#roy harper is very dear TO ME!!!!!!!!!!

[mysterycitrus]

[a roy pov companion snippet to persephone part two]

There was a time, just after his father’s death, when Roy would fall into fits of choking suffocation.

His throat would close, his mouth turning itchy and hot and tight and he’d gasp and claw at his own flesh, desperate for air. Wheezing, bent over on all fours, struggling to breathe and desperate for relief, swallowing around that phantom smoke in his lungs that clung to him and refused to leave.

Brave Bow would find him in the dirt, press a calloused hand to his forehead and brush his hair from his eyes. He’d had the same hands as Roy’s father, then – steady from years fletching arrows.

Calm, boy, he’d say. The fire is gone, and you remain. You remain, and for that you must breathe.

It’d taken years before Roy felt it again, crouched with a needle in his arm and Oliver Queen’s shadow casting him in darkness. That same, encompassing squeeze that pushed his organs taut against his bones, stretched like taffy and drawing all air from his body. It’d been Dinah there with him, that time. Different callouses, with that same tender gentleness.

Then, Jade. Lian. Ollie. Donna. His comfort changed shape, and he learnt to drag himself out of the fire by himself, breathing around the fist in his mouth. The feeling became familiar, and so did the way it would leave him trembling and skittish. In and out. Inhale, exhale. You remain, and for that you must breathe.

Now, he’s sitting on a rooftop in Queens, and the smoke has returned to drown his best friend, because Dick Grayson believes there is evil in him. That all the good he’s done is poisonous. That he bears the burden of a grown man’s mistakes. Because – because Bruce Wayne couldn’t let one good fucking thing in the world lie.

He carries through the motions, watching himself from outside his own body as Dick thrashes, refuses to breathe until Donna physically compresses his lungs for him, forcing him to inhale. His heart is beating so fast it’s as if it’s not beating at all.

Never in his life has Roy wanted to kill someone more.

Donna is staring bullets into the side of his head as they descend into Dick’s apartment, holding him with a tight grip. Dick, younger Dick, seventeen-year-old hurt and miserable and alone Dick, stays silent but his eyes flutter like he’s about to pass out. The bruise on his face has only darkened in the hours since they left Jason Todd’s apartment, and the yellow spots on his cheekbone have started to purple. The bags beneath his eyes are deep.

How did I never notice he was like this? Roy thinks, half incredulous at himself. How did we let this happen that first time?

There was an answer, but it was for an older Dick who still carried all his cards to his chest. Would they be forgiven when that Dick found out what they knew about him? How they knew him now, better than they had before?

Garth, bless him, is holding a performatively casual pose as they gently push Dick through the open window. The soup is in a bowl – the slightly misshapen one that’d been Damian’s first try with a kiln – and Garth looks at him, then the soup, and pivots to start the kettle instead. What Dick really needs is solids, and maybe some protein, Roy knows, but the chances of him just throwing it back up again are high.

“Garth,” Roy says, and Garth turns those big, glistening eyes at him. It’s like staring into a lava lamp. “I’m sorry, but nobody wants any fucking soup.” Then he risks putting his hands on Dick’s shoulders – the kid doesn’t flinch, thank God – and says: “You, stay there. I need to go put my head in the shower.”

He presses down gently until Dick sits on the couch, carefully avoiding Donna’s gaze as she tries to catch his eye and rubs his hands over his face. Inhale, exhale. The smoke thickens, twists, chokes. Roy tilts a little but manages to regain his balance, and passes Donna as she goes to Garth, still fretting in the kitchen. Trusting, finally, that Dick wasn’t going to bolt right this second, he walks out towards the bathroom and immediately collides with Wally.

Wally’s still buzzing a little, and the hairs on Roy’s arms stand on end as he’s zapped when Wally grabs his elbows to hold him upright. There’s a deep line between his eyebrows, but when he looks up over Roy’s shoulders at Dick, his face goes slack. This worked out, actually. It’d keep help keep them both occupied to talk out their feelings, until Roy could get back in control of himself.

“Easy, fleetfeet,” Roy says. “Babysit for a second, would you? I need to wash my face.”

“I thought we decided we didn’t want him to run,” Wally hisses back, but Roy just gives him a shove in the couch’s general direction and staggers down the hall.

He hears Wally move forward as he manages to kick the door shut, falling against it as he starts to gasp. Roy presses his head back against the tiles, squeezing his eyes shut and desperately inhaling in through his nose and out his mouth. His throat itches. A throbbing pain starts at his temple, beating with his heart and radiating to his jaw and neck and shoulders until he tenses into a spasm.

In, out. Breathe, hold, release. Roy manages to swallow, but the noise he makes sounds like a sob, and he fumbles with the faucet until he can trust that the water is drowning him out. Again, and he claps a hand over his mouth. Everything feels ready to snap.

He got through it that first time, says a voice in his head. It sounds a lot like Connor’s patient grace. Remember? He’s still here, just the same.

But this is so much worse, Roy replies internally. Can’t you see? Because now he knows it’s not gonna end. It’ll never end.

No. This is too much.

The first time he grabs at his phone, it falls from his trembling fingers and lands on the floor with a crack. It takes him one, two more tries to retrieve it, and instead of standing he folds himself onto the floor, sat pressed against the wall next to the basin. The blue light makes his eyes sting and seeing Lian smiling back just makes that rolling nausea return, thinking of a young Dick Grayson stare at his daughter in wonder. Eight years old, like Dick’s own father hadn’t fallen when Dick was that age. Like Dick had lost a father all over again a decade later. It hurts so bad.

Thankfully, when he swipes through his speed dial, she answers.

“You’re late with an update, boyo.”

For a moment, he can’t even get the words out, just audibly breathes into the receiver with his eyes shut and his free hand twisted into his hair.

“Roy? What happened? Is Dick alright?”

He has to swallow around the lump in his throat again.

“Is Lian there?” Roy manages to get out in a croak. He truly doesn’t know what he’ll do if Mia’s taken her to MOMA or something. Maybe permanently move into Dick’s bathroom. “She free to talk?”

“Sure.” He hears Dinah move and begin to walk. She’s calm, but her steps are quick and loud down the line. “Give me an answer, Roy. If you want to talk to her because you’re bleeding out-“

“No, no,” Roy says. “No, it’s just – it’s been a long day.”

It’s only about twelve pm, but Dinah doesn’t comment on it. He hears a door open, then shut. His heartrate picks up again.

“Dinah,” he says, and he hears her stop. “Dinah.”

She knows, clearly.

“He’s seventeen, Dinah.”

“Yeah, Babs said.” A pause. “Seventeen, huh?”

“He’s…” Roy stops, tugs at his hair a little. “I can’t tell you –he’s been saying-”

“You were all kids. You know that right? The stuff you were doing wasn’t normal, in retrospect. Makes sense he’d freak you out.”

But it’s not just that. It was the casual acceptance of baiting Deathstroke. Dick’s conviction of his own fault about losing Robin. His terror of confronting Bruce. The profound, absolute loss of everything. Dick Grayson lost his father at eight years old.

Roy can’t reply to that, really, so Dinah says:

“Here she is.”

There’s a shuffle, another pause, then –

“Daddy?”

The tension leaves his body so fast he almost drops the phone entirely, and his legs properly unfold into a sprawl.

“Hey, princess.”

“You okay?” Her voice raises in pitch slightly, like when she’s getting nervous. He’d put a lot of effort into stopping her from sounding like that, so it’s jarring now. “Dinah said… Dinah said-“

“I’m fine. Really. I just wanted to check that Mia wasn’t buying you more Legos from the giftshop with my card.”

“They were mermaid Legos,” Lian tells him, worry gone entirely and now a little huffy. “And Mia said – Mia said you were a landlord. And could buy them.”

“Daddy is not a gazillionaire like Batman.”

“Does Batman have Legos in the Batcave?”

Batman has bloodied memorabilia of all the people he’s let down, Roy thinks privately, but says instead:

“No, but he has a dinosaur.”

“A real one?”

“No. It’s like the one’s out of Jurassic Park. A robot dinosaur.”

“A robot dinosaur,” Lian says rapturously. “Can we visit sometime? With Uncle Dick?”

I am never letting either of you near him ever again, is the correct answer, as much as Dick would throw a fit over it. Roy clears his throat, rubs at his eyes, and changes the subject.

“Maybe. But I want a school update. I didn’t get to talk to you about it, yesterday.”

“Well,” she stops, and he can hear her think it over. “I’m better at spelling than Cassidy, because she always forgets her ayches. But I taught her a trick for it. I can teach you too!”

My best friend was only eight, he thinks.

“Yeah, baby,” he says in a hoarse voice, and tilts back his head. “Tell me all about it.”

[lacrimosathedark]

Bat-Family Nicknames and Insults

So I went off the other day because fans keep having people who aren't Roy Harper call Jason Todd "Jaybird" and now I'm thinking about all the other nickname misconceptions so here's a probably non-comprehensive list of nicknames among the Bat Fam.

(Special thanks to @sohotthateveryonedied for a bunch of my data, she made a whole powerpoint with actual comic panels! Go check that out! Also got some info from @kiragecko who was writing some lists with more specific references.)

This list is an active document and will be edited in the event I find more nicknames or have more to say

Addendum note: I'm more than willing to add something I forgot, but you must have receipts. I'm not just going off of memory. Nothing will be added to this list without proof. If you don't have a source, please don't make a suggestion.

This is aside from assorted common insults and nicknames like jerk, ass, shorty, dude, idiot, etc.. Sidenote, every not-Steph Robin has been called “Little Bird”, “Birdboy” and/or “Wonder Boy” at some point. It’s kinda part of the job lol Secondary side-note, the only ones who REALLY use nicknames for people are Barbara and Jason. And Tim specifically in reference to Damian. Everyone else pretty much uses their names 98% of the time. Final note (sorryyyyyy) generally unless they're funny to me, I'm not including things used only once unless I have gotten vibes that it's a trend. This is an attempt to compile recurring nicknames. So ones noted to be used once are either I can only confirm it happened once but could happen multiple times, or I think it's hilarious.

Alfred Pennyworth

Al/Alf Seems to be a common nickname among the boys.

Alfie Dick, Tim, and Jason have all called him this.

Alfredo Jason called him this at least once and I think that’s funny. Not sure it’s exclusive though.

Mom Dick seems to have referred to him as such once…I’m sorry but that’s so funny.

Alfred also has specific ways of referring to everyone: Bruce: Master Bruce, Mister Wayne, Lad, Bruce, My Son Barbara: Mistress Barbara, Miss Barbara, Miss Gordon, Miss Oracle Dick: Master Dick, Master Richard, Master Grayson, Dear Boy, Young Sir, Young Man, Richard, Dick Cassandra: Miss Cassandra, Young Cassandra, My Dear Jason: Master Jason, Young Sir, Lad, Jason Tim: Master Tim, Master Timothy, Young Master Tim, Lad, Young Sir, Young Man, Timothy, Tim Damian: Master Damian, Young Master Damian, Young Sir, Young Man, Son, Damian

Bruce Wayne

Spooky Oliver Queen calls him this, others might as well but I legitimately have no idea.

Batsy Everyone and their goddamn dog, but Joker uses this notably a lot.

Detective RA'S AL GHUL EXCLUSIVE. I think? But this is how Ra's generally refers to Bruce.

B-Man HARLEY QUINN EXCLUSIVE...I think. She calls him this a lot though.

While Dick and Jason will internally think of Bruce as their father, Dick rarely says so and extremely rarely calls him “Dad”. Jason would only say so mockingly or under pain of a second death. Tim rarely even thinks of Bruce as his father (he didn’t become Robin to be Bruce’s kid, and he doesn’t want to replace his own father—much the same way Dana didn’t replace Janet) and never refers to him as such outside of WE work (where he very much uses that to his advantage). Damian almost exclusively refers to Bruce as “Father” but has called him "Dad". Steph sometimes calls him “Boss”. Everyone usually calls him "Bruce".

He refers to ALL of the boys as “chum” and “lad” at some point. It’s just how he used to talk honestly. He DOES NOT call them “sweetie” or “honey” or anything like that. He DOES, however, speak to small children this way. There are multiple instances of him using "sweetheart" and similar terms when dealing with young children. This differentiation I think is for two reasons. One, Bruce is emotionally stunted and being open with anyone outside of actively comforting is difficult for him, and two, the youngest child he has ever had himself was 9 years old so he's never had a small child he'd be likely more inclined to be extra super soft with.

Barbara Gordon

Babs Most people call her this. Bruce doesn’t seem to though, oddly enough.

Babsy/Babsie Both Dick and Jim Gordon have called her this. Very cute.

Barb/Barbie Nearly exclusive to Jason Todd, actually. I think her dad calls her this once in a while, but specifically Jason calls her this.

Babes A few of her friends call her this, but mostly Luke Fox when they were dating.

Red A few people call her this, but mostly Jason and not real often. Probably cuz we already have a red-head often referred to as “Red” (Pam Isely by Harley) and as to not be confused with the other two Reds in the family (Red Hood and Red Robin).

The High Priestess of Tech More of a reference than a nickname, but I think it’s funny. Dick referred to her as such.

O For Oracle!

Dick Grayson Exclusives because Boyfriend Baby Love Beautiful

Richard Grayson

Dick Everyone calls him this. Almost no one calls him Richard.

Dickie His parents also called him this, along with other people who knew him from Haly’s Circus, but otherwise it’s mostly just Jason.

Dickster I…hate that this is canon lmao. Dick has thought this one in his inner monologue, but Jason has also said it at least once. It’s…Something.

Circus Boy Common insult, Jason uses it a few times.

Tight Ass No comment.

Rob Kinda rare for him and more a Tim thing, but his Titans team call him this sometimes. I specifically remember Wally doing so, and Roy too I think.

Boy Wonderful Not marking this as exclusive because Babs probably used it at one point but, shockingly (or not) this comes from Wally West! Wally has also called his Titans team as a group “Dear Hearts” at least once which is just so fucking cute. Neeeeeerd.

Kid Not exclusive to him, but consistently called this by Slade Wilson/Deathstroke over most anything else.

Marcia TIM DRAKE EXCLUSIVE. A joke between him and Tim, assigning each Bat-boy a Brady Bunch member.

Little Robin MARY GRAYSON EXCLUSIVE. This is where the hero name Robin came from; Dick’s mom used to call him this.

Dickie-Bird JASON TODD EXCLUSIVE. Jason calls Dick this a lot during his weird appearances in Nightwing that I pretend never happened because it was weird and dumb. But it is a canonical nickname. And it’s funny.

Amy Rohrbach Exclusives because Partner Rookie Stud Cowboy Sherlock Mr. Confident

Barbara Gordon Exclusives because Girlfriend (and because she’s funny) Flatterer Boyfriend The Brightest, Sweetest, Most Handsome, Wealthiest Young Bachelor on the Entire East Coast Buckaroo Bucko Candy-Gram Darling Lover Love Hunk Wonder Man Wonder Hound Wonder Former Teen Wonder Twenty Something Wonder Blue Wonder Poor Lovable Naïve Dope Pixie Boots

Cassandra Cain

Cass Pretty much everyone calls her this.

Cassie Some people call her this, specifically the people closest to her; Stephanie, Tim, Barbara, Bruce, and Duke. It’s generally used sparingly, especially considering Tim is close to ANOTHER Cassandra who goes by “Cassie” almost exclusively, so Cass is generally preferred to avoid confusion. But Cassie is tossed around.

Batghoul Possibly Stephanie Brown exclusive, though easy enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if others called her that. She is notoriously spooky.

Bat-Babe KON-EL/CONNER KENT EXCLUSIVE. These two are actually good friends and dated for a short time. They’re very cute. And they met at the time Kon was just…Like That.

Jason Todd

Jay Literally everyone calls him this sometimes. It’s a common nickname.

Jace/Jase Also pretty common, but seems to mostly be among family. Dick and Bruce have at least both called him this.

The Toddster Was called such by Danny Chase, implying they were friends somehow? (Jason didn't have many Titans missions so idk how they were close enough for him to call him that). He calls him that when he discovers Jason’s status in the system is “unknown”, leading him to find out he’s dead.

Rojo Referred to himself as this once while he was still a crime boss, so presumably some of his gang called him this too. Obviously Spanish for red because Red Hood.

Little Bird Possibly exclusive to Barbara Gordon, she called him this in a flashback.

Jan That Dick and Tim Brady Bunch joke. Just imagine one of them looking Jason dead in the eye and saying “Sure, Jan.”

Little Wing DICK GRAYSON EXCLUSIVE. Called Robin Jason this in Nightwing Year 1 and it’s very cute.

Jaybird ROY HARPER EXCLUSIVE. The reason I’m making this post because no one seems to remember that Roy and only Roy has ever called Jason this. But any time these two appear together, it’s usually said at least once.

Stephanie Brown

Steph Pretty much everyone calls her this at one point.

Stephie A few people if I recall, but I know Tim’s called her that.

Blondie Pretty sure a few people call her this, but notably Harper Row.

Damian Wayne Exclusives because He Was A Brat Wench Fatgirl Girl Blunder

Timothy Drake

Tim Everyone to the point where it’s just his name.

Timmy A lot of people call him this pretty teasingly. Dick, Jason, and Babs do it consistently, but that’s older siblings for ya. Bernard has done it too.

Timbo Dick and Jason as well as his friend Ives have called Tim this at the very least. Tim notably doesn't seem to like it, though he has used it himself in a derogatory way in his inner monologue.

Timbers I’ve only ever seen Jason call him this, but I could be missing things. Would not be surprised if Dick did too, but it’s very Jason.

Rob Most of Young Justice called him that up until he revealed his name (which took a while because Bruce was being controlling and overprotective, as he does). Short for “Robin”, obviously, which is all they knew him as.

My Robin I’m pretty sure each member of Young Justice has said this about Tim, though Conner does it the most and has the biggest negative reaction to literally anyone but Tim being Robin.

Cindy DICK GRAYSON EXCLUSIVE. It’s that Brady Bunch joke again!

Little Brother DICK GRAYSON EXCLUSIVE. I didn't originally include it because it had the same vibes as like "dude" or "jerk"; something that's easily tossed around, y'know? And it feels like a descriptor, but it is actually used as a title/nickname several times, especially when Dick is messing with Tim.

Pretender JASON TODD EXCLUSIVE. Though it should be noted, he only directly called him this one time. Aside from that, he more refers to Tim as A pretender, not as like a nickname or title. It’s a description. (like “replacement” was but fandom made that a nickname yes I am in fact bitter)

Duckboy HARLEY QUINN EXCLUSIVE. She says this once, but it’s hilarious so I’m keeping it.

Detective RA’S AL GHUL EXCLUSIVE. Ra’s is very particular about titles. The only other person he refers to as “Detective” is Bruce, and Dick one time in his internal monologue, so he is acknowledging Tim’s competence. And then proceeds to get a large portion of his resources obliterated by Tim <3

Stephanie Brown Exclusives because Girlfriend Sweetie Muffin Boy Virgin

Duke Thomas

Narrows Almost Jason exclusively, though I think Harper has called him this once or twice. In reference to the neighborhood he grew up in, as opposed to Jason and Harper's Park Row aka Crime Alley upbringing.

Newbie Jason calls him this frequently, though it's likely the others have too.

Baby Bird ELAINE THOMAS EXCLUSIVE. Yeah, surprisingly Duke is actually called this by his mom.

Damian Wayne

Gremlin Mostly exclusive to Tim, but Jason has called him this too. This also seems to be Tim’s go-to for Damian when not using his name or codename.

Dami Used by Jon Kent and Talia al Ghul, so presumably those closest to him.

Little D I think Barbara Gordon exclusive but I’m not sure.

Cousin Oliver Not said to his face to my knowledge, but the Brady Bunch in-joke between Dick and Tim.

Prince/Your Highness (other royal variations) A common way to mock Damian for his haughty air and stuck-up attitude. More common in the past because Damian was The Worst and never shut up about being the heir to Batman and the Demon's Head. He's grown a lot since then and this kind of joke is used less. He is still pretty snooty though.

D JON KENT EXCLUSIVE. I have yet to see anyone else call him this at least, and this is how Jon almost always refers to him.

Baby Bird TALIA AL GHUL EXCLUSIVE. I’ve seen her call him this once, and I don’t recall ever seeing anyone else call him this. Just wanted it known that Talia is the only one to call Damian this.

Tim Drake Exclusives because Tim is Petty and Damian was a Brat Little Monster Hobbit Homunculus Little snot Spoiled, vicious and homicidal little punk Heir to the Kingdom of the Damned

Note on how Damian refers to others: Damian usually uses full first names or surnames, depending on circumstance and closeness. He occasionally calls Dick “Dick” or “Richard”, but often calls him “Grayson”. He almost always refers to Tim as “Drake”, but occasionally as “Timothy”.

Fanon names that I dislike

Replacement Jason never once calls Tim this, and refers to Tim as A replacement about as much as Dick did about Jason (Yes Dick has at least once when talking to Bruce referred to Jason as his replacement). How common it is in this fandom to call Tim "Replacement" (with a capital R like it's a name or title!!!) drives me absolutely insane. It's not canon and tbh you can do better. Hell, "pretender" is right there! And Jason's a nerd, he would do better.

Baby Bird Like…it’s cute, but given it’s used in fanon almost exclusively for Tim, and POST DAMIAN, it just feels infantalizing. Especially when the only canon uses are mothers towards their kids. I see this a lot with Dick and Jason using it, which is...just no. Like, Dick, I get it, but he's more likely to call Tim "Little Brother". Jason would never allow himself to be seen as this soft to Tim. If he were trying to be gentle with him, he'd probably call him "kid". He's done that before.

Baby Bat(s) I have seen this used literally twice. Once where a goon mockingly called Tim that, and once in an AU where Harley said it to Damian. "Baby Bat" isn't a thing. Sorry.

Big Bird More amusing than anything but a little annoying. No one ever calls Dick that in canon and whenever I read it all I can think of is Sesame Street so unless a giant yellow muppet bird is what you're going for, maybe don't do that lol

Demon Brat/Demon Spawn Not the most egregious thing, especially considering the numerous nicknames Tim comes up with, but the consistency of its usage in fanon is a little frustrating. This is never used in-canon, and if you want to use it in your fanworks, just maybe intersperse it with other more creative nicknames, yeah? It's just unoriginal at this point.

Jaylad I don’t hate this one, but it’s such a huge misconception that it’s canon. Bruce has said “Jay, lad” a couple times because he calls like every boy he meets “lad” and people made up “Jaylad”. Not the worst thing ever, but it's not canon.

Golden Boy I don't actually have a problem with this one, but I may as well clear up that this is canon as a descriptor but not as a nickname for Dick. Like calling Jason "the dead Robin". Like, people have said that about him in-canon, but they haven't called him that. The common derivative "Goldie" is entirely fanon.

Non-canon nicknames I think are funny

Dick-face/Dickhead I’m sorry, I find it hilarious whenever someone (usually Jason) in fanfic calls him this. It’s also to me just a silly exaggeration of the obvious joke that has been made at least once (but probably several times by now) in canon about someone being about to call Nightwing a dick and someone else reminding them not to use names in the field. I think it’s hilarious.

Timberly I can’t tell you why this specific deviation of Tim is funny to me but it is. And I'm surprised I haven't seen Jason call Tim this in canon.

[secondgenerationnerd]

Little fic or headcannons of how much lian and roy are alike please and thank you

Oooooo imma do a fic! Someone mentioned this again and I’ve been thinking about it!

———————

When possible, the parents of Omega Squad like to get together for a ‘normal day’ with their kids. Well, as normal as their lives got. They rotated who hosted and who provided what food. Their kids enjoyed spending time with their parents….likely because some of them acted like they weren’t grown ass adults with teenage children.

“Is Jade on her way?” Linda asks Roy, swatting her husband’s hand away from the cake.

Roy nods, grinning at her phone, “Yeah, she is. Li’s been antsy all day about it. Not that she’d let me see it.”

Dick fakes a gasp, “A Harper avoiding showing their feelings? Say it isn’t so, Wallace!”

“I’m afraid it’s true, Richard.” Wally says solemnly, “When will they ever understand that being ‘too cool to care’ just keeps them apart from those who love them?”

“Hey, Bianca?” Roy calls to the beautiful woman chatting with Lois and Selina, “If I kill them, do you have to report it? Are you obligated to revive them or….?”

She glances at Dick and Wally, then back at Roy, “I’d revive one of them. Let the kids pick which one.”

Laughter fills the room as the teenagers get back from their ‘mission’ to the store. Several speedsters, two half aliens, plus growing teens means they need all the food they can get.

“Oh dear.” Jai sighs, “I think they finally lost it. I thought we had at least another week for Dad.”

“Don’t be an ass, dude,” Jon snorts, kissing his mother’s cheek as he carries most the grocery bags. “If anyone gets dementia first, it’ll be Bruce—“

More laughs and a faux glare from the Bat himself. Roy sees his daughter staring at him, “Yes, Lian Alice?”

“Ugh, you and Mom had to go with Alice for my middle name.” She rolls her eyes. “I sound like a Bridgerton character.”

“It’s a very respectable name for a little demon.” Roy says cheerfully, kissing her temple, “You can air your grievances to your mom in twenty minutes.”

To anyone who didn’t know her, the eye roll she gives her father would be disrespectful. But every adult in the room knows how anxious the topic of her mother is. It’s a simple way for her father to answer the question gnawing at her without her having to ask. Of course, her friends and boyfriend would never dare let her worry on it….even if she ‘doesn’t care’.

“Hey, Roja, did you ever try on that shirt I made?” Milagro asks, leaning against her father’s side on the couch.

“Aw fuck, I forgot, I’ll go try it on now.” She bats her eyes at Jai, teasing, “Any chance you want to help me change?”

“Jai Bartholomew,” Roy doesn’t turn back from where he’s putting the groceries away, “Make one move up those stairs and Irey becomes an only child.”

“I was going to say no, Uncle Roy, promise!” Not a single person believes the speedster with that mischievous look on his face. A few minutes after Lian disappears to her room, Roy notices how Dick and Wally look at him.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just funny how you seem to forget where here shamelessness comes from. “If anyone else said that about his kid, Roy would kill them. But from Dick, he takes it as the teasing it is.

“Isn’t the point of parenthood making your kids better than you?”

Wally snorts at that, “Just yesterday you said ‘as long as she doesn’t do crack, murder is a cake walk.’”

“And I’ll die on that hill, thank you, Wallace.” Roy says, rolling his eyes. “Besides, I’m not shameless.”

“Right,” Dick nods, “Remind me how old Lian was when she said she knew you and Jaybird were together?”

“That depends, Uncle Dick,” Lian appears down the stairs, “How old I was when I told them? Or when I knew?”

The shirt she’d changed into is made of a sheer, deep red material. The sleeveless cut shows off her muscular back and arms. A black band of fabric hugs her breasts, a contrast against the exposed skin. Flip her long dark ponytail, Lian holds out her arms.

“I accept compliments but prefer cash.”

“Red really is your color,” Milagro says with a laugh, getting up to check the fit of the shirt. “Not too snug anywhere?”

“Not really, but if you want to check, my safe word is ‘French toast’.”

“Lian!” Roy meant to chide his daughter, but it came out as a laugh. How many times had he said the same thing to people in this room? Milagro does tug at the fabric, holding it at different lengths to see how they look. Several old scars poke out from the top, but most of them haven’t seen that burn in the center of her back before.

“What’s that, Chiquita?” Bianca asks, motioning at an old burn on her back.

“Hmm?” Lian looks over her shoulder, “Oh! Dad, isn’t that the brand from the human traffickers?”

The room goes quiet. The kids look intrigued at the new lore while the adults seem horrified. Roy glances at it. “Oh yeah. You were little bitty when it happened. I’m shocked they didn’t let you go when you called them pussies.”

“Excuse you, old man? I was a delightful child!” She scoffs, “Easily worth a few thousand.”

Were they really joking about this? Holy shit they were. Trust the Harper’s to come in with dark humor.

“Maybe nowadays, but then? You’d have settled for a sandwich and a nap.”

“Um,” Bianca blinks at the pair, “What happened?”

“Oh some jackasses kidnapped her. They were going to sell her to some creeps I’m sure, branded her to ‘keep track of merchandise’ blah blah blah.” Roy sips his soda.

It’s Lois who asks the next question, “And when you arrived?”

Oh that smile on his. Omega has seen it on Lian so many times. It’s not the Chesire cat grin she has during a fight. It’s an easy, almost laidback smile that could put anyone at ease….if the look in his eyes wasn’t murderous.

“When I left,” Roy says, ignoring the specifics of her question, “They were still breathing. I can’t say for sure if they were when my wife left.”

[this-is-a-dystopian-parable]

Intermission

1/2/?

So of course already we were losing our minds over the show. Everyone was doing an amazing job, we had heard the new Needy replacement!!! (No new name yet but I'm going to call it One Last Dance until further notice)

Headed out to the lobby. Told Krista we were loving it so far and asked if we were being distracting being right down in front and she said no which was good. Spicedch4i and I were CLINGING to each other. We had our arms in each others laps just gripping for dear life like we were on a roller coaster. We were tapping our feet and hands to the beat and silently mouthing our favorite lines and trying to point out little moments without causing too much of a distraction.

It was just so surreal. The set is the same, the choreography is almost entirely the same. It felt like more than just seeing the show, it was like seeing the original show way back in 2015 come to life in front of us. The comments so far, song by song:

Introdemmo:

MSM lyrics (the cuts stayed) with 2015 YMTC vibes and choreo. The commentators are WONDERFUL, if you're a fan of 2015 commentators you will love them, they're the perfect match but also bring their own energy and chaos to it. New to this production, the contestants are no longer just staying on motion for the duration of each heat, it's ALWAYS. This means that even in lulls, they have to awkwardly shuffle their feet around to stay "dancing" it's not distracting actually, it's just interesting.

So Smart:

Pretty much as expected. There's more dialogue here setting up Ellie and Zander as antagonists, plus the "oh so you think gay people are freaks?" line is cut. In fact, there isn't a hint of homophobia from any of the teens in this one, and I like that! Not that it was a major plot point before or anything, but at least there were hints of it. Now it's gone, Grace and Tye are open about their relationship and everyone supports it.

Northern Star:

The length is the same as MSM, but the list portion of the song has new nouns! This isn't a huge change thematically but I do think it's cool. Zander does a death drop in the choreo. He's been vogueing a lot while he talks, the two are super flamboyant all the time.

Dancing Plague:

They cut "fewer rats doesn't mean no rats" :(((((

All the heats have great new projections that are better mapped to the set! This one has a border and background of medieval tapestry, with cutouts of people placed on top and moved a round a little like they're dancing. I enjoyed it.

The henchmen have STRETCHERS NOW. THEYRE BLACK.

Sampson's "I didn't feel a pulse" came after a looooong break it was great.

Needy ONE LAST DANCE:

Here it is: THE NEEDY REPLACEMENT!!!

So in general, the trio's interactions have changed. Janelle is no longer with Cyrus, or at least, the whole sex deal is no longer part of their dynamic. It's a lot more centered in on Harper and Janelle, with Cyrus and Harper being a different interaction, and then Cyrus and Janelle having their moments comforting each other.

This song is a breakup tango. It's an intense and moody song where Harper tells Janelle their "very special friendship" is at an end, while Janelle begs for one last dance with her before it's over, in a verse with a more upbeat waltz feel. And they are tangoing, Janelle even dips Harper. It's amazing.

I'll put a link to the lyrics here as not to make this post any longer lol.

And Janelle KNOWS this is coming, she's forward and honest about knowing that this was going to happen eventually, but she's not doing a very good job of hiding how upset she is, and later lashes out a couple times.

Jazz Age / Subtle:

Not much different, the "how are you two" was given back to Cyrus instead of ensemble. Roy & Nicki are MSM lines & backstory with 2015 vibes.

The DJ:

Ohhhh baby. Oh god. Oh man. He is everything.

You know me. Number one DJ fan.

He is everything I missed in each version. He is all the confidence and charisma and showmanship of 2015 but edgier and more a purposeful bully like MSM. His voice has a Beetlejuice growl and he's incredibly expressive with it. The LAZER GLOVES that are used during the pre-existing puppet choreography. I fucking love those gloves I'll probably be writing an entire breakdown of his costume.

The way he jumps and dances around the set with such EASE despite his PLATFORM BOOTS is incredible.

AAAAND THAT'S ACT ONE!

I will type up act 2 and also all of our conversation after the show into the next post!!!

1/2/?

[ablueorangeintheocean]

Fleurs du mal / Flowers of Evil

L'Héautontimorouménos

À J.G.F.

Je te frapperai sans colère Et sans haine, comme un boucher, Comme Moïse le rocher! Et je ferai de ta paupière,

Pour abreuver mon Saharah, Jaillir les eaux de la souffrance. Mon désir gonflé d'espérance Sur tes pleurs salés nagera

Comme un vaisseau qui prend le large, Et dans mon coeur qu'ils soûleront Tes chers sanglots retentiront Comme un tambour qui bat la charge!

Ne suis-je pas un faux accord Dans la divine symphonie, Grâce à la vorace Ironie Qui me secoue et qui me mord?

Elle est dans ma voix, la criarde! C'est tout mon sang ce poison noir! Je suis le sinistre miroir Où la mégère se regarde.

Je suis la plaie et le couteau! Je suis le soufflet et la joue! Je suis les membres et la roue, Et la victime et le bourreau!

Je suis de mon coeur le vampire, — Un de ces grands abandonnés Au rire éternel condamnés Et qui ne peuvent plus sourire!

— Charles Baudelaire

The Man Who Tortures Himself

To J. G. F.

I shall strike you without anger And without hate, like a butcher, As Moses struck the rock! And from your eyelids I shall make

The waters of suffering gush forth To inundate my Sahara. My desire swollen with hope Will float upon your salty tears

Like a vessel which puts to sea, And in my heart that they'll make drunk Your beloved sobs will resound Like a drum beating the charge!

Am I not a discord In the heavenly symphony, Thanks to voracious Irony Who shakes me and who bites me?

She's in my voice, the termagant! All my blood is her black poison! I am the sinister mirror In which the vixen looks.

I am the wound and the dagger! I am the blow and the cheek! I am the members and the wheel, Victim and executioner!

I'm the vampire of my own heart — One of those utter derelicts Condemned to eternal laughter, But who can no longer smile!

— William Aggeler, The Flowers of Evil (Fresno, CA: Academy Library Guild, 1954)

Heautontimoroumenos

To J. G. F.

I'll strike you, but without the least Anger — as butchers poll an ox, Or Moses, when he struck the rocks — That from your eyelid thus released,

The lymph of suffering may brim To slake my desert of its drought. So my desire, by hope made stout, Upon your salty tears may swim,

Like a proud ship, far out from shore. Within my heart, which they'll confound With drunken joy, your sobs will sound Like drums that beat a charge in war.

Am I not a faulty chord In all this symphony divine, Thanks to the irony malign That shakes and cuts me like a sword?

It's in my voice, the raucous jade! It's in my blood's black venom too! I am the looking-glass, wherethrough Megera sees herself portrayed!

I am the wound, and yet the blade! The smack, and yet the cheek that takes it! The limb, and yet the wheel that breaks it, The torturer, and he who's flayed!

One of the sort whom all revile, A Vampire, my own blood I quaff, Condemned to an eternal laugh Because I know not how to smile.

— Roy Campbell, Poems of Baudelaire (New York: Pantheon Books, 1952)

Heauton Timoroumenos

I mean to strike you without hate, As butchers do; as Moses did The rock. From under either lid Your tears will flow to inundate

This huge Sahara which is I. My heart, insensible with pain, Caught in that flood will live again: Will care whether it live or die —

Will strive as in the salty sea, Drunken with brine and all but drowned, Yet driven onward by the sound Of your wild sobbing endlessly!

For look �� I am at war, my dear, With the whole universe. I know There is no medicine for my woe. Believe me, it is called Despair.

It runs in all my veins. I pray: It cries in all my words. I am The very glass where what I damn Leers and admires itself all day.

I am the wound — I am the knife The deep wound scabbards; the outdrawn Rack, and the writhing thereupon; The lifeless, and the taker of life.

I murder what I most adore, Laughing: I am indeed of those Condemned for ever without repose To laugh — but who can smile no more.

— George Dillon, Flowers of Evil (NY: Harper and Brothers, 1936)

Heautontimoroumenos

Like a butcher I will strike you Without anger and without hate As Moses struck the rock! And from your eyelid I will cause,

In order to irrigate my Sahara, The waters of suffering to gush forth. My desire swollen with hope Will float on your salty tears

Like a vessel moving out from shore, And in my heart which they will intoxicate Your dear sobs will resound Like a drum beating the charge!

Am I not a false chord In the divine symphony, Thanks to the voracious Irony Which shakes and bites me?

The raucous girl is in my voice! This black poison is my blood! I am the sinister mirror In which the megara looks at herself!

I am the wound and the blade! I am the slap and the cheek! I am the limbs and the wheel, The victim and the executioner!

I am the vampire of my own heart — One of the deserted men Condemned to eternal laughter, And who can no longer smile!

— Wallace Fowlie, Flowers of Evil (New York: Dover Publications, 1964)

Heautontimoroumenos The Man Who Tortures Himself

I shall cleave without scrape or shock, And, like a butcher, without hate, Like Moses, when he struck the rock. From your eyes I shall generate Waters of woe throughout the years To quench my fierce Sahara fires, Swollen with vast hope, my desires Shall float upon your bitter tears Like a proud vessel, sailing large; And in my heart, drunk at the sound, Your cherished sobbing shall resound Like drums beating the long lost charge.

Am I not a discordant note In the celestial symphony, Thanks to voracious Irony Who shakes and bites me at the throat? She's in my voice, the scold; her black Poison is all my blood, alas! I am the direful looking glass Which flashes her reflection back. I am the wound, the knives that strike, The blows that crush, the head that reels, I am wrenched limbs and grinding wheels, Victim and hangman, as you like!

Vampire of my own heart, meanwhile, A derelict, I am of those Doomed to eternal laughter's throes, Yet powerless to frame a smile!

— Jacques LeClercq, Flowers of Evil (Mt Vernon, NY: Peter Pauper Press, 1958)

Heautontimoroumenos

I'd slip it to you Without the least qualm or queasiness Like a butcher slitting the throat of a chimp Or Bunuel turning the bourgeois into a limp gallery Of frustrated meat.

What, the waters of suffering to Slake the Saharas of my desire? Your few tears won't ever sell In the dead and tedious ocean That swims through my heart Of war.

I was born into this dissonant symphony To be a puncturing chord among the factions, Spite has been my spirit's Unadministerable poison And I am locked in the show That wants most of all To have itself.

There is an inconsolable ache In this member's voice, a lust for unhappeningness In Borges' library or endlessly branching plot trees Excited testaments of paper.

I can be the wound And simultaneously the knife Be the active thought And a catacomb piled with unidentifiable bones The Latin American Terrorist incarcerated And the sadistic attaching Electrodes to his balls.

I am the Judas who plays both parts And whom all try to revile A vampire of my own blood Condemned to a hysterical laugh And ferocious smile.

— Will Schmitz

L'Héautontimouroménos

I'll strike thee without enmity nor wrath, like butchers at the block, like Moses when he smote the rock! I'll make those eyelids gush for me

with springs of suffering, whose flow shall slake the desert of my thirst; — a salt flood, where my lust accurst, with Hope to plump her sail, shall go

as from the port a pitching barge, and in my heart they satiate thy sobs I love shall fulminate loud as a drum that beats a charge!

for am I not a clashing chord in all Thy heavenly symphony, thanks to this vulture Irony that shakes and bites me always, Lord?

she's in my voice, the screaming elf! my poisoned blood came all from her! I am the mirror sinister in which the vixen sees herself!

I am the wound and I the knife! I am the blow I give, and feel! I am the broken limbs, the wheel, the hangman and the strangled life!

I am my heart's own vampire, for God has forsaken me, and men, these lips can never smile again, but laugh they must, and evermore!

— Lewis Piaget Shanks, Flowers of Evil (New York: Ives Washburn, 1931)

Navigation

Two editions of Fleurs du mal were published in Baudelaire's lifetime — one in 1857 and an expanded edition in 1861. "Scraps" and censored poems were collected in Les Épaves in 1866. After Baudelaire died the following year, a "definitive" edition appeared in 1868. SOURCE: https://fleursdumal.org/poem/151

[evilwickedme]

The +1 is one of Bruce's love interests asking his kids for permission

So this ask is referring to my tags on this post by @darsky17 where various slash pairings for the batkids try to bribe Bruce into giving them their blessing to marry his kids and I said this would be a cute 5+1 if I could think of a plus one and I love this so much !!!

Anyway I wrote it

before we get married, I need to get permission from Batman

also on ao3 here

1

Bruce has never seen Wally West this nervous – or at the very least, he’s never known him to sit in his nervousness for this long. It’s been a solid minute of sitting in absolute silence in his office in Wayne Manor, and he can’t help but wonder why he’s been called into this meeting by the Flash.

“Wally,” he gruffs, hoping it’ll prompt the kid to say something. Well, kid – neither he nor Dick were really kids anymore, were they, approaching thirty as they were. They were settling down, and Bruce was feeling more and more his age nowadays.

Wally releases a nervous laugh. “Bruce.”

Bruce sighs. “If you’re not going to tell me why you’ve asked me here, I do have business to attend to.”

“No, wait!” Wally says, blushing. “Oh, I don’t know how to say this.”

Bruce was very careful not to let his frustration show. He was aware that he could be… intimidating, when he wasn’t in control of his expressions.

Wally grabs a pen and random piece of paper from his desk as quick as – well – the Flash, and scribbles something on the back of it, before handing it back to Bruce.

Can I marry your son? is scribbled in nigh-illegible handwriting on the back of it.

Bruce breathes a sigh of relief. Is this what this all was about? “Is that all?”

Wally nods once.

“Of course, Wally,” Bruce says, to Wally’s visible relief. “I honestly am a little surprised you even asked. The two of you have known each other for over a decade, and I’ve trusted you with my life in the field.”

“Yeah, but now you’re trusting me with your son,” Wally says.

“And now I’m trusting you with my son,” Bruce agrees. “For the rest of your lives, hopefully.”

2

Bruce comes home to absolute chaos. It’s a full house for Thanksgiving tonight, but he didn’t expect most of the guests to arrive until much later – and he’s still a little surprised whenever these particular guests arrive at all, although it’s always a pleasant one.

“Jason,” Bruce sighs, “why is Damian threatening Lian with his katana?”

Lian Harper, a very bright seven year old who also happened to be Jason’s partner’s daughter, was currently holding onto Titus for dear life as Jason and Roy Harper – said partner of Jason’s – worked together to keep Damian from slicing her to pieces.

“Miss Lian made a comment regarding keeping Titus to herself,” Alfred provides. “Master Damian took it badly.”

“He’s cute!” Lian yells.

“He’s not yours!” Damian yells back, struggling to get past Jason’s bulk.

“Damian!” Bruce snaps. “Lian isn’t taking Titus, and even if she was, it will never be appropriate for you to threaten a seven year old with your katana!”

“Yeah, you tell ‘im,” Jason says.

“Why are you here, Jason?” Bruce says wearily, instead of dealing with Jason’s unnecessary tone. Damian, luckily, finally backs off and is guided away by Alfred, who Bruce sends a quick grateful look towards. “Not that I don’t want to see you, we just weren’t expecting anyone until three at the earliest.”

“Actually, it was because of me,” says a sheepish Roy. “I didn’t expect it to get so dramatic, 

but I needed to have a quick word with you before everybody else arrives.”

Jason just shrugs when Bruce looks at him. “If it were up to me, this conversation wouldn’t be happening, just go talk to him.”

“Uh,” Bruce says. Then he suggests, “Shall we go downstairs?”

“This is an upstairs conversation,” Jason says confidently. “Come on, I’ll go get Lian something to eat in the kitchen, you can talk in the lounge or something.”

Lounge it was.

The two of them sat down facing each other, and Roy immediately started speaking. “I want to marry Jason.”

Bruce blinks.

“We’ve talked about it, and it’s what’s best. I’ve been a stabilizing influence in his life, and Lian is attached to him now. He wants to adopt her. And we’ve been living together for two years now, it just seems like the next logical step. And he’d never admit it, but he loves when shit’s traditional and whatnot, so before I can buy the ring and actually propose I’m asking you for his hand. But if you say no we’re never showing up to Thanksgiving ever again.”

Bruce has managed to blink twice more before Roy finishes his speech.

He’s experiencing the most bizarre sense of de ja vu. It was somehow both more complicated and a lot simpler with Wally and Dick than it is with Roy and Jason.

“Say something,” Roy says, a smidgen of nervousness creeping into his voice.

“You love him?”

Because the thing is, Bruce knew there was a physical aspect to Jason and Roy’s partnership, and he’d suspected there was more to it, that there were feelings involved as well. But they’d never acted like a couple. So he just… has to be sure.

Roy visibly relaxes. “Is that all?”

Bruce nods.

“Yeah, Bruce,” he says. “I love him. I’ve been loving him. I’ll keep on loving him, too. As long as he’ll have me. Wouldn’t marry him otherwise.”

“Then yes,” Bruce says.

Roy nods once, then gets up, wiping his hands on the front of pants as if from sweat. He couldn’t have possibly been actually worried about Bruce’s answer, had he?

“I’m going to go find my daughter and future husband, then,” he says.

3

It’s a quiet night in the middle of the week when Spoiler unexpectedly joins Batman on a roof during patrol.

He’s surveilling the warehouse below for any suspicious activity.

There has, so far, not been any suspicious activity.

Steph makes some small talk, which passes half an hour just fine. He asks her about her classes, and if she’s getting enough sleep. She assures him she doesn’t have any Thursday morning classes, which wasn’t what he’d been asking, but also wasn’t not what he’d been asking.

After a while, though, the night goes quiet. Bruce is pretty sure Steph joined him specifically to say whatever it is that she’s getting ready to say right now, so he doesn’t interrupt. That, and he’s never been particularly chatty.

“I know I’m not your daughter,” Steph says.

Bruce recoils. “That – ”

“No, wait, that came out wrong,” Steph says quickly. “I don’t mean that – ugh. Okay. Let’s start over, can we start over?”

Bruce waits, knowing she’ll take that for the permission to continue that it is.

“I’m in love with your daughter,” she says. “I have been for a while. And I’m not saying it’s coming up any time soon, but I guess what I was wondering is… how you would feel if I was part of your family. For real, I mean.”

“Spoiler,” Bruce says.

“I’m not asking you to be my dad,” Steph continues as if uninterrupted.

“Spoiler, I,” Bruce says, and this time waits for Steph to make sure she’s done. Once convinced, he continues, “I know I’ve been… less than perfect, with you especially. But I hope it’s never been in doubt that I. I want the best for my children. And that blood or not, I. I love you, like one of my children. And I would be eternally grateful to have you as a member of my family.”

Steph says nothing, just looks at the warehouse Bruce has been neglecting. Bruce waits for her to respond, but eventually looks back at the warehouse as well. Nothing new.

She pounces on him, hugging him from the side as tight as she can. “Thank you,” she says wetly, then, before he can make a decision on what to do with his arms, she darts away. “I’ll see you around, Batman. Also, I’m pretty sure the operation in this warehouse cleared out last week, Oracle said something about it last time I talked to her.”

Batman doesn’t swear, but he comes close to it right then.

4&5

Spending a weekend at the Kent farm sounded a lot more pleasant in theory than it ended up being. There was no room, for one, so Jon and Damian and Kon and Tim had both doubled up, while Bruce ended up on the couch, having had to fight the Kents for the privilege of not replacing them in their own beds.

“You wouldn’t have anywhere to sleep if I did,” Bruce points out. “It’s fine.”

And it would’ve been. If it weren’t for the fact that farm sleeping schedules were entirely antithetical to his own. Batman was the Night Incarnate, and Bruce often ended up in bed at four, five, or even six am.

Jonathan and Martha Kent were up at sunrise, and Clark joined them to help, and Bruce could not sleep through the racket the two of them were pulling in the kitchen while also having the audacity to stage whisper, as if that was any quieter than speaking.

So he was understandably cranky when a scant two hours later, at the abominably early hour of seven am, he was awoken by the two Kent boys’ fight.

“I’ll be the first!”

“No, I’ll be the first, you’re literally twelve!”

“Age is only a number!”

“Where the hell did you even hear that?”

“What is going on?”

Oh good, Lois has joined whatever this is. Bruce gives up any semblance of sleep.

“Oh, um.”

“Jon and I were just…”

“They were,” a yawn punctuates Tim’s introduction to the conversation. Bruce gets off the couch. “They were fighting over which one of them would get to marry a Wayne.”

“Tt. Ridiculous. It’s clearly Jon.”

“I’m not fighting with you over this. I’m going back to bed. Don’t fight with your twelve year old brother about stupid shit, Kon.”

“But Tim,” Kon whines.

Bruce arrives at the scene of the crime – the hallway at the top of the stairs. The conversation immediately stops dead.

“You can both marry my sons, assuming they are an appropriate age and not already married to someone else, in this hypothetical future marriage proposal,” Bruce says. “But only if, and I do mean only if, I get some damn sleep between now and then.”

Jon and Kon both look properly chastened. Tim, who was also arguing for sleep, looks vindicated, while Damian chooses, as was to be expected, to hide his embarrassment, and Lois has never been scared of Bruce in her life, which is one of the main reasons he likes her.

“Come on, cranky pants, you can use Clark’s bed now that we’re all awake,” she tells him.

Her practical, hands on approach to solving problem was another reason, of course.

+1

There were so many kids in this house nowadays. But only six of them were, legally, Bruce’s. So Selina approaches those six first.

“Dick, Jason,” she says, “Tim, Duke, Cass, Damian. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Selina,” Jason says, sounding amused. “Thanks for the role call. Are we here for a specific reason, or?”

“Hmm, well,” Selina says. Then she shows her hand – literally.

Tim whistles. “That one’s much nicer than the last one. Assuming you didn’t steal it?”

“That’s fair,” she says. “No, I didn’t steal it. He asked, again. And I said yes, again.”

“This is going to be a disaster,” Jason says gleefully.

Dick hits his arm. “Don’t be like that, Jay,” he says, “you’ve been living in married bliss for like, four years. Maybe something rubbed off on him.”

“Tt. As if Father has anything to learn from Todd,” Damian says snootily. Selina resists the urge to scratch him between the ears like a slightly hissy cat.

“Well, maybe not nothing,” Selina says. “He made quite a convincing case that we could make it work this time. And I want to.”

“You do?” Duke asks, suspicious. Also fair.

“I promise,” Selina swears. “Is that okay by all of you?”

“Cass?” Tim asks.

“Truth,” Cass says simply.

Tim shrugs. “Good enough for me.”

Dick smiles at her.

Damian tuts, but it’s almost friendly.

Duke nods.

Jason shrugs. “If he wants to try again, we’re not going to stop him.”

Selina smiles. She knows that this really is – acceptance.

“Thank you,” she says. “I can’t wait to be a part of this family.”

[ragingbookdragon]

I’m Only A Crack In This Castle Of Glass (Hardly Anything Else I Need To Be) PT. 7

Batfamily x Batsis Story

Word Count: 2.1K Warnings: Explicit Language, Angst

Author’s Note: Anyone order a part seven? Cause I got a part seven for y'all. Enjoy! -Thorne

**********************************************************************

Ever since the meeting that night, she’d gotten more letters from her family than she’d ever received in twenty-one years. Not that she decided to read them. The first line from Dick’s letter was, ”I never wanted you to leave because of me. If only I’d known…”. She couldn’t keep reading, and she wasn’t sure if it were from guilt, sadness, or anger, but there was something there that she didn’t want to face.

It didn’t stop there though. They kept coming even if she tacked a return to sender on it and sent it back. She’d even labeled one and written, ”Stop writing me.” but that didn’t stop them. Wally texted her every other night on top of the letters and she wanted to strangle him through the phone.

She knew though, that if she could keep holding out for three more months, she’d be home free. Wherever home was at this point. Every city she kept thinking about had some type of vigilante and there was nothing that didn’t; eventually she decided on Coast City. Somewhere warm and sunny, and as far from Gotham and Central as possible.

Of course that little voice in the back of her head just kept telling her to talk to them, but she was going to be as stubborn against it as possible—but time was dwindling, and so was her resolve.

***

“Ophelia, have you seen the extra bag of espresso beans? I can’t remember where you put them the other week.” She waited for a response. “Ophelia?” she turned and frowned. “Why did I accept the manager’s position when I can’t even round up my workers?”

She walked out of the storage and wiped her hands on the rag at her waist. “Ophelia?” A giggle sounded at the counter and when she walked out, her eyes went wide at the sight.

Jason was leaning against the counter with that smile he used to use on the models at the galas. He smiled at Ophelia. “Tell me, what do you make better, the cappuccinos or lattes?”

“Well, I make a —”

“She makes a mean ‘get in the back and find my espresso beans’,” she grunted and both of them jumped.

“Melisandre!” Ophelia stuttered, pale cheeks flushing pink. “I thought you were in the back.”

“I was. Think you can go find the coffee beans you put away?” She shot Ophelia a stare that screamed ‘scram’ and the girl nodded, hurrying to the storage room.

“Aww, why’d you run the cutie off, Melisandre?” Jason queried. “I was going to ask her out on—”

“Can I talk to you?” she interrupted, voice barely containing her seething rage. “Outside.”

Jason shrugged and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “Sure, but be careful, people might get suspicious.”

She grunted and walked outside, listening to him follow and when the door shut, she turned around and hissed, “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just getting coffee.”

“Oh, don’t play dumb with me, Jason. We both know that’s a load of bullshit.”

His eyes narrowed and he noted, “You’ve really gotten comfortable using foul language. You know that, (Y/N)?”

She glared at him. “What. Do. You. Want.”

“You won’t answer our letters,” he shrugged. “Didn’t have a lot of options to talk.”

“And showing up at my job is the better option?” she griped.

“It was that or your house, (Y/N). Take your pick but you can’t have both.”

“Well, maybe my silence is supposed to be the answer to those letters. Did you think about that?”

“I did,” he nodded. “But after the third letter being rejected, I decided to go big or go home.”

(Y/N) growled. “Go home.”

Jason smirked. “No.”

“I’m not fucking joking here, Jason. I don’t want you coming here. Ever.”

“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn,” he retorted then stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. “You don’t wanna talk willingly, fine. I’ll make you talk to me. And if I have to show up here every day, I will.”

“No, you won’t.”

Jason cocked a brow and tightened his grip. “You wanna bet? Because I’m not Dick and I’m sure as hell not Bruce. I don’t have a day job to get to.” He smirked. “I can do this all day.”

(Y/N) bit the inside of her cheek and thought for a moment then sighed and yanked her arm away. “Fine. Come to my apartment after five. We’ll talk there.”

“Thank—”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she interrupted coldly. “I’m agreeing for one meeting and then you fuck off back to Gotham City and leave me the hell alone for good.” She spun on her heel and started back for the door when his voice reached her, tired and pained.

“Do you really hate all of us? Do you really hate us like you make yourself think you do?”

(Y/N)’s feet felt like lead and she stopped, gazing at the glass door. “I don’t know, Jason.”

“Then let me help.”

“You can find the apartment on your own. I know you’re good at looking for homes.” She slipped in the café door, leaving him standing there shocked and hurt.

***

Sure enough, a minute after five o’clock, her doorbell rang and she called, “It’s open.” The door opened and shut, and she looked up from the little kitchenette, watching the way Jason walked into her apartment, gazing around the empty living room.

“Shit, do you live in a home or a prison cell?”

(Y/N) grunted. “Nice quip. Come up with that by yourself?”

He wandered into the kitchen, leaning back against the counter as she prepared dinner. “What’re you making?”

“Chicken marsala,” she replied. “You’re here to talk. Start talking.”

“Are you going to be a bitch like you were the other night or can I ask about life in Central the last three years?” she shot him a glare, warning him, but he paid it no mind. “You going to school?”

(Y/N) nodded. “I go to Central City Community College. Take classes all week at different times.”

“What are you studying?” he asked.

“For now, general studies, but I’m minoring in political science.”

“Planning on a four year after you graduate?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Her hands stalled for a moment. “I don’t have the money for a big school to get a bachelors.” Shaking her head, she chopped up the vegetables. “Figure if I can get a job in the area, I can scrounge up enough to start the process though.”

“Might take years,” Jason noted, and she nodded.

“Yeah, hard work usually does.” (Y/N) glanced at him. “What’s Cassandra like?”

He blinked, evidently not expecting that, though he recovered and smiled. “She’s great honestly. Kicks ass better than anyone I know.”

“Even Batman?”

Jason huffed a laugh. “I’m sure she could wipe the floor with each of us if she decided to not hold back. Her mom’s Lady Shiva and her dad’s David Cain.”

“I don’t know who they are but I’m assuming from the tone that they’re not exactly the best parents in the world.”

“No…they’re not.” He agreed. “David didn’t teach Cass how to speak so she’s been mute all her life.”

“I’ve heard the few interviews she’s given,” (Y/N) replied. “She’s very eloquent when she does.”

“Shakespeare’s influence. And probably Emily Dickinson.” He smiled. “I leave her a lot of books to read so I can be her favorite.”

She snorted. “Yeah, that sounds like you.” Sliding the cast iron skillet into the oven, she sat at the crappy metal dining table, Jason taking the seat on the other side. (Y/N) scratched at the table. “Does Bruce like her?” she questioned lowly, and he nodded.

“Loves her like she’s his own.” He her with cautious eyes. “Just like he loves you.” Jason watched the emotion flash across her face, quick as lighting, a deep sorrow, then she was humming.

“Well, that’s good then.” She cleared her throat and looked at the clock. “How’ve you been? I hear a lot about Outlaws.”

Jason chuckled. “Yeah, that’s my band of renegades. Me, Roy Harper, and Koriand’r.”

“Remind me, those were Speedy and Starfire, right?”

He snorted. “Arsenal and Starfire. But yeah, close enough.”

(Y/N) got up and pulled two glasses from the cabinet before going to the refrigerator and getting the lemonade. She poured them both glasses and sat back down. “How’d you manage to wrangle two of the Titans into your posse?”

“Kori willingly tagged along, and Roy won’t leave me alone,” he griped, sipping his lemonade.

“Mmm…and how does Dick feel about you stealing two of his exes?”

Jason choked on his drink, spilling it on the table and down his chin. “That’s not—” he coughed. “That’s not what that is.”

“Uh huh, sure it’s not.”

“It isn’t,” he glowered.

“Riiiiiiight,” she drawled out with a grin, then took a sip and set her glass back down. “Figured you’d get Cass along with you. she seems like she’d be fit for Outlaws.”

He shook his head. “Nah, she’d be better off with Tim and his Young Justice weirdos.”

“She non-lethal?”

“Mhm.”

They dwindled into silence until the timer went off on the oven and she pulled the skillet out and set two plates on the table. “You’re gonna feed me?” he asked as she handed him a fork.

(Y/N) scoffed. “Duh. I’m a bitch, but I’m a bitch with manners.” She smiled sweetly. “But you have to leave afterwards.”

“Mmm…can I crash on your couch?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

He shrugged. “Figured I’d try anyways.”

They ate in silence, occasionally speaking about their lives the last three years, and when the food was all gone and the lemonade drunk, he sighed and reclined in the chair.

“What?” (Y/N) questioned and he shrugged.

“Dunno…I’d like to do this again soon.” His teal eyes found hers. “It’s been too long since we were together.”

“Tread carefully,” she murmured, looking at the wall and he sighed.

“Sis, talk to me,” he begged. “Even if it’s just to tell me how much you hate me, just talk to me.” She didn’t respond and he sighed again, standing from the table. “Thanks for dinner.”

“…I hate that you all put Gotham and every civilian before our family.” Jason stopped dead in his tracks and turned, gazing at her, though she didn’t tear her eyes from the wall. “I hate that the only time I felt like anyone paid any attention to me was when we were at galas and even then, the attention was just for show. It didn’t matter because all anyone wanted to do was get the hell out of the manor and go on patrol. It didn’t matter because I wasn’t like any of you. I wasn’t a part of the real family.”

Tears gathered in her eyes. “I hate that I spent more nights sitting in a dark and silent manor than spending them with my family. I hate that I never had a normal family growing up where we’d go for ice-cream after school and attend school performances. I hate that I got stuck with a bunch of siblings hellbent on giving every piece of themselves to the world and they couldn’t take one night off to have a family night to save their lives. To at least pretend to be normal.”

(Y/N) finally took her eyes from the wall and he felt his heart tighten as the tears slipped down her cheeks and she breathed, “I hate that I was born Bruce Wayne’s biological daughter and I’d give anything and everything I have to be someone else’s daughter and sister.”

Jason’s mouth felt dry, and he didn’t have single thing to say to her and she whispered, “Is that what you wanted to hear, Jason?” she blinked. “Because that’s what I feel every morning I wake up.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, and she cleared her throat, wiping her cheeks.

“Yeah well, I’m three years passed sorry.” (Y/N) nodded to the front door. “You should leave now.”

Jason nodded but his feet didn’t move. For a moment, he couldn’t move them, then he sucked in a breath and started edging back to the door. When he neared the door, he pulled it open and paused, looking back at her. “(Y/N)?” she didn’t answer but he said it anyway. “I love you. More than you’ve ever known.” He sighed and stepped out, closing it behind him.

(Y/N) buried her face in her hands and sobbed alone at the dinner table.

********************************************************************************

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[bitimdrake]

What DC comics runs/storylines would you recommend for buying trades?

A great question! That I am...sort of equipped to answer. I've only read in individual issues and never actually used a trade so I can't comment on the quality/value of the trades themselves. But I trawled through a list of DC collected editions for this, and will now call out those I've read and enjoyed.

This is mostly just Titans and batkids at the moment. I have a super high tolerance for mediocre comics that feature my faves, but I will try to be discerning here and add notes.

Year Ones:

Robin: Year One (2000) - little 4-issue story featuring Dick as Robin

Batgirl: Year One (2003) - mini-series about Babs becoming Batgirl. A follow-up to R:YO, but stands on its own. iirc there's a trade that collects both together.

Teen Titans: Year One (2008) - a little more mixed quality imo, but still a fun miniseries about the original Titans as kids

Superman: Birthright (2003) - Sometimes I read things that don't involve bats or titans!! This miniseries is just a solid retelling of Superman's origin, from leaving Krypton to first fighting Lex Luthor.

Team Runs:

New Teen Titans (1980 & 1984) - 40 years later, this is still the seminal Titans run, if you can make it through the various outdated artifacts of the 80s. Dear to my heart. Though quality in this series dips in the last few years, all the collected editions seem to be from well before that, so no worries there. (ft Dick, Donna, Kory, Vic, light of my life apple of my eye Joey Wilson, etc)

Young Justice (1998) - collected in 5 books - a wacky, fun, consistent run featuring the then-youngest generation of heroes coming of age. (ft Tim, Kon, Bart, etc)

Birds of Prey (1999) - collected in 12 volumes - featuring the Oracle-led team. Unfortunately I...have no recollection of which volumes are the best (see: reading as issues instead of trades), but I absolutely enjoyed the run as a whole.

Titans vol 1 (1999) has never been collected afaik. Which, like, yeah, valid, it has flaws. But it also is the run that sparked my interest in the og fab five, and I still love their dynamic, so fuck it, honorary mention.

Outsiders (2003) - If you are me and very attached to Dick Grayson and Roy Harper, you may enjoy the first part of this series (trades: Looking for Trouble, Sum of All Evil, Wanted, Crisis Intervention). ...Or just pick up issue #11.

Villains United & Secret Six vol 2 (2006) & Secret Six vol 3 (2008) - if you would like to read about a team of villains, many of whom you have probably never heard of, being absolute idiots of a found family I have great news. (And cannot emphasize enough that these are about villains who often do villainous things in comics written for adults.)

Individual Bats:

Batgirl (2000) - Cass's run. Serious and character-focused. I am too tired to entangle how this has been collected, but it's all good.

Batgirl (2009) - collected in Batgirl: Stephanie Brown vols 1-2 - Steph's run. Lighthearted and fun.

Nightwing (1996) - Objectively more mixed quality, but Dick's major run in post-Crisis times. Looking at the trades, I think my top recs are The Hunt for Oracle (crossover with BoP), On the Razor's Edge, Love and War, Freefall, and The Great Leap, but take that with a grain of salt. Remembering which issues are which is hard.

Robin (1993) - Like above, mixed quality, but Tim's major run. I can't even begin to guess at which trades are best. Before this run. he also had three comparable miniseries (Robin (1991); Robin II: The Joker's Wild; Robin III: Cry of the Huntress).

Red Robin (2009) - Big grain of salt! Every comics Tim fan is lining up at this moment to inform you that his characterization here is not to be taken as gospel and very influenced by current trauma. Along that line, I think this is best viewed as the direct continuation of Robin. Recommend the first half of the series (so collected: The Grail, Collision, maaybe The Hit List) more than the second.

Batfamily Stories:

Batman: Knightfall - It's so-so and very 90s, but still a classic story.

(Here we are really getting into the classic 90s batfamily stories. All flawed and messy, but my favorite era of the fam.)

Batman: Prodigal - This first time Dick took over as Batman--long before Bruce's "death"--with Tim as Robin.

Batman: Contagion, Legacy

Batman: Cataclysm

Batman: No Man's Land - Possibly the longest batfamily crossover story ever? I personally enjoy the second half of the story most, because that is when the kids join in and I'm predictable.

Batman: Gotham Knights: Transference - Gotham Knights (2000) had a great early stretch of batfamily content. Unfortunately, it looks like this is the only trade from that era, and the rest are from the later issues that abruptly turned focus onto Hush.

Bruce Wayne: Murderer? / Fugitive

Batman: Hush

Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood - Tim and Cass team up after Stephanie's death. (Collected from Batgirl (2000) and Robin (1993)).

Batman: Under the Hood - Jason's return

Batman: Face the Face - Look...I vaguely recall this one. DC did a "one year later" thing across all runs that didn't reboot anything, but gave a nice new starting place for readers. I think I enjoyed this one.

Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul - One of Damian's earliest stories, with Dick and Tim still as Robin and Nightwing. (And also Bruce ig.)

Batman: Gates of Gotham - a miniseries featuring Dick, Tim, Cass, and Damian during the Dick!Bats era.

The New 52 Is Bad But I Have Trawled For The Diamonds:

Batman: The Court of Owls / City of Owls - part of the 2011 Snyder/Capullo run, which I am still only partway through, but enjoying immensely. There are more trades from this series, but I haven't gotten there yet.

Batman and Robin vol 2 (2011) - The Tomasi/Gleason run featuring Bruce and Damian. Again, I am partway through this, but really enjoying it so far. Not sure how it's been collected.

[justcourttee]

So you are one of my favorite writers for the Maribat Fandom and this is litterally like just on the edge getting ready to dive into barely there territory. . . but imagine Chloe "Queen B" Bourgeois deciding that Roy Harper is her future husband because he is the only one her age with the potential to even hyphenate Queen. She /will/ get her title in her civilian life if she has to drag Roy to the courthouse herself. Cue shenanigans and chaos friends to lovers lol

You’re so sweet and I hope I did your prompt justice. I love the Roy X Chloe energy and this is just something I could picture cannon Chloe trying. I hope you enjoy! @risaxtitan

The Future Mrs. Queen

The day Oliver Queen announced to the world in that fated press conference that he was adopting Roy Harper, the younger boy had no idea how much his life was about to change.

He was still floating on Cloud 9 as he stepped off of the stage and into the crowd where his friends awaited him.

“Dude, congrats! It’s like all official now!” Adrien clapped him on the back, causing him to stumble forward a little.

“It still feels unreal.”

“Tt, it’s not like your his blood son, but I suppose this will be a good opportunity for you.”

Roy cocked his head to the side as he tried to debate if Damian was congratulating him or not. A small smack echoed following an ‘oof’ as Marinette’s bright smile entered his view.

“I’m so happy for you Roy! Conner, Jon, and Wally wanted to come with us, but you know how it goes. Always a mission somewhere.”

Roy shook his head, the smile still plastered across his face.

“It’s fine Mari, it’s not like today was the real thing. This was just a press conference. They were there when we officially signed the papers and that’s what matters in my book.”

“So, like, is your last name officially Queen now?”

Roy’s attention snapped to his left where a familiar blonde stepped out from behind Adrien. She fiddled with the ends of her curled hair, her mischievous blue eyes locked onto his. Certainly if a beautiful girl like her had told him her name, he wouldn’t have forgotten it.

“I suppose so. It’s officially Roy William Harper-Queen.”

Her smile was blinding as he nervously reached back to rub the back of his very warm neck.

“Oh Gods, we are so dense! I’m sorry Roy! This is my friend Chloe Bourgeois! Adrien was supposed to introduce you two earlier, but we all got separated in the crowd. She’s a big fan of Oliver Queen, so when she heard my dear friend was getting adopted by him-”

“I just had to come.” She stepped in front of Marinette, reaching forward to grab his hand. “Did you know that I tried to legally change my name to Queen? But my mother wouldn’t let me! She’s ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Something about it wouldn’t be good for my modeling career or whatever. But now, you can help me with that! Can’t be bad if it’s my husband’s last name.”

Roy stumbled out of her grasps, his entire face matching the red on his head.

“Hu-husband? Girl, we just met. You can’t go around saying things like that!”

Chloe waved off his embarrassment as her blinding smile pulled into a mischievous smirk.

“Like it or not Roy Harper-Queen, you will be my husband, even if I have to drag you to the courthouse myself!”

“Yeah right blondie.” He couldn’t help the stutter in his voice as he hid behind Damian’s chuckling figure.

There was no denying how attractive she was, but he would be damned if he let a pretty blonde step in and seal his fate.

“Maybe not today, but you’re going to love me Roy Harper-Queen, just you wait.”

The flip of her hair felt like a slap across his face as he watched her retreating figure dragging Marinette with her.

“So like, Can I be your best man? I know that you’ve known the other’s longer and all, but like we are always hanging out together! That has to count for something.”

Adrien’s wide eyes and pout earned a slight chuckle from the redhead as his eyes trailed back to where his friends stood.

“Sure Agreste, I’m sure everyone won’t mind one bit. You might have to fight Tim-”

“Tt, is that supposed to be a threat?”

Adrien and Roy shared a look before bursting into laughter. Roy slung his arms around the two boys as they headed off into the crowd. He wouldn’t see Chloe for another couple of weeks, but that didn’t stop the blonde from monopolizing his every thought.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“C’mon Arsenal, you really going to let your ass get beat by a little girl?”

Roy sneered as he pushed himself off the matt for the third time that day.

When Dick asked if he wanted to train with the Batclan, Roy was over the moon. Batman hardly let anyone into his special training spot without him being there. He didn’t think twice when he put the motorcycle in park outside of Wayne Manor. He already knew what to expect, Dick’s flexibility, Stephanie’s strategy, Damian’s rage. What he wasn’t expecting was to see a certain blonde and his two friends.

“She’s not beating my ass Stephanie, I just don’t want to hurt her.”

Dick had a hard time holding back his laugh as he leaned on Marinette for support. A hand shot into his line of view as he accepted Chloe’s helping pull him the rest of the way to his feet.

“C’mon mon chéri, your face is pretty too, but it’s not going to make me pull my punches. Give it to me, cherry.” She sent a wink in his direction as she set up for another spar.

If you asked Roy later, the red in his cheeks was from the anger at being called a cherry, but anyone could see the blush betraying him.

Chloe darted forward, dodging his first swing before smacking his butt.

“HEY!”

Roy pushed himself out of her reach as Stephanie and her shared a fist bump. There was no way he was getting out of training alive. He needed a way to finish this as quickly as possible.

“Blondie, what if we make a bet?”

Chloe raised her eyebrow at him, encouraging him to continue as she set herself back up in the circle.

“The next one of us to pin the other gets to pick the next hang out spot. I know it’s your turn in the rotation, so if you win, nobody will put a restriction on your choice.”

Her eyes glistened dangerously as a collective gasp sounded behind them.

“Hey, Roy, are you sure you want to do that? She-”

“Shut it Agreste. The boy has named his terms, no restrictions for me, or he gets to steal my turn. I’ll gladly accept Ginger.”

A sudden shift in the atmosphere was easily noticeable. Inadvertently, a shiver went down his back as every hair on his body stood in high alert. Her first strike was quick, he barely lifted his arms up in time to block it before she had hopped backwards, ready to hit again.

He thought he was the one holding back before, but clearly he was underestimating. Here she was, no longer holding back, toying with him as if he was nothing more than her prey. It was a bit terrifying.

Just as he extended his arm to try and make contact, Roy suddenly found himself on his back, her knee at his throat.

“God, when did you even knock my feet out?”

Her eyes were dancing with humor as she slowly stood, offering her hand to the boy below.

“We tried to warn you, my friend. Chloe doesn’t do competition, she destroys them.”

Adrien offered his hand as well and together the two blondes heaved him to his feet. Marnette shook her head solemnly as she and Dick mock prayed for Roy’s fate.

“So, no restrictions huh? That means overseas is fair game.” Chloe placed a hand gently on Roy’s shoulder sending a chill down his spine. “Guess tomorrow, we are going to Paris, France. Richard, is there a Zeta-Tube that does overseas?”

Dick finished his mock prayer before sending a nod in her direction.

“Perfect. Marinette, tell your little gloomy boyfriend and Timothy that we will be taking a day trip tomorrow, to the city of love.”

She sent a wink to Roy as she stepped out of the rink to grab her towel. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t ignore the racing in his heart all from one little comment.

“You are falling so hard, my friend!” Roy flinched as Dick threw his arm over his shoulder, sharing a fist bump with Adrien.

“I am not! I barely know her! We’re like acquaintances, at most she’s just a friend.”

Adrien stiffened as he bit back his laughter.

“Just you wait, after tomorrow, you’ll be questioning everything you know.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Roy was indeed questioning everything, like his sanity, as he stepped out of the tube and onto the tallest platform of the Eiffel Tower. Taking a quick step back from the edge, he found himself pressed against the cool metal.

“Isn’t it like illegal to be this high up?”

Chloe’s giggle filled the air as she smacked his arm lightly.

“Of course it is, for normal people that is. We can’t just have everyone using the Zeta tubes ginger.” Her fingers curled into his hair as she gave it a light ruffle.

“Tt, man up Harper. Even if you fall, it’s not like you’d hit the ground before someone here saved your sorry ass.”

A small ‘oof’ echoed from where Damian stood as Marinette stepped out of the tube.

“You didn’t even hear what I said!”

“True,” she shrugged, a smug smile pulling at her lips. “But I assume you were making fun of Roy.”

Damian huffed under his breath as he snaked his arm around her waist, drawing her into his side. Roy was never sure how someone like Damian could have landed a sweet angel like Marinette, but if it meant he had a constant guardian angel, he could care less.

“Where’s Adrikins?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘I don’t want to be a third wheel and neither does Tim.’”

Chloe rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the sparkle from the new information.

“Looks like it’s a double date!” She gripped Roy’s arm pulling him from his safety. “You wouldn’t leave me alone to those two annoying lovebirds would you Harper?”

Roy gulped nervously as his eyes darted between the couple and the blonde hanging off of him. With a sigh of defeat, he nodded, allowing her to pull him closer to the edge.

“I hope you’re ready Harper because if you survive today, there’s no way you won’t fall for me.”

Without warning, Chloe used all her strength to push him off the platform. The scream caught in his throat as the wind rushed past him. Some first date! Here she was trying to kill him within the first five minutes!

A flash of yellow flew past him, catching his attention briefly before an arm yanked him out of midair. This time, the scream managed to slip out, but instead of fear, he felt instant relief as he flew through the air pinned to Queen Bee’s side.

“There was an easier way of doing this Chloe!” He tried to shout over the wind but it felt useless. The only indication that she might have heard his pleas came from the sideways smile she flashed him as the came to a halt in an alleyway.

As his feet touched to ground, his legs instantly gave out. On his hands and knees, Roy reassured himself that this was safe, in solid ground. Moments later, a flash of pink blinded him as Marinette and Damian landed in front of him.

“What’s wrong Harper? You look a little green. I thought that was Oliver’s color.”

Roy’s middle finger only seemed to fuel the egotistical smirk Damian bestowed on him.

“If that was too much, I can’t wait to see how you handle the rest of the day.”

His eyes widened as he tried to imagine what could be worse than freefalling a few hundred feet from the highest structure in Paris. Little did he know, he would soon get his answer.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Bourgeois.” He tried to keep his voice steady as he offered his hand to her, but the condescending stare made him want to crumble.

“What do you expect me to do? Shake your hand? Honey, you may have been adopted into money, but you are not money. I do not touch any person that is worth less than I am.”

She turned her back briskly as Roy slowly dropped his hand, unsure of whether to be insulted or not.

“Mom, Roy is my friend, can’t you be nice?”

Her mother’s cold glare rested on Chloe. Roy had no idea how she managed to stand her ground. He wanted to crumble for her.

“You are lucky I let you into my workshop after you have missed the past three fittings. When I said you could move to America with the Marianne kid, I expected you to still make time for the business. Should I begin looking for your replacement?”

The tension between the two of them was deadly. Roy wanted to step in, tell her mother to back off, that Chloe was a hero who didn’t always have time for fashion, but somehow, he figured it would only make it worse.

“No mother, I am here now am I not? Let us work quickly so that I can return home.”

Her tone was icy as she stepped forward, holding out her arms for her mother to remeasure. Roy shifted from foot to foot as he held back his tongue. Her mother commented on her weight gain, complained that she was going to begin to fat to be her model anymore. She commented on her studies, or lack of, and on her being a class d hero compared to Superman.

It was to quietest he had ever seen Chloe Bourgeois.

“If that will be all mother, Roy and I have to meet up with Damian and Marinette.”

Her mother waved her off. Not a single love you, not even a real goodbye. Roy was sure his face matched his hair by the time they had set foot back into the streets.

“So, Mari’s parent's house isn’t too far from here. Wanna swing over?”

It was as if a switch flipped. Back was the flirty social butterfly that he had gotten to know over the past couple of weeks.

“Chloe.”

“C’mon carrot top, swinging really isn’t a bad way to transport. It’s quick and effective.”

“Chloe.”

“Don’t be a chicke-”

“Chloe.”

He hadn’t meant to raise his voice, but he knew what she was trying to do.

“Chloe, why do you let her treat you like that?”

Her lips were pressed into a tight line as she turned, taking a step away from the building.

“Chloe, you don’t have to pretend that it didn’t happen. I’m not going to tell anyone, it’s just, the Chloe I saw in there is nothing like the one I’ve come to know.”

“Well, maybe all you know is a lie.”

Her voice was quiet as she took off at a brisk pace down the street. It took Roy a second to process before he took off after her. Gently, he pulled her arm until she came to a stop once more.

“Then let me get to know the real Chloe. After all, I can’t marry someone I don’t know!”

She laughed half-heartedly at his joke, her smile weak.

“She isn’t very good with her emotions and neither am I. I know that she cares, hell, she wouldn’t let me explore this hero side of me if she didn’t think I had potential. But she always puts business first. I never wanted to go into business with her because she can’t separate family and employees. But I need the money. Daddy won’t let me touch my trust fund until I am secure on my own.”

Roy nodded, a number of things falling into place.

“Why don’t you work for Oliver or Bruce like the rest of us?”

Chloe shrugged, her fingers absentmindedly reaching for his.

“They have offered before, but I really feel like the way to her heart is through the family business. I know she wants to leave it to me one day and if I abandon it now, she might reconsider, and honestly, that would hurt her more than me. She’ll never say it to my face, but it would mean the world to me if I could be her legacy.”

A moment of silence passed, and then two as Roy admired the determination that crossed her face. Somehow, it made her more beautiful than she already was. He hadn’t even noticed how close they had gotten until a soft cough snapped him back to reality.

“Well, we only left you for like two hours. Is this a new development?”

Marinette and Damian shared a smirk as Chloe dropped his hand as if it was burning her. She tried to pull up her scarf, but it was too late. The red on her cheeks were burning, matching his he was sure.

“I don’t know what you are referring to Dupain-Cheng. Let’s head back to the tower. A certain blonde must feel my wrath.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Roy laid in bed that night, his thoughts kept wandering back to that moment.

She was so close, her lips were so close, so full, so red. They were drawing him in and if Marinette hadn’t stopped them..

“Ughh,” he buried his red face into his pillow, willing his pounding heart to still.

He rolled over to where his phone sat, the dark screen bugging him. Not a single text from her after they returned, not even one from Marinette or Damian teasing him. Reaching out, he lifted the phone toward his face.

Clicking on his photos, the most recent one lit up his entire screen, sending his heart into another fury. Chloe had borrowed his phone, leaving several adorable selfies that he only found a couple hours later.

Not that he wanted to admit it to anyone, but maybe he could admit to himself that just maybe, he was already head over heels for Chloe Bourgeois.

Just as he moved to place it back onto his charger, a text message pinged.

‘Still awake carrot top?’

Roy couldn’t help the smile that tore across his face.

‘Depends. Whose asking blondie?’

‘You’re ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Now open your window, my arm is getting tired.’

Instantly, Roy shot up as he opened his window. Looking around, he couldn’t find her. He was ready to close it when his instinct told him to look up. Sure enough, Queen Bee sat dangling, motioning for him to move out her way.

With one great heave, Chloe swung into his room, dropping her transformation before her feet even touched the ground.

“Miss me that much?”

The sound of his own voice was foreign as his wide smile was certain to leave his cheeks sore in the morning.

“Oh don’t get full of yourself Harper. I just wanted to thank you for today.”

“Mhmm, this seems mighty personal for a thank you.” He took a step forward, his stomach flipping multiple times.

“I may have also wanted to see you. After all, no text, no call. How is a girl supposed to feel after you almost kiss her?”

She stepped forward closing the gap between them, the smirk on her face as graceful as ever.

“I could say the same thing about you. Running off to another man after spending a day in the city of love with me?”

Hestitanly, he raised his hand to cup her cheek, basking in the feeling of how soft her skin felt against his palm.

“Harper, I want to be to future Mrs.Queen, so what do you say? The courthouse is still open in Paris, we can go right now.”

Roy couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. Gently, he stroked the side of her cheek, admiring her every feature. Leaning forward, he heard her breath hitch in her throat right as their lips were a mere inch apart.

“How about we start with a first date? A real date?”

Chloe’s warm breath tickled his lips as his pounding heart awaited her answer.

“I suppose Mrs. Queen will have to wait, I’ll pick you up, tomorrow Harper. Be ready.”

Just as quickly as he leaned in, she lept back, already calling her transformation. Racing to the window, she looked over her shoulder, blowing him a kiss before slinging away. Hesitantly, he approached the window, watching her retreating figure, his heart still racing a million miles a minute.

It started off a soft chuckle, but it soon grew. With a grand smile, Roy returned to his bed, his thoughts all centered around one blonde. Marriage was sounding less and less like the scary thought he had when he first met her. He wasn’t sure the exact moment that it sounded so good, but he didn’t care.

After all, Chloe Harper-Queen had a nice ring to it.

Permanent Tag List:

@ash-amg @rebecarojas07 @heaven428 @long-lost-peace @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @moongoddesskiana @nach0ava @iamablinkmarvelarmy @seraphkitty @clumsy-owl-4178 @pawsitivelymiraculous @mialuvscats @leagrey @smolplantmum @animegirlweeb

[elareine]

Babe! So Prompts? As always Roydick (romantic, brotp, platonic —whatever you’re comfortable with) if I remember correctly you wrote me a little something for Roy's bday and it is still one of my favourites!!! Anyways— Roydick+Lian picture with Santa Claus!!!

Hey love, hope you’re ready for some fluff!��

Dick drew the line at climbing in through the chimney. He wasn’t fucking Spiderman, no matter how many jokes Roy made about circus kids. Also, modern chimneys weren’t made for that. He would get stuck and die, and then his entire family would laugh at him in hell. So he entered the Harpers’ living room through the window like a normal person. 

There was a plate of cookies and a glass of mild awaiting him. Dick took care to slide the wrapped parcel he’d brought with him under the tree first, then he advanced on to the food. 

Oooh, chocolate-raspberry cookies. His favorite. 

Sadly, he didn’t get to enjoy them. As soon as Dick lifted one of the treats, the ground was torn from under his feet. Before he knew it, he was dangling from the ceiling, held up only by a rope around his feet.  He just about managed to suppress a curse. 

It was all so totally worth it for the delight on Lian’s face when she saw him. “Ha!” she yelled. 

Dick chuckled nervously, doing his best to keep his voice low and rough. “Oh, no-ho-ho. You caught me.” 

“What’s that, cupcake?” Roy appeared, looking appropriately sleep-tousled in pajama pants and a tank top. Dick could feel himself reflexively start to smile and violently shoved it down. 

“I caught Santa!” Lian told her father gleefully. 

“So I see,” Roy smiled. When Lian turned around, he gave Dick a discreet thumbs-up, presumably at the effectiveness of his disguise. Good. That beard was itchy as fuck. 

Lian stepped closer and lifted a finger. Dick did his best to look worried, with just a touch of amusement because he was Santa, so he probably didn’t get to feel afraid, right? 

“Now,” she said, “there’s something that I want from you. And you better do it, because if you don’t, I’ll leave you hanging here.”

“Lian,” Roy warned. “What did we say about torture?” 

Lian frowned at him, then turned to Dick. “Promise you’ll take a picture with me first.” 

Dick pretended to consider the offer. “Only if I can have one of these delicious cookies.” 

“Deal!” Lian said immediately. After cutting Dick loose, she barely gave him any time to orientate himself before dragging him over to stand by her dad’s side. “Selfie!” 

A picture with Santa Claus—mostly for bragging rights, Dick assumed, though Roy hadn’t said so when he asked Dick to fill in for the role. 

“Alright,” Roy laughed, holding out his phone. “Everyone, smile!” 

As Dick did, he wondered what Lian would see when she looked back at this picture in ten years. Would she recognize him then, even with the cheek paddings and the wig and the beard? Would she see how much her father had loved her, that he was willing to ask his best friend to help out like this? 

(Would Dick even be in their life, then? But that was too depressing a question to ask on a night like this.)

Or would she simply think of it as a small miracle, inexplainable but joyful? 

Dick loved that possibility, too. In his opinion, children should grasp every bit of magic they could and hold on tight. 

“Okay, cookie time!” Lian grabbed the plate and held it out to Dick, who took one and bit into it. 

“Those are very good,” he praised, knowing fully well she and Roy had spent the afternoon baking them. The kitchen probably looked like a disaster. (Or maybe not. Roy had become much better at these things over the last years of being a single father.) 

“You can have the milk, too,” she allowed him generously. 

While Dick inwardly groaned—lukewarm milk, how tasty—he drank all of it. 

Roy watched, amused. “Maybe another cookie?” To wash away the taste, Dick thought, grateful.

“Well, I won’t say no,” Dick chuckled, patting his (fake) belly contently as he ate. “I have a long night ahead of me. It’s sure nice to see some hospitality, even if your invitation was a little peculiar, young lady.” 

“That’s okay,” Lian told him artlessly, “I’m not a lady. Oh hey, you should take my letter with you! I forgot to mail it.” 

Dick accepted the letter, stowing it away in his coat. Then he gave a wave. “I must be off. The reindeer will be worrying already. Have a merry Christmas, young Lian.” 

“You, too, Santa!” 

Aware that Lian would be running to the window as soon as he was outside, Dick moved quickly: Grappling over to the neighbor’s house and then up, hiding behind—of all things—the chimney. 

Not a second too late, either. He could hear the window open behind him just as he slid behind the chimney. It only closed three minutes later when Roy called out: “C’mon, pumpkin. You can have a cookie, too, but then it’s time for bed.” 

“Alright,” Lian replied, audibly pouting. “But I want another story.” 

Just to be safe, Dick waited another twenty minutes before standing up. From the rooftop, he allowed himself one last longing look at the warm glow of the living room. 

They’re not yours, Dick, he reminded himself. Just because he loved Roy—loved them both so, so much—didn’t mean he had any right to stay. 

To distract himself, he opened Lian’s letter. Just to make sure he managed to get everything on her wishlist, of course. The handwriting was spiky but legible. There were barely any spelling errors, either. Dick shook his head, torn between pride and worry. Lian had just started first grade. 

Dear Santa, 

Thank you for visiting. You are busy, so I will keep it short. I have been very good this year, so I want two wishes. 

The ‘two’ was underlined twice. Dick raised an eyebrow. He was only aware of one. 

First, I want my own superhero custume! Daddy says I can’t go out with him yet, but I can at least start training, so I wanna look really cool. Please? 

Okay, that one was taken care of, thanks to Alfred.  It had been the content of the parcel Dick had dropped off earlier. 

Second, I want Uncle Dick to finally marry my daddy so he never leves. Daddy wants that, too, he told me so. 

Thanks, Santa! 

Yours, Lian Harper 

…oh. 

(I’m taking prompts until the end of the year.) 

[aliasimagines]

princess// jason todd

requested by @im-hqlover

Could I ask for an one shot with Jason Todd x reader babysitting together Lian Harper? Thank you in advance =D

a/n: Lian is such an angel, thank you for this request! I actually wanted to write something with Roy so Lian might make an appearance in that as well😇

word count: 892

"...and her favorite show starts at 7:35 and don't forget to-" Roy was cut off by Jason.

"Roy!! Stop! We'll be fine! I mean look at them." he gestured to the living room floor where Lian hoarded all her dolls and stuffed animals. She was introducing you to every single one of them.

"..and this is Emily, she loves tea parties and wants to be a detective when she grows up. " you noded in understatement, as the little girl showered you with all the information about her toys. Nor that you minded, you listened to her, genuinely interested and noted everything.

As soon as Jason and you walked through the door she run towards the two of you gave a hug to her uncle and aunt than grabbed your hand and pulled you down on the rug.

Roy smiled at the sight and shook his head.

"Allright. Pumpkin I'm heading out!" hthe ginger called out. He barley finished his sentence his daughter was already clinging to him

"Bye daddy! Be careful, I love you!" her voice was muffled as she pressed her face against Roy's stomach and wrapped herself around him. Chuckling Roy lifted Lian and kisses her cheek.

"I'm always careful, pumpkin." Jason scoffed but you elbowed him before he could say anything else. "Love you Lian, bye guys!"

He put down Lian and waved at you before finally walking out the door.

Jason walked to lock it while you two went to sit back on the soft rug. He joined you soon after and sat next to you, facing Lian. Jay put and arm around you loosely and you smiled at him briefly.

"Do you want to play 'save the princess'?" Lian asks after spending a good half hour atill giving information about her toys, occasionally stopping when Jason or you ask something about a particular doll or teddy bear.

"Sure! How do we play that?" you ask excited

"Well someone will be the princess, and someone will be the dragon and the remaining person will be the knight who saves the princess!"

"Wow, Lian that sounds amazing! And you'll be the princess?" Jason smiles at the little girl.

"Noo I want to be the dragon! Dragons are so cool!" she says before running of to grab a red jumper and her fairy wings so she can pit on a make shift dragon costume.

Jason and you glanced at each other.

"I will not dress up as a princess. Again." he stated causing you to laugh.

10 minutes later you stood before Lian with a toy sword in your hands as Jason layed on the kitchen table, pink tule dress spread around him.

"Oh please, you brave knight, oh please help me!" he called, hand waving a pink piece of clothing.

You bit your lip, holding back a laugh. You pointed the your sword at Lian.

"Don't worry, beautiful princess! I'm coming to save you!" you yelled. "Surrender, beast!!"

"Aarrggg, never!!" Lian responded by jumping on you. Luckily you fall back on the couch. With one arm protectively holding on to Lian so she wouldn't fall back, you screamed dramaticly.

"Nooo! You will not defeat me!"

"Too late, haha" Lian snatched the sword out of your hands. "I win! The princess stays with me!"

Jason mimicked crying.

"No, my dear knight! Don't leave me here...."

Lian giggled and jumped off of you. You tried to stay motionless as the dragon thought you were dead. With big steps and waving her arms around Lian walked over to Jason.

"Princess!!"

"Please don't hurt me dragon!"

"I won't hurt you, princess. But only if you cook for me! I am hungry!"

Jay nodded his head so furiously that his tiara fell off.

"Whatever you want dragon!"

Lian climbed up next to Jason and leaned closer.

"Jay... Can you really cook something? I am hungry..." she whispered. Jay scooped Lian in his arms and hopped of the table.

"And what would you like to eat, darling?"

"Anything you cook is always delicious! Y/N, I  resurrect you for the time while we eat!"

You got up from the couch laughing.

"Thank you Lian, you're too kind." you walked over to the kitchen. Jason put Lain down on the counter and opened the fridge. He groaned looking at the very few things that were in it.

"Does your dad ever goes to the grocery store?" he sighed, fully well knowing the answer. "Okay, it's alright I'll grill that steak looking meat over there and stew some some veggies. You like veggies, don't ya Lian?"

"Does fries count as vegetable...?"

"Ookay, we are making French fries."

You and Lian prepared the potatoes while Jason took care of the steak. Still in the pink dress.

Once you were done everything you all sat down to eat while watching some cartoons. Lian sitting between the two of you eat with a smile spread across her little face.

"This is so yummy Jay-Jay."

Jay ruffed the girls hair carefully.

"I'm glad, peanut."

You smiled at them feeling so lucky to have Jason in your life. He was so amazing, always patient and careful with children.

And Lian? Ah he loved the little girl to pieces. Of course you did too. An the two of you loved babysitting her. And Lian loved spending tine with her favorite uncle and aunt.

[jaydicksummerexchange]

JAYDICK EXCHANGE: SEPTEMBER 3

[ ❤ Works posted so far! ❤ ]

SECOND TO LAST DAY OF THE JAYDICK EXCHANGE!

Why the second to last instead of the last? That’s because we’ve reached 114 Exchange works for 2020! The more treats get added, the more we time we add to our juicy cabooses and keep the exchange train rolling. Until Saturday that is. Tomorrow is the final posting date, and we’ll reveal the wonderful participants on September 5 no matter what. 

Here are today’s releases!

Claws by anonymous for solomonara [ART, Not Rated, No Archive Warnings Apply, Dick Grayson/ Jason Todd] 

Additional Tags: FanartHurt/Comfort, Injured Jason, Secret Identity, dick's teams don't know the red hood's identity, dick's harem of morally ambiguous older men, dick: he's not older, dick: wait i mean he's not my villain boyfriend, dick: damn it

Summary: Dick takes the Red Hood to a Titan safehouse after an injury. Explanations are expected.

Learning To Love The Fall by anonymous for 3isme [ART, Teen, No Warnings Apply, JayDick] 

Additional Tags: Fanart, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Mechanic Jason Todd, Plane Pilot Dick Grayson

Summary:  It's the early 1900s and the country of Gotham is recovering from a long war.

Trying to get a better life, Jason Todd has been moonlighting as an underground plane mechanic for illegal aeroplane racers, getting a cut of whatever the pilot wins. After one particular competition, he's accused of sabotage and, despite his protests, forced into deeper debt. At the end of his rope, he runs into Dick Grayson, ex-ace of the Gotham Air Force and supposed dead man. The war hero was supposed to have been shot down near the end of the war. Regardless, this pilot is the best chance Jason has to grab hold of that better life, and he's not going to let it go.

The Still and Quiet Surface by anonymous for TheWayneManner [FIC, General Audiences, No Warnings Apply, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd] 

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gift Fic, Ficlet

Summary: Dick leaves the sea behind and never looks back.

Scents & Sensibility by anonymous for Nitrojen [FIC, Explicit, No Warnings, JayDick] 

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Regency, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fae, References to Jane Austen, although the writer has a pretty dark secret concerning our dear friend jane, Getting to Know Each Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

Summary: Prompt - Something along the lines of the Princess and the Pea. It can be A/B/O, modern, fantasy, or even something that takes place in canon where there's some kind of curse. Have fun with it! 

Give It A Shot (of espresso) by anonymous for morimaiter [FIC, Teen, No Warnings, Dick Grayson/ Jason Todd] 

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Hurt/Comfort, Barista Jason Todd, Flirting, Awkward Flirting, Sexual Tension, JayDick Summer Exchange, very minor injury, art included

Summary: Dick was one of their regulars. And yes, that was his real name. The first time he’d asked Jason to write it on his cup Jason had given him a death glare until the man had whipped out a driver’s license to prove it. ‘Richard John Grayson’, printed right there. It hadn’t been an innuendo after all, just an unfortunate choice of nickname. He came into Gotham Grinders (and hell if Jason hadn’t heard enough innuendos about that name to make up for any lack of innuendo in Dick’s own) every Tuesday and Friday, which happened to always be Jason’s shifts. Every time he asks for some new over-the-top order, and every time without fail he also asks for Jason’s digits. Jason replies every time with:

“I’m sorry sir, we can’t give out personal information to customers. Will that complete your order?” 

(Fic + Art)

Lazy Days by anonymous for BehindTheRobinsMask [ART, Teen, No Warnings, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd] 

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Married Life, Married Couple, Established Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Literal Sleeping Together, Lazy Mornings, Domestic Fluff, Fanart

Summary:  It's the weekend! Jason and Dick sleep in after a long night on the streets.

Taken in the Butt by the Gay Vigilante Acro-Bird by anonymous for solomonara [ART, Teen, No Warnings,  JayDick] 

Additional Tags: Romance Novel, Cover Art, Jason Todd is an Author, Partial Nudity, Birds, Vintage Gay Pulp Novels, Chuck Tingle-Adjacent, Please Forgive me, FanartDigital Art, JayDick Summer Exchange

Summary: The Red Hood has a secret: he's a part-time romance novelist.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea by anonymous for stribird (timidGoddess) [FIC, Mature, No Warnings Apply, Dick Grayson/ Jason Todd]

Additional Tags: Heavy Angst, Self-Doubt, Lazarus Pit, Panic Attacks, Established Relationship, Bad Decisions, Romantic Fluff, Amnesia, Broken Promises, Road Trips, On the Run

Summary: Jason couldn’t do that. He could never forget what Dick meant to him. Which is why he had to bring his Bluebird back. Which is why he had to remind Dick of everything that he had lost.

Even if that meant forcing him into the Lazarus Pit. Even if it meant cursing him in the process.

tell your boyfriend, if he says he's got beef, that i'm a vegetarian (and i ain't fucking scared of him) by anonymous for prompt_fills [Mature, No Warnings Apply, Dick Grayson/ Jason Todd]

Additional Tags: Fluff and Humor, Crack Treated Seriously, Damian Wayne is a Little Shit, Protective Damian Wayne, POV Damian Wayne, Batman: Reborn, Jason Todd has a Heart, Damian Wayne Has a Heart, Dick Grayson is Damian Wayne’s Parent, Dick Grayson is Batman, Mutual Pining, enemies to idiots to lovers, Misunderstandings, Damian Wayne Plays Therapist, Jason Todd is Bad at Feelings, Dick Grayson is Bad at Feelings, My Continued Mocking of Tim Drake (it's loving i swear), Donna Troy is a goddess and no one deserves her, My love for Donna Troy is so strong that I projected it onto Damian and I am not sorry, Unbetaed we die like Jason Todd refuses to, Past Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson, Jealous Jason Todd, Pining Dick Grayson, BAMF Donna Troy AND MORE

Summary: It had taken a few weeks for Damian’s ill-fated hopes for the more platonic explanation of Grayson’s unseemly conduct regarding Todd to expire because Damian (unlike Drake) is not an idiot (and Brown had prattled on about every instance of very clearly not platonically fueled tension, slowly crushing Damian’s remaining hopes for Richard’s taste in romantic partners). Denial, heavenly as he has now known it to be, can only take one so far. And as a pragmatist and the grandson of the great Ra’s al Ghul and son of the great Bruce Wayne, he assesses the situation from a logical perspective, free of any emotions clouding his impeccable judgment, and comes up with a solution that benefits both himself and Grayson.

Jason Todd must die.

Or the story of how Damian Wayne became the number one shipper of JayDick and is not at all happy about it.

Si solo fueras tú by anonymous for fallogory [ART, Gen, Creator Chose No Warnings, Dick Grayson/Jason Todd]

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fanart, Kid Dick Grayson, Adult Dick Grayson, Kid Jason Todd, Adult Jason Todd, King Bruce Wayne, Prince Damian Wayne, Prince Dick Grayson, Poor Jason Todd, Hurt Dick Grayson, Jealous Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug

Summary: Blue came first

Then Green arrives

Then Blue meet Red

And Green hate that

Or where Dick was Bruce's bastard child who was forced to lived like a prince until Damian's born and meet someone who make his world be upside down.

the smell of cold stone by anonymous for abcission [FIC, Mature, No Warnings Apply, Dick Grayson/ Jason Todd]

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bisexual Dick Grayson, Autumn, American Football, College Football, Blow Jobs, First Time Blow Jobs, Getting to Know Each Other, Getting Together, referenced Jason/Kyle, Past Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Past Dick Grayson/Roy Harper, past dick grayson/wally west - Freeform, implied Roy/Kory, implied Roy/Wally, implied Donna/Kyle, future besties Jason and Roy, Roy's eternal crush on Donna, frat boy Dick, Fluff

Summary: Their eyes meet on the quad one day; he’ll probably never see the frat boy again, but he’ll be nice fodder for Jason’s dreams at least.

[eat0crow]

Cliche but can I request flower shop owner Marinette with gang boi Jason?

Dear sweet Anon, you have no idea how weak I am for cliche tropes. I took some liberties here seeing as Red Hood is already a sorta gang leader and just used that! I hope you like my rambly headcanons! I had so many ideas for this au that I really had to try to hold back.

Ground Zero

1) There’s a flower shop right on the edge of Jason’s territory that’s essentially become an urban legend.

No one is actually sure how exactly it’s still standing, it borders two rival gangs, Red Robin’s usual patrol route, and Jason’s terf. There have been at least three gang wars raging on the same street, yet still Miraculous stands as the one neutral spot in all of Gotham. It’s a cute shop, don’t get Jason wrong, but the only miraculous thing about it is that no one has even tried to claim it.

He brings it up once, the keyword once. Because the shop has stood as neutral ground for at least a century, and no one wants to be the one to break that streak. The shop is also cursed apparently, or at least protected by some malevolent force. The building lost a shingle once in the ’80s to a member of the False Facers, and the very next day saw Gotham PD hauling in at least two-thirds of the Black Mask’s operation.

Which is probably exaggerated, right? None of the minor drug lords under Jason want to get into it. The Black Mask doesn’t want to get into it. (He clams up the moment Jason tells him the shop re-opened, apparently, it had closed a year after the shingle incident)

Miraculous, as well as the parking lot it sits on, is the ground zero of Gotham. No crime goes into the lot, no crime goes out. The pots are never tipped over, no one tries to steal even a single rose from the display. No one touches the cute building, even if it’s painted an obnoxious pastel pink that stands out like a sore thumb in the Gotham night. At least, as far as everyone knows—Jason is still kinda skeptical about that. Really, it’s the perfect set up for a smuggling ring.

Tim is there sometimes as Red Robin. All the time really, at least twice a week. Jason has caught him more than once staked out with a pair of binoculars in the windows. A couple of times he even catches him helping the clerk repot plants. Which, yeah, Jason’s met Tim a time or two, he doesn't make a habit of sticking around his family, but the kid never came off as the gardening type.

It’s especially funny though, to see the pictures of Red Robin in a pink apron behind the counter trending on twitter.

He’s tried to go in a handful of times, to offer the owner his protection and whatnot. But each time he tries he forgets what he’s doing before he even turns the handle. Whoever runs this place must have the best luck in the world because this shit has been happening since it was built.

You’re a wayward gang member attempting to talk to the owner, you end up forgetting what you’re doing mid-action, and only start to remember five days later. The building is damaged, so is whatever scheme you’ve been planning. Actually in the shop when you decide to talk business, nope, it’s time for the most inconvenient phone call of your life.

“Why Dick, did you have to call me? I was so close.”

“Jason, are you crying?”

“I finally made it into the door. I’ve been trying for months to get in. But no, your ass gets stuck in your suit, and suddenly it’s time to call Jason. Nope, lose my number.”

2) Apparently everyone, including the fucking demon spawn, has been to Miraculous.

They all get kind of quiet when he brings it up though, Alfred actually leaves the room. Jason may have issues with Bruce, and Dick, and Tim, and don’t even get him started on Damian, but Alfred’s always been the neutral party for them. He’s always been the one they go to, no matter what. Upsetting Alfred is a capital offense. Jason feels...shitty about it.

“Alfred used to go, and get a bouquet there every weak after you died,” Dick tells him, folding his hands together, and settling in. Tim looks uneasy, and far more awkward than usual—which is saying something. “He’d get some white lilies to put on your grave. I went with him a few times, but he hasn’t been back since. I think the shop reminds him of it. When you were...you know.”

“Oh.” Jason really feels like an asshole.

“Yeah, I can’t say I’ve been back either.” Dick rubs the back of his neck like he’s admitting to something secret. “It used to be on my patrol route, back when I was first Robin. It always used to creep me out so I'd avoid it.”

“Really, Grayson,” Damian says with the same air of condescending superiority he always has.

“Hey, back in those days it was an abandoned building. The one that the witch owned! I don’t know about you, but I don’t fuck with witches. No thank you! I like my limbs.”

Jason might actually remember something like that, it’s hard. Like all the memories from before are hard, but he thinks back to being a kid. To growing up in a scummy neighborhood, and hearing people talk about the witching house that no one was allowed near. The one spot Squatters and Junkies, no matter how desperate, wouldn’t step foot in.

“It’s not all that bad,” Tim says. “My mom remembered when it was open the first time around. Mr. Fu was really nice, he used to let her play in the pots.”

“That aside,” Dick says fixing Jason with a half-crazed look. “It re-opened like a month after you died, so yeah, I went there with Alfred a lot. Like once a month a lot. The shop has this thing. You go in, and you’re instantly wrapped up in this nostalgic warm-fuzzy-reliving-my-childhood feeling. It’s weird.”

Tim stares. “I think that’s a you problem. I go in all the time, and yeah, the shop has a nice vibe, but it’s more like a you’re-safe-here thing.”

“You’re both, as usual, utterly wrong.” Damian sniffs. “If anything, the shop feels like coming home.”

The entire table turns to stare at him with wide unbelieving eye’s. Jason can hardly believe his ears...did Damian really just say something like that. The shocked look on even Dick’s face goes a long way in saying just how much no one can believe something so well adjusted came out of the demon spawn’s mouth.

Damian’s blush is priceless, his stutter—yes it’s a stutter no matter how much he denies it—is even better. “I mean to say. It feels familiar. The shop, you walk in, even for the first time, and you feel like you’ve walked through the door hundreds of times.”

Which, huh, because. “I always thought it felt like a warning. You step one foot onto the lot, and it feels like the walls themselves are daring you to start shit.”

3) Despite the hype that's built up around Jason going in, his first visit—No, Marinette that one didn’t count I literally just turned the door handle—is really anticlimactic.

It works like this, Roy asks him to pick up flowers, because Valentine's Day is today, and Kori will know what he's doing the second he tries to make up some lame excuse. Jason will never know how the man could ever be such a bad liar. As far as Kori knows, Jason is doing a typical supply run. Which, he is doing a supply run, even if the thought of cheesy romantic comedy cliches makes him sick.

All the same, Jason takes his role as best bro seriously, even though he has doubts about being able to complete this task. If his previous 52 failures are anything to go by, Miraculous hates him. There are only so many times a man can get maimed before he comes to the conclusion that the building itself has it out for him.

The hornets were what sold him. Not the bees, the hornets.

So with the air of a man who has just been sent out to war, Jason puts on this thickest jacket, his gloves, leaves his phone behind—even if attempt 34 taught him that was a really stupid idea—and braces himself to step inside. Maybe it’s because this is the first time Jason has gone into the flower shop for actual flowers. Maybe his luck is improving. Maybe...maybe the universe is setting him up for something even worse. Either way, it’s the first time the hair on the back of his neck doesn’t stand up the moment his foot hits the floor.

The girl at the counter is cute, just around his age with the bluest eyes he’s ever seen. That says something, because Jason has met Superman. That man's eyes are literally otherworldly. But Marinette’s, Jason has a suspicion this is the Mari Tim is always talking about, her eyes look like they’re glowing.

Jason realizes he’s been standing in the doorway staring, way too hard, when Marinette, that’s what her name tags says, clears her throat. With an air of confidence—Jason is a firm believer in the inherent power of bull shitting your way to success—he walks up to the counter.

“I’m looking for a bouquet,” Her stare is piercing and Jason swears it burns all the way down to his soul. “For Valentine's day. One with roses, and all that shit.”

Marinette huffs, and points to a depressingly empty display shelf. “You, and just about everyone else. Did you place an order?”

“Did I place an..” Jason trails off under his breath. “Please tell me you have something with the name Roy Harper in your registry.”

Marinette takes a moment to glance down, to ruffle through her papers. “I’m sorry, I only have one left, and its got the last name Grayson on it.”

Jason sees his life flash devastatingly fast across his eyes. It ends with him being torn to shreds by one of Roy’s homemade bombs when he comes back empty-handed. There won’t even be enough of him left to throw in a Lazarus pit. Nope, he’ll be sidewalk chalk.

So really he feels no guilt in fleshing his most charming smile, the one that always makes the old ladies coo, and saying. “Perfect, I’m here to pick that one up.”

Marinette takes one look at him draped over the counter, and bursts out laughing. Today is not a good day for Jason’s ego. “I thought you were Roy Harper.”

“No, I’m Dick Grayson.” The words are bitter in his mouth. “But the bouquet is for my friend, and I wasn’t sure what name he put it under.”

“Oh,” Marinette says, a smirk playing across her lips. “You think I was born yesterday. Sorry hon, but you’re not an alternative pick up, and I'll need to see some ID.”

“You expect me to show ID for flowers?..... Really?”

“Yes, I expect you to show ID when you’ve given me two different names, and those flowers are worth over a hundred dollars,” Marinette bites back. “Sorry, but that’s been paid in full, and I’m not going to lose a customer.”

“Okay,” Jason says, taking two crisp bills out of his wallet. It hurts because Roy gave him a twenty, and Jason will always be a cheap bastard at heart. Nevertheless, he likes Kori, she deserves this, even if Roy, who will be begging for mercy later, does not. He has to very consciously remove his hand after sliding them over. The urge to snatch them back is strong. “Listen, I really need that fucking bouquet. I am prepared to pay you double the price Grayson paid.”

Marinette actually looks offended. “Just because everyone else in this city is okay with being bribed doesn’t mean I am. You can keep your money.”

“Everyone has a price.” Jason gives her a look. “Name it.”

“Well, I don’t,” Marinette snaps, reaching down for her phone. “You can take your money, and fuck off. Before I get Red Robin over here to flush you out.”

“And here I was, thinking this was neutral territory.”

“It is.” Marinette stiffens. “This place isn’t under Red Robin’s protection, but he’s still my friend. I won’t hesitate to get him over here.”

“How about this then. The bouquet for protection. I can get Red Hood to claim this place.”

“What part of neutral didn’t you get?” Marinette asks, leaning over the counter and getting into his space. From here, just inches apart, her eyes are iridescent. Blue light toxically dripping out of a cracked glow stick. “Miraculous doesn’t get involved in your shit. You all want to wage war on each other? You want to pedal drugs? You want to smuggle shit? That’s cool, but you keep that away from my fucking shop. Miraculous doesn't get involved, you can all kill each other outside.”

She’s kind of terrifying up close. If Jason wasn’t convinced she would disembowel him, he’d be tempted to kiss her. Consent, however, is sexy as fuck.

Jason knows when he’s fighting a losing battle. “Is there any way. Anyway in hell, that I can get my hands on those fucking flowers?”

“Yeah,” Marinette says sitting back down. “You can call Grayson, and have him give them to you. But aside from that, I’ve seen a lot of shit. Sorry buddy, but you can’t buy me or scare me into anything.”

“I’ll call the sorry bastard up right now.”

“I’m not giving you his number.”

“I don’t need you to give me his number, I have it right…” Jason trails off, suddenly he remembers leaving his phone behind.

4) Jason is a petty asshole who has learned that the secret to getting into the flower shop is to think flowers.

Listen, Jason had to make do with drugstore flowers, and Roy’s disappointed puppy eyes for a month after being kicked out on his ass. To add insult to injury, Tim tracked him down two days later, as he was mid drug bust, to tell him to stay away from Marinette.

Okay, it’s not like he hadn’t already been planning to go back, frankly, the shop is a strategic masterpiece. Half of its cred as an urban legend comes from the fact that whoever claimed it would be given an instant power-up. It’s the One Ring to rule them all. Jason has to go back, and convince Marinette that the Red Hood is the one to ally with. He has to.

So yeah he’s going to go back anyway, but now he really wants to. Because Tim, his replacement, dared him. Maybe a bigger person would back down, what with all the external forces building up around the shop, the legend, the neutrality, the many failed attempts, Tim somehow having a vested interest…well, Jason has never been the bigger person.

Not by a long shot.

The first three times he attempts to return, Marinette meets him at the door. She’s quick about flipping the sign from open to closed. Jason, the first time, had tried turning the handle, whatever magic makes that building hate him, makes it lock up the second the sign changes. It’s not Marinette, Jason watched her. Her hands never touched the lock.

The first person he complains to is Roy, of course, who actually gives him the idea. Roy is a genius sometimes. So attempt four ends with him buying a single sunflower. It’s gaudy as all hell, and also the first thing his hand touched after he spent an hour trying to get Marinette’s attention.

She apparently will only talk to him in the brief thirty seconds she spends cashing him out. Which, yeah, that’s fair.

And so it begins. Every day except Tuesday, the only day the shop is closed, Jason goes in, buys a single sunflower, and talks up the Red Hood.

Even if Miraculous never comes into his fold, this will all have been worth it just to have seen the look on Tim’s face the first time he comes in just as Jason's buying his daily flower.

There’s a small hole burned into his wallet, but Kori loves sunflowers.

Jason’s not the only regular, but he’s the most frequent, by the end of his fourth month he knows all the other regular’s sob stories, and everyone and their mother thinks he's sweet on Marinette. That may be the kind of true by this point. He’s worn her down to where she will talk to him as he browses. Even if she also complains that, “It’s pointless. I already have your sunflower set aside.”

Month six marks a distinct turning point in their relationship. He was upgraded from General-Creep to Recurring-Menace to Okay-I-Guess-We’re-Sorta-Friends-Now a while ago. Month six is the month he gains the title of Permanent-Fixture. It’s marked by him walking in and Marinette forcing an apron on him.

“I told Red Robin when he started coming by, that if he was going to hang around than he needed a reason to. So if you want to hang in Miraculous you’re going to work in Miraculous.”

“Unpaid labor is illegal.”

“No, it’s not. It’s just called volunteering.”

5) Getting together actually takes a while.

Jason is relentless when it comes to his recruitment pitches, but he has standards for fuck's sake. No woman actually enjoys it when men flirt with them on the clock. There’s a whole power imbalance thing that makes him sick to his stomach.

Sure Marinette can take care of herself. She’s a force of nature. Jason had offered to help carry potting soil for her once. One time. That was before he saw her lift the thirty pound bag over her shoulder like an empty sack of rice. Marinette can take care of herself, she just won’t.

Jason has seen more than one scummy fuck harass her. She gets quiet….she loses her confidence, and it’s just so wrong to see a person as strong as Marinette look small. He’s not sure what about blatant flirting and bad pick up lines bothers her so much but—Marinette can never know, and they’ll never tell her that the Red Hood tracked each one of them down. Threats are beautiful things. They just make it all come together.

He is a gentleman, even after he starts working with her. While co-workers flirting with each other isn’t as bad, it’s still kind of awful. The problem is that Marinette is always working, she never leaves Miraculous. Even on her off days.

So Jason, never finds the right time to ask her out himself. All the regulars already think they’re dating. His brothers think they’re dating. Alfred, Alfred thinks they’re dating after walking into the shop one time since Jason’s resurrection. He’s thankful his brothers gave him a heads up—not. Alfred walks in to find him behind the counter with a fluffy pink apron on, even his refined British manners are tested. Jason just knows he’s laughing. He knows.

It happens like this, Jason teams up with Batman and Co. to help with a standard smuggling ring. Nothing difficult, the only reason it should have required all of them was because of the shipment size. It should have been easy. It had been easy.

That is until the Joker shows up, Jason freezes, and takes a bullet straight to the stomach.

Stomachs bleed...a lot.

He doesn’t remember much of what happened after that. Stomachs also hurt a lot, and it’s hard to think coherently when you’re in excruciating pain. Jason, blacked out shortly after Dick started putting pressure on the wound. For future reference, while stopping the bleeding might be important, it hurts like fucking hell.

Marinette is the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes. She’s hunched over herself in the plastic chair next to his bed. Someone, probably Dick or Alfred, draped a blanket over her. She looks vastly out of place, like the room itself is sucking the life out of her. The lighting makes her skin almost translucent.

The second thing he sees is the sunflowers covering every inch of the hospital room. There must have been a couple dozen, at least. It was probably closer to a hundred if not more. Despite the pain that comes with laughing, Jason can’t help himself.

His laughter alerts the nurse, who alerts his family. Apparently, they’ve all been camping out in the waiting room. Much comfier couches there. His family wakes Marinette, who turns her piercingly otherworldly eyes on him.

Marinette stays quiet through all his family’s fussing. She stays quiet even after that. All she does is stare. Jason doesn’t think she’s actually seeing him.

“I didn’t think I missed this many days,” Jason jokes, gesturing to the multitude of flowers wrapped around every available surface.

“No, you didn’t.” Marinette’s answer is curt. She’s distracted, Jason really wishes he knew what she was seeing.

“Not a fan of Hospitals?” Jason tries.

Marinette blinks. The cloudy look on her face disappearing as she shakes her head. “No, I really can’t stand them.”

“Me either.” Jason feels an intense desire to continue the conversation, if only to keep Marinette from closing up again. “You know, you didn’t have to visit me.”

“I wanted to,” Marinette says. “Your brother called, and told me what happened. I came by just after you were finishing up in surgery.”

“What about the shop?”

Jason has been working at Miraculous—volunteering because Marinette still doesn’t pay him—for months. He’s invested in the place now.

"It can be closed for a few days,” Marinette says, reaching over to take his hand. Jason lets her, he’s always hated hospitals. It's gotten worse since he came back. The comfort is welcome. “This is more important.”

Jason wants to say something, to take his shot, and ask her out. Because she’s just as important to him, but it feels wrong so, he settles with, “You’re a really good friend Marinette.”

He does his best to ignore the way the words choke him.

“I think,” Marinette starts, only to stop herself. There’s a moment of internal debate before she continues, “I think we both know we’re a little more than just friends.”

6) Jason never does claim Miraculous, it remains perfectly neutral, despite having the Bat-Family practically living out of the apartment upstairs.

“Hey, do you think now that we're dating you can convince Tim to come by out of costume?”

Jason blanks. “What?”

“Tim, do you think you can get him to stop dropping by as Red Robin so much. People are starting to think Miraculous has been claimed as part of Batman’s terf.”

Jason does the most logical thing he can think of. He buries his face in his hands, and groans. “Why did you have to figure it out?”

“Was I…not supposed to?”

“No, no you weren’t. How did you?”

“Jason, there’s only one person you hate as much as Tim, and that’s Red Robin. I’ve seen how you look at both of them. No one makes your eyes scream murder as much as he does. Not even Dick.”

“Oh God,” Jason says wiping a hand across his face. “Does that mean—”

“That I know you’re the Red Hood?” Marinette asks, cutting him off. “Hmm, I’ve known that for longer. Probably since you first started coming around consistently. At first, I thought you had like, the biggest boner for the guy, but then you seemed really into me and well, you talked him up way too much to either not have a crush on him or be him so, I connected the dots.”

[sparkleofpizza]

Girl crush - Wally West x Reader

Requested: no

Warnings: low self-esteem, heartache, song inspired 

Summary: Reader is in love with Wally, but he seems to be in love with someone else. 

Word count: 1.350

The heart rush was horrible. You hated yourself for feeling the way you did, but you couldn’t help but adore every single part of that flirtations ginger head. From the way he was always joking around, making you smile, to the way you sometimes wanted to punch him in the face and then kiss away his bruises. Wally West was going to be the death of you.

You were walking down the hall of the Mountain of Justice in the middle of the night. You were up helping your friend Dick with a case when you passed by Wally’s bedroom and heard her voice, heard her laugh. You bit on your lower lip to prevent a sad sight from escaping your lips. It hurt, but you had to get over it as fast as you could.

You kept on walking, pushing open the door to your room, watching Dick type away on his laptop. You placed two mugs of coffee on the table and took a sit beside him.

“Thank you.” He said, eyeing you sideways “Why are you frowning?”

“It’s nothing. I’m just a bit frustrated we haven’t been able of find out their location yet.” You lied

He gave you a skeptical look. He had a pretty good idea why you looked a bit upset, but he didn’t want to push you into talking about something you didn’t want you. 

“If you ever want to talk about that just know that I will always be heart to listen. And kick ass. Listen and kick ass.”

You chuckled lightly, glad to have a friend like him “I know, thank you, Dickie.”

You just wished you could experience what se was experiencing right now as you drowned yourself in sadness.

I got it real bad Want everything she has That smile and that midnight laugh She’s giving you now

It was brief and very short, if you weren’t paying very close attention you would’ve missed the way their lips touched before a mission. How Artemis stood a bit too close than normal to Wally, how her lips moved slowly, in a whisper of words only meant for him. You adverted your eyes, you didn’t want to be caught staring and didn’t want to break your heart even further.

You stared yourself in the mirror, adjusting your mask and your hair braid. You really took your time to look yourself in the mirror. Maybe if you had blonde hair or was as magnetic as her you would stand a chance. Sighting in defeat you turned away, ready for the mission. 

I want to taste her lips Yeah, ‘cause they taste like you I wanna drown myself  In a bottle of her perfume I want her long blonde hair I want her magic touch Yeah, ‘cause maybe then You’d want me just as much

You cried yourself to sleep that night, or the amount of sleep you could get anyway. Hearing noises coming from the room beside you wasn’t something you were looking forward to. Specially their noises. It put images in your head, how she was pulling him in, how he was showering her with his love. If you could only have a little bit of that.

Figuring enough is enough, you grabbed your pillows and left your room, going to someone you knew would be up at this time of the night. 

You lightly knocked on Dick’s bedroom door before allowing yourself in. He looked up from his book, frowning when he saw tears clouding your eyes. He stood up, sitting in bed and patting a spot beside him. You climbed in, hugging your pillow close to your chest.

“I could really use that talk you offered me the other day.” You whispered, voice breaking at the end

He nodded his head, watching you sadly as you spend almost the rest of the night telling him how you felt about Wally and how it hurt you to see him with Artemis. You told him how you had this feelings for such a long time and his flirtatious ways towards everyone wasn’t doing you any good because it only got your hopes high when you knew that in the end he would always go back to her arms. 

Dick allowed you to sleep in his bed that night, holding his arm. He figured he had to do something, you couldn’t keep on living like that. It was too painful. So when you woke up the next morning, he suggested you to take some time off. 

“You should go home for a while. Stay with your family and recover. Being here and having to watch them everyday is no good to you. You need time to move on and living with him is not going to allow you to do that.”

You decided to accept his idea. You left to your room, packing a few of your stuff and leaving without saying goodbye to anyone beside Dick and Batman who was allowing you time off. You stated you needed to take care of your mental health and be with your family for a while, as you felt you weren’t giving a 100% of yourself out there. The older man didn’t ask many questions, having talked to his older son earlier and already being aware of the situation.

So you left, only to come back months later feeling like a completely renewed person. 

The first person you hugged was Dick, staying in the embrace a bit longer than you normally would, but you had him to thank for everything. You were quick to ask all of the teams members to fill you in with what you had missed.

“Hello, Wally.” You smiled as you saw the redhead approach you shyly, he sat beside you 

“Hi, Y/N. You look different.” He pointed out, looking at your dyed hair and shoulder length, your tan skin instead of the usual pale one 

“I never really knew how much I needed a time out of this before I got some.” You chuckled “How’s Artemis?”

“Uh... Ah, we broke up.” 

You nodded your head, asking if he was alright. The smile never faltered your voice and it actually made him feel better, he had missed you a lot. His relationship with Artemis didn’t last two months after you left, when he realized you had left because he had broken your heart. But he was willing to make this right this time. Him and Artemis didn’t work out, it wasn’t meant to be, but the two of you? That’s a completely different story.

“Look, Y/N. I’m really sorry for what I did to you.” He started, scratching the back of his neck “I should’ve never rubbed my relationship with Artemis in your face the way that I did, I was aware that you had feelings for me and I was a jerk. But I’m willing to make it up to you, if you want me to.”

You chuckled, hitting him lightly on the shoulder “Oh, don’t worry. I don’t blame you or anything like that, I’d actually like to thank you. If it wasn’t for you, Dick would’ve never told me to take some time off, and that was the best thing I could’ve done. I’m happier than ever and got a fresh start when I met my boyfriend.”

“B-Boyfriend?” It was even hard for him to utter those words 

“Yeah, I met him when I was patrolling alone one day. I believe you know him? Roy?”

Oh dear, it must be a really sick joke.

“You’re dating Roy Harper?!” His voice went up a few octaves 

“Yes.” You chuckled “Isn’t it funny? He’s Jason’s best friend and haven’t met him before a few months ago.”

“Yeah, really funny.” He dryly chuckled 

“Well, it was really nice talking to you, but I have to go. I promised Dick I’d help him solve a case. See you around, Wally.”

Wally nodded his head, waiting until you were out of sight to growl in frustration. For someone as fast as him, he was indeed slow enough to loose you so fast.

[spacesuitsforemergency]

DoJ

This is how Onawa told her closest parental figures, Guy and Cat, that she was pregnant. Also Tye lives with Onawa and Roy until he gets enough money to live on his own (which doesn’t happen until Roynawa’s kid is a year old)

Cat belongs to @must-be-ryan

Amias mentioned @silverdecepticon93

“Roy! What did I say about leaving your damn arrows everywhere?!” Roy winced when he heard Onawa snap at him from the living room.

“Sorry, Ona-“

“No! What did I say?” His wife stormed over and threw the arrows at him. “Huh? Tell me.”

“You said stop leaving them everywhere-“

“That’s correct. And what did you do?”

“I left my arrows everywhere-“

“That’s what I thought.” She huffed. “Now hurry up with the dishes. They’ll be here any min-“

Her head snapped around when she heard the doorbell ring, and Roy watched from the sink as she quickly straightened everything in the house with her powers, and rushed to the door.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Onawa grumbled and turned back to continue cleaning.

“Hello to you too, sis.” Tye scoffed, letting himself in. “Geez, no need to be rude.”

“I’m sorry.” Onawa sighed, running a hand through her hair as she teared up. “Oh great! Now I’m crying! Thanks a lot, Tye!”

“What did I do?” Tye blinked.

“Word of advice, don’t tell a pregnant woman she’s being rude.” Roy said as he wrapped Onawa in a hug, who was now full on crying, which didn’t happen often.

“Oh, uh...Sorry, O.”

“It’s not your fault, I’m being annoying.” Onawa wiped her face, then shoved Roy off her. “Don’t touch me.”

“How was your day?” Roy shook his head at his wife’s sudden mood swing.

“Fine, dad.” Tye tossed his bag onto the floor, but quickly picked it up when Onawa glared at him. “Sorry.”

“You better be. Put your bag in your room and shut that door. Your room is a disaster zone, I didn’t even bother.” Onawa shook her head at her brother.

“Yes, Mother.” Tye scoffed at her, but ran to his room when she once again sent him a death stare.

“Sweetheart, take a breath.” Roy advised her.

“Roy, I’m nervous. I think I have the right to be.” Onawa mumbled as she dried the last dish and put it away.

“I know, but it’s Guy and Cat. It’ll be fine.”

“But I’m telling them I’m having a child. How do you even do that?” Onawa sighed as she finally sat next to him on the couch, letting him wrap an arm around her, the cold metal making her shiver.

“Well, maybe not the same way you told me.”

“I still don’t see the problem with how I told you.”

“Okay, we’re not arguing about this again.”

“Precisely. Because I am correct and you can’t handle it.”

“Hey I-!”

“Yo, what’s for dinner?” Tye shouted from his room.

“Do I look like your personal chef?” Onawa yelled back.

Tye didn’t respond, Roy raised an eyebrow in anticipation.

“...steak.” Onawa said after awhile. “But remember Guy and Cat will be here, so you better not-“

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Tye walked out of his room, not entirely paying attention to his sister. “Don’t do anything dumb.”

“Good job, you remembered.” Onawa said sarcastically, before getting up and staring at the carpet, making sure it was straight. “Now get up, this isn’t right.”

“Honey, you’ve been cleaning for like, a week straight.” Roy sighed as he got up. “And it’s Guy, have you seen his house? I’m pretty sure he’s not gonna care if, dare I say it, the couch isn’t exactly one inch apart from the rug, and perfectly aligned with the coffee table.”

“I don’t care, I want it to be perfect.” Onawa said as she slightly moved the carpet.

“Your sisters crazy.” Roy whispered to Tye.

“Well, your wife’s crazy.” Tye mumbled back, just as the doorbell rang. Onawa shoved past the two men, opening the door quickly.

“Onawa! How are you?” Guy instantly wrapped her in a bear hug.

“Good.” Onawa smiled slightly, seeing Cat standing behind him. “Hi, Cat.”

“Guy, let the poor girl go.” Cat lightly smacked his arm.

“What’s for dinner?” He set her down, ruffling Tye’s hair as he passed him, going to the fridge and helping himself to a beer.

“What a gentleman.” Cat shook her head as she shut the door behind her. “How are you, dear?”

“Fine, how are the girls? I haven’t spoken to them in awhile.” Onawa asked as she led Cat to the living room.

“They’re good. Causing trouble as always.” Cat chuckled slightly.

“Well do you want some tea?”

“Please.” Cat nodded politely.

“Tye. Boil some water.” Onawa told him.

“Do I look like your butler?” Tye mumbled, everyone widening their eyes at his boldness, which quickly dissolved when he saw the look on his sisters face.

“Tye Longshadow I swear to everything that is holy I will-“

“On it, ma’am!” Tye ran to the kitchen, not wanting to hear the rest of the threat. Roy motioned for Guy to follow him to the table, where they started talking about...whatever it is guys talk about. Onawa didn’t know, nor care.

She was nervous the whole time as she chatted with Cat, wringing her hands together, glancing at the clock and tapping her foot. Cat noticed every time she would randomly take a deep breath, shift positions or bite her lip.

“Honey, is something wrong?” Cat stopped mid sentence. Onawa shook her head quickly, but obviously something wasn’t right. “Onawa, you can tell me.”

The guys took notice, Tye and Roy exchanging a knowing glance. Onawa motioned for them to go, so they excused themselves out to the porch to grill the steak. Guy walked over and sat beside Cat, so that they were across from Onawa.

“Uh...so, um...I have...news.” Onawa mumbled quietly, trying to calm her nerves. “It’s good, it really is...um, I just uh...I’m not sure if...um...”

“Yeah?” They both looked at her, not sure whether to be worried or not.

“Honey, drink some of that, you look ready to faint.” Cat pushed the mug of tea into her hands. “Now, take a deep breath.”

Onawa nodded and followed her instructions, taking a few sips of tea before breathing in slowly.

“Okay...so...here goes, uh...I’m...I’m pregnant.” Onawa said just above a whisper, knitting her eyebrows together in worry.

Both of them stared at her, expressionless and blank, which only worried Onawa more.

“Look, I know I’m kind of young, and I only got married a year ago, but-“

“Congratulations!” Guy hollered, immediately picking her up into another bear hug. “Oh my god! I can’t believe it!”

Onawa stiffened as he hugged her, shocked at his (very aggressive) approval. She looked down at Cat, who was now crying. Onawa slipped out of Guy’s grasp and as soon as she did Cat wrapped her in a much gentler hug. Onawa started crying too, partly from the hormones and partly from relief and happiness.

“Roy! You son of a bitch, you’re gonna be a dad?!” Guy rushed outside, and you could hear Roy gasping for air from the tight hug he received. “This is so cool! Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, I will teach you everything.”

“As much as I love him and Olive and Levi, don’t listen to a word of advice that man gives you.” Cat giggled through tears.

“When have I ever?” Onawa grinned, pulling away to look at her. “Cat, I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know how to hold a baby properly, I’ve never even held one!”

“Oh, sweetie, don’t worry, I’m gonna help you.” Cat rubbed her shoulder to comfort her. “You can call me anytime, and I mean it. Do you need money? We’ll go shopping, okay? I’ll show you everything you need. When’s your next doctors appointment? If you need someone to come with you, you can call me anytime.”

“Thank you.” Onawa wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. “I’d hate to take you up on that offer but we might need some financial help-“

“Don’t you worry about that at all, I have more than enough.” Cat shook her head.

“How do you ladies want your steak?” Roy poked his head in.

“Rare.” Onawa wiped her face. “And don’t burn it this time, Roy Harper. You understand?”

“I told you, that was because-“

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, yes ma’am.” Roy nodded. “Catrina?”

“Medium rare, please.” Cat stifled a laugh at Roy’s fear of his wife.

“Guy, lower the heat a little, we can’t risk any burning.” Roy said as soon as he went back outside.

“Cat? Can I ask a dumb question?”

“Sweetie, there aren’t any dumb questions.”

“I’m gonna get stretch marks, aren’t I?”

“Well...yeah, sweet-“

“Roy! I hate you!” Onawa whipped around towards the porch.

“I know, honey.” Roy nodded.

“I’m calling Amias and Sawyer! Maybe they can help me fix the problem you made!”

“Yes, honey.”

[thegeekerynj]

DCeased: Dead Earth # 2-3

Writer: Tom Taylor Pencils: Trevor Hairsine Inks: Gigi Baldassini

‘Your father wasn’t a hugger.

‘Oh, believe me, I remember. But I’m not as emotionally stunted. We’re just lucky Scarecrow never realized Bruce’s greatest fear was intimacy.

‘Batman could have been chased out of Gotham by a supportive pat on the shoulder’

——————————————————————————————————

Gentle Readers, I promise to be better.

Two months of reviews in one is bad. To cram two months of this book together is inhuman.

Tom Taylor is killing me. Not physically, although at times, it does feel that way… he is wringing the heart out of my chest, one super strong twist at a time, the pain just receding as the next twist grinds bone and cartilage into organ and nerve ending.

I feel every gut wrenching reveal like a gut punch, and wince as I see the fates of so many favorite…

Dear lords, I love this series!

We pick up with Arsenal in Chicago, patrolling outside the bunker where those uninfected humans he is protecting are holed up, hoping for salvation. As he talks to Gracie, a little girl who is a resident of the bunker, the Anti - Life infected move in.

Led by Fire.

Arsenal goes up like last 4th’s fireworks, leaving Gracie staring at a leather clad funeral pyre.

And Shadowpact arrives ten seconds too late.

So, Roy Harper, who survived being Oliver Queen’s ward, Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy, heroin addiction, alcoholism, death seeking depression and suicidal tendencies, losing an arm and being cloned by CADMUS, gets taken out by a zombie attack.

A true Romero ending.

Somewhere, Tom Taylor is gigging, as he gnaws on my heart…

This is the first THREE PAGES!

Things we learn through these issues:

Cradle robbing is no longer frowned upon.

Wearing the Bat makes such things forgivable

Damien Wayne is more well adjusted after being raised by the League of Assassins than Bruce Wayne was, being raised by Alfred and vengeance

Jim Gordon is a snarky old man

Jason Todd is not as big a jerk as he has played

Constantine is

Maxwell Lord is just as big a tool in this universe as he was in others

He dies just as easily, too

Harley Quinn has more of a conscience than we’ve seen

The biggest badass in the world is a plant

The smartest badass is a chimp

Ivo is back

So are Amazo

Etrigan is back

The infected have souls, and can be cured

Trigon is coming

To collect the souls

Game On!

Taylor’s story has been tight, MTA Rush Hour Subway tight. No loose ends, the plot is well thought out, every Chekov’s Gun has been fired, so far. The characterizations are wonderful, extreme in some cases, and in some cases they prove that, at times, Less is definitely More.

Need an example? Three panels, Dinah Lance, Black Canary, the new Green Lantern of Sector 2814, will not leave her one true love Oliver Queen behind. She carries him in a force bubble, to both keep others safe, and protect him.

When told to make a choice, hit the road with a carrier of the Anti-Life virus, or dump him outside the Garden Zone, and remain inside in safety, she doesn’t hesitate. She leaves. This is Strength. This is Love. **tear** (I hate you all, Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine and Gina Baldassini!)

Which, in fact, brings us to the art team. Trevor Hairsine and Gina Baldassini have created an incredible world in these books. The artwork is so sharp, so detailed, as to make the reader a part of the story. It has a Barry Windsor Smith feel, so fine lined and expressive, so very detailed, and SO GRAPHIC!!! Thank the gods this is a Teen+ book…

We have setups for the next few issues, the Australian Compound / Ivo and the Penguin, and Scott Free / Constantine / Bobo, off to find Metron, the Anti - Life vs the Gotham Green Zone, Alec Holland and his quest to free his opposite, Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man. The next big question, who will complete their tasks first?

More importantly, do the Variant covers predict who is going next… How will the Helm of Fate work with an Anti - Life Kent Nelson???

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶