#sorry I don’t make the rules he’s Jay’s mom now

[ghost-bxrd]

So I've seen you post a lot about Dick and Calvin recently, and I wanted to know how you thought Calvin would react, in this Calvin gets adopted by Bruce kind of au, to:

1). Jason's death, in the assumption Calvin can't prevent it (And subsequently what he would do to Joker for it.)

2) Damian's early childhood.

3) Tim's Tim-ness.

4) How Calvin would react to the Batman Robin situation, when he finally learns about it.

I haven't gotten the opportunity to learn much about Calvin, but you have me interested, I'm a sucker for overly traumatized characters, and I am looking for the comics with him!

We can never have enough Calvin Rose content, that boy is so underrated 🥺💚

1. Pfpfpfpf you know for ONCE I wanted to go with “Jason doesn’t die in this Au” but you asked and I shall deliver hehehe.

Look, Calvin adores children. And it’s no different with Jason, whom he basically helped Bruce raise from the moment he came to the manor. (Bruce is a good dad here but emotions are not his forte. Calvin picks up the slack.)

So we’ve got a former Talon basically raising Jason, sharing a lot of his interests, teaching him fun escape techniques and pranking the others…

Only for Jason to die in Ethiopia. Beaten within an inch of his life and then blown up.

Because his birth mother sold him to the Joker.

Look, there’s very few things that make Calvin snap. Canonically it only happens when his loved ones are in danger/threatened, or children are being hurt.

And this one ticks off both boxes.

Calvin doesn’t kill if he can help it. Hasn’t done so since that one time with the Court, and that instance still haunts him in his sleep. But this?

Yeah. He’s not losing any sleep over killing Joker. He’d hunt the clown and put him down like a rabid animal. Cold, clean, and efficient. No drawing it out.

2. As mentioned before, Calvin adores kids. I don’t think they’d meet before Damian comes to the manor though, so no early early childhood shenanigans. But when Damian arrives, all entitled and clearly having been conditioned from a very young age, he gives Bruce a very deadpan “You do know you don’t get a discount for the amount of traumatized kids you take in, right?”

Damian is a stabby little shit that tries to kill Calvin at every turn. Dick thinks it’s hilarious. Damian becomes progressively more angry because Calvin doesn’t break a sweat side stepping each and every attempt. (Talon training pays off)

Calvin just lets Damian “burn off his excess energy” (“You do know he’s a kid and not a puppy, right?”) and uses the time the boy isn’t actively trying to murder him to child proof the manor again. Just to piss Damian off.

Having the kid try to poison him at dinner that day is so worth it.

Damian reluctantly warms up to Calvin over the next few weeks when the former Talon proves annoyingly helpful at setting up his room and helping him with training. (Although Damian turns his nose up every time Calvin obviously handles him with kiddie gloves. But the man point blank refuses to do anything else.)

3. Calvin spends a week around Tim and all his alarm bells for “neglected child” are going off like autotune in his brain.

Considering it’s still very close to Jason’s death tho it would take him some time to truly warm up to Tim.

Tim wishes Calvin remained as distant as he was the first year or so (no he doesn’t) because now Calvin has strictly limited his daily caffeine intake, is forcing him to eat at least three healthy meals a day, and actually set a bed time for him.

Tim is outraged (flustered) about being treated like a kid (like the kid he is).

4. Depending on who’s Robin when he finds out the reactions would vary greatly, but he still wouldn’t be happy that Bruce is taking kids out onto the streets at night to fight criminals either way. It remind him too much of the Court for comfort, grooming children into the percent assassin.

After a while though he’d realize that Bruce would love nothing more than for his Robin(s) to hang up the mantle and just live their lives to the fullest, and that they’re simply too stubborn and determined to fight crime with Batman to stay at home. With our without permission.

It helps that Bruce is clearly distressed and close to benching Robin whenever Dick/Jason comes back from patrol with a bruise. Never mind an actual injury.

[anti-romantico]

[casuality] enhypen heeseung

warnings: mentions of alcohol, unprotected sex, fingering, blowjob, cum swallowing, idk what else lmao

words: 3536

After a rough week of finals, you thought you finally were going to go home and enjoy your mom’s delicious food. Well, that was the plan until your brother called to tell you they weren’t going to be home. 

— Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? You know mom loves you. — Sunwoo said, not wanting to get his backpack in his car.

— Leave, it’s not like I’ll be the only person on campus. — You pulled him for a hug and breath. — Go before I regret saying no.

Sunwoo gave you a kiss on the top of your head and got in the car. You watched him disappear and finally went back to your dorm. There were more people than you thought.

— [Y/N]! — A very familiar voice called you.

— Heeseung, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to spend your vacations with your girl. — You didn’t know much about his love life, but the whole campus knew about their relationship.

— Yeah, I don’t think I’m welcome in her house again. — He nervously scratched the back of his head.

— Please don’t tell me… — He nodded before you could finish the question. — Damn, I don’t know if I should say sorry.

— As if I didn’t know you never liked her. — He crossed his arms, starting to walk with you.

— But she was your girlfriend. — You looked at him from time to time.

— And I’m the one that called it quits. — You nodded and bit your lower lip. — What about you? You always go to your mom’s.

— My brother got reservations somewhere and took my mom with him. And I’m not mad about it, but I wished he would’ve called me before so I could make plans. 

— Well, if you're still looking for a plan and want some company, you can call me.

You stopped abruptly, making him frown. — You sound just fine for someone that just ended their long-term relationship. 

— I'm not saying I'm fine, but it was something that had to happen sooner or later. I preferred sooner.

— And are you sure you want me as your company this winter break? 

He shrugged and nodded. — We haven't talked in months. Pretty sure our last encounter was at that frat party. Why not?

— Fine, but if you need to be alone just tell me. 

The first week went smoothly, ordering take-out with other classmates and eating outside. There were still some security staff around, but they never seemed to be bothered by the constant yelling and loud music coming from some dorms.

In the second week, Yeji sneaked in alcohol and invited her close friends to her dorm. She was alone in her room, and even though there wasn't much space, 6 people fit in it.

— How did you sneak this? — You asked Yeji, she giggled.

— The security staff stopped checking our food after the second day, I just risked it and sent my cousin a message. It was easier than I expected.

Heeseung was sitting on a bed beside you, sipping on his plastic cup filled with tequila and soda. 

— Should we play truth or dare or Heeseung is going to tell us what's the tea between him and Yuri? — Jake asked, earning a slap on the head from you.

— How do you even know something happened? — Heeseung asked, finishing his drink.

— She made a whole ass announcement influencer-style on instagram about your now “complicated” relationship. — Yeji answered.

— She called it complicated? — Yeji nodded. — Well, far from being complicated; I broke up with her. 

Everyone, except you, yelled at him, almost spilling their drinks.

— I thought you were going to get married! — Yuna placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heart beating fast. 

— Let's not overreact, everyone knew we had problems. 

— But you lasted, what?, 2 years? That's how long my parents dated before getting married. — Jay said, standing up from the floor and pouring a new drink for himself.

— Well, it's over. Now let's change topics.

— We can still play truth or dare. The only rule is not to go outside this building for the dares. — Yeji offered. Everyone agreed and sat down on the floor. Jay grabbed the only empty bottle and spinned it in the middle of the circle. It landed on Yuna.

— I knew it. Truth. — She brushed her hair with her fingers, moving it to one side.

— What happened with the blind date your mom set you? — You asked, making everyone laugh.

— Ugh, you know who appeared in the door of that expensive restaurant? Her neighbor’s son! The guy she never stopped talking about every time I visited her. I told him I wasn't interested, but at least we had a nice dinner. My mom didn't talk to me for a whole week when I told her she should stop.

— What was wrong with him? — Jake asked, grabbing the bottle.

— Aside from being a hardcore gamer? You can guess. 

— And he paid for the dinner? — You asked.

— I wish. He used his mom's money. I thanked her for the dinner, actually. 

Jake spinned the bottle and this time it landed on Jay. Jake smirked.

— I know that face, dare.

— I dare you to finish your drink in 15 seconds.

— You're an asshole, man! — Jay said laughing. 

Everyone started to count and cheered for him when he finished it even before the 15 seconds. 

— There must be water in the vending machine from the lobby. — Yeji said, feeling bad after watching Jay's reaction to the alcohol.

— I don't think he's going to make it to the hallway. I'll go. — You said, standing up.

— I'll go with you. We are all going to need water after finishing the alcohol. — Heeseung followed you behind, making everyone exchange glances.

Both got to the lobby and bought water for everyone. You weren't drunk, but your mind started to get dizzy. 

— Forget the water, if you want to sober up, go to the lobby and come back. — Heeseung said when you finally got to the room. Both were out of breath.

The game continued a few rounds before the dares started to escalate. Everyone ended up posting an instastory in someone's room without one piece of clothing. 

The bottle landed on Heeseung when Yuna spinned it.

— I don't have energy left to do another dare. Truth. — Heeseung said, laying his head on the bed that was behind him.

— Why did you break up with Yuri? 

Heeseung chuckled. — It took you this long? We just argued about the same topic over and over again, even after she said everything was clear, she kept bringing it up and I got tired. I was packing my things so we could go and she brought it up. It might be impulsive, but the moment she mentioned it I broke up with her. She didn't say anything, she just left. I guess that's why she's calling it a “complicated relationship”. 

— And what are you going to do when winter break ends? — Jay asked and he was about to grab the bottle, but Yeji beat him. — Hey! 

— Ignore her. I don't have anything to do with her. She can keep my hoodies. The less I'm in the same space as her, the better. 

You stood and ran to the bathroom, ignoring everyone's protests. When you were back, the bottle was pointing at your empty place.

— Right, what a coincidence. — You sat down and sighed. — Truth.

— Answer yes or no. — Yeji explained and you nodded. — Is it true that Hesseung's ex and you had a physical fight? 

— No! God, that rumor is so old and she started it. 

— Seriously? — Heeseung asked. 

— What happened was that she didn't like me being close to you and tried to threaten me. I told her she was being pathetic and she cried. That's all. 

— Boring. — Yuna said under her breath.

— As if I'm the kind of person to be violent with others. Can't believe y'all believed her.

— I didn't. — Jake said, earning a couple of pats on his head from you.

Jay yawned, causing almost everyone to also do it.

— How about we sleep for a while and then have dinner? — Yuna said, stretching her body.

— Please! I'm exhausted. — You said, laying your head on Heeseung’s shoulder. 

Jay helped Yeji to hide the rest of the alcohol and the empty bottles while everyone went to their dorms. You went to Heeseung's since it was the closest one.

— Do you have something I can wear to sleep in? I don’t like to sleep in the same clothes I had the whole day. — You said, walking in the room.

— I have some old pants and this shirt. — He took the clothes from his drawer, it wasn’t even packed.

— Were you going to get rid of it? — You grabbed it and placed it on the empty bed. He nodded. — Do you mind if I keep it?

— Sure. — He took a deep breath when you took your hoodie off. — I’ll change in the bathroom.

— Yup. — You didn’t notice how nervous he was. 

When you woke up, Heeseung wasn’t in the room, but the door was open. You thought he went to the bathroom when you heard him talk. He was just on the other side of the wall.

“I’m not judging the way you did it, that’s your problem, but I was clear when I said I was done with you”. He sounded mad. You just couldn’t stop yourself and stood up and walked quietly so he couldn’t hear you. “You were the one that decided to bring her up.” “I told you millions of times she was just a friend and even stopped talking to her when you told me she made you insecure”. What? “Because we were at the same party, I wasn't going to leave or ask her to leave”. “I’m enjoying my time without you just fine, Yuri”. “I’m not doing such a thing, and I don’t care if you make another statement to tell your followers we’re done”. “Well, that’s too bad because she’s also here”. “Goodbye, Yuri, don’t call me again”.

You didn’t find the strength to move from your place, so Heeseung found you the moment he walked in.

— What…

— Am I the reason you two broke up? — You didn’t know why it affected you, but it did.

— You weren’t supposed to hear that…

— Close the door next time, then. Now answer.

Heeseung tried to hold you, but you pushed his hands. — She started to feel insecure after spending too much time with this girl. She told her it was suspicious how “close” we were. She overanalyzed our interactions before she started asking every second of the day if I ever had feelings with you.

— Close? We only share classes. — You couldn't believe what he was telling you.

— She said her friend saw us being “clingy” at a party, but I honestly don't remember.

— You were too drunk, I was just making sure you didn't throw yourself to the pool. — You explained. Heeseung being in that state didn't even allow you to drink a single drop of alcohol, or anything. — I had to carry you, I guess her friend saw us hugging.

Heeseung threw his head back, not being able to remember anything. It was frustrating. — I'm sorry… god and after that I stopped talking to you.

— Well, at least now I know who started those rumors. — You tried to joke, but Heeseung didn’t laugh. — Let’s go for something to eat before going back with the rest. 

Heeseung sighed and nodded, following you around without saying a word. You wanted to cheer him up, but you knew it wouldn’t be easy. 

Once you were with your friends, they immediately knew something was wrong with him, but luckily didn’t make a comment about it. 

Alcohol made an act of presence once everyone was comfortable, drinks getting stronger and stronger. You weren't drunk, but you weren't sober. Heeseung at your side was laughing at Jake making a weird dance as a dare. He spinned the bottle again, landing on you. 

— Well, about time. — He teasingly said.

— As if you know what I'm going to choose. — You said, finishing your drink. 

— Oh come on, don't be boring, we’re all having fun. — Heeseung exclaimed. 

You laughed. — Fine! Dare.

Jake made an expression of thinking, but you knew he already had your dare in mind. — We all are gonna close our eyes and you are going to give a small kiss on the lips to whoever you want.

— It’s ok, babe, you can give us the kiss to get away with it. — Yeji said, hugging Yuna from the neck, making her whine when she pulled her close.

— Nah nah nah, she has to be honest. C’mon, no one’s going to watch. No cheating. — Jake said as he covered his eyes with his hands.

— Whoever cheats has to run around the building naked. — Yuna said, imitating Jake.

You couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of all of your friends with their eyes covered, Heeseung included. You didn’t think about it for too long, knowing perfectly at least one was going to check what was taking you so long. You leaned towards Heeseung, moving his hands apart from his face. He smirked when he saw you so close. None of you said anything, you gave him a small kiss and he went back to cover his face.

— It’s done. — You said.

Jake bit his lower lip and leaned his body. — How was it, Hee? — Heeseung didn’t answer, he just chugged his drink, lifting one eyebrow.

After a few minutes, the bottle landed on Heeseung, Yeji speaking up before anyone else. — I dare you to spend 7 minutes in heaven in Yuna's room with whoever you want.

— Nice, let’s go. — Jay joked, standing with Heeseung who only pushed him aside. 

— You wish, man. — Heeseung extended his hand towards you, causing a howling mess in the room. 

You laughed so loud and still grabbed his hand, letting him guide you to Yuna’s room. 

The air changed the moment you closed the door. Heeseung gently pushed you against the door, caressing your cheek. 

— Do you think they’ll come to check us in 7 minutes? — He asked, slightly brushing his lips with yours.

— We both know they won’t. — You whispered and locked the door. — But just in case.

Heeseung nodded and finally kissed you. Hard, immediately sucking on your tongue and squeezing your butt. You didn’t know how, but both were on the floor, him over you, still hungrily kissing. He was trying to get you naked so you let him. His hands were all over you and you were really getting into it when he pushed you down on your stomach and pulled your shorts off.

He took his time pulling your panties off too and then you felt his hand between your legs. You were wet already from him kissing you and he knew it. He rubbed his fingers up and down your pussy a few times before he slipped them inside you. It felt really good, making you moan. 

He slid his fingers out of you and put them in your mouth. — Taste yourself. — He said.

You sucked on his fingers and tasted your own juices. He did this again and you sucked each finger clean. You looked up at him and smiled.

Heeseung kissed you hard and put his tongue in your mouth. You couldn't believe how hot this made you feel. You wanted to touch him and kiss him more. He pulled his shirt off and threw it across the room. Then he unbuckled his pants and pulled them down along with his boxers. You stared at his dick for a minute. It was beautiful and big. You reached out and touched it, wrapping your hand around it and stroked it slowly. Heeseung groaned and leaned forward, taking your head in his hands. He kissed you harder and you ran my tongue over his lips. You wanted to taste his cock.

You kissed down his neck and chest and then you opened your mouth and wrapped your lips around the tip of his dick. He gasped and you closed my eyes and sucked on him. You swirled your tongue around the tip and then took as much of him as you could in your mouth. He tasted so good. 

You started moving your mouth up and down his shaft, making sure to slightly moan when you felt him touch your throat.

He moaned — Take it all, baby, I know you can do it. — You did as he told and then moved your head up and down faster. 

You could hear him breathing hard and you loved that sound. You kept sucking him and he kept thrusting into your mouth. You felt his body tense and then he shot his load in your mouth. You swallowed it all and kept sucking him until he pulled away. 

You sat up and wiped your mouth. He pulled your face again and kissed you, sucking in on your tongue as if he wanted to taste his own cum. 

You gently pushed his chest so he could sit down on the floor and you straddled him. You rubbed your pussy against his dick and he groaned. Lowering yourself onto him, you felt so full, he was so thick. 

Heeseung held your hips and you started to ride him. He put his arms under your thighs and held you still while you fucked him. You rode him fast and hard and then slowed down and picked up the pace again.

You felt so close to coming you didn't want to stop. You bounced up and down on him and then he grabbed your hips and held you. He kissed you and then he pushed you down to the floor and started fucking you, much harder that before. You came so hard and he kept going until he came inside you.

Heeseung collapsed on top of you and you just stayed there like that for a while. You were both breathing hard and covered in sweat.

He kissed you and then rolled off of you, laying next to you on the floor. You lay there like that for a long time and then he kissed you again. You could feel his dick getting hard again and you knew he wanted more. And so did you. You needed him more. 

You got on your knees and took his dick back in your mouth.

— I love your mouth, baby. Fuck! — Heeseung groaned when you moaned around him and kept sucking.

You felt him push your head away so you pulled out and got in all four. He got behind you and rubbed his dick against your wet pussy and slid right in. 

He was so deep and you loved how full you felt. He started fucking you so hard and you were moaning loudly, combining to the skin slapping. 

He grabbed your hips and started thrusting harder and faster. You felt yourself getting closer to another orgasm and cried out. He kept fucking you and you came so hard feeling your juices running down your legs. He kept thrusting until he came too.

Your knees protested when you tried to stand up. Heeseung helped you, hugging you from behind and kissing your neck.

— Are you ok? — He said against your ear.

— Amazing. — Your voice came out so low, almost like a whisper, moving your head to give him more access to keep kissing you.

You sighed when you felt his teeth nibble your skin. — I promise next time we’ll be on a more comfortable surface. — He said, making you feel tingles on your stomach at the thought of this happening again.

— Do you want to go back there? — You asked once you had enough strength on your legs again, taking your clothes from the floor.

— I don’t know if I want to deal with the million questions they’ll make — Heeseung dressed up too. 

Once both were ready, you opened the door, you still needed to go to Yeji’s room to get your phone.

— Here. — Jay handed your phones, not letting you go in.

— Jay, c’mon, man, at least let us help to clean. — Heeseung said, grabbing the phones.

— We can handle it, don’t worry! — Yeji yelled from the inside of the room.

— Keep having fun! — This time it was Yuna who yelled. 

You laughed and pulled Heeseung’s shirt. There was no way in hell they'd let you in.

Back in Heeseung’s room, you finally laid down on the same bed, enjoying your time alone.

— So… — He asked, afraid of your answer.

— What? — Your head was over his chest, listening to his heartbeats.

— Does this mean something now?

You sat down and looked at him. — I don’t know, it’s you who just got out of a relationship. — You reminded him.

— Is it… bad? — Heeseung also sat down and held your hand. — Do you.. want something to happen between us? 

You glazed at your hands and then at him. — I don’t think I’d have fucked you if I didn’t.

Heeseung chuckled. — Maybe we can keep it on the low while I take you on dates and propose appropriately.

— What? You coming inside me wasn’t appropriate? 

[gaym0m]

Something people find very interesting about me and my likes, is that I find jawline, necks and collarbones very very very attractive. Like literally makes my knees week and my— ya know.

Anyway, because if this I’m so sad no one has done this so imma do it.

Not smut. Like at all, but definitely suggestive. I don’t think I could write coherent smut.

Just Ellie for now since I owe her one.

One more not before I start, the way you can see her whole neck AND the drool im—

Okay okay sorry. Back to the one shot.

Warnings: mentions of Jay, of course suggestive stuff. Uhhh I dunno Beth being a little shit lol.

Soft lips gently pressed along the knuckles the tattoo artist, the kids with their auntie meant you two had all the time and space in the world to enjoy of each other, mind, body and soul.

Emphasis on body.

Ellie couldn’t help but chuckle at you’re actions, the kiss on certain body parts she wasn’t sure had ever been kissed. At first she found it cheesy, but after months of dating she didn’t know if she could be without it.

Just like she was no longer sure if she could live without the gentle kisses you would place on her cheekbones, or even her jaw.

She wasn’t sure she could live without your arms squeezing her waist or how you would nuzzle again the area where she shoulder and neck meet.

Ellie didn’t know what she would do without your playful kisses that started on her lips and lead down her jaw to her chest.

Or the ones that started at her knuckles and followed up her tattooed arms till giggles bursted from her lips. (Although she’s sure you had gotten that one from the Addams family).

Jay was a lot of things, he was a good husband while it lasted and a great dad but he could never compare to the next door neighbor that stepped in when she crumbled.

He would never compare to you, the one that immediately had everyone (even Beth and herself) wrapped around your finger with your kind nature and over all loving attitude towards the family.

Her ex would also never compare to you, from the way you sensually ran your fingers through her hair. The gentle tug when you wanted to break a long kiss just to aim for her jaw.

Then from her jaw, to her neck and her collarbones.

She didn’t understand your fascination with that area, but she appreciated the restraint you showed the first few times when she still had her ‘no marking’ rule. (She wasn’t ready to explain to the kids that the much you get neighbor who helped them and babysat them every once in a while was also her. . . Lover?).

Eventually they figured it out, from shy smiles and “hidden” kisses when you two were too caught up in eachother to see that Bridge had entered the kitchen for a soda. . . Poor kid didn’t get a soda but she was happy her mom seemed happy.

Of course, Ellie sometimes still got a little (not really) upset when you’d loose control. Then again those were also the more fun she had on bad days.

Those were the nights when your teeth grazed her jaw, her neck, her chest. The nights where she almost couldn’t look down at you, her body too strung up in pure white pleasure that her head was stuck thrown back.

Sometimes those where nights where she was stressed out, and you took every second to appreciate every inch of her. Your jaw sore, same as your arm but that didn’t stop you. Nothing really did stop you until Ellie unraveled beneath your touch, with a silent mantra of your name and twitching legs.

Other nights, you had a rough day. Of course you would never take it out on her, but she would still notice. And she would tell you a story of a day filled with struggles for her, because while she wasn’t a fan of lying, she knew just how relax you felt after you carried her to the edge and back.

Those nights where slightly different, with you hands gripping her hips enough to leave pretty bruises (which she sometimes wanted to outline and tattoo on herself). The same nights where you’d leave a few more marks while laying out a roadmap of the love and adoration you held for her.

Those nights, her fingers were sore from gripping the bed or at your hair while she remembered to cut her nails next time as she felt the skin of your back warm up after she raked her fingers down the soft skin.

Every night was a pleasurable ride with you, but those nights left her legs weak even the day after. And marks which lasted more than a few days.

Those were the nights that would cause her to flush as red as her hair when remembering.

She could still remember the smirk on Beth’s face the day after one of those nights, they were meeting up for lunch after Beth dropped off the kids at school. Ellie’s legs were still slightly trembling and her voice still hoarse.

“Not. A. Word. Betty-Boo.”

“Hey I wasn’t the one getting ra—“

“I said not a word!”

“Okay okay! I would ask how it was but clearly it was good.”

“I hate you.”

“Yes I’m aware.”

As much as the teasing annoyed her, she did find it slightly amusing just how much of a mess you made her (and her pants).

[scaryscarecrows]

Here I Lay (Still and Breathless)

AN: Follow-up to ‘Can You Sew Them Shut?’ You will be lost and confused without that, so. Y’know. Definitely go check it out. Title from Deftones’ ‘Passenger’.

* * *

Jason shudders in the restraints, the cold blooming inside him like he’s swallowed an ice cube whole. He can’t focus on anything apart from thread thread thread; even trying his usual techniques, like the Fives rule, only ever gets him stuck in a loop of thread. It feels like he’s suffocating, struggling to get enough air through his nose, and God, God help him, he has to get out of here, he can’t…

The cart is just visible out of the corner of his eye and he’s trying, desperately, not to look at it. Trying just makes his eyes go over there all the more.

The doors swing open. Crane steps in first, briefcase in hand, looking like he’s on his way to work. Which, Jason guesses, he is.

“Perfect stitches, Kitty.” He nudges the cart over, out of Jason’s view, and leans closer. “Let me just…”

He frowns, jabs Jason’s top lip, and nods at the involuntary flinch.

“Local’s worn off. Wonderful.”

Richardson hums. She’s fiddling with a camcorder and all Jason can hear, suddenly, is his voice.

“Did ya get that, Bats? Kid’s not yours anymore.”

There’s a sharp, sudden pain, a quick pinch against his wrist, and Joker shuts up.

“I need you present, Hood,” Crane warns. Jason would love to tell him to fuck off, but he can’t he can’t he can’t. “Don’t wander off, now.”

They both laugh. Richardson snags her stool, sets the camcorder on it, and comes over to check the restraints again. Crane pulls a vital monitor over and Jason wonders, through the haze of panic, where they even are. They have a lot of equipment they usually don’t a-a-and–

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“All right…restraints secure…are we loosening the vise before or after?”

“After. This one’s spiteful.”

“Whatever you say, Doctor Crane.” There’s the sound of buttons. “Camera is…on. Ready when you are.”

“Thank you, Nurse.” Tip-tap. “Patient will be receiving three milliliters of formula nine-z-s-eight-two-zero. He will be the fourth such subject to do so. Patient has experienced prior exposure on…” Crane pauses, counting under his breath. “Nine known occasions to date, though six of those were in conjunction with other drugs and cannot be counted as inoculations.” Crane smiles down at him. “Deep breaths, child. Only a little pinch.”

Please–

Fear toxin hurts going in. It’s thick and it burns, sluicing through the vein like toxic sludge. Jason breathes through his nose and tries, desperately, to focus. He can’t scream. No matter what he sees, or hears, or anything, he can’t scream.

Dimly, he’s aware of the vise being taken off. The sudden release of the pressure on his teeth is a fleeting moment of relief, but the sudden slackness pulls warningly at his lips and he tightens back up as much as he can.

Keep it together, Jay. 

Breathe in, breathe out. Eyes closed–eyes lie. Focus on what he knows is real; the sound of his pained breaths, the sticky, slightly sweaty vinyl seating under him, the. The thread in his lips. Maybe especially that last one, for motivation. He can do this. Just got to ride it out. He’s made it through fear toxin before and sure, it’s nasty, but he can do this.

“Jason?”

Oh, God, no, please.

“Jay-baby?”

He squeezes his eyes shut until weird spots dance behind his eyelids. He doesn’t want to see this, see whatever monstrosity Mom’s become because she’s dead he knows that he knows he should’ve stayed with her that night but he didn’t and–

“I’m sorry Jay, please don’t be upset.” A frigid hand rests on his shoulder, thumb moving in little circles. “Please talk to me, kiddo.”

He bites back a frantic, Mom please don’t be sorry it’s all my fault only because it pulls. That’s right. She’s not here. She can’t be here.

Pained breaths. The thread in his lips. The hard, chipped tiles under his body, leaching the heat from him. Those are real. Mom’s not. The damp, medicinal reek is not.

“Jason.” Her voice is thick, like she’s going to start to cry. “At least look at me, baby. Please?”

He can’t. He can’t face her.

There’s a soft sniffling and he clings to the feeling of thread, even though he’s wondering if I just try not to move my lips, I could maybe still–

Her face presses into his hair, warm tears seeping through it, and he chokes, throat swelling up and threatening to force out something. If he could just pick his hand up, at least, that would be enough to show her he’s not mad, if anything, she should be mad at him–

He tries. He does. But it won’t move. He settles for trying to lean his head towards her instead, hoping it’ll be enough.

There’s a sudden shriek and he feels her being pulled away, hears the clang! of her skull striking the cart followed by crack! of it hitting the tiles.

“Whoops!” Joker cackles. “Don’t know my own strength sometimes!”

No–

His eyes fly open without his consent. Mom’s lying facedown on the tiles, blood slowly pooling under her head, but she’s still breathing, he can see that. Joker stands over her, twirling a crowbar, but when he makes eye contact with Jason, his smile manages to grow even wider.

“There you are, Todders! I keep telling your mother, spare the rod and spoil the child.” He shakes his head. “You should have done what you were told. Now look at what I have to do!” He gestures vaguely with the crowbar. “You’ll be the one cleaning this mess. It’s the only way you’ll learn anything.”

He raises the crowbar. Brings it down.

Raises it up.

Brings it down.

Up.

Down.

Up.

Down.

“Stop it!” There’s a terrible tearing and pain and he spits blood, has no idea where it came from. “Stop it, please!”

Joker does stop. He looks up, flicks bits of blood and bone and brain matter from the end of the crowbar. Jason’s shaking, hot blood streaming down his chin and onto his neck and dripping towards his chest.

“Please,” he whispers. “Please don’t.”

For a second, that’s not Joker. That’s Scarecrow’s mask, gazing passively at him as worms wriggle through the burlap. Then the stitches curve into a smile and Joker’s back where he was.

“Nah.”

Up.

Down.

Up.

Down.

Regardless of Jason’s desperate screams, he doesn’t stop.

Up.

Down.

Up.

Down.

THE END

[sl-newsie]

Spelled (Carlos de Vil x Sanderson Daughter)- Ch. 8: Sneaking Out

Later that night I sneak down the hall to meet up with the new students. So while I might be a good witch, breaking some rules is ok sometimes, right? I mean who goes to bed at 8 anyway?

“And where are you creeping off to?”

I freeze and slowly turn around. “Binx, people here think the highest level of fun is going to a tea party. For once I’ve met others who are actually fun!”

“They’re the kids of villains,” the black cat warns in a mocking voice.

“I know that. This is… me trying to help them fit in and feel welcomed.”

“You like Carlos, don’t you?” Binx says with a pointed look.

“I can’t help it! His cute face is sprinkled with freckles, and he punched Chad for me.”

Binx stays quiet- never a good sign.

“What?”

“Magica… Have you learned about your siren magic?”

My-? Oh. Uh-oh.

My hand flies to my mouth. “Oh my God- Binx, what if I spelled him to like me, to- to love me? I didn’t mean to, I- I wouldn’t know if I did. I’ve never actually used it, I just know I have it from my mother. How will I know if he actually likes me or is just spelled to like me?”

Binx shakes his head. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Magica. You shouldn’t have to deal with this. Why don’t you ask Fairy Godmother?”

“No!” My face twists in horror. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m the cruel, manipulative monster my mother was, especially Carlos! I’ll just… Try to keep things friendly and professional.”

Before Binx can respond I confidently strut towards the VKs room before someone catches me.

“Knock knock. It’s Magica.”

The door opens and Jay’s face pops out. “Evening, trixie! Come on in!”

I groan. “Will you stop calling me that?”

“Nope.”

“I’m telling you, new hair!” Evie exclaims as I walk in. “New hair to match her new clothes.” She turns and sees me. “Oh! Magica! We were just talking about you! Mal?”

“Yup, hold on a sec!” Mal flips through a tattered book that almost resembles the one hidden in my skirt.

“Hey! That almost looks like-!” I stop, remembering that I have to keep mom’s spellbook a secret. “Never mind.”

Mal ignores me and finds the page she’s looking for. “Beware, forswear, replace the old with wicked hair,” Mal chants from the book.

Out of the corner of my eye I see my hair change.

“Wait- What-?” I frantically lift the now fuschia-colored locks in front of my face and look at Mal with my jaw hanging. “What did you do?”

She smirks. “I just helped make you look like a true witch, trixie. No need to thank me.”

“Huh?!” Now I’m panicking and trying to cover it up. “Mal, are you nuts?! I’m trying to keep a low profile as it is, not walk around parading my magic to the whole school!”

But the VKs don’t hear me.

“Oh, I love the color!” Evie gushes as she examines my new look. “Goes well with the dress, and the boots match perfectly!”

“Gotta say,” Jay nods approvingly. “That’s some rad look you’re pulling, trixie!”

Carlos goes to say something, but appears to be speechless as he can’t take his eyes off of me.

God I hope it’s not siren magic!

“Um, Earth-to-Carlos?” Jay waves a hand in front of his face.

Carlos blinks. “Huh, what?”

Mal rolls her eyes. “I know, I know, Magica’s hot now. Get over it and let’s get on with the plan, Carlos!”

Evie agrees. “I will say that Magica’s new fashion style is rather catching, but Mal’s right. We’ve got work to do.”

“What’s that? I thought you wanted me here to pull pranks.”

All the VKs give each other uneasy looks.

“We were, uh- thinking of checking out the Museum of Cultural History,” Mal says with a shrug. The others nod in agreement.

“How is that a prank?”

Evie shifts her eyes back and forth between me and Mal. “It’s… after hours, so it’s still against the rules.”

I give them all an annoyed stare. “Really? Sneaking out after curfew? I’m doing that now! I thought you guys were gonna do some actual pranks, heck a five-year-old could do better!”

“Guess you’ll have to stick around to see us get to the big pranks,” Mal baits me. “C’mon guys, let’s go over the plan.”

“Just let me pack my stuff,” Jay says as he assembles some suspicious-looking items onto a cloth.

“Or you could just leave all this stuff here and pick it up when we take over the world!” Mal states with a pointed smile.

“You sound just like your mom!” Evie remarks.

Mal puts a hand to her chest. “Aw, thank you!”

Jay just shrugs. “You do your way, and I’ll do mine.”

“It’s not good to steal, Jay,” I warn with a scolding finger. “And Mal, I can tell you all want to make your parents proud, but does taking over the world have to be in your agenda?”

“So what, trixie? We’re VKs, we make mischief. It’s what we do,” Jay chuckles darkly.

I bite my lip. “But-”

“Jay! Come check this thing out, man! It’s awesome!” Carlos calls from the TV.

I smirk at the tv. “Haven’t played video games before, huh?”

Carlos shakes his head. “Nah. No internet on the Isle. What about you?”

My eyes widen slightly and I try to phrase my backstory carefully. “No, I was raised in Sherwood Forest so there was very little service. In fact I had my first-ever car ride just a few days ago!”

“Really?” Carlos asks in disbelief. “I knew you were different from the others. What’s it like living in the woods in isolation?”

I tilt my head and think. “Well, it’s… quiet, a good place to practice magic, lots of plants and animals…”

Carlos gets stiff. “Are there dogs?” He asks in a nervous voice.

My brow furrows. “Why would that matter-?”

“Guys!” Mal calls from across the room. “We do not have time for small talk. Do I need to remind you what we’re all here for?”

“Fairy Godmother, blah blah blah-” Jay starts to ramble about something but Mal comes over and slaps a hand over his mouth. She looks over at me with narrowed eyes, then back at the VK group.

“We should discuss this somewhere else.”

Jay tilts his head. “Why? She’s not gonna tell, right trixie?”

I frown. “Tell who about what?”

“Um, tell anyone about our trip to the museum. Right Jay?” She hisses in his ear.

“Ok ok! Just let go!”

Mal’s eyes narrow as she analyzes me, almost from the inside-out. After what seems like eternity she finally gives me a head jerk. “Fine, you’re in. You seem like you could be one of us.”

My face freezes as I try to keep my cool. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’ve got the potential to be part of… let’s call it our villain gang. You’re not like all the other stuck-up prissy princesses here.” She walks up and gets closer, causing me to lean back a bit. “There’s something about you that I don’t get, but don’t worry. I always find out.”

I pray to God you never find out.

“Um, ok? When are we going?”

Mal gets up from the bed. “Right now. Get your stuff, guys.” I hold the door open for all the VKs to exit.

“So you’re Ben’s advisor?” Mal says with a new-found interest. “That’s cool.”

I nod. “Yeah, especially since a student like me with magic usually doesn’t get to be in such a high position.”

Carlos frowns as he sets the gaming consoles down. “Why not someone like you?”

In my head I panic as I try to find an explanation that won’t give anything away.

“I’m… new to Auradon, so people thought it didn’t make sense for someone who’s grown up in the woods their whole life to be made Royal Advisor. But Ben and I have been friends since we were kids, so he trusts me.”

Carlos gives me a smile. “I can see why. If I were king, I’d want someone like you to help out.”

“Why? I’m not the smartest, or the most organized-”

“But you’re actually nice. You listen to people and put others before yourself. Ben’s lucky to have you as his advisor.”

“Carlos!” Mal hisses from outside.

“Coming!” Carlos grabs his jacket and follows us down the dim hallway.

So, does he actually mean that, or is it just the siren magic talking?

Carlos’ POV

Now that Magica has different hair, she’s definitely starting to fit in with us. But I do feel bad though, ‘cause I know her intention is to help us fit in here. I do have to admit that I feel myself liking her more for being so nice to us, but I also notice she’s still acting strange around me. Did I do something wrong? I won’t back down though, ‘cause I’m determined to prove to Magica that Carlos de Vil doesn’t give up easily.

[miksterrr]

Sincerely, your only child.

hyper fixations rule my life.

another ninjago fic.

cross-posted on ao3

-

TW: TW: Strong language (a bunch of f-bombs, sorry) Talk about not getting a childhood, mentions of abuse and bullying, talking about abandonment, mommy issues, letting down. Extreme misako bashing. (I think that's it- uh please let me know if there's anything else! also prolly cringey and a bunch of dialogue so)

like 1.8k words i think.

“Lloyd!” Cole’s voice was heard throughout the bounty, “Your mom’s here!”

-

Today was one of those rare days where Sensei Wu let them off with just morning training. Which, in retrospect means that training will be worse tomorrow, but for now the team enjoyed the day off, all relaxing in their own ways. Zane’s reading up on new recipes to try, while Jay and Kai are playing video games. Nya’s working on upgrading the bounty even more, and Cole’s cleaning up the deck of the bounty, because well, someone had to, and surprisingly enough, he didn’t mind cleaning all that much. Meanwhile, Lloyd was laying down in his bed, just finished with his shower, and ready for a midday nap.

Lloyd immediately perked up. He jumped up from his bed and rushed out of the shared room, almost tripping over his borrowed (stolen from Nya… listen, she’s very muscular,) grey sweats in his hurry. Nonetheless, the blond made it to the deck in one piece, a grin stretching over his face. “Mom!”

“Hello, Lloyd.” Misako smiled, arms raised for a hug. Which Lloyd all but crashed into, relishing in the rare affection given by his mom. She gave him one squeeze before letting go. “How have you been, son?”

“Good!” Lloyd beamed, bouncing on the heels of his feet. “I have so many things to tell you!” It’s been a few months since Misako's last visit. During that time, the ninja defeated the usual baddie or helped out at some charity event. Nothing too big, which was surprising, in a way, but the team wasn’t taking it for granted, enjoying the easy time before the new villain of the month showed up.

Misako gave her son a tight smile, though she was glancing around the deck of the bounty, not looking at Lloyd, at all. “That’s very good, hon.” She sighs when she can’t find whatever she was looking for. “Do you know where your Uncle is? I have to talk to him about some of my findings.”

“Oh.” Lloyd murmured. He bit the inside of his cheek and crossed his arms. “I haven’t seen him since this morning.” He responded, looking down… and wow there were a lot of chips and cracks on the floor. One too many fights or training incidents.

Misako let out a breath through her nose.“Of course.” She clicks her tongue, glancing around the bounty deck one last time. “Looks like we’ll have to go find him.”

“We?”

“You said you had so much to tell me!” Misako smiled, turning towards the door that led to the underbelly of the Bounty, where most of their living space is. “You can walk and talk, right Lloyd?” It wasn’t a question. Misako started walking away before Lloyd could answer.

Lloyd stared after her for a second.“Wait- Mom!” Lloyd called, jogging to catch up with his mom, Nya’s sweats still too long for him, almost making him fall flat on his face, again.

“What is Lloyd?” Misako’s pace didn’t slow.

The blond stammered. “Uh, well… I just…” Lloyd sighs, rubbing his face, gnawing on his already cracked lips. He played with the strings of his hoodie. (the hoodie used to be cole’s.)

“Spit it out Lloyd. I don’t have that much time.” Misako huffed, glancing into every room they passed, and so far, every room has been empty. No sight of the old man. Misako’s mouth was set in a hard line. Clearly getting annoyed at both Lloyd and not being able to find Wu.

“I just thought…” Lloyd trailed off, glancing at the greying woman, he hesitated, before sighing. “Last time you were here you promised that the next time you were here- this time, you said we could spend all this time together.”

Misako paused, before groaning, pinching the bridge of her nose, “Sorry kiddo, you know how my work is, I don’t get a lot of time off.” She sighs, ruffling Lloyd’s hair. Her nose scrunching when she realized his hair was damp from a recent shower, wiping her hand off on her beige pants. “Surely, you get that.”

“I do, but-”

“Where is your Uncle?! I swear his old age is making him more elusive.” Misako interrupted.

“Mom!” Lloyd stomped his foot, the noise echoed through the cabins. Misako’s thin eyebrows furrowed. She turned to look at her son, hazel eyes hard. She gave Lloyd an expectant look. Lloyd only groaned, trying to get his words together. “I- well- ugh!”

“Lloyd, stop wasting my time. I need to find your Uncle.” Misako huffed, turning back to start looking for Wu again.

“Then stop wasting mine!”

“Lloyd!” She glared at her son, a warning.

Lloyd only scoffed. “You always only come back for Uncle Wu! Not me!”

Misako rolled her eyes. “You’re not a kid, Lloyd. You shouldn’t need your mother.” She reprimanded, crossing her arms.

“Wow.” Lloyd snorted. “Bold of you to call yourself my mother.”

“Lloyd Montgomery!” Misako nagged.

“It’s true!” Lloyd gave a low laugh, shaking his head. “You abandoned me, mom.”

Misako huffs, grabbing Lloyd’s wrist in a bruising grip and pushing him into the closest room. Lloyd yelps, stumbling. He takes a second to regain his balance before turning around to see Misako closing the door behind her. “What the hell?!”

“That is no way to talk to your mother, Lloyd.” Misako growls.

“Really?” Lloyd rolls his eyes.

“I am your mother!” Misako gapes.

“You’re really not.”

“I gave you life!” Misako retorted.

“You gave me half your DNA!” Lloyd shot back. “Nothing else. I don’t have your personality, or your style, and certainly not your morals.”

“Lloyd Montgomery-” Misako bites out, nose flaring.

“What, mom?” Lloyd asked, toneless. He was done with Misako. “You abandoned me. You left me at Darkley’s, and never looked back.”

“You know I had to! I couldn’t carry a child around with my work.”

“You just didn’t want to care for me.” Lloyd sniffed. “You aren’t worth my effort anymore, I don’t know why I miss you when all you do when I see is make me wish you were still away.”

“That is hardly fair, son.” Misako huffed, crossing her arms. She stared down at the blond, almost accusingly.

“Is it?” Lloyd scoffed. “You were once the god that kept me standing, mom. But it turns out it was just the idea of a loving mother that kept me standing, not you.”

Misako’s hazel eyes widened, mouth open and closing, as she tried to form a response. “Lloyd, honey… I-” She sighs. “I have no words.”

“Like always.” Lloyd scoffs.

“Son. I wish I could’ve taken you but-”

Lloyd rolls his eyes. “Just stop mom.” He closes his eyes, biting the inside of his cheek. “We’ve been through this, time and time again.” He huffs, trying to move towards the door. “In a few days, you’re just going to leave again with empty promises of returning and spending time with just me.”

Misako's eyes widened, moving to grab Lloyd’s wrist. “That’s hardly true- you’re being unreasonable Lloyd.”

“What’s ‘unreasonable,’ mom, is that I don’t know my own birthday!” Lloyd mocked, trying to get his wrist out of Misako’s unusually strong grip. Misako stayed silent, her eyes were wide and she was mouthing something to herself. Lloyd raised a brow, his movements stilled, coming to a realization; “Fuck mom.” He breathed. “You really have no idea, either. Do you?”

Misako stammered, grip weak. “W-well… the labor was very long, and with everything that was happening with your dad, time just got warped, and well-”

“Do I even ‘legally,’ exist, mom?” Lloyd asked, his jaw tightening as he stared down Misako. “Do I have a birth certificate, mom?”

Misako sputtered, “I uh… I’m sure… somewhere you have one.”

“Holy shit.” Lloyd whispered, breaking his mom’s grasp. His hands came up behind his head, gripping his hair. “I don’t exist.” He blinked, breathing coming out in gasps. “Well- obviously I exist, but not legally, huh?” Lloyd started pacing back and forth, a low laugh escaping him. “The government has no record of Lloyd Garmadon.” He swallowed, face going blank. “I am every criminal's dream.”

Misako let out a small giggle. “I suppose so.”

Lloyd made no sign of hearing her. His brows furrowed, his forehead creased, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to formulate his thoughts. “That’s why you left me at Darkley’s.”

“W-What… no, Lloyd, hunny. I-”

“You what mom?” Lloyd scoffed. “Everywhere else would’ve given me a birth certificate. But all Darkley needed to hear was that I was a Garmadon.” Lloyd rolled his eyes. “Uncle Wu would’ve questioned you… that’s why you never told him.”

“I was trying to save you!”

“From what?!” Lloyd cried. “I was a child! I didn’t need saving! I needed protection!”

“Stop being overdramatic.” Misako huffed. “I was saving you from-”

“From yourself?” Lloyd interrupted. “Because honestly, that makes sense, mom.” Lloyd sniffed, rubbing his face. “You hated me before you even knew me.”

“Fine.”

Lloyd turned, looking Misako up and down. “Fine?”

“I abandoned you, you’re right.” Misako nodded. “You know, babies are born with blue eyes, and then over time it changes.”

“What does that have to do with anything-”

“You were born with red eyes, Lloyd.”

Lloyd gaped. “I was kidding before.” He murmured. “About you hating me before you even knew me. I-” He licks his lips. “I was right.”

“I wouldn’t say that I hated you-” Misako tried.

“You left me because I had red eyes. Because of genetics.”

“I thought the great devour’s venom affected you too.” Misako tries to defend herself.

“I was a baby!” He growled, fists clenched at his sides.

“And I was scared.” Misako sighs.

Lloyd rolls his eyes. “I thought all parents are scared of their first child.”

“I wasn’t ready to be a single mom. Especially-”

“Especially with your job, I know.” Lloyd rolled his eyes, “Try getting better excuses, mom.”

“Son-”

“I am not your son.”

Misako rolls her eyes. “Lloyd Garmadon-”

“I’m not a Garmadon, either.” Lloyd rose a brow, challenging his mom to realize what was going on.

“L-Loyd-”

“No. If I was a Garmadon I would’ve been raised by you, mom. Or I would’ve been raised by dad.” Lloyd nods to himself, “You know who raised me, when you were too scared?” He stares his mom in the eyes, cold green meeting guilty hazel. “Kai Smith. Nya Smith. Cole Brookstone. Zane Julien. Jay Walker.” He announced each name, slow and sure, voice strong. “They raised me. They taught me that blood doesn’t mean family, mom.” He spat, ‘mom.’ “They taught me everything. They taught me how to live, mom. Where were you?”

“Kiddo-”

Lloyd shook his head, lips pursed. “I am not your kiddo. I am not a Garmadon. If anything, at all, I am a Smith-Brookstone-Julien-Walker.” The blond nodded sure of himself. “And now, I know that you aren’t worth my time.” Lloyd moves to leave, stepping past his mother.

Misako tried to grab at Lloyd’s wrist. “Lloyd, please-”

Lloyd all but side-stepped her. “I’m done.” He sounded numb, apathetic to her sadness even if he was swallowing down his own sobs. Lloyd moved to the door, hand on the handle, he pulled it open, and before he left and closed it completely, he gave his mom one last glance. “Goodbye, Misako.”

-

Uh, if you liked it I hope you enjoyed, if you didn't well, okay. still getting the grasp on short stories again... i'm a poet, y'all understand? sorry for weird formating and all that, thanks for reading :)

[srjlvr]

YOURS, CLASS PREZ !! // all alone.

After finishing your last class you quickly hugged ningning and hikaru and paved your way to find Jay, ignoring all the greetings from other students that were heard on the way.

You had to be there before Jungwon, why? Because you wanted to take your seat right next to the driver’s seat. Sure, it sounds like you’re a literal kid, but it was worth knowing that Jungwon will probably get pissed off by that.

You finally arrived outside, walking to your regular place when you’re waiting for Jay. After minutes of waiting you called him.

“Where are you? I’m waiting at the spot” You said, clearly not trying to sound annoyed. “Oh, I picked Jungwon up since he doesn’t know the spot, we’ve been waiting for you, we’re coming to the spot right now” He hang up.

Your blood was boiling, why would he choose Jungwon over you? It’s a childish act of yours to get so angry, but what can you do? Jay, your own brother, chose your worst enemy before you, even if it’s just by picking him up first. The thought about not taking your regular seat has already left your mind and all u could feel was confusion and anger.

You decided to keep it to yourself, not wanting to sound childish and annoying. When you got into the car you kept your mouth shut, you knew when you’ll open it up, it won’t end so well.

When you arrived home, your mother popped up and greeted Jungwon, “Oh! You’re yn’s new boyfriend?” She cheerly jumped. You and Jungwon choked on air you shot a glare to Jay, knowing that he’s the one who probably told her. “No mom, he’s here to work on a project with me and he’ll leave asap.” You rolled your eyes and lead him to your room.

“This is my room i guess, don’t touch anything, breathe next to anything and you’re dead, sit on this chair and don’t move” You crossed your hands while watching him putting his bag down and sitting on that chair.

“I don’t care what you’re planning to do, just do whatever you need to do and update me so i’ll tell the teacher, don’t even talk unless its necessary” You added, a tiny feeling of guilt appeared after speaking so rudely and you quickly shot it away, it’s Yang Jungwon after all.

“Can you not fucking tell me what to do? I get it, it’s your house your rules but you act like a fucking kid, it’s disgusting” There it goes, that guilt feeling turned into anger, “Can you shut the fuck up? I really don’t want to hear your voice” You scoffed.

“Whatever, you think you’re good in everything but honestly you just suck” He fired back. That’s it, you thought. “You know what, get the fuck out of my room and go work at Jay’s room or wherever else i don’t fucking care, i really don’t know why i let you in this room” You pointed at the door, waiting patiently for him to leave.

He teasingly smirked, “No, or i’ll tell the teacher you kicked me out and refuse to let me do anything”

“You’re so fucking annoying” you groaned.

“Told you i’ll make you live in a nightmare” He chuckled. You put on your earphones to block everything that’s happening around you, hearing Jungwon’s voice is the last thing you want to do right now.

After half an hour, you got a text from haruto,

📱: Haruto - “Open the door mf i’m outside here to save the day”

You giggled, putting your earphones down and going down the stairs to open the door for haruto.

While you’re gone, Jungwon confusedly looked around the room, Where did she go? He thought. At the same time, i’m in yn’s room, He smirked, All alone.

NOTES: i did NOT expect this to be that long but it is what it is, next chap is probably gonna be written too im sorry!! what do y’all think gonna happen next though?

TAGLIST: @enhacolor @luvryuj1n @deafeningballoonnacho @lovienikitty @notrosemary @fairycheol @harperwasstaken1 @icywhatim @lil-iva @love-4-keum @anotherimaginesaccount @i4cho @nakolvr @tlnyjoong @hiqhkey @theboyzrightherex @pr0dbeomgyu @randomness7198 @shyugahh @wonamore @jayeonnature (if your tag is bold it means i couldn’t tag you, im sorry): )

SYNOPSIS: In which the school’s top students, also known as the biggest class presidents of their own class and rivals, has to work on a huge project for their school and compete in a national competition……all together?!?

☆ ★ // previous — m.list — next

[afriendlyneighborhoodhufflepuff]

halstead!sister where she was best friends with nadia. but after her death she struggles with it as she blames herself for not going with her to get the cake for erin. she’s diagnosed with bipolar disorder from doctor charles, will and jay later find out that their mom was under review for bipolar before her death but they ruled It out to be the cancer.

Anon I’m so sorry this took me so long to write! I got busy with the end of the semester, but now I’ve finally had a chance to write and this one def got me in the feels. I did try my best with depicting bipolar disorder, but as I don’t have it myself, I wasn’t exactly sure how to write it, but I did try. Hope you like this one! And as always, my requests are open!

You had woken up shaking. You kept seeing her in your dreams, and you hated it. If only you had been with her to get the cake for Erin three years ago, Nadia might not be dead. You silently got out of bed and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, making sure not to wake Jay. As you lean against the counter, drink in hand, all you can think of is her. Her her her. Her face, the lifeless look in her eyes as she lay in her casket.

You were doing so good lately, and then the nightmares came back, bad enough that you brought up to your brothers about seeing Dr. Charles. “Pipsqueak, what are you doing up this late?” Jay says as he pads into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water. “Couldn’t sleep. Nightmares again,” you reply, placing the glass in the sink and sitting on the barstool against the counter. “I think I should see Dr. Charles and see why this is happening, aside from my friend dying. Even if it’s been like three years since Nadia died,” you say quietly, gaging the look on your brother's face. “If you think that’s the right choice, let Will know, and we can get you an appointment set up.” He replies, taking a seat next to you. You lay your head on his shoulder, and you both stay like that for a while.

You hang out in the waiting room for a while until you get a text from Will to you and Jay asking if you could all meet in the cafeteria. You didn’t even realize Jay was around until you felt his arms wrap around you as you stood and headed to the cafeteria.

You see Will and Dr. Charles sitting at a small table and joining them. “Hi Y/N, I’m Dr. Charles; nice to meet you finally.” Dr. Charles says, extending a hand. You shake it and greet him as you and Jay sit down. “So I understand you may think something is wrong mentally since your friend died three years ago. Am I right in this understanding?” “Yes, sir, at first I thought it was just the grieving process, but now I’m not sure, and honestly, it scares me not knowing and understanding why I can go from being just fine and happy one month and then barely being able to get out of bed and being the most irritable and angry person the next. I feel bad whenever mood swings hit because then I take it out on Will and Jay and all my friends, and I want to feel better.” Jay rubs your back as you wipe the tears off of your face. “I see. I want to get you upstairs and check in for an appointment and run some tests. I have an idea of what’s going on, but I want to be 100% sure. I’ll have Will fill me in on family history so we can get a headstart on this.” he replies, standing up and shaking your hand again.

You and Jay make your way to the mental health wing, and while you feel nervous, it’s like a good kind of nervous, as weird as that sounds. “I hope we can figure out what’s going on because I want to get better.” “We will pipsqueak. We will. Dr. Charles is one of the best; he knows what he’s doing.” Jay replies, ruffling your hair as you head into the room, where Will and Dr. Charles are already waiting.

You were handed some papers to fill out about your mental health while Dr. Charles talked to your brothers outside the room. They all come back in, and Dr. Charles looks at the paperwork before handing it to the nurse. “Y/N, it sounds like you have Bipolar Disorder. Now, this can be treated easily with therapy and medication. And I do have to let you know that I did begin to treat your mother for the same thing before she passed but assumed that it was cancer that was causing her mood swings as we did catch it later than with you.” he says gently as you sighed with relief. You finally figured out what was going on and that it’s easy to manage. “That’s a lot of information all at once, but ok. I can go to therapy and take medication. I know these two will help keep me on track.” you laugh, nudging your brothers, who smile at you. Dr. Charles ordered the medications and set up a therapy appointment.

As you and Jay walked out of Med, you with your medications in hand, Jay making sure his badge was on him, you smiled at each other and knew that things would get better; it would just take time.

[lily-drake]

Identities

Okay, she could do this.  Keeping this from her host parents would be easy.  They didn’t really care what she did as long as she was responsible and safe…..ish.  Her dad and siblings though….that was a whole other issue.  How was she supposed to keep this from them?!  She looked over at the small floating creature in front of her, and while she knew that she could do this, she desperately wanted to let her family know.  They were out of Paris, they could help her with the detective work, and she could have an excuse to go to the cave to train more often.

“Can I please tell-“

“No Marinette, you can’t tell anyone!”

“But they’re heros too, and they aren’t in Paris!  They are our best bet at ending this quickly!”

Tikki seemed to consider it for a few moments before ultimately shaking her head.

“I’m sorry Marinette, but I don’t make the rules.  You can’t tell anyone.”

Marinette felt annoyance and frustration course through her.

“Then who does make the rules?!”

Tikki shook her head,

“I can’t say.”

Marinette groaned and she really needed to let her frustrations out on something!  The gym should still be open right, maybe she could take it out on a punching bag.

Then her computer started ringing.  She looked over and saw the icon she set for Babs.  Quickly clicking the accept call button Babs and Tim popped onto the screen.

“So we may have set up something on the cameras in Paris.”

“Barbara began with a hesitant smile.”

Marinette smiled and sighed as a plan popped into her head.

“Yea, it’s crazy right?”

-.-. .- .-.. .-.. / --.. .- - .- .-. .-

Her fingers tapped near the mic on her desk as she leaned on her open palm calmly.

“A year after I came here there’s new heros and a villain that controls your emotions!  None of you are allowed to visit until it’s dealt with.”

.- .-.. ... --- / -. . . -.. / -.-- --- ..- / - --- / -.- . . .--. / .- / - .- -... / --- -. / - .... . / -.-. .- -- . .-. .- ... .-.-.-

She picked up a pencil and fiddled with it, tapping against her desk and twisting it between her fingers.  She glanced over at the little fairy that was staring wide eyes at the screen unaware of the secrets she was silently telling.

“Yea, that would be bad, especially if The Demon Spawn and Jason went.”

... --- / -.-. --- -.-. -.-. .. -. . .-.. .-.. . --..-- / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -.-- --- ..- / ... . -. -.. / ..- ... / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .. -. ..-. --- .-. -- .- - .. --- -. / ... --- --- -. ..--..

Tim tapped his finger against the desk calmly, though he looked slightly panicked.

“Yea.”

The word had a double meaning, and Tikki was none the wiser.

________

It had been a year now, and Marinette was now the official Guardian.  She had worked with Zatara with learning how to use her magic, and found out Wonder Woman had knowledge through her mom, who once was a past Ladybug herself.  Thankfully everything in Paris was kept on the down low and the rest of her family knew nothing.  She did not want Dick’s mother Hening, Jason was even worse.  She shivered at the thought of telling them now that she was so far in.

But now she made the rules.  Master Fu was gone, and it was her decision on what she did next.  So, Tikki couldn’t stop her, not anymore.  So she waited just outside of Paris for her family to arrive.  She was going to be in so much trouble, but maybe they would understand?  No, she’s going to be in trouble, then they won’t trust her again, they’ll bench her for life, and-

Thump

The sound of quiet feet landing brought her back to herself.  It was time.  She turned and saw her family staring back at her, well, everyone excluding Duke, Steph, and Babs.  Someone had to keep the city safe after all.

“Ladybug, it was brought to our-“

“I know.  I asked you here because as I am now the guardian I make the rules on what to do.  And before you say anything I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you before, it’s just I was told I wasn’t allowed to.  And I was afraid that if you guys found out you would all try to come and I didn’t want to risk it.  I’m so close to figuring it out though, so if you could ground me in like, two months since that’s when everything should be ready that would be great.”

It was silent, but she could hear Tim snickering.  Traitor.

“I apologize, but I don’t think I fully understand.”

Batman said, confused.  Right, she was in suit and the magic blocked people from finding out.

“Spots off.”

A bright light surrounded her and when it disappeared Marinette stood in place still wearing her lounge clothes which consisted of comfy sweats and a giant oversized sweater.

“What the- Pixie?!”

Jason called out quickly as he removed his helmet to make sure he was seeing things correctly and his sensors did it have an error.

“Hey Jay-Jay.”

She said with an awkward wave and what was supposed to be a smile, but was more of a grimace.

“Remember, it wasn’t my fault because I was forbidden to tell anyone by the past guardian, I told you when I became guardian like a responsible person, and I said you could ground me in two months when everything is done.”

She rushed out voice dying into a small squeak near the end.  She could feel her dad’s disapproving look.  She glared in Tim’s direction as he stood there smugly in the shadows.  Damian had a smug look too, the brat.  Her lungs felt like they had stopped working because she was being squeezed by Dick and one of his octopus hugs.

“You have a lot of explaining to do, Cupcake.”

Oh good, nicknames.  He wasn’t too mad then.

“I want a full report, Marinette.”

And there was her first name.  She was in a lot of trouble then.  All well, hopefully it won’t be too terrible.

Taglist

@prettylittlebutterflie @trippingovermyfeet @liquid-luck-00

[scandalsavagefanfic]

Hello! I am a huge fan of ur writing. I've loved everything I've read of yours. I've read alot of what you've posted, except for a couple of the tags that are squicky for me (so I'm very thankful you tag very thoroughly). No judgement for the squick, it's just not for me. & when I'm having a bad day, I usually just go thru ur ao3 and find something to reread. I think about Therapy's Bruce & Jason every damn day. While I obvs appreciate ur darker more "problematic" content (I really vibe with some of the themes you write about bc of my own trauma, & so it's very cathartic to read about in a fictional setting), I am truly a sucker for ur more happy content. The Happily Ever After verse also lives in my head rent free. Idk more wholesome stuff just seems more special when you write it. Anyways. I would die for you. But the point of this ask is cause I'm curious as to why you don't like Urban Legends? I'm sorry if you already talked about it here or on twitter and I missed it. I was just wondering because I really enjoy your take on things and would love to hear why you dislike it. I've been enjoying it so far personally, but I am always open to DC comics criticism.

Aw thank you so much! I'm so flattered by everything you just said. You're so sweet ❤❤❤❤❤

I haven't talked about Urban Legends here or twitter (I haven't been very active in either place lately. Just a lot going on and no energy 😔) but I'm happy to do it here.

Before I start though, I just want to add a standard disclaimer and make it clear that if you like it, there's nothing wrong with that and you don't have to let me ruin it for you lol. Like what you like.

That said, since you asked...

I said this when I was talking about it on discord, that there is a difference between hope and expectation. I always hope that a new story centered on Jason (or anyone really, but things have been especially egregious for Jay for 15 years) will be good or at least treat the character with a minimal level of respect (to be honest, the bar is super fucking low). But my expectations always temper my hope, to keep it from getting unrealistic. Because my expectations are based on experience.

The long history of Jason Todd, since even before his resurrection, has been one of retroactively trying to make him "a bad seed" in order to absolve Bruce of any responsibility in his death.

I don't even expect DC or their writers to start honoring the fact that Jason was not an angry, reckless Robin (and less of the later than Dick or Tim and definitely Damian). There plenty of ways that retcon can be folded into his history and be compelling and sympathetic. And if they're going to stick with that retcon, I'm only asking that they do it in one of those compelling and sympathetic ways because Jason was 15 when he died, heroically, in one of the most selfless acts in comics, to save a woman who literally handed him over to be brutally murdered. He was 12 when Bruce plucked him off the streets, he'd been homeless and fending for himself for at least two years. I personally think that Jason's story hits harder for him and Bruce if their original, canon relationship, of Jason as starry-eyed and eager to learn and absolutely devoted to Bruce and Bruce to Jason, is preserved. But Jason's origins does leave room for a meaningful interpretation of him as angry and frustrated at the lack of meaningful results of Bruce's methods.

And that's really where my irritation at stories like Batman: Urban Legends, Cheer and Batman The Adventure Continues has it's roots.

Every time one of these stories comes out, I think (or hope, rather) that this will be the one that remembers and respects the origins of the Jason and the Red Hood, that takes into account the changed sensibilities of comics readers in the 30 years since Jason's death and the subtle, 20 year, retroactive campaign to make him the "bad Robin". The "born bad" trope is played out and literally no one likes the message it implies. That some kids are just bad eggs and there's nothing parents or the adults around them can do. Especially when it's played as the kid's fault. If Jason's time as Robin is going to be characterized by anger, then it should be rooted in anger at the social injustices he witnessed as he grew up in an impoverished, crime-ridden, area and the horrors he faced raising himself when every day was a battle for survival. There are topical, meaningful, stories to tell with that backdrop.

But those are never the stories we get.

⚠⚠ Spoilers for Batman: Urban Legends, Cheer ⚠⚠

I'm particularly disappointed in Urban Legends because for the first issue, it looked like that was the kind of story we were going to get. I was put off by the first flashback of Jason being mesmerized by Bruce's guns, and I got that feeling in my gut that it was a bad sign. Jason depicted as impatient and overconfident and the scene with the guns is heavy-handed foreshadowing that got my spidey-sense tingling. I had a inkling then (in the first three pages) of how this story was going to play out, but it was early and I could still see many narrative paths that could lead to a satisfying story. My concerns were soothed somewhat and the little flame of my hope fanned, with the flashback of Alfred scolding Bruce, with Barbara's concern for Jason. A bit of worry returned with the way Jason ruthlessly pursued an addict who didn't appear to be a dealer and with the ending of the issue. The stuff with the addict sat wrong with me but the ending was tempered some by how despicable Tyler's dad was written. The scene was clearly set so that the reader could sympathize with Jason's decision and the scene with the addict could be brushed aside as a side-effect of comics over-the-top need for constant action, so I still held hope.

Issue 2 made me uncomfortable and it's where my hope starts to take a backseat to my expectations. I can dismiss Jason's self-deprecating internal monologue as unreliable narration, except that the flashback reinforces his thought process to explicitly show that it's not unreliable narration, and should be taken at face value. Jason faces physical abuse at the hands of his mother's drug dealer and when the flashback continues later, Jason kills the drug dealer. To be clear, this is a pre-Bruce Jason. His mom is still alive. He's like... 10. He kills this guy for shoving his head into a wall and implying Jason's mother paid for her drugs with sex. This is a scene that serves a single purpose. To show that Jason has always been prone to violence.

In the spirit of full disclosure, there is the small chance the drug dealer might not be dead. But the story obviously wants the reader to think he is, and it hasn't done anything to change that yet.

Starlin already did this story with The Diplomat’s Son in 1988 and he did it infinitely better. AND that’s still technically canon. So now I’m supposed to believe that Jason lost his cool bad enough to kill two douche bags before his sweet 16? Like it’s totally normal for abused kids raised in poverty, who’ve led hard and heartbreaking lives to just... haul off and kill people? That’s bullshit, and when taken with the Jason in the third issue, who is little more than an idiot thug, this story is really doubling down on some fucked up stereotypes.

Which brings us to the most recent issue. I went into this installment with very low expectations. I thought this story was going to be about Jason, through this experience with Tyler, a young boy with a similar background to Jason's, coming to the realization that Bruce's way is the best way and that Bruce did his best by Jason.

That would be annoying (in no small part because it takes increasingly absurd levels of plot armor to keep Bruce's no kill rule relevant, let alone irrefutably right). But I can probably live with that, if only because maybe if Jason officially falls back into line with the Bats crusade, maybe I'll get stories that treat him with respect, stories that don't relegate him to comic relief, dumb brute, or a background body with no lines in a story about the Joker burning Gotham (like Jason would just fucking stand there quietly for that).

And that may still be where the story is going, Jason realizing Bruce is right.

But holy shit do I not have the right words to describe how fucking insulting and gross issue three is.

From start to finish--including the flashback--Jason is written as cruel and fucking stupid. Like straight up dumb.

The entire issue is Bruce explaining the fucking basics to Jason like it's his first day. And Jason flies off the fucking handle and terrorizes a doctor he knows isn't a part of making the Cheerdrops, beats the shit out of some random addicts, and finally, when he can't accomplish anything on his own because he's a dumb brute he calls Barbara for help and rushes in with no information where he's promptly incapacitated and must now wait to be rescued by Batman.

This panel is the least of the issues sins but I can’t screenshot the entire story but it’s representative of the tone for the whole issue (and retroactively tainted the prior two issues).

This is beyond insulting. The only conclusions Jason comes to in this issue are the ones Bruce leads him to by talking to him like he can’t make the simplest connections. And like... in this story Jason can’t make the simplest connections.

This (and the Jason throughout the entirety of this issue) is a far cry from the Jason we fell in love with in Under the Red Hood, who was competent and strategic and intelligent enough to seize control of Gotham’s underworld from Black Mask (who’s no fucking slouch, he’s the first and only person to unify organized crime in Gotham) AND elude and manipulate Bruce until the time and place of his choosing.

This is a far cry from even the Red Hood and the Outlaws Jason who is competent enough to fight the League of Shadows and Ra’s al Ghul (among very dangerous and skilled others) and smart enough to create antidotes for mind control nanotech viruses.

As he should be, by the way. Jason Todd is one of the best, most comprehensively trained fighters in DC’s stable of non powered vigilantes. He’s not irrational or hot headed. He’s pragmatic, tactically minded, and patient. He’s a detective. Right now. Has been since he was 12. Bruce doesn’t have to make him one because he already is. 

Jason is not a stupid thug who uses his fists because his brain doesn’t work. And I can’t tell you how so very exhausted I am by this narrative. 

This is actually the most egregious example of Jason’s skills and intelligence being not just undermined but dismissed entirely. Even Morrison’s Jason had some degree of competency. 

The one, single redeeming factor of this story is the art. It’s beautiful. And Marcus To is a godsend he seems to be one of only a couple of artists who remember that Jason was a child when he was Robin and I’m literally only buying this book because of him. 

Anyway, I’m sorry. I didn’t want that to come out so... um... passionately lol. I’m just very very tired. My intention with this isn’t to ruin it for you, if you like it, that’s fine. 

But this issue shot this story to the top of my "Vehemently Despise” list. 1) Batman: Urban Legends (Cheer), 2) Battle for the Cowl/Morrison’s Batman and Robin, 3) Batman The Adventure Continues.

I hope the next issues somehow salvage this dumpster fire. But I’m not expecting it.

(Damnit. That sounded harsh again. To reiterate, I’m not trying to judge anyone who enjoys it, I just personally hate it and you asked me why lol 😅)

[study-coffee-chicago]

Stupid Game...But They’re All in High School This Time AU (A Halstead Brothers + Halstead Sister Imagine)

Trigger warning for very graphic attempted sexual assault

"What are the rules?" Jay asked you as you double-checked your backpack to make sure you had everything for the first day of your freshman year of high school.

You sighed and zipped up your backpack. Your two older brothers, Jay a junior, and Will a senior, had already gone over and over this with you. "No spaghetti straps, no backpacks in class--"

"Not written school rules," Jay told you, abruptly cutting you off. "Unwritten school rules."

"Oh," you said as Will entered the living room, holding his car keys in his hand. "Walk on the right side of the hallways, always remember your locker combination or write it somewhere so you will remember it after long breaks, and no talking to the varsity football players unless it's Adam, Kevin, or Kelly because all the rest of them are absolute douchebags."

"There it is," Jay said and grabbed onto the handle of your backpack. "And if someone does this?" He tugged hard and you flew backward.

"Turn around and swing," you told him and quickly regained your balance once he let go.

"Jesus, Jay," Will said and smacked Jay upside the head, resulting in Jay letting out an ow in response. "Don't scare the poor girl. No one's gonna do that. It only happens in the movies." He turned back to you. "Don't listen to him."

"So, all that unwritten rules stuff I can just forget?" you asked.

"No, that was all legit. Just the backpack tug thing was a lie. Now let's go before--"

"Will, Jay, Y/N!" The three of you groaned when you heard your mom's voice calling you and then stepping into the living room. "Take off your backpacks and go on the front porch."

The three of you groaned again.

"Mom," Jay whined. "Do you we have to take a first day of school picture every single year?"

"Yes. And it's your brother's first day of senior year and your sister's first day of high school in general. So, get out on the porch and quit complaining. The faster I take this picture, the faster the three of you can leave."

You all grumbled and then went out on the porch to take a picture. Even though it was early September in Chicago, it was sweltering hot out. You thanked your lucky stars that Will's car had working AC because you knew that some of your friend's older siblings didn't have working AC in their cars and they always complained about how hot it was on the ride to and from school. But, it was better than taking the bus.

Once you had finished taking the pictures (and Jay pulled your hair in one of them so Will told Jay he has to sit in the backseat on the way to school and you got the passenger seat), you got in Will's car.

***

"So, meet you right here after school?" you asked Will when you entered the high school through the double doors of the main entrance.

"Yup. Jay, you got a ride home from soccer practice?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Adam's dropping me off at home. But I swear to God if I have to sit in the backseat one more time--"

"Give it a rest. I could've stepped on your foot, but I figured you'd need it for soccer. So, I let you off easy."

"Whatever," Jay mumbled.

You started to walk towards the freshman hallway and wondered why Jay and Will were still walking with you when you passed the junior and senior lockers. But, then you saw a huge group of varsity football players in the long hallway between the sophomore and freshman hallways, pointing at girls they thought got prettier or skinnier over the summer or new freshman girls for them to hit on or have a one night fling with.

"I'm gonna need to tell Kelly to keep his boys in line," Jay said to Will.

"No shit," Will replied.

"Don't you creeps have anything better to do?" Jay yelled at them. "And, I see at least three of you who are eighteen, so I'd recommend you stop ogling at minors and get back to watching tapes or something so we can actually make it to the playoffs this year."

"And what are you--" a football player who was obviously new on varsity stepped forward and started to say, but another one pulled him back.

"Dude, he's stronger than he looks and they're both best friends with Severide. So, shut the fuck up," he told the new varsity player.

"Yeah, listen to your friend," Will said. "C'mon, Y/N, just keep walking."

You did as he told you and shook off the weird encounter.

"They stop after homecoming," Will told you as he took a piece of paper from you and looked at what locker number you had.

"What do you mean after homecoming?" you asked.

Jay and Will shared a look. They had never told you about the game the football players had from late September/early October until homecoming which was usually mid-October/late October.

"We'll explain later," Will said. You walked a few more steps until you found your locker.

Next to you, there was a girl with blond hair who was wearing a flannel and jeans and brown combat boots who was helping a freshman with their locker as well.

"Alright," Will said. "So, this is your combination. Don't feel bad if you forget it after Christmas or spring break. Everyone goes to the office to ask for their combo when they get back, so don't feel embarrassed about it."

Will showed you how to unlock your locker, but it didn't budge. He tried it again. Nothing. Then, he let Jay have a go at it. Again, nothing.

"Need help?" the blond next to you asked. She was now done helping the other freshman with their locker.

Jay opened his mouth to tell her no, but you said yes faster than he could answer.

Will handed her the paper with the combination and she tried it. Nothing.

She looked down at another paper she was holding. "Ah, I know why this one isn't working. It's on the flagged list."

"The flagged list?" you asked.

"Yeah. They didn't have time to fix  some of the lockers during the summer, but they'll be getting to them this weekend, so you should only have to deal with it being crappy like this the first week," she answered.

She tried your combination again, pushed up on the lock, and then kicked the bottom of the locker.

It opened.

"Upton!" A teacher yelled. "No kicking lockers!"

"This one was flagged!" she yelled back. "Only way to get it to open!"

"Fine. I guess it's okay for this week." The teacher narrowed his eyes. "Halstead."

"Mr. Williams," Jay said and then turned back and rolled his eyes.

"What's up with him?" you asked Will.

"Yeah, Jay may or not have fired spitballs at Mr. Williams freshman year," Will answered.

"That was you?" the girl asked. "I remembered hearing that a soccer player did it, but I never got the name. Guess now I know it was you, Jay."

"Yes, it was me, Hailey." So, this girl's name was Hailey.

"Wait, you two know each other?" you asked.

"We had what, an English class together last year?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, first semester because then I got put in the honors class," Hailey said.

"That class always seemed so much more for than the normal class," Jay mused.

"Too bad you can't write papers for shit," Will told his little brother.

"Shut up," Jay groaned.

Will looked up at one of the digital clocks in the hallway. "We should get going," he said. "We've only got fifteen minutes until we have to be in homeroom."

"Good luck, fresh meat," Jay joked and you rolled your eyes as your two older brothers walked off to their wing of the school that housed their lockers.

"Want some help putting your things in here?" Hailey asked. "I have a pass to get to class half an hour late since I'm on student council and helping you guys out."

"Uh, sure, since you're here. Mind if I close my locker and then try opening it myself?" you asked.

"Go for it."

You closed your locker and then did the exact same thing she did to get your locker open, including the kick. It opened on your first try.

"Perfect!" Hailey said. You unzipped your backpack and you and Hailey stooped down to grab folders, binders, and notebooks out of it. "I'm sorry, I never actually introduced myself. I'm Hailey Upton."

"Y/N Halstead," you replied. "Those two doofuses who just left are my brothers, Jay and Will, seems like you already knew Jay, though."

"I mean, I don't really know him. I guess I know of him if that makes sense."

"Makes total sense."

The two of you continued to put stuff in your locker until everything was in there, just in time for the five-minute bell to ring.

You looked at your schedule. "You don't happen to know where Mr. V's room is, do you? My brothers told me it's not in the freshman or sophomore halls."

"Oh, yeah. You just go down the connecting hallway and past the junior and senior lockers and then you'll see-- you know what, I'll walk you there. It's kind of hard to find."

"Thank you."

"No problem. We've all been freshmen before."

***

Hailey entered her AP biology class just as the late bell rang. She took the first empty seat she saw...which ended up being next to none other than Will Halstead.

"Hey," Hailey said. "This seat wasn't saved, was it?"

"No," Will replied. "It's yours now." He looked at Hailey. "You were the one who helped my sister with her locker this morning, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm Hailey."

"Will," he told her.

"So," their teacher, Mr. Davis began, "since this is an AP class, there will be a lot more homework than a typical biology class. I also know some of you are juniors, so I hope that you take AP anatomy and physiology next year with me if you do well in this class. As for you seniors who are taking this AP class and AP A and P--which stands for anatomy and physiology by the way--I know that the first three chapters of this class overlap a lot, so I'm sorry if you get bored.

"But, the person you have chosen to sit next to, will be your partner for any projects we have this semester. And, they aren't typical projects like presentations and the like. They're mostly practice AP tests that I want you to take with another person so that you can talk over the answers and make sure you don't make the same mistake twice. Obviously, around February, I'll ask you to take the practice tests by yourself so that you can practice for the real tests.

"Every chapter there will be presentations. I will give each pair a sub-topic of the chapter and I want you to do a five to ten minute presentation on it for the class. I also want you to put together a Kahoot for your subsection after the presentation because I found that that makes students pay way more attention than when there isn't one because everyone wants to win."

Hailey raised her hand. "Yes, remind me of your name," he said when he pointed to Hailey.

"Hailey," she told him.

"Hailey," he repeated and scribbled her name on the piece of paper with the seating chart on his desk. "Oh, and after I go over all this, I would like all of you to come and write your name on the seating chart. Hailey of course won't have to write her name because she doesn't need to be on there twice. Anyway, what was your question?"

"I was just wondering how many practice tests we'll have to take and how often you were should meet up with our partner outside of school?" Hailey asked.

"Both great questions. For the practice tests, we'll start taking them in November because that gives us time to go over the format and content. Don't worry, I won't put any new content on the practice tests. I'm not that mean. You'll take one in November, one in December, and one in January. These will all be done with your seat partner. Then, from February on, you'll have one every month, but these will be taken by yourselves so that you get used to it before the actual test.

"As for meeting up with your partner, I'd recommend every two weeks. That way you won't fall behind on the presentations."

Hailey nodded and scribbled this information down in her notebook. But, she was also nervous. She couldn't let Will come to her house. She just had to hope that Will would have all the meetings at his house.

***

"How was your first day?" Will asked when you met him at the main doors after school.

"It was good. Not as scary as you guys made it seem. Still need to make sure I get to my classes on time, though," you replied as the two of you walked out of the building and through the parking lot towards his car.

"They'll give you a grace period to get to class on time," Will told you. "It's usually a week, week and a half until they start handing out tardies."

You were about to ask how his day was, when someone yelling stopped you.

"Nice ass, Halstead!"

Your jaw dropped and your eyes bugged out of your head as you and Will both turned around. Of course, it was a varsity football player who yelled that, of course, it was.

Will put his hand in front of you. "Y/N, I'm gonna give you my keys and you're going to unlock my car and get inside."

"Will, he's not worth it," you argued.

"Y/N, take my damn keys. I don't want you anywhere near this."

You relented and took his keys and then went and got in the passenger seat of his car. But, you watched as everything unfolded.

Will stalked up to the football player, who he knew was Derek Evans, the school fuck boy who every girl liked because he was a shoo-in to get drafted by the NFL right after high school and had really good looks even though he was a total sexist asshole.

"What the fuck did you just say to my sister?" Will roared.

"Said she had a nice ass," he replied while shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"You son of a--" Will lunged at him but Kevin and Kelly ran in to hold him back. Turns out they were walking out of school and saw the entire exchange.

"Will! calm the fuck down!" Kelly shouted as he pushed Will back.

"Did you not hear what he said?" Will yelled as he kept reaching out to Derek.

Kevin was pushing Derek back, too.

"We did. But you can't be fighting on the first day. If you're gonna do it, do it somewhere else not on school grounds."

"Both you, take a damn breath and walk away," Kevin told them.

Kelly pushed Will back and then grabbed his arm and walked him towards his car while Kevin walked Derek towards the football field.

"You better fucking do something about that, Severide," Will told him.

"Believe me, I'll make sure he runs lap for the entirety of practice."

"I meant punch his face in."

"Can't do that, man. I got scholarships on the line."

"At least let me bring my baseball bat to school and bash his face in. If my batting average is any indication, I could knock him out and kill him in one swing."

"That would be murder and then you'd be in prison instead of going to med school." Kelly paused and took a deep breath. "I guess now's not a great time to tell you, but freshmen are up for grabs in the game this year. The players all said they weren't going to do it because the coaches banned it, but they're going to try and be sneaky. Only writing the points down on paper and burning it, no texting about it or putting it on social media, you can only talk about it on the phone or in person, and it can't be talked about at school."

"Fuck. So the girls won't really know what's going on until it starts."

"Exactly. Just, let Y/N know, okay? And have her pass it on to some of the other freshmen...because we both know if they go to Principal White he won't do shit."

"Yeah, he's as much of a son of a bitch as Evans. But, I'll tell her. Thanks, Kelly."

***

"Jay!" Will yelled when Jay walked inside all sweaty after his soccer practice.

"What? Dude, I need a shower," he said as he threw his soccer bag and his backpack down by the door.

"Better pick that up before Mom gets home. She'll be pissed if she comes home at 3 am and trips over it."

Your mom was a nurse and worked from 2:30 pm-2:30 am, which meant she only saw you in the morning for four days a week...even though she's only supposed to work three days a week, so 36 hours, but she always picked up an extra day so that she could put some money in all of your guys' college funds. Sometimes, she'd even work five days a week and she'd be exhausted once her week was over. But, she was the hardest worker you knew and inspired you to work as hard as you possibly could at everything you did; you never did anything half-assed because you never saw your mom do that. She always gave it her all.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I want to shower," Jay said.

"Wait five minutes. This is important," Will told him.

Jay sat down on the couch next to him. "Fine. What is it?"

So, Will explained what happened when he and you walked out of school today and how Kelly had to hold him back so that he wouldn't beat Derek Evans to a pulp. He also told him that the game was still on...and this time freshmen are fair game.

"Fucking hell," Jay muttered.

"Yeah," Will agreed.

"Should we tell her?"

"Probably. The sooner the better, too."

"Okay. Let me jump in the shower and then we can tell her and tell her how to protect herself."

Ten minutes later, Jay was out of the shower and he knocked on your bedroom door, Will right behind him. When he didn't get an answer after a few rounds of knocking, he opened your door.

"She's sleeping. Guess we'll have to tell her when she wakes up," Jay said.

"As long as we tell her tonight," Will said. "The more time she has to prepare for what's to come, the better."

***

"Jesus. Fuck," you muttered as you rolled over and looked at the time on your phone. After stretching and jumping out of bed, you walked from your bedroom into the kitchen, to see your brothers both eating pasta. "Neither of you two bothered to wake me up? It's 6:30."

"Figured you needed the sleep," Will shrugged. "Dinner's in the fridge. Mom made lasagna."

You grabbed yourself a plate and then put some lasagna on it and put it in the microwave. Then you sat down across from Jay and Will who were both sitting on the same side of the kitchen table.

"How was your first day?" Jay asked.

"Good...other than Wiliams making me sit in the front right in front of his desk. I don't mind the front because then I can see the board easier, but his desk, really? This one's all your fault." You pointed your fork at Jay.

Jay held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, really wasn't thinking about you when I fired those spitballs."

"What were you thinking about?" Will asked.

"That I needed to aim for his head."

"My god, you're a child," you laughed. "And, Will about ripped a football player's head off today. I think his name was Derek? He would've, too if Kelly didn't hold him back."

"But he said you had a nice ass," Will quoted. "Pretty sure that warrants me ripping his head off."

"Will's right," Jay agreed. "I would've pushed past Kelly and beat Evans to a pulp."

"Good to know you guys have my back. But, I'm in high school now. You can't keep fighting my battles for me."

"Too bad," Will said. "You're stuck with us."

"Ugh," you groaned and took a bite of your lasagna. "How was your day, Will?" you asked once you had finished the bite. "Any talk of what the senior prank will be?"

"We didn't actually talk about that. But, the girl who helped you with your locker, Hailey, she's my partner in my AP bio class," Will answered. Jay coughed. "You alright there, Jay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine."

"Anyway," Will began, "she'll be coming round here a bit because we have to do these presentations. She said her brothers are usually home, so she'll probably come here most of the time. Oh, Y/N, she also told me to tell you that if there's ever a day where you can't find anyone to sit with at lunch, that you can always sit with her."

"Really? That's so nice of her. I wish I had classes with her," you said.

"Okay, since it's obvious neither of you is going to ask about my day because I'm the forgotten middle child," Jay started, causing both you and Will to roll your eyes, "I'm just gonna tell you. Nothing important happened. They just drilled that we have to take the SAT into our heads. Oh, and we have read like this 16th century crap in English 11, so that sucks."

"English 11 is the worst," Will agreed. "Good luck."

The three of you continued to eat and the Will started talking again when he and Jay were finished and you were almost done.

"So, Y/N, there's this sick and twisted tradition at school," Will began with a worried look on his face. "And it ends after homecoming."

"So that's what you were implying earlier," you said.

"Yeah, so what happens is that the football players kinda sorta get dares to do, but they aren't specifically dares. It's like there's a list of things they do with a girl and there's points attached to them. Like, apparently if a guy grabs a girl's ass in the hallway or anywhere else on the school's campus or at a school event, it's 50 points. But, since that's pretty tame, that's the only one that actually has to be done on campus. The rest of them can be off or on-campus...but they'd probably be off-campus," Will explained.

"I'm confused. So they get points for assaulting us?" you asked.

"Technically, it's just harassment...but some of the other ones could be classified as assault. But, those ones are supposed to be consensual, so the only risk you really run is having your butt grabbed in the hallway. Jay, you wanna take it from here?"

"Uh, yeah," Jay answered. "Usually freshmen are off-limits, but this year they changed the rules, so they're allowed. But, Kelly, Kevin, and Adam opted out because they're decent human beings, so if you see them in the hallway, you're safe; you don't have to be scared of them."

"But the rest...?" you trailed off.

"The rest of the varsity football team you need to be aware of."

"So, when does this game start and what do I do?"

"It starts in two weeks and goes on for a month, so until homecoming. As for what to do, well most girls just wear long shirts to cover their butts and not wear super tight pants," Jay told you.

"And if me or Jay have a class close to one of yours, we can walk you to your locker or to your next class. That should help a bit," Will offered.

"Thanks. That might help. But, why hasn't Mr. White stopped it?" you asked.

"Because he's as much of a sexist asshole as the football players. But, it's only a month. You can get through it," Will promised.

"God I hope so."

***

It had been two weeks since you started high school and in two days that stupid game of grab ass would begin. Hailey and Will were currently working on their presentation in the kitchen and Jay was playing at an away soccer game...which is where your mom was, too. You were sitting in your room working on your planner for next week.

You looked at your planner and saw Monday was circled and said The Game in black ink. God, why did guys have to be such sexist pigs? Just because they were the football players didn't mean they got on pass on all the school rules and hell, even all the general rules of society.

You shook your head and turned up your music and started writing in your classes for that week in your planner.

A few songs later, you thought you heard a knock on your door, so you took out one of your headphones. "Yeah?" you asked.

"Y/N, it's Hailey. Can I come in?" she asked from the other side of your door.

"Yeah," you told her as you took out the other headphone and paused your music. "What's up?" you asked when she entered.

"Will told me you're really nervous for the game starting this week?" she motioned to the spot next to you on your bed. "Can I sit?" You nodded and she sat down. "Honestly, you just have to be on high alert for a whole month. Try to walk by other people whenever you can and, I think Will said they already told you this, but don't wear tight-fitting clothing."

"They did. I just don't know what to wear."

"Well, I can help you with that. Let's go through your clothes and we'll take out what you can't wear during this and put it in another drawer, okay?"

"That sounds good." You closed your planner and you and Hailey began going through your dresser and closet.

"Another tip," she started, "if you have the chance to knee one of them in the balls, then do it. Why do you think they stopped coming after me halfway through the game last year?"

"You kneed a football player in the balls?" you asked as your eyes went wide.

"Mhm. Did it to the captain of the football team last year. He was a senior, so he's not here anymore, but now all the football boys know not to mess with me."

"I will most definitely keep that one in mind."

***

Jay met up with you that Thursday after one of his classes because it was in the same hall as yours. "Day going good?" he asked as his eyes darted side to side, clearly in overprotective big brother mode.

"Yeah, and no one's tried anything yet, so I guess that's a good thing," you told him.

You were focused on dodging people in the hallway so you had time to stop by your locker and change out your books, go to the bathroom, and then get to your next class all within the span of five minutes (your school really needed to make passing time at least seven to eight minutes instead of five), so you didn't hear the booming laughter of a few varsity football players behind you...but Jay did.

"Back the fuck off," Jay growled as none other than Derek Evans reached out to grab your ass. But, Jay stopped him by turning around and walking backward to shield your backside and then grabbing Derek's outstretched hand.

"Aww, look guys, the little freshman needs her big brother to protect her," Derek mocked.

"From you, yeah she does. You're a sick fuck, Evans...and that goes for your posse, too."

"Let go of my hand, Halstead."

Jay narrowed his eyes, but he let go. "Next time you try to grab my sister, that arm will be twisted so far back behind you that you can kiss your senior season goodbye."

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and then turned around to go back the other way, towards his actual class.

"Thanks," you said as you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

"Don't mention it."

***

Jay made his way out of a classroom later that day and saw Hailey, so he made his way over to her.

"I don't need protecting, Jay," she told him.

"I know," Jay replied. "Everyone knows about you kneeing the captain last year. Great job on that by the way. I know I'm a year late, but that was a good move on your part."

"Thanks. It was just a reflex, honestly."

"And thanks for helping Y/N with the clothes thing. She was really nervous."

Hailey waved a hand flippantly. "That was nothing, just a girl helping another girl out."

"As the world should be," Jay agreed. Hey, his mother taught him to look at women as equals and he was going to treat Hailey as such...now that he knew she could protect herself from all these assholes. Because if she hadn't kneed that captain where the sun don't shine last year, you best believe he'd be on high alert for the varsity football players just like he was with you a few classes ago. "So, our practice got canceled because of the rain and the football game got canceled, too. So, me, Adam, and Kelly were gonna go out for tacos at that place across the street, but Adam's bringing his girlfriend, Kim, and Kelly's bringing his girlfriend, Stella, and I don't want to third-wheel, so do you maybe want to go with me? That is if you don't have to be home right after school."

Her dad didn't get home until 5:30. "Sure," she told him. "I just have to be home by 4:30. But, I normally take the bus, so unless one of you can bring me home, I can't come." She figured getting home an hour early would work well so that she wasn't rushing.

"Adam's bringing me home, so I'm sure he can stop by your house, too. Where do you live?" Jay asked. She told him her address. "That's only a block away from me. I'm sure he can bring you home. I'll text him and then text you." He held out his phone. "Put your number in."

So, Hailey put her number in his phone. Then, she handed it back to him and they hurried to get to their respective classes before the late bell rang.

But, she was wondering why she was blushing so much as she turned away and why all these butterflies had erupted in her stomach when their fingers brushed against each other's when she handed his phone back to him. She wasn't falling for Jay Halstead. There was no way, right?

***

"So, party this weekend. Everyone in?" Adam asked as the six of them ate tacos.

"Whose house?" Kelly asked.

Adam said a name of a football player and told them it was Saturday night,  and they all agreed to go...except for Hailey, who spouted off some excuse about how she had to be up early on Sunday, so she couldn't go. Jay was disappointed that he wouldn't have an excuse to dance with her, but he figured there'd be other parties.

"Mom's working that night," Jay said. "So, as long as I'm home by like 2:45, I should be good. Will will probably be down, too. Then Natalie will probably come."

"Great. I'll text him so he knows how much beer to have his older brother buy...but I'm sure they'll buy extra because more people usually show up anyway."

They talked and ate for another hour before they had to leave so Hailey could get home on time.

Jay and Hailey sat in the backseat of Adam's car while Adam and Kim sat in the front.

When they pulled up to Hailey's house, Jay offered to walk her to the door, but she told him no, that he didn't have to. He insisted, but she still said no, so he let it go and she got out of the car and went inside her house.

"Dude, you so like her," Adam said as they drove another block to his house.

"I do not. I don't know what you're talking about. She's just a friend," he argued.

Adam snorted. "Yeah right. And I'm the fucking king of England."

"You should ask her to homecoming," Kim suggested.

"Kim! Not you, too!"

"It's obvious. You should ask her. She might just surprise you."

***

You woke up Saturday night to your phone ringing and breaking you out of a peaceful sleep. You rubbed your eyes and looked at the time and the caller. Why the hell was Jay calling you when it was past one in the morning?

"Hello?" you asked sleepily.

"Y/N, me and Will need your help," Jay said.

You immediately sat up. "What do you mean? I thought you were home. Where the hell are you?"

"We went to a party and we couldn't risk you telling Mom, so we snuck out around 11 when we knew you were sleeping. But, Kelly's the DD and he had two drinks, so he can't drive us home. He's not drunk off his ass, but if we get pulled over and they pull out a breathalyzer, we're all shit outta luck."

"Why can't you do it?" you asked. "You sound pretty sober to me."

"I'm two and a half beers deep and it'll probably be four by the time you get here."

"Fucking  hell, Jay. And me? You seem to forget that I don't have my license yet, just my permit. I can't come get you. You're just gonna have to wait until Mom gets home and call her."

"No! No way is Mom finding out!"

"What's in it for me? I'm not breaking the law and coming to get your dumbasses for free. And I need something from both you and Will."

"Fine," Jay huffed. "Name your price."

"You do my laundry for a month and Will does my algebra homework for a month."

"Two weeks. We'll do those for two weeks," Jay said.

"No. Three weeks or I'm not coming and you get to suffer the wrath of Mom."

"Fine," he relented. "I'll text you the address."

***

You drove Will's car like an old grandma on the way to the house party, sometimes going ten miles under the speed limit. There was no way you were getting busted for your brothers.

You turned off your car and parked in the closest spot you could find to the house where the party was at. Then, you pulled out your phone and texted both Jay and Will that you were there.

Five minutes passed...then ten and still no answer from either of them.

"Fucking hell," you muttered as you unbuckled and then grabbed the keys and got out of Will's car and locked it, safely zipping the keys in one of your sweatshirt pockets. "I swear to God if both of them are three sheets to the wind and I have to drag their asses out of there, I will not be fucking happy."

You started to walk towards the party, looking at your phone every couple of seconds to see if either of your brothers had texted you back.

You gasped when you felt someone grab your ass.

"Fifty points," he whispered in your ear and then grabbed your wrist.

Derek Evans.

"Let me go!" you told him as you tried to pull away from him.

"No can do, freshman. It's 500 points for fucking a freshman and there's no way I'm passing up that opportunity."

"Let me go!" you screamed. You even dropped your phone to the ground to try to use your other hand to pry his hand off your wrist. But, he just laughed and kept holding you. Then, he stomped on your phone, breaking it into pieces.

You kept screaming, but the music was so loud that no one could hear you. And, you tried to dig your heels into the ground to stop him, but it was no use; he was too strong.

Eventually, he got tired of dragging you and just picked you up. You punched and kicked him, but it didn't seem to work. It was like this senior was immune to pain.

He got to a shed near the side of the house and quite literally threw you against it. You groaned and took a few deep breaths. In that time, Derek had ripped his shirt off and grabbed your wrists with one hand. You dug your nails into his hands. You weren't going down without a fight.

"That's cute," he laughed. "You think some nails are going to stop me."

He dragged you over a few inches and then used some of his shirt to secure your wrists to the fence that separated this house from the one next to it.

"Help! Help!" you yelled. "Somebody help me!"

Your head flew to the right as he slapped you across the face. "Shut the fuck up!"

You whimpered and then started kicking your feet. But, he just walked away and watched you struggle as he removed his pants. Then, he sat on your legs. You couldn't kick anymore, so you started screaming even louder. He slapped you a few more times across the face until you finally  shut up because, fuck, that hurt. That just left you whimpering at his mercy as he fumbled with the string on your pajama pants. (You hadn't bothered changing your pants when you came to get your brothers, only threw on a bra on under your t-shirt.) You didn't know what to do. No one was going to save you and you were completely and utterly helpless.

***

Kelly Severide knew you were coming to pick them up as Jay had told him that when he was on his way to grab his fourth beer. He hadn't heard anything from Jay or Will yet but figured they were both shit-faced. So, he tried to text you. No reply. He tried to call. No answer.

So, Kelly walked out onto the back porch and started around the side of the house to see if you had parked. But then, he heard whimpering and what sounded like a slap and then a yelp. He started running.

When he saw what was happening, he saw red.

You were lying on the grass whimpering while Derek was just in his boxers. You wanted him to stop smacking your thighs and face because god, you were fucking hurting and you were also fucking terrified about what was going to happen next.

"Please," you whimpered. "Please, st--"

"You son of a bitch!"

Before you could even register who yelled that, Derek was thrown off of you and to the ground.

You caught your breath and just laid there panting and crying while Kelly did a number on Derek's face. He sent more punches to his stomach until he finally doubled over and groaned in pain. Then, he kicked him in the back and he fell to the ground. Kelly placed his foot on Derek's back. "Stay the fuck down you fucking bastard."

He pulled out his phone and called 911. "Hello, I'd like to report a sexual assault."

***

Will felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. "Kelly, where the hell are you, man?" he asked as he dirty danced with Natalie on the dance floor.

"Will, you need to come out by the shed now," he said, still with his foot on Derek's back, keeping him down. Kelly felt terrible that he couldn't untie you, but he couldn't risk Derek getting up and trying to finish what he started.

"Why? You snorting coke out there? Because count me out. I don't do that."

"No. It's Y/N. She was- she-- It's that stupid fucking game some of the bastards I call teammates are playing. An ambulance and the cops are on their way."

Will's mouth went dry. It went dry when he heard the game part, but now it was as if it was sandpaper.

"Jay's by me. We'll be there in a second."

Will pocketed his phone and let go of Natalie. "Baby, what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Y/N. I think one of those football players got to her."

"Fuck a freshman." Adam's eyes went wide as he let go of Kim.

"What? What about fucking?" Jay asked as he went to take another sip of his beer, but Will swatted it out of his hand.

"We need to go. Now." He grabbed Jay's arm. "Adam, explain."

The three of them started running, Jay barely being able to run in a straight line and Natalie and Kim hot on their heels, and Adam explained how he heard about one part of the game that was called fuck a freshman. But, he thought it was a joke because he didn't know for sure because he didn't sign up for the game.

"Well, obviously it's not a joke!"

Will saw Kelly with his foot on Derek's back before he saw you.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" he yelled.

"Will!" you cried.

"Y/N, hold on. We're here, we're here." He knelt down next to you and untied the t-shirt that kept your wrists tied to the fence.

It took Jay a minute, but then he realized what happened...it also took Kim shaking him and telling him she was going to slap him across the face and then actually doing it. Now that sobered him up.

You could hear sirens in the distance.

"Me and Natalie will go get them," Will said. "You three good here?"

"We're good. Now go get help," Kelly said.

***

The ride to the hospital was a blur. You were still freaking out, so the paramedics had to give you a light sedative to calm down. You remembered your brothers being in the back of the ambulance with you and you remembered Jay puking in a bucket from all the beer he drank.

You vaguely remembered the doctors asking you questions and taking pictures of your bruises. You also remembered them telling the three police officers that they couldn't question you yet. And then, you fell asleep.

***

You slowly opened your eyes and squinted against the bright hospital lights.

Damn, it must've taken me a helluva long time to get the boys out of that party if I'm waking up when the sun is this bright, you thought to yourself.

But, then you looked at your surroundings and it all came flooding back to you.

"Mama, Mama," you cried.

"I'm here, honey, I'm here," she said as she gently grabbed your hand.

You tried to sit up, but your thighs and stomach hurt so bad from Derek hitting you that you couldn't.

"I want a hug but I can't sit up," you cried as tears started to stream down your face.

She stood up and bent over the bed and wrapped her arms around you. It was an uncomfortable position for her because she was bending over to hug you, but she didn't care. You were her little girl and she'd do anything to make you feel safe and loved.

Will and Jay sat in the chairs on the other side of your bed. You hadn't even realized they were there. Will had tears in his eyes and Jay had a hand over his mouth trying to stop a sob from coming out. God, if he wouldn't have called you to pick them up, then this wouldn't have happened. It was all his fault this happened to you.

A knock on the door sounded and your mom let go of you and the two of you looked towards the door.

It was Hailey.

Jay looked to you to see if it was okay that she came in and you nodded.

"Hey," she said as she entered. "I brought donuts. Figured you might be hungry."

You were glad she didn't ask if you were okay because it was apparent that you most definitely were not okay.

You nodded and she walked over to you and opened the box. "You get first pick."

You picked a raspberry-filled one and then proceeded to take tiny bites of your donut. It hurt too much to open your mouth a lot because your cheeks and chin were heavily bruised.

You almost finished your donut, when there was another knock on the door. This time it was three police officers. Then, they opened the door.

"Y/N, I'm Trudy Platt and this is Detective Alvin Olinsky and Detective Hank Voight. We're here to take a few statements about what happened," the officer told you.

"Am I in trouble?" you asked. You did drive without a license.

"No, not at all. We just need to know what happened. We can give you a minute to finish eating if you would like?"

"Can I do it now?"

"Of course." She turned to your mom. "Mom, you want to stay in the room?"

"If I can--"

"I don't want you to know the details, Mom. Please," you pleaded as more tears fell.

"Are you sure? I'll love you no matter what, honey. Good or bad, you're still my little girl."

"I know. But I just- I want to be alone."

"Okay, me and the boys and Hailey will be right outside."

The four of them left and the two detectives left as well, leaving only you and this officer known as Trudy Platt.

"Am I in trouble?" you asked when the door shut.

"Oh, honey, no," Trudy said as she sat down in the seat your mom was previously sitting in.

"But, I drove without my license be- because they asked me to pick them up and then- and then--"

"Y/N, you are not in any trouble. Kelly Severide told us most of the story about what happened, but we need to hear it in your own words. And you can take as long as you want. Take as much time as you need."

So you told her what happened.

"It's all my fault. If I would've never agreed to go pick up Will and Jay--"

"This is not your fault. None of this is your fault," she told you.

"But why does it feel like it is? If I could've just fought him off, maybe this wouldn't have happened." You wiped your eyes with the heels of your hands and let out a strangled sob which was more like a yell. "Why do boys get away with everything?"

She pulled the chair closer to your bed. "Y/N, you have my word that he won't be getting away with what he did to you. I promise you he won't get away with it."

"But how do you know that? You can't possibly know that!"

"Because I have two of the best detectives working with me and I just know that he won't get away with what he did to you."

After a few more minutes and explaining that you really didn't want to go through a trial, Trudy left the room. She also handed you her card in case you changed your mind about the trial.

Then, Trudy Platt went to the bathroom where she saw the other girl who was in the room with you while she was washing her hands. As the girl was scrubbing her hands, Trudy noticed a bruise on her arm, a little above her wrist. It was low enough that it could be hidden by long sleeves, but that it could also ride up when the girl was washing her hands.

"You're one of Y/N's friends?" Trudy asked.

"Yeah. Me and her brother got paired up for a project and I was supposed to meet him this morning, but he texted saying family emergency. So, I thought I'd bring them breakfast," Hailey answered.

"That's very kind of you. Were you at the party last night?"

"No, I was at home."

"Is that where you hurt your arm?"

Hailey quickly pulled on her sweatshirt sleeve "No, I uh, I hit it on my locker a few days ago."

Trudy knew this girl was lying. She had worked enough domestic and child abuse cases to know the usual excuses. So, she pulled out her business card and handed it to Hailey. "This is my business card. My cell phone number is on there as well. Call me if you need help getting out."

***

Trudy, Hank, and Al entered the district and then went into the basement where there were no cameras.

"I think we can all agree on not putting that the girl was driving without a license in the reports," Trudy started.

"Agreed," Al said. "What about the boys?"

"We leave out that they were drinking, too," Hank said. "The only people who know that they were drinking are us three and them since they obviously can't take a breathalyzer now, there's no use in putting it in the reports. They were just kids being kids."

"Yeah, except for the asshole who assaulted her," Al stated.

"Yeah, except for him. We're throwing the book at that bastard," Hank agreed.

"She said she didn't want to go through a trial," Trudy said.

"What? Why not?" Hank asked.

"She said that she didn't think that anyone would believe her. He's a senior who everyone likes, hell, this whole town knows he's going to be drafted. So, she thinks he wouldn't get in trouble if he does actually go to trial."

Hank sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Well, we have 48 hours to hold him, and then me and Al will figure out how to take care of this."

***

"Are you hungry?" your mom asked when you got home later that day. The hospital had discharged you since all your injuries were superficial, such as the bruises on your face, wrist stomach, and thighs.

"No," you muttered. "I'm gonna go to my room."

"Okay, well if you want to be alone, that's fine, but I took FMLA leave, so I'll be home for a while. Take all the time you need, honey."

You nodded and then walked into your room and cuddled under your blankets. Since it was the afternoon, there was still a bit of sunlight coming in from beneath your blinds, which you were thankful for. You turned on your fan and allowed it to blow lightly on you. You were glad that you always used your fan for white noise so that you could sleep, but it also helped to muffle your quiet sobs as you cried into your pillow.

Meanwhile, Hailey, Will, Jay, and your mom were in the kitchen. Hailey had come home with you and your family so that she and Will could work on their presentation. She said it was fine, that she could go home, but Will said working on the presentation would be a welcome distraction.

"What's FMLA leave?" Jay asked.

"It's the Family Medical Leave Act," she answered as she sat down at the kitchen table. "It means I can have up to twelve weeks unpaid leave at work and still be guaranteed a job when I get back. But, I'll probably just take half of that, because uh, I won't be making any money during that time."

"I can see if I can get my summer job back," Will immediately offered. "I know I said I can only work during the summer, but I can work on the weekends even if it's only ten hours a week and I've only been off for a month, so they should probably be able to rehire me--"

"Honey," your mom said, cutting him off. "I really appreciate you thinking of that. But it's your senior year and you're taking four AP classes. School comes first. We'll get through it. This is only temporary and I do have a savings account in case of emergencies and we should be fine."

"Okay, well, you can always tell me to talk to my boss if I need to," Will said. Then, he turned to Hailey. "I'll go grab my stuff and then we can work on the project."

Will walked away to his room, leaving Jay, your mom, and Hailey. "Can I get you anything, Hailey?" your mom asked. "Water, coffee?"

"Oh, no. I'm fine," Hailey said. This wasn't about her. She knew that you needed your mom and that your mom needed time to feel what happened as well. "Thank you, though."

"I'm gonna go check on Y/N and then go for a drive. If anything happens with her, Jay, I need either you or Will to call me right away."

"We will, Mom, don't worry."

Your mom pulled Jay into a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom." Normally, Jay wouldn't have hugged his mom when his friends were around--or whatever he considered Hailey--, but he knew his mom needed it, so he returned her hug.

"Be back soon."

Then, she checked on you and seeing that you were asleep, grabbed her keys, and left.

"I'm gonna put on a pot of coffee," Jay said. "I know you said you were good, but you can have some if you want." He made his way to the cupboard and grabbed the container of ground-up coffee beans and started putting them into a filer.

"Thanks. Might take you up on that when me and Will are working. A little liquid focus never hurt anyone," she replied.

"No doubt."

Hailey paused, she wanted to keep talking with Jay but didn't know what to say. She didn't want to mention last night either. "So, are you taking any AP classes?" she asked. "You know, since Will's apparently taking four."

"Will's a psychopath and no, I'm not. Too much work if you ask me. If I was planning on going to college, I might take a few, but I'm not."

"Oh. Then what are you planning to do?"

"Maybe the army. My mom doesn't like the thought of me fighting in wars, but she supports my decision. I just don't feel like studying is for me."

"What branch?" Hailey asked.

He raised his eyebrows at how interested she was. "I was thinking the Army Rangers. They're the first ones on the ground in war zones."

"Sounds dangerous. You're practically flying blind."

"Oh, but that's what makes it fun."

Hailey laughed. "You're an adrenaline junkie, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah. I love rollercoasters...and anything else that gets my heart racing."

"Hear about that new coaster at Cedar Point?"

"Yeah!" Jay exclaimed. And, before he even had time to process what he was about to say, he blurted it out anyway. "Maybe we could go together sometime."

Did he just ask me out? Hailey thought to herself. "I'd like that." She smiled.

"Am I invited?" Will asked as he walked down the hallway, overhearing their conversation.

"Uh," Jay blanched.

"Dude, chill. I know you were trying to ask her out--"

Jay's phone rang before he could yell at Will to knock it off and Hailey just took a seat at the table blushing really badly while she did so.

"It's Kev," Jay said while glaring at his older brother. "I gotta take this." He accepted the call and started to walk down the hall to the bedroom that he shared with Will. "Hey, man."

Jay closed his bedroom door and sat on his bed. "Adam just told me that Evans tried to rape your sister?"

Jay ran a hand down his face. "Uh, yeah, if Kelly wouldn't have gotten there when he did, who knows what would've happened."

"Is she okay? Is he in jail? Is she in the hospital?"

Jay knew that Kevin would react protectively since he had a younger sister, Vanessa, who was in seventh grade, just two years younger than you.

"I mean, physically her injuries are just bruising." He took a deep, shaky breath to stop himself from crying. "I think they're holding Evans and we just got home from the hospital. Y/N's sleeping now."

"Evans is so fucking lucky I wasn't there. Adam said that Kelly beat his face in pretty bad, but I'd do worse. I probably would've killed him, at least given him brain damage from a concussion."

"You and me both."

"And, uh, Adam said the cops are gonna talk to all the football players?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. The detective did mention that. He also told me and Will not to go after Evans, but--"

"You're not gonna listen?" Kevin asked.

"I'll probably wait two weeks so he thinks he's safe and then go after him. You're more than welcome to help."

"I'll cover for you that night."

"Thanks, man. So, the cops talk to you yet?" Jay asked.

"Not yet. But I really don't have anything to say. I didn't participate and I would never participate. Might mention that White never tried to stop it and Coach Davis said it was off-limits, though."

"You think Davis knew what was going on?" Jay asked.

"There's no way. If he knew, he would've kicked all of them off the team. He doesn't fuck with stuff like that. White, on the other hand, well, we both know how that cat rolls."

"I should've mentioned that when they were talking to me earlier this morning. I was just, I was so worried about Y/N."

"I get it. I'd be the same way if this happened with Vanessa. I'll tell them about it. You just make sure she's okay. And, if you, her, Will, or your mom need anything, gimme a call. I'd be happy to help."

"Thanks, Kev."

"Good luck planning your revenge. Tell me what the cover is."

"Oh don't worry, I will."

***

Two weeks later

Jay popped the screen out of his window. "You can put this back in, right?" he asked Will.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Go give Evans hell for what he did to Y/N," he replied as he got out of bed and stood by the window.

"You know, still time for you to come with me."

"I got accepted to college already. I'm not about to jeopardize that. Cover still that Kev called and needed help babysitting Vanessa and Jordan?"

"That's the one. I'll crash at his house after this is done just so it seems believable. See you tomorrow."

"See you. Don't get beat up too badly."

Jay scoffed. "Yeah right."

Then, he started the three-mile walk to Derek Evan's house.

So, Jay had decided not to actually beat him up because his parents were home and he didn't want to have to deal with the parents. Derek and the cops he could handle, but having his parents yell that they want to press charges and scream at him, yeah no. He had stashed a can of black spray paint in a bush in his front yard and grabbed it when he was leaving. He planned on spray painting rapist on Derek's white car. Even though he didn't technically rape you, he tried to, so the word still stands.

Jay got there and pulled his hat down over his face. Then, he walked up the driveway and to Derek's car. He shook the can of spray paint and took the cap off. His finger was down on the button--

"Chicago PD!"

Fuck.

***

"Your last name's Halstead?" the cop who picked him up asked when they entered the 21st District.

"Yes, sir," he answered, his head hanging low and the can of spray paint still in his hand.

"Well, I need you to take a seat right there while I make a phone call. Do not move."

"Yes, sir."

Jay sat down on the bench across from the front desk and pulled out his phone. He sent texts to both Kevin and Will.

Cops caught me. At a police station right now. Will, don't you fucking dare tell Mom.

They replied that they were shocked, but Kevin said he could always come pick Jay up if he needed it. He figured Jordan and Vanessa would be okay by themselves for half an hour. And Will promised he wouldn't tell Mom...unless Jay needed bail money, then he'd have to tell her.

"Halstead," a gruff voice barked from the side of him.

Jay looked up to be met with one of the detectives who had worked your case. But, instead of being in his uniform, he was in normal clothes. The only thing that could tell anyone that he was a cop was the badge pinned to his jeans and the gun in its holster at his side.

Jay stood up.

"I had a feeling something like this might happen," Hank Voight stated. "So, I put a patrol car in front of the Evans' house."

"Am I under arrest?" Jay asked.

"You're not. But follow me."

Hank opened the door to the office next to where the bench was and Jay followed him in.

"Have a seat." Jay sat down in the chair in front of the desk and Hank sat in the chair behind the desk. If Jay didn't know any better, he'd say he was in the principal's office. "Jay, listen."

"Wait, how do you know I'm not Will?" Jay asked.

"I know that Will had red hair. And, you told the responding officer your full name, remember?"

"Yes, sorry."

"It's okay. A little questioning never hurt anybody. But, Jay, listen. You can't go and beat this kid up or destroy or vandalize his property." Jay opened his mouth to protest, but Hank put a hand up to stop him. "I understand that you're angry and want to get revenge for your sister. But, that's not going to make it like it didn't happen. And, you'd be the one getting in trouble, not him. Severide already did a number on him."

"But, Y/N doesn't want a trial because she doesn't want to relive it!" Jay argued. "I just have to let him get away with it?"

"He's not going to get away with it, I can promise you that. I just don't want you to be the one getting in trouble for bringing a little justice to the world. I can promise you justice will be served, though."

"How? If there's no trial and I can't go after him, how will justice be served?"

"Jay, just let it run its course. Now, I'm assuming your mom doesn't know you're here?"

"No, she doesn't. I planned on going to a friend's house after."

"I'll drive you there. All this vandalism stuff will stay between me, you, and the patrolman."

Jay's jaw dropped. "Wow, thank you so much."

"Hey, I would've done the same thing if I was in your shoes. Now, c'mon, let's get you to that friend's house."

***

One month later

It was your mom's first day back to work. She said she would stay home longer if you wanted her to, but you told her you were fine. And, she thought that as well because you had been coming out of your room more these past two weeks.

You walked to the kitchen to go get some water which was normal for you. All you had been doing since you were almost raped was sleeping. You'd occasionally have dinner with your family, but that was it. You also started seeing a therapist a week after the attempted rape, which helped immensely. But, when she saw your symptoms, she had suggested anti-depressants after you had talked to her for a couple weeks. So, you were on them.

After a week, you started to gain some energy back. It wasn't back to normal yet, but it was enough that you would watch movies and tv shows, read, and journal in your room instead of lying in bed staring at the ceiling and sleeping all day.

You were on your way back to your room with your glass of water when you heard a familiar opening line to one of your favorite Disney Channel movies: Lemonade Mouth.

You poked your head into the living room. "Are you guys watching Lemonade Mouth?" you asked your brothers.

"We were gonna change it to watch some hockey," Jay said. Then, he saw Will's pointed look. "But, if you want to watch Lemonade Mouth, then we can."

Will paused the tv. "Are you sure?" you asked.

"We're sure," Will replied. "I'll go make us some popcorn while you get comfortable."

And thus started the plan of watching a movie every night to get you out of your room. Sometimes, Will would have too much homework, so you'd watch a movie with Jay. Sometimes Jay would have a soccer game, so you'd watch a movie with Will. Sometimes, Will would have a ton of homework and Jay would have a soccer game, so you'd watch a movie with your mom. Either way, it was nice to know that they were there for you and that you didn't have to talk about anything with them.

"Hey, like my new shirt?" Jay asked.

"When did you go shopping?" Will asked as he looked up from his textbook.

"Practice got canceled because Coach is sick and Hailey wanted to get some food and go to Goodwill, so we got food and went to Goodwill."

"Jesus, man, you are so whipped. Didn't you just become boyfriend and girlfriend last week?"

"Yes. Y/N you-- what's wrong?"

Your breath was caught in your throat and you felt like you couldn't breathe. If you could see yourself right now, you knew you'd look like a ghost.

"Nothing. I- I just need to get some water and then I'm gonna go take a nap."

"Okay," Will started, "you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

You walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, but you also grabbed your bottle of antidepressants and put them in the pocket of your sweatshirt. Then, you made your way to your bedroom and locked the door.

How the hell did Jay manage to find the exact same shirt at a thrift store? It was a navy blue shirt with the Abercrombie and Fitch logo on it...the same exact shirt Derek was wearing on the night of the party.

It all came flooding back to you. You screaming...him slapping you...you crying...

You couldn't breathe.

"Ahhh!" you sobbed and dropped to your knees and curled up into a ball, taking the pills out of your pocket.

You continued sobbing and then you heard a knock on your door and heard the doorknob rattle.

"Y/N, Y/N, I need you to open this door," Will told you.

"No! Leave me alone!" you yelled.

"Can't do that. Mom left us in charge since she went back to work. If you don't open this door in three seconds, we're coming in somehow."

He got to two and you relented and opened the door.

"Y/N...what--"

You thrust the bottle of pills in his hand. "Take them! Take them, please!"

"Were you...?"

"I don't know! I don't know, Will! Just get them away from me!"

He pocketed them. "Okay, what's going on? What happened?"

Jay came around the corner.

"It's the same- the same--"

"Y/N, I need you to take a deep breath for me and then we can talk about this."

After five minutes of Will calming you down, you were finally able to catch your breath enough to talk.

"Jay's got the same shirt!" you wailed.

"The same shirt as who?" Will asked gently, careful not to touch you for fear that it would send you into another anxiety attack.

"Derek!"

Will turned around. "Jay, go rip that fucking shirt off and fucking burn it!" Jay just stood there, shellshocked. "Jay!"

He turned around and went to his room to take it off and get rid of it.

"Now, can I give you a hug?" Will asked. You nodded and allowed him to embrace you. When he pulled away, he asked, "Were you really going to do that? With the pills?"

"I- I don't think so," you told him. "I just saw them when I was getting water and grabbed them. I don't want to die."

"That's good. That's really good. But, you know we have to talk to Mom about this, right?"

"Yeah. And, I know I'm supposed to go back to school next week, but I- I don't think I can handle it, Will."

"Then we'll talk to her about that, too."

Jay ran out of his room--in a different shirt--holding his phone in his hand and looking frantic. "We have to go now!" he yelled.

"Why?" Will asked. "Where?"

"Mom just called and said she had to check out Hailey in the hospital."

***

"Hailey!" Jay yelled as he entered her room. He saw her bruised face and her arm in a sling. "Baby, what happened?"

"He- he--" And then she erupted into sobs and reached her good arm over to Jay.

You noticed that one of the officers who worked your case was also in the room.

"Hailey, honey, do you want to press charges?" Trudy Platt asked.

"I can't!" she wailed as she lifted her head off of Jay's chest. "I know I called you, but he's my dad!"

Jay let go of her. "Your dad did this? That son of a--"

"Jay!" your mom yelled.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Hailey reached for her water, but you noticed it was slightly out of her reach so you handed it to her. You hated seeing the girl who you considered your best friend in this much pain, at the hands of her father of all people.

Since you were only in school for less than a month before everything happened and didn't have time to form real, long-lasting friendships you didn't really have any close friends besides Hailey. And now, you knew how she felt when she saw you in that hospital bed six weeks ago.

"Hailey, I can't let you go back to that house," Trudy said.

"But I don't want to press charges! Can't you just pretend you didn't see that? That I didn't call you?" Hailey argued.

"Honey, since you're a minor, I'm supposed to press charges no matter what."

"But he's my dad!" she cried. "I know he's horrible, but I don't want him to rot in prison."

"Hailey, listen to me," Trudy began. "I am giving you an out here. I won't press charges, but for me not to press charges, I need you to be in a safe home."

"You're saying I need to find to find someplace else to live?" she asked.

Trudy nodded.

"Mom, can she...?" Jay asked as he looked up at his mom.

In that moment, your mom saw in Hailey what she had seen in you six weeks ago: a scared little girl who needed the comfort and love of a parent. And, your mom knew she wasn't her actual parent, but she had been over so much recently that it was hard for her to see Hailey as just one of Will's classmates...especially now since she was your best friend and Jay's girlfriend.

"She can stay. As long as she doesn't mind sharing a room with Y/N," your mom agreed.

And, it was that day that Hailey Upton decided that she wanted to become a cop.

***

Hank Voight pulled over Derek on his way home from school.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Derek asked as he rolled down his window.

"First of all, it's detective. And second of all, there is a problem. The problem is that you almost raped a girl," he stated.

"And she didn't file charges, so until she does, I didn't do that."

Hank reached over and grabbed Derek Evans by the collar. "Listen here. In two weeks, you are going to write a letter to your parents saying that you're running away because of all the ridicule you've faced because of this. And then, you're going to meet me at this address." He thrust a piece of paper into his hand. "Oh, and if you think I'm not serious, let me know if your principal shows up to school tomorrow because I can promise you he won't be there. He'll be in prison...or dead. I'll let you think over which one it is." He let go of his collar. "If I were you, I'd show up or it will be a whole lot worse for you."

Derek swallowed. "Okay."

***

Two weeks later

Hailey was settling in at your house, but you still weren't ready to go back to school.

"Y/N," your mom called from the kitchen. You walked out there. "I talked to one of your counselors. They said that they think online school would be helpful. Is that something you might be interested in?"

You never thought your mom would cave to this, but you were on cloud nine. "Yes, please."

"Okay, but can you try to go back at the beginning of next year?"

"I don't know, Mom."

"That's okay. I shouldn't have asked you that. You'll know when you're ready." She paused. "But, one of the things I'm worried about is you not getting any social interaction."

Will walked out of his room. "What if I do it with her?" he asked. "I could go to school for my AP classes and then take the other ones online. The AP ones are really the only ones that matter."

"Will, it's your senior year," your mom argued.

"I know. I can still do all the fun senior stuff, but I wouldn't have to be at school all day."

"Can I do it, too?" Jay asked. "And, I can still go to school for math and English because we know how I am in those subjects. I can even ask Hailey and text some friends if they want to do online school, too," he suggested.

Tears formed in your eyes. Your brothers were giving up their high school experiences for you.

"Boys, I don't know--"

"Mom, you said the issue was social interaction," Will began, "if we're there and other people are there, she wouldn't be missing out on social interaction."

Your mom sighed. "Are you two sure about this? This isn't a decision you can take lightly." They both said they were sure. "Okay, I'll call the school."

"I'll ask Hailey and make some phone calls," Jay said.

And so, three days later, you, your brothers, Hailey, Kim, Adam, Kevin, Natalie, Stella, and Kelly were all sitting in a coffee shop working on online school.

***

Derek Evans walked a block before he got in Hank Voight's car.

"You have everything?" Hank asked, referring to Derek's backpack filled with clothes, toiletries, and other necessities.

"Yes, sir," Derek answered. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all Hank said and then he started driving.

They pulled up to a dirt area on the water with four huge silos. "What are we doing here?" Derek asked.

"Get out of the car."

Derek listened and then Hank followed him around the car. He pulled his gun out of his holster and pressed the cool, black metal against Derek's temple. Derek froze.

"Walk," Hank commanded.

Derek listened and he walked with Hank still holding a gun to his head.

Hank told him to stop and then he drew a line in the dirt with his foot.

"You see this line?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Derek answered while visibly shaking.

"If you ever cross this line again, there will be a bullet in your head. Walk and don't come back." Hank lowered his gun and Derek started walking, not looking back, doing exactly as Hank had told him to do. "Nobody fucks with my city, Evans," Hank said to his retreating back. "Nobody. Not even you."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this rewrite! Thank you for reading! Please remember to reblog/like and comment because I always love when those notifications pop up and I love reading your comments!And, if you like my writing, you can support me at buy me coffee here. It's only a dollar and it's through Paypal and any currency can be used, no subscription required! (I write these fics for free, so I figured I'd try this out!) As always, if you want ti be added to my taglist, just comment that and I’ll add you

taglist: @theambracer88 @virtualreader @kelelas-life @celyndavies @brookerz122493 @musicismyescape27 @anotherfan07 @thexplosivegirl @dreamingwithlens @xoxmariaxox @onechicago18 @iamasimpingh0e @i-like-sparkly-things @herecomesthewriterwitch @liampayne88

[fluffi]

MY DETENTION BUDDY :: JAY

pairing: jay x gn!reader genre: fluff, badboy!jay, highschool!au, friends-enemies-lovers!au word count: 2k event: for @lovesick-net​​ and (early) jay day 200421 <3 author’s note: simple little one-shot for jay’s birthday (i wont be uploading anything for his actual birthday). i had to speedrun this fic because i kept changing the plot and this hasnt been proofread twice (unlike my other fics) T-T i hope it’ll still work out. warnings: (reader makes one bad decision)

Ring...ring...ring...ring..ring…

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring

Ringringringringiringringringring.

RIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRRI-SLAM!

The alarm clock stopped its boisterous wailing

10 more minutes. I don’t have to style my hair today.

Thirty minutes passed.

RIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRI- SLAM!

Ugh. I’ll just miss assembly.

RIRIRIIRRIRIRI-

This time, the ringing stopped before he could slam his hand over the alarm clock.

“Jongseong, do you not have school today?” Jay could only make out a bush of black that stood above him as he sat up, dazed and drowsy.

“Yeah, I do. I’m about to get ready. Why?”

“It’s 9 am! You should be at school! At this point, you don’t even have to go anymore.” His mother huffed in disappointment.

It was an exaggeration, but she had a point. School started at eight in the morning. It was already an hour later but he was still sitting in bed.

“I’ll get ready now. 10 minutes. Good to go.” He shooed his mom away, already running to the bathroom to wash up.

“I’m leaving now Jay. You know darn well that I have an important meeting today and I can’t miss it just for you to not get a tardy. Heck, you’re already late! You’re-”

“Mom! I can’t walk to school! It takes too long.” Jay whined as he brushed his teeth, his muffled voice interrupting his mother’s speech.

“Young man, stop interrupting me. I told you a week ago about today’s event and it’s not my fault that my oldest son can’t take care of himself. You’re going to have to take another mode of transport, you’re old enough to deal with this yourself!” With that, his mother stormed out of his room, her feet obnoxiously thumping on the floor.

“I’m also your only son...” Jay muttered. 

Of all days, why did she have to have her meeting today? Monthly evaluations aren’t that important. Dangit, I should’ve been taught how to drive. Jay returned to his rapid multitasking, grabbing his school uniform while washing his face. He didn’t even look twice,

After taking the quickest shower he had ever taken in his entire life and shoving all of his essential (what he determined as essential, at least) belongings into his bag, he opened to door and dashed outside only to be met with…

Rain.

Rain everywhere. Drenching the front yard’s perfectly tended flower garden and creating heaps of watery mud. It was pouring at 9.15 am. There was thunder and occasional flashes of light zooming through the clouds. The city was in shambles.

Not like, shamble, shambles. It was shambles in Jay’s opinion as he groaned and stomped his way through the rain.

Screw school. Screw this stupid rain, screw my alarm clock, screw this-

“Dude, why are you running in the rain? You’re soaked. Are you heading to school?” A pink-haired boy in a red Ferrari shouted from across the street.

Jay sighed in relief, immediately running across the road to said Ferrari. “Choi Yeonjun. You are a life-saver. Could I get a ride real quick? I’ll pay back for engine fees and for soaking the inside of your Ferrari with rainwater.”

“Hop right in, and don’t worry about returning. Let’s have some fun with this baby.” Yeonjun smirked and revved the engine, swerving past cars and buildings like it was a little RPG game.

At this rate, I’ll make it to school in no time.

“Dude, I’m so sorry. I guess you have to walk.”

Just as he thought things were taking a better turn, Yeonjun decides to show off his new driving skills and zooms through roads at a rapid speed, so fast that he crashed the car by a tree. It was a miracle that both of them didn’t get hurt but as far as Jay was concerned, he could worry about that some other time. This was just slowing him down on his long and tedious journey towards his form of hell.

On the bright side, the rain had stopped and the sunshine was back as if nothing had happened.

“I’ll get going to school.” Jay internally groaned and started sprinting in the direction of his school.

“Hey, at least I helped you get closer to school! Didn’t I?” Yeonjun shouted from behind and coyly smiled.

Such a boastful punk, Jay thought. “Whatever, bro!” He turned back and gave his older friend a quick wave before dashing off.

“Park Jongseong! You’re late...again.”

“I’m aware.” Jay didn’t spare his English teacher an eye and slung his backpack over the chair, about to take a seat.

“Stop giving me attitude, I’m your teacher.Why are you tardy for the fourth time this month?”

“Alarm clock.”

“Alarm clock what? Are you afraid to speak up? I don’t see you acting like this in the hallways.”

Jay looked down at his feet and sighed before side-eyeing his teacher. “Overslept, okay? Sir if you could just let me off the hook you would be able to proceed with your Shakespeare nonsense.”

The entire class snickered. It was no secret that Jay loathed Mr. Jung, the English teacher. Who didn’t? Mr. Jung treated every student in school like they were incapable toddlers and it was a wonder that anyone would dare to stand up to his stupid remarks. Jay’s carefree attitude towards his horrible teachers was one of the reasons why he earned so many fangirls.

Not like you were one, of course. You watched as he pulled his chair out and sat next to you out of the three other vacant seats at the back of the class.

Mr. Jung rolled his eyes and continued writing on the blackboard. “Also, Jongseong,” he added, “you’re wearing your school shirt the wrong way round. See you in detention for your tardiness.”

A few of the girls in a few seats in front of him whispered rapidly, although whispering didn’t stop Jay from finding out about their gossip.

“Lol! So much for being the bad boy of our grade. He looks like a wreck today.”

“I know right? I wonder what the other fangirls will think of this. Should we send the pictures to the fan club?”

The second girl giggled. “Yeah, duh. Name it jay-park-wreck-images.”

So much for my reputation. Jay could only roll his eyes as he pulled out his supplies, ignoring the camera clicks coming from the seats in front of him.

“Oh, yay. At least I’ll have a detention buddy now.”

Jay eyed you up and down like your statement was some sort of monstrosity. “Detention? You, detention? Pfft.” He laughed.

“Yeah, Jay. Me, detention. Why are you so happy about it? Glad to be stuck with another girl?”

“What, no-no. You just...don’t seem like the type to be in detention. How’d you get it?”

“This..may be kind of embarrassing, but...” You turned to the side and Jay gasped.

On the sleeve of your uniform was a...rabbit? It wasn’t too obvious as to what the marker doodle was but it was apparent that you had intentionally spent time to draw on it.

“Look, I was bored in assembly this morning and found a spare marker in my pocket! Don’t judge, we all know how bad assembly can be.” You blurted just as Jay was about to ask why you had done what you did.

“You could’ve just drawn on your hand or done something else with the marker.” Jay sighed and shook his head at your dumb decision.

“I was out of my mind, okay? Ugh, Assembly always drives me nuts. I got called out for for the horrendous ink bleed when Mr. Jung saw as I walked into the classroom. He said it ‘didn’t follow school guidelines’.”

“For once, I agree with Mr. Jung. It was a stupid choice, you know? If you didn’t draw on your uniform then you wouldn’t have to go to detention now.”

“Jay Park, the bad boy of school, is telling me to be a rule abider. Biggest twist of the century.” You rolled your eyes.

Jay frowned and turned back at you, losing that little spark in his eyes that he once kept. “I’m not a bad boy you know? I just don’t like the system in place here.”

“As if anyone is going to believe that. Go hang out with another girl of yours. I’m not here to be your toy.”

“People like you are the reason why everyone thinks I’m a bad person. I thought you were different, you know?”

You had been preoccupied with taking notes for class, but now you looked at him with squinted eyes. “Well, I am different. Different as In someone who doesn’t fall for your useless charms. Go suck up to your fangirls or something.”

Jay rolled his eyes and scooted away from you. He thought he had been lucky to meet you, but he guessed not.

You always do this, you idiot. You were so close to making a new friend.

You put your hands in your head and side-eyed Jay, who seemed to be struggling as Mr. Jung blurted out an entire unit’s summary.

The boy hadn’t brought any stationery and was definitely on the wrong page of the textbook. You figured that he was this disheveled from his absolute lack of planning but you still felt bad.

His hair was a mess, it was still damp from the rain before. If only you could help him style it…

Why do I want to touch his hair? That’s weird and gross.

You were so occupied with thinking about Jay that you realized that he was still struggling in class.

Maybe you could make things better.

“I’m sorry.”

Jay was struggling to find the page you guys were on for class when a pencil blocked his view.

“What do you want?” He said as he tried to look past your pencil swinging.

“It’s a pencil for you since I realized that your table is practically empty and you’re going to need something to take notes with for later. Also, it’s page 153, not 53.” You leaned over to help him flip the pages.

“Oh, that makes so much more sense. I was wondering why we were relearning unit 3 when finals aren’t even near yet.”

You raised your eyebrows, looking up at a relieved Jay. “So you do pay attention in class.”

“Of course I do! I’m a student. You should stop using that stereotype on me.” Jay frowned and a tinge of disappointment shadowed his face.

“Right, I know. I’m sorry. I’m trying to work on it, it’s rumors and assumptions that have built up over the past few years and I understand that it shouldn’t get in the way of our friendship.”

“Friendship? We have a friendship?” Jay chuckled and cocked an eyebrow up, teasing you.

Maybe it was that eyebrow slit or the weird tension that was building up between the both of you. You felt your face heat up. “I mean- yeah, friendship. Are we not friends?”

“I don’t know, hun. I thought we were something more.”

“Um...best...friends?”

It was perfect timing as the bell rang and you immediately started packing things into your bag, eyes glued to the clock instead of the amused boy next to you.

Jay laughed, running his hands through his blonde locks and watching as you started running out of class, your eyes occasionally looking back at him to see if he was still staring at you.

“See you in detention!” He called, drawing the attention of your classmates.

Jay Park needs to learn how to shut his mouth. Everyone was now staring at you and you were flustered, embarrassed, shocked, and confused. The weird mix of emotions were driving you nuts. All you could muster was a little nod and you dashed out of there as fast as you could.

“Today we’re going to learn about Murphy’s Law. It is where anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

“But everything that can work, will work.” Jay raised his hand and added, sparing a glance at you jotting notes in the back of the classroom, oblivious to his reference towards you.

“You’re right Jay. Murphy’s Law works both ways. Reversing it is considered part of science…”

Today morning was a storm (figuratively and literally) and everything seemed to be going wrong for Jay. Murphy’s Law prevails. but there’s always a rainbow after the storm. You were his rainbow and his lucky charm.

2021 © fluffi

[gayfrenchtoast]

Okay fine we're doing this. I havent read the books and I'm probably not going to I've only seen the movies so I'm sorry if anything I say is contradictory or has already been stated.

So! Descendants 3 was kinda shit and I dont like it but especially because of the ending because everybody was like "oh yeah island is open and we're all happy with no worries or implications about free villains or people being spiteful about being imprisoned for years!" In fact if anything they joked about those things.

The island is basically its own culture, I can't say how long it's been around, long enough for some almost adult kids to be about and to develop a kind of community.

The Isle is a place of poverty, people are dirty and on the street, eveyone steals from each other and most people don't put much effort into appearance upkeep (personal or of the sourounding area) not because of laziness or being "evil" but because they clearly don't have time or luxury to do such things or possibly even the clean water. Does the Isle have clean water?? How to they get electricity??? Someone tell me!

Another thing that I've noticed is easy to see but is not much explicitly said is the unique style of those on the Isle. As previously stated they don't have much but those who have the most "power" and such on the Isle are the best example of this As they have the most colourful outfits. However these outfits are often made out of patches and ripped things put together, even salvaged things like nets and chains as we can see on thing like Uma and Harry's outfits in D3 they make the best of what they've got and they do fantastic because their outfits are intricate and detailed and just tell you everything you need to know about them. Which is why it's a damn s h a m e when the original VK's ajust their style to be more like Auradon's. That's not an improvement! Be proud of where you came from!! It's like they forgot what it was like being on the Isle in D3!

Moving on, here's something that was touched on in D2 but not enough. Equality. On the Isle there is basically equal opportunity as in saying everything is shit and nome cares what gender and presumably what sexuality you are as long as you can work. Sexism is shown to be almost casual in aurodon from the looks of it, Chad makes sexist comments and litterally none else says anything or seems to see anything wrong with it except Jay who caves to pressure from peers and expectations. He does redeem himself because he's from the isle and he knows you shouldn't give a shit about anyone's gender or anything. If they can do something and ask to be included you give them that opportunity. The sexism is also implied in the way that the rule book has men written specifically in the first place and that it has taken until then for anyone but boys to be allowed on any kind of sports team. We never see it! It seems to be the hetronormative veiw where the boys do sport and girls do cheerleeding and other genders? What other genders? Never heard of that? BAD AURADON!! I bet there's so many trans folk on the island just living their lives, thinking Aurodon is the better place and not knowing that it's a cis het filled nightmare.

Okay no I'm headcannoning now, if their are now a bunch of Isle kids at auradon prep they find it fucking aweful the way all these preppy royals are treating them and make the first LGBT club in Auradon. There is lots of pushback and they get bullied a fuck ton for making themselves the most prominent queer folk in the school until a fight breaks out and the club demand that they should be treated better, taking all the evidence to fairy godmother who is very hesitant because COME ON she's never been that great she is biased to Auradon kids and if putting away those in the Isle is brought up she is all on it, she is jelly spined about doing anything against the royal kids. So the kids are like "Fine, if you won't help us we'll take this to the King himself!" Well mainly the queer mom's of the group (you know the ones I'm talking about) who lead the others and protect the anxious queers as they storm to Ben at his fucking locker and demand an audience because they are being harassed and bullied and none is doing anything. Ben had no idea there was even a LGBT club (too busy ig) and is gassed there is one for a moment before he's like "wait people are harassing you?" So Bisexual King Ben gets his lovely Bi wife and they start coming to club meetings and investing in the pins and stuff the club makes. Most club members are pleased but the queer mom's are apprehensive that this will help until some assholes come to the club to do their usual bullying only to find King and Queen Beast themselves siting there with rainbow bracelets and bi pins and all trying to have a nice old time eating their fucking cupcakes what the fuck are yall doing? The bullying dies down quick once they realise it ain't gonna fly, the other OG VK's that hear about this become members and very protective over their queer children. Did I mention Dizzy and Ceila are a part of the club? They're girlfriend's. Celia is one of the queer moms. Harry becomes one of the biggest protectors over the group as the pan dad. He's been going around snogging everyone and anyone wholl snog him everyone already knew he was queer they just didn't have the balls to try and bully him over it as much as they bullied the lil club members. But now Harry can often be seen in jackets and shit with pan and general queer patches and pins and running around with his gay children yelling "MOVE WE'RE GAY!!" He totally calls them his queer crew. Anyway as a result lots of queer royals start coming out of the woodwork, obvs Lonnie is one of them, and the club eventually serves to bring members of Auradon and the Isle close together.

Where was I? Yada yada auradon expects girls to be pretty princesses and boys to be brave knights or dashing princes. It's shit and should stop being portrayed as good. Moving on!

Food! One of the things we'll established in all movies is that the food of the Isle is shit compared to food of Auradon. The Isle has no fresh fruit which likely means its almost impossible for things to grow there which is fair because again there doesn't seem to be much fresh water and there are always clouds overhead so no sun. Maybe there is some people trying really hard to grow stuff but the general attitude of the Isle seems to be "there is no time for that" and fruits are forgotten so much that the VK's litterally don't knownwhat they are when they come across them. That and anything containing sugar. Actually it's mention by Dizzy and Celia that they enjoy the fact that the cake dosent have dirt or flies so basically food there is terrible. We don't see much food on the Isle but what we do see seems to be beans, eggs, chips and shellfish. Basically protine and carbs that can be easily stored and produced. To be fair beans are kidna good for you but they're likely a sign that if they get any imports from the mainland it is canned stuff. Prison food. There's probably some chef villain that is trying their best to make good food out of the shit but honestly the Isle dwellers should be angry that they've been deprived of good food for so long not happy they're finally been given decency.

Moving on, music! Auradon dosent have nearly as many musical numbers it seems, the Isle songs have a distinct style, to them, the villains that basically "founded" the place were masters of the dramatic songs (with backup or solo) so banging music is basically ingrained in the music's culture, even for battle as we see with the fight between Mal and Uma in D3. Meanwhile Auradon seems to have mainly romance and "I want" songs. Even Audrey's villain song is basically an I want song.

Okay let's talk about the Villains. We've established that the VK's are not inherently bad. However not all of them can be totally good and there are legit OG Villains just kinda chillin on the Isle. They've obviously lost quite a bit of their power, motivation and sanity (isolation will do that to ya as they lost everything and the VKs know no different) but deadass? They were bad guys. You can try to rehabilitate them sure but you've basically just let them free roam, they could make a runner and you wouldn't get the chance. They were also shitty patents which is brushed over/joked about in the interaction between Carlos and...man I feel bad I forgot her name deadass their relationship seemed to come out of nowhere in the second film she didn't seem interested in them at all and friendzoned them multiple times I'm pretty sure Disney did that becaue queer kids were relating to Carlos and headcanoning them as queer (which they deffinatly are) but deadass their mom is an attempted animal murderer and has hurt her child as we can see from how they're afraid of her and her rhetoric and yet it's "haha I'm afraid to meet your ma!" "Me too cus im a dog! Lol!" Fuuuuck offfffff

I think I'm running out of thoughts so here's a last one for now; with the magical barrier down a bunch of magical Villains kids should be coming out for the woodwork. We know Mal has magic basically stored in her so it's is possible, she technically doesn't need the spellbook to do magic it is just inherent to her. So with the diverse range of people from the isle there are deffinatly magic folk in there. Actually if we're following Disney movie law I saw something mentioning Jay being half Genie and yeah! He should be half Genie! Jafar got turned into a Genie he's probably only human because of the barrier! Oh also Ben should be able to go beast on command as long as he had a better beast form than he did in the movies. And give him back the beard and fangs like fuck you he looked so much better

Okay I'm done for now

[snothing]

Request: Drabble in which Jake looks through some old stuff and finds a rather odd yet captivating item: a red tunic with a green scaly leotard, a black-yellow on its right side, a black domino mask, green gloves and finally green pixie boots. he decides to try the suit on

I want to apologize for how long this took! I’ve been so busy with school, and I made this way longer and convoluted than necessary. It’s definitely not a drabble anymore, and I added a lot of sibling banter, lol, I can’t resist. This was so much fun to make, I had so many ideas. Thank you so much for being patient, and I hope you enjoy! 

I decided to deviate from my universe, while keeping some old things. Mar’i and Jake are still twins, and Mar’i can turn invisible.

"Go away, Jaki! This is my hiding spot!" Mar'i whispered-hissed at her brother. She glared at him through a jungle of coats and umbrellas in the armoire, her mouth in a tight frown.

"Oh, come on, Mar'i!" Jake cried. With a flair for the dramatic, he threw his hands up in the air. Of course, his annoying sister would take his favorite, top-secret hiding spot!

"Shhh!" she snapped, finger to her lips. Pink eyes flashed brightly at him. "Would you be quiet? Do you want Dad to find us?"

He pursed his lips and looked down the hall. Pretty soon, his dad would be done counting and be searching for them. Still, a great wrong had been committed in the eyes of Jake. "You took my hiding spot! Get out!" he seethed, just a decibel lower.

"Nuh-uh, it's not your hiding spot!" Mar'i shot back. "You don't own it!"

Jake smirked cockily and pointed a finger past her. "Uh, yeah, Mar'i, I do." 

A deep, unamused frown settled on Mar'i's face as she noticed— in bright cerulean blue crayon— the word "Jake" hastily scribbled on the panel. "That means nothing! You don't own everything you put your name on."

He silently raged. "How am I not surprised a heathen like you-"

"-Heathen?! I watched you squirt an entire can of Easy Cheese in your mouth!"

"That was a long time ago. I’m a different man now."

"It was last week!"

"As I said, a long time ago," he retorted drolly. "Anyway, as I was saying— only heathens don't respect the sacred rules of hide-and-seek!"

"You're so ridiculous," she sighed, exhausted. "You act like I broke the law."

"Well, you might as well have. I'm hurt, Mar'i, really I am. I never thought you'd betray me like this. My own flesh and blood— my wombmate--"

"Ew, don't call me that!"

He clasped his hands together. "I think the only way to solve this and mend our broken relationship is for you to leave and find a new hiding spot."

Mar'i stared blankly at him. Jake was her favorite person in the entire universe, but there were times where she wanted to slap him. "I'm not leaving, Jaki."

"By the love of X'hal, you can turn invisible!" he argued.

"So? Dad's using heat-sensing goggles this time."

"Mar'i!"

"Hey, babe," their father's voice filtered in from downstairs. They stilled, eyes wide and locked on each other. 

"Hello, my love. Are you looking for something?" they heard their mother ask him. 

"Oh you know, just for two half-human, half-alien eight-year-olds? Have you seen them? They're like yay-high, black hair with orange skin? Got glowing green eyes?"

"Oh," Kory chuckled. "I think I know the two. Say, are they dangerous?"

"Very. The little rascals will eat all your cereal and blame it on an innocent larva."

"My, they sound like quite the dastardly duo," she mused. "I believe I saw them go upstairs. Please, proceed with caution."

Dick let out a laugh. "Don't worry, babe. I think I'm well-equipped to handle them; Batman raised me after all."

Mar'i snapped back her attention to Jake, panicked. "Go away, Jaki!" she nearly growled. 

"But-" he tried to argue, but her hand shot out and closed the armoire door, effectively ending their discussion. 

Frantic, Jake looked around for a new hiding spot. Under his bed? No, there was a monster. Behind the house plants? Nope, too obvious. In the air vent? Nah, he'd get stuck again. Finally, his eyes found the inconspicuous attic door. 

He was like 90% sure it was haunted. Uncle Jay showed him and Mar'i a horror movie once, and he learned that attics were prime real estate for ghosts and couldn't be trusted. 

But...

It would probably be a great hiding spot. His dad wouldn't expect it. 

The creaking of the stairs interrupted his thoughts and effectively ended his inner turmoil. He dashed to the attic door and braved the darkroom. 

"Oh wow," he said, looking around. The room was cramped, littered with boxes and other knickknacks. Moonlight filtered in through the port window. "Okay, ghosts, listen. I don't mean to trespass or anything. I just need a place to hide from my dad, alright? So no possessing me, okay? I'll only be here for a couple of minutes."

Slowly, he made his way through the clutter, hoping to find a nice nook to squeeze in. A thick layer of dust coated everything in the room, and it was not long before he started hacking. It was then that his left foot hit a meddlesome snag in the carpet, causing him to plummet down on a pile of boxes. 

He let out a rather undignified squeak when his knee slammed into the ground. A flurry of Tamaranean curse words left his mouth; thank heavens, his mom was not around to hear him. "Stupid ghosts!" Jake spat. The crash was loud. His dad knew where he was now. "And stupid Mar'i for making me hide in this stupid, haunted attic!"

He went to glare at the confounding boxes, but he halted when he saw something interesting. His ire vanished, his head cocked slightly. He pulled himself up from the ground and went to analyze the contents of the fallen box closer, his hand alit with a low-energy starbolt.

Inside the unsuspecting box was a brightly colored uniform. Jake's eyes widened the size of saucers. Could this be? There was no way. But sure enough, he found the iconic scaly leotard and black domino mask. Yep, this was his father's old Robin uniform. 

He stared at the red tunic with the utmost reverence; his thumb traced the R. Jake was so absorbed in the costume he failed to notice his sister hovering over him. 

"Whatcha got there, Jaki?" she asked curiously, face inches from his.

He let out a squeal and jumped several feet in the air. He snarled, eyes ablaze in a blue fury. "Mar'i! Don't do that!"

She snickered, an eyebrow raised. "It's not my fault you're not observant."

"I was in stealth mode," he said defensively. He crossed his arms. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be hiding in my hiding spot?"

She shrugged. "Dad found me pretty quick, so I decided to come to bother you."

Jake was surprised. "Wait, do you mean he didn't hear me fall?"

"Nah, I told him you were being a cheater and hiding outside. Thankfully, you decided to be a klutz after he left," she informed him. She frowned when she noticed the betrayed look on his face. "What? I thought you'd be happy I saved you!"

"I think it's funny you pick and choose when to be a loyal sister."

She smiled. "Gotta keep you on your toes, Jaki. Now, what's that?"

Jake followed her pointed look at the costume. He showed her excitedly. "I think it's Dad's old Robin costume!"

Green eyes rounded. "What? No way!"

"Yes, way!" he dazzled. "Look at the insignia!"

"Whoa," she breathed. She fingered the black-yellow cape gingerly. Her head snapped up. "Come on, put it on!"

"W-what?" He gave her a bemused look. 

"I know you want to," she said wryly. She held up the tunic and pushed it towards her brother. "I bet you'd look just like dad."

"Yeah, but..." he trailed off. Honestly, he did not need much convincing. Jake had seen pictures of his dad in his early crimefighting days, but a thought stopped him. "I don't know, Mar'i..."

"Why not?"

"Well, Damian's Robin."

"And?"

"And I don't want to-- I don't know. I guess I don't want to send the wrong message," Jake answered. He sighed somberly. "Besides, it's not like I could ever be Robin anyway. I'm weird."

"What the heck?" Mar'i spluttered. "You think you can't be Robin because you have powers?"

"Robins don't have powers, Mar'i," he said, dejected. "They don't fly or shoot starbolts."

She snorted. She scooted closer to her twin, looking at him intently. "And? Anyone with a brave heart can be Robin, and as I can see, you have one."

"But-"

"No buts, Jaki," she cut him off. Mar'i was not going to allow her brother to put himself down. "I like you just the way you are. I think shooting starbolts and flying is super neat!"

"You're biased," he chuckled. Mar'i's words instantly made him feel better, though. 

Her mouth blossomed into a silly grin. "Well, yeah, duh. I know if I'm awesome, you have to be. Now, put it on!"

"Okay, but turn around. I need privacy!"

"Yay!" she piped before spinning around. Her arms and legs tingled with excitement.  

"Okay, I think I'm ready now," he told her, a bit apprehensive.

Mar'i whipped around, nearly knocking Jake down in the process. She almost burst out in awe when she saw him there, proudly donning their father's uniform. "Wow, Jaki! It looks so good on you!"

He flushed. His eyes, now concealed by a domino mask, peeked down at his body. It had been a bit awkward in some places; Jake did not care for his legs being so exposed, but otherwise, it fit like a glove. "Really?" he asked, swooshing his cape back and forth.

Her head bobbed up and down. "You look just like Dad when he was young!"

"What do you mean by that, Mar'i? I'm still young!" 

Jake and Mar'i were startled by the voice. They spun around in the direction of the attic door and spotted their dad: the first-ever Boy Wonder and best pancake-maker-this-side-of-the-galaxy-- Dick Grayson. 

"Dad!" the siblings exclaimed in perfect unison. 

Dick chuckled. "And what are you two glowsticks doing in the attic? I thought we were playing hide and-"

He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Jake. His eyes widened as they absorbed, his mouth agape.

Jake panicked, and shame surged through him. "I'm sorry, Dad!" he said hastily. "I-I was just hiding upstairs a-and I fell a-and I found your old costume!"

"Jake-"

"A-and I knew I shouldn't have, b-but Mar'i said I should-"

Jake paused when he felt his father's hand on his shoulders. He looked up and met his father's loving gaze. "Jake, calm down," Dick comforted. "It's okay."

Jake swallowed. "You're not mad?"

"No, of course not, son," he responded, genuine. 

"Doesn't he look cool, Dad?" Mar'i piped up, a goofy grin on her face. 

Dick smiled tenderly and moved his hand to caress Jake's face. He could not have predicted what seeing his son wear his old Robin uniform would do to him. His heart soared with love and pride. 

"Yes, Mar'i, he looks pretty cool," he agreed. 

Jake beamed and matched his sister's goofy grin. He thought his dad would be mad at him, but thankfully, he was the furthest from mad. 

"But don't think this means you can go out crimefighting," Dick added quickly.

"Aww, Dad!" Jake whined.

Dick wagged his finger at him. "Don't 'aww, Dad' me! You may have the look, but you're not old enough."

Jake pouted. "I'm not a baby anymore, Dad!"

"Aww, but you're still my baby.” He gave Jake a quick kiss to the temple. “Now, come on, you two. Mom made dinner, and I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees you."

"Did she burn the food again?" Mar'i grimaced. She loved her mother dearly, but she was not the most adept in the kitchen.

"Yeah, I don't know if I can eat burnt lasagna again, Dad."

"Now, now, glowsticks. Mom spent all day working on this meal!" Dick assured them. He escorted them out of the attic. "It's a dish from Tamaran. I'm sure it'll be wonderful."

Mar'i whispered to her brother, "I like when Mom cooks. We always get McDonald's afterward."

"Or food poisoning."

[zodiacmac]

diamond in the rough | a tomgreg spotify mix.

a mix about longing for the wrong person and wanting to be more important to that person than you should ever be allowed to be. 

link within the title. tracklist and lyric selections below. 

001. hot & heavy | lucy dacus.

how could i deny a diamond in the rough? you let me in your world until you had enough. you knew that i wanted you to bend the rules. how did i believe i had a hold on you? you were always stronger than people suspected - underestimated and overprotected. 

002. solider heart | mara connor.

because in this life, i can see the years wearing in your eyes, like a tired tree that wilts under the moon. and you’re a sorry someone who takes a lover in your stride, bends and breaks them to suit your mood til you’re no longer satisfied. but i don’t need to fall apart - i’m the owner of a soldier heart. 

003. sick of spiraling | bachelor, jay som, palehound.

i thought, “if i can’t have my own back, how the fuck can i have your’s?” you are a braving light in a world so dark, and i’m sick of spiraling, and i need your touch to stop. 

004. romantic | mannequin pussy.

i get along with everyone i meet - i’m so sweet. you’re in a bad mood. every time you wake up with the bees. stop taking this shit out on me. 

005. and more | tanukichan.

you can call me if you want to, but there’s a price to pay. you can read into my silence better than the words i say. 

006. why do i always feel this way | pale honey. 

through the heaviest storms, i know i can carry the weight of your world if only you’d let me. was it all for her? then what about me? i will never learn - i can never compete. 

007. ben franklin | snail mail. 

live on, but nothing feels true. sometimes i hate her just for not being you. 

008. young enough | charly bliss.

i can’t protect you now if i couldn’t save you then. you were still just a kid - you’re a beautiful boy. 

009. 2 cool 2 care | anna burch.

from what i can see, reciprocity is boring, but i’m tired of unrequited love stories. you scare me with your indifference - i like you best when you’re a mess. 

010. conditions | squirrel flower. 

keep you guessing, i swear i won’t tell you. make you want me and then i’ll desert you. but it’s alright because you said you don’t need me. it’s alright because i kept it steady. don’t look at me like that, like you’ll kill me. i can outrun you and i’ll do it gracefully. 

011. soft stud | black belt eagle squad.

wondering if you want me. i know you’re taken. need you, want you. i know you’re taken. 

012. forever | pom pom squad.

it’s not my fault you think about me every time that you’re with her. why do you push me away when i know you wanna touch me? you’re only kidding yourself when you say that you don’t love me. 

013. power | katie von schleicher. 

i’m afraid she’s the other one you made. she has tremendous power. i want it - can i have it? do i have it yet?

014. red shoulder | squirrel flower. 

take. hit harder. feeling more. i don’t know what it is or isn’t anymore. you’re one for healing, but i’m still reeling from your last call.  

015. all this love | destroy boys. 

i want it so bad - all those things i used to have, but it was never quite right. all this love i have to give - no one wants to take it. i’m doing too much. 

016. laying on my floor | adult mom. 

and my dad says, “why do you always fight for love that always bites?” he only loved me when i looked away - my neck hurts from keeping it that way. 

017. point of no return | lola kirke.

you always know just what to feed me - just enough to keep me wanting more, more, more. i spend my time planting seeds of love for you to walk on. that’s why they don’t grow, grow, grow. 

018. i know it’s wrong | hurray for the riff raff. 

well, i take you out like i did before. i send you right to the nearest liquor store, and i tell you one thing [that] always made some sense: it’s never wrong to hop a fence. well, i know it’s wrong, but it feels right if i love you, babe, for all my life.  

019. trouble was for | thao. 

everybody needs sugar from your mouth - but i’ll take none for me. i was late - you’ve run out. come back, come back, because i got smart in the time it took to get this far. a fight so old, this body complains. i come back because the punches always hit the same. 

020. i bet you think about me | taylor swift.

now you’re out in the world, searching for your soul, scared not to be hip, scared to get old, chasing make-believe status. last time you felt free was when none of that shit mattered because you were with me.

021. honey | drugdealer and weyes blood. 

i know that you want to be seen and to be heard. oh, to be loved - it’s not a crime. money is the root of the game - what you stand to gain, but everybody’s gonna lose their heads. 

022. fourth of july | cold war kids. 

why’d you think i’m special if i’m only selfish? i’ll never forget what you gave up for me. what makes me so special? you think that i’m selfish. i’ll never forget what you gave up for me.

023. the adults are talking | the strokes.

don’t go there because you’ll never return. i know you think of me when you think of her, but then it don’t make sense when you’re trying hard to do the right thing (but without recompense). and then you did something wrong and you said it was great - and now you don’t know how you could ever complain.

024. diplomat’s son | vampire weekend.

it’s not right, but it’s now or never, and if i wait, could i ever forgive myself? if i ever had a chance, it’s now, then, but i never had the feeling i could offer that to you. to offer it to you would be cruel when all i want to do is use you.

[shelby-love]

A VERY AMATEUR PROMPT LIST

When requesting use the character’s name and the prompt number along with the category, e.g. “Jay Halstead, fluff 7″ or something like that. If you want a specific plot line too, other rules apply. You can find them here!

A/N: I always wanted to make one of these. I don’t take credit for every prompt on this list. Surprise but I’m not actually that creative with these (I’m not funny either lmaoo), maybe it’s because English isn’t my native tounge, so I don’t have the fluency, but a fair amount of these are my own. Credit to those who find their marvelous one liners here! You guys are seriously great I could never.  

"What are you doing? Come back to bed."

"(She/he/they) did it." "No, (She/he/they) did!"

"I already gave you my heart. What else do you want?"

"I think I love you."

"You make me want to be a better person."

"How can you resist this?" "Trust me, I'm trying really hard."

"Are you blushing?"

"I can't with you. Come here."

"I love seeing you smile."

"I miss you..." "I'm in the kitchen Y/N."

"My (girlfriend/boyfriend)'s just scared."

"Not so fast, love."

"You're the only good thing left in my life."

"You're stuck with me forever. How come you're not annoyed?" "Oh, I am. I just love you too much to show it."

"Keep doing that. I like it."

"Where did my scary (girlfriend/boyfriend) go?"  "You said you liked me better as a softie."

"Don't be sorry… It was kind of cute actually."

"Since when are you my (fiancée/fiancé)?"

"Your hair so soft." "It smells nice too."

"What are you doing here?!" "I'm your (girlfriend/boyfriend). I live here."

"I’m so lucky to have you by my side.”

"I can't get you out of my head."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Can you hold me?"

"I told you to take care of yourself."

"Wow… You look beautiful."

"Hi, I'm nervous, you're cute." "I should be nervous, you're cuter."

"I'm going to marry you one day."

"I'm not leaving. Not now, not ever."

"You're safe now. I promise you."

"I hate you." "No, you hate that you love me."

"Can't you see what you're doing to me?!"

"It's my fault, right? It's always my fault."

"You're mine. Everything you do is my business!"

"I don't belong to you. I'm my own person!"

"I need to get out of here…away from you!"

"My feelings are not something you can play with!"

"I love you!" "It doesn't look like you do."

"I should've left you when I had the chance."  "Then go. Leave!"

"You changed." "We both did."

"Leave me the hell alone."

"Do you know what you just did?"

"Let me go."

"I'm dying."

"I wish I'd never met you."

"(He/She)'s dead because of you!"

"You make me sick."

"How could I be so blind?"

"You lied to me!" "You act as if you didn't."

"You only think about yourself. What about me? Huh? What about me?!"

"If you walk away, don't even think about coming back."

"I would've died for you."

"I shouldn't have expected for you to care about anyone but yourself."

"You made me a pawn in your sick game!"

"Go with him. He deserves you more than I do."

"I can forget, but I can't forgive you."

"You kept this from me for years! How dare you?!"

"(He/She) is my (son/daughter) just as much as (he/she) is yours. Take (him/her) away from me, I dare you."

"Love isn't supposed to hurt so badly."

"Go on, kill (her/him). Give me a reason for vengeance."

"You make me look like a garden gnome."

"Thanks to my amazingly high self-esteem, I feel like a slightly bruised potato next to you."

"So, I was thinking…" "Oh, no. That’s never good."

"Think of this as tryouts for hell where (Y/N/character) is the devil."

"I thought I left you in that coffin a century ago?" "Well, I got out. Surprise!"

"Oh, wow what a pleasant surprise."

"Oh no, please, by all means… Continue."

"Who doesn’t like a little murder to start their evening?"

"Are you always so stupid or is today a special occasion?"

"Just because I don’t care doesn’t mean I don’t understand."

"Well at least your mom thinks you’re (pretty/handsome)."

"Stop using your intelligence against me."

"With all due respect, I think you're wrong."

"(He/She) kicked me out! Out! How dare (he/she)?!"

"I don't know, and I don't care."

"In my defense, it looked very fluffy."

"Why do we do something illegal every time we hang out?"

"Did you kill (him/her)? You know you can tell me, right?"

"Just…don't say anything."

"Best get this over with. C'mon, grab his legs."

"Since when can you drive?"

"Just get in the damn car."

"I feel like I was hit by a car. Wait I was? And it was your car?"

"Holy hell… What did you do?!"

"Nu-huh. I fell in love with you first!"

"You know what they say – ignorance is bliss."

"I already died once. Wasn't pleasant. Don't want to do it again."

"Where is (character) when you need (him/her)?!"

"Dare I ask whose death you're plotting in your head?"

"I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong."

"Now if you don't mind… My (girlfriend/boyfriend) and I will get going."

"Are you jealous?"

"I'm really starting to question your intelligence."

"What are you doing (here)?" "What are you doing (here)?"

"I'm his wife."

"Your (son/daughter) is waiting for you. I think world domination can wait until you tuck (him/her) in."

"I didn't know where else to go."

"You remember when I said you owed me? It's time."

"I don't like forests." "You don't like anything."

"What were you doing with (him/her)?"

"Hey, don't underestimate me."

"(He/She)'s a child!"

"I'm looking for an errand (sister/brother). Show me to (her/him) before I smash your head."

"You taste better than I thought you would."

"You can't even spare me a compliment."  "I don’t know what to compliment!"

"You really need to sort out your priorities."

"No, it’s fine. I can wait until you’re done talking to (him/her/them)."

"Your nicotine addiction will be your downfall. Mark my words."

"You never cease to amaze me."

"I'm kinda annoying…hope you don't mind."

"Duck, you idiot!"

"Get that love potion away from me!"

"You can't leave me! I don't want to be their (supernatural) babysitter!"

"Okay, kids huddle up!"

"Rot in hell."

"I’ve got a wand, and I’m not afraid to use it!"

"Do you have any booze?" "No, thanks to you." "Even your secret stash?" "How do you know about my secret stash?"

"Daggering someone the moment they disagree with your barbaric ways isn't the answer."

"Jesus Christ… You don't even know how to hold a gun."

"Just run." "What do you mean run?"  "RUN!"

♔ MY NAVIGATION ♔