#now I just need computers to finish up the Arrow Cave

[asjjohnson]

I had a thought in October about what if, in the TUE episode, Danny returning to his time was more complicated than just finding Vlad.

I made a gif out of a little sketch story thing I've made based on that thought (it's part one, out of... two? three? I haven't finished it yet so I'm not sure. But I thought this was a good place to stop for the gif.)

The story starts during the episode, right after the older Vlad removes the fused time medallion. The basic thought is that Danny doesn't make it to Vlad soon enough (plus I have some fun with an idea that the medallions have different models).

(The only way I know to start the gif over is to refresh the page. Oh, but first try clicking on the gif.)

Under the cut are the still pictures, as well as a written version. (...I 've spent too much time on this.)

Here's the still pictures.

And here's a written form. (...I'm not good at only giving the words with basic description. It was nearly unreadable that way. So I tried storyifying it. Just a little bit. It includes actions that are implied in the images but not specifically shown.)

---

Within Vlad's cave, in the future, Danny Phantom asks, "It didn’t work?"

Several feet away from him, the older Vlad stares down at the time medallion—still in the palm of the gauntlet he'd used to pull it out of Danny.

The medallion has a central piece with an entwined letter 'C' and 'W'. Above this, in fine print, are the words 'Back' and 'Forward', with corresponding arrows pointing counterclockwise and clockwise. And, below the C/W logo, are the words '10yr model'.

"…Perhaps something had happened…" Vlad says, "causing you to no longer be recognized by your time."

"But Sam and Tucker made it back just fine!" Danny says in confusion.

However, Danny doesn't give Vlad time to come up with any theories. "My future self is in the past, trying to force this future to happen. I need to get back to my time before it’s too late."

Vlad gives Danny a pitying look. "My boy, it may already be too late."

"No. I can’t accept that." Danny walks over to Vlad, raising one hand, palm up. "Here, let me see the medallion." Vlad drops the medallion into Danny's awaiting palm.

Danny looks at the back side of the medallion, saying, "If he was able to use one to go to my time, then I can, too."

The back of the medallion is undesigned smooth metal, but it's engraved with instructions. It reads, "Time anchor and travel device combination. Single use. Up to ten years forward or back. Simply remove to return to own time." And, beneath that, "Please recycle."

Danny puts the medallion around his neck and twists the front face counterclockwise, saying to himself, "I better turn it as far as it will go."

Before he even lets go of the medallion's face, a swirling bubble encompasses him, and then the bubble fades away.

Danny turns to look at the scenery. He's still in the cave—he sees the same cave formations—but, while there used to be a large, desk-like computer console and some lab equipment, now there's only a blank cave wall, and no sign of Vlad. "I guess it worked," he says. Then he flies through the cave.

A while later, after flying all the way to Amity Park, Danny hovers in the air, over the place the Nasty Burger used to be. Now there is only a large scorchmark, and a bewildered-looking version of Danny Fenton sitting in the middle of it.

"Oh no, I didn’t get here in time."

Danny has gone exactly ten years into the past, along the timeline he had started from. (In the corresponding sketch, this information is given by a narration rectangle that reads, "Exactly 10 yrs earlier in original timeline." ...Although that's not exactly true because it was exactly ten years when he first appeared in the cave, and it took time to get from Wisconsin to Amity Park. But the point is that Danny hadn't traveled far enough back in time to reach the intersection of the two timelines.)

Danny flies away, saying, "There must be a way to go farther back!"

The version of Danny Fenton left sitting on the scorched ground thinks, "Maybe I should move in with Vlad."

Some time later, Danny is flying through the Ghost Zone.

"I have no idea what the outside of Clockwork’s lair looks like. I’ll just need to trust I’ll know it when I see it."

Around him are floating doors and swirling patterns, as well as some kind of gear-themed castle that Danny has already passed (it's Clockwork's lair).

Danny turns his head. He doesn't notice the Fenton Boomerang approaching from the other side.

The Boomerang hits him in the back of the head.

"Ow!" Danny grabs the Boomerang and rubs his head. He scolds it like a disobedient pet, saying, "I look away for one second."

"Look," Danny orders, and uses his other hand to reach into his pocket, pulling out Jazz's note and unfolding it with a jerk of his wrist, "I already have one."

He throws the Boomerang. "Go find past me—or the me in the future? Whatever."

The note slips out of his hand.

"No!" He spins around, reaching for it.

"What are you doing way out here, Baby Pop?"

Danny pauses on hearing the voice.

He turns toward the voice and sees a maliciously grinning Ember McClain. "Ember? I don’t have time for this!"

"Well, you better make time. How about some killer volume?" Ember strums her guitar, and a spiral of energy shoots toward Danny.

"I seriously don’t have time! But you want volume? Fine! How’s thiiis?!" He transitions into his Ghostly Wail.

The Wail overpowers Ember's attack and blasts her through the air. She's pushed onto a chunk of floating ground.

The Wail ends, and Ember looks up in surprise and fear. There's a thin stream of ectoplasm leaking from the corner of her mouth. She puts a hand to her mouth and pulls it back to see ectoplasm on her palm.

Then she glares up at Danny. She coughs, and hoarsely says, "I won’t forget this."

Danny's just as horrified as she was. Wide-eyed, he subconsciously leans back, but also reaches a hand toward her in concern. "Wait, I didn’t mean to…"

But then he drops his hand and looks away, his expression hardening. "Never mind. Once I return to the right time, this will never have happened."

Assuming Jazz's note is a lost cause by now, he flies off, leaving Ember on the chunk of rock.

An unknown time later, Danny is in the Ghost Zone, hovering in place. He now has Jazz's headband tied to his belt, and he reaches a hand toward it, and rubs the material between his fingers. He says, "Jazz… Everyone… I’ll find my way back to you."

The camera moves upward until Danny's shoulder and half of his head is visible. His hair is a little longer now, and the shoulder part of his outfit is different. He continues, "No matter how long it takes."

[cherchersketch]

don’t wanna know the other side

                                 of a world without you

Yes, it’s Felicity wearing the Henley

[mrpenguinpants]

Albedo HCs: Coming Home [Christmas Celebration 🎉]

For the Christmas Celebration Requests, please read this [we have 2 more days but I’ll possibly extend the deadline to Jan 10. I’m tackling all the Mondstadt rq first before moving onto Liyue]

---

Ohhh, I love idea a lot (might have gone overboard anon haha). No worries about being specific, I love getting specific requests. I just finished a super depressing fic and I’m back at it again. Though I will do my best to make this one happy because that Mona fic hurt me. But I’m glad to hear you love my writing haha 💕💕

I also know nothing about Albedo and have never written this man in my life but I’m going to ignore everything because these are happy hours. I love his man so much so this is some self-indulgent stuff (if you couldn’t tell from the word count) istg hcs have turned into fics just without the dialogue. I took many liberties lol what the hell is formatting?  

Also, shoutout to @asheseiler​​​ A beautiful human being that started chatting with me because we both love Childe haha. But seriously, I appreciate you 💕💕💕

---

[taglist]  <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji​​​​​  @mikeysbike​​​​​ @unionwitch​​​​ @musekala​​​​ @twistedsunnshiii​​​ @stanzastic​​​ @akaasea​​​ @xoneaboveallx​​​ @adoring-ghost​​​ @asheseiler​​​ @childelover​​

---

Albedo HCs: Coming Home

As you finally reached the hill top by the Stone Gate, you could just make out the stone walls of the City of Freedom in Mondstadt. You were almost there and the butterfly’s racing through your stomach only seemed to fly faster. You had been on a long trip away by travelling between Liyue and Inazuma. From practicing your alchemy to finding new secrets, it had been awhile since you last saw Mondstadt. While it had been fun going from place to place and seeing all the new arts and techniques, you couldn’t stop the feeling of loneliness of not having an occasionally smug but talented ash blond companion at your side.

You hadn’t seen Albedo since Master Rhinedottir had left and sent Albedo to Mondstadt with a letter of recommendation. You travelled with him to the City of Freedom but you only stayed for a few nights before you departed to Liyue. Your master had different plans for you and you didn’t know how long your own journey would take but you both promised to stay in touch through letters. 

He was now acting as the Chief Alchemist and Captain of the Investigation Team of the Knights of Favonius. He managed to get a lab from Alice and he even had an assistant named Sucrose. He sent over some sketches for you and even if the bottom half of “Sucrose” was just a stick figure, you were happy that he wasn’t alone and cooped up in his lab all the time. You were, however, worried about these “Klee disasters” but happy that he still had the energy to write to you. At first it was hard, you found yourself talking to the air as if Albedo was still there but even after all these years, you couldn’t help but miss him. The occasional letter you received did help to lighten the mood however and you always made sure to store them carefully.

It seemed that your dapping mood was noticeable because even the ever stoic Zhongli asked if you were okay. He was nice and easy to talk to, even if he had a problem with Mora that you sometimes had to bail him out off, but you trusted him so you explained to him your growing loneliness. Which he simply replied that if you missed someone, you should go see them.

So here you are right outside the gates. The knights at the front were nice enough and let you through with ease once they checked that you didn’t have anything destructive. Now the hard part was actually finding Albedo. The knights had mentioned that despite being a highly respectable alchemist and one of the Captains, no one really knew where he was most of the time. Originally, you were thinking of planning some sort of surprise, even had made an entire game plan, but now that you were here. You just wanted to tackle the man, pride be damned.

You began to wander around the city, in comparison to Liyue it was quite small but so much more lively and warm. Christmas was right around the corner so everyone was rushing around hanging up lights and finding presents but it was nice. Everyone seemed to know each other and unlike Liyue, you didn’t need to be afraid if the walls were listening. You looked around for a man with bright teal eyes and ashy light blond hair, even asking around, but no luck. No one seemed to know where he was and if he was even in Mondstadt right now. You were beginning to loose hope and that your trip might have been in vain when you felt a small tap on your shoulder and-

Sweet jesus, what the fuck?

You were almost jealous at how good he looked now. He was always handsome when you were both younger but now it felt like cupid decided to descend from the heavens, laugh at you, then riddled you full of arrows. Was your pulse working? Brain still computing? You knew you had a small crush on Albedo when you were younger- who were you kidding, you were in love with this man since he helped you create cecilia flowers from a dead denro slime - but this was just unfair!

“Albedo! I was looking around everywhere for you. This place is actually a lot bigger than it se-”

“You’re back.”

Albedo was surprised to see that it was really you. He only caught a small glimpse of your profile but he knew it was you. He almost suspected that his vision was tricking him or that he might have accidently set one of his sketches of you to life but you were here. Albedo has always treated friendships with a constant degree of distance, always working or traveling to gathering materials to avoid social interactions even if it wasn’t intentional. He also had no memory of any family, only adventuring deep within the domains with his master and you. But when his Master left with one assignment left for him he couldn’t help but feel a bit hollow, but you were always there to lift his spirits up even if on the outside he didn’t appear upset.

But then you had left and gone on your own journey.

“Hm? Oh, sorry I didn’t mention it in my last letter. It was a bit of an impulse trip. But I’m not intruding in on anything right? You’re happy to see me...right?”

“You’re here.”

At first he was alright with it, even encouraged you to set off to Liyue since it was the closest. Promising that you would both keep in touch even if he found relationships a taxing cycle. But when a few months had passed and it began to settle in that you weren’t anywhere near him. That he couldn’t talk to you about new discoveries, that he couldn’t hear you voice anymore, that he had even forgotten how to sketch you. It felt...weird. He knew what he was feeling was loneliness, he wasn’t deluded or naïve, but even when he had Sucrose or Timaeus it wasn’t the same. But now you were here. He could see you and how the lines in his sketchbook were wrong whenever he attempted to re-create you. He could feel your warmth that sketches he brought to life couldn’t do. He could feel your presence and how it slowly but surely filled the void in him until it was bursting at the seams.

“Albedo? Are you alright?”

“You’re here.”

You were almost afraid that the holidays had broke Albedo. You knew he would sometimes get too deep in thought and wouldn’t register his surrounding but it was just you two. With the sun slowly going down, the snowflakes dancing around you both, and the Christmas light reflecting off his unique blue eyes. You took a slow blinked at him. Once. Twice. The same way you would when you were studying something, trying to unveil its secrets. Before sighing amusingly and opening up your arms to him. He was still the same. 

“I’m here.”

The final assignment Albedo received was too hard, too complicated, far beyond his own limits and he was worried that if he never completed it, would he ever see his teacher again? When you took your first step outside the walls of the city, waving back to him as you set off on your journey, he couldn’t help but feel that like his teacher, you were leaving him too. But when you looked at him with those warm but understanding eyes, opened your arms to him, he let go and stepped into your embrace. He was sure he was borderline crushing your frame but you hugged him back just as tightly. 

“My apologies. I got overwhelmed. Come with me, let’s get out of the cold first.”

You tried to hold it in but you laughed at his statement. He didn’t seem to mind as you felt him smile into your neck. Even with those words he hadn’t let go or slackened his grip in the slightest. So you both stayed there outside in the cold, the christmas lights reflected off snow, the sounds of laughter and singing playing in the background as you both embraced each other. 

I’m home

You’re home

---

Although Albedo was happy to see you again, he was wondering why out of all the years you had been away, all the other holidays you had missed, you decided to come to Mondstadt today. You were at his lab and marveling at all his new devices when he popped the question. You flushed a bit but quickly brushed it off, saying that after all the letters he sent you were finally curious as to what Mondstadt was like and the people he met. Plus, Liyue and Inazuma didn’t celebrate Christmas as much as Mondstadt so it would be nice to finally celebrate the holiday again.

He simply smiled smugly and nodded along before you eventually caved, because that look could steal your heart away, and revealed that honestly, you just really missed him and wanted to spend Christmas together. There wasn’t anything wrong with that was there? So what if you missed him? It was natural. It wasn’t like you were wondering what he was doing on slow days in Liyue. It wasn’t like you we- 

“You can stop laughing at me. I know you’re doing it even if I can’t hear it Albedo.” 

“I’m sorry you must be mistaken. Perhaps your observational skills have rusted?”

You huffed at him before turning your attention to a small but worn sketching book. It was different from the ones he had showed you and much smaller compared to the ripped out sketches he sent you. Albedo noticed your curiosity and almost flushed before striding over and showing you what was inside. It was either he do it now or you would constantly eye ball it until he finally let you see what was inside. 

He took out the old sketchbook and flipped all the way to the first page. They had been sketches of you. When it had just been you, Albedo, and your teacher he would often ask to draw you but he never showed you the finished product. What was surprising was they were all full sketches. No simple lines or unfinished colours. His interest in things, especially when he draws, were fleeting leading him to always create unfinished or basic lines. 

“Wow, was this your first sketchbook? Did you draw anything else? Oh, like your assistant perhaps?”

“No. I only drew one thing here. It’s been sitting here ever since but I tend to make sure it’s in good condition. Should I ever need to draw in it again.” 

Albedo almost reached for his pencil to sketch your smug but bright smile. But set his hand down. While he wants to capture moments so they remain forever with him, he felt that perhaps, it would be nice to live in them. Just for a moment. 

---

I never write at the bottom of my fics but I wrote too much at the start haha (plus tagging my screaming doesn’t work anymore). Not gonna lie, this was going to be different and you and Albedo would have role reversed AND I WAS GOING TO WRITE MONA IN but that didn’t happen. I made it so disgustingly sappy at the end that I want to throw up but when do I not? 

But I kind of like this version more. He’s super out of character but I don’t care and you’re gonna have to take this hcs out of my COLD DEAD HANDS. But I hope you enjoyed this and I’m using this as my Albedo catalyst so come home elevator boy. (cough celebration hcs are still open if you wanna feed me 👀 this )

[liquid-luck-00]

Maribat Secret Santa 2020

@maribat-secret-santa-2020

Happy Holidays everyone🎁

In my defense there was a minimum of 2000 words and there was no max so this ended up being 6112 words sorry, I think. There is some Adrien, class and Lila salt, Adrien gets some sugar later.

Without further ado @eve-v0lution I am your Secret Santa, enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~

Marinette has never been a normal girl. When she was born the goddess Tikki appeared claiming her as her chosen and the next Ladybug. She was born the granddaughter of Ra's Al Ghul, the head of the League of Assassins, the sister organization to the Order of the Miraculous. Her older brother, and twin, Damian was called to be the next Demon.

When they were five, she was taken to the Temple of the Order of Miraculous. she and her brother kept in contact, but it wasn't much more, than 'yes I am still alive, are you?' which was fine with them. As they were often trained together by both the League and the Order.

A week before they turned 10, she was named the Great Guardian and given the Miracle box. On their 10th birthdays he returned to the League to support her brother as he was officially named the heir of the Demon. However, things never went that smoothly. Slade Wilson led an attack on the League killing their grandfather. Damian rushed on to fight the Mercenary. She followed at his side the only thing she said before entering the fray was "Duusu fans" and combat fans dropped into her hands.

Between the two of them, they pushed Deathstroke back. However, he didn't retreat before throwing a sword at Damian. She called upon Wayzz's "Shell-ter" catching the sword in the shield’s dome. She took the hilt of the blade before dropping the dome. The two of them shared a look before running to find their Mother. Together they used Kaakli's portal to go to the Order.

However, they were met with an equally gruesome sight. Many of the monks laid dead, those that weren't were not in much better of a condition.

A single elder survived, speaking of the simultaneous attack on the Order and League. He told them that he will rebuild the order, but that Mari needed to keep the Miracle box safe. In the end Mother told them that she will be leaving them with their Father.

To say it was a surprise that their Father was Batman would be a stretch. Mother and Grandfather only allowed perfection, so not as surprising as one would think. Batman being Bruce Wayne, sure that wouldn't be her first guess but so what. What actually surprised her were her new brothers.

Damian hated them but she loved their antics. Where Damian became the next Robin, Mari stayed in the cave manning the comms as well as their numerous and often injuries.

However, when she did join everyone on the roof tops, Scarlet joins them. A red cropped hoodie that ended a little below her ribs. A long sleeve Kevlar shirt with a high neck. Black gloves and arm guards were holding the sleeves of the hoodie down. Her pants were the same Kevlar as the shirt and was just as formfitting, there were guards on her thighs that wouldn’t impede on her movement as well as knee pads connected to the shin guard. Short combat boots, a red sash tied to her waist hiding the utility belt and yo-yo, and a mechanical mask that conceals the bottom half of her face. And to top it off Tikki turns her eyes violet and her hair to white.

"Scarlet" Nightwing called to her. They were partnered and patrolling the west side of Gotham.

"Yes"

"Let’s race"

"What do I get when I win?"

He held his hand to his chest in mock hurt "Just so you know one week, anything the winner says is law for one week for the loser"

"Make it one favor redeemable whenever and you've got it" she challenged. He was torn but he agreed.

"Count me in" they heard Red Hood.

"Same" Red Robin also entered "Robin?"

"Tt. No"

"Fine. First back to the cave wins" Nightwing answered. "Go!"

She swung through Gotham and dropped into a pitch-black alley 'voyage' Mari whispered too low for the comms to pick up. Dropping through the portal and into the cave. Her transformation dropped and Tikki went to sit on her shoulder. Alfred was there waiting, Duusu perched on his shoulder as well, with a tray of cookies. She gave him a nod in silent thanks, as she still had a comm in her ear.

Ten minutes later Red Hood pulls in and was about to celebrate when both Red Robin and Nightwing crash into him. Creating a mess of limbs over the motor bike.

"Ha I win now you guys owe" Jason was about to rub in his victory from the bottom of the pile when Mari giggled, pulling the attention of her three brothers.

"Sorry Jay but you lost" she, Alfred, and the kwami were clearly in the middle of tea and cookies.

"She is correct Master Jason. Miss Marinette has been here for the past 10 minutes"

"Tt. Honestly don't race against some one who teleports." Damian grumbled as he walked away from the Bat-mobile.

"Don't worry. I'll wait until you forget you owe me to cash in" she smiled wickedly. "Good night."

And that was when they remembered 'Right Mari has the ability to use the powers of several pocket-sized gods' that was a lesson they wouldn't forget soon. Well Tim and Jason didn't forget; Dick would still bet against her though.

Jason found out she is the perfect prank partner. And no one in or out of the manor was safe. How they managed to swap all of Green Arrow's arrows, each being a different gag, was a mystery even Batman couldn't or wouldn't attempt to solve. The fact that the Justice League saw and heard Batman fall to the floor laughing, scared most of them from finding out. Those who didn't learned what happens when you don't leave well enough alone.

School was well boring; between the curriculum of the League and the Order she had already gotten 2 PHDs and 5 masters. School was nothing more than a pleasantry at this point. Father wouldn't let them out of school, something about needing to be normal kids. That only seemed to draw the twins into the spotlight more, because they were the only two blood children of Bruce Wayne. Damian became known quite fast as Gotham's Ice Prince, but Mari became known as Gotham's Sunshine just as fast.

But don’t let the name fool you, within the first year their classmates learned that yes Damian Wayne is scared of something, and that something was actually a someone who just happened to be his twin sister. Damian apparently was feeling petty about something, and for the life of her she can’t remember what, but he decided to write in big red letters ��NO!!!’ across every page of her sketchbook. She found that out during lunch, and that was when the entire school learned that the little sunshine child was the only thing that can put the fear of God in the Ice Prince.

---

Freshman year Mari finally got her Dad to agree to letting her into the exchange program for the next four years.

So, she decided on Paris.

Why, why did this exchange have to be four years long. I’m not gonna survive this.

Admittedly it started off okay, okay not really but then things went downhill, fast, faster than you could imagine.

It started when she met her host family. They met her at the airport and that was an experience, I guess.

"Mlle Wayne? Correct" a tall slender woman in glasses asked her.

"Yes Madame" she replied with a polite smile.

"Natalie Sancoeur" the woman replied "And this is" she started but was cut off by a boy around her age, he had blonde hair and green eyes. But what stood out to her was his attributes reminded her of an overexcited and hyper puppy.

"Adrien Agreste" he smiled at her, so she did what was expected of her in polite society.

"Marinette Wayne" and she extended her hand to shake his. However, instead he pulled her into a hug. Once she realized what was happening, she pushed away from him and took a step back. She looked at him and her thought of him being a puppy was only reinforced with the look on his face. So, she looked at Sancoeur, while the woman looked at Agreste with indifference she looked at Mari as if she was in the wrong.

This is going to be great. Was the only thought as she endured the drive to the Agreste household.

Agreste would not shut up the entire way and seemed to be hurt that she didn't answer him. Agreste was also the one who was to give her the tour of the mansion. It wasn’t so bad it gave her the chance to gauge the defense systems, which was lacking, and the layout was simple compared to the Wayne Manor, the League's compound, and the Order's temple.

Unfortunately for her, Agreste ended the tour with her room and then proceeded to sit on the bed and continue to ramble about whatever was on his mind. She did try to get him to leave but that was a complete waste of time and effort. Kwami it was like he couldn't hear me or more likely didn’t even care about my opinion. So, she put in her headphones, hid them behind her hair, pressed play to of music and went to unpack.

As she was finishing setting up the bathroom she noticed, like every other door in this house, there was no lock.

Ugh I need to speak with Monsieur Agreste.

She went back out and saw him. Agreste was at the desk where she had set her laptop and was trying to open it.

"Excuse me but what are you doing?" she asked pointedly, having taken out her headphones and set them in the case.

"I was trying to see what you had on your laptop" he shrugged "can you tell me the password to get in?"

"No" she deadpanned; he had the gall to look shocked. That was when Mme Sancoeur entered the room, without even knocking.

"Lunch is" was all she said before Agreste cut her off.

"Natalie make her open her computer for me" Agreste whined.

She was about to speak but Marinette beat her to it. "Um No. What I have on my personal computer is none of your concern" his face fell while Mme. Sancoeur pursed her lips. "Furthermore, I am assuming since you are at the desk, the bed is askew, and the drawers are open and my clothes are in shambles you were going through my things" she was now glaring at the blonde invading her space. Now he had the decency of looking ashamed. "Am I to assume lunch will be held in the dinning room?" Mme. Sancoeur only nodded, and she left the room.

Lunch, if you can call it that, was also a disaster. Apparently, Americans eat chicken noodle soup, a hamburger, and a load of fries. Because that was what was set in front of her.

Ugh this is going to be a long four years.

"Mlle. Wayne, I hope everything has been to your liking" M. Agreste, Gabriel, as he introduced himself earlier spoke. “You have hardly eaten.”

"Would you prefer my honesty or would you rather me lie to you" Marinette responded swirling the water in her glass.

"Your honesty" he answered slightly unsure.

At this she scoffed "I am going to assume that you and no one else had bothered to read the file of my information that was sent to you" he as well as Mme. Sancoeur remained quiet "Because if you had you would know I am a vegetarian."

Mme. Sancoeur searched some thing on her tablet and there was a soft "oh" from her.

"Your son is also suffocating, to the point that when I asked him to leave the room so I could settle in peacefully, he remained as if I hadn’t asked him to leave" M. Agreste was going to say something but she continued "He also has no sense of privacy as he went through all of my belongings and was attempting to go through my laptop as well." Again, he was going to say something, but Mari continued. "On the topic of privacy neither the bedroom door nor the bathroom have a lock."

“Paris is completely safe, as the house is protected, it should not matter if there is a lock on the door” he replied in a monotone.

“I’m sorry doesn’t matter, in what universe is it alright for two teenagers of the opposite sex be in a house where one of said teenagers doesn’t respect the other enough to leave them alone” she almost started yelling, but kept her head and voice level.

M. Agreste didn’t respond right away, but he gave a small hum before stating that “I will take your request into consideration.”

“Alright, just know that I will guard myself and will not hesitate to use force if necessary” she knew they wouldn’t take her seriously but hey I am warning them, they only gave a nod that they heard. “Also M. Agreste I tend to have a strict morning regimen is it possible for me to continue it using the home gym while here?”

“Of course,” he waved dismissively.

“What does this regimen include?” Mme. Sancoeur asked politely.

Marinette had a wicked smirk as this was going to be the lightest of her routines, she could give but would still most likely shock them. “Oh it is nothing much just a 5 kilometer run as a warm up, then half an hour of boxing, a half an hour of sword forms and training, half an hour of holographic combat training, followed by half an hour of ballet, and half an hour of meditation.” She was smiling watching their reactions and it was priceless. “I usually start around 4 in the morning.”

All of them were shocked, and who would blame them, here I am in my 5’2” high glory with a sunshine disposition stating I can most likely drop kick them into next week. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I was unable to do it this morning on account of being on an airplane, this will be a good way to see the city” so she smiled leaving them gobsmacked.

Finally, she was able to breathe as she ran the streets of Paris listening to her music softly. Back at the mansion she had figured out she had an audience less than ten minutes into boxing, but she continued. As she was about to start the holographic training, that Tim, Barbara, and she had created, but by now the entire Agreste household was watching her. “If you’re only going to watch me leave or else have the decency to spar” she shot at them.

“I’ll do it” little Agreste spoke up “But if I beat you, you’re giving me your computer password.”

“Fine, but when I win, I get locks on both my bedroom door and the bathroom inside” she challenged.

Agreste senior nodded his head and replied bored “Only if you win.”

“First to be knocked down three times loses” she grinned. She went to grab her two training twin swords and handed one to little Agreste.

“These are real swords” he exclaims clearly off balance by the weight of the weapon.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, neither have an edge” they got into positions and it was easy to see who would be victorious. I got locks and some privacy oh the small victories are truly sweet.

---

Sunday was uneventful, but so long as she was in the mansion for meals unless she had checked in with Mme. Sancoeur, she was free to her own devices.

Monday she would come to regret that it had to end later, but not for a while at least.

Mari rode to school with little Agreste and that was her first mistake. Everyone in the entire school watched her exit the car added to the fact that she's starting in the middle of the semester and that kicks.

She was wearing a charcoal shirt splattered with metallic red paint, a faux caramel brown leather jacket with a hood, black jeans with burgundy all stars. Her hair was down, and a black messenger bag was over her shoulder.

She got out and simply walked in and towards the main office ignoring everyone, she got her schedule and a map of the school. The principal himself walked her to her homeroom and to her horror little Agreste was in the class.

"Mlle. Bustier" he spoke. "Meet your new student."

"Please introduce yourself" she spoke with a sweet smile.

"Bonjour my name is Marinette, and I will be a part of your class for the next four years."

Marinette moved to take the open seat in the back but of course Little Agreste had to speak. "Mari there is an open seat behind me."

It took all of herself control to not facepalm. "I prefer the back"

"I'll spar you for it"

Now she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes or the one playing on her lips "Okay Agreste, but what makes you think you'll win this time?

"Fencing uses lighter swords" he answered mumbling the end.

"Wait why are you challenging the new girl?" a boy in a red hoodie and two-toned hair asks.

"Probably to redeem his honor from our last bout" she was now smiling. Maybe this won't be all bad.

"Then I get the next challenge" the same boy answered confidently.

"Alright" she agreed "Name your sport, um..."

"Sorry Le Chien Kim" he supplied. "Swimming freestyle"

"You're on" a devilish smirk on her lips. Afterwards everyone introduced themselves and she sat down in the back.

They spoke with M D'Argencourt about it during lunch and he told them to wait until after school for the fencing club to set up. So, they did. Honestly, the class isn't so bad, just a little pushy, apparently a student isn't here today but should be back soon. When they all went back after school, that was when Marinette saw her.

"Gami" Marinette ran to the girl in a red fencing outfit and gave her a brief hug.

"Mari-hime what are you doing in Paris?" she asked.

"Exchange program" Mari waved it off.

"Your brother?"

"Not interested" Mari responded.

"So why at the fencing club?"

"Agreste challenged me."

She looked towards the blonde and gave him a pitying glance. "Then you should both change"

"Right" Mari called as she went to the locker rooms. Her uniform was a red bodice with black sleeves and pants, but the gloves, shoes, and socks were a shade of green so dark it appeared black, the stitches on the entire thing were in golden thread. Both her saber and helmet were a combination of black and gold.

They both got into positions when Marinette heard her.

"This is going to be a slaughter" and Gami was right.

Faster than anyone could blink Mari had scored a touch before little Agreste even moved.

"Huh and here I was hoping for a challenge. Agreste" she turned away from him and faced Kagami "Match?" was all she asked, and the girl stood and faced Mari.

Facing Kagami was like fencing Damian. Both are powerhouses and decisive, but Mari's strength was in speed and agility. They met each other strike for strike, she is probably one of the few civilians that may be a match for her and her brother. By the end of practice, she was offered a spot on the team which she accepted.

To little Agreste's dismay Kagami offered to show her around Paris, to which she had agreed.

---

One-month Mari had to settle into her new class. She made fast friends with Le Chien, after their swimming match where she also met a girl named Ondine, Alix Kubdel was next she is competitive with a need for speed, side note never let her meet Jason. Max Kante and Nathaniel Kertzberg were also added to our little group. She met Luka Couffaine while wandering Paris for inspiration, they became fast friends, and she designed the costumes for Kitty section as well as their Demo Album cover. The final and most shocking, apparently, addition to their group was Chloe Bourgeois. Along with Kagami her small group of friends were unshakeable and for the next four years will be thankful for them.

After that one month, a weasel entered the class. Her name was Lila Rossi and everything that came out of her mouth was a lie. Honestly, Mari wouldn't give her a second thought but then the strikes against her grew.

Lila's first mistake was lying about her best friend, Jon, or in reality about Superboy. Oh, she was in a relationship with him. Sorry but Jon is super bi, but leans towards men more, like a walking romantic mess that was a golden moment when he figured it out. The same can be said when it finally dawned on Damian when he figured out for himself. As the amazing sister that she is of course she would tease those two. But the teasing and cooing only escalated when the two started dating. So ya not buying that he took you out, much less as Superboy.

Lila's second mistake was threatening Mari in the bathroom. Please if your going to threaten someone make sure you aren't being recorded. And second don't threaten a Wayne, especially an Al Ghul turned Wayne. So, Marinette recorded every lie, every threat, and every reaction. If she were going down not even the Devil himself would think to help her.

Unfortunately, it had a rather annoying side effect. Little Agreste kept pulling her aside to try and make peace with the liar.

"Please Marinette, can you stop calling out Lila" he repeated for the up-tenth time . They were on their way to dinner about two months after Lila rejoined the class. "Just take the high road"

They were in the hallway outside of the dining room.

"No" Mari stated as calmly as she could. As they both walked in, Mme. Sancoeur and M. Agreste were already inside.

"Why? Her lies aren't hurting anyone"

"Not hurting anyone" she spoke finally turning towards the blonde "What unicorns and rainbows paradise do you live in?"

"Wait, what?"

"Nino almost didn't enter his script for a contest because Lila said she would get someone in Hollywood to help produce it" she answered "It took Max, Nathanial, and I almost an hour for him to submit it on the thought it couldn't hurt"

"Okay that's one"

"Alya's reputation as a reporter is plummeting. She doesn't fact check and believes Lila solely on the idea that 'Lila wouldn't lie to her'. Where Lila uses her blog to spread her lies."

"Yes but no one believes everything they hear or read.”

"Really" Mari arched her brow, Alfred would be proud "then explain how most of Paris believes you and Lila to be an item"

"Mlle. Wayne came to explain" M. Agreste finally spoke.

"Oh, most of Paris believes that your son is in a romantic relationship with Lila Rossi" Mari spoke calmly as she opened her phone and pulled up the post from Alya's blog to show the screen.

"What?" the confusion was clear on little Agreste's face as he also pulled up the blog. The meal for her was quite quick but M. Agreste held back little Agreste.

Mari was sketching in the quiet of her room latter that evening when she heard a soft knock at the door. She opened the door and there stood little Agreste fidgeting.

"I'm sorry I never liked how Lila hung off of me but that was harassment, then I realized that's what I've been doing to you I am so sorry. You probably hate me for how I acted, and I understand if you can't trust me or forgive me and I'm sorry." He spoke so fast and barely breathed as he turned about to leave, but he stopped when Mari spoke.

"Okay. Redo"

"What?" he asked tilting his head.

"Let’s start over" she smiled.

"So, you forgive me!"

"No, I am not forgiving you" he looked saddened "I will hold you accountable, but I am, willing to start a new chapter."

"Okay” he looked a bit relieved.

"Hello. I am Marinette Wayne." she extended her hand to shake his.

"Adrien Agreste" he smiled shaking hands. "I'Il get out of your hair then." he sent a small wave that she returned and left.

---

Okay so maybe I exaggerated a bit, but Lila did make these past three and a half years a living pain. Mlle. Bustier fought to keep their class for all four years. The only addition was Kagami in the second year of Mari’s exchange.

But here she was sitting in the back with her friends waiting for the last class of the day to start. Then it happened Principle Damocles and Mlle. Bustier walked in.

"Mlle. Wayne" Damocles called.

"Thank the gods" Mari stated packing up her things and she walked down. "I would say it was a pleasure but that would be a lie" Mari just finished speaking when Alya decided to open her mouth.

"Where are you going class hasn't even started." Alya smiled trying to get Mari in trouble, but neither adult did anything.

"If you really want to know because it seems you've forgotten. I am a foreign exchange student from America, where I will be finishing the final term." Her words must have made some sense to their one community brain cell because they nodded, and she left.

Marinette flew back to Gotham and oh was this going to be great.

Of course, when she landed Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman were making mischief in the airport. She recorded a video of the Bats stopping them, of course they were monitoring it because of her flight but I digress, and Nightwing lecturing them while Batman looked so done. Along with Jay-Jay or really Red Hood taking Mari's phone and taking a selfie with her, her hair was in braid tucked into a black beanie with a pair of red sunglasses. A halter top that had a golden rod yellow X on it. The top quadrant was red, and the rest was back. A black sweater lined and faded to red at the bottom. Comfortable black and red leggings with black flats. She posted the videos and picture captioned 'Back in Gotham. Home Sweet Home! Hood give me back my phone.' on her public account, before even exiting the terminal.

Her class will be here in about two weeks and stay as long, but right now she need a good stretch.

She found Alfred and loaded up her bags into the car and jumped in, told Alfred, transformed, and portaled out. As soon as the portal closed, she was in the middle of a huge hug from all her brothers. Patrol wasn't too bad, there was a run in with the Riddler and a separate incident with Killer Croc but that is a light day in Gotham.

After patrol was mostly filled with junk food, video games, and movies with her brothers.

Going back to Gotham Academy was like she never left. In a way she didn't, as every break she made sure to spend some time with her friends, dragging Damian with her. She would constantly text or video chat with them. To the extent that they knew about Lila and her class, almost as well as her family.

Two blissful weeks of quiet and patrols filled with teasing and bets was amazing. Yes, she will miss patrolling with Nightrunner. Yes, he is part of the extended Bat clan, but it is different with her brothers.

---

Three days granted that was longer than Marinette gave the class to avoid a villain attack. Of course, it had to happen when they were visiting, WE. Dick had volunteered to lead the tour, mainly to get more evidence, but Mari wasn't there. Since she was on break, she decided to take lunch for her brothers. The cafeteria food was good but still, and Tim would probably be holed up in his office.

She was in a blue collared button up tucked into a black skater skirt. A black and indigo letterman Jacket, black glasses frames and blue heels finished the outfit.

"Nettie?" Dick asked when she entered the cafeteria.

"Brought you lunch." Dick's face lit up.

"You are a god send"

She giggled as he took the food. "Not exactly but close."

"You going to force Timmy to eat"

"Yeah. Is he still in his office?"

"Should be"

"See ya at home Dicky Bird" she turned and found herself facing her class. Most of them registered she was there and glared at her seemingly guarding Lila from her sight, her friends noticed her so she sent a wave to Kagami, Chloe, Kim, Alix, Nathanial, and Max.

Getting Tim to eat usually proves a challenge. Mostly because he has one hand glued to a coffee mug and the other on his work. Yet when you make an entire meal into finger foods that are perfectly bite sized it is a breeze. She was going to leave when both Tim's and her phone shot an alarm. It was from Dick 'WE 2 Face' In a flash Mari transformed and waited for Tim, opened a portal, and fell into the lobby.

The two of them took out the goons and restrained them before turning towards Two Face.

"The word on the street is that you and the bird are dating, and you know the Bat." Two Face spoke out to everyone, "Let's hear what other secrets these lips will spill." A gun was held up, presumably to the teen's mouth, but neither Red Robin nor Scarlet could see.

He was clearly holding a teen hostage, and that was when they saw the two hanging sausages, Lila. For the first time since Mari had known her, she was quiet, or at least silently whimpering.

"So, who is she dating?" Scarlet asked yoyo in hand pointing at Lila.

"Robin" she gasps.

"What!?" Both of them yelled before Red Robin started again. "Crap when did I get a girlfriend. Scarlet please tell me this is just a hallucination! I swear if this is, I won’t drink a single drop of coffee for a month!”

Scarlet however was barely standing doubled over with laughter. "She’s a little young for you don't cha think."

"Not helping" Red Robin was in full out panic pacing back and forth trying to comprehend what was being said.

That was when Lila seemed to find her voice again "I'm dating Robin not you."

"Wait, What?" Both vigilantes snapped out of their laughter and panic respectfully. They shared a look and fell to the ground laughing. Two minutes later Batman and Robin showed up. Scarlet and Red Robin were now on their feet but still laughing. No one not even Two Face moved because as everyone knows, Robin is taken and no one will be getting between those two, much less a girl.

"Robin" Batman nodded and to the two laughing teens, Robin nodding in acknowledgement.

"No need B" Red Robin finally stopped laughing.

"Hey Birdie when did you get a girlfriend?" Scarlet asked fully knowing the answer already.

"Tt. Don't be idiotic Scarlet."

"Then why is she saying she is?" Two Face now had the bat fam's attention.

"Who are you?" Robin asked the girl pinned between Two Face’s arm and gun.

"Apparently the girlfriend you never knew existed before three seconds ago." Red Robin supplied, now fully enjoying the shock on his brother’s face.

"Is that why you two were laughing like idiots?"

"Well yes" Scarlet spoke up then whispered 'Voyage, Venom' and Two Face became frozen in place.

Lila was now glaring at Scarlet as she began to yell "What the hell. Why didn't you do that sooner!"

Scarlet snapped her fingers and pointed at Lila "Oh now I remember you" she semi shouted getting the attention of everyone in the lobby. "You’re the girl from Paris who said she was dating Superboy." Lila now seemed to significantly pale.

"Are you saying this girl has claimed to have dated both Superboy and I" At this point both Scarlet and Red Robin had moved and were physically holding back Robin.

"Scarlet" Batman called.

"On it" 'Voyage' "Hey Supes your boyfriend needs you" Superboy then took Robin in a hug from behind resting his chin on top of Robin's head. Her brother now willingly refraining from moving to stay in his boyfriend's arms, while Red Robin left to talk with Commissioner Gordon.

"Miss you are lucky no one was injured, and we were here to take action, your fantasies are just that. Let's go" Batman had lectured the girl who could have been switched with a statue at this point.

All the vigilantes left, and Mari sure as hell made certain Tim finished his food. In fact, he hadn't even changed out of his Red Robin uniform, so Mari guarded the door. She only left when he finished eating, knowing he could now fully react.

Mari was walking out of the elevator and into the lobby and you could practically see the change that occurred. Most of the class were huddled together, her friends were to the side along with Adrien, and Lila was practically glued to the teacher.

She spotted Alfred with Dick not far from her friends, so she decided to go over and speak with her friends.

Unfortunately, that just caused hell's gates to open as she approached, she heard. "You knew she was a liar didn't you" Alya yelled at her friends and Agreste, but Alya was specifically yelling at Agreste. That made her blood boil, so she stepped in.

"Yes, but you didn't believe me when I told you, you didn't believe them either" Mari was now standing between her friends and the blogger. "Agreste didn't want to rock the boat and how you were all treating me it is no wonder."

"Ya but she is a liar, and you are a bully" Alya retorted.

"Was I a bully. Or was that what you were told by the liar" Alya now went quiet. Of the almost four years she was in Paris there was never any proof she bullied Lila. No bruises, no destroyed items, just she said claims. "Yes, I called her out on her lies but that was all. You all were the ones who acted on her words that I bullied her with no proof and bullied me to ‘teach me a lesson'. I have more than enough evidence however, on most of this class and the liar, for cases of assault, slander, defamation of character, and destruction of property."

By now everyone in the lobby was watching this unfold. The class seemed to pale and attempted to shrink in on themselves. Lila and Mlle. Bustier seemed to try to become one with the floor. Her friends were to the side struggling to not laugh along with Dick and Chloe you traitor put down that phone.

"Miss Wayne" an employee came up to Mari seemingly afraid to get her undivided attention.

"Yes" She smiled, becoming Gotham's sunshine that everyone knew, allowing the employee and the other Gothamites to relax.

"The CEO has locked himself in his office and the Board meeting starts in three minutes" the employee fidgeted with the tablet in his hands. That snapped her into professional mode.

"Dick is the tour done?" she held out her hand to take the tablet, opened it and started going trough the documents.

"Ya"

"Go dig Tim from his office. I'll deal with the board."

"On it"

She quickly looked up to her friends "Sorry guys we should catch up later." She walked away the employee on her heels giving her more information.

A whistle was heard next to the group. "Damn I feel bad for the Board members, Mars is on a warpath and not her usual professional warpath" Dick said to Alfred.

"Reminiscent of Master Bruce even" was Alfred's response.

"She really is a Wayne"

"Master Richard"

"Yes Alfred"

"I believe it is in your best interest to retrieve Master Timothy as Miss Marinette is on a 'Warpath' as you say" Alfred barely finished as Dick began to sprint to the elevator. Alfred only sighed as he followed the eldest Wayne child, leaving very bewildered and mortified Parisians in their wake.

[dccomicsimagines]

Mirror Image - Young Justice Imagine

Requested by Anon -  Can you write where the reader is the male twin of Artemis; who looks just like Sportsmaster, and is planning to dye his hair while thinking negatively to himself because of the unconscious reactions that his mom and sisters give him? And what their reactions would be when they find out?

***

You sighed, unlocking the door to the apartment. It was late, probably around ten o’clock. You had to meet with a group from school to work on a project. Gotham Academy was all about group work. It made you miss your old school. You were still wondering how you and your twin, Artemis, got scholarships. It was suspicious.

“Who is it?” Paula, your mother, asked. She rolled out into the hallway. Her smile dropped when she saw you. You saw her eyes flash dangerously.

“Mom, it’s me.” A wave of exhaustion washed over you. 

“Oh, sorry con trai.” Paula relaxed. Your heart lifted slightly at the nickname. Her smile returned. “How was your project? Did you get your work done?” 

You kissed her cheek as you went to the kitchen. “Good. We’ll ace the project for sure.” Getting a drink from the fridge, you cursed your genes again. Why couldn’t you have looked more like your mother? You hated that your appearance always made her think of your father first. 

“Artemis is in her room. Will you make sure her homework is done?” Paula watched as you quickly finished your drink. 

“Yeah, sure.” You placed your cup in the sink and left to Artemis’ room. The door was shut with soft music playing inside. You bit your lip before timidly knocking on the door. 

“Mom! I said I’m working on it!” The door opened. Artemis gasped. “Dad.” Suddenly, her fist went flying toward your face, but you ducked just in time. 

You caught her fist. “It’s me, but thanks for that.” Your heart sank. “Mom wanted me to make sure you have your homework done.” 

Artemis yanked her fist out of your grasp. “Sorry, you just look so much like him since you got your last growth spurt.” She crossed her arms, blushing in embarrassment. “I’m working on it.”

“Do you want help?” You found yourself asking her, despite the urge to go lock yourself in your room. 

She made a face that reminded you of the time where she almost stabbed you in the eye with one of her arrows. It was caused by a fight that your father instigated between the two of you. Now you really wanted to run. “I got it.” 

“Fine. Night.” You hurried away and escaped to your room. Locking your door, you sighed, leaning against it. The mirror on your wall glowed from the streetlight drifting in through the window. You glared at it. It shined back your reflection and even you almost thought you were your father for a brief second. You pulled off your shoe and tossed it at the mirror. It shattered, sending glass everywhere.

“(Y/N), what was that?!” your mom asked, her voice coming down the hall. 

“Nothing, Mom. My mirror just fell off the wall,” you said through the door.

Paula knocked on your door. “Are you alright?”

You debated opening the door, but then you thought about how her eyes would narrow as she would first see your father instead of you. “Yeah, don’t worry about me.” 

“Okay.” Paula sounded hurt. You heard her roll back down the hall. 

“I can never win.” You whispered, closing your eyes tiredly.

***

You adjusted your mask. “Remember we’re not related. Green Arrow just happens to be our mentor. That’s how we know each other,” Artemis said sternly. 

“Yes, you tell me everyday.” You sighed. Artemis relaxed and led you to old phone booth zeta tube in an Gotham alleyway. “And keep my mask on.” 

Artemis turned to look at you. There was the flash of pure resentment before it faded. Even with the mask on, you still looked very much like your father. “You look way too much like Dad.” 

“I get reminded every day.” You nodded for her to go in first. She bit her lip. Guilt flared in her eyes. It made you only feel slightly satisfied. She went inside. The computer spoke and she disappeared in the gold light. 

You entered the zeta tube. The computer’s voice echoed as you closed your eyes at the bright light. You started walking forward to find yourself suddenly walking into the cave. 

“Woah, did you and (Y/H/N) come together today?” Kid Flash aka Wally teased at Artemis. He made kissing noises. You shook your head, smiling when Artemis flipped him off. Wally laughed before zooming off to somewhere. The scent of freshly made cookies floated in the air. 

M’gann flew into the room with a plate of cookies in her hand. “I tried this brookie recipe.” She stopped by you. “Want one, (Y/N)? It’s half cookie half brownie.” 

“Sure, thanks.” You took one and bit into it. It was still warm, melting into your mouth. “This is great, M’gann.” 

She blushed. “You’re welcome.” She flew away. You watched her go to Artemis and offer her a cookie. Finishing off the cookie, you headed to the training room. Conner was inside, lifting weights.

“Hey Conner.” You joined him. He grunted in response. “You want me to add another weight to that? Looks too easy for you.” 

“I’m fine. Everything is fine.” Conner gave you a look that made you glad he didn’t have heat vision.

“You okay?” You raised an eyebrow at him. “Because you don’t sound fine.” 

“Are you okay?!” Conner dropped the weight. It crashed to the floor with a loud echoing boom. “I said I’m fine.” 

You flinched, frowning. “I get it. I’ll leave you alone.” You turned toward the door. Your stomach twisted uncomfortably. 

Conner sighed. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat, picking up the weight to put it away. “I...I went to see Superman. He still won’t talk to me.” You turned back to him, surprised.

“What an asshole.” You smiled, sitting down on the bench. Conner kept his back to you. 

“Yeah, I guess he is,” Conner chuckled. You watched the tension drain out of his shoulders. “It’s just hard. I was always meant to replace Superman if he should fall. It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t want to meet me.” Conner frowned, crossing his arms. “I can’t get away from it. I get reminded every time I look in the mirror.” 

You nodded. “I get it.” Conner looked at you curiously. “I look a lot like my dad to the point everyone in my family thinks I’m him for a second before they see me.” You realized Artemis would kill you for mentioning your family, but you figured it was safe as long as you didn’t mention your family was also Artemis’.

“Most people would be happy to look like their father.” Conner sat down next to you. You gave him a sad smile.

“My father is not a good man.” You swallowed hard. 

Conner snorted. You both fell silent for a long time. A weight left your chest for a time, knowing you were with someone who first saw you for yourself. However, reality came crashing back as Batman’s voice called everyone to the mission room.  Conner got up to leave first, but stopped and looked back at you. “Thank you, (Y/N).” 

“You’re welcome.” You followed him, getting a rare genuine smile from Conner. 

***

“What are you doing here?” Cheshire hissed in your face as she sat on your chest with her knees on your arms to hold you down. “I told you I don’t need your help.” 

“Jade, it’s me, (Y/N).” You groaned. Jade had grown since the last time she tackled you way back before she ran away from home. You had grown too, but she was still making it hard for you to breathe. 

She relaxed and climbed off you. “Sorry. You just look so much like our father.” 

“Right.” You coughed, sitting up. The mission had gone haywire, and you got separated from everyone else. You were just about to get your bearings when Jade jumped you. “How are you, sis?” 

Jade snorted, taking her mask off. She offered you a hand. You eyed it before taking it and getting to your feet. “You joined the Justice League group with Artemis, didn’t you?” 

“Yeah, and you joined the League of Assassins.” You shook your head, rubbing your sore back. She hit you hard. “I can’t believe you work with Dad.” 

“Shut up. It’s the job.” Jade crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Does your group know who our family is? Artemis desperately doesn’t want them to know. She let me go last time we met to prevent me from spilling the beans.” 

“No.” You glanced around, taking in the surroundings. “They think we only know each other because of Green Arrow.” You frowned. “What are you doing here?” 

Jade just smirked before putting her mask back on. “Wouldn’t you like to know?�� She patted your shoulder. “It was nice to see you, little brother.” She threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared. You coughed, the smoke going straight into your lungs. “You should change your face. They’re going to find out if you keep looking so much like our father.” Her voice echoed in the room.

You caught your breath. “Where did you...” Suddenly, something hit you hard on the back of the head and everything went black.

***

A bright light blinded you as you opened your eyes. Your head throbbed like it was being run over by a semi truck. “He’s awake,” Batman said as a black form appeared in your vision. The soft surface you laid on shifted.

“Oh, thank god.” Suddenly, you felt arms wrap around you. From the voice, you guess Artemis was hugging you. “Don’t you ever do something like that again.” She smacked your arm.

“Ouch.” You moaned, blinking as the room came into focus. You sat up. The clean white walls of the cave’s med bay surrounded you. It made you want to puke. “Don’t hit me.” 

Suddenly, a bright light shined into your eye. You jumped, but a heavy hand rested on your shoulder. “I’m checking your pupils.” Batman turned off the light and slowly you were able to see again. “They’re dilating normally, but I suspect you have a concussion at least.” 

Artemis held you tighter and you felt sicker. “Is there a garbage can?” You swallowed hard, a metallic taste forming in your mouth. Artemis jumped away from you and stuck a bucket in your face just in time. 

You felt Batman rubbing your back as you gagged. Artemis went to the door. The rest of the team’s voices floated in, but Artemis wouldn’t let them in. It was at this point you realized your mask was off. Your heart sank.

Once you were done, Batman took the bucket away and handed you a glass of water. “What happened?” he asked.

You sipped the water, glancing toward Artemis. Batman followed your gaze. “Artemis, go call Green Arrow,” he said pointedly. She blinked in surprise before stepping out of the room. Once the door was shut, Batman turned back to you.

“I got separated from the others.” You sipped more water as your mouth dried out. “And Cheshire jumped me.”

Batman stared at you. You hated that you couldn’t see his eyes. His mouth was a firm line. “Your sister?” 

You swallowed hard, glancing at the door in case Artemis came in. “Yeah, she thought I was my dad, but then she relaxed when she saw it was me. We talked a little, then she disappeared with a smoke bomb and I got hit in the head.” You touched the back of your head, wincing at the lump there.

He frowned. “What did you tell her?” 

“Nothing.” You shook your head only to have the pain in your head intensify. “Ouch.” 

“Take it easy.” Batman examined the lump on the back of your head. 

“She asked if I was on the Team with Artemis and I said yes. I asked if she was with the League of Assassins and she said yes. That was it, I didn’t betray the Team.” Your eyes widened, chest tightened.

“I know you wouldn’t. Calm down.” Batman pushed you to lay down again, moving your head so you didn’t lay on the lump. “We’re going to have to do a few scans to make sure you didn’t crack your skull. Your mother has already been called and is up to date on the situation.” 

You sighed. “Damn it. I don’t want to worry her.” You closed your eyes, suddenly very tired.

“Rest now.” Batman patted your arm. You tried to relax, but a nagging memory of your father popped into your head. He laughed, saying you were very much his son, pride radiating from him. You didn’t remember when that happened.

“How long did it take everyone to find me?” you whispered, eyes still closed. Batman was still nearby, washing out the bucket. 

“Twenty minutes. Why?” Batman came back to your side. You heard him set the bucket on the bedside table. 

“Was I alone?” A long silence followed and you knew your answer. “Sportsmaster was with me, wasn’t he?” 

Batman cleared his throat. You opened your eyes to look at him. “He was, but he ran off when Superboy attacked him. The rest of the team didn’t see him.” 

You sighed. “Great. Just great.” You closed your eyes, hating your face once more.

***

Artemis glared at you from the doorway of your bedroom. At least you knew the hatred in her eyes was for you alone this time. “I can’t believe Superboy saw you with your mask off and next to Dad.” 

“I was unconscious, Artie. What did you want me to do?” You shifted on your bed, staring up at the ceiling that was way too familiar for comfort. A week of bedrest was way too long. 

“Wally was asking me why you look so much like Sportmaster,” Artemis exploded, throwing her arms in the air. “I told him I don’t know, because I don’t know you!” 

You flinched. Her words stabbed at your heart.  “It’s okay. I can explain it when I finally get off bedrest.” 

“Robin’s been snooping around too!” Artemis kicked a shoe on your floor. It slammed against the broken mirror that you had placed on the wall again. The mirror crashed to the floor, breaking the rest of the glass. 

“Artemis!” Paula rolled down the hall with fire in her eyes. “Leave your brother alone. He needs his rest.” She saw the broken mirror. “Clean this up now!” 

Your sister stormed off. “It’s fine, Mom,” you said. Paula came to your bedside and rested her hand on your forehead. “Mom, I have a concussion, not a fever.” 

“I know.” She frowned. “I don’t like that your father hit you.” 

“We don’t know if he did.” You bit your lip, looking away from her. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw her eyes flash. She wasn’t seeing you again. Exhaustion washed over you, deep into your bones. “I’m tired.” 

“Yes, rest.” Paula left the room. Artemis came in and cleaned up the glass. You pretended to be asleep. Your heart burned with the determination to take Jade’s advice and change your face. 

***

You stared at the box of hair dye as you stood in the boys’ locker room at the cave. It took you a long time at the drug store to get up the courage to buy it, and now you had to work up the nerve to use it. 

Today was your first day of freedom after the week on bedrest. The lump on your head disappeared, but you still felt a dull ache once and a while. However, you promised yourself that you would change your appearance today. The cave seemed the safest place to do that. No one was here at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, you opened the box and read the instructions. It was complicated, but you took out the different bottles. You took off your shirt. 

“What are you doing?” Conner’s voice sounded from behind you.

You screamed, dropping one of the dye bottles into the sink. Luckily, you didn’t open it yet. 

Conner snorted, raising an eyebrow. “Seriously? I scared you?” 

“I didn’t think anyone was around.” You lined the bottles up. Blood rushed to your face, unable to look at Conner. He came over and picked up the dye box. You waited for him to say something.

“You’re going to have to do your eyebrows too or it will look strange,” Conner said, picking up the instructions. 

You looked at him with wide eyes. “So you’re not going to talk me out of it?” 

“Why?” Conner blinked. “It’s not like we’re doing plastic surgery or something. Hair color isn’t that big of a deal. M’gann does it all the time.” 

“M’gann’s a shapeshifter.” You bit your lip. Nerves made you jumpy.

Conner grunted, shrugging his shoulders. He set the instructions down and picked up the first bottle. You smiled, glad to have the help.

***

“I’m home,” you called as you entered the apartment. You had a skip in your step. Your hair a new, shockingly different color. Thanks to Conner, the dye job turned out better than you hoped. 

“Con trai?” Paula came out of the kitchen with a plate in hand. Upon seeing you, the plate dropped to the floor. “What did you do to your hair?” 

“What? I like it.” You smiled when the look of anger and disappointment didn’t come over her. She was finally seeing you first. You could have danced from joy. 

A deep frown came to Paula’s lips. Your joy faltered. “Wash it out of your hair now.” She pointed to the bathroom.

“It’s not going to work, Mom. I’ve already washed my hair and it’s here to stay.” You shrugged, hiding your pain behind indifference. 

Artemis appeared in the doorway. “What the hell, (Y/N)?” Her eyes almost popped out of her head at your hair.

You smiled, happy when she saw you for you. It was working. “What? It’s my hair. I can do what I like.”  You looked at Artemis. Her jaw was on the floor. “Now you don’t have to worry about everyone thinking I look like Dad, huh?” 

“Is that why you did this?” Paula asked, taking your hand. “(Y/N), I’m proud that you look so much like your father. He was...is a handsome man.” 

You wondered if she was sane. A bitter laugh escaped you as you pulled your hand away from Paula’s. “Seriously?” You looked at Artemis who was scowling. “Both of you never see me first. It’s always Dad. Don’t think I don’t see it.” You snapped at Paula before she could speak. The hurt look on her face made you hesitate, but your pain kept you going. “It’s always this flash of anger and hate before you finally realize it’s me. I’m sick of it.” You spun away to your bedroom, but Artemis grabbed your arm.

“That’s not true...” she began, but you jerked your arm out of her grasp.

“You know it is.” You narrowed your eyes dangerously at her. “Come on, weren’t you just yelling at me the other day for having my mask off and making the team wonder why I look like Sportsmaster?” Her eyes dropped. “Yeah, can’t say anything, can you?” Your voice was colder than you ever heard it be before. 

Hurrying to your bedroom, you slammed the door and locked it. Your cheeks were wet with what you thought might be tears, but you told yourself it wasn’t. You didn’t care, yet your cheeks stayed wet for a long time.

***

“(Y/N), I have dinner,” Artemis whispered through your bedroom door. “It’s your favorite.” Your stomach rumbled at the thought, but you stayed lying on your bed. 

“Go away.” You turned on your side to face away from your door. 

Artemis sighed loud enough for you to hear. Little scratching sounds came from the door before it opened. “You’re going to eat. I don’t care.” Artemis came in. You turned to find Paula’s credit card in her hand. She used that to open the lock, a trick Jade had taught you both.

You narrowed your eyes at her. She glowered back at you. “I’m not hungry, Artie.” You laid back down and turned away from her. 

“Look, I’m sorry.” She set the tray of food down on your bedside table. The smell made your stomach growl loudly. “I’m sorry I made you feel like I was ashamed of you because you were unlucky enough to look exactly like Dad.” 

You turned and took the food, unable to stop yourself. “Whatever,” you mumbled between bites. 

“Don’t whatever me. I’m trying to make amends.” She crossed her arms. “And I like your new hair by the way. I mean I was shocked at first, but you do look good.” 

Raising an eyebrow, you eyed her as you took a bite of food. “You really think so?” 

“Yeah.” She pursed her lips. “You should talk to Mom. She’s hurt, and she cleaning the kitchen to the point where nothing will be left if we don’t stop her.” 

“Can I finish eating first?” You laughed, happier than you had been in a long time. 

Artemis giggled, plopping down beside you and stealing some of your food. “You’re always thinking about food.”

“I’m always thinking about food? You just stole some.” You nudged Artemis, making her laugh. Suddenly, you felt she was your sister again and for the first time in a long time, you were comfortable in your own skin.

[capricornus-rex]

A Shadow of What You Used to Be (14)

Chapter 14: And So the Hunt Begins | Cal Kestis x Irele Skywalker

Requested by Anon

Summary: There is another! Years after young Anakin Skywalker departed Tatooine, his mother Shmi delivers a second child—this time, a daughter. Whilst the circumstance of the girl’s birth remains unexplained, Irele Skywalker has yet to choose the true path between those laid out for her.

Tags: Fem! OC, Irele Skywalker, Force-sensitive! OC, Anakin’s Younger Sister, Skywalker! OC, Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice, Long-lost Sibling

A/N: I’m honestly a little worried about the story getting attention. There are times where I feel insecure and doubtful of the work I put out. A ton of questions come to me like “Has the story gotten boring?” and my answer to that is I sure hope not. If you’ve been following the story, looking forward to each chapter update, and you’re actually enjoying it, thank you so so much! That really means a lot to me. I try my best not to let the stress of work and personal life get in the way of my posting and especially my creativity. Please, guys, do me a small favor: let me know what you think of the story so far. 🙏🏻 As always, love lots 💜

Requesting to be tagged: @heavenly1927​

Also in AO3

Chapters: Prelude – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 | Previous: Part 13 | Next: Part 15 | Masterlist

15 of ?

Irele, along with HY-L33, bolted to the elevator lobby. The door opened to the hangar bay. The young girl’s strides were poised with urgency, she commanded the nearest captain to prepare her ship and a small unit of Stormtropers to accompany her.

“Ma’am, the 65th Squadron has already been deployed to Zeffo.”

“That’s Captain Kane’s squad.”

“Indeed,” the commander’s eye rolled to the side for a bit. “What’s left of them, at least.”

“Their transmissions mentioned a Jedi who cut them down by the numbers, and you’re satisfied with what’s left of them?”

“That’s… not my implication, my lady,” the commander blushed.

The commander then held his tongue. There was no way debating through that. Complacency and settling for less were neither minor or major offenses, though it makes one’s work efficiency and ethics seem questionable. The uniformed man hung his head in shame, hoping that Irele would not say another word and leave it at that.

A hangar operator cut in their conversation—or lack thereof—indicating that Irele’s light cruiser, the Obeisance, is ready to go. He got his unspoken wish.

“Jedi can be fools. But so is one who decides to underestimate them.” Irele lectured, serving mostly as a reminder to herself than an advice to the commander.

Nothing was further said. Irele hopped into the cruiser and her droid companion followed along. The pilot was already informed of their destination, so Irele had time to do some more “light reading.”

The small computer in her quarters provided the database of all the logs transmitted from various troopers and officers originating from several, different planets. Irele narrowed down her search about the Zeffo logs and skimmed the holos until there was mention of the Jedi.

She had a strong feeling that this incident in Zeffo has got something to do with the red-haired Jedi she eyed on during the briefing with the Inquisitors. Secretly, she had feared that one or two of them might have gotten there first, though they would have most likely gone for the more notorious survivors—Jedi masters and Padawan prodigies, for instance.

“What can be said about Zeffo, Haylee?”

“A small colony of humans reside in the continent just along the planet’s equator. Albeit a large landmass, the terrain is rather hostile—as 60% of the planet is water.”

“It is also a treasure chest of sorts—for the Emperor, at least, and other like-minded hoarders,” Irele added, the droid had nothing to comment. “Stay here in the Obeisance, Haylee, understand? I can’t have you in the line of fire down there.”

Irele was the first to alight the cruiser via her personal TIE Interceptor docked in the cruiser’s hangar. Riding behind her was the transport ship carrying the 77th Squadron. The transport landed first, melding with the remnants of the 65th, while Irele demanded the last known location of where the Jedi was found.

“Lady Irele, Captain CL-5857 reporting. Sending you the last reported coordinates of the Jedi.”

“Very good, Captain. My channel’s open for you now.”

The numbers instantly appeared on Irele’s screen and followed the navicomputer after the coordinates have been encoded. The TIE Interceptor zipped past the said colony—which was now literally a ghost town sprawling with Stormtroopers, almost like ghosts. Peeking over her window, she spotted a bleach-white mound pushed to the side along the stone cottages.

Dead Stormtroopers.

“Interesting.” Irele muttered and smirked. Not the least bit fazed of just how possibly deadly her target is.

–

At the end of the Augur Pulverizers, Cal found his way on a dangerously-placed metal balcony and startled two Stormtroopers, sneaking up on them. He stayed there to catch his breath. The roar of a TIE Interceptor’s engine caught his attention and watched the ship dart through the overcast skies like a loosed arrow.

He half-dismissed the feeling he got before the TIE flew out of sight. Irele got a quick glimpse of the other end of the pulverizers, the head full of red hair was such a dead giveaway, he stood out more than the white armor dotting Zeffo’s terrain.

On his right was a plateau where more of them waited for him, but it was his only way to get to the tomb.

Irele circled her way around the mountain. She discovered her destination when she found the monument of a Zeffonian sage standing amongst the jagged pillars of rock. She remained on the high ground, docking her TIE on a plateau that overlooks this region of the planet and sensed Cal coming this way.

Trekking through Zeffo’s steep ridges and cliffsides were both exhilarating and arduous. Fresh air welcomed itself to Cal’s lungs and the wind swept off the auburn locks from his head. He emerged from the mouth of the cave at the far opposite of the grand entrance of the tomb.

Cal scanned the area and saw that the coast was clear

Too clear.

Sitting atop of one of the stone columns dotting the courtyard of the tomb was Irele, leisurely swinging her one leg over the other.

“I’m almost hoping you’re not the guy the Stormtroopers are talking about in their audio logs,”

Her entrance startled Cal, setting him on high alert and had him brandishing his saber on pure instinct. Bemused, Irele smirked while she rested her chin on her palm.

“Well, let’s see if looks really can be deceiving!”

She leaped off of her perch; lightly did her feet touch the ground at her descent. Dust plumed over the tips of her boots, and while bent, she takes her lightsaber off of the clip pf her belt to boast a pair of red blades on both ends.

Cal tried his best to remain calm. His gloves squeaked as he tightened his grip on his own saber. He activated the second frost blue blade, a statement implying that he’s just as capable as she is.

Irele smirked and cooed, “Well now.”

They battled in the second tier landing of the tomb’s courtyard. Dual-ended blades clashing against one another. Red versus blue.

If only Vader could see her now.

Irele’s training did not betray her. Those two years of strenuous training had given her a great amount of stamina, more than enough to last her two duels against a Jedi and still have more to chase them down to finish what she started.

“Come on, redhead! Don’t disappoint me!” she snarled, taunting the boy.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find I’m full of surprises!”

“Oho!” she cackled. Distanced herself for a second’s worth of a breather, she bared her teeth in a wide, mischievous grin. “I do love surprises!”

Cal wasn’t afraid to admit that his opponent was nimbler, more dexterous, and perhaps even stronger. He could feel the hate and anger flowing in her, as if it’s replaced the blood in her veins, though he thinks she’s a fool for weaponizing those emotions—ones that only a Sith would use to their advantage.

He needed to find an opening. This girl was too strong, he thought. He rammed his shoulder to her, causing her to stumble in her footing, and then—within a moment’s opportunity—he recoiled and sprung his hands to his front: sending a wave of the Force to increase the distance away from her. Then he made a run for it—there was an opening at the side of the tomb entrance, and hurriedly squeezed his way through the narrow space between two boulders.

He managed to slither his way out, but Irele caught up to him fast. Shrapnel of stones flew and clattered behind Cal, he looked over his shoulder and saw the girl appearing from the dust cloud, her crimson blades lighting up in the middle of the fog.

“Who are you!?”

No reply from the girl.

She just kept pushing forward. Greedy to land more strikes on the boy and hopefully disarm him.

Ahead of them was another way to the lift that leads to the underground level of the tomb. The only obstacle is that a ring of rocks, spinning around the lift in great speeds, is blocking Cal’s way of ever getting into that ancient elevator.

Desperately, he slows down the movement of the stones circling the lift, and bolted through while it was still safe. Irele was at his tail. They continued their exchange of strikes until either of them could notice that the influence of Cal’s Force Slow was wearing off. He had made his way closer to the lift while they fought, but Irele was too blind to be aware of her surroundings. When the stones were gradually returning to their original speed, Cal mustered up enough energy again to push Irele out of the stones’ orbit with one hand, while the other slowed the stones but they were now at his volition.

“NO!!”

Cal hopped into the lift, his one hand relaxed and the stones were orbiting the golden elevator at cyclonic speeds. As the golden lift sank, with a heavy bell-like clang to signal its descent, so did Irele’s stomach. This is unacceptable, she knew it, she needs to find another way to the tomb and catch up with the Jedi.

Meanwhile, Cal sought refuge and rest in the safety of the golden lift. He caught his breath and shook off whatever tension and adrenaline left from that fight.

“Who was that?” he asked to nobody in particular.

“Bee-woo…” BD-1 chirped.

His comlink beeped, and Cere’s voice popped through the speaker.

“Cal? Have you found the tomb?”

“Yeah, I found it. And I also found someone interesting.”

“Who?”

“She… I don’t know if she’s an Inquisitor. I’m not even sure if she is one. Though I am sure that she’s with the Empire. I saw her TIE Fighter earlier, didn’t expect to bump into her though.”

He recalled quietly what she looked like and what she wore. Normally, Inquisitors donned armor with the Empire’s insignia on it. But Irele was fashioned differently, compared to a completely armored Inquisitor: her outfit consisted of a short-sleeved top that covered her from the neck down, a long skirt complemented by ankle-length boots. The only pieces of “armor” she has are a brown leather surcoat over her top and a belt. In her defense, she preferred less is more.

“Whether or not she’s an Inquisitor, if she’s just as bad as you say she is—then you better keep an eye out. You are definitely not alone out there.” Cere warned with a graveness in her voice.

“I know.”

[sparkleofpizza]

The archer - Tim Drake x reader 7/?

A/n: I am back, finally. I can't believe how long it took for me to write this when it is mostly a filler part for what's coming next, but quarantine got me and I spent a very long time without feeling like writing, then I hurt my wrist and I couldn't type. But, hopefully, now I will be able to keep on writing again.

Requested: no

Warnings: smut mention 

Taglist: @isthataladybag @the-fandom-ness @takoyakkun @caswinchester2000 @malfoys-demigod @n1ghtsh4d3-67 @ijustwannabecanadian

Summary: Y/n Queen will be living in the Wayne Manor for a while, and Dick Grayson decided to be the cupid between her and his little brother Tim Drake

Word count: 2.9k

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

The apartment was really quiet. In all honest, you don't think you've ever seen Oliver this quiet before, specially when you told him something important. Specially after you had ghosted him for nearly two days. You expected him to lecture you about safety, or to argue with you, not sit there, in silence.

You had asked him to come over to Tim's safe house, you didn't trust to have this kind of conversation with him at the manor - thinking you two would yell at each other. But there you were, sitting at the sofa, staring at your brother who sat across from you. The only sound present was the dishwasher working on the kitchen, Tim was out for patrol, so there was just the two of you there.

"Do you understand now, why I have to treat her like a villain?" Oliver asked, breaking the silence 

"Yes, but I don't think you should. It's mom, Oliver."

"And yet she wanted you to become an assassin!"

Yes, he was right, she wanted you to become an assassin. But there must be an explanation for all of this, your mom couldn't just have become one of the bad guys! That meant so many things in your life was a lie, and you weren't ready to face it. It was too much happening all at once. 

"I don't..." you shook your head "I don't want to give up on her just yet. Look how Emiko turned out?"

Oliver nodded, sighing in frustration.

"I know, y/n. But I don't want us to let our emotions get in the way if we have to stop her, we need to be prepared for the worst scenario."

Again, you knew he was right. You knew this was all too good to be truth, mom alive and hoping that everything would go back to the way it was, being a family.

You nodded your head, heaving a sight.

“So what are we going to do?”

“We’ll come up with a plan and we will get her, then after that, after... talking to her, we will decide what will happen.”

What a family reunion this is going to be.

“I can be the bait.” You suggested

Oliver glared at you and then at Dinah who had slightly moved her head in agreement.

“No. No one is being used as bait.”

You were all reunited at the batcave, Bruce had said you could use it for as long as you need and that they would help you with anything necessary.

Dinah, Emiko, Felicity and Diggle had came from Star City to discuss strategy and what to do from now on. Everyone staying at the manor, Bruce was really a nice guy, opening up his house to so many people.

You stared at Tim who was working on the batcomputer, sometimes stealing glances at you and smiling reassuringly at you. You wish he was sitting right beside you, but he had a big case to crack and you knew you could handle it with team Arrow. Still, it would be nice to have him by your side.

“Stop daydreaming about your boyfriend.” Emiko poked your side

You frowned at her “What makes you think I am daydreaming about him?”

“You were staring.”

You rolled your eyes at her “You were staring at Damian earlier too and I didn’t acuse you of daydreaming about him.”

Her face took different shades of red, glaring at you the way you knew your brother used when he was out on patrol. You smiled triumphantly at her as she scoffed and said it was bullshit. You giggled, throwing an arm over her shoulder and bringing her into a sided hug, one that she tried to fight but couldn’t because you knew she lacked this kind of affection from her mom, and she seeked that in you.

“So according to the data that Oliver managed to get, they will be in London this weekend.” Felicity informed, staring at the laptop in front of her

“Good.” Diggle nodded his head “We have some time to prepare, then.”

“We need to be at our best conditions, so this means no patrol while in town, we can’t risk it getting hurt before leaving.” Dinah said, giving Emiko a pointed look

“That’s not fair. You said I could patrol tonight!”

“Dinah is right. Beside, the bats got it covered, we should be worring about Star City.” Oliver shook his head “I called Roy and Arthemis, they said they will see what they can do to make sure the city is safe while we’re away.”

Soon, everyone started to leave the cave, allowing you, to finally go spend some time with your dear sweet boyfriend.

You stood behind him, watching whatever he was hacking into him. You lightly touched his shoulders, not to startle him, but you had a good idea that he already knew you were behind him.

“Haven’t you worked enough, already?” You asked, quietly not to disturb the calming silence

Tim sighted “Maybe. I do need to wake up early tomorrow, but I really not to finish this.”

You smiled, kissing his cheek “What do I need to do to make you go to bed and get some rest?”

“Sleep right next to me and cuddle?” He suggested, spinning around in the chair and caging you between his legs, hands pressed against his chest

“That sounds like a good deal.”

Tim nodded, smiling at you and stending up, still keeping you in his arms. He leaned down, pressing his lips to yours.

“Let’s go to sleep.” He whispered, you nodded with your eyes closed, basking into his warm touch

He lead you out of the cave and into the manor. Keeping a hand at the small of your back, while he told you about the case he was working on and how Jason had been bugging him about it all day long.

“I swear I wanted to punch him.” He rambled, making you chuckle “Don’t laugh, I mean it.”

“I know you do, love.”

You pushed his barroom door open and stepped inside, turning on the lights. His room smelled faintly like coffee - probably because he thought it would be a good idea to get a coffee machine there, but it ended up with you and Alfred scolding him for being irresponsible.

Tim wandered to his closet with you trailing behind him, you grabbed a hoddie while he got sweatpants for him to sleep. You turned back to change your cloths into his hoddie.

“Is everything ok with you and Oliver?” He asked, entering the bathroom to brush his teeth

“Yes.” You sighted, grabbing the toothpaste “We are going to London this weekend.”

He nodded, brushing his teeth while he watched your expression on the mirror. You looked tired, and he knew you haven’t been sleeping well lately - you spent most of the nights together, while he was working on the computer you’d be lying in his bed, tossing and turning too much for someone who was having a good night sleep.

“I just want this to be over with as soon as possible.” You said after finishing brushing your teeth “But at the same time I don’t want it to be over because I am terrified of what I am going to face when I see my mom again.”

He nodded, kissing your temple.

“It’s going to be alright, pretty bird. You’re not alone in this.”

You smiled at him, clibing into bed right next to him. Tim pulled the covers on top of you both, and pulled you closer to his body, wrapping his arms around you.

“Try to get some sleep.” He kissed your forehead

“Goodnight, Timmy.” You mumbled

There was something about London that made you like the city quiete a lot. You haven been there so many times, only two. Once when you were still a child and your dad had a business meeting, he thought it would be a good idea to take with him, spend a couple more days than necessary. You enjoyed it a lot, it was one of your favorite memories with your dad. 

Now, there you were back in town, but this time to deal with your villain mom who you didn't even know was alive. Well, maybe London will lose its magic once you realize that from now on you will be thinking of this town as a place where your family fell apart. 

You watched Emiko and Damian discuss different types of blades and which occasion it was better to use them. You frowned. Weirds kids, why can't they talk about some cartoons or school? You hated the fact that they didn't acknowledge their childhood and instead acted like... this. 

A cold hand fell on top of yours. You turned around watching Tim smile at you, you smiled back, placing your head on his shoulder. 

"Is it weird that your first trip together is a mission with our family involved?" he questioned making you giggle

"Totally. But I don't think I would've even stepped a foot in the airport if it wasn't for you."

He kissed the top of your head.

"Do you want to go to your room?" he proposed, looking at Emiko and Damian on top of Damian's bed 

"Tim Drake are you trying to get me into bed?" you wiggled your eyebrows at him, a playful smile on your lips 

"To sleep, yes."

You nodded, standing up with him. You both didn't like very much room arrangements, you were sharing it with your sister and Tim was sharing it with Damian, but since both were busy in Tim's room, it wouldn't be weird if you both napped in yours.

You opened the bedroom door with your card key, letting it lock behind the both of you. You kicked your shoes off, unbuttoning your jeans to get rid of them, it would be very uncomfortable to sleep in them. 

"Uh, what you're doing?" Tim asked, you looked over your shoulder to see him with wide eyes trying not to look at you

You giggled "Taking off my clothes so I can put on more comfortable ones? What did you think I was doing, Timmy?"

He groaned at your teasing voice and smile. Yes, of course you would tease him. You both have been a this weird teasing make out sessions mood ever since the day at the bar, but it haven't gone far than that because there was always something to interrupt them. And yes, it was killing him that all he wanted to do was to be with you and you kept teasing him, so of course, he teased you back, it was a restless war that you both couldn't wait to be over.

"Maybe going to take a nice and hot shower..." he trailed off, pulling at his sweater until it was lying on the floor, you stared at his chest then slowly your eyes were back at his face "But comfortable clothes sound very nice."

You frowned at him, he didn't have any clothes at your bedroom right now because you two weren't sharing it. Then a devious idea popped into your mind.

You took of your shirt, and then your bra, leaving yourself in just your panties. You went down to the floor, grabbing the sweater Tim had left fall there, not breaking eye contact as you put on his clothes. You watched him gulp as he stared at your body covered in his sweater. 

You grinned at him, flopping yourself on top of the bed, patting the place next to you.

"Aren't you going to take a nap with me?"

Tim took a deep breath before lowering himself to the mattress and laying beside you. You moved yourself closer to his body, letting him drop his arm over your waist as you placed a hand on top of his chest.

"Now, this is nice."

You closed your eyes, enjoining your boyfriend's warmth, embracing the tiredness.

Now that you ara finally in London, the moment you're going to have to face your mom is closer than ever. You could still remember all of the memories you had with her, not believing that the same loving woman who had raised you until her last days was the same one that was part of such a bad and horrible organization, that she had did all that Talia had told you. You just couldn't wrap your mind around it.

What are you going to actually do when you see her? Talk? Hug? Yell? You had to be prepared, you couldn't just stand still staring at her. You're going to have a plan of action, you're going to have to be ready for this dreadful moment. 

Oh, but how you wish Oliver is wrong and that his is mom. 

You lifted your head from the pillow, watching Tim who had his eyes closed, but you knew weren't asleep.

"Why aren't you sleeping yet?" he asked you once he felt you shifting around, still not opening his eyes 

"My mind won't shut up." you complained, letting your head fall back into the pillow, sighing heavily 

He chuckled "Welcome to my world, pretty bird, this is way I always stay later than I should."

"Maybe we're spending too much time together." you joked 

He squeezed your waist making you squeak.

"Tired of me already?"

"Never." you shook your head, laughing 

You stared at Tim. He, now, had his eyes open and was looking at you. He looked so beautiful, with sleep clouding him and the soft smile he was giving you right now. You are so luck to be the one lying in this bed, with his arms around you. You couldn't imagine sharing a moment like this with anyone else but him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked quietly 

You smiled "Just thinking about how cute you look when you're all soft and ready to sleep."

He leaned him, allowing his lips to touch yours briefly, in a sweet kiss. You touched his hair, tangling your fingers in it, it was so soft and you loved to put your hands there because you knew he enjoyed it too. He brought you in closer by the arm around your waist, pressing your chest together.

Soon enough, you were straddling his hips, full on make out session. Hands everywhere, touching every ounce of skin possible, shivers running down your spine every time Tim squeezed some part of you. Breath moans leaving your lips when he kissed down your neck. 

And then, someone opened the bedroom door. Tim pushed you off of him, nearly knocking you out of bed, but luckily you found a way to stabilize yourself.  He tried to cover his naked chest only to realize that you had stolen his sweater and that your clothes were scattered across the room, having fallen out of their original place on top of bed. This did not look good.

Emiko and Damian stood on the door, staring at the both of you. Cheeks flushed and mouths hung open. 

"Oh my God." your sister muttered "I'm sorry, we didn't meant to..."

"What are you apologizing for? They are the ones who should be sorry." Damian frowned "We are here on a serious mission and you two are trying to get at each other like desperate beings, we do not need any more Drakes in the world."

You thought you couldn't feel more embarrassed than right now. You couldn't even look them in the eyes, this is so so bad. And the fact that Damian thought you and Tim were trying to have babies? Oh God, you cannot deal with this right now. 

"We are going to order some... food." Emiko said, scowling backing away into the hallway "If you guys are hungry..." 

She closed the door behind her, leaving you and Tim alone and in completely weird silence. 

You kept staring at the closed door, still not believing your sister and Tim's brother had walked into you two making out on bed. This is so embarrassing, and frustrating. 

"You don't think they are going to tell Oliver, do you?" Your boyfriend broke the silence, making you turn your head to look at him 

"Hopefully not." you slid out of bed "I'm going to take a shower so I can try to forget that our siblings could've seen us naked doing something they shouldn't see us doing."

You grabbed some clothes out of your suitcase and headed towards the bathroom. Tim stayed laying in bed, watching you.

"It could've been worse." he said as you were about to close the door "It could've been Jason, Dick or Roy. Think about how much teasing we would have to go trough."

You wined just thinking about it. Hopefully, both Damian and Emiko would keep their mouths shut and this all could be avoided. The last thing you needed was to be teased by something that didn't even happen yet.

After you left the shower, feeling refreshed and ready to actually try to get some sleep or even go to Damian’s room and eat dinner with them. You opened the door to the bathroom, finding an empty spot in bed where Tim had been previously. You looked around the room, finding Emiko getting her suit out of her suitcase.

“We have to go.” She said, putting her suit in a hand backpack “They’re on the move.”

[heyitsani]

Loving You is a Losing Game Chapter 4

Word Count: 6518

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Character death (applies in this chapter and not overly graphic)

Pairing: Jason Todd/Dick Grayson

Summary: The curse takes the payment it demands.

Notes: End of the line, folks!  I’m off to work on the other pieces I did for JayDick Week, as well as finish up a few things I have for this month.  It’s my birthday in the middle of the month and it’s Pride Month, so good things coming all around!

You can also read it on AO3 here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride to the cave was as silent as Dick had expected it to be, but he couldn’t help but feel it was more because Bruce was trying to figure out how Dick had managed to get out now but not before.  And honestly, Dick wasn’t really sure how he could leave now and not before, but he also wasn’t magical.  So what did he know about what the curse could do?

“Tim and Damian have been communicating with Constantine about how to possibly break down the wall,” Bruce finally said as they pulled into the secret entrance.  “He has been pretty adamant that only the yielder could destroy it though.”

Dick considered that, thinking about the witch who had put Jason in there to begin with.  He didn’t even know the reason, Jace having kept the reasoning quiet when Dick had tried to ask.  But he wondered if the man were correct in his assumptions.  He would know more than Dick would, after all.

“We have to find a way,” Dick finally said.  He didn’t know how they would do it, but they had to.  He had to get them out of there.  He had to.  Otherwise, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t just walk back through that wall and stay there. “I need to keep a promise.”

“Dick,” Bruce’s voice was sharp when they came to a stop and the engine was cut.  Looking over at Bruce, Dick waited.  “How did you escape?”

Shrugging a shoulder, Dick looked away.  “I don’t know why I could get through this time.  I tried before and was stopped.  But…” He let out a huff of air through his nose, looking at the approaching forms of his brothers, who wouldn’t be able to see he was in the car through the tinted windows.  “We have to get them out of there, Bruce.  We have to.”

“That man trapped you there.”

“No,” Dick shook his head. “He’s not…he didn’t do that. There’s some kind of curse over them. And it’s more than just him. There are others there, trapped just like Jace.”

“Jace.”

“The man, that’s his name.” Bruce remained silent, just watching Dick with his blank face before he opened the door and stepped out of the car. With a sigh, Dick opened his own door and climbed out.

“Dick!”  Tim’s surprised voice interrupted his thoughts and immediately a smaller body collided with his own.  Looking down, he smiled at the familiar sight of Damian with his face buried in his stomach.  And soon enough Tim was at his side, giving him a hug.

“Father was successful then?”  Damian questioned when he pulled back.  Dick ruffled the kid’s hair and smiled sadly.  “Richard?”

Looking over at Bruce, he saw the man watching with the cowl pulled down and frown on his face.  “No, I was able to get out on my own.  It’s hard to explain.  But I do think we need to speak with the League,” he said, loud enough that Bruce could hear him clearly.

“Perhaps after a rest, Master Dick?”  Alfred approached with a relieved smile.  Dick pulled himself away from his brothers and reached over to Alfred to give the older man a hug.  “I am so glad to see you are safe, my boy.”  The man kept his voice low, but Dick could easily hear the emotion in it. Dick responded with tightening the hug for a moment before pulling back to smile at him.

“We need to go, B.  We can’t leave them there.  You thought there was a link between the missing heroes and that spot, maybe there is.  We can’t do this one on our own just because it’s Gotham.”  Bruce’s frown deepened and Dick raised his chin, making it obvious he would go to the League on his own if he needed to.  “This is their problem too.”

Bruce seemed to be considering the issue before sighing and turning toward the computer.  “I’ll call them to come here to Gotham.  We’ll meet them in the city.”  Dick nodded and let his body relax a little.  He would get Jace and the others out.  He would do it even if he had to figure it out on his own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It felt like coming home, standing on the top of Wayne Tower in one of his back up suits, the one with the fingerstripes that he had retired a few years prior, with a domino firmly in place on his face while they waited for the members of the Justice League to arrive.  He stood just off to the side of Batman’s stoic figure, Robin on Bruce’s other side and Red Robin behind them on an elevated platform.  They made an intimidating group, as the Bats always did, but Dick felt like it was a false face at this point.

He knew Bruce was going to order the Robins to remain in the city to handle the assassins and keep an eye on the city, but that it was going to result in a fight.  He didn’t care.  He didn’t want to risk the two of them getting caught in something because they didn’t know what would happen if all of them tried to get through the wall of magic at the same time.

Dick hoped it would break under the pressure, but he doubted he’d be that lucky.

“Nightwing!”  Superman looked surprised the instant he touched down on the rooftop.  “You’re back! We had worried you fell into the same fate as…”  Dick gave him a sad smile, thinking of Jon having gone missing a week before Dick had gone to save Bruce.  “I am glad to see you are safe.”

Nodding his head, Dick remained silent as the others began to arrive.  Wonder Woman and Black Cannery together, Flash moments after Green Arrow and Aquaman.  Green Lantern was the last to arrive, gathering Dick up in a fierce hug before Batman barked at them all to come to attention.  And Dick straightened his spine at the order, even though he usually balked at being treated as Bruce’s soldier.  This time he would relent.  This time he would tolerate it because it was important to him.  

This time it was about Jace.

“With Nightwing’s return, we have decided it best to call in the League to handle a problem that we are not able to do so on our own,” Batman said, voice flat.  Dick knew how much he hated that he was having to ask for help in his city, but deeply thankful that the man was willing to.

He listened to Batman explain to the others what exactly had happened the day Dick had vanished, recounting how Batman had been taken by the shadow man and then how Agent A had called in Nightwing to try and rescue Batman.  Bruce kept to the facts, telling them that Nightwing had exchanged himself and then been unable to escape when he had tried a few weeks later.  

“So this man is holding everyone hostage in this curse?”  A voice that made Dick tense up questioned.  

Bruce practically growled. “Deathstroke, what are you doing here?”

But where others would have been intimidated by Bruce’s menacing voice, Slade just smirked and sauntered closer to the group from the shadows he had been hiding behind.  “I heard my birdie had finally come home,” he said, looking over at Dick and making the hero roll his eyes.

“Leave, Slade,” Dick said, shaking his head.  He knew he would have to face an interrogation after this was all over from Bruce about what Deathstroke wanted with him, but he didn’t want to add more fuel to that fire right then.  He had people to rescue.

“I don’t think I will. I think that I have a right to be concerned about the fact that someone I care about went missing for months and now wants to rescue the man who was responsible.”  Dick sighed and looked over at Bruce, who kept his face blank but Dick knew him well enough to know he was glowering at Slade.  “You do know the term Stockholm Syndrome, don’t you Birdie?”

“That’s not what this is, Slade.  You don’t know anything.  He’s a prisoner as much as the others are.”

“Is he?  Or is that just what he told you after he ‘saved your life’ and caught you in his web?”  Shaking his head Dick looked over at the other heroes and noticed they seemed to be considering Slade’s words carefully.  He knew he needed to nip this in the bud as soon as possible.

Stepping forward, ignoring the attempt Robin made to grab his arm, Dick moved into the center of the group where Slade was now standing.  “Slade doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  I was there, I experienced it.  Jace is a good man and he’s trapped just like everyone else. And I can prove it,” he said, reaching into the pocket he had stored the vial of liquid Jace had given him and a flimsy silicone bowl he could fold up.  Pouring the green glowing liquid into the bowl, Dick tucked the vial away again.

“Nightwing, is that…” Robin’s question faded off and while Dick was tempted to ask him to finish, he focused on the task at hand.  

“Show me Jace,” he said, looking at the liquid swirl and shift just as it had when Jace had given him the chance to see Bruce before letting him go.  The image of Jace shifting between shadow and man appeared, surrounded by the broken furniture of the room in the West Wing.  It made Dick’s heart ache, seeing the sadness on Jace’s face and the destruction around him.  

The others gasped, moving in closer to see before Dick found the bowl pulled out of his hands.  “This isn’t a man,” Slade said, voice low and disgusted.  “That’s not a shadow, that’s a demon!”  Dick shook his head and looked at the others to help him out.  But Superman and Wonder Woman were looking at Slade with wide eyes and fear laced in anger.  “We can’t let this creature out!  He’d kill us all!”

“No!”  Dick shouted, trying to grab the bowl from Slade but found himself being tugged back.  Looking behind him, he found Green Lantern holding onto his upper arm while frowning deeply at Slade.  “He’s not a creature.  He’s a man. He’s just a man and he needs our help!”

“This doesn’t look like a man, Nightwing.  This looks like someone who has possessed your mind and forced you to believe he was good.  Why were you suddenly able to get out?  Why were you able to after coming to trust him but not before when you were certain it was his fault you were trapped there?”  Dick shook his head, hating that Slade was able to twist his words like this. He wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t telling the truth either.  “He wanted you to trust him, to care for him.  And now he’s waiting for you to release him onto the world.  Well not on my watch!”

“Not on our watch!” Superman said, but Dick could only stare at Slade in disbelief.  How did they end up here?

Green Lantern’s hold tightened and before he knew what was happening, Batman, Red Robin, and Robin were all being held by various heroes.  “I have a place we can lock these four away so they can’t cause any trouble.  Then we can go after this monster and rid the earth of this danger!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fuck!”  Dick growled as he tugged on the door of the cell in whatever random safehouse Slade had locked them in.  Why he even had a safehouse with a cell in it to begin with was beyond him, but part of Dick didn’t even want to know what the purpose of it was.

“Dick, stop,” Tim called from the corner where he and Bruce were trying to figure out how to get out of there.  “It’s not going to just magically open.”  

Releasing the bar, Dick let his shoulders drop with a sigh before turning as he ran a hand through his hair.  “I need to get out of here.  I have to help Jace.  This is all my fault.”  He looked at the pair in the corner before looking over at Damian as he looked for weaknesses in the structure of the cell.

“We’ll get you out, but you need to calm down.  Freaking out isn’t helping.”  Nodding his agreement with Tim’s assessment, Dick dropped down to sit on the ground and watch Damian continue.  “We don’t have enough room to blast our way out.  We’d get caught in the blast.”  Bruce grunted his agreement, but still sorted through the items they had available. None of their lockpicks had worked and Tim made a good point.  

“Can we call anyone?” Dick asked, looking over at Bruce and Tim who seemed to be at a loss.  “Oracle?  Batgirl? Batwoman?”

Bruce shook his head and sighed.  “I don’t know where Batwoman is, but the Birds are out of the country.”  Groaning in annoyance, Dick pulled his knees up and shoved his face into them.  He had no idea how they were going to get out of there and that meant he was helpless to do anything to save Jace and the others.  He just hoped the man had the League of Assassins on his side for this.

“Communicators aren’t working any way,” Tim muttered and Dick suppressed the desire to groan again. Rarely did he feel hopeless. Rarely did he feel like there was no chance of getting out of a situation.  But right then?  With the knowledge that Slade had the Justice League on his side while hunting the man he cared about, maybe even loved?  He felt hopeless.

But then the sound of a door blasting open caused him to pull his head out of his knees and look at Bruce.  But he found Bruce and Tim both looking beyond Dick.  Turning to look behind him, Dick saw the smoke of a bomb having gone off before a man was coming through the cloud with a determined look on his face.

“Agent A!”  Dick leapt to his feet and grabbed the bars of the cell.

The elderly man looked them all over briefly before getting to work on the lock of the door.  “I was unable to contact anyone to assist, so I came myself,” Alfred said, keeping his focus on the task at hand.  “There was no time to waste if you wanted to save your friend.”  Alfred spared Dick a glance and Dick sighed.  Alfred knew there was more to the situation than just friendship and Dick didn’t know why he was surprised that the man had picked up on that.

“Robins, I want you on the outside as planned.  Red Robin from above and Robin on the ground since you know how to handle the footmen,” Batman barked out orders as the click of the lock sounded and the cell door swung open.

“The plane is on the roof,” Alfred said as Dick rushed out of the cell, squeezed the man’s upper arm in thanks before running out of the safehouse to get to the plane.  He didn’t need to look back to know that the others would be right behind him.  He didn’t have time to worry about whether or not they were there because he had to get to Jace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they arrived at the location, Dick saw chaos.  The League of Assassins’ footmen were spread out, fighting the members of the Justice League, but Slade was no where to be seen.  And that thought worried him.  

“Nightwing wait!” Batman called out as Dick ran out of the plane the moment it touched down, but Dick ignored him.  He went straight for the wall of magic, avoiding a kick to the side by a footmen before he was able to start pushing through.  

Familiar with the feel of the magic now, Dick almost felt like he was being welcomed home as he broke through and ran for the castle.  “Dana! Where are they?”  He knew Slade had to have made his way to Jace, but the castle was too big to search on his own.  The woman looked at him with wide, surprised eyes, before pointing upward to the roof.  “Fuck,” he muttered, grabbing his grapple gun and aiming for a spot not far off from where Jace and Slade were facing off.  

His feet had just touched down when he heard the sound of a sword clattering to the ground and found Slade standing in front of Jace with his katana in hand and Jace’s sword off to the side, just out of reach.

“No!”  Dick screamed as he surged forward, not pausing to think about the katana soaring through the air toward Jace who had his back against the wall behind him.  The only thing he thought of was saving the man from the fate Deathstroke felt he had earned.  “Slade-” his voice cut off without his permission when he came to a halt in front of Jace.

There was silence for a moment and time almost seemed to freeze as Dick watched Slade’s eye go wide and Jace gasp behind him.  Shifting his gaze from Slade downward, Dick took in the sight of the katana buried in his stomach, frowning in confusion.  Surely if it were really in his stomach to the hilt he would feel it, right?  But there was nothing.

And then there was too much.

Dick felt himself crumble, only to be caught by the man he had just saved from this very fate, and the sword sliding effortlessly out of his stomach as he went.  The sound Jace made behind him was almost inhuman and pained and Dick figured that was when he got a good look at the damage.  

“You.”  He heard Jace growl before he saw the familiar figure lung over him and grab at Slade.  The force of it was enough to surprise the man and just as Dick managed to turn his head to look at the pair, he saw Jace pulling the katana out of Slade’s hands and throwing him off balance enough that the assassin was toppling over the edge of the rooftop they were on.

He watched Jace stand there, breathing heavily for a moment before Dick reached out a hand.  “Jace,” he rasped, drawing the other man’s attention. And reality came rushing back to him, Dick could see it in his eyes as he remembered the condition Dick was currently in.  The katana fell to the ground with a sharp clang.

“Oh god, Dick,” the man cried out as he ran back over and fell to his knees.  Dick let out a grunt when a hand pressed against his chest in order to stem the literal life bleeding out of him.  “This wasn’t supposed to happen.  It wasn’t supposed to be you.  God, Dick.”

“It’s okay,” Dick whispered, giving Jace a warm smile but it didn’t look like the man appreciated it. It almost looked like it pained him to see it.  “You’ll be okay.  You’re safe.”

“But you’re not!”  The man cried, ducking his head so Dick couldn’t see anything but the top of his head.  “The curse wasn’t supposed to take you.  Anyone but you.”  

Dick furrowed his brows and turned his eyes toward the sky to see the stars blurring.  “I’m glad I got to meet you,” he spoke carefully, drawing the familiar green eyes back to his face.  Dick let his eyes trace the tears that had already left their tracks down his face and raised a hand to brush some of the wetness away.  “Will you tell me now?  Your secret?”  He kept his hand pressed against Jace’s cheek as he watched the man consider telling Dick the one thing the older man hadn’t been able to pry away from him.

“My name is Jason.”

“I knew a Jason once. I didn’t do right by him.  I couldn’t protect him.”  Dick let his eyes drift for a moment, remembering the boy who had been undeserving of his anger that should have solely been directed at Bruce. But he had been young, hurt, and stupid. He had been dismissive and then Jason had been dead.  Looking back to Jace, he smiled again.  “Maybe you were my redemption.  I couldn’t protect him, but I was able to protect you.”

There was such profound sadness in Jace’s eyes that Dick wondered if he was saying the wrong thing.  But he didn’t have the energy to figure out what that might be.  And with a soft sigh, his hand fell away from Jace’s cheek to rest at his side once more.  His clock was ticking.

“Dick, Dick,” Jace whispered, pressing a shaking hand to Dick’s cheek and Dick’s eyes fell closed for a moment as he enjoyed the warmth that bled from the hand to his skin. “Dick, look at me.”  Blinking his eyes open, he looked at Jace.  “My name is Jason Todd.”  Dick frowned at that.  Had he been cursed to save someone with the same name of the one he had failed? “I was placed in a Lazarus Pit and when I came out, I attacked the a witch in my madness.  She put this curse on me and anyone who came close got pulled in by the magic.  Until the day someone sacrificed their life to save mine.”

“But…”  Dick tried to sort through what Jace Jason was telling him, but his mind felt like sludge.  “…you died.”

Jason nodded, the muscles in his jaw working.  “I did. And I came back for some reason I’m not sure of.  Talia found me and she put me in the Pit.  Whatever she had planned was ruined by the witch.  But it’s me,” he whispered, picking up Dick’s fallen hand and pressing it over his heart.  “It’s me, it’s Jason.  You won’t see the curse fall away, but I don’t want you to die without knowing. It’s me and I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.”

“I’m glad it’s you.  I’m glad I got to love you.”

He wasn’t expecting the sob Jason let out at that, but he was thankful for the press of the other man’s lips to his own.  “I love you. I’m so sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When consciousness came back to him, Dick found that he was still in the same place he had been when he and Jason had confessed their love.  The same place where Jason had revealed what had been done to him and how Dick had managed to reverse the curse when he had put himself between Slade’s katana and Jason’s body.  

Taking a deep breath, he jostled Jason who had been silently crying into Dick’s chest as reality came back to him.  It was enough to have the man jolt upright and look toward Dick, eyes going wide and a gasp falling from his lips.

“Dick?!”

“There you are,” Dick smiled, taking in the much more familiar face.  The curse had obviously fallen away and now Dick could see the man for who he really was.  And the familiar turquoise eyes he remembered from before the younger man’s untimely death. But it was the smile that overtook Jason’s face that really drew his attention.  Lifting a hand, Dick pressed it to Jason’s cheek and dragged his thumb across the other man’s lower lip.  “There you are.”

The laugh Jason let free was wet and Dick took in the tear tracks on his cheeks and the tears that still clung to his eye lashes.  But Dick didn’t think the man had ever looked as beautiful as he did right then, with his real face finally revealed.

“Dick!”  Turning his head, Dick looked over to see Bruce rushing over to them.  When the man fell to his knees beside them, he let out a gasp.  “Jason?  How…?”

“A curse,” Dick grunted as he nudged Jason to allow him to sit up.  Pressing a hand where the wound had once been, Dick noticed that the hole in his suit was still there, along with the blood starting to dry into a sticky substance, but the wound itself had vanished.  “And a miracle.”  He smiled over at Jason, who turned from glaring at Bruce to turning a gentler look onto Dick.  

With shaky legs, Dick let Jason help him stand as he glanced around at the crowd that seemed to be gathering around them.  Most faces he wasn’t surprised to see, but then his gaze fell on a few familiar redheads and an amused pair of blue eyes that struck him deep inside.

“How-” He started but stopped, pushing away from Jason’s hold and past Bruce who was reaching for him, probably wanting to be sure he was actually okay.  But Dick was more focused on the fact that his missing friends, and all the other missing heroes, were now standing in front of him. Stopping in front of Donna, Kori, Roy, and Wally Dick looked at each of them before glancing back to Jason with a frown.  “The curse?” He questioned, locking eyes with Jason who nodded.  Turning back to look at his friends he let that final piece slot into place and he finally felt like everything was making sense.

The expressions on Dana’s face that would remind him so much of Donna.  The smiles from Kassandra that seemed familiar could easily be seen as Kori’s smiles.  Wade’s energy and presence and Ryan’s own brand of stoic observation.  It was all so obvious now that he had them in front of him, he wasn’t sure how he hadn’t made the connection before.

“The curse would not have let you figure it out,” a voice called from behind him.  And before he knew what was happening, Dick found himself shielded by Jason’s body and one of his escrimas in the man’s hand.  “I am not here to harm you, Jason of Gotham.  I am only here to retrieve my castle and wish you well.  I did not curse you for attacking me that day like you assume.  I did it to save you from a future that would have caused you and yours a lot of pain.”

He could see the witch just over Jason’s shoulder, a beautiful woman with an aura that buzzed vibrant energy.  It was hard to picture her as the one who had put Jason behind the wall of malicious magic that he had felt.  But maybe that had been on purpose.  Not that it mattered anymore.  It was over. No matter what her reasons were, the curse had been fulfilled.

Dick pressed a hand to Jason’s back, not surprised to feel the tense muscles coiled and ready to attack if need be.  He was surprised when the man leaned back into the touch and relaxed just slightly into his touch.  He wondered what the future the witch was referring to, but he doubted Jason thought being cursed in time for five years was better than what he would have faced otherwise.  

“And now?”  Jason questioned.

The witch smiled and waved a hand before vanishing.  And with her, the castle went and the group of heroes found themselves standing in the middle of the warehouses that had always been there.  Glancing around, Dick tried to get his bearings about him but it was a bit disorienting to be shifted from a castle back to reality in a matter of seconds.

“Are you okay?”  Looking over, Dick found Bruce looking at him and then Jason hesitantly.  Dick gave a nod and Jason responded with a grunt of his own before turning to look at Dick.  Dick placing his hand Jason’s chest and taking a deep breath.

“We owe you an apology, Batman, Nightwing.”  Dick looked over at Superman and frowned.  “We should not have allowed Deathstroke to manipulate our emotions the way we did.”

And yeah, Dick agreed but could they really be to blame?  “You were missing a son, I can’t blame you for being desperate,” Dick offered. And he knew Bruce wouldn’t agree with him, but Dick could understand being desperate to save someone.  When Slade had convinced them to go after Jason and the others, Dick had felt that same desperation.  He would have done anything to make sure the man didn’t hurt Jason and the others.  Even when he didn’t know it was Jason and his missing friends.  But now that he did, he understood even more.

“Still.”

“Just get out of my city and we can forget it ever happened.”

Jason let out a snort and Dick smile up at him.  “Good to know that hasn’t changed.”  And Dick couldn’t help but chuckle at that, because it’s not like he was wrong.

Once the others had been seen off, Dick taking a few extra moments to hug and speak with his friends who had been with him the whole time, Dick found himself standing near the batplane with Tim and Damian already on and Bruce making his way on.  Looking at Jason, Dick tried to figure out what the man was thinking.

“You okay?”

Jason didn’t look away from the plane he had been staring at since they had approached it.  Dick didn’t know what to make of the expression the other man wore, but he wondered if he would be able to read Jason the way he had tried to read Jace.

“I don’t know that I belong there anymore.”  Dick frowned, placing a hand on Jason’s cheek to try and draw Jason’s gaze from the plane back to him.  

Dick waiting for the familiar sea blue eyes to look at him before speaking.  “You belong with me,” he offered, quirking an eyebrow.  It was mostly a joke, but still true at the same time. And going by Jason’s snort of laughter, it achieved it’s task of distracting him from whatever thoughts he had rushing through his head.  “We don’t have to stay at the Manor.  I can take you to my apartment in Bludhaven or drop you off at one of my safehouses in Gotham.  It’s your call.  No one expects anything from you.”

Jason swallowed hard and Dick let his thumb caress the skin of Jason’s cheek as the man attempted to come to a decision or even just digest the situation.  Dick couldn’t blame him in the least.  Jason had died.  He had been taken from them and then he had been thrown into the curse the instant he had been allowed to come back to himself.  

Which was something Dick was desperate to ask about, but would save those questions for another time.

“I want to see Alfred, but I can’t stay at the Manor.  I…” Jason pinched his brows and Dick waited. “I’m not ready for that.”

“Where can I take you?”

The pause Jason took to make his decision weighed heavy on Dick, not sure if he was about to be turned away or not.  “Your apartment is good.  I just need time.”  Dick nodded and accepted it without question.  Jason wasn’t telling Dick he wanted to be alone, but he also wasn’t saying what he expected to happen between the two of them from this point on either.  

It was enough, for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For two weeks the pair found a balance that was something like the one they had had at the castle. Dick went out every night as Nightwing and Jason listened in on his comms while he filled himself in on everything he had missed over the five years he had been gone.  He learned that Batman had never taken out the Joker after he killed Jason and while Jason was angry and hurt over that fact, he knew if he had learned that when the Pit Madness was still heavy, he probably would have been murderous.  Especially toward Tim, who he found out had technically been his replacement even if the kid hadn’t really given them a choice in the matter.

Jason could respect that.

He also learned about Damian, Bruce’s son with Talia, and Jason explained to Dick that it was Talia who had found Jason after he had dug himself out of his grave.  Dick relayed the information to Bruce and the man had remained silent before vanishing for two days and Damian telling Dick that apparently his mother was not welcome in Gotham any longer.

When Dick had asked Bruce about it, the man simply said that they had gotten lucky that the witch had been there when Jason came out of the Pit.  But without more, Dick had no idea what to make of that.  So he just let it die.

When Jason found out Dick had killed the Joker and Bruce had brought him back to life, Dick had found himself pressed into the wall and Jason’s mouth hot on his.  It wasn’t their first kiss (the one while Dick had been dying didn’t count to either man), that had come the night he and Dick had dragged themselves into Dick’s apartment after having spent hours telling Bruce the full story of what had happened in the castle the months Dick had been trapped and the years Jason had been.  But this was the first one that was more than just a simple brush of lips against each other.

This one had purpose.

He had been so caught up in the feeling of Jason’s body pressed against his own that he had just let the man do with him as he pleased.  And when Jason had finally pulled back, both of them were panting and achingly hard in their pants.  Jason had told him he wasn’t ready to go further just yet and Dick had accepted it without question, never needing to hear “no” twice.

“I think I want to come up with a new persona,” Jason had said one night while Dick was cleaning his gear and Jason was making dinner.  Dick looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise and needing a moment to fully digest what it was Jason was talking about.  Bruce had been working on bringing Jason back from the dead legally, but Dick had a feeling that wasn’t what he was referencing.

Putting down his grapple gun, Dick turned his full attention onto Jason.  “Did you have something in mind?”

Jason shrugged and went back to the taco meat he was making.  “Red Hood,” he muttered and Dick tried to think of why that sounded so familiar.

“Like what Joker used to call himself?”  He asked when it finally clicked.  Jason glanced at him over his shoulder and seemed to be searching for something in Dick’s expression before looking away again.  “Jay?”

“I just…”  The man sighed and turned off the stovetop before turning to face Dick fully.  “I think that if I hadn’t been cursed, I would have come back with vengeance on my mind. I think that’s what the witch meant by sparing me from a future that brought pain.  I would have hated Bruce, I would have hated you.”  Jason gave him a sad smile and Dick nodded in understanding.  “But that didn’t happen.  And now I have options I wouldn’t have had.”

“And where do those options take you?”

He watched Jason purse his lips before smiling.  “To the place where I could be considered Nightwing’s partner?  In more ways than one?”

Dick considered the implication of Jason’s words.  He wasn’t just asking to work with Dick to clean up Bludhaven.  He wasn’t just offering to be Nightwing’s partner.  He was asking to be Dick Grayson’s partner as well.

“And if I agree?”

“We ask Bruce to stop trying to bring Jason Todd back to life and bring Jason Peters to life instead.” Because the world would frown upon adoptive brothers being in a relationship, even if they hadn’t seen each other in years.  But Dick Grayson could be with a man who had no links to Bruce Wayne whatsoever.  And while Dick wouldn’t mind if they just never made any public appearances together, he also knew he didn’t want to hide Jason away.  “So what do you say?”  

Focusing back onto Jason when the man’s hesitant voice sounded, Dick stared at him for a moment. The Dick found himself slipping off his barstool and rounding the island that separated him and Jason.  He slotted himself against the other man easily, as if they were jigsaw pieces coming together, and wrapped one arm around Jason’s waist and the other hand gripping the back of his neck.  “I say ‘Welcome to the world, Jason Peters’.”  

The smile Jason gave him was practically blinding.  And Dick didn’t regret anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You look fine, stop it,” Tim complained as Dick stopped to look at himself in the reflection of a window one last time as they approached the ballroom.  The gold suit jacket was a little more flashy than he usually went but it was special.  And Bruce had only huffed in mild annoyance when Dick announced that it was what he would be wearing.  “I should have let Damian deal with you,” he grumbled as they stopped at the doors and Dick fidgeted with his tux one more time.  “You and Jason have been dating for months, the public already knows this. Why are you freaking out?”

“Because,” Dick answered lamely.  He didn’t actually know why he was nervous.  Tim was right, the public had known about him and Jason as soon as Jason Peters had been brought to life.  They had been to charity events, fancy dinners, even just regular dates around Gotham and Bludhaven.  The public had taken the news of Richie Grayson being off the market well and hadn’t tried to drag Jason through the dirt as much as Dick had originally worried. But this was the first time they would be attending a Martha Wayne Foundation gala together and it felt different.

It felt important.

Because this was the one gala a year that Bruce took personally, and they all did their best to make sure it went off flawlessly.  Sure there were the occasional issues, it’s Gotham after all, but that wasn’t something you could predict.  Everything else, they could make sure went smoothly.

“Ready?”  A familiar voice spoke up from behind him and Dick turned to find Jason standing behind him with Damian at his side.  Smiling, Dick allowed himself a moment to admire Jason in the familiar blue suit that he had worn that night they had had their first date.  The night that had sent them running full steam toward breaking the curse.  The night that had changed everything.

“I am now,” Dick responded, taking the arm Jason offered.  

Jason gave him a wide smile of his own before looking at Tim and raising a brow.  “Well, let’s get moving Replacement.”  Dick laughed when Tim let out a huff of annoyance before pushing open the double doors so they could make their entrance.

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 2

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2 - Ghost Encounter

Before that incident occurred, Lin Yan didn't believe that there were ghosts in the world. He studied history during his undergrad and continued straight into doing his master's in archaeology. When he was on an expedition with his professor, he picked up the bones of a dead body and plucked a jade cicada from the mouth of a mummified body. Ghost stories were always something joked about in their dormitories. If something happened to people after they died, then the world would know about it. For example, if someone picked up the imperial blue bowl of the emperor, the old man would notice and stand up, shouting: "That's mine!" How interesting.

The dead should just let the dust from the past settle and stay quiet.

Lin Yan had just finished dinner when things changed. He didn't live in the school dormitories. He had moved into the apartment his parents had set aside for him when he got married because of the fights his old roommates in the dorms had with their in-laws on the phone. This apartment was much closer to the school, and he had been living alone since then. He cooks alone, plays games alone, and travels halfway across the city to visit his parents on the weekends. Lin Yan is one of the tens of thousands of small researchers in dozens of colleges and universities in this city. If he makes great accomplishments, his future will be bright, but if he's average, then he will be lost in the crowd.

That day, he made himself Fried Sauce Noodles. Once the minced meat was boiled, it was mixed into the sweet stir-fry noodle sauce. The noodles were drained out of the pan, topped with the sauce, and it was delicious. Lin Yan took the bowl and sat in front of the computer, watching "My Old Memories of Old Beijing" and eating the noodles.

The air was humid and stuffy in the early summer weather. Suddenly, halfway through the movie, a clap of thunder rang out outside. It didn't take long for large raindrops to pour down, and the thin lines of water on the window glass became a curtain of rain, pattering against the windows.

Lin Yan was busy turning off the video. Before his computer had fully shut off, a bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky. With a snap, the computer went black.

Afraid that something might happen, Lin Yan complained and unplugged the computer from the socket. He used a desktop computer specially equipped for 3D restoration renderings of cultural relics. As soon as the power came back after the thunderstorm had passed, he would have to submit a repair request.

Tomorrow, he'd have to trouble Yin Zhou to repair the machine again.

Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him.

Cold, inexplicably cold, sending a shiver up his spine.

He didn't know when the temperature of the room started to drop. He didn't even notice it while he was watching the movie. Now it feels like he was inside an ice cave. The cold is coming out from all corners and enveloping his body. The sweat on his body turning cold, his t-shirt sticking to his back.

Lin Yan vigorously wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans, thinking about how the weather must be cooling down because of the rain, and decided to get up to find a long-sleeved shirt. Before he could get up, his eyes glanced at the computer screen and nervously sat back down.

With the lights on in the room, the situation in the room was clearly reflected on the dark computer screen. In front of the screen was Lin Yan's face, and behind him was the window, which opened wide inward, and the curtains were swept around by the wind. It was the "person" standing in front of the curtain that made Lin Yan frozen from head to toe.

That's not it; it was more like the shape of a person - a person wearing a strange hat.

Lin Yan stared blankly at the things on the screen, a sense of panic slowly creeping up his spine.

It must have been a clothes hanger that he forgot to move, there's no need to jump to conclusions. Lin Yan pulled at the corner of his clothes, took a deep breath, and swung his head around.

Nothing was there. Everything in the house looked normal. The only difference was that the raindrops were coming even larger, the rainwater twisting into small streams on the glass and flowing down.

His suspenseful heart began to calm down.

No! Lin Yan went numb all of a sudden. Not only was there no one there, but the windows were clearly locked, and the curtains were tightly tied on both sides. How could they be blown by the wind? What he saw in the reflection on the screen just now. . . what was going on?

An illusion! It must be an illusion! Lin Yan clenched his jaw. He couldn't help but pinch himself to keep himself sane.

There was a small electric crackle. The power went out, and the whole room fell into silent darkness.

Almost at the same time, the indicator light of the computer monitor suddenly flickered. The two small red lights looked like blinking eyes, accompanied by the squeaking sound of the whirring motors. The screen that was in a completely power-off state glowed green as if the screen saver had been switched. It's like a procedure.

No. . . Wasn't there a power outage? Lin Yan was completely speechless. His whole body was pushed back into the chair by the sudden and weird atmosphere. Then the screen flashed and, as if someone was typing, large characters appeared one after the other on the screen, piercingly red.

"The first day of the month of Wushen; the death date is approaching."

Another clap of thunder boomed outside the window.

Lin Yan swallowed hard and stared at the line of words on the screen. He tried his best to calm himself down, but his mind went blank.

It must be. . . It must be Yin Zhou pranking him.

He was a professional programmer and technical expert. Messing with the program to mess up the power grid. It must be boring to try and scare yourself or something.

"The first day of the month of Wushen; the death date is approaching."

The line of red letters flashed on the screen twice and disappeared. The computer then powered back off. Only Lin Yan's heavy breathing remained in the dark room. He took out his cell phone from his pant pocket and tried to call Yin Zhou. Before he pressed the call button, there was a heavy and repetitive tapping on the windowpane.

"Taptaptap. . . taptaptap"

He couldn't see anything in the heavy curtain of rain.

Lin Yan suddenly jumped up and leaned against the computer desk, staring out the window. This. . . this was the twelfth floor, what could be knocking on the window?

"Taptaptap. . . taptaptap"

The knocking increased as if someone were waiting impatiently.

Materialists couldn't stand immediate losses. Besides, creatures always have the instinct to avoid danger. The atmosphere was so strange. Lin Yan grabbed the car keys from his pocket and rushed out of the house without looking back.

The rain fell harder and faster, and the normally bustling three-ring road was empty. There was only the heavy rain curtains and thick fog. Lin Yan turned on his headlights lights all the way. He hoped to find an exit that was bustling with life and filled with a large crowd. In one night, his normal life was completely messed up. There was no signal from his cell phone and no signal from the radio. He seemed to be isolated in a corner of the world and was just driving around endlessly.

Lin Yan glanced at the fuel gauge. He was running out of fuel as he went further down the road, but he had not found the exit of the overpass. He was a native to this country and yet he was trapped in the city that he had been living in for 22 years. Just saying it was absurd enough to make anyone laugh.

The low-beam light couldn't illuminate the road very far. Under the warm yellow light, only the dense lines of rain could be seen falling diagonally, washing down his windshield. There was a wide road in front of him, turn after turn. There were no people, no cars, and even the sound of the GPS reporting how many kilometres were left was inaudible and his speed on the speedometer was barely visible. Lin Yan looked straight ahead, for fear of missing any fork in the road.

After travelling on the highway for nearly three hours, Lin Yan finally began to panic after passing the IKEA billboard multiple times over.

A deep thought came to mind.

The ghost was making him go around in circles.

The arrow on his fuel gauge was almost at 'empty'. Lin Yan slowed down. He thought he couldn't keep driving forward. Obviously, there was a force trying to stop him. What he should do is to sort out his thoughts and find a solution instead of continuing to drive around aimlessly. He didn't dare think about what would happen if he ran out of fuel.

Lin Yan pulled the car over, leaving only his hazard lights on, then sat in the car and began to think about what happened at night.

Power outages, computers that suddenly freaked out, strange reflections.

The first thing that came to mind was that someone was playing a prank, but he immediately denied it. If it was just the problem with his computer, he might still suspect the unreliable programmer Yin Zhou, but the knocking on the window, preventing him from getting off the highway, and blocking his mobile and radio signals; none of that was this guy's style. Lin Yan searched his mind for a long time to find a candidate that might want to scare a friend like this, but he came up with nothing.

He himself was a very good person. He was a good student from elementary straight through his master's. Apart from skipping classes to play Warcraft, and handing notes to his classmates during an exam, he basically had no blips on his record. He has never even played any tricks on girls, let alone his immediate friend group. Even if someone wanted to play a prank on someone as revenge, that wasn't how Lin Yan handled things.

Lin Yan was a person who, even when he ate toothpaste and cookies on April Fool's Day, still believed that he was just eating something mint-flavoured. To understand what was going on, Lin Yan could only find the solution by going through his process of elimination. By the time he can go through his hilariously incompetent system of thinking, he has probably already vomited up three litres of blood.

Lin Yan rubbed his temples and thought hard. Someone was threatening him in an inexplicable way, or was outright declaring war.

Lin Yan turned on the cell phone's calendar and entered the date of the first day of the Wushan month. The small square immediately jumped to the corresponding date: July 15 and the gates of hell would be wide open.

Something is wrong, Lin Yan thought.

When he looked up again, there was suddenly something that hadn't been there before that appeared in front of his car.

A figure stood near the side of the road as the heavy rain poured down. The figure didn't seem to notice Lin Yan was there, neither holding an umbrella nor wearing a raincoat, quietly standing with his head held down under the dim street lamp. The fog everywhere made Lin Yan unable to see his appearance. He could only make out that it was tall and he was wearing weird, oversized clothes. The caring Lin Yan wanted to offer the figure a ride. Even though he can't really protect himself right now, but he can at least provide some shelter from the rain.

An empty highway, rainy night, a strange individual on the side of the road, this unfortunate picture seemed suspicious at first, but Lin Yan saw something a little more depressing.

The figure seemed. . . very lonely, like waiting for a resolution that will never come.

Lin Yan re-started the car after making sure all the doors were locked, and slowly slid forward along the roadside, thinking that after being trapped in this endless loop for so long anyway, it was more useful to see if this person might be able to help him break the cycle.

When he was less than ten metres away from the person, Lin Yan suddenly froze as though a gong went off beside his ear. He finally realized why he felt there was something wrong with this figure. This person had no shadow.

The streetlamp was casting light on this person, but there was no shadow at his feet. The place where the shadow should have been was just the shape of the streetlamp reflected in the puddle, which was shaken by the continuously falling rain, rippling and disturbing the surface of the water.

Lin Yan knew what he had encountered almost instantly.

He was covered in a cold sweat, he couldn't keep a grip on the steering wheel because of his clammy palms. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. He slammed his foot on the accelerator, not caring how much fuel he had left. He didn't even care if there was any road ahead, he just knew subconsciously that he had to get away.

40km, 60km, 80km, 90km. . .

Suddenly a car sped out in front of him. Lin Yan was stunned, and instinctively stepped on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel to the left!

"Squeel--" After the extremely sharp and piercing sound, the front bumper Lin Yan's Audi A4 was just a few centimetres away from the Buick's back bumper as he brushed past it. Immediately after, Lin Yan drove into the bushes and the car shook before getting stuck. After it stopped shaking, the windshield was covered with holly leaves.

The car had almost been totalled.

Lin Yan lay on the steering wheel, panting heavily, his whole body was frozen.

"Knockknockknock." Something harshly knocked against the car window

Lin Yan jumped nervously and stared at the glass in horror. When he could see the face of a man, he let out a long sigh, and then rolled down the car window.

"Who the hell taught you how to drive? If you were so desperate to die, just tell me and I'll beat you to death!"

A series of harsh curses about his ancestors gave Lin Yan a sense of joy, bringing him back to reality. He almost rushed out and hugged the Buick driver.

"No. . . I'm sorry, I've been on this highway for three hours. I just found my way. I was a little excited, sorry, sorry."

Lin Yan wasn't paying attention to what the other driver said, and couldn't help smiling bitterly since the driver must really consider him an idiot.

The Buick driver stared at Lin Yan for a while, then suddenly stopped the curse, and muttered, "You look like you've seen a ghost." He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed one to Lin Yan: "Did you come across something weird? Smoke a cigarette to calm your nerves. You should bring out a protection charm next time. We all have strange experiences at night every now and again."

Lin Yan got out of the car, and the driver lit the cigarette for Lin Yan. The two stood side by side on the roadside. Strangely, cars began whizzing by on the road. There were rows of shops and tall buildings lit up on both sides of the street where there was originally only fog and dark shadows. Even the rain from earlier had stopped.

Lin Yan took a puff of cigarettes and calmed down, and said in surprise: "Have we met before?"

The driver smiled indifferently: "It often happens, especially in places with a lot of accidents. The more deadly the accident, the more evil will be left behind."

Lin Yan nodded. He didn't know how much his materialistic worldview changed from this information.

After sending the driver away, Lin Yan whipped the sweat off his forehead and took out his phone to check the time. The screen showed two text messages and three missed calls, one every half an hour on average within the past two hours. Lin Yan opened his settings; the phone wasn't muted, the volume wasn't very loud but it was enough from him to hear it. It confirmed that the signal had been blocked this whole time.

Message 1: "Will you come out for a drink? The regular place."

Message 2: "What are you doing? Answer the phone!"

Both the sender and the caller were Yin Zhou.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

[cwanddcunitedsuperheroes]

Savior (Kate Kane × F! reader SMUT)

Request: Yes or No

Based On: A post by @allurajarren​ wanting some Kate Kane × F! Reader Smut. I got you guys who wanted it covered. And I warn you it is my first time writing Lesbian Smut so it’s a learning experience here since I’m straight. Enjoy! 

Pairing: Kate Kane × f! Queen reader

Note: (Y/S/H/N) - Your superhero name, (Y/N) - Your name, (A/B) - Alcoholic Beverage, 

Word Count: 

Description: As batwoman gets captured by Alice on a mission it's up to her girlfriend the reader aka (Y/S/H/N) to save her from Alice. After you save Batwoman the reader get injured and as her girlfriend she learns your identity. Which leads her to being angry at you, but also angry at Alice for harming you. But it escalates where the reader isn't too badly injured and leads to Angry yet passionate sex between Kate Kane and the Reader. (And yes, this is Oliver’s sister). And no I do not own Batwoman. 

Your heels were clicking against the hardwood floor as you were entering The Hold Up as you saw doing more work as she was currently thinking of what else to do with the whole club since everything with the club across the street hating homosexual people. When you kept studying the surroundings and saw Luke talking to Kate, as Mary noticed you walk in. 

“Hello (Y/N).” Mary said waving at you as your heels clicked more on the hardwood flooring, and you watched as Kate glanced at you from where she was standing behind the bar while focusing on her conversation with Luke. As you went to sit down beside Mary at one of the tables across from her. 

“So how is it being a lawyer in Gotham (Y/N)?” Mary asked me as I laughed. “Nothing too hard, because last time I checked Star City wasn’t too calm back then being a lawyer and all.” I said as she looked at me, “One time we almost had the court blown up.” I said as I remembered helping my client on trial as one of the court wall’s.” I said as Mary gasped, “Did anyone get hurt?” She asked as I nodded. “Well, nothing more than one broken leg, and a few people having scrapes and scratches. But nobody was injured to bad since Arrow came before anything could happen.” I said as she nodded. 

“Heroes always come at the craziest moments. Like they know how to make an entrance.” She said as I nodded. Before I saw a ding on my phone about the latest news in Gotham. I was scrolling through some of the batwoman articles as Mary continued to talk about Batwoman and (Y/S/H/N). 

Before I could glance back at Mary, I turned my head to see Kate coming up with drinks for everyone. I smile at her as I grab (A/B) and clink my glass with everyone before I take a sip of it. As everyone just looks at another as we are having a moment to just... enjoy. 

I heard Luke’s phone go off, as he whispers something in Kate’s ear as she apologies to Mary and I and then she runs off out the back way. For quite awhile I have suspensions that Kate is Batwoman since our encounter back when I lived in Star City as (Y/S/H/N) with my older brother Oliver when the Monitor came to test the heroes for this “crisis”. Before I knew it I finished my (A/B) and grabbed my jacket from the chair and walked out the front door after saying goodbye to Mary and Luke. 

I ran to my motorcycle and drove to my apartment as I threw my jacket on my couch as I took my hair down from the bun it was in, and sat my keys in my door bowl as I turned on the news watching as the sun was setting in Gotham knowing some sort of crime would happen tonight or any night now. Like Star City once did back then as my Brother, and I along with Team Arrow had to fight the crime there so why is this any different?

As I snapped out of my own head, and I saw the news headline “Alice captured Batwoman during a fight near Gotham Bridge” It said as I stared at the screen. I continued to watch the helicopter fly over Gotham Bridge and River.

I quickly grabbed my phone as I opened it and texted an Old friend as I opened my burner computer and started hacking through some of the controls of Batwoman’s gear and not getting to far. As I got a quick response back from my text, “I got you covered (Y/N). Next time just ask Barry to bring me to Gotham so I could have it easier to hack gear from Batwoman. Friggin Batwoman. What’s next Batman?” The text said as I laughed from the response that I received from Felicity one of my go to girls from Star City, other than Dinah, Laurel, and Sara. 

I grabbed my gear putting the location of the warehouse one of my weapons as I walked to my wall where my painting was as I moved it to grab my suit. Then running to my room to suit up as I continued to listen to the news. Then I ran to the storage place across the street unlocking it to grab my motorcycle as I started driving down the streets of Gotham. 

Smelling the water, listening to the cars, and the helicopter above me as I saw the flashing light from the lighting under the helicopter as I knew it would be the news. Then before I could continue to look up I see some of the crow cars behind me as I smiled turning down a street earlier and losing them heading to location of the warehouse Batwoman’s tracker was at. 

I stopped my bike near a dark patch of the street looking at some of the goons outside of the warehouse, as they definitely were Alice’s goons since they wear those silly and stupid masks that they do. I use my bow to go above the building before I jump on a goon and then fight the others, before taking them all down. Only getting minor bruised and scratched in the process. Nothing that Oliver would kill me for if he found out, or Kate. 

When I walked in the warehouse I walked through some creepy areas of broken dolls, white and red roses, and checker board on the floor pattern. I saw batwoman tied up as Alice was talking to her about her life story and not giving in to Batwoman. Before I could listen anymore I saw a goon coming over to where I was standing and I had to sneak up to them and take them down just like the old days as (Y/S/H/N). 

I continued to listen to Alice speak to Batwoman as she was bleeding badly already, and I continued to sneak around the hallway. When I was sneaking I heard Batwoman call Alice “Beth” which was Kate’s twin sister who was claimed “dead”. Just as I was going to enter some goons saw me. 

“It’s (Y/S/H/N).” One goon said as they started shooting at me and I dodged the bullets, as I saw Alice turn her head along with Batwoman as I kicked the men, and then threw a smoke bomb. When I got to the main room to help Batwoman, Alice had disappeared. But she can always be captured later.

As I saw some of the goons start to run down the hall towards here I quickly cut batwoman down with one of my daggers in my side pockets. Watching as she was trying to fight my grip as I turned to see the goons coming our way and I used my grappling hook to get us up hearing what sounded like Luke’s voice as we flew out of the building. 

I grabbed the com putting it in my ear as I headed to my motorcycle letting batwoman be in the front as I drove down the streets of Gotham, “Whoever you are if you have a medical kit she is going to need it.” I said through the com. “Who is this?” Luke said as I laughed. “(Y/S/H/N) and Batwoman needs help Luke stop with your games. I know it’s you, and trust me your teammate will die. I just need to know where this cave, or hideout is.” I said with my voice box as Luke sighed then told me to head towards Wayne Tower and go under the parking garage. 

As I arrived at Wayne Tower and headed up the elevator Batwoman woke up and was groaning at the pain from her side. When I got to the floor I saw Luke standing there coming over as he used Martha’s necklace and turned it to the Cave as we sat Batwoman down on the table as we had to get some of the gear off of her to help to stitch the knife wounds up. And I took off her mask, as Luke left the room to return later. I was in shock. 

Kate Kane is Batwoman.

A few minutes passed as Batwoman was finally better, and I was still in shock even through all the years of fighting with Team Arrow. My girlfriend was Batwoman. 

“Luke you let her in.” Kate said as she saw her mask beside her as she groaned and sat up looking at me like daggers coming in my side. As Luke entered seeing her mask off and looking at me. “She saved your life Kate.” She said as I looked at her worried. She studied my face for a moment looking at my (E/C) then every other detail she could see that the hood doesn’t cover. 

“(Y/N)?” She questioned as I was still hurt from being stabbed in the arm that I just stitched. Looking over and saw Luke look at me as I took down my hood to show my (H/C), and then I took off my mask. “Your (Y/S/H/N)?” Kate said as she furrowed her eyebrows and I nodded. 

“I’ll leave you two alone, I’ll see your both I presume tomorrow.” He said walking out to head home. I stared at Kate for a moment. “How long?” She asked me as I looked at her. “Before I moved to Gotham I helped my brother, which I know you know is Arrow.” I said to her as she looked at me as I saw the anger in her eyes. “I didn’t tell you because like you I was wanting to protect you. Even though I know you can protect yourself Kate.” I said as she looked at me. 

“Let’s go.” She said as I heard a light growl in her voice knowing what was going to happen as we headed to her apartment after changing from our costumes. I just knew she wasn’t going to care what I said tonight on how things go. 

As we arrived to her apartment and unlocked the door I turned around to feel her soft lips against mine as she roughly kissed me when we were walking slowly taking off our coats. But before I could do anything else she pushed me against the door, and locked it with a smirk on her face, when she saw I was flustered. 

She continued to kiss down my neck as I was feeling the moans in my throat trying to escape but couldn’t...yet. As she continued she took off my top, and threw it somewhere I couldn’t see. And then she continued to kiss down my neck and sucked on my sweet spot in between my neck and collarbone and I finally let in and moaned as I looked down to see her smirk. Trying to touch her with my hands she moved them up as she shook her head at me leading me to her bed pushing me on it. And before I knew it my skirt was off, along with her clothing as she got on top of me. 

She then pushed my hands above my head as she kissed down my collarbone down to my stomach. As in between kisses she roughly bites and sucks my skin as my moans become more frequently. As I know I’ll have a few hickies in the morning. Until she goes back to my lips and starts teasing my lips with her tongue as I allowed her access as she started to venture into my mouth then sucking my tongue. Once we both ran out of air she finally stopped kissing me and pulled her head up a bit to catch her breath, as I was laying breathless. 

Before I knew it Kate’s hand lowered to my waist, as she lowered her head to my breasted, and placed her mouth on my right nipple making my back arch at the feeling when she held my waist down. But before I could continue moving at the sensational feeling she wrapped her hand around my other nipple bud and started to twist it and the massaged it while she was sucking and biting my right nipple. Until she moved to my other nipple leaving a trail of kissing in-between each breast until she started sucking and biting on my left nipple, and then massaged my right nipple. I let out a deep moan as I felt my wetness growing worse in my panties. As I could hear my deep breathing continue as she came back up and kissed me taking one of her hands putting it on one of my thighs. 

Before I knew it she started to move my panties down my thighs then my calves to my heels as she finally pulled them all the way off looking at my the whole time with lust in her eyes. As she started to kiss my foot, then my ankle, then my calves, knee caps, and then she started to hold my hips as my back tried to arch as I moaned loud and hard. “Kate.” I moaned as she smiled with a smirk on her face going back to kissing up my thigh as I felt my pussy grow more wet knowing that her smirk grew bigger at the sight of me getting more wet. 

“Are you that eager?” She asked with a smug face and a raspy tone to her voice as I moaned out. As she continued to kiss my thighs slowly coming to my core. She then kissed my core as I started to moan louder as she laughed as I felt the pleasure of her laugh in my core. 

As she put her tounge near my wetness teasing me as I moaned as she was so close to the entrance. And I put my hands in her hair and she moaned.

After I hit my climax, I took a few breaths watching her lick some of my juices off my fingers. As she fell right beside me on her bed, as I turned over and got on top of her. “What Kate you thought that you I was going to be the only one?” I said kissing her pushing her back on her bed, watching as she fell down on her pillow and I kissed her again. 

I started trailing wet kisses down her neck to her shoulder sucking and biting leaving bruises for her tomorrow. After I continued to kiss down her chest kissing her breast then going down to her stomach as she moaned, “Fuck.” She said as I went back up and kissed her making her quiet again. 

Instead of teasing her I went to pleasure her by kissing her core 

I could feel from her body that she was almost at her climax. I continued to keep my tounge in her pussy, as I used on of my fingers that was on my other hand to start playing with her 

“That was something Kate.” I said looking back at her as she laughed but with a raspear voice. “Yeah, but (Y/N) next time don’t hide anything from me. I don’t want you to get hurt because of Alice.” She said as I smiled turning my body as I reached up and kissed her before falling asleep in her arms. 

[fandompride101]

$3000 and I'm Sorry

Raven's POV:

"You six should be able to handle the situation just fine. I leave this in your capable hands." Batman said through the screen of the bat computer. "Damian, Dick is in charge."

"But..." Damian interjected.

"It is final." Batman's tone was firm. Damian nodded his head. "You can do this." Then he signed off.

It was just Damian and I with Kori, Dick, Kate and Roy Harper. We didn't mean to be here all at once, but it seemed like fate brought us to the bat cave today. Damian and I were going to do surveillance in Gotham, but as you can see, we were rudely interrupted.

"Suit up guys." Dick ordered. Damian and I were already in our uniforms, so we waited for the others to get ready. I could sense that Damian was holding back orders, but he was trying to follow his father's rules.

"Damian, give us the run down through our intercoms." Dick said running back. "Everyone else, turn your ear pieces on and get going to the location. Wait for further instructions there."

Damian started to talk about a group of one hundred men at this abandon wear-house. There was going to be an arms deal going on and we had to get in there and stop them from exchanging weapons.

When Damian finished talking it was only us left in the bat cave. I stayed behind to teleport Damian to the location. "Ready?" I looked at him.

He gave me one of his devilishly handsome smiles. "Ready."

I teleported us to the exact location, and we were the first ones there. Damian started to scout and I counted the number of souls inside the building. There was 84 people in there according to the soul count.

"The back is guarding and so is the surrounding area." Damian stood and looked over to me. "How many are inside."

"84 souls." I answer.

"Good number." Of course Damian would be wanting a fair and formidable fight, so it doesn't surprise me that he liked the odds of this fight.

"Robin, the intel." Dick came over with Kori just landing beside him. Roy and Kate came over, looking for themselves at the targets.

"84 people estimated to be inside. The place is surrounded and there are guards at every entrance." Damian concluded.

"Good odds." Dick nodded. "Okay, here is the plan, Starfire, Raven and Red Arrow stay outside and take out the guards. Robin, Batwomen and I will take them down from the inside."

"Oh, come one. Let's make this interesting." Kate butted in with a grin on her face. "Boys against girls."

"I don't..." Dick was cut off.

"I like the idea." Roy said, smiling at Kate.

"Alright fine. Girls are on the outside perimeter and Guards, and guys are on the inside." Dick gave up. "Everyone got it?"

We all nod.

"Go!"

I flew into the air and started a scan for guards in the wooded area. Once I found one, I slowly came down and attack them from behind. Once I got one, I moved onto the other. I saw Starfire on one side of me and Batwomen on the other.

Kate was smiling ear to ear. When she took out one, two more came at her. She was so much like the entire bat family, because she just smiled. Starfire took out a couple and then started to scan from above.

"Raven, it's time to take the guards out by the door." She said over the com link.

I teleported right in front of the guards. I let my raven out and it soared above me and engulfed the guards into a black hole. When I let up they were knocked unconscious. Then my raven came after another and another. Soon I was flying above the building, trying to check for any more survivors.

It didn't see it, but I heard it. One single gun shot. Then I felt it. I felt the bullet perce my side. My raven fell, and I with it.

"Raven!" Starfire came towards me. I saw in the corner of my eye that Kate had just killed my shooter. "Raven, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." I lied, trying to sit up.

"No, we need to get you help." Starfire held me down and examined my side. I was hit just below the ribs on my right side. It hurt like hell, but I wasn't about to admit that. "We need to get you back. The bullet didn't come out. It's still in there."

If the bullet was still in there, that meant that I couldn't heal properly and I might bleed out. I knew Starfire was just looking out for me, but I wasn't going to leave before the mission was done. "No, I am fine. Just help me up."

Kate helped me to my feet. "Have I ever told you how much I like you?" She gave me a smile.

"Thanks." I hesitantly said.

"Well, out job is done. The girls won." Kate smiled. "That means I win the bet with Roy and he has to take me out to eat with his family."

"What?" Kori said beside me. She still had a worried face.

"Neither of us wanted to have a dinner with our families first, so we made a bet tonight that who ever caught all the bad guys first would win." Kate laughed. "So I get to meet his family."

"Clever." I grunt in pain.

"Save you energy little birdie, will get you home soon." Kate patted me on the head. I glared at her and she stopped. "I can see why baby bat likes you so much."

"I think we should go and see if the guys need help." Kori suggests.

"Fine idea. I want to see the look on Roy's face when we swop in and save him." Kate laughed.

We open the doors into the building. I am still holding my side, but I am trying not to seem as bad as it really is. Kori told me that I needed to stay out of the way. She didn't want me to get anymore hurt than I was. I wasn't planning on following her advise.

"Oh come on boys, why don't you want to fight me?" A girls voice giggled from the middle of the room. Everyone else in the room was knocked out, but this one girl. The guys had set down their weapons and were smiling.

"We would never hurt you, doll." Roy practically sang out to this girl.

"Oh, but that's a shame. I wanted to fight." She sank to the ground. The boys all ran towards her. I thought they were going to take her out, but instead...

"Don't cry." Dick lifted her head. I looked at Kori and she was fuming. Dick and her had been engaged for four months and this was what she got. He was fawning over this new girl. All the guys where.

"Here." Damian offered the girl a tissue. "Dry your eyes." He knelt beside her and caressed her face.

That's what he does to comfort me when I am upset. That small gesture always made me feel loved, but now seeing him do that to her made my stomach turn. I felt the anger grow inside me, but just as I was about to step in, a wave of pain came over me. I fell to the ground.

"Raven?" Kate whispered and helped me up.

"I'm fine." I stood up again. Kori was still watching Dick. He was looking at this girl and playing with her hair. "Guys, I want to go back. I think the boys will be fine here."

"Good idea." Kate's tone was dark and kinda scary. She was still looking at Roy who was head of heels for this girl.

"Yes, good idea." Kori said as she saw Dick kiss the girls cheek.

I looked over one last time at Damian, who was now smiling at her and holding her hand. Anger was rising in me once again, but I channeled it into magic. I created a portal and we all walked through it.

Back at the bat cave, Alfred came over and addressed us all. "Ladies, where are the rest?"

"They are other wise occupied." Kori walked away.

"She was shot, can you work your magic, Alfred?" Kate helped me over to a chair.

"Of course. Miss Roth, might I?" He asked.

"Yeah." I answered. He came over and inspected the wound on my side.

"It's is a deep one. I'm going to have to give you some numbing stuff to get this bullet out." Alfred helped me over to a medical bed. He gave me a shot.

Alfred was very gentle and said sorry whenever I winced. "Alfred, you don't have to say sorry every time." I told him.

"Of course." He went back to work. Within about twenty minutes I had the bullet out of me. I was already feeling better and knew that my healing power was already kicking in. Alfred helped me to sit up. "Take it easy for a while. I had to give you lots of numbing shots to keep you from feeling the extent of the wound."

"Thank you Alfred." I said, getting off the table. It was a bit of a jump down, so when I landed on my feet, pain shot threw my side. I grabbed it.

"Careful miss. I think you need to sit down." Alfred came over and helped me to a chair. It was Batman's chair. To be honest though, this was the nicest chair I have ever sat in. "Stay here and I will get you some food. You need to eat."

I nodded. Kate came over a few seconds later. "How's it going?"

"Besides the pain in my side and the fact my boyfriend was hitting on someone else..." I tilted my head. "Not too bad. And you?"

Kate laughed. "I like you." She leaned on the bat computer. "I am so going to kill Roy the next time I see him."

This time it was my turn to laugh. I laughed so hard I had to stop because it was causing my side to hurt. "Rich." I said when I recovered.

"Where's Kori?" Kate looked around.

"I'm over here." Kori came out of a door and walked over to us. "Raven, are you feeling better?"

"Yes."

"Good. I think we should leave for the tower then." Kori didn't seem to be joking.

"You guys can't go. We have to be here when the guys show up to give them hell." Kate stood up straight. "We are not letting those guys off the hook."

"I don't..." Kori started but was interrupted.

"Kori, I don't think the guys would even say something about it. I bet they are going to brush it off and not tell us. We have to be here and wait until they do. If they don't we have to rip them a new one. I am not going to let them get away with this."

"Your right." Kori agreed, surprising me. The two looked at me.

"Wait, what are we doing again?" I was seriously confused.

"We are going to be here when they come back. Kori explained. "And if they don't tell us right away, we are going to make them wish they had."

"That's right!" Kate beamed. "I like you, Kori."

Kori smiled. "Are you in?"

"Sure." I shrugged and then sank back into my chair. "But if we have to fight them, can you two take Damian for me."

We took a minute and then all started laughing. I laughed so hard my side started to ache again, but I didn't mind this time. Soon I would be healed, but I just needed time. Alfred came down with sandwiches and lemonade. We all sat around the computer and ate, talking about different ways we could act when the boys came back.

Soon we had a plan, all we needed now was the boys.

*****

My side was already feeling better, so by the time the boys showed up, I was walking around. Kori had told me to just sit and let myself heal, but honestly my anger towards Damian was growing. I needed to walk to distract myself.

"What the heck!" Roy said taking off his helmet. "You guys just up and left."

"We're sorry." Kate batted her eyes. "You see, we just thought you had everything covered."

"Did you complete the mission?" Kori said, her tone giving away her anger. I stepped over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She gave me a grateful smile.

"They got away." Dick said, handing up his bow staff.

"They did?" Kate turned to Dick.

"Yeah." Damian said, annoyed that Kate wasn't apparently getting it. Damian rode back with Dick apparently. I forgot that I had taken him there, but it serves him right to have to hitch a ride with his brother.

Damian looked angrily at me.

I turned away.

"How did 'they' get away." Kate said in air quotes.

" 'They' got away because they blindsided us." Roy air quoted back to her.

"Girls, maybe we shouldn't have left then." Kate turned to us and gave us a look that told us that she was about to kill them all.

"Maybe we should have helped them get the army of people there." Kori's voice was cold.

"What's going on." Dick said, looking at the three of us girls. It took him a minute before it dawned on him. "Shit, they know."

"What? How?" Roy stood up. Then he looked at Kate. "It's not what it sounds like."

"It's hard to tell when we both saw and heard you guys practically... fawning over that girl!" Kori said with such anger that I knew she could kill Dick.

Dick came over to her. "It's not what you think! I promise." He tried to hug Kori but she pushed him away.

I turned. Damian was right beside me. His face didn't give any sort of remorse. I turned away from him.

"Raven..."

"Shut up." I put up my hand to make him stop talking.

"Raven, please." He leaned closer to me. "I am not sure what you know, but please allow me to explain." He caressed my face. I leaned into him, but then I saw an image of him doing that to that girl again and I moved out of his reach.

"Leave me alone." I turned away from him.

He took a step back. I hadn't realized this but I was so angry I had my devil eyes glowing red. I took a deep breath and suppressed them. Then I turned at watched Kori and Dick.

"Please Kori, I didn't mean anything by it. I didn't have control." He doge a flying chair. "Kori please!"

Suddenly I felt a hand on mine. I turned back to Damian. "Look, let me explain."

I ripped my hand out of his. I temporarily forgot my injury, but with that fast movement, I was reminded. I clutched my side.

"Shit, Raven! What happened?" Damian tried to come closer.

"Stay away." I warned him. I was still holding onto my side, but now everyone was fighting with each other. I went over to Kori and grabbed her shoulder. She turned, and at first her eyes was full of anger, but when she saw it was me she melted. "Let's go."

Kori and I walked over to Kate. Kate turned and saw my clutching onto my side. "You see what you shit heads did! Raven was hit because you guys got distracted on the mission! You guys put your team in jeopardy!" Kate came over to us. "Let's get out of here."

I opened a portal to the Titan Tower. I knew that it would at least buy us a little time before they got up there. When we stepped in the place was empty. It was the summer so most of the Titans went home to visit their family.

"Nice place." Kate grunted. We were all still fuming.

"I have an idea. Let's go and have a 'girls weekend' I heard they are relaxing and most important, without guys." Kori suggested, trying to calm herself. "I hear you get relaxing spas."

"I do have Damian's credit card." I pull out the card that Damian gave to me to hold. "I think he owes us after that mess."

Kate smiled at me. "We are going to be good friends. I know it."

"Perfect. I have Dick's!" Kori waved it in the air.

"Am I the only one that doesn't have my boyfriend's credit card?" She laughed. "Doesn't matter. I have his car keys." She pulled them out.

"Where too?" I said, pulling out a map. "They will know where we are as soon as we use the cards, so we have to do the thing and then pay for it, and then move on."

"Smart." Kori nodded. "I think we should all choose three places we want to go."

"Ok, but where too first?" I gave them the map. "I can get us anywhere, just point."

Kate pointed to something. "How about Metropolis? I heard they have amazing food and I am starving."

"Perfect." Kori and I say at the same time.

I conjure a portal to Metropolis City. We all step through. The place is busy and we totally look out of our element in our super hero suits. "I got this." I say when Kori points this out. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" And then everyone was dressed in their everyday clothes.

"Perfect." Kori nods. "You are growing quite good at your magic Raven."

"Thanks. I try."

We walk along the street and point out different restaurants. We passed so many, but nothing really sounded appetizing until we stopped in front of 'Superman Restaurant and Cafe'. I heard about this place before, but it is really expensive.

"That's perfect!" Kate says after I told her the price.

"Then let us go!" Kori strutted into the restaurant.

I watched as Kori took her confidant steps. She was right. Kate and I followed her in the doors. A very nice waiter took us to very nice seats and gave us a menu. You could tell the meals here were expensive because there was no prices next to the foods.

I looked at Kori and Kate to see their reaction. They felt this was justified. I was mad at Damian, but was never the type of girl to enact vengeance over a guy. Damian had made me feel like it was just me and him against the world, but now it felt like it was me AGAINST him.

"Raven, what are you thinking about?" Kori put her hands on mine for comfort.

"I just... I don't want to talk about it." I said.

"I totally understand." Kori nodded. I knew she did. I knew all of us did. We were all hurt to watch the people we care about flirting with another girl.

"Change of topic, Ladies..." Kate banged on the table. "How about the best place you have ever been to?"

"I think my home planet is the best." Kori turned to Kate, "but on Earth, I think the mall."

"The mall?" Kate said like she was disappointed.

"I like to shop." Kori smiled. It was true. Every chance we got, we would load into the car and go to the mall. Kori would shop at different stores all over and spend so much money on things that you don't really need.

"And you, Raven?" Kate asked.

"I live Azarth's garden. When I was younger, my mother would take me and tell me all about the plants that grew." I smiled at the memory.

"That sounds wonderful. Where is that?" Kate smiled.

"On my home planet." I nodded. "I was born not on Earth." I explain when she looks confused.

"Oh, well that is a place I would very much like to see someday." Kate nodded.

"You can't. The planet died and there has been no life on it for a long time." I said to my plate. I didn't like talking about Azarth very much, but It was nice to at least have that memory.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kate said.

"Don't be." Just as I said that our waiter came over with our food. It was delicious and the best food I have eaten in quite a while. Over the meal, we talked about our favorite missions and when Kori and I came to Earth. At the end of the meal we fought over who was going to pay (Damian or Dick). Dick won and paid for our dinner.

After that we teleported to our next location.

****

It was nice o'clock in the morning before we finally settled down. We had been to Paris, Egypt, France, England, Canada, Texas, and many more locations. I was starting to feel a lot better. There was still a small bit of pain when I walked, but I was healing.

"Should we pay for a hotel?" Kori asked.

"If we pay for one, the boys could figure out what hotel we are staying at and then find us." Kate said, almost fully asleep.

"I vote we do it." I said, standing up. "I don't have enough energy to portal us anymore. I need sleep."

"I vote we just go back to the manner. Sure the guys are there, but I just want sleep." Kate stood up.

"I'm okay with that." I shrugged. "I've spent enough to be satisfied."

"Well, I am not." Kori stood up. "I vote we go to the Titan Tower. At least we won't sleep under the same roof as any of them."

"Fine." Kate groaned.

"I will make one more portal." I sighed and used up what little I had left in me to make one. I was so ready for sleep.

When I stepped through the portal the lights were all off in the tower. I groaned as my foot his something hard. Suddenly the lights were turned on. Lucky for us it was just Super Boy.

"What are you guys doing here?" He said looking at the three of us.

"Having a girls night." I groaned as I walked past him and into my rooms. As soon as I closed the door I jumped into bed and fell asleep. Maybe it wasn't a smart choice to teleport around while trying to heal. Oh well.

****

The next time I woke up it was three in the afternoon. I guess getting to bed so late really does ruin your entire day. I got dressed into some comfy clothes and sat out for some food. All that magic I used last night really made me hungry.

When I opened the door, Damian was sitting on the ground reading a book. He looked up at me and within seconds he was on his feet.

"Let me explain." He stepped towards me. "It's not what you think."

"Oh really." I walked past him and into the kitchen. I was so hungry nothing could stop me.

"Yes." He followed me. "I really don't remember much of what happened, but I do know that that girl was not human. She put some sort of trance on us."

I looked at him. Was he really going to tell me that it wasn't his fault.

"Damian, I am an empath. I felt your emotions. I know for a fact that you were feeling love when you looked at her." I turned back to my task at hand. Food.

"You don't understand I didn't have a choice. I..." he faded off.

I grabbed my toast and sat down at the table. Damian slowly came over.

"Your right, I did feel something for her." He had feelings for her.

My heart broke.

"But it wasn't what you think." He quickly added when he saw my face.

"Damian..." I say, just wanting him to leave.

"I know it sounds messed up, but when I tell you that you are the only person I have ever loved... it's the truth." He put his hand on mine.

I moved my hand back.

"You just said you felt something for her." He was holding something back.

"I..." he looked down at his feet. "I thought she was you."

It took a moment for the words to hit me. He thought that girl was me?

"How?"

"I am not sure, but I didn't see anyone but you and you were so sad. I gave you my handkerchief and tried to make you stop crying. Then suddenly you where no where and some stranger was standing in front of me." He glanced up and me and then back down.

"I am so sorry." He said after I didn't say anything in response. This was a lot to take in. Damian's Ora was blue and sad. I knew he was telling the truth, but it was so strange.

"You thought she was me?"

"Yes." He looked up at me. "When I saw that she wasn't I knew I didn't want you to know about this. None of the guys wanted to admit they saw their girlfriends in front of them. We had all done some ridiculous things to try and make her feel better." Damian smiled at a memory. "I did a magic trick for you."

"Really?"

"I pulled a coin from your ear." He looked at me. "Well, it wasn't your ear, but I thought it was."

"Damian, I know you are telling the truth. I am sorry for how we left and didn't hear you guys out." I put my hand on his. "I... was hurt."

"I didn't mean to hurt you." He took my hand and kissed it. "Please forgive me."

"Only if you forgive me." I give him a small smile.

"Of course." He pulled me into his lap. "I also forgive you for spending $3000 dollars on my credit card." He joked.

I gasped. I had forgotten all about that. "I am so..." he cut me off.

"Don't mention it." He kissed my cheek. "How is your side? Alfred told me the bullet a shattered inside you."

"I am fine. Just have a scar." I nodded.

"It's healed?" He tried to lift up my shirt. "It doesn't hurt at all?"

"Maybe just a little." I admit.

He looked at me. "Raven, let's not do this again."

"Agreed." I said, kissing him. It was a warm kiss, and it made all of yesterdays worries disappear. We kissed for a minute longer before we heard someone walk into the room.

"You're forgiving that trader!" Kate pointed a finger at me. I tried to climb off Damian's lap but he held me down.

"Kate, if you would please leave me and my girlfriend alone..." Damian faded in a suggestive way that made me blush. He was giving a grin to Kate, who was only getting angrier.

"Raven, how could you?" Kate looked at me. Just then Kori and Dick walked into the room with a smile on their faces. It seems they had made up as well. "Not you too!" Kate pointed at Kori. "How am I the only one with brains enough to fight the guys looks."

I hid my smile behind Damian's neck. Damian held onto me as if not to let me go.

"Kate, please hear me out!" Roy ran into the room. Kate bolted for the door. "Please, we can go to my parents house tonight if you want. You win!" He chased after her.

"Brother." Damian said, nodding towards Dick as he sat down at the table.

"I see you got to finally speak to Raven." Dick nodded towards me, making me blush. I tried to get off his lap, but Damian held onto me.

"Yes." Damian said.

"He was like a lost puppy last night without you." Dick said to me. "He was very worried that you had gotten badly hur..."

Just then the salt and pepper flew at Dick face. He caught to salt, but the pepper hit him right in the side of the head. I turned to Damian, who was pretending he hadn't just done that.

"Not cool." Dick said, rubbing his head.

"Shut up then." Damian snapped back.

"Fine. I just thought she should know." Dick leaned back.

"Now brother, if you excuse me..." Damian stood up, me with him. "I have to go."

I tried to part myself from him, but Damian carried me out of the room and into his bedroom. He hasn't stayed in this room sense he left for Wayne Manner in two months. Still the room was clean and there wasn't even dust.

Damian plopped me on the bed, with a smile. "Now. I would like to show you how sorry I am." He kissed me.

[iggy-of-fans]

Of Being a Ladybug 7

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The Cons of being Proactive

 Marinette walked into the fourth café for the day. This one was attached to the Wayne Enterprise building and had an exit into the building proper for employees. She saw many other teenagers within, paper coffee cups clutched for dear life with tablets and laptops out in front of them. She walked to the counter, “Good Morning. Is there a chance I could speak to the manager, please? I saw a help wanted sign on the front window and would like to leave my resume with him.”

“Oh, you seem familiar, have we met?” the barista asked kindly as she waved to a lady in her early 30’s.

“I’m afraid I just moved here from London.”

“Ah, allow me to handle this, Krista. I would be overlooking her resume before hiring her anyway” a gentleman behind her said. He was a handsome chocolate skinned man, with kind brown eyes and was dressed in an expensive looking suit. He smiled with his whole face, his eyes twinkling as though he was part of some inside joke. “Follow me, Miss….”

“Maria, sir. Maria Fu” Marinette held out her hand. His smile softened even more and shook her hand. He gestured with his other hand and led her to an unused table. Once seated, she offered her resume, only her schooling and “family bakery experience” able to be used, as she couldn’t offer up her past volunteer experience, nor could she offer references.

“Hm. Normally I would not allow you to work here without proper references, even from your teachers. However, I also happen to be close to the owner of the company, and know that he just yesterday took in a new ward…” he trailed off, looking at her over the top of the paper. Marinette smoothed her face.

“Why, may I ask, is the newest ward of a multi-billionaire trying to find work? Especially with the…special circumstances of night shifts” the man asked.

“I will be aging out of the system sooner or later. I want to make sure I am capable of at least making it through life on my own, before the inevitable happens” Marinette stated, though she was looking at her battle hardened and sewing scarred hands.

“Very well, you start this afternoon, at 3pm. I assume you will be done with school by then?”

“As far as I am aware, I will remain homeschooled. I am close to finishing my High School diploma either way, and there is no need for me to be placed into a classroom setting at this point. Thank you for your faith in me, Mr…”

“Fox. Lucius Fox. Krista will expect you at 3 PM for your orientation” he stood and held out his hand. She shook his hand, smiled and left. Step one of her plan, complete.

She walked a few blocks to the Gotham Library before taking out her Wayne phone and calling Alfred with another 15 minutes to spare. He arrived and they drove quietly back to the manor. Once there she changed into her training outfit before following Alfred to the cave entrance.

< ( >< ) >

Alfred’s POV

After Marinette left to catch a cab to town, siting going to the library, Alfred went to the cave to track her. Sipping his tea, he sat at the computer and frowned when Marinette actually did get off at the library. Hm. He became more suspicious though when after 3 hours of no movement, she called to pick her up. He frowned. He left to pick her up and frowned more when her tracker finally moved again. Where had she gone? What was she doing? Perhaps tracking the traffic cams? He was pulling into the city proper when a call from Lucius Fox came through.

“Mr. Fox. What can I do for you today?” Alfred asked, pulling over to the side, a block away from the library.

“Would you care to explain to me why the newest Wayne ward was just here, applying for a job as a barista?” Lucius asked, voice soft.

“Is that where she went? Hm. I told Master Bruce she was not like his other children. Thank you for letting me know, I will do my best to have her settle in better.”

“My only tip is to not have her attend school formally. She seems extremely tense about it” Lucius suggested, before hanging up. Hm.

< ( ^ ^ ) >

Bruce POV

Bruce awoke at 9 AM to a tray of breakfast and coffee at his side table. He ate light before heading to the cave to await his newest ward. He saw a tracker open on the screen and Alfred’s discarded tea cup. Seems like his new daughter went out for a while. Figuring he’d talk to Alfred after training, he turned off the screen and started stretching. Diana had filled him in that, while Maria was naturally flexible, she would need help to become more comfortable in the daily movements that may be required of her. He considered ballet. Mari---a, also took to martial arts in a defensive only way. Not good. He needed someone not scared to throw a punch so as to get himself out of the range of fire. Her weapons aim was impeccable though. She could shoot an arrow, a gun, wield a sword and a bo-staff. He nodded. Time to teach her aggression. When Alfred and Maria arrived, he stood and looked her over. Short cut black hair, simple black training leotard, wary blue eyes. She kept herself in a small pose, one arm held over the other, hanging loosely by her side, head slightly bowed to seem non-threatening. Not ideal for a Robin.

“Welcome to Gotham, and to my home, Maria. I hope that you had a restful first night?” he asked, turning away to gather some materials.

“Thank you.”

Not a talker. Quiet, shy. Diana mentioned she suffered inadequacy issues. What to do, what to do. Best to go for the kill, and then back track once he had a better sense of her personality.

“Diana mentioned that your training was progressing well, but that you had some issues with aggression and flexibility. The latter is something that can only be fixed in the long term, but the first… well, for someone who’s had so much fighting experience, I had hoped you wouldn’t be scared to throw a punch” Bruce said, handing her a fresh set of hand wraps for grappling.

Marinette said nothing, head down as she expertly wrapped her hands. He sighed.

“We’re going to work on your offensive fighting for the next few days. I can’t have a Robin that’s too scared to attack” Bruce tried again. ‘Come on… get riled up. Get angry.’

Her head snapped up. ‘Yes!’

“Is the current Robin renaming himself?” ‘She speaks!’

“No. He is relocating and leading the Teen Titans for the time being. A Miraculous has taken up residence with Death Stroke in Jump City. He will be there indefinitely” Bruce said simply.

“So would it not be confusing and also demystifying if you have two Robins? Besides, I doubt he would be happy to share the moniker with me” ‘Is she worried to offend…?

“Demystifying?” he asked instead. This is good. Progress!

“That Batman and Robin are eternal and immortal and do not age or change…?”

He snorted. Really? Well… he did want to be a symbol…

“And what do you suggest instead?”

She hesitated again. Damn. He was about to open his mouth and suggest they wait until after the training session, but she looked up, “Knave.”

Knave… because he was the Dark Knight? He smirked.

“Very well. We will need measurements and a colour scheme. It will need to be eye catching” that might be harder than anticipated. Red was heavily over done, and Green wasn’t flashy enough… purple was taken…

“Pink” she was looking at the display cases, “I like pink.”

Pink… well, he could safely say they’d never used pink before. He nodded, making a gesture to Alfred to make it happen.

“Well, let’s begin. Today you learn to punch.”

<(**)>

Marinette’s POV

Four hours of training later, an exhausted, sweaty and starving Marinette dragged her sore and bruised body back to her room for a bath. What kind of torture was this? Groaning, she dropped onto her bed post bath and glared at the ceiling. She had to get to her orientation. Dammit. She peeled herself off the bed and got dressed in a pair of jeans and a white blouse. She’d grab a pastry at the café.

---- 8 hours later ---

Nope. Nope, today did not happen, she decided. She stood by Krista’s side as she locked up the front door.

“Do you have a ride coming to get you?” Krista asked. Gotham was far from safe at night.

“Uhm…” Marinette didn’t really think about it. Her orientation was only supposed to last an hour and a half, but two of the evening staff had called in sick, and Marinette had been baptized by fire when she had been forced to the till. She hadn’t had time to call Alfred or Bruce, and had no idea if they would even be available right now, considering the time. Crap.

“I was going to cab…” she finally settle on.

“No need for that. I will take her” Bruce friggen Wayne said from behind them, standing next to an expensive looking car.

“Oh, Mr. Wayne. No need for that, I don’t mind sharing a cab with her!” Krista smiled.

A small frown formed. He sighed and smiled, hailing a cab. He leaned down to speak to the cab driver quickly before walking around and opening the door for them.

“A safe trip home, both of you” Bruce said, raising an eyebrow at Marinette and giving her a ‘look’. Crap.

The cab dropped Krista off, refusing payment as Bruce had payed already, before driving to the Manor. A car that followed far too closely came to a stop beside the cab. Bruce stepped out and grabbed the door handle for Marinette. Crap.

He nodded to the cabby before placing a hand on Marinette’s shoulder and marching her into the manor.

“That was an immensely stupid thing for you to do, Maria.”

Tag List

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[smoaking-greenarrow]

Number 5 or 8? MaAAAAAAAAAybe for the Argus agents?!

Arrow Out of Context Part 4: #5 - “That has always been the way with us, Felicity. You are the one who brings the light.”

Not an ARGUS agents fic unfortunately, but I hope y'all enjoy!

Read on AO3.

She didn’t just screw up.

She hacked into a cyber terrorist’s database. And gotten caught.

Part of her had just wanted to know if she could find Helix’s existence. A bigger part of her needed to know if the group was as powerful as some of her inner cyber circles said they were.

Felicity had a reason to look into them. Her mistake was that she didn’t tell John and Oliver she was doing it. Her other mistake was underestimating Helix’s operation.

When she stumbled onto their vast knowledge of classified information, she wanted to shut them down quickly. Their collection of government secrets spanning across the world was dangerous. And there was no way it could be used for anything good. It was a weapon. As soon as Felicity realized how serious of a threat Helix was, she knew that it was up to her to prevent them from causing global warfare.

And she was afraid that if she got out of their database, she wouldn’t be able to find a way back in to stop them.

Felicity didn't see any other choice but to strike while she had the chance.

Of course, Helix was prepared. They probably expected someone of her talent to come sniffing around their work, but she guessed that they were equipped for the likes of the CIA or ARGUS...not her. Felicity tried to ambush them but they were already lying in wait. And in retaliation, Helix virtually flooded her computers, causing everything in her beloved Arrow Cave to crash. They left her with nothing but a black screen and a warning. A flashing skull and crossbones with a threat underneath:

Stop now, Felicity Smoak. Or you will die.

The words on the monitor made her freeze, the glow from the screen was the only light in the room. And since she had the worst luck on the planet, that was exactly what Oliver and Dig saw when they came running down the stairs to see what happened.

The looks on Oliver and John’s faces were severe as soon as they read the not-so-subtle-at-all threat on her screen. “What the hell is that?” Oliver demanded.

Felicity had no choice but to explain what happened, how quickly it all escalated. And the whole time, the ominous warning lit their features.

Stop now, Felicity Smoak. Or you will die.

Oliver immediately demanded that they bring her somewhere safe.

Felicity refused.

Diggle tried asking nicely.

Felicity still said no.

And then Oliver just ignored her entirely, instructing John to set it up. While their friend agreed, hesitantly, and went upstairs to make a call. Then Oliver turned to Felicity, his eyes on fire. "You're going to go home and pack a bag. And then you and I are leaving. One hour, Felicity."

His growly voice didn’t scare her anymore. Neither did his death glares. He raised an eyebrow, daring her to argue. But Felicity gave him a short nod of agreement. She could hear fear in his voice, buried beneath his anger. And that was the only reason she said yes. Well, and because...he had said the two of them.

Felicity was surprised that Oliver insisted on staying the night at the safehouse (one night, until they could figure out what was going on). And she was even more surprised when he met her and John at her townhouse, carrying an overnight bag in one hand.

He was actually going to come.

As soon as they got to the safehouse, a cabin on the outskirts of town, Felicity found the nearest bathroom and locked herself inside, needing some time to herself.

To give herself that time, without having Oliver knock on the door to check on her, she turned the shower on, got undressed, and stepped in. It wasn’t like Oliver wanted to talk anyway. He had barely said a word to her the whole ride to the cabin. And Felicity was starting to realize that he was angry at her. Not that she could blame him...she was pretty angry at herself for going after Helix, guns blazing, without really knowing what or who she was dealing with.

In hindsight, it wasn't the right move. But at the time, it was the only move.

Despite the cold shoulder Oliver was giving her, he didn't stay away for very long. Once she was finished with her shower, Felicity opened the door to let some air in. And it was a matter of minutes before he turned up in the doorway, shuffling his feet.

“How are you feeling?” Oliver asked.

Felicity shook her head, squeezing the towel around her hair to wring the water out. She glanced away from the bathroom mirror to look at him where he leaned against the door. “Terrible. This is all my fault, and I’m just...embarrassed I guess.”

Oliver hesitated, biting his lip as he watched her. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I’m still sorry.” Felicity could feel her eyes pricking with tears. She thought she’d gotten all of those out safely under the hot water...but now more tears were threatening to fall. Right in front of Oliver. Of all the people she never wanted to see her cry...

“I’m sorry,” Felicity mumbled again. “I feel like I’m always getting you into trouble that you didn’t ask for. Count Vertigo, and the Clock King, and all that stuff with Barry Allen… And now after everything with Slade,” she sighed. “I know you’re trying to be better. A hero in the light...and I’m so sorry if I’m not making that easy for you. This is a mess. My stupid mess. And you shouldn’t have to be here helping me clean it up.”

“Hey,” Oliver watched her, his face clear of the anger she’d seen back at the bunker. “Are you kidding?”

She gaped at him, and he shook his head.

“It’s not like that at all,” Oliver whispered. “You always make things easier for me. I...I need you, so you don’t ever have to apologize if you need me. That has always been the way with us, Felicity. You are the one who brings the light.”

She closed her eyes, shaking her head, shaking the comfort that he was offering out of her mind. “You don’t have to be nice to me,” Felicity huffed.

When she opened her eyes again, Oliver was a step closer. And suddenly, the moment felt incredibly intimate.

He had told her that he loved her.

Granted, it was only meant to trick Slade. But that didn’t stop Felicity from replaying that moment over and over in her head since it happened. Those soft words. The way he was looking at her when he said them, like he really was professing his love for her. It made her forget where they were and what the plan was. It made her forget her own name.

And she’d been stewing over that night for weeks now, while they carefully danced around each other and avoided talking about it.

As Oliver stepped into the bathroom with her, the steam from her shower still circling the air, he had that same look in his eyes. Like he wanted her to understand things that he wasn’t ready to say.

“Of course I’m going to be nice to you, Felicity.” Oliver stopped, keeping her at arm’s length. “You’re my friend. You’ve been nothing but nice to me. Most of the time...except for when you broke my coffee maker.” He gave her a small smile, lifting his shoulder as he said, “if you’re expecting me to be a jerk to you, you’re going to be disappointed.”

“I screwed up,” Felicity glanced away. Not even the rare occasion of Oliver making jokes could make her feel better at that moment. Taking a deep breath, Felicity tipped her head back to look at Oliver, not realizing how much she needed him until he was there. “I screwed up bad.”

Silently, Oliver closed the distance between them, pulling her into a hug as he tucked her head beneath his chin. “We can fix it.”

Felicity squeezed her eyes shut, grateful that he didn’t try to tell her she didn’t mess up tonight. Didn’t try to bullshit her. “I will,” she croaked back.

His hug was warm, if not a little stiff. Comforting, and familiar even though it wasn’t often that he touched her like this. And even less often that he was the one to initiate it. But god, it felt good to have his arms around her. “Let me help you this time, Felicity.” Oliver mumbled, holding her tighter.

She leaned back, looking up to see his eyes. He was an impossible man to read. But if there were any answers to find about how he was feeling, her best chance was to look for it in his eyes.

“Okay,” she whispered, giving him a nod.

His fingers combed gently through her hair, pushing a wet strand away from her forehead. The touch seemed so natural, like he didn’t even realize he was doing it. Felicity felt a zing of electricity run straight from his fingertip to her core. “I should finish up,” she squeaked, clearing her throat as she quickly retreated.

“Right,” Oliver answered, his hands pausing in the air where he’d been touching her face. He dropped them. “I’ll make some tea...and we can talk about what to do next.”

She nodded once.

Oliver stopped in the doorway again, turning back to her with his lips pursed. “Unless you're tired. Then maybe you should get some rest, and um...we can figure all of this out in the morning."

She was, actually. Incredibly tired. Exhausted. But this was her mess. And she’d damn well be getting them out of it as soon as possible.

After pulling a sweatshirt over her head and braiding her wet hair, Felicity went downstairs, taking in more of the quaint cabin. It seemed like a good place to hide, but it also felt homey somehow.

Following the sound of a teapot whistling, she made her way into the kitchen. Oliver was standing by the sink, removing the kettle from the stove-top and pouring the hot water into two waiting mugs. Felicity observed him, a little bit in awe to see him doing such a mundane, normal task.

She still wasn’t quite used to seeing Oliver outside of the foundry. Or Queen Consolidated. Even going to Big Belly Burger with him and watching him eat a cheeseburger felt strange to her sometimes. But here he was; the vigilante that was currently making her a cup of tea in the middle of a kitchen that, if she really wanted to daydream, could look like home if she didn’t know any better.

Without a word, Oliver glanced over his shoulder and looked right at her, raising the tea in offering. Because of course he knew she’d been standing there watching him.

Felicity blushed, walking across the room on bare feet to take the mug. Her fingers slid across his, but she told herself it was the heat from her drink that made her shiver, making every inch of her feel cold except for where his hand touched hers.

“Thank you,” Felicity said quietly.

Oliver nodded once in response. Then he glanced down, his gaze settling on her feet. It was barely a moment of attention, but she saw the way his eyes flickered down her body, roaming over her bare legs in her pajama shorts.

Something felt different; either the completely new place, or what happened with Helix, or whatever was going on with him. His eyes traveled back up to meet hers, and Felicity was certain that the sparks she felt flying between them were not one-sided.

He didn’t say anything, so she stayed silent, too. Not wanting to make things worse by saying something foolish, Felicity cleared her throat and stepped around him, effectively squashing those sparks. Instead, she went straight for her laptop he’d left on the counter.

It was crazy how aware of his every move she was. Felicity didn’t have to turn around to know that Oliver was trailing behind her. As she sat down and got to work, she didn’t have to look up to know that he was hovering. It wasn’t all that different than their time in the Arrow Cave. In seconds, Oliver was behind her shoulder, leaning in to get a better view of her screen. “What are you doing?” He asked.

Her fingers stalled for a moment, feeling his breath in her hair. She fought back a shiver. “Finding Helix.”

“Felicity—”

“Don’t worry,” she cut him off. “I’m being careful. They won’t see me coming this time. I’m prepared.”

To his credit, Oliver dropped it. But he didn’t move. Most of the time, whenever he helicopter mom-ed her while she worked, Felicity would get annoyed. Soon after that, she’d be ordering him to stop cramping her style. But she didn’t do that.

After the night they’d had, Felicity didn’t mind him being so close. In fact, she wouldn’t mind if he got a little closer.

“I’m in,” Felicity breathed just as her screen filled with Helix’s security codes, granting her access, the door wide open. She smiled to herself, pleased with her little Trojan of a hack that allowed her to sneak past Helix’s defenses as if she was one of them. All she had to do was download a virus to wipe their system, and it'd be game over for Helix. “Hey, maybe we’ll be out of here sooner than we—”

The laptop went black. Then it crackled with white noise. And a moment later, the view on the screen made her gasp.

“What the hell is this?” She choked.

It was her townhouse. Lights off. Curtains drawn shut. Just as she’d left it a couple of hours ago. The video appeared to be taken from across the street. And there was a timestamp at the corner of the screen, telling them that they were watching it in real time.

Her eyes flew to Oliver, needing something from him as her heart sank to her stomach. He continued to stare at the screen, his mouth a hard line and his eyes on fire with a rage he reserved for the criminals the Arrow faced.

On the screen, whoever was filming raised their hand, covered by a black glove, and waved.

Felicity whimpered, feeling sick to her stomach at the thought that she could have been home. If she’d dug her heels in hard enough, Oliver and John would have backed down. They wouldn’t have forced her to leave. And right now, she could have been alone in her townhouse, oblivious to the Helix creep sitting outside.

With a violent growl, Oliver reached over her shoulder and slammed her laptop shut.

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. It’d only been two hours ago that they threatened her life. Now Helix knew where she lived. For maybe the first time in her life, Felicity was speechless.

The moment that she realized her hands were shaking in her lap, Oliver had them. She glanced up, finding him in front of her now. He was on his knees, his fingers gripping hers. His lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear a word he was saying.

Stop now, Felicity Smoak. Or you will die.

Helix’s threat rang in her mind. That hand from the video, waving at her, knowing she was watching. Taunting her.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands on her face, and Felicity’s instincts had her flinching. The hands tightened, lifting her face until she was looking up at a pair of very blue, very familiar eyes. Eyes that gave her way more comfort than they had a right to. “Breathe, Felicity,” he was saying.

She sucked in a deep breath, the air burning her lungs and making her realize how long she’d been holding it.

Oliver’s hands remained firm, cradling her head, grounding her. He took a breath in, urging her to take her own. And then he let it out slowly, and Felicity silently did the same. “That’s my house, Oliver...who are these people?”

He shook his head, just as lost for answers as she was. “It’s okay, you’re safe. There’s nothing for them to find at your place. They don’t know where you are.” His eyes flickered over her face, and he sighed. “You’re safe. I’m here…”

For a moment, it comforted her.

“But they know where I live. How am I supposed to go back tomorrow? What else do they know about me? What if it leads them to you and they find out who you are and how I’ve been helping you and—”

“Felicity,” he shook his head and she pinched her lips shut. “Don’t worry about that right now. They’re just trying to scare you.”

“Yeah,” she huffed. “Well, it’s working. Consider me thoroughly freaked out. What if I’d been home, Oliver? I almost fought you on this safehouse idea and then I’d be...who knows, I mean, who knows what Helix is capable of? I didn’t think they were killers, but I didn’t peg them as stalkers who antagonize people either and here we are. I don’t know enough about them and now, god only knows what they have on me. Or you. Or anyone in my life."

Stop now, Felicity Smoak. Or you will die.

"They were outside my house. That’s thirty different kinds of terrifying because they totally could have killed me tonight and I would have been that dumb girl who ignored a literal death threat and went home alone like a dumb—”

This time, he cut her off by pushing off his knees, leaning in. Just as she let out a squeak of surprise, Oliver was kissing her.

His lips were warm and soft, a hint of honey from his tea...and it was even better than she dreamed it would be.

Despite everything, Felicity’s mind drew completely blank, feeling nothing but the bliss of Oliver’s mouth pressed against hers, his hands holding her face between them as he deepened it.

It was Oliver.

Her body responded, pressing closer. Her hands moved up his chest, grabbing at his shirt, and her mouth opened for him. He tested the waters, his tongue meeting Felicity's in a slow, heated dance.

It was intense. Affectionate. And it left them both breathless.

So close to the cliff of getting carried away, Oliver pulled back, stopping them before they jumped. Before all sense of reason went flying over the edge along with them. Although Felicity knew in her heart that he didn’t want to stop any more than she did.

He looked her in the eyes, his breath heavy. “You bring the light,” Oliver whispered, raising his shoulder. An innocent truth that he left hanging in front of her. “You're the light, Felicity... Don’t you know that? And I will never, ever, let anyone hurt you.”

[joannie95]

Legacy- Part 18

Pairing: Carter! reader x ?????

Summary:  Everyone knows Peggy Carter is a force to be reckoned with, who could have guessed her granddaughter would hold the same ferocity, if not more.This story follows y/n Carter’s life as she faces the obstacles life pitches her.

A/N: Yes I use principle Skinner’s real name as the villain, it just sounded evil. Thank you to @nasarogers for helping me with all the questions I had to help with this chapter I really appreciate it. Proofread by @welldonebeca

Warnings: A very bitchy Natasha, some swearing, violence and mentions of blood

You’ve been so stressed out lately, you can feel your mind racing a mile a minute.

“Carter,Carter. Agent Carter!" 

"Huh?” You look up once you hear Fury shouting your name. 

He had an irritated look on his face. “I’m sorry, is this briefing disrupting your daydreaming?” He had his arms crossed.

“No sir, I’m sorry,” You grabbed on to your necklace as you looked around, and quickly noticed the concerned look on Phil and Clints face and the arrogant look on Natasha’s face. 

“As I was saying,” he gave you a cold look before he started talking again. Armin Tamzarian obtained information for shield weapons and I need the three of you to retrieve it. Carter, do you mind?“ 

You stood up and walked to the front of the table.

"Not at all sir.” You activated your holographic projection of what seems to look like a normal cave. “I’ve tracked Tamzarians current location to the Alaska Wilderness, a few miles of a hike into the forest. I used the shields satellite to find a cave bunker he’s been hiding out in.” You explain, and enhance the projection to show heat signatures within the bunker under their watchful eyes. “There are 3 floors below ground level and a dozen people within the building. I believe that he is keeping the weapons information on the bottommost floor. It seems that I’ve bought us some time, they haven’t been able to break the code I added to the file." 

You sit back down, and let Fury finish the briefing.

"Thank you Carter,” he moved back to his previous spot “I’ll need the three of you to infiltrate that bunker and retrieve the information.”

You look towards Natasha once you hear her scoff.

“Why is the lab rat going on this mission?” She glared at you, with an annoyed look on her face.

“Because, Agent Romanoff.” You heard Fury say in a condescending tone. “Agent Carter is the only one capable enough to wipe all of the information Tamzarian has in his system.“ 

She sat up straight and clenched her fist. "Well, I’m not going to babysit her and make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

You took a deep breath and gave her a cold stare.

Oh if only looks could kill.

“There is no need for that, Carter is more than capable,” he dismissed her words. “Now if you’re done with your temper tantrum go suit up, you all leave in 30 minutes." 

As soon as Nick left the room you walked up to Natasha. 

"What the hell is your problem with me?" 

"I don’t have a problem, I just don’t like some lab rat thinking she’s capable of going on missions." 

After hearing that you got right in her face. "Call me lab rat one more time and I promise you I’ll beat you even worse than I did before.”

You saw her lip curl up like she was about to make a comment before Phil intervened.

"Alright that’s enough!” Phil walked up to seperate the two of you. “I’m tired of your arguing, the three of you will go on this mission and that’s final. If I hear anything about you two fighting neither of you will go on missions do I make myself clear.”

You took a step back shocked at his reaction, you rarely saw Phil get this mad so when it happened, you knew it was serious. 

“Of course.” You looked down at your feet. 

You felt like a scolded dog.

Phil turned to Natasha.

“Agent Romanoff, do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” She said with no hesitation, although she looked like she wanted to rip your head off.

The three of you left the meeting room only to hear Clint snickering behind you.

“Shut up Clint.” You and Natasha say in unison.

You went to change into your stealth suit, and started to pace back and forth, alone in the room. You were nervous. No, not just nervous, you were scared. What if Natasha was right? What if you couldn’t do this? What if you weren’t good enough? What if- 

"Y/n!” You looked up and saw Phil standing in front of you. 

When had he entered?

“Are you alright?” He gave you a worried look. “I’ve been calling your name for a while now.” 

He looked down at where your hand was messing with your necklace, and you knew he knew you weren’t exactly calm.

"No, I’m not,” You run your hands down your face. “What if I can’t do this Phil? Dad was able to but maybe I’m not good enough." 

You blinked several times, feeling tears in your eyes but refusing to let them fall.

He relaxed his shoulders and grabbed onto your hand. "You and I both know that’s not true,” he said in a soft comforting tone. “You can’t let Natasha get to you. I know without a doubt that your dad is looking down at you proud as he can be for what you’re doing. You have to go out there and show them what you can do alright.”

You stood up straight with confidence. “Alright.” 

When you walked to the quinkjet, your eyes quickly fell on Clint on the Pilot’s seat."Hey,” he had a smile on his face. “Glad you could join us. So what do you think?" 

You looked around. 

“This looks amazing,” you took the seat next to him. "You have to teach me how to fly this thing.”

“Of course. Are you nervous?”

You started to bite your lip. “No… Yes. Is it that obvious?”

“No,” he laughs.  “But it’s your first mission with us. Solo missions are completely different than group missions, you have more than just yourself to worry about, so it’s understandable. Just don’t worry about it you’ll do great." 

You smile. "Thanks Clint.

He started the engine and you began to take off. "Anytime kid. We should be arriving in about 3 hours.”

When you arrive at the predicted time, he landed the quinjet into a small clearing, and you pulled up a holographic image of the area from your watch. 

“The cave should be about 3 miles north from here. So, do you have a plan? We can’t just go in blind.”

“Of course we do,” He had a cocky look on his face. Once we reach the cave I’ll take out anyone I see by the entrance with my arrows and from there we can each take a floor. Y/n you’ll take the bottom floor since that’s where Tamzarian should have the information. Nat will take the floor above you and I’ll take the top floor, alright if we’re all set on the plan we can head out.“

After an hour of hiking you finally reach the cave, only finding one person standing guard. Before you can say anything, you see one of Clint’s arrows taking him out. 

"Alright let’s head in,” he instructed. “You both know what to do.”

The three of you walked into the bunker and made your way down the stairwell. Clint went through the first door you passed and Natasha was about to open the next one when you suddenly pushed her against the wall.

“What the hell do you think-”

She was interrupted by someone opening the door to the stairwell. Once he turned he saw the two of you, he was about to pull out a gun when you shot him in the chest. She doesn’t give you a second look before walking through the door, and you walked down to the last floor.

“You’re welcome.” You mumbled to yourself.

You were already in when you saw someone on a large computer mumbling to themselves. 

You quietly walk up behind him. “You’re probably using the wrong sequence.”

You hear him scoff. “And how would you know?” He turned around and his eyes went wide.

Once he realised who you were, the man went to attack you, but your reaction was quick, managing to put him in a choke hold until he passed out.

You sat in front of the computer and started to wipe out the system, you were just about to finish when you felt something hard hit the side of your head and knock you out of the chair. 

When you raised your eye you saw a tall muscular man with dark piercing eyes.

“Now who are you?” he asked, holding a threatening look on his face. 

You could feel some blood dripping on the side of your head for a moment, but it stopped quickly. 

“I’m going to assume you’re Tamzarian,” you suggested, looking at him from the floor.

The man pulled out his gun, pointing it to you, and you could see Clint and Natasha arriving from behind him.

“I am, but that still doesn’t answer my question,” he cocked his gun. Who are you?" 

You had a small smirk on your face. "That’s really not very important.”

You saw Clint throw something to the other side of the room and the noise made Tamzarian turn around. With that distraction, you kicked his ankle and he fell to the ground. You were ready to fight when you suddenly felt a sting on your thigh along with blood. 

You closed your eyes, falling in the pain for a moment but being interrupted by Clint’s voice.

“Finish on the computer we’ll take care of him.” he yelled. 

You stood up, quickly sitting on the chair again and ignoring your thigh while trying to finish and with a few more clicks the screens went black. 

“Done,” you announced.  “Let’s get out of here.”

When the three of you reached the quinjet you could feel the redhead staring holes to the back of your head, and turned to look at her. 

“Can I help you with something?”

She walked off and sat next to Clint.

You walked towards the back to see that the cut on your head and the flesh wound from the bullet completely healed.

When you arrived back at shield, Phil was waiting for you with a smile on his face.

“Hey kid,” He put an arm around your shoulder. “Come on Fury wants to talk to you.”

“Alright.” You turned to look at the other two. “I’ll see you guys later, and thank you." 

You walked beside your friend, leaving the duo behind you silently. 

Natasha watched you leave with a serious look on her face. 

"There’s something going on with her,” she crossed her arms.” She was shot I saw it happen.”

Clint had a confused look on his face.

“Nat what are you talking about,” he looked at her. “She looks just fine. Don’t you think she would be in some sort of pain if she were shot?”

She began to get frustrated, wanting to pull her hair out of her head. “Exactly,” she insisted.”Which is why I find it weird that she’s not. When she kicked Tamzarian to the ground his gun went off and I saw a bullet hit her thigh. So tell me why there’s nothing there. There’s something going on and I’m going to find out what it is." 

Clint was ready to answer, but she walked away, leaving him on his own.

Legacy Tags:

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[take-u-to-the-moon]

Trust issues - Oliver Queen

Why does he has to be such a control freak? Why can't he just trust me? It's not like I don't know how to protect myself. I have years of training from the League, I'm more qualified than the rest of the team, but he still makes me watch from the sidelines. Just like right now I'm stuck in the Arrow Cave with Felicity while everyone else is out on the streets. It's not that I don't like her, actually I quite enjoy her company, but I want to do more, I know that I could do more, if only Oliver didn't have trust issues.

"You look like you're about to kill someone." Felicity's words zapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at her. She seemed concerned and a bit scared.

"Sorry," I said trying to reassure her.

"Bit don't worry it's not directed at you."

"Let me guess? Oliver?" she turned around in her chair, now facing me.

I nodded.

"Well it would be exciting to watch you two have a go at each other.... I-I mean... I... you know... you and him... fighting?"

I tried to stifle a laugh, unsuccessfully, as Felicity recollected her thoughts.

"I just.... Why exactly do you want to kill him this time?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Would listing the reasons be enough or do you want to see my presentation too?"

"Oh, come on! It can't be that bad." She took one glance at me and quickly backtracked. "Or is it?"

"I've been a so called member of this team for months now and Oliver still won't let me leave the Arrow Cave. I've been training with him, I've proved myself to him. I get that at the beginning he could easily beat my ass, but I was just rusty. I hadn't trained after I left the League, I was simply out of practice. He doesn't have a legit reason to keep me locked up in here."

"It took us a lot of time to convince Oliver to recruit new members to the team," she started to explain. "And you..."

"Were a member of the League of Assassins, therefore can't be trusted," I cut her off.

"Yeah... Wait! No. No no no. That's not what I meant. I was gonna say that you showed up out of nowhere, kind of unexpectedly and Oliver doesn't want to get even more people involved in... this." She gestured towards the various items in the room. "Especially someone we barely know."

"You make it sound like we just met a few days ago. You know it wasn't the first time I met him when I decided to join the vigilante business. He knew me from before... Even you and John knew me from before."

"That's why he's worried about you." Felicity offered a weak smile.

I sighed loudly.

"I can protect myself," I stated firmly.

"Try telling him that."

"I've been telling him for weeks, but it's like I'm talking to a brick wall. I can't change his mind. If he doesn't want me out there with him then I'll just do it on my own."

I stood up and was about to go get my suit but Felicity managed to get in my way.

"No no no no no no no. I don't think that's a good idea." She put her hands on my shoulders.

I gave her one of my best deathglares but she didn't move.

"Talk to him," she pleaded.

"We both know it's pointless."

"Let's make a deal." Felicity stopped talking and glanced at me. When she didn't see any sign of resistance she continued. "You talk to him and if you still can't change his mind then I'll personally help you with the vigilante stuff, no matter what Oliver has to say about it. We could be a duo." she smiled widely.

I smiled back at her. It was really good to have her around.

"Deal."

We shook hands geinnong at each other like two children who just conspired against their parents.

We sat back down at the computer and I actually made an effort to help Felicity, but who am I kidding it's not me strong suit.

A few hours later Team Arrow showed up, they came back from patrol. Oliver was arguing with Renè about something he shouldn't have done. So just the usual. They went to change back to their normal clothes and then everyone started disappearing to their homes. Felicity followed after Curtis.

"Remember our deal," she shouted back from the elevator before it closed.

"What was that about?"

Suddenly Oliver was standing next to me furrowing his eyebrows.

"Oh, nothing. It's just... you know Felicity being Felicity. But I need to talk to you."

Before he could say anything I continued. I'm not gonna let him interrupt me.

"I want to go out there. I want to be an actual member of the team. Stop making up reasons to keep me here we all know you don't actually have one. I can protect myself, I was trained by the League. You of all people should know what that means. And if you don't trust me because I was a member then tell it to my face now then I'll get out of your hair and none of us has to deal with these problems anymore."

We stared at each other for a few seconds. I guess he needed time to process my rant. Bit finally he started speaking.

"I trust you. I know why you joined the League and why you left them, and I know why you want to be here now, why you want to do this. But I just... I don't want you to suffer even more because of something that I started."

"It's my decision Oliver. You can't keep me away from harm forever."

"I trained with you. I trained you. If you get hurt... if you die, that's on me." he stepped closer to me.

"No it's not. It's on my dumb ass making dumbass decisions. That's nothing you haven't done before."

"I don't want you to do through anything similar to what I had to."

"I already did Oliver. That's why I'm here. I want to make a difference. To save people... To save myself," I was whispering the last part but I know he heard me I can see it on his face.

He knows exactly what I'm feeling and that's why he tries so hard to protect me but he didn't realise it was too late, until this moment. I'm more damaged than I get on and now he saw a glimpse of what's really inside.

"All right," he sighed. "You can joins us. But I..."

I didn't let him finish. I attacked him with a hug. He stiffened at first but he quickly eased up and hugged me back. I was surprised at my actions too but considering that I just opened up to someone after bottling up my feelings for too long the least thing I deserved was a hug. 

[saundraswriting]

Hercules Chapter Four

SUMMARY:Spencer takes more responsibility for the case, trying to translate all the pig Latin. Morgan takes care of Reid. And JJ? well she finds out some interesting information.

WARNINGS: None

Previous // Next

Morgan, Gideon Hotch and JJ sat at a table, silent. The food had come and gone. Spencer eating only half and saving the rest. Morgan knew it was a result of too much caffeine-a depressed appetite. Reid having discovered the code to be Pig Latin knew translating by himself was quicker and easier than trying to have a computer translate or Garcia build a program to try.

I can ask him. He won't say no." JJ said.

"He won't say no to anyone. It's not just fair. He hasn't slept in two days." Morgan said.

"I am taking a break right now. And you all should learn to not talk within my earshot if you want to talk about me. I will assume RR numero uno was a bust. Which means the last option right now is me translating pig Latin to understand what these kids all had in common to get murdered.' Reid interjected. "So can I have the materials? and paper?" Reid grabbed his Nth coffee in three days.

Morgan and Hotch began moving things around, making it easier for Reid to dive into his task. He began flipping pages quickly with one hand and speaking into a voice recorder as he did so. The LEO's and BAU watched on in awed silence for a moment or two. Morgan could feel his lips pull down into a frown, noticing the pale color to his friend's face. 'Maybe, it's the lighting. Fluorescents wash everyone out.'

"Okay, lets build a timeline. We need to compare the big things here. The details will fall into placed as we go." Hotch ordered.

The began. The timeline stated who had been killed so far: Leonard was strangled. Ophelia was stabbed in the neck, the wound then cauterized. Tabitha was maimed by arrows and tied up. Everett was shot by poisoned arrows. Each person was found in a different part of Portland. Leonard was found by a school mascot statue, Ophelia was found in a swampy area. Tabitha was found in the woods. Everett was found at the base camp of a shut-down ski resort.

Just as they were finishing, an officer hurried in. "The just found another body. 17 year old male. Wallet says his name is Blaine Robinson. He was found by the office for Majestic Pastures. A business that stables horses for those of the monetary influence."

"Are you kidding me?" Morgan snarled.

Reid poked his head out from his cave. "Give me the coordinates for kill site, dump site, and his home. I will also need the place last seen." Reid retreated into his room to pace.

"Gideon, JJ go to the Robinson home. I and Morgan will go to the dump site." Hotchner directed everyone.

Reid paused in his pacing to stare at the map. He could feel it on the tip of his tongue. He knew he knew the answer but the more he stared at it and though about it, the farther away it got. He groaned in frustration and ran the equations again. The image seemed to be four off shoots of a central point. but the offshoots hit a 90 degree angle. Although with out more data, the central point would continue to be evasive. Spencer shook his head and return to the Pig Latin. Everett's letter were almost done, and then he could synthesize everything.

Twenty minutes later, Reid had finished translating, he was going through the recording to get key points to look into later.  He exited his cavern of solitude to breathe when a press conference from earlier came on TV.

"Look! The recluse has come out from his hiding spot. What great genius shall spew from his mouth now?" Thomas sneered. Spencer remembered him from earlier.

"Hello, Thomas. Interesting you compare me to a deadly spider. That means one of two things. Thing the first- you are scared of that which you do not understand, or fear; or thing the second-You destroy that which intimidates you. Neither answer puts you in a good light. Now, if you excuse me. I need a nap. Thank you." Reid sat in one of the empty desks and pillowed his head on his folded arms.

"You just gonna crash? On a desk? at a police station? Maybe you aren't so smart after all." Thomas' insult fell a little flat after the comments Reid made.

"I have slept in way worse places. The noise level here? Better than the silence of being in a cage, blindfolded and starving, hoping your team caught the clues in time before the scumbag you're hunting kills you." Reid said, almost dismissingly.

"Yeah? With as weird as you are, I bet all kinds of people want to lock you up and torture you. I bet your mom even locked you up for being so weird." Thomas's laughter was caught off by a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw JJ with fire in her eyes. "Why, hello--" He was violently cut off by JJ's fist slamming into his face. He dropped like a rock.

"Asshole!" She muttered, shaking out her hand.

"JJ, that was very unnecessary. It will just egg him on, me needing a girl to fight my battles for me. Not that I don't appreciate it. Cause I do. Very much so." Spencer said as Gideon came over.

"Spence, he had no right to talk to you the way he did. and he certainly had no right bringing your mother into this. He is extremely lucky, I was here and not Morgan. He'd probably kill him." JJ was stilled visibly angry, blue eyes snapping dangerously.

"JJ. I agree, you shouldn't have done that but a bully is a bully." Gideon commented. Spencer groaned, frustration apparent.

"you guys act like I never had to face a bully before. Brains over brawn. He will just use this against me in further altercations. Eventually we would leave and he would be another jerk in a long line of jerks. Now, can we get back to the case? I have something on interest. And we may have the beginnings to a profile." Spencer stood up and swayed right then left before settling. "Are the others back yet? Cause I could do with a quick walk around the block."

"Go ahead. Just come back soon. They should be here any moment." JJ said. She rubbed her eyes as he left, they felt dry and gritty.

"Jennifer, Thank you. We couldn't do this without you. I hope we get another woman on the team. It isn't fair to you." Gideon said. JJ  nodded and left to deal with some stubborn journalists. "Definitely, cause no one could handle my job better than me." she tossed over her shoulder. Gideon smiled at her back.

Gideon stared at the timeline board they were putting together. 'What if his signature, is there isn't one? Obviously the initials are part of it, but what if it went deeper?'

"Hey, gang. we're back? Any progress? let's regroup and maybe we can give something to the press." Hotch and Morgan came in shaking out umbrellas in the entrance. "Hey, it's raining out." Morgan's remark was met with tense chuckles. The duo then noticed the unconscious officer on the floor. "Whoa! what happened here? where is JJ? or Reid for that matter?" Morgan was on edge, something happened-something physical-and he wasn't here to protect Spencer.

"He came out for a nap and then the asshole on the floor was making comments about him and his mom. So I punched him in the jaw. Spencer then left for a walk...in the rain apparently.' JJ said.

"Was it Thomas again? and you knocked him out? Good job." Morgan knew his praise fell short. He was more worried about his best friend. 'Maybe I should have stayed here. this never would have happened if I had stayed'

"Glass jaw, I guess?" JJ said shrugging. "Spence should be back anytime now. He said just around the block." Just then they heard a light commotion at the entrance behind them.

"Hey Morgan, Hotch. It's raining. Pretty hard. Anyone have some spare clothes until mine dry? My go-bag is at the hotel. Last time I underestimate Portland weather." Spencer stood there awkwardly hugging himself. He was drenched to the bone. His clothes sticking to his skin, hair laying thick on his head, water dripping from his face down his neck.

"Come on, Pretty Boy. Or should I call you 'drowned rat'? I have some sweats with me." Morgan grabbed his bag and riffled through it, upon finding the clothes he thrust them at Spencer. He only glanced at his friend-unable to handle his wet lashes or large rain washed brown eyes. Reid flashed a smile and hurried off to go change.

Spencer changed as fast has he could, silently thanking the person who had handed over a towel without question. With one look to the mirror above the sink-felt his heart stop. The concealer on his neck wasn't geared for pacific northwest rains or fabric rubbing on it while wet. It was patchy. Patchy enough to determine what his Soul-mark is. He couldn't breathe.

"Spence? You good?" JJ's voice came through the door.

"JJ! Get in here. Now!" Spencer hissed, panic clear in his voice.

"What's wrong!" JJ hurried into the restroom, paying no attention to the men's sign on the door.

"In my satchel, is some concealer. Can you get it? I don't care how." Spencer was pale and nervous. Opposite of the Spencer that had entered the restroom a few moments ago. He spoke fast and gestured erratically.

"Spence? What in the world do you need-" JJ cut herself off-seeing the swirly sun on the right side of his neck, standing out from his pale skin like a beacon. The same mark Derek Morgan wore with pride. "Doctor Spencer Reid! Why didn't you tell me? Or Penelope? Why are you hiding this?" JJ was furious. Her hands were shaking, her lips quivering. He was hiding his matching Soul-mark from Derek; the only one to ever totally accept Spencer quirks and all.

"I can't explain now. I will later when I have more time. I promise. Just, you can't tell anyone. Please, JJ, I need a little longer." Spencer plead. JJ huffed in anger.

"Fine. But I am still very angry at you. and disappointed. I thought you understood how important soulmates are. I'll go get your concealer." JJ talked off. She returned a ew minutes later with a grocery bag and his satchel. While Spencer reapplied his make-up, JJ stuffed his wet clothes in the plastic bag. Spencer combed his hair into a manageable mane. JJ looked at the young doctor who looked lost and adrift-because of the clothes a few sizes too big or her knowing his secret she didn't know.

"Let me help." She noticed he had tied the drawstring already. She took a hair-tie and tied the waistband off. 

"Thanks, Jen." Spencer walked out trying to hold on to what little dignity he still had. He looked like a boy wearing his dad's clothes.

Morgan looked and saw how his clothes absolutely swallowed the young genius. Morgan felt a strong urge of possessiveness at the sight of his shirt sitting not quite right on Reid's shoulders. Morgan shook himself, trying to bring his focus back on the case.

"Are we ready? Let's go over some new developments. Reid you seemed most eager earlier." Hotch gestured for him to begin." All the correspondence says variations of the same thing: Religious Revolution. The state the day, time, place, some minutes from the previous meeting and the tentative agenda for the next one. I translated everything. The first one to go and die was Leo. They discussed how the universe came about. How it wasn't the work of one God, but deities, and a mix of science and magic. This whole thing seemed to start about two months before Leo's death. That we know of." Spencer stood up. "The map-it has nothing to do with math or numbers or patterns. But based off data, the UnSub is at least in Portland. This is almost like a specific image. He has to be native to know all this locations." Spencer sat back down.

"We know from the timeline he dumps on Sundays, highly considered the day of rest in most religions. Sometimes he dumps Saturdays. He M.O. is the difference in murders. He is trying to achieve something, a mission or task in his fantasy. we have to be aware that he may not be the mind behind all this. He could be the follower. or the coerced, or multiple personality disorder, or schizophrenia, even an inability to cope." Gideon explained.

"So we have a profile?" JJ asked."

"We have a very basic profile. It isn't very complete because we don't have enough data. To make a profile we use evidence that is there and also not there, we use the behaviors of the victims to predict another. we may be right. we may be wrong. we believe thus far the UnSub is a male, 20-35 years of age. He will be charismatic, but solitary. He isn't into parties or large crowds. if you would gather a few people though he would definitely be the leader. He is disconnected with reality somehow. On the surfaced he is a functioning member of society. But below the surface is a list of jobs that he was let go from or quit before the 3 year mark. Most were trivial jobs, nothing to mentally intensive. He is intelligent but not very organized from a psychology aspect. He doesn't follow social cues very well, a conversation may start out being philosophical." Gideon informed the police and press.

"The lack of sexual abuse but extreme damage can help us eliminate family. it is hard for someone to be this violent to their family unless they are like a serial killer trying to kill the same person over and over again." Morgan finished.

"Okay, everyone. Thank you. Now go home, get some sleep." Chief Yates dismissed the bullpen. The uniforms didn't hesitate before scattering.

"I am going to check in with the journalist and then head to the hotel." JJ said. She waved at the others before heading over to the chattering crowd.

"We are off to the hotel now. Early to bed and early to rise and all that." Hotch and Gideon headed out the door

"Come on, Pretty Boy, let us go and get some sleep ourselves." Morgan clapped Spencer on the shoulder.

"No, I am good. I think I will stay here for the night and keep working on this. You go on. I will see you later." Reid shrugged off the contact. "Good night." Reid made to head into the room that had been deemed his. Morgan growled with anger.

"Not. Happening. I will drag your ass to the hotel if I have to." Morgan gathered their stuff by the door. He knew from experience that Reid responded better to demands then requests. In situations like these Reid would push himself to the limit and then push himself more. Any threats made would need to be made with intent to carry them out if needed. Morgan walked into Reid's room and grabbed him by the arms. Spencer froze for an instant and then thawed. Just as Morgan knew he would.

"Come on now. We are heading back to the hotel. We are going to shower, maybe eat and certainly sleep. Don't think I haven't noticed you neglecting yourself. It has been like three days at least." Morgan lead unresisting Spencer to the car and then the hotel.

"Spence. Take first shower, I'll do laundry. I know we are both running low." Morgan left to find the floor's laundry machine. Spencer hopped in the shower, using toiletries he brought but taking the complimentary bottles. When Morgan returned it was a clean, damp and still wearing his clothes Spencer Reid. Morgan felt the familiar surge of possessiveness from earlier. He couldn't help but admire the way his clothes seemed to dwarf Spencer, making him look small and protected. 'Is this a new kink of mine? Clothes sharing? Or is it a Spencer Reid thing? Since he is my best friend?' Spencer yawned and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand. Derek felt a hum of low-level arousal. 'Well, this is a new feeling. Must just be a Spencer Reid thing.'

Spencer got settled on his bed, using low lamp light to read a book. Derek followed his lead and settled down into bed, relaxing in moments, dropping off to a barely awake state in minutes. He could feel his body being manipulated and Reid talking to him but also felt himself losing awareness as well.

"Jeez, Derek. Learn to take better care of yourself. You'll catch a cold, staying on top of the blankets like that." Spencer murmured. Derek wanted to reply, with something like 'Thank you." or 'You know that isn't true.' but nothing came out a Derek succumbed to the heady embrace of sleep.

Spencer stood up and shook his head at his best friend. HE went and finished the laundry. he put it away for them both too, for it seemed that they would be here for a while. Spencer sat on his bed wanting to think over the case but his mind grew hazy, his mouth felt very dry and a headache was building behind his eyes.  'Fine, bed it is then.' That was the last thought Spencer had before tucking himself in and going to bed, falling asleep in seconds.

Previous // Next

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Okay, chapter four is done! Things start moving pretty quickly from here.