#ive been in a slump for quite a while | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

winterchimez · 1 year

Text

Insanity | Ji Changmin

SUMMARY: It has been several years since Gotham City mourned the passing of the previous Robin, Ji Changmin. However, as you continue with your career as Batgirl to protect the city while filling in for your mentor, Batman, you eventually discover that Changmin was alive all these years after all but has now turned into the city’s most wanted criminal. It is your job to eliminate him for good, but you just can’t bring yourself to do so. How could you? Especially when you still have feelings for him even after all these years.

PAIRING: robin/joker Changmin x batgirl f!reader (feat. nightwing Sangyeon)

GENRE: batman au, angst, crime, thriller, some fluff, slight suggestive

WARNINGS: nc-17, slow-burn, violence, manipulation, mentions of drug trafficking, torture, traumatic(-ish) childhood, time skip, characters' death, kissing, mentions of weapons (guns, snipers, blades, etc.), blood, both Changmin & Sangyeon are just SO flirty here

WORD COUNT: 14,136 (wowza)

A/N: happiest birthday to my pookie, my beloved lil 妹妹 whom i love so so freaking much and would protect with the rest of my life, @sungbeam 🥳 you've been there since day 1 of my writing journey, and no words could ever describe how much you mean to me 🥹 i hope this fic would somehow be a worthy gift to you miss beam 😮‍💨

also this is my first time writing a superhero au, so pls bear with me it might not be the best i apologise 😭 (this is by far the longest oneshot ive ever written oops—)

Year 2X42

“There have been reports of cases of drug trafficking on the outskirts of Gotham City, and the league have decided to deploy you and your team for the job since it is your area of residence, after all.”

Turning around from his chair, the male looks up at his huge monitor, seemingly replying to the person on screen as half-heartedly as possible. “Sure, Clark. Leave it up to me to deal with the dirty business of the city.”

Clark—better known as Clark Kent or Superman, then quickly shifted his facial expression towards his good old friend, indicating that the situation was far more gruesome and serious than it used to be.

“Bruce... just a fair warning. You do know who the mastermind of this particular crime spree is, especially when you have dealt with him for decades. You certainly don’t plan to bring your two kids with you, right?”

That was when he immediately brought up his fingers to massage his temples. Bruce knew he would eventually bring them up on this particular topic. Why wouldn’t he? Especially when his two kids, whom he is especially proud of—you and Changmin, have assisted him in many of his work.

You both have been registered in the league’s system for quite a few years now, Changmin starting a little ahead of you since he was a few years older than you were. Both you and Changmin have lived in poverty in the dark slumps of the outskirts of Gotham for many years, having been abandoned by your parents from a young age. It was tough to live in Gotham City, especially when the city was often tied with crime and corruption. If only you were born into the upper class, then you would’ve had a better chance of survival.

Unfortunately, you and Changmin just had to end up in the city's lower class. All Changmin knew about his parents was that his mother was a prostitute, and he ended up becoming an aftermath of a one-night stand. Hence, he was immediately dumped on the streets right after birth. Some kind-hearted families took him in for a while, but eventually, he needed to venture out on his own to ease the family's expenses.

On the other hand, you had a relatively good upbringing until your parent’s murder when you were 9. Having no other place or family to turn to, you eventually find your way into the slumps.

And that was when you met Changmin.

By then, Changmin had already created a reputation for him. He somehow became the so-called “leader” among the troupe and led the kids around to make a decent living even during the worst situation possible. He treated you like a little sister, and you both became inseparable as time passed. You both would always stick together, even going up to the main city to look for food to provide for the others back at your so-called home.

It wasn’t until several years later, both of you aged 16 and 14 respectively, that you came across the infamous Bruce Wayne himself. He was out on a business around the slumps—seemingly tracking down one of the most wanted criminals then, which was also when he found you two and the rest of the kids.

Thanks to Mr Wayne’s contribution, he placed all of the kids into a care facility sponsored by the Wayne Enterprises, where they would finally have a rooftop over their heads and a better future ahead of them. On the other hand, you and Changmin have seemingly intrigued the man himself, and he decided to take you in and raise you two as if you were his children.

It turns out that his intuition about you both wasn’t wrong after all. Both of you possessed a higher intelligence level than usual and could pick up combat skills almost immediately. The first time he brought you both down to his training station to have a go, you adjusted quickly to all the provided gadgets. With the help of his trusted butler Alfred, both of them made sure that the two of you were trained to be skilled fighters and have a loving family of the four of you.

It was obvious among the two of you that Changmin stood out a bit more and earned the title Robin at 18. All you knew was that Mr Wayne had raised an individual before you two and he was the original Robin, but certain things happened along the way and he hung his cape up, never to return. All you could assume was that he had enough of his life as the superhero himself and perhaps created a new alias to start anew. Discussing it was hard with Mr Wayne, so you’ve never pressed further.

You were certainly a bit jealous at the beginning as Mr Wayne would only take Changmin with him out on missions, pressing that you needed more practice or it was too dangerous for a woman like you. But you proved him wrong and finally made a name for yourself about a year prior.

Batgirl. The first ever in the family.

With that, Mr Wayne has trusted you enough to take you along on his missions and eventually assign minor ones for you both to deal with when Batman himself isn’t present to deal with them personally.

You and Changmin made a great team, and it might even become the best combo Batman has ever seen. Even better than himself than the original Robin decades ago.

So it all came down to making the decision. To take you both along with him during this special assigned mission from the league or not? It was a risk, especially when the mastermind behind this mission was someone who had been hunting Bruce Wayne himself for as long as he could remember. Dealing with him has always been a life-and-death situation.

The Joker.

But Mr Wayne trusted you both, and it was about time for him to prove to the league his proudest achievement just yet.

“I’ve made my decision, Clark. And there will be no second thoughts about this.” He paused briefly before finally tilting his head up to the screen and looking at his friend seriously.

“I’m taking both of them with me.”

“Come on, Y/N. You can do better than that.”

Changmin pinned you down to the ground and head-locked you, ensuring you had little to no escape from him.

You both were sparring as usual in the training station in the Batcave, and it is always a competition between you two. Just as the male thought he had everything under control, you freed yourself from his grasp and turned him around. The next thing that happened was that you were hovering over him and pinning both of his arms above his head.

“Says you, Robin. This is now my 35th win, and you owe me a bowl of Akamaru Ramen down the streets later tonight.” You smirked.

“Sheesh, Batgirl. Seems like you have improved from the last time we sparred.” He gives you a wink, and you roll your eyes up, trying your best to ignore his flirty remarks.

It wasn’t long before the two of you broke off from your positions as the familiar grunt filled the entire training room.

“You’ve gotten a new mission for us, Mr. Wayne?” Changmin asked enthusiastically, desperately wanting to be deployed almost immediately and showcase his newly perfected martial arts skills and new gadgets he had just gotten from Alfred a week ago.

“Slow down, cowboy. I am going to need you two to listen to me very carefully. And I will not allow a single mistake to happen for this one.”

With that, both of you followed your mentor right back into the control room where the batcomputers were stored. It was clear that Mr Wayne was here minutes ago and had just recently hung up a call from someone from the league. You guessed it would’ve been Superman since he would be the main person to contact Batman often, being the league's chief.

Mr Wayne then leaned back onto the computer desk, crossing his arms as he pressed play on one of the remotes that were situated in his hand. Immediately, the video footage on-screen depicts a series of trucks entering a secluded area outside Gotham City. It was rare as the number of trucks slowly grew each second. 10, 20, and eventually up to 30 of them.

Once the trucks were parked around the area, one of the drivers, whom you both assumed to be the squad leader, got down from the vehicle and opened up the trunk boot. And that was when you both saw it with your own eyes.

Heroin. One of the most life-threatening ones to humankind.

Just as you thought it would be over, another figure pops up on-screen, someone you have all been familiar with for decades. Too familiar with to be exact.

“Joker.” Changmin clenched his fist, his eyes now narrowed and his facial expression seemingly changed almost immediately compared to when he was back at the training station.

You know how much beef The Joker has with the Bat Family, including Changmin. As much as he was the ultimate archenemy of Batman—he was also, in fact, the same for Robin. Changmin had his fair share of encounters with the infamous enemy, and neither had been pleasant. Adding salt to the wound, he would often return with an injury whenever he faced the psychopath himself, never once coming back home in one piece.

But usually, it was both Batman and Robin who dealt with The Joker, not Batgirl. So why even did Mr Wayne request for your presence this time?

As you open your mouth to get an answer, Mr Wayne beats you to it by explaining the situation in detail.

“I know we have dealt with the madman himself countless times, and it’s nothing new that he would do such a thing. But judging by the amount of drugs he had smuggled in this time, I fear the worst could happen.”

“Mr Wayne, you don’t think…” Changmin proposed.

“It is exactly what’s on your mind, Robin.”

No way. The Joker plans to drug at least half the population of Gotham City.

Knowing him, he could execute such a plan in countless ways or methods. Besides, he would definitely strike when law enforcement least expects it to happen. Hence, it is up to the Bat Family to put a stop to this massacre from happening.

With that, Mr. Wayne turned towards you and began speaking up again. “And I thought we could definitely use a little more manpower for this job.”

You were ecstatic, to say the least. Going on a mission with both Batman and Robin? Oh lord, that would be a dream come true. Most of the time, you were either often deployed on minor cases that you could’ve dealt with on your own or paired up with Changmin to deal with slightly more dangerous matters that were right up your alley and didn’t require the presence of Batman to clean up the dirty work. You have probably been deployed just once or twice with Mr Wayne himself, but not with both of them present.

But you were hesitant. You have never encountered the madman himself before, while Batman and Robin have. So what in the world was Mr Wayne thinking to bring you along for this mission?

Was it a test for you? Was it for you to prove to him how much you have grown? Were you finally going to make a name for yourself and be as famous as the duo already are in Gotham City?

As much as you liked your last idea, you were still reluctant.

“I… I don’t know about this, Mr Wayne. With all due respect, I deeply appreciate the opportunity given. But are you sure a common girl like me could do the job?” Your voice was shaking, unsure of this whole situation at hand.

But Mr Wayne steps closer to you, placing one hand on your right shoulder. “You are not just a common girl. You’re Batgirl. You are my pride and joy, and it’s time for me to finally show the world how amazing you are and that you are finally ready to join the Justice League.”

Your ears perked up at that. Even if he seemed cold outside, Mr Wayne always knew the right words and timing to comfort you. That was all you needed to know to be sure that you were needed for this mission, and there was no mistake.

At the same time, Mr. Wayne pulls Changmin towards him so he is now hugging you two. “Batman could always use some good sidekicks by his side, and tonight is the night.”

Finally, he breaks off the hug and puts on his stern face, which the public has grown familiar with.

“We leave tonight in two hours. Gear up, kids.”

It took Alfred less than an hour to figure out the exact coordinates of the exact location where the drug trafficking was taking place. Thanks to that, the three of you immediately hopped into the batmobile and eventually reached your destination within 15 minutes.

After parking the vehicle somewhere undetected, all three of you used your batclaw to get yourselves up to the higher ground, now examining the entire base area of operation with your own eyes.

The area was an abandoned factory, where the men had begun unloading the bags filled with heroin. A few individuals stood out as they possessed a walkie-talkie around their hips, indicating that they were responsible for giving orders and communicating.

Upon closer inspection, all of the trucks used were freezer trucks— all embedded with the Wayne Enterprises logo all over the exterior of all 30 trucks. There was no doubt they could bypass the security borders, and it was very bold and cunning for them to do so as well.

“There is no way I’ll let them tarnish your name, Mr Wayne. This is all a sick joke.” Changmin said furiously, already ready to hop into action.

“Easy now, Robin. Let us establish our roles before going into action without a plan.” You stopped your friend by placing your hand on his chest.

“Batgirl’s right. Now, listen to me, you two. As this operation is way too dangerous, there is no way I’m letting you both step close to The Joker himself, did I make myself clear?”

Mr Wayne immediately turned his direction to Changmin, knowing fully how he would definitely be the type to act all mighty and head straight for The Joker’s head. But given the situation and the look in Mr Wayne’s eyes, Changmin had no choice but to obey his commands if he wished to return home in one piece.

“I will be the one who’s going to go for the psychopath. I need you two to clear out all of the thugs and workers here. Once you’re done, contact Alfred and he will let you two know on what to do with the large amount of drugs. If you ever come across The Joker, don’t engage. Call me and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

With that, Batman gives a pat on both of your shoulders, extends out his cape, and flies all the way down—taking down several henchmen at once and quickly making his way down into the basement, where The Joker would most definitely be.

“Alright, Robin. You’re the senior here. Tell me what to do.” You nudged Changmin’s shoulder, waiting for his reply.

He smiled at you and crossed his arms before filling you in with his plan. “Okay, Junior. Listen and watch. You and I will clear off the thugs from the main entrance first, and then we’ll hack into the system and get in to deal with the rest. I’ll leave the hacking to you as the computer wizz of the team.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Within seconds, both of you extended your capes and flew all the way down, both taking down a thug at a time. Immediately, the enemy noticed your presence, and about 20 men seemingly emerged from the shadows—all armed with baseball bats, ready to knock you both out.

But 20 was just a number as you both were skilled in martial arts—it was only a matter of time before you two eventually defeated them all to clear the pathway to access the main door. You immediately took out your remote hacking device to open the main door, and within seconds you succeeded. It was Batgirl’s forte, after all.

As the door pried open, there were more who had been expecting your arrival. Some of them were equipped with shotguns and snipers this time, but that didn’t bother you both that much. Working together with Changmin, each of you took one side of the hall, landing a punch or kick to knock these bad boys out.

Huh. This wasn’t as difficult or dangerous as Batman had mentioned. Now why would—

Your thoughts were interrupted as you felt a bullet graze through your shoulders. It definitely stung and blood was now oozing out slowly as you clutch onto your open wound with your hands. You were turning around to see who was the culprit behind this.

Suddenly, you felt your limbs start to go numb, and you immediately collapsed onto the cold solid ground.

What’s happening? Why is my body aching all of a sudden?

Still trying your best to look around your surroundings, you were starting to feel your eyelids drop, which was a very bad sign.

No. No. Batgirl! Stay focused!

Finally, your eyes fall on one individual who stands out from the rest of the crowd. As the individual slowly made their way towards you, you noticed how the other thugs had begun to back off, making out a pathway for the individual to come to you without having any obstructions in their way.

That green hair. That pale white skin. And those horrendous blood-red lips.

Joker.

“My my, who do we have here for company tonight? Huh, seems like I’ve got a new visitor in town!” It was that sinister voice all of you have grown accustomed to. God, he was now right in front of you, squatting down while placing his pistol right onto your skull, which was the weapon you assumed he had just used to shoot that bullet that grazed you a minute ago.

“Good heavens, if it isn’t the infamous Batgirl that has been the talk of the town! It seems that Batman can no longer contain his little one and finally let her out of the cave!”

As taunting as his demeanour and voice were, you were still struggling and fighting with yourself to keep yourself awake and not fall into his trap while trying to figure out an escape plan or counterattack right back at the madman himself. The Joker constantly pressed the tip of the pistol into your skull, applying slightly more pressure each time he did it.

Batgirl… please… do something—

“Stay away from her!!”

Both you and The Joker dart your eyes in the direction of the voice, and sure enough, you find Changmin just a few meters away from you now, holding a shuriken in both hands, aiming towards the madman himself.

“If it isn’t my favourite superhero boy, Robin! How have you been, my dear, it has certainly been a while since we last met.”

Changmin wasn’t interested in playing games with The Joker and he immediately cut to the chase. “What have you done to her.”

“Oh no, nothing much. Just loaded my trustworthy pistol with some infused poison bullets. And your poor girlfriend seemed to have taken a close shot of it, so she is unable to move now.” This time, The Joker grabs a chunk of your hair and pulls them up aggressively, which was where you were also pulled up from the ground against your will.

Both of you remembered Batman’s warnings to never engage with The Joker and to contact him immediately. But there was a problem—you were wounded, and you both were now surrounded by tons of thugs around you, with the madman himself threatening your life at this point. If only you weren’t poisoned, perhaps you both could have pulled something off quickly to distract him and contact Batman immediately. But you were stuck, and there was no way Changmin would take his eyes off you, especially when The Joker was right in front of you, having full control over you now.

Changmin’s tut was visible and loud enough for you to hear even meters away, and you knew you both were stuck big time.

“Tic toc, tic toc. Robin. I might as well just fire the fatal blow into Batgirl’s skull if you keep standing there!” The Joker taunted, and immediately he was loading his pistol again, getting ready to fire this time.

In a flash, Changmin aimed and threw one of his shurikens at The Joker, and he quickly made his way towards him, landing a punch right into his abdomen and then quickly picking you up and moving to higher ground.

“You’ve gotten a little heavier, haven’t you?” Changmin teased; clearly, he was panting.

“Please… not the time, Changmin. We’ve got to contact Mr Wayne now.”

“Hah.. right.”

Just as he was about to ring Mr Wayne, Changmin immediately felt an excruciating pain, and his entire body felt numb. Within seconds, his grip loosened around you and he fell back to the ground. You were now trying to understand what was happening when you realised that The Joker fired that shot right into Changmin’s back. And now, he was poisoned as well.

“Well, what did I say, kiddos! You’ve got to make a decision quickly before I land that shot! Oh, don’t worry, Batgirl. The poison is not enough to kill Robin immediately—he will die a slow and painful death instead.” The Joker and his thugs were slowly approaching Changmin, and you were all alone on the higher grounds, having to witness this scene helplessly.

That was when you finally received a transmission from Batman.

“You two, change of plans! I’m going to blow the entire place up. Both of you get out of there immediately!”

Within seconds, bombs began to detonate one by one, and the abandoned factory was now slowly collapsing. It was chaos, and everyone was running around frantically while trying to escape as best as possible.

You tried your best to push yourself back up, supporting yourself with the pillar right beside you. Equipping your batclaw, you have decided to swing back down to get Changmin out of there.

But you were too late, for The Joker was now grabbing Changmin by the shoulder, seemingly backing off to enter back into the abandoned factory.

“It seems that this operation has failed, and I am not having one of you escape alive, that is!”

“NO!!!”

You ran towards them, but the next thing that happened, the final explosion blew you away, and all you could hear was a siren. You tried to keep your eyes open, and all you could see was the entire factory up in flames, not a single human in sight. Before you passed out, you could vaguely make out a black figure approaching you, your mentor.

And what happened after all of that was then a blur.

It has been a week since that fateful incident.

When you have jolted awake from your slumber, you find yourself on the operating table back down in the Wayne Manor. You’ve had an oxygen mask placed over your mouth, with some IV drips inserted into your arms. How long has it been since then?

Just as you are about to stand up, Alfred makes his way into the room while passing you a tray of food to fill up your hunger.

And that was when you remembered the events that happened.

You begged to know the details but Alfred remained silent, not wanting to speak up just yet. But eventually, you’ve managed to get him to spill the tea, and you wish you could’ve taken it all back instead.

After the explosion, Batman was the one who scooped you up, took you back into his batmobile and brought you back to Alfred immediately. He tried his best to search for Changmin and The Joker amidst the blazing inferno, but all he could find was a piece of fabric from Changmin’s outfit and from The Joker, which could only mean the worst.

You screamed. You placed your head down into both of your hands and began screaming frantically. In order to save you, he took on the bullet, knowing very well that The Joker was planning to aim it at you. That explained why he turned his back towards the madman back then to shield you from taking another shot of the poisoned bullet.

Mr Wayne did not take it well either. He secluded himself in his room for days and wouldn’t step out from it, even when the league called multiple times to ask for updates regarding the case. It was all up to Alfred to take up the job in his presence.

But the days then passed into a week, and now all three of you were standing in the pouring rain of Gotham Cementary, overlooking the newly carved headstone that read your partners-in-crime’s name and span of life.

How badly you’ve wished that all this was a terrible nightmare, and you begged anyone to put some sense into you and wake you up from this bad dream. As much as you pinched yourself, it surely was a reality. You dropped down onto your knees, resting your head on the headstone, crying your heart out loud.

Why did it have to be you? Why did it have to be this particular mission? Just. Why?

Mr Wayne and Alfred said nothing as they stood in the rain with their eyes closed, not wanting to accept reality either. Countless thoughts were also going through their mind, along with the guilt and sadness—the same emotions that you were feeling.

But what pains you the most wasn’t his passing; it was how you’ve never got to confess your love for him after all these years.

Year 2X47 — 5 years later

It was your usual routine as you were back down in the training station once again, both of your fists tied up with the usual white bandages as you landed one punch after another onto the punching bag. You have always loved to keep yourself busy—always finding the time to improve your skills whenever you had some time to spare in the Wayne Manor and Batcave.

It surely hasn’t been easy since that fateful day five years ago. Since then, Batman has forbidden you from taking on any missions involving The Joker—quite frankly, you were thankful for in one way or another. There was no way you could’ve forgotten about what happened then so easily and faced the psychopathic killer himself. Instead, you were left with crimes that the GCPD occasionally required some assistance with.

You had to thank the GCPD for even requesting your help. Otherwise, you would’ve rotted away in the comforts of your room and sulked for years. At least fighting crime and assisting them was also a way to keep your mind busy and away from all of the negative thoughts.

Just as you were done with your training, you heard a sudden ping from your earpiece; it was from Alfred.

“Batgirl, report to the control room immediately, please.”

Once you have gotten the message, you quickly put all of the equipment away and shut down the room. You hoped that the mission for tonight was something worthwhile.

You were baffled, to say the least, when you approached the computer screen. It wasn’t from the GCPD tonight but from the league. Since Batman was away at the moment, you had no choice but to step in for Mr Wayne.

Accepting the call, the screen immediately opens with Superman on screen—even he was surprised that you would answer the call. But there was no time to waste and he eventually cut to the chase.

“Joker is back in town and he is plotting another major catastrophe that could bring the entire Gotham City down. He is planning to eliminate the GCPD and take over the city.”

What a jokester the madman himself sure is.

“But I am aware from the last mission that you’ve had that Bruce forbids you to step close to The Joker himself. With Bruce being away to deal with some league missions, I’m afraid the only person I could turn to in Gotham City is you.”

Well, that was true. It has always been the three of you in Gotham City. Now, only the two of you were in the picture since Robin’s passing. It was up to you to take on the job or not.

You have definitely shown some hesitation there, and given your facial expressions, it was clear that you needed some time to think about it. Superman then decides to give you at least ten minutes to make the decision and he hangs up the call.

One thing is for sure: Alfred was against you going alone alone on this mission. With the absence of Batman, there was nobody who was going to be your sidekick this time.

If only Robin were still alive, that is.

Alfred’s feelings were valid and understandable, especially when he has been concerned about your well-being since that day. He has also been your father figure, just as Mr Wayne had done all these years.

But if no superhero was available in Gotham City, you were practically left with no choice but to face your worst nightmare. You gave yourself a deep breath and mentally prepared yourself that it was about time to overcome your fear—it was time to face the madman himself while putting closure to all of this.

You made a promise to Alfred that you would always keep in close contact with him by constantly sending him transmissions to let him know each and every single one of your movements. And this time, you will immediately retreat if you’ve sensed danger or threat to your life.

You were definitely not taking risks anymore especially facing the psychopath himself all alone.

Returning the call to Superman, you huffed and closed your eyes before opening them once again to stand firm on your decision.

“Send me the coordinates of the location.”

You arrived quickly at the designated location on one of the rooftops of the nearby buildings, which gave you a clear look at the GCPD. Just as Superman has stated, the police department was in an awful state—countless windows were broken through and there were plenty of hostages within the building. These hostages also included the policemen themselves.

You knew you would definitely not act hastily, given the current situation. It was just you—you’re all alone in this madness. You had to think carefully about your next plan of action if you wished to keep all of the hostages and yourself alive, that is.

With that, you took out your binoculars to scope out which floor would be the best for you to infiltrate—the fourth floor. Using your batclaw, you aimed at the balcony of the building and swung away into the floor itself—crashing into the glass windows while taking down the few thugs that were stationed there. It wasn’t too hard for you to find the lighting control panel which you used your remote hacking device to crack the code open and shut down the lights from the entire building. That way, you’re able to roam around without being detected easily.

Quickly jumping and breaking down the glass tiles from the current floor onto the ground, you managed to take down the thugs one by one by doing so undetected. Once that was out of the way, you freed the hostages by cutting through the ropes they were bound with using your batarang.

“The Joker is on the top floor with Commissioner Gordon. Please be careful, Batgirl.” One of the officers warned you.

Taking that down mentally, you slowly made your way up to the top floor, eliminating all enemies that were in your way.

Eventually, you’ve come face-to-face with The Joker while the commissioner is tied onto a wooden chair. But something felt different.

The Joker himself was wearing a clown mask over his face. Why did he decide to do so? Was it because he was wounded from a previous crime spree he was on? Or did Batman manage to land a blow on one of his missions?

“Well, what do we have here? If it isn’t the infamous Batgirl! It has been a few years, sweetheart. It’s a pleasure to be able to see you again in person.”

Even the voice sounded different somehow.

“What is your purpose, Joker. Why even consider taking over the GCPD.”

He chuckled. “Oh, honey. I’ll be a dear and tell you why, hmm?”

He walked closer to you and you couldn’t help but take a few steps back. Eventually, he stops about a few centimetres apart from you and bends down to be at eye-level with you.

“I do very bad things honey, and I do them very well. And nobody is going to stop me because they fear me, and I fear nothing. So I will gladly take on any chances I can get in this beloved city of yours and turn the tables around, doesn’t it sound tempting?”

Not wanting to hear his sick jokes anymore, you quickly balled up your fist and landed a punch directly onto his face, but his hands were quick enough to grab hold of your fist, stopping your tracks.

Since when did The Joker have such great agility?

“Seemed like someone’s been working on their reflexes since we last met, haven’t we.” The Joker taunted before trying to grab hold of this pistol behind his hips and aimed the bullet at you. He shot a few times, but each time you dodged them to the best of your ability as you were constantly running around the room.

Once you were at a distance between you and he was, you took out your batclaw and aimed it at the pistol, which you managed to bring it over to your side—loaded it before pulling the trigger and aiming at the mask he was wearing.

Sure enough, one of the bullets managed to penetrate through the mask and it was surprisingly way more sturdier than it was. It managed to form a small crack, but the blow was not enough. Perhaps your only choice was to have a close combat range, and you would either take it off or destroy it to find out who is really behind that mask.

It took a while before you managed to come close to The Joker as he was shooting you from afar. Once you’ve done so, you managed to grab hold of his arm that was holding the pistol and punched right through the mask. You’ve succeeded in destroying it with your brute strength in one blow.

But you wished that you could’ve taken it back.

Whatever that you’ve just seen was horrifying, and you were in absolute shock and denial.

There’s no way. It absolutely can’t be.

He… but he’s…

“Cha-Changmin…?” You stuttered, and your eyes widened. You thought you were hallucinating. That can’t be. He died 5 years ago, and you and Mr Wayne were there to witness it all.

Is this some sort of joke? A reincarnation? Another bad joke from the real Joker himself?

You backed away, and so did he. You could tell that it was fine for now, and he wasn’t going to shoot because he seemed as baffled as you were. As much as you want to pinch yourself to wake you up from this bad dream, you notice his sincere eyes. One that you’ve always loved since you both met at the slumps.

Unbeknownst to him, a single tear drop eventually fell onto his face, ruining the white makeup that he had got on him. He gently raised his hands and touched it, looking bewildered as if he had no idea what was happening.

You did what you thought was best at the moment, taking a step closer and reassuring him that it was all alright and how much everyone had missed him.

How much you’ve missed him, to be exact.

“Changmin…”

“Don’t come any closer. Please… stay away from me!” He protested, taking several steps back to keep a distance from you. He then placed one of his hands on the side of his head as if he remembered something—or rather, it actually triggered something within him. His pupils were now shaking, and you desperately wanted to help and hold him close to you.

Then, you both heard footsteps coming up the stairs, which meant your alone time was up. The officers were bound to capture The Joker and place him behind bars for good this time.

Just then, Changmin regained his composure and aimed his pistol directly at you. Before loading the gun, he said one last sentence to you.

“The person you once knew me as has died.”

With that, he pulled the trigger but he missed his shot. Instead, it landed on one of the window latches and it broke apart—giving him the immediate escape route as he ran and jumped out of the building. You stood there, baffled by the situation, while the officers had now filled the room scanning for signs of The Joker.

Commissioner Gordon approached you, thanking you for saving his and his comrades' lives. He also reassured you that they will be keeping track of The Joker’s movements and keep you updated with anything.

But only one thing filled your mind and you needed answers desperately.

Changmin was alive this whole time. But how?

You quickly made your return to the Batcave and immediately approached Alfred. You needed to know that whatever answers—even the tiniest detail, could help you solve the puzzle.

Alfred was quiet at the beginning, debating on the right words to tell you the truth at this point. Apparently, Batman has found out about this a year prior, knowing very well that Changmin was alive and well, and has somehow taken the persona of The Joker. But according to Alfred, Mr Wayne was still looking for answers about how it had all ended up this way.

As much as you were furious about not knowing this earlier, there was no way you could’ve blamed it on Alfred. He was simply following Mr Wayne’s orders, and that was to keep you away from anything relating to the madman himself.

“Fine. Then tell me where Mr Wayne is, and I’ll confront him myself.”

“That’s the thing, miss Y/N. Master Wayne has been on a league mission for the past few weeks, but I haven’t heard from him. I myself have been trying to track down his coordinates but to no avail.”

Now that was strange. Disappearing for quite a while wasn’t deemed unusual in Mr Wayne’s books. But more than a week? That was definitely a red flag, and someone must look into this matter.

Taking in a deep sigh as you were overwhelmed with everything happening, you calmed yourself down and spoke to Alfred in a low voice.

“I’ll find the answers to all of them.”

You decided to head back to the rooftops of GCPD, where the Batsignal was located. Commissioner Gordon often used it to signal to summon the Bat Family whenever they needed help. But it seemed as if the searchlight was destroyed and torn apart—revealing that whoever had done this definitely held a grudge against you and your squad.

You did contemplate using it to reach out to Batman, but with this option down, you were now back to square one.

If Alfred cannot contact Mr Wayne through transmissions, then you wouldn’t stand a chance either.

God. Think, Batgirl. There’s got to be a way to contact—

“It seemed as if the rumours were true after all.”

You were startled by the sudden voice coming from behind you. As a common reflex, you immediately throw a punch towards the individual’s face—only to be stopped by their hand grabbing onto your fist. Once you got a glimpse of who it was, your eyes widened.

“Nightwing.”

“Ah, I see you have heard about me before. Then that saves up the trouble of having to introduce myself. Also, sorry about startling you. It’s my fault.”

As both of you backed down and composed yourselves, you finally got a good look at the individual standing before you. He was tall and definitely well-built (a little too well-built to your liking actually); he wore a black with some outlines of a blue suit and a domino mask. Even through the mask, he was a pretty darn good-looking individual.

“Ogling at my beauty during our first meeting already?” He teased.

“Are all Robins meant to be this flirty?” You shot back. He chuckled and his voice somehow lightens up the mood for a bit.

“Ah, so you knew about my backstory.”

“Well, I learned about you through the files Mr Wayne kept in his office a decade ago. Consider that a time when I will snooping around his stuff because I was curious about many things.”

“Bruce definitely has loads of secrets that he keeps from others, alright.” He shook his head, thinking that his former mentor was still the same old individual he had known for many decades.

As far as you know, Nightwing was the first Robin and has worked alongside Batman for many years, even longer than you and Changmin ever did. He was a former circus acrobat when he was younger, so his skills and agility had to be one of the toughest Gotham City—or rather, the league has ever seen. At one point, you have once heard that the league has appointed him to look over the younger superheroes, the Teen Titans, from time to time. So he has got plenty of things on his hands to deal with.

But there was one question that has pondered you for long enough. One that you knew you could never ask Mr Wayne and Alfred themselves because they definitely weren’t comfortable bringing up this topic.

Nightwing somehow knew this topic would come up eventually, and he decided to indulge in your curiosity for the time being. Leaning back towards the headlight, he crossed his arms and told you about his backstory.

“To begin with, Bruce had taken me in ever since my parent’s murder when I was 8. He trained me to be a soldier, his sidekick and I’ve never left his side for 20 years. But you know what they say—when the time comes for the baby birds to leave the nest, then there is no explanation needed.”

“So you left willingly?” You questioned.

“In a way, yeah. Now I mainly patrol crimes in Blüdhaven, occasionally returning to Gotham City to assist Bruce and the team if needed. Commissioner Gordon seems to really enjoy my company after all.”

The way he spoke lit up the mood, and you could tell how he was definitely worth being the first Robin. Anyone would agree on how behind that jovial and friendly smile he possessed, he could be one of the most feared individuals on the battlefield.

Given that he was trained by the one and only Bruce Wayne himself, he has then gained insane human strength, speed, agility, and even reflexes. He was definitely the type you would want to anger the least—otherwise, you would definitely find yourself being killed by the 50,000 volts of Escrima Sticks that he always carried on his back.

If a superhero like him is back in Gotham City during such a right timing, you assume he’s probably back for the same reason as you did, more or less.

“Say, are you perhaps back for The Joker?”

“Yeah, but there’s more to that. The Justice League has contacted me to investigate Bruce’s disappearance as they couldn’t contact him for a week now.”

Disappearance? Now that’s new for you. You knew that he was away for some league missions, but never would you have thought that he would actually disappear.

Could he have done it himself for an unspecified reason? Or worse, has Mr Wayne fallen into the traps of the enemy?

Now that is something you definitely have to look into as well—because finding him would be the key to knowing about Changmin’s faked death for the past several years.

“Count me in, Nightwing.”

“Woah, slow down Batgirl. What makes you think you would wanna come along with me?”

“Well, for one, the current Joker is somehow the former Robin that we all thought he died. But I’ve just encountered him days prior, and he is very much alive and well. And I need answers.” You firmly stated, and you did not take no for an answer. Clearly, Nightwing had sensed that in you and knew there was no point in convincing you otherwise.

“Hmm, this seems more like a romantic couple reunion situation to me.” He teased.

He wasn’t wrong though.

“He’s family and I deserve to know, Nightwing. Please.” You emphasised the last word while taking a few steps closer to him as you stared into his eyes.

He looked at you for a few seconds before he eventually put on a smile. He gently laid his hands on your head and patted you. “Alright, girlie. Let’s figure out where would be the best place to look for them.”

Just when he finished his statement, a radio transmission was sent in through his earpiece, and he shared one of them with you to hear the message.

“Reports have stated that there were sightings of The Joker near the ports, and he has gotten several hostages with him. All officers on duty, please report to the site at once!”

“Then that’s where we’re headed, sweetheart.”

Immediately, you got your batclaw out, ready to start swinging across the buildings to head to your destination. You looked at Nightwing in confusion as he stood there and stretched his muscles.

“Well, aren’t you leaving too?”

“Oh no, you get to the location first. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up in no time. I was a former acrobat, after all. Don’t need no batclaw to swing around buildings.” He winked, and you rolled your eyes back slightly as you started to get used to his flirty remarks.

Before you made your move, he spoke to you one last time before you two were to part ways for a bit.

“Call me, Sangyeon. It’s much better than repeating my superhero name all the time.”

Just as you reached the port's entrance, Gotham City had to start a heavy downpour, making the situation much worse.

But it wasn’t something you weren’t used to since you have been in such conditions before on several missions. However, since the motive tonight was to find both Changmin and Mr Wayne, you couldn’t help but feel nervous, something that you haven’t experienced in a while.

At least not since that fateful day 5 years ago.

Shaking your thoughts away, you calmed yourself down and reminded yourself that the hostages come first, then family.

You ran to the gates but saw that they were already hacked open. Just then, Sangyeon jumps down from one of the higher buildings and places his hands on one of your shoulders.

“They don’t call me a hacking wizard for nothing.”

“Well, guess I have a rival in this field of work now.” You chuckled.

“Alright, let’s go.”

As you both entered the ports, a group of thugs were already on standby, as if they were expecting your arrival hours ago. Each of them was armed with a weapon, ready to put up a fight.

Sangyeon then gets both of his Escrima Sticks out from his back and positions himself in his offensive state.

“Wanna see the famous Nightwing himself in action?”

“Just be careful out there.” You replied.

“Always have been.”

As soon as the thugs began charging towards your direction, the both of you did the same, beginning to take down the enemies one by one.

It seemed that Sangyeon wasn’t all talk and thought highly about himself because you’ve now witnessed how skilled and quick he is at combat with your own eyes. He could take out at least 4 at once, leaving no room for them to retaliate. None of them stood a chance against the superhero himself—quite frankly, he could handle them all on his own if needed.

You have definitely improved from 5 years ago too. You were now much quicker and your skills have upped a level—handling several enemies simultaneously. With the new gadgets that Alfred has equipped you with, you definitely found it a lot easier to deal with the enemies and not just entirely rely on pure brute strength.

Within 10 minutes, both of you have successfully wiped out the entire thugs, and they were all lying lifelessly on the ground, allowing you to move on to find the hostages.

“Well, aren’t you a rather good fighter yourself, Batgirl.” Sangyeon was surely impressed with the way you presented yourself tonight.

“Now that’s flattering coming from the former Robin himself.” You counterbacked, and you earned a laugh from the man himself.

“This isn’t over yet, Y/N. There are definitely more thugs lurking around the area. I suggest we split up and take on each side, and I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Let me know if you need help, okay? You’re not in this alone.”

Thanks, Sangyeon. It means a lot. “I’ll contact you soon.”

Splitting up, you decided to take on the right side of the ports, defeating the thugs in your way as you slowly made your way through. Eventually, you found hostages along your way, and you freed them by using your batclaw to cut through the ropes they were tied up with, and they ran to their safety towards the GCPD at the front entrance.

Finally, you have reached the last destination that you could’ve scooped out for any remaining hostages, the lighthouse.

Fingers crossed, you were mentally praying before making the move that Changmin would be there.

It seemed that you had deduced your theory correctly, and sure enough, he was there—holding up several hostages, ready to throw them down into the deep, freezing ocean.

“CHANGMIN STOP!!” You screamed, and that got his attention.

He turned back to look at you, and his eyes widened upon the contact. It was you again; this time, he wasn’t wearing a mask anymore.

It seemed as if he hadn't recovered from the encounter days prior because he was beginning to malfunction again, and how badly you just wanted to help him by taking him back for good now.

“Please… Changmin. Let us talk. Please, talk to me about it.” You begged, and unknowingly tears began to form in your eyes.

Immediately, he dropped the hostages down onto the concrete floor, and they quickly ran for it. His attention was now entirely on you, eyes widened while trying to make sense of everything.

“Y/N… I… All these years later… I can’t…”

“No Changmin. You can, and you will come back to us.”

Come back to me.

“What have I done? I’m… I’m a monster now, a terrifying criminal and psychopath. I’m beyond saving.” He now stares down at his bloodied, shaking hands, and his speech begins to stammer.

“No, you just need to press reset. And we will help with that.”

Let me help you.

“Why? Why, Y/N? After all these years and everything?” Tears were now beginning to form in his as well, and he was trying his best to hold them back.

“Because I love you and have always been after all these years.”

You were now slowly taking one step at a time closer to him, and he slowly did the same but backwards.

“Y/N… No, you can’t.”

“I can and I will. I have longed for you endlessly, and I always find myself coming back to you, even if you are no longer Robin.”

“That’s not true.”

��It is. And I will prove it to you.”

Changmin was now pinned against the guardrails of the lighthouse and he was stuck with nowhere to run. You were now standing right in front of him—centimetres apart, when you gently laid your palms onto both sides of his face, slowly rubbing away the white makeup that sat on his face.

He then looks down at you, standing motionless before muttering a quiet: “I warn you. I’ll break your heart.”

You smiled back at him. “I know you more than you know yourself, cowboy. Fill me more with that dangerous love of yours—there’s nothing Batgirl can’t take on anyways.”

With that, you quickly took Changmin into your embrace, and the tears that formed within his eyes began to drip down slowly.

Yes, Changmin. I’m here now. I will protect you from all of this madness—

That short-lived moment was then interrupted abruptly as that familiar chilling voice from years ago started to haunt you.

“My my, what do we have here? A little family reunion, isn’t it?”

Both of you turned behind to see the real Joker standing in front of you, with a syringe containing a rather intriguing green liquid, while having a group of thugs behind him.

You and Changmin were now cornered, and there was no way to escape. It seemed as if history was repeating itself.

“Damn, I guess the dose wasn’t enough for that Robin boy to take on my persona fully. I guess the test was an ultimate failure.” He was now flicking the syringe bottle; his eyes were now entirely on you.

“Hmm.. maybe another test subject would be worth trying out… someone whose name rhymes with Batgirl.”

The Joker was taunting you and moving closer to you now. You had to think of something quickly because clearly, Changmin was in no state of fighting back. You could use one of your gadgets for close-range combat, but given the number of enemies you were up against, there was only a 50% success rate.

Maybe I could use a smoke bomb to distract them while I think of something real quick—

“Batgirl!! Dodge and leave right now! Trust me!!”

That voice. It was Sangyeon. You quickly redirected your attention to the opposite building across the lighthouse. He was now equipped with several explosive batarangs, and is now aiming towards your direction. Once he let go and threw them towards you, you quickly grabbed Changmin and jumped straight down into the cold, freezing ocean.

As soon as you both touched down into the waters, the explosion went off and the parts of the lighthouse came crumbling down along with the enemies that were on it.

Before you knew it, both of you were slowly beginning to lose air before finally being fully engulfed by the ocean waves.

It has been a few days since that encounter with The Joker himself at the port. When you dived into the ocean, you tried your best to swim towards the shore while carrying Changmin with you—despite the constant moments where the ocean waves would engulf you both while trying to swim back up again. As soon as you reached dry land, you immediately passed out before seeing Sangyeon coming to both of your rescue.

When you finally came to, you were left with just a few minor scratches and nothing major. You demanded to know where Changmin was and eventually found it lying on the operation table—the same one you were lying on 5 years ago. An oxygen mask was attached around his face, along with an IV drip by the side.

According to Alfred, it seemed that Changmin was systematically subjected to a wide range of shock therapy and torture over the few years that he was captured alive by the psychopath himself. Eventually, Joker decided to take things a step ahead and injected various serums into his body, eventually leading to his breakdown. Hence, he decided to let Changmin take over his identity for a period of time while he went into hiding.

It was definitely a lot and hard to take in for you. You couldn’t imagine how brutal it was for Changmin over the past few years, all wounded and injured from that fateful day, only to be taken back to The Joker’s lair and left to experience all of the barbaric tortures he had up his sleeve.

You stood right at the windows of the operating room, placing your hand on it while trying your best to hold back your tears. This went on for a few days—it was best to let him rest after all.

Sangyeon was staying for a while as he was still on the mission to track down Mr Wayne’s location, and he would often check up on you as well, ensuring you that Changmin would be alright and he would wake up real soon.

All you could do at this point was hope for the best and that Changmin would return to his usual self when he woke.

The bright glaring lights blinded Changmin’s eyes as he finally struggled to open them up. Once he has finally adjusted his sight, he tries to make sense of his surroundings.

He was back at the Batcave—all patched up and had an IV drip right into his arms. He tried turning his head around, trying to take in everything as he struggled to regain his memory.

And that was when he remembered that the both of you were up at the lighthouse, desperately trying to escape The Joker.

Almost immediately after that thought, a pair of arms wrapped around him tightly as he tried to sit up from his bed.

It was you whom he had been longing to see.

God, how much he had missed your embrace. Your scent, the warmth you gave, and your bright, bubbly persona that radiates whenever you are around him.

And now he’s back to witness it all close-up.

He returned the hug to you, squeezing a little tightly and clinging onto you for dear life. He wouldn’t let you go anytime soon, and he wants to savour the moment and make it up to you after being away for years. He slowly turned his head to take the sweet strawberry scent of your hair—ah, you were still using his favourite shampoo. He couldn’t help but to also rest his lips on your scalp as well.

“Changmin… I don’t even know where to begin…” You muffled since you were squeezed into his big muscular chest.

“Let’s just stay like this for a while, hmm?”

Silence. But it wasn’t awkward in the slightest bit. Instead, you both appreciated it—a lot was happening in both of your minds.

He’s back. He was back in his comfort zone, former residence, and home.

You were his home.

There were just so many things he regretted back then too, how he wasn’t able to save you and ended up being held captive and tortured by The Joker himself. Most importantly, he regretted that he couldn’t tell you how he felt about you, especially when he had seen you more than just a friend and sidekick for years.

But now that he was alive and back in the game, it was his chance.

Gently grabbing your shoulders, he pushes you away so that you look at him deep into his eyes. He takes in a big breath before he decides to spill the beans. What he didn’t expect was that you spat out the same exact thing that has been lingering on his mind, word by word.

“So uh, I thought you should know that I’ve had feelings for you for years now.” You both said at the same time. It took a few seconds for the both of you to process what the hell actually happened before bursting out in loud laughter.

“Gee, Y/N. And I thought it has been one-sided for years, and all those flirty remarks I’ve made were just for show, and my efforts have gone down the drain.”

“Well, I’m pleased to tell you those flirty remarks worked.”

You both giggled before Changmin decided to press on. “So when did this lovey-dovey feeling start?”

“Maybe around when I was 12?”

“Hah! I win. I’ve liked you ever since you came into the slumps.”

“That isn’t a victory, Changmin. It just shows how whipped you have always been and how easily you actually fall in love with someone.”

“Hey, it's not my fault when my love interest is actually a rockstar who excels at everything she does. Mind you, she is the best computer wizz I’ve ever seen with that long luscious brown hair of hers.”

“Yeah, you’re insufferable.” You huffed.

“But admit it, you like it.” He winked back at you, causing you to slap him on the chest while rolling your eyes back.

It was when he decided to lean in a bit closer while gently placing his fingers around your chin, lifting your face so that he could see you clearly.

“Since my princess literally saved my life, it is time for her prince charming to return the favour, no?”

You gave him a confused look. “Whatever are you planning, Mr. Ji Changmin.”

“Something that starts with the letter K.”

He then swipes his finger on your lips to feel those luscious, juicy lips once before crashing his onto yours. And he was right all these years, after all—on how good they tasted, and it was definitely a kiss that was worth the wait and savouring.

You didn’t reject it at all and proceeded to adjust your position so that it was easier to ease into the kiss. Tilting both of your heads to grant more entrance while your fingers moved up into his hair, Changmin did the same while his other hand rested on your waist.

How badly he wished to stay like this forever. To kiss you, hold you tight, and never let go nor fail you again. He made a promise to himself this time that he was definitely not going to repeat the same mistake, and he was no longer going to hurt anyone else.

Including you.

The intense moment was abruptly cut short by a low grunt coming from behind. It was Sangyeon.

“Well, it seems as if I have chosen the wrong timing, haven’t I?”

Oh, how badly you knew he somehow did it on purpose. You were definitely going to make him pay real soon.

Changmin being innocent, brushes him off and asks if something was the matter (since, technically, he hasn’t encountered how flirty he could be).

“I’m here to ask you about Bruce. I’m sure you have some information that is worth hearing about.” Sangyeon then crossed his arms, and immediately his facial expression shifted, and you both knew well that it was time to get back into business.

Once Alfred came to ensure that Changmin could continue his daily routine as usual, Sangyeon immediately cut to the chase and began pressing on the topic of importance.

“It was definitely a recent thing, I would say. The Joker tortured me for a few years before finally making me into his other half to take over his dirty job for him while he disappeared into thin air. And it was recently when I actually saw how he was dragging a body down into the basement of his lair. If it aligns with what you have in mind, then I’m sure it is worth checking it out.”

All of you pondered what Changmin said. It could be Mr Wayne who was under the hands of The Joker at the moment. According to Sangyeon, there have been reports of sightings of the man on the most recent site where Mr Wayne was last seen.

“So that would be the first place for us to look at, I suppose?” Changmin questioned.

“Supposedly, yes,” Sangyeon answered bluntly.

Just as all of you would start gearing up to head out to the place of interest, the batcomputer began blaring—it was from Commissioner Gordon. Picking up the call, all of you were met with a very distraught commissioner. Something must’ve happened.

“You guys have to see this right now.”

Immediately, the commissioner forwards a link that redirects all of you to a live webcam.

It was live. And there on screen sat a badly wounded individual, tied up on a wooden chair with only a single light bulb above his head as their only light source.

It was Batman.

The Joker swiftly turned the camera towards him, and he placed this huge menacing grin on his face, knowing that he was up to no good once again.

“Welcome, my fellow watchers to tonight’s grand show! Ah, it seems as if the entire GCPD & the Bat Family are here to witness the epic performance of the century!!”

The Joker then turns the camera back to Batman as he begins circling him, continuing with his act.

“Now, I’m pretty sure we all recognise this lovely individual right here. Isn’t it a bummer how he’s all wounded up badly? When he is supposed to be the strongest superhero in Gotham City?” He began laughing and then slowly stood behind Mr Wayne, bending down to rest his hands on Batman’s shoulders.

“It seemed as if my very first experiment had failed terribly, given that Robin had escaped thanks to Batgirl & Nightwing. Perhaps the 10,000 volts of shock therapy & the dosage of my serum weren’t enough throughout the years Robin was held captive at my lair. But fear not, ladies and gentlemen! For I have a new subject now, the famous Batman himself, and I wonder what would happen if I turn him into a Joker?”

The madman then walked over towards the right, and his hand gripped the latch of a switch, and all of you wished you did not have to witness what came next.

Pulling down the latch, it triggered the shock machine and Batman was screaming at the top of his lungs, clearly in a lot of pain while the high electricity flowed through his entire body. It went on for a good 10 seconds before The Joker finally decided to turn it off. Then, he walks towards the front of the camera, completely blocking Batman out of the picture.

“Here’s my suggestion, fellow Bat Family and the officers at GCPD. I will be kind enough to tell you my location. Come to the abandoned Nightville Amusement Park in an hour. I’m pretty sure your “father” here would want his children to come save his ass, no?”

The Joker then laughed menacingly again before ending the livestream.

Oh my god.

Batman is now in the hands of The Joker. And he has clearly shown all of you that he wasn’t kidding and meant serious business. If neither of you were careful, Mr Wayne would be next in line to get killed.

All of you will definitely have to come up with an actual plan and strategy before heading to the site, and this time you will stop this whole fiasco the psychopath himself has planned.

Thankfully, that was where Sangyeon came in and he began to take charge of everything and everyone as he gathered both sides to listen closely to his words.

“Are you with me, lads?”

The clock struck strictly at 10 at night as the three of you arrived at the amusement park. Based on Sangyeon’s lead, he deemed it too dangerous for the officers to tag along at first. The plan was to let the three clear out the place until 80% of the thugs were wiped out, and then the GCPD would step in and scope the place out. Commissioner Gordon couldn’t agree more.

On the other hand, Alfred remained at his position in the Batcave in front of the monitor screen, keeping you three updated with everything going on around your surroundings while being the middle person to communicate to the GCPD upon Sangyeon’s orders.

As you three stood in front of the amusement park gates, Sangyeon decided to break the ice and loosen the atmosphere for a bit. He focused on Changmin, who was clearly doing a few stretches here and there.

“So how does it feel to be back in the Robin suit, young lad?”

“Is it bad that the suit’s gotten a little tighter?”

“Well, guess that’s some good news for you, Batgirl.” He then poked his head out to look at you, who were standing on the far right side.

Dear heavens, Lee Sangyeon. I swear, for the love of God—

“What about yours, mister? I’m sure all of the time that’s gone to leading the Teen Titans and patrolling Blüdhaven has taken a toll on your romantic relationship.” You fought back, but clearly, he doesn’t back down easily.

“Nah, I have my ways. She’ll come back to me when she’s bored and lonely. She always has been anyway.”

Huh. So he does have a certain special someone. That is definitely going to be added to your books of “things to stalk more about Nightwing’s dirty secrets”.

Clearing your throat to bring everyone back to reality, you turned your head back to the entrance, where all of you began to hear the footsteps growing louder each second.

“Mr Lee, there’s about 60 thugs headed your way. Be prepared.” Alfred’s voice chimed into the intercom.

“Well, 60 is just a number.” Sangyeon proclaimed.

“So what do we do now?” You asked.

Then, Changmin stepped forward and stood in front of you both. “We fight.”

Immediately, he charged towards one of the thugs and wrapped his legs around his neck, pinning him down to the ground and punching him hard enough to knock the individual out cold. Not wasting any time, he began moving onto the thugs one after another.

“Gee, your boyfriend’s one impatient little fella, isn’t he?”

“And so are you, Nightwing.”

You and Sangyeon did the same by charging towards the enemies. It was as if the tension and atmosphere were different tonight, and you felt the company that you had been longing for years. With both Robin and Nightwing with you, you knew that you were all in good hands and reaching The Joker himself wouldn’t be a problem this time round.

The three of you worked amazingly as a team, performing a combo of attacks and matching one another’s fighting style almost instantly, even though it was the first time the three of you fought together. Sangyeon was definitely impressed, to say the least, that Bruce had gotten himself some good young sidekicks to fill in his spot after he had left. He was smiling like a proud older brother would as he looked at how you and Changmin battled.

The enemy was successfully wiped out within 10 minutes thanks to the great teamwork. With that, the screen from one of the televisions that hung loosely at one of the lamp posts started broadcasting what seemed like a live message.

The Joker.

“Well well, I must say, an amazing job well done as a team!! Bravo bravo, you three have certainly exceeded my expectations! Now, moving deeper into the parks will not be that easy. So choose wisely and find out where Batman and I could be. Adios for now!!”

“God, will he stop with all of these taunts?” You complained, getting sick and frustrated with all of his jokes by now.

Changmin then walked close to you and placed one of his hands on your shoulder. “It’s okay, Y/N. We will definitely get Mr Wayne back home safely.”

“Yeah… we will this time.” You tried your best to return a smile.

Sangyeon then makes his way towards you both to inform you that it was best to split up to narrow down the possible location where The Joker and Batman could be. Before he could even suggest the plan, you gripped Changmin’s hands tightly, intertwining your fingers with his.

“I suppose you wouldn’t mind Robin and Batgirl taking on one side of the park, right?”

Sangyeon stared at you both for a moment, and you were clearly not budging, standing firm to prove that you were taking no as an answer.

He immediately sighed and agreed to your request. “Okay okay, lovebirds. Just make sure to do your actual job.”

You swear if it weren’t for him being your senior and part of the Bat Family, you would’ve whooped his ass and sent him back to his rightful place.

“Alright, jokes aside. Both of you, please contact me as soon as you find out something. Don’t even try to act bravely and jump into your demise. I mean it.”

It all sounded too familiar. It was precisely what Mr Wayne said to the both of you 5 years ago. The Sangyeon that stood before you now wasn’t the flirty yet annoying senior you have come to despise. Now this man is feared across the nation, and one you would look up to actually. He was the spitting image of Batman.

“Understood, Sangyeon. You should be careful out there too.” Changmin said firmly.

“Kiddo, I always have been.”

Within seconds he was out of sight, jumping down towards the other side of the park as he made his way quickly through the thugs.

“So, what do you suggest we do then, miss Y/N? You clearly asked me to stay with you.”

“Well, for starters, let’s look around and get rid of the thugs along our way to find Mr Wayne as soon as possible. Find The Joker, put him behind bars, and that’s a wrap.”

“Sounds good to me. Lead the way, Batgirl.”

Both of you went to each section of the park and searched every crook and corner to see if there were any traces or clues to where both of them might be.

If you were to deduce, according to the live footage—they were either at higher ground or beneath the amusement park. You tried searching for a latch which would lead you down but to no avail.

It was when Changmin finally called out to you as he noticed one of the buildings furthest from you had a little light source coming out from it. It led up to one of the roller coaster rides, and the stairs were clearly destroyed so that the officers could not reach high ground alone.

Only those of you equipped with the batclaw could swing your way up to the building itself.

On both of your signals, you both immediately launched your batclaw and quickly made your way towards the source, hoping that it was finally where your mentor would be.

Please, Mr Wayne. Please hang in there. We’re coming.

“Hmm… it seems as if your kids are taking a little longer, don’t you think? The Joker was now swinging his pistol around his hands, growing impatient as there was no sign of either of you coming anytime soon.

That was when Batman slowly tilted his head up as he tried his best to mutter a few words back to counterattack his remarks.

“Don’t… underestimate my kids… they’re a lot… stronger than… you think they are…”

The Joker immediately threw a punch right into Batman’s face once again. “You know clearly that’s not the right answer, no?”

“Well, clearly you aren’t thinking straight, Joker.”

His eyes widened as he turned towards the source of where the voice came from. When he finally did, he found Changmin already in position with a few shurikens within the palm of his hands, and you did the same while holding onto your batclaw.

“Why, if it isn’t my wonderful “son” back in town! How have you been? Papa has missed you loads.”

“It’s over, Joker. Your spree of crimes ends tonight and you’re finally going to jail after all these years.” Changmin declared.

“Disrespecting your papa, I see. Well, then. I’m sorry but it seems like I will have to teach you and your little girlfriend a lesson then.” The Joker slowly walked towards you with a group of thugs emerging from the shadows behind. Just like 5 years ago, they were all equipped with their weapons, the right to strike whenever.

“Y/N, let’s do our usual formation?”

“Say no more, Robin.”

Both sides struck simultaneously, and a heated battle soon erupted within the building. With the batclaw in hand, you use it to shoot to get the thugs close to you as you knock them out cold with your punches and kicks. Changmin, on the other hand, used his shurikens wisely and aimed at all of the thugs, not missing a target.

The Joker managed to get this way close towards you both, but he always seemed to have missed his shot or he was often caught by either of you two, pulling him close and throwing punches while he backed off to regain himself.

As all of the thugs were wiped out, The Joker was now the one being cornered by you two, and he clearly did not stand a chance.

“Hah! Don’t even think that you’re about to win!” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls up a vile of green liquid. However, judging from the container that was used this time, it wasn’t an ordinary serum now.

No. A poison gas bomb!

“I guess you know what this means then. That saves a lot of trouble. Robin, this is for you!” The Joker was about to throw it at Changmin when he finally decided to change direction and threw it towards you instead.

“Y/N! No!!!” Changmin quickly jumps onto you to push you out of the way as the poison gas bomb detonates.

But he was in no luck as Nightwing made his way here in time, destroying it before the gas spread around too much. At the same time, The Joker was pinned down by the one and only Batman, who was now free from being tied up thanks to Sangyeon.

The GCPD officers then made their way here along with the commissioner as they handcuffed the psychopath and started taking him away.

“This isn’t over, Bat Family!! I will be back to haunt Gotham City again!!” Those were the sentences that The Joker kept repeating on a loop till he was out of the picture.

Eventually, Mr. Wayne made his way toward you and brought you both into his embrace.

“I knew you both could’ve done it. Welcome home, Robin.”

Those words were enough to get you both all teary-eyed, primarily for Changmin though. He had longed to be reunited with his mentor, and how much he wanted to apologise for all of the trouble he had caused over the years.

“Mr Wayne…I—”

“It’s not your fault, and it was beyond your control. I’m sorry I failed you as your mentor. And father.”

He rests his chin upon Changmin’s head and closes his eyes before muttering something for you too. “You too, Batgirl. You have grown and I’m beyond proud of you.”

You have yet to hear Mr. Wayne praise you like that. He doesn’t talk much, nor has he ever praised you in such a manner since he wasn’t really great with words. Hearing that from Mr Wayne himself, after all of what you’ve been through, was surely enough to get you bawl your eyes out in front of him.

Sangyeon notices the little heartwarming family reunion and he can’t help but smile from afar. It was nice seeing how Bruce has gotten a new family on his own, and he is happy how you two were given a new life and beginning with him. A few seconds later, he decided not to interrupt, turned his heel in the opposite direction and started walking away. That is until Bruce’s voice stops him in his tracks.

“Nightwing. Or rather, Sangyeon. Thank you.”

He hasn’t heard those words from Bruce either in a very long time. Every time they met, Mr. Wayne often gave him a cold shoulder as he tended to focus more on the mission and rather cut to the chase. But Sangyeon knew that he had always been like that—it was just his way of worrying about his former sidekick. And how Sangyeon will always have a special place in Bruce’s heart.

Without turning back, he raised one of his arms and began waving. “I’ll see you around, Bruce. Don’t get caught next time.”

Mr Wayne chuckled for the first time in a while. “I won’t.”

A couple of days had passed since that day and it was time that the Bat Family took some time off to rest up and relax.

Mr Wayne was stuck in his room most of the time, with Alfred constantly checking up on him—bringing him his meals and checking his vitals to ensure that he wasn’t pushing himself too hard during recovery. Knowing him, Mr Wayne is definitely the type to wander around and get himself busy even when he is in no shape to stand up or perform his daily routines as usual.

On the other hand, you and Changmin have been spending as much time as you could with one another. It wasn’t easy when Alfred often dragged Changmin down to the sick room, claiming that he hadn’t fully recovered and had no time to play around. You had to muffle up a laugh whenever you see Alfred taking him away to his second home now.

It was a relatively calm afternoon as you decided to curl up with a novel in your room. Every so often, you would be reminded of what Mr. Wayne had told you last night about everything that has happened until now.

First and foremost, he apologised for keeping you in the dark about Changmin’s condition as he was afraid of losing you as well, and he wanted to keep you safe from The Joker as much as he could. But when you encountered Changmin at the GCPD, he knew his secret wouldn’t last long.

He has been keeping track of both of your movements even when he was away on league missions, having elicited the help of Alfred. When you helped Changmin escape from the lighthouse, he knew that The Joker was definitely going to target you next without a doubt. Hence, he decided to surrender himself as bait—knowing fully that you both would definitely come to the rescue. At the same time, it also saves time in finding out The Joker’s actual hideout.

As much as you thought he could be insane at times, you knew his methods somehow always work, and he has definitely thought them through. Giving a little scolding to Mr Wayne was all that you could do before it was time for him to rest up.

Returning to your novel, you slowly reached the story's climax until you felt someone gently hit your head with a book.

Changmin.

“Hey, what was that for!”

“Someone has been too invested or daydreaming to the point that she hasn’t heard me call out her name for over 10 times now.” He crossed his arms while giving you a pout.

“Ugh, please don’t do that face, for goodness sake.”

“Why? Because you like it?” He purposely widens his eyes ever so slightly.

“You need to go see a therapist for real, Changmin.”

Standing up from your couch, you decided to tuck your book away before walking towards him and wrapping your arms around his waist.

“So, what brings you here today?” You asked while giving a little peck on his lips.

“Well.” He pecks your lips back. “Alfred said that I’m fully recovered and I should be able to return to my usual routine with no problem.”

“Should. Changmin.” You emphasised the word.

“Hey, I’ll prove to you that I am one healthy man. What do you say? Shall we go out on our first date?”

“Hmm, tempting. Where are we going exactly?”

“Well, for starters, I still have to treat you to your favourite Akamaru Ramen that I promised 5 years ago.”

A/N: who knows i might cook up a nightwing Sangyeon fic in the near future 🤭

masterlist

taglist: @deoboyznet @kflixnet @k-films @flwoie @hokupi @zzoguri @kyusqult @tinkerbell460 @cheonsafics @sulkygyu @jaerisdiction @lngwayup

178 notes · View notes

ratking-mo · 4 months

Text

My king, My jester

Synopsis: You are the king’s Jester, one of the most valuable members of his court. You are the only thing that’s able to pick him up from his dreary, stressed out mood. Though this time around, he seemed to be in a worse mood than usual. And you know just how to get him to bring him back to his old self.

Tags: Dom!Switch reader, Sub!Switch character, nipple play, slight dumbification, reader is silly, rim stimulation

Word count: 3.1k

Authors note: the people that know how to write moaning/begging are real ones fr; might end up writing a part two in the future

—————————————————————————

“FOOL!”

A low, booming voice shouted out throughout the castle halls.

Your head lifts slightly, the bells decorating your ivory and black felted hat jingling lightly as you move. A wide grin spread itself across your lips as you let out a soft, giddy laugh. It seemed like your king requested your presence.

And who are you to deny him the need?

You skip gleefully down the cinder-colored palace, a labyrinth you've grown to become quite familiar with. The walls, holding canvases decorated with oil paint, were strewn about. Some paintings depicted a different descendant of the royal family, while others depicted different environmental scenes. Useless decor to show off, really. Your pointed shoes lightly thumped against the hard red carpet as you turned the corner, walking through the quiet corridor as your smile began to grow into an open-mouth grin.

Your bells came to a halt as you finally entered the throne room, taking a knee in front of your King.

There sat King Istemi, plastered broadly against the dark wooden throne and soft blue cushions. Around him sat two, quartz pillars. The farther they went into the air, the closer they leaned into one another, soon conjoining and creating a slightly damaged alter of sorts. The throne room itself was a large, circular room. Two other large entryways sat on the right and left of you, two knights on either side as large flames sat beside them to dimly illuminate the room.

Istemi slowly lifted his head when the jingle of your being ceased, amber-hued eyes boring into your gaze. Yet your stature was unrelenting.

“What is it that you desired of me, my liege?” You spoke, voice lightly bouncing off the walls as you lifted your head up

Istemi lifted his left hand slowly, waving it back and forth dismissively. And with that, the four knights took their silent leave, leaving the two of you alone. Your king let out a harsh, disgruntled sigh, slumping within his chair. “Ive grown overstretched, my dearest jester..” he spoke, his tone growing into a more softer one. “My duties as your king have begun to push me to my limits, and I fear the day that my mind wanders into distances I cannot come back from..”

Istemi lifted once more, motioning for you to rise. And you do not skip a beat. You hop up onto your feet. “Poor thing..” You cooed out, skipping off towards the throne. Once you reach it, your hands gently graze against the crest rail. You dangle your head over slightly, your hat nearly tipping off as the bells jangled. “Your pity towards our kingdom is appreciated in ten full. Though, if I may comment,” you move your hand up, gently playing with the tips of his crown. “If you keep this up, you’ll end up going mental by the morrow!” you giggled out in a teasing manner.

Istemi’s eyes opened up more before he quickly moved to face you, a lock of his chestnut-colored hair falling in front of his eyes. He seemed rather frantic, worried that he may lose himself so soon in his rain. He has only been king for six years, how embarrassing would that be to his bloodline? “W-what are you saying??” He demanded an elaboration, his hands moving to grab onto the arm of the chair. “Keep what up? I am only doing what is demanded of me!” He lifted his hands gazing down at the palms of his hands as he struggled to figure out any possible meaning to what you said.

“And that is your problem,” You pointed out before leaning backward. The spine of your back bent inwards as you pressed firmly against the ground, soon kicking your legs upwards and causing the bells on your shoes to jingle lightly. You stand tall. If you could even call a handstand standing, that is. “You push yourself to follow your duties every single day, despite your psyche.” You then tilt yourself to the side, your left foot colliding against the ground as you flip yourself into a proper standing position. “It is quite pathetic, once you think about it..” You laugh lightly, placing the tips of your fingers over your mouth as you look to the side.

“Fool, your words are not making any sense,” Istemi mumbled, his index finger and thumb lightly rubbing at his eyelids as a shaky sigh emitted from his throat. “You have not a clue what I go through every day… From the moment I rise, to the moment I must leave to my chambers, it is nonstop motion.” He explained, eyes slowly lifting upwards to make mutual eye contact with you.

While he was looking at you, it was as if he was off somewhere else, somewhere distant. He wanted oh so desperately to be back on the same plane of freedom as you, but something was stopping him. He ached to stop this senseless carousel of thought for at least a brief hour.

Istemi lowered his head slightly, placing his hands within his hair as he sighed out. His gold-laced crown shuffled slightly on his head due to the constant movement, so you took the rare liberty of removing it. You held it delicately in the air, pretending to analyze the accessory in scrutinizing detail. “Ugly thing, this is..” You commented offhandedly.

“Now don’t say that, fool..” Istemi muttered, lightly nudging at you with his foot before he went back to focus on his anguish. “I just wish for a break… A break where I am not demanded, not pushed into the constant stream to fix others' problems, or to do my duties.. Just once, I wish to be free from thought itself.” He mused, shutting his eyes for a moment.

Your eyes shifted to look at him for a moment, your arms lowering the crown as your head slowly tilted to the side. How rare it was to see your King in such a weakened state. And even rarer it was to have someone such as him, confide in someone like you.

Perhaps even, someone like you could help him, if he so wishes.

You take a minute to weigh your options and gather your thoughts, before deciding it was best to act. You move a step closer, placing the crown on one of the arms of the chair. “My liege,” you start, reaching your hand out. “It hurts me to see you in such a state… I would give nothing more than to aid you in any way I can.” You pledge, gently resting the palm of your hands on his stubble-ridden cheek.

Istemi seemingly stiffened at the sudden touch, his eyes popping open once more in an instant. He slowly moved his hand, about to place it over yours.

“My knowledge may be limited, unlike yours,” You acknowledged, soothingly beginning to rub the thumb of your finger back and forth. “But I certainly know a few… Options we could test. One is bound to put you in a better mood.”

“…” Istemi’s mouth opened slightly as he gave a shaky, hesitant inhale. He closed his eyes as his eyebrows knitted together, cheeks beginning to heat up. He was not used to such gentle care (or any care, at that.) He began to push his head further into your hand, sighing.”… I trust you, my jester.” He confided quietly.

You hum at that lightly, leaning forward and gently pressing your forehead against Istemi’s. The bells gave a quiet jingle due to this. “You won't need to have a single thought until I'm done with you, my King.”

You remove yourself away from him for a brief moment, breaking the warm contact shared between the two of you. Istemi gave a small frown, opening up his mouth to protest the separation but was nearly immediately interrupted.

You gently pressed your lips against your king’s, bringing him into a warm, sweet kiss. For you, it was a decent enough opening to lead him into the rest of your little excursion. Not that you were hating, this, however. Itsemi’s lips were slightly chapped, and the lower one was cold to the touch. It was as if he had been biting on it for quite a while. For Istemi, the kiss was rather unexpected, to say the least. He didn’t know what to expect, however, but it certainly wasn’t this. But that didn’t stop his trust in you. It seemed to only heighten it. His eyes slowly began to flutter shut as he leaned into the kiss, his lips following behind the rhythm that was set by yours.

Your hand began to travel downwards as the two of you focused on the other’s lips, your right hand giving a firm squeeze at the corresponding pec. This caused Itsemi to gasp out, the blush on his increasing. You took the chance to slip your tongue into his mouth, the muscle lightly swiping against your king’s as he tried to keep up with your pace. He tasted like salt, mostly, with the faint flavor of fermented grape. Istemi shivered slightly in your hold as your gloved hand groped his clothed chest. What a sensation, both of them. The feeling to be ravaged and tasted in such a way, the feeling to be grabbed like you have never felt anything like it. The dual sensations were causing his mind to grow flooded, despite how minuscule they were. He was struggling to focus on them, his overwhelming grip slowly slipping to a thankful lucidity.

Istemi arched his back slightly, further pushing his chest in your hand as it wandered. You then pulled your lips away with a soft gasp, a trail of saliva faintly following your tongue stemming from your King’s mouth. Istemi let out a small whine, eyes squinting to gaze at you. “Wha..why’d you stop..?” he whispered out groggily.

“Because sharing a kiss won't fix your problems that easily, my liege.” You responded harmonically, a soft dust of blush coating your cheeks as you gazed at Itsemi. You then moved to place your left hand against his chest, firmly holding it before glancing up at Istemi. “My Liege, may I remove of your fabrics?”

Istemi gazed down at you with half-lidded eyes, face flushing at the thought. He seemed a bit hesitant to fully reveal himself to you, those thoughts of his demands, duties, and status still holding him back, You take notice of this. You soothingly began rubbing at his sides, thinking of some way to encourage him. Hm, how to take this in a different approach. You then had an idea. You lean forward, mouth close to your King’s ear as you whisper out. “Come now,” you breathe. “I love your mantle so much, but you won't be needing it anymore… Be good for me,” you spoke, planting a gentle kiss on the lobe of his ear. “Will you?’

Istemi let out a quiet whine at the feeling of your warm breath against his ear, once again arching his back in an involuntary response. He opened his mouth, taking a moment to form any coherent words before quickly sputtering out. “Y-yes, please..” he whispered out, eyes drifting over to look at you. “I-I’ll be good, just.. Please.” He pleaded out, shedding off any inhibitions that once held him captive.

You take this and act quickly, disrobing him cloth after cloth in a steady succession. Istemi’s head lazily drifted to the side, eyes following your hands after each movement. His typically stiffened form was like putty in your hands, warmth radiating with every delicate touch. After finally pushing off the last barrier of clothing, it falling to the sides and joining the others in a small pile on the throne, you were greeted with his undershirt. “Such a sight this is,” You commented, gently placing your cheek against the palm of your right hand while the left hand pushed up the bottom of his shirt. A bit of his stomach and pelvis came into view, you pulling a lazy grin. “To see my King in such a weakened state..” you added, slowly trailing upwards. The shirt began to ride upwards against the wrist of your hand, Itsemi beginning to shutter at the feeling of your felt-covered hand sending shockwaves through his body.

“What a waste, this body is, on such a wandought man like you!” You teased in a laughing tone. Itsemi whined a bit at that as he evaded eye contact, his face complementing a soft red hue.

It was hard to tell if that was from arousal or embarrassment, however. Perhaps both?

“Do not tease me with such words, fool..” He croaked out, tilting his head back slightly. “Oh, my King,” Your hand finally reached its destination, cupping it for a brief moment. The hairs decorated across his body pricked through your gloves ever so slightly, due to the weak material. Though, you were undeterred. You lifted your thumb, beginning to circle his nipple in a rhythmic motion. “Is it really I who is the fool at this moment?” You question.

“You-”Istemi stopped mid-sentence, letting out a shaky moan at the sensation. “O-oh.. Heavens..~” he whispered out, pushing himself further into you as he partially covered up his mouth. You chuckle lightly at that, finding it rather cute. You free your right hand from the grasp of your cheek, pulling Itsemi’s shirt further upwards. “Be a dear and hold this for me?” You requested before shutting his hands. “With whatever you can, kindly.” Istemi took a moment to even register your words before giving a small nod, lowering his hand. He knew that he’d most likely get tired of holding his shirt up for however long with his hands, so he chose the next best option. He leaned forward slightly, opening up his mouth in a small ‘O’ shape before biting down, holding up his shirt with his mouth. You give your trademark smile, closing your eyes. “Good boy.” You praised him, causing Itsemi to visibly stiffen slightly as his body somehow got redder. You laugh sweetly at his reaction. “What a reaction!” You teased, placing both hands against your cheeks. “I wonder just how red you can get till you resemble a tomato.” he jeered, causing Itsemi to whine at you in embarrassment. You hum, waving your hands back and forth dismissively. “I kid, I kid..” You clarify, leaning downwards till you are in the eyeline with the bud. “Now, let us get back to it..” You whisper out before opening up your mouth slightly, taking in his left nipple before gently rubbing and pinching at the right. Your lips locked around the hardened nipple, your tongue teasingly rubbing around it while giving light nips now and then. You could feel each steadily getting warmer the more you showed attention to the two.

Istemi’s body shook slightly at the new sensation, feeling an overwhelming amount of warmth fill his senses. “F-fuck–” He cursed his head tilting back slightly as he felt your teeth graze over his bud. He lifted his hands, his fingers nestling themselves underneath your belled hat as he gripped onto your hair. “Ke- Uhn– K-keep going, please-.” He pleaded, squeezing his eyes tightly. You move your freehand slowly, trailing it down towards the tent slowly forming within Itsemi’s pants. The palm of your hand pressed down against his clothed tip, grinding it down in a firm motion. You could feel Istemi’s body tense up underneath you, him letting out a low moan in a content response. You decide to push forward, tucking your hand into the crotch of his pants. His undergarment was rather thin, to the touch it felt like the thinnest of lenins.

It didn't leave much to mystery.

Your fingers traversed past his ever-aching erection, going to farther nether regions. Soon the distance and space you were given began to close in, your fingers beginning to grow encased between your King’s two firm, chiseled cheeks. It was warm, cramped, and ever so slightly hairy. It's a sense and texture that only you will ever get to know. Lucky you! Then; the pads of your fingers touched his puckered hole. Itsemi tensed up for a moment at the sudden touch.

“Ho–” he breathed out, grip tightening within the locks of your hair. “My g- haah–” his voice struggled to croak out, struggling to search for words. Nothing for him was connecting, not a word on the tip of his tongue. All that was able to formulate for him, was thoughts of pleasure and you. “I-”

“Hm?” You look upwards, eyes meeting Istemi’s finally. You slowly pull your lips away from his nipple, saliva now coating it in a faint glaze. “I- Uhnn..” He faintly whimpered out, closing his eyes firmly as he ground his rear further down against your fingers. “Use your words, my King.” You encouraged, your freehand lightly nudging at Istemi’s side.

“In,” Istemi finally gasped out, eyes fluttering open as the bottom of his shirt fell from his teeth. “In, please, in.” He pleaded, letting out a choked-out moan. “Yes, dearest.” You respond in a gentle tone. “But I do feel it is best to tell you that if I go in dry, I-”

Istemi reached up, his hand roughly grasping the ruff of your ensemble. He yanked you up towards his face, the two of you making close contact once more. “IN,” he demanded, voice going low once more. “This is an order from your king, fool.” he spoke to you slowly as his chest rose and fell, a soft color of red remaining on his form. You stare up at him for a good moment, eyes wide before giving a simper across your face. “Well!” you let out a giddy laugh, hands clasping together eagerly as you held them up. “You certainly know what you want now, don’t you?” you prompted the King before letting go.

“Bet that didn’t take much thought now, did it?” You wink at him playfully before pushing both of your hands underneath his legs. “What are y-” Before Istemi could finish his question, you lifted his legs with ease, causing him to slump in his chair with a startled yelp. His hands moved to grab onto the sides of the chair loosely, making sheepish eye contact with you. You let out a soft giggle, placing his legs on both of your shoulders gently. “Now,” a joyful glint filled your eyes. “To carry out my king’s order.”

#dom reader #dom!reader #gn reader #imagine #slow burn #smut #sub character #sub!character #queer nsft #self insert

87 notes · View notes

r0wdy-rat · 5 days

Text

Face Down

pt i, pt ii, pt iii, pt iv, pt v

Masterlist

Summary: You and Levi come to an agreement. You meet Isabel. You're so blindingly happy. That makes what happens next so much worse.

In hindsight, you had pushed him too far. An emotional Levi was an overwhelmed one, a cornered one, and you knew that, but...

You were so hurt.

He had never hurt you like this before. You didn't know what to do. You felt like you'd missed your shot with your 3DMG's anchor and were in free fall. You felt out of control. Miss Kuchel would be ashamed of your lack of poise. Only the Walls knew what Kenny would've said, seeing his charges wrestle like this on a rooftop.

Probably something indecent.

As it was, Levi abruptly flipped the two of you again, and you got the distinct feeling that he had been tolerating you earlier, instead of being genuinely startled. You growled in frustration, fingers tightening in his hair until he retaliated, tangling his own hands in your locks and yanking savagely. You yelped as your head was wrenched back, squirming under him as you tried to mitigate the strain on your scalp.

"Motherfucker," you grit out through clenched teeth as you wrenched your own grip in his hair. You felt something give under your wrath, and you shoved at him with your free hand as you bucked and struggled. Despite this, he still pinned you easily, only infuriating you more. He huffed, emitting a sound that could have been a laugh but was too throaty. His breath puffed across the underside of your chin, your exposed throat, and you wriggled all the harder for it.

Fucker, you missed when he was smaller and weaker than you sometimes.

You hissed in frustration, air leaving your clenched teeth in a whine. You wriggled even harder now, until he abruptly gave you a rough shake with the hand in your hair. "Fucking quit it, you goddamn brat," he snarled, furious and close to your ear. It was such a foreign tone you startled and went boneless beneath him, enough for him to pin your other arm beneath his knee. You felt ready to catch fire, restrained like this. Levi, likewise, was getting tired of your struggling.

"Are you fucking done now?" he asked, annoyed, and then tightened his grip before you could start up again. You whined at the burn, a gasping, foreign sound, and Levi went still above you, finally taking stock of what he was doing.

He was above you, weighing you down with his larger mass, pinning your hips with his. One of his legs had tangled around your own, preventing you from getting leverage to buck him off. The other knee was bent to pin the hand that had been ripping his hair out. Your lower halves were flush together. His breath wheezed out of him at the realization. He was so close his shirt brushed against you with every inhale, and every exhale stirred the baby hairs framing your face that weren't slicked down with sweat. One of his hands was wrapped around your wrist, long fingers holding you hostage and pressing you into the rooftop. The other was tangled tightly in your hair. At the realization of how rough his hold was, his fingers loosened somewhat from their death grip, now cradling the back of your head instead. Your chest was heaving, your lips parted, and your face flushed. And your eyes...

He hadn't actually looked at you in a while. He could admit that. Something about the sight unsettled him now, took him back to that moment when he realized that the woman on the other end of his knife was you, the woman who had stared down the barrel of a gun was you. Beautiful, steadfast, irreplaceable you. His couldn't look into your eyes without seeing that scar that bisected your brow, coming so close to blinding you, without thinking of how you could have ended up like Jakobs, slumped into a wall with your insides spilling out. Now, looking at you felt like all the terror he should have felt in those moments, but didn't because he didn't realize what he was in danger of losing.

And now, looking into your wide eyes, staring up at him in frustration, he realized he had done something inexplicably cruel to you these past few days.

Livewire, Kenny had called you, wildcat. But here Levi was, trying to pin you down, trying to make you, someone who had always freely followed him, submit to his will by shaking you around. Walls...

You looked fucking furious.

More than that, you looked fragile like he hadn't seen since your mom died, when you were being shaken around by a pimp. Even when his mom had passed, you had remained carefully in control of all your emotions after you got back with the medicine. You looked like you may fall apart if he did the wrong thing. He was frozen with the knowledge, for once unsure of what path to take. His hold on you slackened further... just enough.

You grit your teeth and crashed your forehead into his chin.

In the aftermath of your sudden attack, you wriggled free from him, standing on your own two feet. That, you knew, had surprised him. Your legs were shaky, aching from the exertion with the 3DMG already. Yet still, you were determined to win whatever pissing contest was happening on this roof. He may be stronger than you now, but there was a time you had to save him from the assholes down here, and he was a fool to have forgotten that. The first time he had looked at you since that meeting and it was like he had never even seen you before. Like he was staring at a wild animal, a stranger. Not his best friend, not the girl who had bartered stolen medicine for a house instead of the life she had intended it for, not the woman who had stayed by his side for years. And yeah, you got it, you'd known him long enough to understand how his mind worked. Nearly stabbing you had freaked him out a little, but for fucks sake, you'd been cut by him, not fucking killed. Kenny had done worse to you in training when you were a child.

"Whatever overprotective, controlling, bullshit is going on with you," you finally murmured, voice low and burning, dark eyes pinning him to the rooftop as you glowered down at him, "it stops right now."

He glanced up at you from where he was kneeling, mouth twisted in aggravation from your cheap shot, and went still. You were shaking with rage, standing there and staring him down like you didn't know him. You felt all of 9 and begging him to look at Miss when she was sick, all of 13 with your hands covered in another boys blood and Vic's entrails cooling in the dirt behind you, all of 19 and in another fight he started with some pervert leering after you. Where was the damn henning then?

"I don't know when you decided you could make decisions for me, but you're dead wrong Levi.” You continued, running a shaking hand through your hair in frustration, “You don't get to decide if I go on raids, or if I’m allowed to use the gear that I stole. The fact you've even been trying to is... it's insulting. I don't want to be bottle fed bits of information you think I need to know, like Furlan’s content with. I need the full fucking story from here on out. I need us to be a team again. No more secrets, or I swear I'll..." you trailed off, suddenly losing steam. Or you'll what? You didn't know. You didn't think you could ever leave him, realistically. Even what you had now, this hollow shell of what you used to be, was better than the thought of walking away from him for good.

He looked at you from where he knelt on the rooftop, eyes wider than you'd ever seen them as he took you in. You were practically glowing with anger, shoulders right and chest heaving. You were plotting on continuing your tirade until you saw the fight go out of him with his next breath, like a puppet with its strings snipped. His hand came up to curl around the back of your knee, his other grasping your fingers as he gazed up at you.

"Okay." he finally said, a small smile on his pretty mouth, "Okay, you win, crybaby."

That damn nickname. You huffed, rigid form loosening as you stamped your foot, "I'm not a crybaby Levi! I haven't cried in years," you whined, even as you used your interlocked hands to tug him to his feet. He grinned, slinging an arm over your shoulders to tug you in and ruffle your hair.

"Yeah, yeah, all you do is cry, brat. It's every damn day with you."

Still, he sounded so fond as he said it, and you finally felt that chasm that was hollowing out your chest begin to close. Levi, you thought, as you tucked your face into his shoulder to bite him, I missed this.

Isabel Magnolia crashed into your life like a boulder, and you wondered if this is how Kenny felt trying to keep up with you and Levi when he first found you. She left you feeling winded.

Probably not, you conceded, you and Isabel hadn't tried to stab each other yet, after all. Then again, you'd like to think you'd never done anything deserving of being stabbed in your life, unlike Kenny, the rat bastard.

The girl was cheerful and determined, and her energy levels were through the fucking roof. You could barely keep up with her most days, tiring out early more often than not. Levi and Furlan adored her, almost as much as you did. Your little trio easily became a quartet, and you let her use your gear to learn how to fly, coaching her from below as she tested out her new wings.

She was quick to smile, quick to laugh. She called Levi bro, called you sis. Your heart felt full to bursting in a way that it hadn't since Kur and Ponye left to expand your little crime syndicate on the other end of the underground. Leave it to Isabels raucous personality to fill the hole left by two people.

"We're like a family," she said one evening, "Especially with how you and Levi bicker like you're married."

You had choked on a laugh, coughing harshly into your hand. "Walls, Iz," you chastised, coughing harder now, "warn a girl before you say something crazy like that."

Levi, from where he was sharpening your blade in the corner, watched you with dark eyes as you got your fit under control.

"What would that make Furlan then?" you mused, voice rougher now, and Isabel laughed, delighted.

"Well, he's probably the family pet!"

Never needing an excuse for a brawl, Furlan hollered in outrage from where he was counting money on the table. He threw himself at Isabel and jabbed her sides with agile fingers until she was crying from laughter. You smiled fondly at the familiar sight; your little house far fuller than it had ever felt. Levi nudged your shoulder, steaming cup in hand. "Here," he offered, "for your throat."

You smiled up at him, something warm and soft curling in your chest as you took the tea from him. Must've already had the kettle going. "Glad I robbed that fancy vendor for us now, aren'tcha?" you teased softly, and he huffed, ruffling your hair as he sat next to you on the sofa, knees spreading until your thighs were flush. His arm dropped around your neck once he was done messing up your hair, and he looked at you warmly.

"You make it easy to justify keeping you around, I'll give you that."

You laughed, sipping your tea and leaning into his chest as you watched Isabel and Furlan roll around on the rug like animals, swinging playful punches at each other. This is perfect, you thought, smiling at your friends while curled into Levi's body, his heat warming you through, "I want us to always be like this," you murmured, a secret wish for only him to hear, "I want to be together, forever. It's so... warm."

Levi hummed, the sound vibrating through his chest and into your ribs, and any tension left in you dissipated. You were so tired... this would be as good a time as any to rest, you decided. So, you finished your tea swiftly, setting your cup down before curling deeper into Levi and closing your eyes. As you drifted off, you felt his arm wrap tighter around you. Something warm pressed briefly to your forehead, and you felt incredibly, unfathomably safe.

But for all your happiness in that moment, you still lived in the underground. It was not a place for wishing. You never should have let yourself forget that.

31 notes · View notes

acerathia · 7 months

Text

drowning in you || Rafayel | Qi Yu

Summary:

Valentinesday doesn't work out, does it?

Wordcount: 2.5k

Read on AO3

Pairing:

Qí Yù | Rafayel / Reader | MC

Tags/CW:

established relationship, dancing and kissing in the rain, flirting, bathing and washing each other, non-sexual intimacy, references(spoilers) to Mainstory and Myth, Moles as lasting kisses from the last life, implied sexual content after fic, domestic fluff

Note:

Happy Valentines!! I wrote this bc I go insane for him oops

With a little smile, you let your phone slide back into your bag. Rafayel has told you to come to the park nearby, and you wonder what he’s planning, hopefully not another trip on a boat, the simple memory makes you shiver. After that incident, you would never trust him with an oar ever again. But because you’re supposed to meet him at the entrance of the park, you assume it must be something slightly drier.

– where r u? ive been waiting for ages

omw! close to the entrance of the park –

You round the last corner, and immediately spot his figure, arms crossed, close to the park. For a moment, you take your time to look at him, the way the sun shines between his hair, giving him some sort of underwater feeling. But you can’t help but squint when you notice his attire, one you have seen before, one Rafayel usually wears when meeting for some art stuff of his. You brush it off, it’s usual for him to wear something that draws the eye, being an artist and all, he does love showing his aesthetic with his clothes.

He seems to have sensed you, because he turns in your direction, and while you smile at him and hurry your steps to get closer to him, his lips push slightly forward.

“Finally, I thought you had forgotten about me! Did you look at the time? It’s been ages, I feel like I’m about to see fish walk on land,” he mutters the moment you stop in front of him.

“Well, I think I already see one,” you grin, before cupping his cheeks carefully. “In fact, this fish is right in front of me.”

The pout doesn’t disappear entirely, but it does soften as he leans closer to your skin. “See? I was right, you’ve left me waiting for too long.”

A huff of breath hits your face softly before he straightens up, not even waiting for your answer as he takes your hand in his, entwining your fingers together. “It doesn’t matter, you’re here now. Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, you both enter the park, and follow the path for quite some time. You have no idea what Rafayel wants to show you, so you only walk by his side, simply enjoying this quality time while looking around the place in peace.

The park seems huge, as before you both even arrived at his set destination, you begin to feel something cold hitting your head. You scrunch your face and look up, only for a drop of water to hit your cheek, your eyelids. You blink in surprise as the rain falls, multiplying with each second, with each step.

A groan, and your gaze immediately flicks to Rafayel, who’s gingerly holding a hand over his head. “Great, now everything is ruined… Did the weather forecast make a mistake? I even checked it for today” He turns to you and meets your eyes. “Let’s go back, c’mon.”

He sighs, disappointment apparent in the way his shoulders slump. “I guess, we’re going to make it up another time… Let’s hurry up and escape this annoying rain.”

You squeeze his hand as you follow his brisk steps into the direction you both came from. “It’s okay, spending time with you is more than enough for me.”

Your words only seem to make him walk faster, the rain hitting your face softly, and you can’t help but slow down slightly.

Laughing, you can’t help but tease him. “But let’s slow down a bit. You’re not going to turn into a mermaid the moment water touches you, are you?”

He turns around to face you, his face scrunched up in a pout. “How ridiculous! That only happens in those TV series. And we’re both already wet, wouldn’t it be too late to consider that anyway?” He cocks his head to the side, before a smug look takes over. “Unless you want me to turn into one to ogle at me, hm? Wouldn’t you like that?” With these words, he leans closer towards you, a grin over his plush lips.

Your eyes flick towards them before returning to his eyes, his lashes clumped and longer with the dripping water. You feel a heat creeping up your neck, and now you’re the one with a small pout on your lips. For a moment, you don’t have any comebacks, so you decide to do what always works the best.

Your free hand grabs his shoulders and you stretch slightly towards him. Your lips meet his. And despite the cold water, his skin is warm against yours. Without missing a beat, his arm sneaks around your waist, pulling you closer, stealing another peck before you could fully pull away.

Once there’s some space between your faces, you can’t help but grin at the redness spreading over the tips of his ears, but you want to see that color over his cheeks. So, you put your lips against his cheeks, closer to his ears.

“Of course I want to see you naked,” you whisper at him, and he immediately pulls away, the color bleeding into the rest of his face.

He holds his hands in front of his face, shielding it from your view. “Wh-what are you talking about?” he stammers, taking a small step back.

You can’t help but think how adorable he looks this flustered, but you stop teasing him, as the rain makes you feel cold, and you imagine he starts feeling the same. Taking his hand once again, you step closer to him and let your forehead rest against his chest.

Almost immediately, despite his embarrassment, his arm winds up against you, his face hot against the skin on your neck. Your other hand comes up to stroke through the wet strands of his hair, now closer to a darker blue when soaked like this.

You don’t know who starts it, but you both begin to slightly rock, a small dance under the rain, interlocked, heart against heart, listening to a tune only you both could hear.

“Let’s go home…” you whisper against his skin, feeling the goosebumps over it.

A sigh on your own skin, and he straightens up, his gaze wandering over your face, filled with something complex, something that warms you despite the cold seeping into your clothes.

Once he nods, you both are on your way again, heading towards the closest apartment of one of you. It doesn’t take long, and you’re glad to be out of the rain, because the moment you enter your home, the rain picks up, the wind sweeping over the streets. You really don’t want to know how it feels to be there.

Soaking wet, you begin to strip yourself of your shoes and socks. “I’m going to take a shower to warm up,” you tell him, and without words he just follows you on your heels.

It’s a burdensome task to get rid of the wet clothes sticking to your skin, but you manage it nonetheless. The heat of the turned on water is already spreading through the air, and you’re almost excited to get under it. With your focus on the upcoming warmth, a squeak of surprise escapes you, when you feel his cold fingers around your waist, his lips against the back of your neck.

You turn your head slightly towards him and kiss the corner of his lips, your fingers intertwining with his, before you fully turn around, your fingers carefully helping him out of his wet clothes, scattering soft kisses here and there over his cold skin. After that, you wordlessly pull him with you to stand under the warm rain of the shower.

For a moment, you let the heat seep into you, relax your muscles, before you grab the shampoo bottle. But instead of slathering it onto your own hair, you motion for him to lean down. Once he does, you put a good portion of the shampoo into his hair, and begin to massage it in, spreading it over his scalp and hair. You watch as he closes his eyes, leaning closer to you.

After you’re thoroughly done, you let him lean his head under the water once again, rinsing the shampoo out of his hair with soft strokes, your hands taking care of each strand, massaging his scalp. Once everything is truly gone, you grab one of your conditioners to take a bit of into your hands, spreading them over your palms before you begin to rub it into the ends of his hair.

A low hum sounds from him and he shuffles a little closer, his hands finding your waist, as always, keeping them there to anchor himself.

Allowing the conditioner to set, you grab his loofa, the one he has deposited ages ago, making himself at home in your home, sharing it with you. Making sure the foam has spread properly all over it, you begin to gently scrub his skin, his shoulders, his arms. You can’t help yourself but scatter some kisses here and there, on his jaw, on his neck.

Coming up to his chest, your eyes lock onto the tiny mole there. “Did you know, some people say that moles are an indication of where our past love has kissed us, over and over again,” you whisper against his skin before kissing the mole softly. “I will love you, for all of my lifetimes, over and over again… And I want to give you something to remember this one, and every one after…”

You’re vaguely aware that you have met Rafayel in your last lifes. And even if your memory is hazy, pieces coming up to you in blurry dreams, you know that you have loved him, and you will continue to love him, for as long as time allows you to exist.

You look up to him, his eyes wide, glazy with swirling emotions. Instead of saying anything, he leans down and catches your lips with his in something sweet, filled with love, of the past, present and future. You melt into his touch, into his warmth, into his steady presence. There isn’t another place you would love to be more than at his side.

For a moment, you let your thoughts focus on him, on the way he calls your name, on the way his ears blush when flustered, on the way he teases you with so much affection.

One last peck, and you continue with your endeavor, gently scrubbing his skin, massaging the tension out of his muscles.

After you make sure that he’s relaxed and clean, you once again guide him towards the water, letting the water glide over his body, warmth seeping into him and relaxing him a bit more. You gently grab his hair and massage all the conditioner away, until all that’s left are his pretty strands of hair.

Your lips meet his forehead, before you turn to take care of your own hair. But before you could even grab the bottle, he does, a bit of the liquid on his palms to slather onto your hair.

With the amount of knowledge he has on you, on your routine and day to day life, he manages to perfectly take care of your hair, his fingers carefully moving on your scalp, caressing the tension there out of your head.

A sigh escapes your lips and this time you’re the one stretching closer towards him, arms around his waist.

Rafayel rinses your hair carefully, each strand flowing through his fingers, and you enjoy each touch of his. Especially when he swipes your hair away to reveal your neck, placing a soft kiss there.

Despite being done, you both stay like this for a moment, his face against your shoulder, your fingers drawing random symbols on his skin, intertwined, skin to skin, warmth to warmth.

Just when you notice your fingers getting prune, do you turn off the water, reaching for the towels to dry up. You pass him his own, and watch as he dabs the water away, before wrapping it around his waist. You begin to feel a little bit warmer when he reaches up to swipe his hair away from his face, running his fingers through the strands, making them stick like that.

You turn around to take care of yourself and leave the bathroom to step into the bedroom, one supposedly belonging to you, yet filled with his trinkets and clothes. You step around some paint brushes clustered on the ground and grab a shirt and other clothes.

Once you put them on, you notice how the shirt belongs to him, something he has left behind after one of his escapades from the journalists. You don’t take it off though, rather you turn towards him as he pulls his pants on, a soft piece of clothing, perfect to sleep in.

His eyes glance up to you, getting stuck on his shirt on you, and you smile as you watch the redness bleeding into his ears, into his cheeks.

He crosses his arms, looking away. “So, you’re now also stealing my clothes now?”

You raise your eyebrows at this. “Uhm, what else have I stolen from you, Rafayel?” you ask, well aware that everything scattered around your place is due to him bringing it over. You can’t say you don’t love seeing his stuff around your place, though. It makes it more livelier, happier.

At your words, he turns around and begins prancing towards you, and you take a step back, your shins hitting the edge of the bed. He leans closer to your face, his eyes running over your face, admiring every single feature of yours, almost like his eyes have landed on an artwork.

You suddenly feel shy under his gaze, so you try to lean back, but when you try to do so, you end up falling onto the bed, sitting on the edge of it.

Instead of letting up, Rafayel puts both his hands on the side of your thighs, supporting himself on the bed to follow you.

“How dare you forget. You have stolen my heart, over and over again,” he whispers against your lips, before dipping in and taking a taste of your lips once again.

A small laugh of yours is drowned by his lips, as you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him with you onto the bed. Drops of water fall onto your face from his wet hair, yet you don’t care at all. All that matters is him, Rafayel in your arms and his lips on yours.

With a puff of air, he lands on you, and as the kiss breaks apart for a moment, you take your time to admire his face, the soft lips, his translucent eyes, almost glowing every time he catches your gaze. He doesn’t give you much time, though, before he kisses you again, and again, each kiss making your heart thump with excitement, with all those emotions he manages to awaken in you.

And you’re happy to be the one waking up by his side, spending every lifetime as the person he loves. To be the person who loves him truly in every life.

You can’t help but shudder when his lips move over your jaw to your throat, when he softly murmurs against your skin.

“Let me drown in you…”

#rafayel x reader #rafayel x you #rafayel x y/n #rafayel x mc #qi yu x reader #qi yu x you #qi yu x y/n #qi yu x mc #rafayel love and deepspace x reader #love and deepspace x reader

133 notes · View notes

cross-crye · 1 year

Text

𝖘𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖙

neuvillette x gn!reader

hurt/comfort

wc: 0.6 k

a/n: Fontaine brought me back from the dead and my new fictional bf saved me from the writing slump ive been in for months. So enjoy this hurt/comfort fic w Neuvillette. To be honest he may be a bit ooc but this is entirely self indulgent so it's fine.

!!! written at 3 am; spelling is questionable at best and some words should deffinetely not be in those sentences

For a few days now it had been drizzling in Fontaine. Anyone who had attempted to step outside their home would find themselves to be rained on ever so lightly by the suppposed tears trickling from the Hydro Dragon's heart. To some the scent of freshly fallen rain was comforting while others' mood had only been dampened by the uncooperative weather.

The Chief Justice of Fontaine was glancing at the rain outside from the window in his office. His view was ever so slighlty obscured by the tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. Hisbittersweet moment of peacefull silence was interupted by the creak of his office door opening as his concerned lover stepped through.

"Oh mon beau... What has gotten you so down?" They asked in a sombre tone adressing the judge. Despite not seeing his damp cheeks due to his turned back they were certain of the state their lover was in.

"I simply missed you is all." Neuvillette responded, attempting to dismiss his beloved's worries. Upon hearing his repsonse their concern for the man grew tenfold. They slowly approached him, moving to stand in front of him, offering his hands a comforting squeeze.

"We both know thats not it Neuvi" they said hoping that the endearing nickname might help soothe him even a little. "You don't have to worry about burdening me with your thoughts. Please tell me what it is that truly saddens you so I can help." they continued.

Neuvillette hesitated to answer for a while, his expression betraying his inner turmoil. Eventually he decided to give in to his conflicting thoughts and confide in his love, after all he would trust them with anything. "The last trial I judged didn't qo quite as I expected it to…" he trailed off, still hesitating to look his partner in the eye. "A man had murdered his brother's wife in a jealous fit of rage. As the gruesome details of the case were revealed during the trial I couldn't help but think of what I'd do if something like this ever happened to you. I had previously thought I understood humans but I grow more and more unsure of that with every case. It's truly something to have to see people go against what I had previously thought to be human nature, becoming so overtaken by wrath that they do the unspeakable." Neuvillette said sadly. "Cases like this make me realise that I now have something to loose to the unreliable nature of humanity. You. Im not used to that, so when the thought becomes apparent again I… I don't know what to do about it. So I end up overtaken by emotions I don't truly understand, struggling to navigate my own thoughts and feelings." He finally declared dejectedly.

"Oh love… You worry far too much my dear. Now come here" They said as they moved to embrace Neuvillette. One hand was drawing patterns on his skin through the fabric of his clothes, the other softly carding through his hair as he wept silently into their shoulder all while maintaing their embrace. They'd lean down occasionally, leaving a kiss on his forehead or cheek soothing Neuvillette with affection.

The rain was letting up as Neuvillette calmed down, his thoughts regaining momentary stability. He lifted his face from his lover's damp shoulder as hands moving to trace his jawline. Those hands moved up his soft skin, moving to wipe the remaining tears from the corners of his eyes. Now that the Chief Justice was no longer leaning down, standing at full height his lover would lean up, slightly raising on their tip tops to kiss the tear tracks adorning his pale cheeks.

The two remained in Neuvillette's office in a comfortable silence, preffering to let their actions do the talking instead of words, showering each other in affection, love shining brightly in both their eyes.

no reposting, stealing, copying or translating my works.

reblogs, comments and likes are all highly appreciated

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #neuvillette #neuvillette x reader #fontaine #genshin neuvillette #hurt comfort #genshin hurt comfort #genshin impact oneshot #genshin oneshot #neuvillette oneshot #x reader #reader insert #neuvillette x gn reader #genshin x gn reader

294 notes · View notes

nyxyooni · 11 months

Text

(3) Honey Ties

Prev/Next

hello! i'm back!!! i know its been a little over a year, trust me. out of all the fics that i have not updated this is the one that haunts my nightmares the most. BUT enough of that, im here! this is here!!!!! not only is this an update, but ive also just made up my mind, literally as im typing this out as to what this whole thing is gonna be. and im thinking of a slice-of-life-esque collection of loosely connected chapters with very little plot scattered about.

and! before you continue, this is also my informal invitation for you, my dear and wonderful readers, to make requests for any future updates! i'll make another update as to what im comfortable with writing for this particular story later! so, without further ado, lets go!

————

In retrospect, the man kept a decent amount of distance between himself and Bruce, one hand was steadily holding out a flute of champagne while the one next to Bruce clutched the opposite lapel of his suit jacket. Really, he was most likely leaning closer to their father simply to speak clearly to him. His eyes, although hard to see through the glare of the glasses covering them were looking at Bruce's face with respectful interest, an easy smile on his moving lips. There was nothing scummy about the man, nothing threatening—well except maybe for the sheer size of him but then again, his shoulders were slumped, rounded despite their broadness.

"Jason!" Hissing as he reached a hand to the bigger man in front of him, so close to being able to grab him, and lamenting when his hands failed short a mere inch. At least Jason wasn't bulldozing people out of the way, small victories he guessed. "Jason!" Near desperate Dick threw himself at the hulking figure of his younger brother stuttering to a stop just as Jason froze, suddenly becoming a brick wall. "Jason for the love of god, get your issues under control you absolute freak—"

And they were right in front of Bruce and the stranger, except that the stranger wasn't a stranger at all.

"Mr. Kent?" Straightening in order to stand next to his brother, Dick suddenly felt a little stupid for being even remotely suspicious of Clark Kent, granted he hadn't known it was him, but still, the man couldn't hurt a fly even if he tried.

"Hm? Oh!" Straightening up with a little jolt Clark Kent patted his free hand against his thigh, letting go of the suit to reveal the fact it didn't quite fit properly but he was smiling gently, dimples sinking into his tan cheeks, "hello, Mr. Grayson, Mr. Todd." Nodding at both of them, voice sure and body steady. "I don't mean to be rude or overstep my boundaries, but it is a wonder to see you at one of these events, Mr. Todd."

Huffing, relaxing at long last Jason popped out one of his hips as he crossed his arms, beside him Dick also deflated, taking a nice, slow deep breath and lifting his head to smile at the reporter. "Mr. Kent, you know how we feel about you addressing us like that," Dick would probably say out loud in his next interview, that Clark Kent was his favorite reporter of all time. Something about the man felt incredibly warm.

Laughing, somehow in a way that felt like walking out onto the porch of a country house on a warm summer morning, Clark Kent's smile grew. It dulled the intricate glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. "And if I remember clearly, I said that the only way I would stop was if you would stop calling me as such," peeling away fully from Bruce and the baby, Damian following the movement with a small sway of his body, Clark stood a couple of steps away from their father, "in that regard, I can see the family resemblance..."

It was slow, it was gentle, and somehow, despite being in the middle of a gala, full of old, rich people with money stuffed all the way up their asses, they looked at each other as though they were alone. Dick took a step closer, his body moving on its own.

"I am here to pry. What is a man such as yourself doing here, Mr. Kent?" Jason's voice cut through Dick, it made little baby Damian snap his head over with his mouth open. Only Bruce remained serene, with a gentle smile as he looked at everyone gathered around him, gently bouncing Damian. "Out of all the stuck-up people who just love to talk about themselves, you're here, bothering our father and—"

"Jason..." Bruce's voice wasn't hard, it never was, and never had been, and if Dick were to bet money on it, couldn't be. "Let's not be rude, Mr. Kent and I were just having a nice conversation," in his arms the baby seemed to focus on Clark Kent, body leaning over, to stretch out towards the reporter, hands flailing and mouth moving in words that were not words and could not be heard over all the other noise. "What is it, baby, hm?"

Moving Damian, shifting him so that he held him up in front of his face from somewhere under his shoulders, hands wrapped securely around his body, cradling his ribs. However, Damian leaned over to the side, hands reaching and reaching. Toward Clark Kent.

All four of them stared at the baby, shock clear across their faces, Clark Kent stared blankly until a smile broke out on his face, so very unlike the previous one. Somehow it shined brighter, it made Dick take half a step back and made Jason go rigid. It was obvious, he was whole-heartedly and unabashedly endeared with the little bundle of joy currently trying to claw his way into his arms and out of his father.

Raising a hand, curled weakly, Clark Kent used two of his fingers to pinch the baby's cheeks, he did not take Damian into his arms the way the baby wanted, but he did give him attention. The man stepped closer, hunched down so that he could look into those priceless jewel-green eyes, and smiled. "I don't know, baby, maybe you should stay with your daddy?" It was near deafening, the soft tenor and sway of Clark Kent's voice amidst the maddening constant buzz of the crowd around them. "Who is he gonna hold if I'm the one holding you, hm?" Letting go of the soft supple skin to instead gently rub with the back of his index finger the man smiled again.

Damian whined, high and reedy and short, he wriggled one last time and sighed. As though a wave of sleepiness hit him all at once he settled against Bruce's chest. Blinking slowly and instinctively moving his hand up to his mouth so he could suck on his curled fist.

No one moved, no one made so much as a sound. Even when around them the buzz seemed to be near a delirious height the baby's body relaxed, chest rising and caving slowly and steadily like. Damian had fallen asleep.

Awestruck, Dick reached out to gently poke one of Damian's soft, chubby cheeks as though he couldn't possibly believe what the baby had done. It wasn't that Damian struggled to sleep, at least not when he was comfortable and in a quiet peaceful space, not silent, the baby seemed to love the sound of their father's voice, or the soft chirping of birds, the trickle of water from a stream, the pitter-patter of gentle rain. Never silent, simply calm. The beating of their father's heart as he slipped away into slumber atop his chest.

Damian disliked loud, chaos that held no rhyme not reason, crashes, bangs, or pops, just like any baby. Damian loved the sound of his family, just like any baby.

"Well, would you look at that," gently maneuvering the baby so he was being cradled in his arms, Bruce smiled up at Clark Kent, that utterly wonderful and disarming smile and made his eyes crinkle and his dimples show. "It seems that my baby was all tuckered out, it has been a very exciting day for him," halfway through his sentence, Bruce had instead focused on Damian, speaking down to him in a hushed tone. Leaning down to plant a dry kiss on the baby's forehead. "Does anyone have the time?"

All three of them snapped to attention at finally being addressed, neither Dick nor Jason had their phones on them, Alfred insisting that it was ruining their suits pointlessly so. Still standing beside their father, Clark Kent brought his wrist up in a quick, sharp movement and slid his sleeve down so he could peer down to his watch for about three seconds.

"It seems to be a quarter to eleven," came the man's smooth voice. His glasses had slid down his nose, resting at the very tip. Swiftly he pushed them up with his middle finger in a practiced motion from years that had transformed it to instinct.

"Dad." Jason called out, voice taking that tall-tale brattish tone that had irked Dick to insanity when they were still getting used to being around each other. The shock of having the young man call their father as such settled in right after the irritating bit of nostalgia. "If you still want to hang around and..." trailing off, pointedly looking Clark Kent up and down, he finished with a clear expression of distaste. "Mingle... I'll take Damian up to his room."

Bruce looked from his son to Clark Kent, he wasn't stupid, he knew his children. Knew how to read their moods, how to soothe them, and how to speak to them, Bruce knew when they lied to him and when they kept secrets from him. Like how he knew there was something all of his kids were keeping something from, something big, that no matter how much he wanted to know, no matter how it hurt to not be trusted, would wait for them to tell him. Bruce knew his children, and because he knew his children, he was keenly aware that Jason did not likeClark Kent.

"Oh Jason," stepping forward to his son, not for the first and definitely not for the last time, startled at how the young man was taller than him, "don't worry about that, I'll take him up, get him nice and settled." Cupping the side of his face, Bruce smiled when Jason's shoulder's relaxed, "stay here, make sure nobody tries to steal Dick away, or worse, Tim." Grinning, he dropped his hand, stepping away and towards the way out, "I'm worried that he'll try and bite someone again."

Dick's laughter leaves his chest before he even realized it. Someone had once made the mistake of trying to... cozy up with Tim while the boy was practically falling asleep on his feet, never mind the fact he was still very underage. The outcome had been hilarious. And very satisfying, Bruce had unleashed hell on the degenerate and was banished from any and all future galas that he hosted.

"Mm, I don't know..." Jason rested his chin on the webbing between his index finger and thumb, "it was pretty funny last time... something tells me it'll be pretty funny a second time..."

Huffing fondly, with a roll of his eyes, their father shook his head as he turned around. Maneuvering around people with an amount of tact and ease that made all three men jealous.

"Well... that went great!" Dick turned to Clark Kent with a clap of his hands and a smile on his face. Beside him Jason grumbled, refusing to look at the reporter and instead surveyed the hall, glad that in about an hour or so, everyone would be gone and their home would return to the peaceful atmosphere he had learned to appreciate. "We understand that you and Dad were talking and... we want to apologize for interrupting—"

"I don't."

"—since you two seemed to get along and, while I shouldn't be saying this, Dad doesn't have many friends, so I appreciate that he had you to talk to tonight." Finished Dick, as though he hadn't been interrupted at all.

Clark Kent looked at them both with mirth dancing in his blue eyes, the shade was darker than their father's, it was almost like the blue that inked the ocean, low and mellow, or the rich blue spanning over a field of wheat, reminiscent of serenity. As they gazed at them, however, it matched the blue of kings, the reflection of the lights against his lenses made due for the golden accents. His smirk charming, the curls of his hair that fell just right over his forehead enough to distract from the ill-fitted suit. Flute of champagne half empty in his hands.

"Please! None of that!" He was smiling, dimples deep, he looked younger this way, disarming, Dick narrowed his eyes, careful to safeguard his own smile. "It was entirely my pleasure, not many people can say that they've had the privilege of speaking with Bruce Wayne, to count myself as one of the lucky few, well... it's almost a dream come true." Clark Kent's voice was smooth, almost impossibly so.

Jason felt a sneer pulling at the edges of his mouth, that wasn't what a friend would say. He knew something was up with Kent, if it wasn't to try to wheedle some bullshit to fill half a collum on the front page of The Daily Planet, then, of course, it was to get nice and cozy with their father.

"If you two would excuse me," the man was speaking again, dimples and curls and big blues, "it's been a rather exciting day and an even more exciting night." He was bowing his head, in respect, "and well, I find myself a long way from home. Good night, Mr. Grayson," he held a hand out towards Dick, who took it and shook it, amiably. "Mr. Todd." Then out to Jason, who took the hand, and squeezed a little harder than he should've, in return, the dimples and the man deepened.

Watching the man walking away, lacking the same grace of his father but still impressive in his own manner, a bad feeling began to stir in their stomachs.

#um. look. college is still kicking my ass but now ive learned how to semi deal with that particular demon.#im not gonna bother with tagging the character bc knowing me it'll get very tedious. very fast.#civilian!bruce wayne #civilian bruce #civilian bruce au #baby damian wayne #my dc fic #honey ties #*rattling a metal spoon in a mug* COME GET YOUR FOOD

32 notes · View notes

sofasoap · 1 year

Text

Lastochka - Part IV

Pairing : Nikolai x F!Reader ( OC/Mini MacTavish)

Summary: Will they be too late?

Part I , Part II, Interlude,Part III

MAJOR WARNING: Triggers of mention of near-rape, torture violence, swearing, Mature theme. Thanks to @homicidal-slvt for planting ideas into my brain. this whole series is all for you :)

My usual thanking @saltofmercury, mother of Mini, for lending me the character :) Please go and check out her fics!

“masterlist” for Mini MacTavish expanded verse.

“So, to what I owe the pleasure, Nikolai?” Pouring two glasses of vodka, Sergio turned and pointed towards Soap, “Who is he? Your new sidekick?”

“My brother in law.”

“I am not your fucken brother in law.”

“Yes you are.”

“I didn’t agree for you to be in my family.” grabbing the glass of vodka Sergio offered to him, he sniffed it before taking a sip. “ Steaming Jesus, this is some strong stuff.”

“Best Russian Vodka you can get out there”.

“Hm. still a bit short compared to the best Scotch whisky.” Soap remarked.

“Now back to the topic. What are you doing here Nik. I thought business between us is all... Done.” Waving his hand gesturing signs of finish, Sergio wandered back to his side of the desk, settled himself down on his office chair.

“You have something of mine in your hold.” Nikolai mentioned as he casually twirls the tumbler glass in his hand.

“Oh? Not quite sure what you are talking about. I haven’t been in your territory for years.”

“A month ago. Near the border.” While staring dead into his eyes, Nikolai hinted to Sergio.

Soap watches the whole interaction silently as he slowly shifts himself towards the chair in the corner of the room, playing with a switch knife while other hand slides in the pocket of his jacket, grabbing hold of a little box.

“Ah, the Сука that was snooping around and killed five of my best men?” Sergio let out a sigh, exasperated

Within the blink of an eye, Nikolai surged forwards as he jumped over the table, his hand surges up and constricts around Sergio’s neck.

“Using that word on my WIFE again, and you will have your eyes rolling in that glass of vodka within seconds.” he seethed as he tightened his grasp. “You should be glad my Lastochka ONLY killed five of your men.”

“Soap.” Without a word, Soap passed him the switch knife. Pointing it directly at Sergio eye, Nikolai growled out the warning; “Now, don’t forget who got you out of that deep shit with the KGB back in the day,” he sneered.” Also, what I got in my hand, will ruin your status within THE CIRCLE forever.” Releasing his hold, Nikolai moved back and speared the knife onto the table. “ You have one more chance, WHERE IS SHE.”

Sergio stuttered out the location where you were being held.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” Soap plastered an exaggerated smile on his face as he pulled the knife back out and stashes it away. “And Nikolai was right, you are easy to deal with.”

“Come on brother. Let’s go.”

“Told you I am not your brother.”

“Pleasure doing business with you … again. You better wish next time I wouldn’t have to threaten you with anything.” Nikolai threw his final parting words down as he left the room, leaving Sergio slumping on his chair.

Flicking Laswell a quick message as they leave, Soap discreetly drops a few more little square boxes into camera blind spot corners of the corridor.

“Green light from Laswell. They are on the move now. You were right about the locations.” Soap frowned as he checked the reply. “How did you know?”

“I know all the secret bunkers and hiding spots that Мудакl owns. And there are quite a few of them well hidden. There is always one that he always likes to take his prisoners to. I just need to double check with him personally.” lighten up a cigarette as they get outside, “I am glad I made the right guess.”

“... and looks like Sergio is quite eager to get rid of us already.” Soap mumbled as he took his gun, noticing a few of the guards started to follow them. “Oh well. Your toys all set?”

“Of course.”

“Have fun with it then.”

Soap whipped out the detonator as Nikolai turned and shot at the guards that started to swamp them. With the press of the button, the sound of explosives started to go off one by one, until the whole building was engulfed by the flame and screams of people.

With the last of the guards shot dead. Nikolai and Soap piled into the car.

“... Thanks for the help Soap.”

“Mini is my sister. Of course I am going to help.” Soap typing messages to Laswell updating on the status as Nikolai started the car and heading towards the location to meet up with the team.

“When?” After a brief silence, Soap blurted out. Nikolai knew what Soap was asking about.

“ Right after the Safe house.”

“How do I know you are not just fooling around with her.”

“She warned me you were going to ask all sorts of questions when you found out.” Nikolai rolled his eyes but was still looking at the road. “I married her, isn’t that enough proof?”

“I can’t believe you two got together without anyone knowing about it.” leaning back into the seat to relax, “I just wish she will let me know earlier.”

“Soap. She really wanted your approval before we got married. But she was scared. She was so scared you would say no. She said to me once you were the best big brother she could ever ask for.” Soap smiled at the comment. “She looks up to you so much, she wants you to be proud of her. She wants you to know she can be your equal. That’s why she has been agreeing on all the covert missions. Trying to prove something.” Running fingers through his hair, frustrated, “I should have been a bit more open about us, otherwise this wouldn’t have happened.” Nikolai gripped onto the steering wheel tight, angry at himself.

Leaning forwards letting out a breath, “That’s why we try to keep her with our team each time we go out, at least we know she is safe, we can keep an eye out on her.” “The Lady Fortuna.”

“ I don’t know how that rumour started. But everyone was trying to fight for her to be on their team. But it does seem to be a miracle every team she heads out with suffers minimal losses.”

The rest of the journey was spent in silence, both of them secretly hoping your own luck will help you this one more time.

A loud scream and stream of curses could be heard echoing through the compound. Price, Ghost and Gaz looked at each other before charging towards the sound.

Standing in the middle of the room, hand tied to the back. Blood all over your face and mouth, down from the forehead ,from headbutting the guard who was trying to force himself onto you. Another guard on the ground , blood pouring out from his neck. Like a caged animal driven into desperation, you have fought back and sunk your teeth and tore a whole chunk of flesh out from his neck.

That’s how the team found you. Your head snapped towards the door as they rammed through the metal door, pupil totally dilated, growling like a mad dog ,ready to pounce onto your next enemy. Gaz and Ghost quickly finished off the two enemies on the floor with shots of bullets.

They were shocked to see you in such a state. Bruises all over, purple and yellow, cuts and wounds, old wounds re-opened as they cut into it again and again, clear signs of torture.

“MINI!” Breaking out of the raging trance as Price called out to you.

“... Price? Gaz? Ghost?” your eyes suddenly clear as you focus on the men. Legs giving out underneath you, Price quickly catches you before you collapse onto the floor.

“ Did they…” Gaz gritted the question out of his mouth, not wanting to finish the sentence. Shaking your head, whispering a reply. “They tried. I fought them off.” You started shivering as the adrenaline courses through you.

Swinging his rifle around to the back of his shoulder, Ghost gently scoops you up. You loop your arms around his neck.

“... Where is Johnny??????” You realised you couldn’t see your brother with the team, panic started to set in again.

“He’s ok. He’s with Nikolai. They will be here soon. Come on, Laswell is waiting for us outside. I’m sorry.” Price patted you on the head. That familiar fatherly action from Price and having two of your brothers in arms with you for the first time in a month, tears started streaming down your face. Retreating out from the compound and towards the humvee where Laswell was waiting, with sadness, guilt and relief all written on her face. You nodded to her in acknowledgement. Lying down on the cot at the back of the humvee, after being quickly patched up, you closed your eyes, trying not to relive the horrible moments you've been through while in captivity. Your last message to the team was telling them not to come for you, after stashing the package you were instructed to steal and also your dog tag and the wedding band, hiding your identity. You were ready to sacrifice yourself to protect the team and for the success of the mission. Deep down you regret not telling your husband about it. Not having the last chance to say goodbye to him. That fuelled your will to survive.

As Soap would have said, “Your stubbornness will lead you to trouble.” You thought a few times in the middle of night, while the captivators left you alone in the dark, that your stubbornness has finally been a positive thing.

Sounds of two pairs of boot running towards the humvee made you open your eyes and lift your head, trying to peek out the back door, you saw Nikolai and Soap running towards you, Gaz helped you to sit out slightly as two of them stormed into the back cabin, Nikolai immediately surged forward and held you in a tight embrace. You couldn’t hold back your emotions anymore, you let out an anguished cry as you buried your face into his chest.

“I am here now, my little bird.. You are safe.I am not going to let you go.” Nikolai took in a deep breath,trying hard to control his own feelings, not letting the tears drop. He finally had you back into his arms, alive and safe. His love, his little swallow. Landing safely in his embrace. You felt someone else was grasping your arm, you turned your head slightly, Soap was looking at you, eyes red and sniffing. You left your husband’s arm for a second and went for a hug with your brother.

“Soap.” Ghost tapped him on the shoulder. “Gaz and I will take the other car. You stay here with Mini and the others.” Nikolai tosses the car key to Ghost. Gaz gave you a quick kiss on the cheek while Ghost gently ruffled your hair. “Good to have you back Mini.” With that comment, the two left to take the other car to follow the humvee.

You stayed in Nikolai’s lap the whole journey with him sitting you on the cot. Most of the journey was spent in silence with Nikolai whispering into your ears and giving you kisses.

“I am sorry. I should have let you know the details.”

“ I am not happy about that. I nearly lost you.” Burying his face into your hair and neck, “We will need to talk about this later on when you are better. You going on missions alone. This is not going to happen again.”

Leaning into his head, “I am taking that everyone knows about us?”

“My brother in law over there had a good talk.”

“ I told you, I am not your brother in law.”

“Johnny. Face it, it's too late, I married this man.” You squeeze out a little cheeky smile.

You heard Price and Laswell’s exasperated sigh coming from the front seat. It’s good to be back with your family again. But you know, the road to recovery, both physically and mentally only just started. That will be another struggle.

Yes I gotta admit I had inspiration from John Wick. From a crack fic, this just went down a very dark road. oop.

Сука - Bitch

Мудак - Shit head Tag :

@roosterr @preciouslittlecreature

@boughhs

#call of duty #cod nikolai #nikolai cod #nikolai cod x reader #nikolai cod x f!reader #taskforce 141

106 notes · View notes

rottingcorps3s · 1 year

Text

Sleeping Arrangements

Notice: This includes topics of polyamory; if that if not your cup of tea, respectfully, I suggest you keep scrolling :)

A/N: Ive been on a small hiatus from posting as I’ve been, very slowly, working on a post-apocalyptic type story. I want to get back into posting, so I have a few blurbs and ideas that I want to get out of my system.

This was written on mobile and I may be slightly intoxicated, so this is NOT proofread.

Johnny “Soap” McTavish x gn!reader x Simon “Ghost” Riley - 16+ (nothing crazy)

In my mind, very obviously, I imagine Soap being the much more touchy and cuddly partner among the thruple. Reader being a close second and Ghost, very clearly, coming in at dead last.

The bed you share is MASSIVE. Considering that it has to fit 2 decently sized men and their third. (And maybe a few pets as you so manipulatively begged and pleaded for them).

On the nights where all the planets seem to align correctly and you all happen to be home at the same time, I’d say about half of the space on that massive bed is ever used.

You and Johnny always seem to be tangled up among each other, lovingly buried into each other. While Simon has to endure the feeling of being pushed to the very edge of the bed as you both slowly inch your way into his space in the night.

At first, the contact was only consistently initiated by Soap, as he strikes me someone who needs to be holding onto someone to get a decent nights sleep. Simon was very grateful for you as you acted as the buffer between him and Soap’s some times overwhelming affection. We all know how much Simon appreciates his space.

Most nights, Simon tends to find his place in bed at the early hours of the morning; long after you and John have made your way to the room. But somehow, there was always just enough space on the bed for him to be able to comfortably slip in before his space is quickly invaded in one way or another. (he usually doesn’t mind)

No matter how quite he may be, one of you almost always stir slightly in your sleep at his entrance. Offering a sweet ‘goodnight’, a gentle caress on his arm or, if he’s in the mood, he’ll even lean in for a small peck on the lips.

“Johnny?” Your voice carried down the hallway into the living room. Your form appearing only a few seconds later.

It was well past midnight at this point, Simon sat slumped over in the recliner closest to the television and Soap sat adjacent to him as he spread himself out on the couch. They were both engrossed in what was playing in the TV that they hadn’t fully registered your voice until you appeared before them. Both offered a warm smile at your entrance.

“I’m tried…” You trailed off, clearly hinting at what you were wanting. Soap sighed dramatically, making a spectacle of himself before bouncing up onto the balls of his feet.

“Just how tired are you, lass?” Johnny would question, his tone drenched in playfulness.

“Very.” You’d whine, making sure to put on your best set of puppy dog eyes and jutting your bottom lip out ever so slightly. This worked every. single. time.

Soap dramatically clutched his chest at your act. “Well, I can’t say no to you now.” (He wasn’t planning to, to begin with.)

You had already done your nightly routine and had a few minutes before Soap would be ready to jump into bed. You always took time to say goodnight to Simon, always making sure to include him in your nightly routine even though he wouldn’t be joining you until later in the night.

Just as he had expected, you approached the side of the chair and crouched down so you more eye level with him. Your sweet smile sending a shiver down his spine as you reached out and gently grabbed his hand. There were very few people in this world that had offered him this much comfort and affection; you and Johnny were tied for 1st place. You brought his hand up to your lips as you always did and peppered kisses along his knuckles.

“Goodnight,” you smiled, “see you tomorrow.”

The last 3 words always left him breathless every time he heard it. It was a mutually agreed on phrase that you would all say to each other as Simon was still very much uncomfortable with the idea of saying ‘I love you’, or ‘love you’. It offered a sense of reassurance to him, sort of a promise being made and always gave him something to look forward to tomorrow.

“See you tomorrow, lovie.” He responded, a satisfied smile on your lips as you stood.

You reluctantly released his hand from your grasp before immediately being met with a solid chest to your back and a pair of arms wrapped around your midsection. Soaps hands clasped in front of you, now taking the place of where you once held onto Simons hand. Him and Simons affection tended to be more silent, leaning more towards expressions and physical touch rather than words.

“See’ya t’morrow, Ghosty.” Johnny teased before sweeping you off your feet and disappearing down the hall.

#call of duty #cod ghost #cod modern warfare #simon ghost riley #simon riley #soap mw2 #cod soap #john mctavish #john soap mactavish #x reader #gender neutral fanfic #gender neutral insert

77 notes · View notes

itoshi-s · 2 years

Note

Ive been rewriting 4th rabbit hole so much and tho i hate sending short ideas but i found this and am obsessed with it,, a cute plushie of rin is your only companion while hes away and tho it will never compare the thought of it is euphoric, giving u enough dopamine to be satiated but the real one wont be so latient with the obv disrespect -🐇 (ps what if u strap it with ur fave dildo... imma shut up now before this gets out of hand)

UWAAAAAAH NONNIEEEEE </3 please this has been livin in my head rent free...... the disreSPECT AKJHFAOIS

cw stepcest /sorry i cannot help myself akfhsalfksa this goes into the i&i au i guess

you're just too needy, all too desperate for your own good :( and it's not even your fault, rin had it coming for him tbh as soon as he got you that silly little plushie - mainly as a joke, because you teased him abt it ever since he told u the news that it's in the making - and started spraying it w his cologne every time he had to leave you for a few days. rin's rules are clear, and usually not all that hard to follow - you're not to touch yourself, at least not without his permission. you don't have much problems following through with it - not until rin leaves for a few away games in a row, and you just happen to hit a slump w all your university work.

you're all too hormonal w your ovulation coming up, too, and you just need to unwind. you're always on your best behavior, it won't hurt to abide the book for once, right? but your toys are locked in the pretty little leather case that only rin knows the code for, and your fingers just don't feel as good as your nii-chans anymore. you try to hit all the spots that would make your toes curl, but it seems like he's the only one who can do that by this point :( finally, you try to hump your pillow - well, rin's to be exact, cause it smells just like him, woody and citrusy - but it's just a tad too big, brings your legs in a weird spread that feels more uncomfy than anything else. you roll onto your back, frustration collecting along your lashline in crystalline tears, and just then you feel something dig into your lower back. reaching down, you pull the silly little plushie from under your body - and hold it up in both hands, eyes slowly widening in embarrassment upon your very own thoughts that pop up in that head of yours. it's silly, you know that, and you're not quite sure how you even got that idea in the first place - but next thing you know, the toy is already snug between your trembling thighs as you grind down on it. the embroidery feels a bit rough, just enough to help the familiar sensation build deep in your tummy, and you’re coming all over the soft plush within minutes. once the realization hits, you truly do want the earth to swallow you whole — cause it really is embarrassing, in a way, how you couldn’t even stop yourself and used the innocent sweet gift from your lovely nii san for such lewd thing. but it feels good, better than the pillows or your lithe fingers; and it smells just like rin, thanks to the generous spritz of his cologne. it helps you out numerous times during your lonely stay at rin’s paris penthouse — and you figure out you might need to treat it just like the usual, proper sex toy, and give it a proper wash. that’s where rin finds you when he comes back home — worn out and exhausted from the games and long ass flight, tugging the suitcase behind him. you don’t really hear him until he’s stood in the doorway in your laundry room, leaning against the frame. ‘hi, baby,’ he hums and startles you enough to make you jolt. your face heats up, right up to the very tips of your ears, and you grip the plush toy close to your chest- as if to hide it away. ‘nii chan- you-you’re back,’ you sound a little funny, rin thinks, and it’s what peaks his interest. you turn around, the stuffed toy in hand still, and he wouldn’t think anything of it at all if it wasn’t for your wide eyes. as if you were caught in the act — of what? he chuckles a bit and furrows his brows, cocks his head to the side slightly, ‘what’s with the look?’ rin muses, reaching a hand out to grab at your own - or maybe at the plush toy. you’re not too sure, and it makes you breathe nervously. ‘missed me much? i knew you’d like it.’ he knows something is up when you pull your hands away and give a nervous laugh <//333 and so, he fixes you a puzzled glance, cogs in his head turning as he watches you shake your head, ‘y-yeah. i- it got dirty though, spilled somethin-‘ you start to blabber and stumble over your words, and as he reaches to grab at the toy - just for the fun of it and to test you out - you quickly reach behind yourself and throw it back into the washing machine. and because he knows you all too well, each and every look of yours engraved in his mind, it clicks !!!!!! and it leaves him speechless 😭 for a second, rin’s eyes widen and he wants to laugh - he’s so amused, by the way you fidget in your spot and give him the widest eyes, embarrassed to a fault - until he realizes that no matter how cute and silly this might’ve been, you weren’t exactly good this time around. he struggles to bite back a chuckle, shaking his head a bit as he pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘you’re unbelievable, baby.’ he sighs - and as humored as he sounds, you know rin nii already. the real deal is always better. and he’s about to prove that <3

#cw stepcest #✩rin nii #ahsjskskksksks this is lowkey so cute sjsjs #but growing SO desperate until you’re ready to use anythin…. mhm😵‍💫#nonnie do not worry i truly did enjoy that one!!!!!!! put this up to the i&i au cause i think the dynamic rly fits #rin itoshi drabble #rin itoshi smut #rin itoshi x reader

119 notes · View notes

vesperadreamer · 7 months

Text

The Origin of Handler

Rip, tear. Those were your orders. Destroy as many enemy mechs as you could before you died. That was your objective. The only issue was, your mech had been disabled by something, or heavily damaged, it wouldn’t move and you were now helpless to watch the sky, waiting for your end. You can’t even fully remember how you got here. You remember anger, fear, and finally, resignation to your fate. You could hope that the enemy would give you a quick death, but knowing what you were told, that was unlikely. You’d probably be tortured for information first. You sighed, waiting for the end.

The gunfire slowly began to surround you, and you saw a woman holding a rifle, firing at something in the distance while giving orders. You got to watch as she eventually looked down at your mech, trying to get it to open. When she couldn’t, she called for another, a mech, and it began to slowly rip open your cockpit, allowing the woman to step inside. She looked at you in horror, as if something was wrong. She called for more mechs, something about taking you back to base with her. When the mechs arrived you could feel them dragging your metal shell with them.

The woman stayed in the cockpit, speaking sweet nothings into your ear about how you were safe now, and that everything would be fine once she took you back. You closed your eyes, letting her words take hold. Her hands were gentle as she held your face, as she kept trying to soothe you. You figured she wasn’t half bad for an enemy, but you had no clue what reality might bring. She might decide to make you suffer after all this kindness, you had to prepare, you had to be strong. You decided to accept her comfort. Even if it might be fake, it felt nice to be comforted by a gentle hand before your last moments. And so, you drifted off.

You awoke to the woman and two others looking over you, likely in a hanger. The three seemed to be talking about how to get you out of your mech. You sighed, as if being removed from a mech was ever hard. Though… You never had to be the one removing a person. There was a bit of back and forth before the woman began to move around you, and then… Searing unbearable pain, it felt like your nerves were on fire, like you were dying. You could hear the woman screaming demands as she began to pull you free from your mech. There was a stretcher brought in, and you were placed on it before being rushed elsewhere

Sterile, that was how you’d describe the room. You were heavily bandaged, hooked up to an IV unit, and a blood bag. All you can remember is that the woman wanted you alive, and then a cold stab in your neck. You sighed, something must have gone wrong when you got incapacitated in your mech. Now you were in an enemy base, taking up their medical supplies, that woman trying to keep you alive, probably only long enough to gather information. You slowly sat up, looking around the room carefully, there was a door, and a wide mirror. No, not a mirror. It was likely a 1 way mirror, meant to watch you.

You slumped back and looked at the ceiling, hearing someone enter, walking over to you, and entering your sight. It was the woman again, smiling this time and embracing you in a hug. Who was she, and why was she kind? You were so confused. Had the rebellion been a farce? She told you that you had slept for 5 days. She spoke with such worry. Couldn’t she have grabbed a different pilot if she needed information? She placed a gentle hand on your cheek, and a part of you couldn’t help but lean into her touch. She felt warm, safe, and comforting. She felt like a pillar you could lean on if you needed support.

Some medical staff came in to unhook you, they were quite careful with you too, as if you were something delicate. Once unhooked, you were placed in a wheelchair, the woman wheeling you out and somewhere else. You watched people pass by, some actually ask the woman if she’ll be alright handling you. You’ve no clue what they mean, but you assume you’ll know eventually. She takes you into a room and you begin to see what they meant by handling you. She carefully lifted you into a mechanical alcove in the wall, hooking you up to different things. Once she finished she sat at the nearby desk, and you suspected something was going on.

You watched her type away at her computer, but at the same time, you felt… Like you knew what she was doing. You felt like she was inputting commands and looking for something. Every now and then, you spotted her glancing over at you, giving you a smile. Maybe she wasn’t the enemy, maybe she was a friend, an ally. You had some hope finally. You could tell she didn’t just want you alive, but she quite possibly cared about you. You slowly close your eyes, but they immediately shoot open when you hear her sigh. Was something wrong? What was she even looking at?

You watched as she got up, unhooking you from everything before she pulled you over to her computer and sat you down. What you saw was horrifying. It was your file, your purpose was death when she found you. Hell, being removed from your mech was supposed to be lethal. You were merely a pawn in the rebellion’s plan and it angered you. This woman saved you, and you had doubted her. However, there was a second file, mirroring yours. It seemed to be for their records, but there were little additions added to it.

You had some medical notes you didn’t know about, talking about how you were found, what work they did to save you. They even made observations while you were unconscious. However, when you saw your occupation as pilot, you also noticed something else. “Handler: None”. Handler? That was something new. Was a pilot supposed to have a Handler? You looked to her for clarification and she informed you that a Handler is often used for problem pilots, or pilots who need guidance or something to ground them.

You looked back at your file, smiling, before changing your file. “Handler: Yes”. The woman looked baffled, if not outright confused. You took her hand, pressing her palm against your cheek gently as you smiled. Handler, laughed slightly, but she gave you a gentle smile. You were safe now, the real enemy was the rebellion. Handler helped you realize the truth of your near death experience, she made certain you didn’t die. Handler saved you. You knew now, you owed your everything to Handler. You belonged to Handler now, and you would let her guide you against her enemies, even if it meant dying for her.

Handler wanted to show you something, and so, you followed her to the hangers. There, you saw your old mech, it seemed to have been mildly modified since you last remembered it. Handler slowly guided you towards it, but when you showed some resistance, she asked you to trust her. And so you did. You let her slowly hook you in, whispering sweet nothings once more to keep you calm. Once hooked in, Handler only made one singular request: for you to bark. It was simple, and so you obeyed. You barked and felt euphoric. You looked at Handler for input, and she told you to bark again.

Obeying Handler felt euphoric, her orders made you shiver in delight. You wanted Handler to give you more orders, but instead she decided to unhook you. There was no pain, no begging for death, or nerves on fire. There was only comfort and Handler’s warm embrace. Handler could be trusted. Handler cared for you. Handler would never betray you. These were all thoughts that slowly entered your mind. You finally felt at peace, like you were home. Like everything was finally right. You closed your eyes, and accepted her warm embrace, slowly drifting off, once final time. In the arms of Handler, you were safe.

#mech pilot #mech posting #mecha #pilot handler #pilot posting #hornyposting

16 notes · View notes

cannedcrow · 3 months

Text

Hermit's Hold - Scarian/Hermitcraft Gold Rush AU - Part IV

A/N: Been a while! I recently got the zest to write again and finally found the inspiration to continue this story. I'm very excited about continuing my various fics (Arbitrary Darkness and Flower Frost) so if anyone's still interested, stay tuned! This one might get spicy soon ;)

Read on AO3!

~ Fic inspired by @gritties. Please reblog if you enjoy! <3 ~

When Grian awoke, it was to a headache and an offensive sunbeam shining on his face. He rolled over groggily, propping himself up on one elbow and observing his surroundings.

He, Etho, Bdubs and Scar had eventually gone to sleep in the small apartment that Bdubs and Etho inhabited above the bar. They'd insisted their guests take the beds, and Bdubs was still snoring on the floor next to the bed, half-blanketed by his mossy cape. Etho was slumped over a small table, flanked by his tumbler and the whiskey bottle, which, he noted, was significantly less full than it'd been when Grian had gone to sleep. Scar and Doc had vanished, leaving only disturbed blankets as evidence of their presence. With a final glance at Bdubs and Etho - he decided to let them sleep - he dressed and hurried downstairs.

He found Scar and Doc in the stables, leant on the divider and talking in severe undertones. They looked up when Grian entered, Doc's face a mask of anger. He hadn't yet seen Doc be anything but pleasant, and he hoped he was never the recipient of the scowl that twisted Doc's already frightening face.

"The horses are gone," Scar declared flatly. He showed no signs of the previous night's drinks and Grian immediately felt aware of his own scruffy hair and rumpled clothes.

"Gone? Elderberry?" Grian exclaimed in panic, "But-"

Doc's gaze lingered on Grian for a moment before he looked away.

"Whoever took them is new in town I think. Or they are very foolish," he growled, a mirthless smile twisting his face.

"We'll find them," Scar comforted Grian, his reassuring smile not hiding the stern anger in his eyes, and Grian wasn't sure whether he meant the horses or the thief. Somehow, he couldn't help feeling a little sorry for the perpetrator.

Scar and Doc disappeared, bidding farewell to Etho & Bdubs before reassuring Grian that they didn't need his assistance. Etho shook his head as he helped Grian saddle a rented mule.

He inquired, but all Etho said was "What a fool."

Scar was gone most of that day and the next. And the next.

Grian continued work on the shop, trying not to worry about their fate. If anyone can handle themselves, it's those two, he reassured himself.

He joined a group of other camp members on the second day for lunch and was welcomed with open arms. The three were detonators, as evidenced by their charred clothing and soot-smudged faces. He recognised one as the pianist at the bar, a slight, blond-haired man with warm red eyes and a perpetual fanged grin. He announced himself as Tango, and introduced his companions - Mumbo, whom he took an immediate liking to, was another English man, tall and slim with an impressive black moustache and bizarrely well-groomed appearance, and Impulse, a stocky, broad-chested man with a friendly face and burn scars riddling his arms.

Impulse tossed a handful of redstone into the campfire Grian was starting and it immediately blazed red and grew in size. Tango laughed and poked at the eggs in their skillet. Impulse smiled too. "Old redstoner's trick, that," he informed, accepting a plate from Tango. Mumbo passed one to Grian and winced, earning chuckles from the other two as he pulled up his sleeve and rubbed his bandaged arm.

"What happened?" Grian inquired, looking at Mumbo's annoyed expression.

"I uh- misstepped while we were excavating today," the man replied begrudgingly.

"Poor guy didn't time his pulses quite right and got blasted," Tango snickered, as though this explained everything.

"I see," Grian said, not seeing.

"Redstone is tricky," Impulse helped, "That's why only the pros do it, right Mumbo?"

Mumbo scowled.

The three of them amused themselves by telling Grian horror stories of their experiences in detonation and showed off various scars, evidently enjoying his horrified expression. One of their number, it transpired, was absent - a maniacal man called Zedaph who it seemed had been experimenting with using creepers for controlled demolitions (this idea utterly horrified Grian) and was currently recovering after losing a few fingers.

As they finished their meal, he nonchalantly ventured, "Does Scar often disappear for days at a time?"

"Oh, yeah," Impulse said, wiping his mouth on his arm, "Funny guy, him. Great company though, and he looks after his own well enough."

"They're businessmen through and through, those two," Mumbo continued, "No clue what they get up to. Business stuff. What happened that's got you wondering?"

Grian recounted the other day, and the three looked flabbergasted.

"They stole your horses?"

"Well, it can't be too uncommon around here, right?" Grian replied, bemused at their shock.

"Well sure, but not from them. Fool to cross those two, if ya ask me," Impulse said, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't try it," Tango agreed with a dark chuckle.

Grian joined the trio for meals several more times, happy for their warm, comfortable company. They were always laughing and telling stories, sharing their food and even letting him taste their preferred drink - a strong, deep red whiskey that tasted like sharp fire which made him cough and was apparently infused with redstone powder.

When Scar did return, it was late into the night. Half asleep, Grian heard the thud of hooves and jingling of tack before the cabin door creaked open. Jellie leapt lightly off the bed and trotted up to him with a meow of greeting, and Grian watched through cracked eyelids as Scar stripped off a stained shirt and discarded it. The fiery glow of the hearth settled on a hard-muscled chest and the strong features of Scar, handsome despite the patchwork of dirt and scars marring his unshaven face. He looked exhausted but satisfied. He withdrew a flask and picked up Jellie, crooning to her softly as Grian let himself fall asleep again, feathers prickling with the sensation that somehow he were being examined.

When Grian awoke, Scar was already up and brewing coffee. He grinned at Grian with that familiar lopsided smile, surrounded by a white beard of shaving foam. "Morning, buddy! how've ya been?"

Grian yawned and stretched, the last night mostly forgotten.

"You're back! I was getting worried," he replied, returning the smile and accepting a cup of coffee, "That beard suits you by the way."

"Back and better than ever. And I've got your friend back," Scar said breezily, leading him outside, to where Elderberry was tied.

She whinnied a greeting and Grian buried his face in her warm neck.

"Thank you," he breathed, "What happened?"

Scar waved his hand as though the question was absurd, "We played detectives, found the thief and got em back."

"Just like that eh?"

"Well, we had to rough him up a little to make a point," Scar grinned at his reflection as he shaved, and Grian decided not to press the issue.

Normalcy resumed again in the camp, and Grian fell into the comfortable rhythm of work again. The store was gaining shape steadily, and they began frequenting town more often to transport inventory in readiness to stock. As a side project, he began to expand Lynxholding, adding a few feet to the large room to give space for himself and Scar, as he'd wholly committed to his home there. They frequently enjoyed the company of the demolitions crew when they came down the mountain, and Zedaph returned, another English man - to Grian's delight - with windswept blond hair and a badly singed white coat, who proudly showed off a bandaged hand with too few fingers.

A few weeks passed in peace before anything of interest happened. Grian had been preparing to make a midday meal when he spotted a crowd of miners near the river, huddled around a strange man whom it appeared had come down the mountain. He was gaunt and thin, clothes tattered, his blond hair touselled and plastered to his head by sweat, and his small yellow wings were dull, one held close to his body and stiff with dried blood and mud. His brown eyes were haunted and empty, one marred by a nasty bruise.

The miners flooded him with questions but he didn't say a word, only staring blankly at the ground, shrinking as though he hoped to sink into the ground. The crowd parted as Scar arrived, evidently fetched by one of the miners. He handed the man a waterskin and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Come on my friend, let's get you patched up," he soothed. The man followed dutifully as Scar led him away gently, addressing the others as he went, "And you fellas clear off. I'll look after our friend."

Grian returned to his meal, considering the encounter. He reflected on Scar's oddly gentle and comforting nature, stark relative to his intimidating person. The blond man had seemed so shaken and diminutive, utterly lost. What on earth had happened to him? Had he been separated from a hunting party and set on by Indians? Perhaps he'd run into a bear - God knows how he'd gotten away. People didn't often travel up Donner Pass - those mountains were treacherous and cruel, utterly unfazed by human exploration. He suddenly recalled Etho's story and shuddered.

In the evening he returned to their cabin to find Scar watching over the man as he slept fitfully in the bed.

"Evening. How's he doing? Has he even spoken?"

"He's not talking. God knows what's shaken him up so badly," Scar sighed, "I'm gonna try an' take him up to town tomorrow to see a real doctor. Think you can stay with Tango and them for the night? They came down a few hours ago."

"Oh - of course," Grian agreed, "Do - do you know him? You seem really worried."

"No, not at all. We have to look after each other though. It's a rough place. You can't get along without help," He scratched Jellie's chin and chuckled, "Speaking of which, sorry to have to kick you out buddy."

Grian gathered his things to leave, "No worries mate - I'll see you then. Wake me if anything changes, alright?"

Scar nodded, "Sleep well!"

Grian looked back as he left, and as the door swung closed, he frowned at seeing Scar watch the sleeping man, his face cold and expressionless.

The mysterious man died in the night, evidently succumbing to his injuries. They'd never even learnt his name, and they buried him shortly outside camp. Scar was rather reserved as they headed out to town accompanied by the demolitions crew. Grian assumed he was grieving over being unable to save the stranger, and the ride passed mostly in silence.

Upon entering the familiar, comforting cool of Easy E's however, their number perked up immediately. The wrecking crew split off to see some familiar faces while Scar and Grian found Doc at the bar talking to Ren, whose ears pricked as he greeted them with his cheerful, wolfish grin.

"Hey there my guys!" He slapped Scar on the back and presented a clawed hand to Grian, "I don't think we've met. I'm Ren!"

"Grian. I'm shocked we've not had a chance to meet yet seeing you're a pal of these two,"

"I've been doggedly ignoring you," Ren replied, roaring with laughter at his own joke as Doc shook his head.

"My god, that was terrible," he smiled as Scar laughed.

Doc ordered a round of drinks for their party, and Etho obligingly poured a stream of Canadian whiskey along their row of glasses.

"So, how's our shop coming?" He asked Grian, who enthusiastically reported the progress to a delighted Doc.

"Oh! That reminds me, I've been meaning to see Joe about some materials - we'll need canvas and furs for the shop - and of course, to give you something better to sleep on G," Scar nudged Grian jovially.

"Think he's here," Ren replied, looking around before hollering, "Hey - Joe!"

The man who approached sported a thick moustache and a beautiful beaverskin hat, and cordially shook hands with the three in turn.

"Howdy!" He waved away Doc's offer of a drink, "Nah, Tennessee whiskey is the only kind to drink," He had a surprisingly gentle voice with a slight Southern accent.

Etho leant on the bar to listen in with a nod to Joe.

Scar animatedly talked to Joe about various pelts and pricing as Grian sipped his drink, half listening. They seemed to reach a conclusion, and Grian was suddenly struck by a realisation.

"You were the trapper who went up on Donner Pass with Etho, right?" He blurted.

Joe raised his eyebrows, glancing at Etho before returning his gaze to Grian, "Good god, that affair. Didn't think Etho talked about it much. I certainly don't."

Grian flushed with embarrassment at his faux pas and immediately ventured, "Sorry to spring on you like that - Etho told us weeks back and I just realised he mentioned you."

Etho's mask twitched with what looked like an apologetic smile, "Came up in conversation so I thought I should tell them,"

"Well, nothing wrong with that. Nasty business though ... I do my best not to think of it myself."

"You believe it then? The wendigoo?" Scar interjected with interest, evidently listening.

"Wendigo," Etho corrected, rolling his eyes.

"I didn't see it, but I've been trapping a long time from Canada through to California, and I've never heard a beast make the sounds we heard that night," Joe said somberly, and paused before continuing, "... and I never heard a voice like that from any man. I didn't need to see anything to know every one of us was watched by God to have been able to get down that mountain. Etho's no liar, whatever else he may be."

"You ... you heard it then," Etho said quietly, eyes on the bar.

"Heard that thing call Antonio through the trees? A hunter's instinct is well tuned to sounds in the forest. I'll never forget the things I heard."

The two men seemed in their own world at that moment, and none of their party interrupted.

Joe sipped his drink and continued, "That Indian fella guiding us - you saw how he was. He knew exactly what was going on and knew to scarper. Gotta trust the Natives, they've lived here longer'n any of us and anyone would be a fool to disregard them," He shook his head, "I've never been near the pass since."

They're not joking about this, Grian realised suddenly, brow furrowing.

"Well," Doc chuckled, breaking the tension, "I never needed another excuse not to wander around these mountains.”

The group laughed, and Joe smiled. Tango wandered over just then and greeted everyone enthusiastically, before nonchalantly bringing up the strange man in camp.

"Stranger, eh?" Ren asked curiously, "What, some new prospector?"

"Far from it," Tango informed, "Some guy none of us had ever seen comes stumbling down the mountain into camp. Could've been dead already, the look of him. Didn't say a word to any of us and died that night. Pretty tragic."

Doc raised an eyebrow and glanced at Scar, who shrugged, "I tried my best to help the guy and we were gonna bring him into town the next day for a real doctor. Guess he was just too injured."

Scar swirled his glass, looking more annoyed than anything.

"Shame," Doc said, tapping his glass for a refill.

"What do you reckon happened to him?" Ren asked.

"Who knows," Doc replied unconcernedly, "Could have been anything. Wandered off drunk and got himself mauled by a bear most like. It happens more than you would think."

Tango frowned. "Honestly, looked like he'd been in a bar fight more than anything - those bruises? How'd he end up going anyway?"

"Just snuffed it that night," Scar replied plainly, "Shock? Dunno. He went to sleep and didn't wake up."

Scar didn't seem interested in continuing the conversation. The topic shifted as Tango took the opportunity to launch into a story about Zedaph's latest psychotic experiment, insisting they had to hear it from the man himself and leading them to the table the other detonators sat at.

Scar and Doc eventually retreated to the bar to get another drink, and Scar leant casually against the smooth wood as Doc spoke with Etho.

When Grian excused himself to get his own, he heard the tail of their conversation.

"-shouldn't have happened," Doc told Scar seriously.

Scar shrugged, "I took care of it as best I could," and looked up, "Hey G! Whatcha getting?"

"Gin, I guess. Taste of home yeah?"

"Last one I reckon, we don't want our horses stolen again." Scar laughed, winking.

6 notes · View notes