#sorry I couldn’t sneak any pictures of me meeting Barry

[mysonsareturtles]

Guess who got to meet THE teenage mutant ninja turtles? (Hint: it’s me).

[swiftletinthecloud]

Title: New Beginnings

Notes: For @Wonderbat385, for the WonderBatHoliday2019 exchange held by @maidenoftheworld @fyeahwonderbat! I’m really sorry your gift is later than I had planned!

Alternate Timeline - There has been no Robin before the event of this fic.

FF.net :: AO3 :: Chapter 1/1

After the defeat of Steppenwolf, in between helping Bruce rebuild Wayne Manor into the team’s new headquarter and recruit new members, Diana somehow unofficially moved into Wayne Manor.  It was just more convenient for her to bunk with the billionaire than to maintain her own residency or book a hotel room whenever she was stateside.  It was the logical thing to do since she already had her Paris residence and her civilian job as the Curator for the Department of Antiquities at the Louvre to deal with when she wasn’t busy being Wonder Woman.  Or so Diana reasoned to herself as she stole a glance at the aforementioned billionaire who was busy typing away at his computer across from her.  

They were supposed to be coming up with a plan to recruit the Green Arrow and Black Canary respectively, yet for the past hour, Diana found herself alternating between studying Bruce from beneath her lashes and scowling at the headline of the newspaper in front of her.  

Bruce Wayne’s Hidden Romance with the Sexy Librarian! Look out ladies, she moved in!

A photo of her and Bruce leaving Wayne Manor in his car also graced the front page of the Gotham Gazette.  While Diana had to admit that it wasn’t an unflattering photo of her and Bruce’s smile as he turned towards her in the picture made Diana’s heart fluttered, the headline was so wrong in a hundred different ways - or just about!

“Something interesting in the papers today?” Bruce finally looked up from his computer, and Diana had no idea where the thought came from, but she found the way he took off his reading glasses and briefly pinched the bridge of his nose adorable. Diana hoped she wasn’t blushing when she tossed Bruce the papers so he could read the headline himself.  

“Well, I can see why you’re upset.  You work at the museum, not the library,” said Bruce. A faint smile playing on his lips as he set the papers down and met Diana’s eyes. That smile was quick to turn into a small frown as he reached down to rub his stinging shin.  “Ouch!”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about,” said Diana as she rolled her eyes.  As irritated as she was, she knew she didn’t put that much force in her nudge against Bruce to warrant such a dramatic reaction from him.

“Diana, I’m sorry,” said Bruce as he ran a hand through his hair.  “All joking aside, I should have warned you what you might be up against, what with my reputation and Gotham’s gossip network, when you first moved in.  I will get the Gazette to take that off their front page today.”

“That’ll just fuel the fire.” Diana took a sip of her coffee to keep herself from frowning again.

“Speaking of adding fuel to the fire...” Bruce hesitated.  He broke eye contact with Diana to glance over at Alfred, who, Diana noticed, stared back expectedly and... encouragingly?  Bruce looked back at her as he took out two pieces of paper from a nearby black folder.  “...I was wondering if you would like to go to the circus with me… as a date.  These are tickets for Haley’s Circus at the Wayne Charities Benefit Performance tonight, if you’re interested.”

Diana could hear Bruce holding his breath as she reached across the table to take the tickets from him.   “I don’t know, Bruce,” she stalled. From the corner of her eyes, she could see his face falling and there was a little stabbing feeling in her heart as she dragged the moment out. “You’re not giving me a lot of time to prepare. It says here that the performance is in three hours, and I haven’t a clue what I’m going to wear,” she said as she gingerly ran her finger over the time stamped on the ticket.

Bruce froze in front of her, as if he was surprised that she didn’t reject his proposal outright.  It took a little tap on his hand from her before he broke out of his stupor. “I was working on how to ask you if you wanted to accompany me since yesterday,” Bruce said sheepishly.

“On a date,” Diana said with a smile.

“Yes, on a date,” Bruce repeated.  His smile wasn’t as evident as hers, but it was there, nonetheless, giving her a good glimpse of what he was feeling.

------

Their first date was disastrous to say the least.  Oh, it wasn’t anything on Bruce’s or her part that ruined the night. Rather it was the tragedy played out in front of them that neither was able to prevent that had her chalking the night up under her list of “First Dates Gone Wrong.”  Both she and Bruce had been frozen in their seats when the Flying Graysons’ rope broke.  In a moment that seemed to take forever yet was over before either of them could react, John and Mary Grayson plummeted towards their untimely deaths. 

Diana could see Bruce’s flinching again as she squeezed his hand in comfort. She couldn’t imagine what nightmarish memories were being pulled to the forefront of his mind as the lone surviving Grayson’s cries echoed throughout the big circus tent, cries full of sorrow and grief.  

“Hey, look at me,” Diana said as she turned Bruce’s face away from the stage and towards her.  “Are you okay?  Are you here with me right now?”  She watched his eyes cleared as they met hers, until only anger and determination remained.

“I’m here with you,” Bruce replied as he squeezed her hand in return.

-----

Somehow by the end of the night, it was decided that little 8-year-old Richard Grayson was going home with Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince.  It seemed wild and slightly irresponsible that the police and the state would let a newly made orphan go with two complete strangers, yet that was the picture on the front page of the Gotham Gazette the following morning.  Little Richard Grayson, still in his red and green Flying Graysons leotard, was bundled up in Bruce Wayne’s suit jacket and carried in Diana Prince’s arms as the three left Haley’s Circus.

The gossip that spread with the new headline and accompanying picture had some Gothamites bemoaning Bruce Wayne’s lost bachelor status.  The more sympathetic Gothamites pitied Richard Grayson’s tragic losses while a few others were way too excited about Gotham’s supposed new royal instant-family.

Back at Wayne Manor though, things were a little bit trickier.  Richard-I-go-by-Dick Grayson’s determination to go after the ones who caused his parents’ deaths had Bruce and Diana on opposite sides of the issue. While Diana was all for bringing Zucco to justice for the murders of John and Mary Grayson, she was not at all for training Dick to be running around the rooftops of Gotham in a costume and a mask.  “Of all the irresponsible things ---!”

But Dick had different plans for his childhood, especially after he found out his new guardians were Batman and Wonder Woman on his third night at Wayne Manor.  “What? Like that’s hard to figure out? You have a round table --”

“--that’s King Arthur ---” Alfred had interrupted.

“--a round table in your hidden ballroom and the Batcave in the basement.  I want in. I want to help you get the man who killed my parents.”

At first, Bruce had been on Diana’s side; he was also against training Dick for any sort of fight...until the little acrobat snuck out on his fourth night at Wayne Manor to track down Zucco on his own.   When Batman and Wonder Woman found Dick at Haley’s Circus, he was a little worse for wear, but thankfully alive.  Dick had Zucco all tied up and ready to be picked up by the police.

“Dick has talents,” was how Bruce had started the conversation after everyone was safe and sound back at Wayne Manor.  “We either train him and let him out supervised with one of us at night or he’s still going to sneak out behind our backs, but a lot less prepared for what he might face in the Gotham night and without one of us as backups.”

Their disagreement had Diana packed up and back in Paris before the week was out.  Of course, she had said it was because she had been away from her work for too long and the Louvre needed her back, but it didn’t stop her from feeling like she was running way.

----

The holiday seasons around Wayne Manor remained a quiet affair despite the formation of the League the previous year.  Clark, Arthur, and Victor had spent the holiday season with their own families after the League’s first end-of-the-year meeting. Barry, on the other hand, was Jewish, and while he could have celebrated Hanukkah at Wayne Manor where Bruce and Alfred had kept a room made for him, the season only reminded him of his own family tragedy so he had kept close to Central City instead. With Diana busy in Paris, Bruce and Alfred only bother with a quiet dinner together on the night of the 25th.  

This year, despite the new addition to the manor, it was still quiet. The disagreement that sent Diana back to Paris had Bruce in a foul mood all month.  While he had kept his promise to train Dick, Bruce also placed Robin, Dick’s chosen masked moniker, on comms duty until the boy reached at least double digits in age.  And Dick, sensing that he had already won one battle too many at the moment against the famed Dark Knight, agreed to Bruce’s condition without much of a fight.  While Alfred had done his best, Bruce was still missing Diana too much to make Dick’s stay as welcoming as it should have been. 

It was shaping up to be quite a sad end to the year when the security alarm for the Batcave blared to life.  The alarm had Dick scrambling for his Batarangs (a Christmas gift from Bruce), but it surprisingly brought a faint smile to Bruce’s face.  There was only person with the ability to enter the Batcave undetected yet bothered to trip his alarm.  She was also the person Bruce had been longing to speak to ever since she left.  Diana breezed into Bruce’s space like she had always been there. Dick looked between Diana and Bruce and was hurrying to leave the room when Diana stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

“Wait,” said Diana gently.  She broke eye contact with Bruce to look down at the child in front of her.  Hesitating only for a moment, Diana knelt down so that they were at the same eye level.  “I’m sorry about before,” she told Dick. “The choice on whether or not to put on the mask and fight for justice is yours alone to make, not mine or Bruce’s, no matter how well-meaning we intend to be.  Some of us are meant to be warriors, and no one can stop us once we set our minds to it.  I was just like you when I was younger, sneaking out to train with my Amazon sisters against my mother’s wishes.  In the end, she thought it was better to offer me her support and to have someone knowledgeable mentored me than to have me sneak around behind her back.”

While Diana speaking to Dick, Bruce knew her message was meant for him as well, that she had seen his side of their disagreement.

“I just don’t want you to feel like you can’t have a childhood or for you to put yourself in danger when you don’t have to yet.”

“Don’t worry,” replied Dick, “I’m on only comms duty for the next year and a half, no rooftops yet.”

Diana let out a chuckle as she straightened up.  “You’re something special, aren’t you?”

“One of a kind,” quipped Dick. “I’ll leave you to talk to the big guy.”  Nodding his head towards Bruce, Dick continued, “He’s been moping around and missing you since you left.”

As Dick left for the main house, Bruce couldn’t help calling after him. “Precocious is more like it!”  As for the Amazon in front of him, Bruce didn’t know where to start. 

“You know,” Diana began for him, “if you missed me, you could have just called.”

“Would you have pick up?”

“I guess now we will never know, will we?”

The silence between them expanded until Diana turned towards the exits, intending on leaving if that was all Bruce had for her. 

Bruce grabbed her hand before she could take a step towards the doors. “Wait. I’m sorry.”  As Diana turned to face him, Bruce continued, “You came back and I’m being an ass. I did - do miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

The soft squeeze of her hand that was in his echoed her words. 

“I like you, Bruce. I really do. I’ll try to stop walking away every time we have a disagreement … but I can’t be the only one always offering an olive branch when we fight either.”

“No, I understand,” Bruce rushed to reassure her.  “We’ll both have to put in the effort to make it work, equal partners, so to speak… if you’re still interested?”

“Only if I get to choose our next first date. No circus this time,” Diana said with a smile. 

“No circus,” agreed Bruce. 

The sound of the intercom interrupted whenever Bruce was going to say next, and Dick’s voice filled the Batcave. “Alfred said ‘Welcome back, Miss Prince,’ and dinner’s ready, unless you guys are going on your date right now.”

“We’re coming!” Diana yelled back before she turned to Bruce. “You know, we’re going to have our hands full with that one. I doubt he’s going to make it a full year and a half on only comms duty.”

“‘We’ huh?” Bruce couldn’t stop himself from smiling. 

“Yes, ‘we’,” replied Diana fondly as they walked hand and hand to dinner. 

Word Count: 2235

[singledarkshade]

Small Miracle

Part Six It had been a stressful morning.

Jonas hadn’t had a good night. For some reason he couldn’t sleep which meant Rip didn’t sleep so both were grumpy to begin with. Rip then burned the toast he’d been making for his son’s breakfast. Since there was no more bread left Jonas had a tantrum.

Jonas wouldn’t get dressed then he crawled under his covers refusing to come out.

By the time they reached the lab Rip had a headache and Jonas was walking in a sullen silence.

“Okay,” Rip stated sharply, “You will stay here with Caitlin while I work. You will be good for her or there will be no movie night with Cisco or visit to the park. Understand.”

Jonas mumbled something.

“What was that?” Rip demanded.

Jonas looked up at him before replying sullenly, “Yes, Daddy.”

Rip nodded and gave Jonas his bag who then slunk over to the beanbag in the corner.

“I take it someone has been in trouble this morning,” Caitlin noted watching Rip rub his eyes tiredly.

Rip nodded, “Please do not sneak him any sweets or treats. He has a snack in his bag and that is all he is allowed.”

“I’ll try,” Caitlin winced, “But he’s so cute.”

Rip frowned at her as she looked at him innocently.

“Please Caitlin,” he sighed, “I need to be able to discipline him. And I need you not to undermine me.”

She patted his arm, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

 Cisco and Sara were waiting for him when he entered the vault.

“You look like hell,” Sara greeted him.

Rip glowered at her, “And good morning to you, Sara,” he turned to the other occupant of the room, “We need bread.”

“I’ll add it to my list,” Cisco replied, “Are we ready?”

“Gideon?” Rip called to the AI within the room, “Are you ready?”

“I am, Captain Hunter,” Gideon Two replied, “All systems are functioning fully and I am ready to make the transfer.”

Rip gave a slight smile before he activated the communicator, “Gideon?”

“I am here, Captain,” his Gideon replied.

“Okay, Sara you and Cisco go to the Waverider,” Rip told them, “I will stay here to perform the transfer.”

Cisco nodded and started out, excited to get onto the Time Ship once more while Sara gave Rip a long look.

“You do look like hell,” she told him again, “Is everything okay?”

Rip sighed, “It was a bad night followed by an even worse morning. I just need to get the transfer done. Once I get Gideon here she can help me make an actual plan and look for a place I can get Jonas settled properly.”

Sara clapped his arm before she left him. Rip leaned against the wall waiting for them trying not to fall asleep, he just wanted to crawl back into his bed and sleep for several hours but unfortunately he didn’t have that option.

“Okay,” Sara’s voice came making him jump, “We’re here.”

Rip took a deep breath, “Thank you, Sara. Cisco, are you prepared?”

“Just finishing the connections,” Cisco replied, “And...done.”

Checking the information on the screens in front of him Rip pushed a hand through his hair and whispered a silent prayer before he activated the transfer.

  Transfer Complete.

The words flashed on the screen in front of him and Rip took a slight breath.

“Gideon?” he called.

Silence answered him and fear began to set in, she should have answered instantly.

“Gideon?” Rip called again, desperately praying he hadn’t destroyed his best friend.

“I am here, Captain Hunter,” the avatar appeared before he could panic anymore, “I apologise for the delay but it took me a little longer than expected to settle into my new residence.”

He let out a slight laugh of relief, “Gideon. I was getting worried.”

“You should know by now, Captain that I am always with you,” she told him, “Please check with Mr Ramon and ensure the new Gideon is installed within the Waverider.”

“Of course,” he smiled slightly at her before opening the channel again, “Sara, Cisco, how did everything go on your end?”

“That was so cool,” Cisco enthused, “Gideon is settling in. What about your side?”

Rip sighed in relief, “Gideon is here.”

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

  Caitlin watched Jonas sitting in his beanbag looking decidedly glum. The book he had been reading sat in his lap and he hadn’t turned the page in the past fifteen minutes.

Caitlin was an only child so had no experience with kids since she had been one but for some reason Jonas seemed to like her. Having seen the picture of his mother she thought it might be because she had a similar hair colour or maybe it was because she was the only woman he’d spent any time with here.

“Are you reading that?” Caitlin asked softly not able to take how miserable the little boy looked any longer.

Jonas looked up at her and shook his head.

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” she knelt beside him.

A small tear slid down his cheek, “Daddy is mad at me.”

“Maybe a little,” Caitlin admitted, “But from what I understand you didn’t make life easy for him this morning.”

Jonas sniffed.

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Caitlin asked.

The little boy threw his arms around her and began to cry. Surprised she began to rock him as he held onto her tightly.

“I miss Mummy,” he sobbed in her ear, “But I don’t want Daddy to know I’m sad because he misses her too.”

“Oh sweetie,” Caitlin soothed gently stroking his back, “He knows you miss your mom and that you will be sad at times. That doesn’t mean you can act the way you did this morning. Your dad is doing his best to look after you and he needs you to help him.”

Jonas sniffed wiping his nose on his sleeve making Caitlin wince and grab a box of tissues from the desk for him.

“I’m sorry,” the little boy murmured.

Caitlin wrapped her arms around him again, “I’m not the one you should be apologising to.”

Jonas nodded sadly.

“Why don’t I check if your dad is nearly finished,” Caitlin suggested, “Okay?”

He nodded again and Caitlin pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

  Rip smiled at Gideon relieved she was here before it hit him suddenly that this was it. He was now staying here permanently.

“Captain,” Gideon spoke up, “This is for the best. You know that.”

Rip sighed, “I do but it’s an odd feeling to know I’m staying in one place,” he took a long breath, “I need to take Jonas for lunch then we can connect Sara to the Waverider. Once I’ve done that we’ll work on getting you connected to Star Labs and hopefully wherever I find to live.”

“Captain,” Gideon said as a drawer opened, “These might help in the time being.”

Rip looked in the drawer and smiled. The small transport discs would allow him to take Gideon out of the vault. He found a strap so he could carry her on his wrist as well ensuring that she connected to the phone Caitlin had given him.

“Rip,” Caitlin’s voice came, “Are you almost finished? Jonas wants to see you.”

“I’m just on my way back,” Rip replied, “Has he been good?”

“He’s been fine,” Caitlin told him, “But he needs you right now.”

Rip grimaced worried, “I’m on my way.”

  Caitlin smiled in relief when Rip walked into the room. Jonas was out his seat in an instant and ran to him.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” the little boy whispered wrapping his arms around Rip’s legs, “I’m sorry.”

Rip lifted the boy into his arms, “Its okay. We both had a bit of a bad morning.”

Jonas sniffled as he huddled against Rip’s shoulder, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too,” Rip soothed, “Want to tell me what was wrong?”

Jonas didn’t look him in the eye, “I was dreaming of Mummy and I woke up she wasn’t here. I didn’t want to tell you because you would be sad.”

“You can always tell me anything,” Rip assured him, “I won’t be sad that you dream of your Mummy. I dream of her.”

Jonas hugged him again, “I’m sorry I was bad.”

Rip kissed the top of his head and just held him for a few minutes. Looking up at Caitlin he mouthed a quick ‘thank you’.

“Hey,” Rip pulled back from Jonas, “I’ve got something to show you.”

Jonas wiped his eyes, “What is it.”

Holding out his wrist so Jonas could see the grey circle attached he called, “Gideon.”

“Yes, Captain Hunter,” the AI replied, the avatar appearing on the disc.

“Wow,” Jonas cried, “Gideon, you’re here.”

“I am staying with you and your father, Master Hunter,” she told him.

Jonas grinned at his father, “That’s great.”

“How about we go get some lunch?” Rip suggested. Jonas nodded and Rip turned to Caitlin, “Do you want to join us?”

Caitlin smiled back at him, “I think a father-son only lunch might be a better idea.”

“Let them know I’ll be back soon,” Rip asked, smiling as Caitlin nodded before he and Jonas headed out for some lunch.

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

  There were many more people around when Rip and Jonas returned from lunch. Barry was arguing good-naturedly with Cisco about something while Caitlin and the West family stood around jumping in every so often.

“Mr Hunter,” Joe West greeted him.

“Detective,” Rip nodded back as Jonas ran over to Caitlin giving her a hug.

“No,” Barry whizzed in between them, “We’re trying to teach Rip how to be part of a family. Joe this is Rip. Rip this is Joe,” he patted both their shoulders, “Family use first names.”

Joe laughed heartily at that, “Rip it is then.”

“My name is Jonas,” the boy said suddenly coming over to them, “That starts with Joe.”

The adults all laughed slightly as Joe crouched down to the boy’s eye level, “Well my full name is Joseph so my friends all call me Joe.”

Jonas frowned in thought, “Can I call you Joe?”

“How about calling him Uncle Joe?” Barry suggested before Rip could say anything.

“I like that,” Joe told him, “What do you think, Jonas?”

“I’ve never had an uncle before,” Jonas said quietly, “It was always just me and Mummy when Daddy was away.”

“Hey little dude,” Cisco moved to him, “Now you have Joe, Barry, me and Harry when he gets back to be your uncles.”

“What about me?” Wally demanded.

Cisco shrugged, “Big cousin.”

Rip began to laugh at the look on Wally’s face at that.

“We haven’t had a chance to say hello properly,” Iris said walking over to them before her brother could complain, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“And you Miss...” Rip quickly changed his greeting at Barry’s cough, “Iris.”

She gave him a smile before she offered her hand to Jonas, “And it’s nice to meet you too, Jonas. I’m Iris and I hope we’ll be friends.”

Jonas nodded, “You’re pretty. Like Caitlin.”

“I love him,” Iris looked up at Rip who was smiling proudly at his little boy.

The boy grinned and bounced over to where Caitlin was sitting.

“Sara’s waiting for you,” Cisco told him, “We’ve got Jonas until you’re done.”

Rip looked over to where his son had abandoned him and was being cooed over by the two women.

“He’s fine,” Cisco noted, “You’ve got some work to do.”

  Sara sat nervously in the Captain’s chair on the Waverider as Rip worked on some controls. They had decided that once they performed the connection they would allow it a day then the Legends would head back to work.

She could see Rip was a bit twitchy about the whole thing but she understood why. He was gifting them his ship, his home and giving up something he loved to do.

Even though he had lied to get their help originally, and Sara had happily smacked him a few times during their time together, she was going to miss him. Rip was brilliant in many ways, his knowledge of time and history was exceptional but he also knew the Waverider’s and Gideon’s systems better than anyone.

“Are you ready?” Rip asked softly.

Sara took a deep breath, “Yes.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Rip assured her, “In fact connecting to Gideon was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.”

She looked at him and nodded, “Do it.”

It felt like her entire body was slowly being warmed as the connection was created. There was no way to fully describe the sensations she was feeling but Sara suddenly understood Rip’s intensity regarding Gideon so much more.

“Wow,” she gasped looking up at the man standing there, “You feel this all the time?”

“It will settle after a while,” Rip shrugged, “Gideon and I have been together for many years so our connection is deeper. You’ll get used to it. Now all you have to do is set up your codes, Gideon will have a list of what these are needed for. Make them things that you won’t accidentally say ever. I used random phrases or word sequences.”

“Okay.”

“I will leave you to it,” Rip told her, “I want to spend some time with Jonas after this morning.”

Sara nodded before calling, “Rip?”

“Yes?”

“You’re doing well with him,” she told him, “He’s going to be fine so remember to look after yourself too.”

He smiled at her, “I’ll do my best.”

[areyouscarletcold]

for the fic ask, can you do (from the spider-man au) the passage where Len helps Iris and Barry sneak into the bar? I loved that he saved them outside of the suit

I started writing my response to this but Tumblr ate it, so I’m sorry if this seems disjointed, Nonnie. Also I’m glad you liked Len saving them as himself because that’s one of my favorite bits too :)

What Tangled Webs We Weave

“One,” Len stepped forward and part of him was irrationally pleased when Barry didn’t retreat, his eyes flitting between Len’s raised finger and his face, “they let me in because, in case you didn’t notice, this isn’t a high school cafeteria. There are real criminals inside playing pool and looking for an excuse to pick a fight. And two: there’s no way you wouldn’t draw attention to yourselves.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

They had to know what they looked like, especially with Iris’s shoulder pressed against Barry’s back, in their sweaters and hoop earrings, a picture-perfect pair. They couldn’t be more obvious if they were holding up signs that read We’re eighteen and in love and we’ve never stolen a penny in our lives! Next to Len’s leather jacket and the knife in his back pocket…

Yeah, they’d never stand a chance.

Aka, you’re both hot and look far too much like high school sweethearts for people to ignore you.

Len scanned them both with a quick flick of his gaze, not bothering to hide his appreciation for once. Iris’s cheeks colored faintly but she stood her ground.

“Let’s just say,” he drawled, “that neither of you look like criminals.”

If I could insert a Lenny face here, I would. (Also Len is definitely not picturing them as thieves, why would you ask?)

“Len.” He started to open his mouth to cut Barry off but an unexpected warmth closed around his wrist and any words died at the heat behind Barry’s hazel eyes. “Please. It’s important, okay? We wouldn’t… We wouldn’t ask this if it wasn’t.”

Fun fact of the day: this one paragraph? May be an extremely subtle reference to the scene - you all know which one, don’t lie - in Saints and Sinners where Barry tries to convince Len to help transport the Rogues. Because I found it funny and oddly fitting at the time.

“And just what could be so important?”

Barry glanced back at Iris who hesitated only a moment before nodding to her boyfriend. The twin stares, alongside Barry’s grip on his wrist, sent curls of lightning buzzing underneath his skin.

“Iris’s brother, Wally. He - ” Barry shut his eyes. “He got involved with some bad people, they’re making him meet them here tonight. Criminals like you said. He doesn’t want to, he’s not - it’s not like - ”

If this were Iris, she’d likely be more overt about trying to convince him to help, but Barry’s too busy rambling and reassuring him that Wally’s a good kid. Which works in their favor anyway because Len’s a sucker for nerds.

Another thing I just realized: Wally would love Spider-Len (as well as Cisco, at first, before he realizes how much of an asshole Len is) and it was truly a crime that I couldn’t fit him into this fic more.

Damn them both. Len was tempted to close his own eyes. He settled for a grimace and ignored the flare of relief that crossed the couple’s faces.

Lewis was going to kill him for wasting time. Thank god Lisa was at Mick’s, had been since he realized it was either him or Lisa on call tonight.

Or, the writer realized they ought to send Lisa elsewhere in case Lewis took the anger out on her later because Len would never allow that. But sure, let’s go with that explanation.

“Stick close to me,” he ground out. “Not a word, just stick by me even if you see him.”

Iris frowned. “But - ”

“Do you trust me?”

*side-eyes Aladdin* This is…strangely full of references that the writer thought were funny way back when.

Iris opened her mouth before shutting it swiftly. She considered him, her mouth a thin line as Barry fidgeted, his fingers rubbing absently on the inner skin of Len’s wrist. The touch was foreign; he wanted to jerk away from the soothing warmth, call the whole thing off.

I love Leonard “Ew, a feeling” Snart with all my heart.

“What if they’re already here?” He’d never heard her voice waver like this, an almost imperceptible shift if he hadn’t been watching her. “And he’s - ”

“Iris.” She blew out a breath and Barry placed his other hand on her back. It felt so wrong, to be part of this moment, to be connected by Barry’s hands when the worry bleeding from them both was palpable. Len forced his voice to soften, to gentle and steel Iris’s nerves. “I need you to trust me. Wally will be fine. I know what I’m doing.”

He can be thoughtful when he wants to be. And seeing this shift in the teasing, confident Iris he’s been privy to is jarring enough for Len to calm her down with Barry.

(It’s definitely not wrong to be part of that moment, honey, because it’s the first time they’re seeing you and not Spidey. Also because the writer planned that line way in advance because you’re a hero whether you like it or not.)

Len’s arc of becoming a hero, by the way, is a sort-of subtle change throughout the fic that I decided to tie in when I got to maybe the third section? Because I realized, looking at both canon and this Len in particular, that he really would be a hero in this verse and Len’s never been a character able to stand by while bad things are happening to people (i.e. the metas in the pipeline situation, sticking with the Legends and even calling them “our friends” after just a few missions?).

Pick a passage of 500 words or less from my fanfics and I’ll write a commentary on my writing

[easilydistractedandamused]

Chapter nine of Billy Bat Son for those that don’t want to follow the link

Chapter 9: The Zoo

“Shazam still can’t come in?” Clark asked Cyborg during a meeting.

“Bruce can’t show up either because of the media nightmare,” Barry said slightly concerned that two of their members were no shows for over a week

Victor was just silently amused that the speedster just unknowingly stated why the magic user wasn’t showing up.

“Nah,” he said shaking his head in response. “I doubt he’ll be able to show up for awhile,” he said.

After all, avoiding the media was one thing, but somehow keeping it from Batman? Yeah, he wouldn’t look forward to trying that.

“Master William is testing the security again,” Alfred informed Bruce as he was bringing him lunch in the Cave.

“He’s probably feeling caged by now,” Bruce responded, taking the cup of coffee and glancing to see the end of a red sweater in the corner of a camera. He was picking it apart as fast as Damian had, slowly but surely. “I’m starting to feel caged, myself. Can’t go anywhere without reporters dogging our steps,” he said stirring the cup.

“Might I make a suggestion, sir?” he asked.

“Go ahead,” he said sipping at his drink.

“Perhaps you can make an event of it,” he said and when Bruce looked at him in confusion, he elaborated. “Staying inside to avoid the reporters will only make things harder on him in the long run. Perhaps you should go to the zoo, I heard he likes that,” he said.

“Gotham Zoo is under the control of the Penguin,” Bruce reminded him.

“We know that, he doesn’t,” he said. “I do not believe young master Damian has had the pleasure of going to Gotham zoo yet, either,” he said.

“Fine, prepare the car,” he said drinking the rest of his coffee and standing up.

“Of course, Master Bruce,” he said, leaving with a smile to do as he was told and Bruce glanced to the cameras, finding a flash of red in the corner of one near the gardens and started to head in that direction.

The moment Billy saw the large structure, with it’s metal gates, his entire face lit up and even though it meant that Bruce would be giving more money to Penguin for his schemes, it was worth it.

While Damian didn’t run off eagerly like Billy did, he did look at each animal with a small hint of joy in his eyes, the corner of his lips twitching upwards just enough that Bruce could see he was enjoying himself as well.

“Have you seen Billy?” he asked when he couldn’t see the red sweater for ten minutes.

“He ran off to get some food five minutes ago,” Damian replied, looking around now but spotting him speaking to one of the officials made his tense shoulders relax. “There. He seems to be speaking to someone,” he said and Bruce followed his line of sight and felt himself relax. “I’d blame you for being paranoid, but we both know the risks of being out in public like this,” he said glancing off to the side where a reporter was hidden, taking pictures of them.

“Sorry if I took awhile,” Billy apologized when he returned to their sides.

“It’s fine. What were you two talking about?” Bruce asked.

“I asked him about the feeding habits of the animals!” he proudly declared with a grin. “Like, did you know that the Brown Bears are Omnivores?” he asked.

“I did not,” Bruce said, quietly amused and listened as his son told him what he’d learned from the worker.

“You seem upset,” Victor said as Billy was tossing a football up and down, lying in the grass of the stadium they usually met up in. “So, judging by how you're here and not with your dad you’ve managed to slip away from him?” he asked.

“It took me three days to clock his security system,” he said with an annoyed huff. “And longer still for all the reporters to start to lose interest. Sneaking out was impossible with them always hanging around,” he complained. “How are the others?” he asked glancing at him.

“They’re a little concerned why you haven’t been able to show up for two weeks, at the same time Batman’s been dealing with some personal issues,” he said easily.

“What kind of personal issues?” Billy asked him curiously, getting an amused smile from Cyborg at this.

“You know I’m not gonna give you any hints to his secret identity. I refuse to participate in your dumb contest,” he said, as he usually did and Billy shot him a cheeky grin.

“Not even a small hint?” he asked.

“Not even that much. I’m neutral on this, you know that,” Vic said with a hint of amusement in his voice as he looked at the thirteen year old.

“Fine, so I take it you told Bats what I’ve been dealing with?” he asked.

“ Neutral, ” he said pointedly. “And no, I’ve told them that you’ve been dealing with some family issues. They don’t know it’s dad issues, Clark suggested it had to do with your uncle and I’ve just gone along with it,” he said and Billy nodded his head. As it as, it was the best cover for what was really going on as it had a hint of truth in it. The best lies always had some partial truth’s in it and when it was supplied by someone else, it was always easier to believe than if you did it yourself.

“I’ll try to head up later. You’ve been keeping an eye on Wayne Manor’s security system, right?” Billy asked glancing at him

“You asking me to help you sneak out every night?” he asked, raising a brow as he looked at Billy.

“I just need to know if the coast is clear,” he said simply and was handed an alarm clock. “Uh, I already have one?” he said unsure as he looked to the object to Vic, wondering what this was about.

“It’s a camera , doofus. Point it toward the door and I can tell you if someone is in the room when you're sneaking back in,” he said and Billy turned it over in his hands, not seeing the camera in it, but he supposed that was the point. It wouldn’t do if people could tell it was a camera after all. “So long as you remember to ask me of course. I can’t remember everything for you,” he said and Billy offered him a grin.

“Sure, sure,” he said amused. “Did you know Gotham Zoo is run by the Penguin?” he asked curiously, like they were talking about something mundane and not a criminal using a zoo of all places as a front for illegal activities.

“How do you figure that?” he asked blinking, unable to see the trail even as he was simultaneously triple checking everything. So far, it seemed like any other zoo in the world.

“The penguins receive special treatment,” he huffed. “The lion isn’t fed enough, nor do they give them bones to clean their teeth with, but the bear barely has enough room, same with the tiger too,” he said. “Most of the money he doesn’t put in for his operations go to his favorite animal,” he said, having seen it, and it brought up a righteous anger in him. Animals didn’t know better and they certainly didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. Sure, they were still healthy, just barely underweight but Billy could see that they weren’t happy.

“Please tell me you're going to leave this alone,” Victor pleaded with him, even knowing he wouldn’t. Billy was stubborn like that, being in Batman’s turf wouldn’t change that one bit.

“If it makes you feel better, I only plan on investigating right now,” he said as he knew talking to the boss of the zoo wouldn’t do right now, he had to go straight for the source if he wanted to do any good. And to do that, he needed to make a plan first.

“It doesn’t, but thanks for letting me know anyway,” he said with a small smile on his face, huffing in amusement.

“No prob, man,” he said with his usual smirk when he was amused that most people assumed was him being a jerk but Vic knew better.

“Join me in one more game before you head out for patrol?” he asked and the smirk turned into a grin.

“Oh, you know it,” he said before rushing off the fake grass to a nearby blackened spot to transform. When he transformed on the field, he quickly learned that fake grass could both melt and catch fire (but only a little, really) when struck by magic lightning.

Still, no one looked twice as lightning hit the abandoned football stadium. If anything, the people of Fawcett heard it and relaxed, somehow knowing that everything was starting to go back to normal after their heroes long absence.