the lights. Corvin got up slowly and got changed before laying back down, setting his book aside. He watched the stars outside the window as he drifted off slowly.

Jay woke up first, quickly greeted by the soft snores that the other boy produced. He smiled fondly at the familiar sound, getting up to make breakfast for both of them. He hummed as he put some ham into the pan and put an English muffin in the toaster. Corvin stumbled downstairs, rubbing his eye and mumbling to himself a bit. He smiled at the blue haired boy and grabbed himself some of the food when he finished making it, sitting up on the counter as he ate it. “So, uh, how are you?” Jay awkwardly asked, rubbing the nape of his neck as he grinned sheepishly at the other. “I’m fine, my head is kind of pounding from the party you held last night, it made it really hard to study,” he chuckled a bit. “Oh, sorry, I’ll have them quiet down next time,” he mumbled as he got himself a glass of juice. “It’s fine, really, people are hard to get under control,” the noirette chimed in, leaning towards him with a light chuckle, “Especially at social events, like parties, where they’re all riled up.”

“Yeah but lots of loud noises tend to make you panicky,” the other quickly retorted, staring at him with worry in his eyes. “Jay, I was fine, really,” he said softly in an attempt to reassure him. He groaned as he ran his hands through his hair, “Are you sure?” He grabbed the other by his face and stared at him as he cradled his face gently, “I am sure.”  He sighed as he held onto his forearms, “Okay, I’ll take your word for it.” “Good,” Corvin said with a smile, blushing lightly as he let go of his face, “Thanks for breakfast, it was delicious.” “Oh, you’re welcome,” Jay said with a grin and watched the other go back upstairs to their room.

Later that night, Jay was hosting another party in their house but Corvin went downstairs to hang out with him, getting a bit jumpy about other people whenever they acknowledged his existence. He held his drink close as he looked around frantically for him, gripping tightly on the hem of his cardigan with his free hand. When he found the other, he quickly clung to him and dropped his drink in the process, unaware that he was too busy trying to get on the good side of some jock. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage as he held tighter onto the other, seeking comfort. He was quickly pushed away as he stared face to face with his best friend who looked both furious and disgusted at him. He started to breathe quicker and had a difficult time keeping up with it, staring at floor which seemed to be spinning.

Jay’s expression immediately softened when he saw the other visibly frazzled. He reached over to put a hand on his back but Corvin pushed it away. The two stared at each other, Corvin’s violet eyes wide in fear. Jay groaned in aggravation as he glared at him, “What even is your problem, you should be grateful that people want to talk to you! No one ever wanted to do that, except me!” “Well, I’m sorry about not really trusting people to have pure intentions, people are usually only nice to me because they want something from me,” the other said as he gripped onto his onyx locks, pulling at it. “What are you implying? That I’m only friends with you because I want something from you?” his azure headed counterpart said defensively, clenching his fists as he scowled at him. “No! Not at all!” Corvin quickly responded, grabbing at his shirt and pulling down on it. “It sure sounds like that’s what you fucking believe,” Jay said as he grabbed the other by the front of his shirt, watching as he cowered and stared at him with misty eyes. He dropped the fabric and glared before muttering coldly, “Just go, you don’t want to be here so just leave.” “But I-” Corvin started but was cut off by Jay yelling, “Just go away already!”

Corvin stared at him before running back upstairs, packing up all of his stuff and then sitting in the closet. He peered through the slits in the door before he broke down sobbing, covering his face. He wiped his nose on his cardigan sleeve, picking at the loose string while he continued to weep. He wiped off his face and exited the closet, grabbing his bags. He looked back at the room before leaving it and heading for the front door, leaving as the mass of people left.

Jay went upstairs to get ready for bed and to apologise to his best friend since he felt awful as the other was not okay at all. He looked around and saw absolutely no trace of the other. He found a note that was left behind and read over it, beginning to tear up as he did. He wiped his eyes quickly as he tried to swallow back his tears, failing terribly. He flopped backwards into bed and stared up at the ceiling, crying silently as he regretted everything he said that night.

[imthepunchlord]

alp: Why You Shouldn’t Assume

Ao3

"Chloe Bourgoeis is Ladybug!"

Paris' network media was abuzz with excited wonder and baffled skepticism at the akuma's declaration, their ears ringing with Lady Wifi's sure voice, teens echoing what they heard, spreading the news as quickly as they could.

Chloe Bourgeois, the mayor's daughter, was Ladybug.

Her?

It seemed… unorthodox.

While the news media buzzed in wonder of this, with students crowding together to talk about the mayor's daughter being Ladybug; the declared Ladybug was entirely unaware of this, leaving for the hotel before she could even hear the declaration.

Chloe Bourgoeis returned home, eagerly slipping into her specially made Ladybug cosplay, pretending to be the spotted heroine and practicing throwing out her weapon. With this, Chloe felt empowered, she felt like a hero. She felt amazing.

You can even say that she felt quite miraculous.

That is till she threw the yo-yo wrong and got tangled up in it, toppling with a grunt.

Chloe huffed, struggling to get out of the wire.

Why do these annoyances keep happening to her?

"My, my, my. Talk about being tangled up."

Chloe froze at the soft tease, looking over to her balcony doors to see an akuma at her door way. This akuma was all blue, messy blond hair, with a top hat with a few crest feathers sticking out of the side of the hat, and a long peacock tail based coattail. A tail that rattled as he rose up and drew into her room, green eyes locked on her, bright against a black sclera.

Chloe wiggled away, eyes widening as she watched this akuma draw near and loom over her.

He bent down, reaching for her. "Hello Ladyb—"

"No!" Chloe cried out, smacking him in the face as she tried to keep him away.

Bird boy squawked in surprise, drawing away from her. Seeing her chance, Chloe turned and wiggled away from him. Bird boy gasped, watching as she moved to flee. He quickly followed, insisting as he reached for her, "No! No! Ladybug please! Chloe, I mean, I, I'm here to help! Really! Let me help you!"

"Stay away from me!" Chloe snapped, slapping his hands away and kicking out to get him away. "Do you know who my father is?! I'll have you plucked!"

He gasped, drawing away and setting a hand on his chest.

"Ow," he mumbled.

His friend just threatened to pluck him...

Chloe wiggled up, she growled, "Oh if you think that's bad..."

Both gave a start as Chloe's purse glowed and buzzed with life.

Slowly, they turned to it.

Both jumped, with bird boy's peacock tail fanning out in his surprise, as Lady Wifi rose from the bag and slammed her feet onto the table. She grinned, purple eyes locked on Chloe.

"Got you!" she cried, swiping her phone and firing.

Bird boy dove forward, taking the blow for Chloe and freezing up as he was paused.

Shrieking, Chloe shoved him away, leaving bird boy to lie in a stiff awkward position on the floor, still paused and unable to move. She waddled up and struggled to run, only to get hit in the back by a pause.

The akuma cackled, drawing near and smirking at her. With a swipe, she made a video link, loudly declaring, "I hope you're ready to see who Ladybug is, Paris!"

Bird boy shrieked from where he was frozen on the ground, a muffled "Nooooo!" coming from him.

Smugly, Lady Wifi peeled away the mask from Chloe's face.

"There you have it Paris!" she declared. "Chloe Bourgeois is Ladybug!"

"Um," an amused voice rang out from the balcony doors. "Sorry to say, but no. No, I'm not Chloe Bougeois."

Lady Wifi whipped around, gasping to see Ladybug at the doorway.

Lady Wifi whipped around to Chloe, snapping, "You're not Ladybug?!"

Chloe made a protesting noise.

Scoffing, Lady Wifi dropped the pause she had set in this room, sending Chloe tumbling forward and freeing bird boy, who quickly rose up, turning wide green eyes towards Ladybug.

Ladybug spared him a fast, wary glance, narrowing her eyes.

Two akumas?

"Ladybug," bird boy whispered in awe, his green eyes bright against a black sclera, making his gaze both pretty and unnerving. "It's really you," he continued, so wonder struck and amazed, Ladybug found herself faltering at him.

She rose up, brow rising as she looked over blue-green bird boy. "Who are you?" she asked.

He gave a start, his peacock tail twitching. He gave her a bright beam, eagerly drawing near her and giving her a bow. "My Lady," he murmured, looking up to her, his gaze excited and relieved. "I'm so happy to finally meet you!"

He took her hand, moving to give her knuckles a kiss.

Ladybug drew away, wary.

He blinked in surprise, then jumped to his feet when a bright blur when past him.

"Enough of this love birds!" Lady Wifi snapped.

"Love birds?!" Ladybug repeated, put off. Then she shook her head, muttering, "Alya, you and your crazy ideas."

Ladybug darted away when Lady Wifi fired at her, the akuma snapping that she didn't have crazy ideas.

Bird boy took out a twin pair of feathers that were set on the back of his waist, and with a flick of his wrist, they spread out into a twin pair of peacock based fans.

"Don't worry Ladybug!" he called out, swiping one fan at a coming beam, batting it away. "I'll help protect you!"

"Don't need it!" she reflected, jumping high and swerving in the air to avoid another shot. She landed in a crouch, shooting him a look and demanding, "Who even are you?!"

Bird boy faltered, looking sheepish. "Oh! Right! I'm! I'm uh..." Bird boy frowned, tapping his chin and turning his back to the akuma, considering what name to tell her.

A big mistake on his part.

"Hey!"

Ladybug's warning shout came too late.

Lady Wifi saw her chance and froze bird boy from where he stood, putting him on pause once again. A frustrated noise came out of bird boy.

Ladybug threw her yo-yo, slamming it into Lady Wifi's hand and sending her phone flying.

Growling, Lady Wifi went after her phone, grabbing it, and fleeing.

Ladybug moved to follow, though she did slow to eye the frozen bird boy. She frowned. There was no miraculous that she could see on him.

That was odd.

But this, she doesn't think this guy was an akuma...

Shaking her head, Ladybug tore off, pursuing Lady Wifi.

She'll worry about him later.

She's got a best friend to save.

Behind her, the frozen bird boy emitted a frustrated sound, one that sounded roughly like crying.

He was so close...

                                                    . . .

During the battle with Lady Wifi, Ladybug can admit that she had entirely forgotten about bird boy. So rushing down the stairs and opening a random door, pressured to get far away from the excitable Alya she was surprised to find him on the other side, reaching to open it and barely avoiding getting hit by the door.

So rushing down the stairs and opening a random door, pressured to get far away from the excitable Alya, she was surprised to find him on the other side, barely avoiding the door she had shoved open in her rush.

She froze as he jumped at her sudden appearance, his tail fanned up and spread out behind him, crimson red peacock eyes locked on her. Ladybug peered back, her eyes locked on those eyes. She blinked when they fell away, shrinking back down to a coattail. Her gaze slid to the honey green orbs of bird boy, seeing him grin down at her.

"Ladybug!" he cried out happily, stretching his arms out eagerly.

It almost looked like he was going to hug her.

He faltered when she jumped away, tense.

He grabbed the door before it could close and separate them, holding up a black gloved hand in a placating gesture.

"It's ok!" he reassured. "It's ok! I'm a friend! I'm not here to hurt you!"

Blinking at him, she slowly rose out of her crouch, considering him. "You're a friend?" she repeated, baffled.

"Yes! I am! I'm…" he trailed, making a face. He still didn't have a name down.

"You're…" she prompted.

"Um..."

She narrowed her eyes.

Bird boy drew near, quickly spouting out, "I'm here to serve you! However or whatever you need! I'm at your service!"

"Uh, what?" Ladybug mumbled, drawing away from him, her earrings going off.

He dropped to a knee, taking her hand and this time pressing a successful kiss to her knuckles. "Whatever you need, My Lady, is my command."

Another beep sounded out and Ladybug drew away from, hurrying out, "Uh thanks but no!"

She hurried away before bird boy can catch her, could protest and appeal to her.

Not long after she went, he suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion and a twist in his stomach. With a moan, he didn't bother fighting off the transformation. In a poof, a blue-turquoise peacock kwami with a light green tail dropped down to the stairwell, clutching his stomach.

He wobbled up and looked around with a frown, taking in the stairwell that was so much bigger now. He drifted up and wobbled down the stairwell, heading for the kitchens. down to the kitchen, finding a small black and white cat

There a small black and white cat kwami munching away on cheese, making a slight face at each bite he took, his thin tail twitching in displeasure.

The peacock dove for the cupboards, searching for some food Duusu may like.

She said cotton candy was her favorite but he wasn't sure if the hotel had any—

He gasped, crest rising gleefully.

They did!

Eagerly he ripped open the bag and started to inhale the confection. When he started to feel better, he turned to the cat, revealing, "Chloe wasn't Ladybug!"

An ear twitched towards him.

"No surprise," came the huff. "Ladybug did save her."

"Ladybug was there," the little peacock revealed, his words laced with wonder.

The little cat paused, turning to him, his pale blue-grey eyes a bit wide with interest. "You met her?"

"Yes!" the peacock confirmed, his green eyes bright.

The cat eyed him, flicking his tail impatiently. "And?" he prompted.

The peacock kwami drooped, sighing. "She said thanks but no. But, you should've seen her! She was... wow."

The cat kwami threw his chunk of cheese at the peacock. The peacock dove away and glared down at that chunk of cheese, disgusted. His tail echoed him, fanning out menacingly at the chunk of cheese.

He did not like cheese.

Especially stinky cheese.

While the peacock glared at the cheese, the cat angrily tore off another piece, chewing on it impatiently.

Ladybug wasn't going to refuse them so easily.

He'll make sure of it.