#or when Bruce calls in Constantine to help him move on

[celmian]

"Cooking for Alfred" Damian Wayne x OC's short fanfic.

/Adult Damian (University)

/warnings/ Dirty joke, (18+) language/

Hi, first of all this is just one of the part of the main fanfic I have been written. The oc is now dating Damian and she wants to cook for Alfred on his birthday. You can follow-up the main story in AO3. The fanfic is called 'Damian Wayne x OC : Hunting the witch'. English is not my first languages so, I hope I didn’t mess up anything.

Also, the oc name is Celine Constantine. She is John Constantine's daughter. Hope you enjoy.

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“…Celine, didn’t you used to tell me that you know how to cook?”    “Well, cooking is not baking...”    A picture of two teenagers approaching adulthood walking chaotically in the kitchen… Around the counter island there was powder and the egg panels all over were probably a strange sight that happened in Wayne Manor…a sight that Alfred Pennyworth would not have allowed to happen in normal situations because he wouldn't have to bother cleaning up the mess later. 

...but today is Alfred's birthday. 

  So Celine has a crazy idea. As a resident, she wanted to give him a surprise. So, they have Bruce take the old man into town while the two young men,Celine and Damian, prepare a homemade birthday cake for the butler. The witch Constantine claims to have worked behind the stove at Fine Dining restaurant before...Damian doesn't know in which position. But from the looks of it, she isn't a dessert chef definitely... 

“...Okay, I'm just one of those people who helps prepare the cold kitchen where they serve appetizers and such...but back when I'm in London, I always cook for myself. I just never made dessert. That’s all.” The girl immediately defended her cooking skills. “The pasta with grilled vegetables that you ate the other day was made by me...” With that, both of her hands are now placed on the hips..    “Really?”    Damian Wayne had known that his girlfriend liked to help Alfred prepare food…but he thought she might just be chopping vegetables, preparing meats, whatever like that. Instead of making her own menu like she claimed. 

…The other day, the pasta that Damian packed to eat at university for lunch was so delicious that he asked Alfred to make it a daily menu. The old man smiled suspiciously. It wasn't him who made it, but it was the witch. 

“…Shall we make pasta instead then?” the young man suggested as his head recalled the rich flavor of the fresh pasta and grilled mushrooms, he had eaten the day before…    “It's Alfred's birthday, Damian. We must make a cake...”  

“But the others will come here soon…we have to prepare other kind of food anyway. Why don't you go take care of the savory and leave me here with the cake?” Both Richard Starfire, Raven the witch, and Stephanie Brown...including Tim Drake will be here today for the old man’s birthday. So, if they both waste time on one cake, they won't get anything done into pieces. The young man waved his hand and chased his girlfriend away from his dessert making area, earning a look of pouty face from Celine Constantine. 

"..You? Are you sure you know how to bake?" The girl looked at her boyfriend's face judgmentally... 

“Better than you do.” His hand moved towards the first cake that had been baked, which was so crumbly and incomplete that the whole thing had to be thrown into the trash… Only then the black-haired witch calms down and walked away to do her own duties as well... 

A long time had passed and the whole kitchen was quiet…no sound except the sound of boiling water, the sound of beating eggs, and other sounds of cooking. Celine walked back around to find her boyfriend in the dessert kitchen area, which was also quiet. She saw him in an apron Standing and squeezing cream into a round disc of something. With diligence and expert look. The young girl watched as those slender, beautiful fingers gently put the round plates together. so, she couldn't help but tease him about how skilled he was. 

“You make macarons? Wow. I didn't know that I slept with the Master Chef of dessert every day.” ...This French dessert is so hard to make. Even Celine couldn't make it through just baking a cake...but this Baby Bat showed off his skills in making macarons? Why he’s so annoyingly talented? 

Damian didn't answer…he shook his head and wiped the sweat from his chin. That's when the young girl came to help. using the handkerchief that was placed on his shoulder to wipe away the sweat that was flowing down the small frame of his chin before smiling at the face's owner.    “..Does this mean that if we get married you will be the househusband? Hmm? Dami?” 

“Dream on.” Damian shook his head, expanding his words as he looked proudly at the work on the table. “...Housework is a duty that we must help on both sides. And I have to go to work…Father's company will soon be mine. If I only act as your butler, who will run the company? Hmm, Celine?” Those words weren't very serious... The young man kissed his girlfriend's head as a thank you for helping him wipe his face before walking off to explore the savory side..    “…You....You make a heck lot of pasta.” Deep voice hurriedly commented on the amount of fresh pasta that the young girl had prepared in a pot for the people coming to the party to eat.   “Well, don't you remember the last time Dick ate the entire pot of meatballs by himself?” Celine reminded the young man of Bruce's birthday back in the middle of the year when the eldest of the family accidentally ate a meatball that Alfred had made for everyone all by himself.  “You’re right. Richard must have eaten it all by himself.” Damian Wayne immediately agreed…he nodded before quickly helping his girlfriend clean up the kitchen. Prepare a plate for the guests who will be coming to the old butler's birthday dinner in a few hours. 

In the evening, Bruce, Alfred and Stephanie, who went to help Bruce, arrive at the manor with Damian, Dick, the two girls from Titans, and Tim Drake is waiting. Of course, Damian briefly relents with Tim to stop his eldest brother from eating all the food before the birthday owner arrives.    The old man walked into the house, filled with joy. Starfire and Raven were the ones who brought out the cake. The remaining people sang songs of blessing to the talented butler. Damian stood and applauded silently. Dick sings off-key and loses his voice as Stephanie tries to save the song from crisis but failed. And after Alfred blew out the candles, they all gathered around the grand dining table of the mansion that was full of guests today…    “..This pasta is very delicious. Miss Celine, did you do it yourself?” The old butler was happy… that today he didn't have to prepare huge quantities of food himself. But what will the condition of the kitchen be like? This is something to worry about.    “Yes.” Celine smiled as she proudly watched Richard gobble down her pasta from the pot… 

“...What about macarons? Did you make it yourself? It's just as delicious as the one my friend brought from France.” Tim tried to compliment the new girl in the Bat House that he hadn't talked to much before Damian put down his fork and a smile curled his lips. It was then that Red Robin knew exactly who the person that made this tray of macarons was. “Oh my gosh…”  Tim shook his head, his hand hurriedly put down the dessert… but after a while he reluctantly picked it up and ate it again.    “Wanna bet on who made the cake?” On Dick's side, his hand was still holding the fork around the pasta. Turning to Bruce, who had been eating quietly by himself for a long time… The Dark Knight shook his head. Looking at the large chocolate cake with candles that had been sliced ​​up by Raven and Starfire for the party. Those blue eyes looked at the cake for just a moment and then responded immediately. 

“It’s Damian, obviously.”    “But I think it’s Celine,” Dick quickly bets against…    “..Ahem, Master Bruce, Master Richard. Gambling is not a good behavior to do on this kind of celebration....”  The birthday man sitting next to Bruce couldn't help but cough after hearing that conversation… He took the cake from Starfire and held it in his hand before considering it without tasting it. “I think they both do it together.”    “Accept the bets” Nightwing gave the old man a challenging smile before turning and asking to the two young men who the winner of this bet would be… “Hey! Little D! Celine! Who made this cake?”    “It’s Damian.” …and the answer from the young witch made Alfred stunned because even though he was the one who taught Damian how to bake, he had no idea that the boy would be able to use what he had taught him to do it all by himself. Dick was annoyed but managed to get a smile from Bruce as the old butler and Nightwing took a cash from their pockets and paid the manor a bill each. 

…and soon after the cakes, pasta, macarons, and all sorts of food were eaten by the people in the house, most of whom was Dick, the guests gradually left. They left Alfred a gift. Stephanie left the baking equipment. Damian gives him a cookbook. Dick gives him a new suit. Raven and Starfire buy him a new portable oven. Bruce gave him gloves and a winter coat, but Celine unexpectedly gave the same book as her boyfriend… 

“Damn, I didn't know we were going to buy the same book... and it's the exact same one but in a different language,” the young witch complained about when Alfred has to have the exact same gifts but in difference language without nobody knowing it beforehand. “...And why are you buying a Chinese text cookbook? Shouldn't those things have to be transported by ship?” The two young men were cleaning up the house while Alfred was sent to sleep by Damian. Meanwhile, Bruce handles company work before leaving on late-night patrol. And Celine complains loudly about the gift she has just given the old butler. 

“...Chinese recipes should be read in Chinese. Do you think Pennyworth couldn’t read Mandarin?” Damian frowned at the witch's question. She usually likes to buy books about the same story but in different versions or sometimes in different languages. But today she suddenly complains to him about it… “You can't read Chinese? Can’t you?” So, the young man made this assumption.    …and damn, Damian Wayne really has good instincts for matters that don't matter. 

The girl rolled her eyes, and the young man knew immediately that she was complaining about the whole Mandarin language stuff because she couldn't read it herself…    “I swear to you. Damian…if you start speaking Chinese to me. I'm going to suck your dick until it's rotten-”    “-下流 (Xia Liu)” …and of course, the mouthy young man wasn't easily fazed by that threat. He chuckled before starting to spit Chinese at the other person after knowing that she wasn't good at it...well, he's always been like this...loves competition like a psychopath.    “坏蛋 (Huai Dan)” But then the black-haired witch immediately shot back… she put down the powder box she was holding and put it on the countertop with a look of trouble on her face amidst the young man's bewildered expression.    “..I thought you couldn't speak Chinese?”    “When did I say I couldn't speak Chinese? I just couldn't read it.”  Celine raised her eyebrows with a defiant expression on her face…    “Then from now on, I'll send you a text in Chinese-”    -wad!    And then the box of powder that had been put down in the first place flew towards Damian Wayne immediately as he continued to annoy her. The witch already knew that an ex-assassin like him would definitely be able to catch that thin cardboard box. So, she crossed her arms over her chest, as her boyfriend caught it with precision and looked towards her.    “Did you know…one of your bad habits is throwing things when you don't get what you want?” Damian had seen Celine throw a pillow or sometimes an entire cigarette box at her father...sometimes she had a good reason for doing that. Sometimes there is no reason at all. Celine Constantine was spoiled rotten by her irresponsible father. But she is a spoiled person who knows that she has a bad personality…so Damian can accept it in somewhat of of way.

Because he's like that too.    “..So? Do you want me to describe your bad habits too?” The girl folded her arms across her chest and raised her head to look at her boyfriend with another look of trouble. 

“Go on…” The young man looked at those expressions. He didn't feel annoyed. Instead, he slowly walked towards his lover... a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as his girlfriend smiled back and knew that he was definitely going to find something to get back at her... 

“Let's start with what? The size of your dick? I think it should be illegal-”  

“-Celine, we are talking about my bad personality, not what you like but denies that you don't like...” Damian, on the other hand, quickly used his strong hands to gather his girlfriend's mischievous body into an embrace...watching her laughing, pretending to run away but not getting anywhere.    “..So... What about your competitive personality? I swear, if I say I like a horse's cock, you will definitely going to lengthen it to compete with the hoarse-” 

Phew!!    ...and Celine's foul mouth made the arrogant boyfriend unable to bear it anymore. He took the box of powder in his hand that his girlfriend had thrown and dumped it on her head. He knew that Alfred would definitely curse him if he saw the kitchen floor right now. But believe him, it was very satisfying to see a person with a good mouth become silent because of the amount of flour stuck in her throat. She choked, the powders are now all over the sweet face attached to that bad mouth... 

But Celine Constantine wasn't the type to give in even in the most demanding situations… She turned and smeared the powder on her boyfriend's face. Smeared white powder on his perfect body. Damian is inferior. His hands scooped up the powders that had flown onto the counter and threw them all over his girlfriend's face, causing a small war in the kitchen. The one that ended up with Alfred walking in… The old man wanted to come get some water to quench his thirst after waking up late at night. Before coming to see his nightmare come true. Two young people threw cooking flour at each other. Rubbing each other's hair like it was a fun idea...Even Richard, at his most naughty age, had never done anything like this before...Then both young adults get warned by Alfred. Damian Wayne, who even used to be a child with a loudmouth that caused a lot of troubles, but he never caused any mischief like this before. So, he gets warned too. 

…but hey! At least this time Celine didn't start it.    Didn’t she?            “I got 1 point, and you got 0…” 

After fighting until they both were satisfied, the two young people came to take a dip in the water to clean themselves together after the war ended before Damian had to go on patrol with his father... Celine acts like a little kid who likes to play with a duck. She lets the plastic ducky float on the water in the tub. Damian was forced to watch her play with it while having his lover sit on his lap in the tub. 

“Why did I get 0 points when I really am the one who started it?” His thin lips gently kissed the shoulder of the person on his lap. His eyes looking at his wet girlfriend, he is frowning while asking...    "..It's easy because I'm the one giving the scores." Celine pinches her boyfriend's nose at the same time as squeezing the duck in her hand...it very well triggers a feeling of annoyance from her lover. A strong hand squeezed that round cheek, causing her to scrunch up until he had to let go before the two of them could continue their war in this bathroom.    “I think Pennyworth looks very happy… I have to thanks you for organizing this event for him today.” After pounding his girlfriend's face until he was satisfied, Damian Wayne hurriedly changed the conversation to the serious subject before Celine could react… Her expressions changed and nodded her head softly. Continue squeezing the duck in her hand instead of getting revenge on Damian... probably because she was thrilled that her idea made the old man smile this much. 

“...Come on, don’t act like you guys have never done this before…” Celine pouted a little while Damian's smile twitched slightly at the corners of his mouth before he looked away. 

“Actually… Normally we are all busy that no one takes the lead in this matter. Richard and Drake would just stop by for lunch on the day. Gave things to Pennyworth and left… We never got together like this. Until you are the one who suggested it.” ...It was probably the nature of Bat House to always forget the most important matters outside of their night duties… They often forgot the daily lives of those around them. It's something that almost every Bat member been.    “..So, I'm glad you chose to be a normal person and stay here with Pennyworth.” Ever since Celine Constantine entered the mansion, things had started to change a little… Even though she is that kind of person who don't celebrate her own birthday but she did it for others. After receiving Damian's first birthday present. She organizes a party for Bruce. And this time it was Alfred. She comes from the house of an occult detective but doesn't want to continue being the occult detective. Like she knew how lonely their careers were…she chose to be a normal person and spent her time doing things that Damian and the other Bats couldn't. Both are things that John Constantine couldn't do either. 

She chooses to spend time with those who she loves.    Celine gently touched her lover's face when she heard that. Her hand slid down his face before embracing it. 

“...Don't worry. Damian…Whatever you feel like you can't do or find it difficult to do. I will do it for you. You don't have to say or express everything to me. Just be with me, be happy…and I will do whatever you want to do for you.” A sweet voice whispered softly, kissing her boyfriend's forehead once...it was a voice that the young man felt calm after listening to. It felt like he didn't have to try so hard anymore…it felt natural. That would be more accurate to say... 

…Damian Wayne closed his eyes and immersed himself in that embrace for as long as he could. 

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P.s.: Damian in this fanfic became softer after dating Celine and she moved in his manor because she decides to study at Gotham's university. Her back story made her father doesn’t celebrated her birthday because John Constantine didn’t celebrate his own birthdays too. Hopefully I will post more of them in the future.

P.s.2 : Yes, She has a foul mouthed like her dad lol

[ghost-bxrd]

Prompt:

Wing!fic

Only very few people are born with wings. Even less with the ability to use them to fly.

Jason has both but kept them hidden for various reasons.

When he comes back to Gotham as the Red Hood and is spotted by some of his (ex) family, they think he’s an… actual angel.

That… works in Jason’s favor. For some reason.

[bet-on-me-13]

Lego Batman is just Danny's toys

So! It's a basic AU where Danny is De-Aged and sent to Gotham to be raised by Bruce Wayne. Of course he's still a kid, so he has toys. And his Favorites are Legos.

He takes a bunch of Lego's and makes a mini recreation of Gotham, and then starts playing with a Batman Lego Figure and makes up a bunch of fun adventures for Lego Batman to be in.

Unfortunately, he didn't realize that he was unconsciously infusing his Lego Pieces with Ectoplasm. And he didn't notice when the Pieces started moving and talking on their own.

...

Bruce is...confused.

Originally, he had walked into his youngest son's room to say hi, but when he found the ground littered with all of his toys he decided to help Alfred a little by cleaning it up himself.

But when he picked up the little Batman Figure, it spoke to him.

"Hey! Put me down you inconveniencably gigantic fleshy version of me!" Said a Tiny but gravelly voice.

"Uh, who are you?" Asked Bruce

"Uh, are you blind Giant man? I'm The Batman!!!" Said the mini figure, "Now out me down or I'll use my insane muscles to clobber you!"

"Well this is weird..." Said Bruce, "I should call Constantine, see what he thinks of this."

"I warned you!" Screamed the mini figure, before it karate chopped his Fingers. For some reason it actually hurt a lot, and Bruce dropped the figure.

It then ran away from him, and under the door. "You'll never Catch, THE BATMAN!!!" It shouted as it escaped into the Manor.

This may be a problem...

[dcxdpdabbles]

More cave boy? <3 <3 <3

Constantine kept throwing him long looks. Ever since the core test, the British man couldn't stop staring. Sometimes, he would glance at him, look away to shake his head, and then quickly glance back and start the whole cycle over.

Danny wasn't really sure why he was behaving this way. Much less why John Constantine felt the need to send a message to everyone in the magical community a message.

There was a large group of people wearing the most ridiculous outfits he'd ever seen—and his parents ran around in jumpsuits daily—peeking at him from every window, doorway, and, in that one girl's case, a shadow. They all stared at him like a natural miracle was happening before their eyes.

If you asked Danny, the worst part was that they didn't say anything. They just stood there, menacingly, in silence, staring. Bruce and the others had tried to get rid of them, but all the magic-user had done was a scurry to the edge of Bruce's property and camp out there.

He was sure he saw a boy with a cat praying to him at one point. The boy fully bowing low, hand on the ground, and muttering in ghost speech of gratitude for being in his presence.

Danny couldn't figure out why.

Constantine had yet to be evident on the issue either.

The man had been much more focused on explaining why he had been so disrespectful when he first woke.

Apparently, the day they found his cave, he had detected overworld energy in such high density and frankly alarming robust levels. He had assumed that a demon, an evil ghost, or even a trickster god had targeted the alternative version of Bruce Wayne.

Everyone knew the phrase "Get noticed by a higher being" never ended well in any legend, regardless of where the myth originated. Humans have always suffered in some way in those tales—most times, the human's death was the best possible outcome.

It would make sense why Danny had been thrown into a different dimension despite being a mere civilian—or as civilian as a version of Bruce Wayne could be if this was the case. He was worried that the young boy was in danger from forces far beyond human compression and had decked his room with every protective ward he knew.

He had almost demanded Danny be moved to the House of Mysteries since the death covering him had been so thickly layered over his soul. Then Danny woke up, making it evident that he was the cause of the energy, not the guiding light attracting the power like a month to the flame.

Then Constantine figured that Danny had been killed by the higher being who was done playing with him. Whatever happened in that cave meant that Bruce's alternative had lost, and now that higher being was pretending to be Danny.

The reason?

When Danny had first been found getting dangerously close to the Batcave, Constantine had been one of the first Bruce had called for some tests (tests that he was unconscious for while being held in that glass cage). He had confirmed that Danny had no magical power, so they wrote him off as meta.

The second time Constantine saw his unconscious body, he was significantly less human because he had been Phantom for literal days until he passed out. His magic had been reported as such, so Constantine had reacted accordingly, believing that the Ghost King seal was the only deserving revenge for the boy he allowed to perish in such a horrific manner.

He wanted Danny's body back from whatever was pretending to be him when he woke. Constantine just wanted to help him rest. He was not expected to threaten the King with his own seal and apologized profoundly once the confusion was cleared up.

Danny had no idea what the magic trench coat man was talking about. What King Seal? That was the badly done carvings he did with Jazz two summers ago!

What King's Guard? That's just a badly drawn photo of Fright Knight that Dan made!

What King's Cry? That's just a recording of Danny singing badly to a radio song Tucker made!

None of this made sense, especially this royal mystical treatment he received. Thankfully, the Waynes were on his side about it. They still treated him like Brucie, but there was one notable difference.

"You're majesty," Jason said with a mocking bow. "Your carriage awaits."

Danny frowns. "What?"

"Tim finished your ship."

"Oh," Danny stood quickly, a rush of impatience and slight wonder overwhelmingly developing in his chest. He'd been here for literal months, almost a full year. Danny never gave up on his idea of going home, but that was more of a stubborn hope that he would see his world again.

With each passing day, he felt that his home was getting further and further away.

And now, here it was, within reach. He didn't know what to do with that knowledge. Other than race down to the cave with his heart beating a mile a minute. He's so close. So close.

Out of his eye, he spots a woman in the window wearing a strange outfit and pressing her hands against the glass. Her silver bracelets gleam as she offers him a quick smile.

Danny swears he had seen her coming and going through the manor when he was pretending to be simple Brucie- Wonder something- but she now offers him a deep down on her knee bow. He checks Jason's reaction, but seeing that he hasn't noticed, he walks by her with a tiny head nod.

He cares more about going home, not manners.

"Hey Danny," Jason calls, falling in step with him. "I've been meaning to ask. But.....your parents are alive, and everything thinks you're this big shot in the afterlife....are you like me?"

"No, I'm caucasian," Danny tells him while mindlessly changing the arms of the clock that should open the Batcave to him.

Jason laughs. "No, kid. I mean about dying."

Danny squints up at him with confusion. "You're not a ghost."

"No, but I did die. I just came back." Jason tells him with another laugh, but this one is bitter. Danny considers the question, then shakes his head.

"No, I technically never left. I died and lived and died and lived and died and lived again." He makes a circle with his hands. "It's a cycle of being on the line between worlds, not one side completely on any given day."

"You are a god then." Damian comments, suddenly at Danny's elbow. Danny has no idea where the kid came from, only barely stopping himself from screaming as the younger boy puffs up his chest. "Of course, my father would be a god."

"Wait, if Bruce is a god in one world, maybe he has the potential to turn into a god in everyone. That would explain how he strengthens the more people know of him- the more they believe in him." Tim calls from across the cave, where he is typing on the computer.

He pauses and twists around with a look of manic curiosity. "That could mean he passed along powers to his children- Jason, what if Bruce made you a demi-god that day he adopted you, and that's how you came back? That's how all of us come back!"

"The dots are connecting," Dick shouts from the top of the cave, waving his two forefingers around. Danny had no idea why he felt the need to climb high places to do the splits between two rock formations, but he found that Dick tended to do that often. "The Justice League was right....we bats aren't human!"

Danny raised a hand. "I'm not a god. I'm not a King. I'm just a kid from Amity Park who wants to go home."

The others don't pay him any mind, so Danny leaves the Bats to gather around and compare notes. All he can see is the ship resting on a ledge. It resembles Fenton Tech so much that for a second, he feels an overwhelming sense of homesickness.

Soon, he thinks, running his hand on the smooth metal. Soon, I'll be home.

"I call dibs on the godhood of delinquents!"

"You can't just call dibs on godhood, Duke."

"Yes, I can. I have two godly fathers now, which means I have double the demi-god. I'm a mostly-god; I outrank you, Tim."

"I am Stephine, the demi-god of purple!"

"Steph, what does that even mean?

"All things purple answer to me."

As soon as the Waynes focus.

[thisiswhereikeepdcthings]

There's no "I" in Team but there are two in Migraine

Bruce had no issue with teamwork, despite what his children and colleagues might think. Teamwork was great. If done properly it was efficient, and it was good to have backup. Competent backup, at least. 

Bruce helped found the Justice League. Obviously he was a supporter of teamwork. 

However. 

Some teams he really could have happily lived out his life without them ever existing. 

He had a list. 

One: Dick and Clark Kent

Clark had been the first hero he had introduced Dick to. It was a move he had regretted ever since. 

He was glad the two of them got along, of course, but did they have to get along so well? 

He could withstand torture but the two sets of sad puppy eyes attacking at the same time was on another level altogether. 

Two: The Titans

Pros: Dick was making friends. 

Cons: Dick was either away with his friends, or they came home with him. Really, all Bruce wanted was to spend one week without putting out any fires caused by teenage superheroes. Literal fires, not metaphorical ones. Well, actually there were plenty of those kind too. 

Three: Dick and Jason

When Bruce first brought Jason home he wasn’t sure how Dick was going to react. And so maybe he panicked slightly and didn’t end up telling him for three weeks. In his defense, the voicemail he had left asking Dick to call him soon was left before the newspaper article came out. 

Perhaps not his best moment. 

Eventually, though, the two boys were introduced. 

There was some yelling that took place, mostly directed at him, but other than that things seemed to go rather smoothly. Assuming, that is, that smoothly meant neither of them seemed to care about getting to know the other one, and mostly kept to themselves and their own activities. 

And then, four months, two weeks, and five days after Jason first came to the manor, Bruce came home to discover the two of them had bonded over some unspoken activity that neither were willing to divulge. Alfred knew and didn’t disapprove so it couldn’t be that bad, but from then on out it was…well…

Bruce began the daily habit of checking his blood pressure. 

Four: Talia al Ghul and Lois Lane

Bruce didn’t know how the two of them had met and he didn’t want to. See, Dick, he was okay with not knowing things. Sometimes. In this one instance, at least. 

Five: Dick and Slade Wilson

Worst three weeks of his life. 

Six: Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn

He was happy for them, he really was. He just wished they could be happy together somewhere less structurally damaging. 

Seven: Jason and Harley Quinn

Explosion therapy was not a thing, despite both their arguments otherwise. They didn’t even give him a Joker effigy to blow up. They could have at least asked. He would have happily paid for that one and all the rest of them. 

Eight: Tim and Barbara

 He wasn’t that old. He knew how to use his computer. 

Nine: Jason and Cassandra

Too competent. They should never have been allowed on the same team for any game ever. If he heard one more complaint from any of his other children he was going to seriously lose it. 

And then there was that one time the two of them disappeared for a week and no one, not even himself or Clark, could find them. They had turned back up with grins and minimal injuries, and Bruce had tried to not investigate, he really had. But he needed to know, regardless of how much he regretted it later. (A lot. He regretted it a lot.) 

Ten: Dick, Jason, and Constantine

Bruce hated magic. 

Eleven: Jason, Diana, and Barry Allen

No one knew how or why the three of them had teamed up. It had been four months of secret meetings and pointed looks and minor heists that couldn’t technically be traced back to them but Bruce knew. And then there was the regular day-to-day hero-ing. Diana, he could understand. That’s what she did. Jason? Had always been vocally opposed to getting too involved with the Justice League, but had also always looked up to Diana, so maybe that was understandable? Allen? The man was retired. And he wasn’t suddenly out of retirement for some reason, no. He was just there to “lend a hand” to the other two. 

At least Bruce could comfort himself in knowing Jason was spending time with two respectable individuals. It was certainly a step up from his unfortunately ongoing acquaintance with Rayner. 

Twelve: Stephanie and Hal Jordan 

They should never have been allowed to meet. It was a disaster. For Bruce. 

Jason had been the one to introduce them, as he had proudly let Bruce know after the first breaking news cycle hit.

Thirteen: Duke and Damian 

Bruce would have told Jason how thankful he was that he was acting as the moderating adult influence with those two if he didn’t think Jason would start doing the opposite out of spite. 

Jason would make a great parent someday. 

Bruce would love a six month vacation. 

Fourteen: Alfred and Martha Kent

He didn’t really need to explain this one, right? Everyone could just move on, continue with their lives and so on and so forth. 

Fifteen: Damian and Batcow

Because a boy needs a cow and a cow needs an emotional support duck, turkey, cat, dog, rabbit, goat, and raccoon. Apparently. Tim and Jason were, in Bruce’s opinion, far too enthusiastic to provide research as evidence whenever needed (or not needed, as was usually the case). 

[mokulule]

Almanac - Chapter 2

So ya'll have given me some amazing and lovely comments on A Man has Needs (which I'm delighted was so well-received), and I had a really shitty day so I wanted to upload something. Sadly don't have energy to write, but this was already done so here ya go. Ship: Dead on Main First | Masterlist

Chapter 2 - September 25th, Uranus at Opposition

Jason awoke slowly. He felt groggy and worn like he’d gone a round with Bane and, now that he thought about it, maybe also Black Canary; his ears of all things hurt for some reason. Groaning he pushed himself up, taking in the green and black bedspread… this wasn’t his bed. He looked around; bare stone walls with a strange almost purplish tint - no windows he could leave out of.

What happened yesterday? There had been something… an emergency? Shit. He rubbed his brow hoping against hope to relieve the sharp headache there. What kind of truck hit him? Come on brain, work.

Bruce.

Bruce had called him. He breathed slowly through his nose. Urgh, his brain was like a tangled ball of yarn that had been left to the mercies of a cat. Slowly he picked at the treads, trying to untangle them. Dick had been there, and Tim and Damian. And Superman? Why was Jason on a league mission? Jason wouldn’t have joined them unless the world was-

Oh, the world had been ending.

There was an invasion and John bloody Constantine and a ritual- and Jason was a small bit of supernatural insurance but that didn’t matter because-

Because!

His head throbbed sharply and he curled up on the bed with a whimper. Shit. Why? Okay, no remembering right now. He slowly unfolded and squinted at the room, there were two doors. One by the head side of the bed, which seemed the least likely to lead outside and one opposite. He confirmed the first door to be a bathroom, which left the other to lead- He opened the door into a windowless hallway. Looking left and right he didn’t see an end either way.

The hallways had the same purple tinted stone walls as the room. It was lit by green torches, but somehow they didn’t cast green light. Instead the light that hit Jason was more blueish. He decided not to think about that and moved on.

He walked hallway after hallway. The only change was the tapestries. Since they were the only thing that changed he couldn’t help but look at them. There was a man, large and armored with a flaming crown and his hand raised with something shining from it. Jason went down some stairs and another hallway had a tapestry with the same character directing an army of skeletons and other creatures fleeing from them. This theme continued through many hallways. World upon world, the king and his army conquering all on a backdrop of Lazarus green. Then finally something changed, seven robed figures stood over the fallen king.

Jason then stood in front of a winding stairwell: Up or down?

He looked down; there was something down there…

Dazed, he took a step down, before he shook his head and walked up. He had to get out. Walking down in a building he didn’t know what floor he was on was just asking to be trapped in some sort of basement, and he’d already walked down one staircase already, when the only other option had been to backtrack.

A sarcophagus was opened and the King released. In the next hallway someone in a black and white mech suit was fighting the king and Jason blinked at the sudden genre shift. He hadn’t expected that from the tapestry story.

The next one had several people pushing the sarcophagus closed again presumably to seal the king, but one figure especially niggled at Jason’s brain - the small one, the black and white one. He was familiar. He walked faster, urgency pressing him to find the next tapestry, he rounded a corner and there!

There were two tapestries on either side of a door. The first tapestry had a purple robed figure crowning a kneeling black and white figure in front of a crowd. Several were recognizable from the previous tapestry. But Jason didn’t look at that picture long he was drawn to the last tapestry; the one who only showed the new king:

Human skin tone, compared to all the light greens and blues. Snow white hair. Crown hovering over his head, and on the index finger on his right hand where it was folded over his chest was a green ring with a skull crest. The backdrop was a nebula of colors and only on the edges were the Lazarus green. The king’s eyes were closed, but Jason knew they were green.

He knew.

And as a key turning in a lock Jason remembered. He bent over holding his head with a groan. The invasion. The ghost king. His sacrifice, which apparently meant he was to do nothing for the rest of his life. Screw that! What was the ghost king gonna do? Un-save the world? Jason didn’t think so. He needed to get out. He very carefully avoided thinking of the risk of his brains melting out his ears if he angered the king again.

The door. Jason’s eyes snapped to it. It looked completely innocuous. He had been lead here for a reason. Fight or flight? Fight his body screamed at him. His chest rose and fell, his heart picked up speed in anticipation and he reached for the brass handle. His hand closed around it, it was cold and solid in his grip. He exhaled slowly out his nose counting down.

3

2

1

He burst into the room, hands on hidden knives, ready for anything! Then he froze.

This was the room he woke up in. There was that rumpled spot on the bedsheets from where he’d slept. He grabbed his head, there had been no tapestries in the hall he stepped out in, he was sure. No he was not gonna let this get to him he had to find a way out. He stepped out into the hallway through the still open door; the tapestries were gone.

He walked the opposite direction this time, but only five turns in he stood in front of the open door again. Shaking his head he kept walking, there had to be a way out. There were less tapestries now, but every now and then there’d be a tapestry of the King sans crown fighting someone. It seemed to be some of the more prominent people that had been at the coronation and then there were some others; a large plant creature, a person that looked part tornado, someone who looked like the night sky itself.

The message was clear: give up. See all the ones who has been defeated. What do you think, you can do?

Jason punched the wall next to the most recent tapestry.

“Let me out, you bastard!” he snarled.

Predictably there was no answer, but a small part of Jason had still hoped something would happen. His shoulders dropped.

A familiar door materialized in the corner of his eyes. He turned his head to better see and yup, that was the door alright. He sighed.

“Fuck you.” But Jason was tired. He didn’t know how long he’d walked the hallways. He opened the door and walked the few steps that took him to the bed collapsing on top of it, in the spot he’d made earlier. He couldn’t be bothered to go under the covers.

Oo o oO

They say doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is a sign of insanity. Tim would probably argue something about scientific methods and statistics in return, but Tim wasn’t here, just Jason.

So here’s what Jason knew:

He’d sacrificed his life to the Ghost King to save the world. The Ghost King had no interest in Jason and had just dropped him in a never used room like one of those gifts you really don’t want but can’t refuse. Oh, and the castle was magical and delighted in showing him right back to his room every time he left it.

Leaving the room was pointless. Jason knew it was pointless. But Jason couldn’t just stay in this room, hence the repeated insanity, but at least out in the hallways some things changed, even if he always ended up where he started.

He didn’t know how long he’d been there. He’d lost count of how many times he’d slept. It was pointless anyway, he didn’t know if he could even count sleeps as days anyway. He was locked in a battle of wills with a fucking castle.

“For a magical castle, you’re boring, you know that?” He spoke to the ceiling. It didn’t even have any enchanted furniture or household items to talk with.

Jason wasn’t sure quite when he’d started feeling hungry, only that it shouldn’t have taken that long. Water came out of the tap in the bathroom, so at least he wasn’t thirsting. After the hunger came the lethargy. He was sleeping more and his forays out into the hallways were shorter.

The world was a hefty price to pay and maybe Jason’s suffering was just a part of his toll, but Jason would have taken being a servant or slave over this. At least then he’d have something to do. There’d be a focus, something to fight. He wouldn’t just lie here with nothing better to do but insult the walls.

next

-

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[suspiciousspacecrustacean]

What if Batman dies, not lost in the timestream, not a clone, not a failsafe, or gone to an alternative reality, he died, for real. They have his body

The Bat family knew it was something that could happen (with all the conflicts Bruce used to be in, it was more of when rather than if) but that doesn't mean that they would leave it at that, Alfred had already be gone for quite a while, they couldn't also lose Bruce.

So they start looking, not all at the same time nor in the same place or with the same determination, after all some of them have to keep Gotham safe and take the mantle of Batman every now and then to keep the crime rate down but they look nonetheless even if it is to get closure.

One of them (the one you like the most) decide to look for his soul, if they cannot find that he is alive they could find if he is dead, fortunately (or unfortunately), his soul is not in any realm of the dead, so with a new lead, they try to find where is his soul, maybe they could help him get back to his body.

The new lead leads them to a small town called Amity Park, when they arrive they start hearing of stories of ghost and not too long after that they can see them, maybe Bruce's soul really is in here, but they wonder why hadn't they heard of these ghost until now (Maybe clockwork intervention, maybe the GIW).

They try to look for Bruce's soul, but they cannot identify it between the ghost that regularly attack, makes sense, even in dead Bruce wouldn't be attacking or be seen so easily.

They bring a magician to be able to locate his soul (Raven, Constantine, Zatanna, Dr. Fate, Captain Marvel, whoever you want) and they pinpoint his soul to a school, weird place for his soul to be, but they where so close to finding him, to getting all of this over and moving on.

Only to find out, that Bruce had reincarnated, he was a teenager (the same age of Damian or Tim), had family, friend and in general a good life unrelated to being a vigilante/superhero, it's not like they could take this from him.

Danny had noticed the group of vigilantes that had arrived to Amity Park, he didn't know why had they arrived now or what where they looking for, he just hoped they would get away soon, he had way to much on him to worry from a group of vigilantes being overshadowed.

[gremlin-bot]

The Trials and Tribulations of Summoning Your Boyfriend

This is based on this prompt from @stealingyourbones !  Hope y’all like it!

AO3 link!

Tag list-  @bewitched-forest @half-dead-ham @eyesofcrows

Tim wasn't up in the watchtower much. It's the Justice League's base and he had his own city and team to take care of (even if said team is a branch of the Justice League and he shared responsibility of Gotham with his family). All of that is to say that when he and other available members of the League were called to the watchtower, it was bad.

Tim was expecting a world ending threat. What he wasn't expecting was a summoning circle and a portion of Justice League Dark to be there. John Constantine and a summoning circle always means bad news, it's even worse that Zatanna and Captain Marvel are there helping. What kind of threat is it to warrant this? All of this is topped off with superman wheeling in a projector to the training room they are all set up in.

Bruce steps up next to the projector. He looks extremely tired, not that most people could tell but a bird knows the bat well. As Bruce turns on the machine, Constantine takes his place next to him with a book bound in leather that holds pages that glow a slight green. 

"I called you all here because of this creature attacking Central City." Projected on the wall is a blurry image of a black dragon with a purple underbelly, its whole body glowing.

"Justice League Dark was able to identify it as from a place called the Infinite Realms. They have advised us to not engage and to evacuate everyone we can from the whole city. The Flash has started that. Half of you will join him, as indicated by folders Superman is handing out. The other half will be here to help with the solution that Constantine is handling."  

As Bruce directs those in the evacuation group, Constantine takes over the debrief. "The beast in Central City is a bitch to take care of and the solution is even worse. You boy scouts are here to make sure everything doesn't go completely tits up. I hate to say this and hate fucking doing it even more, but we are trying to trying to summon the Ghost King." 

At that point Tim tuned out a bit. Usually he wouldn't have but he actually knows more about what's happening than Constantine does. Looking back at the creature still being projected, he can vaguely recognize it now. How did Aragon get out of the realms? Especially without being noticed by Da-

Tim was pulled out of his thoughts by Dick, who apparently was dragged here as well, brushing past him with a smirk. What a dick, going out of his way to mess with him. He really should get to where he was needed. 

Taking his place near the top of the summoning circle, he noticed how it was actually set up. It was wrong, completely and utterly wrong. The array was correct. It showed the right constellations and had the right places connected but the candles aren't on the circles that represent the planets, nor was the offering placed correctly. This wasn't going to summon anything. Too bad that Tim was going to let them try anyway. It's better than trying to correct it and explain why he knew it was wrong, plus where was the fun in that.

The other heroes settle into their places. The ones left were the Justice League's big three , the JLD members, Conner, Dick, and Tim himself. They all looked a little nervous and on edge in their own way, from Superman's clenched fists to Dicks never moving smile. Besides Tim who was a bit more relaxed than he really should be. He really should hide it a bit better.

Constantine reading from the book starts the summoning. Latin falling heavy from his lips, a wind that should not be possible in a satellite blows through the room, the candles' flame turns neon green. Everyone holds their breath as the chanting stops. The candles flicker once, twice, and nothing. The room quickly reverted to how it was before. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

"Bollocks." Constantine deflates. "Looks like this didn't work, we must have fucked up somewhere." 

"Why don't we explain how we set it up and go from there." Zatanna offers, gesturing for everyone to gather around her and Constantine. Tim stays back and waits for the rest to be distracted by figuring out what went wrong. He can tell that Bruce and Dick have noticed his distance from the others but they haven't done anything yet.

Once the distraction is set, Tim moves in front of the correct offering section of the array. Removing his glove and taking out a birdarang from his belt. He can hear the moment everyone notices the actions he has taken and the one about to come.

"Red Robin, step away from the summoning circle." Bruce demands with concern hidden in his voice. 

Tim doesn't listen. 

In the moment before anyone can get to him, Tim slashes his ring finger on his left hand. It wasn't deep per say but it definitely wasn't a paper cut. Blood flows out of the wound (almost like a ring), hitting the floor inside the offering ring of the array.

Several things happen at once. First, Dick who was the closest and was trying to grab him, stopped in his tracks along with everyone else. Second, the summoning changed. The first offering was ejected from its place, the crystals shattering. Candles slide at high speed, settling on the represented planets, their flames changing color. The summoning is like a loaded spring trap now. Tim grinning, sets the trap off.

"Alnilam, my love" dropped soft and sweet from Tim's lips with a crawling static buzz. Everyone could hear the buzzing honey intertwined with those words despite their low volume.

The stilled room stirred, yet no one but Tim himself had moved. A cold fog rolls out from the array, blowing a light breeze with it. The static can be felt in their scars, healed bones, all the near misses, and clipped hits. All close calls of the past haunt them in this moment. The room's lovely held in tension snaps as the soul deep buzz is pulled from them into the array. It spills into a Lazarus, toxic, death, neon green pool with small rippling waves that crest with reflection of the space that engulfs the watchtower. This rippling pool stretches upwards. Everyone struggles to move as they inch closer to Tim. As the liquid barely reaches the tall ceiling of the training room, gravity seems to take hold. It sloshes down, turning into a cool fog on impact. Leaving a being in its wake, that is kissing Tim's offered bloody hand.

Danny is in his full king garb. A black metal crown floats above his head surrounded by light similar to earth's aurora borealis. White hair glowing starlight complementing pale blue skin, that blushes the prettiest cyan, not that anyone but Tim can see that. Jewelry hanging from pointed ears and slender neck. His suit is hidden by a long cloak cut from the barrier between realities. The outside is the space outside the satellite with the interlining of a swirling Lazarus green peaking out as the end floats upward. 

Tim is grinning like a love struck fool and he knows it. This is so worth the lecture he will be getting from both Bruce and Dick. Danny raises his head, blood staining his lips as they stretch into a fanged grin just as love struck.

"Hey Red, uh what the fuck!?" Dick's voice snapped the two boys out of their own world and back into the one with everyone surrounding them with looks of concern and from certain people, bone deep exhaustion. Danny drops Tim's no longer bleeding hand, allowing Tim to turn to fully look at the group around them. Tim's grin is now one of mischief and secrets yet to be spoken. From the look on Bruce's face if Danny wasn't behind him he would be out of the watchtower and locked in the manor despite not living there anymore. Too bad that Constantine could give less of a fuck about what's going on between Danny and him.

"Your highness, we called your assistance because one of your subjects is causing trouble in the moral realm and-" as Constantine told and worked out what was going on, Danny moved so he was behind Tim, his arms loosely wrapped around Tim's neck and chin resting on top of his head. Danny was floating off the ground to do this. 

"Oh! That's Aragon, give me 10 minutes and he'll be out of your hair. There is no payment needed, I insist. But before that –'' Danny’s legs float up, flipping him to face Tim upsidedown. A grin that only means trouble for Tim sets on his pretty face. “Red, Babe, Love. You could have just called me if you wanted me to meet your dad and his superhero friends!” 

“Danny, I swear to the Ancients if you disappear –” Tim couldn’t finish the hollow threat as Danny gave him a peck on the cheek and disappeared from sight. Leaving Tim to the heroes, one being Bruce ‘Tim is my little princess’ Wayne and another is his very protective brother. 

Tim looks at his family members in the room, and wow, yeah he is not escaping the interrogation when they get back to the manor. Bruce is approaching him swiftly and looks as if he is going to grab him and never let go. Dick is no better, he has a shit eating grin with his wrist computer up and is already typing. Everyone is going to be there for the interrogation and Bruce's coddling, Tim just knows it. He's going to make Danny go back to the manor with him, he is not doing this alone. It's the least his boyfriend can do after leaving him to deal with this. It was still worth it, even if he has to flee to the Infinite Realms after all is said and done. He’ll just become a trophy husband for Danny and avoid his family at all costs in doing so.

"Red Robin, would you please explain what your relation is with the King of the Infinite Realms." Bruce is definitely in mama bear mode, he was never going to be let outside of the manor.

"I think there are more pressing matters at hand here, like how King Phantom is on his way to Central City and we have yet to inform anyone on the ground." Tim is stalling and everyone knows it, but he's not wrong.

Bruce grumbles about not knowing the king's name but still steps away from Tim and starts relaying the relevant information to the evacuation team. Dick is leaving him alone for the moment, probably waiting for more privacy. Conner on the other hand is trying to hold in his laughter at the situation he got himself into. Tim just glares at him, even if Conner can't see it under the domino. At this point he doesn't care what the rest of the League thinks, he just wants Danny back so they can face Bruce and the rest of his family like he (they) has been avoiding. 

Danny was quicker than his self-imposed time limit, taking 7 minutes instead of 10. Giving just enough time for Bruce to almost give an on the spot interrogation, almost being Tim's saving grace. Unlike Danny, who decides to drop his invisibility only after wrapping around Tim's torsos, his head and arms taking their previous places. 

"Your ghost problem is taken care of. I'll be taking Aragon back to the infinity realms, along with Red Robin here." Danny casually says, like it isn't kidnapping.

"Wait, what." Tim said in shocked silence.

"Well since you summoning me got me out of a meeting with the observants, it's a perfect time to go on a date, you know like all of our dates." Danny is saying these things on purpose and he better get them out of here quick before Bruce tackles them.

"You are a menace!" as Tim says this, ectoplasm begins to pool at their feet, spreading out making a barrier of open space around.

"A menace, you love!" Danny lovingly teases as a low rumble ripples from his core making Tim smile. This is the last thing the heroes hear before the couple drops out of the mortal realm and into the one of the dead.

[luffyrose]

Dp x Dc Blurb #5 (I think)

SO SO HAD THIS THOUGHT WHILE MAKING MYSELF FOOD!

We know, well, fandom kinda goes that ghosts form when around ectoplasm as well as have a strong enough desire to make a core. And Gotham is like Amity but less ley line more murder (so not as good ecto but still just as much, have to be a stronger ghost in general to be fine there).

Martha and Thomas Wayne are very much the type of people to come back as ghosts. No vengeance, no protection. They just wanted to see how Bruce, their little Brucie, grew up. They just wanted Family.

And that's exactly what they got!

They were thrilled when Alfred filled the role of father, even if he later claimed to just be a butler. Dick appearing in their lives was one of the happiest moments, how they wished they could tell him that his parents wished him well before moving on a few years later. Jason was adorable! Though it was upsetting to watch the other two begin too fight. It was even worse to find Jason joining them, even temporarily. Tim was a blessing to the family, keeping it from fully falling apart, and oh how they wished they could help all their little boys, because they knew where they all were and how they were feeling at all times.

With each addition they were thrilled for the large family, yet sad they could never interact, never help. Jason could sense them, but he'd only gotten help with his illness recently, poor child, he was still so ill.

The two Waynes had been there for it all. Watching, wishing, and gently tucking each of the boys in, even when they were far away from home.

But something was still missing. Both could feel that frail bond reaching out for another part of their family. A young boy they discovered while following it. He was about Damian's age, and could see them! He didn't seem aware he was adopted, let alone had a family waiting for him, but he also seemed so overwhelmed. The two decided to watch him but leave their little Danny alone. At least, they would until he was in danger.

And just like with the rest of the family, danger came.

It was just a random afternoon when they'd felt the pull of panic from the half ghost child, yet they couldn't leave Gotham so quickly. Bruce and Dick had a fight for the first time in a long time and...well it wasn't pretty and left ALL of the other children worried and confused.

So with the ectoplasm they'd gotten with their growing family, and even visiting their halfa on occasions, Martha and Thomas Wayne decided to do something about it.

The mansion was haunted. For the last few days things had been going completely haywire with no reasonable explanation but ghosts, or magic, but from what they knew the two went pretty hand in hand. So they decided to call Constantine to figure out why.

None of them expected Bruce's parents. Especially when they told them they needed to go save their brother Danny...a name that one particular batkid hadn't heard in a long time.

~~~

Open ended on which one, but sibling of batkid implied.

Martha and Thomas kept getting stronger with each kid Bruce adopted/got, Steph and Barbara inculded, and could feel a semi-frayed bond with one of the kid's biological brother and it led to Danny 🤗

They didn't plan to introduce themselves since the boy seemed happy enough despite the stress, they did not really see what his homelife was like. It was only after they felt something happen through their bond (which because they have obsessions based around family they can sense their own family) that they realized something was wrong and decided a good ol fashion haunting to catch their attention so they could find a way to tell them to get their brother.

[yetanothergreyjedi]

Ghosts of Our Past: pt 11

DP x DC crossover

Danny Fenton and Damian Wayne sibling AU

Ao3

Masterpost Prev Next

It's Wednesday my dudes, here you go

---

Constantine: Ya better not be asking because the pajama party managed to both find one and piss it off.

Batman: That is not the situation.

Constantine: Can you leave it alone? If yes: do that!

Batman: I am simply asking for information.

---

"Coffee buddy!" Danny called as Tim (or did he prefer Drake? He'd heard him called both so maybe it was just whatever?) walked into the cave shortly after Alfred. Who was liminal but in a weird way... Danny was guessing he was just your standard immortal. Anyway! Tim looked like he hadn’t slept in the time between now and when Danny had last seen him.

"Coffee buddy!" Tim shouted, as dramatically as he did, then in more of a whisper, "You have to help me! Alfred has cut me off!"

Danny glanced at Alfred, who had definitely heard him. Nope! Not worth the risk! "I can guess why. I might be half dead, but at least I don't look it,"

Everyone tensed at the joke, the opposite of what Danny had been going for. Scratch that, everyone but Jason tensed. Jason let out a snort. "They don't think those jokes are funny,"

Danny pouted almost as much as Tim.

---

Jazz chose boots instead of heels. Armored HAZMAT instead of a blazer. Hair pulled tightly back instead of free and unthreatening. If her roommate was still awake, she'd probably mistake her for an intruder, but she was not, and Jazz was gone before that could change. Gotham was over a days drive away— but only if she insisted on obeying physics.

---

Danny had waited until later in the night to tell Damian "We should talk." And had Damian stiffened but agreed. Because of the lateness someone suggested that Damian guide his brother back to the hotel. While, again, Damian agreed, the tension did not lift. They moved silently until he couldn’t stand it anymore.

"I'm sorry." Danny "I should've come back for you, I was a coward, probably still am, but—"

"No— you’re not— Stop apologizing! I should be apologizing!"

The air was a swirl of bitter flavors, Danny gave a nervous laugh before starting. "It's fine— I mean, it's really not, but we were little kids and like, super brainwashed. So it's not purely your fault... I mean I don't blame you for it... anymore..."

"Just like that?" Damian's voice was small. Doubt was sour like inedible berries, honey sweet hope did little to balance it.

Danny sighed, "Dami, I've spent the last seven years trying to sort this out in my head. It's not 'just' like anything."

He turned around, his back to Damian as he climbed. "Like this, it freaks me out, and at first I thought you'd been hunting me, but you weren't and intentions matter."

Like all the ghosts who'd been teaching him how to ghost by lightly punting him, or his parents before the ectouranium incident. Damian had waited a moment before following him, putting enough distance between them that Danny didn't feel like his heart was going to leave his chest. Even if Danny wasn't actually that worried about being stabbed, he would be fine, he wouldn't even bleed if he didn't want to. Trauma was dumb like that though, and he appreciated Damian's patience.

His younger brother pulled himself up after him. "But I did. I meant to."

Guilt was another flavor Danny couldn't describe with human terms, but this specific guilt satisfied something entirely in-human inside him, a part that still hadn't let this death go. "And you did. But would you do it again?"

"No!"

"Then we're cool about that."

"And about you remaining hidden." Damian adds. "I would not have responded the same if you had returned to Nanda Parbat..."

"But you got out," Danny marveled. "I hadn't let myself hope, Dami... I'm so proud of you,"

Damian sniffled, and Danny pulled the younger boy into his arms.

---

Back in the cave, Bruce moved to the comms control panel, and silently hit mute. They didn't need anyone else listening in on this.

The league communicator buzzed.

Constantine: And you're sure it's a Doorway Spirit, not just a Barrier Spirit?

Batman: He said Doorway.

Constantine: Who said it?! Bats if someone is fucking around with one, ya lead with that!

---

Cleaning tears out of domino masks wasn't hard, but it did make one feel foolish. Danny seemed way too amused but the fact.

"They're designed to keep outside contaminants out. The usual amount of tears is minimal." Damian pointed out.

"It still seems dumb." Danny finished wiping his on the hem of his shirt. At least they both had hoods, otherwise they'd have to find a more secure location with fuzzy lenses.

"It is certainly an oversight." Damian agreed.

"Makes sense tho?"

"What does?"

"If you're having a crisis in the mask you probably should go home. And if you can't see, then it's gonna be hard to keep working."

"Sometimes we are still needed. It is something to improve."

Danny paused, mask still in hand. He looked Damian in the eye. "Even with all of you? It gets that bad?"

"There are times, it's not— Danny..." Damian took a step back.

"Is everything... oh, it's my eyes again isn't it." Danny flushed, and his eyes returned to blue. "That's just something that happens with me, it's not a sign I'm about to go all murdery or something."

Damian nodded slowly, Danny certainly seemed in control of himself, and earlier with Todd he'd focused on defense. That did not seem like someone under the influence of pit rage.

"I've got it on the list of 'things I need to explain at some point,'"

"You have a list."

"Yeah, I have a list, my life is weird. You should probably have a list too."

"I do not."

"I'm sorry?! Do you think I missed the Bat cave dinosaur?!"

---

Batman: Constantine. What do you know?

Constantine: for certain? Almost nothing. These guys are rare, and powerful.

---

"Why is there a magazine butt plate catch?" Jason asked, completely serious. Tim was too sleep deprived to not giggle.

"Replacement." Jason chided, almost sounding fond... Tim must be getting slap happy. Jason held up the offending piece of metal. "Where did this come from?"

"Probably from when Danny took apart the gun,"

"What?"

Tim was already pulling up the mask footage. They watched the two minute explanation, then, gun bits on the pavement.

"He didn't even look at it..." Tim realized, considering that the part on the table wasn't that easy to remove. He was also 90% sure you needed tools to take a gun apart that completely.

"You know what, that tracks." Jacen said, like he was aware of something Tim was not.

---

Batman: Do you want to have this conversation in person?

Constantine: *Read 1:46 AM*

---

"So... Do you play Doomed?"

"Tt, Of course,"

"Oh, so you're good at it." Danny inferred, hopping down onto the fire escape.

Damian followed, noting how the metal had been silent for Danny, but made a soft clank when Damian stepped. The more Danny relaxed the more effort Damian had to put into tracking his movements. "Of course,"

Danny made a mock-offended gasp, "You're just saying of course to be annoying!"

Damian hadn't been, he had been distracted by the almost unnatural stealth. However he did not say this. He gave a sly smile. "Of course,"

"Well then, I don't suppose you'd want to come in and meet my friends?"

The game had been a trap. Damian was not going to admit defeat so easily... and well, he did want to meet the people his brother chose to occupy his time with. "Of course."

Danny beamed as he led Damian to the hallway window. He pulled it open in a too-smooth way and Damian knew that opening windows from the outside did not work like that. It did not, however, even surprise him at this point.

"They're going to love you," Danny said, right before pain exploded in the back of Damian's head. Then, the world went black.

-

-

-

I've made an executive decision that nights in Gotham are longer than nights in nearby locations. Most people won't notice or will think it's their imagination, Amity kids noticed immediately but shrugged and decided that technically meant they got to sleep in.

I don't think it's actually gonna come up in fic, but like nearly every plot point in Gotham happens at night, and I'm implementing a "magic" system, so Gotham gets quirks.

1. I was gonna have bats find out that Dami did the stab here, but then I realized how much potential there was in Danny just casually mentioning it.

2. Danny figures, he told them what he was, so he's done putting a ridiculous amount of effort into being human.

3. Cliffhanger

4. Why does Ao3 add in automatic spacing in the chapter text but not the notes section? It's weirding me out

Tag list:

@spectralstardustandphantomnights @avelnfear @idfk-man10 @blackroserelina @candeartist422 @mur-ururu @luer-mirin @insufferablecatenthusiast @skulld3mort-1fan @alonedustspeck @voidbornposts @meira-3919 @marshmello @aethernorwood @mimilikey @undead-essence @cloudminder @markus209 @everything163 @latheevening226 @roman4517 @moobloomrights @battybatbat @lumosfeather18581 @werv @ahyesanerd @pyramaniac @lexdamo @princessbelix @bun-fish @deeannthepan @edgyboi10000 @thatrandomsarahchick @busterkeel @aconitewolfsbane @spoopyspoony @bright-shade @spidey29phangirl @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @keimiwolf @u-a-wizard-jamie @gay-puff @bicerise @itshype @blackfoxsposts @icanneverdecide @lolottes @chubbypotato @jovialherringtacoghost @saltyladynightmare

[soulmate-game]

It was over. For real this time, it was done. Pink hair, darker with matted blood, splayed out on the broken gravel. The white and blue that usually cloaked the mysterious Bunnyx was stripped away, Miraculous lost in the battle.

They had known. He had known. Shadow Moth.

He had known when she would pop out of her burrow, and surprised the normally all-knowing hero. Viperion had fallen long earlier, the only reason Bunnyx had even been forced to get involved.

They lost. It was all lost.

Dust clogged the air, stagnant without any wind to send it anywhere. Suspended, in the lacking gravity that came from the battle. It hadn’t been Chat Blanc, and yet the moon was still naught but shards in a darkened sky.

There was no going back. She couldn’t find any of the Miraculous that could turn back time. Her earrings were still in, but Tikki was silent. Silent and still, where the Kwamii lay in her palms.

Plagg was awake, but despondent. He hadn’t said a word since Adrien’s heart stopped, since the transformation was ripped away from him. She wasn’t sure if he would ever speak again, the way he was looking at Tikki’s fragile, limp form.

And, as she once again was left staring at her own glass eyes and mangled body below her, she wasn’t sure it mattered. Shadow Moth— Gabriel— was dead. But so was everyone else. So was she.

The League had tried— in a fit of desperation, she had called them in. Called them to their deaths alongside her and her team. Only one remained standing, only one life still burning amongst the wreckage.

“… I’m sorry,” he whispered in the stagnant air. He was not without his own injuries, beat and bleeding to within an inch of his life. An inch that nobody else had left, but one that would still fizzle out without a hospital to tend to him.

“Maybe it’s the hallucinations that come with my concussion, or my lack of blood, but… I feel you there,” he continued his soliloquy, staring up at the rubble that once was the moon. “If I could still move, I’d grab the earrings and the ring. Constantine mentioned them before we headed over.”

She tilted her head at him, ripping her gaze from her own corpse. From what she could tell, she was the only ghost here. May as well give him the respect of hearing his last words.

“And I’d wish for a do-over. Nothing perfect, I’ve been disillusioned about getting a happily ever after. But this world deserves better. Longer. You should have had help, we should have insisted on providing more assistance— even from afar. Guidance. Something. And now look where our negligence landed us.”

She would wish, too. If she could still interact with the world. If she wasn’t intangible.

“Bruce,” he rasped. “If you really are there,” he seemed to actually find her then, staring right into her eyes. “There’s nobody for you to tell anymore. But my name is Bruce Wayne. If… if either of us get another chance, find me.”

He faded.

She waited until he was gone, no ghost remaining of him like she did. At least he could have someone by his side at the end.

She sighed, wondering why she was cursed to this lonely end. The wish… even if she could, she couldn’t grab—

A pebble shifted, and she froze.

A moment passed. She stomped down.

The gravel crunched under her foot.

The gravel.

Crunched.

She had never moved so fast in her entire existence.

—*—*—*—*—*

He looked different without a half-burned cowl struggling to hide his chiseled jaw. She watched through the window as he tiredly swept his fingers through his hair.

“Who am I meeting with, again?” He asked his assistant, who didn’t even glance at her clipboard before replying.

“MDC, the French designer who reached out about a partnership,” she recited easily. “The same woman who has been standing outside the door waiting for you to invite her in, because her appointment started five minutes ago.”

His head whipped up, and she couldn’t help but wave at him through the glass. When their eyes met, he jolted as if struck by lightning. His pupils shrunk— whether in fear or memory, she could not tell. What she did know, though, was that he scattered papers across the floor in his rush to stand.

“Y—“ he cut himself off, swallowing thickly and making a show of adjusting his blazer. “Miss MDC? Please come in.”

“Please, call me Marinette,” she insisted, finally stepping around the window and through the open door. After his assistant left and the door was closed, they stood in silence. Marinette had planned— stewed, really— for months about how this meeting would go. She had worked so hard for it, but what if he didn’t believe her? What if…

“You got it,” he whispered, a soft smile stretching across his lips as his eyes overflowed with wonder directed at her. “You got us a do-over.”

That startled a strangled laugh from her. He remembered. What kind of awful curse made him remember when not even Tikki and Plagg did?

“Somehow,” she agreed. “We have a lot to talk about, Bruce Wayne. Maybe even over dinner?”

His responding chuckle was deep and unfairly charming. “Relationships formed from trauma hardly pan out well, but why not? Can’t turn out any worse than the apocalypse.”

—*—*—*—*—*

Oh wow, maybe ao3 crashing affected me more deeply than I thought. Do I have a problem? I might have a problem lol.

[goat--ish]

Please, I don’t even write but I couldn’t keep this idea out of my head after obsesing over the dp x dc tag the last 2 weeks

These are 3k words of pure indulgence, Take them away from me

The white ring morphed, words turning into gibberish that Barry couldn't understand, yet he wasn't sure they were real words, to begin with. The light emanating from them blinded him for a moment and he wished to know if that meant it was working. The fight had been fast, short, and -over everything- brutal. The only luck he had that day was that he wasn't alone when the problem began, being Bruce the one to get the notification before anyone else. A small disturbance started on a corner of Gotham, because of course it had to happen in this cursed city. It didn't sound important until some of Bruce's kids called in for backup. Bruce was out of the meeting before anyone could offer to give a hand. Still, Barry was the first one to get there, and, boy! Was he confused by what he saw. He wasn't sure what they were. A mass of shapeless green with red eyes, or what he guessed was eyes. They at least looked like it. Barry wasn't so sure. Those things simply refused to keep themselves in a comprehensible form. They weren't good news if the curse that Zatanna let out when she saw them was anything to go by. She didn't have time to explain, she only warned them to not waste time trying to fight them and to help evacuate civilians. Barry learned why relatively fast. At least he wasn't the only one startled by this discovery. Diana and Bruce did the same thing even when... Oh shoot, who was it? Which of the kids said the same as Zatanna? One of them told them that attacking those things did nothing... Well, right at that moment it wasn't so important. So they were assigned to evacuation duties. It felt unfair to leave the creatures to Zatanna, yet it seemed that only her magic did anything to them, and even then, some of the creatures would slide away from her. One or two. Ten or fifteen. She seemed to have it under control. But things are never easy, are they? Ten minutes into the fight, a hole opened on the floor, and hundreds of those things came flocking, painting the sky a toxic green. Zatanna looked at the sky with horrified eyes, and that's when Barry knew they were over their heads. She screamed to get some cover and Barry had to move her away from those things. Right at that time, he heard a curse and Constantine came running to take cover behind the same car as them. Where did he come from? No idea, yet it was clear that Zatanna had called him for backup from almost the start. "Ghosts? Really? A warning would have been great" "Stop whining and help me, I have a plan" "Screw that, I'm not going out there" "Constantine!" "Calm down, I know someone that can help" And that had been it. Zatanna followed Constantine and started drawing on the floor. Unsure of what to do, Barry contacted the others and explained what little he knew. Their comms filled with chat, explanations coming from Zatanna, curses coming from Constantine, orders coming from Bruce, and agreement coming from him. Protect the civilians was easier said than done. Protect the wizards was also easier said than done. It didn't matter that they couldn't attack those creatures (there was no way those were actual ghosts, Barry decided), it didn't deter them from taking anything in their path and throwing it between them. Barry wouldn't admit it in the heat of the battle, but he was terrified of those things the moment one of them manage to get its hands on a person and bend them at a strange angle, making all its friends smile with delight. In a matter of seconds, the priority went from protecting people from falling objects to desperately try to reach people before those things did. Cracking and popping filled the air, making Barry nape's hair stand. Still, most of his concentration was on keeping those things away from the wizards. again, that was easier said than done. Maybe those things didn't like art, maybe they knew what they were trying to do, but they had something against the two magic ones. More than once Barry flew in the air after running in front of those things to distract them and got caught. How? He was still trying to figure that out. Unfortunately, one faithful toss against an incoming lamppost left him with a nasty hit on the head and a nastier fall - knees first- against concrete. Luckily for all, he was the closest to Zatanna when one of those things got a hold of Constantine and threw him to the sky. A dozen followed behind him, like hungry dogs after food. Zatanna showed his way a piece of paper and told him to finish drawing the circle before running after the man. "But I don't know magic!" Barry looked at the unfinished circle on the floor. He didn't have a clue what it was or what it said. "Follow the instructions and you'll be fine!" screamed back the woman not giving a second look to his teammate. So Barry found himself finishing the circle with instructions written on a napkin. Not even a clean one. He looked at the ring made of chalk and symbols, finally complete on the floor. However, he did a double take on the instruction to activate what apparently was a summoning spell. TELL IT A FUN FACT ABOUT SPACE That had to be a joke, it just had to be. A scream reminded him that he didn't have time to be a skeptic. "I-I don't know! Uhm... Wait, Wait, I do know! Something, something, more trees than stars" Barry looked at the chalk hopefully, yet nothing happened. "Come on, come on! Ahm, more trees on earth than starts? Is that what you want to know?" The circle stood unresponsive. An explosion and Barry was desperate. "Please, that's a fact! What else you want?" A scream. "The galaxy! There are more trees on earth than in our galaxy!" The symbols morphed and light emanated from them. A whisper came out of them, soft but clear. "I already knew that" Barry frowned at the words, yet that didn't matter at the moment. The circle had reacted. Thank god. He couldn't believe that the kid's magazine he read a month ago had saved his ass. The victorious smile faded from his face when a quick thought crossed his mind. Did it count if the ring already knew the fun fact? The instructions didn't say anything about that, however, Barry didn't know anything about magic. He didn't even know that you could use fun facts to summon Satan! The summoning took seconds, yet for Barry, it was long enough to wonder just who the hell he was calling and to panic, worrying about the possibility of screwing up and calling the wrong entity. He found himself praying. Black hair. Blue eyes. A white shirt dirty with blood from a cut on the forehead. Barry stared at the lanky teenager in front of him and wondered why he was covered in bruises. The kid looked confused yet his eyes filled with surprise when he looked down and found Barry laying on the floor with chalk on his hands and what remained of the summoning circle on the floor. "Hey dude, you ok?" The kid lowered himself to be at eye level with Barry and asked with concern. The injured kid asked him. "I- " Barry was a little lost. Who was this kid? The teen smiled warmly and offered a hand. "Can you stand up?" His voice was cheerful and his eyes were full of light. Maybe a little too much light. Yet, undeniably human. Barry fucked up the summoning. A kid was standing in the middle of the summoning circle, an injured kid. He brought an innocent child into this mess. He wasn't even sure how he screwed up that bad, but he had managed marvelously. He took the hand offered by the teenager, yet he pulled instead of letting himself be helped by the kid. Barry was terrified. Well, horrified would be a better word for it. Horrified of what could happen to the kid, and horrified of whatever already happened to him. The smile on the kid's face faded when he followed Barry's gaze. There was a growing stain on the side of his shirt. "Shoot. You kinda called when I was in the middle of cleaning up" The annoyed tone made it even worse. "It looks worse than it is" "I need to get you out of here" Barry stuttered, fully knowing that HE couldn't stand up, even less take the kid somewhere safe. The kid frowned, preparing to say something, yet both of them flinched when a metallic crack came from behind. Barry's head snapped around, eyes going wide at the sight of a car flying right toward them. He pulled at the kid's hand again, fully planning on protecting him with his body, however, Barry found himself unable to move the kid. He turned and found green eyes staring at the incoming threat. The teen put a hand on Barry's shoulder, confidence on his face. The shadow of the car was now on top of them and Barry closed his eyes. He heard the loud thud of the car crashing against the floor, yet the pain never came. When he opened his eyes the kid was already standing. He also looked different, white hair, pale skin, and black clothes replaced the ones Barry had seen before. The kid released Barry's shoulder and Barry felt something leave with him, something so small that he almost didn't notice his body becoming visible again after the touch. The sight left him cold. The kid slowly assessed the situation, looking around with surprised eyes, and nodded to himself. "Yeah, this one's easy" However, the teen didn't act right away, instead, he turned around and helped Barry sit down with his back laying on the crushed car behind them. "Cover your ears" "Wait, what-?" "I'll be back for you" The kid smiled at him and walked away, towards the swarm of toxic green causing mayhem on the street. His confidence never abated, following him to the middle of the street. He took another look and let out a sigh at the bus flying on the horizon. He was almost impressed. The kid looked up and screamed. All the windows shattered with the sound. Barry let out a curse while covering his ears with his hands, and even like that the pain was too much. Even when short, the scream resonated throughout the streets, filling the air and the city with echoes of the same sound. It sounded like a word, yet Barry wasn't sure about that, he couldn't understand it, and trying to focus on it made it more painful, so he waited for the sound to go away. Still, Barry couldn't believe his eyes when the green creatures quietly left what they were doing, and flew to the sky, doing circles over the kid. A hand gave away to a claw and the teen ripped the floor apart making another hole. However, no new creature came from this one, instead, the ones in the sky dived right into it, quickly restoring the constant gray of Gotham. When the last one left, the kid closed the hole with a flick of his hand. Barry then saw him fly toward the other hole, a hand on his chin and a raised brow at the sight of it. He seemed to consider something in silence, yet he ended up doing the same for this one and returned to Barry's side. "Hey, can you stand up? Or do you have someone I can call?" He asked cheerfully, hovering over Barry. "Yeah, I-" "Who are you?" Both of them turned toward the voice and for a moment Barry felt silly for forgetting that, yeah, he wasn't alone in this mess. Bruce, with his mask still on, stared at the teen with a severe expression. The teen didn't seem to mind it, he only hovered a little farther away from Barry as a sign of peace for the other man. "You called and didn't even know that? Have you heard of stranger danger?" The kid joked. Bruce clearly didn't appreciate it. "Aw, come one, how am I the one at fault?" Barry reached for the kid's hand at the same time that Bruce took a step. The teen looked down at Barry, curious as to why the man had reacted that way. "Batsy, I know that grim and spooky is your thing, but if you try to scare that kid, you'll lose" Fortunately, Constantine interrupted the group. "Thank you for coming" Barry raised his brows when Constantine bowed to the kid and, in response, the teen groaned. Telling by the smug smirk on Constantine, it was clear that this was something that happened quite often between them. At least Bruce looked as surprised as Barry. "You keep doing that and one day I will not save your ass" "Is that a lie I hear?" "A warning" The kid answered with a smirk of his own, yet the light flickering in his eyes made it difficult to know if he was being serious or not. Constantine faked a cough and looked away from the kid. "Who's this?" Diana stared at the hovering kid with interest, being followed by Bruce's kids and Zatanna. They slowly got closer to the small group, avoiding the debris and fallen cars in the street. They didn't look at him with the same severity as Bruce, yet the kid softly squeezed Barry's hand, the one he had used to reach out to the kid before. Now it was Barry looking up with curiosity. The teen simply ignored the gaze. "Ghost King, Justice league and co.; Justice League and co., Ghost King" Constantine lazily gave presentations. Before anyone could say anything, especially Zatanna who looked at Constantine as if he had grown a second or third head, the kid let out a gasp. "The Justice league?" He asked, dropping Barry's hand. "You're the one that took that clown away?!" It was said as a question, but the way he pointed at Bruce and the accusatory tone made it clear that he didn't need clarification. Barry saw Constantine facepalm, leaving clear that this was also something that happened quite often between them. "Man! I still get people making riots because of you" "Wasn't that years ago?" Nightwing offered (and darn, Barry really had to start asking names again). "Is the afterlife! They got time to be petty" The kid tossed his arms toward the sky... Or maybe that was what he wanted, yet at some point he had rotated in the air, leaving his head and arms toward the floor. It made the topic quite difficult to take seriously. "Excuse me, your Highness, but we still need a hand" Constantine interrupted again, clearly not caring about the tension in the air. The kid glared at him. "You're playing with fire". Still, the teen gave him a smirk. "No one died, I would know. Whatever you need is out of scope and you know it" "Your people destroyed half of the city. Are you saying that you won't answer for their actions?" Bruce almost growled at the kid and Barry felt the temperature drop around them. Actually, seeing the rest of the group react, he wasn't the only one to notice it. The kid turned towards Bruce, holding his stare longer than Barry would have liked. As surprising as it was, Bruce looked away first. Yet the kid kept staring at him. Barry didn't notice it at first, however, one of his kids did. He got closer to Bruce and quietly asked if he was all right, just to get a low grunt as an answer. Was he-? No, no way, was he trembling? "Funny you say that. You haven't answered for your actions" "Danny" Called Constantine, walking closer to the kid. "Danny" He called again, warning in his voice. "As always," Danny started, still holding his gaze over Bruce, just to let go at the last second. "I'll send someone to help with the damage" The cold lifted immediately and didn't pass unnoticed the breath of relief that Bruce took. "Sadly, I can not stay this time" Danny continued, taking again the cheerful tone Barry had heard him use when they met. He hovered over Barry again. "As I told your friend here, I was in the middle of something important so I have to return" And oh yeah, wasn't the kid bleeding out when he appeared? Silly how easy it was to forget something like that. "Nice meeting all of you" Danny said goodbye then looked at Constantine. "Lose my number" In a blink, the kid was gone. Constantine let go a sigh of relief and turned toward Bruce. "I can't believe you tried to start a damn fight with the fucking kid, bloody hell. He has never killed, but the brat is always prepared" "And you," he pointed to Barry. "whatever he told you, tell no one. Is always better to not know with him. I'm out of here" The group remained silent while Constantine walked away. As much as she wanted to follow and drill the man with questions, Zatanna decided to stay and wait for whomever the kid would send. Bruce muttered something about checking on the civilians and walked away too. He looked a little shaken, so none of them said anything, leaving the comfort to his kids. They probably knew how to do that, right? "Let's get you checked while we wait. Do you need a hand?" Diana offered a hand to Barry. He took it, not sure if he could stand, but sure that his friend would help him in case he couldn't. So... When was a good moment to mention that the kid needed medical attention?

[marauderundercover]

pieces fall right into place

Background here

“Mama! Monster!” Marinette immediately leaps off of the couch and rushes to her daughter’s room, heart pounding in her chest. Bursting into the dark room, Marinette immediately flips the overhead light on, scanning the room for any intruders. 

“Where’d the monster go, baby?” Marinette asks softly, scooping her daughter into her arms. Eléonore sniffles before pointing towards the closet. Now most people, when asking a two-year old about the monster they saw, would reassure the toddler that there was no monster. And that the closet was empty. But Marinette wasn’t stupid. She’d been friends with John Constantine for years, after all. Instead of going towards the closet, Marinette slowly backs out of the room. There was the chance, obviously, that there wasn’t actually a monster. That her daughter had merely had a bad dream because of all of the boxes that were stacked in her room. But Marinette wasn’t stupid. And she wasn’t going to take any chances. The second she’s out of the room, she rushes to the closet that John had warded for her when she first moved in almost five years ago. Ella cuddles closer as Marinette steps into the closet, crouching to avoid hitting her head on the shelves. Sitting with her back pressed against the back of the closet, Marinette takes a second to take in a shaky breath before pulling out her phone. 

“‘Ello.” The familiar voice says, and Marinette’s relieved that he actually sounds calm for once. There’d been several times in the past where she’d called and literally heard the wails of the damned in the background. 

“Eléonore saw a monster in her room.” Marinette says, skipping straight to the point. 

“What did it look like?” John asks, and Marinette scoffs. 

“I didn’t stick around to look, John. I was a little busy making sure our daughter was safe.” She points out. 

“Right. Can you ask Ella what color it was? She’s pretty good at colors.” John says. Marinette gently pushes the baby hairs out of her daughter’s face. 

“Hey bébé, dad has a question about the monster.” Marinette says softly. Ella immediately sits up, a huge grin spread across her face. Marinette smiles, despite the situation, and presses the speaker button. 

“Hi daddy!” Ella says. 

“Hello love, mama says you saw a monster.” John says, his voice immediately far softer than it had been when he was talking to Marinette. Ella nods. 

“Scary monster.” She affirms. 

“I know, sweetheart. Can you tell me what color it was? I’m on my way to help.” He says, and Marinette feels her shoulders slump in relief. When it came to magic or supernatural problems that came about, she was glad that she’d always been able to call John. Their friendship (and yes, despite their daughter it would only ever be platonic between them) had been one of her first outside of the original Miraculous team. Ever since stepping out of Paris and into the world as a whole, she’d had John to rely on. Even if he could be a complete ass at times. Marinette vaguely listens to Ella and John, only really focusing when John calls her name. Glancing down at their daughter, she realizes that she’d fallen asleep.

“Sorry, what?” Marinette asks. John huffs. 

“I’ve gotta get off the line, but I’m almost at your apartment. Call your fiance, would ya? No need to have him panic if Oracle spots me in the area. And tell him to stay clear til I’ve checked out the area.” He says. Marinette agrees and hangs up before quickly dialing Bruce. 

“Hello darling. Everything alright? I thought you said you were going to bed early tonight.” Bruce says, the worry obvious in his voice. 

“Ella saw a monster in her room. John’s on his way to check it out for us.” Marinette says with a sigh. 

“What? Are you both okay? Do I need to come over? I can be there in less than five minutes.” He rambles. 

“We’re fine. We’re in a safe place, mon amour, I promise. John said not to come over until he’s checked it out.” She says. Bruce grumbles lowly, and Marinette suppresses a snort. Bruce and John were definitely…reluctant to interact as much as they did. John was more okay with it, simply because of the fact that he knew it annoyed Bruce. But for Marinette, it was important to her that the three of them worked together and got along, for Eléonore. Even though they’d been working at it for two years, it was still hard at times. But they made it work. 

“Perhaps you should come stay here tonight.” Bruce offered, and Marinette couldn’t help but smile. 

“Trying to get us to move in quicker?” She teases. 

“I just- I worry about you. Both of you.” He says, his voice serious. 

“I know, love. I just- the wards on the closet-” She starts, but Bruce cuts her off. 

“About that-” He starts. “I actually asked Constantine to add some wards to the Manor.” He says. Marinette blinks in shock. Bruce, who was notorious for not accepting help, had reached out to someone he wasn’t a huge fan of. 

“What?” Marinette asks, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“He told me once that he has more enemies than I do. Enemies that aren’t deterred by the security I already have on the Manor. I thought…I needed to make sure that you and Ella would be safe. Constantine agreed, obviously.” He explains. Marinette feels warmth flood her chest. 

“I love you.” She says, grinning softly, and she’s almost able to tune out the sounds of the fight outside of the small closet. Obviously life wasn’t going to be easy. She’d known that from the moment she saw the two lines on the test. But she knew it would all work out in the end. 

Tag list: @maribat-calendar-events

[dcu-rarepair]

Day 2 Gifts

Eight more amazing gifts for Day 2! Head to the Collection to check them out, and view the Release Schedule to see what’s in store!

We also have a handy Commenting Guide to help our Giftees with showing their Giftors some love. And now, here’s today’s works: 

I Will Not Love You (But I Can, Somehow) for syrennetim

Dick Grayson/Jean-Paul Valley Rated T, No Archive Warnings Enemies to Lover, Jean-Paul as Batman Dick hates Jean-Paul. The only problem with that is that he loves him too. Or, Azrael murders someone and Dick helps Jean-Paul cover up his crimes.

Black, White and Red for Murmeloni

Harvey Dent/Jason Todd Rated G, No Archive Warnings Art

Call Me Hot (Not Pretty) for Shenanigans

Cissie King-Jones/Cassie Sandsmark (Young Justice Universe) Rated G, No Archive Warnings First Kiss, Gay Panic, Getting Together Cassie’s day had been anything but quiet and uneventful – it hadn’t even been eventful in the Young Justice way, just the Wonder Girl way, so subduing the sea monster on the docks had been entirely up to her. So, once she’d finished dealing with all that, one would really think her beloved team members may understand that she was exhausted and achy and not moving from her position on the couch for at least the next century, but no. Apparently not. Or; Fellas, is it gay to lovingly cradle your best friend’s face while you help them get something out of their eye

carve your name into my arm for FleetSparrow

Clark Kent/Selina Kyle Rated M, No Archive Warnings Trans Clark Kent, BDSM The thing is, Selina knows how to read people. She knows what they want and more importantly, she knows when they're lying to her. And that's the thing about this unassuming nerd hunched on her couch; he is lying to her. And he is dangerous. But he doesn't feel like a threat.

And Alan Makes Three for BookofOdym

Sanderson Hawkins/Henry King Jr, Henry King Jr/Alan Scott, Henry King Jr/Sanderson Hawkins/Alan Scott Rated E, No Archive Warnings Voyeurism, Light Dom/Sub Hank is dating Sandy. Hank is sleeping with Alan. When Sandy catches Alan and Hank together, Alan takes it upon himself to teach Sandy just how to fuck a twunk like Hank properly.

Lightning Rod for dxncingquxxr

Dick Grayson/Roy Harper/Wally West Rated T, No Archive Warnings Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Divergence Wally, lost in the Speed Force, watches as his boyfriends have drifted apart more than they ever had before. He needs them together to escape, but he's unsure if this timeline will allow it. Really, he should learn that he has unending faith in his partners for a reason. - Rebirth but Dick/Roy/Wally and also only about them

Genesis 2:23 for TaxiCabToOwTown

Kon-El | Conner Kent/Lex Luthor Rated T, Warning for Underage Omegaverse, Dubious Science Most alphas would probably chafe at working under another alpha, instincts bristling at the perceived submission. Mercy doesn't care--everyone in Metropolis has Mr Luthor's boot on their throat, she might as well get paid handsomely for it. She could do without watching Mr Luthor throw scent at Superman and have it just slide off and Superman's poorly acted responses, but she guesses that's how they ended up here, in this subterranean lab.

Where the Light Shines Through for Ferox

John Constantine/Bruce Wayne Rated E, No Archive Warnings BDSM, Haunting Batman gives Constantine a severe look. “I asked you to meet me for your magical expertise. If you're too compromised to work, I’ll ask someone else.” “I'm fine. It's just a mild Drop. Which I tried to fix, by the way, but unfortunately it's impossible to get decent coke in your town. You should really lay off those poor, hardworking cartels. Anyway—” John crushes the butt of his cigarette under his heel, “—you said your friend needed help?” “Not my friend. A League benefactor.” Ha. John is smart enough to connect the dots. “Bruce Wayne’s got ghosts? Shocker.”

[elvesandlanterns]

Ghost a helpline part 10

Uncle Tucker part 2: conversations are had and the Masters family finally move to Gotham.

Diana could practically see her comrades sputtering at the Captains words. She felt conflicted, “I understand Marvel you are also my brother in arms. The trust I have in all of you because of that is very important to me. We are not writing her off as a threat nor are we going to go after her.” At this she threw a pointed look at Bruce, “We just want some information on her that’s all. We don’t know anything about her and are justified in being cautious. “

“From my understanding you all decided it was a good idea to contact her not the other way around. And now the Batman is going to do what he does best and come up with contingencies because he feels insecure.”

Diana put her hand on Clark’s tense shoulder.

“Captain that is not-“

“The same way you’ve been trying to find my weaknesses for years. So if you’re that desperate to find one then here. She is my weakness and if anything happens to her I don’t know what will happen. Do you understand me?”

“Marvel! We are not-“

“Understood.” Batman grunted, “I still have questions.”

“So do I.”

Diana looked between them and shared a look with Clark, hopeful Batman would know what not to ask…. Clark opened his mouth first, “You two were in a war?”

A grin, “What did you think I just made up the Captain part of my name for kicks?” a humorless laugh left him.

“Right that makes sense, you’ve been around along time but isn’t she too young.”

“In a way, Konstelacio is considered a ‘forever child’ uhh she’s pretty much stuck that age.”

“So she just has the body of a teen but is actually an adult.”

“No she is a kid, and always will be. She’s just sorta stuck. She may have lived a long life but she’s still a child.”

Diana pondered over it. It’s wasn’t anything she didn’t expect. She was even use to it, on Paradise Island children were taught to fight, to kill when necessary. War was something Diana knew. But it felt wrong.

“A demon child with resources, connections and reality altering powers.”

“She’s a child who loves her family, collects trinkets and helps people.”

“But who exactly is she helping. What is stopping her from being summoned by Lex Luthor or Felix Faust or any number of villains.”

“She can decide who to help and who not to help you know. They can’t force her. Trust me they’d be sorry if they tried.”

“You just said she’s a child, anything could happen. They wouldn’t have to force her when they could manipulate her.”

Diana smiled leave it to Bruce to care about a child he barely meet, even when he was scared of them.

“Also we can’t just allow a potential danger to run around buying souls.”

Diana took it back, Bruce was making a mess.

—- —- —-

Konstelacio followed the guard to the sitting room, Uncle Tuckers kingdom always felt comfortable to her. It was warm, sun filled and quite frankly Konstelacio had a lot of leeway here. A type of get out of jail free card that made her feel safe, but also nervous. She would not embarrass her family again, not here.

She bowed to her uncle as he entered the room, “I greet Pharaoh Tuck, Prince Consort to High King Phant-“

“That is enough my constellation, Princess Violet how many times must I ask that you call me Uncle?”

“I only mean to show my respect.”

“None needed come here. Tell me what I can do.”

“What I didn’t !” Had he heard from Dan already?

“Come on Violet I know you and I know that if you came here for help it must be something big.” Her Uncles smiles always looked genuine, she loved them.

“It’s a long story.”

“Eat some snacks and tell me everything.”

—- —- —-

Well that had been a mess Clark thought after both the dark knight and Captain had stormed out. Clark still wasn’t sure were he stood on the matter, he didn’t want to make the same mistakes he made with Connor. But just like with Connor none of them had enough information. It was time to call another meeting, ugh and invite Constantine to it.

Clark stopped walking, wait wasn’t there a demon on the Titans?

—- —- —-

Vlad’s eldest, Dandy Masters, parked the car outside the Gotham estate. Their new home was located far enough away that their neighbors wouldn’t be able to hear them scream, the manor was gothically decrepit, and the outside plants looked dead. It’s perfect thought Vlad, just perfect.

—- —- —-

Tucker nearly spat his coffee, “YOU MEET BATMAN.”

- The guards outside the door twitched, their pharaoh never yelled. He sounded shocked and was quickly shhhuhed by the princess. Hopefully this Batman would not be causing ether of them stress in future. The bird like guard pursed his beak, whoever this bat was did bode well. He would have to tell the others to keep their swords sharp.

“You SWINDLED Batman out of his gadgets!!”

- Yes the guards were probably due for some more training, just in case.

“Guards please get ready to escort the Princess to Pandoras realm.”

- All the guards, the bird adjacent ghost thought to himself. He had a felling something was coming.

“A WHAT?!”

- Something bad.

—- —- —-

Tucker moved his newly allotted gadgets into piles looks like he had a belt to work on. He picked up the handkerchief. “Violet what did you want this for?”

“I… had a suspicion I needed to prove.”

“And did you?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m guessing the tracking device wasn’t a part of your plan?”

“A WHAT!”

The man held his nieces hands, “Konstelacio please tell me what else is going on. I’ve already promised not to tell anybody.”

Violet wanted to believe him but she knew he’d tell on her to keep her safe. He wouldn’t understand, the Al Ghuls were dangerous she need to keep THEM safe! No matter what.

“Not yet, not until I figure everything else out for sure.”

“Alright but when you do please please come and talk to me okay.”

“Okay.”

“Alrighty then off to Pandoras then okay, be nice to the guards and tell her and Ghost Writer I said hi okay. And be careful delivering that antidote to the league. Minimal contact is the - oh you’re hugging me.”

Konstelacio smiled into her uncles shoulder, she would tell him everything someday.

[eyes-of-mischief]

weekly fic recs | 43

prompt: resurrection

fandoms: bnha, dc, hq, mdzs, tgcf, tua, tw, yoi

bnha

help me leave behind some (reasons to be missed) by intheeveningsunrise

(mature)

The darkness had learnt not to swallow him whole, had learnt to dance with him as he felt the warmth enter his veins, and learnt to give him back.

Or, five times Izuku Midoriya kills himself, and one time he... well.

What the Fire Withheld: the Renaissance of Midoriya Izuku by orkestrations

(mature)

Toga, Twice, and Mr. Compress sneak into a morgue. This is the setup to the cosmic joke that is Izuku's life. Or, his re-life? His undeath? What's the proper term for his condition?

Maybe it's actually a bit earlier than that, when he bleeds out beneath Sir Nighteye's hands while Overhaul escapes with Eri.

-

or, the jason toddification of midoriya izuku

RE: Izuku by thecozydragon

(graphic depictions of violence)

Wheezing through the pain, staring down at the body of an opponent Izuku should reasonably never have been able to take alone at his current level, Izuku realizes he just discovered a latent quirk.

“Fuck.” Izuku hisses. “That’s the worst fucking quirk I’ve ever heard of.”

It only activates on death. You have to die first.

OR... Midoriya Izuku's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day.

dc

Banshee In A Well by liverobinreaction (bugbee)

(graphic depictions of violence)

Tim is five years old when he drowns in his parents' pool. He dies quietly, waiting for parents who love him, but will never be there, to realise that something is wrong. They never show up, and he sinks into oblivion.

When he wakes up and claws his way out of the water, the sun has set, and the lights of his house are on. He is cold and wet and his lungs burn.

But most of all, Tim is alone.

(If you die and no-one is there to see it, were you ever alive in the first place?)

The Next Life by spqr

“I don’t need an exorcism,” Tim says.

“I beg to bloody differ,” Constantine mutters.

Nobly, Tim elects to ignore him. “I want you to teach me.”

“Teach you what? Manners?”

“I already know manners,” Tim says, then barrels on as Constantine snorts in disagreement, “what I need to learn is necromancy.”

Never What You Were Before by Romiress

(mature)

Bruce Wayne is dead, and Gotham has moved on. Slade, for the most part, tries to stay out of it. He has enough work to do without having to take jobs near the Bats.

Until Red Hood calls him in to help, refusing to explain what he's found.

Maybe Wayne isn't as dead as he seems.

hq

one day i'll die by doxian

(major character death)

"What's happened to me?" Bokuto asks, confused.

Akaashi sits with his face in his hands for a long time. Then he straightens up and asks Bokuto: "Would you like to see where you were buried?"

Moon in Water, Flowers in a Mirror by PlumTea

(mature) (graphic depictions of violence)

When Oikawa turns up in the corner of his garden, crouched behind the bushes, Iwaizumi couldn't be happier. He'd lost Oikawa months earlier, but the long days of mourning are gone. Now he's back. Still, there's something odd about Oikawa, something that just seems wrong.

mdzs

in the land of gods and monsters by rikke

(mature) (major character death)

Lan Wangji was never supposed to die. Thirteen years later, the Yiling Patriarch rules the world with his corpse bodyguard.

Somewhere Sits an Empty Throne by Siamesa

(explicit) (major character death)

There is a dead man in the mountains.

A corpse in mourning robes, a ghost with bleeding fingers.  A power beyond measure, with too-pale eyes and red blood dripping down his throat. - In which Wei Wuxian finds himself brought back to life as a very confused god, stumbles into a revenge plot, and wants to know what's up with all these ghostly rabbits. - TGCF fusion, god!WWX/calamity!LWJ

tgcf

carousel: an endless cycle by potatopersonal

(mature) (graphic depictions of violence)

Frustration builds in his chest, an angry sob leaking from his mouth. It hurts, agitates his destroyed torso, but does it really matter?

His wishes don’t matter. His actions only hurt others, only cause suffering and misery. Even with four centuries spent atoning, he hasn’t learned.

(Xie Lian can't die. This is something he never truly learns.)

lion's tooth by curiositykilled

(mature) (graphic depictions of violence, major character death)

The second time he dies, it’s almost funny. He laughs—or well, he tries to. It catches on his broken ribs, comes out a rasping gasp instead. It’s funny. Really. The Flower Crowned Martial God, dying of a broken neck amidst the wildflowers.

tua

And When I Look In My Window, So Many Different People To Be by CowgayKermit

If you were to go looking for Klaus, you wouldn't look to the alleys where drugs are bought, or to a rave where you could lose yourself in dance, no. No, you would look to his garden full of protective herbs, to his bedroom at three in the morning where he tends to make magic amulets. Klaus grew into his power, both as a witch, and as the Séance.

The End Times Are Blue by Jumblejay

Klaus’ skin is cold as death, just like the rest of his siblings had been. Five lets his hand linger for a moment, steeling himself, preparing to grab on tight and haul the corpse to its grave.

What he’s not expecting is for Klaus to suddenly take in a deep, shuddering gasp, cough harshly, and flail around until he slips off the mound of rubble he’d been lying on with an abrasive clatter.

Five snatches his hand back with a shriek and stares wide-eyed as Klaus props himself up on his hands, blinks hard, and glances around at his surroundings until his eyes catch on Five.

“Oh, shit,” Klaus says, looking almost as shocked as Five feels. “Five?”

Five promptly bursts into tears.

OR

Thirteen year old Five time travels to the future and finds himself trapped in the apocalypse, surrounded by the dead bodies of his siblings. Klaus, however, happens to be immortal. They figure it out from there.

tw

i am addicted to death (so remind me what it’s like to live) by cywscross

Stiles is sixteen years old. He has already died seventy-eight times.

yoi

Triptych by feelslikefire

(explicit)

Victor is a human; Yuuri is a fae. Relationships between the two are always doomed to end in disaster, but true love is stronger than any magic — even death.