#on the same cell block as people like two face and the joker

[moltenhair]

"Wait a minute! Aren't you gonna tell me how you did it? That's not fair!"

The Riddler gets arrested, Batman: The Animated Series Ep. "Riddler's Reform"

[baguettesandbows]

2

tw! sa undertones

P3

If you thought you felt crazy thinking that Jason was alive before, you felt ten times crazier in Arkham.

The place wasn’t built for crazy people, it was built to keep them inside. Away from the high end galas and family members who were ashamed of them. A place where Batman could put villains that were too much trouble for the GCPD.

You fit into those catagories perfectly.

Dick wasn’t lying, Bruce had gotten you the suite. The suite in Arkham. You had assumed your room might be better than the ones the Joker would’ve had. Or any other villain that’s escaped from here.

Escaped. Maybe that’s why Bruce put you in a suite.

Through unpacking, they didn’t slow you to bring in any of Jason’s items. His sweatshirt, his favorite books, even the paper band from your first concert together.

Because it would trigger your attacks.

You had punched the guards nose as they carried you out from holding.

What you had to give to Arkham, was they kept to a schedule. The point of it seemed to make everyone more crazy. Therapy was interrogating, Lunch was slop, and visiting hours… was just Dick.

You’re least favorite time of Arkham was Rec. They’d put you and the other high class young women in the same room, and expected no fights to happen. Sometimes, they’d mix the genders so there would be fights.

You learned quickly to keep to yourself and not tell anyone anything. You could practically hear Jason saying “Snitches don’t get stitches. They go missin’ in Gotham.”

Jason. Jason Todd. The boy who called you birdie. Your first everything. His red tank tops and his boyish smirk, his arm covered in friendship bracelets you’d make while he was on patrol-

“Reader?”

You look up from the table and avoid looking at the couple practically shagging in the corner, to focus on the man with a clipboard, looking around the room.

You were new, but he seemed newer.

“Here.” You mumble, getting up and walking past a small group of men who eye you in your sweatsuit.

You meet the man at the gate locking in the rec room, and meet his gaze blankly.

“You’re Reader? Right, I’m Jefferson, the new assistant to Doctor Jane.” The man says softly, yet clearly trying to be.. intimidating? “I’m taking over her clients while she’s on break after the.. incident.”

The incident. A woman had snuck a metal pipe into her meeting last week.

“Right.”

Jefferson clears his throat and smiles warmly at you, an expression not hardened yet by Arkham. “Follow me, please.”

Jefferson met with you two times a week. The first weeks were rough, since you had expected Jefferson to be the same as everyone else. To instantly deny your truth.

But he listened. He listened to your ideas, and your proof. You think he would’ve even looked at your evidence, if you were allowed to bring it in.

Sometimes, although it wasn’t allowed, he’d bring you a coffee. One from a diner on his way to Arkham.

You had questioned another woman in your cell block about if Jefferson bought everyone coffee on tuesdays. That question earned you a right hook, due to being a favorite.

You were laying in your room, staring at the top of your bed frame, fidgeting with your hands. Every night, you’d memorize Jason’s face. Especially when you weren’t allowed to have pictures of him here, you couldn’t forget his features.

You didn’t want to forget his face, in case he walked right by you.

With as much money Arkham gets from supporters and investors, the walls were paper thin. You could hear the rustling of your next door neighbor, as her secret escapades with one of the guards weren’t secret to you.

Below, you could hear pounding, most likely one of the women who was given a punching bad to ease her anger.

Your body trembled from the cold, but it wasn’t just from Arkhams shivering tempature. You had gotten used to Jason sneaking in, warming you up after his patrol. His ego boosting from his smirk as he told you about the goons he had taken down during the night.

He was so proud to be Robin. More people should’ve been proud of him for it.

You don’t realize your sobbing until the thumping next door stops, and your use of their white noise draws you out of it.

What, did your crying turn them off?

You hear rustling, before the guard walks out of her cell and up to yours. Unlocking the door, she peers in at you.

“You miss your dose of somethin’?”

You furrow your eyebrows. You knew most patients here took doses of things, but naively you assumed it was for their mental illnesses.

“For what?”

“For sleepin’. Almost everyone here gets some.” The guard says. “Leaves us less to deal with at night.”

At least she was honest.

You think for a moment, or not at all, before replying.

“Yeah. I take those.”

The pills make time in Arkham fly by.

You realize it’s why most of the patients take then. If you didn’t look at Jeffersons calendar every meeting, you’d understand why most of these people go crazy.

Jason would knee you in the vagina if he knew what you were doing. But he’s understand. Atleast, that’s what you tell yourself.

You’ve noticed one thing about Arkham, the prosedures.

Shock therapy. You wouldnt beleive it still existed, if you hadn’t seen the marks on the women at your lunch table. You had realized they hadn’t done it to you, because Dick or Bruce must be too involved with your care. Plus, Bruce could figure out anything that happened to you, as long as he was interested.

You hope that being his sons girlfriend will be enough for him to care about you for as long as your in here.

Jefferson’s office smelled good. Different than usual. You realized why when you saw a candle on his desk.

“Reader, come on in.” Jefferson says from his desk, scrubbing on his papers. “Sorry for the mess, some of the patients here have no knowledge for manners.”

He looked at you and gestures for you to sit in the chair across his desk like usual. You did as he said, and he seemed to always relax at your obedience.

“I heard we had a setback earlier this week.” Jefferson starts. “Randy told me she heard you talking to..” He checks his papers. “Jason, in your room.”

“I wasn’t talking to him.” You mutter. “I was talking about him. To myself.”

Jefferson clears his throat and nods. “Right. Well, we do know that a main reason your here is for your.. obsession to this case.”

He slides over a cup of coffee for you, which you take, tkaing a sip.

“Reader, you know that I am supportive of your ideas about this Jason. Regardless, any way out of Arkham is proving the fact that you aren’t, focused on what happened to him.”

Jefferson gets up from his desk and walks around it, sitting on the edge and looking down at you as you sip your coffee.

His lips twitch. “Good, right?” He says quietly, watching you. You nod, and he starts. “I don’t think you should be here. You aren’t like these other women. They have tarnished themselves. But you..” He draws off, reaching out to gently take the coffee from you.

Your lips were practically still on the container as he pulls it back to himself, making you look up at him in confusion. He brings the cup to his lips and takes a sip. He makes a noise as the coffee hits his tongue before looking at you. “I’m the only one that listens to you in here.” He says quietly. “I think you know that. And if what your saying is true, I want you to be able to get out of here and prove everyone wrong.”

He leans in, meeting your gaze. “I can sign you off and have you out of here after evaluation, but after all those treats i’ve given you, I think I deserve some of my own. Don’t you?”

[night-fallz]

Jason Todd x Avengers Crossover

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Ao3 // Wattpad

previous II next

Unexpected (part 3)

If he knew that he would be blamed for murdering someone the moment he got back to Gotham, then Jason would’ve waited another week or two before returning.

No matter what a lot of people said, Jason wasn’t stupid. He knows not to expect things that were unlikely to happen.

Jason couldn’t risk raising his hopes when it came to the bats.

He knew that he wasn’t gonna receive a warm welcome filled with hugs and cupcakes. Honestly, the most he expected was a nod of acknowledgment. And if he was lucky, then maybe- maybe he would’ve gotten a smile with the quiet whisper of a welcome back.

It made his heart twist in all the wrong ways to know that his family didn’t trust him as much as he thought. Jason genuinely believed that he and the bats were on good enough terms to earn him the benefit of the doubt.

He forced himself not to flinch as he met Batman’s harsh, distrustful gaze.

“I wasn’t even here when he was killed,” Jason tried to say as calmly as he could, knowing that if he loses his temper, everyone would use it against him. “I was following a case up in New York.”

He couldn’t go back to Arkham! Not again. Not with the Joker only a few cells away from him, taunting him with his laughter— his voice filled with cruel exhilaration as he continuously promised Jason that they would play together once again. How he would soon be reunited with his favorite playmate.

His favorite Robin.

He heard someone suck in a breath behind him.

Jason didn’t expect anyone to defend him. Not against Batman. But still-

He didn’t expect them to just stand and watch as Batman tore him into shreds once again. Batman threw accusation over accusation, yet he never once provided a single piece of evidence that proved it was Jason that did it.

He took a step towards Jason and he had to force himself not to flinch. Batman wouldn’t… not with his kids in the same room.

He ignored the rising panic in his stomach. Jason was safe.

He was safe.

Bruce wouldn’t beat him in the cave. Not in front of everyone. Not in front of Damian.

Jason would be able to walk out of the cave with his ability to walk. He was gonna be okay.

“Look, B. You can even ask them,” he pointed at the spot where Dick and the others were standing. “I told them that I was leaving Gotham for a while.”

Batman turned to where Jason was pointing. “Well?” he asked expectantly.

The cave was engulfed in eerie silence before Tim opened his mouth, faltering a little when he met Jason’s pleading gaze. “He’s not lying Bruce. He told me that he had a mission out of Gotham while we were hanging out a few weeks ago.”

Jason could feel his chest loosen up for a few seconds, thankful that Tim confirmed his statement.

He remembered the day that Tim was talking about. The bats were getting even clingier than usual. They weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they were following Jason anymore.

Tim asked Jason if he wanted to watch a movie and Jason agreed.

The bats were gonna be watching him anyways— they didn’t even try to hide the fact that they bugged him and all the known safehouses he has.

At this point, Jason didn’t know whether he should feel offended with how much they underestimated or relieved.

They already viewed him as dangerous and unpredictable. If they ever find out that Jason’s been holding back, even if it was just a little-

He won’t let them throw him back to Arkham. Jason would rather go back to the League of Assassins.

If Jason wasn’t watching Batman so closely, he would’ve missed the sliver of a nod the man-made.

Jason tried not to think of the fact that Bruce immediately accepted Tim’s answer without hesitation.

For the millionth time in this conversation, he wished that he was wearing his helmet. Instead, he forced his expression to remain calm. To remain bored as turned back to Bruce an eyebrow raised.

“Is that good enough proof for you, old man?” he couldn’t help but spit out, bitterness clear in his voice.

Batman remained unaffected, not even bothering to verbally answer Jason’s question. Instead, he just nodded.

Jason’s heart clenched, of course, he wouldn’t get an apology. Batman was too prideful for that.

“Truth.” Cassandra’s voice rang across the cave, breaking the heavy silence. “No… not lie.”

Batman nodded once again and Cassandra’s eyes met his. It took everything in him to stop a retort from coming out of his mouth.

Couldn’t she have said that a few minutes ago? Before Batman ripped him apart like he was nothing but flimsy paper.

Still, he guessed he should be thankful that she defended him. Even though it was too late.

After a few seconds of no one saying anything, Dick broke the awkwardness with an annoying smile on his face. “Now that that’s settled, why don’t we get that movie started?”

It was only because of all his training that Jason didn’t break down right there.

Of course this was just another thing that they’d sweep under the rug. Something that they would never want to speak off again.

Discussions of what movie they were supposed to watch erupted the room. It didn’t take long for an argument to break out between Damian and Tim.

Jason watched the scene for a few seconds before looking away.

They looked like a real family.

He turned away, these things happened frequently enough for Jason to know that he wasn’t welcomed.

He blocked out all the noise as he walked towards his helmet, eager to put it back on.

It was only a matter of luck that the universe hated him so much that he knocked something down, the thumping noise alerting everyone that he was about to leave.

Jason couldn’t help but feel relieved that he put on his helmet as soon as he got his hands on it.

At least he didn’t have to go to all the trouble to force his expression to remain impassive anymore.

Batman could use it against him.

Dick’s eyebrows furrowed, “Where are you going, Jay? I thought you were joining us tonight.”

“Yeah, well maybe I’m not in the mood to watch a stupid movie tonight.” Jason spits out.

Was Dick being serious right now? There were so many things wrong with that question.

One: Why would Jason want to spend more time with the people who thought he murdered someone and didn’t even bother to defend him.

And two-

No one invited Jason.

Before anyone could say anything else, Jason hopped on his motorcycle. He needed to get out of the cave.

He could feel their eyes on his back but no one bothered to stop him.

The last thing he heard was Cassandra’s voice assuring the bats. “Be back,” she said with enough confidence that one would think that she could command Jason to turn around with only her words. “He will be back.”

Jason held in the harsh remark that threatened to leave his lips.

Plus, it wasn’t like Cassandra was lying. He knew it— and hell, the rest of Bats probably knew it too.

Jason would come back. He always did.

It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go.

But for now, he needed to get away. He thought that one week would be enough to calm the pit.

It wasn’t.

In fact, he feels like the interaction with the bats today just made it worst.

He’ll stay away from them for two weeks. That should be enough time for the pit to stop screaming at him.

But who would he stay with?

Jason had enough experience to know that the best way to calm the pit was to surround yourself with people you trust.

Kori and Roy were still in space.

And Talia was busy with the civil war against Ra’s.

Jason had no one else.

Except-  

His phone grew heavier in his pocket and he remembered that an Avenger owed him a favor.

Clint said that Jason could text him whenever.

And the more he thought about it, the more Jason decided that he did trust the archer in some way.  

Jason soon found himself staring at the side mirror of the vehicle and poisonous green eyes stared back.

He quickly averted his eyes.

Clint was his last choice. And Jason couldn’t risk being in the peak of a pit episode without anyone to keep him in his place.  

He could do this.

It wasn’t like he had another choice.

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notes:

Balancing out school and volleyball was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Only one month has passed and I am swamped with work.

I don’t know how I feel about this chapter. It’s not my best work but I wanted to put something out for you guys!!

I hope that you liked it.

I’m gonna spend this weekend to try and get my life together so hopefully, that means that next week will be easier for me.

Especially since I still need to finish my permit course. (If you couldn’t tell, I’m kinda hating sophomore year of high school right now)

Like always, please leave a comment. i love reading them and they just motivate me so much! And they would help an extra ton these days.

And once again, if you have any fanfic requests, questions, or just suggestions for a specific fanfic i’m writing, just leave it in a comment down below or you can just message me here on tumblr.  

[jeromesxreader16]

Such a Joker (50)

Part 49 Here

~o0o~

Jim POV:

As I come out of my office I see a large number of cops watching Jeremiah sitting calming in the holding cell. "Don't you all have work you should be doing?" I yell towards them as they scatter.

"Pardon me, Jim."

I walk over to Jeremiah raising my brows. "What is it?" "I'd like to press charges against Bruce Wayne's butler. I mean, just look at my face. I can't have my wife seeing me like this."

I scoff smirking with pure anger, "I think you look great."

"And I'd like to speak to Bruce again. We couldn't really talk before what with his girlfriend bleeding out all over him."

"You tried to prove you're better than your brother. But I'm still here. I'm searching for (Y/n), and the city's still here. You're a failure, Jeremiah. Enjoy Arkham. Your brother did. I'll be the one to make sure (Y/n)'s visiting hours will be less than none."

"Bring me, Bruce Wayne... I'll let you speak with (y/n), and I'll tell you where the other bombs are." I walk closer engaging. "We have all your bombs."

Jeremiah nods with an underlying smirk, "The maze bombs, yes. I mean the other ones. Jim, as an engineer, you expect systems to fail. So, you build in redundancies. And I am a very good engineer."

"You're bluffing."

"Am I?" He smirks at me waiting for a reaction.

"You're right, you know. I did fail. I didn't yet understand the vision I was servicing, but, I do now. My eyes are open as will yours be. When you realize I'm not bluffing, bring me, Bruce Wayne. And I'd like a coffee. Black. Two sugars."

~

"How many bombs are there? Where are they?" I challenge him again. "I want to talk to Bruce Wayne."

"Tell me where they are, you son of a bitch. Who's helping you?"

"Bruce Wayne."

I grunt, shaking my head in frustration, "You are never gonna talk to Bruce Wayne. You hear me?"

Jeremiah shrugs smirking, "Then more people will die and you will never see (Y/n) or meet your grandchildren." I look up meeting his icy eyes with cold blood. "What? You're lying." Jeremiah sighs, "My wallet, right sleeve, forth slot, a sonogram photo of my two twins. I don't bluff, Jim. Why do you think I ask for your blessing? Wouldn't want your daughter unwed and knocked up, huh? But once again you resented her happiness, and she ran right into my arms. You never were good at holding on to what you care about, were you, James?"

~

Bruce finally walks in as I'm strapped to the dolly awaiting transportation to Arkham. "Hello, Bruce. It's great to see you."

"Where are the bombs, Jeremiah? Where is (Y/n) Gordon?"

"Closer, please."

As Bruce teds near I speak again. "Tell me. How is the young lady doing?" Of course no reaction. I smile switching subjects, "You know why we're destined to be best friends? Because we're very much alike. You are as I used to be. At war with your true nature. You must truly embrace it if you ever want to be free. I'm just trying to help you."

"Trying to help me? By torturing Alfred? Trying to destroy Gotham?

By shooting Selina? You think we're alike because there's a darkness inside both of us. But the difference is, I know how to control mine."

I scoff smirking, "I think you could be so strong. I see it. He sees it too." Bruce looks at me confused walking closer. "What do you mean, "he"?"

"Where are the other bombs?"

I roll my eyes looking up at the camera playing the game, "What bombs?" "Bombs you planted around the city. You blew up the Mayor."

"Ah, that bomb. Yes, that was the only one. But it did what it had to do. It got you here."

"You said, "he." Who do you mean?"

I smile gasping at Bruce. "The one who opened up my eyes. Who showed me that everything I was doing, was not to create a Gotham of my own for (y/n), and I, But yours, Bruce. The Gotham you need. Your dark island. And it will come to be, Bruce. Tonight."

"Tell me his name," Bruce demands empty-handed.

"What did the doctors say? Will the little bitch ever walk again? What vertebrae did I sever? I was hoping for the lumbar..." "TELL ME HIS NAME!" I laugh at his anger. "You already know his name. You're his heir."

Bruce gasps letting my suit wings go. "Ra's al Ghul... No, it can't..."

"Shh." The lights flicker as the room goes dark and I am freed from this hold.

~

Enter the building I see (Y/n) waiting with Ra's, overlooking the old city. "Jeremiah! Ra's was just telling me he could marry us!" I grin walking over as the men get Bruce ready for the arrival.

"Could you?" Ra's nods smirking, "Just say when my boy. I can-" "Now." I pull out two solid gold bands passing mine to (Y/n). "You're prepared." She giggles. "I've been waiting."

Ra's chuckles offering off a quick blessing to us as a couple. "Do you Jeremiah Valeska take (Y/n) Gordon as your lawfully wedded wife?" "I certainly do." I grin watching my love. "And do you, (Y/n)-" "Yes." Ra's gestures between us chuckling. "Wonderful, you may kiss your bride, Mr. Valeska."

I scoop her in my arms kissing her deeply. I pull away as the men waltz a masked Bruce into the room. "Ah, hate you missed the ceremony, friend." I walk over pulling the bag off of his head.

"How did you two..." "Find each other?" Ra's finishes, "I'd like to think it was you, Bruce. You brought us together."

Ra's turns to me and (Y/n) as we look at the city. "I trust things went smoothly?" "Like clockwork. Did your men retrieve my bombs?" "They are en route to their positions as we speak. From here, we can take in the full majesty of Gotham's destruction."

"You're both insane!"

Ra's shakes his head in disappointment, "I know it's difficult to fathom, Bruce. But Jeremiah and I are doing this for your benefit."

"How is destroying Gotham supposed to help me?"

"Because I had a vision. That out of this crucible of blood and fire will rise the Dark Knight that your city needs. That I need."

I scoff pulling away from (y/n) and joining Bruce and Ra's. "To be honest, Bruce. Prophecies, visions. Not really my cup of tea. But our friend revealed something to me. That my twin obsessions, rebuilding Gotham and rebuilding you, are one and the same. You're the brother I never had. The one Jerome never could be. We will create a legacy in this city. Gotham falls. We rise. Together."

Barbara walks in passing each of us towards Ra's. "Oh, hey, Bruce. Freak. (Y/n), looking beautiful!"

"Hello, Barbara. I'm really glad you came." She sighs shrugging. "Bad news, baby. I'm not leaving. Gotham's in my blood. And I don't think I can let you leave either. You see, you say you're leaving. But I've got a feeling you're gonna be back. And I don't like looking over my shoulder."

"Need I remind you, Barbara. You've already tried using that knife. And also, you're outnumbered."

She hums smiling "Hmm. That Demon's Head is really not working out for you, huh?" Suddenly Oswald yells striking us and the fight breaks out quickly.

Tabith tackles me to the ground as I search for (Y/n) in a blind panic. She holds her knife to my neck sneering, "So you know, this is for Selina." I flip her overtaking the blade from her and pressing it to her skin. "In that case, it must be very disappointing for you to be dying like this." She smirks and moves her arm. "I'm not talking about you." She pulls her trigger making me search where the bullet traveled.

The bombs go off destroying the city as my wife falls bleeding from the bullet that pierced her. "No!" I growl rushing over. She cries holding her chest. "Jer-" "No, no, don't speak. You're going to be fine." The city burns down as my love's life source lowers.

"You're going to be fine, love. We're all going to be safe. Tomorrow is a new day,"

~

Staying by her bedside the entire night as the doctors work to remove the bullet, and stabilize her and the babies. "She should wake soon, Sir. The children are healthy. She's lucky it wasn't any closer to her heart." I nod boring my eyes into her face.

"Thank you, Doctor."

(y/n) mumbles and opens her eyes slowly. I smile leaning over, "Rise and shine, beautiful." She looks up at me confused, then looks down at her chest gasping, "That bitch." she sneers growling and trying to sit up. "No, no, don't try that." She gasps, putting a hand on her belly. "Jer-" "They're alright, doll. You're very lucky. All four of us are."

She looks over to me putting a hand on my cheek. "What do we do now, Jeremiah?" I smile rubbing my hands on her stomach. "Now, my love, we enjoy our marriage, and wait for our children." Her cheeks glow as I speak of our children. "I love you, Jeremiah." "I love you too, Mrs. Valeska. Always."

~ Day 87~

I sit at the radio discussing yet another call on the state of Gotham to the officials over the bridge. "Your people have decided to ignore evacuation orders." "No, no, no, no. It is clear you don't understand." "What's to understand, Mr. Gordon? I'm afraid you're making your-" "For the last time... after the bridges blew and the government declared Gotham off-limits, the city was up for grabs. Given over to criminals and murderers. New territory is controlled by whoever has enough power to hold it. I mean, we have Penguins in City Hall, for God's sake. Barbara and the Sirens control an area around their club. It's the only place in Gotham not suffering for food or booze. Barabra trades mostly for information. It's women only, but men can buy windows of time. To the west Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow. Victor Freeze is further north warring with Firefly. And to date, there have been no confirmed sightings of Jeremiah Valeska, or my Daughter, (y/n). Then there is us. The GCPD controls a ten-block area around the precinct, where we feed and protect 150 civilians. That number could grow as who knows how many others are trapped around the city. These are innocent people who couldn't get out. The Government has a duty to protect them. You have a duty to help them." I finish waiting for the response.

"We've been over this time and time again. No one is allowed in or out of Gotham."

"People we are protecting are not criminals." "And anyone who stayed after the evacuation order is no longer the government's responsibility." "We're surrounded by hostile forces. We are running out of food, ammunition. There are children here. You need to evacuate them." "A committee is being formed regarding the situation in Gotham."

I huff shaking my head. "At least let us resupply ourselves."

"We understand the situation."

"You DON'T understand. If you did you would do something. Just say we're on our own." The radio waves stay silent as no response comes through. I nod gruffly and turn off the communication.

I look to the corner of the desk seeing a photo of (Y/n), along with the photo of the unborn twins. I sigh holding them to my heart. "Please be okay."

~

"I like Jeremy," Jeremiah says as we relax on the couch together. "And for a girl?" He hums thinking. "What if we stuck with the J name? I kinda like Juliet." Jeremiah looks at me smiling. "I think that's lovely."

I stroke my small belly with love. "I just want them here already." Jeremiah laughs kissing the top of my head. "They'll be perfect."

~

Months pass of us hiding, gaining followers, and then finally start to dig under the city for our escape. Fully 6 months pregnant and things are just seeming harder. "You're sad," Ecco says frowning. She scoots over massaging my shoulders. "Tell me what's wrong." I sigh stroking my stomach feeling a wash of sadness. "I miss my dad. I hate to say it, but I do. These kids won't have a Grandpa." Ecco nods sighing dramatically. "I am so sorry, (Y/n). I wish I could help." I smile leaning my head on her shoulder. "How's that bullet feeling in there?" I tease as she giggles. "It's still rolling around in here!" She shakes her head, knocking the loose pieces in her brain. "I still can't believe you did it." She shrugs giggling, "Anything to help you, (Y/n)."

"Come on, let's see how the boss is. It's been a while since I've seen the progress."

Ecco helps me down the steps into the area where they're digging the large tunnel. "Wow! Looks, good everyone!" I yell, making the workers greet me with forced smiles. "Darling." Jeremiah clams walking to me, placing hands over my stomach with a grin. "Ecco, you're not supposed to bring her down here. It's dangerous." He glares at her. "Jer, I wanted to, she was obeying me." He reluctantly nods waving her away.

I switch the radio station finding a slow song and smiling. "Dance we me, Jer." I grasp his hand swaying with him to the music. "We're close aren't we?" I nod laughing. "Just three more months, Jeremiah." He shutters with a smile. "I can't wait." 

[soulsdontbreaktheybeeend]

Red Lights, Red Leather Part 1 | Joker x You

Inspired by my first business trip since March. The universe meant it more than well-intentioned by letting me stay at this hotel.

Summary: Due to a business trip, you’re staying at a hotel in Gotham and meet the infamous Joker on your first of three exciting nights there. It’s basically hotel sex okay. SMUT.

Sorry for the long introduction, but this really happened and I did not want to keep it from you. It fitted so well with my imagination that I would have loved to turn around and Joker would have been there. Also here, have an actual picture to imagine things better, hehe.

Words: 3,414

The door fell into the lock behind you. Your travel bag hit the shelf next to the wardrobe.

You were grateful for the fact that your colleagues didn't want to explore the city on a big scale that evening.

Usually you inspected every hotel room before you made yourself comfortable, but on this day the journey was too exhausting. Strenuous small talk accompanied you for more than six hours by car ride with two of your colleagues. With a big sigh, you dropped onto the double bed of your hotel room.

To your amazement the mattress bounced remarkably strong. By now you had moved into countless different hotel rooms and spent the night in their beds. Many of them were either just too hard, or already so worn out that it was difficult to get out of the ditch. But this one was different. The feathering awakened your curiosity to explore the room more in detail.

You noticed that the furniture was a mix of brighter wood and red leather. A typical hotel room carpet with a strange pattern underlined the atmosphere in red as well. The headboard of the bed was a huge circle, also covered with red leather. An armchair with a high backrest was located between the bed and the two big windows with curtains that were white, but red on the outside.

You couldn’t help but scoff at the type of establishment. It definitely matched the name of the hotel. The letters "Ruby" shone in a bright red above the entrance in front of which a red carpet was laid out. At that moment you were glad that you had seen a family with children in the entrance area when checking in. Otherwise, you would have thought that this hotel only belongs to another more particular scene.

After you took a look at the time and you were up on your feet again, you decided to take a quick shower.

Your jeans and shirt landed on the shelf next to your travel bag before entering the bathroom. Inside, on the left side, your fingers found a light switch. Your eyes squinted and blinked in surprise when no normal or usual white or warm white light illuminated the bathroom.

The room was not half as bright as usual.

Your eyes shot up to find a small round lamp on the ceiling. Your eyes slowly got used to the red light, while your gaze fell on yourself through the large mirror above the sink. You stood in the middle of the room and looked at yourself in the mirror in your underwear. The combination of the remaining light of the hotel room shining through the half-open door into the bathroom and the reddening of the light of the ceiling lamp in the bathroom flattered your skin noticeably.

Red and turquoise tones drew your curves in a sensual appearance. As your gaze lingered on your body and you removed your underwear, you felt a pleasant warmth on your skin. Your insightful look wandered back to the ceiling lamp...

An infrared lamp?!

You pulled an impressed pout towards the lamp and climbed into the shower tray. The hot water soothed the muscles that had become tense during the long trip. The sweetly fragrant hotel shampoo and shower gel additionally calmed your senses.

After your refreshing shower you decide to step outside the hotel to have a smoke. Too lazy to put on underwear, you slipped into your ripped jeans and top without any.

The elevator took you from the fifth floor down to the lobby. The red leather furniture was also to be found there. The floor seemed to be made of black granite. The way to the exit led through a long corridor with the same floor and high red plant pots on the left side.

As soon as the sliding doors opened automatically for you, you took a deep breath of fresh air. Goose bumps graced your arms for a few seconds as the cool air hit your still warm skin from the shower.

 While you were rolling your tobacco in your paper, two guys stopped at the hotel entrance. One of them walked in, the other one yelled after him, "dude, don't go in there!"

You didn't think much at first, so you lit your ready-rolled cigarette and pulled out your mobile phone, checked it for messages and let friends know that you had arrived safely.

After a few minutes the guy came back out of the hotel. Overly upset, he told his buddy in indignation that they wouldn't let him use the toilet. While you could prevent a look at them by continuing to look at your mobile phone, you couldn't completely block out their conversation.

“I asked if I could use the restroom. Then he asked for my room number, so I said 214. He checked that and told me that room 214 was unoccupied; that I was lying to him. I told him I just need to use the restroom real quick, but he told me to leave the hotel now.”

The other was amused by his story. They had walked a few steps and were now a few feet away from you, then suddenly came to a halt.

"You know what, man? If you don't let me use the fucking toilet, I'm gonna piss on your wall, you fuck."

Your gaze bored into the screen of your cell phone at his words, while you were texting a friend about what was happening and you heard a certain sound that made you realize that he really moved from words to deeds.

Afterwards they went on as if nothing had ever happened. You put your cell phone in your pocket, took a last drag of your cigarette and thought to yourself once again…

I hate people.

 “What a society, huh.”

 You startled at the words of a raspy low voice, while you were putting out your cigarette in the ashtray beside you. As you cast your eyes upwards, you searched for the owner of the calm voice. Your breath hitched in your throat when you saw Joker standing a few feet away from you. He leaned against a tree at the side of the road in a relaxed position. When your glances met, his eyes bored into yours with a confidence that left you speechless at first. Due to the fact, the only thing you came out with was a baffled sigh.

He led his cigarette to his mouth and took a puff. His eyes did not let go of yours. Not even when he took slow steps towards you. You couldn't resist his gaze for a short time when you felt the desire to look up and down at him.

He stopped right in front of you and leaned forward. You felt your body automatically try to catch up the distance by leaning back, but your mind decided not to move and embraced the welcomed closeness. His arm stretched out beside your hip to stub out the cigarette in the ashtray.

He was a bit taller than you, but when he bent down to the ashtray, his head was dangerously close to yours. You squinted in his direction and observed his green curls, breathing in his scent.

You suspect every move he made was planned in some way for something, and whatever it was, it worked. You were immediately drawn to him.

As he slowly moved back, you finally answered him. "It's like I always say... I hate people."

“Me, too.” He simply chuckled.

The mixture of his calm voice and his playful gaze put you in a comfortable but also exciting mood.

“Oh yeah?” Lifting your chin up, you asked him cheeky, “and how have you handled it so far?”

He elegantly swung his hips from side to side and looked up at the night sky, as if weighing whether you could bear his relentless response. His mouth formed a pout - your question was bold too. You could take it.

“I’ve murdered a few of them.”

Your eyes widened. You couldn't hold back and snorted and at the same time put one hand in front of your mouth. What else did you expect but an answer of this kind?

“Yeah, I've um… heard of that.” For a second your thoughts shot to a scenario where this encounter might not end well for you.

“And yet, here you are, still standing right in front of me. Talking to me like I'm not the person I am. Like I never committed the things you heard about.” He stepped even closer to you. “You think you can tell me why that is?”

Your heart started racing and you felt warm. He sure knew how to build up tension.

You looked down at the floor to catch a glimpse of his penetrating gaze. Yet you could not truly escape. He was so close that nothing could relax you for a moment. On the contrary. Your gaze went down over his red suit trousers and down to his chic shoes. That only made you more aroused than you admitted you already were.

Your gaze wandered slowly from his ankles, over his crotch to his painted face back up. Your eyes grew heavier with desire from every inch you absorbed from him.

“I think I'd like to elaborate on that in a more private place.”

His eyes were already undressing you when he casually answered, "after you." With his arm he gestured the way to the hotel entrance. A devilishly cheeky grin lay on his lips.

You looked him straight in the eyes and lightly returned his grin. You licked your lips and turned towards the entrance.

__

You held the door open for him and he confidently walked into hotel room 522. You put the door in the lock and turned to him.

You saw him from behind, inspecting the room. You noticed how his gaze paused briefly when he saw the armchair with a high back. Even if you couldn't see it, you could have sworn he was smirking.

His gaze finally turned to the headboard of the bed. You could now see his profile and you realized that your hunch was right. He was grinning.

"Oh, would you look at that!” He stated, as he stretched one finger towards the bed. “My, what a gigantic headboard. I wonder if it's just design or if someone thought of something more functional." His smirk widened.

“What do you think?” He asked you your opinion.

You were still standing at the entrance of the room. You loved how playful he seemed and at the same time it drove you wild. Wild about him.

"First of all, I think it works even better this way." Your fingers hit the light switches on the wall next to you, turning off the main light.

In the next second your fingers pressed another light switch. A dark red light filled the room. The only light source in the room was now only the atmospheric lighting behind the headboard of the bed. It set the headboard even more in scene.

Joker drew an impressed face, which again turned into this devilish grin, as he said, “and what comes after ‘first of all’?”

“Second...” You walked slowly towards him and stopped a few inches before him, your fingers playing with the collar of his jacket whilst you looked seductively up at him. “I think this suit goes really beautifully with the decor of the room.”

“Mmm. You really do, huh?” He had you confirm his question before he grabbed your wrists and fixed them with one hand behind your lower back. It made you arch your back, your breasts pressed against his chest.

"You are very greedy. Has anyone ever told you that?” The look in his eyes made you weak, especially your legs.

You shook your head no.

“No one had ever managed to make me behave like this before.” You admitted in a soft voice, biting your lip as your flat palms slowly moved down from his collar on his upper body.

Your confession further fuelled your actions.  Your hands left his body and moved on to your own. You took a few steps back, only for him to have the opportunity to take a better look at you. Your hands played with the hem of your shirt, pulling it up to reveal your belly but not yet to allow him to catch a glimpse of your breasts.

You did not know where your self-confidence came from, especially with the knowledge of who was facing you. But for some reason, it only spurred you on even more. Joker enjoyed your little show, but his patience was limited. He reached for your shirt.

“Here, let me help you with that.” He purred.

Impatiently he pulled the shirt over your head. Your vision was restricted by the hair that fell into your face when you tried to find his gaze. He took care of it. When he brushed your hair out of your face and put his hand with grip on your neck; your view of him cleared up. Your eyes grew heavy with lust at the sight of him noticing you weren’t wearing a bra. You had never seen such lust in anyone's eyes before.

You had tried to play his game of seduction, but now at the latest you started to lose. How could someone do that to you, just by looking at you?

His grip on your neck tightened, using it to pull you towards him. His fingertips clawed into your neck, while his thumb slipped over your lower lip to your chin to open your mouth. You could not restrain a faint moan from his action. Your eyes still stared into his. Joker's eyes fixated the movements of your mouth. He moved even further towards you before he bent a little and searched for your tongue with his own.

 His lips did not leave yours, when he started to walk you to the bed. The back of your knees giving way when they hit the edge of the bed. You began to fall, but he stopped you from doing so.

“Mm-mm. Get up on the bed, sweetheart.” He almost whispered to you. His voice sounded so deep and raspy.

You followed his instructions, before both of you got up on the mattress. The bouncy mattress and his leering eyes made it difficult to keep your balance. Joker pressed you against the headboard with your back. The only support you needed now was himself. The leather on your back felt pleasantly cool on your hot skin. But the short refreshment did not last long for he started to kiss along your neck, his green curls tickling the area between your breasts.

Joker slid further down to allow his tongue access to your nipple. He licked around it and inhaled sharply just above your nipple, producing a cooling breeze which made you shiver. He flipped his tongue up and down before he sucked your nipple into his mouth and nibbled on it. Your arms automatically wrapped around him, one of them holding the back of his head in place. Which showed him that you more than relished his touch.

You felt his tongue and lips alternately dancing their way down your body.

Your breathing got heavy when you saw him kneel down and felt his hands on your jeans. He loosened the button and pulled down the zipper. He groaned deeply when he discovered that you were not wearing anything underneath it either. He looked up at you with this smug grin he wore so well, before pushing the fabric aside; his lips placing a kiss on your mound of Venus. Your head fell back against the headboard of the bed in anticipation.

“Mm. It's like you and me were meant to happen, don't you think?” He purred against your core and grabbed at your ass before pulling down your jeans.

“Or maybe you were just-” Your attempt to tease him failed when you felt his wet tongue licking right at your clit. Speechless, your further words turned into moaning. Your left hand clapped against the leather behind you, your right hand dug deep into his curls. It drove you crazy even further to feel that smug grin against your folds.

You dared to look down. The sight made you lose your mind. His face between your legs, lapping and licking at you; one of his hands reached to his crotch, freeing himself and beginning to stroke his erection firmly.

Both of your arousals grew when your gazes met in the dimmed red light. Joker licked a long stretch along your torso up to your neck, whispering in your ear, "you taste so good, darling."

Loving the feeling of his hot breath against your sensitive area, you held his head in place. He started teasing you by rubbing the tip of his hard length along your clit.

“I'm dying to find out how you feel.” Did he murmur in your ear before he entered you. Curses left both of your mouths.

Your fingers dug deep into his curls yet again, while you lifted your left leg, putting it around his waist. He reached for your thigh in unison to support you. At the same time, it allowed him to push deeper into you. His hard cock explored other angles in you that made you moan his name in pure pleasure.

It wasn't long before he grabbed your right leg, lifted it and you wrapped it around him. He was so deep inside you, each thrust gave you this slightly painful and sweet feeling that made you fly higher in delight.

His one arm wrapped around your lower back to maintain the rhythm, while the other supported himself on the top of the headboard.

With this new position he began to push harder and faster into you. His breathing became faster as well, his grip on the headboard so tight that his ankles began to turn white from the pressure.

“Oh my god, Joker!” You could only whisper his name.

“Mm. You feel so warm, so tight around me.” He groaned. “I want you to be a good girl and cum all over my cock.”

His deep voice in combination with his in that moment slow, lustful deep thrusts robbed you of your senses.

Your head fell against the top of the bed once more. Your back no longer benefited from the coolness of the leather. It had turned into a slippery matter long ago. Sweat was dripping from your back against the material. Joker's blows became faster again. Both of your arms reached up behind you to the headboard. One hand was placed right above Joker's, you grabbed it firmly. He grunted in response.

Now that he had one hand free, he led it to your mouth. Joker let you suck his thumb, and you did him nothing more than this favor at that moment. He watched your lips close around his thumb, his eyes heavy with lust; he was close.

The thumb you just felt on your tongue, now spoiled you on your clit. Both your moans grew louder and faster. You soaked up every sound he made. He sounded heavenly.

The extra stimulation brought you to your peak. Your fingers clawed into his, you arched your back and clenched around him. He cursed as he came inside you, grabbing your waist again to hold you steady. His forehead pressed against the crook of your neck as he came down from his high.

You slowly loosened your legs that were wrapped tightly around him, and he slipped out of you. You were wobbly on your legs, but that didn't bother you in any way. You put your arms down and ran a hand through your hair. Joker now leaned with both of his hands against the leather behind you, holding you captive in between.

He leaned in and kissed you passionately. Your senses overwhelmed by the feeling of his tongue against yours and what had happened this night.

You looked straight into each other's eyes, both of you still panting, enjoying the feeling to the full.

  “How many nights are you staying here?” He asked you in anticipation.

You answered curtly, "two more."

He grinned slightly impishly and leaned against your ear.

"Good. Room number 522. I'll remember that one."

@daydreamhustler​ @jokerownsmysoul @lynnesm @illusionsinmyhead @life-or-something-like-lt @jokerflecker 

[dumbkiri]

Fate Changes Four

Parts: [ 1, 2, 3, Here, 5 ]

Summary: When all is about to end, the Knight stops his damsel in distress from taking her life once again. But this time was different. She wasn’t going to stop unless he gave her a good reason not to. Telling her he wasn’t dead this whole entire time might be the way.

Pairing: Jason Todd x Female! Reader

Genre: Slight Angst

Word Count: Idk, it’s short

Warnings: Blood, Suicide, Death, Guns

Stop!"

"Don't listen to him." Jason said.

"You don't want to do this, [Name]." 

[Name]'s smile was wiped off her face and she turned her head at the source of the speaker. Her eyes landed on the Arkham Knight. He stood at the entrance of the cell with his hands up, showing her that he meant no harm. 

Her hands began shaking and she looked away from him. Her eyes focused on the wall in front of her. It was discolored and blank. Unlike her who was decorated in various colors due to her injuries. "I'm going to do this, Knight. I'm finally going to be able to be free and this heavy weight that's been on my shoulders will be lifted off." 

The Arkham Knight took a step into the cell and she jumped to her feet. She didn't hesitate to point the gun at him, "Take one more step and I'll shoot you." 

He stopped moving and let his hands rest by his sides. "Put the gun down," The Knight warned and gesture for her to listen to him. Yet she wasn't cooperating. "Listen to me, you don't want to go down this route. Death is not- There are some people who-" 

"Batgirl, stand down," Batman ordered the woman suddenly appearing behind her. If the bulletproof glass wasn't between them then the Bat would probably have taken her down. 

The Arkham Knight froze in his spot as he stared at the caped crusader. 

"Pull the trigger," Jason coated her.

On the other hand, [Name] bit her lip. The fear toxin was still working in her system, but for some reason she didn't see any monsters or scary images. Then she looked at the gun gripped tightly in her hands, "I'm going to take my life. I don't care if you disagree, Batman. And Knight, you have no right to care for me." 

She lifted her eyes to the Arkham Knight and glared at him, "You barge into my home. Destroyed it. Took my first chance of taking my life."

"He doesn't want us together," Jason sighed. 

[Name] took a deep breath in, "Forced me into a car. Fought me while I suffered from two bullet wounds. Ended up in a car accident and you saved me." 

She aimed at his suit again, "Watched me suffer with the fear toxin taking over. Now you want to save me for a third time. I want to know who you are before I do anything drastic." 

The Arkham Knight sighed and shook his head, "All those hints I gave you. All those Romeo and Juliet phrases going back and forth. I thought those would jog your memory." 

"Everyone knows about Romeo and Juliet," She countered. 

"Not like us, we remember it differently. I thought I was your home," The Knight said and if it wasn't for the robotic voice, she would have assumed his voice cracked a bit. She was shaken by his sentence. 

"You'll always be my home, Romeo." 

She shook her head and backed up into the wall. He couldn't be him. All this time, he was right here in front of her. All this time, he was watching her get beaten down and even used force on her. 

"You are not my Romeo," She began with an attitude, "he would have never laid hands on me or let alone watch anyone beat me." 

"That's right! I would never harm you, [Name]." Jason said desperately.

The Arkham Knight stayed quiet and she wished for him to give her a reason why he did what he did. He let Barbara die. 

Meanwhile, Batman laid his hands on the cell desperately wanting to hold the girl in his arms. He needed to take her away from the cell and to Alfred where he can keep a watchful eye on her. But for right now,he watched [Name] uncover the truth behind the Arkham Knight. 

"You expect me to believe you are him!" She yelled at the Knight. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. The grip on her gun was locked and her knuckles turned white. "Well I don't believe you!" 

"You don't have to believe my words, you have to trust them," The Knight said with a softer tone. His hands reaching for her slowly and his legs moving toward her. "Please, [Name], put the goddamn gun down." 

[Name] shook her head, "Stop! I said don't move!" She pulled the trigger giving him a warning shot. The Arkham Knight stopped and raised his hands up again. His feet standing firm on the ground, not moving an inch. 

She was breathing heavy and she didn't know what the cause of it was from; the fear toxin or the sudden shock of Jason being alive. Either way, her heart was pounding and her head was in a swirl. Unbeknownst to her and the rest, one more shot of fear toxin entered her system and her hand flew to the collar. 

"Ugh," [Name] groaned, "I'm going to kill him!" She yelled and dropped the gun to the floor. She needed two hands to take the collar off and holding a weapon wasn't going to help her. 

The Knight saw this as a chance to render her unconscious. He ran at her and slammed her body against the cell wall to which she cried out, "What in God's name is wrong with you!" 

"I need you to calm down!" The Knight yelled at her and ended up getting punched in the face. 

"Get away from me!" [Name] yelled and kicked at him. Her vision showing her a monster trying to take advantage of her. 

"It's the fear toxin," Batman spoke up to the Knight, "it's taking over her body." 

The Knight scoffed and dodged a kick from [Name], "Yeah? Why didn't it affect her earlier? She had about seven doses already." 

"She saw someone important to her in the visions early on, that's who she's afraid of," Batman reasoned and worked on getting inside the cell. He could use his explosive gel, although he could harm [Name] in the process. 

The Knight blocked [Name]'s right hook and swiped his leg under her feet. Her back collided with the cell floor and she let out a strangled gasp. "Old man, you got any bright ideas to get her out without me damaging her so much?" 

"Talk to her," Batman simply responded. 

[Name] grabbed the Knight's foot and yanked on it causing him to lose his balance in the process. She crawled on top of him and started delivering punches left and right. She showed him no mercy. 

"She'll listen to you," Batman explained to the Knight watching his student unleash her wrath, "Show her that you're her Romeo." 

The Knight gritted his teeth and pressed a button on the right side of his helmet. 

[Name] raised her left arm to give the Knight another cruel punch, but a hissing sound made her stop. She watched as his helmet came off. 

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw those gunmetal eyes once again. Those stormy blue eyes she saw a long time ago. His black hair barely peeking out from the helmet. And that scar, that scar that made her blood run cold. 

"It really is you," [Name] admitted putting her hand down at her side. 

Jason nodded, "Yeah, I told you." 

"Batgirl, get down!" Batman warned and gunshots rang in the cell. 

Jason hovered over [Name]'s body and shielded her as much as he could. Once it stopped raining bullets, Batman blew up the wall of a cell and walked into it. He handled the men that wreaked havoc in the cell. After that was done, he checked up on his family. 

"No, no, no," He heard the Knight say over and over and when the smoke dispersed, Batman saw [Name] bleeding out in the Knight's arms. A bullet wound in her abdomen. 

"We have to get her out of here," Batman placed his hand on Jason's shoulders. 

……

"She's in stable condition, sir," Alfred said confirming the vitals on the screen were stable. "But she's going to be out of commission for at least a week. I've found three bullets, one that broke into shards." 

"I assume you took all the pieces out," Batman spoke over the phone. He was busy tracking down Scarecrow. 

"To the best of my abilities. Not only that, she broken at least four of her ribs, sprained her ankle and has multiple contusions. It's a miracle she's alive considering the bruises and damage that's been done to her body." 

"Not helping, Alfred," Jason called out to the butler from his sulking corner. His voice firm and broken at the same time. Those injuries were caused by him. He was the one that caused her so much pain. 

Alfred looked over at Jason. It was just an hour ago that he found out the boy he lost long ago was alive. "Well, yes, Master Todd, it seems that you are feeling guilty for what happened to Miss [L.Name]." 

"Guilty?" Jason scoffed, "I should feel more than guilty. She almost died, she could have died." He corrected himself. 

"But you saved her," Alfred dressed [Name] in new bandages, "I recall you saving her on multiple occasions, Robin or not." 

"That's not the point," Jason argued. 

"Then what is?" Alfred shot back laying [Name] gently back on her bed. "Sulking about what happened? It won't help her. The only thing- No, the only person that has ever helped her was you, Master Todd." 

Jason still stood in the corner of the room with his arms over his chest. 

"When you died, nothing was ever the same. Master Bruce would stay in the batcave with little to no sleep and [Name]," 

Jason looked over at the woman in the bed. 

"She was alone again. She lost the love of her life in the most cruel way; at Joker's hands." Alfred finished while setting a wet cloth on her forehead. 

"She replaced me." 

"She did no such thing," Alfred defended [Name], "and neither did Master Bruce. They both loved you in their own ways." 

Jason pushed himself off the wall and glared at Alfred, "Then why did Joker tell me there was a new Robin? I wasn't even dead, yet they found someone else. Someone else to call Robin." 

Alfred looked sadly at Jason, "Master Drake found out who they were, their real identities. Master Bruce could not just allow this boy to run around knowing who Batman really was." 

Jason turned away, "While they were out there, I was being tortured by a psychotic villain. I thought that Bruce would have killed him already, but turns out the Joker died differently. I wanted him to suffer. To feel the pain he dealt me." 

"Batman almost killed the Joker," Alfred confessed. "He was nearly there until [Name] stopped him. She stopped him from crossing the line." 

……

"Batman, stop!" Batgirl landed on the roof, standing behind the caped crusader. 

"Oh, Batgirl!" Joker laughed, his legs dangling in the air, "Thank goodness, you're here! I was starting to worry you weren't going to show!" 

"Let Joker go," [Name] advised while gripping a batarang in between her fingers. 

Batman didn't say anything and kept his hands around Joker's neck. 

"Uh-oh, Bats, seems like you got another rogue birdie," Blood was dripping down his chin, "we all know what happened to the last bird that left his nest too soon." 

"Shut up!" Batman demanded and squeezed Joker's neck even harder. If he did it any more stronger, the psycho's neck would snap. 

Batgirl spoke up, "You'll regret your actions later, Batman. You have a code. A code you made yourself and the others follow because if we broke it,…" 

……

"We're no better than them," Jason finished off Alfred's recount of that night. 

"Yes, even I wanted the bastard dead. I was so set on the Joker dying that I didn't care for the consequences at the time. But [Name] stopped us from crossing that line." 

Jason walked over to [Name]'s bedside and sat down at the edge. Her hands were cut up and bandaged. Her face adorned with bruises and cuts. One of her eyes covered up in ice to stop the black eye from swelling so much. 

"I thought she wanted the Joker dead too," Jason questioned reaching out for her hand. 

Alfred hummed, "Of course, she did. That's all she ever wanted after your death. She wanted him to die so badly that she said she was going to be the one that kills him." 

Jason intertwined his fingers with hers. 

"And when she found out the Joker was sick, she rejoiced. Finally, the clown was getting what he deserved." 

[currentfandomkick]

Bio! Dad Strange part 8

This is just a bunch of random things that amuse me from this au, i will try to keep them in a coherent order but no gaurantees.

Everyone in Marinette’s friend group (Max, Kim, Alix, Nino, Sabrina and (somehow) Chloe) has at least one color unique to them, some with a secondary or pattern, to show that they are psuedo-family.

Chloe mentioned the idea after listening to Adrikins go on about anime magic girls and go off on Sailor Moon for too many days.

The group starts it as a joke—if you dont wear your color, you are mad at someone in the group enough to disown them. Wearing someone else’s color meant you saw them as really close compred to the others. Wearing all of the colors meant you felt very loved by the group and are proud damnit!

Chloe picked yellow, and added stripes as her pattern just incase they added another yellow later.

Sabrina demanded purple and argyle patterns as hers. Why? “Purple is mystery i will solve them all!”

Max picked green and decided collared shirts were his domain. Sabrina and him foght over this sometimes, as ‘no we both like this, Not eachother.’

Kim called Red and yellow, since he likes chlow he called her color as his secondary.

Sabrina picked up on the meaning and so did Nino. It didnt register for Marinette, Nino and Max.

Chloe claims this is why she wanted a pattern too.

Alix demands black as her color, despite Max’s protests that no, black is not a color. Alix says she’s all the colors as black, and picked stripes as her pattern like Chloe. Alix has her stripes as knit fingerless gloves, while Chloe wears hers as a shirt.

Nino call blue, and specified his hat as proof of friendship. When he is mad at them he doesnt wear it and everyone assumes a war is going on between him and someone. He forgot it one day and everyone was worried.

Marinette kicks kim and says she wanted Red. In the end she agree to either red or oink—depending on whatever rules her parents made about her wearing any color too much. She picked her signiture flower design as her pattern.

Why is this important?

Becuase now whenever any of them dont wear one if these colors or patterns visibly, it means someone did something and the school intervenes.

So the day Marinette came in early with a too big faded red hoodie and Kim was late without his red on, there was Tension.

He chases Marinette to get his hoodie back. She refuses, dodging and weaving until he ends up in the art class and Oh.

Marinette chucks a better red hoodie sweatshirt at him while saying “this should stop the shippers!”

No one but Chloe and Sabrina knew what that meant. Both were embarassed. They mentioend people thought Kim was crushing on her since his hoodie was getting pinker, and she did wear a lot of faded reds and pinks.

It did not stop the shippers. Only made them swap from romantic ship to ‘oh god these are destructive sibling cinnamon rolls’.

Becuase kim almost crying while tackling Marinette in a hug, in public, while Marinette goes off on him having bà’s hearing and squirming to escape and start another game of chase?

Intense ‘dorky brother loves his new sister who wants to play not be mushy in public’ energy that no one was stopping.

—

For those wondering, yes these kids have group sleepovers—boy’s night, girl’s night and ‘everyone night’ usually at Marinette or Chloe’s for the everyones. Yes, these are weekly.

—

Chat noir keeps trying to claim Marinette’s room as his part of the miraculous team’s base.

In this au both he and Ladybug have chosen weilders for various miraculous. They are partners but do lead two teams—Marinette’s focused on support, civlians, and strategy and his focused on combating akumas.

Due to this, Ladybug has a team she oversees, and Chat has a team he oversees.

Fu uses this to decide which would make the better gaurdian, as he trains them both here.

Marinette regrets being the only weilder Tikki approves of weilding her due to how the Cure works is people died. Marinette has to relive their death and decide if they should come back or not (was it too truamatic to go on after living it herself? Did they want to live? Questions like that are hers to answer). She is happy to share her job as Ladybug with other ladybug weilders, but is the only one who can cast the cure if there’s death involved.

Adrien is known to not be a perfect fit for the Black Cat, and he agrees that if a better cat comes along, he will give up his role as Chat Noir but not as a member of the team. Fu admits to him he’s a peacock more than cat early on, and while adrien loves plagg—that’s his cat-god-dad—he knows as a guardian trainee he has to do what’s best for the kwami and Paris. He agrees to training potential cats as Aspik until they can find, reclaim and fix the peacock.

Identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir are kept from each other to prevent them being an easy target for the Hawkmoth in this au. Others can know, but unless they weild a miraculous its dangerous given Nooroo’s weilder is their foe. Also name drops can be a thing and its bad all over.

Marinette is insistent on the secret identities being kept as she doesnt want to compromise her identity as a civilian that is not a meta when Ladybug is a known meta. The Miraculous she’s iffy on, and Tikki admits thst if they werent facing Nooroo, it was normal for all weilders to know eachother’s identites for covers and alibis and such.

Chat is upset about this until she mentions how metas are treated and her being out as a meta as ladybug but not as a civilian and why. Then he’s pissed at the govenrment and starts helping out at protests and crashes anti-meta rallies in Paris on Ladybug’s behalf, and points out that if it wasnt for a tiny meta none of them would be alive after syrenx, so shut up. He accepts her stance and only asks if he can tell her his identity when hawkmoth is done for.

Marinette agrees to post-hawkmoth reveal between them. Their teams hate that only the bugs and cats cant know each other’s identities as bugs and cats. Miraculouses are swapped like candy here, so you may know one hero is also another hero but not civlilin id or vice-versa

Yeah, writer salt here rather than character salt. Especially to how the characters were treated.

—

On Marinette’s powers, she does have them escalate as she grows and doesnt use her treatments. She takes her meds to prevent this as she’s already scared if her abilities when she leaves them unchecked for too long.

Her treatment is mircodosing kryptonite to keep the kryptonian part from taking over completely. She has all the abilities only when she’s more kryptonian than human cells at the time. Kryptonian cells multiply faster which is why she heals faster.

Max is the only one that she knows knows about her powers in Paris.

Sabine is implied to have an inkling but she ignores her own inkling often. Marinette thinks her mom is pretending she doesnt have powers.

Tom does notice but has no idea how to help, so he’s a cheerleader dad and helps her hide damage sometimes. They have a pact that they dont talk about the time she flipped him, and he fixes whatever she broke, no questions asked.

—

Side thing but when the miraculous come into play, warning that i will use character non-hero name for what they’re thinking and saying, while their hero-name is for what they are phsycially doing, as some will change mid-fight.

—

Hey i know this wasnt the expected update, but its more idk how to do Jason as Red Hood finding Marinette again.

First option is he was hunting strange, saw a picture of her on his desk and she calls strange asking about jow she should keep hiding since the restrictions just got worse on metas and she’s scared and ‘are you sure i cant just stay in Gotham? I...i dont feel safe here anymore’ and then Jason going on a Quest to find her in Paris, weird-happy reunion, and he goes back to Paris to live with Strange and work on things as Red Hood where Marinette can’t—mainly ground work. She helps him coordiante with the batfam via Tim, and handles gang attack coordination between Gotham Police, Batfam, Jason and RKC. Zsasz calls Jason his apprentice and trains him on hitman etiquette, guns, and yes, his signature form of ‘conditonal promises’. He was given League of Assassin Training, just cant recall it actively (talia gets memory magic becuase i said so. Blocked it until it would be safe for Jason to process here). He does not go to school, he just tracks down who he wants and ensures they cant hurt people. Is a bit obsessed with this when Marinette and Rose dont stop him by force.

Second Option is they both are targetting the same gang and their bust night is the same. Marinette helps him out in her Harley knock-off outfit (new and improved) while she evacuates the girls making the drugs, and Jason is just hunting dealers to find the drug den, finds a small girl dangling a major drug dealer, while Rose is there with the others tied up in plants. He gets caught by Rose, who recognizes his mark. He doesnt remember much about who he was as Robin, mostly as Red hoodie and is so confused. Marinette claims him as her brother and from there Rose takes on a new brother, dumps him on Strange as ‘i am many things, but i dont think i can handle memory loss and whatever happened to him. You do, so fix it.’ Strange winds up adopting him and Tom and Sabine encouraging him to add them as legal gaurdians. Here Jason is listed then on as Tod J. Smith—he cant remember his name in the right order so that’s what he got. His red hood outfit is revamped by Marinette, who coordinates his attacks on gangs with Batman’s, Gotham Police’s, and the RKC’s attempts at gang busts to maximize gang minimization. Somehow Joker starts helping J as a fellow J-J in Marinette’s life, with Zsasz claiming Jason as his apprentice. He does remember the League Training, but isnt sure if he was Robin and if he could be again if he was given that he was a their and kills the worst of the worst (mostly) of his own volition. Here is does go to school in Gotham.

In both Gina kidnaps him for chrismas with the family like she does with Strange. In Both he’s a teen still (hasnt aged since the Pit) and it takes Marinette and Tikki working together so he can later on (maybe? Idk on that point)

Comment which option you like better, becuase i cant choose.

And yes, rogues will be involved again soon.

@ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @dast218 @weird-pale-blonde-person @mystery-5-5

[savage-rhi]

Could we get a part two of the Drabble with Higgs accepting DieHardman’s help?

Coming up hon :)

Higgs had disassociated throughout his entire recovery in the UCA medical ward. By the time he was healed, and in the interrogation room with the new President himself, Higgs had barely registered what happened to him. He had seen so many different faces and doctors that he lost count, still not familiar with folks. Nonetheless, even though he didn’t show it, Higgs was thankful Die-Hardman didn’t have him cuffed. It’s not like he could have teleported anyhow even if he wanted too. 

“Ain’t it risky with you being in here with me?” Higgs quipped, his voice edging with sarcasm as Die-Hardman sighed and put his hands on the table, another gesture showing he meant no harm to the former terrorist. 

“It is. I’ve been advised against it, but I figure if we are starting with a clean slate, we might as well try to trust each other a little bit. I mean you no harm, and I hope giving you some freedoms and speaking to you in person sends the message across.” 

Higgs thought it was a stupid gesture. Had Higgs been screwed up like he was under Amelie, he wouldn’t have thought twice about killing the President where he stood. Higgs had to give it to Die-Hardman though, the guy had balls or at least happened to be one of the few assholes in the UCA that followed up their words with actions. He hadn’t fucked Higgs over yet. 

“Can I walk around?” Higgs asked. He hated how vulnerable he sounded just then, but having been confined to a hospital bed for over a month, he was feeling restless. 

Die-Hardman gestured. “By all means.” 

Higgs got up and let out a relieved sigh. He began to pace around the room, paying attention to nothing in particular. His muscles stretched as Higgs winced a few times. Though he was mostly healed, the fractures among other wounds he sustained while locked up were still recovering. 

“You up for this?” Die-Hardman asked to which Higgs smirked, leaning up against the far wall, arms and legs crossed. 

“Not like I have much of a choice,” Higgs said then looked over in the President's direction, giving a wave with his hand. “C’mon, I don’t have all day. I got a new cell block to decorate.”

Die-Hardman didn’t care for much sarcasm, but given the circumstances, it was better for Higgs to be a joker than the alternative. 

“Could you explain why you committed acts of terror to the best of your ability?” Die-Hardman asked, his tone firm as he thought about all the lives that had been taken due to the man before him. It was hard being in the same room as Higgs, but a good leader knew when to show mercy and when to walk among those that were inhuman. 

Higgs furrowed his brows, eyes looking at the cracks and crevices in the wall. Memories began to pool like the tide on the beach. He missed it some. “Amelie said that if more people’s beaches were connected, then she’d gain more power. It was only logical to kill many at once for it to work. So I did as she asked.”

“Amelie, the President’s daughter, she asked you to kill all those people?” Die-Hardman’s tone was firm, it was something he didn’t want to believe and at first believed Higgs was lying until he could see the disheveled look in his eyes. 

“Did I stutter?” Higgs replied quietly. “Yeah, she asked me too. Planted the idea anyhow. She never wanted to get her hands dirty. It’s why she sought me out cause she knew I could do what she was too scared of.” 

“How did you come to know her?” Die-Hardman asked, his brows furrowed into a concerned look as he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand. Already, he was learning a lot more than he bargained for. 

“She came to me in my dreams. My DOOMs level prior to her showing up had been fluctuating. I had nightmares. Then little by little, she’d appear. I don’t remember much after that save for the big things. My heads been scrambled.”

Die-Hardman nodded, looking down at a case folder that had been prepared about Higgs, detailing everything the UCA had on him up to this point. He looked through some of the paperwork, getting Higgs’s attention as he could hear the shuffling of papers. 

“It says here you had severe Chiralium Poisoning.” Die-Hardman said as Higgs let out a huff.

“Ain’t that right?” 

Die-Hardman nodded. 

“Explains why I’m feeling as friendly as a duckling now. Ya’ll drained the crap outta me from the mask.” Higgs chuckled, trying to break some of the tension in the room. He watched as the President smiled, but could tell the man wasn’t in the mood. 

“You joke a lot, Monaghan?” 

“When the occasion calls for it.” Higgs shrugged. “I reckon you want me to shut the fuck up though.” 

“If it helps you cope with being scared, it’s alright.” Die-Hardman said calmly.

“I ain’t fucking scared.” The bitterness in Higgs’s words took Die-Hardman aback as he could see fury light up in Higgs’s eyes. The two stared at each other for a while before Higgs finally took a seat, sitting across from him. 

“You must have a hard time being around people.” Die-Hardman said. 

“What are you a shrink?” Higgs asked sarcastically, then shook his head, looking down at his hands while he fiddled with his fingers. “Ya’ll have no idea.”

Die-Hardman could tell from how quiet Higgs was that there was something troubling his mind. Even though he needed to stick with the general bases, Die-Hardman knew he wasn’t going to get through to Higgs all the way unless he allowed the man to vent. 

“Try me.” He said. 

**A link to my ko-fi account. If you enjoy my content and want to support me getting my monthly medication for fibromyalgia and arthritis, I would be eternally grateful. It is NOT a requirement however! All my work is free to read!**

[winterhawkkisses]

Valentine’s Day shenanigans: If you have the time and inclination, something Winter Soldier Bucky and Clint for Clara Barton, maybe a litttttttle bit angsty but with a nice ending?

Happy Valentine’s @claraxbarton!

Clint was still bleeding sluggishly when he made his way down to the basement, the only place in the tower with the structural integrity to support the Hulk’s cell. He scratched at the black words on his forearm as he walked, his footsteps echoing back from the concrete walls, and he knew the burning sensation was psychosomatic but that didn’t stop him wanting to claw them off his skin.

It was dumb, probably, given the way that the rest of his life has shaped up, that he’d thought he’d get that fairytale moment. That he’d thought someone would say his words and he’d just know - or maybe he’d go first, get to watch the wonder dawning in their eyes before they finally spoke the words he’d known for as long as he’d been alive. Maybe he’d thought of it as compensation, some way that the universe could make up for the hand it’d dealt him.

Turned out that Clint’s life was jokers all the way down.

*

Steve had dragged them into his quest. What else had they had to do? Clint had sure as hell been out of a job, and his very specific skillset kinda limited the career paths he could take. So he’d trailed around after Captain America and the Black Widow, searching for any signs of Steve’s missing buddy, staying in shitty motels up and down the country, taking in way too much second-hand smoke from Hydra bases that were still smouldering.

It was a nice bonding experience, when it came down to it. Ever changing scenery, occasional peril, regular threats of death from two of the prettiest people he knew. It didn’t quite make up for the fact that he’d been unwittingly working for Hydra for the better part of his career, and there was a therapist’s couch somewhere with his name written all over it, but it was nice to think that he could maybe help save someone again.

*

The Soldier stood square in the harsh light of the cell, his empty gray eyes fixed a little to the left of Clint. He hadn’t moved much since he’d woken up, taking a second to assess the limits of his world and then pushing to his feet, standing with his hands behind his back, like he was waiting for someone to give him orders. It made every hair on Clint’s damn body stand on end.

There was no question that he was the Soldier now, even with the faded ball cap, the red henley, the ragged jeans. There was no wonder that he’d been halfway between a nightmare and a fairytale for an improbable number of years.

“I’m sorry.”

He didn’t move, wasn’t visibly moved by Clint’s words, but after a moment his eyes snapped to meet Clint’s. There was the barest line between his dark brows.

“For what?”

For a second there was only the gentle drip of Clint’s blood falling from the ends of his fingers and hitting the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “for saying your words.”

*

They’d been in Poughkeepsie, of all places, when they’d found him. When Steve had found him and - judging by the rips and the bloodstains and his missing front tooth - had gently persuaded him to come back to where they were staying.

Bucky’d been surly and monosyllabic, had refused to interact with anyone but Steve for the first hour they had him there. He’d grudgingly answered Steve’s questions, the details sparing, and he’d looked at Natasha and Clint sidelong but wouldn’t speak to them direct.

Clint had been fine with it. He’d been fixing the fletching on one of his arrows, whistling absently between his teeth, and listening closely to the one word answers in case this ended in some kinda test. He looked up during one of the more protracted silences to find Steve clenching his jaw, the muscles there ticking, and Bucky staring out of the window with the sunlight gilding the lines of his face.

“Damn, you’re pretty for a dead guy,” Clint said, without thinking, and Steve’s mouth dropped open.

And then Clint’s apparent soulmate had tried to stab him in the neck.

*

“You didn’t even say all the words.”

It was a stupid thing to fixate on, but it was important to him in the way of things you cling to in the darkest times. Clint’s words had always looked a little odd, uneven, like his name at the end was an uncertain addition, written in a very different hand. You’re my mission was in block capitals, heavy and certain; there’d been no mistaking the words when they were said. After that there’d been stabbing and fighting and bleeding, but Clint thought -

He just thought he would’ve remembered, that was all. If his soulmate had said his name.

*

(Hydra had programmed him. When they’d found the words curled around his right thigh, they’d told him what those words would trigger, what they were going to make him do.

It was the first time Bucky had known they were breaking him, right down beyond his bones.)

*

Eventually someone had made Clint leave. He was a little weak from blood loss, by that point, so he wasn’t sure entirely just who it’d been. He’d been stitched up and put on bed rest, and he’d still ended every day exactly the same way, sitting cross-legged and telling stories to a motionless man in a big glass box.

Clint wasn’t sure what he thought the point of it would be. He wasn’t even sure if he thought it’d help. It just felt essential, felt like something he needed to do, and somewhere he needed to be; he felt like even his incomplete soulbond was tugging him closer and drawing him in.

It was easy to imagine things, as time went on. It was easy to persuade himself that it meant something when the Soldier shifted a little closer to the glass, when he eventually sat in a reflection of Clint. It was easy to pretend that the little quirks at the corner of his mouth were signs of personality, signs that maybe he was getting a little better, was maybe returning to himself a little more.

But it always was pretending, it was always a fairytale he was telling himself, so he didn’t expect Steve to drag him down the stairs at something close to a run and plant him in front a man who was almost unfamiliar in the animation in his face.

“Clint?” Bucky said.

[violetsmoak]

Philtatos [5/?]

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101543/chapters/47690671

Blanket Disclaimer

Summary: During a patrol where Red Hood and Red Robin cross paths, Jason is infected with the blood of the Eros, the ancient God of Love, who informs them that they must track down his missing bow and arrows, or Jason will go slowly mad with an obsessive desire–for Tim. Though overwhelmed by the sudden attention being paid to him, Tim sets to work trying to solve the case, before Jason succumbs to madness. In the meantime, Jason discovers that there’s more than godlike powers at work here, as well as a legacy that reaches back through the sands of time.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

Beta Reader: None at the moment.

JayTimBingo Prompts This Chapter: #secrets

First Chapter

Author’s Note: Someone mentioned in the comments about the characters ages. As I mentioned at the beginning of the fic, this story mostly follows the New Earth canon. I disregarded anything in the New 52 that directly contradicts that. So the ages of the characters are about as follows: Bruce: 44 Dick: 25 Cass: 20/21ish Jason: 20 Tim: 17 Damian: 13 Ages have been approximated based on clues from the comics. I may eventually tag this as Underage, but it depends on whether I decide to write a certain scene or not.

________________________________________________________________

Tim’s first instinct is to go after Jason, which is why his irritation is entirely justified when a caped shadow detaches from above and lands in front of him in a crouch, blocking his path.

“Father says to check to the condition of Hood’s victims, then wait for medical units,” Robin informs him.

Tim frowns. “Good for him. You don’t need two people to do that.”

He begins to head off again, only for Damian to bar his way again. “Obviously. But he was adamant about it.”

“And since when do you listen to everything he says?”

Damian’s mouth thins, nose wrinkling as it does when Tim does something irritating to him, like exist. It takes him a moment to catch up.

“Wait—he meant me?”

“He meant both of us, for whatever reason is beyond my comprehension.” His permanent scowl slides more to the side of a pout, suggesting he isn’t pleased with the directive. “He was determined to reach Todd on his own when he requested help.”

The kid sounds like he is confused and disapproving all at the same time, which Tim can kind of agree on.

Reaching out to Bruce for help is not something he saw coming. Though, maybe he should have, since Jason always did have a unique ability to act outside the parameters of his own established patterns. It’s why it was so hard to pin him down when he first returned to Gotham.

It’s practical, too, I guess.

Jason’s the sort of no-frill logic kind of guy. He knows out of everyone in the family, the person best suited to take him down if he needs taking down is Bruce—and much as he cares about him, Bruce will do it, too.

He really must be rattled to go with that option.

Tim’s heart thuds a little in sympathy at that, understanding exactly what Jason’s afraid of.

Before he died, he acted rash and could be violent, and was already justifying why certain kinds of people should be forfeit their lives. That conviction magnified when he came back to life. Killing another person, that might not have been something outside the realm of possibility—in a purely utilitarian way. But this—the idea that he might lose control of himself to an extent where he has anything in common with the creeps he’s killed?

Tim wants nothing more than to go after Jason himself, to assure him that he’s nothing like those criminals. But he also recognizes why it’s not a good idea right now.

Besides, B has him. Just have to hope their…usual issues don’t get in the way.

“I’m going to find the kid that was here,” Tim tells Damian. “Got to make sure he’s okay, maybe explain what happened.”

“Whatever,” Damian replies, toeing at the faintly stirring bodies.

Nice working with you, too…

Tim finds the teenager three blocks away, ducked into a corner to avoid the wind, sucking down a cigarette from shaking hands. When Tim rappels down in front of him, he gives a curse and jumps backward, nearly upsetting a trashcan.

“What the hell, man?” he demands.

“Sorry,” Tim replies. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t go anywhere.”

“Why, so you can have a go at me to?”

“I need to know what happened back there.”

“Twenty bucks.”

If this were a gangster or some rogue’s henchman, Tim would probably just beat the answers out of him. But he recognizes that this is a scared kid, who needs to feel safe right now, and who needs to feel like he’s in control. Given the background Tim suspects, it’s not something he gets very often, and will determine how helpful he could be in the future.

So, he counters, “Thirty, and you also give me your name.”

The kid snorts, but nods; as soon as he pockets the cash, he says, “Matt. Smith.”

“Nice to meet you, Doctor,” Tim deadpans, and the kid smirks, but he lets it go. It gives him something to call him, helps ground himself in the fact this case is now involving actual people.

“Okay, Matt. Tell me what went down.”

“Usual thing. Some guy wanted to, uh, show me somethin’ in the alley. Turned out he had a bunch of buddies waitin’. Pretty sure I’d’ve gotten worked over if it weren’t for the guy in the helmet showing up.” Matt hesitates here, his eyes flickering with vulnerability in a way that tells Tim he hasn’t been on the street very long. “After he wiped the floor with ‘em, he went weird. Got real quiet, and he started lookin’ at me like…” He shrugs. “Like, I couldn’t see his face, but it felt like the way some of the junkies look when they think you’re easy pickings. And…”

The kid actually shivers here.

“Man, I thought he was supposed to be cool?” he snaps. “That’s what the girls all say. But if he’s a creep too, why d’you Bats let him go around like he does?”

“He was exposed to a mind-altering substance some time ago, and it’s messing with him,” Tim replies. “He’s not entirely himself right now, but I’m sure he’ll be fine after a bit of detox.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Matt continues to look distrustful. “We done here?”

“Yeah, we’re done.” Tim digs into his belt and passes him a card for the Neon Knights foundation. “Take this, too. It’s not just for younger kids, you know. There’s a program set up for teens and young adults that have aged out of the system.”

“So?”

“I’m not saying you have to go there or even asking you to trust them. But for tonight, at least, a bed and a hot meal are probably a safer bet than working a corner.”

Matt’s shoulder slump a little in defeat, and he looks away. “Whatever.”

“Second person that’s said that to me tonight. I might develop a complex being brushed off so easy.”

The teen’s mouth twitches.

Good sign. If you can still smile so easily, it’s not to late for you.

There’s buzz in his ear and Tim’s comm crackles to life. “B is bringing Red Hood back to the Cave.”

“Without a fight?” Tim asks, pressing the speaker to his ear.

“Hood asked him to sedate him.”

Shit.

If that’s not an indicator of how dire he thinks the situation is! Something like this only happens in life or death situations involving the whole Family, or the Joker. Or both.

“I’m on my way.” He turns back to Matt. “You going to be alright?”

“I’m always alright.”

That startles a chuckle out of Tim; he makes a mental note to track the kid down at as soon as he’s got a better idea of what’s going on

Hurrying back to Damian, Tim finds him watching with folded arms as an ambulance loads the last of the injured and unconscious men through their doors.

“Father, the clean up is finished. I am returning.”

Batman’s voice echoes in both their comms. “No. Continue with your patrol. Red Robin, he’ll stay with you for now.”

“Excuse me?!”

“What?!”

“Rendezvous at the Nest afterward and stay there until you receive further instruction.”

He signs off.

Damian and Tim exchange looks that are easily interpreted even behind their dominos.

“He knows that’s not happening, right?” Tim says. “You’d probably set my place on fire.”

“And I’m sure it would be an improvement. But no, it’s not happening.”

“Good. Glad we established that. How are you getting back to the mano? B brought Hood back in the car, so…”

“Obviously, with your bike.”

“Oh, obviously.”

“You would take issue if I stole a car. And you intend to return to the Cave anyhow.” Tim glares but doesn’t correct him. “I’m driving.”

“Fine.”

“Tt, you people and your antiquated—wait.” Damian sounds like his brain has to reboot. “Really?”

“You have an obsession with sharp objects, you’ve tried to kill me more times than Hood has, and you hate me. You really think I’m letting you sit behind me?”

Damian snorts. “That’s the first intelligent thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“That is, of course, assuming you can reach the gears.”

He’s kind of surprised he doesn’t get punched for that one.

It’s an awkward right back, made even more so when Tim insists they duck into a treelined cove on the way to the manor and hide the bike to change into their civvies.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“B’s probably keeping Jason in a holding cell,” Tim explains, “which is on the same level as the garage. We’ll be seen.”

“So?”

“So, you want to get sent off to bed like a naughty kid before you even step foot in the door, or do you want to go down the stairs and find out what’s going on before B can stop you?”

Damian thinks it over, and nods. “This is tedious, but very well. We’ll do it your way.”

Tim exhales a bit at that. Though none of that was entirely a lie, he’s more concerned that if Jason’s woken up, he might see Tim coming in through the parking area and get upset.

“Look at us getting along,” he murmurs as he struggles out of his boots.

“This truce is temporary at best. If you continue to patronize me, I will have Titus defecate in your shoes.”

They arrive in the manor, slipping in through the family entrance, where they are greeted by Alfred.

How does he do that?

It’s a question Tim is pretty sure will never be properly answered.

“Master Timothy, Master Damian—what a novelty, you two entering the house together.”

“We didn’t enter together, Pennyworth, he followed in my wake. As usual.”

Alfred and Tim watch him head toward the main study.

“He’s in a good mood tonight,” Tim remarks.

“Indeed. He spent the afternoon following his studies playing Cheese Viking with Master Colin.”

“Oh, well, the world will be forever grateful.”

“I am considering a gift basket.”

“Can we get some coffee downstairs, Alfred? I have a feeling tonight’s going to be a long night.”

Actually, I have a feeling it’s going to be a long week…

“Of course, Master Timothy.”

“Thanks.”

When they get down to the Cave, it’s both a relief and not to see that Bruce isn’t waiting. Mostly because it’s Dick sitting in the big chair at the meeting table.

Crap. Crap crap crap, what is he doing here?

“Richard,” Damian says, a frown in his voice. “I was under the impression you were on your way back to New York.”

“O caught me on the way, said there was a Family emergency and I might need to hang around for a bit. Here I was hoping she meant something else by that, but…”

Tim’s brain stumbles to come up with a reason why Dick shouldn’t be here. Either this will become the stuff of teasing material for years to come, or Dick will be disgusted at the possibility of Jason entertaining any kind of feelings for Tim.

He has no idea which option is worse.

“B’s handling it,” Tim says. “Maybe you should do a quick patrol, though, since we’re all back here right now.”

“It’s covered. O said Batgirl and Signal are covering any gaps in our routes tonight.”

And Cass is in Hong Kong, which is at least a bit of good news.

He has a hard enough time hiding his feelings for Jason on a good day; if she were here while all of this is going on, there’s not a prayer he gets out of it without someone knowing.

“So, who’s going to fill me in on what’s actually going on?”

“I will.” By now they’re all conditioned to ignore Bruce’s sudden appearances. He’s still in the suit, but the cowl’s off, granting Tim a good view of the glare he’s levelling at his younger sons. “You two aren’t supposed to be here.”

“Sorry. I didn’t care,” Tim replies, his discomfort starting to crack his usual composed mask.

“And I am your partner,” Damian adds. “I will not be kept out of matters because of some misguided attempt to pander to my age. I had thought we came to an understanding on this, Father.”

“This isn’t about that.”

“Then what is it about?” Dick demands; he’s getting impatient.

“Jason’s been infected by a toxin that manifests itself by triggering obsessive behaviour.”

Dick processes that, then furrows his brow. “Are we talking Sheldon Cooper obsession or Alex Forrest obsession?”

“At this point it could be either,” Tim answers, and gives a quick rundown of everything Cassie told him.

“And who exactly is the poor fool Todd’s supposed to be fixated on?” Damian asks, looking repelled at the very thought.

Tim battles down his own embarrassment, reasoning that everyone needs to be on the same page if they’re going to help Jason, and gestures wearily at himself. “That would be me.”

Silence rings.

Damian tilts his head to one side. “Are we positive we shouldn’t just allow this to play itself out?”

“Damian!” Dick snaps, scandalized.

“Well, the outcome benefits everyone. Todd gets to drag the object of his interests somewhere that’s elsewhere, and we get rid of Drake.”

“It’s getting really old, Gremlin,” Tim sighs, rubbing his temples.

“No one’s getting rid of Tim! And Jason’s not…doing that!” Dick snaps. “We’re going to fix this. Don’t worry, Tim, he’s not going to get a chance to do anything to you this time.”

Tim shoots him a sharp look. “You know it’s not his fault, right? It’s like being dosed by Ivy, only stronger.”

“If what Wonder Girl told you is true, though, the infection may capitalize on feelings that are already there,” Bruce says. “And the fact is—”

“Jason’s tried to kill me before? Yeah. I was there. But it’s been years, and things have been getting better.” Everyone looks skeptical at that, and he scowls. “They were.”

“Be that as it may, you shouldn’t be here. Damian either.”

“Todd’s not obsessing over me, thank god for small miracles.”

Bruce ignores the byplay.

“Since you are here,” he says, turning to Tim. “I want Eros transported to the Cave. We can better interrogate him here and find out if he’s holding anything back. I don’t trust that he isn’t manipulating you both.”

“Oh, I know he’s manipulating us,” Tim replies. “I also know you won’t be able to interrogate him the way you want to, not with his powers slowly growing more out of control—and yes, they are doing that, don’t make me explain how I know that.”

“How do you—?”

“Nair, Dick. In your shampoo,” Tim snaps, jabbing a finger in his brother’s direction without looking away from Bruce. “Also, there’s no guarantee he won’t try to escape and give us the sleep because we underestimate him. And since I can’t be around Jason, I can at least keep working on that angle of the case back in the Nest.”

Because no way in hell are you benching me from this completely.

He can work from his place, and if there’s anything important, he can send it over. And he cam patch into the comms to follow along with the investigation from afar.

Whatever Bruce wants to say to that is interrupted by a tweeting noise from the computer. A beat later, a holographic projection of Wonder Woman appears in the front of them.

“You got my message.”

“Yes,” she replies. “And I can only corroborate what you already know. Nothing mortal can be done about the boy’s condition. Only an arrow from Eros’ bow will be able to temper the infection.”

Bruce’s expression doesn’t change, but Tim can sense his disappointment.

“I must also warn you that the further his condition progresses, the less conventional sedatives will work. I am surprised they even worked this time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Modern pharmaceuticals might be able to render him unconscious, but it will not stop his brain function. The fixation will continue, thoughts unrestrained, and could overstimulate his brain to a fatal degree.”

They are all silent, digesting this.

“You said ‘nothing mortal’,” Bruce says after a moment. “There’s another option, isn’t there.”

Diana sighs. “Yes. I do have access to a method of pausing a gradual descent into madness, or rather I can locate it.”

“Great!” Dick says. “Let’s do that.”

“What’s the catch?” Tim wants to know.

“The only means I know of stopping the progression is Stygian Sleep.”

“No,” Bruce says immediately.

“What’s Stygian Sleep?” Dick asks.

“It’s in the myth,” Tim says, his research brain kicking in. “In the story of Cupid and Psyche—or, Eros and Psyche, I guess—Eros wife was put into a cursed sleep. But I thought that was just a poetic way of saying ‘really deep sleep’.”

“No. It’s a philtre created using the waters of the River Styx. Extremely powerful,” Diana explains.

“What happened to Psyche?” Dick asks.

“From what I read, she got woken up by her husband.”

“Well, that’s good, right?”

“In the story,” Diana agrees. “In actuality, he was unable to wake her. Her body wasted away and her soul was trapped in one of the darkest parts of Hades, bound to the Styx itself.”

And…that’s less good. Explains why Eros didn’t want to talk about it.

“None of this matters, because it isn’t an option,” Bruce declares.

“Don’t be closed-minded about this, Bruce, it isn’t a magic potion in the sense you think it is. The Sleep functions as a means of preserving his brain function without allowing the same deterioration that would be caused by mortal medicine. It will freeze him in the moment, keeping him safe and preserved while you seek out the means of his recovery. But if you don’t act quickly, his condition will worsen, and even if you employ the Sleep, it will be far from peaceful for him.”

“And if we don’t find that cure, he’ll be effectively braindead. No. We will find another way.”

Diana makes an impatient noise. “While I know you have every right to be confident in your abilities, you’re talking about a life. Your son’s life. Hubris is not a condition that was lost to the ancients.” The translucent body of her hologram turns as if to leave the room. “I will procure some of the philtre in case you change your minds,” Diana says, not sounding pleased. “I would hope you choose to think of the boy and not your own feelings on the matter.”

And she leaves them alone to stare at each other, the choice hanging over them more tangibly than the bats.

⁂

Next Chapter

[thecomicsnexus]

A serious house on serious earth

ARKHAM ASYLUM: A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH DECEMBER 1989 BY GRANT MORRISON, DAVE MCKEAN AND GASPAR SALADINO

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC WIKIA)

Back in the 1920s, Amadeus Arkham witnessed his mother's descend to madness and as an adult, he became the architect and first administrator of Arkham Asylum, a mental institution dedicated to help the criminally insane and prevent them from being taken into the regular penal system. Arkham renovated the family manor into the asylum following his subsequent inheritance of the property after his mother commited suicide.

In the present, on April 1, Commissioner Gordon informs Batman that the patients of Arkham Asylum have taken over the building, and will murder the staff unless Batman agrees to meet with them. Among the hostages are a young woman named Pearl, who works in the kitchens; the current Administrator, Dr. Cavendish; and Dr. Ruth Adams, a therapist. The patients are led by Black Mask and Joker, who kills a guard to spur Batman to obey his wishes. Two-Face, meanwhile, has degenerated even further into madness as a result of Adams' well-intentioned therapy; she replaced his trademark coin with a 6-sided die, and then with a tarot deck of cards rendering him incapable of making simple decisions such as going to the bathroom.

Batman is forced into a game of hide and seek, and told he has one hour to make his way through the maze-like corridors and find a way out before his old foes are sent to find him. Batman fights his way through Arkham and his own subconscious, fighting some of his most dreaded enemies until he reaches a secret room high in the towers of the asylum - a room left unchanged from the days when the property served as Amadeus Arkham's childhood home.

Inside, Dr. Cavendish is dressed in a bridal gown and holding a straight razor to Dr. Adams' throat. He is revealed to have been the one to orchestrate the riot. When questioned by Batman, he prompts him to read a passage marked out in Amadeus Arkham's secret diary.

The hidden room turns out to have been Elizabeth Arkham's bedchamber. For many years she suffered delusions that she was being tormented by a supernatural creature, and would call to her son to protect her. However, Amadeus had suppressed a memory when one day, he finally saw the monster that tormented her - a great bat, a spectre of death. Subconsciously, he had chosen to block the truth of the events, but in the dairy, it is clearly explained how he used a pearl-handled straight razor from his pocket to cut his mother's throat and free her from her suffering. He then blocked out the memory and attributed her death to suicide. Years later, his wife and daughter were murdered by one of his former patients, a serial killer named Martin "Mad Dog" Hawkins. The tragedy brings back the memory of killing his mother and a traumatized Amadeus puts on his mother's wedding dress and takes out the pearl-handled razor. Kneeling in the blood of his family he vows to bind the evil spirit of "The Bat", which he believes inhabits the house, through ritual and sorcery. He continues his mission even after he is incarcerated in the Asylum himself; he scratches the words of the binding spell into the walls and floor of his cell with his fingernails until the day he dies.

Discovering Amadeus Arkham's journals, the razor and the dress, Cavendish begins to believe himself to be the one destined to continue Arkham's work. On April 1, the date Arkham's family was murdered, he lures Batman to the asylum. Believing Batman to be "The Bat" itself, Cavendish accuses him of feeding the evil of the house by bringing it more insane souls. Grappling with Batman, Cavendish drops the razor, and Adams picks it up. Reacting instinctively, she slashes it across Cavendish's throat, killing him.

Batman returns Two-Face's coin back from Dr. Adams, stating that it should be up to Two-Face to decide his fate. Two-Face then declares that if the coin lands scratched side up they kill Batman, otherwise they let him go. Two-Face flips the coin and declares Batman free. Batman leaves the Asylum and the inmates peacefully return to their cells, except for Two-Face, who looks at the moon and it is revealed that the coin landed scratched side up.

REVIEW

This is a very complicated book to review. It’s a Morrison!

Let’s go with my notes here, the very first thing we learn about the asylum is that you must be mad to be there. I think people in general are afraid of mental institutions because of this very thing. If you are there, who knows you are insane and who doesn’t? I think there is some kind of irrational thinking about being in asylums, that you might “catch it”.

In the first scene that Amadeus describes his mother, she was eating beetles, because the beetle represents rebirth, this means his mother already died and was “reborn”. It is later defined that being mad is being reborn in a world of magic, terror and symbolism. This will be the visual theme for the whole book (plus one other thing we will taker later).

These events happening in April’s Fools have a meaning inside the story, as Amadeus killed “Mad Dog” on April 1st. Many things happen around this date and it seems to be pretty much how we measure time. But Joker doesn’t know this. In this case we may think he is running the asylum, but it is doctor Cavendish that is planning everything. Although the Joker wants the Batman to stay where he belongs (since he is mad, he belongs in the asylum).

Amadeus starts talking about people in the glass, in reflections, it makes us think that he can hear voices or laughs through the glass. In the end he sees his mother (the madness in him, in his blood). I do think there is one more application for glasses (later). The important thing is, Amadeus felt “at home” after seeing the glass people. (at home = insane).

So what about those psychiatrists, if you are in this house you have to be mad. To be honest, doctor Ruth didn’t seem particularly sane in her methods, but I am pretty sure she is insane by the end of this story.

Amadeus has several foreshadows in his diary about the Joker or clowns. It is actually about japanese clown fishes. He later realizes they represent Pisces = symbol of trial and initiation = Death and rebirth. (Rebirth = becoming insane). It didn’t help that Amadeus met Aleister Crowley, and probably got even more obsessed with symbolism and dark magic.

So, at the heart of this story, Amadeus finds his wife and daughter killed by “Mad Dog”. While looking at the horrible scene, he starts looking for his daughter’s head, until he finds it in the doll house, looking back at him. I am not sure if this was intentional, but throughout the book, you will see that “panels” are usually very rectangular in shapes of windows, or similar to the windows outside the asylum. This makes me think that, because someone is looking at him through the windows of the doll house. We are seeing the story through windows. Now... which windows? The windows of the asylum (from outside the house)... or the windows of the doll house (inside the house)? In one case we are insane and in the other one we may not. (There is another detail about the outside world, however, we’ll cover it later).

Mad Hatter says “The apparent disorder of the universe is simply a higher order, an implicate order beyond our comprehension”, then we read “the asylum is a head that dreams us all into being”. You may think that perhaps we are making them crazy, if the head is us. But I leave this to you to decide.

“Arkham is a looking glass”. You can go through the looking glass if you are Alice, you can join the inmates.

In the end, what made Cavendish do all this, is reading Amadeus diary and finding out that it was a bat that tormented his mother. And that is why Amadeus put her out of her misery. So in his last year in the Asylum, managed to prepare a ritual to put an end to the bat.

Closing the story, Batman says that “sometimes it’s only madness that makes us what we are, or destiny”. This is actually true for the Joker in this story (depending on who you believe).

Now the twist of the story is that Batman’s fate is decided by the coin. When the coin turns scarred, Batman leaves the Asylum. Now, it should be the opposite, but a few panels before that, Batman tells the Joker “you are all free”. He is not exactly telling them to leave. They are free in the asylum, because the asylum is their home. So when they say goodbye to Batman, he goes to “the other asylum”, until he can no longer cope with the world, in which case he will be welcome at a serious house on serious earth.

I am pretty sure I missed a lot of symbolism and recurring imagery throughout the book. This book is a good one to have in both, print an digital. The art itself looks different on a screen (at the same time, you can zoom or add brightness in a screen).

This is a very disturbing story that happens to be Morrison’s first work for Batman. It’s a different point of view on what is being insane, on the Joker, and certainly on what role Batman has in this cycle of death and rebirth. Is Batman defined by madness? Is Batman tormenting the insane?

It’s one of those stories that do not have a definite review. You can keep on analyzing the thing and you will never finish.

Dave McKean works very well with his style here, but Gaspar Saladino, a veteran of the industry, should also get credit for his work on lettering each character in a different way.

By the way, the scene at the GCPD has no colors. The outside world has no colors. Because it’s not home. I still think Morrison just wants as to go mad.

I give this book a score of 10 and you should definitely read it at night, next to a candle and a mirror.

[mass-effect-galaxy]

Joan’s Song 6: Hunting Asari

A thresher maw!? Really!? Again!? “Back! Back! Back!”, Joan Shepard was shouting as loud as she could, even though Kaidan sat right beside her, and even though he already had brought the Mako to maximum rearward speed. A load of acid spit went down where the vehicle had been a moment before. Some of it must have hit one of the front wheels for the Mako suddenly made a slight turn to the right. The motion dampers quickly stabilized the vehicle. “Lost a tire”, Kaidan just confirmed, surprisingly calm. Shepard was anything but calm. She had faced those monsters on Akuze before. And she had seen what they were able to do with soldiers trapped inside these metal coffins. Her next order should have been ‘Chief Williams, identified target, fire at will.’ Instead she just screeched “Ash!” “On it”, came the confirmation from the seat behind Shepard. The Mako’s main gun started barking. A warning signal reminded Shepard that she had been pulling the trigger of the secondary gun all the time. The weapon now had overheated and had to go through its cooling cycle. 

The Mako slightly jumped when riding over a hill. It could barely be felt inside. Kaidan said, “solid rock” and halted the vehicle. Right, even a thresher maw could not break through solid rock. They should be safe here; says so in the chapter on maws in the Alliance’s xeno-combat manual. Shepard had written that chapter after Akuze. “Damn gun needs calibrating”, Ashley said. “How long?”, Shepard demanded to know. A moment of silence, then, “done, Commander. Let’s go and get that worm!”

Finding an asari archeologist in the Artemis Tau cluster did sound easier than it was. The extranet listed three prothean sites in that cluster. Dr. T’Soni had published on all three: There was some kind of penal colony from the “Post Citadel Period” on Therum. A research post from the “Proto Imperial Period” on Sharjila, and a “presumably religious” structure from the “Imperial Era II” on Edolus. Shepard remembered that her history teacher had told her that whenever archeologists label something as “religious” they, in fact, have no idea what it is. 

Usually, she would have clicked away all those boring texts, but her “contact” with a prothean had made her curious. The University of Thessia was leading in research on the protheans. Their history was divided into three periods: the “Proto Imperial Period” before they founded their empire, the “Imperial Period”, which was further divided into four “eras”, and the “Post Citadel Period”, the time after which the protheans had abandoned the Citadel and their empire had collapsed in a civil war lasting for centuries. There was a mining colony on Therum, the other two were uninhabited. Shepard had sent a request to the miners and decided to check on the other planets while waiting for an answer.

“Wow, we should add this shot to the manual as the ‘William’s Maneuver’.” Ashley boasted while they examined the body of the thresher maw. “Dream on, Chief, you just were lucky”, Shepard replied with a smile.  “You are a space tyrant, Ma’am.” about four meters of the maw’s body were on the surface. Ashley had hit it right at the moment it came up. Impossible to say how much more worm was still underground. A few meters away was a battlefield. The scenery was all too familiar to Shepard: a Grizzly, part of that vehicle was melted; a couple of mauled bodies. Whatever got hit by the maw’s acid melted away, metal, armor, arms, legs, torsos, heads. Akuze. The images of Lieutenant Burnside’s Grizzly, she trying to get inside, slipping on entrails, touching acid, Alena, bleeding, dying, reaching out for her. Shepard had pushed her back to get away. She suddenly felt as sick as did back then and had to throw up. Ashley gently touched her back, “Let’s get you off this world, Jo.”

Back on the Normandy, Therum hadn’t responded so far. Shepard send a report about the dead soldiers on Edolus to Admiral Hackett and placed her name on the list of report recipients, meant she would be informed anytime someone else reported anything related to it. Their next destination was Sharjila.

There were no signs of life at the prothean site on Sharjila. However, there was a compound in use a few clicks away. If Dr. T’Soni was on this planet, it must be there. When the Mako climbed over a hill overlooking that compound, something came flying in their direction. A rocket. It was deflected by the Mako’s shields. “Looks like this is the right place”, Kaidan said.

The two guns of the Mako had made short work of whatever resistance was outside that bunker. “Chief, would you please be so kind as to knock at that door?”, Shepard asked with some mock “royal” accent,. “A pleasure, Ma’am”, Ashley replied and fired the main gun. The gate of that building was obliterated and Kaidan accelerated the Mako to maximum speed. The vehicle crashed through the debris of the gate and a wall behind it. They ended up in some warehouse. Lots of armed people were running around. Ashley meanwhile had manually loaded a stun grenade into the Mako’s gun which she now fired into that hall. Its sound was able to destroy the eardrums of most species and might even be lethal to some. Before anyone in that warehouse was able to recover, the three marines had dismounted and started cleaning out the room. Shepard and Ashley were wielding shotguns, Kaidan his auto-pistol. Suddenly something massive hit Shepard. Her armor started vibrating, a warning that the shields were off and she better took cover. She dodged behind a crate and saw some movement on a balcony. “Sniper”, Shepard shouted. “Got him”, Kaidan replied. He used his biotics to pull the sniper off the balcony. A turian; he was helplessly floating towards them while Shepard and Ashley used him for target practice.

“Commander, is that Dr. T’Soni?”, Kaidan was bending over an asari body. Shepard started scanning her face, “Doesn’t look like her.” It took the spectre database a few moments to compare the scan with trillions of filed faces. Finally, it came up with a name: Dahlia Dantius, wanted for murder and slavery on Kahje, reward 300,000 Credits. Also wanted for fraud on Irune, reward 500,000 Credits. Shepard whistled. Even without Dr. T’Soni, this trip had paid off. She made a full body scan of the asari and sent the results to both addresses. Now, they only had to figure out how to get the Mako back into the open. 

When entering the Knossos System, it became clear why Therum didn’t answer: Geth! “Several geth drop-ships in orbit of that planet.”, Joker confirmed. Drop-ships were not armed and the Normandy was able to destroy three of them before the others managed to jump to FTL. Shepard, Ashley, and Kaidan dropped in the Mako. Finding Dr. T’Soni was not much of a problem: they simply followed the path of destruction the geth had left. The team ran into several geths, both the normal robots as well as those large ‘Armatures’. None were a problem for the Mako. The situation, however, was most confusing. Ashley brought it up first, “Why would T’Soni attack this colony? They must have found something truly important.” Kaidan had a different idea,” Or maybe, the geth attacked it because the doctor is here?” This even made less sense. Shepard shrugged, “We’ll find out soon enough.” They had reached the entrance to the underground dig site.

This structure clearly had been a prison: there were open cells on several levels, only accessible by two elevators, one on the “wall-side”, probably the original access. A newer one was running along the “open side”, most likely built by the archeologists. In one of the cells, there was an asari caught in some kind of stasis field. “Dr. Liara T’Soni?”, Shepard asked. “Thanks to the Goddess!”, the voice of the asari sounded damped through the field. “I came in here to find shelter from the geth. Now I am trapped and can’t get out. Please, I am in here for two days now. I need food and water, and“ she continued, blushing, “a change of clothing.” “Doesn’t look like the evil mastermind we were looking for.”, Ashley said grinning. “What?”, Liara replied confused, “I am just a researcher. I don’t know why the geth are after me.” “That’s pretty obvious, honey.”, Ashley said disdainfully, “your mommy has become Saren’s pet and now his geth after your blue butt too.” It seems, as much as Shepard was able to fall in love with complete strangers within seconds, Ashley was able to develop an animosity in the same amount of time. “Benezia? But I haven’t spoken to her for years. And I don’t know a Saren.” Kaidan finally interrupted this interrogation. “We have hostiles coming down the ramp, Commander.”

Someone was trying to call the elevator, but Ashley had blocked its door: ancient trick; always works. Now, the geth had to come through the dig site. It was several floors below Shepard; no cover, a perfect kill zone. Ashley noticed a large device down there, “A miming laser. We can use it to blast a way through to the asari.” “Provided, we get it working.”, Shepard chipped in. “Shepard, please”, Kaidan said, somewhat bugged, “it is designed to be operated by unskilled workers. We’ll figure it out.” “Your turn, LT.”, Shepard shrugged.  “I am a vorcha when it comes to computers.” “And here come the flashlights!” Ashley already had raised her sniper rifle.

There was a krogan with the geth, but he died all the same. Kaidan indeed was able to get the miming laser working. However, he couldn’t turn it off again. He seemed to have launched some automated mining program that now started to demolish the prothean structure. “Run!”, Shepard shouted, “I’ll get the asari.” Kaidan and Ashley took the “external” elevator while Shepard used the prothean one to get into the asari’s cell. Another console was waiting for her. The symbols on it didn’t look like any writing she had ever seen. Liara realized the problem, “Look for one with two lines and a circle, it reads ’off’ in Prothean.” Shepard got it, released Liara, grabbed her hand and dragged her out. In time. The prothean “Imperial Institue of Correction No. 409″ had been in use for 103 years. It was dormant for another 50,000 years. It collapsed two hours after Shepard’s visit.

[bat-losers-inc]

Collisions in the Dark (Ch 6): Gambit

Warning: dub-con

Summary: In the aftermath of his night with Jason, Tim learns many things. Like the target of Ra’s attack and that he might not know Jason as well as he thinks he does.

Pairing: Jason Todd/Tim Drake & Ra’s al Ghul/Tim Drake

Chapter Notes: Gambit: A sacrifice (usually of a pawn) used to gain an early advantage in space or time in the opening.

“Please keep him safe. Let him lay his head on my chest and we will be like sailors, swimming in the sound of it, dashed to pieces.” — “Saying Your Names”, Richard Siken.

The room was cast in darkness when Tim was awoken by Jason’s hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. Tim stirred, shifting his cheek from Jason’s naked chest to search out the other boy’s face in the dark. Tim grimaced at the slick feeling of sweat that coated his cheek, wiping it away with his hand.

“You need to head back.” said Jason, his steady voice and straight posture suggesting he’d been awake for awhile.

Tim’s eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness of the room and he could now see how Jason would not hold his gaze. Had he had another nightmare? Tim had only witnessed one of Jason’s nightmares once and Jason had never told Tim what it had been about after Tim had woken him. He could imagine Jason waking in fright, limbs jerking as the paralyzing hold of sleep released him, only to lie still and wait for his heartbeat to calm as Tim slept soundly on the other boy’s chest. It was definitely something that Jason would do and it irritated Tim that Jason wouldn’t want to wake him and talk about it.

Then again, Tim realized, why should he? Tim had no claim on Jason, in fact... they barely knew each other as far as their personal lives went. If it wasn’t jeopardizing the mission or their secret identities, then it didn’t need to be shared with the rest of their family. Tim guessed that Batman’s emotional repression had rubbed off on all of them and for better or worse Tim would just have to deal with it.

“I don’t want to go back to him.” Tim admitted.

Jason rubbed at the dark stubble that lined his jaw. Was he going to grow a beard to match the locals who lived in this frozen landscape?. “Tim… you have to.”

Jason’s words betrayed how tired he really was, though Tim was not sure quite yet if it was emotional tiredness or physical. Probably both, thought Tim. If he knew anything about Jason he was worried about the events to come today and the future implications of that.

“Are you thinking about that family? Was that what the nightmare was about? Are you worried that you’re going to have to do something bad to them?”

Jason’s eyes flicked to his face for a moment, just long enough to show Tim his suspicious surprise. “Don’t you worry about my nightmare. It’s an old wound, nothing I can’t handle.”

And Tim flashed through the possibilities, oh how there were so many. The Joker…  the explosion…  his burial… the pit. There was a Lazarus Pit hidden somewhere deep in this mountainous compound. Ra’s wouldn’t feel safe dwelling here if there wasn’t. Did Jason know about it? Did it scare him being so close to it again? Once you’ve been resurrected by the pit there’s no way to use it again. You get one extra life with an added dash of pit rage, but it was still only one life. If you die again after that…  that’s it. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

“Ra’s is expecting you to do whatever it takes to make the doctor work for us. Even if that means hurting his family.” Tim warned him.

“I won’t hurt that child.” Jason objected instantly.

“I know,” said Tim. “I’ll make sure to keep the girl out of the way and out of Ra’s mind as much as possible. But you might have to hurt the mother…”

Jason shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve hurt a civilian to get what I needed.”

It didn’t sound like something Jason admired in himself. He sounded a bit disgusted by his actions, but he also seemed to have come to terms with them.

“Not to sound like a broken record here, Tim, but you need to head back. Like seriously, you’re already risking your skin staying here this long.”

Tim slid out of Jason’s bed and started to pull his clothes back on. He found Jason’s clothes in the same pile where they’d been shed the night before and tossed them to him. “I told Ra’s we’d try talking to Dr. Stafford again today, this time with his wife and daughter. If we go there now and Ra’s questions me when I return to our room then he won’t suspect anything. I’ll just be following his orders.”

“That’s a weak out, especially for you, Tim.” Jason paused to pull his shirt over his head, his bed head springing loose once his head cleared the collar. “But I’m inclined to let you have it for once.”

He hopped into a pair of jeans, slipped on shoes, and made an honest attempt to tame his messy locks though it didn’t seem to do him much good.

Finally, he sighed.  “Let’s go see that family.”

They walked side by side down the dim hallways that turned Ra’s large compound into a confusing maze. It was only when they reached the lower levels that it became almost impossible to continue on as they had because of the traffic of people that passed by them.

Tim fell back behind Jason after that, Jason’s tall frame and broad shoulders blocking his view of anything in front of him. He would have liked to see the path they were traveling in case he had to return here by himself. Once again, Tim cursed his short stature.

They arrived at a gate and Jason nodded a greeting to the guards stationed in front of it. “Pemba. Tashi.”

The two guards returned his greeting with silent nods and unlocked the gate to let them pass through. Tim took notice of the old fashioned ring of keys in the guard’s hands. For all of Ra’s’ high tech in the command center, he was strategically low tech with some parts of his security. If Tim had to venture a guess, the only places with one set of keys to unlock them were probably here and the lazarus pit. Ra’s would not be foolish enough to risk those to any more than a few people.

They heard the the voices before anything else. The light cadence of a mother’s voice as she sang to her daughter. Jason paused at the sound of it, just for a second, long enough for Tim to figure he didn’t want to disturb the moment. He watched as Jason clenched his fists and continued on.

The mother heard the sound of their footsteps on the stones. Her voice was an urgent whisper as she hushed her daughter. “ — quiet for Mommy.”

A few hiccupping breaths were the only response she got. Jason shoved the bar across and yanked the cell door open. Mrs. Stafford was crouched on the dirty floor of the cell and recoiled to the far wall when she saw Jason standing over her. “Please…”

She didn’t bother saying anymore, for even Tim could see that she didn’t know what to plead for. He had no doubt that any past cries from her had gone on deaf ears down here.

“Do you remember me?” asked Jason. His voice was soft, entirely devoid of force to keep the woman calm and at attention.

She nodded.

“This is my friend, Tim. He’s going to be taking you to talk to your husband. You’re going to convince him to start working.”

“Why?” The woman’s voice was thick with confusion but Jason continued to talk over her unasked questions, trying to keep her focused.

“You’re going to remind him that the safety of his family depends on his involvement. That the longer he resists, the more he is putting your life and the life of your daughter in danger. Please, do not make me hurt you or your daughter.”

Jason seemed to have said all he needed to, for he shifted aside to let Tim through the doorway. Tim took the mother by her elbow and lead her out into the hall.

“Mommy!” a high voice cried out from another cell. The woman jerked around in Tim’s hold, swiping matted blonde hair away from her eyes as she found the cell her daughter was in, though she was too small to be seen through the window.

“Tim, go now. Cell 58. The guards there will take care of it from there.” Jason urged, voice loud over the continuous cries of the girl. Tim was quick to tighten his grip and tug the mother farther down the hall.

Mrs. Stafford did not put up any struggle as Tim lead her down the hall, her gaze turning back every once and awhile towards the way they had come, though they had walked far enough now that the voices of her daughter could no longer be heard. It did not take long after that for her to regain her composure.

“What are you two doing here with these people? You’re still children, you shouldn’t be tied up with terrorists.”

Tim scoffed a laugh at the idea of anyone calling Jason a child… or himself for that matter. Sure he had people in his life who cared about him, but none of those people had ever stopped him from risking his life.

“Jason’s not a child. He’s 21 and I’m 18. We’re old enough to understand what we’re doing. We can take care of ourselves.”

He was hoping that the sternness of tone would dissuade her from further discussion, but it only seemed to anger her more.

“You’re a child. ” she spat, coming to a stop so sharply that she nearly broke Tim’s grip on her. “And just like every child does you think that you’re invincible, but at some point something horrible is going to happen and you’ll know that you were the cause of it. You’ll be all alone and then you’ll wish there was someone there to take care of you.”

Perhaps you’re right, thought Tim but he said nothing. Instead he pulled his gaze away from Mrs. Stafford’s cold expression and directed it ahead of them. He tugged on her arm to continue forward. Cell 58 was in a small hall all on its own with another pair of guards monitoring the door.

They stepped forwards when Tim came towards them, grasping the woman by either elbow. Tim stilled the guards before they opened the cell door.

“Talk to your husband,” he urged. “and when you’re done knock twice on the door and your be returned back to your daughter.”

Tim specifically did not say “cell” for fear that she wouldn’t follow their orders. If she thought she was being reunited with her daughter after this, then perhaps she really would try to convince her husband to start work on the device. Tim, of course, could not fulfill this promise but he also did not want to deny Mrs. Stafford hope that her family would remain safe.

When Tim returned back to where Jason was waiting for him, he was surprised by the scene that laid before his eyes. The Mrs. Stafford’s cell door stood open still as they had left it, waiting for her to be returned to her cell, but open also was the daughter’s cell. Jason’s voice carried through from inside the small room.

“Shhh, didn’t your mom tell you to be quiet for her? You’ve got to be strong for her. How about I sing you a song like she did, would that make you feel better?”

There was a short silence that followed where Tim could not guess what the girl had answered with, but a moment later Jason’s voice started to sing quietly, so Tim knew the answer. The song was vaguely familiar, a rock song turned acoustic by the slow lull of Jason’s voice. Tim knew he’d heard it long ago but couldn’t remember the band or the song name.

Jason sang without hesitation, knowing that the girl was not old enough to truly understand the lyrics. He let his voice rise and hum, the part of him that recalled his own childhood remembering that it was the tune of the song that mattered more than the words themselves.

Tim crept forward until he could see Jason sitting on the ground next to the little girl, one of his calloused hands stroking the back of her head, his own head tilted back against the wall eyes cast up at the ceiling. Jason hummed the tune for a line, and tried to fill in the spaces with bits of lines that he could remember.

Tim blinked and froze at the realization that Jason’s eyes were now on him. Jason’s voice faded off and his hand stopped stroking the girl’s hair.   “I didn’t mean to—”

Jason gave a small shake of his head, looking tired. “It’s fine.”

But as Jason rose to his feet and watched the little girl curl up like a cat on the warm spot he’d made on her mattress, Tim couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d interrupted something deeply personal for Jason. And he knew instantly that it was a type of intimacy that Tim had never shared with Jason, even with how close they had recently become. Tim had followed him when he was Robin, he’d saved his life, shared his bed… but he did not know the Jason that sang to little kids. Perhaps Bruce had caught glimpses of that Jason years ago, but Jason made sure that no one else did nowadays.

He closed the cell door quietly and locked it, not looking at Tim when he said, “Let go. It’ll be awhile yet before the guards return Mrs. Stafford to her cell and longer till we know if the doctor will cooperate.”

“Doctor Stafford began work this afternoon. I brought the finished blueprints with me if you’d like to look over them together.” It was dark again when Tim was able to tell Ra’s the news and Tim realized he had passed the whole day away without seeing the light of day. Most of his time had been spent hanging around the lower levels of the compound where the cells were situated and the rest of the time perched on a stool under the fluorescent lights watching Mr. Stafford start his work. Getting to see the blueprints before Ra’s, though, had been well worth it. At least now he knew the size of the device and it’s potential range of effect.

Ra’s smile was genuinely gleeful, but that did nothing to calm Tim. “I told you Jason would do what needed to be done.”

“I guess we won’t know until that actually happens. The wife was the one to convince the doctor. We sent her in to talk to him and whatever she said must have worked. I’d be careful not to mistreat her if she has that much persuasion on her husband.”

“I believe you’re right. We should reward the woman. Tomorrow I’ll tell the guards to put her child in a cell with her.”

“That’s awfully nice of you.” said Tim, but then realized that though the mother and daughter would be together it could not distract them from the fact that they were still locked in a cell. Just like me and Jason, he thought, two prisoners locked together in this compound. We’re no freer than they are.    

“I told you I can be a lenient man, Timothy. I knew that it upsetted you to keep them apart, so I’m easing your conscience now that you’ve come through for me. “ Ra’s smiled. “But, I believe that one favor should be repaid with another and it is past time that we sealed our agreement.”

Of course he did, for Ra’s never did anything that was not in his favor. He took Tim’s hand. Tim allowed himself to be lead towards the bed. His mind already detaching itself to reside within memories of last night. His memory of the night was still fresh and it took no effort at all of pretend that the hands removing his clothing were Jason’s, wrinkled because he’d just gotten out of the shower instead of from old age. The stubble that rubbed Tim’s neck and chin raw was the beard that Jason had grown during his time here.

With thoughts of Jason’s muscular form in his mind, of him flexing over Tim as Jason panted and whispered his name in Tim’s ear, Tim’s body did not betray him. Neither did his words as a different man than the one in his mind thrusted within him. Tim dug his teeth firmly into his bottom lip, blocking off the name that threatened to pass from his lips, knowing it would condemn him if Ra’s were to hear it during such an intimate moment. His heart pounded in the same frantic beat as Ra’s own when the older man collapsed on the bed next to him, but for an entirely different reason.

Ra’s pulled Tim’s back against his chest, his arm firm against Tim’s torso. “You were just as beautiful as I’d thought you’d be, Beloved.”

Tim’s eyes closed tightly. He pressed his face deeper into the pillow under his head, his mind already thinking of another place to inhabit for the rest of the night. He thought back to the low croon of Jason’s voice bringing the sound of it into the front of his mind and trying to recall the words.

“I’ll look forward to having you at my side when we strike New York.”

Tim’s eyes flashed open, all thoughts of Jason vanishing from his head at Ra’s words.

“New York?” he asked, hurrying to turn around in the small room Ra’s embrace allowed.

When he came face to face with Ra’s, the older man smiled and shrugged. “You had been asking where the target was, weren’t you? New York City. We’re going to plant the weapon inside the UN.”

Tim swallowed around a suddenly dry throat. “We’re going to attack the UN.”

And once again Tim went another night without sleep.

[hysterialevi]

Lotus pt. 12 (Batjokes)

Author’s note: *winks*

From Bruce’s POV

A FEW HOURS LATER

“I know you’re trying to create a myth,” Alfred warned, his tone sharp yet soft with care, “but be careful you don’t turn into a monster. Don’t let tombstones be your family legacy, Bruce.”

What? I thought to myself, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Why could I hear Alfred? Why did all this seem so familiar? ...Was I...was I dreaming? I couldn’t even remember the last thing that happened before I passed out, and right now, the entire world around me was black. 

All I could see was Alfred himself standing in the middle of the darkness, tending to an ornate fireplace with his back facing me. I began to approach the butler, but before I could even take two steps, a vicious fire instantly consumed him and incinerated his body, replacing him with a new figure:

Harvey Dent.

The District Attorney glared nefariously at me, his dead eyes narrowed with hatred as a coin shimmered in between his fingers. He looked exactly as I remembered him, and the closer I got, the more I could see fresh embers dancing around him.

“...H-Harvey?” I called out, admittedly missing my old friend. But the feeling wasn’t mutual.

“Up until now,” he growled, “Harvey’s been weak. He’s been afraid.” The man peeled off his prosthetic, unveiling the charred, grotesque flesh underneath as he pointed at me.

“This...this is the monster they all know that you are. EMBRACE IT!” 

Harvey’s expression immediately changed to remorse as he grabbed his hair in frustration, averting my gaze out of guilt.

“No...no! Oh god, this is what you wanted to see, isn’t it? The FREAK!”

Once again, violent flames burst around him and engulfed his body, unveiling yet another familiar face in his position. Though this time, it was someone I had hoped to never see again: Lady Arkham.

The woman let out a low, wicked chuckle, her disturbing mask barely visible through the shadows.

“Bruce Wayne,” Lady Arkham mocked, her voice echoing in the emptiness. “He’d never be the man Batman is. He only looks out for himself. Ah, but of course...now I understand. As Batman, you can prey upon the weak. The defenseless. Just like your father did. A true Wayne!”

The fire reappeared more and more frequently now, practically flying through every person I’d ever encountered in my whole life as they all said their own piece to me, their voices mashing up into one giant mess now.

“Take a gander at us now. Night and day. You’d hardly recognize us, would you--?”

“--The paths may diverge, but they end in the same place. Face down in an alley. Shot in the dark by criminals, in some godforsaken corner of Gotham--”

“--Maybe Batman’s made Gotham more dangerous. Kinda upped the bar for these freaks--”

“--Such a pretty way of sayin’ killin’ a person. I hadn’t taken you for such a ruthless fella--”

“--Wake up, Bruce. You need to wake up--!”

“--Bruce! ...BRUCE!”

Snapping my eyes open with a jolt, I was greeted by a pale face looming over me as its eccentric green eyes stared at me curiously, leading me to immediately recognize them. John.

“Buddy!” He exclaimed out of relief. “You looked like you were having a nightmare there...thought I should wake you up. Though, I suppose I’ve only brought you into another one, huh. How do you feel?”

Glancing at my surroundings, I sat up and found myself in a bed, all bandaged up and taken care of. The room around me was vibrantly colored with green and purple, and on one of the walls, I spotted a collection of framed photos arranged in the shape of a smiley face. Some of them included people like Dr. Leland, Harley, and even Batman...but the majority of them were pictures of...me. 

How long had he been gathering these photos? A few of them looked like they dated back to a number of years ago, and I was pretty sure I hadn’t even met John yet. Had he been following me all this time? Just...watching my life? Frankly, I didn’t know if I was flattered or freaked out. But that wasn’t the only thing John had of me.

Sitting on a desk underneath the mounted album, there was a handmade doll next to a music box, its button eyes staring blankly at me as a haunting melody chimed in the background. Red paint had been smeared all over the doll’s face, and a piece of black cloth covered its nose and mouth...just like me.

“Where...where are we?” I croaked, still in pain from the shock Waller gave me.

“Don’t you recognize it?” John asked. “We’re at the Funhouse. This is where you found me after those Agency pigs tried to kill me and Harley. This was the last time you and I were ever friends. But then you had to go and...blow it all up!”

I glared at John, coaxing an apology out of him.

“Sorry, sorry. Dr. Leland says I have a hard time letting things go. I know you were only doing what you thought was right. No one can blame you for that...even if it did almost get me shot.”

Ignoring his previous statement, I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and braced myself, only to have a concerned John block my path.

“Hey, hey -- be careful” he comforted. “Even though I’ve tended to most of your wounds, I still don’t know if you’ve completely recovered. Do you feel okay, buddy?”

I couldn’t deny that John’s compassion threw me off-guard a bit, and the more he fretted over me, the more I started to suspect what his true motives really were. I paid no mind to his question, and instead, got straight to the point.

“Why are you being so kind to me?” I asked, remaining on the bed.

John seemed baffled by that. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be? I told you before, Brucie. I love you.” He gave me a warm smile. “...You’re my better half.”

I let out a breath, trying to understand the clown’s logic.

“It wasn’t too long ago that you wanted to kill me. Why do you suddenly care so much? Why haven’t you given up on me like the rest of this goddamn city?”

John frowned. “I never actually wanted you to die! If I did, I wouldn’t have given you that gas mask. I was just so...angry and so annoyed with everything you had done -- I wanted to get some revenge. But murdering you was never on my to-do list. You...you mean too much to me. I’m not sure I’d ever be able to sleep again if I killed you. Though...I guess you’ve already died once, haven’t you. Thanks to Harley.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “...No. I wasn’t that lucky.” 

Searching around the room for a second, I came to a pause when I noticed that a certain someone was missing. 

“Where is Harley, anyway?”

The other man fell silent.

“...In a cell, probably.”

That took me by surprise. “What are you talking about?”

“Waller tried to arrest you back at City Hall,” John explained, “so Harley and I jumped in -- quite literally, actually. At first, things were going swell, but somewhere in the chaos, Harley got overwhelmed by Waller’s people, and you were still unconscious after being zapped. I tried to save both of you, but there wasn’t enough time, so I...I...”

“...You gave her up to rescue me.” I concluded.

“Do you believe me when I say I love you now? I’d do anything for you, Bruce. Anything. Especially if it means burning Gotham to the ground.”

John leaned forward, laying his hand on top of mine. “I promise...I’ll never abandon you again. Ever. You...you do believe me, don’t you? You still have faith in me -- your old buddy, John? U-Unless...the stitch is truly broken. In that case, just say the word...and we’ll just go our separate ways. You’ll never hear from me again. It’ll be as if I don’t even exist. Just like old times.”

Without even thinking about it, I mindlessly tightened my grip on John’s hand and pulled him closer, afraid he’d slip away if I let go. 

The action caused the lovestruck clown to gaze at me in a hopeful manner, his eyes widened with surprise as he wondered if there was a chance I’d finally forgive him. I didn’t even realize I was holding the man so close until he took a seat on the bed beside me, patiently waiting for a response as I tried to hide the tears that threatened to spill.

“...Bruce?” John softly asked, still as a statue. I glanced upwards, unable to restrain myself from breaking down.

“You know,” I whispered, “when I woke up in that morgue a week ago...no one was there. Not Waller, not Tiffany, not Avesta...not even Alfred. I was all alone. Just some botched science experiment who had been left for dead, and couldn’t even be given a proper burial. This...this is the first time I’ve woken up with someone at my side. And it’s the man I had the least amount of faith in.”

John caressed my cheek, stroking affectionately. “Well, it’s not like you had no reason to doubt me. I know I hurt you a lot at Wayne Enterprises, but I won’t leave you alone again, Bruce. I’m here till the end. You know that.”

“I’m not afraid of being alone,” I corrected. “...I’m afraid of being forgotten.”

The other man brought me into an embrace, resting his head on my chest.

“Then there’s no need to be scared. Because no matter how this ends, I guarantee that ‘Joker’ and ‘Lazarus’ are gonna be two names Gotham will never forget. It’s possible we could die, I know, but at least we’ll go out with a bang! And I’ll have you right next to me, whether we’re in the Funhouse or in the grave.”

I smiled at him. “...Thank you, John. I just...I don’t want to fight alone anymore.”

He returned the smile, scooting closer. “You never were.”

Before I could say anything further, John suddenly guided me into an amorous kiss and tied his arms around me, gradually pushing me down to the mattress underneath. 

At first, I was frozen with surprise and simply lay still, unsure of how to react. I certainly wasn’t expecting our conversation to lead to this, but as time passed on, I eventually warmed up to it and kissed John back, combing a hand through his hair while the other tugged at his collar.

For a while, the two of us stayed like that and continued to shower each other with kisses, not worrying about the outside world. I had no idea where Waller was, or if Bane had even succeeded in blowing Gotham Bridge to hell -- and at the moment -- I didn’t care. Right now, all that mattered to me was John. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Breaking the kiss for just a second, I rolled over and flipped our positions so that I was above the other man. Almost instantly, I felt John’s curious hands roaming up my back as they brushed over every ridge and savored the warmth, steadily making their way up to my shoulders. 

By now, John had slid off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the porcelain skin beneath as he tossed the obstacle aside. It was pretty clear he had been wanting this for a while, and with every passing minute, more and more of our clothes found their way onto the floor, leaving nothing between us.

Hooking an arm around John’s bare waist, I smothered my lips on his own and practically flattened myself on top of him, locking our bodies together. His face and ears were flushed pink now, and the lower I worked my way down his frail chest, the more he seemed to drift into another world.

“I love you, Bruce,” John suddenly breathed out. “More than the world.”

I paused mid-action and climbed over him again, pecking a tender kiss on his forehead.

“...I love you, too, John. You’ll always be my light outside of Arkham.”

[aloha-solar]

The Spaces Between the Stars: Four

Rating: M

Ao3 link here

The optimism from the first meeting faded away around three days in. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, Kaidan knew that: it came from the fact that getting the ship put back together wasn’t going to be as easy as anyone thought. The crew was frustrated and tired, and under normal circumstances, that would be enough to make anyone snap. Trying to rebuild a ship in the middle of nowhere? Kaidan was surprised the crew lasted for one day, let alone three.

Campbell and Westmoreland started it first. The two privates had been stripping the armoring from one of the shuttles when Westmoreland pulled one of the pieces off. She pulled a little too hard, and Campbell nearly got hit in the face. In return, Campbell dropped a drill on Westmoreland’s foot—on purpose.

“Now that was a fight, let me tell you, L2,” James said a few hours later after Kaidan had reassigned Campbell to engineering and Westmoreland to resource management. He started passing the power cells to Kaidan. Kaidan began sorting out which pieces the Normandy could use and which ones it couldn’t. “Those two chicas were on the ground in five minutes, practically tearing each other’s hair out.”

“Mm-hmm,” Kaidan said. “I also seem to remember that Cortez was the one who paged me to the armory, because you were filming them.”

“Just wanted to see how their combat training was doing.”

“Really. And I’m sure you want to promote them for N7 training.” James laughed and slapped Kaidan on the shoulder.

Traynor and Liara struggled too. “I don’t understand,” Liara said to Kaidan a week and a half after they crash-landed. “We’ve tried practically every single solution. We’ve taken wires from the shuttles and other areas from the Normandy, we’ve checked the satellites, we’ve even done something as immature as turning the power on and off again. And yet, nothing is turning up. We haven’t been able to get any signal from any ships in Council space, let alone the Alliance.”

“Liara, you and Traynor are doing great,” Kaidan said, examining their handiwork. He tapped on one of the screens and watched it turn on. He tapped on the bright orange screen, but it didn’t show any icons or notifications. He gave the screen one more tap before turning it off and crouching down next to Traynor underneath the terminals. She was running a tool over some wires, breaking some of them and then tying the broken wires with a different half. Each time she broke a new one, a light blue glow lit up her determined face. “What tool are you using?” Kaidan asked as Traynor crawled forward to a new set of wires.

“Just my toothbrush,” Traynor replied. “I’m trying to see if changing the wire connections will make any difference. We might have accidentally mis-paired some of the wires when we were combining them with the shuttle pieces. Or, well, I might have. Liara’s an absolute whiz at this—”

“I assure you, Specialist, it is entirely possible I made some mistakes as well,” Liara said, leaning down to Kaidan and Traynor. “I am an archaeologist, not a technical genius.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Kaidan said, resting his hand on the edge of the table to keep his balance, “I think being the Shadow Broker is the same thing as being a technical genius.”

“Very funny,” Liara said. Kaidan glanced over his shoulder. Liara was shaking her head but she was smiling too. “If being the Shadow Broker led me to knowing how to fix computers and comm devices, I’m fairly certain we could have reached the Andromeda Galaxy by this point.”

“All right,” Kaidan said, raising his hands in surrender before standing up. Liara had pulled open a datapad, but she looked up as she realized Kaidan was leaving.

“Kaidan,” Liara said. “If you find him, can you send Javik in here, please?”

“What for?” Kaidan asked. “I thought we assigned him to engineering.”

“Don’t tell me you’re working on your book now, Liara!” Traynor called.

“No, no, it’s not that,” Liara said. She leaned in towards Kaidan and lowered her voice. “None of us have seen him in days. I checked Port Cargo, I asked Donnelly and Daniels if they’ve seen him and they said no. I’m sure it’s because the specialist and I have been so busy working on the communications system, but...” Liara’s voice trailed off. “I’m worried that he might have used his memory shard and…and…”

“Hey,” Kaidan said gently, squeezing Liara’s shoulder. “He wouldn’t have done that. He would have wanted to see what the galaxy was like without Reapers, remember? I’ll send him down here when I find him, just so you can see that he’s safe.” Liara nodded, her shoulders relaxing in relief.

“Thank you, Kaidan,” she said. Kaidan gave her shoulder another squeeze before letting go. Liara squatted down next to Traynor.

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

Kaidan should’ve realized that Javik had been missing earlier, but he’d been too wrapped up in the ship’s problems to notice his disappearance. Kaidan had been flitting from one place to the next, from helping the engineers repair the engine, to showing Ensign Copeland the proper way to remove fuel cells, to assuring Chakwas that no, his migraines weren’t getting worse despite all the stress he was putting himself under. Kaidan didn’t actually see Javik until nearly three weeks in. Kaidan wasn’t even looking for Javik; he’d been looking for Joker. He found them both in Port Observation, Joker nursing a purple drink, Javik drinking straight from the bottle.

“I assure you, you will get over her eventually,” Javik said as Kaidan walked in. “She was not a real creature. She was just a toy that the Reapers made. She could not feel emotions the way organics do.” Joker mumbled something, but Kaidan was too far away to hear it. “There will be organics like you. It is better for organics to be with their own kind. Even the quarian and the turian—their relationship will end eventually. They will realize that they need to be with their own people.” Javik took a swig from the bottle as Kaidan rolled his eyes and stepped forward, so that the two men could properly see him.

“Ah, the human biotic,” Javik said. He fixed his four eyes on Kaidan. “And to what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Liara’s looking for you,” Kaidan said. He tried to keep his voice even, but he felt anger burning at the back of his throat. “What are you doing in here, Javik? Nobody’s seen you for three weeks.”

“I was examining the commander’s star charts in her quarters for you,” Javik replied. “You humans are so very predictable. Whenever you weren’t in the quarters, I was in there. You need the best route back to your home planet, and I was able to find one.”

“Wait—how did you even get into the captain’s quarters?” Kaidan asked.

“There is no machine blocking me from entering now,” Javik said. “Anyone who wants to go in can go in.” Kaidan bit the inside of his cheek to stop his biotics from slamming Javik into the floor. Kaidan had gone into the captain’s quarters multiple times, yes, but it was the closest he could be to Shepard. Even then, it felt like he was seeing her naked whenever he was in there on his own. To think that Javik was in there, sitting in Shepard’s room, going through her drawers and computer to find her star charts…

“I think it’d be best if you go help Liara and Traynor work on the comms system,” Kaidan said with forced evenness. “Or if you helped Garrus with the shield calibrations. We can’t leave if the ship’s going to be torn into a million pieces the second we hit the stratosphere.”

“Very well,” Javik said, putting the bottle back on the counter with a large bang. He stood up, bumping into Kaidan as he went. Kaidan started walking towards Joker before Javik spoke again.

“I am no fool, biotic,” Javik said. “I know you came in here to talk to your pilot, not find me. You wish to provide him comfort about the robot. You think you two share the same situation.” Kaidan took a deep breath. He imagined punching Javik.

“Are you saying it’s not similar?” Kaidan asked. “We both lost someone we love.”

“You fell in love with a human,” Javik said. “The two of you are equal, as you are both flawed. Your pilot fell in love with a synthetic. The two of them could never be the same. She has no flaws.” Kaidan whirled around to face Javik, but Javik already closed the door behind him.

“Asshole,” Kaidan mumbled under his breath before sliding onto the stool next to Joker. He gently slid Joker’s glass away.

“Cutting me off, Major?” Joker said. He rested his head on his hands and stared straight ahead. “I only had, like, one drink. Javik’s the real alcoholic.”

“But if you keep drinking it, how are we going to party when we get the Normandy up-and-running again?” Kaidan asked. Joker gave a little chuckle, but he didn’t look at Kaidan. “What’s wrong?” Kaidan prodded gently.

“It’s…well, it’s EDI,” Joker said. He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. It made him look like a small child. “Tali said she can get her back online as a VI.” Kaidan paused.

“That’s good though, right?” he asked. Joker snorted.

“Yeah, if you like mindless sex slaves,” he said. “It’d be like having Shepard around, but Cerberus actually putting that control chip in her head. Sure, it might sound and look like the same thing, but if it only answers to one person and loses all traces of her entire personality, then it’s basically a sex-doll, right?”

“Yeah,” Kaidan said. He swallowed. He’d forgotten about the control chip. Shepard told him about it once, after the clone fight. She’d assured him that Cerberus never went through with it, but still, it made him worry.

“But yeah,” Joker said. “Looks like we’re gonna be getting VI EDI for a while.”

“I’m sure Tali will be able to make her a full AI again once we’re on Earth again,” Kaidan said. Joker shook his head. He looked over at Kaidan, and for the first time Kaidan saw how bloodshot his eyes really were.

“No. She can’t,” Joker said flatly. “You think the Alliance is going to be willing to let us build an AI, even if she did help save the galaxy? Or the Council? We just faced down the most fucked-up synthetics ever created, and we’re supposed to go back and be all, ‘Can we rebuild this one? She’s not like other synthetics, we promise!’ just because I want to get laid?”

“Are you forgetting I’m a Spectre?” Kaidan said. “We can rebuild her. I’m not leaving her behind.”

“I think even Spectres are going to have limits, Kaidan,” Joker said. He put his head back on his hands again. “The Council and the Alliance will be thankful that we saved their asses, but there’s no way they’ll be that thankful.”

“Then I’ll go behind their backs if I have to,” Kaidan said stoutly. “You think Shepard would leave EDI behind too?”

“No,” Joker said softly. He blinked rapidly. “At least…like, it’s hard to be around Tali now, you know? ‘Cos she has Garrus and everything. But you…you get it Kaidan, you know?”

“Yeah,” Kaidan said, and he felt the rush of pain again, stabbing his arms and legs, drowning his lungs. Because of course he got it. He didn’t have a choice but to get it.

“Does it get easier?” Joker asked. He bit his lip and blinked rapidly again. “I mean, cos I lost my dad and my sister a little before we lost the commander, and then I lost EDI, and it feels like somebody’s just broken all my limbs and told me to rebuild myself. And sometimes I get up in the morning and I forget what the hell happened, but then it all hits me like I took fifty punches to the head.” Kaidan swallowed again. It felt like he had concrete in his mouth, weighing down his tongue and jaw.

“Sometimes,” he answered. “When I lost Shepard the first time, there were moments that I thought it was just a bad dream. That I could just roll over and she’d be there next to me. But when I looked and saw that she wasn’t there, I just couldn’t handle it. It felt like a piece of me was missing, and I had to keep on going. But then those moments didn’t come as often anymore, and it would…” Kaidan sighed. “It’s really hard to explain, Joker. It really is.”

“You want to know something really fucked up?” Joker said. “I’m so pissed off at them. Like, if my dad and my sister hadn’t lived on Tiptree, if Shepard hadn’t run to the beam and activated the Crucible, if EDI hadn’t been made of Reaper tech, then we wouldn’t be here. Everything would have gone on as normal.”

“Being angry is normal,” Kaidan said. “I was so pissed at Shepard for letting her oxygen leak when I knew that she had no way to stop it.”

“Yeah,” Joker said, sighing. He pulled the drink back from Kaidan. “Humans are pretty fucked up.”

"You said it,” Kaidan said, picking up Javik’s bottle and pouring out a drink for himself.

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

“Kaidan!” Liara hissed. Kaidan bolted up. He’d been having his first dreamless sleep in a month. He fumbled for the comms device.

"Wha--?” he mumbled as he pressed the button. “It’s too early, Liara—”

“I know,” Liara said. “But you need to come down to the comms room. It’s so—Goddess, I wish I could tell you this over the channel, but you need to hear this in person—”

“I’m coming,” Kaidan mumbled again, staggering out of the bed and down the elevator.

“Major, are you all right?” EDI asked as Kaidan stumbled out of the elevator. “It is nearly one AM Vancouver time, and you are usually asleep.”

“I’m fine, EDI,” Kaidan said. “Go back to sleep mode.” Kaidan shook his head as he walked through the scanner to the war room. Tali had been able to get EDI back online, and EDI had been running diagnostics on the ship, but she seemed more sluggish than before. The crew could only get her to run diagnostics on one area of the ship at a time. It was a major downgrade, but they’d made more repairs in the week that EDI came online than the other eight weeks put together. EDI lost all sense of her personality, but at least the Normandy was one step closer to making it home.

Kaidan stepped into the war room. Liara was still fully-dressed, while Traynor had slipped into her pyjamas. The two of them were standing next to the communications room.

“Why all the secrecy?” Kaidan asked as he approached them.

“We wanted you to be the first to hear,” Liara said.

“Well, more like the third at this point,” Traynor said. She rubbed her eyes but gave Kaidan a winning grin. “It’s good news, we promise.”

"You got the comms system back online?” Kaidan said as the three of them stepped inside.

“Not just that,” Traynor said. “But we made contact.”

“It’s a recording,” Liara said. “But it’s better than nothing.” She clicked a button and suddenly a blurry image of Admiral Hackett appeared. He looked tired, the wrinkles on his face deeper than Kaidan ever remembered them being, but there was a glimmer of victory behind his eyes.

“This is Admiral Hackett of the Fifth Fleet,” the recording said. “I am sending this message across all available channels and colonies in hopes of reaching the SSV Normandy. The Reapers are gone and Commander Shepard is still alive. I repeat, Commander Shepard defeated the Reapers and is still alive. Please respond to any Alliance channel as soon as you can, Normandy. Hackett out.” The image of Hackett fizzled out and Kaidan collapsed onto his knees. Traynor finally let out the squeal she’d been holding in, while Liara put her fingers on Kaidan’s shoulder.

“Is it real?” Kaidan finally breathed out.

“Yes,” Liara replied. “I had EDI run diagnostics on it three times before I woke up Traynor and had her check it herself. We can’t send outbound messages yet, but I thought it was important you found out first.” Kaidan closed his eyes. He knew Shepard was going to be injured, but he imagined her looking the same way she did when she defeated Sovereign, limping out of the wreckage with a triumphant grin, her freckles visible even through the dirt on her face. He let out a deep breath that quickly turned into laughter. He pulled Traynor and Liara down with him into a hug.

“We have to let the rest of the crew know,” Kaidan said eventually. He opened his eyes and saw that Liara and Traynor were crying, and he felt tears running down his own cheeks. “We have to.”

“EDI,” Liara said. “Can you wake up the rest of the crew? We have important news that they all need to hear.”

“Of course, Doctor T’Soni.”

“She’s alive,” Kaidan whispered. “She’s alive, she’s alive, she’s alive.”

[yuki-d-raizel-blog]

Number 1333

Chapter 10/??

Summit: What happens if a mysterious prisoner joins the chaotic Cell 13? He is perfect for the Nanba Prison, his name is synonym of terror and cruelty; each time he was sent to a new prison, he broke out in less than an hour. Will the Nanba Prison succeed to keep him jailed or not…?

---

The next day.

Like expected, Number 33 sleeps while the others are dealing with their new guardian: Mitsuba Kiji. Even if they are a bit noisy, is not that loud to wake Ayu up or at least, that's what everyone thought. Kiji doesn't know the habits of that man of hitting whatever it goes near him, so when Uno starts a fight, the guard kicks the inmate which falls right on Ayu.

<<.....Mh.... Uno...?>> Number 11 learnt that if he don't move, Number 33's senses will not label him as a danger, <<What are you doing...?>> Ayu rolls over with Uno on him, that slowly gets up to be sure that he's fully awake.

<<Sorry man, that garish bird kicked me. Did I hurt you?>> says him checking if his friend is bleeding or not.

"Garish bird?" Ayu looks at the new man inside the cell and understands what happened, "Too noisy..." he stands up and pulls off his hood to show his face, <<Hi, what a wonderful look you have today.>>

Who is he?! That man looks completely different!! His smile is too bright and pure, his eyes show only love and care! And just a phrase is working on the guard very well too!?

"Is he trying to seduce him?!" his friends just look curious, when Jyugo will be back, they definitely want to know his missions.

<<May I have your hand, milady?>> Ayu grabs Kiji's hand with the back of his fingers and gently kisses it, then using his own body, Number 33 is pushing out the guard without that he notices, his gazes are all studied to maintain the focus on him and not where he's going.

"He's a pro!!" Nico and the others cover their eyes, but the curiosity wins over them and they decide to peek a little, just a little.

The more he reduces the space between their bodies, the more Kiji becomes embarrassed. The supervisor hits the wall and Ayu blocks him with his arm. He doesn't talk, his charming eyes are enough to bewitch the prey.

"A Japanese kabedon!! Wow!!" and that weird switch flipped inside the inmates' minds, "Japanese pick up style!!"

"This man is too easy. I had much harder targets to seduce." <<May I ask you something really important?>> the moment Ayu's leg slides between his, Kiji turns all red and panics immediately, <<It's a secret, so keep it, alright?>> since the officer is taller than him, Ayu moves his body mechanically to reach Mitsuba's lips while the other is on the edge of the insanity, <<Hush, milady...>>

<<No, no, wait, wait, this is too fast, I'm not ready for this-asdfghjkl!!>> the supervisor passes out and slides on the wall until he sits unconsciously.

<<Too easy, not even funny. Now...>> Ayu picks the body up and drags it out of the cell, <<Don't make a fuss when I'm trying to rest. I've already a weird sleeping schedule, don't fuck it up more than it is already.>> he leaves Kiji next to the cell and closes the door, <<Fucking hell, I can't even sleep in this place.>>

He lays down and covers himself with the blanket, while the others check Mitsuba: he really passed out; god damn, his seducing skills are made for veneration only. Also, that suddenly change of personality is something that they don't know if they have to admire it or being scared of it.

---

Last day without Hajime.

Today, the supervisor officer of the Building 5 will be in charge of the Building 13. Before Gokuu checks what the inmates are doing, he does all the paper works, makes a patrol in the entire establishment and then, walks towards the Cell 13. Seitarou accompanies him to report what he wants to know, since Samon has a lot of doubts about that cell, he's sure that Hajime is hiding something.

<<How things with Cell 13?>> asks the officer checking the way to be sure that everything is fine.

<<There were no incidents yesterday and the day before that, either.>> replies Seitarou walking next to the superior, <<I believe they're behaving well today, too.>>

Once reached the destination, Gokuu opens the door and finds the inmates under the covers. He stares at them blinking a few times to be sure that he isn't hallucinating things, then he starts to shout pissed off.

<<Get your asses out of the bed!>> he yells while the poor Seitarou must hold him down, <<It's already past the wake-up call, you idiots!>>

A strange sound stops his rage and moves the prisoners to find an immediate hiding place. A few seconds later, Yamato bursts into the cell pushing away both officers.

<<Good morning, gentlemen!>> cheerful and loud as always, <<It's time for fun training!>> seeing that no one is there, Godai turns his heels and begin to walk away.

After the routine check of his wounds, Ayu walks direct to his cell, and since he was there, he stopped for a bit in the library to borrow a few books. While he gets near to his destination, he can hear loud screams and noises already, this is unbelievable...

<<Where the fuck is Number 33?!>> Samon turns to check the hallway, but he bumps into something that pushed him down, <<What the->>

<<Woh, that was close.>> Ayu collects all the books that were dropping and offers a hand to the officer, <<Are you okay?>> "He didn't even move me... Is he that weak or it's because he's short?"

<<Where the hell were you until now?!>> another guard who yells too much...

<<With Otogi-sensei.>> he answers showing the certificate as proof of what he said, <<To check my wounds as yesterday and the day before that.>>

<<And where did you take those books?!>>

<<In the library...? Are you stupid?>> meanwhile, Yamato and Tsukumo drag Rock out of the cell, "What the actual-" and suddenly, Uno and Nico both hide behind his back.

<<Never mind! Let's go!>> while Samon tries to catch Uno, Nico looks confused and Ayu just stretches his arm to avoid the fall of his books, "If Number 25 goes out of control like in the tournament, I'm not gonna write a letter of apology in Hajime's place! Hell no!"

"This guy shouldn't know about Nico's medications and diseases yet. I won!" Uno grins and stays covered behind Number 25, <<See ya, Rock!>>

<<Don't be fooled, guard! Nico took his medication today!>> screams Number 69 with all his might, <<He shouldn't be able to use that "qigong" thing anymore!>>

<<Damn you! Why did you tattle?!>> yells back Number 11.

<<Shut up! That's what you get for being a selfish prick!>> Yamato and Tsukumo compliment Rock's body for being perfect for a soldier, the Japanese perfect soldier, <<I'm a fucking American!>>

Kicking his ass, Gokuu pushes Uno, Nico and Ayu to the training camp and forces them to do a lot of exercises. Ayu is the only spared, now he's sit on Yamato's shoulders and reads his book. He was saved for the document that Otogi released to him, strongly prohibiting him to do something that would tired his body.

<<What a shame Number 33-kun, I would like to receive some lessons from you.>> says Yamato laughing.

<<Why me?>> talks the prisoner moving his eyes on the next page, <<You aren't the type to study languages or how to cheat in games, so I can only teach you how to kill people.>>

<<You know how to use all the weapons, and all the martial arts!>> the guard is not giving up, <<There's a lot that you can teach me! Hahaha!>>

<<What blasphemies are you saying, Yamato?!>> yells Samon, <<You want to learn from a killer?!>>

<<Hahaha, you can't deny his divine skills supervisor Gokuu!>>

<<I don't give a shit->>

"Someone just shut this monkey up, for the love of god... His voice is echoing in my head." <<Oi, your pupils are ditching the push-ups.>>

<<Don't you dare to lay around, stupid brats!>>

<<Fuck you Ayu!!!>> , <<I hate you!!>> , <<So mean, Ayu-chan!>>

<<Es tut mir Leid, Leute.>> Ayu changes page again and rests his arms on Yamato's head, <<Arbeite weiter hart!>>

"Surely, he speaks divinely." thinks Gokuu staring at the inmate while he reads, "He's perfect in everything he does... I need to keep an eye on him."

---

Another day in the Nanba Prison for the Cell 13. Today they are pretty silent, Number 33 and Number 11 are reading, Number 25 is playing some games with Number 69. Everyone seems pretty focused on what they're doing, until a cheerful voice breaks the silence.

<<Ayu-chan, do you want to play a game with us?>> says Nico smiling, <<With two players it's boring!>>

<<Okay.>> the man leaves the book on the tatami and sits near his friends, <<What were you playing?>>

<<It's a game we saw on a magazine.>> explains Rock, <<It's for kids, but it's pretty funny. Basically, your objective is make the others draw the joker. If you finish all the cards, you win, but if you remain with the joker only, you lose.>>

<<You're forgetting something important!>> adds Nico while his friend shuffles the cards, <<If you draw a card and you have the same on your hand, you must put them aside.>>

<<Got it.>> "What a weird game. I never played a card game outside gambling... How I must behave with this one?"

Rock gives a card for each participant until they are over, then everyone picks up theirs checking if they have a double already. Once everything is ready, they start. Nico and Rock can't believe what Ayu is doing; why they haven't a camera to record these moments?! Since Ayu has the joker, when his cellmates move towards his cards, he starts to do weird and funny faces, anxious that they will not draw the joker; so they move from a card to another just to see the change on Ayu's face, from a relaxed one to a panic one. They voluntarily draw the joker to make him enjoy the game more, he's playing without studying or calculate anything, he's just trying to win with his own experience.

Suddenly, the door is opened, and Hajime stands in the entrance while his inmates stare at him. The only one who clicks his tongue is Uno, who asks rudely what the guard wants.

<<Hey, what are you doing? Get in there already.>> he says pulling something behind the door, <<Huh? You feel awkward? Who gives a shit!>> finally he stands aside and Jyugo shyly walks in keeping his head lowed.

Nico and Rock greet him with a big smile and some question about his health, and before Jyugo could explain something, Uno punched him. Under the others' watch, the two inmates start a little fight, then Uno adds something with an annoyed tone.

<<Finally you're back, damn. It's no fun without you; we can't even get out of here.>> those words freeze the mismatched prisoner.

<<Jyugo-kun, tell us more things about Japan, Ayu-chan will tell us his missions too!>> says Nico approaching the friend, <<We were waiting for you! You know, Ayu-chan did something really cool a few days ago!>>

Rock puts an arm around Number 15's shoulder and says excited that the stone oven he wanted, it's almost ready, so the prisoner invites the cellmate to eat with him since Jyugo is the only one who waits he finishes to eat, outside Ayu. Seeing how warmly they welcomed him, Jyugo calls their attentions with an apologetic voice.

"His breathing rhythm changed..." thinks Ayu looking at his friend, "The aura too, he seems more determinate to do something."

"I had turned my back on everything for all this time. But now..." a little breath and he starts: <<I'm sorry I've been, well... hiding a lot of things from you guys.>> he sees that the reaction isn't that bad, so he decides to continue, <<During the New Year's Tournament, I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop myself.>> "Don't be afraid of them!" he slowly kneels and bows until he touches the tatami, <<But I'll make sure I'm able to prevent it next time. I'm an idiot, so I have no idea what can I do for you guys... But...>>

"I already know how this is gonna end." Ayu rests his head on his hand and looks the scene with a little smile, "Uno and the others have that strange expression... the three foreignness are coming back soon."

<<I will never turn my blades against you again. So...>> Jyugo pushes his forehead more on the tatami to be sure that everyone knows how much he regrets what he did, <<So please, give me do-over, starting today.>> "All I can do is bow my head down like an idiot; forgive me."

<<Uno-kun...>> , <<Yeah, could it be...>>, <<It's gotta be...>>

Those whispers make Jyugo raises his head to see what reaction had his friends even if he's scared to know it.

<<Japanese apology!!>> that weird foreign accent and Jyugo's reaction makes Ayu laugh, but he covers it immediately. Nobody must know that he laughed at that gag scene, no, he has an image to keep.

<<Damn you guys! And here I'm->>

<<Jyugo!>> that's the first time that someone calls his name with so much care, <<Don't worry about it!>> the weird trio kneel in front of Number 15 and smiles happily, <<That's who you are, right Ayu?>> Uno calls the last inmate to join the group, and Jyugo tenses up again, he clearly remembers he tried to kill Ayu more than one time, plus he got shot to protect him.

<<Um...>> the awkward duo is now face to face, <<I'm not good with these type of things, but I understand you. I've learnt that sometimes, you become a monster just to be able to protect someone, so I'm not gonna blame you, nor being scared or mad with you. Just like Uno said, Jyugo is still Jyugo.>>

<<....Eh? B-but you got injured->>

<<Two or three more scars to add in my collection. You said that as long as I'm here, I can be myself, nobody will judge me.>> Jyugo listens carefully like everyone else, Ayu is speaking so much these days, it's a good sign! But Number 15 is taken off guard when Ayu gently hugs him, careful to not hurt him, <<Don't you think that those words are for you too?>>

Slowly, everyone hugs Jyugo and says a warmly "welcome back" that makes the inmate cries. He instinctively puts his arm around his friends and hugs them tighter.

"I have nothing. But even if I can't do anything and have nothing... They all understand me, they'll never know how much relief I feel hearing those words. I'm sorry I'm always running away. I'm sorry I'm always hiding something... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." <<Thank you...>>

---Continue...

---

Hi guys, Yuki is back bitches! I hope everyone had funny and wonderful moments during these holidays, and Happy New Year to all of you! Now, let’s continue this story hping that you guys like it!

Said this, I’m going back to work! See ya tomorrow!

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Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12