#she realizes that roy is starting to become like a parent to her and she freaks out

[gaywineauntsstuff]

See one of my favorite things about fanon is that Dick is like a normal dude outside of nightwing like genuinely he’s normal person who isn’t that extreme canonically. He loves his family but he needs space with them and doesn’t want to be a carbon copy of his father.

He follows Bruce is moral compass while also being more lenient on some crimes. He canonically values life and protecting the sanctity over it than actually stopping crime and has a very strong moral compass that exceeds “well it’s the law”. Dick canonically thinks that Corrupt police officials are worse than criminals and became a cop to weed them out the same way he did the mob. And has bad blood with the BPD despite working for them.

He has genuine reservations about trusting Jason for obvious reasons even if you don’t like Dicks run as Batman where Jason was flat out the worst or like stealing the Nightwing suit in New York in brothers and blood. While still being able to work with and like him.

He is supportive of Tim while still being frustrated at taking on more work bc he knows Tim does too much and will need help.

He loves Damian but steps away from that relationship because unlike Bruce at his age he’s emotionally mature enough to realize he cannot be a parent for the kid. A role model sure! A big sibling, yeah. But not a parent.

He didn’t want Steph as spoiler, Robin or batgirl bc she wasn’t well trained but neither did literally anyone else. Once she and him started working together they had a decent relationship.

Dick and Cass have a strong relationship and he helped Babs with her when Bruce was being an asshole while still not stepping into a parent role bc he’s in his mid 20s and not going to do that actually.

And Dick believes Duke is going to become a big leader in the hero world and sees his potential despite not agreeing with the we are Robin thing.

And the fanon goes 1 of 3 ways

he’s fully uninvolved, doesn’t like the bats, has cut them off after trying to send Tim to Arkham, and abusing/ mistreating or co-signing the mistreatment of Jason. All his relationships with everyone except Damian have been erased. He ruined Tim’s trust, hated young!jason, has never spoken to Steph or duke and Cass doesn’t like him because she’s on babs side or in Hong Kong.

Or

Literally Bruce Wayne’s lapdog, says yes to everything with the worst case of battered women’s syndrome you’ve ever seen. Jason must stand up for him and protect him from the big bad bat/ the bats cut him off aswell after abandoning the bat movement (more rare but I’ve seen it). He doesn’t have critical thinking and his morals are identical to Batman’s and he refuses to question them. Will call the police on a homeless man stealing food bc it’s illegal. And has never tried to rehabilitate anyone including his friends, abandoned Roy and Kory bc of moral differences. He’s still a cop and doesn’t understand the nuance that Jason, Tim, Steph and Duke do.

Or

Dumb himbo, doesn’t know nothing except smile and nod. Pretty face, no brain. Has had one thought and it’s the fact he misses his siblings and needs his cereal oh wait was that two thoughts? He forgot how to count lmao. Babs or Tim will roll their eyes and do stuff for him bc he’s so dumb and sweet like a puppy who has had a lobotomy. :( doesn’t even have a college degree dumb silly teehee. Worst liar you’ve ever met everyone can see right through him hehe. He’s loves Bruce and calls him Dad 24/7 and uses nicknames for everyone.

And like it’s total flanderization

He has some of these traits sure, (more rigid moral compass, more willing to work with other heroes and delegate though this one literally only became a thing during Tom kings run and maybe a little bit after Donna died, in the current canon he went to Uni for business and dropped out, he’s not as good on the tech side as oracle)

But they’re just so exaggerated and I firmly believe it’s bc the rest of the bats are so extra. Like Tim trying to clone his dead bestie 99 times.

Jason goodness gracious I’ve been bamboozled let me try and kill the penguin on live tv

Damian my mother literally tore my spine out

. Duke let’s start a cult that’s something that isn’t dumb and won’t get us murdered.

And Dick is just there like… yeah fuck okay.

Like he’s still unhinged even for a superhero but he’s just objectively more hinged than all of his siblings like you’re telling me if TIM got the talon ancestry storyline shit wouldn’t have hit the fan??? The mother fucker who at age like 13 broke in Nightwing and starfire’s house, memorized all their schedules bc he’s the most insane stalker you’ve ever met. You’re lying and we both know it.

And everyone thinks their fave is the sane won and you are all just wrong I fear. I have already slandered Tim so I’ll do the rest for funsies

“Oh babs is the only sane one”

Bby Barbara is such a stalker with a need for control someone stole her tech and turned Gotham into a police state. If she decided that she wanted to go dictator she has a WHOLE setup for it. She’s also unhinged

“Jason just needs to get away from the bats then he’s the only sane one who the others go to for protection”

Yall Jason’s 2 biggest teams were

An Amazon, and a kryptonian

An arrow and an alien (also some times an Amazon)

So the league big three knock off and a titans knock off

He has also slept with his dad’s ex and 2 of his brother’s exes. Let’s not pretend that he’s being dragged back into the bat family, bro never left.

He wears a bat on his chest

He has a helmet with explosives in it… when he died in an explosion and fought with a crowbar when it was one of the major reasons he died. Let’s not talk about his whole thing with scarlet but the Morrison run had some weird characterization.

“Damian-“ no actually you can’t even start with Mr let’s go to Lazarus island. Let me adopt a giant bat monster bc my abusive childhood means I slaughtered his entire race. No actually I will not allow it. The fucker is unhinged and I love him.

“Steph” - you know what she is also my fave so everything she has ever done is justified and she has the best batgirl run and also her and Damian are hilarious. (She’s also the best female bat hands down I prefer her to both Cass and Babs for so many reasons I will not get into)

In summary this isn’t actually a criticism I find it hilarious plz keep going my darling fanon fanfic writers

[kathbunny]

I WAS TOLD TO WRITE ABOUT CITRUS SO I AM

Context: A much younger Dani from her street kid days is sent forward in time to our post canon crew, eventually ending up adopted by the crew. That's their daughter now. She gets nicknamed Citrus to avoid confusion and it eventually becomes just her name. The crew is making sure she's getting the childhood Dani didn't get as much as Citrus allows.

This particular little bit of writing is going to be Citrus meeting Roy for the first time! The crew is meeting with Hira for a job and she wanders off. He has a moment.

Citrus poked her head out of the closet, checking up and down the hall to see if the weird huge ass ice lizard had stopped looking for her, letting out a sigh of relief when she realized the hall was empty. She just had to find her way back to the crew now! In this weird rich guy she didn't know's mansion! She wasn't going to cry about that!

Citrus started running down the hall, dodging unfamiliar people who stared at her in confusion. She eventually found her way to a workshop! A really cool workshop! The door had been left half open and she strode in, staring at the project taking up the center of the room. She had no clue what it was, it just looked like a block of metal with where rolling bits and a long canon on its head.

She heard footsteps coming in, and immediately skittered behind the project, peering from behind it to investigate who was surely the talented artificer working on this weapon. Instead, she all she saw a wimpy, but buff looking fire genasi man with a horrible 5 o'clock shadow, a shirt with too many patches, and a super cool jacket like grown-up-future-Dani had.

He seemed to immediately spot her, face scrunching up in confusion. "What the fu-" He cut himself off from swearing. "Dani?"

Oh! This was Roy! Why did Roy have muscle? He wasn't supposed to have that. Roy walked over to her, kneeling in front of her. "Did you get de-aged by the wild magic or something..?" He mumbled, examining her.

"Nope!" Citrus chirped, deciding to mess with him a bit. "Who're you, mister?"

Roy took a moment to process or something. "Sorry- sorry, I thought you were my... Sister?" He sounded confused on that. "What's your name, kid? I don't think you're supposed to be here."

"Citrus!" She replied, hands innocently behind her back.

"Okay, uh... Who took you here?" Roy asked.

"My parents!" She tried to sound as cheerful as possible, like a kid with parents probably actually would.

Roy made an expression that showed that was exactly as unhelpful as intended. "Do you know any of your parents' names?"

"You already said one though, mister." Citrus tried to keep her tone straight, not wanting to laugh.

He processed that. And then his expression became one of confusion. And then dread. "Okay. Well. How about we just get you to where Hira meets their guests so he can call your parents?"

---

Roy stepped into the main room, Citrus held in his arms. The crew were, unexpectedly, actually there, talking with Hira in a mild panic. Citrus immediately started trying to squirm free, and Roy set her down, watching her bolt up to and hug Dani's legs. There was a visible and collective sigh of relief from the crew. Shit, it wasn't just a similar name thing like Roy was hoping.

Dani picked up and passed Citrus to Kyana, and she headed straight towards Roy. "Hey, thank you for-"

"Dani, when were you going to tell me I apparently had a niece?" Roy asked, keeping his voice down and smiling even if inside he was both terrified and pissed. He didn't want to scare the kid, who was watching them. Oh, gods, what if something happened to Dani while she was adventuring? What would happen to the kid? Could he be a better Uncle than Oto? Could he be a good uncle at all?

"Uh... Well, it's complicated. I'll tell you the situation after we do this job for Hira, alright? It's kinda time sensitive." Dani replied, avoiding looking at him.

"...I'll hold you to that." Roy hated that, but it was Dani.

"I'll get us some drinks. It's a long story."

[dckweed]

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, gator tillman

in which gator tillman and his arranged bride figure out life and each other and what a real relationship means to them.

warnings: mentions and depictions of abuse, mentions of bruises, arranged marriages, romance, humor, dead parents, slow burn relationship (not completely but not not), basically we know the tillman men are asswipes so i 100% see Roy forcing gator into this kind of situation for money for his militia, eventual smut with kinks such as thigh riding, gun play, choking, spanking, lots of marking and possible spit play. this chapter does not contain explicit smut, but does contain mentions of blowjobs and ejaculation on tits. 18 & over only, MINORS DO NOT READ.

hiiiiiiiiiiii its been a while huh? thought i would feed you guys with a nice long one..not proof read, im half asleep with a sick toddler on top of me, most of this is also unplanned (as is most of the things i write). let me know how we like lu! what do we think of her and gator? and the ending? the engagement party????

please click this link! each click helps me earn some extra money, as well as each person that clicks the link and signs up (its completely free, and takes 0 time), a completely harmless way to earn some extra cash that doesn't involve giving me any of your own!

i would also like to maybe have a little competition to see who can make me a new aesthetic/moodboard for these two? winner will get a 20$ dunkin or starbs gift card (your choice)! let me know if anyone is interested!

also, as a reminder i love receiving asks about these two! i also love recieving maybe some drabble ideas too :) my inbox is always open!

series masterlist here, series playlist here.

PART EIGHT: lu and the engagement party

Saturday came faster than you realized, your alarm clock bleating in your ear before the sun was even up. You don’t even open your eyes when you reach your arm out to slap the button you know will shut it up, reaching out from under the covers blindly with a groan. A whiney noise comes from the body under your cheek, the noise rumbling in his chest and vibrating your cheek as he tightens his arm around you. “S’time to get up, Gator..” You say softly, yawning, head still under the covers. 

He hums, hand rubbing over your back softly. “She really that good of a friend that we can’t let her sit there for a few hours?” He grumbles and you bite his pec, for the fact of being purely too lazy to raise your arm again and smack him. “Ow! Geez, I get it!” He starts to sit up, you in his lap as he grumbles under his breath about how you’re part vampire or something with the way you just chomped down on him, how you’re a mean bitch when you’re tired and all you do is grumble in return, biting his neck this time. “Joke’s on you, that one felt good” He chuckles, slipping out from underneath of you and heading for the bathroom. 

You follow after him in nothing but your bra and panties, rubbing your puffy, tired eyes. You had been up with Boyd half the night, the other half spent waiting for Gator to come to your house after work so you could crawl into bed with him, having quickly become used to him just being there and suddenly unable to sleep without him. “M’sleepy..” You whine, stamping your foot on the ground as you shiver, before pouting when he just raises an eyebrow at you and hands you your tooth brush and your basket of skin care items. 

You completely ignore the way his eyes roam over you, letting him stare at your tits as they jiggle when you brush your teeth, as if you hadn’t let him cum all over them last night when you had given him another blow job before bed, just for funsies this time. As if you hadn’t teased him all night long with some topless selfies...

You pout and stomp your foot again when he pushes you out towards your closet, crying out when he lands a harsh smack to your ass. “Quit it with that bratty behavior, ‘fore i put that mouth to use to stop that damn whinin’” He commands, ushering you into your closet. He kept a drawer of his clothes in there now, at your urging seeing as you had filled his drawers with a bunch of your stuff at his house. You wasted no time in helping yourself to one of his giant stark county sheriff’s tshirts, much to his chagrin, pairing it with a pair of denim high waisted shorts and some sandals to show off your pretty pink toenails that he vaguely remembered paying to have done. 

“Going for comfort today, Pearlie?” He asks, pulling his own tshirt on, you only hum, pressing your face into his back as you wrap your arms around his middle, making it difficult for him to get dressed. You were like a clingy toddler some mornings, and he couldn’t say that he didn’t love it. 

It took another twenty minutes or so to get you out of the house, your hair up in a claw clip as you trailed behind him, eyes half closed still, heavy with sleep. The keys to your jeep dangled from your hand and dutifully he opens the passenger side door for you, patting your butt as you climb in with a murmured promise to stop and get you some coffee.  

The sunrise spills across the horizon, painting the world in shades of soft gold and pink as you sip your iced coffee and lean back in the passenger seat of your Jeep. The caffeine hasn’t quite kicked in yet, but it doesn’t matter. Exhaustion clings to you both, but somehow, sitting here with him feels like the most peaceful place in the world.

Gator’s hand rests firmly on your thigh, his thumb tracing lazy circles over the denim of your shorts. It’s such a small gesture, but it anchors you. He’s driving, his long fingers draped over the wheel like he was born to hold it. You glance at him, the way the morning light sharpens his profile, and feel a familiar flutter in your chest. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to this—how natural it feels to have him beside you, even in the simplest moments.

“You and that coffee,” he teases, glancing at you with that lopsided grin that always makes you roll your eyes and smile at the same time. “One of these days, I’m gonna figure out how much you’ve spent on those things and send you the bill.”

“You’d never,” you shoot back, taking another sip just to spite him. “And besides, you keep buying them for me, so really, whose fault is it?”

“Guess I’m just a sucker,” he mutters, shaking his head. But the corners of his mouth twitch upward, and you know he doesn’t mind one bit.

The radio hums softly in the background, a mix of new country songs you’ve been obsessing over lately. Your face lights up as the familiar opening chords of Morgan Wallen’s latest hit fill the car. Without thinking, you crank the volume, squealing in excitement. “Oh my God, this is my song! Turn it up, turn it up!”

Gator groans in mock agony, but he complies, his fingers twisting the knob. “This is, what, the fifth ‘favorite song’ you’ve had this month?”

“Shut up and sing with me,” you order, already belting out the lyrics—off-key, of course, but you don’t care. The wind rushes in through the open windows, carrying your voice out into the morning air. You’re loud and unapologetic, and it makes you laugh when he winces like your singing physically hurts him.

“Jesus, Pearlie,” he says, shaking his head as he joins in, purposely worse than you just to make you laugh. And laugh you do, doubling over in your seat until tears stream down your cheeks, your coffee threatening to spill in your hand.

“Careful,” he warns, grinning as he takes his eyes off the road for just a second to glance at you. “You’re gonna wreck that bougie drink of yours all over my seats.”

You can’t even respond to remind him that they’re your seats; you’re laughing too hard to form words. The song ends, leaving you breathless and buzzing with the kind of giddy energy only he can bring out of you. You look over at him, his face relaxed and happy as he keeps one hand steady on the wheel and the other warm on your leg.

“You’re having fun,” you point out, nudging him with your elbow.

He raises a brow. “You’re a mess, Pearlie. How could I not?”

You roll your eyes, leaning your head back against the seat as the next song comes on, softer and slower. The moment shifts, settling into something quieter, but no less warm. You watch him for a while, the way his fingers drum lightly against the wheel in time with the music, his face relaxed but focused. It hits you, suddenly and completely: how good he is to you. How steady, how sure.

“You’re gonna love Lu,” you say, breaking the silence. “She’s known me forever. Longer than anyone. She’s like family.”

He hums, nodding. “She sounds like a badass. I’m looking forward to it.”

“She’ll probably grill you,” you warn, a teasing smile tugging at your lips. “She’s protective.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” he replies, squeezing your thigh gently. “But I’ll win her over.”

“Confident, are we?” you tease, sipping your coffee.

“Let’s just say,” he says, his voice softening, “I’ve got a good reason to make a good impression.”

The way he says it—the way his fingers tighten slightly on your leg, the way his eyes flick to yours for just a second—makes your chest ache in the best way. He doesn’t have to spell it out for you; you know. You know he means you.

You let your hand rest on top of his, your thumb brushing against his knuckles. The road stretches out ahead of you, golden and endless, and for the first time in a long time, you feel completely at peace.

These moments—the ones that seem so small—are the ones you’ll remember. Just you and him, the open road, and the kind of love that makes everything else fade into the background.

The airport buzzes with the chaotic energy of travelers—hurried footsteps, rolling luggage, voices blending into a steady hum. You stand at the baggage claim, shifting from one foot to the other, chewing your nails in nervous anticipation. You know it’s a bad habit, one you’ve tried to break, but right now, the energy coursing through you makes it impossible to stop.

"Pearlie, come on," Gator says gently, nudging your elbow. He’s leaning casually against a column, trying to act unaffected, but you catch the glint of amusement in his eyes. "You’re gonna chew your fingers off before she even gets here."

You shoot him a glare, but it’s half-hearted. "I can’t help it. She’s taking forever. What if she got lost? Or missed her connection?"

He chuckles, his hand slipping onto your waist as if to ground you. "It’s been, what, two months since you saw her? I think you’ll survive a few more minutes."

Two months. You know it hasn’t been that long since graduation, but it feels like a lifetime. There’s a particular ache that only comes from being separated from someone who knows every version of you—someone who’s been there through it all. Lu isn’t just your best friend; she’s your other half.

Your eyes scan the bustling area again, and just as you’re about to spiral into another wave of impatience, you spot her. She’s bounding down the escalator, her carry-on backpack bouncing wildly on her shoulders, her hair swinging in every direction. And before you can process it, she’s charging toward you at full speed, her arms flailing as she screams your name.

"PEARLIE!"

You barely have time to brace yourself before she launches at you like a missile, her full weight colliding with you as she leaps onto your back. Her arms wrap around your neck, squeezing tightly as the force sends you stumbling forward with a laugh and a shriek.

"LU!" you cry, barely able to get the word out through your laughter as you try to keep your balance. She’s clinging to you like a koala, her legs wrapping around your waist as she plants a noisy kiss on your cheek.

"God, I missed you!" she exclaims, practically squeezing the life out of you. "It’s been forever!"

"You saw me at graduation!" you protest, though your arms instinctively come up to hold her. Tears sting your eyes, and you don’t even try to blink them away. "Two months, Lu. Two!"

"Two months too long," she says dramatically, leaning her head on your shoulder.

You’re both laughing now, the sound blending with the cacophony of the airport, when suddenly, Lu is yanked off you.

"What the—" Gator’s voice cuts through the moment, sharp and protective. He’s pulled Lu off you like she’s some kind of attacker, his hands firm on her shoulders as he moves to position himself between you and her.

The look of pure confusion on Lu’s face is priceless. "Uh, who’s this guy?" she asks, her voice dripping with amusement as she takes him in, her eyes scanning his broad shoulders and serious expression. "Your bodyguard?"

You’re too busy laughing to respond right away, but when you see Gator’s face—his brows furrowed, his jaw tight—you quickly intervene. "Gator, it’s okay!" you say, stepping forward and grabbing his arm. "This is Lu. My best friend."

He blinks, his grip on her shoulders loosening as he glances between the two of you. "Oh." His expression shifts from defensive to sheepish in an instant. "Sorry. You came in hot, and I—"

"Relax, Big Guy," Lu interrupts, her lips twitching into a smirk as she pats his arm. "I’m not here to steal your girl. Well," she adds with a playful shrug, "not permanently, anyway."

You roll your eyes, but you can’t stop smiling. Gator looks down at you, his own lips quirking into a reluctant grin as he mutters, "Guess I overreacted."

"A little," you tease, leaning into his side. "But it’s kind of sweet."

"Sweet, huh?" Lu says, her eyes narrowing as she steps closer, poking Gator in the chest. "So you’re the famous Gator. The one who’s got my Pearlie all head over heels."

"That’d be me," he says, his grin turning more confident now as he extends a hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Lu. I’ve heard a lot about you."

"Good things, I hope," she says, shaking his hand firmly before turning back to you. "Well, I gotta say, Pearlie, he’s cute. And tall. You did good."

"Can we not?" you groan, your cheeks flushing as you try to drag her toward the exit. But even as she continues to tease you, you can’t stop the warmth blooming in your chest. Lu’s here. Gator’s here. And for the first time in what feels like forever, everything feels exactly as it should be. 

After picking Lu up from the airport and loading her bags into the Jeep, Gator insisted on taking you both out to eat before starting the long drive back to Lehigh. You protested at first, but Lu’s excited agreement overruled you. “I’m starving,” she declared. “Airplane snacks don’t count as real food.”

The three of you ended up at a cozy diner just off the highway. Gator slid into the booth beside you while Lu sat across, her sharp eyes darting between the two of you with a curiosity that made you squirm. He handed you a menu but didn’t bother opening one for himself. You both knew he’d order the same thing he always did—something hearty and simple.

When the waitress came by, Gator didn’t hesitate to pay for all three of you, brushing off Lu’s protest with a casual, “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it.” She raised an eyebrow but didn’t push, giving him an approving nod instead.

As you waited for your food, you launched into an animated retelling of the story behind your engagement ring. “So, we were at the bridal shop, helping our little sisters find flower girl dresses,” you began, your hands gesturing wildly. “And I’m in the dressing room, trying on wedding dresses, when he just—he pulls out the ring.”

Lu’s eyes widened. “In the dressing room? Bold move.”

“I know, right?” you laughed. “And the ring—it’s this huge oval diamond on the simplest band. It’s perfect. He spent so much on it, and then I spent so much on my wedding dress, Boyd was furious. But I didn’t care.”

“Wait, Boyd was mad about the dress?” Lu asked, leaning forward with interest.

“Oh, yeah. He thought it was too extravagant or something, or too..ugh..whorey? I told him to shove it.” You grinned, pride shining in your eyes. “And then I smacked him the other day.”

Lu burst out laughing. “You what?”

“I smacked him,” you repeated, your grin widening. “He was being an ass, as usual. Gator’s still proud of me for it.”

“Damn right I am,” Gator chimed in, his arm resting on the back of the booth behind you. His voice was warm and steady, but his eyes were soft as he watched you. He didn’t say much during the meal, content to sit back and listen to you and Lu catch up. The way you lit up, your laughter filling the small diner, made his chest ache in the best way.

The drive back to Boyd’s was long, the five-hour stretch of highway rolling out like an endless ribbon in front of Gator’s truck. Pearl had fallen asleep not long after they hit the road, her head resting against the window, her breathing soft and steady. Gator glanced at her every so often, a faint smile playing on his lips. She looked so peaceful, her usual worries and nerves smoothed away in sleep.

In the backseat, Lu was wide awake, her sharp eyes fixed on Gator. She leaned forward slightly, her elbows resting on her knees. “So,” she started, breaking the comfortable silence, “you and Pearlie. How serious is this, really?”

Gator flicked a quick glance at her in the rearview mirror, his hands steady on the wheel. “Serious enough that I’m marrying her,” he said evenly, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. “That’s usually a pretty good indicator.”

Lu rolled her eyes. “Don’t play smart with me, Big Guy. I know it’s an arranged marriage. I just want to make sure you actually care about her. Because if you don’t…” She let the sentence hang, her meaning crystal clear.

Gator’s grip on the wheel tightened for a moment before he exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. “I get it,” he said, his voice softer now. “You’re looking out for her, and I respect that. But let me make one thing clear—Pearlie means everything to me. I don’t care how this started. I’m all in.”

Lu studied him for a long moment, her sharp gaze unnerving but oddly comforting. It reminded him of Pearl’s own protective nature, and he found himself grateful that she had someone like Lu in her corner. “Good,” Lu said finally, leaning back in her seat. “Because she deserves someone who’s all in. She’s been through enough.”

Gator nodded, his jaw tightening as he fought the urge to ask Lu just how much she knew about what Pearl had been through. Instead, he let the conversation flow naturally, focusing on keeping things light for now. “So, is this the part where you grill me about my intentions or something?” he teased, throwing her a quick grin in the rearview mirror.

Lu smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook yet. Pearlie told me you can’t cook to save your life. You burned spaghetti and grilled cheese? Seriously?”

Gator groaned, shaking his head. “She told you about that, huh? Look, it was one time—okay, maybe two—and I was distracted.”

“Distracted?” Lu laughed. “How do you get distracted cooking spaghetti?”

Gator’s lips twitched. “She walked in wearing one of my shirts and no pants. You try focusing after that.”

Lu burst out laughing, her head tipping back as she wiped at her eyes. “Alright, fair enough. But seriously, you better figure out how to cook something. She can’t live off iced coffee and snacks forever.”

“I’m working on it,” he said, his tone mock-defensive. “And for the record, I don’t mind paying for her coffee habit. If it makes her happy, it’s worth it.”

Lu hummed thoughtfully, her smile softening. “Alright, you’re scoring points, Gator. But tell me this—why don’t you ever let her drive her Jeep? She told me you always insist on being the one behind the wheel.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You ever been in a car with Pearlie driving? It’s terrifying. She doesn’t use turn signals half the time, she speeds, and she’s got no concept of personal space on the road. I’m not risking my life like that.”

Lu laughed again, covering her mouth to keep from waking Pearl. “You sound like an old man.”

“Maybe I am,” he admitted with a shrug. “But at least I’m an old man who’s alive.”

As their laughter faded, Lu’s eyes caught the faint glint of metal peeking out of Gator’s pocket. She leaned forward, pointing. “Is that a vape?”

Gator hesitated, glancing at her in the mirror. “Yeah, but don’t tell Pearlie. I told her I was cutting back.”

Lu grinned mischievously. “Your secret’s safe with me. But hand it over—I need a hit.”

He rolled his eyes but pulled the vape from his pocket, passing it back to her. “Here. But if she wakes up and catches us, you’re taking the blame.”

“Deal,” Lu said, taking a drag before exhaling slowly. “You know, I think I like you, Gator. You’re alright.”

“Thanks,” he replied dryly. “Glad to know I’ve got your approval.”

“Don’t get cocky,” she teased, handing the vape back to him. “You’re still on probation.”

He chuckled softly, tucking the vape back into his pocket as he glanced at Pearl, still sleeping peacefully. “Fair enough. But for what it’s worth, I really do love her. I’d do anything for her.”

Lu’s teasing smile softened, and she nodded. “I know. That’s why I think you’re alright. Just don’t screw it up, okay?”

“I won’t,” he promised, his voice steady and resolute. “I won’t.”

The rest of the drive passed in companionable silence, the bond between them growing stronger with each shared laugh and unspoken understanding. By the time they pulled into the long, winding driveway of Boyd’s ranch, Gator felt like he’d earned not just Lu’s approval, but her trust—and that meant more to him than he could put into words.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of excitement and nerves. Lu’s arrival brought a sense of comfort and familiarity that you hadn’t realized how much you’d been craving. She hugged you tightly at the airport, her sharp eyes scanning your face as if she could see every worry you’d tried to hide.

“You look good, Pearlie,” she said, her tone soft but firm, as if daring you to argue. “Happier than the last time I saw you.”

“I am,” you replied, glancing at Gator, who was waiting a few steps behind with your bags. He gave you a small, reassuring smile, and you felt your shoulders relax just a little.

The three of you spent the afternoon going over wedding details, flipping through fabric swatches and floral arrangements. Lu’s sharp wit kept you laughing, and Gator’s steady presence made you feel like everything might actually come together in time. You tried on the engagement party dress for them, twirling in front of the mirror as Lu whistled appreciatively and Gator’s gaze darkened with something that made your cheeks flush.

“You’re stunning,” he said simply, his voice thick with emotion.

For a moment, you let yourself believe it.

But when the night of the engagement party arrived, a storm of emotions churned in your chest. It wasn’t just anxiety or excitement—it was something heavier, something you couldn’t quite name. You’d spent the day pretending everything was fine, smiling for Gator and Lu, going through the motions of final touches and last-minute preparations. But inside, you felt like a tightly wound string, ready to snap at the slightest pull.

The first sign that things were unraveling came when you were supposed to leave for the venue. You stood in front of the mirror, staring at the pink backless dress that had felt so perfect just hours ago. Now, it felt like a costume, like a version of yourself you didn’t recognize. Your fingers trembled as you touched the fabric, your reflection blurring as tears welled in your eyes.

You didn’t know how long you stood there, frozen, until your phone buzzed on the dresser. It was Gator, his name lighting up the screen. You didn’t answer. Instead, you grabbed another dress—something simpler, darker, with sleeves that covered your arms and a neckline that felt safer. You pulled it on quickly, your hands fumbling with the zipper as panic clawed at your throat.

By the time you arrived at the restaurant, the party was already in full swing. You slipped through the door quietly, hoping to go unnoticed, but Gator’s eyes found you almost instantly. The relief on his face was palpable, but it quickly shifted to confusion as he took in your appearance. This wasn’t the dress he’d been looking forward to seeing you in, the one you’d been so excited about.

You avoided his gaze, keeping your head down as you murmured apologies to the few guests who greeted you. The weight of their attention felt unbearable, like it might crush you at any moment. Gator reached you in a few long strides, his hand brushing the small of your back as he leaned in to ask, "Pearlie, what’s going on?"

You flinched at his touch, a reaction so small most wouldn’t have noticed, but he did. His hand fell away, his brow furrowing in concern. "Hey," he said softly, trying to meet your eyes. "Talk to me."

You shook your head, your voice barely audible as you whispered, "Not here."

He nodded, his jaw tight as he stepped back to give you space. But his eyes never left you, watching every move you made as if he could protect you from whatever was eating away at you. And maybe he could. Maybe that’s what scared you the most.

Later, when the party was winding down, Gator pulled you aside into a quiet hallway. His hands were gentle but firm on your shoulders as he guided you into an empty bathroom, closing the door behind you. "Pearlie," he said, his voice low but steady, "what’s going on? You’ve been off all night."

Your resolve crumbled under the weight of his concern. You turned away from him, your hands trembling as you reached for the hem of your dress. "I didn’t want to ruin tonight," you said, your voice breaking. "I didn’t want to make it about this."

"About what?" he asked, his tone laced with urgency.

You hesitated, then slowly lifted the back of your dress, revealing the fresh bruises and welts that marred your skin. Gator’s sharp intake of breath was the only sound in the room, and when you finally turned to face him, his expression was a mix of fury and heartbreak.

"Boyd?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

You nodded, tears streaming down your face as you whispered, "It’s worse when you’re not there. He knows you can’t be around all the time."

Gator’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his body vibrating with barely contained rage. "I swear to God, Pearlie, I’m not letting this go. He’s not touching you again."

You shook your head, panic rising in your chest. "You can’t do anything, Gator. If you try to go after him—"

"I’m not letting him get away with this," he interrupted, his voice trembling with emotion. "But I can’t do it alone. I have to talk to my father."

The mention of Sheriff Roy made your stomach drop. You knew their relationship was fraught, a toxic mix of authority and resentment. "Gator," you said hesitantly, "are you sure that’s a good idea? He’s... he’s not exactly—"

"I know what he is," Gator cut in, his eyes dark with determination. "But he’s the sheriff, and I need his permission to bring Boyd in. I’ll deal with him if it means keeping you safe."

You wanted to argue, to tell him it wasn’t worth it, but the look in his eyes stopped you. He wasn’t just angry; he was resolute. This wasn’t just about protecting you—it was about taking back control from the men who had tried to break both of you.

Gator pulled you into his arms, holding you tightly as you cried into his chest. "I’m gonna fix this, Pearlie," he murmured, his voice fierce and unwavering. "I promise you, I’m gonna fix this."

Hours later, after the engagement party had begun to dwindle and most of the guests had trickled out, Gator found himself at the bar. The room was quieter now, with the low hum of conversation and clinking glassware filling the air. Pearlie sat with Lu at a table on the far side of the restaurant, her laughter subdued, her gestures smaller. She wasn’t quite herself, and it gnawed at him.

He wasn’t going to let Boyd do this to her anymore. Not after tonight. Not ever again.

Roy sat next to him, nursing a whiskey on the rocks, his sharp eyes surveying the room like he was waiting for trouble to spark. The sheriff was an imposing figure, broad-shouldered and intimidating without even trying. His presence demanded authority, and his reputation in Stark County ensured it. But to Gator, he was just the man who had spent his life doling out discipline with a heavy hand and words that cut deeper than any belt.

Gator glanced over at Pearlie again, his jaw tightening. “I need your help,” he said finally, his voice low but firm.

Roy raised an eyebrow, swirling his drink as he turned to face his son. “Help with what?” he asked, his tone calm, almost detached.

“With Boyd,” Gator said, the name like poison on his tongue. His father’s expression didn’t shift, but Gator could feel the weight of his scrutiny. “He’s hurting her. And I can’t— I won’t let it happen again.”

Roy’s lips thinned as he set his glass down, the faintest clink of ice breaking the tension. “You sure you want to involve me in this, son? Last I checked, you’ve been doing everything to avoid following in my footsteps.”

Gator’s hands clenched into fists on the bar. “This isn’t about me or you. It’s about her. She’s got bruises on her back, Roy. She’s terrified to go home when I’m not there. And the bastard thinks he can get away with it because he has some damn contract with you.”

Roy’s eyes narrowed, the lines in his face deepening. “Boyd’s not a man to cross lightly,” he said, his voice carefully measured. “He’s got power, connections. You go after him without thinking, and it’s your badge on the line. Your future.”

“I don’t care about any of that,” Gator snapped, his voice rising slightly before he reined it back in. “I care about Pearlie. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Roy studied him for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. “You really love her, don’t you?”

Gator’s jaw tightened, his eyes never leaving Pearlie’s figure across the room. “More than anything. I’d die for her if it meant she’d never have to feel scared again.”

Roy leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow exhale as he picked up his glass again. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But guts don’t always win the fight, son. Boyd’s a snake, and you don’t go after a snake without a plan.”

“So what’s the plan, then?” Gator asked, his voice sharp. “Because I’m not gonna sit around and wait for him to hurt her again.”

Roy took a sip of his whiskey, his gaze distant as he considered his words. “You’re gonna keep her close. Don’t let her out of your sight. I’ll start digging into Boyd’s dealings, see if there’s anything we can use against him. Something concrete. If he’s as untouchable as he likes to think, we’ll need leverage to bring him down.”

Gator’s stomach churned at the thought of working alongside his father, but he forced himself to nod. “Fine. But if he touches her again—”

“I know,” Roy interrupted, his tone cold and final. “You don’t have to tell me what you’ll do. But if you let your temper get the better of you, you’ll only make things worse. For you, and for her.”

Gator swallowed hard, his anger simmering just below the surface. He didn’t trust Roy, not fully, but he didn’t see another option. If getting his father involved meant protecting Pearlie, he’d do it. No matter how much it cost him.

“Keep her safe, Gator,” Roy said, his voice softer now, almost uncharacteristically so. “You’ve got more to lose than you realize.”

Gator didn’t respond, his eyes drifting back to Pearlie. She caught his gaze for a brief moment, offering him a small, tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. His chest tightened, the weight of the night settling heavily on his shoulders.

“I will,” he said quietly, more to himself than to Roy. “I’ll keep her safe. No matter what.”

Roy’s silence felt like an unspoken agreement, a tenuous truce forged in the name of protecting the one person who mattered most to Gator.

As the two men sat in the quiet tension of the bar, Gator’s resolve hardened. Boyd might think he was untouchable, but he’d underestimated just how far Gator was willing to go for Pearlie.

He’d make sure Boyd learned that lesson—one way or another.

Hours later, back at Boyd's the house was quiet, the kind of silence that made the creaks in the floorboards sound deafening. Gator moved carefully, his bare feet padding across the polished hardwood as he descended the grand staircase. The air in the mansion always felt cold, sterile, like the life it housed had been drained long ago.

Pearl was sound asleep upstairs, her soft breathing the last thing he’d heard before he’d slipped out of the room. She deserved to rest. To be at peace. That’s why he was doing this. That’s why he was creeping through the house like a thief, determined to find something—anything—that would give him leverage against Boyd.

He made his way toward Boyd’s office, the faint smell of cigars and leather lingering in the hallway. The door loomed ahead, slightly ajar, and he paused for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. If Boyd was hiding something, it would be here. Gator had no doubt about that.

He reached for the door handle, his palm sweaty, when a voice behind him froze him in his tracks.

“You don’t want to do that.”

Gator turned sharply, his pulse spiking, only to find Lu standing a few feet away, a plate of crackers and cheese in her hands. She was dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and shorts, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. She looked like she belonged anywhere but here, in Boyd’s cold and calculating domain.

“What the hell, Lu?” Gator hissed, his voice low. “What are you doing up?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she said, setting the plate down on a nearby table. “But I think I already know.”

Gator narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening. “I need to find something on him. Something I can use to protect Pearl.”

Lu sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall. “I get it. Trust me, I do. But you’re not gonna find it in there. At least, not without Boyd knowing.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, his suspicion mingling with curiosity.

“Pearl told me years ago,” Lu said, her voice softening. “That office has motion sensor cameras. They’re on whenever he’s not in there, especially at night. You step inside, and he’ll know.”

Gator swore under his breath, stepping back from the door like it had burned him. “How do you know that?”

Lu’s expression darkened, her usual sharpness giving way to something more vulnerable. “Because Pearl and I have been through this before. She told me everything. About the cameras, about Boyd’s rules, about how he controls her even when he’s not here.”

Gator leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair. “She’s told you that much?”

Lu nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “We’ve been best friends since boarding school in California. Spent every summer together at my family’s place in Oregon. She was like my sister. Still is.”

Her voice wavered slightly as she continued. “I’ve known about the bruises, the rules, the way he tracks her every move. For years, I’ve wanted to kill him for what he’s done to her. But I can’t, Gator. I can’t. And it eats me alive every damn day.”

Gator’s fists clenched at his sides, his own frustration bubbling to the surface. “You’re not the only one,” he muttered. “I’ve never hated anyone as much as I hate him.”

Lu stepped closer, her gaze steady despite the emotion in her voice. “I know you love her, Gator. I see it every time you look at her. And I know you’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. But this isn’t the way. Boyd’s not just some rich asshole with a temper. He’s dangerous. You have to be smart about this.”

Gator looked away, his jaw tight. “I can’t just stand by and do nothing, Lu. Not after what I’ve seen. What she’s told me.”

“I’m not saying you do nothing,” she said, her voice firm. “But you can’t play his game without knowing the rules. You have to think like him. Be two steps ahead. And that starts with keeping yourself out of his crosshairs.”

He sighed, the weight of her words sinking in. “So what do I do?”

Lu’s lips pressed into a thin line as she considered his question. “You stay close to Pearl. You protect her in the ways you can. And you let me help. I know more about Boyd than he probably realizes. Maybe together, we can figure out how to take him down.”

Gator looked at her, searching her face for any sign of hesitation. He found none. “You’re serious?”

“As a heart attack,” Lu said, her voice tinged with determination. “I love Pearl like she’s my blood. I’d do anything for her. And if that means teaming up with you to take Boyd out of the picture, so be it.”

For the first time since the conversation began, Gator felt a flicker of hope. “Alright,” he said, his voice steady. “We’ll do this together.”

Lu nodded, a small, grim smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Damn right we will. But for now, get your ass back upstairs before Pearl wakes up and realizes you’re gone. The last thing she needs is another reason to worry.”

Gator hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Thanks, Lu.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she said, her tone light but her eyes serious. “We’ve got a long way to go.”

As Gator made his way back upstairs, his mind raced with possibilities. He didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he wasn’t facing it alone.

taglist: @ruth-barnes@justherebecausesafarisucks@daisy-is-a-writer@xxbookdrunkdemigodxx@girlwiththerubyslippers @keerygal @lilllbabyyy @boa-hemian @sweetdazequeen @emilyj444 @whisperingwillowxox @babyqnn @lou-la-lou @aestheticaltcow @finalmoondragon @boxofsmittens @pollyspocketdimension @kassy-munson @frostandflamesfanfic @mysticalstar30 @totally-bogus-timelady @nerdypinupcrystal @emmiecrush5-blog @witchcovenboys @starksbabie @marrowfrog00 @boop369 @lelenikki @xmalfoyweasleyx @girlwiththerubyslippers @keerysfolklore @gothicwidowsworld @palmtreesx3 @sacr1ficial-lamb @kingdomkitten32 @littlelovebug98 @cillsnostalgia @stardancerluv @iamaconfusedpan @cupofjoekeery @underthecanyonmoon @redrae @cathx91 @melonmochi @kimberly-boggs

[hughiecampbelle]

Succession Preference: Being Their Kid

Requested: Hi!!! Could u do a roy siblings + conner (love the way u write him) with a reader who is their kid? So like a POV in an AU where reader is their kid and each of them how they'd be as parents. (Succession preference or headcanons) - anon

A/N: Thank you for requesting my love!!! Hope you like it!!! Feedback is always appreciated!!! 💜💜💜

Connor loves being a father. He thought his greatest life purpose was being a big brother, but really it was to be a dad to you. He loves you more than anything. Despite being oblivious sometimes, Connor is a very attentive and present dad. He goes to every school event, every game, every play, every activity. He's the parent who goes on school field trips and volunteers for every classroom activity. Raising you is the biggest blessing of his life. He spoils you rotten. He wants you to have everything. Absolutely everything. Connor tells you about your Pop-Pop and your aunt and uncles, about how they used to be a lot closer, trapped in a years-long battle. He even tells you a bit about his mother, wanting you to be as connected to her as you are your other grandparents. He doesn't know what he'll do when you leave, when you move out. He loves being your dad. You're smart and funny and you love him no matter what, no matter how awkward or clueless or loving he is. It's all he ever wanted, he knows that now, to be a dad.

Kendall isn't very attentive. You have your younger (half?) siblings, Sophie and Iverson, and Rava is like a mother to you, but your relationship with your dad is strained. It's hard. Your mother does the best she can, and she's been trying to save you from him for as long as you can remember, but you know better. Your father didn't go to rehab until a few years ago. Before then, you mostly saw him on holidays if you were lucky and vacations. He sorta moved on, started a whole new family with Rava, and that hurts. As you grow up, you really realize that he was just a kid raising kids. He still has a lot of growing up to. You're not mad at him, you can't be. Look at the life he's lead, the people around him. No wonder he's a stifled kid. Still, you feel wronged. No matter what, he's your father. He should have stepped up to the plate. He should have taken his duties seriously. The older you get the more you understand him, his upbringing, but you're still connected to those frustrated feelings of childhood. You want him to be more present, and you hope he will be, but right now he can't be. He's fighting for a legacy he'll never have.

Shiv is a complicated mother to have. She loves you, of course she does, but she's trapped by circumstances. She never wanted to be with your father, she never wanted to turn into her mother, but she is and she did and now you're the product. She has big hopes for you. She knows that you're smart, you're witty, you remind her a lot of herself. She never wants you fight to be heard the way she was. Never. She spent her whole life fighting and still ended up the wife of the CEO instead of CEO herself. She listens to you always. If something is unfair or unjust, if you think you deserve something or want to do something or become someone, she is always there to listen. She 100% supports you in everything you do. She doesn't want you to end up like her. She does everything she can to support you and give you all that you want so that you never feel like she did. Raising you just makes her more upset with Logan. Regardless of your gender she knows you're a capable, whole human being. Why couldn't he do the same? Why couldn't any of them?

Roman is definitely not your biological father. You're adopted by him or he's your step-dad, something like that, but there's just no way he would biologically father a child. He likes you, you're cool. It's a learning experience for the both of you. It makes him realize just how messed up his own childhood was. He feels no want or need to hit you, to abuse you, to send you away like he'd been. He definitely doesn't talk about his childhood in front of you, scared that it might affect you, even just the words enough to mess you up. You know better than to ask. He's not very affectionate, but he's working on it slowly. Very slowly. He's there for you when you need him, when you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen. He's trying his best not to be so defensive, so sarcastic. He wants to legitimize your feelings the way his never were. The more he's with you, fathering you, the less he understands Logan. The less he understands his entire upbringing. When you're visibly upset, nothing in him wants to react with anger. He only sees empathy and sensitivity and heartbreak, nothing he feels the need to punish. Fatherhood wasn't ever on his list of life goals, but he's glad that he has you.

[robbinghisdick]

Jason can't help but think that Dick should really consider dying his daughter's hair to a more natural color. Elani's silver hair is easy to pick out amongst the kids at the playground. Elani would be about six now, if Jason recalls correctly. He hadn't seen her since she was a baby.

But this isn't about seeing his niece, this is about ruffling Dick's feathers.

Although Roy is watching her along with his own daughter, all it really takes is for him to become preoccupied with Lian. Just a moment of distraction, and for Elani to be off on the other side of the playground for Jason to grab her.

His car is parked right at the curb, he's tossed her into the passenger seat before the girl realizes what's going on and causes a fuss. She immediately grabs the door handle, but Jason has it slammed shut and locked before she can push her way out.

Elani looks more angry than scared as she looks at Jason. "My dad will kill you."

Jason snorts at the blunt threat, starting up the car. He glances over and see's that Roy has noticed Elani is missing. "Nice try, sweetheart, but Nightwing doesn't kill."

"I didn't say Nightwing."

Now THAT surprises Jason, but he doesn't have time to question further. He pulls away from the curb and takes off, waiting until he's sure he's not being followed.

"So, who's gonna get me then?" he asks. He never did figure out who Elani's other parent was before he died. All he knew is that it caused an explosive fight between Dick and Bruce, and he had decided to stay out of it.

Elani doesn't give him a response but gives him a withering look of a grumpy child.

"You seem very certain that he'd kill me. Just talking big or did he actually kill someone?" Jason presses, reaching over and poking her.

"I've been kidnapped before, and they were much scarier than you!" she snaps back, swatting away his hand. "He shot them, and he'll shoot you too."

Jason finds himself laughing, wondering how the perfect golden boy Dick Grayson ended up with this mouthy of a child, much less had a baby with a killer.

///

The longer they drove, the quieter they both got. Jason's thoughts settled back on Dick. Roy has probably called Dick by now, and an automatic message Jason had set up has likely reached Dick's phone. He was going to have a little fun messing with the man. Bruce would likely be made aware soon too, desperate to find his favorite kid.

When they got out of the car, Elani put up a fight, screaming and yanking against Jason's hold, but he doesn't pay it much mind. No one around would come to save her.

His grip tightens and he yanks her along as they head into an old building.

Then he freezes. Something washes over him, dulling the swarm of thoughts in his head, the rage he feels.

He feels Elani kicking his leg and he glances down to see that she's started to cry, desperately trying to pry Jason's hand off her wrist. She looks at Jason with teary eyes, a peculiar light gleaming in them.

I'm hurting her. Something twists in his chest, and he relaxes his grip on her wrist just a bit. "I don't plan on hurting you," he says, continuing to move through the old rundown building. "Just play along for a little bit, alright?"

She stops fighting against him, but he hears her still sniffling.

The plan was to leave her locked up here and move to another building to throw off Dick, but curiosity decides to nag at him.

He picks up Elani as he sits down, and she flinches as he wipes at a tear.

Jason pulls off his helmet and sets it to the side. "Do you remember me, Lani?"

Elani studies his face for a moment before shaking her head. It stings a little, even if Jason knew it was unreasonable to expect her to remember his face.

"I'm Jason."

At that, her demeanor changes, eyes lighting up. "Oh! Uncle Jay," she says immediately. "Daddy talked about you a lot."

The past tense doesn't go over Jason's head. "What'd he say?'

Too vague of a question. Elani shrugs. "He missed you a lot," she says. "And would pull out pictures sometimes. I have one in my room!"

Jason finds himself surprised to immediately know what photo she was likely talking about. Dick joked about how Jason was Elani's favorite person in the whole world and had a framed photo of Jason holding Elani up. She couldn't have looked more delighted in that photo.

He remembers just how excited he had been to be an uncle. He'd spend any moment where Dick was out of earshot trying to get his name to be Elani's first word just to tease Dick. Elani would refuse to smile whenever Bruce held her, but Jason could always get giggling.

It was hard to believe that Elani was only in kindergarten, but those moments felt like they happened a million years ago.

"He said you died."

Jason nods. "I did."

Elani registers that for a moment, looking very concerned. "Are you a zombie?"

Jason blinks. "I don't think so. I did come back to life, though."

"Did it hurt?"

"A lot," he confirms. It was hard to comprehend just how much pain he had been in. "Still hurts."

Elani is quiet for a moment before rubbing her bruising wrist. "Why are you doing this?"

Suddenly his reasoning didn't seem very sound, and it left him baffled. He had been so sure and convicted only moments ago. He didn't want to think about it.

He avoids the question.

///

Jason had completely forgotten the run around he was going to give Dick. He instead spent that time just talking to Elani. It was the clearest his head had felt since he was resurrected.

He hears the floor creek and glances up to see Nightwing at the door.

The man is tense and freezes when their eyes meet.

Jason glances back down at Elani who was still talking about some mean kids at school that she was dealing with.

With a sigh, Jason gestures take her. He doesn't feel like fighting Dick anymore.

That seems to startle Dick and he carefully approaches, glancing around as if there were some trap that would spring out once he got too close.

None came.

"Hey, Dove."

Elani looks over her shoulder and springs out of Jason's lap and into the arms of her father. Dick holds her tightly, body sagging with relief before he stood up with his daughter in his arms.

Neither of the two men say anything. Dick's mouth opens, hesitating, but seems to decide he doesn't want to jinx anything and quickly leaves with his daughter.

Looking over Dick's shoulder, Elani waves.

Jason waves back.

In the next hour, he'll wonder why hell he just let her go, why he didn't follow through with any of his plans. His thoughts crowd and his anger brews.

///

Maybe next time.

[Previous]

(A/n: Sadly it isn't the power of love that got to Jason, just an undiscovered meta-ability lmao. Idk if anyone is actually gonna read this, but it's been buzzing in my head for like... two weeks. I'm still familiarizing myself with Jason so like, give me a lil bit of grace if anything is too OOC. This is placed vaguely after Jason killed a bunch of people dressed like Nightwing)

[maestro-of-clockwork]

[[ i also forgot to post the other lesley & roy backstory things so this will give context to how their marriage ended in utter disaster, altho it'll be edited to fit the current ideas i have

i'm thinking that once upon a time, roy wasn't a selfish asshole obsessed with profit. i've figured for a while he grew up poor, and now i'm thinking maybe lesley grew up in the same neighborhood he did but she was upper-middle class. a kind of poor & semi-rich matchup trope. both her parents sucked so she met up with him in secret & they went to the same school

they end up going to college together for a film degree and roy proposed to her after they both graduated

roy started working with indie studios which got really popular so he got a good stream of money coming in....and over time he got so caught up in it that he started gambling for that hit of adrenaline. he had more money now than he knew what to do with. might as well have fun with it, right?

doi was around maybe 6 (a year after the car accident) when roy developed the gambling addiction, so lesley had to sacrifice her career to stay home and take care of doi since roy was out having fun at casinos, generally being irresponsible

they argued a lot, at first making sure to be away from doi so that he wouldn't be caught in the middle of it...but then roy started getting fed up and angry towards his "chronically nagging" wife and not caring to start fights even in front of their child

one day she snaps and threatens to leave and take doi with her because neither of them deserved roy's negligence and abuse

roy got VERY pissed and threw a punch at her and that was the first physical fight they ever had.

lesley took doi and left, but despite this distance, roy would begin to stalk them. he sent several threatening letters, showing up on their property, etc., and not even the restraining order stopped him. lesley tried her best to shield doi from what was really happening and one of her ways of doing that was playing the piano for him

although she was still a gentle mother, she was becoming more mentally unstable...and when roy kidnapped doi at the age of 7, that was when she went completely off the rails.

she tried like hell to find her son but the dhmis house was in the middle of nowhere so it was impossible to find. it was in such a remote location that the police couldn't find the house either

destroyed with grief and not knowing whether or not her son was alive or dead, lesley grew bitter with the anger and hate for roy and herself for "failing" to protect her son

it got so bad to the point where she didn't even know how to express her real feelings anymore. when roy approached her for the dhmis tv show project, she knew he wouldn't take no for an answer...so she reluctantly agreed. she just wanted him out of her hair as soon as possible.

the very last thing she expected was to see her son again.

when she saw doi for the first time in so many years, she didn't know what to feel or do. she was happy and relieved, but saw doi as a reminder: her anger towards herself, her perceived failures as a mother, and what roy had done to him.

seeing how he acted, it was made obvious that doi had forgotten her all over again, and it made her mental state that much worse.

conflicted with polarizing feelings of love and resentment, she's aware that she was far too unstable for doi to bond with her now...so she had to push him away. lesley feels like she has to love him from a distance because as she is, she'd only end up hurting him even if she never meant to

sometimes she'll play a song she used to play for him without thinking and by the time she realizes it, she breaks down crying, so lost and so confused and so angry. she wants to be like she was before but doesn't know how to get back there. she doesn't know how to open up again and at the same time, doesn't want to ]]

[harpers-tartarus]

Is there anything you want to write in your fics that you maybe haven't written yet?

oh, so many things!

this throne is not mine:

speaking with Ruvina, which I have not even begun to write

possibly ending up back in the forest of Sylvaire and fighting Arianwen

purposefully planning to take the Last Stand, so they try to level up at least once more (Riz is an extra level, level 14 rogue, level 1 cleric because he had to fight the Court of Stars by himself and killed 8/12)

It coming out that Riz and Fabian are a thing and so many ppl are like??? they weren't dating before???

Futton no Mito:

THE CHUNIN EXAMS, I'm so hyped for it

I've written this but it hasn't been posted yet, but Anko and Iruka being genin teammates and both having the curse seal

Tsunade's return and reconciliation with Mito

Sakura becoming Hatake Sakura and finally getting it at the Chunin Exams when she's targeted for being Kakashi's kid

Mito kisses Shikamaru and tells him she'll only date him when to hits Jounin and he's dumbfounded but 2 weeks later there's a rumor that she's dead until Naruto rushes through the front gates carrying her, somehow alive after being cut by Hidan's scythe.

Mito helping Naruto speak with Kurama and then wandering around in his psyche and finds the Yondaime Hokage, who gives a sheepish wave as she gapes at him

Strongest of the Warlocks

I'm feeding in more Arthurian Legend stuff into this fic and its gonna show

Morgana asks Merlin to find out more stuff about her parents and when she gets back, she's immediately accused of witchcraft bc Uther wants to silence her

The resurrection of Elmet, when it happens, will be so great

Merlin meeting Cian in the flesh on Arthur's quest and Gwaine staying with her to help her dig a grave for his bones than leave them behind

Arthur always impressed by Percival and he has no idea if he's serious when he says that the day they met, Merlin fought off a group of bandits to save his life

A Shift in the Force

Anakin and Ahsoka bonding

Sabe reaching Ossus and spending her fortune on repairing it bc the Force tells her that soon Coruscant won't be safe

Her realizing she's pregnant again and its not the best time, but she'll make the best of it

Quinlan eventually meeting his kid an Caleb HATES him, he's a mama's boy all the way

Tempest

Dick and Amy keeping a low profile when they start dating until they hit three months and decide okay, everything's going well, we should tell our folks

Ariel and Jason are on the anti-Dick squad but Jason's more serious about it

Amy running off to Mount Elbrus for the second time. Katya is ecstatic, except for the reasons that bring her

Amy and Wally fighting bc she won't come back to the Team and won't tell them why

Roy's funeral

Unexpected Changes

Callum and Ibis dream team. Callum leaves for a few months to train at the Storm Spire

Harrow and Ilmadia courting doing complicated things bc sometimes Ezran calls her Mom and Callum shuts down a few times

Callum and Rayla learning how to communicate with a linked mirror and a combination of sign language and written elven

Ethari makes Callum a staff and is startled when he starts crying over it

Brace For Impact

Hope getting arrested for using the patronus charm and her wand gets snapped, but when they go to bring her out, she's utterly unfazed, surrounded by madness and decay

Hope and Cliodhna's eventual duel. "You may win against me, but only for a time."

Ron going to the OotP and being Hope's mouthpiece bc he refuses to let her in that place and she has complete faith in him

Sirius and Hope dragging Regulus' corpse out of the lake and Sirius mourning him at long last.

Hope meeting so many gods

Path Built on Graves

Allen coming to the Order and Kanda immediately detests him bc Maria's face goes white when she sees him

Finding out that Allen Walker is Allen Campbell and Maria's just like 'of course my kid would be the one to willingly join up with the Order'

Her brothers finding out that Maria's Allen is still alive and they're so happy for her...tho Tyki's a little irritable that he lost so much money to him

Maria having a contentious relationship with Bookman and refusing to elaborate on why she doesn't like him

The Golden Sun

Ed and Al having to split up to locate the next two gems. Ed gives everyone the slip and Al, not about to be outdone, takes off for Creta. Ling follows Ed and Fu has no choice but to follow Lanfan as she goes with Al

Ed and Al meeting the other Liebs :)

Eden joining Central City University and becoming Roy's roommate

Ed somehow finding faith in the form of Ishvala

[jamiesfootball]

I’m curious (if you’re willing to share) — is your post season 3 fic shippy or platonic? Looking forward to it!

Both of the main ones I'm working on now are platonic! But also you've opened the door for me to talk about it so I'm gonna talk about it!

The post-season 3 fic is platonic and--I cannot overstate this enough--has so much of a plot going on across multiple characters that I finally broke down and made a fucking spreadsheet.

That said a lot of Roy's struggle in this fic centers around his emotional attachments with other people and the roles he plays in their lives (with family, with friends, as a coach). He's stuck in this perfect storm where it seems like all his most important relationships are in flux.

See below the cut for spoilers:

His Family

This is a big one for him and where a surprising amount of therapy work gets done. When the story kicks off, Phoebe is suddenly Around Much Less and a part of that is his sister tentatively feeling out a reconciliation with their parents. This causes a surprising (to Roy) amount of emotional upheaval in his life. As someone who's always been in his sister's corner, he's always seen (even if he's never fully verbalized it to himself) his keeping contact with their parents as a way of releasing his sister from any responsibility or lingering guilt about cutting them off. But now that she's tentatively in contact with them, and introducing them to Phoebe, Roy is realizing that he has a lot of unresolved issues with his parents. Adding to that stress is the fact that while he's played a huge role in his niece's life, he's never actually had to ask to spend time with her before, and he is awful at admitting he might need something, especially when the people around him keep telling him he can 'have a break.'

Keeley

He and Keeley have decided to remain friends. Keeley wants to be single for a while and work on herself, her company, and all the special projects she has falling out of her sleeves (*cough*womensteam*cough*). However, Keeley is the most serious relationship he's ever had, and they started out on a flirty, romantic footing, so he's never just been friends with her. In fact he's never stayed friends with any of his exes. He's navigating unfamiliar territory and he's not sure what's allowed of him. Even basic shit--is he allowed to tell her she looks nice? invite her for coffee? for dinner?--he ends up second guessing.

The Diamond Dogs / The Workplace

He literally JUST became a Diamond Dog and showed them emotional vulnerability by asking what the secret was to becoming a less shitty person and now he's in charge of them. (And he's in therapy, seeing the staff therapist, so everybody knows about that too.) With Ted gone, the inter-team dynamics between the coaches is a whirlpool of Beard and Nate trying to out-smart each other, and suddenly Roy is the one keeping everybody in line and fielding Higgins' questions about player recruitment. This isn't the big drama but it is mundane and tedious and just another fucking thing to deal with.

The Team (Sam, Isaac, Colin)

The step between captain and assistant coach was a fairly easy one for Roy because he was essentially doing the same thing in both jobs (yell at them about their form, psych them up before a match, etc). He's the gaffer now. Most gaffers don't just casually hang out with their players. If he was another team's gaffer, he wouldn't. But these are people who know him, people he used to play side-by-side with, and god help him but he does care about them. So while he's pretty sure he needs to start drawing a boundary between the professional and personal, how the fuck is he supposed to tell them that when Colin is literally getting chewed up by the media as the only openly gay player in the league and he clearly needs the support? How's he supposed to back away when Sam, who's never angry about anything, is fucking seething over Edwin Akufo and asking Roy for help? Is he supposed to step back and drop it all on Isaac, who's trying his best but also seems to be carrying his own weight about something? They're not not his friends, but also he feels responsible for them. So what kind of coach is he going to be, now that he's the guy in charge?

Jamie (ofc)

Where does any of the above leave Jamie? Truly, if the boundaries between him and the other players are in flux, the ones between him and Jamie are fucking spaghetti. Because all of the same issues still apply, but with additional layers (their rivalry, Keeley, Amsterdam, Wembley, personal coaching, the fact that he's met Jamie's parents and would punch his dad in the face if he ever got a chance, the fact that his niece thinks they're best friends). His partiality is skewed every-which-fucking-way, and frankly he's a little annoyed that no one else holds it against him.

And all of that becomes additionally fucked up because:

Roy going to therapy is intrinsically tied to his behavior towards Jamie (Roy has a lot of guilt to work through on how often he's taken his anger out on Jamie)

Jamie and him have unwisely turned therapy into a goddamn competition (they have a chart), which means that any time he makes progress in therapy, he immediately ends up sharing it with Jamie

They don't even have the coach-player thing to fall back on because Jamie starts off the summer injured

This is also the Jamie Going Through It fic (with Tartt Sr in rehab being a huge part of that), and at this point its a given (to Roy at least) that if Jamie needs help, Roy is going to help him.

Jamie might be his friend. Maybe. Possibly. Roy might even admit that one day

So is this a shippy fic? No! No relationship statuses are added, lost, or changed in the winding plot of this fic (unless I figure out how to break up Beard and Jane). Everything picks up right where the finale left it.

But do relationships--the weight of identifying what you might need from other people, and how to navigate changes, and how to define things that aren't easy that are maybe complicated and messy and necessary for your own personal happiness--appear in this fic?

Absolutely yes.

[amelikos]

Some character notes and episode notes for HZ062, writing them down for future reference.

The episode starts with Roy still feeling down about Rhyme's words. Liko snaps him out of it and Roy gets motivated to try again. Nemo suggests going through an awesome training before Roy challenges Rhyme again and involves everyone in it, not just Roy. They build up stamina by running together in the snow with their Pokemon, improving Pokemon's moves and speed, etc. After the training, the trio and Nemo take a break and talk together. Nemo points out to Roy that his battle style was repetitive and that he needed to be more unpredictable to have a chance at winning. Liko also reminded Roy of Rhyme's question and asked him what made him like singing in the first place. Roy says it's probably because his parents always used to sing when he was younger.

Roy talks a bit about his past and says his parents are sailors, currently working away from his island. Sometimes they brought him on their boat with them and sung together. After they left him with his grandfather, Roy still liked singing which made him become friends with a lot of Pokemon and led him to meeting Hogator eventually. Talking about it made Roy realize something, which made him want to train with Hogator more. Liko and Dot go back to the plaza to buy some time before Roy comes back. Liko and Dot are both too shy and reserved to go up on the stage, so Welcamo volunteers (he knows it's not going anywhere otherwise ww). Liko follows his lead and brings Dot with her on the stage. For their performance, they have Nyarote shoot down the berries they are carrying on them before Welcamo finishes his dance (nice display of trust between Liko and Nyarote in that scene). Roy eventually comes back in time after their performance.

Second part of the episode is the rematch between Roy and Rhyme, which is a 1 VS 1. Roy won the battle this time, took advantage of Hogator's speed, came up with a new song to create new movements etc. And he properly used Terastal (and his Terastal phrase too). Roy properly realized what singing meant to him and explained that it's not a tool for battling but something that lets him share the same feelings as Hogator and to bond with him. Singing reminds him that he is not alone, which helps his heart (and Hogator's) get stronger. Rhyme tells Roy that whether Hogator reaches his full potential or not is up to him and makes him pass the implementation test. Only Liko is left now (and Grusha was watching at the end before leaving).

Overall, I got what I expected from this Roy episode. I had a hunch that his singing had something to do with his parents after last week's preview (and it was a good way to implement it in his backstory). I am glad we got to see his parents and that they are alive. The flashback with them was very cute (and the sunset looked beautiful in that scene). The implication is that Roy sings because he misses them and feels close to them by doing that (and he got to meet Hogator thanks to it, so now he is not as lonely anymore). Also liked that Roy reframed his view on singing since he was becoming obsessed with getting stronger and winning. His answer at the end about what singing meant to him felt satisfying.

I also really liked the way Liko cheered up Roy at the beginning of the episode when he felt down and she asked him "Is this the end? Did you and Hogator come this far for nothing?", I felt like she was echoing Friede's words when he cheered her and Roy up after the battle against Rayquaza in HZ045. Liko did say she wanted to be more like Friede and admires his ability to give courage to those around him, so it's nice to see actively trying to do just that. Though, she was also like this towards Roy from the beginning. She encouraged Roy to take a step forward in HZ006 and encouraged him to talk to his grandfather and let him know that he wanted to travel. Their relationship is a two-way street, Liko is often there to encourage Roy and calm him down when he feels nervous (see: their confrontation against Galar Fire in HZ022 and HZ023, against Rayquaza in HZ033, etc). Liko asking Roy why he likes singing was also an opportunity to look inside himself and helped him find the answer to that question.

Also enjoyed the bits of comedy in this episode! Nemo having less stamina than Dot somehow, Dot and Nyarote hiding in igloo to keep warm together, Liko and Dot's entire thing about being too reserved to go up on stage and being like "I can't do it, you should go first" and Dot hiding behind Liko when Welcamo went up on stage... very good stuff. Liko and Dot is really that "she asked for no pickles" thing. And I do appreciate that Liko and Dot's relationship gains additional layers to it every time. I feel like they've gained a lot of new aspects to them this chapter.

[ask-my-spooky-month-ocs]

Can we see all the kids grown up?

Sophie and Gabby are 36 in this drawing. They got married in their 20s and Sophie asked to use Anya and Tony's engagement rings as her and Gabby's wedding rings. Sophie stopped dying her hair around 20 years old so her natural strawberry blonde hair is showing, she also started wearing her mom's bandanas. Gabby got more comfortable showing her face as she went through therapy, so she stopped wearing the tragedy mask, she still has it though. They adopted a daughter because neither of them wanted to go through the pain of childbirth.

Luna is also 36. As she got closer to Sophie and her mother, she wanted to find out about their religion so she asked to accompany them on their Sunday mass one day. She liked it so she adopted the religion, after high school she wanted to become a nun, she did just that. She now helps run the refurbished church in town with a priest she became good friends with while they were both in training.

Lizzie and Charlie are 27 in this drawing. Lizzie is divorced and shares custody of her two children with her ex-husband who she maintains a good relationship with. Charlie is a stay at home dad and a doting father and uncle. He's married to Hannah.

Hannah is 26 in this drawing. She's a mechanic and often fixes up old cars and other trinkets as a hobby. She loves her family and is present in her family because she doesn't want her son to grow up without a mother like she did.

Sam and Sally are 35 in this drawing. They both work as daycare teachers. Sam cut her hair so the kids wouldn't pull it. Most of Sally's coworkers don't even realize she's Trans but they won't mind if they knew. Sally finds it fun to drop the bombshell that she's Trans when homophobic parents are spewing bs. Sally and Sam are in a poly relationship with Roy, Ross and Robert and they have six children together.

[renoxvated]

His S.P.E.C.I.A.L starts are as follows;

S 10 Hercules' Bigger Cousin

P 6 Alert Coyote

E 7 Tough-as-nails

C 1 Misanthrope

I 4 Knuckle Head

A 7 Knife Thrower

L 6 Stacked Deck

Roy’s worst stat is his charisma, he’s loud, brash, rude and messy, most of the time. He’s really only going to seem sort of charming, if you like dog brained men and loyalty is the biggest quality you look for in a person. His perception is one point lower before the events of lonesome road.

Roy’s best stat is his strength, he’s stupidly strong, mostly from years of picking fights as he got older and his fathers heavy hand. The Mojave elements played a factor as well. His endurance and agility are also high for the same reasons. Gotta be strong, hardy and quick if he wanted to survive the bad hand dealt to him.

His luck comes from being Courier Six, the deck is stacked in his favor, he might always come out on top but it’s not so high he won’t come out unscathed.

• Roy has this little quirk of biting at his lip and biting on his tongue sometimes, when he’s nervous or excited. He also tends to bounce on his feet and rock on his heels if he’s really antsy or amped up to fight. He’ll wriggle around his fingers and crack at his knuckles, just a really animated sort of guy.

• He likes the smell of oil and gasoline, makes him think of how he’d used to fix things up and take things apart around the abandoned motel where he grew up. He doesn’t like the smell of perfume, it’s too strong and hurts his nose, especially since getting shot in the head.

• There was a scrapyard and a Red Rocket nearby his home. He’d play with the wild mongrels there. He was lucky he never got seriously attacked (probably because he shared what little food he had with them, sometimes they’d just take it though). He often had dog bites and scratches on him regardless.

• Roy has frequent headaches and forgets things more often since getting shot in the head. He’s easily irritable when he gets in his moods from the pain. He has a pretty gnarly and sizable scar that’s covered up where his hair grows back to cover over it. He doesn’t like being touched there. He really doesn’t like being touched at all unless he’s the one initiating it.

• Roy hates mole rats and will kill them on sight. Snuffles has, to this day, been the only Mole Rat he hasn’t killed and it’s honestly a pretty uneasy alliance. He would have killed her like the rest but the way she looked at him upon meeting each other was the most…human look about her, it was unsettling to the courier. Reminded him of his niece, he doesn’t know how to explain that without sounding dumb.

• The reason Roy hates mole rats is because they killed his niece. His brother dropped her off with him and their mother one day, said it’d just be for a little while, he just had to figure out what he was going to do for work. His girlfriend, the girls mother had just recently died after all, what else could he do? Who else could he turn to?

Well that little while turned into a long while; three years. Roy was still just a teenager, one that had no business caring for a child. His mother was always too strung out, or not there at all to take care of the kid though, so Roy did his best to.

His best wasn’t good enough and his life path had started him on a downward spiral much like his parents. While he had his father’s rage, he didn’t have his heavy hand, choosing to take out his anger on himself and becoming more like his mother. Drowning his woes in a bottle or chemicals; sometimes both.

One day when he was too strung out on chems to realize his mother wasn’t there to watch the young girl, that’s when it happened; when those god forsaken rats killed her. In reality he bears the weight and pain knowing it was his negligence, his weakness that got her killed. Not the drugs, not his mother, not even the mole rats. It was him.

• Roy hated his father, the man was a mean, heavy handed— religious fanatic, obsessed with old biblical texts and scriptures from a bible he’d found in a dresser drawer of the abandoned motel they lived in (where Roy was born).

It’s part of why he doesn’t like religion now, why he thinks it’s a bunch of mumbo jumbo, if there had been a god, then the bombs wouldn’t have went off, right? If god wanted the bombs to go off, well then Roy thought he was a bigger jerk than his father. Even not accounting for the bombs back then, why did bad things happen to good people, like his niece, like him when he was a just a child he didn’t deserve the kind of punishment his father doled out in fits of fanatical rage.

• His mother killed his father sometime after his older brother left them. The abuse was fairly bad after that, since he was the only one left, it’s also why his mother delved worse into alcoholism.

Roy doesn’t know this. He just thinks his dad left them to go find god. His mother would tell him he found god alright, don’t worry. He wasn’t.

His mother would often talk to herself out in the Mojave desert late at night, drunk off her ass all those times that Roy couldn’t find her. He never knew that that little spot of grass in the sand was where his mother had buried his father all those years ago. He found here there dead from alcohol poisoning one day. Buried her near that spot, so close but never close enough to know.

• He has bad night terrors after the events of dead money.

• If he was a companion his quest would be to help him find out what happened to his brother, who just never showed back up after dropping off his daughter and to come to terms with the death of his niece.

• Roy’s best friend is Rex and while he’s usually leery of Robots, Ed-E is also someone he’s very close with. He trusts his life to the two of them more than almost anyone else. He traveled with Boone a lot, getting along over their mutual hatred for the legion. Roy just doesn’t like them because he hates the notion of slavery. He thinks everyone deserves freedom, this is a belief only furthered after dead money. Roy also gets along with The King pretty well, bonding together over Rex.

• He thinks Primm Slim is hilarious because he’s never seen such a dumb robot in cowboy boots and a tiny hat, he helped make him sheriff, also because that makes him laugh. It’s like the equivalent of making a dog mayor to him, which honestly he’d probably laugh less about the dog and take it more seriously.

[shadowqueen402]

The Maiden And The Huntsman: Chapter 4

Later on, Princess Aria was seen approaching a meadow. But this one was far, far away from the one that used to go to. Jax invited the princess to the meadow earlier, claiming that it was to "help her see more of the outdoors than what was beyond her kingdom".

Jax still couldn't believe that Queen Primrose was making him do this. Sure, his actions could be morally questionable, but he would eventually have to draw the line somewhere. And this was where he drew that line.

The purple jackrabbit watched as Princess Aria started to pick some wildflowers. She started to hum while doing so, not that Jax personally minded. He instead watched in silence.

Princess Aria's humming came to a stop when she heard a Tim make a scared chirp. The ebony-haired princess turned and saw a small, baby Tim with pink hair by a field of flowers. With a small smile, Princess Aria slowly approached the baby Tim.

"What's wrong, little one?" Princess Aria softly asked. "Are you lost? Do you know where the rest of your kind are?" She gently lifted up the baby Tim who chirped sadly in response.

Jax, for the first time, felt genuine fear. There's no way he could harm the princess. The king and the queen wouldn't forgive him. And neither would Reala. His grip on the knife's handle tightened while he gritted his teeth. With so much reluctance, he pulled out the knife and slowly made his way toward the princess, raising it up.

Princess Aria looked around and spotted some Tims in the distance. "Look, there they are," She said, pointing in the direction. "Do you see them? They're looking for you." The baby Tim noticed the other Tims are started to make happy chirps.

"Goodbye…" Princess Aria waved to the baby Tim that started to fly away from her. However, her gaze soon spotted a shadow looming over her, causing her to quickly turn around. Then she screamed when she saw Jax with a knife in his hand, raised up. Like he was about to end her life for good.

Aria flinched and looked away, preparing for the worse. But to her surprise and utter relief, Jax dropped the knife onto the ground.

"I can't do it," Jax admitted. "I do not expect you to forgive me, Aria. I was ordered to end you."

"Who ordered you to end me?" Aria asked. She didn't understand what was going on.

"Prim." Jax didn't sound amused. "But I disobeyed her. Just out of boredom." He flashed a serious look to Princess Aria. "She's mad and filled with jealousy. She'll stop at nothing to become The Fairest in the Land. You must run where she can never find you. Just for your sake! Go!" He pointed to the nearby forest.

Princess Aria nodded and turned around to run in the forest until she could no longer hear Jax's voice. Despite it still being afternoon, it was pretty dark inside the forest. She struggled to see where she was going, taking care not to trip on anything.

While she was running, branches of the trees grabbed ahold of the skirt of her dress. Princess Aria quickly freed herself and kept on running.

(Meanwhile with Jax)

After watching Princess Aria run into the forest, he'd breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she was safe, Jax could proceed to complete the next step of his plan; tricking Queen Primrose into thinking Princess Aria was gone for good.

But first, he had to do one important thing; alert King Roy and Queen Esme about Queen Primrose's plans as well as tell them where their daughter went. He'd never met Princess Aria's parents, but he was well aware of them.

Jax closed his eyes and smiled. "You may think you have control over me, but you'll never outsmart me, Prim. I'm always a step ahead of you."

Without another word, he made his way to the palace, his grin never leaving his face. And beside, he'd figured that he would also pay a certain mischievous yet light-hearted jester a visit.

It was too bad that Queen Primrose didn't think to realize that Jax had motives of his own…

Aria and her parents belong to me.

Madame Prim belongs to @kayssweetdreams

[bruciemilf]

Bruce with random children is adorable! But also, Batman becoming the go-to adult of the younger superheroes until their actual parents/family members/mentors just know to contact him about questions or their whereabouts etc., Oliver asks if he has seen Roy and Bruce looks up at the breakfast table where he has been solely been joined by Roy for the last few days and and realizes that he sporadically moves into the manor whenever (the Batkids are currently gone somewhere and are outraged when they come back, what do you mean Roy is currently the favorite child?? Red headed stepchild taking a whole new meaning lol)

Yeah! I'll admit outside Kon and Jon, I have a fairly limited knowledge on other young heroes lol. I just started getting into Jaime Reyes now, but Yara Flores is also amazing.

Yara and Jaime batman fangirls, when? I don't think Bruce would be familiar with being someone's favorite hero? (A collective offended gasp from Gotham) so he'd be really overwhelmed at first.

I know people generally categorize them as neutral/lightly antagonistic, but I like to think Kori and Bruce would get on pretty well? He likes her tamaranian food and she likes his culinary war crimes lol

[why-what-no]

Taken Care Of

Pairing: Stewy Hosseini x Roy!Reader

Warnings: Swearing, Capitalism, Perhaps I have a competency kink, who knows

Summary: Kendall’s sister and Stewy start hooking up, eventually leading to a relationship and she realizes that maybe she can depend on him after all

Requested by: @kxxxland

Dating Stewy Hosseini hadn't exactly been in the Roy sister’s life plans. He had been her brother's friend for their entire life, nothing more for a long time. The man seemed vaguely irresponsible and like kind of a prick.

But somehow, he was also charming and funny. A shock to the woman who rarely felt challenged intellectually by other people, used to being the clever one. Then she started spending more time with Stewy and could actually have a decent conversation for once. Even if he could be annoying at time, smiling that irritating smirk whenever he thought he had the upper hand.

She would never admit how much she liked that smirk.

When Stewy and her finally got together, it had just been a friends with benefits thing. They didn't want to have to deal with Kendall prodding about a relationship and honestly, she didn't exactly trust Stewy. After all, he made it clear that he only really looked out for himself.

However, telling herself that didn't stop her feelings from betraying her. Watching Stewy getting dressed, preparing for a day of irritating people, she couldn't help but enjoy the domesticity. Couldn't help but wish that when he kissed her goodbye, he meant it.

"You ever thought about us becoming... more?" The words slipped out of her mouth before she could process them. Mentally hitting herself as she realized what she said.

It got Stewy's attention, however. Turning back to his lover sitting on the bed, he laughed a little. "What? Wining and Dining, and meeting your parents? We've already done that."

"You know what I mean."

He sighed a little, which didn't help make her feel better about asking him for a relationship. Sitting down beside her, he reached over to stroke through her hair.

"I thought we had agreed it would be better to keep feelings out of this? How do you think your family would react if you started bringing me to parties as your boyfriend?"

The Roy woman tensed. Just shrugging, moving off the bed and beginning to pull her clothes on. "It was just a thought. If you don't want to, just say that."

Her tone was a little condescending, clearly trying to get out of the conversation. But Stewy stepped towards her, catching her arm before she left. "I didn't say I didn't want to, I just..."

"You just what?"

Stewy looked at his lover, thinking to himself. He had hoped to avoid getting close to Kendall’s sister, knowing exactly how fucked up the Roy family was. But, he had fallen into that trap despite his best effort.

"Alright." He finally spoke, a slight grin on his face. "You want do go on a date? Just see how it goes?"

While he looked a little smug at the knowledge that the most intriguing woman he knew wanted him, Stewy couldn't hide how pleased he was when she agreed to a date.

A date that went well, as did that next one, and the one after that. And eventually, she really did bring Stewy to an event around her family. Kendall was shocked that his friend was dating his sister, his behaviour only slightly more cringe than normal.

But by the end of the night, Ken was congratulating them. His sister was just hoping that she wasn’t going to regret letting Stewy in.

***

"What do you mean they cancelled?" She tried to keep herself from raising her voice at her assistant over the phone. "They can't..." She sighed in frustration, dragging her fingers through her hair. "Fuck!"

Stewy watched her from the kitchen counter as she hung up furiously. "What happened?”

“Fucking caterer dropped me.” She scowled, holding herself back from throwing her phone against a wall. “I’ve got less than a week until this goddamn gala.” She was never going to take company recommendations from her friends again.

Stewy looked at her with some pity, before returning to texting whoever.

His girlfriend continued ranting. “God, if my dad finds out… I’m never going to get to run something like this again, and-”

“Babe.” Her boyfriend interrupted her. “Can you like, chill the fuck out for a second?”

She turned to him fairly pissed, but he just stood up calmly. “What?” She crossed her arms, doing her best not to explode at him.

“I’ve got a friend who knows a guy.” Stewy rested his hands on her hips. “Let me deal with the catering.”

That calmed her slightly, allowing a small bit of hope to shine through the annoyance. “Really?” She was beginning to feel very glad that she had avoiding yelling at him.

He just nodded, leaning in to give her a soft kiss. “Really. I just let him know. I’ll take care of it.”

Stewy wasn’t exactly an altruistic person, he knew that. Happy to leave people in a mess if it benefitted him. But when it came to his girl, whatever made her life easier, he saw as a benefit. If she needed something dealt with, he’d make sure it was taken care of.

And she just sighed, letting Stewy hold her. So relieved that she had him in her life. Everything became so much clearer, simpler, when her lover was around. As a Roy, so little made sense and nothing was permanent.

Stewy made her see that maybe her life didn’t have to be like that.

[thechargrey]

Other predictions I could see happening based on what's already been set up (s3e3):

Colin gets mad at or tries to quit the team bc of the team's behavior, everyone assumes that it's bc he was placed on second string, only Trent knows the real reason and is in a position to help him stay

Isaac will realize colin/michael are in a relationship using body language before they've admitted it to him/the team and it will change his views and make him work to be better (isaac may also discover other relationships this way)

A rumor is spread somehow that Richmond has a gay player, after some media backlash Jamie (or the entire team started by Jaimie) claims to be the gay player to protect Colin

Roy and Jamie become besties, it's Jamie who helps Roy realize that he broke up with Keeley out of fear and helps them get back together

Shandy will mess something up majorly for Richmond. (Best guesses she sleeps with Zava, Rupert, or someone else she isn't supposed to, is the one who leaks Colin being gay to the press, leaks that Rebecca was trying to get Richmond to lose first season, or leaks Sam and Rebeccas former relationship)

Beard will finally break up with Jane (pls).

Ted actually starts being a coach again and pulls Zava off of first string bc of something Zava does, this leads to major backlash from Rebecca, fans, and news outlets

Trent is gay. (We all already knew but I'm predicting it here anyway)

Ted and Trent have a heart to heart about their fathers and their kids, and about both being divorced (this is also a prediction I'm making) and the challenges that presents with being a parent and feeling like a failure of a parent when an ex moves on

Trent is also the one who convinces Ted to stay at AFC (I just think this relationship will be the most influential to Ted this season regardless of if a ship sails or not)

Rebecca will actually be the one who leaves Richmond in the end, subverting our expectations, and it's Keeley or Sam who will buy AFC from her

Rebecca and Bex will become friends and coparent her child after she leaves Rupert

[remosdeerica]

Batshit AU Pt #2: The Grandkids

So I mentioned in the last post Batshit AU Pt. #1 that I cover Dick and Jason's kids but since I've been thinking (read: fantasizing) about the future of the Batfam I figured I'd just do a post with ALL the grandkids!

Just a heads up: this is a LONG post.

First we shall start with the Grayson's:

Mar'i and Jake (Jake is not my original name I've seen it pop up in other media- dunno if it's canon in any timeline but I'm going with it).

Mar'i Grayson: Mar'i is the biologically daughter of Dick Grayson and Koriand'r of Tamaran (aka Starfire). Kori is unknowingly pregnant after one last one-night-stand with Dick before going back to her home planet to take over as queen. Unfortunately, because of Kori's sister Komand'r (aka Blackfire) causing civil unrest to try and usurp the thorn from her, Tamaran becomes unsafe for Mar'i as she is Kori's only heir.

-Kor'i goes back to Earth with an infant Mar'i and begrudgingly hands her over to Dick so she can live with him and be safe from Blackfire.

-Kori of course visits while she can but has a lot of responsibilities on Tamaran. When Mar'i is older she is able to go back to Tamaran to visit her mother.

-A few years later when Dick and Barbra get married, Barbra officially adopts Mar'i. Seeing both Kor'i and Barbra as her mothers Mar'i decides so call Kori "Mama" and Barbra "Mom/Mommy".

Jake Grayson: don't have much of an exciting backstory for him. He was basically just an orphaned infant Dick and Barbra decided to adopt after his bio-parents had been murdered.

Now he have the Todd family:

Because I am a heartless monster I decided that since Roy died in the comics without any sign of Lian and Jason was pretty fucked up about it, I would have Jason adopt Lian because Roy wasn't round to take care of her. So this is basically what happened:

Lain Harper-Todd: 1 year or so after Roy's death, Jason is visited by Jade Nguyen (aka Cheshire) who is carrying an infant Lian. Jade explains that she hadn't realised she was pregnant with Roy's child until after he was already dead and since she is not ready to give up her life as an assassin she states that Lian is better off without her. She then asks Jason if he would be willing to take Lian in as Roy's former partner (read into that how you will).

-Jason agrees, and decides to hyphenate her last name Harper-Todd so that she will always have a piece of Roy with her even if he can't be there for her in person.

it's not that I don't think JayRoy is cute! It's just that I honestly I don't really picture Jason dating anyone in my mind and the thought of him being a single dad is just precious. I'm also allergic to OC's (of my own making) so I usually try to keep to characters that are at least canon in some timeline and Lian was the first to come to mind.

Also I'm a angst-hungry monster so...

Drake-Wayne/Dowd/McGinnis household:

Lol, this family has too many names.

I already went over Terry and Matthew McGinnis' backstory in Batshit AU Pt. #1 but if you are too lazy/ don't feel like reading it I'll try to make sure to cover the important details.

Terry & Matthew McGinnis: A few years down the road, Tim is the current Batman and married to Bernard Dowd (my new fave batship). One night on patrol he finds the boys hunkered down behind an garbage container and approaches them.

-Terry is extremely protective of his younger brother Matt and becomes immediately aggressive, swinging a baseball around and threatening Tim to leave them alone.

-Tim finds it admirable/endearing that Terry is willing to face Batman alone in order to protect his brother and tells him so. He then asks them where there parents and and Matt (trusting Batman) tells Tim that they were killed by the 'Bad Men' who are now looking for he and Tarry.

-Tim is worried for the boys safety and offers to take them to the Police, but Tarry only says that they already tried that and that there are spies in the GCPD who ratted them out to the 'Bad Men'.

-Tim figures out that the boys are in more danger then he first realized and takes them home with him in order to protect them.

-Tim eventually finds out about Project Batman Beyond, an experiment orchestrated by A.R.G.U.S. in order to create the perfect child to usurp the Cowl and give A.R.G.U.S and 'in' with the Justice League and the super-community as a whole. A part of this project is making sure the children are biologically Bruce Wayne's in order for them to also gain influence over Wayne Enterprises.

-Tim realizes that there is no real safe place that he can send the boys and after discussing it with his husband, Bernard, the two decide to adopt the boys.

I think this adoption story is one of my favourites. Especially because I find the idea of Bernard not at all being surprised by his husband brining home black-haired blue-eyes orphans, hilarious.

Bernard: I figured since you are now Batman it was only a matter of time.

Tim: >:(

Wayne-Kent situation:

DamiJon is one of my absolute favourite ships in existence. But since both boys are so young in canon my version of their future relationship truly is creature of my own design, I will explain them a little and then the kids. I'll be quick about it. Promise. (There is also a 2 part series I'm working on that goes into my version of events called "Jon and Damian" if anyone is interested. Jon's chapter is done but Damian's is still in the works).

Jon: he is the one that I really have to explain. I call my version of him "Dark-ish Jon" or 'dark ish jon' for the tags. For those of you who already know the deal (or don't really care) y'all can skip to the *** for the kids.

-basically Jon was kidnapped by Jon-El (Clark's Kryptonian Bio-dad) in order for Jor-El to mold Jon into the perfect weapon for his plan to conquer the universe. They have a machine that Jumps through various timelines so no one can find them, and Jon-El trains/tortures Jon for 2 years.

-Jon eventually discovers new powers that allow him to kill Jor-El and escape but he ends up spending the next several years trying to find his original timeline.

-He eventually meets the Legion of Superheroes that help him get home, but once he arrives home he realizes that for him it has been 7 years since he was kidnaped, but only 2 weeks for his family/friends.

-Because of this he and his family find it hard to adjust to the new situation and Jon ultimately decides to return to the Legion but visit occasionally.

Damian: Honestly I don't think I really have to explain much about Damian for y'all to get the kids but I do want you to know:

He has long hair

He has peirced ears

Possibly tattoos?

He's has more of a slim figure than Bruce's bulky one

He is a fashion icon and kinda has 'bitchy white girl' energy

Bacically he very pretty and looks a LOT like Thalia

And yeah. The two eventually reconcile after Jon is done moping in another timeline and they decide to retire from crime fighting and build a cottage/farm and live in peace.

***

Athanasia: So she is actually Bruce's bio-kid from the Injustice timeline. And for my AU she is still Bruce's biologically and she does recognize him as her father, but because she and Damian are 13/14 years apart and she knows him better she lives and defers to him as her caretaker. I shall explain:

-Athanasia was created by Thalia in a fit of madness after Damian's death. Because of what happened to Damian, and because Athanasia turned out to be a girl (and therefor Ra's would have no use for her), Thalia keeps the little girl locked away and a secret so that no one can harm her.

-Years pass and Athanasia has never seen the outside would. Eventually something happens (will depends on the Fic -because I will get around to writing this shit eventually) and Athanasia is given to Damian (the only other person Thalia ever told her about.)

-At this point Bruce is getting older and most of his current children already have their own kids, so both he and Damian agree that because Athanasia is mostly attached to Damian and doesn't really know who Bruce is outside of being her father, that she will live with he and Jon.

-Athanasia get's older and eventually meets another girl at her school named Carrie Kelley. The girls form a quick bond, Carrie's louder personality complementing Athanasia's more quiet one.

Carrie Kelley: being best friends with Athanasia leads to Carrie spending a lot of time over at her house. This allows Jon and Damian to get to know the girl and become quite fond of her.

-one night after a sleepover at Jon and Damian's house with some of their other friends, Carrie's father comes to the house drunk and carrying a shot gun. He accuses Jon and Damian of being pedophiles because of their sexual orientations and calls them a variety of homophobic slurs.

-It's his attempts at shooting Jon that leads to Carrie calling 911 and having her own father arrested.

-Because her mother had already left and Carrie only had her dad to take care of her, Jon and Damian offer her a place in their home and eventually adopt her along with Athanasia when the girls are teenagers.

So, yeah! That's it for now. I am absolutely obsesses with this AU. I just love the idea of Bruce deciding to take in Dick leading to him having an army of children and grandchildren so large that all family gatherings have to happen at the Manor because nowhere else is big enough.