#oc; chloe

[maccreadysbaby]

Project: Killcode

batfamily + oc insert

tw: none

wanna read more? here’s the table of contents!

want to read the first fic in the hundred days series so you understand what’s going on here? here it is!

I am in pain writing my boys like this

part thirty-two

❝ EFFORT ❞

MONDAY — JULY 30 — 5:02AM

AFTER AN EVENTFUL DAY OF NEVER COMING OUT OF BELLAMY’S ROOM, BENTLEY WOKE UP ON MONDAY MORNING LAYING BACK TO BACK WITH HIM. 

And the first thing he thought about was Bruce.

He wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him everything so bad — about the parties and the nightmares and the teachers and Tyler and Chloe and the (maybe?) Secret Keeper and his father. He wanted to just lay it all out at his feet so he didn’t have to deal with it alone anymore… but he couldn’t.

Because if he did, Bruce would come get them and take them home, and someone else would move into the dorm. He’d never see any of them again.

He had to show Bruce that he could do this no matter what kind of problems he had — he was thirteen, and he could deal with his issues by himself. He didn’t always need his dad or his brothers to swoop in and do it for him; he was capable. More than capable.

So for now, he decided, not a Wayne in the world would know a thing. Would it be easier on him if they did? Sure. But getting whisked home to live a life of solitude while every other teenager in the world did whatever they wanted didn’t sound like an ideal situation. Plus, he was pretty sure he’d have lost his mind if he didn’t stop homeschooling when he did.

It was okay. He was okay. Everyone was okay. Everything was okay.

He’d just focus on school — it was a good enough distraction. He did have seven classes to survive, and nine friendships to maintain.

(Or eight, if… Asten didn’t want to talk to him.)

So he decided that’s what he was gonna do. Just be a teenager, and try his best to forget about all the existential dread stuff.

He woke up, blocked the number his father had called him from, and left Bellamy’s room to go get ready. 

It was only a little after five, so he was able to get into his room and do everything he needed without waking Asten up, which was nice — because he wasn’t sure where they stood. They hadn't talked at all since the fight, but Bentley did end up in bed arrest in Bellamy's room, so he guessed it wasn't really either of their faults.

He grabbed his bag and all of his things out of his room and left, shutting the door softly behind him. Should he go back in Bellamy's room? Or just sit and the dining table and do something silent?

That moment was about when his phone vibrated in his hand.

The name on the text message was Chloe Singh. (He'd changed it almost immediately after she gave it to him.) It said: Hey, meet me at the fountain at 530?

He didn't even have time to think about replying before a second one came: Or at breakfast, if you're not a psycho that wakes up at 430 for school like me.

Bentley hummed to himself, typing a quick response.

Just text me when you're ready. I'm already dressed and all.

He hardly had time to look away before another message blipped onto the screen. Oh, okay! I'm ready then, haha.

With a faint little smile and a shrug, Bentley made sure he slid his keycard into his phone case and made for the door, leaving the dorm with his schoolbag in the dark.

When he made it down the stairs and the several sidewalks it took to get to the fountain with the willows, Chloe was already there in her uniform with her bag. Her blonde hair was tied up halfway with a black ribbon, and pin-straight so it looked extra long. She glanced back at him when she heard him approach and sent him a friendly wave, which he returned.

Were they technically friends now? How many times did you have to cry in front of someone before you became friends?

With that on his mind, Bentley made for the bench she was on, dropping his bag near his feet and taking a seat next to her.

"Good morning," She said quietly, eyes focused on campus staff that seemed to be moving something into the art building across the way, past the willow trees.

"Good morning," He replied.

"Listen, I just... wanted to apologize for Saturday night," She sighed, looking down at her lap and deflating slightly, a stark comparison to how confident she looked in class or the halls. "I had a massive breakdown and it was really weird. I word vomited so many unnecessary details."

Bentley shook his head, glancing over at her. "Don't apologize. We all have our moments. I, in particular, have had at least thirty since I moved into Redwood."

Chloe glanced at him, furrowing her brow. "I never imagined Bruce Wayne's heir would have moments."

"I wasn't always his," Bentley shrugged, forcing his father's voice out of his mind, focusing on Chloe's brown eyes that were watching him. "Anyways, it's no problem. Breakdowns suck, but they suck even worse if you're alone."

She blinked and looked away, then back. "That's why I wanted to say thank you," She continued, glancing down at her hands, fiddling with her fingers. "For being there for me. I... can honestly say I don't have anyone else, as pitiful and attention seeking as that sounds. Living a double life is really hard when everyone only knows the fake part."

Bentley watched her breathe in deep, then blow it out. "Anyways, not to get all pitiful. I think I have the rumors handled on my end... my roommates were the only ones who knew I was going to meet you, and they swore they wouldn't say anything. What about yours?"

"Only two know I was gone, and they won't say anything," Bentley shrugged. "I think we're safe."

A beat passed.

"Thank God," Chloe exhaled, brushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "I'd never forgive myself if a chimp like Tyler Abbott got ahold of information like that. He'd have the entire campus believing whatever he wanted about us in, like, ten seconds."

Bentley didn't reply.

"Hey, you okay?" She continued, lowering her volume just a little. "You seem preoccupied."

Bentley shook his head in an attempt to shake himself back into the present and out of whatever routine of self loathing his mind was trying to put him in. "Yeah, just pretty drained. I've been really stressed lately."

"I'm sorry..." Chloe mumbled, and Bentley shrugged.

"It's not your fault," He continued, waving her off. "What about you? Were you okay after the other night?"

Chloe shrugged. "Same... just kinda drained. Emotions and their stupid, stupid existence have a way of doing that. But I'm feeling okay now. Practice for cheer tryouts starts after school today, so I pretty much am required to be okay."

A beat passed.

"So... did you and Layla end up having fun at the dance?" She questioned, looking across the way at the willows, a little hint of something he couldn't quite place filtering through into her words.

Bentley shrugged. "It was okay, but I... didn't go with her. I went with my roommates. To see the band that was playing."

"Oh," Chloe nodded to herself.

Another few moments of quiet passed.

"I... wanted to ask you something," Chloe started, turning to face him slightly on the bench, getting this... he wasn't sure. Embarrassed sort of look on her face. "You can totally say no if you want to; I know I'm not the easiest person to stomach."

"What is it?" Bentley questioned, turning toward her a little, too.

Chloe breathed in and out. "I know I was really mean and weird and stuff when we met, and I don't have any clever excuses to talk myself out of that. But I still... wanna be friends with you, if you want."

Bentley watched her nervously tuck a piece of hair behind her left her, her brown eyes straying down to the bench they were on.

"Yeah... I'd like that," Bentley replied, watching her anxiously pick at her nails. "But you... I don't want it to be some kind of ploy for your mom. If we're gonna be friends, I just... want to be friends. Not for anybody else."

"A hundred percent," Chloe nodded. "She won't have a clue I'm even talking to you anymore. She seems to have moved on in her searching for my perfect future divorce since I blew it with you already. Which means we're in the clear."

Bentley hummed in acknowledgment, glancing at her for a moment more before looking out at the trees again. "Can I ask an awkward question?"

"Sure," Chloe shrugged. "Can't be more awkward than me word vomiting my entire life's story, and my mothers."

Bentley found it in himself to chuckle at that. "I was just... wondering. Since you were only kinda acting, did you... mean what you told me? In class?"

Chloe glanced over at him quickly, her brow furrowed, before she seemed to realize what he meant. Her face flushed pink and she looked the other way. "That you're hot? I-I mean, yeah, I guess..."

Bentley didn't say anything.

"God, why can't I talk to you?" She mumbled, resting her elbows on her knees and dropping her head into her hands with a nervous little laugh. "It's so weird. Being, like, real. I always know what to say when I'm pretending."

Bentley shrugged. "Maybe you should... not pretend."

"I can't do that!" She said suddenly, sitting up. "My mother would disown me if I even thought about acting contrary to how she wants."

Bentley hummed. "How does she know what you act like here at school?"

Chloe looked up at him, a cringe spreading across her face. "She's the assistant Dean. She lives on campus."

Bentley blinked. "Oh..."

"Yeah..." Chloe shook her head. "I literally can't get away from her and her prying eyes through the school-day. That's why I wanted to talk to you now, before the day starts."

Bentley couldn't even imagine his father watching him like a hawk like that. When he first went to the Wayne's to, quote-on-quote, destroy them, he could hardly fathom the anxiety caused by the fact that his father may have possibly been watching. But Chloe's mom, putting her up to something out of greed, punishing her when she failed, watching her to make sure she was perfect... maybe they weren't so different after all.

Bentley didn’t say anything for a few minutes.

“So, are you liking it so far, here? I’ve heard Gotham is way different from New York,” She questioned. (How many times was he going to be asked that question?)

He shrugged. “New York is really cool. I like it here. It feels more… alive.”

Chloe nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “There’s so much that goes on, it's hard to get away from it all. That's why I like it so much here.”

Another beat passed.

“So, if it's not off limits, what are your powers?” Bentley questioned, glancing over at her. “I haven’t seen or heard anything about them.”

“Oh, I…” Chloe started, looking off at the trees ahead of them. “I… uh…”

Bentley could recognize discomfort when he saw it. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“No, I just…” She trailed off, breathing deep and holding it for a second, then exhaling. “I don’t have any.”

Bentley furrowed his brow. Wasn’t Redwood only for metahumans?

“My sisters do, and I have the genes for it, I just… they… haven’t appeared yet. My mom says that sometimes it takes a lot to make them show up,” Chloe shrugged. 

Bentley vaguely remembered hearing something about that when he was dealing with the whole Dr. Keene disaster -- it was like how Nico’s super speed only started to show up after he learned he was adopted, and only really showed up after he got kidnapped and put in a big machine that messed with his DNA. He remembered that metahumans finding their powers was… usually due to trauma.

He wasn’t quite sure what that said about the rest of the Redwood students. But maybe it was a good thing that Chloe didn’t have hers.

“I guess we’ll just have to see, then,” Bentley shrugged.

“I guess so…”

They fell into a comfortable silence, looking out at the willow trees in front of them.

Okay.. maybe Bentley had ten friendships to maintain.

--

When breakfast came around, Bentley sat across the table from Asten.

They didn’t say anything to each other. Bentley looked over at him a few times, but he was always talking to Rockie, or looking down at the table, or across the room. Valor was watching the both of them -- Bentley noticed his gaze a few times, calculating, contemplating -- but when Bentley’s eyes met his, it always switched to a supportive smile, faint enough to go missed by everyone else but present enough to be a little comforting.

Bentley and Asten didn’t talk at lunch, either.

And when music theory came around, Asten only spoke to Rockie, and Bentley only spoke to Vera, and in free period, Asten sat with Rockie, and Bellamy and Valor sat with Bentley. It was…

Weird.

He went to practice soccer with Varian and Koa, and they talked about nothing and everything. He went to dinner, where Asten deliberately ignored him even though they were within whispering distance from one another. And then he did his homework at the dining table, and listened to his roommates talk, and hung out, and texted Chloe, and went to bed without saying anything to his best friend who was sleeping one bunk away.

As wrong as it felt, Bentley was the one who’d been right. Asten was a hypocrite and all the lovely things Bentley had said in his anger fueled haze. So, for this one time, for the first time in his life, he wasn’t going to allow himself to apologize.

If Asten wanted to talk to him, Asten was going to have to put in the effort.

And as far as Bentley could tell, right now, he didn’t care very much.

--

tag list that never works lmao

@fleur-alise @sarcopterygiian @gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun

@xiaonothere

@skylathescholarly @flyrobinflyy

[arttla]

beachin'

[possumancer-co]

🦋I'm price, Chloe Price...Bang!🦋

[sciamano240]

Trick or treat! Here's my OC Chloe dressed as a scary nurse.

[door-insurance]

Chasemarsh x pricefield double date: game night (mario kart)

BONUS -

Joyce and Sinclair (victoria's mom) are bonding over their daughters mario kart beef

sinclair is my original character

i go more in details here

[juggermelon]

Sander takes great care of Atlas. Take notes!

[keymintt]

you've got yourself a rogue bot she's gunnin' for the killshot malfunctioning again, you know heads will roll get ready for the end, she's irrational

[mellowwillowy]

It's 12 AM and here I am writing about tits; GN Reader. MDNI.

Yan! Boyfriend has the tits that are equivalent to cushion so why not sleep on top of him? Don't worry, he might not look like it but he is large (buffy) enough to hold your weight!

Yes, you don't get to sleep on anyone's tits. He has the best tits for you so don't even bother eyeing the others.

See? See how there's an imaginary print of your body on his body??? He is made to be your bed, now lay on top of him and get some power nap.

No, do not eye Yan! Girlfriend's tits. Look at his and sleep on his only! Could it be that you like tanned skin more? Should he tan himself so that his tits serve as better option now? (Stop beong delulu pls.)

Yan! Boyfriend will let you suck, bite, twirl his nipples, it almost feels like he's breastfeeding you at this rate! No, he will find a way to make milk comes out so don't go to Yan! Girlfriend.

Yan! Boyfriend who likes it when you sit on his lap, mouthing at his tits while he pleasures you with his hand. He likes to make you accidentally bite him hard by feeling that one spot that turns you into a mess!

Yan! Boyfriend who will babble like baby if you bully his cock while mouthing his tits! What blessing it is to have you feel him completely! Ohhh, look at how tears are forming on his eyes, it seems like he wants to have his turn on your breasts now, get reafy for intense suckings from him!

"Ffffuuuuc...kk.. Blue, slow down!"

Blue shook his head as he greedily palmed your breast, fingers pinching your nipple while his tongue abusing your other nipples, "You've had your sweet time with mine right? Now it's my turn to have yours!"

[the-hydroxian-artblog]

toy dragon's nicer than he looks, usually

EDIT: More sketches under da cuttt

Jack's fun to draw, though a bit more niche compared to other ocs of mine. he can do that thing where he can shock you with a handshake, but he's too nice to do that most of the time

I've learned a lot about shapes and pushing expressions with them, so now I can draw him a bit more appealingly and a bit more distinctly than before. I'm really really really glad he's found some fans

[misscoet]

i'd be there to hold you, too.

[maccreadysbaby]

Project: Killcode

batfamily + oc insert

tw: none

wanna read more? here’s the table of contents!

want to read the first fic in the hundred days series so you understand what’s going on here? here it is!

don’t ask me how i put this out so fast just marvel… jk

also BENTLEY’S FIRST MOMENT™︎ WITH A GIRL

part twenty-nine

❝ SPITE ❞

SATURDAY — JULY 28 — 8:07PM

BENTLEY WENT BACK TO THE MAIN GYMNASIUM, WORKING HIS WAY BACK THROUGH THE CROWD TO ASTEN AND LAYLA.

“What was that about? You just took off,” Asten asked as soon as Bentley returned, scanning him questioningly with his green eyes. Bentley glanced at him, then at Layla, who was looking at him just as curious, then at Vera, who was still onstage, and, finally, back through the doorway where Chloe had been. Crying. Because of him.

“I saw someone I needed to talk to,” He replied, glancing back at Asten, at his sort of fixed blue hair. “But I didn’t catch them in time.”

Bentley looked back at the stage and watched Vera and her band move around on it. He felt Asten’s eyes lingering on him for a while, but eventually, he looked away, too.

Vera was onstage for probably half an hour, and the whole time Bentley was really focused on not having shiny eyes. (It was kinda hard because you can’t feel shiny eyes… so maybe he just looked mad. He’d ask Asten later.)

But finally, she and her band left the stage, and, about two minutes later, she pushed through the crowd toward them.

“That was amazing!” Layla squealed, running up and engulfing her best friend in a bone-crushing hug. 

“Thanks, L,” Vera replied, hugging her back, locking eyes with Bentley over Layla’s shoulder. She smiled softly, the same kind of way she had on stage, and he smiled back.

(Were her eyes shiny, or was it just the lights?)

“I didn’t know you were in a band,” Was what he finally said. Vera wriggled her way out of Layla’s embrace and stepped up to him with a shrug. 

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, Red,” She snickered, folding her arms in front of her. “But yeah — being a famous singer is, like, my dream. Mrs. Hastings helped me find people here to make a little band. We may not have a tour bus and sold out venues, but it’s fun to play here.”

Bentley hummed. “It’s really cool.”

“Thanks… but you’d take that back if you heard the band name,” She snorted. “The boys named it. After the Apocalypse.”

“That’s not bad. What about hootie and the blowfish? That’s a bad band name,”

“Hey! Don’t sleep on hootie!” She ordered with a laugh. “They were actually pretty good.”

“I didn’t say they weren't,” He snickered. “Who’s in your band?”

Vera glanced back up at the stage. “Most of them were friends with my brother, before he went missing. He used to tutor and hang out with the younger kids here at Redwood because he didn’t like anyone his age.”

Bentley said nothing to that, but glanced up at her. She’d heard her mention her brother before, but he didn’t know he was missing. Why was she acting so… casual about it?

“It’s fine, I mean, he went missing when I was, like, eight,” She shrugged. When Bentley scrunched his face up in confusion, she cringed. “Oops, I just read your mind. Sorry. Sometimes I hear it so naturally it sounds like you’re talking to me.” She sighed. “But yeah. They say he went missing, but I saw him leave in his car when he was sixteen. So he’s probably just out there doing what he wants. I don’t blame him — my parents were trash.”

Bentley hummed, glancing back at the stage. “What’s his name?”

“Noah,”

He, again, said nothing. He couldn’t imagine one of his siblings going missing… let alone for seven years. 

Seven years. Was Noah Levante even still alive?

“Of course he’s alive!” Vera suddenly blurted, and when Bentley looked over at her, she huffed. “Sorry, I did it again. But he’s alive. The police are still looking for him.”

“Okay,” He replied simply, glancing back at the stage.

A moment of quiet came and went.

“Anyways, you asked about my band,”

Vera went on naming the members of her band and telling Bentley about them, but the whole time, he could only think about Noah.

And the fact that when police couldn’t find someone for that long, they were usually… 

Dead.

—

When they made it back to the dorm, Bentley’s social battery was more dead than week-old roadkill. It was only nine-thirty, but it felt more like two in the morning. Everyone had had a pretty mediocre time at the dance. As Bentley had expected — besides Koa, though, who spent the whole thing with Summer and was happy about it. Bentley guessed it had been fine for him… besides seeing Georgia cheating and making Chloe cry. And talking about Vera’s dead missing brother.

Okay, so maybe the majority had been kinda un-fine.

Chloe really was pretty, but it didn’t seem to actually matter when she was trying to shove it down his throat like she did. If she would’ve been nice to Layla and stuff, they might’ve even been friends. But she made him feel so… weird. Uncomfortable. Gross. Summer and Layla and Vera and even Georgia were all pretty, but none of them acted like her. Why did she act like that? Like she had to prove to everyone that she was pretty?

Despite wanting to sleep desperately, he laid in his bed and thought about her. About why she felt the need to tell everyone how attractive she was. And then, going through all the potential answers he came up with (none of which ended up being good), he managed to make himself feel like a bucket of garbage for being mean to her.

But she was pretty mean, too, even if it wasn’t to him. She was mean to his friends. She was a jerk.

So why couldn’t he stop feeling so bad about what he’d said? It was even true — her dress was really too short. But…

It was nearing ten o’clock, and thirty minutes of laying there with his eyes closed, when he heard Asten climb off the top bunk and leave their bedroom. Then, a few minutes later, a few voices came and went, and the dorm door closed.

That’s about when Summer’s voice echoed in his head: The afterparty starts at ten at Mason’s house — fifteen plus. Don’t be late.

Asten was going again?

Did he not remember… last time he…

What?

Bentley promptly rose from his bed and glanced around their dark room, flipping the lamp in the corner on. He checked the top bunk and desks for Asten’s phone, but it was gone, and when he went out into the living area, it was empty. Rockie and Valor’s bedroom door was wide open to the world — empty, too.

Asten was going back? And he wasn’t going to tell him?

Bentley, with a huff, plopped on the couch and whipped his phone out of his pocket, tapping on Asten’s name — so much for not keeping secrets, right? No, he backspaced that. Where are you? Would it be petty of him to copy the exact string of texts that Asten had sent to him when he was gone? He backspaced that, too. Did you go to the party again? Was that too accusatory? 

He emptied out the text box and just stared at it. Why would Asten go back after what happened last time? He came back to the dorm sick and crying and he was going to go do it all a second time? 

Bentley stared at Asten’s messages for a good ten minutes before he finally huffed and swiped them away.

All that talk about secrets, and Asten still only left in the quiet after he thought Bentley was asleep. At least last time he’d woken him up to lie to him.

Bentley huffed and raked his hand through his hair.

Asten was just going to up and leave the dorm in the middle of the night and keep it secret?

Fine. If Asten was allowed to do it, then Bentley was, too.

He scrolled through his contacts until he found a familiar name, tapped on it, and held his phone up to his ear.

“Oh, look, the asshole’s calling,” Chided a high-pitched falsetto, laced with something thick that made Bentley’s guilt come back ten times worse. “What do you want? To humiliate me for the twentieth time?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, a strange mixture of feelings swirling around inside of him. He was tired, but he was also kinda pissed at Asten, and he also felt like the asshole of the century.

He exhaled. “Chloe, I… need to talk to you,” He glanced at the dorm door that Asten had so readily gone through without telling him. “In person.”

He heard her hum. “Really? Alright… What building are you in?”

He glanced over at Varian’s bedroom door, like he was about to come out and catch him in the act. “Aristotle.”

“Okay,” She replied. “Meet me under the willow trees — near the fountain between Columbus and Aristotle.”

Then she hung up. 

Bentley went back into his room, traded his pajamas out for some pants and a hoodie, then went to the door of the dorm and stared at it.

If Asten wasn’t going to tell him about the party until it was convenient… then he wasn’t going to tell him about sneaking out with Chloe in the middle of the night until it was convenient, either.

—

It was kind of cool outside when he made it to the fountain. 

It was quiet — the running water and rustling of trees were the only sounds he could hear. The moon and stars were all that were providing him with light, dimly illuminating the walkways so he could see where to step. He might’ve used his phone flashlight if he weren’t petrified of being caught by campus security. (Which Redwood claimed to have but… Bentley and his roommates snuck off and around campus, like, constantly with no issues? Had he ever even seen a security guard there?)

“Look who decided to show up. I half thought you were just trying to stand me up and make me feel like an idiot,” Came Chloe’s voice. He followed it to the darkness ahead of the fountain, where he could see the subtle silhouette of two willow trees and a small blob sitting under them, a little ways from the sidewalk.

With a sigh (he didn’t let himself think very much about what he was doing — it was just to apologize and get back at Asten.), he made his way in that direction, stepping off the sidewalk and into the grass, toward the trees. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he recognized that the blob sitting on the ground was her — she was out of her dress now, wearing what looked like a huge sweater and leggings, with some fuzzy boot-slipper-things that looked like the ones Summer had worn in the nurse’s office. Her hair was pulled up into a curly ponytail. She was looking at him, sitting on the grass with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms tight around them.

With a sharp inhale, Bentley went and sat himself beside her on the ground.

For a while, they were quiet, with only the fountain and gentle breeze to distract them. Bentley just kind of watched her for a minute — she didn’t really look at him, she just laid her chin on her knees and watched the fountain in the distance.

Bentley sighed, pulling his legs up criss-cross. “I’m really sorry I made you cry. I’m not usually so mean, I don’t… know why I said that. You looked pretty.”

He saw Chloe glance over at him in the dark, and it was his turn to look at the fountain instead of at her. “Really?” She asked. Then she cleared her throat and looked away. “It’s okay. I know I’ve been weirding you out. What you said… it isn’t actually why I was crying.”

He looked over at her in the dark, her features becoming slowly more discernible as his eyes continued to adjust. “Oh?”

Chloe shrugged, and one of the shoulders of her sweater fell off only for her to tug it back up anxiously. “I mean, it didn’t exactly help, but… right after Vera started playing, my mom called me.”

She breathed in and out, laying her head back on her knees. “I’m not allowed to go home for Christmas, because… of you.”

Bentley furrowed his brow, glancing back over at her. “What?”

Chloe glanced back at him, her brown eyes flicking back and forth between his before she smiled sadly. “My mom went to Redwood when she was young — seduced every guy in her path, married into a family of millionaires, divorced him and got all his money. My two older sisters are doing the same — one just got married and the other just got divorced,” She explained softly, looking away again. “My mom wanted me to do the same thing. Y’know, so I don’t have to work n’stuff. She never found anyone for me, but then she just about died when she heard Bruce Wayne’s kid was coming to Redwood this year. So she told me I had to…”

Chloe glanced up at him, her brown eyes bouncing across his face again. “Seduce you. So I can marry you. Take your name. Be a Wayne. Get rich.”

Bentley exhaled lightly. “Oh. That’s… kinda…”

“Crazy? Screwed up? Psychotic? I know. We’re freaking thirteen and she…” Chloe sighed, shaking her head. “I’m sorry I freaked you out. Most teenage boys just fall on their face in the presence of a girl like that, they always have… but then you didn’t, and I didn’t know what to do, so I just… kept doing it, because… that’s what I’ve always been told to do. Even now, it’s… weird. To just talk to you.”

Bentley said nothing. A mom forcing her daughter to act like that… was kind of… he wasn’t sure.

“My moms all about, like, schedules and timing, and she wanted you around my finger by the dance. And you weren’t, so I got punished,”

Bentley breathed in heavily, hoping the reality of the strange and slightly concerning situation would change on his exhale. It didn't. “I’m… sorry.”

Chloe waved her hand at him. “It’s fine. I mean, if I was just normal you might’ve been friends with me… it wasn’t your fault.”

Bentley looked down at his own lap. “That really sucks, though. About Christmas. You just have to… stay on campus?”

“Yep,” She replied, popping the ‘p’, looking out at the fountain. “All by myself while my whole family just… gets together and forgets about me.”

Bentley frowned when he heard her sniffle lightly, and she turned away from him.

Oh, God. Now a girl was crying. What in the world was he supposed to do with that? 

“I’m sorry,” She sniffled. “You didn’t care about any of that. What did you want to talk about?”

“I… just came to apologize for being mean,” Bentley replied. “I feel like crap about it.”

“Everyone in high school feels like crap about something all the time,” She snickered emptily, but Bentley was pretty sure she just did it to mask a sniff. “Being a teenager sucks; like I can’t do anything right.”

He nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it does.”

Another long silence ensued where the only thing Bentley could hear was Chloe crying. He glanced around awkwardly — at the fountain, the grass, the trees above them. (What would he do if it was one of his roommates?)

Eventually, he reached over and rested a hand on her back, moving his thumb back and forth gently. 

He immediately regretted it when she quickly reached back and grabbed his wrist without as much as turning her head, probably to push it off or get onto him for touching her.

Or… not?

Actually, she… laced her fingers between his, pulled his hand close, and held it.

Bentley was glad it was dark, because he was sure his face turned the color of a tomato. He’d never… and… with a girl? Was this even allowed?

He wasn’t exactly sure what to do, but his arm was at a weird angle, so he just scooted closer to her and… let her. He wasn’t going to be the jerk that was mean to her and then ripped his hand out of hers while she was obviously in distress and needed comfort, no matter how weird it was. Holding her hand wasn’t bad, was it? He was pretty sure it wasn’t or Layla wouldn’t have grabbed his earlier.

It was weird, and he was pretty sure his hand was clammy because he was kinda freaking out. Did she actually think he was… hot… or was that just something she’d said to appease her mother? Was it all fake, or was there a chance that she… because he… didn’t…

For a while, she just cried, and Bentley felt like the biggest bag of garbage despite her saying it wasn’t his fault. He wasn’t good at situations like that — he never had been, he never would be. It was all technically his fault, right? That she got in trouble?

(Jeez, he was just screwing things up left and right, wasn’t he?)

Silently, he wiggled his hand out of hers, which earned him a confused, teary look that made him feel ten times worse. Then, without saying a thing, he extended his arm out to the side like Bruce often did.

Chloe just looked at him for a moment. Then, like he’d told her she was the ugliest girl in the world or something, she started crying even harder and pushed herself into his side, wrapping her arms around his torso and hiding her face in his hoodie to sob there. And he just sort of hugged her back. (It worked the same way with girls that it did with other guys, right?)

And that’s how they stayed for a long time.

(And he kinda forgot he was there just to spite Asten.)

--

tag list that never works lmao

@fleur-alise @sarcopterygiian @gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun

@xiaonothere

@skylathescholarly @flyrobinflyy

[arttla]

comfy....

[smilelikeacheshirecat]

Duty is to her

Pairing: Bridget Hearts x Fem!reader

Genre: Fluff

Warning: kissing

Word Count: 2030

Summary: Reader and Bridget are attending a party and notice Bridget was getting tired so you decided to step in.

Being the princess and the next ruler of your kingdom, you are expected to go through all sorts of training, education, classes and more in preparation for your coronation and to inherit the throne from your parents. You have hours of classes, discussion of various topics from your basic education to politics, history of your kingdom and all the other neighboring kingdoms, etiquette classes, dance lessons, how to manage your kingdom and many more. 

You also undergo training not only with physical activities such as fencing, ballet, horseback riding, and many more. But your parents also added managing paper works and affairs happening in the kingdom for you to be familiarize with, along with hours and hours of discussion with other officials, and to also prepare for the future mountain of works that will probably pile in your desk as soon as your in charge.

Needless to say, you have been very busy with all your duties and since you're still young and wanting to have a social life, you also attend school so that adds up to the mass of work needed to be done. It’s hard to be the princess and heir to the throne. 

Being the princess, it is also one of your duties to attend various events such as balls, charities, parties, or any sort of royal gathering. There, it will test how good you are able to recognize and know the other royals, to mingle, chat, interact and meet more other people. 

But with everything happening in your daily life, there is one person that has been by your side each time. Princess Bridget of Hearts. She is the daughter of the rulers of Wonderland, their family is a close friend of your family. She is also attending Merlin’s Academy with you and the two of you have been inseparable ever since you bump into each other in the hallways of the academy.

“I can’t wait to visit” 

You heard from across the room, you turn to look for the owner of the familiar sweet voice, to see Bridget talking with the other guest. The pink-haired princess has the personality and the energy to draw in people to her direction. She’s the most kindest, sweetest, approachable and brightest person you’ve ever meet. Yet it still baffles you how she claims that you and Ella are her only friends in the academy. 

Right now, it was winter break and most of the students in Merlin’s Academy went home to spend the holiday with their families. You and Bridget were no exception and right now their parents had ask them to attend this party much to your dismay since you planned on relaxing during your winter break but when you heard that Bridget is also coming, reluctantly, you agreed but with a little enthusiasm inside especially knowing that the particular pink princess you quite adore and have been for a while now, will be coming. 

“Of course” You watch as Bridget giggle again after her reply to whatever they were saying.

You had been unfortunately separate with different people wanting to talk to you and not wanting to appear rude to them, you indulge in their conversation and try to at least look like you were interested but sometimes would still steal glances at a certain pink-haired princes just across the room. 

At least she’s having fun. You thought as you tried to avert your eyes from Bridget’a figure and refocus your attention on the conversation with your group. 

“Yes I’ve contacted with them and had their support on the matter” you replied. You may have master the art of communication and forming connection but that doesn’t mean you’d enjoyed it since you’d very much like to be with your princess rather than having this formal conversation.

At an early age, you’ve been attending party to party so you’re quite use to all the standing, talking and polite smile. Like the perfect princess but Bridget, on the other hand is still getting use to attending this sort of parties so you can’t really help but worry.

After a few minutes you glance back to where Bridget was again just to check on her. That’s when you notice Bridget was getting tired and is only fighting to stay and keep up with conversation. 

It is getting late and Bridget hadn’t had enough rest since yesterday with all the preparation for the party going on.

You took that as your cue to leave.

“Excuse me everyone but I may have to retreat for the night, enjoy the rest of the evening.” You said, curtsying before biding your farewell to them. 

The group said their goodbyes in understanding before continuing their conversation. You gracefully walk towards where Bridget’s group.

Bridget still has a smile on her face but you already notice how she was trying to stay awake. 

“Excuse me ladies but I might have to steal Bridget from you” you said smoothly as you swiftly take Bridget’s hand and pulled her away from her group. The girls giggle and let you both go as they continue on their own again. 

In just a few minutes, Bridget was already leaning on to you as you walk out of the ballroom. The moment the door close behind them, Bridget let out a sigh of relief. Her fatigue kicking in already as she cling on to you for support.

You chuckled and wrap your arms around her waist as you support her weight with your body. “Tired?” You ask the princess who’s eyes are already half close.

Bridget nodded, her eyes are now close as she soaks in the warmth of your body. The ballroom may be buzzing with guest but she still feels cold from the lack of your presence.

Truth be told, she was having fun meeting everyone but she still yearns to be with you since the only reason why she agreed to attend is because she was inform that you’d be there. And you were but she didn’t expect that she would only spend a few minutes with you before you were whist away by the other guests in the party.

The corridors were empty since most of the guest are at the ballroom and the staff are either attending to the party's needs or have already retreated to their quarters. 

Since Bridget was already tired to walking straight on her own, you had to half carry her as you guide her to her bedroom. 

Bridget notice the direction they were going and stopped.

"what's wrong?" You asked looking at the princess in your arms.

"can I stay in your room?" Bridget asked softly but you still heard her.

You smiled and agreed before changing course to the direction of your bedroom.

“We stayed longer than expected.” You said as you open the door to your room, finally. 

You lead Bridget's half asleep figure to your bed. Walking here was hard enough due to the heavy dresses you were wearing and the heels weren’t much help. You tried to gentle pry Bridget’s embrace from your body as you lay her down on your bed. You left out a breath of relief as you had successfully lay Bridget’s body on your bed. 

After you remove the torture device on your feet that people called shoes, you started removing Bridget’s gown and her own shoes and change them to a much more comfortable sleeping attire before proceeding to remove her complicated hairdo. Then after that you pulled out the make-up remover kit on your vanity table. Gently, you stared removing the layers of makeup on Bridget’s face carefully not to wake her up and disrupt her peaceful state. 

During the process, you couldn’t help but admire Bridget’s beauty as she closely examine her face, making sure no makeup was left.

For months you have been close with Bridget but never this close and intimate. You have always been there to care for her, to be here for her as she did to you in those months with each other. Unknowingly that your time together had brought feelings inside you. Feelings that you’re not quite sure what they are yet but slowly, you’re starting to realize them as time past by and you couldn’t help but fear for what it may cause and affect your relationship now.

The thought of losing Bridget, fuels the growing fear so in conclusion, you buried those feelings deep down to remain what you two have now. But sometimes you couldn’t help but wonder what would it be like. To be more than just friends. 

Just imagining it made you sigh, one last look, making sure no make up was left. You smile on your work before starting to change as well. 

With her last bit of consciousness, Bridget stir from her sleep, her hands started moving, searching for something. When she realize that she was alone, she lifted her head up to see you just putting on the last sleeping garment before you sat infront of your vanity mirror to remove your make-up. 

 Bridget couldn’t help the frown forming on her lips, you were still far from her. Slowly she got up from the comfort of your bed and wobble to your direction. 

You didn’t notice Bridget had got up from bed since you had your eyes close as you remove your eye shadow. A soft squeal left you when you felt someone’s arms wrap around your shoulders.

“Bridget?” You called out to her, she was still half asleep.

“Come to bed. Please” she mumbled to your ears. 

“But I’m not done removing my make up yet” you said but then what she did next was unexpected.

Bridget let you go from her embrace before placing herself on your lap,. with her legs on each side, your hand automatically rest on her waist to steady her figure. You were confuse to what was happening but you sat still as Bridget pull the wipes from the table and began to remove the rest of your make up she may be sleepy but each stroke was firm but gentle at the same time. Removing the remaining make up, she took one last look when there wasn’t any left she cupped your checks with your hands making you look into her eyes. 

Bridget was still half asleep so her body was still a little unstable as she slowly leans forward, your faces were only centimeters apart now.

“You’re really pretty’” she mumbled with a smile on her face.

You couldn’t help but smile at that. Everything seems to fade around them as you gaze into each other’s eyes. But yours keeps flickering from her eyes to her lips, plump and pink even without lipstick. So close yet still so far away. 

For a while, you didn’t know what you felt. At first, you thought these feelings were the same feelings you felt for Bridget, the love for a very close friend but this moment confirms your realization. You wanted her, you needed her. You wanted something more, more than just classmates, more than just friends. You wanted to be something more with her and only her.

It took everything in your power not lean in and kiss those lips, which was the only thing running in your head, her lips. But then . . .

“Are you gonna kiss me or not?” Bridget suddenly ask breaking the silence of the room.

Your eyes widen at what she said. You look back up to her eyes, wanting to make sure you heard it right. “May I?” 

Bridget smile as she leans in, closing the gap between your lips. Soft. Her lips were soft. Sweet, like the strawberry short cake she baked the other day for you. And slow. She wasn’t in a hurry, and neither were you. You were both savoring the kiss.

Your stomach flutter as the warm feeling flooded you. Her scent invaded your senses and all your focus were on her lips and the warm feeling it comes with it.

You pulled away for air, already missing them but Bridget lean her forehead on yours with a smile still on her lips. “Took you long enough” she said giggling as buries her face on your neck.

You may be the princess of your kingdom but your duty is always to her, to your princess.

[everotten]

i created more creatures

[door-insurance]

Victoria's parents headcanon

her dad is Leland, he came from a rich family and handles the business aspects of the gallery. Her mom is Sinclair, she is a renowned photojournalist whose in charge of the creative side of the Chase Space.

i named her "Alexis" first but changed it to "Sinclair" cause it sounded period accurate to the times she was probably brought up in

^ painted sketch of a family portrait

^Vic inherited two qualities from her parents, she got the typical rich a-hole tendencies from her dad and ended up with the stare™ from her mom

-as i mentioned above, Sinclair is this serious photojournalist who came from nothing and built herself up. she is stricter with Victoria cause she wants to mentally and emotionally prepare her for the cutthroat industry

-Leland is definitely more affectionate but is vapid and emotionally unavailable, isn't all that invested in his daughter's endeavors as an aspiring photographer just sends her money (i know he might seem 🏳️‍🌈but hes just metrosexual)

-socially liberal, financially conservative

^ there are very few people victoria allows herself to break down in front of and one of them is her mom and it's usually over dumb asinine reasons, there is a reason why she's an only child

continuation to the first panel, Sinclair and Joyce hash it out:

chlo and vic about to become step sisters

BONUS:

nothing new i just wanted to show off the backgrounds i worked on

[c-rose2081]

Cassia Dawn Charming-Hearts

—

I dunno. Character design session, trying to get my creative juices flowing post COVID. It’s been really hard to get my inspiration back after being *so* sick, but I’m trying guys 🤧 did make me realize though that I was badly burned out, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I dunno.

Anyway, Charminghearts kid? Daughter of Red and Chloe. Cassia is shy and bookish; she’s nervous around others and needs a lot of personal space to be comfortable. Her hobbies include chess, literature, and collecting Venetian glass trinkets from around Auradon and Wonderland. She’s not particularly adventurous and is touch-adverse.

She’s closest to Chloe, but loves Red and both of her grandparents just as much.

I dunno. She’s cute tho…